#like whoa holy shit

[perelka-l]

Hi, I’m the person who asked about Ghetsis and the paradox of his attitude towards N’s ability half a year ago. I’m very very sorry for taking so inappropriately long to answer, had a lot going on.

I gravitate towards the theory that N and Ghetsis might be distant relatives with a common ancestor, which would explain a lot of things, from physical similarities to the denial of fatherhood. They could have any other type of blood connection besides that of a parent a child - after all, royal family trees tend to be huge and messy. I think N comes from the direct lineage (which grants him special powers), while Ghetsis might be from an offshoot of the original family. In other words, the former is the legitimate successor of the king and has more rights to the throne. He’s also closer to their progenitor personality-wise.

(There are a couple of more reasons why I don’t think Ghet is N’s bio father. Taking into account the stigma surrounding adoption in Japan makes me wonder if there was an out-of-universe cause for portraying Lusamine more positively that Ghetsis. That is not to say the green satan should’ve been redeemed; imao both characters deserve to rot in hell. I just suspect that the writers only let Lusamine (and not the other villain) off the hook due to her being a biological parent. And speaking of parents... this one’s purely subjective, but I find it hard to envision Ghetsis in a stable, serious long-term relationship leading to pregnancy. Taking an orphan under your wing for evil purposes is one thing, but living with a s/o and having them bear your child is another. I don’t believe a “one-night stand gone wrong” scenario is plausible and fitting for his personality either).

As for the paradox, I’ve come up with three possible explanations.

1. Ghetsis got overwhelmed by plain old envy. Taking his royal origins very seriously, he brought together the sages, worked on searching the ruins, and adhered to a certain image. And then there was N, who simply happened to be born with the king’s abilities and in the right lineage, which automatically made him the true heir. Of course, this wouldn’t really matter to normal people, since Unova is no longer a monarchy and there’s no need for heirs, but it’s Ghetsis we’re talking about. All of his insults towards N could stem from jealousy and a sense of rivalry. I suppose observing how his adopted son just managed to resemble King Harmonia naturally (no pun intended) must’ve unnerved Ghetsis a lot. Oh, and their physical similarities could’ve added insult to injury, constantly reminding him that they share some dna, but N is still a more worthy descendant.

2. Ghetsis indulged in cherry-picking. Despite cherishing his legacy, he had his own weird ideas about ruling and disregarded some of the king’s tenets anyway (“Do not be barbaric”, “Think, act with love”, “Wars create tears”). Perhaps Ghet did consider the monarch freaky for the special ability but acknowledged his achievements nonetheless.

3. Double standards were at fault. He could excuse a great king talking to Pokemon but drew the line at some odd forest kid who fails to understand even humans doing the same thing.

TL;DR: 1) Ghetsis didn’t consider the ability inherently despicable, it’s just that he gave vent to envy and blind rage whenever his ward was concerned.

2) He viewed the trait as freakish indeed but avoided internal dissonance by focusing on historical facts he deemed favourable and downplaying/ignoring everything else.

3) It’s selective morality and mental gymnastics all the way down. He didn’t mind cutting the king some slack yet refused to extend the same courtesy to N.

Since I’m drawing on the assumption that the characters come from different branches of difference significance, I’m inclined to think Ghetsis cannot talk to Pokémon after all. Besides, if he could, he would’ve had a much easier time achieving his goals in BW.

By the way, I can’t stop thinking about just how much Ghetsis lost by pushing N away. He rejected not only his son but also an invaluable potential ally - an ally who could’ve aided greatly in his research. Teaming up with a genius who’s personally invested in exploring the ruins (who would’ve been invested had he known about his lineage, I mean) and possesses unique powers is a perfect scenario one could only dream of. Nevertheless, Ghetsis decidedly gave up that opportunity and let pride (perhaps along with envy) outweigh all other feelings, thoughts, and aspirations. In the end, pride managed to win over his interest in the heritage and over his reverence. That, in my opinion, is one of the greatest undoings of King Harmonia’s descendant. He chose to ruin his own life, to brutally sever ties with the only person in the world who genuinely loved him and who shared blood and legacy with him. You once wrote that Ghetsis holds answers to 90% of BW’s mysteries; well, the number could be brought to 100% if only he wasn’t an utter bastard.

Gosh, it has been months since this one arrived at my askbox and I just thought I would cook the answer over time and it never happened. Apologies for that. The time has come. Finally, guh!! So fret not anon, the pain of taking shitton of time to reply is mutual. So I think it's OK.

I also think about the common ancestor between those two, but more in an annoyed, grumbly manner of "fine, if it's not direct relation I will take anything". And indeed that could be a more canon-supported way of connecting those two, precisely for arguments you are mentioning.

(As a side note, though, in Pokemas Ghetsis says that they are not bound by blood. In same sentence calling him his son. Ngl I love the way Ghetsis riffs off on family ties to try and manipulate and/or hurt N. Amazing.)

But I would wonder about legitimacy - we kinda do know Ghetsis feels entitled to the crown and I don't think there is more to that than just hunger for power and N being the King of Plasma is entirely Ghetsis' idea...

(In a way, it's something that could not even hinge on N because, uh, USUM: in which Ghetsis planned to do exactly the same shit he pulled off in his universe (in which he already took over and succeeded in his plans) but with Giovanni of all people. But then, in that case Ghetsis doesn't have to add the element of being chosen by Zekrom/Reshiram, so maybe it's just a repeat run with no reasoning but pieces aligning.)

But my point is - Ghetsis' idea of him being the one deserving the power he craves doesn't come purely from his own hunger, I think. But then, he couldn't become the chosen hero. If he could, it would make things much more simple for him and wouldn't bother with finding/arranging N. Which is... something I can't help but wonder about, what would N be if Ghetsis wasn't here.

I don't know about stigma of adoption in JP, could you elaborate? 

And yeah, admittedly I am also a bit disappointed about Lusa being protrayed with significant backpedal to her evil - even despite SM compounding that ultimately she wasn't entirely in control of her own actions. I also think that what you say now is also what happened in B2W2 - the blood relation between N and Ghetsis wasn't elaborated upon, being more left vaguely in the air in BW while it was B2W2 that compounded the lack of relation. Which is... sad, really. And not the only thing I am :/ about in terms of things spoken out loud and simplified in B2W2 that in BW were implied or left unsaid (shadow triad theory my beloved ;;;A;;; )

I entirely agree about points with Ghetsis not being able to sustain any relationship (c'mon, it's Ghetsis.) (on that note I always remember that one fantastic kinkmeme fic about Ghetsis being actually woman dressed as a man and getting her child from Alder by manipulation, 10/fucking 10, but I am carried away over here) and I think one night stands would be entirely beneath him. But I think there is no need to consider, shall we say, normal ways of prgnancy and if anything, I wouldn't be surprised if Ghetsis tried to go for less moral means, starting with manipulation and ending with force.

I did now write a bit about 1. (look, I am replying as I read and think OK, I am not good with structured writing stuff) but in a way I think it's important that symbolism carries weight in Pokemon World while history is in a way pushed aside or bestowed upon small group of individuals as lore or hidden knowledge that does ultimately carry great power. I always wonder what happened first - did Ghetsis reach out to the lore and hidden knowledge because of his own background and that inspired him to try and reach for power? Or did he reach for it in his search for power?? Just another mystery.

(which, hilariously, N wondered about in Pokemas either: Sometimes I wonder what his... What Ghetsis's past was like. I don't know anything about his parents or his childhood... I wonder if I ever will." Man, those lines made me froth at mouth a bit ngl)

You mentioning physical similarities is one thing I adore to ponder about with those two, but when you throw the theory that Ghetsis due to his Harmonia lineage can understand Pokemon speaking... and considering how he treats that ability in N, there could be some repressed rage at himself, and that would only add fuel to injury to seeing the way N reaches what he cannot. (Which kinda breaks the point number 3 for me wwwww Ghetsis is a bit of a hateful individual)... My point is: yeah, he hates that and surpresses that. He could have used that to his own goals, but I don't think he would even admit that he can do such a monstrous thing.

Re: 2, I wonder if he misinterpreted / chose to misinterpret the tenets less as what to do and more as what to portray. To be fair, Ghetsis can be perfectly charming and polite (kind, if you ask him, but ahah, yeah, right) and maybe he used those rules as tips and tricks how to manipulate the masses.

Ghetsis indeed fucked up royally (lol) by revealing his cards too soon (in Pokemas as well, really, he could have carried on that act of disgraced and regretful father for so much longer). But then, I am a little not surprised he did, in BW. He did spend a good few years playing someone he is not and the moment he could throw away the mask was surely a relief, and he believed so deeply he'd succeeded that he didn't think of keeping it on his face for just a tiny bit more, as a failsafe. Indeed, he could do so much more, but he detested N too deeply and believed in how own capabilities too much. Pride and hatred and indeed, envy, no matter which angle we use to look at it.

Ultimately, that's why he is a villain and why he lost, not even once but twice.

[nqn]

i designed these style kids in 2016 and lost all the old art so this i based almost ENTIRELY off of my memories of the designs and im ccrying

[valzhangism]

do you think Leo is a misogynist

nope and i'm not just saying that because he's my favourite character. calling leo a misogynist is just objectively ridiculous; the most "misogynistic" behaviour he ever exhibits is flirting awkwardly and thinking of himself as a casanova but even then when he gets put in his place it's not like he gets angry or violent or even all that upset. it's clear that his flirty behaviour is just another coping mechanism that can manifest negatively like, say, his bullying frank. he's best friends with piper, is intimidated by annabeth, and becomes close with hazel and reyna. all characters with which he has completely normal and meaningful interactions with. frankly i don't get at all how people see him as some raging misogynist—the most he has is a minor sexism problem that is typical of most teenage boys, one that even percy has.

tldr; no. nothing leo does is ever that serious.

[transmasc-tabris]

Writing this fic like "wait does blood magic do that?" only to tell myself for the 156547834th time that DAI went full on time magic fuckery so i can do what i want.

[tranquilitybasehotelcasino]

assuming kobra kid is like fifteen or sixteen which he is in my mind i find the idea of him having been a scarecrow in training to be both gut wrenching and hilarious

[thelastlightningbug]

i asked to be able to speak to the students in my high school’s art class and my old teacher said yes, which is a win and i’m totally looking forward to it, but is funny because it leaves me in the position of being a year and a half into my undergraduate degree going to bed worried about a high school presentation

[talentforlying]

@formshaper: even for my kind, pain still hurts. [dream. i am frothing over this actually.] — AMERICAN GOD STARTERS

' fuck me, you're kidding. '

of all the times to learn that the endless has feelings, this is not the most convenient amongst them: on the lam from a feral posse of tulpas sent up by some cast-happy bastard with an eye towards collecting constructs of power like animals for a zoo. and look, it's not like he hadn't seen a trap coming — fairly standard practice to catch dreams, not kill them — he just . . . didn't think it would hurt to walk into. at least, it wouldn't hurt dream to walk into. learn something new every day.

fuck, he didn't think dream could ever get hurt, not really. not in a way that mattered. ( a terrifying thought, that. )

the lull of sizzling, snarling background noise jumps like a record needle skipping and he winces, glancing past the endless toward the sea of shadows mobbing the horizon, getting closer. the two of them are almost to the edge of the world dream, almost off the material plane and back into primo territory where the tulpas would be just as under the thumb of the Lord of Dreams as any other thought-form. they're so close to safety, so fucking close, and the prick's gone and popped a tyre.

there's an obvious choice: he could leave dream behind. save his own skin. come back later with a better plan, or send someone else instead, someone more capable, less . . . fleshy. a couple days of imprisonment at the hands of mortals, that's hardly anything to an endless, scarcely a fraction of a blink. fuck knows dream's had worse; it'd be nothing, compared to burgess. constantine could run.

. . . buggering pustulant fuck, they don't have time for this.

' remind me when we're out've 'ere to walk you through this shiny new mortal concept, star eyes — it's called sucking it up! ' he doesn't stand on ceremony, ducking down to haul dream's arm up over his shoulder and lift; so sodding help him, they are getting out of here, if he has to drag the prickly goth bastard down the hall face-first like a star-spangled roll of fucking carpet.

' christ, this is just like you endless types, leavin' me to do all the bleedin' legwork. i've half a mind t'start charging for me services, yunno, a couple peaceful nights of rest just en't gonna cut it anymore. gonna start adjustin' fer inflation of risk. like, this bit 'ere? now? you owe me a drink. an enormous one. ' a beat. may as well go for broke. ' and a house key. '

[cosmiicheskaya]

🐢 turtle of positivity says: just remember you're loved. you're appreciated. your muse / muses are unique. and you're an important part of the rpc! 🐢

this is very sweet; thank you and know that i appreciate you and seeing your blog on my dash(es)!!

[mamawasatesttube]

i can't decide if it's funnier if a) kon goes to smallville high prom with simon valentine, or b) simon valentine goes to smallville high prom with lori luthor and kon aggressively third wheels the entire night with great enthusiasm

[spidermilkshake]

The big thing I like about Dongusrongus is how the characters be.

Even the "annoying" ones, they have their charm. As much as I know Hiyoko's a spicy little projecting bitch, I appreciate how she can be so ass and also be a superglue-tight buddy to others... it helps that she's, what, 16 years old, partially amnesiac and fundamentally traumatized?

Aside from the worst of the weird pervy "...fanservice" in some of the spin-offs, the characters in general super come off as... "gifted kid" teens, with all the baggage that title entails. Plus also there's sentient robots, MK Ultra-type video mind control brainwashing procedures, virtual reality programs so real you feel like you're living in them, and probably like real-ass X-men powers mixed in with the talented artists and computer science whizzes. Dongusrongus. Yeeee.

[killikhive]

been playing swtor again i finished the sith warrior story btw. also it's hilarious that malavai confesses having feelings for them in the conversation immediately after getting the shit beat out of him and force choked after betraying them. man knows what he's about!

[hopefulqueer]

why r physical therapists always like. leagues better than every other medical professional u will ever meet.

[asterdeer]

just had my first ever “please help me with my pain” experience of the dentist calling three other dentists into the cubby to look at my mouth and go basically “wow, perfect tongue and teeth but everything else is fucked”, soooo excited to finally join this particular echelon of “everything hurty most days” society

[queen-mabs-revenge]

ohhHhhHhHHhHHhH THERE'S MORE INFO ON THE REBLOG BALLS

[suatual]

can i just say that we’re an absolutely insane fandom and i love that of us

[spirallusions]

Uhh- Sure! Yeah- I've uhm-

( They take out a group of papers from the file )

Alright uh-

Statement of Rosery Olis, regarding- a mushroom patch? In her backyard.

I feel like I should give some backstory before I start. I just moved into my parents house after I divorced my now-ex husband. He can keep the house for all I care, but moving was harder than I expected.

My parents are quite old now; nearing their 80's. They couldn't help me move the boxes, and the sudden change was a shock to them. My twin sister, Angela, had to help while my younger brother, David, attended to my parents.

Apart from the annoying amount of sympathy and "I'm so sorry you had to move"'s from everyone, life wasn't so bad. After the shit show that was my marriage it was for sure an improvement.

My parents house is,, not in the best conditions. It's the same house that my father lived in since he was young, and has been in our family for generations.

A lot of my parent's renovation money is being spent on renovations and repairs for various pipes, supports and floors.

The one thing in good condition? The garden. My mother spends most of her time outside, attending to the plants. My father simply watches from the back porch.

Shortly after I moved in, she noticed a new addition to her garden that she had never seen before.

Next to the daisy's, was a small patch of mushrooms. We couldn't identify the type of mushroom, but it didn't bother anything so we left it untouched. My mother is a- firm believer that all plant life is special and should be preserved.

After a couple of weeks we noticed the patch had,, grown. Quite a lot. It completely overtook the daisy's and several other flowers around it.

My mother still didn't touch it. Thus is the way of nature, I suppose.

For the next little while I was very busy. I worked three jobs to help my parents out, so I wasn't home much; when I was at home it was usually sleeping.

Another month or so later and I realized I've been seeing my mother less and less, and then hardly at all.

I checked the whole house for her. Every single room, every single hallway, even the attic. The one place I didn't have access, as it required a key, was the basement.

My father was succumbing to his amnesia at this point, and had no idea where it was, so he wasn't any help.

It took me another week to get the lock open. It was rusted and jammed and it would. Not. Break. Off. There was something holding that doorknob on there, and I still to this day, have no explanation for what it was.

Once the lock was undone, I struggled for another day to get the door itself open. By that point I hadn't realized it, but my father wasn't anywhere to be seen, either.

I- I am not a fan of what I saw in the basement.

The mushrooms from the garden had somehow gotten inside the house, and covered every part of the room.

They were thick, twisting trunks covered in a sticky dew and sprouting smaller mushrooms from the tubes that carpeted the floor and climbed the walls.

In the middle of the room, impaled in multiple spots, eyes replaced by fungi, mouth dripping mold, was my mother.

I've never run faster in my life. I ran to the backyard.

The whole area was covered in the mushroom. My father, suffocated by them next to the porch.

The mushrooms were- incredibly,, flammable. My siblings don't believe my story, the police didn't believe my story, everyone thought I burnt the house down and killed my parents.

No trace of the mushrooms were left.

They couldn't prove me guilty in court for murder, but they did prove the arson. I did my time in prison, and then I came here, hoping one of you would listen to me.

I don't care if you can prove the mushroom part or not, I just need someone to look at me with sympathy again. I was a fool to resent it.

( They pause, eyelids fluttering and swaying slightly before staggering and catching themselves on the door frame of the Distortion's Door. Quickly righting themselves, they clear their throat )

That was,,, I didn't like that. I think Vester might have been- I think he was right. About- not reading the statements. My uhm- my head hurts I-

( They sway more as they back up, eyes clearly looking at anything but Spectrum )

I- I think I should uhm. I think I should go and- finish delivering these.

(@ladybug-bestie)

Don't you feel good? Something like you...