#when I'm asked about terms i cannot even begin to want to remember when it comes to 3d modelling or coding and I'm just like

[light-wrath-paradise]

I think it's really funny how most people who do any hobby I also do cannot talk to me at all because I don't understand any of the theory. I just do things and they work.

[theorphicangel]

I’m absolutely in love with Sukuna Sunday’s!! It’s such a cool way to do small drabbles ヾ(●⌒∇⌒●)ﾉ

How would Sukuna (lowkey kind of mean and a menace) go about proposing to his sweet s/o? Is he even the type of person to think about marriage?

After years of being subtle and round about about his feelings, this will definitely have to be the most forward his feelings for them will have to be 🙂‍↕️

AHHH maybe I’m a sucker for tsundere sukuna (=゜ω゜)

thank you so much!!! i'm really glad you enjoy them and i'm so grateful to you for sending in and engaging with my posts too!!

this is tricky because i don't think sukuna would really care or think about marriage immediately, after a few years he already considers your souls to be bound and he cannot and will not picture a future without you.

butttttt if it matters to you i think he would begin to think about it. maybe it's the way that he sees you get excited about your other friend's engagements or the way he watches you tear up at watching proposal videos online that the thoughts of marriage spark in his head. not to mention the constant nagging from your friends of when he's going to propose.

but also....he's quite fond of the idea of you calling him your husband. he almost gets himself flustered in imagining your sweet tone in addressing him as husband.

he'll start ring shopping subtly when you're not around or on his days off. he knows you well enough to pick a ring that suits you and knows your size without even having to ask.

in terms of how he proposes, this is the part where he starts to sweat. i can't imagine him proposing to you in a room full of people even if they were your closest friends and family so i think a private and personal proposal is the way to go. a private dinner with a nice scenery or taking you to a hidden beach to watch the sunset.

there's no one else watching and it feels like you and him are the only people on earth right now. his palms are sweaty and his heartbeat is thumping at a million miles an hour.

it's funny because the entire day leading up to the proposal you sensed that he was acting off and that there was something on his mind. but you would have never guessed it was him proposing at all.

i think he would struggle a little bit in delivering a speech. he'd be awkward and the words don't exactly flow off his tongue well, trying to remember everything he wanted to say. but after spending so many years together you already know what he means. sukuna's not the best with words which is why he'd rather show that he loves you. and if that means he has to get on one knee and open a ring box then he will.

his voice is a little tense when asking you to marry him. realistically and deep down he knows you wouldn't say no but there's a part of him that truly believes he doesn't deserve you and your kindness, that there might be someone else who deserves your love more than him. but of course these thoughts are completely destroyed when you say yes a thousand times over to him.

it feels right, he thinks, as he places the ring on your finger. ending up with you feels perfect and it makes him emotional to think of how far you've come together.

yah it's so clear that i'm a sucker for tsundere sukuna too it's my favourite thing about him!!!

[sankta-wraith]

One thing I think is really important when it comes to understanding Daemon and Rhaenyra's relashionship is the fact that Daemon doesn't show his love through words, he does it through actions. Quite frankly I'm not sure he knows how to verbally express love. He can't support her emotionally, but he can still do other things for her.I think this is shown really well in season 1 episode 10 and season 2 episode 1.

When Rhaenyra learns of her father's death and the Green's usurpation of her throne, she goes into premature labor almost imediatly, so there is no time for her to start planning her bid for the Iron Throne. Daemon takes the liberty of starting to plan the beginings of the war, and in doing so leaves Rhaenyra to endure childbirth alone. There is a very memorable scene in which Daemon schemes with Rhaenyra's small council at the Painted Table, whilst Rhaenyra screams in the background, even calling out for him at one point. Daemon makes no move to go to her and simply continues to plan a war, at least until Jace informs him that Rhaenyra doesn't want anything done until she is able to join them. Even then he does not join her. He goes to threaten two members of the Kingsguard with Caraxes, so as to ascertain that they will remain loyal to Rhaenyra. Now, when I first watched this scene, I, and probably everyone else, assumed that Daemon was taking the opportunity provided by Rhaenyra's premature labor to seize control and have the war start on his terms. Rhaenyra also seems to believe this, as when Jace inquires about Daemon's wherabouts she says "Off planning his war." However, upon rewatching that episode, I think that think that Daemon refusing to attend Rhaenyra in her labors and instead planning a war for her, is actually his way of trying to help her. Daemon is thinking that, while he does not know how to comfort her, and hold her hand, and help her through childbirth, he does know a thing or two about war. In his mind, he's essentially saying something along the lines of "I cannot help you there, so let me remain here where I am of use to you," because, as I said above, Daemon expresses love through his actions, not his words. I think at least part of him wants to be there for Rhaenyra, but he just doesn't know what he can say or do that would help her, so he focuses on what he can do: getting the council together and starting to plan, so that when Rhaenyra comes back he can show her that he's done something of use.

Then, when the child is stillborn, Rhaenyra once again needs comfort and reassurance that Daemon just does not know how to give. There is a scene of them, standing in front of their daughter’s funeral pyre, and you can see him give her this very concerned look, and kind of glance over like he wants to say something, but he doesn't, because he just does not know what he's supposed to say. Then Ser Erryk (or maybe Arryk, I can never remember,) arrives with the crown, and Daemon is relieved because he might not be able to offer her kind words, but he can be the one to put that crown on her head. A gesture that is even more meaningful if you consider how much he wants that crown. By being the one to physically place the crown on her head, he is telling her "I'm sorry that I can't be there for you, but I love you and I will support you." Then they go back to the war council, and Rhaenyra is asking about their numbers, and Daemon is the first one to speak. He starts talking almost before Rhaenyra finishes asking, he seems almost eager (even though their numbers are nothing to be eager about,) because she's finally asking him for something he can give. This is his chance to show her that, even if he cannot be there for her emotionally, he can still do this. He can organize this war and help her win, and do damn good job of it. This is really how Daemon says "I love you."

Then fast forward to 2x01, and Luke is dead, and Rhaenyra once again needs a level of emotional support he's simply not equipped to give, only this time, there is nothing else he can do to help her. He tries to convince Rhaenys to fly to Kings Landing, but she refuses, so he can do nothing except sit around, helplessly, while Rhaenyra mourns. Then she comes back, and he tries to be supportive, by asking if she "found what she needed," but she doesn't answer him. Instead, she declares that she "wants Aemond Targaryen." In Daemon's mind, she has essentially told him that to comfort her, he must have Aemond killed. So he uses his contacts in the City Watch to arrange it. I think one of the reasons he gave Blood and Cheese such vague instructions as to what to do if they can't find Aemond, is because he needs something for Rhaenyra. He can't be helpless any more. (Note: I am in no way condoning Blood and Cheese, or saying that Daemon did the right thing. I am simply trying to understand him and his choices better. Please dont come after me.) But then it fails. Catastrophically. And not only has Daemon failed to help Rhaenyra, he has made things much worse.

So he goes to Harrenhal to get the support of the river lords. But, so far, he has achieved next to nothing. (Obviously he's been busy with the hauntings and home renovations.) But he will not admit to Rhaenyra that he's failing miserably, so he ignores her ravens and sends none of his own. (I don't believe any of the bullshit Ryan Condal is trying to spin about him betraying her.) Because he will not go back to Dragonstone empty handed. Because to Daemon, that would be like telling Rhaenyra he doesn't love her anymore.

[mars-ipan]

HEY FOLKS!

sooooo. remember when i was posting about being up way too late for a powerpoint thing i was doing with friends? yeah i'm posting that final powerpoint now.

allow me to introduce you all to...

THE KOMAHINA BIBLE

(aka a demonstration in unmedicated ADHD)

120 slides. 163 MB. somewhere between 14 and 22 hours of work. sleep deprivation. influence from @anonzentimes , respected komahina scholar. this bad baby has it all this is a powerpoint presentation summarizing and analyzing just about everything you need to know about komahina in sdr2 (and a bit from adjacent media as well). we go in-depth and we prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that komahina real and love wins (loses?)

WARNING: THIS CONTAINS MAJOR END-GAME SPOILERS FOR SDR2 (AS WELL AS DR1). IF YOU WISH TO REMAIN SPOILER-FREE (OR YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO KEEP SPOILER FREE (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE)) THEN DO NOT VIEW THIS POWERPOINT PRESENTATION UNTIL YOU KNOW. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU HAVING BEEN SPOILED

ok cool! some other things to keep in mind under the cut:

THIS IS LIGHTHEARTED THIS IS LIGHTHEARTED THIS IS LIGHTHEARTED. IF YOU DO NOT SHIP KOMAHINA THAT'S LITERALLY SO FINE I KNOW THERE IS KOMAEDA SEXUALITY DISCOURSE GOING ON RN FOR SOME GODFORSAKEN REASON KNOW THAT I DO NOT THINK EVERYONE HAS TO SHIP KOMAHINA PLEASE I'M LITERALLY A MULTISHIPPER PLEASE. PLEASE DO NOT CRUCIFY ME FOR FUNNY YAOI POWERPOINT

i made this powerpoint in two sittings across 2 days, each sitting about 8-12 hours long

i got about 7 total hours of sleep in that time. not for each day- total. i was mad scientist delirious by the end of this

originally, i wanted to include far more- i wanted to analyze other media in depth (like the stageplays, the drama CD, komaeda's official songs, and even official art and materials) but i did not have the time for it. maybe i will make a new testament powerpoint detailing these as well as fandom analysis but that is not currently in the works

this is a presentation! as such the intended way to consume it is As A Presentation! unfortunately i am not someone who records videos so i cannot present it to you. if you would like to present it to you feel free. if you would like to present it to your friends feel free. if you would like to present it to the internet i'm honored but would like for you to talk to me about it first. cool

the original target audience for this was my friends and not all of them are anime people so. i am using the more english-friendly terms (as well as first names). i don't think this will bug any of you but i'm making it clear anyways

all art included in the presentation is credited with a caption linking back directly to the original artist's account. if you see your art in here and you do not want your art in here: let me know! i will take it down immediately and without question.

i may have missed some details/glossed over some things! if you think i've made a mistake somewhere or have missed something important, talk to me about it! i'd love to discuss it and if i make the new testament sequel powerpoint then i will include your corrections at the beginning :)

a lot of the jokes i make happen in the transitions of this powerpoint. some of them use audio- click on the little speaker icon to play the audio and time the animations yourself i suppose. i'd recommend playing it as a slideshow ^-^

have any questions about a particular point i make? ask me! i will elaborate for you

ok that's all i can think of!! have fun folks :]

[yourlittlebunnyy]

a court of shadows and darkness

masterlist - previous chapter

chapter five

summary: Selaene, Rhysand's sister, Azriel's mate runs away after the High Lord of Spring tries to kill her.

warnings: none

enjoy!!!

"Vane, do you realize that you never told me about Thomas?"

"And you realize you never told me about Azriel?"

The two friends laugh, Selaene speaks first, "You start."

Vanessa becomes more serious before beginning the story, "I miss him so much. We had accepted the bond just a few months ago, and one night we thought we would check to see if we could winnow into animal form, and well, that's how it ended. He was-no, he is the best person I know, Elle. If I ever come back, I won't be upset if he continued to live."

"You mean... You mean when you come back, not if. Right?"

Fae cannot see her friend but imagines the sad smile that would show on her face.

"Sure. Now tell me about Azriel."

Selaene chuckles, though a twinge in her chest makes her sad. Nevertheless, she cannot help but smile.

"He is... perfect. I would have accepted the bond that very night, probably. I would have cooked him his favorite food and then we would have gone to his cabin and started a family. I hope with all my heart that he's moved on, because I know him and I know that when he loves ... he loves with everything he's got, and sometimes he risks destroying himself."

Vanessa does not respond, but the darkness they have learned to live with envelops them like a blanket.

"We used to sing together. He is a Shadowsinger, and I simply like to sing, as you already know. That's how we fell in love; the bond snapped after that."

After a moment's pause, the tiger speaks.

"You know, Elle, I have seen you only a few times and briefly, but for me you're the Moon."

Selaene cannot be seen, but she smiles bitterly, "My mate used to tell me that too."

And that is how they end their talk, silence settles over them, and Selaene's eyes close involuntarily.

She is running across a meadow, the light of a summer day now almost at an end illuminating the field in which she prances, she feels the sun kissing her skin, such inviting warmth. Behind her she hears the laughter of a male, no. Her brother's. Rhysand. It is a memory, she realizes, from when she was a child. She was only a decade old at the time.

"Rhysand!"

"What's the matter? Do I have a bug on me?"

Her brother laughs, but when he sees his little sister's tears, he does not hesitate to run to her and ask her if everything is all right.

"Selae...what's going on? Are you hurt?"

When his sister does not answer him, he becomes seriously worried.

"Rhysand... are you," a sob interrupts her, "really you?"

"Selae, but are you okay? Do you want me to call mom?" Concern is evident in his tone.

The sister watches her hands, as if in disbelief at what she sees. "That's not possible..."

"Wait here, I'll go get her."

"No! Please don't go."

This is her chance, she thinks. If his brother knows she is alive, if he has even the slightest chance, he knows he will look everywhere to find her.

"Rhysand, you need to wake up."

"What are you talking about?"

"Rhysand. Please, you're dreaming."

"Did you hit your head?" Selaene denies with a wave of her head, and then begins to feel her body again. She is running out of time.

"Rhysand, you may not understand now, but when you wake up I want you to remember what I'm about to tell you now. I am not dead. I'm stuck in....."

But the fae cannot finish the sentence: he is already gone and the light is replaced by darkness once again.

Selaene wakes up startled and out of breath. She expects to be on a flowery meadow with the sun warming her muscles and her brother beside her, but she has to come to terms with reality. She had never dreamed before. No, it was not a dream.

It was a memory of an unforgettable day for her, she still remembered that late summer afternoon. Her father had finally given in to the child's pleas and taken her to the Velaris River along with her mother and brother, but he had not stayed with them. He had not allowed Rhys's friends to come, however.

But Selaene had been content and had played among the fields and water as never before. It is one of the best memories she has with her brother.

The dream leaves bitterness on her palate, and she has to swallow a knot in her throat before turning to Vanessa, hoping she is still asleep.

The two of them have this silent agreement: if one is awakened by the other crying, or having a nightmare, they are silent and pretend to be asleep, to leave some private space.

But this time Vanessa is awake, and although she cannot see her, she knows that he is staring at her.

"What is it?" The younger fae asks, her voice stymied.

"You haven't... you've never had a nightmare the almost five centuries. Do you want to talk about it?"

All Selaene is able to see is darkness, but nevertheless she still rolls her eyes. She doesn't want to talk about it. Neither of them has ever wanted to. Why now?

"I don't want to talk about it."

"It might help you..." Vanessa's tone is sweet, and it turns her stomach. She doesn't want her sympathy.

"I don't need someone to feel sorry for me."

The tiger snorts, a sound more animal than human, "I didn't say that. But when I have my nightmares, I'd like to have someone to talk to about them."

"What?"

The tension in the air between the two gets so thick it could be cut with scissors. Vanessa thinks hard about what to say before she speaks again, but nothing good comes to her mind.

"Vanessa. I thought we had a silent agreement."

"And we do. It's just that I've been here almost six fucking centuries. I just wish someone would tell me we're going to get out of this and it's going to be okay, but instead I'm always the one who has to comfort." The words entered from Fae's ears and went straight to her heart, breaking it even more than it already was. She wanted to get angry, to scream at them to get over it, to leave her alone. But somehow those words hurt her more than they should have, hit her right in the center.

She had never realized-she had never thought that her sister, while showing herself strong and hopeful, was suffering as much as she was, for even longer than her. She never said anything comforting to her, nothing sweet, never listened to her vent, or never consoled her. At this point she doesn't know if she can call herself her sister, her friend.

"Vane..." A sob comes out of the depths of her throat, sudden and violent, and tears away the one small healthy part of her, the only unbroken part of her.

"You leave me alone now. I don't want you to comfort me just because I told you to. I would have liked you to do it spontaneously. Sister to sister."

Selaene hesitates to respond, the crying still unabated, and the worst thing-the thing that keeps her from stopping-is that Vanessa does not approach her, does not give her warmth with her fur or try to comfort her. She ignores her. And somehow it is even worse. Somehow, these four and a half centuries she has been locked up in the UnderWorld are all being felt now, creating an excruciating pain in her chest, at the level of her heart. Her friend probably feels the same way, but in contrast to her, she has never had anyone to encourage her.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry Vanessa. I'm so sorry..."

And she would like to say more, she would have liked it so much. She wished she could have told her that if there was anyone in that place who deserved to go back to the top, then it was Vanessa. That she deserved it more than anyone. That if it wasn't for her, she would have gone crazy. That even if Selaene was not, the tiger for her was the best sister she could ever ask for. That if they had found a passage, Selaene would have sent her first, would have given her that opportunity because it was hers to take.

Instead, tearing those words from her throat, for the first time in nearly five hundred years,is a passerby passing so close to the violet-eyed fae that she loses her balance. And so, just as in only a moment she ended up down here, in only a moment she is also back up. Without Vanessa.

Rhysand wakes suddenly, his eyes wide open and out of breath. He does not want to wake Feyre, who lying beside him seems so peaceful now that she has finally managed to sleep a full night without being woken by Nyx.

He sits on the edge of the bed and sighs exhaustedly. With one hand he strokes his face as if to ascertain that he is real, that he is not dreaming.

He thinks back to the dream. Or what he thinks is a dream.

He never dreamed of his sister. He lets out a snort before getting up and heading to his study. When he gets there, he takes care to lock the room before throwing himself down in his chair with a thud, dead weight.

Why after all these years? Why did his mind have to play such tricks on him?

In the dream she ... was a child, but she spoke as if she were alive, not as in the memory of that beautiful afternoon at the river. As if the memory was just a way of communicating, a conduit.

Rhysand tries to calm his breaths. He has come a long way in accepting the death of his loved ones. In forgiving himself for not being there to protect them. His breaths become labored as he feels that wound in his heart slowly reopen as he replays the dream in his head.

It was so strange, so destabilizing. Selaene begged him to wake up, as if she was alive and knew he was dreaming the same thing. For a moment, a thought flashed through his mind, but he did not allow it to stay, or to think about it. Too many years have passed. She cannot be alive. Azriel himself has heard her die.

A soft knock distracts him from his thoughts. With a sigh he rises from his chair, and he does not like the heavy feeling invading his body.

He opens the door and finds himself facing his mate.

"Rhys... is everything all right, honey?"

Rhysand does not answer her, but throws himself into her arms, leaving her a little surprised.

"I miss her so much, Feyre." He finds himself saying through tears, his face buried in her hair.

Feyre does not respond, but stands there with him on the doorframe and supports him, holds him up and offers him a shoulder to cry on.

next chapter

[the-life-of-a-herm]

is it okay for perisex people to use the terms afab transfem and amab transmasc? is there alternative terms that should be used, or none at all? i would love to know lots about this, and i sincerely apologize if the terminology i'm using is incorrect to begin with, i fully welcome corrections.

thank you for your time!

hey! tysm for the Question!

I have been working on this ask since I got it.

I absolutely thing you can be transfem and afab and perisex, or amab and transfem and perisex. Let's get into why.

First off, of course, let's get into the language of it.

AFAB transfem is not an identity label you should use, because AGAB isn't an identity and it's actually counterproductive to centre it in who you are.

The reason why the term exists and is used is for a few different reasons..

A.) Some people don't have the language to describe how they are. I remember when I was a kid people would ask "can I be an AFAB demigirl?" because they didn't know and they didn't have the language.

B.) It's just what people use. It's a way to discuss "a transfem who is afab" shorter, the discoursers use it and it's simply a way to get what your saying across and seen better

C.) A lot of harassment happens in this community because of queercourse and a lot of people feel pressured into disclosing their AGAB otherwise they're "faking" or "infultrating" the community.

Secondly, transfemininity should never have even been defined by transition, your body, etc.

Transfemininity means a trans person who has a feminine gender, uncommonly mistaken for a trans person who presents femininely. (and also doesn't mean 'another term for trans women'.)

That description right there has been for a while the definition and I understand some people have astrix in their head for that but that's not anybodies problem but their own.

Multigendered people, nonbinary people, etc can all fit into this category and be perfectly perisex.

.

I think the idea people need something that seperates them "enough" from their trans identity to fully identify that way is harmful. Being trans does not need strict labels. You cannot box in the queer experience into specific categories. Being trans is about your experience and I think some people need to come to terms with the fact that it may not look the same for everyone.

Some people define their transness by transition. For them, transitioning to something is a part of their identity. These labels are tools to describe a lifetime of experiences.

For others, it's about their SIG never matching up with who they are.

-

I have switched in and out several time while writing so let me put it this way as to maintain some facade of an eloquent manner of speaking, I view being trans as something that is more defined by the person who is choosing to use the label rather than a strict definition. Anything other than that won't quite fit right.

This community was not built as a dictionary, everyone will have their own specific life experiences and reasons for identifying as trans and I don't feel like any way you describe it by one specific thing works at all.

(Heres how we would describe transness btw, but it probably needs a bigger post.)

Secondly, I have issues with it being seen as intersex only.

I think defining it as intersex only is kind of othering. Don't get me wrong, the intersex trans experience will hardly ever line up perfectly with perisex trans experiences.

However, I feel like stating intersex as an exception overall feels off to me.. We are not the only people in the community that break the FTM/MTF binary, and I really don't like how othering it is.

-

-

-

Anyways, switched far too much because of stress while writing this let me put it straight:

• Don't ID as 'afab transfem', though there are reasons you may want to use the wording for tags and such. Just call yourself whatever. Transfem, trans women, who cares.

• Being a trans woman or transfem is not some unicorn gender, you don't need a special bit of parts to ID as either of those things. It's somebody who is trans and uses either of those labels.

People may hate to see it, but it's the truth. Transness is not some binary experience. Being trans is personal to everyon and the reason why one person will ID as transfem compared to another and the experiences with that can be entirely different. That's okay. We don't have to be a monolith.

Do whatever you want anon, if you feel like you fit in some way why not? It's like saying 'therians are only spiritual' to me. Why box in a community that doesn't need to be? Why create definitions that do nothing but exclude? Being trans is an experience, but that doesn't mean all of ours have to be the same.

[lesbiansforboromir]

What are your thoughts on how they portrayed Fréaláf in War of the Rohirrim? I have questions about the backstory behind this exceptionally well put together guy who doesn't look quite like he matches the rest of the population of Rohan and goes by a matronymic surname. Did Hild marry a Gondorian Prince or noble, or perhaps did she marry abDunlending as part of a peace treaty and then fled back to Meduseld to raise her son when it fell apart. I love him but I want to know more about the decisions they made about his character.

NOW it's kind of funny because up until this ask my brain had just assumed it was declared somewhere that they had given Frealaf a gondorian father. But I actually cannot think of a particular instance where it is anything but implied... STILL I am fairly sure that was the intention.

His knowledge of the haradrim is probably the clearest nod to me, but there are all the wretched themactic implications they give him too. Like he's 'peaceable', softly spoken, he does not 'love war' 😒, he's basically a film-faramir copy-paste, except that he does display some prowess in combat and when he leads a charge of horsemen it's not at a brick wall. It IS down that goddamn horse-killing hill they love so much but we all have to suspend our horse logic for Tolkien media, it is known. So actually it's a little more book!faramir, Frealaf even gets his own watered down 'think better of me father' moment with Helm too, "my sword is yours if you ask for it 😔 it's so hard to be the most correct person in the room 😔 but I'm so noble and modest about it-" I have to stop being mean, he's nice I did like him.

ALSO it would line up with film!Helm's attempt to marry his daughter off to a Gondorian prince if he also married his sister off to a gondorian prince, and she was so '''safe''' and '''protected''' there as to encourage him to do it again.

Another reason I think he's supposed to be part Gondorian is because he takes the place of Gondor by the end of the film. In book-canon it's actually Beregond who breaks the siege on Helms Deep, whilst Frealaf is retaking Edoras. There is a significant amount of time where he and Beregond are working together to win what was almost a lost war in the rest of Rohan. BUT GONDOR JUST DOESN'T GO TO WAR EVER APPARENTLY SO HAHA WE CAN FORGET ABOUT THAT <3 uvu ... No actually this might be one of the only changes the film makes which I like, it is way more impactful and important for Frealaf to have this final victory. Kind of a no-brainer. BUT THE POINT IS it would be sort of a cohesive nod to book-canon for Frealaf to be part gondorian when he's taking gondor's place in thee narrative, if you see what I mean.

In terms of the matrilineal name usage, I do not particularly agree with it's being a term used for him pre-kingship. Like the reason he is remembered as "Hildsson" in the annuls of history is to define him as the beginning of the second line of rohir kings, ie not Helm's son, which would be a completely superfluous thing to do before all Helm's heirs have died. Honestly I still can't quite believe how absent Hild was in this supposedly feminist interpretation of this story, she is by far the character I want to hear from the most out of any of them. BUT YEAH LIKE, I guess within the narrative it's a useful way to convey information to the viewer and I should not be so grumpy about it.

The questions I have about Frealaf and his history that I most want answered are; Is his mother dead or just still living in Gondor? When did Frealaf come back to Rohan? WHY did he come to Rohan, was it a sense of duty? Belonging? What does his father think? Is his Father still alive? Or did both his father AND mother die for him to be fostered by Helm at a young age? I dont think so, since Frealaf is familiar with Gondorian military information (haradrim and so forth) so it feels like he is more familiar with Gondor in an adult capacity. But I do feel like his father is not alive? IDK!!

Later on Prince Thengel, Theoden's father, will run away from home and be fostered in Gondor because his father's a monster, and then marry a Gondorian noblewoman. But that is not for a very long time. So, depending upon how you read the historical relations between Gondorian and Rohir nobility, Frealaf's parentage could be exceedingly unique for the timeframe, and he would likely be oft compared to Eldacar in Gondor (King whose non-dunedain mother caused a civil war in Gondor incited by eugenicist outrage). So like!! Frealaf could have a lot of complex experiences and emotions surrounding his family, his sense of self, of who he is, of his attachment to one land or another. Like it was probably particularly painful for Frealaf to hear Helm tell him he was no kin of his, when the lingering dunadain supremacists in Gondor might have made him feel just as outcast there.

I hope there was a satisfying answer for you in there somewhere! :)

[intuitively-her]

You are moving on from something gracefully. I feel like someone tried to come towards you with an impure love offer, but you saw through their bs. I'm getting that you had high hopes for this connection, but they just left you high and dry.😕 Please know that you dodged a MF bullet! This person is absolutely not who they said they were. And they still have hella baggage that they need to deal with. Honestly, this person never intended on giving you a real relationship. This connection was sex-based for them. Sorry if that was harsh, but that's what I see here. On the flip side, I see you moving into a new energy soon. You are feeling more confident these days, and it looks good on you! You are starting to realize your true power and what you bring to the table. You are the prize!🤩 Keep loving on yourself, filling your own cup, and focusing on your goals. That is going to bring in continuous abundance for you. Someone here is finally mastering detachment. Your spirit guides are proud of you! You're finally locking in with yourself and following your inner calling.

You are a great keeper of wisdom. You have a voice that others need to hear. However, you are also being asked to expand your spiritual knowledge. No more playing it small. It's time to go deeper into your practice. It would be beneficial for you to network with people that work in the same field as you. You possess a great amount of knowledge and experience. Spirit also wants you do more of what makes you feel good and remember the simple things that bring you joy. Yes, it's important to stay on your grind, but you also need to make sure that you allow yourself to unwind and do things for yourself as well. Lastly, your guides want you to give yourself a pat on the back! You've come a long way. So, take a good look in the mirror and appreciate the person that you've become.❤️

*Trigger warning* You could be going through heartbreak right now. Someone here found out their partner slept with someone else. It's possible that your person messed around with someone that you know. Could be a mutual, friend, or co-worker of yours maybe? This is definitely someone that y'all both know. This energy is messy asf. Please know that this person will get their karma in due time. Spirit does not want you to stay down about this. There are new and positive beginnings in store for you.

Don't focus so much on what's been lost. It's okay to mourn about this, but you have to keep going boo. There are still people and opportunities all around you. You are being guided to trust your intuition and start trusting your inner knowing. Find your independence. Take some time out for yourself so that you can find your footing again. Learn to say NO! You are not obligated to always give to others. Remember that you cannot pour from an empty cup. Be still and get grounded. Some of you literally need to go outside more. Get in touch with nature for a bit.

Crystals that would benefit you at this time: Carnelian, Jet, Obsidian, Onyx

You could be facing some difficulties in your life right now. I also see that you are isolating yourself because of this. Please know that everything will be okay. Sending you guys a virtual hug.🫶🏽 You have reached the end of this negative cycle that you've been stuck in. Expect things to start rolling in your favor, especially when it comes to your $. You've been staying out the way and working hard! So, get ready to reap the benefits. You are moving up to a leader position. Good news is on the way. The answer is YES! Someone here will be approved for something soon. There will be a wish fulfillment coming in. This could be a new car, or you could be getting upgrades to your car. All eyes are about to be on you. I see someone here will be getting more clients or engagement on their page. Don't limit yourself in terms of what you do for work. It's okay to explore new interests or skills to make $. Expect more invites to come out to social gatherings or even dates for a few of you.

You are being guided to trust the process. Everything is happening as it's supposed to. Your situation may seem like the end of the world, but it is not. There is always a chance to start again. You need to keep faith. You are being called to do some self-reflection as well. Get to know yourself. There are parts of you that remain undiscovered. Communicate with your guides more often. They waiting to be made use of. Someone specific here needs to create an altar for their guides.

*ONLY TAKE WHAT RESONATES*

🩷Please DO NOT copy repost or steal my work. Thanks!🩷

Masterlist

Paid readings

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Trimax Thoughts Vol. 12 Pt. 3

[ID: A panel from Trigun Maximum Volume 12. Knives is shown with eyes narrowed and a slight smile as he asks "What's your name?" End ID.]

"What's your name?" A name is an identifier, and to ask for it is to acknowledge an individual's identity.

We see this with Vash and his strong memory for the names of all the people from his Home. But interestingly, even with this memory for individuals, and the way Vash clearly never forgets a single person who has impacted him, he very rarely calls people by name, and this goes doubly the closer he is to them. Meryl and Milly are just "the insurance girls" most of the time. Wolfwood was referred to by Nicholas only once (though to be fair, this may just be typical use of a surname). I need to go back and check when I have more energy but I'm pretty sure the only name Vash uses with any regularity is Rem's. Vash loves them, but he won't stick around, nor will he use their names. Maybe if he doesn't use them... he can avoid getting too attached. (Mission failed...)

But it's more than that. Vash's guilt and desire to keep people safe prevents attachment that's true... but so does his philosophy. By necessity, Vash has to refuse to prioritize anyone's life over another's. Getting attached, becoming close enough to want to do anything to protect that person... Vash can't have that, because Vash knows himself well. He is far from impartial. We all remember his "diablo" moment at the beginning of the manga, and his outright murderous anger towards Knives over Rem and July - and that's still with him distanced. Here's his reactions to Wolfwood being in danger in Volume 10, after Vash realized both how much he meant to him and that he was dying:

[ID: Two screenshots from Trigun Maximum Volume 10. In the first, Vash's face is shadowed before he whirls around to show his eyes - wide and pale and furious. His face is shaded with dark lines for dramatic emphasis. In the second, Vash shoves two men onto the ground by the barrels of his two guns. He is hunched over them, again, furious. His face is shadowed completely. End ID.]

To love someone in a personal way is to prioritize them. It is that prioritization that could lead someone to kill another. Vash cannot have that, yet another reason why he self-imposes that distance from people.

You can't be impartial about others' lives... if some are more important to you than others.

Knives meanwhile uses Legato's name a lot! Legato, or Bluesummers, but either way, he is using his name. And I really think that Knives cares (?) in some way for Legato. He asked Elendira for Legato to be brought back instead of killed. Kind of just lets Legato do what he wants (except kill Vash, obviously). He entrusts him to keep hold of Vash for months on end. Legato doesn't have a number like the rest of Knives' followers; just a name!!! I feel certain that Knives used to share a lot more with Legato before Fifth Moon - Legato seems shocked that Knives would withhold info from him, and he knew Rem's name! There was clearly some point of understanding between them at the moment of their meeting. At the very least, Knives appreciates Legato far more than he lets on.

...And he will never let on. Knives treats Legato cruelly... probably because if he were to treat him on fairer terms, it would be a compromise to his principle that "all humans are bad and need to die", that the time for communication is over, that there is no "making friends" anymore. Knives cannot treat Legato with respect.

You can't push the narrative that an entire group is irredeemable and beneath you... if you've grown attached to one of them.

Knives uses names but treats the people as inferior. Vash treats people with respect but rarely uses names and distances himself. Both of them are severely hampered by their strict ideologies that they will not waver from - which guarantees their loneliness will never end.

Vash is doomed to lose everyone he cares for without ever giving himself the chance to love them, or them to love him. Knives is doomed to lose all his connections, past or possible future, and exist as an eternal lonely child who will never make all those friends he once craved. All because neither of them can afford to back down.

And now they really are gearing up to lose each other, for good this time. Both of them, doomed to lose, right from the start.

There are really no victors in a fight like this.

[seastarblue]

Hi! I want to ask wayyy too much so I'll try TRY to restrain myself. Aleksi: 2, 3, 4, 14, 22. Kaiden: 20 (I failed in restraining myself)

And very tentatively...: 30 for the interwoven gang and my guys👉👈 if you want?

hello Bun!!! haha it’s alright! I don’t mind the many questions: let’s get into itttt hehe

(also— something tells me… you mayyy like Aleksi. just a smidge… /silly)

Aleksi:

2) Who's your OCs best friend? How did they become best friends?

Aleksi hasn’t had too many friends growing up, but that’s not something he’s been particularly sad about: the friendships he did have were very deep and he was very close with them. His first friend—who he could consider a best friend was Dianthe! And Dianthe is dead. Uh. I’m still working on how they met, but as of late I’ve been thinking about them (Dia) being stuck in Alek’s head… as a voice! (IF you remember what character I took that idea from (one of my own, mind you) I will give you a cookie)

3) What song describes your OC?

RUNAWAY BY AURORA OMG it is so himmmm running and running and running and wanting nothing but to return home even though this running has brought you experiences you never thought you would have grrr I’m gonna go feral if I keep talking about this so. Next!

4) What song describes your OC and their partner/love interest?

Ahh… love songs… Aleksi’s love interest is Li Hua! In case you didn’t know— I’m kinda bad at finding love songs. (<- is aromantic) but I have something! Fear not! 産声 by Omonitake! listen I’m going off the English lyrics but listen… Very yearning… the singer is holding themself back from admitting feelings for another… they haven’t felt this kind of emotion in a long time… uh the instruments are cool… I’m bad at this Bun 😭 it’s them trust me 🙏

14) Who's a character your OC cannot stand! It's on sight when they see them!

I don’t think Aleksi is the type to lash out at someone because of hating them, but I also think that—at the beginning of the story—if he could maybe… ‘lightly’ punch one of the main cast (any, it doesn’t matter) in the face, it would help him. A little.

22) Fight or Flight? Are they a lover or a fighter?

Definitely fight. Perhaps freeze… but mostly fight. As for whether or not he’s a lover or a fighter, I’d say he’s a mix of both—leaning fighter.

Kaiden:

20) If they fight, what's their weapon of choice?

I’ve actually kind of redid this part of her lore: She used to just have two swords Then I swapped those with a canesword Then I did more digging and realized caneswords kinda suck… So I switched to a spear! Then I realized they (the city) would not allow a citizen to carry around a spear all willy nilly so I dropped that (at least for the time she’s in the city) Plus it would be awkward to carry both a cane and a spear, especially in a cramped space like a city… So finally I (shakily) decided to have her use her cane (basically her main strat is 🏌️‍♀️💥ing) And a small knife (or two or three or four maybe…) While she was a knight she used a spear!

and as for 30…

30) My OC and your OC are friends. This isn't a question. I'm not asking. (How do they respond?)

I think they would be so funny together… approved. ✔️✍️ (Also I think Odette and Lloyd would be so interesting… Mentor-Mentee gone wrong… but it’s ok they’re both very driven… for lack of a better term.)

anyways!!! that was long—tysm for the ask!

[the-astral-archives]

Hello!

I'm very new to paganism, after being fairly atheist for a while (growing up presbyterian). I'd like to start worshipping Persephone but I'm not quite sure where to even start. Are there any tips you have for new practicers? I understand if this is out of your field(?) but I don't know any people who practice paganism in real life </3 and I figured it be good to contact people with a background in that kind of thing.

Thank you so much!

Greetings, dear star! Thanks for sending in an ask! While we are still newer ourself to our journey, we have learned many tips that have assisted us from others for when you are just started out. I apologize if things are confusing, as we are recovering from sickness currently, but we will try our best to provide some tips for new practicers so you, and others, will have an easier time getting started!

Research (Books, Sites, Historical Articles, etc.)

Research, research, research. I cannot stress how important and insightful research can be. There are tons of books and reliable sources on the gods and about hellenic polytheism that will help provide context on ancient Greece and how worship was done in ancient times compared to modern day. Reading about the gods helps not only provide insight on how they were worshipped and information about their myths and domains, but it can also be generally seen as a devotional act when you take the time to learn about them! They appreciate you educating yourself and your willingness to learn more. Look at different views of hellenic polytheism and terms. Remember to take things slow, and you don’t need to know everything quickly or at once!

You Don’t Need An Altar

When viewing hellenic polytheism, you may see people share images of altars/shrines they have as a sacred space to connect with their deity or provide offerings to them. While it may seem nice to you to have an altar for your deity, it isn’t required, and your deities that you worship will not judge you for not having an altar. If you do want to make an altar, then that’s fine! Altars do not need to be large or expensive. Some practicers create ‘pocket altars’ as an example, small objects representing the deity in a container such as a tin. Pocket altars are both portable and great for those who may be closeted in their practice, as it is discreet. Digital altars are also a great inexpensive method, such as through pinterest boards or creating memorials within videogames!

It Doesn’t Need To Be Expensive

Adding onto the altars, but expanding onto offerings, things do not need to be expensive. You don’t need to pour out money you don’t have to please the gods. Your thought alone is already putting in the effort of showing you care. Offerings are not required, and the gods will not be upset for you not being able to provide them. Offerings don’t need to be expensive liquor, pouring a glass of water is plenty already. A struggle I personally had, and sometimes it still creeps up on me, is knowing I don’t need everything to be extravagant for the gods to accept me. I keep a few small decorations and candles, and pour some water for them and share my lunches when I can. That’s more than enough to them for my situation. A lot of my dedication goes into my devotional acts, which we will get into soon.

Building Kharis

Building Kharis is very important to forming a relationship and strong bond with your gods. A relationship does not just strengthen overnight, it takes time and effort. Through offerings, devotion, prayer, and general appreciation and acknowledgement, you help to build kharis with your gods and form a relationship with them. For those who only build kharis to ask for offers and nothing more, I advise you back away. You shouldn’t be building a relationship to use the gods. It’s okay to ask for things, but don’t expect them to give you everything you wish for. The relationship you want to create should be genuine, with proper boundaries and respect. As you build Kharis, you may begin to notice how your relationship grows, and how communication, for example, becomes easier with your god or how their presence becomes clearer. Building Kharis is a process that takes time and provides great reward. When you are forming this relationship, you may notice your experiences with your god are different from someone else’s, and that’s okay. Not everyone’s relationship is going to look the same, because it’s your relationship between you and the deity. What personal experience you have is going to look different from another person’s and there is nothing wrong with that.

Devotional Acts

Devotional acts are another form of offerings outside of food and libation (liquids). These can be numerous things. Cooking or drinking tea with the gods in mind, creating handmade crafts, talking a walk out in nature, engaging in activities within your gods domain—these are just a few examples of what devotional acts can look like. It doesn’t need to always be high effort, especially when you don’t have the energy or need to care for yourself. Your thought about gods alone, and something as simple as saying ‘good morning’ or ‘good night’ are still great devotional acts and help build kharis each day.

Trial and Error

You’re going to get it wrong, and that’s okay. Nobody is perfect. Nobody is going to pray properly their first time or know every last detail about the deity their worshipping. It’s why you constantly research as you go. The journey as a whole is a constant learning process, and the gods are here to help you on your way. Embrace the mistakes that you are going to make, and learn from them instead of treating them as a burden. To see you reevaluate and grow is what the gods want, and will be proud of you for increasing your understanding.

I really hope this helps in some way for you, and I wish you luck on your journey! I do apologize for the long post, but I really hope some of this information will be good starting points and pointers when going through your worship. May the stars guide you and provide you safe travels! ⭐️

[naluwalker]

I'm back, yeah

So, I just finished the most recent chapter of Blue Lock (Bachi choosing Rin and calling him Revenger, and Nagi's incredible kick and goal, you look beautiful, babe) and rereading Compass of thy Soul by the incredible Umei_no_Mai, and it came to me Bachirin's latest crossover idea comes to mind.

So here we go:

Wakakusa Uchiha had returned home after a long and unexpected mission in the Country of Lightning and was practically eager to get to her futon and sleep for the next ten years. Finding out that she was pregnant two months later had been an unpleasant surprise, especially when she remembered the very likely father of her baby as a memorable clanless shinobi that she had spent two weeks flirting with and had ultimately ended up killing in self-defense when he turned out to be a bastard who had tried to sell her when he discovered she was an Uchiha. The son of a bitch also had a very nasty Kekkei Genkai that was a nightmare to deal with, and now she was carrying his probable baby inside, so it was likely that Tajima-sama would try to rip her head off when he found out, but she doubted anything would anger him more than the Togakushi Incident from two years ago.

In the end, Wakakusa being Wakakusa, she shrugged and moved on like she did whenever similar incidents arose, deciding to keep the baby; If anyone asked, she had received the child by the divine grace of Inari. Then, five months later, at the beginning of August, Wakakusa brought into the world a beautiful baby girl with beautiful curls and even more beautiful honey eyes, and the resemblance was so much that he couldn't help but name her Bachira.

In this way, a Meguru Bachira who never finished reading Naruto since the beginning of the Chūnin Exams was reincarnated in the body of an Uchiha girl from the Warring States Era, about which he knows absolutely nothing.

On the other hand, he is not the first reincarnated, Sae Itoshi already took that dubious honor when he was born as the firstborn of Tajima Uchiha's third younger brother, Togakushi Uchiha.

Togakushi Uchiha was quite infamous within the clan, as as soon as he turned 14, in the midst of a teenage rebellion that his father failed to handle, he ran away from the clan for three years and returned married to a very pregnant Uzumaki. Tajima, then 25 years old, never tired of reminding his father that in fact the Uchiha and the Uzumaki were not on good terms, that yes, the Uzumaki are formally allies of the damned Senju, and that no, you cannot perform a formal wedding because his brother eloped with an Uzumaki bride, who in fact was already engaged to another, without the consent of said Uzumaki's parents and this could lead to war, but unfortunately, in these moments when his brother's anecdotes are so romantic that he is enthralling even his father, most do not want to listen to Tajima.

Despite all the complaints, negotiations and pleas, Aizen Uzumaki ends up staying, and in fact, the fucking wedding does take place, much to the exhaustion of Tajima who now has to plan contingencies in case the Senju find out about the new member of his family.

This is how in the middle of autumn, a baby is born with the characteristic hair of the Uzumaki and given the intelligence shown by the cold turquoise eyes, his father ends up calling him Sae.

Sae is mostly irritated with reincarnation. He's in a tiny body that only sleeps, cries, eats and defecates, can barely speak let alone move, and just wants to tear out his hair because he's bored to death. Unfortunately, as a person who spent basically his entire life obsessed with football and little else, with hardly any contact with pop culture, Sae barely had any knowledge of Naruto beyond knowing its name and therefore does not recognize his clan's last name and is even more lost than his soon-to-be-born little cousin, who at least more or less recognizes where he was born.

Then Sae spends the next two years trying to convince his parents to give him a younger brother for the sole purpose of dragging Rin with him into this boring world where it should be a capital crime for no one to know soccer. The insistence of Sae, whose first word was in fact "Little Brother", finally wears down his parents and the couple decides to have a baby when Sae turns two.

Thus, a month before Sae's third birthday, the clan receives a moody, dark-haired baby who shares the eye color with his mother and brother; Sae, in fact, kidnaps his brother from his father's arms a few seconds after the newborn was handed over to him and without anyone's consent names the baby Rin, and the newborn moves a chubby arm to give him a scolding slap on the nose to his annoying older brother. If Sae was irritated with the reincarnation, then Rin is furious, especially since he read Naruto until the end of the Fourth Ninja War and threw it aside when the aliens showed up.

The brothers spend the next five years in the midst of training, fighting and arguing over everything, while little by little they accept the war situation in which they will be forced to participate when they grow up. They consider it particularly stupid, because it's a war that a plant started to free a fucking crazy goddess, but unfortunately, one thing that Madara Uchiha (who to Rin's horror, is they first cousin) and Hashirama Senju didn't understand and that is that two men cannot end a war that lasted more than five centuries simply by forcing everyone to accept peace.

Anyway, while they both get used to their new reality and get depressed at the thought that maybe they are the only reincarnated people in this shitty world, a five-year-old Rin finds a curly-haired girl dribbling what can only be a soccer ball, and suddenly his chest fills with hope. He approaches slowly and the name escapes from his mouth before he can stop it, and when the surprised girl turns and looks at him with big honey eyes, the world suddenly seems clearer and more defined, a little more beautiful, as he records the familiar face in his retinas and he gets lost in the suddenly red eyes.

Later, as he returns home with his husband-now-wife wrapped around him like a particularly persistent octopus, he finds out from his brother that both he and Meguru have the Sharingan activated and that's why their parents are making a fuss; Rin doesn't care about anything of that, until his father tries to take Meguru away from him and suddenly things get violent. Rin does not plan to let go of Meguru, whose current name is ironically Bachira, and much less plans to let someone tear him from his arms when he has been without him (her? them?) for almost ten years, including the time since his previous life.

Eventually, both Wakakusa and Togakushi have to give up and allow their children to stick together like clingy mollusks. That both children arrive days later to formally ask for the other's hand in marriage is something that neither wants to think about, especially when, upon receiving no response, the children simply harassed them until they had to accept. Let it never be said that the Uchiha were not stubborn when they found something they wanted, but at least they managed to delay the wedding until they were fifteen, because neither of them wanted to wait any longer than that.

So, for the next few years, as they searched for familiar faces within the clan with varying degrees of success (Rin will never forgive the God who made Isagi Yoichi a cousin of Meguru, but at least he's better than Sae's disgusting bug), they tried as they were able to improve the status and resources of the clan, and if there was some way they could make peace (planting into Madara's thick head that no, you can't just decide that you don't want war and immediately go to shit) before someone was stabbed to death for a lucky Senju, the better.

By the way, Rin has never been more grateful that Meguru came from a family of artists than when she created a soccer ball for everyone to play with. God, how he loved that idiot.

[practically-an-x-man]

1, 8, 10, 26 for WWFA please?

Thank you!!

Even More Fic Writer Asks

Start to finish, how long did it take to plan and write? Did you take breaks during the process?

Well it's still ongoing (though we're getting into the third act, so there's not too much further to go), and I started it all the way back in December of 2021. Progress is slow since life is busy, motivation is tumultuous, and I have a lot of projects, but I'm still trying to chip away at it!

8. Did you cut something out of the outline or an early draft? What was it and why did you decide to cut it?

Not really! As a general rule, there is very little that ends up being cut from my works. I'm much more of an additive writer than a subtractive writer, so I'll include pretty much everything I come up with either in the main fic or in oneshots/AUs/etc.. Maybe a few tiny details got cut here and there, but I can't remember any particular examples.

10. How did you approach writing the fic? (e.g. wrote it start to finish in order, started with the ending, starting with the twist)

Started from the beginning and worked through the story in a linear way, same way I write just about everything else! For whatever reason, that works best for me - it sometimes means I have to wait a while to get to the juicy scenes in the middle, but it also means I can fit in the foreshadowing, symbolism, and other little details as I go rather than retrofitting them back into the scenes later. Then, by the time I actually get to the big scenes, I've built up enough of those themes and that energy that it really pays off!

26. Share your favorite detail

I didn't realize how subtle this one really was in practice, because I've had several people say that they didn't even notice this until I pointed it out: the passages that involve the gods are written in present tense rather than past tense, as a way to indicate that the gods see time on a scale that mortal people cannot comprehend.

And, as an extra detail, I've intentionally left out Katherine's name in those scenes where she communes with the gods, for a few reasons. For one thing, her name is anachronistic to the time period the gods are from, so her name doesn't quite exist there - even Bastet calls her "daughter" or other terms of endearment. For another thing, it's meant to convey that she's more connected to the past and its magic than she is to her usual life, with that disconnect from her name. And finally, the refusal to use her name is subverted only once, when she's pulled between the tablet and the real world at the climax of the fic, and that use of her name when it's never otherwise been used makes for a gut-punch impact that conveys Bastet's desperation (as well as her deeper connection to Bastet than the other gods, since Bastet is the only one to use her name even once).

When it comes to writing magical scenes, every detail is intentional. I want the magic to feel like it extends past the confines of the story, I want it to feel so powerful that it breaks those rules and patterns that have been set up with the rest of the writing, so even details like tense and word choice are chosen with complete intent. And I think it pays off! Whether it's this, Taking Flight, Vivienne's fics, or anything else that involves magic or otherworldly power... that intentional choice really gives it a lot of depth!

[imperial-nuisance-rudje]

giant vent about how people are talking about dt you've been warned

"i don't like the focus on wuk lamat" good for you! she's a leader and will likely be shelved before the end of 7.x! i still cannot escape the scions after they fucking disbanded despite being on a new continent, so you don't get to whine abt this if you're also going to crawl up my ass every time i say the scions never fucking off made ew worse and impaired my ability to give a fuck about shb! ew had two non-twins characters i deeply cared about at all going in, and it killed off both!

i am so. fucking. tired. of most of the scions. the one scion i did not think needed a break due to overexposure got a proper break (it was a funny break so i didn't mind at all and it keeps him from getting overexposed too, but it's notable that he was the only one besides the twins I wasn't ready to see the back of by the end of 6.55), and the one i most needed to not fucking see for at least one major patch got a fully voiced cutscene focusing entirely on him and the wol. the scions are part of the weakest part of this expac, which is the fear to let new shit stand on its own.

like, even the twins have been around long enough that they could stand a long-term break, which would even give an excuse for them to elongthen them.

maybe if they actually give them proper arcs or ever let the writing acknowledge that g'raha is a fucking asshole (and still is in dt bc jesus fucking christ that is not a question you ask the fucking wol and he should fucking know that, he had to have at least read about the bloody banquet, the waking sands attack by livia, the entry of azys lla, or the raid on the vault at minimum, even my uncanonical levels of cold bastard main had people he cared about die at those events it is ABSURD what the writing lets the cat get away with saying without even a "dude what the fuck" option) i might accept them having major screentime again, but until then they can piss off and we can have more newbies or heavily underserved oldbies

like. to go back to the first point. think about how often characters show up after they become leaders. Lyse and Aymeric both almost completely vanish after their respective x.3 (hell, lyse vanishes before then). wuk lamat has been chained to tural, even with the doubleking situation she's going to be wanted at home--aymeric isn't sole leader either, remember, and lyse isn't even the one in charge of the entire nation and she's still heavily restricted. dealing with her for not even a full patch cycle is not going to kill you any more than me having to see g'raha and emet constantly trotted out as my wol's narrator-enforced besties killed me. she showed up in the second half for the same reason aymeric, raubahn, and lyse show up after they are removed from focus: because there's a FUCKING WAR involving HER COUNTRY.

they aren't even setting her up as the major focus for the patches! they set her up for a fucking GOODBYE. erenville has gotten more teasing hints at having long-term focus! you weirdos!

i would be less annoyed about this if some of these same people hadn't crawled up my ass over not liking the scions focus of shb and ew. yeah, trial of a silent protag is we need people to talk for us! sometimes that means we get stuck with people we don't like! but at least yours WILL GO AWAY. the characters i actively dislike are hanging around like a pre-antibiotics tuberculosis infection and it only makes me like them less because i'm not allowed to ever express dislike of them even when they're being shitty or i should generally be allowed to express distaste, while at the same time characters i liked don't even get neutral options, it's all two mostly-identical ways of saying "boo i hate your pussy".

idk. i feel like people are only noticing flaws that have been there since the beginning bc we have fun spunky girl and her tragic foil who is also a girl in front instead of the scions and a moody guy, assuming they're making their case in good faith at all (which many are very obviously not, since they're somehow unable to perceive character development that is incredibly obvious).

insert meme about the illusion of choice leading to two more years of stb discourse for some reason

(it is. incredibly frustrating. to have actual complaints. like the return of world-ending threat stakes, the hamhanded way callbacks were done, and the reluctance to actually grapple with the implications of [finalzone]. and then see absolutely nobody else having them bc anyone willing to talk just wants to bash wuk lamat and sphene.)

just. god. if you don't see your wol as an auron, fine, but don't pretend they were less vital to how this expac played out than any other expac, or that they were sidelined compared to elsewhen. the wol is a vital pillar for how wuk lamat turns out over the expac and wuk lamat taking the spotlight in a few scenes doesn't negate that the wol is still at worst the second-most important person in the room. and given the cultural context of the new zones? the writing would have been WAY WORSE if they were the one doing everything.

or like. just the general expectation i've seen repeatedly that something doing setup will pay the same emotional dividends as something using that setup as a launch point. which, you can crit it as-is just fine god knows i'm willing to bitch about stuff that's probably getting more focus in the future, but if you're going into something where the constant refrain from devs and ads and even the game itself going in was "beach vacation (gone wrong)" and "please temper expectations" and expecting it to blow your mind uhhhhh i don't think it's the writer's fault? they were upfront that this was not going to be huge in terms of like... massive recontextualization and targeted emotional blows like shb was.

i really do think a lot of the hate of dt (rather than dislike) is just. bigotry. there is nothing major done poorly here that the rest of the game hasn't handled poorly and usually worse before (if you try to tell me the ff9 stuff was done worse than the nonsense ff4 shit in ew i will slap you, as someone who has gone in with about the same level of familiarity with both and zero nostalgia for either). the one exception i can think of is, like, Erenville's name and the aforementioned turning a blind eye to the deeper implications of [finalzone], and nobody bitching about dt as a whole mentions those as reasons to hate the entire expac. it's all wuk lamat and the wol not being in the spotlight!

[freezerbnuuy]

Act 5:29- Fearful Symmetry (Page 4)

LORE | CHARACTERS | ABOUT / WARNINGS | CHAPTERS

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Tsuna

Unless - is she in danger?

"Katlego, please, enter. Are you safe?"

"I am now."

She and Ellie return, still looking very similar to when we met. Despite the sunshine yellow of her dress, she doesn't have the sunny disposition I remember her having. Her horse waits patiently behind her as she speaks.

"Tsuna, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I ever doubted what you did. I'm sorry I acted if I were superior for not fighting back. I - I - "

Emerald sniffs the air, seemingly recognising her.

"No, Katlego, please - it is not you who needs to apologise."

Emerald sniffs the air, seemingly recognising her.

"No, Katlego, please - it is not you who needs to apologise."

"There is no excuse for what I did to you, Katlego, nor others before you. I should not have acted as someone who would take in the lost and then cast them out into danger for not living up to my standards. You were right to do as you did - to stand by your pacifism, and I am sorry that I ever doubted you - deeply sorry."

"I am grateful to have you back, Katlego - one, to know that you are still with us, and two, so that I can offer my apologies to you. I ask for your forgiveness."

Henford's people may not be the most genuine in their apologies, but people like myself know how to make up for our wrongdoings. This likely seems a little extreme to her, but it is what I must do for what I did to her.  

"Oh, you don't need to get on your knees, Iris- I mean, Tsuna."

"Hm? How do you know that name?"

She pauses. "Ah. Róisín returned to Henford. She assisted me with remedy deliveries for some time...and she mentioned that you speak highly of me."

She wipes the tears that start to pour.

"I used my magic on a witchfinder, Tsuna. I only wanted to deter him, but the terrible images that would have appeared in his mind - they drove him to suicide. I killed someone. All this superiority over never harming a single soul and now I just - I can't describe how horrible I feel."

What Katlego tells me only makes me more proud of her. She knows to defend herself now, at least.

"Your blame is completely misplaced, Kat. He did this to himself - all you did was frighten him off."

"This is what I've been trying to tell her, Tsuna," Ellie says. "See, Kat? Not your fault."

She lets out an airy sigh. "Tsuna, I cannot go back to Henford - I fear my own abilities, and I hope that being back in a place that values magic will help me to truly to come to terms with my own capabilities. That, and I fear the townspeople will turn on me once again - not to mention the witchfinders once they catch wind of what happened."

I see now why Kat fears her powers so much. Her magic is capable of altering the mind of others. Whilst that could be incredibly useful in some situations, I imagine it is easy to misuse even when you do not intend to. She ought to not fear herself - she is a wonderful person.

"I would welcome you and Ellie back with open arms. However, I do have a favour I may need to ask - and I may need to borrow your horse. You remember Jemima and Clara, don't you? They're missing - left without a sound and without a trace. Do you think you may be able to help me look for them? If they did leave on their own accord, I'd at least like to settle my nerves."

Kat smiles a little and gives a thankful nod. "I will do whatever is needed, Tsuna. Thank you for giving me a second chance."

[365sylviaplath]

Week of 10/21-10/27

astrology forecast + collective tarot card for the week

Card for this week: Queen of Wands (reversed) - looking inward this week to re-establish your sense of self. lots of inner work the last few weeks (honestly, this year overall) and getting re-acquainted with the person you want to be. for many of us, this is finding that person you want to be for the first time and building a strong foundation from scratch. to become courageous/confident/independent (themes of the Queen of Wands), you have to first learn who you are and bravely stand by yourself! the universe may send you check-ins this week to show you how ready you are to leave the old behind and step into this new self-worth. celebrate yourself and who you're becoming!!!

Transits/Astro forecast: scorpio season is here! even though we've had so much pluto/scorpio energy already in libra season, it honestly snuck up on me a little still. waxing poetic a bit because it's my birthday week...... it's a little surreal how much has changed for me in the last year. some days we focus mainly on what we still have to change/things we feel stuck on, but i'm utilizing this week to remember how much has evolved and how much hard work went into that. you dictate your own journey and set the pace! do not let anyone make you run through the stages you know you need to walk through.

me from last year would be a little stunned that i'm writing a newsletter/blog/whatever i'm calling this. i was struggling with basic self maintenance and had a deep frustration with everything going on in my life. things all felt harder than necessary and i felt powerless to it. i think it's a great week to re-affirm where you are, where you'd like to go, what you desire from your life, so on. scorpio is about depth, intensity, desire - yearning hours are back. change something, end something, admit how you feel - honor that things cannot exist in stasis forever. be real with yourself and those around you, you'll die soon enough. live while you can!

current retrogrades are jupiter, chiron, saturn, uranus, and neptune. my thoughts on pluto in capricorn might have to get their own longer form post because jeez this has been a crazy run. started out with the david cook/david archuleta american idol finale, financial collapse, and michael jackson's passing. a few more weeks and then pluto will begin anew once more in aquarius. life will never be the same etc etc

as for specifics-

monday 10/21 - mercury trine saturn rx - a monday for Locking In. this is probably your most productive day of the week. get to the pesky to-dos you've put off, do some longer term planning, organize your desk, whatever comes to your mind when you hear "productive". applaud your hard work this year as well - last time we had this transit was june 26th of this year, could be some topical reminders from that time frame.

tuesday 10/22 - sun square pluto, sun enters scorpio - entering very boldly here! scorpio season! sun aspecting pluto and then going right into scorpio (ruled by pluto) seems like a bit overkill but i guess we are a dramatic lot. the spirit of transformation is once again with us. how far we've come since the scorpio south node transit (2021-2023).... let's remember that today and thank it for leaving. say your final farewells to that era because we are Not doing that again. anyway.... great day for honoring your intensity, focusing on which areas of your life are ready to be transformed, etc. secretly also a great time to reflectively yearn about the past. i've been natally experiencing this transit as well since pluto began its journey into aquarius last spring and boy it does ask you to transform.

thursday 10/24 - mars sextile uranus rx (and also my birthday) - spontaneity is king today. you've got energy to channel and a desire to part ways with the pieces of your routine that no longer serve you. fun, excitement, spontaneity, curiosity, exploration - all key words today. do something fun and spontaneous in my honor today!