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thebestsetter · 6 months ago

Text

-> Part 1

-> Pairings: Otoya x reader (romantic) , Karasu x reader (platonic)

-> Synopsis: Otoya regrets being a cheater. But how will he tell you that, when he can't even get near you?

-> A/N: I finally, FINALLY finished this. Locked in, guys. Please, someone congratulate me. I need sleep. Not proofread, sorry.

For the first time in a while, Otoya doesn't know what to do.

He's never been insecure about the choices he makes. Actually, scratch that: he's the most uncaring and reckless guy ever, and he just wants to enjoy life to the fullest without really caring for his actions and what they can bring upon him in the future.

God, how he wishes he wasn't like that.

Because right now, all he wants to do is study for 10 years or something, build a time machine, go back to the past and beat his past self up. Like, hard. Until younger him has a bloody nose and a black eye.

Maybe this little "fight" could make past Otoya think twice before cheating on the first girl he got in a serious relationship with. Maybe he wouldn't be known as a womanizer. Maybe he could've had a chance with you then.

Maybe if he did that, he wouldn't be in Karasu's bedroom right now, scattering his brain for the past 2 hours for a way to make you forgive him.

"Don't you have any prophecies for me this time?" Otoya mindlessly asked, tearing tiny pieces of Karasu's math homeword, crumpling them and throwing them at his friend

"What do ya mean? I'm not an oracle" Karasu answered, just wanting this all to be over with (he couldn't handle Otoya going on about you anymore)

"You might as well be" Otoya sighed, grabbing another piece of paper and crumpling it "You've cursed me before. Can't you bless me this once?"

"Well, the things I say ain't gonna change the past. Nothing's going to. What you can do is fix the future"

"Wow. You're actually like a prophet or something." Otoya rolled his eyes, aiming at the top of his friend's hair "I've never thought about that! Wow! You're incredible, prophet Karasu!" He mocked him, muttering a small "Yes!" when the pieces of paper perfectly landed on Tabito's hair

"Haha. Very funny" Karasu glared at his friend, shaking his head to get rid of the paper. Then, he sighed "No, but seriously. Ya need to fix this. I am not going to be your love guru anymore"

"Love guru? You're not even doing anything to help me!" Otoya scoffed, then sighed as he realized he tore all the homework "And if you're so 'tired of me' like you said, just help me solve this situation! Help me find a way to talk to her, cause I'm seriously going insane!"

"I can see that" Karasu smirked, crossing his arms. Then just as soon as he smirked, he stopped. His serious face making it seem like the smirk was it was never even there "Have you tried talking to her, already?"

"Of course I did!" Otoya rolled his eyes, getting up from Karasu's gaming chair and beggining to pace around the room "But I can't! She doesn't let me" He sighed, finally sitting on the floor, right in front of Tabito "She doesn't let me get into her house. And her parents probably know about what's happening too, cause they won't let me in. When she has to go out, she checks if I'm there, and only when she's sure I'm not does she get out. At school, everytime she sees me, she walks the other way. She doesn't sit next to me in any classes, and the only classes we share together are history and advanced chemistry, which we share with you so you know she doesn't even look my way" he crossed his arms, pouting and looking to the side, as if he was ashamed of what he was about to say "It also doesn't help that I've cheated on or flirted with almost all of her girl friends. So they hate me, and won't let me get close to her cause they say I would 'Hurt her' or something"

"Well, would you?" Karasu arched a brow "Hurt and cheat on her, I mean"

"What?" Otoya looked at him incredously, frown deepening as if Karasu said he hated his mom or something "Of course not! I like her dude. Like, like-like her. A lot more than the other girls I got into a relationship with. She's nicer, prettier, smarter, funnier, more caring, more-"

"Alright, alright, I get it" Karasu smirked again "You're head over heels. Well, loverboy, why don't you try talking to her again tomorrow during chemistry? If it doesn't work out, we can try to find another way, 'right?"

"Sure" Otoya sighed, getting up "I don't think it's gonna work, but it's worth the shot"

"Now, let's go eat something to take your mind out of this for a while. My mom prepared cookies" Karasu also got up, patting Otoya's back and putting his arm around his shoulders

"Sure, all this thinking made me hungry anyways" he then looked at the ground, like he was lost in thought. He then suddenly lifted his head, and Karasu could almost see a light bulb lighting up rjght above it "Hey, you think if I made (Name) cookies, it would be easier for her to forgive me?"

"Bro, shut up"

The advanced chemistry class would start in 5 minutes, and you were nowhere to be found.

Otoya was actually nervous, though he seemed laid-back with his arms behind his head and his feet on the table.

"What if she moved classes just to be further from me?" Otoya asked Karasu, his seat partner, while nervously looking at the door "What if she moved schools?"

"Dude, stop" Karasu rolled his eyes "She's probably just running late. You more than anyone know how she's a little clumsy and likes to sleep in"

"Yeah" Otoya smiled a little "I always thought it was cute when I went to her house and she was still sleeping"

"Don't even start rambling about 'how cute she is' again. I'll actually kill myself if you do"

Just as Karasu said that, the girl Otoya was waiting for entered the classroom, looking distraught and breathing heavily. 'She probably ran all the way here' Eita thought, which made his smile stretch up a little

In a sudden moviment, Otoya removed his feet from the table, not wanting to look like a "delinquent" in front of you. He slid his hands through his hair, smelled his breath, making sure it was at least bearable, and removed some cookie crumbs from his uniform.

Just as he was about to get up and approach you, the teacher entered the classroom, shouting about some activity in page 34.

"Shit" Otoya muttered, putting his head in his hands

"It's okay, man. There's always the end of the class" Karasu patted Eita's shoulder

"Yeah. I guess you're right" Otoya sighed, grabbing his book just as the teacher asked

He couldn't care less for the class, honestly. The 1 hour period looked like it took a century to end. The clock on top of the board looked like it was staring at him, seemingly laughing and slowing tine down.

He moved his knees up and down, axiety radiating off of him in waves.

'What the heck is happening to me?' He asked himself, doodling a girl that strangely lookes like you on the side of the paper. When he realized what he did, he quickly erased it, face heating up 'I've never acted like this! Just what is she doing to me? And how to win her back...'

"Otoya" Karasu snapped him out of his thoughts, pointing to the white board. They sat near the back of the classroom, so Otoya had to squint his eyes to read what was written on the board.

There, in the chemistry teacher's ugly hand writing, he read:

CHEMISTRY PROJECT

1 WEEK TO FINISH IT

60% OF THE GRADE

"So, as I was saying" the teacher started "This is a project about Lavoisier's laws. And before you ask, it is not individual. It's gonna be in duos..."

"We should do it together" Karasu muttered as the whole class began whispering "Unless you wanna do it with her"

"As if she would let me" Otoya muttered back "But I'd like to. I'll try to talk to her"

"...and I choose the duos. No switching partners, either" the teacher ended, and the bastard looked like he was holding back a smirk

A roar of disappointed whispers could be heard from the class, including from Karasu, but Otoya was not sad in the slightest.

This was perfect. If the teacher put you both together, you couldn't complain. You couldn't switch partners. He's just gonna need a bit of luck on his side.

"I'm gonna start saying the duos now" the teacher said, grabbing a paper "Yuko and Hitoka"

He began praying. Begging for you to be his partner.

"Yumeko and Tobio"

'C'mon' he thought 'C'mon, c'mon, c'mon"

His leg was shaking. He was sweating.

"Kyoko and Tanaka"

This was it. You two were gonna be together, and you'd finally realize how he regrets his past actions.

Finally, a little bit of luck on his life. Finally, a little push. He was the world's luckiest man. He was literally the world's...

"(Name) and Karasu"

Unluckiest man.

"Ouch. I'm sorry, dude" Karasu said, with a frown.

"...what are you sorry for?" Otoya answered, snapping out of his daydream "It isn't your fault, don't worry about it. I'll just have to accept it. I'll never get her."

"Don't say that." Karasu's frown got deeper "We're gonna work something out. I promise"

Otoya sighed, and then smiled a little

"Thank you, bro. I don't even know how to pay you back for what you're doing"

"I know" Karasu said, his typical smirk appearing on his face again "A couple hundreds on my bank account would be nice"

"Dude." Otoya deadpanned, but laughed a little

On the other side of the classroom, you were relieved and panicked at the same time

Sure, you were hoping you wouldn't be partnered up with Otoya, so you were relieved. But get partnered up with his best friend? That wasn't really ideal.

Karasu was a good person, had helped you more than once and was a chemistry genius, so you were sure the project would go by smoothly and you'd get a good grade.

Still, you couldn't help but be a little bit nervous. You tried to tell yourself that it was because of the whole grade thing, but you knew it wasn't.

You heart knew. You were scared Otoya would do something. And you were even more afraid, because you knew that, if he did something, you'd most likely forgive him.

And that thought frightened you.

Whatever. You just had to put on your big girl's pants and do it.

It was easier said than done, though, when Karasu walked up to you, wanting your phone number to discuss project stuff, and Otoya trailed behind him, trying hard to talk to you and grab your attention.

It was easier said than done when, the moment you gave Karasu your number, Otoya frowned a little, clearly trying not to seem affected by it, but not enjoying it one bit.

Man this, was gonna be hard.

"Make yourself at home" Karasu said, turning on the lights of his room.

You made it clear you felt comfortable doing the work in his room, since most books and chemistry stuff were already here and you didn't want to be a burden. Still, he insisted on leaving the door open, though, just to make sure, which honestly made you more relieved.

He seemed nicer than Otoya. Taller. A little buffer, too.

So why couldn't you have fallen for him? Why did your heart earn for a cheater?

"Thank you" you answered, trying to shake your thoughts away. You were here to do the chemistry project, not to think about boys.

It was hard maintaining that philosophy when everywhere you looked, you could see photos of him and Otoya. When you saw Otoya's jacket lying around, knowing he was there before. When you saw his stupid plastic shuriken, which she he used to try to impress you one time but ended up throwing it at the old lady who lived in the house right beside your's face.

"Let's start the project, shall we?" Karasu said, smiling nervously. He noticed you were looking at Otoya's things, and he didn't want to make you uncomfortable, so he tried to take your mind off of it. The last thing he needed was you thinking that he and Otoya had planned to do something while you were here. You were for sure going to hate Eita even more"

"S-sure" you flinched, hating how you stuttered and how squicky you voice came out "I mean, sure. Let's start"

Safe to say, the project went by just fine. You finished it in no time, and in 2 hours, you were both just sitting on his floor, eating blue cookies his mother made and gossiping about some school girl who apparently hooked up with a teacher.

"Man, you're cool" Karasu smiled at you, and suddenly had an idea. He mentally apologized to both you and Otoya, but this was the only way to help his friend "No wonder Otoya talks about you all of the time"

He then faked a surprised reaction, even covering his mouth with his hand and muttering "Oops"

"He... talks about me?" You repeated, trying to make sense of what he said

"All of the time" Karasu said "He talks about how nice, pretty and funny you are. I honestly can't take it anymore"

An uncomfortable silence settled in the room, and just as he was about to take what he said back, you muttered

"You're not..." you hesitated "You're not lying, are you?"

"What? No, I'm not" He said "He really likes you, you know. He even stopped going out with every girl he sees. He changed. For you"

You doubted it. Your brain told you to doubt his words, to just ignore what he said. He was probably just helping his friend, who wanted to get laid or something. Your brain told you that.

But your heart was foolish. It was dumb. And so, you couldn't help but feel flattered to hear that. You wanted to believe him.

"Excuse me" you said, suddenly getting up "I need to go to the bathroom." You needed to clear your thoughts

"Oh, sure" Karasu answered, pointing at a door that was right beside you "Right there. My room's a suite" you nodded, and began walking away "I'm sorry if I said something wrong"

"You're fine" and with that, you entered the bathroom

Karasu thought that was it. That he completely ruined his friend's chances with you, and you'd both hate him forever.

Keyword: thought. Otoya would never stop surprising him.

That's why, when Otoya entered his room running, Karasu couldn't help but let out a strained yelp

"What are you doing here?" Karasu growled, looking at his friend

"She's not here, right?" Otoya asked, looking around the room "Please tell me she's not here"

You were not dumb. Neither were you deaf. You were listening. Karasu knew you were listening.

"No." Karasu answered "No, she's not"

Now, Otoya's fate rested on his hands. He couldn't screw this up. He needed to talk about you, say what he truly thought.

Honestly, it wasn't really hard. He seemed to love talking about you

"I think I'm giving up, Tabito" Karasu knew Otoya was being serious when he called him by his first name

"Giving up on what, exactly?" Karasu said. He knew what it was, of course. It was you who needed to know it, too.

"On my dream to be a dinosaur nanny" Otoya glared at him "Of course I'm talking about (Name)!"

"But I thought you liked her?" Karasu crossed his arms, getting closer to the bathroom so you could hear the conversation easier

"I do!" Otoya shouted, and Karasu could hear your quiet gasp on the other side of the door, he just hoped Otoya couldn't hear it too "God, I like her so much. I want nothing more than to hold her hand, go on idiotic picnics with her, go skating together, gaze at the stars by her side again" Otoya passed his hand through his hair, frustrated "Do you have any idea how down bad I am? I'm listening nonstop to our shared playlist and all. I just want to at least talk to her, man!"

"And why don't you tell her that?" Karasu said, knocking quietly on the door of the bathroom. He hoped you got the memo

"Because she won't talk to me?" Otoya said in a suspecting voice "Dude, you know that. You're acting strange"

"I don't think you should worry about telling her that anymore" Karasu heard the door unlocking. He smirked, then stepped aside. "I think she already heard it"

"How do you..." Otoya started, but stopped when the door opened and he saw you "Oh."

"...hi" you muttered, averting his gaze

He was sure he was burning up, reder than a tomato, and his brain screamed for him to go dig a hole and bury himself. But he knew he couldn't.

He was gonna fix this. Right now.

"(Name)" he said, looking right at you "We need to talk"

"I'm gonna give you privacity" Karasu said, exiting the room

For a while, you both just stared at each other, uncomfortable. The tension in the room could be sliced with a knife, and you both seemed to forget how to speak.

"I'm sorry" you broke the silence, looking down "I should've given you a chance to explain yourself. It was immature of me and..."

"You're sorry?" Otoya asked, dumbfounded "No, no. You don't get to be sorry. I'm sorry." He said, getting closer "This is my fault. I shouldn't have cheated on other girls. And I couldn't hate myself more for it. You have every right to be mad at me" he hesitantly grabbed your hands, and you let him "But just know I've changed. I've changed because I like you. Really, really like you. You heard me saying it. It hurts me to see you ignoring me. It physically pains me to see you glare at me or walk the other way when you see me. It makes me hate myself. It makes me wish I could just go back in the past and beat past me up" you giggled a little, and he finally smiled softly "But a wise friend once said that we can't change the past. Nothing can. What we can do is fix the future. And, frankly, (Name), when I look into my future" he gently grabbed your chin, making you look at him "the only thing I can clearly see is you in it."

"Eita" You were sure you were tearing up at this point. Chemistry project long forgotten "I like you, too." You smiled, cupping his cheek "I've liked ever since I first saw you. I'll always like you. But I was scared. Scared that you'd break my heart. Scared that you'd hurt me" you sniffled "Everyone said I made a great choice by letting you go. But if it's the right choice, why does it feel so wrong?"

"(Name)" Otoya muttered "I love you"

"I love you too, Eita" you smiled, leaning in

When your lips were about to touch, you leaned back a little

"Promise not to hurt me?"

He looked at your eyes, and this time you knew exactly what he was thinking. His mind was full with his love for you

"Only a fool would hurt a girl like you"

You then closed the distance, ignoring Karasu's cheers and how the kiss tasted like salty tears.

Nothing mattered anymore. Only you two.

This relationship was going to work. Otoya would do everything in his power to make sure of it.

#blue lock #bllk #bllk manga #blue lock x reader #bllk x reader #bllk x you #blue lock x you #blue lock otoya #eita otoya #bllk otoya #otoya eita #otoya x reader #blue lock karasu #bllk karasu #karasu tabito #karasu x reader

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athenagc94 · 5 months ago

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Dear Daddy Long Legs - Chapter 6

Jason Todd x Fem!Reader

I'm also posting this story on AO3 which you can find here.

TW: Violence

First | Prev | Next

Chapter 6

Dear Mr. Wayne.

Or should I just call you Bruce?

I might not address you at all. Hopefully, that doesn’t bother you. I know some people are weird about that kind of stuff. Have you read Daddy Long Legs? I can only assume you have if you want me to write letters, but I might be wrong. For all I know, you just want people to thank you profusely for your generosity. That sounds more likely.

But I digress.

You wanted to know about my studies.

Classes are going well.

You probably expected more, but it’s only week two. I’m still getting my bearings. I promise to share more with you next time, but I was already late getting this first letter to you. Sorry. I’m not great at talking about myself, so this is hard for me.

I think I should start with why this scholarship is so important to me. Writing isn’t the most lucrative business, nor do writers change the world the doctors and scientists. You could have thrown my application away, but you didn’t, which must mean we understand the same thing.

Writers wield a special kind of magic.

When I have a pen in my hand, I feel invincible, and the stories I plan to write will offer people a reprieve from the harsh realities of the world.

As someone who strives to do good, I figured you’d understand.

I was hesitant to accept this scholarship. The kindness of strangers makes me wary, but I’m starting to see that might be my cynicism talking. Kindness doesn’t have to have an ulterior motive.

Thank you for taking a chance on me.

I promise I won’t disappoint you.

Jason sat on the edge of a parapet that overlooked Crime Alley, your letter resting on his thigh. His helmet sat off to the side, leaving him in his domino mask instead. He wanted more, obviously, but seeing how nervous writing this letter made you; he was just grateful to receive something.

It was surprisingly vulnerable. He never imagined tender words hiding behind those dubious stares. At the end of the day, you just wanted to bring a little magic to the world. It was an admirable thing, even if you considered it small by comparison.

He smiled to himself as he tucked the letter in the inner pocket of his jacket, satisfied with himself.

And Tim thought the letters were stupid.

His comm beeped with an incoming call. He tapped it and said, “Go ahead.”

“Hood.”

“Oracle.” He sat a little straighter, ready to bolt, not that running did him any good. She likely already had tabs on him. “If this has anything to do with the raid on Black Mask and the ensuing property damage, I plead the fifth.”

“If I did know anything about it, the evidence I’ve compiled wouldn’t require a confession.”

She knew. Babs knew everything.

“But that’s not why I’m calling,” she continued, “We have a hostage situation that could go south and fast if we don’t act quickly.”

Jason sagged. “Yeah, I don’t really do—”

“It’s at Wayne Manor.”

His protests died on a wheeze. “And you called me?”

“Bruce and Damian are inside, but Robin managed to slip away. He needs back up, and you’re the closest to Gotham Heights.”

“What about Orphan?”

“Recon for the Birds of Prey.”

“Spoiler?”

“She has a night class.”

Jason gnawed at the inside of his cheek until he tasted copper. Exhausting the growing list of Gotham vigilantes wouldn’t help him here. As if sensing his thoughts, Babs said, “I wouldn’t have called on you if I didn’t have to. You know that.”

He sighed as he reached for his helmet. “You owe me.”

“Consider the property damage forgotten until the next time you irritate me.”

“So, next week?”

Her snort crackled in his ear. “I’m assuming you know where to go.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m heading that way now. ETA is about ten minutes.”

“Can you make it in eight?”

“Is that permission to speed?”

“That never stopped any of you before.” He chuckled as he grappled down, landing with a soft thud near his motorcycle. “I’ll link you with Robin when he’s online. Shouldn’t be more than a minute. He has a better idea of the situation than I do.”

“Yeah, about that,” Jason said as he kicked up the stand of his bike and sped off toward Wayne Manor, “Dear, old Robin may or may not have me blocked.”

Babs waited for a beat before she asked, “Why?”

“No idea. I’m a fucking delight to talk to.”

“Uh huh.” Her indifference stung more than he cared to admit. For all the contacts in his phone, his phone stayed silent most days.

It didn’t bother him.

Why would it bother him?

“That won’t be a problem. I could also unblock you.”

“Ignore him, Oracle. He knows exactly why he’s blocked.”

“Tiny Tim!”

“Codenames,” Babs warned.

“Robin!” he corrected without missing a beat. He took a sharp left, his body shifting with his bike. “Managed to evade a hostage situation this go around? There’s a first time for everything, I guess. This is why I’m not a fan of parties.”

“You get invited to parties?”

Jason clenched his teeth. “Fuck off.”

“Aw, did I hurt the big, bad Hood’s feelings?”

“Boys,” Babs chided, “Can we keep the bickering to a minimum? I haven’t had nearly enough coffee, and there are lives on the line. Hostages, men with guns. Whatever beef you have right now can wait.”

“Right,” Tim said more seriously, “We’ve got Blood Knuckles at the manor.”

“I’m sorry. Blood Knuckles? Are you shitting me?” Jason grunted as he took another sharp turn, “What is a Crime Alley gang doing in Gotham Heights?”

“That’s what I’d like to know. Here’s what we’re working with.”

“Tell me everything. I’ll be there in five minutes.”

Three minutes later, Jason found Tim stooped outside the window that looked onto the sitting room. Its familiarity knotted his stomach. Jason used to spend hours reading on those leather couches while a roaring fire crackled on the hearth. He shoved away the nostalgia and tried to focus on the present.

Bits of plaster and crystal littered the floor. Guests huddled in small clusters throughout the room as four armed men circled the room. Bruce stood near a middle-aged man who clutched his arm. Blood oozed through his fingers as Bruce addressed the man looming over them. He held a gun aloft in his hand, his knuckles marked with a telltale red.

“That’s Oscar Franz,” Tim provided, “He’s CEO of a pharmaceutical company based in Star City. Oracle, what can you tell us about him?”

“Not as clean as people believe,” she said, “It looks like he’s been smuggling experimental narcotics into Gotham for distribution.”

“Not anymore,” Jason cut in, “I intercepted his line a few weeks ago and haven’t allowed anything since.” Experimental drugs and unchecked suppliers made his operation messy. He didn’t have time for messy when he expected things to run without his constant supervision. “He supplied for a few dealers in my territory, so I’m not sure who paid for a hit on him.”

“We can figure that out after we save the hostages,” Babs assured him.

“We have one injured already.”

“Two,” Tim corrected as he motioned to the body that lay crumpled near the bar, “A server dropped their platter. It distracted out targets, giving me a chance to slip out, but it looks like she paid the price.”

“Is she breathing?”

“I hope so.”

That was reassuring.

“Four guys, armed,” Jason continued, “You could have taken them without me.”

“In tight quarters like this, we don’t want anyone else getting hurt. Two people will ensure that doesn’t happen.” Tim reached for his belt. “I’ll create a distraction, so Bruce and Damian can duck out. Can you take out the gunmen?”

“Piece of cake.”

“We really do appreciate you doing this,” Babs said in earnest.

Jason tried to avoid Bat business where he could. If they called on him, it was usually as a last resort like this. He always stepped up because, well, old habits die hard. He was still a Robin—somewhere deep down, even if no one else believed it.

If he managed to escape without speaking to Bruce, he’d consider it a successful night. They were going on three months without speaking, and he’d hate to break the streak tonight.

“Wait for my signal.”

“Wait. What sign—”

Tim had already vanished.

Jason grumbled and turned back to the window. “I hate when he does that.”

Babs chuckled. “Not a trait you picked up from B?”

“No.”

He peered through the glass and waited for the signal. Tim always had something up his sleeve, though he rarely saw fit to share it. Minutes passed—too many minutes given the gravity of the situation.

His fingers curled around the grip of his gun. “Robin.”

Silence.

A growl ripped from his throat. “Robin. Respond.”

Nothing.

He was a half-second away from breaking the glass to handle the situation himself when he heard a pop, followed by three more in rapid succession. Hairline fractures webbed along the ceiling.

“You know, I always hated this chandelier,” Tim finally said.

The crystal monstrosity at the center of the room shuddered before it plummeted to the ground, scattering crystal and glass across the expensive carpet. People dove to avoid it, including the Knuckle speaking with Bruce.

“FYI. That was your signal.”

Jason shouldered through the glass with one gun drawn, catching the closest Knuckle off-guard. His arm locked around his throat as the pair slid across the floor. He kicked the air as Jason applied a bit of pressure on his windpipe. A vein bulged along his forehead as he choked on a whimper. No matter how tough they looked, they always went down whimpering.

If he had more time, he would have waited for him to pass out, but alas. With a swift blow to the temple, the first guy was down for the count.

Two more went down just as quickly as the first. Jason turned to face their leader. Bruce had vanished, leaving Damian to tend to Oscar. Displeasure curled his lip as he applied pressure to Oscar’s wound. His face had gone from pale to ghostly in the span of a few minutes.

“A little far from your turf, eh, buddy?”

He trained his gun on Jason. “Oh, you know. A chance to expand into a new market presented itself and we couldn't say no to a decent payout. I figured an opportunist like yourself would appreciate that. You and I, we’re not so different.”

“You’re right,” he agreed as he raised his gun to mirror him, “I’m not, but unlike you, I’m not afraid to finish the job.”

“You wouldn’t shoot me. Not in front of all these people.”

He flipped his safety off. “Try me.”

“Hood. Stand down,” Babs hissed in his ear.

Jason tapped his comm off as he fingered the trigger. Every instinct told him to shoot the bastard dead. To be done with it and get the hell out of dodge. He strove to be better. Not good per se, but better.

Blood already stained his hands. What was a little more if it meant there was one less criminal plaguing the streets?

No one expected Red Hood to make the good choice, but he would make the right one. He was right. This was right.

Do it, the anger whispered, Be the difference you want to see in the world.

His hand trembled as he willed himself to pull the trigger.

A batarang clipped the man’s hand and he dropped his gun. He saw the cowl, a flutter of black, the reverent gasps as the Caped Crusader came to save the day.

His knees buckled. A hand fell over his, lowering the gun for him. “Easy there,” Tim said gently, “It’s over.”

Jason shrugged him off. “I’m fine.”

“Are you? Because you were about to—”

“I said I’m fine,” he snapped.

Tim held up his hands to concede. “I believe you.”

It didn’t sound that way. Jason flipped the safety back and shoved it in its holster.

Tim took a step towards him. He matched with one of his own to keep the distance between them. They stared at each other, the tension between them palpable. A siren blared in the distance.

Tim retreated and said, “You should get out of here before the first responders get here. B will be preoccupied for a while so you can slip out without him noticing.”

Several guests stared at him with fear in their eyes. His anger flared as he turned his back on them. Red Hood was a spectacle here—and not the good kind.

He would never be a hero.

Not really.

“Hey, hey. Come on. Wake up. We’re safe.”

A man with strawberry blonde hair knelt beside the downed server, speaking in a panicked whisper. His hands shook as he smoothed the hair from her face. His heart sank. Not just any face—yours.

Jason moved before he fully realized what he was doing. He sank to his knees, searching for bullet holes or blood. Your pulse fluttered beneath his fingers, and his shoulders sagged with relief. At least you were breathing.

“What happened?”

“She took a gun to the back of the head. It knocked her out co—”

The man stared at him, eyes wide and mouth agape wide enough to catch flies. Jason rolled his eyes as he brushed his fingers over the back of your head. No lumps or blood, but you were in for a killer headache when you finally came to.

“A concussion probably. Does she have any family?”

“N-No family in the area. Not that I know of. She prefers to keep to herself.”

Yeah. Jason gathered that much about you.

If the paramedics got ahold of you, they’d take you in for overnight monitoring. The cost of an ambulance alone would cripple you, let alone the hospital bill. Sure, Bruce would pay for it like he paid for everything, but another charitable handout might rub you the wrong way.

Another stupid idea took shape in his mind. He’d likely regret it, but he needed a win. Nothing about tonight felt good, but there was still hope. “I’ll make sure the paramedics get a good look at her. Go and wait with the rest of the guests. The GCPD will want your statement.”

He stood, albeit reluctantly, and left to join the rest of the people congregating near the fireplace.

Your eyelids fluttered as Jason gathered you in his arms. He exited through the window he came in before anyone noticed. “You’ll thank me for this later.”

Probably.

Hopefully.

#writing #fanfiction #jason todd #batman #jason todd x reader #red hood x reader #tim drake #red hood #dear daddy long legs fic #barbara gordon #x reader

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tyriq-edits · 3 months ago

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Research Notes for the Consort of Peace (Part 1)

The different dynasties/Periods of chinese history

Below the cut you will find the first part of my research notes for my Megop AU based on the ancient chinese tale of Wang Zhaojun [here]. Unfortunately it is rather difficult to get access to peer reviewed books about ancient China where I'm from. So for this part a huge chunk of my research unfortunately relies on different documentaries and Youtube videos. If i got anything wrong in my research please feel free to tell me.

Xia Dynasty: 2100 - 1600 BCE

Probably very likely or even most definitely mythical -> the archeological record shows no proof of them ever having existed.

Before them china was ruled by so called “legendary sage emperors”

A guy named Yu had been commissioned by them to find a way to manage to floodings of the Yellow river -> managed to do that and founded the xia dynasty (Madsen 0:34)

Shāng Dynasty: 1600-1050 BCE

Capital near Zhengzhou (Tsin 1)

Bronze artifacts (Madsen 0:58)

Warlike in nature → Similar to the Mycenaeans in ancient Greece.

Technology regarding Bronze smithing improved throughout this dynasty

Probably invented writing/earliest form of chinese writing attributed to them (Madsen 1:10)

Jiǎ gǔ wén -> Oracle Bone inscription (Madsen 1:20) -> Writings on bones and turtle shells for divination

Women had a lot more rights during this time and were politically and militarily engaged → Example Fu Hao (Zhao 2022, 3:20)

Ended in a period of decadence and replaced by the Zhou (Madsen1:35)

Cool fact: Shang King Wu Di (Husband of Fu Hao) would travel around his kingdom disguised as a commoner to understand the troubles of the common people better (Zhao 2022, 5:00)

Zhōu Dynasty: 1050 - 256 BCE

Divided into 2 periods: Western Zhōu (1050-771 BCE) and Eastern Zhōu (771-256)

Eastern Zhōu happens at the same time as the Spring and Autumn Period (770-475 BCE) and the Warring states Period (475-221 BCE)

Capital Western Zhou: Hao (near Xi’an)

Capital Eastern Zhōu: Luoyang (in the province of Henan)

Confusius creates the idea of confucianism around this time (the -> Huge influence on chinese culture (Tsin 1)

Main rule of Confucianism: “do not do unto others what you would not want others to do unto you” but “felial Piety”/devotion to the family is equally if not even more important

Idea of Mandate of Heaven is created (Madsen) → Joshua Mark however claims the Mandate of heaven was created under the Shang Dynasty, the Zhou just developed it further (Mark, Han 3)

Mandate of Heaven: A king could only rule if he acted just -> He had the heaven’s favour and was granted the right to rule by the heavens. But the heavens could take that right away from him if he acted unjustly.(Madsen 1:51) → The ruler HAD to look after his people in order to keep the mandate of heaven.

Kinda like the “Gracie dei” in western medieval kingdoms except your god given right as a king came with conditions

There will be signs by the heavens before hand -> natural disasters (Madsen 1:55)

Book of Songs was written around this time (taken from personal university class notes)

Functioned under a complex feudalistic system → Decentralised government (Epimetheus 1:50)

The Zhōu decline was long and painful starting with the Spring and Autumn period

In the end China broke into many different kingdoms and states (Zhōu being but one of them)

Warring States Period: 475-221 BCE

The Zhou were, according to Cartwright: “No longer dominant in military terms, the Zhou were forced to rely on armies of other allied states, who on occasion took the opportunity to forward their own territorial claims. For this reason, the Zhou king was compelled to sometimes make the military leader of another state the military leader of the Zhou alliance.” (2) → The greatest of these military leaders received the title of Hegemon.

By the 4th century BCE 100 smaller states had been “consolidated by conquest” (Cartwright 2) into 7 major states: Chu, Han, Qi, Qin, Wei, Yan and Zhao.

“In each state, the ruler declared himself king and independent of the Zhou empire.” (Cartwright 2)

Basically everyone was fighting everyone at all times.

It also marked the beginning of China’s use of a cavalry in the military as well as the chineses’ entry into the iron age through the use of iron swords and crossbows (Cartwright 3)

There were still cultural developments despite the constant wars (Cartwright 5)

Metalworking developed (Iron)

agricultural revolution (Iron tools)

cities grew in size

large defensive walls

towers were erected

Multi-storey citygates to impress visitors

Rulers’ Palaces became more extravagant

Marketplaces → Trade

Industrialised pottery and weapon production

Town planning (Grid pattern similar to Roman and Greek Colonies in the West)

Introduction of bronze coins with a hole in the middle

Philosophy → Writings and contemplation on Confucius, Daoism, Legalism, War Tactics (Sun Tzu)

Qin Dynasty: 221-206 BCE

Before the rise of the Qin Dynasty, the Qin had remained “one of the few states which remained loyal to the Zhou” (Cartwright 4)

Several Qin rulers had received the title of Hegemon from the Zhou kings during this time (Cartwright 4).

Qin conquered all the other nations at the end of the warring states period.

Reunited China into one nation

Rulers of previous dynasties were called kings (Wáng 王)

the Qin ruler (Qin Shi Huang) invented a new title for himself -> Emperor (Huáng Dì 皇帝）(Madsen)

Qin Shi Huang was known for his brutality and draconian rule

Qin Shi Huang “understood that the Zhous's policy of a decentralized government had contributed to its fall and so established a centralized state which decreased the power of the aristocracy, eliminated the borders between different states, and operated according to the precepts of the philosophy of Legalism”. (Mark, Qin 2)

He forced a unified writing systems onto those he conquered and had hundreds of historians executed and historical records burned ->he wanted to unite the people of China under one shared identity and for the “history of China to start with him”.

But his bookburnings had other reasons → Scholars would write tracts criticising Qin Shi Huang’s rule and comparing it with more benevolent rulers of the past Zhou dynasty and saying Qin Shi Huang was ignoring the mandate of heaven by not caring for his subjects correctly (turning them into slaves) (Mark, Qin 5)

People who tried to hide the history books and writings of past dynasties were also executed (Mark, Qin 5)

But not only history books were burned also “any works expressing the concepts from the period of the Hundred Schools of Thought should also be destroyed including the standard educational texts known as the Four Books and Five Classics from the Zhou Dynasty. Anyone speaking on such topics should be killed and any officers or officials who heard of such conversations and did not report them should be likewise.” (Mark, Qin 5)

Only medicine and science books were spared. (Mark, Qin 5)

→ Had scholars executed by burying them alive in a mass grave (Madsen 3:40)

“Shi Huangdi suppressed all freedom of speech, had the legal codes rewritten to adhere more closely with his own personal vision.” (Mark, Qin 6)

“A one hit wonder of a dynasty” (Montgomery)

Joshua Mark: “213 BCE, his need to control every aspect of his subjects' lives, and fear of rebellion, had turned China into a police state in which freedoms were severely limited and the peasant class was reduced to a level of conscript slavery” (2)

Under Qin Shi Huang China saw the first version of the Great Wall (protection against the invading Xiongnu), the Grand Canal, introduction of state coinage, highway constructions, and the terracotta army in his tomb. (Mark, Qin 2)

Joshua Mark: “His early reign seems, at first glance, a model for any monarch in true leadership and care for his people but Shi Huangdi only interpreted the Mandate of Heaven in terms of his own power and self-importance; his subjects were a means to an end, not an end in themselves. Those who worked on the wall, the canal, and other public projects, if they even were initially paid, quickly became conscripts taken from their homes to labor for scraps of food and communal lodgings.” (Qin 4)

“He encouraged science and discouraged letters” (Mark, Qin 4)

Joshua Mark: “The people's lives under the Qin became harsh, narrow, and more uncertain (..) because government officials could take anyone they wanted to work on the emperor's projects, no matter their social class or occupation. Only the emperor's men were allowed weapons so there was no armed resistance possible and, even if arms had been available, Shi Huangdi's network of spies, secret police, and informants would have revealed a plot before it had a chance to be put into action”. (Qin 5)

Shi Huangdi became increasingly more paranoid as time went on leading to more and more restrictive laws → Scared of usurpation and assassination → Grew obsessed with the idea of immortality → Sent officials to find the elixir of immortality

Qin Shi Huang famously died after swallowing mercury, believing it’d turn him immortal.

Shi Huang’s chief advisor Li Siu changed the emperor’s will after his death → Shi Huang intended his “commanding eldest son Fusu” as his heir → Li Siu feared Fusu would replaced him as chief advisor and made the “spoiled, coddled, youngest son” Hu Hai as he was “easy to manipulate” (Mark, Qin 8)

“He (Hu Hai) was famous for his bad temper, ordering the death of anyone who brought him bad news, and his lasting legacy is the origin of the saying “Don't kill the messenger” regarding a negative reaction to receiving unwelcome information.” (Mark, Qin 9)

The Qin Dynasty officially fell under the rule of Qin Shi Huang’s grandson Ziying who was unable to stop the rebellion of Liu Bang of Han and Xiang Yu.

Liu Bang of Han had accepted the surrender of Ziying and treated him well.

Xiang Yu however had Ziying and his entire family executed.

Han Dynasty: 206 BCE - 220 AD

Existed around the same time as the ancient Roman Republic and Empire and the Diadochi all the way up to the reign of emperor/empress Elagabalus. → Even traded with the roman empire → See the Roman Silk ban of 14 AD.

This is the dynasty during which Wang Zhaojun lived during the reign of emperor Yuan

The majority of Chinese people are part of the Han ethnic group, which receives its name from the Han dynasty. (Mark, Han 2)

Divided into the earlier Western and later Eastern Han Period (named after the location of the capitals)

Western Han: 206 BCE - 9 AD

Xin Dynasty: 9 AD - 25 AD → Regent Wang Mang declared the Han Dynasty is over and created the VERY brief XinDynasty after which the Han resumed (Mark, Han 1)

Eastern Han: 25 AD - 220 AD

Joshua Mark: “(The Han Dynasty) established the paradigm for all succeeding dynasties up through 1912 CE.” (Han 1)

Founded by Liu Bang, a commoner (born a peasant, worked as a sheriff) → Later called Emperor Gaozu → Liu Bang straight up rolled Nat20 on every single Charisma and Deception Check and faked his way onto the throne.

Liu Bang and Xiang Yu, after defeating the Qin dynasty, turned on each other → Liu Bang finally gained the upper hand by kidnapping Xiang Yu's concubine, Lady Yu, who was the great love of his life, and luring the Chu forces into a hopeless situation at the Battle of Gaixia (202 BCE). Lady Yu committed suicide and Xiang Yu, after burying her, fought his way out but was pursued and killed himself rather than be taken. Liu Bang then established the Han Dynasty, ruling as the Emperor Gaozu (r. 202-195 BCE)” (Mark, Qin 9)

Liu Bang later executed and demoted his other generals upon the request of his wife empress Lu Zhi → known as one of China’s most cruel women (Montgomery).

Capital was moved from Luoyang to Chang’an (Mark, Han 3)

“With no experience in government, Gaozu had to rely on earlier models and so adopted the decentralized government of the Zhou and the Legalism of the Qin (though the latter was implemented more benevolently). The decentralized state was divided into 13 administrative districts known as commanderies (also as jun) and awarded ten kingdoms to members of his family whom he expected to rule justly” (Mark, Han 3)

According to Poulpart: “Liu Bang created a new governmental structure composed of three actors with overlapping functions, guaranteeing that one would not dominate the other. This system was relying on a chancellor (chengxiang), who was responsible of the cases that would be managed by the emperor, a supreme Commander (taiwei) responsible of any military action or decision, and an imperial counsellor (yushi dafu) at the helm of the bureaucracy and administrative system.” (1)

As a former peasant Liu Bang understood how commoners had felt under the Qin rulers → Lowered Taxes for commoners, redistributed wealth, made some of the rules less strict (Mark, Han 3)

Liu Bang opened up bureaucratic positions for people of all social classes (Mark, Han 3) → His successor emperor Wen of Han would later take this idea further and introduce the imperial state exam → An Exam people of all social classes could take in order to become imperial civil servant

During the Han period Confucianism was the state religion → According to Confucianism’s ideas the state system of the chinese emperors was superior to every other form of civilisation → Han Emperors used this as explanation for expansionist politics (especially under emperor Wu of Han) → It was their mission given to them by the Mandate of Heaven (Poulpart 1)

Confucianism grew in popularity even amongst commoners but they still practised their own local cults (Poulpart 2) → Confucianism was mostly popular and important within the higher social classes (Poulpart 2)

The Han Dynasty was a period of lots of scientific and artistic advancements, marked by Confucianism and the creation of the silk road under emperor Wu. (Mark, Han 2)

The Hans invented the water wheel, the compass, the seismograph, musical theory and paper (Mark, Han 2)

Creation of the silk road -> Trading routes would reach up to the Roman Empire

The Han also “encouraged literacy and the study of history” (Mark, Han 2) → Sima Qian, the chinese Herodotus, lived during the Han Period

Iron, copper and Salt were regulated by the government → Government held a monopoly on those markets (Poulpart 2) → The Han-Xiongnu wars were partly the reason for that monopoly

Chinese Mythology underwent development during this time → Think Nezha, the Queen mother of the West, Guanyin, Chang’e, the Jade Emperor etc. (Mark, Han 2) → Many of these figures have existed since the Shang Dynasty

Wars with the Xiongnu (A distinct ethnic group from the mongolian Steppe)

Xiongnu wars lasted for 200 years → Will talk about these in more detail in the Xiongnu section

After Liu Bang’s death his wife Lu Zhi was in charge through several puppet rulers (Mark, Han 3) → She was then executed and Emperor Wen of Han took over.

Wen’s son Emperor Jing saw that the decentralised government was not working well → centralised the Han empire (Mark, Han 4)

Reigns of Wen and Jing = Golden Age

After Jing came Emperor Wu → Expansionist policies, made everyone (nobles and commoners) equal under the law code, gave commoners better opportunity to become government officials, adopted Confucianism as the state philosophy (Mark, Han 4)

Expansion into Korea and Vietnam ( → the Trung Sisters Rebellion) and more wars against the Xiongnu (Successful) & establishment of the Silk road (Mark, Han 4)

After Wu → Emperor Zhao → Emperor Liu He → Emperor Xuan → Emperor Yuan (The one from Wang Zhaojun’s tale)

Emperor Yuan (Or Yuandi) → Big supporter of Confucianism → Because of this (filial piety) he gave powerful positions to his wife’s family members → This and “failure to check the power of his eunuch secretaries” lead to the fall of Western Han and rise of the Xin dynasty

Yuan’s son, Emperor Cheng continued his father’s mistake until his cousin Wang Mang seized power and declared himself Emperor in 9 AD. (Encyclopedia Britannica 1) →Xin Dynasty

Wang Mang was meant to act as a regent to Cheng until he came of age → did not give the power back to Cheng when he was an adult

Joshua Mark: “Wang was a Confucian scholar and idealist who believed that a single, strong ruler with a clear vision and the freedom to do as he pleased would be more effective than one who took counsel and had to discuss policy with others before implementing it.” (5) → Wang Mang was kinda useless as a ruler → “The people grew frustrated with his ineptitude and a mob overran the palace, hacked him to pieces, and used his head as a kickball” (Mark, Han 5)

Emperor Xuan → Reestablished the Han Dynasty → Weak and was soon deposed during the Red-Eyebrow-Rebellion (Mark, Han 6)

Emperor Guangwu → Moves capital to Luoyang → Begin of the eastern Han period → created reforms to avert another Xin situation (Mark, Han 6).

“the Han ruling house fairly quickly devolved into a series of monarchs who cared more about indulging their pleasures than ruling a country” (Mark, Han 6) → The emperors left country affairs to their Eunuchs.

By 130 AD the imperial court had become corrupt by Eunuchs who held all the power (Mark, Han 2)

At the same time the Han were spending money on expansionist policies into Korea, Vietnam and on wars against Xianbi (A Nomadic group from the mongol steppe like the Xiongnu and Huns)

Famines, Floods and taxes

The Han Dynasty ended after General Cao Cao defeated the yellow turban rebellion, tried taking over control of the empire. After his defeat via his fellow military commanders, the kingdom was split into three different realms. (Mark, Han 2)

Three Kingdoms: 220-264

After the Fall of the Han Dynasty

Romance of the three kingdoms takes place around this time

Basically summarised as “Warring States Period 2: Electric Boogaloo”

Jin Dynasty: 265 - 420

Very shortly lived Dynasty

Descendants of the generals who usurped the imperial throne

It was of the three kingdoms of the previous era, the Wei Kingdom which prevailed and re-unified China (Madsen 5:00)

United China but their reign was marked by wars and violence (Epimetheus 3:30)

Palace intrigue → Civil war 299 - 301 AD

Jin Dynasty fell at the hands of Xiongnu tribes who “settled in the north of china and proved hard to govern” (Madsen: 5:20)

Xiongnu attacked both of China’s capital cities Luoyang and Chang’an

“Many people fled to the south of Nan Jing where the Jin had set up a government in exile” (Madsen 5:30)

Period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties: 386-589

Northern Wei and the Southern Qi empires

Often considered a dark age of Chinese history (Epimetheus 3:40)

“Dominated by warlords who raided the lands and by barbarian invasions” (Epimetheus 3:48)

Buddhism increased in popularity (had been around in China since the Han Dynasty however) (Madsen: 5:40)

At the end the Wei and Qi kingdom had around 9000 buddhist temples combined (Madsen: 5:48) → Many rulers openly supported Buddhism

Sui Dynasty: 581 - 618

Had only 2 reigning emperors

Was able to unify China again

Instead of following the rules of Confucius, the Sui emperors tried to act upon Buddhist principles. (Madsen 6:30)

Their “structural changes which paved the way for a more long-lasting successor, the Tang Dynasty” (Cartwright, Sui 1)

Reinstalled the rule of ethnic han chinese (Epimetheus 3:53)

Integrated the barbarians that had invaded China during the previous period (Epimetheus (4:10)

After 1 million men were taken to Korea for military service → Rebellions arose in China during this time → Rebellion lead by Sui Emperor’s cousin Li Yuan overthrew the Sui → Renamed himself emperor Gaozu (Like Liu Bang of Han)

Tang Dynasty: 618 - 906

The second golden Age

Most C-Dramas i watch tend to take place around this period

Arts flourished around this time → Especially Poetry

Tea became more popular → Tea ceremonies (Madsen 8:10)

The story of Yan Gufei (another one of the 4 beauties of China) is set during this time

Internal stability

Scientific advancement

China’s population grew to 80million (Epimetheus 4:20)

The imperial exam of the han was picked up again and modified → Meritocracy (Madsen 7:30)

Surprisingly tolerant of foreigners for an ancient civilisation → Chang’an was cosmopolitan (Madsen 7:40)

All three religions of China (Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism) thrived during the Tang

Towards the end they began persecuting Buddhists and were deposed after several rebellions (Epimetheus 4:50)

Five Dynasty Period: 907-960:

China broke again

There is once again war between everyone

Song Dynasty: 960 - 1279

Divided into Northern Song(960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) (Tsin 1)

Scientific advancements and military development

Started out with a strong economy but was militarily a lot weaker than previous dynasties (Madsen 8:40)

Mass printing and gunpowder was invented during this period (Epimetheus 5:05)

First Paper currency

Southern Song started after Jurchens attacked the capital city and took the Emperor and several officials hostage → The north of china was lost to the Jurchens → New emperor crowned in the south where the Song remained until 1279 (Madsen 8:50)

Tea houses and night markets became popular around this time

Storytellers within these tea houses (Madsen 9:10)

Art in the form of poetry and landscape paintings flourished during southern Song (Madsen 9:20)

North of China during this time was ruled by the Jurchens who after a while took over the chinese imperial system, language, writing system and way of life (Madsen 10:00)

Yuan Dynasty: 1279 - 1368

Mongol Invasion → Genghis Khan’s grandson Kublai Khan

Moved the Capital city to Dadu (Today Beijing)

Taken from class notes: Around this time the novel became popular → The Mongol emperors did not care for poetry → They preferred theatre → Journey to the West style stage play → Was written down as a novel → entered the “mainstream”

The Yuan controlled the entire silkroad from China to Europe (Epimetheus 5:30)

Diversity in culture (Epimetheus 5:40)

But Marco polo did note that there was “ethnic tension” in China → Different ethnic groups were placed in different taxation groups (Madsen 13:30)

“A chinese could land with a hefty fine if he fought a mongol, but a mongol could get away scot free if he killed a chinese” (Madsen: 13:40)

The Mongols kept chinese advisors however and adopted the idea of the chinese emperor being “the son of heaven” (Madsen 14:00)

More Europeans visited China around this time (Like Marco Polo)

Just like the Mongol empire as a whole, this period was very short lived

Ming Dynasty: 1368 - 1644

Founded by a commoner (Taizu) after a successful rebellion against the Mongols

Taizu was a harsh ruler → Went after literati (kinda like emperor Qin but with a bit less executions)

The Imperial exam remained under his rule however → one had to study the 4 great Books → Confucius Analects, Mencius, Doctrine of the Mean and the Great Learning (Madsen 15:30)

Another golden age

Construction of the famous forbidden city in 1406-1420

Ming Vases were a popular exported good

Literature and Art flourished

The great Wall of China was expanded to keep the Mongols out

Problems with Pirates

Chinese age of exploration → Explorers went as far as east africa and returned with Giraffe’s to the emperor’s court (Madsen 16:00)

Foreign merchants were limited to outposts but could not really go deeper inside China (Madsen 16:40)

Some emperors had around 10’000 concubines around this dynasty (allegedly)

Famine lead the end of the Ming Dynasty

Qing Dynasty: 1644 - 1912

The Manchu ethnic group ruled China after crossing the great wall (Madsen 17:00)

All men in china were ordered to get the Manchu Hairstyle to show their loyalty to the new Dynasty (Madsen 17:10)

Period of stability followed

Most on the information i could find on the harem system came from this period

Not nearly as glamorous as depicted in C-Dramas (shocker)

“Started as a golden age, ended in disaster” (Epimetheus 5:50) → Opium wars

Fell after the Chinese revolution and the establishment of the Republic of China

The life story of the last Emperor of China is honestly a hot mess.

After the fall of the Qing Dynasty some Consorts and Concubines had to become prostitutes to survive

Sources:

Cartwright, Mark: Warring States Period, World History Encyclopedia, 2017 https://www.worldhistory.org/Warring_States_Period/

Cartwright, Mark: Sui Dynasty, World History Encyclopedia, 2017. https://www.worldhistory.org/Sui_Dynasty/

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Yuandi". Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 Apr. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Yuandi, Accessed 22 March 2025.

Epimetheus: All China’s Dynasties explained in 7 minutes, Youtube, 2018 https://youtu.be/fFNzX3tYTXU?si=eZd4uWgxxgJTlufI

TSIN, Micheal: China - Timeline of Historical Periods, Asia for Educators, Columbia University, 1995 https://afe.easia.columbia.edu/timelines/china_timeline.htm

MADSEN, Jared: All of China’s Dynasties in ONE Video - Chinese history 101, youtube, 5th August 2022https://youtu.be/Fz_uQNQBK0g?si=Dm4_3DoomfgN7jZo

Mark, Joshua: Han Dynasty, World History Encyclopedia, 2020. https://www.worldhistory.org/Han_Dynasty/

Mark, Joshua: Qin Dynasty, World History Encyclopedia, 2020. https://www.worldhistory.org/Qin_Dynasty/

MONTGOMERY, Lazlo: The Han Dynasty (Part 1), in: the chinese history podcast, Ep. 18 https://open.spotify.com/episode/1umFA07mSPCuPyCCcAKiK4?si=pe4iHig8QFOO6_-kv9XTzg

Poupart, Jean-Baptiste: Han Dynasty, Academia https://academia.edu/resource/work/40640987

Zhao, Xiran Jay: China’s forgotten Warrior Queen – Fu Hao, Youtube, 2022.

https://youtu.be/U0luii3sKjQ?si=MDSuCUOqVKn20TIN

36 notes · View notes

quotidianish · 1 year ago

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ANOTHER human au art compilation! Here’s the first! More info about the AU and their cultures under cut ~

Groundwork:

-Abilities which stem from things inherent to dragon biology (fire, venom, frostbreath, gills, etc.) aren’t present. More traditionally supernatural gifts (mindreading, oracle, animus magic, etc.) are still present. In retrospect this makes the Nightwings completely op but shhh

-Each tribe is inspired off a mishmash frankenstein of different real-world cultures

-Dragons are an endangered species, just a hum in the background and nearly hunted to extinction. They’re hardly considered a threat, especially when most humans haven’t even seen one in their lives. Once the centre of each people’s culture and civilisation, they’re now nothing more than Bigfoot sightings or exotic pets.

Culture:

-Sandwings are the least homogeneous tribe and take inspiration from various cultures in the Indian subcontinent and Arab nations (most largely India and Palestine). Many subcultures exist within the larger Sandwing kingdom. Common identifies (not present in them all, but there will usually be at least one) include gold accented accessories, darker skin, and clothing with light, desaturated, yellow/orange tones. They’re renowned for their abundance of poison, excellent street food, musical talent, and stereotypically maliciously intelligent. Regardless of class there’s a nation wide pattern (you can find the reference for it by Qibli’s headscarf) symbolising trade routes, oasis waters and dunes. It’s a symbol of national pride (included on thorn’s dress, and ostrich’s headband/headscarf).

-Nightwings are, on the contrary, the most homogeneous tribe due to their small population. They’re based on Japan (spanning multiple eras). I like to think the Nightwings lost a lot of their culture after migrating to the volcano, for they were once the most religious tribe, worshiping the moon alongside the Icewings, which I’ll get to later on their cultural similarities. I promise it’ll make sense. By now, all their deeply religious traditions have been relegated to superstitions. It was said they were blessed by the moons, but the connection has been largely severed. Only old dresses follow the tradition of embroidering in the moons they were born under. Moonwatcher’s dress is something akin to a hand-me-down, as are her silver earrings, it’s by coincidence it lined up with her actual birthday. Moon’s family was an exception because she came from a long line of seers (or alleged seers) who have done their best to preserve a crumbling culture. Common identifiers include near pitch black clothing and skin as pale as the moon.

-Icewings have some of the largest populations, however, are surprisingly homogenous. Most sub-cultural differences are as a result of class. They’re based on Mongolia and Manchuria. Like Nightwings they are also deeply religious, maintaining their beliefs through rigorous scholarship. Hair has intrinsic religious value as a gift from your family- therefore it cannot be cut. The same goes for ear piercings and any other physical alterations to your body. IceWing jewellery as a result is very distinct because of its lack of need for an ear piercing, hooking around the back of the ear instead. Common identifies include long/braided hair, and light, cool-colored clothing suited for the cold.

-Skywings are loosely Scottish inspired, and I do not have a lot to say about the rest of the tribes. Most of their clothing have feathered accents. The peregrine is a sign of luck and wealth, with their feathers being adorned on the upper classes. Geese and chickens, being common farm animals, are found adorned on working classes. The second richest tribe, employing silver, gold, lazuli, and about any gem they can find in their clothing. Common identifies include curly orange/red hair, taller statures, feathered accents, a tartan like pattern, and clothing ranging from yellow to magenta.

-Seawings are loosely based on various Polynesian cultures, most prominently that of the Māori. The sea has an intrinsic religious value to them, with all children learning to swim, sail, and/or fish. They live off the sea’s resources, rarely consulting the surrounding land for supplies. On rare occasions albatross birds and seagulls are plucked for headdresses. These are reserved for high ranked royalty. Their clothing is loose and well adapted for the warm beach setting. Common identifiers of Seawings include ta moko like tattoos, olive skin, and clothing ranging from lime to purple.

-Rainwings are loosely based on Thai, Indonesian, and Cambodian cultures. They’re colourful and have the second largest poison reserves (bested by sandwings). Having once been a trade centred tribe, now they’re isolationist, albeit not intentionally. They have many history records, almost as detailed as that of Icewings, but the art has been lost to a changing cultural atmosphere. Once too religious, now their intrinsically religious practices are more cultural. Their clothing is similar to sandwings in the fact they cover as much of the body as convenient but remain loose and breezy. Common identifiers include bronze tan skin, vibrant pigmented clothing, and flower motifs. Nightwing villages don’t follow that guideline, they build on the ground as a tribe with a focus on hunting. I’m assuming everything in this universe is made proportional to dragons, hence why the trees are so large. This assumption is based off that specific panel of Bandit in the book six graphic novel eating a blueberry as big as his head.

-Mudwings are sooo underdeveloped in my au (following in the steps of Tui herself) but they’re based on southern Chinese and Vietnamese cultures! They live in cities akin to Chinese floating villages, Vietnamese floating markets, and Tulou (architectural style of the Chinese Hakka) made of mud bricks. They're a very agricultural based people. Many of their villages are isolated communities- their emphasis on family extending to their towns. Common identifiers include umber skin, straw conical hats, and practical clothing in shades of brown.

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recycledraccoon · 1 year ago

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Quick! I'm from the future!! I need your inkblade headcanons or scenarios or the universe will implode!

Ok ok, I can do this. I can answer this ask without going out of control. I can be normal about this, I can.

I don't have very many hardset headcanons, but more vibes that rise and fall like the tide. Oisin's fins/head-crest flare out ramrod straight and the spines turn as purple as his face if he's blushing hard enough. I will die on this hill. Oisin's non-verbal emotions are actually really easy to pick up on if he's too distracted to keep them tightly in control. A thick dragonborn tail lashing back and forth like an outlet for Emotions That Are Too Big can be really inconvenient in a highschool hallway. The rise and fall of his fins/head-crest are MUCH harder to hide however. Oisin also smells perpetually of petrichor, and it drives Adaine insane.

1. I think Oisin's crush started softly, and with indescribable longing, probably before he ever knew who she was. Freshman year, a Thursday Intro To Glyphs class. He doesn't know or talk to her at all, just a face in a class he has that he barely notices. So he's not falling for her quite yet.

I think he first fell in love in the way one does when you see a stranger sitting across from you on the public bus or train. The sunlight hit her hair and he couldn't take his eyes off suddenly. Maybe he saw her smiling and laughing with her friends, maybe she was rolling her eyes at them with her nose scrunched up just a little in faint judgement, maybe he can't even remember because while walking past in the hallway he had been so dumb-struck for a second he walked face first into an open locker door to Ivy's absolute confusion. (She does laugh at him mercilessly, even if he won't say why he walked into it.)

It's a moment of "I don't know you, you don't know me, but for one unfathomably long moment I wanted nothing more than to imagine a life lived that included basking near you and your smile every day until I die."

Unrealistic right? Just a passing stranger, this isn't a love story, it's an average Tuesday and Oisin has homework and an appointment with his party in the forest after school.

He gathers his bearings and moves on, and if his mind wanders back to the girl in the hall who had captivated him to lethal effect? Well it's a pleasant memory for him and he thinks that's allowed, right?

Except she's in his Glyph class two days later, he realizes, and suddenly that hallway moment of longing rushes back until his entire face is purple and he's trying not to stare at the occasionally stuttering but brilliant wizard girl two rows ahead in class.

1a. I think Oisin continued to take Glyph classes at first because he hoped she would too. Adaine doesn't, but Oisin continues because he is good at them and enjoys it and it's certainly easier to learn when he's not distracted in class 70% of the time.

2. As Oisin gets older, more and more of his dragonic nature becomes apparent. It's like a second puberty happening concurrently with normal puberty, which means it's a rollercoaster nightmare for him and the High Five Heroes/Rat Grinders.

2a. Dragons have hoards, but not all dragons hoard the same things, even within their own subclasses. Still, Oisin has quite a few gems and jewels in his fledgling hoard, despite not knowing what he most wants to hoard, and if his favorite gem just so happens to be one that reminds him of the shade of blue in a particular elven girl's eyes then-

2b. Oisin also has a deep fondness for rain and storms. He always knows if it's incoming even if it's not in the forecast. Something primal in him connects to the raging skies, for good or ill. It makes him feel confident and powerful. He also considers it very romantic. Unfortunately, Adaine gets so cross with him anytime she hears him predict a storm coming, even if he's talking to literally anyone else. (Adaine thinks Oisin is a storm himself, and if she is not careful she will be like the last Oracle and have forgotten to stock up on water breathing spells and drown in him amidst the storm of his being.)

2c. Dragons also hold great respect for power and prowess. Physical fights for hierarchy, play, or even courtship are very normal. For all that they are sentient brilliant beings, Dragons are still wild, untameable, primal things. This lurks underneath all of them, good or evil. Some are just more adept at hiding it. For courtship, this comes into play as sizing the other up. Both sides are looking to find out whether or not the other has any worth as a long term partner who would need to help guard the nest. Protecting eggs and hoards from greedy adventurers is serious business. There are reasons there aren't many truly ancient dragons. Too large a discrepancy in strength can sometimes be a turn off for the stronger one, so the most successful courtships are usually of similarly strong dragons, or at least, ones that put up enough of a fight despite the gap.

c1. Oisin, seeing the great accomplishments and prowess of Adaine Abernant over the course of Freshman year, feels a deep stirring even before he's rage-starred. He wants to fight her so badly, to sling magic and bloody teeth until the raging beast inside is sated. Naturally this scares him at first, and Oisin REFUSES to seek Adaine out to talk because of it, because the teen boy part of himself wants something kind, soft and tender between them, while the dragon making itself known as he ages wants to prove itself strong to her.

Later, he will tell himself this urge was ENTIRELY because he'd been on the path towards being contaminated-then-consumed with rage and wanted the Bad Kids dead. Absolutely not because it's the first step in traditional dragon courtship. He just wants to prove himself to her. He wants to feel for himself the confirmation of her renowned battle prowess. This is all for purely rival-related reasons, he tells himself. He is, perhaps, a bit of a liar.

3. Adaine's crush, not just her thinking he's cute but her actual legitimate crush on him, actually starts when the Rat Grinders are being redeemed post-Junior Year.

Like, she hates his GUTS. He made her feel belittled and stupid during Junior year, and yes they kicked his and his friends asses, but also now they just have to deal with them still being around. (Yes this is how they made friends with Ragh too, but they're petty.)

Except...so now they have to spend time together, maybe in classes maybe because Lucy loves her friends despite everything but is also now a friend of The Bad Kids. The former Rat Grinders are CLEARLY trying so hard to be better and kinder, but still the parties are mingling and there is tension but its also so fucking funny.

So Adaine and Oisin's interactions is just a montage of them being assholes to each other. Oisin can be polite and respectable, funny even, with everyone BUT Adaine apparently. Bickering about wizard things, taunting cutting words, and Adaine repeatedly trying to punch his smug face whenever he gets too close while gloating if he's right about something.

3a. Adaine literally tells Aelwyn that while she wants and needs kindness, she does acknowledge that it's messed up that she wishes someone was a little mean to her sometimes. This rivalry with Oisin is NOT WHAT SHE MEANT!!!!!! (the monkey paw curls)

3b. The worst part, is no matter how much Adaine hates Oisin, is that it doesn't stop him from being attractive. Oh sure, she thinks he's an absolute asshole when he's sitting across from her in the library, but......

He's still absurdly tall, with large arms that are for more than just show. The conjuration tattoos are both practical and very pleasing to the eye, the almost electric blue of them a pleasing contrast to the softer blue shade of his scales.

The contradiction of those large round spectacles resting on his snout makes him look just dorky enough to go from being just another buff guy to being....well. Unfortunately, the glasses also do nothing to shield Adaine from the weight of his gaze.

When he looks at her with his full attention, behind those glasses are eyes of molten gold, and trained solely on her that gaze feels searing hot wherever it lands.

3c. Or perhaps, the worst part is she despises how he laughs. Sometimes, when she says something as clever as it is cutting, Oisin throws his head back just a little to laugh, bright and warm, all while his throat rumbles. It must be something draconic in nature, like a strong purr or distant rain clouds. It's much harder to get him to make that particular sound when he laughs, and the rumble feels unfairly like victory. Like she cracked the careful fascade he puts up to pretend like he's not a dragon.

The rumble also feels particularly reminiscent of butterflies in her stomach. (She elects to ignore this part.)

4. Oisin is a dragon, and he is a little obsessed with Adaine even if he doesn't dare to dream of going on an actual date with her after everything from the previous year. He cannot imagine a world where she would ever again believe him to be genuine in affection or intention towards romantic feelings. No instance of genuine fluster could ever be seen as anything but a clever ruse, he tells himself, he certainly wouldn't believe it if it was him.

But he's got her attention now, and he is possessive of that, of what he CAN get. Even if she hates his guts and pointblank threatens to kill him if he steps out of line-

Even if it's because she hates him, Oisin still has her eyes on him. Eyes like clear skies before the rolling storm, like they can pierce through everything he is and will ever be and know the truth of it.

Every conversation is like a battle, a verbal sparring that he TELLS himself is nothing at all like the courtship fights, but oh how sweet does it sound to his inner dragon. She could be cussing him out and he could feel like his heart would burst from his chest from the affection he feels, even as he riles her up further, until she slips into saccharine elven curses that he can practically taste on his forked tongue.

4a. Once he tosses back a clever jape in draconic at her. When she immediately starts in on him with the gutteral words of his native tongue, perfectly fluent but lilted ever so slightly like a refined melody, his tail accidentally knocks over a chair and his crest flares so strongly that he KNOWS his face must be more purple than a ripe plum. He's lost a battle and her laughter at the way he flees claiming he forgot something haunts him for days. He tries to get revenge by whispering things under his breath at her in Elvish, and her glare is divine, but it's so risky because she might just start talking to him draconic again and Oisin fears he could live a thousand years and still not be able to handle the sound of it when it falls from her lips.

a1. It's a lost cause. Adaine has a weakness now, and she wields it with all the precision she's developed on a battlefield. It's the cutest surest way to put him in his place, rile him up with the same burning fire that he seems so expert in stirring up in her. Oh he might try to argue back in draconic, or even throw a taunt out in Elvish, but he always stalks off first. (He makes the refined, posh but ancient language of Elvish sound like something Tracker would appreciate. He makes it sound ever so slightly wild, like something else is lurking behind all the refinery. Adaine is well practiced in steadying her breathing, and Oisin always cracks first.)

5. Everyone has seen these two bicker back and forth, and everyone knows trying to get them to stop or get between them means the two turn as a united front against whoever interrupted, and that's honestly worse.

5a. The Bad Kids and High Five Heroes/Rat Grinders have an ongoing bet amongst themselves on on if the two will snap and legitimately murder each other, or snap and start making out in the library. It's honestly way too elaborate of a betting system with odds changing all the time, but it is actually probably the most fun, non-tense bonding the two groups have together. They have also gone to GREAT LENGTHS to keep it secret from the two wizards, especially when one of them is the fucking ORACLE.

6. It's not all bickering and scathing words. Sometimes, when nobody else is around to see behind this precarious curtain...its soft and tender too.

6a. Sometimes, when Adaine is genuinely having a bad day and feels one wrong moment from truly snapping, she feels the magic of a conjured summon passing by whatever table or nook she stowed herself away to hide in. The smell of arcane-tinted petrichor lingers afterwards, and settled nearby is a warm drink that hadn't been there before. Sometimes its tea's she's fond of, sometimes a warm peppermint mocha from her favorite coffee place downtown. Against her better judgement, she is increasingly fond of the smell of rain. 6b. Sometimes, the rage feels like it never left Oisin's body. It burns him inside and out, and he's so exhausted fighting back these aftershocks. He is trying every day to make up for what he's done, but the feeling of unbridled rage haunts him. To indulge is to fail, fall off the wagon, and he will not falter, even if he squeezes his hands so tightly they bleed beneath his claws. A message cantrip blooms to life in his mind. Melodic, lilted draconic, giving not words of comfort, but familiar unafraid taunts. It's a challenge, he knows it, and somehow that makes it easier, rage giving way to fondness and the desire to prove himself. 6c. There are more late nights in libraries and sitting close at tables in out of the way restaurants working on difficult projects then either would ever let anyone know, not that they let anyone know of them at all. It's quiet honest conversations over dusty tomes and scattered papers. (They couldn't know how to make the most cutting of remarks if they knew nothing about each other, after all.) a1. Its Oisin, laying his head down in his arms over the library table, eyes watching her sitting next to him with hair falling in her face like it always does when shes bent forward focusing intently on her work. There are many, many times when Oisin does nothing but watch in silence. Sometimes, rarely, when its late and nobody will come by except to kick them out- He reaches a claw to gingerly tuck the silken gold hair behind the bright red ear of a girl who doesn't say anything about it, before he looks away entirely, trying to ignore the way he can feel his crest fluttering up and down as it seemingly contemplates flaring out.

a2. It's Adaine, rolling her eyes with no heat, as she steps into his personal space and is enveloped in the smell of petrichor. Calloused fingers lingering on rough scales as she ever so gently corrects a stance or spell casting motion that the unfairly tall dragonborn boy next to her had been working on perfecting.

The both know she doesn't have to be so close for this, that another demonstration from beside him would work just fine. He doesn't have to bend ever so slightly, dip his long draconian neck down so he can better hear her murmured words either, so close they can feel the heat of the others breath. He casts the spell perfectly, and Adaine steps back out to a respectable distance, and neither of them say anything about it.

7. Neither of them ever mention any of it. It feels taboo, like the triggering of a spell that will destroy both of them. The fighting, the bickering, the cutting words and sharp swords aimed at jugulars? That's easy, that's familiar and safe. It's what's supposed to happen between them, safe territory they can walk with eyes closed. It's the tenderness that's hard. It's the yearning and soft touches aborted at the last moment-

This is what would be their ruin, and the threat of it lingers above them, rolling clouds heavy with rain that just wont fall. Days, weeks, months pass by and they do not mention it.

8. Adaine, flush with Oracle-sure certainty, gestures for Oisin to slow down, to bend down low so she can tell him something. He protests, its about to rain any second and really Abernant, they're going to be late- Adaine kisses Oisin first, soft and sure as her hands cradle his scaled jaw, just as the dark clouds above them break open.

The kiss tastes like rain, and the loud, pleased rumble in her ears certainly isn't from the storm coming down on them.

#IM ABSOLUTELY NORMAL aslfjuhbalefjbna #this got TOO LONG #I WASNT SUPPOSED TO WRITE FIC WHEN ANSWERING THIS #anyway blah blah blah the poetic nature of the elven oracle falling in love with a storm dragon #gosh i'm gonna have to restructure this for ao3 uuuuuug #if anyone is trying to clock where I'm self projecting from my own previous crushes #You Don't See Anything Shut Up #adaine x oisin #inkblade #adaine abernant #oisin hakinvar #fhjy #fhjy fanfic #oisaine

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galaxymagitech · 4 months ago

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For the WIP Ask Game

Continuing an ask from @birdieisnotwriting

✏️"what are your current WIPs about?"

I...have a truly terrifying number of WIPs. So I'll stick to the ones that are either particularly interesting or that I intend to eventually post.

fool me twice — A Tim-centric fic where some of Bruce's more recent physical abuse leaks into the 90s where Tim was initially Robin. It starts small and slowly gets worse and worse. Tim keeps trying to draw lines, but he shifts them back every time Bruce crosses them. About 1/3rd to 2/5ths of this fic is written, and I go back to reread it sometimes, but I'm not sure I'll ever finish it. It's kind of a spiritual precursor to fool me thrice, to the point where I cannibalized the name, but it's a distinct story.

Reverse Robins Damian Discussion — Set in my Reverse Robins AU. When Jason realizes that Tim was worried about him being around Bruce and Damian, he's afraid that he's in danger. Tim is like, "oh, Damian grew up, and Bruce hated Damian specifically, so you're fine". Jason asks questions and Tim theorizes on why exactly Bruce and Damian's relationship was so awful and why it's better now. This story serves as a bridge between Damian's time as Robin and the present day.

Two Truths and a Lie — Inspired by Batman and Catwoman debating the circumstances of their meeting. Jason has a conversation with Talia, but he can't remember which version of canon is true. It's very uncomfortable. I probably won't finish this one.

Robin Hood — In a universe where Jason didn't die, Tim ends up in foster care after his parents' kidnapping goes south. Unfortunately, Tim doesn't quite have the computer skills that Batman and Oracle taught him, but he's still no slouch. Between trying to pass his classes, deal with his neglectful and ever-so-slightly abusive foster parents, and prevent himself from being lost in Gotham's corrupt foster care system, Tim has his hands full. Still, he finds himself drawn to Gothem's vigilantes. So when Batman goes missing (due to Bane) and substitute Batman attacks a Robin who has nowhere to go, Tim tries to help.

Hallucinatory Cellmate — Jason ends up trapped in some sort of magic stasis zone, an infinite expanse of white. He's just starting to go crazy when Tim shows up, equally trapped. Over the next few weeks, Jason gets to know Tim. But when he escapes, it turns out Tim was just a hallucination, and Tim isn't nearly as pathetic and forgiving as how Jason hallucinated him, and Jason has to reconcile his imaginary version of Tim with the real one.

Better Than Batman — Near the end of Post-Crisis, Jason Todd is captured in all his unhinged glory. One by one, his family talk to him and try to convince him to stop killing. Whether they're successful or not, I have yet to decide, but this is my attempt to explore exactly what unconventional arguments the Bats might make that actually have the potential to convince Jason.

Calling All the Monsters — A murderous comedy. Damian's attack on Red Robin is more successful than he expected. After Damian cuts his line, an injured Tim manages to escape into an assassin-infested Gotham. Damian decides that he has passed the point of no return and needs to kill Tim, even though he feels guilty for what he did. He teams up with various shady figures, including Red Hood and Prudence Wood, thinking they're all helping him kill Tim. Meanwhile, they all think they're helping Damian save Tim. Tim thinks everyone is trying to kill him.

Burden — Dick leaves Wayne Manor after Bruce fired him. If he is no longer Batman's partner, he knows has no place in Bruce's home. But when the heat is broken in his cheap apartment, Dick is forced to swallow his pride and return home.

it beckons me to stay — An exploration of Tim and Damian's brotherhood set 5-10 years in the future. In the intervening years, the rest of the family has died. They are both extremely traumatized.

Pawn to D3 — Reverse Robins Titans Tower AU (but not set in my main RR universe). Tim breaks into Titans Tower to kill Jason. It's not personal, but he needs to provoke Bruce, and killing a vigilante is better than killing a random civilian. If Batman needs a villain, Tim will give him one. (Eventually he snaps out of it and realizes that treating a teenager as a pawn in a war is Bad, even if he’s also treating himself like a chess piece.)

Tim Befriends the Gremlin — Described here!

Flood Sequel — Literally a sequel for Flood lol. Reverse Robins. Jason befriends Dick. Tim mentors them both. When Tim finally confronts Bruce, it goes…differently than expected, thanks to his little brothers’ interference.

Be My Robin Fic — This one is almost done! A Tim joins Jason during Battle for the Cowl AU. In a universe where Batman was just a bit worse and just a bit more out of control, the idea of having to work with a cruel, murderous Batman doesn't seem so unusual to Tim. Plus, Tim knows that Damian has to be Robin to get him to stay. So, Tim gets a new Batman.

Tornado — Five times Reverse Robins!Damian was uprooted + one time he found home. Features Damian navigating his fraught relationships with Bruce, Duke Thomas, Tim Drake, and Jonathan Kent as he grows up.

Haunted House — Jason steals Batman's tires two years earlier than in canon, and the effects cascade from there. Bruce doesn't make Jason Robin, but he does adopt him. Meanwhile, Dick is still in Wayne Manor, but he and Bruce are on the outs. Jason overhears some extremely out-of-context conversations, sees that Dick has bruises (from being Robin) and freaks the heck out. This one is almost finished, but I've since found a very similar work, so I'm trying to figure out what I can do to make this fic unique.

#dc #batman #Jason todd #Tim drake #Damian wayne #dick grayson #bruce wayne #dcu #dc fanfic #dc comics #batfamily #batfam

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ratgrinders · 1 year ago

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I can't get over how not a single person has voted for Ivy as their favorite rger; it's very funny, but also a LITTLE sad cause I personally would love to know more about her, as right now we have. Nothing. Her being Fabian's foil could imply that she has some kind of rich family, but absent parents, but she didn't seem to show any sign of being posh like Fabian is/was, she was just... mean. Same goes for Mary Ann in terms of knowing nothing about her, especially not how she contrasts to Gorgug. I really hope we get more information! Do you have any guesses?

Yes it's so funny 😭😭😭😭but also understandable unfortunately lmaooo. She's the Rat Grinder we objectively know the LEAST about, she's had maybe like what, one and a half scenes? We know she's besties with Oisin, and that type of dynamic within the larger group of the Rat Grinders is VERY interesting to me, but other than that??? Nothing. I DO hope we learn more though ghfsfks just because right now there's not a lot to dig into!

As for the second part of your question, oh god WILD speculation time only tenuously based in canon under the cut lets gooooo:

I think the basis for the Rat Grinders status as the Bad Kids' foils is that they have what the Bad Kids want, but have superficial beef with the Bad Kids based on the version of them they have in their head. So you got Kipperlilly who wants Riz's tragic backstory despite her allegedly normal and whole family at home. Oisin is rich thanks to his family while Adaine struggles with money thanks to hers, and maybe seems to have beef with the Elven Oracle as that's what led to Kalvaxus' defeat. Ruben has the song of the summer just as Fig is in the middle of an artist's block. Etc, etc.

So going off of that, what does Fabian want more than anything else this season? To not be lonely. I think it'd make sense then if Ivy actually had a really present, loving(?) family who nonetheless still turned out kind of mean. I think she has no problem living up to her family's expectations, no matter what they are. As for the family itself, well the Gloom Stalker subclass is "at home in the darkest places i.e. in primeval forests". And what's the nearest dark forest with a population of wood elves? Sylvaire, formerly the Forest of the Nightmare King. Specifically Arborly, since that's the town near there that protects the entrance to the forest. I think Ivy is possibly how the Rat Grinders got the Nightmare King connection in the whole reviving a dead god thing. Of course, this is all WILD speculation.

As for Mary Ann, what does Gorgug want? This is a bit less clear as his arc developed over the course of the season, but I'd say he wants a stronger connection to his artificing (and by proxy, his gnomish parents), he wants a balance between that and barbarian and a healthy relationship to his rage, and I think part of what ticks him off so much about Mary Ann is just how uncaring she seems, that she can seem so unengaged about things and still be such a great barbarian while he has to CONSTANTLY balance and filter his emotions and focus to succeed in his two classes. So I think it's possible Mary Ann was also adopted by a different species, but this time by barbarians so there was never any struggle on her part to relate to the classes of her parents. Her parents just Got rage immediately, she grew up with an innate understanding of it and is able to perfectly modulate it despite seeming so monotone outside it. And I think it'd be very funny if specifically Mary Ann, and only Mary Ann, has no outward beef with the Bad Kids and is actually kind of ok with Gorgug lmao.

I can't WAIT for all of this to get Jossed by the end of the season lmaoooooooooooo.

#this was fun i like excessively detailed headcanons with very little basis in canon!#dimension 20 #fantasy high #fantasy high junior year #original post #fhjy spoilers #rat grinders #ivy embra #mary ann skuttle

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your-enby-antihero · 1 year ago

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An Oracle and Her Shadow

Summary: A companion piece to Aelwyn Abernant Might Go Blue Dragon(born) Hunting from Oisin's point of view as he grapples with liking a girl but having maybe convituted feelings about her because of rage and obsession.

Also available on Ao3

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Sometimes you like the pretty elven girl from your History of Glyph class in freshman year. You like that her hair is the colour of gold, you like that when you see her smile (which is rare) she is like the golden light of day, she’s so smart and so intelligent and the best wizard probably ever and she’s so cool, her friends are so cool.

Sometimes that like turns into a crush that Ivy teases you about for practically all the way through freshman and sophomore year. Little jabs that she sends your way, things like ‘you ever think an oracle would divine anyone as lame as you’. Ivy was- is your best friend and she could be relentless.

Sometimes you get a rage crystal buried into your chest by teachers that were one thousand percent manipulating you and that crush turns into an obsession. Like a dragon that covets treasures for its hoard, you want to be near her, to be the only one around her, to keep that golden light all to yourself. When she smiled at you and said you were great at that party at the beginning of the year and somehow that obsession doubled because maybe she liked you back and you could make her so happy, so so happy. Happier than any of her friends or her sister or her family, happier than anyone.

Sometimes you get maybe a little too into when she’s competent, like when you see her sitting at a desk aceing the Last Standard Exam while also turning missed attacks into hits and summoning gigantic magic hands to punch purple worms or when you see her shoot one of your ancestors out of the sky and then proceed to punch one dead. Yeah maybe you shouldn’t have wanted to lick your lips when you saw the blood spray across her face or bite the inside of your cheek to calm the roaring obsession in the lunch room so all you can get out is a sorry. Sorry that you looked at her and thought about her joining you in the final battle filled with rage, oh how beautiful she’d be bursting with rage. Yeah, maybe that’s too far. Reel it back in Hakinvar, you might be obsessed with the girl but you don’t want to be a creep about it. Come on, pull yourself together.

You feel vitriolic hate for her party because, in the final battle, you have spent so much time planning for, the girl that consumes every waking thought that you’ve had for the past like year, isn’t the one to kill you. Maybe you wanted her beautiful blue eyes to stare at you with hatred. To feel her battle weary hands plunge that sword into the cold gaping wound in your chest. To look at you at all you, to feel the warmth of her gaze on you and only you, no matter if it’s love or adoration or hate or spite or just anything that isn’t ‘I have never taken a class with you’ or ‘yeah Thursday mornings were rough for me’. Just anything that says I’ve seen you before, I know you.

Well, you were revived and not immediately expelled for Aguefort in some divine miracle done by the new student body president Kristen Applebess. You feel really fucking embaressed at most of the thoughts that still linger in your head about her. Because despite you being completely normal instead of being in a heightened rage-fuelled, base emotion-driven place at the time, even though you're back to normal you maybe still want her to maybe step on you with her incredibly scuffed boots. Is it so wrong that your face goes purple when she says that you are a piece of shit? Oisin didn’t think so.

So when he was mandated to take remedial lessons by Arthur Aguefort to pass Junior year, after his group succeeded the Last Stand, he didn’t make a fuss, not like Kipperlilly anyway. Was it even better than Kristen Applebees suggested that The Bad Kids tutor The Rat Grinders and out of all The Bad Kids who could have and did refuse (of course Riz had been hesitant to partner up with a girl who wanted his life was reasonable, even Oisin could see that) the radiant Elven Oracle had said to meet at her house on Wednesdays in the afternoon, side quests permitting, to say he was over the moon was an understatement.

He had made sure to bring his best spell ink and the most expensive paper he had to the first tutoring session. As he walked up to the creepy haunted mansion that his oracle resided in he straightened his shoulders and knocked on the door.

The sounds of crashing and shouts, the sound of teasing and jeering but with no undertone of venom (not like how Ivy and Kipperlilly teased and mocked each other). Adaine opened the door, radiant as ever.

“Glad you could make it, follow me,” she offered, leading him up the tall stairs to a wizard's tower, with bunk beds.

As he took stock of the room, the many papers and books scattered about, drawings and doodles and a massive pile of scrolls. The last thing he noticed on the ground, painted in dark ink, were runes. A massive spell circle with unknown rune work that set Oisin’s tail on guard. Adaine was wonderfully gracious with her knowledge and her time, teaching him about ranges of spells and the optimal ways to be out of counterspell range to best support the party. He listened with wrapped fascination, so aware of how she moved her hands like she was doing somatic components of a spell as she explained. Eventually, he got her talking about the creation of her own spells, how she had modified the incantation for conjure minor elementals to give the Dry Guys more vibrancy. He was surprised that the elementals that she conjured were the ones with the podcast. The window they had set for this session was rapidly reaching its end but as he observed Adaine he saw that she was wrapped up in correcting some of the glyphs on his spell work, clearly not paying attention to time. ‘It's perfect’ he thought to himself as he soaked in her presence as much as he could. When she finally realized they had gone long she had sheepishly apologized and sent him on his way.

“I hope this was helpful,” she supplied as she led him to the door, “Adventuring is hard but if you learn to trust your party I think you’ll get through the Last Stand just fine. See you next week.”

Oisin smiled back, his heart was ablaze, he’d see her next week for sure and maybe if he played his questions at the right times and let her get lost in glyphs and scrolls he could be by her side for just a bit longer.

— — — — — — — — — — — —

Oisin was annoyed, very annoyed. He had been making so much progress, not only in his tutoring but also in getting closer to Adaine. At first, she seemed a bit on edge, tip-toeing around him with her words. Every detail about The Bad Kids was omitted from the conversation and nothing drifted from the spellwork in front of them. He had managed to get the session to run about 30 minutes longer, as Adaine became more comfortable she would veer off on tangents allowing for Oisin to stay by her for just a while longer. In fact, she had actually opened up to him a bit, forgiven him for his actions.

“I’m so so sorry Adaine, that rage crystal really just heightens everything. The rage was just so all-consuming. I can’t make up for trying to kill your friends or end the world but I can apologize for how I treated you.”

She had placed a reassuring hand on his, “I get it Oisin, you guys were manipulated. You were children being coerced by grown adults. I forgive you.”

But here was the problem, well the problem was actually named Aelwyn Abernant. She had taken to interrupting his time with his oracle. The annoying elven woman had started crashing their tutoring sessions. Even if she wasn’t there Adaine would suddenly get a text and turn to Oisin saying that she had to step out for a moment. He also was unable to drag out his sessions because Aelwyn had a killer sense of time.

“Oh Adaine, I believe that all the time you set for tutoring today.”

“We wouldn’t want to keep him late now would we.”

“I’m sure what you’re learning is riveting but I ask that you wrap it up, some of us have jobs.”

That lingering feeling in his chest screamed, maybe a side effect of the rage crystal, he wanted to sink a claw into Aelwyn’s throat to keep her from interrupting, to cast a permanent silence spell on her so that he would never have to hear her voice again. He wasn’t afraid of her, not in the slightest.

— — — — — — — — — — — —

Oisin was so afraid of Aelwyn Abernant. Maybe he would ask Adaine if she could meet at a different location because the woman may have wanted him dead. ‘Not a good look Oisin not when you want to date her sister’ he thought to himself as he walked home from potentially the most threatening interaction he has ever had, ‘Gods she was literally arrested and sent to federal prison in her home country. She was extradited and she will use that nemesis ward on me even if I’m not even doing anything at all.’ He had seen the power flow through her eyes and travel to the ward, abjuration wizards were freaky. Maybe he should call Adaine and ask if they could meet at his house not just because seeing her in his hoard sated a deep part of his brain that he so desperately wanted to suppress but also so he could get out of the gaze of a very protective older sister.

#fantasy high #dimension 20 #fantasy high junior year #written before e20 Rage-narok #oisin hakinvar #adaine abernant #one-sided inkblade #aelwyn abernant

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carmennivis · 6 months ago

Text

A New self

Dear Mother and Father,

Sorry I haven’t been writing to you for some time. Truth is, life has been so incredibly busy. Besides my work for the church, I’ve started teaching music at the academy. Can you believe it? Me, an instructor? Believe it or not I’m no longer the quiet child I used to be. The students are a lot of fun and every session is a good time. It’s hard to believe but.. I’m happy.

For the longest time I wondered what it was that I could do. I wasn’t a strong dragon like Ninian or you Mother. Nor was I a very good mage like you were father. I thought if I just ignored myself and focused on Ninian and her happiness, that would be enough to make me happy too. At the shrine, I was content just being an aide as she got to be the oracle everyone turned to. Even when we were running, my flute was only ever there to support her. I didn’t want to think of anything else.

I wonder if that was selfish of me?

Now though, trying to find what makes me happy I discovered a whole new world of possibilities. I’m making friends, participating in a community of people from all kinds of places.. I thought I would never find humans I could trust besides Lord Eliwood and his friends. But this place… there’s so many kind people, so much hope in the air, I wish you could experience it too.

But forgive me, I’m rambling. The reason I’m writing is this: Now that I’m trying new things and have new responsibilities, I figured a change in clothing would be in order. Something with a bit more authority, with class. I’m already nearing my 1200th birthday after all, I should be dressing like an adult, right?

This outfit.. Mother, it’s a little bit like yours. I always loved how beautiful you dressed. Ninian really inherited that elegance from you and with these clothes I hope I can channel a little bit of that grace too. But don’t worry father, that scarf you gave me will always stay with me too. I’m wearing it even now, and as always it’s like a little bit of your warmth is with me.

I really wish you could see me as I am now. But don’t worry, I’m doing fine. Your child is happy. Happier than he’s been for centuries.

I’ll write again soon. I love you both.

Your son, Nils

With shaky breath, the young dragon put down his pen. Folding the paper neatly, he put it into his drawer along with all the other letters. Standing up, he looked at himself in the mirror. It really did feel like he was carrying a little bit of his mother, father and sister with him at once.

He hoped they were proud of him.

#(support: let’s liven things up!)#(Drabble: a solo song)#//Yeppp I wanted to announce his new outfit with a little Drabble :)#//thank you again Dewa for the beautiful artwork 🙏

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sgiandubh · 1 year ago

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Please excuse if I’m missing something but I don’t understand why he couldn’t be in Malibu on Tuesday and Los Feliz on Thursday they are only around 35miles apart . Los Feliz is also only 6miles from Burbank where the Saturn awards he is nominated in will take place on Sunday .

Dear Missing Something Anon,

It is technically possible. Wouldn't he be staying near the awards' venue, then - Los Feliz?

I think that would be the most logical option. Plus 35 miles in LAX traffic terms means a 1 hour commute, at an average (see the map I posted). Why would he complicate his life like that? And please, don't give me the helicopter argument, I don't think he is JR Ewing.

Let's try something, and suppose Tuesday Anon was correct:

His earliest flight option to LA left Paris on Tuesday at 10:15 AM. To be able to catch it, he would have to leave the hotel at around 07:15 AM local time, at the latest.

Arrival in LAX at 1 PM at the earliest. Allow for about 1 hour border and luggage formalities. Leaving the Airport by taxi/limo to Los Feliz, transfer takes between 40 and 90 minutes, depending on traffic, for an ETA around 4 PM:

All this, after a 12 hour flight. Even in First/Business class, you are still a zombie, but sure - believe what you want. Last time I traveled to DC from Bucharest, via Zurich (16 hours, 1 stop) I wanted to kill someone or pee near the luggage belt at a minimum, etc. And I traveled Business.

With what energy would he gleefully be in Malibu the same 'night' is beyond me. Perhaps I am a fool to assume people (even athletes like S, not overweight diplomats, like me!) are not machines - jet lag, anyone? But this is my take on things and I take full responsibility for it, along with the risk of being ridiculed or wrong.

All of this time, you comfortably remain Anon, presuming I know everything. I don't. I just reasonably speculate, in this case in point.

I am not the damn Oracle of Delphi! But I still think he did not leave Paris on Tuesday.

#anon #fandom #shitshow

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bluejaysandblackbats · 1 year ago

Text

Oracle of Jersey

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam, Birds of Prey (Comics)

Summary: Barbara Gordon runs a podcast that results in six teenagers looking over a dead body.

Chapters: 1/?

Characters: Barbara Gordon, Dinah Lance, Renee Montoya, Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe, Lori Zechlin, Wendy White, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown, Tim Drake, Ted Kord, Jean-Paul Valley, Dick Grayson, Helena Bertinelli, Zinda Blake

Relationship(s): TBA

Additional Tags: Mentor Barbara Gordon, No Powers AU, Podcast AU, Murder Mystery

Episode 1: Female Sleuths & Self-Defense

"Hello, Pythians. It's been a while. Today we'll be discussing some sensitive subject matter. This includes but is not limited to domestic violence, child abuse, grooming, and murder," Barbara's tone allowed a hint of personal sadness. Her voice was subtly disguised with a Mid-Atlantic accent. Her voice was mature and robust, but there was something sweet and feminine about her cadence. The lilt in her voice was unlike her natural speech, but it added to the bit, along with voice-altering software. Oracle was a character, and she had to stay that way. She took a breath to collect herself. "Today, I have a special guest. She is loud and proud... And she is fighting to elevate the voices of domestic violence survivors during Gotham's lockdown. Miss Dinah Lance. Dinah, can you take a moment to tell us about yourself and your organization?" Barbara leaned back away from the mic as she put Dinah on speaker.

"Hi, Oracle. Well, as you said, I'm Dinah Lance. I've been in Gotham most of my life, and this organization is near and dear to my heart. Black Canary is my mother's non-profit organization dedicated to survivors of domestic violence. It goes back to before I was born.

"My mother lived in a community filled with women in violent and unstable relationships. She quickly realized that most of these women didn't have the tools they needed to escape, let alone protect themselves. So, she took it upon herself to secretly offer free self-defense classes in her apartment. My mother knew this wasn't enough, but it was all she could do at the time.

"Fast forward a few years. My mother married my father and got pregnant with me, and she had to take a break from offering classes. To her surprise, her neighbors took over for her. They went on to teach their friends everything they learned. Eventually, this led to a connection with lawyers, doctors, and childcare workers... And from there, my mom founded the Black Canaries.

"I was fortunate to grow up with two loving and supportive parents, and I took it upon myself as soon as I was old enough to continue what my mother started. Since then, we've expanded to all victims of domestic violence. Not just women," Dinah replied. She was obviously passionate about her cause.

Barbara made a soft noise to acknowledge all she'd heard. "I wanted to take this time to tell the listeners your organization now operates online. I left a link in the description... But I also wanted to ask about a specific case that's gained traction in the media. I understand that you've taken a personal interest in the Anna Stanfield case... You've also expressed discomfort with the long-time trend of giving murder cases nicknames," Barbara paused, "After a message from our sponsors, we'll talk about that and how this case is different from anything the Black Canaries have dealt with this far." Barbara played an ad for Ted Kord's tech company.

During that time, Barbara took the opportunity to quietly thank Dinah for the interview. "I appreciate you coming on the show, Dinah. I wanted to ask you personally if you'd like to come back to talk next month for Mother's Day?" Barbara asked.

"I would love to," Dinah replied, "And thank you for allowing me the opportunity to talk about Anna Stanfield."

Barbara smiled to herself. "Of course. It's always a joy to have you on the show," Barbara replied, "We're back on air in five... Four... Three... Two... Welcome back, Pythians. Before the break, I asked Dinah how the Black Canaries have taken an interest in the Anna Stanfield case and her critique of the media buzz surrounding this cruel Gotham slaying."

"Right. For everyone unfamiliar with the case, Anna Stanfield was an eighteen-year-old girl from Gotham. Last month, she got married to a man seven years her senior, and at some point on the first night of her honeymoon, she was brutally beaten and ultimately smothered to death.

"The media's taken this as an opportunity to talk about the lack of knowledge about her past. Instead of putting forth the efforts and energy to spread information about the case, they've focused on dissecting this girl's life to blame her for her murder. Her husband, Eddie Stanfield, is seemingly missing and has been since the discovery of Anna's body. Few efforts are being made to find him despite his history of violence toward women... And instead of being treated like a suspect, they are searching for Eddie Stanfield as a potential victim... Despite all evidence pointing to the contrary.

"What makes this case different from anything the Black Canaries have ever dealt with is the type of case that this is. Black Canaries deals with survivors. This is the first time we've ever dealt with a murder case. We're all working to find Eddie Stanfield and bring him to justice, and there's a lot I can't say legally... But I can say that we've got a few leads we're checking out," Dinah explained.

"I know you said you can't talk about the investigation for legal reasons, so I wanted to hear what you had to say about the nicknaming of the Anna Stanfield case as the Honeymoon Murder," Barbara replied.

Dinah took a breath before speaking. "With all the media buzz for the case, people have forgotten that Anna was a living, breathing person. People view this case as a form of entertainment rather than an actual murder of a real human being.

"The media's done a terrible job of depicting Anna's humanity. They've instead chosen to sensationalize her murder and reduce the brutal slaying of a teenage girl to nothing more than a series of puns and online memes," Dinah answered.

The two went back and forth, discussing the details of the case before their second set of commercials. "When we return from break, I'll introduce you to one of Gotham's best P.I.'s," Barbara announced.

The second set of commercials was three minutes long, allowing the two women to talk. "I hope I'm not talking too much. I don't wanna overwhelm-."

"You're doing fine, Dinah. Actually, I wanted to ask how you were doing? I've been following your work for a while now, and I saw that you've received threats-. Sorry, I sound like I'm still interviewing you. I wanted to know if you were okay," Barbara interrupted.

"It's okay... I've had worse. A few threats aren't going to scare me away from the truth," Dinah replied. Barbara pushed up her glasses and ran a hand through her hair. "Hell, if I wasn't mistaken, I'd think you were worried about me."

"I am," Barbara replied, "You know, Dinah... Let me know if there's anything I can do to help." Dinah made a soft noise.

"Keep an eye out for Eddie Stanfield... And boost my tip line," Dinah replied. Barbara could hear the smile in her voice. Barbara bit the cap of her pen before typing the tipline number and adding it to the description for the video. "You know what? I feel like I know you."

Barbara held her breath for a moment. "I make a point to get to know everyone I interview... Even if it's through research," Barbara half-lied. She didn't want Dinah to know they'd met before. Barbara's podcast identity needed to remain secret, not only for the safety of her daughters. The work she did in connection with her podcast was borderline illegal.

"It was so wonderful having you on the show, Dinah. I hope to hear from you in the future... I know you have to go, but I did enjoy speaking to you today," Barbara beamed. She chewed the cap of her pen as she waited to hear Dinah's voice.

"It was nice talking to you, Oracle... I'll keep you updated on the case," Dinah replied before hanging up.

She tossed her head back and ran both hands through her hair before calling another woman. "Hello? May I call you Question?" Barbara asked.

"Only if I can call you Oracle," Question joked. Barbara recognized the voice as ex-police officer Renee Montoya. She didn't see fit to mention it, though. Barbara chuckled.

"Of course, you can. We're about to go on air in a minute or two, and I want to let you know you don't have to answer any question you don't want to," Barbara reassured her.

"Let's get into it," Renee replied enthusiastically.

"Okay. We're back on air in five... Four... Three... Two... One. Welcome back. Before the break, I promised to introduce you to Gotham's finest private investigator, the illustrious and anonymous, Question. Question, would you like to take some time to enlighten the viewers on your connection to the Anna Stanfield case?" Barbara asked.

"Someone hired me to find and notify her family... A friend of Anna Stanfield who wanted to remain anonymous," Renee replied, "The issue is, Anna Stanfield doesn't exist. Or at least she didn't, up until a few months ago... But that made me wonder how Eddie Stanfield came to know her. She's an eighteen-year-old girl with no past, no known family, and no history... Not so much as a report card from her."

"It sounds as if you have some suspicions about the crime. Can you elaborate at this time?" Barbara asked.

"I've found some important information that's led me to a family within the city, but I'm not at liberty to say. The police have been notified. But I can tell you, I have reason to believe Eddie Stanfield is guilty of a series of violent crimes against Anna... And I'm not talking about her murder," Renee replied. Barbara took her pen and jotted down a note.

Silence fell between the two for a moment. "Are you-. Sorry, that's such a shock. I wanted to know if you were working with the Black Canaries or anyone else to get information on this case?" Barbara asked, stumbling over her words out of shock. She didn't think anyone would have any new information like this.

"Yeah, I've talked to Dinah before finding what I found... I told her I'd look into finding Eddie," Renee paused, "And I've gotten a bit of information from her as well."

"Can you tell us if that information led you to your most recent revelation?" Barbara questioned.

"Yes, actually, she did. Dinah personally went and found information of her own that led me directly to a series of truths that led to this mystery family," Renee replied, "We're not sure if they're her family for sure. We only know interesting circumstances surrounding them point to this case."

Barbara typed something on her computer while she listened to Renee speak. Barbara mulled over the details mentioned by both women and wondered if she should delay posting the episode another week. As it came to a close, Barbara pushed up her glasses and started the editing process.

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onecentwriter · 9 months ago

Text

wings in modern society…

rich businesspeople who have specially tailored suits that perfectly fit around their equally stunning wings. middle class workers who get basic sized holes for their wings. siblings having hand-me-downs and complaining that “my older sister had smaller wings when she was my age!!” houseless people shirtless because the frayed holes on their shirts irritate their skin.

special wing oils and wing massages and wing accessories! gold paint for holidays and tiny jewelry imbedded into feathers. wing serum that makes your feathers sleeker and softer.

inheriting wing colors from family. you have your mother’s deep green and your father’s wingspan and you grandmother’s blue-tipped feathers. twins having identical wings. triplets.

special sports binders. playing basketball, floating. track and field but using wings to propel yourself. flying events. flying sports. the skies are infinite.

celebrity doubles making their career by happening to have the exact same wings. training to do flips and glides in movies and shows. wings add a whole layer to subtle acting, twitching, ruffling, leering.

molting once a month for everyone after you hit puberty. little kids with fluffy neutral-toned feathers. awaiting when their downy feathers will molt and reveal which color they have. kids being proud of brilliant blue and yellow feathers. parrot-winged and toucan-winged kids being mocked, ridiculed. now the popular kids are the ones with the coolest wings. zach from down the street lost all his friends after he grew crow wings. gore, bad omens, superstition. the outcasts of society have wings that mean bringers of death.

influencers painting their wings in the trendy new variety, quitting the job once their feathers fall out. celebrities having entire teams dedicated to making their wings perfect.

tearing out feathers as self harm. everybody knows. bent feathers, twisted feathers, it hurts more than anything. they take years to grow back.

old ladies with beautiful red wings, faded into grey near the ends. a baby is born with slicked-down feathers, it’s traditional to bathe the newborn in special water that fluffs up their feathers. oracles predicting the wing color. parents worrying about crow-winged.

feminine wings are smaller, masculine wings are bigger. trans people wishing for bigger wings or smaller wings or just average wings. special binding for people who can’t look at theirs.

underdeveloped wings from trauma and malnourishment and neglect. they can never fly, society shuns them for something that was already terrible. medical practices try to regrow the weaker tissue.

wings in modern society 😭

#brainrot #wings #onecentwriter

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autopotion · 1 year ago

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For the gaming asks: 5, 12, 21 and 40?

5. Most memorable gaming moment?

HMM.... That is such a difficult question, it's really hard to pick! I think my answer to this is going to be an emergent moment, as opposed to a scripted plot event. Also I think I'm going to pick something recent lol, because I'd really have to sit and think about it if I was flipping through my entire video game history. So, how about a couple of little memorable moments from the last month or so?

Here's one. In Gravity Rush 2, I found an NPC busking. I stopped by him and applauded, then I used the sing emote. The guy dropped his guitar and started clapping for me! My jaw dropped, I was like, that was so cute, what a reactive sequence of events! (GR2 is full of pleasant surprises like that, and is my favorite thing about the game.)

I've also had a lot of memorable moments in my current Final Fantasy Tactics challenge playthrough, too. Outside of the hat guy stealing Gafgarion's sword and teleporting everywhere with Silky, I encountered an enemy Oracle in a random battle in Grog Hill, alongside a bunch of monsters. Since this is an invitation-only run, I had my eyes peeled for job classes I didn't already have (I also have the stipulation that any unit I invited has to keep their default job), so this Oracle was very attractive to me. When I got her in my party, I discovered she actually had more levels in Mediator than Oracle--which kinda makes sense, if you think about it on a mechanical level, because Mediator is the job that allows units to talk to monsters. Grog Hill is also located right near the largest battles of the War of the Lions, and we've encountered deserters there before. Zoe and I came up with a little backstory for her that was like, she used to be a Mediator with one of the armies, but got sick of the war and ditched, befriended some monsters in the countryside, and went Buddhist. (I find I'm creating a lot of interesting tiny narratives in my head for my generics in this run.)

12. Favorite game character?

How am I supposed to pick!!! My favorite characters are almost always from video games LMAO. I'll just name a couple.

Protagonist: Sissel (Ghost Trick) or Red & Mr. Nobody (Transistor) Party member: Aeris/th (FFVII & FFVIIR) NPC helper: Leliana (DAI) Antagonist: Tokiko Shigure (AITSF:NI) Of all time probably: Ovelia (FFT)

21. A game you thought you wouldn't like, but ended up loving?

Oh my gosh, I think the obvious answer to this one is also a recent pick, lol. I usually don't play games I'm expecting to dislike, true, but it does happen, especially if I'm just curious to test something out, or if I feel like I have to play it for whatever reason. Crimson Shroud is an example of the latter. Like, as a lover of Yasumi Matsuno and the other usual suspects he works with (like Basiscape), I felt like I owed it to myself to give Crimson Shroud a try, as the entry of his that I knew the least about, and especially because it's genuinely difficult to play it these days, so the game preservationist in me was like You Gotta.

But it seemed like everything I'd heard about it was designed to put me off. The oversexualized teenage girl. The fantasy oppressed ethnic group. The fact that the two main guys are named "Giauque" and "Lippi." The old and tired D&D tropes played completely straight. The fact that it was originally intended as a spiritual successor to Vagrant Story, a game that I admire specifically for its genre bending and cinematography, when Crimson Shroud wasn't doing the first thing, and, as for the latter, its characters are presented as static tabletop models... so I couldn't expect the kind of vibrant staging that Vagrant Story had. The dense mechanics (yes, I know that's a mainstay, but I do also have a habit of bouncing off of his games as well lol).

AND YET. While I still think it's probably Matsuno's weakest entry, it totally charmed me. I mean, you've read what I think about it already, but still. I think it was totally worth the playthrough, and it's got just as much charm as everything else he's written. I appreciated the dense mechanics much more because of the short playtime, and the tabletop figurines were genuinely interesting to look at, in the end. They were staged in amusing ways. YEAH. I DUNNO. I kinda like Crimson Shroud a lot.

Oh! I think another recent one is Misericorde. As someone who was never into visual novels growing up, I've become way more open-minded to them over the years (thanks to Zoe introducing me to Zero Escape tbh) and I was actively interested in the Nun Game, but I was admittedly frustrated when I belatedly realized that there was going to be no gameplay at all, not even basic exploration or a handful of dialogue options, outside of clicking through the text boxes. Partway through I was like "I don't think this is working for me." But after I got to the end, I found I couldn't stop thinking about it. Hedwig in particular really stuck with me. I'm actually extremely excited for the next entry, even if it's "just" reading. I know what I'm getting into this time, so I won't have any false expectations from the start, and I can enjoy it for what it is.

40. Best game cover art.

INTERESTING QUESTION..... Hmm..... I really like the cover for Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together, and had a lot of fun trying to figure out who the characters were. Vyce running away in the background is also unintentionally hilarious. Her Story's cover is extremely clever once you figure out what's going on there. Zoe rightly pointed out that the Japanese Switch cover for Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is gorgeous. I also like the covers of Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, Pyre... I guess for the most part I really like a well-made character ensemble cover??

#taupewolfy #thanks illy!! ❤️#quiznaibus

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