#but rather came much later down that part of the timeline

[dandywonderous]

ROTTMNT Bad Things Happen Bingo #2: Lost Their Voice from Screaming

for @badthingshappenbingo

Fandom: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Characters: Draxum, Leo (the others make minor appearances)

Square: Lost Their Voice from Screaming

Warnings: Major Character Death (canonical), Bad Future Timeline

Notes: The death is offscreen but the fic deals with the direct aftermath so take care. I've put the entire fic under a cut in case you'd rather skip.

This will be up on AO3 tonight unless tumblr deletes my post a second time in which case I will probably be too tired to continue

Draxum has become a father three times in his life.

The first time, of course, was with Michelangelo. The boy had helped (or harassed) him much over the last few months, and at this point his visits were an expected part of Draxum’s routine. Even, if he were honest with himself, an anticipated part of his routine, something he looked forward to the rest of the week.

It was during one of these visits, while Michelangelo was baking cupcakes in his tiny apartment kitchen and chattering away about what he and his brothers had been up to that Draxum recognized the warmth in his chest for what it was. This wasn’t merely his creation - this was his son.

The second time was immediately after their victory against the Shredder.

He had acknowledged the kids as his boys to Lou Jitsu, but that feeling of fatherhood was still missing between him and the other three. That didn’t stop him from opening his apartment to them, because they were exhausted and that pit they called a home was full of rubble and bad memories.

Long after the others were asleep, Raphael sat awake, back to the wall and eyes watching the door and the windows. When Draxum asked him about it, he admitted he felt like he couldn’t sleep - like the moment he closed his eyes, something would hurt his family.

Draxum didn’t bother telling him to sleep. He just sat next to him and promised to keep watch. And when the boy’s head finally listed and came to rest against Draxum’s shoulder, he gained another son.

The third time was months later. Michelangelo had been coming to his apartment regularly for training in his mystic powers, and Donatello had started tagging along. He claimed it was because he had an interest in alchemical compounds, but Draxum had a feeling that wasn’t all. There seemed to be growing tension back home that both boys were desperate to escape.

Draxum didn’t ask. He let Donatello peruse what books he still had at his leisure and allowed him to conduct alchemical experiments in the bathroom (under strict orders not to destroy anything). 

The day the boy came to him with his a successful compound, Draxum told him he’d done very well. He received the first genuine smile he’d ever gotten from Donatello, and while he quickly schooled his expression back into something more neutral, Draxum would never forget that moment of pure joy on his son’s face.

Of the four of them, only he and Leonardo were still at odds. He wasn’t hostile, and he accepted Draxum’s presence in the family easily enough, but he kept Draxum at arm’s length, never opening up, never letting down his walls, never offering anything more than the surface level.

Where the other boys had come around, Leonardo still

                                                                                                    resists

                                                                                                                               against the hold of Draxum’s arms, digging his feet into the dirt and straining to be free. He wriggles one arm loose, reaching back toward the smoldering wreckage of the collapsed tunnel, and he screams at the top of his lungs.

“DAD!”

“Leonardo, stop,” he commands, dragging them both back two steps before the child lurches again. “There’s no sense in this.”

“We can’t leave him!” Leonardo insists, struggling as hard as he can. “Dad! DAD!”

“If you go back there you will be killed! Which is exactly what Lou Jitsu did not want.” 

“I don’t care! Let me go! LET ME GO!”

He lifts the boy up and ignores how he flails and kicks. If his leg weren’t injured, he might be able to escape, but as it is he’s lacking in his usual force. Only the adrenaline is keeping him upright, Draxum knows. At least his swords are caught between his shell and Draxum’s chest.

He’s still screaming, but Draxum ignores him, looking over his shoulder at Raphael. He has his other brothers tucked under either arm. Michelangelo has retreated entirely into his shell, but Draxum can hear him crying even from here. Donatello is quiet, but he looks seconds from doing exactly the same as Leonardo and running off into the rubble. Raphael himself is silent, staring at the ruins of the tunnel’s entrance in disbelief.

Draxum’s voice is a commanding bark - he has to pull the kids out of their trance and get them out of here. It’s what Lou Jitsu asked him to do, after all, and he will do it.

“Raphael! Take your brothers and go back to the hideout!”

“But… but Pops-”

“Your father is gone,” says Draxum plainly, because they need to understand that. They need to get that through their heads. There is no time to be soft about it.

Raphael flinches. Michelangelo’s wails grow louder and Donatello sags, tears starting to stream down his face.

In Draxum’s arms, Leonardo howls.

“He wanted you boys to be safe and I will make sure you are.” Draxum jerks his head. “Now go! We will be right behind you.”

For a moment he thinks Raphael will resist, too, and he isn’t sure what he will do then because he can’t hold them all. But Raphael relents, lifting Donatello and Michelangelo more securely in his arms before taking off with them both, leaving Leonardo in Draxum’s care.

The boy sags suddenly, going limp in his grasp. Draxum doesn’t trust it for a moment, so he doesn’t let go, though he does lower him to stand on his feet.

“My brothers are gone,” he says. “You can let me go now.”

“So you can run straight in there and get killed?” Draxum scoffs. “I will not.”

He steps back again, dragging Leonardo with him, but still the boy resists. He tries to dig in his heels, but Draxum can tell his leg is starting to hurt too much for it to count.

“I’m not going to die,” he snaps, wrenching his chest to try and escape. “I’m going to save my dad.”

“If you would listen to me,” Draxum hisses, pulling him another few feet back, “you would know your father is beyond saving. And we will join him if we don’t leave now.”

“You must be happy about it,” says Leonardo, and his words sting like acid. “You guys never got along, right? You never cared about him.” His voice is rising again, growing to a shout. “You never cared about any of us!”

“I care about you very much!” Draxum argues, giving the boy a shake. It’s the first time he’s ever told him this, and he doesn’t even feel embarrassed because he just needs Leonardo to see sense. “Otherwise I would just leave you here and be done with it!”

“Then do it!” He kicks one last time. “Let me go! Dad! DAD!”

Draxum doesn’t want to do it, but he can hear the sounds of those monsters as they grow closer; the time Lou Jitsu gave his life to buy them is growing short. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and he’s never been more desperate.

He aims a kick of his own at the large gash in the boy’s shin, and Leonardo lets out a yelp of pain and surprise, folding over Draxum’s arm.

That’s all he needs - he takes the moment while Leonardo is limp and lifts him, then turns and runs.

Leonardo realizes what’s happening, and he tries to struggle but Draxum keeps him pinned to his chest, arms gripped tight. With no other recourse, Leonardo looks up at him and snarls ugly, ugly words.

“You don’t care… You let him die! I hate you! I HATE YOU!”

“Then live to hate me,” Draxum snaps down at him, and that’s all he says as he carries Leonardo far away from the wreckage of the tunnel, as fast as he can.

In his arms, the boy screams and screams and screams, until his voice grows hoarse, until it quiets to a whisper, and he finally gives out.

…

Mrs. O’Neil is waiting for them when they arrive at their hideout - an old basement storm shelter near the ruins of their apartment building. “Oh, baby,” she says softly, putting a hand on Leonardo’s forehead. He doesn’t react - he hasn’t reacted to much at all for over ten minutes now, his eyes staring up sightlessly at the red sky.

“His leg is injured,” Draxum informs her, and her brow creases.

“It wasn’t the krang, was it?” she asks. If it was, they would have to put the boy in isolation to make sure the wound wasn’t infected - hardly a good place for him to be now, in the midst of grief.

Thankfully, that is not the case. “No; there was an explosion and he was struck by the shrapnel.”

“Oh, honey,” she says, stroking his forehead. “We’ll get you patched right up.” Her eyes go to Draxum’s. “The other boys are with April.”

Draxum sets Leonardo down, making sure he’s steady before pulling back his support. He doesn’t say anything, just leans against Mrs. O’Neil and follows her away, the same shell-shocked expression on his face.

Draxum watches them disappear into the small medic center, then makes his way to the sleeping quarters to see his sons.

They’re easy to spot among the huddled humans, thanks to Raphael’s size. He’s sitting against the wall, head leaned back and eyes on the ceiling, tears rolling down face and dripping onto his neck. Michelangelo is still inside his shell, cradled in Raphael’s lap. April is sitting next to Raphael, her arms wrapped around the shivering mess that is Donatello. Draxum can hear the younger boys and April crying from here.

He sits down on Raphael’s other side and runs a hand over Michelangelo’s shell. The boy pokes his head out, eyes puffy and skin crusted with tears. He pops the rest of his limbs out when he sees who it is and climbs into Draxum’s lap, burying his face in the front of his robe. It’s seconds before a fresh round of tears start, but Draxum doesn’t do anything to discourage the clinging.

Next to him, Raphael sniffs, then starts sobbing louder. April looks up, then gives Donatello a gentle nudge; after some maneuvering, they take Michelangelo’s spot in Raphael’s lap, letting Raphael hug them and crying into his plastron.

It occurs to Draxum that these kids are his responsibility now; Lou Jitsu isn’t here for them anymore. Take care of our boys, he’d said, before using mystic force to push them out of the tunnel. He hadn’t meant just today.

They are his, and he will take care of them. 

All four of them.

…

The kids eventually fall asleep, and Leonardo still hasn’t returned. Draxum makes sure they won’t miss him, gently laying Michelangelo back in Raphael’s lap, where he and April sleepily curl around each other, before he leaves to go find his last wayward creation. 

Mrs. O’Neil hasn’t seen him since she finished patching up his leg, so he has to go hunting. There are a few other humans hiding out here, too, mostly people from the block whose homes were similarly destroyed. They’re all unphased by mutants and yokai by now, and they all know Leonardo, but none of them have seen him. He’s not in the makeshift kitchen or the central eating area, and Draxum would have noticed if he went back to the sleeping quarters.

The foolish boy wouldn’t leave, would he?

Of course he would, Draxum thinks, and hurries for the entrance.

Thankfully, he didn’t go far - as soon as Draxum emerges into the cold night air, he spots the shadowy shape that is Leonardo, huddled in the remains of the building that used to be next door. He had the sense to hide under an overhang, at least, his eyes staring out at the ruins of the city that has always been his home.

Draxum has to climb up a mountain of shifting rubble to get there, cursing the boy’s ability to teleport, before he finally arrives. He approaches cautiously, half expecting Leonardo to run, but it seems like the fight has left him now.

As good as that is for Draxum, it adds to the melancholy air hanging around the whole scene.

“You know you shouldn’t be out here,” he says simply. Leonardo doesn’t so much as look his way. “...How is your leg?”

To that he receives a shrug. Leonardo still isn’t looking at him.

“Are you hungry? There’s still leftover soup in the kitchen.” He’d tried to get the others to eat, but none of them had been interested. It doesn’t surprise him when Leonardo shakes his head. “Still, you should at least come back inside; it’s not safe to stay outside for long.”

Leonardo doesn’t respond to that. He just stares out at the city.

Draxum folds his arms, trying not to let the irritation he feels show in his voice and failing. “Are you this intent on giving me the cold shoulder all night? I’m trying to help you.”

Leonardo’s eyes narrow, and he lets out a long sigh through his nose. He lifts his wrist and pulls up the communicator Donnie made him (the only way they have to communicate long distance since the phone lines went down), typing a message on the holographic screen that he then turns to Draxum.

throat hurts cant talk

Draxum thinks about how the boy screamed and screamed until he couldn’t anymore, and it clicks. Of course his throat would hurt. They’re lucky if he didn’t severely damage his vocal cords.

I hate you!

He shakes the memory of the boy’s words away, focusing on the present moment. He may not be able to do anything else about this awful day, but this he has a solution for.

“Don’t go any further into the city by yourself,” he says. And then he leaves.

He returns to where his possessions are stored in the hideout, hidden behind a barrier spell to keep any nosy humans out. He fishes around until he finds what he’s looking for, then goes to boil water in the kitchen.

Soon enough he’s returning to Leonardo, an old, chipped mug cradled in his hands. It’s precarious trying to climb up to the boy again without spilling, but he manages.

Leonardo looks surprised he came back, but, predictably, he doesn’t say anything, turning his attention back to the sky.

Draxum doesn’t say anything either, instead coming close and sitting down next to him. Leonardo doesn’t react, and he chooses to take that as a positive.

“Here,” he says, holding out the mug. “Drink this.”

For a moment Leonardo only stares at it, but then he slowly takes it in his hands. He gives it a sniff, his snout crinkling in displeasure at the smell.

“It’s a medicinal herbal tea from the Hidden City,” Draxum explains. “Worthless for any large wounds like your leg, but it’s effective at soothing muscle pains, headaches… sore throats.”

Leonardo’s eyes go wide for a moment, then he turns his head away, handing the mug back to Draxum. Draxum takes it before he drops it, and he has to swallow down his protest when he sees Leonardo typing again.

The message this time reads:

give it to someone who needs it

“I am,” says Draxum, and he presses the warm mug against Leonardo’s undoubtedly cold skin. “You need it, so I’m giving it to you.”

The boy hesitates a moment longer, but then exhaustion seems to leech into him all at once, leaving him slumped and shaking. He turns and takes the mug in his hands again, taking a long moment to just feel the warmth.

Then he takes a small sip, and Draxum’s chest loosens.

Immediately Leonardo’s mouth puckers, and Draxum can’t help but chuckle. “The taste isn’t very good, but it’s better than that artificial grape nonsense you humans use.”

Leonardo makes an amused noise and wags his free hand in a maybe gesture. Then he takes another sip, and then another, and his shaking starts to slow down, his posture growing more relaxed.

Draxum sits next to him in companionable silence, watching the eerily silent New York and waiting for him to finish. They can’t see the moon anymore, not with the permanent dust cloud in the sky, but he still knows it’s getting late when Leonardo finally sets the cup aside.

“It’s best if you don’t speak for now,” says Draxum, “but are you feeling better?”

Leonardo gives a slow nod, giving his throat a light rub with his fingers. Then he types a new message on his holoscreen.

hated drinking it tho

Draxum chuckles again. “I thought you liked tea.”

Leonardo makes a face.

not this tea. it tea-rrible

“Ugh, was that a pun? That’s what’s terrible.”

Leonardo actually smirks. It’s small, but it’s there.

Taking advantage of his improved humor, Draxum asks, “What kind of tea do you like, then? I can’t promise I can get it, but I can try.”

The smirk drops off the boy’s face. He hesitates, then shrugs, giving his head a small shake.

“You don’t know?” Draxum guesses, and Leonardo nods. He hesitates again, his fingers flexing over the keyboard of the holoscreen, before he finally types a message.

dad always made it for me

Draxum reads those words, then shifts to look at Leonardo’s face. His eyes are glassy, his lip trembling, and he shivers but not from the cold, this time.

Quietly, Draxum shifts closer and wraps one arm around Leonardo’s shell.

The child breaks - tears that grow into hitching breaths and harsh sobs. He tries to stay quiet, curling in on himself, and Draxum holds him tighter, telling him without words that it’s okay, he’s not alone.

There, at the end of the world, Leonardo cries himself out, and, for the fourth time, Draxum becomes a father.

#rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt #bad things happen bingo #lost their voice from screaming #rise leonardo #baron draxum #cw family death #rottmnt bad future #fanfiction

[ask-the-royal-absol]

*Later on, Destino finally made their way to Reshi’s room in order to get themselves ready into their gear. The gown was neatly rolled up in the royal blue bag that rested on their back. The slipped it on, feeling a sense of comfort from it. The lining was incredibly soft and Destino took some joy from wearing it. As much as they didn’t have many luxuries down in the Underdark, they were thankful for what they could get. They began to do their lashes when the creature from before slithered out from the body pillow and hung onto their shoulder.*

Destino: Are you still deciding to use my belongings as a means of movement? I still haven’t authorised you to use it, you know.

???: We apologise but it is convenient for us to use. And we also appreciate the softness of it.

Destino: Well, that’s something we can both agree on. Anyway, talk. What are you and why have you chosen me? I really don’t need anymore drama coming from this evening.

???: We have been known by many names. The most common one mortals seem to like for us is the Endless Nightmare. For you see, our powers are that of helping others through their nightmares to allow for pleasant dreams. We have been known to inflict them too but we try not to do it as often.

Destino: I do that because it’s funny seeing them get annoyed. Best part is when they try to insult you back. I would never actually want to be a legend. It seems like too much effort if you ask me. Why would I want to waste my time with all of those responsibilities?

???: We are aware of the effort it takes being one who governs an aspect of life itself.

Destino: Of course. You still haven’t answered my other question. Why me? Why not any of the other guests here? You seemed to get along swimmingly with that other one. Perhaps go bother him some more.

???: We have been sent to keep an eye on you. You are…unstable at the current moment and so we must make sure you do not destabilise.

Destino: What the fuck does that mean?

???: We assume you are aware of the strange occurrence of being here. How have you gotten here when you were travelling with your friends before?

Destino: It’s crossed my mind.

???: It is because you are not supposed to be here. It is not an event that had been planned for in the grand timeline of this universe. Your coming here has lead to you becoming increasingly unstable and there is talk of you reverting back to your original state. As the almighty has said, we cannot have another failure.

Destino: Buddy, I have no idea what you’re talking about and it honestly sounds rather boring. Though, I don’t like the fact you’re calling me unstable. Come on, I’m not that bad.

???: Our apologies if it came off to be rude. We suppose we can simplify the explanation for you to better grasp its meaning. You are aware of the fact that you need to save the world, correct?

Destino: Urgh, don’t remind me. Another responsibility that has taken me away from relaxing on my throne.

???: Well, every second you are here is time lost. You should already be in Terrestria if you would have stayed on the correct path. However, with you hopping from event to event, it is making you have less time to stop the threat from above. Of course, not all of these instances are your fault. It seems the great legends, such as the void spirit, have plans and are using you for these events.

Destino: Oh great. Just what I wanted to hear. I’m a puppet to some greater beings. You’re just awful at making Pokémon feel better.

???: We can stop if you so desire.

Destino: Please do. I’m already tired of listening to your voice and I’m sure Reshi doesn’t want to wait any longer for me. I have no idea what she could possibly want. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if she found out everything I had done and wanted to kick me out. Then again, that would be an achievement. Being kicked out of an event meant for legends. An impressive feat.

???: Oh! The truth bearer! I wish to meet with her!

Destino: Of course you do. Fine. You can continue to use my pillow. But if you do anything else to make my evening go to shit, I’m not going to let you use it for transport, got it?

???: We understand! We will not cause trouble. Will you cause trouble?

Destino: That’s kinda my thing, causing trouble. It’s actually my middle name.

???: It’s not.

*Destino finished getting themselves changed into their night gear, slipping on their pink, fluffy slippers as a final touch. Before Destino left to go and find Reshi, they placed a couple of the berries they obtained from the grafaiai earlier inside of one of the drawers as a fun little surprise for her. Maybe she’d find them early before they started to rot. Maybe not.*

#pokemon ask blog #pokemon #pokemon askblog #pokemon oc #ask blog #ask the royal absol #destino the absol #pokeask #ask #darkrai #LoUsleepover #pokeask community #absol

[lilithsaga]

Selen Tatsuki and the Dangers of Corporate Mismanagement

Before the announcement, the community was divided into two groups.

One side consisted of Dragoons (Selen's fanbase) and other pro-Selen fans who just wanted to have any update on Selen's status regardless of what the outcome may be, campaigning #WhereIsSelen across Twitter/X.

The other side consisted of anti-NijiEN fans who would holler about Nijisanji EN and ANYCOLOR being a black company that treats their talents like shit and only cares about their own greed and reputation.

These two sides would argue about the speculation behind Selen's weeks of disappearance following the removal of the "Last Cup of Coffee" cover song by NijiEN management.

Then, on February 5th 2024, the dreaded white document was posted... and the internet exploded in rage.

Link to the full document here.

We could go through all the different warning signs and the timeline of events that led to this announcement, but I guarantee other people on the internet have that covered. If you decided to read this rant, I'm 90% sure it's because you've heard about Selen Tatsuki's controversial termination from other sources.

Instead, I want to reflect on Selen's situation in a corporate company and how that affected her mental health... citing some of my own personal experiences as well.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional or a professional of anything. I'm a random succubus on the internet with an opinion and experience, so take it however you wish. This is just reflection and personal speculation.

TW: mentions of harassment, depression, and thoughts of suicide. Reader discretion is advised.

My Background

I am a vtuber (or rather, PNGtuber), but not a corporate vtuber. However, I work for a corporate company in my IRL job in a 9-to-5 office setting. I started as an intern, came back to work with them after graduating university, got laid off after 6 months because of interest rates and over-hiring, and was brought back 2 months later in a different role to help them with demand.

Despite not working for a corporate vtuber company, I think it can be agreed upon that corporate is corporate no matter the industry, at least at the very core of their operations. Corporations are just large companies at the end of the day.

The reason I wanted to make this post is that, from one corporate worker to another, I 100% understand why Selen did what she did and feel that I am still facing a similar situation.

I may not have been a Dragoon, but I have always admired how she interacted with her community and created so many fun events for everyone to enjoy. Even though she wasn't my Oshi, I was deeply concerned about Selen's well-being.

And while I believed you couldn't trust Nijisanji EN any further than you could throw them, I was waiting to see how it would turn out. Because there was no way Selen, one of the Vtuber community's most beloved gamers and content creators, would stay missing in action forever. It wouldn't be long before Nijisanji EN would make their move.

Selen's Termination

Again, here's the link to the white document that set the internet ablaze.

I want to make one slightly controversial take here before we break it down... what Selen did is within grounds for termination.

Listen! Before the pitchforks are brought out, I'm not saying that Nijisanji EN should have fired Selen the way they did. There was sooo much they could have done to avoid this outcome that they clearly neglected to consider. But knowing how corporate jobs operate, or honestly, how any job or role operates, Selen clearly failed to follow Nijisanji protocol. She essentially went rogue.

We won't be analyzing the document word for word. Please read the full termination announcement by Nijisanji EN if you haven't already.

Instead, we're going to be analyzing key parts of the termination announcement by Nijisanji EN that I feel need further discussion.

Selen's Permissions

One thing I've noticed many people confused about is why Nijisanji EN removed the Last Cup of Coffee cover when there is evidence of Selen having permission long before posting it.

Selen "Last Cup of Coffee" After Party Stream clip, from FalseEyeD's video

LilyPichu's tweet confirming Selen had permission since August 2022

Artist who worked with Selen, Madi/@weeniedesu, shares how Selen paid her back personally when Nijisanji EN never got around to it

Selen got permissions from the creator and producer of the song. She got permissions from the artists that she commissioned. She took care of anything that could have been copyrighted, so why is Nijisanji saying she didn't check all the boxes for approval?

There's only one possibility. She never got approval from management.

Because if you work for a corporate company, you need to get approval from supervisors before ANYTHING goes out. Large companies have a reputation to keep, and if something goes out without supervisors getting a chance to review it... it could be bad shit. Maybe it's information that isn't supposed to be leaked; maybe it's an offensive joke; maybe it's as simple as a typo. The list goes on.

However, if their management is as awful as we think it is, I doubt Nijisanji EN even follows their own protocol.

The process of getting checks and approvals from other parties is always going to be longer than doing everything yourself. With good management, this is usually not a problem. But with bad management... this is a nightmare.

Personal Story Time!

When I came back from being laid off, I had new job requirements, a new role, and a new supervisor. As a person, I actually like my supervisor. She is very creative, knows what steps need to be taken for the company, and we have similar attitudes and humor. Unfortunately, this does not translate to how she manages a team.

My main issue with my manager is that she does not take the time or show interest in my work. She runs around like she's a chicken with her head cut off, will bury herself in her office and demand team members not interrupt her physically or virtually unless it's urgent, and will only speak to you if she needs something from you without really checking in on you.

Forgive me, for I am still young, but growing up, I was always under the impression that it was a supervisor's job to check in on their team and set them up for success. With this environment that I still find myself in, I'll be honest... I don't really feel supported at all.

I feel like I have to walk on eggshells around my supervisor and can only contact her whenever a 5-minute happy hour presents itself. I have work that needs to be done within a day, sometimes a week for bigger projects, but I struggle to get my supervisor's attention because my work is less crucial than that of some of my teammates. I often feel like the only way to get attention for the work I need to do is if I kick down the door and shove a printed copy in her face. Even so, that very rarely guarantees anything gets done in time that clients expect it to.

I understand that supervisors in high leadership positions don't always have a lot of time. Because of that, I was told that it was my responsibility to go to them when I have problems or stuff that needs done.

And yes, I should be more assertive about my work. Everyone should go to supervisors for situations that they need help with.

But if supervisors don't make that easy for you to do, what is the point?

Story time is over! Back to Selen!

Given my experience, I can understand how Selen feels. For a cover song of this scale, it must have taken months... maybe even a year—for it to be created in the first place. So the fact that Nijisanji EN management claims they first saw the video on December 24th is very concerning.

If this statement is true, then that means that they didn't do their job of checking in with Selen on the progress of this cover project. Or worse, Selen didn't trust them to work with her on releasing the cover song on time, so she took matters into her own hands.

Either way, it shows little to no support from Nijisanji EN management on an important project and reveals a damaged relationship between the two parties.

Honestly, I don't blame Selen. Yes, she did break company protocol, and it is a fire-able offense. But if her management was anything like mine, I would have done the same thing. Hell, I shouldn't be saying this, but I have done the same thing to a lesser degree. (It is rule-breaking, but not illegal. Best if I don't go into detail.)

But if Selen's management is as hard to get in contact with as my supervisor, how the hell does ANYTHING get done? Companies need to conduct business. But how can business be done if employees cannot progress due to management delays?

If they're not going to take the time to work with their employees to get proper permissions on time for upcoming projects ON TIME, I don't think they should be surprised at how things turned out.

Selen's Harassment

The worst part of this announcement is the blatant disregard for Selen's side and point of view on behalf of Nijisanji EN management.

"She claimed that she was no longer able to engage in her activities as a Liver due to the decisions made by ANYCOLOR, was being harassed by other affiliated Livers due to mismanagement, etc., while refusing to acknowledge her responsibility for violating the Activity Rules."

This sentence sticks out to so many people, especially the second part of it. But both parts are important because of Nijisanji EN's response.

We will get to that in a moment.

But let's focus on the claims Selen makes here:

"She claimed that she was no longer able to engage in her activities as a Liver due to the decisions made by ANYCOLOR."

This ties in to what we talked about earlier with the lack of support from management. Selen's claim expressed that she could not move forward with what she wanted to do because of the barriers to ANYCOLOR's decisions. Her feelings here make sense, given how it isn't the first time that her plans have been prevented by management.

More importantly, though, Selen also claims she

"was being harassed by other affiliated Livers due to mismanagement."

While many people want to know who these livers are—believe me, I'm curious as well—I want to know something else. If one of your talents is claiming there is harassment within your company, why aren't you investigating this?

Harassment is not something to be taken lightly or brushed off as an inconvenience. If your employee feels unsafe working at your company, I think it's worth taking a step back to try and understand where that employee is coming from, regardless of whether you think it's true or not.

So how do Nijisanji EN management and ANYCOLOR respond?

"ANYCOLOR believes that the claims raised by Selen Tatsuki are in fact referring to situations that arose when she was warned about her breaches of the Activity Rules and attempts to shift the responsibility for these violations, damaging ANYCOLOR and NIJISANJI EN's image. This led to the deterioration of the relationship between her, ANYCOLOR, and other Livers affiliated with ANYCOLOR. ANYCOLOR firmly believes that we and other Livers under our affiliation have not engaged in unjust practices towards Selen Tatsuki."

So instead of listening to her concerns, they brush off her claims as Selen crying wolf and blame her for making Nijisanji EN look bad.

HELLO???

I'm honestly not sure why I'm surprised by this blatant disregard for human emotion by a greedy corporate company. They clearly decided they didn't want to take the time to understand how badly Selen was hurting from their decisions.

And why would they? Especially when they clearly see her as bad trouble ruining their precious image.

However, they were aware that all of the stress from their company landed their employee in the hospital. So now, let's talk about the heaviest part of this story.

Selen's Attempt

TW: mentions of depression, and thoughts of su1cide. Please skip this portion (by finding the next smiling Selen screenshot) if you are not in a good mind to be reading about this!

Let's go back to Christmas... or rather, a few days after.

After the removal of "Last Cup of Coffee" from her channel, Selen stayed eerily silent. It was unusual for her to skip streams, especially collab streams, without notifying her followers. But given what just happened, it was very likely she was upset.

From her official Twitter/X account, only two tweets were created after Christmas. Whether she tweeted it or Nijisanji EN tweeted it, it only slightly matters to me. The fact of the matter is this: the events described in those tweets are true.

"I apologize for the silence. I've been in the hospital after an accident and will be staying there for a few days to be under supervision. I just got back access to my phone yesterday."

As soon as I read this tweet, my heart sank. Selen just had a negative incident at her company, where she had lost so much both financially and mentally. What part of "I've been in the hospital after an accident" makes anyone feel calm?

And the worst part... "an accident." Not a car accident, not a fist fight, just... an accident.

(In hindsight, the quasi-vague wording fits Nijisanji's modus operandi perfectly. It's specific enough to indicate something had happened, but not specific enough to indicate what that event was.)

But saying something is an accident... that's an easy cop-out for saying that someone attempted and survived... I think.

At least, it made the most sense to me at the time. Selen just lost $15,000 on a passion project that had a single unmovable barrier in it's way. Regardless of whether she is financially well-off or not, that's an enormous amount for anyone to lose in a day. If she had decided to attempt after something like that, I honestly wouldn't blame her in the slightest.

But the part of it that really had me suspicious that this was an attempt was that she was under supervision and "I just got back access to my phone yesterday."

This part is going to get a little personal here...

As someone with major depressive disorder, crippling anxiety, and suicidal ideations, I've found myself in inpatient care before. For those unaware, an inpatient is someone who stays in a hospital while under medical treatment. They receive lodging, food, and medicine to help them through whatever they are going through. It's the easiest way for someone to receive medication while also being watched closely to see if any changes to their health occur.

My reason for being inpatient is a bit personal. But at the very least, I was in an unstoppable depressive fit of constant crying where I couldn't even answer the simplest questions and didn't know what to do to stop crying.

As I was taken to the inpatient facility, saying goodbye to my mother, stripped of all my belongings (including clothes), and told I needed to sleep in a thin bed with nothing but a hospital gown on... the impact of my new reality away from the rest of the outside world terrified me and made me more depressed.

So, when Selen said she was under supervision and had her phone taken away... it instantly reminded me of what I experienced in the inpatient unit. I had my phone taken away, I had others think I was going to harm myself, I was allowed 1 hour of visitation at a specific hour every day where my emergency contact came to sit and talk with me, and the supervision was still very strict, with night guards poking a flashlight through your door to make sure you didn't do anything at night.

That's all I'm going to say about my experience.

Naturally, given what I had experienced, it didn't seem unreasonable to me that Selen's accident could have been a serious attempt on taking her life.

And who knows how long she had to fight to keep her sanity working as a corporate vtuber for Nijisanji EN? The job is stressful enough whether management is good or bad. But if the management is bad and stays bad for a long time with no improvements, patience can run out very quickly. One bad day can snowball into an avalanche.

For Selen, I imagined the pressure was becoming too much to handle. This heartfelt cover song could have been the breaking point that pushed her over the edge.

But, at that time, there was no proof.

So I stayed quiet, because people suggesting this narrative were getting flamed online for saying it. And honestly, with no confirmation at that point, it would probably inspire fear in a lot of Dragoons. It would cause them to assume the worst.

However, I said this at the beginning. The events described in her final tweets as Selen Tatsuki are true.

Confirmed by a little birdie.

"I will not be silenced anymore. On Dec, I was hospitalized for an attempt that was caused by a built up of bullying from within & being in a toxic & poor environment for numerous months that lead to my breaking point. I requested to leave first but on more neutral terms on 26th Jan."

This tweet is courtesy of Selen's previous life before joining Nijisanji EN, and is where she is now. Dokibird tweeted this not long after the announcement dropped, fully prepared with her statement.

It broke my heart knowing that what I had suspected was indeed true. For someone so talented to be going through so much turmoil, it would have been the biggest tragedy in vtubing history if we were to lose her in the worst way possible.

But, at the end of it all, I'm so glad to know she is alive, well, and will continue to move forward with more support than she ever expected.

It is the end of Selen Tatsuki's journey, but the beginning of Dokibird's next chapter.

Selen's Legacy

With the scarier stuff out of the way, I want to mention one last thing that irritated me about Selen's termination.

Nijisanji EN did not value Selen as much as they should have.

Yes, terminations are looked at a lot less positively than graduations. But to only do the bare minimum of acknowledging Selen's achievements with the company??

"Since becoming a part of NIJISANJI EN in July 2021, Selen Tatsuki has undeniably played a significant part in the growth of NIJISANJI EN. We fully understand that our decision to terminate the contract will have a significant impact on Selen Tatsuki's fans and supporters of NIJISANJI EN."

That's it. That's the only positive thing they had to say about her in the whole 3 page document.

She has hosted multiple tournaments, introduced the company to VR chat entertainment with AR Live events, commissioned lofi covers of all the Nijisanji EN Debut songs, connected bridges from other top vtuber agencies that seemed impossible, and is overall a fun entertainer with an infectious laugh and smile.

The fact that all she has done for the company is just summed up in 1-2 sentences is unforgivable.

And again, I understand that this is a termination, not a graduation. Terminations are for firing "problematic" people, not honoring their accomplishments. But only two sentences that vaguely acknowledge she made an impact as Nijisanji EN grew?

She deserves so much better than that.

While this does not cover everything that she has done for her community, especially as of recent, I recommend watching The Selen Tatsuki Experience, made for her 2021 birthday by devoted fans and clippers.

And here is a fan project for her birthday in 2022 showcasing the Top 15 Selen Tatsuki Streams.

While these are the videos that first come to my mind, there's so much Selen content out in the wild, even if her channel has been wiped by Nijisanji EN. So many memories, clips, fun experiences, and moments that will never be forgotten by her community and beyond.

If you have any you want to add to this, feel free to do so. I know the Dragoons can say so much more about her than I ever can, and I'm ashamed that I don't have more moments to add.

No matter where she goes or what she does, Selen will always have the support from every person she touched and inspired.

But it's time we thank Selen for all that she brought us and say goodbye.

Because now that this part of her life is over, it's time to move on to newer pastures and new beginnings. Because that is what Selen would want.

Or rather, it is what Dokibird wants.

Dokibird - YouTube Channel

dokibird - Twitch Channel

@dokibird - Twitter account

dokidoggu - Etsy

Final Thoughts

As I read back through everything I wrote, (which holy shit, it is a lot more than I expected; I think I really just needed to get this out of my system more than anything else), the more it makes me realize that Selen is not alone.

She never will be alone again. But I mean it a bit differently.

Selen is not the only one who has lived through corporate mismanagement. Far from it. Following her situation had made me realize just how similar my situation is to hers.

Following management that does not care about the employees enough to set them up for success. The depression that follows where you feel like you're gasping for air trying to make it through every day. Staying in bed late because waking up and going to a toxic work environment is too much.

This isn't a blanket statement of "all corporate companies are bad." That was never the point of this post. And, there are plenty of good corporations who will work with their employees and look out for their well-being. Even other corporate vtuber agencies do this!

However, I think it goes to show that corporate mismanagement can easily torture someone who feels trapped by decisions out of their control.

You can blame the employee all you want by saying "It's a corporate company! You should know that you have to follow the rules even if you disagree with them." But it isn't always that easy.

Sometimes, rules change. And once you are a part of a company, it isn't always easy to just quit and move on. Some people can't afford to do that.

I wish I had some kind of lesson I could leave behind related to all of this. Something like "Watch Out For These Warning Signs Of Mismanagement!"

But, I'm still working for a corporate company as my day job. I can't really leave until I find a new job or get fired.

So what can I tell you?

Selen's situation has motivated me to work harder to find a better work environment.

I've worked for this corporate company for a while now. It started as something I enjoyed because I was given more creativity and feedback on projects than previous positions. But it's not like that anymore.

No job is worth giving your life over.

And if Nijisanji EN management doesn't realize how messed up it can be working for them, and aren't willing to change for the good of their talents... they aren't worth a single cent.

Your happiness > Your job

If you managed to make it through all +3,000 words of ranting, I hope you find your own happiness. Thank you for taking the time to read all the way through.

I wish Dokibird nothing but the best as she kicks off this new chapter in her story.

As for Nijisanji EN, I hope they learned their lesson. If they keep their management the way it is, there will be more instances like this to the point where eventually no one will want to work with them anymore.

I have stayed up till 2am writing so I could say all I wanted to say. I should get at least 5 hours of rest before I have to wake up and go to my corporate IRL job. Hopefully, this year I'll be able to move on to a more promising environment in the not too distant future.

Thank you once again for reading, and I hope you have a lovely rest of your day! 💜

#nijisanji en #nijien #nijisanji #anycolor #selen tatsuki #dokibird #vtuber #sink the yacht #corporate vtuber #corporate greed #workplace #industry #harrassment #depression #anxiety #pressure #tw su1cide #mismanagement #selen deserved better #Youtube

[runnning-outof-time]

Birmingham | Tommy Shelby x Reader (Part 11)

Previous Part

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x reader

Summary: Tommy's the one who's finally able to coax (Y/N) out of her apartment. She returns to the Garrison, where Tommy enlists her to get a message to Ada who is, not surprisingly, at odds with her family again.

Warnings: smoking

Word Count: 4153

A/N: I’m sorry it took a little bit, but we’re back!! I hope you’re still excited to go on this journey with me. I know that this gif isn’t from season 1, but I felt that it fit the chapter nicely. Also, updates will be happening every other weekend from here out. Please let me know what you think! Enjoy! :)

Let me know if you’d like to be tagged!

-ONE MONTH LATER-

An incessant knocking finally roused (Y/N) from her spot on the couch. Usually the knocking would end after a few tries, but this person just wouldn't stop. She took a deep breath and grabbed the handle, taking a moment to prepare herself before she turned it and opened the door. "Hi..." was all the person was able to get out before she was shutting the door in their face, "(Y/N), wait."

"I should've known it'd be you," she sighed as Tommy's arm effectively got her to stop shutting the door. Accepting her defeat, she opened the door all the way and dropped her hand from the knob, showing him that she wouldn't be shutting him out again. "What are you doing here?" she asked then.

"It's been a while, (Y/N)," he started off by pointing out the obvious.

"It has," she was quick to agree because, once again, it was obvious.

Tommy took a moment to look her over. Another thing that was obvious was the fact that she hasn't been caring much about appearances. Her outfit wasn't as put together as it normally was, and her hair, which was usually pinned back in some sort of intricate matter, was left hanging down around her face. From what he could see behind her, her apartment looked to also be rather unkept. This past month had most definitely taken a toll on her, and he felt like an ass because he hadn't been around to help her when she needed it most.

"Your landlord gave me these. She said that they were piling up in her office," he said then as he brought a handful of envelopes up to show her.

"Thank you," (Y/N) responded, taking the letters from him. She looked down at them for a moment before looking up at Tommy again. "Anything else?" she asked him, more than ready to go back into solitude.

"Yeah, uh..." he trailed off, clearing his throat as she looked at him expectantly, "I think you should come back, (Y/N)."

"Oh you do?" she asked him with raised eyebrows, wanting to jump on him for thinking that he had any say on the timeline that she should be following. He didn't know what she was going through...he couldn't be the decider of when everything went back to normal. The pain of losing Matthew wasn't as apparent now as it had been a few weeks ago - it just seemed to be dull now, but every little thing was still proving to be a challenge for her to do. At this point, she felt like she didn't have the energy to deal with the outside world.

"Yeah," he doubled down on his statement.

"So you're deciding when I stop hurting now?"

"No. That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

Tommy sighed as he heard the defensive tone stark in her words. He should have thought about what he'd say before he said it. She was right...he couldn't be the one deciding when she came back to work; to society. "What I meant by saying that was that sometimes the best way to get through the pain is to shut the door on it. To make yourself busy enough to the point that there's no space for it in your mind."

"Like you do?" she raised her eyebrows at him, her words making his eyes narrow. He now looked at her like he was surprised that she knew this about him. And she let him know that that was exactly the case. "I've talked with Polly and Ada...they've told me how you just threw yourself into business after the war was over; how you refused to talk about it to anyone."

"The war was different," he said in a dismissing tone.

"Different, maybe...but you of all people should understand why I'm doing what I'm doing. This..." she paused, motioning to her apartment for emphasis, "is my way of shutting the door on it."

"You should be around others...be around people who have dealt with loss like this," he tried another avenue. He didn't quite know if what he was saying was making sense, but he didn't want to see her shut herself off any longer.

"I don't know, Tommy..." she trailed off, a sigh slipping from her lips, "I don't know if I can do it," she admitted to him, her hurt finally seeping through her features.

Silence fell around them then. For once in his life, Tommy didn't know what to say. He knew how (Y/N) thought...he knew that him saying 'you can do it' would fall on deaf ears and most likely be met with push back. He didn't know if she could. He didn't know what she was going through. Sure he'd been in her spot; losing many people in his past. But she was allowed to go through it in her own way, and he wasn't in any place to tell her when she was to forget about it and return to her regularly scheduled programming.

"I'll come back," (Y/N) broke the silence moments later.

Her voice was soft, but Tommy heard her. He couldn't stop his eyes from widening as what she said processed in his mind. He didn't expect her to say that she'd come back. "You will?" he checked, wanting to make sure that this was her own decision.

"Yeah," she nodded her head, "I'll come back to the Garrison tomorrow."

"Ok," he nodded as well, "I'll have someone come to pick you up and make sure that you get there."

"I'll be fine on my own," she turned down his offer, unable to stop the pang of sadness that she felt at the mention of someone doing the job that was once delegated to Matthew.

"Ok," he repeated what he'd just said, knowing better than to push her on it. Despite his desire to make sure that she was safe, he knew she could hold her own.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" she asked him, using her question as a way to see if he wanted to say anything else to her.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he nodded in agreement, clearing his throat as he dropped his gaze to the floor.

"Ok. Bye, Tommy," she said, offering him the slightest smile as she spoke. He was lucky that he looked up when he heard her voice, otherwise he would have missed it.

"Bye, (Y/N)," he echoed her farewell, nodding to her as she then shut the door between them.

After taking a deep breath, she focused her attention on the envelopes in her hand. The first in the stack caught her attention, so she made her way over to the table and sat at one of the chairs. The return address glared at her for a few moments before she took another deep breath and broke the seal on it.

(Y/N),

I do not know how to express what I need to to you. I am deeply sorry for what occurred when you came to Sheffield. I was unaware of what had been planned, and that you would be coming to visit. Your brothers must have intercepted our letters and sent one of their own. I do not know this for sure because I have not spoken to them since the events of that day. I refuse to do so if this is to be true. Their intentions were heinous and not in line with what my family and its name has stood for.

I was happy to see you though. Your visit has only made me miss you more. I wish things within this family would be different. Your grandfather would be so disappointed to see what has become of his name.

I understand if you don't respond, but just know that I love you with all of my heart.

Mum

After reading over the letter a second time, (Y/N) folded with the letter a sigh and reached up to swipe the tears away before they could fall from her eyes. She should have known that this was the case. Her brothers were most certainly not above using the lesser members in the family for their gain. That's one of the main reasons why (Y/N) had left Sheffield. She didn't want to get tangled up in their schemes anymore.

Deciding to take her mind off of this new news, (Y/N) stood from the dining table and moved back to the chair that she'd been sitting on. She picked the book she was reading up again and attempted to fall back into the fictional world within it. But as she read, the internal war on whether or not to write back to her mother was happening in the back of her brain. Hopefully time would reveal the correct answer to her.

——

(Y/N) arrived at the Garrison at least fifteen minutes ahead of the time she was to start her shift. As she was walking through the front doors, Tommy was exiting the snug. The two's paths crossed almost perfectly, making them stop before they could get to their destinations.

The slightest smile appeared on Tommy's face as he looked over at her. "I'm happy that you're back, love. Are you ok?" he asked her, an expectant look on his face as he awaited her answer.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you," she answered him with a slight nod, a small smile forming on her face.

"I'll let you get to work. I'm sure there's something Harry could use you for," he told her, nodding his head in the direction of the barman as he spoke.

(Y/N) nodded again before she continued on her way to the bar. Tommy let her walk past before he went to the doors to exit the tavern. He stopped before he could walk through them though, and he turned around to look back at the bar. Harry's eyes lit up when he registered who it was that was approaching him. "(Y/N)! So nice to see you back!" he greeted her with a large grin.

"Thanks, Harry," (Y/N) responded, her small smile still present. She didn't think that this was such a big deal, but yet she was happy to be received by her co-worker/one of her bosses so well after being gone for an extended period of time. "Me bein' back's really nothing special though. Where do you need me?" she asked, hoping to get into her duties for the day.

"Course it's special. It's been different around here without you," Harry dismissed her statement, "besides, it must be something if it's gotten Tommy to stick around," he added, nodding his head towards the door. (Y/N) turned around at the motion and saw that Tommy was still standing in the doorway, watching the interaction that was happening at the bar. When her eyes fell onto him, he nodded once before he finally exited the building, walking out backwards with his eyes hooked onto hers.

"Where do you need me?" (Y/N) asked as she turned around again, hoping that her neutral expression was doing enough to mask how she was actually feeling at that moment.

"There's some boxes that need unpacking in the back room. It'll be useful for that to get finished," he told her and she nodded, making her way around the bar so that she could go to the backroom.

On her way there, she brushed past Grace, who seemed to do a double take when she noticed who had walked past her. (Y/N) didn't say anything, but she couldn't help but snort at the other woman's surprised expression...it was like she didn't still live next door to her. She wasn't sure if she should have been surprised by the fact that Grace didn't stop in at all over the month to see how she was doing. Brushing the thought off, she continued walking to the room. The familiar smell of wood, smoke and a slight ting of musk filled her nose as she stepped into the room, and it made her smile. She was happy to be around the things that made her happy prior to that fateful day. Keeping that smile, she got started with working on unpacking the boxes.

"Oi, (Y/N), it really is you!" a voice called from the doorway some time later, making her pause her work so that she could see who it was. Arthur stood at the door with his signature grin present. "I didn't want to believe Tommy when he told me, but I'm happy to see that you're back," he said, bracing himself on the doorframe as he leaned against it.

"I'm happy to be back," (Y/N) responded, a smile forming on her face. She didn't know how much she missed these people until she was around them again.

"Tommy wanted me to get you. He's in the snug," he told her then.

"He wants to see me?" (Y/N) checked before moving.

"Yeah...wanted to talk about something," Arthur nodded.

"Ok," (Y/N) nodded back as she dropped the box she was working on and made her way to the door.

"I'm happy you're back, kid," he reiterated his previous statement as she walked past him, patting her on the shoulder when she was in reach. (Y/N) only smiled back at him before she made her way out of the room and to the snug.

After debating whether or not to knock, she turned the handle and entered the small side room. "Arthur said you wanted to talk to me?" she phrased her statement as a question as she laid her eyes on Tommy, who was sitting in his chair, smoking a cigarette.

"Yes," he nodded before motioning to the other chair in the room. (Y/N) silently made her way over to it, her heartbeat quickening as she wondered what it could be that he wanted to talk about. Was she in trouble already?

"What is it?" she asked even though she shouldn't have, the anticipation just about overcoming her.

Tommy took a deep breath before he leaned forward in his chair, his eyes fixed on hers. "I need to ask a favor of you," he began, tapping the excess ash off of the cigarette and into the tray, "only if you're up to doing it, that is."

"What is it?" she repeated her question without much thought into what he could be asking of her.

"I need you to deliver a message to Ada..." he paused as the door to the snug opened and Grace entered the room.

"Is there anything I could get you Mr. Shelby?" she asked him, noticing that his glass was empty.

"Not at the moment no," he shook his head before focusing back on (Y/N), "she's not speaking to me, or anyone really, but I want her to be at this family occasion...you'll need to tell her that there'll be a truce," he then detailed the favor he was asking of her.

"Where will I find her?" (Y/N) asked, then taking the slip of paper that Tommy had pulled out and handed over to her.

"She goes to a bathhouse; on women only days. If she's not there, I trust that you've been to where she's living?" he answered, phrasing the second part of his statement in a question, hoping she'd give the answer he was looking for.

"I have," she nodded, not giving much more information, "I've never gone to that bathhouse before, would you happen to know wh..."

"I've been there," Grace jumped back into the conversation from where she was lingering by the door. Tommy and (Y/N) looked to where she was, a look of shock present on both of their faces. Neither realized that the blond-haired woman was still in the room.

(Y/N) opened her mouth to speak, but Tommy got his words out first. "Grace'll go with you," he decided, his tone telling that there was no point in arguing the choice. So (Y/N) closed her mouth and nodded her head. "Get the invitation to her," he reiterated his favor, making (Y/N) nod again.

"I will," she assured him verbally, silence falling in the room then. She was a little unsure about Grace making the trip with her, but Tommy seemed settled on it, and who was she to go questioning her boss on the first day back. "Should we go now?" she asked then, glancing to the door before looking back at Tommy.

"Yes," Tommy nodded, his answer making (Y/N) stand up. She wordlessly made her way to the door, nodding at Grace and waiting for the blond-woman to open it. Tommy spoke again before they could exit: "thank you, (Y/N)," he called to her, and she responded with the slightest smile.

Once the two women were outside, (Y/N) turned to Grace. "Are you sure you know where we're going?" (Y/N) asked to make sure.

"I do," Grace answered, her answer almost coming out in a scoff. There was no reason for (Y/N) to be doubting her in her knowledge. (Y/N) nodded at her response before they set off to the bathhouse.

—

"She's not here," (Y/N) stated after the two women had been looking around for a handful of minutes.

"I don't see her," Grace confirmed, her words making (Y/N) sigh.

"We'll have to go to her apartment," (Y/N) stated as they made their way to the doors of the building.

"She lives in an apartment?" Grace questioned as the two began walking.

"Yes...she lives with Freddie," (Y/N) answered, her eyes focused on the street signs as she tried to look for those that were familiar. Grace said nothing in response, just nodding her head as they walked down the street.

—

Once they got to Ada's apartment, (Y/N) knocked on the door thrice. She waited a few minutes on bated breath, hoping that Ada would open up. If she truly wasn't talking to anyone, (Y/N) of all people knew how slim the chances of her actually coming out would be. She kept her eyes focused on the door as she waited. Grace seemed to be more interested in the hall of the apartment and was making sure to take in all of her surroundings.

After knocking three separate times, (Y/N) turned to Grace with a sigh. "I don't think she's here either," she stated, a bit of defeat present.

"That's fine, we'll just go and tell Tommy that she wasn't present," Grace responded, not much of a care for the situation shining through in her words.

"Yeah, but don't you think..." she couldn't finish her statement because a voice came from the hallway behind her.

"(Y/N)?" it was the all too familiar voice of Ada Thorne.

"Ada," (Y/N) said as she turned around to see just the person she was looking for, "I was hoping you'd be home," she added, a smile on her face.

"I was at the bathhouse...it was women's only day there," Ada responded, her answer making (Y/N) furrow her eyebrows.

"Hmm..." she said aloud, turning her head slightly to look back at Grace, "Grace and I went there. We didn't see you," she said, noting that the blonde woman was looking anywhere other than at her.

"Maybe you just didn't see me," Ada stated, brushing the confusion off, "why are you here?...I'm happy to see you again," she moved past the previous topic, stepping forward to give (Y/N) a hug.

"I'm happy to see you too," (Y/N) said as she accepted the hug, "Tommy wanted me to extend an invitation to you; for a family occasion," she then delivered the message she'd been tasked to bring, "he said that there'll be a truce."

Ada's face dropped slightly at the mention of her brother, and (Y/N) wondered if a fallout had occurred between them while she was secluding herself. "What occasion is this?" she asked for more details.

"He didn't say. He gave me this to give to you though," (Y/N) responded, handing the slip of paper she was given over to Ada. The other woman looked down at it for a moment before an unreadable expression formed on her face. "I can't sway you either way. I'm sure they'd be happy to have you at this event...whatever it may be," she ended her statement with the smallest smile.

Ada nodded her head as she took in (Y/N)'s words. "I'll think about it," she gave a vague response, one that made (Y/N) nod.

"Good," she affirmed, her smile growing slightly, "it was good seeing you again, Ada," she said then.

"It was good seeing you too. Please don't go hiding on us again, ok? I'll be here to help you through whatever you're going through."

"And I'll be here to do the same for you," (Y/N) flipped it around, remembering what Tommy had said about his sister. Ada only smiled and pulled her into another hug, one last gesture before the conversation ended and all three women went their respective ways.

——

(Y/N) showed up at the Garrison later that evening, hoping that Tommy was still around so that she could let him know how her errand had gone. Luckily, she found him in the back office. She knocked on the door, making him look up from the book he was looking over.

"How'd it go?" he asked her, his eyebrows raised slightly.

"I gave her the invite. The decision's up to her now," she answered, her response making Tommy nod. She then took a step out of the doorway, feeling that the conversation was over. She was about to leave when something else came to mind. "Can I ask you something, Tommy?" she asked, a hopeful tone filling her words.

"Ask me what?" he asked her, his way of telling her that she could.

(Y/N) stepped into the room before speaking, deciding to move closer to his desk. "Has anything come from the move you were intending to make on my brothers?" she asked him, her voice softer now.

Tommy didn't respond right away. Instead he thought over everything that had happened over the month in hopes that he could give her a concise summary of it. "I've sent men to Sheffield. They've been keeping track of your brothers' moves for me," he decided to keep it vague.

"They're still both alive?" she asked another question while still unsure of what she wanted the answer to be.

"Yes," he didn't cut corners on the response. There had only been one opportunity to take out Grant, but it was a risky one, and at the end of the day, Tommy wanted to be sure of it...and he wanted to make sure that (Y/N) would be alright with it happening. They were still her family regardless of what happened. He shouldn't have the final say in what happens to them.

"Ok," her answer came out like a breath. She wasn't sure if it was in relief or hindrance, and she couldn't shake the feeling of the knot growing in her throat. "Thank you," she said to him before she turned and began walking to the door.

"(Y/N)..." Tommy called out before she could leave.

"Yeah?" she turned to face him again.

"I'd like for you to come to this event my family's having," he said to her, his words catching her off guard.

"I...I'm not family," she stuttered out.

"You're family enough, love. I'd like to have you there," he insisted, a look that (Y/N) couldn't decipher flashing across his face as he spoke, "besides, I'm sure Ada wouldn't mind your company...if she comes that is," he added.

(Y/N) thought about his offer for a moment, weighing out what he said to her in her mind. It would be good to see everyone again, she thought to herself, and this would surely be a good place to do it. After a few seconds passed, the slightest smile formed on her face. "I'll come," she told him.

A similar smile formed on Tommy's face as he heard her answer. He tried his best to mask it though. "Good," he nodded, hoping the response didn't sound too stiff, "I'll tell you more about it tomorrow."

"Ok," (Y/N) nodded her head, taking a step towards the door then. It was late and she was starting to feel tired. "Goodnight, Tommy."

"Goodnight, (Y/N)," he echoed her statement, letting his smile appear as he watched her finally walk out the door. God, why couldn't he get her off of his mind?

Next Part

Tagged: @mgcldydrms @the-anxious-youth @cloudofdisney @look-at-the-soul @elenavampire21 @mrsalwayswrite @julkaamazing @evita-shelby @lilyrachelcassidy @notyour-valentine @shelbydelrey @december16-1991 @onlydeadcells @peakyswritings @just-a-blackhole @watercolorskyy @strayrockette @peakyduchesss @alexxavicry @captivatedbycillianmurphy @yummycastiel @dark-academia-slut @tommystargirl @stevie75 @lyarr24 @signorellisantichrist @zablife @anotherblinder @midnightmagpiemama @cillmequick @l1-l4 @chlorrox @lostgirl219 @woofgocows @bdudette @mrkdvidal1989 @stephhevring @hobothejuggalo @fictional-hooman @httyd-marauders @nataliewalker93 @rangerelik @thecraziestcrayon @lora21 @cilliansangel

SERIES MASTERLIST

#tommy shelby #tommy shelby x reader #tommy shelby x y/n #tommy shelby imagine #tommy shelby series #peaky blinders #peaky blinders x reader #peaky blinders x y/n #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders series #tommy shelby fanfic #tommy shelby fanfiction #peaky blinders fanfic #peaky blinders fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic

[688199]

Ladybug PV led to the creation of Null Era + other things: A theory re-evaluating the pre-production of Miraculous Ladybug

ah yes, the famous pv, with an alternative marinette that’s confident and an aloof cat boy called felix. yet, even though they seem to be based on null era, why are they still so different from their null era counterparts?

there were a lot of holes in timeline regarding the production, things that made no sense if it was sequenced that way. but when i started to see it this way, i think it solves some questions i had.

(i apologise for the messiness of all the ideas as i am just rambling)

so here’s my theory, as well as the reasons why i think so:

ladybug pv laid out the groundwork for null era. like such:

(first image represents the era in which marinette was confident, and nathan existed. for lack of a better term, i’ll refer it to the 2010 era.)

seems like toei was only given “2010” material to work with, and thus came up with the pv. this explains why alina, adoni, the bodyguards, null doesn’t show up. oh and why bridgette bug uses martial arts instead of weapons.

if anything, the pv isn’t based on null era, it’s based on the 2010.

looks to me like the pv expanded on the 2010 ideas by astruc

and the development team liked it so they expanded on the ideas even further into null era which explains actions shown in the pv, such as richard destroying the world because he’s power hungry.

bridgette’s design seems to be heavily based on this artwork specifically. long hair, same shorts and same shoes. except her top outfit, which seems to be from this right image, created even earlier.

her personality as well is obviously not shy. she’s much like the 2010 marinette rather than the null era.

now let’s talk about felix.

felix sphinx, on the other hand, has right swept bangs like in the pv, different from many other “felix-like” artworks that showcase nathan/ felix with left swept bangs.

if felix sphinx was based on the pv, the difference in their personalities makes much more sense. why pv is portrayed as being annoyed with bridgette, however not in the same degree as astruc’s nathan version. most likely while creating null era, the team further toned down on the annoyed aspect and heightened his nerd side to create who we know as felix sphinx.

not to mention, the pv is also the only media that depicts felix with being studious (books), other than the july 2012 bible.

now take a look at these, which i believe are all based on the image on their left.

2010->PV->Null Era

i used to think the right image inspired the middle image, but now arranging it this way makes more sense to me.

in terms of how everything actually went down:

i think that there were on going discussions on how astruc’s original “2010” concept could be altered during 2010-2012. many ideas were being brought up then scraped such as (the later part of) mini menace, quantic kids, etc, leading to an influx of art and ideas tossed around during this time, especially during 2012.

before toei officially became the co-producer, i think toei brought up the possibility that it could be 2d animation, then created the pv using the original astruc concept, of course with their own ideas tossed in (like how another producer wanted quantic kids). the proposal for 2d was rejected in the end, but i think they wanted to explore toei’s ideas, thus leading to the creation of null era.

rather than see it as a linear progression with a lot of mixing in between “eras” which is how i saw it in the past, the development should be seen as a centre (2010) being branched out into multiple ideas all scattered around the place. each era/ version is just the team mixing and matching elements that they like, and going forward with whatever fits best + goes through the approval of sponsors and producers. this leads to why chat noir was officially confirmed to be called felix during september 2012 while he’s called adrien in the first bible, why quantic kids appeared in the super lady luck game, why the pv and the bible, which differed greatly in ideas, existed during the same time (it’s also possible pv was made much much earlier than the date it was put onto youtube).

okay i should shut up now. this is what i think basically.

lol.

#miraculous ladybug #ladybug pv #ladybug classic #null era #quantic kids

[singular-yike]

Musing on Ancient Mugenri History

I've been thinking about this topic recently and there's a lot in my mind, so I thought to write it down before it starts fading lol.

To be clear, this is going to involve a lot of speculation, and not much is gonna be based on concrete proof, which is a rather great departure from what I usually prefer, but hey, speculation is fun every now then~

This is gonna be split into several parts, which I hope makes things neat enough. In any case, let's begin!

The People of Mugenri

Before we look into the general ancient history of Mugenri, let's take a quick look at what the residents of Mugenri could've been like in the distant past.

Canon Information

First, let's start with the history of its population. Here, we look at these this line from A World That Isn't Fantasy — To Mugenri:

Hoojiro "Another world….. A land of a race that broke off from mankind long, long ago."

Haru immediately recognises this as referencing the "Land of Non-humans", which Tsubakura had apparently been looking into prior to being spirited away.

This land is generally accepted to refer to Mugenri, and this is the assumption I will be going off of here as well.

Additionally, let's also take a look at this bit of information from the 2021 Interview with JynX.

Characters (BPoHC) — Question 242 Q: Considering that God is moreso a qualification rather than a species, are Yago and Souko's longevity thanks to their original species rather than their status as a god? Does becoming a god even grant you new abilities? A: They both gained their longevity after becoming gods and were originally human-like.

Interpretation

Putting these two together, I propose the following: Mugenri was initially inhabited by a "primordial race", the very human-like race that Yago and Souko belonged to prior to their ascension to godhood.

Somewhere a long the way, this original race split into "humans" and "non-humans", who once co-existed peacefully but had a fall-out of some sorts.

This lead to the event Hoojiro described, the non-humans "breaking off" from the humans and settling in Mugenri, creating the "Land of Non-humans"

Caveats

There are, I think, 2 major caveats to this idea:

I'm making an assumption that the non-humans "breaking off" from the humans applies to both their evolutionary path as well as the relationship between the two.

There's nothing explicitly connecting the "human-like" race and the modern humans and non-humans.

Mugenri's Ancient History

This is where we get really speculative, as all I really have to go on are these names from BotC Back Issue EE Yabusame's Route - Stage 1:

Gods' Tabooed Land

Garden of Eden

Lost Horizon

Oppressed Land of Exile

It should absolutely be noted NiLU suggests that not all of these names originally referred to Mugenri, but that they only got conflated with Mugenri later down the line.

Nevertheless, they're helpful for taking a glimpse into Mugenri's nature. So, let's try to piece a timeline together using these names.

Step 0. Gods' Tabooed Land

"Tabooed Land" is a concept from Shinto that refers to a location said to be reserved for the gods and within which humans are forbidden, often believed to be where the gods descended to and from earth.

Admittedly, I'm unsure whether this step would be placed here or further down, hence "step 0".

If we were to place this here, this would refer to when the gods first descended to earth and started their work, landing in what would become Mugenri and creating "human-like" beings to inhabit it.

Step 1. Garden of Eden

This of course refers to the biblical paradise mentioned in Abrahamic religions where the first humans Adam and Eve once lived before being exiled by God for eating the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

It's a rather safe bet to place as the first stage of Mugenri, as it is where humanity originated. Paralleling, in the case of Len'en, Mugenri being where the human-like primordial race came from.

It would also be during this period that Yago Ametsukana ascended to godhood, and perhaps Souko Shirami as well, though I'm have less proof for that one outside of the two gods' basis sharing a similar time period in the irl myths.

I would guess that somewhere along the way, whether they have already speciated into human and non-humans aside, the original inhabitants of Mugenri got themselves exiled from Mugenri.

Fondly remembering the paradisical life they used to lead in Mugenri, and lamenting its lost, the land eventually became known as, or equated with, the name "Garden of Eden".

Side Note — Yago's Ascension You might be curious as to why I'm so sure that Yago's ascension is so likely to have taken place in this stage, even specifically before the residents got exiled. This comes from a spell card of theirs, Sword Shot "The Cherubim and the Whirling Sword of Flame". This spell references what the Abrahamic God sent to guard the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve's exile. Thus, Yago having this spell card quite heavily suggests that it was the Ametsukana who forged the "whirling sword of flame" and sent it with the cherubim to guard the garden.

Step 2A. Lost Horizon

Lost Horizon is a 1933 novel by English writer James Hilton, famous for being the origin of Shangri-La, a fictional utopian lamasery.

Having been banished from Mugenri, and as the time passed, it's not beyond belief that the people (especially the humans) would've forgotten where Mugenri was once located, rending a truly lost location from their perspective.

It is also during this phase, I would guess, that the two categories of humans and non-humans must have came to be, no later than this. Explanation to come later.

Step 2B. Gods' Tabooed Land

Yep, the "Gods' Tabooed Land" returns once again. For those who did not forget Mugenri, where it was and its history; or perhaps from the gods' own perspective, Mugenri isn't "lost" at all, it's right there!

Instead, these people would've understood Mugenri as a place now exclusively belonging to the gods, and where humans especially are not allowed to enter.

(After all, while the line between human and god is fairly clear, that between youkai and god is often less so.)

Step 3. Oppressed Land of Exile

Unlike the other names, this one doesn't seem to be a reference of any sort, but is just a simple description of the land.

It is during this time period that I propose the "breaking off" between humans and non-humans must've occurred. For whatever reason, the two races were no longer able to peacefully co-exist.

This lead to the non-humans returning to Mugenri (like I mentioned, it's a lot more likely for them to know where it is after all this time). There, they either locked themselves within to cut all possible contact with the humans or they got locked within by the humans.

Having been exiled from the outside world, the inhabitants of Mugenri started a new era of their lives, adopting the Ruri calendar. "Ruri" meaning "exile", further strengthening this idea.

Side Note I've been using "Mugenri" to refer to this location this entire time, but it only makes sense to assume that this name isn't always what it was called. In fact, I think it's rather likely that it was only used after the barrier was created and a separate world formed. Here, I'll use "Ruri Mugenri", named after its Ruri calendar, to denote specifically the Mugenri as we know it now, separated from the outside by the barrier.

The "exiled non-humans" theory does raise a curious question though: Why are there also humans in Ruri Mugenri?

Of course, this could be explained simply by the fact that humans occasionally wander into Mugenri, but I get the impression that humans have always been in the Ruri Mugenri from the very beginning.

There are, in my opinion, three ways we can explain this:

These early humans were sympathizers to the non-humans, and in solidarity joined them in their self-imposed exile.

These early humans were those who sacrificed their own freedom to forever trap the non-humans in Mugenri.

These early humans were not interested in the race conflict, but was simply hoping to start anew or escape the outside world.

Personally, I would imagine that all these cases could be found, though I'd like to focus on the 2nd option. Because this, I believe, is the origin of the Senri Shrine.

We know that the 1st Senri priest was among those who created the Mugenri Barrier, and considering their successor, Tsurubami Senri's, stance towards youkai, it's not hard to see how I came to this conclusion.

Additionally, this also answers the question of whether the non-humans willingly shut themselves in Mugenri or were trapped in there by the humans.

This idea is somewhat supported by this from the 2021 Interview with JynX:

Mugenri — Question 86 Q: Can you think of Mugenri as a trap or prison, maybe a birdcage? Why else would it be so easy to get in but extremely difficult to get out? A: Something like that. The details are secret~.

Unhelpful JynX aside (lol), they did agree, to some extent, that Mugenri is a trap or a prison, further strengthening the idea that the non-humans aren't exactly willing participants.

The Human/Non-human Conflict

Finally, let's take a quick look at what could've caused this conflict between the two sides in the first place. I have a few theories, so let's go into that here.

First off, there's always the good old human fear of the unknown and the different, the easiest and most typical explanation for these situations and plots.

Perhaps the humans gradually grew more and more intolerant of the non-humans, and eventually took to taking up arms against them, leading to this conflict.

Of course, it's frankly hard to believe that these primeval humans would've been able to fight against the myriad of youkai and other non-humans all by themselves.

Here I suggest that the humans weren't alone, but were instead supported by a certain subset of gods. To see where this idea comes from, let's revisit A World That Isn't Fantasy, this time looking at Alice Leaping Atop Lily Pad Ice.

Hoojiro "Have you ever heard of it? The story of the imperial family and the Earthly Gods buried by history's darkness."

This is, at first glance, seemingly just a throwaway line. Hoojiro brings it up out of nowhere, and Haru quickly brushes her aside.

But even ignoring why Hoojiro brought it up, from an out-of-universe perspective, this line is far too loaded to be nothing, especially from a writer like JynX.

From an in-universe perspective, Hoojiro then follows this up with the talk on the Land of Non-humans in the next section, To Mugenri. This, to me at least, seems to hint that these two must be related somehow.

After all, Tsubakura was looking into the Land of Non-humans, and Hoojiro would've certainly had a good idea of everything they looked into and found.

So! Let's try to figure out what this is about.

First off, I'll tell you right now that this is referring to the mythologised telling of how the Yamato dynasty of Japan came to rule over these islands.

See the imperial family of Japan, according to their mythology, is descendant from Amaterasu Ōmikami, a sun goddess. She is what is considered a "heavenly god" (天津神 amatsukami), gods belonging to or originating from the heavenly realm of Takamagahara.

The counterpart to these heavenly gods are thus the "earthly gods" (国津神 kunitsukami), the native gods of the earth. They were the original rulers of the land (Japan), and it was through both diplomacy and force that the heavenly gods got the earthly gods to relinquish control of the earth to them.

This, I am certain, is the "story of the imperial family and the Earthly Gods", Hoojiro refers to. And I have a feeling that this is what caused the relationship between the humans and non-humans to sour.

Basing it on the myths, it would appear that the heavenly gods chose, for whatever reason, to side with the humans in the conflict, allowing them claim the world as their own.

Having identified the heavenly gods with the humans, this would leave the earthly gods with the non-humans, neither of whom fared very well in this exchange, and were forced to submit before the heavenly gods and their humans.

Thus the losers of this conflict, the earthly gods and non-humans, were "exiled" from the known world, put into an almost mirror-dimension-like plane of existence, their only way back out into the greater world through the outside, the Land of the Humans.

Note — Too Harsh on the Humans? History is written by the victors, or in this case, the imprisoned losers. All the sources we have so far are fairly Ruri Mugenri-centric, even those from outside. There is every chance that the humans were somewhat justified in their attack on the non-humans at first, perhaps the non-humans first took over and oppressed them, much like how the earthly gods were the original rulers of Japan. If this were true, that it'd be rather easy to see why the heavenly gods sided with the humans, perhaps out of pity, or a desire to use them to eliminate a common enemy.

Ending

Phew! That was a lot, wasn't it?

But this indeed concludes my thoughts on what the hypothetical ancient history of the land of Mugenri might be like, from it's initial inception to the establishment of Ruri Mugenri.

Like I mentioned at the beginning, a lot more guesswork and speculation this time, so its canonicity is very doubtful. Still, I think it's at least plausible.

As usual, I hope you enjoyed it~! :)

#len'en project #len'en #len'en lore #len'en theory #mugenri #I considered putting adding how tsukuyomi could've possibly fit into this too #but that just seems a bit too much #some other time perhaps

[whisperprime]

Part 1

It's 2189.

Hob is sitting at a table in The New Inn. He isn't meeting anyone. The only person he would have meet on this day is dead some 100 years and change. He argued and debated with himself on this day in 2089, the first centennial meeting that his old friend wouldn't be meeting him at. What was the point, if he wouldn't be there?

In the end, he came and he transformed this night into a night of remembrance. To remember the people he's meet - and lost - along with all the things he's done. A day to grieve. But also a day to remember why he still wants to live to see the next century.

It's because he's not expecting anyone that he's a bit startled when someone sits down in the seat across from him.

He means to tell them, politely, that he's not in the mood for company. To move, if he must. But all thoughts come to a halt when the other man says, "Hob Gadling?"

Hob hasn't told anyone that name in a century. Hasn't heard it outside his own head in so long it almost sounds wrong. This person - whoever he is - knowing it puts him on alert.

The other man picks up on his unease. He's quick to explain he means no harm. [Not sure how to get there, but the other man get Hob to listen to him and eventually explains that he's Someone Who Exists, But Shouldn't. His continued existence will one day bring about the premature end of this reality.]

"Why are you tell me all of this?" Hob says, not sure if he believes any of this. Is equally unsure if he can afford to ignore it. "What can I do?"

The other man explains that many years ago, someone fell under the Sleepy Sickness that could have done something to that would have set off a chain reaction that would have caused the other man to not exist. He's proposing to destroy a timeline, rather than destroying the universe. To change a fated point in time is hard - damn near impossible - but it can be done.

If someone is willing to pay for it, that is.

Hob gets where this is going. Asks, "Say I was willing to bite. What would I have to do?"

The other man would send Hob back in time. Little unpredictable, time travel. Lots of rules. But one way or another, Hob would take Dream's place as the individual Roderick Burgess summons. As Dream would never be summoned, the Sleepy Sickness would never happen. The target would never fall asleep and the universe would be saved.

Hob likes the idea of the universe continuing to exist. He also very much likes the idea of sparing his old friend this traumatic experience. Dream had changed after his imprisonment - maybe even for the better - but how high had the cost been? Was it really the only was for him to change?

Hob was willing to gamble it wasn't. He'd help humanity and the rest of the universe. But above all else, he'd do anything to help his old friend.

Even if it meant they may, potentially, never truly be friends again.

Hob agrees. The other man says he was ready to send Hob back anytime. Said he was adding another layer to help Hob win out against Fate: a seal that would hide Hob from the Endless. They won’t be able to perceive him at all. Additionally, it would seal his voice. The other man explains that Dream's silence during his imprisonment was legend, so too, must there be something similar in this trade.

Hob secretly thinks the other man thinks he won't keep his side of the bargain, but he's also never been imprisoned for a hundred years, so. Maybe it's fair to make it where he can't been seen by Death or to call on her.

It won't occur to him for a while that it means Dream won't be able to see or hear him either, but that will come later.

Hob doesn't see any point in waiting. Might as well do it now.

And so the other man does.

See, Hob didn't actually thing the other man was telling the truth. Thought he was off his rocker. But then the chair, table, and the very floor itself disappears from underneath him and he's falling...

And falling...

All at once he's hitting cold stone with enough force to knock the air from his lungs. He can hear voices around him, but his head's too muddled to make any sense of things. He has enough time to see the upside down face of none other Roderick Burgess just before the strain of the journey gets the best of him and he passes out.

Part 2

#the sandman #hob gadling #dream of the endless #dreamling #my fics #mostly exercising this to flesh it out later #lunch time is over so I'll have to post the rest of it later

[strqyr]

(1/2) so i've been thinking about how all of raven's constant aggressive self-justification (see: literally every other scene she's been in) is completely absent in this scene. it feels to me like that means her "All Of My Decisions Were Very Smart And I Have Nothing To Regret" mindset is a direct result of trying to absolve herself of her part in summer's fate. all her "the strong survive", "one save" etc rhetoric might all flow down from answering the question "how could i let this happen?"

(2/2) suddenly it occurred to me: i'm pretty sure we have 0 evidence raven returned to the tribe immediately after leaving. she might have spent years just being an independent huntress. to me, her attachment to the tribe has always seemed rooted in her need to justify herself - they give a convenient excuse for her (fake) motivations wrapped up in convenient evidence for her claims about strength. so if this mindset only came later, maybe she didn't even go to them until after summer's mission.

i don't think it's completely absent—the telltale signs of it are present in her "you're better at that life. better than i was.", the way she doesn't even look at summer at that point, trying to convince herself she made the right choice and that she doesn't regret it—but it's definitely more muted.

it's the difference between 'little hope' and 'no hope', y'know?

whatever happened on that mission definitely played a part, tho, but exactly how much depends on couple things: 1. did raven witness what happened to summer or had she already bailed? and 2. if summer is still alive and working for salem, does raven know or does she believe summer is dead?

actually, kinda third one, but "you sound just like your mother" after ruby makes a speech about working together and "we had each other" -> summer says "if i do this right", there's no 'we', by all means if it all depended on summer there was no need to work together, she also wasn't taking any of raven's bs, so when exactly would she have made the same kind of, such a heartfelt speech?

i have so many questions and no answers—i mean, i could answer them but there are so many possibilities that i need to stew on it a bit more.

it's true we have zero evidence on raven returning to the tribe immediately after leaving—our only timeline is the spring maiden, and that's if we assume raven is absolutely telling the truth; spring ran way over a decade ago, and the tribe picked her up sometime after. 'over a decade' is obviously playing it very loose, but if summer's disappearance happened around 15 years ago (considering ruby's age), then it would match that raven actually returned to the tribe after this mission when all hope was lost rather than before.

it would of course raise a question what raven was up to before that for those few years (and that alone gets my brainworms moving again re: who's idea this mission was and re: has raven already met salem before this, because the answers to those two questions could have some serious implications) between her departure and summer's mission.

raven also doesn't have her mask yet, tho that could be just her not carrying it around all the time. but if it's actually the former, then that's another mystery and a "when did this happen" to the list.

there's definitely something raven is trying to justify to herself (and perhaps to others as well—"i've stared death in the face over and over again, and every time i've spat in that face and survived, because i'm strong enough to do what others won't!" comes to mind) and it most likely has something to do with this mission but what exactly and is there like, actual fault in play or perceived fault, is the question.

it's like summer said: it's mystery after mystery.

#rwby #rwby9 #rwby spoilers #anon #ask.strqyr

[marmolady]

Never Had A Friend Like Me: Part One

Hey, @mauvecatfic... some Diego for you!

Summary: Endless Ending timeline. Elderly Diego and Taylor reflect on a lifelong friendship. Part one of two.

Word Count: 3741

Tagging: @saivilo, @edgydepressedchoicesthot, @sceptilemasterr, ​@mauvecatfic @rhemenway888

Thanks for reading!

__________________________

La Huerta, 2090

“Hey--” Taylor said as she settled down amongst the soft cushions of her favourite chair, knowing full well she’d be needing to call in assistance when the time came to haul her old body up from them, “I came up with the perfect idea for our next marathon.”

“’Marathon’? Between the two of us, we’re lucky to get through one movie without someone dozing off.” Diego grinned at his friend. His best friend of seventy years.

“That’s what makes it a marathon, because it takes so damn long. We take our time, savouring the laughs, the tears, and appreciating the artform.” A glass of wine, some cheeses, to break it up. And the two of them would reminisce, and Diego would point out his favourites of the crew’s filmmaking choices… or those that were notably bad.

“How about ‘the Zac Efron trifecta’?” Taylor suggested, showing her age. “High School Musical, followed by Hairspray, followed by The Greatest Showman.”

“Let’s just see if we can get through ‘Julie Andrews Fest’ first, okay?”

They did this fairly often. Just chilling out to the tune of films meeting their assigned theme. At the age they were, ‘just chilling out’ was pretty much requisite. Taylor’s arthritis had worsened considerably in the last year, and Diego’s respiratory issues were easily triggered by any amount of exertion. They were reasonably healthy nonogenerians… but they were nonogenerians.

You got to an age where you didn’t know when your best-friend-movie-weekend would be your last one. Naturally, a lot of the choices were deeply nostalgic old comforts. Created from nothing into a white American woman with a built-in noughties childhood and adolescence, the lyrics to all the songs in High School Musical-- and some of the dance routines too-- were something innate to Taylor. She’d been born with it. Later, she’d discovered that Quinn had been obsessed with the series as a kid and had found it a comfort as she shared it with her mom during long months housebound. When Vaanu was piecing together what ‘human’ looked like, something from Quinn’s consciousness must have been picked up. So many of those little things made up Taylor, and now that so many of her friends had passed on, they meant all the more.

There weren’t many of them left now. Quinn, who’d fought so valiantly to even survive adolescence, was still hanging on, the youngest of the group at coming up to ninety-four. Estela was still there, rather more mobile than the others, but then she was stubborn, gritting her teeth through the aches and pains and soldiering on. Aleister was… struggling. Taking one day at a time since the loss of his beloved Grace some months before. But he got up in the morning, and found his inner strength when needed to chide his sister for being a pig-headed idiot pushing her shrinking limits too far. Zahra had long been a respected figure among the Vaanti, and she was still the go-to person for technological know-how, even though anyone seeking her help was advised to do so only with an armoured layer of thick skin. She did ‘cantankerous and acerbic old woman’ to perfection, and her mind remained just as sharp as her tongue.

Taylor leaned back in her chair, feet up on an ottoman and wearing a well-worn pair of slippers.

“We’re going to have to become more selective,” she admitted. “And I know we traditionally do movies, but one last Doctor Who binge?”

Everything was getting to be ‘the last time’. Diego had put off their re-watch of The Lord of the Rings trilogy time and time again for that very reason; saying goodbye needed to be given the weight it deserved. Soon, he’d brave it, but for that one, Varyyn would need to join them.

“You couldn’t have picked a longer running series, Tay?” Diego teased. “We’ve got decades of life left in us to watch this stuff, you know….”

“Oh, ha-ha. You know I’m a David Tennant era girl. The rest I’ll take or leave. Like I said, we should be selective.”

Diego grunted a chuckle, and readied the next movie in their Julie-Andrews-a-thon, The Sound of Music, pausing before pressing ‘play’.

“Hey, I said ‘selective’, not that we couldn’t watch this-- you know I love--”

“Yeah, but think of the big old family sing-along we could make out of this,” he said, eyes twinkling. “We could even drag Zahra up here, keep her heckling muscles strong.”

Taylor’s grin broadened. Her family and Diego’s family were one and the same. Liv and her spouse, Jeimy, had lived on La Huerta a few years now-- and Rosa had lived there for a few decades. Their family was human, and Vaanti, with grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and nephews and nieces, and in-laws. It was their weird little family they’d made at the end of the world, and then everything that had grown from there.

“All right, I’ll share my bestie… this time. But we’re telling the hordes to bring their own snacks.”

“You’re on.”

They waited together in companiable quiet for the others to arrive. Taylor found herself studying the peaceful profile of her old friend as he began to doze. No doubt, he still felt a young twenty-something on the inside, just as she did. She could almost still see that young man, somewhere beneath the grey hair and the wrinkles that told a lifetime of stories.

Their stories.

___________________________

La Huerta, 2078

“Here you go,” Taylor said, a smile in her voice as she pushed the door open with her hip. “Breakfast in bed. You can’t say we don’t treat our guests right!”

With a soft moan, Diego propped himself higher against his pillow. “Pancakes? Who’d have thought recovering from heart surgery could be so sweet? I’ll never want to leave this bed if you keep this up. The usual pain aside, I feel pretty lucky.”

It was fortunate indeed that he’d had somewhere to go to for help just a short hop from La Huerta. And it was fortunate indeed that Taylor and Estela’s old home had enough room for them to care for him there-- and enough space that Varyyn could exist there comfortably in secret for the necessary recovery period. It was Liv’s home now, shared with her spouse and elder daughter, though the latter had temporarily moved in with her brother at the old Montoya place to make room. Still, with six people and three bedrooms, it was a very full house.

Diego met his old friend’s eye. “Thank you. Really.”

The reply was quiet and sincere. “It’s no problem.”

Taylor helped Diego with his breakfast tray. “It looked like Varyyn was enjoying his morning stroll around the big yard. I worried about him feeling trapped here, but I guess at our pace it takes a good while even to do one lap of it all.”

“He quite likes it,” Diego said. “Which is a relief-- I feel guilty enough taking him from his home. Varyyn doesn’t like the invisibility suit much anyway, but even if he did, I don’t think he’d so much as leave the property while I’m like this.”

“You’re very loved, you know.”

“I feel it right now,” he said softly. “Sore, and scared at being faced with my own mortality, and definitely very loved.”

The company was good. Liv was something between a niece and a daughter to him, and he loved her dearly. He never saw as much of her as Taylor’s other daughter, Rosa, who now lived on La Huerta, so the opportunity to catch up was welcome. Liv’s spouse, Jeimy, was a gentle presence, quietly seeing to it that their recuperating guest could want for nothing. Like Taylor, Estela had remained close to Diego’s bedside during the frightening days in hospital, and now put her considerable will-power into ensuring he took care of himself through the next phase and offering a shoulder to Varyyn should he need it. She didn’t tend to say a whole lot, but never left it unsaid that she cared. Even those few words weren’t really needed though… Diego knew.  

Taylor’s voice cracked as she spoke again. “I’m just relieved to have home from hospital. God, actually, I’m just relieved to have you out the other side of going under,” she said. “We’ve lost too much… I’ve lost too much, and I couldn’t bear it if you….”

Diego put a bony hand on hers. He felt his own eyes welling as those dark days, not so far in the back-view mirror, came flooding back. Of Jake and Craig, and the gaping holes they’d torn with their departures, one after the other. Everyone must have been bricking it, as he’d have been if any of them had been taken into hospital for heart valve replacement surgery, a vulnerable old man of eighty-two, whose body could so easily have given up the ghost.

Taylor sniffed. “But with your ticker sorted, you’ve no excuse to bail out on me anytime soon.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Except home to La Huerta-- and maybe one last go round Disney World. I still can’t believe we got kicked out that time….”

“Ha. I blame that crowd of people wanting a picture with Varyyn-- way to get us unwanted attention!” Taylor chuckled, heartened by her friend’s ability to see beyond the recovery period. Maybe they should go and do something fun, a last hurrah. “It’s not far to Florida. I’m sure we can pull that one off… but we’ll get you healed up and recovered first. Deal? I need you to be okay.”

Diego met her eye and nodded. He’d never not take her fears for him seriously.

“No more scares. I don’t think Varyyn could take it either.”

It was strange to be in this place. Less and less he’d leave La Huerta… less and less there’d been a need to. There was no blood family left. He was contentedly retired, living the life of a revered old storyteller in Elyys’tel. And much of his chosen family-- Taylor and Estela, Grace and Aleister, and more recently Zahra, Sean and Raj-- had taken up residence back on La Huerta, choosing to spend their twilight years, well, home. The younger generation did most of the running around, visiting frequently, while the bulk of the ageing Catalyst gang remained settled in the place that had changed everything. More accustomed to life in a Vaanti village than he was the world he’d been born into, Diego had long lost the desire to go back, even to visit.

“No,” Taylor said quietly. “He’s been worried sick.”

This would probably be the last time Diego and Varyyn would visit the extended Montoya family in San Trobida. Diego had been a frequent guest at old Tio Nicolas’ place whenever Taylor and Estela were staying with him, and later was a frequent guest in this house as his friends put down their own roots. All the photographs on the dresser he’d looked at a thousand times before; Taylor and Estela on their second wedding day, young Liv with a broad grin and a gymnastics medal, a middle-aged couple he knew to be Estela’s grandparents, and one of the many, many group photos taken on a Catalyst reunion-- he’d guess the date to be sometime in the 2040s. And there was one of him and Taylor, arms around one another and grinning; he was pretty sure it had been taken at a party to celebrate the launch of his second book. It had been a pretty tipsy night, so neither remembered it being taken, but he’d always loved how damn happy he looked in that picture. Taylor had once told Diego he ‘represented her side of the family’. He felt it. This room was more home than any other off La Huerta had ever been.

“Hey?” Taylor broke the long silence. “I’m gonna go grab a slice or two of toast, but I’ll come back. If you don’t mind, can I sit up on the bed with you? I think… I’m having a clingy day.”

There was no question at all.

____________________________

La Huerta, 2070

Taylor took a deep breath as she stepped off the plane. This was it. They were home for good.

“Grandma!” came the holler of little Aurora, nine years old, soon to be wrapped in a cuddle.

“We’re here! All in one piece, thanks to Captain Georgie,” Taylor announced. It had been a few years since Georgiana and Benny took over from their father as La Huerta’s go-to pilots, and she’d been tasked the very important job of bringing two of the Catalysts back to the island.

“Can we go on the plane?” twelve-year-old Leo clamoured, peering past his grandmother.

“Why, you’re going somewhere?” Estela asked, stepping down onto the dirt and taking in the familiar scents of La Huerta.

Leo shook his head. “I’ve just never checked out the cockpit,” he said. “But I swear I’m happy to see you too!”

They all did the rounds of hugs; Taylor and Estela’s younger daughter, Rosa, lived on the island with her Vaanti husband, and the reunion was always emotional. Sean and Jake’s youngest, Georgie, also lived here-- like Diego, she was almost as culturally Vaanti as she was anything else-- and her little family had also come down to the airstrip to greet the newcomers.

Diego held back patiently, dying though he was to throw his arms around his old friend and welcome her to the rest of their lives. He wasn’t about to get between those kids and their grandmas-- both Leo and Aurora had been talking about little else for weeks.

With tears in her eyes, Taylor squeezed little Aurora as she came in for hug after hug, only letting anyone else get a look in when she latched on to Estela for a few seconds before switching again. Of Taylor and Estela’s five grandchilren, Aurora was the youngest, the only blonde of the bunch, and the one who most resembled Grandma Tay-- and not just physically. Their bond was especially tight; Aurora had been in floods of tears last time they’d said goodbye. There’d be less of that now. Of course, the trade-off was that Liv’s clan in San Trobida would become the family they’d have to fly to visit…. There was really no winning once one’s children spread their wings and put down roots away from the maternal nest; she and Estela could not be with all of them all of the time, however much they wanted to be.

“Hey, G’ma!” Leo took an opportunity to get a look in, putting an arm around his grandmother. He was as tall as her now-- how and when did that happen?

“How are you doing, sweetheart?” Taylor asked, and she had to crane her neck to kiss his head. Goddamnit, kid, stop growing so fast! “Have you been up to much while we were gone?”

“Mostly just school and stuff,” he said with a shrug. “Dad’s been giving me some guitar lessons, though.”

“You’re giving the drums a rest?”

Leo grinned, his dark eyes alight with the mischief of a kid with a penchant for making a lot of noise. “For now.”

With Leo soon back to the important business of kicking a ball up and down the beach with Georgie’s children, Niraea and Rauan, and Estela being shown the jewellery Aurora had made, Taylor exchanged hugs and greetings with Rosa and Homori. She found herself choking up as she looked over her daughter’s shoulder and into the world that had been the making of her… where she was truly home.

There was nowhere else I was ever going to wind up in the end, was there?

And there, meeting her eye, was Diego. What she didn’t owe that man…. Her smile broadened to match his, and with a kiss to Rosa’s hair, she stepped away.

“Where’s my hug, Diego? You finally got your way-- we’re here, and we’re here to stay!”

Diego laughed. “It was only ever a matter of time. I know you… and this is your happy place.”

She embraced him, then took his hand and squeezed, before raising their joined fingers to her face to wipe away those pesky tears.

“It’s really good to be home, you know? It’s really good to be home.”

________________________

La Huerta, 2060

With a grunt, Diego sat down upon the sand. They hadn’t walked far from Elyys’tel. He was tired, the toll of the past few days being felt all over.

“I’m sorry,” Taylor said heavily. “I really am sorry. For your loss, and for being a pushy jerk when you plainly told me to give you space.”

Diego gave her a soft nudge with his shoulder. He’d needed to hear it, that apology. Things had been hard, as though every part of him was in conflict, and he’d been helpless but to let it all blow up inside him. He’d needed his best friend, but mostly he’d needed her to leave him the hell alone to work out his own head.

 “Hey, you got the message eventually. Took you long enough, but… I think I can forgive you. I know Varyyn has too.”

 A fall-out with Taylor had been the last thing he’d needed, but it was just that kind of a week. Of course, his father dying had to coincide with the most vital phase of Varyyn’s handing over the title of Elyyshar to Taari, and of course Taylor in full ‘fix everyone’s problems’ mode would come in all overbearing just when he needed to be left to process. Looking back, he could see how Taylor needed to feel as though she could help, to overcompensate for the helplessness she’d been battling over her daughter’s struggles back home.

Things had been rocky between them for a few days, but space had done its job. Sitting out there in the place where they each felt most themselves, feelings and fears could come tumbling out, for he was ready for it now.

“So, now it’s just Mama,” Diego was saying. “I have even less reason to go back-- I know she wouldn’t recognise me anyway. What would I say if she did? There’s nothing more I’m willing to apologise for; I’m not apologising for being me.”

“And you shouldn’t. Not ever.”

Diego looked into his friend’s face, desperately seeking comfort as he’d done countless times before. Any anger over how she’d behaved was gone; now he was ready to talk, and he just wanted that same old honest and loving support he trusted her to give… even when the conversation itself scared him half to death. What it could say about himself… the very man he was…. When he spoke again, the words came out rushed and fearful.

“My cousins will keep visiting… I know they will. But Mama’s going to be one of those tragic dementia patients sitting abandoned in a nursing home, her only kid having wiped his hands of her. It makes me feel just sick with guilt.”

“Hey,” Taylor said gently. She  tenderly brushed a lock of her behind Diego’s ear. Her heart ached for him. It was so damn unfair, but that, it seemed, was life sometimes. All she could do was listen. And actually listen this time. “You’re getting eaten up over someone who’s betrayed your trust, who’s had every chance to put the work in and heal things but chose not to. You still love your mom, but you love yourself more. That’s not abandonment by my reckoning.”

A tear rolled down Diego’s cheek. “Just… just feels different now. The roles are reversed, and she’s the one who needs looking after.”

Taylor frowned thoughtfully. “I wish I had the answers. I really do. A big part of me wants to tell you ‘screw that asshole, she made her bed and has to lie in it’, but you’re the one who’s going to have to be able to live with yourself. If living with yourself means spending some time with her, even just one visit to get closure, it doesn’t mean you’re just bowing down to the pressure she put on you all those years. Whatever you decide, do it for you.”

They quietly watched the waves roll in.

Diego found himself envying his friend. Taylor didn’t have a family, so they couldn’t hurt her. She’d never felt rejection-- certainly not from anyone who’d promised a lifetime of love. He always came back to Taylor, it just came naturally, but the flickerings of resentment reared their heads, even as the two of them stood shoulder to shoulder on the beach. How could she possibly have a clue?

He brushed away his tears. Of all the times he’d wished he was in Taylor’s shoes instead, it always came back to truth that he was proud of the man he’d become… and that man had been shaped by the life he’d lived and the people he’d loved-- whether they returned it or not.

And Taylor… cared for him. She loved him. So, he’d take her as the wonderful, flawed person she was and appreciate her presence in his corner, even when she botched the execution. At least she screwed up and then made amends, she wasn’t too proud to be wrong. In contrast, he didn’t think he could recall an instance of his mother owning up and apologising even once in his life….

Diego sighed loudly. No one else could decide this one for him. His decision… well, he’d already decided. He just had to find a way to forgive himself.

Getting to his feet, he held out a hand to pull Taylor to hers. Then, they continued their walk. They walked the well-trodden and yet constantly-changing strip between Elyys’tel and Catalyst’tel, bare feet in the shallows, the water pleasantly cool as the sun neared the horizon.

“I know who I am,” Diego said, after another long stretch of comfortable, if emotional, hush. I’m not a cruel person.”

“Cruel is the last thing you are,” Taylor said, soft but full of conviction.

Diego’s chin trembled. Sorry, Mama. This is me knowing what I’m worth.  “My head knows I can’t give Mama any more. My heart’s just going to need to learn to let go.”

They fell quiet once more.

“Sunset’s really pretty tonight….” Diego said quietly after a while. “Guess it’s not all doom and gloom.”

And in the morning… the sun would rise again.

_______________________

La Huerta, 2042

“I wanted to put something to you,” Taylor said nervously. “It’ll need you and Varyyn to sit with it a bit, so don’t worry about giving me an answer now.”

“That sounds… pretty ominous to be honest.”

This was supposed to be just a relaxing stroll along the beach before dinner, but Diego was immediately on alert for something big. Admittedly, Taylor had dropped some pretty gargantuan bombs on him in the past.

Taylor chuckled and shook her head. “Before you freak out-- we’d like you to be Rosa’s godfather. Or the agnostic equivalent anyway. Basically, if anything were to happen to ‘Stel and me, you and Liv would share custody of Rosa and take care of her together-- whether it’s here or back in San Trobida.”

Diego took it in with a nod, turning it over in his head. She was asking the world and giving the world… but was it her heart talking over her head?

“You don’t think-- I mean, I’m sure you’ve thought of this-- that in a worst-case scenario she’d do better with some of the guys in San Trobida who she’s got to know a bit more?”

Diego watched as his friend’s face crumpled before him. “I’m sorry-- I didn’t mean--”

Taylor turned away, wrestling with herself as emotion overcame her. “God, you don’t have to be sorry. It’s… it’s what Estela said initially too.” She looked back to Diego, her eyes rimmed with red. “It’s just different with you. What we have is special; I’ll never have a connection like that with another person. You’re my other home.”

“Is one not enough for you? Greedy cow,” Diego teased gently, but he wrapped Taylor in his arms as he did so, bringing her in so they were forehead-to-forehead. He got it. His deep sense of belonging with Varyyn didn’t take away the warmth and security he gleaned from the tight bond he had with Taylor. It was more like… a familial bond. They’d each grown and gone their separate ways, but a piece of their hearts resided with one another and always would.

“I would always, always be there for your girls,” he said.

“I know….” Taylor said shakily. “You’ve just been such an amazing ‘special uncle’ to Liv; it would be wonderful for Rosa, you know? She needs all the support systems we can give her.” She sighed, and gave a weak laugh. “It goes without saying, doesn’t it. I guess… I guess….”

As she trailed off, Diego considered her quietly. Taylor’s past year had been intense, and the distance between them had made it difficult for him to be the shoulder he wanted to be her. The bags under her eyes were telling, and the way she so clearly longed for closeness with him.

“It’s hardly a surprise… mortality being on your mind. What with the anniversary just been,” he said quietly.

Twelve months prior, Estela had been grievously injured in an attack by a young and brash admirer of the late General Salazar. Vastly more experienced in fighting as she was, Estela had managed to stave off mortal harm, but it had been far too close a shave for comfort. Miles and miles away, Diego had been there with Taylor, talking her through the terror and despair down a phone line. Of course, Jake flew a plane to bring him back to San Trobida as soon as he could, but he felt his isolation from the rest of the world in a way he rarely had before or since. His best friend had him now, though.

Taylor nodded, sniffing. “I thought I’d moved on from it. ‘Stel’s going strong. We actually needed a jolt to make us stop and really consider how we wanted the rest of our lives to look-- maybe we wouldn’t even have Rosi now if it wasn’t for the wake-up call. But it scared the absolute shit out of me.

“Obviously, I don’t think either of us are going anywhere, or we wouldn’t have even thought about adopting. It just sneaks up on me with how close we came. Life’s pretty fragile.”

“How are things going with Rosa?” Diego ventured gently. “Smooth sailing since we last talked?”

“She seems pretty happy, doesn’t she?” Taylor replied, fully aware of just how obvious her deflection was. But this was Diego, so she relented and shared. “I think security will come in time for her. Right now the threshold for meltdowns is really low-- the slightest hint of either of us using a stern tone with her or being disapproving in any way, and she goes to pieces.” She gave a dry little laugh. “Obviously I feel a complete asshole for ragging on Estela that first time it happened. Rosa barely gives us a reason to reprimand her in any way, she’s so desperate to please, but we’re human beings and we get frustrated.”

“Bet it makes you feel like absolute shit, though! Only human or not.”

Taylor met his eye and nodded again. “It’s a lot. I’m with her all day-- though we’re confident she’ll be ready to go to a real school next year-- and I’m hyper-aware of how she’s perceiving me. I’m pretty sure she is happy for the most part; her speaking’s come on in leaps and bounds, and there’s so much affection between us.” She gave a sad shrug. “I just wish so badly that she didn’t have that fear, that she knew with total certainty that she’s ours unconditionally. She doesn’t deserve to be scared like she is.”

“It’s just time, you know?” Diego said gently. “You did a pretty good job of convincing me you were unconditional, and I had even more years of baggage collected than Rosi does. Just… time.”

“Yeah….” Taylor’s shoulders slumped. There was no magic shortcut.

“I’ll come and pay you another visit-- soon. I want to stay with you a while; if what’s holding me back from saying yes is that Rosa doesn’t know me well enough, then we fix that. She’s basically my niece, and I already love her; we’re on catch-up compared to Liv at that age, but I’ll work on it ‘til we get there.”

A smile came to Taylor’s face, growing ever-broader.

“What?” said Diego, “I take it you’re on board with that? I don’t need to Airbnb it?”

Taylor couldn’t help but laugh. “Buddy, how long have you been out here? Airbnb went down the tubes years ago! And you know full well, if you come to San Trobida and stay anywhere other than the Casa Montoya, I will be mortally wounded.”

“Heh, well, I can’t have that.”

#endless summer #playchoices #diego soto #taylor montoya #estela x taylor #variego

[lyrabythelake]

Whoops, Wild doesn't seem to like Wolfie very much, even though they've only just met! "I wonder what's up with that?" Asks the entire chain, none too subtly.

(Am I pushing my personal agenda with this prompt? Maybe.)

Love ya Lyra <3

Thanks for the request Paloma!! Sorry this took so long, I was having trouble coming up with something for this one. In the end I forced myself to sit down and write it all without thinking ahaha so it might be a slightly different style to normal??

The wolf was Wild’s best friend on his journey. It had been a time of utter confusion for him after he had awoken from his hundred year sleep, relearning the very basics of life with a voice in his head warning him of his sole purpose to defeat the Calamity and the legends of his former self looming over him wherever he went.

Unlike the rest of the world, the wolf did not care about those things. He cared whether Wild was eating enough and showed it by hunting for him, dragging wild deer to his campsite in his maw so they could cook it and eat it together. He cared whether Wild slept soundly, offering his warmth on cold nights and his gentle presence through his countless nightmares. The wolf, unlike anyone else, cared about Wild as a person, not a hero.

But like all things, the wolf’s life was fleeting and it ended in the fight against calamity. After throwing himself in front of a fatal blow meant for Wild, he had bled out on Hyrule Field among the green grass and the meadow flowers, and Zelda herself had watched Wild mourn. 

It was only weeks later that the wolf appeared in Wild’s life again. Those markings on his forehead were unmistakable; those kind eyes were the same, only younger, more energetic. His fur was less scraggly, and he ran with a spring in his step that hadn’t been there when he was Wild’s best friend. There was no recognition in those eyes though, nothing to suggest the wolf had ever seen Wild before. It made sense, of course. It was clear from the bits of their timeline the Links had managed to piece together that time worked in strange ways and made little sense to the limited minds of men. It still hurt, though, to see the wolf care for him no more than he did any of the others.

There was something else too, and it took Wild a while to realise what it was about the Rancher that seemed… off. It wasn’t the markings on his forehead that made him realise (although he scolded himself for not putting two and two together before), but rather the look in his eyes. He noticed first in the heat of battle as they fought side-by-side, a dance they had perfected in their short time together, but his eyes had a ferality to them, a fierce and animalistic anger that Wild was all too familiar with. It was then, with the full view of Twilight’s markings, his slightly pointed teeth, and his shaggy wolf pelt, that it all came together. He was so surprised he only narrowly avoided being gutted by a Moblin.

The realisation only raised more questions. Why had the wolf–Twilight–not revealed his Hylian form to him through all those months spent side-by-side. Cold and lonely as his adventure had been, he would have benefited endlessly from having someone to talk to. Had he not been able to change forms? Had he not trusted Wild?

There was a part of him that wanted to ask Twilight directly, but that meant revealing his future to him, their long, dreary journey, and his eventual demise. Wild knew from experience that knowledge itself was a burden and he wouldn’t inflict that upon a friend without his consent. So he was left to wonder, and his wondering soon turned bitter. It hurt to see Wind play with him in the evenings with a stick like he had once done and to see Time call Twilight “Pup” with a knowing glint in his eye like it was a secret only they shared. It was jealousy in its purest form, and mixed with the nauseating sadness he felt whenever he looked at him, knowing what would one day become of him, it grew resentment between them. When the wolf–”Wolfie”--appeared, Wild kept to himself.

“Do you not like dogs?” Wind asked him one day as they walked through Legend’s era, seemingly out of the blue although Wild had an inkling of what he might be referring to.”

“I do,” he replied simply.

“Oh.” Wind paused for a moment and then, “You know, Wolfie is just like a dog. I know he looks intimidating, but he’s actually very friendly. He’s not like a wild wolf at all.”

As if Wild didn’t know that already.

“I’m sure he is,” he said.

“You should try giving him belly rubs, he really likes them.”

“Okay.”

“Or throwing a stick. That’s always fun.”

“Fine.”

Wind gave a resigned sigh, clearly picking up on Wild’s coldness.

“Just letting you know,” he said quietly, kicking up dust beneath his feet.

Wild said nothing, jealousy filling him at the prospect that Wind would think he knew Wolfie better than he did. It was stupid and childish, he knew, but for as long as he could remember he had little success in the art of keeping unwanted emotions at bay.

There was another problem too. Because Twilight was kind and funny and seemed to be on a mission to befriend Wild. He had a twang of the accent many old farmers had in Wild’s own world, a genuine fondness for Ordonian goats, and a mischievous side to him that made even the most laborious days a little more fun. He took Wild under his wing and Wild let him, because there were so few people in his life who cared for him that way.

But every time he laughed or told a joke, the wolf flashed before his eyes, bleeding through his matted grey fur and holding back the pain from his whimpers. Wild’s grief was so much worse now that he knew there was a complex, human personality inside that wolfish form. 

—

He didn’t know what made him do it, but there is rarely time to think things through in the midst of battle and when Wild had seen the Lynel bring down its blade to most likely cleave Wolfie in two, his body acted before his mind could catch up. He had raised his sword in a defensive block before his chest as he shielded Wolfie from the beast, but the Lynel’s sword was gargantuan and heavy and Wild’s was one he had found in a chest along their journey, old and slightly rusted. The force of the Lynel’s blow had forced the edge of it back into his chest and he had struggled with all his might to stop it from piercing his heart before Warriors dealt a deadly hit from behind.

As it was, his chest was left with a huge, gaping wound reaching from his shoulder to his stomach. Twilight, who had mysteriously appeared just as the battle was over, was the one to bandage it tightly to stop the bleeding.

“Why did you do that?” he asked quietly, his voice quivering just a little.

Wild paused, breathing through the pain, and then said, “You would have done the same.”

“For Wolfie?” he asked. “I’m not sure I would have, Wild. He’s just an animal.”

“No, I meant for me. You would have done the same for me.”

Twilight studied him carefully, taking his eyes away from the wound and the blood on his hands. Wild’s heart thumped heavily in his chest.

“What?”

“I know about Wolfie, Twi; you’re not that subtle.”

“Oh.”

Twilight’s expression changed from mild surprise to furrowed confusion and then, finally, to transparent hurt. He began to bandage Wild’s wound again with exaggerated concentration.

“Is that why you don’t like the wolf?” he asked.

“What?” Wild asked, confused.

“I get it. It’s not… natural, but just know that I never intended for this to happen to me. I don’t choose to be the wolf–or, well, actually, I do, but–”

“Woah, wait, what?” Wild asked, perplexed.

Twilight looked at him with an expression so uncharacteristically vulnerable, Wild could have hugged him.

“It makes sense now. Why you avoid me in my wolf form.”

Wild’s eyes widened without his consent as he felt an overwhelming need to explain it all to him despite knowing he couldn’t.

“Hylia, no, Twi, that’s not—that’s not the reason at all, I promise.”

“Then… why?”

Wild bit his lip.

“I can’t tell you. I’m sorry, I wish I could.”

Twilight frowned.

“Why not?”

“I just can’t, Twi. Trust me, it’s better if you don’t know.”

He tried to convey his apology through the following silence, the desperation and anguish of the emotions he had been forced to keep hidden. 

Twilight stared. Then, just for half a second, his gaze flickered to where Time stood across the camp still in full armour. When he looked back to Wild, there was something suddenly resigned about him, something old and weary, and for a moment, Wild caught a glimpse of the wolf he once knew.

“We’ve met before, haven’t we?” Twilight asked sadly.

The breath was stolen from Wild. How… how could he know that?

“What–”

“It’s okay, Wild, I understand why you can’t tell me.” He smiled, though it looked forced. “I’m glad we get to meet again in my future.”

There was nothing else said between them as Twilight finished wrapping the bandages. There was nothing more to say, but Wild was left with a whole lot to think about.

#lyra writes #thanks again paloma #love ya too <33 #linked universe #linkeduniverse #lu wild #lu twilight #angst

[aita-blorbos]

wibta for continuing to refuse to tell my dad about my existence for over a year?

so i (24nb) was raised in new york by my mom with my 3 half-siblings, and spent a lot of my early life wondering about my dad (who i’d never met, and my mom didn’t know much about, lol) long story short some shit happened, i got disowned by my mom and still have a relationship with my older half-brother (jury’s still out on my younger half-siblings but i dont expect them to talk to me anytime soon lol) and so i was basically… drifting for several years until i found myself in california and settled down, went to college, and then for… complicated reasons the city i was in basically became an active warzone. my (now) fiancee (27f) saved me and i finished college and started a business as a pi. funnily enough, even though i wasn’t still actively looking for info anymore, i have a pretty distinctive appearance, and based on that and some timeline clues i was able to figure out who my dad is. i was unsure whether to pursue a relationship with that side of my family or whatever bc i already had a pretty established life outside of my family and being on my own has been kinda. a staple of my life since i was 15, but it didn’t matter as much bc he and his sibling were missing, so the only member of that family i had access to was my cousin.

which is where we get to him

so my cousin (27m) grew up thinking he was an orphan in some cult, i think he thought his parents were dead or didnt want him or something? anyways, when he was about 19 he met my dad (now 46m, at the time 38). he didn’t know my dad was his uncle at the time, but evidently my dad figured out who my cousin was pretty quick. my dad then made the decision to continue working with my cousin to fight, uh, some bad people, but did not tell the cousin about them being related. for about 6 years.

eventually my cousin’s parent (46???) resurfaces (they all thought he was dead lol) and a lot of shit happened (including that uh… whole city-being-a-warzone thing i mentioned) and it basically came out that my cousin’s parent was, well, my cousin’s parent. and then immediately after both his parent and my dad disappeared on an… extended business trip and went missing. three years later, my fiancee is dying of cancer, and decides to go on a trip to look for some experimental treatments to get rid of the cancer. after a few months of her gone, my dad and his sibling return, and two months after that, my fiancee returns (apparently she found them and got them brought back?)

a week before this, a friend of my fiancee’s (23f) went missing, and i started a search for her, but i realized there was a lot more going on than i bargained for, so after my fiancee went back, we made the decision to seek outside help. this help happened to come in the form of my dad, and his company. so basically i had to talk to my dad whether i was ready to or not, and since i definitely wasn’t, i made the decision to keep certain things from him. like the fact that he’s my dad.

so we’ve been working together for a while (we found the friend, he just also enlists my help as a pi for other cases sometimes) and i just… haven’t told him yet. here’s the fun part.

so my dad has a habit of picking on his twin for not knowing he had a kid for 25 years. my dad thinks this is hilarious, his twin and my cousin, less so. i happen to turn 25 in a few months, so i thought it’d be hilarious to wait until i’m at least 25 to drop this on him. my cousin doesn’t know, but he’d think it’s HILARIOUS, but my fiancee thinks i should tell him bc from what we’ve gathered it sounds like he’s had a good bit of tragedy surrounding his family, and my fiancee knows what thats like. one of my dads coworkers who pieced things together thinks its funny, but agrees that i should probably tell him sooner rather than later. wibta for waiting, if only for the sake of being able to turn his own joke on him and make fun of *him* for also not knowing he had a kid for 25 years, and definitely not because i’m irrationally mad at him for not knowing i exist for that long?

the reason he doesn’t know who i am already is because i make it a point to hide the distinctive features that are pretty inherent to his side of the family, not because i’m trying that hard to hide who i am from him, but because i have certain people who i don’t want to be able to identify me.

also, i realize i may have made it sound like my dad is a cop or a vigilante. he’s not a cop, i’d want nothing to do with him if he was, and vigilante isn’t exactly accurate either. mercenary might be a better term here.

#aita #am i the asshole #unreality

[auranova26]

Mei-Ling Design Notes and Inspiration 2/2

If you stumbled on this randomly, please go read part 1 first before engaging any further. Please and thank you.😊🙏

With that disclaimer said, now we gotta talk about the Dark Embrace Burst for Mei-Ling. To be frank, most of the origins of how I came to give it to her and Hsien-Ko is basically already stated in Hsien-Ko's design notes, so you can go there to get an idea.

However, I would like to talk about some aspects of Mei-Ling's design in this form. The first time I drew her, it was super simple.

The first big note of change was with @capyguava rendition of Mei-Ling.

The additional markings on Mei-Ling's face were honestly beautiful, so I reworked her face to incorporate some of those ideas. Later on, made a render that fully showed of some other details.

The markings at her legs and feet and the mirror on her back. Having the mirror on her back was not only a call back to how the mirror was on her in her main timeline design, but also just really love the idea of how all that Qi and Corriyami in her body just sprouts out from there. This shot from her ref sheet shows off how there are some changes to the mirror as the story progresses.

The latest full render of her Dark Embrace steps up to show how her shadow can really look.

However, I want to give special notes to these two commissions made by O_C_o_r_v_o and aamiraglia.

I love the ideas they gave with the way her shadow can look. Like a flame or like water. It is sublime and I want to keep these in mind for future illustrations. Last note about the shadow: the shadow dragon. While the form her shadow can take is only limited by Mei-Ling's imagination, I really want to note the dragon. In a way, it is a form of catharsis for Mei-Ling. Utilizing the form of a dragon to bring down those who oppose her and Hsien-Ko. But also, it makes her feel connected to her mother as the shape of the dragon is similar to their mother's dragon form. The memory of that night is still quite strong. Makes it feel like her mother is aiding her in battle. It is ferocious in appearance, like Mei-Ling in this burst. But it is still eerily beautiful in a way with its majesty, like Mei-Ling.

Now to talk about Mei-Ling when she was human.

Off the bat, she doesn't really look that different compared to the major changes Hsien-Ko underwent when she became a jiangshi. However, I still wanted there to be some kind of difference. The biggest thing would be her hair. This is where Murai Shinobu comes back into the picture. I cannot say enough my love for her designs of Hsien-Ko and Mei-Ling and how much her 'Share' doujin means to me and helped to influence some aspects of the sisters for me. In a way of tribute, I wanted Mei-Ling's hair as a human to have the same general style that Murai draws for Mei-Ling: a straight bob cut.

Overall, rather normal and nice for this young mystic warrior. Her hair color was also different. While Hsien-Ko as a human had cool shades of black hair, I wanted Mei-Ling to have more warm shades of black for her hair. Not too drastic a change in hair color when she becomes a jiangshi. Her eyes were also changed. Again, kind like what Murai did, I went for some shade of brown for Mei-Ling's eyes. As for her clothes, once again a bianfu. As a twist, the colors of this bianfu are the reverse of her later beizi's color scheme. Also gave her red trousers as to keep her whole color scheme being very warm and vibrant.

In Darkstalkers, some crossover games they have appeared in, and even a number of anthology stories, Mei-Ling has been shown to be able to move and talk. To represent herself, she has a simple cartoon face of a pair of eyes and a mouth.

That is all well and good, but I wanted to go further. I got inspiration from this very funny random sprite of a card of the sisters doing a costume swap.

With that swap, Hsien-Ko became the ofuda. However, her ofuda form has her hair and a hat. I wanted to do the same for Mei-Ling. My first time drawing that is shown in the 'Jiangshi Tongue' piece I made.

Expressive and cute. However, when going about making the ref sheet, I stumbled upon this picture made by the wonderful artist skm_nnm.

I adore the idea of Mei-Ling being able to fly like a little paper spirit! Which… to be fair she is. So that detail is now part of her ofuda form for Cryas Darkstalkers. Some tweaks here and there, namely making her still feel like she is paper being and thus flat but giving enough details to her hair and hat in this form.

That should wrap things up with this very long two-part blog. I hope you can understand my sheer love and adoration for both sisters, especially showing a lot of love for Mei-Ling as she really deserves it. 😊💛

Lot of searching and thinking with an end result I am super proud of. I hope you take care and have a good day!

#cryas darkstalkers #darkstalkers #auranova26 #mei ling #shao #chinese #jiangshi #beautiful woman #mystic #spirit #design notes #she is such a cutie #look at her fly and emote #dark embrace

[ask-the-cosmic-duo]

A Visit to the Doctor, Part 1

One late evening, shortly before the New Year, Stella was searching for somepony. Somepony that could help her figure out her powers. This search eventually led her to the local park, where the Good Doctor sat alone, sipping on a cup of tea as he enjoyed the quiet of Ponyville.

"Cinder said he could help... A pony with a flying box..." Stella nodded to herself, then waved to the Doctor. "Hey! Doc!"

"Ah, Stellar." The Doctor placed down his teacup, smiling at her. "Have you come for answers to your questions?”

She nodded as she stopped in front of him. "Yeah. Uhh… Turns out, I… still have void magic. I think the Abyssal State did something to my body, and now it’s producing void magic…" She sighed. "I want to learn to control it. So I can avoid causing another huge problem…" There was a pretty clear hint of regret in her voice at the end.

"The void is… complicated." The Doctor stood, looking as thoughtful as ever. "Especially when it lacks any order or pattern. You may have been its avatar, perhaps because you’ve finally interacted with your Nobody."

"Well, yeah… I guess she's like Roxas, then." Stella hummed thoughtfully. "Her body represents somepony else connected to me. But who…?"

"Who do you think? Think about it, Stellar."

She did. She thought, and thought... until she realized something. "No way… Chaos? You think Nighty's…?"

The Doctor nodded, pleased to see Stella figuring it out. "Yes."

Stella went silent. Well, it was the only logical conclusion… but it was still baffling. Her Nobody, Night Star's body came from Stella's predecessor from the previous world, Chaos. It had to have come from her, because there was otherwise no explanation for her looking different from Stella. Could it have been that scuffle the two got into in the other timeline? She knew she entered the Abyssal State during that. It was her second time doing so, and the first in an actual fight, rather than a fit of rage.

Or… maybe it was that strange feeling she got during that feast in the current timeline, right before Night fell from the window and she went to catch her. The weird… pain. Whatever it was. She was pretty sure since then that it was simply a result of them being in close proximity for the first time, but… that doesn't make any sense. Why then, and not when they first met and fought before?

And that's when it hit her. Night looked different this time. Yet another change as a result of the RESET, perhaps. At the same time… maybe Night didn't have Chaos's body before, but now she does, in this new timeline. And maybe that pain was a connection forming between the two, causing Stella's body to start producing void energy. It was the only explanation she could think of right now. Maybe she could go ask that magic expert about this later… Right now, more important matters.

"So…" She briefly paused, still thinking things through. "Night's body belongs to Chaos, I understand that much now. But how do I control this power? Can it be controlled? I don't want to suddenly tap into it when I don't mean to, and cause another huge problem."

"That’s the difficult part. Unfortunately, Night needs to… disappear. Or to put it better, return back to your heart and disappear into you."

She went silent again. Though, not for nearly as long. She had to deny her Nobody life? Again? "… No. Absolutely not. Why is that even necessary?"

"Whether you like it or not, Stellar, she needs to. You're only half of a pony, and Night is your other half. Together, you’ll have the strength to control your power."

Stella grit her teeth, seeming angry. "I'm not ending somepony's life for my own gain!" She growled, looking to the side. "There has to be another way…"

“I’m sorry." He sounded hesitant now. "But it’s the only way."

"That can't be!" She looked back at him again. "There's gotta be something!"

The Doctor sighed. "Believe me, if I knew of a way, I'd tell you. But as far as I know... it's your only option."

Stella's anger, her frustration, continued to build. She squeezed her eyes shut, and a strange power began to consume her, just like when her keyblade was first destroyed. It was happening again.

… And then it stopped halfway.

Something snapped her out of it, leaving her halfway between her normal self, and a pseudo-Abyssal State. She had an idea. "Wait. Where's Purple?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

//Here it is! It's later than I would've liked, but it's here!

//Admittedly, I don't know where this particular Doctor comes from, as he belongs to the mod of both @ask-the-nobody and @ask-aeterna-cinder. Very possible he's from Equestria Cross, and that's probably how I'm gonna treat him until I'm informed otherwise.

//Also I need to make a mod blog...

//Happy New Year!

//Image of the Doctor is cropped. Full picture is by @arcanethunder.

#EquestriaCross #EqX-the-void-stares-back #StellarSpirit #TimeTurner #Lore #the-void #HappyNewYear!

[denimbex1986]

'In contemporary fandom, canon is king. This is not a jab against an admiration of an ordered continuity and worldbuilding, the necessary aspects of creating a story to be lost in. But what goes beyond it—a yearning for raw, wiki-able data and facts that can be collated and held in amber, where interpretation gives way to a singular thesis—often threatens to override it. Which is why for Doctor Who, a show that has spent 60 years growing and changing and writing over and under itself, its latest shock is less about breaking its own world, but rather setting itself free.

It did so in the final act of “The Giggle,” the last of the three special episodes released over the last few weeks to mark Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary. Starring David Tennant not as a returning incarnation of the Doctor, but a new, fourteenth face, audiences came into the specials expecting one thing as their only guarantee: by the end of the third special, David Tennant’s latest Doctor would die, and transform into Ncuti Gatwa’s 15th.

Which he did... of a sort. Mortally wounded by classic villain the Toymaker, the 14th Doctor’s regeneration began just like every other contemporary imagining of the process has, inspired by Who’s long history—coalescing orange-yellow energies coursing through the Doctor’s body, preparing to explode in beams of radiant, transformative light. But here, they didn’t. Instead, the glow faded, and the Doctor, with the help of a push and a pull from his friends Donna and Mel, somehow split into two co-existent beings: the 14th Doctor and the 15th Doctor, together in one place.

“I’ve Bigenerated,” the 15th Doctor explains to his past self, confused onlookers, and the audience alike. “There’s no such thing. Bigeneration is supposed to be a myth, but... look at me.” It’s unquestionable in this, or any moment that comes after, that Gatwa is anything other than the definite article, although there have been valid concerns of the optics of making this choice with the transition from one of, if not the, most beloved actors to ever take on the role to the first Black, openly queer man to play it.

But the episode clearly establishes that this is the Doctor’s future staring right back at themselves—Time Lord rehab out of order, as 15 puts it later, imploring his past self to go on the journey of healing that has lead to his own currently revitalized lease on life. From the 14th Doctor’s future, his continued existence is not seen in so much as cheating death but once again, getting to see his own future reflected back at him. Ncuti Gatwa is the Doctor. David Tennant is the Doctor. It’s just that for the first time in Doctor Who’s long history of regeneration, we saw a version of the process that was less about physical death and rebirth, and more about divergence in time itself.

Part of understanding that divergence has been made all the more universal to Doctor Who beyond just this specific moment, thanks to returning showrunner Russell T. Davies. Speaking on a supplementary commentary track released to accompany “The Giggle,” Davies offered his own interpretation of what Bigeneration means:

“My theory... I think what with Peter [Davison] having been in, with with Colin [Baker] having been in, I think down the timeline, they all seperated. They all went like that, all the Doctors came back to life, with their original TARDISes, the gift of the Toymaker. They’re all traveling out there, I’m calling it a Doctor-verse. I want to create a future where, you know, Sylvester McCoy survived [the 1996 TV movie] and has an adventure! One of the things about [the first 60th special] “The Star Beast” is to get [David Tennant] back and get Catherine [Tate] back, we have to jump through so many hoops. Which is a great story, but it’s just like... ‘why can’t you just arrive and step out the TARDIS?’”

It wouldn’t be the first time recently that Davies proposed such an idea, either. In Tales of the TARDIS, a special anniversary miniseries cutting down classic Doctor Who episodes with new interstitials from returning Doctors and companions, it’s floated by the various Doctors that there are, in the universe, many intertwined timelines—timelines where, unlike the ones we saw onscreen, incarnations of the Doctor survived their regeneration stories and kept going, offering an explanation as to why Doctors can return looking older than when we saw them “die.” An interpretation then, as Davies put it, that realities can now intersect where all these Doctors, regardless of where they are in their own personal journeys and what we understood to be the end of those journeys, can come back. In one single moment, every Doctor becomes the Doctor forever, versions of themselves echoing out across time and space. It’s huge!

But it also isn’t. Because that’s all it is: an interpretation. None of these details, about what Bigeneration is and isn’t, are sourced from within the primary text itself—Doctor Who, the television show—and perhaps it should stay that way. In fact, part of what makes “The Giggle” so freeing is that all it makes actually explicit about this process is simply what our base understanding of what it is in the first place already was. The Doctor changes faces, and goes on forever. All we’ve added is that those faces can go on forever too, in whatever way we or the show might one day want them to. It might contradict things said in the past; in another 60 year’s time should we be blessed with both a livable planet and the continued health of Doctor Who, a new writer could completely upend “The Giggle” altogether and bring us back to our prior understanding of it all. Or they could do something completely different all over again! We don’t have a logical, scientific, biological breakdown of how the process works, right now Bigeneration is a vibe, a feeling. It is, as the Doctor himself puts it, a myth, and the whole point of myths and their persistence is that the story is retold and reinterpreted by different texts and perspectives across eons.

That’s the magic of Doctor Who, that’s the point of it: it carries on and it grows and it changes, all the time, forever and always. I don’t want to explain to you, reader, what Bigeneration is, because Doctor Who doesn’t want to right now either. For every once in a while, in a very long while when the wind stands fair, Doctor Who simply just ask us to have our own view on something, instead of treating its story as a series of definitive, immutable facts. On its own 60th birthday, it gives us this beautiful gift: to be free to imagine what might be for ourselves.'

#Doctor Who #60th Anniversary #Tales of the TARDIS #Russell T. Davies #Ncuti Gatwa #Bi-generation #David Tennant #The Giggle #The Toymaker #Donna Noble #Catherine Tate #Bonnie Langford #Melanie Bush #Peter Davison #Colin Baker #Sylvester McCoy

[epicspheal]

Cactusverse Hoenn Timeline: Delta Emerald Part 1

Alright so it's time to talk about Hoenn in Cactusverse. I like to call Cactusverse Hoenn Delta Emerald because the main plot follows Emerald but Cactusverse is a mega-timeline AU so we're going to see Zinnia and her shenanigans.

So, the events of Hoenn take place a few months later than the Kanto events with Norman finally getting a job as the Petalburg City gym leader and moving his wife and young son Brendan to Hoenn. Brendan like many children is very interested in receiving his first Pokemon but he's not quite sure he wants to do the gyms just yet.

Honestly, Brendan is a little upset with his father at the moment because he's rarely around and so much of the past two years in Johto have been about Norman trying to pass a gym leader's test to the point that Brendan couldn't even get a starter Pokemon from Professor Elm (he really wanted a Cyndaquil).

After Brendan and his mom move into Littleroot town (with no help from Norman because he's too busy doing interviews) Brendan decides to explore his new home for a bit when he hears someone screaming on the route just above. He quickly runs out there to find one Professor Birch, covered in scratches being chased by a Zigzagoon. Professor Birch begs Brendan to help him out and Brendan quickly runs to the bag Birch dropped to fetch a Pokemon, Brendan immediately chooses Treecko and quickly defeats the Zigzagoon. He goes to check on Professor Birch who thanks him-

Only to be attacked by a girl his age! It's May Birch who was a little farther up the route doing fieldwork for her father and heard him cry out. She had mistakenly thought Brendan had stolen one of her father's Pokemon and proceeded to beat him up with it. May immediately challenges Brendan to a Pokemon battle where she rather soundly defeats Brendan with her Torchic before Birch could catch his bearings and clear up the misunderstanding. Once May hears the truth, she gets a bit embarrassed and backs down.

The next day Brendan ends up going to Birch's lab where Birch asks if Brendan wants to keep the Treecko which Brendan says he does. Birch mentions that May wanted to make up for what happened the day before and asked to meet Brendan on Route 103. With that, Brendan officially sets out on his journey. He ends up going to Route 103 where May apologizes for the misunderstanding and asks for a proper battle. This time Brendan comes out victorious. 

It's then that May proposes a challenge: see if they can complete the Hoenn gym challenge in 90 days (to mimic how Galar's gym challenge occurs over 90 days). Brendan accepts the challenge and the two go their separate ways. Brendan heads on to Petalburg while May finishes up some fieldwork for her father.

Brendan rushes to Petalburg and tries to challenge his father, who declines saying he's too inexperienced and needs at least four badges before challenging him. This hurts Brendan’s but he takes his father's suggestion to go to Rustboro and runs out before Norman can tell him that there's a young boy that he wanted Brendan to meet...

It just so happens that by the time the young boy, Wally, came by the gym to get his first Pokemon, May had just arrived at the gym also looking for a badge. Norman asks May to help Wally catch a Pokemon since he realized that May was Birch's daughter. Wally and May head out to catch Wally's Ralts and return to Petalburg. May then attempts to challenge Norman to a battle and is also declined due to her lack of experience.

While May was helping Wally, Brendan had made it to the Petalburg Woods. He ran into a Devon Corp scientist being harassed by a Team Aqua grunt. Brendan protects the Devon Corp scientist and is thanked profusely before exiting while being watched by a red-eyed Team Magma grunt who had been watching the confrontation while hidden from the trees.

Brendan rushes to Rustboro. Still feeling a bit bitter about his father declining his challenge, Brendan decides to not let it get to him too much. He decides to slow down a bit and brush up on his basics at the school in Rustboro. This allows for time for May to catch up to Brendan in Rustboro. They both soon challenge Roxanne and earn their first badges. After claiming the badge they witness a Team Aqua grunt running out of Devon Corp with the poor scientist begging the two children to help. Along the way the children run into Mr. Briney who says his dear Peeko has been kidnapped as well. The kids end up following the grunts into Rusturf Tunnel and defeating the grunts, getting the parts and Peeko back. Mr. Briney and the scientist are very thankful for May and Brendan saving the day with the scientist asking the two children to come meet Mr. Stone himself. Mr. Briney tells the two that any time they need to travel between Petalburg, Dewford and Slateport he’s willing to take them. The two kids meet the CEO of Devon Corp who asks them for yet another favor, to send a letter to his son, Steven. May decides to take the letter as Brendan is in a bit of a rush to get the next gym badge. May and Brendan set sail on Mr. Briney’s ship to Dewford town where May goes off to Granite Cave to find Steven while Brendan sets off to challenge Brawly. Brendan defeats Brawly in short order and then asks Mr. Briney to take him to Slateport. Before Brendan can even make it out of Slateport he is scouted by Lisia to participate in one of Hoenn’s contests. At first Brendan protests but he ends up competing and winning his first contest ribbon. During the competition Brendan finds that he not only has a knack for contests but that he enjoyed it a lot. A lot more than his past two matches with Roxanne and Brawly… Back in Granite Cave, May runs into a bit of a trouble due to it being too dark to see. She realizes she’ll need the HM Flash to navigate so she doubles back out of the cave to challenge Brawly and she wins her second badge. Now that she has the second badge and the ability to use Flash, it’s a lot easier for her to navigate Granite Cave and she eventually ends up finding Steven Stone who is looking at a massive mural in the cave. She introduces herself as the daughter of Professor Birch and hands Steven Stone the letter.  After delivering the letter, May decides to catch up to Brendan by heading to Slateport. However, before she can catch up to him…she really wanted to go check out the Slateport museum. But when she gets there she realizes the museum had been overrun by Team Aqua members. Determined to just enjoy the museum May decides to rush in to get rid of Team Aqua. She eventually runs into Archie (his ORAS version) and he calls for a retreat while warning May to not interfere further as he may not be so lenient afterwards. May gets a chance to enjoy the museum before heading up to Mauville City.

As she heads for Mauville City she runs into Brendan who seems to be in contemplation. The two children battle with May coming out victorious. Brendan reveals that he had participated in the Slateport Contest and how much he enjoyed it. So much so that’s he’s wondering if he should quit the 90-day challenge and focus on contests instead. May suggest he try some more contests in Verdanturf and Fallarbor Town and that they can adjust the rules so that its whoever gets 5 contest ribbons or 8 gym badges fist wins. May also admits to having similar feelings. In that she’s been really enjoying battling at gyms to the point she really hasn’t been keeping up with doing fieldwork for her dad. Brendan and May head out to Mauville City where they run into Wally!

Brendan and Wally finally get to meet as May introduces them to each other. However things become a bit tense as Wally’s uncle seems to be a bit reluctant to give the okay for Wally to go on a journey due to his asthma. In a bid to prove himself Wally challenges both May and Brendan to a battle…and loses spectacularly. However his determination gets through to his uncle and he relents on bit on being so overprotective.

May decides to go ahead and challenge Wattson for the badge while Brendan decides to follow Wally to Verdanturf to challenge the next contest, getting a chance to bond with him. Both Brendan and May are successful in getting their next ribbon and badge respectively. May heads onto Lavaridge town to face Flannery and gets dragged hard in that battle, earning her first defeat against a gym leader. Meanwhile after a second successful contest, Brendan is sure that he wants to be a coordinator…now all he has to do is tell his dad…

Which is easier said than done from Brendan’s point of view. It’s not that Norman has anything against Contests (that Brendan knows of) but with Norman never being around and only seeming interested in battling, Brendan is concerned that this will further strain their bond. But that’s something he’ll have to worry about later. For now it’s onto Fallarbor town where Brendan loses his first contest

Brendan and May meet up again in Meteor Falls where they tag team against Team Magma who had stolen the meteorite from Professor Cozmo. However Team Magma escapes with the meteorite. This failure to stop Team Magma, coupled by personal defeats has both Brendan and May feeling a little defeated. Both kids resolve to train harder and they retry the Fallarbor Town Contest and Lavaridge Gym respectively. This time they both come out victorious.

While all this is happening Wally has decided to officially start his gym challenge. He decides to head to Littleroot Town to see if perhaps he could get a Pokedex from Professor Birch as well. When he arrives he mentions May and Brendan and comments on how strong both of them are, to Professor Birch’s delight. Professor Birch decides to not only give Wally a Pokedex, but the final starter…a little Mudkip. Feeling even more confident than ever Wally sets his sights on Rustboro’s gym to catch up Brendan and May

All the while, May and Brendan are circling back to Petalburg and Littleroot to tell their fathers about their change in paths. Despite not having 4 badges like Norman asked, Brendan is still determined to battle his father to prove he’s a capable trainer even while being more into contests. May is a little nervous to tell her dad she has only barely filled out her Pokedex but she’s been blazing through the gyms.

#cactusverse #delta emerald #rival wally #trainer may #trainer brendan #I can't believe this was three pages and I'm only halfway through the plot

[shihalyfie]

Are there any canon divergence what-ifs in the Digimon series that intrigue you?

Pretty much the usual, I suppose. These are all ones that I'm sure a ton of everyone else has entertained, but, for instance

Hikari and/or Tailmon being with the Adventure group from day one, or a different kid or Digimon being separated

Osamu's survival and/or Ken never being pushed over the deep end

The actual writing room what-ifs of Yamato turning on the group and becoming 02's antagonist (based on the known Adventure and 02 production timeline, I suspect this idea was eventually repurposed into Yamato's turning on the group in Adventure episodes 44-45) and 02's final boss being a Ken doppelganger (not sure how I feel about the exploding body parts, but the "reduced to an idea" concept is fun and if you look at how BelialVamdemon is defeated in the final episode, it seems to take visual inspiration from that)

Hiroki surviving and/or Oikawa not being pushed off the deep end

The Tamers world without the D-Reaper (if Digimon had still had contact with the world anyway)

Likewise, how the Tamers world would have to sustain repeated Digimon contact if they hadn't been cut off from the Digital World in the final episode

If Kouichi had successfully followed Kouji into the Digital World without falling down the stairs first

Katsuharu's quartet getting the four remaining Spirits (either from the beginning, or taking them up after the defeat of the original four)

The Daimon family if Suguru had been allowed to stick around for his kids' early lives

If Akari and Zenjirou had been able to stick with Xros Heart even during the Death Generals arc (manga doesn't count)

If Kotone and Tatsuya were in the Xros Wars anime timeline and Yuu in the manga timeline (actually, my headcanon is that they do have counterparts, but in this case I mean if they actually had the roles they had originally instead of just making AU counterparts)

If Yuujin had been a normal human and/or had survived the ending (manga doesn't count)

Also, while this is a bit awkward to discuss, one thing I kept running into when attempting to reconcile tri. with Adventure and 02 for fanfic purposes was that whenever tri. seemed to be referring to Adventure's events, it often felt like it was describing a version of Adventure that never actually happened, because the character and lore descriptions didn't match at all. At the time I made an offhand half-joking suggestion that since Adventure is a multiverse anyway, maybe it's actually a sequel to an AU Adventure that does fit the qualities they were describing. I was saying it out of frustration and probably more maliciously than I should have, so I came to regret it pretty quickly, but later I found out on a certain Japanese website that back when it was ongoing, there was an actual fan theory that some parallel timeline shenanigans had happened and we'd get an eventual reveal that this was the source of the contradictions. Of course, that wasn't the case in the end, and tri. still presented itself like a normal Adventure sequel, but the point is that this was an actual legitimate theory someone made in good faith to some extent, so I started more seriously thinking about what kind of Adventure AU would lead into tri.'s events. That being said, even though I'm now trying to be constructive/creative about thinking about this rather than doing it out of the negativity I was guilty of a few years ago, it is still something that comes out of the idea that Adventure/02 and tri. can't be reconciled as-is, and I know that's a stance some people won't like to begin with; without all of the above context, writing a fic or something about it would basically sound like it's something done to make a statement about the series instead of as a simple creative experiment, so I haven't really pursued it besides in conversations with friends.

#ask-anguirus #shiha's ask box #digimon multi series talk #tri negativity