#even the person in first has to sacrifice the person most precious to them to get there

[artist-issues]

THE END of the Hunger Games is flawless.

The ending paragraph of "The Hunger Games" is so perfect. It so totally wraps up the whole point and takeaway of the books, and every character's journey, and nails it.

First off, the paragraph's context is about what you teach your children. Children, who are seen as the most precious treasure any person can handle in the book--treasures that can be turned into weapons and used against the treasurers. Children, who can bring down corrupt authority or keep it in place. So first off, a paragraph that addresses how important teaching children is is the best context for this perfect paragraph.

Second, Katniss is specifically teaching them what? "how I survive," which is her entire being. She makes every decision based on survival. She volunteers for Prim and doesn't kill Peeta in the first Games and chooses not to be with Gale and chooses to play her part against Snow all because she can't survive in a world where the alternative outcomes happen. Plus, survival is what other characters base their decisions on, too. 13 doesn't nuke the Capitol because it might ruin humanity's chances at survival. Hunger is the central plot device used to give Katniss all her skills, because without food, you don't what? Survive. Even "love" in these books is only another tool for survival; it makes suffering worthwhile, and purpose visible, and loss surmountable, and nightmares endurable, for every character. Finnick, Peeta, Katniss, Katniss' mother, even Buttercup the cat. The point of the book's lesson is "how to survive."

Third, the thing that could ruin love and pleasure's usefulness as a tool for survival is fear. But specific fear--"I'm afraid it could be taken away." It's fear that something you love, which makes survival worthwhile, could be taken away, and with it goes survival itself. The whole Hunger Games demonstrate that--"you rebelled against us? Then we're showing you that we can take away your children, the things that make survival worthwhile." And you know what? That's the dividing line between Katniss and Snow. Both Katniss and Coryo have survival as their ultimate goal, and have fear of the things they love being taken from them. For Katniss, it's the good opinion of the people of 12, it's her life with her sister and mom, it's the freedom from owing anyone anything, it's food and the ability to feed herself. For Coryo? It's his family name and reputation, his cousin and grandmother, his legacy, and his ability to never return to the cannibalism of the war. The fear of losing those things that they love is what could drive them to take no pleasure in them. To be afraid forever--and with fear comes the never-enough desire for control. To hang on to those things long after you've forgotten to take pleasure in them. Katniss almost does this with marrying Peeta or running from 12 or even becoming the Mockingjay. She's so afraid of losing what she loves that she jumps through hoops to control hanging onto them: does what Snow says, then does what Gale says, then does what Coin says. Plays a part in each of their games, to try and control the outcome. Coryo actually does do this, and for a while, has enough power to make that control almost universal. All because of fear of the things that he used to take pleasure in being taken from him.

Fourth, the alternative to focusing on the fear and the very-real danger of losing everything--is "focusing on every act of goodness I've seen someone do." This is just faith. Because it's true that the world of Panem (and the world in general) is full of people who are so afraid of losing control over what they love that they kill children and mutate nature to keep up the game, the illusion that they're in control. What you love could be taken from you. The world's full of that. But. The world also has unconditional love in it. People like Peeta, who saw that Katniss would kill him for her own survival in the first Hunger Games, but still chose to sacrifice for her anyway. People like Finnick, who loses everything including his mind, his body, and the things he loves most, but still gives Katniss the only rope he's got that's holding him together, just because he sees she needs it. Focus on that truth, instead of the simultaneous-truth that the it could all be taken away, and you'll have faith, not fear. You'll give up control and just enjoy what goodness you can. And when you do that, nobody can take it from you--not in spirit. Just like nobody could take Peeta's love for Katniss from him.

Finally, "it's like a game." To make a set of rules for yourself, a set of responses to the darkness of the world like making a list of things to focus on exclusively, is a game. It is a type of control--but it's just control of your own thoughts. Carefully using the game so that, in the arena of your brain, the love-shaped tribute is victor over the fear-shaped tribute. So that that battle stays in your head, instead of breaking out into a war that destroys what made your life worth surviving in the first place. Controlling what is your responsibility to control, instead of playing God and trying to control what's not yours. Drawing a line between what's good and what's bad, and staying firmly on one side of it without justification for crossing it.

That's why The Hunger Games is so good. Not because it has interesting dystopian settings, or because Gale and Peeta are hot and the romantic tension of the love triangle lets us self-insert ourselves. (Like other, worse YA fiction.)

No, The Hunger Games is so good because every part of it, from the characters to the setting to the symbolism to the names to the pacing to the development to the mood to the twists in the narrative, is used to uphold that main point. The main point that's so succinctly, cleanly, beautifully made in the last paragraph of the book.

[carionto]

Steady as she goes, nature has finally caught up

War.

A seemingly inescapable aspect of any civilization. Perhaps even a prerequisite for it.

It was as sudden as it was inevitable. The United Federation utilized certain ideas introduced and executed by Humanity to their logical continuation. Their horrendous Battle Moon - an actual, small moon converted into a semi-moveable, heavily shielded, and maximally armed military installation, with a military-civilian population in the hundreds of thousands.

They used it as a torpedo.

Knowing that the Death Kebab was directly inspired by their own creation, itself a product of fear and need for control, the Federation strapped a few massive hyperdrives instead of the much easier to produce several hundred standard-sized ones to ease the computational synchronization, and using the Hyperbreak technique, they jumped into the middle of Death Kebab's main rail gun. An impressive feat of precision.

Almost as impressive as the ensuing destruction.

How do you even relay when the mass of an entire planetoid suddenly appears in the middle of three slightly larger moons strapped together? The grotesque expansion from within, quickly followed by massive cracks in the crust, an expulsion of the mantle and finally, the explosions.

One faulty first generation Human True Fusion Reactor from 700 years ago created a 200km massive hole in the Earth. Only one of the moons reached that in diameter.

These were hundreds of military grade reactors powering a gun that can obliterate small planets in one shot.

Seven failed to engage their failsafes in time.

There was nothing left.

Nothing, but a cloud of searing ash where four moons and hundreds of ships and thousands of crew used to be.

Humanity was thrust into war.

And they looked excited.

Of course, they mourned the dead, and were rightfully enraged, but there was a glint in the Grand Admiral's eye.

"The Federation really surprised us here. Fooled our intelligence operatives outright. We were not expecting them to act for at least another year, certainly not sacrifice their precious Battle Moon.

Now, we knew they'd target the Death Kebab sooner or later. Truth be told, that's partly why it was built. Sure, it was a fine strategic asset, far from our most important ones though, but as a symbolic one it was priceless. Biggest weapon in the known Galaxy! Who wouldn't be tempted by the glory of taking it down.

I say let them. They want to rule through fear and power, and Humanity, or "upstarts" as they call us behind closed doors, provided a perfect boogeyman to scare the masses into obedience. We have our own history with regimes like that. Personally, not a fan.

The Federation is large, powerful, foreign, and far from Earth, but, well, my ancestors were never stopped by such things. In fact, expansion at great risk is what we're great at.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Retribution Fleet to assemble."

[thesharktanksdriver]

Ragnarok with a Kobeni-like contestant (platonic)

Warning: mention of terrible parents, mention of sex work, spoilers for the show and Spoiler: for Kobeni backstory

It’s safe to say that out of all of the contestants of ragnarok you are definitely the one out

Partially because you weren’t brought back to life

Instead you were just asked by Brunhilde to join her cause

And you hesitantly accepted to join

Now along with that your also meek like really meek compared to everyone else

Hell when the Valkyrie brought you to meet the others you were shaking

It’s definitely a bit departure from what everyone assumed to be the deadliest assassin humanity has seen yet

But the greatest warriors know not to judge a foe by their appearance

And you certainly are the epitome of that gesture

Because beneath your crying and shaking face lies someone capable of taking down entire rooms filled with men twice your size without much effort

A truly fierce some foe that is befit to challenge a god

But not even you can recognize your own talent despite how others try to convince you so

“My names y/n l/n. I’m 20 years old… the job I do is… a secret. My hobby is eating tasty stuff”

Adam is the first to approach you of the bunch mostly because of his fatherly instincts kicking in

I mean here you are

This small scared young kid who is shaking like a leaf

Surrounded In a room with bulky powerful historical figures

From that moment on he kinda just stays by your side doing his best to support you

He sees within you a deep power

Something that most would flaunt around yet you don’t even recognize

You constantly talk down to yourself and your achievements which makes the progenitor of man upset

It’s obvious this lack of confidence is basically woven into you

And he’s unsure if it’s just in your nature or someone else is the cause of it

Either way Adam makes it a goal of his to help you

For you are one of his children and he’d be damned if he didn’t help

That’s why he introduces you to the rest of his family

Warning them beforehand that you need a confidence boost desperately

And so they do just that

Adam and Eve become the parents you never had

They are kind and supportive along with patient with you

They wipe away your tears every Time you cry from having such a good meal or thank them

Eve makes you little lunches that have small notes of encouragement to make you smile

Cain and Abel are the brothers you wish you had

There are no hurtful words of calling you useless or saying your only good for making money

The two instead playfully talk about how your the most precious person they’ve met

Even though you have your own room/living area in the arena you end up staying at theirs a lot

Unlike your room theirs is filled with laughter and warmth

The only place you truly felt the sense of “home” in a place

It’s a slow process but you begin to sometime slip up and mention your parent’s treatment of you

How they view you as worthless compared to your brother

How your the figurative work mule for his dreams and being forced to sacrifice your own

It doesn’t exactly surprise them but it certainly makes Adam and his family even more determined to make you feel at home with them

You better hope your parents aren’t attending the event cause mama Eve and papa Adam are gone be giving them the ultimate side eye

Plus a good talking too if they dare even approach you

Meanwhile Cain and Abel are distracting you by getting some of the other human fighters to join their argument of why your the most wholesome person

Adam also definitely takes to training with you

Partially because he’s worried of how you’ll fair against a god

But like many others is pleasantly surprised by your skill

In battle it’s seems as if a switch flips in your mind

You go from scared to dead serious

It reminds him of animals in the wild

The primal urge of survival setting in as you spar with Bü Lu

Your quick in both reaction time and in speed

Because of your smaller stature it makes you harder to hit compared to the rather bulky build of many others

Not to mention that because of your nature and appearance you have the upper hand of being underestimated by almost everyone

Which is seemingly one of your best qualities since it leads to your opponents being cocky and thinking they could easy kill you

Before you did it before they could even strike

During these sparring matches he takes a lot of your qualities and makes note of them for his own future battle

Yet when he tells you this you dismiss your talents yet again

But with your shy smile he can at least tell some of his words had affected you

At some point you began calling him dad and all he does is smile before ruffling your hair

Eve now Always prepares an extra plate of food just for you

And his sons make sure to make an extra comfy place for you to sleep

Qin Shi Huang is another who seemingly takes to you as a mentor figure

You remind him of himself as a child

Someone forced through brutally and made to bare it

He first hand knows what that can do to someone and your a prime example of that

In his life he at least had Chun Yan who had lifted him up

Taught him not to just grin and bare the insults and cruelty that was always presented to him

But it seems to him you had no one but yourself

And eventually it wore you down

Or perhaps you just accepted it from the start

So much like Adam the former Emperor of China begins trying to help you as best he can

Firstly by telling you to see the value in yourself

Which he does by literally ordering you as emperor to do so (lol)

Every day he makes you acknowledge that you are smart

That you’ve been chosen for a reason and not to diminish yourself

He also goes with you when your shopping around the arena so you don’t have to worry about money

Which you do a lot

Yeah the moment he sees you contemplating whether to buy something or something else cause of your budget he’s just straight up buying an entire store

You try to tell him not too but he does so anyways

Telling you to accept what he and others give to you

Including their help

Whenever your not having dinner with Adam’s family he invites you to dine with him

His room is filled with antiquities of his time

Fine silks and giant a giant feast that you give into eating

Along with that he also gives you nicknames

Stuff that have a meaning behind them in his tongue of ancient Chinese

All of which link back to you in battle

Training with you is certainly a fun challenge especially as he sees you go from one side of a scale personality wise to another

It fills him with pride as your able to take down foes bigger than you with ease

It’s like watching a rabbit game down a wolf or bear

You don’t expect it but once you see it happens it changes your view of predator and prey

It goes to show that anyone can be a threat if pushed far enough

How the tiniest nation can rise and defeat those who stood might and strong for centuries just because they were smarter

After these training session and battles he always pats you on the back and patches up your minimal wounds

He often jokes that you’d make a great kings guard for him if your up for it

You always bashfully say you couldn’t possibly do that

But he always reminds you that an emperor such as himself doesn’t offer such an opportunity to someone they didn’t think deserved it

You don’t even notice it but his and everyone else’s efforts slowly begin to help you build up your self esteem

It’s a slow process

But one that begins to show results over time

Results that make him happy as you now don’t seem to shake or flinch whenever someone looks at you

Back in his childhood he couldn’t help himself as he does now

So he knows you need that push to begin seeing yourself as worthy of having good happen to you

To know you are valued

That you are seen as a good friend

Another of the human fighters you get along well with is Kojiro

The so called biggest loser in history

It’s kinda funny since your brother used to compare you to him

Saying how you were him reborn or something along those lines

It’s disheartening to him of how you look down on yourself

Your such a talented young mind yet the thing that seems to be holding you back is yourself

You are your worse enemy from him others words had ingrained themselves into you so deeply

Unlike the others who work to make you more confident Kojiro focuses on just making you happy and content

He always greets you with a kind smile

Or invites you to sit down for some lunch and tea

He is a calming presence

Like a nice autumn day or a summer breeze

One that eases your nervousness as the older man acts as a rock you can lean to other than Adam

When things get intense you sometimes lean instinctively behind him which makes him laugh

Despite being history’s “biggest loser” he’s surprisingly ok with people calling him that

He takes it almost as a badge or pride or a joke

It’s confusing to you but you don’t question it

Just assuming the older man has thicker skin than you

Training with him is especially interesting considering he’s one of the few who can properly defend against your approach of quick and swift attacks

He makes for a fun challenge and never calls you names

In fact he actually compliments your fighting and admits that your a fearsome foe

There may or may not have been a few times where you called him grandpa without knowing and he couldn’t help but smile

Jack the Ripper is one who seeks you out on his own

You have the constant colour of fear dying you

Almost as if it was the only thing you could feel

It intrigues him

So he sets out to figure out why you constantly feel that way and

Oh-

Yeah he kinda quickly realizes you must’ve had a fucked home life

Takes one to know one as he and Qin Shi quickly realized

He is an English gentleman through and through so he takes to interacting with you as if your porcelain

Your fragile maybe not physically since your fighting against the gods but mentally you are

And despite how fear usually makes him excited it worries him when it comes to you

Especially as he begins to gain a soft spot for your shy and meek self

Despite knowing the atrocities he’s claimed to commit (even if he isn’t the real Jack the Ripper) you cling to him

See him as a protector of sorts

Hiding behind him and his jacket

Or tugging at his sleeve to indicate you feel to nervous to interact with a bunch of people

It’s sweet

And now you have a literal serial killer as a friend

Your emotional support who’s a serial killer

Though to be fair you also had down your fair share of killing due to your job

Other than Adam he’s the only one you tell your actual profession of being an Assassin

He is definitely kinda surprised but doesn’t know what else he was expecting

Considering he’s seen your fighting

Jack is sympathetic to you when you sometimes slip up and mention how bad your parents are

How they don’t care for you and neither does your brother who they love more

It reminds him of his mom but at least at some point she pretended to love him

You never even had that

Because of his ability to basically see people’s emotions he ends up knowing when he needs to help calm you down

And he also tells the others when their getting a bit much for you to Handle

When it does get too much he brings you to his room

Victorian decor filling it as he pours you a cup of tea

He talks about Shakespeare and recites the stories to calm you down

So you can focus on that instead of the world

It works pretty well especially since his accent is soothing

Your parents best watch out especially as unlike Adam and Eve he wont hesitate to actually harm them

Plus all the other human fighters would probably cover for him lol

Surprisingly enough Göll the Valkyrie ends up becoming friends with you quite easily due to your similar meek nature to her own

Brunhilde is the one who suggests for her younger sister to meet you and it goes really well!

Göll is a kind soul

One that is gentle and good spirited just as yourself if you weren’t thrusted into such a cruel situation

It makes you happy though that she’s not like you

That people care enough for her not to be hurt constantly by words and being thrown into battle

She often finds herself eating with you during lunch with a few other fighters

It’s through you she actually begins to get to know them better

Most of them she had found herself too intimidated to speak to but with you she sees that they aren’t as bad as they initially appear

It’s also through you she sees a different version of herself

One that didn’t have her kind but stern sisters

Someone who the world gave up on

And seeing that makes her both grateful and worried for your sake

You are kind and caring yet you don’t think of yourself as anything other than a burden

It makes her happy though that the others are trying to help you

It goes to show to her that some of the scariest people in history can still do some semblance of good

That despite it all humanity is worth it

It kinda opens her eyes as to why her elder sister is fighting so hard to win

Cause humanity might be full of bad but there’s also good to balance it out

And it’s perhaps because of this that she volunteered herself to be your weapon in your battle

The night before the first round starts everyone decides to have a night of partying

It’s the first ever thing you’d been invited to so you decides to dress nice (or we’ll as nice as you could with the limited hand-me-down’s given to you by your older sibling)

When you arrive everyone is surprised to see you actually smiling shyly

Adam Welcomes you to the Table where everyone is sitting before Qin Shi wraps an arm around your shoulder pulling you to sit near him

Kojiro sits beside Soji and Raiden whom all had begun drinking Sake in some sort of competition

Jack sits on the other side of you and gives a polite smile that you mimic back

He drinks tea unlike the others who enjoy the burning taste of alcohol

Tesla is seemingly talking to Nostradamus about some invention

Simo is feeding his dog some treats as Sakata pets said dog

Lü Bu and Leonidas recounts war stories

Rasputin is already passed out after drinking

The entire mood is cheery

Laughter fills the air as music plays from a record player that Tesla had modified

Eventually Qin Shi is somehow able to get you to relax enough to have a drink

Your definitely a lightweight so as you drink very aged alcohol you end up very drunk very fast

Adam had to cut you off as he saw how you could barely stop

You drunkenly complain since you enjoy the frothing beer that leaves a small bubbling moustache on you that makes Lü Bu comment that you now look manly

It’s also there that in your drunken stupor that you talk about how you ended up as an assassin in the first place

“I was forced into it… my parents only care about my gifted brother… they want to put him through collage, so they put me to work… my options were to become a sex worker or an assassin. I wanted to go to collage too!!! But I’m gonna die here!!, and what’s worse is that this has been the best time of my life but I know I’m gonna die”

At this everyone goes quiet as your drunken giggles mix with a few sobs

the tragedy of your life is now revealed

A tragic symphony now complete from the bits and pieces that had slipped out earlier

There’s a shared sentiment of sympathy from the other fighters for you

The fact that someone could do that to their own child

That they valued one over the other

It’s a moment that they all will forever remember especially as you laugh at your own pain

Your own anguish as if it were a joke

Cause in reality you were just a joke to your parents

To your brother whom you had to give everything to

But with that now shared it also brings up why you joined this cause in the first place

So Nicola is the one to ask why

“I joined cause… if I spent my entire life working for them just for the humanity to be killed then what did I work for?. I would’ve spent my entire life for nothing… and at least fighting for humanity for a chance means I did something, that I tried to save people, that I tried to save my own future if I somehow get out of this…That for once I fought for myself”

During the actual competition you end up watching in the stands with the other fighters

You get front row seats and luckily with comes you being able to yell out encouragement with the others

In between rounds there’s a few days of preparation so you get to training with the others usually

For round one you end up sitting Bessie Lü Bu’s lieutenant Cheng and the rest of his soldiers whom you’d gotten to know at this point

And with that come the unfortunate consequence of the first round

It’s hard watching someone you got close to die

seeing how the general went out with a smile you can’t say he died in vain

But seeing his men valiantly follow him in death is also something that hits you hard

Like really hard

Sure you had only known them for about a month but in that short time you had finally found people you considered your friends

And that in turn scares you for everyone else’s fates

Especially since you know Adam is next

So you train with him perilously

And when the time comes for his battle you have him copy your abilities as an extra slide of hand

You watch anxiously beside Cain and Abel as they both wrap an arm around you for your comfort

Eve occasionally checks to see if your ok which makes you give a nervous smile

It’s obvious you aren’t but you say you alright anyways

The battle comes to a close

Adam left almost for dead with Zeus as the victor

Adam is taken to extensive care and your left spiralling as the others try to console you that it would be alright

That he wasn’t dead but healing

That humanity wasn’t doomed just yet

Göll has the same mindset as you but tries to keep you positive which you appreciate

And then comes Kojiro vs Poseidon

At this point you were terrified for Kojiro but cheered for him nether the less despite how now one did at first

And as the battle progressed you did your hardest to make sure he heard your encouragement

If there was a god you could pray to you probably would’ve lol

You were definitely happy not to be up against Poseidon especially with his cutting remarks

And then despite the impossible Kojiro wins

And you and the crowd goes wild

When he’s brought to the intermarry where Adam still rests you give the older man a big hug

And spend your free time not training with him

But time goes quick and a week passes within the blink of an eye

Your round is up next and it’s not only your life on the line but also your dear friend Göll

You know you can’t lose

“There’s no such thing as a life free of bad things… except in your dreams. But today I gotta make a good thing happen no matter what ”

For your round you go up against Heracles

Someone who you had actually met prior to the match

He had found you scared in a crowd and being pushed around

You just took it

Not fighting back at all

And it didn’t feel right to him so he stepped in and helped you

He saw a lot of himself in you and you remain him of his old friend

So when he sees he’s up against you it feels wrong to him

You look so frightened

So fucking terrified

Even the gods are wondering why they sent you out against him

It feels as if sending out a pawn to die

A sacrificial lamb to the slaughter

What could a scared child do against the Heracles

Some wouldn’t admit it but their disdain for humanity grew for the fact this seemed cruel

Almost immediately he asks you to stand down

To give up

But despite how much you shake you don’t back down

Telling him that you agreed to fight

That you had to fight for humanity’s sake

And when the horn is blown the fight begins in a replica city of modern times

Glass skyscrapers that touch the sky

Empty streets with a few cars placed in a few places

As the god ready’s himself he sees you get into position

The tears nod drained away as a serious expression replaces it

“G-Göll says you mean a lot to her and I don’t think your a bad person…I don’t have to kill you to win, all I have to do is get you to tap out or where you can’t fight me anymore”

His eyes widen slightly

And then he nods

“Same goes to you then”

It begins

It’s immediate that one advantage you have over him is speed and agility

He is bulky and much slower compared to you but makes up for that in power an defence

You attack carefully

Quick and swift cuts of your blade as Göll encouraged you in your mind

The environment of alleyways and the cover of cars

Distantly you think of the other fighters

Of the injured Adam and his family

Of Qin Shin

Of everyone depending on you to win

Of your future beyond this

The future you want instead of slaving away and the killing you do for your ungrateful brother

In that moment as you dodge one of his attacks you promise yourself that you’d go to collage

That for the first time in your life after coming here you’d live truly

You get more focused

More precise in where to hit him as to wear him down

Attack after attack

Blow after blow

No matter how many times he almost hit you

Or you got scraped by an attack you just keep pushing

Cause it’s not just humanity’s life on the line

It’s Göll’s

It’s your own

And then after what feels like hours you do it

You get that final hit to bring down the metaphorical to crumble castle down

He crashes into the asphalt

It crumbles it bits around him and you watch anxious as he tries to get up but can’t

And for the first time since it started it feels as if you could finally breath

He didn’t die like you said and you win by wounding him enough to the point he can’t fight anymore

You forgot he swore to do the Sam etching for you

And you expect him to be mad at you

To yell

To curse you

To promise to strike you down once this is all over

And yet despite loosing he laughs

One that is just full of pure joy instead of malice and disdain like your used to

You sniffle and crack your eyes open to see him moon up at you with pure amazement

“And so the 4th round of Ragnarok goes to the humans!. Y/n had injured Heracles to the point of not being able to fight anymore!”

It feel surreal as those words ring out in the stadium

People are cheering for you

You

The person who was told their entire life that they were nothing but a waste of space

Just a tool to get the more worthy child into collage as you wasted away

Tears bubble up in your eyes that quickly spill over the edge

You bow, thanking the crowd before turning to the injured god and helping him up

As you help him up he smiles

Grabbing your hand and lifting up up to the air as a sign of your victory

And for the first time in your life you feel yourself cry from happiness

To smile so brightly that it could rival the sun

That it hurt your cheeks from it being so wide

Or that you actually feel accomplished for once

“I won…I won!.”

“You did. That was a good fight, thank you. What are you gonna do after this?”

“I’m…I’m gonna go to collage like I always wanted. I’m gonna start living for myself and not for my parents. You hear that!, I’m not sending money to you anymore it’s my life now!”

[chaosnojutsu]

Who *Should* Have Died From The Konoha ~12 Instead Of The One Who Did

rules:

we’re assuming they die under the same circumstances as the other guy

each one listed would have a complete storyline and their death would further the immediate plot as well as the overall narrative

i’m not “just picking characters i don’t like”

i do not condone killing characters for the sake of shock value but am considering shock as a legitimate tool in generating impact of a character’s death

miss me with “[redacted]’s death was a tragic result of the shinobi system” because no it was not. if that were true you could sub out [redacted] for any other child soldier and get the exact same impact. we know exactly why they were chosen and it’s got an (insufficient) explanation irl and in-universe.

#3. Sai

Motivation: Friendship

First of all, imagine the shock value from killing one of THE Team Kakashi members.

Cool. Now imagine Naruto’s shock at Sai sacrificing himself for him.

Sai overanalyzes normal human interaction to the point of not understanding it. He reads books about how to befriend people. He still doesn’t understand it all the time but friendship is coming more naturally to him these days. What he does understand is that Naruto is the only chance of winning this war, and he’s down, and the enemy is aiming for him, and Hinata is trying to stop them but she’s on the ground, the spears are in the air and so is Sai, and Naruto is his friend.

He doesn’t need to think about it much deeper than that.

Now imagine Sasuke “What Does ‘Friend’ Mean To You” Uchiha witnessing this, witnessing Naruto’s reaction, and the further effects this may have on his character. After all, Sai was his replacement. If Naruto feels this strongly about losing someone who was decidedly not him but his friend and teammate nevertheless then… maybe.

#2. Rock Lee

Motivation: Youth

Regardless of *how* this one plays out, no one wants to watch the determined, precious, comedic relief die; no one who’s watched this far into the show wants Rock Lee specifically to die. Huge impact already. But we can make it super duper sad because he deserves a memorable death. I see it going one of two ways.

One: Hinata doesn’t even have the time to try to shield Naruto because Rock Lee is faster. Ten-Tails barely launches the attack and Lee’s already taken/attempted to counter the hit. Perhaps this is his eight gates moment. Similar to Sai, Rock Lee would cite the power of friendship in his dramatic death speech, but he also was just… doing his duty. Truly, if you’re in the “Neji was just another tragic child soldier” camp, Rock Lee is the prime example of what I mean when I say you could sub in any child soldier, which I know sounds paradoxical but stay with me. Rock Lee’s entire personality is training harder than anyone else to benefit a system that will ultimately result in his death. If you want to make a point about child soldiers and needless lives lost, Rock Lee is the one to kill.

Two: Rock Lee doesn’t shield Hinata. He shields Neji. But not necessarily on purpose. The scene plays out exactly as written up to the moment Neji activates his byakugan, and the next frame isn’t him falling to the ground, it’s Rock Lee. The usually-somewhat-reserved Neji is devastated, probably in tears, demanding to know why he would do something like this. Rock Lee coughs up a bit of blood. “I was faster than you.” Smile. “I finally beat you…” Serene eyes fall shut. “…rival.”

And now imagine Naruto’s reaction to losing Bushy Brow. Imagine him watching Gai be brought to his knees by a blow that didn’t physically touch him. Imagine Madara incorrectly perceiving that. The implications. The foreshadowing.

#1. Shino

Motivation: Legacy

I’m gonna be real, the writers were never gonna kill off Rock Lee like that, which is the biggest reason Shino has taken the crown as Most Worthy Of A Tragic Death in my book.

This dude has a connection to both Naruto and Hinata (making him equally as good a sacrifice as Neji if that’s the canon criteria). However, unlike most other (male) characters, Shino isn’t shown to have a particularly close friendship with Naruto. The one recurring joke around Shino is that he’s so irrelevant even Naruto can’t remember his name.

But he is good friends with Hinata. And he knows she’ll spend the rest of her life miserable if Naruto dies, and that if she dies right now she will never have gotten her life’s greatest wish.

So Shino goes out in a blaze of glory, and we’ll probably insert something about how Naruto has somehow secretly inspired him all along— or maybe something cynical about how he always wanted to be included by Naruto but never was unless Kiba or Hinata were around, so he’s sacrificed himself to maintain the livelihood of everyone else while not “losing” that friendship himself— and we of course get the touching moment with Hinata (oh just imagine the drama if Shino lay dying and told Hinata “Why did I protect you? It’s simple. The reason is… for the same reason you protected him.” and we find out that the huge secret crush of the show was not Hinata toward anyone, but Shino toward Hinata, never confessing because he knew it would be futile).

Good luck forgetting his name now, Naruto. Now no one will ever forget about Shino Aburame.

[beargyufairy]

Just My Thoughts Pt. 6

Aquarius

Did Lucy ever tell anyone (even Natsu) about sacrificing Aquarius?! Aquarius, who was one of Lucy’s very first keys given by her mother who passed away when she was still young and left alone with her father who completely disregarded her?! Aquarius, who was Lucy’s first friend since there was no one her age around her? Aquarius, who despite being rude towards Lucy, loves her with all her heart?! Aquarius, who knows how important Fairy Tail is to Lucy that she is willing to have her key be broken in order to summon the Celestial Spirit King?!

I don’t think her sacrifice is given the attention it deserves because Lucy had to choose between her guild and her spirit. It was not the easiest choice to make. In addition to this, the guild disbanded and left her alone soon after the battle with Tartarus ended. Natsu left (and yes I understand he was also grieving the loss of Igneel who he was searching for years before he even met Lucy) with Happy and Lucy was all alone. She kept track of everyone as best as she could but no one cared to do the same with her. Fairy Tail was supposed to her safe place after escaping from her dad and former life. She gave so much to Fairy Tail in the short time since she joined.

I feel like while Natsu did his best by getting the guild back together after he returned, Lucy didn’t get a proper apology or recognition. I don’t think anyone even knew about Aquarius after being reunited. While Natsu did mention that he felt like Lucy was the one who saved them in Tartarus, it was never mentioned if she explained how and what she had to do in order to save everyone. The topic was just brushed off and never brought up again.

Speaking of the guild reunion, Lucy is a better person than I will ever be because I would’ve been so mad at Natsu. He left with just a letter without considering how Lucy would’ve left. Lucy, who he took to the guild in the first place. Lucy, who he made a team with (and I would like to note that before Lucy joined FT, Natsu didn’t seem to be close with anyone in the guild, but after she joined, he became friends with most of them). Lucy, his best friend. She didn’t even mention her own grief and loss when they met again after a whole year. She forgave him so fast. I’m so upset about that!!!!

The 100 year quest just makes me made when I see Aquarius. I really do appreciate her being included since she is very special to Lucy. Don’t get me wrong, I love how Aquarius is more willing to show her tender feelings toward Lucy and it just makes their bond more precious. I just don’t like how the sacrifice was brushed off. No one comments on how she’s just appearing without Lucy summoning her.

Do they even know Aquarius has a broken key?! Not to mention, it’s a golden zodiac key. It’s rare and one of a kind. Do they know that Lucy is looking for the key?! Are they gonna help her?!

I feel like it was just ignored and I don’t like it one bit. Lucy needs everyone to apologize and thank her properly for saving them. Or at least acknowledging her hard work and dedication to the guild, especially since the her sacrifice was years and years of memories and a special bond with her zodiac spirit.

Thank you for listening to my rant 😤

[frogprinsen]

AU where Wilhelm never went to Hillerska but Erik was there in the same year as August. The whole drug thing with Alexander still happened and they put the blame on Simon, being a non-resident. Simon never gave August drugs, there was no reason to but he did supply them with booze once, only so his sister can attend an exclusive party to make friends. August exploited this situation to frame Simon because he's an easy target. No one would believe him if he retaliated, especially against the Crown Prince. So, Simon got expelled.

Erik was just glad to get out of trouble. He knows what they did was wrong but it's just how it is, sacrifices had to be made. If the queen found out, it would out their reputation in danger, who cares about what happens to one kid?

Weeks passed and The Society all moved on and forgot about it, Erik didn't even think of it again. Until one day, he overheard some of the first year girls talking about the non-res.

Felice Ehrenchrona was comforting a girl named Sara who was apparently the kid's sister. She was going on about how her brother's life has been ruined. No school would accept him now since he was expelled from a reputable school for dealing drugs, and he can't even try to get a job because of the bad record. Simon, (Erik didn't even know his name until now) had been in such a dark place apparently, he's been depressed and has been pushing everyone away. He doesn't talk anymore and was now unresponsive. He doesn't even eat anymore either. Sara talked about how worried she is for her little brother and that went right through Erik's heart. He imagined himself in Sara's position, worried for the well-being of his little brother who is the most precious person in his life. For the first time, Erik feels guilt. He never really realized the consequences or how trying to protect his image would affect someone else. The realization dawned that his actions had caused irreparable harm, amplifying his remorse.

More days passed and Erik has been eaten by guilt. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't eat, he feels so anxious ever since and is now determined to make things right. He doesn't know how, but he will.

He was contemplating about paying Simon a visit, maybe give him a fair amount of compensation or use his connections to get him accepted to a good school. He's too busy making plans that he doesn't hear his door open until he saw his little brother sobbing his heart out and throwing himself at him.

Erik knew that Wilhelm had always been more sensitive than him but he has never seen him this broken. He realized that he's so preoccupied with his guilt and making plans that he hasn't really had time to see his brother lately. As Wilhelm sobbed, Erik's protective instinct kicked in, consoling him and encouraging him to share what was troubling him. He hates seeing his little brother hurt. Wilhelm broke down again and told him that there's actually a lot he doesn't know, he's been keeping something from Erik but he can't take it anymore and told him everything.

Erik was shocked. Suddenly, he feels like he doesn't really know his brother at all. Where was he? Why didn't he know anything? Wilhelm told him that he's queer. That he has a boyfriend. Had. apparently. He explained to him that his boyfriend broke up with him weeks ago, without any reason why. The boyfriend only told him that Wilhelm deserves someone who's life isn't fucked up and he doesn't want to ruin him too. Wilhelm begged him to stay but his boyfriend still left. Wilhelm doesn't know what to do, he knows his boyfriend loves him and that there is something he isn't telling him but he doesn't know how to help him if he keeps pushing him away. He stopped responding to Wilhelm's messages, and Wilhelm didn't really know anyone he could ask because they kept their relationship a secret.

Erik listened patiently and felt his heart break for his little brother. He didn't know what but he will do everything to know what is going on, he promises Wilhelm. His brother thanked him and through his tears told him how grateful he is to have his support but then he started crying in full force and told Erik he just found out through some sources that his boyfriend (or ex), Simon, is in the hospital and asked Erik to help him be able to see him. Erik felt his blood run cold. Slowly piecing together the puzzle, he began to realize the unthinkable:

The boy, who's life he ruined, is none other than his little brother's boyfriend.

What the fuck has he done?

[narutocharacterpolls]

ROUND THREE

MAITO GAI vs UMINO IRUKA

Reasons for submission under the cut

Gai

was instrumental in the success of the story - he may not have won against Madara, but he put fear in him and had it not been for hacks, he would have decimated him where no one else could

believes whole-heartedly in his student to the point of dedicating his life to making him a splendid ninja

came from nothing, worked his way up from nothing, and is now considered to be one of the greatest shinobi to have come out of the Hidden Leaf. People know and fear him

made Itachi bail. That man was ready to fight everyone else, but packed it up when Gai came on the scene

kicked Jiraiya in the face and never properly apologized

great salesperson - always has a spare jumpsuit to give to passers-by and hook them on his favorite brand. True influencer and fashion icon

had a bowl cut before it was cool

was a great friend to Kakashi, and was there for him during the highs and lows of his horrifically stressful life. Arguably saved Kakashi's life with his constant support, and the story could not have happened without him. Is considered by Kakashi - one of the most powerful and infamous shinobi in the world - to be his equal and his best friend

loves kids. Supports his own students like he was their father, and equally takes pride in Naruto and protected Sasuke after Sasuke's first run in with Itachi

in the anime, he is shown to be hard on the outside but clearly permissive in that he would sneak Chouji food in the middle of a mission and try to push Naruto into figuring out who Minato was

confident in himself and confident in others - he is everyone's biggest cheerleader and he isn't just talk; he'll work hard with you. When he says he'll do something, nothing will stop him and he will follow his promises even when no one is watching.

hot. Man has pretty privilege

amazing, supportive teacher and friend

he is always trying to be positive in such a dark world and cheer up those around him

he's so good to Lee, Tenten, and Neji, you can just tell how much he cares about those kids

his speech to Lee was super moving. He knew Lee was scared and made sure to be there for him

he was ready and willing to die to defeat Madara in order to save the others

an actual decent upstanding father figure

unbridled whimsy

excellent tits

Iruka

he is kind-hearted and soft and has a big heart

he always has a watchful eyes over his students. But he can also be stern if needed. He knows how cruel the world can be and wants to make sure his students are properly prepared for the dangers they'll face

he doesn't have prejudices against his students. No hostility towards Naruto who was often the victim of misplaced anger due to the Nine-Tails who was sealed within him. Thus, Iruka came to be one of the only adults Naruto respected in his youth as well as the only person who could control Naruto's behaviour to some degree

due to Iruka's more nurturing, protective and compassionate nature, Naruto views him as a mentor and Iruka in turn, views Naruto as a younger brother

he treats Naruto to ramen whenever Naruto returns from a mission, where Iruka gets to see how he is developing as a ninja

his refusal to allow Naruto to graduate at first was not out of spite, but merely out of caring strictness and a desire for Naruto to work harder and reach his own potential

has a great sense of duty, honour and selflessness as seen when he protected Naruto from an attack, suffering a shuriken wound in his back in order to protect him

he regards the children of the village as the backbone of their village, even being willing to sacrifice his own life to ensure their safety

Iruka to Naruto: "Stop acting like a baby! You want to know what I really think of you?! I think you're one of my most precious students… and… you're like a little brother to me."

he is Naruto's first mentor figure. He deserves more credit and screen time!

he's the only adult with a working brain

one of the few adults who sees Naruto as a human being not a God savior

is the only one who actually apologies to Naruto for treating him badly

one of the reasons Naruto turned out the way he did

he deserves a Reise

a nice father figure

[likealittleheartbeat]

Why in the first season do we have the motif of Zuko stealing Katara’s mother’s betrothal necklace? Some point to a romantic subtext being read into this that, they argue, later gets ignored in order to prop up a problematic relationship for Katara with Aang, the protagonist. But if there’s subtext to be read in the theft of a betrothal token from a subjugated female by a male imperial representative, it’s the subtext of rape.

Why is it that it’s the women in the southern water tribe are gone? Ostensibly because they were the benders—but there’s a darker undertone, especially when we consider the clearly made analogy to indigenous peoples in North America, where even to this day native women are 2 times more likely to experience rape than those from other races. The fact that the necklace was her mother’s illustrates this legacy and connection, pointing us back to the original invasion of the tribe by the Fire nation, the attack on Katara’s mother by a single soldier inside their home (allowed in in order to protect Katara) and how Zuko’s actions at the beginning of the series echo it. This is not an auspicious place to begin a relationship if that’s what the writers were planning. Traditional enemies-to-lovers arcs usually involve prejudice but usually tied to pride, less so that kind of sexual violence. Despite Romeo and Juliet coming from warring families, it’s never implied that Romeo committed war crimes in the first act, especially not against the girl who falls for him, so we should perhaps be clued in that something different is going on in Katara and Zuko’s dynamic.

The intense rage, fear, and defense Katara puts up against Zuko in the finale of the first season (right after she has had to face the misogyny among her own people) is evocative of her response to his assaults throughout the first season. If this was not enough, we then have the rape of the moon spirit and the sacrifice of Yue for her people happening in the background, all pointing us back to the gendered violence of the empire Katara’s living under and fighting against. Her battle is not passionate because she secretly loves Zuko. She is doing everything within her power to protect herself and the spirit (literally the Avatar and figuratively within herself) that she has kept kindled despite the violent attempts to wipe it out—Zuko eventually prevails and steals a precious thing from her again…

When Katara and Zuko are imprisoned together during “The Crossroads of Destiny,” often seen as the peak of their romantic tension, they discuss their mothers, and Katara learns about the loss of Zuko’s mother (which we’re encouraged by the symbolism in the first season to read through the symbolic lens of gendered abuse and sexual violence, only now it’s domestic and internal rather than imperial). Zuko’s shift to a pitiable victim of abuse has softened his monstrous face for us, and the same happens to Katara in the catacombs, to the point where she’s willing to share a spiritual token with him.

It’s remarkable in the scene that, after being interrupted, there’s an effort made to remind the audience of Aang and Zuko’s continued antagonism—they glare at each other despite being in the embrace of the person who cares most about them in the world. And in the next scene, it’s revealed that Katara and Zuko’s reconciliation is actually not enough to transform Zuko’s loyalties. His desires for Aang and the redemption he can offer are too great.

In fact, throughout this couple of scenes, Zuko shows no interest in possessing or learning about Katara. She spouts off her grievances without his request, and then he shares his own loss only in defense to Katara's accusations and self-recognition in her stories, not as consolations for her pain. And Katara is moved by his vulnerability because she is so eager to see more evil within imperial power. She wants to hear the truth about how even those within it are injured. With all the feminine fantasy of being able to fix the behavior that toxic masculinity has induced, she suggests her spirit water might alleviate the scar Zuko bears--no forethought about preserving it for her own needs. Zuko doesn’t even request or accept the spirit water she offers him. It's all Katara. You'll be hard pressed to find a moment where Zuko expresses desire for Katara in this scene, a definite difference from his sexual aggression towards her in the first season. We as an audience are actually moved by his lack of desire her and what she has to offer because Katara is finally free from his predation (though it was only his initial violence that makes this neutral kind of freedom feel heartening).

The eventual gesture of Katara healing Zuko in “Sozin’s Comet” is free of his desire as well, unless you count the desire to protect a non-combatant, which has been Zuko’s reoccurring theme throughout the series, Katara or no (when he chooses the safety of his crew in "the storm," his advocacy for the lives of the fire nation soldiers that led him to banishment, etc.). The suggestion of rape arises here again with the penetrative nature of lightning, but the show has really complicated it’s gender dynamics by having Azula direct it, pointing to imperialism as the core concern rather than a simplified feminist reading. When Katara heals him, it's after she's cared for herself and defeated Azula now, and the words exchanged are "thank you," words of cordiality and comradery. They touch, but they are touches of equal counterparts rather than romance.

Reading romance into the simple refusal to commit colonial rape seems like a fairly low bar. This is neither what Katara nor Zuko are seeking out over the expanse of the series. They are looking for the transformative hope, action, and balance that the Avatar embodies, which, if anything allows them to stop fixating on each other and the dynamic of feminine colonized victim and masculine imperial patriarch that their world would have them locked into forever.

Aang does not go back in time to fix it all, but he brings an acceptance of reality that still allows for change. And this applies to the emotional states for the characters. Finding balance. Their griefs are not gone but not totalizing, either. They don't have to obsess or ruminate on it, or on the person who embodies the "problem" for them. The balance that the Avatar brings (and the fantasy that the show concludes with) is not a world in which the violence of colonialism never occurred but a world in which emotional release is possible from the intensifying dynamics colonialism forces its subjects into to sustain itself.

[heartfullofleeches]

i've missed the gallery, so here's a question. how would the gallery gang be with a nightguard/frequent visitor reader who's an aspiring artist? i've seen people talk about going to actual galleries for inspo or just sketching the paintings, and was wondering if the art pieces would be honored to be models or something. i dunno man this is my first ask im not sure how this stuff works lol

(I've done this as individual hcs - hope you don't mind!)

The Scavenger

"Draw, please..." "You want me to draw a candy wrapper?" "Draw."

If you want inspiration, Scavenger has got you covered. They'll pull out their finest stole goods for your seeing eyes alone - necklaces, vintage toys - and pretty much anything that catches their eye or isn't nailed to a wall. Most nights they just hold up a pocket mirror and tell you to draw what you see, because it's the best thing in the gallery. If you give them your sketches, don't be surprised if they just shove them in their mouth and return to their painting without another word. Something this precious must be kept on their person at all times.

The Painter

Gasp. A future master in their presence? Well, the only correct course of action is for two geniuses to put their heads together, and create gorgeous works of art together that will bring tears to the eyes of any manner of creature. If you are a painter like them, they create a palette for you out of their own flesh and blood. Hm, as perfect as their colors are - something feels missing. As, yes. Red. That other guard has lots, and is being selfish by hogging it all. Not to worry, dear - your muse is on the case! Sir, sir! Stop running - your sacrifice is needed for greatness!

The Lady in Red

How charming.... Will you sketch her something to put on the walls of her cabin while you are away? She'll let you go for the evening if you do. Leaving old sketches around when there are others on site will also secure their safety as she'll drop everything to have a piece of you. Draw a picture of her and she'll be the wailing ghost of the eve.

The Faceless Angel

Monitors your location and makes sure nothing disturbs you. If you ask them to sit down they will start to hum to fill the silence, stopping if you look their way. Even if you ask to sketch them, the angel is surprised when you show them the finished work. Ah, they've gone and ruined it with their tears. If they are allowed to be greedy, could you draw what you imagine their face to look like?

RoseBud

It's only logical a gallery would attract an artist. Rosebud points out the flowers that are in this season for you to warm up, and tells you to come when you're ready to draw the finishing piece. Their babes are extra yippy tonight, but they are just as excited as them and unable to contain it like their greater half. Give it directly to Rose or they will eat it, but unlike the Scavenger they feel bad and start to cry. Rosebud has some artistic skills of their own and will ask to draw you some nights

Soleil

You want to draw them? Oh, but their gears haven't been polished in ages - their casing could use a shine as well. Don't even get them started on their dials. Give them a few nights to spruce themselves up and they'll be the perfect model for you to sketch and adore

Anri

You draw? How cool! They'd love to draw with you, but they don't have the same talent as you. Would you still mind if they doodled a bit in your book anyway? Maybe when you get off work you can hit up a coffee shop and give them a few pointers.... Oh.

Julian

Outright steals your notebook and tells you to give up before you get ahead. Realizes he's doing the same as his parents and gets it back... with a few sketches thrown in the back. They're all of you in different parts of the gallery doing your job... Except for one. Why did he draw you sleeping? And why does he know the color of your bedsheets

The Director

How fun! The gallery is always open to new donations. He'd love if you drew him, or one of the many stories he has to tell. He has a perfect tale about a painter who got lost in the woods and tricked by a power beyond their understanding. Why won't you come up to his floor and let him watch you work your magic as he tells it to you? Kick back and relax. Stress is the last thing that should be on an creative's mind. Get comfortable...stay as long as you want.

[crookedkryptonitebeliever]

Part 2/2

(click here for part 1)

tw: violence and blood

Yves had admirers from all walks of life. Ironically, he knows more about his stalkers than they know about him. Yves hates it when he is being investigated, he does not like to feel naked.

Benign fans would simply receive a firm rejection and a stern warning to never talk to him again. Yves would get straight to the point, always starting off with a strong 'no', then he would elaborate that they're wasting his and their own time trying to grab a chance. He won't attack their personhood, only their decision to pursue him. If his devotees break down into tears, lamenting that they should have known better because Yves is out of their league, he won't confirm or deny it. He would simply walk away without a word.

That is if you aren't there to witness their confession or flirts. If they had the gall to try and act suave for Yves in front of you, his reactions would be modified to fit your personality.

He could spew out the most vile, unhinged insults while maintaining his poise. and posture. He felt disrespected when they came up to him with the intent to woo him while you're clearly latched onto his arm. And he does not take disrespect well.

He doesn't need to raise his voice to get his point across. A composed and callous stare is enough to drive them away completely humiliated. This attitude is used if you're the type to be insecure in the relationship.

Or, he could just take the pacifist approach and pretend that they're invisible. He would say a brief 'no' before going back to whatever conversation you had with him, he isn't going to sacrifice any more of his precious bonding time on a lowlife. Yves does feel anger bubbling up in his chest because his date with you is interrupted, but he knows you prefer to keep the peace. And your happiness comes first. Eventually, the offender will either leave or get more aggressive.

If it's the latter, he will drop a nasty jibe or two before evacuating from the area with you. It could get dangerous and you wouldn't like it if a physical fight breaks out. He will have no choice but to present his handgun if they start following and harassing further, that should usually do the trick to scare them off. If that still isn't effective, he has no qualms about pulling the trigger in front of witnesses.

You wouldn't realize why Yves suddenly pulled you into his chest, using his free hand to cover the other ear until a loud blast resonated through the air. You scream as you see them bleed out, with viscera spread everywhere. Yves missed their vital organs on purpose, if he killed them, dealing with the police would be more of a headache than it already is. He's more concerned about your hearing at the moment though. A gunshot can rupture your eardrum, so he urged you to come with him to the nearest clinic. Ignoring horrified shrieks from onlookers and siren blares.

Or, he could let you handle it. You might be a person who flies off the handle whenever someone tries to steal your partner away, maybe you feel good protecting your boyfriend or husband from the world. He knows what you want. Of course, he will be prepared to back you up, he will take over when he thinks it's getting too perilous. But in the meantime, he will let you exhaust your adrenaline surge and enjoy your instantaneous possessiveness; he would be lying if he said your tendency to defend your 'property' didn't make his heart swell. He found your flustering adorable and swoons at your displays of territoriality. You would be rewarded handsomely after the encounter.

To those who are a lot more threatening, such as stalkers who are clearly not all there in the head, Yves is killing them with no hesitation. He sees the ugly parts of himself in them and it's almost symbolic when he pumps their skull full of lead. This could even be considered to be a hobby of his because it is just so cathartic to him.

Yves's preferred mode of murdering isn't actually using guns, it's a lot messier that way. He rather makes it look like an accident. They had no chance of survival against him, it doesn't even take a notebook of information to carry out a successful, consequence-free culling of his infatuated adversaries.

He doesn't derive pleasure from knowing he has a hoard of admirers. This does nothing to his ego, but it sure vexes him. Because it will definitely get in the way between you and him at times. He doesn't feel flattered, he feels insulted that they dared to think they're good enough for him. Three-fourths of them had dry hair and crusty eyes, the others couldn't even do a sit-up, and they felt entitled to his attention? They should have invested that time and resources in Alprazolam instead. He worked so hard on himself and those mutts expected him to just give... himself to them? Looking and smelling like that?

Who did they think they were? Did they think they could be You? Only in their wildest dreams.

[peachyoomi]

aikaveh headcanons ꕤ*.ﾟ

sorry for the absence i wanted to kms <3 anyway, i am perfectly normal and sane about them.

the olive theory, but with strawberries

Kaveh loves strawberries. Whether it's perfume, the actual fruit, smoothie, or scented body lotion, he adores them. He could eat a ton of strawberry-flavored food without ever getting sick of it. When on the other hand, Alhaitham despite them. Not to mention the fact that he's allergic to them. So, when his roommate sprinkles himself in strawberry perfume with strawberry chapstick, he always blames him for trying to commit homicide. Which could be true.

Bonus; Kaveh has a special corner for his strawberry scented stuff: a little drawer in his room, in which is stored his little treasure. Perfume, body mist, moisturiser, chapstick, lipstick, shampoo, and even special Hello Kitty strawberry scented tissues (n/a: i do have those tissues and they're amazing).

alhaitham gives the best to kaveh

Kaveh may always complain about how Alhaitham is a horrible being with him, that he doesn't love him, but it's not true. In fact, Alhaitham is just bad at expressing what he truly feels, and prefers to show him his attention and love in the little acts he does daily. And for that, he always gives Kaveh the best of anything.

When he cooks for both of them, Alhaitham tries to give Kaveh the best pieces of meat, and the better-looking vegetables. He gives him the most comfortable seat when they're at a tavern, or the place with the best view when they go to the movie or concert. He always makes little sacrifices like those for his senior, without noticing. But it doesn't bother Alhaitham: honestly, he likes it better this way.

story telling for a better night

It happens many times that Kaveh can't find sleep, or just have awful nights. And Alhaitham, as an analyzer, knows when it happens. The blonde seems to exhibit more agitation, frequently sighs, and changes positions frequently. When those things last for too long, Alhaitham just offers a hug to Kaveh, which he usually happily accepts. As his roommate is comfortably snuggled up in his arms, he starts to read out loud the book he holds. Whether it's a history book, philosophy, or a well-known classic, Kaveh can't either complain or despise those precious moments. On the contrary, it brings him nothing but pure comfort and some peace of mind. As his mind gets some rest, he can find sleep. Still in Alhaitham's arms, he slowly falls asleep as he listens to his calm and quiet voice. <3

kaveh's skin

To be honest, Alhaitham is always blown away by Kaveh's skin. It's always smooth, flawless, soft, and so milky. The only remaining things on his skin are beauty marks and perfectly placed moles. Alhaitham knows how many moles he has, and where they are exactly placed on his roommate's body. For example, he knows Kaveh's got one in the middle of his spine. Alhaitham can see it through his shirt, as it's opened right where the mole is (and on other occasions as well).

Kaveh does skincare routines a lot. Every day, actually. For his products and advice, he asks Tighnari. His friend prepares him special oils and cream for his skin and his hair (strawberry scented, ofc).

Anyway, Alhaitham physically and mentally can not get over Kaveh's perfect body and skin. He looks so edible and so delicious to him. He just wants to bite Kaveh everywhere he can and to chew on his more meaty body parts.

hugs, cuddles and sleep

It's no surprise to Kaveh that his roommate hates physical interactions. Usually, when Kaveh's feeling a little touchy, Alhaitham would just walk away. But eventually, he accepted this, tolerating this part of his personality. But it seemed that with time, the Scribe was a little more... needy for Kaveh's affection.

As for sleeping, it doesn't bother Alhaitham if his lover comes cuddling him. He wasn't used to the feeling at first since physical affection was not something he knew throughout his life, but the feeling was warm, pleasant, making him feel fuzzy inside.

꒱࿐♡ ˚.*ೃ

hi!! this has been in my drafts for over a year now and I finally decided to post it even though I'm self conscious lol. anyway, you can find me on twitter or ao3 for more :3 !!

[oleander-nin]

Cold Hands, Warm Heart(Rise! Raph x Reader)

3777 words of complete and utter nonsense. I've never written for Raph before, so I hope I did well

Summary: Your heater broke down in the dead of winter. Hopefully Raph won't mind you hanging out with him for the time being.

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

My eyes flutter open as a chill runs down my spine, the heap of blankets paired with my warm pajamas not doing enough to fight against the cold. I shuffle a bit in my bed, trying to get comfortable again so I could fall back asleep. Winter has taken hold over New York, and the cold was finally starting to creep into my apartment. With my heater being busted at the moment, there was nothing I could really do except try and tough it out through blanket nests and warm foods. The company apparently can’t send someone to fix it until Friday, so waiting it out is kind of my best option. I glanced over at the digital clock that sits snugly on my nightstand, the bright and bold numbers flashing the unfortunate time of 3:22 AM staring me down, serving as a constant reminder of my inability to get some rest. 

I shift under the covers once more, avoiding the cold spots created by the lack of body heat. It’s times like these I start to regret letting Leo borrow the heated blanket I bought a couple years ago. Guilt starts to pile up in my stomach for daring to think that, as I know he must have it worse right now. Even though they are warm blooded, all the turtle brothers tend to be more susceptible to both hot and cold than the average person. Lending Leo my precious heated blanket was a noble sacrifice I had to make if it means he’s getting through this winter a bit easier. Too bad I’ll most likely never see it again, stupid blanket stealing jerk.

My eyes finally start to droop as the drowsiness kicks in a bit more, my mind bouncing from Leo’s blanket thievery to Donnie’s recent invention to Raph’s kind nature, and the serotonin that came with the final thought was starting to knock me out once again.

I came to realize my crush on the giant snapping turtle about a year after we met, and he’s been at the forefront of my mind ever since. Even if his tall stature was a bit intimidating at first, his personality proved to me that he was just a giant teddy bear. A teddy bear with built in spikes, a dash of violence, and separation anxiety, but a teddy bear no less.

I lay my head against my arms, shifting the cocoon of blankets around me to try and keep the heat inside so I could stay warm. Feeling my body giving into the fatigue that held it in its grasp was comforting, and I hoped I could sleep till the sun’s up. Constantly waking up to a dark room was starting to make my overactive mind run through the possibilities of ghosts, demons, and murderers that might be in my room with me. 

My eyes shoot open as I hear my phone start ringing, the familiar tune cluing me in to who’s calling. Raph. I launch my arm out of my warm blankets and aimlessly feel around for my phone. The cold of the room starts to seep into the opening my arm makes, and I grit my teeth at the unpleasant feeling.  My hand finally feels the slick rubber of my phone case, and I quickly yank it back into my makeshift warmth pocket. I answer the call as I put the phone up to my ear, grinning giddily as I greet the snapping turtle on the other side.

“Um, hey. Sorry to wake ya’,” he starts, and I note the grogginess and nervousness that seems to seep into his voice. “I know it’s late, but I was wondering if ya’d like to come over? I had a nightmare, but don’t wanna’ bother any’a brothers right now, they haven’t gotten much sleep as of late.”

I smile softly at his words, knowing the double meaning behind them. He had another nightmare about the Kraang, and he doesn’t want his brothers to see that he’s still suffering. “Yeah, I’ll be over in a second. I’m assuming I can go straight to your room, or do you want me to meet you in the living room?” After the Kraang invasion, Raph’s been having nightmares, and I appreciated that he trusted me enough to ask for help.

“Kitchen, actually. I’ve started making some hot cocoa, and I’m not too keen on drinking it anywhere else. A bit worried I’d spill it, and most cleaning supplies are in Dee’s lab.”

“Okie dokie, I’m heading over now.” I hang up the phone and take a glance around my room. Turning on the flashlight function on my phone, I get up and stretch a bit. The cold air washes over me like a tsunami, and I curl into myself a bit. I almost forgot about the cold while Raph was calling, and it’s taking its revenge by ravaging my body with shivers.

I use the flashlight feature on my phone to help guide me through my room, and I turn on the light once I reach it. I rapidly blink a couple of times, trying to get my eyes to adjust to the sudden bright light faster. Once the world is a bit more clear, I trudge my way over to my closest. I really don’t want to have to change. Raph won’t mind me showing up in PJ’s, right? I mean, it is 3:30 in the morning, so it can’t be that weird. Making up my mind, I grab my jacket and put it on, throwing it over my shoulders as I turn off the light and head to leave my apartment after grabbing my keys. I really hope no one else is awake.

I speed walk down the dimly lit hallway, glancing over my shoulder as I go. The apartment I lived in was relatively safe, but one could never be too sure. Hell, the 2 guys that lived next door got mugged last week. Sure they were across town leaving a pub, but one could never be too cautious.

Leaving the apartment complex, I quickly head for the alley a couple blocks away. I knew there was a sewer hole there, and I wanted to get down to the lair as fast as I could, the cold was killing me. I inwardly cheer as I make it to the sewer plate, mentally patting myself on the back for not getting jumped. Not that I actually did anything, but still, it’s the little things.

Checking to make sure no one's around, I take the robot I got from Donnie out of my pocket and set it on the manhole cover. As manhole covers can weigh up to 250 pounds, Donnie gave me and April these little robots that open them for us. It will forever impress me how the turtle brothers lift them without assistance. Leo loves to hold it over my head how easily he can pick up the plates of steel and concrete, constantly making fun of me for not being able to do the same.

Once the cover is removed, I grab the robot and make my way down, putting the robot back onto the plate so it can close it. I take my phone out as the robot works and put on the flashlight. It gets really dark once the lid closes, and I learned my lesson the first time I tried to climb down in the dark. Turns out, it’s really hard to climb back up a ladder with a broken arm. 

The robot dings and I pluck it off the cover. Sticking it back into my pocket, I slowly make my way down the ladder, trying not to fall. When I reach the bottom, I lightly tap the concrete with my foot. Stepping in a puddle would really suck, and while sewage doesn’t drain through here that often, any water down here is really gross. 

Satisfied with the dryness, I fully step down. I use my flashlight to guide me once more, muscle memory taking over. It was around a 10 minute walk from the alleyway entrance to the lair, but Mikey painted the entire way with little graffiti drawings so I would have something to look at while I visit. 

Once I enter the lair, I head straight for the kitchen. I could see better now that I reached the lair, so I finally turned off my phone’s flashlight. Hopefully it wouldn’t die considering I forgot my battery pack in my rush to get here. As I entered the room, I could see Raph sitting at the island, his red onsie on and his retainer sitting next to him. He was sipping on a mug of what was presumably hot chocolate, and there was a second one next to him. Raph sends me a warm smile as I grab a stool to sit next to him, both of us wincing at the noise it makes when I drag it across the floor.

Raph slides the other mug over to me, and I eagerly take a sip.  Holy moly Raph makes a good cup of hot chocolate, and this was just what I needed to warm me up. The lair was considerably warmer than everywhere else I had been tonight, and I wanted to stay here as long as possible.

Raph takes another long sip of his hot chocolate before he breaks the comfortable silence that settled between us. “Sorry to call ya’ so late, I really ‘preciate ya’ comin’ t’night.”

“Having nightmares again?” You look over at Raph, his mask was off so you could see the scarring around his eye. It was a miracle he could still see out of it. 

Raph nods, staring down at his mug and watching the chocolate drink swirl. His leg was bouncing pretty quickly as he chewed on his lip. I wanted to ask what was wrong, see what was bothering him, but he beat me to it.

 “Do ya’ mind sleeping over t’night? I’d ‘preciate the company. We could hav’a slumber party in the projector room, or just hang out in mine. Whichever makes ya’ more comfortable”

I scan Raph’s face, noting how he’s not meeting I gaze fully. Feeling relief that the main thing bothering him was just the shyness of asking his friend to sleepover, you shoot him a big grin. 

“Dude, I’d literally love that,” I say, shifting in my seat to face him more. “My heater broke, and it’s actually warm here. You’re gonna have to drag me out kickin’ and screamin’.”

Raph finally meets my gaze, brows knitted together making his quote-unquote “Raph chasm” grow larger. “Are you okay? How long’s it been broken? Do ya’ know when it’ll get fixed?”

His rapid-fire questions stun me a bit, I didn’t expect him to care so much. Maybe he likes me back? Is this hope? A sign? I slightly shake my head, trying to shoo the thoughts out of my head. It’s Raph, he cares because his heart’s too big and I’m his friend. That’s it. That has to be it. Right? 

“Yeah, I’m good. It’s been broken for about a day, and the repair dude said it’d take about a week for them to get out there and fix it.” I swirl the rest of the hot chocolate in my mug, frowning slightly when I see just how far down it’s gotten. 

“A week? Isn’t that dangerous? Dee said it’s gonna get pretty close to zero around here soon.” Raph frown deepens and the creases in his forehead grow. I notice his leg starts bouncing once more, the growing worry clearly eating him up.

“Yeah, I’m not too sure what I’m gonna do. So far, the blanket cocoon idea isn’t working the best.”

“You could stay here.”

My head whips over to look at Raph, searching his face for any sign of deception or lies. “I really couldn’t, you guys have your own stuff to deal with, and I don’t want to impose.”

Raph sighs as he leans back on the stool, hanging onto the lip of the island with his hands while he stretches. “I get your anxiety about being a burden, really I do, but you know we care about you right?”

Raph shifts in his seat so he could look at me properly, putting his hand on my shoulder and waiting for me to meet his gaze before continuing. “You’re not a bother, you’re not a burden, and you’re always welcome here. We care ‘bout’cha, and I sure don’t want you to freeze. If anyone says anything about you staying here for the week, I’ll personally have a talk with them, ‘kay?”

My face warms at his words and I just nod my head dumbly, hiding my face behind the mug I continued to sip on. Raph seems to accept this as an appropriate answer, smiling warmly at me before patting my twice on the shoulder and turning back to his normal sitting position. We continue to sit in a semi-comfortable silence as I wait for my face to cool down again. This was not helping my crush on him at all.

I set my mug down gently, stealing a glance at Raph as he tips his head back to finish off the rest of his drink. I smiled a bit at the sight, the red giant’s tail was wagging slightly, obviously being pleased with the way his cocoa tasted. The worst he could say was no, right? That’s what everyone says? If I confess right now, maybe he’d go easy on the rejection. I take a deep breath and steel my nerves. 

“Hey Raph?” Raph’s head turns towards me, his deep eyes putting their full attention on me. “I want to tell you som-”

My words were interrupted by a spoken “GASP”, and I deflate as Raph’s attention turns towards the offending voice.

Donnie marches in, phone in hand as he stomps and spits all over my attempt to finally admit my feelings to Raph. I vaguely notice that he has yet to change into his pajamas, but I was more focused on the eyebags showing around his eyes through his mask. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week.

 “Holy Galileo, is that HOT CHOCOLATE? And you never even offered me any!? Raph, my brother I am OFFENDED!” 

I giggle a bit, my mood lighting up a bit. Donnie really can be amusing when he wants to. Although, I’m not too sure he’s aware of it. 

Raph rolls his eyes at the young pouting softshell, slightly amused by his dramatic outburst. “To be fair Dee, I thought’cha were sleepin’ already. Y’know, like your s'posed to be.”

Donnie falters a bit before perking back up, obviously reading to make his case on why he should be allowed to be awake and drinking hot cocoa, “You cannot turn this on me, no sir. Last I checked, you’re supposed to be asleep too, but you’re still up. And with THEM!”

Donnie accentuates his last sentence by dramatically pointing his finger at me like I was an enemy soldier on a warfront. I loudly slurped the rest of my cocoa, watching Donnie's eyes twitch at the sound. I smile a bit into my cup, proud that I was able to get a slight rise out of the turtle. Raph rolls his eyes once more at his brother's antics, pushing back his chair to stand up properly.

“One, I called Y/n in the middle of the night. This is an apology/bonding hot cocoa. Two, you’re supposed to be asleep. However, I am willing to make more if you want some, I'm running low anyway.” Donnie eagerly nods at Raph’s words, fishing down a mug for himself while Raph starts to busy himself with finding the big cocoa powder tin. He looks over at me, holding the tin and slightly shaking it in a silent question to me. I grin and nod excitedly at the notion, pushing my mug towards him slightly as I mutter my thanks and pleases.

Raph hums as he pours water into a saucepan along with sugar, cocoa powder, and a small amount of salt. Donnie pulls up a stool and sits next to me, his mug in front of him while he plays on his phone in wait.

“Why are you here? It’s almost 4 o'clock in the morning.” Donnie says, never looking up from his phone. 

“Raph called me to hang out and my heaters broke anyway, so I just came to hang out.”

Donnie finally looks at me, his brow furrowing in confusion. “Why isn’t it fixed yet?”

I shrug. I didn’t really know why it wasn't, but it continues to not work. “The company that I contacted said they couldn’t send someone ‘till Friday, didn’t really give me a reason though.”

Donnie frowns at my answer, his ‘eyebrows’ knitted together in a similar fashion to Raphs. “It’s tuesday.”

“Oh wow, really? Gosh, thanks for telling me such valuable information. I will cherish it forever.” Sarcasm drips from every word I spout, and Donnie looks incredibly unamused. I hear Raph snort from next to the stove, so I count this as a win.

“Why would it take them 5 days to come out and fix your heater? That’s a 2 hour job at worst.” 

“Yeah, well, that’s what they told me. There isn’t much else I can do but wait.” I shrug, and turn back towards Raph, watching him stir in the milk before pouring the mixture into each of our cups. Both Donnie and I give a quiet thanks to Raph while he walks around to sit next to me once more.

Continuing the conversation, Donnie speaks up once more. “I could fix it.”

The skeptic look I was staring down Donnie with brightens to one of hope. “Are you serious? ‘Cause that’d seriously be so awesome!”

Donnie nods his head as he sips from his mug, obviously savoring the sweet drink as much as possible. “If you’d want, we could head over right now-”

Raph slams his cup that he was previously drinking, the loud “WHAM” making both Donnie and I jump slightly. Donnie and I both turn to look at the snapper, but Raph refuses to look either of us in the eye.

“Oh Raph-a-la, want to share what that was about, hmm?” Donnie and I both continue to stare Raph down, his face slowly turning as red as his pajamas.

“I, um. They don’t need it done now, plus we’re all tired, so Raph thinks they should stay here tonight. No offense Donnie, but you look like you might pass out any second.”

Donnie continues to stare Raph down, and seems to find something during his analysis. With a little nod to himself, Donnie shoots Raph a tight smile.

“Well, if you say so boss man. I’m gonna take this,” Donnie raises his mug of hot chocolate, “and head off to my lab. Goodnight you two. Come find me in the morning if you want to take me up on that offer, Y/n.”

I nod and Donnie and wave goodbye as he leaves. I hear Raph calling out his own little goodbyes, and I realize we are left alone once more.

“So…., what were you gonna say earlier?” Raph starts, taking a sip from his mug as he eyes me. “It seemed important, but Donnie kinda interrupted you.”

I freeze in my seat. I completely forgot about the almost confession that happened earlier. “Oh, that.. Um, well, I just kinda wanted to get something off my chest, but it isn’t really important. You don’t gotta worry about it!”

Raph’s eyes narrow as he looks me up and down. “Uh huh, sure. Y'know you can Raph anything, right?”

I shrink a bit under Raph’s gaze, my face heating up as I try to work up the courage once more. “Yeah, I know. It's just, I don’t know. I don’t want to make things weird between us.”

“Why would things become weird between us?”

Here goes. “Because I like you, like, a lot.”

I watch Raph freeze, his body grows tense and I start to panic. “Not that you need to reciprocate! I know I’m a bit weird, so I totally understand if you don’t like me back! We can totally ignore any of this happened, I can even go back to my apartment if your uncomfortable, I don’t want to make things weird between us-”

Raph puts his hand on my head, stopping my ramblings. There's a small smile on his face and the pit in my stomach grows. This is it. I’m about to get rejected and he’s never going to talk to me again. This sucks.

Raph opens his mouth and I tense expecting the worst. “Don’t worry! Raph likes you too! Like, a lot.”

What?

That’s not what I thought was gonna happen. I meet Raph’s eyes and they are filled with nothing but warmth. I melt into the hand on my head, the relief mixing with elation and I feel like I just had a sugar crash.

“You do?” I had to make sure, make sure this wasn’t some pity move to make me feel better.

Raph nods, pulling me into a hug which I instantly melt into. “Raph promises. I like you too, Y/n. I have for a while.”

“Oh.” 

I feel Raph’s body vibrate with the chuckle that escapes him. He just holds me for a bit, keeping me next to him to prove that this wasn’t a dream and I wasn’t about to wake up. The events of the day slowly catch up to me, my body demanding sleep now that all the worry was drained out of my body.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” I ask, trying to gauge whether this was a conversation I need to wake myself up for or not.

“No, let's try in the morning. We’re both too tired to think. Do you want to sleep in the projector room, or mine?” Raph shifts me in his arms, standing up while carrying me. I was a bit embarrassed he felt the need to, but I would care more later. I’m still riding on a love high. Plus, Raph’s carrying me, I'm not complaining for the world.

“Uhhhhhhh, yours. I want to snuggle in your plushie pile.”

I watch Raph nod through half lidded eyes, snuggling into the turtles arms even more. I fell asleep before I reached the room, dreaming of all the things Raph and I were going to do together now that the feelings are officially mutual.

01.07.23

[anonenot]

It's kinda funny how all the racists try to blame Tobirama in their own racism.

Uchihas aren't another race, they just the same as Senju. They all have one ancestor, and Kaguya obviously wasn't thousands and thousands years ago for evolution split up Senju and Uchiha enough.

But it so easy to make Uchiha another to blame Tobirama. So easy to change their race so Tobirama's haters can be racist as hell. (Because changing the race of character is already racist enough, ask Hollywood)

But well, my dear Tobirama's haters, I have a really bad news for you. Your the most precious Madara is racist and sexist as hell... because if you make Uchiha another race, these words are totally unforgivable.

What? No one asked him or made him, he said it by his own will. Unless Uchiha just another clan as Senju, he is racist.

Oh, what you are saying?

What Madara was the victim of Senju? So did Tobirama, his little brother Itama was killed by five Uchiha (and one of them looks Tajima-like so...)

What, Tobirama did a lot racist comments? But he didn't.

First of all, please, take a dictionary and look in it. Yes, Tobirama kinda disrespectful and discriminatory but ISN'T racist. Uchiha aren't another race as blue-eyed or raven-haired aren't another race, and not any discrimination is racism.

Secondly, he didn't said anything too much. He commented on Sasuke? Well, you all would be so happy to see the bastard that make you kill your precious student some minutes ago and now talking that this Uchiha has a question for you. You'll be furious, won't you? And Tobirama just offended them.

Actually, Sasuke did ask about his opinion and "what do you mean evil" and Tobirama calmly answered. And he is a bit respectful for their power of love!

Some haters says that he started the discrimination. Well, if they learnt the history, they would know that police&army have so important role that sometimes it's them deciding the ruler of country and government.

Did you get it? Tobirama gave Uchiha the force to stop him. He gave them a power and put them above all the Konoha's clans. He literally gave them a chance to silence Madara-2 by themselves... Because Madara-2 would be fatal for the clan's reputation like Obito did. And now it's him who started the discrimination?! Maybe it were lazy bastard Hiruzen and radical trash Danzou that twisted Tobirama's ideals, weren't they?

But that about evil part? Yeah, Tobirama is quite harsh person...

Like really harsh.

He roasts Minato for technique's name.

And he calls Minato and Naruto idiots. Poor Minato is roasted to shame and excuses.

His brother isn't exception.

What? Is it gokage meeting? Nope, it's time to roast elder brother again.

Who are you? The shinobi's ancestor? Well, it won't save you from roasting because you gave so nice advice and sooo in time! You were so helpful!

I mean I'm so in love with his harsh manners but yeah, he really talks a lot of shit because he could and who'll stop him?

So, then we know that his manners shouldn't be trusted, that we'll see in his action?

Idea of peace (and of course he is roasting his father, yeah, typical japanese respect for parents)

His respects for Madara. Yeah, he is kinda respects him and take him as example to rule as much as brother... And Hashirama is best hokage for Tobirama.

Moreover, he is glad for Hashirama's and Madara's peace, even after Madara's attack on the most precious Konoha and all 4the Shinobi's War. He smiled!

And last but not the least he wanted to save Sasuke from the death. He easily agreed with idea Uchiha inherits Hashirama's idea of Hokage and gave another example of Uchiha.

I can see why he can be hated. Yeah, he talks a lot of shit in harsh manner. He kinda provoked Madara with his talks with Hashirama (but I have more questions to spying Madara). He created the Edo Tensei that takes sacrifices, so his mind is twisted. He is definitely hipocrite with his "i created and prohibited" and "make your reputation to another kage... SHUT FUCKING UP!"

And yeah, Tobirama is kinda prejudiced to Uchiha, it's hard to deny.

But it's not him the racist in but his haters that labeled him as one. (And stop hypocrisy. It's both of them are racists in your definition or no one of them)

[freckledhylian]

Why I think Riku’s heart is Sora’s light and called Sora, twice even;

So, I was writing a rant about something else and by doing so, I needed some clip from KH. I then saw this.

This is what Sora see when he reach out for Riku’s hand, when the island is falling, before getting the keyblade.

Feels familiar enough? This is what Sora saw in KH3, after seeing Riku’s death for the second time and calling his name, begging for him to answer;

Now, let’s put them side to side because it’s even better, especially for people who love denying anything that relate Sora and Riku.

Yup, literally almost the same, only difference is how bright the light is. Isn’t that odd that the only difference is the light being brighter and somewhat warmer? After all it’s not as if Riku got a character development, and in KH his heart was swallowed by darkness, right??

You got it; Riku’s not manipulated by darkness anymore and thus, his heart, light, is way brighter and warmer.Even more interesting in this point of view, and what I mean when Riku’s heart called Sora;

In KH, the light only appears in a flash. As if it was one last effort, a call made out of desperation. And what was passed to Sora during that desperate call?

Something that should’ve been Riku’s, but his heart knew he wouldn’t be able to have it in the state he was in. Something that Riku kept close to his heart ever since he met Terra, since he understood that it would help him become stronger to protect what matters.

And to who did that precious thing of his got passed in that desperate call? The person who matter the most.

In KH3 the light is already there when Sora still has his eyes closed, as if it was keeping an eye on him. And when Sora wakes up, the first thing he does when seeing the light, is calling for Riku. And not with question in his voice, as if he was unsure; he knows and is calling for Riku. Nomura literally gave us a parallel in addition of showing Riku’s sacrifice a second time, literally just before this scene.

The light seemed faint at first, as if it was somewhat unconscious or asleep.

And I’d like to insist on those terms because it’s only when Sora talked to it more than once, as if the person he was talking to wasn’t in a state to understand it well the first time, that the light became brighter; as if recognizing who was talking to him.

And by becoming brighter and showing him the way, is what I meant by Riku’s heart calling Sora. And where did Sora arrive? Where Riku’s heart was.

And the second time Sora is seen in that tunnel of light, Kairi is there, waiting for him. They both continue to follow the light who is now fully bright, as if now fully conscious. That’s where a lot of people get confused but in my opinion, Kairi wouldn’t be able to be there to guide Sora, and at the same time doing it as a light like she did in KH, that wouldn’t make sense.

And when they finally arrive, everyone is here meeting them, but, the only person fully opposing them, like the light they were following, is Riku.

I’ll end this rant by saying that ever since KH, Riku has been through a lot, learned a lot, and changed a lot. He now listen and follow his heart, something he wasn’t able to before.

His heart (and literally him) is the light we see in all this. Sora’s light. He went from unconsciously giving a desperate call to Sora, to being the light that would guide him. That’s how much Riku has evolved, he became what he promised to be; strong enough to protect his precious person.

Edit: spelling mistake and better wording

[shaelzero]

*seen the movie, half asleep now*

.. echm..

I think they have the movie title wrong..

..it should have been Dreams.

Like, you know, the ones we see taken from people by Magnifico.. and let me explain why I think this concept make more sense, for what info they had given to us.

Exhibit a, the realistic ‘wish’.

You don’t WISH to inspire people. You know you can do it, but you also know, for people to listen to you, you’ll need to put your mind, heart and effort in the task. And even then, there are some who wouldn’t care. But you have to, because it’s you drive, it’s what you want, it’s what will make you feel whole. Your DREAM.

You don’t WISH to be the better artist/dress maker/baker, you work on your craft to get better and get results. In time, with effort and sacrifice, that will be worth your while when you finally grasp your DREAM.

If you decide to give away the will to do these things by yourself (things you CAN actually archieve as a normal human being) because you come to know there COULD be a easier way (by magically means) that effortlessly grant you the final prize..

..is not a WISH, is opportunistic laziness.

And maybe, (just maybe) you don’t really deserve to have that DREAM, since is not that precious to you that you feel the need to protect and fight for it, but instead you so easily decide to put it in someone else’s hands, (quite literally) given the chance, making THEM do the work.

Those are the realistic dreams, but there is another category: the unobtainable fantasy’s .

Exhibit b: to fly, you don’t WISH to fly.

We know, people give the ‘wish’ at 18 years of age, meaning you have awareness of being a human, with no magic, or anatomy feats for that to ever become a reality ( not has we see in the bubble anyway), no matter the effort you can put in it. As an adult you still could DREAM of flying.

A kid could wish to fly, because they are not yet grounded in reality so they could believe it could really happen if they have faith and be good enough.

Maybe a fairy, or a mage could grant that wish.. (but then there’s a fly on the wall and suddenly wish they could be a cat to catch it but it’s approaching bed time so now the wish changes again, now they could be a dragon to avoid bedtime.. and so on..)

I totally understand the need to put a minimum age limit.. it would have been a fucking nightmare.

But, to get to the point I’m making here:

most kids, don’t have yet the concept of what is potentially possible obtaining through effort and what is physically unarchievable, so they could WISH for literally anything.

But ALL the ‘wish’ given to Magnifico are from ADULTS.

And if we listen well, the movie tell us that he doesn’t takes just ‘the wish’ but that he takes a metaphisycal part too, from the people heart and then make the people forget about it..

The BETTER part of them allegedly, leaving them ‘sad and boring’…

(well just the protagonist’s friend, because NONE of any other citizen of Rosas EVER seems different from a normal person. In the first fucking song we see a rather happy living population lazing around town, dancing for the newly arrived tourists.. but I’m digressranting ).

My point is: even if you forget A wish, as important as it may have been to you, by forgetting it you become a clean slate.. and, as STUPIDLY pointed out IN THE MOVIE, during the ‘cringy q&a to make a distraction’ a peasant ask something on the line of ‘What if I develop another wish? Or I change my wish?”

If he took only A wish, these would be possibly things that could happen, to living thinking human, in years.

But, if you switch to what I’m suggesting , it suddenly clicks: no one in the entire movie use the word or concept of dream/dreams.( non that I can recall.. or in a meaningful way, but I could be wrong..).

I think that’s because..

.. people FORGOT they exist.

Because they can’t DREAM anymore.

Because the best part of they’r heart, the part that allows to conceive and create new dreams, was given willingly away.

And as Disney love, especially in this movie, the self references and to pay homage :

“ A WISH is a DREAM your heart makes..”

..Sound familiar to anyone?..

*drop to sleep*

[ridhearts]

VAMP AU - basics iv.

Curious about the Scarabia Coven, I see! It’s hard to blame you - these vampires are known to be rather eye-catching and charming folk.

CW: blood, death, stalking/hunting, religious imagery, dark/obsessive/possessive characters. this au is not NSFW, but it does deal with darker content and sometimes discusses sensuality and sensual topics. reader discretion is advised.

Dorm-Specific CW: slight referenced dubcon (non-sexual I just don’t know how else to describe it alskdfjkd)

overview. ❧ heartslabyul. savanaclaw. octavinelle. {scarabia.} pomefiore. ignihyde. diasomnia.

The Scarabia coven stays mostly within the vampire realm, although they do have their fangs lodged in many different economies and companies in Twisted Wonderland. They have a generally apathetic view towards humans and prefer to adhere to the traditions and customs of vampires. Those in the Scarabia coven who are in the human realm are usually plants and proxies to oversee trade that the coven is part of. These vampires are very good at charming humans and even other vampires, usually with their words. They tend to stay in the shadows and only show themselves if necessary. 

Because of their preference for the vampire realm, this coven is comprised mostly of true vampires. This also means that positions of power rarely are vacated (as those holding them cannot die), so there are many instances of inter-coven violence as a means to obtain this power. Vampires within the coven often hide the fact that they are in Scarabia to avoid revealing their true nature, but it is a point of personal pride. Most of these vampires have “biological” families that are very close. Unless an entire bloodline is destroyed, most belongings of one vampire will be passed down and shared among their family. 

Scarabia vampires don’t have a strong preference for how they obtain their blood, so long as it isn’t messy. Usually when feeding from a human, the human isn’t turned and rarely makes it out alive.

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Kalim Al-Asim - Immortal Bounty

Kalim is a special case within the Scarabia coven - he loves humans! He's even got Cater beat with how much he adores them, and he frequently sneaks to the human realm just to be around them.

The way Kalim dotes on humans is almost condescending, even if he doesn't mean it. They're just sooooo precious! When he thinks about how short their lives are, he wants to cry! They've got such cute trends and cute little teeth and they're not very strong even against fledglings and-

With his happy-go-lucky attitude, people often mistake Kalim for being unaware of the tensions between vampires and humans or deem him unfit to take over the coven should his father die. Most vampires think he doesn't even know how to charm others! But Kalim's easy-going attitude helps him easily disarm those around him - in fact, it’s his most formidable weapon.

(And also Jamil, who is now standing right behind you ^u^)

But seriously, you won't know how much he's figured out about you (or how much you've told him) until he's using it against you. He doesn't WANT to do that, though! He much prefers to use this information to give you a caring gift :3

Kalim desperately wants the troubles between vampires and humans to end. He doesn't want turned vampires to be seen as lesser, and he thinks humans would gladly offer themselves as sustainable food to their friends if vampires would STOP KILLING THEM. He's got no filter about his opinions, too, which places more targets on his back. He just values life and harmony, okay!!

Hey, this is just an idea, but…wouldn't it help his cause if he brought a human mate back to his realm?!?! Don't get lost in thought for too long, or you might find Kalim's gotten ahead of himself again and already has his fangs in your neck, his venom making your thoughts blur and your body go numb…

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Jamil Viper - Eternal Sacrifice

Jamil was (involuntarily) turned by Kalim a long time ago. When Jamil's first concern was his family (expressed in between bouts of the horrible pain in his mouth and a terrifying bloodlust), Kalim took that as a go-ahead to turn Jamil's family, too. This…wasn't appreciated, not at the time, but it sure made accepting his new fate easier. Jamil insists he's over it, but is still holding on to a piece of resentment that he was unwillingly and randomly turned just because a vampire was lonely. He's working on it. Kind of.

Vampiric tradition is a bit haughty in that it assumes a turned human will be grateful to be given eternal life. Because of this (and also because they are turned vampires and not true vampires, although this was never stated), Jamil and his family have been serving Kalim's "biological" family ever since they've been turned. His parents don't mind, as they genuinely are grateful for the gift of eternal life and the Asim's treat them well, but Jamil hates it. He never wanted to live forever, he never wanted an eternity of servitude, he never asked for any of this. Even though he's made peace with a large chunk of his troubles, Jamil still holds on to his resentment towards Kalim.

Jamil has no real opinions on the human realm, as any affinity towards it has gone away with the swift tides of the decades. Always the escort to Kalim, Jamil finds himself chasing after Kalim when he escapes to explore a new part of Twisted Wonderland. He enjoys how he's able to do whatever he wants in the human realm as long as Kalim's taken care of, and he's easily convinced to stay a little longer for a few times while he "relaxes" as much as he can.

Even though he's only a turned vampire, Jamil has a natural talent for magic. He's mastered everything that's been taught to him. He's great at charming people and doesn't even need to use hypnotic spells. His venom is super potent, but he could physically bring down a target with ease. Nobody cares too much about him upstanding Kalim like they do in canon, but he does still have to hide his abilities in order to not upset the egos of the true vampires within the coven.

Jamil is more human than he believes himself to be. He doesn't like killing humans he feeds off if and normally sends them away without anyone noticing. He misses the close bonds humans have and how everything seems more special when you know it's going to end. Strangely enough, he also misses sunbathing, or at least being able to. Sometimes, when he's alone and full off of a fresh feeding, he wills his heart to pump and let's himself pretend, for a moment, that he's human once more.

So, if ever he finds someone who makes his heart feel like its still beating, who makes him feel warm when he is so, so cold, and who can be irrefutably his for all time? Don't be surprised if he seems a little desperate to reclaim a piece of what he's already lost.