#to-someplace-else

[queenangst]

Hi it's Linny and I'm just gonna adghdSKFSJSJZFSJF???? YOU ARE KILLING ME PLS AIZAWA THEY'RE THE SAME PERSON THEY'RE THE SAAAAMMEEE KIDNAP HIM AND HIS MOTHER INTO PROTECTIVE CUSTODY ALREADY GODDAMNIT I CAN'T I HATE YOU FOR DOING THIS TO ME pls never stop

linny!!!!! 

ahh..... the refreshing sound of reader frustration as everyone is just consumed by the want to grab aizawa and shake his shoulders and yell that he’s right in front of you dumbass hahahaha y’all are the best

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ sorry not really! as i like to say we’re in for the long haul.... so you’ll just have to wait for the day things finally click together (just checked my chapter guide and oh buddy that’s a real long time til we get there)

[feynites]

Before Lavellan took on the duties of Mana'Din, how was she perceived by Dirthamen's followers? Was she liked? Did anyone ever realise that she'd been advising him since she could talk? Or was she just the strange child of the strange Leader?

She was quite well-liked!

The timeline of her life in that ‘verse is basically spending her childhood with Dirthamen and being considered a little odd but very cute by his followers (to be expected, all things considered), and then when she’s old enough for her vallaslin, going and staying with Mythal for a while. Once Mythal was satisfied with her education and the existence of some workable social skills, she then went on a hunt of her own to try and figure out what was going on with the magic and various other elements of the world, to try and determine what might be coming, and what Solas could have sent her back to do (if anything).

So into her adulthood, most of her friends were spirits rather than elves. That put some distance between her and the followers of Dirthamen who had been fond of her as a child, and made her more of a general ‘unknown’ when she finally concluded that her search wasn’t turning much up, and that she was - resignedly - going to have to deal with politics and the evanuris instead.

Her re-engagement with more of society marked the point where Falon’Din grew too bold in his assassination efforts, got the tar beaten out of him for it, and Mana’Din ascended into his place.

There are some followers of Dirthamen’s who still quite like her and view her as a good administrator who can talk some her father out of some bad ideas, but even most of them tend to think that Mana’Din’s ‘child advisor’ stage was more a quirk of Dirthamen’s than a toddler actually helping him to lead. As a child she was considered smart, but in her adulthood Mythal mostly rewrote her reputation as ‘recklessly naive idealist'. So a lot of people credit Dirthamen’s improvements to him learning how to be a better leader through parenting, than Mana’Din’s particular counsel. Which is a muddy area because Dirthamen did, in fact, learn a lot from parenting.

Still, it’s widely known that negotiations with Dirthamen go a lot better if Mana’Din is on your side. And several of Dirthamen’s followers who liked her best and thought her ideas were terrific went to serve her when she was given her own territories. She also accomplished some noteworthy and positively-regarded things, like overhauling Dirthamen’s whole ‘labyrinth’ system so that it resulted in far fewer negligent homicides, and adding in a few more layers to his territories’ judicial system so that not as many things were hinged on his own judgement (and frequent misunderstandings). And she did some more controversial stuff, like outing a whole bunch of corrupt attendants and advisors who had been getting things past Dirthamen for centuries.

And, while Dirthamen and Falon’Din’s relationship was quite unhealthy, a lot of Dirthamen’s high-ranking people had longstanding friendships and relationships with Falon’Din’s. A good chunk of those people were among those outed for corruption (FD has very few high-ranking followers who are not, well, akin to himself). When Falon’Din slaughtered his own people, though, there was a certain perception that the whole thing was Mana’Din’s fault for ‘provoking’ him - a line of thought which those who had been unseated from power latched onto and spun into a conspiracy theory wherein Mana’Din had framed them as part of her own bid to goad her uncle and steal his position. Those conspiracy theorists hold that Mana’Din will eventually also take over her father’s territories, too, and that the current crop of advisors he has are like 50% plants of hers that are undermining his rule and driving him towards uthenera.

Conspiracy theories are pretty common among Dirthamen’s followers, though. No one bothers about them too much unless they translate into action.

[jacksgreysays]

Gambling Away the Past, 12!

Gambling Away The Past (part 10/?), 12) things you said when you thought I was asleep

Today is their last in the relative safety of Sangaku Outpost and, by unspoken agreement, all of Team Kakashi have decided to spend the day on separate ventures. Soon enough it’ll be back to being just their squad–best to get their fill of other company while they can.

Not that other company necessarily equates to better company, of course, especially given the way some of those stationed at the outpost still look at Kakashi with barbed, pointed glares, but there are a few people Shikako, at least, wouldn’t mind meeting with again in the future and she knows her teammates feel the same. At the very least, Kakashi certainly doesn’t mind the opportunity to summon his ninken in a more peaceful situation than he’d get to once they’re back on duty.

And so the team spends their last day at the outpost apart, helping out where they can or getting in some last minute training, before returning to their tent for the evening. They’ll leave at dawn, back to the camp that Ikoma-san runs and which Minato-san generally considers home base, before being sent out on their next mission.

And so Shikako isn’t surprised about being the first one back to the tent, late afternoon, nor does she feel at all bad about flopping onto her bedroll and immediately passing out. Exhausted after one last grueling training session for her and Wakakusa beneath Heijomaru’s steely hooves, Sembei-obaasan making less than helpful comments from the side.

A few hours later, she surfaces from the depths of unconsciousness at the proximity of other chakra signatures, but decides not to fully wake up when she recognizes her teammates. Still, their conversation filters down to her in her dozing state, words hushed but no less heated.

“–can’t believe you still think that! After everything she’s done?” Obito’s voice, the magma of his volcano bubbling ominously.

“Sensei thinks so, too,” Kakashi’s voice, a weak defense, barely any crackle in the ozone, “He said to watch her.”

“Because he thinks she’s some kind of secret fuinjutsu prodigy, not because she’s a spy!” retorts Obito.

Rin, as always, tries to break the tension, “Ikoma-san wouldn’t put her on our team if she were, and Minato-sensei approved it. He wouldn’t do that to us,” she reasons.

There is a moment of silence, Kakashi acknowledging and accepting her point, before he says, “Her story is inconsistent–what little of it she does tell us, anyway. How’d she end up near where our mission was? What happened to her previous team?”

The silence that follows this time is much longer.

Not because the answer is hard to think of, but because one particular answer comes to mind too quickly. Shikako can almost pinpoint the moment when each of her teammates stumble upon it: Obito’s volcano going dormant once more, temper doused immediately. Rin’s breath hitching, dual fire and water flickering and rippling in distress. Kakashi’s electricity flattening out the way it does when he knows he’s said something awful, but can’t apologize for it.

They are at war. There is one simple explanation for how a shinobi could end up all alone in enemy territory without any back up.

It’s morbid to think of as such, but how lucky for her that they’ve all come to the obvious, but wrong conclusion.

~

A/N: It takes significantly less time to break a good practice than to stop a bad one and that is no excuse. I’ll have to reform my daily writing behavior from scratch it seems :/

Sorry for the delay, @to-someplace-else!

[ceiaofsilence]

I'm loving HtS so much, thank you so much for sharing it with us! I'm really impressed by your update schedule as well, you rock! I've seen other people leave you prompts on your Tumblr, and I was wondering if you'd ever do something in Minato's pov? Sorry for bugging you if you're not taking prompts!

Hi there!

I’m glad you love Hear the Silence! It’s one of my favourite fics as well... written by one of my favourite people in the world, @emptysurface.

She’s got a lot of other awesome stories, too!

And there might be Minato POV in the future... but you don’t know that from me.

[themadqueenmab]

AAAAAAAAHHHHH I'M SO GLAD YOU UPDATED AD ASTRA!! THE NEW CHAPTER WAS AMAZING, THANK YOU SO MUCH **capslock flailing**

Aw, thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. <3

[blackkatmagic]

reverse but instead of Kushina being brought back to life it's Uzumaki "a lady does not start fights but she can finish them" Mito.

xDD

Though I can see that going...poorly, as far as Kurama is concerned. Mito is more or less the one he blames for being sealed in the first place, so I don’t think he’d take it well. 

[jacksgreysays]

On the forums dona reminded us of your changeling!Shikako idea. If you still need prompts, could we possibly get something else in that 'verse? Thank you again for these ask box events!

A/N: Considering dona was the one to prompt it in the first place, it’s not really my idea. But I do enjoy that ‘verse so I’ll see if I can do something with it? It’s more world-building than plot, because I had some ideas about Fae in the world of Naruto that didn’t really fit in a Nara-centric ficlet, so I appreciate the opportunity! :D

—

Sometimes–on the very rare occasions where their luck hasn’t set off a ludicrous Rube Goldberg of chaos–Shikako enjoys just… basking in Naruto’s presence.

Eyes closed, face turned towards him, it really is reminiscent of childhood naps on a sunny afternoon.

She is not the first Fae to be captivated by an Uzumaki, and she certainly won’t be the last.

///

The Uzumaki are vibrant–colorful both literally and figuratively–brilliant and beguiling and entirely human.

Normally, when The Court has a guest, the revelry starts on a high point: humans are, after all, easily charmed and quick to ignore their hardships for some carousing. But soon they grow reluctant, body weary, and when they are returned home they always complain about how everyone they’ve ever loved is dead.

So ungrateful.

But Uzumaki guests are eager from start to finish, dancing and drinking as well as any member of The Court, and when they are returned home they hardly blink an eye at the changes around them.

What is a century to a clan known for longevity?

///

Fae are subject to the strictest of rules, the only inhibitor to their preternatural power.

They cannot speak untruths, yes, but that does not mean they cannot deceive. They cannot take what is already claimed, but claims are easy enough to change:

A favor, a name, a face–how simple it is to gain possession of those iron-blooded surface dwellers.

///

No one really remembers much about Kakashi’s mother. It’s true his father was much more infamous, but it’s not entirely the fault of Konoha’s imperfect memory.

After all, it’s from her that Kakashi inherited his penchant for masks.

How unfortunate that he didn’t also inherit the reasoning behind it.

Not that it would matter much: as a changeling, Shikako is free to do as she pleases.

///

The Summer and Winter Courts are forever at war–or, perhaps, are the one and the same just with different adornments.

What do seasons mean to eternal beings? After all, conflict is just another kind of dance.

But the Fae are fickle, not foolish: they send changeling children across the veil for a reason.

///

The Uchiha, as all too clearly proven, were entirely mortal, but fearsome warriors whose reputation impressed even those beyond the forests.

The clan knew better than to get involved with the Fae. Sasuke is just a lone boy carrying the name.

Emotional bonds are the most powerful, crafted not from tangible materials or breakable promises, but from sacrifice.

Blood and heirlooms and secrets exchanged until there can be no more tally of debts, no method to untangle what is owed to who.

All these unwanted, broken orphan boys…

The finest Queen will have the strongest and most loyal of Knights.

~

A/N: Team Seven in the Changeling ‘verse! To be fair, changeling!Shikako doesn’t know about the whole… Fae machinations and turning her team into mortal thralls thing… (゜▽゜;)

Check out the Ask Box Advent Calendar!

[dosbysilverqueen]

Thank you for the update! The line about Aoba's knowledge turning to "dust and ash" legit made me tear up. Poor Shikako.

Poor Aoba! ;_;

-Silver Queen