#Also it's not obvious BUT JULIE HAS A SWORD

[rainbyte]

( 4/8 )

Julie and Sally for Welcome Grove!

( Though I might be redoing Sally's digitally later I love her but her shirt is not easy to paint lol )

Gist of the AU and Wally + Frank here!

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Weinersmith and Boulet’s “Bea Wolf”

On July 14, I'm giving the closing keynote for the fifteenth HACKERS ON PLANET EARTH, in QUEENS, NY. Happy Bastille Day! On July 20, I'm appearing in CHICAGO at Exile in Bookville.

Bea Wolf is Zach Weinersmith and Boulet's ferociously amazingly great illustrated kids' graphic novel adaptation of the Old English epic poem, which inspired Tolkien, who helped bring it to popularity after it had languished in obscurity for centuries:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250776297/beawolf

Boy is this a wildly improbable artifact. Weinersmith and Boulet set themselves the task of bringing Germanic heroic saga from more than a thousand years ago to modern children, while preserving the meter and the linguistic and literary tropes of the original. And they did it!

There are some changes, of course. Grendel – the boss monster that both Beowulf and Bea Wulf must defeat – is no longer obsessed with decapitating his foes and stealing their heads. In Bea Wulf, Grendel is a monstrously grown up and boring adult who watches cable news and flosses twice per day, and when he defeats the kids whose destruction he is bent upon, he does so by turning them into boring adults, too.

And Bea Wulf – and the kings that do battle with Grendel – are not interested in the gold and jewels that the kings of Beowulf hoard. In Bea Wulf, the treasure is toys, chocolate, soda, candy, food without fiber, television shows without redeeming educational content, water balloons, nerf swords and spears, and other stuff beloved of kids and hated by parents.

That substitution is key to transposing the thousand-year-old adult epic Beowulf for enjoyment by small children in the 21st century. After all, what makes Beowulf so epic is the sense that it is set in a time in which a primal valor still reigned, but it is narrated for an audience that has been tamed and domesticated. Beowulf makes you long for a never-was time of fierce and unwavering bravery. Bea Wulf beautifully conjures the years of early childhood when you and the kids in your group had your own little sealed-off world, which grownups could barely perceive and never understand.

Growing up, after all, is a process of repeating things that are brave the first time you do them, over and over again, until they become banal. That's what "coming of age" really boils down to: the slow and relentless transformation of the mythic, the epic, and the unknowable and unknown into the tame, the explained, the mastered. When you're just mastering balance and coordination, the playground climber is a challenge out of legend. A couple years later, it's just something you climb.

The correspondences between the leeching away of magic lamented in Beowulf and experienced by all of us as we grow out of childhood are obvious in hindsight and surprising and beautiful and bittersweet when you encounter them in Bea Wolf.

This effect owes a large debt to Boulet's stupendous artwork. Boulet brings a vibe rarely seen in American kids' illustration, owing quite a lot to France's bande dessinée tradition. Of course, this is a Firstsecond book, and they established themselves as an exciting and fresh kids' publisher in the USA nearly 20 years ago by bringing some of Europe's finest comics to an American audience for the first time. You can get a sense of Boulet's darker-than-average, unabashedly anarchic illustrations here:

https://www.comixtrip.fr/bibliotheque/bea-wolf-weinersmith-boulet-albin-michel/

The utter brilliance of Bea Wulf is as much due to the things it preserves from the original epic as it is to the updates and changes. Weinersmith has kept the Old English tradition of alliteration, right from the earliest passages, with celebrations of heroes like "Tanya, treat-taker, terror of Halloween, her costume-cache vast, sieging kin and neighbor, draining full candy-bins, fearing not the fate of her teeth. Ten thousand treats she took. That was a fine Tuesday."

Weinersmith also preserves the kennings – the elaborate figurative compound phrases that replace nouns – that turn ordinary names and places into epithets at you have to riddle out, like calling a river "the sliding sea."

These literary devices, rarely seen today, are extremely powerful, and they conjure up the force and mystique that has kept Beowulf in our current literary discourse for more than a millennium. They also make this a super fun book to read aloud.

When Jim Henson was first conceiving of Sesame Street, he made a point of designing it to have jokes and riffs that would appeal to adults, even if some of the nuance would be lost on kids. He did this because he wanted to make art that adults and kids could enjoy together, both because that would give adults a chance to help kids actively explore the ideas on-screen, but also because it would bring some magic into those adults' lives.

This is a very winning combination (not for nothing, it's also the original design brief for Disneyland). Weinersmith and Boulet have produced a first-rate work of adult and kid literature, both a perfect entree to Beowulf for anyone contemplating a dive into old English epic poetry, and a kids' book full of booger jokes and transgressive scenes of perfect mischief.

Support me this summer on the Clarion Write-A-Thon and help raise money for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/24/awesome-alliteration/#hellion-hallelujah

[zionworkzs]

Okay, but I need to talk about Good Omens and The Sound of Music.

First of all, I’m genuinely obsessed with it being explicitly canon that The Sound of Music exists in the GO universe and is, for some reason, God’s favorite movie. Neil says here that Heaven misses the point of the movie/musical, but I find it incredibly fascinating that Aziraphale outwardly despises it. 

Brief summary of The Sound of Music incoming as well as some really interesting parallels:

So we've got Julie Andrews playing Maria, who is studying to become a nun in an abbey in Salzburg. Problem is, she isn't the best nun, and is often late to chapel and just isn't the shining beacon of holiness that the rest of the nuns expect her to be.

In response to this, the Reverend Mother of the abbey decides to send Maria to live with sexy widower Georg von Trapp, a navy captain who desperately needs help with his seven children. The Captain is a bit of a hard-ass since the death of his wife, and has been treating his kids like little soldiers as well as banning music from the house.

The 7 kids are rambunctious and make things difficult for Maria at first. But one night, a thunderstorm scares them, and they run to Maria for comfort. The kids realize that Maria is really fun, and then later, when their dad is off to Vienna, the kids and Maria end up running around Salzburg singing, dancing, climbing trees, and having a blast.

When the Captain comes home and hears about this, he sends Maria away. But then he overhears the children singing a song Maria taught them and he gets all emo and remembers how much music meant to him and his late wife. He asks Maria to stay after hearing the song, telling her she's brought joy back to their house.

And oops, Maria and the Captain are falling for each other, but the Captain is sort of kind of dating this blonde bombshell.

There's a big fuck-off party, and the Captain and Maria dance together.

But, oh, no, Blondie saw them and can clearly tell they're in love. She tells Maria what she's seen and Maria is freaking out cause she's just realized she's in love.

Mentally, my girl Maria is going through a lot. She thinks she’s disappointed God by falling in love when she was supposed to be doing a job. She feels scared by the depth of her feelings and because of all these emotions, she runs away. Back to the Abbey. Back to presumed safety.

Mother Superior figures out what happened real quick and tells Maria that she isn’t wrong for falling in love. She sends her back to the Von Trapps, and it's such a great scene. If you wanna watch, I included a link below.

Maria goes back, and the kids are elated and she and the Captain confess their feelings (and oh my god, don't even get me started on the lyrics to the song they sing to each other while confessing, Something Good).

(I’m unwell.)

So that's the Sound of Music. There's a subplot going on with WW2 and the Captain being pressured to join the Nazi regime (which he is very against). King, we love him.

I pointed out some obvious parallels, but I'd also like to pull some random thoughts together here:

Mother Superior (God) is the one that sends Maria (Aziraphale) to help the Von Trapps (humans) in the first place.

Maria (Aziraphale) extends grace and patience with the children (humans) and refuses to give up on them, even going so far as to disobey their father by letting them fuck around and be kids (going against God's wishes and giving humans the flaming sword).

Mother Superior (God) also sends Maria (Aziraphale) back to the Von Trapps after realizing that Maria (Aziraphale) is in love with the Captain (Crowley).

Here's to hoping we see God telling Azi that loving a demon is chill and he should go back to earth in S3.

Overall, it's incredibly amusing to me that Aziraphale, our Aziraphale, doesn't like The Sound of Music, with the main plot being about a woman who choses love over religious obligations and a man who rejects an authoritarian regime so that he might make his own way in the world.

Maybe Aziraphale recognizes the parallels and is in denial. Or maybe he just prefers Sondheim...

[creativeashproductions]

Shadows of Haven // Luke Castellan

IN WHICH: Reader's been a sleeper agent for Kronos longer than most campers have been at Camp Half-Blood. Patiently waiting for the last piece of the plan it's a pleasant surprise that that piece happens to be the boy who see reader as his haven.

Warnings: Swearing, angst, hatred of the gods, dark!reader, manipulation vibes, Kronos mention, talk of death, and talk of betrayal.

Pairing: Luke Castellan x fem!reader (nicknamed Haven)

Words: 1.1k

A/N: I binge-read all of the PJO books and the Heroes of Olympus books. And the idea of the reader being in cahoots with Kronos and nudging Luke to join Kronos has been festering in my brain since the last episode.

Masterlist

You’d known Camp Half-Blood longer than most of the campers. Call it cruel, but it was a mixture of having no mortal parent and also watching naive, wannabe heroes stupidly dying for the gods. You had no love for the spawns, how they were abandoned by their godly parent and spent their short, meaningless lives trying to make them proud.

It made you sick.

It made you sicker that one of those gods was sentenced to be camp director. Not only did you have to hear about the gods from the demigods, but you also had to breathe the same air as a god.

And you couldn’t speak openly about it with anyone at camp either. No one shared your disgust or your thirst for vengeance. To change things. You want glory, too. But you didn’t want the novelty glory these children wanted. The glory that came with the plan that had been brewing ever since you were found nestled in a bassinet on the stoop of a house that never became your home.

Your skin itched to leave the climate-controlled bubble of Camp Half-Blood and finally put the plan in motion. There was only so much talk of quests and playing Capture the Flag you could take. The plan finally started heating up when you saw the seeds of unrest, hatred, and wrath. It just made it so much better that it happened to be your boyfriend of two years.

The cold October wind bit through your thick jacket. Standing on the edge of the training grounds, your gaze was fixed on the scar marring the skin of Luke’s face. The jagged line was a fading colour from the once brilliant red it had been in July when Luke returned from the quest. 

You kept your voice low, watching Luke’s shoulder heaving from deep breaths, training with his sword. “Luke, I know you’re angry. I know you feel betrayed by the gods.”

The disgust in your tone twisted around the word god like it was a serpent coiling around itself. More apparent than ever, and took Luke by surprise. In the five years he’d known you and the two years he’d been dating you, he’d only ever gotten the feeling you were neutral to the gods.

Luke turned to stare at you, “What-“

“What if I told you there’s a way to make them pay? To make them kneel before humanity?” You spoke with such conviction that it was obvious this wasn’t something half-baked but a real, thought-out strategy.

Luke dropped his sword on the ground, preferring to clench his fists, his eyes flashing with a dangerous light of rage, “What are you suggest, Haven?”

You stepped up in his space, only peering around your surroundings before whispering into his ear, “Join us. Join Kronos. With your wrath, we could finally overthrow the gods and bring a new era. An era where we have real glory, and Kronos can rule as it should be.”

You used Kronos’ name with such familiarity it was like the Titan lord was merely a long-time friend. Luke’s expression of rage faded into a mixture of shock and disbelief. His sweet girlfriend, who played referee between campers and pleaded military neutrality, was in cahoots with the absolute worst Titan, yet Luke wasn’t entirely resistant to the idea.

“You’re serious?” Luke asked, shifting his brown irises between your orbs. Only determination lights up your pretty irises.

“More serious than I’ve ever been. Luke, together, we can change the world. No more being errand runners for a bunch of selfish assholes. No more being entertainment for a bunch of fuckheads pitting us against each. Discarding us when they get bored like death isn’t permanent for us. No more fighting monsters.”

Luke’s attention was caught by the idealist future: “We could have our own home? If we want, we could have a family who won’t have to be scared.”

The wistfulness in his tone made you hide the sadistic smile on your face in the crook of his neck. You knew you made the right choice. You barely had to do anything with all the rage bubbling under Luke’s skin.

As the sun faded beyond the forest, it cast long shadows over the training grounds, and Luke made his decision. He was tired of living a life the gods thought he owed them, tired of the games, the excuses, and the responsibility that bred maturity sooner than a teen should have had.

“Lead the way. I’m with you.” Luke firmly spoke, defiantly smiling, and that same sparkle appeared again in his eye.

“Whoa there, hero.” You breathed firmly, pressing his shoulders to stop him in his tracks. “This is more delicate and important than a five-minute planned prank you and your siblings like to do. It has been in the works far longer than either of us has been alive.”

Luke furrowed his brow, “Then what—“

“You’ll find out more. When he comes, don’t fight it. It’s worse if you do. No one can know about this plan, either, Luke. You’re an important piece, and when it comes to that time…well, we’ll need your role as the camp’s Golden Boy.”

Luke captured your lips in a deep kiss before pulling away, his determination written all over his features. “When do we start?”

“First, Kronos will come into your dreams. Call him lord. Two, we’ll need to get you a weapon that fits you better.” Your nose wrinkled up in distaste at the sword Luke had used since he was fifteen.

Hands intertwined, you led Luke away from the training grounds to the trail leading back to the cabins. You steered away from the main twelve cabins to the smaller one hidden behind Zeus’ and Hera’s cabins. Zeus demanded a cabin to be built, and its location made it obvious why, even if everyone who didn’t know the reason was an idiot. Zeus was a mama’s boy at his core, and he’d protect her. Why else would he allow a cabin behind his own?

Luke hesitated after he saw it in the distance because even he had never been inside. Rumours swirled camp why you had your own cabin, and no one could find out the truth, just like why absolutely no one knew who your mom was. Luke knew your mortal parent was a man because you mentioned you lived at camp. After all, he died years ago.

When your hand touched the doorknob, the cabin door opened, “Welcome to the cabin of Titaness Rhea.”

“Kro—“

“He’s my stepfather. And what better way to overthrow the gods than by using Rhea’s own child.” Luke’s lips parted to match the grin on your features. 

The cabin door slammed shut, sealing you and Luke away from the camp you would soon betray. Plans were in motion, and fuck that so-called Great Prophecy.

[hevthevoidling]

Hello fellow enjoyers of the bird lore,

I have noticed someone mentioning that Vast is significantly more interesting than Virgil in the story and as a person whose two favourite characters happen to be the paranoia birds I will now throw my brainrot about why these two are made more interesting because the other exists at all of you. I am only midly sorry.

There will be spoilers for lore as recent as 28th of July!!!

1. Magic

Now obviously all of the birds are connected to magic as it is what makes them fly, but the paranoia birds are a bit specific.

Vast has seen magic their whole life, worked with it their whole life, but has been kept away from magic actually works by her "family". To the point that they feel the need to ever know until there was an outside force.

In a very similar fashion, Virgil has seen magic his whole life. Studied it and used it, but was kept away by his family. To protect him, to make sure he was safe. It made him all the more curious, all the more burning for answers.

These two have been kept from how magic works for so long and both needed to find it from an outside source as the people around them didn't tell them, because they weren't trusted enough. Vast wasn't trusted to not defect and Virgil wasn't trusted to stay safe. And well, in the end both the Avicane and Pietro had been right in not trusting the two. (No I am not comparing Pietro to the Avicane in their ideals, I'm just saying that both had doubts about how a pranoia bird would handle a situation and they were correct)

2. Family

This brings to my next point. Both Virgil and Vast are siblings to someone, but here they are put on opposite sides. Virgil is the younger one, Vast is the older one. Vast had killed his younger sister and not only would they have killed another younger sibling, Pietro stayed silent about it. The older sibling protecting the younger to the point that everything is made worse.

Also the older sibling not listening to the younger one until it's too late is very much a plot point in both of their stories. They are just once again on the opposite sides of it.

3. Gender

I will only mention this briefly. The fact that Virgil had the time to come to terms with, who he is and be (at least I assume) comfortable with their gender compared to Vast, who has been thrown for a loop and is only starting to learn the messy soup that is gender is very neat to me. Not really as deep of a point as the other ones, but I think it's important nontheless.

4. Paranoia

Well, I do call them the paranoia birds for a reason. Virgil has been paranoid for a while now the peak of which happened around the Virgil POV ep. 10, which I believe mainly based on the fact that tge quotes at the end of the vod are suddenly ciphered. The thing is Vast has been paranoid her whole life and for a good reason, they killed people. One wrong move and she was on the run or worse killed.

Paranoia has been their whole life and in the end also the reason Vast decided to attempt to kill Virgil. I will even go as far as to say that Virgil might have been one of the first spikes of paranoia Vast has had, I believe right after Erin.

Virgil is new to paranoia, at least to the levels, which he has entered now. New to the fact that there has been an attempt at his life. Clutching a switch blade like a lifeline, just as much as Vast used to hold his sword or the crystal after a particulary gruesome mission, I'm sure.

5. Flock

I feel like their flocks are so different yet so similar and it gives me brain worms. Now neither of their flocks are fully just bird, pretty obvious when it comes to Vast and the latest lore. Obviously, Virgil's flock are mainly corvids, standart birds, but I also will say that the dust bunnies are a part of it in my book (yes, it is a hill I will die on), which is what I think is very similar.

So what is the main difference? Well, I am getting more into headcanon territory with this one, but what knowledge do the dust bunnies have? One from the books. And what about the magpies? They have their knowledge from experience.

Virgil and Vast are the difference of book smarts and street smarts. We obviously see this in other characters, like Mojave and Elwood for example where the difference is just as if not more stark. I don't think there is an another duo in which the flocks copy it so well, though.

6. Avianism

Now bare with me, this is the last one I promise.

So especially with us having confirmed that Vast in fact not a born avian there is now another interesting juxtaposition (I hope I am using this big word correctly, I might not be).

Vast is an amazing flyer, confident in the air, great landings the whole lot.

Virgil on the other hand... Not so much. He falls, takes damage, the landings are not super great and he wears the most uncomfortable looking set of boots I have seen in my life (/lh), which make it all the harder.

Vast was taught to be an avian, Virgil just is. Maybe some would call him a bad avian, because he does not fly as well, while calling Vast a very skilled one, but the joke is that she isn't an avian in the first place.

I just think that there's a great potentially for Virgil off-handedly mentioning how bad he is at flying followed up by Vast shooting back with "at least you are one". Because that's another part that came naturally for Virgil and another part of Vast that was supposed to come naturally, but might not anymore.

This is the end of this dumb little essay, if anyone wants to yell about the paranoia birds with me, feel free to! Have a nice day 🖤

[noxx-33i]

MUSIC/ARTIST HCS FOR THE PHIGHTERS

i said id do it and so i will… im also picking these off of vibes alone.. FEEL FREE TO DISCUSS OR ADD MORE!!!!!

Sword

Faye Webster

Her's

Lamp

Kenshi Yonezu

The Vanished People

Rocket

Julie,, please listen to their songs…

Ado!!!!

Radiohead (zuka influenced him)

Clairo. Now. Please hear me out on this guys PLEASEE

Skate

JVB

Freddie Dredd

Machine Girl

ICP

Tyler, The Creator

Boombox (i cant choose 5 guys.)

JVB

No Vacation

Odetari. This is like so obvious,,

Gorilaz,, he would love this band a LOT

NewJeans, HE WOULD FW NEWJEANS BC THEIR SONGS R SUCH MODERN BOPS

9lives

Mac DeMarco for the soft and quiet vibes

Twice is something he would listen to like A LOT AS WELL

Tame Impala, cmon….

Slingshot

JVB

spellcasting

Wallows

D4vd

Nuvfr, he would get this from Boombox bc he introduced one of the songs to him

Hyperlaser

Canonically he used to like metal,,, so im giving him Sleep Token

MEMI (specifically Guitar Pick- please listeb…)

Deftones is so obvious (younger days at least)

LOWKEY. A few Hoizer songs he would like

He would like CAS for the vibes they give off

Ok now im struggling to think

Subspace

Hes just breakcore, the entire genre…

Possibly has some slipknot saved in his playlist

Maretu too… he likes the crazy songs

ok sometimes machine girl too

ong i almost forgot sb femtanyl, it really fits him the modt

Medkit

what do i even give this fucker…

motzart?? 🤨

okay but i think he would like slow jazz as 2nd to classical music

Possibly laufey if we ignore the lyrics…

bro would just search "soft jazz" and hit the play button on any playlist

Katana

????

what what do i do… what do i give this man…

ig hes the type to listen to anything but has no specific taste

canonically. Okay. Ok but what if i just give him spellcasting for fun… what if sling makes him listen to it and he ends up liking it..?? Like.

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Tarot Assignment: Elendira the Crimsonnail

I love her. But who doesn’t? Since we don’t find out much about Elendira, I did my best, but she wasn’t the easiest to find good cards for.

Three of Cups (reversed): This card, when reversed, indicates that we have lost touch with others and have not been connecting well. I’ve made an analysis post a little while back on how Elendira has achieved maximal strength, but also that she has severed all meaningful connections with others in the process. Yes, she chooses to work with Knives and clearly admires his vision, but there is no strong personal bond between them, or between her and anyone else for that matter. The card can also signify gossip and envy, to which I invite you to look at Elendira’s conversation with Wolfwood and her obvious dislike of Legato, hahaha.

Tower: There is, perhaps, no single character in Trigun who is as much a harbinger for destruction as Elendira, barring Legato. She only comes to play when the stakes are high - immediately on the tail end of Vash remembering July with an ominous warning, defending the Ark as the world nearly ends, readying a bomb to finish the job just in case Knives fails. She seems to regard humanity with a similar hopeless disdain to Knives - the Tower suggests that things cannot go on as they are and that something needs to change, and Elendira’s insistence that a world without humanity who “always ruin” things would be best is this sentiment taken to its extreme.

Queen of Swords (reversed): This queen is logical, rational and clear headed, but when reversed, may lean into making some decisions based off of pride or anger, and may also signify a person who has become bitter and resentful. As stated previously, Elendira definitely has bitterness towards humanity, which she masks slightly beneath composure and an air of superior indifference. She’s skilled and powerful, but as Livio and Razlo start to irritate her more and more during their fight, she becomes more outright aggressive and petty instead of haughty, as she was initially. A similar thing can be seen in her annoyance towards Legato.

[thewapolls]

So a weird quirk is that, in April of 1996 the arcade fighter, Soul Edge was first released. In it the enduring franchise long protag Siegfried was introduced, and in the Bad End of his story mode, he is possessed by the malicious supernatural sword, The Soul Edge, and in epilogue becomes the new nightmarish wielder of the cursed blade(s). And in his ending cutscene he is seen in a corrupted suit of armor. That armor is itself a variation on his Player2 alternate skin in the game, and is also a secret playable character that can be unlocked: "Siegfried!"

Then the Original Wild Arms came out December of that same year (1996) and this(↑) is what the villain "Ziekfried" looked like... No big deal, totally dissimilar. But note his neat fleshy spear with the big bulging eye...

So, then in 1998, Soul Calibur debuted Nightmare's first official design as a distinct character. I feel like the obvious angle was that he was supposed to be wearing black armor, but the metalic sheen and associated artwork kinda gave the impression it was blue, notable because later redesigns would lean into the blue armor much more explicitly.

Like in Soul Calibur II in July of 2002...

But in Wild Arms 3, which came out in March 2002, "Ziekfried" returns with this new redesign. And like????

So, in the same year the initial Soul Edge featured a grotesque fusion of flesh and metal but no eye at all; and a variation on Siegfried with red corrupted armor and the GramZamber was introduced in Wild Arms, with a similar gruesome bio-metal look, and a broad blade and singular eye; and Ziekfried here has blue armor with a sweeping backwards crest/horn.

And a few years later we get Nightmare with a forward horn on his helmet, a giant claw hand, and the first instance of the Soul Edge with a big honkin' eyeball, just like Ziek's GramZamber.

Another couple years and once again, in the same year, we get both new Nightmare with now distinctly blue armor, and Ziekfriend[sic] returns with a new forward facing horn helmet, a big claw arm, and an admittedly less organic looking GramZamber.

I don't actually have a point I'm getting at here. I went to dig up some details and quickly found that the things I thought would sort of slide into place as I went, didn't. A lot of things got misremembered in my head, and I sort of assumed the original Soul Edge had the eye. I assumed original Nightmare had more obviously blue armor. I thought a few of these games came out in different years than they did, and in a different order... So, is there a link between these two characters? It doesn't appear to be the case. But, like, at a glance it feels like there should've been something there, right?

They do of course both reference the Siegfried/Sigurd of the real world Volsung Saga. But its not like he had blue armor, a helmet with a big horn, or a blade with an eyeball on it, so it isn't as if that shared reference accounts for anything ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[wanou-dorm]

RSA OC - Marcus Akihoshi 

Note- I apologized for the use of AI Art , but I thought the Pictures looked cool  and Accurate to how I imagine him 

And are Placeholder for when I actually Draw it but I really need to take time to Do stuff with the. Ones I have and Finish up stuff

@/fumikomiyasaki- Characters mentioned

@nyxs-sins- Template

School: Royal Sword Academy 

Genmu( Touhou based Dorm)

Full Name: Marcus Akihoshi

Twisted from - Marisa Kirisame from Touhou

Grade/Class:2-A

Birthday: July 7 

Age:18

Height: 180 cm/ 5’10

Dominant Hand: Right

Homeland: The Shaftland/Onigashima 

Club: unknown 

Best Subject: Magic Objects and History 

Hobbies: Science, Potion making, Magic  , Anime , Stealing form Night Ravens Library , Broom Riding

Pet Peeves:  people taking his hat or Mini Hakkero , People Making fun of him , Bringing up how Smart he Actually is

Favorite Food: … Mushrooms , Spicy Food

Least Favorite Food:  Cold Food

Talent:potion making , Science Experiment , Intelligence , borrowing (Stealing) Books from NRC’s library , 

Unique Magic -  Magic Absorber -

 Marcus can absorb the Magic of Anyone if Hit by a Spell basically. Nullifying it , it’s usally Absorbed inside The Mini Hakkero  he Carries around to avoid Accumulating  blot inside himself. Which can he can   use  For His Ultimate Move the Master Spark 

———

Character Summary (Backstory)

Vice Dorm leader of Genmu and Shus childhood Friend , Marcus is the only boy with an Actaul Family though they Moved to Onigashima Due to money trouble and Started a Magic Items Shop .

Marcus is actually a pretty average Magician , His Recommendation to RSA due his Immense knowledge on magic Items and Potion .

Unlike Reiji , Marcus is more Rowdy , Gutsy and Rambunctious   When Leads a lot of NRC and Even HSA students To Look down  on his Actual Intelligence which Catches Many off guard when Marcus Says Stuff that actually Right , it’s quite obvious that Marcus Humbles himself.  

 According to Hiei  the most Hard working person in ,town  despite his Tendencies to borrow (Steal) stuff from NRC’s Library and Tell Blatant Lies (Though  he doesn’t put any Effort deceiving people with them )  he’s been seen  helping the Residents  of Sage Island and   Students of HSA and NRC .

He Generally Friendly and chill dude with Danger Streak 

Trivia 

He Specializes In Star and Heat  based Magic

His Cosmic Magic looks Like Stars

He has a bad Hoarding Habit , due his like for Collecting thing

Hoshi Described him to Flynn as “ Greg if  he was actually smart. “ 

Marcus is said like to flirt , though he. Dosent really think it’s Flirting when you Just Give Girl a Flower  you found off the Ground. People  Really make him out to be a Man getting guys and Girl  like Wildfire - This in Reference to how much People Ship Marisa. In the Touhou Fandom 

Hiei Remarks that Marcus can fault in your Fighting Style  and Use it against you .. This also how he Got the Reputation as A flirt and tease 

Marcus dose not like Barry , What do ya mean ya don’t like Reiji. 

 Marcus is very Resistant to Poison due to Secret train

Despite looking like a Beanpole he is Stronger that he appears , He Was seen Carry two Whole Compture the Montior and The Computer it’s self. These were rather old computers by the  way .

He’s Seen with Jade and Kurama Foraging for Mushrooms  for Potion(Which are very Dangerous )

Such a good Broom Rider it Make  Vargas Cry

Hes been Trying to Figures  the Identity of these Phantom thieves. He keeps hearing about 

Shu says Marcus ‘s Magic is Very Flashy and Space inspired 

Don’t touch the Hat

Voice Claim

Scaramouche Scaramouche will you do Fandango !

Theme Song 

Magus Night

Love Colored Master Spark

[ellas-journey]

The Demon Slayer Timeline Part. 02

                      [Again Lots of Spoilers for obvious reasons]    Now we know that Urokodaki was active at the Edo Period [c. 1603-1868]. That does not say much since that is a 200-year era but let us resume that. 

   Japan would enter isolation, meaning there was no contact with the outside forces (well almost none) and people were forbidden to leave or enter the country- the famous Sakoku. The Shogunate would also start the bakuhan, meaning the tight control of the land.  The shogun would be switching the number of domains like they were pieces of a Go game. He also created a new code that commanded all the samurai, where he would tell the samurai to live frugally, wear appropriate clothing, continue they military training and not go crazy with entertainment (poor thing did not now that the last one did not serve for much). Lords would need the Shogun approval to marry. The "great barbarian-suppressing supreme general" (and if you read danmeis would think that those titles were an exaggeration) would keep Japan safe from the foreign, and the best way, was by isolating it.    With Japan locked into himself, and the government controlling everything and everyone, there were no more wars, and the samurai class turned into a warrior class just in name, staring to have his status as a hereditary one. They turned into clerks, night watchers, security guards, but extremely overdressed ones. On the other hand, we going to observe the rise of merchants and artisans. Even tho the samurai class still looked with bad eyes to these classes, they would be the ones that would create the new culture that the samurai would consume (and spoiler alert, they would become come rich than then).    Kabuki theatre would be born, shinju dramas (suicide dramas of course they would), the red-light districts were courtesans and actors would be the ones dictating fashions, mass publishing of books and art printing with the ukiyo-e, the shunga (erotic painting). All of this was a culture that was born during the times were Japan as closed over himself but still had its dramas that where sweep under the rug by the government. 

   Now just like with the Edo we must do a really quick rundown about the Meiji Era to understand the Taisho one. The Meiji Era [1868-1912] was the things that the Japanese knew started to change. After almost two centuries of peace, the Americans decided to knock on Japanese borders, and then them to open them with two options: yes or yes. Commodore Matthew Perry dropped anchor on July 1853. The Dutch that lived on Daneshima, the artificial island in Nagasaki warned the Shogun that the Americans would be returning some Japanese runways and look for some goods. The Shogun did not care. Perry was sent was sent way. Perry returned in February 1854 with even more less friendly terms -  they would start fire if they did not open the borders. He was then guaranteed the “Treaty of Kanagawa”.    “But all was no well. There was no way to put a healthy spin on the Shogun’s surrender to these terms. He failed his duties. There were already bellicose samurai domains who thought they could do a better job” Clements,2018. War started in January 1868 were rebels seized the imperial palace in Kyoto proclaiming that the power of the Meiji Emperor “has been restored”. More battles broke out after that, but surprisingly without much violence (amazing I know). “Modernization was now the keyword, starting with the moving of the capital from Kyoto to Edo, the city that had been the de facto center from 200 years; The emperor’s new home, where he took up residence in the departed shogun’s castle, was soon given a new name: the East capital, Tokyo” – Clements,2018. Most of the old daimyos were rebranded with a new set of European-like noble titles creating the “kazoku” or “glorious houses”.    The samurai, even if they fought for the restoration or against it, received a payment cut of 50%, and in 1871 they were freed from using their swords. They could chose wearing their swords or not as it was a matter of fashion. But in 1876 this preference turned to a ban. They were forbidden to wear swords, every-piece of the samurai status was being destroyed.    Once again, the keyword of the Meiji period was modernization but in a specific kind: westernization. Only learning the western way could the Japanese beat them. So, we going to see this quick change in which Japan leaves it's Edo characteristics to become like their European counterparts. Which would also mean that they would learn the not so good stuff. Yes I'm talking about imperialism. It will start with the Ainu and Ryukyu kingdoms to then turn to the continental lands. I will not go into detail into the various (VARIOUS) wars during this time, but the rising sun symbology, that is present on Tanjiro's earrings was not a good thing for non-Japanese. While in Tanjiro's case the earing might symbolise, the sun breathing and Amaterasu, during this time it was the flag of Japanese imperialism.

   Now back go Tanjiro’s Timeline aka Taisho Era [1912-1926]. Ah the Taisho era, the less problematic of the three Imperial eras. [ Spoiler alert: It is still problematic, but we are not here to talk about Japanese imperialism]. After fighting in World War I (in the good side for once) the West is going to evaluate Japan (and they ask why Japan acted the way it did). They realize that it is a well-developed country, but the government had its issues, mainly because new ideas and sects were being born so the Taisho emperor had to find a solution that is reflected in the election of various political parties for the government, that did not go so much as planed.    In 1921 Japan wanted to prove that it was not an aggressive country [AHAHAHAHAHAHA] and will agree with Washington that would maintain the Status Quo of the empire. There was this reduction of the military that would only end up with the older generation teaching the newer generation bigger hate speeches. But the Taisho emperor would die 5 years later, and his son Hirohito was not having all of his dad's bullshit. So, he will again give power to the military and that would start the Manchuria incident at 1931 what would be the beginning of a snowfall of incidents that would culminate in 1945. (So yes it is possible that the trio lived through the WW2).    Now at least we now that all of our favorite character had a chance to be reborn in our timeline, so it all goes well in the end, right?

Bibliography:   CHAPLIN, Danny. 2018- Sengoku Jidai: Nobunaga, Hideyoshi and Ieyasu: the three unifiers of Japan. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Ebook;   CLEMENTS, Jonathan. 2017 - A Brief History of Japan:  Samurai, Shogun and Zen. The extraordinary story of the land of the rising sun. Clarendon: Tuttle Publishing.Ebook;   HILLSBOROUGH, Romulus. 2017 - Samurai Assassins: "Dark Murder" and the Meiji restoration, 1853-1868. Jefferson: McFarland & Company. Ebook;   MANSON, R.H.P ; CAIGER, J.G. 1997 - A History of Japan. Clarendon: Tuttle Publishing, 1997. Ebook;

[supergalaxysam]

No Streams?

I'm sure those who are avid viewers of my twitch streams have noticed an obvious lack of streaming recently, here's why:

I've been quite busy this past June and July, resulting in myself not finding the time to stream as I've been needing to invest my energy into trying to sort out my life--Reorganize my living/workspaces, grind *tons* of work shifts to try digging myself out of my self-made financial pit and begin financial recovery, build up a credit score, research homeownership.....the list goes on.

I now officially have 2 jobs, with one only being active during the school year. I'm not sure how I'll juggle the two yet, as the one I'm working this summer is quite new and I'm still getting accustomed to everything that goes along with it.

I'm also not used to having a more stable income, the last time I had one where my pay is either very frequent and/or the paycheck is decently sized was back before the pandemic. Prior to picking up this second job, I only had my first one which pays me around 400USD bi-weekly, resulting in an underwhelming 800USD monthly budget or less.

The new job's scheduling is flexible, but its flexibility is a double edged sword, as it means shifts aren't guaranteed and are a "first come, first served" situation. The stability comes from the ability to opt to obtain your shift's pay early via Dailypay, which is great for someone like myself whose checkings and savings accounts have gone in the negatives before.

It's not perfect nor is it good to rely on Dailypay as a crutch, but least I can feed myself using it until I'm more financially stable and can wait on getting paid through regular paychecks. I do have EBT (food stamps) but I personally find them unreliable. CalFresh (state food stamps program) has screwed me over more than helped me.

I sadly don't have much in the bank, but it might finally begin to be getting better. I still sometimes financially relapse as my mental health had gotten awful since 2022 and resulted in developing bad financial habits.

I'm very lucky this new 2nd job is very easy, save for needing to drive everywhere and sacrificing sleep for staying up for long overnight shifts. It's also very isolating and lonely work, but it's very mellow and quiet, and I don't have to deal with much sensory stimuli--It's one of the few jobs I've worked that are excellent for my AuHD (Autism+ADHD). I can't work many jobs due to my AuHD and physical disabilities.

It does pay slightly better than the Californian minimum wage, but it's nothing special. It provides myself a start in financial recovery, but the path to recovery is turning out to be far harder than I thought. If I can reach 50USD in each account, and keep the two 50s intact for two weeks, I'll consider that to be a major victory.

__________________________________________________________

As for housing, I've been trying to research homes and homeownership lately. Technically, this has been a thing for a while, but I do have a deadline in mind of when I want to move away from family. I aim to live on my own by 2027, though ideally I think earlier is better for my own self-growth and mental health.

The process has been very scary and daunting, especially after taking my first steps towards homeownership in spring by forming connections with a real estate agent, and visiting vacant properties (strictly vacant undeveloped land) on my own. It's led to myself visiting all sorts of places I normally don't visit, do research on cities and towns I've never heard of until my research, and consuming a lot of media regarding real estate.

My original plan was to purchase vacant land to build a home on, but that may change. I also have to accept that I don't have much control over where I can choose to live thanks to my low income.

In my case, that likely means having to choose to live out in one of the desert cities or towns of California and research if it's more cost effective to own a motorcycle as I'll need to commute to work.

__________________________________________________________

Simply put, I'm out of my comfort zone.

My summer can be summarized as the following:

I'll try to return to streaming mid-July if I can work out a doable life-work schedule without causing myself to keep spending excessive money. I want to stream again, but please understand I'm an adult trying to improve myself and my life right now, so that currently takes priority.

[alyjojo]

Family Ties 🤍 - July 2023 - Cancer

Overall energy: The Lovers

There’s likely a narcissistic asshole in the family, or that’s the collective opinion, clarification is nodding towards a grandparent, since both areas have 3 Swords involved. Cheating is the story I’m getting here, and a lot of heartbreak surrounding that, it’s been a heavy burden on the entire family and the connection has probably since been severed with that particular person - because Death follows them. But I don’t think that happened immediately, there was a time where everyone was trying to play nice and just dance around this person’s issues for the sake of peace, and having family around. At some point, boundaries had to be drawn. Or it’s possible they’ve already passed on. I’m getting there could be something karmic with them and someone else in the family too, a soul tie of some kind, it’s like it’s unconscious but also…eerily similar.

Mother: 7 Swords & 4 Pentacles

Mom could be the reason everyone put up with the drama person in the family. She is a peacekeeper, probably a bit of a doormat to be honest, a person that would rather play nice and avoid directly confronting issues. A lot of people are like that. She protects her peace overall, and is very patient with everyone’s problems, she is very much an “I love them anyway”, unconditionally loving sort of person. It’s a wonderful thing, and painful for her surely because she’s probably been taken advantage of on several occasions. She puts people before herself, though she has learned to protect herself as best as she can. She is guarded, avoidant, probably also keeps secrets and acts kinda shady, but in a way that’s like “I won’t tell Dad” so you won’t get in trouble. Passive aggressive would explain how she handles things, not at all a confrontational sort of person. Preserving peace at all costs is the goal, she just wants everyone to get along.

Father: 8 Wands & Ace of Wands

Ah. Dad could be this person, or they are the ones with a karmic tie to a parent that’s done the same thing. Could also be Mom with a parent and partner that are similar, what a hard lesson if so. Dad is an impulsive, exciting, very passionate sort of person, they follow where their *ahem* leads them in terms of romance. Or have before. They too have pulled The Lovers. I’m not sure if they cheated on Mom, or with Mom, it could be either side, because I’m not seeing obvious heartbreak with either. But siblings…it’s more obvious, so Dad could have more than one baby mama here, and the pain would lie with the initial family. He is unbothered with it, whoever The Lover was/is, he both loved and was passionate about, all clarifications show him as knowing what he wants and moving towards it, that’s that. He may like to talk a lot, be social, or get really passionate and animated when he’s excited about something. I don’t get asshole vibes like the initial story, so again maybe the story is very similar to their own parent, but they’re not exactly the same.

Siblings: 9 Wands & 6 Swords

Siblings have the pain, you could be the baby of your family, and with a split family like this, it has its own set of challenges where the hurt of the siblings may be projected onto you…not that it’s your fault whatsoever. It’s a very deep wound for them that Dad left, The Tower, they were shocked and never saw this coming. They were shocked how fast everything was replaced, with your Mom, maybe you too, it’s like their entire world changed in the blink of an eye. They’re very nostalgic about the life they had with their parents before this. All of this is normal really. 6 Swords, The Star & The Fool could show them having a prominent Aquarius placement, which would also show them probably being kind of distant with the family in general, because that’s how they typically are, if that sign applies, or this is just how I’m being shown their energy. They may have literally moved a distance away. This does also indicate they have healed from this, or started healing when they moved away from this, removing themselves from this situation was the best thing for them to do. They could be chasing a personal dream of theirs, using this experience as a kind of inspiration for them.

Grandparents: 3 Swords & 7 Pentacles rev

They have a very similar story to your parents but from the opposite side. One grandparent was left, and your father did the leaving, but both had Lovers. This is the main conflict of the family, there could be very little contact with one grandparent, who may have cut off your father and your whole family due to a personal wound and it all being too similar for them to bear it. A lack of respect mostly, it goes against her personal morals…she doesn’t care how he feels, unfortunately. She may be very self-righteous, though one can sympathize, she wields her pain as a weapon of Justice, in her mind. She’s deeply conditioned to hate Mom, not because of anything to do with Mom. That’s the only grandparent coming through here. I don’t know which one is more narcissistic in nature, it could be her that has that issue. But more likely, her ex husband.

Spiritual Ancestors: 4 Wands & 2 Swords rev

You could be largely unconscious to the deeper heartbreak, traumas, triggers, and motivations in your family. You’re just like “what is everyone’s problem??” Again I get “the baby” vibe from you. You were not present when the book of PAIN was written! And everyone said it’s not your business (or problem, and it’s not 💯) Your ancestors are saying now that you’re kinda clued into some of these things, now you understand some of the sadness or regret on some level, that may have confused you for some time…you should reunite with your father, or forgive him, depending on your experience of course. King of Wands is how he comes out, makes sense because he has a lot of fire energy in what I got from him. The love he has for (I assume) Mom, and you, is genuine. He’s someone that follows his passions and is overall a joy to be around from what I can see. He doesn’t subscribe to everyone else’s issues, which may be perceived as selfish, but that’s kinda fire too. He can’t stay down for too long, he wants to be happy and other people need to see that & find their own happiness too - in his mind. Knowing this, you can feel more secure in developing a deeper connection with him and celebrating him as a person. Other people may be mad, but you don’t have to be, in some way he did it all for you or so he could have you ❤️

If not Dad, could be Grandpa, as the counterpart to the Queen of Wands on the grandparents’ side. If he’s still around, this could be showing it’s okay to reunite with him too, and that would be a very good thing. Or…maybe just form your own opinion. This may also be him celebrating his story being told in an impartial way for once, and he’s not the monster he’s portrayed as. If he’s passed on, he could simply be apologizing for the “three” situation, but still confirming he was happy.

Oracle:

Truth

An honest desire to know and speak the truth produces beneficial results.

Recycle

Learn from the past and apply it to creating your vision of the future.

[huttrust]

When does fable 4 come out

When does fable 4 come out plus#

The Sword of Aeons' appearance in this trailer is an obvious signifier that they're rebooting the franchise in the model of the first game. In that period magical heroes still roamed the land and attended heroes guilds, whereas by the time-period of the 2nd game, Albion has been somewhat modernized and magic is far rarer. It's symbolic of the more divine and fantastical nature of the first game. If you didn't play Fable 1, this is basically the mightiest sword in the realm, and it was bloodforged long before the Old Kingdom. And our main reasoning for this is based on the sword you first see: This is the Sword of Aeons from Fable 1, which suggests we're returning to that older time-period, and that Albion. We're actually thinking that it's more likely we return to the mythical times of the 1st game rather than the second. The city in the background and the surrounding landscape effectively confirm that we're getting an Albion set around the Fable 2 period at the very latest. And our reasoning for this comes from the reveal trailer, which seems to give away the setting of Fable 4. Our money is on an RPG reboot in the style of the first game that takes place after the rise of Jake of Blades but before the events of the second game. Although stranger projects have been commissioned, so it’s possible. It wouldn't suit the franchise, and it would seem like a stretch for the developers. But his claim that it will be an MMO is honestly quite unlikely. This was tweeted before the reveal, and so we're quite sure that this leaker has some inside knowledge. Rough translation: "A game in the world of FABLE. Mais en MMO (desole, pas FABLE 4).- Crono Trigger July 23, 2020

When does fable 4 come out plus#

Here's that leak:Įt pour le plus grand bonheur de : un jeu dans l'univers de FABLE. Will Fable 4 be an RPG or an MMO?Īlthough it will likely be an RPG, one leaker claimed that the game from Playground Games will be an MMO. There's a very small chance that the game is released in 2022, but we don't want anyone to get too excited ahead of time. 2023 is also most likely, given that the reveal took place in mid 2020. Fable wouldn't compete with the big multiplayer releases that we expect each year in the fall, so a spring or summer release make the most sense. Fable 4 will most likely be released in early 2023, but it could be delayed into the late summer of 2023.

[sinumaki]

BIRTHDAY

note. its my bday. i dont like my bday. i do love eddie. this is v self indulgent so yes i did put my bday in. it is also the first full thing ive written in months. 

feat. eddie munson x fem!reader

warnings. self-indulgent. like very. THIS IS SO BADLY WRITTEN ITS EMBARRASSING. please remember i havent written in months thank u

☆ MASTERLIST

You can hear the poor attempts of your friends "whispering" outside your door, trying not to let out a groan as they all giggle amongst themselves. The calendar hanging on your wall mocks you as you stare at the date circled in red. 

July 16th. 

Your birthday. A day you - unlike others - did not enjoy. 

The door creaks open slowly, as they try to invade your room much too early in the morning. A whispered countdown of '3, 2, 1' before a chorus of cheers and 'Happy Birthdays!' are yelled. You try to give them a smile - you really do - but it's 9:43 AM and you hate your birthday and your bedhead has to be hideous right now. Eddie settles down next to you immediately, a grin on his face that doesn't falter even slightly.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart." He whispers gently, pressing a peck to your cheek. Well, this isn't the worst. Dustin interrupts the moment immediately, holding a poorly wrapped box in his hands - the proud gleam in his eyes as he urges you to take it makes you think he may have personalised this gift himself. You pull him in for a hug, and then continue to do so for the rest (Nancy's gift excites you a little more than the others, knowing whatevers under the pastel pink wrapping paper is thoughtful to you.)

"Alright, alright!" Eddie jumps up, beginning to push the others out of your room as they complain, "It's my girlfriend's birthday and therefore up to me to make her day - so shoo!" He has to give Dustin and Lucas one last hard shove before slamming the door dramatically, theatrically wiping his hands on his jacket - a new jacket it seems. 

"Hi, honey." You say, morning voice obvious. 

"Hi to you too, beautiful." Eddie seats himself down once more, pushing aside the gifts now littered amongst your bed as you jump into his arms. "You ready for the best birthday you've ever had?" You nod stiffly - knowing as long as you're with Eddie, you won't ever really have a bad day. Even on your detested birthday. "'Cmon baby, that's not nearly enthusiastic enough." 

"Sorry, Eds." You nuzzle into his neck, mumbling, "I don't really like my birthday, y'know?" He nods. 

"Then, don't think of today as your birthday. Think of it as… as us having an insanely fancy date on this particular day for no reason!" 

"So, you're taking me on an 'insanely fancy date' today?" Eddie freezes, mumbling a string of 'fuck' and 'shit' under his breath. You laugh, watching him fumble as you instead busy yourself with playing with his jacket. "This for me too?" You ask.

"Yeah - I didn't think my Black Sabbath tees would be the most appropriate look for En-" He stops himself, jokingly pushing you back down as he hops up, "Stop! No more making me spoil our date today!" 

"I'm not making you!" You giggle once more, pulling yourself up. "So, I should wear something appropriate for Enzo's, right?" 

"Are you fucking-" 

— 

Walking hand-in-hand with Eddie along the dark streets of Hawkins with his jacket over your shoulders is enough to make you positively swoon, and you quite literally have to force yourself to keep from giggling like a schoolgirl. Eddie had postively been the best gentleman all night long (Apart from the breadstick sword fight he initiated, but that's up to interpretation), and when he had asked for a combined bill at the end of dinner, his eagerness to sell to just about anything that walked in the last few weeks made sense - and it only made your heart flutter some more to know how long he had been planning leading up to your birthday. 

Speaking of which - this may be the last birthday you can remember not hating. 

"So," Eddie begins, obviously nervous despite the smirk he sports, "You have fun today?" You snort.

"Firstly, you sound like a dad." His comments of 'Well, I'd be a great one,' die down as you continue, "But yes, I did." Eddie smiles, genuinely. A soft smile that makes his eyelids crinkle and accentuates those pretty brown eyes. "Thank you." You whisper into the howling wind of the night, but he hears you anyway. He always does. 

You pretend not to see your mother peeking at you and Eddie through the window as you reach home - slightly (extremely) disappointed at how short the walk felt. It's quiet between the two of you, no words are really needed anyway when Eddie intertwines your fingers, pulling you in by the waist for a kiss - or 5. A breathless "I love you" comes from him in between every kiss, and you want to laugh because you should be saying it. 

"Eddie - My mum's definitely watching." He sighs, unable to resist going in for just one more kiss. 

"I know you don't like your birthday, but I couldn't resist getting you a present," You groan, but he cuts you off, "Nothing expensive or grand like Enzo's! Swear! Just… Just ask your mum for 'Eddie's present' when you get inside, alright?" You raise an eyebrow, but agree anyway, and with one last, last, kiss, your Romeo is off. 

"Mum?" You ask into the house, knowing she can't have run off far from her creeping at the window. 

"Welcome home - how did your date go?" She asks, and you roll your eyes with a snort.

"Clearly well, as you saw." She waves you off. "Uhm, Eddie said he had a gift for me." She points to the fridge, and you see a smile tug at her lips. 

Eddie's gift is front and center as soon as you open the fridge - a pretty pink cake with sprinkles thrown onto the terribly spread icing. Eddie's appalling handwriting is somehow even more illegible in the black icing on top.

Happy birthday, love.

© sinumaki 2022 — do not repost, plagiarise or translate my writing. i will beat the shit out of u.

[fanfic-corner]

Destiel

It’s my birthday tomorrow, and to celebrate, I’ve compiled a list of my favourite fics! I’ve read a lot of Destiel fics over the past year, but these are the ones that have stuck with me the most. I’ve not put as much detail in as I usually do because otherwise we would be here forever, but I am begging you to read these fics. They’re all amazing.

Kiss You When It’s Dangerous by zoemathemata (@zoemathemata) on AO3. (57,593 words).

It’s adorable. The plot is fabulous. It’s my all time favourite fic. Please, I am begging you, just read it.

Stand By Me by whelvenwings (@whelvenwings) on AO3. (31,252 words).

The first Destiel fic I ever read, and it’s managed to stay with me this whole time.

Angel’s Wild by LimonadeGaby and riseoftefallenone on AO3. (389,271 words).

The pining is unbearable but it’s all worth it in the end. The ultimate slow burn.

The Tea is Decaf by mnwood (@tomhardysteeth) on AO3. (3,673 words).

Cas is adorable. Eileen is adorable. Everyone is adorable.

a turn of the earth by microcomets on AO3. (95,274 words).

Of course I’ll rec the ultimate John Winchester bashing fic. The plot is so amazing and it is written excellently.

the inexhaustible silence of houses by Askance on AO3. (31,820 words).

This was beautifully written, made me cry, and the ending haunts me to this day.

Forget-Me-Not Blues by noangelsinthegarrison (@aaziraphales) on AO3. (68,689 words).

Jesus Christ, I have not read another fic where these two are such blatant idiots. That being said... I love it. Everything about it is amazing.

the cost of a thing by quiettewandering (@wanderingcas) on AO3. (74,198 words).

So cute! All the angst! My all time favourite trope and absolutely the best take on it!

In All Your Borrowed Finery by vanishingact (@vanishingactblog) on AO3. (67,950 words).

Okay this is adorable and you can’t convince me otherwise. Every time I read a fic with Gabriel in, I miss him just a bit more.

Down Like Water by museaway (@museaway) on AO3. (14,512 words).

I reread this occasionally just to feel something. I literally had to check if I misread the tags like 3 times and I cry every. single. time.

Partnered by K_K_TiBal (@thebloggerbloggerfun) on AO3. (28,112 words).

This is so fucking cute. The artwork is gorgeous. And, now I ship Jody and Donna. All round win.

Black Swans by omphalos and Wolfling on AO3. (66,455 words).

Okay so maybe this is more Sabriel than Destiel, but it was written amazingly and the plot was phenomenal!

this is a good thing, dean (prayer is a sign of faith) by cascountsdeansfreckles on AO3. (529 words).

The one time Cas can’t hear his prayers... I had to include a 15x18 fic in here somewhere, and this one set me off.

Purgatory, director’s cut by runsinthefamily on AO3. (23,722 words).

This was beautiful. It felt hypnotic, almost like poetry, and I absolutely cried at the end.

The House on the Ocean Road by coffeeandcas (@coffeeandcas) on AO3. (111,351 words).

This was gorgeous! Dean and Cas as parents was adorable, and Jimmy was such a fucking icon I don’t even know where to start. Also, not the weirdest past Cas ship I’ve ever seen (but it’s up there).

Broadway Musical by Griftings on AO3. (12,453 words).

The King and Queen of the crack fics. I adore the ‘did you fuck the Michael sword’ vibes and the formatting just makes everything so much funnier.

How Many Slams In An Old Screen Door [podfic] by Tenoko1 (@tenoko1) on AO3. (1hr 50mins).

Before we were shoved back into lockdown, I used to listen to podfics on the way to/from school, and this has to be my all time favourite so far. The asexual representation was fantastic, the plot was hilarious, and (as always) it was read beautifully.

When Charlie Met Cas by riseofthefallenone on AO3. (24,666 words).

This has to be thee funniest fic ever written. I don’t make the rules.

Boneless Wings by PallasPerilous (@pallasperilous) on AO3. (4,333 words).

The art is gorgeous (I’d literally just finished watching Pan’s Labyrinth which was terrifying) and it was such a brilliant parody of all the other wing fics out there (not that I don’t love them too!)

Grace by july_19th_club (@july-19th-club) on AO3. (5,164 words).

This was gorgeous and now I really want to see it filmed! It is so much better than the ending we got. I would say the author should work for them, but... frankly, they deserve better.

It Started With a Fanfic Competition by Tenoko1 (@tenoko1) on AO3. (124,487 words).

This was written beautifully. It was so wholesome, not afraid to call the characters out on their usual bullshit, and has genuinely more character development than the entire 15 year long show.

Serendipity by whelvenwings (@whelvenwings) on AO3. (23,891 words).

I absolutely adored every character in this (and thoroughly enjoyed guessing who was going to show up next!) and the plot was fabulous!

The Mute!Cas ‘verse by Princess_Aleera on AO3. (148,656 words).

Oh man. I wasn’t sure at first, but this is now maybe my favourite universe out there. The fluff was unbelievably fluffy, the angst was quality pain, and that’s without mentioning the fact the end had me ugly sobbing. On Christmas Eve.

When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth by Mishafied on AO3. (68,926 words).

Oh my lord, what about this isn’t amazing? The casting was fabulous, the amount of research was obvious and really paid off, and I mean... Jurassic Park AU! It made me desperate to rewatch the films, too.

The Passion of the Christ (and his angelic ex-boyfriend) by Bzzee (@clarafordahwin) on AO3. (4,972 words).

I am going straight to Hell, and it is because of this fic right here. That being said, this is top quality crack and I’ve sent it to everyone I know just for the trip (two of them had never watched SPN. One asked me if Jesus was actually in it).

You Can Keep Holding On by NorthernSparrow on AO3. (352,388 words).

I won’t spoil it, but one of the best plot twists of all time! The exploration of Dean & Cas’ relationship, the detail put into the lore, the foreshadowing... amazing.

Apres by imogenbynight (@imogenbynight) on AO3. (24,045 words).

This was so adorable - Cas and Dean deserved a holiday in France!

I hope you enjoyed them! I’ve really been struck - especially over quarantine - with appreciation for all the writers out there who are giving us this professional quality content for free. I genuinely don’t know what I’d do without you, which is why I’ve done my best to hunt you down and tag you so you can take my love! There are a hundred other fics that I could have included on here as well, or ones that I’ve read since making this list. Thank you all so much for giving us these wonderful stories!

[itsuki-minamy]

PROFILE: HABARI JIN

Translation: Naru-kun Raws: Ridia

Real name: Habari Jin

Terms of address: Habari, Blue King

[PROFILE]

Birthday: February 1, Aquarius

Blood type: O Rh-

Age: 25 (When he died.)

[APPEARANCE]

Physique: 1.82 cm in height. Slim and well balanced, tall.

Face, hair: Smart and elegant. A cold, shadow less smile. His hairstyle is long hair.

Attire: Old Scepter 4 uniform.

Personal effects: Exclusive saber.

[HABITS, SKILLS]

· As "Blue King", he has the power to "control" everything.

· Fighting power as an individual is also top-notch. He fights using his own skill and his skill with the sword.

[IMPRESSION, OTHER NOTES]

· The image color is "blue".

· One of the youngest "kings" at the time of the "Kagutsu" incident. He works for social stability.

· "Red King" Both he and others have recognized that they are antagonists of the revelation of Miwa Ichigen.

· An ordinary person has an indecipherable side, but he is a positive person with no side hidden behind.

· In later years, it was said that his appearance was "like Reisi Munakata's", and that he may have the same qualities as "Blue King". However, there is a definite difference in whether or not there are points that make you feel "intimidating" or "inside out" in terms of personality.

[POSITION, OBJECTIVES]

Fourth King, Blue King. The head of the old generation "Scepter 4" security organization against the Strains.

At that time, "Scepter 4" had a strong personality as a secret organization under Kokujoji and, on a daily basis, it was never publicly named as the "Family Registration Division of the Tokyo Legal Affairs Office, Scepter 4 Branch" as a cover.

This position is the position that Habari himself desired for his ideal "social stability", and neither he nor Kokujoji have a sense of "hierarchical relationship." It is just an "alliance" between the "kings".

[PERSONALITY, CONDUCT]

A guy who excels at momentary judgment and intuitively moves things forward. To put it wrong, everything happens, but it is rare for him to make a mistake. The ultimate weapon is "speed of action" based on "infallible swift judgment" both as an individual and as an organization.

This "judgment" may be something that should be called a fateful prediction that goes beyond mere logical thinking and boasts divine precision, but for matters involving powerful Strains and kings. Sometimes, there were times when he couldn't read. However, even if there was an error in the judgment, the recovery of the situation derived from it was sufficiently possible and no significant damage was caused.

Hawari himself discovers that there is a section where it is interesting to him that he is in a situation where he cannot read, because he can read ahead of everything.

[FATE, ENDING]

As a result of considering "how to use my powerful and special ability for society", we naturally came to the conclusion of "stabilizing Kokujoji's system".

However, "security activities against people with powers" as a way to fully utilize one's existence eventually led to a confrontation with the "King of Destruction", Genji Kagutsu. The trigger may be the irony of fate.

[ABILITIES, TACTICS]

A mighty power like a "king". He has the property of "controlling" everything.

He's basically the same talent as Reisi Munakata, who was later the Blue King, but Munakata used the power in complicated ways like "taking apart and rebuilding objects", while Habari says "It's often used in more direct ways, like "barriers"and "shear reinforcement"." This is due to the tendency of Habari's personality to give importance to the "physical and intuitive".

Also, in organizational management, it is rare to make a plan that carries out, "First, let yourself run to the top and follow your subordinates", "Have your subordinates take action freely and naturally, we bring it together in one action" and we carry out the operation with high freedom.

Inevitably, "Scepter 4" in the Habari era had the characteristic of being a "minor elite combat unit".

[POWER]

A (Class "King")

[LIKES]

Liberty. Good weather. Sports in general.

[DISLIKE]

Drawback, Cloudy sky.

[HOBBIES]

Enjoy the mission of Scepter 4.

His personal hobby is unknown.

[FASHION]

As he is always in public service, he rarely wears clothes that are not uniform.

Private clothing is purchased as needed. There are no particular preferences, and every time he makes a choice it is sensory and judgmental.

[BODY]

The physical ability is very high, but he always uses different abilities, so it is not known how much "natural physical ability" he has.

It can be said that "the switch of incompetence remains on" and "self-consciousness as a superhuman".

[INTELLIGENCE]

It does not require logical thinking because you always "make the right decision intuitively" and "act as if everything is obvious".

This is the only quality of a combat organization that emphasizes "immediate judgment on the ground", but not without exception discourages communication with the general public.

[BELIEFS]

Act according to sensory goodness, not reason.

In a word, it means "the pursuit of happiness for all", but Habari himself does not make such a distinction between "himself" and "others and society".

He points to "social stability" by "being physically comfortable" and the feeling of continuity.

[RELATIONSHIPS]

[EARLY YEARS]

The details of his career before becoming "Blue King" are unknown.

[TIMELINE]

· 1974, Habari Jin is born.

· 1994, he Awakens as "Blue King". He started the activity of "Scepter 4".

· 1999, July. Kagutsu incident. Immediately after Kagutsu Genji's sword of Damocles fell, he was slashed by clan member Zenjo Gouki to prevent a chain of disasters. Scepter 4 was partially destroyed.

[ATTITUDE AND THOUGHTS TOWARDS OTHERS]

[TERMS OF THE ADDRESS FOR HIMSELF]

The first person is "Ore".

Although he has a soft tone and demeanor, he acts with an assertive tone regardless of his presence.

Since there is no such thing as "avoiding responsibility" or "judging", it is this guy's behavior, but he seems to "behave around the smoke around him".

However, since it is widely known to the people involved that he is an innocent king who always produces results in line with the public interest, there is no particular problem.

[TOWARDS ZENJO GOUKI]

He calls him "Zenjo" and other names are dropped.

Also, his subordinate calls him "Habari".

The old organization "Scepter 4" was able to be led by Zenjo, who has a strong sense of "letting go" and a strong tendency to act on his own, at his own discretion. However, it was believed that Habari's transcendental predictive power, or his gathering power, eventually resolved the situation the way Habari intended.

It can be said that he was an ideal teacher for Zenjo and his colleagues, who could fully use the outstanding "power" that he could have.

[TOWARDS SHIOTSU GEN]

He calls him "Shiotsu".

Shiotsu was called the "arms of Habari" alongside Zenjo. Shiotsu was in the position of "representative of the person of common sense" in response to Zenjo, which is said to be "the first person in the habit" among the old "Scepter 4" who is full of habits.

In the old Scepter 4, Shiotsu exclusively carried out common sense organization management, such as negotiations with the general public, organizational organization, and various plans.

However, Shiotsu's common sense plan often fails and must be adjusted due to the insane behavior of Habari and other members. In that state, Shiotsu often complains about the dogmatic behavior of Habari and his members (especially Zenjo).

On the other hand, Shiotsu himself felt that he was not close to the fullness of Habari's infallibility like other members, and felt a slight fall. According to Habari, his personality was also an essential element of Scepter 4.

[TOWARDS KAGUTSU GENJI]

He calls him "Kagutsu".

It is said that the "Red King" Genji Kagutsu, who measures others only by his "power", barely recognizes the clan member under his control.

It is said that only the other kings believed that that team was standing next to them, and above all, they viewed "Blue King" Habari, who was in direct opposition, as the "only good opponent".

Habari himself also had the intuition that stopping Kagutsu Genji, the "King of Destruction", was his greatest mission as "King".