#all these asura look so great!!!!!

[valiant-portabella-pirkko]

alright, time for some post-beta screens:

Inventor Irvyn - Engineer (Holosmith)

Glaucia Razetalon - Revenant (Renegade)

Postumus Skyslicer - Ranger (Soulbeast)

and a bonus dabbing Ruju that absolutely nobody asked for:

[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

Hello! Hope you're having a good day/night/afternoon. Also can I request a Mikaela Hyakuya, Ferid Bathory and Yuichiro Hyakuya x nezuko reader, the reader has nezuko's powers and is basically nezuko. And they see their s/o (nezuko reader) fighting someone for the first time and when the reader was fighting with the person she awakes her full form like nezuko did when she was fighting Daki and she is basically destroying the person she is fighting with, how would they reacted? (Btw you can pick who the reader is fighting with)

That is all thank you <3

Nezuko Reader | Yandere Owari No Seraph

Landing in this apocalyptic and futuristic world with your sibling, there's much to learn. Depending on who you both fall into the hands of it’s a different experience. Immediately your difference from those around you is seen and usually greatly admired. Hence their further surprise when you show a side they’d never seen before: 

Yuichiro Hyakuya

Saving your sibling on patrol is where they first meet

Of course, the box they carry is a great point of mystery

One that’s revealed when the sun has gone down and they're safely at the base

“Whoa! You carry your family on your back? Like all the time?”

“Yeah! This way I can always protect them.”

“That’s a really great idea! I want to try it sometime.”

He definitely feels close to you and your sibling

Absolutely loving the bond you two have

Adoring your playful but silent nature

So more likely than not you’ll find himself inserting himself into your sibling's time

Not necessarily to offer himself as a brother particularly but as a part of the family

As he plans to be anyway

Fighting alongside your katana-wielding sibling he finds they work pretty well together

But this particular adversary is especially hard to beat, taking advantage of the night the whole team is struggling

At this point, Yuu is debating calling on Asura but is stopped by his amazement

You look different, no longer childish or pocket-sized

Now he believes your sibling’s description of you as a demon

He watches with envy when your brother has to calm you down

He vows that next time he’ll be the first to soothe your soul

“(Y/n) you’re so sweet so kind…I’m happy to make you a part of my family.”

Mikaela Hyakuya

He probably meets your sibling first when he’s called on a mission to investigate an anomaly on their turf

Put off by his….partner’s aggressive tone and command your sibling is adamant about not causing trouble

But his….partner…gross seems to hit a sore spot when they demand they open the box

The sun is setting and your sibling is putting up a fairly good fight 

But poor humans..,all it takes is one hit and debilitating crunch and their down

But the moon is high and the box opens to reveal you 

A demon that easily bests their calvary and gives his partner a run for his money

It takes his common sense to threaten your sibling’s life before you halt your massacre

Once you're in custody he shows an express interest in your case

Promising to himself and you that he’d protect your sibling

“Your brother…reminds me of someone else I know. Someone I’m looking for.”

He sees himself in you, turned into something against your will and trying to survive in a world that demands you succumb to your horrid instincts

When he makes a break for it he’s taking you both with him

Once he finds his Yuu then you both can go far far away

So that you both can be monsters away from this horrible world

Even if you struggle and swipe at him 

He’s going to help you 

He’s going to do this

Your agreement isn’t needed

He’s used to dealing with a rowdy troublemaker 

This is no obstacle to him

“Calm down. When I’m done you’ll get your sibling back and that’s all that matters right? Then you will listen to me. And only me.”

Ferid Bathory 

A part of the welcoming envoy that comes off too aggressively

A different-smelling human with a box on their back of course he’s interested

Even more so when they fight him upon questioning about that box

Only to find he’s completely at a disadvantage with the animalistic rage that you come out with 

“Oh my, to think I thought I knew only one vampire with a sibling complex.”

He is intent on taming you constantly trying to force you to drink human blood or better yet eat human

But you won’t cave

But neither will he

With your sibling in custody and you at his disposal

He feels as though no one can stop him

After all, it worked out the first time he broke a family up 

He doubts it wouldn’t work now

He just hopes you don’t freak out like you did before 

That was scary it slows progress

“When you finally let go and succumb to your hunger I’ll be there.”

[0lshadyl0]

Hi would it be alright to request yandere romantic hcs for Naruto please with a female reader if possible maybe she was part of his team in his younger days ; love to see what you come up with ^-^

I love this question, especially because of the concept of being a teammate, basically being the third member of team 7, since I think that another female character should have been the tri-lead and not Sakura (It's not that I dislike Sakura, in fact, I feel that she is a character with a lot of potential but undervalued by her author who only went out of her way to develop Sasuke. Sakura is a wasted potential like almost all the women in the series, which It makes me think that Kishi doesn't know how to write women… or he's lazy because they aren't Uchihas or Sasuke)

In fact, I am thinking in the future of making a fic with a team 7 made up of Sasuke, Naruto and Hinata, since they are the respective reincarnations of Indra, Asura and the descendant of Hamura, but that will be for another post

yandere Naruto Romantic Headcanons

Well, here I am going to develop Naruto in his early age, that is, Naruto from the first part of the series, it does not include shippuden, the last and I will pretend that Boruto does not exist (don't ask me questions about Boruto, I didn't see the series and I am not interested beyond the concept of Boruto's visual power but only because it would be a development of the byakugan not because I am interested in the character), so here we will see the child version of a twelve-year-old yandere Naruto (if I remember correctly, that's how old he was at that time) until he leaves the village with Jiraiya, keeping this in mind, let's continue

We all know the sad story of Naruto and how painful his childhood was, without parents, hated by the entire village, without friends and all that drama

The important thing is that from all that negligence and lack of human interaction, the need was born in him to attract attention in any way possible

basically what I want to say here is that he would turn yandere for literally anyone who pays him the slightest bit of attention and above all, this is key, who treats him well

I'm not talking about great charitable gestures or kindness, I'm talking about treating him with cordiality, basically the first principle of a decent human being (yes, that's how badly he's been treated)

He would trust you 100% if you approached and proposed to be his friend (let's remember part of a flashback in some filler chapter where he went into a dangerous forest to look for a kunai from an enemy ninja of the village just because some stupid and very bad-hearted children said that they would be his friends if he brought said weapon, basically sending him to die if it weren't for Iruka-sensei)

Another thing is that Naruto is tremendously obsessive, just look at how he behaves with his teammates, that will not compare to the obsession he developed with you.

and we must take into account, here Sakura does not exist in his head, you are the prettiest girl in the village and he has made his intentions very clear to you that in the future he wants to be your lover (boyfriend, in a innocent way since he is a kid)

He will not see mistakes or defects, he will fight with Sasuke or Kakashi if one of those two scolds you or disrespects you

he will not like your friends, not because he is jealous or that he thinks they are going to steal you from him, but it is more because of his insecurity and fear of being alone again, that is something you can repair If you make your friends also friends with him

He is clingy to the extreme but not very observant in the sense that he won't always remember your favorite color or food, but at least he remembers special dates.

your enemies are his enemies and he does hold grudges against people who hurt you

He will also see you as someone above him and everyone, he is like a worshiper (remember how he thought well of Sakura? It's the same but amplified) you are a being incapable of making mistakes in his eyes

His beloved's opinion is very important to him, so much so that it is above anyone else, above his teacher, Sasuke, Iruka, the ramen guy or even the Hokage.

At this stage he will be a little annoying, irritating and clingy, but nothing dangerous, a child in love, the most dangerous thing about his yandere side would come out later when his crush stops being childish.

[thekingofwinterblog]

So just one visual detail about Soul Eater I love and i wonder how many others ever noticed, is the way the series frames Maka and Crona visually.

Crona is way, way taller than Maka.

And even moreso when sitting down, with Chrona's jaw almost reached the height of the top of Maka's head.

But you probably don't remember it that way, and there is a very specific reason for that.

And the reason is because after Crona's heelturn, the show very speciffically frames their shots so where Maka almost always looks like the stronger of the two of them, despite being way smaller.

Crona is very often standing at an angle hunched forward, especially when sitting. Maka by contrast usually stands straightbacked in her full height.

It uses this visual dynamic to showcase and reinforce the idea that Crona is much, much more fragile than Maka... But also that Crona always looks to Maka as a source of strength and support, while Maka is happy being that support.

Even in situations where the Height is shown very, very clearly, Crona always looks to Maka, rather than it feeling like Crona is looking downwards at her.

This framing is so strong that even when Maka is lying on her back paralyzed, and Crona stands over her, it still doesn't give a feeling of Crona looking down at her, but as someone looking to her for approval.

Of course this is just the normal shots that are somewhat easy to miss when not looking for it.

There is also the important stuff, where the show uses this visual contrast and dynamic to great effect.

When Maka finds Crona in the pit, she is framed as big, standing over Crona looking down, because she is the powerful one here, not Crona.

And when we flip around to line more up with Crona's persepctive, though she suddenly becomes smaller in the shot, she still has all the high-ground, Maka is still standing above, looking down, while Crona can't even muster up the courage to look her in the eyes, furthering emphasizing how strong Maka seems in Crona's eyes.

It emphasizes just how weak Crona feels when compared to Maka, who Crona sees as a pillar of strength and bravery.

And when Maka goes down in the pit she grabs Crona by the neck and lifts, literarily holding Crona up through her owns strength while telling Crona to stop giving in to selfhatred and loathing.

And that doesnt change for the entire scene.

Crona doesn't muster the strength to stand, and Maka has to keep Crona standing, first with a closed fist, then two hands around the arms while shaking and asking for confirmation that it was medusa, then in a supporting hug.

Maka is straightbacked and strong, while Crona has to literarily lean on her for support, showcasing Maka's strength and how Crona in turn relies and draws courage from that strength.

And following up on that, every single time when Crona is able to stand up tall, straightbacked and... Well not not exactly proud, but distinctly not looking fragile, are all moments related to doing something brave in relations to Maka.

Standing up to protect her from Giriko, having the bravery to go with her and the rest of the crew to the party, going to confess everything to Shinigami with all the potential consequences that might entail, or my favorite, just standing tall while looking to her final battle with Asura, after having finally grown enough as a person to stand up to Medusa, and taking the Vector blade for Maka.

It's a very understated bit, but when you notice it, it's kinda amazing just how different Crona looks in this moment cimpared to the usual look.

On paper, Crona should look fragile and weak, having just taken a massive wound so the arm is clutching the recently closed injury, a huge, oversized coat over the shoulders, and Marie's hand supporting on Crona's shoulder.

Crona should look weak, but that's not the case.

Crona in this moment actually looks suprisingly powerful, with a straight spine and with the spindly physique hidden by the coat, so you instead focus on the wide shoulders.

In other words, very much like how Maka is able to channel an aura of strength despite a very unimpressive physique and height.

[talonabraxas]

"Om Mani Padme Hum"

Avalokiteshvara Talon Abraxas

Visualisation

Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains,

“if you are going to recite only one mala of OM MANI PADME HUM, then visualize Chenrezig out of great compassion sending beams to you, like rays of the sun. When the beams are received by you, your mind becomes unbelievably blissful and peaceful. You experience this, then your body becomes totally white, like the nature of light. You are totally purified of all negative karmas and obscurations collected from beginningless rebirths, and all the sickness and spirit harms of this life are purified.

“Chenrezig also sends beams to all the sentient beings —numberless hell beings, numberless hungry ghosts, numberless animals, numberless human beings, numberless suras, numberless asuras and numberless intermediate state beings — from whom you receive all your beginningless past happiness, and all the collections of goodness. You receive all the past, present and future life collections of goodness from them, as well as ultimate happiness, liberation from the oceans of samsaric sufferings. Think that they are totally purified.

“Recite OM MANI PADME HUM… one-pointedly looking at Chenrezig. Try not to be distracted or to think of anything else during that time, as much as possible.

“If you have received the Chenrezig Great Initiation (this is a two-day initiation) then for the first mala mainly think you are purifying yourself. Then you become Chenrezig, the formation of light, having Chenrezig’s holy body with all the qualities, and with the perfect omniscient mind, with perfect power, infinite compassion for sentient beings and perfect power to guide sentient beings. Send light from your heart—from the syllable HRIH and the mantra garland—to numberless sentient beings. They are purified and they all become Chenrezig. While you are doing that, recite OM MANI PADME HUM. For the second mala of mantras you visualize yourself as Chenrezig and all sentient beings as Chenrezig, enlightened.

“If you have not received Chenrezig Great Initiation, then you can’t visualize yourself as Chenrezig. Instead mainly think you are purifying yourself and at the same time all sentient beings are purified. For the next mala, you mainly think you are receiving all the qualities of Chenrezig, and at the end sentient beings receive all the qualities of Chenrezig. You can do like that, but if you want to recite more mantras, for example five malas, then for half think you are purifying yourself and sentient beings and then for the next five malas yourself and sentient beings are being purified. The next ten malas think all the qualities of Chenrezig are received by yourself and all sentient beings. Mainly concentrate on sentient beings being purified and then receiving all the qualities. If you haven’t received the great initiation, then do like this.

“If you want to think of people who are sick, who have died or who are dying and want to do a prayer for them, then visualize beams emitted from Chenrezig and purifying that person. That helps those people who are sick, dead or dying so much. Also you can think of your loved ones and especially your enemies, the people who hate you.” -Excerpted from “Chenrezig Meditation and Mantra“

[nikikikiko]

So idk if its just me but has anyone else noticed how gods in Soul Eater are typically depicted with monstrous or non-human depictions? The gods we DO know of are as follows:

Lord Death, Eibon, Excalibur, the Great Old One of Power, Asura and, eventually Kid.

Now, ignoring Kid for the moment, notice how all of them have a monstrous appearance that can be humanoid, but sometimes aren't. Personally, I believe that adds to represent how inhuman the gods truly are (exception of Kid ofc).

Like let's take Lord Death, Asura and Kid because they're the easiest tbh and literally the range of the spectrum but

Lord Death doesn't look ANYTHING near a human and it's very obvious, there's nothing humanoid about this guy. This funky freak. Because he's very inhuman as compared to his sons, as Lord Death lacks fear and is in a constant uphill battle learning how to interact with humans and protect them. However, at the end of the day, no matter how many emotions Lord Death will learn, he is inhuman. He will do whatever it takes to seek out his original goal (order) and do anything for it. While any other parent might have huge conflict and regret over skinning their child alive and sealing them away, Lord Death does not. He does not have these conflicts. He makes a lot of mistakes with Asura because he is not human and,

Asura is more human than Lord Death originally thought. Asura's not human in the way Kid is human, but Asura is already a lot more human than Lord Death could ever be, with his first ever form being a human one. It's only ever ruined by Asura wearing scarves and shirts, giving Asura a more inhuman appearance. Asura is the first of the gods in Soul Eater, at the time of his creation, to be as human as he was. But because this wasn't precedented, nobody thought to treat Asura like a human from time to time but rather treat him like a god always. This would cause Asura to become a kishin, and become more monstrous in appearance for every form he takes. I like to believe Asura's kishin form directly relates to how he views gods, something terrifying and to be scared of and inherently divine, so his form reflects that in a twisted and distorted way.

But Kid, the final of this trio, is the most human and that is due to intentionally complete humanity. Kid looks like a human, he grows like a human, he acts like a human, he is basically a human plus plus. This is because he is the most human of the gods in Soul Eater, and intentionally so (i discussed this before but yk). The one time we see him begin to lose his humanity, he gains lines on his mouth mimicking skull teeth with an eerie calm and deadly atmosphere that begins to erase his humanity, but he's still human. He still looks human, he still thinks human. And unlike making the same mistake that costed Lord Death his first child, Lord Death actually learned to let Kid be human and be a god, which provided a much better relationship.

Basically, gods are depicted as very inhuman and monstrous in soul eater and it's really neat to see.

[bbcphile]

WIP Wednesday

Happy Wednesday! Have more of LLH's POV from my MLC longfic, in which LLH panics about what's wrong with a-Fei, and DFS resorts to desperate measures to reassure him.

(You can find earlier excerpts here.)

His meridians were unharmed. But his qi–

The great, howling tempest of level eight Beifeng Baiyang had been pinioned, reduced to a sluggish draft.

“How?” Li Lianhua managed, gripping a-Fei’s wrist as though the force could rile it up to its former glory.

A-Fei shook his head and looked away. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it matters!” Li Lianhua yelled. “You–a-Fei, this shouldn’t be possible! Not with the rate your qi replenishes. What did you do?”

A-Fei’s jaw clenched and he pulled his hand free. “What I had to.”

Li Lianhua gripped the bedding, his mind reeling. Even when he’d blocked a-Fei’s meridians with asura grass, a-Fei had meditated daily, refusing to let his qi become depleted even when he couldn’t possibly use it. And now A-Fei was too depleted to use qinggong. Or to defend himself. What could have possessed him to–

Oh. Oh Gods, no. “A-Fei,” Li Lianhua said, trying to force his voice to be steady, “tell me this isn’t from healing me. Tell me this isn’t from that procedure that you promised was safe for both of you.”

“It’s not from the procedure,” a-Fei said, still staring straight ahead and refusing to look at him.

“He’s telling the truth,” Xiaobao interrupted. “The procedure really is safe. There were just a lot of emergencies today that needed extra qi to address! And he brought you up a mountain with qinggong. Of course he’s running a little low.”

Li Lianhua couldn’t stop the almost hysterical laugh that burst free. “A little low? Having only ten percent of his neili left is not a little!”

“Wh-what?” Xiaobao asked, more breath than sound.

A-Fei’s arm twitched and his hand tightened around his dao.

 So a-Fei had lied to Xiaobao about how dangerous it was. “That’s it. You can forget about trying it again.”

“Xiaohua’er!” Xiaobao cried.

A-Fei whipped around to face him. “It wasn’t the procedure, Xiangyi. I give you my word.”

“Then what else was it, a-Fei? Unless you spent the last three months single-handedly fighting the entire jianghu or living off qi alone? Because nothing else makes sense.” 

A-Fei stared at him, unmoving, his too-regular breaths the only evidence of whatever war he waged with himself. At last, he swallowed, his throat bobbing with the movement, and closed his eyes. “I wasn’t fighting the jianghu,” he said quietly, as though there were something wrong with that.

Li Lianhua let a-Fei’s answer unravel and re-knit itself in his mind, then took a moment to breathe until the urge to pick up a-Fei’s dao and hit him in the head with it had passed. “I see. And why, exactly, did the great Di-mengzhu decide to forgo sleeping and try to live off qi alone? Is this some new strategy to reach a hitherto unknown ninth level of Beifeng Baiyang?” 

For a moment, a-Fei was so still Li Lianhua thought he wouldn’t answer. Then he squared his shoulders, opened his eyes, and stared straight into Li Lianhua’s. “I was looking for you,” he said, each word a promise.

Li Lianhua closed his eyes to force back yet more tears. This wasn’t supposed to happen. The letter should have prevented this. A-Fei was supposed to accept Li Xiangyi’s death and his own martial arts supremacy, and fight Xiaobao when he found himself missing their rivalry. Instead, a-Fei had run himself into the ground, relinquished the strength he had tried so hard to gain, all to chase after a ghost. A ghost who had selfishly abandoned him, who was harming him still by his inability to stay gone, hurting him just as much as if he had poisoned him with Bicha. “What were you thinking?” he asked, losing the battle against the ocean of tears as they crashed against his lashes.

There was a quiet rustle of clothes and sheets. Then warm, callused fingers cradled his face as though he mattered, with a hesitance and gentleness that spoke a language he didn’t want to understand. “My qi is replaceable,” a-Fei said, his thumb caressing Li Lianhua’s cheekbone with a touch too feather-light to wipe the tears away, succeeding only in brushing a faint wet streak from his nose to his ear. “You are not.” 

 Li Lianhua swallowed and shook his head, the words stabbing him harder than a-Fei’s dao ever could. A selfish part of him wished it were true, that a-Fei truly wanted him, not the ghost of Li Xiangyi a-Fei saw when he looked at him. But as much as it hurt to hear, as much as he hurt a-Fei by not making him face the truth, as much as he ought to brush off the declaration the way a-Fei had brushed off the tears, to say he was being ridiculous, sentimental, absurd, he couldn’t. Not when he knew what it had cost a-Fei to say that out loud, and with an audience: a sacrifice almost as great as the wangchuan flower had been. He couldn’t throw this gift away. Not now, at least. 

They’d discuss a-Fei’s destroying himself for a dead man later.

[blacklegsanjiii]

So I just got back from the theater watching demon slayer and I have thoughts about Tanjiro!Sanji.

There are demons in the OP world and there is a demon slayer corps that Mihawk and Sanji are a part of. Mihawk is a Hashira and claimed the title of world's greatest swordsman from a demon. Sanji goes through all the training and is technically a fully fledged member but there's been a dwindling number of demons for years, Sanji hasn't been called away for a mission since Baratie. Having just got back a week before joining the crew. He retired during the two year time skip due to realizing helping Luffy is his main priority and demons aren't really a problem anymore.

Sanji does have Tanjiro's nose and he is suffering. Then he notices Zoro starts smelling different thanks to his Asura form. Sure he's the Demon of the East Blue but it's just a name. Though he did crawl back from Hell to kill Sanji. Then a crow appears on the Sunny and appears to be following Sanji and then departs a few hours later. Sanji stares after it and smiles brightly at the crew. It's the first time he's been visited by one since retiring.

Robin mentions crows usually are warnings, foreboding messengers with ill intent. Sanji laughs and says he has a few extra things to do at the next island. When they get there he waits for everyone to be asleep before he goes looking. He runs into Mihawk and he thinks it shouldn't be a problem if it's the two of them. It's a small problem, it's an upper rank demon, something not seen in decades.

They're both beaten and bloody and the demon has gotten away because the sun is rising. The crow finds them and lets them know upper rank demons have been making appearances more often and that they are both needed at the head of the corps to discuss this. Sanji says he's retired and can't go back. His crew will freak out if he leaves again, but he'll take care of whatever he finds. He heads back to the Sunny when the crow assures him and Mihawk more members will be there by nightfall.

The crew is shocked to see Sanji come back in the state he's in. He waves it off and says it was just a small fight he accidentally got into. Zoro puffs a breath at him and they leave after breakfast. Chopper checks over Sanji and deems he'll live but needs to go on light duty. A few islands later Sanji and the others are out drinking and soon it's just him, Luffy, and Zoro walking back to the ship. Sanji had a guy feeling that told him to bring his sword and he smells it when they're on the way back he looks and -

It's a fucking kid. The demon is a fucking kid. It's an upper rank too. Sanji is staring at it wide eyed and Zoro tells him to leave the kid alone. The island is small and almost deserted so it's not like it can get lost and that's the problem. The demon smirks as spikes shoot out of a hand it raises that Sanji manages to stop. Luffy and Zoro look fully and Luffy asks what's wrong with the kid as they take fighting stances.

"So these are the two students of Dracule Mihawk? A retiree and a half demon?" The child sneers.

"Don't know what you're talking about kid. You should go home before picking a fight you can't win." Zoro warns but the demon moves in a blink of an eye and Zoro barely blocks the sharp claws of the kid.

They fight and Zoro and Luffy don't understand why this kid is so strong, why it's not going down. Sanji is trying to get them to leave because he doesn't want them to get hurt by a fucking demon. Luffy grabs the kid around the waist and yelps in surprise when the kid splits in half and then regenerates.

"Woah, what kinda devil fruit is that?" Luffy asks.

"I'm a demon, not a devil fruit user like you!" The kid shouts and Sanji starts using his breathing forms so Zoro and Luffy get hit with a one two punch of demons and Sanji's sword skills. It would be great if there were more demon corps members here, active or not, to take this thing. Sanji tells them they have to behead it and Luffy and Zoro are like 'were not killing a kid' and Sanji doesn't have time to explain it's not a kid and hasn't been for years.

Sanji eventually gets a hit to the demon's neck but his sword is stuck even with breathing techniques so he kicks it. He hates himself for it, but it works in actually decapitating the thing and the body starts turning to ash. He picks up his sword and winces it the nicks in the blade. Sanji explains what happened on the Sunny after Luffy gets everyone.

"Wait, how come that kid knew Mihawk? And why the hell did it say he had two students?" Zoro asks.

"Right, see, I was raised by him and I joined the corps but I retired." Sanji explains.

"Corps?" Robin asks.

"Yeah, there's a whole multi island years long training thing to go through to kill demons." Sanji nods.

"And you did it?" Nami asks.

"For a few years."

"The World Government must sanction it then." Usopp says.

"No, it exists outside the government, we think they know demons are real and just act like they're nocturnal devil fruit users." Sanji shrugs.

"Why?" Franky asks.

"Well, demons get stronger with the more humans they eat. Devil fruit users get stronger the more they train and those can look really similar." Sanji answers.

"Can you have a devil fruit user who is a demon?" Robin asks.

"Ya know, that's not something we ever experimented with but I'll write a letter." Sanji grimaces.

"Yeah get to that, swirls." Zoro grunts.

"At least I don't smell like demon." Sanji shoots back and ignores the questions about that. A few days later a crow lands on the railing next to Sanji who blinks at it.

"You and your crew have been requested to come to the masters island at once or you will be brought by force." The crow says.

"I'm retired!" Sanji yells at it.

"Mihawk and the master will be waiting." The crow says before flying away as Sanji screams and sets his legs on fire.

[nidhi-writes]

Deepavali - Great power comes with great responsibility

Growing up in the southern Indian state of Tamilnadu, where Deepavali is celebrated cause of Narakasura’s Defeat by Krishna. Each year I heard the story of how and when it happened, why Krishna killed Narakasura, and how cruel he was.

As the adult age struck I started to work with people from many parts of India, surprisingly that's when I heard that the story of Deepavali/Diwali which they celebrate is very different from the one I did.

Some specified that it celebrated the cause of Lord Rama and Seetha’s return to Ayodhya

Some Specified that it was celebrated cause of Ravana’s Defeat by Lord Rama.

They were surprised when I said in Tamilnadu it is celebrated for the reason I mentioned above, some were quick to point out how wrong I was and how one should know one's true culture and blah blah blah.

It was hard to explain culture and practices vary throughout our country and that's the beauty of it, there is no right or wrong cause every path and every practice leads to the same destiny. Our paths may vary but the destination is one.

So I wanted to read more about this one-line story I heard about how Krishna defeated Narakasura and the origin of it. And man if I say it made me cry, weep.

To dive into this story we have to travel from Kaliyug to Krita(Sathya) Yug

When the earth was in the hands of destruction by the asura Hrinyaksha and to save the earth and defeat Hrinyaksha, the almighty Vishnu took in the form of Varaha, as both Hrinyaksha and Varaha fought, Varaha overpowered Hiranaksha and at the end defeating him and also restored the earth to its original position in the universe

Varaha defeated Hiranaksha with ease and his only exertion was a drop of sweat, which fell to the ground. From that drop, a young warrior rose, his name was Naraka.

Is that when Bhoodevi and her heartbeat as a mother, her eyes watered at the scene of her son rising from her Swami’s drop of sweat. How could she not love him as he is her son, with love Bhoodevi hugged her son and smiled at how strong and a warrior he was. Bhoodevi turned and asked her Prabhu Varaha that her son should be invincible. Varaaha pulled out one of his tusks and gave it to Naraka saying he could use it as a weapon whenever he was in great danger.

Naraka accepted the weapon provided by his father and felt immensely blessed and ready to go to seek his fortune, as his father provided him advice on how to use the power to do only good.

‘Uphold Dharma’ said Varaha and Bhoodevi blessed her son as happy tears fell from her lotus-like eyes.

Just like any mother, her heart is filled with love and confidence for her son. She does not doubt her son becoming powerful in all three worlds and being just like her Swami. Varaha looked at Bhoodevi and smiled at her nodding his head as if he knew what she was thinking, but his smile didn’t seem to be filled with confidence.

Varaha smiled, his son will be powerful but the question is will he uphold the dharma to do good things, will he use his powers to be righteous, cause great power comes with great responsibilities.

As the yugas rolled one by one from Krita(Sathya) to Treta, to Dwaparyug. Lord Vishnu again came down to earth in the form of Krishna, Yadava. He vanquished his Uncle Kamsa and continued to restore dharma on the earth.

Just like the yugas rolled down, Naraka also grew very powerful, as he conquered everything from heaven and earth, he was drunk with power. That's when he snatched the celestial earrings from Aditi, the mother of Devas.

Amid the chaos, Indra the lord of devas sought Krishna’s help to vanquish Naraka. Upon hearing this Satyabama, one of the wives of Krishna, who is none other than Bhoodevi herself, got devastated and her heart ached along with anger boiled on how her son turned out. Her confidence in her son now made her feel like crying a river but as a Bhoodevi she had a job first that is to accompany her swami and solve this problem.

Both Krishna and Sathyabama left Prag-joyitisha-pura on Garuda. But entering the Prag-joyitisha-pura was not easy as the capital has four layers to its defence, The chief defender of Naraka’s capital was Mura, who was so confident that no one could penetrate the defence he had set and was relaxing deep down at the ring of defence.

But can anything be against Parandhaman himself? Krishna took down each defence layer at ease thus causing violent ripples in the water. Mura woke up from his slumber, enraged rushed out to defend and attack Krishna. Mura fell fighting against Krishna who then earned the name Murrari, the enemy of Mura.

Upon hearing the chaos outside Naraka Narakasura himself came out and started to fight against Krishna. The fight went on day and night causing extreme chaos and it became very difficult to say who was winning. As Naraka still had the weapon provided to him by his father Varaha, he took out the deadly tusk and threw it on Krishna, who got stuck by the tusk into his chest and fell unconscious. Naraka let out a victory cry but an enraged Satyabama picked up the bow and started to fight Naraka with so much anger. Naraka was shocked and continued to fight Sathyabama not knowing her real identity just like he did with Krishna.

Sathyabama’s eyes turned red flashing anger and her love for her son was now completely overshadowed by the monster he had become. Amidst the fighting, Krishna woke up and saw Sathyabama fighting and smiled at her. Naraka is shocked to see how Krishna is now awake, no other being can able to be alive after being struck by the deadly weapon, if Krishna is alive then he must be none other than Lord Varaha himself, his father.

Naraka fell on his knees and his father's words rang into his ears ‘Uphold Dharma’. He realized that he had failed his father's words and surrendered to Krishna, who used Sudarshana chakra at Naraka.

As his life slowly leaves Naraka he subconsciously surrenders himself to Krishna and Sathyabama. Sathyabama who was Bhoodevi born again, rushed to him and held him. The cries of sorrow, hurt, love, anger everything heard in her. As she helplessly held her son whose life slowly leaving him, Krishna silently watched the reunion of mother and son. As the tears fell on his body he found light in his dying moment. The darkness has been lifted as the dawn broke.

That day is celebrated as the festival of lights, Deepavali or Diwali, which signifies that we have to emerge from darkness to light.

@whippersnappersbookworm  @harinishivaa @thelekhikawrites  @willkatfanfromasia  @yehshuhua  @arachneofthoughts  @vibishalakshman @nspwriteups  @thirst4light  @hollogramhallucination   @celestesinsight ​  @curiousgalacticsoul  @themorguepoet @tranquilsightseer

[where-i-overanalyze]

the significant lack of parents in Soul Eater and how the DWMA combats that

obviously, there are some parents present throughout the entirety of Soul Eater, but they truly are not amongst the greatest: Medusa, Spirit, Lord Death (he's okay in comparison to everyone else, but still not dad of the year). i started this just wanting to talk about how there are almost no parents and then ended up realizing some sorta nice things about the DWMA by the end of it. manga spoilers, so beware.

characters who have living parents

let's start with Maka since she's the only one who has one parent present and one parent mentioned in somewhat detail. Spirit certainly is quite the character; he has almost no redeemable qualities except for the fact that he does actually love and support his child. that's all good, and yet he cannot correct his behavior to actually make himself a person that his daughter will respect. he cares so much and yet he does nothing to try and be a better father for her and what she actually needs from a parent.

but then we have Maka's "wonderful" unnamed mother. great mom, great meister, never given an example as to what this woman could really be like. i haven't been into Soul Eater for super long and i'm sure there are definitely people who have been shitting on Maka's mom, but it's interesting to me purely because even though there aren't many parents in Soul Eater to begin with, there is an even more extreme lack of mothers. i'm going to get nebulous with the definition throughout this post, but it really just seems like the "idea" of a good mother is all the characters get. Maka only gets memories of how great her mother was, maybe because she truly wasn't that great in the first place. a meister who made a death scythe is never to be seen throughout the greatest threat of all time within the past 800 years, not even to check on her one daughter? maybe she's busy? sure. idc what she's doing, but that's a strike out for me.

moving away from Maka's dubious parents, let's look at Kid and Lord Death. in truth, he's not nearly as bad as the other parents in terms of actual parenting, but he is clearly much different in relation to the other parents. he's not human, he's in charge of seemingly their entire world, and Kid is essentially just a chunk of Lord Death that was given sentience. with that, we have to think of exactly what is it that death gods even need in order to be raised. since Asura was a failed attempt, Kid was specifically "born with a childish nature so he [could] learn fear, much like humans" (DTK Soul Eater Wiki page). am i really citing a source in my Tumblr post, is this who i am. SO, thinking about what death gods are meant to do with their power and the fact that they are meant to keep balance in the world, i'd say that Lord Death did a pretty good job of getting Kid to become the best death god he could be. when it comes to actual "normal" parenting standards, idek if we can hold Lord Death up to those since they both are very much not normal. keeping Kid in the dark about some insanely important details about the academy (the Kishin in the basement) and letting Kid know that Lord Death would die when he awoke his true powers, maybe not the best choice, but i'll admit that i'm an extremist when it comes to people keeping important secrets that could have saved everyone a lot of time and trouble.

actually, i take some of my positive statements back when thinking about how Lord Death handled Asura. i know Asura was all powerful and just sort of super insane, but given the fact that Asura was a failed attempt of a fragment and Kid was Lord Death's way of trying again, it feels kind of wrong to give him a title of Decent Dad when his first attempt at making a young death god ended up so so so messed up. also, making a second one just in the hopes of solving your first mess up, kinda fucked up.

anyways, Tsubaki! she's honestly very interesting because we know that both of her parents are alive, but we see almost NOTHING about them. the only time we actually see her dad is in chapter 49 and that's basically it. her mom is mentioned, but we never even get to see her or get her name, so once again there is just no mother present at all and just the "idea" of her. given the fact that they pretty much neglected their other child to the point that he became a serial killer because he wasn't treated the same as Tsubaki, i can't give them much credit for good parenting. maybe Tsubaki came out okay and mild-mannered, but Masamune straight up just got neglected and went bonkers because of it.

and now we reach the grand finale of horrible present parents, Crona and Medusa. debated about putting her in the "dead parents" category, but Medusa is alive for the majority of Soul Eater, so she can stay here. obviously, Medusa's the absolute worst. she literally never has any good intentions for anything she does with Crona, she's extremely manipulative, blatantly abusive, etc. she literally dangles the concept of being a good mother in front of Crona to get them to obey her and in the end that gets her killed (and yet that STILL was part of her plan. she's literally insane). she also tricks other people into helping her by pretending she's worried about Crona. she contributes the mother "idea" again, though this time she is very present, just not as a good mother. i won't go into all the shit that Medusa did, we all know she was horrible. i go into more of Medusa's manipulation in this post.

characters who have dead parents

Black☆Star, i think, is the only character of the main cast that has confirmed dead parents. he never knew any of his clan and sort of renounces them (maybe renounce isn't the right word, but his whole character arc about choosing his own path and defeating Mifune makes it somewhat clear that he doesn't want to end up like his parents). we know about his father, White☆Star, but once again, the mother is never mentioned. from what we're shown . . . yeah, the Star clan sucked and were obsessed with power and whatnot. it's an interesting contrast with Tsubaki: they both come from very well known family lines with very different connotations surrounding them. to an outsider who knows about both of their families, it probably seems a bit sacrilegious for Black☆Star to be partnered with her in the first place.

characters whose parents are MIA

Liz and Patty at least have an "unnamed woman" shown as their mother for a single panel in chapter 78. the "prettiest prostitute in New York" obviously didn't do much to raise them since they were the Brooklyn Devils for a while. no mention of a father and an evidently absent mother, we are once again hit with the "idea" of a mother that isn't there. Liz literally says she hates her mother, thanks her for bringing her and Patty into existence, and nothing else is said about her. it's only after they get sorta "drafted" by Kid that they get to live a pleasant life. there's obviously also some things to say about economic status and being dealt a bad hand in life and whatnot, but i can get into that another time i think.

now, Soul. homie has got NO PARENTS EVER MENTIONED. the closest we get is Wes and unnamed grandma who is never shown. he's literally the only character we don't get shit for who his parents are, where they are, if they're even living and i think that speaks volumes. going off of assumptions, the fact that Soul literally renounced his family name, ran away to go to weapon school, and didn't play the piano for years until he was able to do it, sort of, on his own terms most likely means that his parents were some kind of horrible. also, being forced to play into a family legacy has got to be unhealthy. always feeling overshadowed by your older sibling who, obviously, has more experience is upsetting, but the fact that Soul was seemingly never reassured about his skills is dubious at best. i have strong feelings about forcing children into family legacies, maybe that can be its own post some day as well, and if your kid feels like they actually have to run away to escape it, well then i don't think it works out very well. it's incredibly important that we don't get any parental information from Soul and that we never hear anything about anyone from his family looking for him. maybe he told them he was leaving, but maybe he just slipped away and nobody bothered to look for him.

actual parental figures

while writing this, i realized that everyone in this category is a DWMA professor. DWMA as a whole seems to provide all of the main cast with a place to be that was much better than where they came from. Black☆Star and Maka sort of grew up in and around the DWMA, Soul, Liz, and Patty all came from much worse places before enrolling, Tsubaki and Kid kinda seem like they were chilling tbh, and of course Crona literally experiences positive emotions for the first time during their short time there. schools, ideally, should give their students the opportunity to grow in their skills and find a community with the students and teachers so that they can have an overall positive experience.

Marie is definitely the best example of this and despite the fact that she isn't even a mother (i refuse to acknowledge the unborn baby in chapter 113, most of that chapter is a black stain in my memory that even bleach couldn't remove), she is easily the healthiest mother figure in the entire series. she actually cares about the students even though she was initially reluctant to be a teacher. she worries about their wellbeing, she talks to them about their problems, and overall she is the closest to that "idea" of a mother that keeps showing up. i think part of this is because she sort of realizes that she has this power of being a teacher and a death scythe, but also there are points where she realizes she can't be reckless because she has to be there for the students (thinking specifically about the tempest and how she knows she can't go back in there to save them). she leaves an impression on Crona and she's one of the few people they actually remember Medusa's second wave of experiments she does on them. Crona saw her as a good, supportive person and it continually haunts them that they betrayed her. it's the exact opposite relationship they have with Medusa; Marie is only kind and understanding to Crona when they expect betrayal and hatred, and Medusa is only cruel when all Crona needed was some sort of . . . well, anything healthy.

Stein is interesting to me because he's more of a fun uncle than a "father" in my eyes. he doesn't coddle his students and sometimes he's a bit harsh with them, but this is purely because he knows they can achieve things they don't realize they're capable of. by the end of the manga, he fully acknowledges that, wow, these kids are pretty good at all of this!!! and i taught them this shit!!! go kids!!! now, all of this being said, i do not think he could be a real, healthy father unless someone sucked out all the madness in his brain out with a straw. even with no madness, i doubt he'd want kids because he's got all these spunky students to supervise. this is also why i refuse to acknowledge the chapter 113 unborn baby, i think Stein would know he couldn't be a father and gave himself a vasectomy.

finally, i want to talk a bit about Sid. i wish so badly that the manga went into some more detail about him practically raising Black☆Star after the DWMA eliminated the Star clan. they don't treat each other like father and son, but it's clear that Sid at least cared enough to make sure he was raised and trained well. it makes the mission where Sid and Naigus go into the Arachnophobia lab to destroy the machine and Black☆Star shows up kind of more interesting since Sid's like "Whoever that student is, thank god they're here" and then he's like "Wait a damn minute, that's MY student." it's also nice to see when Sid's proud of him and whatnot. i just like this dynamic they have where it's like not fully familial, but they're more than just a mentor and mentee.

in an attempt to come to a final point, i that the DWMA really gives something to all these characters that they needed and lacked in their familial situations. sounds cheesy and it is, but i find it so nice that such a pleasant and supportive school structure is found in a universe in which people turn into weapons and fight horrors and the school is training all these kids to fight horrors. Maka gets to chase after these legendary stories she's heard about her mother, and becomes arguably more successful than her mother. Soul gets the chance to make his own path outside of the family name he's abandoned and also gets to reclaim his music along the way. Black☆Star and Tsubaki get to be this duo that allows them to kind of get out of these super old expectations of their bloodlines and by working together they get to subvert these expectations and prove people wrong about the type of people they want to be. Liz and Patty got to escape the shitty holes they'd been born into and actually be people they were proud of. Kid was able to actually understand other people, to an extent, and it made him capable of becoming the next death god. The actual human kindness that Crona was shown there is eventually what lets them sacrifice themself for everyone else since they know that it will bring good in the end. the students in Soul Eater may have some real shit parents, but the DWMA is apparently there to fill in the void of those parents.

thank you for joining me for another long af Soul Eater post. i think my next endeavor will be tackling how the manga timeline works, b/c it's pretty fucked up imo

[estinininininen]

*takes deep breath* first fanfiction posted online in nearly twenty years. Final Fantasy IV, i dunno how many words, probably around 2000? unbeta'd. just after the sealed cavern debacle. Cursing and referenced violence. Edge POV, but it's actually about Cecil, Kain, and Rydia:

-

Kain's betrayal has split them into pairs: Cecil and Rosa, and Edge and Rydia. They each stare at the others as if they have gone mad.

"He's not usually mean, or, or, or cruel like this! You've known him for long enough to see that!" Rosa says.

"I don't know him at all," Edge says. "Bastard always hid his eyes and never talked to us!"

"He was struggling against the spell," Cecil says. "He didn't mean to do this. I'm sure of it."

This pauses the argument, because Cecil is the only one sitting hunched over, resting to recover from blood loss. Edge stares down at him. He feels his face twisting with many emotions that will be obvious even behind the veil. Pity, anger, disbelief.

Quiet until now, Rydia pipes up. "He's not like you, Cecil. He's not good deep down."

Rosa turns away and does not try to hide or stop her tears. Cecil huffs at Rydia, for a moment almost like an indulgent parent unable to scold a child, instead of the focused holy warrior Edge has grown to rely on. Considering what little he knows of Cecil and Rydia, the thought of him patronizing her, on behalf of this Kain guy, for a moment it makes Edge want to - want to smack Cecil, or bundle Rydia in his cloak and take her away. Snatch that holy headband right of his pretty face and huck it in the lava.

There is some great sin hovering over him and Rydia, and also Kain, Edge knows. None have answered when Edge questioned what it is, what Cecil did to her, how Kain fit into it. Rosa deferred to them. Each said what amounted to, That's for the others to share when they're ready, and even if Edge weren't a ninja he'd know that was a desperate trick to hide from the problem. It was only a step removed from "Ask your mother," and then being told "Ask your father."

Edge had wanted to ask the Eidolons. He was going to, but then he saw how Queen Asura and King Leviathan looked down at the two Baron men, bowed low and motionless before them, far longer than necessary. He decided not to, and told himself it was for diplomatic reasons, not wanting to test the new connections between Eblan, Baron and the Summons. It was not because he was scared reopening that wound would get him or the two fools blown to bits. Not at all.

Into the puckered silence, Rydia says, "Well, he's not. Kain's not a good person. I haven't forgotten what he . . . what he said to you at Mist."

Cecil's head snaps up. "What?"

"He threatened you," Rydia said, whispering. Her eyes are looking at Cecil and also at some distant memory. "He threatened you, he told you to kill me, and it was before he was under Golbez' thrall."

Rosa turns back to them, jaw dropping. Edge is certain he's done the same, but he's a terrible politician and can't hold his face so he's not sure.

"I was seven," Rydia says. "I was a child, and you were the one who did the right thing, and Kain wasn't going to so, so I don't, I don't want to hurt you or Rosa but he is not a good person-"

"Rydia!" Cecil says. "Rydia, no, that's not right-"

"I had ears, Cecil," Rydia says. "I was seven but I could hear you." She curls her fists at her side. Rydia is not actually quick to anger, Edge realizes. All the bantering and frustration she has with the prince of Eblan is nothing compared to how furious she is now. She is just as quiet when ready to kill.

But Cecil is still going on. "That's not what happened. No. No!" He shakes his head. "He was threatening me," he says.

Total silence falls.

"He was threatening me," Cecil says, and hangs his head.

"What?" Rydia says.

"What?" Rosa says.

Cecil looks up, open his mouth, then checks himself, slaps his hand on the ground, and looks back down.

"Will someone please explain to me what the hell happened at Mist?" Edge says.

Rydia's brow furrows into little lines that even in the strange moment Edge can't help but find cute. He is not prepared for what Rydia says next. "Kain and Cecil killed my mum's Eidolon, which killed her," she says.

Edge looks toward Rosa, who does not seem surprised.

Cecil sighs. "We were ordered by Cagnazzo, pretending to be King Odin, to open the way to Mist and deliver a package. He ordered us not to open it until we arrived and presented it to the town leaders for all to see. It was a bomb ring, and Golbez must have been watching us for the moment to set it off."

Cecil is good at compartmentalizing and military summaries, but Edge see this is hard for him. He rocks backwards and looks up at the stone ceiling of the cave entrance. "The first blast ignited almost the whole town, and then living bomb monsters came out of the ring and began hunting down the survivors. Kain and I were safe in a small circle near the ring, but smoke was going to kill us if we stayed or tried to help anybody. So we ran."

Edge looks towards Rosa again. It is still knowledge she has heard before. Rydia's face is like glass, still and smooth but ready to shatter at a moment.

Cecil continues. "On the edge of the village we heard a girl crying next to a dead body. Bombs were still flying behind us, and people who left the town were chased down. I think the only reason Kain and I lived still was because of the ring protecting us from its effects - but I don't know. I will keep guesswork for later. The girl cried that her m, her moth-"

Cecil swallowed and lowered his face to wipe his eyes with one hand.

Rydia spoke. "I told you she died because someone had killed her summon."

Edge fears for a moment the paladin has cracked, because Cecil laughs. "Well, you were saying that to - to anyone who passed by, more like. It's really been ten years for you, hasn't it? Rydia, I'm sorry, it's not been so long for me, and I can still-"

"Keep it together, man," Edge says. He thinks this was the right thing to say, it's not right for Cecil to need comfort from Rydia, but Rydia's focus for the first time snaps to Edge and almost burns a hole right through his skull. He withdraws. Rosa sits down next to Cecil and puts her hand in his.

"Tell me what you mean by Kain threatened you," Rydia says.

Cecil says, "Kain said we needed to kill you. The king wanted you dead. And he drew his lance. That's what you remember?"

"Yes," Rydia whispers.

"I was between you and Kain. He was preparing to attack me if I listened to him and tried to hurt you."

Rosa gasps and says, "You wouldn't have done that, Kain knew that-"

Cecil cut her off. "No, he didn't know that. When it came down to it, I was a dark knight who had just come back from kill- . . . from murdering civilians in Mysidia and stealing their crystal. I had told Kain and everyone I saw in Baron that I felt it was wrong but I had still done it."

Cecil stops and Edge knows he is about to roll around in his guilt like a pig in mud, but the story is not done. Rydia cuts off Cecil's reverie. "You pushed Kain back," she says. "Away from me."

"I pushed Kain back and said I wouldn't hurt a child. Kain said that he thought I'd say that. I don't think you heard that. Kain's an ass, I'm not denying that, but he thinks quick. The fire was there, bombs were flying, and you seemed ready to bolt. If he wanted to save you, Rydia, he couldn't wait for me to figure out my loyalties. I had the bomb ring."

Rydia exhales through her nose. "And you hadn't realized yet this was what Cagnazzo intended."

"Until Kain said so. If I . . . if I had been alone and saved you . . . Well, I wouldn't have made it that far, Kain is the only reason I . . . but if I had been alone, and thought, halfway through returning to Baron, 'I can't come back with this child' . . . I'm not sure what I would have done . . . "

Edge snaps.

"You silver-haired bastard," he snarls. "You would have killed her?"

He will not forget Cecil's expression for a long time. "The king was the only father I had ever known," he says. "I didn't think I would ever kill people begging me to just leave, but I did. I already had. For him."

"You are fucked in the head," Edge says.

"Yes," Cecil says.

"I knew you were the dark knight that attacked Mysidia, but wow. And what, you think a different guy who says he's your father cancels out this shit? Wipes the slate clean?"

"No," Cecil says.

"Would you do whatever I asked if I said I was your father?" Edge says.

"Edge," Rydia says. "It's between me and Cecil."

Edge continues, because he can't stop the fire building behind his eyes, and if he doesn't speak it will come out as something even worse. "Holy dipshit," he says.

"Right," Cecil says.

"Edge!" Rydia says. "Shut up and leave him alone. This is the part I've worked out with him already. Numerous times. You're not my, my protector or whatever it is you're trying now," she says.

"What? You think that - that I'm trying to - ? That is the last thing on my mind," Edge says. "There's too much at stake, here, way more than I realized when I first met you lot, and it turns out the man I've been trusting, everyone's been trusting, to stop Golbez is an asshole who couldn't figure out it's wrong to kill a child without his even bigger asshole friend pointing it out?"

"Edge, you're not listening. He did figure it out," Rydia said. "Wait, no, I mean, he didn't really need to ask that question. Of course he didn't. He's Cecil. Have you met him? Haven't you noticed he gets upset if he has to kill a bug?"

Cecil opens his mouth to say something. Rosa hushes him.

Edge's calm center of ninja training is gone. He is gone. His parents are dead, Eblan is in ruins, and Golbez has all but won. He has found emotional limits he didn't know he had and smashed through them like a rampaging chocobo. He yells, "Well I am definitely not flirting with you just because I'm a little concerned! That the man! Who ruined your life! Is here and you don't seem to care-"

"He did ruin my life," Rydia says, as if talking to a child. "And then he saved it." Then she crossed her arms and stared Edge down.

"Rydi-" Cecil says.

"Cecil," Rosa says, in the tensest tone Edge has heard yet from the white mage. Edge sneers down at her. "Well I'm glad someone has him on a leash," he says, and turns to leave the sealed cave.

"Where are you going?" Cecil asks.

"Fuck you!" Edge says. He starts walking. But he feels, dripping at the back of his anger, something like beginning awareness he has . . . not overreacted, but overstepped some boundary with Rydia. He will not call it a "mistake," yet.

"Edge," Rydia calls out to him. "Don't go far."

-------------------------------------------

Rydia shakes her head after Edge leaves. "What a . . . What a baby. I don't know the word for it."

"He'll calm down," Rosa says. "I think."

They are silent for too long, and it is jarring when Rosa speaks again. "Do you want me to step outside?" she says. "If you two need to speak?"

Rydia looks at Cecil. "I don't think so, no," she says. "I love you, Rosa," she adds. It is Rydia's way to be open and calm with her feelings, and say them when they occur to her, more Eidolon than human in manners. Rosa is still startled enough that she doesn't say anything besides, "Oh, I uh, I love you too, Rydia."

The weight that Cecil always presses down on himself to move forward has come back. "We shouldn't spend too much time here. The wound has closed and the potion helped the bloodloss. I can recover on the Falcon now."

"Don't push yourself," Rosa says.

"We must tell King Giott. We have all but lost," he says.

"I can't believe that about Kain," Rydia says. "You really think that, that he decided he was going to fight you that quick?"

"Ah," Cecil says, as he shifts to stand up. He presses a hand to the wall. He feels much older than just turned twenty-one. In hindsight, Kain being ready to fling himself against Cecil at a moment's notice looks bad. His thoughts swim. He is not sure if he has improved Rydia's opinion of Kain at all now.

"I wish you had told me earlier," Rydia says. "I would have forgiven him, if he asked. And now he's gone . . ."

Dancing under the stones of their feet, deeper than the foundations of the earth, is the ever-present knowledge Rydia has not said the words "I forgive you" to Cecil yet. Or maybe that is just him. He hopes Rydia has not assumed he already knew if she does or not. He has not asked her.

After today he is not sure he can.

[shut-up-rabert]

This makes me so so soooo fucking angry I can’t be tamed. These people will fall to any level to make my religion look bad. Fucking shameless.

Now that some of my anger is out, lets get into this:

Shree Laxmi wasn’t given to gods, she isn’t a goddamn cattle animal like Kamdhenu, and the demons and gods respected her wishes as a supposed human being to choose either side. She chose devas, not because she was partial against the asuras, but because a) she’s the universal mother, she knows everything that goes on, including which side has bad intentions and which one will use her powers for the good, and b) she chose to be with her eternal Lover/Husband Shree Narayan, and since he was on the deva’s side (aka the good side), she was with them by default.

The fact that literal demons had more respect for her than our secular writer over here, *sigh*

The elixer was given to gods because it was to restore their powers? Like, you know, the ones that were taken away from them? Why the frick would the lord allow Demons to have elixir when he knows they don’t have any good intents? They are literally evil, and protecting against evil is like god’s whole job ffs🤦🏻‍♀️

Literally no one in Mahabharata except Shree Krishna is purely good, get that through your fucking thick skulls. That’s the entire point, you learn what you do from Ramayan and what not to do from Mahabharat. And the Hidamba Mata’s (aka the Danvi whose name you didn’t bother researching, great work 👍🏼) backstory is never discussed in detail, neither is Ghatotkach. For all you know, the pregnancy could have been hidden from him, atleast that’s what their first meeting shows. So if you plan on demonising sex, you proved no motive here.

“Ohh, Ravan never did anything wrong, bas kidnap hi to kiya tha akeli nari ka.” Is such a sad argument tbh, y’all literally see no issue with kidnapping and terrifying a women over your own sister’s lose character? What a shame. “He never touched her.” Social distancing se kidnap kiya tha kya bhenchod? He never touched her sexually you mean, not because he was a saint of a man, but because he was a verified rapist with a blue check. He had raped his own to be niece in law and was cursed by his nephew that raping another woman would lead to his death. He literally threatened to cook Devi Sita and eat her up if she didn’t submit. Another reason he didn’t touch her was because if he had touched her, It would be Jankiayan instead of Ramayan because she would fucking kill him before you all can blink.

“He humiliated her on more than one occasion” is a very sneaky way to say two occasions so that the number can be inflated, eh?

The first occasion: Calling her names so that she will submit herself to agni out of spite and emerge unharmed, which literally everyone condemned, including the loyal brother Lakshman who rebelled against his own brother (for whose wake he would pick up a sword against everyone , mind you) because he dared disrespect a woman like Maa Sita, and even Hanumanji who’s Shri Ram’s biggest, and I mean biggest devotee. Literally no one stood by Sita’s humiliation, and it was later revealed by Shri Ram that the act was staged by the him so that she can have an excuse to perform agni pravesh so that no lecherous person would dare point a finger at her in future. Even the shlokas say he did it so that no one would suspect his wife’s character. And before you say Shri Ram was “saving face”, one of his plus points as mentioned is that he doesn’t lie throughout the entire story, so think again. Y’all really think he spent the entire story worrying for her safety only to insult her in the end?

You think Seeta would have anyone humiliate her once and give them a chance for a second humiliation? Ohhh you dead wrong!

Second occasion: Shree Raghuvar sending Maa Sita to exile, which is a very infamously known interpolation denounced by many. So he only “insulted” her once and that too in a staged act. One of the shlokas he uses to coax his peers after agni pariksha is that a woman like her can never be denounced by him, and like I said, he never lies, sooo…… :P

Shree Ram decietfully killed Bali because Bali was a foe who could not be fought face to face? Do you even Know the story of Bali? Do you know he was such a bad guy he literally took his brother’s wife like she was property? Ugh, I can’t.

Guru Drona didn’t accept Eklavya not because he was “Tribal”, but because he had promised his loyalty to the Bharatvansh Clan. Had even Shree Krishna gone to him asking for training, he would have refused. Eklavya’s tribal background was never discussed in this context.

(Also sidenote to my followers but isn’t it funny how despite Eklavya having to lose his thumb Guru Drona’s boon to Arjun wasn’t fulfilled because he still couldn’t surpass Bhagwaan Ramchandra as the greatest bowman? Khaya piya kuchh nahi, paap sar chadhaya barah aana XD)

I mean, God really out to set a limit to hypocrisy now because the more I see these people the more I disagree with Modiji ki Hypocrisy ki seema hai. Agar hai bhi to ye namune kaise long jump krke laanhg rhe h unhe, oof.

[swordsmans]

• gyro [they/them] // late 20s •

ao3 // fic tag // bookbinding // ko-fi store

ficbinding commission info + form

#q -> queued posts

recent fics [all completed]:

poly philtatos (the most loved by far)

pairing: luffy/zoro

word count: 24,853

ao3 tags: temporary time-travel; spoilers through wano; it's all fine in the end i promise; it's about the Yearning and the Devotion

summary: zoro protects the crew (and his captain) and does not realize they'll go to the ends of the earth to protect him, too

ocean theology

pairing: luffy/zoro; asura/nika

word count: 40,493

ao3 tags: canon-compliant reincarnation; mild body horror (horns teeth claws); archive warnings for violence inflicted by the crew not on the crew; it's about the Yearning and the Devotion; hurt/comfort/comedy at a 30/60/10 ratio

summary: “Did you know?” he repeats, desperate, and Luffy just looks at him. And he wonders, then, how much of this has been preordained—how much of this is real, how much of this is him. How much of what he’s felt since they were wedged side-to-side in a shitty wooden boat on the East Blue has actually mattered, and how much has been the universe pressing him down into the mold of someone else's heart.

feed your plants a little sunlight [3*]

pairing: luffy/zoro; crew & zoro

word count: 4,224

ao3 tags: slice of life; whole-crew nakamaship

summary: Instead of napping, Zoro helps. It is his job, after all.

alleluia

pairing: crew & luffy

word count: 2,650

ao3 tags: religious imagery and symbolism; spoilers through wano; crew POV

summary: With the revelation that their Captain is a god, the crew worships.

how to talk without speaking [1*]

pairing: luffy & zoro & nami

word count: 6,898

ao3 tags: mild spoilers for wano; nakamaship; literacy and language headcanons

summary: In the beginning, Luffy does not know how to read. In the grand scheme of things, this does not matter.

the sea makes bones of bodies

pairing: luffy/zoro; nami/wanda (background); koala/sabo (background); deuce/ace (background)

word count: 87,732

ao3 tags: it's about the Yearning; Slow Burn; hurt/comfort/comedy at a 30/60/10 ratio; only one is a monster but they're both a little monstrous; alternate universe - mafia; alternate universe - merpeople; alternate universe - soulmates

summary: the self-indulgent "hitman/fight club champion/reincarnated moon god X merman/legendary sea monster/reincarnated sun god" AU that no one ask for.

bone-breaker ospreys mate for life [4*]

pairing: luffy/zoro

word count: 9,517

ao3 tags: explicit; porn with feelings; mild spoilers for wano; pre- AND post- timeskip; it's about the Yearning and the Devotion; as always

summary: The first time it happens, it’s mostly stupid—just like more than half of what they do, anyway.

wood is a living creature [2*]

pairing: luffy/zoro (implied); luffy & his ships

word count: 3,363

ao3 tags: going merry; the dinghy gets her own kind of klabautermann

summary: They keep her—history’s forgotten hero, the first great ship of the second Pirate King.

step 1: die [1*]

pairing: luffy/zoro (implied); zoro & sanji

word count: 11,344

ao3 tags: incorrect descriptions of poisoning and other medical inaccuracies; spoilers through wano act II; roronoa “self-sacrifice” zoro; big sanji emotions; angst and hurt/comfort

summary: After two years with Ivankov, Sanji knows something about Luffy that Zoro does not.

step 2: survive anyway [2*]

pairing: luffy/zoro

word count: 19,023

ao3 tags: incorrect descriptions of poisoning and other medical inaccuracies; spoilers through wano act I; roronoa “self-sacrifice” zoro; law's weird jar of blood; no one being normal about luffy; angst and hurt/comfort

summary: Even though he knows he’s a hypocrite for it, Zoro is so fucking tired of learning everything from everyone but Luffy.

the heart is just an organ

pairing: crew & chopper; crew & luffy

word count: 11,106

ao3 tags: nakamaship; emotional hurt/comfort; protective monkey d. luffy

summary: The crew comes into contact with a Devil Fruit ability that suppresses Zoan powers, and the world goes quiet.

current projects:

bury your albatross ch. 3

fanbinding

current events:

gear 5 zine (guest writer)

romance dawn trio zine (guest writer)

[autumnslance]

BLINDSIDED and HELPED for the meme!!

(Yes these are taking me awhile. I do not control the rate at which I respond to prompts. You'd think so, but you'd be wrong. *pokes OCs with a stick, gets slapped back*)

send HELPED for a scene from my muse's past in which someone helped / saved them

“I can’t use magic,” Aeryn whispered, the admission stinging. “I’ve tried and tried, and I know it’s there, but it just…won’t come.”

The old woman nodded. “Perhaps one day you will find out how to change that,” she said. “But there is more than magic.”

Aeryn couldn’t help wrinkling her nose.

The old woman chuckled. “Yes, all the platitudes and reassurances you’ve doubtless heard before—but also more than that. Aether is not the only way in which we interact with the world.”

“But aether is everything,” Aeryn answered.

The old woman chuckled. “Spoken like a well-taught academic. Well, my teachings are not those of a university curriculum.”

Aeryn watched and listened, a small frown on her face, head tilted in curiosity. There were those who said the old weaponmaster’s wife was a witch. She hadn’t given the rumors any thought, when her stepfather had arranged her instruction for her requested nameday gift.

The old woman smiled, reaching a hand out. “Tell me, dear, in all your many readings, what did you learn of akasa?”

—-

(This one got a little long, so going below the cut, BUT how about something from my Free Company’s FF16 AU "On Our Fates Alight"…)

send BLINDSIDED for a scene from my muse's past in which they were betrayed or shocked by what someone did

Everything was supposed to have been better, once Emelia brought her children to Thavnair.

Away from Coerthas, away from its never-ending war. Away from the Inquisition and the dragoons, away the betrayal of the village priest.

Away from the loss of her husband and home.

Instead, she stood in the opulent chambers of the Meghaduta, trying not to tremble in the face of divinity.

The great wyrm sighed heavily, pain in his motions. Her eyes flicked to the wounds and burns scarring his massive form. “Worry not,” he intoned, the words clear in her mind as much in her ears. “I shall heal.”

“I’m so…sorry,” she said, the word trite and absurd for the enormity of the situation. “I had no idea…”

Aeryn, so small and young, so timid now since the events in Coerthas, had panicked—and the Manusya Eikon of War, Asura, suddenly stood in her place, roaring in fury, light and fire and storm flashing with each of her many blades.

So Zaine, to protect his sister, had rushed forward, heedless of danger. And then in his place stood Daivadipa, the Mrga Eikon of War, drum rumbling, snakeheads hissing, as he met Asura in battle.

It had taken the island’s protector and true ruler, the Great Wyrm Vrtra of the First Brood, to stop them from leveling Vanaspati.

Her children were Dominants. Her children were Dominants.

Vrtra shook his head. “Thou has but recently returned to our shores, and while the Eikons often take time to manifest, thy recent struggles hath primed thy children to accept the gods’ favor.”

Favor. Not how they would say it in much of the world. Memories of the Inquisition, rumors of Garlean hunters, crowded her mind.

“What do I do?” she asked, voice small.

“The children must be guided, as well as guarded,” the wyrm answered. “They shall be my wards, and I will teach them to control the divinity within. To the rest of the world, they shall be under the care of the Satrap—those of Alzadaal’s line who maintain my secrecy. You understand you are now part of this secret.”

Emelia nodded, mouth dry. “I want to stay with them.”

“Of course,” Vrtra replied, a warm gentleness in his tone she had not expected. “I would not separate them from thee.” He looked away briefly in thought, and she could swear he was frowning. “Emelia, what dost thou know of Aeryn’s Eikon?”

She blinked. “Asura is the Goddess of War; not always well-regarded among our people, who ever strive for peace, under your all-seeing eye. She wields many blades, and has many faces, all aspects of why one fights in war—justice, vengeance, conquest…”

He nodded, stretching his torn wings with a groan. “I hath known many a Dominant of Asura in my time. Yet none have also wielded the power of dragons.”

“What do you mean?” 

“Asura drew not only upon her own power, but upon Aeryn’s own. The inherent qualities of her bloodline have affected this manifestation of the goddess.”

“What are you talking about?” Her voice came in a hoarse whisper, her heart hammering in her chest. What was happening to her baby?

Vrtra’s head hung low. “Many Coerthans carry within them part of my sister, Ratatoskr, betrayed by mortals a thousand years ago. And in the time since, those men call heretics have found ways to strengthen the dragon within, by consuming the blood and essence of other dragons, as their ancestors did her.”

Emelia stepped back, bile rising in her throat. “That’s not how I’ve heard the story,” she said. “They only speak of Nidhogg, and his rage. Regardless, my daughter is five—she’s no heretic, and we’ve never…eaten…a dragon!” The very idea was blasphemy, even if it wasn’t already disgusting.

“No, she hath not committed such a sin herself,” Vrtra agreed. “And yet I sense my sister’s daughter’s blood within her. Thou hast obviously not partaken. Which leaves—”

“No,” Emelia sobbed, clinging to herself.

They had said the old priest was a heretic, secretly corrupting others for decades. Corran had been one of the men in town to spend time with Father Comfraire. Corran had so often worked longer, later, than some of the others, with certain comrades. Strange behaviors, strange scents and stains, strange secrets she had never looked much into; she had her own harmless friendships and interests, didn’t she? She trusted her husband implicitly, why shouldn’t she?

Emelia had seen Asura’s red draconic face, in the place of fiery Vengeance. Heard the goddess cry out in the draconic language as she had slammed magics into the wyrm repeatedly as Daivadipa tried to wrestle her down.

Vrtra tried to continue to explain in his gentle, rumbling tone, but all Emelia could do was fall to her knees and scream.

--

(No I did not proof Vrtra's Elizabethan language maybe later when it goes on Ao3.)

[thekingofwinterblog]

There is one detail were I think I need a second opinion on:

So during the manga ending, there is that detail of supposedly Lord Death, with his "madness of order" being able to control everyone on earth - basically being able to solve all crime/evil things from happening.

The fact that he doesnt use this power is presented as a positive thing, basically an indirect way of answering the problem of evil with "actually God gives us free will and thats why evil happens, because denying us the free will would be more evil than anything else"

So ok, what is the sticking point to me? Well Lord Death was kinda hinted as being deeply flawed, and even his death at the end is framed as tragic but as the time necessary and a positive thing, a new generiation taking over creating a better wolrd, ect.

But isn't including such a huge revelation - a revelation that only makes sense with an All Good, kinda absolute God?

Basically, maybe I'm just looking for nitpicks, but to me these two things clash - like the story and Ohkubo couldnt decide between if Lord Death was holding the world back and needed to pass the torch or if he actually was the wacky all knowing force for good all along -

Like if instead it was revealed that Lord Death was pressured to make Kid be an automaton to avoid an Asura situation, but he refused because he didnt sucumb to the despair of failure and had hope in humanity and freedom, it could work as "wow Lord Death had past sins and couldnt steer the world into the future, but here is an action that proved that the flame of his vision was still good and know Kid will be his resurection, like that old NAS song"

Idk, maybe this is all just nonsense to normal people but to me its the best example of Soul Eaters (more the mangas) unwillingness to commit to the "Death is not all good thing" - like the whole WMD's parrelel and shit seems even more out of place and ironically as a way to say "well Bush made mistakes, but American imperialism is a good thing overall!"

(Ok i probably shouldnt have included "politics" here lol)

Anyway I think the anime in the end was better with its more simplistic worldview - cause atleat it didnt break itself - the shadyness of Death was worked into Kids isuess of trust and accepting that he isnt perfect and can place his trust in his partners and is more simmilar to his father in this way etc.

So yeah, if you are still reading and didnt delete it out of boredom, Im interested in a response, cause I'll admit I'm not sure about it 100 percent myself so if you go and say "Nah, thats wrong cause-" I'll probably open to listening

Eh, i'd say that you're looking at this from a wrong perspective.

Shinigami was a good, if very flawed individual, but the thing is that the reason why he could not lead the new age was not because be was flawed... It was because in chasing perfection, he made an error so great that he could never recover from it.

That error being the way he created his first son, not to create a successor, but instead as a byproduct of ripping his fear out of his own self in order to become a "better" God of order, a desciaion that had enormous consequences in that it laid the groundwork for the first Kishin, but also because it left him utterly incapable of feeling fear, and thus incapable of feeling bravery either, and drastically affecting his descision making.

As such, he was incapable of decisively defeating his son, and had to resort to sealing him away, something that also required him to stay in one place forever afterwards.

The school that he founded afterwards to replace his team of immensely powerfull warriors that Asura and Excalibur was a part of, came as a consequence of his own failures shattering that group, and with him no longer being able to move around, he couldn't even uphold his actual purpose in the world.

And thats withouth taking into account how much getting ridd of his own fear screwed him up as a person. Through the series, shinigami is utterly incapable of showing real, true fear, no matter how dire things get. All of his angry moments happens in the moment, as things are happening around him.

He was incapable of truly feeling any sense of urgency when Asura was about to escape, and only after he is free is he able to confront the very real consequences on an emotional level.

Similarily at the end of the series he isnt actually afraid of the witches betraying them despite thinking this is the likely outcome, but when he thinks they do, he flies off the handle to reveal just how much hate he truly has for them.

Hia philosophy debate with his son near the end of the anime is all about exploring how these two family members are unable to feel fear and by extention understand bravery.

Ultimately what Shinigami came to realise and finally accept, is that as a consequence of chasing utter perfection, he ironically made himself too fundamentally broken to lead the way, both as a person, and as a king/god who should be leading his organization by example, rather than being trapped in his city.

Fundamentally Shinigami was a good person... But by his own actions, while chasing perfection he crossed a line that he was never able to uncross. Very much like his son, he believed that if he was the strongest, withouth "flaws", he would be able to see his vision through. Only where Asura wanted to feel completely out of any possible danger, Shinigami wanted keep the word orderly and safe for the good people of the planet.

A good goal. But as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

[moonastrogirl]

Venus True Nature

Commander in chief of the Asuras

Credit @moonastrogirl

Venus is not only related to luxury goods or love. Venus (Shukra) is known as the commander in chief in the Vedas (original texts) and Venus had all the asuras (demons) under her command. Punishing them for the silliest misconduct and wanting a perfect behaviour from everyone. Venus made them all bow down to her command. Venus is ruthless and don’t let anything slide. Even Saturn (Shani) was under Venus’s command.

Venus is much more than luxury. Venus is about truth, respect and dignity. It’s about the best behaviours and the best intentions. And punishment of the worse behaviours and intentions.

Venus is about the quality of the people we surround ourselves with and the quality of our morals, values and behaviours

Venus bless those who have the best morals, values and behaviours in society. It’s not about looks. It’s not about materials. These are the consequences of a great conduct in society.

Those who have a dignified or strong Venus in their chart naturally exhibits those qualities. They are strong willed, don’t let anything slide and make people bow down to their will if they see inappropriate behaviours from someone. They are honest to a fault, they don’t hurt people but they also have a fighting spirit which will never back down from any confrontation if they deem appropriate to fight for something they believe in. These people are direct, they have dignity and have high standards for every aspect of their life.

Wanna strengthen your Venus ?

- Be kind, be honest, have values that align only with the best behaviours and intentions.

- Avoid lying and liars.

- Avoid scams and scammers.

- Be authentic and only wear authentic clothes.

- Avoid fake brands, fake people or faking anything for that matter.

- Be humble. Don’t boast.

- Stand up for your values and ideas.

- Go on the path of truth, kindness and vertu.

- Help the needy and even better if you can do charity work.

- Do not back down from anything you want to say, do or accomplish in life.

- Take care of your body : cater to yourself and show up in society as the best you can be.

-> Only when you have the best behaviour, attitude and mindset Venus will give you what you need cause you will deserve it.

One celebrity in her Venus Mahadasha and who is always honest to a fault and stand up for what she believes : Cardi B. But then she is punished and looked down by society for her agressive and ghetto nature. She has yet some work to do to match the high standards of her Venus in terms of behaviours. Regardless Venus is truly on her side in her career because of her honestly and fearlessness cause no matter what she does, she is still making hits and winning.

Tho her relationships might not be the best, she gotta avoid being in one. Her recent videos are showing us that Offset is not for her and he never was. Venus is punishing her now cause she was not the commander in chief of her love life and she also did some crazy things to men when she was a stripper so this is just karma. People also threw her drinks during her concerts. She is only receiving back the attitude and behaviours she herself exhibited at some point. Venus also gave her a music platform and money because she was the commander of her career. Venus gives and takes during its Mahadasha.

Credit @moonastrogirl