#I don't have the patience to redo EVERY lot in every world

[tossawary]

I do like time travel fics for a variety of reasons. It can be fun to see a "perfect run" fix-it fic running through the canon storyline again. There is a little suspension of disbelief required for some of them, because at some point, the little changes for the better or big tragedies averted should start to mess with the world. Very good time travel fics take this Butterfly Effect into account.

It is VERY fun to think about time-traveling characters who immediately break the plot, because they fail to or don't even try to keep things on a certain track. I love seeing authors use this jumping point to explore entirely new directions for canon. It's off-roading time!!!

Some characters are happy to work within the systems of their worlds. They'll put up with the little indignities of having do to things again and are able to act their way through a redo. (And apparently have incredibly good memories, like, damn.) The cost of keeping things roughly the same is something that they're willing to pay in order to reap specific benefits at the end of the journey.

Other characters would prefer to break the systems of their worlds. They have no patience to play by someone else's rules if they have the power to do otherwise. They may think that the world is broken as it is and needs to be changed. They may be unable to let certain injustices happen again no matter the cost to their ability to predict the future. (I admit, I have a preference for this, because I think it's more interesting, and if the protagonist is a heroic figure, I like the idea that every single life is worth trying to save if you can try.)

Anyway, this is all to say that I just read the last 100 chapters of "Naruto" and apparently Naruto was the only person keeping Sasuke from following through on his unhinged and vague supervillain plans at the end there. If you sent Sasuke back into the past, let's say from a battle with Kaguya going poorly back to the Uchiha massacre or something, and he retains his adult body or any of his abilities (full Sharingan + Rinnegan)? I cannot see that Sasuke trying to give Konoha a shot again. I don't think he trusts like that anymore.

I think he would immediately 1) kill Itachi if Itachi forces him to do it and he can't convince Itachi to join his side, 2) kill Danzo and any ROOT agents who get in his way, (2.5) kill Zetsu and Madara if he can find and catch them, and also Obito if Obito forces him,) 3) kill or try to kill the Third Hokage, and potentially 4) try to declare himself the new Fifth Hokage. Winning a lot of these fights just by taking eeeeeverybody by surprise. Or something like that, you know? I think he'd at least try to immediately do some reckless revenge murder.

If time-traveling Sasuke is stuck in his child body for a redo, and can't set himself up as the new dictator of Konoha or the new shared enemy of the shinobi world or whatever, then I think that he might just run off and join Orochimaru again. I think he would make early deals with Orochimaru for the relative freedom that offers.

Like, Sasuke just does not strike me as a particularly stable person who gives a shit about maintaining a comfortable life for everyone around him. He does not care about Konoha's image. He does not want to settle complacently into a comfortable life within this corrupt state. I think he'd rather drag out the rot and set everything on fire than sit through the frustrating false civility of politics or go to school again, if he had any choice in the matter.

A time-traveling Sasuke would not behave like a time-traveling Naruto or Sakura! So, if I had to do a time-traveling Sasuke, I'd probably reach for the "break-it" rather than the "fix-it". Konoha struggles to deal with this new, mysterious, Rinnegan-wielding Uchiha who appeared out of the middle of an incomplete massacre, just killed the Hokage, and declared himself the new one, completing the Uchiha coup at the eleventh hour. (People are saying he looks like Uchiha Izuna come back to life, apparently???) Oh, shit, someone secretly go get Tsunade and Jiraiya right now, fuck.

[fangsandfeels]

Some Jerra headcanons:

Because I finally made some screencaps that don't suck, and I love her finalized look so much I want to redo her entire run.

Is a bit gloomy, yet polite and soft-spoken lady when she is out of combat, but turns into a what if the lyrics from The Reckoning by Iced Earth were a person when she is on the job. 

Doesn't belong to any formal Order. She was trained and mentored by a vigilante from the Hunters of Vengeance order, the members of which didn't have any official HQ and preferred to roam the lands and spread the word through their actions. She and her mentor used to travel together as he taught her his philosophy, which was rather mild for Hoar standards. Maybe he got soft as he approached the dusk of his career, maybe something in his life made him look at his work from a different angle, but he prioritized empathy as the key to understanding and building resolve from the grievances of the mistreated and downtrodden. After all, if you care not for the plight of those you intend to avenge, can you really make their offender regret their every bad choice? If you don't feel anger from their grief, how are you going to make your vengeance meaningful? What makes you any different from a common merc?

Was sent off by her mentor to travel alone after her training was technically complete and she had all the skills to make her own journey. Jerra hasn't met him ever since and has no means of knowing whether he is still alive.

Is used to being a listener and sometimes a grief counselor. I'm taking a lot out of Hoar's clergy routine here because the world of the game is kinda homebrew-ey, and most of the Oath of Vengeance dialogue options vibe with Hoar quite well (yes, even the cringe ones because despite having cool tenets, Hoar is a petty edgelord of a god). To execute proper vengeance, she had to talk to the victims (or their mourning relatives and loved ones), which meant finding the right words to reach out to them as well as accepting that they would lash out and wouldn’t tell the whole story out of shame, grief or pain, that it will take some work and patience from her side.

She had been doing the work of delivering vengeance on another people’s behalf before she started drawing powers from her Oath, the cause shaped by her mentor's beliefs and her own convictions. It took years and a near-death experience for her burning idea that if a just reckoning must always happen, odds be damned, to manifest.

Used to call herself an Oathsworn rather than a paladin until she heard people refer to her as one. She still considers herself an Oathsworn, but presenting herself as a paladin had its benefits: people would be more eager to provide her with information and even let her settle disputes, which is always useful.

Doesn't have a last name. She never got to learn it, and since her family was never given a proper burial and there aren't any records, she isn't going to know. So, when she is required to add a last name, she often improvises with great reluctance. She would write "Jerra Drifter" in one book of records and then "Jerra Farstrider" in another. Last time she plain wrote "Jerra Arrej" because she couldn't be bothered to come up with something else.

Isn't technically a Baldurian. She doesn't even know where she is originally from. Her family came to the city as refugees when she was little, got screwed over by the Lower City gang, and ended up in heavy debt as menial workers at Guild-covered areas and Guild accomplices at times. Having no rights and being looked down upon by the citizens, they had to comply until they no longer could. When the guildmaster made it clear they wouldn't even let Jerra out of their network (what’s the point of a kid with her sad-looking face and large scared eyes if she doesn’t use them to coax some coin out of sentimental folks? There is no future for her in the city other than with the Guild. And who said she doesn’t have a choice in the Guild? A cutpurse, a knife-hand, hells, maybe a gem at Sharess’ Caress if she grows to be pretty enough, but never learns to behave!) they tried to get away from the Guild for their daughter's sake, which ended badly. Of course, it all happened before Nine-Fingers Keen took over, but Jerra still has no love for the Guild. If it wasn't for the threat of the Absolute and for Mol, the girl she let down in more ways than one, she would have let the Guild thugs and Zhents fight to the death and then finish off the survivors.

[victorluvsalice]

And he did manage to find the “Minionize” tome! Which -- feels rather redundant, given he already has the SimRay for controlling people’s minds, but okay. However, that tome can only be used by an Adept, which meant it was time for more magical practice! With Nic’s help, he learned the spells Floralorial (for gardening) and Necrocall (for summoning ghosts) -- not sure when he’ll use those, but it’s something! Every spell brings him closer to a level up. . .

Also while we were here, I figured Nikal should pick up some potion ingredients (as I’m having her focus on that), so I had her fly off (badly) to the greenhouse island! Which I think is one of the bigger missed opportunities in the world -- why make that beautiful wrecked greenhouse and then make it so we couldn’t GO INSIDE? *grumbles* But she was able to pick up a few of the things she needed, like apples and valerian root and a dirt frog. She and Emmett stopped by the market for the rest, and then it was back home to continue celebrating New Year’s --

And their daughter’s birthday! Yup, wasn’t about to let Julia stay an infant any longer -- time for toddlerification! She came out rather cute in my opinion -- look at that curly hair! XD I made her an Inquisitive toddler, as only seemed right and proper given her parents. XD Nikal promptly snapped right into Good Mom Mode, helping her kiddo learn how to walk. . .

[quinintheclouds]

Heyyyyyyyy quin, im gonna rant at you for a bit, because im fucking done with this bullshit!!! So, as of right now, my father's plan is to force me to redo freshman year, wether i want to or not(surprise surprise! i don't) He concluded this after taking one look at my grades from this year(four ds, one two as, two bs. not what i would consider good but thats not the poINT HERE) His exact words were "you are redoing your 9th grade year. its just a question of when." 1/idontfuckingknow

(Gonna paste the rest of your asks here. Tw: suicide mention)

Now, i, having already had a slightly toned-down version of this bloody conversation with my mother, did not have the patience for this shit. The following argument goes aproxxamately as follows,(this is a paraphrased version) beginning with me: "No. No, i already had this fucking conversation, im not redoing a year." "What POSSIBLE ARGUMENT COULD YOU HAVE for me to think so??" silence. "Do you ASPIRE to be a waitress?? Maybe a hairdresser" nothing. It only gets worse frome here. 2/??

"How much EFFORT DID YOU PUT INTO FUCKING THIS UP??" Now, lets stop here for a moment. What the fuck is my father, the man who's jizz became me, trying to pull? Anyway, my response was bewildered at best and full on APPALLED AND ENRAGED at worst: "you think i fucking- what makes you- I PUT EFFOR- THATS THESTUPIDESTSHITVIE EVERFUCKINGHEARD!??!!!! WHAT makes you think i DID IT ON PURPOSE??????" "THIS- *waves my report card in my face, wildly* MAKES ME THINK YOU DID IT ON PURPOSE." 3/4maybe5or6idk

Now, ive been trying, oh have i been trying, to get it through this man's head FOR YEARS, that i would never get bad grades on purpose. That should be a given right??? Anyway, he waves the paper in my face, and i (justly) had tears in my eyes. This is the angriest ive seen my father, which is saying a fucking lot, and hes about 8 inches from me, looking me DEAD IN THE FACE. And I have tears in my eyes. I was terrified, and im pretty sure i looked terrified. But did he care? mmmnotreally! 4/???

Ok, im not sure what else exactly he said(other than, sprinkled in there, that I manipulated my mother[no,] and that i 'couldve not shown up to class and still wouldntve done this bad') but either way, he walked away, saying "You WILL NOt be a sophomore at [my school] next year. we arent doing this again." *john mulaney voice* now, we don't have time to unpack all of that, If my father didn't give a shit about me before, he definitely doesn't now. This just fucking confirms it for me. 5/6

Actually, let me rephrase. He, no, BOTH of my parents don't give a shit about my mental health. They care about my grades because, if they turn out good, this tells them theyve done something right. They only give a shit about me if it benefits them, in that way or otherwise. This is what I've figured out. Honestly, i think im gonna have to tell him that ill fucking kill myself if im forced to redo freshman year. At this point, its the only way to get it through his head. 6/fuckigottadoonemore

And, at this point, im not even sure that if i said that, I'd be lying. In fuCKING conclusion, my parents do not give a shit. They don't give A SHIT, about how much BEING HELD BACK, is gonna FUCKING AFFECT ME, THEY JUST WANT MY GRADES TO BE BETTER SO THEY CAN FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEM-FUCKING-SELVES. I'm done now.

_________________________________________________________

Wow, that sounds stressful as all hell... also your parents sound like mine. I can’t stand parents who put blame on their kid for their mental health or struggles. They don’t need the burden of thinking it’s their fault ON TOP OF the burden of actually dealing with that shit! Is it possible to talk to a counselor at school about not wanting to repeat the year? Those grades qualify you to move on, don’t they? I’d be as pissed as you if my dad tried to do that. It’s your education. My parents have screamed at me about grades many a time, and I FEEL your pain. The way they’re acting is unhealthy for you, and I’m so so sorry you have to go through it. Telling you your future has no potential unless you do what they say is manipulative bullshit.

"How much EFFORT DID YOU PUT INTO FUCKING THIS UP??" OH MY GOD if I had an ant for every time my parents said this to me I could make an ant colony strong enough to take over the world. It is NOT okay. Suggesting that your work is a failure in the first place is awful, but adding in that you did it on purpose is a terrible parenting excuse because they think it reflects on them. That shit will mess you up. I still struggle to remember that me having trouble with something doesn’t make it my fault. I used to believe them and blame myself for every break I took. Playing a video game? Could’ve been studying. Reading a book? Should have asked for extra credit. All of that is ridiculous and harmful to any kid or adult. Let’s get one thing clear: it is NOT. YOUR. FAULT. And another: grades are not a measurement of effort, intelligence, or worth. They’re structured poorly and the entire school system desperately needs revamping. Your future is not doomed regardless of your grades.

Your dad saying you “'couldve not shown up to class and still wouldntve done this bad'” is ABHORRENT. Telling you that you not trying at all is better than any efforts you make is just so profoundly fucked up, pardon my French. Also, completely wrong. 

“BOTH of my parents don't give a shit about my mental health. They care about my grades because, if they turn out good, this tells them theyve done something right. They only give a shit about me if it benefits them, in that way or otherwise.“ My parents are the same way. They only care about whether something makes them look good or bad. You are NOT their trophy to show off as though your achievements are their own, and you are NOT some shameful thing for them to treat poorly. You are, always have been, and always will be, your own person. 

I’m gonna use a quote from a show that hits me really hard and I feel that every child of awful parents needs to hear. “I’m... sorry. I’m sorry your parents don’t care enough. You have every right to be angry. But you deserve to be happy.” You have been through so much, and your anger is absolutely justified. And yet, that doesn’t mean you can’t or won’t be happy. You deserve better than anger. You deserve to be happy. “And I hope you can find that... even if it’s not today.”

“Honestly, i think im gonna have to tell him that ill fucking kill myself if im forced to redo freshman year. At this point, its the only way to get it through his head. And, at this point, im not even sure that if i said that, I'd be lying.” I have been there, so I’ll be 100% honest with you. If your parents are anything like mine -- and it sounds like they are -- telling them you’ll kill yourself still won’t get through to them. In fact, it might make them take you even less seriously if they see you using it as leverage. Kids of parents that don’t take mental health seriously often drive themselves further into depression as a cry for help (not by their own fault) that’s perpetuated by never being heard. I got worse and worse (tw suicide ment) and I told my parents I was having suicidal thoughts. They just saw it as lazy and selfish and overreacting. I spiraled deeper. Then, when I made an attempt, my mom was furious, screaming at me and threatening me because I could’ve messed up her gun. “If you really want to be dead, ask me and I’ll gladly do it for you. At least I know how to use a fucking gun right.”

I could go on with the rest of that story, but I’ll sum it up by saying: I got help. I got better. I realized that if they wouldn’t care about me, I would. I knew what I was feeling was real. I knew I needed help if I wanted to survive. And now, I’ve found real happiness and more stability. Mental health issues don’t go away easily, and I know it’s not the same for everyone, but working on them is so worth it. I promise it can get better. People like to think of happiness as a long-term thing, but life will always have its ups and downs... I still have down days. I won’t pretend I don’t still have a lot to work through. But I am, finally, okay. I never knew “okay” could be the default, or how okay life could be. And it’s amazing. Happy happens a lot more now, and depression is smaller and manageable. I know you’re stuck where you are for now, and may not have access to professional help. But please... Please care about yourself, even if your parents don’t. I care about you. You deserve to, too. 

I’ve had so many moments that I felt were the last straw, that I couldn’t handle any more, that I was broken or ruined or doomed, but even then I somehow managed to survive. And I can honestly say I am so, so glad that I did. Please don’t let your parents ruin that for you. It’s not your fault for where you are. And it’s not where you’ll be forever. No matter what happens in this situation, whether it’s repeating the grade or moving on to the next, I believe that you can make it through. You are so fucking strong for making it this far. I know you might not believe me, but try to trust me. You. Deserve. Better. And even if it sucks right now, you absolutely can get there.

[poetrytexts]

17 things I learnt in 2017

1. Surround yourself with people who support you and make you happy. "Friends" who constantly tear you down or make you feel small don't deserve being a part of your life.

2. Follow your dreams no matter what others might think of you. You know yourself best and only listening to what your friends or family members advise you to do means giving up your own goals for the sake of receiving someone else's approval.

3. Nobody's perfect and you're not the only one struggling with life from time to time. Social medias make it so easy to appear as flawless but every single person you meet has problems and demons they have to deal with and that's what makes us human.

4. You are going to change. Every moment, every decision, and every person you meet changes you and the person you were yesterday is not the same one you're seeing in the mirror today.

5. You're a lot stronger than you think you are. You survived another year, 365 days full of countless ups and downs and yet you're still here. Maybe with a new set of scars and bruises but your survival rate is still a 100%.

6. If you need help, don't be afraid to ask others for support. It is okay to struggle doing everything by yourself and your friends or family are more than happy to lend a hand.

7. Treat yourself. No matter if you go to school, attend university, or are working full time stress is an inevitable part of our everyday life. Because of that taking some me time and allowing yourself to recharge your battery is essential for a healthy, balanced life.

8. Be kind. To yourself and to others. Society is already cruel enough you do not have to make it even worse. Smile at little children, say thank you, open doors for others, offer help, and meet people with an open mind.

9. Do things you're not quite ready for. It's one of the most educational experiences ever. It might scare you at first but eventually it will help you achieve your goals and become the person you want to be later in life.

10. Let the past be the past. We are so obsessed analysing and worrying about all our mistakes and failures while forgetting that as nice as it would be to redo some of the things we did wrongly, we can't change what we have done only what we are and will be doing.

11. Be bold. If you like someone, tell them. If you want to get that hairstyle, go for it. People are gonna judge you anyways so trying to please everyone will only make you more anxious and sadder.

12. Always have something to look forward to. It could be a road trip, a coffee date, or the arrival of a long awaited letter.

13. Be open. Meet new people, visit foreign countries, and get to know different cultures. Not only will it broaden your horizon it will also make you view the world in a different way.

14. Take baby steps and celebrate small successes. None of us achieved our goals over night. Taking one step after another might test your patience but eventually it will all be worth it.

15. Find your own private pleasures. It doesn't matter whether it's drawing or photography or if you're good at it, what's important is if you enjoy doing it.

16. Be independent. People will come and go so making your worth and happiness dependent on a person is only going to harm you in the long run.

17. Time heals (almost) everything. You can't avoid getting hurt one way or another so rather than being scared and not risking anything, find comfort knowing that in the end everything's gonna be alright. And if it's not alright, it's not the end.