#Yet he perseveres. Seeing his destiny through to the end in the hopes that everyone he travels with joins him on the endeavor

[silentaura]

basil :   does your muse have a love - hate relationship with anyone or anything ?

bay tree :   does your muse seek glory   &   accolades ,   or do they favour a simpler ,   more personal life ?  

begonia :   how cautious is your muse ?   are they prone to noticing red flags ,   or paranoid to the point of untrusting most everyone ?   why or why not ? 

♛ ¦ 𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒 . ( not accepting ) basil :   does your muse have a love - hate relationship with anyone or anything ?

i should preface by saying that zelda by no means hates link in any sense of the word . zelda possesses such a genuine admiration and appreciation for him ; however , she constantly comparing herself to him thanks to her father ( she's conditioned into being hyper critical of herself ) , so while she's grown far past over-simplifying his own struggles or lashing out at him , sometimes her low self esteem and her appreciation of link still conflate .

its hard when your equal has been used against you as fuel to make you feel shame .

she can be prone to jealousy . its tough being loved after feeling unloved for so long . zelda was raised in an environment thats very . . . do or die . you either are , or never will be . and it drives her mad with guilt that despite how they've both struggled under the pressure of their shared destiny , in the end link can live up to it . . . and zelda never will . link is a very good friend during a very bad time in her life , and even that can be a bit hard to swallow .

the calamity put them both in an impossible place , with link specifically having to carry the destiny that she couldn't fulfill her own part in . and despite the impossibility of it all , link steps up to carry both sides of a destiny she can't fulfill her part in . . . and doesn't hate her for her . he's so impossibly heroic . he's still so impossibly nice to her . she loves that . and she hates that . he is not too broken like she is, he's not too tired like she is , not too bitter like she is : link just perseveres . how can he still be so perfect simply by being himself ??

she doesn't believe she deserves a friend like that .

he is too good at making her feel like she can live after all she's been through -- too good at making it feel like there is still hope . and that's annoying when you're 17 and have very little to live for and the mountain of guilt you feel is unscalable . him holding her in her despair , when she's certain she can't go on . . . zelda hates that giving up on herself still isn't an option after all she's been through , because link is doing everything he can by her side , keeping her alive . he keeps her going .

in aevum , having lost his memories . . . makes it even more complicated . seeing link freed from the burden of destiny is endearing , but also . . . damn she romanticizes how nice it might be to not have to remember losing all the people you've killed and all the lives you've broken . objectively , she's aware that amnesia would come with its own difficulties . . . but , it's just not the same weight as remembering and being alone with those memories is isolating . he doesn't even know what they've been through . he doesn't get how important he is to her .

girl , she wants to scream into her pillow for 3 whole minutes .

bay tree :   does your muse seek glory   &   accolades ,   or do they favour a simpler ,   more personal life ?  

oh , zelda really wants positive attention , even if she has a hard time accepting it . she's quite desperate to not be a failure . she wants to either be remembered as the zelda who saved hyrule or to be completely forgotten by time . its not really about the spectacle of glory . . . its about controlling the narrative of how people are going to think of her ( or not think of her ) for centuries yet to come . will there even be a hyrule centuries to come ?? she has always wanted to find any way possible to ensure there would be . . . and she wanted to make sure it was known that at the end of the day , she did everything she could .

and , although she was constantly pulled in different directions , zelda did try her best .

but as for a simple life , it was never in the cards for zelda . a normal life , perhaps , but never simple . she was born into a royal family as the sole heir . if there hadn't been a prophecy to contend with , she'd still be expected to bring glory by assuming leadership of the kingdom , navigating diplomatic waters , and eventually continuing on the sacred bloodline for the sake of the kingdom . at the end of the day , nothing could ever be that personal for zelda . that's a luxury she wouldn't be able to afford . she's not a link , she's a zelda .

begonia :   how cautious is your muse ?   are they prone to noticing red flags ,   or paranoid to the point of untrusting most everyone ?   why or why not ? 

i already answered this , but i'm going to take another spin on the prompt : although zelda is quite desperate , she is also practical as a leader in that . . . she doesn't believe in positioning people in high risk situations for the sake of results . when it comes to the divine beasts , zelda fully believed that they would be safely under the champion's control . she had no reason to anticipate how ganon would outsmart her . had she any reason to , i don't believe zelda would have taken the risk of retaining them , let alone assigning living people to their post .

zelda doesn't care to put people in dangerous situations . more often than not , its others that pay the price of her choices . so , she has to be mindful and careful for their sake .

[stars-self-ships]

It should come as no surprise to longtime followers of both this blog and my main that I take great joy in designing self-inserts for my favorite franchises, whether it's to see how well I can capture a certain vibe or just so I can have a good visual of what I'd look like in that universe to kiss my beloved F/Os— though, if I'm being honest, most of the time it's the latter!

Doing so has been easy for the most part, as a lot of the franchises some of my most treasured S/Is hail from don't necessarily have a complex visual style. Take for example Psycha, who was easy to design outfit-wise after basing it off of an outfit I would wear, or perhaps my Centaurworld S/I, who was even easier to design as all I had to do was draw a toony version of myself with a deertaur half!

Given my recent adoration toward my latest hyperfixation Winds of Change, it was a given that I would design a self-insert for its universe, and I was already brimming with ideas for what a fantasy version of my fursona would look like in the world of Alestia! However, as a contrast to most of my other favorite medias, Winds of Change boasts a very detailed visual style and outfit design for its cast, which meant my S/I would have to follow suit as to not look too out of place.

And about two weeks of on-and-off work later...

I can finally unveil my Winds of Change self-insert, Micah Winddane!

(Check out underneath the cut for a lengthy deep dive on the creation of the above drawing as well as a full view of this sheep seer's weapon of destiny!)

Gosh, where do I even begin? There is just so much that I want to talk about when it came to designing Micah Winddane that it's tough to find a good place to start!

Because Winds of Change has an all-anthro cast, it ended up being a given that I— yet again— would be choosing to model my S/I after a sheep, much like my fursona, Psycha, etc. However, rather than using Psycha as a base as I had for my fursona, I actually modeled Micah Winddane after an actual breed of sheep... the Leicester Longwool!

True to their name, Leicester Longwool sheep are notable for their overly lengthy fur, and given that my hair is currently at the longest length that it's ever been, it felt only fitting to design my Winds of Change S/I around them! This also meant that I would be using a more golden color for the hair as opposed to the usual 'tan-white' color most of my other sheep S/Is have, and if you look closely, you can even see that there's a distinct fur pattern on his face!

With sheep specifics out of the way, let's focus on Micah Winddane's outfit. If you read the tags of my first Winds of Change related post on this blog, you might have seen that I first wanted him to be an 'anxious but good-hearted visionary with a cool fantasy robe'— which, to be honest with you, was how I had been envisioning him throughout my time playing through the game's prelude!

The only reason the whole 'cool fantasy robe' aspect didn't stick around for long, however, was due to a certain set of characters in Winds of Change possessing such a look... The Triumvirate, antagonists who are shrouded in mystery underneath an iconic white robe with a yellow trim.

Not wanting my S/I to be dressed too similarly to the big bads, I had to opt for something a little more modest, and in line with the outfits the rest of Winds of Change's cast wear. I took to Google to cherry-pick several medieval outfit designs, and took my favorite aspects of each one to combine together into a base outfit.

For a while, the above lineart was just about all I could come up with. Of course, it looked a little bland by this point, but that was merely because I hadn't given him a good coloring, yet... but that was another hurdle of its own. I knew how I would color his fur and hair, but what about his clothes...?

Thankfully, Winds of Change's canon provided a solution. Around the point of the game where you receive the all-powerful Blade of Exodus— which we'll also focus on in due time— you also are given a change of clothes... clothes that are described as a 'combination of Valessa and Fortaime's outfits'.

It's a good thing that the base design I had already drawn didn't stray too far from a hypothetical mix between Valessa and Fortaime's clothes, and it even served as a good basis of how to color Micah Winddane's own. I color picked certain colors from both their designs to use in my S/Is and was soon able to settle on a color palette that I liked!

... but the design still felt particularly lacking. The colors looked great, as did what I had for an outfit, but the more I looked at my current progress, I felt as though something was missing... and then, I had a brilliant idea— if I couldn't give him a robe, what if I gave him a cape?

Fortaime's baggy scarf was my main inspiration in settling on a shoulder cape, and the instant I had the idea of giving my S/I one, I wasted no time in adding it to his design... and I'm so glad that I did, because it made him look SO much better!! I knew that I wanted his cape to be a shade of blue (My trademark favorite color), and settled on a faded shade since a more vibrant blue looked a little too shrill amidst the other colors.

Lastly, since my Winds of Change S/I is the foretold Seer, he would need to be equipped with the aforementioned Blade of Exodus throughout his adventure. However, upon coming up with the idea of giving Micah Winddane a large sword sling to carry the blade on his back, I realized something...

... the blade only has two canonical appearances from what I've seen, and only one of which— being found in the game's logo— shows it in full color. I was thankful to even have a visual of the Blade of Exodus, but only having the linked image to go off of in terms of color made redrawing it a bit tough, as I would have to improvise a bit to make it look less desaturated.

And what started out as improvising turned into a slight stylization of the Blade of Exodus' colors! Throughout the game, there's a large emphasis on how obvious it is that you're the possessor of the blade, and I decided to give the blade colors that stand out from the otherwise dull colors of Micah Winddane's outfit!

... uh, wow. I think that might just be my most in-depth design deep dive I've written yet. But everything that I wanted to touch base on has been accounted for, and with all of it written out at last, it feels so wonderful to finally get around to sharing this design with everyone as it's one of my ultimate favorite self-insert designs I've ever created!

[nyerus]

His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince of XianLe -- Xie Lian

I wanted to do a little meta for Xie Lian to celebrate his birthday, about why he’s an incredible and unique character! One of my absolute faves. Happy Birthday Lianlian! ヽ(o´∀`)ﾉ♪♬

(Spoiler Warning!!!) (Also: massive length warning--get snacks!)

Xie Lian and The Hero’s Journey

One of the most interesting things about Xie Lian is that his personal arc starts near the end. Meaning that he is already nearly fully-realized by the time we meet him in book 1. He has only a few steps left in his classical Hero’s Journey, since TGCF starts in media res. A lot of his growth has been completed--which we witness more first-hand in books 2 and 4--so by the time we meet Xie Lian, he is already endured the most painful of his trials. It leaves him with the traits readers first pick up on: calm, confident, humble, and kind.

The main steps he has left to complete in his journey are the quintessential “atonement with the Father” and his “return home.” These stages of the Hero’s Journey are actually played somewhat straight in TGCF, and the former stage is actually the main plot of the novel. The stages are not meant to be literal, but metaphorical tools for literary analysis, as most books we read employ them in one way or another. TGCF does so as well, just out of order. So Xie Lian’s confrontation with Jun Wu (atonement), then getting his happy ending with Hua Cheng (return home) are the respective stages we see play out in the “present” narrative.

(However, he does have a “call to action stage” nestled within the present-time plotline. One can almost think of this as one Hero’s Journey nestled inside another.)

Xie Lian and The Heaven’s Will

The Heavens shook spectacularly when Xie Lian ascended. Each ascension, the Heavens greeted him with grandeur, even on what he considered his “fluke” of a second. And on his third ascension, the Heavens announced his return in a way that no one had ever seen before--by astonishing all its residents; bringing down the gilded palaces of other gods, and having the ancient clock sound off so fervently that it broke free of its hinges.

There is a lot of symbolism in this alone.

While Xie Lian’s narration (and the reactions of the other heavenly officials, including Ling Wen) paints his third ascension as a mix of comedic and tragic, we can interpret this scene differently. Xie Lian is the only one to have ascended thrice. He is the only one for whom the Heavens shook so powerfully. It isn’t because he’s a disgraced laughing stock--it’s because the Heaven know his true character, and his true strength.

(As an aside--see this post of mine about Heaven as an entity, separate from the Heavenly Capital and gods therein.)

It isn’t a big stretch to conclude that the Heavens show Xie Lian a particular amount of favoritism that it doesn’t to anyone else. One of the explanations for this could be that Xie Lian is the closest thing to the physical representation of the Heaven’s Will™.

This isn’t to say that Xie Lian is perfect. He isn’t, by any means. But he doesn’t have to be. Further thinking of the Heavens along the classic Taoist principles that TGCF draws from, the point is that Xie Lian tries. He works hard with what he has, embraces his fate and destiny, and makes the best of it as much as he can. Xie Lian himself doesn’t set out to be perfect. That is not his goal. His goal is to be a good person who is able to help people. He is morally upright, sincere, and humble. He seeks to maintain balance. These are treasured qualities.

Ultimately, he is human. He makes grievous mistakes, he makes bad decisions, and so on. But at the end of the day, Xie Lian lacks no conviction about his ideology. Even though he endured hell, and very nearly succumbed to darkness, there was always a part of him that held onto that notion that people were worth saving. Even at his worst, he still hesitated before causing harm. And when the man with the bamboo hat helped him--just a single gesture--it was enough for Xie Lian to rediscover that part of himself. His beliefs were re-affirmed, and he found the strength he needed to carry them.

The Heavens did not penalize Xie Lian for needing help. In fact, they rewarded him with ascension itself. When Xie Lian accepted his grief, he began to overcome it. He refused to fall into total despair--and while the actual nature of his second ascension are ambiguous, it’s probable that this is why he ascended. Not because he fought against Bai Wuxiang (because he wasn’t even the one to “win” that battle physically), but because he stood against him in the first place. Xie Lian’s grief, subsequent resolve, and decision to ultimately oppose everything Bai Wuxiang represented--THAT was his Heavenly Tribulation. And he passed with flying colors (much to Jun Wu’s intense fury).

[CONTINUED UNDER CUT DUE TO LENGTH.]

What it fundamentally comes down to, is that Xie Lian chooses to be compassionate. He does so even and especially in the face of adversity. Choosing to be kind when it is the hardest path of all is the mark of true courage and strength. It can’t be said it enough: Xie Lian very consciously makes the choice to do good even when it is hard for him. Even when he doesn’t want to. Because being a good and moral person doesn’t mean that you never have negative thoughts, and for sure Xie Lian gets frustrated and upse. It doesn’t mean you never make mistakes or never hurt people, because Xie Lian has done all those things before as well. After all, he is human, god or not. Things are not black-and-white, and never will be. But staying true to one’s ideals is what matters.

When Xie Lian made the decision to help Yong’An during the drought, for example, he knew it may be futile. He knew that he was breaking rules, going against what everyone else was saying. But he knew in his heart that it was the morally responsible thing to do. He is not the type of person to sit by quietly when there are people in need. He cannot see injustice and despair, and turn a blind eye to it. It also isn’t necessary (or even possible) for him to help literally everyone--as he learns the hard way. But doing what he can, where he can--that’s more than enough for Heaven to favor him. Because that’s the sign of someone who is genuinely compassionate and just.

So it’s no wonder that the Heavens favored him more than others. With a pure heart and strong sense of justice, while still being humble and patient--that’s all the Heavens need.

It’s even ironic that Xie Lian spoke out against the very “Heavens” themselves in book 2, at the height of his pride. But he was actually speaking out against the institution of heaven, and the overly-conservative beliefs that the gods (Heavenly Officials) held. Xie Lian has an extremely non-traditional view of looking at things.

His ideas go against the grain of what has been held true to the people of the world for centuries, but are actually in line with many modern philosophies--that one should not give much importance to idol worship, and instead focus on doing good deeds. That gods, being immortal ascended humans, should display the same humility and temperance; that they not hold themselves in higher regard or expect others to be subservient or fearful. This could very much be in line with what the Heaven’s will actually may be. Why the Heavens favor him so--because Xie Lian understands, in every sense, that gods are only human.

Xie Lian’s Character Growth

“I WON’T CHANGE! EVEN IF IT’S PAINFUL, I WON’T CHANGE. EVEN IF I DIE, I WON’T CHANGE. I WILL NEVER CHANGE!” (ch.239)

That’s the big thing about Xie Lian. It’s what sets him apart from many other characters. From the beginning to the end of his journey, his motivations and beliefs do not change. Only the nature of his motivations, and the basis of his beliefs change. That is to say, he believed that helping others was the right thing to do when he was 17 years old. 800 years later, he still feels this way. It’s just that he approaches the concept differently.

As a teenager, he was naive and coming from a place of high privilege. He was unable to understand the true plights of the common man, and his concepts of helping them--while still noble and morally just--were often somewhat patronizing. His heart was in the right place, but he was simply too young and too sheltered. He also fundamentally overestimated his own capability to help others, while underestimating the negative forces at play that would actively work against him. But 800 years later, Xie Lian has gone through hell and back. He knows better than anyone what it means to struggle, to suffer, to hope, to persevere. He still wants to help the common man, but now it comes from a place of understanding and humility. (The tragedy is, if he were allowed to grow up “normally,” he very much may have grown out of his naiveté and youthful arrogance anyway, after gaining more worldly experience. He was robbed of that chance.)

So Xie Lian chooses to be optimistic about life in general. He knows that he will get hurt by doing this. That people will take advantage of him. He knows, and yet, he continues to hold true to his principles. He neither asks nor expects people to thank him for it, or even understand him (as many people simply don’t). He does it because what other people think or even deserve is not his concern. It comes down to what he believes. That’s just the type of character he is--which is to say: fantastic.

TLDR; Xie Lian Best Boi!!!

[illfoandillfie]

OOOOO TAROT READINGS YES PLSSS!! 😍😍 can I please get a general career reading? 🥺🥺 My initial is T!

of course love!!

tarot: king of swords, temperance, the tower, 7 of cups, 7 of wands, 5 of pentacles, 3 of pentacles, ace of swords

The King of Swords is a pretty good card to start with in this career reading. He’s associated with businessmen, judges, lawyers, and doctors, so if your career is related to any of those fields this may of of significance. But, he’s also about authority, power, experience, and truth. The King of swords is a man of discipline and justice. He’s not interested in the emotions, just the facts. But he will use those facts to make fair and balanced decisions. At his worst he can be judgemental or imposing. This King of Swords may represent you or someone in your workspace - a boss maybe. He’s being clarified by the 7 of wands though which is about perseverance and overcoming challenges. If you have your eye on a job in a management position or a promotion of some sort, this may be a sign that your chance is coming. It’s won’t just fall into your lap, you’ll have to work for it, but if you do you can achieve the authority or power of the king. 

Next we have Temperance. This card says that patience and moderation may be helpful tools to achieve your career goals. You’re likely to reach whatever goal you set but it’ll most likely come slowly and quietly through the work you put in each day. It’s interesting that this card is next to the King of Swords which is such an unemotional card. You may find that an ability to calmly and rationally navigate emotionally charged situations at work will help you be noticed by coworkers and superiors. Clarifying Temperance we have the 5 of pentacles which is about need, poverty and insecurity. This may be a warning of hardships that are coming related to your job. The 5 of pents is often related to things you can’t control but it also has a silver lining and indicates that relief is around the corner. 

The situation that the 5 of pents referred to may also be related to The Tower card. The Tower symbolises sudden upheaval and disaster. But, much like the 5 of pents, there is a more positive energy that follows the negative chaos. After a tower falls you can rebuild it so it’s stronger than before. The three of pentacles may indicate where these trials will come in. It relates to teamwork and collaboration. So it may be that a group project will cause problems or else it’ll grow from animosity between coworkers or perhaps a situation where multiple people are competing against each other (which may also tie in with the 7 of wands card from earlier) One thing to remember though is that the three of pentacles is also about building so communication and teamwork may also help you resolve the issue. 

Finally we have the seven of cups and ace of swords. The seven of cups is can relate to fantasies and daydreaming or it could be about choices and a search for purpose. In relation to your career, this card may indicate a period of uncertainty after the dust of the tower has settled. It might be that things don’t work out the way you hoped and you’re left feeling uncertain or as if your goals are just pipe dreams you can’t achieve. But the ace of swords says that even if your first try doesn’t succeed you will have more opportunities ahead of you. The ace of swords is related to clarity and breakthroughs as well as courage and accomplishment. It’s a very positive note to end on, especially after such an unhappy few cards. And you may find that while what you originally intended didn’t happen or didn’t work out, it’s failure leads to a bigger and better opportunity, one you haven’t even begun to imagine yet. 

For your oracles we have 2 cards from the crystal spirit deck: Turquoise and Jade. Turquoise is about storytelling, reframing, and a different way of perceiving. This card is a reminder that everyone experiences the world differently because everyone approaches it from a different vantage point. But also that, as you grow and change, so will your perspective of things. If you experience something that you currently perceive as a huge disaster, future you may look back on it and see it as a blessing or an opportunity. And Jade is about treasures within, a consciousness of abundance, recognising you are more than enough. This card says you may have hidden strengths that are being overlooked or unused at present. It’s a reminder that you are enough and you should not underestimate yourself or what you are capable of achieving. 

The two cards from the Dragon Path deck are Destiny and Platinum. Destiny feels quite similar to that King card above. She is a mighty dragon of great authority and has no time for “fluffiness, ego, or human dramas.” Her message is that if you want change you need to be that change and not wait for others to do it for you. She also reminds us that teamwork and collaboration are integral to getting work done which definitely ties in with that 3 of pentacles. Platinum is the keeper of secrets and is here to remind you that you have so much potential even if it’s not always easy to see. He also says that it’s important to see each challenge as an opportunity to learn and grow.  

Next we have our Spellcasting oracle cards: Compassion and Courage. Compassion is a reminder that, while the king of swords may not be interested in emotions, that doesn’t mean you have to become cold or unfeeling. People around you may look to you for love and support and it’s okay to also turn to them and share your troubles when things get hard. It’s also about going easy on yourself when you are struggling and giving yourself time to feel whatever joy or sadness you need to feel. Calm reason based on facts may be useful when things get stressful or emotionally charged at work but don’t shut your emotions down completely. Courage will definitely be of use to you if the Tower card comes to pass and this card is telling you that you do have the strength to pull through. It also says that understanding is key to healing so being aware of what exactly hurts you or causes you trouble will help you move on from it and see the silver linings. 

And finally, from the Prism deck: Comfort and Disruption. The Comfort card signals that you may need to invite some more self-care and comfort into your life. Especially if things at work become chaotic or stressful, having a way to shake off any negativity and to recenter yourself can be very useful. It can be as simple as listening to music you like or watching a favourite tv show in your down time. But it can also be about taking care of your basic needs - making sure you eat enough healthy food and drink enough water, or that your living space is neat so it doesn’t add to your bad vibes. Disruption immediately made me think of The Tower. It represents intensity and chaos but also talks of using the disruption as a catalyst for releasing fear in order to make bold and courageous moves.  

[cee693]

I Loved and I Loved and I Lost You.

Cee693

Summary:

The Paragon of Love deals with life alone at the Vanishing Point.

Notes:

Brief, based on how *awful* Barry looks in the new promo pictures.

This wasn't the plan.

Barry leaned heavily against the stone wall where he spent the majority of his days and used a shaky hand to pull out his cell phone.

His fingers moved unhurriedly along his phone screen. They had been in this place for a long while and he still didn’t understand its rules. The remains of the oculus that Sara was trying to get to--- well he didn’t know exactly what--- remained dark in spite of their tinkering, but his cell phone still worked as if he were still on earth. In cruel ironic twist, he could still even make calls. Not that there was anyone left in the galaxy to call.

Still, he dialed one number without fail every night before he fell into restless sleep. Of course there was never any answer. Her line never even rang. It just went straight to voicemail which he appreciated. All he wanted was the sound of her melodic voice apologizing for missing him, asking him to leave a message or try again later.

He always did.

But, that’s not what he was after right now.

The apology was for nighttime. The daytime was meant for her laughter.

He tapped into his own voicemail and pulled up the message he'd been playing on loop every day since they'd been in this place.

It was from a little over two years ago. He'd saved it to his phone back then after it'd come through.

Iris had called from the loft after work wondering when he would be home.

She didn't know he was already upstairs getting changed after a shower. He'd heard her leaving him a message as he crept downstairs to her.

Iris's back was to him and he tiptoed up behind her. He grabbed her sides and growled playfully in her ear and she shouted in fright.

The message muffled for a few seconds as she turned in his arms.

When the line cleared, it was to the sound of her lightly chiding him for scaring her.

That wasn't very nice. And to think I was excited to see you because I'd brought you a treat."

Barry remembered her sliding her arms around his neck and pulling him close to her.

"I don't even want it."

"Is that right?"

"You're all the treat I need."

Iris had chuckled breathlessly. "Alright, smooth talker. Slow down."

"Barry!" She laughed.

Barry's eyes shut in pain.

In his head he can see the scene. The setting sun sprinkling dusk in their apartment.

The golds and earth tones of the loft reflected the warm hues and glowed against Iris's warm skin. Her teeth blinding him as she laughed.

He’d stopped peppering her face with kisses long enough to ask what she’d gotten him.

Iris demurely reached behind her and grabbed a familiar pink bag.

Barry had grinned and taken the bag from her, recognizing the logo of their favorite bakery.

She stopped him before he could open it though. “Okay, I may have exaggerated to make you feel bad for scaring me. Maybe a more accurate statement would’ve been that I brought you the gift of leftovers.”

Barry peeked inside and saw that there was in fact only a half-eaten cookie sitting on top of a bunch of parchment paper.

Iris bit her lip when Barry looked at her quickly.

Amusement colored her face. "Sorry."

Barry tossed the bag on the counter and he'd tickled her then. Long and hard. And her laughter had filled his ears then just as sweetly as it did now.

She eventually escaped his clutches and he'd chased after her, not using his powers.

Her phone had dropped somewhere and with both of them occupied, neither noticed the call still recording.

Eventually, his voicemail ended her message, but before then he had a few glorious minutes of the faint sound of her laughter ringing somewhere from the apartment.

The recording ended too soon, just like it always did and he was once again in the morbid landscape of the Vanishing Point.

This wasn't the plan.

He grabbed his hair and used all his energy to keep the scream bubbling in his throat down.

He felt broken. Not like himself. Not like any human with a heart still beating.

He felt dead inside. Like his life force had left him long ago.

Like the Barry from 2024.

He thought he'd changed that future, but he guessed not.

Because this was who he couldn’t outrun. The person he would always become without her.

It was inevitable.

Though, he'd tried to fight it. Tried to put plans in motion to prevent it.

After Yorkin. After Savitar and the Speed Force, he'd sat Iris down and had a talk he needed to have more than anything.

"I know I've asked you for so much," Barry had started. "But, I need you to promise me something. And I need it to be a promise you never break. Okay?"

She had nodded slowly, unsure of what could be so serious. So vital.

"In sixty or seventy years, when it's time for us to go, let me go first," he requested.

Iris was at first taken back and then horrified. "Barry! What-"

Barry shook his head just needing her to agree. Not to question- or worse reassure- him.

He knew what he was asking.

"I can't do it," he told her seriously, trying to calm the tidal wave that had encompassed him ever since that first time he saw her die on Infantino Street.

"I can't. Not even for a second. I've been to hell and it's you dying and leaving me here. I can't do it again. So when the time comes in the far-off future, whenever you're ready, just hold on long enough for me to go first."

Tears had pooled her eyes and she swallowed hard at the thought, but she searched his face for a long pause and she saw that he meant what he said.

So, she nodded once and touched his hand. "I promise."

And yet here he was. In hell. Alone.

This wasn't the plan.

Iris was dead. Everyone- they were all dead.

He touched his wedding band.

He was a widower. He was all alone.

The other six were still fighting. Still trying to save the world. Hell, even Lex Luther had stepped up to the plate.

But, he couldn't. He wasn't who they thought he was.

He stood among them a fraud.

They were Paragons independent of the world around them.

Truth, honor, hope, humanity.

They chose to embody these things in spite of the world around them.

Their strengths came from within themselves.

His came from another.

Truth.

Destiny.

Honor.

Humanity.

Hope.

Courage.

Those things were inside of heroes. They were virtues that heroes found inside themselves when all else was lost.

Those things were innate.

But, love... Love was taught and love was found.

Love had a source. A center. It had a face. It had a name.

His Love had a name.

And she'd taught him everything he'd ever need to know about love. Boundless love. Unconditional love.

The source of his powers both as the Flash and as a Paragon was her. And now she was no more.

And his fight- his purpose- were no more too.

So he sat. And he grieved. And he raged. But, he couldn't help the others.

He couldn't pick up all the broken pieces of himself in time to be of use to anyone.

And, in spite of mostly bit tongues, he knew all the others hated him for it.

Well, not all.

Ryan Choi got it. Ryan left him alone. Ryan was all but leading the charge, never losing hope, but he understood enough of what Barry was feeling to show him sympathy.

While everyone else yelled in frustration or badgered him to do his part and try, Ryan brought him water and sat with him in silence at his favorite spot on the floor.

Ryan understood.

J'onn too.

Two men who had loved and lost and had no other choice but to keep breathing.

They got it.

Everyone here had lost family, friends, home.

But, losing your soulmate. Losing your guiding light - it changed your DNA.

He had lost everything.

This wasn't the plan.

He didn't belong here.

Truth.

Destiny.

Honor.

Humanity.

Hope.

Courage.

All meaningless words without love.

Above all else, Love was and always would be the driving force in his life.

When the truth was hard or hidden, Love made him see it clear.

When destiny showed him death and destruction, Love told him that there was another way.

When his morals wavered- when he was tempted to throw them away to save the day, Love reminded him exactly who he was. Love was his honor code.

Love was the center of his humanity. The thing that kept him grounded in a storm of the impossible. His lightning rod. Even before the speed force. Since they were kids. Love was what kept him alive in a sea of death.

Love was hope. Loving Love meant years of hoping they would one day be together. Years of believing in a happy ending.

Now she was no more.

This wasn't the plan.

What courage could be found here when he was only fearless with her? The thought of her is what made him keep going even when he was terrified.

It's what filled the cracks of broken bones long enough for him to hold his tired body up and persevere.

If anyone wanted to know about his courage, it was her. She was his courage.

He was a fraud.

She powered the hero. She sustained the man.

He was the face of the operation, but she was its soul.

And now she was no more.

His Iris.

He began to weep again.

It wasn't long before he heard commotion a ways away.

"---just give him some space."

"He's had all the space in what's left of the world! What about the rest of us? We've all lost everything. Not just him."

Batwoman, he recognized. She sounded angry. And Ryan who was holding her back sounded exhausted.

"Get the hell up, Flash!" Kate shouted angrily over Ryan's shoulder. "There's work to do."

It had taken a lot for the normally reserved and understanding woman to lose her cool. Days trapped in this place had done her in.

Or was it months?

Barry didn't know. He didn't count. He didn't care.

And Kate had put up with that apathy until she couldn't anymore.

"Pariah put us here for a reason! We're the only ones with a chance of saving the multiverse, but only if we work together. All of us!"

'Pariah,' Barry thought with a snarl.

If he ever saw that man again, he'd kill him with his bare hands.

Pariah could've saved them all.

Why hadn't he saved them all?

Why hadn't he waited long enough for Barry to grab Iris's hand? He could've brought her with him.

Pariah had saved the Paragons. The universe’s last hopes. But, those were just titles with no meaning.

If Pariah had really understood what it took, if he really understood just exactly what constituted as a hero, his golden streams would’ve flowed right past Barry and encompassed his wife.

Pariah had saved the wrong Allen.

And now here they were at the center of nowhere. Where nothing grows and nothing speaks, with no more of a plan than the day they'd arrived.

“Get! Up!” Kate gritted out. "Get up and try! Fight!”

The rest came between them, trying to calm Kate and throwing Barry looks that ranged from pity to disgust.

He was unmoved.

Barry watched silently as Ryan and Kara gently led Kate off somewhere. He could hear Kara's soft words of comfort.

And then he heard Kate whisper brokenly. “We all lost. All of us…, Sophie… I couldn't save her. I couldn’t…”

He felt the tiniest bit of intrigue before he felt nothing at all.

He hadn’t counted correctly, Barry realized. There weren’t only two others.

Kate understood too.

And he understood why she was so mad.

He’d had that fire right at the beginning. When they’d first arrived, before the finality of it all had settled in, he’d raged against the rest; yelled at them to find a way back to the Waverider.

But, no one had listened and they made him see why going back was impossible.

And then he grew silent and he'd found his favorite spot on the floor.

Once Kate’s outburst was quelled the others meandered off, back to whatever tasks they’d been busying themselves with.

And Barry was once again left to the quiet of his thoughts.

He was grateful.

His trembling fingers picked up the phone he'd put down and they swiped at the screen.

He opened up the folder of the saved voice recording and he pressed play once again.

[jeidafei]

The Core Message of D.Gray-Man

In my opinion, every story has something to tell. So what is D.Gray-Man actually trying to show us beneath the layers of all this tragedy and deaths?

This is my wild guess!

P.S. This is just my opinion, everyone! Every story conveys several messages and we are all free to interpret what the core message is in each work of literature...or whether they have a message at all...(I believe they all do, though!)

What is the core message of a story? A very clear example would be Aesop’s fables, which all end with “The moral of this tale is...”.

Most stories don’t just shove the message right into our faces from the get-go. In fact, most stories didn’t set out to preach at all, and the authorーsometimes even unknowinglyーdevelops the core theme and message as the story progresses. And part of the fun for me as I read novels and manga is figuring out the core message stories are trying to convey.

As D.Gray-Man is still ongoing, there are possibilities of plot-twists and new revelations, so I’ll state my guess for the story as of now (Chapter 230). 

And most importantly, if you’re an optimist like me, this core message might have already ensured that D.Gray-Man will have a HAPPY ENDING.

Though it does not necessarily mean Allen will survive, though...

1. Denying the Fate of an Exorcist

The message is there from the very beginning.

Yes, the bomb dropped pretty fast. Too darned fast most peeps including me wouldn’t notice. I’m talking waaay back into the first volume. Over a decade ago. We folks might not recall much, but we'll definitely remember this signature quote from Allen:

"Fate has got nothing to do with this. This is the path I chose by my own free will."

Yes, folks! The BIG SPOILER BOMB has dropped. This whole manga is all about....

                                                Fate Versus Choice

In this scene, Allen is denying what the Grand Generals and Cross Marian have told him: that by being born with Innocence, his fate had been set in stone by God himself, and to fight to the death as an Exorcist is his destiny.

Allen, however, assures Mana that he walks this path for he himself had chosen it. To atone for Mana. To save the suffering souls only he could see.

He's not doing this because Godーbecause Fate forces him to. It’s his own choice.

Allen's choice to become an Exorcist is what sets him apart from most ーif not allーExorcists from the very beginning. Other Exorcists usually joined through pure necessity or by being forced to fight by the Black Order. It’s more like can’t help it and I’m born to do this rather than I chose this. And this, as Dumbledore would put it, makes all the difference in the world.

And though some of them, like Lenalee and Kanda, later embraced their fate bound by Innocence, it's only due to having no other choice; Lenalee knows she can't keep living her daydream of a world without Akuma, and finally accepts that the only way she could protect her world is to fight.

Meanwhile Kanda first accepts his Innocence solely in order to survive and find his lost love, then later to repay Allen for his kindness. After he's done with that, then he can finally get his long-overdue rest in peace. Krory destroys Akuma to make sure Eliade didn’t die in vain. Miranda can’t make herself useful otherwise. Timothy has to leave the orphanage due to the danger Innocence brought to those around him. And so on and so forth.

Allen, on the other hand, probably could have gone on living normally even with his arm activated; Cross had simply asked him whether he would like to be an Exorcist. Despite all his misfortunes, Allen had what the other Exorcists-to-be don’t: a choice. And he made it: He decided on his own to become one and atone for Mana, then later to save the Akuma, and eventually to fight alongside his friends. That is his sole purpose. Allen will not choose another path even if it is open to him, as I will talk about in the next point. 

Had they not possess Innocence, Lenalee would have chosen a normal life in China with Komui even after her parents had died. Kanda would have chosen to run away with Alma and Marie and start a new life. Lavi would have gone on training to be a Bookman. Krory stated himself that he would be content to stay locked up in that castle with Eliade forever. Miranda would have chosen anything else, any job she could do well. Timothy would have chosen to stay on at the orphanage with Mother Superior and Emilia, etc.

2. Denying the Fate of the Fallen One.

When Allen's left arm was destroyed, everyone thought his fate had been sealed. It's over. He's not an Exorcist anymore. He’s fallen. Bak Chang offered him many choices: he could walk a different path, become a Finder or some other support staff. I think he could even leave the Order, actually, seeing as nothing else binds him to the place, and be whatever he wants.

But Allen instead chooses to stubbornly walk forward on this road, even with no hope of regaining his arm, refusing to bow down to fate.

Later when he faces the destroyer of his arm, Tyki Mikk, once again in Noah’s Ark, he states that one does not cease to be an Exorcist when one’s Innocence is destroyed. He then demonstrates this by repairing his broken Innocence using nothing but his own willpower. Nothing, even destroying his arm, will stop him from pursuing his goal as an Exorcist. 

3. Denying the Fate of the Host

Yes, Allen never seems to get a friggin’ break. Right after the Invasion, he starts to learn that his beloved Mana might not be what he thought he was at all.

This is a very, very devastating blow to Allen’s personality and development. His whole life had been built around this illusion, this mask of Mana he cherishes.

He chose to walk this path primarily because he wants to atone for Mana, after all. He hates the idea of succumbing to fate, so he chose to be an Exorcist that fights with his own free will, instead of bowing down to the Innocence’s (or, in other words, God) will (that’s why he won’t let Suman’s Innocence kill its host).

Allen soon learns of his true fate: his fate is to disappear and make way for the 14th Noah to use his body to reincarnate.

But still he refuses to surrender and go quietly into the night. When Link brought him some porridge in jail and confesses to him about the Thirds, Allen said this one sentence that deeply moves Link:

“If only I knew, then I would be able to change something, wouldn’t I?”

Exactly, by trying to learn more about it all, Allen hopes to change his fate. Yet again he does not obediently accept his fate. He then leaves the Order to do so, vowing to Lenalee that no matter what fate throws at him, he will always remain an Exorcist, as he has finally found his home amongst his comrades in the Order. He also refuses to accept his fate and disappear even at Cross’s insistence, as he believes that if he continues to walk he might be able to change his fate, or at the least inspire those who walk the same path as him to fight.

Don’t stand still. Keep walking has always been the words Allen lived by, and may actually translates to Never stop fighting against fate. By coming to a stop on your path, you are accepting that fate no longer has a future laid out for you, and you simply await your end: your chance to change things is zero. By going on, walking on even when the end looms ahead, there is still hope for a better tomorrow.

And as Cross most wisely and beautifully put it: Our path is not laid out before us from the start; but the earth hardens and forms into our road after we have walked upon it. He is saying that there is no such thing as fate; our lives are decided solely by our own choices.

Really, the Hallow OP said it all:

「誰一人邪魔をさせるか。初めて自分で選んだ道だ」

I won’t let anyone stand in the way...of this path I first chose for myself.

4. Link’s confession to Kanda

This recent(?) piece of evidence is what seals the deal for me, actually. The penny drops in this scene Link confessed he fervently hopes Allen will be able to win against the fate of the host:

"There’s someone I want to save...

If heーif Allen Walker could really triumph against his fate as the host...then I want to be there to see him make it.

If it’s true that people could choose any future they want simply by following their hearts, then I want to know the source of their strength."

In my opinion, when Link said there's a person he wants to rescue, he is talking about Tewaku. He's hoping to see Allen win against such a hopeless fate, so he could finally believe in the power of choice himself, and use that inspiration to spur himself to save Tewaku and his remaining Third friends. Link, though he had started to have doubts about Lvellie, is still too weak-willed to openly defy his fate as Lvellie's dog, and relies on Allen to make him believe in himself. And if my noobie writer's sixth sense is to be trusted, THIS scene confirms that the core message of D.Gray-Man is indeed trumping fate, against all the odds. 

And this is why I say DGM would probably have a happyーor at least bittersweet ーending: Even though DGM has always been a very tragic manga, the message of friendship, love, sacrifice and perseverance in the face of impossible adversity is always portrayed as having an optimistic outcome. Characters may die or suffer a lot throughout the series, but every arc ends on a positive note.

This is what sets DGM apart from stories like Attack on Titan, whose message is cynical and pessimistic, and if any dude starts spouting idealistic crap you might as well just stick a death flag on his head, and not a single arc ends positively.

Hoshino-sensei herself said that no matter what happens, Allen will always have friends by his side. You won't see that kind of heartwarming note with AoT. So if the core message of DGM is winning against fate, you can be quite sure DGM won't betray it and will show Allen winning against fate in the end.

5. Even his personal motto confirms it.

The latest guidebook, Gray Log, has revealed Allen's personal motto: To wait for fate is to wait for death.

Exactly, Allen. Literally. 

6. Even his fate as the host is something he chose by himself

Yes, this is the real deal. This is why I say that there is no such thing as fate for Allen; even the so-called fate he is fighting to change right now is actually brought about by his own choice.

Other reincarnations of the Noah have been doomed by random; no-one knowingly becomes one (pretty much like the Exorcists, come to think of it!), but in the case of Allen (if that past!Allen really is him) he willingly chose to become one. Why? I’d guess that maybe he believed that by doing so he could help Neah save the world...help change fate.

The Allen of then already knew the Earl is the enemy of mankind, with his soul-sucking powers. His purpose has not changed, be it 35 years ago or now; he wants to save the world from the Earl, and now he’s going to learn why he brought this fate upon himself.

In the end, after he has learned the Truth, Allen may no longer be an Exorcist in the sense that he fights on behalf of the Order and dons the black coat, but in the sense that he fights to save Akuma and mankind alike, just as he had decided when he regained his Innocence.

Allen’s journey, from the time when he was Red the circus errand boy, has always been one of finding his true home and family. Now that he has found his second true home amongst his Exorcist comrades, he will not let his fickle fate tear it away from him.

(NEW!) 

7. The Mask of Allen and Red’s determination

I stumbled across this one while finishing my translation of Lost Fragment of Snow.  

As I mentioned earlier in Number Three, we now know that Allen’s current personality and motivations are mostly shaped by his determination to atone for Mana: The Mask of Mana. He doesn’t care that much for God or the Holy War or whether the Order wins this war; Remember, he refused to help the Order’s cause by being just any support staff; he just wants to save souls (and later humans) as an Exorcist. In this way, Allen’s worldview is perhaps just as particular and narrow as Lenalee, and that is why during his training to restore his arm, Lenalee’s question of “When you close your eyes and think of the world, what do you see?” constantly had him thinking hard, and finally adding humans to his world as well.

Back to the Mask of Mana. We now know that Cross despises that mask and torments Allen because 1) It’s payback for having him mopping up his two icky Ps and nursing him for months 2) He’s a d-head and d-bag 3) Because he likes his share of booze and boobs and 4) Because he wants Allen to drop that mask and be The Boy With A Red Arm once more. 

(Why do I not simply say Red? Because actually in the Japanese text of LFS and D.Gray-Man, Red is actually just “The Boy with A Red Arm”. It’s in BRACKETS. Yes. He has NO NAME AT ALL.  For the sake of convenience I’ll go back to calling him Red for now, but we must keep in mind that Red is not a proper name.)

In Lost Fragment of Snow, Red is initially a silent, traumatized yet unusually perceptive kid. But his true personality shines out when he starts befriending Mana after Allen the Dog’s death. Just like how Allen gets frustrated by the irresponsible, improbable Cross and yells at him occasionally, Red also loses his temper with and bossily mothers the distracted, naive, slightly amnesiac Mana. The more I read LFS, the more I notice the similarity between the rant-mode Allen to little Red, and normal Allen to Mana back then. 

But Allen’s mask has existed long before Allen turned Mana into an Akuma. His first mask was the Mask of Allen.

After a fiasco in the circus during which Red lost his temper with Mana and pummels him on the head with his dormant, Innocence-embedded arm, Mana became entirely amnesiac, forgetting even his purpose of searching for Neah, and even confusing Red for his dog. 

After an enraged Cross blames Red for Mana’s plight, an extremely guilty Red decides to play along as Mana’s dead dog Allen in order to payback to Mana and Allen for the simple love and happiness they showed him. That is how Red donned his first mask and adopted his first name: Allen Walker.

Why is all this important? 

Back when Red faced impending death, thrown into a lion cage, Red was thinking in frustration and despair about how his life is meaningless, his existence pointless, that he is helpless and powerless, simply waiting to be killed. During his childhood in the circus, Allen/Red repeatedly lamented having no power to change his own fate. He yearned to escape the hellish circus and make a better life somewhere, but with his disabled arm he was unable to do so. 

Evicted from the circus, and with the circus later destroyed by the Millennium Earl, for a while there Red had no clue how to proceed with his life. This is no different from the time Allen lost his arm and had no clue how to keep walking on. But then Red saw the amnesiac Mana and remembered how he destroyed him, and decided that atoning for Mana will be his new reason to live on.

Yes, Redーnow Allenーhas always lived to fight fate when it dropped him into terrible spots, to find meaning for his life. And that journey has led him through THREE turning points on his road, after all of which he still chooses to live to atone for Mana Walker. 

But then, along came Neah’s resurrection and the unfurling truth behind Mana. And now that (in the latest chapter) this Boy With The Red Arm has returned to Eddystone (which is actually Edinburgh according to lots of our dissatisfied readers XD), where he had first donned his mask of Allen Walker, he must question his reason for living and take action one last time to change his fateーand perhaps finally live for himself. 

After listening to the theme song for D.Gray-Man Hallow, I must say that though the anime’s quality (and decision to replace Ms. Kobayashi) might be up for debate, this is the best and most relevant theme song for Allen. 

Key-Bring it on, My Destiny mainly talks about the Path of One’s life, of choosing between crossroads and keep walking on with free will. Once I was researching suicide in Japanese culture, and I came across an interesting explanation of the importance of The Life Path for Japanese people. The Japanese of old seem to view life as one single path set out for them. Once they came to a standstill or hit a wall in their way, they feel as if their life is over, and thus many chose to end their lives. Unlike western culture, the Japanese do not seek an alternate path.

In my opinion, the concept of walking on one’s road and challenging that road is becoming more and more significant in D.Gray-Man. Allen has always been very fixated on one goal. He viewed his life as one road he cannot deviate from, and falls easily to despair whenever it seemed he could no longer live as he had chosen to. Cross reminds him that his life path is not straightforward but meandering. One’s fate and life goal can change during the course of one’s life. And understanding that, Allen finally sets out to face the truth behind Mana so he can decide what he should do next with his life. 

The concept of living on by yourself after the death of your loved one has always been another central theme, obviously, of D.Gray-Man. Allen early on said he came to understand that the tears of Akuma are not tears of hatred, but love and grief for the bereaved who could not find the strength to live on alone. But Allen himself is still unable to move on from Mana. In a sense, with Mana living inside of him as his Akuma eye, with Allen “wearing” Mana like a human suit, Allen is an Akuma himself. And thus his story might end with him exorcising himselfーby finally stepping out of Mana’s shadow, putting the past to rest, and freely choosing his own future.

End of uber long rant. Will add more when I could think of more XD

[caroleratzer]

Echo

Bibliography

Ryan, P. M., & Mirtalipova, D. (2015). Echo: a novel. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Plot Summary

Once there was a king who was anxiously awaiting the birth of his first son, who would inherit his kingdom. Daughters were unacceptable because they could not inherit, and the throne would pass to his much-disliked brother. When three girls in a row are born, the king instructs the midwife to take each baby into the woods and leave them to die. He then tells everyone, including his queen that the babies have died. But the midwife, like many in her position (as someone in charge of killing an innocent princess), is too kind-hearted to allow the girls to perish. Instead, she reluctantly leaves each with a witch and a promise that her “fate is not yet sealed.” When the girls grow up and decide to leave the witch, she places an enchantment on them. The story then shifts to a boy who has purchased a book and a harmonica from a traveling gypsy. Otto becomes lost in the woods and meets the three girls. They tell him that they must take their voices, carried by the harmonica out into the world and pass it on when the time is right. So begins the harmonica’s journey from the woods of Germany in the early 20th century to Nazi Germany, pre-WW I and II America, and 1950’s New York City. Along the way, the harmonica magically finds its way to whomever needs it the most at that moment.

Critical Analysis

The fairy tale that opens this novel could stand right alongside any gathered by the Grimms and leads into a magical journey connecting four vastly different characters from both Germany and America. As different as each story seems on the surface, each character possesses many of the same qualities: a love of music, faithfulness to their family, and a distinct lack of many of the prejudices exhibited by the adults around them. In the final chapters, readers see all characters and stories come together in what is truly a spectacular symphony.

Review Excerpts

NEW YORK TIMES - John Stephens After reading Pam Muñoz Ryan's enchanting new novel, you'll never think of a harmonica the same way again…Long before the three stories came together in the book's last, triumphant section, I'd been won over by the complex, largehearted characters Muñoz Ryan has created and the virtues—bravery, tolerance, kindness—that the novel espouses. But Muñoz Ryan…is also a writer who cares about sentences…Start to finish, the book is a joy to read. PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY ★ 12/22/2014 The fairy tale that opens this elegant trio of interconnected stories from Ryan (The Dreamer) sets the tone for the rest of the book, in which a mystical harmonica brings together three children growing up before and during WWII. Friedrich, an aspiring conductor whose birthmark makes him an undesirable in Nazi Germany, must try to rescue his father after his Jewish sympathies land him in a prison camp. In Pennsylvania, piano prodigy Mike and his brother, Frankie, get a chance to escape the orphanage for good, but only if they can connect with the eccentric woman who has adopted them. In California, Ivy Maria struggles with her school’s segregation as well as the accusations leveled against Japanese landowners who might finally offer her family a home of their own. Each individual story is engaging, but together they harmonize to create a thrilling whole. The book’s thematic underpinnings poignantly reveal what Friedrich, Mike, and Ivy truly have in common: not just a love of music, but resourcefulness in the face of change, and a refusal to accept injustice. Ages 10–14. Agent: Kendra Marcus, BookStop Literary Agency. (Feb.) From the Publisher Awards and Praise for Echo: New York Times Notable Book Publishers Weekly Best Book ILA Notable Book for a Global Society ALA Notable Children's Book SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL *“The story of Otto and the cursed sisters honor timeless and traditional folktales [and] Ryan has created three contemporary characters who, through faith and perseverance, write their own happy endings, inspiring readers to believe they can do the same.”

KIRKUS *“A grand narrative that examines the power of music to inspire beauty in a world overrun with fear and intolerance, it's worth every moment of readers' time.” PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *“Each individual story is engaging, but together they harmonize to create a thrilling whole.” “A masterpiece.” --Christopher Paul Curtis, author of Newbery Medal-winning Bud, Not Buddy “Daring and beautiful.” --Linda Sue Park, author of Newbery Medal-winning A Single Shard Children's Literature - Paula McMillen Five intertwined story lines wend from a magical forest to various locations during WWII; each story leads into the next. Each set of characters’ fates is intertwined with those in the stories that follow—all connected by a small musical instrument. Three babies, who should have been princesses, are hidden away in a witch’s house. Otto discovers the young girls when he gets lost during a game of hide-and-seek. They are trapped in the forest and can only be freed if Otto takes the gift they offer and passes it along. It carries a prophecy of saving a life. Many years later, a young aspiring musician and conductor finds an unusual harmonica in the Hohner factory where he works. The music it makes is unworldly and beautiful, but the harmonica must be left behind when Otto leaves his small town to ransom his father from a concentration camp. The harmonica next finds itself in the hands of two boys, adopted from an abusive orphanage in Pennsylvania. The older brother, Mike, plays his way into the famous Hoxie Philadelphia Harmonica Band. The harmonica is later donated to needy children as Mike’s musical career takes off. In California, budding musician Ivy must leave behind friends and a supportive teacher when her family takes up curatorial responsibility for the farm of an interned Japanese-American family, the Yamamotos. She is shocked to find that while in her new home, she must attend a separate school with other Mexican children even though she was born in the United States. Still, her compelling harmonica solo earns her a place playing the flute in the school orchestra and she passes the harmonica along to the oldest son of the Yamamotos, who is a Marine. The harmonica stops a bullet aimed at his heart. The final part of the book bring closure to all these stories, notably when a concert at Carnegie Hall in 1951 features the conductor Friedrich, the newest flautist, Ivy, and guest piano soloist, Mike. This book deals with difficult issues in an accessible way, thereby inviting discussion about prejudice and the fears and actions that can follow on both personal and national levels. Reviewer: Paula McMillen, Ph.D.; Ages 10 to 15.

VOYA, February 2015 (Vol. 37, No. 6) - Pam Carlson Would you believe that a harmonica can save lives? It all begins with a witch’s curse on her three foster daughters. They will never find their way home until a musical instrument is used to rescue a life on the brink of death. Young Otto meets them when he gets lost in the woods. Later his career as a harmonica maker launches their way to freedom when one of his creations is touched with magic. Three children living during the World War II era unknowingly pass that same harmonica along to one another. Each plays not only with skill but also with a beautiful infusion of intensity and longing. Friedrich dreams of becoming a conductor but must first flee Hitler’s Germany. Pianist Mike, an orphan in Pennsylvania, agrees to join the Harmonica Wizards to protect his brother. Excellent student and harmonica virtuoso, Hispanic Ivy misses an opportunity to play a solo on the radio and is then stunned to discover the depths of racism when her family relocates from Fresno to Orange County. Each of their stories ends in probable tragedy. Years later, their lives coincide in a tearful, joyous night of music. Resilient, smart characters refuse to give in to circumstances seemingly beyond their control. Ryan’s stories never fail to touch the heart, but this one is also a resounding argument to maintain music programs in schools. To quote Ivy’s music teacher, “Everyone needs the beauty and light of music, especially during the worst of times.” Reviewer: Pam Carlson; Ages 11 to 18. SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL ★ 12/01/2014 Gr 5–8—"Long before enchantment was eclipsed by doubt," a young boy named Otto lost in the woods is rescued by three sisters imprisoned there by a witch's curse. In return, he promises to help break the curse by carrying their spirits out of the forest in a mouth harp and passing the instrument along when the time is right. The narrative shifts to the 20th century, when the same mouth harp (aka harmonica) becomes the tangible thread that connects the stories of three children: Friedrich, a disfigured outcast; Mike, an impoverished orphan; and Ivy, an itinerant farmer's child. Their personal struggles are set against some of the darkest eras in human history: Friedrich, the rise of Nazi Germany; Mike, the Great Depression; Ivy, World War II. The children are linked by musical talent and the hand of fate that brings Otto's harmonica into their lives. Each recognizes something unusual about the instrument, not only its sound but its power to fill them with courage and hope. Friedrich, Mike, and Ivy are brought together by music and destiny in an emotionally triumphant conclusion at New York's Carnegie Hall. Meticulous historical detail and masterful storytelling frame the larger history, while the story of Otto and the cursed sisters honor timeless and traditional folktales. Ryan has created three contemporary characters who, through faith and perseverance, write their own happy endings, inspiring readers to believe they can do the same.—Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY KIRKUS REVIEWS ★ 2014-12-06 A multilayered novel set in turbulent times explores music's healing power. Sweeping across years and place, Ryan's full-bodied story is actually five stories that take readers from an enchanted forest to Germany, Pennsylvania, Southern California and finally New York City. Linking the stories is an ethereal-sounding harmonica first introduced in the fairy-tale beginning of the book and marked with a mysterious M. In Nazi Germany, 12-year-old Friedrich finds the harmonica in an abandoned building; playing it fills him with the courage to attempt to free his father from Dachau. Next, the harmonica reaches two brothers in an orphanage in Depression-era Pennsylvania, from which they are adopted by a mysterious wealthy woman who doesn't seem to want them. Just after the United States enters World War II, the harmonica then makes its way to Southern California in a box of used instruments for poor children; as fifth-grader Ivy Lopez learns to play, she discovers she has exceptional musical ability. Ryan weaves these stories together, first, with the theme of music—symbolized by the harmonica—and its ability to empower the disadvantaged and discriminated-against, and then, at the novel's conclusion, as readers learn the intertwined fate of each story's protagonist. A grand narrative that examines the power of music to inspire beauty in a world overrun with fear and intolerance, it's worth every moment of readers' time. (Historical fiction. 9-14)

The Newbery Honor – The Kirkus Prize – New York Times Editors’ Choice – ALA Notable Book – New York Historical Society Book Prize – National Parenting Publications Gold Award – Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year – Washington Post Best Books of the Year – NPR 2015 Great Reads – New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing – New York Times Notable Book – SCIBA Middle Grade Book of the Year – The Audie Award – International Literacy Association Notable Book for a Global Society – Booksource Scout Award – NCTE Notable Book in the Language Arts – ILA/CBC Children’s Choice – The Américas Award

Connections

http://www.pammunozryan.com/echo/ offers discussion questions, reader’s theater, and author interviews

Pair with other books about Nazi Germany such as “We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement that Defied Hitler” by Russell Freedman in order to make the time period more real for students.

Have students create a timeline or chart the harmonica’s travels.