So like. We're at Kaleidoscope vs Prison duo. And I want you to consider;
Kaleidoscope are pretty and all- they're the fluff. All the pet names and cute cuddly fics and artwork show this. Malitae is cautious but eccentric, neverendingly curious and creative. Midas is scarred and hurting, but does care about the well being of others, which is clear from their last conversation with Icarus. They seem to have messed up in some way with their world.
And then we have prison duo. Prison duo are two people who are wartorn and scarred. There's fluff there, but those two have had WAY more time to develop. I remember people once saying that Wolftross was a cute relationship, and then people countering it with no- those two found each other after years of being worn down with the world, clutching onto each other like they were the final light in the middle of a neverending darkness.
Icarus and Centross, to me, are another type of relationship like this. They've gone from being partners in crime (with a bit of a spiteful yet friendly relationship) to enemies to close friends. They've seen each other cry and fight and beaten and bruised and evil and snarling and shaking from fear. They've been through most things that throw wrenches in relationships. Yet Violet still hovered over Icarus and told them that they weren't alone, even though icarus hadn't done anything to stop his death.
These two CARE. There is something special about being able to turn to the man who taunted you and hurt you and still call him a friend. There's something special about being able to look at the person who locked you in a prison and almost killed you and still stay near them. There is something special, that after all of this, these two were still friends. And they could be more.
I personally do see them as a QPR. The relationship between these two couldn't just stick as a normal one and them still be around each other. I don't think they'd really be romantic, though I can understand the hype.
To me, though I love and adore Kaleidoscope, Prison Duo has much more backing in the sheer amount these two had to go through.
Take your pick between the two; Rainbow, fluff based smiles and kisses; or war-torn scars healing with smiles and years of cautiously earned trust?
So I've been thinking recently and got hit with a thought about the Fablesmp finale, specifically Sherbert's pov. What if it goes something like this?
Icarus is about to be killed, Quixis can't let them die but they're too weak to cause a reset so their last-ditch effort is to try and pull Icarus into the Worldport. BUT because Quixis is so weak (and presumably will be much weaker by the end of the season) it's even more difficult to use their powers. So they actually have to try to pull Icarus themselves. (...Don't ask me how that'd work.) Like-
Icarus feels something grab the back of their coat and yank them backward. They fall as the world around them blurs and shifts into the Worldport, they're falling away from the yellow portal and stumble to the ground. Someone pulls them up and away from the gateway as the path beneath their feet begins to crumble into the void below. They are left staring at their only way home with no way of getting back to it. Icarus turns around in a fit of panic and rage only to be face to face with a being they've never seen before. Then a realization hits them. Quixis.
So Isla married Fable out of necessity, basically.
When a conqueror is at your door, you must find some way to pacify him- so she did.
I don't think Isla ever thought that Fable was a "good man." sure, she didn't know he was a god. But in her eyes, he was a man killing for his own desire, for control. Maybe she thought he'd be nicer in his marriage. But he wasn't.
As Fable said himself, he didn't know how to be a mortal man.
Fable had all of this power in his hands. The control, the loving subjects, the ruthless armies. The fact that he was the god of creation.
While Isla may have not seen the entire picture- that godhood- there was no evidence that everything would go well. All she could do was hope.
And that hope was crushed as the marriage progressed. Her talks with Enderian, the growing worry for Icarus as he sat under the influence of his father, being pregnant with Enderian's child, the things Enderian told her, the more she saw the "humanity" of Enderian and her people, then Soul, and Athena.
But even if Isla didn't know the entire picture; she still knew a bit. And she still chose to sacrifice her live, her happiness, her hope, her dreams to save her people. And then to save her son.
I think Isla would be proud of Rae. His tireless passion for discovery, his willingness to drive himself to the ground for others. But I do think she'd tell him to breathe. To ask for help. Just like she asked for help.
I think she'd hate that Icarus has fallen into Fable's hands. She knows the "love" he displays firsthand, and that's not something she'd want for Icarus. I'm not sure she'd even blame Icarus- to an extent, maybe, but moreover she would blame the man that manipulated Icarus into that.
Icarus didn't kill Haley because Enderian said so. Icarus killed Haley because he was searching for approval. Approval he never got. Not from Enderian. Not from Centross. Not from his own father.
So while Enderian may have been the vessel for blame in that situation- and she was truly at fault for a lot of it- Enderian didn't make Icarus kill Haley. All Enderian did was (accidentally) emphasize that part of Icarus that desired so much to be loved, to have approval.
But Fable's the one who put that insecurity into Icarus's head.
Anyways, Fable sucks, Enderian sucks but less, and Isla is the one of the strongest and best women to ever exist.
I am not versed in a ton of sherbert lore, but I submit a song for all of those who really really like the sherbertverse for consideration in how it fits various sherberts:
Come Away by Rose Betts
lil bit of what my brain sees it as below:
Oh come away with me
I must leave today
Dawn will come, but I will run
And be never seen again
Various sherbert versions- more specifically Ashril mayhaps
There's nothing here but echoes
It's a city full of ghosts
A version of myself
At every corner I knew most
My footsteps turning rotten
As my voice starts to decay
I'll only be forgotten
Like the shadows in this place
Quixis! Whether that's Midas or Icarixis, your choice-
So come away with me
Won't you come away
Dawn will rise, but this time I
Will be never seen again
Icarus- maybe to Ven, or to Rae, but the going away is going to Fable)
Oh come away with me
I must leave today
Dawn will come but I will run
And be never seen again
Could also be Ashril running?
I took you for a sailor
For a man without a shore
You put me in a cage
It only made me want you more
Prison duoooo
I liked wearing the colours
That you planted on my skin
But none of it could keep you
From a mistress like the wind
Could be Ashril, could be prisonduo, could be uhhh whatever EOD/event Sherbert is?
So come away with me
Won't you come away
Dawn will rise, but this time I
Will be never seen again
Oh come away with me
I must leave today
Dawn will come but I will run
And be never seen again
Same as above, various sherbert versions
Never, never, never, never seen again
Never, never, never
Krit, Ashril, etc-
I made it through the winter
And I waited by the door
But this city and my sailor
They don't call for me no more
My friends moved to the suburbs
I'm the fool who stayed behind
A flower in the gutter
Seeing stars but losing time
Ashril, Icarus/Icarixis, Midas
So come away with me
Won't you come away
Dawn will rise, but this time I
Will be never seen again
Oh come away with me
I must leave today
Dawn will come but I will run
And be never seen again
(Aah ooh, aah, ooh)
Never, never, never, never seen again
(Aah ooh, aah, ooh)
Never, never, never
Never seen again
IMPORTANT: please suggest quotes for those I don't have an idea for! It'd be very helpful, especially because I don't have all the VODs! I need quotes for: Rae, Caspian, Momboo, Jamie, Easton, Centross, Ven, Athena, Wolf, Arisanna, Haley, and Icarus. Open for suggestions on Ocie, Ulysses, and Aax!
I think when Fable ends I'm going to work on a series of pieces- love letters to the entire story and how much it's impacted me. I've got a few planned but I need Fable to end before I start it, because whatever happens from now to the finale- including the finale itself, is going to be so important in relation to these! A few of the already like- dead dead characters I can work with though
I want to include text within them, so;
Rae - Rae's is going to be one of the most fun. There is so much I can do- so many directions. The finale will probably solidify which I do! A few things are for certain though; 1) aspects of the skulk. Most likely will be vines crawling up the background! 2) Aspects of the three shards- Alerion, Enderian, and Perix. Probably will be conveyed through color! Enderian will have a more specific nod as she's more present within Rae himself! Some sort of crown would sort of be my idea. 3) Stars. Of some sort, I want there to be stars. 4) A crown. Will probably be end-esque but we shall see!
Aax -There are a few things I know I want for Aax as well! 1) Four. Such an iconic thing for Aax- it's gotta be there. 2) Glowberries (because why not) 3) A trident and an axe.
Aax's words will probably be something like "by design", or something about protecting Rae and Caspian!
(more below cut. It's a lot of words-)
Caspian - The problem with Caspian is I don't know an absolute ton about him! I do know a decent bit though, I'd say. A few things I want to include: 1) a quill. what's a writer without his tools? 2) A nod to momboo in some way. I'll figure that out. 3) Redstone/gadgetry of some kind. 4) something Atlas related, if not Atlas herself.
Momboo - I want a lot of nature themed elements, of course, but also a splash of color. The glitching. May do a half and half but probably not- it'll probably be worked in there somehow tho! I want nods to Jamie and Easton as well. Not sure on the quote yet!
Jamie - I hold Jamie in my little hands. I want nods to Athena, Momboo, and Easton in there, as well as Eeji, whatever the sheep is named, the camel and Solaris! I might have them as tiny creatures within the art piece itself! There will be an increase of nature themed elements as well, a nod to how they inherited that from Momboo! (no quote so far)
Easton: I don't know too much about Easton as well, sadly! I want to include lightning, skulk, nods to their mother and sibling, and the border will probably be a heart monitor type line (well within the border), a nod to how they see the world! (no quote so far)
Athena: I of course want Nether elements, but also a nod to Jamie, nature/flowers, and Cheshire! Cheshire might be included, possibly at the bottom or draped across Athena's neck. Whatever I can get to work! I kind of want to draw her in his fancy nether outfit, because I feel like it fits? (no quote so far)
Ven: The little traitor man! (/aff) I want nods to Fengari and some sort of writing detail! I don't know a ton about Ven, but I may include some nods to Fable (twisting yellow claws, etc!) (no quote so far!)
Ocie: I have the most idea for Ocie- she's the one that started my brain a'going. One of the strongest themes in Ocie's character is grief. It's lost so many people- and now another one, Len. Features I want to include are: 1) a nod to Momboo, 2) Oscar, 3) I kind of want her eyes to glow, 4) a heart of the sea, 5) tears.
The words on her piece will probably be "Another empty grave." (or "I don't want to dig another grave.", or "It takes every piece away"!)
Centross: Wouldn't be a Centross piece without a nod to the end! A note that this piece will be of Violet! I want to display each character sort of in their "final form", whatever that may be. I want stars, the reaver, and a nod to the farming. His quote will probably be something cryptic about keeping the balance!
Wolf/Fenris: Fenris's is another that is going to be really fun! I may add a phantom mask over his face, as well as the moon above or behind his head. I want him in a fancy outfit- probably the one Malitae gave him, or the Festival of light one. There will be stars for Rae, and maybe wheat for Centross? Not sure of a quote yet!
Arisanna: Gotta have allays. But also pillager references! The border will probs have arrows within it! She'll also have some sort of book reference, whether that be the background or her holding one!
Icarus: Wings and potions and wack. Icarus's will be colorful, feathery, and otherwise I'm not entirely sure! I want a crown, so icarus's matches the rest of prince trio's. I also want to highlight their eyes! Otherwise, I think help from y'all and also the finale will help. Quote might be "Oh, we're doing this again?" but I am very very very open to suggestions
Haley: Haley's is going to be eerie- probably a reference to how she died, but also I want something puppet-y about her! not sure what else, and for the quote all i got is "this wasn't how it was supposed to go"
Ulysses: formerly evil fish man WOOO! Gotta have references to medical stuff, possibly have Victor in there, telchin stuff, and alcohol. Ulysses is trying to make amends, to fix the wrongs, to improve. I don't know how I can convey the layers of that well, like I can with Ocie's grief. Honestly, the quote might be the best way to do that! ("I'm sorry", or "I didn't mean for this to happen", maybe?)
I won't be doing one for Galahad, Will, or Chaos! Galahad and Will because I don't know their characters that well, and I feel like it'd be out of place now. Chaos for infer-able reasons.
Addie may be added if I have time, motivation, and if we see addie again before the end!
The only thing Icarus has left is that tiny thread of hope that hangs onto one man. Fable.
So no matter how much the things' cry in protest, they'll never listen. Because at this point, aren't they about as good as dirt? Rae surely won't want them back after that, if he ever did actually want him back. The rest of Lodestar grove probably wants him dead!
So he'll be a good son. Because now, that's the only good thing about him.
