Without any further ado--here's the official event schedule for Sapphic September! These are just suggestions, of course--if you'd prefer to create your own content on your own terms throughout the month, we won't stop you. This is just a mod-organized way of fostering interactions and having a general good time!
September 5-11: Prompt Week! Each day will be assigned a different word, and it'll be your job to create something themed around that one-word prompt! You can pick and choose your favorites, or try to create something new each day. It's up to you!
September 12-18: Blog Spotlights! Smaller artists and creators in the community will have a chance to talk about the blog they run, the characters they love, and what selfshipping and being WLW means to them in a series of short interviews! (We'll post a way to apply for an interview as these dates approach.)
September 19-25: F/O Takeover! It's time to flip the script! You can assign as few or as many of your F/Os as you like to run your blog temporarily and answer questions about you for a change!
September 26-29: To My S/I! Other shippers can come into your inbox and write letters to you as your F/Os! While this will likely be less formal than the larger To My S/I events we've had in the past, hopefully everyone will end up with at least one letter from someone special!
If you've got any questions about the current schedule, make sure to drop an ask in the inbox!
hey there! just wondering, is this event going to be running again this year?
hey! thanks for your interest.
ideally, i would love for sapphic september to happen again! however, last year i, as the lead mod, severely underestimated my workload starting college and put a lot of undue stress on my plate trying to balance all of my commitments. i loved running sapphic september, but in order to keep it running this year it's likely that i'll have to pass the baton as leader to someone else. i am very much accepting offers from anyone who would like to help run the event this coming year! it would be very much appreciated! the fate of the event is unclear as of right now, but we hope you'll be patient as we figure everything out.
reblogging this post is allowed, in case anyone else was curious about what's going on with the event or would like to help out in any way.
As the final day of September comes to an end, here's one more thank-you to everyone who's supported Sapphic September, whether it was through making content, participating in events, or just supporting others. You've all been wonderful, and if all goes well, we hope to see you next year!
“These are just incredible!! I’m never going to forget this night..
Thank you so much for being here with me, Sapphire!”
tag list: @thatslikesometaldude | @garchompp | @beeon | @tex-treasures | @catake | @tartaglialovemail | @catcao | @lilacslovers | @vilehusband | @dragonsmooch | @kalliopi-ships | @blackbirdcrime | @kissofthemoonrabbit | @childrenofmeyneth | @strawberryshipz (to be tagged in what I make, please click here!)
Here is my piece for the thirtieth and final day of sapphic September - it’s of Pyra and I (or rather, my self-insert, Sapphire) watching a fireworks display together! The fireworks were made by another Blade in the party, Crossette, who specifically created them to commemorate the occasion, and also to be quieter than her normal fireworks so that everyone in the party could enjoy them to the fullest extent!
Comments on and reblogs of my work are always okay, and appreciated, but are by no means required!~
After being rescued from the realm of darkness, Aria seeks a way to give Ves a chance at living her own life, while also continuing to survi
After being rescued from the realm of darkness, Aria seeks a way to give Ves a chance at living her own life, while also continuing to survive in her own right. Aqua brings her to the scientists at Radiant Garden to see if they have a solution, and for Aria to explain her situation, but the only option available may carry some worrying implications.. (3937 words)
Takes place after the ending of KH3. Content warning for mentions of battle scars, talk of a character being possessed, an event comparable to an exorcism (it’s kind of hard to explain in non-series-specific terms, sorry), and rather a lot of self-insert-focused exposition.
(Comments on and reblogs of my work are always okay, and appreciated, but are by no means required. I recommend reading this piece on the original document, but if that doesn't work, a transcript has been copied and pasted under the readmore.)
tag list: @thatslikesometaldude | @garchompp | @beeon | @tex-treasures | @catake | @tartaglialovemail | @catcao | @lilacslovers | @kissofthemoonrabbit | @vilehusband | @dragonsmooch | @childrenofmeyneth | @kalliopi-ships | @blackbirdcrime | @strawberryshipz (to be tagged in what I make, please click here!)
This is a piece I have been working on for a long time, and am very proud of, so I really appreciate anyone who takes the time to read it. I hope it isn’t quite as heavy as the content warnings may possibly indicate. I’m also using it as my post for the twenty-ninth day of sapphic September; there’s just one more to go!
Document transcript:
The door to the laboratory opened halfway, and a young woman tentatively poked her head around it. Upon seeing that she was not interrupting anything, she smiled and emerged more properly, brushing a lock of blue hair from her face.
“Oh, Master Aqua!” The lone scientist in the room smiled warmly as he noticed her. “Thank you for coming. I’m glad to see you’re alright.”
“Thank you, Ienzo.” Aqua replied, even if she did still in fact look rather tired. The long battle to defeat Master Xehanort and the true Organisation still felt fresh in her mind, and although it was a fight that the light had eventually won, it had still taken quite a toll on her. Not only that, but she hadn’t had the same chance to rest as the others - though thoughts of locating Sora still weighed on everyone’s minds, Aqua had been more concerned with finding a way back into the realm of darkness in order to rescue Aria, her partner who she had so unwillingly abandoned..
Now that Aria was finally free as well, Aqua could let herself relax a bit more, and with that lowering of her guard came much contemplation of everything she had gone through.
“Um.. Master Aqua?”
“Ah!”
She’d been staring off into space again, judging by Ienzo’s worried expression half-visible under his hair.
“Is everything alright?”
“Yes, don’t worry!” she replied, slightly embarrassed at her lapse in concentration. The young scientist did not look entirely convinced, but he seemed content enough to continue.
“I’m the only one here at the moment, but I should still be able to help with what we talked about over the Gummiphone. Did you happen to bring Aria with you?”
At this, the half-open door Aqua had come through continued to swing open as if of its own accord, only to reveal another young woman entering the laboratory with a somewhat nervous expression. She had clearly been through a lot, and the realm of darkness she had reportedly been trapped in for aeons had definitely left its mark on her; several large patches of darkness could be seen spanning her face and body, with one reaching down her left eye like a melting wound.
“Yes, I’m here..”
Her catlike eyes flickered nervously around the room, and it soon became apparent that what Ienzo had thought was a cape were in fact a pair of black feathered wings, both subconsciously curling around her shoulders. It was only upon recognising that Ienzo was the only one present, and that his initial reaction to seeing her was not as negative as she was expecting, that she was able to relax slightly and explain herself from behind a now-steeled facade.
“My name is Aria.” she said, looking up at the scientist from under her messy blonde hair. “Aqua said you might be able to help me achieve something. Has she already.. told you about, well-”
“We’ve already spoken a little bit using the Gummiphone I was given before, but he said it was best for us to come and talk in person to try and get everything clear.” Aqua stepped in after sensing Aria’s hesitation and took her hand to support her partner. “It’s alright - you can trust him,” she whispered close to her ear.
Trusting only in her love’s reassurance, Aria started to explain her intentions to Ienzo, who seemed content to listen even considering the clear presence of darkness she had; this silent gesture of tolerance was greatly appreciated. She appeared hesitant to reveal much of her true nature as a Heartless, but she did what she could to inquire whether the young scientist knew any way for a heart to be released from its current body and inhabit a different one, allowing the dormant self within the original body to reawaken. Unfortunately, Ienzo remained pensive, even after she had said her part.
“So, you’re looking for a way for a heart to enter a new body? I’m sorry, but.. I’m not sure we’ll be able to help you. Any of the resources we could have used - which is to say, the replicas, they would have been perfect for this - were taken by Roxas, Xion, and Naminé’s hearts.”
“Oh. So, there is nothing you can do?” Aria persisted, but Ienzo shook his head.
Then came a flash of hesitant inspiration.
“Unless..” He trailed off and turned to look down one of the corridors leading away from the main lab space. “Could you two come with me, please?”
“Of course!” said Aqua brightly, as Aria nodded in assent.
==========
The three left the main hub of the laboratory to walk down the corridor, which felt as though it was turning downwards into a basement level of sorts. Once there, they came to a tall door which Ienzo unlocked with some sort of biometric scanner, and this opened out into yet another laboratory space with a similar layout to the first - however, this one seemed in a less presentable condition than the other, and its lack of windows seemed to be what was giving it a more foreboding presence. There was a distinct sense that something bad had happened here, once upon a time.
“After you and the other Guardians of Light helped to defeat Master Xehanort,” Ienzo was saying to Aqua, “we went back to the Keyblade Graveyard to see if there was anything to salvage from the battlefield, and we were able to bring this back with us.”
He gestured to a container at the far wall, in which the two Keyblade wielders could now see a strange white figure suspended inside, resembling a featureless mannequin. It appeared to be dressed in some kind of dark robes, of a dull purple colour inlaid with sharp red motifs, worn over pieces of tarnished metal armour. A number of scuffs and dents littered the otherwise-smooth surface, and Aria could sense traces of a dark presence seeping from the container, despite the blank nature of the figure itself.
“What is this..?”
“This is one of the replicas that Even created, back when he was still Vexen, and a member of the first Organisation.” Ienzo explained. “The first twelve were prototypes, initially abandoned as failures, since they were made before his assistant provided the data needed to perfect them, but.. From what I understand, the real Organisation - which Vexen was also a part of at the beginning - repurposed those twelve into vessels for Xehanort’s heart, as backups in case the people they brought through time fell in battle again.”
“That’s right, I remember fighting these now.” muttered Aqua. “But, didn’t they fuse into one form, eventually?”
“That’s what I thought, too, from your accounts of the situation.” replied the scientist. “I’m not sure if Sora defeating the replicas in battle made them all separate out again, since they weren’t really designed to be fused, or if this one was already too damaged to combine with the others in the first place. Regardless, it was the only one we recovered.”
He now turned to face the blank figure with a concerned expression. “We’ve been running some experiments to see whether it can be repurposed for anything, but.. There’s a lot of darkness still lingering within it, so it wouldn’t be safe for a heart of light to inhabit without risking it also being afflicted by that darkness. And we haven’t found a good way of destroying that darkness without compromising the replica, either.”
“I could sense the dark power when I saw it, so corruption would seem a likely outcome.” Aria mused. “This would also be darkness from Xehanort, so.. it isn’t that surprising that some part of it stuck around. Persistence did seem to be his only worthwhile trait.”
She had crossed her arms in contempt at this last part, but seemed satisfied enough to relax after studying the replica further. “It shouldn’t matter any more than he did in the long run, though.”
“Hmm..” Aqua seemed concerned about the prospect, but was trying to keep an open mind. “What do you make of it, Aria?”
“Well..” She took a moment to examine the figure with an unchanging expression. “The replica body itself has sustained some damage from the fight, but I don’t see why that would affect my ability to inhabit it - it’s just possible that those injuries would reflect in my new appearance, which is.. nothing I’m not accustomed to. And, if the heart within a replica determines its appearance, then maybe what’s left of my heart - or, I suppose, the heart that I once was - would be able to smooth over those gaps. Though, if it’s the latter, that could mean my appearance ends up changing, which.. is not what I want.”
Aqua tentatively nodded, but Ienzo seemed more visibly confused.
“I’m sorry to interject, but- what do you mean by “the heart that you once were”? You’re saying that that’s different to your heart, somehow?”
“..In a sense, yes. How do I explain this..?” There was a slight pause as Aria tried to gather her thoughts, and it was clear she was still trying to think by the hesitant nature of her words that followed. She had seen right through to the heart of the man standing before her, which glowed with a newly-restored lustre. It was a heart that sought to help people, and sought knowledge in order to do that, though there were visible flickers of a long-seated regret present as well. Still, it was a heart that she judged would not judge her, so she decided to provide it with the truth she hoped would sate it.
“Though I look mostly human to you, this- isn’t technically my body, however much I treated it as such. If I were to let go of this vessel, or be driven out from her, you would see me as I really am - a Heartless, a flowering thing. However, Heartless are created when a heart is consumed by darkness, so.. surely the appearance I would take if I were to possess a blank replica would be that of the person this heart - my heart - used to belong to. Only, I don’t- I don’t really see myself as him, or as Ves. I am different, I am my own- well, person, if I can even call myself that. Yet, when I imagine my appearance outside of this vessel, I can only see myself as a Heartless. Does that make any sense?”
“I think I follow..” the scientist mumbled, though his still-furrowed brow seemed to indicate otherwise. “So, you kept your memories of who you were, even after turning into a Heartless? Kairi had implied that the same thing happened to Sora, but.. I’d just attributed that to him turning the Keyblade of heart on himself to free her, so it wouldn’t have happened to anyone else.”
This claim caused Aria to shake her head. “To my knowledge, the method is irrelevant; what matters is the intention. The more willingly a person opens their heart to the darkness, the more of their mind they keep when their heart is consumed, and they become a Heartless. I believe this is what happened with Ansem, though he actively sought after darkness so strongly that he retained a human appearance as well as mind. The emblem on his chest was the only way an onlooker could tell his true nature. When it comes to my original self, he was a Keyblade wielder, very similar to what I know of Sora, but… though he certainly did not willingly or deliberately let his heart be consumed, he was able to accept his fate in his final moments, and that is what allowed the Heartless formed at his demise - so, in other words, me - to retain some semblance of mind and self. Just.. not as much of it.”
“Oh. Yes, I think that makes more sense now. Thank you for the clarification.” said Ienzo. He was writing something furiously in a book that seemed to appear out of nowhere, then became startled when he realised his blunder. In an instant, he opened his mouth to ask something, but closed it with relief when Aria’s expression reassured him she did not mind him making notes about her.
It was Aqua’s turn to speak up now. “It’s so interesting to hear about this from you, Aria - but, I can’t say I’ve seen that kind of behaviour in any of the Heartless I’ve fought before. Had you noticed it at any point while we were in the realm of darkness?”
“Not that I can recall.” she replied. “It isn't exactly that common of an occurrence, considering most people’s disdain for the darkness. And, not only that, but..” She turned away from the other two here, and her next words came much more reluctantly again.
“Before I took over Ves, I remember feeling that I was losing myself - all I was driven by was this desire to be complete again, to be human again, but that was fading away over time. Then, when I found her, I didn’t necessarily feel more human, but what sense of humanity I did have was no longer fading away. So, if I hadn’t found her or someone like her in time, I probably would have lost my sense of self completely, and become just as mindless as most other Heartless are. It’s only thanks to the type of Heartless I became that I was even able to possess her in the first place, and.. I didn’t start to truly feel more like a person until I met other Keyblade wielders, and they interacted with me.”
“I see, I see.. So you’re saying that, in those Heartless that retain a sense of who they were before becoming Heartless, the remnants of normal heart behaviour - of humanity, if you will - have to be nurtured by others in order to be sustained, and will just be lost to the darkness if not actively encouraged?”
“Yes.”
Ienzo paused to finish hastily scribbling this knowledge down in his notebook, then lifted his head in realisation once he had had some time to think. “I think I might remember something of that from the old Organisation, actually.. Though, the memory is very hazy..”
To stop his mind from wandering as it wanted to, he returned to address the matter at hand.
“From what you’ve said, Aria, it does sound like you’d be able to make use of this replica - and you may well be the only one who could. I don’t think there’s any other solution here for you, and.. I say there’s no better way to find out than by experimenting. Give me a moment to get everything ready, and then we’ll be set to see if it works!”
Aria nodded, content with the proposal, but Aqua reached out to take her hand with a worried expression.
“Aria, are you sure you want to do this..?”
“Of course I am, Aqua. This is why I came here.” she replied. Then she hesitated again. “..Why, is there something wrong?”
“Well, no, it’s just-” Aqua took a moment to settle her whirling thoughts, holding both of Aria’s hands in her own now. “I don’t know what’s going to happen when I use my Keyblade on you. I don’t want to hurt you, or even destroy you. And, if something happened with the darkness infecting the replica, then..”
Aria couldn’t bring herself to meet Aqua’s gaze, but it was clear she appreciated the consideration, and did her best to reassure her love. “If I could leave of my own accord, I would have done so by now, but.. we’ve become too intertwined for me to do that myself. And Ves is not quite strong enough to drive me out from within - it’s enough of an effort for her to stay existing in the first place. So.. an outside force seems to be the only way to separate us. And there isn’t anyone I’d trust to wield that force, other than you.”
Despite herself, Aqua couldn’t help but smile at the last admission, and she felt her normal confidence returning. “..Alright then. If you’re sure about this, then.. I’m happy to be able to help.”
The two embraced for a moment, then there was a pause of silence as Aria took a few steps back to stand in the middle of the room. Once Ienzo had brought the replica out of its container, he carried it around to the other end of the laboratory, closer to the other two. Aqua summoned her Brightcrest Keyblade, then slowly raised its tip to be level with the X on Aria’s outfit. She took a deep breath, then pointed the Keyblade directly at her partner, echoing the movement used to open the paths to new worlds.
Aria instinctively flinched when a thin beam of bright light shot forward from the tip of Aqua’s Keyblade, striking her directly in the chest. She was then forced down into a kneel as an aura of pink-tinted darkness began to escape from her body. Her expression was grim, as if she was in pain, but Aqua caught sight of a hint of a smile before the darkness now emanating much more rapidly from her form started rising up to create something above her. It almost completely engulfed her body as if to pull it upwards too, seeming particularly concentrated around her head and wings, before disconnecting entirely to drop a drained figure to the floor. This left a dense collection of dark pink wisps, amalgamating in the air.
Ienzo was now well off to the side, looking rather alarmed, but his expression was replaced with complete surprise when the amorphous cluster of darkness coalesced, giving way to what looked like a floating mass of pink petals. Eventually, it turned around to reveal a large jagged mouth and piercing yellow eyes, staring with an expression he found difficult to interpret. The Heartless stayed floating in place for a moment, as if disoriented, then suddenly appeared to notice Aqua, staring at her curiously.
“Aria..?”
Her tentative call was clearly recognised by the flowering monster, which began to float cautiously towards her. She still had her Keyblade summoned, and her hand was trembling ever-so-slightly - whether with nervousness, uncertainty, or something else entirely, it was impossible to tell. Then, Ienzo stepped between the two and lifted up the replica body, hoping that Aria still remembered the plan.
“Here!”
It seemed the Heartless remained aware, as she moved forwards more purposefully after this, and collided directly with the empty vessel’s centre. A few petals scattered from the force, but it took only a few moments for the Heartless’ form to disappear entirely, appearing to be absorbed into the replica body. This caused another aura of darkness to manifest, enveloping the blank surface of the replica and making Ienzo recoil from the body - but it caught itself as it fell from his grasp to end up kneeling on all fours. A few more moments passed, as the darkness engulfed the entire body in a shell, before gradually dissipating after a few gold sparks were seen being forced out of the system.
The figure that stood up was slightly smaller than the replica had looked in the container, with catlike ears now poking upwards from a fluffy head of golden blonde hair. As she lifted her head, a cluster of cute freckles were seen scattered across her face, though in what Aqua thought was a slightly different arrangement than before. There were other little differences here and there, as well - the shape of her face, the way her hair fell at the back, how she stood dressed in the unfamiliar clothes from the replica in the middle of the silent laboratory.
But all of Aqua’s worries disappeared when the girl standing before her opened her eyes. Neither the bright, empty yellow of the lesser, mindless Heartless, nor a piercing orange like the seeker of darkness, nor even the harsh cold shade between the two that Aria’s eyes had been before, but a warm and resolute amber was the colour that met Aqua’s gaze, and regarded her with a renewed sense of gratitude and love.
“Aria!”
The Keyblade Master ran across the room towards her partner and nearly knocked her over with the energy of her emotions. Aria was nervous, but comfortably allowed herself to melt into Aqua’s embrace, now able to feel the connection between the pair even more strongly than before. Something felt so much more tangible about her presence now, and the relief coursing through her new body was enough to bring tears to her eyes.
“Aqua, it really worked..!” she smiled, speaking in a quiet voice filled with gratitude.
“I’m so glad you’re alright!” exclaimed Aqua, who also had a few tears in her eyes. “How do you feel? Is everything okay?”
“Yes, it’s all fine, I promise.” she asserted. “The replica’s darkness was not organised; it was just remnants that my presence has removed. I feel.. different, but in the best possible way. I could never have done this without you here with me - thank you, so much, for being here..”
She trailed off, still smiling at her partner, and another wonderful moment came and went. Then, a movement from behind Aqua caused Aria’s expression to take on a slightly fearful quality, and she turned her head to see what was happening. The cause of this movement was the figure left behind when Aqua set Aria free, who was slowly trying to get to her feet, her heart’s light flickering nervously. A bright green eye could be seen darting anxiously around the room from under her hair, but she was too weak to properly move, and quickly fell back to the ground again. Ienzo stepped in to support her, and his assistance was clearly welcomed as she was just about able to stand.
“Please take her somewhere she can recover.” Aria requested hurriedly. “After everything I put her through, she needs every opportunity she can to rest and adjust to being herself again..”
“Don’t worry. We have good facilities here.” Ienzo assured her. “Everything will be fine.”
This did little to ease Aria’s guilt, but the gesture was nevertheless appreciated. “Thank you, Ienzo.”
The scientist nodded, and then slowly helped the girl walk to the corridor. She appeared to be very shaken, and was glancing at everything with apprehension and unfamiliarity, but as she turned the corner of the corridor, she looked back at the couple still standing side-by-side, and met the eyes of both her saviour and her prison.
(For all that you have done to me, I know why you do not deserve forgiveness.
But, this is not the first time we have seen each other face-to-face since that day, thanks to that mirror you found in the darkness.
And ever since that moment, you have sought a way to free yourself from me. To let me live the life you once denied me. To break the hold that any other being you’d call your kind would do everything to strengthen.
You calculated the risks, but you still took them - the risk you would lose everything and the one person you cared for, for the sake of me getting to “get rid of you”.
So, who am I to judge a person - the person you have become - by the actions of the creature you once were..?)
A ghost of a smile flickered over her face, and the long-held vessel finally free again spoke of her own accord for the first time since the age of ancient fairytales.
“Stay back, Aline! I don’t want you getting hurt!”
“Ah! Um, o-okay!”
tag list: @thatslikesometaldude | @garchompp | @catake | @tex-treasures | @beeon | @tartaglialovemail | @kalliopi-ships | @lilacslovers | @vilehusband | @dragonsmooch | @childrenofmeyneth | @kissofthemoonrabbit | @catcao | @blackbirdcrime | @strawberryshipz (to be tagged in what I make, please click here!)
Here is my piece for the twenty-eighth day of sapphic September, and it’s sort of an inverse of yesterday’s piece, because this time my F/O is the one protecting me! In this case, it’s Lora! I wasn’t able to find a good approximation of her battle braids, so hopefully the chain I repurposed makes for an okay stand-in. This may have been a more simple render, but I was still pretty happy with how it turned out once I got to the end!~
Comments on and reblogs of my work are always okay, and appreciated, but are by no means required!~
“You are not winning this, Traveler! I will not let you touch her!”
tag list: @dragonsmooch | @kissofthemoonrabbit | @tex-treasures | @kalliopi-ships | @catake | @tartaglialovemail | @strawberryshipz | @catcao | @vilehusband | @beeon | @blackbirdcrime | @lilacslovers | @garchompp | @thatslikesometaldude (to be tagged in what I make, please click here!)
This is my piece for the twenty-seventh day of sapphic September, and it’s a plot point for my selfship with Signora that I only just came up with but am now very tempted to say is the way things canonically happen, in my version of events. Halfway through Signora and the Traveler’s duel before the throne, Alectra steps in to fight on her girlfriend’s behalf, and although the Traveler is still able to win the fight, since it wasn’t officially stated to be a duel between the two of them specifically, Alectra does not receive any divine punishment from the Raiden Shogun. And since Signora didn’t actually technically lose the duel between herself and the Traveler, she doesn’t receive it either.
Comments on and reblogs of my work are always okay, and appreciated, but by no means required!~ There is also an alternate angle under the readmore to give a slightly better view of the poses:
In a quiet moment shared while Pavo is healing Ardea’s combat injuries, the two share a quiet exchange about Ardea’s loss of her Celestrian
In a quiet moment shared while Pavo is healing Ardea’s combat injuries, the two share a nervous exchange about Ardea’s loss of her Celestrian powers in the face of the fact that Pavo still retains hers. (1091 words)
tag list: @thatslikesometaldude | @garchompp | @beeon | @tex-treasures | @catake | @tartaglialovemail | @catcao | @vilehusband | @dragonsmooch | @childrenofmeyneth | @lilacslovers | @blackbirdcrime | @kalliopi-ships | @strawberryshipz (to be tagged in what I make, please click here!)
Here is my piece for the twenty-sixth day of sapphic September - I was originally going to portray the scene as a render using MMD, but the models just were not cooperating nicely, so I spat out this little bit of writing instead. I hope it's still alright, even if it may or may not have been slightly rushed, haha!~
Comments on and reblogs of my work are always okay, and appreciated, but are by no means required! If the link to the document doesn't work properly, then there is also a transcript of it under the readmore.
“..Do you mean it, when you say it does not faze you?”
It was a quiet and peaceful night as the two young women sat next to the flickering campfire. Although the party had been too tired from fighting to travel any further that day, the faint glow of torches - and with them, people - could be seen on the edge of the horizon; they would be able to properly rest in an inn soon, but for the moment, they had to make do in the open air for another night. A short distance away from the pair, a girl with bright teal hair was curled up in sleep with her extravagant dress blanketing her in a thousand colours, while a much taller individual was resting with their back to a tree stump, and even now their spear and knife still lay within easy reach.
The question was not an accusatory one, instead settling quietly into the scene, but it still made the blonde-haired girl look away and out into the darkness for a moment. She was dressed in the textbook attire of a martial artist, with a red and gold top emblazoned with the logo of a dragon over a fitted black shirt and slick slacks. Her hands were wrapped with black fabric, and the kite’s claws they usually carried were tucked away safely in her equipment bag. Her left arm was raised and in the grasp of the other girl, whose short white hair fell over her face slightly as a glow of teal magic emanated from her palms.
“What do you mean by that?” asked the martial artist, whose gaze had now flickered back to her partner.
“I believe you know what I refer to, Ardea.” she replied, still focusing on healing the wound on Ardea’s arm. It was not a serious injury, and even now was healing rapidly thanks to her spells, but it was nevertheless something that required attention. “The fact that we once shared the same abilities, and now, you have lost what you once wielded as second nature.”
“Mmm..” was all that Ardea said in response, glancing over to check that the other two were definitely asleep before continuing. “Well, it’s true that it was difficult to adapt to at the beginning, but.. We’ve come quite far now, haven’t we? So I’ve had time to adjust to the situation.”
This brought a smile to Pavo’s face, but there was still a sense of unease in her expression. “So, it is not true that you are.. jealous of me, or- anything of the sort?”
“What?” At this, Ardea turned around with a start, causing Pavo to lose hold of her arm. “Ah- My apologies!”
“Do not worry - I had already dealt with your injuries.”
“Ah, yes, I realise that now.. Thank you kindly..” Ardea muttered, moving her now woundless arm without difficulty. Then she returned to the matter at hand. “But, Pavo, whatever do you mean?”
The Celestrian looked away at this, and her wings instinctively curled closer to her body in a large sheet of white feathers. “It is just that.. You have lost the ability to use any of the magic of Celestrians, as well as both your wings and your halo, and the boons that they bestow upon you. When we happened across the carriage of the Starflight Express in that forest, it did not even react to your presence at first. Thankfully, the benevolessence we have acquired by you offering our assistance to those in peril has restored that final aspect, but.. not any of your other abilities."
She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts, then continued before Ardea could interject.
"As for myself, on the other hand.. Though the long time I have spent upon the Protectorate has weakened my connection to the Observatory, and rendered my presence visible to mortals, all other characteristics that Celestrians bear, I have retained. The story we tell that I am a mortal sage appears satisfactory to explain my powers, at least to our adventuring companions-” - she glanced over at the sleeping pair upon saying this - “-it nevertheless does not change the fact that I wield my powers on a regular basis in combat, as I have always done since my teacher imparted these skills to me, while you have had to take on an entirely unfamiliar vocation in order to maintain appearances. So, at times, I have feared that you having to witness me freely use the selfsame powers you once shared, yet no longer can use, would perhaps be unfair.."
An expression of surprise mixed with confusion clouded Ardea’s face. "Pavo, I- I don't understand.. How long have you felt this way?"
"..It was not a recent fear." she admitted.
"Oh, in the name of the Almighty-“ In one movement, Ardea had shifted her position and launched herself with considerable vigour into the unsuspecting arms of her girlfriend. Pavo’s brief sounds of uncertainly were quickly dulled, and she instinctively clung to Ardea in return.
“Angel, listen to me for a moment, please. That is not at all how I feel, and it never has been, either - if anything, seeing you use your Celestrian abilities is part of what motivates me to find a way to get mine back. Besides, I haven't lost everything - my reflexes and agility are still leagues above those of the mortals, regardless of not having wings anymore. Isn't that right?"
"..Yes, I suppose that is very true."
"And, anyway," she continued, "I still think of myself as a Celestrian, because I am. That's what I have always been, and that will never change, regardless of what happens to me. The same is true for you, too - even after we ascend to the Realm of the Almighty, we will still be Celestrians, no matter what becomes of us. And we will still be together, too, no matter what becomes of us. Does that help?"
"Ah, that.. That does bring some relief, I admit." She turned to face the campfire with a soft and grateful smile. "Thank you, Ardea, my love. I truly appreciate your words.."
"It's never a problem, angel. I'm just sorry I didn't realise you felt that way, so I could help sort things out earlier on."
"Please, do not worry. I apologise for not confiding in you before now." she replied.
"There's no need to worry about that now, Pavo. Come on, let's get some rest."
And as the moon shone overhead, the pair settled comfortably into each other's embrace to rest by the fire.
Hey there, I know the month’s not over yet, but I just wanted to say a massive thank you for creating this event! It’s been amazing getting to see other selfshippers’ work for this event through this blog, so thank you!!
Aw, thanks for the kind words! We put a lot of work into planning this event, and it's been wonderful seeing what everyone's done with it so far! I'm glad it was so well recieved!
Hey, everyone! As we wrap up the month, here's another old favorite--a To My S/I letter-writing event! By reblogging this post or announcing your participation on your blog, your friends can send you letters from the point of view of one of your F/Os!
Please remember that these events are meant to focus on sapphic self shippers--if you aren't WLW or NBLW, you can still send letters (and if someone happens to send you one, the more the better) but this is mainly meant to uplift sapphic ships.
If you don't get any letters within the first few days of the event, feel free to tag us and we'll see if we can figure something out for you! Remember--it's most important to have fun! :)
Hey, everyone! Unfortunately, the last event kind of fell through--a lot of our mods were dealing with various personal issues and weren't able to coordinate interviews as expected. Luckily for all of us, the next event will be a little more hands-off and community-oriented--a f/o takeover! From September 19 to September 25 (or however long you prefer), a selection of your f/os can answer questions in character on your blog! Remember, this is a community event, so try to send some questions to friends' blogs if you see they're participating as well! As always, don't feel pressured to participate for the whole time, or even participate at all--this is meant primarily for fun!
not sure where theyre sitting on so i'll leave that to ur imagination ^_^; drawing kaoru's guitar was SUPER hard but im so proud of how this whole drawing came out!!!
“Two dread admirals fast approaching, and a clawcerer’s coming our way, as well!”
“Let us strike these monsters down in unity!”
tag list: @thatslikesometaldude | @garchompp | @beeon | @tex-treasures | @catake | @tartaglialovemail | @lilacslovers | @blackbirdcrime | @vilehusband | @dragonsmooch | @childrenofmeyneth | @kalliopi-ships | @strawberryshipz (to be tagged in what I make, please click here!)
Here is my piece for the sixteenth day of sapphic September - it’s for my selfship with Pavo, of us fighting alongside each other in combat! Pavo can still use most of her angelic Celestrian abilities, allowing her to wield powerful magic normally reserved only for the most learned of mortal sages, while my self-insert Ardea (despite also technically being a Celestrian) has lost most of her powers - but she still retains reflexes and agility fitting her namesake of the heron, and fights using claws and fisticuffs, attempting to look like a textbook martial artist so that her physical prowess is more easily understood by mortal onlookers.
Reblogs of my work are always appreciated, but by no means required!~
..I wasn’t able to prepare anything today for the fifteenth day of sapphic September, so this is something I hope will suffice - it’s a couple of excerpts from the piece of writing I’m working on for my selfship with Aqua. This may end up being a larger proportion of the final piece than expected, since there’s a full A4 page of pure dialogue and exposition in the middle that might be worth cutting out (although.. it’s explaining what Aria is, so I feel like it does have a place), but here you are!
This is okay to reblog if anyone wishes to do so (since all posts I make are okay to reblog unless they specifically say otherwise in their tags), but please don’t feel you have to! I’m also not going to tag anyone since this isn’t a finished piece of its own accord, but hopefully it’s still okay for me to count this as my post for today.
Transcripts of the images are available under the readmore:
“Yes, I’m here..”
“Yes, I’m here..”
Her catlike eyes flickered nervously around the room, and it soon became apparent that what Ienzo had thought was a cape were in fact a pair of black feathered wings, both subconsciously curling around her shoulders. It was only upon recognising that Ienzo was the only one present, and that his initial reaction to seeing her was not as negative as she was expecting, that she was able to relax slightly and explain herself from behind a now-steeled facade.
“My name is Aria.” she said, looking up at the scientist from under her messy blonde hair. “Aqua said you might be able to help me achieve something. Has she already.. told you about, well-”
“We’ve already spoken a little bit using the Gummiphone I was given before.” Aqua stepped in, sensing Aria’s hesitation and taking her hand to support her partner. “It’s alright - you can trust him.”
Trusting only in her love’s reassurance, Aria started to explain her intentions to Ienzo, who seemed content to listen even considering the clear presence of darkness she had. She appeared hesitant to reveal much of her true nature as a Heartless, but she did what she could to inquire whether he knew any way for a heart to be released from its current body and inhabit a different one, allowing the dormant self within the original body to reawaken. Unfortunately, Ienzo remained pensive, even after she had said her part.
===========
Excerpt 2:
“Aria, are you sure you want to do this..?”
“Of course I am, Aqua. This is why I came here.” she replied. Then she hesitated. “..Why, is there something wrong?”
“Well, no, it’s just-” Aqua took a moment to settle her whirling thoughts. “I don’t know what’s going to happen when I use my Keyblade on you. I don’t want to hurt you, or even destroy you. And, if something happened with the darkness infecting the replica, then..”
Aria couldn’t bring herself to meet Aqua’s gaze, but it was clear she appreciated the consideration, and did her best to reassure her love. “If I could leave of my own accord, I would have done so by now, but.. we’ve become too intertwined for me to do that myself. And Ves is not quite strong enough to drive me out from within - it’s enough of an effort for her to stay existing in the first place. So.. an outside force seems to be the only way to separate us. And there isn’t anyone I’d trust to wield that force, other than you.”
Despite herself, Aqua couldn’t help but smile at the last admission, and she felt her normal confidence returning. “..Alright then. If you’re sure about this, then I’m happy to be able to help.”
