#But that only stands from my own perspective and it does not have value outside of that.

[slugandthorn]

pain and agony of having so much to learn to make more things but I need a job/further schooling to learn but I have to have made the things first

[r1-jw-lover]

Storge 1 & Philautia 2 + 4 for akira shimazu :3

Thank you very much for the ask, my friend.

Storge 1: Did your [character]'s parents love them unconditionally? If so then has this helped them feel confident as an adult? If not then how has this affected them? What were the conditions their family attached to their relationship?

Oh, this is such an interesting question because Akira and Koji are arguably the most wholesome and mutually loving parent-child relationship in the John Wick movies, yet there exists a lot of nuance in their father-daughter dynamic.

Whether Koji loved Akira unconditionally, I think it's a bit too complicated to answer from an outsider's perspective, but he certainly loved his daughter very much. Even though they may have different ideas on who/what to protect, they have a very healthy relationship with plenty of mutual respect and trust between each other, and it's obvious that Akira viewed her father with a lot of admiration and love.

Koji very likely raised Akira under the Table since young so that she could take over the Shimazu family business (the Osaka Continental) one day. Despite the obvious risk of bringing a child into a life where everyone kills one another, he was protecting Akira in a way by giving her the knowledge and skill to defend herself from hitmen and assassins. But one has to wonder whether Akira even have a choice in the way she was raised in the first place.

Regardless, Akira grew into an independent, driven woman who is confident in her own abilities and capable of thriving on her own under the High Table's rule. She just need to pick herself back up after losing her father and hotel in the Osaka raid.

Philautia 2: Does your [character] believe that it is important to love themselves [in order to have a healthy sense of their own worth and value]? Perhaps in order to be able to give and receive love authentically? Or because they believe first and foremost in "looking after number one"?

I don't think Akira really believes in that. She knows her own self-worth and value, but puts others above herself due to the traditional values Koji taught her. While she can take care of herself, she seeks validation from her father. In Chapter 4, her perception of self-preservation comes from a place of caring for her father and the Osaka Continental's wellbeing before anything else. Every action Akira took and all she thinks is for the best of the hotel, even if it clashes against her father's ideas.

Philautia 4: Which of your [character]'s qualities makes them the most proud? Do they think more people should be like them in this regard? Or do they quite like being rare in possessing it?

On a superficial level, Akira prides herself on her physical accomplishments, like her strength, athletics and such. But if you want to talk about character, I think she prides herself on her moral backbone the most. This is most probably a result of her father raising her with very upright values in addition to Akira inheriting Koji's stubbornness. She won't necessarily look down on others because of it, but it doesn't stop her from judging the people she meets. For example, she will 100% dislike the Marquis as a person due to his underhanded tactics and deceitful nature.

On the other hand, I feel Akira is the kind of person who couldn't stand if she's the only one in the room with a braincell (in the literal sense). She definitely appreciates it if the people she's working with have at least a little common sense and manners.

[benjisfanart]

"We are all searching for a place where we can live our lives in peaceful days. No Wars, no Stealing, a place with no fear where we can live and actually trust other human beings." - Vash the Stampede (Trigun).

As a Western Anime watcher, Trigun was one of those first offbeat OP hero shows that captured my imagination. Vash was an enigmatic and engaging character who we mostly saw from an outside perspective. He was worn and scarred, physically and emotionally, carrying a weight that only seemed all the more relevant in the face of his jovial facade.

Vash the Stampede, from this original anime story, was a guy who has lived a long time in a hard dustbowl of a world. Having been the target of lifetimes worth of discrimination and abuse, his chosen response was to embrace joy, love and peace at every chance he could find. However he also carried Wisdom and did not hold these values lightly or think that they came cheaply, and furthermore, he would not suffer those who sought to abuse and take advantage of others.

For those who know there is also a new Trigun show that aired recently, and while there are aspects of it that I enjoyed, I think they missed something terribly important in Vash as a character, even standing alone in his own story, he lacks conviction and value in life. While he is depicted as a pacifist who will avoid fighting at all costs, he often places himself in positions where people who are suffering, or worse, are actively causing suffering are simply made to be someone else's problem as Vash sits there cowering away from the fight. While I appreciate his steadfast approach, at no point in his arc does he ever take responsibility for those beliefs, even In the face of MULTIPLE characters pleading for him to do so!

Vash, in his truest form, will forever be my original and favourite space-cowboy.

LOVE AND PEACE!

[kenobihater]

Don't know why tumblr made me miss your post about the ableism in fandom and the Witcher, but I've finally read it, and thank you so much for taking the time to write it! I have a question relating to that one: if one chooses to not make the Cat Witchers have mental illnesses or personality disorders or any sort of "madness", but instead try to explain their behaviour through the system in which they grew up in, could the Witchers still be called "mad" by others in-universe? I think I worded it weird, so an explanation of what I mean:

With the way I see the Cat School, they combine typical Witcher brutality with elven supremacy. While I know that "elven supremacy" in the context of the Witcher is problematic as fuck considering the oppression of the elves, I mean it to explain some of the values that the Cat School holds as a system. Humans are scum-of-the-earth, brutal savages, horrible people from the day they are born because it is human nature to destroy, to discriminate against others, and to hurt each other. It is very much modern anti-humanist nihilism. Elves, on the other hand, are seen as inherently more kind, more wise, more cooperative, gentle, so on and so forth, despite their own history or the fact that some of the worst elves are just as bad as some of the worst humans. It boils down to "elf and proximity to elfness good, human and proximity to humanity bad".

This ideological framework leads to "inhumanity" being a good thing. Human Witchers, while not outright told to, internalize the idea that they must stand in opposition to humanity. Therefore, enacting violence against humans is okay - you're making up for your humanity, you're making the world better by making the scum go away (a very Lambert perspective on things).

In the case of Gaetan, it would mean that reacting in a disproportionate manner after being cheated out of his coin and attacked with the intent to kill, and killing not just the guilty parties but also the unaffiliated bystanders and children, is fine. After all, they are human, and they associate with the worst humans by living in the same village. They might become just like the alderman and the ones that attacked him if given the chance. He only stopped that reaction when he saw his sister in Millie, which activated a mental block. "My sister isn't like other humans" basically being the reason he spared Millie. And while he does say he fucked up big time when talking to Geralt, he doesn't seem to mean it much. "Sure, shouldn't have killed everyone, but it's not that big of a deal" is the vibe I'm getting.

While I don't think this type of slaughter is encouraged, I don't think that the Cats care enough to have any policies against it. And I think that humans would only be able to comprehend this through the Cat Witchers being "mad". Would that...work? Cause I'm really not sure. I feel like the stigma of mental illness is weaponized against anyone and everyone, even when all parties involved are neurotypical.

[You can answer this publicly or privately, don't really mind either way.]

[I want to again note that the "elf supremacy" thing was just to categorize the ideological framework of the Cats, which I built based on Gezras' voice-lines, and am aware it has problematic implications. However, since there are irl groups within minorities that are just terrible on their own (Zionists) or because they internalized the oppressor's ideologies but switched them around a bit, I feel it's not too unrealistic for the Cats to function this way.]

You're very welcome for writing that post, thank you so much for engaging with it! And this is all super interesting! I agree that this reading of the Cat witchers being neurotypical but still getting referred to as "mad" by outsiders to rationalize their disregard for human life stemming from their views on humanity is a plausible one!

Ableism can be aimed against neurotypical people who ableists deem as not fitting the mold for sure, and in a world such as the Continent where mental illness is greatly stigmatized and misunderstood, I imagine it's even more common there than it is in our world to associate mental illness with morally abhorrent behavior like murder. Irl I often see this as a way for people, usually neurotypical or non-psychotic people, to distance themselves from people and behaviors they categorize as bad (e.g. "They killed that person bc there's something inherently wrong with them. I, on the other hand, being someone who is of right mind, would NEVER stoop to murder! I'm different!" and so on and so forth. If you're intrinsically different from someone, you can't make their mistakes, never mind the fact that you're both human and capable of great good and evil).

So yes, in summary, I completely agree that even if you choose to write your Cat witchers as neurotypical but deeply shaped by elf-centric views on the nature of humanity, they could absolutely still be viewed by the general populace and other witchers as "mad"!

[llycaons]

Ep4: wwx's reign of terror <3

god the landscape shots for this show are so pretty

and so it begins....the hypocrisy here in the lan clan's claim to being above worldly things, but their willingness to accept such an indulgent, magnificent gift. lqr was looking very pleased when he saw this come out. the commentary on the core corruption and indulgence of the major sects who have such high values that they pretend to ascribe to starts early. the lan principles are good, on the whole, they just don't always practice what they preach. sects are human and imperfect constructions led by flawed individuals. this is why an ending where wwx and lwj leave the sects behind is so gratifying to me!

lan xichen was such a real one for this. I'd fall in love with him too. the subtext in this episode starts strong and never really lets up

I was going to mention how stupid wen chao is, and he is indeed foolish and arrogant, but his actions barely even matter. so what if he set the lan guard on fire and told lxc to his face that they're delivering someone? so what if he almost starts a fight in the receiving hall? he's untouchable. he's been taught that the wens can do anything at all and there are zero consequences for his actions. the lans won't dare discipline him, so he can be as insulting and aggressive as he wants. it's so jarring to see in this setting full of careful civility, ceremony, and respect. but something the show really hammers in is that the world exists outside the rules of etiquette and people can and will act against it for their own ends. politeness won't prevent violence and aggression must be confronted

wwx was indeed the only one to verbally confront wen chao, but in a fun little microcosm of several relationship dynamics, lwj was clearly ready to physically fight him. he stayed back because of lxc shaking his head, but if not for the restraint of his sect/family he would have backed wwx up in holding wen chao accountable and he probably would have been quicker to fight than wwx was this is so fucked up though bc the lans aren't even fighters. they're cultivators and scholars. they're not a fort like the nies, and they haven't been marshaling power like the wens. they have a few special guqin attacks but it's not a surprise that gusu was overrun

wwx is already lowkey obsessed and he's not used to being ignored bc he's handsome so he's all sulky and in denial about lwj not paying attention to him

life lessons from wwx: enjoy nature. seize the day. don't envy others. remember the good things in life. practice gratitude. drink and eat to your heart's content. go after that pretty boy <3

hellpp he went to try to touch it my boy is so impulsive

wwx acts out and plays around, and it must be frustrating that he doesn't behave, but jc tends to default to blaming wwx instead of holding other characters accountable for their equally poor behavior (jzx for being a dick, the lans for being inflexible and unreasonable, wen chao for being aggressive and inflammatory), or taking into account the situation or context. it seems like jc is hardly ever on wwx's side and never backs him up and I feel like people assuming jc is always in the right and his perspective on wwx is objectively correct need to keep in mind that he's also a young teenager deeply enmeshed in an incredibly complicated emotional/family situation, with high-stakes political and personal strings tied to his relationships with everyone in his family, and what he says about wwx does not necessarily reflect the objective truth or even his own feelings

HE CALLED JC A MANWHORE?? okay I stand by what I just wrote but goddamn, CR-era wwx really is a brat. at this stage in their dynamic he's giving as good as he gets despite their underlying issues and their inherent difference in status

this scene KILLS ME. no fish for jyl??? who MADE the rest of the dinner??? you want her to starve?? you bastards. such a stark visual reminds us that jyl isn't here to be her own person with her own wants, she's here to fill a role of bridging the gap between her brothers and making them play nice. they're acting like such children here

extremely funny to see characters passing notes, doodling, snacking in class, and putting 'kick me'-esque signs on the backs of their teachers robes. even though this is set in the past, some things are eternal. also I think the turtle is a gay joke. kind of homophobic of you, wwx

wwx just can't win! lqr was trying to catch him out in making a mistake, but wwx genuinely knows all this already. but even though he knows it all, he's still not allowed to be proud of himself. lqr wanted to punish him for his behavior and was trying to find a way to do it by criticizing his knowledge, but wwx (literal genius) just can't be stumped no wonder so many people don't like lwj while wwx appreciates him...most people have to study really hard to know this stuff and lwj just makes it look effortless to Be Perfect. but wwx is already at his level and so he doesn't resent him for his skills, he just disagrees with their application and lwj's conduct

you know what I just realized? wwx is approaching this like a survivalist. at his core he's practical and efficient and he'll do what he needs to in order to survive. this is the logic of a person who grew up starving on the streets and used whatever was available to make it out. of course the well-bred and wealthy cultivators are horrified and scandalized, whispering in shocked conversations about this evil technique. because they don't know what it's like to be that desperate

wen ning 🥺 he must have been so young when he died

this was honestly so gay. I don't ship ningxian but I think there was a little something there.

aww when lwj shows up, wwx has the BIGGEST smile we've seen all episode. look at that boy. he's like the sun

personal highlights: ep4

the show making it clear early on that this is a commentary on the society it depicts, and that the lans aren't perfect despite appearances

lwj ready to throw down with wen chao

lxc and meng yao's first meeting

wwx's guide to life

[wenevergotusedtoegypt]

do you have thoughts about the ny times chasidic yeshivos article?

There are real, actual problems in Jewish schools, but the NYT couldn't care less about them or about the welfare of chasidic kids (or adults). They're 100% only in it for the lurid scandal story about the backwards extremist Jews, as demonstrated by the abysmally, embarrassingly low journalistic standards of that article. Just a few things I remember from it off the top of my head:

The article talks about the "chasidic school system" as a monolith, doesn't bother to clarify til about halfway through that there is not in fact any actual unified "chasidic school system," and then goes straight back to talking about things as if there is one.

The article never actually defines what "chasidic" is, and the authors seem to be unaware of the correct definition themselves given that they portray Orthodoxy as being split between "chasidic" and "modern." (Chasidic ≠ "ultra-Orthodox") Kind of a basic thing to understand if you're going to write an article about issues in the chasidic community.

The article lacks all cultural sensitivity and its authors make no attempt whatsoever to step outside their own biased worldview and acknowledge that other perspectives can exist. Examples of this: a) Talking about learning in Yiddish like it's terrible, as if English is the only valid language in which to acquire knowledge?? b) Talking about gender-segregated schools as if they're inherently horrible c) Implying that wearing "the same modest dress as their ancestors" is backwards d) Implying that following halacha is backwards e) Pretty much only quoting people who have left the community and lawyers, never ordinary people who are happy within the community.

The article condemns the chasidic schools for things as outrageous as...providing school lunches for low-income kids?? I guess low-income kids deserve lunches if they're in public school but should just be hungry if not.

The larger issue here that the NYT doesn't care about and that many activists who actually do care tend to overlook is that secular education in the schools in question will never be improved via government force. And in fact if the government does attempt to crack down on it, it will probably have the opposite of the intended effect. Why? Intergenerational trauma. The religious Jewish world has such a vast history of non-Jewish governments genuinely trying to destroy Judaism and Jewish education via shutting down or interfering in our schools that many people genuinely cannot see the difference between the USSR shutting down religious Jewish education entirely on pain of death/exile, and the US going, "hey guys, maybe knowing how to read English and do math on top of the religious stuff would be beneficial." You think the hardliners are going to be swayed by a democratic government trying to force educational standards on them? The same communities that literally risked their lives to run underground yeshivos in Europe? That's a joke. There's nothing New York City/State would ever do to them that would compare to the threats religious communities have fought against in other places. Government pressure from outsiders will just convince people further that the government is the enemy and drive them underground, not scare them into changing things. The only chance things stand of actually changing would have to come from within. Not the government, not Jews who have left the community. The people who are still there and share the same overall values.

[revelmaven]

ok something else has been bugging me for a long time and it's just come up again now and im writing it down bc id like other perspectives on it.

so my father's outside, on my only day off, blaring music right at my window. but that music is 90% Good Christian Music and that's its own thing, but the part that's standing out is that one that just played had this line about how trying to be good is a losing battle and you'll never be good enough but good thing God loves u and he'll just look past it.

and this idea has continued to come up with my father and it upsets me immensely, because for my whole life i was told this message in this form:

'humans are naturally evil and by nature you are a bad person, you can't fix this, every bad thing about you is just what you are as a person. The good thing is you have God, and he is every good thing, and so if you believe in him he'll give you some of his goodness, so you have to thank God for every good thing about you because it's not you, you will always be bad and you have to repent of what you are, and if you believe in God you can go to heaven because he just won't worry about who you are'.

And. i want to hang onto my faith. this is actively important in my life. but this idea i can't get past now. i do not like the concept that all people are all bad all the time. my father cannot believe anyone has good intentions of they're not christian - and if they are but they don't do exactly what he thinks they should then they're making compromises and they're secretly still evil. and i don't believe that every bad thing about me is just my fault and there's nothing i can do. that despite all my effort and what i believe to be genuine motivations for good, actually im still just evil and ugly and it's only because Jesus is perfect that i ever do anything right.

im asking for help here. Not just from other Christian people. i want to know if anyone can make this make sense.

im not trying to be ungrateful, or cherry pick the scriptures, or make compromises - can you understand how much damage it does to someone to grow them up telling them everything about them is bad and they can't fix it and they'll always be bad and turning to someone else to give credit whenever they do something 'good'?

i believe the world is incomplete and imperfect - i believe that people are incomplete and imperfect! But i don't believe that that means people are actively, intentionally wicked and just chomping at the bit to do evil at every moment and there cannot be anyone who believes in doing good if they don't believe exactly my father's translation of the amplified bible.

im open to any advice from any kind of faith, even no faith. i'd like to keep mine. i don't want this to be the thing that makes me give up on the whole deal because my faith is extremely important to me. but. I don't know what to do with this.

perhaps the question is best posed this way: how do i keep hold of something important to me when it was first taught to me by someone who is so actively against every value i have that i don't want any part of them in my life?

[rozetheeuwu]

🌊🤝🎭🥞📚🐹👎🌳for the reborn triplets and Anesa :3

Reborn triplets and their mother my beloved

🌊 Has your OC ever seen the ocean? If not, do they want to? What do they think of it?

Jack has seen the ocean and thinks it's pretty cool, I guess.

Katie has seen it and is fascinated by it, morose of a professor studying pokemon perspective.

Saywer has not seen it sadly enough, he's only ever seen the polluted water in Reborn. They haven't really thought about seeing things outside the region.

Anesa has seen it and loves the ocean, it's calming and relaxing and beautiful to her.

🤝 Does your OC have someone they want at their side when they are scared? Who?

Jack - his mother and Katie

Katie - her mother and Jack

Saywer - No one

Anesa - Her sister

🎭 What is the one thing your OC regrets most? Would they undo it, considering how their life turned out?

Jack - He doesn't really regret anything? Maybe not being more focused on others instead of his research, but in his eyes it's not too late to start caring more about them.

Katie - Most of her life she chose to act very mature due to her mother's airheadedness and hippie mindset. She said "I'll be the parental figure for my brother and I will have an important career to show my mom that I'm mature"

I think she would still choose to study to become a pokemon professor, but she would want to redo how hard she's been working and become more relaxed.

Saywer - So much regret, so much he would redo.

Anesa - Not taking Saywer with her will always be her biggest regret. On one hand if she could have a redo she would, but on the other hand she knows if she had the chance to redo it and take them with her Sirius would probably hunt her down and take all three.

🥞 Does your OC take proper care of themselves, like getting enough sleep and eating properly?

Jack - Yeah! He gets enough sleep a day and actually helps his mother cook dinner.

Katie - Not really lol, ever since she started studying to become a professor she has been to busy with work to focus on herself. Someone will probably catch her passed out on her desk when her body is too tired to continue. Luckily enough her family makes sure she eats enough.

Saywer - Same case as Katie. He could use a lot of more sleep, lol. He does eat what he needs to though. Mainly thanks to Ace and Luna who force them to eat something.

Anesa - Yes

📚 Your OC has to improvise a 10 minute lecture about a topic of their choosing. What do they chose?

Jack - biology, specifically herpetology, otherwise he's screwed.

Katie - Does this often actually, but probably pokemon habitats or something like that.

Saywer - Violence Idk, like??? Math???

Anesa - Botany or something?

🐹 Which would be your OCs favorite Pokemon? What kind of trainer would they be?

Jack - Seviper, He wants to be champion and specializes and lizard and snake pokemon.

Katie - She changes her favorites all the time, during the events in Reborn it's either Silvally probably. She is a pokemon professor, so not much of a trainer.

Saywer - Tepig because it was his very first pokemon ever and one of the only gifts they ever received from their father. He is an admin of an evil team leader so, yeah, that kinda trainer

Anesa - Delcatty, she probably is one of those trainer classes like Aroma Lady.

��� Is there someone your OC can’t stand, despite them being on the same side or sharing basic values?

Jack - Sigmund and (adult) Lin, probably.

Katie - Sirius and also Lin and Sigmund

Saywer - Lin

Anesa - Sirius and her parents

🌳 Would your OC survive for a week on their own in the wilderness?

Jack - Yes

Katie - Yes, easily

Saywer - Yes

Anesa - Not really. She survived the streets, but the wilderness is a different type of challenge.

Thanks for asking me about them!! I love them sm,,, <3

[arklay]

10 / 19 / 37 & 45 for miss diana and wesker 👀💜

10. who drives? cooks? does the handiwork? cleans? pays the bills? handles the public?

he drives. 100% no question. whenever he gets in a car with her he probably fears for his life to be honest. diana isn't a bad driver, she's just not a good one lmao honestly though i think she just trusts him more to drive because something something too many variables outside of her control. for him though it's like the opposite perspective, where he feels like their safety is more in his control by being behind the wheel. if that makes sense? it does in my brain. anyway, i think she's always been very indifferent about driving and only ever got her license for work, so she's more than fine with him taking the reins there

cooking and handiwork is more his thing as well. they're both good at cooking, but he does it more often, and a lot of their early dates were him inviting her over for dinner, you know, cause like the acts of service of it all... i just think he takes a lot more care with it because i see him as being kind of a health freak, not gonna lie, so like preparing nice nutritional meals for them both is his thing. handiwork i'm assuming means things like fixing what breaks in the house or like putting together furniture or something right? which i mean... can you really see diana doing that?

cleaning and paying the bills are both split even between them. they're both very neat and tidy, almost annoyingly so, therefore they both always clean up after themselves and also just probably have constant like routines to keep the house clean. it's funny though cause diana teases him about how much of a perfectionist he is when like making the bed or something, but she's literally the exact same. paying the bills as well, like they both have a lot of money from both of their upbringings and then their jobs, so i think they both take care of their own individual bills, and then the ones with any of their houses like i think they just split the responsibilities there

i'd say he probably handles the public. diana is just not as good with people as he is because she can't be bothered speaking with others, it's kind of a waste of time to her unless she considers the person worthy of her attention. he's been in job positions where he needs to work with people and make those around him trust him, so he learned to manipulate people easily over time and comes off as more reliable and charismatic, no matter how much contempt he feels for whoever he's talking to

19. what do they fight about? what are their arguments like? how do they make up?

they don't really fight that often in all honesty, and if they do it's usually just little moments of bickering that they laugh over afterwards. the only big fight they've ever had was like ten years after they got married, so i mean like that should say something about just how much they value communication and discussing whenever they have a problem with one another. and the only reason they fought that time was because they let things build up and didn't talk as much as usual because of how obsessive they got with their work, and that led to emotional outbursts

in terms of the little like bickering fights they've had, it's always something so stupid, like when they first moved in together for example, diana had rearranged his cupboards and it was like hell on earth for him cause they may both be really organised, but their organisation methods were very different, so it was these little annoyed comments like oh what have you done with this? etc etc you know? or like cooking together too is also like okay you need to get out of the kitchen or i'm going to kill you for real. it's always something to do with the other kind of challenging their methods of doing things, if that makes sense lmao

their way of making up is usually just like one of them standing there trying not to smile at the other getting really annoyed, then they both start laughing because they realise how stupid it was that they got angry in the first place. or like one of them leaving the room then coming back not even half an hour later to just wrap their arms around the other and apologise. with their big fight, they had to take an actual break from each other, then diana went back to africa and they sat for ages and just talked... about where they'd gone wrong, how things had changed, that they should never have reacted the way they did, all of it and then they just cuddled all night lmao cause they missed each other a lot

37. how much would they be willing to sacrifice? any lines they refuse to cross?

everything. literally everything. they've betrayed their companies for each other after all... well, kind of. his loyalties for umbrella had been wavering for years, but once diana was targeted by them – despite her actually being a threat to company secrets – he chose her over them. she told him to kill her, put her whole life on the line for him, because she believed she deserved it for lying to him for so long over her true employers, but he stayed by her side and eventually joined her company and left umbrella. then when the organisation suspected both of their loyalties and pit them against each another, they left what were really profitable positions to go and work as researchers in a new company that he'd been working with in secret

after he "died" diana gave up everything to bring him back. she could have profited off the empire they had built and taken it into her own hands, or she could've even gone and worked for his sister, but instead she went underground and abandoned any idea of power for herself to take him back to an old abandoned facility and spent years that she could've been working on her own research dedicated to finding a way to bring him back. funnily enough an ideal she never really believed in before she met him became more important to her than what she'd spent her whole life doing

45. any special dreams or goals they have as a couple? any heartbreaks? regrets?

already answered!

send me a ship and a number and i'll tell you!

[evethebest]

I'm going back home the next school year i cannot live like this any longer there is no future for me here

I've never thought I'd belong anywhere i always felt indifferent wherever i went but now

Now i have a home i have a life i have friends i have familiarity i have my own room i have my own walls i have my own space i have my own hangout spots i have everything

And most importantly I've built this all on my own

I've built this home with my own sweat and blood i was right there from the beginning even while it was being built even while it was nothing but a construction site

There is only me in my room

Nothing bad has ever happened in my room

No one but me has slept in that room has threatened me in that room

It's my room and it's untouched, pure, clean

It's my own little paradise

I Know throughout this whole ordeal even through the earthquake i acted like nothing affected me that nothing could bring me down and that i didn't miss anything in the slightest

Why should I? I'm at a house I've lived in longer than my home, in a city I've spent my entire childhood and most of my teen years in

But i do, i miss everything, i miss everyone

I know i might have a hard outer shell and an iron will but I'm human too, I'm hurting there is this weight in my chest

The only thing that ever made me feel connected to this place, the only reason I even started school here, thought that i could go on was Natasha

And she betrayed me without even knowing

She doesn't care about me or favors me

Her own best friend of Six years

God even my friends of half a year wouldn't do this to me without reason even though they're two faced shit talking bitches just like me

I don't think i want to explain what Natasha did because I have the feeling that once i do my experience is just gonna be belittled because looking at it from an outside perspective really does make it seem like a petty small thing and that I'm just being too emotional but I'm not

Sure i might be in an emotionally vulnerable state right now but combined with the other things she did, what she did today really is a stab to the heart and makes it obvious of future events that will take place and where she would stand in them, spoiler alert not by my side

I've lived this shit before and I'm not gonna relive it again

If Natasha values me as the same as her other ugly loser friends or even less then so be it i don't care she can just do whatever she wants

I don't have to keep a leash around her neck and constantly remind her of my worth and how i should be treated accordingly to it

I'm not going to give an explanation to someone who has made me feel this worthless, not again

[softprincesso]

✨HOW TO BECOME A WEALTHY MIDDLE-AGED MAN✨

PT.2: Overview to understanding different saving/retirement methods, investments, and forms of income

2.1 Savings and Retirement

Welcome lovelies to (what I hope will be) a helpful series on gaining wealth and becoming financially literate and independent!

*disclaimer: while this advice can generally apply to many it will not apply to all. Everyone is in a different situation and should do their own research before they take what ANYONE says as fact or law. This is also coming from the perspective of a young, biracial, first generation female business student following a hypergamous lifestyle and who does sw so some advice may be specific to my like-minded ladies, but for the most part I just love money and want to help others find joy in their wallets as well. I am also operating in the US so things regarding accounts, stocks, and certain laws will vary by your country. Also, this is just a fun thing I wanted to do because talking about leveling up and learning and growing and money are my favorite past times. None of these pictures are mine, however I am using some links which may compensate me in some way, but I only used links which were mutually beneficial and would help you gain something as well, they are still just actual sources I use for myself.

✨THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND✨

Financial independence is different than financial confidence.

Financial Independence: “The most common sense of the term is that someone has enough wealth to live as they wish for the rest of their life without having to work.” -Investopedia https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0611/declare-your-own-financial-independence-day.aspx

Financial Confidence: “We define financial confidence as having three aspects,” says Miler. “The first is awareness of how money can be a tool for helping you reach your goals and dreams. The second is financial literacy and understanding economic factors. The third is trust and knowing where to turn for financial advice.” -Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/shelleyzalis/2018/06/16/women-money-8-steps-for-growing-your-financial-confidence/?sh=2175b65e2468

While the ultimate goal is financial independence, financial confidence should be the main focus. I’ll give an example why. Imagine there are two people: Rhonda and Jill. Both of them like nice things, love to shop, and participate in the occasional splurge. Rhonda works a regular 9-5 and has a decent salary. She doesn’t have much financial knowledge (translation: financial confidence), but she has a savings account at her local bank and puts a couple hundred into retirement each year and she thinks that's enough. Suddenly, Rhonda wins the lottery. Overnight she has become a millionaire, so she quits her job, moves to LA, and goes on to live life to the fullest. She would now be considered financially independent. However, Rhonda has no idea how to manage all that money. She puts a small amount into that bank savings account and takes the rest to do what she will. One day she tries her luck at a casino, in less than five hours she has lost all of her money and has to start back at square one with no job, only a few thousand to get her through, and no-good way to explain to employers that she just wasted the last 5 years spending money on handbags she now has to sell at a depreciated value. (BTW you would not last not working with only a million dollars in LA for that long)

Now, let’s look at Jill. Jill is an independent contractor and has a relatively steady income. She knows very little about finances, but she actively learns how to manage what she has and keeps up to date on the latest money news. The day that Rhonda won the lottery was just another Thursday for Jill, the only unique point for her was that she opened a savings accounts with a high APY (we’ll say 1%) and put in $5000.00. A little later she also opened a Roth IRA and puts in the maximum yearly allowance of $6000.00. Along the way she opened a brokerage account of her own and started trading in the stock market along with investing in real estate which has given her some extra income to play with each year. Unfortunately, another housing crash occurs, and all of the money Jill invested into real estate is gone. However, since Jill learned the skills behind her choices early on, she is knowledgeable and understands the ups and downs of the market and how to invest her money in other places in the meantime. And, that High yield savings account accrued around $50 more without her doing anything and she has that to fall back on, or worst case she can take out part of her principal Roth IRA contribution. 10 years from now Jill should start to see a steady increase in her Roth IRA that by retirement will be a little over 1 million and she should be comfortable and invested enough into stocks that she gains around $200-1000 extra each month.

I think you understand why you want to be Jill.

✨HAVING ADEQUATE SAVINGS = BEING YOUR OWN LIFEGUARD✨

As discussed in Pt.1 the first goal you should achieve is securing an emergency fund that could sustain you for a couple of months if things were to ever hit the fan, and starting a retirement fund should be in your top 5 goals to complete. The saying, “the rich get richer” is popular for a reason. Wealthy people know how to make their money work for them instead of them having to work for money. An easy way anyone can do the same is by opening the right accounts for your savings and retirement.

Savings: 

All of your savings should be in a high yield saving account or split between different high yield accounts. This is an account which will reward you some interest every period for having money in your account with them. This is incredibly easy to do. You can either research/ask your bank about their high yield accounts or do some googling to find some other bank. Then transfer your money and there you go! When looking at banks understand that the highest Annual Percent Yields (APY), or the interest they will reward you, are going to be from online banks because they have less operational costs than a brick and mortar, but they will also come with their own disadvantages, like less ATMs to access or the inability to use when outside of your country so make sure to look into that. IMPORTANT: Make sure that whatever bank you choose is FDIC-insured so if the bank were to ever collapse or lose your money you have insurance up to $250,000.This won't generate a lot of extra cash, but an extra $20 every year is better than $0.

Retirement:

These accounts usually go by your current situation and what you see for your future.

401K: Probably the most known (I believe it’s only in the States but there might be something close to it in other countries) and that’s just because this is what employers usually offer if they offer anything. It is a retirement fund that your employer will set up and you can predefine how much of your paycheck you want to automatically go into it every time. Sometimes, the employers will also have a match program, and if they do you better max out the money they will contribute because that is FREE money! Most advice that I have seen has said to really only focus on this fund if your employer has that match program, otherwise I would focus on one of the accounts below. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/retirement/08/401k-info.asp

IRA: An IRA stands for Individual Retirement Account. There are three kinds…

                         Traditional: This IRA lets you put in pre-tax money and lets it grow tax-free until you make a withdrawal. Once you make the withdrawal that money is taxed at the current rate of your income at the time. Your contributions are tax deductible so you can write them off of your taxable income of that year. There are limits to how much you can contribute depending on your income, status, and whether you have another retirement fund as well.

                          Roth: With this IRA your contributions are taxed, but when you withdrawal money later on it is tax free. For those of you in a lower tax bracket than you believe you will be in the future, this IRA makes the most sense as you will pay less taxes now than you will when you are 59 ½ (The official age of retirement in the States). There are limits to how much you can contribute depending on your income, status, and whether you have another retirement fund as well.

                           SEP: Simplified Employee Pension. This is also an employer-based plan and may also work better for my self-employed gals out there. I don’t really know a lot on this one so I’ll just leave a link you can look into if it interests you: https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/102714/how-does-simplified-employee-pension-sep-ira-work.asp

You can have both a traditional and Roth IRA as long as you are eligible for both. Anyone with earned income (with a job or can prove a steady income) can contribute to a Traditional IRA, however with a Roth IRA, as a single you can earn up to $139,000 and contribute. Personally, if you are just getting started with all of this just set up one IRA and as you learn more you can take steps to get another or switch accounts.

https://www.investopedia.com/retirement/roth-vs-traditional-ira-which-is-right-for-you/

There are a plethora of other accounts, but they are more specialized and the top four should get you started on the right path to saving for retirement. I’m guessing that the majority of the audience reading these are women between the ages of 20-30. Trust me when I say that I love to spend money as much as the next girl, but I also would like to be completely comfortable should anything happen in my older years that screws up my marriage or job, and no one is going to secure that for you.

Also, I’m sorry this is so US-based, but once again it is all I know. I believe IRAs are more widespread than a 401K, but all that takes to find out is a Google search on your part.

Either way, make sure you have a plan going into 2021 for your savings and retirement because this economic whirlwind is far from over and there is always a chance for another recession, depression, or disaster. (Wow O, way to keep the mood light)

This was getting way too long with the investments added so look out for Pt.2.2 on the overview for investments (where the actual fun begins and I can stop being such a stick in the mud)…

VOCAB TO KNOW/RESEARCH:

Financial independence

Financial Confidence

APY

Roth IRA

brokerage account

High yield savings account

principal

401K

Traditional IRA

Once again… if in these posts I ever give bad advice, F- something up, or am just generally ignorant PLEASE call me out! Remember that just like you I am a young woman figuring everything out and while I am confident when talking about money, I am by no means a genius (only in spurts) so any chance to learn I appreciate. I hope you all learned something new today and as always…

With Love,

O

[inktog]

Many early Amphibia episodes are structured formulaically around Anne’s moral development. Take Best Fronds, The Domino Effect, and Anne Theft Auto as examples.

Someone—usually Anne—makes a bad decision. Anne ignores the Don’t Swim sign, and she pressures Sprig into swimming against his will. | Anne sneaks a wild animal into the house without telling Hop Pop. | Anne drives Bessie without reading the manual.

Their decision has bad consequences. Anne and Sprig are attacked by a lake monster. | Anne’s new “pet” causes murderous mayhem. | Bessie suddenly refuses to move, and Anne is stranded.

They fix their mistake, often learning a valuable moral lesson. Anne and Sprig defeat the lake monster, and Anne apologizes for not listening to Sprig. | Anne releases the animal back into the wild. | Anne reads Bessie’s manual, allowing her to both escape danger and better appreciate the snail.

Not every episode follows this script. Anne isn’t the only character who messes up—often it’s Sprig, sometimes Hop Pop. The show even occasionally pokes fun at its own moral-of-the-week storytelling (e.g. Cursed!, Children of the Spore) or puts aside the moralism altogether (e.g. Anne Vs. Wild).

By and large, though, Anne and Sprig are characterized as selfish youths, while Hop Pop is the elder voice of reason. By my count, a full seventeen episodes from season 1 feature Anne in the role of mistake-maker. Sprig, closest to her in age, is in second place with ten. Hop Pop’s mistakes incite only six episodes*—and one of those mistakes is listening to Anne instead of following tradition (Plantar's Last Stand). Season 1 Wartwood is a realm where adult guardians usually have the moral high ground, and where flouting their advice usually invites disaster. (The exceptions are important, and I'll get to them in a second.) (*This count is subjective, since there are plenty of corner cases. It's also preliminary; my numbers will probably change once I finish my season 1 rewatch.)

Amphibia-as-dream invites us to consider that these morality plays aren't meant to be taken at face value. After all, Sasha's and Marcy's episodes tend to be much less didactic than Anne's (and the exceptions tend to be set in Wartwood—e.g. Maddie & Marcy, Battle of the Bands). Perhaps, just as Toad Tower is born of Sasha's desire to control her friends, Wartwood is born of Anne's desire for moral guidance.

On her thirteenth birthday, Anne is faced with a whole bunch of dilemmas. She's visibly uncomfortable with much of Sasha's behavior, from vandalism to reckless cart racing, but she goes along with it anyway. This culminates when Sasha coerces Anne into skipping her family's birthday party (Reunion), and again when Anne steals the music box to satisfy a friend (almost certainly Sasha) even though she really doesn't want to (Best Fronds).

While we can pin most or all of the blame on Sasha's emotional abuse, Anne doesn't share our outsider's perspective. She feels ashamed of her actions. Guilty. And she wants to be held accountable.

In a broader sense, Anne is scared to grow up. With age comes agency, and she doesn't trust herself to make good decisions. She really, really hopes that the adults in her life know what they're doing, because she could use a helping hand.

Enter Wartwood in all its glorious moralism.

The book paradox neatly symbolizes Anne's relationship to adult authority. In Anne's schema, books signify tradition and adult authority (e.g. Hop Luck, Anne Theft Auto, Toad Tax, Fort in the Road). She regularly eschews reading, just as she eschews authority in general. Yet the original closing-credits scene, a framing device for the whole first season, shows Anne and Sprig reading happily. Despite Anne's surface-level reluctance, she does actually want to learn from the adults in her life.

It's not that Anne wants her grownups to be perfect; she already knows they aren't. Her relationship with her parents, for example, is good but not great. She describes her mom as "kind, in her own way. But strict, too. She wanted me to study more. Thought I goofed off too much. We didn't always see eye-to-eye" (Hopping Mall). Yet Anne misses her mother deeply, and—unlike Marcy and possibly Sasha—actually wants to reunite with her parents.

So sometimes Hop Pop makes the inciting mistake (e.g. Taking Charge). Sometimes he and Anne learn from each other (e.g. Hop Luck, Stakeout) instead of Anne getting a one-way scolding. Anne's okay with imperfections. She's okay with the occasional fuckup.

As long as her adults are mostly wise and mostly just.

Hop Pop's burying of the music box is more than an enormous violation of trust. From Anne's perspective, it's also evidence of an upsetting truth: adult authority figures don't always have her best interests at heart.

[archive-of-bones]

Hello 👋 ☺️☺️☺️

I love your twisted wonderland stories and especially the ones you write for platonic Lilia. It always hits its mark with my heart and I swear I just get so emotional.

If your still open to requests, can I request any of the diasomnia boys not Lilia, and how they would get along with the reader? I’ve always been curious to see how the others would treat the reader too after learning of their past and their decision to stay? Only if your interested of course. ☺️☺️☺️☺️ thank you

Perspective and Opinions

Featured characters: Diasomnia (except Lilia)

Pairings: none!

Warnings: none!

They didn't really have that much of an opinion of you at first, seeing you as just another stranger passing by in their life; it's harsh, but it holds truth. Diasomnia, as polite as they are and seemingly friendly to those that are oblivious, or stupid or simply brave enough or lived under a rock, its members were hard to form a bond with, there's always a certain boundary erected that prevents a lot of people from feeling absolutely welcomed there.

It was Malleus that welcomes you there first after Lilia, having known you before. He's a fae that although old for human standards, he is not familiar with human nature, thinking of them naive and unknowing. To know of what happened to you before stirs something in his heart, he finds it rather difficult to sympathize with you for that's not something he has experienced before, however he does do his best to offer his own standard of comfort; standing by you as a friend rather than a prince, as estranged as he was sometimes.

You do provide a new sort of perspective to him, something he can oppose to and yet not be offended with. Malleus is young in the standards of fae, he has a lot to learn from you, from the people of this college and the world. Just like you have a lot to learn from him and this new world you had chosen over your own. It is not his decision to deny you your choice of staying here, he wouldn't stop you from going back either, but he's glad you chose Twisted Wonderland as your new home.

Silver is a little tricky, he's mostly passive due to how much he sleeps and the time he spends awake is to think of Malleus and making Lilia happy. Though, he is glad to have some sense of normalcy because of you for once. Fae aren't known much for humane morality, and Silver having been raised by one partially doesn't understand why your parent would hurt you; their child, the life they brought to this world.

He doesn't have that much experience outside of his family circle, so he too finds it slightly difficult to find sympathy to your situation; do not mistake this as anything cold though, Silver is kind, but he lacks social awareness at times. He wasn't around that much people when he was younger either. Your decision to stay with them is not something he minds, he respects it actually. He has no say in what you chose to do after everything you've been through, he's not you, and his father accepts you, so he doesn't really find any reason to oppose to that decision.

Sebek probably found you a bit troublesome at first, he doesn't really see why Lilia would take someone as helpless as you, but then again the fae liked children; he wouldn't be surprised if Lilia had just snatched you, even though Sebek personally thinks you have no value. And while he doesn't berate you directly nor does he protest against what Lilia chose to do, it was clear he didn't like it.

It took him time to see what was interesting in someone magicless and helpless like you, you were kind, you were a listener, you never judged him or looked down at him for talking too much about things he admired about Malleus or simply Malleus himself. There had been a stage of denial at some point on his part.

Sebek is a sheltered boy, he doesn't have that much social experience about the things you went through, normally he'd brush it off as you being weak, but Lilia clarified things for him, and that's when he understood a little. He feels neutral about you, but he is starting to warm up. He no longer minds you, and had some sort of basic respect for your decision to stay.

||Thank you so much for requesting! I hope you liked it! 💗

I interpreted this as the sort of sequel to the last Lilia fic I wrote, I hope I'm not wrong!

[glowingbadger]

~YES~

Let's. Talk. Bird Hunk.

Tibarn (FE: PoR & RD) x GN Reader

SFW (nsfw below the cut)

- Tibarn is well known to be the "wild and free" sort- so when word begins to spread among the citizens of Pheonicus that someone has finally captured the King's heart (and a Beorc, at that!), it's a big to-do. His crew roaming the seas at his side view you with a sort of awe, and he prefers it that way. If Tibarn is with you, it's likely because you've impressed him in some way, either by guts or strength of will, or kindness or cleverness- something about you has made a deep impression on him, and he wants others to acknowledge it as well.

- He likes to have a small memento of you on his person, since he's frequently off scouting the seas or working out trade deals (and "trade deals"). So much the better if it's something you made for him by hand and that would carry a hint of your scent. He'll return the favor as well, gifting you a small pendant or ornament made from one of his own feathers.

- Tibarn is an expert at enjoying the little things when it comes to your time together; he'll hold you close and take you flying, or sit with crossed legs to cuddle you on his lap with his wings surrounding you both protectively. He knows how chaotic life can be- especially his way of life- so he treasures the rare moments he can spend thinking only of you.

That said, he also quite enjoys chatting with you about business and diplomacy with the other nations- particularly in the wake of the recent years of continent-spanning conflict. He values your perspective as different from his own, and listens thoughtfully when you offer your input.

- He's not the jealous type at all, and it's in his nature to afford you any level of freedom and independence you choose. Tibarn respects you as an equal, and would never think to chain you to his own ego. However, if someone else threatens or offends you, it's like a switch flips in him. He'll loom over the offending party with claws at the ready and a terrifying smile on his face and say, "I'd have thought you would have heard by now that I brook no insult to my mate. How do you plan to make amends, I wonder? For your sake, I hope you have some very good ideas.

NSFW 18+ v

- Tibarn is an energetic and feisty lover. He likes sex to be a bit wild, a bit messy, and very enthusiastic. He loves to feel your nails down his chest or through his hair, and your lips sucking harsh love-bites to his skin that he can wear with pride. His usual attire does bare a good portion of his chest, and he feels no shame whatsoever about others seeing the evidence of your coupling. If asked, he only smirks and says, "Can't a King be proud of satisfying his mate?"

- while not necessarily into power-play in the traditional sense, Tibarn does get incredibly turned on by you 'sassing' or teasing him a bit. As mentioned, he's very attracted to a strong-willed partner, so he likes when you're bold, or stand up to him. Straddling his hips and telling him in no uncertain terms that you're going to ride him and milk his cock dry gets him incredibly hard- you may even see the slightest hint of a blush. Similarly, moaning to him something like, "Come on, harder-! I thought you wanted to really fuck me~" gets his blood boiling, and he'll pound you into his bed until you can't move your legs.

- He's absolutely willing and able to fuck you just about anywhere. Outside, in the throne room, hell- he'll even hold you and fly upward to fuck you in the air if you can take it. Laguz in general have fewer hangups about sex than Beorc do, so Tibarn doesn't mind at all if someone overhears you moaning out his name as he fucks you somewhere semi-public.

- Tibarn actually quite likes having his balls sucked or massaged when you go down on him. He almost never cums from just oral alone, but he does savor the feeling of you stimulating him in any way you can imagine. Cupping his large, heavy balls in hand as you struggle to take the full length of his member into your mouth will have him groaning your name and petting your hair. In general, Tibarn is someone who appreciates the wide range of options and sensations in sex, and can enjoy stimulus all over both of your bodies, never limiting himself when it comes to your mutual pleasure.

[funkymbtifiction]

Hi there😊 I am questioning my type again, as I do like, once a day at least. Most of the time I'm unsure of my judging axis. I relate to Fi and Te, but also to Ti a lot (I used it a lot when I was very depressed) and Fe to some degree. Mostly I question whether my dominant function really is Fi, because I do have strong values that kinda appear only when they are questioned for the first time, but I've noticed I also tend to look to others for opinions a lot. Usually for small stuff. Random example, tumblr+. Idc much cause I'm not on tumblr that much, so the first opinion that I hear on it "I like the idea/ I hate the concept" is gonna stick with me, and kinda become my own. Then when I hear a contradicting opinion I go "huh i guess that's also true" and my brain doesn't know what to stick with and it's very uncomfortable so I tend to ignore the thing. Wouldn't that be more Fe than Fi?

That's your Ne operating. ;)

You didn't tell me what you think Fi, Fe, Ti, and Te are, so I can't speak to whether you're mistyped or not. A lot of people have superficial understandings of the functions and think Fe just means caring about other people and what they think, and Ti is analyzing stuff.

Fe is a judging function that makes decisions based on what's best for everyone and naturally includes others in its decision-making process, and Ti wants to take things apart to build a mental understanding of how their components operate, so it can understand from the inside-out, how this machine, person, idea, theology, etc., functions. That is how TP users are inventors, mechanics, and innovators, because they understand how theories, machine parts, computer code, etc., works and can translate that over into related areas of improvisation. Their brain subconsciously asks what each piece of something does and how it fits into a greater whole, like building a schematic of understanding. The cost of so much systematizing is low emotional awareness, because they want people to be like machines -- something to take apart, analyze, and put back together with a greater understanding of the object, but people aren't machines. They're emotionally unpredictable.

Fi users skate along in a cloud of uncaring until something triggers an internal response of some kind. 99% of things don't bother them or set them off, but that one thing will, because deep inside they start screaming NOPE. CAN'T ALLOW THIS. It has nothing to do with logical understanding, even if whatever it is has a rational argument behind it, it's just that something inside them flipped a switch and they can't stand by and allow this to go unnoticed. Much of the time, they have no emotional connection to the hysterics of the outer world. They're detached from it, and busy doing their own thing. Like for example, think about the fuss made over various celebrities and how culture wants to "cancel" their careers. An FP may have zero reaction to hearing about any of it, because it doesn't set off that switch, therefore I will still keep watching their movies, and canceling them is moronic. Another FP may have that set off their switch and conclude that this person is a heinous freak and I will refuse to watch any of their movies going forward. Fi is subjective, and based on "How I react to it." FPs either have a reaction, or a non-reaction, and the non-reaction means apathetic disinterest from an ethical stance. "That doesn't bother me" sets their course.

IFPs are very comfortable with whatever their dominant function reacts with, because they trust that inner process to guide them; EFPs are less comfortable with it, because it can "go against" the outer world, where they swim all the time. So an INFP may be at their uncle's funeral and not feel sad and be fine with that, because they didn't like their uncle much, but an ENFP may start wondering if there's something wrong with their lack of emotional attachment, because everyone else appears to be upset, and if I'm not, what does that say about me? They use Ne to conjure up an alternative that they aren't fitting into and compare themselves to it, then start philosophizing about what the disconnect might be, rather than just going "... well, I don't FEEL anything, so that's fine."

Excessively taking on the viewpoints and opinions of outside perspectives even if you don't always like or approve of them in a Fi way either means you're a core 9 who automatically adopts everyone's position and your Fi resents it, or you are an ENFP who would do this naturally, since there's no barrier between Ne exploring everything it encounters and adopting it instinctively and Fi being along for the ride.

[gakkubi]

Ame Trio Analysis: Konan

I want to share some thoughts on the Ame Trio/Ame Orphans because I do think they have one of the most complex, interesting and beautiful arcs in the Narutoverse. I will discuss their personalities and thoughts. This post is about Konan, there are also Yahiko and Nagato. (3/3): I'll end with Konan because she's the one who lives the longer and is impacted by both Yahiko and Nagato's death.

KONAN:

Also available in Russian: ссылка на русский перевод

Konan is possibly the hardest character to analyse because her stand-alone arc is the last one to appear, and the story doesn't dwell on her ideals and motivations until the very end - despite that, it's my personal belief she's one of the best female characters developed in the series. With a few exceptions, female characters in the Narutoverse will usually take the position of supporting the male characters - but unlike most of the other women, Konan's position of support actually makes sense with her character.

A person not being the "original creator" of the philosophy they follow or joining other characters to achieve a common goal does not mean they don't have a mind or will of their own; Konan is just as free to make her own decisions as the other characters.

While Yahiko takes the role of "fallen hero" and Nagato is the "unwilling protagonist", Konan is the ever-present observer; she's the last one to take the spotlight in the Ame Trio storyline, and with her, the last open ends are closed. Konan is the element which endured throughout all of the Ame Trio's different phases, from their start to their brightest and darkest points until the very end. She's the Angel, the one who will carry and reinforce the will she has received.

Konan has a moral trait which makes her strikingly different from Yahiko and Nagato; she is not loyal to abstract ideals, but rather concrete ones. Even though Yahiko and Nagato eventually digress on their philosophies, both dedicate their lives to the pursuit of peace and give up their lives to guarantee the survival of their goal, as abstract as it may be.

Konan, on the other hand, is loyal to people; of course she had beliefs of her own, but they mostly come from a local perspective, not a universal one. She's loyal to Amegakure; to her country, to her people, her citizens, her friends.

It's heavily implied in the story (more in the anime than the manga) that the people of Amegakure held her in high esteem (perhaps even more than they held Pain himself). This shines a new light on Konan, who early on the story was just an unknown villain of the Akatsuki - in fact, we come to learn most of the important aspects of her personality lie outside of the classic, evil Akatsuki.

To understand Konan it's important to understand the Ame Trio's dynamic as a whole; it's fundamental to consider that, just like Nagato, Konan owes her life to Yahiko's fierce will of surviving- her backstory alone with Yahiko is never shown but it's heavily implied that she was just as dependent on him as Nagato was. Like Nagato, her personality is much more passive and quiet until provoked.

Both Konan and Nagato were Yahiko's followers, and they were happy that way - they believed in his dream and his philosophy and found in the Akatsuki the meaning of their lives. It's important to understand that Yahiko's goals are also her goals, regardless if she was the one who created them or not; it's better to say he first inspired her into creating such dreams for herself.

Many other (very popular and loved) characters in the Naruto universe follow dreams and philosophies not originally created by themselves and are not perceived as mere "followers without opinion" like Konan sometimes is.

A common reason for the misunderstanding of Konan's character to claim she has no will of her own is that she continued to support Nagato even though he suffers an immense personality and philosophical shift after Yahiko's death. It's often wondered why Konan decided to stay by Nagato's side after Yahiko's death despite his radical change, and it's often associated with her having no ideas of her own. This is not true; the story builds a very logical and realistic reason for her to continue supporting him regardless of her truly agreeing with his new peace philosophy.

Very much like Nagato, Konan saw the people she loved and her reasons to live be taken away from her twice. The first time, it was Yahiko who gave both of them meaning and direction; the second time Nagato and Konan found themselves having nothing again - all they had was the legacy Jiraiya and Yahiko left behind.

Konan's life was saved by Yahiko twice; first when he helped her survive and second when he sacrificed himself so she could escape Hanzo's trap. It's important to realize the reason why Hanzo could trap Yahiko and Nagato is that they captured her first; although we have no evidence for this, it's possible Konan also felt guilt for "giving" the enemy a token to which they could manipulate Yahiko into obedience.

Yahiko being a key factor on her survival (both physical and mental) and her feeling responsible for his death are both factors that could result in her feeling immense guilt and a sense of debt with him. Like Nagato, Konan couldn't just let Yahiko's death be pointless after giving up his life for them.

Any reasonable person would have their hope shaken after seeing Yahiko get killed after his "non-violence, mutual understanding" philosophy failed. It would take an enormous endurance and faith to lose a person who she loved and keep on trying the same thing with the hope that "next time things will work as intended." Perhaps, things would never work as Yahiko imagined - perhaps his original plan needed adaptations.

However, unlike Nagato, Konan hadn't been conditioned by either Jiraiya or Yahiko to think that she was the one who would find the key to peace; she didn't spend her life pressured by the responsibility of coming up with a plan. Nagato was the one who the former leaders trusted would find the answer to end all the wars - and he stepped up to continue the "plan to peace" with his new ideas of how to get there.

And there's yet another important factor in all this; Yahiko had left her with a mission - the mission of supporting Nagato. The conversation where Yahiko entitles her with the responsibility of being by Nagato's side is highlighted in her fight against Obito to tell us, the audience, why Konan is so determined to help Naruto now - her mission of protecting the "savior of the world", originally given by Yahiko, had been transferred from supporting Nagato to Naruto.

Once we see the perspective of her feeling like she was in debt with Yahiko for saving her life twice - and adding love and guilt to the mixture, which makes it much harder for reason to overpower emotion -, it's easy to see why it could be hard to nearly impossible for her to dismiss the last mission she could actually complete; following Yahiko's will was a way of still being connected to him after he was gone.

Both Nagato and Konan nearly lost the meaning of their lives when Yahiko was killed and the original Akatsuki destroyed - both clinged to what they had left. Neither ever had a proper environment to deal with the grief they felt, a grief that echoed a childhood trauma that shaped all of their lives.

All of these factors are reasons why it would be hard for Konan to look objectively at what she was doing by supporting Nagato's new philosophy; however, Konan wasn't just guilt trapped into being by his side.

Konan, as I stated before, is much more pragmatic than her counterparts; she's loyal to what is hers - her friends, her nation. Even if we ignore the guilt or the "mission", it's safe to assume she would have stayed by his side anyway; Nagato was all the family she had left, and she was loyal to what was hers above all else.

Perhaps, if the mental conditions weren't so harsh, Konan could have resisted or opposed some of Nagato's new radical ideas more than she already did - debated with him, perhaps they could have convinced each other to stay in Yahiko's path. In the anime, Obito even says he relied on Konan for "calming" Nagato, which tells us that she reasoned with him to some extent - however, neither of them were able to keep their pain from overriding the morals they previously had.

Konan has a mind of her own, and it's shown to us in the moments where she disagrees either visually or verbally with Nagato's actions; Jiraiya's death, Konoha's destruction and the conversation with Naruto are moments where she confronts him. She is shown disagreeing with Nagato on multiple instances, which is proof that she felt she could voice her discontent with him - that she didn't feel completely trapped by guilt or that all she had to do was simply obey him; she was not just a voiceless "Angel" obeying her "God." We're also shown that Nagato disregards many of her opinions - by the time he becomes a villain, he is extremely narcissistic and confident in his hability to make the right choice - but that doesn't keep her from voicing her disagreement anyway.

It's not clear to us, the audience, how much Konan was hurt by Nagato's disregard (we're shown she is uncomfortable to some extent); it's the combination of her guilt, Yahiko's "mission" and her own faith in Nagato's plan that keeps her following their goal.

All the members of the Ame Trio value the search for peace above everything else, each in their own particular way.

Unlike Nagato, Konan has a much clear and objective way of thinking, interested only in what will serve them to achieve their goal and dismissing everything else that will not be useful.

Konan is never shown having any interest whatsoever in the other members of the Akatsuki (she never engages in the conversations they have), in the people of Konoha (which is why she condones wasting energy on being violent with them) or even in what Naruto has to say. All that she cares about is what is hers - her nation, her family; she's completely indifferent to everything else.

(That being said, I must note we don't know how her relationships with the other Akatsuki work as it would be impossible for her to spend almost 20 years without interacting with the other members. One of Konan's most important traits is her kindness, so it's "in character" to assume she would treat them respectfully and kindly, being fond of them to some extent; it's also safe to assume she didn't care about them at all, given her behavior in the manga. I think both interpretations are equally canonical because they lean on different aspects of her personality to fill a backstory we're never shown).

Although Konan is never shown being especially inclined to violence, her indifference and disergard for everything that is not hers - together with her own belief on Nagato's plan and the suffering which she endured - allows her to be the cold-blooded leader and killer she eventually becomes.

Konan believed in Nagato - like both Jiraiya and Yahiko did - while recognizing his flaws. When Naruto received recognition and acceptance from Nagato, he was incorporated to Konan's definition of what is "hers"; she aligns him in a sequence of "saviors" who she believed, a sequence that began with Yahiko and continued with Nagato. She makes the conscious decision of giving up her life for her dream of peace as Yahiko and Nagato have done before her.

Obito is the example of a person who Konan never incorporated on what is "hers" - this is clear on their fight where she says she studied his moves and his powers all the years they have worked together, and also clear on the passive-aggressive conversation they have after Jiraiya's death (Chapter 407). The way their relationship works - especially considering that she spent approximately half of her life working with him - also shows that Konan doesn't blindly support other characters for the sake of supporting them; for all we know, she trusted him much less than Nagato did.

It's also in Konan's fight with him that we see her analytical intelligence at full bloom - I dare say she is the most intelligent of the trio when it comes to strategy; first, for not ever truly trusting Obito to begin with (possibly because Yahiko also didn't), and second for being able to set a strategy that effectively killed him (hence why he used Izanagi - he was killed by her) with information based on her own observations.

Konan is extremely careful and precise; she pays incredible attention to detail, being able to draw accurate conclusions after analyzing just a little information.

Konan isn't ever shown to be hateful or angry, with the exception of her encounter with Jiraiya, where she treats him with spite, taunting him with the idea that following Orochimaru's suggestion could have avoided all the trouble he was going through with the Akatsuki. It's one of the few times we see Konan treating anyone in a way that is not kind or neutral, as if she held some type of resentment against Jiraiya - I like to think she blamed him, in a way or another, for not preparing them well enough for the cruelty of the world; for letting them be so naïve that Yahiko could be killed in a trap easily avoidable. It's obvious that Konan still held Jiraiya in some regard as it's easier for people to lash out on those who they like the most - after many years interacting with people to whom she was completely indifferent (outside of Nagato), Konan was finally talking to a person she had feelings for.

She is also - as described by Jiraiya and also viewed on the characters memories - a very kind, gentle, caring person; the very fact that she chose to save Nagato by sharing food with him shows her predisposition to helping others. Her kindness wasn't lost after Yahiko's death, but mostly replaced by the indifference she felt at everything that did not contemplate her goals, her family or her nation. After she accepts Naruto as being "one of her own" and sharing goals with him, she's quick to display kindness towards him and indirectly make amends with Jiraiya in the process.

As quiet, introspective person, Konan is very self-sufficient; although she is a member of the Akatsuki, she only interacts with them when necessary, probably spending most of her time alone or caring for Amegakure's business (as she shared both Akatsuki and Amegakure's leadership with Nagato and he was more active with the Akatsuki, it's safe to assume she cared for the other half). Her quiet, calmer nature matches that of Nagato; they could find understanding by having similar thought processes and also having a harder time processing their feelings, finding sympathy and comfort in each other.

Although I have mentioned that Konan might have felt a sense of debt towards Yahiko for saving her life, I want to highlight I see this feelings as possible only after his death because of its traumatizing circumstances; I don't think she felt she owed him anything while they were all alive, especially because it's never shown that he ever demanded such recognition. Yahiko and Konan have very distinct energies and personalities that complete each other, their relationship has a strong foundation because they share the same core beliefs and traits; loyalty and faith. I can see her falling in love with him for many reasons and one of them being by her admiring how hard he works to achieve the goal of peace.

Konan is a person that feels gentle and kind towards life as a whole; she doesn't seem to need much to be happy - as a child she made origami to pass time and have fun (and eventually used her intelligence to turn her passion into power); as an adult, the anime dedicates a scene to show her smiling to the rain while thinking of happy memories - happy for the sake of being in peace with the new direction she was taking her life after she and Nagato found someone to believe in again.

(Edit: Unfortunately I could not add another image to the post to illustrate this comment, but I wanted to talk about one aspect of Konan's personality that I like a lot and also forgot to mention. Despite her collected and serious demeanor, she also has a tendency to taunt people, a bit similar to Nagato's taste for ironic jokes. This is shown just a few times. In chapter 373, when Yahiko says he will save Nagato the next time something happens, Konan makes fun of him by remarking that Nagato is actually stronger than him, and she laughs when he gets annoyed. As I showed before, she also provokes Jiraiya with the hypothesis of things being better if Orochimaru had killed them. In her fight with Obito, despite his clear disinterest in what she was saying, Konan goes on to explain why Nagato and her betrayed him, and why he will never win. During the Water on a Frog's Face Training with Jiraiya she's also shown laughing at Yahiko's clumsiness. In my opinion, the way she evidently enjoys herself when she mocks people is strikingly contrasting to her generally unaffected personality, and personally I like that most of those times Yahiko was involved. Both in the anime, because of the animation, and in the manga because of Yahiko's surprise, I'm also under the impression that she was the one to initiate their kiss).

All of the Rain Trio's characters have very distinct and interesting psychologies; personally, I find Konan to be the most complex one because of the extreme discrepancies she displays, sometimes warm and kind, sometimes extremely cold and indifferent. I think the way she seems to only care about a very limited aspect of things is very attractive, as it shows how focused she is on her goals - as a nonviolent person, the most cruel act of Konan as a villain comes from her apathy to everyone else that is not part of what is "hers." Unlike Nagato and most of the other members of the Akatsuki who actively indulge in vile acts, she simply pursues her goals, removing anything and anyone on her way.

When he watch Konan's childhood, we see a child that is kind and light-hearted despite of all the pain she has endured, and only after being inflicted by yet another wave of suffering Konan's empathy and hope are shaken to the core; however, we learn her feelings were not dead but rather dormant, and it's by reconnecting to her core traits and beliefs that she finally finds peace in the very end.