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elysiansparadise · 2 years

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Vesta: Your inner flame

⚶ Vesta asteroid [4] can show our talents, abilities and in which area of our life we should focus our energy or in which we usually focus our energy. Commitment and dedication, as well as the area of life or the aspects in which we focus our entire being. It is the area of your life in which you are willing to make sacrifices no matter what, in order to achieve the goal. In this post I will talk a little about the attributed talents. By sign I will speak of the way in which we do what we are most passionate about. By house, the area of our life in which we focus the most. ⚶

🟤Vesta in Aries: They are very passionate and active people who put all their energy when they have an idea in mind. The idea can arise spontaneously and as soon as they have it they can put it into action. They dislike doing things with a set routine and prefer to act creatively and figure things out on the go. They make their ideas actions and it bothers them to feel that they are only daydreaming about something instead of doing something. They may have a talent for a particular sport/physical activity, motivating themselves and others, and leadership. People with this placement are very focused once something captures their attention and they are quick to carry out an activity that they like. These natives dislike that others want to control how they do things or what they do, they stand out for their independence when it comes to carrying out a project of any kind.

🟫Vesta in 1st house: They are people who are very focused on learning more about themselves, getting to know each other from head to toe, and having a clear idea of who they are. They are true to themselves, they seek to stay productive and do what they want without caring much what others say. They put their energy in themselves, have a clear self-concept defined and they enter the journey towards that search for their true identity. They may have a talent for leadership, the ability to charisma, can help others find themselves and follow their own path and heart. They are focused on achieving independence, expressing themselves in an uninhibited way, and distancing themselves from the opinion or expectations of others.

🟤Vesta in Taurus: They are people who take their time to do things, they find it difficult to focus at first, but once they do, they are persevering, constant and determined to complete that activity or task. For them, achieving security, stability and comfort is the goal. They may have skills and talents for activities that require concentration and the use of their hands, such as drawing, crafts, pottery, painting, or playing an instrument. It usually takes some time before they decide to start bringing an idea to life, for fear that they won't be able to do their idea as they have it. Working on things they like makes them feel better about themselves, and when they finish something satisfactorily they feel a boost in their self-esteem. They may have a talent for handling money, for some art or as I mentioned previously, in an activity that has to do with the hands.

🟫Vesta in 2nd house: Some of the talents they may have are singing, for organization, investing [or for business related topics] and looking for creative ways to earn money. They are people who work daily on their self-esteem and know that hard work will lead them to have the economic stability they desire. They stand out for their loyalty and for that way of, even without realizing it, giving a lot of security to those they love. They do not go into projects, jobs or work on ideas that they know have no purpose, they like the tangible and the real. They protect what they have worked hard to achieve and are very focused on improving what they already have. They like to know that they have a safe place and always seek to do what makes them feel happy and more complete.

🟤Vesta in Gemini: They can have multiple ideas at the same time, their mental energy is high and they tend to be very productive and restless intellectually. They prefer to use their reason over their hearts when it comes to making an important decision, as they can be very objective. They are great communicators and highly capable, have a unique ability to verbalize their ideas, are resourceful, creative, and perform wonderfully when it comes to teamwork. They do not have a defined style of work, they can alternate between being spontaneous or organized. They may have many interests in mind, making it difficult for them to stick with one in particular. Multi-talented, they may have skills in many different fields. Great ability to connect people. They can get a lot of happiness if they make their hobby a job or vice versa. Talented writers or speakers.

🟫Vesta in 3rd house: Passionate about learning, they love learning about new ideas and concepts and are easy to understand. Great talents to learn new things quickly, talent for writing, public speaking and everything that involves communicating effectively. Their mind is restless, but that allows them to be able to focus on many things at once, that is, they run the risk of being easily distracted. They can be socially skilled, but they need some alone time afterwards, their alone time is something they enjoy doing many different activities. They can be passionate about reading and they can always have something to read on hand [books, notes, or internet articles]. They can help others by contributing unique ideas, as they are very creative.

🟤Vesta in Cancer: They tend to put their whole heart when it comes to doing something they are passionate about, they are tenacious and get a lot of emotional comfort when they do what they love the most. Their hobbies can be their safe place and can bring them a lot of satisfaction. They may have a talent for psychology, cooking and some arts, as they capture emotions in a satisfactory way. They take their emotions and those of others very seriously, plus they have a very special way of understanding other people's needs with ease. They highly value their space and may feel more comfortable and more creative when alone. Some of them can see their performance affected when they are not emotionally well, they can even take a break, because they want to be one hundred to dedicate themselves consciously and totally. They deeply care about the well-being of those they love.

🟫Vesta in 4th house: Their family is very important to them, and not necessarily the biological one, but the people they consider family (friends for example), they are very devoted to people who feel a very strong emotional bond. It is important for them to understand their own emotions and the emotions of those they love. They spend a lot of time doing activities that make their inner child feel happy, perhaps doing things they enjoyed doing as children or eating things that remind them of their childhood. They are very protective people with children or people they perceive as vulnerable. They may have a talent for making others feel comfortable and happy, dealing with children, cooking, or writing. They focus on healing their inner child.

🟤Vesta in Leo: These natives are highly creative and very spontaneous when it comes to getting going when doing something. The gratitude of others upon noticing the native's good deeds can greatly motivate them, they can get annoyed if they feel that others don’t appreciate them, their efforts or if others don’t give as much energy in the matter / work / relationship as them. They will always look for the key to happiness and they will do many activities to feel happy. They put a lot of energy into feeling satisfied with themselves and with what they do. They feel the need to do things their way and although authority doesn't bother them, it is more that they need to feel that they can express themselves through doing what they are passionate about. This placement can give charisma and the power to stand out doing what the person is most passionate about.

🟫Vesta in 5th house: These people put their all into it when it comes to their hobbies, they may excel at more than one activity and have many artistic interests. Usually seen as multi-talented, passionate, as well as very good at whatever it is they do. To be efficient and work excellently, it is necessary for them to really enjoy what they are doing, so it is recommended that they look for jobs or study things that they are really passionate about. In case they decide to be parents, they will be excellent and they will put all their attention and care in seeing their children grow and love unconditionally. Very devoted people in love and at first they can be somewhat shy/it can be difficult for them to open up, but they can be very understanding lovers and willing to support their partner.

🟤Vesta in Virgo: Regardless of other traits of their personality, if they are really interested in or passionate about something, they can be very perfectionists and demanding of themselves, they will always want to give their best in everything related to what they are passionate about. They will seek to be the best version of themselves and feel competent to perform whatever they like. Despite this and how independent they may seem, they will not hesitate to lend a hand if the other needs it. They give themselves body and soul to causes they feel worthwhile and like to feel useful and productive. This is a very productive placement of Vesta, as it feels comfortable in this sign. They prefer to work in a quiet place, in order and efficiently, noise or very chaotic environments can stress them out. They are capable of giving absolutely everything if the situation requires it. Silently passionate.

🟫Vesta in 6th house: They like to be there for others and support them. They probably have a job that they are truly passionate about or at the very least, it is important for them to work on something that they genuinely love. They may have a gift for understanding and caring for animals and may like them very much. Talent for design, organization, healing and understanding of complex ideas. It's crucial for them to do a great job, otherwise they don't feel good about themselves. They take great care of their body and their health, for them there is nothing more important than their emotional and physical well-being. They are very detailed when it comes to doing something, they put a lot of time and effort.

🟤Vesta in Libra: It is necessary for them to function in places with harmony and peace, tense and angry environments can make them nervous and deteriorate their performance. They actively work to have an internal balance and seek to find that middle ground between channeling their energy into themselves and others. They are people with a talent for relating to different types of people, a talent for any branch of art and for giving beauty to anything. They take their relationships seriously, are highly committed, and expect that same level of devotion from the other person. They may prefer to work together or make their work space aesthetically pleasing, for example, by decorating their surroundings. They are passionate, but they do not go out of their way or work more than is considered healthy for them, they prioritize their well-being and comfort. Perceived as elegant without trying.

🟫Vesta in 7th house: They have a great ability to understand the other very well, great diplomacy, charisma and talents to mediate any type of situation. They are somewhat selective with whom they leave within their closest circle, but they like to give their all in their relationships of any kind, especially those in which they see themselves in the long term. They work to maintain harmony and make both the other person and themselves feel comfortable in the relationship. If problems arise, they will seek to resolve them effectively. They do a lot of introspection and are able to see all sides of themselves even if it might be difficult. It is important for natives to create a balance between what they give and what they receive.

🟤Vesta in Scorpio: They give their all when they are passionate about something, giving 200% in everything they consider important. They are private when they have plans, projects or passions and they only confide them with people they really trust. They may prefer to undertake ideas or projects on their own, especially if they are very personal or significant to them. One of the most loyal placements of Vesta, they respect privacy and constantly care for their relationships. Passionate, they immerse themselves in their passions, falling into the risk of distancing themselves from other issues in their lives or not giving them the indicated attention. Talent for spiritual matters, especially healing people or for the tarot. Highly developed intuition. Much wisdom. They are very sexual people who are not afraid of touching topics of this nature, intense and attentive lovers.

🟫Vesta in 8th house: They are fascinated by topics that others do not dare to touch or explore, mysteries can attract a lot of attention. Criminology, psychology, occultism, spirituality or sexology. They possess great curiosity and may not rest until they know the truth. These people consciously or subconsciously seek emotional intensity. As for sex, they tend to seek a deeper connection with their partners and enjoy the idea of knowing and stimulating every corner of their beloved's body. They may have a more spiritual vision of death, believe in reincarnation or beliefs of that nature. They are aware that death is something we will all go through, so they may have the idea of wanting to enjoy themselves without inhibition.

🟤Vesta in Sagittarius: It is easy for them to feel motivated to start a project, do what they are passionate about or make their ideas a reality, the complicated thing can be to finish the action. They are very enthusiastic and creative people when it comes to doing what they like, no matter how serious they are in their day to day, you will see that sparkle in their eyes when they talk about what they like or when they do their favorite activity. They focus on acquiring more knowledge, more wisdom, on their dreams and ideas and on enjoying life. They may have a talent for learning new languages, generally for learning many things quickly, for teaching and for motivating people. They are people very devoted to their ideologies and with a strong sense of what is right. They enjoy learning about and experiencing new things and stand out for being open minded.

🟫Vesta in 9th house: Many of these natives feel a desire and an itch to learn about the complex issues of life, to see beyond what the school or their parents may have told them, to search for a deeper meaning or a reason for what happens to them. around. They may have skills in the humanities, learning new languages, debating, and teaching others. They may have an interest in the law and may fall under the label of a knowledgeable and curious person. They love all those activities that allow them to continue acquiring knowledge. They may love to travel or experience different cultures. They like to continue acquiring wisdom and spirituality can be very important to them, they will be very devoted to their beliefs.

🟤Vesta in Capricorn: It is crucial for these natives to be in a calm environment to feel completely comfortable, ironically they project to others the ability to work efficiently regardless of the chaos of the place. They are very constant and if they consider that something can augur something stable and f they see a purpose, they will give absolutely everything. Another Vesta placement commonly attributed to loyalty. These people are very hard workers, if you have a lot of tense aspects, especially Moon or Saturn, they don't let their emotional upset get in the way and can suppress their emotions in order to do what they have to do. Talents for organization, planning, strategy, they have a privileged analytical mind. They resist temptations easily, have great abilities to concentrate and to make people under their charge complete a task successfully. They give stability to others.

🟫Vesta in 10th house: For these people it is crucial to do something to get what they want, they like to feel productive and have a rational approach to their passions. They believe in hard work, especially if they are looking for a reward. They put a lot of their energy into things that can be useful to them in the long term, they like to play it safe and fight for things or people that are really worthwhile for them, because they don't waste their time or energy. High chances of working on something they really like. They can help many people through their work, or throughout life they can help many even without realizing it. Skills to bring comfort to people, leadership and to organize and put order in any chaos.

🟤Vesta in Aquarius: They like the idea of doing things their own way and are often drawn to activities that allow them to express themselves freely and at the same time do not make them feel as pressured. They can work just as well in a team as on their own, but may prefer to do things independently. They may have a talent for astrology, branches of science, or anything related to the humanities. They tend to do things with their own rules and do not like to follow a scheme, a plan or an order, as there is a tendency to get carried away when it comes to following a passion. They may have writing, computer, or digital art skills. They have this spark that allows them to unite people, they have a certain social charm. They are always willing to help others, and although they are not quick to trust, their friendly and charming personality makes them make favorable impressions on others.

🟫Vesta in 11th house: They are people with many aspirations and long-term goals, they actively work on them. They stand out for their creativity and ability to come out with innovative and intriguing ideas. Friendship is something that they value with all their soul and they will always try to be there for who their friends are, they can play the role of counselor and they will have an attentive and caring personality towards them. They are very compassionate with people and they like to unconditionally support causes that need it, they can give them a lot of support through social networks or by spreading the word. They may spend a lot of time on the internet and may have hobbies or a job that allows them to connect with many through it.

🟤Vesta in Pisces: These natives can lose track of time and what is happening around them, because they immerse themselves entirely in topics that they are really passionate about, they put their soul, all their attention and all their emotions into it. Actively seek to make the world a better place. They empathize with others and love the idea of helping others overcome difficult situations. They devote themselves to the task of supporting those they consider vulnerable or offering their support and understanding to those who love. A remarkable talent for art and spirituality, it is difficult for them to express their emotions but they do so in a remarkable way through these media. Easy to connect with the emotions and psyche of other people. Unique ability to heal the discomfort or sadness of others, great listeners and excellent counselors. Focus a lot on dreams and have a rich imagination.

🟫Vesta in 12th house: They are passionate about what is not easily perceptible by others, what goes beyond, what each person keeps in their heart, spirituality, the deep meanings of life, art or music they listen to, the root of social problems and their own emotional problems. Major healing placement of Vesta, a comforting person who knows how to understand and guide people. Great wisdom, altruistic and sensitive to their peers. They work hard when it comes to their dreams, they are very creative people with an interesting inner world and a mind full of complex and fascinating ideas. Interest in introspection and a need to constantly analyze their past and the things that have happened in order to understand themselves better.

🟫Vesta aspecting the Sun: These people are very devoted to things they are passionate about, have a loyal personality, and are very reliable and trustworthy. For them it is important to work on themselves, be it improving themselves, getting to know themselves better or developing their individuality. They may seem shy or focused on their own matters at first, as they don't really mind being on their own. They are very creative people and can tend to put a bit of themselves, a piece of their soul into everything they do.

🟫Vesta aspecting the Moon: These people need good environments, harmony both in their surroundings and emotionally to be able to concentrate. Emotions can direct the outcome of their actions and level their productivity. Unique way of understanding both their own emotions and those of others. These aspects show us someone who is very devoted, loyal and attentive to their personal relationships. Constant and balanced emotional world.

🟫Vesta aspecting Mercury: These aspects give a brilliant mind, full of ideas and always seems to be active, sometimes too much. They love to share their ideas with others and that others do the same. These people become very devoted to learning, either always trying to be good students or keep learning about various subjects that interest them. Tense aspects may indicate that the native is easily distracted.

🟫Vesta aspecting Venus: They can have many artistic talents, a lot of charisma when it comes to relating to others and even skills in managing finances. Honesty and transparency are crucial for them in a relationship. Very loyal in their relationships and always work to make them better. Tense aspects can cause the native to alternate between wanting a relationship and not wanting it, so they think better if they open up to having a relationship. They respect their space and their partner’s without forgetting to seek the relationship.

🟫Vesta aspecting Mars: They have excellent abilities to focus their energy in a healthy and constant way on their goals or actions, they are very energetic when it comes to doing things they like. Sex for them is important, but it isn’t something they feel they can have with just anyone, because they want it to mean something deeper for them. They may work hard or keep busy to cope with inner tension or anger. Very good at working under pressure.

🟫Vesta aspecting Jupiter: They possess much inner wisdom and have a natural attraction to the complex and spiritual issues of life. They can be very lucky if they decide to work on things related to their passions. Talent to learn languages and easy to connect with people from other cultures. Very devoted people to the idea of always doing the right thing, fair and considerate of people. Good karma may come quickly to them.

🟫Vesta aspecting Saturn: They are very persevering, constant and responsible people once they commit to something or someone. They can be very perfectionists with themselves, because they want to do their best and be the best version of themselves. They may take time to do things, but the results promise to be very good. May have a hard time starting some things for fear of not being prepared or not having enough skill or knowledge.

🟫Vesta aspecting Uranus: Need to put their own touch on everything they are passionate about, may prefer to work independently and feel inspired suddenly and when they least expect it. Difficulty concentrating on just one subject, tendency to multitask and be easily distracted. May procrastinate, especially with hard aspects. Difficulty focusing on day to day activities. They do not like to be ordinary, nor the routine.

🟫Vesta aspecting Neptune: They tend to be artistic people with a lot of potential in this area, in the same way they can have a great spiritual world and be very devoted to their beliefs. They are people with a lot of compassion who believe that by contributing their grain of sand they can help improve the world. They have high emotional intelligence and easily understand others. They put a piece of their soul into everything they do.

🟫Vesta aspecting Pluto: They keep their passions private, but feel more joy and satisfaction when they put one of them into practice. They have a lot of inner power, they can influence, change or transform others/their minds through doing what they are passionate about. Very sexual despite the impression they may give, sex is a memorable experience with them. May have an interest in the occult, mysteries, astrology, tarot or similar topics.

🟫Vesta aspecting Rising: With a loyal, constant and productive personality, they always seem to be on the go or with something in progress. They are passionate about the idea of knowing themselves more and more, they can seek to know everything about themselves and have a realistic and positive self-concept. Independence is something crucial for them, they need their space. They have a strong sense of identity, not easily influenced.

🟫Vesta aspecting Midheaven: They can be seen as very reserved people, there is a touch of purity mixed with confidence and certainty of where they want to go. They give the impression of being very productive and professional. They give their all when it comes to their career, they are hard workers and can make a job out of their passion. They are very productive and prefer to believe in making their own miracles happen.

🟫Vesta aspecting North Node: They live in the constant search for their life purpose, this may be linked to work or dedicate themselves to what they are most passionate about, either professionally or as a hobby. Their mission in life is related to forming a hard-working, devoted personality. They can achieve great things doing what they are passionate about. Helping others also seems to be an important issue in their soul development.

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loveemagicpeace · 9 months

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🌙☁️Astrology Life 🎸🍀

🌙The Ascendant, chart ruler, Sun, and Moon are important factors in your life. Ascendant and chart ruler- because they define your self-image and worldview, your heroic purpose (Sun), and your inner "soul life" (Moon).

💫An unaspected planet plays a key role too. It represents an inner drive that the person may find difficult to connect to or feel in control of.

🦋Home and family are ur 4th house. It represents the part of your life where you find your safe place and where you feel you belong. When u have Uranus in the 4th u seek freedom and change, but with Saturn (particularly in sensible Capricorn) seeks to feel grounded and safe. And then if you have IC in Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter in the 9th, it is no wonder that somehow u desire to live abroad - but at times this may leave you feeling like a stranger, cut off from your roots (Uranus in 4th).

💘About relationships

If you have stellium in libra ->Relationships of all kinds are likely to be a consistent theme. And if you have descendant ruler in taurus this mean that this house is ruled by venus you might reach for a peaceful, loving, and affectionate relationship. But when you have venus aspects to independent Uranus you will always feel that you need freedom or something unique.

🌌North node and your purpose in life. If you have your north node in 3rd house you are meant to do something related to your communication skills. To share your thoughts with others. If you have north node in 5th house being creative, finding fun and being forever young is your purpose in this life. If you have north node in 8th house it means that in life you will always follow something deeper, mysterious. It will be important for you to find people and a partner whom you can trust and surrender to completely. Doing something related to astrology, psychology will bring you a lot of joy. If you have north node in aries it means that a large part of your life will be energy and focus on you. If you have north node in pisces your focus will always be on something that is more unknown, spiritual, isolated but also artistic.

🩵How u see yourself is your 1st house and how u see others is your 7th house. The Ascendant and the 1st house - also represent new chapters. And how you deal with them. With a Virgo Ascendant for instance, there might be a degree of anxiety about how things will unfold and a good strategy would be to make sure you have all the details of your new journey organized well ahead of time. By contrast, if you have a Pisces Ascendant, each new phase begins with an inner vision, to which you might need to hold fast until dry land appears. With Capricorn Ascendant you like to change things and jump into something, but you always think before taking a step. With Cancer Ascendant may be more difficult to accept something new and go outside the comfort zone.

🎸Jupiter is our place of vision and inspiration, our style of keeping the faith. Understanding your Jupiter allows you to manage risk in your own way. If your Jupiter is in Aries, faith is boldly expressed, which probably makes you a confident decision-maker. If your Jupiter is in Aquarius you will always think outside the box. Your faith will be in things that are more unique and in which not everyone believes.

🔥Fire offers natural buoyancy and the higher the fire content in your chart, the stronger your faith is likely to be that, no matter what the situation, you believe that somehow it will all be fine. If you lack fire though, the elements that are strongly represented will flow in to do the job.

🌬️Air If you have no fire but several planets in air, you might tackle the unknown by trying to articulate it - talk about it, mind-map it, write lists and plans of what you are going to do. If you don't have a lot of air, then you won't think or communicate as much.

🏔️With lots of planets in earth you might only feel safe with a contingency plan in place - you deal with uncertainty through savings plans and a good insurance policy. If you don’t have a lot of earth, then you will not be so practical and you will have a harder time dealing with reality.

🌊With several planets in water, uncertainty might centre around times of emotional crisis - having a good support network of friends and family makes all the difference. If you don’t have water, you will not be a very emotional person.

🧊Everyone deals with stress differently. It is usually shown through Mars (because it represents our energy). Scorpio mars may feel stressed when they are exposed too much or their privacy is threatened. Taurus feeling rushed can bring anxiety. Sagittarius stress comes from having to fit yourself into a pre-set plan. Pisces when they are surrounded by people they don't know or in a big crowd.

🥊Choosing a hobby or a sport is 5th house & mars. Both represent energy, joy, movement, work on yourself, enjoyment. For ex.: Saturn perhaps mountain-cimbing can be your thing. Mercury something related to mentality, social games. Neptune you might enjoy swimming, take photos. Venus makeup, clothes, listening to music. If you have mercury aspects with venus you can be good at writing.

🍀In friendships or when it comes to creating bond with people. It is your venus sign. Venus in Aquarius your friend group might be based on a belief of giving equal value to all. Your relationship will also be more friendly. Venus in Sagittarius your friendship it will be based on energy, interests and how fun and lively you will feel. Relationship will require a lot of passion, directness and sincerity. Venus in Leo they might not fully appreciate your tendency to treat everyone the same and begin to doubt your loyalty. They want relationship that have passion, loyalty.

🌴Fire signs tend to seek fun and adventure with friends. 🦦Air signs prefer intellectual and social connection. 🫧Water signs seek an emotional type of bond. 🫐Earth signs often conduct relationships at a slower pace than other signs.

🪐Saturn shows what you can achieve and in what way. It also shows where you look for respect and professionalism. It also shows where you perform best under pressure. Where is your concentration best. For ex.: Saturn in 1st house your energy is generally very calm. You have a very good reaction to everything that happens, and many times you are also calm. Saturn in 7th house you work very well in the courts and can keep your blood calm. You have a lot of patience in your relationship. Saturn in 8th house you work very well when it comes to things that are hidden, illegal or financial. Keeping a secret or doing something in secret is very easy for you. Saturn in 3rd house works very well in exams, driving a car, you can keep your mind very calm and you get concentration quickly.

💿Sun & 10th house show how you should shine and in what way. Sun is how u find light and inspiration. It shows your creativity and personality. 10th house shows career, public identity, what you can give to the world, authority. So having Sun in 9th house & MC in Scorpio means that you can teach people a lot and that you can give people a new perspective on the world with your deep view. People can learn a lot from you and see you as a powerful person. You can know a lot about life itself, places, theories, facts.

🏹How you experience the world, the invisibility of the world, spirituality, how creative your thoughts are is your 12th house. Having Sagittarius in 12th house -can mean that you see the world through imagination, illusion, dreaminess. They are interested in these things that are not seen on the outside. U like places that look like a dream and that have a soul.

☁️Imagine a place you really enjoy and find everything you've always wanted. You live exactly the way you wanted. And this place, thing, person or life that you imagine is represented by your 12th house and Neptune. In order to feel fulfilled in yourself, you should really live according to the sign, planets we have in the 12th house. For ex.: mars in 12th house in sagittarius -you should always live in such a way that you find optimism, light and happiness wherever you go and where you are. Always do something that makes your subconscious happy and gives you energy. A place which is beautiful, spiritual, by the ocean. Live in the moment. Leo in 12th house you should always live in a way that makes your inner child happy. Live to make a memory. Capricorn in 12th house you should live in such a way that you will always feel strong, successful and proud. Taurus in 12th house you should always live with music and carry it with you. Libra in 12th house you should always live with harmony, beauty forget about others and find beauty in yourself.

✨Ig-bekylibra✨

-Rebekah🎸🌙🏹

#astrology #energy #zodiac signs #planets #my notes #astrological houses #birth chart #moon #astrology observations #inspiration

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godspeedviper · 4 months

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How the Therapists Handle your Suspicions - Headcanons

𖤐 SFW || TW: mentions of psychiatric hospitalization

𖤐 Requested by @cthulhu-cat : Can I please get headcanons of the psychiatrists with someone who has distrust of mental health workers? (i.e. "If I'm honest, I might get committed." "They wouldn't understand." "They'd look down on me if I admitted this.")

Dr Jonathan Crane (Scarecrow)

It's the "hard" patients he likes the most. Jonathan Crane has always been up for a challenge, but what he really enjoys is the fear. He knows how to read fear in its many expressions; as standoffish behavior, as shyness, as body language and tone.

As soon as he identifies his patient's expression of fear he switches tactics. Watching him transform his entire demeanor in a matter of seconds only intensifies the fear and anxiety you feel sitting in front of him.

"Do you know what fear is, child?" It's his favorite question to ask. "A relinquishing of power. Fear is your mind telling your body to surrender. Now, are you gonna let me have all the decision making power over you, or are you going to give me something to work with?"

While his methods may be a bit harsh, they are ultimately effective. Over time he teaches you how to tackle that fear head on, how to use that emotional energy to your advantage, and ultimately how to see it in others. You're his best pupil, he tells you. He's very proud of the person you become when you bend fear to your will the same way he does.

Dr Hannibal Lecter (NBC)

Unlike Dr. Crane, Hannibal approaches apprehensive patients with a more gentle approach. He makes sure to give you a few sessions just to bond and get to know each other better before you opened up about why you're really here.

Sometimes he will offer you tea and make sessions feel more like a friendly invite. However, this doesn't mean he goes easy on you either. Hannibal seems to have bizarre skill that allows him to sense when you need some interrogation, and when you would otherwise shut down if pushed.

"Do they need to understand?" he questions you. "One does not need to understand someone in order to have sympathy for them. Anyone can see that you're suffering, so it's understandable to act up under such pressure. People can be more accepting than you initially believe."

He gives you the courage to explore vulnerability, and learn to let your guard down. Over time you come to think of him almost as a close friend. There's an inherent intimacy in Hannibal's office, he cultivates that feeling with ease.

Dr Harleen Quinzel (Harley Quinn)

There's Dr. Quinzel and then there's Harley. That is, there's Quinzel's professional side, and then her "quirky girl next door" side. As soon as she feels you holding back from her, she goes full Harley mode, talking to you like a concerned aunt.

She always does her best to make you feel safe, and you soon learn that her pristine office holds a lot of little surprises. Hidden among the filing cabinets and drawers is a cache of plushies and fidget toys.

"Would it be so bad if you were committed?" There is a sincere worry present in her eyes. "I will never purposely put you in harm's way, and I also want what's best for you. I work inpatient half the time so I'll be sure to watch you. I won't let anyone hurt you there, I promise."

You ultimately stick to just weekly visits in her office, but there is that sense of comfort knowing that if things ever got too bad, Harley would still be there on the inside to help you through the journey. You would be in safe hands.

Dr Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs)

"Are you afraid of me? Or afraid of what I do as a psychiatrist?" He seems to almost be amused by your initial apprehension. He gently pokes and prods with various questions trying to get a feel for you. At first you find it a bit cruel, but as you learn over time, Hannibal loves to make everything a bit of a game.

Two can definitely play at that game. Once you pick up on this playful tone, you start to make your own moves. Sometimes you purposefully held back, taking mental note of how many ways he will try to crack you open like a thief picking a lock.

You grow fond of these sessions and look forward to each one. He inspired that mischievous spark in you, and you enjoy trying to toy with him as much as he does you. He awakens a curiosity in you to see what you'll become when you allow yourself to trust.

"They will think we're in love." He teases. Sometimes you do wonder if you love him. Sometimes you think it's just a leap, and you're simply happy that his presence in your life has really made a difference. "I'm just projecting." You tell yourself, but the truth is you don't quite know.

ao3 || guidelines || WIPs || Ko-Fi

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drabblesandimagines · 1 year

Text

Jealous

Clive Rosfield x fem reader Early-to-mid FF16 spoilers, based on this request.

Clive is in a foul mood - a scowl firmly in place as he strides around the Hideaway, pretending to have purpose.

He should be elated, overjoyed, ecstatic even - finally reunited with his beloved younger brother after years of chasing his shadows, always a step or two behind his trail.

And he is, in a way, happy to see him…

..but not so much with you.

The Fire Dominant had been looking forward to the two of you meeting – two important people in his life coming face to face. He’d spent the trip back to the hideaway telling Joshua about the characters within, speaking of you more often than the others, regaling his younger brother with stories of your skill, bravery, compassion, wit.

Clive didn’t know what to call the relationship between the two of you, if there was a word even for it. There was always some pressing matter that had stopped you progressing to courtship, something holding the two stagnant. Touches were often, flirtatious sometimes, but never progressing further than firm grips on each other’s shoulders in reassurance, or hands clasped in momentary comfort. There had been an almost kiss, he thought, after a tumble in the Royal Meadows. A misstep had sent you falling and in his panic to try and catch you Clive had ended up falling too, cushioning your fall. You were leant over him, breathing slightly heavy from shock, faces inches apart and he’d thought if he lifted his head, he could kiss your lips…

Until Torgal had come bounding in, giving his master a lick on the face.

Joshua, however, had waltzed in and easily done what Clive had never had the courage to do. Upon introduction, the Phoenix had dropped down to one knee, taken your outstretched hand in way of greeting and pressed a soft kiss against the back of it, all whilst maintaining eye contact.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady.”

Clive had never seen you look so flustered, causing his stomach to tighten in knots. Why couldn’t he be the one making your cheeks flush?

Joshua gets back to his feet, his hand holding yours all the while before he lets go – it feels an eternity to Clive. But, then again, why shouldn’t you be charmed by the Phoenix? Everyone else had always been. The golden-haired, blue-eyed boy had been adored by the people of Rosaria, the pride and joy of his mother’s eye. Joshua always had a natural charm about him.

He’s happy Joshua’s alive and here. He reassures himself of the thought over and over, as if the Gods might overhear and punish him somehow. The weighty guilt has alleviated from his shoulders after all those years, but now, too soon, a new worry is ready to take hold.

What if you liked Joshua? What if he liked you?

“It is nice to put a face to a name. My dear brother could hardly speak of none other on our journey.”

“Oh. All good things, I hope.” You smile at Clive, but he doesn’t notice with his stare fixed firmly on Joshua.

“Why, of course, my lady.” Joshua grins, boyishly. “I wouldn’t have permitted otherwise.”

Clive doesn’t know how to handle the jealously building within. From that first meeting, it doesn’t seem like a day goes by without him finding the two of you in each other’s company, in various places across the hideaway. He’s come across you in the shelves for hours, visiting the chocobos on the upper deck, admiring the flowers down in the backyard. You’d even been in the infirmary with him on a number of occasions as Tarja insisted on regular check-ups.

Clive knows he’s letting his temper getting the better of him, that it’s dangerous because Ifrit tenses beneath his skin. He’s been storming about the Hideaway all morning, despite having no errands to do. Everyone seems to have picked up on his mood, withholding their requests in fear of being snapped at.

Everyone except you, apparently.

“Clive! There you are.” You appear at his side, your hand grabbing his arm. He hates how you can make him feel like Ramuh’s channeling through his veins with your electric touches.

“Sorry, can’t stop.” He grunts in response, trying to shrug you off. He doesn’t want to lose his temper at you.

“That’s okay,” you say, cheerily. “I can walk and talk.”

He stops then, meeting your gaze. “Why don’t you talk to Joshua?”

“Sorry?” The confusion in your voice is apparent, and he knows that should be his cue to stop, but he can’t.

“You seem to do nothing else but these days…” The words flow out of him like lava, they burn his throat but he can’t stop now the dam has burst. “..to the detriment of your duties.”

“Detriment?” The confusion is gone, defensiveness taking hold in the place of hurt. “Do forgive me, I wasn’t aware the quality of my work was being questioned.”

“Well, it is. Have you forgotten what we’re fighting for? Every day we delay, another Bearer dies whilst you…” He swallows. “Whilst you flirt.”

Jealousy has coated his tongue and poisoned his words.

“Flirt? I…” You swallow your sentence down, not wanting to entertain this further.

“Allow me to rectify my shortcomings posthaste, my lord.” Your voice is tight, hands clenched, heart breaking. You steady your breath and spin on your heels, heading towards the mess.

The jealous monster in Clive’s stomach settles for a moment of clarity, his stomach sinking at the realization of what he’s done, what he’s accused you. He strides after you, reaching out a hand to apologise, your name on the tip of his tongue to be called out to beg forgiveness. But, at that same moment, he sees Joshua interrupting your ascent up the staircase, taking note of your sour expression. The Phoenix places his hand on your shoulder in concern, and the jealous monster rages once more.

Later that afternoon, Clive has sequestered himself in his chambers, dealing with a pile of missives that he has allowed to build up over the past few days. The task is doing nothing to alleviate his sour mood after that awful interaction with you earlier. A number of them are thank you notes for the hideaway’s assistance in matters and more than a few mention you specifically by name, all dated on instances you’d stepped in in his absence.

And he’d accused you of neglecting your duties, of all things. He rubs his temples in exasperation. What has he done?

There’s a knock at the door.

“What?” He barks, hoping the tone of voice might deter them.

The door opens. “Brother.”

He looks up to see Joshua shutting the door behind him as he enters, a charming smile on his face as usual.

“You should be resting.” Clive chides, looking back down at the missives.

“I am fine.” Joshua folds his arms. “I am, however, concerned about you.”

“Don’t be.”

Joshua hums in interest. “You seem almost irritated by my presence of late.”

“You’re mistaken.”

“I do not believe I am.” A pause. “And I speculate it is to do with my interactions with a certain maiden.”

“No.” He jabs the quill into the ink bottle with a little too much gusto. “I’m happy for the two of you.”

“Happy?” Joshua sounds confused.

“The two of you have grown very close. You’ve been spending a lot of time together - I’d be blind not to notice.”

Joshua laughs – a chuckle from deep within his chest - and Clive’s grip tightens on the quill. “Forgive me, brother. Do you think I am pursuing a courtship?”

“What you are pursuing is none of my concern.”

“I believe there has been a misunderstanding. Yes, we have been spending a fair amount of time together, but not for the reason you seem to so firmly believe. You see..” he uncrosses his arms and places his palms flat on the desk, leaning forward. “..I wanted to find out more about the woman who had so clearly stolen my dear brother’s heart.”

“What?” He looks up and Joshua has the audacity to look amused.

“We were talking about you. I had the impression you sought my approval with your tales of her. I must’ve misunderstood your intentions.”

“I… have been a fool.”

“Mayhaps.” Joshua steps back, folding his arms once more. “But she finds you endearing, or so I’ve gathered.”

“My apologies, Joshua. I don’t know what drove me to this madness.”

“I do.” He smiles. “You’re in love with her, brother. You were jealous.”

“I must apologise…” He gets to his feet with such force the chair almost goes toppling to the ground.

“Ah, she’s not here. A stolas arrived from Martha, I believe. Trouble with bandits – she took the skiff out shortly after.”

“Alone?”

“Otto suggested she wait, but she seemed determined to handle it.”

“I must go.” He makes to move past Joshua before he pauses, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Forgive me, brother.”

“Forgiven.” Joshua nods. “Go.”

Clive heart pounds as he ascends the steps to Sleeping Chocobo, pushing the double doors open. It is busy this evening, the townsfolk preferring the warm atmosphere of the inn than their homes. He’ll speak to Martha, he thinks, see where you went, beg forgiveness so that maybe he can meet his eyes again without feeling awful.

“That was quick,” Martha greets to Clive’s confusion as he approaches the bar. “I barely sent that stolas.”

“Sorry, what stolas?”

His heart stops as he hears the combination of your name and injured in the same sentence.

“Now before you panic, she’s all right. The Bloodaxe miscounted – said it was only three bandits but it turned out to be five, otherwise I would’ve never sent her out on her own. We’ve patched her up and fed her, but she seemed upset about something. I didn’t feel right letting her traipse off in the night like that, so I sent a stolas asking if someone could accompany her back. She’s upstairs at the moment - room two.”

“Thank you, Martha.” He turns to head towards the stairs when the sliding of a key across the bar stops him.

“I might’ve locked her in. I thought it might be morning before someone could reach here and she was so determined to leave.”

“Ah.” Clive nods, taking the key. “I understand. Thank you.”

He walks past the patrons and climbs the stairs towards the rooms. His heart is pounding, what does one even say in this situation? He finds room two and slides the key into the lock, twisting it and opening the door.

“Finally! Martha, you must agree this is ridiculous…” You stop as you see Clive enter the room, looking apologetically awkward. He shuts the door behind him, blocking it with his frame. You’re not sure if it’s deliberate.

“I’m not neglecting my duties.” You protest, standing up from the bed in defiance. “Martha locked me in. I could’ve kicked the door in, but I thought Otto would’ve given me an earful if he saw it on the expenses.”

He hasn’t taken in anything you’ve said, too concerned by your appearance.

“You’re hurt.” There’s a bruise blooming on your cheek, a bandage wrapped around your forearm - the guilt in his stomach is as if he had inflicted the wounds upon you himself.

“I’m fine. They told me it was three bandits – I clocked the fourth but the fifth snuck up on me.”

“Where are they now?” His fist clenches – the idea of anyone laying their hands upon you with malicious intent…

“Dead. I had no choice.” You cross your arms in defence. “Why are you here - come to check on my conduct?”

To your surprise, he drops down to his knee, bowing his head, as a knight does when they swear fealty. “I came here to apologise. What I said was not only untrue but entirely uncalled for. I can only beg for your forgiveness.”

“There’s no need for that, I’m not your Lord Commander.”

“You should be.” Clive looks up. “The missives recently speak of the exemplary nature of your work and conduct.”

“Tell me - what is this truly about, Clive?”

“It’s immature.” He doesn’t want to say it, but he knows he must be truthful now. “You and Joshua always seemed to be in one another’s company of late.”

“That’s true – I’m afraid I’ve been rather taken with his stories of your younger years together, but I don’t understand the connection.”

“I… I was jealous. You seemed rather taken by his greeting.”

“Greeting?” You look puzzled for a moment, before it clicks. “It… That had just never happened to me before. No-one ever greets a Bearer in such a way.”

“Allow me to rectify.” He takes your hand without thought, bringing his lips to the back of it in a kiss, staring at you with those deep blue eyes. Your face burns. “Can you ever forgive me, my lady?”

“You said you were jealous.”

“I did.”

“Jealous that perhaps me and Joshua were… something more?” He’s still holding your hand.

He takes a breath to steady his nerves. “Yes.”

“All right. I’ll forgive you - on one condition.”

“Name it and it is yours.”

You pull him up back to his feet. “Kiss me.”

Clive does not need told twice. It’s a fierce kiss – his arms wrap around your waist as he lifts you up slightly to meet his lips in a crushing embrace, you tangle your hands in his scruffy hair, trying to pull him closer. It’s clumsy and frantic, allowing your emotions to be carried away at long last.

Clive steps back, his calves colliding into the edge of the bed and he pulls you down, you straddling him between your thighs as you break the kiss on the impact.

You look down at him, catching your breath as he looks up at you with a handsome grin.

“I believe Martha’s intention was for me to have this room for the night, my lord.”

“Then, my lady,” he laces his fingers inbetween yours, bringing it up to his mouth and placing another soft kiss across your knuckles, “let us take advantage.”

Masterlist . Requests welcome . Ko-fi

#ghostdogwrites #clive rosfield x female reader #clive rosfield x you #clive rosfield x reader #ff16 x reader #ff16 requests

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corpsepng · 1 year

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Pls make a list of books you recommend to aspiring writers<3

Ok. Aspiring/burgeoning writer starter kit:

In writing anything you officially become a writer so that’s step one haha, no need to aspire too much. BUT. I’m going to soapbox for a bit using this ask as an excuse love u kissing u etc. So. This will barely be about books, but sort of the recipe of what I (personally and subjectively) think will help anyone who wants to grow their craft. (I know because I've been writing seriously for 14 years)

The act of writing is the best practice you can get but having a well from which to draw on creatively and skill wise in order to DO that practice is the trickier part. And sometimes we can be found lacking because we’re either NOT refilling that well enough, consciously enough, or only with the same sorts of things so it gets stagnant. This is a long one so I’ll shove it under the cut haha.

The recipe:

Study craft

Broaden horizons

Diversify consumption

Consume with intention

Apply with reference

1) Study craft: this is the easiest to make sense of, right? I want to get good at writing so I read books about writing yada yada. Whatever you’re writing, it’s made up of a lot of moving parts, and you can dedicate time studying EACH PART, but figure out what you have the least experience with, or the most difficulty with, and start there. Also, before I go on to preach about why you shouldn’t solely stake your growth on some dusty old books, here’s some dusty old books I recommend:

The Elements of Style (strunk/white/kalman) (really quick and abbreviated advice, read every bit of this but remember: rules are important to know so you can decide which are worth following and which are in need of breaking for the pursuit of your goals. And nobodies perfect, or editors wouldn’t have a job)

Bird by Bird (Anne Lamott) (excellent work about fostering a process, important for everyone who finds themselves a little lost on how to just. Start)

Wonderbook (Jeff Vandermeer) (I haven’t read this one but knowing Vandermeers work this is on my TBR and I KNOW it’s going to be enlightening)

How to Read Literature like a Professor (Thomas C. Foster) (perfect for those who can see others stories working but unsure how to make their own work, I personally didn’t read much of this one but this will help people to more critically engage with what they’re consuming)

Save the Cat Writes a Novel/Joseph Campbells Hero’s Journey/On Writing and Worldbuilding/etc (all of these are on structure and craft in a concrete sense), I would recommend either choose one OR getting the abbreviated/digestible versions through YouTube because a lot of these can repeat themselves. I’m working on a playlist of writing craft/structure videos that I found helpful, so keep an eye out for that)

So. Studying craft should be a multidisciplinary process. Articles online, videos on niche media, books on craft or copying things from your favorites, looking for yourself in the movies you watch or fiction you read. Punctuation, prose, structure, rhetoric, character, world building, pacing, etc. Unfortunately, no matter how seasoned you become as a writer, you will always be learning new things about the craft itself.

It should be fun and I honestly feel like an enlightened little scientist when I see something that really cracks the open the magic for me (ex: scenes that serve more than one purpose are OF COURSE going to be more engaging that scenes with only one purpose- duh) (of COURSE magic systems should have a cost) (of COURSE the characters cant always win OR always lose)

2) Broaden horizons: consuming fiction and studying it is key to knowing how to reproduce it. We start with the training wheels of imitation before we ride away full speed into truly unique original storytelling. But the most impactful and thought-provoking stories are more than just fiction, so you need to know more than stories. Science, history, art, craft, math, music, cooking, psychology, religion, whatever!

Everyone always parrots “write what you know”, but what you KNOW can expand to influence what you write- so keep learning new things all the time and for fun, because you never know what could help your story. Your knowledge is not limited to experience alone, and research is your best friend. ASOIAF was so loved because George RR Martin loved not only fantasy, but British history. The Folk of the Air series is so loved because Holly Blacks special interest is faeries.

Note: this does not mean the study of OTHER PEOPLES trauma and experiences in an appropriative way, rather, become worldly. Because sure, knowing what a gunshot feels like adds realism, but I don’t care about realism if I don’t care about your characters or world. Science fiction is the best example of this: so many of those stories stick with us generationally because they’re pointing a lens back at humanity, asking big philosophical questions with science, which is something that touches us all.

But it doesn’t even need to be Big and Thematic like that. My dear friend @chaylattes has a project where she’s applied her love of plants to the world building AND plot, and has INVENTED whole plant species that enriched their work with something so exclusively Chay. No one else could write Andromeda Rogue because Chay, with specific interests and knowledge, put that specificity into the story.

3) Diversify consumption: surrounding yourself with more of the same means you’re going to regurgitate the same, derivatively. To be a hater for a moment: I can tell within the first chapter if someone only reads/watches one kind of media (m*rvel, fairy smut, grim dark nonsense, etc), and it’s distracting. When I read that derivative work, I’m not thinking about THEIR story. All I can think of is the people who did it first, and better.

Alternatively, the best work draws on the unexpected. Fantasy work taking notes from horror, science fiction including humanistic romance, romance with elements of mystery. RF Kuangs work feels so smart because she’s literally a PHD candidate who’s reading of academic writing. Cassandra Clares work is so interpersonally messy and hard to look away from because she watches a lot of reality television.

Genre is less a set of cages to lock yourself inside of and more so the sections of a great big fictional playground- and you need to start playing. Rules, again, are guidelines that can be bent for the sake of your stories. I predominantly write scifi/fantasy/horror but some of my favorite stuff is literary fiction, historical nonfiction, thrillers, and poetry.

And if you can’t bring yourself to read different genres, it takes significantly less effort to WATCH different genres. Television and film are stories too, and can absolutely be learned from.

4) Consume with intention: this is easier said than done. I, embarrassingly, admit that I did not have any reading comprehension skills until I was at least 19. I was consuming, but I wasn’t thinking a damn critical thought, just spitting it back out in a way that sounded smart.

Critical thinking skills (I say, on the website that historically lacks such a thing) are a muscle that needs to be exercised just as often as your writing muscle. Reading new work, studying craft, learning new shit- none of it matters if you can’t APPLY it all to a story. One can take a clock apart to learn how exactly it ticks, but it won't tell time like a watch until you put it back together.

The key is asking questions, all of the time about everything. That whole “why the curtains were blue” nonsense comes to mind, but if you want to be a good writer, (edit: a writer that cares about whether or not their work is vapid imitation of better work) learning to ask WHY the curtains are blue really does matters.

Ask why in ALL stories you consume, including your own. Why do Ghibli films make me feel calm? (Motifs of undisturbed nature, low stakes plots and quiet scenes of reprieve between action, characters that care about one another and aren’t afraid to show it) Why do I fly through a Gillian Flynn novel but take 8,000 years to read other books? (Concise descriptions, realistic but evocative premise, witty voice, contained and fast paced plot, an abundance of questions driving the mystery leading up to a satisfying crash of answers at the end) Why were the curtains blue, the coffee cup chipped, and the lipstick stain on the rim red instead of purple or pink? And why did the colors matter at all when the scene is about a father at a kitchen table? (You tell me!) Answers may vary.

You can put the work into learning the answer at the source (ie: listening to authors talk about their own work), or through the external interpretations of a critic (proceed with caution here), sure. These are even good when learning HOW to think critically if you don’t even know where to start. But your growth as a writer depends on your ability to answer your OWN questions.

(Why do I feel tense in this scene? Is it because the character says they’re sweating and struggling to breathe? Is it because I’ve been told the monsters close? Is it because the sentences are getting shorter and the author keeps repeating descriptions of that monsters massive bloody teeth coming closer? Or is it because I know the gun in her hands has no bullets because another character already tried what she’s about to try?)

(Why do I feel sad in this scene? Is it because the characters mom just died? Is it because the character can’t even verbalize that sadness to others? Is it because none of the other characters seem to care enough to ask? Is it because of the wilted flowers in the corner? Or is it because there are daisies in the bouquet, and those were the moms favorite?)

I can nod and smile at 1000 opinions about “why X did Y and the end of Z” or “why X is Y and not Z” but how I felt when I consume something, how I was affected and how it made ME PERSONALLY answer my critical questions, that’s what’s important. That’s how we manufacture gay subtext in everything, because sometimes gay is a feeling as opposed to a fact.

Also, if those subjective answers are inconsistent among readers/viewers, the writer likely had their own intentions a little muddled. So, and I know I’m getting tangential but stay with me: romance. You know how you’re supposed to feel happy or convinced that the people falling in love are like, in love? And want to put yourself in that position or whatever? I CANNOT consume most romance media because it all comes off as categorically terrifying to me. I ask myself why the characters are doing what they do, reacting the way they react, saying way they say, and none of it feels romantic. I want to file a restraining order, and that’s the failing of the author, who did not make enough conscious choices in their work and accidentally created horror while writing their color by numbers trope slop of a “romance” novel.

5) Apply with reference: is like taking all your ingredients and finally cooking. You want people to notice and respect when you add certain literary devices, descriptions, character choices, but not to the detriment of your work. Shows like stranger things are popular but divisive because their intertextuality and reliance on nostalgia bolster an otherwise unoriginal idea. They weren’t trying to reinvent the wheel, they were writing a love letter to Stephen Spielberg, and are riding that wave into the ground. But the fairy dick renaissance doesn’t feel nearly as palatable as season one of stranger things did because a lot of times they aren’t using the ingredients in their own way, rather, following the recipe to a T and selling it as new. Food really is the perfect metaphor and sorry in advance because I’m really going to run with it here lol.

When I eat a meal, first of all I know I'm eating food, so don't try and trick me into thinking otherwise or I'll only get annoyed. I want to be able to taste all of what’s in front of me, spice, salt, sweet, bitter, etc and know what what you said you've fed me is really actually truly what I've eaten. One ingredient, or writing choice, shouldn’t overpower another, or surprise me so much I can’t take another bite. I shouldn’t try something you call “sauced and baked yeast patty garnished with fermented milk and smoked meat” and think “this shits pizza” because you didn’t even try to jazz it up more than what the instructions on the digiorno box said. I also shouldn’t bite into something you call a pizza and only taste bread because you really like bread and forgot that a pizza is more than just bread.

But inversely, avoiding all ingredients gets you weird, nary inedible shit like charred milk reduction with lamb mist or whatever. Show me you have knowledge in your genre by referencing it AND remixing it, show me that you studied craft by foreshadowing properly or pacing well, show me you’re more than an AI writerbot by deepening your work with your unique and human influence, show me you read broadly by adding surprising ingredients, and show me that you mean every word you write because you made the curtains blue instead of yellow, and topped your pizza with pepperoni instead of pineapple.

Congrats on making it all the way through my rambling, hope I made sense and that this helped!

#mail.txt #writeblr #writerblr #writing advice #writing resources #writing tips #writing help #anon

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onlinewealthcreater · 1 year

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It is okay to take it one day at a time

Can you recall the sensation you experienced when you were young, standing on the edge of entering the vast world? If you were anything like me, you probably believed that the world held its breath, eagerly awaiting your arrival to make a grand entrance and conquer it with your exceptional talents and skills. With dreams shining in your eyes, you charged into the world, convinced that everyone would be in awe of your presence, as if they had been eagerly anticipating someone like you to grace their existence.

But then, life happened. With the prick of a needle, your bubble burst. Suddenly, your grand aspirations of changing the world shattered into countless pieces, and it felt as though your entire existence was crumbling before your eyes.

The experience of life's traumas and tragedies can be so overwhelming that some of us believe we will never be able to overcome them. At times, life strikes us so forcefully in the ribs that we convince ourselves we will never rise from the ashes again. We fall victim to the lie that it is all over, and we remain sprawled on the floor, drowning in our own self-pity.

However, it is crucial to remember that these setbacks do not define us. They are merely obstacles on our journey, tests of our resilience and determination. It is during these moments of despair that we must summon the strength within ourselves to rise above the ashes, to prove to ourselves and the world that we are capable of overcoming any adversity.

Most life gurus often advise that when life throws you a curveball, you should rise up and fight back with even more determination. However, the truth is that during such challenging times, you may find yourself lacking the energy to even get out of bed. In these moments, I want to offer you some encouragement by reminding you that you are not a superhero, and it is perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed.

Moreover, during these traumatic periods, it is perfectly acceptable to take things one day at a time. When you find yourself in the midst of one of life's coldest seasons, take a moment to be still and navigate through the uncertainty. Allow yourself the time to process feelings of grief, disappointment, and doubt. Use this reflection time to search for the lessons you have learned or the potential for growth hidden within the ashes of your experiences. Then, when you are ready, take small steps forward, focusing on what you are capable of accomplishing in the present moment, and be kind to yourself along the way.

Instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, embrace the present and find joy in the small pleasures of life. Take each moment as it comes and concentrate on what you can change right now. Work with the resources you have at hand, building your life brick by brick.

Although you may feel like you have very little to work with during these challenging times, remember that even the smallest amount can be the catalyst for transforming your life. Just as Jesus used two fishes and five loaves to feed over five thousand people, the little you possess can be your saving grace.

In conclusion, keep moving forward, knowing that tough times are temporary and will eventually pass. Be proud of the progress you have made, no matter how small it may seem. And most importantly, be gentle with yourself and prioritize self-care, for you are a unique individual created with a purpose. Embrace that purpose and hold onto your faith.

#inspiring words #self growth #self awareness #inspirational motivation #positive thoughts #mindset #words of wisdom #spilled words #words words words #beautiful words #literature #self love #self development #self improvement #self care #positivity #positive mental attitude #daily motivation #get motivated

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winged-bat · 1 month

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Still thinking about your tangled au lol it’s such a good idea and with cass’s suit being her tiara, I was thinking maybe give it medieval vibes and have it as a suit of armour? Perhaps it could be one Babs had made when she first adopted (or gave birth to I’m not sure which you’re going with) Cass to match her old one. I think it would be so fun to make corona a warrior kingdom in the au (obvi it’s up to you tho) and have babs as the warrior queen who lost use of her legs and now rules the kingdom in peace or something??? Anyways I would love to hear more of your thoughts abt the au I’m fascinatedddd

KFJSDNS I JUST REWATCHED THE MOVIE AND WAS THINKING ABOUT THEM!!!

When I first thought about the au it was more a half-baked idea so I didn’t think out all the logistics of everything (or anything really). So this is really just more put together thoughts on what I had previously shared. I do think I want it to have a more found family theme so leaning toward the adoption route. Cass was still born out of the Cain and Shiva exchange only this time once she was born Shiva saw her sister in her and decided to take her and run. She keeps her hidden away to prevent her befalling her sisters fate but since she’s already had the realization that she was being held back decides to teach Cass her ways to replicate the bond she had shared but also so she could be molded to her levels without the need to hold back as the trainings would start from birth (does that make sense I feel like I’m not explaining it coherently enough). She takes trips throughout Cass’s life to hone in her martial arts skills and pass them along to Cass. Their proximity to Corona would be to deter others from finding them, specifically Cain. Since it would have been a Warrior kingdom (that is such a concept I’m actually in love with it and will be rotating it round the brain) turned Peace kingdom it still holds a strong reputation and turns other kingdoms off from attacking it.

Babs after the lose of use in her legs still wants to pass along her warrior(batgirl) legacy and have it bring purpose to someone. While she has turned to peace she still helps neighboring kingdoms and builds an extensive network that she wouldn’t have had had she still been a warrior. In the hopes of finding someone to carry the legacy she builds the armor (it having medieval qualities and being armor is so genius!!!) that would later be stolen. Babs holds a yearly mentorship type of event to find her mentee, only no one ever feels right. I’m thinking in the au Shiva would record those at this event to better develop Cass’s skills and have her test her prediction of moves as she would be studying these people rather extensively.

Enter Stephanie Brown though she’s only known as Spolier so far (Stephanie is to her what Eugene is to Flynn) in the moves of stoping her Father from forming a mass alliance to bring down the Corona Kingdom and take the power it holds for himself. I think in a way Arthur would be playing the role of the Stabbington brothers in this au. She steals the armor herself in hopes of donning it and scaring the alliance apart. But much like Flynn is chased down. She finds the tower and finally meets Cass. The exchange goes much the same as in the movie with Steph being tied up and Cass having the dream of going to this yearly event (I just realized this but that really fits so well with their first meeting where Cass demands Steph read her that ransom note). I think in this au in terms of Steph realizing Cass is her dream, it’s her not having a goal past stopping her father (she takes a more destructive route in which it doesn’t matter if this is the end of her as long as her father is stopped) and coming to the journey of wanting to have a life for herself and a future with Cass.

Also I very vividly see the campfire scene mirroring their dads talk from batgirl (2000) and it hasn’t left my head all afternoon.

The whole faked betrayal element would be followers of Arthur kidnapping Steph and turning her in for treason (they’re pinning the alliance on her with the reasoning of her taking the armor to undermine the kingdom and prove their power could be taken). In place of the ‘I’m the lost princess’ realization it’s Cass instead wanting to build onto the warrior legacy and help surrounding kingdoms instead of living as a reflection of Shiva (I do think in this au Shiva would had the goal of making Cass better than her so that she herself could always shrive for more and have that challenge (if someone with more Shiva knowledge thinks this is ooc pls feel free to weigh in) as well as serving a reminder of her sister).

#tangled au #stephcass #inbox ♠︎

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hneedlz · 1 year

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COMFORT !

Eric draven comforts the reader over a death of a loved one

Warnings; mentions of death, eric talks abt shelly alot, I dont think this is sad.

A/n: very long. It mostly is talking about Eric's view because he's a sad goth.. it also talks abt him wanting 2 help other people.. um.. 3rd p.o.v

Eric Draven was walking down a dreary alleyway when he heard a girl sobbing. Intrigued, he followed the sound until he found a young woman weeping on the ground.

"Are you okay, Miss?" asked Eric as he gently knelt beside her.

The girl looked up at Eric with tear-stained eyes. "No, my boyfriend just died last night," she said weakly.

Eric's heart broke for the girl as he took her hand. "I'm so sorry for your loss," he said gently. "Death is a difficult journey, and it's especially hard when it's someone you love."

The girl nodded, her grief too overwhelming for words.

Eric sighed. "I know that nothing I say or do can make your pain go away," he said earnestly, "but what I can do is offer you comfort. Sometimes, all we need is someone to be there for us, to remind us that we're not alone."

The girl looked into Eric's kind eyes and something in her shifted. For the first time since her boyfriend's death, she felt a glimmer of hope.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Eric nodded and held the girl close. "It'll take time, but I promise you that things will get better. The pain will recede, the memories will become less painful... and you'll find a way to move on."

For a few moments, they were just two lost souls clinging to each other in the midst of their pain. But as the girl stood up and began to walk away, Eric knew that he had done something important.

It was a small thing, really-just a bit of comfort- but sometimes that's all it takes to make a difference. And sometimes, that's all that we can do.

As the girl walked away, Eric couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness for her. He knew all too well what it was like to lose someone you loved. The pain of it never really went away, but he had found a way to channel it into something positive- something that would bring justice to those who had been wronged.

He stood there for a few moments, lost in thought, replaying memories of his own lost love, Shelly.

Suddenly, the girl turned around and walked back towards him. "I don't even know your name," she said softly.

Eric offered her a small smile. "It's Eric. Eric Draven."

The girl extended her hand and Eric took it in his own. "Thank you, Eric. Thank you for being there, for sharing your kindness with me. Even if it was just for a few minutes."

Eric nodded. "Remember- you're not alone. There's always someone out there who cares."

The girl nodded and walked away, her heart a little lighter than before. Eric watched her until she was out of sight, then turned and disappeared into the shadows.

He knew that he couldn't bring the girl's boyfriend back, but maybe he had given her something that was just as valuable- hope.

As he walked into the night, Eric felt a sense of clarity that he hadn't felt in a long time. For the first time since Shelly's death, he felt like he was serving a purpose- that he was doing something good with the pain he carried.

And in that moment, Eric Draven knew that no matter how much pain he felt, he wouldn't let it consume him. He would use it to make a difference- to bring justice to the world- or at least to bring comfort to those who needed it most.

The memory of the girl's tear-stained face stayed with Eric as he walked the darkened streets, the weight of his own sorrow a little more bearable knowing that he had brought some measure of comfort to someone else.

As he walked, he heard the sound of a woman screaming in the distance. Without thinking twice, he ran towards the sound until he came upon a group of thugs attacking a woman.

Eric's fists clenched at the sight, and without a second thought, he jumped into action, taking out the thugs one by one with his superior fighting skills.

As he helped the woman to her feet, he saw the look of gratitude in her eyes and knew that he had made a difference once again.

It might not have been enough to erase the pain of Shelly's death, but it was something- and sometimes, that's all that mattered.

As Eric walked away from the scene, he knew that he would continue to do whatever he could to make the world a better place, even if it was just one small act of kindness at a time.

And maybe, just maybe, in doing so, he would find some measure of peace for himself as well.

The night air was cool and crisp, a welcome relief from the heat of Eric's anger and grief. He walked along the streets, feeling a sense of purpose in every step. It was as if his body had been re-energized by something greater than himself- something beyond the physical realm he now existed within.

As he walked, he thought about everything he had experienced in his short time back in the land of the living. He thought about Shelly- her beautiful smile, the soft touch of her skin, and the weight of her absence in his life. He thought about the girl he had helped, wondering if she would be okay, if she would ever find someone to love again.

Eric knew that he could not bring Shelly back to life, nor could he solve all of the problems of the living world. But he could do something- he could take action in his own way, one small act of kindness at a time.

With each step, Eric felt his own sense of grief begin to lift, as if he was shedding layers of his former self with every passing moment. He felt renewed and ready to face whatever the world had in store for him.

As he walked, Eric realized that he was not alone in his journey. There were others out there who shared his pain, who had lost loved ones and were struggling to move on. And maybe, just maybe, by helping them, he could start to heal his own wounds as well.

With a sense of determination, Eric turned down the next street, ready to face whatever lay ahead with a new-found strength. No matter how dark the night may be, he would always be a shining light of hope for those who needed it most.As Eric continued to walk, he began to notice small acts of kindness around him. A stranger helped an elderly woman cross the street, a young boy offered his seat on the bus to a pregnant woman, and a group of volunteers cleaned up a local park.

These small acts of kindness gave Eric hope. They showed him that despite all the pain and suffering in the world, there was still good. There were still people who cared enough to make a difference, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant their actions might appear.

As he walked, Eric began to feel a sense of purpose. He knew that he couldn't bring Shelly back, but he could help others in her memory. He could be the light in the darkness, the hope in the despair, and the love in the hate.

With each step, Eric felt his own grief fading away. He was no longer walking for himself, but for others. He was no longer lost in his own pain, but focused on helping those around him.

The night air grew colder, but Eric felt warm inside. He knew that, in his own small way, he was making a difference. And that was enough.

As the night came to an end and the sun began to rise, Eric felt a sense of peace. He still missed Shelly, but he knew that she would be proud of him. Proud of the man he had become. Proud of the kindness he had shown to others.

And so, with a smile on his face, Eric continued to walk, ready to face whatever challenges the day may bring. He knew that he wasn't alone, and that together, with kindness and compassion, anything was possible.

#alternative #aesthetic #slashers #horror #horror headcanons #fanfiction #slashpuppi #slasher headcanons #eric draven #the crow #the crow comic #eric draven smut #its not even smut #fluff #cult classic #hashtag cultured #shelly webster #slasher fucker

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illuminatedquill · 9 months

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Sabine Wren & Ezra Bridger

Family's End - and Beginning (Part Two)

Story Summary: Still reeling from the ramifications of her betrayal, Sabine Wren makes the solemn journey to Peridea with Baylan Skoll. The partnership, born out of necessity, begins to yield surprising revelations about her path forward. However, the true test of Sabine's convictions lies ahead in the fateful reunion with Ezra Bridger . . .

Part One here

*Art done by my fantastic friend, Scragon!

Reunion and Heartbreak

"You're awfully quiet for someone in your predicament," observed Baylan Skoll.

Sabine didn't reply; she stood at the cliff's edge where her master, Ahsoka Tano, had fallen. Possibly to her death.

Thanks to me, thought Sabine miserably. I gave Baylan the opening.

It had only been a mere matter of minutes since the fateful duel between Ahsoka and Baylan, yet it feel like years. The skies of Seatos were a slate grey, roiling ominously; brutal gusts of wind streaked through the stone pillars and platform where the map was meant to be used. Below her, the ocean waters frothed and splashed viciously against the rocks.

Would it be a mercy to hit the rocks and die instantly? she wondered. Instead of drowning in the cruel, freezing waters?

They were waiting for the transport from the Eye of Sion to pick them up, due to arrive any minute now. Sabine watched the ocean below, looking for a sign - any sign that Ahsoka had survived . . .

"Sabine?" asked Baylan, gently putting a hand on her shoulder.

Anger spiked in her abruptly; blood boiling, she shook off the mercenary's touch. Whirling on the older man, she said, "Let's get something straight here: I am not your new apprentice."

Baylan arched an eyebrow at her in question. "Oh? And what do you propose instead?"

"Nothing," she seethed. "I'm just using you to find Ezra. You're my ticket to him and nothing else."

Baylan sighed. "I would suggest an alliance of some sort, in the meantime. It would be mutually beneficial to us both."

Sabine narrowed her eyes at him. "How so?"

"First - Morgan will be displeased with your addition to our crew. Someone will need to speak on your behalf otherwise she will command that you be executed on sight."

Oh. Right. Sabine asked, "And what do you get out of this arrangement?"

Baylan considered his answer for a long moment before replying. "I still think you may be of use to me. How, I cannot say. Your actions here today . . . even through the Force, your path ahead is murky."

He leaned forward, his eyes intense. "I sense that your decisions in the days ahead will change a great many things, Sabine Wren."

Sabine felt a foreboding sense of dread at his words but rolled her eyes in response. "Your mysticism doesn't impress me, Baylan. But we have a deal."

A roar came through the rising winds; Sabine turned to look for the source and saw a dark shuttle, wings spread wide like some monstrous bat, descending towards them.

"Good," he said. "Because our transport has arrived."

Baylan proved true to his word and Sabine was not executed on sight. Morgan Elsbeth, Thrawn's associate, looked like she was about to burst a vein in her forehead after a long, intense conversation with the mercenary. She was shorter than Sabine was expecting but the severity of her expression and the quiet confidence that her posture gave off indicated a warrior that was sure of her skills and purpose. The story Ahsoka recounted to her about their first meeting seemed more plausible now that Sabine was meeting the woman in person.

Sabine decided the best course of action was standing off to the side, pretending to be bored, and studying her nails.

Finally, Baylan walked up to her and said, "You may come with us."

"I think I got that," Sabine replied sarcastically. "Considering they're not opening fire on me."

A group of five warriors stood at a distance of ten feet from her, rifles trained carefully. Morgan hissed an order and they lowered their weapons.

"Let's go," commanded the older woman. "We have dallied here long enough already."

As the shuttle lifted into the sky, all passengers aboard, an urgent message came through the transport's communications.

Morgan keyed the comm channel open. "What is it?"

A voice, in heavily accented Basic, came through. "We have a squadron of New Republic fighters approaching the Eye of Sion on our scanners. They are maneuvering into attack formation. "

"What?" asked Morgan incredulously. "Have they opened fire yet?"

"Negative. But they are demanding that we respond to their hails."

Baylan looked to Sabine. "Friends of yours?"

Sabine stepped next to Morgan, looking at the layout for the New Republic fighters being transmitted on the console screen - and felt her stomach twist as she recognized one of the ships instantly. "Have they identified themselves?" she demanded.

It can't be. Please tell me you didn't come here yourself.

"Phoenix Squadron," came the reply. "Led by General Hera Syndulla."

Sabine felt Baylan's gaze and could almost hear the unsaid question being levied at her.

What will you do?

She turned to Morgan. "Let me speak with Hera."

Morgan narrowed her eyes at her in suspicion. Through the Force, Sabine could sense waves of distrust roiling from the woman's aura, like steam from a boiling pot.

"To do what, exactly?" asked Morgan.

"Hera's a friend," Sabine replied tersely. "I can convince her to stand down."

Morgan snorted. "I highly doubt that. Everyone in the galaxy knows General Syndulla doesn't stand down against threats."

"I'm not a threat," Sabine shot back. "Do you want to find Thrawn or not? She'll shoot us all down without a second thought."

Morgan stared at her. "What makes you think we won't shoot her down, Wren?"

Sabine stared back. "If the Eye of Sion had the capability to defend itself, you would have shot away already. You're desperate. It's just one gigantic hyperdrive ring, isn't it? No time to install weapons. Thrawn must be desperate to escape his exile."

She put a sneer into her expression for added emphasis during the last part. Sabine knew this was a desperate gamble - Morgan was already displeased with her presence, she knew - but she couldn't let Hera get hurt.

And besides. She was already gambling with more than just her own life now.

What was one more?

Something in Morgan's cheek twitched viciously. Sabine held her breath.

The warriors around them tensed, clutching at their rifles. Even Baylan, his face normally unreadable, seemed to ready himself for sudden violence. From the corner of her eye, Sabine watched his hand casually drift towards the lightsaber hanging on his belt.

But it worked. Through clenched teeth, Morgan said, "Let her speak."

The tense silence dissipated somewhat in the small space of the transport. Baylan sent her an exasperated look.

"Thanks," Sabine replied. She pushed the button on the comms and reached out to Hera.

Now for the hard part, she thought.

Jacen Syndulla, sitting next to his mother in the cockpit of the Ghost, sat ramrod straight as a new sensation touched his mind.

He focused best as possible in the current situation, walling away the feelings of excitement and anxiety - mostly from his mother - and reached out . . .

His eyes widened as the sensation became familiar: a person. Someone he knew very well.

He turned to his mother and said, "Mom."

Hera didn't turn to look at him, keeping her eyes focused on the gigantic hyperdrive ring ahead of them. She replied tensely, "Not now, Jacen. Carson? Did you see that transport go into the ring?"

Carson Teva, an old veteran of Phoenix Squadron, replied, "I saw it Phoenix Leader. I think they got their cargo."

"They'll be jetting off soon, then." Hera pursed her lips, reviewing their rapidly diminishing options. "Spread out, Phoenix Squadron. I want guns targeted on those engines. If they don't respond to this next hail, then we start blasting away."

"Roger, Phoenix Leader," came the replies from the other pilots. "We'll await your orders."

Jacen reached out and tugged at Hera's sleeve, finally getting her attention. "Mom!"

Hera, blinking at her son, asked, "What is it Jacen?"

"I think Aunt Sabine's on that ship."

Alarm raced through Hera's veins at the statement like ice water. "What? How do you know?"

"I - I felt her. Through the Force. She's there, I'm sure of it!"

Before Hera could process that, a response to her earlier hails came through, at last. She jabbed the button on her console to hear the call, activating the short-range holo-communicator.

The blue light fizzled into a familiar figure. Hera felt her heart drop.

It was Sabine.

"Hey, Hera," she said. She wasn't smiling; not even a sign of a smirk.

And, more importantly, Hera noticed that she wasn't restrained or cuffed in any way.

"Sabine," she said. "What are you doing on that ship? Where's Ahsoka?"

Sabine took a moment before replying, her eyes cast downward. "She . . . won't be joining us."

The young woman looked back up, her eyes taking on a grim look as she continued. "I need you to move your squadron aside, Hera. Stand down."

Hera stared at her. "And why would I do that? Ahsoka told me what they're planning. We can't allow Thrawn to return."

Sabine's eyes flashed with anger. "And what about Ezra? Is he not allowed to come back home?"

The mention of Ezra's name pierced through Hera like a blaster bolt. She felt his absence every day, just like Kanan's. And, yes, there was guilt there, too; guilt that she had abandoned him, just like everyone else who had known and loved him.

Everyone, except for Sabine. Only she had held out hope after all these long years.

Hera took a deep breath and said firmly, "This is bigger than Ezra. Thrawn is a threat to everything we've worked and sacrificed for. You know that, as well as I do."

She leaned forward and added, "This is what Ezra would want. I know that."

Sabine stared defiantly back. "Funny how everyone seems to know what he wants. You speak for him now, Hera? You're his self-appointed representative? Because his message to me - and to me alone - said something else entirely. He wants to come home!"

A call was coming through the console. "It's Carson," said Jacen.

Hera ignored it. "You don't even know he's alive, Sabine. You could be chasing after a ghost, for all we know."

"He survived," Sabine said bitterly. "Thrawn survived, so I'm sure he's doing just fine."

Another call from Carson. "Mom - ", Jacen started to warn.

"Not now, Jacen! Sabine, listen to me - I know what Ezra said in his message to you. He also talked about the importance of making the hard choice. This is one of those choices! Can't you see that?"

Sabine smiled, but it was sad. "I do see that. Which is why I have to do this, Hera. I'm not leaving him out there. Ezra's been waiting too long."

She paused and then said in a toneless voice, "I've come too far to stop now."

Hera felt a chill run through her. "Sabine. Where is Ahsoka?"

Sabine just looked at her. "Move out of the way, Hera. Last warning."

The hologram fizzled out. Hera stared at the holo-communicator, feeling sick.

Jacen jabbed at the call button again and Carson's voice came screaming through.

" - Repeat, Phoenix Leader! Do you copy? The hyperdrive ring is powering up!"

Hera grabbed the yoke, cursing as she returned her attention back to the gigantic vessel in front of them. All of the massive engines were aglow with energy.

"I fell for it," she muttered bitterly. "Like an amateur."

Sabine knew she wouldn't sway Hera from her course.

Her call was a distraction.

Sabine. What have you done?

"Phoenix Squadron! Evasive maneuvers, I repeat, evasive maneuvers!" she shouted into the comms. Beside her, Jacen hurriedly secured his crash harness, his moves practiced and confident.

It was too late. The engines on the massive space ship flared intensely, signaling the incoming jump -

"Chop! Divert power from the engines to front deflector shields, now!"

The astromech grunted in acknowledgement; Hera watched the power meter for the shields on her console begin to rise -

The hyperdrive ring made the jump.

The space around them turned blazing white. Hera could hear the other pilots scream in surprise, some of the voices cutting silent after a few seconds.

She fought to control the yoke, trying desperately to stabilize the Ghost. Jacen was yelling, his voice joining the cacophony of alarms and sirens popping off in the cabin, alerting her to the damage -

After a small eternity, Hera managed to wrestle the freighter into a controlled flight. She turned to her son and asked shakily, "Are you alright, Jacen?"

He nodded and gave her a thumbs up.

Chopper whomped a sour statement. Hera snorted. "Glad to see you're alright too, Chop."

She reached a shaking hand and shut down the alarms trilling throughout the ship. Viewing the flashing lights on the console board, she determined that the freighter wasn't in immediate danger of exploding and could still fly without much issue.

Hera keyed the comms open. "Phoenix Squadron. Anyone still alive out there?"

For a moment, complete silence. Hera felt her stomach sink.

Did I just get everyone killed on this mission?

Then, voices came through. Carson's first. "I'm still here, Phoenix Leader. That was close."

Hera breathed a sigh of relief. Two other pilots also chimed in.

But that was all. A squadron of seven, now reduced to four.

Hera closed her eyes and buried the grief. She needed to focus on the next steps.

"We need to get down to that planet, ASAP," she said out loud. "Figure out what just happened. And, hopefully, find Ahsoka."

If she's still alive, she wondered, remembering Sabine's demeanor when asked.

She turned to Jacen. "Did you get a read on Sabine when you felt her?"

Her son nodded. "What did you feel?" she asked.

Jacen closed his eyes and shuddered. "It felt like watching a candle light start to flicker out," he whispered.

Hera felt a deep chill in her bones at Jacen's words. She spoke into the comms, forcing calm into her voice when she felt none.

"Carson. Put some speed on. I want us down there, now."

"You're awfully quiet for someone in your predicament," observed Baylan.

Sabine grimaced and looked at him. "Don't you have anything else to say?"

She was sitting cross-legged on her bed inside the small room that had been provided for her onboard the Eye of Sion. There was a refresher, a small work-table, and a narrow-bed. It was functional, at least, and the bed was surprisingly comfy; a lot better than other shipboard berths she had been stationed on.

If she squinted a little, Sabine could almost imagine that it was her own room back on the Ghost from long ago. The memory sent a pang of nostalgia - and sadness - through her.

Hera, I hope you're okay. I'm sorry it came to this.

The older man studied her some more and then shrugged. "You haven't given me reason to say anything else to you. Tell me, do you have anyone else in your life left to betray?"

"Yeah, you. If you don't shut up and leave me alone," Sabine growled.

Baylan chuckled. "Duly noted. What are you working on?"

Sabine had de-constructed her broken lightsaber and was working on the parts. But Ahsoka had most of the spare parts on her T-6 shuttle and Sabine had not much else to replace what had been broken. She certainly didn't feel like getting up and asking Morgan or any of the other crew for spare parts, who regarded her with barely repressed hostility.

"Your apprentice broke my lightsaber," she replied, venom in her tone. "I'm trying to fix it."

"Ah, so Shin at least went out with a fight. That's good to hear," he said.

Sabine glanced at him. "You don't seem too saddened over her being dead."

Baylan leaned against the doorway and folded his arms. "Mourning her will not change what has happened. And, besides, I honored her in my own way."

Sabine glared at him. "Ahsoka's not dead. Believe me, she's had harder falls."

He quirked an eyebrow in surprise. "Is that so? That explains your lack of sorrow for her."

She shrugged. "Well, yes. Also, we had a falling out some years ago. It's not the first time she's abruptly disappeared from my life. Won't be the last, either."

"I'll take your word for it," Baylan said. He watched her begin to assemble the lightsaber back together in silence. Pointing the emitter away from her, she pushed the activator.

A few sparks from the emitter but nothing more. The emerald green blade did not emerge.

Frustrated, she threw it back onto the bed.

"The weapon of a Jedi deserves more respect than that," Baylan said.

Hotly, Sabine shot back with, "I didn't ask for a lecture. You are not my master, old man."

Baylan didn't respond to her insult. Instead he offered his hand and asked, "May I see it?"

Sabine stared at him. "You want to help?"

"I am a former Jedi," he pointed out. "I've forgotten more about lightsabers than you have ever learned in your short life, Sabine Wren."

Sabine put a hand on Shin's lightsaber, hanging on her belt, and made sure Baylan saw it. "Don't try anything funny."

Baylan sighed. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Sabine handed her lightsaber to Baylan, watching his every move carefully. But the mercenary simply accepted the broken weapon with a nod and began to study it, running his hands over the repairs she had made.

Finally, he closed his eyes for a moment. Through the Force, Sabine felt him probing the weapon, reaching into the kyber crystal itself. That surprised her; she knew the crystal was a living entity but not in the way that other sentient beings were. Ahsoka hadn't really explained it to her during training.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her suspicion dropped momentarily.

Eyes still closed in focus, Baylan replied, "Communing with the kyber crystal inside the lightsaber. Have you never tried that before?"

Sabine blinked. "Uh. No. I only recently began to use the Force."

"I see. Ahsoka didn't explain any of this to you?"

Old bitter memories and resentment began to rise within her. "No. She didn't really explain much to me about . . . any of this."

"Hmmm. I see. It's a pity she didn't trust you."

Sabine stared at him, the words touching a deep nerve within her. "What do you mean?"

Baylan opened his eyes and said, not unkindly, "Your master was frightened of you. Frightened of your potential - especially after the loss of your family."

How could he know that? How much did he know about her? About Ahsoka?

"You don't know anything about me. Or Ahsoka," Sabine said, but there was no conviction in her words.

Baylan shrugged. "If you say so," he replied. Then he took her lightsaber and pointed the emitter away from him, pushing the activator.

With a satisfying snap-hiss, the green-white blade blazed to existence.

Sabine stood up from the bed immediately, eyes widening at the sight. "It's fixed," she breathed. "How did you do that?"

Baylan shut it down and handed it back to her. "Try it yourself," he said.

She did - but nothing happened.

"I don't understand," she said. "Why won't it work for me?"

Baylan gazed at her steadily. "Because the crystal senses the conflict within you," he said. "It senses your lack of conviction - your indecision - on the path you need to take."

Sabine gripped the lightsaber tightly in her fist. She could hear the metal groan in response. "I am not indecisive. I know what needs to be done," she snarled.

The mercenary shook his head. "The weapon does not lie. Ezra Bridger never hesitated in his choices, no matter how difficult they are. He was never conflicted in what needed to be done."

"I'm not Ezra," Sabine replied angrily. "I'm not even a Jedi!"

Baylan cocked his head at her. "I never said you had to be, Sabine Wren. Only that you need to decide, once and for all, who you want to be. And how you aim to achieve it."

He turned to leave. Sabine said, "Wait."

Baylan paused at the doorway.

"If I'm not supposed to be a Jedi, then what should I do? How do I get the power to save Ezra?" She hated how desperate her voice sounded, the questions coming out as whispered pleas.

He turned to look at her. In the dim lighting, his face was half in shadow; Baylan's eyes were filled with grim knowledge.

"I can teach you. The Jedi were not the only proficient users of the Force. There was another Order. One that existed opposite them."

Sabine knew the name of those who existed on the opposite spectrum of the Jedi. A warning from Ahsoka and Huyang; whispered by those in the shadows; a fairytale nightmare that were told to younglings about those who strayed from the right path and found themselves too deep in the dark, dark forest.

"And are you one of them?" she asked quietly.

Baylan stared at her - and then snorted. "Hardly. The Sith were arrogant fools. See what became of them."

He stepped forward. "But they were right about some things. The only question is how much you are willing to sacrifice for your friend, Ezra Bridger."

I know I can count on you.

"Everything," said Sabine, after a long moment. The word tasted like ash in her mouth.

Baylan nodded and took another step forward.

Behind him, the door slid shut with a quiet hiss.

"Then kneel, Sabine Wren," he said. "And let us begin your lessons."

Twelve hours later, they arrived.

Descending through the grey skies of the new world - called Peridea, a place of dreams and madness according to Baylan (Sabine rolled her eyes at this) - Sabine felt her heart pulse with excitement - and dread.

"The Jedi used to tell tales of this world to the younglings," said Baylan in a hushed tone. "I always thought it to be a fantasy, but to be here and see it in person . . ."

Sabine peeked out of the nearest viewpoint and caught a glimpse of barren wastes and endless stretches of hills and rocks.

"I think I've seen more interesting views in a landfill," she remarked sarcastically.

Baylan threw her an exasperated look. She smirked at him and then settled down into her chair, her thoughts turning to Ezra.

Ezra's here. He's here, I know it. She would be seeing him soon, after so long.

"Steady," Baylan murmured to her, standing close behind in the shuttle. He had picked up on her feelings. "We must stay focused. Ezra is not the only person we're meeting here."

Embarrassed at being caught, Sabine took a few deep breaths and steadied herself. The lessons had been . . . enlightening, to say the least, and she felt more sure of herself and the abilities now offered to her in the Force.

And, yet, the lightsaber still did not respond to her. She sensed that some huge decision was still required to be made before it could be used.

Sabine was not looking forward to that. But that was a problem for the future; she needed to focus in the here and now.

Morgan Elsbeth pointed outside the cockpit window at something in the distance. "There," she said excitedly. "That is where they await."

Sabine saw what she was pointing at: a tall, obsidian grey tower ending with a platform surrounded by three prongs, almost looking like a dark claw reaching out to pluck the stars from the sky. Three figures, robed in red, became more visible as they approached, standing next to each other on the platform.

Baylan peered over her shoulder and grunted derisively.

"What is it?" Sabine asked.

"More witches," he sighed.

"Witches?" The transport shuddered as they landed on the platform. Morgan went out first to speak with the three figures. "Dathomir witches? What are they doing here?'

"Guardians of the power that I seek," replied Baylan. "It's why I'm here."

Sabine frowned at him. "What power is this?"

He looked at her. "The power to end the cycle of war that plagues our galaxy."

"But the war is over," Sabine replied. "That cycle ended, didn't it?"

Baylan shook his head. "How long until another war starts up? Another Empire? Another Republic? It never ends, Sabine. Our galaxy has never ceased it's relentless march towards war. It seems to be our default."

His eyes flashed with grim determination. "But not anymore. I will stop it. I will bring it all to an end."

"And you can do this with that power here?" she asked. "What, you can re-write time with it or something?"

"Not exactly. It's a doorway to a nexus point in the Force. Time doesn't exist there as you and I experience it. But from there, you can go anywhere, anytime."

A doorway. Sabine's eyes widened in recognition.

She remembered Ahsoka telling her about a similar doorway - the same doorway that her and Ezra found long ago on Lothal. The one he used to save Ahsoka from her fate on Malachor.

Could it be the same one? The World Between Worlds?

Sabine snuck a glance at Baylan, wondering if he had caught onto her realization - but he was instead looking at recently returned Morgan.

"You may come out now," she called.

Baylan gestured at Sabine to move out and she followed him out the door onto the platform. A cold wind blew through, whipping the robes of the witches into a frenzy. But they seemed not to notice the bitter chill and only stared at the new company with dark eyes.

As they approached the witches, their eyes seemed to snap to her with intense focus. Sabine put on a brave face but inside she felt mildly disturbed at their sudden interest in her.

"He arrives," said one of the witches.

Morgan looked up at the sky expectantly. Sabine followed her gaze -

And gasped.

An Imperial Star Destroyer with a familiar design painted on the underside of its hull hovered directly above the tower; it's hangar bay positioned perfectly in line with the gigantic structure.

The Chimaera. Thrawn's personal flagship.

Sabine swallowed hard. Baylan, beside her, seemed impressed but made no comment.

The hangar bay lowered directly onto the tower, a perfect fit; now inside the spaceship, Sabine found herself faced with a platoon of stormtroopers - or at least, she thought they were stormtroopers. Upon closer inspection she saw the shattered armor, held together with an unknown golden metal acting as glue and mysterious red cloth wrapped around their limbs. She wondered if it was the same cloth that the witches wore.

And there, in the middle: parting the platoon of stormtroopers as he walked through them like a ship breaking through a sea of ice was Grand Admiral Thrawn.

Sabine felt her lip twist in contempt at the sight of her old foe. Next to him, however, was an unknown figure garbed in dark robes, a dark cloak with a hood thrown over the face. All she could see underneath the hood was the glint of a golden mask worn over the unknown figure's face.

Thrawn walked down a ramp extended from the hangar bay down to the stone platform and greeted the witches.

"Great Mothers, I thank you," he said. "What was once a dream is now on the threshold of becoming a frightening reality for all who dare oppose us."

He walked up to Morgan and bowed deeply to her. She returned the gesture. "Morgan, you have done well."

"Of course, Grand Admiral," she replied, sounding flustered. "I heard the Great Mothers voices across the stars and hastened to do their bidding. I am pleased to see you well."

He nodded. "Yes, quite well." His red gaze turned towards Sabine and Baylan.

Thrawn's mouth curled into a smile. The cloaked figure beside him cocked its head at Sabine; she had the strangest sensation that it recognized her.

She stared back but couldn't see anything from behind that mask.

"Well, well," Thrawn remarked softly. "I see we have guests to this happy reunion."

"We did not see it coming," said the Great Mothers in unison. "It is an unknown quantity."

Thrawn smiled at Sabine. "This 'it' has a name, Great Mothers. How pleasing it is to see a familiar face after so long. How are you, Sabine Wren?"

"It reeks of the Dark Side," interjected the Great Mothers before Sabine could reply. "It is dangerous."

Sabine stared at the witches and gave a cold smile as an answer. The trio narrowed their eyes at her.

Thrawn raised an eyebrow at the statement. "I see much has changed in my time away," he said. "Last I remember, you were on a different path alongside your beloved Jedi friends."

"Where is Ezra?" asked Sabine impatiently. "I'm getting tired of this party."

Thrawn cocked his head at her. "Ah, yes. The desire to be reunited with your long lost friend." He stepped closer to her, his red eyes studying her.

"How that singular focus will reshape the galaxy. You have gambled much on your quest for Ezra Bridger," Thrawn said softly.

She looked at him, scorn ringing in her voice. "You wouldn't understand."

He leaned back, his face unreadable. "Perhaps not."

Thrawn turned back and gestured at the cloaked being that had escorted him onto the platform. "However, who am I to not reward your long journey? You helped me with my cause, so I shall help you with yours, Sabine Wren."

The cloaked figure walked over to them. Sabine again felt that intense feeling emanating from them but couldn't place what it was.

"This is Captain Enoch, the personal head of my guard," Thrawn introduced.

"Hello," Sabine said. "And I care because . . .?"

An evil smile appeared on Thrawn's face. "Oh, you will care, Sabine Wren. Enoch once went by another name before I had him . . . recruited to my cause, shall we say."

His eyes flashed with malice. "You will care so much that you feel as though you will bleed to death because of it."

And he unmasked the cloaked figure.

Sabine choked back a surprised breath, stumbling back a few steps.

Ezra.

It was Ezra Bridger. Her beloved friend. No longer the young, sweet, earnest boy she remembered from youth but older, taller, lankier. The scars on his cheek stood out more than ever on skin that hadn't seen the sun in a long time; his hair was shaggy, unkempt and a scraggly beard had grown on his face. There was a rakish, rogue-like handsome look to this new Ezra - but it was ruined by his eyes.

They were no longer the piercing blue that she had once upon a time secretly adored.

Ezra's eyes looked like supernovas; a fierce, burning amber yellow.

No. No, no. It can't be. Not like this. Not after all this time.

Shaking, Sabine let loose a hysterical sob. "It's you."

Ezra cocked his head at her, his face showing less expression than a stone. "It's me," he replied flatly.

She reached trembling hands towards his face, cupping the sides of his head so gently. "Ezra. Ezra, it's Sabine. It's your Sabine. Don't you recognize me?"

Ezra blinked at her slowly, like a reptile. "Should I? Do you know me?"

"Such a happy reunion," came Thrawn's voice.

Sabine's vision turned red with fury. "What did you do to him?" she asked in a hoarse whisper.

"I turned him into an asset. With the Great Mothers assistance, of course. Your Jedi friend was remarkably resilient towards any attempts to turn him. But, in the end, I had plenty of time to work with."

Thrawn studied them both, his lips curled into a smirk, and continued to speak.

"He has no initiative, to speak of. You have to give him direct, simple orders. But, in terms of brute strength and his Force enhanced abilities, he is an effective enforcer."

Ezra looked at her through burning eyes. "Why are you crying?" he asked. "Is it for me?"

His voice was soft, a huge contrast to his current appearance. His questions were asked like how a child would.

Sabine felt her heart break. She had failed. Ezra was lost.

It was all for nothing.

Something dark and twisted grew through the cracks in her heart. And, once more, she heard that howling in her head, picking up rapidly in volume and intensity.

The beast in her chest pounded incessantly demanding blood. Demanding that the pain it felt be returned, ten-fold. It hurt so much to hold it back; Sabine felt as though it would burst free of her chest if didn't do something.

Her eyes misted over with a crimson fog, blocking out Ezra's face.

With a feral scream, she threw herself at Thrawn. No lightsaber, no Force - just pure, unrestrained rage, twisting her hands into claws to dig into his throat and squeeze until something broke.

"I'LL KILL YOU," she heard herself scream. "KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO HIM!"

Someone yanked her back. She felt herself enclosed in a Force-grip and brutally slammed into the stone.

Sabine cried out in frustration - until she saw who it was.

Ezra. He stared down at her, face empty of emotion. His hand was held out to maintain the grip but it shook.

"Ezra," she cried out. "Ezra, please! Let me go!"

She saw his eyebrows furrow in confusion and - for the briefest second - Sabine saw something like recognition flicker in his eyes.

Thrawn stepped into view, peering down at her with satisfaction. "Well done, Enoch."

The recognition died and Ezra became a mute shell once more.

Thrawn said coldly, "Submit. Serve under my command, and I will let you be alongside your beloved friend."

Sabine was beyond reason. Enraged, she whispered a promise to the Grand Admiral.

"You'll be dead before the day is out, Thrawn. I promise you."

The Grand Admiral shook his head in disappointment. "To be expected but still unfortunate."

He looked at Ezra. "Take her below and throw her into a cell, Enoch. Strip her of all weapons and armor. She can rot here for the remainder of her days."

Thrawn turned his red eyes to her for a last time. "This is farewell, Sabine Wren. I'll be sure to look after Bridger, provided his usefulness continues."

"Kill you!" she spat. "Kill you all!"

Ezra placed a hand over her face and commanded, "Sleep now."

His burning eyes in that handsome face was the last image Sabine saw before fading into blackness.

It was three days before anyone came to see her in the cell.

The cell was small, dank, and cold. A meager cot and refresher with little privacy. Food was brought to her in the form of ration bars and a flask of water. She had tried to break out of the cell using the Force but the witches apparently had imbued the cell with inscriptions that suppressed her ability to use it. It would take a great amount of power to break free . . . more than she was capable of, despite her recent progress.

"Hello, Sabine," said Baylan. He didn't come alone; Ezra was beside him, still cloaked in black.

But he didn't wear a mask this time. Sabine ignored Baylan and pressed herself against the cell's bars to look closer at him.

"Ezra," she whispered.

He didn't look at her. "You have five minutes," he said to Baylan. "And then you're needed on top, as promised."

Baylan said, "Of course. And then Thrawn will honor my agreement?"

"Yes," replied Ezra. "Provided you perform as promised and kill Ahsoka Tano."

Sabine's eyes widened in surprise. "Ahsoka? She's here?"

Baylan nodded at her. "She approaches. The Great Mothers sensed her presence some hours ago."

"I told you," Sabine pointed out. "She's hard to kill."

"Indeed she is," Baylan remarked. "But, I've done it before. I'll do it again."

He knelt down and looked sadly at Sabine. "I'm afraid this is where we part ways, Sabine Wren. I am truly sorry that it turned out this way for you."

Sabine just looked at him. "I am, too."

"For what it's worth, not all is lost. I believe your friend Ezra is still in there. He hesitated on that platform. I saw it. If you reach out to him, I suspect he could still be saved."

Sabine mulled that over. "Good-bye, Baylan," she said after a moment.

"Good-bye, Sabine Wren. You were a good student." He turned, nodded to Ezra, and began to leave.

"You'll die just like Shin did," Sabine called out after him.

Baylan paused. Without looking at her, he asked, "And how was that?"

"On your knees," she said.

He turned around and gave her a rueful smile. "You've finally decided, I see. It's a shame it's too late."

Baylan clapped Ezra on the shoulder. "You're a lucky man, Ezra Bridger."

Ezra just stared at him coldly, not comprehending. He gave a sardonic wave and departed.

It was just her and Ezra now. She stared at him and then turned away, unable to bear the pain any longer.

She heard him come to the cell door and kneel down.

"You knew me," he said softly.

Sabine swallowed. "Yes, I did. I knew you."

"What were we? What was I to you?"

She closed her eyes. "Once upon a time, a partner. My closest friend in the whole galaxy."

Something slid through the cell bars. She looked down and saw, with a shock, her armor.

Ezra pointed a gloved hand at her shoulder pauldron. The one with her customized starbird design on it.

"This is yours," he said. Sabine turned to look at him and nodded. "It is. It's my symbol. The starbird."

His burning eyes focused on hers. "I keep seeing it in my dreams," he muttered. "It haunts me. It makes me feel . . . things. It makes me remember impossible memories. Memories of another life."

Sabine gripped the cell bars. "Are you really still in there Ezra?"

"I've been waiting . . . I don't know why. Was it for you?" he asked. His eyes were pleading.

She reached out and stroked his face gently. "It was. I'm sorry it took so long," she said, feeling the tears flow down her cheek.

He leaned into her touch, eyes closed. Then he reached into his cloak and took out two items.

Her lightsaber and Shin's.

Sabine's eyes snapped to his. "Ezra. Are you certain? I thought you were loyal to Thrawn."

"I . . . woke up some time ago. Hid it from him. I feel more awake now that you're here."

"Okay," she whispered. She tried her lightsaber - but it still refused to ignite. Cursing, she hung it on her belt and tested Shin's.

The scarlet blade erupted forth. "Okay, that one still works," she muttered, closing it down after a second.

A plan, she thought. I need a plan.

"Ezra? Can you break the cell doors?"

He shook his head. "Whatever magicks they use here still affects me. I can take care of the guards outside. Lightsabers don't work either. Something in the rock used in the construction disrupts the circuitry."

Sabine nodded. "Okay. I'll figure it out here. Take care of the guards and I'll meet you outside."

Ezra nodded and departed with a swish of his cloak.

Sabine took a deep breath and began to focus, tucking her legs beneath her in a meditative pose.

What are you willing to sacrifice for your friend, Ezra Bridger?

Everything.

She needed Power. Here. Now.

No more hesitation. No more uncertainty.

Gripping her lightsaber through the Force, she gently deconstructed it, revealing the emerald kyber crystal within. She reached into it - and felt it recoil from her, as if sensing what she was about to do.

What she was about to become.

For Ezra.

Shouts and blaster fire began to erupt from outside. She was out of time.

Now or never, she thought grimly.

She began to pour all her thoughts, all her feelings - all the rage, the fear, the despair, the hatred, and, yes, all the love she felt - into the kyber crystal.

Sabine began to bleed it, as Baylan instructed her. It was a dangerous ritual, forcing your will upon the kyber crystal. It was meant to be used in tune with the wielder's feelings; not meant to be dominated by them.

The emerald began to glow brightly - and then dim.

The howling was inside her head. The rage rose in her chest.

The Power began to flow, the Force whipping around her like a storm. The inscriptions in the stone glowed fiercely, attempting to contain her.

But she would not be denied.

The green light began to fade and a new color began to flicker forth in it's place. A red light.

A crimson light.

The kyber crystal was screaming inside her head, fighting back, feeling the light fade but Sabine kept pushing, kept forcing it until she couldn't discern her screams from the emerald's.

And then the world turned red. A pulse of energy blossomed out from the transformed crystal, blowing the cell door wide open. The inscriptions flared once and then faded.

Breathing hard, Sabine re-focused and reassembled the lightsaber with the newly crimson crystal inside.

She held it in the palm of her hand, feeling the cool metal against her sweaty palm. Holding her breath, she pressed the activator.

A blood-red blade emerged with a sinister snap-hiss.

She allowed herself a grim smile. Sabine stared at the crimson blade for a moment longer and then closed it down. With practiced speed, she donned her armor.

Walking outside the holding area, she found Ezra in the hallway with the broken body of stormtroopers littering the ground around him.

She threw Shin's lightsaber at him and he caught it. "Remember how to use this?" she asked.

He turned it on and waved the scarlet blade around experimentally. "I think so," he said slowly.

"What now?" he asked her.

She ignited her own blade in response and turned to the staircase leading up.

Leading to Thrawn. And the way home.

"I made you a promise, Ezra." She held out her hand. After a moment of consideration, he took it. Sabine squeezed his hand affectionately.

"Let's go home," she said softly.

It was her and him against insurmountable odds, once again. Sabine and Ezra.

"Sabine," warned Ezra. She sensed them, thundering down the stairs; a squad of stormtroopers, prepared to unleash blaster fire the moment they had them in their sights.

Sabine turned to Ezra. "Ready?"

He nodded, his eyes burning coldly in anticipation of the violence to come.

The stormtroopers burst into the hallway, expecting to find the two heroes making a final stand.

And instead they found a new nightmare. A nightmare of crimson and scarlet blades, scything through bodies and limbs with brutal efficiency.

When they finished, both of them raced to the top, carving through any resistance in their path.

There, they found Ahsoka dueling against Baylan and Morgan. Her former master was now garbed in white, her pure-white blades dancing against Morgan's sword and Baylan's lightsaber. It was a testament to her strength and experience that she was holding them at bay.

But, in the end, it was a numbers game. Stormtroopers, she noted, were lined around the edges of the platform, rifles at the ready.

Ahsoka wasn't going to win this. She was going to die here.

There was a roar of engines; Sabine looked up to see the Chimaera pulling away, readying its escape.

There was no time. She looked to Ahsoka - and then back at Ezra.

"Ezra," she said. "Get a running start and then Force leap towards the hangar bay."

He gauged the distance and replied, shaking his head, "I can't make that jump."

"You can if I give you a push. Now, hurry up! The longer you wait, the harder this gets."

Ezra looked back at her. "You'll be right behind me?"

Her heart twisted at the pleading look in his eyes. "I promise. Now go! Before it's too late!"

He nodded, took a deep breath, sprinted towards the edge - and then took a flying leap. Sabine waited until his arc began to dip -

And then she shoved both her hands forward in a pushing motion. The Force caught Ezra and propelled him just enough to reach the hangar bay's edge.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she watched him climb up. Once inside, he turned around and shouted, "Sabine! It's your turn now! I'll pull you over!"

Sabine looked at him and shouted, "I'll be there, Ezra! I promise!"

She turned around and found the duel still raging between Ahsoka and her two adversaries. It was now or never.

"Sabine!" His shouts were growing more distant.

Closing her eyes, Sabine made her decision.

She sprinted towards her former master, igniting her blade, and made a slash at Baylan.

The mercenary growled and parried it aside. "I see you've come to keep your promise," he said.

With the pressure from Baylan's attack released thanks to Sabine, Ahsoka was free to fully focus on Morgan. "You got this?" she called to Sabine.

"Yeah, I've got this," Sabine replied.

Morgan, feeling the tide of battle begin to turn, screamed to the stormtroopers. "Open fire on them all! All of them!"

They followed her command and opened fire. Baylan, narrowing his eyes, dodged a blaster bolt and swatted away another. "So, it's to be like that, then," he muttered.

"Truce?" Sabine asked him, parrying away three shots.

"Agreed," Baylan replied. "We can kill each other after sorting through this mess."

Ahsoka's blades were a blur as she joined them in a triangle formation: pure white, crimson, and scarlet blades beating back the storm of blaster fire.

The stormtroopers stood no chance. They crumpled to the ground soon after, their bodies sizzling with holes from the returned shots.

Morgan screamed her frustration and threw herself at Ahsoka in a vain attempt -

The Jedi Knight disarmed her and kicked her to the ground. Morgan struggled to her knees and stared in defiance at Ahsoka.

"Do it," she hissed. "I will never surrender, Jedi."

Ahsoka complied with her wish. The sword and lightsaber slashed across the warrior's chest. Morgan gasped and fell sideways.

Ahsoka sighed, closed down her lightsaber and threw away Morgan's weapon, before turning to look at Baylan.

He held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I have no further quarrel with you, Ahsoka Tano."

She narrowed her eyes at Baylan. "The power you seek here is dangerous, Baylan. You cannot control it."

Baylan sighed, reaching for his lightsaber. "Perhaps I was wrong, then - "

Sabine pressed the hilt of her lightsaber to Baylan's back and then activated it.

The crimson blade burned through his chest, the tip protruding through his sternum. He gasped in shock, the pain driving him to his knees.

Ahsoka's eyes widened at the sight. Before she could protest, Sabine had already stepped in front of the mercenary, crimson blade ablaze. His hands were shaking, poking at the edges of his smoking wound.

He looked up at Sabine, a knowing glint in his eyes. "You kept your promise," he said weakly. "To Ezra. And to me."

"Yes," replied Sabine coldly. "Say hello to Shin for me."

He was still smiling as her blade slashed through his neck.

Before his body hit the ground, Sabine heard the dual snap-hiss of Ahsoka's lightsabers.

She turned around and saw her former master in a ready stance, lightsabers at the ready. Her eyes were sad, regretful.

For a long moment, none of them spoke. Then Sabine gestured at her lightsaber. "Like the new color?"

Ahsoka stared at her. "Oh, Sabine. What have you done?"

"Found my conviction. Seems like you did, too."

"We're both stuck here now. I can help you. We can find a way for you to come back."

"Come back to what?" Sabine asked. "Come back to me being your useless apprentice? Powerless? Afraid?"

"Yes," said Ahsoka.

Sabine's eye twitched. "Really?" she whispered.

"There's always a way back," Ahsoka promised. "And we can find it. Together."

Sabine just stared at her.

And then she looked past her. Snorting, she said, "Looks like Huyang finally got the timing right."

Ahsoka's T-6 shuttle raised over the edge of the tower's peak with a roar of its engines.

Ahsoka activated her comms and said desperately, "Huyang! Get the ship out of here - "

It was too late. Sabine was waiting for the distraction. She grabbed Ahsoka in a Force grip and held her aloft.

Huyang's voice came over the loudspeaker. "Put her down, Lady Wren!"

"Or what?" she shouted. "You'll shoot us both?"

She walked them both to the edge, holding Ahsoka over it. Huyang shouted again, "Drop her!"

Sabine shook her head. "Bad choice of words, Huyang."

She looked to her former master. "Sabine - you can still stop this," Ahsoka said through clenched teeth.

"You'll survive this," Sabine replied. "And I know you'll find a way off this rock. I know what Baylan was looking for. I'm looking for it, too."

Ahsoka's eyes widened at Sabine's words. "I just wanted to get Ezra home, first," Sabine continued. "When you come home, promise you'll find us?"

She was crying. She didn't know why the tears were coming out; after everything she had done, Sabine was surprised that there was anything left to feel regret - to feel remorse.

I'll have to work on that, she thought.

"If I find you," Ahsoka said. "I'll have to stop you."

"Even if that means killing me?" asked Sabine.

"Yes," Ahsoka admitted.

Sabine just looked at her and smiled sadly. "I'm counting on it."

And she released her grip on Ahsoka. Her master fell without another word into the void.

"No!" Huyang cried out. The T-6 shuttle roared to life, passing over head to dive after Ahsoka -

Sabine activated her grapple on her vambrace, the hook attaching to one of the wings. She jerked forward violently, eyes squinted against the rushing wind, as the grapple pulled her closer and closer to the shuttle -

She grabbed on with a yell and began to heave herself towards the hatch. Reaching for the manual release, she opened it and hurled herself inside.

The hatch closed behind her automatically. Igniting her lightsaber, she stumbled towards the cockpit.

Huyang didn't even look at her as she entered. The ship righted itself; outside the viewport, Sabine saw Ahsoka, clinging to the edge of a cliff face, her lightsabers dug deep into the rock.

"She always survives," Huyang remarked.

"Yes," Sabine agreed.

"Sabine," said Huyang, turning to look at her, "I am sorry. For everything."

She just looked at the old droid, memories flooding through her.

"I am not your failure, Huyang," she replied softly.

"I know," said the droid gently. "I hope you find peace on this new path of yours."

Sabine shook her head. "I don't think I will. At least, not for me."

Huyang nodded, taking that in. "I cannot surrender this ship to you."

"I know."

"Then get on with it."

Sabine slashed the droid in half. Staring down at his remains, Sabine shook herself mentally and re-focused. She sat down at the shuttle controls, pushed the engines to full throttle, and began to aim the nose skyward to catch up with the Chimaera.

She felt a sensation in her mind through the Force. It was Ahsoka.

Sabine looked outside the cockpit and found her master staring, her expression somber. Somehow, she knew.

She was too far away to great a proper read on her thoughts but one emotion was felt clearly through their bond.

Sadness.

"Good-bye, Ahsoka," Sabine whispered. And she flew to the stars, leaving her master behind.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

#sabezra #sabine wren #ezra bridger #ezrabine #star wars rebels #star wars #ahsoka show #ahsoka #dark side au #sabezra fanfiction #natasha liu bordizzo #eman esfandi

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lizzybeth1986 · 1 year

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Skills vs Passions - What's the Difference?

(Read the rest of the "Hana Lee: A Study in Erasure" series here!)

Previous: China, Cordonia and "Home"

I had mentioned, way back in my first essay of this series, that descriptors used for Hana are vastly different from that of the other LIs. The three male LIs got descriptors that emphasized their personalities and loyalty to their loved ones.

Hana's descriptors, on the other hand, came down to two things - what the MC could be physically drawn to, and what the MC could use her for.

Hana can be dedicated, devoted, open minded, explorative. You don't have to look too far to see a consistent display of these qualities in Hana, throughout both series. Yet none of these words - nor the many others that could even slightly capture her personality - are used to describe her.

What the team views as appealing in Hana, boils down to two things. What the MC can find fuckable if Hana is a love interest, and what the MC can use her for if she isn't (though to be honest, even the MC that romances her still benefits disproportionately from her labour).

Her looks...and her skills.

Ironically, even with this lack of care and forethought, Hana's story still manages to retain some nuance when it comes to exploring the things she learned. They are not things she randomly became perfect at. Nor is the process of how she became good at those things, identical.

Most times, there is a story behind how she became that good at those activities, a process that Hana often worked and struggled towards, before she could be the "Jill of All Trades" of TRR.

Her journey to acquiring all of these skills is not the same. If we do not acknowledge the differences in those journeys, we are doing her story a grave disservice.

Acquired Skills.

(Note: In this section I will be leaving out Hana's more intuitive skills, such as stealth, cunning, deep research and resourcefulness, and focusing more on the ones she had to learn. This is because her intuitive skills fit better in a different essay that I will be working on soon)

There are several things the above screenshots share in common.

One is that they are all things Hana learned as a part of her training to become the perfect debutante, the perfect noblewoman, the perfect courtly wife, the perfect hostess. In the Cordonian Waltz scene in TRR1 Ch 7, Hana speaks of being pushed from an early age to learn all the courtly and social arts. She speaks of being "groomed [every day] to bring fame and fortune to my family", primarily because they were devastated she was not a boy and the only way she could possibly be of use to them was by acquiring these skills. These weren't just hobbies she was encouraged to cultivate - they were things she had to do well, do perfectly, whether she liked doing them or not.

Another - and perhaps easier to miss - similarity between all these pictures is Hana's expression in them. Neutral. Unmoved. Bored. None of these activities actually appeal to her, or are things she is happy doing.

We will find out later on, that that was exactly the point. In her parents' plan for Hana's life and future, Hana's own needs and identity are practically a non-factor.

One of Hana's major epiphanies about her childhood, is the recognition that what she wanted, should have mattered. That her needs deserved to be met just for being her needs, not because it served a purpose for anyone else. On more than one occasion Hana tells us that "enjoying myself never factored into my parents' expectations of me".

How damaging can this obsession with making your daughter the perfect noble wife - to the exclusion of any other possible life - be? Let's find out:

Hana isn't just expected to excel in skills that mean very little to her. She isn't just forced to prioritise - again and again and again - the enjoyment of others over her own. She isn't just made to consider the needs of some nebulous future husband, to the point where she cannot even ask herself what she wants.

Over and above all this, she is never allowed to be her authentic self. She is never even allowed to figure out what that authentic self would be. From an early age she is deprived of toys and pets and real consistent friendships, ensuring a complete isolation, ensuring she doesn't even have the opportunity to safely indulge in pretend play. (That she manages to scrape together whatever she can find to make her "toys" is only a testament to her own tenacity; she should never have been put in such a position in the first place). Her parents robbed her of those early, exploratory years.

She has been told how she must be and what she must do; she never has the freedom to decide whether that is something she is even comfortable being. In the context of this scene Hana may be using this skill to help another woman, but the fact remains that even in expressing her femininity, Hana is constantly expected to perform - as if her authentic self was never good enough.

It is no wonder then that the moment she finds herself no longer answerable to her parents, Hana fears that she will discover she's nothing more than a "collection of skills...with no one underneath". TRR3 shows Hana in a full-blown identity crisis once she is completely outside her parents' influence.

In her post "How Parents Fuel Identity Crises in Their Children" on the Good Therapy Blog, psychotherapist Beverly Amsel talks about the effects controlling parenting can have on a child's sense of self thus; "When a loving parent is so certain that he or she knows what is right for the child and does not consider that the child may have valid, different ideas about what he or she wants, needs, and feels, there is no space and no invitation for the child to develop the ability to express his or her own self with separate ideas, feelings, and needs. Over time, as the child grows to adulthood and is exposed to more ways of thinking about things, there is typically a good deal of confusion about identity, thoughts, and feelings. Unless there is an opportunity to develop a separate sense of self, there will likely be a lot of anxious thinking about what is real but little ability to think for oneself in a self-reflective way."

Fortunately for Hana, her time in Cordonia does seem to present those sort of opportunities. There are story threads in TRR3 that address this identity crisis. But does it culminate into something that benefits her, or only the people around her?

Things She Does For Those She Loves

Before we move into passions, it's important to acknowledge a category that toes the line between acquired skill and interest. These involve activities that she's not entirely passionate about, but still derives some enjoyment from doing.

Her enjoyment of these skills is usually less about the activity itself, and more dependent on her fondness for sharing or socializing through it. Despite her mostly-isolated childhood, Hana is by nature a very social person. She is enthusiastic (though initially a bit wary and fearful of rejection) about making friends, loves sharing her knowledge and skills, and does not hesitate to reach out even to people who don't treat her well and accommodation them into whatever she's doing (eg. every single time she included Olivia in something in TRR2). So it makes sense that there are certain things she enjoys doing because it involves her helping someone, or allows her to spend time with them, or helps her relive precious memories.

On some level, you see this with some of her skill scenes. Often a scene will end with Hana following up a confession about her lack of interest in a particular activity with a line about how sharing that knowledge makes her happy. But you also see this enjoyment in other contexts.

Another context where she truly enjoys doing things, is when they're of a competitive nature. She thrives on the thrill of outwitting opponents and friendly rivalries. A great example of this is the dance-off she does with Maxwell in TRR1 Ch 18, where she enjoys pitting her skills against Maxwell's so much that they both agree they'd be great as a dancing duo. You also see this whenever she's competing in games with her trusted friends. This is perhaps why you see at least a handful of sequences where she expresses an interest in sports.

But perhaps the activities she enjoys the most - that aren't for herself - are ones that have her share space with someone she loves and trusts. Cooking and baking rank high among these skills. Baking began as a domestic skill that would serve her well in a noble household, but she loves sampling batter/dough and practically glows on seeing the other person's enjoyment of her craft. Her creating her own recipe for hot chocolate is especially interesting because it's a skill that she values highly, and that she only shares with people very close to her.

Hana's interest in fashion design also has interesting origins. She is skilled in embroidery and knows fashion trends well, and has learned from her grandmother to make her own clothes. Of particular note is the black-red-gold qipao/cheongsam that was the last dress she ever made with her grandmother. Her attachment to the dress is so strong that she experiences intense distress when Lorelai threatens to take it from her in Valtoria. She also loves designing dresses for loved ones - for the MC herself, we see her conceptualize and design dresses at least twice (a traditional-inspired outfit in Shanghai which is appropriately titled "Hana's Heart", and a blue and white dress for their engagement photoshoot).

Through these examples we can see instances of Hana finding joy in things she didn't have as much interest in, just through the process of sharing that experience with someone else. It's great, on the one hand, because Hana is no longer alone and she gains a renewed perspective on something that came from a very painful part of her life.

On the other hand, "I find this more fun now that I'm doing it with you" comes with its own downsides. If you use it too often, you're in danger of using it as a copout that centers the person she is teaching rather than her own journey.

And if you're a writer that makes efforts for her story with great reluctance...such an explanation will rapidly change into an excuse to be lazy with that journey.

Passions

Among the many, many, many skills Hana was made to learn in the bid to make her the perfect debutante and the perfect noble wife...just a few rank as ones she does wholeheartedly, joyfully, passionately. But they are perhaps the most important.

After all, these are skills that Hana had honed for herself. They're meant for her consumption and her enjoyment, and she often shares them only with people she trusts.

Not only are these things, interests that she enjoys and lovingly cultivates...but she is also fiercely protective of them. She will not allow anyone - not even her parents - to turn something so personal into a public spectacle that she's uncomfortable with. This is most clearly seen when she tells us about rebelling against her parents for piano performances. At a very young age, Hana recognises the value of her music, and she pushes back against any attempts to cheapen it or turn it into some warped form of social currency. She takes ownership of her gift, and from that moment on anything she does with that talent is done on her own terms.

Like music, reading was a skill cultivated to make her an attractive prospect for noble matches - only for Hana to find pleasure in the act of reading herself. Here again, building a passion for reading allows her to rebel in her own unique way. She smuggles in books that she knows her parents will find either too frivolous or too objectionable - often by hiding the books, or modifying the purpose of the book to them so it would sound appropriate.

We must remember - this is a woman who still feels nervous breaking rules even a year after she has left her parents' home. It would take such a woman considerable amounts of imagination and courage, to be able to do what she did in an environment as restrictive as her's. For Hana to be able to do this, she must have really valued the joy that reading books had given her.

Flowers are an extremely important part of Hana's life. Symbolically, they are part of her mother's House Crest, and personally, she is someone who is naturally drawn to flowers. In TRR2 Ch 4, she confesses to devouring the words of The Language of Flowers, and knows the symbolic meaning of each one by heart. She can even make her own bouquets. During the Costume Gala in TRR3, she dresses up in a heavily floral gown as the Goddess of Spring.

One of the most captivating sequences that captures her love for flowers in the TRR2 Conservatory scene, where she takes the MC to see the spectacle of a night-blooming flower unfurling under the light of the moon. It is especially fascinating that her already latent passion for flowers grew further with the help of another passion - reading.

Another thing you will clearly notice about each of these "passions" is that when she speaks about them, she is expressive. Liam confirms this in his Diplomacy scene in TRR3, where he tells the MC that her passion always shows in her eyes.

The proof for what Liam says here is in every one of these scenes. In the scenes compiled under the "Acquired Skills" category, her expression rarely changes and her tone is indifferent. In contrast, we are exposed to a variety of moods when she talks of these things that she's so passionate about.

She seethes with anger at the memory of her parents forcing her to perform the piano to crowds, whispers conspiratorially about forbidden literature, loses herself in the scent of flowers. These are moments where Hana acknowledges her individual pleasures, and expresses pride over the way she guards them from people who will not respect what those things mean to her.

These are things she knows forwards and backwards, but not because she was forced to cultivate and perfect those talents. They're things she knows because when Hana Lee is truly interested in something, she will plunge herself into it, body and soul. These are things that gave her comfort at a time when she had no one, and they form the happiest memories she has had for her childhood so far.

These are passions that are so intricately a part of her that it is impossible for her to give them up. Not for her family, not for her friends, not for her wife - no one.

Conclusion

The base of Hana's story has always been rich with possibilities. There were various ways the writing team could have written it to benefit her story. At the hands of a skilled writer who loved the character for who she was rather than for what the MC could gain from her, the writing of these talents could have been used to further enrich Hana's journey and give her a chance to find herself. Unfortunately, the writing team at the helm of TRR were neither.

Over and over again, the writers used Hana's plethora of talents to make her useful to people, rather than turn the focus of that arc back on her. The MC learns these skills and goes up the ranks, the MC benefits from Hana's offers of help, the MC is the one who becomes a Duchess and Champion of the Realm. Even on a level of resolving her issues with her parents, the writers have her prove that she can still be useful to them without getting married to a man. In the eyes of her writers, her skills are still meant to make her useful to someone - just that the person at the center changes from her parents to the MC.

Because the MC is positioned as someone who "enlightens" Hana to how harmful her situation was, and because the narrative expects Hana to be forever grateful to her - the MC is allowed to use her and take credit for Hana's hard work (eg. The windmill move during the polo game) and get away with it.

When you put all this evidence together, and then go back to the descriptors I put up at the very beginning of this essay, you will see what the team's intention with her, always had been. To create a woman the MC could be attracted to, a woman whose skills the MC could use to advance her own interests...while still being viewed as her hero and saviour. Despite being one of the few people to get the most detailed account of her upbringing and struggles, the MC still chooses to view her in the most simplistic ways, still praises her for her skills and "perfection" rather than support her in any consistent way (more on this in other essays).

The fandom wasn't much better in this respect either. Lots of TRR fans still see no real distinction between the skills Hana had to struggle to learn, and the interests that made her truly happy. The writing team itself contributes to this inaccurate conflating of her interests and skills by having multiple characters label her 'perfect' over and over.

This results in a situation where those hard-earned skills and those moments of joy are conflated together, and spoken of like they are the same thing. But they are not. To speak of the two as if there were no difference, is to ignore completely the difficult, even disturbing, history behind how she acquired them.

The skills the MC grinningly labels her perfect for, are skills that emerged from a very traumatizing environment. Her joys - that many in this fandom so mockingly placed alongside the things she forced herself to do - were perhaps the only opportunities she had to take back her agency and claim something for her own.

To pretend that the two are one and the same is a gross misrepresentation of what was actually depicted in canon.

Next: "Perfect!Hana": Author Bias and the Importance of Framing (coming soon!)

#hana lee #hana lee: a study in erasure #hanaleeappreciationweek #HLAW #the royal romance #the royal heir #the royal finale #HLAW Day 2 #HLAW Day 2: Skills vs Passions #lizzybeth1986 #content: meta

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tamelee · 1 year

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Hello Tamelee, I wanted to ask you if you agree with some popular claims in the Naruto (-Shippuden) fandom about Kishimoto and his writing. If you could give your opinion on the claims I would be very happy ☺️ Sorry for my English by the way, it is not my mother tongue.

1) Claim: Kishimoto does not know how to write woman.

2) Claim: Kishimoto does not know how to write romance.

3) Claim: Kishimoto wrote NaruSasuNaru on an accident. He did not meant to write them as gays.

4) Claim: Kishimoto forgets characters (Neji, Hinata and Sakura etc.). The story focuses to much on the relationship Naruto and Sasuke.

5) Claim: Kishimoto sucks writing Sakura like Sakura character is bad writing.

6) Claim: Kishimoto is an homophobe.

I think I did not forgot other claims. So far that is everything. Thank you for being so nice and talented. I love your Art. 💕

Warning; unpopular opinions ahead/me not agreeing:

Hello Nonee 💕 Okay let’s see!

“1) Claim: Kishimoto does not know how to write woman. 5) Claim: Kishimoto sucks writing Sakura like Sakura character is bad writing.”

Ah yes. With these often there’s also “Kishimoto is a misogynist” and the “missed potential of the female characters”.

It’s a broad and complicated topic tbh (or you could make it as complicated as you want..) because people bring in a lot of real life/political baggage into the conversation about this (unnecessarily imo)- largely surrounding Sakura and Hinata.

I only partly agree because most of Kishimoto’s female characters aren’t great compared to their male counterparts. But, from little snippets of his interviews it is very obvious that he always enjoyed writing through male-characters as were all his stories incl the rejected ones and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that especially when we look at the targeted audience. That’s all. That is enough reason.. and it hasn’t so much to do with him not being able to, because there are female characters that are fine.

Kishimoto could’ve developed some of them better.. but didn’t. I don't believe that is because of a lack of skill.

Sakura’s (and even Hinata’s) lack of development (= development which the fans wanted to see) had purpose and they were largely cast aside and underdeveloped (with purpose!!!) in order to show (contrast/)something else as well; the bond/love between Naruto and Sasuke.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with Saori (Mario), Tsunade, Ino, Temari, Konan or Kushina even. What do you expect more from Shonen? I would’ve loved to see more background about some of them, but story-wise it wouldn’t have been necessary. If he was going to flesh out any of the other characters (like many wanted from Tenten) it should’ve been with purpose, it would’ve had meaning.. Otherwise you’d just be thinking to yourself “why did I just read/watch this? Why exactly did Kishimoto want to show this thing about this character and why does it matter to the story? Is there a parallel, or could this be foreshadowing?”

So.. he didn’t and to me that makes sense. This story is about Naruto and despite him being the mc- it is also about Sasuke and their journeys about becoming great Ninja. Not “pinkyflinky and her selfish love for her cool-looking classmate.”

It is great to want to find good female representation in media, as a female myself I find that to be quite the struggle.. especially nowadays -.- (all protagonists are wannabe annoying-ass girl-bosses whom are shown to be assholes for the sake of... feminism?? lately.. Idk but ugh!!) however I don’t expect to find great representation or empowerment for myself in a story like ‘Naruto’... never have. Criticizing ‘Naruto’ about something for which it had no intentions of in the first place makes no sense to me. Instead, the characters from Naruto whom are fleshed out and developed well (and there are many) inspired me too regardless of gender and I don’t see the point in looking through a gender-lens within my entertainment if it's not necessary. (I don't know why it would be tbh.) It is not like I can only see myself or get absorbed in a story through a girl/female-character. Kishimoto even made Sasuke the Heroin of the story much like Saori (the female-lead) was from his earlier story ‘Mario’ whom Sasuke resembled a lot. But make Sasuke into an actual female character in ‘Naruto’ and then the story, in the way it was written, would’ve made no sense. Or rather their actions. (The story would’ve been different then.) People wouldn’t have accepted it because then it’s suddenly obvious to the general audience who the love interest for Naruto is... -.- Insert; confusion. Then, if we accept ‘Naruto’ as a piece of gay-media... then why look for female-representation here and aren’t the characters fine as they are when you take that into consideration?

Besides, why can’t female characters have flaws and why is it always “bad writing” if someone doesn’t agree with the behavior of said character? Why can’t they just accept that some female characters are just not that great or that some of the characters don't have positive arcs for the sake of something else?

Anyway, I don’t agree with the reasons people give for them being “so bad”. If we take Sakura for example, I see many people say she “deserved better” simply because she’s “the female lead” but this story was never about Sakura who’s character goal had been shallow from the start. Could a large portion of that have been fixed if Kishimoto gave her something else to fight for? Sure. But I rarely see them talk about her character-foundation and more so about getting “what she deserves” even though she practically did 2% in order to “deserve” (sorry I don’t like that word)- anything. So it mostly stems from her being female? And that only would’ve given her the privilege of actually surpassing Tsunade? (As Naruto and Sasuke also surpassed their masters when she didn't.) Or become Hokage even as some of her fans want her to be? But can you really (and be honest now) even compare Naruto and Sasuke’s journeys, efforts and development to.. Sakura's? Absolutely not. For which they agree because otherwise they wouldn't complain about a lack of development, so we have a contradiction here. What does Sakura know about running an entire village? Or the village in general? Nothing. What has she done in regard to Sasuke that wasn’t excruciatingly selfish? (Or Hinata in regard to Naruto also) Again, nothing. She didn’t even bother to find out anything about the thing she supposedly cares about; Sasuke who literally stood in front of her shouting out his pain about his clan, his brother and the village. Why would Sakura care about anyone other than herself or her version of Sasuke when she was willing to abandon her family and friends regardless of her teammates pain surrounding solitude to then say “she’d just be as lonely as Sasuke” who’s entire clan/family was murdered? She, who in the end pretty much stayed the same but gained physical strength which her fans can only acknowledge through the validation of male characters? I mean 👀.. (and yes she did have some good moments, but not even her own fans acknowledge these and instead try to hype up the bad ones. Even then they need validation from Sasuke, much like Sakura does, its weird to me.)

Jun Esaka tried to “fix” Sakura in ‘Sasuke Retsuden’ as her number one fan... but did so horribly. (Yes, I read it) In order to lift Sakura up she wrote “handsome-looking-like-a-cat-Sasuke” (her words not mine) to be a wet fry on the side of a pool living life miserably and racked with guilt for the sake of his oh-so-amazing-sexy-and-good-with-anything-“wife” whom everyone in her story loves/desires, which makes Sasuke into this super jealous “husband” who suddenly couldn’t do anything anymore without her help and made OOC mistakes every page of that dumb novel... 👀 I’ll take Kishimoto’s Sakura over that bs any day. And yet her fans love to see Sakura “shine” like “she deserves” and criticize Kishimoto for not having made her similar to their headcanons in his Manga..

That’s all it is. Headcanon.

Idc, I could go on and on about it, but I’ll leave it here.

“2) Claim: Kishimoto does not know how to write romance.”

He can and did so several times. Just because some people aren’t happy with their underdeveloped “canon-couples" doesn’t mean that Kishimoto can’t write it as he has shown already that he can with others. Couples which are accepted by everyone as them having a romantic bond (now why would they only complain for Sakura/Hinata's sake I wonder?). Besides, ‘Naruto’ is one great lovestory if you’re willing to accept it. The Minato-Manga was a big “fuck-you” to those claims, Dan and Tsunade were great and he only needed a single page/a few panels to establish the romantic purpose between Yahiko and Konan. Even before ‘Naruto’ he wrote ‘Mario’ also. Etc-

So, false.

“3) Claim: Kishimoto wrote NaruSasuNaru on an accident. He did not meant to write them as gays.”

This is some bs. This man did not sit down for 15+ years, hunched over a desk with his mind swimming about this story, Naruto and Sasuke only for anything to be “accidental”. Come on now. Whether someone else accepts their love as being gay is something else- but nothing is accidental. There is way too much time, effort and thought that went into it for anyone to make such a disrespectful claim. Besides, it is not for nothing that Kishimoto had to fight his own editorial team in order to make some things happen. He literally had to fight for years to be able to draw some of the gayest panels. So? What does that tell ya?

Well.. that nothing is accidental. With this also comes the bs-claim that Kishimoto apparently wouldn't even know what gays are which is laughable- don't let me start.

“4) Claim: Kishimoto forgets characters (Neji, Hinata and Sakura etc.). The story focuses to much on the relationship Naruto and Sasuke.”

The story is literally about Naruto, Sasuke and their bond. Their external goals (plot) by itself isn’t nearly as relevant as their internal needs and struggles which Kishimoto was perfectly able to steer the story (plot) with. That's the number 1 reason why it is a good story. It has nothing to do with “forgetting”. (Also why are Neji, Hinata and Sakura in the same sentence in regard to this?)

“6) Claim: Kishimoto is an homophobe.”

Sorry, I have no idea what this is about or where this comes from.

__ Ah I know you didn't make those claims, in case it sounds like that 😅! I'm just talking in general about the claims- Anyway, thankyou so much for liking my art!! 💕 Hope you have a nice day 🌷

#asktamelee #naruto talk #fandom talk #kishimoto #not a post for the biggest Sakura fans lets say #jsyk #or “Sakura” fans in case anyone is a fan of a hc version instead of Kishimoto's Sakura

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