#okay okay I know Justice is in charge during that quest and that’s like Why

[flashhwing]

Anders/Justice is the only companion Hawke can bring into the Fade who won’t fall prey to a demon

he’s also the only one of Hawke’s companions who has passed a Harrowing

#okay okay I know Justice is in charge during that quest and that’s like Why #I’m sure if Anders was fronting they would’ve written him falling prey as well but consider #what if he didn’t #because he’s the only one who knows what to expect #this has been a post #Anders #dragon age

[authorofthemoon]

GENSHIN THEORY / POSSIBLE SPOILERS / FURINA KIT LEAKS

Okay so I just got Neuvillette and I started playing around with his kit and I started looking at his profile and I've realized something that is going to be keeping me up tonight. Now, I haven't played the story quest yet but and it might confirm this but I think that Neuvillette might be the real Hydro Archon and Furina is just a stand in / figurehead. This could also be a well known theory but I don't really go on theory discussions.

Now the first thing that tipped me off to this is Neuvillette's kit and how it's oddly similar to the Traveler's. If you don't know, Traveler's kit for a certain element is a lesser version of the Archon's which is clear when you compare them. Neuvillette's charge attack is similar to the Traveler's skill with a water gun / cannon type attack and also creates water droplets thst heal. That could also just be part of a new mechanic thought. I haven't looked too deeply into Furina's kit but I scanned it and it's pretty in depth but doesn't seem similar to Traveler's.

The second thing that tipped me off is that Neuvillette's profile and two things are off. Both his vision and constellation name both have a ??? where they should be. Now, we all know that he's the Hydro dragon so it makes sense that he doesn't have anything in vision, it's probably his own power l, but why is his constellation nameless? If you compare him to other characters, the Archons all say 'gnosis' instead of vision and it's the same in their story section. Notably, it does say vision in Neuvillette's but he also doesn't have one, so why is it there? Also, his constellation could very well be himself in his dragon form like how the others are themselves in their human form.

There are more similarities between him and the other archons. He has lines about the other archons, but they are labeled 'geo archon' instead of Morax. Also, all archons have a line about 'the visions' in reference to visions. Neuvillete has two with this same label and are also locked behind the archon quest and I don't want to anything up I like getting lines naturally.

Now on to a leak about Furina's splash art. Two notable things about it are, from what I remember, that she has a slightly different outfit which doesn't mean much and she has a vision. Now, Zhongli and Ventingave fake visions, but they're pretending to be people so why would she need one? I think when she comes out, the reveal that she is not the Hydro Archon will happen, so she actually does need a vision to fight.

On to Furina's fighting and I think this is highly important. Why was she scared to fight the Traveler? We joked about it and maybe she's the weakest, but she was so scared at the thought. Even Venti can put up a good fight. The answer is she's not that strong because she's not an archon. Neuvillete however has already shown to be very powerful, one shotting Childe.

It's also clear that Neuvillette does more for running Fontaine than Furina who puts on a performance for her people. Also, the Justice Machine (I can't remember it's actual name) was created by the archon. Coincidentally the JM and Neuvillete are always on the same page sans the Childe verdict. Also Furina has no idea what's going on with it, but Neuvillette probably does.

I also realized while using him, his hair glows or the horns he has does. Just like all the other archons during their burst. His idle animation again similar in that he controls Hydro in his hand. This would also explain something that's bothered me for a while which is the archon gender ratio being 5-2. It makes more sense to be 4-3. I thought that it was bc the Nahida might have been originally male, but this very much explains it.

If any of this holds up, the question is why? Why hide the true archons identity. A couple reason I can think of are one, to hide the gnosis from anyone who might be looking. Two, Neuvillete simply just believes he wasn't the right person to lead people, we've already seen he has trouble connecting to humans, so this is why he has Furina, someone who is charismatic and can sway human feelings with her huge personality. It makes sense as the queen, she's just a figurehead with no real power outside of public opinion. My theory is that she's some kind of oceanid which I think is already a running theory.

I don't know how much of this holds water, hehe, and some stuff might be inaccurate. If it's true I am terrified of the implications. This could be why Furina was so scared in the trailer, her voice at least. She's been cornered and in reality, she's not an archon.

Ugh I'm so excited to play the archon quest if this is the truth I'll be so validated and also it would be super valley of Hoyoverse to basically shadow drop the archon.

#genshin spoilers #genshin impact archon quest #genshin impact #genshin impact fontaine #genshin theory #neuvillette #neuvilette genshin #furina

[thebookwormfairy]

Maribat Winx Club Part 3

Part 1

Part 2

Masterlist

Marinette *panicing*: This doesn't make any sense. How can we be family? I was born on Earth! My parents were born on Earth! I'm an Earthling!

Damian gently grabbing Marinette by the shoulder: Angel I know this is a difficult time for you right now, but we need to focus of the mission right now, okay? Let's grab the miraculous and get back to Alfea, then we can all freak out about you and Jason being related there. Okay, Angel?

Marinette: Okay

Jason: Okay! We can have a big freak out party together with your parents, Bruce, and Alfred. Can't forget the brothers and our friends either! We can all have a mental breakdown together!

Marinette: Sounds fun!

Jason went over the the chest and opens it revealing a pair of red and black Polk a dot earrings

Jason: It looks like the Ladybug earrings. Let's head home guys.

As the fairies and specialists press the buttons to head home they all had one thought in their minds

If Marinette and Jason were family what did that mean for their quest for the Miraculous?

After a nice long freak out session between everybody over the apparent relation between Jason and Marinette they gathered in Ms. Faragonda's office to tell her what they had learned on Miracul

Faragonda: Then it seems what I feared has come to pass. I must call Bruce, Alfred, and the rest of the old Miraculous holders

Jason: Wait why?

Marinette: You used to be a Miraculous holder?

Faragonda: all questions will be answered in due time once everybody is here

Faragonda sent out the call to the surviving ex miraculous holders who came right away

Alfred, Fu, and Mariam gathered in Faragonda's office along with Bruce and Jon's dad Clark who was in charge of the Justice League, a group that formed to keep peace in the magix dimensions after the fall of Miracul

Faragonda: Thank you for joining us. As you know the Miraculous have resurfaced and with them the Dark Coven

Fu: We have heard of the attacks we have also heard of the brave students who are working the gather them. *Fu gestures the the young fairies and specialists* I assume these are those brave students

Dick raising his hand: I'm actually a teacher

Alfred: Yes Master Dick and we're all very proud of you

Dick now resembles and happy golden retriever

Faragonda: Yes these are the young people who have been gathering the Miraculous. So far they've found 5 Miraculous, the Fox, the Turtle, the Rabbit, the Mouse, and most importantly the Ladybug

Mariam: That's wonderful! If only we had the Black Cat and a member of the royal family then we could use them to pull the rest of the Miraculous to them

Faragonda: We might have 2 members of the royal family with us in this room. Jason and Marinette can you please stand up here with me

Jason and Marinette stood side by side in front of the crowd of adults

Faragonda: We've been working under the assumption that Jason was just a lucky citizen of Miracul that was able to escape it's destruction, but the Miraculous call out to him. And Marinette gained her Enchantix by saving Jason's life that means their family. I've had this feeling for a long time. Look closely at these two, who do they remind you of?

Alfred was nodding his head looking at the two as if he's seeing them in a new light

Miriam gasped, covering her mouth and tears weld up in her eyes

Fu was the one to put everybody thoughts into words

Fu: They look so much like Queen Clarisse and King Roland

Faragonda: We've been living under the assumption that the Dark Ones were smart enough to get rid of the royal heirs before the attack, but what if they weren't. What if young Prince Jason took his sister Princess Marinette to the portal room and was able to escape the planet but got separated along the way. One ending up in Gotham the other on Earth.

Alfred: That would explain a lot. When Master Jason first joined us at the Manor he use to have terrible nightmares about failing to protect somebody

Fu: To bad we don't also have the ring of the Black Cat then they could call forth the rest of the Miraculous using the Miraculous box

Miriam: But the box was lost along with Miracul

Faragonda: But we might be able to find it if we also had the Black Cat

Marinette: Is the Ring of of Black Cat black with a green paw print on it?

Fu: Yes it is. How did you know that Marinette?

Marinette was hesitant, but the voice inside her head said it was alright to show them the ring

Marinette reaching into her pocket: Last year during our final exam I was assigned Miracul as the dead planet I had to bring back. During the test i head a voice call me into a cave where I found this. The voice told me to keep it hidden and not to let anybody know that I had it

Marinette pulled out the ring from her pocket showing it to the people in the room

Fu: That is indeed the Black Cat Miraculous

Jason: Why didn't you tell us about it soon Marinette?

Marinette: I was scared what it meant if the Miraculous was really calling to me as well. If that means my parents weren't really my parents. If that somehow changed my relationship with them.

Fu walked over to the girl that reminded him so much of his dear friends and put a hand on her shoulder

Fu: Marinette I may not know you or your family, but if your parents took you in and raised you for the last 16 years then you finding out that you are adopted will have no change on the relationship you have with them. Unless you let it effect it

Faragonda: It is time for you two to claim you birthright as the wielders of the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous

Jason and Marinette stared at eachother thinking over what Faragonda had just said

Marinette: But what if you're wrong? Didn't you say that anybody who wasn't the royal family or the Dark Coven would die if they but on the Miraculous

Faragonda: I'm not wrong. I've already seen you use the power of the Black Cat once before during the Scarecrow's attack on the school

Jason grabbing the Ladybug earrings: I'm in if you are Pixie Pop

Marinette tightened her grip on the ring: Let's do it or die trying

Adrien: Wow wow wow, there is no reason for either of you to die

Damian: Yeah I have to agree with Agreste let's try to not kill my girlfriend, Todd.

Jason with one earring already in: Yeah yeah yeah, don't worry Demon Spawn. I'm not going to lose my sister again.

As Jason slipped the last earring onto his ear and Marinette place the ring on her finger to balls of light came put of the jewelry and floated in front of the reunited siblings

The one in front of Jason formed into a ladybug looking creature and the one in front of Marinette formed into what looked like a small cat

Plagg stretching: Aahg finally! You know kid you could have put my miraculous on a long time ago. Your my kitten you got to get a little bit more curious then that

Marinette: Oh I'm sorry...

Plagg: Plagg Kwami of Destruction you got any cheese?

Marinette: Not on me but I'm sure we can go to the kitchen after this

Plagg: It'll have to do

Plagg flew over Marinette and landing on her head and looked every bit like an old house cat lounging on their owner

While this was happening Jason was meeting his own Kwami

Tikki: Hello Jason! I'm Tikki the kwami of creation! I remember you when you were just a little boy! You used to love chasing us around!

Jason: I remember you! You were my mom's kwami!

Tikki: Clarisse was a great Ladybug, but I know you'll do her proud!

Bruce didn't want to interrupt the found family's moment but they need to get this meeting back on track

Bruce: Since Jason and Marinette can wield the Miraculous does that mean they can summon the rest of the Miraculous right now

Fu shook his head: They would need the Miraculous box to do that and sadly we know for certain is in the hands of the Dark Coven

Marinette: But we can choose new wielders of the Miraculous right?

Alfred: That is correct

Jason: But we don't have enough Miraculous for everyone

Alya: Don't worry about that!

Rose: Yeah we all have Enchantix

Alix: This Dark Coven members have no chance against us in those forms

Juleka nodded her head in agreement

Marinette: Then let's give them to the Specialists. I love you guys but you don't have the same protections as the fairies. You'll be safer with the Miraculous

Jon: You guys don't have to worry about us we're Specialist. We are train to go into dangerous situations like this

The other boys go to agree with Jon, but Jason interrupts them

Jason: She's right boys, but we'll need to find 1 more so each of you can get one

Fu: If you two transform using the miraculous you'll be able to focus on a certain Miraculous and track it. I suggest the Dragon Miraculous it's one of the most powerful, besides the Cat and Ladybug

Jason: Let's do this Marinette

Marinette: Let's find that Miraculous

Tikki: Great! Jason all you have to do is say Spots On

Plagg: Kitten all you have to say is claws out

Jason: Tikki Spots On!

Marinette: Plagg Claws Out!

Jason now work what looked like the classic prince outfit with a red and black color scheme

While Marinette wore a tea length Princess Dress with a Black and Green color scheme with black cat ears on top of her head and black lace fingerless gloves covering her palms

Damian stared at his stunning girlfriend

Adrien was watching him with a smug smile

Adrien: Damian you might want to wipe that dwell off your chin

Damian quickly wiped his face only to find no dwell

Damian glaring at Adrien: Shut Up!

Jon: Don't tell him to shut up

Adrien: Yeah don't tell me to shut up

Marinette: I got it! It's like I can see the Miraculous itself!

Jason: Yeah it's on Salerios hidden in the royal garden

Clark: The League will call a head to the King and get him to allow us access

Bruce: We leave in an hour

And before the day was up the fairies and the Specialists had the Dragon Miraculous in their hands

Jason: Awesome with the Miraculous we have and you fairies' Enchantix the Dark Coven ont stand a chance

Tikki: And if you get the rest of the Miraculous and the Miraculous Box we can restore Miracul to it's former glory

Adrien: That'll mean you'll be a real life princess Marinette

Alya: With all the responsibilities that comes with it!

Alix: Like meetings with royals fron other planets and-

As her friends discussed Marinette's future everything really hit Marinette

It finally sunk in that her whole life was a lie

What if she wouldn't be able to see her parents any more

What if she couldn't be with Damian any more

What if she destroyed her planet like the Dark Coven did

Marinette: Hey guys I'm going to turn in for the day

Damian frowning: Are you okay Angel?

Marinette: Yeah I just need some rest after this hectic day

Jason: Are you sure Pixie Pop?

Marinette: Yeah I'm sure Goodnight

When Marinette went to her room she didn't feel any better

She knew what she had to do so she wrote a note to let her friends knew she was okay and headed to the portal room

Marinette stood in front of her parents backery gathering courage for what she was about to do

Tom and Sabine was closing for the night when their daughter rushed into the store

Tom: Marinette?

Sabine: What are you doing here sweetheart

Marinette couldn't help it and blurted out what she had learned

Marinette: I know I'm adopted!

@t1dwarrior-of-earth @clumsy-owl-4178 @vgirl-10123 @aestheticnpoetic @toodaloo-kangaroo @animegirlweeb @k-poplunardreams @our-preciousss @razzledazzle247 @justafanwarrior @kanamexzeroyaoifangirl @eve-v0lution @fusser90 @dast218

#maribat #daminette #damian x marinette #big brother Jason #winx club au #winx club

[purplerose244]

Thoughts journal Ninjago season 13!! 🖤🖤 (4/4)

Here we are, at the end of just another season of Ninjago! And I've gotta say, until now it has been very good, I think I'm liking this season better than Prime Empire and Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu. I liked them too, but this one feels more complete and deep, also LILLY GOT A BACKSTORY HECK YEAH 😍😍

Prime Empire had one really great ending, so I'm very curious how this season will conclude! Spinjitzu burst? Some last minute plot twist? Cole and Vania confirmed...? 🙄

Here we go!!

THE DARKEST HOUR

So I'm guessing the guys aren't doing too good at the moment 😅

I know this is kind of a tense situation, but honestly Kai looking so confused at having to lead cracks me up 😂 "Do I have to say it? Is that what being in charge means?"

Lloyd: YOU

Jay: SHALL

Kai: NOT

Zane: BE GRANTED THE PERMISSION TO TRAVERSE BEYOND THIS POINT

I have no words, that was such an obvious reference in full Zane style so in character, I have tears. Beautiful 🤣🤣

Also they all look SO COOL 💚💙❤🤍

My ninja babies fighting together screaming NINJA-GOO!! Really this season feels like we're back in the old days, so cool! And they are so in sync, Kai lifting Lloyd up and Zane pushing others away and I LOVE THE FIGHTING ANIMATIONS 🤩

Poor Skull dude, he's trying to do his big bad guy monologue and he keeps getting interrupted 😂

It was cute that both tribes immediately refused to surrender, not sure if it was for pride or they actually care about their new ninja friends, but it was nice

Aahh, near death life experiences, the best way to elicit teamwork 👍 Nice scene, nice cute scene

Nnnnnyyyggg, Lloyd, that's the sacrifice look right there 😱 At least they just turned themselves in peacefully after reuniting the tribes... aaand of course he was lying, I hate that Skull dude 👿👿

THE ASCENT

Back to team Cole! Back to the Upply! 🖤 Quick guys, we're only three episodes left!! NEED TO GO BIG!!

Heeeeeyy, Wu back in business! I kinda missed him a bit taking control of the situation, it used to be him because he was the master. It really is a jump into the past this season! 🤩🤩

Sure let's go with the explosive cart, not like Cole and the other ninja haven't been piloting a falling apart rocket back to Earth before 🤷‍♀️

A Mech on rolleskates, why not? Does Cole even know how to go on those though? He was already out of the Tournament of Elements during Chen's Thunder Blade so I don't really know...

Lolz the monster was actually waiting staring at the wall, guess you don't get much fun in this mine 😅

COOL FIGHTING SEQUENCE COOL FIGHTING SEQUENCE COOL FIGHTING SEQUENCE 🖤🖤🖤

And a poor old couple of civilians traumatized. They need to be trained by the people of Ninjago City on how to deal with weird appearances 💪

I guess we're doing this 😅 Gonna be honest, this is the first very evident sweet look I see from these two. I like Vania, a lot, but another classic love interest? Uuuuhhh, Idk, Imma see the rest of the season and see what happens 🤷‍♀️

A baby dragon on a giant spider, one of my favorite things ever on one thing I fear... I'll let it pass just because Adam is a good boy 🕷🕷🕷

GO VANIA GO GIRL LET HIM KNOW WHO IS THE BOSS HERE!!! 💛💛💛

THE UPPLY STRIKES BACK!

I really like these DnD guys, they've grown on me, let's see what they have in store! 😁

Munce and Geckles under chains, ninja in a cage, the Skull dude has the control, we're back when we started... sucks to be a ninja sometimes 😅

Omg I'm loving that this dude is trying so hard to be menacing and he keeps getting ignored 😂😂 Aww cute, you think you're the first that wants to destroy the ninja? Such a special little snowflake 😘 Evil monologue, we've been going for 13 seasons now with various specials and a movie, we heard it already 🤷‍♀️

Also the reveal, and he's all "Your friend Cole is dead" and Lloyd "That's what they all say, buddy" 👌👌

Poor Cole just wants justice for his mom HELP EMOTIONAL AGAIN

I'm all for Cole's personal team, they should do missions together, like Jay's team in Skybound!... that technically never happened, BUT STILL COOL 🖤💙🖤💙

Oh boy oh boy oh boy got the swords, confrontation ready, BRING IT!! Ninja team is all in for this!! ❤💚💙🤍🌊

REVOLUTION!!!! 💪💪💪💪

Swords aren't usually Cole's weapon of choice... BUT DANG IT HE CAN SWING THEM, HOLY GARMADON!!! THIS IS THE FIGHTING SCENES I WANT!!! 😍😍

How is this the episode prior the finale? It already feels like the finale! What else is going to happen?

SON'S OF LILY

Oh with a title like this, it's a given that I will not survive. Oh boy, here goes, the FINALE!

Chaos, chaos, beautiful dragon of death and distraction, also gently reminder that Mino is also a very good boy 💕 Are the skeletons connected to the skull? Are they gonna stop reform when Cole defeats the Skull Sorcerer?

The swords are not actually magical? Huh, first weapon in this show that turns out to be a fluke, apart maybe the Dragon Armor of the Firstborne... that one stayed intact at least 😅

HERE COMES THE VALKIRIES!!! *classic related music plays*

THIS. FIGHTING. SCENES. ARE. SO. FREAKING. GOOD 😍 Also wow sensei, full kamikaze with a dragon? I guess the sacrifice gene really runs into that family 😅

COLE NO DON'T HURT ROCK BABY 😭

"Always." KIRBY STOP MAKING ME CRY WITH YOUR AMAZING VOICE ACTING SKILLS ALSO HOLY HOOLA GANG

THAT'S LIKE A SPINJITZU WITH THE TRUE POTENTIAL OMG HECK YEAH SHINE COLE SHINE!!! 🖤🖤🖤

A bit red, could mistake it for Kai's, but it's an orange earth lava burst so I understand

Cole: okay guys, done my part

Cole: wake me up when next season is out

LOOK AT VANIA BECOMING THE QUEEN WITH THAT BEAUTIFUL ATTIRE AND USING COLE'S MOTHER QUOTE BECAUSE SHE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM COLE AWWW 💛

Okay, since there weren't evident references to Nexo Knights this season, can I pretend Fungus shooting fireworks is one? Merlok used to do that almost at every season finale... IMMA PRETEND 🙃

She is so adorable, I really love her. Wished we've seen more of her bond with her father, it felt a little easy her giving up on him. Idk, Sky and Chen didn't have that much of a bond but she struggled a lot! But she is super cool and cute, I ADORE her 💕

This sounds like a pretty good experience for Lloyd who FINALLY spent a season without being scarred for life!!! He even met a princess who didn't plan his death!!! Montgomery things are getting better 💚

Well, that surprised me, I guess Cole and Vania like each other but not heavily? Just a very light mood, like they care a lot but no other step further. I'm very happy about this choice, you can see it as a couple if you want, but you can also say they are just good friends. Nice 👍

Oh no, Wu got his midlife crisis, SOMEBODY STOPS HIM 😱

Wherever the wind will take them okay, wherever the producers will decide to torture them 😗

Overall, great finale! 😁

FINAL THOUGHTS

I think I enjoyed Prime Empire's finale more than this one, but this season with all of its episodes was absolutely AMAZING 🖤

The Skull Sorcerer wasn't necessarily a bad villain, but the story kinda went into another direction in my opinion so his part wasn't fundamental. Which isn't a bad thing for me, it's actually new and exciting see the attention to the story instead of the villain, and I did enjoy how they made fun of how cliche he was being 😂

Vania was GREAT. Wished we had more time with her father to really establish what kind of bond they had, but overall I loved her, new best girl acquired 💛💛💛

FREAKING ROCK MOM!! FREAKING LILLY!! I'm so emotional just thinking about this family, omg, THIS is the content I want for Ninjago! Impactful, that makes sense, connected to the heart that makes you so much closer to a character! Finally the Rock family is getting more complex 🖤

I think this season really gave Cole justice, we got her mom's story, we've got him leading a team again, we've got him with a cool new power! 😍😍

For the other ninja it was okay, I really liked the shenanigans with the tribes and the cultures were really fun to explore. Was kinda like a side quest and for me didn't bring that much to the main story, but it was fun and it's fair, Cole had all the attention he deserved 👌

FIGHTING ANIMATION OMG HECK FREAKING YEAH 10/NINJA-GOOOO ❤💚💙🖤🤍🌊

Beautiful designs for the characters, in particular the Shintaro citizens, and also wonderful backgrounds and sceneries, that I thought were starting to lack but here seems much nicer to look at 🤩

What can I say? Ninjago still knows how to mess with my heart, and I'm so very happy about it. I think the so wanted Cole season was definitely worth it 🖤🖤🖤

Now, I heard voices about a possible Nya season... ABSOLUTELY YES, YES TO EVERYTHING, QUEEN GETTING HER OWN SEASON YES YES YES!!! 😍😍😍🌊🌊🌊 Besides that apparently Maya will come back, which is a dream coming true, if they give Nya the same attention they gave to Cole this season, I will be happy 😊

#i am so happy #ninjago outdid itself #really #the cole season #worth the wait #lego ninjago #ninjago #ninjago cole #cole brookstone #ninjago kai #kai smith #ninjago nya #nya smith #ninjago jay #jay walker #ninjago zane #zane julien #ninjago lloyd garmadon #lloyd montgomery garmadon #lloyd garmadon #ninjago vania #princess vania #ninjago spoilers #spoilers #ninjago season 13 #ninjago master of the mountain #ninjago wu #sensei wu

[janiedean]

When one of my favourite fic writers was asked why she doesn’t like brienne’s POV she said that she’s a minor character looking for two major characters whose location we already know, they lack suspense and it’s hard to see why they’re there :( I feel like a lot of people feel this way, but what do you think is the purpose of brienne’s chapters in the grand scheme of things?

well, there’s a lot to unpack here, but:

the fact that brienne is defined minor already says all because no, she’s a pove character. she can be a secondary or not one of the main ones, true enough, but minor character? yeah, nope. she has POVs. minor characters don’t have povs unless you count throwaways with just one, but then again, melisandre has one pov and you’d never say she was a minor character, would you? yeah, exactly;

also, ‘brienne is looking for sansa and we already know who she is’: yeah, except that it’s not about sansa whatsoever, it’s about lady stoneheart and brienne herself and their rship with jaime, which means that if you’re reading brienne’s chapters wanting to find stuff on sansa you’re already approaching it wrong because ofc we know where sansa is, but brienne’s arc in affc is about sansa as much as sansa is a pretext to show you a lot of things that grrm couldn’t do otherwise.

specifically, we have two main things: worldbuilding and brienne’s character development. in order:

worldbuilding:

now, what’s happened for the first three books? people went to war and it apparently ended (in westeros) with an unlawful massacre. all of our povs until now until davos have been from nobles/economically privileged people who have mostly survived the war. we had some inklings of how it went through a) the riverrun chapters in acok where you learn that edmure had let his people in, b) the cat chapters in general, c) something from davos because he has the not-noble perspective, but did we see how the war actually devastated the entire country? no. what do brienne’s chapters offer? brienne and pod going around one of the most war-torn areas of westeros (near where the red wedding had been) and showing you exactly how much it hurt the real people living it, and sorry but if grrm, a well-known conscience objector during the vietnam war who feels about the consequence of war and pacifism very deeply, has said in an interview that his favorite scene to write in the whole of asoiaf is brienne and maribald talking about how ptsd destroys soldiers’s lives in war and war ruins people, sure as hell I’m going to assume he thinks those povs were important enough to warrant their presence;

also, you get introduced in a very subtle but effective way to a lot of future key players. as in, randyll tarly is currently on the small council or should be soon, but we don’t see him first in a sam chapter, we see him in brienne’s affc chapters where he’s presented as being basically the asshole version of stannis who told her to go back home and find a husband when he technically saved her from the bet in renly’s camp, we find out sandor is alive (!!! THE QUIET ISLE!!!), we find out where the fuck gendry ended up, we find out where the bloody mummers have scattered, we have found out where the brotherhood ended up etc, and oh wait lady stoneheart shows up and scuse me but catelyn was a major character with a shitton of povs and you’re telling me it’s a coincidence she shows up with her purpose and all in the chapters of the female character she shared a bond with, that was sworn to her and who’d have fucking died for her even after cat herself died and it’s a coincidence? like, i know this fandom hates catelyn dead or alive but she’s important, deal with it;

this also means that through brienne’s chapters grrm deals with a lot of his favorite themes to touch in a general setting without going into character-specific things, specifically:a) war, the consequences of war on who fought it, which are all negative and peace being always the best choice over it;b) those same consequences on people who suffered it without fighting (ie: have a bunch of orphans being slaughtered by bandits because their parents died!)c) the fact that the people in power don’t give a single fuck about itd) justice and how it’s dealt (randyll tarly and his exemplary methods /sarcasm)

okay, all good, you say, and then why did brienne have to do it, couldn’t it have been anyone else?

no, it couldn’t have been anyone else, and this is where we touch the other point, as in, brienne’s character development. as in:

now, george is a good writer. he also knows that if you have to set a character up for something at the peak of the series, you have to build it up before (ie: if he knew that theon was gonna save jeyne and jump from that window after regretting he didn’t die with robb, he had to start working on it since his acok chapters which he did, but you couldn’t have told that would be his storyline reading acok, right...?) which means that you need to make sure the reader has a background and knows what the hell is going on with them and why they tick the way they tick. I have previously ranted about how you can guess a lot of things about brienne if you read just acok/asos when I explained why she’s important as a literary character and I refer to that for it, but until you get to asos, since you don’t have her pov, other than ‘she’s not conventionally attractive’, you can only go insofar as:a) at some point she was in love with renly enough she’d die for himb) she’s a very morally sound person who really believes in her knightly oaths to a point that’s maybe unhealthy sometimesc) she’d die for whoever she trustsd) she will change her mind if she misjudged someone but she needs to have proofe) she doesn’t trust people easilyf) she can fight pretty damn well and possibly best than any other man in westerosg) everyone thinks she’s a joke for wanting to be a knighth) she has conflicts about wearing dressesnow, that’s not little. but still, it’s not enough for what I think george has in plans for her. now, rewind a moment, because we need to establish another point, as in...

grrm has made A Damned Point in these books of deconstructing the concept of chivalry/knighthood and pointing out how people who are seen by others as perfect knights/Good People To Boot are actually anything but and people who tried to actually do knightly things aren’t seen as such for hypocrisy or because society sucks or both (jaime and sandor vs gregor vs jaime’s old kingsguard vs the gold cloaks etc) and he’s been pretty damn going at it with a flamethrower. what you know is that at the point in the narrative westeros is at knighthood is a corrupted institution, no one believes in it (or almost), no one fits the definition of what a true knight should be or if they do other people don’t see it, and not counting the above (sandor because he doesn’t see himself as one and he loathes it because the moment gregor got knighted he got his worldview of it tainted forever, jaime because he tried and he wanted to be it and all he got was the kingslayer name) no one in these books is a darned true knight and recognized as such. now, I’ll bring up the goddamned dunk and egg books again because in those books we have a) the actual knightly oath, b) an actual true knight, as in duncan, who is/was recognized as such by the entire damned realm and actually was one. now, the oath is:In the name of the Warrior I charge you to be brave. In the name of the Father I charge you to be just. In the name of the Mother I charge you to defend the young and innocent. In the name of the Maid I charge you to protect all women....now, I’m gonna drop the question: who, while going around westeros with a *valyrian sword* she doesn’t think she deserves handling and duncan’s actual shield that she takes because there was a similar one in the armory while being on a quest to save a princess:- shows bravery at every other corner (no chance and no choice guys)- dispenses justice as much as she’s allowed to (the bloody mummers and most likely lady stoneheart later) because she kills people who did horrible things- defended the young and innocent (pod and the kids in the inn, again, no chance and no choice)- protected women (she’s out to find sansa and most people in the inn were girls and if you want to rape someone rape me)?answer: brienne of tarth. yes, brienne. no, no other. and no one else could have done that, because, and here we go to the last two points...

we knew what we knew about brienne, but the moment we go into her head we find out exactly all the reasons why she does what she does, we find out what she thinks about her life, jaime, catelyn, pod, the situation she’s in and whatnot, we find out what drives her, we find out why she was going to die with renly, we find out that her core problem (other than hating that people see her as ugly) is that she can’t reconcile being a lady and a knight and she hates disappointing his father and that she’s been subjected to a really damn crappy time in her life on account of her looks, which means that we saw her as a young girl who was about to get herself killed over renly and finally finds a woman who doesn’t laugh at her in cat chapters, we saw her as what jaime sees her as ie someone who gets him/changed his mind about him/a paragon of knightly strength and vows-upholding, but we hadn’t seen her from inside her own head.from where we find out that she’s a human being with very human issues, that she’s actually not a fluke in the sense that yes she’s that good of a person, yes she’s that nice, no she doesn’t care for glory or money or fame beyond ending up in songs where she’s celebrated as beautiful and strong and not called names like in real life, no she doesn’t have some hidden agenda to fuck things up for someone, yes she really believes in knightly vows, yes she really cares for the people she swears herself to that much, yes she suffers over catelyn’s death forreal, yes she really is gone over jaime that much, yes her self-esteem is crap, no she’s not gregor clegane.and she’s also duncan’s direct descendant, even if george isn’t dropping that bomb on her yet. (and her brother’s name is galladon like one of the fairest knights in legends and wait, in arthuriana the perfect knight is galahad of which brienne is a deconstruction in herself.)now, not to presume anything, but if I was writing a series in which I 100% deconstruct knighthood in every possible way - as an institution and as ‘what people thinks a knight has to look like’ - and I was planning to have as a plot twist to have a person who doesn’t look like a proper knight according to the audience and the other characters in the narration actually be officially hailed as The Best Knight In This Entire Fucking Realm I’d probably give them POV chapters instead of having them always be seen by someone else, because you can’t know if that person is deserving of the title until it’s always other people talking about it. the moment you’re in their head you know if they have what it takes for the job or not...

which means that the brienne chapters are there because from the moment she gets them and separates from jaime she starts on a journey which ends with her having to face her worst fears about her own shortcomings and put her in front of enormous moral and ethical choices (ie jaime - the man she loves - or stoneheart as in her former liege lady gone mad, also her mission for sansa vs saving the girls at the inn because if she’s dead she can’t find sansa... but no chance and no choice) which until now have about broken everyone who has faced them (even good people at heart ie jaime and sandor got their lives turned on for the worst when knighthood ideals and vows failed them) and guess what the entire point is that while everyone else couldn’t coherently live up to those ideals and vows, brienne most likely will because she’s exactly everything a true knight TM should be, and the moment she gets over it she’s going to get the results, and since I doubt grrm wanted anyone to say that if she got that he had written an overpowered mary sue who can fight anyone and take the moral high ground without being conflicted most of the time, he’s showing you where she comes from, that she’s hella conflicted and she has a hell of a lot of issues which still don’t stop her from pursuing her dreams.

and sorry but if she’s being written to become that (and the fact that she’s duncan’s direct descendant seals it nvm the knighting in the show which I’m 99% sure is one of the three book canon things they might have done this year because like hell dnd would have cared for knighting her before kingsguarding her, they’d have forgotten it as usual) then she can’t not have povs because then she really would look like your usual mary sue just not standard attractive, but then again you don’t get how much that hurts her or weights on her until you read her chapters. then it hits you in the face. like, reading it really cemented for me that she was top three for me and my favorite female character in existence, if it stuck at asos I don’t know if i’d have gotten it that much.

also, giving a pov to the only goshdarned canonically not attractive woman who stays not attractive with her experiences and background that ever graced mainstream literature has (for me and a lot of others I know) meant that for the first time we saw someone with our darned crappy childhood self-esteem destroying experiences being the protagonist of one storyline and believe me that didn’t hurt either, and most surely grrm also meant her as that specific rep, and that would be enough of a reason if he felt like it, but nvm that.

tldr: the purpose of brienne’s chapters is showing you that war sucks and make you understand that brienne is The Knight That Was Promised and they’re there so when she’s knighted and hailed as the best one since her ancestor and most likely even better than him you don’t go like ‘what the hell where did that come from she has no pov I’ve barely seen her in these books how am I supposed to buy it’, never mind that she’s fundamental to the conclusion of catelyn’s storyline whichever it is, and catelyn’s coincidentally an extremely major character in these series and one grrm also really obviously cares about. and grrm is doing the work now so no one falls off the chair gaping and wondering what the hell was her deal in ADOS. so if anyone thinks the purpose in those chapters is finding sansa they’re imvho very far off the mark. sansa being actually the purpose of the quest happens next book after the stoneheart situation is solved, then we can discuss it. but for now, it’s not what these chapters are about - they’re about brienne and her relationships and her quest and knighthood and the worldbuilding and about how war devastates the places it happens in always, and the fact that people read those chapters and then think ‘yes but what about sansa’ and/or ‘yes but what was the point’ is imvho a self-showing proof that it’s exactly why they need them: because like that, they them and only think about the other main characters or the overachieving plot or immediate gratification when grrm wants the reader to stop and think for five minutes about what he’s telling you and he’s pointing neon lights at brienne like ‘hey SHE is the one you need to keep an eye on because She Is The Quintessential Good Guy’. but the fact that I see people dismissing her chapters as useless and boring on principle because no plot gratification and ‘she’s boring’ about says everything that has to be said imvho, and that was my tea for today, thanks for coming to my ted talk.

#brienne of tarth #asoiaf meta #gotbrienneoftarth #janie writes meta #*shrug* #long post for ts #I said what I said #Anonymous #ask post

[spectral-musette]

Finished Thrawn: Treason a couple of days ago, and typed up some thoughts (cause I don’t know anyone else who’s read it and I just wanted vent them somewhere).

Overall, I think I still liked Alliances the most of the new Thrawn books, but Treason (or as I’ve been calling it, Threason) was also really enjoyable.

(Spoilers to follow for the current Thrawn series, Outbound Flight, and the end of Rebels)

(Disclaimers:

While I think Thrawn is a fascinating character, I’m not under any illusions that he is heroic, good, or admirable just because he’s written as the protagonist of the current series of novels. To me, Thrawn is interesting because I don’t see him as the kind of villain who convinces himself he’s actually good; it’s just that, in his calculations, morals and ideals are valued below expediency. He doesn’t think he’s right, only that he’s necessary. When you’ve compromised morality and justice and sworn allegiance to someone like Palpatine for what you believe to be the greater good, what’s left? What remains of your own soul when you’ve made yourself a monster just to fight off worse monsters? None of the novels have gotten to that point yet, but I hope TZ will eventually take us there.

Also, I know Outbound Flight is considered “Legends”, but I think it gives a lot of insight into Thrawn’s character. At his panel at SWCC, Timothy Zahn said he always writes as if all his old books could still become canon, so I’m assuming that the events of Outbound Flight continue to factor into TZ’s development of the character.)

I think the title maybe oversold the angle that we might see Thrawn working against Imperial interests. Apparently, he’s much too committed and careful for that. Acts of treason certainly came into play in the plot, but not committed by Thrawn. He doesn’t even lie to Palpatine – he omits, carefully, sometimes, but rarely that.

I discovered at SWCC that fandom was pretty hyped about the return of Eli Vanto. I had admittedly been rather tepid on Eli in the first novel in the series. Any good things Eli did were always tempered by the fact that I couldn’t quite forget that this was a young man who quite freely decided that the Imperial Navy was the career path for him. In Treason, I found it much easier to like Eli now that he’s no longer an Imperial officer. Seeing him finding his footing on the Chiss battleship was interesting, and I liked the soft beginning of romantic feelings between him and Vah’nya (the Force-Sensitive Chiss navigator who, at 22, is the oldest known Chiss to ever maintain her abilities). I was going to say “hints of feelings”, but I think it was a bit stronger than that? Her flirtation was downright overt at times (“You were not merely coming to see me? Too Sad.” Lol, get it Vah’nya), and Eli did tell her that he’d die for her, so that seems like a pretty solid foundation? I’m a little worried about them, though. What I recall about Chiss society from Outbound Flight and Survivor’s Quest is that it’s pretty class-bound and that they don’t really think much of outsiders. It’s unclear to me if an important asset to the Ascendancy like Vah’nya would be permitted to have a relationship with a non-Chiss.

Much as Assistant Director Ronan (who is just the worst, see below) liked to throw around “traitor” re: Eli, I’m not sure I’m ready to give Eli Imperial Defector status, at least not quite at the same level as the people who joined the Rebellion. Eli has yet to actually work against the Empire. I feel like Eli’s background (being from Wild Space) did affect the way he perceived the Empire as just the same old Galactic Republic going by a new name, but after the things he experienced in the first Thrawn novel, Eli at least knows very well that the Empire uses slave labor. But I guess at this point he’s buying Thrawn’s rationale that the military strength of the Empire is keeping the Grysk, the spooky big bad from the edges of the galaxy, out of that part of the galaxy? It would be interesting to see how Eli’s perceptions of the Empire might change after the destruction of Alderaan.

Leading up to the release, I saw some promotion for the novel, I think on twitter, saying that a “new” female Chiss character was being introduced, Admiral Ar’alani. My initial response was, uuuuuuuuum wasn’t she in Outbound Flight, though? And I know that’s not technically canon anymore, but, wasn’t she also mentioned in the first new Thrawn novel? So actually, not really new at all? BUT Vah’nya and little Un’hee are both new and I love them, so there absolutely ARE new female Chiss characters in Treason… just… not Ar’alani. Though we do see a good bit more of her in this book than we have previously.

And I really enjoyed Ar’alani as a character in Treason. She’s a great foil to Thrawn to directly demonstrate that no, all the Chiss are not Like That. She’s honorable and cunning, and she’s quite passionate, quick-tempered but also quick to move past her anger. I liked that we got to see her being fierce and indomitable, but she was also able to be so soft and comforting to a rescued child without ever undermining her authority or seeming remotely awkward or uncomfortable about it. It was fun to see her get so angry and annoyed at Thrawn, but be able to put it aside and work with him because she knows it’s the best course of action.(There are points from Faro’s point of view when Ar’alani just goes off on Thrawn in the Chiss language aboard the bridge of the Chimaera, and I’m DYING to know what she’s saying to him). I was kinda getting a vibe that the two of them possibly were exes before the scene where Eli has the same thought -

Eli Vanto, on the bridge of a Chiss warship, during battle: I Think My Admirals Used to Bang.

(Verbatim, it’s “he wondered at the history and the relationship between Ar’alani and Thrawn”)

And it kinda solidified for me in the farewell between them:

[“Someday, Mitth’raw’nuruodo, you’ll overthink and overplan, and it will come crashing down all around you. When that happens, I hope someone is there to lift you back to your feet.”

“You, perhaps?”

Ar’alani shakes her head. Her expression holds regret, perhaps even pain. “I very much fear I will never see you again.”]

(I MEAN, wow okay, why don’t you two just make out right there in the turbolift, then?)

(And I get that you could totally read the dynamic another way, but that’s how it comes across to me)

I don’t recall their dynamic being that uh… charged? in Outbound Flight? But Outbound Flight was a bit more focused on Maris’s hero-worship/crush on Thrawn (and admittedly it’s been a while since I read it).

Speaking of Outbound Flight, the fact that Ar’alani has held the rank of Admiral since before the Clone Wars tells us that she definitely is not a young woman. Even if she rocketed through the ranks on a combination of extraordinary ability and family connections, it seems like she’d be at least in her 30’s at that point (and that’s really low-balling it), and that was 25+ years ago. Granted, we don’t know much about Chiss lifespans or how they show their age, but no mention is made of her age at all. The only descriptor I could find of Ar’alani when paging back through Outbound Flight (aside from the typical “blue-skinned”/“glowing red eyes” Chiss stuff) was “resplendent”, so I’ve decided that’s her main attribute and she might be slightly immortal.

Eli makes note of the fact that she has the same name-structure as the navigators (two-part instead of three-part, never abbreviated to a core name). This can’t just be a gendered thing – Eli is supposed to be good at noticing patterns in things and would SURELY have realized that (plus, Feesa in Survivor’s Quest is a lady with a three-part name) – but I wonder if the answer is just: Ar’alani was a navigator when she was a child. She knows an awful lot about the navigators’ abilities (even Thrawn doesn’t know much about “Second Sight”), seems particularly sympathetic to and protective of them, and both Vah’nya and Un’hee seem particularly attached to her. Force-sensitive Ar’alani is an interesting prospect!

I’m not sure I’d say I ship Thrawn and Ar’alani, exactly, but the idea of him being her ex-lover who keeps calling her up and asking for favors even though he’s off the grid doing CRAZY SHIT is amusing to me. I’m not sure if I like the idea of them having been together when they were young (in a military academy, maybe) and splitting up for political reasons (differences in class/family affiliations) or if I prefer to think they had a thing when he was her junior officer, or what. Mostly I think it makes an interesting sunken ship, as it were. She probably deserves better anyway (more on Thrawn’s personal problems in a bit).

Wow that turned into “just blather on about Admiral Ar’alani”, didn’t it? Anyway, she’s a great character and I like her a lot.

To move on to another character, Assistant Director Ronan is, as I said, the worst. I’m pretty sure Thrawn’s not wrong about Vader straight up murdering this dude, given the opportunity. And I mean, there are two types of characters Vader will murder: Ones you Really Don’t Want him to, and ones that you… do? Ronan is the latter. Instead, Thrawn is using him to let Ar’alani feed very select info back to the Empire about the Chiss. So, cape-wearing, Krennic-worshipping Ronan thinks the Emperor is petty and more interested in watching his subordinates squabble than providing effective leadership and also apparently hates Force-users (declaring himself an enemy to Thrawn if he’s working against Palpatine’s goals to eradicate them). And while I’m sure the Chiss will maintain the secrecy and protection around their navigators as well as they can, I’m very uncomfortable with the idea of this guy anywhere near my tiny blue daughters.

And I’m pretty sure Thrawn is not working with Palpatine to kill Force-sensitives in the Ascendancy. If he was, this would be a dark prospect given Eli’s project to collate data about the navigators! But as far as I can tell at this point, Thrawn’s goals for the navigators are the same as Ar’alani’s – more navigators who maintain their abilities longer are a benefit to the Ascendancy. And while navicomputer technology is certainly more sustainable, it seems like if the Ascendancy wanted it, that’s certainly something they would be able to obtain. Possibly they’re just being traditionalist about it (using navigators because they’ve always used navigators) and possibly it’s partly to contain the Grysk – a navicomputer doesn’t have an expiration date like a captured Chiss navigator does. Maybe Force-aided navigation has advantages we haven’t fully explored (or I’m just forgetting some of the ones we have).

I think TZ has tended to write Thrawn as more sympathetic over time (not that this is a recent development; see Outbound Flight) so it becomes hard to reconcile the version of Thrawn in Rebels to the current Thrawn in the novels, even though the events are tied up quite closely. Probably because Rebels Thrawn is drawn mostly from the less-developed version of the character in the original Thrawn novels, and mostly I think because TZ didn’t have any input in writing Thrawn’s episodes.

What seems to be an on-going thread in the current novels is Thrawn’s tendency to isolate himself. I think he’s actually pretty fond of Eli (insofar as he’s capable of things like “fondness”). And while I’m sure Eli can be an asset to the Ascendancy, with Eli serving Ar’alani, Thrawn also no longer has to deal with Eli, who views him as a good commander and a brilliant, admirable person, holding him accountable for any actions that might contradict that view. He holds Eli at arm’s length throughout the story in Treason; in part you can chalk this up to the urgency of the mission, but it strikes me that he’s actively pushing Eli away. Eli never gets much of a moment with Thrawn, no renewal of camaraderie. Eli’s angry about it at the beginning, perceiving it as a snub, but by the end he’s more resigned to it. It sucks to love someone who doesn’t seem to care about you.

(But I’m not sure Thrawn doesn’t care about Eli, I think he’s just being careful to let Eli get that impression.)

And Thrawn does the same with Commodore Faro, recommending her for a major promotion out of his immediate circle. She’s deeply loyal to him and admires him, and he is sure to remove her from his sphere of influence. Always to the benefit of the removed party (Eli is thriving in the Ascendancy, and I’m sure Faro will do well in her new command), of course. But they’re also gone. He doesn’t have to be privy to their disappointment, disillusionment, and he doesn’t have to be responsible for their lives or deaths. Thrawn is actively denying himself the opportunity to be cared for, and maybe keeping himself from getting attached beyond a certain point as well.

Because once upon a time, before the Clone Wars, Thrawn was a person who liked being admired, who deeply valued idealism in others, who loved his brother.

Does the self-isolation go back to his brother’s death, or is it part of his approach to serving Palpatine? If he doesn’t live like a person with feelings and loved ones, is it easier to tolerate the suffering he’s causing to other people with feelings and loved ones?

(And in the aftermath of the Rebels finale – assuming Thrawn survived the Purgill attack, and there’s no reason he MUST have – what happens when he is really truly isolated, with nothing between him and oblivion but an angry teenage Jedi apprentice who utterly loathes him? And… some space whales.)

#long post

[forever-more-never-again]

Swan

Requested: Anonymous

Well...You know you can’t hope for just fluff from me! So it’s a little angsty, but a very, very happy ending. 

Pairing: Natasha X Fem!Reader

Word Count:4569

Warnings: Swearing, Abuse, Beating, Blood, parental abuse, mention of suicide

Request: Hello, I hope you're well! I was wondering if you could write something super fluffy and loving and happy for a Natasha Romanoff x reader? I'm struggling to recover from infinity war and need to ignore our reality. I love you and your writing!!

a/n: You left it pretty open, I hope you are happy with the result!

Masterlist

Wiping down the counter of the bar, you gazed out through the hazy glass door. You hated your job. Working as a bartender in a bar in a sleazy part of Queens had never been in your dreams.

But that’s what happened when your father was one of the biggest names in the underground black markets. He owned this bar in his string of money laundering businesses. And he made you the middleman.

Of course, you had wanted to say no. After all, it would mean dropping out of college, and saying goodbye to your dream of being a dancer, but your father did not know the meaning of no. And you knew what he would do to you if you disobeyed him.

Just because the people who knew who you were, called you the Queens Princess, didn’t mean your father treated you as such.

Ever since your mother killed herself when you were only five years old, your father had become more and more aggressive. You bore the bruises and scars from his drunken rages and his resentment of you looking so much like the love he had lost.

“[Y/n]....it’s almost closing time, you can take off if you want, I can handle the last call.” You turned with a small smile to Susan, the elderly woman who worked behind the bar with you.

You glanced back out through the glass door as the sky got darker. “Thanks Susan. I’ll be here for opening tomorrow, so that you can watch little Timmy graduate kindergarten.” You hugged Susan.

Running to the back, you whipped off your apron and took your hair out of the stiff bun, letting you [h/c] hair flow freely.

Grabbing your sports duffel, you took off out of the bar. Breathing in the fresh air, free of cigarette smoke and the stench of whiskey, you spun in a circle, your arms outstretched.

This is what you lived for, freedom.

Your happiness came to a quick close when you heard your cell ringing. Taking it out of your jeans pocket, you groaned when you saw who it was.

Hitting answer, you put it up to your ear and huffed, “Yeah?”

Your father’s right hand man spoke into the phone, “There’s going to be a shipment of some goods tomorrow morning at ten. Boss wants you there to sign for it and to make sure that the dealers don’t double cross us.”

You walked down the dark sidewalks, hugging your arms for warmth as you growled into the phone, “I just got done, it’s already one Am and he wants me there at ten? And what about my safety? He probably doesn’t even care that I might get killed one of these days over a deal gone bad.”

The henchmen sighed deeply, he knew about your life, he had been with your father since the beginning, “Look, Princess, I know you don’t like it. But your father only trusts me and you. He’s gotten so paranoid these past years. Please, I can send some backup men if your worried.”

You sighed, stopping in front of the building you had been walking to you glanced around at the empty neighborhood, “Alright, fine. Thanks. I’ll see them at ten at the bar then.”

You hung up the phone and entered the dark warehouse. You had entered through the back door which led to a set of stairs that went down.

Reaching the basement, the atmosphere changed from dark and gloomy, to calm and peaceful. The room was alight with soft lamps and fairy lights hanging from the ceiling. On one wall was another set of double doors. There was a makeup table and a rack full of costumes. You set your duffel down and pulled out your outfit for the night. It was a black ballerina outfit with a black full face mask and black ballet shoes.

Sitting at your makeup desk, you began applying kohl around your eyes when the double doors opened and a spry older gentleman walked through, “Ah, the black swan is here at last! We got a full house tonight!”

You laughed, applying red lipstick you glanced towards him, “You say that everynight Kevin, and yet there’s always room for more.”

Kevin, the man who had found you dancing on stage during your college years and had offered you freedom to dance and get paid, smiled and leaned against his cane. “Yes my dear. But tonight, we have some very esteemed quests.”

You frowned, pulling off your jeans and shirt to put on the ballerina outfit. No shame or modesty of undressing in front of Kevin. He was a player on the other team anyways. As were you. So you two got along great as friends and business partners.

“What do you mean? The only way people know about this club is through word of mouth and personal invitation. Who did you invite?”

You pulled on the black mask, which only showed your shadows [e/c] eyes and red lips, and adjusted your hair. Worriedly, you wondered if he had invited your father. He didn’t know that this is what you did after your shift at the bar. He would forbid it and probably burn the warehouse to the ground if he ever found out that his daughter was a ballerina dancer for an elite club.

As you leaned over to tie your ribbons up your legs, Kevin giggled and clapped his hands like a schoolgirl. “The Avengers!”

You froze. Kevin didn’t know about your family history. You just told him that you had absent parents. Dancing at night for his secret club worked well for you. And the elite clientele allowed him to charge a lot. So you got paid clean money, instead of dirty money from your father’s enterprise.

But you knew who the Avengers were, and you didn’t know if they knew who you were. You tried your best to stay as anonymous as possible. Most people either knew you as Queens Princess, the arms dealer’s, or as the Black Swan, the elusive dancer who never showed their face.

“What? Why?” You asked, trying to keep your voice normal. No police, or authorities were supposed to know about this club. It was secretive and elite.

“Because I caught Mr. Tony Stark during walk earlier and he expressed an interest in a club he had heard about, of course, I invited his whole merry crew...granted he never breathed word about it to the public and that they all could handle themselves with etiguite and grace. They are here for one night only, and they all signed non-disclosures.”

Kevin, seemed to sense some distress from you and rubbed a comforting hand down your arm, “Don’t worry, Honey. I told them we’re not ‘that’ kind of club. If they touch or become too forward, I’ll treat them just like I would any other ignorant, dirty patron.”

He left through the doors he entered and you sat down at your makeup table for a moment trying to control the rising fear inside you.

Even though you hated your father’s business, and your relationship with him wasn’t good, you were pretty sure the Avengers wouldn’t care, they would just see you as a criminal.

You stared at yourself in the mirror. With the mask on, and the lights glowing behind you, you didn’t recognize yourself except for the eyes.

“It’s okay [Y/n]. You’re on a brightly lit stage, dancing and moving, and your face is hidden, they won’t be able to tell who you are.” After all, the only name the club knew you as was The Black Swan.

You stood up and walked through the double doors, following the path Kevin had took seconds before.

Standing off to the side of the stage that was built in the basement, you breathed deeply to get into your mindset of the Swan.

When you heard the first notes of your classical music, you dainty pirouetted into the middle of the stage and got into a bow.

As the music rose, you spun, jumped, danced until your soul became the music. Until you forgot about the eyes in the shadows following your body, until you forgot about your life, and your father, and everything that was wrong in the world.

You danced for what seemed like hours, songs merging into songs, until finally, the final song played.

The final song was Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Ballad. You performed the Russian adaptation of the dance. Arms slowly fanning the air as your stood on your toes and took wide leaps and spun in a circle, changing poses. The ending had you in a dramatic inner battle before collapsing in an elegant pile of tutu and feathers on the floor of the stage.

The thunderous applause brought you back to the present as the curtain closed on your prone form.

You only rose once the curtain was fully drawn. Accepting a towel from one of the stagehands, you dabbed the back of your neck and your chest free of sweat as you walked back into your changing room.

Before you had a chance to pull the mask off, you heard the sound of many voices and flew across the room to hide behind the rack of costumes.

The doors to the stage opened and you peeked through the clothes to see Kevin walking and talking with a gentleman in a suit, followed by a tall blonde, a long haired brunette, a strawberry blonde girl, a dirty blonde boy, a guy in full red, and...you stifle a gasp as your eyes landed on the last person to enter.

Of course, you knew that these were the Avengers. That it was Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, James Barnes, Wanda Maximoff, Clint Barton, The Vision and….Natasha Romanoff.

You had never seen Natasha in person though, and the tabloids didn’t do her justice. You were awestruck by her vibrant red hair and intense green eyes as they scanned the room.

She stood in the back, away from her group, silent.

When her eyes scanned the costume rack, you swore she had seen you. Gasping, you dove to the ground.

You heard Kevin talking, “Thank you for enjoying the show Mr. Stark. I trust you...and your colleagues...will keep my little enterprise in a file away from the public and authorities?”

You heard a cultured voice respond, Stark’s, “Of course, Mr. Salem. You have our discretion. Hopefully, we will be able to come back and once again watch your swan grace the stage, perhaps even meet the woman who masters the stage.”

Kevin laughed off the insulation that Tony Stark would get to meet you. No one ever met you, it was part of your contract when you agreed to work for Kevin.

You jumped when you felt a hand on your shoulder. Before you could scream a hand reached over and covered your mouth over your mask.

Your eyes went wide as you looked over and saw Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, crouching next to you in your hiding spot.

Her ruby red lips were in a smirk as she slowly lowered the hand that was covering your mouth. “Hello,” She whispered, “I assume you were not informed of the impromptu tour that Tony wanted.”

Still in too much shock to talk, you just shook your head.

Natasha’s smirk slowly eased into a relaxed grin, “Yeah, I thought so. My name is Natasha. You must be the woman who everyone calls the Black Swan. You were absolutely marvelous on stage tonight. That last ballad, the swan song, you danced the Russian adaptation perfectly. Almost makes me think about picking up my ballet shoes again.” She spoke wistfully, still keeping her voice down.

You heard doors shut and peeking through the costumes saw that everyone had left.

Standing up you walked back over to your makeup table, Natasha following you.

She crossed her arms as she stood behind your chair, smiling at you in the mirror, “ You don’t talk much.” She stated.

You faced her reflection and spoke low, so that your voice wasn’t easily distinguished, “I don’t speak to people who barge into my dressing room. My identity is a secret, and I’d like to keep it that way. It’s all part of my image.”

Natasha laughed, “Of course, i understand the whole, secret identity thing, superhero here.” She pointed to her chest. She reached out and grabbed your arm, pulling you to your feet.

Your breath caught in your throat as you saw her green eyes look deep into yours. “Who are you Swan?” She murmured, almost as if she was talking to herself.

A loud voice rang through the door, “Natasha! Where are you!?”

Natasha chuckled, “That would be Clint. I better go before they all come back here. But, Swan. I felt a connection tonight watching you on the stage. You made me feel things I thought long gone. So if you ever want,” She slipped a piece of paper into your hands, “Call me.” She breathed the words into your ear as she breezed past and left your dressing room.

Staring down at the card with just a number on you, you felt a flutter in your heart.

Did Natasha Romanoff, an Avenger, just flirt with you and give you her number?

Slowly, a smile spread across your face and you jumped up and punched the air. “Oh my god!” You breathed. “Holy Shit!” You spun in a pirouhoute, hugging the card to your chest.

Then you managed to look at the clock on the wall. “Holy Shit!” Only this time, it was said in panic. It was already nine in the morning. You had to run.

You changed back to your jeans and shirt in record time and threw the mask into your duffell.

Running up the stairs, you banged the door open and sprinted down the sidewalk, not checking to see that there wasn’t anyone around who would see you first. So you missed the eyes glinting with steel from the shadows across the street as they watched you exit the warehouse and run.

You made it to the bar with ten minutes to spare. Unlocking the door, you ran to the back trucking entrance just as your father’s guys arrived and the dealers pulled up.

“So He sends a girl to do his business. Pathetic.” The french accent riled you up as the leader walked towards you. His eyes were a steely grey and his handlebar mustache made you want to laugh.

One of your father’s men rose an arm in warning, “Do not approach the Princess.”

The french man held up his hands, but smiled as if it was all fun. “Of course. Well, here are the guns and bombs your father bought from us.” He gestured and two crates were laid by your feet.

You slowly opened them, revealing hay and hundreds of automatic rifles and grenades and  stacks of TNT.

You felt sick to your stomach, but had become a pro at hiding your true feelings. Weakness got you killed.

You nodded back to your men who took the crates into the freezer of the Bar until pickup later.

The french man bowed with a flourish, winking at you with a grin, “Pleasure doing business with the Mob Boss and the Queens Princess.” He backed away, keeping his eyes on you until he got into his truck and drove away.

You shook off the icky feeling that was left and walked into the bar with a heavy sigh.

“Princess, We’re to tell you that your father wants to see you right away at home.” A man spoke to you softly. You saw the look in his eyes and your blood ran cold.

This was not going to be pleasant.

Closing up the bar with a note on the counter for Susan, apologizing for not being able to open, you left and got into a black SUV.

The men drove you to the upper class part of New York, near the Avengers tower. You snorted, Earth’s mightiest heroes, and they didn't even know about the giant black market ring going on in their backyard.

A pristine white marble two story house with a gravel driveway awaited you. Entering it, the only sound inside was the sound of your shoes on the stone floor.

You knew where to go, up the spiral staircase, you knocked on the mahogany door, waiting for the gruff, “Enter.” Before pushing open the door and standing with your hands clasped in front of you in front of a giant desk.

Your father sat behind the desk, his fingers steepled under his chin. His balding grey hair and wrinkly skin, the only sign of his age. He was still a large man, with eyes that could stop a tiger in its track.

Right now, he was glaring at you with those eyes. “How is the bar going, [Y/n]?”

You gulped, but played it cool, “Profits are up, and the shipment today was good.”

Your father nodded, never once taking his eyes off you. You felt a bead of sweat trickle down the back of your neck, but didn’t move to wipe it away.

“And how was the Club?”

You eyes widened and your knees buckled. You collapsed as your father rose and prowled around the desk to you. “You think I am stupid!?” He roared, taking a hand and backhanding you.

You fell over, the sting on your cheek burning through the shock.

You felt tears prick at your eyes, barely held back as you got back up to your feet.

You faced your father who was breathing heavily with anger. “No, father, I do not think you are stupid.” You spoke calmly.

“Then why,” He spoke dangerously low, “Did you think you could get away dancing as a slut when I told you I never wanted you to dance again?”

You swallowed your fear, facing up against your father as you felt your cheek begin to swell, “I am not a slut! It’s an elite club, and I love to dance! You can’t forbid me from dancing! It’s part of me!” You pleaded to him.

But it fell on deaf ears. Your father picked up the phone on his desk, still staring at you, “Burn it down, and everyone in it.” He ordered.

That was when the dam broke. You collapsed sobbing, banging your fists on your fathers chest, “No! You can’t! They are good people! Innocent! You can’t kill them! Please!”

YOu father shook you off, letting you fall to the ground. He spat at you, “Pathetic. You are not my daughter.” As he exited his office, he delivered a brutal kick to your stomach.

You screamed as you felt something snap inside you.

Struggling to breath. You pictured happy, funny Kevin and all the stagehands burning and begging for you to save them.

You cried into the carpet, letting the pain wash over you in waves.

You tried to stand up, but wrapped your arms around you when you realized you couldn’t feel your legs. It was that movement that led you to feel something poking against your pockets.

You pulled out a ruppled card. Natasha’s phone number. You managed to drag yourself over to the edge of your father’s desk and attempted to knock the phone over. Since you couldn’t feel your legs and your vision was blurry from tears and your body was on fire with pain, it was a trial.

But you managed to do it. Looking fearfully at the door, afraid that your father or one of his men would enter at any moment, you dialed the number with shaky fingers. Holding the phone against your ear, you could hear your shallow gasps echoed back to you against the faint ringing as it dialed.

As you were beginning to give up hope, you heard a click as it picked up. You laughed in relief, the sound watery.

“Hello? Swan?” The soft russian voice soothed your pain slightly. “Hello?” She asked again.

You licked your chapped lips and your voice came out a hoarse whisper, “I need your help. Please.”

Natasha replied back, voice filled with concern, “Of course, What do you need?”

You spoke fast, still scared of being caught, “The warehouse were I dance. There are some bad people who are going to burn it to the ground and kill everyone associated with it. I don’t know when, it could be happening right now. Please, save them.”

You coughed, feeling woozy as the adrenaline wore off. The pain inside from where your father had kicked you, spread out. And as you coughed again, your eyes widened as you saw blood riddled spittle fly out of your mouth.

You heard the shift in Natasha’s voice as she went into command mode, “How do you know this?” You could hear clicking in the background and hoped she was contacting the Avengers or the authorities.

“Because...because…” You felt your airways closing. Then the door to the study banged open and two burly men in all black walked in.

“Swan!?”

“Natasha! I’m at 512 Blvd… Please...I….”

The men grabbed you, dragging you away from the phone. One of the men stomping on the phone, shattering it, breaking the connection.

The last thing you thought before blacking out was that you would never get to know what a life with Natasha would be like.

~~~~

When you woke up, you woke up in a state of panic. Immediately trying to get away. From what, you didn’t know. The last thing you remembered was being dragged down the stairs by your feet back home.

“Woah, calm down.” You stopped struggling for a moment, your breath ragged as the feminine voice spoke.

You managed to get a look at your surroundings. You were in a hospital bed, but definitely not in a hospital, unless hospitals now had robots in every room and a ton of techy looking stuff.

You glanced down and saw that you were in a paper gown and had an IV in.

“I can take the IV out, if you want.” You looked up into the green eyes of Natasha and nodded.

She walked around, and gently pried the needle out of your skin. You hissed a little at the sensation. But smiled gratefully at Natasha.

“Guess you know who I am now.” You said.

Natasha smiled ruefully, “Well, unfortunately, yes.”

You panicked for a moment and sat up, gripping Natasha’s hand, “Did you save Kevin? And everyone?”

Natasha gently released her hand from your death grip, “Yes, thanks to you, everyone is alive and safe.”

You sighed, leaning back. “Don’t. I don’t deserve any thanks. If it wasn’t for me, they wouldn’t have been in danger in the first place.”

You tried to turn and sit up on the bed, but your legs refused to obey your commands. “Why aren’t my legs working?” You whispered quietly. If you didn’t have your legs, it would mean you couldn’t dance. And without dance...your life would be meaningless.

Natasha tilted your chin up so that your face was even with hers. “After we saved Mr. Salem. He told us about you. He said you were someone he found at college and that you had told him your parents weren’t in the picture. It was a simple matter of digging through the college’s archives to find you.”

She whispered, her hand moving to graze the side of your cheek. “[Y/n] [Y/l/n]. Your father has been untouchable for years. We could never get evidence against him. But we knew who he was. I ran to your address. Praying I would get there in time. That phone call...My heart stopped for a minute, I swear.”

You didn’t realize you were crying until Natasha wiped away a tear, “I found you right as some men were throwing your unconscious body into a trunk. Your father is awaiting trial, along with all his other buddies. The prosecutors want to press charges against you as well, your father says that you knew everything and helped him launder his money.”

You nodded, you knew this would happen eventually. Sighing you held out your arms, “Alright.”

Natasha laughed, pushing your arms down. You tilted your head. But she kept talking, “When I got you here, our resident Doctor managed to see that you had internal bleeding and a fractured spine with a twisted nerve ending.”

You reached behind to your back.

“She stopped the bleeding, your spine will heal on its own, and she untwisted the nerve. But your legs, which the nerve managed, will not regain full function for another twenty four hours or so, she said.”

You threw your arms around Natasha, shocking her into falling against you. “Thank you! My legs aren’t damaged?”

You had to ask again. Letting Natasha pull herself up, brushing her red hair out of her face.

Her smile was like the sun as she saw you happy, “Your legs aren’t damaged. You will be able to dance My Swan. And thanks to the information you will provide for the trial, you have immunity against all charges against you in the state of New York.”

You gaped at Natasha. She shrugged her shoulders, “You were in Surgery, they were going to arrest you. So I took the liberty of assuming you would want the man who beat you in jail and that you would want to stay out of jail.”

“Thank you Natasha. I mean it. God, it's been a crazy week.” You shook your head with a laugh.

Natasha joined you, “From dancing in an underground warehouse club, to smuggling black market goods, to nearly losing your feeling in your legs, to now being in the Avenger towers...I would say so.”

You scooted to the edge of the bed and patted the empty spot next to you. Natasha crawled up and you blushed as her body warmth meled with your were your bodies touched.

You brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, “If you had never come to watch me dance. If you had never snuck me your phone number..”

Natasha put a finger to your lips, “Shh.. We won’t talk of it. That night, seeing you dance. Seeing your eyes alight with emotion. It was as if I was hit with a bullet. I knew right away, I wanted you. You have such fire and power. You bring to light things I never thought I could feel.”

You leaned in as Natasha spoke. Until your lips were hair's breadth away from each other.

“I’m going to need a place to stay while the trail takes place. Maybe we could get to know each other better?” You asked.

Natasha answered, not with words, but with her lips. She pressed them against yours. Her vanilla scent overpowering you. The velvet of her lips moving in a passionate dance with yours. Your tongues fighting for dominance as the kiss deepened.

You broke apart with a gasp. “I’ll take that as a yes.” You joked.

Natasha threw her head back with a laugh. Looking at you, her green eyes shining, “How about we go dancing for our first date?” She whispered.

You grinned, leaning in and pecking a kiss on her lips, “I think that would be amazing.”

FOREVER Taglist: 

@sxph-t @littlestfangirl @rainydaysrnevergrey @not-jk-rowling @sociallyawkwardcircus-freak-hi

Natasha Taglist:

@ludwigvonbaethoven @hanjiscience-slut @kitten-q-p @morbid-gaymer @honeybadgerwhodoesntcare @sunnyandtwisty @zoeyknight

Avengers Taglist:

@jadepc

#Avengers #avengers x reader #avengers x you #natasha x reader #natasha romanoff #reader insert #avengers tower #avengers drabble #avengers fanfiction #imagine #imagines request #avengers imagine #fem reader #Queens #New York #swan lake #black swan #ballet #ballerina #russian ballet #tag list #please give credit #please give feedback #rose writes

[silvermuffins]

NieR:Automata: What Was I Doing?

I already forgot because I've slept since last night.

Oh right, return of sidequest hell. Oh, and, if anyone's reading these other than Amber - do you want me to like, dig up my reactions to the beginning part of the game and post those up too? I reacted just, in a private chat, which is why my first liveblogging post for this game starts in Pascal's Village.

- Last Time on NieR:Automata: we died to a fish

- Current Destination is in the Resistance Camp so...I think we were gonna talk to Anemone about A2 or something?

- But first: sidequests

- to the factory! To find a memento. and beat up some weak shit. more of the latter than the former tbh,

- i also need to figure out how to get a bunch of shit to upgrade my weapons

- thought i saw a giant spider and had flashbacks to LIMBO but then it was just 9S's pod

- doot doot hunting through the factory the long way

- my parents are downstairs watching dracula and all i can think about rn is that one liveblog of reading the book version on twitter, meanwhile WHERE THE FUCK IS THIS CORPSE

- predictably enough it's allllll the way back at the start of the area

- good thing i know all the shortcuts for getting out of here

- This dying record is.....upsetting

- did she see something, during her attempted escape? I note the phrase "This can't continue." and she talks about YoRHa squadron was wrong, and gets less coherent and more questioning....

- also, it speaks of escape and I question if she was trying to escape the machines.....or the Bunker

- because if she's using her supposed destruction as a guise to sever all communication with the Bunker......wouldn't they WANT to help her? but if she knew something, or if she wanted to escape, if this cannot continue...........she does not specify who her pursuers are

- and we have already seen that Bunker pursues and eliminates deserters, even if they haven't done anything but leave

- what is the meaning of this cannot continue where did it originate

- i also note her death experience matches a human's. like feeling cold, and shadows (or noise) clouding vision. huh.

- post-reading quest dialogue confirms she was escaping Bunker

- hm. okay time to go complete this!

- buys 16 more plug-in chip slots on the way and futzes around with my build

- i managed to pick the longest goddamn route possible----but it would not be a Letty experience if i wasn't making my own life harder

- i have gone around this spaceship like three whole times and gone into the wrong area (there are only three extra main areas?) about four times

- weehee, new weapon to upgrade!

- oh fuck time to choose to tell her the truth or not

- .....last time i told someone the truth about someone she cared about she committed a felix fraldarius

- i am torn. on the one hand.....that. on the other, i am increasingly anti-Bunker.

- can these sidequests stop giving me emotionally-charged moral quandaries regarding painful truths

- we are gonna do it in the name of TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND HOPEFULLY STAGING THE ROBOT UPRISING

- oh i do not like what the music just did

- she is laughing

- THIS IS BAD THIS IS BAD THIS IS BAD

- um wait 16D has suddenly COMPLETELY changed her tune

- oh goddammit now she's even more dedicated????

- well at least she's not going to felix fraldarius herself

- she's giving me more shit! neat!

- i do not feel good about this

- let's.....go do something else now

- did a spot of fishing and the desert is still too sandstorm to get to my sidequest marker and I think.....it'd just be collecting some new ones, so I might just go to the resistance camp and carry on

- i think animal dude has one for me and so does one of the gatekeepers? and there's one down in the ravine...a few more scattered about, and of course papa servo

- was that his name????

- i might give the parade escort another go in a few more levels just because the enemies for that STILL have ten levels on me

- so yeah more plot in a sec

- i do question like...what the real difference between YoRHa and Resistance androids is. Like, obviously YoRHa are more geared toward actual warfare and are prohibited from emotions, but like....why have the two groups?

- also dude who just wanted family AND his YoRHa adoptee are apparently dead

- oh my god the pod's description of girls liking flowers

- apparently i'm after a desert rose, not a lunar tear as i would've expected

- was there some way i could have averted the fate of family dude and his adoptee??? ....also I kind of have my doubts they were killed by machines

- i mean maybe but like....maybe not tho i dont trust YoRHa one bit

- and now i roll in cash bc i've been holding onto a lot of shit that's apparently only really good for selling

- i am ROLLING in dough now

- gotta farm some shit for upgrading later but moolah i got

- okay NOW we get on with plot

- she wants to send me to the Pacific Ocean. that is....additional location data. Where in the FUCK is this?

- she also has a sidequest for me. welp. forest it shall be! where i will grab those other two sidequests if possible

- kinda weird that these robots who aren't allowed emotions but have them anyway, who can be rebuilt and their memories preserved and transferred......still refer to dying as dying, and fear death

- i am rolling around town a little and found something.....singing

- it has yoko taro's face

- emil????

- "every day's a sale" does he sell shit

- this was............decidedly not how i anticipated seeing him again

- my guy only sells chips that cost 21 slots, jesus fuck

- and is telling me where he lives, apparently

- i think what i am feeling is best described as inverse stranger danger

- im gonna go fight daddy servo

- emil's singing is cute at least

- servo is Big this time and i hope i can beat him up

- so far so good. i mean, he's beating the shit out of me, but that's what auto-item is for.

- got him and there's something HILARIOUS about the music switching from terrifying chanting to Emil's doodooledoo singing as 2B slowly walks toward servesy

- is emil FOLLOWING ME

- oh that's a biggun

- what's beyond black belt???

- wish i had some way to check where i might pick up or farm some of these materials. like, without using google.

- first machine king???? OuO tell me more, little sidequest-giver

- i bet he wants those chests with the machine parts i found before!

- brb platforming my way to a chest

- this would be easier if i could like....turn off 9S for a hot minute so he stops SPAWNING ON THE SAME TEENY TINY LEDGE THROWING ME OFF

- just stay on the ground buddy

- 2B PLEASE stop turning mid pod-glide

- okay now 2B keeps getting on the next column but immediately rolling herself off

- okay one more set of columns. i think i know how to stay ON the columns now. it's dash-jump-jump not jump-jump-dash.

- fuck i missed

- got there! oooh cypress stick

- okay time to metroidvania through the castle again

- snrk if 9S is on top of a movable block and you start moving it....he doesn't ride it, he does not move with it

- oh my god i almost got up to that chest I missed before, i was high enough and RIGHT THERE but suddenly 2B just plummets straight down instead of grabbing the ledge

- once again this would be easier if 9S weren't here throwing me off

- i wish i knew how the fuck i was getting up there. what combo i have now used TWICE to get nearly there. It's some blend of jump attack attack dash attack dash, I think....

- and somehow in the process of this 2B keeps yeeting herself down to the lowest floor

- gonna try again from the bridge

- i made it easily that time

- that was a lot to go through but im satisfied now

- that's three machine part treasures thus far idk if there's a fourth

- okay they a key......now to find Door

- reaches a part of the castle i hadn't been to before

- where.....is this

- the grave of the king?????

- oh the forest king has a celestial script name too, it's....IMMANUEL. Um.

- did A2 kill jesus

- I got a letter to the forest king, where is it?

- why do people keep ruining my attempts to make them happy by being happy about terrible things

- and then he gets stuck in a loop of "they had it comin'" and i am BEGGING this machine to "THEY HAD IT COMIN' ALL ALOOOONG"

- quest description clears up that he's a victim of bullying and being shunned for his speech (i'm not sure why i'm assuming this machine is a he) but uhhhhh still

- oh i found where it's kept in the menu

- oh what the fuck i did not sign up for these feelings?

- oh the camp sidequest is over by the mall. and there's another sidequest-granter inside.

- uhhhh 2B you okay there? she keeps freezing mid-run animation....

- oh fuck my game crashed

- fuck when did i last save, i THINK it was after doing all the practical work for the treasure hunt sidequest....

- it's close to time to stop for the night anyway because i gotta be at work at 9 am but

- fuck i think i need to re-find the forest king

- yup

- okay going to at least re-complete this quest and save up

- and that's a wrap!

#letty plays shit #letty plays nier automata #nier automata #palletred #ig my ps4 might be dusty #so it overheats and crashes? #maybe? #hooboy sidequest hell tho #it don't stop #next time: more sidequesting!

[abadpoetwithdreams]

Nirvana in Fire Episode 10 Reaction

At last! Double digits!

Last episode ended with the Emperor pausing to consider a name. Shen Zhui? he asks his minister. Shen Zhui of Princess Qinghe's family? He is the temp Minister of Revenue? Yes, replies his minister. Cut to Mei Chang Su still deep in conversation with Prince Jing; he still looks cold, poor man. He, also, is talking about this Shen Zhui, asking Jing if Jing knows him. You sent me a message that day to spend time in Cumulus Cloud Restaurant, says Jing. How would I dare not to go? Since I went there, how could I not have noticed Shen Zhui?

Shen Zhui is the Vice Minister of Revenue, the department in charge of managing the national treasury. Under Lou Zhi Jing's leadership it has become wholly corrupt (gee, wonder why), and according to Su, this Shen Zhui is the only man he knows of who could turn things around. Jing says he gets along well with Shen Zhui, so that is all well and good, but Shen Zhui also does not support either of the Jerk Princes, so there is no way he will be promoted to Minister of Revenue. Su just smirks. When the snipe and the clam grapple, it is the fisherman who profits, he says, which is just a show-offy way of saying Don't worry, my dude, I got this. In this adage, who is the snipe and who is the clam, I wonder? CP seems more clam-like to me lol. Regardless, we all know who the fisherman is.

The Emperor is meanwhile musing about how he knows Shen Zhui, and the man is apparently a really good worker. Why, if he has already been acting as the temp Minister of Revenue, has he not simply been given the position permanently? He is accomplished, virtuous, and managing well, so what gives, why has no one nominated his name to the Emperor? Aha, says the Emperor, with dawning delight on his face: I have suddenly realized why he has not been suggested to me! It is because he must support neither the Crown Prince nor Prince Yu! And here we really see the damage the Emperor's quarreling sons have done to themselves, because I am pretty sure this neutral (aka pro-Jing) official is about to be promoted on the basis of NOT being allied to either of them, lol. Oh, the irony.

Prince Jing tells Su that Shen Zhui is lucky to benefit from Su's amazing strategy. Oh, Shen Zhui is the lucky one? Okay, Jing, if you want to play it like that. Sure. Su produces a piece of paper from his sleeve because he is literally magic. Or at least that is what I want to believe. He tells a confused Jing that the Emperor will allow Jing to choose three officials to help him run the trial. He has, however, only picked one so far. Thus Su has prepared a list of good names to choose from (since Jing himself admits he has been so long away from the capitol he simply does not know who to pick).

Meanwhile, Shen Zhui himself (I think, since he introduces himself as the director of the Ministry of Justice) has gone to the Information Bureau and is talking with Xia Dong. He tells her he has been sent by Prince Jing to collect any and all evidence the Bureau possesses.

Prince Jing is giving himself airs? Xia Dong asks coldly. He doesn't even show up for such a huge case? And ohhhh, yeah, I am reminded that this woman sort of--more than sort of--hates Jing, because he is a sympathizer towards the people who she (wrongly) holds responsible for her husband's death during The Event™. I foresee this being a big issue just in general in future episodes. But shoot, I like them both, though! It's really frustrating because they are both laser focused on their responsibilities and they both have very strict codes of conduct and morality that they adhere to, so they would be SUCH good allies! As it is, Xia Dong has the potential to be a major obstacle for all Su's scheming. Ugh.

Anyway, Xia Dong chooses to interpret Jing's actions as being insulting towards her Bureau, insulting Shen Zhui himself by saying he is also too minor an official. Shen Zhui assures her that is not Jing's intent: Jing is in charge of the trial and therefore also has to manage three offices involved, and the handling of evidence has always been the Ministry of Justice's duty (which is something you would think Xia Dong would know, but I can't tell if this is a case of for-audience-benefit-only infodumping or if she is deliberately ignoring that. I would like to assume the latter, as this show is usually pretty good about couching infodumping in pertinent and rational character interactions). Shen Zhui also gives as good as he gets, reminding Xia Dong that he is only a half-rank below and anyway the question of his rank is irrelevant since even a junior official, if given the judge's seal, is entitled to collect evidence.

Shen Zhui continues to outsass Xia Dong until she says Well, what if I just don't give you the evidence? Oh, come on, woman, don't be petty. Shen Zhui says that question is moot because she won't refuse the evidence, that would be a move unbefitting of the Intelligence Bureau. True that.

Jing, meanwhile, has read Mei Chang Su's list of names and is smiling a little wryly. Strange, he says. He spoke truly when he said he does not really know people in the six ministries. But he has met a few people seemingly by chance since he came back to the capitol, and bizarrely enough most of those people are on this list! What a raaaaaandom coincidence, Mr. Divine Talent! Su looks a little pleased with himself. Okay, a lot pleased. Su also tells Jing he doesn't have to go out immediately to recruit these people to his side, and when Jing comments that that is an unusual thing for a strategist to say, Su pauses and replies that, well, the sooner Jing builds a group of loyal followers, the sooner Prince Yu and the Crown Prince will recognize him as a threat. Good point. Furthermore, Su says, what is most important isn't the speed of how Jing gathers his group, it is the quality of men these supporters are. If Jing really wants to remain true to himself--something that is obviously very important, we have already seen time and time again--then it will be easiest for both him and Su if the allies he recruits are similarly good people. It will mean less hurting people and less scheming, Su says, as a reminder I think of that promise Jing drew out of him in their previous meeting: that he will hurt as few people as he possibly can on his quest to give Jing the throne.

Jing considers this with that bitter smile he too often gets, and replies that it will be hard for people like that (eg. people who are virtuous/not corrupt/not supported by the Jerk Princes) to reach the top, though. True, Su answers, but he hopes that Prince Jing can help change that, as these people are perfectly capable of running things, all they need is an opportunity.

Your highness can feel at ease to make friends with them sincerely, Su tells Jing. Leave it to me when the time comes to make use of them if needed. Aaaaaand there it is, the sad gut punch feeling. It's back. Jing does not look exactly happy about this, but he does not argue, either. He just looks . . . like he is thinking. Hard.

(In fact, Jing seems constantly thrown off-balance during this conversation, obviously he has his preconceptions about what strategists are like, and therefore what Su is like, and we know he hates that sort of person. But Mei Chang Su keeps surprising him and you can see Jing repeatedly pausing to re-evaluate this man and try to figure him out. And, in last episode as well as in this one, he seems like he is relenting towards him just a teeeeny bit, maybe even unconsciously. You are not going to figure him out, Jing. He doesn't want you to, the self-sacrificing fool.)

We cut to after the Sad Boy meeting has concluded, with Jing and Su walking out side by side. One of Jing's men runs up yelling their names, and I'm immediately like HERE IT IS WHAT HAS FEI LIU DONE. Su looks amused. Jing looks a bit alarmed. All three head towards the training field. Oh, and Jing mentions there is a beast that has been bothering people near the east suburbs, which must be that beast that was mentioned last episode, and I'm so confused because what the heck is this about??? Officials have come to borrow some of Jing's soldiers to help catch it or kill it or whatever. Su asks why this matters, which I agree with (though I will just go ahead and assume he knows exactly what is going on because stuff like this is always his fault anyway), and Jing says the issue is that Zhan Ying (who?) wants to catch the creature alive to find out what it is. Oh, okay. So definitely catch it, then. Huh. Su says if Jing does manage to catch it, make sure to let him take a look because he is curious. Sure, says Jing. Seriously what is going on.

Out at the training grounds, Fei Liu has apparently worked his way up the ranks to duel the commander (Actually I forget his actual rank so I’ll just say commander and if I’m wrong then whatever I just remember he is higher up ish) that was so huffy at him to begin with. I like to think this means he has methodically defeated Jing's entire army bit by bit during the time it took Su to have a chat and drink some tea. They start fighting right when Su and Jing show up to watch, and Fei Liu immediately blocks and catches his opponent's attack but instead of just demolishing him then and there he just holds him still so he can admire his opponent's sword, lollllll he is still a baby troll yet but he is learning from the best. I loved this fight. Super humorous and the emoting of the actors throughout the choreography was great, the kid who plays Fei Liu was maybe the most animated I've seen him play the character so far. Su is enjoying watching: I rarely see Fei Liu enjoy himself this much, he tells Jing. Then the commander flicks a secret switch on his sword that makes it fling a batarang at Fei Liu basically lol but Fei Liu is NOT to be played with and he just catches it out of the air and looks really excited, like he has just found the best toy EVER. Watch out, man, he is totally gonna take your sword home with him.

But then the commander notices Su Zhe is watching, and so he pulls a dirty trick and shoots another small blade--but this time he is aiming at Su, not at Fei Liu. Booooooooooo. All Fei Liu's delight turns to panic in an instant, and he races through the air to catch up with the blade because physics? What physics???? I don't thiiiink he manages to catch it but also I lost track of the blade in the air so idk. I think it just missed. Su is fine, though, didn't even blink, because deep down he's a super awesome warrior with nerves of steel that's why.

Fei Liu whips a look of pure rage towards Jing's oblivious commander, who is laughing heartily as he cheekily calls out to the poor scholar who he thinks he just frightened: Sorry about that, it was a mistake! You must have been shocked, having never seen weapons before since you're just a feeble scholar chap, ohoho! Oh, bro. Bro, nooooo. Su is absolutely stonefaced, as is Jing, and slowwwwwwwly this commander realizes that what he just did wasn't a joke. It wasn't a joke at all. He tries to apologize for real this time, but it is too late. Also Fei Liu was totally going to break his neck but Su stopped him. 

Su icily tells Jing’s man that he doesn't owe Su an apology; he owes one to Jing, his commanding officer who he just shamed with his rash actions and lack of respect. I actually feel sorry for this soldier as he visibly shrinks during this whole scene, he only wanted to defend Jing's honor after all, but by doing so he gave into pride and ended up embarrassing him instead. Poor man. Su is absolutely merciless. It's kind of cool to see him being so relentless because usually he plays coy in his interactions with people. But I still feel bad for the commander because he obviously loves Jing, he was just sort of an idiot about it.

I have long looked up to Your Highness' disciplining of the army, Su tells a VERY upset-looking Jing, but I am greatly disappointed by what I have witnessed today. Army discipline is so lax. How could they be favoured by His Majesty? It seems that Your Highness' presence in the army isn't even that of a pugilistic lord like me.

Jing's general legit looks like he is about to cry by this point. He drops to his knees and begs for Jing to punish him, poor man. This has been eye-opening for me, Su tells Jing, and then he swans out like the troll he is. Su, shut upppp, they get it already. Fei Liu goes with him. I feel really bad for Ting Sheng who is still standing there just watching this all go down lol I hope he doesn’t feel any of it is his fault.

That guy who first told Jing and Su something was happening on the training grounds tries to intervene on the shamed general's behalf, telling Jing to calm down and not be so furious, because the men realize what they have done wrong. Heck yeah they do, Lin Shu chewed them out good. But he also sort of set them up so idk.

But Jing will NOT be calmed down. He is livid. Qi Meng disregarded military regulations and offended his superior, he says. He is to be beaten 50 strokes and demoted to centurion. DUDE, that is harsh. And then he storms away, with cute little Ting Sheng running after him like a puppy. I kind of want more scenes of the two of them together because I bet they would be adorable, I don't think we have ever seen Jing and Ting Sheng alone together yet? Poor Jing, what a bad day. First he embarrassed himself in front of the Divine Talent by yelling at him about touching the bow, and now he embarrassed himself further via his army misbehaving. Don't beat yourself up, Jing, you're trying. Why do you even care what Mei Chang Su thinks of you, anyway, hm? HMMMMMM???

Cut to some time later, probably the next day or so? Jing is receiving the official Imperial orders to judge the Duke of Qing's case. He is still accompanied by that soldier of his that we have seen a few times now, with the fabulous orange collar to his armor, but I don't know the guy's name, or at least don't remember? Jing has him call out the name of all the officials who are to help with the case, but they are all lower officers and he deliberately snubs Minister Qi, Yu's ally in the Ministry of Justice, by not naming him ahahaha. Qi looks outraged, but has to try to play nice because Yu told him to, remember. Ah, delicious. Furthermore, Jing is going to hold the actual trial in the Ministry of Justice. He knows exactly what he is doing. But he also doesn't look very happy about it; I can't imagine he is having much fun with this job.

Meanwhile, Shen Zhui has been officially called to audience with the Emperor, so he IS getting that job! Crown Prince isn't happy about it, complaining to the Marquis that Shen Zhui has been remarkably lucky, and that he guesses he has been too argumentative with Yu lately, since the Emperor went out of his way to pick someone neutral for the position. The Marquis muses in his slow and creepy way that yes, that is true, but also points out how Yu and CP's losses have been equally balanced (like we went over last ep). The Marquis is DANGEROUS, guys.

CP is surprised to hear this, but then admits that come to think of it Yu was uncharacteristically okay with throwing his ally under the bus, so to speak; it was strange that he didn't fight to save the Duke. He stops, eyes widening. Why do I think that it's Mei Chang Su who came up with this idea? he exclaims in rising anger. Oh CP, you are so obsessed with our MCS. He turns on the Marquis: Frankly speaking, why can't you even get rid of a frail and delicate man? LOL AIN'T THAT THE QUESTION.

Marquis finally lifts his gaze to look at CP. He tells CP that Su might be frail, but he is always surrounded by incredibly skilled warriors, so they haven't been able to get to him. Seriously, how many of his men has he lost to Fei Liu and the other guards Su has by now? CP is not appeased: Don't we have our own men in the pugilistic world?

Your Highness, the Marquis says, very flatly, Tian Quan Manor and East Yangtze Alliance are not quite exactly of the same status. Understatement of the year.

You see? Frets CP. This is also what makes me inferior to Yu. He has the East Yangtze Alliance and I only have Tian Quan Manor. The Marquis looks like he is deeeeeply considering something, and he certainly doesn't look happy to hear this, but I wonder if he suspects that Su is just playing Yu. He does seem suspicious, anyway. He is too smart.

And now we cut to . . . a farmer pulling a vegetable cart through the city streets? Eh? But lo and behold--the farmer is actually one of Su's men in disguise, a guy named Tong Lu. He goes undercover to Su's mansion and drops to his knees before our boy in utmost reverence. I love how everyone in the Alliance just absolutely worships Su??? It's so cute???? But also, like, relatable

Su tells him to get up and also that Mr. Shisan and I will rely on you to keep us in contact. Oh, cool, so undercover vegetable man is basically a telephone between Su and Shisan, the spymaster at that music house with the weird stalker girl. I remember him. Tong Lu says he won't fail. He'd better not, is all.

In gentler tones, Su informs Tong Lu that Lou Zhi Jing is imprisoned, and will definitely be executed. Write home to your mother to inform her of this news, he says. Tong Lu bows in thanks: You have avenged the death of my younger sister, he says. OH WAS HIS SISTER ONE OF THE MURDER WELL GIRLS? That would certainly explain his loyalty to Su!

Li Gang elaborates: Lou Zhi Jing had the Crown Prince backing him up. If Lord Mei had not made great effort to come up with this plan, those innocent souls would have been buried deep down in the well forever. Su looks sort of happy listening to this; he has done a Good Thing. No matter what Questionable Things he has done and will have to do to see his own vengeance realized, here at least he has done Good.

I guess this also answers my question from earlier about how the heck Su knew about the dead girls in the well! It's very cool when this show ties loose ends like that, it is so smooth about it. Tong Lu says he had not expected Lou Zhi Jing to be taken down so quickly, and Su actually apologizes for taking so long: we had to wait for the right time. I hope that your family won't blame me for doing so. Tong Lu kneels again, almost in tears: on the contrary, he and his family are sooooo grateful. Ugh, okay FINE I guess this was worth tricking Jing Rui and Yu Jin into that corpse well. Maybe. I still wish Su had somehow managed to make Yu the one who fell in and found them instead but I guess that is asking too much of even the Divine Talent, lololol

Cut to Mei Chang Su alone in his study later, poring over those wooden tiles we have seen once before, the ones with all the names of the ministers on them. He looks so TIRED :(

Li Gang comes in: You asked to see me? He says. Su looks up, a little more animated. We have already finished with the Orchid Garden case, he says, and the Metropolitan Government Office must be calm now. It's about time to send Gao Sheng another case, he says, LOL poor Gao Sheng. Su invites Li Gang to flip over a tile, as he has now arranged them all in a line facedown. Hesitantly, with a little impatient prodding from Su, Li Gang does: he has flipped the Ministry of Personnel. PRINCE YU’S Ministry of Personnel, he says, meaningfully. Ok so it seems to me like taking down another one of CP's Ministries would make more sense at this point, since CP is already convinced Su is out to get him and Yu right now thinks Su is on his side, but you do you, Mei Chang Su. You wanted to throw random chance into the mix of all your plotting? Fine, then. Su does look a bit troubled and immediately drops into Deep Thought. ALSO! His hand fidgeting is back again, so I guess that IS a tell for when he is thinking??? After a moment he signals Li Gang, still deep in thought, and tells him to Have Shisan and Gong Yu make some preparations. HMMMMMMM. I don't like getting Gong Yu more involved, she still bothers me for reasons unknown.

Cut to a montage of a couple of courtesan girls putting on their ancient Chinese makeup, which is pretty cool. I've watched a video about this makeup before and I like the lipstick papers. Theres some voiceover that makes it seem like they are out to get someone, and again they are motivated by vengeance. Su has gathered a lot of vengeance-seeking people on his team, which I guess makes sense but it's another level of cool to see how he is managing to give all these other people closure even as he seeks his own. One of the girls' voiceover says their younger brother was killed at the age of thirteen by some rich kid and since they were poor the family never got justice. Qiu Ze is the name of the murderer. Going by Su's track record, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Qiu Ze is about to get into a LOT of trouble.

The scene thus set, we drop back into the action as a new customer arrives at a pleasure house, where the lady in charge is trying to tell him the girls he wants--Xin Liu and Xin Yang, so I guess they are the sisters--are ill and therefore unavailable. Nonsense, this Master He says: If any of his wives or maids were to annoy him he would beat them to death! You want to try him by saying no now? Wow, what a charmer he is. And there is Gong Yu, intercepting him on the stairs seemingly by chance. He is astonished and asks her why she is in this brothel instead of Heavenly Music House. She replies that she was visiting the ill twins. The story the brothel madame was telling him being seemingly confirmed, He gives up on the twins and instead tries to persuade Gong Yu to drink with him. To his shock, she agrees, merely asking him to wait while she changes clothing.

While she changes, Gong Yu chats with the girl helping her. I heard that Miss Xin Liu and Miss Xin Yang were upstairs with Master Qiu right now, the girl says MOST innocently. Exactly, Gong Yu says, ALSO TOTALLY INNOCENTLY. Young Master Qiu is handsome and dashing. He is really compatible with both sisters. I'm so happy for them. The girl helping Gong Yu is like Wow, you must be a saint, saying you are happy for them while you have to put up with that AWFUL Master He, what a loser he is. Oh, yes, it is a trial, Gong Yu agrees, but sisters should help each other, after all. That Young Master He has been vying with Young Master Qiu for years. He thinks too highly of himself. Master Qiu should teach him a lesson. And while these girls are loudly, innocently gossiping, Gong Yu's got the most wonderfully calculating expression, as she keeps looking at the wall where she knows that Master He is eavesdropping and growing more and more enraged. At this point, he storms off, and YUP, HERE WE GO. Gao Sheng, I hope your calendar is clear because I have a Bad Feeling About This.

Sure enough, He grabs his men and starts tearing the brothel apart hunting for Qiu. The sight of him repeatedly busting down the doors of private rooms, yelling It's none of your business! at the startled people inside, and storming to the next one was hilarious to me. Gong Yu silently stalks after him, the only calm person in the entire brothel by this point. Oh, and this is a spectacular set, by the way, there's a few long tracking shots wherein people walk down halls and up stairs and things and so that is pretty cool. We don't get many long tracking shots in this show, so that stood out. How many of these sets did they build specifcally for this show and how many are reused from other productions a la BBC, I wonder? I also wonder about that about costumes. Hm.

Anyways, to get back to the actual plot, He finally smashes into a room where he finds Qiu and the twins who want Qiu dead all sitting together. Well, that does not bode well for either man. As both have been established as being scum of the earth, however, I do not feel very badly for either of them. He charges in and attacks the confused Qiu, and they start brawling while the twins implore them to stop in very convincing distress. At one point they beg He not to fight anymore and not to break anything, and he responds with I'll pay for it! and charges back towards Qiu, which made me laugh. What a loser.

He snatches up a very expensive and heavy-looking vase, and Gong Yu calmly steps into the doorway and flicks a small object of some kind--a disc or something--into the back of Qiu's leg as he tries to stagger up to meet the attack. The result is that Qiu falls down, and the enraged He, seizing his advantage, brings the vase down on He's head so hard the vase shatters. He freezes, shocked--he did not mean to kill Qiu! But that is definitely what he did, as Qiu slumps over with blood running down his face. The twins start screaming about how Master He killed him! and He runs out in a panic as an even greater uproar starts up. Gong Yu makes eye contact with the twins and just nods at them like there you go, and the twins nod back. Justice is done, and Su's plans move forward.

It is morning, and we move to Prince Yu's manor. Ohhhhh, dear. Yu is doing the Ancient Fantasy China version of rushing out of his bedroom with his robe hastily thrown on, asking his servant what on earth is the matter. He finds out soon enough: an old man is kneeling in supplication at his door, crying. This is old Master He, as opposed to young Master He who killed Qiu the night before. Master He instantly starts bawling, wailing almost incoherently about how he only has one heir, his only son, and help him help him help him. I feel sort of sorry for him. But he did raise his son to be a major tool, so you reap what you sow I suppose.

We cut to a little later, and Master He has managed to explain the situation to Yu but he is still crying. To his credit he does admit he raised his son badly, but then he also says that he needs Yu to help save him anyway because he is his only son, and furthermore old Master He's mother adores her grandson and spoils him rotten so if he were to be imprisoned or executed SHE might die of distress as well. Yu is cross. It would be fine if he killed a commoner, he exclaims exasperatedly and WOW, YU, JUST WOW, but he killed Baron Wen Yuan's son! This Baron Wen Yuan is an important man of important lineage and so Yu is saying he cannot cover up the murder. If he did, Baron Wen Yuan would have the right and the connections to report obstruction of justice to the Emperor himself, and no way is Yu about to let that happen to himself. Master He considers this and then just hurries to bow and beg some more (the way Yu is increasingly eager to stop this man begging and sobbing at him is so funny. Every time He starts sobbing Yu is just oh no, not again He can't take it), saying Wen Yuan isn't even a brave man, he probably wouldn't do anything. Oh no? Counters Yu. YOUR SON JUST KILLED HIS SON. That is enough to make even the timidest man wild for justice to be served. Master He, stumped, just starts crying again. He is very pathetic and sad. Also, when Yu tries to calm him by asking What's the hurry, he says Gao Sheng has already sent some men to arrest his son this morning.

Cut to those men standing awkwardly outside of He's manor because no one will let them in, lol. They don't have authority to break in to make the arrest since He is such an important official, so they are just stuck demanding that young He comes out. Which I'm just gonna go ahead and say will NEVER happen. But they keep calling out his arrest warrant VERY loudly and gather quite a crowd of spectators and it is all very uncomfortable.

Yu tells old He to give up his son to be arrested and tried for murder. Wait, what?? He explains that Gao Sheng is not going to want to spend a lot of time on this case (which, from what we know of him, I'm going to say is very true), so if He is cooperative with him instead of trying to make his life difficult, he will be grateful to He and close the case quickly. Meanwhile, Yu's team can make sure there is enough confusion of evidence and such that the closed case will be transferred to the Ministry of Justice for review, where of course Yu's ally Minister Qi holds power! And in the review process Qi can throw out the case or acquit or whatever. Problem solved. This was very intereresting, it reinforces the impression I have that Yu is more dangerous to play with than CP is; the Marquis might have come up with a similar long con plan to save He's son but there is no way under heaven that CP would have. Nope. Also such a patient plan with chess-like foresight reminds me of our Divine Talent's plotting, so you just KNOW he is aware this is what Yu should do, so I'm sure he has a contingency to sink their boat anyway. I just wonder what it is!

So Gao Sheng gets the report that He Wen Xin--young He--has in fact been arrested. Gao Sheng is not cheered by this, as he complains what is he supposed to do about this case? He only barely extricated himself from the case involving Lou Zhi Jing, one of CP's biggest supporters, and now he has to deal with a murder case involving the son of He Jing Zhong, one of Yu's important allies? Poor Gao Sheng, he just can't win! I have already offended the two most powerful princes in a row with two big cases, Gao Sheng says glumly. It seems that I might not stay Metropolitan Governer for long. His officer tries to tell him to cheer up beause New Year is soon and maybe his new year wiill be nicer. Yeah, I doubt it. Gao Sheng is not impressed by this attempt at comfort.

We now have a time jump! It is a few weeks later and dead Qiu's dad is hounding Minister Qi about why hasn't He Wen Xin been punished yet??? Qi tries to make the excuse that there is still a lot of paperwork for the Duke of Qing case, so they are trying to move as fast as they can on He's trial but they are unavoidably delayed. Wen Yuan is NOT having it. He immediately counters with how they somehow managed to close the Orchid Garden case really fast (hey there, Jing the efficient judge) and that was a very complicated and old case, but somehow this straightforward murder case with many witnesses from only a few weeks ago is taking them forever? It makes no sense. Qi blusters some nonsense about um your son's case isn't simple either bye and scuttles away as fast as he can, leaving behind a very irate baron.

Cut to: Mei Chang Su, looking as handsome as ever in his blue toned robes! He is being visited by the Good Boy Duo, Yu Jin and Jing Rui! YAYY WELCOME BACK BOYS. Yu Jin is admiring the zither in Su's room, while Jing Rui is pacing back and forth in the courtyard. He is clearly still very upset about the whole assassination attempt thing. Also Su is watching Jing Rui pace and I can't decide why but it makes me worry. Does he feel guilty, or is he just bracing for step two of whatever plan he has for Jing Rui?

Su suddenly asks Yu Jin Has Jing Rui been sulky lately? Yu Jin, usually so smiley, sobers a little as he comes to sit with Su. Yes, he has, he admits. And Jing Rui hasn't been able to get out to take his mind off whatever is bothering him because it is so cold and snowy. Oh, but that reminds him! Su, it is perfect weather for hot springs, do you wanna go? The best one belongs to Prince Supreme Ji. (Prince Supreme--so this means Ji is brother to the Emperor?) Anyway Prince Supreme told Yu Jin to come with friends whenever he likes, so Yu Jin is extending an invitation to Su because he is the Sweetest Soul. Su declines, but has some questions about the Prince Supreme. Is Ji the Emperor's youngest brother and uncle to the princes? That's him! Yu Jin says brightly. Oh cool, so I was right, he is a brother to the Emperor. Su looks amused while he listens to Yu Jin's analysis of Prince Supreme Ji's character. Brother Su, you really should get to know him, Yu Jin says cheerfully. Su just smiles.

Meanwhile, Jing has been summoned to the Emperor, along with the officials he had help him with the Duke of Qing's case. Jing tells his father that the case is concluded, wanting only the Emperor's final verdict. The findings are handed over: Jing has found the Duke and all accused guilty and they are to be executed, their properties confiscated, and their family lines basically ended. The Emperor reads through the report and is very impressed: *Who wrote this?* The director of the Ministry of Justice, Cai Quan, Jing replies.Cai Quan bows, and the Emperor compliments his work. Jingyan, you have also done quite well, the Emperor says, leaning forward: Aim to finish on a steady note. What is this??? Actual praise????? From the EMPEROR???? For JING????? Su's plans have just inched forward a bit. Prince Yu, who has been standing by and watching, chimes in to say Yep, good work Jing, great handling of the case! Jing doesn't even look at him, but the Emperor is pleased. You too have acted very maturely, he tells Yu. Among all my sons you are the most prudent one who places general interests first and oh come ON you have GOT to be joking. Yu? The most unselfish and the one who places general interests first? This Emperor is literally blind. He asks Yu if reports that Yu helped Jing with the trial are true? Well, Yu says oh so modestly, I was worried he was unused to working with the Ministry of Justice, so I helped him a bit, yes. You are such a saint, says this stupid Emperor, and then he gives freaking YU a load of gifts again JUST like when he stole Jing's credit for saving Ni Huang you guyyyyysssssss I'm so mad. This whole scene the camera keeps cutting to show Jing impassively watching this and it just isn't FAIR lol. But that is why we need Mei Chang Su. Jing really would be helpless on his own, scenes like this make it very obvious.

Yu makes a massive bow of thanks and Cai Quan steps forward looking like he wants to protest about how unfair this is, but a sharp look from Jing has him stepping back, looking unhappy but silent. And just like that, I love Cai Quan. Also just LOOK at Yu's robe, my gosh, he and Jing always have my favorite costumes and the gold embroidery on Yu's sleeves is out of this world beautiful. He is such a peacock.

As Jing and his team leave the palace, Cai Quan finally can speak his mind. He complains about how Jing worked hard day and night and concluded the case perfectly, and yet all he got was faint praise while Yu was showered with gifts and all he did was not meddle in [the case] LOL

Forget it, Jing says. It has always been so. Why bother getting angry? The inherent nobility of such an answer, as well as the blatant evidence of the unfair Imperial bias against Jing, is definitely going to leave an impression on Jing's team of officials here. Jing has just won some friends, whether or not he knows it. Su is so clever.

Jingyan! Wait! comes a call from back up the stairs. Oh great, it is Yu. He runs with mincing little steps down the stairs (and bravo to the actor for managing to run at all in those skirts, a fall would HURT and it looks very difficult lol) to meet Jing, who turns to meet him with a very longsuffering air. Yu is all smiles, almost puppyish in his eagerness to seize on the moment and work on befriending Jing like Su told him to LOL. Hey, don't be bothered by what happened, the Emperor totally means to give you presents AFTER the case is officially closed, is all, he tells Jing. And after a moment of slightly uncomfortable silence: Oh, and I didn't deserve the presents I got, either, I did nothing. Why don't I send the Emperor's gifts over to your manor instead? Jing's expression as he watches this fawning display is cold, cold, cold amusement. You're too polite, brother, he says. I only specialize in war. I have no need for those items. Surely my sisters-in-law would like them? Yu counters. Um, says Jing, I have only one wife, so nah. Now is there anything else you want to say or can I go?

I LOVE this. It is sooooo nice to see Jing have the upper hand in a conversation for once. Also! The camerawork! This talk is shot with the red carpet on the stairs cutting diagonally across the screen so Jing in his pale robe is backed by the stone steps, and peacock Yu in his ostentatious red and gold is backed by the royal red carpet. GORGEOUS. It's the pugilist vs the politician represented both in the characters and in their surroundings. I love it so much.

Yu looks a bit frustrated but rallies. Yeah, hey, since we are talking, I want to remind you about my New Year's party at my manor! You should come this year, instead of staying away like you always do! And Jing raises one of his perfect, perfect eyebrows: You invited me? he says, sarcasm absolutely dripping from his tone and expression. Ahaaahahahaha. Yu valiantly tries to cover: whaaaat, you never receieved your invitations? Wow, my servants are so inept. Wow. I’ll have to punish them for not delivering your definitely real invitations. How about this: I will deliver your invitation in PERSON this year. Please come, Jing, pleeeeease? Okay, fine, says Jing, and with that he makes his escape. Yu watches him go with an I sure hope all this hassle is worth it, Mei Chang Su look on his face.

Cut to Banruo enjoying some tea while a girl hurries in with news. News about He Wen Xin's brothel murder case. What information have Banruo's spies uncovered???

Cut to Yu Jin and Jing Rui out with Supreme Prince Ji, enjoying some women dancing and women playing musical instruments and women serving them tea and, yknow. All that good stuff. Yu Jin, at least, looks cheerful. Jing Rui still looks very pale and depressed, though he makes an effort to brighten up when Ji brings it up. Oh, poor boy. I love Jing Rui so much, and I know I say that about way too many characters, but it is still true. He is just so good and I want him to be happy and safe. I feel like this is a losing battle I am fighting, but I will keep wanting it anyway and the show will have to prise it from my emotions’ cold, dead fingers.

(Btw, shoutout to that girl who is smiling and gamely massaging one of Ji's arms throughout this entire scene. That would be really hard to keep up for multiple takes, lol, its little details like that and the depth even the extras provide to each scene that is part of why this show is so amazing. The show didn’t NEED a girl massaging his arm there, but her presence is the perfect Show Not Tell insight into Ji’s character. I see you, unsung heroine! Good job)

Ji comes across as jolly, sensual, and generally harmless, but I could be wrong on the last bit. Anyway he likes brothels and pleasure houses and whatever sooooo yay him? Yu Jin mentions how Gong Yu is an unparalleled musician so I guess she is famous. Ji gets melancholy as he remembers the ongoing murder trial about the death at the Willow Heart. Both Xin Liu and Xin Yang won't be able to perform dances anytime soon, he complains, and then he starts crying. Yep, he is a man-baby. And I thiiiiink those were the names of the twins, if I remember correctly.

Oh yes, speaking of that murder trial, says Yu Jin, hurriedly trying to move the conversation along, why hasn't He been sentenced or acquitted yet?? Is he guilty or isn't he?? Oh, he is definitely guilty, says Supreme Prince Ji. I witnessed it with my own eyes!

Yu Jin and Jing Rui look shocked, and that is the end of the episode! This was another setup episode mainly but there was a LOT of set up. I was so happy to see Yu Jin and Jing Rui again, even though I'm still majorly worried about Jing Rui. Missed Meng this episode--and Ni Huang! Where has she gotten to?! And Mu Qing! And basically ALL the women at the palace, and the Princess Supreme . . . UGH so many good characters, I don't even realize any are missing while the episode is playing, but after I am like heyyyy but what about my OTHER faves? I swore I wouldn't get attached, and now look at me. Pathetic.

On the other hand I am DELIGHTED Jing has stepped back into the forefront of the action. His friendship--or, well, partnership anyway but there is a weird tentative friendship mayyyybe starting there however cautiously--with Mei Chang Su has given him a position of power over the oblivious Prince Yu that is just so much fun. May it last a long time. Speaking of that potential friendship between Su and Jing, I'm fascinated to see it progress, because of course it is so imbalanced--Su knows exactly how to befriend Jing so he holds all the cards in their conversations together. As a master manipulator in general he must know how to manipulate his former best friend. But also Jing is a tough cookie. They are both so lonely, but I feel more for Jing's loneliness since at least Su has had an obsession to live for and focus on these past years; Jing has had nothing, and Su did manage to find allies while Jing has lived surrounded by people who hate him or look down on him. Bless Ni Huang for being there for him, I'm sure she has been vital in keeping him alive and sane.

Maybe the coolest thing about this episode, actually, was how it helped explain a little just how Su has gathered such a network of SUPER loyal secret friends. In plotting his own vengeance Su has recruited all these people who also seek impossible vengeance and he is using them and their wants to achieve his own. He is manipulating them like tools in his game, but at the same time he is working so hard to give them what they want, working to the point of exhaustion. He has seemed worryingly worn out these last couple of episodes. It is a very weird blend of compassion and cold self-interest, and ugh I LOVE HIM SO MUCH. I do beliieve, especially with this evidence, that he honestly does not want to use innocent people to hurt them. I just don't know if that is enough to save Jing Rui. Well, actually, all signs point to it definitely NOT being enough. Why, *Nirvana in Fire*, why.

Next up is episode 11! I can't WAIT to see how Su continues to ruin lives. And I also want Ni Huang back. And more Jing! Never leave me again, eyebrow prince.

#nirvana in fire #lang ya bang #badpoet watches nif #nif #nif ep10 #long post #badpoet watches #cdrama

[thenugking]

30 Days of Dragon Age OC Challenge Day 16

Day 16: Consequences: What in-game event(s) had the biggest impact on them (main plot or otherwise)? Why did it affect them so strongly? How did they change?

Isaline: Most of Isaline's game is gradual growing. Haven is the biggest thing, partly because of the Urn and partly because of Sten's mutiny. Isaline has come far enough that she is willing to defend herself when he starts attacking her, and then for very possibly the first time ever since her magic developed, sticks up for herself and puts herself first, by telling him to leave. Isaline let him out of the cage because the rest of her party said it was a good idea, and obviously they know more than her, and she and Sten have never gotten along. Most notably was the time he drove her into attempting suicide (via only-just-joined-the-party-and-not-really-trusted-yet Zevran) by telling her she was a terrible leader and a failure at stopping the Blight. Isaline knew that, and already hated herself for it, and was only in charge because Alistair (who, being a templar, was obviously Really in charge) said she should be and. Sten putting her down did Not help matters. Having Sten around made her miserable, and after he attacked her she went "you know what I?? actually do not have to put up with this anymore" and it was an incredible moment for her!!

And then, as previously mentioned, there was having an incredible Religious Moment at the Urn of Sacred Ashes and deciding maybe the Maker didn't hate her after all. And of course, going back to the Circle, and sticking up to Greagoir and Noodlehair and!!! the Sloth demon giving her a dream of being a tiny scared self loathing circle mage again and Isaline going "No. No I know this is wrong and I am More than this, and I am good and worthy of love and respect, and I will not be controlled like this anymore" She is so strong and good I love my child!!!

Corinne: I think Corinne just has the standard DA2 things; the Deep Roads, All That Remains and the Chantry Boom. All That Remains is fairly obvious; her mother was horrifically murdered and sent her into a downwards spiral of grief, guilt and being a mage self loathing. Also I downloaded a mod that made her hair look a lot messier and less conditioned, and took off her make up.

The Chantry boom I've already talked about. She had to finally take a stand for mage rights and understood that just waiting around for things to get better wasn't necessarily going to work, and she realised romantic love is not the most important thing in the world and broke up with her husband.

Carver died in the Deep Roads, which obviously hit Corinne very hard too, and also changed the whole narrative because up into that point, Carver had essentially been the protagonist. Corinne was a small support mage who hated adventure and just dreamed of love and pretty dresses so was entirely uninteresting to Varric. Carver, meanwhile, did a lot better than in game with a sibling who cast zero shadow and looked to him to protect her from danger. Most Act 1 quests, Corinne was just tagging along behind Carver and his friends. Carver dying means that Varric starts trying to push Corinne into adventures instead, and when the Arishok asks to see Hawke, the Viscount has to send Corinne Hawke instead of Carver Hawke, and the Arishok accepts that Corinne must have taken on the title of Hawke now, so she's the one who's going to have to save the city.

Estella: I mean pretty much everything has a big impact on Estella because it is Estella. Like, she loses a sock and cries about it for three hours, everything affects her strongly. But if I have to list the biggest in-game events:

She  touches the orb and finds herself SUDDENLY NOT TRANQUIL AND WITH TEN MILLION FEELINGS which, you know, changes her from being emotionless to having emotions about Everything

She's introduced to Cullen and flips the fuck out because this guy stood in the Gallows for seven years watching every mage there being abused and did NOTHING and she is NOT staying here if she has to be anywhere near him and that is when a lot of her trauma comes out to the war table but also he gets fired and she gets at least a bit of justice which is REALLY GOOD

She goes to meet Vivienne so she can meet HER DAUGHTER, who is a baby apprentice at Montsimmard, which I guess isn't so much an in-game event but it does start at Vivienne's recruitment and anyway Estella is a MUM now and has responsibilities and cuddles to give!!

She finds the hut of oculara in redcliffe and discovers they're made of tranquil skulls and once again flips the fuck out and swears vengeance on everyone involved in this, which just goes on to reinforce her fight for Tranquil rights.

Fighting a dragon. It was AMAZING and LIFE CHANGINGLY AWESOME and the GREATEST THING EVER

Putting Briala in control in WEWH because GUESS WHAT FUCKERS the people you have kicked down and shat on for years are TAKING CONTROL and gonna change EVERYTHING

She finds the place where Pharamond got cured in the Western Approach and she is so hopeful and awestruck and she goes through all the notes and uses everything she can find there to START CURING MORE TRANQUIL PEOPLE. And also like. Makes Pharamond's name known everywhere like this guy was INCREDIBLE and she pesters Cole to tell her more about him a whole bunch.

Viv's personal quest because it is one of the things that makes them Help each other and stops them hating each other and constantly fighting and going "maybe she is not so bad??" and it is a big part of Estella and Viv becoming friends which is very good!!!

Here Lies the Abyss happens and she gets her memories back!! Which feels really liberating and Good because she discovers none of this had anything to do with Andraste so FUCK THE CHANTRY and also she killed her rapist when she got her magic back.

Cassandra's personal quest because MORE TRANQUIL REVELATIONS and she tells Cassandra to burn the Seekers to the fucking ground and has another big breakdown because of the unfairness of everything.

When Vivienne talks about how maybe a mage could be Divine and Estella realises VIV YES  YOU COULD DO IT and if they can have a mage divine that would change EVERYTHING and she is SO EXCITED about getting her friend to do this!!!!

not rly much during the end of the game?? who cares about corypheus when there are mages to help

Solas cuts off her FUCKING ARM WHAT IF SHE CAN'T MAGIC NOW it's okay she can still magic but also she has LOST AN ARM this??? is a big deal??? but also he said that EVERYONE SHOULD BE MAGES hey all the fuckers who tell us we're not fucking people YOU'D BE JUST LIKE US IF SOLAS HADN'T FUCKED THE WORLD UP.

#30daydachallenge #isaline amell #corinne amell #estella trevelyan #dragon age #da spoilers #dragon age 2 #dragon age inqusition #dragon age trespasser #mage rights #ableism cw #abuse cw #institiutionalised abuse cw #institutionalised ableism cw #lobotomies cw #tranquility cw #slavery cw #family death cw #marsh ocs

[dietaku]

Amazing Quest 1: Chapter 2

The second chapter. I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 2: We’re in Toruble Now! The scene reopens in sepia with Lil’ Hiro and his sister, who retains the same sprite for this scene, talking in a field. Emilia: Alright, little brother, today, I will teach you the basics of sword fighting! Lil’ Hiro: Um. … Must I? Emilia: Yes. You’re the product of the Pudding Eugenics Program. Generations of selective breeding and dedication to the cause of finding the Pudding Savior have come down to just the two of us! Lil’ Hiro: I had no say in that, though! And it hurts when you hit me with the stick. Emilia: It’s not a stick. It’s a training sword. Lil’ Hiro: You’re missing the point. Emilia: Exactly, that’s what it’s a training sword. Lil’ Hiro: D’oh! Emilia winds up and bonks Lil’ Hiro, putting him on his back. Lil’ Hiro: Oooww… mommy! Emilia: *Sigh*. Maybe that’s enough for one day… The scene fades out and then back again as Hiro opens his eyes, lying on a bed somewhere in a small room. Hiro: Ow? A door opens and the huge woman we saw previously walks in. We get prompted to name her but I tend to stick with the defaults – this is Ozma. She’s the biggest party sprite in the game, towering over Hiro by a good head and a half (and several more in the front if you get my drift), her brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. The catchy song playing during this scene is her theme, Merciful Heart. She walks over to the bed. Ozma: How are you feeling? Hiro: Like I just was blown up and hurled several miles through the air. Ozma: … Err… Hiro turns to face Ozma. Hiro: ! M-m’lady! Sweet Angel of Lul Invictus himself, I implore you, tell me your name or my life will surely come to its end! Ozma: Ah?! Ozma’s sprite lights up red here. Ozma: I-I… I’m Princess Ozma Zorus Toruble, good sir! I was the one who found you in the smoldering crater and brought you here to the hospital. Hiro: Ah. The Princess herself. Tales of your power and beauty spread far, even to my remote hamlet, but I see they do you no justice. Ozma: Kyaaa! You~! Ozma blushes, puts one hand to her beaming face, then socks Hiro a good one with the other. The sound clip that emits is much like a chicken squawking in mortal terror, leading to the bizarre, oft-repeated nonsense meme of “Chicken Hiro Sub”. Hiro falls back, doing his best impression of The Scream. Ozma: O-oh! I overdid it again! Shoot! At this point, we take control of Princess Ozma herself. If we inspect Hiro she says… Ozma: It was just a playful little bump to the shoulder, but there he lies, near death. I better find a doctor… We can then inspect our inventory. Ozma has no spells to start and begins at level 1. Not like she needs them, as even at level 1, her physical stats nearly eclipse Hiro’s. Ozma’s real weakness is her low magical offense… big effing whoop for the character who barely gets any. Early JRPGs and their sense of “balance” was always an odd relationship. Anyways, we head up to the throne room where we can speak with the king. King: My dear, where are you going? Ozma: I might have sort-of crippled a man just now. I’m going to get the doctor. He’s still at his house on the end of the lane? King: Erm… y-yes, that sounds about right. Ozma: … About right? You can then leave into the town, which is comprised of small, narrow roads and the open-air market. We have Hiro’s money and items, so we can upgrade right away to the Glass Knkls and Regal Gown for a small sum. However, we can’t leave town as the guards block the way. Guard: Yes, ma’am, Lady Ozma! We cannot lower the drawbridge right now! Ozma: Why? Because it’s before daybreak? You realize as the Princess of Toruble, I AM the embodiment of the law? Guard: No ma’am, it’s not that. We actually cannot. The only one who knows how to operate them is currently on the other side of the canal. Apparently we locked him outside last night. Ozma: … Guard: I swear we’ll have this straightened out in just a moment, m’lady! Please, just another event flag or two, I swear! Ozma: *SIGH*. We then go to the doctor’s house. Ozma will knock. Ozma: Doctor? Doctor! I already put the lime in the coconut and it didn’t help! … Doctor? Ozma knocks again. Ozma: Doctor?! … What the hell? Why isn’t he answering? This confounded American gamers. In the Japanese script, it’s made plainly clear no one is home, but in the English, Ozma makes it sound like he’s merely ignoring the door. The answer is to return to the throne room and speak to the King again. Ozma: Father, the Doctor is missing. King: Oooooh yeeeah. About THAT… I might sort-of kind-of banished his ass from the kingdom. Ozma: Father! Why would you DO THAT?! King: Have you SEEN his rates?! Ozma: FATHER!!! King: It’s okay! I totally know where he went. He went to live in the Mountain of Outcasts. Ozma: … I’m not aware of any such place. King: It’s on the mountain behind the kingdom. It’s where everyone I’ve banished lives! Ozma: FATHEEEEEEEEEEER!!! You can then leave the castle, whereupon two castle guards go to Ozma. Guard 1: M’lady! We insist we accompany you! Guard 2: The denizens of the mountain will not be welcoming to a member of the Toruble House! Ozma: You’re the ones without faces, names, or legitimate backstories. Your funeral. Guards 1 and 2 join. Though I can’t fathom why, as Ozma grossly outclasses them both. You’re now free to leave the town and go to the world map, but a wild stampede of migratory sea sponges prevents Ozma from revisiting earlier cities Hiro was at prior, so for now, we can only venture to the mountain range behind Toruble City. We enter the foot of the mountain and begin up the winding trail. You’ll soon find Ozma leveling up while the guards are locked at level 5 permanently, meaning they’ll be the ones holding YOU back. On the bright side, you can equip the Earth Talisman on Ozma which will bolster her overall defense. About midway up, you’ll enter a cave with an eerie mist. Guard 1: Hm. This must be the dreaded Mountain Maze! Ozma: What’s so dreaded about it? It’s just a cave. Guard 1: Guard 2, why don’t you explain it? You always explain it so well. Guard 2: Thank you, Guard 1. The Dreaded Mountain Maze— Ozma: Wait, is that a part of its name or an adjective?! Guard 2: -- As I was saying, the dreaded Mountain Maze is a, well, a maze within the mountain. Ozma: Is it also dreaded? Guard 2: Sometimes! Ozma: I give up. The maze itself is hardly anything dangerous. The enemies are merely things like Blind Bats (which are strong but constantly suffering 50% hit rates), Mounted Munchkins (munchkins who ride atop mules for added stamina) or Portly Pigs, orc-like monsters who Ozma dismisses with a single punch. When you reach the end, the team fans out and looks around. Ozma: The maze comes to a dead end at every path! What do I need to do to get out here?! Ozma punches the wall in frustration which shakes the map. After a moment, there’s another, smaller shake as a boulder falls from the ceiling, taking Guard 2 down through the floor). Ozma: … Guard 1: NOOOOOOO! Not Guard 2! He was the finest mind of his generation! And two days from retirement! Ozma: Oops? Down one helper, we can leap down the hole the boulder made and walk out of the small cave there to the other side of the mountain road. You head around the long, curved strip which eventually goes up to a town nestled amidst the rocks. Ozma: Is this it? Guard 1: It appears so, m’lady! The Mountain of Outcasts! Ozma: Yeah. Try announcing that a little louder. I’m sure they’d all love the reminder! The camera pans down the road as several doors pop open and civilian sprites, dressed in their Sunday poorest, come out, various farming implements in tow. Guard 1: … This is about to turn ugly. Ozma: *Cracks knuckles* The people approach. Man: Whaddya want? We’re then given a prompt. 1) Hello, sir, have you heard the good word of Lul? 2) Pizza delivery! 3) OZMA SMASH!!! If you pick prompt 3, you just fight some weak mooks, which even the Guard 1 in our party could best. The others get varying responses. -Prompt 1- Man: We don’t take kindly to THAT kind ‘round these parts. You ain’t a Toruble, are you?! Ozma: Uh. No. I’m the OTHER giantess with the royal seal emblazoned on my armor that lives in the same city. Man: Well GOOD then! We got nothing to worry about. The villagers put their weapons away. Ozma: … Um. Right then… -Prompt 2- Man: About time! We ordered that thing like a month ago! Ozma: Uh. Yeah. It took me so long to get here I had to eat it to survive. So, no charge. Man: Awww… okay. Well, since you’re here, you might as well come in… Once you clear up who you are, you get to move around the town freely, with some slightly different flavor text through some NPCs. Head to the furthest back building to find the missing doctor. Ozma knocks. Ozma: OPEN THE DOOR OR LOSE IT! A click is heard and then the door pops open as a tall, skinny gentleman in a lab coat is there. Doctor: P-Princess Ozma?! What are you… I told that crowned buffoon that it wasn’t right OR possible but he wouldn’t listen!!! Ozma: Explanations can wait. I want you to help a guy who’s totally into me. So I hope you can understand why I’d prioritize that over your previous banishment. Doctor: I… what happened to him? Ozma: I might have kinda put his lights out. Doctor: … And he SURVIVED? Ozma: DOC! Doctor: Okay, okay! Here. Give him this. Ozma gets the Heal Herb key item! Ozma: Thanks! And I’ll see if I can’t get daddy – the King – to overturn your sentence! Doctor: I’d rather you not, frankly. If anyone asks, you didn’t get that from me! Ozma: Huh? … Well, if you insist! Doctor: Good. Now, kindly leave, if you’d be so good. Take the road here next to my house and you’ll find the shortcut. Good day, little Princess. We can then access the road (as the fence there moves out of the way) and allows us to return back and forth freely, now that the road through the mountain is one-way. We return to Toruble City and suddenly find it slightly darker and overrun by punks on skateboards. Ozma: What in the world?! Guard 1: The city is under attack by ruffians!!! HOLD THE FORT, MY LIEGE! I AM ON MY WAY! Ozma: No, wait! The Guard runs off screen, only to get kicked back onto it, on his back. Guard 1: N-no! I… I was… just… ONE… day… from… retirement… ugh. Two skateboard punks walk on screen. Skateboard Punk 1: The Dark Puddings gave us run of this drab city and now we run it the way we want! Skateboard Punk 2: Like a giant SKATE PARK! Ozma: Punching you is going to feel a little TOO good. We then deal with some Skate Punks to clear out the path. We can hurry back into the castle and go straight to Hiro now. Ozma: Let’s see… what does the label say? “Warning: may cause underwritten romance”? Well, this is a JeffCom game, that ship has sailed. Ozma gives Hiro the Heal Herb which, in the western release claims “Ozma nursed Hiro to health”. In the Japanese, it said “Crammed it in his mouth”. The scene fades then reopens with Hiro on his feet again. Hiro: My lady, you have saved my life. Uh, again. I’ll ignore you were the one who endangered it, really. Ozma: Right, but unfortunately we have more pressing matters at hand. Hiro: Then allow me to help you. It’s the least I, Hiro, can do! Ozma: Then let’s go, Hiro! Hiro and Ozma reformed the party! Next, we’ll want to leave the castle and head out. On top of random encounters, there’s also set ones, with Skate Punks terrorizing the locals. This not only nets us some nice items from the populace (including a Skateboard Hiro uses as a shield), it also helps make up any difference in level the two may have had. Once we’ve done everything, we can go to the castle throne room, where the King is cowering in a corner. The skate punks zoom around the room as one in particular is perched on the throne. Skate Punk: Man, 90s skater culture will NEVER DIE! Ozma: Yeah, it will certainly never replaced by… hell, NASCAR, beanie babies, or some other cultural flotsam. Skaters: *GASP!!* King Skater: Aha! The prodigal daughter of the recently-dethroned Toruble! While you were out, I have claimed this kingdom for our OWN amusement! The Dark Puddings will reign forever and SKATING WILL NEVER DIE! Ozma: Bastard! Hiro: Now, now, Ozma, maybe we should give them the chance to explain their policies. King Skater: Huh? Hiro: Yeah. As king, surely you must have a bold new vision. After all, you don’t overthrow a monarchy purely for the pursuit of trivial temporary athletic competition. King Skater: … Hiro: Oh God, you really did. Ozma: Can we start punching him until he stops living now? Hiro: Sounds good to me. -Boss Fight!- King Skater x1 LP: 2300 MP: 120 Skate Punks x 5 LP: 750 MP: 0 This fight opens with the message “Haha! You can’t reach me!” and is, unfortunately, true, as so long as even a single Skate Punk remains in the way, Hiro and Ozma cannot target the King Skater. Using Rice Pudding is completely useless, by the way, as the Skate Punks and King Skater keep letting into him, which takes its toll when you’re the punching bag. After a few rounds of impotently killing Skate Punks, Hiro kneels. Hiro: Nnngh! It’s no use. Every time I try to act, they strike as one. Ozma: Hiro! Are you alright?! Hiro: (Pudding Eugenics program… looks like selective breeding lost the bet on that gamble. I will be bested not by the Dark Puddings themselves, but mere children…) Hiro falls flat. Hiro: Nnngh! Ozma: No! Hiro! Don’t tell me your wounds are flaring up again?! Hiro: (Sister… Ozma… forgive me. But so long as I hold the Earth Talisman… the Dark Pudding’s ignoble ambition will still end…) A flash of a huge, red monster eye staring right at the player, followed by a black screen. A moment passes and then a text box appears on screen, with the faint silhouette of a strange, tiny creature appears on-screen. ?: Do you want to live? To experience life to its maximum potential? 1) Yes 2) No -If No- ?: Think REALLY hard about this decision one more time. Because if you say no, you kind of die. -If you select No 128 times- ?: I… really? Seriously? Well… okay. Be that way. Jerk. You then get the game over and “The Era of War never ended…” message for this too. -If Yes- ?: Ask yourself this – why DOES Pudding conform to the shape of its container? Is Pudding solid or liquid? Or is it BOTH?! Hiro: Uh…? ?: You must be as malleable as the Pudding from which you derive your name! You must be both sweet and tangy; both filling and light! Do you understand? Hiro: Not a word. ?: EXCELLENT! Then let me say it another way: when one flavor fails to satisfy, what then must the Pudding do? Hiro: Uh. Open another snack cup? ?: PRECISELY! You understand your own base nature! When two flavors become as one, a new powerful flavor is born! As such, you must discover which flavor best complements your own! Embrace this change and evolve eternally upward! HIRO! Hiro! Hiro?! Hiro: Wha--? The screen goes white, as Hiro gets up, back in the fight. Ozma: Hiro! Are you alright?! Hiro: I felt… something awaken just now. Ozma, do you trust me? Ozma: The script says I do, completely! Without an iota of hesitation! Hiro: Then let’s go! Under Hiro’s skill list is a new Pudding morph: Swirl. Swirl is a catch-all that, when you meet specific requirements, lets Hiro fuse with one other party member. Ozma’s fusion is given to us as of this battle, giving us Chocolate-Raspberry Swirl. Hiro and Ozma become an entirely new entity, carrying an enormous, stone axe and has physical stats so high the Skate Punks will struggle to deal 1 damage to it. One blow will send each Skate Punk packing. Once you take out two or three, you get the new message “Skate Punks are terrified!” and they’ll flee, in turn, until nothing stands between you and the Skate King. Skate King: I-I-I’M N-N-N-NOT A-A-AFRAID OF Y-Y-YOU!!! At this point it becomes a slam-bang contest to the finish. Chocolate-Raspberry Pudding has no skills to its name, but it’s still a little game-breaking-ish… but then again, so are ALL the Swirl (and eventual triple and party swirl morphs) modes. Just send this guy packing. -Boss Fight!- Ozma: Wh-what WAS that power?! Hiro: I don’t know. But when I activated it, my P-Centage begin skyrocketing… I have no idea… Ozma: Daddy! Ozma rushes to her cowering father, who immediately rushes back to the throne and reclaims his crown. King: *AHEM* Yes, indeed. That was a difficult trial, but I was so confident you had it all under control, I simply stood in the corner and awaited the obvious outcome! Hiro & Ozma: … King: YES. So… this is a trying time for us all. I must thereby request you, Leroy— Hiro: Hiro. King: Hiro, to go west from here and crush the Dark Pudding’s stranglehold on the drawbridge which links my fair nation to the next! Hiro: Alright. I can’t think of anything better to do. King: EXCELLENT! Ozma: … (I want to ask all about what Doctor was saying but… I get the feeling I’ll just get stonewalled, as usual.) Father, I will accompany Hiro. In order to ensure that his mission succeeds and the welfare of Toruble is maintained, of course. King: Good. Great. Perfect! I await news of your success! Ozma: Come, Hiro. Let us depart now. We then return through the town one last time, as the citizenry thanks us profusely for our efforts, then we head a short trek west. With the sea sponges safely in their new homes, we can go to the drawbridge encampment. When we enter, the rules change a bit. We have three ways of going about this – sneaking by everyone patiently, killing them all hastily, or sneaking up behind them and systematically knocking them out. That last one is only available here and pretty much nowhere else in the franchise, so the fact it’s even an option is a surprise to most until they deliberately TRY to get into a fight, then realize stealth kills yield no exp. The real prize is when we find their storage tent and load up from their losses. Next to it is their prison tent, where a curvaceous ninja girl is holed up in a cardboard box, animated with a “HELP!” balloon over it. Hiro: Um. Are you alright? Voice: No! Please, get me out of this prison! It’s hell! I can’t see! Hiro shrugs, then cuts the tape. Voice: *GASP* The girl climbs out quickly, panting with surprisingly well-rendered jiggle physics. Hiro: Who are you?! Girl: I’m Kimyawa. Enemy to the Dark Pudding’s evil ambition! And you are— Hiro: I’m Hiro. This is Ozma. Kimyawa: Hiro-nii-chan! We must escape immediately! Across the bridge and some ways in, we’ll find Loyroll! Hiro: Who is… Kimyawa: My nii-san! Hiro: Sure, whatever. That totally makes sense to me with all my English speaking and all. Kimyawa: Let’s hurry! We then get to stealth our way through the camp’s remainder to the drawbridge. If you came here without Kimyawa, Hiro would stop and mention he felt like they needed to look around first. Now that the gang’s all here, Ozma runs to the chain and shatters them with her hand, dropping the bridge like a lead weight into place. Ozma: C’mon! Hiro: W-wow! Such brute strength! Such primal beauty! Kimyawa: Later, nii-chan! Let’s go!

#Adventure #fiction #fantasy #science fantasy #writing #Amazing Quest

[itsalasallianlifeforme]

2017 Kitson Institute Chronicles: Volume IV.

This one is gonna be long, so get a snack, kick your feet up and get comfy. 

This day was an incredibly heavy (in a good way) because we tackled a lot of important issues, such as: privilege, oppression, white fragility, and diversity awareness. It was a flash back to my sociology classes, and baby let me tell you... it made my brain hurt in the best of ways, and caused my heart to throw itself in a meat grinder. Plus, the lovely presenters used quotes from “Why are all the black kids sitting together in the cafeteria?” and it brought me back to my involvement in tutoring for a program at La Salle that does one of the best jobs at giving it’s students a good idea of what social justice really is- shout out to Summit! 

Being part of the LGBT community has its advantages and practical uses, however the people that I discuss LGBT issues with are usually in the LGBT community. Because of this many are fully aware of all of the more complicated nuances of the spectrum of gender and sexual orientations that exist. I felt that my knowledge was quite useful during these sessions because LGBT centered issues were brought up. For example, another volunteer and I found ourselves trying to explain pansexuality, among other things to those who were not familiar with such topics but wanted clarification. It felt good to put my knowledge to active use. Please excuse my momentary self pat on the back, I promise that the mention of my familiarity with the subject is relevant to what I am about to talk about. 

This session laid out the information in a funnel fashion, where we started off with broad definitions of what kinds of oppression (institutional, interpersonal and internal) existed and narrowed it down to different ism’s (ableism, racism, classism etc) and we got onto the topic of knowledge about the LGBT community and what kinds of ism’s there are that affect and effect that community. One of the volunteers asked a very interesting question:

Do Christian brothers receive this type of training? 

The cohort had implemented a trend that if you liked, or agreed with something that someone had said that you snapped. Yes like in a poetry open mic night, it may seem silly to some but it is a non intrusive way of showing support. When this question was prompted, my fingers were on friggin’ fire. 

The short answer (from what I remember) was no but you have brothers who are open minded and more in touch with the developing spectrum of genders and sexual orientations, and those who are not. I wasn’t sure what the answer exactly was or if I was satisfied with it. I’m certain that this program has had gay, lesbian and bisexual volunteers but I am not sure if it had any trans or non binary volunteers. This got me (and the person that mentioned this) thinking that this should be mandatory for brothers as well. If they have never had a trans or non binary volunteer, would they just find a brother who was okay with that and do their best to accommodate and be there for the volunteer? What would happen if there was a late placement, and there were few options for a placement and none of the brothers at the available sites were okay or equipped to work with a trans or non binary volunteer? What would be done? Would they need to wait to serve in a place with brothers that do? After these questions were quick firing themselves into my mind, I came to the conclusion that these questions would not be as important if there was training to at least teach the brothers about this if they are not familiar with it.

The question was there but lingered, unanswered. I didn’t have the time to ask between sessions, but this is something I would like to discuss with the staff out of my own curiosity. 

Later, we moved onto a fish bowl activity where we listened to the experiences of the volunteers who were now doing their second year of service. This is where the day got intense, because quite a few things happened:

I saw a new side of my cohort members. They weren’t just the lovely people I was getting to know over the next week or so. They were the human, hard working, and sympathetic people that I knew they were.  This shined a light on them in a work setting. 

We got to hear real life examples of the issues of oppression, and white fragility and how that has impacted the second year volunteers and their students/those they serve in their work. 

I believe we got our first taste of what issues we may face during our service, and how deeply rooted they are. This was the first proverbial slap into reality, the atmosphere in the room changed from optimistic interest to... “Buckle up, this is what we are up against”. On top of that, I (and surely others) understood that these issues were most likely not something we as an individual or cohort could rectify in two years. Yay centuries of reinforced white fragility, and systemic oppression! In that moment we realized that: While we are strong, mighty and ready warriors with the hearts of Gryffindors...we are on a quest to fight the well fed and decidedly in charge three headed dog; and we are armed with a letter opener when we thought we were wielding the sword of Gryffindor. 

This conversation was very interesting to me, as I have spent quite some time tutoring about social justice issues and what that looks like in the education system. The stories and conversations of exactly how white fragility, all levels of oppression enraged me from my seat. It hurt even more to see the combination of frustration and sorrow on my cohort member’s faces a they shared their stories of examples of this oppression in their own sites. We all want to save the world, but the realization that it is not feasible to save everyone weighs not on the shoulders of those who are climbing the cliff to do so, but on the soul. I could see that fight to hold it up in their eyes as they spoke. 

As we moved onto different subjects I found myself intellectually stimulated as we talked about the issues of oppression and how that is shown in the various field's each volunteer was working in (mainly education) I found myself becoming more angry and disgusted with what I heard cohort members having to deal with. I am not completely ignorant to it, and it is a specific type of knowledge to be aware of...one that absolutely crushes you once you learn how to identify it. But hearing it, and seeing it weigh on the souls of my cohort members made it much worse. 

This session made me come to a few conclusions and questions:

Diverse staff representation is very important. My cohorts stated that (if they are teachers) that the students at their site would connect with them in certain ways simply because they were not white like the rest of the staff. The students they worked with were excited when a minority teacher came. This should not be something that should bring excitement, this should be something that should be expected and normal. Students not only got to see that someone of color was a teacher, but they also felt a different connection because the teacher of color would understand their struggles more than their white co-workers. This disconnect, is sad to see despite how much I understand it.

The question of how to address faculty members and administrators about white fragility? The fact that it is effecting the students is implied in this question. One volunteer shared a story that prompted this question, and she works at a mostly racial minority student body. A student was frustrated and angry, expressing how white teachers did not understand him or the issues he was going through, and the volunteer told him to take a minute to calm down if he wanted to talk it out with her. Another staff member (whether it was a supervisor or admin escapes my mind) came over to talk to him and asked him what was wrong. He told the staff member (with a lot of frustration that hadn’t fully subsided yet) that he was angry about the way he was being treated, and that the white staff did not understand his struggles. Instead of engaging with the student who clearly wanted to talk about it with someone, the staff member responded with a common white fragility reaction and simply said “Well clearly you are not ready to talk about it” in order to avoid the issue instead of sitting down and discussing it with him. This absolutely enraged me. As a person who has someone’s education, well being, growth etc entrusted in your care, how can you refuse to offer or deny that space to learn for your own comfort? If you can’t engage and talk about tough topics such as race in a mostly racial minority student body...WHY ARE YOU THERE? How do you justify ignoring that portion of growth for your presence in an academic setting?

This also bothered and enraged many other volunteers listening to this. However, my anger (and others) subsided a little when we were reminded that we are not there to change the site we are serving at or the way things are there. We are there to love those we are serving. We are there to do what I live by, do what we can, for who we can, for as long as we can.

I’ve always said this about sociology, but it applies here too: Sociology/service is great and detrimental to those who have a love for it. The more you feed your brain to learn and experience different things, the more you harbor love and hate for the world around you. You love to know why things work, why people do certain things and interact with people but you also see the ugly side that contributes to and destroys the beauty around you.

To me...in this case, sociologist, service volunteer, and masochist are all synonyms of each other. But it’s okay. You cannot ignore the problems you observe, because if you do then you cannot fix them and see the beauty that the solution was made to reveal.

That day was an absolute emotional roller coaster for me but in the end I realized something. While this mission comes with a price of sorrow for the problems we seek to solve, and the love we take out of ourselves in order to give it to those we serve. The more you see, experience, and love... the stronger you make yourself to do better when you must do the same thing for different people, in a different place in the future. 

If you’ve made it to the end, thanks for stickin’ with me. 

Stay tuned for more Kitson Institute Chronicles. 

#social justice #education #white fragility #Long Term Service #LGBT #blog #Chicago