#sezja

Based on @sezja's post about her OC Jade as an Arcadion fighter. I couldn't resist the temptation to give the design a try...

Thank youuuu thank you for sending this prompt *checks calendar* almost 6 months ago <3

Leofard swore under his breath as he nudged at the smouldering pile of sticks. It'd taken him almost an hour to get an actual fire going, a feat that left him snarling with frustration and light-headed from the effort. The branches he'd managed to scrounge up were pitifully spindly, and damp, courtesy of the perpetual clouds that blanketed these lands. Words ran through his mind again, words he thought he'd only paid half-attention to: the things that kill off whelps like ye are those what ye can't see. Not beasts or beastmen, nor even the constant threat of an endless fall, but the elements themselves.

He knew that, of course. He'd made it through several Coerthan winters in Ishgard's underbelly, nights so cold his teeth had ached from chattering. But he'd also known the warmth of a blazing hearth and four solid walls. Gentle hands that had rubbed the cold from his smaller fingers.

The fire was going. He'd managed well enough with a good piece of flint and onzes of determination. The folks who lived here survived somehow. He and Stacia would figure out how to do the same.

A soft groan brought his attention to her, where she lay on the other side of the fire, buried under a layer of blankets. Still she shivered, her body running hot and high with fever as it battled the poison wracking it. He didn't know a cure; he didn't even know the name of the scalekin that had attacked them, only that it had been bleedin' fast, and that three bullets in its ruddy body hadn't sufficed to kill it. He doubted it would come back for them with such injuries, at least. Small mercies.

Stacia groaned again, her face scrunching up, and Leofard tensed, wondering if it was pain or sick this time. He hoped it was pain. He cleaned up what he could after each bout, but the smell still hung in the damp air, and he couldn't even say how much he hated it.

He heard a murmur—his name, maybe. He shuffled towards her.

"You called?" he whispered. When Stacia didn't respond, he frowned. "Oi." Nothing. He prodded at her cheek and got another groan, louder this time.

"Stop it," she growled, turning her face away. Lucid enough to complain, then.

"Are you goin' to hurl again?"

That earned him a glare, and a proper look at her face. Her forehead was matted with sweat, and he didn't like the way her hair looked more tarnished grey than silver, even under firelight. But her eyes seemed a tad less dull. "Not if…can help it," she croaked out. Weak, but still tough. Still fighting.

"Good." He might as well keep her talking. "Need some water?"

"I'm fine." Something dug in her voice, beneath the raspiness of her wrecked throat. "Would've been fine if you'd let me take another shot…"

He'd shot at that oversized moth to ward it away, but Stacia had wanted to kill. The girl still had a ferocity to her, the kind that ran through the blood of every Brume rat who'd had to scrounge and bite for survival. She'd made chase, and the beast had caught her unawares. "If you'd had that shot, chances are you would not even be here, spilling your guts out while I clean up after your mess."

Stacia glared at him again, and he wondered what she'd spit back this time. Gone too soft, perhaps, or too highbred to weather the stink. He was preparing a retort when she suddenly convulsed, and a wave of coughing overtook her. He was back at her side instantly, rolling her onto her side so that she could breathe more freely, so that she wouldn't choke herself.

When it was over, she slumped back down, looking a whole lot smaller under the thin blankets and coats. Leofard hesitated—and then leaned over anyway, reaching out to dab at her chin with a handkerchief. He brushed a sweat-soaked lock of hair from her brow.

A long moment later, he heard her say, "Leofard…'m sorry I messed up."

"You didn't." He hadn't even considered blaming anyone for this. And in all sincerity, he'd rather have her spit and hiss like a feral cat than mope. "It's a strange new land, eh? Can't help it if we run into a surprise every now and then."

"I promise I'll do…better next time…"

"You will," he said. There was a forcefulness in his voice that was still foreign to him. Something that ran deeper than authority or desperation.

We did it kids!

We finished off Binderary 2023 with a fic collection of @sezja 's Bard Boys' fics~ (some just nabbed from tumblr and some from her AO3~)

Put "📓" or some other version of a book emoji into my inbox and I'll explain the plot of a fanfiction that I haven't written but daydream about.

Since you are also a Nourval appreciator, one of my top 'begged to be written' is what I call the Nourval Redemption project. Set in the future when Sanson is a Commander and the Adders are finally ready to have a talk with Ala Mhigo about Gylbarde's journal. Nourval goes with them, still as prisoner, but at the end of the negotiation and the subsequent revelation to the public, he is released as gesture of goodwill from the Ala Mhigan.

This triggers a lot of soul searching—he's been jailed for nearly a decade by now; his family is mostly gone, his house has fallen into disrepair, his reputation basically in tatters so he has to rebuild it all back up somehow. Worse, he is placed under Sanson's surveillance and thus is indebted to the one person he's personally wronged.

One Word Writing Prompts

Eve takes a deep breath and lets it out in a happy sigh; the air always smelt different on the Steppe. None of the smells of industry or stationary civilizations and it always stirred something inside of her. This is where her parents were from, and somehow that bond was enough to tie a piece of her soul here, too, no matter how complicated her feelings were.

"Wooooooow," Aki gasps, in awe. It was their first trip as a full family, Aki's first trip ever, and, unlike Eve and Cynthia's, this one wasn't under threat of impending invasion. Thus, as she admires the view, they all slow their stride, giving her ample time to take it in.

Eve watches her sister and her Echo flashes the colors of wonder and awe and pleasure across the sight. She had waited years for this moment, and she wanted to relish it.

"We'll go set up in Reunion," their father says softly, not interrupting the moment, even as he draws the attention of his three daughters. "You girls take your time." They all three nod and their parents pull forward on their mounts with their wagon of goods to sell. Eve had offered to pay the whole passage for all of them, of course, but her parents were proud. they wanted to cover as much of the costs as they could, and who was she to deny them? This was part of a life they would of had if they'd not left, they deserved to live it if they wanted.

Eve's attention turns back to her sisters, Aki's pure delight making the other two smile softly. "What now?" Eve asks. There was little specific she wanted to do, other than introduce Aki to some old familiar faces, but that could be worked in as it was easiest, no reason to drag her across the whole Steppe for it now.

"I don't know," Aki answers still looking around. "The horizon seems to go on forever; I could get lost in it."

"You want to fly?" Cynthia signs grinning before pulling out her yol whistle.

"Can we?" Aki asks, half a delighted gasp. "I don't have a yol of my own-"

"If mine can hold me, Cyn's can hold the two of you," Eve interrupts gently and with humor, fishing out her own whistle. Two shrill whistles sound in the air and moments later two birds descend beside each of their caretakers.

Cyn climbs on her bird and reaches a hand down to Aki to help her up, unsure how to mount on her own. Eve watches as she wraps her arms securely around Cynthia's waist, careful not to sit on her tail, before she mounts her own bird. She can hear Aki laughing in delight as they take off, flying low, looking for heat currents. they find one and Aki screams happily as suddenly they're rising easily, flying in circles to get altitude until even the Dawn Throne is tiny below them.

Eve lets the twins lead the way, following their flight path and watching them, listening to Aki's delighted sounds that the wind manages to sweep back to her ears. She had dreamed of this day, back when she first flew these skies. Now that it was here, there felt a weight off her shoulders. This was freedom- true freedom. Sure she hadn't been trapped like Aki, forced to do the bidding of others for her own survival, but she had been trapped by her mission. Nothing had mattered as much as finding Aki did. And without those shackles, she felt lighter than air.

the character i least understand

There is a level of apathy to Amarant I cannot get behind. It doesn’t help that you’re not given much of a context as to why he behaves like this.

interactions i enjoyed the most

The way Garnet interacts with the rest of the cast (namely Zidane, Steiner, Vivi and Eiko) is really good. In all the franchise, she may be the character with the most growth and the most interesting dynamics around her in general imo.

the character who scares me the most

Look Zorn and Thorn are not exactly scary in their regular state(s?) but then they turn into this 

And this was their true form all along? Unsettling.

the character who is mostly like me

I related to Garnet a lot growing up and still I think she is the most like me in the game. But admittedly she’s more the character I’d like to be the most like. I relate a lot to her reflections regarding her weaknesses, her vulnerability and her sorrows and unfortunately less so to her growing confidence and her boldness.

hottest looks character

(Unfortunately I am like this)

one thing i dislike about my fave character

My favourite character is Kuja and honestly, I don’t have to look too far to find something to hate about him, I just have to see how S-E writes him out of his own game.

one thing i like about my hated character

I hate Brahne because they made her so stereotypically evil (and slapped typically alienating ideas of what evil people look like onto her) and yet, in the same time, they manage to depict Garnet’s feelings for her with incredible depth.

In Garnet I see a moving portrayal of a victim of domestic abuse who can’t let go of the love she feels for her mother, even after all the harm she’s done her. Often when dealing with an abusive parent, there are those who can’t help but retain some aspect of affection for them. Garnet’s words for her when she died echo this complicated notion and overall felt very convincing and personal. It’s hard to reconcile the nuances of her death, and the nuances of Garnet’s feelings with the blatant evil characterization but that scene speaks to me nonetheless.

a quote or scene that haunts me

Honestly I find the entire Bran Bal segment haunting, in the best way possible (the discovery of Terra is my favourite part in the game). There is something so hollow about it, so souless and melancholic which makes the atmosphere unforgettable.

a death that left me indifferent

I think none left me entirely indifferent but Kuja’s death might just be the one I cared the least about (which might sound odd considering I like him the most).

a character i wish died but didn’t

Fratley: It’s not that I hate him (I just do not care for him), I think Freya first having to mourn their relationship and then having to mourn the man himself, with all the complicated feelings it entails would have been great in this game.

my ship that never sailed