#do i think it was also SUPER hard because Yang was a SMALL CHILD and Ruby is chaos incarnate?!?

[lovingdabeessss]

Baby Yang and Ruby 💕💗❤️✨💖💗for you my beloveds💖❤️💖✨✨💖❤️💖✨💕💞💗😘

Yang has lost many years off her life from small Ruby just shoving things in her mouth

#rwby #yang xiao long #Ruby rose #the sisters #they’re so personal to me #Do I think yang raised Ruby? yes #do i think it was also SUPER hard because Yang was a SMALL CHILD and Ruby is chaos incarnate?!? #also yes

[teeterarting]

here's a list of things i love about PSMD for no reason other than i think it deserves appreciation (spoilers)

the hero gets adopted by a nuzleaf. Hero, a young child that doesn't know why they were brought into this world, attacked by beheeyem, scared and alone, finds someone that takes them under his wing and gives them a home. it's really sweet that once Nuzleaf brings them to the Village, Hero's not alone anymore.

yes it was all a trick, he deceived you. but being betrayed by your father figure hits so much harder. it's much more personal, especially when both Hero and Partner are kids. and when Nuzleaf goes through all that ordeal in the post game, then gets accepted back into the village?? And his little speech to Hero????? it's heartbreaking and incredibly touching at the same time

everything is just so cute!!!! you go to school with your new friendo and you're friends with the schoolkids, and you make the trip to school every morning taking in the scenery, the smell of dew and fresh grass, and the sun on your face... and you take classes about Mystery Dungeon mechanics, and principal Simipour is a big BRO, the school nurse Audino is super kind and helpful... and you get to play with your pokemon friendos in summer vacation, and explore a dungeon with 'em... AND your bond with your Partner begins to form, getting stronger and stronger from then on. PSMD's beginning arc is so warm and pleasant, it's like reliving childhood memories all over again, when things were happier and you didn't have to worry about how cruel the world is. this story section's one purpose is to get the player used to the game's mechanics, as well as foreshadowing. unfortunately most of the school kids get forgotten later on, but I still love this part for everything it is, even if unintentional.

it's not just the beginning that's cute. PSMD'S ENTIRE WORLD IS ADORABLE. It's just filled with life every town you go. there are a bunch of pokemon locals and they all have interesting things to say, in the main story and the post-game. there's a point where their comments get repetitive, but that's bound to happen in any PMD game. Even then, the days are never the same. one morning you wake up and the Lively Town locals are exercising, then the next they're having singing lessons, and then they're practicing martial arts. and you get to connect with (or recruit) some of them just by.... chatting!!! Sitting next to that big ol' venusaur and sharing stories, laughing and having fun. it's good stuff.

Sometimes you find travelling pokemon in dungeons and it's jsut the coolest thing. Imagine you're exploring a dungeon, then your Connection Orb notifies you there's a fellow explorer in the floor. First thing you do is try to find them, and when you do - oh dang a travelling Archeops!!!! And then they just,,,, exchange their experiences and thoughts on exploration and how hard it is to fend off those enemies and the cool treasure they found the other day (the game calls it "[Team Name] and [Traveller pokemon] compared notes"). then the traveller heals you, fills your belly and restores your PP. and they go on their way. idk man it's such a cute interaction. explorers chatting, empathizing and helping each other, bc their job is not an easy one...

PSMD Partner is the most developed Partner in any PMD game yet. They start off as this naive, hyperactive kiddo, then stuff happens, and worse stuff happens, and you get to see how they grow and change and by the end they're a different person than they were before (in more than one way ...). It's just so nice to be by their side, from the beginning to the bitter end, and watch their growth. in contrast, Hero is a little unbalanced in that their backstory is not explored as much, and their personality is kind of a blank - probs meant to be vague so the player can be in their shoes. to me this just gives you the opportunity to shape their character however you want, so you can have tons of different hero/pardner dynamics.

The music is rlly flippin' good. Some of the tracks are recycled from previous entries, but when they go original??? it's a blast!!! "Echoes of the Mystical Forest" is one of my favorites in all four entries, it has no right being so amazing for a random dungeon. "Time to Set Out" makes me cry immediately (also i think it would be a better fit for the parting ways scene at the end...). Don't even get me started on "Second Dark Matter Battle", it has everything an epic climax needs and MORE. the Partner remix????? absolute genius

speaking of which, Dark Matter ITSELF,, is freaking amazing. Its actions were foreshadowed in the very beginning, though they were not blatant through the game. i do think they could have done a better job at showing the pokemon's negativity raising in the world, as well as negative feelings in the characters... but it's not like Gates did a good job at it, either (outside of cutscenes, all the locals in Post Town are incredibly nice to you and fights didn't "break out often". it's like the game tells you the world is a dark place, but what it shows in gameplay doesn't add up). so i'll cut them some slack. Still, I find Dark Matter a more compelling villain than the Bittercold for several reasons. it is sentient. its speech is a jumbled amount of voices all talking at the same time - the anguished voices of the world. It actually concocted a plan to hurl the planet into the Sun, using pawns like Nuzleaf and Yveltal to do its dirty job. in the Voidlands, Hero and Partner discover its past, and how it'll come back after defeat, like a cycle. when Partner accepts Dark Matter, they accept negative feelings as something everyone has within themselves. Most of all, the fact that Dark Matter is a manifestation of negative feelings doesn't make it just a generic threat, a final obstacle to be defeated so the world can be saved. It makes Dark Matter - negativity itself - a natural part of the world, the yin to its yang. and that's why I LOVE IT SO MUCH DANG IT EVEN THANKS PARTNER FOR THEIR ACCEPTANCE

The fact that Dark Matter can possess pokemon that have "even the smallest amount of darkness in their hearts". it makes me think of Mr. Nuzleaf and what he might have gone through in the past to make him so easy to be controlled. Did he hold a grudge against someone?? Did he commit a crime?? Had Nuzleaf always been malicious???? And if so, is this why he shows so much remorse in the post-game??????? because he had always been this vile fiend and then he met this small kid and got attached, but still carried on with his evil actions because his malice was still stronger than the positive feelings and Dark Matter's hold on him intensified?????? I don't know!!!! and as much as i wish the game could have given us that sweet mr. Nuzleaf backstory, it's pretty fun to have freedom to come up with your own version.

Everything about Super's climax is just phenomenal. Every single flippin' legendary is there to help you. Arceus is in the game. MEWTWO IS THERE. and when things are looking hopeless, they really seem hopeless. First the Tree of Life is dying, then your allies get turned into stone and sent to hell The Voidlands, Arceus gets turned into stone, the entire world is stone (except for several mon' that are still safe and holding onto hope, but they're so few). Your Harmony Scarves stop working and you and your Partner are back to your feeble, basic stage forms. You are bordering exhaustion, you have no Emeras, it's just you and your Partner against an eldritch abomination that's killing the life on the entire planet like a parasite, devouring all hope. but you still fight back. Given how adults in the game always discourage the village children from going adventuring, that they cannot do this or that because they're so little and fragile, it's awesome how Hero and Partner beat Dark Matter as tiny kids.

PSMD is not a flawless game. in fact there's plenty of things that hold it back and i even mentioned some... but it's still full of love put into it and it resonates w me more than PMD Explorers of T/D/S and Gates to Infinity (Rescue Team is a close second). its my all-time favorite PMD game.

#pmd #pokemon mystery dungeon #psmd #pokemon super mystery dungeon #Teeter rambles #long post

[sandlessdesert]

mxy recovery in yiling au

resident mo xuanyu liker here to give yall more mxy and his found family in yiling.

please check out the other parts first!

PART 1 | PART 2 | ADD. INFO (you are here!)

im not super concrete on the timeline/how things play out, as this is more just driven by the whims of me wanting to see mo xuanyu happy :D. i’d love to hear your ideas on how this comes to be.

as previously stated, wei wuxian and the wens manage to live in relative peace in the burial mounds.

five years after wwx dies in canonverse, a sixteen year old mo xuanyu is removed from the lanling jin sect, and escapes mo manor a few months after his mothers death.

wei wuxian begins teaching mxy safe practices for demonic cultivation given the few times hes tried to demonstrate it for him gave wwx a heart attack and nearly sent both of them to wen qing.

wwx would have preferred to NOT teach him demonic cultivation, but mxy at this point isn’t really used to relationships where he isn’t explicitly being used for something and therefore is trying to be “useful” so he doesn’t get discarded. wwx would prefer to let him have a choice over what that use is than force him to do something.

over time mxy realizes what wwx is doing and that he really just wanted for him to have a means to protect himself. this takes a long time though.

shortly after, a 9 year old wen yuan is a bit jealous that mxy is stealing his xian-gege’s time and being allowed into the demon slaughtering cave when no one else is really allowed to. wwx explains mxy is allowed in because he’s his disciple. a-yuan declares himself wwx’s new disciple on the spot!

 wwx, unable to say no to his a-yuan, wwx takes him in as a “student” aka just letting him run small errands that are safe. (although eventually, wwx does begin teaching him basics of cultivation when he’s old enough)

two years later, (i’m a bit unclear on the canon timeline here so correct me if this doesn’t make sense) xue yang defects from the jin sect through boredom or inconvenience, before he actually kills anyone, eventually seeking out the infamous yiling patriarch. his ability for demonic cultivation is much lower than the canonverse given that no one has been able to raid and sieze wwx’s research post-mortem because he isn’t... well, dead.

some character relationship things under the cut! this got longer than i thought it would fhsdjhf.

as wwx has three students and TECHNICALLY xue yang joined last, actual child wen yuan calls adult xue yang “mei-xiao shidi” and xue yang nearly threw hands with the kid in response. wwx and mxy bribe xy with candy or something to call him “yuan-shixiong” he is 100% doing this to be a little shit because he’s being raised by wwx, not lwj here.

similarly, mxy is “da shixiong” but more often just “yu-ge/yu-gege” according to wen yuan.

the three disciples have been trying to get wwx and lwj together after watching them somehow not get together for literal years and its EXHAUSTING. 

everyone thought maybe a-yuan’s innocent teases of calling lwj nd wwx father and mother would have done something?? to hint at it? but it doesnt work? 

xue yang tries being direct with wwx but wwx clearly doesnt take it to heart. obviously he’s just being rude or playing a prank or something.

mxy is in pain seeing someone as pretty as lwj throw himself at wwx where wwx doesnt even notice meanwhile his own love life is absolutely awful, not really being able to shake the reputation of his past life in the jin sect or his current life where he lives in the burial mounds with the wen remnants.

mxy and wwx work together to create spiritual devices and sell/distribute the safer and more practical inventions to the locals of yiling to make money.

xy and mxy are fiercely loyal to wwx, but do not hesitate to chew him out to wen qing. xue yang will also physically fight him if he’s spouting bullshit and mxy isn’t in the vicinity (both for mxy’s sake and because he would try stopping xy.)

i wanna be clear, while this is a recovery au, wwx and everyone else in the burial mounds are not perfect nor are they therapists. all of them are dealing with their own trauma, wwx in particular can be unstable and explosive from time to time. being in the burial mounds is HARD and they will occasionally unfairly lash out at each other or do the wrong thing. they can never “fix” mxy or his trauma or erase his past abuse. but the point of this au is that despite their issues, despite them sometimes unintentionally hurting their loved ones they are found family and they care about each other deeply. through mutual love and respect and patience he didn’t get before, mxy does get to recover :)

random other things (mostly just wen yuan stuff because he’s my favourite character)

wen yuan is learning the basics of normal cultivation as well as demonic cultivation and is developing a golden core. wei wuxian gifted him suibian since it’s sort of useless to him.

lan wangji visits from time to time to check in and play cleansing for them all. one day he teaches wen yuan how to play it on the xiao when he’s not around (lmao you think they have the ability to maintain a guqin given the circumstance?). everyone in the burial mounds loves when lwj comes around to play since it usually ends up with a small concert of three echoing out of the cave.

#mo xuanyu #mxy recovery au #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation #written as gen ship but the more i work on this the more it seems like subtle xueyu #ryn talks a lot

[doctor-plagueis]

RWBY Booty Tier List

Hi I said it would happen so now it's gonna happen, time to rate asses and explain why I gave them that rating...

(also they are in order from flattest to phattest)

[This took way too long (T-T) ]

Starting with D TIER Aka Flat as fuck

Raven: Ya go to the lowest tier in D tier ya all-tits-no-ass having ass, you deadbeat fucko (I really don't like parents who leave their children, how'd you guess?).

Weiss : Sorry girl but even with all your dance training, your Sperm donor's DNA is in you, if it was just your mom's DNA you'd rocket up to A TIER, still more ass than Raven tho, which says a lot about Raven since Weiss is as flat as a wooden plank (sorry @naughtyweiss your girl has no ass).

All of team NDGO: these bitches show up once or twice, and, in the novels they do something bad? I didn't read it, but they like sacrifice some people to the Grimm or something? Anyways they have almost no ass too little to actually matter.

C TIER Aka Too much muscle

Pyrrha : Sorry unbeatable girl your life style is just too healthy, with all her exercises and no fat foods she has no cushioning, I'm sorry Pyrrha you just have too much muscle.

Reese : With all her skating she must have some muscle in the back, like literally, her muscles are trained to keep her on the board during combat so her ass is super firm, but that's a bit of a downside since it's too firm, kinda hard actually like really hard.

Also she gives me party animal girl vibes, that doesn't affect anything just thought I'd mention it.

Elm: Have you seen how tall and beefy that girl is? Now does this affect her backside...mmm...kind of? Her ass is just and, I mean just muscle which is bad because no cushioning.

But her thighs tho mm~mm delicious.

Yang : Yang is all about her upper body, she's proud of her tits and her arms, she is Miss "punch first ask later" after all, so i can actually see her skipping some leg days, like Reese her booty is alot of muscle but not so much cushion, sorry Yang.

Arslan : Like Yang, Arslan is all about working out and honing her body to peak physical fighting ability, however, this girl has genetics on her side, her tits aren't as big as Yang’s however, she make up for having a tentsy little bit of cushion for the pushin' not really enough to be B TIER though.

B TIER Aka Now were gettin' good

Penny Ver.2 : Penny Version 1 was pure metal (at least in my headcanon) so she was all legs no butt, however, Penny Version 2 (again in my headcanon) had synthetic skin, now I'm not saying Pietro is some weird pervert giving his child a fat ass, but he was "generous" which was inaccurate as...

Penny (human) : Penny as a human never had the chance to exercise [fuck you RT (T-T)], so her booty was a little lacking but it was still bigger and rounder than her robot body.

Ruby: Now you and I both know that with all the sweets Ruby eats she isn't exactly thin, good thing though is all the fat goes to her ass, Ruby has that fatty y'all!

Neo : I'm sure people will question this one but, Neo's height is a detrement on her ass, since she's so short her ass has to be proportional to her actual height, so for women her height she has so much ass but compared to the others in this list it isn't as much.

Coco: Coco takes care of her fashion and her body. She does squats often and keeps a balance between fat and firmness. Unfortunately genetics gave her a cute face but not a phat ass, sorry queen.

Summer: Same as Ruby except she has that MILFY boost to her hips and booty (she also has bigger tits but, oh well this isn't the Titty Tier list so...).

Winter : Training for the military helped null the taint of Jacques DNA in her, so she took a bit more of her mother’s blessed genes, her ass isn't exactly impressive like the girls in A TIER but it's nothing to scoff at either, unlike her sister (sorry Weissey).

Miltiades "Miltia" : both sisters wear heels, however, Miltia has bigger boobs than her twin while Mel has a bigger booty, still wearing heels and being as acrobatic as they both are requires a lot of lower body training, and also since they work at a club as security they do know how to seduce people, and that did affected their rating.

A TIER Aka Nearly perfectly fuckable

Harriet : Now to be one hundred percent honest Harriet has more thighs than ass, however, with her focus on speed and the training she does, she must have a nice fuckable ass, not the biggest or roundest but really, really nice.

Melanie: Both sisters are guards for Junior's club, but, I like to think that Mel also works as a Stripper or Lap dancer (Hooker if you got enough to buy her services and have a dick big enough, she's a bit of a size queen), so she worked on making her already fat ass even better and also took the time to hone her sex appeal, those being her twerking and lapdancing.

Velvet : Bunny gal has some phat Bunny Buns if ya catch my meaning, like go back to volume 3 and get a good look at her costume, girl's got hips and ass like she was bred for it!

Willow: Have you seen her in the newest volumes?? She has a chance (admittedly small) against the legendary bellabooties Gahtdayum!

Too bad she wasted it with a nearly sterile fucking shit pile of a human like Jacques, ugh... (How he managed to have 3 children baffles me, must've taken half the world’s supply of Viagra)

[Side note our favorite Schnee femboy took after his mom, if he was on the list he'd be just below Harriet hehe].

A+ TIER Candidates for the Bubble Booty Brigade (BBB)

Glynda : Glynda is a professional huntress, she is a teacher and she's decked out in dominatrix gear, can I make it any clearer?

Salem : Salem is the original MILF, the thiccest witch of remnant , and also, she has magic and is technically a monster girl sooo... that gives her extra points (who would've guessed I like monster girls hehe).

The next entry might be blasphemous for some and for that I apologize but...

Blake and Kali : I'm sorry kitties, even though the belabooties are know world wide they are not yet in the BBB. Blake has the firmer booty because of her time in the Fang but Kali has the MILF bonus.

Because of their similarities and their diferences they tie for top of A+ tier.

S TIER The BUBBLE BOOTY BRIGADE

The three heavenly asses of remnant, only three girl stand a top the mountain of the perfect Bubble Booty and they are in order...

May Zedong : May has been depicted by the fandom as being really curvy, especially the cow udders she calls breasts, however she hides her curves under her clothes. The same applies to the fucking badonk she hides in her baggy pants, so much so in fact, that May should be number two of the BBB but because she's so shy about her body she's demoted to number three, still, being a member of the Brigade is a blesing of itself.

Emerald Sustrai : As stated in the previous entry Em should be number three, but because May is so shy and Emerald isn't they swaped places. Em is number two because of one singular thing, she knows her ass is her best atribute, and she fucking flaunts it, she knows she can make men and futas pitch tents, and make women stare like horndogs just by walking past them. Not only that, but she wear clothes that accentuate her ass from short shorts to miniskirts, she knows how to make anyone undeserving cream themselves just by swaying her hips a little and winking. Her seduction skills boosted her above everyone else except one.

NORA VALKYRIE THE ONE TRUE BUBBLE BOOTY OF REMNANT

Every single step a jiggle, every single jump or tiny hop and the world stops to stare, every time she passes by jaws hit the floor, every man woman and futa either wants Nora or wants to be Nora.

Nora's voluptuous cheeks are legendary and the worst part of it all is: She does know the effect she has on people, and she gives zero shits about it.

Because no one is worthy of her divine ass cheeks, except for two men: Jaune Arc and Lie Ren.

She's found her studs the ones who care for her, love her, give her the world AND the ones who have huge bitch breaking cocks to fuck her into the sheets like rutting animals.Every.Single.Night.

Every day of her life is one big teasing session for her studs, she purposefully wear skirts just short enough to see the glorious bounce, she always finds excuses to bend over, she sits on their laps as often as possible.

Just so she can have the mind blowing three ways she has every night.

All hail Booty Queen Nora Valkyrie.

Now everyone thank you for being patient this was something i spent a few days writing (like 3-4 days) and I only wrote this for that time so I hope y'all like it.

Some chacters are missing I know, but I really am comfortable with how it is now.

As always this SHOULD NOT AFFECT YOUR WRITING.

This was a thought experiment of mine, and like I always say in this sort of thing WRITE HOW YOU WANT TO WRITE I hope this was clear.

Thanks for reading and please if you so desire share it with friends.

But for now see ya!

#Rwby #NSFW-ish #raven branwen #weiss schnee #team ndgo #pyrrha nikos #reese chloris #elm ederne #yang xiao long #arslan altan #penny polendina #ruby rose #neopolitian (rwby) #coco adel #summer rose #winter schnee #Miltiades Malachite #Harriet bree #melanie malachite #Velvet scarlatina #willow schnee #glynda goodwitch #rwby salem #blake belladonna #kali belladonna #may zedong #emerald sustrai #nora valkyrie

[durotoswrites]

For the writing meme thingy: 🍄how do you get yourself in the mood to write? 🍑 do you/would you write smut? 📒 any fics planned?

🍄 How do you get yourself in the mood to write?

Getting in the mood to write and actually wanting to sit down and start writing are two very different things, but they're connected, so I'll explain both.

To set into “creative mode” it helps me to do these things:

Listen to music that makes me think of a character/situation in my story/stories. I've got playlists separated by character and pairing. Sometimes I also just work on curating those playlists for fun and get my brain going.

Bounce overall ideas off of my friends and husband/editor (but he's my best friend, too 💗)

Reread old chapters or recent ones and future snippets based on what I want to do.

Once I actually want to put words down, I get a little more strict with myself. I get distracted verrrry easily sometimes and I have to fight the urge to open a million more tabs when researching a small detail.

I move to instrumental music (I have playlists for different moods like “emotional”, “soft”, “sad”, etc. I usually listen to “soft” as a general soothing background sound, as I can get pretty dang emotional when I write, especially with the stuff I've been churning out lately.

So, yeah, I need tissues within reach if I get upset. (Wow, I'm not making this sound fun at all, lmao)

After sound has been established, I like to eat a snack (something with protein) because I can be under for hours, lol. Eat it and finish it. Otherwise, I get distracted.

I also like to have drinks available. I always have a bottle of water, but I also like having a hot cup of tea. I think it's the time of year for me to switch to cold barley tea.

I write while seated on a recliner with my feet up. I have my laptop on a lap desk and it's a pretty cozy setup.

I basically try to remove any excuse I have to get up once I start writing, because I am the worst procrastinator I know.

🍑Do you/would you write smut?

Heheh... heck yeah, I do. Waaaaay more than most people realize. Stuff I've actually posted? It's pretty limited. I posted a couple pieces (Let Me Love You and You're Like the Sunshine) a few years ago, but I've been practicing ever since. One of my planned stories literally has what I refer to as a “smut dump” in the draft where I've been experimenting with writing different moods. I like the intimate scenes to play a role in the overall plot or have it be a bonding experience.

Despite that, I do have a shameless Gray x Mary story I should just get out there that has zero plot, just two cuties in love. In my mind it's so naughty and kinky and I get flustered thinking about it (Mary is hot, okay?), but it's probably hella vanilla, lmao. I really am grateful that people have been really supportive about my writing smut despite what I usually write, and they've been so encouraging, too! I honestly feel like the smut I've posted is really stilted because I was so self-conscious about it. I don't feel like they are terrible for first attempts, but I have definitely grown more comfortable writing it.

Will The Shy Newcomer become explicit? I kinda really want it to, but I might separate the chapters for those who don't care for that content. Overall, I'd like to write more and post more, and I want to write more than just male x female smut as well. I have some of those in my planned pieces (more about them later).

📒 Any Fics Planned?

Firstly, I'm super tickled more than one person was interested in this. I copied the answer I wrote earlier.

Short answer: Yes. I also plan to bring more of my stories over from ffn to Ao3.

Long answer under the cut, heheh. I rambled quite a bit.

Ask me about my writing processes and stories!

I have so many WIPs that haven’t been touched in years that I’d like to finish, so new planned fics aren’t posted yet. Some of them have more adult themes than most of the stuff I’ve been writing, so I get flustered sharing them. I’ve been at a crossroads, as I feel that you can’t have growth without changing things up. On the other hand, I feel like a lot of my readers associate my works with a specific “wholesome” feel-good mood. It’s kinda nice to be known for something, although that might just be my ego talking, thinking that people recognize my work as a “type”.

Regardless, in the end, I feel growth is necessary.

I don’t want to leave a lot of unfinished WIPs waiting because they stress me out and I have too many of them already, so I’d like to have a bulk of my new stories with a good chunk written before I decide to post them.

Among those include:

A longfic featuring Pete’s farm in Forget-Me-Not Valley (A blend of HMDS with the FoMT plugin and AWL). It takes place in the same universe as The Shy Newcomer (Claire in Mineral Town) and there are a few overlapping moments, although Pete’s story starts first. Pete’s personality is verrry different from Claire’s, and his story was kind of supposed to be the yang to TSN’s yin. Pete’s best friends in his story are Ruby (not sure if I’m adding Tim yet), Nami, and Rock. Readers will be treated to a poorly-socialized pre-Mineral Town Cliff (if you think he was bad at the beginning of TSN, well… heh… he’s a wreck here).

Another planned unpublished story is a crossover of Harvest Moon and the movie “In This Corner of the World”, based on a manga of the same name by Fumiyo Kouno. It was written as a gift for a friend. I have the entire outline figured out and have slowly been filling it in. My friend asked for an AU where Claire and Cliff have an arranged marriage and live with his family in Akiyama, the hometown I had created for Cliff in The Shy Newcomer. I took the opportunity to expand the characters in his family. I have it written during the same time period and society as “In This Corner of the World”, but had decided to write a spreading disease as an allegory for war, but then COVID happened and some parts of it just got really hard to write. There are also a lot of sexually explicit content as Claire slowly grows and learns from her spouse that it’s okay to express what she wants despite sex being a taboo issue. If there’s enough interest in the story, I’ll post it, but I worry it’s a little too niche for there to be many people into it.

Pastor Carter and Doctor Trent are one of my favorite rare pair ships. I’ve had a partial draft for a story about them for a few years now, especially focusing on Trent growing up and acknowledging that he has an unhealthy addiction for things that he knows he can’t have. There are some more adult/sexual themes in this piece, too, including the main character lusting after a married woman (who also happens to be his patient) and some lemons. (Does anyone call it that anymore or is it just referred to as “smut” nowadays? Haha) I always feel so bad for neglecting the folks at the clinic in-game and wanted to write a piece that focused more on them, Trent specifically. It’s a multi-chap fic, but I don’t think I’m going to let it get as long as some of my other pieces.

I also really want to write a short romantic oneshot for every marriage candidate in Mineral Town, around 1,000 words each. So far, I have one for Cliff and one for Gray. I want to write Claire with everyone, because I think it would be fun to explore all the different personalities.

I have more installments planned for A Single Day, including a day in the life of the following characters, all with drafts in varying degrees of progress:

Anna

Doug

Nora (yes, I’m writing from the point of view of the cat living at the inn)

More to come – I think Lillia and Thomas would be especially interesting to explore

I do still have that Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask piece I’ve been pondering where Link befriends the soul of the deku scrub child while possessed by the mask. I don’t have much written about it, but I really love the world of Majora’s Mask. Such a fun game.

I also think about the lead carpenter’s son in Ocarina of Time and that weird side quest involving the blue chicken and the son being lost to the forest. Then that unique-looking kokiri girl explaining that all who get taken in the lost woods become stalfos. Like, did the guy die? Was he sick? Did he want to die? There’s just so much going on there that would be fun to explore.

I also have played OMORI recently and have like… A LOT of feelings about it. I don’t know what I’d write, but I’m still damn impressed at how well the characters are developed in such a short game.

Other games I’ve had vague ideas about writing for include the following:

The Flame in the Flood: I’m thinking a survivalist/action story fleshing out Scout’s backstory a bit more and her thoughts as she’s traveling. I feel like she’s a very lonely person, but isn’t given the chance to really dwell on it.

Night In the Woods: I’d love to write more about Mae’s dreams and what they mean to her. She doesn’t really talk to anyone about them openly, so it’s really hard to tell her feelings about them in some regards. We know that she’s distressed about them, but I’d like to dive a little deeper. Do the nightmares end after the games does? What about Bea’s new nightmares?

Hades (Supergiant Games): I think it would be fun to write more about the events that take place before the game starts, like Zagreus’s duties in the house of Hades, and expand on the strained relationship with his father.

#ask games #writing #jake-marshall

[razieltwelve]

Prophecy (Final Rose)

Aquila scowled ominously at Diana. “Could you stop rubbing my head. I’m not a magic eight ball.”

Diana cackled at the other girl. “I don’t know. You’ve got Seer powers just like your mom, which means you kind of are like a magic eight ball.” She rubbed Aquila’s head. “Magic eight ball, tell me who’s going to win the fight between Weiss and Rin!”

“...” Aquila reached up and grabbed Diana’s wrist. “I will stab you.”

“Is that a prophecy or a promise?”

“Both.” Aquila huffed. “Don’t think you can boss me around just because you’re a year older. I’m taller than you now, you know!”

“You might be taller,” Diana replied. “But I possess world-ending monster power!” She rubbed Aquila’s head. “Now, bestow your wisdom upon this humble petitioner!”

“Stop being an idiot.” Averia grabbed Diana and put her down a good two yards away from Aquila. “Aquila, if you actually want her to stop rubbing your head like a magic eight ball, you should stop blushing like crazy when she does it. She finds it adorable, which is why she does it in the first place.”

Diana nodded sagely. “It is very adorable.”

Aquila responded by petulantly throwing a pebble at Diana. The pebble hit Diana square in the forehead. “Really? You didn’t dodge?”

“Why would I? You could throw a boulder and it wouldn’t do anything.” Diana rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “As the older and bigger - metaphorically - person, I thought I’d let you have a little win.”

“...” Aquila sighed. “Please, tell me that you didn’t drag me out here just to ask me who would win the fight. I know you and Aunt Vanille are running a betting ring, so I’m not going to tell you anything.”

“She probably dragged you out here, so you could take a break,” Averia replied. “Since she can tell you’ve been stressing about who might be on your team next year. You’re about to go into your first year at the Junior Academy, so they’re still trying out team configurations, but they usually like to settle on something just before the year starts.”

“...” Aquila scowled. “You know, I hate how observant you can be sometimes, Diana.”

“Hey, I’m not just a troll. I have eyes.” Diana waved her hands around. “I can even have extra eyes if I want. In fact, I could cover myself with eyes...”

“Please, don’t.”

“Anyway,” Averia said. “Diana doesn’t even need to ask you who’s going to win. She already knows. We both do.”

“Oh?” Aquila asked. “Is that Saviour and Ragnarok talking or Averia and Diana?”

“A bit of both.” Diana held her hand out to one side and gestured. A squirrel ran out of a nearby tree and settled on her arm. Aquila shook her head in disbelief. Diana had already weaponised the campus’s squirrels. “The future is always in motion, but the odds are pretty clear.”

“Simply put,” Averia said. “Given how short a period she’s had to prepare, Weiss has almost no chance of victory. She simply cannot hit both hard and fast enough to keep Rin from closing the distance. If goes for harder hits, she’ll be too slow. If she goes for faster hits, there won’t be enough oomph behind them. Given that, it is a near-certainty that Rin will be able to close the distance. At that point, Weiss is going to have to hold her off in melee combat.”

Diana shrugged. “I’ve sparred against both of them. Rin is good. Really good. I’d put her just a little bit below Yang in hand-to-hand combat, but she’s really crafty too whereas Yang tends to just swamp you like a tidal wave. She’s also spent most of her life sparring against people with weapons whereas most of Weiss’s practice has been against people who are also using weapons, not people who prefer hand-to-hand combat.”

“So you’re saying Weiss is doomed?”

“She’s in a lot of trouble is what we’re saying,” Averia said. She dodged the pebble Diana threw at her and raised one eyebrow at her sister before leaning to the side and catching the squirrel that leapt at her. She stared at the squirrel for a moment, glaring at the animal, and then throwing it back to Diana. “But this might be good for Weiss. You often learn more from losing than you do from winning.”

“How often do you lose?” Aquila asked.

“Ask my parents,” Averia replied. “I generally feel like a piñata after a spar with either of them.” 

“Just be glad they’d actually hesitate to stab you.” Diana chuckled. “I end up walking out of my sparring sessions looking like a porcupine.”

“What do you think will happen if Weiss loses?” Aquila asked.

“I think she’s going to be extremely mad.” Averia shrugged. “She’s going to see just how big the gaps in her skillset are, and she’s going to be enraged that they’ve been allowed to get that far. She’s going to look back on the tutors who coddled her, and she’s going to wonder why none of them pointed the flaws out. She’s also not going to be happy with Ruby.”

“Oh?”

“Ruby takes it easy on her,” Diana said. “Because she doesn’t want to make Weiss mad since they got off to an awkward start because of how young she is. I mean, I get it, Ruby is a prodigy, but Weiss was expecting to either be team leader or for Yang to be team leader since they’re the same age.”

“And Ruby is really nice,” Aquila murmured. “So she probably didn’t want to go all super mega reaper death scythe psycho on her?”

“Super mega reaper death scythe psycho?” Averia asked. “Who came up with...” Aquila waggled her eyebrows at Diana. “Of course, you’d come up with that.”

“Hey, it fits.”

“Kindness can kill,” Averia said quietly. “Ruby is a brilliant fighter - a true prodigy - and her grasp of small-scale tactics and adaptation is fantastic. But she needs to learn to see the bigger picture, and she needs to learn when a firm hand is needed. I suspect that one of the reasons the headmaster allowed Rin to make her challenge so early in the year is because he wants to teach both Weiss and Ruby a lesson.”

“Games within games.”

“It’s something the headmaster specialises in.” Averia’s brows furrowed. “My mother had to learn the opposite lesson with her team, that she couldn’t simply run over people and treat them without mercy if she wanted them to actually follow her instead of being dragged along.”

“She was a tyrant.” Aquila shuddered. “The stories are legendary.”

“She is a tyrant,” Diana said, grinning.

“Either way, Weiss is going to be extremely not happy about her loss. I believe it’s going to motivate her in a way few things ever have. She’s going to go after her weaknesses like a woman possessed until she feels she can challenge Rin back and win.”

“And how will Rin take it?”

“She won’t gloat much,” Diana said. “I think, if she and Weiss’s families weren’t enemies, that she’d actually quite like Weiss. I know that she respects her. She’ll assume that Weiss is going to come after her later, so she’ll train like crazy too.”

“Just as the headmaster intended?” Aquila asked.

“Probably.”

X     X     X

Author’s Notes

Aquila is the second child of Caius and Yeul. She’s the one who got the Seer powers and is her mother’s successor. Trajan is 17 whereas Aquila is 13. This makes her one year younger than Diana who is 14. She’s about to enter the Junior Academy, so she’s spending some time at Beacon just seeing how everything works and trying to find out who is on her team. Despite being a year younger, she is indeed slightly taller than Diana (at least for now).

#final rose #fanfiction #aquila #diana yun farron #averia yun farron

[spongebob-connoisseur]

Spongebob's overhated, not talking about the show, I'm talking about the character. idk man, whenever someone talking about him, they first thing that people comes to mind is in modern one, (the flanderized one), but bro, he's more than just that and relatable as Squidward is, and I kinda blame the mordern season for it

Sorry about the late reply!!

Tbh I never seen much hate for Spongebob as a character. I mean when people talk of spongebob now, they'd usually regard Squidward and Sandy more as their favorites since ya kno, they're really likable, who wouldn't adore them? But spongebob is still well liked.

Unless this is specific to those who don't like the modern seasons. Idk much about that since I don't keep up with that stuff. But I do agree that Spongebob is relatable! Very much so. He has a hard time preforming on his drivers test because of all the pressure on him. He has a hard time saying no to people and sometimes others take advantage of that. He still remains positive through it but there are times when enough is enough, even for him.

He's really likable and remains my favorite even despite the nonsense and trouble he puts others *cough*squidward*cough* through. He's endearing and silly and just wants to have a good time and make everyone smile. The world definitely makes you feel miserable at times but I really enjoy watching him just enjoy little things and make the most of his circumstances. Actually now when I think about it, that song Living in the Sunlight that played in the very first episode suits his personality too well. Pretty much sums up what to expect from this show and what it's all about. It still leaves a positive and warm impression everytime you hear it or rewatch the pilot.

Now as for the modern spongebob. I don't think he's bad either. I still really like him. Though I consider him as his own thing. Each era feels like his personality change and I've grown to accept it. He's just a different genre of spongebob if that makes sense. Anyways usually when people talk about modern spongebob, they usually mean seasons 4-8 because when this discussion about flanderized spongebob and modern spongebob all started with people talking about that era specifically and I used to watch people's videos talking about that a lot and ehh I don't really agree with much of it anymore.

That middle era spongebob did cause a few problems and really degraded his character over time. That's generally what comes to people's minds when they talk about modern spongebob bad and generally unlikable version of sponge. Him stalking people and doing weird shit wasn't funny at all. Squidward was more humanized and seen as some dude who wanted some peace and quiet. The star of the show is constantly making him miserable and ruining his life. It's hard to enjoy. Its not like the current modern era isn't like that too.

The middle seasons annoy me a bit more but even when this happens in the modern seasons, they are really what I hate the most. It's biggest flaw of the modern seasons for me.

I feel like they're fixing it now but gosh idk who thought that was funny. The appeal of spongebob is that you saw it from a child's point of view often. You saw spongebob as just a sweet kid who wanted to play and Squidward as the grouchy adult/older sibling who doesn't notice you or pay attention but you still really want to spend time with them because you think they're a good person deep down. And you know squidward cares back too. There might be times where spongebob messes up but there are still consequences for him and generally there's a balance. You never feel like he's ever being malicious to squidward and nothing super bad happens where it feels like the universe is punishing squidward for being alive.

This was mostly season 1 and 2. Season 3 had a push for Spongebob being more of an adult. He behaved more adultish and the scenarios they were in are a little more mature. Hence why season 3 is often the most remembered season for its adult humor. But the scenarios are simplified enough for a kid to understand the general plot and adults can understand all the true implications and circumstances. There was a balance. Same as having a more adultish spongebob, his relationship with squidward balanced out too. They were closer to equals at this point and Squidward was more annoyed with him being an optimist in their bleak working environment. They were a ying and yang and you could identify with both. They both complimented each other and clashed. It worked.

Past that. They've never found such a good dynamic like that again in post movie episodes. Its been a bit wobbly. Squidward is the most easy character to identify with. While they made him more relatable. Tired, stuffy adult who just wants peace and is wasting his life working at a minimum wage job. They also wanted to keep elements of the classic era without understanding why they were funny and worked so well. Such as squidward's karma. He gets punished for just existing. Its not funny. Squidward often did get the short end of the stick bur usually you'd understand why. He became more of a depressed individual getting punished for being alive. It's not funny.

At the same time spongebob's personality regressed into being too naive to function at times and too babyish than childish. Often times I don't feel like the writers know what to do with him besides bugging squidward. But there used to be a reason why he bugged Squidward. He genuinely liked him. He looked up to him. He really believed deep down there's a part of squidward that cares and just needs a little push. It's stated in the art book. And a lot of things and rules from the art book feel so lost in the show over the years.

You can tell the writers thought of him as how adults think of small children. Loud and noisy, and only want to bug you. They sympathized with squid more but had to keep with the general formula of the show. But forget what made this show so fun was how spongebob was written from a child's point of view. Often times as a kid, you would feel ignored and over looked. Adults talk down to you. You have no free will. Spongebob essentially was a kid but without the restraints and rules a child had to live by. It was freeing and it was nice seeing someone who thinks and feels like you is on screen.

It really feels like they missed the mark with how they interpret spongebob when writing him. They degraded him into a stalker who's obsessed with squidward and torments him. He's often too naive and dumb to function or even interact with other characters. The interesting relationships he used to have feel wiped away. It's hard to enjoy it.

I mean a good example is the reason why he failed his drivings test (though this flanderization already started in the classics era anyways) he fails because he gets nervous and often needs some kind of distraction while driving to keep him calm. He does well on the exams but when it comes to demonstrating what he knows is where he messes up. Its become at this point that he's just an insane person behind the wheel and just magically screws up for no reason. His insanity causes harm to the people around him and we get some of the worst episodes Demolition Doofus. We can't even argue that Mrs. Puff is wrong for the anger she feels since she's endlessly harmed by sponge to the point of basically becoming disabled. Its not funny. It just sours what was supposed to be the golden boy of the show.

Spongebob will never be how he used to be but I appreciate how as of recent there had been some repair to his character. He's really wildly different from the classics era but I appreciate every so often when they remember an aspect of his personality that's been long gone. Even in the middle seasons. There's better episodes that remember why Spongebob fails his driving test and episodes that remember that remember squidward isn't just a tormented sufferer and spongebob is a deranged stalker.

He's kind of his own thing now but I find the modern seasons one cute and more amusing. He's still very flawed but I can at least enjoy him ya kno? I'd like to hear your thoughts on him too!

#Cessmaga #Ask #spongebob #spongebob squarepants #sb #spongebon squarepants #the spongebob connoisseur #spongebob meme

[razorblade180]

Twin Snowflakes pt9: Phased

“Veronica! Hurry up!!!!!” The most common words to have come out Yang’s mouth in recent days. Day, evening, or nigh, Yang was calling her name through their living room and dining room that was completely littered with clothes on top of suitcases. “Getting dressed!” A younger voice yelled from upstairs.

Yang:Why aren’t you dressed already!?!?!

Veronica:I was, but I forgot the socks that went with got dirty.

Yang:So you changed the whole outfit!?

Veronica:Why do you sound surprised by this!?

Yang:Veronica if we miss our boat to anima I swear-

“Gah!” A curtain of blonde hair with several dark strands of black hits her face and got all in her mouth. Yang immediately backed up and looked towards the ceiling with a slightly irritated gleam in her eyes. Both of her arms went to her hips. “Really Veronica?” The young girl was trying to keep a straight face which was incredibly hard when looking at her ma’s trade mark stare upside down. Frankly she was impressed Yang wasn’t laughing at just seeing a blinking head.

Veronica:Hi.

Yang:Are you dressed yet?

Veronica:Almost. Can you hand me that top behind you. I’m not decent.

Yang:I hope you mean the purple long sleeve because the only other shirt I see is the white v-neck that I’d find hard pressed to call decent.

Veronica:You fought crime in incredibly small tights, a small jacket, and a tube top. You’re going to give me flack about a v-neck?

Yang: First of all, they were compression shorts. Second, are you trying to wear it with the black miniskirt.

Veronica:.....

Yang:*smirking* Thought so. You’re getting the long sleeve.

Veronica:*folds ears* Mom! Your wife is being grumpy!

Yang:Blake! Come straighten out your child!

Slow footsteps came creaking around the corner to show the tired faunus in her nightgown stumbling a bit. Her long hair a total mess and waving her ears hello at both bundles of fiery passion. Veronica’s arm came through the ceiling to wave back in rhythm with her own ears. Yang walked over to kiss Blake’s cheek and becoming a post for a Blake to lean on.

Yang:Sorry, didn’t realize you were still sleeping.

Blake:Stayed up.....to finish some papers. Why are you two arguing? Actually, why are you still here?

Yang:Your daughter-

Blake:Our daughter.

Yang:She’s yours when she gets like this.

Veronica and Blake:What, you mean like you?

Yang:H...Hey! Can you just tell her to dress conservative while we’re going to the coldest place ever and hurry up.

Veronica:That ship is literally here for us; they won’t leave us behind. Also please explain to ma how my outfit choices are fine.

Blake:....

Blake:Can I make tea first? Also talk to both of you at ground level? Veronica just throw on something, or nothing at really. You came out of me. I’ve made everything you got.

Veronica:Eugh, mom can you not phrase it like that?

Yang:Right? I mean I helped a little.

Veronica:Really!? Right in front of me? *leaves*

Yang:Old enough to where what you like but can’t handle a little adult humor. Oh how I mess being sixteen.

Blake:I don’t.

Yang:I doubt any member of a radical group would. How would you like your tea? Please say with honey.

Blake:Lavender.

Yang:Booooo. One day you’ll join the honey team. *grabs kettle*

Blake:Between your jokes and scuffles with Veronica about clothes I hope you know that you sound just like your dad.

Yang:Good! He raised two badass daughters. I got my hands full with just one.

Veronica:I’m coming down. Mind your heads!

Blake moves a chair and the surrounding clutter as Veronica’s legs start coming through the ceiling; shortly followed by the rest of her. She lands softly with no sound what so ever. Despite the talk about the so called compression shorts that Veronica tried to call out, she was now wearing them along with a tank top. Her tail slides up the front of it to rub her stomach.

Veronica:Geez guess I should really put all of theses actually in the suitcases now huh?

Yang:Ya think?

Blake:Do you really have to take so much clothes and fabric with you?

Veronica:Of course! I know the change of scenery will inspire me to come up with a new design. Can’t let the ideas escape from me because I’m unprepared.

Yang:You do remember you’re also helping set up and manage the tournament right. It’s not a vacation. *hands Blake a cup of tea*

Blake:*grabs entire tea pot*

Yang:......

Veronica:*smiles* It might not be a vacation but it’s definitely a breath of fresh. I plan to capitalize on it and that starts with attire.

Yang:Fair, just not that v-neck.

Veronica:Hmmmm, what’s stopping me from grabbing it right now and running away?

Yang:What’s stopping me from cutting off all the lights and wrestling you?

Veronica:I hope all the stuff on the ground. We both can’t be fumbling around in the dark.

Yang:I like my odds.

Blake:*wiping mouth* Ooooorrrrrr you can let me take a side like you both called me in here to do.

Veronica and Yang:.......Did you drink the whole pot?

Blake:Oh, sorry, I didn’t ask if you wanted any.

Yang:That’s not the issue....

Veronica:Wasn’t that scolding?

Blake:Eh. Let’s focus on the problem at hand. Yang?

Yang:Y...Yes?

Blake:If Veronica were to walk around as she is right now, would you think that is appropriate?

Somehow there was a trap in this question, but Yang couldn’t figure it out for the life of her. She turned to Veronica to exam her. The girl truly was blooming just like Yang had around that age. Toned body, a healthy smile, hair, dramatic lilac eyes, and a figure that somehow managed to take a decent amount of the best parts from both her and Blake; just proportioned to the girls slightly leaner and shorter build. Yang would be over the moon that somehow every Xiao Long kid made out to be basically a bombshell. Too bad it came with constant supervision to spot the wondering eyes of others. ‘I gotta remember to treat dad to something. How’d he do this like it was nothing?’

Yang:Well.....it’s not exactly inappropriate but I wouldn’t be comfortable with it.

Blake:*Smirking* Why?

Yang:Because you know how people are! Who knows when creep might pull a stunt or she might get unwanted attention. Girls might hassle her and guys can be excessive. I just want you to not have to deal with all that because if I see it then I might fight a kid.

Veronica:I fight my own battles you know? I mean it would be pretty lame if I couldn’t. You don’t exactly pull your punches in the ring. Or anywhere for that matter.

Blake:Now for the final question. Yang, do you remember what you were when we first met?

Yang:.......I was 18

Veronica:Wait, what was she wearing?

Blake:Exactly what you have on right now.

Veronica:Seriously!?

Yang:But I was 18!

Blake:With no super vision, in a public area, and you had no care in the world. Were you worried about anyone making a pass at you.

Yang:No, anyone who tried something would’ve gotten beaten u-

Veronica:*smiling*

Yang:Blake! I thought you were gonna be on my side!

Blake:She might not be 18 but she’s also not alone. Plus yoy have worn far less.

Veronica:Did not think I’d actually win this argument. Thanks mom.

Blake:I’m not finished.

Veronica:Should’ve known....

Blake:Yang, can I talk to her one on one really quick?

Yang:Okay? I guess I’ll just go pack up then? *slowly walking out*

Blake:Hey...

Veronica:H-Hey?

Blake:Wanna tell me why you’re throwing a fuss about not wearing a purple top; you’re favorite top I might add?

Veronica:No particular reason. I just don’t like feeling confined.

Blake:We are your parents. We’re supposed to impose limits and you only have a couple. Clothes suggestions have never gotten under your skin before.

Veronica:Yeah well I suppose that’s changed a bit. What’s the point of designing clothes and going to school for it if I can’t diversify my style. Let people be left in awe by me.

Blake:Is Nicholas one of those people?

Veronica’s eye went wide before her face flushed a rosey red. Blake had hit a soft spot and she knew it. She stood up to walk towards her daughter who had crossed her arms and turned her head away to avoid looking directly into those amber eyes that always seemed to cut right through her defenses. That didn’t stop Veronica to allow Blake to pull her into a gentle embrace.

Blake:I’m surprised. I half expecting my arms to go right through you.

Veronica:Yeah well...I like your hugs.

Blake:And I like knowing your okay. I’m positive you’ll get more interest out of him by being nice to his sister then showing skin

Veronica:One of those things is far easier.

Blake:Please be on your best behavior.

Veronica:I always am. What happens is up to her.

Blake:Ver-

Veronica:I know. Inhales...... I know. Hopefully we’ll both be too busy to interact much and we don’t have to socialize.

Blake:That’s not really what I would call a solution. Going was your idea so I expect nothing but good news. I’ll be there when the actual tournament begins and I can’t wait to see how you added style to the arena.

Veronica:I gotta get there first. Which means I really need to pack all this up and get dressed.

Blake:Is that your way of saying “Mom please let go of me?”

Veronica:Such intelligence. No wonder you are the greatest high leader Remnant has ever seen.

Blake:Pfft whatever you know it all. *lets go*

They share one last look before Veronica grabs her purple shirt it winks. “What can I say? I looks amazing on me.” Blake playfully rolls her eyes and watches her daughter leap into the air and phase through the ceiling.

Blake:Hehe we have stairs!

Veronica:*muffled* And they look lovely!

Blake:Yang you can come back in!

Yang:*peeks around corner* Why do I always have to leave the room?

Blake:Because she thinks you’re strong and amazing like how you think of your dad. We both know how much you feel frustrated whenever he sees you get emotional.

Yang:*red* He’s seen me soft too many times. I’m grown.

Blake:Only proving my point dork. I know I probably spoil her too much but let Veronica spread her wings a bit. She rarely gets to do that around here.

Yang:*frowns* I know. I’m just worried she’ll spread those wings too far. There might not be enough room for anyone else. Atlas might have a new ruler by the time tournament is over.

Blake:Atlas’s loves Nick and Summer too much for that.

Yang:I never said she’d do it easily. I can see it now, a turf war that shook the world.

Blake:You’re so dramatic.

Yang:That’s why you married me.

Blake:Certainly wasn’t for your tea making skills. *darts off smiling*

Yang:What!? My tea is fine! Blake! *runs after her*

xxxx

“Achooo!!!”

Winter:That was some sneeze. The weather getting to you?

Summer:No. I’m not sure where that came from.

The two of them had landed down on the Mantle wall for several minutes now. Both under the wing of the summoned nevermore to avoid the light rain. Little was said between them after their embrace in the sky. Words was never Winter’s strongest skill; even after all these years. It was more comfortable watching the warm glow of the city lights in silence, but Weiss had given her a task. See if Summer was truly okay.

Her earlier actions definitely raised a few unsettling flags that Summer tried to ensure where just in Winter’s head. Still, Summer’s face, Winter couldn’t help but notice how solemn it was. The girl had already faced trials and tribulations no one should at her age. Winter took ahold her hand which made the girl jump slightly. She had completely zoned out for a moment but now looked at her aunt perplexed.

Summer:Yes auntie?

Winter:You were lost in thought. Where you having a conversation again?

Summer:No, I had enough of Shiva’s comments for one day. For a lifetime actually.

Winter:I cannot imagine what’s it’s like going through that. Especially for so long.

Summer:It’s no different than enteral monologue really, or the voice people have when they’re silently reading to themselves. Only mine has a will of its own. Not to mention the space I seem to find myself in whenever things get out of hand. I guess that part is a bit different from most people.

Winter:The mind is a complex thing to say the least.

Summer:Yeah, and mine is broken.

Winter:Your mind is not broken Summer.

Summer:Feels that way sometime. There’s still so much I don’t fully understand about what’s happening. Even after all this time.

Winter:That’s not a fault on you. Science is merely trying to catch up with such an unorthodox event. Just the other day Oscar and Qrow went off to find answers just for you. I believe even Adrian tagged along.

SummerReally!? Where are they going?

Winter:To see if anything can be learned from the Gods. If they manage to find them that is.

Summer:That’s....a tall order. All that for me? I’m the one who should be going through that trouble. It’s my problem after all.

Winter:This is something everyone has to deal with.

Summer:Oh.....sorry. *frowning*

Winter:That’s not what I-.....sigh, what I meant is we are all family. If one of us has a problem then all of us do and it’s no big deal for anyone to try and resolve it.

Summer:That doesn’t make it less frustrating for me though. I know you all care. I do, but there’s just something. Like a gap I can’t seem to close between myself and the rest of the world. Like I never really left that lake.

Winter:....Then lets go back.

Summer:W...what?

Winter:It’s somewhere down here right? Maybe going there will spark something.

Summer:An answer?

Winter:Perhaps, or closure.

Summer:Closure huh? (Maybe that is what I’m actually missing.) I will think about it. First things first, I actually came down here for a reason. Despite the bond and resources between Atlas and Mantle growing, there’s still plenty of people that still live on the streets. I tend to donate money when I can also sometimes I just go around the city to go buy food or warm clothes to whoever I find.

Winter:I had no idea you kept a close eye on these types of things. How often do you come down here.

Summer: Enough to hurt my grades it seems. You are the first person to catch me chain grinding attempts. Can’t believe you saw the worst one though. That’s embarrassing to say the least.

Winter:Attempts? Summer I know you’re smart enough to know what you’re doing is extremely dangerous. Not to mention illegal. What if I hadn’t caught you?

Summer:I would’ve just....it’s actually easier to show you. If that’s okay I mean.

Winter:*raises eyebrow* Is it safe?

Summer’s face scrunches up as she wobbles her hand up and down. “Safer than most of the things involving the cold. I can control it just fine.” Now it was Winter’s turn to look skeptical. This could potentially be a slippery slope their playing with. However, it was hard not to notice the slight excitement in Summer’s voice. “If you really can control it...then I suppose there isn’t any ha-“

“Yes!” Summer bounced a little at the thought of showing off. She removed her cloves and tugged her shirt down for more air flow. Winter stood beside her and watched carefully. Shiva and her powers over ice weren’t anything new but this pseudo form that rest in between the full transition had her attention. It was easy to tell Summer had been hard at work trying to find a way to turn this accident into something useful without succumbing to it. At first glance anyone wouldn’t notice the flickering in her eyes or the subtle color shifts in at the ends of her hair.

She watched her niece clap her hands together then pull them apart slowly as the cold itself seemed to be drawn into the middle. Ice crystals grew larger while expanding length wise. Summer had created another snowboard in no time at all. It might’ve been second nature to her fall all Winter can tell. And yet....“You sure I don’t have to worry this time about catching you?”

“Follow behind me if it makes you feel better. I’m heading towards the dust facility down here so keep up.” Summer said with a thumbs up and took a running start before leaping off the wall. The Nevermore swooped Winter and took off. Tailing Summer like instructed. Winter was quite surprised to say the least at what she witnessed. The rain around Summer turned to slush and ice that trailed underneath her. More and more swirled down by the base of the bored each way swayed it. Summer was snowboarding in midair and that was something Winter admitted to herself was worth showing off. From behind her it was still easy to till Summer was enjoying herself, yet also not quite how she usually would. The essence around her felt more...invigorating. Winter couldn’t help but wonder.....where exactly do Summer’s actions end, and Shiva’s begin?

xxxx

Gym Teacher: Mr. Schnee I appreciate your enthusiasm but don’t you think this is a bit much for you to handle?

Nick:Come on Coach Bree. Aren’t you always telling me to get my striking speed up?

Harriet: Yeah but...

The both of them stare at the giant track field at the back of the school. Easily three miles long and leaving plenty of space in the middle for games such as soccer or football. Also the giant paladin that is currently setting his laser sights on Nick.

Harriet:Beating a Paladin alone is a tall order. Why not take the regular physical exams like everyone else?

Nick:My schedule is busy as it is! I can’t waste two class periods on doing them when I can take the expedited test and pass automatically; plus it’s good training for the tournament. It’s just rubber bullets and lasers set to stun.

Harriet:With concussion grenades, thrusters for speed, it’s made of the finest metal, and designed to be on destroy Goliaths. Seniors have difficulty with this. I’ll admit you have skill but not that much skill.

Nick:You just don’t feel like writing a incident report.

Harriet:What teacher does!? Plus I don’t feel like getting yelled at if you can’t participate in the tournament. I’ll never hear the end of it.

Nick:Ugh, and after all that work I put into finishing that science test early.

Harriet:Sorry kid. Like I said, seniors have trouble with this. I actually let them team up for it.

Nick:That tough huh? Oh! If that’s the case then can I take it with others!?

Harriet:I’d might consider it but there’s a problem. No one your age is crazy enough to attempt this. Most of them are still working of the fat from winter break.

Nick:No one crazy enough. I think you underestimate Valerie.

Harriet:She already took the first half of the regular exam so good luck making her decide to switch up.

Nick:Crap, I forgot she had P.E. already. Man this sucks!

Harriet:.....I tell you what. Your sister didn’t show up today. Despite her absences....

Nick:*flinches* Hehe see about that... she ate waaaaay to much Christmas ham and-

Harriet:I’m in the loop on her reluctance to attend my class genius. Your mom called earlier to give me a heads up that I’d only be seeing you today. That girl is really started to throw a wrench in my planning.

Nick:I’m sorry....I know she feels awful about it.

Harriet:*scratches head* Doesn’t change I need numbers for her. Putting in zeros in grade books is easy. Putting them in battle info makes it extremely hard to plan proper routines that are challenging but not suicidal. But since you’re determined about risking safety anyways. If by some miracle you can convince Summer and Valerie to take this with you, then I’d feel more confident that I won’t send a student home with broken bones like last time.

Nick:Really!? Alright!

Harriet:That last part just didn’t matter to you did it?

Nick:No offense, but we are eople with gold and silver medals for combat related activities should be just fine. Tomorrow it is! Before or after school?

Harriet:I’m not waking up earlier to call an ambulance. After school or if you all so happen to have a free period around the same time.

Nick:After school it is! I got a good feeling about this!

xxxx

Valerie:You are insane...

Nick:Please!?

“SSSSSHHHHHH!!!!” Multiple students stared at the boy annoyed as they were peacefully trying to read. He had forgotten where he was for a moment and quickly hid his face behind a book before the librarian started skulking around. Valerie watched the boy’s eyes peek over the top of pages and waited for him to continue to make his case. This time in a whisper.

Nick:Pretty please?

Valerie:No. I had to spend my time in that stupid dressing room and listen to dumb girls have a contest over who was hotter. That is sanity wasted if I switch up now.

Nick:That’s ridiculous.

Valerie:Their arguing or my complaining? Choose carefully.

Nick:The fact that they’re fighting about who’s the prettiest when you’re in the room.

Valerie:Well played. Still not doing it. Why am I a requirement.

Nick:*grabs her hands* Because without you we’d be hard press to find someone else our grade to keep up with us. Only you can do it. You’re awesome. We both know that.

Now he’d done it. Valerie was never a person to care about compliments yet Nick’s were a bit different from most. Maybe it was that Arc charm at work or seeing Schnee eyes look so soft, but his compliments always felt incredibly genuine. It was irritating after all this time he was as good with words as she was. Murmurs reached her ears as more students started watching the two. More importantly, their hands. He still hadn’t let go. How long have they been like this?

Val’s face got a bit stern and she shook her hands free. She brought her right one up to thump the poor boy right in the nose to wipe that puppy dog look away.

Nick:Ow...still no?

Valerie:.......Fine, but I’m only saying fine because I’d be road kill earlier without you. Then we’re even.

Nick:You’re still thinking about that? I wasn’t gonna hold saving your life over your head by any means but if it makes you feel better then okay. We’ll be even.

Valerie:Good. I guess I can make a peace of my day completely irrelevant now.

Nick:You’re the best!!!

Liberian:Quiet!!!

Nick:Whoops! I should go. Thanks again!

Valerie:Sure th-

Nicholas went in and hugged her fast before pulling back and showing a gleeful grinn. Before she could say anything he was running off out of the library and more importantly, the studying students. Some of them turned their attention to her so at least she could feel their frustration. Even the Liberian shot of look of displeasure which only increased the embarrassment on her face. She had no choice but to bury herself into the text book she had been reading before things got loud. It did not stop the feeling of them staring behind it, or her face from turning red.

Valerie:(Damn it Nicholas. I’m totally getting you back for this somehow!)

xxxx

Yang:*tapping her foot* (I swear this girl) Veronica in a second I’m just gonna lea-

“I’m ready!” The girl came sliding into view with her luggage in hand. Yang couldn’t help but smile as it seemed common ground between them was found. Her daughter wore black flats accompanied with black thigh high socks and the skirt mentioned from earlier. A gap between the two showed some skin but not crazy in the slightest. The purple long sleeve shirt was worn with pride and Yang couldn’t help but notice Veronica had taken the time to make hair a little crinklly.

She paid no mind to her mother as she strutted passed her mom with her tail pulling her luggage along. Veronica was too busy already opening up her journal and going over unfinished designs.

Veronica:Let’s get to it Ma. Ship won’t wait forever right?

Yang:For your sake I hope you don’t have to kick anyone.

Veronica:Already got it covered. A little thing called compression shorts. It’s hard to tell because I’m not only wearing them. Thought it should go underneath something.

Yang:I’m gonna have to deal with that the whole ride huh?

Veronica:Oh yeah. *closes door*

Part 8

#rwby twin snowflakes #rwby #nicholas schnee #summer schnee #veronica belladonna #blake bellodona #yang xiao long #bmblb #bumbleby #harriet bree #winter schnee #rwby au #val valkyrie #rwby whiteknight #renora

[julesby10]

won’t be late for this, late for that (late for the love of my life) - Pt. 5

won’t be late for this, late for that (late for the love of my life) - Pt. 4

A/N: HEY! @frankielucky‘s Bees comic (pt.5) out now! I am super late, considering the comic was posted more than two weeks ago but!! Here it is, part 5! (I’ll see what to do with a hypothetical part 6).

Enjoy!

Rating: T

Tags: pining, unrequited love, what if, missing moments

She’s always loved people watching, more so when it was people close to her.

Watching her friends interact now is as amusing as it will always be, especially considering she’s standing high on a balcony, sheltered and allowed to lose herself in other’s lives for a while.

Her sister is beside her.

“You know… I think we really needed this.”

It’s said casually, in a way it’s not a lie at all. 

The whole mess with Torchwick took a toll on all of them, even if Blake bore the brunt of it.

Ruby smiles. "You did a great job planning it too."

Yang loops an arm around her sister’s shoulders. It became a habit a long time ago and she never let go of it.

"Aw, thanks! Weiss did a lot too though!"

Which is so true. Working side by side with her has let Yang into the more romantic side of the Schnee heiress. It was endearing, seeing her so invested in things some people would dismiss as small and unimportant. And, in the end, Weiss also got her date, as Yang can see from up high.

All's well all that ends well, no?

"I guess tomorrow it's back to work," Yang says with a sigh. Training will be a welcome distraction from her feelings. She feels like a full glass, ready to spill at the slightest touch. It’s exhausting.

"Well, I'm sure we can handle whatever gets thrown at us."

That is such a Ruby thing to say, so hopeful, so willing to believe in something brighter.

Yang wishes she had inherited some of that too.

Laughter from downstairs makes both of them turn to the dancefloor, where Jaune, now in a white dress, is asking Pyrrha to dance.

“Except... for that.”

Ruby’s almost laughing when she says that, not mocking, but amused, Jaune is certainly the last person she’d imagined in a dress. Yang has no idea what happened, but she melts into a smile, her palm holding her cheek.

Pyrrha’s laughter rings out, happy and warm. It almost reignites the spark that Yang had thought gone.

“Guess you were wrong this time, Pyr. He does see you.”

They’re dancing to an upbeat rhythm, flushed and not worrying about what’s to come. Yang is pretty sure Jaune is still oblivious, but at least he’s a good friend.

Friends.

Yang would like to think the reason for Blake’s presence tonight was a little more than friendship, but she’s likely delusional. 

“And Blake-”

“Wouldn’t be here without you. And…”

Ruby doesn’t turn to look at her sister, she keeps staring down at team JNPR having what is basically a dance-off.

“Could’ve been here with you.”

Yang feels herself cringing, and brings both her hands to her mouth in a futile attempt at hiding a blush, he shoulders hunching as if she could hide in the non-existent neckline of her dress.

“Am I that obvious?”

Ruby giggles, and finally looks Yang in the eye. She winks.

“You glow a little around her.”

She gestures with her fingers and Yang almost has the instinct to reach up and touch her own hair. 

“What! I do not.”

Her feelings couldn’t be strong enough to tap into her semblance, could they?

“Okay, fine. Maybe not literally,” Ruby concedes, shrugging and rolling her eyes.

Yang deflates and tries to keep her gaze off of the mane of dark hair moving around downstairs.

“Blake has a lot on her mind right now,” she says, her voice unusually small and demure. She feels her heart ache for a moment. “The last thing she needs is a crushing teammate.”

Now’s not the time. These moments are made to unwind and Yang confessing her feelings would be anything but, if love has on Blake any of the effects it has on Yang, who becomes a coil of nerves every time she even comes close to speaking the words.

Ruby scoots closer, both her arms on the balcony and her chin resting on them.

“What about what’s on your mind?”

Yang smiles, confident.

“People leave, it’s natural. To me, at least.”

That kind of hurts, but it’s like an old scar now. People have left and she was left to fend for herself - and Ruby.

Her confidence has a hard time sticking when she’s forcing it like this, when she’s with her sister. So she spills.

“But Blake is my partner, y’know?”

It feels nice to say that, partner. It feels familiar and reassuring, grounding just as Blake’s presence usually is. But Yang refuses to get too attached, she said it herself, that people leave.

“If I tell her and…” Yang grips the railing, gritting her teeth. She knows the pricking of tears behind her eyes and she’s learned to recognize the way the thought of not having Blake by her side creeps around her bones and squeezes till they break.

Her hands go around her to hug herself into comfort.

“I don’t know what I’d do... If she left again.”

That last part is said in a whisper, just as fragile as she feels.

Ruby glances at her, her expression neutral and level. A small part of Yang knows to be wary of that side of her, because logic can be delivered with very sharp words and a silver tongue rarely does any good. She’s not like that, though, not with Yang.

“Worrying about people leaving… isn’t that just leaving first? How do you build a connection with a person who’s acting like you’re already gone?”

It’s true, she’s right. Yang has always been there for Ruby, but at the same time assumed the rest of the world would eventually leave her alone. Distancing herself and putting up walls - smiles, laughter, confidence - had become easy at a certain point, certainly easier than getting her heart and hopes broken all over again.

This time something inside Yang tells her to trust her partner, her teammates. If she can trust Blake to save her life on the battlefield, then she can trust her with her heart.

Just… not tonight.

Yang has barely noticed Ruby’s hand on her shoulder, but now she pulls her in a side hug. She wants her close and Ruby laughs at the gesture, not one bit annoyed as she often pretends to be when Yang is too pushy with her affection.

“Spoken like a team leader, Rubes!”

Yang nuzzles her hair, that smells of shampoo and roses, as usual.

“Not really, but okay,” Ruby giggles, pushing into her sister.

It’s been a while since she’s done this, but Yang closes her eyes and leaves a gentle kiss on Ruby’s hair. She is reminded of when Ruby was still a child and she would hold her and tell her stories.

“I love you, baby girl.”

“I love you too, sis.”

Ruby grabs Yang’s hand and intertwines their fingers. It’s warm.

“And, for what it’s worth, I’m not going anywhere.”

#rwby #yang xiao long #blake belladonna #bumblebee #bumbleby #beacon dance #ruby rose (rwby) #weiss schnee #pyrrha nikos #jaune arc #rwby fanfiction

[writingpcges]

— "i have a horrible feeling I am a greedy, perverted, selfish, apathetic, cynical, depraved, morally bankrupt woman who can’t even call herself a feminist." - fleabag

MANNERISMS:

What words or phrases do they overuse?

she uses the word ‘basically’ a lot. she also definitely overuses her britishisms but that’s mainly because she’d been living there for the last few years. favouite curse word is ‘fuck’. ends too many sentences with the word ‘me’.

Are they more optimistic or pessimistic?

ellie will tell you she’s a realist, though she does tend towards optimism, particularly when it comes to the outcomes of certain events in her life. 

What bad habits do they have?

speaking before she speaks, drinking way too much coffee (and as a result has developed an unhealthy addiction to breath mints, seriously she’s always gone some on her person!), nail biting/picking (particularly when she’s nervous/bored), flirting before thinking (she’s sure your partner is great, she just didn’t consider their existence), pouting until she gets what she wants.

What makes them laugh out loud?

friends reruns, friends in general, lana sullivan. she’s also the sort to laugh at her friends embarrassments/trip ups but would also be the first to bail you out in a bind so figurers that balances things out. 

How do they display affection?

little touches (on your arm, your shoulder, your lower back), little gifts/things she’s seen that remind her of you, sending random texts/pictures throughout her day, sharing anecdotes/gossip. 

Do they make snap judgements or take time to consider?

she’s an impulsive little sun of a gun, just ask lana. she detests feeling stuck and that has driven her to make many questionable decisions and has resulted in the breaking down of some important relationships in her life. 

How do they react to praise?

she THRIVES off of it. like tinkerbell she needs applause and praise to live. 

How do they react to criticism?

she’ll tell you she can take it, and that’s not totally untrue, as an actress she has developed a fairly thick skin but she only really takes constructive criticism well. trolly comments on the internet will send her into a tailspin and often result in her seeking some outside affirmation of her awesomeness (often in the form of hookups or friendly cheerleaders). 

What is their philosophy of life?

work hard and be kind. 

When was the last time they cried?

professionally? daily, her current project requires a lot of mental gymnastics. personally? after meeting up with lana. 

If they could change one thing about themselves, what would it be?

apart from forever appearing ageless?? physically she wouldn’t mind being a little taller, but she thinks her face is nice and her ass is good so she happy with her appearance. there are a lot of internal things she’d change about herself but mainly she’d like to be braver and a little more vulnerable about the things that matter with the people she loves. 

What is their obsession?

herself?? sex?? skin care??

What are their pet peeves? 

she does get annoyed easily and pinning down what will set her off from one day to the next isn’t an exact science but some things that never fail are slow walkers, people who talk on their phone in public, traffic (she probs shouldn’t drive bc the road rage is real), and people who insist on continuing conversations when she’s clearly checked out. 

FRIENDS&FAMILY:

Is their family big or small? Who does it consist of?

pretty small, just her dad, step mum and gran left. 

What is their perception of family?

family used to be everything but after her mum passed ellie hasn’t been super connected to her family, with the exception of her gran who is her favouite person in the whole world. 

Do they have siblings? Older or younger?

she’s an only child, i’m sure this surprises no one. 

Describe their best friend.

the real yin to her yang and the one person she will never put the moves on because it would totally ruin their vibe. also it would be weird because they are basically sisters at this point. if ellie is ever able to sit still long enough to sit and think things through things it is down to this person. big mom friend vibes. 10/10 angel on earth. 

Do they have any pets?

oh god no, she shouldn’t be trusted to care for a living creature. 

PAST&FUTURE:

What was your character like as a teen?

not unlike herself now, which speaks to her emotional maturity but much more moody and reckless, very little regard for the consequences of her actions, and pretty listless/unmotivated. she’s since learned to reel some of that in as she’s focussed on her career. 

Did they grow up rich or poor?

middle class, they were comfortable, but they didn’t go on holiday every school break or anything. 

Did they grow up nurtured or neglected?

nurtured, but when she lost her mum she an her dad started to neglect each other. 

What is their greatest achievement?

winning a bafta. 

What was their first kiss like?

awkward and the result of a game of spin the bottle gone wrong -- she’d really wanted to kiss matt jones but instead the bottle had landed on rory tyler. 

What is the worst thing they did to someone they loved?

LEFT THEM AT THE ALTAR?! 

What are their ambitions?

she’d really like to have a career that lasts past her 35th birthday

What advice would they give their younger self?

hang in there, be kinder to mum, go easier on dad, don’t forget to keep your promises. 

What smells remind them of their childhood?

cinnamon sugar and french toast, mum would make it every sunday. 

What was their childhood ambition?

to be an actress and a unicorn doctor, so she’s definitely lived up to some of her childhood ambitions!

What does their five-year plan look like?

become a house hold name, successfully bake banana bread, take a dance class, learn to play piano, take someone she loves to an awards show. 

LOVE:

Do they believe in love at first sight?

no, not even a little which is funny because she is definitely the sort to fall quickly. 

Are they in a relationship? Are they in love?

no, but she is still in love with her ex so that’s fun. particularly for someone whose default is to seek vey surface level/fun ‘relationships’.

How do they behave in a relationship?

depends on the relationship and the person, honestly. ellie hasn’t been in many serious relationships because she typically bolts at the first sign of feeeelings as she tends to lean towards her need for freedom rather than commitment but on the rare occasion her heart has fallen before her brain was able to catch on she’s been quite happy to hermit with her partner. she becomes so smitten the idea of wanting someone else escapes her completely. 

When did your character last have sex?

probably last night. or this morning. she’s a ho and she doesn’t like to be alone. that’s when things like thinking happen and that’s no good! 

Has your character ever been in love?

yes, twice. and both instances left her gutted. 

Have they ever had their heart broken?

she has, but in the end it’s usually by herself as she has the tendency to leave before she gets left. 

Are they crushing on anyone now? Tag them!

lana (and also probs sabrina lbh): @lauralaword​ , sean: @gapsofsvnlight​ , quinn: @sonderbound​ , and probs pyper: @chvrryglcss​ bc she seems emotionally unavailable and ellie likes a challenge, plus she a babe. guys i said she’s a ho. 

WORK&LIFE:

What is their current job?

actress, she’s also an aspiring screen writer/playwright and director, but that’s mainly born of fear of what she’ll do when the industry decides she’s too old to play a lead

What do they think about their current job?

loves it, a +, everything she’d hoped it be even if the hours are maybe a bit longer than she’d like and she doesn’t always love feeling like she has to hide parts of herself from rabid fans/news sources, but she likes her privacy. 

What are some of their past jobs?

bag girl, ride attendant, bartender (at uni), nanny, waitress, and snow white for a tick!

What are their hobbies?

she likes to read and netflix, but her main hobby is bugging her mates until they entertain her. 

Educational background?

went to the royal academy of dramatic art in london where she studied acting. 

Do they have a natural talent for something?

photography, the written word, charming her way into your pants. 

Do they play a sport? Are they any good?

no, she does not sport well nor does she understand any of the rules. her disdain for football is just another point of contention between her and her father. 

MISC:

What is in their fridge?

a half drank bottle of vodka, seltzer, diet coke, some probiotics she never takes and a variety of take out containers. she does not cook. 

What is on their bedside table?

cellphone charger, a book she’s been trying to finish for ages, and a sound machine. 

What kinda car do they drive, and is their car messy or clean?

honestly she couldn’t tell you the make or model unless she read the manual butt it gets her to auditions and that’s all that matters. it’s basically always got at least three changes of clothes and a takeaway coffee cup and/or wrapper somewhere so if you think that’s messy...  

Do they carry a purse? What is in their purse or wallet?

usually, but if she’s out at retrograde she’ll pair her essentials down to things that can fit in her pocket -- basically that means a lip (red if she’s feeling feisty or insecure), her debit card, her cell and some mints. her purse has at any given time four different lips, a chapstick, some gloss, three packs of gum, mints, a pack of emergency smokes (for when things get intense and she needs to break her clean streak), her wallet, a compact, an umbrella, and so many receipts! 

What is in their pockets?

if she has her purse they’re likely empty, if she doesn’t all the things. also sometimes her hands when she doesn’t know what to do with them. 

What is their most treasured possession? 

her mums wedding band, she wears it basically all the time on her index finger. 

#tlawtask1 #part 2 #muse: ellie #about: ellie #bio: ellie #I HOPE I DID THIS RIGHT #?!

[the-god-of-nihon]

Meanwhile in an Alternate Universe

So what if the cast were the MCs of their own stories? What sort of genres and story structures would lend themselves to each of the characters’ personalities, and traits? What kind of different scenarios can you put them in, while still retaining their character?

I mean, what sort of stories would the characters fit best if they were the MCs?

Like how everything about Oscar's backstory and character screams, "traditional hero's journey." Outside of the Ozpin stuff, he'd fit right in a generic heroic fantasy or sword in the stone type set-up.

Basically an excuse to think up interesting AU ideas, without committing to writing anything. Here are some of mine.

Weiss - Political Intrigue Drama

Weiss has to deal with her estranged family while navigating a complex world of politics and business. Can she keep her family's business running in a harsh, cut throat industry, as well as protect herself, and her family from those that would sabotage them? Even if some of those people might be closer than she thinks.

Blake - Spy Drama

As a spy working in the service of her country, Blake and her colleagues' efforts were the only thing keeping their small country from being overtaken by the larger, more powerful nations around it. But just how far is she willing to go for her country, and what is she willing to sacrifice to ensure its safety?

Yang - Action/Sports

Yang is an up-and-coming rookie to the female pro kick boxing world, and she has to prove her skills and determination to make it to the top.

Jaune - Adventure/Comedy/Fantasy

Kids always want to be heroes when they grow up, Jaune was no different. Smothered by his family, and over shadowed by his siblings, he sets out on his own to defeat evil and fight for what is right. The only hiccup? He’s a healer.

Nora - Historical Fantasy/Action

An orphaned child that grew into a powerful, but kind Shield Maiden, and took up the name Nora Valkyrie. Guarding the realms of man from monster and human alike. She fights in the hope that one day her actions will earn her a place she can finally belong.

Pyrrha - Romantic Comedy

Pyrrha is a lonely girl, who only ever wanted to find someone who could understand her and treat her like she was everybody else. Which is difficult because she’s a super strong, but has a hard time controlling her strength.

Ren - Wuxia/Cooking/Comedy

Ren is a wandering chef, that wishes to travel all over the world and learn about other cultures and their cuisine. But in a world where food is the life blood of society, one is always in danger of having their food and recipes snatched away at a moments notice. But Ren is not afraid, for he is a master of both martial arts & the culinary arts; and is armed with his specialized cooking based fighting style.

Weiss - Isekai Comedy/Adventure

Weiss Schnee is beautiful, well-mannered, & from a wealthy family, with numerous business prospects to pursue after graduation. One wouldn’t be remiss to say she had her future laid out for her already by the age of 17. She wouldn’t struggle for work, nor opportunities barring some sort of familial tragedy. And yet, Weiss found life to be so very dull. She yearned for something that would bring stimulation to her life; little did she know, she should be careful what she wishes. On a day like any other, Weiss Schnee is suddenly whisked away to another world. A world where her looks, & her father’s money won’t help her get ahead. One she is interested in testing herself against.

Blake - Harem Comedy

Blake is your average bookish college girl. Completely content to go unnoticed so she can enjoy her smutty romance novels in peace. But one day she is chosen by a god of love, due to her abundance of (second hand) knowledge, to spread love to the people of the world. So now Blake has been tasked with wooing as many people as she can, or she'll be punished. Except Blake has never actually dated anyone. Well she'll probably figure it out.

Yang - Western/Adventure

Yang Xiao Long is a bounty hunter. One of the best bounty hunters on the frontier. She's been after a specific mark for years, but they always manage to get away from her. She’s in no hurry though, she’ll get them, it’s only a matter of time. Yang Xiao Long always gets her mark.

Jaune - Drama/Coming of Age

Jaune Arc is a failure. His one chance at making something of himself ended up with his almost going to prison. His only saving grace being that he was 16 at the time. Now 18, and freshly out of juvie, Jaune has to figure out how to make it on his own with the authorities just waiting for him to screw up. No skills, no experience, and everyone around him expecting the worst of him; will he become an up-standing member of society, or do old habits die hard?

Nora - Modern Fantasy/Coming of Age

Stories of gods and their offspring are found in cultures and mythologies the world over. The story of Nora Valkyrie is one such story. She must learn not only to balance the two halves of her life, but also comes to terms with her parentage, and the prom is tomorrow!

Pyrrha - Action Adventure

Pyrrha Nikos was destined for greatness, from birth her life had been laid out for her, and she was reaised to be a champion of the people. To strive to be better than those around her, and that came before her. Now she must under take a quest to claim a power that will change the world, one that will no doubt be fraught with peril.

Ren - Action/Drama Revenge Story

Lie Ren is on a quest of revenge. After the murder of his parents & the destruction of his village, he will stop at nothing to find the one responsible. And make them pay. But will he become a monster just to sate his hunger for vengeance?

What do you think? How could these ideas work, or not work? What would you do to improve them, or push them further? What are some story ideas you think the characters would work well with?

#RWBY #JNPR #Long Post #Weiss Schnee #Blake Belladonna #Yang Xiao Long #Jaune Arc #Nora Valkyrie #Pyrrha Nikos #Au ideas #writting ideas

[calmtone]

          hello everyone , the name is sab and i’m super excited to be here w u all 😔 everything u need to know abt jaein is under the cut and i’m sort it’s a mess my sister literally isn’t shutting her mouth , so it’s hard for me to concentrate KSMKSMS but , i’d love to plot w u , so hit that like button and i’ll come to u or i can give u my discord if y’all would prefer that !

˗ˏˋ  ( hwang hyunjin. twenty-one. cis male. he/him. ) yang jaein has been at so!ar entertainment for one year. they have been the stylist of legacy since february, 2019. they are known by their family to be altruistic, idealistic + zealous but they can also be meticulous, guarded + flighty. i hope that they can make it in this industry.

TRIGGER WARNING FOR HINTS OF ABUSE .

info .

born in seoul , sk to a beautiful , university student mother and a big business father . his father was ten years her senior .

it was a strange relationship truly , but neither really cared anyways . his mother didn’t care because she loved this man and his father didn’t care because well , he had a beautiful woman on his arm .

there was also the fact that he’d knocked her up and it would’ve been a disgrace to his own family to leave a woman and his child

so the marriage was forced , in his father’s eyes at least . he never quite loved her , not as much as she loved him . her life was molded into something fake and the light in her eyes dwindled as time went on . expected to be a housewife and not what her own dreams wanted her to be .

( she was a fashion design student , was in love with the idea of a simple piece of fabric being turned into something that could brighten eyes and turn heads )

it’s scary what someone would do for love or at least a fabricated version of love she didn’t want to leave , afraid of the truth

thus in turn , growing up jaein had a skewed vision of what love was , he received so much love and encouragement from his mother yet received cold harsh treatment from his father . watched his mother with hearts in her eyes as she watched his father and saw his father write her off like she meant nothing

jaein had a love for fashion from a young age , watching his mother make her own clothing in her small little space in the house , watched her sew fabrics and buttons and jewels together to make a masterpiece . she taught him all she knew , loved the way his eyes lit up like hers would when she was younger . he always found joy in helping his mother pick out pretty dresses and doing her make up

always dreamed of dressing people up like he’d help dress her up

he was always a more introverted child , he found nice company with his mother as mentioned above , she was always his best friend . however his father wanted him to be more , hated to watch his son find a love for something that would get him no where just like his mother . hated to watch him fall in love with smth that was some Prissy shit

when he was ten his father got offered a big job in milan , italy and off jaein went . forced to pack up his life and leave everything behind for a father that cared little about him

he was in heaven though ... kinda ... a fashion hub of the world it felt like his dreams were coming true . however it was while living in italy where his father was really forcing his hand on him

forced him to be apart of the more popular social scene , shoving him into crowds he didn’t do well with . forced his introverted and shy son to be extroverted and outgoing , to attend parties and let people use him however they saw fit . he didn’t make friends , he met ppl that wanted his money , wanted him because he was pretty .

people pushed him around a lot . physically , emotionally .

his father wanted him to be some big business man , take after himself and shit , jaein obviously didn’t want that , he wanted to do fashion and create things . his father wasn’t happy when he told him he’d be moving back to korea ( age 18 ) to pursue a degree in fashion design .

that furthered strained their relationship or whatever relationship they even possessed because his father wasn’t really present as a parental figure , the one time jaein stuck up for himself was the last line for his father who ended up p much disowning him

his mother was still there in his life watching him go to university , she supported his move and pays his tuition behind her husbands back bc she wants to toxically live through her own son as he chases the dreams she had

it was because of that that he had gotten his job at solar . his mother had paid his way in there and he hadn’t found out until recently , putting strain on their relationship because he felt like he couldn’t trust her . he would never tell a soul this though , so it’s his own internal battle !

personality-ish .

generally he’s sweet . kind , selfless , wants to help others more than help himself which leads to destructive tendencies of overworking himself .

he wants to be perfect , he wants to impress others , it’s why he shifts himself so much to fit a mold he doesn’t think he can fit .

his mother cares for him , loves him so much , but there’s always been pressure on his shoulders to be just like his father . he loves fashion he really does , he loves being able to create something that people will love , but he’s way too doubtful of himself , he never thinks anything he does is good enough which is definitely trauma from his father ( now from his mother because he doesn’t know if he should be at solar anymore ) , so he questions whether this is what he’s supposed to be doing or not .

he has hella daddy issues ... is struggling w the relationship w his mom bc of what she’d done . doesn’t talk to them .. talks to his mother on occasion but otherwise he’s pretty mf lonely but pretends to be happy bc he’s so good at pretending !

he’s a gemini . so he’s an annoying little petty whore and is quite moody and finicky and meticulous . he doesn’t trust ppl ... so many factors play into that from his parents to how he was treated by his peers , he’s just guarded and has trust issues up the ass .

yet he can be quite naive and he’s always craved love and affection ( that isn’t rough ) , so he’s thrown himself into things only to get himself hurt in the process ! he just wants validation and tried to get it in the worst way hehe ! like if u tryna get in his pants just be like hey ur amazing and he’ll drop to his knees ANYWAYSFLDKSJF

he can talk for hours once u get him started and get him out of his shell , though he can be quite self conscious about a lot of things

still pretends to be an extrovert but he’s definitely not !

def a romantic , loves the stars , flowers , wants to date and kiss someone but scared u know

he’s like an aesthetic hoe on insta , loves coffee and visiting different cafes whateva

uh he knows he’s bi , but he’s not like out ? kinda ? idk he hasn’t like explicitly said anything about it but like he’s been w both men and women before idk if that makes sense KFKDSM

wanted plots .

cute best friend ! probably someone he knew from korea before he moved to milan ? they always kept in contact , the person that jaein trusts more than anyone else

older sibling figure ! never had siblings , so having someone to sort of guide him would be nice

cuddle buddy bc.... cute /:

give him a lil crush pls ... he’s bi and it would be totally cute to see him get flustered in someone else’s presence and just be totally mf heart eyes ! could be a puppy crush or unrequited or not even that deep ! could be fully returned , whateva !

while he is a stylist , he always really loves make up ? but like hasn’t really dabbled w anyone besides himself ? so maybe a little test subject of sorts !

love / hate is always fun ! jaein can be a lil moody , so getting on his bad side isn’t super tricky 

an ex ! smth angsty and shit ... pls would love the angst

rival ? enemy of sorts ? just someone that jaein doesn’t like and they’re always bickering nd shit 

maybe a first love ? that would be p cute

his test subject ! w fashion and he’s always making them stand for too long and poking them w his pins on accident and it’s just a really precious and supportive relationship

#hqidolintros #⁺ 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 ‚ ooc ♡ 𝙼𝚄𝙽 . #this is a MESS I'M SORRY #if u need clarification i'd be more than HAPPY to do that #but uh yeah . plot w me pls uwu

[thesporkidentity]

The a-yuan broke my heart, I was crying like the final flashback battle all over again but they were happy tears, ya know? THE LEG HUG!!! Also is it just my dumb self or was his costume slightly different between the walking and then the final playing in those final 30 seconds? Not lying it's perfect either way but oh if it's like a little while later I can't with my child. Also oh my goodness can that boy smile like a sunbeam, my heart has been restored from the PAIN, SO MUCH PAIN.

Also with bby!Nie I literally called it, I knew something was up I was screaming and hollering. Don’t get me wrong there’s enough in the flashback that yeah they’re all dumb together but there’s enough hints there, just enough. It was very well done that section. I’m being extremely vague in case the other anon’s still around. I literally love everyone on the show even though in some cases I really shouldn’t because… jsdjcsd they belong in the garbage can.             

Don’t get me wrong I sympathize with them very deeply in some cases but in other cases like dude I wanna slam dunk them in the garbage where they belong for very good reasons. They seem to have added a lot more gray into the live drama from what I hear, which makes it a bit easier in every case but the consent issues (oh god the consent issues, that’s not going to be fun). I’m glad I might still get to try the AD! Apparently it’s the same voice actors so it’s like a rewatch but more canon ;)            

THE. LEG. HUG. he’s just such a precious baby duckling! and he’s ALIVE! and my god lan zhan fucking RAISED HIS CHILD FOR HIM like that is devotion right there and he did such a good job he turned out so well like even before knowing WHO he was he was ALREADY everyone’s favorite of the juniors.

if you’re talking about between lwj and wwx walking away and then the final thirty seconds with the silence and then the music then yeah it was a different costume. so even after lwj and wwx split to fulfill their own separate duties in the end they still come back together like, lwj tracks him down and finds him again (presumably when his duties are finished and the cultivation world has recovered from that chaos) because they’re fucking cultivation partners and after they do what their honor and goodness demands they finally get their happy ending of just wandering around and doing good together and it makes my heart so full.

nei huisang!!! my little dark horse! yeah i don’t want to spoil it but hot damn.

and yeah i’m not gonna judge you for loving the garbage people like, book jin guangyao is actually one of my favorite characters. (i just find him so fascinating because so much of him is so understandably human that, a few of his crimes aside, i can actually totally understand him. so you end up asking like, what was the tipping point? what number of his mistakes or which of his crimes took him from redeemable to unforgiveable? in a universe a little bit to the left could he have been a force for good or do you side with nie mingjue’s opinion that after his first crime that he could never be anything else?) i like that in most cases the villains in this story are so very human rather than a caricature, like aside from wen ruohan and wen chao they actually have reasons behind the bad things they do besides just ‘oh well they’re an evil character.’

as for the grey morality, the live-action actually took away a lot of that in my opinion (likely due to censorship reasons, so i wouldn’t blame the production for that they very obviously tried as hard as they could to be as faithful as they could) at least as far as the leads go. it’s like they polarized it so like wwx was better and jgy was worse, but at the same time those changes made some of the minor characters a little more gray though i guess because they were minor it was okay? skip these parts if you’re wary of spoilers.

**the villains are more evil, the heroes are more pure. like the show glosses over it but in the book one of jin guangyao’s biggest contributions to the cultivation world is a watchtower project where small groups of cultivators rotate through garrisons spaced out along the countryside in order to make it easier for the people under their protection to get help and to reduce reaction times when they detect surges of resentful energy. like, he fought a lot of the sect leaders on this since setting up garrisons could (and likely was) a first step towards consolidation of power, but at the same time it did protect the commoners and rural areas that a lot of the others deemed unimportant enough to really care about. but because that distracts from his misdeeds the show left it out to make him more explicitly evil. (also the whole NOT MENTIONING THAT HIS SON WAS CONCEIVED BEFORE HE KNEW SHE WAS HIS SISTER AND THEN HE NEVER TOUCHED HER AGAIN, WHY DID THEY HAVE TO TAKE THAT OUT AND MAKE HIM COMMIT INTENTIONAL INCEST??? anyway i’m fine it’s cool whatever) but for the most part everything he does isn’t about power just for power’s sake the way it seemed to be for wen ruohan or jin guangshan, it’s the impulse of someone who was abused and powerless amassing power because maybe if he gets enough he can finally keep himself safe (and the tragic thing is that it will never be enough because he cares so much about what everyone thinks about him that he could never achieve what he would view as “safe”)

and the live-action absolves wei wuxian of…basically all his crimes except maybe having a bit of a temper and a sharp tongue. the whole ancient ancestor of a destroyed clan creating yin metal? the wens already practicing demonic cultivation with xue yang? none of that was in the book. wei wuxian wasn’t just a demonic cultivator, he was the genius who invented it. xue yang didn’t even come in until much later as an imitator. it’s like the difference between someone who uses a gun versus someone who invented the gun and introduced that kind of harm into the world. and no one interfered with his usage of the tiger seal at the pass with jin zixuan or at nightless city. wei wuxian really was just emotionally compromised and he lost control and yeah it wasn’t intentional but it did kill people and it was very much on him.**

so like, there’s a lot more grey in the novel and who you decide to hate and who you decide to forgive is very much of the “when is a monster not a monster? oh, when you love it” variety. so if that’s your bag you might really enjoy that novel.

yeah the consent issues… the consent issues feel in my opinion  like…unnegotiated kink? at least that’s kinda how i interpreted it to get through the sex scenes (and also i’ve read in this series of posts that some of those consent issues are exacerbated by the translation and were not necessarily in the original text). like from POV you can tell that what he says and what he wants are two different things and he definitely wants, but it is not something that would be okay to do in your real life as opposed to in fiction without a pre-scene negotiation and a safe word so the lack of that might be a trouble spot for some people. and if you’re sensitive to that then definitely skip the incense burner extras. if it’s something you’re worried about then i’d say read that series of posts to make an informed decision.

and the voice actor for the AD is the same for wei ying, but different for lan wangji. but the same for some other actors. the live-action took a smattering of different people from the AD and the donghua. but it’s really good and it follows the book canon super closely and the scenes they add are really good.

okay i’ve blabbed on enough at this point i apparently like hearing myself…type? that expression works less well in this context. but yeah, done now lol

#follower replies #anonymous #/ #// #/// #//// #///// #the untamed #mo dao zu shi #Anonymous

[niuniente]

Tag from @hitodama89​! This time I’ll just answer questions and won’t come up with any new. 

What is your favorite Pokémon and why? I have played only Pokemon Emerald, so my faves are Mudkip and Mightyena.  Mudkip is cute, absolutely adorable. Mightyena is very similar to me, so I think we’d come along as a trainer and her pokemon :) 

Did you follow the recent E3? If so, what game made you most excited? I did not actively follow it so I have most likely missed many wonderful game news. I’m the most excited for FFVII Remake, as that game changed my life, literally. I also heard there’s new Breath of The Wild coming. While I do not play BOTW, I’m happy for the news and except to see Sidon and his sister (if possible for her that is)

Is there some childhood cartoon that you feel really shaped you in some way? What is it? I must say Turtles, because the TV series made me a fan, which made my mom to order me Turtles comics. I’m forever thankful for her for that. Comic artist Chris Allan was A HUGE influence to me. I learned so much by simply mimicking him and redrawing his art. He taught me many things; anatomy, poses,  different textures, expressions and shading with black. I was 9yo. 

Name one food/dish you wish you could prepare perfectly. SUKIYAKI. I never get it right. It’s OK but not as good as my friend’s version in Osaka, even when I follow her recipe.

What is a perfect outdoors temperature for you? Chilly, no matter what time of the year it is. 10C is chilly during summer. 0C is chilly in fall and spring. -10C is chilly in winter.

Do you feel like your horoscope is a good fit for you? Astrological fact is that your sun or year sign is only a small fragment of your whole personality and astrological chart. So, while I’m Sun Aries, Aries does not fit me 100% because other placements in the chart defy and change it. I’m not aggressive flirt or super sporty, which are common traits for Aries, but I’m independent and resist the idea “Things must be done this way because they have always been done this way”-attitude.  In Chinese zodiac I’m Water Pig, but I just got my hands on my full BaZi report. Turns out my Day Animal is Metal Dog and my Self’s element in rigid and masculine Yang Metal. Pig is social and loves food and good gatherings and is very naive, but my Yang Metal and Metal Dog are the reasons why those Pig traits don’t fit me. Yang Metal is rugged, masculine, hard, sturdy, and if handled well, turns into a beautiful and lethal sword. Dog is loyal for its pack only, being suspicious of others, and prefers his own territory. He does not socialize much with others and treats unknown with indifference and respect at the best ;’D

You can create a new “— Awareness Day”; what will you choose to be the topic of it? Childfree by Choice. I don’t think we have any Awareness Day for this? In Finland we do have Day for Childless People close to Mother’s Day, but I feel it is mainly meant for those who have been unable to have children and mourn their loss. Many of us have been born like this and thus relate to sexual minorities. Many of us say that becoming a parent feels as illogical and unnatural as waking up tomorrow with a different sexual orientation or a gender identity. 

Which was more fun to you as a child, Christmas or your birthday? Why? CHRISTMAS! It was the only time of the year when there was no lack. We had plenty of food and chocolate and fruits. Candles and always presents, too. It was, for me at least, the moment of the year when everything was fine and calm and alright. Not to mention that I got to rest from school, as an introvert elementary high (7th-9th grade) were hell. I have no idea how I survived those 3 years without breaking completely apart with no return to better health...

You learn to talk to animals, but only to one species. What species will you choose? Tough one! Birds as a whole species would be interesting, but if it can be just a specific single species, then probably tigers.

What is your favorite shirt like? Nowadays I mainly use dresses and tunics tbh. I have one shirt which says “With My Witches”, which is a nice slogan :D  I do have a leopard pattern hoodie, which is very old and very worn and it’s breaking apart, but it is so comfortable and feels good on. 

You can ask one question from the universe and get an absolute thruth about it as an answer; what will you ask? Very tough one. I already speak with the Universe and do get answers, but some things are kept hidden. Perhaps I’d like to know more specific advice on how to reach my goals; what tangible actions I should take, when and to what direction?

#tagged

[littlemisssquiggles]

RWBY Squiggle Scripts #010: The Beauty of Dance.

miggy97 asked “ I’m starting to think that Oscar’s love for Ruby will be similar to Uraraka’s love for Midoriya: he’ll be in denial of it for a while, but then once he realizes it, he’ll try to conceal those feelings entirely, because he believes it will result in pain for both Ruby and him since he expects to merge with Oz soon

@miggy97  That’s not a bad theory Miggy. I actually have the opposite hunch where it’s Ruby who is the one to slowly realize how she feels around Oscar but would be reluctant in pursuing those feelings knowing Oscar’s fate while combatting with her own reluctance to trust Ozpin again. A lot of fans’ impressions of Ruby Rose is that she isn’t the type to focus on romance and relationships. As always, this squiggle meister has a differing opinion. I actually do think that deep down Ruby wants that romantic life---the fairy tale that’s full of charm. She just hasn’t really been given much of an opportunity where she can express that type of interest, y’know what I’m saying?

This is why I shared this RWBY Remark once upon a time. As I said in my last response, Ruby has never had any romantic suitors. It’s hard to tell how Ruby would truly react in a romantic situation when the series hasn’t really put her in that type of scenario before. The closest thing was the ball back at the Vytal Festival but even then, Ruby’s involvement in that was completely omitted. I feel like when it came to the dance episodes, only her teammates: Weiss, Yang and Blake were given subplots as part of those episodes.

We had Weiss pursuing Neptune as her potential date to the dance. We had Blake be approached by Sun and ended up going with Sun. And while Yang didn’t have a date, she still had her important role of that subplot by helping Blake through overcoming her stress induced insomnia over Torchwick and the two even ended sharing a dance together at the ball as a result of their talk which I think is what sparked folks to start shipping them.

But Ruby. Ruby in the dance episode was more akin to a young child being dragged to a social gathering by their older peers or an adult. And since she’s not used that type of environment, she mostly just spends her night alone in the corner or in the company of her comrades when they’re free enough to come talk to her.

As a matter of fact, that is exactly how it was. Ruby just stood mostly in the corner for most of the dance episode. No one asked her to dance nor did she herself seem interested in joining the festivities. Till this day, that still kind of bums me out. All the more reason why I appreciated Professor Ozpin approaching Ruby and talking to her. I always enjoyed when Oz would approach Ruby with words of wisdom and his advice to her in V2 will always be my favourite moment between them.

I mean, we still didn’t get to see Ruby loosen up and bust a move with anyone or even by herself but…I guess you could say she was a little less apprehensive of the joining the festivities after Oz talked to her. Or so I’d like to think.

All the more reason why I’m looking forward to the Atlas Arc from V7. I feel like Atlas will give us a second opportunity for the heroes to have some well-earned downtime. I am still holding onto the prospect of the heroes reuniting with Team FNKY. Neon invited Yang and Weiss to go partying with her and Flynt back in V2 so I’m hoping the CRWBY didn’t forget that detail and we’ll get an episode of V7 dedicated to the heroes just dressing down and going clubbing in Atlas with Flynt and Neo.

Let FNKY treat RWBY and JNPR to a night out and take our heroes to FNKY town so that they can have some fun with FN!

I want another episode where we get to see our heroes change outfits again. Not just Team RWBY this time but JNPR as well inclusive of Oscar with a nice causal look.

Do you know what could be super cool? What if…Flynt and Neon end up taking RWBY and JNPR to a roller disco club in downtown Atlas or something? With roller-skates being part of Neon’s design, I figured second to raves, she and Flynt must enjoy going rollerblading as well and what better place to combine rollerblading with music and dancing than a roller disco?

If my memory serves correctly, I also remember Neon pointing out that Weiss and Yang should try out rollerblading since it’s super fun. I mean, yeah sure, she was only saying that to partially taunt Yang but…I’m still holding her to that. Rollerblading + Partying = Roller disco.

The CRWBY could even have that as a future episode of V7 and fittingly title it ‘Panic at the Disco’. Boom! C’mon CRWBY! I just would love to see an episode where FNKY invite the heroes out to dancing and rollerblading but while her teammates and friends are having fun, Ruby is rather reluctant about joining them. As a matter of fact, she’s the most abrasive about dancing. Even Oscar is surprisingly eager to join in on the dancing.

By my Pinehead headcanon, Oscar Pine is an astonishingly good dancer and even though he’s never skated in his life, he picks up on it really quickly and makes a positive spectacle of himself wowing everyone on the dance floor with his impressive footwork. He and Neon even share a dance at some point and while this is going on, Ruby just watches on alone in the corner. She’d been pretty reluctant to come onto the dancefloor no matter how many times her friends tried to sway her into it. 

And somehow spotting Oscar laughing while dancing with Neon made her feel even more out of place. So Ruby just retires from the dance floor room just in time for Oscar to spot her leaving. This of course, encourages him to go after the Silver Eyed Girl. I would love for a moment like this to be done in a future episode of RWBY because it’s another golden chance for our Rosebuds to bond. Picture a scene like this:

JNPR and WBY are out on the dance floor with Flynt and Neon having a blast. Meanwhile Ruby is sitting out in the corner watching her friends enjoy themselves without her. At some point, Oscar skates over to join her in the stands after spotting her leaving. 

Oscar: Hey you. *takes a seat next to Ruby* So…I…couldn’t help but…uh…notice you sitting here all by yourself.

Ruby: Yeah well…I…couldn’t help but notice you on the dance floor back there. Didn’t know you were such a great dancer.

Oscar: *bashfully* Thanks but…I wouldn’t exactly call myself a great dancer. My aunt was the real great dancer.

Ruby: Oh? *smirks amusedly* Was she the one who taught you all your moves?

Oscar: Well…not all my moves. *chuckles lightly* But yeah, Aunt Em and I used to dance a lot back on the farm. After my uncle passed away, it… broke her heart and... Em was really, really depressed for a while. She used to say dancing was what brought her and Uncle Henry together so dancing solo just made her feel...lonely.

I actually didn’t like dancing at all at first. Didn’t think it was for me. But I changed my mind soon after I saw how happy it made Em feel to have a dance partner again. I'd never forget the night I told her I wanted to learn how to dance. It's the brightest I saw her smile since my uncle was alive.

Ruby: That's really sweet of you.

Oscar: *bashfully* Hey… it's not that big of a deal. The least I could do after she took me in, right? 

Ruby: Do you miss her a lot? Your Aunt Em?

Oscar: Every day. But Em's always been a tough ole gal who could take care of herself and she taught me to be the same way. But, being here tonight just reminded me of all those times we would just...get together and dance till the cows come home. Makes it feel a bit like home.

Oscar trailed off smiling to himself. But when he noticed Ruby looking at him, he blushed and looked away suddenly feeling embarrassed.

Oscar: *nervously* Ah---sorry if I'm rambling. *clears his throat and laughs awkwardly* I'm surprising chattier tonight.

Ruby: No, no it's ok. It's nice to hear you talk about your family for a change. *smiles at Oscar, resting her hand on his shoulder* I'm glad you're having fun, Oscar.

Oscar returns the small smile but then frowns as he remembered Ruby’s reluctance for the evening.

Oscar: But...you're not, aren’t you?

Ruby: *frowns sadly* No. I'm completely out of my element here. Why'd we have to come to a roller disco of all places? How is dancing going to help us on the battlefield?

Oscar: Well…dancing is actually good for team building. Two or more partners learning to trust each other and move in sync. When you look at it like that, it actually makes dancing the perfect exercise, don’t you think?

Ruby says nothing. She knows Oscar is right in his words however doesn’t admit it. She just continues to pout grumpily while avoiding his eyes. Oscar presses on.

Oscar: Listen Ruby, I know we're huntsmen trying to save the world but there's more to life than just fighting, y'know. We just spent the last couple of weeks fending off villains and Grimm and it's only going to get harder from here. Which is…all the more reason for us to appreciate the smaller, quieter moments like this, right? Who knows when we might get a chance at some actual downtime again? I know it's not your element but...I hope you can still have some fun at least. Maybe we can even dance together.

Finally Ruby looks up at Oscar, her expression incredulous.

Ruby: You mean…you and me? Dancing? You’re asking me to dance?

Oscar: *a little too eagerly* Yes! I---I mean…*blushing slightly* Only if you want to.

Ruby: I…

Ruby bit her lip nervously.

Ruby: *talking softly* ...I…don't know how to dance.

Oscar: What?

Ruby: I don’t know how to dance. I've...never done it before. Well...actually I tried it once. Back at combat school. But I didn’t know what I was doing and I ended up twisting my ankle and falling flat on my face. The guy I was dancing with started laughing at me and then everyone laughed at me. It was the most embarrassing moment of my life and I never danced again after that.

Oscar: Well… that changes everything. Now you're definitely getting up and dance.

Ruby: *shocked* WHAT! Didn’t you hear me? I'm not a dancer! I'll make a fool of myself!

Oscar: *enthusiastically* No you won’t. I can teach you how to dance. Besides if a 14 year old farmhand like me can become a huntsman, you, Ms Rose can definitely dance.

Unfortunately, Oscar’s eagerness is still not enough to sway Ruby who still appears apprehensive. So Oscar tries a different approach. He looks Ruby square in her face with a boldness she has never seen from him before. Oscar then smiled at Ruby, his hazel eyes radiating a genuine kindness and sincerity that left Ruby strangely fixated.

Oscar: Hey, you’ve helped me out so many times during our battles. Let me return the favour this time. All I’m asking is that you trust me. Please?

Oscar then extends his hand in a gesture for Ruby to accept his proposal. For a moment, Ruby just stares blankly at Oscar’s outstretched hand. She’s still very much reluctant but when he eyes returned to meet Oscar’s face still radiating that kind willingness, alas, the red rose conceded.

Slowly, Ruby accepts Oscar’s hand and he cups it gently as he slowly began to lead her onto the vibrant dancefloor with its multi-coloured lights and blaring music. To further prove that he was willing to accommodate for Ruby’s anxiety, Oscar moved extra slowly as he helped Ruby onto the floor, careful not to pull her too hard so she wouldn’t think he was dragging her.

Eventually the two managed to blade their way onto a nice quiet spot, far from the other dancers but still close enough that they can hear the music. Oscar stood facing Ruby. He still held her hand and gave it a small reassuring squeeze when he noticed that Ruby was still looking very self-conscious. It was admittedly little odd for Oscar seeing Ruby this tense especially since he had grown so accustomed to her righteous bravado.

Ruby: *very nervously* I…promise me you won’t laugh if I fall down, okay?

Oscar: *reassuringly* Aunt Em used to say this about dancing. The job of a good partner is to be a great support. If you fall, I'll just catch you. Besides I plan on laughing with you, not at you.

Oscar flashes Ruby a warm smile. Ruby had to cup her cheeks a little bit as she felt a sudden warmness creep up on her. It was weird but all that nervousness soon washed away as she returned to smile to Oscar. With Oscar taking the lead, the two then started.

And scene.

What do you think Miggy? Also, hey @xstonehill, would a scene like this work for you as well? I remember you pointing out Oscar reaching out to Ruby a lot throughout V6.

I think dancing---especially the Rosebuds dancing together is the perfect chance to help build trust between them. Part of dancing is about synchronization.  Learning to follow your partner’s lead and/or move in complete unison with them as part of the performance. Dancing is a terrific way to build closeness in a relationship---be it platonic or romantic since it encourages intimacy. Growing closer to your partner and getting more in tune with them to better build on your trust with them which aids in the dance.

I think dancing could be a surprisingly great thing to have Ruby and Oscar bond over. We never saw Ruby dance before. As a matter of fact, we know of her apprehension towards dancing from V2. All the more reason I’m hoping the CRWBY Writers make Oscar a good dancer---or at least a more confident dancer so that he can help encourage Ruby to loosen up and trust in him to be Ruby’s partner; both in and off the battlefield

Think about it this way. Oscar has proven himself to be very good at breaking down some of the walls that Ruby likes to place herself behind when she’s attempting to be all nonchalant about the issues that plague her.

Oscar is always eager to reach his hand out to help Ruby. That's actually good since it's a nod back to what Oz told him back in V4.

As we saw in V6, Ruby's happiest memory with Oscar is the time he helped her back in V5. That dojo scene meant a lot to Ruby and was what solidified her liking of Oscar. I would love for another opportunity where Oscar once again helps Ruby through a moment of insecurity and gets her to open up to him.

Having Oscar and Ruby dance together and learn to trust through dance is an interesting way to help them grow as a team. We're used to seeing Ruby take leadership a lot especially after V6.

It'd be great if through dancing, Ruby learns to let Oscar take the lead for a change and trust in him. Perhaps Ruby trusting Oscar's leadership through dance will encourage her to trust his guidance on the battlefield. Not saying that Ruby doesn’t trust Oscar. However I have noticed some minor moments that made me think that Ozpin’s isolation might have soured Ruby's bond with Oscar. Not a lot but enough that it's a bit noticeable in her expressions especially compared to last season and the start of this season.

Ruby learning to open herself up more to Oscar and trusting him through an unorthodox activity like dancing, using that a metaphor for their friendship could be surprisingly brilliant if executed.

Plus imagine if, dancing is what inspires Oscar and Ruby’s tag team move on the battlefield. Picture this:

Ruby and Oscar are cornered against their enemies. As their foes close in on them, Ruby turns to Oscar at some point and says "You ready to try our new move, partner?"

Oscar smirks knowingly as he offers Ruby his hand and replies "May I have this dance?"

And just like that, the Rosebuds execute their tag team move which is literally a dance. A duet of perfectly timed movements moving in sync to an imaginary beat that only Ruby and Oscar are in tuned to. After all, it is their dance. Their Petal Dance.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know Pokémon did it first but…but C’MON! I swear if we ever got a RoseGarden tag team move and it's pretty much a dance between Ruby and Oscar inspired by them learning to trust each other through dancing for the Atlas Arc, happy would not even begin to describe how ecstatic I'd be to see something like that done canonically.

But as always, these are only just my ideas. A squiggly Rosegardening Pinehead can only dream.

~LittleMissSquiggles (2019)

#miggy97 #squiggles abswers: rwby #oscar pine #ruby rose #oscar and ruby #rwby rosegarden #rwby rosebuds #squiggles scripts: rwby

[jadekitty777]

Divine Intervention: Chapter 4

Unofficial Taiqrowweek: Day 5

And thus completes this little story! I hope you all have enjoyed so far! Only two days left now. Tomorrow we’ll get back into the drabbles!

Rating: T

Word Count: 7,000 (in total, the entire story is roughly 18,0000)

Ao3 Link: Chapter 4

Summary: [Afterlife AU] Qrow is a raider demon. His job is clear: Collect recently fallen souls for Hell. The more he could gather, the more power he would be granted. Easy, right?

Well, it would be, if not for a certain blond angel constantly getting in his way. Qrow was pretty sure Taiyang’s job wasn’t to keep the souls safe from him, but rather to infuriate him with his overblown righteousness and his insufferable smiles.

Eternal damnation wasn’t supposed to be this annoying.

~

Wind whistled in his ears as Qrow flew through a carnation pink sky. On the horizon, a large property stood. The main building of the childcare center was large and long, almost mansion-like with how many rooms were likely within. As he passed over the roof, he could see the acres of land that composed the backyard. There was a section of picnic tables, a playground, fields separated for different sports and, most amusingly, a corral for horses and a barn that stood at the very back. He headed for the soccer field where everyone seemed to be, angling his wings to land just inside the fence.

He was still getting used to wings made of feathers, so his landing was a bit messy, but no one noticed with a field full of excited kids of varying ages shouting and running across the grass. He spotted Ruby out there with them. The kids who had decided to sit out, along with all the caretakers, were on the sidelines. A few he recognized, like Weiss, who was wearing a cheerleader’s outfit but was doing more ordering than cheering. Oscar was sitting in the lap of another one of the caretakers, a man he hadn’t been introduced to who seemed to have an odd liking for green suits.

Tai’s daughter, Yang, seemed to be completely absorbed in the game as she pumped her fist into the air and yelled to one of the kids, “Come on Mercury, kick it! Like I showed you!”

Qrow watched the kid who had the ball rear his leg back, before punting it rather impressively across the field. The green-haired girl who was guarding the goal leapt for it, missing it by inches.

“Yeah thatta boy!” She cheered.

Weiss shook her pompoms wildly. “I told you guys to watch him!”

“Hey ice queen, you’re supposed to be cheering us on, not coaching!” One of the blond boys yelled.

“Shut up monkey boy!”

“Okay, okay, there’s no need for name calling.” Tai intervened. “Y’all line back up at the center and let’s go again!”

This was the chance to say something, but as Qrow geared himself up, he found his mind clouded with doubts.

Maybe this was a bad time.

Tai seemed busy.

He shouldn’t have come unannounced in the first place.

Man up already! He berated himself. He couldn’t honestly be more terrified of starting a conversation than facing down a demon from Hell’s Court, right? Of course he wasn’t! That’d be stupid.

Qrow opened his mouth and nothing came out.

In all fairness, he was a pretty stupid guy.

He was also a rather noticeable guy, because it only took Ruby a moment to spot him as she turned to join the others. “Mr. Qrooow!” She yelled excitedly, rushing towards him. He caught a glimpse of Tai’s surprised expression, but wasn’t given much time to read into it before he was being barreled into by fifty pounds of child.

“Oof! Jeez kiddo, I think you bruised something.” He said, tousling her hair.

“Nuh-huh I’m too tiny.”

Over her giggles, Qrow faintly heard Oscar say, “Uncle Oz that’s the goat man!”

“Oh!” Ruby’s exclamation drew his attention again. She jumped back, spinning around. “Did you see my wings? Aren’t they great?”

He knelt down as if he was getting a better look. They were a lot like his, except the primary feathers had a red gradient. “Yeah kiddo they’re pretty amazing. Bet you’ll be one of the best fliers around.”

“Yeah I will! I’ma be super fast!” She told him. A shadow fell over them, making them both look up.

Qrow hadn’t realized he’d been missing that dumb smile until he saw it again.

“Howdy thar.” Tai greeted. “What brings you around these parts stranger?”

He snorted. “Oh nothing, just thought I’d check in. See how you guys were doing.”

“Oo, oo! I made lots of friends! And Nana makes the best cookies.” Ruby revealed. She cupped a hand around her mouth, divulging secretly, “If you’re real nice, she might give you one too.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

One of the kids yelled, “Ruby, come on! You’re holding up the game!”

“Okaaay!” She pat him on the cheek. “I gotta go kick butt now. Bye Mr. Qrow!”

Qrow watched her run back to the field, before his eyes drifted to Oscar. The little boy ducked a bit behind his uncle, but offered him a tentative wave. He smiled, waving back.

“They’re rather attached to you.” Tai observed.

He got to his feet, running a hand across the back of his head. “Not sure why.”

“Well, it’s not unusual exactly, but it usually happens between the guide and the soul. People ‘round here call it the Peter Pan effect ‘cause it’s so common.”

Qrow hummed thoughtfully as he eyed the other. Was that why he felt so compelled to find him? “That so? Guess I’m a regular ol’ Hook in that allegory then.”

“Nah, you’re more of a temperamental Tinkerbell.” Tai laughed over his indignant squawks, calling, “Hey I’m going to show Qrow around, do you guys got things here?”

“Yes, Tai dear, we can handle it. Have fun on your date.” His ex-wife called, looking just a little too devious.

And God forbid if Qrow didn’t jump on that one. “A date, huh? It’d better be up to my standards then.” He polished his fingernails against his chest like a posh rich man. “I’ll have you know I have rather elegant tastes.”

“Ugh. I’m not dignifying either of you with a response.” Tai grumbled, more for show than anything since he was clearly amused. “Come on, I’ll show you the barn first. And if you promise no jokes, I’ll even let you pet a horse.” He bounded over the fence, gesturing for him to follow.

“Afraid you’d have more luck getting a hog to fly than getting me to abide by your law, Sheriff.” He quipped as he landed beside him.

“I see you’re still quite the charlatan.” He laughed as they walked along the painted lines of the baseball field. “How have you been? You getting along well up here?”

“Well, I’m disappointed there’s no cloud trampolines.” He said, stuffing his hands in his pockets, hoping it made him appear more casual then he felt. “But, everything’s just about as full of rainbows and bunnies as I expected.”

He didn’t know why he bothered, since Tai had always had a knack for seeing right through him. “It’s hard to get used to, huh?”

“I mean, it’s not terrible. It’s just weird. And I don’t really know what to do with myself most days.” He admitted.

“Most new souls spend their first few weeks just visiting family or exploring. Have you found Raven yet?”

“Yeah. First thing I did after we separated at the gates was go to Rae’s place. Heh, it was quite a shock for her.” Qrow wouldn’t reveal that her way of dealing with it was punching him in the face just to make sure he was real.

One of the things that had surprised him was discovering that his sister hadn’t been immediately aware he’d entered Heaven – or had even known that he’d died a few years back. Apparently, that was just how it worked. It gave the newcomers time to adjust and visit family and friends at their own pace. Which was probably a blessing, since most reunions were guaranteed to be emotional – that is, if all his bawling was anything to go by.

“Mostly just been with her, catching up. Hanging out. That sort of thing.” He explained.

Tai regarded him like he was an autostereogram and the image just wasn’t quite clear yet. “Just her?”

“For now.” He replied vaguely, wisely changing topics before he could pry more. “What about you? How’s that leg doing?”

“I’m completely crippled, can’t you tell?” He placed a hand against his forehead like he might faint. “My afterlife is over!”

He rolled his eyes at the other’s theatrics. “Don’t oversell it buddy.”

“And waste my chance to annoy you? Never.”

The conversation stayed fairly light from there and once he started inquiring about the kids, there was really no stopping the other’s chattering. He didn’t mind because Tai was rather nice to listen to when he was speaking so passionately and it also didn’t require him to reply as much. Mostly, it gave him a chance to get his head together; he’d come all this way for a reason after all. He just needed the right moment to ask. The only problem was…

“And over here is my favorite spot!”

…the more excited Tai seemed to get, the less Qrow wanted to broach what was weighing on him.

He quickened his step to keep up as the other darted around the corner of the building. “Tai I – oh. Wow.”

“Right?” The other angel replied stepping underneath the porch that hung over the left side of the house.

He strode up next to him, finding it was an excellent spot to gander at the beautiful garden spread out before them. Stepping stones made natural, winding paths framed by bushes of roses, lilacs, hydrangeas, and rhododendrons all leading to the same center – a crystal clear pond decorated with waterlilies and sweetgrass. As they strolled along one of the paths, he took notice of the small trees speckled about the orchard and, while he didn’t know the names of most of them, the Japanese Maples with their cherry-red leaves were unmistakable. He stepped off the path to head towards a nearby cluster.

He knew them because they were the very same kinds of trees that stood outside his mother’s hospital room. When it was too hard to watch her dying in bed, he’d sit at the window to look at them instead. When her health really started failing, he spent more time at that spot than at her bedside.

One day, she asked him what he was staring at.

“Nothing.” He’d muttered. “Just these dumb trees.”

“What makes them dumb?”

He gestured expressively. “They’re red! Who puts red trees outside a hospital?”

Her chuckle was weak, like everything else about her these days. “I suppose it does seem a little odd. Do you know what those are?”

“I dunno, blood trees?” He guessed, slumping more in his seat.

She clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Now, now, don’t talk like that. It dishonors your ancestors. Especially when talking about those trees – they’re important to our heritage.” When he only grunted, she continued, “Now let me tell you something Q-”

“-Row? You fancy those ones?”

The memory faded to static.

Qrow looked from the grove to the man who had trailed him.

Tai tilted his head up, giving them a good gander. “They’re gorgeous, right?”

“Yeah,” He agreed slowly, walking the last few steps it took to stand in front of one. “Do you know what they are?”

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “A maple of some kind, right?”

“Yeah. A Japanese Maple.” He rubbed one of the star-shaped leaves between his thumb and forefinger. “My mother told me a story about them once.”

“Oh? What about?”

“Well, there was this war that crippled Japan. Shortly after it, these trees were discovered. The Imperial Family immediately had their staff plant thousands of them across their royal capital, but no one knew the reason.” He started off hesitantly, but when Tai’s expression didn’t fall to disinterest, he continued more earnestly. “Rumors started going ‘round that the Family’s intention was to make these trees a symbol of royalty. The Emperor heard of this but did not speak of it until an entire year had passed. When it came time to address his people, he chastised them, saying that only the foolish would dare claim nature as his own. He then challenged his people to look at the trees and speak if they could answer this:” Qrow gestured grandly like he imagined the Emperor must have. “’For every day these trees had their leaves, on what day were they not red?’”

Completely engrossed by the tale, Tai’s tone had a hint of wonder as he asked, “What happened?”

“No one spoke. They all knew that day did not exist.” He answered. “In their silence, the Emperor’s voice seemed even more powerful than usual. He told them that all other trees were weak, because they could only hold that color for a few weeks before they fell. But these trees held enough strength to endure that color every day of the year – and if the Gods had bestowed such a tree to grow in their nation, then it was a sign that even during such trying times, every citizen born upon their great land had the ability to show that same level of endurance and strength.”

“Whoa.” Tai looked back at the trees, seeming to see them in a new light. “That’s amazing.”

“It’s one of my favorite stories.” Qrow told him, looking up as well into kaleidoscope of red hues, some bright as gemstones and some light as rust. Others dark as wine or pale like his eyes.

He could hear his mother’s voice whispering across his memory: “Anyone who looks at you will see in the color of your eyes that you hold the same endurance and strength in yourself. Just like I always have.”

He shut his eyes and took a steadying breath. Right. He could do this. “Tai, I needed to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

He felt his chest constrict uncomfortably as he faced him. “How different am I from the man you first met?”

Tai rose an eyebrow, looking befuddled. “Well. You’re less pointy.”

“No, not that! Before I got dragged into Hell.” Qrow said, feeling himself grow more insistent.

“Oh my god.” His eyes widened as realization hit. “You remember.”

“Yeah?” Qrow replied. What did that have to do with anything? “I remembered before going through the light. But that’s not-”

He was cut off when the other reached out, gripping his arms tightly. “I’m so sorry!”

“Uh, what?”

Tai either didn’t notice his confusion or was too caught up to realize it, words coming out in a rush, “I know there’s nothing I can really say to make up for losing you like that, but I really am sorry! And I understand if you’re too angry to accept that but-”

“Whoa, okay! Hold up a second!” Qrow covered his mouth before he could keep spilling out his guts. “I’m not mad about that!”

“Yo-You’re not?”

He supposed it wasn’t that farfetched to believe – but his life experience had taught him a long time ago that taking his anger out on others didn’t really fix anything. It just spread the hurt more. “Tai, four of them jumped you. What were you going to do?”

Tai backed off, jaw set so hard he worried his teeth would shatter. “That doesn’t matter. I let you down. My job was to get you home and I failed you.”

He looked to the left. Then to the right. Spread his arms wide. “Huh, looks like home to me.”

“That’s not-”

“Come on man, do you think I didn’t put two and two together? Why you kept conveniently showing up every time I got close to a lost soul? You were practically stalking me. Not that I can blame you, I mean have you seen me? I’m irresistible.” Qrow waved to himself, pleased when that finally got a weak laugh out of the other. He lowered his hand, meeting his eyes as he told him seriously, “You didn’t give up on me, even when I was acting my worst, and for that I owe you more than I can possibly give back.”

Tai’s smile was tentative. “Then you’re not giving yourself enough credit. You made all the big steps all on your own.”

The argument was on the tip of his tongue, about how he’d never have taken even one had the other angel not stepped in to begin with, but ultimately decided to let it go. They’d just run in circles at that point. “Whatever happened to that whole ‘forgive yourself and move on’ motto of yours?”

“I also told you that isn’t easy.” He reminded.

Qrow huffed. “Tch, yeah I got that.”

“Is that what’s bothering you?”

“Yes!” He shouted, wings opening as explosively as his mouth. To Tai’s credit, he didn’t even flinch back, even as he practically yelled in his face. “I thought if I came up here, things would be different! That I would be different! But nothing’s changed! I don’t get it! I’ve been punished. Put to death. Atoned! But I still feel wrong.” He turned away, folding his wings and crossing his arms as he glared at the roots of the maple tree. “I hate this… but I just don’t know what else I can do.”

A hand on his shoulder made him look up. Tai gave him a quietly considerate look and when he spoke, his voice was gentle. “Our situations aren’t the same, so I don’t know if my story will do any good, but I’d be happy to tell it to you if you feel it might.”

“…Alright.” It probably wouldn’t. But after three decades, he was willing to try anything.

He was also, maybe, a little curious.

“Follow me.” Tai led him to the center of the garden, sitting down on one of the flat rocks that circled the water.

He settled down on the one beside him, certain he knew what to expect as Tai plucked one of his feathers. However, he did not raise it to the light like before. Instead, he gripped the feather by the barb and touched the quill tip to the water, making slow, swirling motions. As the rings rippled across the lake, he spoke, accent growing more prominent as if the nostalgia brought it forth, “The town I grew up in wasn’t much. We had a chapel for prayin’. A saloon for drinkin’. Most people made their own living by rearing their own cattle and growing their own stock.”

Qrow watched as an image formed with the words, seeing the dusty town Tai was speaking of. There weren’t a lot of buildings, and what was there was mostly log cabin homes with a few farms off in the distances. Despite that, there was a lot of activity on the street. A horse was pulling a wagon through town. Two men were sitting outside the saloon, cheering each other. A few women were using washboards to clean clothes. It wasn’t until he spotted the chapel with it’s cross mounted properly instead of fallen to the side as it was now, that he knew he’d been here before. “This is where we took Oscar.”

He nodded. “Yeah, this be it. This was my home.” He pointed to one of the farm houses on the eastern side.

As if the gesture were a command, the picture zoomed in on it. Tai, probably no more than seven or eight, was hanging onto the railing, swinging his legs as he stared at the little girl who looked almost identical to Ruby. She was clinging to her mother’s raggedy dress, but she was staring at Tai just as intently. The men of the two families stood between their own, talking.

“I met Summer when I was just a boy. Her family had traveled far in hopes to find silver but the mines had been bled dry years ago. Her family was devastated and too weakened by their travel to go further. The townspeople pointed them our way. My father had always been a kind man, believing in helpin’ those in need, so he struck a deal. He asked for the family’s workin’ hands and in return he’d give them room and board. On this arrangement, our families prospered.”

The scenes started to shift, showing snapshot after snapshot of memory. The two kids laughing as they tried to balance eggs on their noses from the chicken coop. Leaping into the lake together. Racing each other through the field.

“It wasn’t long before Summer and I were the best of friends. We were also quite the rascals.” Tai chuckled as it showed the two of them in the saloon. His younger self, about ten now, betting on a poker game with ears of corn, much to the adults’ amusement. Summer sitting at the barstool, a dancer doing her hair up in a rose bun. “Soon, that all changed to sumthin more. I still remember the day I realized I was in love with her.”

Now a teenager, Tai stood outside saddling up a horse, when a noise caused him to turn around. His eyes grew wide as Summer came gliding over, the train of her dress following her. The shoulderless French-style gown was gorgeous, black as night with white roses festooned into the pleats. She had white gloves to match and a ribbon tied into a bow around her neck. She did a little spin, seeming to ask if he liked it. Tai stepped forward, taking off his hat and placing it against his chest. Whatever he told her made her laugh behind her hand.

“I was very smitten.” Tai’s gaze was distant. “It didn’t take our fathers long to realize what was happening. We were soon given their blessin’ and wed immediately after. Love was so rarely sought in those times, but I knew no woman could have made me happier than she did. That truth was no truer than the day she made me a father.”

Qrow snorted when the new image formed of the man holding his newborn daughter.

“What?” Tai asked him.

“You look terrible in a beard.” He told him.

“Oh can it!” He shoved him a bit before continuing his story. “Yang ended up being our only child. We tried for others, but it was hard to keep a child to term. I never felt like we were incomplete though. And even when nature took its course for our parents, and left only us three to maintain the farm, we were able to get by.” The trio were inside their home. Yang looked to be in her adolescence. She sat beside Tai, watching him intently as he showed her how to tie a hunter’s knot. Summer was in the kitchen, stirring something in a large pot. “But…”

Suddenly Summer started to cough, falling to her knees. Tai looked up, before hurrying to her side.

“Then we lost her. It happened so quickly, I felt like I’d hardly said goodbye before I was burying her.”

It was a little row of crosses made of sticks, nothing more. Five of them in all. Tai sat before the newest dug one, just staring like he couldn’t see anymore. Yang was crying.

Tai looked down at his past self, sighing softly. “I never thought myself a weak man before, but I feel losing her proved to me I didn’t have the fortitude I thought I did. I loved Summer very deeply, and when she left, it was like taking all that love and leaving nothing but an empty well.”  He lowered his head more, his chin almost touching his chest. “I can’t even say what I had in my mind the day I did it. Everything was just hurtin’ so much and I wanted it to stop. So. I made it stop.”

Qrow inhaled sharply as the picture formed of the blond man sitting alone in his house, staring blankly down at his revolver before he slowly rose it to his temple. Before the scene could finish, Tai smacked the water and it disappeared.

He let himself breathe again, glancing over at him.

Tai took a moment to gather himself, before finally facing him. “When you walked towards the light, you heard a voice. Whose was it?”

Taken a bit aback by the sudden shift of topics, it took him a moment to reply. “Uh, Raven’s.”

He nodded, as if this made perfect sense. “It’s the voice of the person you most want to see. You would think mine would be Summer’s…” His look was pained. “But I heard Yang’s. In that instant I knew what a mistake I had made – and the worst part was, I couldn’t take it back!” He chuckled bitterly. “Summer was furious. She wanted nothing to do with me. And who could blame her? I had left our daughter behind. No father should ever do that.”

Qrow felt the oddest sense of Déjà Vu as he struggled to find a way to dissolve the heavy atmosphere. Wasn’t the last time he had to do this by waterside as well? “Well, things seemed to be alright now?” He finally offered lamely.

“Yes, but it wasn’t always.” Tai ran a hand over his face, sighing loudly. “I felt like I lived with nothing but constant guilt. I agonized over what I had done and I even started to view my and Summer’s separation as just a punishment I deserved. And an angel in turmoil isn’t allowed on the human plane either, so I couldn’t even have the consolation of checking up on how Yang was doing!”

He swallowed uneasily. This was starting to sound a bit too familiar.

“I found no solace in it all until Yang finally passed on and visited me.” He went on. “I didn’t know what to say when I suddenly had her there, on my doorstep. I was ready for her to be angry. A part of me even wanted her to be. But before I could even utter her name, she was throwing her arms around me and telling me how much she missed me.” He looked down at his hands, probably recalling how he’d held her that day. “Heh, can you imagine that? I was prepared for her to throw anything at me… except that.”

Qrow bit at the edge of his tongue, wishing it could be that easy for him. “So that was it? You just felt better?”

“No, not even.” He shook his head. “I still felt all that shame just festering inside of me and it bled into everything I tried to do. Every time we were together, I felt nothing but wrongness. I thought I shouldn’t be allowed to be her father, because I’d choose to leave her. That I didn’t deserve much at all, if I’d forfeited my life. Some days I couldn’t even bare to see her. Can’t tell you how many times I canceled plans just ‘cause I was so miserable.”

Qrow turned away uncomfortably, thinking of his own mother he still refused to go visit. Of his sister’s many failed attempted to push the issue and her annoyance with him when he only resisted more.

Tai seemed too caught up to notice his shift in demeanor, raking an agitated hand through his hair, the memories seeming to being back his previous frustration. “It was no better with Summer. Even when we agreed we wouldn’t get back together, at times it seemed even just trying to be friends again was impossible. I had to of apologized about a thousand times. But,” He placed his hand over his heart, carrying on more lightly, “if I can be proud of anything, I can be proud of what a smart, capable woman my daughter had grown up to be. For she was the one who told me that I could ask for forgiveness from everyone all I wanted, but I would never gain peace if I didn’t forgive myself.” He met his gaze then, his eyes earnest as he told him, “It didn’t come quickly or easily. I’d had that way of thinking for so long, it was hard to let go of – sometimes I was even afraid I never could. But I kept trying, at first for her, so she could have the father she deserved. But eventually, it was for myself too.”

“How long did it take?” Qrow asked.

“Until the day I became a guiding angel.”

He calculated that quickly. Placed a hand against his forehead. “Shit.”

He saw the other’s reaching hand in his peripheral vision, but didn’t jerk back from the gentle touch that ran over his cheek.

“Qrow,” Tai’s soft voice sent shivers along his spine for more reasons than one. “I may not be able to tell you how long it will take for yourself, but I can tell you that you have the strength to do it.”

He faced him, retorting, “How can you say that when you don’t even know what I’ve done?”

“Because I’ve always believed in you.” He said, simple as that. He withdrew, adding, “But if you’d like to tell me, I’ll listen. It helps more than you think.”

Qrow looked down at the water, tossing the idea around. He’d avoided it this long, dancing around the topics he felt might give Tai too much reason to pry. But if he was right, and this could be a step to heal, then what did he really have to lose by trying?

This whatever it is going on between us. His traitorous conscious reminded.

His counterargument was worse. Well, then it’s better if he finds out now.

(As that thought finished, he realized maybe that whole ‘bleeds into everything’ bit had a lot of merit.)

He felt Tai’s eyes on him as he straightened up, reaching back to pull one of his own feathers. He lowered it, stirring the water with it as he begun, “When I was fourteen, my mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer. It took her pretty fast.” He felt a pang in his heart, seeing his younger self clinging onto his sister as they sat in the darkened hallway of the church. He remembered that – it had been just after his mom’s funeral service, paid for with what little savings she had. “We were fairly poor and any family we did have didn’t bother to reach out and claim us. So, the foster care program took us. Tried to find a home for us. We certainly didn’t make it easy; we’d been so angry and scared that we just couldn’t ‘behave’. I can’t tell you how many homes and schools I saw those first few months. No one wanted to take in a couple of kids who were more trouble then we were worth.”

The scene shifted to one that made his blood boil. He was sitting outside the caregiver’s office, his eyes widening as he overheard what she was saying before he was sprinting down the hall. “They eventually started talking about separating us. It had terrified us… and so we did something really stupid.” Raven was pulling open the window, and as she climbed up onto the sill, Qrow handed her a backpack. He had one of his own on his shoulders. “We ran.”

He smiled at the next one, seeing himself pulling a blanket up over himself and his sister. “We spent that first night sleeping under a park bench. We had all these grand ideas about how we’d make it on our own. We didn’t even have our high school degrees or a dime to our name, but back then we thought we’d just take on the world and it’d be fine.”

His smile fell, watching the same snapshot effect that happened with Tai’s story happen with his own as he spoke, “It wasn’t long before we got desperate. We started stealing out of grocery stores. Eating fruit right in the store or opening up boxes with prepackaged foods so the sensors wouldn’t trip. Sneaking into gyms to shower. Walking out of Goodwill wearing new clothes underneath our old ones. Eventually, the store managers started to recognize us. A few of ‘em even called the cops. We almost got caught a bunch of times. Sometimes, I kind of wish we had.”

“You two were rather resourceful.” Tai side-eyed him a moment, before focusing back on the water where he and his sister were hiding in the shadows of a fire escape as an officer went running down the alley below.

“In some ways.” Qrow agreed. “But we were in trouble. We couldn’t live like that forever. We knew we needed some sort of solid plan for the future. Some way to get money. That’s how we met Junior.” The picture of the man that formed was as clear in the water as it was in his mind. He still recalled his first thought about him was that he was way too well-dressed to be on their side of town. “He ran an underground gang. They supplied drugs, did petty theft, stuff like that. We knew it was crazy and really, really stupid, but we asked to join. We’d basically been doing something similar so, we figured it wouldn’t be much different.”

He swallowed down his own disgust, seeing the terrified woman staring down the barrel of his shotgun while Raven loaded cash in a bag.  “We mostly did the robberies – smoke shops, liquor stores, you name it. If it was a cheap shop that held too much cash in the register, we were hitting it. Junior tried to get us to sell drugs. Among,” His teeth nearly cracked as he saw one of the promiscuous leers their boss would give his sister, “other things. But the reason we liked holding places up was because it was the easiest way to sneak the money right under Junior’s nose. We would pocket a few twenties here, an occasional hundred there. He didn’t miss it because he never knew it existed. We kept telling each other we’d only stay until we had enough to get a place of our own, then we were out of there. But…”

The picture was ahead of his mouth. He felt shivers running down his spine at the sight of the red-head he and Raven were being cornered by. He’d never thought much about Adam Taurus until he was facing down the wrong end of the other’s Glock. “Junior had found out and sent someone to dispose of us. We… We tried to pay the guy off. All the money we had earned, we used it to bargain for our lives.” It shifted to their little closet-sized bedroom, Qrow pulling out the lockbox they had hidden in the wall. Beside it, was a pistol. “At least, we were pretending to. Raven was talking to him, trying to keep the focus on her so I could shoot him.”

He shut his eyes, unable to face what he knew was going to play out. He’d seen it enough in his nightmares. The way he’d pulled out the gun, aiming it at their captor.

“Just let us go!” He had said, his hands shaking.

“What are you doing? Shoot him!” Raven hissed.

“No one has to die, he just has to leave!” He told her, wishing she’d shut up. He could talk their way out of this, just like he did everything else.

Adam sighed loudly. “I don’t have time for this.”

“Qrow-!” Raven yelled as she spun on her heels towards him.

The report of the gunshot deafened him. His mind and vision went fuzzy. Dimly he wondered why his sister was falling to the ground, limbs akimbo like a broken doll. His arms jerked down, hands reflexively tightening as he cried out her name. The sound of his own gun going off was distant in his ears. The bullet buried its way into the hitman’s gut, throwing him to the ground. Adam’s second round, the one that likely would have killed Qrow, went wild into the ceiling, raining down dust.

“God…” Tai’s horrified gasp drew him back to the present.

His eyes opened and he looked down at the image of himself holding onto his sister’s limp body as he sobbed into her bloody hair. Qrow reached out towards himself, hand shaking as badly as it did back then, and smacked the water, watching it scatter away into nothing. “I-I guess you can see I failed pretty spectacularly. But I did something worse.” He couldn’t raise his head, so he just watched the goldfish swim as he told the rest of it. “Raven was the last thing I had and she was gone. Junior had taken her from me. I didn’t know what to do. The only thing I did know was that I was so, so angry.” His fingers tightened into fists. “I wanted to kill that motherfucker for what he did – I didn’t care what it took! So, I used the money to pay off one of his bodyguards. They looked away just long enough and I shot him right in the back of his head. The cops caught me a few days later. I was eighteen by then, so they tried me like an adult.”

He laughed hollowly. “Pre-meditated murder. First degree. Twenty-five years and then a final walk to Death Row. Didn’t even bother to plead anything but guilty. I walked out of that court room howling like it was the funniest thing, because by then I’d realized, it didn’t matter. Nothing did anymore.” He bit at his lip, feeling his stomach twisting into painful knots. “I had thought I’d feel vindicated. But I just felt empty. Killing Junior didn’t bring back Raven. It didn’t make me feel any less responsible. I was a murderer, and for what?!” He pressed his fist against his forehead, gritting out, “How can I ever make something like that right?”

He heard a soft rustling beside him and then a golden wing curved around him, just as it had on the lakeside. “You don’t.” Tai proclaimed. “You accept that you did something wrong and then you work at it from there.”

“How?!”

“I don’t know.” He admitted, sliding in closer. “But, I can say this was a good first step.”

With everything all mixed up in his mind right then, Qrow didn’t know how to feel about the fact the other didn’t seem the slightest bit repulsed. With it so cluttered, he also didn’t seem to have the power to resist leaning into the other’s comfort for a little while.

~

Qrow stirred at the distant sound of chatter and shrieking, blinking away his drowsiness as he stared up at the emerald sky. Wait, when had it become the afternoon?

A groan made him look at the person next to him, seeing how Tai’s expression pinched before he peeked open one eye. “Guess it’s lunchtime.”

He stared at him, then looked about, disoriented. They were still by the pond, but sprawled out along the grass beside it. He didn’t recall moving though. He didn’t recall much at all after he’d finished his story. “Uh… what happened?”

“Sorry.” Tai said around a yawn. “I shoulda warned ya showing me anything would zap your energy something fierce.”

He absorbed that fact, feeling a slight sting as he wondered how long it took Tai to return home that day from Hecate’s Lake. “So, we slept on the ground?”

“Sorta.” He drawled, looking down pointedly.

Qrow followed his gaze, then sat up quickly as he realized his body was pinning down the other’s wing. He was going to be feeling that for the day. “Uh, sorry.”

Tai just shrugged it off, sitting up as well. He stretched out his wings before folding them against his back. “I woulda got you inside but, you were fading pretty fast and you’re a mite bit heavier than I can carry.”

“What a shame. Guess you won’t be sweeping me off my feet anytime soon then. What ever shall I do?” He said, playing up his distress.

“And you say I oversell it.” He replied as he got to his feet.

Qrow took the hand offered to him. He stretched as well, inclining his head towards the source of the noise. It was drawing nearer. “I should probably get going.”

“Or you could stay.”

He arched a brow questioningly.

Tai grinned, running a hand over his neck as he tried to hide his fluster. “I mean, there’s always room for more. And I’m sure Ruby and Oscar would be ecstatic.”

It was really hard to say no. “I have… a prior engagement. Promised my sis I’d be back by now.” It was even harder to see the other droop with disappointment, so he quickly added, “But, another time?”

“Alright, but I’m holding ya to that.” He told him, nodding towards the front yard. “I’ll walk you to the gate.”

They took the long way around the garden to get there, but it still felt too quick by the time they were stepping past the iron-wrought doors. They hesitated just outside of them.

Tai shifted a bit on his feet, speaking first, “It was nice seeing you again.”

About half a dozen cocky responses leapt into his brain at once. What ended up slipping out was much more genuine, “Yeah. Same here.” Feeling his face heating up, Qrow quickly turned away, clearing his throat. “And uh, thanks. For everything.”

“Hmmm.”

That wasn’t the response he expected. “What?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.” He said, rubbing his chin. “I’m just trying to figure out the score. I mean, I still owe you a thanks for helping me on the last mission.”

His meaning took a moment to click, but when he got it, Qrow chuckled. “Oh, is that all? I have a solution for that.” He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the other’s neck. “We’ll share it.”

“Oh.” The other angel murmured as understanding sunk in. His strong hands curved around Qrow’s bony hips. “I can do that.”

A giddy feeling jump-started his heart, so unexpectedly good after so much bad, it couldn’t help but bubble out in another soft laugh. Qrow lent forward.

Tai met him halfway.

#qrow branwen #taiyang xiao long #Taiqrow #rwby #fanfiction #Chase Firekitten's Tale