REBOOTED 6/1/25

@eggsmuses Cyberpunk AU starter for Rietta and Johhny

Oh, it hadn't been a good choice to put a mysterious chip in her head, but it wasn't exactly a willing choice. Cyberpsychosis pushes people to do some truly idiotic things-- and Rietta was no stranger to moments of unexpected success. But out of all the possible results, this might just be worse than malware.

"Can we clear one thing up real quick? Are you Johhny motherfucking Silverhand for real, or am I farther along in the development of cyberpsychosis than I was aware? Because neither is good, but I gotta be sure." She almost hopes this is a hallucination. She knows how to deal with those, at least. She can disable some of her implants for a while, let her mind rest. "And if you are the real deal... holy fuck. Like... man, you're an icon of the revolution, and a huge inspiration to rockers even now." Rietta should tell Pex. She should tell Pex, and conveniently forget she put a mysterious chip in her brain. But she can't.

ofeggies

DESTINYANDDUMBASSERY ★ RIETTA:

"I don't smoke." That's the easiest part of this. But she feels the creeping desire to start, now. "Listen, I'm not any happier about this than you are. But I have a life, however shitty it may be, and you aren't fucking it up. My body, I'm in charge. No hard drugs, no alcohol stronger than hard lemonade, and no. Damn. Cigarettes. If you need nicotine that bad, we can buy the gum."

Like any of the boundaries she tries to set will be respected. Like Johnny fuckin Silverhand of all people will care. But trying, at least, gives some semblance of control.

"And stop being so weird about this. I get it, you're used to being in a dude body. Basic mechanics work the same." Do they? Really, do they, in a body so altered by her cyberware? The uncanny leaps and dodges in midair, the modified mantis blades in her arms, the alterations to her adrenal glands. An arm is one thing-- even someone without an ounce of chrome in their body can imagine it. To be changed in the way Rietta has is different. "......I think, at least. Try not to get motion sick, heh."

OFEGGIES ★ JOHNNY:

── ; ❝ Go fuck yourself. ❞ Silverhand's arms meet the back of his head, forearms pressing to his skull as if he intended to tenderise his own meat. He almost misses feeling his chromed arm physically there, digging into him &. hammering reminders into his head better than any alcohol could. His neck lulls back, sunglasses glinting in the artificial light of Night City as a single pupil rolls down to meet Rietta's own.

One could argue that they'd both gotten off on the wrong foot—that maybe Rietta &. Johnny should try a simple ‘hi’, ‘hello’, ‘my name is ...’ &. grow from there. They could be friends.

Johnny found solace in distancing himself from anyone who would try.

The easiest part of all of this.

Even if it could prove beneficial to act friendly with the kid. Silverhand could gain from this; he could live again. If that wasn't some sign of Jesus, then he doesn't know what is ( other than himself. )

He can't help but roll his eyes as Rietta seemingly boasts about her chrome. He leans forward, hair flipping &. cascading over the rims of his eyewear ever so slightly. Even through the polarised lenses, he is clearly scowling with murderous intent at the girl.

── ; ❝ Unlike you chrome junkies, mine was a mark of authority. Authenticity. You ever heard about the Second Central war ? ❞ Johnny's fingers move to his lips to mock the motion of a cigarette. He sucks, as if desperate to pollute his lungs before ‘breathing’ out again. There's no feeling of air in his lungs. ❝ Fun fact. Silverhand wasn't my given surname. Lost her in the war. Part of ‘Johnny’ died with it. ❞

&. part of the old Johnny did die with his arm. He lost his identity. Early cyberpsychosis fucked his head. He was fucked in the head. ‘ Probably still is, ’ he'd argue.

── ; ❝ Point is, your cyber is equivalent to getting knocked over by 'dorph—in it to win it—you get that implant, you don't come down. ❞ He almost spits, finding himself near disgusted at the idea, but finding himself oh-so hypocritical. ❝ Nothing life-saving about it; willingly losing yourself to corp. No thanks. Feed on cyber if you want, but keep me outta it. ❞

── ; ❝ So, 'less you have pointers to Arasaka &. Smasher, feel free to shoot yourself in the head. ❞

Alright, to hell with this hero worship bullshit. Rietta isn't going to take this disrespect lying down. "Listen, asshole, I don't throw in with corpos and sellouts. I'm young, and shit maybe I'm dumb, but I have respect for myself. And you can stuff your moral high ground up your ass, because I quite frankly could not possibly care less about being in the right. I care about surviving." And in the streets of Night City, surviving means being stronger. Means fighting dirty. Means taking by force that which others have and you need.

She won't let knowledge be weaponized against her, either. "I really hope you didn't expect a no. Second fuckin' Central American War. Feds invaded four countries, lost horribly, and abandoned a shitload of unemployed civilians. 2003 to 2010." Judging by what scraps of information Rietta has scrounged up, and Johnny's words... "you were deployed into that clusterfuck, presumably?"

Rietta's optics go black for a moment, turn to static. She shakes her head aggressively in an instinctive attempt at clearing them, even though it doesn't work that way. When the lights come back on, Rietta sighs. "Useless fucking junkheap optics-- ugh, beats not seeing at all." She turns her attention back to Johnny. "Anyway, while I appreciate your advice, I can't take the easy way out just yet. I have things to do, meaning you're stuck along for the ride."

eggsmuses-a

ᴊ ——— ❝ Militech, up our asses. ❞ The rockerboy's voice is blunt &. straight to the point, stating the obvious with that classic arrogance that has earned him a rightful decking to the face. Johnny ushers his accomplice into the driver's seat, slinging a rifle into the back of the vehicle before jumping through the window to the passenger's seat ( who has time for using the door anyway ? ).

❝ Pedal to the fucking metal—GO, GO, GO. ❞

Realistically, it had been an extremely bad idea to even try raiding Militech of their weaponry from the very moment he &. the Solo met. Did that stop either of them from stupidly going with the plan anyway ? No. Not at all.

Because Johnny Silverhand doesn't back down.

There's a plume of dust kicked in their wake, flooding through the open windows of the truck as Silverhand presses himself against the seat. His head is pinned back like a paperclip holds him together, sticking him to the chair for cover from fire. He doesn't dare move or even sweat in case of being shot.

This precaution is soon guaranteed as a bullet flies through the windscreen from behind—KACHING.

Johnny bites his tongue, tasting the sharpness of his own blood, metallic &. ripe. Likewise, a metal arm tightens around the headrest of the passenger seat as he turns to fire at the approaching Militech. Counterintuitive, of course, considering this is a military arms dealer they've started a war with.

He shoots a glare back to the getaway driver herself, the veteran Solo who calls herself Thelnea. He could say an array of things right now, but he's sure the stare speaks thousands to her. ( ‘ Is this as fast as you can go ? ’ )

@destinyanddumbassery liked for a lesser used muse starter !

ofeggies

DESTINYANDDUMBASSERY ★ THELNEA:

Thelnea is fighting to handle the truck smoothly even as distractions surround her. She's losing that fight to none other than Johnny Silverhand-- the only one on her side here. "Shut up, Jason Silverdick. The one time I leave the shooting to you and--" BAM, the rant is cut off by a too-close explosion. "Fuck, fuck fuck, shoot you dumbass!"

Unless he wants her to get into this fight, which won't end well. Oh sure, the implants may enhance her fighting like all hell, but they're still Militech cyberware. "And for your information, I'm driving as fast as I can! She ain't a fancy sportscar, can't push the old girl past 70 without risking breaking down!"

Thelnea really wishes she could drive faster. But they'll survive. Thelnea is a bodyguard first and foremost, a soldier second. And all that military discipline is focused on getting her accomplice out alive. "Drones first-- they're the hardest to get off our ass. Shoot for the wings!" She has to remind herself that not everybody knows that information.

OFEGGIES ★ JOHNNY:

Silverhand threatens a balled fist at the play-on of his rocker name but is quick to dismiss it when more prevalent threats show their face. He palms the center console that stands between the shattered back window &. them both, climbing across. There's glass shards underneath his prosthetic hand—Safety is not his best concern right now.

── ; ❝ Can't hear you over the fact I'm pissing bullets out my dick hole. ❞ He snaps back, taking a moment to stop the bullet spray to emphasize his point. ❝ Militech have got some insanely bulletproof shit. You think I can't be fucked to try ? ❞

It's easily one of the more insane jobs that Johnny's picked. ( That is, of course, ignoring his future plans with all this Militech ware later down the line. ) But nothing is to say it's the be-all, end-all of his career. Besides, this was one of the first times he'd run an OP with someone he barely knew. Granted, he &. Thelnea had spent some time together prior. Some drinks at the Afterlife ... &. one ineptly structured heist plan later, &. you have yourself some gold. &. a lot of explosive military in your possession as well as on your tail.

It was the start of something beautiful.

❝ Then just get better. You can't pick it up, I will. ❞ Johnny pulls back, shoving the rifle against his seat as he skips the reminiscent daydream. One silver arm latches onto the steering wheel, threatening to veer the duo off course with each tug.

He growls, ❝ Give me the fucking wheel. ❞ But soon is cut short when the aforementioned drones finally start firing.

❝ Fuck ! Change of plans. Keep driving. ❞ There's gotta be something capable of shooting all of them out of the sky at once. Johnny punches out the remaining jagged shards from the back window, clawing through the ware until—— AH HAH ! Speak of the devil &. he will answer back, Johnny lifts a rocket launcher up dangerously. There are two outcomes here, &. both results in at least one party dying. Does he care which it is ? Not really. Just means he's went legend.

His body now half hanging out the window, Johnny clings for dear life as he reloads the RPG. He holds it up &. ...

BOOM.

A cluster of Militech Griffins rain from the sky like it's duck hunting season. The same effect could have been achieved with extra shots from the rifle he'd been using prior, but there wouldn't have been as pretty of a light show.

❝ As I was saying, if you can't boot it, hand her over to me. I ain't afraid of pushing it. ❞

#cyberpunk au #pre-reboot

Thelnea's grip on the wheel tightens as Johnny demands control, and it's a miracle it doesn't break. There's no surprise, nor any humor, in her voice when she responds to the broken window with "you'll pay for repairs, dumbass."

She isn't surprised when her companion fires a rocket at the swarm, either-- it was a good idea, despite the ringing it leaves in her ears. Good, but not good enough, as now Militech's land-based units are catching up. "Get down, pal. Like you said, they make us different down in the Units." There's no further warning before the big guns come out-- both literally and figuratively.

"Couldn't wait to check out the mods, eh? Fine. But hands off." The mods in question are brought into play in the blink of an eye, plates lifting up from Thelnea's arms to vent heat from the powerful cyberware within. As the Solo's eyes lit up red, a rush of power and adrenaline surged through her. "Ohhh, I'm out for blood now!"

It's a show as much as it is a fight, a whirlwind of lead and chrome. The first poor fool to step out of a van went down with a punch in the skull and a kick in the gut, the next tossed onto the concrete with force enough to shatter his spine. A pair of especially unlucky agents get thrown into each other, all before Thelnea can grab a weapon.

And with a shotgun in her hands, it seems that she has things under control, Militech agents falling quickly-- until she very clearly doesn't. Corp tech is corp tech, and Militech knows every inch of Thelnea's enhancements-- including how to shut them off. With mechs closing in and the use of her limbs lost, Thelnea is left with one last defence: she screams. And she hopes she won't be left behind.

Scout cheers, “Hell fuckin’ yeah! I am no longer invisible, you guys gotta perceive me today~” He drags Pebbles into the forefront, “Both of us.” The shorter Exo grumbles, but he does seem happy-ish, even if he rolls his optics as Scout wraps a trans pride flag around them both.

#Kibby!#N a beeg titan!#This is so good I am so happy #Wholesome stuff tag

Thelnea is holding them both above her head and parading them around the tower. Y'know, as one does.

trialsofsaint14

This Is A Comic About Destiny And My Cat

Working title

« i’m your dad! of course i worry! » | from cayde to rietta!

Rietta much prefers to imagine herself as not having enemies-- it's easier than days like this, days where she remembers she does. Days where Cayde tries to protect her from them. "It's not like you would have done any different, given the chance! We're Hunters-- you know as well as I do the thrill of the chase." "and the satisfaction of revenge" goes unspoken. Rietta isn't cruel like that, not when it's Taniks being discussed. Or rather, the concept of Taniks. "And 'sides, it's not like I'm helpless. Riskrunner hasn't failed me yet, and I doubt it will anytime soon."

“Okay,” Pebbles continues dryly, “I am not using my Well of Radiance to help ANY of you. I will be using Daybreak.” Oh, how desperately he wants to add a sneered, ‘fuck you,’ but that is below him.

don't. Thelnea will drag him into elaborate dances

wootwona

since the old version of this post was flagged for 'adult content'...

reblog this post if your account is a trans safe space or owned by a trans person!

along with that, reblog if your account is a non-binary spectrum safe space or owned by someone on the enby spectrum!

bungieteam

Rest in peace, you wonderful, talented, brilliant man. The way you touched all of our hearts and lives won't be forgotten

Everything hurts. Shards of ice have slowly begun to protrude from the small gaps within his plating around his legs, piercing the softer paramuscle to the point where armour wouldn't comfortably hide it, so the Exo slinks away to an obscure part of the Tower. Soon it will travel further upwards until either a major fluid line or mechanical organ is punctured, and if he's unlucky enough for that to be avoided, his neural circuits will freeze after that.

He doesn't want anyone to see him like this, even the kind offer of strangers to help him elsewhere makes him feel pitied and weak, though he knows that's self centred. Pebbles can't help it.

It hurts so much to walk now, but as he leans against the wall, he hears steps echoing through the hall that aren't his own. Without the reactionary pulse of heat from his Solar with it suppressed by the ice consuming him, and the inability to stand tall and face down whoever approaches, he feels weak.

Small. Helpless. All Pebbles can do is stay there like a cornered animal as he tries to identify whoever approaches him.

#Banshee is gentle and caring okay #Even towards strangers

It's been a long, long time since Banshee has seen an exo in a condition like this. Still, he's confident in his ability to help as he lowers himself to the ground to speak with the exo huddled in the corner. "Hey," the gunsmith half-purrs, hushed to avoid scaring the stranger, "you look like you could use some help. My name is Banshee-44, and I'm the Tower' gunsmith, but also as close to a doctor as there is for exos here."

Procedure takes over easily, one of the few things Banshee easily remembers. "I just want to do some basic diagnostics if you're comfortable with that, alright? Can you tell me your name and reboot number? Do you remember those? Are you in any pain right now? Aware of any physical damage to your systems?" Caution, always caution with folk who seem scared. Some react like a cornered animal, lashing out violently.

"Do you have any friends you want to be brought to, or to have brought here? If I can do anything, please tell me."

fireteam-silent

((Anyway, just a reminder that I listen to Native voices and you should to.))

#No tolerance for intolerance #That's the motto now

yeah. so. i support native americans and their culture so i would like to say if anyone does not, the block button is right there. you can use it. i sure as hell am not afraid to <3

I stand in support of native voices, and anyone who doesn't should kindly take their bigoted views off the internet

corsairdcwn

(@destinyanddumbassery) Thelnea wraps her arms around Pex, squeezing her tight before letting go to show what she's brought. "I heard, you know, that it's someone's rezday, or rather it was. I sincerely apologize for not being there on the actual day. Still, you will sit and enjoy a meal with me, yes?" The heavy bag slung over her shoulder is full of homemade food and sweet treats: blini to be covered in fruit preserves or pickled fish, pirozhki filled with potatoes and mushrooms, and spiced kvass, though she was uncertain if Pex would particularly like it, as it was milder-tasting, fizzier, and far less alcoholic than the mead she usually gave to her friends, but Thelnea had been trying to drink less and Pex would live with kvass one way or another.

late rezday wishes / accepting

Pex looks up at the Titan before her, eyes widening as she sees the bag that sways, bulging as if it were a sack of potatoes. Before Thelnea can say anything, Pex knows there's food in there.

♡ ;; ❝ Thelnea ... ❞ Pex has turned down everyone else so far. But she can't bring herself to tell Thelnea to live &. let be, not when she's so sweet. ❝ You didn't have to. ❞ She's swept into a tight bear hug, gasping slightly at the shock as she's swung gently to &. fro.

When she's placed down, Pex peers up &. over to look at the delights, ducking her head like an ashamed dog.

❝ I'd love to but I genuinely don't want to celebrate. It's not important to me. ❞

It stings to say, but it's true.

She picks up the alcoholic drink, sniffing it. The scent isn't as thick as the drinks she keeps locked in the locked cupboard of her apartment, but it definitely still reeks of alcohol. She would've killed to have a party with alcohol before Iron Banner.

❝ You didn't have to do this. ❞ she repeats again.

Thelnea sighs as she observes Pex. "You are so certain this must be about your rezday. What if we simply enjoy a meal together as friends, hmm? As we so often do. It is far from out of the ordinary." Maybe any other time she would have backed down. But Pex needs support, and Thelnea is going to help her. "Have you even eaten today? You hunters, you are silly little things, so bad at feeding yourselves. Yet the moment I come by with food, you all want some. Saint has taken to calling you lot my pigeons, did you know? Very cute little nickname, and quite accurate."

Thelnea is always happy to fill the silence when a friend has no desire to talk, as she is doing now. "Please. Sit with me, Pex. We do not have to talk, nor to celebrate anything. Only to eat and enjoy one another's company."

eggsmuses-a

Mara does not blame Thelnea for pushing her away. Following their outbursts at one another &. avoidance for the past ... ( how many months ? She can't recall now ), the Awoken Queen blames nobody but herself.

There's a moment of hesitance as Mara holds her hand over Thelnea's shoulder, parted fingers hanging like a baby mobile over a cradle. She lingers, slipping her lip into her mouth by the way she bites on it, the taste of blackcurrant lipstick reaching the tip of her tongue. Finally, Mara's hand drifts down &. away in the breeze. It meets again by her thigh as she stays idle, contemplating her next move.

She can't blame Thelnea. This was her fault.

The Queen slowly lowers to her knees, caps grazing as she buries them into the ground beneath—they haven't made contact with such rough surfaces in what seemed like a millennia.

ᴍ ——— ❝ I understand that I have not made myself transparent to you, or anyone else. ❞ she breathes shakily like she's hiccuping back pain. The words are unnatural to Mara because she has spent so many years of her life living in chaos &. has never had a calm conversation. Nobody ever addressed her problems calmly as a child. ❝ &. I loathe that I have ... complicated our relationship. ❞

She moves her hand closer to Thelnea again, offering to link fingers with tenderness that would never have been though to belong to her.

❝ I am not a good person. ❞

A hard truth to reconcile with.

❝ I have hurt you. I have hurt Uldren. I have killed &. hurt millions. &. I cannot change that I have done that. ❞ &. she knows she cannot just fix this with words. It would be selfish to assume she could. ❝ &. I do not expect you to forgive that. ❞

Her heart aches as she admits every small thing, every crime &. every manipulation she's done &. hurt others with.

❝ You do not need to accept me back into your life, Thelnea. But at least allow me to treasure the last of your moments in mine. ❞

@destinyanddumbassery cont.

Thelnea flinches back as Mara moves to touch her, but the real sting comes when the Awoken queen kneels on the ground. Thelnea moves to sit with her in an instant, taking Mara's unblemished hand in her own calloused one and wrapping the other arm around her. "Hey, easy." Pulling Mara closer, the Titan releases her hand to wrap both arms around her.

"You want to know something? It doesn't hurt bad people to acknowledge the harm they do. You're hurt and grieving just as much as anyone else. You don't need to keep up that perfect, unbreakable mask just to make other people happy. I would know. I'm not the perfect example of honesty either." Never has been. Not with herself, nor with others.

The hug grows even tighter as Thelnea lets out a sob of her own. "Please. Don't blame yourself. You have no idea how strong you are, how capable you are, how brave you are. The burden you carry is too heavy to bear alone. Let me carry some of the weight, if you can't trust anyone else to." Hypocritical of her to say that like she isn't holding the burden of the City upon her own shoulders and pretending she can take it.

!!! // accepting

@destinyanddumbassery asked: !!! for Thelnea and Scout? I wanna see how he reacts to her not being all tough and strong and untouchable hehehehehe

Finding Thelnea in this state was certainly a surprise initially, but Scout has seen even the toughest of Hunters break, so a Titan isn’t that far of a stretch. Still, seeing her of all people cowering? It’s a shock.

“Hey, Thel?” The Exo keeps his voice quiet to not make her jump, in case she hasn’t noticed him, “What’s up? Is…it anythin’ I can help with? Or should I leave?” Best to ask that first and get that out of the way. Scout knows that a lot of the time he prefers to be left alone if he’s distressed, otherwise it gets overwhelming and he feels even more cornered.

Thelnea had to fight not to snap at him, or worse, to lash out violently. She didn't want to hurt him-- didn't want to hurt anyone. She didn't want hurt people, she was better than this, she didn't do this anymore!

But she did. She had been so sure she was done with that sort of thing, but some wounds never fully heal. Xivu Arath's torment was one of those. ".......Don't leave.... please........ please stay." She didn't know what she would do if he left. But what if he didn't want to stay anymore, seeing her like this, blood and ashes staining her teeth and skin, surrounded by the evidence of everything she's done wrong? What if this is the final straw, if he leaves now he knows exactly what she is? This brutal campaign against the followers of Xivu Arath-- who could ever want her after seeing just what she becomes when pushed over the edge?

‘we’ve played poker together. i know your tells.’ from pex to rietta ! @corsairdcwn

Rietta hardly looks up from her coffee to acknowledge Pex, and when she speaks, it's not with her own voice, but that of the Darkness within her. "You know nothing of her." It's with a hiss that Rietta wrenches back control of herself. "Lucky you. Got no clue how it feels when the lines blur. Watching your own mind fall apart under the influence of your worst fucking enemy. I ain't never meant harm, not to you. I wouldn't. You know that. You meant so much to him, you know that? It'd be doing him a disservice to hurt you now. You're still grieving, that makes two of us. Don't treat me like the fucking bad guy here."

The Ace rests heavy at her hip, and for a moment Rietta considers lashing out, preserving her carefully-maintained isolation. But like she said, Pex is her friend... right? She's scared of her own uncertainty.

‘i made a mistake. i’m trying to put it right, now.’ from mara to thelnea ! @eggsmuses

The pain is still fresh, and Thelnea hasn't quite forgiven Mara yet. "What, when you turned me away or when you let me into your life in the first place? Do you want me or not? Because, quite frankly, you've been sending mixed messages."

Thelnea doesn't need Mara in her life. She can find purpose elsewhere. She had a purpose once before, someone who she had taken it upon herself to protect with her life. Her children. It's been a long time since she thought about them, how they were brutally ripped away from her. Maybe, if she can convince Mara to accept her, it might fill the aching void she was left with. Might restore that sense of meaning she used to have.

She says none of this aloud.