#Selfish Lion

[mask-of-prime]

TLK: Bianka

Since I headcanon the Strange Lion's father is the Selfish Lion, I figured he had to have a mother, too.

Say hello to Bianka, the mother of the Strange Lion (Nyoka), and wife of the Selfish Lion (Choyo). She is a scorned rogue lioness from Mohatu's time as King, kickstarting a chain of infamous events throughout the history of the Pridelands and the Outlands.

She is a distant descendant of Mwanzo, leader of the Evil Lions of the Past. Like her forefathers, Bianka possesses Tsavo lion genes. Nyoka gets his Evil Lion heritage from his mother (yep, that means the Selfish Lion is actually married into this family rather than the heir, I came up with the idea of Bianka being the one with Evil Lion blood based on the vibes I got from the features I gave her).

Her restless desire to overthrow King Mohatu was brought on by the mystery of her ancestry, and the full story of her forefathers' legacy went unfinished, and even began to fade generations down the line. She recruited Almasi (a rogue from a far-away pride searching for her destiny), and Choyo (Mohatu's former business partner who was meant to help grow the pride after a massive loss to a devastating outbreak of rabies and drought-induced disease) to help eliminate the royal family that occupied Pride Rock by means of integration and deception. She would also groom her son into her plan to take over by integrating him into the pride to marry Princess Uru. This never carried through as Uru fell in love with the riff-raff pauper, Ahadi, and Nyoka had ultimately been banished for threatening the pride in a crazed state from receiving his Mark of Evil.

Her husband, Choyo, was not truly interested in her, and was even less interested in having a child. He only wanted the benefits that came with ruling a prosperous kingdom, such as all the food and water he could possibly mooch off of, and he can only achieve such things in an alliance with the conniving Tsavo lioness.

Bianka's disregard for animals other than her own kind had eventually been the cause of her downfall. Not long after her cohort Almasi had perished from dehydration and other complications from the drought (tragically just before Mohatu had found a luscious water source at the Oasis), Bianka had been trampled during the herds' race to said water source. She died while Nyoka was still very young, making him not so different from Princess Uru in that way, which he would often bring up in an attempt to court her. But his nightmare never ended there: His only living parent, Choyo, had been exiled for violating the delicate balance of the Pridelands' ecosystem for hogging limited supplies for himself, and for threatening other animals with violence. Mohatu, believing a child to not deserve to live with such a parent, combined with knowing about Choyo's reluctance to care for his only cub, had taken Nyoka in and raised him in his slowly growing, recovering pride.

Her untimely death at the hooves and paws of the Pridelanders followed by her husband's exile are what ultimately fired Nyoka's very own restless journey to finish what his ancestors started, and he would eventually go to carry out his plan to reclaim the kingdom as his own by continuing the cycle of taking over the royal pride through convoluted schemes of trust and persuasion (which ironically came to fruition posthumously after his protégée Scar killed him). Nyoka, unlike Bianka, made an effort to piece together his legacy through direct contact of his ancestors by performing a seance with the help of his cobra friend, Kuuma (will elaborate in future art).

(I know she and Almasi look like they could be sisters, but if they were, that would've made Scar and Zira, like, first-cousins-once-removed or something. I don't like using relations like that as a plot element sooo... I had them be a coalition of unrelated lionesses who just happen to have similar design elements lol. I based their friendship off of the fact that they've got similar designs, I thought juxtaposing their designs in the top sketch would help distinguish them.)

[abutterflysdrawings]

''So, what are we doing up here, Ahadi?''

''Why, this is the perfect vantage point to view the antelope, of course!'', exclaimed the male cub in a deliberate, know-it-all tone of voice. ''You see, they always feed in the grasslands, so viewing them from a high place is a must if you want to study them without scaring them away. They use their horns to fight each other, though no one knows why they're curved like that. Which reminds me...''

As they waited for their parents to return, the sound of the morning breeze and the distant rustling of the leaves and grass was adorned by the extensive, information-filled speech of the cub, ocassionally interrupted by his playmate's further questioning, which prompted him to keep talking. It was clear to Uru that Ahadi was barely anything like his father; although they had a certain, serious air about them, Ahadi wasn't apprehensive to being talked to, and it was obvious to her that he was a very intelligent cub. Others would've dismissed his interest in the world around him as boring or arrogant, but Uru was excited and invested in the things he told her about.

''Wow... You know a lot for sure! I want to learn more! What else can you tell me?''

''Ah? Huh... I...''

Suddenly, he was at a loss... Let's just say he wasn't so used to anyone, much less someone the same age as him, be interested in what he had to say.

A drawing I've had to put away for a bit as I've been dealing with sickness and a lot of stress recently :') I've wanted to draw my version of Ahadi and Uru as cubs for the longest time, so here it is! In my version, Ahadi's father is the Selfish Lion seen in The Brightest Star, and Uru is Mohatu's daughter.

After the events that transpire in the book, the Selfish Lion's pride and Mohatu's come to an agreement to join their prides and leave their hostile past behind them, and with them comes the tradition of arranged marriages. However, before either Ahadi or Uru are made aware of what's in store for them, they become friends and develop a strong bond which evolves very naturally into love, so when the time comes, they're not opposed to the idea of becoming King and Queen of the Pridelands.

Ahadi comes across as a bit of a smartypants as a cub, but he's genuinely intelligent and invested in learning around the world around him, which comes from his mother's nurturing of this side of him. Meanwhile, Uru is a strong-willed cub that enjoys scouting with her father, and exploring just like him. I'm looking forward to drawing more of them in the future!

Commission info / Don’t repost / Reblogs are encouraged / No mean things in the comments/tags. 

[jayietheriverwarrior]

I actually drew this, and my next drawing, before any of the other ref sheets I just posted, quite soon after the announcements surrounding the upcoming Mufasa prequel movie. For reasons that will soon become clear, the announcements about the movie made me super motivated to draw some lions from the era of Mohatu and Ahadi's reigns. ^^

Background again belongs to Disney, and was edited for use over here. You can see them without the background here.

The three lions we see here are the Selfish Lion from the TLK book "The Brightest Star", the Strange Lion from the TV show The Lion Guard, and an OC of my own creation who appeared in my old fanfiction Quiet Before the Storm. They are Prince Hifadhi, younger brother to King Mohatu, leader of the Lion Guard, and strict traditionalist to a fault; King Jadi, son of Hifadhi, raised to believe he is the true heir to the throne, succeeded in claiming part of the Pride Lands for his own, only to meet his end while trying to manipulate the young Prince Taka; and Nyonda, younger sister to Jadi, raised to lead his Lion Guard, but saw her father and brother for what they truly were and turned to Mohatu and Ahadi's side instead, eventually becoming leader of the true Lion Guard of the Pride Lands. That may all seem confusing, and bear in mind, my headcanons for the TLK verse have changed quite a bit from when I wrote my fanfic over a decade ago, so much of that has changed as well. For a proper explanation of who these characters all are, keep reading below. But first, a look at the art itself. Hifadhi draws all of his colors, and most of his build, from his appearance in The Brightest Star, but since his design there is just a recolored Scar, I took the liberty to make a few tweaks - mostly just exaggerating or underplaying features that were already there, rather than adding or removing anything entirely. I mostly made him more angular and overall more like his granddaughter Zira in appearance. The hair is also meant to look a bit military-ish to fit with his role and personality. Since we only saw his left side in TBS, I took the liberty of adding scars to his right side, since leading the Lion Guard is a tough job and bound to result in some scarring. For Jadi, I mostly just tweaked his TLG design a bit to make the proportions better and drew him in the art style of the first movie. He took forever to finish and to get looking right, but I'm very happy with the end result. I feel like you can see a fair bit of Nuka in him, especially in the nose and chin. For Nyonda, I kept many of the components of her original design (the shape of the head, eyes, and nose), while adding a few things to make her look more like her brother and father, and also more like her great-granddaughters Tiifu and Zuri. I gave her freckles, cheek tufts, a swept-back hair tuft, as well as tweaking the colors a bit to better match her future granddaughters, while overall still greatly resembling her old design. She's also now skinner like her dad, but she's a strong as ever. You can find her old design here. And now, for the story. ^^ Sorry, it's pretty long. There's a second half to this image which will show Mohatu, Ahadi, and Uru's side of the story, but I just typed over 3K words (the same length as the chapters I usually write in fanfics), and it's late and I'm tired, so the rest might have to come tomorrow (or Tuesday), sorry. ~-~-~ Prince Hifadhi, rather than just being a selfish and violent rogue as The Brightest Star implies, was instead a fiercely dedicated and dutiful leader of the Lion Guard during his brother's reign as king. There was no jealousy over his brother's role, no squabbling to be king - indeed, Hifadhi would have considered such a thing to be treason of the highest degree. His first and greatest loyalty was to the traditions and laws of the Pride Lands. He was the second son, and thus he was to lead the Lion Guard. That was how things were, how things should be, and he took to his task with a steadfast determination to serve and play his part in the Circle of Life. He was dedicated to laws and rule-following to an almost obsesive degree, leaving no room for nuance or consideration of things outside of his experience. His scuffle with the lions by the watering hole in The Brightest Star was not out of seflishness to keep the water for himself, but because he believed the animals were not strictly adhering to the water-sharing rules his brother had put in place, and he would not hear excuses on the matter, unlike his more merciful brother. He and Mohatu did not always see eye to eye, but no one could doubt Hifadhi's dedication to serving the Pride Lands. He had known from cubhood how every step of his life would be laid out before him. He would protect the Pride Lands as long as his brother was king, and he would teach his niece or nephew to take his place, and would only retire once his part in the Circle of Life had been completed and the next leader of the Lion Guard was ready to take up his mantle. He never expected anything to change the life that the Pride Lands required of him. And then, out of nowhere, his fool of a brother made an outrageous announcement that shattered Hifadhi's world. Not only had Mohatu announced his intention to never marry - to never take a queen and produce royal-blooded heirs, one of the most sacred and crucial duties expected of him as king - but that he had chosen for his heir the orphan rogue cub that he had recently taken in, a scruffy little thing called Ahadi. Hifadhi felt a rage unlike anything he had ever known before. To not only spit upon the laws and traditions that governed their kingdom and kept them all safe, kept them from falling to the vile depths of rogues and outsiders, by refusing to marry and father cubs - but to then choose a filthy rogue as the next king? Hifadhi couldn't believe his brother had done something so selfish, so absurd, so... so treasonous. He and Mohatu had a massive fight over the matter, greater than any of the petty arguments they'd had before, but by the end of it, Mohatu's mind was unmoved. He would not be swayed - Ahadi would be his heir. From then on, Hifadhi knew that his brother was not the sort of king to deserve his loyalty, and that it was his duty to protect the Pride Lands from his foolish decision, and make sure that scruffy little brat would never sit on the throne. He had an infant son with his mate, as yet unnamed, but upon returning home, Hifadhi made a choice that would change the fate of the kingdom. He named the boy Jadi, meaning tradition. He would raise this boy in the traditions of the kingdom, teaching him about his birthright by blood, and one day, somehow, he would make his son the true royal king of the Pride Lands. Jadi grew up constantly being told how much better he was than Ahadi because of his royal blood, how much wiser and stronger and more noble, and how much more he deserved the throne than such an undeserving rogue brat. Hifadhi sought to teach the boy the discipline and adherence to law that a king would need, but he failed to realize how much his own bigotry and constant praise of the cub were turning his son into a greedy, arrogant young lion. By the time Mohatu announced that he would be stepping down and handing his throne onto Ahadi and his mate Uru, Jadi had become a cruel, sly, self-serving bully of a lion. His younger sister Nyonda was raised from the start to be the leader of Jadi's Lion Guard. But unlike her brother, this shrewd young lioness never fell for her father's self-righteous claims of being on the right side of law and tradition. She could see her father for the narrow-minded fool that he was, and Jadi for the cruel bully that he was. In her cubhood, Nyonda went behind her father's back and began meeting with Ahadi and Uru, forming a firm friendship with the pair, along with the bird Zuzu and Uru's adoptive sister, the hyena Banagi. She worked hard to learn the skills her father had to teach as leader of the Lion Guard, but resolved only to learn physical skill and strategy from him, as the rest could not be trusted. Unlike her father, she knew that one day, Jadi would force the issue of his right to be king, and when that day came, Ahadi would need fighters on his side, so that is what she would be. On the day Ahadi was to be crowned king, Jadi and Hifadhi went to confront him. Hifadhi, ever a stickler for the rules, intended to contest the legality of Ahadi's ascension, threatening to turn to allied prides and the well-respected mjuzis of the Grass Walls, even the sacred pride tasked with guarding the Tree of Life, to pressure Mohatu to change his mind the right, legal way. But that would all take far too long, and Jadi knew better than his father than to trust in the right way of doing things to work. Instead, he used his father's droning on about laws and proper procedures as a distraction. When the moment was right, and all of his secret supporters among the pride another assembled animals were in position, he gave the signal to attack. Hifadhi was stunned by the sudden outburst of violence. He had never expected his son to commit such an act of mutiny, even after the many years of drilling Jadi's right to be king into his head. He tried to pull Jadi away from Ahadi, but was no longer the young leader of the Lion Guard he'd once been, and was easily pushed aside. Jadi was easily able to overpower the disabled Ahadi, but support from Mohatu, Uru, and Nyonda kept him from being able to kill him. Ahadi was enraged by this treasonous challenge. While his mate held Jadi down, Ahadi struck a very deliberate blow to Jadi's face, resulting in the scar around his eye. In my headcanon, the scar isn't a magical snake venom-induced Mark of Evil, but instead, a Mark of Exile. Lions and other animals exiled from the Pride Lands for particularly egregious crimes are marked with a clean scar above and below the eye, to signal to other kingdoms that these animals are outcasts and not to be trusted. By scarring Jadi in this way, Ahadi signaled to all the kingdom that he was as deplorable as any exile, and was not the true king. It was a big symbolic blow that would harm Jadi's image in the Pride Lands and result in much bitterness on Jadi's part, but in the end, his supporters were too fierce and too many, and Mohatu and his followers were forced to retreat. Jadi crowned himself King and laid claim to Pride Rock and the Pride Lands, while Mohatu and his pridemates who had remained loyal to him were driven off in disgrace. But King Jadi's victory was not as complete as he had hoped. Many animals were disgusted with the violent and treacherous way that Jadi had seized power, and refused to bow to his rule. Mohatu was able to keep hold over a good chunk of the Pride Lands and keep himself and his pridemates within the borders of the kingdom. He held a new, uninterrupted coronation where Ahadi was finally crowned king, and then he set to work traveling his kingdom, campaigning on Ahadi's behalf, doing everything in his power to weaken Jadi's influence over the Pride Lands and win more allies to his adopted son's side. Hifadhi, still dazed by his son's violent actions and his own role in encouraging them, joined Ahadi's side, helping train the new Lion Guard and keeping Jadi's supporters out of Ahadi's part of the Pride Lands - but no one really forgave or trusted him for the monster he had created and how much destruction had been wrought on their home because of his choices. With the new king came a new Lion Guard. Another lion called Nyeusi, a distant cousin of the king and a friend of Ahadi's growing up, had been trained to be the next leader of the Lion Guard, but to Nyonda's surprise, he offered the position to her instead. He was loyal to Ahadi and would always defend his friend, but he knew in his heart that he didn't have the initiative, cleverness, and determination to lead that Nyonda did. The lioness humbly accepted, taking to her new role with all of the determination of her father before her, but with a calmer, more introspective mind, willing to listen to those around her and accept that law and tradition could not account for all that was right and good. Her outwardly stoic and stern manner made some wary that she would turn out like her treacherous father, but she soon proved that she was a loyal, steadfast lioness and truly worthy of her place in Ahadi's kingdom. She eventually became mates with Banagi, and the pair raised a daughter called Daha that had been born with the help of a willing rogue male. Daha later had two daughters of her own - one daughter would later be Tiifu's mother, while the other was Zuri's mother. The conflict between Jadi and Ahadi continued for years. For a time, Jadi tried to take over Ahadi's part of the kingdom by force, but every time he was repelled, and soon, he stopped trying altogether. Instead, he decided to wait, and think, and find a more clever way to win his prize. Several years after the beginning of the conflict, he found what he was looking for. His spies within Ahadi's part of the kingdom told him of the frustrations of the young Prince Taka. How Ahadi and Uru didn't have as much time to spend time with their young son as they'd like because of their constant efforts to hold onto their part of the Pride Lands. How Taka loved his big brother Mufasa, but was becoming increasingly jealous of how Mufasa spent more time with their parents, and that his future role as king seemed much more important than Taka's scant lessons with the also-incredibly-busy Lion Guard. It was the perfect opportunity. One day while Taka was wandering the borders alone, frustrated after being blown off for training by the Lion Guard because of an urgent situation they'd had to take care of, King Jadi approached him. He told Taka a very different version of that mutinous day, one that cast him in a much more favorable light, and which made himself seem similar to the constantly-rebuffed young prince, constantly denied what was rightfully his. He told Taka that he saw true potential in him, far more than in Mufasa, and that he wanted Taka's help to restore peace and unity to the kingdom. He proposed a plan - lure Mufasa into a situation where he would come out looking foolish and unworthy of being king, and then Taka would be chosen as the new heir for sure. Once Taka was the heir, Jadi would betroth his daughter Zira to Taka, and through their marriage, the two halves of the kingdom would be reunited once more. Taka would be the one who had finally ended the years-long conflict and brought peace. He would be adored and adulated as a hero. It was too much temptation to resist. Taka did just as Jadi had suggested. He lured Mufasa into a conflict with the water buffalo Boma, manipulating the situation so that it appeared Mufasa had acted brashly and foolishly, causing Boma and the other water buffalo to attack the young prince. But while Taka was leaving the scene behind to go and fetch his parents, so they could witness Mufasa's foolishness for themselves, Jadi appeared from nowhere and attacked the young prince. He sneered at the young lion for being so gullible and trusting. He had never intended to wed Taka to his daughter or make Taka king. It had all been a trap to lure both of the young princes into a dangerous situation and ensure both of their deaths. With both their beloved sons gone, Ahadi and Uru would be too heartbroken to go on, and would be easy to oust from power once and for all. Jadi would finally have the entire kingdom under his thrall. Victory was within his grasp. But he spoke too soon. As Taka listened with growing fear, and rage, to Jadi's crowing, he became desperate to escape. He kicked at Jadi's belly and threw the older lion off of him. They were at the edge of the ledge overlooking the watering hole - as they grabbled, Jadi fell, desperately clinging to the edge with his front paws. Taka went to try and pull him up, but Jadi grasped at him with his paws, fury and vengeance powering him. With a burst of rage, he thrust out with his paw, slicing Taka across the face, marking him with the Mark of Exile. Cruel glee filled him at the thought of Taka being forever marked as a traitor for the treacherous plotting he had done to dethrone his brother. But this petty action cost him - as Taka desperately shook him off, Jadi lost his grip, and fell back into the watering hole below, quickly becoming trampled by the furious water buffalo. With the death of the treacherous King Jadi, the Pride Lands were finally made whole again, united under the rule of King Ahadi and Queen Uru. Most of Jadi's kingdom returned willingly to the fold, having grown disillusioned with Jadi after years of poor leadership, but some chose exile over bowing to Ahadi. In particular, Jadi's mate and young daughter Zira, and some of the rest of the pride, chose to settle in the nearby Outlands and plot their revenge for the overthrow of their rightful king. Taka boiled with bitterness over the betrayal of Jadi, the trauma of his near-death, and the adulation Mufasa had received for helping calm the situation with the water buffalo and for his (admittedly small) part in ending the civil war. Something changed inside of him after that day. He knew now that he could trust no one but himself, and that lions were willing to do whatever it took to seize power, so why shouldn't he? With a new sense of purpose, he claimed the name Scar, ready to start down the path of doing whatever it took to become king. As well as allying with the hyenas, he reached out to Jadi's old followers. He told them of Jadi's wishes for Scar to wed his daughter Zira and unite the kingdom under their combined banner, conveniently leaving out the part where Jadi had been lying through his teeth. Jadi hadn't told the pride of his plans, and Scar was so clever and convincing, that they soon believed him. He made sure to bring Zira under his sway, earning himself a loyal follower and queen for his future rule. He would not risk open rebellion as Jadi had, not if it would mean losing half of his kingdom's support because of the open violence. No, he would be smarter about things. He would wait, and he would plan, and he would bring about Mufasa's fall in such a way that no one could lay the blame on him or deny him his rightful ascension to the throne. One day, no matter what it took, he would be king. ~-~-~ Soooo yeah, Selfish Lion is a loyal (but bigoted) guard leader, Jadi is a mutinous king rather than a scheming rogue, and Nyonda is now Zira's aunt rather than a former rogue and Uru's adopted sister. And yeah, I know TLG says that no females have been on the guard before, but shhh, Nyonda as I wrote her ages ago was always a fighter and guard-material, so I just decided to ignore that little factoid. I had a lot of fun mixing and matching elements from Lion Guard and the semi-canon books to create this story, particularly the bit about how Taka got his scar. I loved being able to combine the water buffalo incident with Jadi's trap for the prince. I also loved playing with the idea of of the scar marking being significant to the Pride Landers, without it being anything magic or supernatural as the show implied. Instead, it's more of a political/symbolic thing, used to mark traitors and criminals, so other kingdoms would know not to take them in after their exile.

[imsosleepyofyourbull]

I firmly believe that Kabru is autistic but masks so hard that he’s convinced himself and (almost) everyone around him that he’s neurotypical.

That man’s special interest is people and how they work, but he just thinks it’s him Being So Good At Socializing — like he doesn’t spend 95% of his time people watching and adjusting his personality in response to the traits he witnesses and obsessing over the intricacies of human interaction while mapping an ever growing relationship chart in his head. For fun. He even admits it in the manga!

Like, look at him!!!

It’s such a shame that — because he’s the narrative foil to Laios and his interest is generally considered more “socially acceptable” in both their world and our own — more people don’t realize this about him. He’s constantly misinterpreted as a horribly manipulative person who only acts the way he does to use the people around him, when that’s explicitly shown to not be the case at all. Kabru is naturally empathetic and is almost always thinking about other people, regardless of whether or not they’re right there with him or a thousand miles away.

I mean, his most defining motivation is his desire to do everything he can to avoid another tragedy like the one at Utaya. Someone who doesn’t care wouldn’t have a goal like that, and they most certainly wouldn’t go about it the way he does. He’s constantly working to help people who can help everyone else and tries so hard to make sure that anyone who seems like a threat is actually someone he needs to worry about before doing anything about it. His supposed aversion to Laios is only because of the ridiculous trolley problem he’s set up in his own head.

Outside of that, he (rather justifiably) hates monsters but is desperate to understand Laios’ love for them and his apparently most selfish goal in getting close to the guy was literally just to become friends with him.

When he’s interacting with the canaries and they imply that they’re going to take him and all of his friends to the West, his first thought is of Rin and how much she’d hate to be stuck in the place that gave her so many bad memories.

He helps Kuro learn Common when Mickbell is asleep and firmly looks forward to the day that the half-foot and Kuro can communicate properly so that their relationship can get properly started without any miscommunication.

And he understands Mithrun with only a handful of weeks AT BEST interacting with him, getting enraged when the elf seems to give up and immediately trying to help him find a new motivation for life.

I’m excited just thinking about the day that Kabru starts unmasking more and more around his friends — both new and old — because if being with my current friend group has taught me anything, it’s that hanging out with anyone so unabashedly themselves is bound to make you more comfortable with yourself too. It’s part of the reason why I like Labru so much! There’s something nice about imagining them hanging out in the throne room or laying in the grass outside and talking for hours on end about their special interests. They might not strictly understand what the other finds so fascinating about monsters or people, but they can grasp that shared feeling of love.

They probably influence each other in really good ways too, with Kabru helping Laios figure out what people are thinking even when it doesn’t make sense or Laios helping Kabru understand that not everyone and everything needs to be analyzed a thousand times over. They both get to learn that there are people like them and people who will love them without them ever having to change a thing about themselves. They deserve to know that they’re fine the way they are.

[swkbiggestdefender]

Honestly I don't think wukong did anything wrong by "abounding" the brotherhood like they didn't abounded him first he didn't owe them anything he doesn't even owe them an explanation he was happier with the pilgrims choosing your own happiness is not a selfish thing and he shouldn't feel bad about it they assumed he "betrayed" them so be it he doesn't have to explain himself for them I'm sure he would've if they asked but they probably never did so yeah he doesn't owe them shit

[ninja-knox-ur-sox-off]

Macaque about Wukong: he’s selfish, he only cares about himself, he always wins, he always gets exactly what he wants, I let him use me, he knows exactly what he’s doing and every decision he makes is purposefully made to make the people closest to him miserable until he’s done using them to get what he wants, and what he wants is power- get out while you can

Azure, about Wukong: he’s selfless, he cares so much about his people and his friends and puts them before himself, that’s why I followed him, he’s powerful, he would make a glorious ruler of the heavens, but he doesn’t know what he’s doing and he fails and was tricked into making the wrong decision but that’s why he needs me-

(i’ve only watched up to ses 4 episode 8 please no spoilers in tags)

[tr4v3rs3-t0wn]

King Mohatu and his mate, King Potea

[ultimateumbreon33]

think abt this in relation to the new chapter

[splendontcore]

oh, look what I found! I forgot these were the first storyboard scraps I made for Franky Jones pilot chapter

I hope this counts as artwork

[sethgraysupremacy]

i’m currently letting my beta read it !! it’s about 1,5k words now so not a lot buuut i hope it’ll still be something :D i love these stupid kids so much omg

and thank you !! i read your fics and they’re so cool omg,, i especially loved the soulmate marks one <3 seth going ‘yeah i’ve known for a while now’ while nick has a crisis is just. yes

i hope to post it this week ! - 🦁

this ask has been sitting in my inbox for over a year but lion anon i love you<3 unsure if you ever posted the fic u were talking abt but if you did please send me the link!! im sooooooooooo glad you liked my soulmates fic thats one of the ones i've done that i've really enjoyed myself :')

[sailforvalinor]

🦁

[ambrosiagourmet]

I've seen pieces from this extra comic before, but never read the full thing until today. And holy shit does it hammer home just how much the story is about class.

Multiple times, when food comes up in this comic, it’s also in context of money:

I've seen this last panel on the right brought up before in context of like, dungeon meshi's relationship with fat and eating, but in the full context of the comic it really hits how much adventuring directly consumes bodies for money.

As much as this has been part of the story the whole time, showcased as early chapters 19 and 20...

It never fully hit me before how often adventuring comes down to having no other way to make money but to throw yourself into death repeatedly. To be used, whether it’s by individual selfish people (like the resurrection group that is happy to try and get Kabru's group to kill each other to get extra gold from them in chapter 32), or by the greater cog of the Dungeon Economy in general.

Which, to be clear, is all too often how things work in the real world, too. So many jobs burn through the health and lives of workers. Dungeon Meshi just makes it literal in a new way: by making the healing and resurrection, a core part to the adventuring loop, directly use fat, muscle, and energy from the body being healed.

Imagine Amazon, but if you got injured at work, they could literally burn up some of your body to get you back to working sooner. And that was seen as an advantage of the job.

And then you have Laios, thinking about eating monsters:

Not just because he likes monsters a lot. But because it would help. He says something similar in the actual manga too, during the chapter discussing his dream with the Winged Lion

Laios wants to be able to make a home for Falin. He wants to give her a place where she never has to eat alone. And when he gets a party, he wants to give them a way to eat well. And when he runs a country, well…

He wants to ensure that everyone has enough to eat.

Food is political. Food ties into class, and money. What is deemed "proper" to eat, what is a luxury, what is crass… so much of it comes down to money.

Being judged for eating what's available, when what is “proper” isn't affordable, is already a thing that happens. People forced into work that consumes their energy is already a thing that happens.

Dungeon Meshi has a lot of fantastical elements, but boy is its examination of food and class very real.

[rithmeres]

i don’t think i’ve rewatched atla since becoming a committed pacifist and i just finished what was probably my tenth rewatch and i have never loved aang more. i've seen it so many times but i still came away with a new appreciation for the way the end of the story was handled. aang is the only survivor of a genocide and he is clinging to the last remnants of his culture and religion, and everyone is telling him the only way to save the world is to kill the dictator whose regime is responsible for the genocide, but to do so would abandon the deeply held beliefs of his people. if aang goes against his beliefs and kills ozai, his people's way of life dies completely and sozin wins.

aang knows it would be wrong but he can't see another way out so he prays for an answer, and the universe hears him and the spirits send out the lion turtle, and the creator answers him. and here's the thing that i never put together before today: aang would not have been able to energybend ozai if he had given in and wanted to kill him. the lion turtle tells aang that only the incorruptible can bend another’s energy, or else they will become corrupted themselves. and i think that aang, because of his love for the fire nation as he had once known it, was never corrupted by personal hatred for the fire lord or the fire nation. he was able to expertly hold two conflicting beliefs in harmony better than any adult could, the belief that ozai is a horrible person and the world would be better off without him and that he's still a human being with a life that is sacred.

and i don't think it's a matter of selfishness like some people make it out to be. aang is not some immature little kid who doesn't want to kill because killing is for bad guys. he's an incredibly wise and spiritual person who was shaped by airbender beliefs and upholds airbender beliefs, and he can see beyond the scope of this war. the balance of the world depends on the existence of the four nations, and aang does not just represent the air nomads, he IS the air nomads. he's all that's left.

despite many people’s interpretation of the four past avatars’ advice, none of the past avatars outright tell him to kill ozai. they tell him to be decisive, to bring justice, to be proactive, to be sacrificial. but none of them tells him definitively to kill him. he doesn't disobey or ignore their advice, he follows their ancient wisdom while still staying true to his beliefs. yangchen actually comes the closest to outright telling him to kill ozai (even more than kiyoshi, surprisingly) but what she fails to account for is that aang is not just the avatar, he is the last airbender, and being the last airbender is far greater a burden than being the avatar. no matter what happens, once he dies, there will always be another avatar. but if he is not careful to preserve the airbender way of life, there will be no more airbenders. yangchen could sacrifice her air nomad way of life for the sake of her duty to the world because there were thousands of other air nomads to continue their traditions. aang has no such privilege.

and it's not that he doesn't want to kill, it's that he actually doesn't think he can do it -- both that he won't be able to emotionally bring himself to kili someone, and, prodigy that he is, he doesn't have the raw bending skill to overcome a comet-powered master firebender. and then it turns from 'i don't think i can do it' into ‘i can’t do it.’ and when the avatar state gives him enough power to actually do it, he changes the answer to ‘i won’t do it.’ he overcomes all the combined power of his past lives to say no, i have found another answer and i will remain incorruptible. to kill is to maintain the power struggle of the fire nation and to reject air nomad wisdom and without airbenders the world CANNOT be brought into balance.

the only thing ozai cares about is power, and that's what the entire fight with ozai is about, physically and ideologically, because ozai only sees power in terms of force, fear, threats, and violence. to ozai, aang (and his entire people) are weak and undeserving of life because they are largely pacifists, but he fails to see the magnificent power that the airbenders do hold, spiritual wisdom and mastery of the self and contentment and joy and harmony and a deep understanding of the world that a man like ozai could never obtain. to kill ozai would ratify ozai’s worldview that power as he defines it is the most important pursuit in the world and the only way to assert one's right to be in the world is to be cruel and violent like him. i think to ozai, becoming powerless might be worse than being dead. he wants power, or he wants death, and aang gives him neither. it upends everything he believed in. aang, the avatar, but more importantly, the last airbender, armed by his past lives' power and his people's love and the spirit world's blessing and the lion turtle's omniscience (and toph's mastery of true sight through neutral jing), ends the war 100 years to the day after the air nomad genocide, in the way that his people taught him, with power that goes beyond force and violence, with spiritual wisdom, with an incorruptible soul, with mercy -- mercy that is not weakness, mercy that brings justice.

[dokitm-arch]

REVAMPED TAGS ... misc animanga & cartoons!

🦇 ' ⟪ ch. kisshu. ⟫ / obsessive alien. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. tart. ⟫ / immature alien. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. ryou shirogane. ⟫ / stubborn iriomote cat. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. minto aizawa. ⟫ / blue lorikeet. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. retasu midorikawa. ⟫ / finless porpoise. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. bu-ling huang. ⟫ / golden lion tamarin. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. david martinez. ⟫ / sandevistan from santo. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. rebecca. ⟫ / maniacal gunwoman. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. lucyna kushinada. ⟫ / introverted netrunner. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. denji. ⟫ / lonesome chainsaw. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. power. ⟫ / selfish blood fiend. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. reki kyan. ⟫ / savvy skatefixer. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. langa hasegawa. ⟫ / brittle as snow. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. kojiro nanjo. ⟫ / charming womanizer. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. miya chinen. ⟫ / child prodigy of skateboards. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. shoto todoroki. ⟫ / igniting avalanche. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. katsuki bakugou. ⟫ / ground zero. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. denki kaminari. ⟫ / bolt charger.  🦇 ' ⟪ ch. koji koda. ⟫ / animal whisperer. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. tsuyu asui. ⟫ / queen of frogs. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. inosuke hashibira. ⟫ / beast of boars. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. giyuu tomioka. ⟫ / water hashira. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. iguro obanai. ⟫ / snake hashira. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. leonardo hamato. ⟫ / blue turtle. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. raphael hamato. ⟫ / red turtle. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. donatello hamato. ⟫ / purple turtle. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. michaelangelo hamato. ⟫ / orange turtle. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. zuko. ⟫ / abandoned by honor. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. azula. ⟫ / prodigy of madness. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. toph beifong. ⟫ / blinded by earth. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. phillip. ⟫ / the sword of truth. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. simba. ⟫ / destined king. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. kovu. ⟫ / he is not one of us. 🦇 ' ⟪ ch. kiara. ⟫ / we are all one.

[arijackz]

PICK A CARD: Who You'll Be In 10 Years

☣︎ "“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Disclaimer: This is a general reading, take what resonates. This is a gender-neutral reading, change any pronouns to apply to you. Also, the tense changes from past to present to future, I hope this doesn't make the reading difficult.

Also! Thank you so much to everyone who put in a paid reading request, when my life stabilizes, those will be on the top of my priority list. <3

p1 → p2 ↙︎ p3 → p4

⚠︎ Pile One ⚠︎ (5oS rev., 5oP, 8oS)

You a decade from now (or less 👀) is not afraid to walk away from a motherfucker. Kudos to you!!! POP A BOTTLE. REJOICE! 🍾🍾

You have mastered prioritizing yourself and letting go of connections that violate your boundaries.  

I’m getting cat energy. Your self-concept is resolute, so you don’t care about others' perception of you. You’re willing to be seen as the “bitch” or selfish in situations because you refuse to become someone you’re not, to please another. 

Your young self would consider this a nightmare. Your upbringing has groomed you to put the interests and needs of others before your own. Disharmony and people disliking you cause you so much inner turmoil (I want to throw up channeling this energy, I’m getting it makes you physically ill) that you try to avoid those dark emotions by suppressing your own needs and desires to keep the group happy.

Being subservient and sacrificing parts of you became a survival tactic. It was so deeply ingrained in your self-concept; you desperately wanted to detach from it but feared hurting anyone or being seen as selfish in the process. 

This hesitancy to step on a few toes, which is an inherent requirement for elevating your own voice, gives you an illusion of being trapped and powerless against the will of others.

But baby… you ten years from now don't have time for the bullshit.

The energy here is refined; a quiet strength forged in darkness. This was not always your energy, you have some battle scars due to people-pleasing and learning the hard way that you can never satiate hunger in people who can never be full. 

This pile has seen their fair share of energy demons. I meant to write “vampires” but demons came out, this could be about energetic attacks (commonly manifesting as anxious thoughts and mental blocks that did not occur before you met them) and jealous energies around you that benefitted from you thinking less of yourself.

It took you some time to find the power in your “No” and staunchly protect it. There have been times when people have disrespected your no and remained in your energy for longer than they deserved to. That’s okay, forgive yourself. I promise it’s all a part of a greater journey for you to reclaim your power. 

The energy you call home ten years from now is a force to be reckoned with. The first card flip gave me chills, I was intimidated at first. 

You are becoming someone whom the world makes space for. By walking away from people who want to continuously fight and provoke you or drain your resources and energy, you are telling life, “I won’t put up with people who are trying to convince me to be the backseat passenger of my own life.”

You won’t feel like a suffering supporting character anymore, you’ll be the main character people are in awe of. 

Aries Northnode, Saturn, Pluto, Chiron 1st house, Mars or moon 7th house, Libra risings, Libra Mars, Libra Moon, Cancer Saturn, Cancer Mars, 6th house placements. 

Your dominant colors will be black, white, and grey. For my colorful folk, you’ll stay bright and eccentric but have stark contrasts of black either with your accessories, hair, or makeup (if you do it). Regardless of your height, you’ll appear taller with perfect posture. Your collarbone/shoulder area is accentuated and eye-catching. Your head is held high and your neck acts as your lion’s mane. 

Your words reverberate in the consciousness of others, you are unforgettable and your impact changes the course of the lives you interact with. You speak clearly (and at times bluntly), making your boundaries and identity unequivocal. Your voice deepens and honies with time, you are like a violin luring people to your cause. People will most compliment you on your aura and intimidating, yet magnetic presence.

I really want to emphasize the dark appearance here, it’s the classic dark feminine aesthetic with a mystical-witchy flair. I even see big hats, high boots, and round or oval glasses for some. 

The strength you cultivate is admirable and is your magnum opus. Keep creating your dream you, my love! MUAH 💋

A Vixen Born in the Shadows

⚠︎ Pile Two ⚠︎ (The Hermit, 4oW, Ace of Cups)

Ex-Factor by Ms. Lauryn Hill came on, the Angels aren’t playing. Sit down, I’m about to talk your ear off (lovingly <3)

Baby, you’ve been put through the emotional wringer. Mostly in your interpersonal connections and romantic relationships.

You’ve had a cycle of emotionally immature karmic partners that were meant to reflect the insecurities within you that blocked healthy unions from forming. You subconsciously did not feel worthy of a loving partner so you settled for people who were unable to love you more than their own self-interests. Most of your old connections were made through trauma bonds and fear of abandonment. 

(For some, I’m getting that your partners threatened to harm themselves or you threatened to harm yourself in case of a breakup)

Most people can’t relate to your depth. You crave a raw, soul-merging connection that can withstand you at your lowest, most difficult energy. There were moments when you either glorified or begrudgingly allowed “struggle love” because you believed that fighting, heartbreak, and being misunderstood were all a part of the “ride or die” package.

I’m giving a lil forehead kiss to my Scorpios and 8th Housers. And a winky wink to the Rohini and Jyeshta natives in the back. 

However, I’m getting a tinge of envy here. You believed that “kinks” (emotional abuse) in the relationship were natural and happened in every relationship, but when you saw couples online or in your environment, they seemed a lot healthier than yours. 

You weren’t in a clear headspace, so instead of realizing that your partner dynamic is unhealthy and harming you mentally and emotionally, you internalized it and bore the fault on your shoulders. Oh, those people have healthy relationships because they’re better than me and more attractive, I need to be better.

Listen to me when I say this, your love and devotion are worth more than struggle love, and toxic cycles. The best thing you could have done for yourself is exit these relationships stage left, IMMEDIATELY. 

And guess what Pile 2 in 10 years is doing??? EXITING THE MF STAGE AND ENTERING RELATIONSHIPS THAT SERVE THEM! YURR!

If you are currently in this cycle and fear that you aren’t capable of change and healthier connections, trust me you boss up and tell those doubts to shut the fuck up.

Love, you complete all the hard healing. You go through long periods of solitude, introspection, therapy, forgiveness (of yourself), and learning to be your own soul partner and it pays off!!! YOU turn into the one giving self-love and healthy relationship advice.

You’ve been through the ugly and the beautiful and know the trials of the self-hate to forgiveness journey like no other. You could have significant Jupiter placements, you got the guru card. The young grasshopper turns into the wise crane.

If you have dark circles under your eyes, your body language is sluggish, and you just look like life is whooping your ass, a decade from now you will look like… do you know those pictures of those really gorgeous cows?

Like??? Please tell me you get where I’m coming from. You’ll look well-nourished, taken care of, plump (explained briefly), and sitting pretty in your energy of known worth and inner fulfillment.

In Vedic astrology (I’m explaining this very plainly), Rohini natives represent the people whose life path is to obtain inner security and believe everything they desire can be birthed from the resources that come from them (plump). Their opposite, Jyestha represents inner emptiness and insecurity and the insatiable desire to fill that hole (hollow). 

Your hole is filled (pause) and you have turned your insecurities into strengths (which is very Jyesthan). This is confidence that can’t be faked or imitated and it’s beyond your wildest dreams. It’s well deserved! You birthed your ideal self-concept all by yourself, and that is no easy feat.

Maybe you have been jaded and swore off marriage, but “bad” news babe you’re marrying someone who adores, respects, and treats you like the soft, yet powerful force you are. 

You are very fucking happy, I’ve been cheesing and cracking jokes this entire reading. You are going to live a joyous, easygoing life full of reciprocal love and admiration. 

Physically, I’m not getting anything specific besides the clear image that you will look visibly abundant. A bright smile from ear to ear, cheek creases from happiness, clear skin, watery eyes, and you’ll smell like a rich bitch (that was a random message but it felt important).

I’ll close off with a tweet that I have been thinking about since the first card flip,

MUAH 💋

Her Heart is a Blossom of Flowers

⚠︎ Pile Three ⚠︎ (The Tower, 6oP, 10oC)

Staring at the blank page before you

Open up the dirty window

Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance

So close you can almost taste it

Release your inhibitions

FEEELLL THE RAAAINNN ON YOOOUURRR SKIIINNNNNN\!!!

Babe, you escaped from somewhere. Ran like the wind to your freedom. Similar to Pile One and a bit of Pile Two, you were enslaved to energies that were draining you. However, this energy is more restrictive. Some people had their autonomy stripped away and others had to sacrifice their desires for another’s sake.

I’m sensing a wound in how you perceive yourself, your skills, and your capabilities. The way you express yourself through your passions, your style, and how you speak feels restricted out of fear and overly controlled. A buried piece of you yearns for expression and attention, which you are well deserving of and more than capable of gaining fame for. Fear and anxiety had deluded you into thinking they were more powerful than you.

Yea, that shit is dead 10 years from now. LMAO. 

If you have big traveling plans or wish to permanently pack up and move to your dream location, it's happening. Have no doubt, you will not be stuck where you are forever. 

You were experiencing a debilitating mental feedback loop of wanting to live your life the way you desire and then halting those desires to help others. Buuuutttt, at some point from when you’re reading this to ten years from now, deception will be revealed to you and you’ll realize the people you are sacrificing your dreams for are undeserving of it. 

This will wake you up, breaking the loop and invigorating you to take the reigns of your own life because you’ll know that you can’t stop your motion so others don’t feel left behind.

You’ll reclaim your power over self-doubt and anxiety by choosing faith over fear. Faith in your ability to improve the skills you love and to strive for your dreams even if it scares you. With every fear you face, you’ll realize just how strong you are and get a rush from proving your old self wrong. All the things you believed you couldn’t do, you’re now breezing through and showing the public how its done.

Capricorns, Sagittarius, 2nd and 3rd housers (chiron counts), are getting a special shoutout here.

You will be recognized and adored. You are a star, through and through. Whatever empire you build will be so abundant that you will still be able to help people, but not at the expense of your own success.

Your biggest lesson is learning that you cannot help yourself or anyone for that matter if you are inhibitious and your own biggest naysayer. What do you gain from believing you can’t do something? Not a damn thing. Just frustration and regret. Start affirming that you can become everything you want to be until that self-concept replaces your thought patterns. You are a magnificent being capable of change and there is nothing between you and the life you want to live but your beliefs. 

You feel so complete and whole ten years from now. You literally got the ten of cups AND the completion-360 oracle. It must be emphasized that the life behind the veil of fear is one of prosperity, abundance, and unwavering joy. Just go for it, my love! You cannot lose. You only lose if you stay where you are (which you won’t). 

Puff your chest out with pride and tell those bitchass fears and doubts to go play with gnats their own size. They don’t want to fight a big dawg like you, pookie 😩😩.

In ten years, I’m getting an office-vixen aesthetic or business chic. Women will always have heels on and men will always find an occasion to wear dress shoes that boost their height a bit. Tight pencil skirts. Suits. Blazers. Capes. Watches. Trench Coats. All that jazz.

MUAH💋

Fear Crumbles at The Feet of A Bad Bitch

⚠︎ Pile Four ⚠︎ (Ace of Wands, The Hermit, 5oW)

Initial Impression: In ten years, you are not afraid to whoop somebody’s ass. I Bet U Won’t by LeVel and Mouse on da track started playing. 

I’m sensing tense home energy here. You did not have to do much to be blamed or antagonized for something. You were treated like a black sheep, scapegoated, abused, and expected to take it. If you lashed out in defense, your attackers would take that as an opportunity to paint you as aggressive, a difficult child, or “unsafe”. This could’ve been with friendships too. 

My heart is racing right now, in the middle of channeling, a helicopter flew over the neighborhood and told everyone to lock all their entrances and stay inside. I feel like you have spent a huge chunk of your life on edge? Your environment prevented you from safely regulating your nerves and you were never able to feel comfortable anywhere. If your home was not explicitly violent, there was mental warfare that prevented your home from ever feeling like home.  

Half the people in this pile experienced the opposite. Everyone else in the house was constantly fighting and belligerent and you stayed meek, quiet, and in your room to create some sense of safety.

For some, it's a mix of both. 

Any power that could have been used to stand up or protect yourself was diffused by parental figures or fake friends. The global lockdown was especially difficult for you and trapped you within the tension of the house. For others, I see that this hermit phase lasted beyond the pandemic and maybe even prior. 

This is the only pile where I know the transition is happening before the 10-year mark. With all of this fire and solar plexus energy, one day (soon) you will be sparked with the bravery to become your own hero. 

You’re removing yourself from a toxic environment and you’re going out SWINGING. Windmilling, even!

That’s not to say that this is all on a whim and impulsive. Oh no no no. You are calculated and pushing forward with careful preparation and a solid plan. If you want to move out, you’ll have the place planned out, your transportation, your food for the next 6 months, and a job lined up.

If this is simply about pursuing your dreams in an environment that wants to squash them, you’re moving in silence and getting all of your ducks in a row so when the time comes, you can chuck the deuces up and never see those people again.

(if you feel guilty about wanting to cut off family members, don't. You must feel confident in the decision to prioritize your health and safety.)

YOU’RE ‘BOUT BIG MF BUSINESS.

In a world where you have never known peace, you will be creating a life of harmony and ease for yourself, and you have every right to be proud of that. That is a generational weight that you let go of, your spirit team and ancestors celebrate your strength and vitality. 

You got some crazy repetition with my Oracle deck. You got “Golden Gift”, “Golden Retriever”, the cards fell in a white-orange color pattern, and you have all this wand (fire) energy. You are a firing supernova, the flame within is what will pioneer you to victory. 

This is another tale for the ages—your story will be told far and wide, inspiring boys and girls who dream of a savior to become their own saving grace.

You’ll definitely have a long-lasting red hair phase or you’ll have an affinity for the colors red and gold in ten years. 

You’ll be healthily competitive. You will have an established workout regimen and do at least one recreational active hobby (soccer, hiking, MMA and swimming were of note). You’ll even be competitive at karaoke night.  

There are some bodybuilders in this collective. If you’re a woman and want to lift but fear looking “bulky”, you’ll overcome it and fall in love with your muscular physique. There is an accentuation of your butt, shoulders, back, and abs. You’ll look physically imposing and command respect and attention, but welcoming to all. I see children running to your side for safety. 

Go and be great my lil firecracker!! MUAH 💋

God's Golden Gift is a Brave Woman

[leth-writes]

yandere batfam and trying to fight them

BRUCE

Bruce just can’t see you as a threat; you just don’t register to him. As a result, he won’t be able to take your frustration seriously. He almost views it like a puppy play-fighting, testing boundaries with their parent and trying to learn how to use their body.

As a result, he does draw out your little fight quite a while; he sees it as enrichment. It’s good for you to have exercise after all, and this way he knows you won’t get hurt!

After a while you can really tell that he’s exaggerating his injuries; you lightly punch him and he goes down. It doesn’t make any sense for Batman to be so sensitive… You realize he’s just playing with you, and the humiliation almost kills you

He loves your little bonding session. He’s joking around, smiling and laughing, and you’re seriously trying to maim him. It’s like you’re a little kitten trying to attack a lion; it’s not going to work.

Eventually he does realize you’re trying to defeat him, and then just starts immediately pinning you. You’re sweating heavily on the ground and he’s not even breathing heavily, just smiling down at you with that fond little expression. It’s infuriating.

DICK

Oh my god he is so fucking annoying about this.

Another one who doesn’t realize at first you’re trying to escape. Honestly, he probably never realizes, he’s just happy you’re showing interest in something so important to him!

He’s quite fast and has really powerful acrobatic moves, he’s twisting and running circles aorund you, and you’re laying on the mat, sweat pouring off you in buckets.

It’s definitely irritating, especially because he loves gloating. He sees it as a way to preen, he wants you to be impressed by him, and you see it as him making fun of you for not being able to escape.

Eventually starts teaching you how to actually fight. You’ll learn to box, but you’ll never be anywhere near his level. Eventually you give up on escaping and learn to use it to take your anger out on him. It’s the only time you’ll be allowed to punch him, even if it doesn’t seem to even register.

It’s embarassing to not even be considered a threat, but hey, at least you didn’t get punished for misbehaving.

JASON

Jason realizes what’s happening pretty immediately, but it’s the first time you’ve tried to make contact with him… he’s allowing himself this bit of selfishness.

He loves seeing your determined little expressions, it makes him feel ecstatic that you’re thinking so deeply about him. He feels he’s occupying your thoughts nearly the same amount you occupy his, which makes him excited. All he wants is for you to be safe, but having you show some affection toward him would be a nice treat.

He spends a lot of time just adjusting your form and making sure you won’t hurt anything. He does spar with you, but he’s using it as a teaching experience and you’re going for the throat. You won’t get anywhere close, but hey, at least he gets to pin you to the floor and see that pretty flustered expression.

His fighting style is normally quick and brutal, so he does focus less on those flashy moves that make up 99% of Dick’s fighting style. As a result, you do actually get faster, though nowhere fast enough to get anywhere close to hitting him. You’ll never land a punch on anything but his forearms, and that’s because he’s letting you; the pit enhanced his fighting quite a bit.

TIM

Tim is the only one to really shut it down. He’s quite a good fighter, but he prefers using the bo staff, which he’d never use on you. Instead, he just gets Dick and Jason to teach you to fight. He’s not interested in sparring at all, he only practices fighting to hone his skills; he doesn’t really enjoy it.

He’d prefer to just cuddle, so he’ll definitely tie you to the bed and just lie next to you, running a hand down your back. If you want to touch him so bad, he’ll give you that.

Yes, he knows that isn’t what you want, no he doesn’t care.

Tim prioritizes your safety, yes, but he isn’t the most playful person around you. He doesn’t want to hurt you or give you a reason to be scared. He does utilize the fact that he’s not the most intimidating person in the world to get you to relax around him. He’s already got to fight against his frightening stare and the fact that you associate him with his ruthless practices as a businessman, he doesn’t want you thinking about him hurting you as well.

CASS

Cass is the most playful about it. Yes, she realizes what’s happening, no she doesn’t care.

She just wants to have fun, and this is the only opportunity she’s really gotten so far.

She’s not really focused on teaching you anything, it’s entirely play for her.

She’s gonna pin you pretty quickly, and she’s the one who uses the least amount of fancy moves. Even Bruce just modifies his normal fighting style to be less brutal, she completely acts like you’re a child trying to wrestle, focusing entirely on the kind of moves an older sibling would use if their younger sibling was being annoying.

Yes, she will sit on your legs to prevent you from moving.

If you actually try to really hurt you, she’s just gonna sit on your legs. She isn’t entertaining any sort of actual harm, it should be light and playful. She’s so soft toward you that you eventually stop trying to hurt her; if she was so gentle with you even when you were going at her throat, you start to understand that she only wants to be around you. Thus begins the period of negotiation for more privileges.

The playfighting is actually a really good way to learn to read Cass. You learn to tell the difference between that playful fake anger, and that real ice cold determination to stop you from doing harm. it’s a great way to bond.