#I'll always be able to grant it that. when she was about to kill people to steal their ships was soooo funny

[rivalsforlife]

I sometimes think of Galadriel as the “girl of all time” which feels rude to Luthien. But like Luthien is objectively more powerful but she’s also too perfect. Galadriel has that Noldor Messiness to her and proper ambition for power and ruling lands of her own. Luthien’s moments of Power are protecting her little human boyfriend which I mean good for her but it’s not as interesting. Tolkien trying to backpedal Galadriel’s role in the rebellion was a mistake imo because her being actively involved in this rebellion and still power-hungry even well into the third age where being an evil queen is still so tempting to her is like the main appeal of her to me. 

[holybibly]

girl i really dunno how to ask but ummm i...i mean WE need more preacher/saint/priest content....oh i just thought priest yunho with some cnc and bdsm........and maybe some watersports....oh. my. god. i died. my eyes are only seeing some whips, punishment and a lot of sin. bye.

Hi, honey, how are you? I really spoiled you, didn't I? But it seems that everyone is just as crazy about hot priests/pasors,preachers, and nuns as I am. Woo was hotter than hell when he was a priest, don't you think, bunnies?

I've already mentioned that I'll be doing a sequel for each member, but I'll tell you more so you can look forward to my updates.

Below I mention religious, hierophilia and church related topics. Bunnies, please refrain from reading if such content makes you uncomfortable. You have been warned!

Beware of False Prophets Demon San x Reader

Everyone in your town has been talking about the arrival of a new priest. The parishioners have been on their knees in praise of Pastor Choi San ever since he walked through the doors of your little church. He was devout, quiet, and, for a priest, incredibly handsome. He quickly became the object of admiration and wet dreams.

And you were not left out. The way his cat-like eyes would sometimes linger on you during Mass, or the way your name would roll off his tongue when he addressed you, made you blush with shame, not only at the dirty thoughts in your head but also at the fact that your panties were getting too wet just by looking at San.

But little did you know that Pastor Choi San had much more forbidden and depraved intentions towards you than that. Not all that glitters is gold, and not everyone is a saint who wears a holy robe.

It is said that one should beware of false prophets, for good intentions lead to hell. Or maybe the demon San will disguise himself as the new pastor of your church and try to tempt you into committing a sin.

Are you callin' me a sinner? Priest Yunho x Widow Reader

It was never in your wildest dreams that you'd be a widow at such a young age. Less than three months had passed since you got married when your husband tragically died, and this became the talk of your small town.

People walked past you, looked at you with disgust, closed their doors in front of you, and pointedly ignored you as if you had committed some mortal sin, which is probably what they thought you had done. You were so young and too beautiful, and your husband... Your husband was a man much older than you. You loved him; you really did, and losing him destroyed you. Your husband left you a huge fortune to inherit, and people whispered that you killed him to get money and to take a lover. Some even said you made a pact with the devil by killing your husband in return for your unearthly beauty and money. They said that you were a sinful brat.

Your only comfort at that time was faith, and you spent all your evenings in prayer and penance. One day, your housekeeper advised you to contact the priest, Jeong Yunho, describing him as a pious, compassionate, and gentle person who always showed mercy to everyone and granted the desired forgiveness of sins to all the troubled hearts. But she neglected to mention that Yunho was also an incredibly handsome young man who was more likely to tempt you to sin than to help you atone for it.

"I will help you get rid of your sins, my child." His hoarse voice whispered in your ear as he let the dress fall from your shoulders and down your back.

"I am going to cleanse you of the sin and the impurity of this world." Yunho said as he put a blindfold over your eyes and tied your hands behind your back.

"The only way you will be able to atone for your sins is through pain, and I will help you with that, my dear." He said this, accompanying his words with a lash of his whip across your bare skin.

Say yes to Heaven Pastor Yeosang x Libertine Reader

You never wanted to have anything as much as you wanted to have Kang Yeosang. He was handsome. He looked like an angel. He was everything that you ever wanted to sink your teeth into. He was your church's pastor. And that was what drove the hell out of you.

Yeosang was a simple man—an incredibly sweet and gentle man—who always helped his parishioners find the right path and to find God in their hearts. You, however, could brag about an endless list of sins and vices that you proudly displayed, like your favourite red lipstick. If given the chance, you would paint the whole town red, but mostly you wanted to see it smeared around Pastor Yeosang's handsome cock while you deepthroated him. The two of you came from completely different worlds—a saint and a sinner—but you had always believed that opposites attract.

Every mass was a game of seduction for you, and you wondered how far you could go before the angelic halo over Yeosang's head would crack and he would fuck you senseless. Although you had doubts that he could do it, you had a feeling that he was a virgin and would probably faint at the sight of a pink, wet pussy in front of his pretty angelic face. God, the boy was so holy and inexperienced about sex.

But how wrong you were about him! There are always two sides to every coin, and you will learn from experience that there are some desires that are better left as fantasies. Or the one where Pastor Yeosang fucks you to the last inch of your life and teaches you the concept of out-of-body experiences through orgasm.

Me and the Devil Lucifer Seonghwa x Reader Nun

From the day your parents took you to church for the first time, you knew that your life would be one of devotion to God. Of course, this was not the destiny your family wanted for you, but they still supported you on your way to becoming a virgin bride.

The convent where you lived to prepare for your vows was far from home and did not have the best reputation. But the priest of your parish convinced you that it was there, and nowhere else, that you could know God. And he was right; you did know God, but it was not the God to whom you prayed every night of your life.

It all began with dreams. Dark and unholy dreams came to you more and more often. The cold hands of a stranger sliding over your skin, a hot tongue exploring your body and lips as if sin itself were branding you with kisses, all ending with the first rays of dawn. Then this strange cat appeared and would not leave your side for a minute. But what frightened you most was the disappearance of the other nuns. One after the other, they vanished without a trace, until there were only a few novices left in the convent.

The night you took your vows was dark and moonless. So were the eyes of the dark-winged angel who appeared before you. It was as if he were woven of pure sin, depravity, and rage, oozing from his skin like ichor, and the rustle of his wings was the very sound you would hear before your death. But Angel, Lucifer, Seonghwa—call him what you like—came here with one goal: to finally get his bride.

"Do you have faith that your God will be the answer to your prayers, my beautiful bride? Do you believe that he is going to save you?" Seonghwa's lips touched your cheek, and his burning breath flowed across your skin. "You belong to me. Your soul, your faith, your body—all of it belongs to me. And you will accept me as your husband, dear child. Or you will say goodbye to your life at dawn."

There will be a separate post for Mingi, Jongho and Hongjoong. I am going to leave you in suspense, my little bunnies.

There's no harm in a bit of intrigue, is there?

[kingmagnificoofrosas]

I just cannot get over this one kid in the cinema who went "But he isn't evil!"

We are talking children here! Children don't really know or understand anything about ptsd and trauma (mostly, yet) they just observe! And if a KID between the age of 5 and 10 observes Magnifico and can read between the lines and conclude he isn't evil, what excuse does that leave for haters calling him one?

Now, more analysing cause you've been loving those and I enjoy doing them 🛡⚔️ (I might repeat some points but in a alightly different way)

Every single arguement I've seen haters or anti-Magnifico people make so far was either straight up stupid, ignorant, uneducated, defiant, baseless and or senseless. And then we also have the hardcore Amaya/Asha fans who just go on hating on Magnifico just "because!"

Or those who go "He's the worst villain ever." Yeah, Sherlock, maybe thats because he isn't one? �� Like, seriously, you take Magnifico, compare him to aaaaall the REAL villains like Jafar, Frollo, Scar etc. And you wanna tell me he was anything like them because his trauma forced him to get himself posessed by evil trapped in an evil book and only went bonkers after he was literally posessed? And his sole motivation was to protect and keep safe at all costs ?

And then come the arguements 🫴🏼

"He's vain and narcissistic!"

Because he acknowledges the fact that he's handsome and like's to see himself in mirrors? 🤨

"He didn't grant every single wish! He shouldn't have kept them."

He didn't grant every single wish because of his trauma caused fear/paranoia and kept them for the same exact reason. However, he always meant well.

Yes, I agree that a traumatized person shouldn't be in any leading position, nor should they be in the position of making important decissions. But lets take a look at his motivations and goals again!

His motivations :

- Never have anyone suffer a fate like he did

- Never have people have to see their hopes and dreams get shattered

- Never have his past repeat

Quote - "Everything I do is to make sure that never happens again!"

His goals :

- Protect and keep people safe

- Make sure people live happy, content, free of hardships and strive

Further comparisons

All the other villains when singing - Sing openly about their evil plans, desires etc. showing they're evil!

Magnifico when bursting into song :

"promise as one does, I will protect you at all costs. Keep you safe here in my arms. I will protect you at all costs."

"If you're ever feeling like you're lost, I'll come find you. Man all fronts, there's no ocean I won't swim across to be right by you. And not just once, here and now I swear on my response. I'll remind you-"

"I let you live here for free and I don't even charge you rent. I clean up all your messes and I'm always there when you need to vent. I give and give and give and give, you'd think they'd all be content. And all I really want is just a little respect."

Back to the arguements Anti-Magnifico people make and even more comparisons ⬇️

More for the vain and narcissistic

Gaston - treats everyone like trash and thinks the whole globe spinns around him only. Doesn't care if he walks over dead bodies looking good.

Evil queen - Wants to kill her stepdaughter because she's prettier than her.

Mother gothel - Kidnaps the baby princess, locks her up because the magic hair makes her stay young and pretty, doesn't give a toot that the king and queen are suffering immense heartbreak and guilt. And to keep the princess locked in, gaslights and belittles her.

And then we have Magnifico ✨️

"I'm handsome and I know it." Likes to look at himself in the mirror and is happy and content with his looks. Hurts not one single fly with it. Doesn't put others down.

"He's power hungry!"

Why did he want to keep his power? - Because he was terrified if he would lose it, he wouldn't be able to protect anymore and his past would repeat.

"He threatened everyone and destroyed wishes!"

Again, he was posessed? Do people understand what posessed means? Amaya knew this book would control him! Not him controling the book!

In the end, I don't even care for people who disagree with me. But one thing I just don't get is : Why are some people so out to prove to us Magnifico-defenders that he's evil? Like, are these guys for real? We push forgiveness and love and the other side pushes hate, ignorance, unforgiveness and bitterness. Why does someone feel the need to spread negativity rather than positivity?

I won't stop defending Magnifico 🛡⚔️🩵

[dyns33]

Down the Pit - Part 3

It took me some times to continue this series, so sorry ! I'll finish it, I just started way too many stories at the same time.

Tag : @jaxitaxibolehlaf (I almost forgot, my bad !!)

Y/N felt a bit like a single mother who had been granted joint custody of a little girl and a giant, with a ninja leader she had never met.

She didn't have all the details, but it was obvious that Talia had had to fight a lot with her father to have the right to come back and see her.

Bane had undoubtedly supported her in her efforts, insisting on accompanying her every time she wanted to return to Gotham.

No doubt he had pointed out that the city was dangerous for a child alone, despite her training and intelligence.

He had always been her protector, so it was only right that he was by her side.

And it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he wanted to see Y/N again as much as the girl, not at all.

If Ra's al Ghul did not believe him or was resistant, Bane still obtained authorization to follow Talia to Gotham, about once a month.

Their stays only lasted a few days, a week at most, but they were the most beautiful moments of Y/N's life.

The distribution of rooms was done naturally. Because it was too dangerous to leave her defenseless, but for her to claim her space, Talia took Y/N's room, at the end of the hallway.

Y/N went to the small guest room, which you absolutely had to pass by to see the young girl.

Bane had seemed to hesitate for a few moments, staring at the living room couch, then without saying anything, the first night, he had followed her, lying down next to her, never touching her and remaining frozen, as if waiting that she orders him to leave.

Since she didn't say anything either, it seemed normal that they would sleep together, like when they were in the Pit.

Except it wasn't quite the same thing.

Firstly, because they had a real bed and there was no risk of being killed in their sleep. Maybe enemies of the league could try to get to them here, but no one would be crazy enough to approach Bane.

Plus, there was more than enough room on the couch, for Y/N anyway. Even the bed wasn't big enough to really accommodate the giant, and since he was her guest, it was out of the question to make him sleep in bad conditions.

She had offered him the guest room, but he had raised a hand very calmly to silence her.

"I won't kick you out of your own bed, Habibi. But if you don't want me to…"

"There is no problem." she said quickly. Probably a little too quickly but he didn't bring it up.

"Alright."

Even though the bed was small, they didn't touch each other. It seemed impossible and yet Bane found a way to always stay a few inches away from her. There were times when Y/N woke up with her head on his shoulder, but he didn't move, and he stayed perfectly still until she got up.

It was very likely that he was acting out of courtesy. He had always been very tactile in the Pit, keeping one arm around her and one hand on Talia, to make sure no one was going to try to take them from him. But they were no longer in the Pit.

Despite his always protective side, he didn't really have an excuse to touch her. He was probably waiting for her authorization.

But there was another possibility. A possibility that scared Y/N.

He didn't want to touch her. In prison, Bane had taken pity on this woman who had no chance of surviving alone. And being quite alone himself, they ended up getting closer.

Now they were outside, they had the opportunity to see other people, other women, and he was able to realize that he didn't want Y/N in that way.

She sometimes wondered if there were only men in the League of Shadows. Had he had lovers ? He had every right to do so. They were not married. They hadn't promised each other anything. They even thought the other was dead or lost forever.

Bane had the right to be happy. And yes, she hadn't had anyone else, not being able to forget him, but that was her problem, not his.

They could have talked about it, but Y/N was afraid of upsetting him. Or to scare him, even if the giant claimed that nothing scared him. She knew emotions were something he misunderstood. The situation wasn't so bad. At least they were together, why ruin that ?

Then Talia innocently asked her if they were a couple, while they were cooking together, Bane taking a shower. He could deny it all he wanted, there were conveniences he appreciated in the modern world.

"Hmm. We haven't talked about it. But that doesn't change the fact that we love you."

“You sound like a recently divorced mother.”

"My point is that what happened in the Pit is not necessarily what should happen here."

"Because you don't like him. Because he's disfigured and his mask scares you."

"What ? No !" Y/N shouted, a little too loudly, biting her lips hoping Bane hadn't heard her and wasn't going to come running thinking they were in danger. "It's not that. Look Talia, I love Bane, yes. I think I always will. But you have to understand that he has changed, he has a mission, he has orders and… He has the choice now."

"I don't understand."

"In the Pit… It was just me. Now… Bane is a wonderful man. Would I like him to hold me and kiss me like in our cell ? Yes, sometimes."

“I knew you were doing stuff !” sneered the little girl with a delighted look.

"But it's over. It was loneliness and isolation. He can't force himself to be close to me if he doesn't want to, okay ? Don't ask him to do that, even to please you. You know he never says no to you.”

"… You're a bit stupid, Y/N. But I love you anyway."

Y/N wondered if Talia had spoken to Bane when evening came, and he placed his hand on hers once she was in bed beside him. He had never done this before.

Shyly, she wished him good night, turning off the light and not moving, concentrating on this hand, which she had dreamed of for months.

Was he waiting for her to say something ? Or was it a way of apologizing, of telling her that he couldn't give her more ? Their little girl was a clever and sometimes cruel being. Y/N couldn’t stay like this.

“You don’t have to, you know.” she whispered without daring to turn towards him.

"I know."

"You'll always be welcome, no matter what. I love Talia. I… I don't need you to give me anything."

“I too would like to kiss you like before.”

She couldn't help but turn to him. In the darkness, she could make out his elongated silhouette and his mask. He was always wearing it, his breathing making a strange noise.

Without giving details, he explained to her that he could survive without the mask, but that it made him suffer, and that his face was really not a pretty sight. If he were to look like a monster, it might as well command respect rather than disgust, and he wouldn't feel like he was dying every second.

If she had asked him, he would have shown her. Y/N wouldn’t have needed to insist. He refused almost nothing to her either.

Bane made a strange noise, like a moan of both pain and relief, as she caressed his face. It was now obvious that he hadn't been touched like this in a long time. Actually, not since their forced separation.

“You heard our conversation.”

"The walls are thin. You speak loudly."

"You do not scare me."

"I wondered at the beginning, if you were acting out of habit or out of constraint. If you feared my reaction. But I know you, Habibi. My sweet Habibi. You were not afraid, and I felt that you wanted more. I don't understand why. I don't understand either how you can think that I would want anyone else. There's only you in the world. I only want you."

He groaned again as he felt the kiss she placed on his forehead, then near his eye. Despite his training, she felt that he was trembling, unable to keep his calm perfectly.

He remained still as she continued, now glued to him, her hands on his chest, placing kisses on all accessible parts.

“You’re torturing me, Habibi.”

"You're the one torturing me. Touch me."

"… I have no right. To touch such a beautiful and fragile creature. I don't want to hurt you."

"Bane. Touch me."

A childish laugh, in addition to the rays of the sun, was what woke Y/N. Opening her eyes painfully, she could see Talia smiling like the cat in Wonderland, very happy at the scene before her.

For his part, Bane seemed to have been awake for a long time, still lying down, not moving to let Y/N rest after this lively night, a protective arm around her.

“I told you to be quieter. You know how to be quiet, I taught you.” he sighed, as the girl continued to giggle.

"I'm hungry."

“Do you need me to get you a bowl of cereal ?”

“I want pancakes.”

"… I'm coming."

“Y/N makes them better.”

"She needs to rest. Go back to sleep, Habibi." he whispered, pressing his forehead against hers, his way of kissing her.

Although she could have admired the giant burning the pancakes under Talia's half-serious criticism, Y/N's body was indeed a little sore, and she hugged her pillow, telling herself that she had no never really been a single mother, but simply with a man who was as reserved as he was clumsy. Her sweet giant.

[andreal831]

Please tell me you don't blame Elijah for Hayley's death because all too many already do.

I am like jeez he didn't have his memory in the first place to save his family or specifically Hope!!!

That man did everything he could for her and he loved her moreover he fell for her even without his memory, like what more do y'all want now from him???

PS: I also think he died at the end not just cause of Klaus's death but also cause his grief was too much for him to bear, why else would he leave his family, hope alone?

What you think?

I'll never blame Elijah for Hayley's death and will fight anyone who does. It typically comes from Klayley stans, so I made a tik tok to explain that logic: here.

My biggest gripe with it is the writers clearly did it to prop Klaus up as being the best man for everyone and adding onto Elijah's despair to kill him off. Klaus got to somehow play the victim in Hayley's death. The show made it more about him than even Hope or Hayley.

But yes, Elijah erased his memories to protect his family. People love to call him a hypocrite because he tried to have morals but would always cross them for family. Elijah erasing his memories was him trying to do the right thing because he realized this about himself. Talk about character development. He knew that, even if it would jeopardize some of his family, if Klaus needed him, he wouldn't be able to help himself. So he erased himself. He essentially killed himself. And the fandom somehow makes Klaus the victim in even that. If the show was going to do all that, might as well have just given all of the Hollow to Elijah and staked him (plug for my story, Last Sacrifice, on AO3 and WP).

So after Elijah essentially commits suicide for his family, he finally gets to live. But not really him. Some guy who doesn't know anything gets to live. How Marcel, Vincent, and Elijah thought that would be a good idea is beyond me. So he is released into the wild with no protection and Antoinette essentially takes advantage of it. I could never get into them as a ship after finding out she knew who he was the whole time. He is with her for seven years (his longest relationship) and even engaged to her. Enter Greta who convinces him that his family is in danger. Yes, Antoinette was his family so Greta and Roman were his family by extension. And we know how protective Elijah is about family.

And yes, he does know he's technically a Mikaelson and they are technically his family. But he also knows they are terrible people and has no emotions to go with that knowledge except the normal disgust one feels when looking at random mass murderers. They mean nothing to him. He walks into that house believing Klaus is there to kill his almost brother-in-law. He then sees "Andrea" and likely realizes it is Hayley. But again, no emotions are attached to the name Hayley. He may have been attracted and felt a connection to Andrea, but he is actively realizing their evening together was a lie. That she hid her identity from him and he isn't sure why, but knowing what he knows about the Mikaelsons, he doesn't trust it. Granted he is processing all of this in seconds. He looks around, sees Hayley and Greta in a fight, sees Roman and Hope unconscious on the floor, and see Klaus moving forward, unsure where he is headed. He doesn't help Greta, he doesn't involve himself in the Mikaelsons, he simply stops Klaus and moves to rescue Roman.

Yes, it sucks that seeing Hayley didn't just break the compulsion, but that's not how this world works. He didn't even know he wanted to fight the compulsion so he didn't. What he did fight was the compulsion to make him remember. As soon as the emotion started to come back and he realized Hayley was dead, he fought the compulsion to stop it for days. He'd rather never remember a moment of his life than live with the fact that Hayley was dead.

The argument really falls apart when, as you said, you point out the true Elijah. Anytime the writers wanted to cause issues for haylijah, they had to push Elijah into OOC. When she went behind the red door and he was the monster he was afraid to become and then when he literally erased who he was. Elijah with memories would have found Hayley even faster than Klaus cause he wouldn't have wasted any time. He would have gotten there before they even had time to bind her wolf side. Hell, he would have realized she was missing right away and found her before Greta kidnapped her. The only way they could have Elijah not save Hayley was to completely erase him.

I've talked about Elijah's decision to die by Klaus' side: here and here. To me, Elijah was always a bit suicidal so it didn't take much to push him there. Losing Hayley was the last straw because not only did he lose her, but he lost Hope. Klaus or Freya blamed him for Hayley's death and Hope hated him for it. Rebekah was ready to run off with Marcel, Kol with Davina, Freya and Keelin were moving on. Elijah was utterly alone. I think it had less to do with Klaus than to do with Elijah just having nothing to live for. I hate how people make even Elijah's death center around Klaus.

Klaus could have lived for Hope but chose not to. Elijah was going to die either way because he didn't want to live anymore. A lot of that was due to losing Hayley. Maybe if he had a better bond with Hope or anyone in his family had put effort into being there for him, it could have been different.

Thank you for the ask! I'm kind of sad that you would even think that of me! (Jk! I realized I've never spoken about it on here <3)

[tickldpnk8]

Song of Orpheus Recap

Man, Song of Orpheus is hard. I started this post on July 6th. Three months ago!! It's a tragedy within a tragedy, I got emotional, and then put this book in the metaphorical freezer for a bit.

But it's also jam-packed with revelations and foreshadowing. It's a super-long issue (arc?) and I'll be covering it all in one go. So without further ado, I'll get into it.

On Orpheus’ nature

So it kicks off with a bit of foreshadowing in the form of a prophetic dream. So prophetic dreaming isn't something that started just when he became an oracle. Orpheus also seems to have no power over his dream, but once he becomes lucid enough, he is able to see his father and then visit him in the Dreaming. It's also interesting to me that he doesn't seem to be able to interpret his dream: asking Morpheus what it all meant. (And getting the brush off from his dad in the process.) Morpheus implies that he might actually know what the dream means, but won't tell his son because he is his son. (side note: this interaction totally reminded me of friends in high school who had parents who taught at our school)

Orpheus is also able to open a portal to the Dreaming with just his voice and lyre. I found this super interesting: combined with what we saw a few issues back in France, he seems to have some sort of power that manifests through song. Whether this is something his father grants him to get "home" easier or whether it's just how powerful of a musician he is, is not stated. I think it lends credence to Orpheus having some sort of demi-god-like musical power though in addition to prophetic dreams. Seems a perfect balance of traits to inherit from both of his parents.

On grief:

This is a repeating refrain throughout this issue: People die, you grieve and you move on. Aristeas expresses this sentiment in the opening pages of Chapter 1.

And Morpheus repeats the same sentiment to Orpheus in Chapter 2 after Euridice dies. As I was writing this section of this post, we were having a conversation on Grief and how it relates to Morpheus' own character. The linked thread is a slight tangent, but I do feel like this refrain just continues to echo throughout the series and between the characters.

On the Endless:

We also learn a ton about Morpheus' siblings in this issue. Especially as they are all introduced to Euridice. For example:

Apparently, Delirium almost got married at one point. I don't see this panel talked about a lot during discussions of her character. And I have to wonder, is this why Del changed? Is it why Delight was sad as @onehundredandeleventropicalfish pointed out that subtle lettering detail from Overture? She's always pictured so young as Delight that I can't really picture her marrying at that stage...and yet...

Meanwhile, we are finally introduced to the missing Endless: And I love that when we finally get a name, it's in Greek and his face is covered. Ha! Way to draw out the mystery a bit more. I love that he refers to Orpheus as his favorite nephew...but it begs the question how many nephews does he have??

But also what just happened here? Did Destruction simply open a portal to his sister’s house? Or did he literally kill Orpheus to grant him the audience he sought??

This panel never ceases to get me in the feels: how the family portrait is bisected by the gutter space right where Death should be. But this section of the story also makes me wonder how Death experiences Time...she decorates her apartment in a very modern way with things that haven't been invented yet...are they leftovers from a pre-Overture existence? Does time not pass linearly for her? Or do the Endless simply know what is coming and exist outside of time when they don't want to?

Whatever the case may be, Orpheus isn't able to adjust. So he's a normal human on that front, and we would likewise have a hard time perceiving their realms.

On Morpheus

Here we get that famous line that Morpheus doesn't dance. Not even with his wife and not even at his son's wedding. But also wtf is he wearing and what is that pinned to??

On Morpheus and Relationships

Here we have a conversation between Orpheus and his mother about Morpheus. And it's a bit heartbreaking because you can see how Morpheus is too rigid in his ways/thinking to keep relationships going: Orpheus alleges that his father won't forget or forgive a slight. While Calliope states that Morpheus doesn't really share any part of himself and isn't willing or perhaps able to change. So here we have Morpheus' fatal flaws spelled out for the Reader in this flashback issue.

And the sad thing for me is that by this point of the story, we're seeing that Morpheus is already changing. But the more frustrating point in this panel is that we can see how Orpheus is a chip off the old block...Orpheus is the one who renounced his father, yet it's not apparent that he's tried to reach out and make amends. argh

Yet after Orpheus' death, I do think Morpheus takes things too far as a parent (especially for us modern folks). I'm still hoping to write a meta on him and parenthood, but want to get through Brief Lives before I do. Orpheus asks for his help to die, but Morpheus states that Orpheus' life is his own...and his death too. Effectively upholding the disownment that Orpheus kicked off by stating he was "no longer [his] son" before seeking out his aunt. Morpheus was never going to be the first one to crack on this: he's too by the rules. And the rules state that his son has renounced him.

On Foreshadowing:

It’s also here that we get the first hint about the Thessalian witches...and Thessaly, who will do basically what it says: mutilate a man's face and pull down the moon in the next arc.

And then there's this... Orpheus is the one who has made the Furies cry. Orpheus is the one they will never forgive. And that comes true within this arc with his death at the hands of the Baccanae. But is it concluded? I also just can't help thinking that the son from the union they didn't approve of will give them the means to take revenge upon his father.

[kyojurosprettygirl]

love casted in the stones. 2

Gyomei Himejima x Gorgon! Fem! Reader

Gyomei was constantly defending you, and because of his respected status, and truthful words, people couldn't go against him.

"you do not know her, therefore your opinions on her are invalid."

"as far as i am aware, neither of you were with her during that meeting, all the hashira have accepted her and it's time you both do as well."

"she can not control the way she was born, you were in the wrong for saying that."

.the two kakushi that had spoken ill of you were almost released from their duties because of it

Gyomei was always bringing you to meet with his students, majority of them finding who you were interesting and holding you to a high regard, simply because Gyomei did too. His students began to adore you soon after your first meeting.

"can she turn anything into stone?"

"no, she cannot, just humans she makes eye contact with."

"will she be visiting us during training? i hope so.."

"im sure she will, i let her know in advance."

"where's y/n? we made some gifts for her!"

"she isn't here today, but if you'd like i'll give them to her."

.they were amendment on giving the gift to you themselves.

Gyomei was the one who helped you accept who you were, lifting your spirits up with praises and reasons you shouldn't be ashamed of yourself. he made the days you felt embarrassed and insecure bearable.

"you are unique, it is something you should feel proud of, that ability of yours is something some would wish for."

"your blood holds centuries of culture and generations, you truly are a special thing. you should be proud of who you are."

"your snakes and eyes, i've been told they are extremely beautiful, there are days i wish the gods would grant me just a minute of vision just so i could see you."

.once, he went to the temples and prayed for hours to the gods, asking them to be able to see you one day.

Gyomei was the one who brought you to come to terms with the night you had lost your friend and accidentally killed the two slayers, and although some might deem it unforgivable, slayers and their families know deep down, that the second they or their children pick up a blade, they have signed their life away.

"it could be a selfish way for me to think, but it was a simple mistake, it wasn't like you could control the abilities you were born with."

"the fact that you are alive, and living out the life you didn't want to live out initially, shows your beautiful and strong heart. I believe your friend is smiling down at you, for granting his wish."

"the families of the slayers, they knew their children would die one die. it's the cost of being a demon slayer, it is not always you'll walk out victorious. if you would like, we could visit them together."

.you did end up visiting the families, one was kinder than the other, but you left both estates with a less heavy heart and being forgiven of your destruction.

Gyomei was eager when you had told him you wanted to go back to the ruins of what was once your home, he was eager to finally know more about you and felt honored you had chosen him to go with you.

"i can only imagine the fear that went through everyone's mind, you seemed so content in your life here."

"would you like to take some of the remaining scriptures back, then? i would like to know more about your kind, these might hold some information you could explain to me."

"we should take the items back home with us, we can place it on his tombstone when we get back."

.you had found your friends old home and took some of his and his grandpas belongings to place on his grave the day after. Gyomei was always there. he was there to pray with you when you went to visit your families graves. he was there to find a solution when it came to stoning people. he was there to give you a place of solace.

"she holds you dear to your heart, she always thinks about you. had it not been for you, i would have never met her, so i am here to thank you."

"you said you wanted to go to the market right? we could blindfold you, if you'd like, you do not need to do this if you aren't comfortable."

"it is okay y/n. im here with you."

.he is always thanking your friend at his grave when he can, he never ends his prayer without a thankyou. he also taught you how to get through the days with a blindfold over your eyes, you picked up on your surroundings easily with him.

Gyomei was the only person your snakes felt comfortable enough to show themsleves and were constantly nuzzling into him.

"It's okay y/n, I do not mind. although I must ask, are they as fond of Iguros snake as they are of me?"

"they seem very long, are they? they must be thick too.."

"are they always hidden? i hadn't realized they could hide themselves to appear as normal hair.."

.every time he was near, he could hear a small bundle of hisses drift into his ears. he got so used to it that he would worry he did something if he couldn't hear them. they are also very fond of Iguros snake, but not it's owner.

Gyomei was never seen without you near by, as grounded as he was, he felt like he was in the clouds with you around. at some point, your sweet voice was the only thing he could think about, and he had made it his mission to get you to join the corps.

"she's very sweet, i feel very comfortable around her. my entire week is made the second i hear her."

"she is very strong, i don't need to worry about her as much as people think so. she is just anxious about her abilities."

"i will take full responsibility in training her, if i must."

.once you had picked up stone breathing, you had created a few more forms for it. since then, you and gyomei were always seen together for missions, successfully becoming partners (you as his tsuguko). you had discovered soon after that if demons get your blood into their system, they turn to stone.

Yours and Gyomeis tombstone had snakes sculpted around it, some even formed a heart, unworn wedding bands were placed atop of it.

funfact! After the final battle, gyomei was granted his prayer once he died and he regained his vision in the afterlife. he thanked the gods as you both made it to heaven together.

back at earth, the kakushi and removed your blindfold. they found that they were able to safely look you in the eyes to prepare you and him for burial. they had buried you and gyomei facing eachother. ( they had found out from his students that Gyomeis final wish was to be buried facing you. )

[thenixkat]

just i would like more info for Plumeria in general it would help make picking/writing for her easier

Just... we get maybe a small handful of lines from fucking Masters of all things that adds more to her backstory of how she and her bestie met. Not even in the Sun/Moon/Ultra games -> "A long time ago, someone in town tried to pick a fight with me. Another person saved me by challenging them to a Pokémon battle. I really…admired that compassion. Pain, failure—it's not easy when things don't go the way you'd like. I don't think I'd admire that person as much as I do if they were strong and nothing else."

She does think Guzma is as much of an idiot as the grunts. And she also thinks that dummies are cute and worth protecting. -> "That stupid Guzma… He really is a prime idiot, isn't he!" -> "I help keep Team Skull together. I'm like a big sister to all these numskulls. You have realized what idiots all these guys are, right?" "But don't you think some dummies are cute in their dumbness? You know what I mean, right? You picking on my cute, dumb brothers and sisters is really annoying me!" -> "The guys in Team Skull just don't know how to live their lives. Just dummies doing dumb things. They've just wandered and gotten a little bit lost for a time, is all. It's my duty to protect them and keep them on the right path. Don't know if that really makes me a leader or whatever, though. I think it's more that I'm just nice enough to keep Team Skull together so they don't go off on their own and do anything stupid."

She might be from Ula'Ula if Nanu and Molayne could give her another Z-Ring to try and redo/complete her island challenge. -> "Those old dudes Molayne and Nanu somehow talked me into doing this. I'm starting from scratch as a Pokémon Trainer and doing it right this time. I've got a Z-Ring and everything, so I might actually be able to live up to their expectations."

We certainly know she has self-esteem issues given dialogue and the fact that she is in the self-esteem issues gang. Also fear of failure/takes failure poorly. -> "Hunh! I can't even stand myself right now!" -> "I failed again…like I always do. I promised myself I wouldn't! I told myself I would never fail again! It's all right to feel a little jealous, right? How else am I supposed to get stronger? My team and I really did take out so many Pokémon to make it here!"

Also her take on not getting what 'everyone' says about people being able to understand each other via battling is interesting given how the Pokemon world feels about battling. -> "I don't believe that people understand each other if they battle, but I'll face you anyway."

And it's very much interesting that she's not jealous of Lusamine at all. She doesn't like that woman's vibes but acknowledges how strongly Guzma feels about Lusamine. Like that is something to factor into writing them b/c no matter how you interpret Plumeria and Guzma's friendship (I personally go with friends with benefits from some of the visual stuff going on in the manga), Plumeria is ok with Guzma having other people be super important to him/having a crush on someone else. Granted if we are taking the manga into account Plumeria would kill for her guy so don't endanger him or play with his feelings. True ride-or-die gal right there. -> "See, Guzma… he really likes the president. She's the only adult who ever seemed to see how strong he was." -> "President Lusamine… He was glad to have a chance to help you again."

[shiningstardan]

• N E J I x H I N A T A • R A T E D E • 1 0 K W •

S U M M A R Y:

'Talk to her!' Lee's words still rang in his mind, and he wondered if he actually should. Shame and guilt have the tendency to consume one's soul. How far can a gesture or a series of them compensate for the sins of the past? And will the sufferer be able to accept the atonement given or will they succumb to the guilt and heaviness of those emotions? Could Neji and Hinata relink a relationship that is plagued by the ghost of the past? Prompt 1: Dry Humping

✦ A O 3 - F F . N E T ✦

Peculiar Considerations For Atonement

Part 1: Adagio

Late September.

Lee had always struggled with his alcohol intake and had decided to take his low resistance seriously.

He could be a liability in a mission if someone slipped something into his drink and, as a preventive measure, he had taken his drinking into his hands. Or more accurately, into his and Neji's hands. He had convinced Neji to train him, making him his drinking buddy. And, in one of those fortuitous drinking nights, his friend had mentioned liking someone. Neji had always been very private, he never talked about relationships, much less who he liked. Lee hadn't wanted to lose such an opportunity, he didn’t stop bugging Neji about who the girl was or whether he had talked to her ever since.

Nothing was going to stop Lee's youthful desire to discover his friend's secret love. Neji had been well aware of Lee's tactics, waiting for him to get drunk enough to slip up again.

"So? "

"So what Lee?" He asked, irritated.

"Tell me! "

"I don't have to tell you anything " He tried to sound more threatening than he knew he would. 

"So you haven't?... But! What about..."

"If you continue talking. I swear I'll kill you!" 

One drunken evening, that had been all Lee needed to make Neji talk.

"Ah man, so you are not telling me about her and worse than that, you are not telling her about your feelings, the flame of your youth is going to dim when she goes out with another guy" Lee said while sipping the sake.

"I told you I don't want to talk about it"

"But why not? Common man! We cannot talk about missions because they are confidential, we cannot talk about your clan because that's too convoluted" He complained. "I will tell you about my love if you tell me about yours" He said in a velvety manner, seeing how it had no effect on him when trying to persuade him "I don't want to get drunk just because! At least, let's make it worthwhile!"

"I can't!", said Neji angrily. "Plus, we all know that you love Sakura. But regardless of how much you fight, that's a long-lost battle. You are just fighting for nothing. 

"Tou are wrong, my friend! That's the thing, don’t you see? I can still enjoy the beauty of these heartfelt and youthful emotions, even if they are not corresponded” 

“You are not letting it die, aren't you?" Lee's sardonic smile confirmed his stubbornness, not letting him off the hook. Neji sighted, he was usually more strongly-willed than this, but he felt the tiredness sinking into him, he didn't know where to start or what to say without letting much information out. 

"So?"

"Ok, ok... She - She's one of us"

"Uuuh , a fellow kunoichi from the Leave then. Do I know her?" Neji just stared blankly at him, but after so many years in each other's lives Lee had learned to read his facial expressions, and didn't feel any kind of intimidation anymore.

"I'll take that as a yes!" he said pointing a finger at him. "Next question! Have you given her anything?"

He sighted.

"Ye-es…" 

‘I gave her a heart failure ’, he thought morbidly. He could feel his friend gaze scrutinizing him once again. 

Despite what people thought, Lee was more perceptive than he let on, and people usually took him for granted. Neji knew him, and as naturally cautious as he was, he knew Lee would get the information out of him one way or another. It was only a matter of time. 

"Wait, you said that you... can't ? You can't talk about your mysterious lady?" Neji saw the moment Lee had caught him, deduced him, read him. A mix of surprise, shock and confusion was coursing through his face, making him groan.

‘Goddammit. I really need to start drinking less! ’, he thought. They had finished one bottle and were only halfway through the second one, said barely 4 words about the matter and deadpanned the whole way through the conversation, in the hopes of not being discovered. But it hadn’t been enough, that was everything Lee had needed. 

He saw his intentions, clear about saying something regarding the matter. But before he could say anything...

"Fuck you Lee!"

"Neejii!" he said giggling. The alcohol always made him laugh "My dearest and most esteemed friend and rival, you certainly are a complicated person. I'll give you that" Neji started rubbing his eyes half-heartedly with the heel of his free hand, wanting to let out some of his frustration "So , what was it that you gave he-… Oh, man! Common! Don’t be like this!” 

"This is why I didn't want to talk about it! It's complicated, and dangerous, and... We both know I shouldn’t be thinking about her like this, not after everything between us. What I almost did, the whole intention of it. It's shameful. And, a disgrace. The only reason why I am alive, it's because of how it happened. Never before had three senseis and a referee interjected a duel" 

Lee kept a poker face while listening to his friend, not wanting to make him feel judged, but deep down he knew he was right. If the fight had happened outside the chunin exams, he would have been sentenced to a painful death. 

The rules of the clan were absolute, and he had had too much anger inside him. And although he had worked on his issues and his temper, and the relationship with the lady had improved. He had never had the watchful eyes of the clan taken off of him.

"Well, my friend, I shall drink this one for our ladies! May them rule our hearts in the most benevolent way!"

"Cheers" Neji toasted dejectedly, raising his cup of sake to Lee’s and drinking it. 

He had to thank the fact that she was such a good person.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 

"Are you sure that you can go up the stairs?"

"Yeah, man! Worry not. I am now better at this! Thanks for sharing a cup with me."

"Yeah, well. I'm the only one who has been able to handle your drunken fist, so I guess it has to be me"

"Ha! You wish!” He said between hiccups. “Only once and by pure luck, three years ago. You're just pure tell but can't show up for shit! Same time next week?"

"Maybe, if neither of us is on a mission. I'll pay for the first bottle"

"You ?"

"Don't start or you'll pay for both!"

"Ok, ok. I'll shut up" Neji started walking away towards the district.

"HEY NEJI!" Lee screamed from where he was "TALK TO HER!" Neji scoffed, Lee had improved, but he still got really really drunk. 

The moon was beautiful that night, it was full but blurred by a dense layer of thick clouds, dimming its light. 

‘Talk to her’  

Lee's words still rang in his mind, and he wondered if he actually could. 

A part of him wished that they were closer. 

Maybe he could... 

‘NO!’

Definitely not. What was he thinking? He was being delusional. And at this point he didn't know if he needed a stronger drink before going to sleep, or simply sober up and never drink again.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 

He walked straight into the kitchen, still undecided between that last drink or some aspirin, but to his surprise it was not empty. Hinata was there, and apparently she had also thought about having a drink before going to sleep.  ‘Correction. That is more than simply a drink ’ he thought after noticing the big bottle of sake resting in the middle of the table.

"Neji-onisama!" she said surprised, feeling like a little child who had been discovered in the middle of a naughty prank. The fact that she was drinking on her own, made her self-conscious. She felt as if she had been doing something illicit. Neji was petrified, Hinata was the last person that he wanted to see while being drunk.

"Hi... Hinata-Sama. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. I-I was coming for a glass of water" he improvised while willing his words out of his body. Still surprised by her presence. The alcohol had affected his most perceptive ninja skills "I will get a glass and be... be on my way"

"Wait! Can... can you sit and have a cup with me?" he could not refuse her. Especially when he could see the need for companionship in her eyes.

"I'd be honored" he formally replied while she served him some sake. 

She sighted.

"Are you ok?" He tried to analyze her demeanor closely but failed, his mind too hazy and only a couple of brain cells were working at a time.

"I... um... yeah. I am just tired and needed something strong before going to sleep" her eyes were glued to the cup of sake in her hand. She was deep in thought, her eyelids almost closed. The bottle was not halfway through yet, but she had pulled out a big one. So, she must have drunk quite a bit before his arrival, and to her credit, she didn't look as if she was that deep into her cups. 

He finished his drink while she was mechanically raising her hand, going for the bottle once again, getting ready to serve herself yet another shot. Slowly grazing his hand over hers, he subtly indicated to her to stop drinking for tonight, since he could see the tiredness reflected under her eyes.

"Please" he said trying to call her attention "let me escort you back to your room Hinata-sama". She squinted her eyes, not breaking eye contact, and for a moment he felt a rumble in his chest where everything mixed: his feelings, the sensation of his hand over hers, and the fire in her eyes. She stood up, leaving the bottle open in the middle of the table, determined to not look back at him once again.

Neji walked through the wooden corridors and everything was spinning around him, he followed the wobbly steps of Hinata, but if that was his perception or her actual footing, he couldn't say. He walked behind her until the door to her room was visible. 

"You are relieved from your duties tonight" the sluggish iciness of her voice was something he had not expected from her. What just happened? He was confused. They hadn't talked that much, and in his mind they had shared what he could call a comfortable silence, hadn’t they? She had never dismissed him. Ever. Or anyone else, as far as he remembered. The distant and impersonal dismissal made him more uncertain. She had never talked to him in such a distant manner.

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

Next morning.

He was still feeling the effects of the drinks, with his head still spinning. The sun hadn't come out yet. He must have slept 4 hours tops. And although it was still early, he didn't feel like training at all. Lee would be out after all the shots he had drunk, that was for sure.

He tried remembering last night’s details. Trying to make sense about last night's Hinata, and the rarity of the circumstances. She had been so surprised when he got into the kitchen, she had reacted so skittish when he got there, and she had already gotten drunk, drinking half a bottle on her own... ‘ Why? ’. He couldn’t remember ever seeing her drinking, at least not like that. She had always gone for one or two shots, especially when she was invited to the Inuzuka parties. But last night… her demeanor, body language and posture had been narrating a different story. And the worst part was that she had been drinking alone. That made him feel uneasy. Was that something she did frequently, or had something happened? 

‘God, I need a painkiller ’. He looked through his medicine cabinet and pulled out some tablets. Gulping down two at the same time.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 

By the time she entered the kitchen around 6 am, he had already prepared some steamed rice, sides, miso and was now frying some fish.

"Morning Neji-onisama,” she sounded a little sleepy, “that fish smells good. Do you need help?"

"Good Morning Hinata-sama, please sit. I'll be done in a minute"

"I would have thought you on the training grounds at this hour"

"I - I usually would be. You are right"

"But...?"

"But I have a terrible headache, it seems like I drank much more from what I can stand. How about you?"

"I'm - I'm a little... I don't know, not fully dizzy, but not fully ok"

"Here" he said, extending the capsule and a glass of water.

"Oh, thanks. This, this is very thoughtful of you"

"You can start drinking the water but, please, wait for the food before taking the pill. Otherwise, you might hurt your stomach"

"Thank you" she said with a shadow of a smile gracing her face.

Neji started serving the food while Hinata drank some of the water. The bubbly texture of the drink made her open her eyes surprised, lowering her glass and she stared into it trying to put two and two together despite the haziness of her mind.

"Did you put a seltzer in the water?"

"Um, well... I thought that - that you could wake up with a stomach ache" he could feel the blood running up his face. She smiled fully after his answer, and it was the most beautiful sight an early morning could bring him. She stood up from the table and went around it. And once she stood in front of him, she bowed.

"Thank you for being so thoughtful with me today. I'll set the table, so we can have breakfast" He eyes followed her moving around the kitchen, still in disbelief, paralyzed. Musing in the warmth he felt in the depth of his chest. 

They ate in silence, but unlike last night, his head was now mostly clear and Hinata seemed to be enjoying what she was tasting.   

"Can I ask something?" he dared himself, he felt that he had to know. They were not friends but maybe, maybe, he could show her that she could talk to him.

"Yes, of course", she answered expectantly.

"Did - did something happen last night?"

"Oh..." she felt her cheeks beating hard, remembering the events of the day before, "well..." looking for the appropriate words seemed like a struggle. "It's quite embarrassing, actually… I - I was back from a date" 

‘A date ?’. He tried assimilating the idea, and he knew he shouldn't be surprised. After all it was Hinata, with everything that she represented and was, she was bound to have suitors pursuing her, it was inevitable. But the surprising part for him was that she had actually gone out with someone, since she was usually timid. And, she had been secluding herself for almost two years now.

"And… was it a good one?" He cringed internally at himself. What kind of question was that one?! He certainly didn’t know how to continue a conversation like that. From all the things that could be discussed, Hinata’s love life had never been one of those. He felt as if he was crossing a boundary, invading her privacy. It felt inappropriate and invasive, every fiber of his body was screaming at him, telling him that he was not the person she ought to have that conversation with. Deep down he could only hope to not make Hinata’s embarrassment any greater, especially not at the expense of his curiosity.

"I wish" she simply said, and he wondered if he should ask more about it? or- "I finally had a date with Naruto-kun” her low tone indicated more than the words itself. “It wasn't at all as I had imagined it would be. I mean, he was nice, but... I don't know… I had been so excited and had spent hours getting ready for it. But I don't think he would ever be able to understand what it feels like to be part of a family like ours. Can you imagine that he said he would come and tell us to change our traditions?" She looked genuinely sad, the pressure of being the heir and now head of a noble clan weighing her down. He wanted to say something, but he knew that anything he said could end up sounding patronizing. “I just couldn't help but feel that we would have such a perfect date after years of wanting one, and while I'm happy I took the courage to ask him out... I - I - feel like a silly little girl"

"You asked Naruto out?" To say he was astounded would be an understatement "I feel congratulations are in order, then".

"Please, don't make fun of me, Neji-onisama. I feel bad enough already" she looked like she was about to bolt, she had started collecting the dishes in an attempt to escape the kitchen. Ready to recoil.

"No, wait!" he grabbed her wrist from across the table "Please sit, I didn't want to make you feel on the spot. It's just that...” She audibly heard him exhale, trying to find the appropriate words, “You always wanted to go out with him, and you asked him out. I commend you for your bravery" she wasn't looking at him, embarrassment fogging the previous brightness of her eyes. 

"Well...” she said defeatedly “at least the ramen was really tasty"

"Was your date at Ichiraku?" He asked incredulously.

She nodded, feeling more and more embarrassed by the second, covering her face. "Ino will kill me when I tell her. She thinks that Ichiraku isn't the place for a date".

He regarded her for a second and blurted a “Is there a place where you'd like to go?” before noticing. And he couldn’t lie to himself, the reality was that he was curious. He had never thought about the places she would like to visit. Nor dared to imagine the possibility of ever going out with her. He couldn't fool himself, there was a social gap dividing them. Letting his thoughts drift that way was dangerous. It would be considered an insolence, since she was a member of the main family.

"I guess, I would like to go to a place that wasn't one I have visited almost every day for more than 10 years, a place where I go all the time with my team. I want to do something different... Something special"  He could see that. Her craving for something new and different to happen when you are constricted by the rules of a strict family like theirs, was more than understandable. They all did it, in one way or another they all looked for ways of escaping the harshness of their reality.

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

Mid-October

“Excuse me, Hinata-Sama. Something has been delivered for you” said Kaya.

A white envelope with no signature had been given to her, and inside, there was... a gift card? 

She looked confused at the colorful card. It had the name of a place she vaguely seemed to remember. 

She checked the paper again, as if checking it once again would make a name appear, the harder she started to do it. But despite her effort the paper remained as blank as it had been when she had received it.

She never received anything. 

Who would have sent it?

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 

"Hinata-chan! How's your day going?"

"Ino-chan! Sakura-chan! Thank you for coming!"

"So? What's today's plan?"

"Actually, I'm... not sure. I received a card for a place called... La... Lade-Ladu"

"LADURÉE???" Screamed Ino and Sakura excitedly at the same time. Hinata was a little stunned by how loud her friends had reacted.

"Ok, enough. Tell us! Who is it?"

"Who is who?"

"Oh common! Don’t play coy. Your boyfriend, of course!" asked Sakura "Who's your boyfriend?"

"I don't have one, you girls know that"

"Commooon, don't be shy! You can tell us" said Ino.

"No. I'm serious... I -  I don't know who sent it" the last was said in a really quiet voiced “Kaya-san gave me the envelope a week ago, and I wasn't sure if it was really for me, I asked her more than once if it she was sure, and she was vehement about it, but I cannot imagine who or why I was sent something like this”

"Argh! Not you too then!” Ino groaned.

“Me too?” she didn’t understand.

"I don't want to sound as if I'm stealing your moment but... I've also been receiving random gifts from time to time. And I have never been able to figure out who is the one sending me things", said Sakura

Ino sighed "You girls are so lucky, I only get bad dates. I'm so tired of 'what's your rank?', 'Where did you go on your last mission?', 'Do you belong to a clan?' over and over and over again” Ino stopped ranting for a second “This place opened not long ago, so it must be someone who considers you special. I've been dying to come ever since they opened. But enough is enough, don't let me bring down the mood, let's get some macarons!"

"Macarons?" Hinata was puzzled by the whole thing.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 

"Thanks for walking me back, girls" Hinata bowed when she was at the gates of the Hyuga district. "It was a lovely afternoon". 

"Thanks to your boyfriend! It was very delicious, can't wait to go again!" Said Ino.

"Have a nice night Hinata-chan" said Sakura, bidding goodbye to her friend.

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

Tea Nation

"Don't you think I sent it too soon?" For once, Neji was deeper into his cups, and Lee was actually surprised of seeing him so flustered "I mean, she looked so distraught and embarrassed after her date with Naruto, I just couldn't not do something "Lee saw his friend lamenting while drowning down the rest of his cup. 

"Don't worry Neji! Did you send it the next day?"

"No, of course not. I thought about it some days before deciding to get the card." 

"You see, don't stress out! It'll be alright" Lee served him a little bit more liquor, if anyone needed to have liquid courage at this moment, it was certainly his friend "So have you thought about giving her something else?"

"In fact, I have" He said while gracing the cup over his lips covering a shy smile.

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

Late October

"Hinata-sama" Kaya called her attention "There’s a new envelope for you".

Roughly two weeks had already passed since the first envelope arrived. And this one was a very similar one. It was blank, no label nor penmanship. She tried scrutinizing it even further. Who could it be? She mused. 

“Byakugan” She activated her blood limit. She wanted to detect the faint traces of chakra left by the sender. Maybe she would be able to see something that gave her a clue about this person. But to no avail, nothing could be read out of the paper.

She pursed her lips, thinking.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 

"Kyaaa!!!! Hinata-chan!!! This is amazing, Just what I needed!"

"Ino is so right" said Sakura "I hadn't come to the hot springs in a hot second, this is so nice!!"

"I'm happy that you are enjoying this!"

"We really need to get Ino a secret admirer, that way we can go to more restaurants and cafés" continued Sakura jokingly. 

"Do you really have no idea? Absolutely no idea who these men sending you gifts are?"

"I really don't" said Hinata thinking about those closer to her "I know Kiba-kun and Shino-kun are not the kind to be giving gifts"

"Yeah, I don't even want to talk about mine, they are a lost cause", said Sakura.

"Yeah, I bet mine are part of that group... Actually no, I could see Choji doing so, he doesn't deserve to be grouped with Shika’s lazy ass, I know he could never" Ino was taking the question very seriously "so no one in team 7, 8 or 10... and the cards, gifts and flowers you guys receive are usually nice, like really nice! So I'd say that they have to be top ninjas who get high ranking missions regularly"

"I mean, that doesn't really narrow down the list, there are still lots of Jounin or ANBU who could be in a position where they can give you nice presents" Sakura contemplated. The girls tried to think of other ways to continue narrowing down the list but the only thing they knew was that no one on their teams could be responsible.

Gasp

"What Hinata? What?" asked Sakura.

"What are the possibilities of both you and I, receiving gifts from admirers simultaneously?!" asked Hinata

"What if they are friends?!" Followed Ino. 

Understanding flashing through their faces. 

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

Early November

He could listen to the sounds coming from the kitchen. A bitter and warm smell flowing in the air, tea was being prepared. The closer he got to the kitchen, the more he could listen to the water boiling and the slightly warmer temperature. 

"Tadaima Hinata-sama" he said once he saw the woman he had fallen in love with in front of the stove. 

"Neji-onisama, okaerinasai! I am preparing tea, would you like some, or would you like water?"

"I'll wait for the tea, thanks. It smells really nice. How have you been?"

"I've been well. I even had the chance to go out with the girls while you were on mission"

"Yeah? Where to?"

"We went to a frent pâtisserie, a new place in the village. We ate macarons"

"Macarons?" He asked quizzically, feigning ignorance, curious about whether she had had a good time.

"Yes! They are these little cookies that..." for a moment, her words couldn't reach him. He was entranced by the glint in her eyes. It was a stark difference compared to the previous time he had seen her, almost a month ago.

"I'm glad to hear you had a good time"

"Yeah! It was really nice. We also went to an onsen. It was very relaxing, it had been a while since we had the opportunity to go together since we had been going and coming back from different missions and Sakura working at the hospital" she said while pouring the prepared tea in a cup "be careful, it's quite hot"

"Thank you very much, Hinata-sama"

"Please tell me about your mission, how was it?"

"It was good, I went to several villages in the south near the Wood Nation. Originally it was supposed to be a solo mission, but then Lee was sent to support me, so it was nice to have a familiar face with me. Even if it means enduring his endless energy"

"Did you see anything interesting?"

"Not much to be honest, but" he stopped for a second and turned around to his backpack and from it, he pulled out a small package "I thought... you might like this"

The fruity smell of the box reached her. The box read ‘Peach oolong Tea’ and he saw her take the tea pack with both hands, closing her eyes as her hands pulled the box closer to her nose, slowly breathing the sweet essence it emanated. He couldn't hear it, but he saw her chest rise up and down with a breath; inhaling, appreciating the subtle notes in the sweet smell.

"I hope you like it, Hinata-sama" he saw her face change instantly, her shoulders looked tense again "Are you ok?"

"Uh, am, yeah, sorry." she smiled, but now it looked force "I'll prepare some tomorrow and tell you how it tasted"

"Oh...ok” now Neji was feeling tense himself  “I..." he wanted to save the conversation, but was unsure how to do so "I... I have heard that a festival is coming"

"Oh yes, Ino-chan asked me to help her, she's ordering flowers and when they get here I'll be helping her with the arrangements. It should be nice. I feel I haven't gone to one in ages! There will even be fireworks!" This made Neji feel a rumbling in his chest, a sort of agitation, remembering the time when she had been temporarily blind thanks to him. 

That was another thing he had never apologized for. He could feel the blood surging to his face.

"Neji-onisama?" Now she looked worried "Are you alright?"

A sharp pain striking his heart. 

"I am - nothing to worry about"

"Are you sure?" He saw her bend over the table and extend the back of her hand over his cheek, which made him blush even more furiously. "It doesn't seem like a fever... Try not to exert yourself too much. You should rest. It’s been a long journey.

"I'll... I'll try to get a full night of sleep tonight" he knew that he was still blushing. Especially under her unflinching eyes.

"Neji-onisama. Can I ask you something?"

"Ask away" She looked uneasy. She wasn't sure about how to ask what she wanted, ideas spinning inside her head, not knowing how to ask the questions plaguing her mind. She was still reclining over the table, and was that his imagination or was there a tint shade of pink on her face? 

“What do you think about me?” The unexpected question left him speechless for a second.

“Hinata-sama” he saw her flinch, visibly flinch. “You have always been the respected heiress and now you are our honorable clan Head” She looked 10 times more uncomfortable. 

Neji pursed his lips forming a fine line when she broke eye contact with him. And in a quieter voice she asked “Are- are we friends?” The pumping of his heart resounding so loud he couldn’t hear his own thoughts.

Well, that question was something he certainly didn't expect. He didn't know what to say. 

They were... complicated.

That's what they were. 

They had been childhood friends, and he thought of her a cute girl from the very first time. Then politics had gotten between them, he was branded and had proudly promised to be at the service of the main family, swearing loyalty. He had been a new member of the secondary branch, bound through duty and sacrifice to protect the main family. But then, he had seen his father being subjugated by such duty and one day he had lost him. The closest person in the family, and the one who had guided and loved him, had simply vanished. The tomb located in the cemetery was a shell, empty of any real remains. For many years he blamed her for his death and he tried to kill her. ‘An eye for an eye’ some said, and without remorse or hesitation he had gone for her heart, giving her a heart failure that still required medical control. And to put the cherry on the cake, he had unintentionally blinded her while training. 

He couldn't allow her to call him a friend, she deserved more. Much more. 

She continued to look at him, but his silence spoke more than enough. She picked up all the china from the tea set. Full of shame he walked towards her, cringing on the inside, leaving his empty cup of tea in the sink. 

"Hinata-sama?" He lowered himself, trying to see her beautiful eyes once again. But her hair curtained forward, covering most of her face. 

"I'm sorry Neji, I think I asked for more than I should have" her voice was trembling, but he could feel her effort, not trying to cry in front of him "Please go get some rest, you've just come back from a long journey, don't let me stall you any further"

"Hinata-sama, please look at me" he placed one of his hands on her shoulder. A part of him reminded himself that he was playing with fire, he wasn’t allowed to take such liberties. 

She didn't respond, she continued looking down to the sink and her eyes stuck on the dirty china. 

Neither said anything further.

Resigned, he just took a step back and bowed, exiting the kitchen.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 

"I feel like an idiot, Lee" His friend was judging him with open eyes, and he deserved it.

"You are an idiot" 

He groaned.

"Life gives you the best opportunity to repair your relationship with her, and you simply said: No, thanks. I'm good " Lee sipped his sake

"I knoooooow" his palms covered his face "I'm seriously questioning why people call me a genius" if he could, he would pull out each hair from his head. Individually.

"Well, now that we agree on your idiocy. What are you going to do to not be an idiot anymore?"

"Face it, I guess" Neji was about to lift his cup, when Lee interjected him, stealing it.

"Good!" He drank Neji's sake on one go. "No more alcohol for you then. Not tonight"

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 

The wind had started feeling colder and colder during the nights. And at this point, he could only hope for the best. 

"Hinata-sama? Can I come in?" He could only hope for her to be in the mood to give him an audience, despite the hour. It had been some time since he had walked to this area of the house on his own. The only exceptions were when he escorted her back. "I can feel your chakra signature, please, I just - I just want to talk..." He could hear her quiet steps approaching before the door slowly slid open. Despite being in front of her she wouldn't look at him. "I brought something..." he raised his hand, a pastel green of the bag calling her attention "I - I thought you might like to have some''

"You brought Macarons?"

"I remember you mentioned liking them" she grabbed the bag shocked. Inside there was a collection of six cookies. She could feel something spreading within her, something reassuring.

"Can I come in?" She walked back a couple, giving him enough space to enter. 

"Do you mind if we sit outside?" she asked quietly "It'll not be long before the winter comes with full force, and I’d like to enjoy the weather before it turns too harsh"

"Of course” they both were wearing the traditional black training clothes. The fitted shirt with short sleeves and black pants didn’t provide much warmth, but the nights hadn’t turned that cold yet. Hinata sat on the engawa with her feet dangling, while trying to appear calmer than she actually was, still affected by their last conversation. Neji could see the hurt and rejection still reflected in her body language. 

He had told Lee that he was going to face the situation and that's what he ought to do.

"I'm sorry Hinata-sama"

"No, Neji-onisama. I'm sorry for putting you in a difficult position"

"No, please" he interrupted "don't apologize. Just, listen to me" He looked at her with determination and Hinata for a moment thought that she had seen something in his eyes, although she didn't know what. 

Neji moved a little closer to her, he wanted her to see his sincerity.

"I didn't want to give you the impression that we can't be friends. And,  while I feel honored that you would even consider me in such light. It's just that... I don't feel worthy"

"Neji. Please..."

"No, I beg you, let me continue" He interjected desperately      "I tried to kill you when we were young, I have exhausted you to the point of temporary blindness and demeaned you in the process. These are actions that I can’t forgive myself about, even if you have been gracious enough with your generosity. You can’t possibly call me a friend under such circumstances. But I want you to know that I will always comply with my duty, and I will always follow you. There are many others who deserve to be your friends, but me" he sat down in seiza and bowed to the floor.

"Neji-onisama! Ple-please! Don't do that, please don't bow to me. I-I"

"I can only beg for your forgiveness" his forehead rested firmly against the wooden floor.

Hinata was getting more and more flustered about the whole situation. Her heart pounded loudly and the air escaped her lungs.

The most respected and acclaimed member of the Hyuuga family was bowing to her.

No

No

No

NO!

She was horrified. 

She put her hands on his shoulders and pulled as hard as she could, and he resisted. Her fingers dug into his skin as hard as she could, trying to break his stance. Trying to force him to sit up once again. Her ragged breath tried to collect the oxygen she needed. Until she finally pulled hard enough to see his eyes.

"NEVER..." her voice was trembling and she gasped looking for the necessary air "Never! Never do that again! Ever!" He looked down, he hadn't intended for her to feel more distressed, but he had to say it. He had to make things right. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make the situation worse. I know - I don't deserve forgiveness"

"No! No Oni-sama, don't say that! Yes... We have been through a lot, and, and it hasn't been easy, but... it's... it's us"  She tried to smile for him, but her trembling lips shaped an abstract expression "We have always had each other, we have always been there... Maybe not in the best ways, but... it's always us in the end - I already forgave you a long time ago" Neji could feel her fingers digging back again into his shoulders "Neji, we were friends once, I thought... that maybe" her voice wavered "maybe we could be once again"

"How can you just forgive me? I've done horrible things to you, you should despise me"

"You might think that, but the truth is that I have never despise you, and probably never will" A part of him knew he should feel happy, he should *be* happy listening to her answer. But he wasn't. Sometimes he wished he had her rage instead, at least that would be understandable. "So, do you think we could be like that? Is there a chance we could be friends? No hierarchies between us"

"But we're not. I'm branded. I am part of the secondary branch. We could never be equal. It would be frowned upon" comprehension shone through her eyes. He was afraid 

"This - this is not about the clan Neji. This is not even about us" she couldn't contain the heartache anymore "This is just a very selfish wish. I just wish to feel that there's someone I can rely upon within these walls and I thought that you might feel the same. After everything, everything that has happened… These last two years have been the most horrible ones of my life. And I feel empty and so alone. How can a house full of so many people feel so empty? I’m losing my mind and I can’t do this anymore, I can’t continue pushing on my own. That is why, I thought that you might feel the same… but you are in no obligation to do this. I can understand if you don't..."

"I am here for you, Hinata-sama. If you want me to be your friend- If you want me to share your pain, I’d happily be your friend, even if I think I don't deserve it" He saw the light start to shine in her eyes.

"Thank you, Neji" He raised his hands and caressed one of her forearms, which were still firmly attached to his shoulders.

'Neji ' 

His own name echoing in his ears.

He felt lost for a moment, looking deep into her eyes.

She started feeling warm again, and she was sure that the blood was going up her neck and cheeks.  

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

Mid - November

"I mean, it's white!"

"Really, Ino? As if we hadn't seen it with our own eyes" Sometimes Ino could be so exasperating. Sakura rolled her eyes "All that grandiosity of great spies and intelligence that runs in your family must have skipped you"

"I don't see you contributing, Haruno. If you are so amazing, tell me what you see" Ino passed the envelope to Sakura, daring her to examine it.

"You already said it, there's nothing special about it. What do you think, Hinata-chan?"

"The paper looks very similar to the other two envelopes, I have been saving them in case I can detect a chakra pattern or something, but so far I haven't noticed anything"

"Hmm, I wish we could have a clue, that way we could uncover who your boyfriend is" Hinata found it humorous that Ino had already decided that this person was 'her boyfriend', she didn't know if it was in fact a man.

"You know Ino, it could very well be a woman, for all we know. None of us can have an exact idea of who it is" said Sakura

"Open it Hinata! We must see what's in it"

Hinata examined it once again before she started peeling the flap of the envelope and from it, she pulled out a sachet.

'Cosmos seed', it read. Hinata opened her eyes, surprised to see that she had been given flower seeds. 

"Well it's definitely someone close to you", Said Sakura.

"Or a creep" 

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

One week before the festival

Hinata sighed satisfied.

She needed a bath, that was for sure. Helping Ino in her spare time with the orders was taxing, but she loved it. The arrangements looked beautiful and everything was looking amazingly good. They would need to revitalize the flowers before the festival but with their jutsu skills they could make them look fresh during the festival. She was so excited, after the war and with the reconstruction efforts, everything had looked dreadful for a while but little by little Konoha was starting to feel like home again. 

‘So many things to do… I have to check how many orders are left to be done. And I need to make sure my clothes are ready for that day.  And Sakura-chan already confirmed she will go, I wonder if Tenten w-  Neji-onisama! I had totally forgotten! ’ 

She hadn't talked to him yet, but thinking about him made her feel fuzzy on the inside. ‘ I still don’t know if he will be in the village that day’ Since he had been going on a lot of solo missions recently it was hard to know. Hinata turned on her heels walking now towards her cousin's room, she could take a bath after she had asked him.

"Neji-onisama?" No answer.

It wasn't that late, maybe he was still training or attending to business. Knowing he could be assigned a mission with short notice, it'd be better to leave a note. The room was neatly organized. Very Neji-like, the thought made her giggle. She would need parchment paper and ink. Hinata started opening the drawers of his desk.

"Here's the ink" she said to herself pulling out the small container "and here's the..." 

Eyes wide open.

Was someone coming?

She didn't know if she could trust her senses or if it was her paranoia. Her instincts maxed to her surroundings. Her eyes rapidly went from left to right. She tried to feel if there were any chakra signatures around her. She could feel her heart beating three times faster. Her breathing went in and out, echoing loudly in the dead silence of the room. 

Delicately she lifted the sharpened feather quill and underneath it laid a white enveloped. A pack of them actually. 

‘I have to get out of here!’

No one could see her in Neji's room at that moment, especially him. 

And as discreetly as she had entered, she went out. 

Leaving no trace of ever being there.

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

 At the Konoha market

"Have you decided which one you are buying?" asked Neji.

"Yes! And it's the most beautiful one in the store! It'll bring out her dynamic green eyes and highlight her beauty. I just hope to be around that day, unless Hogake-sama has different plans"

The busy streets of the market had been busier now that everybody was shopping for everything they needed to get ready for the festival. Especially clothing and accessories. Lee and Neji had been out and about since the early hours of the afternoon, they were getting some other presents for their ladies. and since the festival was going to be so special for everybody, they had teamed up. Hopefully this way, they could help each other to not screw up.

"Well then, let's go to the next store. I still haven't decided what I'm buying. And I need to buy it today"

"Let me pay really quickly and talk to them about the delivery", said Lee, disappearing within the maze of patrons that flocked to the store. Ten minutes later they were going to the next store, it was Neji's turn now "Have you thought about what she might like?"

"Not yet, but I think I'll know what to get her once I see it"

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

Six days before the festival

The skies had turned a dark shade of gray. She sighed. She knew that the seasons were changing and she should not be surprised, but since most of the week had been particularly nice, she was not expecting to see such dull skies, but she guessed that it suited the day in a way. In her arms rested a beautiful bouquet of the most beautiful white Chrysanthemums. She felt the cold of the wind in her neck, hands and toes making her tremble. The light cardigan she had chosen to wear did not provide the needed warmth for the incoming cold front. From what she saw, it was probably going to be incoming during the night. The landscape looked drab now that the sunflowers had been cleared. At least during the summer, the place looked livelier, specially for a vicinity this solemn. 

The Hyuga cemetery was a secluded area, she tried visiting once a month, she had started coming more frequently when she was fifteen, she would come and clean her mother’s tombstone and place flowers and incense. But now, sadly, she now had more reasons to visit.

“Hello Hanabi-chan. How have you been?” She kneeled down sweeping the dried leaves that had fallen over the tomb “I brought some Mums for you. Ino gave me the freshest and biggest ones she had for you. They are kind of peppery and sweet. I think that they suit you” she was starting to feel the pain in the middle. “I have missed you so much, I have gotten better and have improved a little. Although I haven’t been going on many missions, you know, clan things happening and decisions to be made.”

“I just hoped I am doing what is correct and my decision will improve people’s life for our family” the wind was starting to pick up with more force “I… I have to confess something. I have been very confused lately. Neji-onisama and I have been talking more recently. Some days things feel easy, but sometimes, I don’t know what to think. He’s been so- so-” her cheeks felt warmer despite the cold air “He’s been through a lot, you know how our traditions and customs have affected the branch family, especially him. Our family has long been plagued by loss and despair and although we are resilient, we have grown indifferent and cold among each other. I was feeling desperate and lonely. So I did the most reckless thing I have ever done. You’ll not even imagine”

“Oh god, this is so embarrassing”, she laughed. Not feeling as embarrassed as months ago ”Can you imagine? I invited Naruto out!'' She was nervous, laughing, imagining and remembering the whole ordeal. “Do you remember that he said that he would change the Hyuga once he becomes Hokage during the chunin exams? Well, he told me the same thing during our date. As if things were this simple. But I do see change happening to us, but not on the promises of an outsider. We need to change ourselves for things to get better”

“I can feel myself changing and I think Neji’s changing too. You know how he was very reserved, well I don’t think you would recognize the amazing person he has turned to be. He’s grown fond of Lee’s antics, I know they are friends now, he is caring, and gregarious” her heart skipped a beat before she continued “He’s been putting a lot of effort into himself, well he always has. But I hope you understand what I mean. I wish you could see the sincerity that his eyes have. Sometimes I think they have gotten clearer that they really are”.  

“Please, watch over us from where you are in this times on uncertainty”

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

Four days before the festival

"Girls! Come here, I just got this" Ino said animatedly.

"What is it?"

"I think it is from Tenten" Ino opened it and read out loud.

Hi!

I have missed hanging out with you girls, the weather here is drier than ever. I told T that if she didn't tell me about a spa I could go to in my free time, I would have to be deported for murder. My skin has been itchy but it looks like the treatments are having a good effect.

I heard that there will be a festival around the days I'm expecting to arrive.

I know you must be busy doing your things, but, could you get me something to wear in case I get there in time?

You know where to find the key for my apartment

Tn.

"Well, we have to get her something, she cannot not go to the festival with us, it's been ages since we've gone together to something like this" said Ino "We might need to get her a new Kimono and probably a headdress..."

"Oh wait! I almost forgot to show you!" Sakura called up to them "I received something yesterday"

"What is it, Sakura-san?" 

"You have to see this" Sakura stood and walked towards her handbag and pulled out a sizable wooden box out of her bag. "It was delivered to the hospital reception, the girls were so excited, I am sure they were betting on whether I’d receive something"  Sakura opened the box revealing a headpiece that had a big red peony, gold ribbons and hanging flowers, in a very traditional style "I think that they got it for me, to wear it this weekend" Sakura felt their surprise in their gasps.

"That's so beautiful Sakura-chan! It'll make your hair pop up, they'll combine very nicely with your clothes" said Hinata excitedly. 

"You are a lucky one Haruno" She didn't want to sound bitter despite feeling a little jealous of her friends. *I don't have time for this, I have a business to run and clothing to get for Tenten!* She reprimanded herself "Have you received anything Hinata?"

"Not y-yet..."

"But?" They asked in unison 

"I think I know" said Hinata to her friends, confusion and caution clear in her eyes "I know who's been sending me gifts" Sakura opened her eyes in surprise. 

"Are you sure?"" she needed to know if Hinata was being dead serious. 

"I am, and knowing that I'm correct, we might know who's been sending you things as well"

"Well? Who is it?" Ino was eager to know.

"It's-it's Neji" Both of her friends went instantly quiet. 

"But... How?!" Confusion clear on Sakura's face.

"Well... I was on my way to ask him if he was going to be here for the festival, but he wasn't in his room, so I wanted to leave him a note since... Oh no!" She grunted "I never wrote the note!" she mentally chastised herself "Anyway, I started pulling out ink and quill from one of his desk drawers and I saw the envelopes! Same material, paper density, color, everything! To be honest, I am still trying to process the whole thing" Hinata was getting flustered and had started pacing around Ino's shop.

"Sakura! You know what that means, right?" Sakura had sunk into a chair putting two and two together.

"It's Lee then, it has to be him" concluded Ino "I mean" She said, racking her hands through her hair, seeming deep in thought.

"I don't know what's more surprising, the fact that you never suspected him or the fact that he has continued feeling this way after so many years!" Ino’s jealousy was long gone now. Hinata receiving gifts from Neji stood from a very dense history that she herself shared with absolutely no one, and was in no rush nor desire to experience anytime soon. And, Sakura and Lee... Well, it wasn't complicated, but Sakura had never been interested in reciprocating. Not an ideal situation either way “Well, since you both got into a conundrum, I guess we better order food or something”

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 

40 minutes later

"Sushi's here!" said Sakura, carrying the bags of food and presenting it to Hinata and Ino.

"I'll serve the drinks" Ino sighed "I really need a break from this arrangements"

"Thanks Sakura-chan, my hands are also starting to cramp here," said Hinata, shaking her hands vigorously.

"Everybody sit down", said Sakura, serving drinks for everybody. 

"Is it spiked Haruno?"

"Knowing what we know, you shouldn't even be asking..."

"Would it be that bad?" Hinata asked her, picking up her "Lee-san is really sweet guy" 

"It's not that," said Sakura, frustrated, sinking her head over her palms. "That's the problem. He really is a good guy" she somewhat frustrated.  

"Sakura-chan" said Hinata in a more comprehensive tone, "it's been years. You do deserve to be happy. Your relationship with Sasuke-son was tumultuous, you were always close to a panic attack and it's ok to be wary, but Lee-san has always been caring"

"You are afraid", said Ino, baffled. "I never thought that you would be scared of something like this..."

"It wouldn't be fair with Lee-kun” Ino pursed her lips while listening to her friend "he deserves someone who isn't walking on eggshells all the time..." she didn't want to push her too much, she was clearly sensitive.

"And you Hinata? What do you think about this?" asked the blonde

"I'm not sure"  she sighed "I feel this might be..."

"difficult?" offered Ino

"intricate?" countered Sakura

"confusing" she paused for a second "I think Neji is being consumed by guilt"

"He should be, tho" replied Ino "what he did was awful and he never addressed it"

Sakura furrowed her eyebrows "Has... something happened? Has he...?"

"Nonono, please don't judge Neji too harshly” she felt as if she was playing devil's advocate "He has been really cordial to me for years and lately he has been attentive with me but - but nothing special, we have just been talking more" she tried to focus "The manor is too big. These years haven't been easy on anyone... and I thought - I thought we were becoming closer again and it all devolved into a horrible afternoon" she needed a moment. "We kind of had a situation recently. I-" - she needed to take a deep breathe "I asked him if we were friends and he didn't say anything ! I thought I had overstepped some boundary or offended him in some way, and THEN that same evening I was in my room dreading how the only person who actively talks to me in my house was angry with me, knowing our relationship was going south again and that everything would be tense and awkward yet again"

Sakura and Ino were listening attentively to her friend. Not daring to interrupt her.

"That evening, I was in my bedroom and he came by. I didn't want to talk to him, I was so afraid of making things worse. He asked me if we could talk, I didn't know what to expect at this point, even though I was clearly intending to avoid him and he started to apologize and then he..." it hurt to even remember the whole ordeal. She lowered her voice. The taste of profanity stung her tongue "he... he bowed to me" everything came out of her in a spurt.

"Noooo..." Ino couldn't believe it, and Sakura covered her mouth with her hands. The sushi was long forgotten over the small table in the employee room of the flower shop. 

"Our clan... our traditions and protocols, they consume you, and eat you alive from the inside. I am always surrounded by many people that treat me as their master, I... I would like a sense of normalcy, but trying to change our customs is difficult. I guess I have been feeling lonely in my own house" Hinata took a second to breathe "And... And I asked Neji, the only person who I knew who would understand me, if we were closer. But he didn't say anything, he simply stood there"

"He can be a jerk sometimes" said Sakura "I still remember when we were 12 and he needed to get a" she abruptly stopped herself, maybe mentioning that incident now was not the best idea “... anyway, Naruto and I crossed paths with Neji and he was really rude".

"Sakura, I know he was like that. I know. But that's the Neji from 10 years ago. That's not the current Neji, he is different. But he feels guilty"

"So..." Asked Ino "What happened afterwards?"

"He apologized. He sounded very sincere! He did a full bow, his forehead touched the floor and everything. It felt so wrong. He shouldn't have done that" She crossed her arms trying to hug herself, seeking solace of her own memories. The uncomfortableness of the ordeal clearly coursed through her body. 

"Somehow I feel he owed you that, even if you felt uncomfortable. It's good to know he finally apologized, properly apologized" stated Sakura.

"It is Hinata, even if you didn't want it or expected it. It is good that he apologized. He wouldn't have been able to lift the blame any other way" - Hinata was conflicted, Neji had been wronged so many times by the Main House that... she felt that he shouldn't have apologized, at least not in such an extreme way.

"Will you tell him that you know?" questioned Sakura.

"I wouldn't know what to even say, or how to ask if it's him. I feel it might do more damage than good"

"And you? What are you going to do with Lee?"

"To be honest, I don't want to think about it right now"

The three friends decided to put the topic aside momentarily and eat their food, once their stomachs started protesting again. Ino felt tired and she was ready to call it a day. Her friends helped her to close the store. 

"Thank you for your help Hinata, it's much appreciated" she said in a comically formal accent, making Hinata giggle.

"No problem at all, but I better get going. Sakura-chan, Ino-chan. I hope you have a good night" She bowed to them before leaving.

"Did you notice Sakura?" asked Ino, now that Hinata was gone

"Notice? What was I supposed to notice?"

"She didn't call him 'Neji-onisama'. Not even once"

"You're right!" Sakura was smiling, replaying the conversation in her mind. Which brought a similar realization to her mind "You know who else she has been skipping honorifics with?"

"Who?" Intrigue reflected on Ino's face.

"Us" a smile gracing both of them.

To be continued...

✦ N E X T ✦

✦ N E J I H I N A D I R E C T O R Y ✦ C O L L E C T I O N ✦

☆ P E R M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T

Hi! so here is my policy:

Ask permission for:

Translating my fics to other languages (I do my own translations for english or spanish).

Recording podfics.

No need to ask permission for:

Making fanarts

Companion or reimagining fics

Other inspiration works

Big No-nos:

Reposting my works to other sites and accounts under any circumstances, I manage my own works.

Thanks!

[julietasgf]

I'm pretty much restless and started to write something on the swap au I mentioned here, where lucy gray lives in the capitol and sejanus is a tribute. I intend to post it in three-chapters, but because of the holidays I highly doubt I'll be able to post it soon (also I love writing long stuff and there's a high chance this first chapter will have more than 10k words ☠️), so I wanted to post a part of what I already wrote below if anyone is interested :)

When Coriolanus Snow entered the ceremony hall and saw the Covey on stage, his genuine and profound desire was to stick a knife in his own neck.

Coryo had lived in the Capital his entire life. He was, in his purest essence, in his purest self, Capital. But apparently, he didn't know the people of the city as well as he thought, considering he still didn't understand the appeal they saw in the Covey. A group of country folks who had the pathetic luck of being in the vicinity of the Capital at the end of the Rebellion, and for some unknown reason, the president saw something special in their music and country attire, allowing them to stay in the city. And people loved their music. And, worst of all, people loved Lucy Gray.

Corny, was the first thing that crossed his mind when he saw the girl on stage, wearing those ridiculous and colorful clothes that children liked precisely because they resembled clown costumes.

"Are you having fun, Capitol?" she finished a song and exclaimed into the microphone, receiving applause and cheers in response. "Because this is just the beginning of the party! Tonight promises, huh!"

Liar girl. Deceptive girl.

Coriolanus knew her opinions about the Reaping well, no matter how much she tried to disguise it with those smiles and those colorful dresses.

"They're great, aren't they?"

Beside him, Clemensia had appeared with a slight smile on her face. She loved the Covey. She and all her classmates. All without any kind of taste, of course. Granted, after the war, musicians and performers in general became scarce; when that strange group without a fixed place was around, playing cellos, guitars, and harmonicas, everyone was amazed, like someone eating a mediocre meal after a long time without eating. Coriolanus knew how that felt, but he was never amazed at eating cabbage soup after hours without eating.

It made sense that he was the only one who didn't fall for the Covey's charm.

Still, he had appearances to maintain.

"I'm always impressed by how good they are," Coriolanus said, sipping his fancy drink, one hand in his pants pocket. "How can musicians like them come from the Districts?"

"What can we do if most of our best musicians died with the bombs?" Clemensia shrugged. "And in their defense, they technically aren't from a District. They traveled all over the country, and, well, if they're in the Capital, it's because they also spent time in the Capital, right?"

Coriolanus had heard this same excuse thousands of times in various forms, about how the Covey wasn't really from a District, about how they were and always had been Capital, and it annoyed him. How can a lie told so many times convince so many people, right? Or maybe the citizens of the Capital only accepted this argument because they wanted to lessen the guilt of enjoying District music, of District rats. When the first news of the Covey's success spread through the city, Coryo remembered what his grandmother had said.

"We wouldn't have to listen to District music if they hadn't killed our musicians with those bombs."

War really did things to people, including making them forget common sense, all for a bit of questionable entertainment.

"Coriolanus Snow!"

Coryo hadn't noticed that the Covey had already finished their performance, and he also hadn't noticed that Lucy Gray had traversed a crowd of people asking for a photo just to get to him. Up close, her makeup looked even more like that of a clown; if it were other times, or other occasions, he would say she looked like a court jester. But it wasn't other times or occasions. Lucy Gray, probably the Capitol's favorite subcelebrity, stood in front of him, hands on her waist, a smile on her made-up face, and there was a whole group around the two paying attention to every word she said. That's why he smiled too.

"Lucy Gray Baird," he spoke with the same charming voice he had trained in front of the mirror for years. "Beautiful show, as always."

"Oh, darling, you know it's not just me," she laughed, shaking her head a bit; there were colorful clips in her long, brown, wavy hair. "I may have the face, but the Covey does it all." She now turned to the crowd, a huge smile on her face. "A round of applause for the Covey, everyone!"

The group of people around her and Coryo applauded while the Covey was still in the process of leaving the stage. Coriolanus, very reluctantly, applauded. He had to admit, despite everything, that Lucy Gray must be one of the only people besides himself who knew how to play that game better than anyone else. Those who looked at her with her embroidered clothes and rainbow skirt would never guess what was going on inside that head. But Coriolanus knew. Just as she knew that his stomach was growling.

They had this implicit agreement, you see. That one wouldn't expose the other. They met at events, at parties, smiled. The venomous little snake always made sure to greet him. They exchanged a few words and didn't speak again.

They understood each other, in a way.

If Lucy Gray weren't a District trash, maybe he would consider her in another life.

She was a performer. Just like him. In different ways.

"This year, I heard that the top students from the Academy are going to be mentors... whatever mentoring a tribute means," she picked up one of the glasses that passed on trays, sipping the liquid. "I hope you figure it out quickly, though. It was a good incentive for the Academy to send the mentor of the winner straight to college. You'll make good use of that, won't you?"

Coriolanus gritted his teeth. It was taking too long.

"Of course, I will, Lucy Gray," he forced a yellow smile. "Who wouldn't, right? Not to mention the renown."

"What renown, huh?" she murmured quietly, almost just to herself, while sipping from the glass. "Congratulations on mentoring a teenager to kill twenty-three others, champion." Another commotion was arising in the hall; Lucy Gray smiled, placing the glass on another passing tray, and patted Coriolanus on the arm. "It's time, isn't it? Go there, Coriolanus. Good luck, dear."

She smiled at him, the same smile she gave him at one of her shows in the Capitol, the same smile when they met at these parties, the same smile when she caught him storing food in his pockets at a party. Coryo smiled back.

They weren't so different, after all.

"Oh," she spoke in a whisper before leaving for good, "there are snacks on the buffet on the left side of the hall. If your pockets are still empty, maybe you'll make good use of it. I'm sure your grandma will like it."

Coriolanus wanted to strangle her.

"Thanks for the heads-up, Lucy Gray," he replied in the same tone. "You should take some to your friends from District 12 when your tour passes by there."

And he knew she felt the same way about him.

***

The cargo train arrived in the Capital, and Coriolanus was the only one among the Academy students waiting for it.

To be honest, he didn't judge his classmates for not going to meet their tributes, partly because, as some of them stepped out of the train cars, the first thing Coriolanus thought was how some of them reeked of poverty. Coriolanus would never admit it out loud, but he was accustomed to that horrible smell, reminiscent of old potatoes and cabbage nearing expiration. Many of his peers, especially those wealthy enough to afford perfume, would faint at the sight of a tribute with a face covered in soot. Coriolanus was certain that Arachne Crane would collapse if she saw the bat that emerged from some of the cars when they were opened.

Coryo wasn't particularly interested in all that, it should be noted. He didn't care about those other tributes at all. He was only there to see his own, and his tribute was the only one that mattered. He even managed to get one last white rose, a small and fragile thing.

Then, he finally found the carriage he had been looking for.

And he saw his tribute descending from it, extending a hand to help the girl from District 2 get down too. Sejanus Plinth, Coryo repeated to himself the name that took a while to memorize; he wasn't in the habit of memorizing names, not when he believed that most people who carried them were irrelevant. Sejanus Plinth. Don't forget.

"Sejanus Plinth, isn't it?" Coryo spoke aloud before he forgot altogether, and he couldn't forget, he couldn't make a bad impression; the boy looked at him with wide eyes, as if he had been startled. "Nice to meet you."

The boy (Sejanus) watched him for a moment without saying anything, furrowing his brow, exchanging glances with the girl next to him. Both were dressed in simple and similar clothes; Coriolanus imagined that there must be some dress code in District 2 that made them dress similarly. The same brown vest, the same beige button-up shirt, differing only in a few discreet details. His eyes were a little swollen. Maybe he had cried on the train too.

"And should I know you?" Sejanus asked uncertainly, a nervous tone.

"Well, congratulations," Coryo extended a friendly hand to shake, reminding himself to wash it as soon as he got to a bathroom. "You are the first of the tributes to meet your mentor."

Sejanus didn't shake his hand. Just looked at him the same way.

"Mentor?" the girl next to Sejanus asked, opening her mouth for the first time to say something. "What do you mean?"

Coriolanus wasn't in the mood to answer questions, especially from people from Districts. He was only there to talk to his tribute and try to make a good impression, but making a good impression also involved being polite in front of Sejanus, and being polite in front of Sejanus meant answering tiresome and irritating questions like this.

"This year, the games will have a little novelty," he said with a wink, his charm already perfected. "Each tribute will have a mentor. Someone to help them survive in the Arena. Academy students, of course."

"And where are the others?" she asked, turning her head, looking for others in the same glaring red uniform as Coriolanus.

"Only I had the inspiration to come and meet my tribute, dear," Coriolanus forced a smile; he was already fed up, so he turned again to look directly at Sejanus this time. "Don't worry, you will soon meet your mentor. But I came to welcome my tribute to the Capital. Do you like roses?"

Coriolanus handed the rose to Sejanus, who did not accept it, just continued to stare at him with the same furrowed brow.

"Mentor, huh?" he murmured, crossing his arms. "Did you really think it was a good idea to bring a rose for someone who is about to die?"

Sabyn seemed to hold back a laugh. On another occasion, the color might have drained from Coryo's face; but he had already prepared for this kind of interaction. Coriolanus just widened his most charming smile.

"I understand it might be a little offensive, but roses were my mother's favorite flowers. She loved them, so I thought my tribute might like something that was so dear to the most important person in my life."

"Your... mother?"

"A sweet woman. Probably the person who loved me most in my life. Sometimes I wonder what her reaction would be if it were me in your place, so I'll try to protect you at all costs, just as she would want them to do with me."

Sejanus's gaze softened, and he seemed to melt.

This was much easier than Coryo expected.

"That's... kind of you."

"There are still many kindnesses to come," why the hell hadn't this kid accepted the damn rose yet? "My name is Coriolanus Snow, by the way."

"Well, Coriolanus Snow," the boy had his hands in his pockets, and Coryo began to think that maybe it had been a waste of time to come there in the first place. "Thank you for coming to greet me," he smiled, and it was such a genuinely sad smile, "but I'll spare your time and effort. I don't have many intentions of coming out alive from the Arena."

Perhaps that was the first time in ages that Coriolanus lost his composure. The air escaped from his lungs, his brow furrowed, and he lowered the outstretched hand toward Sejanus.

"You're not going to die, Sejanus," Coryo said, forcing a smile, a nervous laugh escaping from his mouth. "You're from District 2. In the last two years, it was... a tribute from District 2 who won, and I'll be here to guide you, not to mention that..."

"Coriolanus Snow," the boy spoke much more firmly this time. "I don't want to come out alive from there. I want to die."

Of course. Of course, nothing would be perfect for Coriolanus. It never was. If any deity existed or if his father took care of him from hell or if luck could really change sides, all these things were against him. Yes, Coriolanus was fortunate enough to be drawn with a boy from District 2. A strong, well-fed boy, who in other circumstances would be the best candidate to win the games that year. Yes, his colleagues congratulated him, patting him on the back and applauding. Yes, Coriolanus was the mentor with the best chances of winning that year.

But, of course, his tribute was fucking suicidal.

Coriolanus wanted to kill that boy himself at that moment. But the boy couldn't die. Not when he was his best ticket straight to university.

Coryo didn't think twice when he entered that disgusting truck.

He was going to have to convince that boy to live.

[galionne-speeding]

What're the eight gods like in your Sonic Pantheon AU?

Aah thank you so much for asking! I wasn't sure how/when to drop all the character info ; but now I've got the perfect excuse! To make it more digestible to read (and easier on myself) I'll copy/paste my character doc! (with some slight adjustments)

- - -

Name: Boreas (Also known as "The Cursed Winter", "Lord of Ice") Age: 25 Gender: Male (He/They) Species: Megaloceros Emerald: White

Several millennia ago, the last known megaloceros tribe was wiped out by its neighbors who greatly feared its people's ability to control ice and the cold. The sole survivor of the massacre, Boreas, was able to flee and it is believed he found a Chaos Emerald during his escape. Imbued with new power, he would soon return to avenge his people and slaughter those who had taken their lives ; until a small group of warriors was able to seal him deep inside an underground ice lake.

-

Name: Piia (Also known as "The Trickster", "Devil's Child", "The Moon-Kissed Spirit") Age: 8 Gender: Non-Binary (They/Them) Species: Pygmy Rabbit (Albino) Emerald: Light Blue

Piia was only a child when their village was hit by a disastrous harvest ; and they were offered as a sacrifice to the mountain their people worshiped. They were thrown into a deep crevasse and were killed on impact. However, their body had landed next to a Chaos Emerald which seemingly fed so much energy into it, Piia was brought back to life and granted an array of supernatural abilities. The young rabbit would go on to terrorize their old village, until they were tricked by another child into sealing themselves into a small mirror.

-

Name: Zeutaros (Also known as "The Storm", "The Great Dragon", "The Beast") Age: 201 (Early 40s by Zeti standards) Gender: Male (He/Him) Species: Ancient Zeti Emerald: Red

A Zeti Warlord of terrifying renown, it is believed Zeutaros fell to Mobius from the Lost Hex in ancient times. He seemingly found a Chaos Emerald near his landing site which charged him with immeasurable power and soon began ravaging the land in an enraged frenzy. The carnage would only end when Zeutaros accidentally broke the roof of a large underground cave system, where he fell and was buried by the rubble.

-

Name: Mother Agnes (Also known as "The Sunset Witch") Age: 62 Gender: Female (She/Her) Species: Luna Moth Emerald: Yellow

Little is known about Mother Agnes’ past ; only that she suffered greatly in her youth. In her early 60s she opened a boarding school for lost and troubled children which saw great success ; until all of the children put under her care began to vanish. It was soon discovered that she was in possession of a Chaos Emerald, which she was using to put the children into a comatose sleep in order to feed on their dreams. Her school was promptly swarmed by villagers and Agnes was captured and burned at the stake, at which point all of the children woke up. Her medallion is currently displayed in Sunset City’s history museum.

-

Name: Désiré (Also known as "Prince Raj", "The Adored One") Age: 17 Gender: Agender (They/Them) Species: Jacobin Pigeon Emerald: Purple

Born into wealth and nobility, Prince Raj was raised from the youngest age to be the next ruler of the kingdom and believed to have everything one could ever wish for. Yet many ; servants and nobles alike ; had noted how disheartend and dejected the prince always appeared both in public and in private. When the future sovereign turned 17 they were gifted a large purple gem which they took a particular interest in. Not long after this, communication from the kingdom to its neighbors slowly dwindled until it fell completely silent. It was soon discovered that the large purple gem gifted to Prince Raj was in fact a Chaos Emerald ; which they were using to warp the minds of the entire kingdom, so that all alike would see their lives now revolving around their new ruler as they worshipped and adored Raj day in and day out. The spell was only broken when an assassin was sent to enter the palace and successfully killed the prince.

-

Name: Malda (Also known as "The Hermit", "The Pestilence Witch") Age: 51 Gender: Female (She/Her) Species: African Common Toad Emerald: Green

Malda used to be a peaceful and solitary hermit living deep in the forest, making herbal remedies for those daring enough to visit her hut. When a villager went missing after visiting her however, she was quickly accused of causing his disappearance- as well as all others in the area. While historians now believe she was innocent, villagers at the time condemned her to death by drowning in the nearby lake. Not long following her death, the region was hit with several devastating epidemics ; which were only quelled once the lake was drained and The Pestilence Witch’s skeleton placed in an airtight coffin. A Chaos Emerald was found near her remains during the draining process.

-

Name: Manas (Also know as "Royal Seer Manas", "The Devil's Tongue") Age: 57 Gender: Male (He/Him) Species: Manul Emerald: Dark Blue

From a young age, Manas had always displayed the uncanny ability to learn everything from an individual, just by shaking their hand or touching their clothes. As this ability was sharpened over the following years, Manas began to slowly amass followers who were bewildered by his visions and predictions of the future. Little did they know, Manas was granted these abilities by a Chaos Emerald he was keeping safely hidden. As more and more people joined the ranks of his followers, the manul declared himself emperor and set his people on a path to conquer new land ; aided by his visions and knowledge. It is believed this conquest lasted for several decades and saw hundreds of war victories for the manul- until it all fell apart. One of Manas' visions turned out to be inaccurate, leading to a crushing defeat and the loss of nearly three quarters of his army. Disillusioned and under the assumption their ruler had knowingly sent them to their deaths, it is believed the survivors tracked down Manas and brutally murdered him for his failures.

-

Name: ∅ / Null Gender: ▇▇▇▇ (It/Its) Species: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Emerald: ▇▇▇▇

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[dootznbootz]

opinions on helen of sparta being compared to prey animals? blink blink

*blink blinks back* Then immediately sits like this because of the question.

It's a good question that I'm happy to answer! It just makes me mad.... I sincerely hate the wording of "prey" being used to describe her.

SHE IS A VICTIM! THAT DOES NOT MEAN SHE IS "PREY"!

I can...see how people in ancient times may have used that word and still meant it in how she is a victim... but modern-day English-speaking people calling her that??? (considering how in different languages the word "prey" could have different meanings.) I'll just say that as someone who has been "prey" herself at one point, I REALLY hate that word as a descriptor. Just say victim or survivor. 👍

Honestly to call ANY victim "prey" is so fucked up. "Prey" to me, feels like "it's meant to happen." "Prey" are part of the food chain and so that's what happens. And to compare that to abduction and SA? Almost as if "that's our place"? It also kind of implies something being "eaten" or killed... Helen SURVIVES. She's traumatized and definitely needs healing and support but it's not like she can't find joy or peace ever again. Prey just feels so fucking gross.

Also, if someone calls victims "prey", I hope they know that Moose, Elk, Boars, Bovine, ZEBRAS, etc. are technically "prey". And these are VERY aggressive animals while still being "prey" for some other animals. And also that doesn't mean that "Oh, they're powerful! Clearly they should've been able to stop it." That's victim blaming :P

She is a clever, determined, caring woman who was ripped from her home for YEARS because Paris was a dipshit who decided he needed the prettiest woman in the world despite already having a wife. He didn't care about the fact that Helen didn't want to be there and was already married. He is so selfish that he will not let her go back even when THOUSANDS have died in the war! EVEN HIS BROTHER HECTOR AND PRIAM DO NOT BLAME HER! Granted, we do not know if Aphrodite would have let him undo their deal of "I want the prettiest woman" if he DID end up feeling bad for Helen and he wished to let her go home (I doubt it based on his personality though).

"Oh, if she is so independent/strong, then why didn't she just kill Paris and leave?"

AGAIN! Victim blaming!!! First thing, people who ask that have media literacy that is piss on the poor. You also have no idea about the political implications that would have happened if she DID kill Paris. She literally cries about staying there and argues with Aphrodite about seeing Paris, only to get strongarmed by Aphrodite as, guess what? A GODDESS WILL ALWAYS OVERPOWER A DEMIGOD. (This isn't Percy Jackson where he "killed" Ares as a 12 year old (Percy, you were my childhood, but that's bullshit.))

Even confined in Troy, she ARGUED with APHRODITE about going to see Paris! She is not some meek woman who just does as she's told with no pushback! She argued with a GODDESSS! Very few survive doing that!!!

She's not "Prey to fate", she's a "VICTIM of Fate".

[cadaverschaoss]

"I'll sacrifice everything for my family."

"And I mean everything."

Character’s full name:

Kasumi Niragi

Character’s nickname:

Sumi, Kas

Reason for nickname:

Shortened version of her given name

Birth date:

10/10/97

Physical appearance

Age:

25

Eye color:

brown

Distinguishing marks:

small knick in her eyebrow

Hair color:

Black

Hairstyle:

Short and scrappy

Beach Wear:

Games outfit:

Personality

Good personality traits:

loyal determined

Bad personality traits:

chaotic, emotional

Mood character is most often in:

bored

Sense of humor:

ADHD humor

Character’s greatest joy in life:

her brother

Character’s greatest fear:

dying alone

Why?

She believes if she dies alone then no one will remember her

What single event would most throw this character’s life into complete turmoil?

Finding her biological father

Character is most at ease when:

She is around those she trusts and cares for

Most ill at ease when:

She has to get out of her comfort zone

Enraged when:

You try to hurt her brother

Depressed or sad when:

She believes her brother is dead post 10 ❤️ game

Priorities:

Surviving

Life philosophy:

What's the point in living if there are no risks?

If granted one wish, it would be:

For the secret of her mothers affair to never have been revealed

Why?

She wouldn't have had to leave home.

Character’s soft spot:

People giving her small gifts and things and pay attention to when she talks

Is this soft spot obvious to others?

Yes

Greatest strength:

She's very good at reading people

Greatest vulnerability or weakness:

She cares a bit too much about those around her and neglects her own safety

Biggest regret:

Leaving home and leaving just a small note behind

Minor regret:

Getting into fights in school

Biggest accomplishment:

Buying her own apartment at 27

Minor accomplishment:

Finishing highschool online

Past failures he/she would be embarrassed to have people know about:

She once worked as a healthcare telemarketer and accidentally deleted information that ultimately led to an old man's death. It was an honest mistake but she carries the blame anyway.

Why?

She essentially killed a man

Character’s darkest secret:

Read the killing a man bit above

Does anyone else know?

No

Goals

Drives and motivations:

to reunite with her family after the borderlands

Immediate goals:

Survive

Long term goals:

Get a self defense teaching certification

How the character plans to accomplish these goals:

Taking classes

How other characters will be affected:

N/a

Past

Hometown:

N/A

Type of childhood:

Decent until 15

Pets:

A stray black kitten she fed

First memory:

Her earliest memory is her brother make believing a tea party for her just when she was barely able to walk

Most important childhood memory:

When the truth of her parentage was discovered

Why:

She was kicked out of the family home

Childhood hero:

Joan Jett

Dream job:

Rockstar/self defense teacher

Education:

Highschool graduate (barely)

Religion:

N/a

Finances: lower middle class

Present

Current location:

Shibuya

Currently living with:

Alone

Pets:

N/a

Religion:

N/a

Occupation:

bartender

Finances:

Lower middle class

Family

Mother:

N/a

Relationship with her:

Strained

Father:

n/a

Relationship with him:

Nonexistent

Siblings:

Sugura Niragi, Nisha Niragi (@thepsychosister )

Relationship with them:

Strained, close but strained

Spouse:

N/a

Relationship with him/her:

N/a

Children:

N/a

Relationship with them:

N/a

Other important family members:

N/a

Favorites

Color:

burgundy

Least favorite color:

electric blue

Music:

rock

Food:

hotpot

Literature:

Manga

Form of entertainment:

Tv

Expressions:

N/a

Mode of transportation:

Motorbike

Most prized possession:

Her motorbike

Habits

Hobbies:

Fighting, bartending

Plays a musical instrument?

No

Plays a sport?

No

How he/she would spend a rainy day:

Watching Netflix

Spending habits:

lives within her means

Smokes:

Occasionally

Drinks:

Yes

Other drugs:

Occasional weed use

Old bio:

Kasumi was the product of their mother having an affair, always feeling like the oddball in the family growing up. Her mother doted her with attention in the beginning then leaving Kasumi to wonder what she had done to lose her mother's love, during this time of inner turmoil she started to purposely get in trouble, eventually meeting delinquents , and later being invited to join their gang. To keep her gang life a secret from her family she worked hard at school, until her first week of highschool when she got into a fight that hospitalized two kids, the two boys who she found out were bullying her only siblings. The day she got kicked out of school was the same day she found out the circumstances of her birth and kicked out of the family home. She stayed with friends here and there before securing herself a cheap apartment in Tokyo, she had planned to find her brother and explain why she left their family so abruptly but never had the time. It wasn't until she woke up in the borderlands that the realization hit her, it wasn't until her first few games that she might actually die before seeing her only family again.

[eldritch-nightmare]

I honestly don’t k ow anything about dbd so colour me surprised when I found out ghostface is in there??? Is it like a game where the mc gets transported to a hell like dimension and do a bunch of trails conducted by people like ghsotfsce to survive?

Also k have my accounting exam today and I’m super nervous. It’s the highest course in my study field that has the highest failure/ dropout rate, which now I understand

omg im wishing you luck on your exam!!

but yeah i mean... technically?? that's definitely one way to describe it. and i'll try my best to explain what it is because it overtakes my every waking thought these days.

so like. there is this thing right. she's known as the entity. she's essentially the main antagonist of the whole game, and she drags people into something known as the fog, a place that no one has been able to escape. once you're in the fog, you're not leaving.

so you have one group of people known as survivors. this includes original characters like meg, yunjin, sable, dwight, etc etc. and then licensed characters such as leon kennedy, nick cage, alan wake, ellen ripley, etc etc.

then you have the second group, the killers. this includes original killers like the trickster, skull merchant, the trapper, the artist, etc etec. and then licensed characters like michael myers, pinhead, demogorgon, amanda young, and so on. then there's ghostface. he's only half-licensed, so he's not from any of this movies, he's only canon to dbd. his name is danny.

the lore of this game is not something i'm an expert at. i only know the lore for like... 5 characters. but the gist is that you get dragged into the fog (or willingly enter, if you're quirky like sable) and are forever stuck there, cursed to either continuously get killed over and over again or cursed to continuously murder over and over again.

each trial is a 1v4. one killer, four survivors. the survivors have to repair generators to power up the exit gates in order to escape, and the killer has to hunt them down and sacrifice them to the entity by hooking them 3 times. 2, if you bring a mori or if they get left on hook until their second hook state.

and each survivor and killer comes with their own set of perks, like little skills essentially, that you can use to help yourself out in trials. like uhhh...

some examples being the perks i put on my survivors: adrenaline, a meg perk, instantly heals you a health state and gives you a haste boost once gates are powered. background player, a renato perk, that gives you a massive speed boost when the killer picks up a downed survivor. unbreakable, a bill perk, that lets you pick yourself up if you've been downed. and soul guard, a cheryl perk, that grants you endurance for a period of time once you've been healed from a downed state.

and then some killer perks: no way out, a trickster perk, that calls the entity to block exit gates when someone tries opening them. the time depends on how many survivors you hooked that match. rancor, a spirit perk, that lets you immediately down and mori your obsession once gates are powered no matter how many times you've hooked them. nurse's calling, a nurse perk, that lets you see the aura of survivors healing within a certain range. blood warden, a nightmare perk, that blocks off the exit for 60 seconds after hooking a survivor once either gate has been opened.

i don't think i'm doing the best job at explaining the game tbh. the best way to learn about it is to either watch someone play it or play it yourself, bc that's how i learned. and i'm still new to the game man, 4 months, 420 hours.

it's an online game, so there's always bound to be toxic people on both sides, but it's also a really fun game and like.

there have been moments in this game, lil interactions w other survivors and killers, that have genuinely made my day.

there's also outfits!! for the killers and survivors!! some of them aren't good, but some of them are. really just depends on your taste in fashion, i guess. and lil charms that you can put on your survivors, and on your hooks.

sorry for the long and messy explanation i will take literally any chance given to me to talk about this game :thumbs up:

[sparkles-rule-4eva]

Here's the first part - snippet? - of my Sonic Frontiers one-shot! Entire thing is on Wattpad now! I'll leave the link at the end. Enjoy! :)

(SPOILER WARNING IF YOU HAVEN'T PLAYED/WATCHED THROUGH SONIC FRONTIERS)

"Sonic Frontiers: Anything for Them"

Sonic had always loved freedom.

It was one of the things that he valued the most in life. He hated being tied down anywhere. He loved his ability to go where he wanted, when he wanted. It was such a wonderful feeling, so wonderful that he wanted everyone to have such freedom.

That was one of the biggest reasons he was so determined to stop Eggman all the time. Eggman’s actions hurt people. Took their freedom. Rendered them powerless. He hated having to see the fear and hurt in their eyes, in the eyes of strangers he’d never talked to but vowed to protect.

Exploring Starfall Islands had been an . . . interesting experience so far. Between destroying the robots he came across, taking time to just look around and observe the beauty of the place, and getting a ton of one-on-one time with each of his friends . . . Well, exploring new places was always fun, but there was something distinctly bittersweet about this time around.

“I wanna share that love with the world.” Amy’s quiet words of longing rang in his mind. “Even if . . . it takes us far apart.”

He was excited for her. It was a good thing. Let her go off on her own for a while, do her own exploring, share her love with as many people as she could. He’d miss her, but it wasn’t a permanent thing. Again, he wanted her to have the same freedom he did.

“I’ll admit, I do envy your lifestyle. Freedom to go where you want, when you want.”

It wasn’t something he’d ever thought he’d hear Knuckles of all people say.

“So do it!” he’d instantly replied. “Get out there and live a little!”

“Maybe I could. But first I need to be back to normal.”

Knuckles was bound to Angel Island for most of his life, guarding the Master Emerald. Granted, he was more bound there by his own obligations as the guardian than anything else, but still. It was great that he was finally giving himself the opportunity to get out and do some exploring of his own. Neither of them knew what to do with the Master Emerald for that time, though Sonic had considered guarding it himself for the time Knuckles was out.

Knuckles was leaving, too.

Again, it wasn’t permanent.

But then there had been Tails. His little brother.

First it was “Am I a burden to you?”

Of course he wasn’t.

Then . . .

“When this is all over, I think I need to go it alone for a while. I can’t grow into my full potential if I always fall back on you.”

Those words, admittedly, had hurt more than the others. Yes, he was excited for Tails. He would never want to hold his little bro back from going his own way.

It just . . . hurt a little. It would take some getting used to, not having the little fox flying around with him, going to his lab and finding it empty, etc.

But he would let him go. It wasn’t permanent. Thank goodness it wouldn’t be permanent. And while he’d miss him, he was genuinely excited to see Tails grow and become more independent.

Except, in order for all three of his best friends to be able to carry out and live their dreams, they needed to be restored. Something only he could do.

He’d trashed the Titans already, thinking that would do it. But when Tails had run up to him after he’d taken care of the last one, he’d still been all glitchy and digitized. And all Sonic could feel was exhaustion.

According to the spooky sky voice, now all he had to do was shut down six towers. Sounded simple enough. It definitely sounded better than fighting a tower-sized robot that had the potential to kill him in all sorts of horrifying ways.

He stood at the base of the first, staring up at the top. He already felt ridiculously tired from everything else, but that probably had something more to do with the fact he’d already gone Super three times within the past . . . however long he’d been here (which couldn’t have been more than a week or two), and the weird cyber infection that had slowly been wearing him down more and more ever since he’d first started freeing his friends.

All he knew was that it was some kind of weird cyber energy that he kept absorbing, the same stuff that had been keeping his friends trapped. At first he’d thought it was some kind of boost, but not long after had realized how, well, painful it was getting.

With Amy it had been minor. With Knuckles it had been more noticeable, but still brief and manageable. With Tails it had actually driven him to his knees.

Sonic shook himself, taking a quick breath before speeding towards the platforms and rails that would help him climb the tower. Whatever the infection was, it didn’t matter. It was hard to deal with, now more than before, but he could handle some pain to save his friends. They were more than worth it.

Continue reading on Wattpad

Or on AO3 ;)

[litcityblues]

The Wheel of Time Rewatch/Reread Pt. 2

I said it before and I'll say it again: I don't like Amazon's insistence on 8 episode seasons for their shows- especially this show. I think two more episodes per season would give this show the room to breathe that I think it desperately needs sometimes, though I will say this: Season 2 is a lot better than Season 1.

What did I like about Season 2? I don't know if it's a closer adaptation of the book, but it does follow the structure of the book a bit more and there are moments- identifiable, real, important moments from the book that make it into the show. (The opening meeting of Darkfriends and Nyn's Accepted Testing-- the opening ceremony of the latter is lifted nearly verbatim from the book, which is awesome.) But broadly speaking, while in the books Rand doesn't run away-- he joins the hunt for the Horn of Valere with Perrin and does wind up spending a good chunk of time in Cairhein and on the way there, he meets Selene (Natasha O'Keeffe), who is eventually revealed to be Lanfear.

So the show in this season isn't straying too far from the structure of the actual book and as a result, overall, this feels a lot more like The Wheel of Time I was expecting in the first season.

(Yes, yes, the usual caveats apply: No, I didn't expect a perfect adaptation. Yes, I am willing to grade on a curve because showrunners have to bring in a new audience and not just a book audience and hopefully the show inspires more people to read the books.)

The book, however, starts a lot differently. We're still in Fal Dara when the book starts and instead of meeting Lady Amalisa at the end of the last book (as we did in the television show), we meet here in the early chapters of The Great Hunt. She's still the sister to Lord Agelmar-- I don't think there are references to her being able to channel and certainly don't see any of the nonsense (being able to link, burning herself out, etc.) that we saw at the end of the first season of the show. She is still good friends with Moiraine, but- since the Amyrlin Seat comes to visit, she also gets poked pretty hard by Liandrin about keeping tabs on Mat, Rand, and Perrin.

They don't come right out to say it-- in fact, I don't think they come right out and say anywhere in the book, but right from the get-go it's heavily implied that Liandrin is bad, potentially Black Ajah, even if they don't come out and say it yet. (The fact that they set this tone early makes it even more ridiculous later in the book when Liandrin shows up to Egewene and Nyn and just says 'Come with me to save your friends' and Min and Elayne just say 'We'll come too' and no one stops to think about whether they should trust her or not. Granted, we know that as readers they probably shouldn't, but they as novices/Accepted are probably pretty inculcated into obedience to full Aes Sedai by that point, even though Liandrin takes them in THE WAYS where, you know, Machin Shin lives-- I would have thought at some point, one of them would have been like 'hey, wait a minute!)

We also have hints of Aes Sedai politics from the first book and we see them in full force in the opening chapters of the second book. Moiraine's reception ahead of the meeting with Amyrlin is very similar to her reception in front of the Hall of The Tower in Season 1 of the show-- lots of frostiness and veiled threats about how she needs to be checked and brought under control.

The meeting between Siuan and Moiraine is excellent and I love, love, love that Verin has figured out what they're up to. Verin was always one of my favorite book characters and The Great Hunt provides a powerful reminder as to why-- she's got a much better relationship with Rand- more of a 'Hey man, I can't teach you, but if you listen to me, I might be able to help you, not, you know, kill yourself.' type of a vibe as a posed to Moiraine's vibe of 'I will KILL YOU before I let you turn to the Shadow.' I like her as part of the company tracking the Horn down into Cairhein. I like her in Falme, where she references the prophecy that 'five will ride forth'. In general, Verin is one of my favorites.

(And the show (where she's played by Meera Syal) captures her more or less perfectly-- even if she's mixed a little with Vandene, as a posed to be an Aes Sedai in the Tower all herself-- speaking of which: we do see Moiraine with Vandene and Adeleas in the book and she's there trying to figure her stuff out-- which is a nice parallel to what we see in the show. Moiraine meets with Bayle Domon there in the show-- who again, is far more prominent in the books than he is in the show at least so far. But here, we get a sort of Bayle Domon chapter almost-- which seems a little apropos of nothing, but is in fact, a nice bit of plotwork that sets up for the finale in Falme.)

The meat and potatoes of the book is about Rand and the hunt for the Horn of Valere which makes the most sense because the book is called The Great Hunt. Ingtar keeps them pushing south hard and fast-- Rand has that weird moment in the village (channeling?) and we get some early glimpses of maybe Selene and we find out just how bad Fain has become with the Fade being nailed up by him.

We see a lot of Cairhein in the book and the show- though Lord Barthanes (Will Tudor) is in fact Moiraine's nephew in the show and Anvaere (Lindsey Duncan) (who I think is meant to be the woman who saves Rand from a crowd of women who want him for Daes Dae'Mar reasons) is Moiraine's sister and I like that the show parallels that structure.

The best things the show does in this season revolve around Cairhein. Jordan references but never digs into the aging thing and Aes Sedai. We gradually find out that Aes Sedai can live for a very long time and that there's some obvious heartache involved as family members grow old and die and age faster than they do. The show jumps right into that territory and it's kind of awesome. They also set about trying to tackle a problem that it takes Rand four books to address: how to use the male half of the source, which is why he's trying to gain access to Logain.

What's missing from the show is the whole business with Portal Stoes. That's the introduction to Selene-- she keeps pushing him onto 'greatness' and Rand is really uncomfortable with finding out that he's second in command if Ingtar (Gregg Chilingirian) goes down, but he is insistent on finding the dagger to help Mat and grows into the role, whether he likes it or not.

(There are some hints of voices that aren't his here and there, building up to Lews Therin making an actual appearance at some point, I would imagine. We also get a glimpse of the giant hand with the orb in it that we come to realize is the Choedan Kal in later books.)

Where the show loses me a little is when Moiraine catches up with Rand and straight up slits Selene's throat. Granted, she's Lanfear, so she revives and comes after them-- but again, not in the book. I also don't think that the show does that good of a job with Nyn, Egewene, and Elayne (Ceara Coveney)-- but that's also weirdly parallel to the book in many ways. We don't really get back to that trio after they arrive in Tar Valan and Nyn tests for Accepted until the end of the book (about 80%) of the way through and that sets up Egewene and the Seanchan.

The worst part of the show is probably the needless drama between Moiraine and Lan. Yes, in the book she does call him on the carpet and tell him she's passing his bond and kind of smacks him around a bit, but it doesn't take, like a third of the book. And Moiraine's situation would have been a lot more believable had she not already said in the first season that she can't see male weaves. It's a wee bit of a contradiction that sort of undoes that plot point for me.

The oath thing at the end of the show... I think that's going to be part of Siuan's undoing, but I do think you've got a bit of a mess there since the first season clearly establishes that Siuan's oath is different than what Moiraine says, so how does that even work? (I'm wondering if the general, 'let's see if we can get this show to go' aspect of the first season will reveal more of these little landmines going forward.)

The Seanchan of it all was fine. It's great in the books, it's perfect in the show. I don't like that they killed Uno and I get that the finale didn't quite reach the same epic level you saw in the books, but I think that's down to television and budgets more than anything else. (Think: Game of Thrones-- not every finale can be like the Battle of the Bastards-- I would guess that showrunners have to keep some of their powder dry for budgetary reasons, though that could be pure speculation on my part. But I do think that the quieter, internal struggles that we see are in keeping with the books-- after all, The Last Battle-- the confrontation between Rand and the Dark One isn't some big, epic thing. It's like the three of them arguing about competing visions of reality and one of them wins.)

The show, however, got me really excited by revealing two things in the last episode: one, is that all the Forsaken are now free and two, Moghedien (Laia Costa) is among them and she looks... awesome.

At the end of the day, all I'm going to ask from this show is that it gets better and it starts to feel more like the books. I think this season while not including some things I would have liked to see from the books (like Thom, the Illuminators, the Portal Stone, a visit to the Stedding, etc.) does parallel the structure of the books quite nicely. As a result, it was a. better- but not perfect and b. felt a lot more like The Wheel of Time.

Bring on Season 3.