Well! I realized where all the love for Misty / Misty kins came from so suddenly, besides the fact that she’s a great character & they genuinely deserve it!! Hey, so I guess I’m Ash, from Pallet Town... #💚🌸🎆
Also, here's some fun writing for this guy. I post screenshots of my lovelies all the time but not bits of story. I think I should change that! (should you be interested, click keep reading :) )
Context:
Basically, Gideon was an evil sidekick to Rook, who's been tormenting these people for years (straight up torture for 'scientific info' but also pleasure.) Gideon sold his body to her to get his people resources after the fall of Garlemald. In exchange, he rose the ranks and provided her the tech she needed to advance.
He went on a journey and spared (mostly because the dice said so - he was never meant to survive but did) along with many of his people.
His sister, Morana, was put through the Resonant experiment because of him, and gained necromancy - Morana is the necromancer who raised Finn. Her people and Gideon's people had clashed for years, and so, Gideon's people have been torn to pieces by the zombies for a while.
Callista had been forced to work with Gideon to survive, because she found him during the fall of Garlemald and he took her in…despite her having tried to assassinate him in the past for being a corrupt Garlean commander hellbent on conquest.
(Gideon is a whole different can of worms and actually is on a redemption arc ^^)
STORY:
“You sure you’re alright to go talk with him?” Finn asked, staring Morana down with concern. He’d followed her out of the room, having finished up breakfast and fixating on trying to help her. Like a loyal hound, always concerned, even if he could sometimes be… well, Finn.
A long pause, and Morana grumbled, “No. But I have to be.”
Finn nodded. Softly, he asked, “Want me to join you? I could explain to him how well I could–”
“Probably not a good idea, Finny,” Morana murmured, turning to chuckle at him. She took in a deep breath and leaned in to give him a hug, holding him tightly for a moment. He returned it, his concerns intensifying. She could show affection, sure, but typically did so openly only when very, very nervous. Wanting him to be reassured, Morana said, “You can remain near the place, how’s that. If something happens, you can come in and help.” She didn’t know what that would entail exactly, and was confident that wouldn’t come up. It would give Finn peace of mind, though.
Returning the hug, Finn repeated, “Not a good idea,” sheepishly, but then grew serious. “Understood. Remain near the room. I will do that, Morana. Even if I hope things do not erupt into violence for the sake of your sanity.”
“You hope things don’t erupt into violence…. Right. Sure you don’t.”
Finn gave her an awkward smile as the hug ended. “I don’t,” he tried, and at the eyebrow raise from the necromancer, he chuckled. “Specifically for your sake, otherwise, yes, I would love to be involved in violence.”
“There’s the real answer,” Morana said softly, smirking at him. Her smirk faded, and she hugged herself for a moment, closing her eyes. “....I’m frightened, Finny.”
“You want me to get Ced?”
“No. He and Cass are there with one another. But… all of you comfort me, we’re a family. We’re comrades. We’re close friends. You being here means a lot. I hope you all know I don’t derive comfort from Ced alone.”
“Oh, we do, mistress. But the feeling is mutual,” he said softly. “And not just because you give us aether and flesh to chomp on.”
“...You word things in a very interesting fashion even when not trying to,” Morana mumbled.
Finn gave her a dazzling smile. “That was very tame,” he assured her. “I will stay here.”
With that, well… he stayed there. When Morana rushed off to a guest room she was directed to, he had the mental struggle of going to see if she was alright. But gentle reassurance from Phera told him it was best she was left alone to recover from such heavy things. He knew it wasn’t that she didn’t want to see him or any of the other Ashkin, but that, well. Being alone sometimes was very much needed. Thanking Phera profusely (and inquiring very descriptively if she could dismember the voidsent she was restraining, feeling sad when told that wasn’t quite possible just yet), he headed out to his wanderings.
“...This is all so…” he murmured to himself, unsure of how to feel. Finn knew Morana (17). He’d caught onto her quirks - as many of their people have. She could snap one thing and mean another. Her tone indicated that she wanted so badly to hate Gideon forever, but was slowly cracking. She had expected the opposite of what happened. She’d expected to face someone who confirmed all of her beliefs, and was met with the opposite.
What does one do in that situation? Faced with someone so horrible and twisted, but hearing an entirely different person, one you cannot help but *feel* is telling the truth?
Finn made his way down the halls of the City, eventually coming upon Callista’s room (12), a location he learned about by observation. Pacing, he eventually… knocked.
Most (normal) people would head out after the lack of response for about fifteen seconds - but Finn could hear her heartbeat intensifying and scent her fear. She was off put by visitors, people wanting to talk with her.
Hm.
Maybe this was a bad id–
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps grabbed his attention, and he blinked, refocusing. The door creaked open, and pale purple eyes fixed upon him before immediately glancing away. A light intake of breath indicated her fear. “Finn?” she muttered softly. “...You’re not here to… … hurt me, are you?”
“What? No,” Finn said. “Though I could tear you to pieces really easily, and really… *really* wanted to in the past, you are no longer on the menu, unfortunately.”
“... Un… for…”
“Yes,” Finn said in a dead serious tone, clearly not catching on that he is just *not helping*. “Your flesh looks tasty and you were an enemy. The former still applies, the latter does not, which allows you to be disqualified from becoming a meal. You, Ares, Sparrow, and I had a movie night, and we were birds. Did something happen between now and then to make you question my motives?” he asked with genuine worry.
Callista stared at the ground, her fear intensifying. “...No, just my own thoughts.” Callista was torn between admitting Finn absolutely terrified her and realizing that this was just him being him(10). After a shudder, she took in a deep breath. “We’re.. Friends… I … I think. Er, why…are you here, then?”
“You have my word, Callista, I will not bite you without permission,” Finn said gently. “No touching the frightened…” He studied her for a moment, then smiled lightly. “Magpie. I will be a good butcher bird, I promise.”
Callista couldn’t help but smile at that, recalling the memories and how, well. Happy-go-lucky and gentle the very intimidating Ashkin could be. “Okay,” she muttered.
Finn’s gentle smile soon faded, however, and he sighed. “...I wanted to talk about what I overheard. I do not know if I should, but… it is something you should know, too. And I am unsure how to feel. You know my mistress’s brother more than I. So…”
“Oh… you can come in, and we can talk.” Callista led him in, took a seat, and continued to not really look at him, shy despite their friendship and entirely off given all of the circumstances stressing her out endlessly. Finn did not seem to mind at all, and in fact, delved into what he overheard.
By the time he finished, Callista was wearing a deep frown. She stared at her hands before saying, “I’ve not mentally been all that there, Finn… I’m sorry. My past comrades have really left an impact. I’m … not doing well at all. (12).” From there, she proceeded to bury her face into her hands and begin to sob (19), not having the mental strength to hold it from Finn, but babbling, “They’ve changed but I am still so… so… I … I…”
Finn widened his eyes, the instinct to comfort overwhelming. The shy woman was no doubt on edge, though. Softly, he asked, “Hey, need a hug?”
“A shirtless Ashkin who wanted to rip me to shreds at one point and could very well do so now would like to offer a hug,” Callista squeaked. “...sure. What could go wrong.” There was a hint of melancholy humour in her tone which caused Finn to chuckle. He got up and took her into his arms, giving her a very gentle, friendly hug.
Callista returned his hug, relaxing just slightly and continuing her sobs. Eventually, she calmed down after several deep breaths. “I… I want to be okay again. I want to be their friends, again. I want to check up on them more, Gideon too, I… I … but right now it is so hard. It sounds like Commander Gideon has truly changed but is just… aimless. I want him to be okay, to show him forgiveness. Irene, Krista, and Nico, too. Mintha always…stuck to the shadows, but those three… frightened..me… erm. But. I want… I don’t know.”
“You’re shattered,” Finn said softly. “And that is okay. You do not need to forgive them now or ever.”
“But… that is the thing. I want to. A-and… maybe Morana does too. But does…does that make us bad people, Finn?”
“No. Why would it?”
“We were hurt so badly by them… and…a-and… but…”
“You are in control of what you do, Callista. Hey. Look at me.” He leaned back as the hug ended and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. Callista flinched and glanced at, then away from him. Finn smiled. “Close enough,” he said gently. “This is coming from your new friend who previously would want to rip that bastard to shreds, alright? It isn’t wrong to change your mind. To forgive. But no one should force it. That is your decision, it is Morana’s decision. And if neither of you do, that is okay, too. They have their own demons and have dug their own graves. For some. It is too late. For some. It is not. Anyone who demands you forgive them or decides you are a terrible person for forgiving them, if you do, is unreasonable.”
“Okay,” Callista whispered. “...What do we do, Finn?”
“I do not know. How are you feeling?”
“Not okay. I needed to know this but… not okay. I want Gideon to be okay, though. I don’t want him to hurt himself, I just – right now, I’m … I’m not able t-to…”
“Which is okay. Morana cannot, either. Do…whatever it is you wish to do. I came here wondering if you thought it was all true. It seems like that is the case.”
“I saw them change, it… it was… so surreal. A miracle. It was all true, yes, what you heard. His change of heart. He’s… so lost. And I cannot help him right now. I can barely help myself.”
“Are you frightened here in the City?”
“I am,” Callista admitted. “In Garlemald, I took it day by day. Focusing on my targets, successfully destroying a few. But a woman of the shadows on the streets, not all…there. Then it… it fell…. A-and I had to rely on the EVA… for quite some time. I … stopped being brave. I do not know if I even was in the first place.”
“You carried on, which is still brave,” Finn said softly. Callista sniffled, just closing her eyes. “Need me to leave?”
“...No. You can stay.(15) I… would like to spend time with you, Ares, and Sparrow again, if … if they are… okay with it. I just… just wish I could grasp how to handle everything. I thought I was, but it all went down again. The more I thought about it, the more frightened I became.”
Finn nodded. He looked around, then spotted a TV. “I have about 15 hours before I head out to a different place for important matters. I think… in that time… we can do another movie or two. What do you think? Are you okay with Ares and Sparrow coming here? I see you have a small setup.”
“Y-yes… Ares helped with that, Sparrow too… erm… but, yes, I am okay with them coming here. Can…”
“I can go fetch them,” Finn said cheerfully. “Here, you stay in your hidey-hole, and I will call upon our very excitable friends. Oh, and do not feel insecure about being so quiet, I know you’re thinking that. I am a mind reader, after all.”
Callista widened her eyes. “You–”
Finn laughed, taking Callista into a hug again briefly and ruffling (messing up) her hair. “Nope, Ashkin cannot do that, but I made you admit it right there. A point for Finn!” He cheered, causing Callista to smile lightly and roll her eyes. Finn said, “Stay here, I will fetch the birds like a loyal badger.”
With that, he set off to spark another movie night, this time in ‘Callista’s den’!
