#my friend kieran whom i care for very much

[parchmentknight]

horse girl is a state of mind

at first i was like "who tf this scraggly weak bamboo whiny ass loser" but now??. thats my son (untied him from the tree and watched him walk around camp like 😲😲😲) (holy shiet hes walking around)

also why is arthur so mean to kieran shouldnt you two be talking about horse care and making neighing sounds or something

[elyvorg]

Kieran Part Bonus: I AM SO PROUD OF MY BOY

And now for my really actually final analysis post about Kieran, covering both the epilogue and also his scenes in the League Club room once you’ve finished that. Somehow both of these relatively short pieces of content still managed to be packed with delightful nuance showcasing both how Kieran’s still struggling with his issues and yet also how much he’s grown since his main arc. They are absolutely lovely and fill me with so many warm happy feelings about my boy.

Honestly, it’s remarkable, not just from a Pokémon-writing perspective but as a piece of fiction in general, to have this kind of satisfying follow-up for a character arc. Usually once a character’s arc reaches a resolution, their story just ends there, and we don’t get to see more of how they’re processing what they’ve been through and learning to grow further in the aftermath. So it’s a really wonderful breath of fresh air to get to see something like that for once here with Kieran! The Pokémon writers absolutely did not have to make the epilogue and postgame content focused on showcasing this, and yet they did. I am, once again, pleasantly boggled by how much they cared about doing Kieran’s story justice. Just, wowzers, man. There really is no more appropriate word for my amazement than that.

(This is an epilogue, if you will, to my previous two analysis posts discussing Kieran’s character arc in The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk! Reading those before this is probably recommended.)

Before even getting into things that are strictly from the epilogue itself, can I just say: I really love that Kieran took a mental health break from Blueberry Academy to give him some time to process things? (Okay, the game only calls it a “break”, but let’s be real, it is for his mental health, and this is Good.) It just makes me very happy that the writing acknowledged that he’d probably need something like that after what he’s been through instead of going straight back to business as normal at school – and in an in-story sense, it’s lovely that Kieran realised he needed this and didn’t try and force himself to just keep going as if nothing had happened. He’s starting to learn to take care of himself and not push himself way too hard!

Making new friends

The first lovely sign of Kieran’s growth that we see in the epilogue is that, not only does he want to catch up with you, he also wants to meet your friends from Paldea! He must have spent some time during his break thinking about the fact that you mentioned you had friends from there.

And the thing is, with Kieran’s insecurities, it would have been so easy for him to slip into a mindset of “your friends are probably way cooler than me, why would you need me”. But instead of letting himself get caught up in that jealousy spiral again, he fought against it and did the healthy thing of asking to meet them himself. Hopefully he can become friends with them too and then he’ll have nothing to feel jealous about! He outright says when he meets them, “Any friend of [yours] is a friend of mine!” Look at him go. (Arven should take notes on how not to act insecure about one’s best friend having other friends, because damn, Kieran’s managing to be more well-adjusted than him now.)

All this is also just a sign that Kieran’s hoping to try and make more friends in general. He’s such an introvert that he must have figured that’d be easier for him to do with people for whom he has a mutual friend to get to know them through. Plus, if they’re your friends, then he already has a guarantee that they’ll be good and nice people. Way more manageable for him than trying to approach complete randos.

And really, it’s such a huge remarkable thing for Kieran that he is trying to make friends now. Friends, plural! This is the kid who used to be so lonely and shunned by others that his big dream was to one day be like the ogre who, according to him, doesn’t care that it’s all alone. And maybe then, if he managed that, he’d be able to befriend the ogre – just that one other person who is also alone and outcast. It never even crossed his mind to try and imagine that one day he could be confident and worthy enough to just… have some human friends. That wasn’t even an option in his head – it was “learn to not care that he’s alone” or nothing.

And yet look at Kieran now, actively reaching out to try and make new friends! I am so proud of him.

Learning to ask for help

Soon after you meet up with Kieran, it becomes apparent that something is Very Wrong with his sister. According to Kieran’s account, it was shortly after he sent you the letter that Carmine became possessed, so it’s not that the letter was secretly a call for help in which he couldn’t bring himself to admit the actual problem.

And even now that you’re here… Kieran wasn’t going to tell you about this problem at all until Carmine happened to wander up and start mochi-dancing in front of you. He tries to play the whole thing off like it’s totally normal and she’s definitely just… excited to see you???, even though he has to know that doesn’t make any sense at all. On some level this is just because it’s really scary to admit to himself that something is very wrong and he doesn’t have a clue how to fix it. But it’s also because… he still doesn’t feel like he has the right to ask you and your friends for help.

This is one of the ways in which Kieran’s issues and low sense of self-worth from before are still lingering and have not just been magically, instantly fixed. While he may be making a conscious effort to fight through his insecurities to try and make more friends, he hasn’t started consciously tackling everything that was holding him back just yet. It seems like he imagines that asking your friends for help, these people he’s only just met, would just make him a burden on them and maybe spoil any chance he had of actually becoming their friend himself. (Although, even if you’d come to visit him alone, I suspect he’d still struggle to ask even just you for help, simply due to his old ingrained mindset that he’s not worthy enough to deserve it.)

Happily for Kieran, your friends are all good people who instantly unthinkingly offer to help without him even needing to ask them! Kieran’s sheer surprise and gratitude when this happens is so telling about his insecurities for why he didn’t feel he could ask, but it’s also lovely to see him starting to realise that his instinctive way of thinking about this is mistaken. Welcome to having friends, Kieran, this is how it works actually! Most people are good and will be happy to help out a friend in need! It’s okay to need help sometimes!

There’s another very innocuous line that I find interestingly telling about Kieran’s mindset regarding this. When you’re all at the community centre wanting to use the TV, Kieran laments that it’s stuck playing the tourism ad because the caretaker hid the remote, so Arven immediately suggests you all look for it. And Kieran reacts, in surprise, “Why didn’t I think of that?” It reads as largely rhetorical, but… it’s a good question.

Why didn’t Kieran think of just trying to find the remote? Because he’s spent so long stuck in a mindset where, if things are bad for him, it’s just what he deserves for being weak and there’s nothing he can do about it. His response to his problems during the main storyline was to completely separately fixate on making himself Stronger so that, in theory, problems would just stop happening to him entirely. It never occurred to him to try and just face and deal with his problems directly – at least not until the climactic battle with Terapagos, which was the first time he ever found the courage to take such an approach – so the notion to do so still isn’t quite habitual in his mind just yet.

Hopefully Kieran asking why he didn’t think of that wasn’t quite so rhetorical, and he was reflecting on it himself a little when he said it. He ought to realise that actually, taking action to directly solve his problems is a good thing and something he should strive to do more! He has already begun to do so in some ways by reaching out in an attempt to make more friends, at least.

Solving the problem

Kieran sure does get a lot more practice at Directly Solving Problems thanks to the events that go on to occur that night, doesn’t he. I love that the epilogue’s plot, while ostensibly just there to give players an opportunity to catch Pecharunt, is also a narrative that exists to let Kieran get to be a hero alongside you.

It’s somewhat low key, but Kieran definitely gets pretty freaked out about everything that’s happening. Which is really perfectly reasonable – though the effects of the possession are incredibly silly, it’s still got to be genuinely frightening to see people he knows getting controlled against their will by some unknown force, especially when this includes his own family. (One detail I love is that the game uses that lack of a highlight in his eyes during certain lines to communicate the fear he's feeling and trying not-so-successfully to hide; it’s a small thing, but it works so well.)

Once you’ve fought off his possessed grandparents, Kieran starts to panic, convinced it’s only a matter of time before it gets him (even though the evidence of how exactly the possession occurs is right there if he’d just stop to think about it for a moment). On some level, he must still have this sense that, if it can get all these people he looks up to, surely it’ll get him too who’s so much weaker than them. His inferiority complex is still there and affecting him, especially in this stressful situation.

Good thing Kieran has you by his side, the strongest coolest friend ever whom he knows he can rely on! If you hadn’t been there to reassure him and snap him out of it, he really might have lost himself to his panic. Or he might have just not even tried to battle the possessed people and do something about all of this in the first place – see the earlier point about how him facing problems directly is still not instinctive to him. He’s able to do so here, but a lot of that is probably thanks to being able to follow your lead. Still, this is bound to help him get better at doing so on his own in future!

Kieran’s also still a bit too liable to feel like things are his fault even when they really aren’t. He blames himself for not warning Arven and Penny about the mochi in time, even though he was literally about to do so when Pecharunt showed up and sniped mochi directly into their mouths. That can’t be called Kieran’s fault at all! He tried! (And, hey, it’s not like you made any attempt to warn them either.) But he still feels responsible for it anyway.

And he’s also still rather defeatist when it comes to facing Strong Opponents in battle. Kieran couldn’t defeat Nemona earlier in the day, so when it comes down to facing off against her in order to get to Pecharunt, he just feels like he can’t do it, end of. Really, that’s not necessarily the case – since this is an emergency and not a friendly battle for sport, there’s no reason you have to beat Nemona in a fair 6-on-6. Anything to get past her will do; the two of you could have taken her on in a 12-on-6 double battle, perhaps! Kieran did not need to momentarily feel useless in this situation, but he did, because not being able to win against someone still equates in his mind to being No Good At All. Kieran, nooo.

Happily, the narrative provides Kieran with something else to do with himself while you fight Nemona so that he is very decidedly not useless in the slightest – fighting off the entire town’s worth of people behind you??? That is equally as necessary as taking down Nemona, something without which you’d never have managed to get to Pecharunt, and it must take some incredible battling skill to be able to hold off that many opponents at once. Like, dang, Kieran. I really hope he’s able to reflect on this in the aftermath and realise how incredibly strong and cool that was of him, because it was.

(He was holding his own one-against-many, just like he always admired Ogerpon for doing!)

Kieran’s fear and pessimism also show through just a tiny bit as you’re fighting Pecharunt at the end, when he reacts to the fact that you were able to damage it. Apparently he was afraid that this thing would be completely invulnerable and it just wouldn’t be possible for even someone as amazing as you to beat it and stop the curse. Yikes, that must have been a scary thought. But still, it all worked out in the end! Kieran’s learning that even when things are scary and feel overwhelming, by facing up to them and doing his best, it’ll usually turn out okay! Especially because he’s not alone and has friends by his side to support him now.

And, hey, one way or another, it seems like the events of the epilogue did help give Kieran that last little push he needed to decide to go back to Blueberry Academy! I imagine he was already thinking about doing so – he is actually a very stubborn and determined person at his core, so I don’t think he could ever have been considering just giving up on it – but all of this probably helped give him the confidence to make that leap. The thought of apologising to everyone for how he acted must still be incredibly daunting – but, he’s begun to realise that he can face scary things!

His old Kitakami team

During the epilogue’s battles, I was absolutely delighted to see Kieran send out Poliwrath, one of the Pokémon he used in Teal Mask but not in Indigo Disk – because this is proof that he’s been reconnecting with the Pokémon friends he left behind back then! As it turns out, the rest of his team for these multi battles is the same as his Champion team, with only the Polis switched, but even so, Poliwrath’s presence is enough to be a promising sign for all of his old Pokémon friends.

And this gets further confirmed by his dialogue with Arven in the clubroom! Arven asks Kieran which of his Pokémon he’s closest to, and he mentions his Hydrapple (which has been with him since it was an Applin), his Poliwrath and Politoed, his Yanmega, and his Furret! This accounts for all of the Pokémon Kieran had in his Teal Mask battles up to the third one, after which he started to fixate hard on getting stronger to prove himself to you, so these are likely all of the Pokémon that were friends of his from the start. And he still considers them friends now, which means he reconnected with them all and apologised as necessary for any leaving them behind/thinking they were weak/etc that he might have done! Yes good, Justice For Furret was had, I could not be happier.

(Okay, we never saw the second Poli back then, but the way he talks about both Polis together suggests they’re a pair, so I imagine they were both his friends back then, too. He also never used Applin against you before evolving it into Dipplin – which is fair, Applin is very not good in battles – so the lack of us seeing another Poliwag/whirl is probably because he felt he needed to use a diverse team that didn’t have two of the same species. He doesn’t have to battle with all of his Pokémon for them to still be his friends, after all! He still doesn’t battle with most of them now in the clubroom battles either, which use his same Champion team, but that doesn’t stop them from being his precious pals!)

(On the other hand, since there is no sign nor mention of them in the postgame, I suspect that, like Cramorant before them, his Gliscor, Shiftry and Probopass from the final Kitakami battle got released. Kieran would have only had them for like a day or two during the events of Teal Mask, since he only caught them after he fixated on getting stronger, so I doubt he’d grown very attached to them during that time. Still, that’s okay, because hey, he did make them stronger, which is probably all they ever expected from him when they joined his team.)

Nemona is Good

One extremely delightful aspect of the epilogue and beyond is Kieran’s interactions with Nemona. It turns out that her outlook on battling is exactly the kind of thing Kieran needed to help regain a healthier view on it himself!

His feelings about his own battling skills are still very all-or-nothing at the beginning of the epilogue. When Nemona excitedly declares that she’s heard he’s really good at battling, Kieran’s pretty dismissive of that idea. He couldn’t beat you, therefore that means he’s Not Good At It, right? (Kieran, no.) He also says that Nemona “destroyed” him once they’ve battled – but based on the fact that she has nothing but praise for how good he is, I very strongly suspect that he actually gave her a really tough fight, and he only framed it that negatively because losing at all still makes his inferiority complex blow things way out of proportion.

Happily, delightfully, Nemona tells Kieran exactly what he has always needed to hear this whole time, which is that it shouldn’t matter whether you win or lose, because battles are fun either way! And with a moment to reflect on that, he agrees… yeah, they are, he had a lot of fun!

We’d heard from Drayton that Kieran was always a kid who’d deeply enjoyed battling, from the very beginning. But it seems that somewhere along the way he’d stopped loving it so much, at least when he’s the one battling - probably because he’d often lose, which would trigger his inferiority complex and make him feel bad. We only saw a small glimpse of his passion for battling ourselves at the beginning of Teal Mask, mostly when he watched you battle his sister, and a little bit in his own early battles with you, but he still felt bad over losing, poor kid.

But with Nemona’s help, Kieran’s been able to remember just how much he always loved battling and can just enjoy himself with it again! In your clubroom battles with him, he has a line just before he Terastallises where he says “these feelings never change” – and though he doesn’t specify what feelings he’s talking about, the one thing about Kieran that has never changed this entire time, even if he sort of lost sight of it for a while along the way, is the thrill he gets from battling! He also says in another line that he’s “having a blast” – which is phrasing that Nemona uses that Kieran never has before, so apparently he picked that up from her? Aww. I am so glad he could meet her; she is exactly the breath of battle-loving fresh air he always needed.

Kieran’s clubroom conversation with Nemona is also very good and helps him let go of his all-or-nothing mindset a little more. Nemona praises him for how quickly he climbed the ranks of the BB League, which he insists is meaningless because he pushed himself unhealthily hard and then still couldn’t beat you in the end. But Nemona helps him reframe it and think of it as: he was incredibly dedicated, and it must mean he really loves Pokémon and battling, which is true! This has to help Kieran view his training arc in a more positive light instead of focusing on the negative aspects like his toxic obsession and lack of self-care. Hopefully if/when he starts training hard again, he’ll be able to feel better about it and not associate it with all the bad things, thanks to Nemona! (But also, Kieran, please remember to not neglect self-care again, that was bad. I imagine he has indeed got the message about that, since the way he talks about that aspect in this conversation seems tinged with regret.)

Carmine is Trying

Another thing we see in the epilogue – admittedly only a small glimpse near the end, but it’s something – is that Kieran’s relationship with his sister seems to have gotten a little bit healthier? They each make equal-opportunity Sibling Banter jabs at each other, and Kieran doesn’t slump and shrink and look so defeated when she bites back against one of his. There’s probably still some ways to go here on their dynamic becoming completely truly healthy, but it’s definitely progress from before, which is good to see.

I think Carmine really must have reflected on her role in Kieran’s breakdown and is trying in her own fumbling awkward way to do better by him now. A delightful sign of this is one of her scenes in the clubroom, in which she resolves to be less protective of Kieran, even if it’ll make her lonelier without him around as much. That’s exactly what she needs to do! After all, this whole thing started because Carmine couldn’t bear to let her brother endure even the tiniest amount of badfeels that would have come from learning he happened to miss out on meeting the ogre. Carmine has realised on some level that she needs to have more faith in Kieran and his ability to endure and get through stuff on his own, rather than trying too hard to protect him from everything ever, which just results in coddling him and stifling his possibility for growth. She still does want to look out for him from a distance and be able to help if he really does need it, but she’s trying not to overdo it any more. Yes good, I am proud of her too.

Reconciling with his schoolmates

I said already in the Indigo Disk post that it’s incredibly brave of Kieran to resolve to apologise to everyone he hurt and make amends, and this is still true. That has to have been so scary, but he went and did it anyway! It seems he even apologised to the people who cared about him, such as his sister and Amarys, for worrying them with his behaviour – which also means he has managed to comprehend the fact that people cared about him, even back then when he was at his most unlikeable.

And by the sounds of what he says in his clubroom scenes, most people took his apologies well and are talking to him like normal now, which has to have been such a relief. It means a lot that Kieran wasn’t expecting anything of the sort and apologised anyway despite expecting backlash, simply because it was the right thing to do – but hey, most people are nice and can probably tell he was decidedly Not Himself during that time and are willing to put the past behind them! Social interaction isn’t quite as scary as he’d used to think, it turns out!

Even then, some things are still a bit weird, and with how far-reaching his impact as Champion was, Kieran’s bound to keep having to deal with this for a while. There must keep being more people he was a jerk to that he still hasn’t apologised to yet, people being intimidated by him because they don’t realise he’s changed, constant reminders of some of the hurtful things he said and did back then. Making amends is going to be a pretty long-term thing, but Kieran is putting in the effort to do so all the same, because it’s the right thing to do, and he is so brave.

Someone who is making this harder than it needs to be is Drayton, because of freaking course he is. He still insists on rubbing in the “ex-Champ” thing, even though Kieran has made it clear he does not appreciate being called that (of course, he no longer minds that he’s not Champion any more, but the fact that Drayton insists on constantly reminding him of his past self has to sting). On the one hand, Drayton is still concerned about Kieran in his own way, because he does effectively ask if Kieran’s eating better meals now, but on the other hand their entire clubroom interaction features him deliberately dodging Kieran’s genuine attempts to just engage with him in an effort to make amends, and, geez. This is exactly what he wanted from Kieran all along, and yet he is somehow still not satisfied. Seriously, Drayton.

At least Drayton is the only one of the Elite Four to be like this, and the others seem to be on good terms with Kieran now! Look at Lacey insisting that the past is in the past when Kieran acts confused that she’d want to help him after he was such a jerk to her. (Someone needs to take notes there, Drayton.) And it seems like Kieran’s got another good friend in Crispin, who’s in the same class as him! Our boy is making so many new friends and it is wonderful.

Of course, his insecurities are still around, and he’s still a little too liable to assume he’s doing something Wrong in social situations, as we see in a couple of his clubroom interactions. That one with Arven about his Pokémon is an example, as Arven phrased things as if he expected Kieran to have just one single closest Pokémon buddy, and Kieran seemed to feel bad that he actually had multiple candidates and couldn’t pick – but happily, Arven reassured him that it’s cool to not be able to choose, too! And in Kieran’s interaction with Crispin, he reflexively apologises for not having watched the latest episode of a show, but Crispin calls him out on the apology, and Kieran is able to question himself as to why he apologised and conclude that he didn’t need to, because it’s not like Crispin’s going to mind.

He is learning! He does not need to feel like he has to perfectly match his conversation partner’s expectations in order to be their friend! Kieran’s approach to his own issues has become so healthy and filled with self-reflection and growth, and I am so proud of him.

Friendship with you

Kieran is also able to be a whole lot healthier about his friendship with you, now that you’re properly friends again after everything! Possibly my favourite completely innocuous line in the epilogue is when he casually mentions that you and he became friends during the school trip to Kitakami. This is actually huge, because Kieran had spent so long utterly convinced that you couldn’t possibly have meant it when you called him a friend back then, not after the lie and all of his issues about being too weak to deserve it. But now, he’s been able to reflect on that and realise… of course you meant it. Of course you always wanted to be his friend, right from the very beginning! It wasn’t on purpose of you that he got left out of meeting Ogerpon at all, because you’re a good person and you wouldn’t do something like that, and he never actually deserved that after all.

(Perhaps sometime during his break, he had a proper talk with his sister about what happened and why she lied, and Carmine finally got to fully express that you and she never meant to hurt him and shun him with that.)

Kieran is still not over his idolisation of you, mind you. He reacts to you being the one to find the TV remote of all completely mundane things with “Wowzers! ‘Course you found it first!” – which, really isn’t a wowzers or an of course? Your magical protagonist powers do not and should not extend to this, and yet they still do in Kieran’s head. But even though he still views you this way, Kieran is so much healthier about it now. He’s no longer bitter and jealous and beating himself up for not being as perfect as he thinks you are, since nobody is (not even you, not really) – instead, he’s just so incredibly thrilled that he actually gets to be friends with someone so cool!

I really love that the devs went and gave Kieran a new losing animation for his clubroom battles, too. His previous ones always had him being varying levels of upset about losing, but not any more! He just stares in wide-eyed awe at your amazingness, and then breaks into a big smile and thanks you for the battle, because he still had great fun even though he lost! And he’s able to freely admit that he looks up to you because you’re so strong, or, in an optional line in the epilogue, he admits that he’s jealous that your friends are all really good people. He still has those feelings, but he’s able to healthily express them now without letting them twist him into something harmful.

It seems like he’s still a little insecure about if he deserves to be friends with you, though, based on a few small things. When he asks you for a trade in the clubroom, he appears hesitant to ask, as if he’s not sure he has the right to, and if you say no – even though there’s every chance this is just because you want some time to decide on an appropriately special Pokémon to give him – he slumps, probably having had his sensitivity to rejection triggered. And even once you’ve traded, he can later ask if you’re absolutely sure he can really keep the Pokémon you traded him, because he can’t quite believe he could get to have such a cool gift from you of all people. Aww, Kieran. Hopefully his hypothetical future interactions with you will help squash this insecurity of his further, because he deserves to feel comfortable in his friendship with his best friend!!!

Ogerpon

Another seemingly-innocuous but extremely good line in the clubroom is that Kieran can ask you if Ogerpon’s doing well and say that he thinks she’ll be pretty happy with you. He says this in a completely casual way, with no hint of bitterness – which tells us that he’s no longer jealous that you caught Ogerpon! It makes sense that he wouldn’t be, because he doesn’t need her acknowledgement any more like he used to think he did in order to feel worth something. He’s already got acknowledgement and self-worth and happiness now for so many other reasons, after all! So he can just be selflessly happy for Ogerpon that she’s found a trainer she can feel safe and happy with too, without being irrationally preoccupied over what she thinks of him.

It is interesting to see in this dialogue that Kieran initially calls her “the ogre” before correcting himself to “Ogerpon” – apparently, he’s only quite recently made an effort to shift what he calls her in his head. It’s true that in his reaction to her in the Champion battle, he did indeed just call her “the ogre”. It’d make sense that he didn’t actually work to shift his mental idea of what to call her during his Indigo Disk arc, despite knowing her species name, because the name “Ogerpon” likely brought back too many painful reminders of everything that happened in Kitakami. It was probably easier for him to just stick with “the ogre” and try to forget anything had changed. But he’s okay with what happened now!

And maybe Kieran trying to make a habit of using her name now is a sign that he’s started to realise that Ogerpon is her own individual who’s not quite the same as the mental image he always had of what “the ogre” was like? Maybe. It’s hard to be sure. Unfortunately the epilogue/postgame can’t do much with Ogerpon because it’s always optional for her to be on your team or even in your game at all (since you could in theory have released her or traded her away). But we can at least hypothetically imagine that in Kieran’s continued interactions with you, he’ll get the chance to hang out with Ogerpon a little and come to understand her better. It certainly seems now that he’d be able to hang out with both you and her without feeling uncomfortably jealous, which is a good start! (And Terapagos is on the list of ‘people’ he owes an apology to, so let’s imagine he gets a chance to do that, too.)

Moving forward

The “climax”, such as there is one, of Kieran’s mini-arc of scenes in the clubroom is him excitedly telling you that he’s had the BB League drop him from their rankings. Although your character seems a little bewildered by it (they are still a bit of a social dumbass), this is in fact an extremely good thing for Kieran! He’s taking a step back from the competitive side of things for the sake of his mental health, so that he can untangle himself from the toxically-obsessive mindset that he was in back when he was only focused on winning! Look at Kieran doing all this good self-reflection and self-care, it is so lovely to see. He doesn’t even seem to view this as any sign of him failing, either – he’s just comfortably acknowledging that he needs to do this for now for his own sake and there’s no shame in that.

Kieran seems pretty sure that he is going to want to get back into competing once he’s cleared his head a bit, but he’s already so much more casual and healthy about it! He says he’s going to shoot for the Champion title again, and even if you respond with a friendly taunt of “You still won’t beat me!”, he takes it so well. He’s genuinely okay now with the thought that he might never quite be good enough to beat you – he just wants to have fun trying. Look at how far he’s come!

In the meantime, while he sorts his head out, he just wants to spend time with his Pokémon (who mean a lot to him as far more than just sources of battling strength!) and his human friends (whom he has so many of now???) and figure out what he really wants to do with himself from here. Good for him!

Kieran’s still just a kid, and seeing him already learn how to grow from his mistakes and face up to his lingering issues and be just so emotionally healthy about things now is such a promising sign for wherever he’s going to end up in future. I love that the epilogue and these postgame clubroom scenes put so much effort into showing us this about Kieran now, reassuring us that he really is going to be okay. I truly could not be more proud of or happy for my boy.

[sinn0hh]

I haven't posted in a while, but here's my Pokemon OC Horatia. She had an old design, but after replaying Violet, I decided to redesign her

But here's a little bit more about her now and in the future:

"Horatia is a mischievous and spirited Pokémon with a fiery personality. She possesses a playful and adventurous nature, always seeking new opportunities for excitement and fun. Horatia has a quick wit and a mischievous streak, making her a natural prankster among her peers. She enjoys pulling harmless pranks on her friends and classmates, bringing laughter and lightheartedness to the academy.

Despite her mischievous tendencies, Horatia has a kind heart and cares deeply for her friends. She is known for her loyalty and willingness to lend a helping hand when needed. Horatia's playful nature also translates into her battling style, where she incorporates unexpected tactics and clever strategies to outwit her opponents.

Horatia's crush on Arven, another student at Uva Academy, adds an extra layer to her personality. When around Arven, she becomes a bit more reserved, trying to impress him with her pranks or witty comebacks. Horatia may feel a bit nervous and giddy in his presence, but she never lets her crush get in the way of her friendships or her mischievous nature.

Horatia has a huge crush on Arven, another student at Uva Academy, adds an extra layer to her personality. When around Arven, she may become a bit more reserved, trying to impress him with her pranks or witty comebacks (and probably failing). Horatia may feel nervous and giddy in his presence, but she never lets her crush get in the way of her friendships or her mischievous nature. But sometimes, she cares a lot about him, and she is there if he needs someone.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Years into the future, a part of Horatia wants her to study on the mysterious Pokemon Terapagos, which was found in the depths of Area Zero (beyond the Zero Lab) and whom she caught when she travelled down there with Carmine, Kieran and Briar. She wants to study how it brought a living Turo from the past and into the future.

She very much admires Briar, Heath, and Turo (before his demise). But she vows to mostly carry on with his work (minus the time machine) and spending time with her friends/family (and not living in Area Zero for a very long time).

She often reads Heath's Violet Book (sometimes the original manuscript from Briar), her cousin's (Sonia) "Galar: A History", and Briar's "The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero" most of the time. But she has many questions about the Violet Book, like:

• Who was the person Heath talked to in an unfamiliar place before writing something down that he doesn't recognise? Was it Turo nearby Terapagos? Or was it me with Terapagos? I am unsure, for certain

• Like with what Arven said, how did Heath meet the Paradox Pokemon before the invention of the Time Machine? Did Terapagos bring them to Heath's time, or did Terapagos send Heath into the future?

• What is the odd stone plate meant to be? And what does it mean?

• What are those four circles in a cave on the ground? Does it symbolize something?

• The Herba Mystica has very interesting and amazing healing properties. But what cause the Pokemon to eat them when they were planted? Were they on the brink of death or ill, like Arven's Mabosstiff? Or did they look too indulging that they turned large and strong?

• Since I got Turo's book from meeting him, did the events of the Time Machine change? Or did Turo have two copies of the same book with the same name clumsily written inside it?

• What does the future look like? And is the AI professor alright? (I'm not going to jump into the Time Machine and find out, thank you)

• Now there's a question I need answered. After finishing the Time Machine with the AI version of himself and successfully getting the Miraidon I currently have, why did Turo take it to the lab? And why couldn't he leave the AI Turo to sort things back in Area Zero? This actually confuses me

She's not going to go the same way as Turo. She just feels that there's so many questions that are left unanswered in Area Zero

Apart from all the questions, she marries Arven and has a daughter who goes by the name Melissa

She is related to Galar's Professor Sonia and Magnolia

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Pokemon Team: Skeledirge, Mabosstiff☆, Ogerpon (Cornerstone), Corviknight (Fighting Tera), Terapagos, Primarina, Miraidon"

And here's her Toyhou.se if you want to look at it:

[deliciousdetectivestranger]

Posting 2nd chapter of my story, do tell me what you guys think.

You are the Mirror of My Soul

“Kit, can you hear me?”

Someone was calling out to him. Kit’s body ached all over while his head kept screaming at him to lie low and safe then act. He should heal himself but he was exhausted.

“Wake up please, Kit.”

This person was persistent and very much inconsiderate to not care about his situation. Kit reached out to grab a pillow whether to bury his head under it or to smother this annoying alarm clock he didn’t know but his hand found grass instead. He went taut as he tried to figure out where he was and suddenly cold wind slapped him in the face as he heard leaves rustle and wings flap.

“Christopher Jonathan Herondale!”

The person shook him and Kit fell into their arms. They were some kind of warrior given on their impressive physique, which made him even more alert until he noted their scent. Wild forest and open sky, a little bit of magic, and a hint of steel made Kit go lax with relief.

“Ash. Ash is that you?”

A shuddering relief went through the person’s body when Kit opened his eyes and stared into familiar green eyes.

“Thank goodness! I was so worried that you might be in a coma.”

“What happened?” Kit asked as he moved to stand up.

“What happened? What happened?” Ash let out a ‘can you believe this guy’ laugh.

“Repeating yourself is not going to answer my question and you will look like someone who has lost his marbles.”

Ash glared at him. “What happened is at the parley you and I fought for the crown of Seelie Court.”

“Yep. I do remember kicking your ass.”

“And then I blasted you with hellfire.” Ash continued as if hadn’t heard Kit. He had quite practice.

“A true fae. Cheating when it wasn’t suspected.”

“We are part-fae and part-shadowhunter. We have to fight with both of our heritages and use them to our utmost advantage. Plus, it’s not like you didn’t use your powers. We arrived here because you teleported us.”

“I was just following your lead.” Kit said with a sweet smile. At Ash’s glare he added, “Okay, you didn’t cheat. You looked for a loophole and used it.”

Ash opened his mouth to say something but a shadow passed over his young face and he sat against a tree with a loud thump.

Kit eyed him and this time asked him in a gentle tone, “What happened after I teleported us?”

“You teleported us nearly 630 feet in the sky. I flew us out with my wings and summoned vines to cushion our landing. I don’t know what happened at the parley but chaos, doubts, suspicion, threats will be high.”

Kit didn’t care about what happened at the parley. He could dwell on it later; Ash was more important.

“Then why are you in such a mood?” When Ash didn’t answer, Kit purposefully began to egg him, “Are you worried what the Seelie court will think? They will think you’ve been kidnapped by me. And the Alliance will think I’ve been kidnapped by you. It’s going to be an amusing blame game and I thoroughly plan on enjoying it.”

“Shut up! I don’t understand how you are finding this funny.”

Kit sat before Ash and took off the golden band, twirling it in his fingers. “I am not hurt Ash.” Ash flinched. “I would tell you if I were and if you had hurt me I would totally make you bow and scrape to my smallest wishes while I recuperate from my wounds." Seeing Ash ignore everything he said Kit continued in a sharp tone, "You listen to me and you listen well.”

“I understood that reference.” Ash instinctively muttered receiving a smile from Kit.

“We were fighting in the parley not as Kit and Ash but as The First Heir and The Seelie Prince. Every bit of it was real from the fight to your hellfire attack and my teleportation. But I know you weren’t ever going to hurt me. You won’t. Ever. And I know this just as you know you won’t ever be in danger from me.”

“You don’t get it. You lay there unmoving and I thought I had gone overboard with my act. I had killed you. I had truly become a Morgenstern, ruining lives of those who love us.”

And that was the crux of the matter. Arawn’s experiments and Annabelle Blackthorn’s maddening devotion had etched into Ash that no one will ever love him for who he was. His mother avoided him, too busy in her plans of uprising and weary of this unfamiliar son. Janus loved him for himself but Ash had realised that Janus' love for Clary was actually obsession which if not stopped would become fatal for everyone, and his love towards Ash was morphing into what Annabelle had showered him for those long years in Thule. He had hated her and he had begun to hate Janus as well but was there anyone in his life who truly loved him?

He had once escaped from the cottage at the Borderlands when Janus had gone to visit the Seelie Queen. He had found himself in the mortal world but it was strange to a boy raised in Faerie and a dystopian AU. Janus had started his shadowhunter training but there had never been lessons on mundanes. Panicked and weary of unknown attacks Ash had quite literally run into the one person on whom his Perfect Love didn’t work. Kit. Ash had been drawn towards this wondrous boy but had soon left for the Borderlands. One thing was clear whatever Kit would ever feel for Ash it would be true but did Ash dare to risk being like Janus and be obsessed with him?

The resolution hadn’t lasted for long with curiosity leading him to Kit again. Kit had been suspicious of him but then he was curious too. They had become acquaintances you didn’t want to meet, reluctant companions because there was something familiar in each other, accomplices against demons and finally friends who laughed, fought, shared secrets such as their problematic heritage (also Ty Blackthorn and Dru Blackthorn. They both had agreed they were in a hopeless situation.) and most of all understood each other better than anyone else.

“Except you didn’t and I didn’t create a shield because I knew you wouldn’t.” Ash turned his head away. “Look at me when I am talking to you Ashton.” Ash glared at him. Kit loved to more syllables to Ash’s name because according to him Shadowhunter names were long so they could be turned into nicknames and they were recognised by those nicknames. So, Kit had to find out Ash’s real name and if Ash found it bothersome, he could just tell Kit his name. It annoyed Ash endlessly but not as much as Kit’s other habit.

“I won’t even ask you to stop as you never listen.”

“Hey! I listen to you just fine.”

“And while we are on the topic, did you have to bring up my age at the parley?”

Kit smiled innocently and those who didn’t know him wouldn’t have doubted him at all. When Emma and Julian had returned from Thule, they had confessed all to the Blackthorns, and Kit, Cristina, Kieran, Alec, Magnus, Jace, and Clary. Their regrouping with Mark, Cristina, Kieran, Clary, and Jace was also discussed in detail. So, Kit had known a lot about Ash when they had first met and one of those things had been that Ash was near to the age of Mina, Max, Rafael, and Tavvy. Bossing Ash around was one of Kit’s favourite things to do, of course when the mood struck Kit also made Ash take the responsibility “because you’ve grown up so much in such short time”. Kit liked to say it was their thing, Ash heartily disagreed.

“Moving on, I know you ever won’t hurt me voluntarily or consciously. Ash, what about me? I have more powers than you. You think I don’t worry.” Ash glanced at him from the corner of his eye. “And if we are going to talk about living up to our last name then remember Herondales go crazy in love just as much as Morgensterns in the thrall of power. Both are dangerous.”

Kit took a deep breath and continued, “You were kept hidden because of your heritage just like I was. Janus may love you now but at first, it was because of Clary. How different is that from me? Tessa and Jem originally took me in because of Will.” Ash made a noise of protest. “Yes, they love me for me now but it doesn’t change that at first, they wanted to protect the Lost Herondale.”

“And if you are plagued by the fact that Perfect Love makes it impossible for them to love you on their terms then remember me. I am here for you. I always will be. Just like you will be for me. I have my fair share of insecurities too, no one had ever loved me until Tessa and Jem.”

“We make such a troubled pair, don’t we? A boy who believes no one can love him genuinely and a boy who believes he can’t be loved.”

“You are a mirror of my soul. Forged by our experiences, expectations of our powers, embodiments of our ancestry but never forget that we chose each other.”

Ash smiled as if the weight of the world had lifted from his shoulder at Kit’s words. Kit placed Ash’s golden band on his own head.

“Gold on gold looks gaudy. You need another metal for your band.”

Kit looked concerned at the idea of not being refined. He looked at the sky and realised dusk had tip-toed on them. He thought back to the mayhem running rampant in Shadow World and sighing wiped the back of his left hand to dispel a simple but quite unbreakable spell. Ash mimicked the action on the right side of his temple. Hidden beneath spells were twin runes.

“Well, then shall we raise hell, my Parabatai?”

[balkanmermaid]

Here’s a bit of a novel I have been working on for 4 years! It’s one of my favourite parts, quite emotionally charged and I feel proud of it. Fair warning, however: it has a triggering part where there is much talk about death and, specifically, the wish to take one’s life. I have tried to write it in a positive light, of course, and make the story about the desire to save and protect someone with such wishes. If this topic is uncomfortable for you, feel free to not read this. The story is still under construction, so I may end up not including this scene at all. I will be posting more (and more relaxed) parts of my writing soon!

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“I’ve got a… bit of an odd request, if I may put it that way.”

“Yeah?” I peer up at him curiously, looking into his eyes. Something in them as if strikes a string inside me, a string that I have known only one person to have struck before. A string which I cannot quite hear the melody of. A string whose melody I cannot recognise. Who is he? And what the hell does he want from me?

“I want something that will kill me easily.” My lips part to speak, but no sound escapes them. My heart trembles inside my chest the way a butterfly’s wings do when it lands on top of a flower. My breath catches in my lungs, and my throat runs dry; it feels like I’ve eaten sand and not a cupcake and a chocolate and a slice of pizza. He can’t have said that. He didn’t say that. I didn’t hear that right. I can’t have. I can’t. No, no, no, no, no. I refuse to believe my ears.

“I can’t keep living the way I do.” He cannot look me in the eyes anymore. Is he ashamed of what he has said, or terrified, or can he simply not accept the truth? What could that man’s story be? The shock his words have filled me with feels like lead in my veins, weighing my entire body down like a coat made of all the dead dreams I have killed, all the hopes I have buried, all the sighs I have held back, all the tears I have forbidden myself to cry. My soul twists and turns inside me; my heart aches.

“I have done one too many things, for which I cannot forgive myself.” At last, it’s green on blue again - I am looking into his eyes. His soul is standing there before me, now naked, wounded, writhing, hurt. Begging for release. Beckoning a deed I cannot do. Trying to seduce me to commit a crime I will never even consider. His fate is a story trying to write itself to the end, to put the full stop at the end of the sentence already. And I have the pen.

And I want to put it down.

Sure, my temper is quite short. I get angry very easily. Sometimes, I get too angry, and when that happens, I turn vengeful, and whoever gets in my way with the littlest thing prompts my imagination to fill itself with murder and blood. I often yell when frustrated, or cry.

But I have never consciously hurt anyone, let alone kill. No. The only life I have power over is my own, and even my own life is not something I can call entirely mine, as it is entangled with the fates of so many. And I will never, ever hurt anyone with ill intention. I have promised myself to think twice before acting and saying things, even if I sometimes fail to do so.

For one, it’s simply not worth it, getting pissed off about things that will, in the long run, matter far too little to be considered. And for another, there are far better ways to solve a problem between you and someone else than those involving physical - or mental - bruises.

But how do I explain all that to this man here, whose despair is heavier than a mountain?

“And because I cannot earn my own forgiveness, I have decided I do not want to continue living anymore. Therefore, I’m asking you to end my life for me. In a peaceful, legal way. The right way.” There is something in his eyes that makes my heart weigh with sorrow. Is it a plea? Is he begging - is he actually begging me to take his life with a tattoo? Is this the way he wants to go, by getting a killing spell inked in him with the help of a beautiful, yet deadly image?

My shoulders drop, and I feel them. After them comes the sigh from deep inside me, and I try to swallow. My mouth feels even drier than my mind, devoid from thoughts. All the moisture is in my eyes. My hands hang by my sides uselessly, trying to clutch themselves into fists; it doesn’t work, I cannot feel them, they are too weak, I am too weak. I am too weak.

I try to be righteous, to strive for justice, and yet remain compassionate and kind and caring, as much as I can be, towards my closest people and to my clients alike. But now I am failing. I am failing; or, rather,, my feelings are failing me, and probably betraying me, too, showing themselves right across my face, clear as a mountain stream. Not that my client will judge me. I would have just liked to sometimes be able to remain less emotional and act more rationally and think more logically. But I simply care too much. And it all hurts in the end.

“Sorry, what’s your name?” I think I should ask my client that, first. My voice feels weird, as if I haven’t used it in years. My words sound stupid, making my heart revolt against them angrily inside my chest. Maybe I should have thought better before speaking. Maybe the question that just slipped from between my lips should have been worded differently. Maybe I sounded weird. Maybe I should stop being so unsure of myself...

Whatever. I don’t care about what I sound like. The only thing I care about right now is him.

“Varius. Varius Eriksson.”

"Right." It suddenly hits me why I just asked for his name. Now that we are acquainted - accepting that he knew my name before reaching out to me, at least - we are no longer strangers. Now his fate lies right in my hands. And it is up to nobody else but me to do the right thing.

And I can kill him. Of course I can. Although I cannot be sure whether or not it would be legal to murder him, and whether I would get punished for having done so (too bad I am not most knowledgeable of laws), I can still tattoo him.

And whichever option I choose, turning him down and kicking him out of here, or agreeing to tattoo him and then entering the contract that binds our souls until I am done with charging his soul, as well as his body, with magic, the responsibility lies on my shoulders.

I have a choice. 

Or do I? 

I bite my lip.

And then come the whispers.

Rigmor, child, step away from him.

He shall not remain in your life for long.

Just like everyone else whom you mark.

The three Norns are speaking to me. I can hear them inside my head. Some would say that I’m imagining things. That I’ve started hearing voices because of all my worries.

Yet the voices are not wrong at all.

There has only been one to stay, they whisper on to me. I know exactly what they are talking about.

Kieran. Kieran Dirmot has been the only one to stay.

They have sealed our fates together already.

I can understand everything the voices are whispering and hinting at, as if at least a dimension away. They sound like a mere sigh of the wind… and yet I know just who they belong to.

The three Norns.

What do your threads say, sisters? What happens to him? 

The trio emerges slowly around Varius and me, circling us. I do not know if he sees them as well; he does not bat an eye. Either that, or he has decided to stay perfectly calm and composed and show no emotion. And although I can notice, in the reflection in his eyes, that I have done the same, I can feel my heart racing. My nerves are tight like a circus rope.

Can't you follow them? 

My heart skips a beat. The thread. Of course. The trio of fate-predictresses is spinning a never-ending ball of red yarn - yarn that symbolizes life. At some point, they are going to cut it short. It is just then that the person's life is going to be over. Be it a timely death, or an early loss, it is a procedure they repeat for every human, and perhaps even for other living creatures as well.

And they are about to cut Varius Eriksson's thread.

"This is illegal," are the first words that escape me. My voice sounds ethereal, otherworldly, as if it's but a mere echo of what mine used to be. As if it no longer belongs to me, but to a memory of what I used to be.

"It cannot be. It has not been written in the contract." 

The contract is our sacred law, the laws of magic. Magic is a force, it is talent, it is a craft one may master. And as such, there are words meant to guide us lest we lose ourselves in the opportunities it offers. Words. Not laws.

Magic is to be bound by nothing, the first one says, for lest it becomes trapped, whoever possesses it shall relinquish it as quickly as they found themselves enriched by it.

Magic is mostly a force of creation, and less one of destruction, the second one follows suit. If it happens so that you must use it to kill, you must be aware of the price you shall have to pay for that later.

You cannot lose magic, is the third and last one. Magic is like energy, like a muscle. You may train it, and the more you do, the stronger it shall become. You may transform it into many things, and you may transfer it from one thing to another, focus it on a certain group of things or on another. But it never truly disappears. And you may awaken it inside yourself even if you seal it away, or have sealed it away, no matter how long for.

And, in this case, I am not ready to pay the price for killing someone. Not this person.

Not now.

Not anyone.

Not ever.

"But you must!" Varius whispers. I can feel him want to scream at me, but he is holding himself back. Almost too hard. Is he another person when with his friends and family? I cannot help but wonder instantly. His voice and face do not betray any of his emotions… but just a single look in his eyes tells me he is ready to put on a play in front of me if that will earn him what he craves. "I have sinned. Rid this wretched earth of me!"

"No." Now my voice drops as well. Just where are my friends when I need them? It seems it's only the two of us out here, me and him. Yeona and Leila have left the tattoo parlour to enjoy their break. And we are alone.

"That will make me a murderer, Varius. Do you understand that?" I walk closer to him, leaning in a little. Usually, dangerous is the last thing people will describe me as. But now I need to be seen as such. I need to be a goddess of just wrath, a protectress, even if angry. I want to scare the sorrow out of him, if I can. Somehow. Or at least try to make him realise what he is about to do. Talk some sense into him. Or scare it into him. Either works.

"I cannot reverse this once I have begun. You must know that." I step away from him to pour myself some lemonade. The cool liquid, with a few cubes of ice, helps me regain calmness. There. Now it's time to get back in the game.

"I know it. I went to a hospital first," he says. His head is hanging towards the floor, as heavy as my heart feels inside my chest, made of stone, of iron, and just as cold. "They absolutely refused to assist me there. Not because it was illegal - it isn't. But they did not acknowledge my previous reincarnations as years of life. I can be euthanised even now. I have done what I thought would be right, and I have erred, too. One too many times. So, please… I'm begging you."

Then he does something I do not expect at all. He goes to his knees in front of me.

"Please, Miss Strid, I'm begging you. Take my life. I know it will be sent somewhere where it belongs better than it does with this broken body."

"Fine. Let it be so." A part of me says it simply because I want him to be done with the theatrics, with the useless drama. Sure, he is going to miss living, or at least a part of him is, and I am sure of that. But then again, it was him who chose to get a symbol inked into his skin so dangerous that he will most likely not be able to escape its power.

I am in my right to refuse to tattoo him - to refuse to take his life. 

But not when the three Norns themselves have judged that he is to die, anyway, I think it will be far better for me to kill him painlessly than to have them decide to make him go through a worse, more painful and horrible death.

And yet, I do not want to do this. 

I never wanted to do something like this, I think as Varius sits down and I prepare myself to begin. But there are things I can do. I do not have to let this happen. There is a way for me to stop this from happening. And I know that. I am sure of it. But what was that way, anyway? 

I can seal my powers, it hits me then. I am in my right to refuse to tattoo someone - and there is nothing written in the contract that states whether or not I should obey any gods or creatures with supernatural powers. I can always seal my powers and lie that I do not have them.

The sealing process takes blood. Blood has to be drawn to seal your magic, and blood has to be drawn to reopen it for use again. Blood, and lots, lots of pain. A price to pay for rejecting, if temporarily, the gift the gods have bestowed you with. A price I am willing to pay.

"I'll be right back in a bit, alright?" Varius nods when I tell him that, and I smile at him before turning away. As I walk up towards the second floor to find the pocket knife we keep in the tool drawer for cutting apart the cardboard boxes that tattoo supplies are delivered in, I feel a cold sweat run over my brow.

But if saving someone is only going to cost me a little blood and some scars, so be it.

Once I am alone in the bathroom, I look at myself in the mirror, then down at the knife in my hands. I set my jaw and frown down at myself. There's a ton of nasty stuff you gotta do on a daily basis if you wanna survive. But it brings a feeling of fulfillment. At least, a little reward for the trouble.

And I will definitely be getting my reward.

[worldevoured]

MORRIGAN B. 9:03 DRAGON || COMPANION

STATISTICS

FULL NAME Morrigan.

DATE OF BIRTH 9:03 Dragon.

PLACE OF BIRTH Unknown, suspected near the Fallow Mire.

RACE Human.

GENDER Cisgender woman.

PRONOUNS She/her/hers.

SEXUALITY Bisexual.

NATIONALITY Fereldan.

RELIGION Agnostic.

POSITIVE TRAITS Discreet, individualistic, knowledgeable, resourceful.

NEGATIVE TRAITS Amoral, manipulative, secretive, vindictive.

PHOBIAS None.

MENTAL HEALTH Relatively healthy, situational anxiety.

AFFILIATION Orlesian Court, Inquisition.

TITLES Arcane Advisor.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

CLASS Mage.

SPECIALIZATION Shapeshifter, battlemage.

WEAPON Staff.

COMPANION STATS

Follows most Origins canon regarding approval and disapproval.

CONNECTIONS

FAMILY Biological parents unknown. Flemeth ( adoptive mother, estranged, alive? )

WANTED SHIPS Morrigan/Warden, Morrigan/Hawke, Morrigan/Isabela, Morrigan/Inquisitor.

NOTES

ON CHARACTERIZATION I follow Morrigan’s characterization in Origins more so than in Inquisition. This means that I won’t tiptoe around Morrigan being petty, occasionally cruel, frequently vicious, and intentionally unkind. I also won’t ignore Morrigan’s capacity for compassion and love. Morrigan does berate Alistair for his grief; Morrigan does belittle the Warden if they try to save the mages ( even saying that the mages deserve to die in front of terrified children ), and Morrigan does withhold vital information from the Warden and Alistair with the intent of manipulating them later. Likewise, Morrigan does show intense and emotional gratitude when considered a friend by the Warden; Morrigan does care very deeply for the Warden; Morrigan does feel immense guilt for withholding information and manipulating them. She’s a fascinating and nuanced character for her flaws as much as, if not more so than, for her virtues.

ON FLEMETH Morrigan’s behavior in Origins — her willingness to goad her mother into fights, her flippant and insulting commentary about Flemeth — certainly speak to a level of dislike between them, but Morrigan shows very little, if any, indication that she’s frightened of Flemeth until Inquisition. In Inquisition, Morrigan’s fear of Flemeth is used primarily to emphasize that she is a better mother, and to make her more sympathetic, in a way that doesn’t quite feel natural. Morrigan, in Origins, is her mother’s foil in much the way that Leliana is Corypheus’ foil later on, and this is the characterization which I think makes the most sense, which I prefer, and to which I will default.

ON THE DARK RITUAL Morrigan is influenced by Flemeth to manipulate the Warden and Alistair to complete the ritual, and by the time Flemeth is “dead” ( either after the Warden kills her, or when she is believed dead ), Morrigan feels that she’s in too deep. She makes the choice to continue withholding vital information that can save the Warden and Alistair — if she has a good relationship with the Warden, she tells herself that it’s for their own good; if she does not, she tells herself it’s for her own good. Either way, Morrigan’s behavior is manipulative, and though she is not wholly at fault, she does bear some responsibility for making that choice. I will not gloss over that. I also will not write Morrigan as having taken part in the Ritual with a Warden or Alistair who is unwilling — which means that the Warden or Alistair must know all the details, and must make the choice on their own. Since Loghain cannot complete the ritual without being coerced or intimidated, I won’t write Morrigan completing the ritual with Loghain without significant divergence in this regard.

ON SHIPPING I will be extremely selective in shipping Morrigan, and will only write ships with her with writers I know well and am comfortable with. I also will not write Morrigan and Alistair involved in a relationship. They may become slightly friendly during an Inquisition timeline, if Alistair is Kieran’s father, but that is the extent of it.

ON MORRIGAN AS ARCANE ADVISOR Morrigan has been stealing from elves at least since Witch Hunt, possibly longer, to learn of their magic and to take from it. She has very little interest in to whom a culture belongs, and she does believe herself to be the only person fit to drink from the Well of Sorrows, despite her limited knowledge of or respect for elven history and religious practices. Morrigan as the expert on Eluvians works much in the way that British museums are “experts” on artifacts that have been stolen from indigenous cultures. If we write following canon events and choices, Morrigan’s “authority” on such topics will and should be treated as being questionable at best. ( For alternatives, please consider: Velanna or Merrill as the expert on Eluvians, and present at the Temple. )

PLEASE READ!

It’s totally okay if this isn’t your scene! I won’t be offended if you’re not interested in my portrayal of Morrigan, and I encourage you to blacklist her tags if you don’t like what I’m doing with her. I also encourage anyone who wants to have a discussion on this topic to reach out to me; I love talking about my inspiration for Morrigan, how I develop her, and the historical analysis and theory I use for the character’s backbone. To me, the most interesting things about Morrigan are her many faults, and how she weaponizes the very things for which people dismiss her, especially her womanhood. That means examining, as honestly and critically as I can, the manner by which Morrigan takes part in oppressing the elves of Ferelden, all of which is supported by canon material. I have studied medieval and early modern imperialism to some extent — but am always learning! — and am drawing from not only canon, but from the historical influences from which canon drew. Please be an adult about this; nonstop vagueing and accusing me of misogyny when I point out Morrigan’s canonical racism isn’t the gotcha anyone thinks it is.

[irhinoceri]

back on my bullshit....

have written 11k words of my new Dragon Age fic and am jealously guarding it. no posting this baby until it has some coherency to it.

but under is the outline of the worldstate and such (subject to complete overhaul and capricious whim of course)

it’s a Morristair fic. no dark ritual dubcon needed because they love each other. i’m so fucking corny.

it will be in a series for a worldstate where all the DAO wardens survive. Mahariel deals the killing blow to the archdemon and is upset because he craves the sweet release of death and doesn’t get it. Morristair don’t tell anyone else anything about what happened at the final battle, and are kind of like “don’t look at us or our perfectly normal son Kieran ever again” parents. You wanna get rekt just ask “so what’s the deal with your kid why is he like that?”

Morrigan, preparing a spell: “did you just”

Alistair, drawing his sword: “nice hand you got there, be a shame if someone... cut it off...”

The Inquisitor: “jeezus forget I said anything....”

Aeducan and Brosca are the terrible two from Orzammar who just happen to be accidental in-laws and they WILL figure out that Harrowmont poisoned Endrin, which will end their fighting over who to support for King.

Tabris and Zevran are Together Forever Finding Healing and Love in this Dark Time... further plot ideas to follow.

Cousland marries Anora on the stipulation that he does whatever he can to ensure Loghain is spared... which includes but is not limited to throwing himself in front of Alistair’s sword. Alistair would be more upset about this if it entailed conscripting Loghain but he will just be put in the dungeon to await judgement after the battle. By that time Alistair will be gone for other reasons (Morrigan) and other characters who especially hate Loghain (Tabris) won’t have much power to do anything about it because Cousland is King Now and Doesn’t Give a Fuck what the Wardens Think, and needs to keep his new wife happy so she doesn’t arrange a poisoning. Loghain will be conscripted though since Cousland doesn’t want Anora and Loghain to have united power over him, so Loghain gets sent to Amaranthine to participate in Awakening with the Wardens who don’t defect after the final battle to travel the world with their lovers. He’ll be one of the new recruits that gets the Joining from the Seneschal.

Cousland is not a Warden in this worldstate... he didn’t get recruited by Duncan but instead escaped Highever and followed Fergus with Elissa, whom he leaves at the Lothering Chantry with Sister Leliana. He’ll arrive at Ostagar after the battle and ending up saving some of the other wardens who weren’t at the beacon lighting tower and didn’t get saved by Flemeth (I’m thinking that will be Alistair and Mahariel because Mahariel wants to die so badly because of Tamlen and keeps getting saved by Flemeth and Morrigan, please stop). Honestly thinking of doing a Merrill/Mahariel da2 era ship for this series because who better to make someone want to live again than Merrill?

As for DAI era shenanigans, Loghain will come to Skyhold and find Alistair there and they’ll both by like “you fucker what are you doing here” and Alistair will be like “not following Morrigan around everywhere she goes, I’m not a kept boy, spoiler, I’m a kept MAN” and Loghain will be like “you lack honor” and they’ll start punching each other until the Inquisitor pulls them apart and says “I’ve got two Wardens for the price of one!” Spoiler, neither of them get left behind in the Fade because Marian “I love to die, Mama I’m coming home” Hawke will fling herself into the Nightmare demon screaming “you think you’re scarier than real life, bitch??” without asking permission from anyone, first.

In fact, there will be very little Asking of Permission and Deferring to the Player Character in this Fic because everyone thinks they are the Player Character and wants things done their way. The Wardens will have to vote on stuff a lot unless one or more of them just says fuck it and does something before anyone else can stop them.

Amell and Surana will represent the two sides of the Circle Mage coin. One hates the circle and has always wanted to escape and rebel, the other is The Very Picture of a Perfect Circle Mage and they will be friends but also not. Their relationship will be defined by the struggle between these two ideologies but they also super care about each other and are ride or die when it comes right down to it.

While there is a male Cousland, there is also a fem Cousland, they’re dun dun da The Cousland Twins, but she is not a fighter (think Sansa not Arya), and there’s a whole bunch of sibling angst there. Aedan leaves their parents to die because he had to protect his sister and he resents her for it. Elissa feels like a massive burden. Eventually Aedan will get it into his head that he can marry Elissa to Alistair and take the throne, using them as puppets and being the true power as their Chancellor. This plan is totally spoiled by the fact that Alistair and Elissa don’t take to each other at all and will not cooperate with Aedan’s matchmaking. Aedan will be very upset that Elissa prefers the company of Leliana and Alistair prefers the company of Morrigan, until he gives up on that idea and switches to negotiating a marriage for himself to Anora. Aedan Cousland is absolutely the character who thinks he’s in Game of Thrones while everyone else is constantly like.... Can We Not? Can we? Not? Please?

(Except for Aeducan and Brosca who are always in Game of Thrones mode and don’t know any other way. they were born in the dark, molded by it... omg is that a bird? is that a bird? Duncan is that a bird? what the fuck the sky is so big. fuck. fuck fuck fuck!)

(Also Anora will be smitten with Cousland because she’s never met someone so devoted to machinations who was actually on her side, before).

Anyway that’s my broad outline. I will probably come up with more ideas for DA2 and DAI era plots for the various wardens as I flesh them out. Right now the only really fleshed out characters are the Cousland twins and Morristair, because I’m a Cousland Warden aficionado and a Morristair shipper at heart. But I know that once I spend enough time writing these kids I’ll end up with a dozen unmanageable story ideas for all of them.

[spiltscribbles]

All The Lights Are Sparkling For You  |  Part I

~*~

“So a sixteen ounce almond latte with a pump of lavender and honey?” The barista chortles, flipping her pretty ginger hair and batting her lashes.

“Precisely gorgeous,” Kit says with a smile that makes her flush. 

“Cool, that’ll be right up.”

“Brilliant!” Kit gives two quick wraps of his knuckles against the countertop before pivoting around and sliding into the seat across from Ty, pretending as if his chest doesn’t seize at the sight of his insanely intense sea glass eyes and the pedal soft curve of his cheek.

“She likes you,” he says in that stripped down way of his before taking a bite of his sub, a bit of mayo getting on his cupids bow, and thanking Kit when he passes over a napkin.

“You flatter me Tiberius,” Kit snorts before snatching the other half and eating it himself, only partially curious of how much it might look like a date from the outside, and entirely ignoring how much he wouldn’t mind if it was.

“Everyone likes you,” Ty shrugs, blasé.

“They tell me it’s the smile.”

That makes it so Ty lets out a breathy, little laugh, and Kit can’t help but liken it to the most beautiful instrument. He’s always so proud whenever he can make it so Ty’s eyes go incandescent and there’s the slightest dimple right on the apple of his cheek, when Ty looks effortlessly beautiful and happy to be here.

Kit knows that this sleepy Oregon town on the coast is as far away from LA— where Ty was brought up— as anything could be. He knows that Ty choosing to go here for University was a way for him to strike out on his own, apart from the huge Blackthorn clan that Kit’s only ever seen pictures of, but has been exceedingly jealous of ever since. Kit knows that Ty has never really fit into his own skin here, that if it wasn’t for Kit’s constant insistence that they spend days on days together at the start of their freshman year that Ty would’ve been perfectly content keeping to hisself for the four years he’s here until he could go back home. But still, Kit also knows that they were meant to be in each others lives, in some major capacity.

He thinks back to his mother— her pale gold hair and the twinkle in her eyes— She use to always croon that the stars were set out for us, that kismet and providence would lead us to the people we’re meant to be. Kit was a little boy then, one who was to busy making a ruckus wherever he went to spare any of his time to understanding what she meant with those sort of proclamations. Even now, so many years divorced from her death, Kit doesn’t think any of his decisions were chosen before he ever knew the options, but a small part of him does like the idea that some peoples stars were lined up in the exact right breath that they were destined to cross paths and to create an entirely knew one for just the pair of them. One that was glowing and glimmering and perfect.

Kit’s sure that Ty’s one of those people— maybe the only person save for Tessa and Jem— And if he could make Ty even slightly happier than he was, then Kit considers it a job well done.

“Order up,” the barista from before chimes as she slides across the coffee and a slice of the lemon loaf. “On the house handsome,” she winks before strutting back to her post.

“I’ll take that,” Ty says before plucking the dessert from Kit’s non suspecting hand.

“Rude.”

“Life can be like that,” Ty just reasons before picking up his chirping phone, face grimacing at the sight of the text.

“Everything’s okay?” Kit asks, tentative.

“’s just Livvy.”

Kit can feel his face scrunch up in confusion. Every time Ty even alludes to his twin sister— a pixie sized, beautiful brunette with eyes that are a mirror of Ty’s own— he’s only ever beaming with light and glee and it’s probably the only times Kit looks at Ty and he seems totally whole.

“Is she alright?”

“Wonderful.” Ty intones, tossing the device to the side and sinking his teeth into his bottom lip, delicate hands beginning to tap and flutter around the table in a nervous sort of tension.

Kit’s becoming even more nervous than before.

“Don’t leave me in suspense Tiberius, what’s going on?”

“Nothing… Erm ah, nothing really.” Kit levels him with his patented are you shitting me grimace. “It’s just, my older brother…”

“Mark or Julian?”

“Julian, he’s getting married.” The locomotive sized weight on Kit’s chest suddenly dissipated and he swats Ty on the forearm.

“Hey! What’s with the frown you ass! That’s great news! It’s with that pretty blonde right? Emma?”

Ty nods, still impossibly glum looking.

“Ok Tiberius, I’m really confused to the whole woe with me thing you’ve got going on right now.”

“Livvy’s designated herself the head wedding planner.”

“Alright… and the problem?”

“I just know that Dru’s bringing her boyfriend Jamie, and Helen’s bringing her wife Aline, and of course Mark’s got his Kieran and Christina-“

“Okay man, i’m seriously not following any of this but we’re going back to the bit where Mark’s got two partners apparently? Which I personally find unfair and a bit elitist.”

Ty ignores him and just continues rattling off these names that Kit only slightly recognizes.

“Magnus and Alec are gonna be there and like just stand around being better than everyone! And Jace and Clary! Definitely Isabell and Simon too!”

“Am I having a stroke? Ty as my best friend you’re obligated to tell me if I’m having a stroke.”

“You know this’s all just a big ploy by Livvy, right?” Ty charges, mouth curled.

“This wedding… The one between your brother Julian and his long time girlfriend Emma, is a ploy? A ploy by Livvy?”

“She’s worried about me! She’s always worried about me! She thinks that I’m sequestering myself here, was mad when I came home over the summer and told her I hadn’t gone out with anyone all year.”

Kit spreads out his hands, very narrowly misses toppling over his drink. “Sisters am I right?… Actually am I right, I was an only child growing up and Nian has only just begun learning her shapes so I doubt she’d be much of a comparison.”

Ty’s expression goes very, very flat.

“You’re so ridiculous.”

“And you’re so serious.”

“Look, I know Livvy, okay. This’s just part of her grand plan to finally pair me up with someone!”

“A grand plan… Kit repeats, slow and confused.

“She’s worried about me, she thinks that everyone needs like a boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever to be happy.”

“I see.”

“She’s gonna try and pair me up with like somebody I don’t even know for the entire wedding! Like some way worse version of a blind date. Just you watch!”

“Aren’t weddings like only a few hours?”

“Not in Blackthorn standards,” Ty bristles, begins to spin his phone with the pop socket Kit had gotten him a couple weeks ago because it had his initials and it was a cheap version of getting something actually monogrammed, which in all his dorkitude Ty actually loves to have, has got all his pencils imprinted with his first and last names, and middle initial. It’d all be infuriating if it wasn’t so cute.

“Yo man I’m sorry, but Livvy’s got your best interest at heart, you know that.”

“I know,” Ty sighs, runs a hand through his dark hair . “I just wish she didn’t feel like responsible for me all the time.”

Kit purses his lip in discomfort, suddenly feels an intense kinship with Ty’s twin whom he’s never met. He’d like to tell Ty that it’s not a feeling of responsibility but a gesture of love. She wants to make sure he’s taken care of because her heart wouldn’t feel complete if she wasn’t doing that. Kit wants to tell him it’s not because he’s a weight on her shoulders but because he’s the first person to look at him and make Kit feel like he’s being seen. The first person to touch him softly instead of automatically assuming he’s been cut from metal and steel and brimstone. The first person to have caught and effortlessly kept Kit’s attention, the only one who’s ever made it so Kit’s skin feels like it’s been lit on fire with every surreptitious glance.

Oh, erm— Ah, but that’s all completely from livvi’s hypothetic perspective, not from Kit’s. Not at all, not even slightly.

“Mmm,” Kit clears his throat, trying to clear his head of all those sorts of thoughts, less he risk the best friendship he’s ever known. “Well Livvy obviously just wants to make sure you’re happy, I bet if you just told her that you’ve already found a date for the wedding she won’t bother to try and play matchmaker.”

Kit’s taken aback when he sees an all too familiar gleam in Ty’s gorgeous eyes and his head popping up in sudden, acute excitement.

“Yes! Brilliant! Totally! Watson you’re a genius!”

Kit can’t help but preen, feels a warmth coiling deep inside him at the sparks Ty’s quite literally radiating.

“I’m glad you’ve finally came to the light Tiberius.”

“You’ll come then?”

“Oh, ah, what?”

“To the wedding! You’ll pretend to be my date, in a romantic sense I mean.”

“Ahh,” Kit feels like he’s been succor punched, is especially confused to this parody of what he’s been privately wishing to hear for over a year now. “Run that by me again?”

“you’re a genius!” Ty crows, fists clenched and smile bright. “It’s not even that large of a leap! You’re the only person I tell them about and I bet if I tell her now that we’ve begun dating she wouldn’t even prod when I bring you to the wedding in January!”

Kit still feels very much so out of the loop.

“THey’d probably want you to spend Christmas with us too, would that be alright with you? You guys don’t really celebrate right? Jem’s a Buddhist and you said Tessa is atheist right?”

“Ah… yeah?”

“Oh awesome! I’ll call her and tell her now!” Ty leaps out of his chair, gathers Kit in for a tight hug before scurrying off to a quieter corner of the union to chat with Livvy.

“Wait, what just happened?” is all Kit can manage out, blinking owlish in Ty’s wake.

[elphaba-fang]

Wishing you were somehow here again

HEAVY SPOILERS FOR DRAGON AGE FIC AND CAMPAIGN!!! SERIOUSLY!!! SUPER! HEAVY! SPOILERS!!! IF YOU DO VERY LITTLE SIDE WORK IN THE CAMPAIGN, THIS IS THE RESULT!!!

LEAVE A COMMENT!

~*~

The dust had settled. Few still standing. The rest a bloody mess at their feet. A quick pan to see who was still breathing... The siblings all lost. The hero of Ferelden. The warden commander. The rogue Qunari. The First of the clan. The Black Shadow and his friend, both bloody and broken. Pirate ran out of luck. The conflicted man lay at his friends feet. The Dalish runaway holding her lost friend in her arms crying and screaming in agony. The prince and his guardian both bloodied and battered, never to walk again. The dwarven aid with a sword through his chest and being held by the Divine. The Tevinter magister, former slave, Qunari commander, his command, and even the champion of Kirkwall lay broken, bloodied and mangled at the young one screams in agony at everything before her. Mother, buried beneath the piles of grotesque corpses. The silent Qunari and the strange elf lay motionless together. The demon boy, lay beside his friend and gently touching her cold face.

Inquisitor Alassiel Lavellan dragged herself through a field of corpses. Looking at all those around her she called friends. Bleeding and dead in the dust. She knew she couldn't fix it. Nothing could change. She was doomed to forever be known as the woman who lost all to gain nothing.

Crysse, Rai and Pele all died because she couldn't stop them. She couldn't bring herself to hurt those whom she saw as her children. So instead, they destroyed her friends. Her armies. Her home.

The king of Ferelden knelt holding his dead wife and a golem that proceeded to simply shut off and turn to stone. The mabari howling in distress.

Morrigan knelt next to her love. Doing everything in her will to hold back her tears. But this was different. Her son was going to have to grow the rest of his life without his father. And she couldn't fix it. All her knowledge, and she can't fix this.

Analat was overpowered making sure that civilians got out of the crossfire and he bid Josephine farewell. He would never be able to confess how important she was to him. And she would forever be haunted by the images of him jumping in front of a sword to save her.

Cullen held his wife. She was lifeless. Having sacrificed everything to keep him safe. He hugged and kissed her. Praying she be alright. That it was all one big nightmare. The frustration and suffering from his screaming. Every emotional barrier he had formed in his life broke and flooded him. He would...never be the same.

Zevran Arainai was rescued by the lovely Caladwen, who then was struck down by a blade. In his panic, he was also struck down. Making sure that all his remaining strength would go to dragging himself across the field to tell her she'd be alright. She's going home. She tells him it'll never be home without him.

Isabella tried to stop the ice mage from hurting her family. However, it didn't work. Isabella was gashed at before falling. Ribcage broken and life draining from her being.

Anders lay at Elisa's feet. Still refusing to accept the reality laid before her. Screaming crying punching and slapping. Demanding he wake up. Daring to lose her mind over the one person who understood. The one that didn't care she was forced to live two lives. She will never forgive herself, even when it's not her fault.

Merrill was crying loudly about her mercenary friend in her lap. Cursing to her elvhen gods. The woman took out the forces against her with ease until Merrill got caught in a crossfire. Now, she is no more.

Both Sebastian Vael and his most trusted guard have perish in this fight. Rebecca gave everything to her prince. Her sword, her arm, her loyalty, her life and unknown to him her love. She stood in the face of danger to guard him from an Ogre. And she succeeded. Much to his pain of losing his closest friend. Now both lie broken mess.

Samhill was a kind dwarf. Loved by all those who met him and adored even more by his bride-to-be. Divine Victoria held his hand in hers and kissing his head while screaming about the despair of her being alone now.

Dgari had butchered many of them. So many in fact that there wouldn't have been any left to walk away. However, she was surrounded when separated from the others. Went down cleaving. Leaving her infant child to fend for itself now.

Nihena unleashed the full wrath of Qunari mages. The highest potential one could unlock. And she devastated the forced before her. However, when she was blindsided, the strangest elf rushed to her aid. Now, they both lay motionless.

The demon boy had almost been overtaken when the mage stepped in between. A giant gaping hole in her chest. From where a real demon had run her through. Cole could only lay beside her crying. Touching her now cold face.

Last now was the biggest sight. Little Nesissa surrounded by all those she cared about. Now dead at her feet. The scream of despair and agony. Holding the helmet that belonged to her love. Clutching it tightly to her chest. Screaming. Crying. Screaming more. Tears let free in a storm that be her emotions. Not far, her brother lay beside them. Cut down by the enemy, only to protect his sister. She knew. Knew it was her fault. She couldn't save them. Dorian bloodied and mangled upon the ground, staff snapped in half. The Chargers all destroyed among the piles of corpses. The Champion of Kirkwall. Wanting only to protect those he cared about unleashed unspeakable power to try to save them. Only to watch as Fenris was struck down. Giving up, he was stabbed through the back. Laying beside his friends and loved ones.

The Inquisitor looked to the young elf. But the girl wouldn't have it. The screaming would haunt the Inquisitor the rest of her life. Screams. Pain. Echoing for eternity. All now buried under the dust.

~*~

Dust.

This... Was really hard to write. I had to keep stopping to take a break. I didn't put all the details I wanted, but in my campaign, this is arguably the worst ending. Not everyone dies, no. But those that survive have to endure. Not all of them do.

Alistair becomes a dictator. Shale is literally turned off to never be turned on again. Morrigan lost her husband, and Kieran must be raised without his father, only having a brief few months with him. Cullen goes back to lyrium to cope with the memory of losing his wife. Which, in turn will lead to him overdosing on purpose so he doesn't have to endure without her anymore. There's also a variant where he gives their daughter to his sister to be raised so he can cope in his unhealthy manner. Elisa becomes a complete shut in. She refuses any company and will attack anyone on sight. Eventually running away to be a witch of the wilds in her own right. Merrill, however... she uses blood magic to revive Brianna. And it doesn't go well. The corpse begged for death, and Merrill had not been heard from since. Cassandra works harder as Divine, and makes a shrine in her room dedicated to him. She becomes increasingly more and more hardened emotionally by the day. Blackwall raises Dgari's child as best he can, but determines that he's not qualified and has someone else raise it while pretending to be their uncle so he can watch out for the kid. He feels personally responsible for what happens to Dgari, and does everything he can to raise the child. Cole was never the same. He builds a memorial for her. And every day, returns to sleep on her grave, crying to himself about how much he misses her.

Finally... Nesissa. After losing literally everything, Nesissa will let herself go. She, in short, kills herself through means of starvation and dehydration. On top of all the graves she digs herself, she lies. Lost everything she cared about. Bull, Fenris, Dorian, Hawke, Krem, Bella and the rest of the Chargers. All gone. Her purpose is destroyed and everything she wanted or could've become lost. Nesissa let's herself die painfully of starvation and dehydration. I could go into more detail...but I won't.

Well, that's that. My depression got worse. Any questions ask.

[spyderbones]

All the OCs for the OC ask meme! 8D (Well, if you want, that is. xD I just love your charries. ♥)

I finally got around to this!! Whew, it’s been hard work, and I honestly kept forgetting I had to do this, lol… but, thank you!! I love your OCs, too! 8D ♥♥♥

Dawson O'Brian

01. Full name: Dawson Markus O'Brian02. Best friend: His girlfriend, Cora Anderson03. Sexuality: Demisexual04. Favorite color: Green05. Relationship status: Taken ♥06. Ideal mate: His ideal mate would be someone that balances him out perfectly. That can show him how to have fun sometimes, while still being serious when the situation calls for it. That’s supportive of him and encourages him to open up, and to be the best person he can be. Someone that accepts his flaws but inspires him to be a better man… so, in a nutshell, Cora ♥07. Turn-ons: Everything about his girlfriend, lol… but seriously, he’s got a weakness for red hair. And BDSM.08. Favorite food: He’s by no means picky, but if he had to choose a favorite, he’d probably pick some sort of Irish pub food… something hardy but simple, like a shepard’s pie or a lasagna (OH MY GOD HE’S LITERALLY GARFIELD)09. Crushes: Cora Anderson is his one and only ♥10. Favorite music: He doesn’t listen to a lot of music, but when he does, it’s mostly alternative rock, with maybe a bit of country thrown in. An odd combination, but he likes what he likes and he’s unapologetic about it.11. Biggest fear: Losing Cora or becoming anything like his father.12. Biggest fantasy: Literally anything to do with Cora. Seriously, that girl makes for one hell of a sex life~13. Bad habits: He used to be a smoker and sometimes, rarely, he’ll bum a cigarette here and there still. And he still turns to drinking when he’s in a bad mood, a remnant of his teenage years when he was a hardcore alcoholic.14. Biggest regret: Besides some decisions he made in his teenage years- his alcoholism and nearly flunking out of school and getting into fights, that sort of thing- his biggest regret would be a mistake he made early into his friendship with Cora, when he slept with another girl to try to make her jealous. It really hurt Cora, and to this day he wishes he could go back and undo that mistake.15. Best kept secrets: He tends to keep his past a secret, but very rarely does he keep secrets from Cora. In fact, the only secret he’s keeping from her right now is his plan to pop the question, which he’s had worked out for a little while now~16. Last thought: Probably something dirty related to Cora. xD17. Worst romantic experience: He doesn’t have a lot of romantic experience. Cora is his first real relationship, though he’s had a few hook-ups here and there before her. His worst romantic experience would probably be the aforementioned hook-up to make Cora jealous… either that, or the circumstances around which he lost his virginity. It was incredibly awkward, and not at all romantic.18. Biggest insecurity: He’s incredibly afraid of becoming like his father, so any traits he shares with the man- as well as his past in general- are a huge insecurity for him. He can also be a little insecure in his relationship with Cora, because she’s been in a serious relationship before and he sometimes worries that there might be some lingering feelings there, since the relationship didn’t exactly end on her terms.19. Weapon of choice: His fists, though if he had to pick a proper weapon, a greatsword would be the way to go.20. Role Model: Probably some famous architect… I don’t know enough about architecture to pick one by name. xD

Emily Lawry

01. Full name: Emily Julianna Lawry02. Best friend: The girl’s got a lot of friends03. Sexuality: Bisexual04. Favorite color: Red05. Relationship status: Single06. Ideal mate: Someone down to earth to balance out her wild side, and who accepts her for who she is, flaws and weaknesses and all.07. Turn-ons: Confidence, dark hair, crooked grins08. Favorite food: Is wine a food?09. Crushes: None10. Favorite music: Alternative rock11. Biggest fear: Being alone12. Biggest fantasy: She’s not much of a fantasizer… she goes out and gets what she wants13. Bad habits: If you could consider sleeping around a bad habit? She also doesn’t always practice safe sex, oops. She also bites her nails when she’s stressed14. Biggest regret: Losing contact with the only true friend she’s ever had15. Best kept secrets: She got pregnant at fifteen and had an abortion16. Last thought: N/A17. Worst romantic experience: She tends to guard her heart pretty well, but the one time she opened up to someone, he left her after she got pregnant. That wasn’t exactly a great experience for her18. Biggest insecurity: She’s got a bunch of little insecurities, but generally she’s a pretty confident person19. Weapon of choice: A gun20. Role Model: Clarisse from Silence of the Lambs

Steph Harris

01. Full name: Stephen Andrew Harris02. Best friend: He tends to keep to himself03. Sexuality: Gay04. Favorite color: Blue05. Relationship status: Single06. Ideal mate: Someone that understands him and helps to coax him out of his shell, while still being patient with him, since he doesn’t talk07. Turn-ons: Being dominated08. Favorite food: Grilled cheese09. Crushes: None10. Favorite music: Pop music, anything instrumental11. Biggest fear: Something bad happening to the people he cares about12. Biggest fantasy: Settling down with someone that he loves, having a family, the whole white-picket-fence life13. Bad habits: Bites his nails occasionally14. Biggest regret: Not ever getting to know his birth mother15. Best kept secrets: He doesn’t really have any secrets16. Last thought: N/A17. Worst romantic experience: None- he’s totally inexperienced18. Biggest insecurity: His artistic skills; he’s always worried his art isn’t good enough19. Weapon of choice: A pencil20. Role Model: Van Gogh

Kieran Jenkins

01. Full name: Kieran Jenkins02. Best friend: Kit Connolly03. Sexuality: Bisexual04. Favorite color: Dark blue05. Relationship status: Taken06. Ideal mate: Someone who’s patient with him and his flaws, but doesn’t coddle him or treat him like a child. Ideally someone who understands the hardships he’s been through and supports him through them.07. Turn-ons: Being dominated, confidence08. Favorite food: A nice steak09. Crushes: Kit Connolly10. Favorite music: Instrumental music11. Biggest fear: Bad things happening to the people he loves12. Biggest fantasy: He’s pretty tame, honestly13. Bad habits: Drinking when he’s stressed, can sometimes lash out at people who are just trying to help14. Biggest regret: The death of his squad when he was in the army; if he’d gone through the door first, they would have survived15. Best kept secrets: Generally he tries to keep his PTSD/migraines a secret16. Last thought: N/A17. Worst romantic experience: After being discharged, he started seeing a nice girl- nothing too serious, but he liked her well enough. One night, he had a nightmare and, in the haze of it all, attacked her while she was sleeping next to him. Needless to say, that relationship ended quite quickly.18. Biggest insecurity: All his PTSD-related quirks and triggers19. Weapon of choice: A gun20. Role Model: His commander in the military

Maverick Brennan

01. Full name: Maverick Brennan02. Best friend: Lindsay O’Shaughnessey (If I spelled that wrong please correct me, it’s been so long since I had to spell her full name omg)03. Sexuality: Heterosexual04. Favorite color: Brown05. Relationship status: Taken06. Ideal mate: Someone sweet, with a good heart, that balances out the instability he’s known all his life.07. Turn-ons: He’s also pretty vanilla08. Favorite food: Sushi09. Crushes: Lindsay O’Shaughnessey10. Favorite music: Pop/rock11. Biggest fear: Never being good enough12. Biggest fantasy: He’s a tame boi13. Bad habits: He’s a bit reckless, just in general14. Biggest regret: He doesn’t really have any regrets15. Best kept secrets: He doesn’t really have any secrets, either16. Last thought: N/A17. Worst romantic experience: He’s been cheated on before, but he was never  serious enough about her to be heartbroken by it18. Biggest insecurity: His poverty… he’s struggling to get by, and he doesn’t like people knowing it19. Weapon of choice: His tongue- he prefers to talk things out20. Role Model: He doesn’t really have one

Dominic Markovic

01. Full name: Dominic Markovic02. Best friend: Katherine Devereux03. Sexuality: Pansexual04. Favorite color: Black05. Relationship status: Taken06. Ideal mate: Someone with some fire in them, who’s got a passion for what they do- and a passion for him- but that he doesn’t feel the need to keep up with, either. Someone who he’s just as important to as they are to him.07. Turn-ons: Dominating and doing the dominating~08. Favorite food: Again- does wine count as a food? If not, probably blood09. Crushes: Katherine Devereux10. Favorite music: Instrumental piano or violin11. Biggest fear: Losing the people he cares about12. Biggest fantasy: Probably some sort of BDSM fantasy- he’s into that13. Bad habits: He’s got a stick up his ass- does that count?14. Biggest regret: None, really15. Best kept secrets: He doesn’t really do anything that warrants being kept a secret16. Last thought: N/A17. Worst romantic experience: He doesn’t tend to give his heart to just anyone, so he hasn’t had very many “bad” romantic experiences18. Biggest insecurity: He’s not a very insecure person19. Weapon of choice: His fangs/claws- he’s a vampire20. Role Model: No one in particular; he’s his own man

Omg, months later I have finally completed this!! Sorry for the wait- but here, everyone, have this infodump of all my precious OCs. xD

NOTE: Cora, Kit, Lindsay, and Kat are all the creations of @essentiallyzem​ and are also wonderful characters whom I love so very much. 8D

[magiskasyskon]

A new taste (drabble)

A story that explores some of Rig’s backstory - and also pride-themed, based off of a situation that I found myself in last year. I wrote it just to practice and I’ve never explicitly mentioned her interest in women. But it’s a long way to walk, deciding to add something to the story and making it fit in with the rest of it.

I hope it’s a fun read ^_^

Stay gay, stay safe, stay happy!

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“Admit it. You’ve got a crush on Cerys.”

“I mean, come on! She’s cute! Can you blame me for- wait, whaaaat?!”

I nearly choke on the Sprite with vodka that I’m having. I can tell from Kieran’s voice and the laughter in it that he is trying to joke and mess with me, just to see what my reaction is going to be like. In truth, his words would have made me blush if I was an easy one to succumb to blushes. But I am not. So he has to satisfy himself with my stuttering and my refusal to meet his eye.

“You like her, Riga. I saw how you were looking at her. I know what’s up.” The Brit walks over to me and sits right opposite from me at the kitchen table. The two of us are at a sleepover, and nobody else seems to have woken up yet - nobody save for us. Or at least so it seems to me.

In truth, all I want right now is to finish the drink I forgot on the kitchen table last night and to check how much food we seem to have left from last night. It’s all over the place, in plates and boxes and bowls: popcorn, burgers, nacho chips, pizza, sandwiches and sushi on the salty side, and chocolate biscuits, mini croissants, cupcakes, pancakes, waffles and candy on the sweet side. But exactly how much of it is still edible remains to be seen.

“Fine! Whatever!” I growl at him, throwing a frown in his direction and grabbing a half-full carton of pizza, starting to dig in hungrily. My stomach, apparently unaware that I am starting to eat already, gives a small growl, and we both snort with laughter. He shakes his head and crosses his arms over his chest in the most teasing self-assured manner, making me want to poke him in the stomach or at least tickle him to wipe that smug-ass expression off of his pretty little face.

“So what if I like her? Huh?” I finish after I finish chewing on the pizza, raising an eyebrow at Kieran. I tilt my head to the side a bit, just for comic effect, before I go on. “Anything against that?”

“Whoa there, easy.” He laughs softly, and I feel my lips twisting into a pout. “Again, it wasn’t my fault I walked in on you two, remember? I didn’t want to disturb you guys in any way. Believe me.”

“I do. I really do.” I nod my head perhaps a bit too enthusiastically, and he breaks into giggles again, getting a soft shove in the side. My hands might be busy, but my feet are not, since we have both sat ourselves down, so I have all the chances to make him shut the hell up if I so desire.

“And besides, you two would make a cute couple. Just saying.”

Now it’s my turn to shake my head. I finish the pizza at last and reach out to grab a handful of chips from a bag laying opened by my side. Kieran follows my example, and both of us sit crunching at the kitchen table for what feels like a corner in the endless street of eternity.

“Would, yeah. We would.”

“Oh, c’mon. You’re saying that like it can never happen.” The Brit gives me a soft smile. “If that makes you happy, keep your options open. I’m doing the exact same thing, you know?” The shrug in his shoulders as if makes the weight slide off of mine, as if he has pushed it away. In his smile, in his eyes, in his whole face and posture, I can see it. They are all saying one thing: I have been where you are.

And I know that. He has told me about his first kiss.

...Just like mine, his first kiss has been with someone like him. Another guy. A dare at a party, which his half-drunken self had accepted, albeit with slight doubt, after being cheered on by all their friends. And, Kieran admits with slight embarrassment and a lot of humour, the kiss lasted so long he started wanting other things, too. Luckily for both of them, however, they pulled apart on time, and everyone was satisfied. Sadly, he and that guy stopped talking and have not contacted each other ever since.

And mine? Long story short, it was with my best friend Leila. Back then, the two of us were in, what, ninth grade? - and were very bloody close… and hellishly curious, too. And so while we were out together one afternoon, talking about this and that and snacking on sweets and promenading in the park nearby, we started talking about kissing girls - for a reason I cannot remember, and even if I could, cannot explain.

I realized we were looking right into each other’s eyes. And how would we not? I had just confessed that I had never kissed a girl ever before, and Leila, a girl, my best friend, was standing right there, in front of me, her hands on her hips, her wavy black hair cascading over her shoulder and complimenting her colourful clothes in the cutest way possible.

“So, Rig, you’ve never kissed a girl, eh?”

I shook my head.

“And wouldja like to try it?” Leila asked with a cheeky little smile, a wink and a twirl of her hair, and I realized my stomach had made a somersault. Bloody hell. She had absolutely no idea how curious I was myself and how badly I wanted to try that, to kiss her, to see what it would feel like to kiss a girl. After all, back then the only thing I had were fantasies; I had not yet begun to date anyone.

“Yeah,” I nodded breathlessly.

Admitting it was the easy part. But then, out of nowhere, Leila leaned in. I could see exactly how beautiful her chocolate eyes were, and I could swear the look in them was making my knees melt. She was simply gorgeous. But how… how could I respond to this?!

My hands instantly sneaked over her face, and I pulled her in, closing my eyes and kissing her, sighing softly with pleasure. For now, all I was going to allow myself was just a few smooches on the lips, nothing more - they alone were driving me crazy, anyway; her lips were crazy soft and every kiss sent fireworks exploding inside my whole body. Oh, my God. Is this turning me on?! Of course, Leila, being the cheeky bitch that she is (which I greatly admire her for), decided that she was not going to leave things there… and so she took them a notch up, gently pushing her tongue between my lips, seeking mine. I responded, my blood starting to boil. And let me tell you, a part of me might have ascended to heaven back then.

“...I know. I know. I know.”

“Oi, now.” Kieran nudges me in the side. He is all laughter and naughty winking and nudges and grins again, and, for some reason, I get flustered by it all. “You daydreamin’ about Cerys again, hmm? Care to share?”

Cerys, that name whose adorable face I cannot get out of my head, is one of Kieran’s friends whom I also recently befriended. During another party we had at his friend Matti Mikaelsson - the same Matti who is currently snoring so loudly upstairs that he startled us when we first got down here - I got introduced to a girl with hair, dyed in all the colours of the rainbow, “just ‘cause,” to quote her.

We had one or two years difference in my favour, but aside from that, both of us were into the same stuff. Art. Nature. Music. Reading. Sculpting. Painting. From what I can gather from our conversation last night, right before we got interrupted, Cerys is studying fine arts in an art academy in London and loves tattoos almost as much as I do. The only bad side? She got drunk - perhaps a bit more drunk than I usually like my conversation partners to be. But then again, I was drunk myself as well. That had been the main reason why I had gotten the balls to dance with her and then start talking with her.

I have had crushes on women before. It’s not a big deal, honestly. I have gotten crushes on men, too. I like both. But it seems that, because Cerys is Kieran’s friend, he thinks he is entitled to tease me about her and about how close we almost got that night.

I scowl at him in a teasing manner, and he keeps giggling, giving me such a smug, oily grin that I suddenly get the unquenchable thirst to tickle him out of it, kiss him, poke him somewhere he will dislike, anything - anything that will help me get that grin off his face.

“So… so what if I am?”

Kieran laughs again, shaking his head as he gets up and walks away from the table, looking down at his phone. While I have been staring into space, remembering things, he seems to have been texting someone. Cerys. He has probably told her. Fucking hell. I should have known. This is the exact opposite of the way I would have liked her to find that out.

“Oh, nothing. I was just, you know, curious,” is all I can hear from him. The words get thrown over his shoulder as he has now walked out of the room and has disappeared from view. “I’ll, uhh, I’ll be right back, yeah?” Now his voice becomes more serious, and I calm down a bit.

...for now.

In the very next moment, a sleepy Cerys in a see-through oversized t-shirt, the sight of which makes me bite my lower lip, appears downstairs, yawning and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. I get a cute, sleepy smile and a kiss on the cheek as she passes me by, as well as a “good morning!”, said in the hottest, most adorable girl’s voice I have ever heard in my life.

I reach out and grab her by the hand, pulling her close and kissing her in the very moment Matti and Kieran walk inside the kitchen.

[yuzuka-rei]

The Dark Affices: Lord of Shadows Analysis

(Unpopular opinions sorry+mostly criticism but the book is good, its just Imm irked by these points GAH ) I loved this book while reading it, the plot flowed well, the characters were quite lovable, but once I finished it- it felt like I had read nothing at all. The only feelings I had came from the whole situation with Kieran and Mark and Cristina, and that was just because I'm a total sucker for sad romances where one loves the other way more than they are loved back but ANYWAYS. (THE KIERARKTINA ANALYSIS IS NEAR THE END) Plot Villians Unseelie King Isn't even half as threatening or formidable of an archenemy as Sebastian Morgenstern, and that makes the whole story quite weak already Seelie Queen She's going to do something that will bite the shadowhunters in their arse the moment Julian gives him the Black Book. Predictable. She could've done way more manipulation on the others as well. Zara and the Cohort Everyone who fought in the way againt the Circle/Valentine is still alive. There is no way that within 10 years people who go back to wanting to brand downworlders and such. They remember the last time someone wanted to do that a massive war broke out and their relatives died. Also Zara is a two-dimensional character: her goal is weak, and she doesn't seem to have any human/likeable qualities. So she's a Regina-George-type character, made to be hated, but the Unseelie King has already taken that role. Repeat: Sebastian Morgenstern was a way better villian, since he had a single human quality: he wanted to be with his family, his sister and his brother. This brings us onto my next point Characters Both the villians and the heros both had very single-trait, non in-depth personalities, probably due to the amount of characters and arcs. Emma: too unflawed. Her emotions are quite simple throughout the book (there could've been great inner turmoil about whether she could give up being shadowhunter to love/protect Julian). She killed a rider too easily- making her seem to powerful. Julian: He was a pretty horrible person in this bk but in terms of character depth he's not too bad. He loves his family and would do anything for them and it's shown in a variety of ways. I've been comparing him to Cersei, since he's on the whole "family is most important" and "manipulation" thing. However, considering that he's practically been running the family, he should definitely sound less whiny and more mature. Cristina: I don't even know what to say. I can't even remember what you did apart from sing lullabies and be attached to Mark. Her lack of more personality sucks because Kieran keeps saying she's really nice and kind and stuff, but it's not that supported really. She could've contributed way more to the fantastic love triangle, by trying to actively push Mark away because she's seen how much Kieran loves him. Her selfishness here doesn't lone up with her wanting to end the Cold Peace for both faeries and shadowhunter's gain. Mark: I hate him and love him. Cassie made a good decision in making him quite the douchebag, not quite loving Kieran as much as he loves him and not caring enough about Kieran's feelings. But that makes him the most realistic of all characters: he feels regret since he's practically ditched Kieran the minute he didnt need him (I mean there's the whole "you made my brother and sister get tortured but you saved my other brother" thing which should've been Mark's excuse to himself about why he's not choosing Kieran, but he's doesn't and runs around with Cristina anyways. Interesting. Kieran: I love him to much to make any judgement. Also he's a faerie- they aren't exactly "humans" and their emotions are more 2D so... Ty: Better character compared to some others, and we now understand mildly how the twins and Kit work together as a team (since Kit needs to become one of the only people that understand Ty due to Liv's death) . Also his loyalty to family as seen by the letter to Annabel. Cassie has laid great groundwork for him. Can't wait for him to be a main character. Kit: He and Ty need potential to evolve in the next series so I'm giving them some slack. I'll do more analysis on their relationship later. Liv: She loves her brother and is curious about Kit and she's a generally more "realistic" character. Really thats it. I wish I felt tears for her death. I dont. Cassie could've developed her even more as a character, but then that would make her death more painful so. But her importance to Ty and the rest of the family is written enough that it would justify the changes that will happen due to her death. Dru: TBH Cassie could've not spread the characters out so much that we're kinda at a lost. Time spent writing about Dru could've been used on main-er characters, but Jaime needed an introduction. So did she. Looking forward to reading more about her in TWP. Diego: A character with multiple loyalties! Yay! Diana: It would've been way more influential if she had been forced by Julian to explain why she couldn't apply for the institute instead of dropping it like a "bonus" story which makes her seem like then token LGBT character. It's a great plot twist that couldn't have seemed even more forced. It's kinda sad that a brilliant character reveal was ruined Gywp: He's leader of the Wild Hunt and I know he's in love with Diana but he's not Magnus, who's always had nothing better to do than help hot shadowhunters. (Jkjk) Magnus/Alec/Jace/Clary: domestically cute and cameos that contribute to the main arcs. Now, onto the more controversial topics: THE ROMANCE Julian/Emma: This entire book is supposed to be about them balancing dealing for their love of each other with saving the world. It's written in a whiny way and not nearly enough character (If you've read the Throne of Glass series, then you'll understand- they needed the long-ass training scene between Aelin and Rowan). We never read about how they fall in love and that makes the emotions quite plastic...? It would've been fantastic to read more about how they fell in love instead of how they are insanely tortured now. It doesn't emotionally appeal to me at all. Cristina/Mark/Kieran: Words cannot express how much I fucking love this romance arc. It gives me so many feels, and half of them make me cry. I'll analyse Kierark first. When it first debuted it felt like the "token hot gay ship thats thrown in for the fangirls to get off to", but then as time passes we slowly learn how toxic this relationship really is. Kieran doesn't love anything else in this world apart from Mark, having no family, no friends to love him. Whereas with Mark, he's always been surrounded with love, with his half-brothers and sisters, Emma, Helen... etc. He doesn't understand how much he means to Kieran, and Kieran definitely loves Mark more. In the Wild Hunt, it's shown just how much Mark depended on Kieran to stay sane, which suggests, as Cristina says, that Mark owes a debt to Kieran. But it is not nearly that simple. Kieran's love for Mark is what kept him sane, and love is unconditional in most cases, including this. It is undeniable that Mark, despite him having the possibility of not being in love with Kieran when they first become lovers, due to it merely being what he needed, it is certain that Mark does feel for Kieran. Even when Kieran betrays Mark, Kieran believes it to only bring Mark back to him. I see someone so broken that they'd do anything to have their lover back, not a selfish bastard who doesn't cate about Mark at all. Kieran doesn't understand "Family", and in his defence the Blackthorns are a large enough family to survive without Mark. I'm not saying Kieran is entirely blameless, but its a totally understandable thing to want things to go back to how they used to be, and that is extremely human and ("I betcha you would have done the same"). Their love is insanely primitive and raw, and it is more of a "need" to both of them. Kieran needs someone to give him love, Mark needed someone to keep him sane. Then we move onto Mark. For some reason, the faerie-blooded characters seem to act the most human in this series. Mark is a bloody douche for stringing Kieran on, while pursuing Cristina, but then that's exactly what he craves. He needs someone to love him, in a simple way. He craves normality, and that comes in the form of Cristina, whom he finds himself attracted to, originally physical (he says he wants Cristina and that Kieran wouldn't mind: he was not emotionally attracted to Cristina. But now that he's spent time and realised how easy she is to love, he loves her). Kieran and Mark's relationship is not just sexual, or romantic, or friendship, or brotherhood- it's insanely complex and dependent and its toxic but they will never be able to remove the bond between them. They've experienced life and death together. But Mark doesn't want to be burdened by such a heavy emotional relationship anymore, and that's understandable, so he turns to Cristina. Kieran cannot bring himself to hate Cristina, since she wants the Cold Peace to end and that shows how much she cares for everyone and how she uncharacteristically wants to protect faerie rights despite being a shadowhunter. Cristina also oddly finds their relationship arousing instead of being jealous of Kieran, which leads to some of the fandom wishing for a polyamorous relationship. (Including me to an extent). On one hand Cristina could neutralise the toxicity of Kierark and also slowly teach Kieran to love other people, which would result in him not requiring the entirety of Mark's love. (Cuz currently, Kieran love mark with 100% of his heart and wants Mark to do the same. If Kieran loved other people it would be less toxic, since Mark does HAVE to share his love with his family even if Cristina is out of the picture ) On the other hand, it would be great for Kieran to find someone who will love him as much or even more than he loves them. The smol deserves more love in his life, don't you think? Also, I forgot to mention that Kieran does need to go back to the Wild Hunt, or he might become Unseelie King, and then Kierkark could actually be impossible, but I firmly believe they'll always love each other, maybe not as much as before, but they've left quite the imprint on each other's lives (The stars will go out before I forget you, Mark Blackthorn) Ty/Kit: LIKE THEY COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER SO WELL TY DOESN'T OPEN UP EASILY WHEREAS KIT DOES (he's already attached to the Blackthorns) And Kit is so much more outgoing and cool and GAH its a great ship looking SO forward to TWP. (Srsly I have so much hopes for TWP cuz in my opinion TDA is a bit of a weak arc and the only redeeming characters seem to be Mark's drama (I don't think we're going to see this in TWP I'm sad) Gwyp/Diana: super cute and deserves more love In conclusion: I love Cassandra Clare's style and how she can make character relationships insanely lovable. The fact that she always protects the characters all of us love from dying is great too. But @cassandraclare if you see this, please do consider these points made by a fangirl who is nitpicking a bit (I hope this series ends up as good as TID) for the greater good😂 (Also Diego/Kieran ain't too bad of a ship either😏😂) If you disagree with any of these, I am open to dicussions:) Just please don't blindly hate on this: all of us are entitled to opinions, you have yours and I have mine. Let's respect each other, okay?

[yankeecountess]

Broken down car

Sybil shivered as she glanced out her driver’s window, the raindrops pelting the glass at a rapid pace.  The clouds overhead made the night sky seem even darker, but she confessed she preferred it to the sudden blasts of lightning that would illuminate the heavens, casting eerie shadows on the surroundings around her.  Suddenly every ghost story that she and her sisters had whispered to each other during their childhoods, came rushing back, and Sybil found herself sinking further into the depths of her jacket, as if that would protect her from some axe-wielding psychopath.

She looked down at her phone and groaned; “NO SIGNAL”.  Of course there wasn’t.  Yes, it seemed she had apparently driven herself onto the set of some horror movie.  Oh please, let her be the “last girl standing”, although with her luck, she was most likely “victim #1″.

A sharp tap on the glass of her window caused her to both jump and yelp in surprise.  The doors were locked, weren’t they!?  She looked up at the drenched figure who was standing just outside her car door and was making a motion for her to lower her window.  Sybil swallowed, hesitated for a brief moment, then did just that.

“Hello!” a man’s voice greeted from the depths of his own hooded jacket.  She couldn’t see his face, but he sounded friendly.  Although that could also be said about Norman Bates.

“I noticed your emergency lights,” the voice continued.  “Is it your car?  Do you need some help?”

Sybil swallowed and wondered briefly if she should tell the hooded stranger that she had already called someone and they were on their way to fetch her.  But that was a lie, and the stranger might know that it was impossible to get a signal out here anyway.  And quite frankly, she didn’t want to be left out here longer than necessary. 

“I think it’s just out of petrol...” Sybil finally answered.  “I thought I had enough to make it to my destination, but I suppose...” her voice trailed off due to embarrassment.  The irony was she had passed not one, but two petrol stations at least 20 kilometers back.  Oh God, maybe she deserved to be victim #1?

The stranger simply nodded his head without commenting on her situation.  Instead, he announced that he would be “right back”, before turning and walking away from her car.  Where was he going?  What was he--OH!

Sybil gasped as she saw several very bright lights coming around her car...only to realize they belonged to a tow truck!  “Branson Brothers Motorside Services”

The tow truck backed up until it was right in front her car, then the stranger hopped out and went straight to work, hooking her car up to his truck.  He came back to her window, but she had it rolled down before he could tap on the glass.

“Alright, I can wheel you back to our station, get your car filled, do any other checks if you’d like--no charge,” he added and while she couldn’t see his face, Sybil imagined him winking.  “And then you’ll be on your way!”

Sybil felt herself blushing as she nodded her head to his words.  “Thank you,” she murmured.

There was a bit of an awkward pause, and then the stranger mumbled, “Um...sorry, but...you’ll need to ride in the truck with me.  It’s just for legal purposes; we can’t leave people in their vehicles while we tow them--”

“Oh, oh right, of course,” Sybil groaned at herself.  She clutched her jacket close to her body, cursing herself for not wearing one that had a hood, and with a deep breath, quickly scrambled out of the car and rushed to the truck, the raindrops pelting her head like icy pellets, running down the collar of her jacket and no doubt soaking her clothes beneath.

She gasped when she got inside and managed to shut the door behind her.  Oh God, she had only been out in that storm for less than a minute, and she felt soaked through!  Her hair was blasted to her face, her--

The stranger hopped back into the driver’s side and shut his own door, gasping and groaning himself, before pushing back the hood at last and offering Sybil a glimpse of her rescuer.

Oh my...

Sybil had never really gaped at anyone before, but she was gaping now.  He was younger than she thought, late 20′s/early 30′s by the look of him.  He was quite handsome--dark blonde hair that looked brown due to the rain; a strong jawbone, a fine nose (she had never really paid much attention to mens noses before, but his was very nice in profile!) and while he was wearing a bulky jacket, she had a feeling that the bulk wasn’t entirely caused by the fabric, but quite possibly by the muscular body beneath.

“Oh, here...” he turned then to offer her a towel to dry her face with, but his voice faded and he stared back at her, as if truly seeing her for the first time.

Sybil swallowed as she gazed back at the most astonishing pair of blue eyes she had ever seen. 

With somewhat trembling fingers, she accepted his offer of the towel and used it to dab at her face, blushing even more as she imagined how she must look right now.  Not that he seemed to care...because when he looked her, she felt nothing but the deepest warmth coursing through her body.

“Sorry,” the man mumbled, seeming to realize he was staring.  “I’m Tom...” he introduced, holding his hand out to her.

Sybil blushed but smiled back and accepted his hand.  “Sybil,” she replied, more warmth filling her body at the feel of his hand in hers.

“Sybil...” he repeated, and a new shiver raced through her veins at the way her name sounded in his rich, Irish brogue.  “You’re English...” he added after a moment, a comment which actually had her giggling and him blushing.  “Oh God, sorry, that sounded--”

“I am, yes,” she answered, saving him from his embarrassment. 

His own face was blushing, but he was also smiling back at her.  “Holiday?” he asked.

Sybil shook her head.  “Job interview,” she explained. 

The man’s eyebrows rose.  “Out here?”  He groaned and closed his eyes.  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to--”

Sybil simply grinned.  “Actually, I had the interview already, in Kilkenny,” she explained.  “I was on my way to a friend’s; we went to uni together and she offered me a place to stay.”

Tom nodded his head, then seemed to realize they were just sitting there, and mumbled another apology, before starting his truck.  “Right, well we’d better get you going so you can meet with your friend.”

Sybil smiled, although she was surprised to realize that she was going to miss this man, whom she barely knew.  As soon as they got back onto the main road, Sybil discovered that her mobile had a signal once again.  She had several missed calls, all from her friend, and she quickly returned them, explaining what had happened and that she would be there soon.

“I’m coming to get you myself,” her friend declared.

“That’s not necessary--”

But her friend had already hung up.  Sybil sighed and glanced once more at the handsome Irishman next to her. 

“So...” he murmured after a pause.  “How do you think it went?  The job interview?”

Sybil blushed but smiled and bashfully glanced down at her hands, folded on her lap.  “I think it went well,” she truthfully answered.  “I was able to answer all their questions, and they seemed impressed by answers, as well as my knowledge and experience.”  Not that for a second she thought she had the job in the bag, but at the same time, she had left feeling fairly confident and proud with herself.

“And...if you don’t mind my asking, what was it an interview for?”

She didn’t mind, actually.  She felt very comfortable with this man.  “Nursing,” she answered. 

He glanced at her quickly.  “You’re a nurse?”

Sybil smiled and nodded.  “For five years now.”

He seemed impressed, but not at all in a patronizing manner.  “My cousin is a nurse,” he added, and then blushed deeply at his words.  “Sorry, just...I’m in awe of anyone who does what she does.  It’s not easy, I imagine...”

“No,” Sybil confirmed.  “It isn’t...but I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life.”

He smiled at that and nodded his head in admiration, causing another delicious shiver to course through her.

They reached the petrol station, and just behind it was a garage: Branson Brothers Motorside Services.  She had passed this place earlier; oh she was glad to have been brought back.  “Are you one of the...?”

“Branson brothers?” he answered with a teasing grin.  “Aye, I am.  Kieran, my older brother, he runs the garage.  But no doubt he’s out on assignment too--nights like this, we tend to get a lot of calls.”

“Of course,” Sybil murmured, blushing.  “Well, I don’t want to keep you--”

“I don’t mind,” he answered, and they both held their breath at his words, a sudden wave of heat seeming to flow between them in that moment.

“Sybil!?”

Sybil’s head snapped back at the sound of her name.  She turned and met the eyes of her friend.  Wait--how had she made it her so quickly?  And how did she know where--?

“Colleen?”

Sybil looked over at Tom.  He knew her?

“What are you doing--?”

“Well, when Sybil rung and told me she was in a tow truck, I knew it had to be yours!” Colleen answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  She turned her attention back to Sybil.  “Lucky for you, my cousin found you and not some axe-wielding psychopath.”

Cousin.

Sybil looked up at Tom and noticed he was putting the pieces together himself.  Her friend from uni was in fact...his cousin?

“You’re not going to charge her, are you?” Colleen asked.

Sybil’s face grew hot at the question.  “No, I insist on paying--”

“It’s alright,” Tom assured, his smile kind and bashful. 

“But I want to,” she insisted, and without realizing it, had taken a very purposeful step towards him.  And then she was blurting, “I’ll stay here with the car while Tom looks at it--”

“And I’ll drop her by your place when I’m done,” he finished.

They were both blushing (furiously) but they also couldn’t help but smile and gaze back at one another.

Colleen glanced back and forth between the two, before sighing and shrugging her shoulders.  “Fine, have it your way...” she glanced over at Tom and muttered, “but not too late, alright?”  They didn’t have a chance to respond, as Colleen drifted away, laughing in her wake.

[torentialtribute]

The secrets behind Mauricio Pochettino’s success

In Mauricio Pochettino & # 39; s first night in English football in January 2013, the [19599003] Everton staff looked suspiciously at their three colleagues in Southampton . No one really knew them: Jesus Perez, Miki D & # 39; Agostino, Toni Jimenez.

Among the Everton coaching staff working under David Moyes that night, all of whom were British, there was a clear Nigel Adkins, who were marginalized by globalization, but their coaching assistants who would languish.

The irony is now clear. Gareth Southgate and Steve Holland.

To understand how he has transformed Tottenham into a real Premier League superpower on a relatively poor budget – and thereby also helping the English team improve – we must first understand the man. Mauricio Pochettino has transformed Tottenham into a Premier League power and Harry Kane a superstar.

] Mauricio Pochettino has transformed Tottenham into a Premier League power and Harry Kane into a superstar "

Mauricio Pochettino has transformed Tottenham into a Premier League power and Harry Kane In a superstar

When he first caught English eyes, in 2002, Pochettino could no longer be removed from our game, in a superficial sense, with that long-haired mullet haircut that meant for a certain type of Argentinian center-half of that time.

He is a child of the Pampas, a farmer's son from Murphy, a remote and small settlement about 200 miles southwest of Rosario, set up by an Irish emigrant in the 19th century that day in 2002, when he was confronted with England in what had become one of the most hyped encounters of the World Cup Final – Japanese TV used images from the Falklands war to play the game to follow – he was very much the student of the Argentinian coach Marcelo Bielsa.

Of course it didn't end well, not even for Bielsa and Pochettino. When Michael Owen glanced past him in the box, Pochettino reached out and Owen fell. & # 39; It was definitely a dive, & # 39; Pochettino always says. & # 39; I never touched it! & # 39; Repeats confirm that there was hardly any contact. But David Beckham sent the penalty and Argentina went home shamelessly without even reaching the knockout phase.

Bielsa seems the obvious place to start analyzing this unlikely story of how an Argentinian farm boy ended up being one of the favorites of English football.

It was the current Leeds United manager who saw him sleeping in his bed for the first time at the age of 14. The extraordinary story, seemingly alarming in our age of children's awareness, but innocent in this context and culture, is now well told.

Bielsa, youth team coach at Newell & # 39; s Old Boys, and academy director, Jorge Griffa, would search the Pampa for talent. They actually visited nearby Santa Isabel for a coaching course when someone said Murphy was a decent player who was Newell's biggest rivals, Rosario Central. Bielsa had suggested returning to Rosario. After all, it was late and in the dark. Griffa insisted that they go to Murphy.

& # 39; We arrived at 2 am & # 39; in the morning at their home & # 39 ;, Griffa, 83, recalls when we met in his elegant apartment in the chic Recoleta district of Buenos Aires. Aires last year. & # 39; It was pretty extreme! I knocked on the windows, Mauricio & # 39; s mother answered me and she recognized me. We came in and I started talking about them soybeans and other crops that were not at all my interest.

<img id = "i-7b80776749131906" src = "https://ift.tt/2OzWGL7 -6830037-image-m-37_1553087990053.jpg "height =" 687 "width =" 470 "alt =" Pochettino was trained as a tough defender at Newell & # 39; s Old Boys "

<img id = "i-7b80776749131906" src = "https://ift.tt/2TXSNW1" height = "687" width = " 470 "alt =" Pochettino was schooled as a tough defender at Newell & # 39; s Old Boys "

He was taught by Marcelo Bielsa (center, with Argentina) during the 2002 World Cup)

Pochettino was trained Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge Click to enlarge to enlarge as a tough defender at Newell & # 39; s Old Boys (left) and taught do or Marcelo Bielsa (right, center)

<img id = "i-39892ac520b3bac1" src = "https://ift.tt/2W3ngi6 /03/20/13/11226808-6830037-image-a-22_1553087755040.jpg "height =" 668 "width =" 962 "alt =" Pochettino shows his uncompromising style and Sweden's Henrik Larsson clattered during their 2002 World Cup clash "

<img id =" i-39892ac520b3bac1 "src =" https://ift.tt/2TZO0nb .jpg "height =" 668 "width =" 962 "alt =" shows Pochettino his uncompromising style by clattering Sweden & Henrik Larsson in their 2002 World Cup clash "class

Finally they came to the point

Pochettino shows his uncompromising style by clattering Henrik Larsson in their 2002 World Cup clash of their visit to the night. Griffa confirms the famous story that they really asked the parents of Pochettino if they could see the sleeping 14-year-old Mauricio in his bedroom and indeed shouted: “What legs! The legs of a soccer player! & # 39; upon seeing him.

They were not wrong about the innate ability to play football. I have proven to be a very capable middle half. What you didn't know back then was what an effect Bielsa would have on world football and Pochettino on the English game. Argentina does not seem the obvious place to look for the start of an English football renaissance. But the revolution that had begun at Newell & # 39; s Old Boys would have a global impact.

Rosario is a pleasant city dominated by oil refining, petrochemistry, production, and the vast Parana River. It is also a city separated by football. Entire neighborhoods are painted in the red and black of Newell & # 39; s or the yellow and blue of rivals Rosario Central. Despite these obsessions, it was something of impoundment for a country dominated by Buenos Aires.

Ricky Villa, that icon of Tottenham and himself a farm boy from outside the urban elites, puts it this way: & # 39; Buenos Aires is the big football city and Rosario and Rosario are subordinate. & # 39;

Still, Newell & # 39; s started the will of River Plate and Boca Juniors in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and Argentinian football did make some note of it.

]

Under coach Jose Yudica, they won the league title in 1988 and reached the final of the Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of the Champions League. The following season, a young center half made his debut: that boy from back on the farm a few years earlier had turned out well. Besides him, D & # 39; Agostino would be his oldest friend. They had shared the rather primitive dormitory – it was freezing cold in winter, sultry in summer – where players from the youth team were sitting under the headstand of the club's stadium.

. Griffa has an almost mythical status in Argentinian football as the star maker, thanks to his work at Newell & # 39; s when he discovered Gerardo Martino, Gabriel Batistuta and Pochettino.

Later I spent Maxi Rodriguez, Walter Samuel and Gabriel Heinze and then, when I moved to Boca Juniors, Carlos Tevez. Jorge Valdano, winner of the 1986 World Cup, former trainer and technical director of Real Madrid, described Griffa as & # 39; one of the development gurus in Argentina & # 39 ;.

According to Valdano, the Newell team in which Pochettino was integrally placed in an & # 39; honorable atmosphere when it came to developing players & # 39 ;: like an Ajax from South America.

This is the environment that Pochettino has forged: tough, unadorned, based on hard work but also with regard to technology and tactical aptitude. It was a unique culture. Given the number of players who came to the first team through the academy, it was logical to promote the coach of the first team in the care of the first team. This is how Bielsa got its big breakthrough in 1990.

<img id = "i-c259d464f9382afb" src = "https://ift.tt/2OzWHPb image-a-17_1553087705707.jpg "height =" 598 "width =" 962 "alt ="

] Pochettino strongly believes in the power of English players and promotes them, such as Kieran Trippier (center) "class =" blkBorder img-share "/>

Pochettino is a strong proponent of the (19459011)

<img id = "i-7384da721640df79" src = "https://ift.tt/2TZ51Ob" height = " 634 "width =" 962 "alt =" He also trusts young players, such as Dele Alli, who learn early in his career that

<img id = "i-7384da721640df79" src = "https: // i .dailymail.co.uk / 1s / 2019/03/20/13 / 11226818-6830037-image-a-30_1553087817768.jpg "height =" 634 "width =" 962 "alt =" He also trusts young players such as He i s Alli, who learns early in his career if you are good enough you are old enough &

he also trusts young players such as Dele Alli, le Full name : Full name Maurice Roberto Pochettino Trossero

From : Murphy, Argentina

: Center-half

Clubs : Newell & # 39; s Old Boys (1989-94), Espanyol (1994-2001, 2004 (loan), 2004-06), PSG International : Argentina – 20 caps, 2 targets

International : Argentinian Premier Division x1, Copa del Rey x2

Teams successful : Espanyol (2009-12), Southampton (2013-14), Tottenham (2014-present)

-4-3 and a unique press style that will now be known to Tottenham fans Bielsa lei The team moved to a different national title and, in an unprecedented era for the club, two finals of the Copa Libertadores.

Griffa remembers: & # 39; When Bielsa took the first team job at Newell, I told you we had to buy two central defenders. I told him: "You have them at home – Fernando Gamboa and Pochettino".

& # 39; It was a team that left its mark on Newell's history, said Roberto Sensini, a former Pochettino teammate at Newell and with the national team. & # 39; Mauricio always spoke to his teammates with authority and in clear terms. Mauricio has learned from many coaches, but Bielsa was a man who left his mark on him, just like me.

Bielsa would reappear in Pochettino & # 39; s career, when I moved to Spain to play for Espanyol. In fact, his old coach reduced him to tears there after being accused of losing the drive he had as a young player at Newell and slipping into a comfort zone. & # 39; I've never felt so embarrassed & # 39 ;, Pochettino wrote in his book Brave New World. & # 39; Everything he said was right. I am blinded, trapped in my own world. & # 39;

Pochettino still quotes this period of his life and the belief that Yudica, Griffa and Bielsa have shown him as his inspiration to give young players a chance. Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Kieran Trippier, Danny Rose, Harry Winks, Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Nathaniel Clyne, James Ward-Prowse are just some of the English players who have thrived under him. Unknowingly, they owe a huge debt to Griffa and Bielsa.

No big star was before Pochettino arrived. Lallana was probably the best established. You can't claim that their turnout amounts to Pochettino alone: ​​MK Dons, Crystal Palace and Burnley were involved as well as Southampton and Tottenham. Perhaps some would have hit these heights regardless of

<img id = "i-1ce0c0bf8d29404f" src = "https://ift.tt/2NyDsEw /1s/2019/03/20/13/11227058-6830037-image-a-16_1553087702890.jpg "height =" 660 "width =" 962 "alt =" <img id = "i-1ce0c0bf8d29404f" src = "https: //i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/20/13/11227058-6830037-image-a-16_1553087702890.jpg "height =" 660 "width =" 962 "alt =" <img id = " i-1ce0c0bf8d29404f "src =" https://ift.tt/2OsBzds "height =" 660 "width =" 962 "alt =" <img id = "i-1ce0c0bf8d29404f" src = "https://ift.tt/2OsBzds" height = "660" width = "962" alt = "<img id =" i-1ce0c0bf8d29404f "src =" https://ift.tt/2U1m6qC -image-a-16_1553087702890.jpg "height =" 660 "width =" 962 "alt =" He hacked his teeth at Espanyol, where he was here in 2010 against Real Madrid by Jose Mourinho fought "

against Madrid Real Madrid of Madrid Mourinho here in 2010

<img id =" i-ece6b5779c527f7 "src =" https: // i .dailymail.co.uk / 1s / 2019/03/20/13 / 11227708-6830037-image-a-6_1553087621455.jpg "height =" 764 "width =" 962 "alt =" A move to Southampton saw Pochettino succeed again , and he helped the will of Adam Lallana reach the following

<img id = "i-ece6b5779c527f7" src = "https://ift.tt/2OzWITf -6830037-image-a-6_1553087621455.jpg "height =" 764 "width =" 962 "alt =" A move to Southampton saw Pochettino succeed again, and he helped the will of Adam Lallana to reach the next level "class =" blkBorder img-share

A move to Southampton saw Pochettino succeed again, and he helped the will of Adam Lallana again

However, in an era when the Premier League was young English talent seemed about it Pochettino was counterintuitive.

Eight months after his arrival speaking to him in this country in 2013, Pochettino told Sportsmail : & # 39; In terms of pure talent, English players have nothing to envy in their Brazilian, Argentinian or Spanish counterparts. It's all about working hard and trusting and believing in them … giving them the opportunity and supporting them;

& # 39; I have witnessed the transformation of Spanish football. & # 39; I have witnessed the transformation of Spanish football. I have seen that transformation over a period of more than 20 years, from the moment they knew nothing to gain when they started winning things. England is now also in a moment when all they have to do is believe. Really believe in their talent, their own inherent ability that is present in English footballers. "

To be honest, at that time it sounded like a rule to get favor with the locals.

Those close to Pochettino insist on being careful to incorporate the point about Bielsa & # 39; s influence into his presence, even though he has spoken of him as a & # 39; father figure & # 39; in public.

In private it is not clear that he wants to be fairly close to him and that he regards it as a cliché.It is a point that journalist Guillem Balague, who worked with him for a year at Brave New World, has made. & # 39; He has learned a lot from Newells Old Boys, from Bielsa, but he is not a Bielsa manager or coach at all.

Balague claims that, as the & Spygate & # 39; sage in Leeds made clear, Bielsa is much more obsessed with how his opponents play.

& # 39; What I learned from Bielsa is that you don't go to look at the passport if you give someone a chance & # 39 ;, said Balague. & # 39; If you can do the job, it doesn't matter if you are 17, 20 or 28. You have to be brave, you have to come on the field to be a leading player. You have to work very hard to repair the ball, but you get the ball back if it is different from Bielsa. & # 39;

<img id = "i-c18648bc67fc3cd0" src = "https://ift.tt/2U2ImAv 11227630-6830037-image-a-31_1553087824979.jpg "height =" 654 "width =" 962 "alt =" Pochettino played hard and his teams also have steel – even

<img id = "i- c18648bc67fc3cd0 "src =" https://ift.tt/2OzWJqh "height =" 654 "width =" 962 "alt = "Pochettino has played hard and his teams also have steel – even the gentle Kane can get aggressive, as shown here"

Pochettino has played hard and his teams also have steel – even the gentle Kane can become aggressive, as can be seen here

Leading actor is a word you hear again from Latin coaches, especially listening to Pochettino or Guardiola.

Ze call it a sign of pride, as if the team d that the game takes on, that possession dominates, has an almost moral right to win.

This is the clear influence of Bielsa on Pochettino and, indeed, English football. So when England took over Spain in Seville last year and delivered the first home defeat to their hosts in 15 years, it was the most & # 39; protagonist & # 39; England's performance since they defeated 4-1 Holland in 1996 under Terry Venables.

And there is no doubt that Southgate owes a debt to the current wave of Premier League coaches playing this way: Pochettino, Jurgen Klopp and Guardiola.

However, as Balague points out, there is a fundamental difference between going to the Pochettino team and to the Bielsa team when they have won the ball back. In part it is an element of directness. The Pochettino team plays the ball faster.

But it is also unlikely that Bielsa would like to win with 40 percent possession of the ball, the Tottenham beat Chelsea in November, one of their best performances of the season. Sensini, who played with Pochettino under Bielsa at Newell, says: & Spurs I see a very aggressive team, such as Bielsa, but Mauricio has his own details & he says. & # 39; Bielsa & # 39; s would be more rigid in tactics. & # 39;

One aspect of the Pochettino revolution that is often overlooked is the role of Jesus Perez. The quartet of Spanish-speaking coaches can often be seen together at Spurs & # 39; training ground sharing partner, the Argentine infusion drink that D & # 39; Agositino and Pochettino have introduced to English football culture.

He was an employee of Espanyol sports director Ramon Planes, not of Pochettino, and only joined to help with the youth and among 21 teams. And he would not have helped Pochettino if it had not been for a violation.

Pochettino had paid £ 7,000 of his own money to get some prototype software to help with race analysis: the most detailed statistics and video analysis, routine today but innovative 10 years ago and another feature of each Bielsa pupil. Pochettino had even paid for a young assistant coach to train in the software so that they could use it during a competition. The assistant paid him back by rolling to Barcelona when they offered to double his salary for the same work there.

The new under-23 helper, Perez, however, was the only other employee who could use the software.

He had worked in Gimnastic de Tarragon, Castellon, Real Murcia, Pontevedra, Rayo Vallencano and Almeria in various coaching roles, but he had just returned from a spell in Saudi Arabia with the national team and Al-Ittihad . Perez is football in every way: coach, analyst, fitness expert. But that last name was perhaps the most significant and possibly the secret behind Pochettino.

Pochettino leans heavily on his versatile number 2 on Tottenham, Jesus Perez, who is a fitness expert and so much more "

] <img id =" i-53506157d0d79c92 "src =" https://ift.tt/2U1m4Pw "height =" 1054 "width =" 962 "alt =" Pochettino leans heavily on his versatile number 2 of Tottenham, Jesus Perez, who is a fitness expert and much more "

Pochettino (19459010)

<img id =" i- 27daf181ea7c62c7 "src =" https://ift.tt/2OzWJXj "height =" 642 "width =" 962 "alt = "Miki D & # 39; Agostino (left) and He is a versatile non-expert at Tottenham, who is a fitness expert and much more

Toni Jimenez (right) are the other members of Pochettino & # 39; s inner circle of coaches at Spurs "

<img id =" i-27daf181ea7c62c7 "src =" https: // id ailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/20/13/11226856-6830037-image-a-39_1553088019811.jpg "height =" 642 "width =" 962 "alt =" Miki D & # 39; Agostino (left) and Toni Jimenez (right) are the other members of the inner circle of coaches of Pochettino at Spurs "

Miki D & # 39; Agostino (left) and Toni Jimenez (right) are the other members of Pochettino & # 39; s inner circle of coaches at Spurs

He studied physiology at the university for five years. Even now it is still unusual for fitness experts to be the No. 2 at a club, although there should have been some clues from the past. Rafa Benitez and Jose Mourinho both studied sports sciences; both changed the dynamics of football in the last decade because they understood physiology well. Perez belongs in that bracket.

And Pochettino's teams are fitter than almost everyone. Lallana is still grinning about pre-season training in Southampton in the summer of 2013. Admittedly, Pochettino may have exaggerated that year: he let the team walk over glowing coals in one of those bonding exercises designed to show what can be achieved with willpower. So far that has not been repeated at Tottenham. But to play like Pochettino, you want you to be fitter than most. & # 39; He finishes the b ****** from them & # 39 ;, says a resident of Tottenham. His standards are simply higher and his methods seem better than those of his Premier League rivals.

Getting Luke Shaw into an obvious task at Southampton. Less noticeable was the task he had at Kane in Tottenham. Kane was not rated high. He was the striker who was only used in the Europa League, with Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado in front of him. Indeed, Kane did not start a Premier League match under Pochettino until November 9 that first season, against Stoke (and they lost 2-1). Something had changed by that time. Kane had gone to Pochettino to ask why he was alone on the couch. Pochettino did not answer correctly. & # 39; He said my body fat was high, I didn't try as hard as I could, and that was it! & # 39; Kane remembers.

Son Heung-min is another Tottenham player who has benefited from Pochettino & # 39; s hard love and guidance "

<img id =" i-eeefbdd24bef3688 "src =" https://ift.tt/2U55Hlm "height =" 641 "width =" 962 "alt = "Son Heung-min is another Tottenham player who has benefited from Pochettino's hard love and guidance"

Son Heung-min is another Tottenham player who has benefited from the hard love and guidance from Pochettino

Kane admits that his body fat was 18 percent when Pochettino took over at the club Meaning: too fat to be an elite striker And Kane & # 39; s conditioning and the care he now takes over – the second home within minutes of the training field, the personalized chef and, crucially, the input of Perez – would probably be a One of the key factors in his elevation to the world of elite players.

But Perez is much more than a fitness guru. In Brave New World, Pochettino explains how his assistant is crucial in his coaching and motivation role. & # 39; Around that time [March 2017] I had a difficult conversation with one of the key figures, whose name I will keep for myself. & # 39; [Pochettino has never confirmed this but the circumstances suggest it is Son Heung-min.] & # 39; It was our second in the two-year period. I let Jesus prepare the ground and they spent almost an hour talking.

& # 39; I came in to put the finishing touches, although Jesus kept coming back with sentences like: & # 39; You do this during training, this in games and these are the statistics. "I went down the contract route:" If you continue like this, we don't need you. "He ended up as a trigger in a video we showed him, which clearly shows that he reacted conservatively twice in the same game instead of doing what he should have done, namely, making progress, his decision affected him and the team. "Ah, yes, it's true, I made a mistake," was his reaction when he saw it.

The Pochettino manifesto is probably packed there as well as everywhere: its ability to work with individual players, often young ones, to lift them up, in Son & # 39; s case, from a good player to world class; the need to a protagonist not to be conservative, the tough love he is willing to show by threatening not to renew his contract, but also the importance from Perez.

It was also Perez who, together with the vro your from Pochettino, Karina, Pochettino persuaded to take a chance on Southampton. Pochettino jokes that his assistant had an established interest because he spoke English and Pochettino did not. That in itself is almost the impetus for failure.

Karina repaired him with a friend in Barcelona who taught English. & # 39; After my first lesson, I said, "It's impossible!" I would like to speak English. I said, "I'm going to stop." Fortunately I persisted. And, it turns out, I wouldn't need the Queen's English to have a huge impact on his adopted country.

<img id = "i-ae5c536637c5ad70" src = "https://ift.tt/2OzWKul -6830037-image-a-29_1553087809985.jpg "height =" 640 "width =" 962 "alt =" After joining Tottenham in 2014, Pochettino has established himself as one of the leading managers in world football Tottenham in 2014, Pochettino established himself as one of the leading managers in world football "

After joining Tottenham in 2014, Pochettino established himself as one of the leading managers in world football

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