#Scenario Analysis

[voittoinsights]

Effective Financial Risk Management for Small Businesses: Strategies for Stability and Growth

This article explores key strategies that small businesses can use to manage financial risk effectively, backed by relevant numbers, insights, and quotes from industry experts.

For small businesses, effective financial risk management is crucial to ensure stability, growth, and resilience against uncertainties. Managing financial risk involves identifying potential threats, assessing their impact, and implementing strategies to mitigate them. This article explores key strategies that small businesses can use to manage financial risk effectively, backed by relevant…

[mostlynotwork]

Imperfect information and chance mean you’re never going to get "good" outcomes from all all your decisions. Instead, this book aims to help you improve the quality and consistency of your decision making over the longer term.

As it says on the cover, ‘How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Decisions’ (‘HTD’) is a toolkit to help people become better at making decisions.  Having a good process for making decisions is important. Just because you received a good or bad outcome from a decision in the past, doesn’t necessarily mean the decision itself was good or bad. Chance, imperfect information and other factors outside your control all play a role in determining the result.

With this in mind, the focus of ‘HTD’ is on the decision making process. It begins by examining how blind spots and hidden bias shape the way we view past decisions. The book then introduces a series of tools that can be used to help with decision making, such as how to use a simple ‘decision tree’ to visualise the range of possible outcomes from a decision. This model is then built on, and new tools added. The beauty of ‘HTD’ is it goes beyond the initial decision. The reader is offered tools to help them evaluate when to change goals, change their decision, and how to execute their decision better when a final decision is made. 

When it comes to following through on decisions, I’d recommend people also check out one of my favorite books from last year, ‘Atomic Habits’. 

The book concludes with a helpful chapter on how to effectively seek information and feedback from others in order to improve the quality of your decisions.

What I learned, what it got me thinking about

‘HTD’ is a book with a lot to offer. But perhaps reflecting how many business books and courses I’ve been through over the years, a lot of the individual concepts were already familiar to me. That said, it’s a well constructed book whether you’re new to the material or using it as a refresher.

If I had to narrow down to five things I liked, learned or started thinking about because of this book I’d say my list would be;

Getting better at thinking in terms of scenarios. Decision trees are built around imagining scenarios for how different decisions might play out and estimating how likely those outcomes are. That’s a handy decision making skill, but also helpful for the sort of analysis and insight generation I do for clients.

How to beat analysis paralysis. A good reminder that we can easily waste a lot of time and mental energy on decisions with a small impact. How much impact will this decision have on my happiness for the year? The month? The week? This is a good way to scale how much time you should be putting into a decision. Don’t waste time on small impact decisions.

Knowing when to lock in your decision.  When you think you’ve reached a decision but aren’t sure if it’s time to stop analysing - ask these questions. Is there any piece of information that would change your mind? If not. Move on. Similarly, if you can’t obtain that information (unknowable) or too costly ( too expensive, too much time relative to the impact of the decision) then move on.

Pre-mortems and backcasting. These are two techniques I’ve had a fair bit of exposure to in the past. Both involve imagining yourself in the future and then looking backwards to the present to see either (1) what might have gone wrong and led to a bad outcome (pre-mortem) or (2) the things that went well and led to a good outcome (backcasting). This includes factors within your control and those outside of it. ‘HTD’ provides a great summary of how to use these techniques. It’s enough for newcomers to get the concept, but also provides a good refresher for those who already know the frameworks.

Throw out the "pros vs cons" list. As Annie Duke points out, these types of lists are at best a starting point for factors to consider in your decision tree. But at worst, our self-delusion and blind spots can lead us to making bad decisions if we rely solely on these lists.

Whether you’re looking to improve your decision making in your personal or professional life, you’re highly likely to find something of interest in ‘How to Decide’.

Note: I listened to this originally as an audiobook, but at time of writing (Feb-24) the Kindle edition is a bargain at less than five dollars.

[algos11]

Risk management is a pivotal aspect of trading and investment, be that if you trade manually or on online platforms like uTrade Algos. It demands well-structured plans to minimise risks and optimise returns. An essential tool in risk management is the option strategy builder, aiding traders and investors in formulating and executing successful trading tactics.

[crescenthistory]

Helloooo mrs. carina!!!!! Hope you’re having the happiest of 2ks :))) I’ve been trying to summon up the best idea I could possibly think of these past few days for you and I’ve realized I have quite a dry imagination😭 but this is what I’ve thinked up

I’d like to request an analyze for Remus x ballerina reader… I think he especially would respect the control a ballerina would have over their body (not to be angsty but it would of course something he envies considering his situation)

mrs. carina?? thinking up creative ideas specifically for me??? oh darling you are the SWEETEST, thank you so much for this little gift<333 giving you a HUGE forehead smooch

✶・•・✦・•・✶・✶・•・✦・•・✶

i will ANALYSE remus lupin x ballerina!reader

carina's 2k celebration

✶・•・✦・•・✶・✶・•・✦・•・✶

cw: gn!reader, remus' mental health issues, implied reader mild mental health struggles, lycanthropy/chronic pain

remus lupin is a studious lover – once he falls for someone, he notices everything about them, down to the very details

with a ballerina!reader, this would include seeing ballet in everything they do

he is drawn to elegance and precision in an almost religious sense, viewing it as something holy and greater-than that he doesn't quite deserve to witness yet selfishly chooses to watch anyway

remus would notice how you flex your fingers a certain way, how you always position your feet as if you are about to dance

he sees the tension in your shoulders and thighs from practice, he sees how it went when you come back from it based on the minuscule tightenings around your lips and eyes

it would make him all the more infatuated

as if he is unearthing a treasure, peeling back the petals of a rose

remus in love always feels like he is holding something delicate and ballerina!reader would both prove him right and wrong

they would show him their elegance but also their inherent strength

he hates feeling as if he needs to be taken care of in any way, but butterflies would be going crazy in his stomach if you ever displayed that strength by opening a heavy door for him on a cane-day or by picking up the mountain of books from the library with ease

it is what would prompt him to start calling you dove – you're graceful and gorgeous, but highly intelligent and practical

there would definitely be a certain envy within remus regarding the precise control you exercised over your own body

not anything he held against you, more so against himself, comparing himself in ways that simply are not necessary or realistic

this applies both in terms of his lycanthropy and chronic illness in a muggle au

the envy is especially strong pre-relationship when he is admiring you from afar and it feels as if you have everything pieced together so perfectly

it is only when he gets closer to you and sees more of the immense pressures you are under and how you're both physically and metaphorically shaking beneath it, that he realises how much of a facade it really is

to see that it doesn't come easy to you either simultaneously heals something within him and encourages him to be even sweeter to you

you might have been concerned that remus realising that it doesn't come easy to you would ruin your "appeal" – that he wouldn't find you as mesmerising if he knew you had to fight for your achievments

but in reality, this is what would cement his affections as love

remus adores elegance and perfection, but he trusts the humanity behind it all, the chaos within

if he thought you flawless, he would likely never be able to feel entirely comfortable in your presence, as if he couldn't rest in the presence of a deity

with this new knowledge, he would still consider you perfect, though, because – as cliche as it might sound – you were perfect to him and something for him to worship

but now he could hold you in his arms and be assured that you were human

which meant you could be his

if you chose to continue pursuing ballet professionally, remus would be your biggest cheerleader

not to mention your biggest anchor, ensuring that you're checking in on your body and not neglecting your health

"you'll not get there faster if you overextend your knees, dove"

"they don't give out medals for dancing on broken ankles, my love"

he would come to your recitals, your auditions, would get the ritual down to a t for you

in a muggle au, i often picture him working within healthcare and he would use all of his tips and tricks on you

though, if you were to only keep doing ballet as a hobby or even retire, he would hold your hand through the process and support you in whatever you may need

he knows what it is like to grieve your body's capabilities, so if you one day couldn't continue anymore, he would help you navigate the pain gently

he would be the shoulder for you to cry on and the partner who explored new hobbies and passions with you

again, healing a part of himself through you

remus lupin would fall in love with ballerina!reader in school while admiring your elegance and grace from afar, but he would stay for the dove he found in your heart to cultivate a life with

[heartinhyacinth]

Sometime post-canon after his shackles are gone, I’m imagining Xie Lian accidentally getting nicked when polishing some things in the armory or something and just…having so many Feelings when he looks down two weeks later and notices the tiniest of scars for the first time in eight centuries

One detail that always gets to me so bad when I think of the calamity arc and the temple scene is that little part about it leaving no scars and no evidence it ever happened whatsoever. This little detail and Xie Lian’s relationship with pain and trauma is just…

[romantacysblog]

Joe Goldberg | Smut

You walked through the door, your body aching with the weight of a long, stressful day. Your mind was a whirlwind of worries and tasks, but as soon as you saw Joe standing in the kitchen, his eyes softened with concern and desire. He could read you like an open book, and tonight, he saw the exhaustion and tension written all over your face.

" Rough day, huh?" he asked, setting down the glass he was drying and walking towards you. His voice was a low rumble, a comforting sound that immediately started to melt away your stress.

You nodded, leaning into his touch as he cupped your cheek. "Yeah, it was a nightmare."

He leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips. "I've got you. Let me take care of you."

You felt a familiar hunger stir in your belly, a need that only Joe could satisfy. He led you to the bedroom, his hand never leaving yours, grounding you, making you feel safe and desired.

As you reached the bedroom, he turned to face you, his eyes dark with intent. "Tell me what you need," he said, his voice a commanding whisper.

You bit your lip, considering his offer. "I need you to fuck me like you're in debt to my body," you said, your voice steady and sure. "I need you to rail this stress out of me."

A slow, wicked smile spread across his face. "With pleasure," he murmured, beginning to undress you slowly, deliberately, his fingers grazing your skin, sending shivers down your spine.

He took his time, kissing every inch of skin he exposed, his hands roaming your body with a familiarity that made you ache with need. By the time you were naked, you were already dripping wet, your body begging for his touch.

Joe pushed you gently onto the bed, his eyes never leaving yours as he stripped off his own clothes. You drank in the sight of him, his muscular body on display, his cock hard and ready for you.

He crawled onto the bed, positioning himself between your legs. He leaned down, capturing your mouth in a fierce, demanding kiss. You moaned into his mouth, your hips already bucking against him, seeking friction, seeking relief.

Joe chuckled low in his throat, pulling away from your lips to trail kisses down your neck, your collarbone, your sternum. He took his time, teasing you, tasting you, his tongue swirling around your nipples, making you arch off the bed with a cry.

He continued his torment, kissing his way down your stomach, dipping his tongue into your belly button, making you squirm. He looked up at you, his eyes dark with lust and something more profound. "I love you," he said, his voice a low growl. "I love taking care of you. I love making you feel good."

You reached down, threading your fingers through his hair, pulling him up to kiss you briefly before pushing him back down. "Prove it," you teased, a smirk playing on your lips.

He returned the smirk, a promise in his eyes. "Oh, I will."

He continued his journey south, kissing and licking and nipping at your sensitive skin. He hooked your legs over his shoulders, opening you up to him, exposing you to his hungry gaze. He leaned in, inhaling deeply, a groan escaping his lips.

"Fuck, you smell good," he murmured, before diving in, his tongue licking up your slit, tasting you, devouring you.

You cried out, your hips bucking against his face, your hands fisting the sheets as he brought you to the brink of orgasm with his skilled tongue. He could feel it in your body, hear it in your moans, see it in your eyes—you were close, so fucking close.

But he pulled back, a cruel, knowing smile on his face. "Not yet, my love," he said, his voice a low rumble against your sensitive flesh. "I want to hear you beg."

You whimpered, your body aching with need. "Please, Joe. Please let me come," you begged, your voice hoarse with desire.

He chuckled, a dark, mocking sound. "Please what? Please fuck you? Please make you come? Be specific."

"Please make me come with your tongue," you demanded, your body trembling with the effort of holding back your orgasm.

He smiled, a slow, evil smile. "As you wish."

He dove back in, his tongue working you relentlessly, bringing you to the edge once more. This time, he didn't stop, didn't tease, didn't torture. He sent you crashing over the edge, your orgasm tearing through you, your body convulsing as waves of pleasure crashed over you.

But Joe wasn't done. He continued to lick and suck and fuck you with his tongue, drawing out your orgasm, making you scream and sob and beg for mercy. He only pulled away when your body was limp and spent, your breaths coming in ragged gasps.

He crawled up your body, a satisfied smile on his face. "Feel better?" he asked, his eyes soft with love and concern.

You nodded, a contented sigh escaping your lips. "Much. Thank you."

He leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips. "Anytime, my love. Anytime."

But you could see the tension in his body, the way he was holding himself back, not taking what he needed. You reached down, wrapping your hand around his cock, stroking him slowly, feeling him pulse in your hand.

He groaned, his head falling back. "You don't have to—" he started, but you cut him off with a kiss.

"I want to," you murmured against his lips. "I want to make you feel as good as you make me feel."

You pushed him onto his back, straddling his hips, his cock pressing against your entrance. You took him in slowly, inch by inch, your body stretching to accommodate him, your eyes locked on his the entire time.

He groaned, his hands gripping your hips, his fingers digging into your flesh. "Fuck, you feel good," he ground out, his teeth clenched, his body tense with the effort of holding back.

You leaned down, capturing his mouth in a fierce, demanding kiss as you began to ride him, your hips rolling, your body taking him deeper and deeper. He met your movements, his hips thrusting up to meet yours, their bodies slapping together, the room filling with the sounds of their passionate love-making.

You could feel your orgasm building, a coiling tension in your core, a spark of electricity at the base of your spine. Joe could feel it too, could see it in your eyes, hear it in your moans. He sat up, wrapping his arms around you, holding you close as he took control, his hips moving in a relentless rhythm, his body slamming into yours, chasing your orgasm, urging it on.

"Come for me, baby," he growled in your ear, his voice a low, demanding rumble. "Let me feel that tight little cunt milk my cock."

And you did. You came undone, your body convulsing, your nails digging into his back, your scream of pleasure filling the room as you shattered in his arms. He held you tight, his body still moving, still chasing his own release.

With a final, powerful thrust, he came, his cock pulsing inside you, his release filling you, his groan of pleasure a low, guttural sound in your ear. He collapsed back onto the bed, taking you with him, his body slick with sweat, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

You lay on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, your body boneless and spent, your mind finally quiet and at peace. Joe stroked your hair, his touch gentle and soothing, his love for you a palpable force surrounding you, protecting you, cherishing you.

"I love you," you murmured, pressing a kiss to his chest.

He tightened his arms around you, holding you close. "I love you too, my dear. More than words can express. Always and forever."

And in that moment, you knew that no matter what life threw at you, you could face it together. Because Joe would always be there, supporting you, loving you, pleasing you in every way imaginable. And you wouldn't have it any other way.

[literatureloverx]

BSD men's attachment styles? What do you think they would be? (The ones you write for ofc)

Hello, my dear!♥️ Thank you for the request.♥️

BSD MEN x attachment styles

Fyodor Dostoevsky

He might show a Fearful-Avoidant attachment style.

His need for control and strategic detachment, combined with the deep emotional bonds he forms with a select few (like his darling or his daughter), aligns with this style.

His complex, manipulative nature and tendency to create chaos suggest he has deep-seated fears about intimacy and trust, leading him to oscillate between seeking control and distancing himself from others.

However, with a stable, loving relationship where he feels truly safe and understood, his Fearful-Avoidant attachment style could transform into a Secure style.

Over time, positive emotional experiences and trust could help him release his fears and embrace a more balanced and secure approach to intimacy.

Dazai Osamu

He likely exhibits a Fearful-Avoidant attachment style.

His self-destructive tendencies, emotional detachment, and reluctance to form genuine connections suggest he struggles with intimacy while simultaneously seeking it.

His oscillation between self-destructiveness and deep emotional connections reflects a fear of vulnerability and dependence.

However, if Dazai were to experience a stable, loving relationship where he feels safe and accepted, his Fearful-Avoidant style could shift towards a Secure attachment style.

Through consistent emotional support and trust, his fears of intimacy could lessen, allowing him to form healthier, more stable bonds.

Nakahara Chuuya

With his fierce independence and complex relationships, he might lean towards an Avoidant attachment style.

His tendency to suppress emotions and difficulty in fully opening up to others align with traits associated with avoidance of intimacy.

However, there is a strong possibility that once he experiences a loving, established secure relationship, his attachment style could shift towards Fearful-Avoidant, as the deeper emotions and vulnerabilities that arise may trigger underlying fears of closeness and rejection.

However, with consistent emotional support and a stable, loving bond, this Fearful-Avoidant style could eventually transform into a Secure attachment.

Through positive experiences that build trust and comfort with intimacy, his initial fears of closeness could diminish, allowing him to feel secure and confident in his relationships.

Nikolai Gogol

His wish to eliminate his own “friend” to escape his emotions reflects a significant struggle with intimacy and vulnerability.

This suggests a Fearful-Avoidant attachment style. He desires freedom from emotional constraints but simultaneously experiences intense inner conflict, which often characterizes this attachment style.

His view of emotions as a cage aligns with the Fearful-Avoidant tendency to both crave and avoid closeness.

Akutagawa Ryuunosuke

With intense emotional responses, a need for validation, high sensitivity to perceived threats to his status, and difficulty maintaining stable relationships, he likely exhibits an Anxious attachment style.

His strong desire for closeness, coupled with fears of inadequacy and rejection, aligns with the traits of anxious attachment, particularly his sensitivity to rejection and constant need for acknowledgment.

[diiwata]

hc: district 4 hates sweets

in most asian cultures, saying a dessert is "not too sweet" is considered a compliment bc the sugar doesn't completely demolish your taste buds or overpower the true flavor of the dessert! it could also be that sugar is more of a capitol commodity (inspired by the finnick sugar cube scene).

sweets in d4 are subtle and rely more on flavor, like their orange cakes or rice cakes. i like the idea of them having a new form of boba that they add for texture to their not-too-sweet milk drinks. if the name and culture has been lost to time, then i think they'd call it "black pearls" to match the district aesthetic!

bonus if the capitol takes the boba, deems it too bland, and ups the flavor by turning it into a sugary nightmare. they call it "jelly spheres" and give it to their d4 victors upon completion of the games.

"wow..." a victor clutches their cup as they struggle to swallow the oversaturated tapioca pearls. "this is so... sweet..." the capitol gushes. they think it's a compliment.

[blightbright]

mythal nuance

look, i love some yikes women characters!!! have i mentioned how much i fucking adore knight-commander meredith? yeah, that genocidal zealot? sympathetic lawful evil ftw. one of my ALL-TIME FAVE CHARACTERS is mariah dillard from the luke cage TV show. she is ABUSIVE, including to her daughter, she is devastating and so well-portrayed, and she is such a terrible person AND i just adore her in her harmful flawed tragic selfhood!

flemythal? fucking love her, she's awful, she's hilarious, she's compelling, i think it's a travesty that devs didn't get kate mulgrew's voice and the flemeth appearance back in some timey-wimey fade magic way. i love how she feels at odds with herself, sometimes vengeful, sometimes regretful. i love her sweetness toward merrill and her funny interactions with purple!hawke, i love her confusion that morrigan is upset with her, i even love the YIKES ambiguous, semi-motherly, semi-loverly, intimate owner-pet vibes head stroking and nuzzling between her and solas in the DA:I end credits. OUCH.

veilguard!mythal IMO feels more like a mediocre narcissist who wants to maintain the status quo, and of course is faux "loving" AKA guilt-tripping and strings-attaching her "care." that's not badly written since it's a real thing, but she's not for me. the fact that elgar'nan presumably abused her is not super compelling to me because IMO it gives the flavor of a confederate slave-owning white woman whose husband is a piece of shit AND ALSO she still thinks slavery is fine and actively upholds and abuses her power over other people. this is not an analogy: mythal literally owns people as slaves. in my fic i try to give her some fairy queen style, wouldn't-it-feel-so-good-to-die-for-me vibes where she's liberal with her magically-hypnotic praise if you please her, to make her more inhuman and therefore interesting to me, but anyway.

i'm seeing accusations of misogyny if people love solas and hate mythal, and while we can and should critique how women characters are written and discussed, given the canon content, it's NOT an inherently misogynistic reaction to hate the character who abused a character you love. i saw a thing insisting "solas is always defined by mythal" and to respect mythal and... really? critique the writers as much as you want for setting this up, but do people really want to say we should always identify a person by their abuser's influence, or offer respect to that abuser??

are you also gonna say "morrigan is always defined by flemythal, acknowledge and respect her when talking about morri" after we know for a fact that flemythal repeatedly exposed morrigan as a child to sexual situations that resulted in violent death, encouraged her to push down her own sensitivity and feelings and focus only on power and manipulation, and morrigan tells the spirit in DA:O that she's still acting too gentle to be the real flemeth, even after smacking morrigan hard across the face and demanding morrigan show some respect? she had an influence on morrigan's life, but holy fuck does morri deserve to define her life by her own desires and her own choices and accomplishments now

if people are aware that solas was given mythal's slave markings, since she was a slaver like the other evanuris, then he burned them magically off his face when he led a slave rebellion against slavers, and hear all the clips in veilguard where she is clearly in a position of power over him, and still claim there was no abuse, idk what to tell you. you are incorrect. please consider if you have some cognitive dissonance about how much you love to hate solas (tho you can still do that even if a character has experienced abuse) and/or how much you want to enjoy mythal (tho you can still appreciate an abusive character).

[hahahafangirl]

the failure of language

so im getting around to write some suonirei fanfic and, inevitably, got to Backstory Speculations activities. and now i begin to think about suo (windbreaker in general) and the failure of language -- when people, regardless of how much they try or how eloquent they find themselves to be, will find points where they are unable to give words to what they are feelings or explain some difficult emotions or circumstances to themselves or another person.

think, sakura going "how am i supposed to treat you now?" after hearing out umemiya's childhood story-- what is he supposed to say? to act in general? language, spoken or behavioral, failed him. umemiya redirected sakura to language: he did not expect sakura to treat him any differently. come back to the language you understand, he says. and now we complicated "language" to means "a vehicle of interactions and expression", which is functionally what language is.

well i did say that this arise from thinking about suo, most notably, thinking about how windbreaker expresses speechlessness and stillness very frequently from suo's silence. think the focus on suo's eyes at any moment where language are yet adequate to say what is happening: suo and nirei's response to sakura's solitary during sickness; suo's anger (in KEEL and shishitoren) occurring wordlessly; and, most recently (which sorta sparked this line of thought), this page

note the wordlessness. a lot of time, wbk starts out the responses to these sincere and vulnerable moments with this wordlessness, where characters ponder and reflect on the statement, often evoking their own memories and experiences, thus empathizing with the vulnerability in question. it is a reflective and thoughtful way to begin the process of empathy in silence. it feels ritualistic, even, like meditation, to begin connecting with other by a silence that could be taken to be a single-minded, pure focus -- on what is being put on the stage to ponder. maybe this is not quite a failure of language, depending on how we see it, but rather, a moment outside of language priming for its arrival. it is not time for language to enter the scene yet.

but then language always come, sooner or later. as awkwardly or curtly or roughly, sakura and nirei speak sincere words that come from the bottom of their heart. language -- thus connection and empathy -- then propel the conversation. suo, notably (at least without me combing through the manga again) often does not enter this realm of language the way sakura and nirei do it. when he empathize sakura's feelings when he was sick, suo did it where sakura cannot hear. the only(?) time he responded genuinely (please bring up examples or counterexamples if you have it on hand) was when nirei was feelings insecure about his inability to fight and ask suo for help. but even then, the response of "your self-esteem is all over the place" is not quite the personal, genuine approach sakura or nirei has. its quite measured and reflective -- responding to nirei's statements rather than clearly interjecting something to the conversation. many of suo's vulnerabilities are deflected by falsehoods (harmless jokes, not malicious lies), distractions, etc, etc. language seemingly continues to fail him, or he continues to evade it.

i am in a habit of not stating my Backstory Speculations, because a lot of times i want to stick closer to the texts. whatever Speculations i have will most likely manifest as fanfiction (oh boy is that an ambitious media to do this in). but anyway, from popular hc of suo being potentially a "traitor" or somehow entangled in a major and antagonistic organization, his failure to relate this to his friends and thus him hiding his past can be taken as another failure of language. perhaps languages continuously fail him in his childhood-- hence it has yet to learn how to succeed.

p/s: i should also say that im enjoying using different concepts and ideas to speculate/think about and analyze the text (wbk) in a different way. this is basically what comparative literature and literary criticism is, i think (lol). sometimes i feel like this is just me dressing up good ole literary theme in a fancier language, but whatever works works lol. hopefully as i continue to think of the "inability to express your true emotions" and "inability to be vulnerable" more specifically (or broadly) as a failure of language, more interesting insights will come up. its less about what the texts is literally and consciously say, and more about how we can think about the text using -- and extract from the text via -- various frameworks.

yep, this is probably gonna be a more complete essay at some point. i even pulled out the usual rccl register for this!

[sillylittlecharacters]

Honestly, from the little that we know about Petronille's character, an initial rivalry between her and Mirabelle makes so much sense. If you play your cards right, you can craft a dynamic tailor made to play on their insecurities!

For example, Mirabelle has shown a lot of insecurity around her ability to complete basic tasks, like needing to be taught how to cut vegetables with a nursery rhyme presumably in her teens. How might she feel being faced with someone her age able to raise a child alone? And in the case of massive, important, life defining tasks - tasks as large as saving an entire country? Mira might think that someone like Nille probably could've saved Vaugarde alone, without dragging several other people down along with her to aid her in a doomed quest…

And in Nille's case, well, if one was going to have any type of grudge against a group of heroes for taking your younger sibling directly into royalty related danger, it would make sense that most of your ire would be focused on the capital H Hero herself. The Chosen One, handpicked by the crabbing Change God, beloved by all of Vaugarde and most importantly, the perfect replacement for Nille in Bonnie's life. After all, it was Mirabelle who was there for Bonnie when they needed an older sister the most - Nille might be worried that one day Bonnie will weigh their options and decide that Mirabelle is the better choice.

Now, obviously, this is all within the realm of speculation, but I think it's interesting. I know that Mira is sober for religious reasons, but their dynamic has the potential to be a perfect cocktail of insecurities, jealousy and imposter syndrome.

And buddy? I need a drink.

[hauntingofhouses]

Thinking about the crazy love triangle situation in Blue Eye Samurai and debating heavily with myself on how I'd like to see it conclude. And yeah this discussion can be thought of purely as shipping, headcanons, and fandom fun. But when analysing the show and engaging with it in a more in-depth, almost-literary level, it's impossible to dismiss who Mizu's potential love interests are and how different endgame romances would affect her character arc and the overall story and themes.

So in this post I'd like to look at the love triangle a bit more closely, and speculate on where the story will take this.

DISCLAIMER: It is my personal interpretation of the text that Mizu is non-binary—I use this as an umbrella term denoting any gender that does not adhere to the binary restrictions, norms, and expectations of what it means to be either a man or woman in a particular society; it's not just an androgynous "third gender" that exclusively uses they/them pronouns. Thus, while I personally believe Mizu is not strictly a cis woman, she does still identify with womanhood, despite definitely feeling a level of detachment from it due to living as a man for so long. With that being said, I will be using she/her pronouns for Mizu in this post, but please note that this is purely personal preference. Everyone is free to interpret the text the way they like. That's the fun of fiction. Now, without further ado, let's proceed.

Okay so, thinking about the pairings on a purely surface level, and even before i got into the show, I was pinning my hopes on some lesbianism going on between Mizu and Akemi, and the show does hint at this; in Ep1, during their first encounter in Kyoto, there is the famous slow-mo shot of their eyes meeting, Mizu's lips slightly parted as she is unable to tear her gaze away from Akemi, while sweet string music plays in the background. This is clear romantic framing, and a marker of attraction. If Mizu was a cishet man, there would be no question that this is a potential love interest.

But then, in the same episode, we meet Taigen, who is introduced to us firstly from hearing Akemi's father describe him as "a fierce and undefeated young samurai", the "best swordsman in the best school" and "a fisherman's son from Kohama [...] whose rise reminds [him] of [his] own."

In the next scene, we meet him in person as Akemi's fiance, and he seems sweet enough. He even gives her sweets! In exchange, Akemi gives him gold, and he feels a bit ashamed that he doesn't have anything better to offer her. But Akemi accepts him and his gift wholeheartedly and flirts with him a little, which makes him smile kinda shyly.

When Akemi confirms their engagement, Taigen is in disbelief because he has no status or noble background, but Akemi reassures him.

So from these first few scenes, we're introduced to Taigen as an honourable and strong samurai, but also as a man who is sweet and gentle with the woman he is about to marry, as well as aware of his own inferiority when compared to Akemi's high station.

Our view of him then changes as his true self is revealed: he is an arrogant and smug bastard among his peers, but more importantly, he is the terrible bully from Mizu's childhood.

And it is this side of Taigen--pompous jerk and unrepentant xenophobic bully--that we continue to see as the show goes on, and it's safe to say that this is his real self, sans any pretense of humility and modesty. Around anyone who isn't an outright superior in terms of class and power (ie. Akemi's father, the shogun), Taigen never hesitates to assert his own authority and "greatness."

But as the show goes on, he gets caught by Heiji Shindo's men, and then tortured. And that's when we see, okay, turns out he's not that bad. He's honourable; "honour" is not just meaningless and superficial pedantry for him, but an internalised, guiding principle.

He was a cruel asshat throughout Mizu's childhood, but in a prejudiced and xenophobic society, he was just playing by the rules. As a child, he knew he was at the bottom of society, but when met with someone even lower ranked than him (Mizu), he can project all those prejudices and insecurities onto someone else. This way of thinking--"if you can't beat 'em, join em"--is what allowed him to climb up the ranks despite being some dirt poor kid from an abusive household*.

*Well, that combined with his cismale privilege of course, because this would not be an option for a woman in similar circumstances.

Thus, his upholding of honour also exemplifies how Taigen embodies the ideals and rules of his society. His insistence on duelling Mizu is another more blatant example of this. He doesn't want revenge like Mizu does. He wants to be accepted by society, within the bounds that society has placed, and that means that his only two options following his defeat at the Shindo dojo were to either chase Mizu down and get his damn duel, or kill himself for his humiliating defeat.

Now! Moving on from Taigen, let's go back to the other end of this little love triangle: Akemi.

Mizu and Akemi only properly meet in Ep4. During their first meeting, when Akemi tries to poison Mizu in Madame Kaji's brothel, she compliments Mizu's eyes, calling them "beautiful."

This seems to genuinely take mizu off-guard for a second before she coolly plays along. We know that Mizu recognises Akemi from the get-go, and thus sees through Akemi's ploy from a mile away. It's also safe to assume she'd expected false flattery, because Mizu understands full well that this tactic is how women get what they want: by using their 'feminine wiles' and playing up their naivety and innocence. But even so, it's interesting that Mizu actually seems surprised by Akemi's compliment.

Then, after Mizu subtly taunts Akemi by lying about Taigen's death, she and Akemi have a bit of a scuffle, and then we get to Mizu saying this:

"Women in our world don't have a single good option. Except you, like some magical forest creature. You could have anything you want, but then you beg to eat trash."

(no screenshot because it's quite a long line but you get it)

Here we see Mizu's opinions on the marginalisation of (mostly poor and under-privileged) women stated outright, and underlying her words is also resentment. Because even though she and Akemi have shared experiences of female oppression, Mizu, unlike Akemi, was also poor, from a rural village, and is a racial minority. Mizu is triply oppressed, while Akemi only faces one primary form of oppression, and to someone as embittered by the world as Mizu is, to see Akemi "beg to eat trash" is a slap in the face, practically tone-deaf to the other injustices around her--injustices which Akemi has not shown much, or any, acknowledgement for at this point.

Then, after this scene, Mizu kills Kinuyo, and this unsettles her to a degree we've never seen from her before. She is visibly distraught, and the entire sequence hammers the theme of this episode (and arguably, a large portion of the show) into our heads: women in this world suffer. And even though Mizu is well aware of this fact, to commit this act is so visceral that is shakes her to her core, and it's what ultimately leads to the ambush of the Thousand Fangs.

But before the ambush, Mizu and Akemi talk a little again, and during this time Akemi taunts Mizu some more.

Right now, Mizu is exhausted to the point where (I believe) she even downs some sake, despite not usually drinking. Thus, worn down, she cuts Akemi's ropes and tells her, "Just go." Akemi recovers from her initial fear of Mizu's blade and taunts her some more, accurately seeing through Mizu's facade of coldness, recognising the raw anger there, and says this:

"I thought you had to be something special. Your face isn't even so scary. You're just... angry."

At this, Mizu is amused and compares Akemi to Taigen ("I see why he likes you. You're just like Taigen when we were children. A fucking brat.")

The reveal that Mizu and Taigen knew each other in childhood surprises Akemi, but before either of them can say more, everything goes to shit.

That's when we get to Ep5. This episode focuses primarily on Mizu, the central piece of this love triangle, and does the most out of all the episodes to shed some light on her character and goals, fleshing her out to be more than just the vengeful, highly proficient samurai we've seen thus far (symbolised by The Ronin), but also a person who is capable of love, domesticity and gentleness (symbolised by The Bride). But in the end, Mizu rejects both these ideals, instead becoming an Onryo, who is neither guided by pride/honour, nor love.

By 'reincarnating' into an Onryo, Mizu is able to win the day and save the women in the brothel. However, as she has now fully embraced her status as an Onryo, and is exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally, she lets the Tokunobu clansmen take Akemi away while Akemi's screams echo in her ear.

Mizu says this choice is for Akemi's own good, that Akemi's better off; because Mizu is jaded and weary, and cannot afford the luxury of idealism, and thus must always be strictly practical and realistic. So of course that's why, in her view, yes, Akemi should not be wasting her time in a brothel where women are exploited and abused, nor should Akemi be so naive to think that her marriage with Taigen is even still possible. However, regardless of Mizu's views, it is not for her to decide, because though Akemi is privileged in some sense, she is still trapped and voiceless, and deserves the right to choose her own destiny.

But as it happens, in the end, though Akemi did not choose who she gets to marry, she DOES get to choose her next move when Edo burns down.

"I want to be great."

This one line is the key to her entire arc, which is only just beginning. We see she quickly has acquired the affection and good graces of the shogun's son after their wedding night and consummation, and with Madame Kaji and the girls now serving her, Akemi will only grow to become a prominent political player.

NOW, only after analysing the characters as they are within this season, only can we speculate how their arcs will continue as the show progresses.

First and foremost, I will reassert the popular opinion that Mizu and Akemi are foils. The climax (pun intended) of Ep7 illustrates this as it parallels the turning points in both Mizu's and Akemi's arcs:

Mizu melts the steel of all her loves and shames, the people she's collected: the broken blade wielded by both Chiaki and Taigen, Akemi's knife, Ringo's bell, Master Eiji's tongs - this symbolises her beginning to accept herself, and in doing so, also accepting the help of others;

Akemi consummates her marriage with Takayoshi Itoh, gains his affection, and cements her position as a woman in the shogun's palace - this symbolises her taking charge of her situation, no longer playing the damsel, but using her position to her advantage, empowering both herself and the underprivileged women around her.

These are thus two directly contrasting, diverging journeys:

Mizu's arc moves inward (yin). It is an internal path of self-love and self-discovery, focused on finding peace and tranquility inside herself, and this involves allowing herself to let others into her life, opening herself up to friendship and empathy once more.

Akemi's arc moves outward (yang), it is an external path of growth, transforming from a naive, caged princess to a powerful woman and a force to be reckoned with.

Akemi is always dressed in red, even her eyes are a bit of a reddish-brown rather than brown-black like most other characters, and in her penultimate scene she stands against a backdrop of flames. She is fire: quick-tempered, passionate, full of energy. Red is powerful, authoritative, and in eastern cultures, it is associated with prosperity.

Mizu is blue: her eyes, her sword, her clothes. She is also named after water; it's where she goes to recover, reflect and meditate. Water is fluid like a brook weaving around a stone in its path, always changing and adapting, it is graceful, it is beautiful and ruthless, tranquil yet swift.

Thus, in the future, I expect we will see plenty of political manoeuvring and intrigue in Akemi's plotline, where she fully embraces control of her life, and begins to take action to help others as well, realising that her own oppression is just one piece in a much larger picture. Her main conflict is with society.

In direct contrast, Mizu's main conflict is with herself. She must realise that her desire for vengeance is a projection of her own deep-rooted self-hatred. Her arc must move towards unpacking her feelings and trauma so she can be at peace with herself and allow space for love in her heart. Because as we saw in Ep5, Mizu had come extremely close to achieving peace and joy, as she had not only loved Mikio, but also had briefly believed that Mikio had loved her (and accepted her for who she is) as well.

Thus, assuming the story is not planned as a tragedy, Mizu will likely end up getting her vengeance, but it will not satisfy her, because it is not what she needs. What she needs is to let go of the Onryo within her and to reconcile both The Ronin and The Bride within herself, as she is both a fighter and a lover, but not a monster.

(Edit: I recommend checking out this post by @stylographic-blue-rhapsody for a much clearer analysis about Mizu'a symbolism as Ronin, Bride and Onryo!)

And now that we've mostly covered each of the characters individually, we can finally get to the main point of this post: the love triangle.

--

Let's talk about Option A: Akemi.

As I covered extensively earlier, Mizu and Akemi are foils, a yin-yang pair. But while they play off each other very well in a thematic sense, I personally believe that a serious romance between them will be more complicated if they become endgame. This is because Akemi's natural resolution is to embrace a position of power and influence, where she has both freedom and control over herself and to make much-needed changes in a prejudiced society. Meanwhile, Mizu's natural resolution is the opposite; her happy ending would to find a peaceful life where she is safe and free from prying eyes, and able to be her true self.

Thus, it would make very little sense for Akemi to forfeit power and run away with Mizu and start a humble life together. Akemi wants to be great, and that is absolutely what she deserves. On the other end of the spectrum, it would also make little sense for Mizu to dedicate her life in service of Akemi, such as acting as a bodyguard or something similar, because a life in a palace full of court intrigue and conspiracies is far from what Mizu needs to be happy.

With that being said, if Mizu/Akemi is endgame, and assuming their overarching character arcs do not shift directions, their love story would likely be either tragic, doomed, or bittersweet. I do absolutely love this type of story because personally I'm a sucker for catharsis, so it would be very interesting if the writers do decide to take this route.

Also, as a note, please do not take this as me dunking on this pairing. This is just my personal opinion and analysis and I completely understand if you disagree!

--

Then, of course, we have Option B: Taigen.

Between Akemi and Mizu, Taigen is a bit of a free-floater here, because Season 1 leaves off at a point where his arc is very ambiguous as to where it's headed. While Akemi climbs for greatness and Mizu goes on a journey across the ocean to (presumably) discover more about her heritage, we have little clues about where Taigen is headed. And if I'm being honest, I'm sure he has no idea either! He still hasn't reclaimed his honour, so he would be unable to rejoin the Shindo Dojo; he's been rejected by Akemi; and while he showed loyalty to the shogun, the shogun is now dead, and all the shogun's men who had witnessed his "humiliating" death were left to die by Lady Itoh, who is now pulling the strings within the palace.

Therefore, Taigen has very few options here.

And when considering his role in the story is as Mizu's begrudging ally, his arc will undoubtedly be focused on unlearning his xenophobia and misogyny, the latter of which we have not seen yet, but is surely present. Now, whether he will do this in Mizu's presence or absence will be unknown until we see Season 2. Following the Season 1 finale, he might return to Kohama and wait for Mizu there as he learns humility and remorse over his past cruelty; or maybe he will follow Mizu to London, and the two of them will continue to butt heads until he finally admits to himself that he cares for Mizu more than he would like to admit. There is no room for doubt that his growing feelings for Mizu are more-than-platonic, because we all saw him get turned on by sparring with her in Ep7 lol. Thus, regardless of the exact choice he makes, I am sure that his overall arc will be focused on redeeming his character.

Now, when it comes go redeeming him, I know there are many who simply don't want him redeemed because he was such a jerk to Mizu, and while yes I agree he was awful, I do believe there is also nuance to his character.

Previously I've discussed in great detail the colour and elemental symbolism with Mizu and Akemi, but have yet to touch on how they relate to Taigen. So, let's talk about that for a second.

While Akemi is red and Mizu is blue, Taigen is green.

Green is a complementary colour to Akemi's red. Complementary colours are directly opposite each other in the colour wheel; when mixed, they neutralise each other, but when put side-by-side, they form a pleasing and impactful contrast that boosts the brightness and prominence of both colours. This mirrors Taigen and Akemi's relationship. They are an "ideal" pair because they complement each other very well, and bring out each other's most prominent traits. Mizu's comment about their similar "brattiness" comes to mind here.

Green is also an analogous colour with Mizu's blue. These colours are sitting right next to each other on the colour wheel; their natural similarity makes it easy for them to form a cohesive overall appearance, but using both in equal amounts will make a design overwhelming and too busy. Thus, the best way to use analogous colours is to make one the dominant colour, while the other will serve as an accent. I feel this also speaks to the dynamic in Taigen and Mizu's relationship. They came from the space place, both from nothing; they're both strong fighters who love the sport, and work well together when fighting side-by-side; however, they butt heads too easily, mirroring how analogous colours can be too overwhelming when used in equal amounts. Thus, to work together in harmony, one has to be the dominant colour, while the other serves as the accent. In this case, the dominant force would be Mizu, as she is the protagonist of the story, while the accent would be Taigen.

By fulfilling this role as an "accent" to Mizu, Taigen's character would easily be slotted in as a the love interest. This is in contrast with a Mizu/Akemi relationship, whereby Akemi is Mizu's foil before she is Mizu's love interest. This is because, by being a love interest, a character usually takes a backseat in the story, serving the plot and the themes by playing a purely supportive role, and this is not possible in Akemi's case because her character exists to parallel and contrast Mizu (red and blue), and not to support her.

It is possible to serve as a supporting love interest in Taigen's case however. And this is because he, unlike the other characters, does not currently have a definitive place within the story. He initially served the plot as an antagonistic force, but now as he is slowly unlearning his prejudices and becoming a better person, he can no longer serve the story by acting purely as a rival.

Instead, he will serve the story by literally supporting Mizu. And this relates to Taigen being earth, which is steady, firm and reliable, unwavering in loyalty and principles, hardworking and rooted in stability, which is seen in Taigen's staunch and inflexible obedience to the traditions and rules of society. These traits are what make him a perfect samurai, but not a good man. However, unlike most people in their world, Taigen is still capable of change and redemption, which is why Mizu says that he has the potential to be great. Not great by way of power or glory, but great in character. Already, he is honourable to a fault, and does not betray Mizu even after she technically robbed him of everything he was striving towards. And when he was shot by an arrow in the chasm, he did not hesitate a second to tell Mizu to use him as a human shield and save herself.

The trigger for his redemption is Mizu. If she had never beat him in that duel, Taigen would live on to become a man like Akemi's father. Cruel, power-hungry, controlling, conservative. But through Mizu, Taigen's sharp edges are ground down, much like water that wears down the stones in a river.

Where Mizu and Akemi's possible love story would be a clash of wills, full of passion and even heartbreak, a possible love story between Mizu and Taigen would be the wearing down of souls. Mizu would make Taigen a better person, and in turn Taigen would dedicate his full respect and support to Mizu as his equal, thus getting her to slowly open up and love herself. Already, Taigen has grown enough to admit (begrudgingly, and in his own Taigen way) that Mizu is better than him; though, clearly, he still has a long way to go, as he still calls Mizu a demon shortly after that.

But basically, Taigen is a very simple man (his main goal now is "to be happy"), and Mizu has great depths that he cannot yet fathom. For this love story to work, it has to begin with Taigen changing for the better. If he succeeds in that, and is able to accept Mizu for all her complexities, I believe that they will make a formidable pair. And though he'd likely still throw a jab or snarky remark at Mizu every now and then, I think he'd come tl wholeheartedly admire Mizu as a brilliant swordsman and a kind soul. Thus, should things work out and this be endgame, Taigen would be able to provide Mizu with what Mikio could not: an idyllic life that is not built on a lie, but mutual trust, respect, admiration, and equality.

Or hey, maybe they could both make their own dojo together! I don't know.

(Edit: This post by @rinandsketches does a great job at delving into Taigen's character and a potential Mizu/Taigen relationship if you'd like to read more about this angle!)

--

Now, as I move on from Taigen, there are a couple more options on how to resolve this love triangle and that includes Option C: Ringo.

In this option, Mizu does not have an endgame romance with either Akemi or Taigen. In this route, she finds peace and love through friendship, solidarity, and a found family between herself, Ringo and Master Eiji—a bunch of outcasts in society who make a strong trifecta of sword-makers.

Also, as an aside while I'm talking about Ringo, I'd like to point out that I believe his element is air and his colour is a neutral grey; he is talkative, easy-going, wise, curious, light on his feet (stealthy) and free-spirited, which are all traits linked to air, and traits that complement Mizu nicely, as he is capable of getting Mizu to open up and trust others again, while Mizu helps him reach his true potential for greatness.

--

And finally, there's Option D: Polyamory.

This is basically an "all of the above" option, in which everyone wins and it's a super duper happy ending. It would also be awesome to get some polyamorous representation, and seeing the dynamic between Akemi/Mizu/Taigen play out would be very entertaining and refreshing. So, you never know, this just might be the true endgame!

--

AAAAND with that, I close my extremely long analysis of what is essentially Mizu's love life. Whatever the final outcome of this love triangle though, I just hope it will be well-written and satisfying to all the characters' respective arcs. (Also I just want Mizu to be HAPPY goddamn it because she deserves the world and her coochie eaten out)

Now, I highly doubt anyone will read any of this (especially not until the end!) but that's fine. I just have so many thoughts and feelings about this show and I just needed to get this out of my system lol! But if by some miracle you did read this far, I wholeheartedly welcome any sharing of thoughts and ideas because man am I obsessed with this show! But of course, if we have an opposing opinions, please be respectful when letting me know; I am very open to friendly discussions.

[lordofdestructionm]

Fun Vikdecai scenario for you

and by "fun" I mean pure angst

After the events of the Pilot its not hard to imagine Ivy giving Viktor more details about the trio''s "successful" rum run and their encounter with Marigold. Whether to brag or because Viktor wants to know exactly how much danger she was in.

She might mention the moment when she looked over her shoulder and it looked like Mordecai had his gun aimed right at her, and maybe she was seeing things, but she could swear it looked like he had the shot but lowered the gun

Viktor pauses for a moment but casually dismisses the idea. Mordecai is a traitor and backstabber etc. Shot his partner of over six years in the knee and went to work for their biggest rivals just after Atlas died and the grass started looking greener on the Marigold side.

Plus Ivy still has that wide eyed optimism about her, so of course she is going to read kinder intentions into what could have been a simple matter of the car being too far away or the gun jamming etc.

He doesn't think too much about it after that. Eventually, after recovering just about enough from his injury from the pig farmer attack, Viktor insists to Mitzi that he go with the two crazy noodle armed cousins instead of Ivy.

Mitzi is reluctant but knows when Viktor isn't going to budge, and so she agrees on condition that he not try and throttle Rocky or Ivy's boyfriend while on the job.

The terms are accepted.

Begrudgingly.

But the inevitable happens, and of course, they have a run-in with Marigold.

This is a nightmare for Mordecai.

This is exactly what wounding Viktor's knee was supposed to prevent. He can't let the Savoys go after Viktor, but even if he manages to get them to focus on the two crazy amateurs, Mordecai won't be able to get away with just wounding him and then leaving him be like the kneecapping incident, because the Savoys will want to finish the job, and what reason could he give them for refusing?

Killing Viktor is clearly not an option. He couldn't do it to Ivy and there is no way he can do it now. Betraying his trust, the years of always having each others backs, and the unlikely bond they shared when he left Lackadaisy, had been hard enough. However much he told himself it was "for his own good".

Now either Viktor or his invesitgation into Atlas's death are doomed. Likely both.

He has to try and force Viktor to retreat. He fires warning shots close enough for Viktor to feel the bullets fly past him but just miss his large frame.

Viktor knows how deadly Mordecai is at range and considering what limited weapons Viktor is working with surely the stubborn and still visibly injured and slower moving Ox for once will do the sensible thing!?

But there's a problem with that strategy. Viktor knows Mordecai. More specifically, he knows how well he shoots. He has seen him hit much less tall and broad targets in much more difficult circumstances without breaking a sweat, but here he is missing multiple shots? That's when what Ivy said months before comes back to him.

He knows Mordecai is missing those shots on purpose.

What the hell happens now?

Mordecai can't retreat but has no idea what to do either with Viktor clearly not backing off, while Viktor is not only too stubborn to do so but now knows Mordecai is trying not to shoot him. Does he take the opportunity to confront him? Get out from behind any cover and just start walking with as strong and determined a pace as his bad knees will allow? Does he want to pull Mordecai's head off his body, get payback for his knee, demand an explanation why someone he considered a friend betrayed him?

All the while, Mordecai is getting more and more panicked with every heavy step.

[quaggyday]

Random old photo from my FOURTH play-through of Reload ( As of this post I'm at November) but look at this Minato characterization.

What do you mean the … are in front, something that usually indicates feelings of sadness or contemplation and are very rare. What do you mean that in this bunker that includes references to some sort of war in the past and a letter of a man asking only the best for his wife and child, Minato finds a skeleton hidden away that presumably died alone on a bedframe. What do you mean more then anything he thinks that this decades old bony figure was someone once upon a time.

What do you mean this implies Minato sees death as taking away your identity and the things you've gone through and that makes him feel something, the guy who at this point in the game still bottles up every single one of his feelings on anything.

[romantacysblog]

Joe Goldberg | Smut

He had been planning this for weeks, meticulously crafting every detail to ensure the night would be perfect. He knew her routine like the back of his hand, having studied her from afar long before they ever officially met. The 'chance encounter' at the coffee shop had been anything but, and tonight, he was going to remind her of that.

He arrived at her house just after midnight, the cool night air doing little to dampen the heat building inside him. He had a key, of course—he'd made a copy the last time he was over, when she'd been too distracted by his touch to notice. He let himself in silently, his heart pounding with anticipation. He knew she was home; her car was in the driveway, and the lights were off, signaling that she was likely already in bed.

He moved through the house like a ghost, his steps sure and silent. He knew exactly where everything was, having committed the layout to memory during his earlier stalking sessions. He made his way to her bedroom, his breath catching in his throat as he pushed the door open slowly.

She was there, sprawled out on the bed, her chest rising and falling with each deep breath. She was wearing a thin tank top and boy shorts, her hair fanned out across the pillow. He took a moment to just look at her, committing the sight to memory. Then, he began to undress, his movements slow and deliberate.

He climbed onto the bed, his body hovering over hers. He could feel the heat radiating off her, could see the slight flutter of her eyelids as she began to stir. He leaned down, his lips capturing hers in a soft, gentle kiss. She moaned slightly, her eyes fluttering open in confusion and then pleasure as she recognized him.

"Shh," he whispered against her lips. "I've got you."

He could feel her body respond to his, her nipples hardening beneath her tank top, her legs parting slightly to accommodate him. He took his time, exploring her body with his hands and mouth, reacquainting himself with every curve and dip. He knew what she liked, what made her squirm and beg, and he was determined to draw out every ounce of pleasure from her.

He trailed kisses down her neck, his hands slipping under her tank top to tease her breasts. He took his time, rolling her nipples between his fingers, his mouth following the path his hands had taken. He could feel her arching into his touch, her breath coming in short gasps.

He slipped her tank top off, his mouth capturing one tight bud as his hand trailed down her stomach, dipping beneath the waistband of her shorts. He could feel how wet she was, her folds slick and inviting. He teased her, his fingers dancing around her clit, his mouth never leaving her breast.

She was writhing beneath him, her hands fisting in his hair, her hips bucking against his hand. He could feel her getting close, her body tensing, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps. He slowed his touch, drawing out her pleasure, making her beg for release.

"Please," she whispered, her voice hoarse with need. "I need you."

He smiled against her skin, his fingers finally giving her what she craved, circling her clit, his mouth trailing down her stomach. He hooked his fingers in her shorts, pulling them down slowly, his eyes never leaving hers.

He settled between her legs, his tongue taking the place of his fingers. He licked and sucked, his hands gripping her hips to hold her in place as she bucked against his mouth. He could feel her getting close again, her body tensing, her breaths coming in short gasps.

He slipped two fingers inside her, curling them to hit that sweet spot, his tongue never stopping its relentless assault on her clit. She came with a cry, her body convulsing, her hands fisting in his hair.

He gave her a moment to come down from her high before he moved up her body, his cock poised at her entrance. He looked into her eyes, seeing the desire and trust reflected back at him. He pushed into her slowly, her tight heat enveloping him, her legs wrapping around his waist.

He set a slow, steady pace, his body moving in sync with hers. He could feel her meeting him thrust for thrust, her nails digging into his back, her breath hot on his neck. He could feel his own release building, his body tensing, his movements becoming more erratic.

He reached between them, his fingers finding her clit, rubbing it in tight circles. She came again, her body clenching around him, sending him over the edge with her. He poured himself into her, his body shaking, his breath coming in short gasps.

He collapsed on top of her, his body slick with sweat, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel her heart racing to match his, her body limp and sated beneath him. He rolled off her, pulling her into his arms, their bodies still joined.

"Welcome home," he whispered, his lips brushing against her forehead.

She smiled, her eyes fluttering closed, her body melting into his. "I'm home," she whispered back.

He held her as they both drifted off to sleep, their bodies still joined, their hearts beating in sync. He knew he'd done good. The scenario had been a success, and he already had plans for their next encounter. Until then, he'd enjoy the afterglow, knowing that he'd given her a night she'd never forget.

[crescent-blades]

Michikatsu Tsugikuni in a Sengoku Era Battlefield || Part 1: Formations

As we know, the Sengoku era was a period of chaos and bloodshed; lords turning against one another and vassals turning their backs on their lords. In my last post, we attempted to figure out 'What Michikatsu's distinction would be as a samurai.' This did not provide clarity into his specific role within a military context—his position and responsibilities during warfare. Therefore, in this article, we will examine his placement within a battle formation and clarify his role in combat.

A brief overview of the earlier post just in case: I proposed that Michikatsu must have served as an ashigaru kumigashira, likely leading either a spear or archer unit [since his men depicted in the manga panels did not possess any significant weapons during the demon attack]. With this out of the way, let us proceed.

⚠ SPOILERS AHEAD ⚠ | Masterlist

⨳ How Foot Soldiers used to be Deployed

Of course, the organisation of soldiers in an army during the sengoku era varied clan by clan, although many elements remained consistent across. The illustration provided [credits to Emmanuel Valerio] depicts the Takeda clan.   

× Starting off, let's examine the illustration above. This gives us a basic understanding of how the foot soldiers used to be deployed. At the bottom left, we can see the Taishou (大将) the General, who used to lead an entire tactical unit consisting of about 300-800 men; as well as an Uma-jirushi (馬標), which served to mark his location.

× To the left, there is a lengthy formation of samurai, with ashigaru positioned directly behind each samurai to provide support. Behind them consists a group of similar size and structure. All of these men are armed with yari [spears] and and these are the troops that will take the fight to the enemy.

× Each unit is led by a mounted samurai with foot soldiers, all positioned behind them. The foot samurai are organised into groups, each overseen by a mounted ashigaru/samurai Kumigashira (組頭) the luitenant who is accompanied by two foot soldiers, as well as a mounted troop Kumigashira, the captain having a larger supporting foot soldier. 

• The Archer squad:  

I couldn't find any illustrations that exclusively feature archery, as firearms were likely not in use during Michikatsu's era. However, I do believe the formation would have been the same, if not similar, considering that the archers were initially few in number and belonged to the same infantry as the yumi ashigaru (archers). 

The image above depicts a complete gun/archer squad positioned at the forefront. All five of them are organised under the leadership of a single troop kashira. In total, 10 squads with two captains will be commanding them.  

▪︎The Spear squad: I couldn't find anything for the spear group; however, based on my research, it is likely to resemble the archer squad mentioned earlier. Positioned at the front lines, they would be arranged shoulder to shoulder in a long formation, numbering approximately 60–70, with their mounted commanders stationed behind them.      

⨳ The Battle Formations

The image above gives us a condensed form of the archer unit [a spear unit would have the same formation], where:  

A. Yumi Bugyo (Archer Manager/Commissioner) B. Yumi Gumi Gashira (Archer Group Foreman) C. Samurai Yumi Gashira (Samurai Archer Foreman) D. Samurai Yumi Gumi (Samurai Archer Group) E. Yumi Ashigaru Gashira (Ashigaru Archer Foreman) F. Yumi Ashigaru Gumi (Ashigaru Archer Group) G. Yumi Ashigaru Ko-Gashira (Ashigaru Archer Sub-Foreman)

 [Names by EValerio; full credits to him]  

× Yumi Samurai are depicted in a more dispersed formation compared to the ashigaru, who maintained a tight and disciplined line at the front. While the samurai engaged in combat as a collective unit, the ashigaru adhered to a more structured arrangement. The ashigaru and the samurai Kumigashiras for both the troops were well equipped for battle and would join their men in combat when necessary.   

For instance, Michikatsu above could be represented as 'E' [as mentioned in my previous post; this is supported by the canon manga panels where he leads a small troop of ashigaru. I don't see any evidence to suggest he would be classified as 'B', unless someone can provide additional insights that I may have overlooked.]            

⨳ Conclusion

A follow-up of my previous post where we attempted to find out his distinction as a samurai. However, this one goes into much more detail about where he would actually stand in a Battlefield. There are many things that i have skipped over, as to keep this post focused and concise, ensuring it remains dedicated solely to Michikatsu.