#bc all four can be great leaders fight me on that

[turtleblogatlast]

I love Raph and haven’t said that enough so to be more specific I love that Raph is a soft boy who loves bear plushies, a gross boy who eats an assortment of things that are definitely better left alone, a smart boy who is more than capable of taking down villains through planning and fortitude alike, a strong boy who is dedicated to training his muscles and fighting prowess, a teenage boy who loves his brothers but is more than happy to tease and roughhouse with them, an angry boy who sometimes lets his anger take a hold of him to cover the fear, a gentle boy who is generous with hugs and affirmations to those he loves, a capable boy who takes on more than should ever be expected of a teenager, a good boy who just wants to be a hero and slowly comes to realize the cost of that duty, a good boy who has no reservations about putting himself in the way of harm coming to his family, a good boy who’s a great brother and son and person and deserves only the best the world has to offer.

[aethersea]

📓!

There’s an atla au of star wars that I have tried so hard to bend into a shape that I can actually write, but alas, all I have are ideas. This is the one that’s in the wips folder as Everything Changed when the Clones Attacked, which is ironic bc I cannot for the life of me figure out what to do with the clones. Maybe they’re being brainwashed at Lake Laogai? Or something???

Anyway. The story has two parts, prequels and sequels. Details under the cut, because this got a bit long.

In the prequels, the elderly Master Yoda of the airbenders is Avatar, and in his old age he’s stopped traveling the world and instead dispenses his wisdom from one of the great Air Nomad temples, nestled deep in the mountains where only Air Nomads can reach. He’s unofficial leader of the council of Air Nomad elders, which is….not great, really, not how things should be, but it’s mostly been okay. He’s been a good avatar overall, and it’s only in later years that he’s leaned so heavily toward the Air Nomads, and really none of this is enough to push the four peoples truly out of balance. 

Our story starts with Qui-gon Jinn, an airbending master traveling with his apprentice, helping a besieged queen from a minor Earth Kingdom escape her city. (I saw a post once asserting that the Earth Kingdom is actually a collection of largely autonomous kingdoms that all loosely recognize the authority of the Earth King in Ba Sing Se, and I like that a lot, so that’s the worldbuilding I’m going with here.) Qui-gon agrees to take Queen Amidala to the Avatar’s council to beg their aid. 

Along the way, they encounter a young boy living with his mother. The boy can do a bit of earthbending—and also a bit of waterbending, and a bit of airbending, and a bit of firebending. Which is impossible, because Avatar Yoda isn’t dead, but there he is, bending all the elements anyway.

I don’t think there’s slavery in the atla universe, but we could probably get away with indentured servitude of some kind, and Qui-gon acquires Ani in much the same way as he does in canon. He takes him to Avatar Yoda—and Yoda rejects him. Says, essentially, “This is weird as hell but it’s also not my problem.” (Frankly I can’t come up with an actual good reason for Yoda to do that, but just go with me here.) So Qui-gon angrily responds that if the Avatar won’t take responsibility, he will, and then gets himself enmeshed in Amidala’s political problems to boot. 

And then he dies.

Something something evil emperor, yadda yadda you know the drill. (Though I think the empire isn’t going to be the Fire Nation, despite the thematic appropriateness of fire spreading unchecked to consume all in its path. Palpatine is gonna usurp the Earth King, I think, and I do feel the prequels’ themes around entrenched systems with deep flaws, which are too big to fight as individuals and too implacable to change, will fit well with atla themes around earth.)

The sequels portion of things is even less plotted out. All I know is that Luke grows up in the same nameless patch of Earth territory his father grew up in, and he doesn’t actually discover he can waterbend until he’s practically an adult. It’s a shock to everyone—except, somehow, weird Old Ben who lives in the desert, who tells him that the next Avatar is supposed to be a waterbender, and won’t explain why he’s so convinced Luke is that Avatar given that he’s pretty emphatically not from the Water Tribes. 

Luke is finally convinced when he manages to airbend, under Old Ben’s suspiciously skilled tutelage. He can’t pull off any other elements, though, so they go off on a road trip to that swamp where you see spirits, to try to reach the past Avatars and get some guidance.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to both of them, Leia has grown up knowing she can firebend. This is kind of an alarming skill for the princess of an Earth Kingdom to have, and even more alarming given that she’s already an earthbender. So she’s kept it secret, and no one but her parents has ever known.

They can meet in some way analogous to the Death Star raid in A New Hope, idk I have zero plot in mind here. The point, as far as I’m concerned, is that the Skywalkers have fundamentally broken the Avatar cycle. Anakin shouldn’t exist, and yet he does, and he was born while Yoda was still alive. If he hadn’t existed, the next Avatar would be a waterbender, and that’s Luke—except he’s from the Earth Kingdom. If Anakin is a true Avatar, then the next one would be an earthbender, and that’s Leia—only then she shouldn’t have been born until after Anakin’s death. Nothing makes sense! Even Yoda and all the other past Avatars together have no goddamn clue what is going on!

Imagine their consternation when they discover that neither Luke nor Leia is the Avatar: it’s actually both of them together. Luke has air and water, Leia has earth and fire; Luke can visit the spirit world and be the bridge between humans and spirits, and Leia can speak to kings and maintain the balance between the four nations. The two of them, together, can defeat their father, defeat the emperor, and restore harmony to the world.

[goldensunset]

i’m not about to draw a minimum of twelve entire pictures but i wanna do this anyway (i guess i could just edit the images in there but that’s lame lol)

•my favorite gym leader is probably either tulip or clay! something about tulip i just always found very endearing and respectable and i love clay’s no-nonsense attitude and sheer strength. plus he gets bonus points for his daughter being lacey

•fav champion is clearly volo. like how could you not classify that as a champion fight. that was so freaking hard man. runner up goes to kieran though bc he was also really hard for me. but of course if we’re talking official true pokémon league champions then cynthia

•fav elite four member has gotta be lacey. i adore her. first time i’ve ever lost to the same opponent multiple times in a fair fight (aka being prepared and on-level). she’s sooo cute and fun! she also terrifies me severely

•favorite protagonist is akari no surprise there. la does such a good job of making it clearly important why the protag is the protag. it offers a legitimate in-universe explanation as to why this one child in particular is so much more powerful than all the others. out of place in time and space, literally chosen by a god… the way certain characters question her humanity, both in a good and evil way… it’s so good

•favorite rival… well pokémon fans use the term rival really loosely. it can mean any friend character that you battle for funsies even once. it can mean literal arch nemesis. idk. arven stole my heart with his story but i don’t consider him a rival like most people do so that goes to cheren. i love his story and he has also mopped the floor with me several times

•favorite antagonist is also volo next question. i’m sick in the head about him. n is a strong and clear second place obviously though. i’ve done enough rambling on here about them

•professor laventon is the guy ever he feels like he actually personally cares about akari so much. that’s her dad. the way he’s actively involved in plot stuff, he accompanies the team on field missions even when he really doesn’t need to… he’s always there. you see him a lot. and he’s clearly writing the pokédex entries himself and they’re absolute gold. but seeing as professor is also a broad term because they’ve been really breaking up the older tradition in recent games, i nominate director clavell as second place bc i respect the guy a lot. that old man (tm) enjoyer here

•fav battle facility leader… well. i don’t really have one bc i’ve done very little with the battle facilities in the two games i’ve played that had them lol. so i guess throwaway answer is ingo but mostly for pla reasons. actually i think he counts as a battle facility leader in pla with the daybreak update and i’ve done some of his stuff so he does in fact count for me

•for fav clan member i’m gonna say arezu i like her a lot. she tried doing the right thing in a very chaotic way and i respect her for her efforts. plus her design is cute and she gives great haircuts and her noble is adorable

•character from other media… well i’m obsessed with the way n is portrayed in pokespe. perfect blend between sad prettyboy and freak behavior. they just made everything so intense. and i love oshawott from poképark 2 with the way he’s trying so hard to be serious and cool but snivy keeps getting on his nerves lol. that’s the reason i chose oshawott in pla bc that was the only of those pokémon i recognized

•i’m classifying arven as miscellaneous bc like i said i don’t consider him a rival but MAN!! man… this guy just got shortchanged so many times but i’m glad he was able to get closure for his parents’ disappearance and death and that he can move on and just live his own life. also certified dog lover moment

•top fav character… yeah you all know it’s volo LOL. completely shrimp fried my brain. the absolute hyperactive high i was on when he revealed himself. made even more insane bc i had literally been spoiled that he was a twist villain but i had no other context so i was just waiting the whole game for him to be evil. imagine the sinking in my gut when the credits rolled and it didn’t happen i thought i’d been embarrassing myself the whole time but then the postgame punched me in the gut HARD. i thought he’d end up being like the sad sympathetic frenemy guy where you don’t really want to fight him but NOPE full on evil full on he was just using you. made even better by the context that he had been your biggest fan throughout the whole game while everyone else had been suspicious of you. i lost my entire mind. once again second place to n though

[bonefall]

Okay but Fire spending his time strengthening friendships in other clans and maybe bringing them a tad closer kind of fits with the whole plot of PO3 in a way. Like he’s bringing them closer, a figurehead for changing times. When the clans figure out that his grand children have the powers to literally save them all? He’s a legend. (And I mean his daughters both being pretty popular and trusted cats especially Squilf who was on the journey)

The three trust in Firestar as everyone else does so when he dies in some mysterious patrol, his chest ripped apart in a show of silencing the biggest bargainer of new ideas the clans have ever had? It’s a act of war and the clans grow tenser. Slowly worse things start to happen to the fire fam, the secrets revealed, Leaf steps down, Squirrel is practically reduced to a outside inside camp by her mate, and then Holly kills one of their own clanmates! It’s all hell. Only for her to disappear after threatening to kill Leaf who they know so their mother. When Jay learns the only way they’ll be able to defeat the supernatural forces threatening to destroy them is to team up as one clan instead of four he’s distraught. The clans can barley get through a gathering for the stars sake how could they ever join together!

But the one thing that stayed true is the force of cats across the clans that Firestar had made such big impacts on they’d never leave his name to die. With their activism and cries to get it together the clans join together to defeat the cats. Firestar would still be the fourth cat but not in some prophetic way. He’s apart of saving the clans bc of the marks he left on them to really grow and stop fighting over petty nonsense. Maybe some new law would be made that shows of his name like “Bonds in Fire” that is set so when a real danger faces the clans they don’t just let one of them die out, which would draw super well into the next arc where his grandson Alder brings back the clan who was lost bc of a lack of trust.

Last note I think Fire dying early really makes his impact hit a lot more instead of how it was done in PO3 where he just dies in the end? I think he’d die like maybe two books before the great battle or if you squished OOTS and PO3 together he’d die by the fourth.

Gahhhhh, you're right that WOULD be so much stronger. Especially the mystery angle of it; who killed Firestar? His deputy Brackenfur would have been taken out shortly before, as well, since Bracken is going to be the deputy from the end of TNP up to OotS. ThunderClan desperately trying to find out, Bramblestar being a new leader and causing division in the clan...

And the metaphorical aspect of it all. That he was the fourth, not physically, but spiritually. That Fire Alone saved the clans, one last time, cementing the permanent change in Clan Culture.

(Scene of Jayfeather screaming, crying, begging for a new prophecy and they tell him "Fire Alone Will Save T--" "YOU CANT EVEN GIVE ME A NEW ONE?? YOURE NOT EVEN ALIVE YOU HAVE THE TIME TO CHANGE THE WORDING A LITTLE")

Though I will veto the Bonds in Fire idea; only because I have hard plans to make the "Law of the Lake" an addition to the code in AVoS! That's going to be what they build to, it forms after SkyClan rejoins. The last bit of waffling they have before making it official.

(I also want to explicitly base it off of a Tribe philosophy, something the Clans have been slowly adopting.)

Other stuff I'd have to change...

Brackenfur would need a new death. I was going to kill him in the Great Battle, and have Firestar name Bramble as his deputy with his dying breath, but he would need to die before him to set up Bramblestar. Bramblestar must happen.

I would have to delete a cool fight idea I had for Tiger vs Fire I was gonna have a big reference to Fire's TPB fighting style. Tigerstar breaks his neck with a sickening crunch. He drops to the ground, limp, and Tigerstar laughs in triumph The clans are horrified, someone screams, but Graystripe is unbothered. "How quick Tigerstar is to forget," he muses, as a starry figure rises from the broken body, "Firestar's favorite move is playing dead." (cut to a picture of me wildly smashing two littlest pet shop figures together)

I'd also need to figure out how Firestar actually dies... Because that is a plot point I can't leave without an answer. Who killed him? Who was even capable of killing him? I do have Sol I can use (a dude who is getting a massive buff), I could have a Dark Forest trainee stalk him (hmm... Breezepelt?)

POWER OF THREE HARD

I WILL CONSIDER THIS.

[galionne-speeding]

WWWIIWWWYYYYY I'll give you somethin' to get the ball rollin' mayhaps 🥺

We all know Zavok is the Leader(tm), but what would be your take if each of the others were leader instead? Whether they're fit for the position or not does not matter in this silly what-if 🤭 Gramps might be easiest to start with, since it's easy to assume he was likely the original Leader in the very beginning of the packs' creation (me thinks anyway, even for a short while)

A second version to this could beeeeeee like how any of the remaining four would handle being a temporary Leader in Zavok's absence for any reason (serious and non-serious reasons), and who you think would be the best option for that temporary time 🤔 (I say four and not five bc I think Zik would handle it best by default)

sorry if thats alot for a first ask coming back 😭

Ooooh this is a fun one!

Okay, okay, so I have a lot of little stories in my head that exist just for fun and not really to be shared ; and one of them is about each D6 getting two other Zetis (mostly OCs because it's fun) under their command and forming 6 mini-teams ; so I actually have a few thoughts on something like that already!

So, yeah, I think we can all agree that aside from Zavok, Master Zik would be the best candidate as Deadly Six leader- he was canonically the previous leader of the pack, after all. And he's the one who trained Zavok ; he's the one who passed all the leadership skills down to him. His leadership would probably be pretty smilar to Zavok's, with perhaps slightly more emphasis on manipulating the enemy rather than full-on fighting.

Zeena is definitely the kind of leader who would give a few orders and then sit back and watch. Do not question her leadership or authority, that's 'how to get kicked in the face 101'. I'd like to think she's a pretty good strategist, tho. So while she likes to sit back, her plans work well enough that the team allows her to do so and has moderate to great success.

Zazz... Zazz. If I say Zazz's solution to every single issue is violence, will you be surprised? The team is going to fight everything and anyone standing in their way- even when that's really not necessary. But one thing I'd like to think Zazz would be really good at as leader is getting the pack fired up. His bloodlust is contagious and he knows exactly what to say or do to get every single member of the group hyped up for the fight(s).

Zomom doesn't know how to strategize and he's not a great speaker. One thing he does know how to do, though, is take hits and protect others. He's less of a leader in the sense of someone telling orders what to do ; and more in the sense that he's not afraid to be at the front of the group in battle. He'll let others come up with the plan ; and make sure they're safe while it's being put in motion.

Zor is probably the most difficult to imagine as a leader. It just, really doesn't feel like a position he'd want. But if he really needs to lead, I'd imagine it would be quite similar to how Zeena does it. Find a plan, lay it out to the team, and sit back. His powers would obviously have to come into play ; perhaps as a tool to help the rest of the pack without having to put himself in harm's way.

So that's that for the first part!

As for how the rest of the pack would react to being temporary leaders ; I have another little story around that idea! Long story short, Zavok and Master Zik are captured by (some villain) and the remaining four have to rescue them.

In the end Zeena, Zazz, Zomom and Zor end up splitting leadership duties between the four of them. Zor gathers intel to help them make informed decisions. Zeena strategizes and crafts attack plans based on the intel. Zazz leads the charge and directs the pack into battle. Zomom keeps the group safe and ensures they all get out of the fight unharmed.

Stepping away from that little story ; I feel like neither Zomom nor Zor would want any kind of leadership position. If there's someone else to drop those duties onto they will gladly hand them the responsability. On the other hand, both Zeena and Zazz would do anything to be leader- and both strongly believe they'd do better than the other. They would probably just end up fighting each other for leadership until Zavok and Master Zik decide to do the work themselves, break free and make their way back on their own.

[emmafreakecreations]

You call this fantasy!?

I have a likewise account, which you put in your favorite books, movies/TV, and podcasts and gives you suggestions based on that. Sometimes ppl make their own posts asking for suggestions and everytime I see a fantasy suggestion ACOTAR is always there. Like do you ppl ever read any other fantasy books?! I have been thinking lately about acotar as a fantasy series and comparing it to fantasy books I read when I was younger and books that I'm reading now like A Deal with the Elf King, A Dance with the Fae Prince, and the folk of the air series. Acotar falls so short. I can think of three books/series that I read when I was younger that were way better at empowering women- and two of them are written by men!

I apologize if I'm not great at describing some these books bc it has been years since I read them. Also nostalgia might be a factor.

Ranger's apprentice series (the og-haven't read the spin offs) by John Flanagan- very lotor vibes. While the series centers around a male protagonist in his journey in becoming a legendary apprentice, there is still powerful and intelligent women in the series. Lady Pauline is in charge of espionage at the fief that Will the MC grows up at, and she gets married to Will's mentor. Princess Cassandra, later Queen Cassandra (that's right she is the heir and becomes a ruler) is in disguise during a war in the series and can defend herself. She also helps Will when he is drugged and kidnapped. I always thought she was cool when I was little and she was my favorite. Alyss who is Lady Pauline's apprentice and Will's sweetheart, is marvelous at her espionage job (suck it Feyre). Princess Maddie-Cassandra's daughter- becomes the first female ranger. Jenny, who grew up with Will, trains to be a cook and becomes greater than her mentor and starts her own restaurant. Even if these women aren't warriors they still have power and influence and are actually good at their political jobs.

Cry of the ice Mark by Stuart Hill- mc Thrirrin is a warrior princess and the heir to her kingdom. When a nearby empire threatens to invade she has to rally nearby kingdoms who aren't friends with her kingdom. The kingdoms of werewolves, giant snow leopards, ghosts, and vampires. Also the snow leopard king and werewolf king become drinking buddies\bffs and its the BEST. At some point Thirrin's father dies so she becomes queen and has to lead her kingdom through war.

Igraine the brave by Cornelia funke (author of inkheart) - mc is born into a family of wizards but she doesn't have magic. Because her great grandfather was a knight, she is interested in fighting and military and her family is supportive of her. But when a evil dude wants to steal some magical books from her parent's castle she with some companions must save the day. This book is middle grade but its cute and short.

Princess of the silver woods by Jessica Day George- I honestly don't remember much about it but it's a retelling of twelve dancing princesses and there's a cute leader of a band of thieves that kidnaps the mc on accident. It had an interesting plot-can't remember what it is-but I liked it. That's about it......

Shadowhunter chronicles by Cassandra Clare ( I know the author and this series has it's own problems but I still enjoy most of it)- I feel like i don't have to explain this one. All I have to say is Clare gets mythology correct (from my understanding) and doesn't use it will nilly. She also portrays fae correctly bc everytime there is a plot with the fae involved I think "oh no here we go again this is going to be tough"

Four dead Queens by Astrid Scholte (this isn't a childhood book but it's good)- The world building in this book is so interesting, it reminds me of the worlds in the animated winx club. There is a kingdom giving off medival vibes, another gives off victorian england/oliver twist vibes, one has Venice during the renassiance vibes, and one gives off distopian sci-fi vibes. These kingdoms are ruled by queens who have a capital city- they rule together but are in charge of their respective kingdoms. the mc is a thief and steals important information from a palace messenger. She finds out the message is about killing the queens and so the messenger and the mc must stop the assassinations. The plot twist was interesting and you can easily piece together clues to figure it out yourself, or you could just be like me and see the clues and think "huh that's interesting" and move on then when the twist comes be like "you know I should have seen that coming."

I have lots more but this is getting long

[darkesttimelinejeffparker]

Ok hi I'm sort of new to njpw I need to know as much as you can tell me. Who is will Osprey, who is Okada, who is juice. Is Bullet club still a thing. I just need to know any and everything you can tell me and other people can chime in as well I just need to be educated on njpw

So I am giving really basic answers because we're talking about +10 years of history for a lot of this so it's like top lines details because it's hard for me to get into explaining a lot without suddenly having dozens of matches and segments for folks to watch.

I think the best way to figure out NJPW is to check out some matches, especially of the guys that interest you. Their website is a mess, but some matches are up for free without membership and others are on YouTube, their Roku App, and if you have cable AXSTV.

Honestly, I think they're building to Forbidden Door in a way that's accessible for people who aren't familiar with NJPW so no one needs to know everything. Don't let the fact that there are so many new names, faces, and storylines potentially here overwhelm you. I think you'll be able to jump in fine with limited knowledge.

I am probably less helpful than a Wikipedia article right now. But this is basically who the people/groups you asked about are, if there's a match to recommend to show their style or explaining how you'll be seeing them soon/how they've been talked about recently on AEW:

eta: went back in and added a couple sentences about Juice before I forgot to include something for him.

Will Ospreay is a British wrestler, he is currently REVPro's British Heavyweight Champion and has held belts across multiple promotions including ROH and NJPW. He's the leader of the faction United Empire, which includes Jeff Cobb, TJP, Great-O-Khan, Mark Davis, and Kyle Fletcher, the latter two tag as Aussie Open and will be in a match with FTR and Trent on Friday. He held the IWGP World Heavyweight Title before vacating due to an injury. Most recently, he had matches at Windy City Riot against Moxley and also a fourway match at Capital Collision with Moxley, Juice Robinson, and Tanahashi worth checking out for his style. Ospreay is divisive -- a lot of people dislike him.

Okada is the current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. He's the leader of Chaos, the stable that Rocky Romero invited Best Friends and Friends into around the time started making AEW appearances. His matches with Kenny (there have been four) are some of my all-time favorites, especially their 2 out of 3 falls match in 2018 and their Wrestle Kingdom 11 match. Hangman called him out tonight for the IWGP title, and that's when Cole got involved. I can't think of an Okada match I wouldn't recommend, tbh.

Yes, Bullet Club is still a thing. Jay White, who Adam Cole referenced tonight and who has shown up on AEW a few times including his match against Trent earlier in the year, has been their leader since 2018. Bullet Club is now comprised of the Good Brothers, Hikuleo, Chris Bey, El Phantasmo, Taiji Ishimori, Bad Luck Fale, Juice Robinson, Ace Austen, members of their sub-group, House of Torture, and Ch*se Owens. The Good Brothers entered back into the scene after Jay White betrayed Tama Tonga (Bullet Club OG) and Tanga Loa, older brothers of Hikuleo. NJPW Strong's early episodes has some solid matches of older iterations of the Bullet Club for free on YouTube, big man matches worth checking out. The betrayal of Tama and T (GoD) started on Impact. Regardless, with many former BC members, history with Jay White and Kenny, Hikuleo pairing with the Undisputed Elite last week, and Adam's history with Kenny especially by BTE canon, I'm sure the girls will be fighting eventually.

Juice Robinson is David Finlay’s former tag team partner where they worked and held belts as FinJuice. He left recently, citing his contract was up, only to appear again and join Bullet Club without David. He’s also engaged to Toni.

[bookoformon]

Alma Chapter 56. Part 1. "2,000 Men."

Helaman sends an epistle to Moroni, recounting the state of the war with the Lamanites—Antipus and Helaman gain a great victory over the Lamanites—Helaman’s two thousand stripling sons fight with miraculous power, and none of them are slain. Verse 1, about 62 B.C.; verses 2–19, about 66 B.C.; and verses 20–57, about 65–64 B.C. 62 "going in" refers to Crossing the Jordan, 66 BC= ו‎ו‎ "the hook" AKA the ladder between heaven and th earth. 65-64,ו‎הו‎ד‎ "Hod" "God's Majesty."

1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the thirtieth year of the reign of the judges, on the second day in the first month, Moroni received an epistle from Helaman, stating the affairs of the people in that quarter of the land.

2 And these are the words which he wrote, saying: My dearly beloved brother, Moroni, as well in the Lord as in the tribulations of our warfare; behold, my beloved brother, I have somewhat to tell you concerning our warfare in this part of the land.

3 Behold, two thousand of the sons of those men whom Ammon "the revealer" brought down out of the land of Nephi—now ye have known that these were descendants of Laman "the hired worker", who was the eldest son of our father Lehi "the jawbone";

4 Now I need not rehearse unto you concerning their traditions or their unbelief, for thou knowest concerning all these things—

5 Therefore it sufficeth me that I tell you that two thousand of these young men have taken their weapons of war, and would that I should be their leader; and we have come forth to defend our country.

6 And now ye also know concerning the covenant which their fathers made, that they would not take up their weapons of war against their brethren to shed blood.

7 But in the twenty and sixth year, when they saw our afflictions and our tribulations for them, they were about to break the covenant which they had made and take up their weapons of war in our defence.

8 But I would not suffer them that they should break this covenant which they had made, supposing that God would strengthen us, insomuch that we should not suffer more because of the fulfilling the oath which they had taken.

9 But behold, here is one thing in which we may have great joy. For behold, in the twenty and sixth year, I, Helaman, did march at the head of these two thousand young men to the city of Judea "songs of praise", to assist Antipus, whom ye had appointed a leader over the people of that part of the land.

10 And I did join my two thousand sons, (for they are worthy to be called sons) to the army of Antipus, in which strength Antipus did rejoice exceedingly; for behold, his army had been reduced by the Lamanites because their forces had slain a vast number of our men, for which cause we have to mourn.

11 Nevertheless, we may console ourselves in this point, that they have died in the cause of their country and of their God, yea, and they are happy.

Quarters refer to the four sections of Jerusalem. They correspond to the four directions and are associated with the Four Cities of Friendship named in the Torah. Helaman, "brings light to darkness", writes there was trouble in Judea and marches 2000 stripling hands into war there in the 26th year, a violation of the Covenant.

The 26th year is 707, the zephyr, aka seper, "To take an account" which explains why Helaman sent a letter to Moroni with Numbers in them:

Noun ספר (seper) denotes any kind of record, historical records, legal documents, prophetic messages, and so on. Noun ספרה (sipra) means book or a bundled collection of records. Denominative verb ספר (sapar) means to write or produce a ספר (seper): to carefully observe, to recount, to record. Noun ספר (sopor) or ספור (sopor) means scribe; someone who produces a ספר (seper). Noun ספר (separ) means census. Noun ספרה (sepora) means number, sum or amount. And noun מספר (mispar) means number.

Antipus= "instead of scattering". Scattering is a very bad thing as we can see in Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, parts of Africa, the results of despots having the power to do wrong without recourse. Scattering is not legal, but we'll sneak it past the Authorities just this one time. No one will notice those hundreds of millions of homeless people or bombed out cities!

The Gematria for the section that mentions Antipus, the second half of verse 9 is: 9474, טדז‎‎ד‎, tadzd=

ta= to wander

dz=from the Hebrew verb עזז ('azaz), generally means to be strong or powerful. This verb is often applied to denote one of God's inherent qualities (Psalm 89:13) compared to man's weakness, and when it's applied to man, it usually denotes either a prevalence in battle (Judges 3:10) or arrogance (Proverbs 21:29). The Preacher notes that wisdom is strong for the wise (Ecclesiastes 7:19).

d=dalet, selflessness

We cannot allow scattering nor can civilians just pick up weapons and go help Ukraine. The effort to prevent diaspora requires the entire world to put its hands on the situation and make it right before it goes way too wrong. Humanity has never done this. Now barbarians and savages like Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Kung Pao Kitty in North Korea, etc. just do whatever they want whenever they want.

The law requires us to organize, act and put a stop to despots the moment they appear. Joe Biden should have lined up those Mormons and the Republicans and Donald Trump and his cabinet and put bullets in each of them during his first day in office.

Now just look at us. We are all waiting to be prisoners of a fake religion and scurrilous group of politicians and no one knows why this is happening to us. Perhaps we will get used to it someday? Or should the White House do what has to be done?

This is what is meant by The Light Marching Into Darkness to Glory with 2,000 men which is also = Mashiach.

600 men are the Jewish souls present on earth at any given time, consigned by God to carry on the traditions named in the Torah. 2,000 young men are Mashiach, "global ethical responsibility."

God does not want young men growing up Pro-Life, Republican or completely freaked out by the misdemeanors of faith and politics running amok all around them.

Pro-Life is apartheid against women. You cannot collect taxes from women and then pass laws that discriminate against them. You cannot cite religious reasons for doing so. This has been outlawed by all civilized persons for nearly a century.

So if we take an account, like the Book of Mormon says, are we closer to 2,000 men or are we as screwed up as ever?

It all comes down to one man, the man in front first:

Joe Biden is simply going to have to bite down and prosecute the 2016 Election Fraud, the January 6 incident, publicly announce Donald Trump was a cheater, a terrorist, and a pedophile, close the Republican Party down, close the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and act like he knows what is going on around the world or we are all in for some very unpleasant times.

[pinkpruneclodwolf]

*repeatedly bangs pots and pans* PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT CHAPTER 6 TALK TO ME ABOUT YUU'S DYNAMIC ABOUT THE OTHER FIRST YEARS PLEASE JUST TALK TO ME ABOUT YUU AND CO AND THEIR DYNAMICS AND WHEN THEY WHEN YUU, YUU'S GROWTH AND---- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Okay but with all jokes aside I feel you on that note. While yeah, Im a hardcore found-family trope person I wouldn't say that Adeuce+The ramshackle duo are that since by putting that up it kinda seems disingenuous to what they are ig?? I dunno its just that to me the four of them are not like that because they are more than that IG??? Bc like yeah, Yuu will leave and the they might/will grow apart once the journey ends, neither of them could ever forget one another yknow what i mean????

FNDJFSK They give me so much emotion that they easily overwhelm me, ask me about any of them and I will take a long ass time to reply and thats on god jhdfsjdfh im so sorry for the incoherent bullshit you have to read jhdfhjdfhd anyways pls gib ur thoughts about Them in general pls They never get talked about as much as they deserve to be. Thank u for ur service in advance jhhsdajdsajd

I tear up thinking about the fact that Yuu will eventually return and just leave the twst behinfdduwb—

Like the emotional damage i give myself realizing that with Chap 6 being out, Grim's OB scare..... It's wrapping up and my chest hurts. I already know the amount of fanfic fix-it's about the Adeuyuu are going to be in abundance,,,,,

I'm already incurring emotional damages—

You know HxH where Gon and Killua become friends but that friendship ends up with Killua playing clean up and after Gon's recovery he admits that he wants to "restart" but still stay friends?

I think of Ace as Killua at the end of his journey if you catch my drift???

Like he's def the type to call you out—yOU DONT UNDERSTAND HOW MANY FANFICS IVE READ WHERE ACE IS PAINTED AS THE VILLIAN WHEN HE SAID THAT A MEASLY APOLOGY MEANS NOTHING OR WHEN HE CALLED OUT TREY LIKE OMG—

He's the realest and I'm tired of pretending he's not??? Especially when he punched Riddle for talking his shit about Yuu? Chefs kiss that boy might be sneaky as shit but he calls it like it is.

I think with Deuce there comes the problem of him kinda being a follower? What i mean by this is in every gang there's always a leader, and Yuu just so happens to be that leader—if you get what I mean—

Then his idea of model student always following the code and you see where things could go left—he's Killua cleaning up after Gon basically, yeah he can put his foot down but as long as Yuu remains neutral why would he?

He wasn't the one to strike Riddle, Ace was. Of course people could justify this by saying that Ace is more volatile (?) Or that Ace was high on emotion,

Yet, Deuce was the one who wanted to deliver a right hook until Crowley stated that he couldn't because the battle was a test of magic.

You catch my drift???

I genuinely believe that if Deuce was in the leader role he wouldn't take shit from Ace, Grim, or Yuu (because at 14 he was running a gang of 30+ members) however, with this new change and Yuu being the leader he's more reluctant— he'll make a passing comment but thats about it.

He's Trey but with a more violent side (Floyd if he was trying to be a better person) is what I mean.

I fuck with Grim heavy but I'd def fight him over a pack of noodles because he's a lil food thief— Grim's (and, by proxy Yuu) development is very slow compared to Adeuce, no one really challenges him on being "A Great Magician" which I think ties into NRC and the entire student body all, secretly, wanting to be revered as well its more of a matter of who's overt and who isn't, who has the skill and potential, and who doesn't.

You catch my drift?

I also believe that Grim is somewhat enabled by the cast (yes, he gets teased but thats about it) especially Yuu, since they always clean up after him— Ace even has a voiceline telling Yuu that Grim has gotten himself in trouble (with a student or teacher)

Him being separated from Yuu after harming them allows growth— beans day event, when Cater mentions that Malleus would bring too much attention Grim says that he should be mindful as well.

Yuu is def Gon in the sense that they have Deuce to clean up after them, but also Killua in the sense that they clean up after Grim (and Adeuce in Chap 3)

An interesting dynamic if you've watched HxH.

Which is why I love their dynamic and I want to see how they grow!!!!

Def the best show of friends in twst considering Trey and Riddle, Azul and the Leeches, and Rook and Vil—I'd even say they're the healthiest friendship in NRC and Sebek, Jack, and Epel gravitate to that.

[bratz-kitten]

attack on titan characters - birth chart analysis 🌙

Here is my take on the big 6 of Levi, Eren, Armin and Mikasa of attack on titan/shingeki no kyojin! I kept their sun signs since we know the day and month of their birthday and since I think they’re absolutely perfect. If you want me to do my take on the others (like Jean, Historia, Erwin, Hanji, Connie, Sasha, Reiner, etc) please let me know! (spoiler warning!)

Levi Ackerman

sun in capricorn - levi mf ackerman is fuelled by three things and three things only: LOYALTY, a strong moral code and power. he is seen by most people as a heartless, unemotional bastard but is canonically the most emotional character - he shows love through very indirect ways and he’s the peak of capricorn in the sense that he represses his emotions – he smiled literally ONE time in four seasons, and didn’t once shed a tear. he’s very hard to read. has a lot of respect for his superiors and follows the orders of only those he’s loyal to. he’s driven by his moral codes in the sense that the protection of humanity is his prime motive for fighting titans. like a true capricorn, is the master of his field of work and cares the most about being a survey corp member. please protect this tragic baby. 

virgo rising - two words: CLEAN FREAK. this man has a strong need to be presentable at all times and hates getting blood on his hands for the single fact that he needs himself and his environment to be clean. his obsession with being clean is very much due to his childhood trauma and how he lived in in poor conditions in the underground. he has many quirks that correlate with this: the way he holds his cup, the carvat he uses bc of his mother, and the way he always cuts his own hair because that’s the way his mother used to do it.  intimidating and demands respect. DRY HUMOUR. 

moon in scorpio - i think he has many similarities with mikasa, especially in the moon and venus. introverted and hates people but will go to the ends of the earth to protect the ones he loves and respects. represses emotions and internalizes his hatred until he has a mental breakdown - which happens in the form of extreme violence. VERY sensitive and emotional even if he doesn’t show it. he’s very intuitive and often acts based on gut; he’s secretive and vindictive. very wise and great at giving advice. doesn’t let himself get manipulated and uses shitty situations to his advantage (like with the reeves company). trust is the most important thing to him.

mercury in aquarius - levi is extremely logical, and hates when others involve their feelings in the making of decisions. his decisions are always backed up by strong arguments and others often see him as cold and detached. i saw someone  mention something extremely interesting about aquarius mercury’s/people with their mercuries in the 11th house: despite not being very sociable, others are drawn to them for friendships – and often they’re the introverts who get “adopted” by extroverts. this is 100% levi’s case, hanji and erwin practically adopted him. being very vulgar with his words and having a distinctive sense of humour, he’s very humanitarian and is actually really talkative but only when he’s very comfortable around someone. blunt, always tells it like it is – like when he tells eren he can’t know what the right choice really is and he needs to choose it himself. teases and insults his friends as a form of affection.

mars in scorpio - levi’s a fighter, a survivor. he knows what it’s like to come from nothing and have to build himself up. very confrontational. reclaims his power by exerting intimidation and mastering violence. others fear doing as much as make a joke at his expense. understands other’s motivations and characters very easily. he’s very intuitive. very serious due to his need for having an intense and demanding presence, for being respected and valued. he’s the one who everyone sighs of relief when things go to shit and he appears because you know he’s the strongest and most dependable person.

venus in capricorn - good luck getting this motherfucker to open up. his trust is very hard to gain but is necessary for working with him – he places his full trust in his comrades and demands the same from them. very work-oriented and takes relationships very serious; it’s really telling that he cares little for romance because capricorn venuses are the ones to date to marry, and will only devote themselves to someone once they believe they’ve met the one. they either want a more powerful and mature partner or they exude that energy (levi is the latter). slightly parental – we see this in the way that levi is pretty much the dad figure. it’s called squad levi for a reason, after all. very responsible. takes care of loved ones and often uses tough love as a form of discipline.

Eren Jaeger - im not even kidding with this one, he has extreme aries energy

sun in aries - eren feels the need to be very independent and he hates whenever he has to depend on mikasa and others, wanting to be strong enough to reverse the roles. he’s very self-confident, bold and direct. very impulsive, he’s quick to anger but is also very quick to forget - especially seen with his arguments with jean, fighting him is basically a love language at this point. aries suns are very fast thinkers and their strong energy may come off as intimidating. they have great intentions but that often becomes muddled with their impulsivity and the fact that they don’t think ideas through. eren is unabashedly himself and fights relentlessly for what he wants. his aries energy also makes him extremely motivated! he believes in the impossible and will make it happen no matter what.

aries rising – aries risings are the trailblazers. they ooze intensity. eren has very much a baby face and, due to his impulsivity and childish charm, people tend to baby him a lot – in the sense that he’s this kid surrounded by adults who needs supervision at all times or he’ll get into deep shit. aries risings are also marked by their extreme need for action, they’re the ones to do now and apologize later instead of asking for permission to do something in the first place. he is guided by his passion and is a natural leader who inspires everyone to fight alongside him. aries risings have a lot of energy which they need to express in a physical way, making them be prone to be very athletic and lead very active lives. he’s also extremely competitive and is driven by the force of becoming stronger than mikasa, and often feels angry when he realizes how stronger than him other people can be. at the same time, this pressure to be better is put solely on himself. he’s a dumbass with a good-heart and pure intentions.

moon in sagittarius – all this motherfucker talks about is freedom and seeing the world past the walls. he craves adventure and is extremely optimistic. but even if a sagittarius moon needs their freedom, they are still absolutely ride-or-dies and once they’ve commited to something, NOTHING or NO ONE can stop their determination. these are also the people to try their best to always appear cheerful and full of determination to hide their sad façade – like when he was nearly vomiting when talking about the titans to the other recruits when they began the training in the military but still forced himself to say that the titans aren’t scary at all and that they aren’t a big deal; he naturally inspires others and fills them with courage. but the way they put on this strong and brave façade leads to a strong emotional turmoil, violent urges and a sudden hostility to others. they are filled with surpressed anger that can lead them through very destructive paths – and the happy-go-lucky child might just lose her hope. we see this in eren in the most heartbreaking way.

mercury in aries – LOUD!!! eren speaks what’s on his mind with NO hesitation whatsover. he’s very quick to defend his friends and points of view, and speaks openly about his passions and dreams. he’s very assertive and tenacious. short attention span and not afraid to give a different opinion from someone else’s. very passionate about what he argues about. very expressive and when an aries mercury disagrees with you, you’ll know it immediately by their facial expression. confident and thrives on inspiring others. remember him being mad when it was discovered the possibility of all titans being humans because now he didn’t know who the enemy is and he NEEDS to hate someone and blame them in order to keep going? ARIES MERCURY ENERGY!!

mars in aries - people look to mars in aries to lead them. they’re full of energy and dynamic, and very athletic - eren exceeds at hand-to-hand combat and, in the other subjects where he’s not so good, his determination makes him push forward and become better. VERY hot-headed and confrontational, which is both the source of all their problems and their strength - they are not afraid of going after what they want and are willing to go through any obstacle to do so, and they’re also not afraid of upsetting other people in order to do so. eren is courageous, loves to take initiative and is very enthusiastic - something that is very contageous. competitive and hates compromise, he likes getting his own way. aries mars are also very individualistic and can have a huge ego.

venus in pisces - i know this is going to confuse a lot of people - like, how does he have so much aries energy, how is he so intense yet has one of the softest venus placements? i deeply believe he’s a pisces venus, and here’s why. his friends are EVERYTHING to him. pisces venus’ love very deeply and are very dependent on their loved ones, and eren is extremely protective of his loved ones and is willing to do anything to protect them. pisces venus’ are very vengeful, too, something that people seem to brush off about them - they might not do anything when you mess with them but as soon as you mess with their friends it’s game over. i also get a lot of “there was no other way, the word had to be fixed” vibes from this placement? like, this placement gives me the energy of someone willing to commit awful crimes under the excuse of it being for the greater good, which is something he dramatically experiences as he grows older and witnesses the cruelty of the world.

Armin Arlert

sun in scorpio - armin very resourceful!! he easily adapts to the circunstances he’s in and works his way around it. very intelligent and with great memory. extremely manipulative, cunning and perceptive. scorpios are known for their capability to be great investigators due to their natural curiosity, and armin has this deep need to see the world outside of the walls and he studies all there is to know about it with great passion. determined to succeed. 

cancer rising - armin just wants to achieve his dream and it’s so soft. cancer risings are very receptive of other’s emotions and incredibly sensitive, but it’s difficult for them to open up to others. his appearance is very soft and delicate. loves to help others and has a naturally warm presence that makes others feel comfortable in his presence. give off a very grounded and stable energy, but this is often because they try to hide their most intense emotions and don’t know how to deal with them/don’t want to bother others by opening up about it. 

moon in pisces - one word: EMPATHY!!! very compassionate. tendency to become a martyr and be very self-sacrificial. VERY imaginative, he is the strategist, after all. can feel others emotions and read them very easily. avoids confrontation but feels a strong need to take the weight off of others’ shoulders and to solve all their problems. very loving and giving, in tune with his emotions and emotionally intelligent. on the other side, this caring side of him can make him see other people through rose-colored glasses, and he is prone to believing in the best in people and giving them the benefit of the doubt. but when they’ve proven their true nature to him, he’ll see them for what they are and will no longer defend them, even if still feeling remorse. notice how he’s always like “this had to be done, we had no other choice” to justify his actions.

mercury in scorpio - bro armin’s eyes are so intense. when he gets on his manipulative bullshit it’s IMPOSSIBLE to look away from his gaze. he practically communicates through the eyes. armin is very sharp and his innocent appearance has everyone still thinking of him as a sweet angel as if he isn’t a whole war criminal. he easily psychoanalizes others to know what they want and uses it to his advantage, like how he used berthold’s love for annie to manipulate him to let eren go after him and reiner kidnapped him. scorpio mercuries be knowing shit, they be knowing everyone’s secrets and others usually confide in them as if they’re their therapists. 

mars in pisces - mars in pisces makes a person avoid physical confrontation at all costs. notice how armin’s first response to everyone wanting to kill reiner and bertold/the marleyans was “please let’s just talk about this first”? he hates violence and deems it not worthy most times. he is very physically weak and aware of his limitations, unlike eren and levi, whose first instinct is to use violence in order to get what they want. no, armin has developed a much more subtle and effective way to get what he wants without using violence: emotional manipulation. he is the KING of appearing innocent and naïve and having people feel bad for him and want to baby him and protect him, and due to his extremely intuitive nature, he knows EXACTLY what to say to someone to get under their skin. he twists his words and emotions to get what he needs out of people and it’s both incredible and dangerous. also, very self-sacrifical and his goals are based on his emotions.

venus in cancer - he loves so much and it’s so beautiful and heartbreaking. he gives everything to the ones he loves and thrives off of being helpful and keeping everyone safe. reads a lot into the behaviour of the people he loves. very emotionally intelligent, wants stability and to maintain peace and may bend over backwords to achieve that. needs to feel understood and has a soft spot for troubled people, those who are more demanding and assertive (eren and mikasa), people he can take care of and who can take care of him in return. very affectionate and communicative. warm presence, you can pretty much feel the love radiating out of him. 

Mikasa Ackerman 

sun in aquarius - if you get past the emotional walls of an aquarius that has them appearing detached and distant because they’d rather use intelligence than seem emotional, you’ll be met with an incredibly soft, loving and caring person. an aquarius strength is their ability to be very unique, individualistic and humanitarian individuals - they truly march to the beat of their own drum. mikasa possesses a great deal of determination and isn’t afraid of being rebellious, especially when her loved ones are in danger. 

capricorn rising - people with capricorn rising had to learn to be very independent from a very young age. mikasa is very intimidating but she has a very doll-like beauty, common to many capricorn risings. these people have had to deal with a lot ever since childhood, but they are fighters and their determination has them being able to survive even unsurmountable odds stacked up against them. capricorn risings tend to be serious and disciplined, and with a melancholic aura to them – which mikasa perfectly embodies. but the fact that these people have cancer in their descendant makes them strongly emotionally attached to their loved ones.

aquarius moon - even under the most stressful and dangerous situations, mikasa always remains in control of her emotions. she thrives in those situations, it’s the adrenaline of the moment that has her being so good at controlling her emotions until it’s safe to be anything but racional again. aquarius moons are feel very misunderstood and tend to racionalize their emotions a lot. however, it’s only due to their fear of vulnerability that they build this emotional walls, because they experience very intense emotions. i always think about that survey corp member saying “what did you have to go through for you to be like this?” when she was perfectly stable in a life-or-death situation. 

mercury in capricorn - mikasa is incredibly action-oriented and she speaks in a structured but confident way. although she’s on the quieter side and is reserved, she’s able to inspire everyone when all hope seems lost, and she’s taken up eren’s words of “if we don’t fight, we can’t win” and uses it constantly in order to keep going. she’s very hard to read due to her usually expressionless face, giving her a mysterious aura. she’s very ambitious, persuasive and determined. 

mars in capricorn - when people say that mars in capricorn people are the scariest when they’re angry, they’re not wrong. they act so calm and collected until suddenly they’re fixing you with a death glare and you’re rethinking all your life choices up until this point. mikasa might be extremely rational and calm, but as soon as someone threatens the ones she loves, she’ll stop at nothing to eliminate the threat. it’s like she fears nothing but ever being unable not to save them. she’s very responsible and reliable, with a lot of physical strength and stamina. very PROTECTIVE, grounded and GIVING 

venus in virgo - this is one of the things that makes mikasa so similar to levi, the way they love. this bitch is LOYAL to her very core. she knows very well where her loyalties are - eren and armin - and is ready to kill all her close friends and superiors in order to protect them. she threatened to kill historia if she got in the way of getting eren back home safely, jumped levi on sight when he wanted to save erwin instead of armin, and got pissed at connie for doubting eren’s intentions after the whole marleyan ordeal. acts of service are very much her love language - she constantly picks up eren’s and armin’s stuff and carries it herself or orders them to rest while she works. it’s very hard to gain her trust and loyalty but once you do it’s forever, she’s very selective about the people she cares for. she’s possessive, too - giving historia the coldest death glare in the world when she saw her with eren. i’ve also noticed that venus in virgo are very difficult to declare their emotions!! they’ll just wait for the person to notice their indirect acts of affection. very attentive to the needs and details of loved ones.  

[randomprose]

jiang cheng with the junior quartet in which they've outgrown their fear of him and they realized sect leader jiang is just a giant grumpy cat with mother-hen tendencies.

when they night hunt with him occasionally he always has snacks and buys them street food if they finish early. he'll scold them for eating unhealthily but buys them the treats anyway. once, ozz said he's never had zongzi so jc bought them all one each from a stall.

he doesn't even say anything to wen ning anymore. when he sees that the juniors are with him, he just gives an acknowledging nod and a gruff reminder directed at the four of them to don't do anything stupid before going on his way. like he trusts them with him.

but anyway, these juniors start to pester jiang cheng whenever they're in yunmeng and they've somewhat learn how to decipher his scowls and screams from normal fond-bordering-on-affectionate ones to actually angry ones—the latter of which is rarely ever directed at them.

they're over at lotus pier whenever JL is. JL doesn't get to go there much now because of his sect leader duties but when he is, he is sure followed by his friends. it's like they've decided lotus pier is their go to headquarters where they can fool around and shit. jiang cheng would pretend he hates it and finds them all a nuisance ("don't you kids have your own sects to go home to?? lotus pier is not your play place! why are you brats always here?!") but he's really glad JL's got friends with him now. he used to be such a lonely child.

overtime, they just randomly pop up even when JL isn't there. jiang cheng is always surprised to see either lsz, ljy, or ozz in the compound saying they were in the area and decided to pop in for a greeting like: hi sect leader jiang! how are you? been to any night hunts lately?

they're over there a lot that they even have their own regular guest quarters by now. ones close to JL's suites in the family compound. they sometimes train with the disciples but otherwise they just mess around lotus pier and swim in the lakes. especially in the summers.

JL is ecstatic! finally! people who understands his jiujiu's weird show of affection other than wwx! JL thinks his jiujiu is just severely misunderstood but he really is just a Big Softie with grumpy tendencies.

oh and he teaches them stuff too obviously, but not in the way that's playful and interactive like wwx or direct like lwj. jiang cheng's wisdom comes in random bouts in the middle of night hunts. small tidbits on fighting born out of experiences from the war and life in general. the profound ones come when he's two bottles deep just before turning in or when they're strolling on busy night markets going home and he doesn't even mean to but the juniors are like 'wow that makes so much fucking sense we never thought of it that way what the fuck.'

when the juniors are night hunting near yunmeng or if lotus pier is their meeting point and jiang cheng doesn't get to come with them, he makes the servants pack them extra snacks or pile them on to JL to share with his friends. the servants are careful not to say anything but they all know it's under sect leader jiang's orders

ohmygod jiang cheng is such an overbearing mother hen. but in a good way! the juniors learned to enjoy it the best they can and needle him into buying them snacks or letting them do stuff they normally wouldn't get away with from wangxian. he's literally the grumpy uncle who's also the most indulgent.

on god can you imagine jiang cheng being THAT UNCLE who lets u get away with small misdemeanors?? ABSOLUTELY INSANE. but he does with the juniors!! like he trusts them to not be so stupid and call for help when need (also they have a fierce corpse as a companion most of the time anyway, so).

some sprinkles of wangxian bc i'm a slut for them: 

wangxian notice that they've been talking a lot about sect leader jiang. “oh,” wwx says, “you went night hunting with jiang cheng? when was this how come i’ve never heardof it?” he's clearly itching to ask more he's practically vibrating.

ljy: don’t worry wei-qianbei you're still our favorite! sect leader jiang is our close 3rd  wwx: 3rd? who's 1 and 2? ozz: you and hgj are #1 of course! wwx: we tied for #1?   ljy: yeah you're practically a package deal. do not separate and all that wwx: who's #2 tho? ozz: wen-qianbei! wwx: huh. valid.

jl: speak for yourselves. jiujiu is my #1. wwx: that's also very valid too a-ling. otherwise i'll have to scold you for being unfilial and jiang cheng will break your legs for breaking his heart.

once while relaying a report, lsz called jiang cheng ‘shūshū’ and wwx had to do a double take because um what? what did you just call jiang cheng? lsz blushed and stuttered an explanation before jl explained obnoxiously:

jl: jiujiu told him to call him that. told him to go to the ancestral hall to pay respects too. he must really like you sizhui.  ljy, #1 sizhui fan: of course he likes sizhui! everyone does! wwx: is it true sizhui? lsz, blushing:...shūshū's nice... wwx:...jiang cheng...shushu...nice..ok....okok...

lmao one of them (either ozz or ljy but i think it will be more hilarious if it's ljy) slipped and called jiang cheng 'jiujiu' once just because he kept hearing jl calling him that. jiang cheng just turns to him with a mild "that's jiang-zongzhu to you, lan jigyi."

and god!!! ljy is so mortified!!! this is worst than that one time he accidentally called hgj 'dad'!! it doesn't help that his friends are assholes (yes even sizhui!!) and never let him live it down. especially JL!! he's all "don't go stealing my jiujiu now" fuck you JL!! as if ljy will!!

also, once when they were sassing jiang cheng, (they get!! to sass sect leader jiang!! and he only threatened to break their legs once!!) and ljy got the last word in, jiang cheng hit him w/ a "is that any way to talk to ur uncle? huh, nephew?" which effectively shut up ljy as his friends roared in laughter propriety be damned!!

((yes i was thinking of that B99 episode where jake peralta called captain holt dad and holt went in for the ride and called jake 'son' lmao))

goodddd!!! i live for the junior quartet discovering that underneath jiang cheng's rough exterior he's a Big Softie who's also hilarious even when he doesn't mean to. JL is very happy with this development and wwx is happy to hear stories about his brother having fun with the kids.

this ran long but i also just wanna says this is because of queen jiang yanli's influence (you guys notice how yunmeng trio are all good with kids?) 

ANYWAY! this is me again with my 'Jiang Cheng is Great With Kids So Give Him More Kids To Take Care Of' agenda and you all should jump in on it thank you.

[posted on twitter]

[year2000electronics]

Tumblr's being weird and won't let me find the Dark Moon rewrite post. I think there was one where you explained the story behind it, at least?

I JUST HAVENT MADE A FULL POST ON IT IM SORRYYYY but i can do bullet points of what’s going down

- so basically this kinda comes from a place of me like. liking dark moon but wishing it had more Characters. so it started with making boss ghosts and then kinda escalated

- so the plot is luigi is looking for e gadd after he went missing in a place near the mansion called evershade valley, unfortunately along the way we see a flash of lightning, a scream, and then cut to darkness

- it fades back in and it’s revealed that luigi is now... a GHOST!! oh no! (this would be the main ‘gimmick’ of the game like how mansion 3 had gooigi as a big selling point)

- he realizes he’s in a lab and he’s been captured by a ghost researcher named professor evershade who said his ghostly dna seemed different somehow so he wanted to see more

- luigi explains the situation and asks if he can help him contact e gadd but all lines to him are dead- evershade theorizes that he must have been taken by the same spectre that turned luigi into a ghost, and luigi immediately goes ‘KING BOO....’ bc who else does he have beef with.

- evershade suggests that if they defeat the four rulers of the nearby mansions they can assemble the dark moon, an artifact that will make sure no ghost will be able to cause their own mischief again

- luigi agrees, and in the meantime evershade says he can try to work on a way to see if he can change luigi back from a ghost

- he uses the same teleportation device e gadd does in dark moon to get luigi in and out of evershades lab, and luigi usually winds up in the small garden which leads to the four mansions

- (meta talk here- the multiple mansion exploring and evershades appearance are meant to kinda trick the player into thinking that it’s a ‘different character same purpose’ scenario, like how both goombario and goombella are tattling goombas)

- (you also get access to regular luigi after clearing one or two rooms in the first mansion- this serves as a bit of a tutorial segment for ghost luigis abilities and how youll be able to switch between ghost luigi and regular luigi to accomplish different tasks)

- ghost luigi probably has the power of a portrait ghost himself, so would have abilities such as the ability to scare other ghosts into fleeing a room or scaring them into doing stuff for him (which would serve as both a puzzle solution and a short-term solution for any segments where you may be stuck as ghost luigi), there are also other abilities like passing through walls (but most new rooms will be VERY dark so it would be hard to suss out details), spectral wind, etc. regular luigi is the one able to catch ghosts though, and regular and ghost forms will often interact in puzzles like a slightly less co-op based luigi and gooigi system

- the first mansion, gloomy manor, is a pretty standard mansion, it’s very old and filled w cobwebs. the boss is a spider-themed ghost, madame moufette. she says the mansions been lost to time and now only the spiders and ghosts live there

- the second mansion, haunted towers, is... actually only a one floor lobby. it’s only when you take the elevator that you realize the entire building is underground and it leads you to a literal icy bunker where an arctic ghost, macready, has spent ages under the bunker and is convinced that a light wielding beast is hunting him down

- the third mansion, treacherous mansion, is a house of illusion, led by a chess-playing ghost named rook. there are stuff like portals, tv static, living suits of armour, the like. rook’s message to luigi is that not everything is as it seems in evershade valley

- luigi comes back from treacherous mansion and gives evershade the third piece of the dark moon, which is when evershade reveals he had the fourth piece of the dark moon all along- and. here’s where things get fucky wucky i’m so sorry

- evershade lifts his goggles and takes off his hat and reveals that HE’S luigi from the future. after the events of mansion 1, luigi eventually decided to become an apprentice to e gadd and became a full time ghost researcher. things don’t seem so different at first but unfortunately e gadd game-overs and so luigi is left all on his own. which is a bummer. with his mentor gone luigi throws himself into his work, neglecting going on adventures with mario to a point that he just stops getting invited... (took mario a VERY long time to stop asking though. make no mistake) over time he becomes a bit of a recluse and his curious and observant nature kinda becomes a hunger for knowledge... he wants to know just what the strange and unusual is and what makes it tick. he also starts using professor evershade as a pen name bc ‘dr mario’ gets people asking about his research for the wrong reasons. though not only does he become more curious but he gets very very bored. ghosts are just poltergeists, tricksters... they’re nothing without a leader. luigi tries to bring back king boo, he invents all sorts of things to try- but the one thing the professor did that he didn’t was invent that damn portrait machine (which has rusted and broken with time- it’s been like, 20-25 years at this point).

- basically, what starts out as ‘i need to bring king boo back so i can have a proper rogues gallery of ghosts to study’ turns into ‘i need to bring king boo back but why would i even defeat him? this is great for paranormal studies’ so yeah. now evershade would like to see the ghost world at its fullest power

- he time travelled back to the past to try and convince e gadd to free king boo (yes he made a time machine hashtag smart) but e gadd fights back, destroying the portrait machine he built. evershade is Angry about this and decides if he won’t help him... perhaps someone else will. his ‘time machine’ is actually a large building that affects all of evershade valley, so it, how it was 20 years into the future, was brought into the past. his backup plan was to trap luigi in evershade valley by turning him into a ghost and making him collect the dark moon shards that he had always wanted but couldn’t get (his ghost researching skills are fine but his ghost hunting skills are out of shape. he could have done that in the first place but he kinda wanted to see his old mentor again.)

- the dark moon itself is an artifact split into four parts bc its effect on ghosts is too much to stand, even for ghosts- it’d give whoever owns it absolute power over the paranormal world and its residents, so the four mansion ghosts have taken it upon themselves to protect them (evershades original plan also involved teaming up with king boo to defeat the ghosts and take the dark moon for themselves)

- (actually, the fourth mansion ghost is polterpup! the dark moon piece WAS in his collar but a certain evershade stole it after the doggy lets his guard down around luigi

- evershade, using the dark moons power, casts a blacklight into king boos painting and finally frees him, offering him ultimate power and ruling over ghosts if they work together as a team. king boo finds this hashtag funny so he’s like ok

- then, luigi gets teleported out of the lab before he can try and stop them. polterpup points him towards where evershades lab has been all along- the fourth and final mansion, old clockworks

- in there luigi finds e gadd being held hostage, where he reveals evershade was trying to threaten him into freeing king boo

- as ghost luigi you also experience side effects of the dark moon in this final dungeon, like controller inputs not working or luigi needing to stop and wrestle off a headache

- so yea... final boss is basically king boo fighting you and evershade cheering him on and you need to counter king boos attacks so that they hit the dark moon and destroy it

- luigi sucks up king boo.... LOL

- evershade is defeated and he doesn’t even have an evil monologue he just kinda stares at luigi unimpressed like ‘really? this is the route you’re taking’ and luigi silently just kinda grabs onto e gadd and whatever toads are in this game. and neither of them say anything

- somewhere in old clockworks a clock goes off, and all the rest of them do too (the one time you hear every clock in sync). fade to white and e gadd and luigi wake up in an empty field where a construction worker asks if they’re ok. pan out to reveal evershade is gone and there’s apparently a construction crew hoping to build four brand new buildings here in this valley

UM THATS IT LOL.... it’s rly overcomplicated i know. i’m sorry.

[junnie133]

Linked Universe Pokémon AU

Bc i’m a damn nerd. These are just my headcanons, feel free of using the images and the clean template in the end. I’d love to hear suggestions about changes on their teams since I filled some of them rather forcefully to get a full 6 Pokémon team. 

{+}{+}{+}

A mostly Flying/Water based team for our little Sailor! I got some of the basic Water Pokémon we usually see in the games and the anime, mixed up with some Ghost types (bc Phantom Hourglass).

Gyarados (★): Water/Flying. I wanted to reference the King of Red Lions with this one. His main transport while traveling through the big Great Sea.

Mantine: Water/Flying. Maybe captured when it was only a Mantyke, a fun pokémon very common on the seaside. I bet Wind would like it.

Lapras: Water/Ice. Another common chose for traveling, a very kind pokémon easy to train for its calm behaviour.

Dhelmise: Ghost/Grass. A badass pirate-based pokémon for a badass pirate boy. Maybe a gift from Tetra after they set sail?

Drifblim: Ghost/Flying. Captured as a Drifloon, a cute little guy.

Wingull: Water/Flying. Aryll’s pokémon, she lent it to her big brother and it often delivers letters between both siblings. 

Warriors’ team was pretty easy for me, there’s a lot of pokémon that fit him very well (unlike with some of the others *sigh*). I focused on some of his personality traits and the knight trope.

Aegislash: Steel/Ghost. Captured as a Honedge and evolved to this point, a very loyal pokémon who hates traitors almost as much as War does. His best pal.

Gallade: Psychic/Fighting. Abandoned as a Kirlia, War took him on his team. A complete gentleman, almost as flirty and skilled in combat as his owner. 

Bisharp: Dark/Steel. Captured as a Pawniard, a very serious fella. Likes to act like the leader of War’s other pokémon.

Silvally: Normal. War rescued him from the enemy’s lines, it was very wary of everyone but got a confidence booster when evolved. Loves War and gets somehow overprotective with him.

Corviknight: Flying/Steel. Every Captain of the Royal Guard owns one. He’s a wise, old bird who has seen lots of trainers go down in combat. It became attached of War.

Rapidash: Psychic/Fairy. Honestly, I was very unsure to give him a Galar version, however, I think it’s kind of fitting with his flamboyant attitude. She gets jealous when War flirts with someone.

Ah, my favorite team. It has a lot of Eevees, that’s all I need in life. This one was the easiest of all for obvious reasons. Also, Four is tiny, Eevee is tiny, and they both can easily adapt to any circumstance. Soulmates.

Leafeon: Grass. Green’s Eevee, the other eevelutions (except Umbreon) follow him like a leader. He has an easy going nature and takes care his fellow eeveelutions. They’re all siblings.

Vaporeon: Water. Blue’s Eevee. A little shit. Likes to bother Blue and the other Colors, but it gets soft with Red. She’s jealous of Flareon.

Flareon: Fire. Red’s Eevee. Always sleeping, likes to rest on Red’s lap after tough battles. Completely oblivious of her surroundings most of the time. She’s Red’s spoiled little girl.

Espeon: Psychic. Vio’s Eevee. A very capricious boy. Likes to be Vio’s center of attention and likes to hang out with Umbreon. Can’t stand Vaporeon but gets along very well with the others.

Umbreon: Dark. Shadow’s Eevee. Depressed girl. Misses her owner, although he likes Four and the colors just fine, sleeps with Flareon very often and likes Espeon’s company. 

Eevee: Normal. Came out from Espeon’s and Umbreon’s egg. It refuses to evolve.

I had some trouble choosing for Wild. I wanted to add a poké for each region on BotW and Champion, but decided against it. He had a team pre-calamity, but only a few pokémon manage to live 100+ years. Like Golurk.

Decidueye: Grass/Ghost. Captured as a Rowlet. Evolved quickly to his final form after lots of dangerous battles, he and Wild have the same fashion style, and have archery contests rather often. They’re close.

Sawsbuck: Normal. One day Wild decided he was tired of walking and mounted her in the wild. She didn’t take it kindly so they kind of got into a fight. Later that day Wild fought her with Decidueye and won, adding her to his team. 

Mudsdale: Ground. Wild heard of the existence of a gigant Mudsdale somewhere near the Faron Grasslands and went to capture it. She’s very gentle for her size, but can and will protect Wild and the others.

Heracross: Bug/Fighting. They fought over a honeycomb they found at the same time. Wild won, and since then he has never stopped following him. Beedle has tried exchanging him for any pokémon he has with no avail. Wild always cooks things with honey for him.

Ursaring: Normal. Same story as Sawsbuck, but in Tabantha. Wild feeded her with berries and got along since then. They often fight as practice, but Ursaring always wins.

Golurk: Ground/Ghost. Before the calamity Wild and Flora found a Golett on the Sheikah ruins they explored. He doesn’t exactly remembers it, but Golurk is happy by just watching over him like he did for it 100 years ago. It keeps its trainer at bay when trying to do something reckless.

For my boy Hyrule I choose to make his team based on the spells he uses in his second adventure. They’re all mostly babies, like him.

Cleffa: Fairy. For the ‘Fairy spell’. Baby, often gets into trouble without meaning it, and Hyrule swore to protect him no mater what. He found his egg abandoned somewhere and took care of it until it hatched. Cleffa thinks he is his mother.

Magby: Fire. For the ‘Fire Spell’. Another baby. The only one who likes his cooking. Also they look alike a lot, I couldn’t not add him on ‘Rule’s team if I had to choose a fire type. 

Ampharos: Electric.  For the ‘Thunder Spell’ A good girl, lights up the caverns Hyrule explores with flash and it’s his strongest pokémon. He found her full evolved and injured. She has saved his ass more than once.

Wobbuffet: Psychic. For the ‘Relflect spell’ An asshole. Not really, but Hyrule has never been able to tame him. He does whatever he wants, and ‘Rule only uses him for battle as a last resort. He loves him anyway.

Audino: Normal. For the ‘heal spell’ The softest girl ever. Always heals his and the team’s injuries, eats his food even if she hates it and gets along with everyone. An angel.

Bunnelby: Normal. For the ‘Jump Spell’. Tiny, chill boy. Tagged along with ‘Rule after he gave him an apple, now he follows him everywhere.

Sky pokes for a Sky, bird lover boi. Honestly that was my only standard while doing this one. Also Sky is the best trainer among them all, don’t ask why it just seems like it. (he actually went to school so...)

Talonflame: Fire/Flying. Crimson in this AU, has trained him since he was a baby Fletching. They’re best buddies, he hates Groose and loves Sun.

Sirfetch’d: Fighting. I wasn’t sure if I should have give this one to Warriors, but then I realized Sky is a trained knight too, so he may have trained this boy in the Academy. He gets along with Warriors pretty well tho.

Pidgeot: Normal/Flying. Captured as a Pidgey. Skyloft is a town in the sky, what did you expect.

Honedge: Steel/Ghost. A poke the Academy provided. Jealous of Fi. Admires Sky.

Braviary: Normal/Flying. He actually caught him once he got off from Skyloft. A very prideful bird, confident and smug. Likes to prove himself in front of Sky.

Altaria: Dragon/Flying. She was Sun’s, but when Sky began his adventure she accompained him to search for her owner. She stills consideres Sun her trainer, but wants to protect Sky since he’s so important for Sun. Also, he’s nice.

ughhh i’m not really happy with this one. I think Legend is the kind of trainer who only has like, two pokémons for all his life, but I wanted to add some ideas too.

Lopunny(★): Normal. Captured as a Bunneary when he was a kid. He lived with Legend and his Uncle until That Day™. Legend had no idea he was a shiny until he met some other Bunneary on his adventures. Can and will murder you if you do something to his trainer.

Wingull (★): Water/Flying. Got her after Koholint. Her name is Marin and will get defensive if someone asks why. He cheerish her, and doesn’t make her fight, but can’t stand watching her a lot.

Primarina: Water/Fairy. A gentle girl. Marin’s. Legend’s not sure how she made it out of Koholint.

Togekiss: Fairy/Flying. His name is Moosh.

Kangaskhan: Normal. Her name is Ricky.

Ryhorn: Ground/Rock. His name is Dimitri. 

As I said, I’m not sure about it, since I haven’t even played the Oracle games.

Another hard onnnneeeeeeee. Is the same as Legend, I think Time is the kind of guy who it’s fine by having one or two (or no) pokémon. I wanted to add a wolf poké but I didn’t :C

Phanthump: Ghost/Grass. The Lost Woods are filled with those little guys, Time never knew where they came from until he was older and no longer a Kokiri. He knows how to comfort them from his eternal sadness, so when he founds one as an adult near Lon Lon Ranch he lets him stay with them. Talon is scared of him.

Miltank: Normal. Malon’s, a very sturdy lady who sometimes overprotects him. She gives nice milk.

Yamask: Ghost. Do I have to explain it? it tagged along after Termina.

Noctowl: Normal/Flying. He’s a very annoying Old Man who helped him on his adventure with his Fly move. He can call him with his Ocarina with a song.

Impidimp: Dark/Fairy. A goddamn gremlin. She appeared making trouble at the Ranch one day, pranking Talon and their animals mercilessly, until Time outpranked her and gained her respect. She likes Malon a lot. (it also reflects Time’s inner gremlin).

Mimikyu: Ghost/Fairy. A shy boy. Was abandoned in the Ranch by some asshole and scared Malon the first time she saw him. It remained hidden in the barn for weeks until Time could get him out. He was as alone and desoriented as he was on his first adventure, so he may have a soft spot for him.

Goat boy. If he could be would have a team full of goats. not really happy either but it’s better than Time’s and Legend’s.

Mightyena: Dark. Captured as a Poochyena in the Twili Real By Midna. He hated her at first, and she hated him back, but after their adventure she got stuck with Twi. The both of them were sad because Midna’s departure and became friends soon.

Absol: Dark. Honestly, I only thought it fitted him. She always appeared before something bad happened on his adventure, and at first he was wary of her, but Midna explained him Absols only appeared as a warning for future disasters. She accompained them on their adventure after some point.

Lycanroc: Rock. Captured as a Rockruff near Ordon Village. A good boy. Twilight loves him. He loves him back. Twi spoils him rotten.

Mudsdale: Ground. I though of her as a replacement for Epona, but I’m not sure about it. Still, Twi would absolutely have a horse on his team.

Dubwool: Normal. A grumpy girl, also a goat, also another spoiled poké. She’s old and strong, has been part of his life since he has memory. Only lets Twilight to brush her wool and trim it when necessary.

Gogoat: Grass. An old guy. Pretty chill and patient, also had been with Twilight since before his adventure. Big boy too, he lets Twi and the other Links mount him.

aaannnnd we’re done! here’s the template i made for this occasion. Feel free to use it. If you have any more suggestions or you own headcanons you can tell me! I’d like to get some feedback about this. Sorry about the quality of the images but my pc is shit. If you want them in better conditions you can PM me.

[ibijau]

a prompt (a/b/o, bc i like how you write it): the sunshot campaign has just ended, and nie huaisang is looking forward to a future in which he can devote himself to wooing lan xichen. the match would be a little scandalous—it’s rare for an alpha to marry in, as nie huaisang intends to—but alpha-beta pairs are perfectly normal, and lan qiren is certainly more accepting of his first nephew’s crush than of lan wangji’s. less than three weeks into peacetime, however, nie huaisang’s plans hit a massive snag: jin zixuan has presented as an omega, removing him from the jin line of succession (and nie huaisang cannot help but be a little offended by that, on da-ge’s behalf—omegas can lead just as well as anyone else! the jin succession tradition is just stupid). but that’s the way things are in the jin sect, and so madame jin is scrambling to put together a marriage to get her son out of lanling before the worst happens... and the top two candidates on her list just so happen to be lan xichen and nie huaisang himself.

hello and welcome to: I like that prompt a little too much and got carried away, so now it’s 8K long. Also on AO3

warning for some mentions of rape toward the end of the story

Nie Huaisang’s plan starts when, at the tender age of eleven, he is introduced to the boy who doesn’t yet go by the name of Lan Xichen and is about to become his brother’s closest friend. Nie Huaisang, young as he is, decides that this is his true love, and of course he must ensure Lan Huan and him have the most perfect future possible together. He learns about Gusu Lan, reads as many books as he can, educates himself in the four arts, and even makes a vague effort to somewhat improve his cultivation, all so he can be the perfect spouse for a future sect leader.

A little after turning fourteen, Lan Xichen presents as a beta. It is a small deviation from Nie Huaisang’s plan, who was firmly expecting his beloved to be an alpha, but that is no big problem. Lan Xichen is Lan Xichen, he is the most perfect person in the world. Details don’t matter too much.

Another deviation from Nie Huaisang’s plan occurs when, a few days short of his own fourteenth birthday, he presents as an alpha. That, of course, is an absolute disaster. Nie Huaisang doesn’t want to be an alpha. Qinghe Nie is full of those, and he isn’t too impressed with them. He is on the brink of a complete meltdown when he figures that if his brother can be an omega who has all the qualities of an alpha, then surely he can be an alpha living the easy going life of an omega, including marrying into another sect. 

Of course Nie Mingjue isn’t very happy that Nie Huaisang refuses to behave like a proper alpha, like a proper Nie, but he can hardly make an arguments against that choice without undermining his own position, so it doesn’t matter. Nie Huaisang cheerfully goes back to planning his happy future, researching cases of an alpha marrying into another sect. There are more of those than he would have expected to find, and though it is mostly alpha marrying other alphas, Nie Huaisang now knows he can rest on a precedent to argue his case.

With all this settled, the hardest part of his plan begins: seducing Lan Xichen.

It is easy enough to be sent to the Cloud Recesses to study there. A little too easy, really. Nie Huaisang suspects that his brother wanted him to go there anyway just to have some peace, and in hopes Lan Qiren might straighten him out a bit. Nie Huaisang doesn’t mind though, since it gives him a chance to be close to the love of his life. He also doesn’t mind his dreadful grades which give him a good excuse to spend time with Lan Xichen, begging him to help. Lan Xichen, generous and kind and patient and perfect in nearly every aspect, as well as eager to be a good friend to Nie Mingjue, even by proxy, of course agrees and allows Nie Huaisang to spend far more time in his room than is probably reasonable.

It would be a little scandalous really, but when Lan Qiren once tries to raise the issue in front of his nephew, Lan Xichen just laughs gently.

“Huaisang is nothing more than a little brother to me,” he says. “How could anyone think any different?”

It is a hard blow to Nie Huaisang’s fragile teenage ego, and a new setback to his perfect plan. At the same time, he has been in the Cloud Recesses for almost half a year by now, and has already guessed that this is how Lan Xichen sees him. Two years of difference won’t mean much once they are adults and married, but right now it is a pretty big gap.

Having accepted this, Nie Huaisang changes his plan again, but not his goal. If all Lan Xichen needs from him at the moment is a less stuck up little brother than the real one, Nie Huaisang will be happy to provide. He likes making Lan Xichen laugh anyway, and it’s obvious that Lan Xichen enjoys having someone to guide and teach in a way Lan Wangji won’t allow.

He can be patient, when he needs to be.

He can also be exactly as stupid as the situation calls for. It’s easy as anything to completely fail his exams. Lan Qiren almost has a qi deviation on the spot after reading Nie Huaisang’s final test, and Nie Mingjue is furious, but he can deal with that just fine, as long as he gets to come back another year in the Cloud Recesses and make sure nobody else can seduce the love of his life before puberty fully hits and gives him his fair chance.

-

That second year in the Cloud Recesses proves to be a test of Nie Huaisang’s determination in ways he hadn’t expected.

In his defence, the world has many more pretty boys than he ever realised.

Lan Wangji, heinous little bitch that he is, got hit hard by puberty in the short time that Nie Huaisang went home. He’s suddenly a head taller than Nie Huaisang, and looking every bit the alpha that he is even though he’s a year younger. Nie Huaisang is devoured with envy because just two months ago, Lan Wangji was just a baby, but suddenly he is very, very handsome.

Then, there’s the other guest disciples as well. Most are pretty decent looking, but some stand out from the crowd. Jiang Cheng has a bone structure to kill for, sharp eyes, and his rare smile is as radiant as sunshine on the lingering snows of spring. And everywhere he goes, Wei Wuxian follows, tall and more graceful than any boy of fifteen has any right to be. They make a stunning pair of alphas, really, to the point that it worries Nie Huaisang when the three of them strike a friendship of sorts. First, because there’s a few times when he finds himself wondering what it’d be like to kiss one of them, which is an awful betrayal of his one true love Lan Xichen. Second, because his looks are already inadequate to begin with, so hanging out with those two only makes him look even plainer by contrast.

What Nie Huaisang needs, he decides after a few weeks, is someone less pretty than him to spend time with, so he’ll look somewhat handsome next to them. And so, after some brief consideration, his great plan changes again to adapt to this new situation.

Nie Huaisang becomes friends with Jin Zixuan.

Well, saying they’re friends might be pushing it. Instead, Nie Huaisang forcibly spends time with Jin Zixuan, when Wei Wuxian is being punished by Lan Wangji, Jiang Cheng is studying, and Lan Xichen is too busy as well. It’s rather clear that Jin Zixuan isn’t very enthusiastic to have company. Quite frankly, Nie Huaisang wouldn’t have picked him as a companion either, if he’d had a choice. Jin Zixuan is haughty, has no conversation, no humour, a bad personality, and is just all around boring. He is also tragically baby faced, hasn’t even presented yet, and has nothing to recommend him except for the fact that his father is sect leader. It is practically a charity case. Indeed, when Lan Xichen hears that Nie Huaisang has been trying to become friends with Jin Zixuan, he congratulates him on it.

“I think he is a rather lonely person, isn’t he?” Lan Xichen remarks. “I’m glad you’re trying to help him. Hopefully you’ll help him relax a little.”

“Like I do with you, Xichen-gege?” Nie Huaisang boldly asks.

Lan Xichen laughs a little awkwardly, and Nie Huaisang could swear there’s a spot of colour on the older boy’s cheeks.

“I suppose I do relax when I’m with you. Are you thinking of replacing me, now that you’ve found a friend more your age?”

“Of course not,” Nie Huaisang earnestly promises. “Xichen-gege will always be the most important person for me!”

Lan Xichen smiles gently at him. “You are a good boy, and I’m sure your brother will be proud of you. I know I am.”

Hearing this, Nie Huaisang nearly faints from happiness. Just for this, it’s worth it to put up with Jin Zixuan.

But in fairness, as weeks pass, Nie Huaisang finds it a little easier to be around Jin Zixuan. The other boy mellows a bit, like a wild beast being slowly tamed. And once Wei Wuxian leaves, Jin Zixuan suddenly isn’t so prickly anymore, now that nobody is constantly taunting him and picking fights with him. He even has a sense of humour, when you know how to spot it. The first time Nie Huaisang bursts out laughing over a muttered remark Jin Zixuan made, it’s hard to say who is most surprised.

Besides, Jin Zixuan is one of the few people Nie Huaisang has met who doesn’t judge him for not striving to be a perfect alpha. Just like Lan Xichen, Jin Zixuan is surprisingly accepting of Nie Huaisang’s peculiarities.

“I prefer someone like you over some alphas who act right in public, then do everything wrong in private,” Jin Zixuan says with open disdain one day, as they walk in a garden of the Cloud Recesses.

It is a beautiful summer day, and the school year is almost over, which makes Nie Huaisang rather sad. He had planned to stay another year, still to make sure that nobody else makes a move on Lan Xichen, but he’s starting to think it will be lonely without the other friends he’s made.

“Well, I’m hardly much of an alpha in private too,” Nie Huaisang argues.

Jin Zixuan shrugs. “Not in the typical way. But you’re very protective of the people you care about, right? And you like to make people feel included. Like me and Lan gongzi… even Lan er-gongzi, when he lets you. You really don’t like when people seem lonely, do you?”

A little embarrassed to have such kind motives assigned to his actions, Nie Huaisang doesn’t reply right away. He pretends to inspect some gentians near Jin Zixuan’s feet, admiring how the deep blue of the petals contrasts rather beautifully against the gold of Jin robes.

He can’t explain that he’s always around Lan Xichen because he’s madly in love with this perfect boy, or that if he’s nice to Lan Wangji, it’s mostly just because they’re going to be in-laws someday. Above all else, he absolutely can’t tell Jin Zixuan why he decided to start spending time with him, mostly because he’s changed his mind so much since then. Jin Zixuan really isn’t boring after all, and he’s not quite so plain after all. Even if his face is still a little too round and soft for his age, there are signs here and there of what a handsome alpha he will be one day. Out of everyone he's met this year, Jin Zixuan is Nie Huaisang's favourite new friend.

“Jin-gongzi is giving me too much credit,” Nie Huaisang says at last. “I just wanted a friend less annoying than Wei-xiong, and you happened to be there.”

“Is that why you only call me gongzi, when you’re never this formal with others?” Jin Zixuan asks, sounding… not quite hurt, he has too much self control for that, but still…

Well, still a little bit hurt, actually.

“I know how your sect likes formality,” Nie Huaisang explains. “I just don’t want to disrespect you.”

“The Lan too are very formal, but you call Lan Xichen ‘gege’ all the time.”

“Oh that’s different, that’s just because he’s my da-ge’s friend!” Nie Huaisang lies. “We’re close enough the two of us, so it’s fine to call him like that.” An idea hits him, and he leans toward Jin Zixuan with a wicked grin. “If you’re so jealous though, I can call you Jin-didi. Would that work for you?”

In an instant, Jin Zixuan’s face turns a bright red and he splutters in anger. Nie Huaisang can’t help laughing at that cute reaction.

“Who says I’m jealous?” Jin Zixuan explodes. “What’s there to be jealous about?”

Nie Huaisang pokes him in the ribs, still laughing. “Jin-didi, it’s fine to have a crush on an older boy, it’s normal! I understand, I really do! Thank you, Jin-didi, for entrusting your heart to me!”

“Stop calling me that!” Jin Zixuan shouts, so mortified that he’s nearly crying.

“Jin-didi! Don’t worry, this Nie-gege doesn’t mind at all. It happens, it’s because you’re probably going to present as an alpha soon, and so you’re looking for role models around you. I am so flattered, Jin-didi. It will pass though, everyone grows out of it, don’t worry.”

Jin Zixuan’s face is so red that he looks sunburned, and the dot of cinnabar on his forehead looks almost pale compared to his face.

“You’re so stupid,” Jin Zixuan hisses, shoving Nie Huaisang to the side and stomping away. “I don’t know why I even put up with you, you’re even more annoying than Wei Wuxian!”

Nie Huaisang is too breathless from laughter to stop him from leaving. It’s for the best anyway, Jin Zixuan looked like he might pick up a fight with him for offending his dignity like this, and Nie Huaisang doesn’t feel like being punched in the face.

Still, from that day on, he makes sure to call Jin Zixuan ‘didi’ every chance he gets, just because he makes such funny faces.

-

Nie Huaisang passes his exams at the end of the year, because Lan Xichen told him that Nie Mingjue really doesn’t want him to be away from home this long again, not when the Wens have been acting up lately. For a second, Lan Xichen seems a little sad when Nie Huaisang promises to do his best, but it must just have been a trick of the light. When Nie Huaisang blinks, Lan Xichen’s expression is warm and polite and slightly impersonal, as always.

It’s fine anyway, Nie Huaisang figures. They’re sure to meet again soon. And when they’re married, Nie Huaisang will be able to stay in the Cloud Recesses for good, and they’ll be happy, and Nie Mingjue’s paranoia won’t ruin all his plans anymore.

-

It turns out that Nie Mingjue’s paranoia was, in fact, justified all along.

That’s not such a big surprise, Nie Huaisang must admit. Others tend to think his brother is stupid, but he knows better. Nie Mingjue might be a big brute, but he’s a clever one who understands politics better than anyone would suspect. He doesn’t care to play the game, but he knows the rules and he watches the moves made by others. For years and years he’s tried to warn others of the troubles he’s guessed were coming, but no one listened.

Well, they’re going to listen now, Nie Huaisang figures as he makes his way to Nightless City to serve as hostage with other disciples of Qinghe Nie. It’s kind of hard to ignore when every young master or mistress from every sect in the country is being held and re-educated by Wen Ruohan’s minions.

The whole time they’re there, Nie Huaisang tries to play it cool, like none of this affects him. He’s somewhat lucky because the Wen don’t seem to realise that he’s an alpha, and so they barely pay attention to him, while they endlessly bother Jiang Cheng, Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji and even poor Jin Zixuan who hasn’t even presented yet. These four get harassed daily about this and that. Their attitude is too rebellious, or too tame for proper alphas. They try too hard, or not hard enough. They’re too skilled and clever, or else they’re playing stupid and clearly trying to mock Qishan Wen.

In fairness, all of these accusations are absolutely true when it comes to Wei Wuxian. But even if he were to behave properly, Nie Huaisang suspects the Wen would find some fault with him.

Nie Huaisang watches all that and tries to stay out of it. The most he can do, anyway, is to offer the medicine he secretly brought with him (his brother insisted, and he was right as always) and to share his portion of food with his friends whenever they’re denied a meal. At least, when they accept. Jiang Cheng does sometimes, unless his pride gets in his way. Wei Wuxian usually refuses and boasts that he’s been wanting to practice inedia for a while anyway. Lan Wangji isn’t so loud about it, but does the same. Poor Jin Zixuan, though… even when he’s given his own portion of food he always seems hungry, so the days when he must do without are particularly hard on him. He still tries to refuse when Nie Huaisang wants to share, but in his case, Nie Huaisang doesn’t hesitate to insist.

“You’re going to present soon, aren’t you?” he whispers, pushing his bowl of bland, watery congee toward Jin Zixuan who nods miserably. Nie Huaisang remembers the horrible hunger he felt for a few weeks before presenting, when his body was hard at work preparing for the big changes that were coming. Even with all the food he could ask for he’d been starving, so he can’t imagine how much Jin Zixuan must be suffering. “You have to eat, Jin-didi,” he orders. “Please, eat something, or else your Nie-gege will be sad.”

It says a lot about Jin Zixuan’s state that he doesn’t even object to being called this way. Nie Huaisang lets Jin Zixuan have both of his meals that day, explaining that he actually has snacks hidden along with his medicine.

It’s not his best lie, but it does the trick that time, and the following ones as well.

After a week of this, Nie Huaisang is starting to feel a little unwell. His golden core just isn’t very strong, and cannot sustain him through inedia the way it would for others. He’s always known this, there’s just something not quite right with his meridian which means cultivation doesn’t come easy for him. Usually it doesn’t bother him, but after eating so little for several days, of course there’s side effects… but someone has to take care of Jin Zixuan, right?

It’s almost a relief when they’re told one morning that everyone is going on a Night Hunt. It’s not the first one Wen Chao took them on, and while it’s unpleasant to fight creatures without weapons, at least they’ve always been given better rations.

In the end, good rations feel like a poor trade for what happens on that Night Hunt. Nie Huaisang has never been so terrified in his life, except when he was eleven and his father lost his mind… although this is worse, so much worse. His father wounded some people, but he didn’t kill anyone the way that false Xuanwu does, slaughtering anyone it can grab before they manage a daring escape, thanks to Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian. Nie Huaisang, who is a fairly decent swimmer, ends up helping Jin Zixuan through the underwater passage, since the other boy is starting to look really unwell. He hasn’t been hurt, thankfully, but it’s clear he’s close to presenting. He must have only a few days left at best, or more likely a few hours.

Maybe that’s why even after they’re safely out of the cave, Jin Zixuan won’t let go of Nie Huaisang’s hand, why he leans so heavily against his side. Nie Huaisang allows it all. He probably should hand Jin Zixuan over to the Jin disciples present, but if they were trustworthy, Jin Zixuan would already have gone to them for comfort, wouldn’t he?

“It’s okay, Jin-didi,” Nie Huaisang tells the other boy while putting his free hand on Jin Zixuan’s forehead. He’s burning, and this is really the worst time and the worst place to be presenting, but it’s going to happen anyway. “I’m here with you. We’re going to get you home, and then you’ll be safe, right?”

Jin Zixuan nods weakly. “Thank you, Nie-gege,” he whispers, and Nie Huaisang’s heart does somersaults in his chest at being called that. It makes him want to keep Jin Zixuan close, to really protect him from anyone that might hurt him.

It’s a stupid idea, of course. Jin Zixuan is about to present, and when that’s over, when he’s an alpha, he’s never going to need anyone’s protection again. What’s happening here won’t last very long.

Nie Huaisang figures it’s fine to enjoy this while it’s there. He’s sure Lan Xichen, if he’s still alive, will understand that even an alpha as weak and pathetic as him needs to feel protective here and there.

-

It takes a long, long while to go home on foot. By the time Nie Huaisang and the other Nie disciples reach Qinghe, a war has been declared against the Wen because they’ve attacked the Lotus Piers and annihilated the entirety of Yunmeng Jiang. Nie Huaisang cries upon hearing this, because Jiang Cheng was fine when he last saw him, because it’s unfair that Wei Wuxian was rescued from that cave only to die like this anyway.

He cries also because Nie Mingjue is going to risk his life, because there’s still no news from Lan Xichen.

He cries because he won’t even be able to help his brother, and is to be sent to the Cloud Recesses where he’s less likely to be captured and used as a hostage again.

He cries because that’s all he’s good for, apparently.

-

Lan Xichen is alive.

Nie Huaisang cries when Lan Qiren tells him, and then doesn’t shed a single tear again and sets to work to be of some use in this war they’re fighting. The husband of a sect leader must be a useful person after all. Lan Xichen will have to deal with so many responsibilities, much earlier than he ever should have to, so Nie Huaisang needs to step up his game and become someone worthy of his future husband. He might be lazy, and spoiled, and a little useless, but Nie Huaisang is also very stubborn when he wants something, and what he wants is Lan Xichen, the most perfect person in the world.

Lan Xichen who smiles with the warmth of a tender spring afternoon, who is always calm and collected, who smells of gentian and pine trees. Lan Xichen who never has a hair out of place. Lan Xichen who always knows what to do, what to say, no matter the situation.

Lan Xichen who looks utterly broken when he comes to visit the Cloud Recesses, three months into the war.

Perhaps to others he doesn’t look so bad. The Lan disciples who are with Nie Huaisang when Lan Xichen arrives don’t comment on it. But Nie Huaisang has been observing Lan Xichen for years at this point, and he can instantly tell that something is wrong. It shows in the way the beta carries himself, how his eyes glance over things as if he cannot see what’s around him, the slight twitch at the corner of his lips when he smiles. Nie Huaisang’s heart aches to see his beloved in such a state. He hates the Wen more than ever, if such a thing is possible, for having hurt Lan Xichen this way.

Because there is so much to do, because Lan Xichen has so many responsibilities now, it seems at first that Nie Huaisang won’t have a moment alone with him. He tries to be fine with that. A sect leader’s husband must know that sometimes he comes second to the sect in question. But the hollowness in Lan Xichen’s eyes haunts him too much. That night, close to the hour for curfew, Nie Huaisang decides that he must offer some distraction to the love of his life, perhaps even some comfort, should Lan Xichen be inclined to allow it.

It’s risky to be out and about at that hour. Even at such a time, the Lan are strict with their rules, and Nie Huaisang knows he will be scolded, or even punished, if he is caught. To avoid that he doesn’t knock on the front door of Lan Qiren’s house, where he knows Lan Xichen is also living for the time being, and instead comes in through the back. He will be in so much trouble if he’s spotted, but love comes before rules. Soon enough he’s inside a private garden, knocking on the door of the only room where a candle still burns.

To Nie Huaisang’s relief, it is indeed Lan Xichen who opens that door for him.

To his horror, Lan Xichen looks even worse than before, his eyes red from crying.

“Huaisang, what are you doing here?” Lan Xichen asks, trying to quickly regain his composure.

“I thought I’d come see you, Xichen-gege. You looked like you might need a friend.”

Lan Xichen takes in a sharp breath, like he’s trying not to sob. He manages to keep his face impassive, but two tears still drop on his cheeks, leaving a shiny trail behind. If Nie Huaisang didn’t have such excellent manners, he would lunge forward to kiss away those tears.

“I’m not sure I’m fit for company,” Lan Xichen says in a voice that trembles a little. “I find myself in a rather emotional state at the moment.”

“Then you definitely need a friend,” Nie Huaisang replied. “I offer myself, if you’ll have me.”

A few more tears escape Lan Xichen’s reddened eyes, which he tries to wipe away quickly, like a child just starting to learn he’s not supposed to cry in public. Nie Huaisang braces himself for rejection, but Lan Xichen instead pinches the hem of his sleeve and pulls him inside.

“You’ll be in trouble if someone sees you,” he explains. “How unreasonable, Huaisang… didn’t you realise that people might talk, seeing an alpha roaming around at night?”

Of all the things Nie Huaisang has thought about before coming here, that particular detail hasn’t occurred to him. People often forget he’s an alpha, and so does he, most of the time. Outside of his ruts, he might as well be a beta, and he’s convinced people who meet him must think that’s the case. But of course the Lans know better.

“Xichen-gege, I don’t want to cause you trouble or start gossip against you,” Nie Huaisang says. “I wanted to see if I could make you smile, that’s all. If you think I should leave, just say so and I’ll stop bothering you.”

“That might be…” Lan Xichen starts, before choking on his words. “Maybe you should… This is… it is…”

More tears drop on Lan Xichen's cheeks and he gasps in an alarming fashion, trying to stop himself from breaking down into sobs. Nie Huaisang’s heart clenches painfully at the sight. He takes one of Lan Xichen’s hands in his, trying to offer him comfort. Immediately Lan Xichen starts crying in earnest, falling to his knees. Nie Huaisang follows him, sitting on the floor near him, patting his hand, his shoulder even when the sobs get too heavy.

They stay like this a long while, sitting on the floor of that bare room which doesn’t really belong to Lan Xichen and only serves as a reminder of everything that he has lost. Nie Huaisang can’t find any words of comfort to offer, because he knows how empty those would feel. All he has to give is his presence, and his patience.

It is well past curfew when Lan Xichen finally calms down enough to sit a little straighter.

“How disappointed you must be, seeing me so weak,” Lan Xichen says, quickly drying his tears with the fabric of his inner robes. “I’m not the person you think I am, in the end.”

“You are that person and more,” Nie Huaisang sincerely replies. He squeezes Lan Xichen’s hand in his, barely refraining the impulse to kiss it. Seeing Lan Xichen like this, imperfect, angry and hurt, only makes Nie Huaisang love him more. How could he not, when Lan Xichen is giving him this trust? “Xichen-gege, I like everything about you, the good and the bad. I like you when you are calm in front of everything, and I like you when you can’t be strong anymore.”

Lan Xichen sighs and tilts his head, trying to smile but not quite managing it. “Huaisang…”

“I do, I really do!” Nie Huaisang insists. “I just wish I could help you more. I wish I could give you strength when yours runs out. I wish I had the power to protect you against those who would harm you. You make me wish I could be more than I am, so I could stand at your side and be of use to you.”

Lan Xichen smiles, and brings his trembling free hand to touch the alpha’s cheek.

“And I’m glad you are exactly the way you are,” Lan Xichen says with unbearable tenderness. “You are as I want you to be, as I want to see you at my side.”

Nie Huaisang’s heart is racing at those words, and he feels his face flush.

“Xichen-gege, I don’t think you and I mean quite the same thing here.”

“I think we do. I wasn’t sure what to think of this,” Lan Xichen admits, gently cupping the side of Nie Huaisang’s head, who must resist the impulse to close his eyes and lean into that touch. “I thought you only liked the image I try to give, and that you would be disappointed when you’d learn who I really am. But you’re seeing me now, and… you still like me?”

“More than ever,” Nie Huaisang whispers.

Lan Xichen smiles at him, beautiful like dawn after a cold and dark winter night.

“Then when this is over, let’s see how we can deal with this,” Lan Xichen says. “I know there’s precedent for such situations, though it will be unconventional. I fear you’ll have to marry into Gusu Lan, if this is to happen. Could you bear with that?”

Nie Huaisang nods, laughing and crying at once, delighted beyond words to realise that Lan Xichen too has made plans. He knew they were well suited for each other, he knew it all along, and finally he’s proven right.

Finally, he’s going to be happy.

-

The Sunshot Campaign ends, and sooner than everyone expected. Wei Wuxian’s new techniques are to thank for that… or to blame, depending who’s talking. Not everybody is fond of what Wei Wuxian has done during the war. Still, he’s a hero, one of many. Of the young masters of great sects in their generation, only Nie Huaisang and Jin Zixuan haven’t gained a title for their glorious deeds.

In fact, when Nie Huaisang asks around, it appears that Jin Zixuan didn’t contribute at all to the war, in any way. He wasn’t among those who fought, which isn’t such a surprise when Jin Guangshan barely wanted his sect involved at all. But Jin Zixuan wasn’t on the back front either, and that’s strange. Nie Huaisang knows his friend isn't a coward like him, and must have wanted to contribute in some fashion. Jin Guanshan will have tried to stop him, but Jin Zixuan is exactly the sort of person who would run away and join another sect's troupes to do his part in fighting the Wen. 

Nie Huaisang becomes truly concerned when he learns that while Jin Zixuan has been absent from the war, one of Jin Guangshan's bastards has seen his status elevated and been given a title. Jin Ziyao, Lianfang-zun, is the first out of many bastards that Jin Guangshan has ever seen fit to legitimise. 

Suddenly, Nie Huaisang becomes terrified for his friend. Jin Zixuan looked so unwell that day after they escaped the cave. If his group stumbled upon the Wen, if he was wounded or worse… 

Jin Zixuan is absent from the banquet held in Jinlin Tai to celebrate the end of the war. It is noticed and gossiped about, especially since Jin Guangshan brought not only Jin Ziyao, but also another of his bastards, a mere child who rumour says he might legitimise as well. Worse still, Madam Jin is somewhat polite to both of her husband's bastards, when she's been known to never even allow anyone to mention his infidelities before her. 

Sick with worry, Nie Huaisang cannot eat or drink anything and quickly excuses himself from the celebration. He takes refuge on a platform that overhangs above elegant gardens, leaning over a railing to admire the sight. He hoped that being alone would give him a chance to calm down, but it only makes things worse. Jin Zixuan used to say he'd make Nie Huaisang visit the gardens of Jinlin Tai someday and show the peacocks from up close, but that might never happen now, because he might be… 

Nie Huaisang bursts into tears. 

He shouldn't have let Jin Zixuan go with the Jin that day, he should have kept him close and protected him, so nothing could happen to him. There is no safer place in the world than with a group of Nie, and Nie Huaisang knows even a pitiful alpha like him would have sprung into action if the situation called for it. 

He knows that for Jin Zixuan's sake, he would have easily torn Wen Chao's throat with his bare teeth, if it had come to that. 

Nie Huaisang is still crying when Lan Xichen finds him and silently wraps his arms around him. It helps a bit, if only because it reminds Nie Huaisang that things aren't entirely awful, that even if something happened to Jin Zixuan, he won’t have to face his grief alone. They’ve talked to Nie Mingjue who grumbled mightily against his brother leaving Qinghe Nie, but that was never an argument he could have won, not when Nie Huaisang has prepared for it half his life. Once Lan Xichen’s mourning period is over, they will be married, exactly as Nie Huaisang planned.

“What has you so upset?” Lan Xichen asks, pulling his fiancé closer, enveloping him into the long layers of his robes until Nie Huaisang feels like a chick under its brooding mother.

“I’m worried about Zixuan. Nobody has seen him since the start of the war, nobody knows anything, and he isn’t here tonight…”

Lan Xichen stiffens somewhat, and for a brief moment he loses control of himself enough that Nie Huaisang can smell him, the scent of gentians and pine lingering even after Lan Xichen returns to his usual restraint.

“You’ve become very close to him, haven’t you?” Lan Xichen asks. “I don’t think you’ve asked about anyone else as much as him during the whole campaign.”

“I got news from the others all the time,” Nie Huaisang says. “But Zixuan… and he was in a concerning state last I saw him. I just feel like I should have done more for him. What if he’s…”

“He’s not dead. Ziyao would know, and he would have told me. I’ve asked on your behalf.”

Nie Huaisang smiles, and snuggles closer to the beta.

“Thank you. But what’s the matter with him then?”

Lan Xichen shrugs slightly. “Ziyao doesn’t know,” he admits. “Nobody in Jinlin Tai seems to know, except for Jin zongzhu and Jin furen. She’s the only one who gets to see him, along with a handful of servants loyal to her. Ziyao has heard that his brother might have been cursed, or fell sick somehow, but in the end he’s not really sure.”

“Poor Zixuan, he must be so bored,” Nie Huaisang sighs. He knows his friend is used to a certain isolation, but that’s different from being truly alone. He knows also that Jin Zixuan, when given the chance, isn’t someone who enjoys being on his own anyway, and that he’s an active person who likes to practice martial arts, go on Night Hunts, or even just walk around town and check shops. This situation must be a torture for him. “Do you think they’d let me see him if I asked? Or at least write to him maybe? I’m just so worried...”

Lan Xichen tenses, his scent flaring once again. Before Nie Huaisang can ask about that, he hears approaching footsteps. Since it is highly inappropriate for them to be in such an intimate position in public, and when they’re not even formally engaged, they quickly pull apart to look at the newcomer. Nie Huaisang expected his brother, or Lan Wangji perhaps.

Instead, they find themselves in front of Madam Jin. They promptly bow to her, and exchange a worried glance. She isn’t exactly known for looking kindly at couples who misbehave in her home, and her expression can best be described as cold and angry.

“Do you really wish to see my son, Nie gongzi?” she asks, startling Nie Huaisang who can only nod in answer. “Then follow me. He’ll be glad to have a visit. Lan gongzi may come as well. This might concern him as well.”

Again, the two young men trade glances, surprised by that sudden invitation. Neither of them protests, least of all Nie Huaisang who is only too happy to follow her. Lan Xichen, after some hesitation, does the same. All three of them walk in silence in the labyrinth that is Jinlin Tai until they reach a rather isolated house guarded by two fierce looking betas who have their hands on their swords as soon as they see someone approaching, and don’t let go until they recognise Madam Jin.

“Keep an eye out,” she orders the guards as the three of them go inside. “He’s been drinking, and his rut is coming close.”

The guards nod, and firmly close the door behind Madam Jin and her guests. Nie Huaisang, initially delighted to see his friend again, starts getting worried.

“Is there something wrong with Zi… with Jin gongzi?” he asks. “Why are you locking him up this way? Is he dangerous?”

“There is danger in Jinling Tai,” Madam Jin replies, leading them ahead. She knocks on a door, using an odd rhythm. “Until a better solution can be found, this is the only way I can protect my son.”

The door opens, revealing Jin Zixuan, sword in hand. Only, there’s something off about him, something that Nie Huaisang can’t quite put his finger on. Maybe it’s his clothes, which hang a little oddly and aren’t quite the cut and fabric one would expect on an alpha. Or it is the slight fear in his eyes when he opens the door, quickly replaced by defiance when he sees who is there with his mother, as if he expects Nie Huaisang and Lan Xichen to say something unpleasant. And then there’s a smell in the air, fear mixed with notes of flowers.

“Oh,” Lan Xichen says, before pinching his lips so he keeps his realisation for himself.

Jin Zixuan glares at him, then at his mother.

“I told you not to do it!” he says.

“What choice do I have?” Madam Jin replies, pushing her way into her son’s room. “This is the only way.”

After some hesitation, Nie Huaisang follows her inside. Lan Xichen does the same with a certain reluctance, and when they all sit, he does so a little closer to Nie Huaisang than is probably proper, but Nie Huaisang is too stunned by the situation to think much of it.

“I have brought you here to make a request,” Madam Jin announces, while her mortified son hides his face in his hands. “I need help in protecting my son, and after long consideration, I have come to the conclusion that the two of you are the best possible choice.”

“Mother, please, don’t!” Jin Zixuan begs, only for his mother to silence him with a gesture.

“At the start of the war, my son presented,” Madam Jin continues, ignoring the interruption. “Sadly for everyone involved, he presented as an omega.”

Nie Huaisang gasps, and stares at Jin Zixuan who looks like he might start crying. It puzzles Nie Huaisang at first, because there’s nothing bad about being an omega… or at least, not when in Qinghe Nie. Other sects have their own opinions on that, of course. He’s heard people here and there say that it is shameful and unnatural that Qinghe Nie’s leader is an omega, even one that looks and acts like an alpha, but that’s just because people are jealous of Nie Mingjue. All those petty, self-satisfied alpha just can’t stand that someone of a gender they think inferior can be so much better than they will ever be.

Of course, there’s also the fact that in most sects, only an alpha can become sect leader. Even Lan Xichen isn’t nearly as respected as he deserves to be after his brave actions during the war, and that’s not just a matter of age. Still, at least he’s a beta, and from a somewhat reasonable sect. Lanling Jin isn’t so open minded. In fact, everyone says that part of the problem between Jin Guangshan and his wife is that she’s also an alpha, when he is of the opinion that same gender couples shouldn’t be allowed to exist. He was forced into that union by his own father, everyone knows it, and only because Madam Jin's parents paid a high dowry to have her married into such a glorious sect.

"As an omega, my son cannot inherit his father's title," Madam Jin confirms. "He also wasn't allowed to take part in the war, since it would have been improper for him to be in mixed company. Alphas cannot be trusted on a battlefield… Or outside of it, as the case might be." She glances at Jin Zixuan, who looks ready to faint from sheer humiliation, then continues. "To be quite blunt, I have come to feel that Jinlin Tai is not a safe place for my son, and now that the war is over, I am seeking a way to protect him from harm."

"You want to marry him off," Lan Xichen says, his voice oddly cold in spite of his polite smile. "And I suppose you already have something in mind?" 

"If I could, I would have sent him to Yunmeng Jiang," Madam Jin says. "But he has never gotten along with Jiang Wanyin, and my husband won't allow him to marry another omega as that would be improper, so Jiang Yanli is out of the question. So is Nie Mingjue, for the same reason. My husband doesn't want Zixuan to be sent to a sect too small, as he would find it humiliating. I do not want to send my son to a spouse too much older than him, as I fear for his safety. That leaves me very little choice."

Nie Huaisang frowns. He knows Jin Zixuan is more than capable of gutting even an older cultivator if they try to force him into something he doesn't want. He isn't ranked third on that list of bachelors just for his looks. Being an omega doesn't change how competent Jin Zixuan is, and Nie Huaisang has half a mind to say so. 

He doesn't, but only because it suddenly hits him why Lan Xichen and him have been brought here. 

"You want one of us to marry him?" he asks, while next to him Lan Xichen stiffens. 

"You are the best choices," Madam Jin confirms. "My husband would probably prefer Lan zongzhu, but I personally hope you will consider this, Nie gongzi. After all, my son and you are already friends, so it would make things easier." 

"Mother, stop this!" Jin Zixuan hisses between clenched teeth. "This is too… This is unnecessary."

Unsure what to think, Nie Huaisang looks up to Lan Xichen, hoping he will be the one to explain the situation. But Lan Xichen, his face pale and tight, won't look at him, or at the Jin for that matter. It falls to Nie Huaisang to handle this. 

"Jin Furen, I am honoured you would think of me, and I am sure Lan zongzhu feels the same," he says. "But the fact is… Well, the truth is…" 

"They're in love," Jin Zixuan hisses. "I told you it wouldn't work, mother."

Nie Huaisang looks at his friend in surprise, but Jin Zixuan refuses to look at him. More than ever, he seems ready to cry. Madam Jin, for her part, isn't impressed by this new information. 

"Love is nice and well," she says, "but there are other things to consider. Your family would certainly prefer this strong political alliance." 

"My brother and his uncle have already given their blessing," Nie Huaisang admits. "It's not a bad match either, politically speaking." 

"But you won't have children," Madam Jin points out.

"There is a precedent for this," Lan Xichen coldly says. "Although Gusu Lan favours fidelity to one's spouse, it can be allowed to take a concubine in specific cases, such as the impossibility of having children."

"Then why not take my son as your second spouse? Or as the first one even, and have each other's company on the side? Zixuan will allow it."

Both Nie Huaisang and Lan Xichen stare at Madam Jin, shocked that she would say such a thing. Her stance on her husband's affairs is well known, and she is merciless toward adulterous couples. Nie Huaisang wants to ask her why she doesn't ask for her husband's help if she's so desperate to protect her son against threats to his virtue.

He keeps that question to himself, because the answer occurs to him, and he doesn't like it. 

It is well known that Jin Guangshan is an alpha of great sexual appetite even in a normal state. It is rumoured, also, that he becomes terrifying when in rut, willing to take any omega or woman who crosses his path, willing or not. People say he might have fathered Jin Zixun with his own cousin, though since the poor omega was recently married, Jin Guangshan never had to recognise the child. 

Jinlin Tai is not a good place to raise an omega these days, as Jin Zixuan knows. He told Nie Huaisang as much, back when they were studying in Gusu. 

And perhaps there’s more alpha in Nie Huaisang than he realised, because the idea of Jin Zixuan being in such danger, in the place where he should be safest, fills him with a rage like nothing he’s rarely felt before. The only thing that can compare is the burning wrath that overcame him when he first heard that the Cloud Recesses had been burned, that Lan Xichen was missing. If he could, Nie Huaisang would grab Jin Zixuan this instant and fly with him to QInghe, were nobody will care that he’s an omega, where he’ll live free of fear because the rules of Qinghe Nie are very clear on how to deal with a rapist, regardless of sex, gender, and rank. It is tempting to accept Madam Jin’s demand, just to protect her son, except…

Except Lan Xichen is sitting right next to Nie Huaisang, and while his face is showing nothing, the smell of his anger is getting stronger with each passing moment. If the Lan rarely have a second spouse, let alone concubines of any sorts, Lan Xichen once explained, it is because their cultivation method tends to make them more possessive toward their cultivation partner. That’s the reason they are so careful in choosing such a partner, Lan Xichen confided when they started talking about getting married.

At that time, Nie Huaisang had easily promised that he would remain faithful no matter what, happy to finally have the affection of his favourite person in the world, happy to know that his love and patience would be rewarded, confident that there is nobody else in the world he could ever want.

Now though, he isn’t so sure what to do anymore. Marrying Lan Xichen is all he’s wanted for years and years, the culmination of a carefully crafted plan to ensure both of their happiness. But to abandon Jin Zixuan to his fate would be a crime, something against which his very soul rebels.

Between his dearest friend and the love of his life, Nie Huaisang has to choose, and risk losing someone either way. 

[blackberry-gingham]

I love your teddy boy Beatles content!💙 Could I request some more? Like some jerk at the cavern is bothering reader because they’re square and don’t have a boyfriend. The boys all have the same idea and go over pretending to be reader’s boyfriend (not realizing the others had the same plan). Even tho reader now apparently has 4 boyfriends, they make it clear that whoever’s bothering reader will have to answer to them.

Lmaoooo, the absolute accuracy of the four of them trying to claim you at once and botching their own rescue plan 😂😂😂 Anyway, I feel like this ask was meant to be like kinda light hearted, but it turned out kinda serious 💀 it has a sweet ending tho :)

Thank you tho... Blue heart anon? Is the person who keeps using blue hearts the same person? If you are, then thank you in general bc you seem really nice and I hope you enjoy ☺️❤️

Tw for quick mention of blood and violence. This fic contains a small fight scene and strong language

---

You hike up your coat once more as an icy breeze chases after you. At last, you reach the door to the cavern club, heave it open, and slip inside. The warmth of the smokey atmosphere permiates down to your bones, and with great relief, you retire your coat on the nearest peg.

Tonight's guest band is tearing up the stage with a rollicking show, providing a lively backdrop as you look around for your friends.

Normally you're not a big fan of clubs and pubs, but your teddy boy friends have been trying to get you more into their scene. You take in the environment and you notice you're practically surrounded by teds and grown strangers.

Perhaps finding them will be harder then you thought.

"John! Paul!", You call, then look around the room. No response, not even a hand wave. With a sigh, you suppose that maybe they just haven't arrived yet.

So, you wander about and then, there in the corner, you spy a round booth. It'll be perfect for the five of you. Happy to take a load off, you trot over to claim the table...

Only to bounce off a leather clad chest, hardly a few steps later. A tall, broad ted, about your age, looks down on you with a smirk. "Well, well... Pretty pretty... What's a nice little square like you doing in a place like this?"

Two other teds close in from the sides. You recognize these boys as a rival gang from school.

Of course, that also means they recognize you.

"Where's your little friends eh? They should know better then to leave a prize like you all alone in a place like this..."

You take a few hesitant steps back, eyes darting around for an exit.

The ted's thick, muscular hand darts out to grab your wrist, keeping you from leaving. He drops his voice to a sickly sweet whisper, "Hey, where you going? You could get hurt in a place like this you know..."

You screech and writhe in his grip, "Let me go!"

But it's useless. The other teds laugh as you helplessly flop like a fish on a line.

"FUCK OFF!"

A shout pierces across the smoke filled room as John leads a charge across the floor, shoving strangers out of the way. The ted holding you captive gives you a shove into the arms of one of his mates, "Aw, this your little boyfriend? Johnny i-"

"Yeah, that's right ya bastard! Leave my square alone!", Paul cuts in, giving the bigger ted a shove.

"Yeah, my uh-", Ringo charges up from the back of the pack, but loses steam quite quickly after realizing his friends have all come up with the same plan.

Any fear the rival gang might've had, seems to have completely melted away as they realize the hilarity of the current situation. They burst out into laughter in the face of your teds.

The leader wipes a tear and manages to compose himself long enough to choke out a sentence, "Get a load of this, eh mates!" There's another round of laughter, and John's decided he's had enough.

"Are you deaf you big bastard? I said let go!"

George makes a lunge for you, only for the other ted to sharply yank you away. You yelp and a few tears start to well in your eyes.

"Tell you what? You want your precious little square? Well whoever can pin a kiss on em wins the prize, since you all want to play boyfriend so bad"

The ted dangles you out and gives you a violent shake as the rival gang howls with laughter, teasing the lads and daring them to make a move. John clenches his knuckles til they're completely white, his face twisted up into a snarl.

"A kiss, yeah? How's this?"

John lunges forward and smashes his knuckles into the leader's mouth, giving way to a fine spray of blood. Just like that, a brawl breaks out between the two gangs and you are long forgotten.

You wipe your eyes clear and scamper away while your boys teach the rival gang a lesson they shan't soon forget.

However, you don't stick around to watch it unfold, instead making a break for the door. Moments later you see the three rival teds flee out the back door, while your boys are roughly shoved out the front by the bar keep.

"You four are lucky I don't get the law out here! Now off with ya!", He slams the heavy door behind him.

George picks himself up and dusts off his leathers, "Ha! Look at em run!"

"Forget that! You alright square?", Paul takes on a gentle tone with you, removes his jacket, and puts it over your shoulders. The rest of the lads gather round and apologize for putting you in such a tough spot and not being there sooner.

You put on a brave face and give a little smile as the four, to something of John's reluctance, pull in for a group hug.

"Tell ya what, let's go get Mr Whippys! I'll buy for you square!", Ringo chimes in and pats your back. The other three cheer and lead you on to the bus stop while you laugh and agree to a little frozen treat.

And wouldn't you know? From then on, those teds never bother you again. Not even a dirty look.

[none-of-your-biscuits]

Pokemon sword thoughts ig

If I ranked the pokemon games I've played by how much i like them, sword would be in the middle, above ruby (which I just didn't enjoy for some reason, still haven't challenged the elite four) but believe platinum (which was my first game and my favorite so far) but I really did like a lot of the sword mechanics and the 3d graphics didn't bother me specifically in a "noo they changed the graphics :( guess I'll send people death threats over it" jackass way but in the way that I almost never play video games so im still getting used to it

I like mechanics like being able to watch the pokemon in their natural environment in the tall grass and having them suddenly charge at you is absolutely terrifying and I love that they're leaning into "these creatures can and will kill you"

I don't know if this was just me living on pure luck but this game was kinda easy? Like, there's not a whole lot to do (like side quests after the post game would be great) but also the exp whole team share made leveling super easy so I didn't have to spend hours leveling up my team like I did in platinum and ruby but also the gym leaders were super easy

In ruby I had to challenge one of the gym leaders like 8 times before I finally got the luck to not get my ass kicked but the only time I lost to a gym leader was against Bea (child labor gym leaders is smth I'll talk about later bc it frustrates me) and that was completely my own fault, I didn't actually fight most of the pokemon on the route right before stow-on-side so my team wasn't as good as it should have been, bc I hate that route so much I was just trying to live and get through it, and I just really don't like fighting types (fighting type pokemon are the most horrific group and I'll die on that hill) so I didn't care enough to remember the type matchups but anyway yeah the gyms were super easy to beat considering I caughthalf my team in the first couple routes, didn't evolve my starter at all so I didn't have strong water type moves until the championship battle

I had trouble with the first time I challenged the champion because the jump from the gym leader finals to the last fight surprised me, the second time was, like with stow-on-side, my fault because I thought rearranging my team to have the pokemon with an advantage up front with only minor leveling up, but I beat it super easily the third time (over leveling, really high friendship and absolutely outrageous luck with my corviknight and an op Lapras with ice beam, hydro pump and sheer cold saved my skin) so shout out to Castle and Laprechaun, I didn't even bring like half my team out at all

Post game wasn't hard at all, I swept pretty much every single battle (including the one I fought right after hop's and didn't even heal after bc im a dumbass) with Potato the Bolthound

The "gym leaders as the elite four bc it's semifinals" was like, equally as stupid as it was clever bc like it makes sense with the story line of the whole championship but also feels a little cheap just fighting people you've already fought (which is what rivals are for)

I don't like that they kept going for the "no ur a kid this is the adults job" and you still have to do everything anyway like

They were acting like they weren't going for the "child of destiny" thing but they should really stop denying it bc taking away the legendary battles and championship would take away pretty much the whole game series, they should try leaning into "oh yeah this is so fucked up but you're doing it anyway" like at least be self aware

But after all their "nooo ur just a child don't run into danger" they still have two children running the stow-on-side gym as leaders while they say that and then afterwards both bede and marnie become gym leaders so that's like, 4 out of 10 gym possible leaders who are literally just children

Like the ghost gym leader is like a fucking nine year old, why did they allow that

The fighting leader is like 14 and prodigy (hate that word) but she still shouldn't be running a gym, where's the age restriction

Plus the champion is also a kid and suddenly they throw out "this isn't ur problem ur a kid" to "go do your job"

Like way to contradict urself game

The plot is eh, like I didn't hate it but I spent a lot of time just spamming A so I didn't have to read monologues, and I didn't really care about anything happening besides my own hubris and wanting to be the best

So not a bad or non-fun game, I'm replaying it so it can't be awful, but I do think they should learn from this game what not to do going forward with scarlet and violet