#who based on what i know of her is probably dealing with mercenaries and bounty hunters? that seems like her jam?

[transingthoseformers]

TF Surge: Glowstrike might be the least evil of the warlords. Straxus is just massacring prople, Shockwave is doing horrific spark-splitting experiments in attempt to avert extinction. Not sure what Megaempress is doing though.

You're right, and Megaempress isn't probably doing anything all that nice too

#I vaguely feel like she's the type to expand her territory by force #maccadam #transformers #Straxus #Megaempress #Shockwave #glowstrike #who based on what i know of her is probably dealing with mercenaries and bounty hunters? that seems like her jam? #transformers: surge

[plague-doctor-jules]

Julian Ilya Devorak: A psychological profile

(Key words are in bold)

In order to begin this work providing solid bases for the arguments that are about to follow, one should pay careful attention to the information provided by the creators of the game concerning Julian’s choices, backstory and personality. 

Thankfully, there is no shortage of information concerning Julian’s person. He was born of humble origins and lost his parents at an early age -presumably at a shipwreck-. Mazelinka, a then pirate, along with her lover found Julian and Portia at the shore and decided to adopt and raise them as their own. Julian left home at a young age in order to go to medical school, though he never graduated. He then spent many years travelling around the world and working as a mercenary doctor -where he first met Lucio-. Later on, he worked as a doctor on a merchant ship, which was attacked by pirates. The pirates spared him because of his medical knowledge and recruited him to their ship. He spent a year with the pirates, before returning to Vesuvia around the time the plague started, and he joined Lucio’s team of doctors to help in the research for a cure under quaestor Valdemar. During his research he too contracts the red plague and ends up making a contract with the major arcana “The Hanged man”, where he exchanged some of his memories in order to learn the cure of the plague. The hanged man also gave him a seal which grants him supernatural abilities of self-healing and enables him to heal others by taking their maladies onto his own body. Being accused for Lucio’s death, he pleaded guilty, even without remembering whether he killed him or not, but he escaped from his imprisonment the night before his execution, being a fugitive before returning to Vesuvia to search for answers; from which point the events of the story play out.

At this point, before analyzing Julian’s more pathological behaviors, it is very important to point out his intelligence and sensitive, artistic nature. He appears to have affinity  towards the performing arts (acting, music and dance) and often uses poetic figures of speech. It is safe to assume that because of that he was always prone to overthinking and feeling deeply, which is the basic cause of his self-loathing, as he believes that what he does is never enough and that he is to be blamed for whatever bad happens. His low self- esteem and multiple insecurities are evident throughout the game (he notoriously calls himself an abomination and a wrench,  warns people to stay away from him because he might hurt them and refuses to accept any help because he feels that he does not deserve it). Though, that tendencies could have stayed at bay if they were not reinforced by many negative life events.

It is pretty evident from the information provided that Julian has not had an easy life. It is safe to imply that he has had a number of traumatic experiences both during his travels and when he worked as a doctor; both a mercenary and a plague doctor. He has seen much cruelty and probably has gone through a considerable amount of abuse (both emotional and physical). The combination of the abuse and the trauma he sustained had a double impact on his personality:

The first is that he ends up creating an outgoing, confident, communicative and charismatic persona to conceal his sensitive nature which was severely harmed during that time. That persona enables him to mingle with the rough people he deals with without giving the impression of being weak However, that persona crumbles easily whenever one shows him genuine care and affection, leaving him vulnerable and confused; since there is an incongruence between the way he views himself and the way that other person views him. 

This incongruence is also a reinforcer of the second way trauma and abuse transformed his personality: One of Julian’s predominant characteristics that is stressed throughout the story and addressed multiple times by characters other than him is his masochistic tendencies. At first they were a mere defense mechanism he unconsciously employed in order to cope with the pain and abuse: when it cannot be avoided there are two ways to deal with it: either lose one’s sanity or enjoy it. Similarly, when helplessness has reached its peak, the person can either go mad or find solace in willingly delivering control of themselves to another person. The gift he received from the Hanged Man did not do much to help, since his caring nature compelled him to submit himself to great amounts of physical pain in order to heal others and gain some sort of self-value as a reward. After a while, the willing submission to the pain and the pleasure one gets out of it -which is the only source of pleasure in a long while- becomes a link that grounds someone to reality and doesn’t let them be consumed by despair; to a point where it is addicting and necessary for the person’s mental stability. A similar explanation to that would be that one sees a reflection of themselves in other people’s actions towards them; hence one wishes others to torture and take advantage of them because that is the way they feel about themselves; like they deserve to be hurt and taken advantage of. Any other behavior immediately causes incongruence and threatens the person’s mental stability; much like what happens in Julian’s case when the apprentice first treats him with kindness; he seems to be lost and confused. 

Also, it is evident that he is an impulsive individual, who goes where life takes him with no second thought, even when that includes reckless decisions and even prospects of his own death. His sister and many of his acquaintances call him out on having “a death wish”, but from his perspective, he has nothing to lose if he dies; instead, he will find peace. That being said, there is no evidence of him having suicidal ideation -at least not actively- but he does not do much to avoid his untimely demise, as if he is seeking the thrill of it. For that reason he flies off on adventures not having graduated from medical school, adopts the lifestyle of an outlaw and returns to Vesuvia, even knowing that there is a bounty on his head.

The case of Julian Devorak could easily be the material for a critical essay, however this is only an attempt to shed some light to the causes of some of the behaviors he demonstrates in the game. By no means I consider this to be a complete work, but hopefully it provides some insight into the way he experiences the world in a cognitive and unconscious level. 

- written by Cyan Herostrates for @plaguehostwiththemost and @halfblooddragonghost. Your feedback and additional comments would be most appreciated. 

#julian devorak #a psychological profile #meta #the arcana game

[disruptedvice]

Starmora promp AU: Peter is an colded mercenary only for mobey and Gamora is a bounty haunter that helps her family and they meet in Knowhere and started to know their past of each other.

Summary: “Holycrap dude! You stabbed me!” Peter shouted, not sure if he shouldfocus on how he had a blade buried in his flesh right now or thewoman who put it there. It sounded almost like an accusation comingfrom his mouth, like stabbing him was against the rules. Of thisfight where he was trying to kill her, and was now actually whiningabout gettingstabbed.

Sheraised her eyebrows in what was clearly an areyou honestly surprised lookif he had ever seen one.

“Yes,”Gamora stated calmly, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. “Yougonna pull it out anytime soon? I’d like to have my blade back.”

Itwas her favorite one. She didn’t have a chance to remove it fromhis shoulder before she had to jump back to evade him blindlyswinging around his daggers like a true idiot.

“No!You stabbed me with it!” Peter shrieked, still freaking out aboutthe knife in his shoulder. She hadn’t realized his voice could gothat high- it was somehow even more shrill and grating than before. “No!”He shouted again, looking down at the knife in his shoulder, thenback up to her. “No! You’re not getting it back! It’s mine now!”

AO3 Link

_______

The Bounty Hunter and the Mercenary

_______

Peterthought it was luck when he ran into her.

Sure,it was a little coincidental, but he’d seen weirder things in hisline of work. The bounty hunter he’d been hired to take out justshowing up outside his regular base of operations on Knowhere wasn’tthe strangest thing considering her line of work. Probablythere for a bounty.

Hethought he’d been lucky. Most jobs usually took a bit morereconnaissance, especially when it came to someone as skilled andmobile as her. She never stayed in the same place for too long. Theywere similar in that respect. What he generously referred to as hisbase of operations was really just his favorite bar on this seedy,crime infested shit hole.

Hethought he’d been incredibly lucky when he caught the flash of greenout of the corner of his eye, halfway through a bottle of thecheapest liquor Knowhere had to offer when he got a good look andrealized that yes, that was Gamora, daughter of Thanos, walking pastthe dirty, dingy windows that practically came with every buildinghere. Knowhere attracted a certain unsavory element, includingthe bar Peter was in right now. The people who frequented theparticular establishments here were probably a feeding ground forbounty hunters with the right skills. It was just unfortunate for herthat she passed by the bar that a mercenary who’d been hired to killher was drinking in. He’d done his due diligence gathering intel onhis upcoming target, but he hadn’t even begun narrowing downlocations or tracking her movement yet.

Peterthought he was lucky when he saw her just walking down the street.

Heshould’ve realized sooner.

Instead,he made a quick exit, settling up his tab and leaving a grosslygenerous tip rather than waste precious seconds splitting hairsbefore he stumbled out the door, half worried he had already losther.

Whenhe’d spotted the whip of black purple hair and signature leatherhalfway down the block just as she turned the corner, he should’veknown.

Buthe didn’t catch on until it was too late. He could blame that on thecheap and crude alcohol that had already made its way into hissystem, but still. He should’ve known better than to go after someoneas good as her when he’d already been drinking.

Heshould’ve realized when she didn’t look back over her shoulders evenonce as he surreptitiously followed her. Someone with her history andtraining would’ve been paranoid as heck, and certainly watching herown back as she walked through the streets covered in grit and grimewith shady dealings happening everywhere you turned.

Shedidn’t check over her shoulder even once. He should’ve knownsomething was up. But no, when she made her way through one of thealleyway openings that littered the streets of Knowhere and opened toa secluded back balcony, he just followed her like an idiot.

Hedidn’t even have time to turn his head before she got the drop onhim, coming out of nowhere (or behind the wall, more likely),slamming him into the ground and immediately following up with apunch to the face.

Themetallic tang of iron and the unmistakable taste of blood suddenlyfilling his mouth wasn’t unfamiliar to him, hardly, in fact. Spittingthe blood out of his mouth and into the soot that had been kicked upby a scuffle on Knowhere’s streets- this wasn’t anything new to him.Losing the upper hand this early in a fight, being caught so offguard, he was a little less used to this. But he’d always been goodat thinking on his feet.

Petertried to pull his knees up in order to kick her off of him, but itdidn’t do much good when she was literally pinning him down in thesmothering ash. Gamora knew what she was going after though- the gunstrapped to his hip. She ticked her lips at his squirming andstruggling, but his wild movements and flaying limbs did nothing todislodge her. Peter soon gave up on trying to throw her off of himand instead focused on landing as much damage as he could with hisfists.

Gamoragrowled and dug the heel of her palm into his solar plexus after herhead snapped back from a punch, and it stunned him long enough forher to snatch his blaster and pull back just in time to dodge anotherblow.

Shewas already up and away before Peter managed to scramble onto hisfeet with an empty holster, which he didn’t even realize was missingsomething until he saw it in her hands. After she stole his gun (hisfavorite!), Gamora then proceeded to drop it over the railing andinto the endless void of space.

Peterwas completely dumbfounded, but already reaching for the daggers hehad hidden under his clothes by pure reflex, his knees bent as heshifted onto the balls of his feet to adopt a fighting stance. He’dhave time for mourning the loss of his favorite weapon later. Rightnow he was getting ready for a fight.

Hereyes flashed with something like amusement. No, not amusement, Peterrealized. Challenge.__________

Hethought it was lucky running into her just like he did.

Evidentlynot.

Peterwas clearly very unlucky. Even with her skill, he thought the fightwould be over soon. Now, as they’d circled each other for probablyabout the millionth time after another clash of blades, he’d beenproven wrong. Every attack and defense was evenly matched, and whathe’d thought would be a reasonably quick fight had been dragged outmuch, much longer with no sign of stopping soon.

Hewas very unlucky to get a target as skilled as her. This wouldn’t beeasy.

Especiallysince she came prepared. Already knew everything about him. Includinghis favorite weapon that she’d disposed of first thing.

Droppinghis gun over the side railings and reducing him to fighting withwhatever daggers he had strapped down when she brought a fuckingsword to this fight.

Herealized he was even more unlucky once he found out this bountyhunter was here for him. He had a price on his head, of coursehe did, and Gamora was set on taking him in. And not letting him killher in the process. She’d done her research too, it seemed.

Shewas annoyingly good in combat; Peter would’ve been impressed if itwasn’t so damn frustrating.

Inless than 10 minutes of them sparring round in circles (it could’vebeen considered more if they’d done anything other than dance aroundeach other clashing blades) this Gamora, last of the Zehoberi,managed to suss out that he had been hired to kill her for a veryprincely sum.

Sothat was interesting. He’d been hired to kill this prolific bountyhunter known simply as Gamora, the most dangerous woman in thegalaxy. She’d been hired to to capture, detain, and bring in onePeter Quill, a notorious mercenary who also went by the name ofStarlord.

Interesting.

Itcertainly was not lucky getting paired with someone as good as her.He honestly wasn’t sure how this fight was gonna end.

Hereyes were calculating, and every move he made she seemed to predictand have a perfect strike in response to that had him dodging andcountering and always on the defense.

Howlong had they been exchanging blows? From the way his muscles werestarting to ache, he’d guess something like half an hour. From thesweat beading on her temple and running down the back of his neck,he’d say 45 minutes.

Theywere both starting to tire, he could tell as she grit her teeth andtwisted her foot in the dirt after being forced back to her side ofthe makeshift arena, that was really just their trampled footsteps inthe soot that lined every inch of Knowhere.

“Youknow, if I still had my blaster, this fight would be going muchdifferently by now,” Peter claimed with a smile and that cockyattitude he was always sporting, absolutely sure of it as he wipedhis brow with his sleeve. His old leather ravager jacket was hot ashell, but no way was he taking it off and giving up what littleprotection the thick fabric gave him from sharp pointy things likeher sword. She’d already sliced through it and drawn blood more thana couple times, and while it sure as hell stung, it was nothing toobad.

He’dmaybe caught her skin a couple times with his daggers, but the damagewas minimal at best. He only managed to nick her when she came in fora strike on him.

Mostof the damage he’d landed on her came from his fists when she hadtackled him and they spent a solid minute grappling before she’dwrestled his gun away from him and dropped it over the side.

Gamorasneered. “I’m sure you’d like to think that.”

“No,really, I’m really good with it,” Peter said, smiling like thisreally was a sparring match between two old friends and colleagues,not strangers trying to take each other out.

Gamoradidn’t look impressed.

“Yourreliance on long range weapons is a weakness. I’ll admit, you’re abit better with a blade than I thought you’d be,” the bounty hunterfrowned, her brows lowering in displeasure. “No matter. You’ll godown just like the rest of them. They always do.”

Sheleapt at him, burying a dagger that she just pulled out of fuckingnowhere in his shoulder, and Peter cried out, ripping away from herand blindly slashing as more of a defensive maneuver than actuallyaiming for her at all, using his wild movements to cover his retreatback to the railings.

Shejumped back, hissing in what he soon realized was pain when he sawthe new gash on her thigh and the dark liquid spilling from thewound.

Peterlooked down at his shoulder. Her knife was still in it.

“Holycrap dude! You stabbed me!” He shouted, not sure if he should focuson how he had a blade buried in his flesh right now or the woman whoput it there. It sounded almost like an accusation coming from hismouth, like stabbing him was against the rules.

Sheraised her eyebrows in what was clearly an areyou honestly surprised lookif he had ever seen one.

“Yes,”she stated calmly. “You gonna pull it out anytime soon? I’d liketo have my blade back.”

“No!No way!” Peter didn’t know how she could say something like thatso normally when he still had a frickin knife in his shoulder. God,that hurt. Still, it’s not like he was gonna give her the commoncourtesy of returning her knife that was still in him because shestabbed him with it. “No!” He shouted, even louder this time.Shrieked was probably a better word to describe it, actually. “Youstabbed me with it! You’re not getting it back! It’s mine now!”

“Butit’s my favorite one,” Gamora said, clearly regretting buryingher favorite dagger in some asshole that didn’t return weapons usedagainst him. She was standing in the circular opening that led backto the main platform that was otherwise known as his only exit,unless he wanted to take a free fall much the same way his gun hadgone into the endless abyss. Check that one off the list.

“Comeon, don’t you have better things to do?” Peter tried, sincenegotiating was his specialty (other than the whole mercenary thing).It took everything he had in him to not pull the dagger out of hisshoulder that hurt like hell. The instinct to cover his wound withhis hand was near overwhelming, he knew that would help at least alittle bit, but his right hand was kinda busy holding hisfavoritedagger, AKA his best defense right now against her bigass sword. Hisbrain kept telling him that his shoulder would stop killing him if hepulled the knife out of it, but he knew his brain was stupid, andremoving the knife was the quickest way to death via copious bloodloss. No way was he giving her back the knife that was currentlystopping him from bleeding out. He still had his second dagger in hisleft hand too, but he didn’t know how useful that would be since hewas pretty sure it would hurt like hell just trying to move his leftarm right now. “I can’t be the only bounty offered in thissystem. Hell, there’s gotta be at least 15 other guys on Knowherealone who have over 50,000 unit prices on their heads! They’ll bemuch easier to take in than me, I promise. Why don’t you go afterone of them? How is this worth the trouble for you? Don’t give meany nonsense about me being the real bad guy here or some moralityshtick, I know the kind of work you used to do for Thanos. How canthis job be worth it for you? If you think this is just the start ofmy annoyingness, watch out sister, cause I can become a whole lotmore inconvenient than what you’ve seen. I can pay you twice asmuch as whatever the going rate on my head is these days. Staying inthis fight with you isn’t worth it for me anymore either. So let’sjust settle this like the business transaction it really is.”

Gamora’sjaw ticked and her eyes narrowed at the mention of the mad Titan’sname. He was hoping that would throw her off. He’d done hisresearch too, before accepting this particular commission. He knewshe wasn’t exactly the most willing of Thanos’s soldiers back inthe day. But he was sure this wasn’t a morality crusade given herhistory, and he didn’t see how it could be personal, so all that’sleft was monetary gain. Which was good, because those motivationswere much harder to persuade from doing something other thankilling/capturing him.

Gamorascoffed. “Nice try. I’m not trading you in for money,”shesneered, spitting into the dirt. “You won’t be bribing me offlike any of the other officials and hunters who’ve let you get awaybefore. You’re merely collateral, Quill. In a trade. You havenothing to offer me that I want. And you’re not talking your wayout of this one.”

“Comeon, whynot?!”He whined in the most childish manner she had ever seen an adult manemulate. He looked two seconds away from stamping his feet in thedirt and throwing a full blown temper tantrum.“You didn’t eventhink about it! You won’t even let me try! Just tell me what you’regetting, thenyoucan have the satisfaction of shooting me down. Give me a fair chanceto give you an offer!”

Sheknew he was just trying to buy time as they started circling aroundeach other again. And it wasn’t until they started back at theirslow and wary dance of keeping their distance and watching each otherthat she realized just how deep his slash had gone in her leg. Hermods were designed to keep her alive in near death situations, buteven the nanotechnology with rapid response and healing factors stillneeded time to repair her muscle that felt like it had been slicedclean through. With the amount of blood and placement, she was luckyhis blade didn’t nick her femoral artery. Buying herself a fewminutes to let the nanobytes repair what they could would probably bebest overall instead of pushing her damaged muscle fibers further bymoving at anything faster than a walk right now. He didn’t have toknow how bad her leg was.

“Doyou have a brother? A sister?” Gamora asked, even though shealready knew the answer. Everyone knew that Starlord had no family,no friends, and no allies. He was alone. He only looked out forhimself.

“No.”

“ThenI do not expect you to know how it feels to be faced with losing yourfamily, Terran,” she spat venom, and didn’t notice how her wordsmade his footsteps falter, his movements stutter.

“Mysister faces execution for her crimes, but the Sovereign have offereda trade. I get her if I bring you to them. And I’m not leaving herewithout you, Starlord.”

“TheSovereign? Oh man, I hate those guys!” Peter whined, and for amoment she was taken aback by his sudden shift in tone, how his voicewas that of whining to a friend, not someone he’s trying to killwho’s trying to capture him for a bounty. It was a different voicethan the one he had been using up till now. Before it was stillclearly the voice of a practiced liar trying to talk his way out ofsomething and negotiate for his life. Now she didn’t know what itwas… just different.

Histone was so casual and genuine compared to his previous words that itwas distracting and disconcerting in a way that didn’t make sense toher.

“They’resuch assholes!” Peter exclaimed, and even though she was inclinedto agree, and that she wouldn’t be doing business with them ifNebula had not been caught trying to steal those stupid batteries,she wasn’t going to saythat.

The,once again, very immature mercenary pursed his lips, then sighed.“You’re really not leaving here without me, are you?”

“Nota chance,” she confirmed easily.

“Youknow, if you hand me over to the sovereign, they’re gonna executeme, right?”

“Notmy problem. If you expect me to have sympathy for a mercenary such asyourself, Starlord, then you are mistaken.”

Henodded, as if conceding her point. Peter held up his hands, stillcarrying both his blades. “Okay, I’m just gonna call a temporarytruce and back up to this here balcony so we can talk withoutcircling each other like a bunch of idiots,” Peter claimed, takingthe few steps back until he was against the outer balcony before heleaned up against it, relaxing in his stance. Gamora watched himwarily- she didn’t trust him farther than she could throw him. Andwhile she knew they wouldn’t come to a solution, she took a fewsteps back too, her leg quite thankful for the opportunity to rest.

“Alright,so fair point. But you hate the sovereign too, right? I saw your facetwitch when I said that! You think they’re assholes too!”

Gamoraonly scowled in response, immensely displeased that he had been ableto read anything on her face. She supposed he was good at what hedid, as much as she would hate to admit it. People reading. He had awhole list of tricks that she knew she would do poor to dismiss orwrite off just like that. There was a reason he was still aroundafter all these years, why he’d never been captured, why he was themost well known mercenary in a business with an extremely highturnover rate, why he had a body count higher than most armies. She’ddo good not to forget that. He was good at what he did. But so wasshe. She was better.

“Myopinion regarding my current employer does not matter. Neither doesyours,” Gamora said, making sure her expression was nothing morethan absolutely neutral.

“Theygive you a deadline?” Peter asked her, a spark of something justbeyond his eyes that screamed trouble.

“Twoweeks.”

Thesmirk that spread across his face at that was so insufferable thatshe didn’t know how he didn’t make his way through life riddledwith holes. Someone who smirked like that had to get stabbed all thetime. It was probably a daily occurrence for him. She wanted to stabhim again for it. If she had a blade to spare, she would’ve flungit at him right then and there. As it was, her only dagger was in hisshoulder (she was still working on how she was gonna get that back)and she wasn’t gonna let go of her sword anytime soon. Still.

Shecould practically see the gears turning in his head, and the way hissmile widened gave her a feeling of malaise that even Thanos couldn’tstrike in her. His smirk only grew, and from the smugness inherent init, he clearly thought he’d gained some ground on her.

“Okay,maybe you take me in in the end, maybe you don’t,” Peter noddedhis head side to side, as if weighing the likelihood. She’d noticedhe’d slipped back into his easy going negotiation voice. Thatsubtle shift let her know she wasn’t going to like the way this washeading. “You and I both know we can drag this fight on for days,and you don’t have that kind of time if you wanna make it toSovereign space before they kill your sister. You know how much theysuck. On the way isn’t good enough for them.”

“Doyou ever shut your mouth?”

“Nope,”Peter grinned. “So how about we make an alternative arrangement?”

“Ishould just shoot you now for thinking I’m dumb enough to fall foryou trying to talk yourself out of this so desperatelyrightnow.”

“Ah,but you haven’t even pulled out that nice little blaster on yourhip, have you. Now why is that?” He asked in a lilting, sing songvoice, tapping his finger on his chin. Gamora snarled, and if glarescould kill, he would so be dead right now. “Could it be they wantme brought in alive?” He continued, voice going higher, and eyeswidening for effect. “And relatively undamaged?”

Gamora’strigger finger just itched to pull out her gun and shoot him in theface.

“Ah,got it in one,” Peter smiled, so infuriatingly smug. She wascertain it was on purpose. No one could be this much of aninsufferable smartass without being completely deliberate. Petersounded like he was already gloating, in the most infuriating waymanageable. He tapped his nose, then pointed at her. “If there’stwo things I know about the Sovereign it’s that they like theirpeople pretty and their executions public.”

Hehad clocked the gun she had strapped to her side pretty early on inthe fight and tried to get ahold of it whenever they were closeenough, but he’d never even gotten close to grabbing whateverblaster made the vaguely gun shaped outline at her hip. He keptwondering why she didn’t pull it out. Dead or alive bounties werecommon in this business, and knowing who he was, he would’veassumed that everything on his head stipulated that bringing in hisdead body would’ve been fine. But this wasn’t just anyoneoffering a bounty on him. This was the Sovereign. That changedeverything. He’d pissed them off too many times to count, and theywanted to make a spectacleofhim.

“There’sa reason they hired a bounty hunter for this job, and it isn’t foryour fighting ability. Though for real, if you quit your job and gotinto mine, you’d make a killing in the mercenary business,” hesaid, trying to pay her a compliment, but she didn’t look amused.He went on, unperturbed. “That’s besides the point. There’s areason they hired a bounty hunter instead of a mercenary, and it’snot just because I’m the best mercenary in the galaxy. It’sbecause they don’t want me taken out, they want me taken in.”

“Andwhat are you proposing?” Gamora finally asked, if only to stop hisincessant bragging, even though every bone in her body was tellingher not to. Telling her no, no, no, it’s a trap, don’t engage,this is how he ensnared everybody else. Don’t underestimate him.

“Simple.I go with you, of my own free will, we leave right now, and we’llmake it to Sovereign space in 12 days or so. Then we break yoursister out of their pretty little golden jail and we skedaddle, andno one dies. Your sister’s saved and you don’t actually turn meover in the end, and I don’t face public execution. Good idea,right? How’s about it?”

“No,”Gamora said immediately, didn’t even need to take the time to thinkabout it. Peter’s face fell in utter disappointment. “You’regoing to kill me the second I turn my back on you.”

“Nuh-uh!”He argued, like a mature, reasonable adult.

“There’sa reason they hired a mercenary and not a bounty hunter for thisjob,” she parroted his words back at him in a vicious, mockingtone. “You think I don’t know the work you do, Quill? I found youafter all. I know you better than anyone who’s ever come after youbefore. And I know anyone who thinks they can trust you is a fool.Sorry I won’t be as easy to kill as all your other victims. Causeyou’re mybounty.And I knowyou,Peter.Preserving your own life isn’t a good enough motivation for you,cause there’s only one thing you care about. You don’t make anymoney off of letting me live. Don’t think you can bat your prettyeyelashes and have me convinced just like all the rest that you’reas lucky and dumb as you want everyone to believe.”

“Youever get tired of it? You ever want someone to notice how clever youare? How everything goes your way because you plan and practice, andit’s never luck but skill, but you wouldn’t get away with thingsnearly as easily as you do if you broke your charming goofy littlerascal facade, would you?” Gamora taunted. “The unassuming dumbluck sort of guy works out much better for you than the unbearablyclever Peter Quill who notices things and always seems to just barelyescape in the nick of time. I know you, the realyou. Sono, I won’t be taking your offer. I know you rely on peopleunderestimating you, so let me assure you that won’t be happeninghere. And you won’t be talking your way out of this one. There’sonly one thing you care about, and you don’t make enough money outof letting me live. I’m not stupid enough to believe your story fora moment.”

Shewas more than pleased with how that seemed to wipe the smirk rightoff his face. He didn’t have a comeback this time, and her innercompetitiveness was feeling great about beating him in this verbalsparring match, even though their physical match was ongoing.

Peterhesitated to speak, his mouth opening and closing without a sound.His expression was so serious she’d begun to wonder if she hadbroke him. It was a complete change that overtook him. His shouldersslumped forward, body language closing in on himself as he stared atthe ground in quiet thought. Rather than the calculating look hetried to hide before, this look was openly thoughtful.

“Okay,but your sister got caught trying to steal the Anulax batteries,right?” He asked, finally looking up at her. The surprise must haveshown on her face, because he smiled, kindly, and answered thequestion that she hadn’t yet asked. “They always leave them sounguarded. I swear it’s just bait that they leave out all so theycan get on their high horse every time someone tries to steal them.They’ve spent a hundred times more hiring people to defend thosestupid things than they would if they had invested in some simplesecurity for their prized batteries 10 years ago.”

Gamorawas even more furious at Nebula than she had been for falling forsuch a trap, but then again, all of her research into the Sovereigndidn’t even hint at what Peter was implying. For some reason, shedidn’t doubt him, though. Well, for one, he’d immediately knownit was the Anulax batteries that her sister was captured trying tosteal, when the Sovereign had many high value items that theypublicized and would be much more logical targets. But she had afeeling there was a different reason that she didn’t doubt Peter’sclaim right now. She just didn’t know what it was.

“Thebatteries would be what- a quarter mill on the open market?” Peterlooked up, doing the mental math in his head. “Considering how theonly thing I care about it money, that’ll be enough to recoup mylosses on what I would’ve made upon completion of well, you.Besides, this was kinda fun,” Peter waved his hand between them,smiling. He actually had a kinda nice smile when he wasn’t being adick about it. “I was thinking it would’ve been a shame to killyou 40 minutes ago. Now I am a little less sure of if I would comeout on top in this fight. But we could drag this out until yourmotivation is moot. Sovereign space is a 12 day trip from here,minimum. Even if you managed to capture me and get me onboard yourship, I wouldn’t go easily. It’s in everybody’s best interestfor me to go with you willingly. So money plus the satisfaction ofscrewing over those golden D-bags sounds like fun. And I think you’veproven not killing you will be mucheasierfor me than killing you. I’ve already got a knife in the shoulder,”he shrugged his uninjured one, trying not to move the one that stillhad her favorite knife in it. “The Sovereign are such assholes, andI’m a very petty man. They put a bounty on my head, how could I notwant to get them back for that? The batteries are like a 8th of thecommission I would’ve gotten from this job, but I can make up thatdifference easily in no time flat. My business is always in business.I think I would be sad not to get to see your scary face againanyway. So saving us the trouble seems like it’s in both our bestinterests, yeah? You make it back to Sovereign space before yourdeadline’s up, we rescue your sister and that’ll really piss thoseassholes off, and adding insult to injury we grab the Anulaxbatteries on the way out the door. I don’t get executed, and Idon’t get stabbed by you again. That sound like a good plan toyou?” Peter offered, almost looking hopeful. Sincere.

Gamoraknew she couldn’t fall for it. How convincing he was right now wasexactly what everyone else he’d ever screwed over thought.

Eventhough she was kinda impressed to find out that someone paid twomillion units to have her killed, and she was more than a littlecurious to find out who.

“Nope,not good enough,” she refused, trying to ignore how the way hisface fell made her want to frown even more. “Try and come up with abetter story for you motivation. We both know that’s not enough.This is getting pathetic. I thought you were better at making upthings on your feet. Or maybe try giving me one, just onereasonto believe you. You haven’t given me any reason to trust you,”she maintained with a scoff. She didn’t want to let on that she wasgetting more uncertain of her decision to never trust him no matterthe circumstance. He had a point, she didn’t have time to waste.

Shenarrowed her eyes, looking over his shoulder at the backdrop ofperpetual twilight behind him. The illusion of endless night andscores of stars that was Knowhere’s only redeeming aspect just seemedto drive home the time limit. 12 days. She couldn’t waste time onthis suspended wasteland that didn’t even have a star to orbit.

Butshe knew- she could tell that everything he listed wasn’t the realreason behind his offer. She knew she couldn’t trust him. When washe going to get it?

Peterwas silent for a moment, looking down as he thought. Heabsentmindedly rubbed the heel of his palm on his pants as some sortof self soothing gesture, but any conflicting feelings he had werepushed to the side and replaced with certainty when he lifted hishead again. His face now somber and serious as he looked her dead inthe eye and said “You aren’t the only one who’s lost someone.”

Hiseyes were heavy and clear and earnest.

Gamoraknew it was the first honest thing he’d said to her all night. Whathe said earlier, about not wanting to kill her, about selling thebatteries, every part of his negotiation, all of that may have beentruthful, but it wasn’t honest.

Thesewere the first honest words he’s said to her.

Anddamnit. Shewas really going to do this, wasn’t she?

“We’retaking myship,”Gamora snarled. “I don’t trust you in yours.”

Peter’seyes lit up like nothing she’d ever seen, and the resulting smilethat spread across his face just made her feel confused, but notannoyed or angry. She tried to cover it by scowling though, and hequickly joined her by her side. Her hand tightened around the hilt ofher sword at his sudden closeness. But he just waited for her to leadthe way.

“Smort,”Peter nodded, smiling again. One of his easy and eager smiles, eyesalight with humor and maybe even excitement. “That’s probably forthe best. Now which way to your ship?”

Shefelt more than a little uneasy about this agreement, but she’dalready made her decision. She motioned for him to lead the way outof the alley, since she didn’t trust him enough to turn her back tohim. Peter didn’t look surprised or even offended.

And,back on the streets of Knowhere, Peter fell into step next to her asthey walked, his injured side closest to her, so he’d have to usehis far arm if he were to pull anything. Somehow, she was certainthat was on purpose. Joining her on her right side (her swordwielding side) and having his injured arm closest to her. It was asmall, subtle thing to make him seem less threatening to her, and aminute display of trust. Standing on her dominant side, while she wasstill wielding her weapon, and her dagger still buried in his leftshoulder as he walked next to her. It was a minor display of trust,of vulnerability, walking so close to her when she could easily usehis injury against him and it would be too late for him to defendhimself with his right arm. And she knew it was completelyintentional. From the little knowing smile playing at his lips, hewasn’t trying to hide it. He wanted her to know.

Shehad a feeling she was going to regret this, but she wasn’t going toturn back now. Gamora was going to save her sister, and she was goingto use him to do it.

Whateverit took. She wouldn’t fail Nebula again. And she wasn’t going to leta stupid jerkass mercenary get in her way, either.

Andif their first interaction was anything to go on, it certainlywouldn’t be easy spending 12 days on a ship with someone as annoyingas him without throwing him out the airlock, but she could make itthrough. She always did.

Still.This was set to be a long 12 days.

___

____

Author’s note: I’m not sure if this is exactly what you wanted, but I hope you like it. I’m planning on turning this into a 3 or 4 chapter fic, cause I can’t just leave it like this. Chapter 2 will be posted the last week of November or the first week of December (it took me awhile just to write this chapter, so we’ll see which it ends up being).

#starmora #GOTG fic #guardians of the galaxy #Gamora x Peter Quill #GOTG AU #MCU fanfiction #starmora fanfic #starmora au #my GOTG fics #my fic

[vinodiriso]

CHARACTER SHEET --- TIMELINE.

NAME: Adrian Mihai Lupei.

PLACE OF BIRTH: Alba Iulia, Transylvania, Romania.

NATIONALITY: Romanian.

CALLSIGN: Prototip.

ALIASES: Lup-ul [formerly], Dmitry Blatov.

BIRTHDAY: 15/11 (Scorpio).

OCCUPATION: Soldier of fortune.

BASE OF OPERATION: Bucharest, Romania.

AFFILIATION: Romanian-Moldovan Fourth Anti-Omnic Regiment (Românesc și Moldovenesc Anti-Omnic A Patra Regiment) [formerly].

BACKGROUND: read more ‘cause it’s pretty long.

It’s hard as fuck to be a boy and grow up without a father. Shit, do you have any idea how goddamn disheartening it is to feel lost, hopeless, and seeing nothing when you dare looking back? Who the fuck was supposed to be my model? Who the fuck should I have been inspired from when choosing the man I had eventually to become?

But, hey, somehow I managed. I’ve become a man… and a fucking ugly one. The name’s Adrian — no, not Edrian, you fucker, it’s Adriàn — you know what? Call me Prototip. It’s gonna make it easier. Nowadays it feels more me than my actual name regardless.

I went to school for I think 8, maybe 9 years. My grades weren’t half bad, I was a smart kid, always been, but mamă alone couldn’t bring home enough money to sustain the family. It was only the two of us, sure, but when at every corner of the street you can find a fucking tin can doing whatever job better than a man in flesh and bones, who the fuck would hire a slow, sloppy, fragile human person? Soon enough, I was off my way. Already mentioned I was a smart boy, didn’t I? I learned not to shy away from anything. I am not lying when I tell ya I have literally swum in sewage, punched my way through asbestos and other cancerous shit (tsk, like today I should care!), breathed in mouthful of the toxic, radioactive wastes of old, abandoned Omnic factories to raid spare parts… surviving is surviving, dude. And surviving in an underdeveloped, poor, rural zone of Eastern Europe usually means to deal with the nastiest shit you could imagine. You want to know when was the first time I was clobbered over a job? The first time I had to shove a knife between a man’s ribs? Yeah, better.

Managed to stay in the world this way for six years, right before my beloved country, trăiască!, decided they had to do something to stop the raids of the Western Russia Omnium that had brought, in 10 years, Eastern Europe to its knees. Or rather, that we had to do something to stop the raids, because we had to enlist to the new formed Romanian-Moldovan Ally Military Force to save our houses and our families. I was… shit, 20? Yeah, somewhat around that. No future, no family, no home, no expectations… the army promised it would give me a job, warm food when I was hungry, some blankets when it was cold as fuck outside… I mean, for me, back then, it was a radiant future.

It was not only me anyway, if that face of yours want to hint at that. Do you have any idea how many fucking loners like me war in my country has produced? Finally the government had found a way to make use of us; turning us into meat to slaughter and butcher, testers for their new, shiny toys. There were others… shit, the names have become so hard to recall… Bogdan, Daniel, Eugen, Isabela… yeah, those were my friends at the boot camp.

Ha… it’s funny, at times, when I think back of it… six months of training non-stop, day and night, the food was even scarcer than what I used to eat, scrawny boys and girls sent off to die because, after all, it was not like the world was ever going to miss us.

However, I proved to be different. I don’t remember exactly what the head trainer back at the boot camp said, something like “a talent for shooting” or some shit along these lines. Apparently, my aim was naturally trained… yeah, ‘naturally’. Not like I had been aiming down the barrel of my American magnum for the previous six years. What a fucking retard.

I got signed up for something a little bit more special. Two years more off the front, Adi was about to become a sniper for the Fourth Regiment, the big names: Alexandru Averescu, Constantin Prezan, Ion Antonescu… never heard of them? Oh my God, remind me why the fuck I am still talking with you? Yeah, those were big names for us, mareșal, nothing to kid with. I was good, I mean, I don’t want to come out as big-mouthed or anything, but--- like, shit, I had proved to be worth my place. Again, it was not like I wanted to protect my nation, forget about that shit, but like… I finally had a place to feel good in, you know? Call me a romantic, but that was a good thing to have in your chest. And I was so sick of dealing only with anger and bruises.

The Regiment fought the Omnium on the Ukrainian border for 4 years. I got many a commendation for my work, started to make a name for myself little by little. It was like I was born to have a rifle in these scarred hands of mine, a gift from above I had just found out. They called me “Lup-ul”, back in the day; it means “the wolf” in Romanian, a reference to my surname, Lupei. Yeah, I know, pretty basic, but it does have its kick, no? Anyways… good times are always so fast to pass.

We were based in Lysychansk, lovely place to raise kids if you ignore the bomb dropping on your head every 3 hours either from the regular army, the anarchists or the fucking bots. Mission was going smooth, backup was waiting for us just a couple of kilometres away, but it happened: my whole team got captured. There is a reason why I mentioned the anarchists, my friend. Ever heard of Beznă? Mh, at least what Romanians call Beznă; the Polishes, Ciemność; the Ukrainians, Темрява; the Russians, темнота́… and I don’t know what else. Terrorists. People that believe that a  world strangulated in chaos would be better than the mess we have now. At this point, I don’t know if they are entirely wrong.

At first, we thought we would have been sort of pieces to trade for Beznă to seal an unregistered deal with the Romanian Army… no, we were too naive to think that. I can’t and won’t tell you just what they did us, because the last ten years of my life I have tried to tear those memories away from my brain as hard as I could. If you really are eager to know, I was detained in their Siberian facility for four years before I broke free… I was the sole survivor of my team. The shit I got exposed to made me faster, stronger, smarter, more sensitive to stimuli. Paradoxically, I became a better soldier than I already was by getting captured by the enemy. I already knew a bit of Ukrainian back when I was detained so I got to catch some whispers, some gossips, but still I couldn’t understand why we got experimented and tested after, for what goal. Apparently, we were weapons for the Beznă to take over the Eastern Europe regimens. The shot didn’t miss the mark any which ways: my companions still died for ideals they did not stand for.

Back to the story, I learned that the Fourth Regiment had me and my teammates listed as deserters and we were actively sought after by the hounds of the Romanian Army. So I decided to hide in Siberia for the following year, got a new identity, lived off a nomadic style, killing animals and humans alike to eat; animals for their meat, humans for their bounties. What? Do you think I am some sort of cannibal? Oh, yeah, just because I am Romanian you think I am a vampire? Fuck off, dude.

Eventually the Romanians gave up… mostly because they lost the war. That was a hard blow for the country, but we didn’t crumble under the weight of that defeat. Romanians are tough people. We have come back from worse. As long as I was regarded, I came out of hiding, intentioned to get my name back, a new life away from conflicts, blood, war… it was impossible. Believe me, I have tried, I have tried hard, but I was no longer fit for the society. PTSD, maybe, or just I got too used to have my hands drenched in blood, whatever shit it is, I have never been able to be Adrian again. So I just embraced what I had become: Prototip AE92890, Prototip for friends.

Killer for hire, undercover agent, soldier, terrorist, I have been everything. But the job that signed me for my life was probably the only one I did for the big shots; yeah, you know who I am talking about, the heroes of the world, or rather the self-proclaimed heroes. Worked with late Commander Reyes Gabriel and Sarge Gérard Lacroix at the Lacroix Extraction Operation; intended to be back-up, I was given a more relevant position when Commander Reyes got a taste of what I was worth. I remember that day like it was yesterday, not because I was particularly attached to that job –- or at least, I wasn’t before I met him. Clarence Duncan, daughter of James Duncan, an American senator. God, I remember those bright, baby blue eyes looking up at me in fright and confusion when we got him and Madame Amelie out of the Talon labs. I was so in fucking rapture after seeing those eyes; yes, he was sickly pale, and he smelled like that chemical miasma I grew to hate when I was detained by Beznă, he was skinny, weak, frail, unable to stand on his own, but those eyes spoke to me at a level deeper than I could have ever imagined.

Even after the mission, I kept in touch with Clarence. He knew I was a mercenary, that I risked my life out there everyday, and many times he had asked me to give up that crap and join him in a normal life but… I have already told you. I was no longer fit for society. He ended up entering my world, although from an external point of view: he became a member of Overwatch council board. I was so proud of him, watching him as he fulfilled her dreams made me foolishly think that maybe if he was by my side I could have succeeded being a civilian… we tried, after Overwatch was disbanded.  Rainy Washington D.C., a small house as far as possible from his dad he started to fall out with. Those were good days, dude: got a job as an omnic repair operator (what? no, never did it once in my life, but after all the strains they got into me to enhance my ‘brain capacity’ do you think I could care less?), he was getting into politics, he was doing good, and the bed was warm every night, if you know what I mean. He was my dream, dude--- he still is. A dream I fucking destroyed.

Blame it on the drink, blame it on the fact that I was growing restless without gripping a weapon, blame it on whatever you wish, but blame it on me. I sent everything to Hell. I guess I don’t deserve to have nice things after all, uh? I can’t keep them. He kicked my ass back to where it belonged: the dark alleys, the rot-smelling corners of the metropolis, the cold world where being Adrian would only mean being weak, the world where I can be what I need to be: Prototip.

#this is only a very small draft of him #gotta work infinitely more #but i am in love with the concept so far #adrian mihai prototip lupei. #save #long post #Overwatch content

[startaryat]

So, I just finished Cyberpunk 2077.

A lot of folks are riffing on this game because of the bugs, so I may as well get that out of the way.  Yes, there are bugs.  Yes, they are frustrating.  Yes, I've had to reload once or twice because of one.  Finally, yes, there were some quests I was unable to finish because of them.  In the end, it reminded me of Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines.  You know what people don't talk about from VtM: B?  The bugs.  They'll get a passing mention, but more people go on to talk about how the game's story riveted them... So...  The story... Cyberpunk 2077 made me realize something rather harsh about the Cyberpunk genre as a whole:  It is VERY racist against the Japanese.  The core of the genre was built when the Japanese looked like an economic powerhouse.  The TV Trope for it is called "Japan Takes Over the World."  In the late 70s, throughout the 80s and early 90s, it really looked like Japan was going to buy everything.  Despite that not looking like the case anymore, the fear people had of a world like that, that global society would be forcefully regressed to having to endure the society of Edo Period for some strange reason, inundates every facet of the Cyberpunk genre.  You can see it in Cyberpunk 2020, the tabletop RPG 2077 is based on.  You can see it in the game's contemporaries, like Shadowrun.  You can see it in the writing of William Gibson, such as Johnny Mnemonic, and even hints of it crop up in The Matrix or Strange Days.  Cyberpunk 2077 hits you with it full-force, as one of the major factions is a Megacorporation that, according to the game's backstory, has largely taken over the world and is very, VERY Japanese, replete with their founder being a WW2 veteran with a chip on his shoulder about the Nuclear Bombs and likes to wear traditional Japanese clothing, adhere to Japanese traditions and looks down his nose at everybody who isn't Japanese.  *sigh*.  You wind up having to deal with his bodyguard some and he's constantly complaining about people's lack of honor or that the food sucks and how much he wishes he was back in Japan, where people are civilized...  Never mind that's not how Japan was at the time the genre got its feet under it...  Never mind that's not how Japan is now... But I digress. The first bulk of the game is the sidequests.  There are all sorts of random fights you can get into, sometimes even saving the random passersby.  The city's police wire you bounties for the thugs you kill and bonuses for resolving the issues ("resolving" here meaning "Loot the bag everybody was fighting over.").  Some also involve a little more searching to find out where the rest of the loot is.  Read the little notes you pick up while doing these, and they help paint the picture of what you just interrupted.  Sometimes you're stopping a mugging, sometimes you arrive just after one.  Sometimes you're avenging a labor union that just got slaughtered, sometimes you're diving into a nearby harbor to pull the loot from a van the bad guys accidentally remote-controlled over the side of the pier. The second bulk of the game is the contracts and gigs, stuff your fixers (people who find you work) hire you to do.  These are dotted all over the map like the random fights.  These missions are often just more hardcore versions of the sidequests, but a few stand out for encouraging better tactical and strategic thinking.  Usually, these will exercise your stealth skills, or your out-of-the-box thinking (such as liberally exploiting your ability to hack the nearby electronics).  Most, though, have a much more decent story attached to them.  A few stand out in my memory...  One, you have to get a recording from a location.  The people who have it are editing it, and others, into essentially a high-tech snuff film.  Worse, it's a father-son operation doing this, and the more you dig into what's going on, the more horrifying the situation.  I normally don't inflict violence on these digital sprites when I'm playing these games, but this time I could tell the old man was clearly stalling for time...  So I shot him.  Reading the note I picked up off of him...  I have no regrets.  Dude contracts a gang to protect him while he edits recordings and distribute the product.  Said gang is a group of people so heavily mechanized, you can barely tell where the body ends and the machine begins.  The note is a recorded conversation between him and one of the gang's leaders, with the gangleader being thoroughly disgusted with the old man's behavior.  Somebody who WANTED to be inhuman was disturbed by this guy's inhumanity.  Chilling. Finally, the game's main stories provide some of the more interesting moments in the game, but then, they should.  Like most games, the main story is where the most effort has gone.  Some of the most fun I have is working with the nomads, helping one get her stuff back (and some revenge on the guy who took it from her), rescuing their leader from a rival gang, even pulling a heist and driving a hover tank.  The other main quests involve getting revenge for a killed contact on behalf of one of her friends and trying to clear the air about the botched job that kicks the whole game off, with each one having its own share of difficult choices and a staggering reminder of the consequences of engaging in such actions.  It's stuff that can actually make you stop and think. There are a couple odd "social" missions that are mostly you talking to some of the people.  The two I found were a doomsayer out near the first Ripperdoc the game introduces you to ("Ripperdoc" read: surgeon who installs your cybernetic upgrades, like a blend of cosmetic surgeon, physician and mechanic) and a talking vending machine that's a little too smart for its own good.  The doomsayer is an interesting interpretation of such a character, with him eventually pointing out that one of his implants has been picking up transmissions, leaving you to infer that he has trouble parsing the information he's getting, so he rants it out to people in what seems like conspiracy theory nonsense.  However, he does send you somewhere to deal with one of the things he's heard...  And you find he's not entirely bonkers...  The talking vending machine, on the other hand, is probably a statement on where talk bots and data collection algorithms are going to lead future advertising, and it's creepy and unusually heartwarming. |And all the while you've got Keanu Reeves talking in your ear, his low tone reminding you of Johnny Mnemonic, his clothing a dark reprise of Ted Logan, his cybernetic arm a reminder of Neo...  Though his pistol handling in the segments where you play through his memories would probably make John Wick shake his head in irritation.  Seriously, could anybody ELSE have played this character?  This was absolutely perfect casting, and Reeves does an excellent job of playing this rocker-turned-mercenary-turned-revolutionary-turned-digital ghost. All in all, it's a fun game.  It's not a massive, revolutionary thing, no, but I enjoyed it all the same.  It had its moments, like Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines did, like Fallout 3 did, like Fallout New Vegas did, like a lot of our favorites do, and like any good piece of media does.  It's not perfect, but I had fun.

#Cyberpunk2077

[dominickjopo046]

Yoda's types.

In Realm he says, "for 800 years have I educated Jedi," highlighting he's been speaking the Pressure represent quite some time. If a warrior from the 12th century were to in some way endure to the year 2016, as well as was most likely speaking the very same language the whole time, his speech patterns would probably appear weird to us. Yoda's signature "in reverse" speech in Star Wars is silly, but it still gives the personality gravitas. Linguist Elaine Espindola can not just verify this, yet also discuss why. Her work reveals that the Jedi Master's speech patterns are specific to specific attitudes about one's area in the universe.

What animal is Yoda based on?

The Jedi Master Yoda was the best-known member of a species whose true name is not recorded. Known in some sources simply as Yoda's species, this species of small carnivorous humanoids produced several well-known members of the Jedi Order during the time of the Galactic Republic.

Cara Dune, on the various other hand, feels like she'll most likely show up for more than one episode somehow, if I needed to presume. It now seems clear that The Mandalorian will have to discover and eliminate Werner Herzog's Imperial commander in order to get the bounty lifted on Infant Yoda, or he'll never ever be secure. However the genuine reason this episode functions is as a result of the psychological stakes. The Mandalorian appears like he has finally found a tranquil community he can remain in and also be happy.

' Surge of Skywalker' Disney+ launch day: Kevin Smith clarifies the hold-up.

Yoda's characteristic speech patterns have been analyzed and also discussed by scholastic syntacticians, who discovered it somewhat irregular, but might theorize that it has item-- subject-- verb word order making it anastrophe. ) is a fictional personality in the Star Wars universe, very first appearing in the 1980 movie The Realm Strikes Back. He is a small, environment-friendly humanoid alien that is powerful with the Force. In his opening night in the initial trilogy, Yoda is called the Jedi master of Obi-Wan Kenobi as well as ultimately trains Luke Skywalker to use the Pressure. The personality comes back in Return of the Jedi where he discloses his age to be 900.

Is Baby Yoda the chosen one?

No, we are not leaving Baby Yoda behind. Just when he's about to ditch his tiny ward and move on, another bounty hunter tracks him to the village, meaning it's no longer safe for either of them. So they both have to leave, and we will probably never see that pretty widow again.

Before jumping from the home window to escape, Dooku informs Yoda of a missile coming close to from area, aimed at your house, and also everyone in it. Yoda stops the missile, undoubtedly enabling Dooku as well as Ventress time to leave. Besides the ancient Jedi Master, just the Organas, the Lars family, R2-D2 and Obi-Wan know of their true identities. Subsequently, Yoda fights Palpatine in a lightsaber battle that wrecks the Senate Rotunda.

Why is Yoda a baby in the Mandalorian?

There is a Reddit page dedicated to calling Baby Yoda "Yiddle", a nod to both Yoda and Yaddle, a female of the same species who appeared in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. The Yiddle theory is that Baby Yoda is the product of Yoda and Yaddle.

Personality introduction.

Kuill appears to describing a product of genetic modification.

However mainly for his cuteness, enhanced by his diminutive size as well as expressive eyes as well as ears.

For the longest time it appeared that Yoda was the only animal of his details species, a sort of distinctively Force sensitive creature.

The priestesses inform Yoda that his training will certainly resume in time.

Or perhaps Child Yoda and the broom child from completion of The Last Jedi are hanging out on Dagobah waiting to start their training.

He is intending on leaving Infant Yoda there with the families as well as children to have a good life, but he's rather attracted to remain there with an eye-catching, widowed villager that is plainly into him. Cara Dune sustains this strategy fully, yet the Mandalorian picks to leave. Thislittle eco-friendly creaturewhom Mando (Pedro Pascal) sometimes refers to as "the Child" or "the Youngster" is all over social media sites, with followers speculating on his place in the Celebrity Wars world.

TomTom has actually included a "Yoda" voice as one of the Celeb GPS expressions in their "Celebrity Wars" voice series. Yoda makes his initial movie appearance in The Realm Strikes Back. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) gets here on Dagobah to seek his support, having actually been advised to do so by the Force ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), that describes him as "the Jedi Master who instructed me". The movies and Expanded Universe reveal that he had a hand in training nearly every Jedi Master in the galaxy. In the Star Wars innovator movies, he advises several younglings in the Jedi Temple prior to they are appointed to a master.

The varieties has never ever been provided a due to the fact that Star Wars designer George Lucas wanted Yoda to keep a sense of secret. As of completion of first season of The Mandalorian, the Child has actually not been identified by a proper name, being described by other personalities as "the child", "the child", or "the child". He is the only character to appear in all 8 episodes of the series other than the titular Mandalorian bounty hunter personality, "The Mandalorian" (Pedro Pascal).

If the 4th, rear-facing digit is a toe, then Yoda's species have anisodactyl feet. The Crucial Guide to Characters noted Yoda's homeworld as Dagobah. Nonetheless, newer material states that Yoda was not birthed there. A sculpture of an unknown Jedi of this species was inside the Valley of the Jedi on Ruusan. All this claimed, it feels unlikely that The Mandalorian would certainly bring Infant Yoda such injury.

Why is Yoda 50 years old?

The final moments of the episode reveal the asset, who turns out to be super cute. The Internet has dubbed the adorable creature Baby Yoda because he or she bears a strong resemblance to the legendary Jedi master. As an ill-fated droid informs the Mandalorian, “species age differently,” and Baby Yoda is a young 50.

In the movie, which is set 35 years before The Realm Strikes Back, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) brings the young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) to the Jedi Council. Qui-Gon is persuaded that Anakin is the "Chosen One" of Jedi prediction that will bring equilibrium to the Force, as well as demands the child be trained as a Jedi.

Rebel Shock Trooper-turned-mercenary Cara Dune (Gina Carano) is clearly extra comfortable dealing with fatal projectile weapons than holding a child. (It most likely does not help that Infant Yoda has made use of the Force to choke her.) Yet that hasn't quit her from being a terrific ally to Mando and the child. The head of the Bounty Hunters Guild, Greef Karga's (Carl Weathers) top priority appeared to be obtaining the Customer what he wanted, despite what harm would certainly pertain to Infant Yoda's wrinkled little head.

[freezing-kaiju]

Stardate: 2689

Chapter 5: Sugar, Spice, Chocolate, and Ice

a fire emblem heroes fic by me and @pupmon1

Semi-NSFW: Nudity and implied sex near the end.

Captain’s log: XX/XX/2689. Lyndis. Our ship has docked at a refueling station in neutral territory, specifically the planet Materna. Apparently their sovereign government, convinced by our Nohrian and Hoshidian delegates, is sending two emissaries, a delegate from the government named Rinkah, and a mercenary hired to protect her. I have never personally met this mercenary, but Camilla assured me that she had called on her services and she was serviceable, if...”difficult”. At present time, I have allowed the crew some leave on the station, though a few of us still have duties to perform.

“Hey, I heard we were getting some new crew today,” Flora mentioned as she, Peri, and Setsuna were inspecting the station.

“Did they say who?” Peri asked. “Hopefully nobody mean...Camilla said I couldn’t thwack anybody anymore...”

Flora shrugged. “Some bounty hunter with an axe. I didn’t recognize her. Oh, and a delegate from the Maternan government, the daughter of the chief.”

As they rounded a corner, Flora spotted her. She was tall, looked very strong, wore an oddly skimpy white suit of battle armor, long blond hair contrasting her dark skin, and a white bow. She was actively carrying her axe.

“CHARLOTTE!” Peri exclaimed.

The woman whirled around, a look of astonishment on her face. “...PERI???”

Peri immediately tackle-hugged Charlotte. “It’s been so long! What’re you doing here?”

Charlotte stumbled and fell backward, laughing with Peri on top of her. “Hey there Peri, I’m here to...serve a little time.”

“Huh? What for?” Peri asked.

“Oh ya know...smuggling and the like. The Union bastards caught me and have sticked me on one of their ships. Something called the...Kinshi?”

“That would be our ship,” Flora said. “Hello, I’m Flora. Peri’s...uh...friend...yeah let’s go with that...”

Charlotte looked up, a little confused. “Friend? Is something going on here, Peri-berry?”

Setsuna chuckled. “Peri-berry? Aww. Cute.”

Peri shrugged. “Friend, amateur therapist, nearly murder victim. She’s a lot of things.”

“Mostly I’m a janitor,” Flora said sourly.

“A janitor?” Charlotte paused for a moment. “Huh...you usually don’t get along with those.”

“Yeah, she mentioned usually killing the red shirts,” Flora said. “I....uh...stopped her from killing me, at least, that’s something.”

“Aww, you’ve helped more than that,” Peri said.

“She’s right,” Setsuna added. “Don’t think she’s killed anyone this whole mission...”

“Wait really?” Charlotte raised an eyebrow. “Like...nobody? How long has this mission been going on?”

“...two months?” Setsuna said, looking to Flora for confirmation. Flora nodded. “Yes, two months, about.”

“...I’m impressed.”

Setsuna looked away and darted off, mumbling “be right back...need some snuggles...”

Flora nodded sympathetically.

Peri grinned at Charlotte. “So, ya want me to take you around the ship? We have all sorts of cool weapons...ooo, and the holodeck makes enemies that bleed!”

“Sounds fun,” Charlotte said with that characteristic grin of hers.

Flora sighed. Wonderful...seems like Charlotte was going to be just as difficult as Peri. Still...she couldn’t deny a certain...attraction to Peri...perhaps she could warm up to this new woman as well.

---

As Peri led Charlotte across the ship, a small red comm in Charlotte’s belt went off. “...oh great...I gotta go to the cargo bay, where is that?”

“We’ll lead you there,” Peri responded. “C’mon!”

When they got to the cargo bay, all three captains were waiting, along with a tall, muscular woman with white hair, traditional Flame Tribe garb, and markings on her arms that flickered lightly, like a moderate fire. “Charlotte!” the woman exclaimed with a loud laugh. “There you are. We’ve been waiting.”

Charlotte eyed the captains and suddenly took on a more serious, submissive expression, snapping to attention. “Yes, Rinkah. My apologies.” She turned to the captains. “I’m ready to be part of your crew, I was just...visiting an old friend. Hope that’s okay.”

Flora raised her eyebrow, and Peri gave her a concerned expression, muttering something that sounded like “oh, Charlotte...different mask, same principle...”

The Nohrian captain laughed and smiled. “It’s fine dear, it’s fine. You’re here, and that’s what’s important.”

“If you say so.” Charlotte remained at attention, then looked down at herself. “...apologies for my outfit, if you have a uniform in my size I’ll change immediately.”

The Nohrian captain let out a long sigh and held up a hand. “We will deal with that when you get settled in. For now, at ease. There’s no need to be so formal with us, right girls?”

The two others just nodded and smiled.

“...whatever you say, Captain...Camilla, right?”

“Correct. And this is Captian Lyndis, and Captian Lucina. Get used to taking orders from all three of us, as I’m sure you’re not used to a ship with three captians.”

“...you’re baiting me.”

“I-...I’m sorry?” Camilla frowned and looked down at Charlotte. “What are you talking about?”

“Experience with past employers.” Charlotte winced. “...sorry, captain...captains...

“You have got to relax,” Camilla said simply. “If you’re going to be on the ship, ya gotta relax.”

Peri elbowed Charlotte. “It’s okay, they’re alright. Masks off, Char.”

Charlotte looked at her strangely...then smiled and relaxed her stance. “Alright, if you say so. If Peri says you’re okay, you’re okay...probably...Can you explain the three captains thing, though?”

Camilla chuckled and crossed her arms. “Long story short: Union be weird.” Camilla said simply.

“Oh, yeah.” Charlotte grimaced and muttered “no scholarship system my ass...”

“She’s a little angry at them,” Peri explained. “I got shipped off to the academy and we couldn’t see each other anymore.”

“Who isn’t at this point,” Lucina muttered with a shrug. “Anyway, you and Rinkah are able to go on the ship and get comfortable.”

“I don't suppose you have any single-person rooms?” Rinkah asked.

“Can I room with Peri?” Charlotte asked.

“Sorry, no. Peri’s room is full. You two will be bunking together along with…” Lyndis stopped and looked down at her pad. “Flora and her sister.”

Charlotte groaned, but Peri smiled. “It’s alright, I spend a lot of time in there! Having uh...special time with Flora. Her sister usually hangs out with one of the fighters...what was her name again?”

“Scarlet,” Flora said.

Charlotte looked surprised when Peri mentioned “special time”, but not quite angry, more... intrigued.

Rinkah nodded. “As long as none of you disturb me on purpose, I’ll be fine.”

Lyn nodded. “Charlotte, you will be taking on the duties of a regular crew member. Rinkah, you may choose to do tasks based on your whims.”

Charlotte and Rinkah nodded and entered the ship.

A few hours later, the ship detached from the station and continued on its way, and Flora and Felicia began giving the new crewmembers a tour. Flora followed behind them speaking quickly. “I can guide you to our room, and to the quartermaster’s desk to order things.”

“All I think I need is a uniform,” Charlotte said. “The rest is in my bags...though I hope they make it in my size.”

“They make it in Camilla’s size, I assure you they’ll make it in yours.”

“Good point.”

Rinkah shook her head. “I’m not wearing a uniform. These clothes are important...and shirts are uncomfortable.

“That’s the one thing you have to do,” Flora pointed out. “It’s not really optional. You at least need the shirt while on duty.”

Rinkah grumbled. “If I must...”

“Yes you have to. But you can edit it how ever you like. You just have to wear it on duty.”

“Ah.” Rinkah shrugged. “I suppose I could ‘edit’ it to fit my liking...”

“Good, now, here’s our quarters, make yourself at home.”

Rinkah sat down on one of the beds and immediately began unpacking her things, taking out her large brass club and setting it to the side. Charlotte flopped down on a bed, grinning. “Heh...more comfortable than the one in your house...”

“Too soft.” Rinkah frowned. “My bed was better for my back...gonna pull a muscle or something with this.”

“You’ll be fine. They probably have a sparring range, we’ll both stay in top shape.” Charlotte responded. She pulled up a tablet and pen and started writing. “Gotta write this down...” After she was done, she paused. “Hey...quick question.”

“Yeah?” Rinkah asked.

“Are you okay with...uh...polyamory? Or does the Flame Tribe have a rule against that, like the betrothal-by-combat thing?”

Rinkah chuckled. “Yeah, on a personal level I’m okay with it.”

“Oh, good.”

“...it’s Peri, isn’t it?”

Charlotte smiled, but the smile had a tinge of sadness to it. “It’s been so long since we talked...I worry about her. I hope I can keep an eye on her...”

Rinkah smiled, leaned over, kissed her on the cheek and lightly punched her in the shoulder. “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”

---

“I feel claustrophobic,” Rinkah grumbled, tugging at her new yellow shirt. “My arms are not meant to be concealed...”

“And we’re wearing each others’ colors,” Charlotte said, tugging at her new red shirt which was...uncomfortably tight in several places.

“What did ya expect, the height of fashion?” Severa said, a bit too smugly. She always enjoyed giving orders, to...well, anyone. “It’s form over function. Now, you, mercenary will be joining security as patrol.”

“Alright.” Charlotte responded. “Acknowledged...uh...ensign...Selena?”

“Officer Severa.”

“Right, got it, officer. So sorry,” Charlotte said innocently, then flashed Rinkah a grin when Severa’s back was turned.

Severa turned her back to the two and grumbled something about Selena being a stupid name, then she stopped. There was a strange sound in the corridor...something being dragged along the ground.

“Well...this had to happen eventually. The unofficial member of our crew.”

Beruka rounded the corner, wearing a fresh Starfleet uniform with an extra-long left sleeve. Her cybernetics were mostly cleaned up. She noticed the two and waved her right arm.

She shambled forward and looked over at Severa. “Good day, Security Officer Severa.”

“Well, someone sounds more personable,” Severa said with a laugh.

“This unit have been...practicing social skills with Weapons Officer Sestuna. She told us it’s proper to greet people when you see them.”

“Correct.”

Behind Severa, Rinkah was backing up and Charlotte looked utterly confused.

“I’ve....” Charlotte was nearly at a loss for words. “...I’ve...seen...one of those before...but never one that didn’t want to murder people...”

Beruka peered around Severa, her red eye examining the two new crewmen. “...the two new organics Commander mentioned?”

“Yes...and please stop referring to crewmen as ‘organics’.”

“But that’s what you are.”

“...she’s not wrong,” Rinkah said.

“Don’t enable her…” Severa grumbled. “Anyway, this is Beruka, she came with the ship and is unofficially part of the engineering crew.”

“...interesting...uh...” Charlotte leaned down. “...hi?”

Beruka leaned away as Charlotte got close, but didn’t respond to her greeting.

“...guess you’re not much for conversation,” Charlotte said, with an awkward forced-politeness to her voice.

“She’s really not...especially if she doesn’t know someo-”

“Charlotte, human Nohrian mercenary. Will do anything for a quick buck, as Commander puts it,” Beruka said plainly. “Organic morals need not apply.”

“Hey, she has morals!” Rinkah said angrily. “And she’s sure as hell refused a lot of bribes to have me knocked off...”

Beruka blinked as Rinkah got...uncomfortably close. “Move away, organic.”

“Have I made my point?”

“Move away,” Beruka repeated, her left arm trembling a little.

Severa put a hand on Rinkah’s shoulder and tried to pull her back. “Rinkah...she doesn’t like people to be that close to her, move back...give her space.”

Rinkah grumbled and pulled back. “...right, probably shouldn’t piss her off...”

Beruka relaxed as she was given space, and she nodded. “...thank you…” she muttered softly. “You...were too close...this unit should go.”

“...look, I’m sorry,” Rinkah muttered gruffly.

“......error…” Beruka twitched, her human eye closing and her red eye glowing. “Data unavailable...can’t calculate behavior...this unit doesn’t understand.”

Severa sighed and crossed her arms. “Translation: she can’t find anything about you in the database...so she doesn’t know what to make of you.”

“Oh yeah. Our planet is pretty cut off, tech-wise. We have a proud history of mostly isolationism.”

Beruka paused and grunted. “Surprised we haven’t assimlated your kind…” she muttered. “Isolation is prime prey.”

“They attacked our outer stations, but never came to our home planet,” Rinkah said softly, glancing away. “...we still lost many...as others have. Just...no planets.”

Charlotte put a hand on her shoulder. “...I’m pretty sure that someday someone will find out how to stop them. Don’t worry too much about it.”

“WORRY? There’s one RIGHT THERE!” Rinkah exclaimed, pointing.

“There is no way to stop the borg,” Beruka said simply. “All will be assimilated...all will be made perfect. Resistance is futile.”

“...be more of a ray of sunshine why don’t ya…” Severa grumbled, rolling her eyes.

“...I think we’ll be...going...now...” Charlotte said, glancing at Rinkah’s arms. The fiery marks on them were...well, not firey. That meant very bad things...crying, sometimes. Complete emotional shutdown sometimes.

Beruka tilted her head for a moment, then suddenly turned around and walked away without another word. Severa sighed and closed her eyes. “...I apologize for her...she doesn’t understand…”

“Hey Severa...is there a bar here?”

Severa looked up and nodded. “Yeah...it’s by the cafeteria.”

“Alright. Come on, Rinkah.”

-----

Charlotte and Rinkah sat down at the bar, Rinkah still shuddering a bit.

“Oi. Bartender.” Charlotte said to the bartender, who had long blue hair and an outfit that made her look like a betta fish. “A shot of bourbon, and some sake if you have it.”

The woman looked up and nodded. “Of course dear,” she said with a smile before placing a small glass of bourbon, and a cup of sake, along with a small ceramic container, on the counter. “A tall lager pint for you?”

“Uh...yeah. How’d you know?”

The woman simply smiled. “You just...look like a lager kinda gal,” she said as she poured a glass of lager.

Rinkah grabbed the bourbon and sake and downed it all.

“Don’t think that’s how you do that...” Charlotte said concernedly. “...or how you usually drink...”

“Oh she’ll be fine,” the bartender said with a smile before turning to mix a drink.

“Gah!” Rinkah shouted. “I...I feel kinda better...” The fire on her arms and in her eyes was flickering back to life. “...gods...”

The bartender set out four drinks...something Rinkah recognizes from her home...it’s a special drink to be shared among...well...lovers. The bartender simply smiled and whisked away to other patrons before they could flag her down.

“Where the hell did she get this?” Rinkah asked. “...I mean we export our liquor n’ stuff but not this kind...”

Charlotte shrugged. “...why are there four? And...should we drink it?”

Before Rinkah could answer, Peri and Flora, or more so Peri dragging Flora, came up to sit beside Charlotte.

“Hey Charlotte!” Peri said happily. “Order too many drinks? Can we have the extra?”

Rinkah hesitated but Charlotte said, “Heya, Peri! Sure.”

Peri grabbed one and started drinking. “Tastes...kinda weird...like white chocolate and dried chili peppers and that weird blue flavoring they put on shaved ice...”

Flora made a few ice cubes and sipped hers. “Hmm...I taste the peppers and the chocolate but I’m not getting the blue flavor but I can kinda taste...sugar...It’s really sweet, but not quite unpleasant?”

Charlotte stopped and looked over and Rinkah. “...can it be more than two…?”

Rinkah simply shrugged. “Why not…?” She tasted hers. There was that familiar white chocolate flavor...but also a lot of sugar, and what Rinkah assumed was the weird blue flavor. Certainly tastes blue..and sour...

“Blueberries…” she muttered softly. “...that’s what this is...maybe…? But it’s tart... and sugar, and white chocolate.”

“Blue raspberry,” Peri corrected her. “Really it’s nothing that exists on Earth or any Earthlike planets, but they had to name it something...it just tastes blue.”

Charlotte shrugged and downed her drink. “...no white chocolate here...but everything else is there…”

Peri shrugged and giggled. “That was weird...those flavors aren’t supposed to fit but...they did? It was cool!”

Flora squirmed and put the glass on the counter. “...what was that anyway?”

“Fire Heart,” Rinkah replied, not meeting anyone’s gaze.

“Never heard of it.” Flora said. “Do your people make it?”

“Yes...but we don’t export it...even on my planet it’s kind of rare.”

“It’s a ceremonial thing,” Charlotte said. “Me and Rinkah have had it before...but...last time we both only tasted one flavor...”

“What’s the ceremony?” Flora wondered, peering over Peri.

“...uh...” Rinkah and Charlotte fidgeted uncomfortably, Rinkah’s fire burning actively now.

“It’s...supposed to be...well...used for…” Rinkah grasped for words. “It’s...a ceremony in private before people…” Rinkah trailed off and looked at Charlotte.

“...I’m not saying it in front of Peri, no way,” Charlotte hissed.

“It’s usually drunken before sex,” the bartender said simply as she moved past to grab a bottle and whisking away again, leaving Rinkah’s face bright red and fire burning hot, and Charlotte just...burying her face in her hands.

Flora literally froze, her hands were stuck to the table. “It’s...I must have misheard that. It’s what???”

“You didn’t miss hear…” Charlotte muttered between her fingers. “It’s a ‘we’re gonna have sex for the first time’ drink at it’s heart.”

“It’s...not that simple,” Rinkah managed. “But...yeah...I think it’s akin to...a honeymoon tradition back on Earth?”

Peri was blushing so red she looked like a tomato. “And...and I just...walked up and drank it...”

“What were you thinking??” Flora asked, not blushing so much as turning light blue.

“...it’s supposed to taste like your partner…” Rinkah muttered. “I-...I don't know why there were three…”

“The bartender just gave it to us…” Charlotte groaned and put her head on the counter, hiding her face in her arm.

Peri paused...and then burst out laughing.

“What is it?” Charlotte moaned from the counter.

“I was...hee-hee! I was...I walked up here to...hehehe, to ask you two out!” she said between spurts of giggling.

“Well...looks like the fucking drink accepted for us…” Charlotte grumbled.

“...fucking bartender…” Rinkah grumbled.

Charlotte noticed the looks on Flora and Peri’s faces and she sighed. “...it doesn't taste right if people aren't supposed to be together…” She groaned and settled down a little. “...blasted little thing can nullify a week's worth of other compatibility rituals...it works the other way ‘round too… Rinkah is legally in a relationship with all three of us now…”

Flora nearly fainted. “...we...wait what?”

“You can skip to the honeymoon if you get your hands on Fire Heart…” Rinkah muttered, twitching a little. “Straight there...and everything else is legally approved...so...yeah...and now it’s kicking in…”

“Do we need to go?” Charlotte asked softly.

“...no…not...not yet…”

Peri sorta started...leaning her soft shoulder on Charlotte and Rinkah. “...feels like ‘ere’s a fire in my belly…” she muttered softly.

Flora’s ice started melting. “I...I think I’m going to need a moment or two to...to process this...”

Peri shifted positions and nudged Flora with a dopey smile. “Come on Flora...it won’t be so bad...Charlotte’s nice...and so is Rinkah…”

“...hmmm...” Flora looked over to them. “Well...they are...certainly attractive...don’t think I’ve gotten to know them enough, though...”

Rinkah twitched and shivered. “Yeah well...it deems us...ah...compatible…”

“Rinkah? Are you okay?”

“...no…”

Peri leaned over her, grinning. “D’we need to find a room?”

“...s-soon...yes…”

Peri hefted herself up and took Rinkah, Charlotte, and Flora’s hands in her own. “Then let’s,” she said, uncharacteristically charmingly.

Flora pulled away and shivered. “I-...Peri! What are you suggesting?” she fumbled over her words and looked at the others. “This...this is...inappropriate.”

“No, it’s totally according to rules and stuff. Right?” she said, looking at Rinkah.

“Ah...it is...according to the rules...w-we...are to...ah…” Rinkah put a hand on her head, her fingers twitching. “...it’s...getting hard to think…”

“Then we have to hurry,” Charlotte said with a soft grin. “I r’member last time...heh...say we got ‘bout...five minutes left?”

“It’s...starting to effect...you two too...isn’t it?” Rinkah mumbled.

Peri giggled and smiled. “I...I don’t know what you mean. But I feel...really warm…”

Flora snapped her fingers...and made a burst of slushy water. “...can’t make ice...I’m getting warm too...”

Charlotte chuckled and leaned against Rinkah gently. “We...gotta hurry...right? Before ya...comp’ete’y loose it?”

“...that would...be preferred…” she responded.

“Then c’mon!” Peri said, helping the other three up and heading to the door.

“But...but...” Flora was blushing.

Rinkah growled and shivered. “Just...just admit you want to fuck us before I take you on the counter,” she said firmly.

“.......okay yeah maybe I do...” Flora whispered.

“Then let’s go…” Rinkah hissed.

“Alright...” Flora shakily got up and followed them, refusing to make eye contact with anyone in the room.

Peri smiled and led them to an empty room...the door locking behind them.

--------

Flora woke up in a dogpile. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She found Peri laying to her right, Charlotte to her left...and Rinkah laying across all three. She groaned and put a hand on her head.

“...my head hurts...what...what happened…?”

“...we all got fuckin hangovers...” Charlotte moaned.

“...you sure that was a...ritual?”

“Course it was…” Rinkah groaned. “...you agreed to come in here…and...hooo boy...for someone who thought this was inappropriate...you were really good.”

“...I...what...” Flora sputtered. “...we...I...how...I...”

Rinkah pulled herself up and crawled over, the other two groaning as the heating pad left their laps. She settled down into Flora’s lap and leaned down, lightly placing her hands on Flora’s bare chest.

“We had sex, darling,” she cooed with a grin. “And...for a little ice queen...you were very hot~”

“...okay, several questions...and I’m surprised I did well...” Flora got up.

“You were very good with your tongue~” Rinkah teased, leaning back to let Flora get up.

Flora’s face turned dark blue, but she didn’t let Rinkah have the pleasure of her faltering. “...where’s my uniform?”

Rinkah nodded over to a pile of clothes on the floor. “Under there...Peri insisted we make you comfortable first, so you were the first one to...have fun, should I say.”

“...okay...” Flora put a hand on her head. “...now I remember...yeah...it was...fun....”

“It was enjoyable...to watch you turn blue with my fingers in you~” Rinkah said with a grin.

Peri giggled. “...that rhymed...”

Flora blushed even more. “....y-yeah...” She quickly dressed herself. “...hey, if we’re going with this...can we have like, a regular date? Or...lots...”

Rinkah frowned as Flora go dressed, taking her place between Charlotte and Peri. “Of course. Whatever you want...I can’t speak for these two, but I have no intention of forcing anyone to do something they don’t want to do.”

“Same,” the other two girls groaned.

“...I can’t really full well say ‘I love you’ yet...” Flora began

“You don’t have to say anything…” Charlotte mumbled. “Sex is sex...love is love...they aren’t solely inclusive of each other.

“...but...I like all three of you…” she continued, ignoring Charlotte’s comment, “and I’ve been lying to myself for a while, so...maybe this could work out.”

Peri smiled and nuzzled closer to Rinkah. “Good...maybe you can’t say it...but I can. I love you three...you were...so good and gentle…”

Charlotte smiled and leaned up. “Would you mind coming back and laying down with us? It’s...it’s kinda...too hot without you…”

“...sure,” Flora said, smiling. She walked back over and laid directly down on Peri.

Peri squirmed and inched away, until Flora was off her soft torso. “Don’t be a doodle…” Peri grumbled, playfully glaring at Flora.

Rinkah lifted Flora and gently turning her to lay across all three, Charlotte sighing in comfort as Peri started absently petting Flora’s head as it rested on her chubby belly.

“That’s better…” Charlotte mumbled.

Rinkah sighed happily. “Nice and cool…”

Flora smiled again. “...I could get used to this...”

Charlotte sighed and nuzzled closer. “Well...this is what most of Fire Tribe relationships are...snuggles when not running around like a chicken with your head cut off.”

“Down time is more important than anything...we don’t get much of it…” Rinkah chuckled absently. “That drink is so we actually...do it...instead of just laying there snuggling….”

“Sounds fun...” Flora said.

#charlotte #peri #rinkah #flora #fire emblem heroes #feh #stardate: 2689 #my fics #baked alaska ot4 #beruka #ninian #severa

[gamers-denial]

Prompt: “I don’t know whether to kiss you, or push you off a bridge”

Evelyn sends MacCready off to find supplies and returns with no supplies, a nice car and a not so friendly gang.

(I don’t know how to write descriptions, okay? And there are a few not so logical happenings here but it was a lot of fun to write so imma let them slide) 

~~~

Evelyn glanced up at the unmistakable grumble of an engine coming toward her. MacCready was rather carelessly navigating a cherry red Atomic V8 onto the bridge, the sunlight gleaming off the streaks of dust on its otherwise untarnished bonnet. MacCready waved at her through the open window as she finished strapping a knife to her ankle and dropping her foot back to the gravel. “I send you to find supplies and you come back with a car?” Evelyn asked incredulously. Mac flashed her a smile as he slowed the car to a stop. “Where the hell did your find it?” Mac shrugged as he climbed out of the car and Evelyn winced as he slammed the door hard enough to rattle the windows “old girl was covered up in an old garage, damn thing still purrs.” “It won’t for long the way you drive it.” The mercenary just grinned and ran a grimy hand over the car to wipe away some of the dust “I’m gonna call her Candy.” “You’re not actually keeping it are you?” Evelyn scoffed “Well why not? They weren’t using her, and they left the keys laying around for anyone to pick up.” “Wait does this still belong to-” Evelyn trailed off as she spotted a group of people appearing up through the layer of dust at the end of the bridge. Mac looked at her questioningly before following her gaze. “Well, shit.” “They don’t happen to be the ‘they’ you were referring to are they?” Mac squinted, adjusting the hat on his head “I don’t remember them having so many guns. Or friends.” “Right.” Evelyn pulled the assault rifle from her back and cocked it, Mac quickly following suite “Well let’s not keep them waiting.”

What the two hadn’t taken into account was the fact the car belonged to a rather infamous gang leader, with a very loyal, very armoured and very well equipped following. And with a shortage of ammo and stimpaks thanks to Mac being distracted by Candy and a lack of cover in the immediate area, the pair stood little chance of this stand off going well. So despite every fibre of Evelyn telling her to fight and MacCready’s pure disbelief, when the gang approached them without actually drawing fire and the gang leader’s instance to lower their weapons, Evelyn was inclined to listen, lowering her gun only slightly. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Mac growled, barely taking his eye away from the scope of his rifle. “We don’t stand a chance, and if they wanted us dead they would have killed us by now.” She hissed back “They’re a gang, Evie. They probably like to shoot people between the eyes from a metre away.” By this time the leader had passed the old car, running his hand affectingly across its roof. He stopped before them, his pistol only half raised but still on guard. “Weapons on the ground. Now.” “And why would we do that?” Mac snarled from behind his gun Without batting his eyes the leader shot at the ground by Mac’s boot, missing his foot but shaving a strip of leather from his shoe, and sending up a puff of dust as the bullet lodged in the ground. MacCready swore and leapt back “weapons down. Now. Or next time I won’t miss.” This time he kept his gun aimed between the two of them. “Mac-” Evelyn prompted as she reluctantly dropped her gun at her feet. A string of profanities dropped from Mac’s lips as he threw his gun down. Evelyn stole a glance at their weapons now lying uselessly in front of them “you know, Mac? I think I finally understood why you’re a mercenary. You’re a shit thief.” MacCready opened his mouth to defend himself but Evelyn cut him off “this is not the first time this has happened.” “It’s the first time this has happened.” “I meant your stupidity getting us into trouble. All for a damn car-” “A damn nice car. We wouldn’t be in this situation if we’d just blown them all way.” MacCready snapped. “Enough!” The Leader growled “You’re out gunned, MacCready. You know you’ll end up repainting the road with your blood before either of you make a decent shot. Your boss did you a favour.” Mac looked at him suspiciously “Have we met?” “Names Dallas, but no, you just have a price on your head I wouldn’t mind collecting.” “Since when to gangs play bounty hunter?” Evelyn piped up “Desperate times. But how could we resist when 5000 caps walks into your base and steals your car.” “5000 caps? What the hell did you do, Mac?” Evelyn laughed, despite herself. “He played cards with the wrong crowd. But that’s very little considering the bounty on you, sweetheart.” It was Mac who barked with laughter this time as Evelyn spluttered “what did I do? "What haven’t you done? You’ve crossed a hell of a lot of people, even me. But I’m willing to over look it and sell you both to the highest bidder.” Evelyn assessed Dallas for a moment before turning to the mercenary, Dallas’s gun tracking her movement. “If we get out of this, I’m going to kill you-” MacCready blinked at her “Kiss me?” Evelyn frowned at him “kill. I said kill.” “No I’m pretty sure you said-” “I was going to say "kill you or push you off the bridge.”“ "Pretty sure you said kiss-” Evelyn opened her mouth to hiss back but the fed up wave of Dallas’s gun stoped her “Do you two ever shut your damn mouths?” MacCready and Evelyn glanced at each other, slowly breaking into identical smirks, it was Evelyn who faced Dallas first “no. But it served its purpose.” Dallas didn’t have a chance to realise how deadly a mistake he’d made before Evelyn let a knife slip from her jacket sleeve, she hurled it and watched it bury into Dallas’s exposed shoulder, causing him to drop his weapon and stumble back while MacCready launched for their dropped weapons, and fired three shots, one at Dallas and two at his lackies before they realised what was happening. Mac tossed Evelyn’s gun back to her and snatched up his own rifle, and both dove for the old concrete barricade a few metres behind them, ignoring the near misses of several bullets. They pressed their backs against the concrete cover as the front of it was showered with bullets. “That went well.” Mac laughed, nudging Evelyn with his shoulder “We’re still being shot at, Mac.” “Not for long, boss.” He shot her a wicked grin, and Evelyn narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “What are you planning?” The mercenary just winked and turned to face the incoming fire, when there was a lull in the bullets he propped his sniper rifle up on the barrier. Precious seconds ticked by and bullets sprayed past them, making Evelyn nervous “get the fuck back down, Mac. You’ll get shot.” She hissed at him, a hand tugging at his jacket. But Mac only shushed her, and finally pulled the trigger, Evelyn was about to yell at him for taking so damn long to shoot one guy, but her voice would have been drowned out when a loud explosion shook the bridge and Evelyn buried her head in her arm as they were showered with dust and debris. Her ears were ringing loudly and the smell of smoke, burnt rubber and oil stung her nose and throat. She coughed and spluttered as she shoved MacCready who stood up and whooped loudly, holding his rifle over his head triumphantly. “You did not just blow up that fucking car!” She snapped at him, pushing herself to her feet to witness the damage of the bridge. The gang were sprawled around the still smoking remains of the cherry red Atomic. “You didn’t want me to keep it anyway.” “No, but considering we nearly died for the damn thing. A keepsake might have been nice.” Evelyn brushed off her clothes and stalked past MacCready, to see if the dead or dying not gang members had anything of interest. “I can’t believe the bounty on your head nearly got us killed.” MacCready scoffed “my bounty? You heard what he said-” “But if you didn’t have such a terrible poker face, you wouldn’t have a bounty and he wouldn’t have recognised you. Or better yet, when I tell you to find supplies don’t steal a car out from under a gang, just steal the damn supplies.” “Do you know how difficult it is to find a working car in this wasteland.” “And you blew it up.” Evelyn knelt down to snatch a ring off the dead leader’s hand, slipping it on her finger she admired the bronze band in the dying sunlight. She glanced up at MacCready who was flicking a cap up in the air. “You know, it takes a very special kind of idiot to pull off what you just did. And I don’t mean that kindly.” Mac grinned, “so how bout that kiss then, boss.” Evelyn turned rolled her eyes as she walked past him, fixing her gun back over her shoulder “ask me again when the wasteland freezes over, Mac.” The mercenary barked with laughter and fell into step beside her “Deal.”

~~~

So I haven’t posted any of my writing on here before, I’ve always been too nervous to, however I’m going to do that whole adult thing and step out of my comfort bubble. So I hope you enjoyed and any advice or feedback is always appreciated. 

#fallout #fo4 #sole survivor #maccready #fanfic #my writing

[shxrpshootxr]

Guardian Torture

Meme: Put a word in my ask and I will write a Headcanon about it for my Muse.

Guardian

While he is a mercenary/bounty hunter, he has taken on the odd body guard job, or covering someone else from a sniping position. He performs both of these jobs well enough, but his motivation is being paid, and feels little inclination to protect anyone other than himself.

... Or so he says. He has been known to, on rare occasions, pull a risky move to get his teammates out of a tight spot or even go back for them. He waves it off as him not wanting to deal with the body in the aftermath or  because the job would be much harder - but still doable - without them. But we all know it’s cos he wuvs them :D

He also feels a strong inclination to protect Trinta ( @orphanedmouse ) and keeps her close if she’s brought along. Do not touch that kid if you know what’s good for you.

Torture

With his line of work, and policy of switching sides based solely on who pays better, Nack has made quite a few enemies, particularly in the criminal underworld. Torture is nothing especially new to him, unfortunately.

The weasel’s been through a lot- waterboarded, broken bones, beatings, electrocution. You name it, he’s probably lived it. It’s all a part of the package for this sort of life. But he always finds a way out (honestly the bastard is just insanely lucky).

#📝 Criminal Records (about Nack) #headcanons #tw: torture #tw: torture mention #tw: violence #nack the weasel #fang the sniper #memes #eclipseddarkling

[musingofafish]

Bounty Hunter Draft Part 1

“Why am I here?” the smooth voice mocked in disbelief. “I think I am supposed to be asking you that. You know, since this is MY house.” A dramatic sigh filled the air as the man sitting in the window gazed over. His face was a mask of boredom as his dark brown eyes took in the woman. Her dirty brown hair flowed down to her shoulders, framing her fair face with messy waves. Her own hazel eyes were still hostile toward him, which can be expected after finding a dark haired man reclining in their home. She wore khaki cargo pants and a black tank top while he was coated in black jeans and fitted black jacket. While She pretended to be a typical cop on most days, he hid from the world. He calmly spoke with an ancient British accent “I don’t mean it so literally my dear, I was referring to why you hold yourself back from reaching your goals.”

            She stood in the hallway staring him down as they both slowly analyzed the other, waiting for a hint of either’s next move. The anger slowly faded from her stone cold gaze as she quickly exhaled. She turned and strode over to the small kitchen, signing for him to follow without a word. He stood against the wall with an obedience that only comes from years in their occupation. She pointed to a chair without looking as she grabbed two beers from the broken fridge with a practiced ease. She sat in her own chair and effortlessly kicked it back onto two legs while placing his drink down. He took it without complaint, it is traditional after all. She smoothly took out her knife and he removed his own, both opened the drinks and set the weapons on the table. There would be no other weapons in the room, just an undercover woman, an invisible man, two knives, and two beers dripping with condensation.

             Their eyes met once more as she finally broke the silence with her own accent, a sweet mix of militant cultures from the base. It spoke with an edge that could not be ignored but still had a subtle whisper that drew in men and women alike. “Sometimes goals are not worth the pursuit in worlds such as these. I still get paid and I no longer run from the light of day.” The man looked over her balancing figure once more, what she could have experienced to drive her to this has always been a mystery. One hidden in the dead eyes of countless victims and blood splatter found in old hallways and hidden crypts. “The pay is much better on my side of the deal, we both know that” he responded without missing a beat, “There must be a reason for your disappearance. So I ask again, why are you here? What are you doing living like this, like a common street cop?”

She looked over with a sad smile and a bitter laugh left the woman. “You are here and you followed every one of the steps I set up a long time ago. You walk like a man who knows my world of birth and the world in which I will die. So that means you also know that only one of us can leave this room alive.” He spoke out, cutting her off from continuing and plastering a look of surprise on her visage “Sorry to interrupt you but I think I owe you an explanation before you go on. I am a… hired gun, but I’m not here for your life. Well, not exactly. My employer has an offer for you. A new job, all the gear and money you want, you can choose how the jobs get done. It’s everything a mercenary can want. But… If you refuse then I have been ordered to… take you off the market.” His head lowered as the last words slipped out of his lips and silence fell throughout the room once more.

“Let me tell you a story. It’s a long one, so you might as well get comfortable.” His brows furrowed at how the woman could be so calm when presented with her death, but then again she probably knew she wouldn’t be the one dead if this went wrong. Her voice drew him back in as she stared up at off white  and yellowing ceiling as if it could display the memories of her past.

“I’m sure you know this, all of the others before you have, but three years ago I was just like you. Sure I had more reputation and power, people will tell you I was stronger, faster, smarter, and just straight up better than you could ever dream of being. I would never correct them, but truth be told I was just like you when I first started. I was only five years old, sold into the job and kept as a pet project of some freak show scientists. I didn’t know much more than the pain of training and experimentation until I was ten. By then they had perfected me under their loving care. The pretty little weapon to sell off to the highest bidder that they dreamt of. My physical and mental capacity was higher than any other human my age. But that wasn’t good enough for them, they wanted more. They wanted to make up for my bodies weakness. So, they stuck another mind into my head, an AI named Cyphren.

He was a part of me, quite literally when you think about it. We learned to work together, I had my natural abilities which were trained into me, allowing me to serve as the physical carrier for the operation. He could easily transfer into tech of all kinds and facilitate what needed to be done, a portable virus which can work in unison with the human mind. I would smooth talk and fight, he would hack and infiltrate. He handled the armor enhancements and I used them to finish the mission. We were both serious to a fault when it came to the mission, a byproduct of the torture needed to create both of us, but I was still a kid then. He knew this and would care for me emotionally in our off time. He would stay up with me, pull me out of a bad nightmare, he would even tell me jokes. He was the light in my very dark world all through my teenage years and he reminded me that happiness and love weren’t dead.

By then I had been sold off to someone who could actually use our talents and Cyphren of course followed along. We had gear, money, respect, power, everything we could ever want in our field. I was twenty one and I served as the second in command for the Boss, you probably know him as Reaper, the angel of death, or some other edgy version of that. I took up the name Shadow, more specifically Death’s Shadow. I did as I was told and I did it well. Everything was good in life. Sure I never got close to anyone other than the voice in my head, I never had a normal life either, but I was at the top of the life I was handed. Almost the top. Reaper was the Boss, he told me what to do and if I didn’t get it done then bad things happened. Luckily for us I was good at what I did, and I knew how to follow orders.

You might’ve noticed I referred to Cyphren in past tense. Well, that’s because of what happened when I was twenty five, three years ago. The day I left that world behind. He was all I had, and the Reaper knew this. The job was simple, go in and set off an electromagnetic bomb that would shut down all the tech in the area. It would knock a major competitor off the table and maybe ruin the days of a few civilians while we are at it. It also, would shut down Cyphren. The area was guarded to the point where I was the only one with the skill to get in, and if I refused the job not only could the group be wiped out but dear Reaper would torture me until he figured out how to break down Cyphren and destroy him slowly. I really had no choice, but I did have an hour before I had to leave for the mission.

I ripped him out, I had to save him.” At this point she moved a small chain around her neck and displayed the implant sitting inside a clear locket. Its dull silver surface was tinted with old blood but the chip itself still gave the impression of care as its surface glinted in the light. “I kept him safe, but the impact of disconnecting was like nothing I have felt before. A part of me died that day, and I felt it as we were ripped apart. The job was done and I left, it was clear I had no support there had I had nothing left to lose. I went into the civilian world as a legal mercenary, paperwork and everything, but I never found someone who could give me Cyphren back.” Silence fell over the room as the young man finally understood. He looked up from the chain to stare back into those hazel eyes and he saw something other than deadly intent, there was a grief hidden in those depths that spoke to hundreds of open wounds.

He finally found his voice after listening to the clock tick on for what felt like hours. “I….I think I can help. I helped with implants like that before. I can try, but he might not be the same as you remember. He would have been struggling like you have.” Her eyes searched him for a second before she nodded, not trusting her own voice. He tapped on the table as he thought, “There’s this facility, an underground research center for… questionable work. I may be able to get what we need there.” She got up and walked toward the closed door across the hall, “Give me ten minutes to get what I need. We can do this tonight.”

He walked over to the window and watched the sun slowly sink further in the sky as he waited. She emerged silently from the room as his phone buzzed in his pocket. “Your employer checking in?” she called out, causing him to quickly flip around. She changed into a full black outfit, similar to his own down to the hidden armor and tools. Hers seemed to be built toward versatility and mobility, while his was designed for interfacing with tech while offering increased protection. He nodded to her as he checked the message, “He can wait though, I’ll tell him you just walked into the building.” She smoothly checked herself one last time while replacing the blade from the table, “Whatever works for you, let’s get going shall we?”

#perosnal writing #bounty hunter

[notesfromanerdyarchaeologist]

For the D&D ask meme: 1, 13, 31 :>

Oh goodness! Let's see,

1. I think my favourite character is my Tiefling paladin of conquest: Baileisophonie Akteron. They are a non-binary mercenary with a heart of gold and fluff whilst also taking on the mantle of the Wolfsong of War of their people (homebrew world which I co-worked/DMed on, Tieflings are intensely communal and their stories/myths are passed by song e.g. sacred harp singing). They started the campaign (which was a morally grey campaign, SUCH FUN!) as a grizzled veteran bounty hunter who was deliberately not getting too attached to people (because of tragic backstory TM) and has ended the campaign protecting a smol halfling necromancer wizard called Bree who is literally the most ADORABLE and Bailey will literally do anything to protect their best friend, and they lived happily ever after. Nothing bad happened to either of them. Nope. Not at all.

13: so the current campaign that I am playing is literally apocalyptic: the party is trying to get the rings of the four horsemen (the DM is basing them on the Darksider horsemen) to being balance back to the world and save the multiverse from ending. So we have:

Elias Zantine (My character): a divination wizard, loosely based on John Constantine. Sarcastic, long suffering party dad (with MAJOR periods of irresponsibility and daemon summoning...cough cough). About 35 currently he has been hunting monsters professionally for the last 15 years, ever since a lovcraftian abomination ripped his family apart and his mind was only kept intact by his enchanted tarot deck (which is his casting focus, sort of gambit style). His ring is Death.

Helga Glitterbeard: a dwarven druid. The group mum, the only one with a level head and good ideas. Relatively young but wise she is out in the world trying to find out why she lost her mining colony in a freak collapse. A penchant for lighting storms and turning into a giant bear. Also crushing majorly on a demigod of dwarves the party met recently, the party wingmanned hard for her. Alas, a natural 1. Her ring is strife.

Mattias: a young tabaxi bloodhunter, armed with scimitar and hand crossbow, Matti is literally a walking disaster. But we love him. Trying to get his family back after a badly worded deal with a devil, Matti has been taken under Elias' wing and eagerly jumps at anything shiny and interesting! His ring is fury. Or should that be furry?

Barbara Zannigan: his parents wanted a girl. Babs is.....Oh gosh. A unrepentant hedonist, rich boy and absolute coward. Oh and a paladin of the ancients. Cursed by a angry druid (no relation to Helga) to turn into a mouse whenever truly frightened, he is seeking the end to his....issues. His ring is war.

Quinta: a half elf wild magic sorcerer, the result of biological and magical experimentation of an utter bastard of a father, Quinta is an adorable cinnamon roll of naivety and utter chaos. Instantly adopted by the party and loves jam and snakes. We have no idea what her ring is. Probably raspberry jam, god knows it is an apocalyptic mess when she eats that.

31: I have to say I love me a Tiefling, especially with the lore homebrewed. And honestly, paladin as a class, being able to tank, heal, buff and damage is lovely, you can fill any niche a party needs. Also their oaths and devotions make for amazing role play hooks and opportunities!