#in fact she's determined to save the world FOR her future family

[trendywaifus]

old draft. angsty asf.

could she have saved you from drowning in your own darkness? cw: angst, little comfort, mention of death, death, cursing, blood

there are times i think about that fateful day

i threw your love away ( every time I see that look upon your face

the same one that you made )

“ why? “ is all HIMEKO could ask in a shaky voice, gleaming golden eyes narrowing into a distressed gaze as you stood opposite from her with one of the infamous stellaron hunters, blade, and not by the astral express’s, your family—her side where you belong. the prized look of shock and hurt marinates in her features will forever be engraved in your memory like a unforgettable tragedy. blade briefly spares you a look similar to pity as he quietly notice you anxiously fiddling with the prized jewelry on your ring finger behind your back. it’s a habit you do whenever you feel jittery. it provides you minimal comfort. but in this situation, it breeds a feeling of disgust for selfishly betraying her trust to lull the anxiety and woes manifested in your heart and elio is to blame for it. he was the one who sent you an unknown letter, warning you of a strong possibility of himeko sacrificing herself for the safety of the astral express in the future.

he even offered you to join the stellaron hunters to assure that possibility doesn’t align with reality. it weighed on your mind for weeks, unable to sleep properly despite himeko’s warm arms wrapped around your body. you became gradually anxious and more reserved. this behavior did not go unnoticed by your companions and especially himeko herself. you dismiss their concerns with a pretend smile and a poor excuse of 'feeling under the clouds.' even with himeko's comfort and tender kisses, it didn't sate the anxiety in your heart, in fact, it nearly broke you due to the guilt. it wasn’t like you could talk to her about it because, how can you possibly bring something like that up to her? it doesn’t help that she vocally distrusts the stellaron hunters and finds their beliefs superstitious. perhaps you’re the one to blame for reading an unknown letter that was suspiciously meant for you, allowing a wanted manic, who claims to see the future, get under your skin, and emotionally manipulate you into becoming a destiny slave.

you swallow the large hump lodged in your throat. your trembling lips part to speak and you refuse to look her in the eyes as you did. “ i-i don’t want a future where you’re not in it. i want to secure everyone’s future and yours, even if it means i can’t be by your side to do it. “

was it really emotional manipulation or were you just emotionally weak?

when your fragile world was crashing down around you

you realized your place

you can feel the immense pain and rain drops cascading down on you.

you can barely breath.

you can barely move your limbs as they feel heavy like they’re underwater.

you can only peer at the dark, grey skies above you with blurred, teary vision.

all you can hear is the downpour.

oh that’s right, you’re dying. you’re reaching the final finale of your script.

it feels like something other than physical pain is clawing at your heart, sharp nails sinking it’s pointed ends into weakened muscles and crumbling walls. you were prepared for your fated end from the very beginning, but, you were not prepared for how painful the realization was going to be. your dim eyes flutter close as you muster all your remaining strength to calm the suffocating feeling in your chest. you let out uneven, quick breaths; thoughts race through your head like they’re rushing to a finishing line. when you have a chance to make a choice, make one that you know you won’t regret. was the only coherent thought that you can associate a voice to—a voice you cherish deeply and always will.

“ i. .won’t pass. . .just yet, i want. .to see. .” not yet. a twinge of determination, akin to a small, wispy flame sparks within you. not at this moment. you don’t want to die alone. that was the only thing you ever wished for.

breathe in.

breath out.

breathe in.

breathe out.

you try to take in small gulps of oxygen to maintain your unstable breathing, a pathetic method to slow down your inevitable end. a stray tear rolls down the side of your face as the numbness slowly overcomes you. what you don’t hear is heels clicking against the shattered asphalt as they approach your body. the rain that once poured down on your face, abruptly stops. a small thumping noise softly hits your ears. your tired eyes peel open to see the woman you yearn for the most standing over you with an umbrella over you and her.

due to your blurry vision, you can’t see her face clearly until she crouches. her still painted lips twisted into a subtle frown, and the first time in years, a solemn expression is present on her face. “ y. .ou. . .ame. . “ you cough out weakly and KAFKA hums softly with acknowledgment, understanding your weak, croaky voice. her brows relax and lifts, a practiced yet genuine smile that’s meant to comfort you, replaces the frown. there’s a softness to her gaze, a hint of sadness bleeds through her contact lenses as she stares down at you. her voice is low and tender as she whispers to you, “. .don’t talk, focus on controlling your breathing as long as you can. i’m here and i’ll continue be here with you until you’re not. “ here with me anymore goes unspoken. with her free hand, she gingerly brush away strands of hair that stuck to your damp forehead.

“ you’re not alone, “ kafka says, voice filled with assurance, she rubs your brow with her thumb. “ i won’t let you be, darling. “ she briefly stops when she takes a glimpse of the small, happy smile pulling at the ends of your blood stained lips. a firm tug pulls on a heart string, her breath hitches. there’s an unsettling feeling that’s rising from the pits of her belly. kafka can’t decipher it; its a new feeling that she’s never experienced before and already doesn’t like. tender memories of you, your smile, your radiance, laughter, touch—everything flashes through her mind. her heart skips a beat and races. for once, it’s not from anticipation, excitement, nor pleasure. was this fear? did you really have to be on the brink of death for her wish to be granted? is this how cruel destiny can really be to its victims? she never really consider herself a victim and didn’t care as much until this moment. the realization sinks in and her expression almost falters in front of you. ‘can’t have you see her sorrowful face before you leave this world. she wants you to have no regrets when you go.

“ . .ank you. .f. .or. . .very. .th. .ing. ove. .you. .”

the light in your eyes completely vanishes and your chest relaxes permanently. kafka eyes the peaceful look on your face for a moment. her gloved palm then caress your wet cheek and shifts down to your neck. she press two fingers to your pulse point, a place that’s one of her favorite spots to kiss on. nothing. not a gentle, single beat thumping against the pads of her gloved digits. her expression falls blank.

kafka gained the emotion of fear but lost the ability to love. it was like losing her yang, making her more vulnerable than she ever was before. after minutes of your passing, she still stays and lingers; the aftertaste of regret bitter on her tongue.

“ mhm. .i loved you too. “ she confesses under the gloomy, dreary skies, delicately closing your unmoving eyelids with her palm.

( and the darkness that you try so hard to subdue

It causes you to change ) but baby, baby, please don't leave me

ACHERON’s arms wrap tightly around your body, pulling your body into hers. she presses her face against your neck, breathing you in like a breath of fresh air. she can feel your warmth through the exposed skin of her body. it felt unreal to have you in her arms like this. “ you’re here. .” she mutters in relief, her palms pressing against the small of your back. you let out a soft chuckle, combing your fingers through her purple locks. the sun shines its radiance under you and her, its warmth kissing at your skins. “ why wouldn’t i be, mei? “ your sultry voice is full of affection which she so deeply misses.

her lips purse into a thin line at your question, she removes her face away from your neck to look at you with troubled eyes. she doesn’t want to reply to that, she doesn’t want things to turn into the same repeated nightmare whenever she answers your question. acheron shakes her head and smiles sadly at you. “ you’re right. don’t mind me. “ you tilt your head, reaching out to cup her cheek. she leans into it, letting you caress her pale skin. “ but you look sad. you can talk to me, mei. you know that, right? “ she nods, leaning forward to rest her forehead against yours. acheron gives your waist a tender squeeze, “ that’s true. but, you being here with me right now is enough. “

she kisses you, a sliver of shame crawls up her skin. the only time she ever gets to hold you and kiss you like this is in her dreams. you’re a precious part of her past that she refuses to forget. she find solace in the memories of you, even in vivid dreams. she applies pressure to your soft lips, wishing to engrave the feeling of them into her broken memory. acheron knows eventually that she’s going to forget and it’ll be out of her control. abruptly pulling away, she places hasty kisses to the corner of your lips, jaw, and down to your neck. “ little fast, are we? “ you tease, tilting your neck to grant her more access. she stops her barrage of kisses after a few moments and buries her nose into your shoulder blade. “ forgive me, i’m feeling a little impatient right now. “

she feel your fingers drum against her back. you giggle softly, pressing a chaste kiss to the side of her head. acheron nuzzles further into you, reveling in your comforting presence. “ so warm. . “ she sighs with utter contentment. a gentle silence settle over your heads. she wishes to live in this dream forever, even if she knows it is not real. a choked cough make her ears perk up. she feels your chest stutter and a warm liquid staining her palms. the feeling of dread fills her once light chest and she rips away from your shoulder blade. her eyes widen in terror, thin trails of blood spill out from the corner of your mouth, the horrified look on your face petrifies acheron to the bone. just like that, the scenery suddenly changes; crumbling buildings, broken weapons, and torii gates now surrounds you and her. your body gives out and you become limp against acheron. your bright, red blood stains her white kimono.

she falls to her knees with you in her arms. “ n-no, th-this is-isn’t how it supposed to. .” acheron shakes her head in astonishment, looking down at you with fearful eyes as you start to physically fade away in her arms. all you could do was smile to comfort the woman cradling you in her embrace. “ i-it’s going to be okay,” your shaking hand reaches up to wipe a tear rolling down her cheek. “ even if. .i don’t have a place in your memories. .i’ll be lingering in the depths of your heart instead. “

just like that, you completely disappear in her arms, leaving behind nothing. acheron stares down at her bloody hands with helpless eyes. her chin lifts, looking up at the spherical black hole sitting in the middle of the sky. she hopelessly watch as the hungry deity swallows everything she used to love and protect.

when acheron finally wakes up from her slumber, she doesn’t remember why she feels sorrow.

I know I made a big mistake, don't turn my sunshine to shade

at the sound of several rounds of gunshots firing into the front line, you instinctively tackled robin down to the gravel pavement, attempting to shield her from the incoming bullets with your body. ipc medical supplies strewn about on the ground as frantic shouting and the smell of gunpowder fuels the violent atmosphere. the halovian woman’s head spins from the hard impact and her ears ring. all she could feel is your arms circled protectively around her frame and the firm weight of your body over hers. your voice is a blur but she can make out small apologies and words of reassurance through labored breathing. it takes a moment before she becomes fully conscious again and realize what happened. “ (n-name), thank you for protecting me. a-are you alright? “ robin ask breathily, worry heavily weighing in her voice. her hands clutch onto your sides and they hold on tighter when she doesn’t get a response from you.

robin can feel your body slowly relax against her. a wet cough erupts from your chest and she panics. “ no, no, no, “ with little trouble, she maneuvers your weakened body next to her on the pavement. frantic green eyes instantly land on a gunshot wound on the side of your neck, she gasps in absolute horror. her lungs struggle to take in air due to the panic and shock rushing into her like a tidal wave. an allied soldier rushes to you and robin’s side. “ w-we need a combat medic! one of our aids has been shot in the frontlines! “ he easily scoops up your dying body and urges robin to follow him to a nearby safe point.

swallowing thickly, robin nods tentatively, her gaze fixated on you the entire time. your eyes are barely open, your chest is rising up and down in an uneven pace. aeons, there’s so much blood pooling out from your wound, she’s scared you’re going to bleed out before they even get to somewhere safe. robin desperately wish for a miracle.

why couldn’t she be the one to take your place? to take your pain?

[morganbritton132]

Idk if you’ve mentioned it before but what is everyone in the Party’s jobs?? We already know Erica is a kickass politician and Lucas is the family embarrassment doctor but what does everyone else do besides bug Steve lol?

Also is Dustin still with Susie or did that ship sail away in the EMTTS?? <333

So, fun fact about me: I am not a big fan of future AUs. I don’t particularly like reading them and I’ve never written one prior to the Tiktok Saga. I think the problem I have with them is that it’s really hard to determine where a character should be thirty-odd years down the road. How or why a one-off post about Eddie being bad with technology turned into all this, I do not know.

I don’t have everybody’s job picked out because I don’t really think about it until it’s relevant to the story, but luckily, I do spend way too much time thinking about this AU so I have few that haven’t been mentioned.

The ones that have been mentioned: Steve is a teacher, Eddie’s a musician, Nancy’s a journalist, Jonathan’s a photographer, Lucas is a doctor, and Erica is a senator.

I think Argyle owns a very successful marijuana dispensary in California where him and Jonathan live and it gives him the freedom to travel with Jonathan when he goes out of town for business. Argyle just has the vibe that should not be working a nine-to-five. Also, I think that Argyle as an old man stoner with long completely gray hair is just so cool.

Robin is also a teacher, but she teaches at a university in the linguistics department. She spoke four languages when she joined the party, she now speaks nine. She’s written a book. She has a kickass rating on Rate My Professor. She’s likely the front runner to take over the department once the current dean retires next year.

I really like the idea of Max becoming a physical therapist. She had a long road to recovery after Venca and spent over a year in physical therapy just learning how to walk again. She knows what it’s like. She knows when and how hard to push her patients, and she’s good at the job. This also makes Max a doctor so Erica includes Max when she says that Lucas is the worst Sinclair.

I’m less defined on what kind of careers that Will, Mike, and El have. I just haven’t found a job that I’m like, yes, that makes perfect sense for that character. I do think that Will has a career where he can be creative and that he’s successful, I just haven’t narrowed it down to what exactly he does.

Mike and El, on the other hand, I have no idea. I mentioned before that Mike had a band that opened up for Eddie on CC’s first national tour and I imagine that he did one summer or during his gap year before college (if he went to college). El, I like to think, travels a lot and has got to see the world and be free of the responsibility of saving the world. But those two, I think, are tough to pin down to a specific career.

Now, for Dustin.

Dustin has had a very successful career as a researcher and his career has taken him all over the world. Now what exactly does he research? That’s up to you. This man is a scientist and that’s all Steve and Eddie can tell you about Dustin’s job because it’s just over of their heads. He loves it and that’s all they need to know.

Dustin and Suzie are currently not together. They have dated off and on since they’ve known each other and have always split on good terms. It has just always been the wrong time for them because when they’re together, they’re great. They hit it off and decide to start dating again, and then they just get busy. They’re both top of their field and work crazy long hours all over the world, and the cost of that is their relationship.

I think they both kinda know that one day, they’ll meet up at the right time, but for now, they’re good friends and they date other people. Steve thinks that they’re soulmates and he’ll randomly give Dustin an update that Suzie is single again. Dustin is always like, “How do you know that?”

“We’re friends on Facebook.”

[gothhabiba]

As noted in post-colonial and gender studies, there has long been a pattern of homogenizing and victimizing discourses, particularly in international agencies and NGO’s, that highlight the need of Western nations to intervene on behalf of “third-world women” and “save” them (Spivak 1988; Wood 2001). Robinson-Pant [notes] that it is common for women’s literacy programs, in particular, to become the gateway for other development interventions such as family planning or child nutrition. Collins and Blot note that literacy projects are not power neutral and argue that,

the interconnectedness of literacy, power and identity formation are unavoidable in thinking about relationships between colonizers and colonized. Colonized discourses often emphasize the “inherent” goodness of bringing education, enlightenment and civilization to formerly savage peoples – literacy becomes a legitimizing narrative for other colonial projects (2003:21)

Such positions were evident in U.S. government discourses about literacy and development during the time the Passerelle program was being developed [in Morocco]. This can be seen for example, in a speech made in 2006 by Dr. Paula Dobriansky, the former U.S. Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, in which she advocated for better education for adult women in developing contexts. In her speech, Dobriansky argued that women and girls should be viewed as “untapped resources” and “vital sources of human capital” for future economic and social growth (Dobriansky 2006).

Thus, in addition to gender, of central importance to understanding the power structures and ideologies underpinning USAID’s Passerelle methodology[] is a consideration of how discourses about literacy often link it up to notions of social and economic development. Collins and Blot (2003) identify these discourses as forming the “Literacy Thesis” [...]. They explain that,

the central claims of the [literacy] thesis are that writing is a technology that transforms human thinking, relations to language, and representations of tradition, a technology that also enables a coordination of social action in unprecedented precision and scale, thus enabling the development of unique social and institutional complexity (Collins and Blot 2003:17)

Numerous critiques of the literacy thesis [...] have since questioned whether literacy can in fact be viewed as a universal, unitary skill that is determinate of social realities or if it is rather embedded in and shaped by the particular, historically contingent cultural contexts in which multiple literacies can occur. [...] Despite [...] challenges to the literacy thesis, its pervasiveness in academic literature, development agendas and the pedagogy of local literacy programs in Morocco is striking.

Given the 2004 Free Trade agreement between the U.S. and Morocco, the emphasis on relationships between literacy and economic forces by U.S. officials, such as [...] Dobriansky, is not unexpected. Prendergast (2003) for example, has argued that since literacy is usually acquired in relation to institutions, it is necessary to consider what other functions these institutions serve. A significant portion of American financial and pedagogical support for adult literacy education in Morocco is funneled through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), as illustrated by the Passerelle program. Among USAID’s “strategic objectives and goals” in 2006, was the goal of “Democracy and Economic Freedom in the Muslim World,” a plan, which “[confronts] the intersection of traditional and transnational challenges… [combining]… diplomatic skills and development assistance to act boldly to foster a more democratic and prosperous world integrated into the global economy.” Thus, any literacy promotion by USAID in Morocco should be considered in light of its broader mission statements and how increased literacy in Morocco is being imagined to align advantageously with them. USAID’s role and interest in promoting literacy in Morocco, can also viewed as a form of literacy sponsorship (Brandt 2001). Brandt explains that sponsors of literacy should be understood as “any agents, local or distant, concrete or abstract, who enable, support, teach, and model, as well as recruit, regulate, suppress, or withhold, literacy – and gain advantage by it in some way” (19). [...] Furthermore, Brant notes that, “in whatever form, sponsors deliver the ideological freight that must be borne for access to what they have” (20). In addition to transmitting ideological freight, perhaps indirectly, regarding language varieties and scripts, USAID also explicitly imposes ideological frameworks regarding notions of gender roles and human rights through the inclusion of Moudawana [Moroccan Family Legal Code] content in the Passerelle classroom.

— Jennifer Lee Hall, Debating Darija: Language Ideology and the Written Representation of Moroccan Arabic in Morocco (PhD dissertation), 2015, pp. 76-9.

[happynowyo]

The triad, part 1

Fandom: House of the Dragon

Pairing: Aemond x Fem!reader, Aegon x Fem!Reader (possible)

Summary: You are Aegon's twin but, despite the fact that you're five minutes older, he's still a main heir. Your ability to have visions is much stronger than Helaena's and that gives you a chance to actually see what happens with Targaryens in the future. That's why you decide to take everything in your hands so you can survive and succeed, especially with some help from your brothers.

Word count: 1,6k

Part 2

Boys will always be boys. Your mother repeated the phrase so often, using it as a simple explanation for all Aegon's and Aemond's behavior, that you remembered it like a mantra. Like a commandment that cannot be broken or challenged. What seemed like a mere excuse for a child began to make sense as you grew older. You float somewhere between worlds all the time, lost in the boundaries of dreams and reality, but still manage to notice the important things around.

People say that everyone's personality traits form in childhood and are also determined by the upbringing and the environment you grew up in. Hardly any of of you had even the slightest chance of becoming someone normal. Usual. You know that this is what Aegon asks of the seven gods on those nights when even alchohol doesn't save him from the bitter realization of his plight. Things would have been so much simpler if all of you had been born into the family of some merchant. But you were destined for something else - something far greater.

Viserys often mentions his dreams. He wants to believe that he has some kind of power that will give him support and way to believe in what is right and what is wrong. Helaena doubts that your father is really capable of seeing anything, but she doesn't question that both of you really have some power to make prophecies. Sometimes the words come to her on their own. They roll around on the tip of her tongue, waiting to slip out at the most inappropriate moment and become the property of a public that will never be able to recognize anything meaningful in them.

But it's quite different with you. More often your visions have a picture and a sound, they are like dreams - so real that you cannot always tell whether you are observing the past or the future or just dreaming something that is never destined to come true. The line is so thin that every time you wake up, you feel a ghostly frustration mixed with hope. Like a flock of goosebumps along your spine, settling in your chest with an unpleasant heavy lump. Sometimes you see things that make you want to clamp your mouth shut to keep you from screaming in genuine horror.

Someone else's memories appear in front of you like an open book, and someone else's sorrows and joys are experienced so acutely and vividly that you feel every death and every birth as your own. On rare nights you actually scream. You crumple the sheets with your thin, icy fingers and scream, staring into the pitch black of the canopy. When your emotions begin to run high, creating a kind of vacuum that squeezes your in space, seeking to crush you completely, you know you must wake up. Your body gives you the command, reminding you that you have a power over this cursed gift.

But trying to get out of the nightmare is like trying to swim out of a swamp. The sticky, murky mire pulls you deeper with every effort. And then you raise your voice some more in a presumptuous attempt to reach out to someone. To get help. To not be alone. To not be caught in the snare of fear for good. Your cry goes through the stone walls of the castle so freely, as if a flimsy piece of wood were a barrier - and Aemond hears your first, since your rooms are the only ones in this wing. He always comes, justifying himself that there is a real reason.

Aemond is attentive to everything and remembers every detail with the pedantry of a bloodhound - Otto jokes that in the future he will have a seat in the Little Council. He responds to his grandfather's offer with the arrogance inherent as every true Targaryen, demanding in advance a position for himself that has not even been offered to him yet. Aemond could compile an impressive dossier on everyone in this castle, but the folder with his oldest sister's name would still be the most voluminous.

He knows every detail about you better than anyone else. You like everything to be on certain places in your room. You like watching the sunset near your dragon. You like being the only one who can say a word and make Aegon listen, at least for a while. Amond thinks there is a certain form of control that you adore, but when he tries to talk to you about it, you only shrugs with words about how everything in life is tied up with control. Somewhere you get it, somewhere you give it away. There's only a few of years difference between you two, but Aemond looks at his sister with pure awe, utterly fascinated by you to the core and so lets any words about your madness pass him by.

When he comes to you at night to cautiously lie down beside you and take your hand unbeknownst to him, muttering aloud who he is and where you are to calm you down, he does not think at all that your mind is at the mercy of some disease, as your mother thinks. He likes to be near you, to see the real you - without that fake, empty smile, that always sticks to your lips as soon as you leave your chamber. He appreciates every moment spent together immensely.

He also likes to listen. To catch the shimmering intonations in your voice as he asks about your dreams. As a child, he marveled at how much you and Helaena can make things up, but later he accepted that some of your visions do have a connection to reality, as Viserys keeps saying. Sometimes, when the weather changes make his scars especially aching and sensitive, Aemond thinks about how he should have listened to you sooner. Maybe then he wouldn't have lost his eye so stupidly.

When he shares his regrets with Heleina, all he gets in return is a soft smile and a light kiss very close to the edge of the lumpy scar. You add to this some wise words to comfort him a bit. "Some things are irreversible. No matter how you run from them, they still happen. You got the dragon, isn't that enough? Other times you wouldn't have had even that." Aemond wants to ask a host of new questions, about the other times, for example, but his skills of observation are enough to catch the mute warning in your eyes.

He twitches the corners of his lips in agreement and doesn't argue, only holds out his hand, waiting for you to touch him first. Alicent sometimes reproaches him for being cold and distant, but it is always different with you, so every tactile contact becomes especially important and can replace hours of heated discussion. Aemond appreciates the boundaries you sets for him - they are much closer than the ones you has for everyone else. It makes him feel truly special.

A warm feeling dances somewhere beneath his ribs, causing him to instinctively smile proudly every time he notices you flinch and seek to escape the unexpected touch of his mother or Aegon. There is never any such thing with him. You doesn't question it but you recognize as well that the bond with him is far stronger than with the others at court. Aegon is your twin, for example, but most of the time both of you can barely be in one room without starting a fight within a few minutes.

Your visions make it difficult for you to keep your boundaries and trace back to when your story with Aemond began. Did you grow attached to him since childhood and fall in love more after he lost an eye in that fight? Or did you have feelings for that grown-up Aemond you'd seen in your dreams since you were twelve so you absorbed his affection and warmth, and then all you had to do was to wait for him to grow into who he was meant to be with your help?

You take this course of events as a natural progression. The attachment grows stronger day by day, and you are increasingly drawn to the fact that Aemond himself reaches out to you and stays close to you even when he has already learned to wear his armor as second skin When he keeps his distance from everyone around him, he becomes increasingly cold and withdrawn. You think that the black hole of the castle consumes him as well, but rejoice when you see that your brother is still capable of affectionate smiles and sincere interest.

It is enough for you to see what Aegon is turning into. You were never close, not even as children. He always preferred to hang around mother or find company among the children of the other lords at court. Aegon liked other people's attention, he was quite easygoing, but even as a child he felt something special about you. He had once said that you had grown-up eyes. Alicent brushed it off with a chuckle, but Aegon remembered and still holds that opinion. Your eyes are empty. Dead. As if you are always somewhere else, remaining around only as a physical shell.

Aegon sees your emptiness even now, when your mother solemnly announces the date of your imminent engagement in the middle of breakfast. He doesn't like it at all. He knows the Targaryens' long tradition of marrying their own sisters, but he is disgusted by the very thought of it. He doesn't see you as a normal girl, so he feels sorry for himself in advance in this planned marriage and goes so deep into these thoughts that he doesn't feel Aemond's sharp, piercing gaze, full of envy that only he alone can understand. Nor does he miss you leaning toward his ear, interjecting your into your mother's idle dreams of a lavish wedding.

— I will love you if you try to do the same for me.

Your whisper pulls Aegon back to reality and acts like ice water, so he blinks twice because he finally sees you. Looking straight at him, not through, as usual. Burning with such determination, as if the fate of all humanity depended on it. Or at least the fate of some Targaryens.

Part 2

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

in your and Vinelle "And then there were none" fic, and just your (both of yours) fics in general, Edward really tries to figure out a way for Jacob staying around and being with Renesmee.

is it just so he can go throw Renesmee in Jacob's direction any time he thinks she's a bother and "distracting" Bella from him? and because Bella wants Jacob around and he wants Bella happy?

or is there some other reason I'm missing?

Ah Edward, you complicated deranged mess of a man. It's been a while since we've psychoanalyzed this chap, I'm ready for it.

Let's dive in.

Edward and Jacob

The thing about Edward and Jacob's relationship is that Edward finds himself unwillingly fond of Jacob. Jacob's a rival, yes, but Edward comes to view him as the only worthy rival as he's a protector of Bella who is determined not to see her as a vampire and has actually earned Bella's affection and interest.

It goes beyond that, though, as Edward sees Jacob as the man who should have won the fight. In a rational universe, to Edward, Bella should have chosen Jacob and remained human and had a family with him. Edward would have been heartbroken but it was the better future for her and the one Jacob deserved after the fight he had put up.

Essentially, Edward by Eclipse feels as if he's gone through a long and bitter struggle and now finds himself not simply impressed by Jacob's perseverance but genuinely moved by the romance of his story as the second love interest who ultimately does not win but should. And the fact that Edward does end up the clear victor makes it easy for him to look on Jacob no longer as an enemy but someone he would have liked to be his friend in better circumstances. Jacob's no longer a threat but instead what Edward could have been had the fates been less kind to him and not granted him Bella.

Basically, by the end of Eclipse when Edward's won the fight, he gets to marry Bella, he really really likes Jacob. Then we get to Breaking Dawn where Edward feels as if his family has gone mad and turned against him as they actively petition for Bella's death (in Edward's mind). Rosalie's actively guarding Bella to prevent his saving her life and Carlisle refuses to do anything because of Esme. Jacob is the only voice of sanity in the house with Edward who is on board to abort Bella as soon as they can.

They find themselves unwilling allies once again and Edward remembers this (though Edward forgets about the part where he changed his mind and Jacob different but lets move on).

What I'm getting at though is that Edward wants Jacob to have a happy ending. He wants the best for him, in a world where he can't have his true love Bella, and he's genuinely upset that Jacob can't have that future/his and Edward's interests are mutually exclusive (they can't both have Bella nyuk nyuk nyuk).

Now, hold that thought for a moment...

Edward and Bella

Throughout Eclipse Edward realizes that he's done fucked up. He left a gap in Bella's life, emotionally devestated her, and she did exactly what he wanted her to: she moved on emotionally to Jacob Black. Edward tries in vain to separate the two throughout the novel without looking like a madman (then gives up and looks like a madman for all Bella doesn't notice or care). By the end, he's forced to conclude that while Bella does choose him, she loves Jacob as well and that, as I noted above, Bella should be choosing Jacob Black over Edward, retaining her humanity, and living a wonderful life with him.

Edward fundamentally believes that he should lose this fight but is too selfish to do so.

Then we cut forward to Breaking Dawn where Bella is dying and the only thing that makes her happy two weeks in is Jacob being brought in. It doesn't matter that Jacob's angry and terrified, she lights up at seeing him, and it's all the confirmation Edward needs that Bella needs Jacob in her life. Jacob's the one who can make her emotionally happy in ways Edward simply can't, he's what gives her the strength to survive a little longer during that time when Edward couldn't.

He can't cut Jacob out of Bella's life no matter how hard he's tried. And, per the above section, he no longer really wants to.

Which leaves us, in a world without imprint, Edward watching a tragedy as Bella and Jacob will become natural enemies, Jacob will lose the love of his life, and it will all be because Edward's a monster and can't let go and has destroyed the woman he loves in his own detestable selfishness.

And Then the Imprint Happens

Then it all makes sense.

Jacob's true love was never Bella, it was because she would become the progenitor of his true love, Renesmee, whom he imprints on. All that suffering, all that pain, was simply so that Jacob would be in the right place at the right time to meet his true love.

And Edward is not his romantic rival, but instead his future father-in-law, and Edward gets to have this wonderful, brave, son who he would have been happy to have Bella run off with except now this man is the perfect man who can protect and cherish his only miracle daughter.

This isn't Jacob getting a consolation prize: it's him being rewarded, perhaps by God, for his endurance, his pain, and everything he had been through until this moment.

To Edward, Jacob imprinting is one of several signs that they live in a just universe.

His daughter, for her own part, will have her own personal protector who will put her above all other things. She will have the world's most devoted playmate, brother, friend, and some day lover. She will have a bond few will ever know and a human in her life who can remain with her forever (as Jacob if he doesn't stop shifting will cease to age).

Bella, of course, gets to keep her emotional support, her best friend, and it now makes sense to Edward that she and Jacob had this unbreakable bond as, again, Bella was the progenitor of Renesmee and likely their friendship was an echo of what would exist with her daughter.

The imprint not only provides a means for Bella to be happy and not have to let one more thing from her human life go but is just the perfect solution for their perfect family in this perfect universe Edward now lives in post Breaking Dawn.

That Renesmee herself is a person, not simply a bonus chia pet he got as a result of this post-Bella-turning happy ending, is something Edward fundamentally doesn't understand. Nor does he understand the issue with imprinting and grooming, and like Bella considers the very idea that Renesmee wouldn't want to marry her soulmate bizarre and even ghastly.

You want her to end up with some--some guy?! A MIKE NEWTON?! (perish the thought).

That it works out wonderfully for Edward in Bella in that they don't have to be parents, they can just shove Renesmee at Jacob and rest assured he'll take the best possible care of her, is something that's barely an afterthought for Edward. I'm not sure he even realizes he's doing it in Breaking Dawn (Bella certainly doesn't and she barely sees that kid). Edward genuinely thinks he's the world's best father (and not just the world's best seventeen-year-old father).

So, Why Does He Resist When it Goes South?

The thing about the imprint is it looks bad (because it is bad) and that if the family starts doubting it then they'll start doubting Bella and Edward for supporting it, especially Edward, who in their eyes should have been able to see that this was not platonic and Jacob had been intending to groom Renesmee from the minute she was born.

This means that getting caught out wouldn't simply lead to Jacob having to leave (and Edward would turn on him quickly in such a case) but losing the love of his family entirely and the coven breaking apart. Esme and Carlisle would no longer love him, Rosalie would look at him the way she did the men who destroyed her, the family would see him as a monster.

The possibility of this sends Edward into a spiral in which he must retain the status quo at all costs or else, if that's not possible, preserve his image in the eyes of the family.

Often, at least when we approach it, Edward sees it as an issue that has a simple, obvious, solution: Renesmee just needs to get over herself and get with the program. If Renesmee assures everyone she wants to marry Jacob (and of course she does) then she can smooth this over and they won't have a problem. That this then usually doesn't happen makes Edward even angrier and more panicked as it all quickly falls apart.

This death spiral is what usually leads to extra madness in any of mine and @therealvinelle's fics as it... doesn't go well for this and other reasons.

Thoughts @therealvinelle?

[that-spider-fan-over-there]

I said hours ago I thought the title being "Midoriya Izuku: Rising" felt a bit too early but now I think it makes sense. How do I explain, I'll try my best!

I thought about about the other Origin and Rising chapters and I've tried to establish a pattern of all, and I think I have a conclusion.

Shoto's origin: The bond he had with his mother being a tether of what being a hero truly meant to him, with Izuku being the one to remind him he gets to decide what being a hero meant to him- it's his power, what does he want to do with it?

Shoto's rising: The one he wants to have with his family, the desire to find peace with himself, his biological family and the one he has in Class 1-A in the future and being the hero his family had wanted vs. the one they needed at that exact moment.

Katsuki's origin: denying the help from others, especially Izuku, was the thing that held him back. By accepting it, he and Izuku, despite the beating, won.

Katsuki's rising: his willingness to accept help bloomed into a seed of empathy that paid off, and by sacrificing himself he understood why Izuku is willing to help others at his own cost (otherwise the last arc wouldn't even be happening).

Hypothetical on where Hori wanted this one, as despite her lack of these, Hori does consider her part of this group. So if I were to guess:

Ochako's origin: she's shown she has the guts and determination to become a hero, but what holds her back is her own constant comparison to Izuku's power and people connecting her motivations to him.

Ochako's rising: by asserting her agency and power to help others, and accepting she's not defined by what she feels about Izuku, she ends up helping the girl who needed someone willing to understand her.

With that in mind; an Origin chapter is not the beginning of their story, but the antithesis what holds them back, the hubris,the fatal flaw in their own hero's journey vs. who they can become as the story goes, the heroes they've envisioned and more.

Tenko has three origin chapters- Two for Tenko, one for Tomura. But in the pattern, he's yet to receive a Rising one, let alone three: Unless, and I mean unless, Shigaraki Tomura is his Rising chapter, but only the first part. But that's for another time. (And maybe for someone else; I'm not the person to talk about Tenko).

With that, Izuku's.

I was wondering why Izuku's rising chapter happened so soon, when he's just returning to the battlefield- then I've pondered the pattern. I've said I was expecting it to be a multiple-parter; because of Tenko's. But it does make sense why now.

Because since Chapter One, never once Izuku has actually been able to contradict his own goals. In fact, if he tries, narratively, the story actually punished him for it two times; his failure to save the first times led to consequences that follow him in their relevant arcs.

(for clarification if you're curious:

Not helping Eri on their first meeting = Overhaul almost kills multiple of his friends and actually succeeds in killing Sir Nighteye. Mirio temporally loses his Quirk and Izuku wonders if he should even have his own.

Attacking Tomura with clear intent on winning without saving = Aizawa cuts his leg, Gran Torino is in a hospital bed and Katsuki gets stabbed, latter one is the main motivator leading up to the Dark Hero Arc.

Sound good? Good.)

But what makes this Izuku's rising moment? What is the antithesis to "Midoriya Izuku: Origin"? If his convictions are the same as the first chapter, what makes this moment special?

Unlike the first time- this time, everyone supports him. He has friends, fans, allies all over the world. His childhood friend, his idol, his mother. Everyone believes in him. And it's all because Izuku inspired them to take action, even when he had nothing.

Because it wasn't a Quirk that made him a great hero- Toshinori even said so.

It's because he can't ignore he saw someone in need of saving, someone who looked him in them eyes and was asking for help.

And the reality he's living at the age of 16, he's Quirkless. He's standing up to someone who will not be reasoned with. He's at a huge disadvantage. He's the only one who can do it. And maybe has "nothing", but he has everyone, and everyone wants him to do his best. And they'll pave the way, they'll make it easier to carry the burdens he can't carry alone.

This is why it's everyone's thoughts on him, instead of his point of view; his convictions were always clear; it's everyone else's that's changed.

And for that, not only he didn't just become the world's greatest hero: by all accounts, he already was. He already is.

Thank you for reading.

[eponymous-rose]

Some incoherent early-morning thoughts about how all the origin companions' character arcs have so, so many parallels. (Major spoilers for the entire game follow.)

All of them have backstories in which they have had power and agency taken from them (Karlach was betrayed as a teenager and made to fight for a decade in someone else's war, Astarion was tortured and made a tool of a horrific vampire lord for two centuries, Shadowheart had her memories of family and faith wiped as a child and was brought up to be a torturer, Lae'zel was a True Believer who was victimized (along with her people) by an undead horror masquerading as a god, Wyll was a teenager who was raised to feel so much personal responsibility for his city that he sold his soul to a devil to protect it, and Gale had his magical virtuosity and religion and love all tangled up in a way that meant he would lose all three when he lost one.

In early Act I, they react differently to their unexpected circumstances, but underlying it all is terror. Karlach is determined to be positive and count her blessings after her escape, but she is terrified at the prospect of having to return to the Hells to survive. Astarion's reaction to finding freedom is largely shock with a nascent joy, but he is terrified of being tracked down by Cazador and made to return. Shadowheart's mission for Shar quickly becomes something that she's less and less sure about, in a way that terrifies her, so she doubles down early in the game and leans into the persona she was molded to. Lae'zel follows a similar arc, in which she has found herself terrified out of her mind to be on an alien planet surrounded by people who don't believe the way she does, so she defaults to the strictest tenets of that belief. Wyll goes through cycles of denial and moroseness about his pact and its consequences, but he's clearly terrified at the mere thought that the ends may not have justified the means. And Gale, of course, understands that the price for his curiosity is this massive destructive force, and he's terrified that he has permanently lost access to many of the driving forces of his life.

The rest of the game gives our heroes the ability to seek power, which generally comes with a revenge component that is revealed to feel deeply futile and unsatisfying. They all have the ability to be saved, in their way, by the people they meet throughout their adventures.

The only power available to Karlach is killing Gortash, but it doesn't change the fact that she's going to die or return to her prison. Her escape is in the connections she's made, in the friends she can bring with her into hell.

Astarion can kill Cazador, but he doesn't feel any measure of true satisfaction over that (which he outright says) - the other option is to double down and Ascend, and the denial involved there warps his personality in a way that parallels early-game Lae'zel and Shadowheart and honestly feels like the start of another character arc a long way down the road. His only escape is to accept living in the shadows, which is made a meaningful life by the connections he makes throughout the game.

Shadowheart can obviously seize power by becoming a Dark Justiciar, but she also has the option to decide to free Nightsong (and later her parents, one way or the other) and defy Shar, and while there are permanent consequences (essentially chronic pain and the knowledge that there may be meddling in her future life out of petty revenge), her connections with the world are also what give that decision meaning.

Lae'zel can remain a believer right up to the point of death, which is reassuring for her need for order and certainty, but even following Orpheus means she shows a lot of the same uncompromising devotion. Eventually, thanks in large part to the connections she makes throughout the game, she sees the importance in protecting people (which is a theme that comes up strongly in her romance), and her ending can reflect that as she flies off to save her people.

Wyll can rather abruptly get his Pact rescinded (with a waiting period, true), but his true tethers and lure of power aren't so much devilish as they are related to the way in which his father has raised him to feel solely responsible for an entire city as a very young man. He's genuine in his love for protecting people, but he has the option to either pursue that love by flinging himself into the political machinations of the city... or, through the connections he makes throughout the game, realizing that he can expand his scope and help others even in Avernus.

Gale can grasp at power and agency by going after the Crown of Karsus. That can either be by giving it to Mystra in a bid for full forgiveness (which she may either accept or decline), or by turning it into the pursuit of his own godhood (and, potentially, an attempt at revenge on Mystra that doesn't end well for him). Through his connections with the party, he can also choose to forego that power and accept his more humble role in the world for what it is.

Honestly, a lot of NPCs also have this "so no one told you life was gonna be this way" arc in which they seem to get everything they wanted but find it hollow and unsatsifying until they reconnect with those around them. Rolan gets the internship with Lorroakan he's willing to risk everything for but is abused in the process, and only through the events of the game truly accepts that his family is what's most important to him. Dame Aylin gets her Wrathful killing of Lorroakan and is terribly shaken by the lack of satisfaction afterwards. And, of course, the Emperor is someone who was given a chance at power and doubled down, out of the belief that only he can set things right because he's just that important (which Shadowheart, Astarion, Gale, and Wyll, among others, can also go through, not to mention Tav). Orpheus trying his damndest to abdicate that power if he survives to endgame is an interesting contrast.

I appreciate a game with a more-or-less coherent set of narrative motifs, and it's even more impressive with the sheer volume of choices that can be made (I've only touched on some of the most common ones!).

[badassturtles235147]

TMNT Strongest Couples

Number two: RaMona

Why Raphael and Monalisa are the second strongest couple in TMNT.

As we know, Raphael and Monalisa's relationship started off with conflict. Monalisa thinking that Raphael and his brothers purposely destroyed her ship, dishonoring her and her commander, while Raphael was thinking that he was meeting another future enemy.

Little did he know he was meeting the love of his life.

Raph did not do like Donnie when he first met April and go, "I see her, I like her, and I want her"

No. It did not matter how beautiful and attractive Monalisa is, as long as she was a threat to his brothers and friends, claiming she will fight them then Raph did not care how she looked. Raph is always quick to assume someone they first meet will end up being an enemy, because that is no doubt how he was raised by Splinter because of their mutation, to not easily trust others.

All of them were raised that way, to not trust strangers, and being the protector, Raph took it to heart but his quick to love-struck brothers, did not, even Leo, who is always lecturing them about being safe and careful during missions.

Raph did not fall for Mona right away, it was only after she punched him and saw how ruthless of a warrior she is, that Raph began to have feelings towards her.

As for Monalisa, it was only after Raph saved her and he completely destroyed the snow monster, saw what an honorable warrior he is, that she began to have feelings for him.

Basically, it was only after realizing that both of them were the same kind of warriors, that their love began to grow. They did not love each other just because of how the other looks but because of the kind of people they are.

Raph never trusted or loved anyone as much as he loved Mona and Mona felt the same way about him. Still, it was more personal to Raph because he never thought in a million years, he would ever find someone. Being a mutant turtle on a world full of humans and all.

Raph was never so open to anyone. Not even his own brothers or father. That is the one thing about Raphael and Monalisa, they never held anything back, they told each other everything. Good times and bad times. Their families. Their dreams. Their struggles. Everything. Monalisa never judged Raph for any of it and he never judged her.

Showing everyone that they trusted no body but each other and Raph hoped it would last forever then...

Monalisa betrayed him. Though she had good reasons, it still did not change the fact that she had betrayed Raphael and hurt him, badly.

Raph was so hurt by her betrayal that he could not even fight to protect his brothers. Raph never in his life felt such pain, or anger. He trusted her, gave her his heart and she squashed it like a bug.

Monalisa tried to apologize but Raph was still angry at her and could not forgive her right away. Monalisa never felt such regret and though she knew Raph would probably never want to see her again.

She was still determined to make things right. If she had just told Raphael the truth, then they could have worked together, came up with a different solution but Monalisa did not want to take the risk when her commander and people were on the line.

As a Salamanderian warrior she is trained to always put her duties first, her people first but Raphael...meant more to her than any of that and she wished she had not given in to her fear for her commander and people so easily.

What she did, was not what she believed an honorable warrior to be. She was determined to make it right, to make it up to Raphael and his brothers, to bring honor back to herself even if it meant die trying.

Knowing this, Monalisa confessed her love to Raphael before going off to fight to protect him. She wished she could have told him under better circumstances....

But for Raphael...that was the best time for her to confess her love and he was all but smiles as he went to fight by her side.

He was still hurt by her betrayal but after she said that, calming him down, he began to realize that it was not all her fault but Dregg's. She did what she had to do, and Raph could not say he would do any different if it came down to his family.

Raph still loved Monalisa, despite everything, and he was willing to try to forgive her then...

He almost lost her. You can see that Raph was scared out of his mind for her. He did not want to lose her, even though he pushed her away and even though he was angry at her, Raph did not want to lose the only person he has ever trusted or loved.

He was pleading to her to hold on, to pull through and he stood by her bedside, until she thankfully woke up. Raph was beyond relieved and when Monalisa tried to apologize again, asking if he could ever forgive her, Raph did not push her away this time. He only grabbed her hand, offering her a smile which said it all.

Raph would do anything for Monalisa, absolutely anything. He loved her so much and her almost dying only made him realize that more. He did not want to lose her, and he was determined not to. That is why he decided to accept her forgiveness and kissed her.

A while later, Raph sadly returned to Earth where he would never be able to see Monalisa for a very long time, but they still kept in touch through Raphael's space helmet.

However, the long-distance relationship was hard on both of them. The missed each other and were very lonely without each other. You can tell that Raph thought of Mona often, every day, every minute, and every second.

He wanted to see her again, to fight with her again, to just be with her again but couldn't because she was miles away fighting in space while he was stuck on Earth, fighting Shredder.

Monalisa's calls no doubt grew less and less overtime, her getting too busy in the army and after so long of hearing nothing, Raph no doubt started to think that their relationship might be over, him saying, "Who needs love, Chompy?! I'm a lone wolf! A rebel!"

Then Monalisa calls and suddenly, Raph's lone wolf act drops, and he is overall excited when Monalisa says she is coming to Earth.

Even after so long of not seeing each other and fear of their relationship ending, Raph and Mona jumped back right where they left off. Their love for each other not lessening one bit.

It felt good to have each other in their arms again, to talk to each other in person and to fight together once more. It felt so good...and neither of them wanted it to end.

It did not matter how strong their love was, though. Raph could not live with this long-distance thing anymore. He wanted Mona by his side forever, he did not want to lose her, especially after he just lost his father. Raphael needed her which is why he asked her to make big sacrifice.

He asked her to stay on Earth with him. To abandon the only home, she has ever known and live on a planet that she is unfamiliar with.

To Monalisa, that was impossible in her mind. How could she abandon her people? Her commander? Everything she has ever known?

Raph knows he is asking a lot from her and would never force Monalisa to do anything she did not want to or hold her back but...he just did not want to do the long-distance thing anymore. It wasn't enough for him. He needed her here, by his side and if Monalisa did decide to return back to her planet then...Raph did not know what he would do.

He would either try to stay with the long distance a little longer, in hopes that Monalisa would one day come to live with him or...he could let her go.

Monalisa knew this, it was hard for her as well and she did want to stay with him but...she did not know what to do. Once again, Monalisa is stuck choosing between Raphael or her duties as a Salamanderian warrior.

However, after fighting by his side again, Monalisa realized that she always wants to be fighting by his side. She was tired of fighting alone and not a moment goes by where she is not thinking about him.

Which is why...Monalisa decided to stay on Earth, making the excuse that she wished to help protect it from future alien threats. Thankfully, Sal commander understood and allowed her to stay, (Though annoying Bishop tried to get in the way but Raph would not let him)

So, yeah, there has been conflict, betrayal, distance and sacrifice on Monalisa's part but like Splinter and Tang Shen's relationship, Raphael and Monalisa did not let that get in their way.

Despite being from different worlds, these two somehow made their worlds become one. Their love was clear as day to them and everyone else. Raphael found his better half and Monalisa found her's.

Hamato Yoshi and Tang Shen RenetAngelo

ShiniRai LeoRai (Worst!)

AprilTello

[bookcub]

Goodreads // Storygraph

Summary:

The action and adventure of Percy Jackson meets the complex heroines of The Cruel Prince as a family of valkyries fight to stop Ragnarök. For seventeen-year-old Bryn, being the youngest, messiest, most rebellious sister in a family of valkyries isn’t easy. Especially considering home is a Renaissance faire in Chicago full of costumed workers who see her as nothing more than a nuisance. When her mother disappears on a mission for Odin, Bryn begins having strange visions about the impending Ragnarök. Bryn senses their mother is in great danger, but her annoyingly perfect older sisters refuse to take her seriously. Their mother is, after all, captain of the valkyries. Things only take a turn for the worse when a half human, half giant named Juniper crashes the party with a violent zombie in tow, confirming Bryn’s worst fears—her visions of Ragnarök are real. If that wasn’t enough, the faire’s mysterious new addition, Wyatt the Black Knight, just so happens to have a ferocious secret that threatens everyone around him. Determined to survive Ragnarök, Bryn, Juniper, and Wyatt team up to combat the horde of monsters that keeps appearing throughout the faire. But after Bryn ignores the call to deliver Wyatt to Odin’s eternal warriors in Valhalla, choosing to save his life instead, she starts to wonder if she’ll ever get this valkyrie thing right. Whispers of divine interference—including sightings of the mischievous Loki—reach Bryn’s ears. Soon everyone at the faire becomes a suspect, leaving Bryn, her sisters, and their newfound friends the only ones who can stop the war to end all realms. Whether she’s ready or not, Bryn is about to learn how the ties between fate and choice are as interwoven and unbreakable as the bonds between sisters.

My Review:

Thank you to the publisher for a free copy to review. 

Reading Rise was like reading a YA book from 2012 but with less internalized misogyny and more openly queer characters. I had such a fun time with Bryn and her world. I have read less books about Norse Mythology than I would have liked and this will now be a fixture in my recommendations in that category. There was a good balance of explaining the lore to people who have no knowledge on the subject, as well subtle references more avid fans will catch onto earlier. 

However, the heart of the book is Bryn and her sisters, Reagan and Prima. I thought the amount of tension between them made sense, especially Bryn and Prima with Reagan as the peacekeeper. While readers are of course inclined to side with Bryn, it is easy to understand Prima’s motivations, despite vibrating in agreement with Bryn (and her questionable choices). I also liked how the absent parents were explained, especially that their mom is alive and does live with them but is on a super special Valkyrie meeting (as one does). 

The love story between Bryn and Wyatt was sweet. I enjoyed it, however, it was forgettable in comparison to the other interpersonal relationships of the novel. I am excited to see them develop in the future books. I also enjoyed the new friendship between Juniper and Bryn and the way they learned from each other. I love when a magical person discovers "the real world" and reacts to it in any story! I had a fun time and it felt nostalgic in the best ways! 

Overall, I had a fun time and think YA fantasy and Norse mythology fans alike will enjoy this book as well. Recommended to those who like reading about complicated sisterly relationships and YA fantasy adventures! Four out of five stars!

(Full disclosure, I do know the author! I don’t think this influenced how much I liked the novel, but I do prefer when other reviewers disclose this fact, so I am as well.) 

[c4ts4ndstuff]

Chrumblr's May Whump Challenge! Day one: Blindfolding

@chrumblr-whumblr

I'm posting this a little later than I wanted, but I did it! This is a scene for an original work of mine. It's a fantasy, and I think it should make sense without context (I hope lol)

Wordcount: 579

Melody stumbled as the guard yanked on the length of chain that bound her hands together.

"Hurry up." He barked, and Melody clamped her mouth shut before she could retort back. Illusion magic was tricky on the best of days, and with how rushed Pandala had been when she placed the spell to make her look like Tristan in the first place, Melody doubted she had been able to disguise her voice alongside her appearance.

She followed the guards through hallway after hallway. The castle had been like a second home to her growing up. With each nook and cranny they went by, Melody could practically see the games she and her friends had played. Laughter had echoed down the halls as they played tag. That suit of armor had once been an excellent spot for hide and seek. The candle stand on her left was still dented from when Tristan had bowled it over in his excitement over something.

Now the halls just felt empty and cold.

Melody wished she could have seen Tristan one last time. That she could have seen him standing tall, with his father's crown resting proudly on his head.

The fact that the crown, once worn by such a kind, gentle, and strong man, now rested on Kapral's traitorous head made her sick to her stomach.

Over the clinking of the chains, Melody began to hear the murmur of a crowd up ahead.

The guard pulled her outside, and she squinted from the blinding sunlight. The guards surrounding her didn't give her time to adjust, instead forcing her up on stage in front of a massive crowd.

The sight of a chopping block, along with a man in black garb holding an axe, made Melody feel lightheaded. This was it. It was really happening.

"Today my friends, we gather to witness the end of the old, shortsighted, Esludal line!" Melody looked up,, and saw Kapral standing on the castle's balcony as he addressed his followers.

"We will no longer be held back by their fear of progress. No longer will we be forced to cower, instead we will grab the future with both hands!"

Melody stood frozen as Kapral continued on, spouting lie after lie as he worked the crowd up, until they looked almost ready to barge onto the stage and kill her themselves.

She wouldn't give them the satisfaction of her fear. Especially not when they thought she was Tristan. She dedicated her whole focus to appearing calm, and aloof. They will not use this against him, she thought, determined.

Finally, Kapral made the motion, and Melody's world went dark as a nearby guard blindfolded her. The cloth dug into her skin, and she could feel a headache begin to form.

Her heart thudded in her chest, like it was desperate to get a lifetime's worth of beats in her last few moments.

Tears welled up in her eyes, before soaking into the blindfold, as she was pushed down, her neck brushing the wooden block.

Her family won't know what happened to her. She wasn't able to save her baby cousin. She never told Tristan how she felt about him.

Despite it all, Melody couldn't bring herself to regret her actions.

Tristan will live, she thought to herself. He has to live. He will make sure to save her baby cousin, he will force Kapral to his knees and take back the crown.

Even if she doesn't live to see it.

[incorrectlasthours]

Introducing: The Malevolent Tides

A Post-TLH Story - synopsis below!

Please note: The worldbuilding, TID, and TLH characters all belong to Cassandra Clare. I took the liberty to make up the children of the TLH characters (partially based off of the inaccurate Clockwork Princess family tree, but mostly from my own imagination). This story will contain spoilers for Chain of Thorns!

September, 1929: Coming of age during the mundane’s Great War and the Spanish Influenza, the young Shadowhunters of London are no strangers to demons and despair. In fact, compared to the hordes of demons attracted to Earth by the mundane conflicts of their youth, things have been relatively calm as the children grew from a troubled youth into a tentatively hopeful adolescence. Things are looking up… but little does this future “lost generation,” know, their light-hearted, wild youths are about to come to an abrupt end, as darkness and violence comes to claim the mundane - and shadow - worlds once again.

New York City, USA: Elizabeth Herondale has finally left her family’s home… and her drama with her brother, Owen, and his fiancée, Lydia, behind. Elizabeth is eager to forget her troubles in the vices that make New York City the center of the modern world; touted as a place where anyone can arrive a pauper and leave a millionaire, where women are free to move through the streets unaccompanied by men, and where illegal vices - booze, cards, jazz - are easier to find than avoid, Elizabeth is ready to relocate for good and reclaim her future. Accompanied by her intrepid parabatai and cousin, Margaret Blackthorn (who is more comfortable behind the lens of a camera than onstage in a flapper hall), Elizabeth has no plans to return to London any time soon. Then comes October, and the infamous crash of Wall Street that plunges the entire globe into economic recession. Elizabeth does not want to return home, but her and Margie might not have a choice in the matter…

Athens, Greece: Edmund Blackthorn was supposed to return to London and his family eight months ago… and he did, but something drew him back to Athens once more. Picking up his Uncle James’ love for the ancient classics from a young age, Edmund always knew he wanted to do his travel year in the center of it all: Athens, Greece. While he expected his year abroad to be full of research and sightseeing, he did not expect it to be entirely thrown off course by the witty, brilliant Cadia Sedgewick. Together, the two have uncovered an ancient mystery; while other Shadowhunters are urging them to focus on the rapidly-approaching and grim future, Edmund and Cadia are drawn further and further into the past. All the stories are true, after all, and this mystery might just be the key to aid the present and save the future.

Berlin, Germany: Owen Herondale didn’t plan to fall in love with Lydia Kingsmill… but Herondales love only once, as his father and grandfather told him from the time he was young, and Lydia was the only one for him. The Treaty of Versailles that ended the mundane Great War has thrust Germany into despair, and the Shadowhunters of the German institutes are feeling the side effects; indeed, as the churches and government are no longer able to tithe, many Shadowhunters have packed up and left for more lucrative cities, or returned home to Idris. Owen desperately wants Lydia to come to London with him, but Lydia doesn’t want to leave her family - and the institute she grew up in - behind.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Vienna Fairchild was determined to embark on a grand voyage like her father, and she wasn’t going to let the fact that she was a woman stop her. At the start of her travel year, Vienna ran to the last city full of glittering nightlife and wild parties in Europe - and indeed, Amsterdam is the last European stand of the ‘Roaring Twenties’ as recession grows over the continent like a shadow. Planning to pack her trunks and flee for the Americas with her best friends Lizzie and Margie, Vienna is stopped when the local institute desperately needs help. Their issue, however, is much larger than Amsterdam itself…

Alicante, Idris: The youngest of her siblings and cousins and friends, Alaina Blackthorn is thrilled to finally have her turn at Shadowhunter Academy. The Academy is, after all, a legendary place for life-changing bonds… it’s where her Uncle James and Uncle Matthew decided to become parabatai, and where her brother Theodore and Graham Fairchild first became friends - and now they, too, were parabatai. Flanked by her friends Raya Fairchild and Taron Carstairs-Lightwood, Alaina cannot wait to finally experience freedom - until the world starts to fall apart, and all their parents summon them back to London.

London, England: The adults of the London Enclave are certain the worst is behind them - they defeated Belial when they were teenagers, and the mundane world has finally calmed down after over a decade of war and pestilence. But the wicked never rest, and dark forces are gathering - and their target is London, the city that started it all.

[rickie-the-storyteller]

“Notice Me, Reader!” Tag Game

Thank you very much for the tag, @mysticstarlightduck!

Rules: Share 3 (or more!) small details from your WIP that you feel have gone/will go unnoticed. (You can choose whether or not to share why the detail is significant!)

Here's some for the Steph adventures:

I’ve actually been meaning to write a detailed post about this, but Stephanie and Bret mirror each other in a lot of ways. They’re both pretty traumatised and flawed, they both crave attention and connection to a certain degree, hating the feeling of loneliness, and they both have a capacity for being quite selfish, impulsive and hedonistic (as well as being major fans of instant gratification). This is partially why their affair storyline is so significant and impactful the more you think about it (and to think, it almost wasn’t going to happen…). An example of their connection that often goes unnoticed is that their dialogue has a bit of a parallel… in the beginning of book one, Bret says something along the lines of “Grades don’t actually mean anything in the real world when you think about it.” This was back when he hated school, before his whole self growth arc and wanting to change his life for the better. And towards the end, Stephanie basically says that same exact thing, almost word for word (despite disagreeing with Bret at the start of the story). It was in the context of her and Ben contemplating leaving the country together right before sitting her final exams. There are other small examples of parallels between their two arcs and thought processes in the story, too… many of which actually existed before I even wrote their affair storyline. Perhaps it was always meant to be lol.

I tried to write my characters in a way where you can kind of tell which parent they take after more. This is one of the reasons why I have the parents and family members be such a prominent part of the story - big part of who you are stems from your environment, and this includes the people you are surrounded by. It also adds a bit of mystery to our main protagonist… Stephanie doesn’t know her parents, so we don’t know why she is the way she is (like, we even know why Bret is the way he is, despite the fact that his parents are no longer around. He remembers his parents and we get a strong sense of what they were like, and this is something we don't get with Steph). A big example of this is Elise and Adam. Elise takes after both Maggie and Paul (maybe Paul a little more than Maggie) - she shares her mother’s drive and determination (comes in handy when you’re a lawyer), and her father’s empathy and intuition (comes in handy when you’re a therapist). Adam takes after Maggie, as well as his grandmother to an extent, in terms of his natural creativity (he has a heart of gold, but he is also very stubborn and prefers to do things his way. Whenever he gets pushback, he fights harder in the opposite direction. Very much like his mother… not that Maggie would ever admit that. Good thing both of them grew out of it somewhat after becoming parents! And by that, I mean she was much worse when she was Adam’s age lol). There are other examples of this in the story, but this one’s my favourite.

I got a fair amount of inspiration from the shows I mentioned in my intro post lol (plus Gossip Girl, which wasn’t included in the post. That's where I got the secret blogger idea from. Speaking of... I was meant to reveal that to you guys ages ago. Sorry about the delay lol. Saving that for a proper future post alongside the Bretanie analysis). Especially Bojack Horseman. I don’t know if I want to elaborate on this point… I think it’s more effective if you check out the shows for yourself, and see what I mean that way. But to give a vague little example of what I mean… Stephanie is sort of in and out of the crew’s lives, and whenever she’s not around, the others tend to thrive and live relatively peaceful, normal lives. In many ways, she’s the root of a lot of their drama. She does a lot of crazy things that cause damage to a lot of people, and she wrecks a lot of her relationships beyond repair. And throughout the course of the trilogy, the main crew members often find themselves wondering whether they should stay loyal to their friend, set some boundaries with her, or cut ties and separate themselves from her completely. Kind of like in a certain show (Bojack). They all take different approaches to this, each saying a lot about them as characters (Elise, for example, decides to cut Stephanie off. May seem out of character at first, but then you remember that this is after ages and ages of being patient and understanding with Steph… as well as everyone else who has hurt her immensely in her life. That makes her choice to end her friendship with Stephanie a little more understandable… she reached her last straw in book two), but they’re all better off once they reevaluate their relationships with one another.

I didn't mean to write so much... but what can you do.

Hopefully this was interesting! This tag game is such a good idea. Inspires you to look deeper into the stories and pay attention to small but significant details.

Tagging these folks next: @gummybugg, @winterandwords, @jessicagailwrites, @dyrewrites, @harleyacoincidence, @exquisitecrow, @leisoree, @wmlittlemore-is-writing, @mjparkerwriting and @janec23.

[sparkledleaves]

‘ rachel hilson, cisfemale, she/her, 30 / 300 , high fae ’ ― cauldron save you. it seems aoife hathaway has finally made it to the capital, the high lady from the winter court is said to be resourceful and is said to describe themselves with gossipy tea sessions with her inner court full of fun and laughter, snow angels and snowball fights to ease any tensions between her head and heart, sarcastic quips that are sometimes not appreciated, bubble baths full of songs and more suds than possible  and with all of this in mind their flaky nature always seems to get them into trouble. may the mother hold them as they navigate this unthinkable time. 

full name: aoife marie hathaway nicknames:  eef age: 30/300 date of birth: april 4th gender: cisfemale pronouns: she/her sexual orientation: bisexual faceclaim: rachel hilson hair color: black eye color: dark brown height: 5'4 tattoos: lots all over her back, winter themed signature scent: coconut & honey

background:

aoife was the youngest child of seven. she was the baby and knew it. there as so much ahead of her siblings, planning the future and taking care of the winter court. she spent most of her time wanting to know anything and everything about her court and others as she could. information was what kept her feeling close to her family. even when they'd keep her out of meetings because she wasn't privy to the information, she'd find a way to figure it out. now, one might think she's a gossip, and really, she is, but she'd never share anything too personal with names. she'll share little tidbits of information, but really, aoife likes to know everything.

but when the accident happened, aoife's entire world flipped upside down. she was nowhere near prepared for it. in fact, she was terrified. they'd never let her into the meetings, so how was she supposed to know what to do? aoife actually doesn't believe it was an accident. someone, somewhere did something and he is determined to figure it out, however she needs to. during all of this, aoife's been leaning on her mother, trying to learn as much as she can. the two have gotten really close and she is so thankful for her.

she wants do a good job, but she feels like a failure. as a result of this, sometimes aoife wants to just get out of her responsibilities and likes to have quiet moments outside, just staring out into the abyss, almost as if she's trying to see if the skies will give her an answer.

personality:

aoife is very playful. she tries to live every day as if it were her last, mostly because of the accident. while she's kind, she can be very sneaky and manipulative and will always do her best to figure out how you're feeling, just because she's curious. she is very indecisive and tends to stress herself out when she needs to make any big decisions and will often go back and forth when choosing. aoife loves learning about absolutely everything. she will ask a lot of questions. but she also knows when to be quiet and just listen, and in those moments, she can be very dangerous, because she can be as quiet as a mouse. that's usually how she finds out things she's not necessarily supposed to. but she's getting better at using her information for good, and not just to amuse herself.

[moonlightcrusader]

MY SUPER MARIO MOVIE REVIEW (SPOILERS AHEAD)

Okay, so I have finally composed myself and I will say…man…the Mario movie was fun!

My overall review is its very funny, full of heart and the animation is gorgeous. There’s a lot of unexpected scenes that I found heartwarming and added to the characters/ plot.❤️

However…that being said…the pacing and script is my main concern. I know they have to fit a large chunk of lore for a good runtime, but there isn’t much development.

“But Moon, mario wasn’t all about story” I know, but a movie provides a chance to add story at a cinematic level.

Expanding the world and if not that the characters. If anything, I do not mind the simple plot. Mario needs to save Luigi and work alongside Princess Peach to defeat Bowser. Perfect.

However. I would have really liked more expanded characters. But I will elaborate below because that’s not my only critique.

Beyond here will be spoilers, read at your own risk!! My blog will start reposting/ talking about spoilers from here and now since it’s officially out!

***

CONS/ WHAT I WISH IT HAD MORE OF:

-I wish the bros got more screen time. Their chemistry and brotherly love was amazing, and I was itching to see more of them together.🥺

-that fight at the end with Bowser tho WAS EPIC! But Luigi was super underutilized omg… I really thought he was gonna have another role in the movie. I think they missed out on the side characters having more of a role or even a conversation…

-Speaking of which, idk, I found Lumalee kind of annoying. I know it’s probably going to set up a future movie…but I thought at least we would get some insight as to why the Luma was captured, why it hates living so much, idk….lol. But I did love the voice of Lumalee, super cute :)

-characterization. Apart from Mario and a LITTLE of luigi, and DK, the rest felt bland… I feel like bowser could have been more fleshed out (but don’t get me wrong, I loved how he had a crush on peach, his song and planned on marrying her. AHHH I LOVED IT) toad could have been more fleshed out. What are his goals at least? Not every character has to have an internal conflict, but he just felt…there. And what a shame because hes charming!

-okay guys, but peachs characterization. I’m sorry, this deserves its own post, so I will hyperlink it here when I finishing writing that, but omg yeah I am not quite attached to her portrayal yet😅 what a shame too because I love her so much…

-wish we spent some more time getting to know Mario’s family😭

-not a fleshed out ending. Hoped that peach would have reacted being on earth, maybe a montage of Brooklyn adjusting to having this pipe that leads to another world. What was the cities response overall when it came to cleanup? I know they have HAD to had some questions why a huge gorilla with a tie was there…and talking! Lol…

now… drumroll please…

***

POSITIVES/ WHAT I FREAKIN LOVEDDDDD:

-Mario. Omg they freakin ACED Mario. His character flaws, his goals, aspirations, internal conflict, personality, everything I headcanoned/ hoped for. He’s a goofball who loves adventure, plumbing and loves his family. His determination, stubbornness, (RIZZ HE GOT THAT RIZZ!!!) and charm. Ugh. That affirms it. He’s my fav. I wanted to hug him through the screen many times SO BAD!!!🥺❤️

-luigi and Mario’s brotherly love/chemistry. Omg. The flashback of them as babies and when Mario was cupping Luigi’s face and almost crying out of relief. Like omg omg I’m so happy to that attention to detail😭🥺❤️ they love each other so much it’s just… *chefs kiss* I’m hoping for future movies we get more brotherly scenes, I’m still waiting for that piggyback ride🫶❤️

-baby peach. I just…I wasn’t expecting it. She was so cute and the fact that the toads just adopted her and raised her as their own tells goes sweet they are. 🥹 I’m so glad we got some of a backstory for her! But Omg…she was someone’s child then! :o I love lore…

-bowsers singing and the song peaches is a legit masterpiece. If my man don’t make a song like this and doesn’t sing it with that much enthusiasm I don’t want him!!😤😤😂💞but yep Jack black was awesome hehe he had me dying of laughter and he was super intimidating as Bowser!! He understood the assignment 💅🏼

-which reminds me. I love the plot of Bowser wanting to marry Peach and getting jealous of Mario. I wish we got Mario’s reaction of peach wearing the wedding dress tho I don’t think it really hit him that Bowser was trying to marry Peach…

- speaking of which…Mareach! We got a few cute scenes!! Nothing major, but I see that they are making it a slow burn romance 😏😂 okay, I can wait! While I wish we got more scenes, I loved how DK called out Mario’s attempts at flirting, Peach calling him adorable when he had his cat suit🥺🥺 and her giggles when Mario promises to buy her a pet turtle if she comes to Brooklyn. That was so freakin cute!!!❤️❤️🥹 you can tell Mario likes her, and peach has a fondness for him :)))

-CAT MARIO WAS SO ADORABLE DID YOU SEE WHEN HE BEAT DONKEY KONG HE WAS KNEEDING ON HIM LIKE A CAT WOULD AHHHHH-

-the animation and the storyboarding. Everything art related. The score. I wanted to fly when I heard bowsers theme. I wanted to cry seeing the beautifully crafted action scenes and I can’t wait to see the storyboards 😭❤️ illumination went all the way!!! Also the character design!!! I love all of their designs!!!

-the pop songs were a nice touch and the humor was great. :3

-SEEING MARIOS FAMILY AND THE FACT THAT CHARLES PLAYS THEIR DAD IS SO ADORABLE AND AWESOME I WAS FREAKIN FANGIRLING!!!

-also like I headcanoned THEIR MAMA IS SO ADORABLE I LOVE HER SO MUCH!!! No wonder they came out as sweet incredible boys 🥺🧡

-the soundtrack man. They were cooking up in the studio I’m telling you!!! I heard it’s on Spotify now so I’m gonna be listening to it lol

-luigi is so precious but I wish HE HAD MORE SCREENTIME

-DK and Mario’s relationship give me rowdy sibling vibes and I’m here for it

-I love how they can travel from Brooklyn to mushroom kingdom through the pipe, at first I thought it was a star VS the forces of evil thing and the worlds merged until I realized the ending… XD

-I loved all the voices!! I think everyone did an amazing job, I heard a few inconsistencies throughout the movie but meh, everyone seemed excited for their roles!!!🧡🫶

If I can think of anything else I will add, but yeah, I think I had higher expectations for the movie😅 I think if it had a bit more time to flesh out characters, it would have been SUPER great. I loved all the references inside the movie, you can tell it was crafted with passion and love❤️ it was a very fun experience and of course the BRAINROT increased💞

Of course, this is my personal opinions and such, if you have a different one, that's fine! This is just what I would liked to see/ what I thought would have been better in the movie. That’s all!! :3

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

Sakura Ogami VS Jonathan Joestar [Danganronpa Survivor VS JoJo's Bizarre Adventure]

Hifumi: Sakura Ogami! Hopes Peak Academy's Ultimate Martial Artist, and the world's strongest human!

Leona: And Jonathan Joestar! The very first JoJo who ever Joj'ed!

Hifumi: These two large and in-charge fighters, who are bigger than life itself (though not in the same way as me), yet possess a heart of pure gold inside them will cross over hell and high water to save their world and protect their loved ones.

Leona: But if world's collide, which one is gonna come out on top!? He's Hifumi and I'm Leona!

Hifumi: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, talents and skills, to see who will win a DEATH BATTLE!

Hifumi: Not many people seem to realize that it's quite lonely at the top...Something that Mrs Sakura Ogami would be able to tell you from first hand experience.

Leona: Like almost every other character we've tackled so far, Sakura was scouted to join Hope's Peak, a special, government-funded school that aimed to give the young a strong future that could only be obtained through the development of their own talents; as the Ultimate Martial Artist. Yeah baby, we finally have an actual FIGHTER!

Hifumi: What do you mean "finally!?" We literally had the Ultimate Soldier and Ultimate Swordswoman on the show already!

Leona: Oh yeah, fair point. I mean we just have an actual martial arts specialist instead of someone who just wields a bunch of weapons.

Hifumi: Mrs Ogami's story doesn't just start from her time at Hope's Peak though, and the power and strength that the Academy caught notice of runs in her family. While it's rarely ever brought up in conversation, she comes from a fascinating line of ancestors who were among the world's best warriors and trained to go beyond what is normally possible for humans.

Leona: Yes, a family made up of such badass individuals that would make the Tekken Mishima Clan cower in shame and terror! Sakura is also known as one of her clan's strongest members, having trained since she was a baby and defeating her own father, the clan leader, when she was only 8 years old.

Hifumi: Going forward from that victory, Mrs Ogami had one key desire. To become the strongest human in the world! The main reason being to prove wrong all those stupid sexists who said it couldn't be done because she's a woman.

Leona: And just LOOK AT HER for God's sake! If somebody said a woman with that physique was the most powerful woman in the world, then I'd believe you in a second flat! Even if I didn't, the fact that she boasts the phenomenal record of over 400 victories in a row is proof enough that this girl is at the TIPPY TOP of power!

Hifumi: But it wasn't always that way; and with threats such as Izuru Kamukura still present in our world, it technically still isn't. As powerful a combatant and as overwhelming a monster Mrs Ogami can be, there was always one obstacle she was determined to overcome in order to achieve her goal: A certain man named Kenshiro.

Leona: If you've been following the story from the beginning up until now, Kenshiro was a friend of Sakura's from a very young age, as well as her biggest rival and the one man that she could never defeat. And now the two of them are set to be married. Aren't life-long rivalries so romantic!?~

Hifumi: However, it wasn't sunshine and rainbows forever. Mrs Ogami did indeed finally achieve her dream of attaining Kenshiro's title of "World's Strongest Human," but not in the way that she would have preferred. The prestigious fighter came down with a terminal illness, and was expected to pass away very soon. While that ultimately didn't happen thanks to the Future Foundation's medical experts getting to him in time, his days of fighting were long over.

Leona: To make matters worse, it wouldn't be much longer after this news that Sakura would attend Hope's Peak, and as a result, be swept right up into the first broadcasted mutual killing game! Enoshima, YOU SLUT!

Hifumi: Indeed, just like she did with myself and my other classmates, Mrs Ogami had 2 years worth of memories erased from her, meaning she forgot about us being classmates and the memories that we shared with one another. 

Leona: Still though, you probably think that such catastrophe would be nothing at the hands of somebody so powerful. As the Ultimate Martial Artist, Sakura doesn't focus on one specific type of combat; rather a mix of multiple different styles depending on the situation, including the likes of Aikido and Karate. And to nobody's surprise, she's proficient in ALL of them, and can switch on the fly, adapting and making use of almost any technique and move you can think of! 

Hifumi: This includes a technique called "Shukuchi", a Japanese-language term for various mythical techniques of rapid movement. In summary, she can move so blindingly fast, she looks like she's teleporting! If you've watched anime like Naruto, you'd be familiar.

Leona: You might have noticed this if you've followed this series up until now, but when it comes to evaluating a characters level of power in Danganronpa canon, Sakura is usually the main character that we scale everyone to. And her raw strength, speed and overall power is the exact reason why we do so.

Hifumi: Let's start off by focusing on strength and power, especially considering that's the main thing that defines Mrs Ogami's talents. She's able to grapple other capable fighters, tear apart massive plates of steel, and has fought on par with both Monokuma's Killing Game version, as well as Mukuro Ikusaba in both the IF and Survivor timeline.

Leona: Let's take a quick jump back to the past and remind you guys of a few itty bitty details we covered previously. For starters, Monokuma is already a bear that can rip people apart with his claws effortlessly, and can usually only be taken down or fought using a hacking gun, and his Killing Game versions across the series are FAR more powerful than the sentries shown in Ultra Despair Girls and  Survivor.

Hifumi: Additionally, in the same light novel where Mrs Ikusaba and Mrs Ogami went head to head, Mrs Ikusaba battled against 100 of these exact Monokuma's, armed with a makeshift weapon and dodging machine gun fire at the same time. 

Leona: And earlier in that novel, she even ADMITS that she might not have been able to safely go toe to toe with Sakura, and had to make a tactical retreat! Additionally, in her swimsuit event in Danganronpa Summer Camp, Sakura throws a punch that is so immense and so powerful, she cuts straight through the ocean!

Hifumi: Unfortunately, we don't know just how far the punch went and never got a visual, so we can't properly scale it. However, it would at least require a minimum force of AT LEAST a Megaton of TNT.

Leona: Lastly , even though it's a really early feat in the Survivor storyline, Sakura DID come out on top as the ultimate victor in a 5-way sparring match between herself, Mukuro Ikusaba, Maki Harukawa, Peko Pekoyama and Akane Owari.

Hifumi: And it's a basic fact that almost every other capable fighter in the Danganronpa series, like Mr Nidai and most of Zetsubou and the Kisaragi's pale in comparison to her. Really, the only person we know of that could realistically beat Mrs Ogami is Izuru Kamukura, who by default is just ridiculously overpowered, as I eluded to earlier.

Leona: So yeah, she's fucking busted. And not just in terms of raw power. For feats like speed and durability, we can scale her to characters like Juzo Sakakura and Genocide Jill.

Hifumi: Genocide Jill, as we've brought up a few times, is capable of dodging lightning and slicing through missiles mid-flight with her scissors. Even if it took a little effort to catch her, Mrs Ogami was even able to subdue her easily in Danganronpa IF. Considering Mrs Jill was able to defeat Big Bang Monokuma with Mrs Komaru Naegi, it's highly likely that Mrs Ogami could achieve the same feat BY HERSELF! Additionally, her matching Killing Game Monokuma blow for blow shows she must be on an equal speed level as him, and Monokuma has already shown by this point he can hit baseballs consecutively fast enough to match a machine gun!

Leona: Not to mention that Sakura's battle against Mukuro makes this EVEN MORE impressive; since Mukuro can just straight up BLITZ Monokuma! And series creator Kodaka stated that she could easily defeat Sakakura, who has easily taken hits from powerful adversaries like Gozu, Seiko and Tengan, and even managed to tank a missile barrage, fired at him by Miaya Gekkogahara! Sakura therefore, must be a higher level of strength, and an equal level of durability.

Hifumi: On top of all that, you might remember in Mukuro Vs Kayano, I mentioned that Ms Ikusaba could run from Japan to Prague in a couple of seconds. Really, this feat originally comes from Mrs Ogami, who was originally stated to be capable of this feat. That would put her rough speed on the level of between Mach 20 and Mach 26!

Leona: And you might think that with all this hulking meat and nasty feats, she would be a "hit first, ask questions later" like yours truly! But...no! While we'd be hard-pressed to call Sakura a "genius" she's incredibly tactical, and she can keep her cool and think things through in almost any combat situation, be it hand-to-hand, class trials, or even a casual game like chess or shogi. She's basically INVINCIBLE, and there's basically no way to take her down!

Hifumi: Unfortunately, that's not entirely true...Mrs Ogami does indeed have some notable weaknesses.

Leona: HOW does someone THIS OP have ANY weaknesses!?

Hifumi: Well, it's primarily because despite her inhuman feats, she's still technically a human. if someone WERE powerful enough to land several strong hits on her, she can easily be knocked out with enough blunt force.

Leona: So she actually got KILLED during the Killing Game!? Who the hell can kill a behemoth like her!

Hifumi: Well...herself...

Leona: Eh?

Hifumi: The truth is that from the very beginning of the First Killing Game, Junko Enoshima blackmailed Mrs Ogami into feeding her information from behind closed doors, threatening to destroy her family's dojo should she fail to comply. Later on, Monokuma went on to expose Sakura's treachery, which caused shifts of trust and judgement among the group, basically leaving the next murder to be right around the corner. Tensions were so high that when Mrs Ogami tried to settle the situation, she got smashed over the top of her head TWICE with glass bottles from Mr Hagakure and Ms Jill.

Leona: Ow! What the hell, man!? So they basically both just killed her even though she just wanted to talk!?

Hifumi: No actually. Even though she was left bleeding from the head, Mrs Ogami SURVIVED both blows! But unfortunately, she was really only left with one option, at least that's how she felt. Knowing there probably wasn't anything left for her, but also wanting to protect the companionship she had with the likes of Ms Asahina and the other students...Mrs Ogami sacrificed her life, downing some poison and succumbing to it's effects.

Leona: Damn...That's...impressive. She really sacrificed herself for all that?

Hifumi: Fortunately, even though Monokuma tried to throw a spanner in the works, her plan worked, and became the catalyst for the survivors to rise to the cause and cause Junko Enoshima's downfall. Even in her untimely death, Mrs Ogami emerged the victor over the twisted tyrant, and came back to life later for another round!

Leona: Sakura is everything one wants to be. Powerful, yet charming; someone who will protect you and wreck shit if you ever get hurt. You might come across a variety of strong people across many timelines, but the fact remains that the Ultimate Martial Artist will always have a high place on that list...

Hifumi: Can I just say before we close out I'm really glad we're doing this now instead of a later chapter because...I really didn't want to take a certain feat into account...

Leona: You know that was your idea, right?

Hifumi: I know but...still...

Hifumi: It's time hop into our hot-tub time machine and take a journey back to the 1880's, in good old fashioned Victorian England. Where capitalism divided the nation in half between the filthy rich and the miserably poor.

Leona: If you had money, you were living the high life. If you didn't, you were down low in the dirt. That is...unless your dumbass dad adopted another son who happened to be the BIGGEST DICKHEAD in ANIME!

Hifumi: Enter...Jonathan Joestar!

Leona: So, before we get properly into this biz, I kinda wanna just bring something up. Unlike our previous combatants, like Kayano, RHM and Phoenix, Jonathan Joestar is actually a returning combatant from the ORIGINAL Death Battle, who fought Tanjiro Kamado in Season 9. So considering DB have already done most of the calculations on our behalf, expect us to...paraphrase a lot of our points.

Hifumi: Yes, well, The affluent businessman George Joestar I and his wife Mary gave birth to Jonathan Joestar, better known by his alias JoJo.  Even at a young age, he was an honest, kind, and upbeat young man, enjoying a happy life with his girlfriend Erina and pet dog Danny. That is until he met his adopted older brother Dio Brando, who tormented, beat, and severely traumatized the young Jonathan, whose life became filled with tragedy.

Leona: Dio dedicated his life to emotionally breaking Jonathan, attempting to turn him into a docile puppet in order to take the Joestar fortune for himself. However, Dio stealing Jonathan's first kiss with Erina was the final straw, and something deep within Jonathan's heart awoke; the raging passionate fire of a gentleman...Which he then proceeded to take advantage of in HANDING DIO HIS SHIT!

Hifumi: Gentlemen don't typically hand people their shit. If anything, it's the exact opposite of that. Unfortunately, even though Jonathan asserted himself as anything BUT Dio's punching bag, this standstill wouldn't last. Dio exacted his revenge a few years later when he transformed into a vampire and murdered George Joestar! Jonathan would require more than just his morally upright fists to win the day, as Dio was now determined to rule the entire world.

Leona: He needed power...He needed to train...He needed justice...! And all of that came in the form of a weird Italian Man who punches frogs for a living!

Hifumi: This man was Will Anthonio Zeppeli, a practitioner of the ancient martial art of Hamon, which was created especially to combat vampires like Dio. Users of the Hamon art can send a hot, electric ripple out of their bodies and overwhelm their opponents with it through their breaths. Kind of like channeling the power of sunlight, which as we know, vampires can't handle very well.

Leona: Please don't call it the Ripple, the dub changes are always so cringe...

Hifumi: I'm just saying it like it is! It IS a ripple! That's what Hamon means!

Leona: A user of Hamon energy can disintegrate vampires with a single blow and greatly improve their physical prowess. Zeppeli taught Jonathan everything he knew so that he could fight and defeat Dio. For example, the Zoom Punch, where Jonathan stretches his arm and punches an opponent from afar as if his limbs were made of rubber.

Hifumi: It's actually not as simple as stretching your arm like Mr Fantastic or Monkey D. Luffy. Pulling this off requires Jonathan to dislocate his shoulder and use Hamon to ease the pain before snapping it back into place. In reality though, this is just the effect of breathing giving people superpowers taken very literally.

Leona: What do you mean "literally?"

Hifumi: Hm...I could tell you...But it might actually be worth bringing in a little bit of scientific help for this one...

Hifumi pulls on a curtain cord, and the sound of crying out in fear rapidly grows louder and closer until Uchui Porosen comes crashing onto the set.

Uchui: OW! Ugh...Jeez! You know, when you told me to wait up there, I wasn't expecting you would slapstick comedy me into the scene!

Hifumi: My apologies Mr Porosen. It was actually Mr Kurafto's idea.

Uchui: Of course it was...

Leona: 'Sup Kamu-dude! Was kinda wondering when we could finally get you on this one.

Uchui: Well, I was called in for backup in case you needed math advice, but you've been handling things pretty well so far. Still, I guess I can help tell you about how breathing works...That's fine too.

Hifumi: The floor is yours, my good sir.

Uchui: So, Dutch explorer Wim Hof managed to survive for nearly two hours while almost completely submerged in ice water, as the original Death Battle revealed in their program. In a similar conceptual maneuver to the Zoom Punch, Hof used forced exhalation to lower his oxygen levels, which boosted his body's ability to regulate temperature and releases euphoric chemicals that dulled the pain of the freezing cold. Also, in real life martial arts, breathing is an essential technique that practitioners - including a fighter like Sakura - must remember to use constantly. By massaging the organs beneath the diaphragm, deeper breaths help to relax your body and reduce its energy needs while also increasing your available energy. It keeps you stronger and lasting longer.

Leona: hehehehe...

Uchui: I'm going to smack you...!

Leona: Oh come on, you left yourself open for that one!

Uchui: At first glance, the fact that we ALL simply do this without giving it much thought may not seem remarkable, but by carefully controlling our oxygen intake, humans can improve their focus, speed up their fight-or-flight responses, and even change the rate at which their blood flows through their bodies. In the case of Hamon, it is very similar to the Chinese concept of Qi, which literally translates as "breath," "vapor," or "air." Not to mention the practice of it, known as "qigong."

Hifumi: Qigong is a system of breathing, meditation, and coordinated body posture and movement used for martial arts training, spirituality, and overall health. Qigong is traditionally seen by Asian cultures, most notably the Chinese people, as a way to cultivate and balance their life energy.

Uchui: Qi believers describe it as a vital force that needs to flow freely in order to be healthy. Qi is not to be confused with the scientific concept of energy; rather, it is a pseudoscientific, unverified idea, which is kind of my specialty, as we all know. It is sometimes believed that Gods, particularly anthropomorphic Gods, possess qi and are a reflection of the human microcosm, with qi able to concentrate in specific body parts.

Leona: Those are...a lot of big words.

Uchui: Oh...my bad...I got carried away again.

Hifumi: Do not worry about it Mr Porosen! Feel free to keep going, 

Uchui: Right...well, while it's not FACT that channeling qi makes this possible, it's commonly believed that you can channel your own qi to accomplish amazing feats like walking on water, magnetizing plants, or controlling your opponent's muscles in a fight. It can even pass through metal and other solid surfaces.

Leona: Which are PROVEN to all be possible with Hamon!

Uchui: Yes, but it's evident that no matter how much qi a person possesses, they are unable to simply light their fists on fire and slam their opponents senseless with a barrage of blows.

Leona: SUNLIGHT YELLOOOW OVERDURIIIIVEEE!

Hifumi: Well, that's it for the science lesson. Thanks for joining us Mr Porosen! Your insight was greatly appreciated.

Uchui: No problem. Feel free to call me any time that DOESN'T involve me falling through a trapdoor.

Uchui salutes then exeunts.

Hifumi: So, armed with these incredible powers and now more than capable to throw hands, Jonathan, Zeppeli and their cohort Robert E. O. Speedwagon marched into Dio's territory and fought a horde of ruthless zombies!

Leona: Not just zombies! They also battled Bruford and Tarkus, two of Dio's most dangerous allies, the latter of whom had the strength to slice through a cliff with a single swing and rip entire boulders out of the earth. He could even split Zeppeli in half and snap JoJo's neck with relative ease. Poor Zeppeli...The fate of the mentor in anime is a cruel state of existence...

Hifumi: If only he had been a tad more perverted...

Leona: Yeah, right?

Hifumi: Zeppeli's final act before passing away was giving Jonathan his Hamon energy, which not only helped him heal his own broken neck but also united their energies. Because of this, Jonathan gained the strength to use just his hands to chop through Tarkus' enormous arm!

Leona: Oh yeah...I kinda just remembered that Jonathan has a sword...He didn't even need to use it here...Now, as any long-running JoJo fan would know, Dio has always had an influence even leading several years into the future up to Jolyne's era, but Jonathan, the first of the JoJo bloodline, was also the one who ultimately defeated him. And while yes, Dio is significantly more powerful in Stardust Crusaders, Phantom Blood Dio could still achieve feats of strength and speed above humanly possible. And considering Joseph Joestar, the only other JoJo capable of Hamon-wielding, is able to easily dodge beams of light, it stands to reason Jonathan could do the same thing.

Hifumi: And as Leona just casually mentioned, Jonathan is also armed with a medieval European knightly sword, aptly called "Pluck."

Leona: The sword belonged to Bruford at first, but after Jonathan's Hamon gave him back his human soul, he gave it to Jonathan and renamed it. Jonathan then used the sword to sever Dio like a chunk of salami!

Hifumi: Jonathan's greatest strength was always his intelligence and unwavering determination, more so than his strength, speed, sword, or even Hamon. Dio was defeated once more by the same unwavering desire for justice that had brought him down all those years ago, but this time around, the victory was short-lived and bittersweet.

Leona: Jonathan is basically the definition of a big man with a big heart. Dio abused, mentally tortured him, killed his dad, and yet despite all that, he never say Dio as anything less than his brother, though Dio didn't share the sentiment.

Hifumi: On the eve of his marriage with Erina, Dio came back to kill Jonathan and take his body, and Jonathan gave his life to save his wife and unborn child. He did not, however, die in vain. His lineage would endure for eons, producing a succession of remarkable, peculiar and...dare I say...BIZARRE heroes who would foil Dio's schemes and preserve the cosmos for all eternity.

Leona: And thus the name JoJo would be passed down through the ages...Figuratively...and LITERALLY!

Hifumi: Alright, the combatants are set! We've run the data through all possibilities!

Leona: IT'S TIME FOR A DEEAAATH BAAATTLLLLLLEEE!

Sakura Ogami sits atop the peak of a mountain, arms and legs crossed, eyes closed, and quietly meditating, undisturbed by even the sounds of the birds and wind around her. She only opens her eyes when she senses a presence scaling the mountain behind her.

Jonathan: I wasn't quite expecting this...

Sakura: Expecting what, exactly?

Jonathan unsheathes Pluck from his back.

Jonathan: I was told that if I came here, I would encounter the strongest fighter in the world...And yet I stand here, only to find you...A young woman...

Sakura stands up and only halfway turns to look at him.

Sakura: You were not expecting that the world's strongest would be a woman?

Jonathan: In all honesty, no...Though I know better than to misjudge people by appearances...Hitting you would be another thing entirely.

Sakura: Those sound like fighting words...

Jonathan: It is a rather long story...I was instructed to come here and defeat the world's strongest...Passing this trial comes in exchange of-

Sakura: You need not explain it to me...I will gladly battle any adversary that steps up to the plate...

Jonathan: If that is the case...

He points his sword at her.

Jonathan: Have at you...!

Sakura turns around, a powerful aura surrounding her, and the ends of her mouth slightly curving up. She begins to crack her knuckles and assumes her fighting stance.

Sakura: With pleasure...!

Sakura lunges in for the first attack, and Jonathan tries to counter by swinging his sword at her. The edge of the blade collides with Sakura's fist, but doesn't cut her.

Jonathan: Hah! Indeed, this is just the level of power I was expecting! 

Sakura: This is a battle. Not a casual conversation. Talking is far from a key tactic...

Jonathan: No...Of course not...But deception can be a key tactic...!

Sakura: Hm...!?

Jonathan starts to charge his Hamon energy into his blade and superheats it, scalding Sakura's fist and leaving a burn mark. Sakura retracts her fist, which Jonathan uses as an opening to punch her in the ribs. The punch is fierce and Sakura flies off the other side of the mountain, with Jonathan chasing her. Sakura looks at her fist, half with dismay, half with excitement.

Sakura: Hmhm...This one will be a worthy opponent...!

As Jonathan brandishes his blade and falls down towards Sakura, she slams into the rock beneath her, immediately springing back up and lunging towards Jonathan with a lightning-quick jump kick.

Jonathan: Ah-!

Jonathan thinks he can counter the kick with his blade and indeed reacts fast enough, but the power of Sakura's kick is so powerful, the blow sends the sword hurtling into the sky and getting lodged into the cliff face, leaving JoJo to fight with his bare hands.

Jonathan: Incredible!

Sakura: Same to you!

Sakura and Jonathan pause for but a second to exchange pleasantries as they land on their feet, then launch into a full-on attack, delivering punch after punch and blocking each other's blows with their fists.

With their sights set on one another, the two combatants retreat along the uneven terrain. Hamon energy starts to radiate from Jonathan's body. Sakura's body starts to radiate a fighting spirit at the same time. Both fighters gradually start to comprehend the sheer strength of their opponent.

Jonathan: *This is really the trial that I was sent to overcome...Her power is unbelievable; even I am not sure I can see this through...!*

Sakura: *I will most assuredly battle, even if my bones should crack...But this one...He has more than enough power to crack them...!*

Despite the intrusive thoughts, neither of them back down. The first to move is Jonathan, who charges forward at breakneck speed, punching Sakura in the face before she can react, and then sending her flying with a spinning fist!

Jonathan: ZOOM PUNCH!

Jonathan attempts to finish his combo by launching his fist forward and striking Sakura via an elongated arm. 

Sakura: TCHAGH!

Jonathan: Nani!?

Sakura: HOOOOOAAGH!

Sakura dodges Jonathan's attack by front-flipping out of the way, landing behind him before striking back with a punch that sends a sonic boom crashing into the Hamon warrior. Jonathan chooses to block the attack with his arms and Hamon abilities since he is unable to avoid it in time.

Sakura: DON'T DISAPPOINT ME!

Jonathan: SCARLET OVERDRIVE!

Jonathan creates a ripple of flame and sets his fists on fire, lunging at Sakura. In kind, Sakura thrusts her fists forward at such power and speed, they also combust. The Ultimate Martial Artist and OG JoJo engage in yet another fistfight, the power and heat of their fists setting the surrounding area aflame.

Sakura: Hah!

Jonathan: Gah!

Sakura practically teleports behind Jonathan due to her rapid pace. JoJo can barely keep up with her barrage of kicks and punches as she leans herself into him. 

In the instant that he has to catch his breath, Jonathan rushes backward to get some distance between himself and his opponent.

Sakura: HUURAAGGH!

However, no sooner does Jonathan do this, Sakura plants her hands into the ground and tosses up a gigantic slab of earth, tossing it straight towards him!

Jonathan: Tch...! OVERDRIVE!

Sakura: Hah!

Jonathan: Grgh!?

Jonathan uses his Hamon to channel his energy through the crumbling debris, tearing it in half as a result. But as soon as the earth opens, Sakura jumps through it at Jonathan, who has become sufficiently distracted to land a lethal blow. Sakura deals a strong kick to his cheek, but Jonathan barely avoids the more painful brunt of the blow by grabbing Sakura's leg and tossing her back.

Jonathan: *breathing noises...*

Sakura: What...!? UGH! AGH! GUGH!?

Sakura is caught unpleasantly off-guard as Jonathan takes a deep breath, and the back of her head collides with something heavy. She is just barely able to look up and see she smacked into a piece of the rubble from her previous attack, which is now somehow suspended in mid-air! Not only that, but she then falls back to the ground and keeps running into all the other pieces of debris on her way down!

Sakura: Hurgh...! Guh!?

Bleeding from the head, Sakura is still able to land on her feet, the ground beneath her becoming indented. Unfortunately, Jonathan by now is already upon her! 

Jonathan: SUNLIGHT...! YELLOW...! OVERDRIIIIIIIIIVVEE!!!!

Sakura is now helpless as Jonathan unleashes a devastating Sunlight Yellow Overdrive barrage on her before sending her flying into the mountain and leaving a huge crater underneath her corpse! After a brief pose, he jumps up and lands on her, slamming his fist and dealing the finishing blow!

*KRRAAAAAAAAKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!*

...

...

...

Jonathan: A-Ah...Ah....!

Jonathan's eyes dilate in horror. Despite thinking he's finished his opponent off, he stares down to see that in spite of his power, as well as his advantageous position, Sakura catches his fist before it makes contact...!

Sakura: Alright...My turn...!

Jonathan experiences HELL! Though he tries to react in the split second he has, Sakura throws a haymaker so hefty, it breaks his arm! Jonathan tries to use Hamon to heal his injury, but Sakura attacks her now-vulnerable opponent with a vicious rush, who can now do nothing against her barrage of brutality!

Sakura: IT'S OOVVEEEEEEEERRR!

Jonathan: GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAAAAGGH!

Sakura winds up one more powerful, flaming fist, and throws one final blow that runs straight through Jonathan Joestar, finishing him off and crushing his lungs! Jonathan collapses backwards after Sakura's blood-stained fist slides out of him, falls on his back, leaning down on the rubble...Despite his fate, he opens his eyes one final time and looks up at Sakura, who clenches her fist.

Jonathan: ...You really were...the strongest...

Sakura: We will meet again in the next life...And we will have this "conversation" again...

Though the original JoJo failed his challenge, and though the Ultimate Martial Artist is burdened with his blood on her hands, neither of the two warriors can help but feel relieved and satisfied with the outcome. Jonathan and Sakura smile at each other confidently and respectfully, as the former slips into the afterlife...

Hifumi & Leona: YEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

Leona: THAT WAS FUCKING AWESOME! And that's ANOTHER win for the home team! LESSGOO!

Hifumi: I'm as excited as you, but while we're riding this high, I think we've got a bit of explaining to do.

Leona: Oh, yeah, for sure! 'Cause I know at home, a lot of people were probably rooting for Johnny-boy, especially since he had so many powers and abilities up his ass that Sakura shouldn't have been able to counter. But the truth is...this match REALLY wasn't that clear cut!

Hifumi: Let the record say that this wasn't a completely one-sided victory. In several scenarios, with minor changes like the setting, prep time, knowledge about each other's innate abilities, etcetera, there are multiple scenarios in which Jonathan COULD have taken an easy win. However, the fact is that Mrs Sakura Ogami at no holds barred was just far too much of a challenge for the OG Joestar.

Leona: JoJo really did have a lot going for him. Sakura might have been able to reach hypersonic levels of speed, far more than human logic would allow someone to reach, but Jonathan is more than able to keep pace with her. When Sakura fought Mukuro, she moved so quickly to Mukuro's blind spot that it appeared as though she had teleported to most of the people around her, and we've already established just how stupidly fast Mukuro's max speed is.

Hifumi: In contrast, Jonathan being able to fight on par with Dio and being fast enough to react to his lightning-fast attacks such as the Space Ripper Stingy Eyes; as well as the fact that he easily defeated Tarkus who blitzed Zeppeli, proves that Jonathan is just as fast, if not FASTER!

Leona: Additionally, Hamon was a VERY versatile weapon, given how much Jonathan could affect with it, most notably the area around him, as well as Sakura herself. Even without it, Jonathan still had the better arsenal. He's by no means a master swordsman, but it's a pretty assured victory if you're going to bring a sword to a fistfight. Most of the time at least...

Hifumi: And Jonathan had the intellect and thinking speed to use this to his advantage! While we made it clear earlier that Mrs Ogami is by no means dumb, and is incredibly strategic in her own right, Jonathan Joestar is a JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE CHARACTER! A character from a SERIES of stories about people fighting and using wacky abilities in the most outwards way possible! And Jonathan is the one who STARTED this trend, even if his grandson Joseph is shown to be more tactical with it.

Leona: So why does Sakura ultimately take the cake here? Well, it's actually quite simple...

Hifumi: Indeed. Speed and intelligence aside, and with or without Hamon, Jonathan's stats are near ECLIPSED by Mrs Ogami's pure power! 

Leona: For example, Jonathan is capable of setting his fists alight with energy or fire, and can use his breathing techniques to manipulate the air around him. Sakura on the other hand is capable of nearly the exact same feats, like how she can punch hard enough that her fists combust, or sending a shockwave from her punches that parts the ocean, and she doesn't even HAVE breathing superpowers!

Hifumi: On the one hand, Jonathan post-Deep Pass Overdrive effortlessly overpowered and killed Tarkus despite being previously outmatched, and is demonstrably equal with Dio; damaging him with a punch, bisecting him even after meeting resistance and ultimately defeating him. On the other hand, with just one or two exceptions, Sakura Ogami is "the strongest person in the world" and the best fighter in the Danganronpa series. As such, she should be superior to fighters like Juzo Sakakura, Genocide Jack, and Mukuro Ikusaba, the latter of whom found it difficult to engage in a casual fight with her.

Leona: Again, if you go back to Mukuro Vs Kayano, we went over some of the things that Mukuro was capable of. But in case you don't feel like doing that, as a quick reminder, she's been fighting on battlefields since her childhood days and never received a single scratch to show for it, and she battled 100 Killing Game Monokuma's, which as we said, Sakura was on par with, armed with nothing but an improvised weapon, all while dodging a rapid-fire machine gun turret. And she was AFRAID to fight Sakura!

Hifumi: Not "afraid" exactly, but similarly wary of her. When Ms Ikusaba accomplishes the 100 Monokuma feat in Danganronpa IF, she understands that there isn't a way for her to defeat Mrs. Ogami in a fair match and decides to concentrate on dodging in order to survive against her. She was unable to match her in this particular scenario and instead needed to use her weapons against her or go into her Battle Trance Mode in order to pull of a victory.

Leona: Aside from speed, there's a matter of durability. Again, Hamon realistically could be used to potentially give Jonathan an instant-kill victory. Other Hamon users have been shown to use their powers to directly shut off their opponent's brain or heart, something that's happened to many ordinary humans in JoJo's universe with a single zap. Unfortunately, Sakura Ogami ISN'T a normal human, and even if Sakura is clearly unable to match Jonathan's massively FTL top speeds, she is still able to change her combat style mid-fight, strategize on the fly, and react so quickly that it looks as though she is teleporting. According to our calculations, this places her on par with Jonathan's own reactionary feats.

Hifumi: Mrs Ogami was by no means immune to Hamon. Far from it actually. But the feats of strength that she's been proven to be able to survive completely outmatch Jonathan's. Jonathan Joestar's biggest defense feats are him tanking hits from Jack the Ripper and Tarkus. And while being without Hamon and reduced to nothing but a corpse, his body could survive being caught within a massive explosion, which allowed Dio to take it over.

Leona: But yet again, Mukuro's wariness of Sakura puts her on a similar level of durability, if not MUCH higher than that. The fact that the Ultimate Soldier would have rather taken her down by sniping her from a distance implies that going hand to hand with no weapons would prove fruitless. And as another reminder, we established in Mukuro's episode that her most powerful blow is 6 TIMES more powerful than the atom bomb! Also, being able to fight a much stronger version of Monokuma, the sentry version of which is more than capable of ripping apart a person effortlessly with its claws and teeth, is a similarly impressive feat. And in both Trigger Happy Havoc and IF, Sakura easily deflected Monokuma's attacks.

Hifumi: Mrs Ogami's feat of parting the ocean with a punch is proof enough that if both fighters were to throw their strongest blows at one another, Jonathan would DEFINITELY succumb while she COULD survive. And that factor alone is symbolic of this matchup. 

Leona: Sakura's biggest weakness other than her own limitations as a human is that she's shown that despite her raw strength, she will bend over backwards to protect the things and people she cares about. If she's blackmailed, or their safety is threatened, then she will fall in line. But let's be honest, even if Jonathan somehow knew this, he was NEVER going to take advantage of it! The idea of Jonathan-freaking-Joestar taking hostages is, frankly, RIDICULOUS!

Hifumi: Jonathan Joestar is rightfully one of the pillars of shonen society, with his powerful breathing techniques and gentlemanly fists, but Mrs Sakura Ogami's unmatched power, insurmountable strength and iron-tight resolve saw her over the sunny horizon.

Leona: I think we can say for sure that she left us all "breathless~"

THE WINNER IS SAKURA OGAMI!

Next time:

The greatest heroes are often defined by their worst enemy. A title that these two crazy little girls are willing to take the mantle of, even if it drives them to the brink of madness...Only destruction and death will be left in their wake when these two come to town...!

[lichtundschattens]

‘ cailee spaeny, cis woman, she/her, 26 / 260 , high fae ’ ― cauldron save you. it seems ELYSIA ACHESON has finally made it to the capital, the LADY/HIGH PRIESTESS from THE SPRING COURT is said to be OPTIMISTIC and is said to describe themselves with YOUR NAME WHISPERED BY THE WIND AND CARRIED BY THE SONGS OF BIRDS IN THE EARLY MORNING, MOVING WITH THE GRACE OF A DEER WITH SILENT FOOTSTEPS ON THE FOREST FLOOR, THE FEELING OF GRASS AGAINST YOUR BARE FEET, SOFT HUMMING ECHOING THROUGHOUT THE HALLWAYS and with all of this in mind their STUBBORN nature always seems to get them into trouble. may the mother hold them as they navigate this unthinkable time.

THE BASICS;

full name: elysia lilia acheson

aliases: eli

age: 26/260

occupation: high priestess & lady of the spring court

alliances: the spring court

species: high fae

personality (+): optimistic, gentle, nurturing

personality (-): stubborn, naive, soft-spoken,

inspirations: alice (alice in wonderland), snow white (disney)

THE STORY SO FAR;

Born as the youngest of your siblings, you were an unexpected surprise—a joyous addition celebrated by your entire family. From the moment you arrived, you were enveloped in love and cherished beyond measure, a fact you never forgot.

But you were always different from your siblings; you felt this deeply. They would brush it off whenever you voiced this feeling, saying it was merely because of the age gaps between all of you. Still, there were times when this explanation did little to ease your sense of isolation, leaving you wondering where you truly belonged. Unlike your siblings, who seemed to have clear paths, you were still searching for your purpose. Yet, there was solace in the things that made you feel alive. Books, for one, could transport you to different worlds, lifting the weight of your worries. Nature, too, was your sanctuary. You spent countless hours outdoors, so connected with your surroundings that it wasn't uncommon to find you nestled under a tree with a book in hand.

Your love for nature went beyond simple appreciation; you felt a profound connection with it. You enjoyed speaking to the trees, the plants, and the animals, losing yourself in their silent conversations. Days would slip by unnoticed as you immersed yourself in these natural wonders. Rumors swirled about you, marking you as different from your siblings. They called you "the black sheep," "the girl with her head in the clouds," but you couldn’t help that you felt a strong affinity for nature or that literature sparked your imagination like nothing else. Eventually, you realized that perhaps no one would ever fully understand you, and you decided it was time to redefine yourself.

The idea of finding a husband someday filled you with dread. You were not looking forward to the responsibilities that would soon be expected of you. But you turned your thoughts to something greater—a future where you could become something as significant as a High Priestess. It wasn't just about the title; it was about proving everyone wrong. You were more than the soft, timid girl they took you for, the one always daydreaming. You wanted to show them your strength and determination, that you were capable of more than anyone ever imagined.

The journey was long and difficult, filled with moments when you doubted yourself and wondered if it would ever be possible. Yet, you never gave up. When the miraculous day came that you were appointed High Priestess of your court, you accepted the role with pride. Despite the honor, a part of you felt unprepared, knowing that this position would demand more from you than you had ever given. You crafted a mask, carefully preparing yourself for the responsibilities ahead.

Now, the entire realm knows you as their new High Priestess. You are a girl no longer; you have found a purpose beyond mere existence or marriage. But even with your new title, you can’t help but wonder if you will truly be able to fulfill your duties and prove to yourself and everyone else that you are more than what they believed you to be. Will you be able to carry out your duties as you pledged?