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Gotta walk through fire For what's important

I was lightning before the thunder

Independent, mutuals-only RP sideblog for Gray from Etheria: Restart. Likes & follows come from Tellescope. I block personal/non-RP blogs. Low-to-sporadic activity.

Themes of reaching your goal at all costs, the pressures of an older sibling, vengeance for those wronged, the blood on your hands was for the greater good, a lone wolf finding its pack, and learning there's more to life than the next mission.

UID: 3092380748404485 (Global server) Story progress: Chapter 10-4/10-4 (finished) Spoiler tag is #Etheria spoilers

Blogroll: @tellescope @starlighttrain @hostofsorrows

@shallliveoninsong said: 📜 ]ㅤ.ㅤis there a story they love sharing with others ?

>>From this meme

About himself, not particularly. He doesn't talk about his past much because it doesn't matter to most people. And he'd rather not dwell on his mercenary years. So there's not really any anecdotes that come up often, or that he loves telling people.

But that's just about himself. The question said 'story'. And yes, he does enjoy telling some stories. Particularly bedtime stories. He did that a lot for the younger kids at the orphanage cause the staff couldn't attend to everyone at all times, and some of them liked Gray better. He's got a lot of those stories memorized. Sometimes if Dorothy, Cachi, Rilmocha, or Mia are having trouble and Gray is available he'll sit with them and tell them those stories he grew up with.

His personal favorite and often first choice for the Union kids is from a Sivirion author and set in that hometown, about a girl who makes the tallest ladder possible to climb all the way up to the sky above the hill, determined to catch one of the shooting stars.

#{{ intel received; analyzing | INBOX }}#shallliveoninsong #{{ still your heart so much to prove; fight for all the things that you believe in | HEADCANONS }}#//This was a difficult question. Had to think outside the box here. I'm grateful for it.

aedearly

✎ㅤ. . .ㅤ𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑫𝑪𝑨𝑵𝑶𝑵 𝑸𝑼𝑬𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺.

₊˚⊹ ㅤa collection of character analysis/headcanon questions to learn more about your character and your partners'! writing/headcanon prompts requested by anonymous. feel free to edit these as you see fit.

[ 🖐️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat do their hands feel like: soft, calloused, trembling ? [ ☂️ ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they crave touch or fear it ? [ 🎐 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a sound, like a song or voice, that they associate with peace ? [ 🕊️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen did they feel the safest ? [ 💤 ]ㅤ.ㅤhow do they sleep ? curled up, sprawled, holding onto something ? [ 🦇 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is a fear they never talk about ? [ 🔒 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is a secret they’ve sworn never to tell ? [ 🪢 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen was the last time they broke a promise ? [ 🫳 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho do they feel they owe, but never paid back ? [ 💼 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat do they always carry with them ? [ 🧨 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat’s the quickest way to set them off, even if they hide it well ? [ ⛓️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat does guilt feel like to them ? [ 💢 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho have they never forgiven and never will ? [ 🩸 ]ㅤ.ㅤis there something or someone that, if lost, would break them ? [ 🌧️ ]ㅤ.ㅤis there a pain they refuse to heal from ? [ 🪞 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen have they looked at their reflection and hated what they saw ? [ 📿 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat superstition or ritual do they cling to ? [ 🌊 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhen was the last time they cried ? [ 🐾 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo animals like them instinctively ? [ 🪶 ]ㅤ.ㅤhow do they laugh ? [ 🫀 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho taught them what love is ? did it hurt ? [ 💭 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they believe they’re worthy of being loved ? [ 🎀 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is their main love language ? [ 🔦 ]ㅤ.ㅤwho do they search for ? [ 📜 ]ㅤ.ㅤis there a story they love sharing with others ? [ 🌒 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a dream or goal they have given up on ? [ 🕯️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat memory do they replay when they’re alone ? [ 🌪️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat’s the one choice they regret (not) making ? [ 🧩 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat’s a truth about themselves they refuse to admit ? [ 🍻 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat kind of drunk are they ? [ ✉️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat kind of letter would they write but never send ? [ 🗡️ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat is a scar that they have but never talk about ? [ 🕸️ ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a favourite lie they like to hear ? [ 🪦 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat would they want on their gravestone but never admit aloud ? [ 🎱 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat kind of future do they crave, and who’s in it ? [ 🌀 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they have a recurring dream or nightmare ? [ 🍃 ]ㅤ.ㅤdo they feel like they belong ? [ ⚓ ]ㅤ.ㅤwhat does “home” mean to them ? [ 🧭 ]ㅤ.ㅤwhere would they go if they could disappear tomorrow ?

#{{ looking forward to working with you | MEMES }}#//Would like to dig into him a bit more.

//One thing I was pleased to see with the story adjustment is confirmation of two headcanons.

I've mentioned that I believe Gray is from Block E because his ID code starts with E09 and it matches the format of Etheria's various sections.

I was right.

Living there doesn't necessarily mean being from there, but it would make perfect sense. He didn't really have a home after the orphanage was shut down but he still mostly worked in Block E, and based on her words that's where Sivirion must be.

Her phrasing also implies he no longer lives there, which aligns with my headcanon that he stays at Union HQ. We don't know where that is but again Maggie's phrasing tells us it's not Block E.

#{{ still your heart so much to prove; fight for all the things that you believe in | HEADCANONS }}#//Dorothy is also an orphan from Block E.#//I would say they were from the same orphanage if not for the fact Gray doesn't behave as if they knew each other prior to the Union.#//So she must've been at a different one.#//Still. Furthers my thoughts that they get along quite well. Something to bond over.

//XDG continues to disappoint, and for the anniversary they actually made the game worse. Behold, after removing exploration from the story chapters (they said they "streamlined" it) they also changed all the fully modeled in-engine conversation scenes to visual novel sprites. It's still voiced but looks way worse.

OG (from my old recordings) compared to current (tested earlier today):

They also removed the "to be continued" from the story menu. We've had some side stories for character banners in this visual novel format. The sudden change to the main story makes me worry that they actually do plan to add new story at some point but this is the way it will look. God have they really lost that much budget? Well maybe if they'd actually added new plot months ago they'd have more players interested in paying >_>

Anyway the main reason I'm posting this is to say that I'm not abandoning Gray (muse has just been elsewhere) but I'm going to go full "death of the author" from here on out. I've written other canon characters from finished media before and that's how I'll be running Gray.

Yes the game is still live but the only new story is trailers that don't make sense without said story and character bios for people we've never heard of and have no context for because lack of story. The only new content is random no context people to use in PVP. So I'm going to treat it as done. The OG presentation of the story applies to my depiction and I will fill in the gaps as needed. Story beyond chapter 10 may be made up at my discretion, but it'll likely just be barebones needed to isekai him as those are his most commonly used verses.

#{{ chronicling their stories | admin }}#//I have a new monitor with higher resolution. I was going to rerecord the story for better screenshots and icons.#//Guess what I have from before is all IL ever have.#//This feels like a slap in the face. What an anniversary gift >_>

dracoanimus

Golden eyes stare up at the stars above. It looks like back home. Maybe the patterns are different, he never really bothered with remembering constellations, but stars are stars. Black night sky and little specks of light. But the stars back home weren't like Earth's. He'd always known that. Etheria doesn't have outer space. Beautiful as the night sky was to look at, he loved watching the shooting stars and auroras above Sivirion, those pinpricks of light were just decoration at the edge of the world server. But not here.

❝So with a rocket you could actually go there?❞ Breach the sky? Beyond this atmosphere isn't just a data void?

#{{ a new mission to partake | OPEN STARTER }}#{{ ignite the spark; illuminate the dark and light your way | THREADS }}#Verse { Zenless } while the riots meet all the lightning strings light a thousand streets #Verse { Star Rail } like a secret in the dark; like a lightning strike in your heart #Verse { Crossover } show me your thunder and i'll show you a flash #//Basically something for any verse where he's been isekai'd.

starpaletted

@dracoanimus requested a starter

Considering his job, he really shouldn't be taking risks like this. Both personally and professionally. If it was found out that he went into the Hollow alone, he was definitely going to get into some trouble. Harumasa had used the excuse of scouting new territory-- which wasn't an entire lie; he was sent to the front lines to investigate, just not alone. There was usually a Bangboo with him or the Proxy, but today was intentionally done with the objective of going in alone. In and out, just a quick scout to gather data on any potential ethereals, then head back to New Eridu to enjoy the rest of his sick leave. With Dormat Tide gripped firmly, he would scale what was once former buildings, leaping from one platform of debris to the other with ease, using an old pipe as a footing to get a vantage point of the area.

"Oh?"

Someone catches his attention. There was another person, someone who shouldn't actually be here. How did they get in, he doesn't have time to question that. Instead, Harumasa puts himself to action, finding a way through the debris to reach ground level once more and carefully approaching the stranger, keeping a good distance between them.

"Say now, you wouldn't happen to have lost your way into this Hollow, have you?" He was cautious, for all he knew, it could be someone on the verge of turning.

dracoanimus

He got here through a Hollow, he'll get back through a Hollow. At least that's the best option Gray has at this point. Without anything else to go on he's been retracing his steps as best he can. And the data here feels right. More than New Eridu. Like he's not missing something anymore. The people in that city call it dangerous, but they aren't made of Etheron Data. There's a connection here, he's sure of it. If only he could dig enough to find it. But this isn't like his old mercenary commissions or Union missions. There's nothing to start from. So you head off from scratch, right? Make your own way? He's always tried to stay out of Meltdown Zones without a Hyperlinker, didn't want to get infected with Genesis, but Hollows aren't the same even if the corrupted city chunks look like it. Parkour skills have taken him a ways from the entrance and launched him from roof to wall to broken ground and everything in-between. It's only after vaulting a corrupted railing does he stop, listening. It's not the sound of meltfiends ethereals but regular footsteps. A proxy? A shell bangboo? Gaze shifts toward the sound, one hand reaching over his shoulder to grab his lightning rod as the stranger comes closer, but he lets go when the question drops.

❝I came here on purpose.❞ he admits with a casual smile. He isn't like them, the data ether here is right, not harmful. And he can usually handle any monsters. But he knows better than to get cocky, especially in a place he doesn't fully understand. ❝But this doesn't seem like the right one anyway. The data is too stable.❞ The Hollow he remembers first, among the chaotic confusion at the time, felt more on the verge of collapse. Hopefully it hasn't. He's not sure how to get home without finding it again. ❝What about you?❞ A step closer, looking over the stranger more precisely. Not someone he's run across yet. Doesn't know the fashions and organizations here to recognize a faction if they have any. ❝If you're heading out we should leave together.❞ Keep an eye on them. Learn more.

#starpaletted #{{ ignite the spark; illuminate the dark and light your way | THREADS }}#Verse { Zenless } while the riots meet all the lightning strings light a thousand streets #//Apologizes for the delay in return xD #//And no this works great!

❝So with a rocket you could actually go there?❞ Breach the sky? Beyond this atmosphere isn't just a data void?

//From these two bits of lore we can infer that Gray was the oldest kid in the orphanage, never adopted, because Leiboz didn't find him powerful enough for their experiments. His abilities were weak. It's even mentioned in one of his voicelines that for a while he struggled to control his electricity.

And yet as we see in-game, his control is phenomenal. He can handle his electricity so well he can even shape it into a dragon. And that's also rather powerful. He's shown to hold his own against Massiah and Xiada in a promotional video. Both highly powerful animuses.

So it's easy to see why I've headcanoned that Gray trained his abilities after the orphanage closure, after the loss of the other kids. When he took up the job of a mercenary to find them he trained to get stronger and improve his powers. It's the only thing that makes sense to bridge the gap between a weak, unremarkable Gray as a kid and the powerful, skilled Gray in the story.

And at a certain level in Anisync Echoes we get some related lore:

Extremely relevant lore. To me this implies that Gray is one of those rare people. Because that's exactly what had to have happened to bridge that gap as mentioned.

This also explains why Heinrich partnered with R.C.S. for the fusion experiment. He couldn't increase his power level on his own. 'Irreversible damage' has me worried for him though.

But this post is about Gray. And that he is apparently more special than he knows. Because he would just say that he worked hard to get where he is, for all angles of his life.

#{{ still your heart so much to prove; fight for all the things that you believe in | HEADCANONS }}#//Bless the people who post the lore from Anisync Echoes. Cause I'm still stuck in that mode.#//I would not have seen this for ages without them.#//But hot damn. The implications for Gray here when aligned with his lore.#//And that he would not know that's a thing.#//He's aware of the drugs angle for a boost though. Does not approve. Especially after the encounter with Heinrich.

//Heyo. Sorry for the absence. I'm not abandoning this blog! XDG has just made some frustratingly disappointing choices and my brain has been elsewhere.

I'm baffled and upset that we've gone without new story for nearly five months now with no indication the devs even care. And while that means I barely open the game these days, I still love the worldbuilding and characters that drew me in to begin with.

I still love Gray. And I come from the RP lands of fandoms like Portal and BioShock where another sequel has been a pipe dream for over a decade, and Sonic where the character I adore most is only ever in a rare flashback.

Lack of content has never been enough to kill a muse for me. I'm used to it. But in this case where it should be the opposite it does hurt.

Anyway, I can currently be found on @starlighttrain. I'm sure I'll be back here eventually. Like I said, I still adore Gray. I'm just following the current fixation.

#{{ chronicling their stories | admin }}

//So the English dub is out. I'm torn. Some of the voices are excellent, some don't match the original in tone or vibe at all. And unfortunately, two of those are my favs. Gray and Rilmocha. Both sound more gravelly than the CN voices. Marvell sounds hot though that's an improvement.

A comparison of Chinese Gray with English Gray, line for line in his profile:

XDG, where the hell is his soft?? My redeemed mercenary is a soft lad, where the hell did that go in his English voice?? I love the soft, slightly whispery touch to his tone in his original Chinese voice. This English one is not a good match. It's deeper and more gravelly. It needs to be lighter.

I have not gone through the story again in English. I plan to. Maybe he'll sound better when he's animated while speaking. I'm gonna go through regardless out of pure curiosity.

But for my blog here? I write Gray with his Chinese voice in mind. That's staying.

#{{ chronicling their stories | ADMIN }}#//I acknowledge there is always a bias toward what you hear first. And I've had Chinese Gray since beta launch; June 5th.#//Maybe if the EN was the first I heard I'd like it more. But honestly my main issue is the lack of matching.#//Some other characters match super well! Sound so close to their Chinese voices!#//Gray is not one of them u_u

//After being stuck in US Customs for over a month he finally arrived! When there's no official merch we make our own. My boy Gray looks so good, and the base I threw together with the Union logo compliments him nicely.

#{{ chronicling their stories | ADMIN }}

//New official art and my boy is featured!! :D I wish I could rip this directly from the launcher as it would probably be crisper but at least it's also in 4k at the end of Kokardi's PV.

But also pls why is he always on the far left of the launcher arts and thus obscured by the info window? Feeling like Mike Wazowski over here.

He looks so fucking cool and badass (♡ˊ͈ ꒳ ˋ͈)

#{{ i was lightning before the thunder | VISAGE }}#//Thank you Asia launch for providing more of my son <3

dracoanimus

//To any of my mutuals who actually play this game, they're finally giving out a free Lily!! Yes if you are lucky enough to already have her the other options on the selector are great too. But Lily is widely regarded as being utterly broken such that people were genuinely rerolling for her.

So yeah. This is incredible news. I hope y'all stick around enough to claim the reward. May she (or any of the others) make your experience much easier.

dracoanimus

//This starts today, folks! Remember to log in today and tomorrow to claim the selector material! If you don't have Lily she's the best choice. Otherwise it depends on your playstyle and goals (pve or pvp, things like that).

I'm excited to see where the game goes now that it's fully launched in all regions. And I hope for anyone who does play that this selector makes things easier and thus more fun ^v^

#{{ chronicling their stories | ADMIN }}#Also remember to claim your free skins!#//And may Lily help you enjoy the game more! She certainly did for me.

//I love this. If you wanna spar with him you better give it your all. He doesn't hold back unless it's one of the kids but even then he'll make them work for a win. He's a serious fighter who knows how important the upper hand is in combat and that people will fight dirty.

You can always trust that Gray will put forth full effort. In having your back, in challenging you, in everything he does.

#{{ still your heart so much to prove; fight for all the things that you believe in | HEADCANONS }}

heylsgowt

#{{ the aurora's so temporary; through shooting stars wave back at me | AESTHETIC }}#{{ pulling from data storage | QUEUE }}

shallliveoninsong

"Pah! I would hope you see me as having more style and charisma than that folklore figure." Hugo was teasing mostly, he'd heard people compare Mockingbird to the character before. But he was certainly aiming for something flashier.

Gray's soft remark causes Hugo to bristle, noticeably. A knee-jerk reaction was ready to race out of his mouth and argue. Like he had done far too many times with those two. But then he calms as Gray continues. Perhaps this could work. They need not agree on everything, Hugo reminds himself. Just enough to be useful to each other.

"New Eridu is where all the big players within TOPS' ranks lie. They are where the scummiest, most selfish, power-hungry individuals in the city. Those are the main targets of mine. But not only that, but more recently a group--more like a cult, who call themselves the Exaltists have been something we're investigating. They hurt someone who is...dear to me."

The thief tucks the stolen ruby into the inner pocket of his suit jacket. The Exaltists were a new kind of foe for Mockingbird. Unpredictable. But he had made Vivian a promise.

"Money is just one way to accomplish things. A means to an end and a way to knock others off their high horse for a time. But no, wealth is not our only objective. I desire more. For us to be like the sword of Damocles hanging above the vile ones' heads. Striking such fear into them they shall never harm the powerless again."

And eventually, a single. Absolute victory. Whatever it takes.

The charming smile returned to the thief's face.

"Not a bad cause, wouldn't you say? At least, you seem to understand it more than most I speak to."

dracoanimus

More of their terminology is unfamiliar but he doesn't need to know what organization names and acronyms mean to understand a common thread. Corruption exists everywhere. Gray's goal was never the politicians and government officials lying through their teeth. Those take more delicate methods to remove. Methods he leaves to the Astral Union and good people in EOS. Sybil and Beyontin had worked wonders worming through the mask of Doki Entertainment. No, Gray was always more focused on the lower level of things. Where people wore less masks, letting the shadows hide them instead. And he's noticing more connections with Mockingbird's history.

He does understand. He's been there. ❝I was a mercenary before the Union.❞ A bit quiet again. A darker part of his story but a part nonetheless. A part Mockingbird should know. ❝I did everything I could to find the kids Leiboz took. Seems like we have some common ground.❞ He doesn't know what Damocles is but the idea of fear keeping those monsters in line is appealing. He'd rather the law be enough but people like that dodge so easily. He's been the ghost in the shadows, picking them off one by one. He doesn't want any more blood on his hands. But Mockingbird hadn't mentioned murder. Just terror. Make them think you will. Fear might be the only thing monsters listen to besides their own egos. He'd like to hope someday rules and order will be enough to keep people safe. But even beyond Etheria corruption pervades. Money can be a start but it's better to aim for bank accounts. Taking jewels won't stop their funding. Unless the point is a message. 'I can access what you hide.' But if Mockingbird is right and it's not their only method... It almost feels like staring up at his old commission head and the Union recruitment officer at the same time. That's kind of unsettling. But this still feels like the right angle, and he's always trusted his instincts.

❝I need to find a way home. There are people who rely on me. But until then if you need some extra hands,❞ or teeth, as the thunder dragon fangs on the back of his jacket remind; the word justice held in its jaws. ❝let me know. I know how to be a ghost.❞

#shallliveoninsong #{{ ignite the spark; illuminate the dark and light your way | THREADS }}#Verse { Zenless } while the riots meet all the lightning strings light a thousand streets #//Valid. Rant-adjacent is totally understandable xD #//But he's getting somewhere and that's what matters!

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