#Like the motivation (fearing responsibility) remains the same

[cryptvokeeper]

In my time honored tradition of “I like rise Leo but in a slightly to the left way of the general fanon interpretation” I propose: yes, Leo was being a bad leader and not communicating with his team during the movie because he didn’t want the responsibility of being leader HOWEVER he was not purposely self-sabotaging in an effort to get Raph to take leadership back. Instead, he was going solo and not working with anyone in order to avoid leadership altogether and not make calls and decisions that could potentially fail.

[yuveenti-blog]

Astrology Observations 08/06/2024

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🌞The Light & Dark Side To You Based On Your Sun & Moon Sign ( The Sun is what we are consciously aware of can see clearly, it represents the most positive traits in us as well. The moon rules our subconscious and what we can’t see clearly, it represents our dark traits).🌕

Aries Sun: Aries looks straight into fear and still decides to go in. These individuals feel accomplished when they conquer what they fear. They are driven to feel life in all its intensity, they do not and will not settle for a mediocre life. They want nothing more than to be surrounded by confident, successful, and fully-lived people. They want to inspire others by their actions but they are the one to continually motivate those around them, their positivity creating momentum for others in their life. They truly do believe everyone is capable. They have been through a lot of rough experiences and have built so much internal strength that they can shrug off many things. They have a distinct laugh and are certainly funny themselves. They utilize their experiences as lessons so they have a lot of wisdom to share. These are people who feel uncomfortable lying and prefer honesty as it helps them feel authentic. They grew up feeling different in many ways so they had to build a lot of confidence around their difference and learned that standing out and being different is bad, so they can actually be a lot more comfortable with theirselves than others who may feel the need to conform. An Aries is proud of their uniqueness and thrive off of utilizing it when no one is on the same boat as them.

Taurus Sun: Taurus people make you feel like you can cuddle in your bed and be alright. They do not bring an overwhelming and intense energy to rooms. They are the chill people who can remain chill even when chaos begins. They exude “ Queen and King” energy. They are truly meant to be an example of how you can manifest what you want. Inspirational and responsible. They are incredibly methodical when dealing with their goals. They don’t have time for questions without answers. When they go after what they want they know what they are doing and the end results. They are the kind of people who enjoy slow living, but they aren’t cheap. They require quality in their lives so they will continue on until they get it. It can be difficult to find Taurus who aren’t ultimate manifestors. Most Taurus get what they want or close to it in this lifetime. They are very classy and well-mannered people who take care of others very well.

Gemini Sun: Gemini’s have a charm about them that draws you to them without speaking. They seem interesting from a distance. They at times exude energy similar to Leo. They walk with confidence as if others are watching and they stand in a way to invite others in. When they do speak they garner a lot of attention. A lot of people gather to laugh, listen, and debate. Gemini’s are the master networkers. They can upgrade their lifestyle with their ability to be amongst different crowds and capture their attention. Geminis are also great at persuading others, so they do great in jobs where sales is important. Gemini’s are the kind of people who can move to a different state and seem like they’re from there. They don’t struggle to pick-up and move on, they always can upgrade and they know this internally. That is why they seem scatterbrained because they are searching for what is going to improve their life the most. And with this skill they can always offer you an idea to improve yours. They are fast learners and bring great energy to wherever they go.

Cancer Sun: A Cancer’s intelligence lies in how they perceive. They have environmental intuition and absorb information from wherever they are. Their wisdom lies in what they feel and what they know through their intuition. They can be insightful. They have a lot of drive towards their goals and often have such a lovely aura that they get the support needed to succeed. Cancers are nurturers because their instinct is to support, love, and care. They take action when someone needs or wants their support. These people are kind and enduring, they can go through a lot and still give.

Leo Sun: Leo’s like the Sun need to shine. Whatever they start with in life they want to maximize. Leo’s don’t operate small-minded, like Aquarius their goals are on a wide-scale which is why a lot of celebrities are Leo. They want to reach the masses. They strive to reach the top and will not allow themselves to be devalued. Leo’s have the self-respect other signs desire. This is innate to them. They preserve their selves and are careful who they let in to their life. These are very affectionate individuals and they radiate warmth. They have a confidence that isn’t based on circumstances, it’s a deep well of knowing whoever they are, they are great or will be great one day. Very loyal people that take friendship serious as well. They have a personality that people are drawn to. They can brighten other people’s days.

Virgo Sun: A Virgo is one of the greatest assets in any environment. They are solution oriented, nurturing, orderly, and modest. They know how to help because they can see issues easier than others and they have a pragmatic mind to create solutions. You can count them on a Virgo to extend their grace to others in times of need. They are realistic and it helps to guide them in their life because they don’t have grand ideals. Their ideals are very real and tangible so they know what steps to take to get what they want. A Virgo lives a life that allows them to not be distracted or influenced in negative directions. They can catch themselves faster than others and their minds will have them improving without putting in the effort others have to. They are intelligent people whose intelligence is deep and analytical. They convey their knowledge in digestible form so they often are relied on.

Libra Sun: Libra’s want the best for everyone. They think everyone deserves to live a beautiful life and they feel sensitive towards the downtrodden or the unfortunate. They get happy for others happiness and they want to show support to others all the time. They can be very charming and alluring because they always want to make others feel seen and heard. They can take your side just so that you feel understood. They like to go out, enjoy themselves and are into the aesthetics and vibes of places so they know where to bring their friends. These are peaceful people with hippie souls. They have an eye for beauty in everything from clothes, shoes, furniture, homes, and cars.

Scorpio Sun: Scorpio’s always fascinate other people. This is due to their complex nature. They have very chill demeanor’s, they can exude confidence without doing anything. A lot of times a Scorpio is a great person inside and out. They are chill because they do not want to overwhelm anyone with their internal worlds. At heart they are very sensitive, passionate, loyal, and loving. They do not give up on much of anything because they do not change their minds once they set out on something. They have a lot of drive and take action when needed. They see into other people’s soul, yet they do not want to hurt others. They respect others need for privacy just as they want theirs respected. They do not jump to conclusions. They aim to be clear and accurate which means that when a conclusion is made it has proper assessment.

Sagittarius Sun: A Sagittarius is concerned with joy. They aim to enjoy their lives and the path that allows them that they will follow. They are honest because they seek truth above all else. They connect to others from a very human disposition which makes others drawn to them for their authenticity. They have a sense of freedom most do not have. They understand freely speaking, freely thinking, and freely doing. While others feel restrained, a Sagittarius feels courageous and ready to explore. A Sagittarius is in a constant state of expansion and will always aim to improve theirselves and lives. People are drawn to them because their energy pulls others in and their smile makes others feel comfortable in their presence.

Capricorn Sun: Capricorns are the true definition of move in silence. These are the quiet millionaires. These are the people who have what others want, but no one understands how. It is not for others to know because they know to get what they want they have to put in hard work. They take life seriously in the sense that they don’t give themselves the space to feel comfortable without having the things they truly desire. That means these are responsible people who do not prioritize play over what needs to be done. These are excellent workers as they know that a job must and has to be done in a certain way to keep things running smoothly. They are realistic which grants them the ability to see things clearer than others as there is no fog to sift through. When they walk around they exude a confidence that makes you feel that they are powerful. When they open their mouths to talk, people can’t help but to pay attention. They don’t move on whim, they are intentional when they decide to move and have assessed all the avenues before deciding on the one ahead of them. They embrace the taboo, odd and unconventional ways of life and that gives them access to an entire different caliber than most which can make them even more understanding of how humans functions in this world. Incredibly smart and very calm people.

Pisces Sun: Pisces are not fully human because apart of who they are was and is left in the spiritual realm. Which is why oftentimes they do better living amongst people who understand and prioritize spirituality and the creative side of life. They are true unconditional lovers who bare their flesh to connect with others intimately and transcend to different realms. They are wise souls who have experienced much and continue to have access to insights intuitively. They are very open and receptive and can see the world in ways other people can’t. They have a healing energy that when coming into other lives often brings happiness and luck. They are highly compassionate and bring sensitivity to the brashness of the world.

Dark Side Based on Moon Sign:

Aries Moon: These people are very dark when they become dark. Their passion turns into pure anger, bitterness, and hatred. Their courage turns into destructive recklessness. Their honesty turns into manipulation and their positivity turns into complete negativity. They have a switch and when it is flipped it can bring out the worst in everyone around them. Their playful nature turns into violence and they can easily snap and physically harm someone just as quickly as they can do with their mouth. Their desire to be strong and powerful turns into a very jealous disposition and when they can’t take it anymore they seek to dominate those they feel are more powerful than them. Just as fast as they can motivate you, they can cut you so deep with their words that you’ll lose so much of your confidence in that one moment.

Taurus Moon: These people can abhor hard-work and fall into complete laziness. They can get so comfortable they don’t want to move and can convince themselves that they are fine when they aren’t. They will pin all the work they do not want to do on others around them and become increasingly demanding by the day. They will treat people like they are their assistant. They will put so much effort into their desires and give others desires the bare minimum. They do not take advice but they enjoy letting people think they care. Sometimes this is just their way of striking up a conversation with others ( pretending to care). They can play cordial and genuinely do not like you. They will talk behind your back and smile and shake hands in your face. When they begin to think they are succeeding they will easily fall into jealousy which can make them bitter. They are incredibly superficial especially about looks. They may act like they care about your heart, but they get absorbed in the physical attractiveness of others. They try to buy/spend their way out of depression and when it doesn’t work, falls harder into depression.

Gemini Moon: Lost souls who often times project a lot. They put high expectations on others that they cannot live up to themselves. They seek to cover up their confusion with knowledge. They have a restlessness that can make them anxious individuals and they need constant stimulation like a child. They struggle to deal with their own minds especially without other people around them. This is also the reason they become moody and irritated easily which can lead to harsh and hurtful words. They can hurt others and not understand the repercussions to their actions. When you need these people emotionally they are cold and puzzled. They can talk too much just for the sake of hearing their own selves.

Cancer Moon: These people are perpetual victims who will justify their worst behavior by talking about someone else. They may have so many emotions bursting out of them at once and then when someone else is emotional they become cold and dry. They save all their compassion for theirselves and don’t leave any for other people. The constant mood changes can make you feel like you’re walking on eggshells. They can demand a lot from others and turn resentful when they don’t get what they want. They can fall into laziness easily just seeking and wanting comfort to the point they begin to hurt theirselves. They eat away their pain, go through many emotional breakdowns, and pity themselves hoping someone pulls them out of their own demise.

Leo Moon: These people are like children who need attention and validation all the time. Their closeness to you is contingent upon how great you are at making them feel special, loved, and adorned. You must make them feel good or they will not want you around. They don’t crave the truth because lies are comforting to their ego’s. They can be pointless to give advice to as they are fixed and set in their ways and won’t budge for others. They feel like they are better than other people when they have more, do more, or are successful. They will lie and manipulate like no other leaving you confused and gaslit. They will care more about how they appear than who they are on the inside so often times they are completely chaotic internally. Extremely dramatic people who want to be the boss, on top, or above you and if they cannot be that they will run away. They can use people and discard them when they feel good again.

Virgo Moon: These people don’t realize how annoying they become which is what makes them worst, they stick around even once people are annoyed with them. They complain to complain. Which leaves you feeling increasingly negative after your interactions with them. They have a distorted perception of what is real and isn’t, oftentimes they equate everything negative and boring to real. They don’t know how to mind their business. They are too concerned with what others think and that makes them worry others with their worries. They act like robots when other people are emotional. They lose their minds over small details. They have weird habits and they don’t know how they feel so they make-up and lie about their feelings.

Libra Moon: These people drag others down because they don’t know what they want. They fluctuate frequently and expect others to deal with this inconsistency. They cannot cope with their emotions without looking to a drug, alcohol, and s*x. They want to be seen as angels, while playing like the devil. They’re chronic gossipers who don’t have the balls to be real to people. They fall for anyone who gives them validation and are easily manipulated. When not feeling well they become whiny babies. Their main interest is self-interest they just need others for the validation.

Scorpio Moon: These people are insane but pretend they’re chill. Their nature is obsessive so they do not truly know what chill is. When they’re quiet they are collecting information and making assessments of others. These are the kind of people who scheme on others. They do not admit to being wrong. They will put them selves around people just so they can put the blame on others. It is always them being done wrong even if they’re the one scheming behind others backs. They become bitter easily. They are very moody and their light and beauty disappears when they become depressed. They wallow in their sadness. They are controlling, power hungry, jealous, and manipulative. They have great liars and want to know everyone else’s secrets while hiding theirs.

Sagittarius Moon: These people are very forceful bullies who need weaker people around them to feel strong and capable. They don’t have any filter so they go about their lives in chaos. They are impatient with others but want others to wait so long for them. They get annoyed with others quickly. Constantly moving makes them feel productive even if they need to go to sleep and take care of theirselves. They’re self-absorbed into their own lives and can forget about people quickly. They have very bad mouths but are sensitive to what other people say. They have grandiose ideas with no follow through. They are very contradicting people who pick fights.

Capricorn Moon: These people are impossible to please. They act more humble than they actually are. They judge every little thing that doesn’t live up to their standards. They don’t even want to deal with their emotions so when they feel upset with others they don’t talk about it and form grudges. You are either good or bad to them and it’s very easy for you to become bad. They do not mind hurting other people’s feelings since they don’t deal with their emotions enough to care. They think they are better than others and are selective in who they get close to. They need to either use you, benefit from you, or look better having you in their lives. They look down on people with less than them. They want to have a lot of authority so they do not care for others opinions or others telling them what to do. They can take theirselves too serious and be slow to do things for others.

Aquarius Moon: These people think they are superior to others even when they simply are strange. They are fixated on their grandiose ideas and become delusional. When you try to open their mind they become stubborn and condescending. They want others to blindly agree with them. They act like emotions do not exist for them because they don’t know how to feel their emotions without intellectualizing them. They can be assholes towards other people. They are unpredictable and will do and say things that will bring shock and surprise or complete chaos. They don’t know what’s truly good for them, they just pretend to. These people without space can be exhausting and annoying.

Pisces Moon: These people think they are smarter than they truly are. They believe in good things happening for them so they follow things blindly until it turns bad for them. When they’re around shitty and terrible people they become them. These individuals easily end up on drugs, in jail, homeless, and in the streets. They do not know how to take accountability or responsibility. Once they become emotional they can throw tantrums, wallow in pity, and brood for weeks, months, and years. They’re not dependable since their heads are in the clouds. They can be incredibly lazy, just floating by in life. They’re followers and at times they can completely neglect reality.

Who You Attract/What You Are Attracted To Based On Rising Sign ( Ascendant)

Aries Rising: Gemini, Leo, Libra, Scorpio, Pisces

Taurus Rising: Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Aries

Cancer Rising: Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, Aquarius, Gemini

Leo Rising: Libra, Sagittarius, Aquarius, Pisces, Cancer

Virgo Rising: Scorpio, Capricorn, Pisces, Aries, Leo

Libra Rising: Sagittarius, Aquarius, Aries, Taurus, Virgo

Scorpio Rising: Capricorn, Taurus, Gemini, Libra

Sagittarius Rising: Aquarius, Aries, Gemini, Cancer, Scorpio

Capricorn Rising: Pisces, Taurus, Cancer, Leo, Sagittarius

Aquarius Rising: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Virgo, Capricorn

Pisces Rising: Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Libra, Aquarius

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[a-d-nox]

tarot cards and their key phrases: wands

this is just a beginners guide to the wands suit - i won't go into imagery, color use, etc. these are key phrases that come to mind when i think of the cards - NOT how they should be directly applied. they needs to be thought about situationally and the cards / when they are in combos they can change or alter their meanings of any reading.

ace of wands (1)

astrological equivalent: sagittarius sun

upright: inspiration, new adventure, new projects, travel, start of a business venture, new relationships, drive, and/or motivation.

reversed: hesitation, fears about next steps / timing / failure / leaving, what prevents you from being bold/decisive, lack of confidence, and/or delays.

two of wands (2)

astrological equivalent: leo jupiter

upright: plans for the future, excitement, impatience, new opportunities, remaining where you are, listen to intuition, new partnership, supportive relationship, and/or growth.

reversed: impatience, acting hastily, overexcitement, moving forward too quickly, the unexpected, what doesn't fit the narrative in one's mind, giving up, slowing down, needing to do research, needing a plan of action, needing to try again, waiting for someone else to make the first move, doing what makes you uncomfortable, and/or needing to take initiative.

three of wands (3)

astrological equivalent: leo mercury

upright: energy used to work with others, delegation / sharing responsibilities, waiting, looking for a fitting opportunity, creative/productive energy, prosperity, and/or possibility for travel.

reversed: delays, disconnection from a relationship / group of friends, frustration, disappointment, learning journey, there is a better solution than the one you are thinking of, and/or needing to remain flexible/patient.

four of wands (4)

astrological equivalent: leo venus

upright: wedding, anniversary, graduation, achievements, celebrate your wins, enthusiasm for a connection, hard work, and/or relaxation.

reversed: resistance to indulge, resisting temptation, needing to be present in the moment, and/or needing to find joy.

five of wand (5)

astrological equivalent: aries mars

upright: conflict, disagreements, competition, people all vying for the same thing, strong opinions, and/or rebel energy.

reversed: conflict that is blown out of proportion, details in the argument, being exaggerated for dramatic effect, needing to stick to the facts, avoiding drama/conflict, and/or resolution/agreement reached after an argument.

six of wands (6)

astrological equivalent: leo sun

upright: victory, good news, post-period of struggle, focusing on feeling proud, acknowledging your successes, accepting praise, hard work, deserving recognition, and/or enthusiasm.

reversed: delay in success, disappointment, temporary setback, needing to stick to the plan, and/or needing diligence.

seven of wand (7)

astrological equivalent: aries mercury

upright: unforeseen challenges, obstacles that arise, needing to be assertive/strategic, defensiveness, facing adversity, and/pressure.

reversed: letting anger get the better of you, acting defensive, hyper vigilance, challenging beliefs, feeling defeated, questioning standing up for yourself, lashing out when provoked, and/or internalized anger/frustration.

eight of wands (8)

astrological equivalent: sagittarius mercury

upright: something that is exciting, something happening soon, travel, new person coming into your life, moving quickly, and/or everything falling into place.

reversed: delays, hang-ups, lack of enthusiasm, what you anticipate, divine timing, important realizations, and/or lack of movement.

nine of wands (9)

astrological equivalent: aries moon

upright: deals with a lot (the good, the bad, and the ugly), exhaustion, feeling like quitting / giving up, almost there, dig deep, and/or resilience.

reversed: giving up on something, being urged to not give up, acting stubborn, getting in your own way, you can only control yourself, and/or willingness to take responsibility for behavior.

ten of wand (10)

astrological equivalent: sagittarius saturn

upright: burden of responsibility, feeling overwhelmed, too much going on, physical exhaustion, and/or needing to delegate.

reversed: tremendous pressure, extreme exhaustion, burnout, what you can handle, comparing yourself to others, and/or needing to do what makes you happy.

page of wands

astrological equivalent: earth and fire

upright: grounded, playful, curiosity, good news is on the way, creative experience, and/or new opportunities.

reversed: hasty, impulsive, needing a plan, unreliable, taking on only what you can handle, acting childish, and/or complaining about responsibilities.

knight of wands

astrological equivalent: air and fire

upright: take action on ideas/projects, begin, start by starting, others are supporting you, passion, no hesitation, and/or moving towards goals.

reversed: self-doubt, lack of progression, delays, misunderstandings, don't give up, course of action is needed, and/or needing patience.

queen of wands

astrological equivalent: water and fire

upright: power, creativity, emotional intelligence, passion, ambition, leadership opportunities, claiming power, taking back power, confidence, and/or worthiness.

reversed: doubting you value/worth, feeling like no one sees you, cultivating beliefs, seeing a shift in your confidence, and/or needing to have trust/respect for yourself.

king of

astrological equivalent: fire

upright: leadership, authority, stability, integrity, calmness, relying on your instincts, maturity, confidence, decisive action, and/or enthusiasm.

reversed: abusiveness, misuse/abuse of power, holding grudges, bullying, needing to understand the responsibilities you have, being in a place of power, selfishness, and/or oppressiveness.

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[chaeyoei]

Could I request jing yuan x fem_zhongli!reader? I think it would be fun to incorporate how much older she is and maybe spar with jing yuan and yanqing teaching them new moves? You could also add a bit of angst if you want with the fact that zhongli has admitted that with time, his memories do start to erode.

This is actually fuelling my brainrot. I'll incorporate the dragon part too. And other requests are coming out soon.

I kept her as a friend because the age gap bothered me alot. Warning: bad writing.

The situation was dire, the Denizens were wreaking havoc upon the ship. The Cloud Knights who remained strong, felt fear for the first time. What kind of tragedy would this bring?

All they could do was hold faith in their General and keep fighting with hopes high. Jing Yuan could the hope entrusted upon him by his subordinates but all seemed to be in vain. He was gravelly injured and his life was draining out of his body.

But with unknown fortune, appeared a figure that launched ginormous spears accompanied by meteors all raining on the enemy finishing it quickly.

Relief and suspicion overshadowed all his former emotions. Who was this figure? Most importantly, the motive behind their help. However he saw this same silhouette fall. He rushed forward to catch this unknown saviour, as he inched closer, he saw it was a woman who seemed to be half conscious. He held out his hands in time to catch this mysterious lady.

————

"She's fine." The Dragon Lady assured, her doe eyes darting from the unconscious woman on the bed to the General infront. "But, she's also a dragon and similar but different from us. I believe she's a sicon of Qilopoth(Preservation) as we are Long's(Premembrance) Sicons."

"A sicon of Preservation?" He titled his head. From what he witnessed in the battlefield, it looked more like you followed the path of the Hunt or Destruction rather than Preservation. But protecting also serves a form of Preservation.

A grumble came from the lady's mouth drawing both of their attention. "Looks like she's waking up, I'll leave you both to talk, General." Bailu took her leave.

"Where?" The lady mummered getting up. "You're in the Alchemy commision." Jing Yuan answered.

"I'm here to question you." He added.

"First question, what is your name?"

"Zhongli."

"Where do you hail from?"

"From Liyue."

That response made him speechless. Liyue as in the place where the Xianzhou Empire's origin were.

"Explain."

"Huh? I hail from Liyue.. that's it."

"How old are you?"

The lady fell silent. "600.."

"Don't lie. Liyue is a place where the Xianzhou Empire arrived and that was 5000 years ago. The planet of Teyvat was abandoned." He narrowed his and his tone only got stern.

"..6000."

"hmm.." He wasn't questioning the age but it felt like you were hiding something.

But all would come to light because you'd still have to attend the trail between the alliance and take responsibility. Your deeds may be good but they still need to know your intentions. A person who can showcase such power can also stab them in the back.

"That concludes as what the suspect had told." Jing Yuan finished his report.

"Very well. Lady Zhongli.. You admit that your home place is the Loufu. If you're as old as you admit, would mind telling the ruler of that period?" Marshal Hua started her questioning.

"Jade lady, Ningguang." You answered calmly.

"I believe you know what happened in that timeline as well?"

"Yes, the lord of Geo, Morax died in that period." You hoped she wouldn't catch you.

"Are you perhaps a descendant or successor of Morax?

"..Yes." You knew well that your lie would be caught soon enough.

"Let me revise history, the lord Morax, had no descendants or successors. It was later found that his death was just a masquerade as he stepped down from his position. What statment can you give to prove that you're him?" The Marshal's statement may sound rash but she wasn't wrong in the slightest. History states that Morax can change forms.

"..I have nothing to say in regard to that."

"Tell me your age again."

"11,000.."

And with some other questions, you were revealed to be the Ancient lord of money, Morax. But Mora really didn't have a value in this economy of credits.

"That concludes are trial. You are free to go."

————

"Phew." You could handle intense questioning very well but your age caught up to loads of time.

However, instead of a foreign traveler's recognition, you were given citizenship. You know the Alliance was making use of you but you always had the option to leave. Coming to basic needs, you'd be living in the Cloud Knights Quaters.

————

"hmmh.." The kid grumbled not being able to get his stance right.

"Your footing is wrong, you need to have a firm balance on the ground to get your strike correct." You fixed the young man's position.

"Do you also work the Cloud Knights?" The kid was interested in knowing your identity.

"So not only are you excelled in ancient literature but also weapon handling, though that doesn't come as a surprise, you did invent the methods of swordsmanship and pole arm handling that are used till this day." Jing Yuan appeared randomly.

"General!, You mean this lady?" The kid turned to you. "Greetings lord.. Lady of Geo." The kid bowed formally.

"You don't have to bow kid, I've long stepped down from that position."

"And humble as well."

This small interaction really sparked Yanqing's curiosity. He could ask as much questions as why even the trivial things mattered. As for Jing Yuan, his moves only got more perfect with your guidance. If Jingliu would've been here, she would've taken a liking to you even Dan Feng..

He sighed, these thoughts would never be possible. He looked at you who was looking at his weapon, commenting on it's quality and full of details quality.

"General! a mara wave is coming through." A knight informed.

"Advise the civilians to stay in their homes and form a stance around the creatures, don't let them escape." Jing Yuan ordered quickly.

A blade came through the formation, it's aim to lodge into the General's chest but it disseminated into the area when it met with impenetrable shield.

"General are you okay?" You asked.

Now he understood why you were form the path of preservation. "Yes."

You were old.. Ancient would be a better them. But your stories where better that those pesky writers in the Alying Sanctum.

You could be considered a role model and a person to go to. You had advice, were calm and just had that social butterfly effect.

But being old has it's downsides often. As your age increases, erosion casts it's effect. You forget trivial things and even names unless they were in your daily interactions.

"..." You groaned walking through the corridors.

"Do you need help, lady of Geo?" A passing Cloud Knight asked.

"..Do you remember where my room is?"

".. It's on the east wing close to the General's chamber. You're in the west wing."

"..oh. where is the east wing again?"

"Let me guide you."

Although the situation of you forgetting your wallet was funny, as it was also saddening that you would succumbed to life where you would forget everyone and everything.

In the Xianzhou terms, Mara wouldn't have an effect on you but at the cost that you would be forgetting bits of yourself and there's nothing you can do about it.

I tried my best to crossover elements from both games and something has happened to my english. Thos fancy words don't come out anymore. And it's so short...

[shock]

it's very difficult to explain the empathy that comes with making decisions our animals can't make for themselves and unless you've been in that position before, having to weigh the suffering against the quality of life, I can understand why people think everything can be saved but like

being so serious here once you've had to put an animal out of its misery with your own hands life looks different - not inherently worse or bad just different - and there is at the same time a profound sadness and a profound relief that you as the person who cares the most about the safety and life and happiness of an animal is the one who GETS TO have this animal in your life is the one who HAS TO be part of that decision

My relationship with the death of my pets and livestock is that death is inevitable but it's my obligation to be familiar with what I believe based on evidence, research, experience, compassion and individual understanding combined what is a permanent life-lasting experience or a way of dying that I will prevent a living thing from having to experience. I know what situations I would put my animals down in, and I've had to, and that initial grief and guilt and 'what if' has over time led to calm conviction and peace of mind that it's natural for a species that evolved to socially empathize with every living thing around them and be able to collaborate with nature to try to find ways to make the last experience of life be as dignifying and respectful as possible. that's not a curse, and there is no pleasure in doing it, but there is pleasure in knowing that you have the capacity to logically, emotionally, rationally weigh every single possibility and go through everything we know could save a living creature either from whatever is hurting it by successfully intervening in a way that sustains long-term quality of life or, in the case of the last resort, from the experience of a constant state of misery... idk. Whenever I see people keeping animals alive who are rotting from the inside and at baseline permanently suffering I just have to question whether that person is motivated by love for the living creature they are responsible for from the moment they sign on for the experience, including death and decisions regarding the remains, or a fear of what it will feel like to THEM in the immediate aftermath of another creature's death

[legomonkiefics]

can u do a spicynoodles x reader where reader gets possessed by lbd???? 👀

❤️🔥 Lost to the Ice — Spicynoodles x GN reader (HCs) 🍜💛

Genres: Angst || he/they pronouns for MK, he/they/she pronouns for Red Son, they/them pronouns for reader || Warnings: Angst, Mild Hurt/Comfort

.˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆˚｡⋆୨🔥🍜୧⋆˚｡⋆✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧. ݁₊ ⊹

- Red Son feels beyond terrible. They immediately blame themself for it. His father was the one that freed the Lady Bone Demon, so he immediately feels completely responsible for what happened to you

- They shut down for a while. They're not cooperative with MK, she's not talking like she usually would, he barely has enough energy to ignite a spark in his hands. All the guilt and the fear from seeing you be taken as a vessel in Lady Bone Demon's plan eats away at him nonstop

- There's a deep sense of heartbreak that tears at him too. Just knowing that he could've prevented all of this from happening, that you especially could've remained safe, not a moment of it doesn't cause her soul-crushing heartbreak. She feels like she failed you

- There's fear at the same time. Seeing you, with those wide lifeless eyes and the chill surrounding the air you stood in... it absolutely terrified them. Fear that you were gone, that you were hurt, just the very idea of you hurting made them feel a chill in their veins. Above all else, they had the fear that he had just ruined the one thing in his life he thought he could save

- When she breaks out of her sluggishness, she's pissed. Beyond pissed. She's absolutely livid towards Lady Bone Demon. She demands the Monkey Crew to let her be at the forefront of the fight, to get revenge on the demon that caused this. Every time Lady Bone Demon throws you into the line of fire, it stabs a cold sense of panic into Red Son's heart, immediately followed up by burning rage

- MK, on the other hand, is much more open about his emotions when he sees what happened to you. He doesn't want to break down in front of his friends, but he absolutely panics immediately and gets to the verge of it

- They blame themself too. They're the hero, the Monkey Kid. They should be fixing everything, making sure everyone's safe, and that especially includes you! They feel like an absolute failure for letting this happen, constantly replaying that moment they helped Bai He in their head as regret gnaws at their every sense

- Even talking to the Monkey Crew doesn't help. No matter how many times they try to reassure him that everything's okay, he doesn't feel any better. Not even Pigsy or Mei can bring their spirits up

- They think about you constantly. They remember every moment with you, and he feels another wave of anguish when remembering your smile being replaced with such a stoic, unfeeling expression. He can't get his mind off of it for a second

- When MK goes back into battle, he's determined. They know they need to save you, it's their job to make sure the world is safe. He gets scared every time you're used as a pawn against them, shouting to his friends to be careful with you. But he knows what he has to do, and the first thing on his mind is making sure you're going to come out of this okay

- Red Son and MK comfort one another the best while you're possessed. They both feel like they've lost someone they love, and both feel like they're to blame for it. MK helps Red Son be a bit active while they're less responsive, and Red Son gives the best reassurance to MK

- MK's motivation to help you is what helps make Red Son feel like he has to focus on how he feels later and save you first. She takes the lead MK gives, using their heroic optimism like a liferaft to keep grounded until you're back to them. MK sees Red Son's anger as a sign that he isn't alone, and that there's hope of getting you back

- Though they split up for the final fight, they're both focused on you. Red Son plans to turn anyone who hurts you during the fight into a pile of ash, and MK keeps his mind on the fact that you'll be okay soon. He just wants you to be okay. Both desperately need you to be back with them, to have life in those eyes again and to look at them like you know who they are. They need you back. They need you. Just hold on a little longer

[loving-n0t-heyting]

This anon (from a few days ago now) requires some context, which i will provide shortly. I am going to operate on the (not fully certain) assumption, which i have pieced together from several context clues (not to be provided here, for privacy's sake), that it was part of the campaign of harassment i received for my opposition to the promotion of probable scams as spurious and inefficient forms of charity. (Feel free to take this answer as seriously as you trust my inference on that point)

In 2022, an acquaintance of mine named emma was shot and killed. Her friends and comrades were subsequently arrested and charged for alleged crimes related to the shooting, and for the last almost 2yrs i have been making some effort to help them in subsequent legal trouble

The man uncontentiously directly responsible for killing emma remains at large, protected by and aligned with the state, and likely knows of this blog and my identity. It is not implausible to think he bears some grudge against me. There are members of law enforcement involved in the ensuing legal conflicts who also plausibly bear grudges against me, associated with one of the statistically most homicidal police forces in the country. They, too, i place nontrivial credence on knowing of this blog, and have as agents of the state considerable scope and potential impunity for stalking and retaliation

I now suspect (and hope) this ask was made as part of the inane torrent of jeers and idle threats directed at me and my friends over the controversy about gaza gofundmes, but at the time i received it this context was not at all clear and, ofc, i had no way of telling whom it might be from

I generally avoid talking about this topic, out of respect for the privacy of my friends involved, but the above is all either public knowledge or reasonably inferrable from the same, and more relevantly would likely have been known to the person sending me this message, including my inability to discern it from a threat from a party with a possible real life motivation and capacity to kill me

Emma is dead. If she is waiting for me, she is waiting for me in death. This ask, therefore, reasonably and seriously caused me to fear in the immediate term for my life. This is not harassment or hatemail: it is an act of criminal intimidation and an atrocious abuse of emmas name and memory

There can be no possible excuse for subjecting anyone to such drastic and credible threats over this kind of online political disagreement. I offer it as a particularly extreme example of the abuse to which my friends and i have been subjected for our righteous, if meagre, contributions to the political discourse, and as a rebuke to the coward responsible for sending it. Yours is a craven pettiness and spite worthy of the idf. For shame!

I know i said i would back down from the topic, but this was too important to omit

[gamerstar111]

Makoto & Nagito’s Survivor’s Guilt

i have many thoughts ab why makoto and nagito would have an interesting dynamic but today i’m thinking abt how their history parallels a little (like a lot of things ab them. they’re foils of each other i cld write an essay about it)

this is just a very long (kind of disorganized) tangent about lucky duo’s traumas and how they shaped their mindsets (and how they might understand each other better than people think at first)

i kind of get nervous anytime i put my analyses out there for people to percieve, but that’s okay. we’re facing fears today. LOL

——————————————————————————

i don’t think many people think about how makoto probably understands the survivor’s guilt nagito deals with better than anyone could, because he also has the mentality that he didn’t deserve to survive the things he did, and that his luck had a lot to do with his survival. they cope in very different ways, but at the core of their emotions they both feel that same “i don’t deserve to live” guilt.

——————————————————————————

Makoto’s Survivor’s Guilt

makoto doesn’t attribute as much of his trauma (which is the killing games he went through) to his luck, it doesn’t factor into his thinking as much as it does for nagito. junko says it at some point in the anime: makoto’s luck isn’t like nagito’s! he wouldn’t ever be able to utilize it like nagito can, because it isn’t consistent, it comes and goes super randomly. it keeps that mf alive and that’s IT 😭

(/j. it does more for him than that but im not talking ab his luck rn so BACK TO HIS SURVIVOR’S GUILT.)

he leaves the first killing game with this huge unofficial responsibility. he lost 10 of his classmates and it’s said that he was able to get his memories back after leaving, so that means he remembers the two years he spent with them. they were his friends :,)

and some of them did more than him to contribute to surviving. i know it’s for comedic effect in the game, but makoto is kind of consistently told by byakuya (and sometimes kyoko & others) that he’s stupid or unhelpful. + he already struggles with feeling like he’s not interesting, memorable, or unique in any kind of way (mr. “i’m average at being average”)

but nevertheless, he survives the games, (after basically convincing his remaining classmates to NOT sacrifice him. a second time.) and when he does get out, he joins the future foundation, where his nickname as the ultimate hope starts to push him to do as much as he can. and because he’s so determined to save as many people as he can, he opposes the foundation’s plan to kill the remnants, and takes them to jabberwock island. he’s so determined to do as much as he can because he feels like if he doesn’t, he’s wasting the life he was given. it’s implied a few times that he would have killed himself if he didn’t feel guilty throwing away the life that was taken from his friends! people don’t talk enough about how makoto is NOT as endlessly optimistic as everyone thinks

he isn’t completely immune to despair. i honestly feel like his main motivation in helping people and spreading hope isn’t that he lives by it, it’s that he has to do as much as he can to to spread it to OTHERS because if he doesn’t, what is he doing with the life he has that his friends were robbed of? i could get into the nuances of makoto’s character and how he isn’t just “hope enthusiast #1” but that’s more fitting of a makoto exclusive character analysis. coming soon/hj

the point of that is that he wouldn’t be alive if he didn’t feel like he had to make something of the fact that his classmates died and he didn’t. that’s what motivates him to try and save everyone, no matter who they are or how terrible they are (him saving the remnants, trying to save junko even though he hated her for what she did, and trying to save the future foundation members in the second game, even though they want him dead)

and when he already has this mentality, he goes through a SECOND killing game, where one of his closest friends (i forget if it’s canon they were dating or not, but you get the point) dies as a DIRECT result of him surviving. and instead of breaking down and giving up, he takes it and becomes more determined to end the game. but his despair video shows that he feels so guilty that he survived, even if he doesn’t ruminate in that feeling.

but nagito is the polar opposite

——————————————————————————

Nagito’s Survivor’s Guilt

most of nagito’s character revolves around two things:

His self-loathing

His twisted perception of hope, and his obsession with the concept

putting aside the fact that he has been diagnosed with dementia that definitely warps his perception of reality as it is, when you look into his backstory it makes sense why he thinks the way he does. his childhood pet died in a car crash when he was a little kid, then, when he goes on vacation with his parents (still in elementary school), the plane taking them back is hijacked, and then those hijackers are killed by a meteorite that also kills his parents right in front of him.

he has no other living relatives, so he’s given all of their inheritance, and is said to be free to live on his own. so he’s been alone since he was a kid, and then during middle school, he’s kidnapped by a SERIAL KILLER that held him for ransom, and then let him go after realizing no one was going to come for him. (which is actually so distressing to me like r u kidding me that’s so SAD HE HAD NO ONE WILLING TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE HE WAS MISSING?? UGH. ANYWAY.)

any chance at happiness Nagito has had was ripped from him in that cycle of good and bad luck. he starts to become fixated (and eventually, unhealthily obsessed) with the concept of hope, so that he could try and find some meaning to his life beyond killing anyone who'd ever shown him any kindness or cared about him. and then after ALL OF THIS, in high school before hope's peak, he gets diagnosed not only with CANCER, but also DEMENTIA. Which, typically, only affects people over 65!!!! he was probably not older than 16 when he got diagnosed!!!! he's then told that he probably has less than 6 months to live. he tells hajime this whole speech about how he realized all he wanted his entire life was to be loved by someone, and he didn't want to die alone, but then says that he was just quoting something, curious to the sympathy it would get him (i don't really believe that, but THAT is a nagito analysis topic. back on topic again…)

then he gets invited to hope's peak. he tries to refuse, but they insist, and so he finally agrees. but then, during his second year, junko starts to ruin things, and yet ANOTHER person he started to care about is killed right before his eyes (chiaki). of course, then, he goes on to bring as much pain and despair to anyone he can under junko’s brainwashing

he's fully convinced that he's a curse, and that he's not worthy of living.

——————————————————————————

"ok….. what’s your point??" you didn’t ask???

the difference between nagito and makoto is that makoto took his grief and made it into motivation, while nagito took his grief as a personal reflection, and spiraled down into a mental decline.

i think the main reasons for this difference is that, first of all, nagito's trauma has been his entire life. since he was a little kid up to even currently (when he's around 21-22), all he's done is cause or witness death anywhere he's gone. watching your childhood pet AND parents die before your eyes has to impact development in some kind of way (not to mention he was entirely alone since ELEMENTARY SCHOOL)

makoto had a very average, but nice life to that point. he had nice parents that were together and happy, his little sister that he's super close to, and while he didn't have any super close friends, he wasn't on particularly bad terms with anyone (as shown by his reaction to seeing sayaka, and sayaka's reaction to knowina him). all of the trauma and death he experienced happened to him when he was an adult (even though he thought he was 16-17 when the first killing game happened, he was most likely 18-19 and junko can erase memory but not alter brain development. so.)

second of all, makoto had support from his friends! he had the other 5 survivors, and then during the second game, he had kyoko and aoi to support him and get him through it. nagito grew up experiencing all of this grief and guilt and trauma entirely alone, even during the killing game he was in. his classmates treat him awfully even before he has his mental break doing incredibly unhinged shit like blowing up the gym (it's so. hard. to defend him sometimes.)

i still haven’t gotten to my point oh my god i talk a lot. BUT THE POINT IS they cope extremely differently, and arguably have different levels of trauma, but they experience the same survivors guilt. both of them feel like they don't deserve to be alive, and that others around them deserve so much better than they do. i really feel like makoto would be able to empathize with nagito's struggles with survivor's guilt and self worth, because he feels the same things! clearly, not to the same extent, but again, that goes back to the support makoto got during his experiences. it's one of the many MANY reasons i think makoto and nagito would be able to help each other heal, instead of being unhealthy like a lot of people say. (of course it depends on when because obviously, servant nagito meeting ff!makoto would not be healthy. that man would skeeve makoto out MASSIVELY but that dynamic is also an interesting one to explore.... ANYWAY.)

nagito's obsession with hope would give him an unhealthy attachment/idolization of makoto at first, but i really do believe that after he recovers a little more from junko's influence, a few days with the guy would make nagito realize that they're way more similar than he thought and that respectfully, makoto isn't as amazing and godly as he thought LOL

——————————————————————————

TLDR: they have very similar experiences, the only difference between them is that makoto had support that reminded him he wasn't to blame for the deaths of those around him, while nagito was isolated from EVERYONE from a very, VERY young age, and it led to his mental decline. i really believe they would be able to help each other heal a lot and that's why i love them so much :(

side note: genuinely nothing makes me as sad as nagito and his dog 😞 every time i mention them i get so upset

[blueskittlesart]

You've talked about how great the ocarina of time story is (hard agree!) I was wondering if you have any thoughts about Sheik and how his story fits into the game's themes?

YES. sheik is such a good character genuinely. i think he’s best analyzed in tandem with link bc so much of their characters play off of each other. i ❤️ narrative foils

link, the eternal child, grows up in a sheltered space in which bad things don’t happen. bar the recent tragedy of the deku tree, he is unfamiliar with death and tragedy and unfairness and therefore carries an air of naïveté and a childish sense of justice—bad things shouldn’t have to happen, and if they DO happen, people should try to fix them.

zelda, even at nine years old, is his foil, the little adult. she has seen tragedy. she has spent her life ignored and neglected by adults. she understands that when bad things happen people would rather ignore than work to fix. but she is ALSO still a child, and she still carries some of that sense of justice with her and that’s why she tries so hard to fix things herself. but children are fundamentally unequipped to tackle adult problems. she was doomed the second she started trying, doomed essentially by the very adults that claimed to care for her but refused to listen.

as we jump to adulthood, link remains the eternal child, having lost no time in the seven years he slept, still mentally nine years old. sheik, on the other hand, is no longer the little adult. he is grown and he has seen every tragedy the world has to offer him. he has been forcibly adultified by the world without being given the time and space to process and grieve, and so, as a trauma response, he has struck down the child which still remains in him in order to protect her from the horrors he knows the world has to offer. this is why so much of what we see of sheik is strangely contradictory and why he keeps himself removed from the story as much as possible. sheik is governed by fear. he fears that allowing himself back into the story sets little zelda up to be burned again. he fears that little link will blame him for the actions of a desperate girl nine years ago. and yet the little girl he once was is still there, and she cannot allow him to stand and watch as tragedy unfolds like so many adults did to her.

functionally, where link is the child who doesn’t get to grow up, sheik is the child who is forced to. where link’s tragedy stems from the actions of adults who failed to protect him, sheik’s stems from the inaction of adults who COULD have protected him and chose not to. this crucial difference leads to sheik and link’s differences in worldview—where link still carries that childish sense of justice and motivation to change the world, sheik, having been forced into adulthood, struggles with the ramifications of action vs inaction as well as the choice to either protect link or save his kingdom.

that choice of link vs hyrule as sheik’s internal struggle is doubly important when examining the end of oot and the choice zelda makes to send link back. this, irt zelda’s arc, is a solution which returns that childlike justice to her—she gets to undo her past actions and save the world. she gets to fix the action and inaction which led her to this point. it’s hope where there once was none. it’s zelda saying “we CAN change things and we SHOULD change things,” a thorough rejection of the inaction mentality which characterizes the adults in her life and a literal return to her childhood at the same time. oot is a fucking masterpiece of a game

[hermitw]

JJK is going to look different again since seeing Yuuji, Sukuna and Kenjaku (Gojo too ig) in this light so strongly [spoilers if you're anime only ig, no chapter leak spoilers tho]

Sukuna hates Yuuji (and is uncomfortable around Kenjaku) bc his body is a cage. Kenjaku designed Yuuji that way. I wonder if he spent generations experimenting (his grandpa telling Jin that he'd die, around whoever his dead wife was and the way Yuuji was born w Sukuna's finger in him - but it was sealed, so Sukuna didn't possess Yuuji or have awareness of this until he hate more, unsealed fingies).

Sukuna and Yuuji were both robbed of their autonomy by Kenjaku, in almost the same way. This gives them something very unique and personal to relate to each other with, but they don't try to find common ground. The closest thing is Yuuji saying "I know you don't want to die, too" but he never asks Sukuna for his motives. Everyone seems to assume that it's about power and killing everyone without reason. The only times when Yuuji interacts with Sukuna are to get something from him. I think that Yuuji trying to bribe him into healing Junpei felt awful - imagine being trapped in a kid's body, who has total control, and then he tries to manipulate you. Sukuna hates being touched so being thrust into this state must have been hell.

Uraume seems like the only one who respects Sukuna's boundaries.

Yuuji matches everyone's energy, and usually comes around to understand them. Megumi's reason for saving people, Nobara's reason for becoming a sorcerer etc, Junpei's reaction to his mother's death.

But he's never tried to understand Sukuna - at first, he told Gojo that he kept hearing Sukuna's voice, that he was annoying. Which means that Sukuna was trying to initiate conversation. Yuuji just ignores Sukuna, never giving him a consideration of humanity. The only way of connection Sukuna is ever granted seems to be through violence.

In the first hour of knowing about, seeing cursed spirits, Yuuji was told that Sukuna is a curse, a monster. Gojo said that Sukuna was once a real person. But Yuuji never tried to connect with any humanity that might there.

I think it has to hurt on some subconscious level, at least, that Yuuji gives anyone else some compassion, some empathy, but doesn't bother to have a conversation with someone who is forced into sharing his body, but not able to control it.

I believe that Sukuna went through the process of mummification while still alive because it was a way to prevent Kenjaku from using his body, (it might have also been a way for him to see more about consciousness, without any peers in his era. It might have been convenient since there was a famine at some point - he mentioned that his mother might have been starving and that's why he ate his twin in the womb. Idk) to reclaim it as his own.

I'm starting to wonder if Sukuna's motive for everything is to regain some autonomy, to have a body of his own again. And maybe he had to become a monster to do that, by transferring into Megumi.

And Sukuna doesn't seem to consider himself human, either, but did in the past. He's only considered human by others when it comes to calling him a cannibal. Despite that there were likely circumstances leading to this - a famine, a sign of respect to the sorcerers who challenged him to the death.

But he's so isolated from the world, from being called a child that should have never been born, to not fitting into clothes etc. bc the world wasn't built for him, and the loneliness that comes from being aro/ace, from being an object of fear or a deity to use in rituals that might prevent natural disasters.

Sukuna has no peers until it comes to Gojo, but they communicate in different styles, and remain isolated by misunderstanding.

A sukugo parallel I think deserves attention - they both had to become the monster. Thrust into this position by birth (held responsible for the shift of the world), and by the reactions of the people and powers around them.

The difference is that Gojo became the monster by letting someone else take over his body.

Sukuna became the monster by intentionally taking someone else's.

Sukuna never attacks without reason, I was rly mad at him for Mimiko and Nanako but I think he had a trauma response and felt gross like they were trying to manipulate him the way Kenjaku had.

But when he kills, it's fast and merciful. It's an instant death.

The exception to this would be during his fight w Mahoraga (and maybe Jogo I forget rn) but they were caught in it by chance, by accident. Sukuna limited his range to spare Megumi, but he wasn't in a position to be aware of every person's location and keep them out of the crossfire. He wasn't intentionally hurting them, he wasn't finding joy in their suffering, he wasn't standing around to watch.

It's my opinion that when Sukuna first appeared and said it'll be a massacre, he was hinting at the merger. I can't think of a single time when he went after anyone who did not approach him first.

To make things even worse:

We can look at Sukuna and Kenjaku's relationships with Mahito.

Kenjaku gets along with Mahito - though he is just using him for his CT and to manipulate things in his own game. He still called him over when Geto's body fought back. "hey, Mahito, look at this," like he wanted to share a joke w a friend, and listen to his interpretation of the phenomenon. It was so friendly, that interaction always weirds me out.

Sukuna does not like to be touched. He seemed to get along with Mahito at first, when Yuuji called him out - but generally he prefers to be away from that in his innate domain. I think that Sukuna was creeped out by Mahito, once he became aware of the situation - actually, I think the only one who wasn't disturbed by Mahito was Kenjaku.

Kenjaku and Mahito constantly cross boundaries, manipulating bodies and souls without their consent, and it is fun for them. I'm not sure whether Kenjaku enjoys to watch people suffer, but he loves games and seems to see everything as a part of one, and doesn't hesitate to hurt anyone - unless it interferes with his plans.

Sukuna doesn't hurt anyone unprovoked, but Kenjaku and Mahito don't save anyone without reason.

[vinestaffery]

HAIIII Since ur request is open, i wanna ask for subspace x gn human reader!! I want it to be scenario please🙏 The plot is uhmm the reader just wandering aimlessly in Phighting wondering where the hell they are and they met subspace and then its up to you, thank youu..

HIHI!! OFC!!! I might actually change the 3 request thing because now it just overall motivates me. I will also be using my fan-faction, specifically since I have major lore for it. Anyways, enjoy!! Thank you for requesting <3

SUBSPACE X READER

Your lost from your faction, but what happens when you see a certain pink scientist not too far away?

When you first escaped your faction, it was entirely out of pure fear. You had no real exposure to the actual world from the outside.

So, aimlessly, you walked. You walked every street, checked every corner that you could reside in, and continued on. 

That was until you caught the light of a certain demon from afar. 

Subspace!!!!

You had no clue who he was, but he seemed to have caught your attention, especially with your unique sense of clothing. 

“Oh my!!” and he rushed up to you. You had no clue what was going to happen, but you prepared yourself for any collision of harm.

Seeing his strange sense of fashion choices, he stopped when he saw you were armed. 

But who is that to stop the Great and Powerful Subspace?

“Who are you?”

“I would be asking the same thing!”

You didn’t take kindly to his games, but you knew very well that he would be a great person for guidance. Especially with the fact that he seemed to know the area.

“I asked first!” 

“And I asked second... Now, who are you?” 

You couldn’t help but question yourself about whether you trusted them, but you were all for it.

“I am... but I am not from this place. Where am I?”

He couldn’t help but be confused. How could you not know where you were from?

“Well then…!!! Interesting, I am Subspace T. Mine, the prime head scientist of the greatest faction, Blackrock's robotics division!” 

You couldn’t help but be somewhat fascinated. You were meeting someone as great as your gods from your faction?

“Really?”

“Mhm!” 

Seeing him rather than a stranger, you grew closer to him each time you spoke.

He was a bit sketchy, but he didn’t seem to care as you grew more interested and kept questioning him and his responsibilities!

The pink-horned demon stared into your eyes, staring at you with fascination and pure joy. You were asking him things others would refuse! Delving deeper into the conversation with him, you couldn't shake off the feeling of excitement and caution.

His position held a certain allure, but his sketch demanor raised some red flags, especially his giant scar. Despite the uncertainty, you found yourself drawn to him, eager to learn more about his work and the faction he represented. He stared down; his gaze remained fixed on the interaction, torn between trust and suspicion.

"Well, of course! Blackrock only represents it's finest and strongest soldiers, like me!" "Wow! Mine does the exact same; we represent them with pride, and they defend us from dangers in the oceans!" That caught his attention. The oceans? It was such a curious wonder, and it made him even more intrigued by who you were and where you came from. He couldn't wait to hear more about our shared connection between you and the sea and what part these soldiers had.

"Maybe you could explain further more about these... soldiers?" You looked up at him with curiosity and wonder. "Sure! I mean, you aren't a threat; we could be friends! My first ever friend to meet in the outside world!"

That surely made him happier, as a smirk rose on his face. "Rightfully so."

[otomes-world]

When sun goes down

This piece takes place after New beginning. Another sentient twst works here

Tick tock. Tick tock.

Tick.

The clock ticks by steadily, not caring about the season or the time of day. The living room of the Onboro Dorm is dark, but the eyes have become accustomed to the darkness and can distinguish the outlines of objects. The curtains are drawn tightly, not even a ray of light from the street penetrates into the room. There is no desire to light candles or turn on the light.

In some places there is still a thin layer of dust; cleaning has not been done for quite some time. The cat was too lazy, you... barely had enough strength and motivation for yourself.

Tick tock.

Tick.

Quiet. The birds don't sing, even the wind suddenly died down that night. As if the whole world had stopped, as had all its inhabitants. Everyone except you and the stubborn clock. Every sound was like a mockery of your alien essence. Like you're a puzzle piece that's been forced into a picture that you're not a part of. As if hoping that it, you, would take root and the protruding corners would somehow miraculously disappear.

They didn't.

Tick tock. Tick.

Mechanical monotonous noise no longer get on your nerves. It was much more merciful than anything in this world. The clock simply did the job assigned to it. How great it would be if everyone took their responsibilities with the same passion. However, someone took this too seriously, outweighing the lack of interest of others.

It had long since passed midnight, maybe one in the morning, maybe a little more. You stopped tracking the passage of time. Closing your eyes and completely falling into the darkness, you tried to clear your consciousness, leaving only...

Tick tock. Tick tock.

Tick tock.

Rustle.

Rustle? Frowning instantly, you began to listen. Didn't it seem like it to you? Yes, most likely it was. Let's stop there.

Curiosity was a feeling long buried inside. It brought much more trouble than good. However, now you were not driven by it, but by simple and banal fear. How often did whoever it was come to Onboro? Do they go inside while everyone was sleeping?

A slight rustling sound, as if someone was carefully stepping on the grass. Barely noticeable, but difficult to ignore in the silence. The eyes opened again, but there was no difference. They needed to get used to the general darkness again. Another sound, but louder this time. Someone clearly came closer.

Your hands clasped together by themselves, nails dug into your skin, but you no longer feel the pain. The brain, trying to defend itself, “turned off” this ability. You didn’t want to decide, whether this is for the better or worse, now.

Now it was the obvious sound of footsteps on the wooden porch. Someone was walking very close. The curtains were drawn all the time, precisely because of the fear of seeing someone familiar. There's no need for another panic attack.

Stand up and carefully look? The floorboards would immediately creak and give away the location; you wouldn’t be able to accomplish your plan unnoticed. Would this be enough to scare off an unexpected guest? Probably not.

Freezing in place, you forced yourself to listen to the ticking with renewed vigor so as not to break down.

Tick tock.

Tick tock.

Tick tock.

There was a knock on the window. Someone knocked on the glass. Very neat, but at the same time too obvious to be attributed to an accident. Everything inside freezes, and your hand covered your mouth to prevent an sob from escaping. The silence began to feel heavier, and the ticking became unusually loud.

No! Heart beat stubbornly, nullifying all efforts to remain calm. The fingers still covering mouth trembled. The legs stood up by themselves, taking centimeter steps towards the window. Take a peek and make sure that the person who came would leave. The ordinary window seemed to emanate a black aura, the kind people usually like to depict in horror films. Is it worth mentioning that after recent events, you hated this genre with all your heart.

Only willpower prevents you from getting up and running into the room. Another light knock on the window followed by silence. Should you come up and ask to leave? Are you ready for a face-to-face confrontation? Have you recovered enough?

Enough. No longer worried about being heard, you ran on unsteady legs towards the stairs and then back into the room. A desperate piece of “Wait-.!” drowned somewhere behind under your deafening heartbeat.

Quiet. Even too much. As if someone had frozen in exactly the same way on the other side of the fabric and glass. Carefully touching the rough material like it might burn you, you pulled the curtain back just a little. The gap was no more than a couple of centimeters. There was an all-too-distinct sigh, and wide eyes met the exact same ones of yours.

This was enough for you to lose your composure, clutch the fabric in your hands and forcefully close it. The old cornice creaked in disagreement, but to its credit it held up.

The creaking of floorboards and a more desperate voice died down after some time. In the dark room, the only source of sound was again the old antique clock.

Tick..

[starqueensthings]

Ficlets inspired by Song Lyrics:

Crazy Girl, Don’t You Know That I Love You?

Song: “Crazy Girl” by Eli Young Band (country)

Rating/Warnings: 16+ for mildly suggestive themes | CW: anxiety, somewhat irrational fears of death.

POV/WC: 2nd | 1500ish.

A/N: something weird has come over me!! I’ve somehow managed to keep this to a one shot and not develop 300 pages of unnecessary lore!! Brevity?! Is that you?! I don’t think we’ve ever met before! Hi I’m Holly!

“Crazy girl, don’t you know that I love you? I wouldn’t dream of going nowhere. Silly woman, come here and let me hold you. Have I told you lately, I love you like crazy, girl?”

Other Written Works Here

“Ugh, I should get up.”

Sentiments leaving those lips in little more than a contemptuous growl, he’d uttered that necessity nearly a dozen times now while the chrono continued to tick the future ever closer. Though, as if waiting for some unseen, divine force to grasp his shoulders and simply heave him upward from the ineffable warmth and comfort of that squashy, blanket-laden bed, the only muscle spared that lassitude were the few required to drape his arm across your hips and tug you backward until your curves matched those of his chiseled form.

But his repeated probes for motivation acted as only merciless reminders of yet another imminent absence, and further intensified the plaguing sense of foreboding that had you either unwilling or unable to turn and face him; the near-painful constriction in your chest brought on by his incipient departure ensuring your thoughts remained only that, as voicing a response to that sleepy room – that dawdling soldier – threatened instead to escape your lips as little more than a sob.

“Kriff, I really need to get moving…”

The resolve to maintain any semblance of composed pride vanished as, instead of lifting his body from that white cotton sanctuary, he leant forward slightly and gifted the slope of your neck a series of chaste kisses; hearty sniffle instantly exposing your hidden turmoil as his unexpected display of adoration sent you careening into the harrowing pit of anxiety you’d desperately attempted to shirk.

It took even less than a breath for that newly-stubbled chin to cease its ministrations atop your skin. “Are you upset?” he asked you, the heat of his breath departing your neck as he tipped back to survey your seemingly unexpected demeanor. “What’s wrong?”

“M’fine,” you choked back at him, hurrying to dispel that wetness from your cheeks with a gruff swipe from the back of your hand.

“Nice try,” he argued, chin sinking only slightly as he glared through those dark lashes in your direction. “Roll over. Tell me what’s going on.”

For a moment you considered simply ignoring that polite command, as watching those mismatched eyes absorb the fear neath your features only promised to swaddle you with an embarrassment equi-paralyzing as your present anguish… but more powerful was the realization that those same eyes would be entirely absent for the foreseeable future, and neglecting the opportunity further memorize every inch of that slender, olive skinned face would present as nothing more than your deepest regret should you never see it again.

With a laden sigh, you shifted your weight and rolled over, perching your head atop a bent arm while your free hand traced thoughtless lines atop the small section of uninhabited sheet between your bare bodies.

“I’m just… Well I feel kinda… I dunno,” you started, nearly cringing at how juvenile those words sounded whilst spilling so meekly from your lips. “I just get scared sometimes… Ever since what happened on the Triumphant… Ever since all those men…”

“Mesh’la—”

“What if that happens again?”

”I’m an infantry Commander now, Mes—”

”Okay then what if it’s a bomb that drops out of nowhere? A bunch of droids you didn’t see? Bad intel from stale recon?”

“M—”

“Or what if you do something brash on your next mission because someone’s gone and pissed you off, and it ends up being your demise because you were too busy scowling to watch for an ambush? What happens then? Am I just supposed to go on living without you like that’s even possible?”

Cursing the way your chin quivered atop the divulgence of your fears, you paused for a breath, gaze refusing to depart the mindless squiggles your fingertip still insisted on embossing into the soft sheet between you. But that astute Commander, your loving boyfriend, refused to entertain any degree of distraction in that moment, hurrying to place a calloused hand atop your own to cease the relentless attempts at placating the exposed anxieties of its owner.

Finally meeting his gaze, you spluttered, “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you. Every time you leave, it just feels like you’re not coming home.”

That soft hitch between dark brows released the tension they’d adopted whilst attempting to follow your desultory reasoning, eyes softening in earnest as they danced to and fro from the contours of your still-trembling chin to the small cataract of tears now escaping the corner of your eye and landing with muted thuds atop the bed next your elbow. But no sooner had that softness emerged was it replaced by an unprecedented levity… the corners of his mouth perking upward as he fought to repress the smirk vying to erupt across those lips.

“Why are you smiling?!” you demanded upon watching his eyes narrow neath crinkled lids, suddenly aghast at the gallish mirth doming his cheeks. “What the kriff is so funny?”

“Nothing,” he defended, only barely repressing the chortle nestled in his throat. “Nothing is funny. I’d tell you not to worry, but you’re not going to bel—”

“Ugh! Just forget it!”

Turmoil suddenly banished by a burgeoning indignation, you sat bolt upright atop that now unwelcoming bed, tossing the sheet from your form and burying your toes into the soft carpet. Ignoring his objection, you snatched your robe from its discarded perch on the floor and stuffed your arms impetuously into each sleeve, nose tipping ever higher into the air as your frustration grew amid every snickering objection still spilling from his lips.

“Ey!” he eventually called as your hand reached for the door of your bedroom, the sudden banishment of all humour neath his tone capturing your attention only enough to still your movements. “Come over here.”

Again, the urge to ignore him presented itself strongly, defiance flaring in your chest in the echoing wake of his amusement, narrowed eyes glaring fiercely at the otherwise austere wood door still barring your exit.

“Cyare,” he warned as your failure to accede his demand continued.

You peeked over your shoulder, that ire quickly dissipating upon first sight of his miraculous figure suddenly exposed and near-glowing amid the budding light of a quickly materializing dawn; that perfectly contoured chest heaving gently amid the deep breaths that had fuelled his shift in posture, the rolling hills of muscle neath his shoulders put on display by their perch atop equally as muscular thighs, one elbow sitting near impatiently on his knee.

Upon the return of your gaze, he clicked his tongue, free hand jabbing a pointed finger toward the floor directly in front of his seat atop the side of that bed, and, infuriatingly so, there wasn’t a force anywhere in the galaxy strong enough to keep your feet still once he’d resorted to non-verbal commands.

Gaze dropping to your hands, you returned to that bedside, standing between his knees and permitting a poignant sigh to blast past your scowling lips.

“I’m sorry I laughed,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you as close as the edge of the mattress would permit, and watching him gently perch his chin just above your navel and gaze lovingly up into your eyes had your stomach lurching, as if the floor below your feet had utterly vanished the moment his eyes locked upon yours. “And you know it kills me that you feel like that… but I need you to trust me.”

Swallowing the reemergence of the lump in your throat, you placed your hands atop his shoulders and nodded faintly.

“Trust that I’m good at what I do…” he continued, tightening the wreath of his arms around your body, seemingly preparing for the chance his words may see you hurtling from the room again. “Damn good. And you need to trust that everything I do, every decision I make while I'm out there, is to make sure I get back to you. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, not permanently anyways. This… you… mean too much to me. Okay?”

Though you offered him another gentle nod, speech having been utterly stripped from your cognizance by his own heart-felt admission, he clicked his tongue again. “Say it,” he requested in little more than a whisper. “Say you understand and that you trust me.”

Desperate to commit that softened pleading look upon his face to memory, you stole a selfish moment just to gaze down into those asymmetric eyes, lips pursing as they threatened to release another unwanted sob.

“I trust you,” you breathed, guiding your hands to cup either side of that angular jaw, thumbs brushing softly across those supple cheeks. “And I love you.”

“Good,” he answered immediately, hands shifting to firmly clutch your ribs while he planted a kiss where his chin had just lain. “Now put those tears away and let’s get a nice hot shower before I have to go.”

“Ouuuu,” you cooed instantly, letting your eyelids flutter flirtatiously as he released you from his arms. “I’d love that. And if you hadn’t just laughed me out of the bed, I'd consider letting you join me.”

“Your inner brat doesn’t scare me, you know that,” Wolffe cautioned, darkened gaze now dancing hungrily across your semi-clothed form. “Now, get going before I put that mouth to another use.”

Other Written Works Here

Tag list: @anxiouspineapple99 @sinfulsalutations @starrylothcat @nobody-expects-the-inquisitorius @secondaryrealm @dystopicjumpsuit @freesia-writes @sev-on-kamino @littlemissmanga @523rdrebel @wings-and-beskar @wolffegirlsunite @drafthorsemath @jediknightjana @starstofillmydream @mooncommlink @wizardofrozz @trixie2023 @clonethirstingisreal @lune-de-miel-au-paradis @mythical-illustrator @arctrooper69 @somewhere-on-kamino

[the-lark-ascending69]

I just got an idea for whump Ronance.

What if Robin and Nancy gets captured by Brenner?

Like, they end up becoming his new lab rats. Thry get tortured and abused just like El was.

What do you think?

(Also, what kind of powers do you think they would have respectively?)

Anon I am so sorry i wrote a long asf response to this and then it got deleted and I was so mad I didn't want to do it again but now I feel inspired and motivated to give it another try.

SO. Wonderful concept! I love it! Let me share my thoughts!!

So what I came up with is:

At age 15, they both get lost in the Upside Down. They only vaguely knew about the other's existance from school but when they found each other down there, they became inseparable. This is an AU in which Will never went missing. Anyway they're terrified and starving and exhausted but at least they have each other, and they hold hands almost the entire time because they both desperately need the comfort.

Eventually, they make it out on their own after finding a gate... and it's in the Hawkins Lab. They come out on the other end before the unbelieving eyes of dozens of scientists, who were convinced no one would survive a minute in there without the proper equipment. Yet these trembling, starving young girls covered in grit survived with only the clothes on their back for a week.

Brenner recognizes them immediately - Nancy and Robin, the two girls from the missing person posters circulating through town. Everyone already thinks they're dead. They made fake bodies of them, for Christ' sake, he's not letting this opportunity go, especially after the disappearance of his only remaining test subject, 011.

This will be a new experiment. A different one. They are given different numbers for ir - A01 for Nancy and A02 for Robin. They get that tattooed in their arms. The purpose of the experiment is to study the effects of short-term exposure to the Upside Down on humans of their height, s.ex, age, health status and weight. They call themselves doctors. They give them separate rooms and run a series of tests daily on them. They try to be subtle at first as to not scare them too much - they don't want another 011 - so they call them by their real names for a while. They ask questions about their lives before the Upside Down and reassure them this is meant to test radiation levels - a standard procedure, before they can return them to their parents.

They immediatelly call bullshit. Why can't they talk to their parents now? Why can't they see them through a glass, at least, or a camera, if radiation is what they're worried about? Why won't they tell them what that place was or why it led back to the Lab? Do their families know they're safe? What is going on? They ask so many questions about every procedure ran on them, resisting in more and more extreme ways until the scientists need to tie them down and drug them whenever they want to do anything.

Brenner notices similar brain activity in them to that of his old test subjects, and he suspects the Upside Down might have given them some kind of ability. He keeps them in the rainbow room, hoping each other's company will help them develop their powers, yet for a long time nothing comes. They can't move objects with their mind, or astral project, or open gates. Even despite everything they do to them. Despite every horrible procedure they perform on them. Drugs of all kinds, leaving them delirious and weak for days. Electrocompulsive therapy. Hypnosis. Pain tests. Sensory deprivation. Solitary confinement. Brenner wants to activate their powers in one way or another, desperate after losing subject 011.

(It's terrifying each time. Nancy is invaded by pure rage while Robin is paralyzed by fear. Whenever they take one for a procedure, the other waits impatiently for her return, fully concious of what they're doing to her - or so it seems. Nancy, at least, thinks she knows what they're doing to Robin. She thinks they do the same things they do to her - tie her to a chair, put an IV in her, maybe, or stick a needle into her neck. Brenner will do this while casually telling her she'll only feel a small pinch, before doing such a monstruosity to her that she'll be woken up by seizures at night. It takes Robin some time to tell Nancy the truth).

They seem completely useless for a long time, but that changes the moment they capture a russian agent.

He was a scientist, working from an unknown location beneath Hawkins, trying to get intel from the Lab when he was caught and tortured to extract information from him. Robin wasn't usually allowed to wander the halls alone, but someone left the door unlocked and she was curious, and soon she found herself in front of a closed door, hearing panting and ragged breathing after this man received the beating of his life. He was talking to himself - curses and meanderings about death and whether or not he'd see his family again. Robin, despite having never learned Russian, understood everything, and in a perfect accent she began to talk to him. She didn't know why - she didn't even realize they weren't speaking English. For a moment he thought he was being rescued, and he shared with her a lot of information.

Brenner caught her in the act and severaly punished her. Solitary confinement for one week. She would only see other people when they ran tests on her, and even then they wouldn't speak to her at all. He ended up not living up to his threat when, not two days after the event, he noticed her brain activity going wild. He has fascinated, and he asked her what had happened, if that russian spy gave her something like a drug. "Russian?" she asks, only then understanding what had happened.

They believe her powers are related to xenoglossy, the supernatural ability to know a language without having ever learned it. Something extremely useful in that specific historical context. She'd be an incredible spy, and oh, Brenner can't wait to experiment with this. They kill the spy after she tells them everything he told her.

They begin to give her a special treatment over Nancy - not exactly for the better. Brenner wants to understand this new ability, developed not in the womb like in other subjects but when subject A02 is a teenager, possibly caused by exposure to Upside Down radiation, though that's not confirmed. Maybe it had more to do with their experiments. He thinks he hit a dead end when it's revealed Robin already knew intermediate-to-advanced French, Spanish and Italian from before being captured - she'd be just a regular poltglot in that case, a prodigious one, right, but with nothing of interest for Brenner. But he quickly realizes this is not the case. Robin didn't know a word of Russian before, and he develops a hipothesis he'll spend the following year testing. He tries her ability with different languages, escaling on rarity, complexity and distance from English. From reading a single short text, Robin becomes profient in Finnish - a non-indoeuropean language Brenner doubts she's ever had any contact with. Proficient, but not fluent. It seems like she can very easily extract a language's grammar from a short sample text, applying it to terms she's familiar with, but she can't magically "guess" vocabulary of grammatical rules not present in the material she was given. For example, by reading a text in which all 15-16 grammatical cases of Finnish are present, she will be able to apply them to any noun in nominative case she knows, but she can't do it with nouns she doesn't know, and she can't use grammatical cases not present in the sample text given to her. She also can't guess spelling or pronunciation without both text and audio samples, and she can't speak in accents she hasn't heard (though she can easily switch accents in a way native speakers of the language can't, a skill that is curiously not translated (lol) into her native English). She learns faster with audio than with text, but even faster with a real-time conversation. Brenner brings a colleague who is fluent in Japanese to test her and he's amazed by how quick her progress is. His hipothesis, seemingly now proven, was that hers was an entirely mental skill, not a supernatural one, since she doesn't magically have access to languages she never had any contact with. This would make her ability not real xenoglossy.

A few more fun facts about her "power":

Her pre-existing skill with Spanish, French and Italian didn't improve until she was exposed to these languages again after being captured. She becomes incredibly skilled at solving puzzles and cracking codes. Brenner believes her power developed thanks to her intensive studies in languages through her childhood. Her brain activity is similar to that of non-native speakers of a language during the few first minutes of having contact with a new language, but in less than an hour, it will be the same as with native speakers. She's confused by some reconstructed languages, but not others (Proto-Indoeuropean was easy for her to learn, Proto-Uralic took her some time before learning more finno-ugric languages than just Finnish. If this were happening in the 2000s, when the Dené-Caucasian theory was already formalized, then Proto-Dené-Caucasian would have sounded like absolute gibberish to her).Some of Brenner's colleages hipothesize that her knowledge of living languages help inform her of the grammar and syntax of proto-languages in an extremely accurate way, to the point she subconciously knows when a reconstruction is wrong. This would make her an amazing paleolinguist. Brenner is less interested in the reconstruction of ancient turkic languages in Siberia and more interested her use as a spy and code-breaker - though it wouldn't have hurt him to take a second look at the idea of turkic languages, because that Russian agent, he was from a region of Russia called Tartary, and he spoke another language aside from Russian, the Tartar language, though he never got to speak it in Robin's presence. Brenner and his colleagues, not familiar with the vast diversity of languages on Earth, spend a long time working with an incorrect hypothesis because they couldn't notice Robin speaking Tartar to herself as a distinct language from all the others they were teaching her. A year and a a half passes before someone spent enough time listening to her to notice the difference. It's a discovery that shatters completely Brenner's first hypothesis on the absence of a supernatural element in Robin's ablity, and he's once again fascinated when he discovers it. His new hypothesis: Robin's power grants her access to a person's mind through speaking to them in a strange, confusing way, and he can't wait to destroy her, pick her brain apart and figure out how it works even if he kills her in the process.

In fact, he does. Literally. He does it over and over and over again, and Nancy has to watch it happen time and time again.

Because here's the thing: Robin wasn't the only one to develop powers, and in fact, she wasn't even the first one.

If you've heard of the videogame Life is Strange, anon, then you'll understand Nancy's power here: she can rewind time. Her power is pretty much the same as Max's in LiS - she can rewind time up to a certain point, though it causes a great mental strain, and eventually, she will discover she can time travel to specific points in time through photographs she's present in, as her younger self.

She discovers her powers the first time Robin is killed.

Misbehavior got her punished - solitary confinement after a long testing session. She had an overdose in her cell, and no one noticed in time. Nancy barely remembers what happened then, other than the horror she felt, before the events of the day flashed backwards before her eyes and she was brought back to Robin - warm, alive, breathing - in the rainbow room.

She begged her to do as they said, to behave, to not fight back. Robin is confused but Nancy is in tears and she agrees to do as she says.

This time, when she has an overdose, they treat her on time. She was in a comma for a week, but soon she was back on her feet and back in Nancy's arms.

It keeps happening - over and over again. The time she swallowed her own tongue during a seizure because Nancy didn't hold her right, and she had to try over four times (and watch her choke and die four times) before she got it right. The time she didn't die - but she lost her ability to speak after hours of electroculpulsive therapy, and she had her fake an illness so they would submit her to less aggressive procedures. It happened again when, after a similar trial, she forgot her own parents and thought the scientists were her parents. But she mostly just died. Over, and over, and over again. Mostly from overdose or brain damage during seizures, but one time, she was purposely asphixiated during a test. To this point Nancy still isn't sure what was it that they wanted to test with that. She suspects it was just torture for the sake of torture. To break her, somehow.

Nancy is terrified of long-term effects of all of this on Robin's health. She's scared the damage will cross the point of no return too early, to a point she can't go back to, a point in which she can't stop it. She can hold Robin's head during a seizure but she can't stop the seizures, and the lasting damage they leave.

Robin is aware of Nancy's powers. Nancy didn't even have to prove them to her - she believed her immediately whe she told her, and she trusts her judgment completely. If Nancy tells her it's better to do X, you can bet Robin will be doing X. Robin doesn't tell Nancy about her newfound ability immediately - she doesn't want her to worry about something she can do nothing about. But she does share it with her, after some time. She felt the need to explain to Nancy why the sudden interest on her. Nancy worries about her Robin so much, so so much, because she's just become Brenner's favorite new toy, and he'll do anything and everything to exploit her. She's in much more danger than Nancy is, and Nancy wishes she could take her place, make herself into Brenner's toy, draw attention away from Robin, but they both know the best they can do for their safety is to keep Nancy's invisible power secret. Nancy hates herself for not being able to take Robin's pain for her.

They escape one day. It's a complicated plan including short-distance time travel, manipulating russian spies through a stolen radio, several forms of treason and going out the same way they came in - through the portal. Nancy does her best to keep them safe with her power as they search for the other gate, the one they first crossed three years ago. And then, they're out. They're found unconcious on the side of the road.

They wake up a few days later in the hospital, surrounded by their families. Nancy's brother, Mike, has a new friend - a quiet girl with long brown hair and a 011 tattoed on her wrist, and she knows she needs to speak to her desperately, but she's exhausted, so for the time being, she'll sleep for some time, feeling almost at peace now, knowing Robin is safe and in the good hands of doctors.

[talkingparrotkee]

Personally, I think there's too much about "Ramonda did this" and "Namor did that," but not enough people realizing how the two characters are just two sides of the same humanity coin. It honestly reeks of media illiteracy and shallow takeaways.

You're not supposed to demonize either of them. What they did was out of their responsibilities as leaders and love for their children. Not only that, but they were at a breaking point after years of torment. They finally snapped after vainly clawing to hold themselves together because they had to be a pillar everyone needed them to be. Everyone around them could fall to their knees in anguish, but not them. They couldn't afford it. Fate was unkind to them, and destiny unjust.

Neither is perfect, but they are human.

That is what makes them relatable, tragic, and compelling characters. While you can find fault in some of their actions, their motives were completely understandable, as is correct.

It's a beautiful tragedy carefully woven by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole. Consequently, hate seeing surface-level, dumb takes bashing one or the other. It's even worse when these characters get unceremoniously raked across the coals over something as dumb as shipping.

I'm making a case for both Namor and Ramonda for the people in the back.

In the case of Ramonda:

Ramonda is a character who experienced tragedy after tragedy since her debut in the MCU, getting no break for breaking as the sovereign leader of a nation.

She couldn't break when T'Chaka, her husband, died.

She couldn't break when she saw T'Challa, her baby boy fighting to potentially death with a Jabari (what were the odds).

She couldn't break when she discovered her husband kept their nephew a secret and killed his own brother.

She couldn't break when T'Challa supposedly died, being hurled off of Warrior Falls right before her eyes.

She couldn't break when she was run out of her own kingdom by Killmonger being forced to beg the Jabari for refuge.

She couldn't break under her fear as the Jabari closed in on them, having to remain strong, shielding a Shuri.

She couldn't break when she saw her son barely alive, beaten and shrouded in ice.

She couldn't break when her children and therefore the rest of her entire family gotten snapped for five years. She still had to rule and lead "a broken nation through a broken world."

She couldn't break when T'Challa died for real this time from an unknown illness he hid (until it was too late).

She couldn't break seeing Shuri break, wailing for her other half who was ripped away from her.

She couldn't break when feeling the vulturish pressures of other nations trying to destabilize Wakanda and plunder them for their riches, preying on their moment of "weakness."

Shuri, the last and youngest fruit of her tree closest to her bosom, was dangerously dangling over an edge in her immense grief.

This is why Ramonda refused to let her go on field, telling Okoye that "she isn't ready" (the girl was talking about burning the world for crying out loud) and that Namor was dangerous.

No lie was told.

Even so, she hesitantly relented, entrusting Okoye. She also entrusted Shuri and Okoye again when they decided not to fork her over to Namor mid-mission.

What did that get her? A beaten up general and a missing child. It isn't like Ramonda knew Shuri demanded Namor's audience (this was cut from the movie), and her kimoyo beads were not on her for contact.

For all she knew (Namor didn't show her otherwise, let alone build rapport with her), Shuri was in immediate danger. It doesn't matter that we know that Namor wasn't going to hurt her. That's dramatic irony. What matters is, Ramonda didn't know.

There is no wonder as to why Queen Mother snapped.

Was it recklessly instigative to lure out Namor and send a war dog into his home with an "any means necessary" order? Yes. Was it not the best choice to spend precious time getting Nakia and involve her into something she was retired from? Sure. However, you must consider her circumstances. She was in a place of desperation and went to her last resorts.

Again, the first and rightfully lasting impression she got from Namor was that he is dangerous.

The first meeting with this man was him shaking the table, demonstrating his pure audacity by making demands or giving threats ("I have more soldiers than this land has blades of grass"), and being scarily ominous. He breeched their security and was not alone.

Namor had his warriors ambush them at the bridge, despite them (seemingly) retrieving the scientist as he demanded. While it is true they planmed to "break" the "agreement" (I use that term loosely) after meeting Riri, he wouldn't have known that unless he actively spied (doubtful) or just made the assumption of suspicion. This act resulted in Okoye, Wakanda's best warrior and general, frazzled with a taken Princess.

Ramonda didn't know what to expect, but it wouldn't be unreasonable for her to expect the worst in him. Ramonda wasn't going to play Russian roulette with her daughter. This is the one time where she finally broke out, knees buckling from all of the weight, and acted as a mother above all. She also acted in part as a queen, because Shuri is not only the princess, but the apple of Wakanda's eye in many regards. As Shuri told Namor, "Wakanda will not rest" in the darkness of her absence.

What Ramonda knew now when speaking to Namor on the beach (Shuri was safe, Shuri asked to see him, trying to fetch her-breech their waters would be met with an iron fist, blah blah blah) wasn't known then when she made the call (one she couldn't exactly take back here). She couldn't predict a young handmaiden weakly holding Shuri hostage and Nakia having to make the split-second decision to pull the trigger, in far too deep.

The second time she acted as a mother was when saving Riri Williams. Yes, it is true that she could've survived if she didn't swim down for Riri. However, there is a point behind this. It also took her character arc full circle.

In the first movie, Wakanda and its leaders were fine forsaking the lost tribe. They turned their backs and blinded their eyes to the rest of the world. They sacrificed others for themselves. In the second movie, per the choices and changes made by T'Challa, Wakanda and its leaders took a turn for the better. As Letitia Wright said in an interview, Riri was a reflection of T'Challa's choice.

Refusing to have another case of the N'Jadaka, Ramonda, the Queen of Wakanda, broke the cycle. This time, Wakanda sacrificed herself for the lost tribe girl as "if she were one of her own."

In the case of Namor:

Namor is literally just the other side of the same coin. Namor has since lost his immediate family, and at a young age, no less. His father died before he was even born by smallpox (he is the man we see Fen putting jade in the mouth of). His entire village and mother were killed by the same colonial diease before being reborn as Talokanil. He witnessed his mother mourn her homelands and die in her life-long grief. Since he took his first breath, his life wasn't his own. The bracelet Fen was given was a promise of his birthright. He was the first son of the new civilization, destinied to lead it before he could make that decision or understand its weight.

Not only did he have to act as king, but he was viewed as a god. That is so, so much worse when it comes down to expectations or responsibilities.

To add insult to injury, he officially ascended to the throne at such a young age. This all happened during the same day when he:

had to bury his mother

discovered Conquistadors' theft of his ancestral lands he never got to step foot on until then

witnessed slavery

was shot and shouted at in a foreign tongue

was cursed out by a Conquistador priest, interrupting his mother's burial, deeming him a "boy without love" and "son of the devil"

Since then, he didn't have a connection to the surface world. He had no love or trust for it, which only cemented itself as he aged. He spent his life strengthening Talokan, nurturing it, protecting it, trying to experience-revive culture-history deprived from him, and constantly moving it away from the danger of surface man.

Namor's audacity is confirmed partially rooted in the belief that Wakanda should take responsibility for what is and will happen all because they decided to reveal the power of vibranium. It put them all at an immense disadvantage (which is what T'Challa was warned of by Ross in a removed scene). Additionally, Talokan is also more vulnerable than Wakanda and has suffered everything Wakanda feared but never experienced (e.g., colonialization, genocide).

After centuries of moving and preferring to be kept hidden (in other words, he actively chose "peace" and avoiding the problem until he was backed into a corner), the vibranium detector was his last straw. The machine, as said by him, was the sign of the times. They couldn't risk that in any way, hence his extreme actions. There is no disputing that Namor technically was the instigator and a repeated offender at that, but at the same time, you need to look at the context. His hand was forced.

"They came while you spoke to the Queen? We should have never trusted her!" - Namora to Namor in Yucatec-Mayan

Ramonda not only purposefully drawn him out (she tells Nakia that was exactly what she was doing, before giving her the orders) of his home, but sent an "assassin" that took a national threat away while killing two of his "children." One of whom was about Riri's age: a child. She wasn't even a warrior. Namor had to helplessly craddle her as she died. He couldn't do anything as her godking-"father," despite her putting hope and trust in him. That especially makes it more egregious.

If you want to consult the script too, Namor vowed to his mother not to have another Talokanil murdered again. Even if you don't want to take Tenoch's and Ryan's answers in interview questions, it's made amply clear that Namor's attack on Golden City was his form of punishment-retribution, not in his original plans or desires.

From the script,

To the actual cut we had.

Namora is heard stating how much of a risk they were now put in. They have no ensurity Wakanda wouldn't attack them. Shuri has seen their home, equipped with dangerous knowledge. To them, Ramonda-Wakanda has shown capable of killing and going "under the table" while offering a drink above. Let's not even mention how Wakanda has been in contact with other nations and Ramonda threatened to leak their existence.

This realization all happened as Namor was practically having a PTSD trip. We see him hardening, with the same death whistle that played in his flashback, playing then.

Namor snapped.

On the throne, he admits that he was "hypnotized by the panther's tail" that he was blinded by the hope of partnership, an alliance. He endangered all Talokanil and that he seeks to right this wrong. He also says that they will not "move again." At this point, with all of had happened, he-Talokan finally decided to stand up and swing back.

[guardian-ange]

mobius' character development from big picture to selfish (as a foil to loki) // loki s2e6 spoilers

As a secondary character, we don’t usually get to investigate mobius’ motivations fully— from the start especially in s1 his whole drive is for the “greater good,” even as his understanding of the greater good changes (apart from following loki around like a puppy)

In the time theater we finally got a more personal reason why— he had to learn to prioritize the big picture above all else through his own story with the 8 year old because he’s seen and experienced the consequences firsthand. and this as the heart of his drive is part of what makes him a great agent-- his singlemindness

But at the “what the shit are you doing” lapel grab, loki said “trust me” and mobius replied “no.” And this clearly isn’t because mobius doesn’t actually trust loki (if you don’t think they trust each other, we have been watching two different shows hello???)

The following lines, loki’s “i know what i’m doing,” and mobius’ reply “no!” cannot be because mobius doesn’t actually think loki doesn’t know what he’s doing. it’s a denial. Loki up until this point has proven that he knows exactly what he’s doing, and that’s the scary part

But mobius doesn’t stop loki out of concern for “the greater good,” either. We see him consciously make the choice to pull loki in. Why? It’s a fear response. Because in this moment of imminent life-or-death, mobius is finally, selfishly allowing himself to cling to loki

It’s in part because he (rightfully so, as we uhhhh see later) does not trust loki’s sense of self-preservation, that loki is not about to do something rash. Which is part of why loki remains so calm. We know that he’s seen mobius do this (and let him!) countless times— he remains calm and reassuring to give mobius a sense of stability and comfort

So as loki is zooming out and approaching self-sacrificial glorious purpose, mobius is learning how to be selfish. which is oddly enough not only more like loki, but sylvie too— after all, they’re the two at the blast doors crying for loki to prioritize himself over the greater good, even though both of their motivations until now have been much more big-picture

(i could probably get into how mobius and sylvie are the same in this respect, and how it works for mobius while sylvie falls flat, but that's for another time)

In the end, mobius returns to his timeline because in learning selfishness, he’s trying to "go "return" to what he thinks he wants. He’s unfulfilled watching don because he realizes that a quiet, divorced life (alone) with his kids is not actually what mobius wants.

What does mobius want? Well, it’s not about what, it’s about who

mostly copy + pasted from my twitter (@spices_n_crises)