Noblesse Oblige [Znt/SI]
- Location
- Ireland
Even Shade needs rest.
Nothing can be done about that, I'm afraid.
Akasha
The Only Truth
- Location
- 「̛̛́́ ͏̨҉̕͏ ͏̶̴」
Tch.
I moved all of my food and water to my underground bunker once three hours have passed without an update.
Git gud, scrub.
I'm currently moving my internet with a bucket. My neighbor seems rather amused, but I will be the last one laughing when nukes drop.
I moved all of my food and water to my underground bunker once three hours have passed without an update.
Git gud, scrub.
I'm currently moving my internet with a bucket. My neighbor seems rather amused, but I will be the last one laughing when nukes drop.
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CaesriusPolybius
Worldgate Mechanic
- Location
- United States. Ish.
He vanished for a whole twelve hours a few days ago.
We almost declared him dead.
There wont be any nukes when electromagnetism stops working
Akasha
The Only Truth
- Location
- 「̛̛́́ ͏̨҉̕͏ ͏̶̴」
I'm sorry, but I designed my bunker with nukes in mind. Not the sudden disappearance of electromagnetism.
Unfortunately, I don't have the time to modify the damn thing. I will have to seal myself there and hope it's just nukes. 50% chance.
Dragonskyt
Ashen one, hearest thou my voice, still?
- Location
- Kiln of the First Flame
I've learned the best ways to gain likes in this thread.
You simply have to talk about:
You simply have to talk about:
- Raven. Who doesn't love Best Bird.
- Paranoia. This is a Shade fic. Just because you can't see the Angst, does not mean its not there.
- Comment about Shade's update speed. We all know Shade is the Italian Flash.
- Post a funny, yet relevant, image/video. If somehow connected to previous mentioned topics, all the better.
Akasha
The Only Truth
- Location
- 「̛̛́́ ͏̨҉̕͏ ͏̶̴」
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Chapter Ninety-Two
- Location
- https://discord.gg/z9tBvbh
Chapter Ninety-Two
Once patched up by the local water mages, we left Josette to her family without even a goodbye. To say that there was frost between myself and the Duke was to put it mildly...or perhaps, mildew?
I found myself chuckling despite the pain I felt from the cuts in my hands. The rocking of the carriage didn't help, since it made my blood kind of boil, and the skin in turn felt as if somebody was constantly pinching it. It had to be mental -I was sure they had removed all the bigger bits and pieces of wand that had remained stuck in it, and the splinters would come out on their own, hopefully.
"Is there something funny, husband?" Isabella asked quite flatly, refusing to look at me -especially because of how poorly I had reduced her dress- and yet not letting go of my left hand all the same.
"Just...nothing," I said with a sigh. "For what it matters, it went as I expected."
"For what it matters?" Isabella mumbled, turning her gaze towards me. "For what it matters? We are the only thing that should matter to you, husband, and we are not pleased. We are not pleased at all."
"This taught me a valuable lesson in humility," I remarked, trying to smile gently, "And I won't be doing stuff like this again-at least, not until I find some private tutors to train me-"
"Train you?!" Isabella's hair began to rise. "Train you in what, exactly? The art of dueling? Preposterous! Something so dangerous-doing it repeatedly? Are you out of your mind? This was the only time-Henry, must you make my hair turn white before the time?" she pouted, exhaling loudly. "But when you're set-I guess trying to convince you would be meaningless. Fine! I'm a merciful wife. If you want to train, then do so with someone I pick." Her head dropped down against my shoulder, and her breathing evened out. "I'm tired. So many emotions...I'm tired," she pouted next, pulling my left arm up and then back down, letting it hug her as she left her head on my lap.
I sighed in turn, returning my gaze to the landscape outside.
"Henry," Isabella said suddenly. "To make me forgive you-tell me a story."
"This tall tale begins..." I hummed, "A long, long time ago, in a realm far away. The merciless empire, guided by the tyrannical President Palpatine, and aided by his most vicious henchmen, Darth Vader, used their magic to oppress the people into doing their bidding. Opposing them was a rebellion, one made of just faithful of Brimir-"
Isabella listened as I spoke of the deserted kingdom of Coruscant, where a young farmer by the name of Luke Skywalker had grown-not realizing his destiny, or his ancestry.
By the time the carriage came to a halt within the courtyard of my palace in Brittany, Isabella was peacefully snoring. I sighed as I lifted her up with my arms, the temporary pain nothing to hiss at. She was light, after all. In charge of a Duchy, with a group of highly competent assassins at her beck and call, and yet she couldn't weight more than...what? Fifty? Forty? Thirty? How much did a normal fourteen years old weight again? Wasn't she going to turn fifteen soon enough though? Another year was just about to come to an end, wasn't it?
Was she eating properly? Was it normal for her to be this small? Did she refuse to eat her vegetables or something?
It was with quite the delicateness that I left her in the tender hands of the maids assigned to undress her, and since they were capable of dressing her up even with their eyes closed, they could do the same with her as tired as she was-they even drew her a bath too, apparently.
I stepped outside her rooms and went straight for my office, where newly received letters stood unopened.
I dreaded opening the letters with the Valliere crest more than I dreaded opening the rest of them. The letters had been written by my sister or my mother, or perhaps both, and seemed to be reeking with anger. If this was an anime of sorts, I'd be seeing the letters emit dark fumes and a pair of glaring red eyes stand over them -it was the impression such letters gave me, and yet...yet I found myself opening the first of them all the same, even as a servant opened the window of my office, the fluttering of wings announcing that Raven had perched himself on the edge of the balcony itself.
His nest was there, after all.
"How are you?" I asked in a whisper, my fingers moving to rip the first of the many letters open -ignoring the letter opener a servant had brought to me upon a silver platter. I dismissed the servants with a wave of the hand and came to a halt next to my familiar. Raven flapped his wings and cawed happily by my side.
"Happy!" Raven said. "You?"
"Glad to be alive," I exhaled even as I unfolded the letter, wincing at the tone the letter had been written with.
Dear brother,
Jean-Jacques agrees with me in stating that the air of Gallia must be doing you no good. Where has my wise brother gone? I have received news of the letter you sent mother-the one about Josette having to return home, and you should have seen how much Lulu was crying because of that! She said you were no longer her favorite brother, but when I pointed out you were her only brother, she said you were no longer her favorite sibling. Well, since you made Lulu cry like that, you're no longer my favorite sibling either! Louise and I have each other as favorites-take that, you mean brother!
By the time this letter reaches you, I hope you are fine. Jean-Jacques has declared himself willing to face the odds in your stead should the need arise-please, simply write him back and he will come as soon as possible to be your champion. Do not make us worry so much, brother. Mother said the chances were high a duel would be invoked-please, consider that Jean-Jacques is a candidate for the position of captain of the Griffin Knights.
Also, mother has started doing double the amounts of patrols, perhaps she'd be willing to take your place in a duel should the need arise-whatever happens, brother, please, please, please-
Three pleases? Cattleya, that's three please too much, isn't it?
-don't duel anyone. The kind brother I know of would never fight to hurt someone. I know-we all know. Brother is so kind, he never uses his Wind spells-please reconsider that at least! Mother-even mother says that she's the proudest whenever she hears you chant a wind spell. Please at the very least-
The parchment had tiny smudges, the result of tears, or of marks of spit due to a sudden fit of cough?
-do your best. I trust in brother to write me a letter back saying that everything was solved with his wise words. I trust in my brother to be there for my marriage. So please...I'll pray for you in the name of the Founder and the gods.
With all of my love and my prayers,
your worried sister.
I folded the letter and sighed. "For the people we cherish, we die in glory," I remarked by Raven's side. "I would have thought you'd use the blood raven's one."
Raven cawed, flapping his wings. "Knowledge is power," he cawed softly, "Guard it well." His beak twitched, as if he was smiling. He then hopped closer, and pressed his right wing against my left side. As I gently let my body rest against his side, I proceeded to open the second letter.
"Or hell, maybe the Raven Guard itself," I said.
"Victorus aut mortis," Raven and I both said at the same time, "Victory or death," I blinked as I looked up at the patch of white feathers on Raven's plumage, "You even have their colors," I dryly noted. "Have you faith in the God-Emperor?" I whispered with a chuckle, even as I unfolded the second letter with the Valliere crest.
Son,
Ouch. This was mother.
The pitiful attempts of your father to calm me down have failed. I acknowledged that your whole plan was folly, and I understand that your desire to see it through by yourself is truly the mark of an adult. At the same time, there is no disgrace in doing as countless others have done. Should you...should you find yourself in need of a second, although it has been a while, I am sure I can find someone willing to participate. A friend of mine-
Mother, let's not kid ourselves. You'd have put on an iron mask and come feigning to be someone else. I know it. You know it. We'd just politely feign ignorance about it.
-would be delighted to honor a debt she has towards me. Should you still wish to see your honor through by yourself-then remember that you are the linchpin that keeps the kingdom of Tristain whole. At least, until you have a child.
When are you going to consumate-
And we just entered creepy territory here, mother, so I'll cut you off and skim the lines. Ah-here we go, back to non-creepy territory.
Write back about your intentions, Henry. Or write back about your victory, or your sound beating. However, write back or I will come and personally teach you the basics of letter-writing that you seem to have forgotten.
With my best wishes, and my most sincere affections,
Duchess Karin de la Valliere.
I sighed.
"So..." I mumbled-
"Into the anvils of battle!" Raven cawed, making me jump slightly from the surprise. Did he want to play at Remember the Warcry?
"No?" I replied with an eyebrow raised as soon as my heart calmed down. "It's into the fires of battle, unto the anvils of war."
"Oh," Raven blinked, and then scuttled a bit closer once more. "Sorry. I made a mistake." He cawed in a series of short caws, which was similar to a chuckling verse. "I...I am the machine, and I will not be denied!" he cawed most seriously, huffing his feathered chest.
"Brothers!" I said with a knowing nod, "For vengeance!"
"For purity!" Raven cawed back. "In hatred, be strong!"
"In valor, be sure!" I grinned, "In vengeance, be foremost."
"In suffering! In glory!" we both said at the same time.
I dropped down to sit on the edge of Raven's nest, and he in turn dropped down to his normal nesting position, if with one of his wings to act as my blanket against the chilly night.
"Men of Tanith," I whispered as I yawned, the tiredness of the trip catching up to me softly and quietly, like a skilled assassin waiting for the right moment to strike. "Do you want to live forever?"
"Who wants to live forever?" Raven replied in turn with a hum, a long, drawn out hum. A nostalgic hum. "Who dares to love forever?"
I wondered what had brought up this fit of nostalgia. Even as I wondered it though, I still let it go.
"When love must die..." I mumbled as sleep claimed me without a second chance. I was somewhere warm, my wounds weren't even hurting that much anymore, and I could always take a bath when I woke up.
Of course, I was woken up the next morning by a cold shower of sorts.
Isabella wasn't pleased I had slept in the same nest as my familiar.
I had survived her uncle though-was a man not allowed a prize for such a daring action? Why could I not sleep hugging my most delicious feathered pillow of a familiar? What sort of cruel, horrible person would deny a man such a prize?
This world was unfair. This world...was truly unfair!
Once patched up by the local water mages, we left Josette to her family without even a goodbye. To say that there was frost between myself and the Duke was to put it mildly...or perhaps, mildew?
I found myself chuckling despite the pain I felt from the cuts in my hands. The rocking of the carriage didn't help, since it made my blood kind of boil, and the skin in turn felt as if somebody was constantly pinching it. It had to be mental -I was sure they had removed all the bigger bits and pieces of wand that had remained stuck in it, and the splinters would come out on their own, hopefully.
"Is there something funny, husband?" Isabella asked quite flatly, refusing to look at me -especially because of how poorly I had reduced her dress- and yet not letting go of my left hand all the same.
"Just...nothing," I said with a sigh. "For what it matters, it went as I expected."
"For what it matters?" Isabella mumbled, turning her gaze towards me. "For what it matters? We are the only thing that should matter to you, husband, and we are not pleased. We are not pleased at all."
"This taught me a valuable lesson in humility," I remarked, trying to smile gently, "And I won't be doing stuff like this again-at least, not until I find some private tutors to train me-"
"Train you?!" Isabella's hair began to rise. "Train you in what, exactly? The art of dueling? Preposterous! Something so dangerous-doing it repeatedly? Are you out of your mind? This was the only time-Henry, must you make my hair turn white before the time?" she pouted, exhaling loudly. "But when you're set-I guess trying to convince you would be meaningless. Fine! I'm a merciful wife. If you want to train, then do so with someone I pick." Her head dropped down against my shoulder, and her breathing evened out. "I'm tired. So many emotions...I'm tired," she pouted next, pulling my left arm up and then back down, letting it hug her as she left her head on my lap.
I sighed in turn, returning my gaze to the landscape outside.
"Henry," Isabella said suddenly. "To make me forgive you-tell me a story."
"This tall tale begins..." I hummed, "A long, long time ago, in a realm far away. The merciless empire, guided by the tyrannical President Palpatine, and aided by his most vicious henchmen, Darth Vader, used their magic to oppress the people into doing their bidding. Opposing them was a rebellion, one made of just faithful of Brimir-"
Isabella listened as I spoke of the deserted kingdom of Coruscant, where a young farmer by the name of Luke Skywalker had grown-not realizing his destiny, or his ancestry.
By the time the carriage came to a halt within the courtyard of my palace in Brittany, Isabella was peacefully snoring. I sighed as I lifted her up with my arms, the temporary pain nothing to hiss at. She was light, after all. In charge of a Duchy, with a group of highly competent assassins at her beck and call, and yet she couldn't weight more than...what? Fifty? Forty? Thirty? How much did a normal fourteen years old weight again? Wasn't she going to turn fifteen soon enough though? Another year was just about to come to an end, wasn't it?
Was she eating properly? Was it normal for her to be this small? Did she refuse to eat her vegetables or something?
It was with quite the delicateness that I left her in the tender hands of the maids assigned to undress her, and since they were capable of dressing her up even with their eyes closed, they could do the same with her as tired as she was-they even drew her a bath too, apparently.
I stepped outside her rooms and went straight for my office, where newly received letters stood unopened.
I dreaded opening the letters with the Valliere crest more than I dreaded opening the rest of them. The letters had been written by my sister or my mother, or perhaps both, and seemed to be reeking with anger. If this was an anime of sorts, I'd be seeing the letters emit dark fumes and a pair of glaring red eyes stand over them -it was the impression such letters gave me, and yet...yet I found myself opening the first of them all the same, even as a servant opened the window of my office, the fluttering of wings announcing that Raven had perched himself on the edge of the balcony itself.
His nest was there, after all.
"How are you?" I asked in a whisper, my fingers moving to rip the first of the many letters open -ignoring the letter opener a servant had brought to me upon a silver platter. I dismissed the servants with a wave of the hand and came to a halt next to my familiar. Raven flapped his wings and cawed happily by my side.
"Happy!" Raven said. "You?"
"Glad to be alive," I exhaled even as I unfolded the letter, wincing at the tone the letter had been written with.
Dear brother,
Jean-Jacques agrees with me in stating that the air of Gallia must be doing you no good. Where has my wise brother gone? I have received news of the letter you sent mother-the one about Josette having to return home, and you should have seen how much Lulu was crying because of that! She said you were no longer her favorite brother, but when I pointed out you were her only brother, she said you were no longer her favorite sibling. Well, since you made Lulu cry like that, you're no longer my favorite sibling either! Louise and I have each other as favorites-take that, you mean brother!
By the time this letter reaches you, I hope you are fine. Jean-Jacques has declared himself willing to face the odds in your stead should the need arise-please, simply write him back and he will come as soon as possible to be your champion. Do not make us worry so much, brother. Mother said the chances were high a duel would be invoked-please, consider that Jean-Jacques is a candidate for the position of captain of the Griffin Knights.
Also, mother has started doing double the amounts of patrols, perhaps she'd be willing to take your place in a duel should the need arise-whatever happens, brother, please, please, please-
Three pleases? Cattleya, that's three please too much, isn't it?
-don't duel anyone. The kind brother I know of would never fight to hurt someone. I know-we all know. Brother is so kind, he never uses his Wind spells-please reconsider that at least! Mother-even mother says that she's the proudest whenever she hears you chant a wind spell. Please at the very least-
The parchment had tiny smudges, the result of tears, or of marks of spit due to a sudden fit of cough?
-do your best. I trust in brother to write me a letter back saying that everything was solved with his wise words. I trust in my brother to be there for my marriage. So please...I'll pray for you in the name of the Founder and the gods.
With all of my love and my prayers,
your worried sister.
I folded the letter and sighed. "For the people we cherish, we die in glory," I remarked by Raven's side. "I would have thought you'd use the blood raven's one."
Raven cawed, flapping his wings. "Knowledge is power," he cawed softly, "Guard it well." His beak twitched, as if he was smiling. He then hopped closer, and pressed his right wing against my left side. As I gently let my body rest against his side, I proceeded to open the second letter.
"Or hell, maybe the Raven Guard itself," I said.
"Victorus aut mortis," Raven and I both said at the same time, "Victory or death," I blinked as I looked up at the patch of white feathers on Raven's plumage, "You even have their colors," I dryly noted. "Have you faith in the God-Emperor?" I whispered with a chuckle, even as I unfolded the second letter with the Valliere crest.
Son,
Ouch. This was mother.
The pitiful attempts of your father to calm me down have failed. I acknowledged that your whole plan was folly, and I understand that your desire to see it through by yourself is truly the mark of an adult. At the same time, there is no disgrace in doing as countless others have done. Should you...should you find yourself in need of a second, although it has been a while, I am sure I can find someone willing to participate. A friend of mine-
Mother, let's not kid ourselves. You'd have put on an iron mask and come feigning to be someone else. I know it. You know it. We'd just politely feign ignorance about it.
-would be delighted to honor a debt she has towards me. Should you still wish to see your honor through by yourself-then remember that you are the linchpin that keeps the kingdom of Tristain whole. At least, until you have a child.
When are you going to consumate-
And we just entered creepy territory here, mother, so I'll cut you off and skim the lines. Ah-here we go, back to non-creepy territory.
Write back about your intentions, Henry. Or write back about your victory, or your sound beating. However, write back or I will come and personally teach you the basics of letter-writing that you seem to have forgotten.
With my best wishes, and my most sincere affections,
Duchess Karin de la Valliere.
I sighed.
"So..." I mumbled-
"Into the anvils of battle!" Raven cawed, making me jump slightly from the surprise. Did he want to play at Remember the Warcry?
"No?" I replied with an eyebrow raised as soon as my heart calmed down. "It's into the fires of battle, unto the anvils of war."
"Oh," Raven blinked, and then scuttled a bit closer once more. "Sorry. I made a mistake." He cawed in a series of short caws, which was similar to a chuckling verse. "I...I am the machine, and I will not be denied!" he cawed most seriously, huffing his feathered chest.
"Brothers!" I said with a knowing nod, "For vengeance!"
"For purity!" Raven cawed back. "In hatred, be strong!"
"In valor, be sure!" I grinned, "In vengeance, be foremost."
"In suffering! In glory!" we both said at the same time.
I dropped down to sit on the edge of Raven's nest, and he in turn dropped down to his normal nesting position, if with one of his wings to act as my blanket against the chilly night.
"Men of Tanith," I whispered as I yawned, the tiredness of the trip catching up to me softly and quietly, like a skilled assassin waiting for the right moment to strike. "Do you want to live forever?"
"Who wants to live forever?" Raven replied in turn with a hum, a long, drawn out hum. A nostalgic hum. "Who dares to love forever?"
I wondered what had brought up this fit of nostalgia. Even as I wondered it though, I still let it go.
"When love must die..." I mumbled as sleep claimed me without a second chance. I was somewhere warm, my wounds weren't even hurting that much anymore, and I could always take a bath when I woke up.
Of course, I was woken up the next morning by a cold shower of sorts.
Isabella wasn't pleased I had slept in the same nest as my familiar.
I had survived her uncle though-was a man not allowed a prize for such a daring action? Why could I not sleep hugging my most delicious feathered pillow of a familiar? What sort of cruel, horrible person would deny a man such a prize?
This world was unfair. This world...was truly unfair!
- Location
- https://discord.gg/z9tBvbh
On the other hand, writing fluffy omakes makes me d'awww inside.
Like funny different POVs and things like that.
Or Tvtropes pages.
*Hint hint. Nudge nudge. Wink*
- Location
- Canada
Math checks out. It's either nukes or not nukes. 50/50.
- Location
- Somewhere!
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I can feel the fluff overtaking me, and I think this is getting dangerously sweet.
Anon42
Some random dude
- Location
- Sweden
Uh... Shade, you're not supposed to eat your familiar, last I checked.
- Location
- Elsewhere
Speaking of which.
It's been a week since I submitted my attempt at comedy for screening. Should I consider it automatically passed or rejected if no one says anything?
(You're staff, so I can ask you these things instead of having to track down a mod right?)
Riha
Literally best girl
- Location
- New York
- Pronouns
- She/Her
You're not the only one. SO CUTE
Oh I am slain!
Wynaut?
- Location
- Tatooine
The true reason why Shade likes Raven so much: the memeing makes him feel right at home, as if he were back in his old world, on the Internet, posting ZnT fics. 
Backlash177
Certifiably Insane
- Location
- Australia
Thank you for making this, but I meant Josette hating Charles and refusing to go home with him.
Raven is smart Best Bird; he knows hopping makes people angry at him and Master, so he's switched to scuttling- which doesn't leave marks.
Raven deserves cuddles from Loving Master for being good and helpful!
- Location
- https://discord.gg/z9tBvbh
I'll let you know, or they'll let you know.
Your concern has been noticed, citizen.
The Big Shade is watching you.
Pre reborn SpaceBattlers: sooooooon™.
- Location
- sweden
Heresy! Our Lord is the unholy union of the flash and a typewriter. Such a creature needs not something as trivial as sleep.
- Pronouns
- she/her
I call bullshit on the claim that there was an important lesson in humility for either party as a result of this solution.
Charles' current situation is the direct result of trying to ask others for help instead of relying on his own power to solve all his problems. And killing Henry wasn't going to fuck him over, it was made very clear by all other parties involved that Charles did have the justification to murder Henry in a duel over this, and that Henry would be relying on his sense of mercy for survival. However Charles still did not learn anything by deciding to not to turn Henry into a fine paste as he was already stated to not normally kill people in duels.
And the latest chapter makes it very clear whether or not Henry learned any real humility from this:
9.5/10 as according to keikaku, would play suicide chicken again with revisions.
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