SVYTLANA "SVEE" FARONA

It's hard moving on from the things you've done wrong
When they play in your head like an old-fashioned song

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(this carrd is a constant wip, some links are hidden/broken)svee is my character from FFXIV, but her story and lore is incredibly divergent from game canon. i break rules in order to tell the story i want to tell with her specifically. please consider her almost like a FFXIV-inspired oc — the rules and lore of the game only apply as much as i want them to!note: svee uses masc terms. call her "ser" (sir) instead of "ma'am/miss", "handsome" not "pretty", etc.this is not a RP profile — i do not RP! this is just a really crazy personal project

art by snooze

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BASICS

PERSONALITY

Cynical, pessimistic, and aloof, with her head constantly up her own ass, “Svee” Farona is perhaps Hydaelyn’s worst choice for a Warrior of Light, unless her idea of a good WOL is a major fixer-upper.Svee goes through her life with a “fuck you, got mine” attitude; no matter what, her priorities are always on self-preservation, and she puts her interests before the safety of others almost every time. This is in direct contrast to her role as Hydaelyn’s chosen, and proves a frequent struggle for her. Svee often blatantly refuses to see the world outside of her narrow sphere and acknowledge that some things are more important than her, insisting that only herself and those closest to her matter. After a childhood of neglect and blame, she finds herself unable to believe that anyone other than her has her best interest at heart. She is also painfully stubborn, often insisting that she is right even when she is very clearly in the wrong, and digging her heels in when people attempt to prove otherwise.Svee drifts from occupation to occupation feeling unhappy and unfulfilled, chasing anything that might offer her stability but denying herself anything that might bring her happiness. She speaks in a blunt, dry manner, often using deadpan jokes and sarcasm to express her humor. That’s if she speaks, however — Svee says as little as she can get away with, and will try to remain as impersonal as possible in what she does say. She isn’t interested in casual conversation, and insists that she doesn’t do “small talk”. People often find her impersonal, cold, or even cruel because of this, and many do not even know anything about her; she does this on purpose, in an effort to keep people from getting close to her.She is relatively shallow, and does not hide the fact that she will sleep with almost any pretty femme who gives her the time of day. She’s a terminal womanizer, earning enough of a reputation that the Admiral was aware of (and annoyed by) her antics during her time in the Maelstrom. She is rather full of herself when it comes to getting someone to come home with her, but lacks confidence with emotional intimacy. She has never had a relationship previously, often ghosting anyone who might be interested in her, but begins a steady relationship with Minfilia shortly after joining the Scions.Svee is fundamentally against the concept of gods and religion, in direct contradiction to her wife’s fervent belief in Hydaelyn. She believes herself to be outside of the reach of fate, fully believing that she can make her own choices, and that she is above anything that might ask her to choose anything other than herself. She is initially very bad at being the WOL; she has no interest in politics, will refuse to cooperate if something does not either interest or immediately threaten her, and is not interested in any grand cause. She has zero interest in serving or even respecting Hydaelyn, and sees her role as the WOL as a burden, rather than a blessing. She often refuses to take credit for her actions as the WOL, instead stating that she is simply following Minfilia’s orders.She is prone to obsessiveness and possessive tendencies. She is obsessed with control in all situations, and always seeks to have the upper hand. She does not like to be seen as vulnerable or exposed, and wants to give off an aura of unshakable confidence and security, despite being deeply insecure and lonely. She does not accept help easily, frequently isolates herself, and is extremely introverted. Public appearances are not her strong suit, but she is an excellent leader on the battlefield, due to her fierce practicality and level-headedness during combat. Her relationship with Minfilia devolves into possessiveness and toxicity due to her desire to pull Minfilia into her shallow worldview, believing herself to be the only one that can protect her, and this eventually leads to their (temporary) separation.People who have managed to befriend her note that she still struggles to express her affections with words — instead, you'll find she'll offer to repair your gear, or she'll make you gifts. She is well aware of some of her shortcomings, and, when she really cares about someone, makes an effort with her actions to make up for her lack of verbal grace. Prior to Shadowbringers, however, she still keeps herself guarded; even those closest to her do not know her true intentions, and she continues to trend toward selfishness over anything else.Over the course of the storyline, Svee’s behavior improves — she is forced to confront her flaws, instead of running from them, like she had done every time before. She is a very static person, who will refuse to change unless given no other choice. Svee learns over time to be gentler with her words and more forgiving and understanding of others; she learns to give others the benefit of the doubt, learns that not everything revolves around her, and learns to be humble in a more genuine way.By Endwalker, she is much more easy-going; she frequently makes dad jokes, laughs loud and often, and has an air of self-assured confidence that she previously could not even attempt to fake. She learns to let go and live a little, and stops being so self-obsessed that she fails to acknowledge that other people matter. Deep down, she has always had a desire to be recognized and a sensitive heart, but trauma made her insist on living while hiding behind a front, rather than letting anyone see her true personality. She learns to love, and loves hard, but without running away from being emotionally vulnerable, or clinging so hard that it hurts other people. She learns to apologize for her mistakes, and she and Minfilia re-establish their relationship seven years later, after the event of Minfilia’s rebirth (in her storyline).

— Really I just love the idea of a WOL being someone who is really, really bad at it — someone who has to continuously decide to do The Good Thing. Someone who isn’t already a great hero and has to be convinced to leave their own personal agenda for the sake of others. And someone who, throughout it all, learns to be better.

PHYSICAL TRAITS

BUILD: Muscular and stocky. Not chiseled, but muscle is still visible — especially in her arms and back. Basically flat-chested, with little to no curves. Use the m!miqo'te model or Abby from TLOU2 as body references for her. Paws, with additional fur running up her calves — both her thighs and calves are slightly shorter to accomodate for the extra height.EYES: Both previously different shades of green; now right white, left green. White eye is blind.SKIN: Tanned, warm-toned. Miqo’te clan markings are only visible on the un-scarred side of her face. Scar extends from eyebrow down the side of her neck and arm (some older art doesn’t show the arm part). Arm part of scar has a vague lightning-bolt pattern.

VOICE: (see above video)A combination of Brandi Carlile's lower singing register and Florence Pugh's performance as Yelena Belova in Black Widow. Low to mid-tone, rough, cracks if she raises her voice. Has a lot of power in her voice even though she doesn’t speak very loud, and tone is somewhat monotone/flat. Heavy accent, confuses people often (pirate + Lominsan + Ala Mhigan) because they can't pinpoint what kind of accent it is. Forces her voice lower than it naturally is. Voice sounds tonally more like Brandi Carlile, but vocal mannerisms/delivery and accent are more like Yelena/Florence. A good singer, but quite embarrassed about it, and unlikely to perform.ETC: Long ears, with long fur and black spotted tufts on the ends. Ears rarely go “up”, are usually straight back when relaxed. Nails grow more to resemble claws. Fangs. Only wears one earring, usually on her right. Depending on the age, has graying hair.OUTFITS & GEAR
All gear is somewhat modified, because she has paws, and I like to take artistic liberties.May show her stomach and arms but will NEVER show her legs (won't wear shorts or pants with cutouts) (no one knows why she does this). She only uses Suzaku weapons. Prefers things with leather and fur trim. Not a fan of plate armor. Does not wear “feminine” clothes like dresses, blouses, etc.

THE NAME THING

Svee changes her name after being kicked out of her tribe and gives herself a new name to try and “reinvent” herself, but it sort of backfires. She doesn’t want to feel “seen” at all, and then when she does want to feel seen, she can’t go back on it. She won’t even tell people “Svyla” half the time. Just Svee. Her trust issues run so deep that she feels like she dug a hole for herself where no one even knows her real, actual name, because she’s got a shaky sense of identity and is scared to lose it.(i really like name narratives!! and secret names only special people know, etc)

TRIVIA

- she is a morning person and takes her coffee black, likes to be up before the sun rises and get some work done or read before she has to do anything
- learns to play guitar as one of the many hobbies she picks up after ARR (while minfilia is gone) to keep herself occupied. she likes to play folk-esque songs
- in modern AUs she’s usually a history major/has a history degree
- she can’t use magic anymore, but still is really interested in magic theory and aether studies
- not the biggest fan of chocobos at first - grew up around griffons
- she’s not from Limsa at all, but her "pirate-ish" accent leads people to assume that she is
- can tolerate the heat well, but gets cold easy
- gender-wise she doesn’t care about being referred to as a woman but doesn’t like gendered terms like ma’am/miss/etc (use masc terms). she doesn’t like to think about it too hard.
- she loves children, and attempts to parent any sorry teen who crosses her path; she also loves baby animals, and believes wholeheartedly that animals are often better than people

ALIGNMENT: True Neutral
“True neutral characters are concerned with their own well-being and that of the group or organization which aids them. They may behave in a good manner to those that they consider friends and allies, but will only act maliciously against those who have tried to injure them in some way. For the rest, they do not care. They do not wish ill on those they do not know, but they also do not care when they hear of evil befalling them. Better for others to suffer the evil than the true neutral and his allies. If an ally is in need, the true neutral will aid him, out of genuine love or because he may be able to count on that ally a little more in the future. If someone else is in need, they will weigh the options of the potential rewards and dangers associated with the act. If an enemy is in need, they will ignore him or take advantage of his misfortune.A true neutral character will keep his word if in his best interest. He may attack an unarmed foe if he feels it necessary. He will not kill, but may harm an innocent. He may use torture to extract information, but never for pleasure. He will never kill for pleasure, only in self-defense or in the defense of others. A true neutral character may use poison as long as there is an overwhelming need. He will help those in need if it is in his best interest and works well alone or in a group. He responds well to higher authority until that authority attempts to use the law to hamper his ability to pursue his own self-interest. He will follow the law unless breaking it is in his best interest and he's reasonably sure that he will not be caught. He will never betray a family member, comrade, or friend unless the situation is dire. True neutral characters are indifferent to the concepts of self-discipline and honor, finding them useful only if they can be used to advance their own interests.Possible adjectives describing true neutral characters: diplomatic, judgmental, enigmatic, aloof, distant, self-reliant, mediatory, even-handed, fair, indifferent, and impartial.”— xMBTI: ISTP
People with an ISTP personality are results-oriented. When there is a problem, they want to quickly understand the underlying cause and implement some type of solution. ISTPs are often described as quiet, but with an easy-going attitude towards others.ISTPs enjoy new experiences and may often engage in thrill-seeking or even risk-taking behaviors. They often engage in risky or fast-paced hobbies such as motorcycling, hang gliding, bungee jumping, surfing or ice hockey. In some cases, they may seek out adventure by choosing careers in areas such as racing, flying, or firefighting.They prefer to make judgments based upon objective criteria rather than personal beliefs or values. ISTPs are not well attuned to the emotional states of others, and they can sometimes be seen as a bit insensitive. They also distance themselves from their own emotions, ignoring their feelings until they become overwhelming.One common myth about ISTPs is that they are the stoic, silent type. While they do tend to be reserved, this does not mean that they do not experience strong emotions. Instead, they are good at keeping a cool head, maintaining their objectivity, and coping with crisis.

first art by andrea, rest by me

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WARNING FOR... you know... spoilers!I get very canon-divergent, so be aware that Svee will often veer off the course of the canon game story for the sake of the story I'm telling with her. If the lore doesn't match up, I did that on purpose. Changes are made to better fit her specific character, and some events she is simply not present for at all, rather than having her precisely follow story.Svee's entire MSQ timeline takes approximately 10 years.
She is around 30-31 at the start of ARR, and around 40 at the end of ENDW.

above art by noctli

• PRE-ARR - SB
• SHB - EW (TBA)

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BACKGROUND

Events leading up to ARR
Classes: Rogue, Gladiator

Born in the Fringes along the Velodyna river, Svee's family fled Ala Mhigo prior to the Garlean invasion and raised her in the Shroud. Not welcomed by the resident Keeper tribes and rejected by the greater city-state, her tribe primarily kept to themselves. Svee grew up with strained family relations and detachment from both her relatives and her peers; as the youngest of seven and the "runt of the litter", she was often ignored or regarded with distaste.Her self-inflicted injury is a blight upon her family; amidst a crisis already, they see her situation as not an accident but a curse from the Twelve themselves. They tell her to run, and to never look back.Homeless and adrift at the age of fourteen, Svee flees the Shroud, finding her way to La Noscea and joining a band of pirates. The crew allows her to stay, so long as she agrees to do her part and become one of them.Her birthname is lost to time, and she wishes for it to remain buried. She decides to choose her own name, but, overwhelmed by insecurity and afraid to let anyone close, she only tells people "Svee".Svee remains a pirate until the age of nineteen, when her crew is captured by the Maelstrom and forced to surrender. Merlwyb gives her an ultimatum — serve time for the thievery and crimes they have committed, or join the Maelstrom.Being the workaholic that she is, Svee throws herself into the work and rises to the rank of Lieutenant in her five years of service. She's unliked by most of her colleagues, however, due to her harsh tongue and incredibly strict and impersonal attitude.The conflict between her and her cohorts and the near-monotony of her work leads to tension, which then leads to somewhat of a breakdown as she realizes she does not feel like she has a place in the world. Unable to continue work and struck with a mid-mid-life crisis, she resigns from her position in the Maelstrom and decides to continue as a sellsword, a week before the fall of Dalamud. She hopes to maybe find some semblance of self-identity, but all she finds is an unending sense of restlessness, and a furthering of her trust and isolationist issues.

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THE SCAR INCIDENT

Overlooked by her family and desperate for attention and recognition, fourteen-year-old Svee turns to thaumaturgy, determined to become the best Black Mage the Shroud has ever seen. She manages to sneak away a hefty amount of advanced tomes on thaumaturgy, and, in her eagerness and insatiable ambition, jumps ahead much further than she should.This quite literally explodes in her face.Due to either an innate lack of ability or a lack of practice, or both, Svee lacks the ability to balance her mana, and cannot cast ice spells to restore her own MP. Overloaded with fire aether, the staff shatters, scarring her and permanently blinding her eye.(You can read this in comic form here.)This leads to a mana deficiency, rendering her incapable of casting spells and dramatically limiting her ability to manipulate aether.- can’t teleport easily (similar to Thancred)
- can’t cast ice spells at all, can produce some fire/sparks but nothing substantial
- starts trying to “physical therapy” it with RDM during Stormblood; this backfires — getting pulled to the first at the end of SB patches totally rids her of her remaining ability to use MP and aether
- can only use MP for a very limited amount of time before she’s forced to stop or swap weapons
- can’t use paladin abilities, so up until the end of SB she’s a gladiator still; when she picks up warrior she also can’t use the healing skills/passive abilityShe eventually just learns to live with it.

A REALM REBORN

Approximate time frame: 4 years
Classes: Rogue, Gladiator

After losing five years of her memory from the Calamity and leaving the Maelstrom in a crisis of identity and a particularly bad bout of depression, a purposeless and antsy Svee makes herself known as a particularly talented sword-for-hire and commissioned blacksmith. Through a twist of fate, perhaps serendipity, she happens upon Thancred during a mission in La Noscea.Thancred notices something special about her. He has a proposition for her, and urges her to follow him back to meet his boss — someone he thinks she would be inclined to meet. Purely because she has nothing else to do, she follows him, but tells him she makes no promises.Minfilia is kind enough in her eloquent introductions of her organization’s purpose, but Svee finds no real meaning in her words of saving the world from imminent collapse — this is beyond her comprehension, as someone who rarely considers others outside of herself — but, for some reason, she finds herself staying to listen to the woman’s speech in its entirety. Svee isn’t interested in the glory or the fame, or to be the one doing the right thing. She isn’t really in it for any reason at all, and certainly not because some people she’s never heard of say she’s a chosen one. However… the job is consistent, and it gives her a place to crash. Despite wanting to remain unattached, she finds herself craving consistency, and accepts the invitation as a hired sword.She pretends that she doesn’t care. She pretends so hard, and, for the most part, it’s true. She doesn’t believe in Hydaelyn, she doesn’t believe in a higher purpose, and she isn’t so sure about the roots and motives of this organization she’s found herself in the center of. But the Antecedent is charming, and she’s taken an interest in Svee. Svee finds herself drawn in by Minfilia’s words, wit, and wisdom, and she begins to involve herself more voluntarily in Scion missions — though, of course, she continues the act of keeping her walls up and her mouth shut.After one late night and a few drinks, and then several more late nights following, Minfilia and Svee begin to form a relationship. Svee finds herself tied to something — someone — for the first time in her life, and she starts to find a particular kind of pride in carrying out her missions to completion. Her relationship to the Antecedent is kept on the down-low, but rumors begin to spread; some believe it to be a publicity stunt, purely intended to foster a more positive reputation for the publicly-scrutinized Svee.Svee fully expects everything to remain as it is, for the rest of her life, and she begins to want this. She defeats monsters, she plays the part of the hero, she continues contributing to her fiancée’s organization’s cause, and she hopes she’s doing the right thing. She doesn’t want more, and she’s certainly had less.

The semblance of peace in her life is beginning to unravel with the events of the Praetorium; Svee finds herself truly tested, while also finding herself in opposition of Hydaelyn — the goddess she had previously heard reference to, but never felt the influence of. This unnerves her, distrustful of beings beyond her realm of comprehension, and the tension between her and Hydaelyn grows as she suspects she’s being manipulated for Hydaelyn’s unknown motives. The presence of the mysterious figures known as the Ascians only furthers her anxiety, and this is amplified when the Ascian Nabriales kidnaps Minfilia.A sudden change in pace forces Svee into preservation mode, and she begins to shut herself down again, trying to desperately hold onto the life she’s begun to create. More and more, she is being forced into the limelight as the hero and the savior, and she begins to want nothing more than to retreat; she finds herself unable to leave Minfilia, however, and remains by her side, following with her plans but remaining quiet and tensely contemplative. She becomes increasingly overprotective after the interactions with Nabriales, and begins to put Minfilia on a pedestal — considering herself the only one who can truly protect her, and seeing it as her sworn duty. With Thancred's absence (due to Lahabrea), no one is able to intervene, and she becomes possessive of Minfilia.Investigations on the primals and observations on the Garlean war of succession continue, and the Crystal Braves are established by Alphinaud as the Scions' militia.Two weeks married, Svee and Minfilia plan to announce their relationship officially at a special banquet being held in Ul’dah. The esteemed Warrior of Light is requested for a private meeting with Nanamo; Svee is apprehensive, not used to public appearances, but she agrees to meet with the Sultana. This abruptly backfires, however — and she is suddenly being framed for murder.The Crystal Braves have betrayed them, and the Scions are under arrest for conspiracy and regicide. Svee’s innocence cannot be proven; her public image is already struggling, due to her unsavory personality, and not many are willing to come to her defense — Minfilia attempts to argue for her innocence, but is met with backlash from Teledji. Rumors about her relationship with the Warrior of Light reflect poorly on her, and she is accused of conspiring with a supposed murderer. Raubahn creates a distraction, and Svee and the other Scions begin to flee.While fleeing through the tunnels, the Scions are split apart, until only Svee and Minfilia remain. They continue to search for an exit, but Minfilia stops Svee before they can leave. Svee begs her to run, but Minfilia gives her no choice — she can’t explain, not now, but she feels the need to stay behind, something is calling her, go, go. She unties her ribbon from her hair and ties it quickly around Svee’s wrist, pleading with her to go, and to return the ribbon when they reunite.

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HEAVENSWARD

Approximate time frame: 2 years
Classes: Gladiator, Blacksmith/Armorer

With the rest of the Scions banished from Ul’dah and forced into Ishgard, Svee instead pushes her way toward her homeland of Ala Mhigo. Blinded by her grief, Svee begins to refuse contact from all the Scions, who are trying in desperation to reach her and make sure she is okay.Ishgard needs her help — she declines. The Scions want her back — she declines again.Heartbroken, Svee vows to find Minfilia again; she continues to keep in touch with F’lhaminn, and knows that no body has been found. Her wife is out there, somewhere, and she knows she can find her. But the silence is deafening, and Svee’s only instinct is to isolate herself with her grief.Her desire to find Minfilia turns into a tunnel-visioned obsession, and she becomes extremely uncooperative. The Scions are pleading for her to return, and the Dragonsong War advances. She remains distant. A rift forms between her and her friends — particularly between her and Thancred, who were previously near-inseparable. Her stark refusal to cooperate or be civil with Aymeric puts a stain on her already-dampened reputation.Many believed Svee had never been the Warrior of Light at all, but they lamented the loss of the supposed hero, nonetheless. “The Warrior of Light is lost to us,” people say. “The War will never end.”But the War does end, with little intervention from Svee — the Scions, championed by Alphinaud, succeed against Nidhogg nonetheless, and Svee remains silent in Ala Mhigo. Now with a year without Minfilia, she throws herself into work as a blacksmith for the Revolution, keeping her head low and her helmet on. She cloaks herself in false anonymity, hoping that she can hide from her problems and they’ll simply go away.Svee finally responds to communications from the Scions as they announce their new mission — searching for the missing Antecedent. Reluctantly, she rejoins the group, but pointedly keeps her distance from the others.Minfilia is said to be lost in the aether. Y’shtola was lost in the aether, and Y’shtola returned. That alone gave her hope.

The Sharlayans possess a construct to peer into the aether — the Anti-Tower. The Scions advance toward the Tower’s pinnacle, and at the peak, they find her.The Word of the Mother, she says. Minfilia looks different — she is etherial, eyes aglow, floating delicately above the surface. Through her, Hydaelyn explains a world in peril. She tells the story of the conflict between herself and Zodiark, and of the reflections of the world they know as the Source. Hydaelyn explains that she, and Minfilia in tandem, are embarking on a mission to one of the world’s reflections in an attempt to halt the Ascian’s plans to force another Calamity.The Scions, understanding but mourning, bid their farewells to Minfilia.Svee does not — instead, she comes undone.Svee stares into Minfilia’s eyes, but she can’t see her. She does not recognize the Word of the Mother as her wife, the one she has spent over a year searching for. She hears the Scions giving their goodbyes, and she becomes more and more confused and enraged. How are they being so understanding about this? Minfilia is leaving to another world, one they had never heard of before, to save people she has never spoken to? What about the world here and now? Minfilia had never spoken about a mission to another world, had never told Svee that she planned to sacrifice her own body to Hydaelyn. To Svee, this wasn’t the Minfilia she knew. It couldn’t be.Minfilia, speaking fully as herself for a moment, begs Svee to understand, but it does not get through. She attempts to calm Svee down, but instead, Svee spirals beyond her own control.What this entails, exactly, will be expanded upon in a 50+ page comic. Please look forward to it. :)

STORMBLOOD

Approximate time frame: 2 years
Class: Warrior

In this expansion, Svee is not “leading”. She is not a WOL who can be involved in everything, and she lets Lyse and others take the reins this time. She is primarily a bodyguard figure, the muscle of the group. This does not, however, dispel Zenos’ fascination with her, and her internal conflict still remains unaddressed. In timelines where I have co-WOLs, Svee lets the other WOL take the lead.

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SHADOWBRINGERS

Approximate time frame: 2 years
Class: Warrior

[text]

Svee believes Red. With everything they've said, and everything Svee knows, she finds it hard to not believe them.She shakes her head. "It's so much to put on you. I want better for you. But…" She puts her hands on Red's shoulders, suddenly pleading. "If what you say will happen… If I fail, I need you to kill me.""I know," says Red. Their heart is heavy. "You’ve asked me that before."

Svee can’t say anything. There is nothing to say that can make that burden any lighter, take the solemnity from their eyes. Instead, she laughs — a short hah. “It is funny,” she says, hands on her hips. “I never wanted kids. And now I have two. You didn’t give me a choice, did you? Neither of you. Stubborn girls.” She grins. “Like your mother.”
Red tilts their head, but they laugh, too. “Mother would say the same about you.”Svee snorts. “She always had something to say about me.”

POST - 5.0

Class: Valkyrie

[text]

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ENDWALKER

Approximate time frame: 1-2 months
Class: Valkyrie

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i haven't figured it all out yet. come back later. when 7.0 drops, i guess

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(wip) its not a ship its more like a narrative combo idk how else to describe