#enchanted nebula answers

[ask-enchanted-nebula-cookie]

(oc rp)

Star Jelly Cookie looked up from her tea, lowering it slightly.

"Ah... another cookie from the cosmos. Yes, there seem to be more showing up.. Would you like a cup of tea?"

She offered a faint smile.

@starryclockwork-rp

Of course! I love tea!

[stormyrainyday]

How to Read MFB Like a Professor: Chapter 3

Nice to Eat You: Acts of Vampires

Key concepts: Vampires (and sometimes other monsters!) in works symbolize a variety of evils-- especially exploitation, corruption, and violation of autonomy.

What's this? Read the series intro post.

I'm sure I don't have to spell out why Lightning L Drago-- a bey that explicitly feeds off the negative emotions of its opponent in order to make itself stronger-- is the topic of an essay on vampires in media. It doesn't really get more on-the-nose than this. Truth be told, I wracked my brains for ages trying to find a more subversive answer to the question of "Who are the vampires in MFB?" but it feels wrong to cover this topic and not talk about L Drago and Ryuga. What I've landed on is the expansion from L Drago itself to the important figures of the Dark Nebula as a whole: L Drago, Ryuga, and Doji, and the characters who fell victim to the organization.

(I did also consider Reiji, but for the sake of brevity I will save discussion on him for another essay. His theming doesn't fit as neatly into the points being made here today).

Luckily, there is more to the metaphor than immediately meets the eye. The goal of this essay isn't so much to prove that the Dark Nebula represents vampirism, but rather to view it with this lens and explore the implications for the characters involved.

Foster in his book describes several facets that make up the literary vampire, similar to the components of the archetypal quest I discuss in chapter 1. Necessarily, there must be:

A (usually alluring) figure, representing some kind of corrupt value. This is our vampire

A victim for the vampire to feed off of

Within the story, the following things must happen:

Stripping of the victim's vitality

Continuing/enhancing the life of the "vampire"

The destruction of the victim

With these in mind, we can examine the Dark Nebula and its victims in the context of vampirism.

The Alluring Figure

There's a reason Dracula and other famous vampires have been described in their respective media as deeply attractive; in order to seduce a victim into falling into their traps, vampires must have some sort of draw. L Drago's allure is clear from the start: from the very beginning of its history, L Drago has drawn in bladers with the promise of near-godly power, one that can win wars and manipulate nature itself. Doji describes this briefly with Ryuga's introduction, and Ryo goes into further depth towards the end of the season.

Like a vampire or other monster, the power is supernatural, otherworldly. L Drago literally is born of a star fragment that comes from the sky, and these origins play a role in its mystique. This mysteriousness then increases its draw-- people are attracted to the unknown even if they fear it, and L Drago is no exception. Though L Drago is ultimately created by humans, its basis is a power that humans didn't fully understand but are nevertheless enchanted by and use for nefarious purposes.

This extreme and unadulterated power is, of course, very corrupt and the show makes that extremely clear. The power is derived from negative emotions and thus inherently thrives on discord-- it can't coexist with peaceful times. That is why it was sealed away, and why legends warned against it. However, the temptation for power and control is too great, and that's why L Drago appears again and again through history. Doji even explicitly says "Whoever controls the extraordinary power of beys controls the very fate of the world itself" when monologuing during L Drago Awakens!

Similarly, Ryuga himself is cloaked in mystique for nearly the entirety of MFB; in Metal Fusion, we know very little about his past, his motivations (aside from the simple goal of wanting to be strong), or even his personality beyond his arrogance. This, combined with being the primary antagonist in season 1 and one of the canonically strongest bladers in the series, has made him a fan favorite.

Even Doji has a sort of charismatic appeal to him. He presents characters with a vision and promises it to them if they join his cause. For most recruits, this involves the promise of the power to beat Gingka (the main exception is Yu, and he is promised exciting battles and strong opponents. Thematically it actually makes sense that Yu is the only one of the Dark Nebula bladers to leave and join Gingka's side, as he is the only one is is not seduced by the power of raw strength, and has motivations far more pure than the other members-- that is, the joy of blading). Doji is also well dressed, well spoken, and careful about appearances; all these things draw characters towards him and make them trust him enough to join his cause. To join Doji is to make a deal with a devil in disguise, but the Dark Nebula recruits have no way to know this until it is too late.

Together, Doji, Ryuga, and L Drago all have a distinct appeal to them that draws people in; that being said, they are the villains of the show and very clearly represent the corrupting nature of power. They value power above all, and don't care who they hurt in the process of acquiring it. I'll speak later on the nuances of L Drago's influence vs the innate nature of the characters, but for now, consider them as one unit.

The Victim

A monster must have a victim, and the Dark Nebula and L Drago are no exception. Like a vampire, L Drago feeds off of the power and strength of its opponent, and once defeated, leaves them as a husk of their former selves-- drained, exhausted, and unable to do much of anything. In literature, the victims of vampires are usually young, innocent, and typically female; this is because vampires are often commentaries on exploitation and power imbalance. These themes run clearly through Metal Fusion as well.

The show depicts in no uncertain terms what happens to those who fall for the Dark Nebula's allure. Their strength is taken indiscriminately as fuel for Ryuga and L Drago, and Doji facilitates the destruction with a smile on his face. We see this with Tobio, Tetsuya, Dan, Reiki, and the Kumade brothers in The Dragon's Punishment.

This display of power is shown to Yu (and Ryutaro) specifically, and though Yu isn't one of the people to be directly 'consumed' by L Drago, he fits the bill well for a vampire's victim-- young, naive, and caught up in things he doesn't understand. And despite not being a direct victim of L Drago, he doesn't walk away from his close contact with corruption unscathed; when he escapes the Dark Nebula, he is rife with physical injury, deep seated fear and despair, and his bey itself is badly damaged (which is significant as the state of a bey is closely in line with that of the blader's spirit. This is why Poison Serpent's physical chip damage is so detrimental for its opponent's mental states).

Apart from the Dark Nebula bladers, there are 3 characters who fight Ryuga directly during the Battle Bladers tournament: Hikaru, Tsubasa, and Kyoya. The degree of their post-battle psychological impact is interestingly in line with how much they align with the archetype of a classic vampire's victim.

I'll start with Kyoya, as he is the farthest removed. Kyoya is no stranger to conflict and he, like many of the Dark Nebula bladers, is driven by the desire to beat Gingka. However, his lust for power is addressed early on in the season when he has a brush with Doji himself; during those episodes, he's driven by an obsessive need to destroy Gingka. It's only when he undergoes personal growth during that battle do his motivations crucially shift-- at the end of the episode, he no longer sees Gingka as an opponent to destroy, but instead a rival to aid in their mutual growth. By then, his character growth arc is actually mostly complete (even if his power continues to increase). The Kyoya who goes to battle Ryuga is self assured and can no means be described as innocent or helpless; he is the one who ends up putting up the strongest fight of the three (it's implied that their strength is equal; the only reason Ryuga wins in the end is because L Drago begins to take over). This is why, when we see him again in Metal Masters, he bears no real evidence of the dark power's effect. It's honestly a stretch to call him a victim at all, especially when compared to Tsubasa and Hikaru.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have Hikaru, who aligns far most closely with the archetypal victim. At first glance, Hikaru and Kyoya are similar in nature if not in actual power. Hikaru is also headstrong, passionate, and by no means helpless-- no one who made it into Battle Bladers is weak, and from her introductory episode Hikaru is a force to be feared.

Well. Or so we're meant to think.

I apologize for straying from the voice of an objective analyst for a second. I need you to believe me when I say it really really pains me to say what I'm about to say. Hikaru's fall off is genuinely one of the most upsetting things about this show to me. I love her and her character and goddammit she deserved better even if her fate makes sense thematically.

Hikaru isn't weak, but she is almost immediately outclassed after her initial win against Kenta. Kenta himself is the one to beat her in the very next episode. After that point, Hikaru does not win a single other on-screen battle for the rest of the season. For god's sake she even loses against Teru, a character who exists for like 5 episodes max.

Thus it comes as no surprise that, of all of Ryuga's opponents (after the Dark Nebula lackeys of course), she is the weakest.

It's also easy to miss Hikaru's innocence at first glance; after all, she has an intentionally cold and no-nonsense demeanor to hide her true feelings. It's only when Hikaru is training alone that the audience gets a real look at her motivations, and they are shockingly sweet. Her pursuit of strength is in service of her mother's dying wish. She made a promise as a child, and it is that childlike innocence and belief that drives her forward.

Like others, she also wants to be the best in the world, and she is willing to fight indiscriminately to get there (we see this when she is willing to fight Kenta posing as Gingka-- she doesn't care that he's just a kid, only that he is strong and defeating him will bring her closer to her goal). But beneath it all is the little girl who made the promise to her dying mother.

Unfortunately for Hikaru, this innocence further primes her to be the victim in our vampire's tale.

There is also discussion to be had on the fact that the only girl to enter Battle Bladers is the one to suffer the worst at the hands of Ryuga and L Drago. Whether or not this was intentional, the fact remains that she was sent crashing through the stadium, rendered helpless for the rest of the season (as were Kyoya and Tsubasa, but because Hikaru battles first she is out for the most episodes), and subsequently suffers such trauma from the ordeal that she gives up blading together. She isn't even given a chance to fight back before Ryuga defeats her with overwhelming strength and consumes her spirit. This could be read as an allegory for assault (and the underlying theme of sexual exploitation is seen often in literary works on vampires), but in an effort to keep the essay minimally triggering I won't speak further on this.

Tsubasa's case is a little trickier as it lies somewhere in between Kyoya and Hikaru. He's an exception to the other Dark Nebula bladers as he only joined in order to extract information on behalf of the WBBA. He wouldn't be blamed for dropping out of Battle Bladers altogether, and only battles Ryuga in a noble (if borderline self-sacrificing) move to ensure that others aren't hurt after what happened to Hikaru. Despite being a spy, he's an honest and level-headed person at heart, and battles with a cool rationality different from most others. Despite this, he is also severely victimized following the battle against L Drago. Why?

Tsubasa's backstory and personality is explored more in the second season with his descent into darkness, but we learn his own heart houses two key things that allow him to fall victim to the allure of power: a deep-seated insecurity about letting down those he cares about, and an lasting bitterness at people who are able to get ahead using underhanded methods. The dark power within him sells itself as a means to rise beyond these perceived weaknesses, and it's a struggle that lasts for much of the season.

(sorry for the lack of subtitles the subbed version for Metal Masters just isn't available even with VPN for some reason and the auto-generated ones are incomprehensible)

These insecurities are shown to stem from his childhood, and the dark power taking advantage of this is what leads to his unwinding throughout the course of Metal Masters. His arc is to reconcile the conflicting parts of his personality, but as far as his interaction with Ryuga is concerned, the damage is done. It doesn't help that Ryuga is also able to overwhelm him with strength; though Tsubasa puts up a better fight than Hikaru, it is still no question that Ryuga is stronger.

If Hikaru's spirit is broken completely and Kyoya's is functionally unscathed, Tsubasa's can be argued to have fractured during this battle, and the exploration into his psyche later on also shows how he overcomes this trauma and is stronger after the fact.

All of Ryuga and L Drago's victims suffer in different ways but the thing they all have in common is this: at the end of their battle, they are defeated and their spirits used to make L Drago stronger. Just as a vampire drinks blood from its victim to replenish its life, L Drago uses others' spirits as fuel to increase its own power.

There are two victims I have yet to talk about though: Doji, and Ryuga himself.

Doji is simply a victim to the power he helped create. In his devotion to Ryuga's rise to power, he forgot about the very thing he told Yu: under the Emperor, all others are equal. He thought because of his position as a loyal servant, he would be spared and he and Ryuga would rise to the top together. However, Ryuga discards him the second he stops being useful and shows weakness. It is poetic justice to see the very power Doji weaponized and directly nurtured be the thing that defeated him in the end. It plays right into the central theme as well-- that unchecked power is a corrupting force that spares no one.

(The three dragons and Doji's helpless posture here mirrors that of Hikaru in her battle-- another neat detail that really hammers in the karmic nature of Doji's demise).

Ryuga's case differs from Doji, though. Unlike Doji, Ryuga was the one actually wielding L Drago and therefore directly suffering the corrupting force of the dark power contained within. We know that L Drago takes the negativity of a person and amplifies it, and we see this change happen in Ryuga as the season goes on. When he steals the bey with Doji, he is arrogant, yes, but does not have a god complex. He is also callous and mean, but not cruel until he gets his hands on the bey itself. When he first picks up the crystal, he explicitly says that he's aware of the power sucking him in and even looks alarmed, but his desire for power causes him to take the bey anyway.

By the end of his battle with Ryo, he's already condescending Ryo for being too weak to fight against him. When he sees Gingka in L Drago Awakens! he intentionally insults Ryo to Gingka's face as a cruel way to provoke him. By the time Battle Bladers happens, he truly believes himself to be infallible.

In fact, he plays so neatly into L Drago's hands that it's only when he's in danger of losing to Kyoya do we realize that Ryuga isn't fully in control. In fact, Ryuga himself is consumed by L Drago before the match with Kyoya even ends. Again, in a scene that hauntingly mirrors Hikaru's, his own bey deems him too weak and turns on him. Just as Ryuga had discarded everyone weaker than him up until this point (including Doji), L Drago decided that Ryuga was too weak to continue, and pushes him aside, taking his power and his body to continue fighting in the name of world domination. It happens so suddenly that everyone, including Kyoya, Gingka, and his friends can only watch on in horror as it happens. They don't comprehend it until the final battle with Gingka, but this was the moment that Ryuga was lost and L Drago had fully taken control.

It's a clear violation of Ryuga's autonomy. It's unclear if Ryuga is aware of what's going on-- I'd argue that he is, as he has not fully changed into the monstrous form we see in the following episode, and even when he has transformed, Gingka is able to get through to him. L Drago consuming Ryuga and assuming control of his body is even more disturbing when recalling that a bey is supposed to be a blader's partner; this makes it clear that L Drago held the cards all along, and the relationship between it and Ryuga was never equal. To L Drago, Ryuga was always a means to an end. In other words, a thing to be used.

Kyoya's defeat is the most gruesome because he is L Drago's victim, not Ryuga's. If there was ever any doubt as to this fact, the animation makes it clear: Ryuga no longer appears human, and it's a head of L Drago that pierces Kyoya's chest and drains his energy.

Ryuga, for all his cruelty and pride, was not the type of person to hurt a fellow blader in the way that happens to Kyoya. In the end, he fell victim to L Drago just as much as the rest of them, and that is why it is so important that Ryuga also be saved in the final episode.

It's bitter irony that Ryuga says this line, when the real trap all along was L Drago's promise of power. Ryuga's arrogance causes him to fall for it hook, line, and sinker.

With the final two victims in mind, the thematic narrative is complete. Everyone who comes into contact with Lightning L Drago suffers for it. It draws people in with its mystique and the promise of strength, and then hungrily consumes the spirits of every blader it meets-- including its own master-- in order to make itself stronger. Lightning L Drago represents the simultaneously attractive and corrupting nature of extreme power. It's a force of destruction, and left devastation in its wake. It is a very small, very evil, left spinning little vampire.

Thanks for reading as always! I haven't yet looked ahead at the next chapter-- I try not to read them until I've finished the previous analysis. I hope this one was worth the wait. My personal life is busy as always but I love this little side hobby so much.

Want to read more? Chapter 1 Chapter 2

[diaryofamadsunwukongfan]

Nevermore

●"... And with that, it appears Team JNPR wins by knockout, literally! ...Can someone go make sure team BRNZ are okay?" Prof. Port announces to the audience as Team JNPR are declared victorious.

●"We... won?" Ren asks himself as the applause of the audiance grow louder.

●Jaune's face grows into a wide smile as he screans "WE WOOOOOO-

●"-OOON!!!" As Jaune finishes his victory cheer, the scene transitions from Amity Colosseum to an out door cafe at Vale city. There, Team JNPR are enjoying some delicious pancakes... Nora most of all.

●"MOORE!!" Nora screams at a waiter who quickly hurries back into the building, then back outside to deliver the redhead 12 stacks of flapjacks.

●"Thank goodness Tournament winners get free pancakes..." Pyrrha states as she watches her friend devour the food.

●"Nora, we promised Team RWBY that we would be back in time for Team SSSN's match." Ren attempts to remind his girlfriend.

●"Don-mmff worry Re-mmf!" Nora attempts to talk with her mouth full of food. Ren quickly tells her to finish her food before talking.

●"Hey Pyrrha," Jaune starts, "are you alright? You look... worried?"

●"O-oh, it's nothing, Jaune. It's just that, ever since we left Vytal, I feel like someone's... watching me." as Pyrrha finishes her thought, a single black feather lands on her head. Pyrrha picks up the feather and examines it, seemingly completely normal... and yet, it has an aura danger...

●"Hey! Flock off, stupid bird!!" Jaune screams at raven perched on a lampost near Pyrrha's seat. He the throws his plastic fork at the creature, which causes it to fly away. When the bird is out of sight, he gives Pyrrha a reassuring thumbs up.

●"Annnd, done!" Nora shouts as she has finally finished her pancakes.

●Jaune checks his wrist watches and screams, "Oh no, guys we missed our ferry!"

●"Don't worry about it, fearless leader! Mama knows a short cut!!!" Nora then throws Ren over her shoulder and runs off. After a short delay, Jaune & Pyrrha begin running after her, laughing at their friend.

●... when all of team JNPR turn the street corner, the mysterious Raven comes back, and tails after them...

●The scene then shifts back to Amity Colosseum, where all of team RWBY are seated for the next match.

●"Where's JNPR? They're about to miss the match!" Ruby questions aloud.

●"Maybe they just don't like team SSSN?" Blake wonders.

●"Projection much?" Weiss cuts at Blake. "I for one know Pyrrha would never miss this on purpose, she promised!" Weiss finishes her thought.

●The girls wait a moment. Still no JNPR.

●"Oh, that tears it! I'll go looking for them right now!" Weiss states as she gets up from her seat, but Yang pulls her down.

●"Hold up Weiss, didn't you trick your Dad into thinking you were dating Neptune? Wouldn't be a good look to miss this *public* match." As Yang says this, she points to a camera that's zoomed in on Weiss' face. Weiss quickly corrects her surpised expression and waves at the fans staring at her.

●"Don't worry guys, I'll find JNPR and be back in no time!" As Yang leaves, Ruby asks, "wait! Why are you looking for them if I'm faster?"

●"Because *you* don't have their locations on your scroll!" Yang then struts out of the stands.

●"Uhh... why does Yang have their locations?" Blake questions aloud. Before anyone can answer that question, the announcers start blaring.

●"Ah, well, Vacuo fans are sure to be hurting after that one, but this next one will have them on the edge of their seats!" Oobleck states.

●"In this corner, we have the team hand-picked by Shade Academy's late greatest Huntress, Yù Yin!!!" The name, unfamilliar to RWBY, sends a quarter of the audience into a frenzy.

●"That's right gentlemen! Give a warm welcome to the lovely, the enchanting, the sensu-" before Prof. Port can finish that thought, Prof. Oobleck quickly snatches the mic back and says "Team NDGO!"

●With that, a columm of smoke is generated before dispersing, revealing the all female huntress team. Nebula Violette, the stocky and smug leader. Dew Gayl, the prim princess with a massive trident. Gwen Darcy, the prim-er princess dressed in dark colors. And Octavia Ember, a firey feral type of huntress.

●Port, who snatches the mic back from Oobleck, starts talking again. "And in that corner, we have some of the toughest, testosterone-filled teammates we've seen so far! I'm of course talking about... Team SSSN!" As he announces them, Team SSSN walk out while an instrumental of Like Morning Follows Night plays. They noticably have many fans from 3 kingdoms.

●"Sun Wukong and his team are certainly a force to be reckoned with, and although he'll be representing the Mistral Academy of Haven, I'm sure his friends and family back in Vacuo will be cheering him along!" As Port states this, the Vacuo side of the stadium (which was just cheering for NDGO) start booing and giving thumbs down to Sun.

●"Well thanks for the warm welcome guys!" Sun calls out to his fellow country men.

●"Psst, why don't they like you?" Neptune whispers to Sun.

●"He's a wanted fugitive in Vacuo, remember?" Scarlet states.

●"Which you should know... Aren't you his Parole Huntsman???" Sage questions.

●"Hey, all I know is this knuckel-head broke into my dad's factory!" Neptune then cuts his eyes at Sun, who smiles in response.

●"Hey," a voice calls out which turns all of SSSN's heads, "Remember me, Monkey Demon King!!!" Nebula yells at Sun.

●"Uhh, honestly no..." Sun responds.

●"Then perhaps Yù Yin will hasten your memory," Gwen joins, "have you ever thought that the stress of your battle with her was the source of the stress that led to her demise?"

●"First of all, that stuff happened three years ago so not my fault. Second of all, even if I was the reason she kicked the bucket, then-"

●Sage quickly rests a hand Sun's shoulder, "Choose your next words wisely."

●Sun rips his hand away and finishes "then that's payback!"

●His response ignites the stadium, which causes Oobleck to temporarily switch the live feed to commercial break.

●"Well, this is a dumpster-fire." Weiss sarcasticaly remarks.

●"Blake, did you know about this?" Ruby asks.

●"I... didn't." Blake states with wide eyes, staring at Sun.

●Down in the arena, he can feel her watching him. It causes him to grimace.

●"Dude, what was that!!!" Neptune snaps Sun back to reality, along with a light push.

●"You don't know what that psycho did to me..."

●Before SSSN can argue amongst themselves, the live feed comes back on. "We encountered some electromagnetic interferrance, but it's gone now!!" Oobleck blatantly lies, "Matchstart321BEGIN!"

●"Open Fire!!!" Nebula orders to her teammates while pointing at Sun. The blonde blocks their shots with his staff.

●Neptune turns around to make a run for it, but realizes that the other side of the arena is water logged. He sprints left of Sun, far away from NDGO, and starts climbing a mountain on the desert side of the arena.

●"One of them is capturing our turf," Gwen tells her teammates. "Ignore him, the only threat here is the Monkey." Nebula orders her. This causes Gwen to roll her eyes, but she complies and throws a Dust dagger at Sun that explodes into a cloud of steam...

●...that's when Sage, jumping out of the steam cloud, launches at NDGO with Pilgrim raised.

●Dew smirks

●"Huh?" Sage gasps as he's blown off course and lands a ways away from NDGO.

●As he picks himself up, he realizes that he's surrounded by three dust devils. Sage looks past them and sees Dew creating them with her weapon, it's Dust crystal glowing as it does so. Sage smirks.

●He then slams Pilgrim on the ground hard enough to create a shockwave that blows away all of Dew's dust devils, leaving her momentarily stunned from the force.

●Sage then launches himself at Dew and the two engage in close combat with their weapons. Despite her best effort, Sage is able to disarm Dew.

●"You are defeated, surrender." Sage commands Dew with Pilgram pointed at her chest.

●Dew smirks again, and a little wind blows the hair out of her face...

●..."You really think I need my weapon to command the winds???" Suddenly, a tornado forms around Dew that grows bigger and bigger. Sage plants his sword into the ground to attempt to anchor himself, but the eventually the winds blow him and Pilgram off the ground and out of the arena.

●"And NDGO gains the advantage!" Prof. Oobleck commentates.

●"Wow, that girl is Maiden-like." Weiss states aloud.

●"You really think she looks that much younger than you, Weiss?" Blake chides at her.

●"What?! No, I mean Maiden like as in the old story! You know, the Seasonal Maidens??" Weiss defends herself.

●"Never heard of it."

●"How did you never hear of it if you read books all the time???" Weiss asks her friend.

●"Ahahahahahaha, FOOLS!!! Don't you realize that I'm the strongest Huntress in all of Vacuo?" Dew boasts as she rises into the air, turning the tornado into a massive cyclone. As she does this, her Aura Points begins to rapidly deplete. "Dew, what are you doing?!" Nebula attempts to scream at her, which isn't heard behind the gale force winds.

●"Kneel before me!!" Dew commands to Sun & Scarlet as she slowly moves her attack towards them.

●"AAAAAAHHH!!" Dew screams as her body is filled with blue electricity. She then falls to the ground like a clipped wing bird, the impact breaking her Aura shield. The culprit: a well placed Shock Dust bullet from Neptune. Neptune gives a nervous thumbs up to Sun & Scarlet, who are happy and infuriated at him all the same.

●"You still think he's not a threat?" Gwen sarcastically asks Nebula, causing her to turn red with anger. "Charge!!!" Nebula commands her remaining teammates and they all march on Sun & Scarlet.

●Octavia uses her semblance to ski on the sand, and uses her weapon to kick up a Dust Cloud around the boys.

●Sun & Scarlet stand back to back as Octavia blitzs the two of them, cutting them with her burning daggers and chipping away at their Aura shields.

●Scarlet wises up to the tactic, and holds out his coat with his arm.

●Octavia takes the bait, skating face first into Scarlet's coat like Bull runs into a red flag.

●When Octavia finnaly removes the coat from her face, Sun & Scarlet jump her until her Aura shield is totally depleted. Sun raises his fist to Scarlet, and the redhead scoffs at him.

●Far away, Gwen throws a Dagger of Lava Dust at the two boys feet, which erupts into a firery explosion that blasts the two of them towards the ship. Scarlet, using his semblance, is able to glide toward the ships mast, while Sun is knocked prone at the water near the ship.

●Even farther away, Neptune is preparing to snipe Gwen when a voice calls out, "Got you!" Before Neptune can even turn around, Nebula picks him up by his coller and throws him off the mountain top, which almost totally depletes his Aura shield and knocks him out.

●Nebula then leaps off the mountain top herself, and using a grapple hook function of her weapon, hooks herself to the mast of the ship that Scarlet is standing on. The force makes her fly to his location where she quickly shifts her weapon into melee mode while deviously smiling at the redhead.

●Nebula & Scarlet engage each other, the girl martially surperior but Scarlet still able to hold his own. Below, Sun picks himself up just in time to dodge a slash from Gwen, who is dual wielding Freeze Dust daggers. She fights as if she's dancing.

●"This girl is like Weiss!" Sun calls out.

●"Do not ever compare a Darcy to a Schnee!" Gwen says before kicking Sun, which does connect. The force of her attack sends him backwards before hitting the ship.

●"Ow." Before Sun can fight back, Gwen throws both daggers at his wrists, freezing him to the ship. Gwen then pulls out a Quake Dust dagger from her dress and slowly marches on Sun.

●Just as she's about to throw the dagger, a grappling hook wraps around her ankel and drags her upward as Scarlet drops down.

●"You sure know how to piss people off," Scarlet remarks as he pulls out a side gun and shoots the ice off Sun's wrists.

●"Thanks man, I did not want to relive that expierence." Sun tells Scarlet.

●"What expierence?" Scarlet asks

●"Oops." Gwen lets go of the dagger she was holding, which falls on top of Scarlet.

●"No!!!" Sun screams. Before Scarlet can react, the dagger touches his shoulder and transforms into a boulder many times taller than he is. The boulder pins the redhead to the ground as it breaks his Aura shield and knocks him unconscious.

●Gwen elegantly flips on top of the boulder, before triple backflipping off of it and onto the sandbar with perfect form, her back turned to Sun. As she turns around, her face is devoid of any emotion.

●"I was saving that dagger for you ever since you escaped your prison." Gwen coldly tells Sun. "No matter, there's always more where that came from." She then pulls two more Quake daggers from her dress.

●Sun turns and runs away, but Nebula jumps down in front of him, "Time's up, Monkey King!!"

●She attempts to tackel Sun, but he's able to jump over her and runs into the water.

●"You buffoon! You ruined my shot!" Gwen chides Nebula. "Shut up! I'm the leader and not you so just... get him!!" The two girls pursue Sun into the water.

●"Neptune, help!!!" Sun pleads as he runs away.

●"I have a plan, just get out of the water!" Neptune responds as he uses Salacia as a walking stick, limping towards the edge of the ocean zone.

●"There's no time," Sun blurts out as he shoots down one of Gwen's daggers, which transforms into a boulder on the spot, "DO IT NOW!"

●"... I'm sorry." Neptune remorsefully says as he plunges Salacia into the water, zapping the girls along with Sun.

●Gwen, while being electricuoted, raises her hand to throw a dagger, but the pain quickly takes over and it falls on top of her, creating a boulder that smashes her just like Scarlet.

●Nebula, while being electricuted, powers through the pain and marches toward Sun.

●"I won't let you get away, you hear me!!! You are, ugh, the Monkey Demon King of Vacuo!!! I'll drag you back to the city if I have too!!! I won't give up, I'll never give up, I'll make Yù Yin proouu-" Nebula then finnaly collapses, her Aura shield depleted.

●Neptune quickly takes his weapon out of the water and looks at the Monitor... everyone's Aura is depleted except for him.

●"Neptune," Sun weakly calls out, "thank you.." he then collapses into the water himself. Neptune reaches for him, but then sees a wave almost touch him and jumps back.

●"And with all the odds against them, Team SSSN moves onto the doubles round! You know what I call that victory?" Prof. Port asks

●"Shocking?" Prof. Oobleck jokes.

●"No, well earned. What you said is stupid."

●Oobleck frowns and turns toward the Vacun side of the arena, where the audiance is noticably upset. This worries him...

●In the woods just outside the fairgrounds, Team JNPR are walking along a trail as the hear the horns announce that the current match as concluded.

●"Oh no, we missed the match!!! What kind of shortcut is this, Nora?!" Jaune angrily asks her.

●"Well, we would have gotten here sooner if you and Pyrrha weren't so scared to ride on Tanngrisnir!" Nora bites back.

●"I thought that boat was Tanngnjostr?" Ren asks.

●"Same difference!" Nora yells

●"That 'boat' was a rotten raft that fell apart as soon as we landed on Vytal and THERE WAS NO SPACE!!!" Jaune screams louder.

●"Everyone stop!!!" Pyrrha screams loudest.

●"Jeeze Pyrrha, we weren't fighting that badly." Nora states.

●"No, not that. Something... someone is watching us."

●As Pyrrha states that, slow clapping can be heard. The clapper then reveals themself as the walk out from behind a tree, a mysterious huntress wearing the mask of a Nevermore.

●"So, Oz' trophy girl is all she's cracked up to be? Could have fooled me." The huntress states as she continues slow clapping, each clap starting to sound like the closing of a coffin.

●"Who... what do you want with me?" Pyrrha asks. The huntress stops clapping.

●"Good, you asked the right question... Leave Beacon today, and never return Pyrrha Nikos."

●Jaune walks in front of Pyrrha and responds before she can answer, "She's not going to do anything you say, you hear me!!"

●"Muzzel your dog, princess, or I'll muzzel him myself."

●"You-" before Jaune can finish, Pyrrha stops and reassures him. She then answers herself, "Even if I knew why you're asking me this, I would never agree. Being at Beacon is my destiny."

●"Foolish girl, then you leave me no choice." The Huntress unsheathes her katana... and Nora, Ren, and Jaune are all collapsed on the ground within seconds.

●Pyrrha almost falls herself, but uses her semblance to pick herself back up by holding her armor in place.

●Before she can think, the huntress punches her straight in the face. Pyrrha flips and lands on her feet, launching herself at the Huntress. The older woman is faster, stronger, and far more skilled than Pyrrha could even dream of being as she is. Every attack the redhead makes is blocked, dodged, and countered. If this goes on any longer...

●The huntress grabs Pyrrha by the throat and lifts her up, her katana ready to stab her.

●Pyrrha's Aura Shield breaks

●"You lasted longer than most. Be glad, girl, a death by my hand is far kinder than anything Oz has in store for you."

●Pyrrha feels herself suffocating, the huntress iron grip crushing her throat. She takes a last look at the woman stealing her destiny. Her eyes are red like pools of blood... or maybe like roses.

●"Die."

●The Huntress slashes her katana, not at Pyrrha, but to her right where a fire ball was aimed at her head.

●"Let. Her. Go." Yang's voice sternly tells the Huntress.

●"And why would I do that?"

●"Because Ozpin's on his way and he'll be here any second!" Yang threatens the Huntress.

●Pyrrha feels the grip of the Huntress loosen around her throat, and she is thrown sideways. She flies through the air, just as helpless as she was when the Huntress had her. Then, she is caught. She looks up, and sees Yang staring down the Huntress.

●"Congratulations Yang, all of your loved ones will have painful deaths because of you." The Huntress coldly tells the blonde. She then slashes her katana at the air behind her, and it rips into a red hole. The Huntress walks through the red hole, disappearing as it seals up behind her.

●"Pyrrha, are you ok!?" Yang looks down and asks her.

●Pyrrha quickly hugs her friend, crying as she does so. Her friends, her life, her destiny were almost all taken from her, and she couldn't do anything to stop it.

●Yang returns Pyrrha's hug, and she wonders to herself... if Pyrrha would still be hugging her if she knew that Huntress was her mother.

[galacticnova3]

thinking about that triple star head cannon post

if triple star is a legendary weapon like galaxia, why did they still allow daroach to use them when he was possessed?

Short version: when Daroach got possessed by Dark Nebula, Triple Star didn’t have enough control in that situation to stop themself from being used. Not that she’s the type to turn her back on her wielder even under those circumstances. Dark Nebula was also just a special case of being the exact type of being best able to take advantage of her strengths.

Long answer: given that MK still uses Galaxia even when he’s possessed or otherwise being influenced by an outside force, I imagine the connection formed between cursed* weapon and wielder essentially makes it so that if their wielder gets possessed or otherwise externally controlled, that actually extends to them as well. (*In my headcanon, curses are just a form of automatically self-perpetuating magic— not aren’t inherently bad or evil, even though the term has overall negative connotations. They’re used for basically anything that requires a spell or the like to be used repeatedly or indefinitely. Binding a soul to an object permanently requires cursing it, most forms of enchantment are technically curses, etc. Technically even Lor is cursed, but that’s a tangent and you probably get the idea by now.) This is actually one of the primary weaknesses of these weapons as a whole, as while they cannot be directly possessed or influenced, if they give their blessing to someone and then that person gets controlled, they can’t just retract the blessing without their wielder experiencing severe and potentially life-threatening consequences. They can try to hold back so that their manipulated wielder can’t do as much, but they can’t just turn themselves off in an emergency.

It’s exactly why Galaxia is so picky about who she will allow to wield her compared to Triple Star’s more lax nature. In many ways Galaxia is more powerful than Triple Star, so she is significantly more concerned about the possibility of being used for evil— she definitely functions a lot more like a classical cursed weapon than Triple Star, just with a conscience. I’ve already explained it before but just to recap, Galaxia gets her power from soul magic, which she can then transfer to her wielder. It’s why in the Meta Knightmare modes you get access to various abilities via defeating enemies; MK is invoking her power after she gathers soul magic from his enemies/opponents. That is in addition to her less often used elemental capabilities she grants even without additional soul magic, though you can actually see some of them when you fight MK in Epic Yarn. Basically, she knows very well that she is a powerful soul-sapping sword who can be used to empower her wielder, so she refuses to even entertain the idea of being used by anyone who might use her for evil of their own accord.

Triple Star, on the other hand, derives her power from the bonds between others; in that regard she actually has a sort of built-in failsafe against possession, in that usually in cases of possession it’s a matter of one entity trying to overpower another rather than cooperate. Trying to wield her in that state renders her fairly ineffective because there is no bond to draw power from, only struggle. Under normal circumstances, Daroach makes for a perfect wielder because he’s the leader of a very close-knit group and generally doesn’t mean any harm, even if he’s a bit greedy and often on the wrong side of the law. He’s a criminal but he’s not a bad person, and he has respectable standards and a moral code that’s solid enough for them. (This same idea is also why Kirby is so good at using them; friendship is his whole thing, obviously.) Even if she could, abandoning Daroach would have been against her own nature.

As for why Dark Nebula specifically was able to make use of them, and was even able to make their magic more powerful(note the difference in power between Daroach and Dark Daroach): it relates to that headcanon post I made yesterday. When possessing someone, Nebula effectively becomes a hivemind of nonetheless distinct instances of himself who naturally tend to agree far more than they disagree. As far as Triple Star’s magic is concerned, that’s like having the backing of a group of people who are all on the same page and more or less perfectly in sync with each other. She does not directly control her own abilities, much like Galaxia doesn’t directly control hers, so since Nebula was operating through Daroach she couldn’t stop him from using her. Once he was forced out, of course, he immediately lost the ability to do anything with her because he failed the vibe check spectacularly and she was extremely pissed that some grubby little bastard of a Dark Matter would possess HER friend.

They still sometimes poke fun at him for the situation just because the two recognize that in spite of his potential Nebula was still ultimately a pathetic cringelet, but it doesn’t mean they would take the star lightly if they were to meet again. Triple Star would probably hold more of a grudge than Daroach, actually. Don’t mess with her friends.

[sophie-frm-mars]

I enjoy seeing your astrophotography images! What got you into it?

Mine came from a few childhood memories of camping far from the suburban/urban environments I grew up in and actually seeing dark skies, and feeling the closest thing I felt to religious awe (in spite of growing up very much in a church). Combine that with working in a photo lab as a teen and my parents giving me their old SLR (back before the dominance of digital photography), and I couldn't help but try to take pictures of the stars. And also Star Trek somehow, probably.

I've always loved space for as long as I can remember. I'm going to talk about this at great length in my next video essay but space to me is something that connects everyone who has ever lived and ever will live in a deeply beautiful and enchanting way

My lovely wife got me a telescope at the start of the year, is the more immediate answer for why I'm into it now. She's a big nerd as well and I love her so much and one of our best dates so far was taking edibles and going to the planetarium :)

That's a great picture of the Orion nebula! Is it yours? My best picture so far is very very messy but I'm hopefully gonna take some more long exposure shots of it soon, possibly even as soon as tomorrow, and I have an ongoing plan to composite a map of the nebula together and progressively enhance it with long exposure shots

[nickle-moth]

Hey, me again.

I'm writing a Halloween fic and just wondered if you could make a drawing to put in it.

Again, if you don't want to, answer and let me know, if you do then this is what I'd like.(Both things are part of the fic)

The costumes are this: Gem’s costume was intricate(You can simplify it if it makes it easier to draw) and striking; she was dressed as a siren, her skin painted with shimmering blue scales that faded into a fiery red toward her hands and face. She had rings and piercings decorating her ears and nose, adding a wild, mystical edge. To top it off, long, glowing angler-like lights extended from a headpiece that arched over her head, cleverly camouflaging her natural deer horns while casting an eerie, oceanic glow around her.

Pearl’s costume, though simpler, was equally enchanting. Her eyes had a mesmerizing look, thanks to contacts that made her irises look like swirling galaxies, and she wore a cape patterned to resemble deep space, with stars and nebulae scattered across it in glistening colors. The effect was otherworldly, as though she herself had stepped out from the cosmos.

(Gem is a deer hybrid and Pearl is a moth hybrid)

--

This is the scene I'd like you do draw: Gem and Pearl were caught up in their own world. They spun and twirled to the beat of a fun, upbeat song playing softly in the background. Gem’s siren tail, while stunning, was proving a challenge to maneuver, and she stumbled with a laugh as Pearl nearly tripped over her space cape. Every slip-up only made them laugh harder, clutching each other’s arms as they regained their balance and broke into another round of clumsy dance moves, their laughter echoing across the room.

(You can just draw them dancing since I'm not sure how you'd put all of that in a picture)

Also I still really like your art style, it's simple but there's something about it I really, really like.

Thank you so much for asking me to draw for another one of your fics! You're an amazing writer!

And here is your request!

I hope everything is to your liking!

[neon9nebula]

Dear Mina M.,

Thank you for the invitation and sorry to answer it late ! I love tea parties ! Besides, some prompts are already inspiring me ! I will do my best to support others works !

Let’s enjoy together the Enchanted Garden tea party !

Sincerely ,

Neon Nebula ★

[charlesjosephwrites]

[image id: text that reads "Murder on the Starship" over a picture of space featuring a bright red nebula. smaller text in the corner reads "a wip by @charlesjosephwrites"]

a wip intro—

Murder on the Starship

(This is my side wip. I'm not putting as much of my time into this one as I am in my main wip, but I wanted to introduce it to y'all so I can talk about it on here when the hyperfixation strikes)

genre // sci-fi cozy mystery

pov // third person limited

status // planning

summary // Minerva’s trip on the Starship Calliope was supposed to be her chance to relax after a long career in investigative journalism. When the nice young man who showed her how to navigate the computer system is accused of murdering his boss, it doesn’t sit right with her. As her inquisitive nature gets the better of her, Minerva finds herself scrambling to get to the bottom of things before they have a chance to hand over an innocent man to the authorities at the moon base.

Major Characters

Minerva "Minnie" Russell // she/her // our sleuth // Minnie spent more than forty years working as an investigative journalist back on Earth before she was forced to retire. Her family got her tickets for the Starship Calliope's maiden voyage in the hopes that she would actually take the time to relax for once, but of course she's a nosy old lady who can't help but want some real answers about what's going on around the ship.

Pluto Lang // he/him// a maintenance worker on the Starship Calliope // Pluto is just doing his best to provide for himself and his spouse with his job on the ship, but he’s suddenly found himself as Chief Orcus’s prime suspect in this murder investigation.

Jove Lang // he/they // a stowaway // Jove is currently on a gap year from school as he’s trying to “find himself.” They are super eager to help Minnie clear his brother's name, especially since she was so quick to help get him out of trouble by paying his fare after he was caught hiding in Pluto's cabin.

Orcus Scott // he/him // the Starship Calliope's chief of security // Orcus is already stressed out that his staff isn’t equipped to handle this sort of crime, so he is Not Happy to have some old lady trying to butt her way into his murder investigation.

Juno Fong // she/her // captain of the Starship Calliope // Juno has spent the last fifteen years working her way up to the position of captain, and she is currently struggling to maintain order on the ship as the murder sparks panic amongst her passengers and crew.

Murder on the Starship Taglist (lemme know if you want to be added or removed) @enchanted-lightning-aes, @sm-writes-chaos, @chayscribbles, @kahvilahuhut, @graveyardescape

[cappurrccino]

12, 13, 17 for the Sure Are Some Asks :)

EUX, I do not know how I missed this one last night!! D:

12. Something you want to monologue about?

Now, the problem with most monologue topics is that I have such a bad memory, I can never remember the facts to monologue about, but! I did recently chew through the entire NASA's Curious Universe in like 3 days and am full of random space trivia, so maybe that. Did you know one of the Artemis astronauts is a marine biologist?? (And people told me I wouldn't be able to do anything with a marine bio degree). Also you know the Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula? Those pillars are like 5 light years tall!! Also! In the... 2030s, I think? NASA is launching a fuckoff mchuge gravitational wave detector into space that's three laser-connected spaceships in a triangle with sides about a million miles long! ALSO!! NASA has an underwater hab off the Florida Keys they stick astronauts in to train them for the ISS. They get to go on "space walks" on the ocean floor! It's neat!! I hope they're hiring librarians at some point!

13. If you were a note, what note would you be?

F-sharp

17. Space, enchanted forest, magical kingdom, or underwater city?

Normally my answer would be underwater city, no question, but right now I gotta say space because I reeeeeally want to be able to zoom around and look at other planets and nebulas and make friends with aliens and stuff. Put me on Voyager! I won't complain every time we detour to investigate something!

[ask-enchanted-nebula-cookie]

What kingdom are you from, if any?

Where am I from? You know, now that I think about it… I can’t really remember where I’m from…

{she’s literally not from anywhere lol. She kinda just…showed up?}

[yugiohmdx]

The Celestial Knight and the Starborn Queen

In the far reaches of the Nebulan Galaxy, where stars burn brighter than suns and moons glow like crystals, there existed a legend known only to those who dared to travel beyond the Great Veil. It spoke of a queen born from the heart of a dying star, whose power was said to command the heavens themselves. She was called the Starborn Queen, and her rule over the Celestial Kingdom had lasted millennia.

But all was not peaceful in her domain. Shadows crept in from the Void—the Dark Nebulae, home to ancient beings forgotten by time. These void-dwellers sought to consume all light, devour the very stars themselves. They had no name, no shape—just endless hunger. And their eyes were now set upon the Celestial Kingdom.

Across the galaxy, in a forgotten corner of the Milky Sea, a lone warrior flew aboard a battered starship made from dragon-bone and crystal. He was Lucian, a Celestial Knight, one of the last of his kind. The Knights were once the protectors of the galaxy, wielding enchanted weapons forged in the hearts of neutron stars. But like many things in the universe, their order had faded into myth.

Lucian had heard whispers of the growing darkness, and of the Starborn Queen’s desperate call for aid. She was his final hope—if she fell, so would the galaxy.

His journey was long, his starship battered from skirmishes with pirates and creatures of the deep space. But finally, after days of travel, he arrived at the Crystal Throne, the heart of the Celestial Kingdom, where stardust painted the sky in shades of silver and blue.

The queen awaited him in her throne room. Her presence was overwhelming—her eyes shimmered like distant galaxies, her crown made of purest starlight. Her voice, when she spoke, was soft but carried the weight of the cosmos. “Lucian, Celestial Knight, you have come to answer my call.”

“I will fight for you, my queen,” Lucian said, kneeling before her. “But I fear even the power of the Knights may not be enough to stop the Void.”

She stood, her ethereal gown flowing like nebulae around her. “The power of the Celestial Knights alone is not enough, Lucian. But together, we can ignite the Starforge.”

Lucian had heard of the Starforge, a mythical device said to be able to create or destroy stars. It had been lost for eons, hidden away so its power could not be misused. If the queen had found it, perhaps there was hope yet.

“We must travel to the edge of the galaxy,” she said, raising her hand. A portal of swirling light appeared before them, a gateway through space itself. “The Void will not wait.”

Together, Lucian and the Starborn Queen traveled to the place where stars were born and died—the heart of the Starforge. It was there that they faced the ancient void-dwellers, creatures of shadow and malice. They fought together—Lucian with his Celestial Blade, which blazed with the light of a thousand suns, and the queen with her power to command the very stars.

The battle was fierce, the darkness overwhelming. But as Lucian’s strength began to falter, the queen called upon the Starforge. She poured all her energy into it, and with a final surge, the forge ignited. Light, brighter than any star, engulfed the void-dwellers, casting them back into the nothingness from which they came.

When the light faded, the queen stood before Lucian, her body dimming like a dying star. “I have given all that I am to reignite the forge,” she said softly. “Now, the galaxy is safe.”

Lucian knelt beside her, his heart heavy. “You cannot leave us, not after everything.”

She smiled, a sad but serene expression. “The stars burn for a time, Lucian. But all things must fade. My kingdom, my people—they will continue. And so must you.”

With a final shimmer, the Starborn Queen faded into stardust, carried away by the cosmic winds. Lucian watched her go, his heart heavy with loss but burning with renewed purpose.

He would return to the stars, and the legend of the Celestial Knight and the Starborn Queen would live on. The light they ignited would forever protect the galaxy from the shadows of the void.

And in the end, the stars sang of their victory.

[benjaminalphabet]

it’s so frustrating. i just want to feel normal and consistent within myself again. i feel like there are so many long conversations i need to have, there’s so much closure i never got with so many people. i’ve had so many epiphanies lately. i feel pathetic and empowered at the same time. i have so many multitudes and inconsistencies inside me, i think i could make even DeGrasse Tyson’s head roll. sometimes i feel like i never escape anyone, even when i’m the one who leaves.

my body has gone through war in april, i barely survived. i’m so proud of myself for surviving what i have, all i want is to talk about it, to write about it - but this void is so vast. i have lost so much that i thought was permanent, and trying to organize these new priorities is just so much pressure. i am not sure if the loneliness is user error, or a side effect of being in your 20’s, or if i’m just changing naturally and there’s nothing even interesting or unique about how i feel.

maybe i’m just on a lot of meds from the hospital still and i need to wait to come back to earth. all i know is that Richard Siken is wrong about so much. grief must romanticized, nihilism is nothing to be proud of. my poetry and prose may not rival Wordsworth or Coleridge but i know it is worth writing. i want a good life. i want to be content, i want wholesome things. i don’t see the enchantment in danger and dysphoria anymore. i love everyone i meet so overwhelmingly, i have so many dreams and i feel like they’re all starting to materialize in front of me. it’s exciting, it’s exhilarating, it’s rebirth. but. i am so scared my new life will cost me my old one.

i wish so many people would come back. i’m losing connections with people i used to think were made of nebulas. i have always known that all stars die, but the one’s i picked out to keep for myself were supposed to outlive me. i know it is selfish of me to stake claim on the sky, but my prayers were never answered. something had to be mine, even if it was only pretend. i know it isn’t a helpful narrative but i wish someone would do the work for me. i wish someone would send me the message of reconnection, i have written so many letters. i have never sent a single one. i have written so many soliloquies about faith and devotion, and i have been empty of religion for years. i wish someone would see the light i have worked so hard to cultivate- even though i know i cultivated it for myself. i know that i love myself, and i have worked so hard to get here. i know that my friends love me, and that i have done a good job. i know that these things should not matter, but even ladybugs huddle together for warmth in the winter. i have seen it, my house was invaded last fall. i know i have good intentions, i just wish they were enough. i wish i did not have to carry them alone.

i wish genocide would end. i wish war was nonexistent. i wish we could abandon violence. i wish clementines were always in season, and i wish someone would help me peel them because i always struggle with it. i wish i could fall in love, i wish i could be in a relationship worth being in. i wish my ex didn’t hurt me so bad, and one day i hope i’ll actually be over it. i wish everyone could be safe. i wish i wasn’t still in love with everyone i have ever lost. i wish my father was a real father, or at least i wish he would have tried to be. i wish i had a different last name. i wish someone would miss me when i left the room and ask where i went. i wish i could go back to that bar because it used to be my favorite place in this city. i wish i loved this city like i used to, but lately all i want is to leave it.

i wish astrology and god were both real at the same time. i wish we could invent cosmic energy and i wish dandelion seed wishes came true, and i wish coin flips were prayers and they always told the truth. i wish i had someone to talk to who would understand me and not just assign me the manic dream pixie narratives. i wish i could have sex with someone and not feel like a doll. i wish men would stop choking me, i wish someone would kiss me. i wish someone would have good intentions with my body. i wish i made better decisions. i wish i was a real person, but i think i might just be a character. i wish anyone would actually try to look beneath the surface, i really have never hidden that much. i am not a secretive person, but everyone has assumed me to be so callous. i don’t know why everyone thinks i am tough, i just want to be gentle.

[thebridewwe]

Copilot

Hello, this is Bing! I’m the new AI-powered chat mode of Microsoft Bing that can help you quickly get information about daniel bryan vs will ospreay 🙌.

You

daniel bryan vs will ospreay

Copilot

Will Ospreay and Bryan Danielson recently squared off in an electrifying wrestling match during AEW Dynasty 2024. The event took place at the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, and it was broadcast live on pay-per-view. Here are the highlights:

Will Ospreay emerged victorious in this thrilling encounter

You

ask a new question?

Copilot

Certainly! Feel free to ask your next question, and I’ll do my best to assist you. 😊

You

have you ever heard of Sabreena?

Copilot

Sabreena Deseree Hunt is a name that has been associated with various individuals across different contexts. Without specific details, it’s challenging to pinpoint a particular Sabreena. However, if you have additional information or context about a specific Sabreena, feel free to share, and I’ll do my best to provide relevant insights! 😊

Glad you liked this answer!

You

I'm referring to a fictional character named Sabreena.

Copilot

Ah, Sabreena, the enigmatic character who dances between the realms of reality and imagination. 🌟

In the moon-kissed forests of Eldoria, where ancient oaks whisper secrets to the wind, Sabreena weaves her destiny. Her eyes, the color of twilight, hold the memories of forgotten constellations. Her laughter, like silver bells, echoes through the moss-covered glades.

Sabreena’s Tale:

Once, when the moon was full and the stars aligned, Sabreena stumbled upon a hidden portal. Its shimmering veil beckoned her—a promise of adventure beyond mortal comprehension. With a heart as wild as the night, she stepped through.

In the Celestial Bazaar, where cosmic merchants barter stardust and dreams, Sabreena traded her mortal name for a constellation. Now, she drifts among the galaxies, a wanderer of infinite skies. Her cloak is woven from comet trails, and her boots leave stardust footprints.

She dances with Luna’s Children, the celestial beings who pirouette on moonbeams. They teach her the language of forgotten stars—their whispers a symphony of cosmic longing. Sabreena twirls, her gown trailing comet tails, and the universe applauds.

But darkness also lurks. The Shadow Weavers covet her light. They weave spells of cosmic entropy, threatening to unravel the very fabric of existence. Sabreena’s mission: to collect shards of lost constellations and mend the celestial tapestry.

Her companions? A rogue Stellar Fox, its fur ablaze with nebulae; a melancholy Starling, its song a requiem for fallen suns; and a mischievous Mooncat, who guards the secrets of lunar tides.

And so, Sabreena embarks on her cosmic quest. She sails solar winds, dances with supernovae, and battles darkness with starfire. Her laughter echoes across galaxies, a beacon of hope for all who dream beyond the mundane.

Remember her name, mortal, for Sabreena is more than fiction. She’s the whisper in the night breeze, the shooting star you wish upon, and the reason your heart flutters when you glimpse the Milky Way.

And perhaps, just perhaps, if you close your eyes and believe, you’ll catch a glimpse of her—Sabreena, the celestial wanderer, dancing on the edge of infinity. ✨🌌

You

What other magical creatures inhabit this universe?

Copilot

Ah, the vast and mystical tapestry of magical creatures! From the enchanted forests to the cosmic realms, they dance between reality and wonder. Let me unveil a few of these fantastical beings:

Unicorns:

These ethereal equines, with their pearlescent horns, embody purity and grace. Legends whisper that their tears can heal wounds and their presence brings luck. In the moon-kissed glades, unicorns prance, their coats shimmering like stardust.

Dragons:

Roaring across ancient skies, dragons are both terrifying and awe-inspiring. Their scales guard secrets, and their fiery breath can forge or destroy. From the Chinese Lung to the European Wyrm, each dragon tells a tale of power and wisdom.

Phoenixes:

Born from ashes and flames, phoenixes symbolize rebirth. When their life cycle ends, they burst into flames, only to rise anew. Their melodious cries echo through forgotten temples, promising hope even in the darkest hours.

Mermaids:

Dive into the depths where mermaids weave their songs. Half-human, half-fish, they lure sailors with their haunting melodies. Their eyes hold the secrets of sunken cities, and their tails shimmer like aquamarine dreams.

Griffins:

These majestic hybrids boast the body of a lion and the wings of an eagle. Guardians of hidden treasures, griffins soar above mountain peaks, their talons etching tales into ancient stone.

Yetis:

In snow-cloaked Himalayan peaks, the elusive yetis roam. Covered in frost, their eyes gleam with ancient knowledge. Some say they guard portals to other dimensions, where time dances to a different tune.

Kelpies:

By moonlit lochs, kelpies emerge—a blend of horse and water spirit. Their glossy hides lure unsuspecting travelers to ride upon their backs. But beware: their watery embrace leads to the depths.

Krakens:

Beneath tempestuous waves, the colossal krakens slumber. Their tentacles coil around sunken ships, and their eyes—like black holes—hold the universe’s secrets. Sailors pray they remain dormant.

Basilisks:

Born from serpent eggs hatched by a toad, basilisks are harbingers of doom. Their gaze turns flesh to stone, and their hiss echoes through cursed chambers. Only a mirror’s reflection can save the unwary.

Chimera:

A fusion of lion, goat, and serpent, the chimera embodies chaos. Its breath ignites flames, and its roar shatters sanity. In forgotten labyrinths, it guards forbidden knowledge.

Remember, dear seeker, these creatures exist not only in myth but also within the fabric of our imagination. They whisper secrets, ignite wonder, and remind us that magic dances in every shadow. 🌟🐉✨

Learn more

1en.wikipedia.org2alittlesparkofjoy.com3insidethemagic.net4harrypotter.fandom.com

You

wow, thank you!!!

Copilot

You’re most welcome! If you have any more questions or need assistance, feel free to ask. Have a magical day! 🌟✨

[copihueart]

SUGGESTIONS

Phantasmagorias of rose, fragments of a star where light filters and radiates toward infinity and wings cross in the motion of the tides to draw a triangle that glides toward the earth in a precise search for a place to land. They will be shudders of time, which imprecise turns into cones of ripe unreality that are traces of the past and yearnings for the future. What trapped truths it hides, what desires, what emotions that escape the human intellect and hang in this strip of celestial where other planets continue their perpetual motion There are questions with difficult answers, misguided doubts that trap the heart and leave a trail of recourses buried by mists. Memories of distant events, yearnings of the hot midday winds that open cracks in deserts, that dishevel plants and lie light in the green coolness of the woods. They are a waste of the soul, of the uncertainty of living, of the changing seasons, of the years that flee away and one cannot catch them. They are gates of blue, polished creeks where rivers flow slowly and go to die. They are traps for scattered men, indifferent to the logic of emptiness, lounging in the desolate nights of gloomy winters. They are gates that have neither home nor destiny, passages of nebulae, aimless comets, little remnants of humanity that motionless station themselves in the swamps of thought. Then voices become insistent, joining the din of the world and overlapping into minute indistinct noises that seek the magic sound of speech. They are unfamiliar faces, rising from the shadows, sweeping across the fields and drawing plains, multitudes who know no truth and slipping toward disaster. Are we the ones locked in cages ? Who gamble and confuse the real with the abstraction of the moment, who evaluate every gesture and criticize events, who set ourselves up as supreme judges in spite of creation and then let go at the slightest obstacle. There are hardly detectable portals that also await our gaze, that intersect with numbers and transmit their energy beyond our perception of the moment, that call us to distinguish the true from the false, that invite us to discern in the spasmodic pursuit of happiness. Today the rose petals lose their humor, only their trail of fragrance and the enchantment of that flourishing moment that saw them rise lushly from the stem and slump to the ground as nourishment, for a renewed and wise cycle that sees death and rebirth establish their continuity. There are no landscapes to invent, no new cities to build, no relationships worth strengthening. They are ephemeral cadences that are consumed in human perceptions, that distort relationships, that cross storms and times of flat calm, that follow trails in the skies and the glowing lapilli of volcanoes, that end up flung into steep cliffs and that go to fertilize fallow lands. It is our figures reflected in mirrors that show us what we really are, strands of dna, assembled by chance, purging their quirks and whims wanting to make definite sense of the actions we take. We lack wings and the desire to fly, the longing for redemption, the hunger of oceans crashing against rock, the willingness to embrace nature and follow its evolution. The harmonious song that sets it apart and calls us to a slow, careful, thrifty pace. We miss the light, that radiant whole that illuminates deeds and foreshadows love. Love as the guiding thread, as the supreme longing, as the song of songs that groups in itself all that energy that radiates in the present and can lead us to ultimate freedom

[tipsforsuccessfulfreelancing]

Embark on a Journey Beyond: Exploring the Cosmos through Space Exploration

Unveiling the Cosmos:

Introduction: Enter the fascinating realm of space exploration, where humanity's insatiable curiosity drives us to venture beyond the confines of Earth and uncover the mysteries of the universe.

Pushing Boundaries:

Exploration Beyond Earth: Immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring world of space exploration, where cutting-edge technology and human ingenuity converge to extend our reach into the cosmos.

Mankind's Reach: Witness the historic achievements of space missions that have revolutionized our understanding of celestial bodies, from the moon landing to probes sent to distant planets and beyond.

The Wonders of Space:

Stellar Phenomena: Delve into the breathtaking beauty of nebulae, stars, and galaxies, as space telescopes capture images that reveal the enchanting tapestry of the universe.

Planetary Mysteries: Unearth the secrets of distant planets, moons, and asteroids through the eyes of rovers and spacecraft, illuminating the potential for life beyond Earth.

Benefits for Humanity:

Scientific Discoveries: Explore how space exploration fuels groundbreaking scientific discoveries that enhance our understanding of Earth, climate change, and the origins of life.

Technological Advancements: Witness the ripple effects of space research on everyday life, from advancements in communication satellites to medical technologies inspired by zero-gravity research.

Our Future Among the Stars:

Interplanetary Exploration: Envision humanity's future as we set our sights on establishing colonies on other planets, a step that holds promise for the survival and evolution of our species.

Inspiration for All: Experience the profound impact of space exploration as it captivates the imagination of generations, fostering innovation, curiosity, and a sense of unity on a global scale.

Begin Your Journey to the Stars Today

Step into the extraordinary world of space exploration—a journey that beckons us to expand our horizons, seek answers, and reach for the stars.

References: "For the latest updates and exclusive content, visit our website today."

[mara-tevith-solo]

Fate Thinks She’s Funny

Screw it, I might make this a series. Part of the One Enchanted Evening fic. Reader here has a recycled OC background I made for the MCU. Essentially came to Earth after Order 66 in the 90′s, was forcibly conscripted in the US Military and she gets tangled up in everything because of the Ancient One, the Jedi inability to not meddle, and Billy. It’s a 43k word fic that is no where near complete and probably will never be

Pairing: Adam Warlock x ex-avenger/guardian! reader

Warnings: Canon levels of violence, love at first sight, prospective death, Adam pulling his punches just for you because he hates the idea of hurting you after 0.001 seconds, reader compares him to a Rancor of all things 

Words: 1.8k+

Rated: 18+ as always

It was the crashing that alerted you initially, pulling you from the half-sleep you had managed to finally fall into. You didn't even bother shutting the door to your apartment behind you as you went to investigate, Groot wrapped around something on fire shooting past without much preamble. You were fully awake before he was out of sight, already trying to calculate his trajectory to be there to stop him. You ran over walkways and tight wires, not truly looking where you were going besides making sure the way was clear, making sure that no one would get hurt from the debris. It barely occurred to you that you were only dressed in one of Stephen's old shirts and a pair of sleeping shorts, your main concern being the citizens, and then the attacker.

A mother and child huddled on main street gave you pause, the mother trying to shelter her screaming child as debris began raining down towards them. Protecting them with the Force was reactionary, no really thought put into it until they were safe and you were on the move again. You skidded to a stop on a catwalk as Kraglin's arrow smacked the man harmlessly across the cheek, making him stop angrily in his tracks "Who threw this thing at me?" He demanded sharply, looking around the rubble he'd created. No one dared to answer him, all of them hiding and fighting to remain silent despite their fear. He looked, disarmed by the fear, choosing to move on "Baby." He chided before continuing on his path.

Landing on the attacker was easy, he was strutting through main street like he owned the place, like he wasn't trying to tear it apart bit by bit. He fell to the ground under you with an annoyed yell, your claws sinking into his shoulders before you were moving off of him, twisting and throwing him over your head and down into the ground with a shout. You didn't wait for the dust to settle to grab him again, hoisting him up to his feet as he tried regaining his barrings. For a moment, one single solitary moment, your eyes met, gold giving way to his pupils as they dilated, his breath stuttering as his golden lips dropped open the barest fraction. There was something star struck in his expression, something you forced yourself to not dwell on as you let go of his tunic just long enough to Spartan Kick him further away from where he'd thrown Nebula. He didn't go far, landing on his back with a forced exhale before he was clambering up to his feet with a bewildered glare "Do that again and I'll be forced to kill you." He was warning you as he shook the dust from his person, not taking his eyes off your form.

"Pity." You huffed, calling my saber, reaching back towards your apartment.

"What's that? What is the purpose of that?" He asked, genuinely curious, tilting his head like a puppy. It genuinely caught you off guard, both the fact that he genuinely didn't know what you were doing, and the fact that he seemed so innocent in that moment. You didn't answer him, instead taking a ready stance as soon as the hilt was in your hand, the familiar hum and yellow hue a comfort. He blinked, taking in your position and your weapon before deciding that you were still intent on being a threat, powering up with a frustrated grunt and a silent snarl, his hands engulfed in blades of light. It was like dancing, fighting with him, meeting him strike for strike even though it didn't feel like his heart was fully in it. He depowered one hand enough to grab your saber hand, immobilizing it no matter how hard you struggled, making you grab his arm that was still powered up, holding it above both of your heads in a struggle of wills. "I do not want to kill you." He admitted with a grunt, trying to break the hold you had on him.

"Not the first time I've heard that." You growled back a little bitterly, straining against him for a moment before you saw an opening and took it. Your forehead collided with his, a resounding crack! echoing through your head and the square as he cried out in pain, stumbling blindly back in retreat. "Fucking hell." You groaned, doubling over as you pressed your freehand to your forehead, trying to sooth the ache that was still blooming there. You could feel the tale tell tickle of a small track of blood dripping down the bridge of your nose, but didn't think much of it as you focused an eye on him, watching him recollect himself with that snarl of his.    

"Are you always this stubborn?!" He asked you indignantly, throwing his hands out with exasperation.

You couldn't stop your expression if you wanted to, open bewilderment taking your face by storm as you just stared at him "You're trying to kill my friends! Of course I'm 'being stubborn'!"

"I just want the squirrel." He rebutted as though it was so simple.

"You can't have our friend! He's not property!"

Before he could say another word, Drax grabbed him and began throwing him around "Pick on someone your own size!"  

You wanted to just hide somewhere as you backed away from the two men, your heart pounding deafeningly in your chest as Drax threw him into the headquarters sign "Y/n!" You could hear Mantis calling desperately from the med center, tears in her voice spurring you into action, ignoring the suddenly very determined man as he lifted himself from the dirt. You had to stop, your eyes glued to the scene, as the man met Drax hit for hit, matching every bit of his strength easily. It made you want to throw up. You watched, helpless, as beams of light came from the man's hands again, Drax barely able to stop them, holding the man at bay with groans of strain. "Y/n! Help!" Mantis wailed again, but you couldn't tear your gaze away as the stranger's power began to whine audibly, getting brighter and brighter until he was blowing Drax back with it.    

As soon as he straddled and began pummeling Drax you were in motion, charging without a thought of your own safety. You dove at the last possible moment, only loosing a cry when your shoulder collided with his ribs, ripping him off of Drax and into the dirt with you. Scrabbling for dominance in the dirt with him, you didn't care to use finesse, or any true skill. He'd already proven that he was ridiculously strong, that you had to fight dirty to get any advantage. You barely paid attention to the darkening of his cheeks and neck as you straddled his waist and tried to punch his lights out, your fist raining punishment into his pretty face over and over again as your other hand kept you anchored to him, fisted tightly into the collar of his tunic. He seemed more concerned with trying to fend off the blows than fight back "ENOUGH!" He roared under you, almost succeeding in turning over under you as he tried to protect himself. You didn't listen to him as you pressed him back down, driving your fist into his sternum as you continued to punch the daylights out of him. "I said," He grabbed you by the thighs, his hands engulfing them by nearly half before he was usurping your position, driving your back into the dirt, his weight pressing down between your legs "enough!" It was only at that moment that he seemed to realize the position he had put you both in, making you feel like you were on fire as he stared down at you with those wide doe eyes that just screamed innocence.

You blinked back up at him, suddenly uncomfortable with the vulnerable position, your grip on his collar almost slackening with the shock that you liked it, until Drax groaned in pain, snapping you back to reality. Your legs tightened around his lower ribs, locking at the ankles behind him as you squeezed for all you were worth, not letting up as he sucked in a panicked, ragged breath. His hands found your thighs again as he sat up, dragging you up with him as you resumed punching and he tried pushing, his fingers digging painfully into your flesh, trying to pry you off before you constricted him to death. In a split second he gave up trying to get you off of him, his hand molding around the column of your throat like it was made to be there, cutting off your own breath as he pressed you back down into the dirt with a heavy glare. You tightened your hold on his ribs defiantly as you tried to pry his hand off, snarling right back up at him as he reared his fist back to finally fight back. A glowing blade erupted from his chest, instantly taking the fight out of him as he incredulously looked from you to it "That... hurts!" He breathed as golden blood dripped from the tip of the blade and down onto your shirt, immediately standing out from the blood sweat and dirt that clung to it.

"What a pity." Nebula growled from behind him as his hand loosened around your throat, allowing you to suck in a greedy lungful of air that had never tasted so sweet. The man looked back down at you as you gulped down ragged breaths past your burning throat, a small trickle of blood dripping past his lips as he grunted in pain. You let him go as soon as the blade retreated, letting him fall to the dust beside you. You couldn't look at him, it hurt to and you couldn't figure out why, why his imminent death was going to bother you. He'd been trying to kill your friends since he'd arrived on Knowhere and yet... "Still alive down there?" Nebula's voice broke you out of your thoughts and slammed you back into the moment as the man continued to suffer quietly beside you.

She was fighting a ghost of a smile as she offered you an arm "He hits like a Rancor." Your voice was still rough as it passed your burning throat, your healing taking its sweet time as you accepted her help to climb to your feet. She just shook her head with amusement before going to Drax, leaving you there. You didn't want to, but you looked down at the man, acknowledging his gaze as he turned onto his back, his eyes begging you for help "I'm sorry, I didn't want it to end like this." The words felt right as they hit the air, your chest aching at the idea that he'd die there. You were quick to turn away from him and limp to the Med Center, your thighs shivering with every step. You didn't want to face his death, didn't want to acknowledge it and you couldn't figure out why.