306 réponses à ce sujet

[DalishRanger]

Pffffffffffffffffffftttttttttttttttttttthahahaahahahahaha. XD Poor Taiyama. I guess Grey Wardens aren't known for being good cooks, eh?

[Taiyama]

Heh, nope. God only knows what he'd have to do if he traveled alone. Eating raw or just cooking a simple piece of meat over the fire (though he might screw that up too) would be preferable to another episode like that.

[DalishRanger]

I'd say. xD You know, maybe the group should use some of the gold they acquire to hire a full-time cook...

[Sisimka]

Taiyama wrote...

Interlude: Bon Appetite

They all froze in what they were doing, however, when Sten walked calmly forward to the pot, an empty bowl in his hand. He helped himself to another bowlful of the putrid concoction and sat back down on a nearby stump without a word.

He had finished the entire pot himself by the time they retired for the night.

Author's Notes: Hehe, just a silly idea I got here that I couldn't resist typing out. It's mentioned in the tvtropes analysis post that Taiyama is a Lethal Chef but I recently got the idea that his food would actually look and smell very very good but taste horrible. Plus, Sten seems to really like it. Maybe Taiyama isn't so much a lethal chef as he is someone who cooks like a Qunari?  

Sten ROCKS.  Love Sten.  More Sten!

Nice one, Taiyama.

[Taiyama]

Ahahaha, thank you. Glad I could give you your Sten fix for the day, even if he only played a small role in the story.

[Taiyama]

Well, I just beat Awakening and overall I rather liked it. The dialogue set-up with objects being focal points for discussions was a nice idea but I didn't particularly like it as the only way to interact with my companions. Combining the two types--having most of the dialogue be when you can just talk to the characters in camp or something while throwing in the occasional object for you and your companions to talk about--seems to be the best thing to me. I still recommend the game, though. I spent about...19 hours on it. I'm quite a completionist, though.



Unfortunately, for Taiyama, the epilogue just up and said that Taiyama didn't stay at Vigil's Keep for long, so yeah... Kind of out-of-character for the guy but kind of not. I can easily come up with a reason for him to do it--leaning towards "I'm not helping people sitting here doing paperwork and being a noble, damn it!" at the moment. It'll require some retconning on Talin's story though.

[Sisimka]

Taiyama wrote...

Well, I just beat Awakening and overall I rather liked it. The dialogue set-up with objects being focal points for discussions was a nice idea but I didn't particularly like it as the only way to interact with my companions. Combining the two types--having most of the dialogue be when you can just talk to the characters in camp or something while throwing in the occasional object for you and your companions to talk about--seems to be the best thing to me.

I'm not done with it yet, but I already noticed the whole clicking on objects as a dialogue option thing and I don't like it much.  It feels forced, whereas chatting at camp felt natural.  What else are you supposed to do at camp besides avoiding Alistair's cooking? Oh and sneaking off into the trees with Leli...

Modifié par Sisimka, 18 mars 2010 - 11:57 .

[Taiyama]

Exactly. It's a nice thing to do occasionally for particularly salient objects but not as the entire dialogue system. Talking at camp was always something I looked forward to doing after a big adventure. Taking it away is just silly.

[DalishRanger]

Sisimka wrote...
Oh and sneaking off into the trees with Leli...

Legam did not sneak off into the trees with Leli while they were at camp. He was doing his guard duties or fetching materials for camp and was ambushed by the bard.


Anyway, agree on the clicking on objects. On its own, doesn't feel natural. Combined with camp/main base talk though, I could like it a lot more.

Finished Awakening last night, though I didn't complete everything (I usually don't on my first runs through stuff). Other than it was short and the companion chat thing, I enjoyed it. Got several hundred screencaps for it, too! *Checks her Awakening screenshot folder* It's... Actually 1,161 screencaps, to be precise. Damn. xD;

[Taiyama]

Holy cow, that's a lot of screenshots. Imagine if you had been that judicious with Origins.

[DalishRanger]

I was. I have... Uh... 4,525 screencaps with Legam's playthrough alone. And that's not counting the few dozen I took for test things like hardening Leliana, or the few hundred I took in my second PC play with him (I've only gotten to Ostagar so far with it).

[Taiyama]

A Bond Forged in Fire

Part Five: I Believe In Leliana Who Believes in Me!

Ugh…mornings… I hate mornings…

Taiyama stumbled groggily out of his tent once fully dressed and sat down on a stump next to the smoldering remains of the fire, which Taiyama poked and prodded with a stick in a vain attempt to get the fire going again before giving up and simply setting it ablaze magically. You know, if you look past the whole social ostracism thing, magic really was quite useful…

Taiyama blinked, yawned, and began looking around. It was literally the crack of dawn and orange light of the rising sun pierced the veil of trees to blind him right when he looked in that direction. The mist clung obstinately to everything around him, especially his clothes. Taiyama shivered, huddled closer to the fire, and silently cursed the mist and cast very hurtful aspersions on its parentage.

I hate mornings… Taiyama thought yet again, as if repeating the feeling would somehow hurt the morning’s feelings and make it go away.

“Good morning, Sunshine!” came a bright and slightly sarcastic voice behind him.

Taiyama turned around and couldn’t help but smile as Leliana walked up behind him. His grumbles and mumbling in response was more out of a respect for tradition at that point than anything he felt. Leliana had a way of making everything brighter, even mornings.

Leliana sat down beside him and warmed her hands on the fire. “If you hate mornings so much, you know you don’t always have to be the first one up.”

“Well, if I’m going to be group leader, I need to be up and getting ready before everyone else. It’s just part of my duty whether I like it or not.”

“Well, points for dedication, then. I must say it is rather admirable that you take leadership so seriously. If half of the nobles back in Orlais were more like you, things would be much better there.”

Taiyama smiled and his cheeks turned a slight red. “Thanks, Leliana… It means a lot to hear you say that…” By now, the others were beginning to rouse, so Taiyama stood up and stretched. “All right, that’s enough sitting around for me. Time to start the day!” He pointed straight up to the sky. “Just who the hell do you think I am, Mornings?!”

Leliana giggled. “Glad to see your enthusiasm is back.”

The two then got to work taking up tents, packing utensils up, and putting out the campfire along with the others. The whole time the two chatted about one thing or the other, from serious topics like the civil war to more frivolous things like whether or not a robe was a dress (Taiyama claims it’s not, Leliana teased him by saying the two were remarkably similar).

When the two were done and waiting on the others to finish their own chores, Taiyama turned to Leliana and asked, “By the way, are you feeling any better about what happened with Marjolaine?”

Leliana sighed softly and nodded. “Yes, a little better. Time heals all wounds, so they say. Scars remain but they are just…colors in the painting that is my life, no?”

“They add to the beauty and complexity of the piece.”

“Yes, that is what I’m saying. I wish things had happened differently but knowing her, and knowing me, I don’t think they could have. We did have good times, though, and I look back on those fondly. Whatever happened after will never change the truth of the past.”

“She was special to you, wasn’t she?”

“Yes, once, a long time ago. She was a worldly woman and there was so much she knew and was willing to share with me. I would have done anything for her once.”

The way she said that last sentence, it sounded like…like Leliana had literally been in love with her. Taiyama immediately thought of the two in romance, kissing each other, holding hands…

ACKACKACKACK! STOP IT, SURANA! Taiyama thought. I really shouldn’t think about Leliana in such a fashion… I can’t help it, though. It just sounds so cute!

Realizing he had been silent for a tad too long as his mind wandered, he hastily responded, “She didn’t deserve you, Leliana.”

Leliana smiled slightly. “She used to be different. Happier, I think. She loved music and had a weakness for sugary cakes. Maybe she was always lying about who she was, or maybe she changed over the years.”

“You miss her, don’t you?”

“I do. And I probably always will. I will just…move on. And I…I think I have. You are how she used to be years ago: a joy to be around, a constant companion and...a listening ear in times of need.”

Taiyama smiled widely. “Th-thanks, Leliana…”

Well, there was little better time for me to try and come out with it than then. My heart was beating like it was trying to break out of my chest…but I resolved to somehow let her know how I felt and not back down or give up. The boy I used to be would be the one not able to spit it out, not me!

“I...can only hope to one day be as special as she was to you,” Taiyama sputtered out, looking far more bashful than he ever had since the Circle Tower. Leliana just had a way of making him unable to concentrate and feel like he was going crazy at times like these.

Leliana smiled softly. “My dearest one…I think that day has already come and gone. I have never regretted leaving Orlais. I do not regret any of the pain, the anger, the loneliness…because it brought me to you.” Leliana’s cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink. “And I…love you. It’s so wonderful to say that to someone again.”

She said it.

Those three words; she said them. TO ME! My eyes widened and what was probably an extremely goofy smile crossed my face. I couldn’t say anything for some moments, it was like time froze right there. My once pounding heart even felt like it had stopped when she said those words.

I’m told that everyone else had just finished packing and were standing nearby, watching. I didn’t notice them at all. I don’t think I would have cared even if I did notice. I opened my mouth to speak but Leliana noticed the gathered group and spoke before I could say anything in response.

“Oh, but people are starting to look at me strangely, it seems.” She looked back at Taiyama. “We will speak of this again, I promise. For now, we need to get going.”

Leliana turned and began walking ahead of them all and Taiyama could have sworn that he saw her ears turn red.

Alistair walked up beside Taiyama and nudged him in the arm with his elbow. “Whoa-ho… Llllladdddiiiies maaaaaan…”

Zevran walked up on the other side and threw his arm around Taiyama’s neck. “A fine catch, I must say. If you ever need advice on how to pleasure her, Oh Captain my Captain, do not hesitate to ask me. I have some wonderful herbs I could recommend, and-”

Taiyama threw up his arms, blushing furiously. “SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU! That’s a direct order, damn it!” he exclaimed then ran off to catch up with Leliana.
************************************
It was only a matter of time, really.

The two had not spoken about her confession throughout the day spent traveling. It had never really seemed like the right time. But now night had fallen, the tents were up, dinner was over, and Taiyama was just about done cleaning the cooking utensils.

Leliana stood at the edge of the camp, looking up at the stars. She didn’t regret telling Taiyama of her feelings at all. Looking back over all that had happened during their travels, Taiyama had definitely come a long way. He had always been a sweet and good person—the first thing that had attracted her to him—but before he had always been so meek, timid, and utterly without any confidence in himself.

Still, their adventures had changed him and certainly for the better. The confidence and bravery he began to show after the Circle Tower was…well…sexy, to be honest. It was only after that point that Leliana truly began to feel safe and secure whenever Taiyama was around. Yet he always showed his softer side to his friends when they were alone.

He wasn’t without his flaws, of course. No man was. The rousing speeches and taunts that he used to bolster the morale of both himself and his comrades could skirt the boundary between confidence and arrogance at the best of times. His determination and refusal to ever give up, while handy for a warrior, could also make him obstinate and stubborn at the worst of times. He could often still be naïve thanks to his sheltered life in the Circle of Magi. And his cooking was terrible! Maker, Leliana still had the occasional nightmare about his cooking.

Still, all of those flaws were simply the result of taking his virtues too far. Except for the cooking, of course. Leliana was in love all the same and it was wonderful to feel those feelings again. The only real question was whether or not Taiyama felt the same way. Granted, he had said that he wanted to be as special to Leliana as Marjolaine had been, but Leliana had never really said that she had been in love with her. What if he just meant that as friendship? Well, the die was cast anyway. No sense worrying about it now.

Soft, muffled footsteps coming towards her from behind. She felt Taiyama’s presence beside her before she turned to look at him. He was silent for a moment and Leliana had learned his body language well enough to realize that he was searching in his head for how to begin what he wanted to say, so she decided to spare him the trouble and start talking first.

“I enjoy the nights at camp. The night always feels more peaceful to me. Safer.”

Taiyama’s eyebrows rose just enough for it to be noticeable for a second then he smirked. “I know what you mean, Leliana.”

“I feel the night grants us a reprieve from the troubles of the day. Silly, isn't it? The darkspawn never sleep, and they lurk in the shadows.”

Taiyama shrugged. “It’s not silly to seek moments to lay down your burdens, even if it’s only for a little while. Maker knows if I didn’t have time to do that I’d probably go insane…” He smiled that crooked smile of his and added in, “…er.”

Leliana smirked. “I enjoy those nights when we stand guard together, talking to pass the time in those small hours... Well, I talk and you listen, mostly...” she said, receiving a knowing smirk from Taiyama in response. “Sometimes I succumb and fall asleep, and wake to find you still watchful and I know you're watching out for me.”

“You never have to feel afraid with me, Leliana.” As was Taiyama’s way, this sounded less like an opinion and more like an immutable law of nature.

Leliana took a deep breath. Here we go… “W-what I'm trying to say is... Is that I trust you. I'm comfortable around you. I know you'll be there when I need you. You are our... Our leader, and my friend and... Sometimes I think that m-maybe…we could be more than that...” She sighed and shook her head. “Maker... Look at me, stumbling over my words like an ill-educated peasant girl. Some bard I am...”

Taiyama chuckled. “You’re cute when you’re embarrassed, you know that?”
“I'm not embarrassed! I'm just... flushed because... of the... heat.”

Almost as if the Maker Himself wanted to prove her wrong, as soon as she said it a cold wind blew by that made both of them shiver. Leliana silently cursed Ferelden weather and her own choice in words—that might have worked in Orlais but not here.

“I’ve always wanted us to be more than just friends, Leliana,” Taiyama responded, taking a step closer to her to the point where she could feel the warmth of his body.

Leliana’s eyes widened and she felt a shiver crawl up her spine—both from what he said and how close to her he was now. “Really? N-no one told me. You... You felt the same way and didn't do me the courtesy of informing me? Y-you made me say all those things! Why couldn’t you have said them first? Oh...you…Oh, how very awkward!...”

Taiyama laughed softly. “My dear Leliana, I thought you were comfortable around me!”

“Well, yes, b-but... D-don't question me! I am a woman and I reserve the right to be inconsistent! Oh, chivalry is so dead! Making the lady spill her guts-“ Taiyama placed a soft hand on her cheek and began leaning in, “…like…that?...”

Their lips met and a shiver once again crawled up Leliana’s spine. Taiyama’s kiss was…awkward and unsure, all things considered. In all likelihood this was his first kiss. Leliana didn’t really care, though. She was far too lost in the moment to care. After she gained her composure, she wrapped her arms around Taiyama and kissed him softly back, teaching him how it was done as it were. Taiyama responded by placing his free hand around her waist.

The bow strapped to her back fell to the ground with a dull thump, completely escaping her notice.

Taiyama pulled back first, softly smiling at her.

“Well... I... Hmm... That settles it then,” Leliana sputtered out, lost for any coherent thing to say.

“That wasn’t going too far too soon, was it?”

Leliana giggled and shook her head. “Of course not, Taiyama. I very much enjoyed it. It was quite dashing. Of course, your kissing needs some work.” She winked slyly. “I’ll have to give you some private lessons on that, won’t I?”

Taiyama laughed. “Yes, indeed, Professor. I’ll look forward to it.” He was silent for a moment then moved a stray strand of Leliana’s firey orange hair behind her ears. “Andraste’s blood, you’re gorgeous… I am the luckiest man on the face of Thedas.”

“I…thank you, Taiyama…”

“I know we haven’t known each other for very long, all things considered. But…well, we’ve been through a lot together in that short time, so maybe that’s why… Ours is like a…” He struggled for the words for a moment, “a…bond forged in fire, I suppose. The hotter the heat, the more powerful the bond. As long as you’re by my side, Leliana, I think I’ll be fine no matter what comes my way.” He hugged Leliana and whispered into her ear, “I love you too, Leliana. With all my heart and soul, I do. I want to stay with you forever.”

Leliana turned and kissed him on the cheek. “Me too, Taiyama.”

The two held each other for a few moments longer before Taiyama let her go and stepped back. “Well, I…it’s getting late,” Taiyama said, rubbing the back of his head. “I’m going to go ahead and go to sleep.” He smiled crookedly. “Goodnight, Love.”

Leliana smiled back at him. “Goodnight.”

Taiyama turned and began walking back to his tent, shouting and hollering for joy in his mind.
******************************
Taiyama was…energetic. In the morning.

Leliana rubbed her eyes to test if she was seeing things but sure enough, afterward she still saw Taiyama walking around preparing to leave while whistling what appeared to be the Ferelden national anthem.

“Good morning, Sunshine!” she called out, this time without a hint of sarcasm.

“Mornin’!” Taiyama called back.

“What’s got you in such a great mood?” Leliana asked as she walked up and began helping him with the packing.

“Do you even have to ask? You, of course.” He looked towards the rising sun. “You know, today’s the first time I’ve really believed in myself.”

“You mean you hadn’t before?”

“Not really. Even when I appeared to be confident, it was all really an act. But…well, it’s hard to put into words.” He looked back at Leliana and smiled. “I believe in myself because you believe in me. You said you felt safe and secure around me, that you trusted me…and you love me, too. It’s because you have faith in me that I can have faith in myself for the first time.” He clenched his fists. “And today…today I feel like I could take on the world, the Blight, the archdemon, and my cooking all at once and come out on top!”

Leliana laughed. “Your cooking, too? Let’s not go too far with this, Taiyama.”

Taiyama stuck his tongue out at her. “Oh, be quiet.” He turned around and saw that all of the others had finished packing as well. “All right, are you guys ready?!” He pointed straight up to the sky and smiled confidently. “We’re going to bust through everything in our way today! Whether it’s darkspawn, Loghain, or the archdemon itself, nothing can stand before our might! We’ll keep going no matter what happens and we’ll defeat this Blight and save Ferelden!

“NOW LET’S GO!”

Author's Note: Long chapter is LOOOOOOOOOOONG! For the first part, I listened to What Exactly is "Moe"? for no real reason at all, to be honest. For the actual romance scene, I listened to With Your XXX, the Heavens... both from the Gurren Lagann soundtrack. And don't be intimidated by the name of that second song, it's just a piece of orchestral music. The composer just happens to be really weird. Though listening to that song did make me want to have Taiyama say "I'll repay that... I'll repay that ten times over" but, you know, he was the one who kissed her first.

Moving on, I don't have too much to say about this. I have noticed one thing, though: there is an inverse relationship between how much a part of this story is my stuff taken from the game as opposed to my own original work and my motivation to finish it. This explains the long waits and my frequent interludes in the middle of "A Bond Forged in Fire" so sorry about that. I'll probably only write very important scenes from the game here from now on and write mostly stuff that happens outside of the games or things that happen in the timeline of the games that don't actually happen in the games.

As always, critiques are appreciated. I may edit this later, I think I was starting to lose steam near the end there.

Modifié par Taiyama, 21 mars 2010 - 01:27 .

[Sisimka]

So sweet, always love reading about Leliana and her love (even when it's not Aedan!). Lessons, that made me chuckle, oh, yes, I bet she has some lessons to share!

[Taiyama]

Ahahaha, yeah, she'll have plenty of lessons to teach. Thanks for the comment. I love comments so.



Completely off-topic, but as I mentioned before I recently beat Awakening. If I had to choose a line that's most in-character for Taiyama, it would be a line you can say when talking to Nathaniel when you meet him: "Some of my best friends have tried to kill me." It's completely true. First Zevran, then Loghain, and now Nathaniel. Oh, and Velanna does attack you that one time so she counts. Defeat Means Friendship indeed.

[Miliat]

I have finally read through all your stories here and I have rather enjoyed them. I really liked the father-son bonding in the Fade. Nice touch.

[Sisimka]

Miliat wrote...

I have finally read through all your stories here and I have rather enjoyed them. I really liked the father-son bonding in the Fade. Nice touch.

That's my favourite one too, Miliat!

[DalishRanger]

Bahahahaaaaaaaaaaw. xD That was a nice read. I don't really have any particular critique at the moment. I will say the mention of whether or not robes are dresses made me giggle. Perhaps after Awakening, Taiyama can point out the certain advantages Anders claimed robes have? (That was an amusing banter...) Snerk... xD



Don't mind me, I'm still sorta waking up, even though I've been up for a few hours.

[Taiyama]

Miliat wrote...



I have finally read through all your stories here and I have rather enjoyed them. I really liked the father-son bonding in the Fade. Nice touch.

Thank you very much, Milat. I must say that part of the reason I don't like the fact that the ending of Awakening made my character leave the Wardens is because it screw with that story and stuff planned around it. I'll have to think up a new plan and I may edit it later, unfortunately.

DalishRanger wrote...



Bahahahaaaaaaaaaaw. xD That was a nice read. I don't really have any particular critique at the moment. I will say the mention of whether or not robes are dresses made me giggle. Perhaps after Awakening, Taiyama can point out the certain advantages Anders claimed robes have? (That was an amusing banter...) Snerk... xD



Don't mind me, I'm still sorta waking up, even though I've been up for a few hours.

Heh, I'm glad I got a laugh out of that little one-off joke.



Also, don't give me ideas, you. Now I'll probably have to act on them at some point.

[DalishRanger]

Taiyama wrote...
Also, don't give me ideas, you. Now I'll probably have to act on them at some point.

:innocent: Do eeeeeeeeeeeeeeettt. Do EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTTTT!

[Taiyama]

I will eventually, of course. Don't know when I'll put it in, though.

[DalishRanger]

By the way, I continue to be amused by your LJ cut texts on Maker's Breath. You know, the ones where I apparently kidnap and murder your family and you swear revenge. xD

[Olwaye]

Finally catch up with your last posts on your thread.
You are back with a vengeance, thoroughly enjoyed it, the cooking interlude and the fluffy part too.
Thanks for mentioning Sten, like Siskima I love that guy.
As for the robes things, well I am not saying anything but there's something about a bunch of men clothed in dresses, quite touchy about them being robes and playing with long staves all day long ( after all as the song goes, a wizzard staff got a knob on the end), let us leave it at that.

[DalishRanger]

Olwaye wrote...
As for the robes things, well I am not saying anything but there's something about a bunch of men clothed in dresses, quite touchy about them being robes and playing with long staves all day long ( after all as the song goes, a wizzard staff got a knob on the end), let us leave it at that.

Again I must say I've missed you here, Olwaye. <3:D

[Taiyama]

DalishRanger wrote...

By the way, I continue to be amused by your LJ cut texts on Maker's Breath. You know, the ones where I apparently kidnap and murder your family and you swear revenge. xD

Ahahaha, my pleasure. It's actually rather fun thinking them up and I do love running jokes.

Olwaye wrote...

Finally catch up with your last posts on your thread.
You are back with a vengeance, thoroughly enjoyed it, the cooking interlude and the fluffy part too.
Thanks for mentioning Sten, like Siskima I love that guy.
As for the robes things, well I am not saying anything but there's something about a bunch of men clothed in dresses, quite touchy about them being robes and playing with long staves all day long ( after all as the song goes, a wizzard staff got a knob on the end), let us leave it at that.

Thank you very much, Olwaye! And welcome back!

Pffthahahahahahaha... I concur with DR that we very much missed you being here.

Also, did you know I started another fanfiction thread? It's here. The premise is an alternate universe where the Warden dies early in the fight and Alistair has to lead the group himself. The title is "I'll Carry On!"

Modifié par Taiyama, 22 mars 2010 - 02:27 .

[DalishRanger]

Taiyama wrote...
Ahahaha, my pleasure. It's actually rather fun thinking them up and I do love running jokes.

Running jokes are fantastic. Especially if there's a lot of time in between them, to where you forget about it, then it pops up again and surprises you.