#also i know the dead don't quite go to the same place in norse mythology so sort of making stuff up here

[stygicniron]

lordlittlefool asked:

“You were totally going ballistic. It was so cool!” ((from the Miraculous Ladybug Season 1 Starters !!))

Ask Meme: Miraculous ! -- @lordlittlefool

"Yeah. Yeah, that was something," Nico says, hands on his knees as he braces himself, breath coming in short pants.

They'd almost been overwhelmed by a rush of einherjar, the undead warriors appearing one after the other with no end in sight in bursts of blue light. They'd been fighting one on one in the ruined streets of some Vanaheim city and Nico lost contact with the other fighters. And a terror seized his throat, the fear that he would die in a land so far from home, not even in the same world, that he unleashed, letting go on the power that he'd been holding back to pull the dead to himself.

And fortunately, or unfortunately, there was a lot of dead around. Responding to his command, the dead rose from their rest, spirits finding themselves called to fight an all to familiar target, and it helped to have a common enemy. The fight ended quickly after that, the dead repelling the oncoming force as Nico sunk to the ground, the enemy either died or fled.

"How much of it did you see?" he asks curiously.

[strangesthirdeye]

Under the root of Yggdrasil (Loki x fem! Reader)

Summary: Sometimes being able to see your loved ones from afar is good enough.

Warning: It's Loki who doesn't like him. Medium angst, Loki s2 ep 6 spoilers? Norse Mythology, acceptance, Loki needs a hug,

As usual, I'm sorry if there are any wrong sentences or typos or grammatical mistakes, please forgive me and again English is not my first language, so I try to improve my language and writing in this way.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Staring at the one spot makes all the views in the corners of your eyes blur as you only focus on one spot. Your mind is somewhere else while your fingers unconsciously fidget on Loki's broken tempad. It's been a few weeks since the temporal loom event.

Since Loki sacrificed himself to save the entire timeline even universe. He's not dead but his absence is enough to make one. The way he smiled in sadness and willingly to be a pillar of the tree of life and also the way he said 'I love you' for the last time to you made you enough to shed tears.

All the events are back to normal and like nothing happened, yet you feel empty without Loki's presence. Mobius? He is retired. B-15? she's also thinking of retiring. O. B? busy with everything. And you don't want to bother Casey as he seems quite busy too.

While Sylvie, she has returned to her universe and that was the last time you saw her. She is still in the phase of accepting the truth after witnessing Loki's action.

How about you? It is very difficult to accept the fact that Loki is no longer with you. But still, you have to keep moving and living as normal. Which is quite difficult because you are both attached hip to hip to each other. Never lost from each other. Always found one another.

But ever since the Temporal Loom problem everything changed as Loki suddenly or willingly saved the Timelines by 'sacrifice' himself. you? You just let out an anguished loud shout to tell Loki to stop. But, Loki ignores it hoping you all are safe.

It was very difficult at first after a few days after the whole TVA problem. After Loki became the main pillar of the tree. Everything reminds you of him.

Not once, but many times. You yourself can't ignore that feeling but the next thing you know you're staring at nothingness with your cheeks wet with tears. You miss him and worry about him at the same time. Which makes you wonder in your mind. What is he doing now? Is he lonely? is he okay? All those questions running around your head which make you more sad and worried.

You always think about his well-being. You wonder if he can see you now from the Yggdrasil tree. Seeing yourself who cannot accept the fact that he is 'gone'. After all those things you both went through. Is this the ending you both got? Away from each other. Lost a loved one? is that the ending you both get? Funny.

Sometimes, if you are too worried about him or miss him, you will go to TVA and to the place where the Yggdrasil tree is shown behind the glass of the room where you, Loki, Sylvie, Mobius, Victor, O. B and Cassie were before.

Staring at the tree for a long time as you make sure that he is not alone although you can't see him. The green glowing tree really reminds you of him. And you hope he is fine there. Sometimes, O. B will come to check up on some technology in the room and notice you in front of the glass mirror standing stiffly with your eyes looking at the tree. He gives you a sympathetic look even if you don't look at him but he knows you just want to make sure Loki is okay.

'You look sad, when you think he can't see you'. Ever heard? yup, that's what you've been going through all along. Thanks Molly Hooper.

But what you don't know is that Loki actually has the same feelings as you. Missing, worried and sad. He missed you, He worried about you and He was sad that he couldn't be with you.

But, he can't do anything. His duty is what he has to do to make sure all Timelines are under control.

He missed your touch, he missed your voice and he missed your smiles. And he can only see you from afar. And that was enough for him.

[elia-de-silentio]

The Importance of a Name

Names have always had a great importance in the world of Vanitas no Carte; what follows is a brief recap on the declinations of this concept in the manga, and its roots outside of it.

One of the first thing that we learn in the series is that vampires have three names. One is their regular name, with which are known to the rest of the world; one is their 'true name', inextricably tied to their lives and their sense of self; the third is the Malnomen, a warping of the true name that robs them of their identities and restrains.

True names and malnomens are composed of two parts: one who resembles an actual name, and one which acts as a description: 'He/She who does something'. Insofar we have seen only positive things in the true names and negative things in malnomen, but still, all the people Vanitas treated so far were overall okay people, only taking a villainous role because overwhelmed by the curse of the Blue Moon or because their goals contrasted with these of the heroes. Even people who didn't really like themselves had nice things in their true names (see: Chloé), so it does not necessarily reflects how the person feels about themselves; I'm curious to see what the true name of an actual villain, for example Ruthven, would be like.

Vanitas of the Blue Moon offers a new spin on the 'name' theme. They say they haven't found a name that satisfies them, which it's very interesting to say the least.

In the contest of Vanitas no Carte, like in the real world, a name is usually the very first thing that is given to you by your family; you're not the one who decides it, unless you're a writer using a pen name or a trans person changing their name to match the correct gender. But Vanitas only offers names other people call them by.

What would this mean? Did Vanitas not have parents? Or were they the ones who gave them such a name, and their child rejected it as soon as they was able to? Given that vanitas means 'emptiness/worthlessness' in Latin, if this is the case the parents were assholes and the child had every right to refuse it; even if it was the closest to one they gave to the kid.

Still, this could tie to the theory that Vanitas is Queen Faustina's sibling: Faustina derives from faustus, which means 'happy/lucky'. Talk about parental favoritism, if that is the case!

Moreover ... well, actually the very first thing that we learn about Vanitas of the Blue Moon ... is that they are the origin of malnomen, caused via their infamous books. As said above, they are shown teaching their wards about them, and the Books are described as 'analytical engines in form of books'. So ... they analyze the true name and find the most appropriate malnomen to give the poor victim?

Still, I find interesting that Vanitas, who has not found a name that satisfies them, goes around warping other people true names. More than vengeance, is it jealousy for people who have an established identity and don't have to live like outcasts? Even if Vanitas appears to have a true name, the one their successor invokes through the Mark of Possession: Luna, 'Blue Moon'. Noticeably, one of the few true names that does not describe an action that defines the person, but an external thing. Maybe that ties into Vanitas's uncertain identity?

Or maybe this isn't the whole truth. It has been confirmed that the actual cause of the recent cursebearers spread is actually the malnomen of Faustina, Naenia: she's constantly asking for other people's names, and that is when she isn't taking them by force. How she became a malnomen in the first place is not known, but still, it's interesting that the first vampire of the red moon does exactly what her unlucky blue counterpart is accused of.

Moreover, Naenia is tied to the parade of Charlatan, whose members wear masks: an element traditionally meaning the loss and substitution of identity, in the similar vein of the loss and substitution of a name.

And speaking about uncertain identities and names, here's one half of our protagonist duo. Whom, to avoid confusion with the previous Vanitas, we will nickname Mainagioia.

When he introduces himself, he explains that he inherited the name alongside the Book, like it works more like a title than an actual name. As for his birth name, it has never been revealed, and it is the cause of much speculation in the fandom. Mochizuki sure doesn't want to reveal it (yet): it was crossed out the only time someone called him by it!

Moreover, he is also somewhat used to forsake his name. When he was in Moreau's clutches, he was called by a number: probably the most well-known tactic of dehumanization out there. Moreau was, in his own way, doing something similar to malnomen: taking away the names of his prisoners and replace them with numbers, to declare them objects he had absolute control over.

After he was rescued, he went back to his old name for a while, then something big and mysterious happened, and now here he is, going by a name that was originally someone else's.

And now that we have seen how the 'name' theme is declined in the manga, let's take a look at its origins.

The belief in the power of names is extremely ancient. It was big in Ancient Egypt: has anyone heard of the myth of the goddess Isis who gained power about the king of the gods by tricking him into revealing her his true name? And in their Book of the Dead, they list the names of several guardians of the Netherworld, so that by speaking them the spirit is granted safe passage.

The Jewish religion and tradition is also big on this thing:  Adam was granted the privilege of naming all things in creation as a form of dominance towards them, Jacob was given the new name of Israel to signify his struggle to God and man. Kabbalistic tradition has Baal Shem, 'Masters of Names', mystics who employed the names of God and the angels, were able to perform healings, exorcisms, and other miracles.

In Norse mythology, if a dying person curses you by name, this curse is sure to be carried out.

Traditional Shinto has a whole branch of magic, called kotodama ('soul of language'), which presupposes that words can magically affect objects; of course, names are included.

Some Chinese Daoists traditions have talismans that depict true names, along with true forms, of demons and spirits that open a window in the metaphysical substance and immutable essence of things, and allow temporary control of the entity.

In folklore, especially of Northern Europe with the legends of the Fair Folk, true names have power, and knowing them allows control on their bearers (see the fairy tale of Rumpelstiltskin).

A lot of cultures, some of which never came in contact until quite recent times, share the same concept: names are inextricably tied to power. To give someone a name is giving them identity, something to answer by. Knowledge is power, and the most powerful thing you can know is the other's self.

Thanks to anyone who bothered to read my ramblings!

[nicoforlifetrue]

Summery:Dee Roman and Remus practicing a dead religion has some hiccups when it comes to history

Notices:

none of these are in any real timeline yet!

Yes the other sides are here

More then one person wrote this

There is a prologue! Read it here

The History Class Incident-

History was taught by Professor Thomas Sanders, he was a bright, cheery guy who never called Remus out for the 'juice' in his water bottle. He was a great guy by the standards of the three. That is, until the mythology course started. 

You see; Roman, Remus, and Dee hadn't yet told their roommates why they burned their food or why Remus was always inebriated or high. They hadn't said why Roman was so focused on appearance or why Dee's knee jerk reaction was to lie. Because all that was normal to them. It was how the three followed their respective patrons. But after the first day of mythology, the boys dragged their roommates out to meet the people they grew up with and rage over the inaccuracies of the course; expecting said roommates to rage with them. 

Dee had talked Virgil into going the entire way to the little coffee shop a friend of theirs worked at. The college student was seething the whole way there; you see the first unit in the course was Norse mythology and dear Professor Sanders had called Loki, his patron, the main villain of all things! Now Virgil, the good but anxiety ridden person he was, finally asked Dee what was wrong about halfway to the coffee shop. "Dude, what's your deal? Why are you so pissed?"

Dee sighed at that, rubbing his face before he stated, "You sat next to me in history; I know you heard what the professor said. He insulted the gods themselves and insinuated that Loki was a villain! That's why I'm pissed; he's a disrespectful cunt!"

Virgil laughed. "Dude, chill; he's just talking about an old religion. Like, sure, Loki is a cool superhero, but he's still pretty crazy in the myths."

Dee leveled his gaze at Virgil upon hearing that; disbelief written across his features. "Are you fucking with me? Please say you are; ‘cause if you aren't, I might have to kill you."

Virgil raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Oh really? Why are you taking it so seriously?"

"How are you not?" Dee snapped back before he sighed, trying to calm down. "I'm sorry I just- good gods and goddesses he called Loki a character, flattened his story's into two dimensional cluster fucks, left out all of the good Loki did; and all around disrespected him; thus disrespecting me and all other wards of Loki! I have no idea who your patron is but imagine if that happened to them. It physically sickens me just remembering that 'lesson', ugh."

"Wait wait wait," Virgil said, putting two and two together. "You take mythology seriously? Like it's actually your religion?"

Dee gave him a look. "Stop calling it a mythology and what; you don't? I always thought you followed Hades or Nyx," he hummed. "I grew up learning about the gods and goddesses, yes."

"Oh that's cool, I didn't know anyone still believed in that religion. I've no clue who my patron would be though," he said, laughing a bit.

"You don't?" Dee questioned before pausing and humming. "That actually explains some things…. But he's still a fucking cunt."

Roman, on the other hand, felt more betrayed; though not quite nearly as much as when he had watched Hercules. He knew what Loki meant to Dee, and to hear such a grossly incorrect retelling of the gods stories? It was devastating. And to hear not just that, but Loki being reduced to his greatest mistake and flattened into an evil villain? He was brokenhearted at the fact that his favorite teacher could be so ignorant and brash, to the point of calling Loki a character! Now Logan, despite his ineptitude with emotions could tell the class had upset Roman. So as at least a good acquaintance of the man he felt obligated to ask what was wrong.

"Roman? Why were you feeling upset in class?"

"How could I not be?!" he responded, throwing his hands up. "The professor grossly distorted one of Loki's stories and refused to tell any others! Instead he just honed in on his greatest mistake and made Loki seem like a Disney villain!” 

“I still don't see why you are getting angry over a retelling of a simple character's story."

Roman’s gaze flattened at that. 

Staring at his roommate angrily, "Logan. You did not just call Loki, the trickster God of Asgard, a character from some fictional work. If you did, may the gods and goddesses help you when Dee finds out."

"Gods and Goddesses are not real, they are simply imaginary characters people created to explain the causes of natural phenomena, they are useless now that we can define the world with science."

Roman stared at him dumbfounded. "Logan, my friend, blessed by Athena, unless you wish to end up being mauled by my brother; I suggest you change that perspective before he runs out of wine. And perhaps pay more respect to those higher than us mere mortals." 

Logan sighs. "You will not understand that one cannot praise something that is just a fictional character, so I will end this pointless conversation."

Roman rolled his eyes at that. "You’re going to be punished for ignoring the gods, you know."

And the last pair was Remus and Patton. Patton wasn't a fan of Remus, the only reason he was coming along was so the drunk didn't hurt himself.

 

"I just can't believe the guy!" 

"What?" 

"What do you mean, ‘what?’ He shit-talked the gods!" Remus huffed, well more like pouted. That statement basically ended the conversation.

The door to the cafe slammed open, an angry Dee storming in and over to their table. The other four were already there as Virgil trailed behind him. He slammed his palms against the table staring down at the wood, eyes full of fire.

"Fuck Professor Sanders."

Roman and Remus made noises of agreement as Dee sat down. "Who does he think he is! I mean, he's so clearly biased against trickster gods. Holy fucking Underworld!"

Roman nodded in agreement aggressively, and Remus kinda hummed as he took another sip of his drink. 

"I do not understand why you three are getting so riled up about what Professor Sanders said, he was merely telling the story of a mythological character." Logan said, monotone.

All three looked at him askance. "Because he retold it incorrectly, and refused to share any stories that would make my patron seem like he wasn't a complete shithead," Dee snapped; Roman frowning and Remus giggling drunkenly.

 

"Your 'patron' is a complete shithead, as you say, he wasn't a good person at all."

Dee stared at him at that "I'm sorry, did I hear you correctly? Did you, one, put air quotes around the word patron and then secondly, follow it up by calling my patron a villain?" His voice was cold and dead serious, angry to the point of pulling a Remus and ripping the next person who insulted Loki to shreds.

"Yes, I was speaking clearly, so unless you are deaf; you heard me correctly. Secondly, I did not call him a villian; you called him that."

Dee took a breath, then sighed. "Logan, you dumb fuck. How has Athena blessed you?" he stated, mostly to himself. "Ok, here. Think of it this way. Let's say someone explains something as simple as the water cycle in a grossly incorrect manner. Wouldn’t you be pissed?" 

"I would fix their falsehood and move on. Yes I would be mad, but I would be right and they would be wrong."

"Now think of it like that, but it’s fucking stuck with me because I was also personally insulted with this falsehood. It would be like someone explaining how colors work to you as if you’re five; but they do it so very incorrectly. That's why I'm pissed off, get it?"

"Yes, I'm now partly understanding, but how were you insulted by this 'falsehood'?"

"’Cause it's also a fundamental part of who I am," Dee responded blandly. "Loki being my patron shaped who I am today; and what I present and act like, being Loki's ward, has made me who I am. And to insult him? It's a personal attack on who I am as a person, as well as an attack on someone who I hold higher than myself." 

Logan places his hands on the table. "So let me get this straight, you hold Loki in the same esteem that, say, a Christian would hold God?"

"Kinda; unlike Christianity though my patron, though unlikely, might change. I don't know how but it can happen. But basically, yeah." 

Logan nods. "And Roman and Remus are the same?" 

"Different patrons, but yeah." Roman chimed in, Dee nodding.

"Big ego, loves his own appearance; Roman is your patron Aphrodite?" Logan asks.

"Got it in one, Teach!" 

"Teach?" Logan says confusedly. 

"You act like a teacher. So, Teach." Roman responded with a smirk; Dee chuckling, Remus watching him with his loopy tipsy-but-not-quite-drunk grin. 

"Thank you for explaining, Princey." Logan says holding back a smile

"Ooo! I like that one," Roman hummed; Remus's face scrunched up before he grinned.

"Can I be Dukey then?" Logan ignores that. 

Virgil, who had previously been quiet, snickered. "Sure, why not?"

Dee sighed, relaxing.

"Now I'm worried about what he'll do to the rest of our patrons, especially Aphrodite." Roman shook his head. "I might just file a complaint, at this rate."

"I mean, Aphrodite was a little bipolar in the stories. And no, Roman, I'm not insulting her." Logan said, trying to stop Roman from getting mad.

"Good," Roman huffed; Remus giggling again.

"Yeah, but with what the professor did to Loki; he'll turn her from bipolar to outright batshit crazy."

"Yeah; that's my job!" Remus cheered. 

"Wait, drunkenness, insanity…is your patron Dionysus?" Logan said.

"Bingo!" Remus responded.

"You could just offer to teach things the right way around, since you have first hand experience with the stories," Virgil offered calmly.

"They could; but wouldn't that be taken as slander to Professor Sanders’ teaching?" Logan said, pulling a Rubix cube out of his pocket.

"Yeah, most likely not worth the risk," Dee hummed with a sigh. "We'll just have to grit our teeth, and hope he doesn't damn us all by insulting the gods and goddesses too badly..."

"Yeah, oh! Why do you have the snake tattoo, Dee?"

Dee raised an eyebrow. "I like snakes, and they’re a sign of my patron; tattoos are also a sign of rebellion against higher ups, especially on the face and areas of high visibility, so..." he gestured at his tattoo. "I got one."

"We should get back to school."

"But we have the rest of the day off! Don't tell me you need to study that badly," Roman whined; Dee nodding.

"Nothing to stress over…"

"You can never be too behind on your work. Also, seeing how we have to do something about Loki, I would suggest you get it over and done with."

Dee groaned at that. "I'm going to put in the truth, not whatever nonsense the professor was spouting." 

That promptly started a 'discussion' on work ethics.

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