#aidcneus

The Exarch is not generally in the business of adopting stray children, in spite of how it may seem. However, this child was a little different. Found trailing into the Crystarium after Emet-Selch, this little Elf was quickly taken in.

Name: Birthname is unknown, but they are called Yasu (or quiet, in Doman)

Gender: Nonbinary, they/them

General Appearance: Tall and waifish, even for an Elf. Has medium length light brown hair when they first arrive, a shorter style grown out with time. Light, colorless eyes. Tan, clear skin, no freckles or moles. Some scarring on their arms.

Personality: Very quiet -- in fact, they do not speak for nearly a whole summer after they are found. Even when they do speak, it's only to Emet-Selch at first, and eventually to the Exarch as well. They are well behaved and rarely act out, even when under stress, but they are visibly afraid of sin eaters. They prefer the company of books to that of people, and spend most of their time in the library. They are fascinated by the Tower and by the Exarch's crystallized arm.

Special Talents: Takes to magic like a sponge, but prefers to pen their own spells rather than learn precreated ones. Has a very vivid imagination and the ability to create magical images of nearly anything they can think up. Ironically, they are a master of the written word, although they barely speak. They become a prolific author as an adult.

Who they like better: Emet-Selch. How they found him isn't clear, though the Exarch speculates that Emet-Selch might have somehow rescued them from the sin eaters that likely killed their family. The child ignores any rebuffs Emet-Selch might have trying to chase him away, to the point where Emet-Selch gives up on trying to get them to stop. They love the Exarch as well, as he is the one who provides him with more of their physical needs, but they cling to Emet-Selch.

Who they take after more: Neither one of them, really, but if I had to pick, I'd say G'raha.

She had done too well.

That was the single thought resonating in Apate's mind as she made her way further into Amaurot than she ever had been in all of her existence. She had betrayed herself by settling in too comfortably, by being too efficient --

And now she had been recommended a position that was far too above her station. It was intmidatingly prominent -- in her position, at least.

No one else seemed to understand. Oh, you must feel so honored Apate! She was not honored! Well, she was. But she was also terrified! To be presented as a potential candidate for secretary for the Office of Emet-selch solely based on her clerical work opposed her desire to remain a figure in the background of life. To enjoy her time on the Star quietly, completing simple, repetitive tasks until she faded...that had been the goal.

And now she was staring at a pair of impossibly ornate double doors, whose grandeur alone made her ill.

Perhaps he won't like me, she told herself, hopeful.

from: POSITIVITY TIME ! ask meme.

PHOENIXXX WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN

you were the very first person to reach out to me when i made this account and i will always be so grateful for that. because it's been so long since i've done any sort of writing on tumblr a part of me expected to go completely unnoticed, but you were so kind to me right away and it gave me something to look forward to right from the start! i've always appreciated how accommodating and outwardly encouraging you are when it comes to OCs. it was something that stood out to me when i was looking through your blog and seeing it definitely helped me feel more welcome.

i'm sure literally everyone you have sent this to has already said this, but i will also be saying it because i feel it is so impressive and cannot be acknowledged enough; your grasp of emet-selch is incredible. from his mannerisms to the way that he speaks, the way that you write him fills me with the same awe and fascination that i felt when experiencing emet in-game for the first time.

Meiko had far too much on her mind. It was one thing to merely be the Warrior of Light's sister, and an entirely different thing to be the 'prophesized' Warrior of Darkness. A title she disliked for more than responsibility-related reasons.

Maybe this was divine punishment for cringing at Fray's monologues when they first spoke them to her.

Still, she had managed to absorb two Lightwardens so far. That was progress. But knowing that her brother and the other Scions' bodies grew weaker in the Source by the minute -- perhaps faster -- was an ever-present worry in her mind. She couldn't just be successful, she had to be successful and quick. Even now, as exhausted as she had been after talking late into the night with Ardbert, she felt restless enough to rise. Fortunately, if Ardbert was still watching her, he didn't interrupt her decision to slip out for a walk.

Even at this late hour -- it must have been well past midnight -- the Crystarium hummed quietly with activity. Crafters carrying on with their tasks, a few folks milling by the market boards. It felt like the people of the Crystarium were so thankful to have night returned to them, that they'd sacrifice sleep just to experience it a bit longer. It was sweet and she was happy to help those in need.

Yet still, there was an emptiness in her chest that she couldn't quite shake. Something known and yet unspoken -- at least for now.

If the Exarch had successfully summoned A'kihiko as a whole being, rather than the shade of solid aether as he and the others were now, Meiko would not be here. There would have been no need for her, just like there would have been no need for her in that fight against Elidibus on the frontline.

Convenience was the phrase that resonated in her mind. Her brother was taken out of play by chance -- little more than a miscalculated spell -- and she was the only viable substitution. A last ditch effort. And even when she performed adequately (or better), it was difficult not to feel like an impostor.

Of course, if she said these words out loud she would receive platitudes and reassurances and encouragement... appreciated, but not what she needed. Hell, she didn't even know what she needed or wanted to hear.

Maybe she never would.

"Pah," she scoffed, shaking her head. Her voice was low, speaking only to herself. "Stop it, Mei. Thinkin's no yer strong suit for a reason."

Her feet had carried her out onto the bridges that extended out from the Rotunda, giving her a measure of privacy as she stopped by a railing to stare out at Lakeland.

There was so much on her mind -- her brother, the Scions, the Lightwardens, Ardbert, everything happening back home and that damned Ascian showing up earlier -- but when she tried to focus on a single subject, her mind felt everything was on fire.