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dancingships · 1 year

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Mal hated Aline’s Powers. DEBUNKED.

Malyen Oretsev may have voiced his concern or fear during hard times but those moments pale in comparison to everything he sacrificed. If he hated Alina’s powers, or her duty to Ravka, he’d have left. He wouldn’t have branded himself Alina’s soldier then sacrificed his life so that she could defeat her enemy. In reality, he was the only one to love Alina for Alina and not for what she could do for them.

Mal awed by Alina’s Powers

He frowned but then he reached out, letting his fingers play in the light, and said, “That’s really something.”

-Shadow & Bone, Ch 18

He shut his eyes and turned his face toward the sunlight that radiated from my hand. Then he tilted his head, resting his cheek against my palm. The light glowed warm against his skin. We stood that way, in silence, until the watch bell rang.

-Siege & Storm, Ch 6

“I didn’t hear anyone laughing,” Mal said. “For someone who has no idea what she’s doing, I’d say you’re managing pretty well.”

-Siege & Storm, Ch 13

“Can you do more with it?” he asked. “No. Just …remnant of what I did in the chapel.” “You mean saving all our lives?” “…It’s just a carnival trick.” “It’s something you took from him,” he said. I didn’t think I imagined the satisfaction in his voice.

-Ruin & Rising Ch 3

“You’re glowing.” He ran a finger down my forearm where the sleeve had ridden up, watching the play of light over my skin, a smile curling his lips.

-Ruin & Rising, Ch5

Mal not being afraid of Alina

While everyone else is afraid to approach her, he steps right up. The first time she was losing control. The second time they didn't know what was happening but the building was shaking. Act now, asks questions later.

The same thing happens in the books too. Mal prevents her from destroying the entire ship after getting the Sea Whip. Then when Alina defeats the Darkling in the chapel and it's crashing down he runs back in to pull her out. And there's a moment in the underground temple where Alina thinks Mal is afraid of her powers but he was more afraid of losing her and didn't want her to have to make a kill. He knows killing another person isn't easy. But he says later he had faith in her.

Mal supporting Alina becoming Queen

“I came here for you. You’re my flag. You’re my nation.”

-Siege and Storm, Ch 18

“I wasn’t afraid of you, Alina. I was afraid of losing you. The girl you were becoming didn’t need me anymore but she is who you were always meant to be. Strong." He looked away. "Luminous. And maybe a little ruthless too… Ravka is broken, Alina…The girl I saw in the chapel could change that."

"Nikolai's a born leader. He knows how to fight. Knows how to politic. But he doesn't know what it is to live without hope. He's never been nothing. Not like you or Genya. Not like me." "He's a good man," I protested. "And he'll be a good king. But he needs you to be a great one."

-Ruin & Rising, Ch 7

“I don’t need any of that. Just…” He dropped Nikolai’s hand and looked away. “Deserve her.”

-Ruin & Rising, Ch11 & Season 2

“And where will you go?” “I’ll stay by your side as long as you let me.” His jaw set. “I’ll do what I have to do to keep you safe.”

“And I’ll keep marching because the firebird is all I can give you.”

-Ruin and Rising, Ch 13

"Because you were meant for more. I'll get you the firebird. That's all I have to offer / We've known for a while now that you were meant for more."

-Shadow & Bone, S2

These last two are so important because it shows that Mal knows they have no future together. Alina needs to become queen and she can't do that if she's with him. A lesser man would just walk away since they won't be getting anything in return. But Mal doesn't. He stays to get her what she needs, the only thing he can give her, before they part ways for good.

Mal believing in Alina

"You will destroy the fold. Just not today."

- Shadow & Bone, S1 Ep 8

"I wanted to make you human,” he said. “All they see when they look at you is the Sun Summoner. They see a threat, another powerful Grisha like the Darkling. I want them to see a daughter or a sister or a friend. I want them to see Alina.”

-Siege & Storm, Ch 16

“How did you know I’d be able to summon?” I asked under my breath. He glanced at me, and a faint grin touched his lips. “Faith.”

-Ruin & Rising, Ch 2

"You could have struck down the Apparat and all his Priestguards, but you didn't." "I wanted to." "But you didn't. You've had plenty of opportunities to be brutal, to be cruel. You've never taken them." "Not yet. The firebird-" He shook his head. "The firebird won't change who you are. You'll still be the girl who took a beating for me when I was the one who broke Ana Kuya's ormolu clock." I groaned, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "And you let me." He laughed. "Of course I did. That woman is terrifying." Then his expression sobered. "You'll still be the girl who was willing to sacrifice her life to save us at the Little Palace, the same girl I just saw back a servant over a king."

-Ruin & Rising, Ch 7

"I know, I know. I don't get it. I just know there's no way to live without pain-no matter how long or short your life is. People let you down. You get hurt and do damage in return. But what the Darkling did to Genya? To Baghra? What he tried to do to you with that collar? That's weakness. That's a man afraid." He peered out at the valley. "I may never be able to understand what it is to live with your power, but I know you're better than that. And they all know it too," he said with a nod back to where the others had gone to make camp. "That's why we're here, fighting beside you. That's why Zoya and Harshaw will whine all night, but tomorrow they'll stay."

-Ruin & Rising, Ch 14

"I know you can do it someday. You'll get there. I just don't want to see it kill you in the process."

-Shadow & Bone, S2 episode 1

"She's worth it, Sir"

-Shadow & Bone, S1 (talking to his captain about going after Alina)

Mal sacrificing for Alina

“The Darkling wants that stag. He wants it for you, so I'll find it. It's the only thing I can still give you. The only thing.”

-Shadow & Bone, S1

For the first time, I realized that Mal had no idea why I’d fled the Little Palace, why the Darkling was searching for me. The last time I’d seen him, I’d essentially ordered him out of my sight, but still he’d left everything behind and come for me.

Shadow & Bone, Ch 16

This time he didn’t blush or turn away. “It’s a promise to be better than I was,” he said. “It’s a vow that if I can’t be anything else to you, at least I can be a weapon in your hand.” He shrugged. “And I guess it’s a reminder that wanting and deserving aren’t the same thing.”

Ruin and Rising, Ch7

“I came here for you. You’re my flag. You’re my nation.”

-Siege and Storm, Ch 18

“Save them. This once, let me carry you.” His gaze locked on mine. “End this,” he said.

-Ruin & Rising, Ch 17

"I'm not afraid. Because I get to save you. And you get to save Ravka."

-Shadow & Bone, S2

"You know I'd lay down my life for you. Alina, you're a living Saint. I might not be enough. You need all the help that Nikolai can offer you."

-Shadow & Bone, S2

Mal Loving Alina

-Siege & Storm, Ch 16

He would kiss her neck and whisper new names in her ear: beauty, beloved, cherished, my heart.

-Ruin & Rising, last page

"You are all I ever wanted. You're the whole of my heart."

-Shadow & Bone, S2

Maybe that's why I wrote this letter, Alina. Maybe it's a promise—that I'll survive tomorrow and the day after that, and somehow, no matter what it takes, I'll see you safe again.

What is she? She's everything, you dumb son of a bitch.

Mal’s letters - actually just his entire letter. It really puts into perspective his state of mind when he finds her at the Little Palace.

“Maybe that brought us together, but it didn’t make us who we are. It didn’t make you the girl who could get me to laugh when I had nothing. It sure as hell didn’t make me the idiot who took that for granted. Whatever there is between us, we forged it. It belongs to us.”

-Ruin & Rising

There was something fierce and almost desperate in the way he held me, as if he could not have me close enough.

That time he got himself purposefully sent to jail just to be with her

-Shadow and Bone S2

Because I would always be the first person he turned to when he saw something lovely, and I would do the same. Whether I was a Saint or a queen or the most powerful Grisha who ever lived, I would always turn to him.

-Ruin & Rising

#malina #shadow and bone #ruin and rising #seige and storm #shadow and bone quotes #malyen oretsev #alina starkov

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inkribbon796 · 7 months

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Egotober 2023 Day 4, Date Night with the Dooms

Summary: Silver and the city might not be having a good time, but Dark is as happy as can be.

A/N: This is a carry over from Day 3

Prompt: Happy

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

Mark got the alarm from the cops while he was on his drive to get late night groceries. Wilford and Dark had the downtown area. Dark was clearly under the influence of Wilford’s aura more than usual, making him more dangerous than normal.

So Mark found a place to randomly park, got changed inside of it, and as Silver flew off to find them.

“SAM, get me good news,” Silver said. “Where are those bastards?”

“They seem to be over by the Westen Bridge,” SAM said. “Bing also sent a message saying that they’ve been having issues with an eco-terrorist in Gainesville. He will need you on call when you’re done.”

“Damn, when it rains, it pours. That will be a while, tell Abe I’m coming his way.” Silver flew around buildings. “How many casualties?”

“Five confirmed, two cops, three civilians,” SAM said.

“Dammit,” Silver picked up speed, flying as fast as he could as the bridge slowly came into view.

It turned out that Silver didn’t need to make it all the way to the bridge because he spotted Dark emerging from one of his portals. A mad smile on his face and violence in his eyes.

His dark grey coat and black hair billowing in the night air. His blue and red chromatic copies stuttered out around him. His aura coiling around him.

And Silver shot over to him like a bullet.

He wasn’t sure if it was an illusion or if his haste made him easier to spot, but Silver seemed to go through him and Silver skidded to a stop.

“Shepherd, did you bring your child again, or have you come to fight me?” Dark said, already moving.

“He’s not mine, he’s not involved.” Silver didn't know where Wilford was but he couldn’t just let Dark get away from him. And if Ethan was here, Mark was going to lose it.

Or Dark was trying to throw him off his game.

“Well, I’d like to stay and chat, Shepherd, but I have business to attend to.” Dark then opened up a portal and Silver tried to grab part of him. Managing to snag him by the arm and throw him away from it.

“You’re not going anywhere but jail,” Silver said, relishing in the visible impact Dark made. A nice reminder that the creature who terrorized his city since before he was born was not invincible.

Before Silver could go to grab him, he paid for his hubris and was attacked when aura snagged him at the cape and throat.

Wilford drove his face into the concrete roof. “How dare you fuck up date night!”

Using as much strength as he could muster, Silver got out of Wilford’s hold.

Wilford grabbed Silver in a headlock and smiled at Dark. “Darkling, if you want to run ahead, I’ll get rid of the riff raff.”

“How you’re able to brainwash him into doing this is beyond me.” Silver was barely able to keep Wilford from choking him out.

“Pay him, no head Darkling, run along, I’ll catch up.” Wilford grinned and Silver could feel it in his aura when he did it.

Instead of insisting to do his own dirty work or making a passive aggressive comment about Wilford, Dark laughed.

An actual real laugh from the literal demon mob boss crime lord. Dark let out a mad cackle, sounding every bit like the supervillain he was.

And then he was gone, throwing himself off the rooftop, like he needed to walk anywhere.

Wilford smiled at Silver. “See? He loves date night. Look at how happy he is.”

Silver began fighting, taking way too long to try and follow Dark. He was way too buzzed on Wilford’s aura to be safe for anyone’s wellbeing.

When Silver broke away, he looked towards the direction Dark had gone. He expected Wilford to jump him. When he didn’t, a pit felt like it was dropping in his gut and Wilford was gone.

Starting a full hour long goose chase that ended outside the home of the current mayor. A man who has been under Dark’s thumb, taking bribes and threats to do whatever he wanted.

In the end after Silver had found where Dark had gone, only one other person died that night. This death seemed to be the most gruesome of the night.

The cops and three civilians had been quick deaths. Wrong place wrong time, all by Wilford’s hand, or rather his gun.

This one was Dark’s doing, and the carnage and slow death proved it.

Gatling, Bob, was outside the house with Abe. The city in its uneasy normal. The rampage seemed over.

Silver was furious and upset at how unable they’d been to do anything. And this hadn’t been the first time. They needed someone who could follow auras and they needed it desperately.

Bob looked just as uncomfortable. “Look, I know he was corrupt as fuck, and so is the entire council board, but at least he was alive.”

Just boiling in rage, Silver thought things over for a bit. “We need to call Marvin.”

“Right now? It’s like three or four in the morning for him?” Abe said.

“I don’t care, we don’t have a tracker and all of the Septics can see or feel auras. Even Schneep can. They can afford to lose one of them, I don’t care which at this point. There’s no way we’re getting J.J, so we go for either Chase or Marvin. And Chase has an actual civilian life, so Marvin is our only chance.”

Bob looked even more uncomfortable but he sighed. “Okay, we’ll try.”

Silver made the call, knowing what a long fight he was about to get himself into.

Back at the Manor, Dark and Wilford came tumbling out of a portal. Wilford a laughing mess and Dark more of a smiling one. Their hands intertwined.

Dark’s office was still the disaster they had left it in.

“You have fun, Darkling?” Wilford kissed the back of Dark’s hand as their fingers stayed intertwined.

“You know what?” Dark said, only starting to come down off of his intoxicating high. “I did. It was a lovely evening. I got to put the city back in its place and now I don’t have to keep paying that skidmark of a creature to do what I want.”

“Simply lovely,” Wilford said. “You were amazing as always.”

The madman made a noise as Dark pulled away to look around the office.

“I was, wasn’t I?” Dark smiled to himself. “And I’ve been thinking.”

“Love it,” Wilford sat back on Dark’s desk.

“My city has gotten a bit too high and mighty, time to show the heroes and the police just really rules this town,” Dark said, his mad smile still on his face.

Then his aura turned a bit more blue.

Dark changed his form to look more human, warmer. A crisp black suit and doe-like brown eyes. An old form, an old face. “I think this city needs to be taken in a new direction.”

Wilford froze, as if his twisted mind was trying to grasp onto something, but he just smiled and cupped his hands around Dark’s face. “Simply divine, as always, my darling. I think this calls for a celebration, I’ll get Yan and the boys,”

The madman hopped off the desk and rushed out of the office to round up their adopted wards. At least all the ones that were still awake.

Dark watched him go for a bit. His blue soul echoed out from Dark, looking after Wilford with dangerous longing. Dark easily pulled the long-dead mayor back in before he could spoil his evening. Dark was in a good mood, and he refused to let that change the night.

#Egotober 2023 #Superhero AU #Masks and Maladies #Darkiplier #Wilford Warfstache #silver shepherd #Darkstache #date night #murder husbands

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black-rose-writings · 4 months

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A post I saw recently made me remember an idea I had like a year ago: The Gaang (from AtLA) as Grishaverse characters.

All of the characters would be aged up by 6-7 years compared to their OG versions, to match up with their stories and the universe better, meaning that Toph and Aang are in their late teens and the rest is in their early 20s.

Also, I firmly support the Darkling and Grisha loyalists, so please avoid leaving anti-Darkling replies or I will block you, because I don't feel like arguing with yall on here. Feel free to send me hate asks if you want, but keep it off of this post.

So, in no particular order:

Toph Kir-Lao: The only daughter of an influential Shu noble family, born blind and a Durast, with incredible talent for working with both rock and metal. Her parents had her recieve some secret training during her childhood, but eventually, at the age of 12, she had enough of their overprotectivness and desire to force her into a life of hiding her true self and conforming to the expectations of a high-society young woman and an heir to an influential family, and decided to run away from home and to Ravka, joining up with the Second Army (as that was the only place she knew where being Grisha wasn't at best a shameful secret). Her parents did eventually find out she was at the Little Palace and though the relationship remains tense, they are in sporadic contact. (If anyone asks them, Toph is studying in Kerch).

Zuko (He has both a Kerch and Shu family name, but doesn't use either because fuck his family, though his uncle gave him permission to use the name Yul-Iroh if necessary): Ethnically mostly Shu, grew up in Kerch. His father is on the Merchant Council and traces his heritage to the Taban family (their ancestors fled to Kerch after an unsuccessful power grab). The entire family are and have been Inferni for several generations, though it is not public knowledge, and Zuko, his sister and cousin were all trained to use their powers from an early age. Zuko got his scar in his early teens, during a fight with his dad. Iroh is his father's older brother who decided to cede his position as the head of the family business after his son disappeared, so that he could fully devote himself to the search/investigation - he would later find out that his brother was involved with the Kerch slave trade (and general gang shenanigans) and arranged for his son to get captured and sold. Though Iroh always knew about the dangers Grisha faced, it was only this that made him realize that being rich and powerful didn't exempt him or the people he loved from that. Combined with Ozai's escalating abuse of Zuko, Iroh decided to leave Kerch and seek shelter with the Second Army, partially hoping that his son had managed to escape and ended up there as well.

Aang (He has a Ravkan first and last name, but only uses his Suli middle name): Ethnically a mix of Suli, Ravkan and Shu, Squaller, grew up at the Little Palace. He comes from a Grisha family that has been part of the Second Army pretty much since its founding. His only living family is his grandfather Gyatso (who teaches at the Little Palace school), both of his parents were killed in the war when he was very young. Both he and his grandfather are deeply religious (to the point of being considered fanatics by most other Grisha) and refuse to kill because of it (which is why Gyatso ended up being a teacher) - despite this, Aang is the youngest known Squaller to have learned the Cut.

Katara and Sokka: They are Hedjut. Though the Hedjut are typically pretty accepting of Grisha, they still live in Fjerdan territory and their mother ended up getting killed in a Drüskelle raid (not decided if she was also Grisha or if she just took the bullet for Katara like in AtLA), after which their father decided to send them both down south to Ravka, as their home could no longer be safe for Katara (not decided if Sokka went with her because he wanted to make sure Katara was safe or because their father suspected he was also Grisha and didn't want to risk him, either). Sokka isn't Grisha, but he did end up joining with the Oprichniki to stay close (he typically is part of the Palace guard, because something-something-Ravka is racist). Katara is officially a Tidemaker, though she does have some Corporalki abilities (Hedjut, much like the Zemeni, don't view Grisha with strict order distinctions, so she didn't realize this was not normal until much later).

I do have some additional ideas for the characters (and for other AtLA (or other universe) characters translated into the Grishaverse), so feel free to ask about those. Or post your own extensions, if you want.

#grishaverse #atla #avatar the last airbender #grishaverse au #atla au

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stheresya · 2 years

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To compare Kaz and The Darkling and say that the latter was born with power while the former had to fight for it to justify Kaz easily outsmarting him is simply inaccurate.

I assume we're talking about influential power here (unless I'm unaware that Kaz developed magical abilities that's earning him comparison with a grisha), because if that's the case then Aleksander certainly had to fight for that kind of power as well. I dare say he fought for it for much longer and much harder than Kaz, considering he'd been alive for centuries.

Aleksander having exceptional grisha abilities never earned him power over anyone. On the contrary, all it earned him was lifetimes of persecution where he wasn’t allowed to have even the most basic human things. He couldn’t have a home, he couldn’t form attachments, he wasn’t even allowed his own name. Always on the run to avoid being murdered by anti-grisha bigots and even fellow grisha who sought to wear his bones as amplifiers. He had to learn to defend himself since he was a child, and no, a lot of times he didn't rely on his powers. This was such an important thing for him, to the point where he made a case for his grisha to learn hand-to-hand combat so as to not rely solely on their powers for self-defense. Aleksander understood the importance of using every mean at one's disposal to survive. His gifts weren't enough to even protect him from being hunted, let alone grant him immediate power.

Also, none of the influence he acquired as general was handed to him on a silver platter. He had to be strong, prove his worth again & again, had to swallow his pride and look reliable enough to earn the trust of those who had power over him. And yes, he had to do a lot of fighting. Both in the political field and in the battlefield. One of the reasons he survived for so long and managed to acquire influence in a country that would rather see his kind burn in a stake was because he knew how to deal with people. He spent centuries playing nobles, ensuring the survival and empowerment of his kind. So I'd say Aleksander had much more experience than Kaz at dealing with powerful people. Granted his natural gifts gave him some advantages (as well as some curses), but everything else he had to build patiently, with a lot of hard work and sacrifice. To state that he never had to fight for his place and that he doesn't know how powerful people think because he was born grisha is a blatant denial of canon, both in the books and the show. (I don't know the full context of the author's statement, but she's known for saying off-the-mark things regarding the Darkling so most of us just ignore it and focus on what's actually written in the text).

Furthermore, in my humble opinion, that Darkling vs Kaz Brekker showdown was stupid and a disservice to both characters, it served no purpose besides cheap fanservice.

#the darkling #aleksander morozova #made this post solely as an excuse to express how much I loathe the Kaz vs Sasha showdown scene #shadow and bone netflix #grishaverse #mild rant

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