#one of my best friends is trapped in a parallel universe — my entire family is trapped in a parallel universe too

[secretly-a-catamount]

Susan Pevensie being a companion of the Doctor, is that anything??

[shadowfae]

Harmony, Chaos, RuneScape and Quoilunetary Nonhumanity

[Crossposted to National Nonhuman Park, and requested by @dzamie.]

I forgot to do this for like three days, but. I wanted to do a post on understanding past experiences and the differing perspectives people can have on the same experiences and how that can lead to radically different understandings and why there will never be a clear-cut border between alterhuman terminology, and I think I finally found a way to articulate that point. Commentary and responses welcome.

The very simplest way of explaining this concept is the following sentence: "I never said that I owed her money." Seems a simple statement, yeah? Place emphasis on one word, read it again, and then place emphasis on a different word and read it. "I never said that I owed her money," implies a flat-out denial of the concept. However, "I never said that I owed her money," is a clear 'I implied it but never said it, and you can't hold me to that'. And emphasis on other words brings the exact meaning of those emphasized words into question, and so forth.

But while that concept is universal, it's difficult to see as it stands how that applies to alterhuman experiences. So we're going to delve into the source of one of my current linktypes, RuneScape, and we're going to explain things the way a warpriest does, using the setting's available godly philosophies to explain a past experience.

The two we'll be looking at today are Serenist and Zamorakian philosophies, particularly the Elven questline, and we're choosing this because Seren's ingame dialogue includes her explaining why Zamorakianism doesn't fit the questline. I, however, say it does, so let's compare and contrast how they both fit, and why they're both valid, and why if you're determined enough you can be absolutely convinced that the other's an idiot.

Seren is the crystal goddess of light; associated heavily with integrity, harmony, prudence, wisdom, and tranquility. Simply put, she is a pacifist who believes that if two parties can meet in the middle and find harmony, the best possible result can be achieved.

This is contrasted heavily with Zamorakian philosophy. Zamorak is known best as the god of chaos, although his philosophy heavily centres strength through personal strife. He believes that almost all obstacles and challenges in life can be beaten if one just never gives up, and that through surviving those obstacles, one is made a better person. He also believes that order brings stagnation: with no reason or need to do something different, people will do what they have always done, thus, chaos is necessary for improvement and achievement.

When Seren left the elves, her main followers, scrambled to put together a leadership that might replace her. Modelling the humans, they chose a monarchy, which was undercut in short order by Clan Iorwerth. (Iorwerth is one of the two military elven clans.) Iorwerth, following a dark power, overthrew the monarchy and shut down the elven kingdom entirely, forcing every elf that wasn't trapped to flee or swear allegiance to them. They were later overthrown by the remains of the other seven clans and the player character, the kingdom was restored as a republic, and eventually Seren came back.

When asked about Zamorak's philosophy, Seren references this: ["Order only brings stagnation."] "Perhaps, but there is also imagination and community. When sharing with others, we can learn to see the world differently. Look at all my elves accomplished. It was undone for a time because of chaos. It was harmony that restored them." [Post- The Light Within dialogue.]

Note the emphasis on harmony, and how she looks down upon this. However, she does agree that the elves are stronger without her, evidenced by her refusal to lead them again after her return: "I will not leave you, not again, but I will not lead you. Let me, here and now, recognise this council as the true leadership of the elven people." [The Light Within quest dialogue.]

Zamorak ingame has never spoken about this event, it's on the other side of the continent and he doesn't much care about what Seren does so long as she stays away from him. However, speaking as my linktype, a son of Zamorak, and a warpriest of Zamorakian philosophy and religion, I feel qualified to explain what his philosophy does say about this event, and how it differs.

Zamorakian philosophy places emphasis on the chaos, and how through it, one becomes stronger. Seren says that she recognizes the clan council of the elven republic to be its true leadership. This council did not exist until after she left and left her followers to deal with the aftermath. Even so, their first attempt at fixing the situation was to create a monarchy, which was overthrown almost immediately.

Arguably, their first attempt via wisdom and harmony – modelling their new government after a human form of government that evidently worked, and by choosing their monarchs to represent them best – failed miserably. However, Iorwerth's assault forced the remaining elves to think of another solution that there was no historic precedence for. The clan leaders chose to go into hiding until someone else had overthrown Iorwerth, which didn't happen until the player character did so, over two thousand years later. Those elves who did not go fully into hiding instead created a resistance, aiming first to stop Clan Iorwerth from obtaining death magic that would have cemented its rule perhaps permanently, and then by taking it down once it was properly destabilized.

Their second attempt at a form of government, truly equal across all eight clans, is evidently better than their first attempt: it withstood the next upheaval of Seren's return and refusal to govern them again, and she gave the council her blessing. The solution they found through harmony and tranquility failed. The solution they found through chaos succeeded.

Seren places her emphasis on the fact that through the Iorwerth domination, the remaining elves worked together to find a solution. Zamorakian philosophy states that they never would have found that solution or learned to work together had their lives not been thrown into utter chaos.

Seren focuses on the harmony that is the method of survival, Zamorak focuses on the chaos that caused invention of an improved method of survival. Seren disavows chaos, disregarding that it is anything but an obstacle that needs to be overcome, refusing to see it as something worth seeking out. Zamorak disavows order, arguably incredibly similar to the Serenist ideal of harmony, and states that it only brings stagnation and is incredibly fragile and meaningless. Through this, the two philosophies are radically opposed, both disavowing what the other praises.

Compare this scenario to one more personal and recognizable to those who may read this: any scenario in which someone is put to their limits, any scenario potentially traumatizing. Serenist philosophy asks for integrity, that one stays true to oneself throughout it all, and harmony, to seek a peaceful solution. This is easily taken down by any situation in which one needs to change in order to survive, however, it also is best represented by the growth of the aftermath when it is time to rebuild. Zamorakian philosophy asks for strength, to find a way through no matter the cost, and celebration of strife, to recognize that there is a point to the pain. This is easily taken down by any sort of emotional trauma that leaves scars, however, it also is best represented by the ability to take any punches thrown and to recognize the good of recovery and what that means for the future.

Thus, in a situation of aftermath, both celebrate the growth and the strength necessary to survive, and meet up perfectly in the middle in any situation in which one is honest with themself, survives the ordeal, and recognizes that they are better than they were before.

Radically opposed, and when you tilt your head and squint, they lead to the same conclusion of a better tomorrow than yesterday was.

As my last point, the question of 'and what exactly does this have to do with gray areas of the alterhuman community?' requires an answer. Not all cases will fall under this, but here's a couple scenarios to think on. Someone who has a parallel life in another world: are they otherkin, or are they otherhearted? Someone who places emphasis on the differences between themself and their parallel life may recognize the other as their counterpart, but not quite them, too similar to be anything but family but too different to be the same person, like twins separated at birth. But someone who places emphasis on the similarities, recognizing the other as a reflection of themself, may say that they're otherkin, not so separate as to be family but too similar to be anything but the same person, if in two different situations.

Take further something psychological. Someone with executive dysfunction, an uncontrollable focus mechanism, emotional dysregulation, ostracization from their peers, and a lack of understanding of metaphors or half-truths may go to a pediatrician and be diagnosed as autistic. If they never go to that hypothetical pediatrician, but instead find themself online and hunting for answers, they may discover the otherkin community and come to the conclusion that they are Fair. Where one reads the apparent difference between themself and others as recognizing that they do not psychologically think the way others do, and thus being othered; one recognizes it as others having a gut feeling that they are simply not human, akin to an uncanny valley effect.

Lastly, consider someone who takes up believing themself to be a unicorn as a child, to deal with ostracization from their peers. Something along the lines of the last scenario. Years later, after growing up and discovering a friend group and no longer facing any ostracization, they determine that they still identify as a unicorn. They do research and understand that if they put in the effort over several decades and ego alteration, they may be capable of releasing that coping mechanism turned integral part of them, and letting it go.

Are they otherkin, or a copinglinker?

If they consider themself otherkin, then one can assume they would be disinterested in using ego alteration over a course of decades to let go. If they consider themself a copinglinker, then they may be interested, or they may not, but it would be more likely that they would at least consider the option before deciding either way. And if they do decide against it, does that make it otherkin? As the difference between the two is defined and largely accepted that otherkin is involuntary and copinglinking is, one might argue that they would still be a 'linker, as one cannot choose to be otherkin.

But are they keeping a linktype that they chose and are still choosing, or are they choosing to embrace a kintype that already exists?

I suppose which one it is depends on how you want to look at it, and where you want to place your emphasis of the experience. And no matter how someone else may look at it, the only one with final say is the one who experiences it in the first place.

Both conclusions lead to the same place, in the end: an alterhuman identity, and an experience worth exploring and talking about. No matter how one understands it, or what they ultimately decide to call it.

[ellewritesathing]

So Close - S.S. XXXIII

Summary: The universe has a funny way of putting the things you want right in front of you, but just out of reach. Stiles and Y/N have been best friends ever since Scott brought him home, but when Stiles realizes that he might want to be something other than best friends, she leaves to go to some fancy private school up North. Now that she’s back though … maybe he’s got a shot? A Teen Wolf AU in which the reader has always been so close to Stiles and yet so far.

Masterlist    Prev. | Part 33

Word-count: 3.4k+

A/N: i would like to personally thank every person who got bored during quarantine and found my blog. i see you. i love you. thank you for reading and sticking around💕

The McCalls and the Stilinskis had always been such close parallels of one another that you’d gotten used to your families doing things together and making progress at the same time. Scott and Stiles started school at the same time, you never very far behind. Claudia died before Raf left, but it felt the same in the long run. Family dinners every Thursday, Noah teaching each of the kids to drive in the Jeep, and Mel helped you all with your homework. 

Two families, but not really. 

That’s why it was so weird that Noah was going out on a date. His first date in maybe ten years. With Lydia’s mom. 

“Oh, I should’ve gotten a haircut,” Noah mumbled as he checked himself out in the mirror. 

“Well, you know, someone your age should be happy you still have hair to cut,” Stiles said, pushing the mirror down so Noah would pay attention to him. 

“I think you look great,” Scott said. 

You took a step forward and fixed Noah’s tie for him. With a smile, you said, “Yeah, like a silver fox minus the silver.” 

“Well, thank you, children I should have had,” Noah said pointedly. 

Two families, but not really.

Stiles kept trying to pry information out of his dad so you moved out of their way as they bickered. At least that wasn’t changing anytime soon. You and Scott were still making jokes about how long it’d Noah to reach his limit and leave for his date early when you heard some yelling from the bullpen. It was so venomous that you thought your ears would bleed. 

The four of you left the privacy of Noah’s office to find Parrish and Clarke holding back some kid who was trying to make a run for the office. The kid was threatening to kill Noah.

“Donovan, if you think that shocks me, remember that it was well-documented in your Anger Expression Inventory,” Noah said, clearly unfazed by the death threats. “Deputies, escort the prisoner out.” 

“No, I’m not angry like I’m gonna throw a brick through your window,” Donovan said, still trying to break through the deputies’ grip. “I’m angry like I’m going to find you, like I’m going to get a knife, and like I’m going to stab you with it until you’re dead. And when you look at me and you ask why, remember right now. Because this is why.” 

His heart rate didn’t rise or drop as he threatened. It was steady the entire time; like a drum keeping time to a death march. He wasn’t bluffing; Donovan really believed that he was going to kill Noah. 

“Wow, that was awesome,” Stiles said next to you. He had his arms crossed in front of him and was wearing the least interested, most sarcastic expression in his arsenal. But his heartbeat said something else. “That was awesome, really. That was great. Wanna do one more?” 

Donovan’s heartbeat was starting to rise. 

You put a hand out to catch one of Stiles' gesturing hands to get him to stop. It's not that you were afraid of Donovan, but everything about the situation felt wrong. His hand was moving so you settled on the top of his arm. “Stiles-”

“Come on, give us another one,” Stiles went on. “Maybe like Christopher Walken this time, you know?” He finally noticed your hand and folded his hand over his chest again to hold yours. “Okay, you know what? It’s fine. You’ll have plenty of time to work on it when you’re in your tiny, little cell. You know? Just stuck there. Forever.”

Donovan faked turning around for a second before doubling back and lunging for Stiles. You pulled Stiles behind you as Scott and Noah moved in front of him and Parrish and Clark restrained Donovan. He was still yelling about how he was going to kill Noah as he was being dragged out of the station.

You hoped he’d rot. 

The three of you weren’t even five minutes out of the station when Kira called about Lydia finding a body. Stiles made an only-slightly illegal u-turn and drove you guys to the scene - Donovan’s police transport van. Your blood ran cold as the bodies were wheeled past you and you reached for Stiles’ hand. 

Noah waved you guys over to him. “Scott, you saw this kid - Donovan. He … he wasn’t like you, right?” “I don’t think so,” Scott said. 

“Unless he knows how to hide his scent,” Stiles said. 

“Well, human or otherwise, this kid might have just murdered his lawyer and mortally wounded two officers,” Noah said. Deep frown lines were already etched into his forehead, despite only being at the scene for five minutes. “We’ve got an APB out on him, but you think you can find him faster?”

“I can try,” Scott said. 

“I’ll stay in case he doubles back,” you said, with a nod in his direction. 

Something caught your eye in the rafters of the alleyway and you busied yourself trying to focus on it amidst the flashing lights and police chatter. It felt familiar, sinister. But it disappeared before you got the chance to find it. 

Stiles touched your arm lightly, drawing you back to all the noise. “Hey, you okay?” 

“Yeah,” you lied. “Just a bit on edge. It felt like …” 

“Like what?” Stiles asked.

You looked back up to that spot in the rafters. “Like Theo.”

---

“Tracy wasn’t just having trouble sleeping,” Lydia said for the second time. “It was a real disorder. It was night terrors.”

“Right, well, now she’s the night terror,” Stiles said. “Especially since no one can find her.”

“Okay, I know we’re all tired and miserable-” Scott paused to look at Mason, who was completely enthralled by the conversation. “Except for you.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry. This is all just mind-blowing,” Mason said. He looked over at Kira. “You’re a Kitsune. I don’t even know what that is!”

“I’m still learning,” Kira said with a smile.

“Liam, we said you could tell him, not invite him to the inner circle,” Stiles said.

“Uh, I’m in the inner circle?” Mason asked. 

It made you laugh. Mason reminded you of a much sweeter, much more curious version of Scott when he was younger. Also much less annoying.

“No!” 

“Look, guys,” you said, putting your hands on the bus as you thought over how to phrase it. “Tracy is dangerous, no doubt, but she’s a lone wolf. Lone wolves don’t survive. We have to find her.” 

“One lone serial-killing wolf,” Malia said

“Uh, she only killed one person, you know,” Stiles said, tilting his head. “The other two were just mauled.” 

“So what do we do once we find her?” you asked. 

“I say we put her down,” Malia said, almost without hesitation. 

“No way,” you said. “Tracy isn’t in control. You guys didn’t put me down when I wasn’t in control.” 

“Uh, I tried,” Malia said. “Remember?” 

“Vividly,” you said in a low voice.

“Woah.” Mason’s sweet little voice broke through the tension. “Intense.”

Yeah, that was one way to describe it. It was intense as you butted heads with Malia and intense when Liam pulled the fire alarm so you could get Tracy out of the school. Intense when something metallic started pouring out of her mouth. 

“Now, this silvery substance at her lips ...” Deaton said quietly. “It’s not something I’ve seen before. It looks almost like mercury.”

Tracy started moving on the exam table and everyone took a step back except for you. 

“Can’t you just give her a shot of something?” Malia asked.

“She doesn’t look to be in any pain,” Deaton said.

“I meant a shot to kill her,” Malia said.

You turned your back on Tracy so you could get a good look at Malia before you started arguing. “Would you stop talking about killing her? She's not that different from you.”

“Exactly,” Malia said. “She wouldn't hesitate to kill me.”

“Regardless of intent, I generally prescribe to a code of ethics that frowns upon such measures,” Deaton said.

“Yeah, Malia, you know we’re not going to do that,” Scott said. 

“Well, how do you guys know she’s not gonna kill us?” Malia asked. 

“She makes a pretty decent point,” Stiles said hesitantly. He went on, despite your protests, “Either way, eventually I’m going to have to let my dad know she’s here.”

“Agreed,” Deaton said. “And while I may argue against euthanasia, I’m not opposed to a little …” he took a bottle off one the counters and unscrewed the lid. “Extra protection.”

You watched Deaton scatter the mountain ash and your breath hitched. This was your first time actually having to worry about the barrier; your first time being trapped by it. You tried to ignore the trapped feeling as Malia moved around to investigate and just focused on Tracy. You wiped some of the mercury off her chin. 

Deaton called you and Scott to hold Tracy down for him so he could try some more tests. He used a scalpel to slice into her arm like you’d seen him do with Derek all those months before, but nothing except Tracy’s breathing changed until the scalpel snapped.

“I think you’re gonna need a bigger blade,” Stiles said, taking a step toward the table.

Scott took a break to check his messages and you helped Deaton flip Tracy over when he found something in her neck. Scott was talking about the condition of the driver from the attack, but you were too focused on Tracy to pay attention to him. Her back seemed fine - until something started moving around her spine. 

“I think I know what she is,” Stiles said. 

“Would you care to enlighten the rest of us?” Deaton asked. “Because this doesn’t look too good.”

The others came closer as Deaton prodded the movement under Tracy’s skin. It was sickening to look at but you couldn’t look away. And then it burst open, spraying blood all over the room. It was electric. Metallic. You were too busy trying to scrub it off your face to notice what everyone was staring at on the table. And then you got sliced across the face by a tail. 

You tried to grab Tracy’s ankle as she landed on her feet, but the paralysis came too quickly. All you could do was watch her break through the mountain ash barrier and run out the door.

“How did she do that?” you asked, panic rising in your voice. Being paralyzed was horrible, too close to not being in control of your body. You hated it.

“I don’t know,” Deaton said. “It’s a barrier no supernatural creature should be able to cross.”

“Scott did it,” Stiles said.

“Once, but it nearly killed me,” Scott said. 

“We should’ve killed her!” Malia growled.

“Meanwhile, she’s probably on her way to killing someone else,” Stiles said.

“Can you guys, please, stop talking about killing people?” you asked. Your breathing was labored. You needed to move. 

The blood on your face didn’t do anything to ease your panic, but at least you weren’t the only one freaking out. Scott and Deaton were both telling Malia to focus on healing, and she was getting just as angry as you were anxious. 

The nerves faded, slightly, as you listened to Deaton explain how to focus your healing. Again, the only thing that put you at complete ease was listening to Stiles’ heartbeat - which was sky-high. It crashed in a few minutes, despite the uncomfortable position he was in, giving you a small sense of comfort. 

When Jackson was still the kanima, Derek had started training the wolves to heal from paralysis. Pain was the key. Using Stiles’ heartbeat to drown out the noise, you focused on shifting your claws, and - if that didn’t hurt enough - sank them into your side. If you remembered right, the fraction of time this shaved off the wait wasn’t even worth all the effort, but you had to do something.

Blood, sweat, and tears aside, you weren’t the first one to start moving. Malia was. First, it was the tips of her fingers and then the rest of her hand, movement slowly snaking through the rest of her body. It made you feel dangerously jealous, but it also made you fiercely protective. You wouldn’t let Malia kill Tracy.

Stiles was yelling at Malia to wait for the rest of you, and Scott was reminding her to save Tracy. You were still trying to move but that didn’t mean you couldn’t let Malia know that there would be hell to pay if she killed Tracy.

Malia ignored you as she dragged herself out of the animal clinic.

The minutes that ticked past until you could move again were dreadful. You’d finally started moving again when Theo showed up. He tried to pull you up and you slapped his hand away, telling him to get Scott so you could get Stiles.

It was still weird having the strength to lift him. Your whole body ached from the paralysis, tingling and full of static, but you could still hold up all of Stiles’ weight in your arms like it was nothing. The tear on his chest looked painful. He was struggling to stand, his face accidentally knocking into the side of yours as the two of you slumped over to the exam table. 

“How did you find us?” Scott asked. 

“‘Cause you work here,” Theo said. “I heard about Tracy. I’ve been looking for you.”

When Stiles could lean against the table on his own, you moved over to help Deaton up. “Why did you look for us?” you asked

“I want to help,” Theo said. No one said anything but you did exchange some looks. “Let me help. It doesn’t have to mean I’m a part of the pack or that you’ve accepted me or anything like that. It just means I can help catch this girl.”

You resisted the urge to roll your eyes but Stiles didn’t make the same efforts. Scott, on the other hand, was actually thinking it over. 

“Scott,” Theo pushed. “I can help you.” 

“Scott, you can’t seriously be considering this,” Stiles said. 

“Guys, whatever we’re doing, we need to do it now,” you said. “Tracy isn’t in control and Malia is … a wildcard, okay? We need to go.”

“She’s right,” Scott said. It sounded like he was still in pain. “We need to go. Now.”

Stiles got to the station as fast as he could, but you still felt like it wasn’t fast enough. Scott led you guys through the already ajar door to the bullpen. All the blood inside sucker-punched you. The lights were out and deputies were strewn across the office space. Scott rushed to where Clark was checking on Noah and Stiles and Theo rushed to the office where Lydia and Kira were. For a moment there was too much happening for you to think. 

Then something clicked and your legs started moving for you.

When you got to the basement, Malia was standing over Tracy’s body and you had her up against the wall in an instant, one arm digging into her neck and your other hand pinning her down. 

“It wasn’t me!” Malia wasn’t even trying to fight back. “Y/N, I didn’t kill her.” 

You pushed forward reflexively before letting go and letting out a frustrated breath. “Then what the hell happened?” 

You knelt down to check if there was anything you could do for Tracy, if there was any hope that you could save her. She was still warm, but her heart wasn’t beating and she wasn’t breathing. Mercury was on her lips.

“There were these people-” Malia sounded confused, like this was something that happened years ago instead of seconds. The others came rushing in while she was trying to think of the words. “They had masks. Um, there- there were three of them. I think there were three.” 

She thought there were three? Malia seemed too distraught to be lying, but you honestly weren’t sure anymore. 

All you were sure about was Tracy lying dead on the floor, scales on one side of her face and claws on her hands. She should have started changing back like the wolves did.

“She’s not changing back,” Deaton said, coming to the same conclusion you did. “We need to get her out of here.” 

“What- Hey, absolutely not,” Noah said as he came closer. “This is a crime scene. We wait for the coroner.” 

“I think the coroner might be very confused by this girl’s severed reptilian tail,” Deaton said.

“I don’t care.” 

“You should,” Deaton said. “Unless you’re prepared to hold a press conference announcing the presence of supernatural creatures in Beacon Hills.” 

“Dad, he’s right,” Stiles said. 

“Maybe at the clinic we can figure out how to change her back,” Scott said. “Then we call the coroner?” 

“There is a line- There’s a line that we have to draw,” Noah said, shaking his head.

“Dad, you’ve already crossed it,” Stiles said. “More than once.”

Deaton tried again and between him and Stiles, something got through to Noah. He said you could take Tracy. Scott scooped her up in an instant and Stiles took your hand in his as you rushed out behind him.

You didn't want to leave Tracy again, but she was dead and Lydia was dying. Lydia would always come first. The five of you got to the hospital as soon as you could, but Lydia was already in surgery. Kira made sure that your mom knew that Lydia had been cut by Tracy’s tail, but then it was just the waiting. And Malia bringing up the men in masks again. Who may or may not have been made up.

Eventually, any chance of you being able to see Lydia passed and you all went home for the night. 

Stiles wanted to add the day’s event to his conspiracy board the instant you got back home, but you dragged him to the bathroom to clean up that cut on his chest. All you needed was for him to get a chest infection on top of all this. He took off his shirt while you dug around for the first aid kit. 

“Honestly, it’s not that bad,” Stiles said as you turned around. “Your boy Lahey’s done way worse … Hey, what are you- what’s that look for?” 

You knelt down in front of him, hand touching his stomach lightly. There was a scar nestled between two birthmarks, long and thin, only an inch or two long and jagged at the sides. The kind of scar you get when someone stabs you.  

“Oh,” Stiles said softly. “You know that’s not your fault, right?” 

“I never actually said sorry for that.” Your thumb traced the pale line. “I’m really sorry, Stiles. For all of it.” 

He gave you a sad smile and covered your hand with his. He lifted it to his lips and pressed a small kiss to it. “I know.”

“How about we get you cleaned up, huh?” you asked. 

You disinfected the wound and put a bandage over it, to which Stiles told you you were being dramatic and you told him to take it up with management. The two of you fell into your familiar routine of getting ready for bed to get some sleep in before Melissa came to get you on her way home from work. Every night you hoped she’d forget and you could just stay here. 

“Hey, you still awake?” Stiles whispered after half an hour of lying in the dark together. 

You rolled over so you were facing him, almost nose to nose, and searched for his hands under the covers. “I might be.” 

“I can’t stop thinking about what happened today,” Stiles said. He lifted his hand to the side of your face and ran it through your hair. “I don’t know what happened.”

“I know. Tracy and Malia …” You sighed and shifted around where you lay. “It’s crazy. That thing about men in masks? I don’t think she killed her but-” 

“Hey, we had demons in masks trying to kill me like a year ago,” Stiles said. “I guess crazier things have happened.” 

“I guess,” you said softly. “I have a feeling this is only the start of it though.” 

“Yeah, me too.” 

Stiles moved closer and kissed your forehead. He cradled your head and you moved in closer. You fell asleep like that, tangled up and addled with too many thoughts in your head, but at least you felt safe for the first time all day.

Part 34

Tagged: @ietss​

[thewnchstrs]

it’s that time of the month again!

Dean X Reader

The Witness(part 1): you’re witness to a murder committed by a flying broomstick. the police don’t believe you, but two handsome FBI agents that show up to your door seem to be more open-minded | @thewhitejournal

Wildest Dreams: she works in diner and he’s constantly traveling. After meeting he can’t seem to stay away away from her. | @spidey-babe-parker

Professional Environment: you’ve had the hots for your boss, Dean Winchester, since day one. You always do your very best to please him in any way possible. What happens when one day, you don’t? | @teddybeardoctorr

Trust: you are in need of help and your first choice is two people who don’t like you. | @lonelyandlovelorn

Rescue You: my name is Y/N. I’m the outcast of my witch community. This is the story of how I rescued Dean Winchester, the story of how he saved me. | @jay-and-dean

Fighting For a Future: Y/N help Dean contain Michael in his head. they now share a soul, but Y/N has pushed Dean away. Can Dean fight her stubborn streak? or will they lose their fight before they can even begin? | @flamencodiva​

Deal. | @bad268

Don’t Go Changing: it was never supposed to end up like this. You find out the truth about Dean Winchester. | @sunlightdances

Hurricane: with one of the most dangerous serial killers on the loose and in your tracks you have no choice but to rely on the help of the police to ensure your safety. It doesn’t hurt that the detective in charge is the one of the most skilled there is and probably, well, definitely the most charming one you have ever seen. Or that his flirting with you takes your mind off the danger waiting for you right around the corner. | @angelkurenai​

Abandoned: Dean is forced to be a single father after the reader left them. Three years later she shows up out of no where.| @i-write-about-anything​

Supernatural Series Rewrites | @adorable-dean-winchester

Ride With Me: alternate universe (AU) in which the reader is a horse rider who goes to a ranch in Arizona, owned by Bobby Singer and his wife Ellen, to gain work experience. A heartwarming series about a cowboy who falls for the girl, letting go of the past and the importance of family. | @katehuntington

When Your Past Comes Knocking: a demon hunt goes bad and the boys learn something about your past. | @vicmc624

Cheater, Cheater: Y/N and the boys go on an unusual hunt. | @okayhowmuchforthearm

Old Love, New Love: it’s been four years since Dean Winchester broke her heart, now that he has to work with her, how will old feelings resurface? | @mypassionsarenysins

Sam X Reader

Please... | @georgialouisea​

Stay With Me: Sam wants you to stay and of course you agree, but with Dean and hunting, can you really? | @multifandomaestheticsblog​

Good: Sam’s having a hard day. Reader makes it better. | @slytherkins

Life: The Game | @missmarrinette

Secrets: a drunken night with your boyfriend, his brother and your best friend ends in a lot of your secrets getting out | @supernotnaturalcas

Adjustments: hiding an illness isn’t easy, especially when you’re still learning about it. | @kittenofdoomage

Crossing Parallel Lines: after searching through hundreds of lore books and wanting to go on an a new adventure, the reader accidentally ends up somewhere she never expected and with people she never expected to meet! | @swiftlymoniquesblog

Lean on Me | @deansmyapplepie

Nightmare: after waking up from a nightmare, you and the Winchesters head out to help another hunter. | @crispychrissy

Sleepy Confessions | @team-free-will-oneshots

Three’s a Crowd: you are the girl Sam lives with between s7 and 8 and you are happy together until Dean shows up and forces you to leave. | @supernatural---imagines

In the Studio | @spn-and-daddy-issues

Marriage Mishaps: the Reader and Sam find out about some shocking news that could affect their relationship. | @syven-siren​

Thunderstruck: what happens when the reader comes into contact with Amara? | @fandomoneshots-imagines

Cas X Reader

Winter’s Eye: season 13 canon tells you how AU!Castiel’s story ends, this is how it begins. The deranged and damaged iteration of Castiel we met in the apocalypse universe - an obedient soldier to Michael’s cause barely in control of his vessel’s frayed and erratically firing nerves whose inherent kindness toward humankind appeared entirely obliterated - wasn’t always an unfeeling angelic weapon of interrogation. Once, he sympathized with the plight of humans; one, he loved. | @webcricket​

The Memory Remains: Y/N’s memory had been erased, but a car crash brings more pain than just the physical. | @iwantthedean​

Sharing a Bed | @spilledkauffie​

Cat Got Your Tongue?: Castiel x male reader headcanon for each of them bringing an animal home w/o the other one knowing? Reader brings a corgi, Cas brings a cat? | @just--another--daydreamer 

Paint Cans | @sauntered-vaguely-downward​

Small One: Cas takes care of his newborn Nephilim daughter. | @alexwritessupernatural​

Roman Holiday: Sam and Dean have been making you feel small and unimportant lately, like more of a hindrance than a help. When you leave to spend some time on your own and nurse your wounded feelings, your favorite angel shows up to ease your mind and heart by accompanying you on an off-the-cuff vacation. | @shittyelfwriter​

Alone Time: when the boys head out on a hunt, you decide to have some relaxation time. | @forever-trapped-in-my-dreams​

You Okay? | @fictionalabyss​

Snap Crackle Pop: Introducing Cas to pop rocks | @swlbarnes​

Lebanon: After bringing your dad back with the pearl, many things were changed in the timeline. You find your husband, Cas, but he doesn’t remember you. Based on 14x13. | @supervengerslock​

Beautiful: An insecure Castiel shows reader his wings for the first time | @dabakook101​

Sharing is Caring: You and Castiel share a bed…and a little more. | @fanfic-scribbles​

Other Pairings

One and One Make Three: Friends are always there for you. Through the good times and the bad. After a night out with two of your best friends, catching up and celebrating the end of a chapter, you can’t help but wondering what lies ahead for you in the next. Start a family like Jared? Find another acting job like Jensen would? Little do you know, your best friend is harboring a huge secret and one decision was about to change your life forever. |  Jensen X Reader | @supernatural-jackles

Piercings: Sam and Dean let their younger sister get another piercing, and are a little surprised by her choice. | Winchester!Sister | @to-write-ornah

Chuck Tailors: Chuck is a custom tailor and is making the suits for the groomsmen in cousin Castiel’s wedding. When two strapping men walk into his shop, he can’t help but hope he might make more than just a suit for one of them | Dean X Chuck | @atc74

Fade Into You | Jensen X Reader | @sinatrababyy

Back To Sleep: Jared arrives home after filming and the only thing on his mind is you. | Jared X Reader | @princessmisery666​

Delirium: After one too many sleepless nights, a certain Nephilim begins to grow concerned for Y/N. | Jack X Reader | @just-imagine-1​

Demon Dean: The Mark of Cain has turned Dean into a demon and Sam and the reader try to save him. | Winchester!Sister | @winchestergirl23​

Dying of a Broken Heart: Jensen says something to hurt the woman he loves and he will do anything to fix his mistake. | Jensen X Reader | @pecanpieandgreeneyes85

Non-Pairings

No Second Chances: Y/N and Sam try to save Dean from the Mark of Cain, and Dean is not too happy about it | @winchester-books​

Fandom Letter From Castiel, School Struggles | @to-my-beloved-fandoms-2​

Sibling Jealousy: Reader has known the Winchesters for a long time, almost two years before Cas entered their lives. After that, since Reader was the only one actually teaching the angel about humanity customs and stuff like that, properly, they developed a closer relationship, on the parent-kid way. But it was never verbally acknowledged. Now, with Lucifer’s child on the way, life stabs some sense and realizations onto Reader, but there’s no time for feelings in this house | @no-te-lo-voy-a-dar

Death Isn’t The End | @foreverwayward

Imagines

Imagine being best friends with Jared, Jensen and Misha | @thwiso​

Imagine you’re Sam’s lover and you’re standing face to face with Lucifer who possessed him a long time ago | @istigatorawrites

Imagine stargazing with Rowena | @multifandomfix​

Imagine being in love with Dean but being told Cas is your soulmate | @writing-of-an-angel​

Imagine meeting Sam at a book store | @writtenwinchester

SPN headcanons | @dolly-face03

Being Lucifer’s child and meeting Sam and Dean Winchester would include... | @lotsoffandomimagines

Imagine playing with Sam’s hair when you’re bored | @dumbbitchenergy17

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

FOREVER TAG LIST

@spnbaby-67 | @octo-cow52 | @luciferslucille | @anti-social-club | @search-bar | @mellorine-paprika | @thepocketshoelace | @jaremish | @the-salty-asian | @the-hufflepuff-hunter | @robynannemackenzie-blog | @mersuperwholocked-lowlife | @lilreethi | @find-sammys-shoe |  @caswinchester2000 | @damnedimpala | @thelittlestwinchestersister | @lauren-novak | @adeanmon | @tmiships4life | @spnficgirl

DEAN TAG LIST

@mccartneywinchester | @resanoona

WINCHESTER SISTER TAG LIST

@resanoona | @mccartneywinchester | @bunnyandy12 | @breereadsthings | @slytherinrising

[bacejelerenvorthos]

MTG Artist Interview: Iain McCaig

Iain McCaig is certainly no stranger to Magic art. He’s been producing pieces for Magic for years, but it’s but awhile since we’ve seen him. But he made a hugely triumphant return in Throne of Eldraine with some absolutely fabulous works. Today I am happy to present to you a closer look at Iain and one of his most recent MTG pieces!

Daniel: Hi Iain! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your artistic process with us fans. Your work is outstanding! How long have you been doing art for Magic: the Gathering?

Iain: Hey Daniel! Thanks for the kind words. I did my first set of Magic Cards soon after the change of the millennium—2002, if I remember rightly.

D: For those of us who love your work, where can we find more of your artwork (outside of your Magic pieces)?

I: Actually, these days most folk know me for concept artwork for the film industry. I designed Darth Maul and Queen Amidala and tons of other Star Wars characters, and contributed to Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avengers franchise for Marvel. But I’ve also done games like Titanfall and an album cover for Jethro Tull, illustrated the first choose-your-own-adventure books and even animated for Sesame Street cartoons. Here’s my IMDb page, for the insatiably curious: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0564572/).

I have parallel careers as a screenwriter, author-illustrator and film-maker too. That might sound like I’ve got several different Iains inside my head, but those jobs are just different ways of being a storyteller, and we wants to do ‘em all, my precious!

D: Is there one Magic world or character that if given the chance you’d love to paint?

I: Yes! I would love to create an entire new universe for Magic: the Gathering! And write the stories to go with ‘em (WOTC, are you listening?)!

D: Let’s talk about one of your current pieces for Throne of Eldraine - Workshop Elders. Tell us about your process for painting this piece.

I: My process is always driven by the STORY, and all the usual stuff that fires up our empathy and curiosity and imaginations.

Take the faery on her treasure horde in ‘Gleaming Regalia’. Cynthia Shepard, my Art Director on this series, said that the faery was basking in the joy of shiny treasure, her eyes fixed on one particularly one bright-looking thing. So maybe she’s uber-greedy, like Smaug, lollygagging on a mountain of treasure. Greed is fun to depict, but I was much more interested in a Jekyll and Hyde tug-of-war, so I made her a ‘treasure addict’. Her expression is gleaming but possessed. She’s trapped by her new shiny, but we know from all the equally amazing stuff in her treasure horde that it won’t satisfy her for long. Kind of like me with a good cup of coffee, only a lot harder to come by.

Most of that, I work out as I sketch. My fingers are always smarter than I am. They tap into my subconscious and throw story twists and turns into the drawing to keep me entertained, and all I have to do is be sharp enough to recognize when something magical has happened. I send several of those in to Cynthia, and she unerringly picks the one I want to draw the most (one of her many mutant powers).

Then begins the work of making a drawing from my imagination look real. I’ve documented this process many times before, but in a nutshell, it’s a three-step thing: first, the imagination drawing. Second, studies from real life to augment my imagination with observation: anatomy and lighting and costumes and such. Third, combine the first and second steps into a third and final drawing, which—if I’ve done my work right on the other two, is a performance—I virtually become the character I’m making (woe betide anyone who enters my studio when I am creating monsters!).

I drew ‘Gleaming Regalia’ with pencil on paper, but painted it in Photoshop. I usually prefer traditional paint media, but when deadlines howl at the door, there’s nothing like super-digital powers.

One last note: during the real life study phase, I like to use real people. It’s a Norman Rockwell thing: inducing friends and family and random folk with great faces to pose. I was particularly lucky with both ‘Gleaming Regalia’ and ‘Feathered Artisans’. My wonderful niece and her equally wonderful best friend obligingly transformed themselves into elderly magical craftswomen, while the latter also doubled as the treasure-possessed faery. My gratitude (and virtual oscars) to both!

Thank you to Iain for this great behind the scenes look at your process and also for contributing to the amazing world of Eldraine! Hope to talk to you again soon!

[hezuart]

Hi!! Thanks for being so understanding and polite about all this, that’s really nice of you, I appreciate it!

And I’d be happy to answer your questions! I’ve actually received a couple questions similar to these, but never answered them in the same place. 

1. Why did you give Spinel a catastrophic event that never happened in canon? 

Technically, it’s actually a parallel to canon. 

I’ll follow this up with a question of my own. Why was Spinel placed on a floating garden in space and not Homeworld? There was a warp pad, so technically she could leave any time, but from the context, it seemed like that was her “home.” Every time Pink Diamond left, Spinel would stop her instead of just... going with her. As if she knew she wasn’t supposed to leave. 

Steven has had so many experiences with each gem that parallel an experience his mother had. (Remember the song Familiar?) 

The key factor to this headcanon of mine... is what happened at the NEW HOMEWORLD TOWN. Spinel, albeit innocently, DESTROYED the place and nearly SHATTERED Ruby. 

I think we can infer Pink Diamond has been in this situation that Steven was in, where she had to watch her friend, that she was responsible for, destroy the property of a gem colony. And of course, the Diamonds would get mad. After they took away her original Pearl, they most definitely would have taken away Spinel. So staying in the garden was actually the only thing really protecting her. 

Anyway, the catastrophic event is actually canon, but I merely switched it to be a parallel. 

2. Why did Pink say Spinel couldn’t “Grow up”? 

You are correct in saying Spinel is a gem made for friendship and entertainment, but it’s a positive-toxic form of it. And Again, I’m paralleling with what Steven had to deal with. 

Spinel erased the memories of his friends and then erased her own. Steven now spends nearly the entire movie trying to get his friends back so he could get their help to save the planet. Everything he is trying to fix is Spinel’s fault. And what is she doing? 

She’s trying to distract Steven. STOP him from being sad. 

He is clearly upset, rushing around trying to fix the mess she caused, and she doesn’t even care. She thinks it’s all another game! We should just laugh and have fun, right? That’s something called toxic-positivity. Where your friend is trying to cheer you up instead of actually helping the situation, they just make it worse. “Why are you sad? You shouldn’t be. Everything will be fine!” When it’s not. Steven had to babysit Spinel the entire movie while he cleaned up her mess. 

When Spinel talked about Pink finally getting her new colony, Spinel was so excited. But she said... “It’s a new place to play.” After having her Pearl taken away, Pink knew she needed to grow up and grow up fast if she wanted to keep her colony. 

But Pink KNEW Spinel was a gem made for entertainment. If she told Spinel to her face that they couldn’t be friends anymore, SPinel would think she was just joking, since that’s all they do, right? It’s all just good fun! Or..... she would eventually take it seriously and react just as badly as she did in the movie. 

What did it take for Spinel to grow up? She waited thousands of years for Pink, wondering when she’d return, only to realize she’s gone. “She spent the rest of her days on this nowhere planet with a bunch of nobodies.” Spinel still loves Pink. A part of her always will. 

Something to be noted here, however. Spinel acts like an innocent child who doesn’t know anything. So how the hELL did she get her hands on a GIANT poison death machine, and an ancient reset-weapon? How did she KNOW about these?! She knew right where to find them too, she got them just hours after seeing Steven’s message. Despite this terrifying revelation of just how dangerous of a gem Spinel can be.... “Let’s play another game, this time I get to win!” 

This “innocent” gem is ready to kill an entire planet out of her jealous anger for Pink abandoning her for them. (It’s almost reminiscent of a Yandere character) 

Even her new form, her “grown-up self”? The way she takes out her anger .....putting innocent lives on the line.... even after all this time, that is still considered childish. Injustical revenge. 

Had Pink brought Spinel with her to her colony, she would have played instead of work. If the Diamonds caught wind of this back then.... they would have taken her away too. Just think.... the Spinel they gush over so dearly today.... could have been another broken ghost of a puppet.... to serve White Diamond’s every whim. 

Because Spinel couldn’t grow up...

she wouldn’t allow Pink to “grow up” either. 

3. How did Pink remember Spinel if she was supposed to be completely reset? 

I’ll be honest, I took some liberties here for Pink’s memory. But this is how I’d explain it: 

Pearl's layers can hear and see everything that happens from the outside, the lowest level Pearl could even interact with the top layer. The layered versions act as a subconscious and the fact that they could take things means they are still very much alive.  (Lapis too was trapped in a mirror, but she could still hear and see and interact with Steven) 

Pink is hearing and seeing everything Steven is doing in the movie. She doesn't really recognize most of these people at the beginning. But slowly she starts to gain some memory back, kinda like Amethyst did. (The reason Steven’s gem is glowing, the reason he can’t control his powers, the reason he looks like he’s slowly dying the more he tries to use it, is because Pink is now in control. She was trying to reform this entire time.) 

Each crystal gem had parts that made up their being. Garnet’s final piece was true love, Pearl’s was independence, Steven’s was change.  

While in Steven, Pink had gained one part of her memory back after seeing her colony and the gems living there. She remembered Spinel, she remembered her Pearl, and maybe even Garnet. Pink’s second piece of who she was, was becoming a leader. Finally gaining her right to power. 

This is why she could recognize Spinel and her colony. 

Pink’s final piece was growing up, which was becoming a mother. Only when she held her dying son in her arms did everything come back to her, allowing her to reform into Rose Quartz. 

4. Why do you support Pink Diamond’s bad decision making? 

Because had she taken different routes, things wouldn’t have been any different. 

As explained before, if she brought Spinel with her to Earth, Spinel could have been taken from her, or Spinel could have ruined the entire rebellion operation. 

if she let Bismuth shatter gems, Pink Diamond could have actually been shattered, Steven would never exist, and every single gem would become corrupted on Earth until it’s inevitable doom at the hands of the cluster. 

If she told the crystal gems who she was right off the bat, they would have treated her differently. Which isn’t what she wanted. Some of the gems, like Bismuth, could have abandoned her cause knowing she was behind it all, the rebellion may never have happened, and Earth would become a colony. 

Had she left the Rose Quartz on Earth, her fellow diamonds could have ordered a mass shattering genocide instead of bubbling them away in the Zoo. 

She did everything she could as Pink Diamond. 

But no matter how diplomatic and reasonable she tried to be, the Diamonds wouldn’t listen to her. Which forced her to become a Rose Quartz. 

Pink / Rose could have tried many things. Some of her decisions appear like they were for the worse. But everything came around in the end. The corrupted gems are back to normal. Spinel gains a new and better family. Pearl becomes independent. The Rose Quartz can now go free. Amethyst grows up. Garnet decides to love herself on her own. Bismuth is freed and abandons the idea of shattering. The cluster is now harmonized. The colonies freed, the Diamonds reign over, off-colors are now free to live without fear. Steven is alive and surrounded by more family than he can deal with. 

Everything has turned out in the best way possible despite Pink Diamond’s actions. 

Actually, Everything has turned out in the best way possible THANKS to Pink’s actions. 

She healed and hurt many people. But in the end, they all came together, they all became better from her actions. 

(Of course, we still have one season left with Jasper and a few other characters, so more revelations will have yet to be revealed, but I have no doubt things will end smoothly regardless.) 

The fate Pink Diamond left behind came to be... as perfect as ever.

(It’s like Lelouch from Code Geass. He let the world’s hate be focused on him, so they could forget their racism towards each other and join forces to topple him. His sacrifice changed the world, and no one would know of it, except for him.) 

You have every right to hate her, or think she’s manipulative, or that she doesn’t deserve happiness or closure. 

But Steven Universe as we know it... 

All the characters we have come to love, the places we wish were real... 

All of that, may not even exist to this day... 

Had it not been for Pink Diamond’s actions. 

~~~

[canarhys]

valdangelo headcanons

hey guys. so... i reached 500 followers last night. and i’m really happy that you fuckers can deal with my dumbass posts because jesus, i never thought i’d get this far.

so in return for the amount of souls i have stocked up, i have redone the valdangelo headcanons i did for 100 followers a long time ago.

let’s fucking go.

• the two of them are meant for each other simply for the fact that nico sleeps all the time and eats so much junk food he has cavities while leo hasn’t slept for an entire month and hasn’t eaten in three days.

• they don’t like grand, fancy dates and instead go for drives through the city at night and hang outs at a fast food joint. (“nico stop saying mcdonald’s we’ve been eating there for the past week i’m starting to hallucinate ronald mcdonald.”)

• they don’t show much affection in public. usually it’s just hand-holding (it’s basically their second nature) and cheek kisses but when alone they’re touch-starved and cuddle all the fucking time.

• they play video games together obviously. when they compete (say, mario kart), it’s a ruckus because they’re both equally good so the entire camp watches and places bets because it’s so intense. when they play together, it’s usually nico on his nintendo 3ds playing pokémon with leo resting his head on his shoulder, making jokes and occasional pointers.

• i’m all for the idea that they two of them could hold conversations without even talking. nico and leo share a look, nod, and somehow they know what the other is implying. it’s insane.

• they get matching tattoos not just because it’s a couple thing but because it’s fun. they decide to get star tattoos on their ankles.

• nico: lend me a hand.

• leo: throws his prosthetic arm to him

• nico: thanks.

• i just love the thought of them having such funny ass laughs. nico cackles and it almost resembles a wicked witch. leo wheezes like a balloon losing air. also nico slaps people whenever he laughs while leo is stuck in a position for a fucking hour.

• and i just imagine when one is laughing the other is silently watching them with an adoring smile. despite the fact that the one laughing looks so fucking stupid.

• when they laugh at the same time it sounds like a hospital delivery room, ngl.

• they argue all the time but it’s over stupid shit like which superhero wins or who can be the most edgy/annoying. it’s all playful banter but it goes on for hours on end and everyone is about to kick them out.

• they’re fucking dorks; they watch jojo’s bizarre adventure and binge stupid instagram videos and recreate tik toks that are somehow worse than the original.

• they can’t give each other flowers because nico always ends up with lifeless, drooping ones and leo somehow manages to set all of them on fire so they just pack snacks and lunches for each other.

• they have to coax each other into taking care of themselves because they’re self-destructive little shits. nico often drags leo to bed when he’s working on a project. leo cooks nico healthy foods and forces him to brush his teeth. when one of them is sick, the other is by their side all the time.

• they share earbuds a lot. they both really like the arctic monkeys, they’re basically their soul band and whenever one of them is listening to them, the other senses it and immediately grabs the bud out of the other’s ear.

• i like the thought of them trying to be like buzzfeed unsolved and recording videos of themselves strolling through haunted houses and searching for cryptids but it would be so... disastrous.

• nico, playing don’t mine at night on a stereo at goatman’s bridge: come out, bitch.

• goatman: i’m fucking begging you to stop.

• leo, recording: fucking wheezing

• or they would try to be like game grumps and record themselves playing retro games like donkey kong or sonic but it also yields some fucked up results.

• leo, playing sonic adventure dx with tears in his eyes: screaming at the tv and trying not to have a nervous breakdown because the game is so fucking bad his brain functions have gone haywire

• nico: laughing so hard he knocked over twelve vases on the table

• they call each other by their last names a lot. it used to be an insult when they were arguing a lot back then, but now they use it as fun little nicknames with mild malice (unless one of them fucked up).

• they also have some personal ones for each other! nico calls leo “firebug” and “bombshell” and leo calls nico “sunshine” and “angel.” (they totally call each other “amor” and “bébé” as well.)

• they have small picnic dates at the strawberry fields in camp since leo loves strawberries to death and nico likes seeing leo’s adorable face as he eats them. usually they eat those along with chocolate dip and some milkshakes.

• leo has tried to teach nico how to cook in the past but it resulted in the inflammation of the argo ii’s kitchen and buford sending nico angry “glares” due to leo having to scrub off all the excess smog off of him.

• leo buys nico a fuck ton of hawaiian shirts as a joke but nico had worn all of them in less than a month and rocked all of them. leo now has taken the duty of buying as many as he can because damn, if his boyfriend didn’t look so cute.

• the two of them wear each other’s clothes all the time. leo uses the excuse “i’m cold” in order to achieve nico’s jacket or sweater. nico has started using it as well and leo hands him his hoodie or mittens. it’s cute.

• also i love the idea of them either wearing complementary clothing or drastically different ones, with no in-between. one day leo is wearing a soft rainbow-striped shirt under some overalls while nico wears a floral striped hawaiian tee, the next nico is in all black and leo is wearing a neon green jumpsuit. everyone gets whiplash from it.

• i feel like after the giant war and during apollo’s mortal quest, they go with him to indiana to search for meg. and they find themselves at the waystation and after the entire commodus fiasco, the two of them decide to stay and live there. both of them are going to visit chb in the summer but they like the thought of having normal lives and being normal teenagers, plus jo and emmie basically adopted them into the family and all of the kids there love them (especially georgina).

• at camp, they usually hang out in bunker nine or the hades cabin since both of them don’t like crowds and get overwhelmed by them. also they talk about conspiracy theories all the fucking time.

• leo: what if... in a parallel universe... we were straight...?

• nico: holy shit.

• they’re such horror movie fanatics. leo’s favorite is texas chainsaw massacre and nico has a heart for alien. both of them have confirmed that killer clowns from outer space is the best horror movie of all time and have watched it exactly thirty-six times.

• they both had serious discussions of which horror tropes their friends are. they are still categorizing to this day.

• nico: piper would be a final girl, that’s clear. what about jason?

• leo: first one who dies. that fucker is literally dead and hanging in a hotel.

• i also think the two of them love horror/thriller shows. stranger things, tales from the crypt, ash vs. evil dead. especially ash vs. evil dead. leo literally dressed up as ash for halloween, chainsaw hand and everything. nico, in turn, dressed up as a deadite.

• speaking of halloween, it’s like the culmination of their entire beings. because they both a) like dressing up, b) like free food, c) love halloween decor and shit, and d) love seeing each other’s happy faces during the holiday.

• both of them are incredibly dedicated to it, wearing black and orange and hanging up the majority of the decorations around camp. they buy the candy, organize the activities, and take a roll of what campers are dressing as so if someone is worried that they’ll have the same costume as another person, they can check with them. percy says they should get married on halloween just because they’re that into it.

• both of them hyper-fixate a lot. leo gets so invested in a project that he forgets to eat or sleep or even acknowledge anyone else around him, so nico makes sure to not disturb him unless it’s time for lunch or bed. he wraps his arms around leo as he works and buried his face in the crook of his neck and leo always smiles.

• leo does the same for nico, as the guy is incredibly invested in nerdy things that he tries not to tell anyone lest they make fun of him. so leo lets his boyfriend infodump as they lay in bed together, stroking his dark wavy hair and watching nico’s mouth move and continue to describe a dnd campaign he’s been watching recently. leo has to use all his will to stop him and get him to brush his teeth.

• they’re not really much to make future plans as they’re pretty pessimistic about everything due to their pasts but one day they found themselves discussing about getting an apartment or even a house together. leo said he’ll probably open a garage if they become the next caretakers of the waystation or even get a house and ask annabeth to help with the design. nico joked that they could have a floral shop there too since they’re both bad with flowers. and suddenly the conversation shifted to them planning a round-trip across the world on festus and one of them mentioned “kids.” then the two realized what they were doing and stopped, albeit hesitantly.

• i love the idea of persephone being a total mom to them (i don’t care about canon, she loves hades children no matter that her husband cheated) and having garden parties with them down in the underworld. she started teaching them how to take care of flowers better — which was sort of relevant since nico brought up the flower shop at home thing — and soon their blossoms almost stopped wilting or catching on fire.

• persephone: hey, you guys want some pomegranate?

• leo: yeah s—

• nico: n o w e ‘ r e g o o d .

• persephone wasn’t trying to trap leo in the underworld but nico couldn’t take chances.

• leo’s pretty good with instruments because of tool proficiency and is a master at the drums and guitar. nico actually has a nice singing voice and recently got into guitar as well, so you bet your ass that they have jam sessions constantly.

• leo is the gay that can drive while nico should not be within a steering wheel in any circumstance, so leo usually drives them to their dates. that, or they enlist the help of nico’s zombie chauffeur to drive them there.

• both of them share this soft and tender expression with each other that they don’t express towards other people, not even their other friends. it’s sort of like a face saved for them, for their little world and it’s cute.

• nico is way more touchy than leo and likes to wrap his arms around leo’s waist a lot. he often peppers his face with kisses and shit and leo gets really shy about it. when this happens, he nuzzles his face into nico’s shoulder or chest to stop his boyfriend but nico is resilient.

• i just... love valdangelo being so soft towards each other. every single banter they have they do with heart eyes and they usually just cuddle in content silence because they’re not big on talk, communicating better by actions. when they kiss, it’s like a perfect mix because nico is cold while leo is warm. they often lay in bed, smiling as their limbs are tangled together. maybe they’ll start up another conversation or game file. but for now, they like the quiet.

[veryotl]

So for a while I’ve had this headcanon that certain members of the Bureau of Balance correspond to the Seven Birds, whether just for literary purposes or for in-universe Lucretia missing her friends and surrounding herself with people who remind her of them. Some are fairly self-explanatory, Magic Brian and Taako, Leon and Davenport, Killian and Avi and Magnus, and some require a bit more digging like Lucas and Barry, two scientists who are passionate and willing to do anything for family, and Robbie and Merle, both laid back and seemingly stuck in their own world but ultimately they have their passions and are good at them. However, there was one wrinkle in this theory and that is for the life of me, I could never find Lup. That is, until my last relisten.

Lup is undeniably a very unique character. To quote her own breakdown of her character, she has “definitely some lust, some gluttony probably, pride for sure, hella wrath” but is also “pretty on her grind”. She’s emotional, full of anger over her situation, full of dissatisfaction with her situation and desire to be more than she is, but she’s also incredibly talented. She’s in canon a prodigy in her field and she only grows in power during The Stolen Century. She does everything she can to try and save her and her friends from this cycle of death and living, but in the end she regrets what she’s done and even dies trying to fix it. And on the surface, it’s hard to parallel that to anything until you find another character who is full of emotions, full of potential and talent, but also feels trapped. Sound familiar?

Lup’s BOB parallel is Johann. For starters, they’re both insanely talented, “the best violinist basically ever” and the one who “did this world already and kind of crushed it”. However, both of them take seemingly ambitious projects on and end up trapped, unable to move forward in life and frustrated. And then, their arcs become direct contrasts. Lup uses her power to create something and puts it out in the world and is stricken by the destruction and harm it causes everyone and tries to hide it away. Johann creates something that is destroyed and forgotten and can never be recognized and regrets not being able to share it with others. Lup lives clinging first to Taako and then to the rest of the Seven, terrified of losing the only people she has, and Johann lives in obscurity terrified of not being remembered for his work and forgotten. 

To quote @tazdelightful (who graciously listened to my rambling), “Lup and Johann are the forgotten”. Johann lives forgotten by the world and Lup dies forgotten by her friends. However, in the end, Lup returns to life and becomes remembered by those who matter the most to her, and Johann dies and in doing so his memory and songs are spread to the entire world and everyone around. Their character arcs compliment and contrast to one another, and they are both The Forgotten and in the end, The Remembered.  

[oleanderblume]

Unrelated but OMYGOD. My clown series reached 1k reads on wattpad.

Which isn't super awesome because its only due to the sheer quantity of chapters I have but I need to rave and spoil it cause I'm super excited about what I'm planning and no one i care to tell gives a shit so I'm dumping it into the void that is tumblr.

So. Im writing a book series called Caring For Your Clown. Its about this trans kid named Oliver and he is sort of an asshole.

Well not sort of, he is an asshole. But a RELATABLE asshole.

The story sort of drops you in 6 months after the mysterious and tragic (and traumatic) death of his mother Marie, who was a scientist alongside her husband and Oliver's step father Jon at a lab that specializes in physics mainly.

They were working on a machine with an unstable particle that caused a..tear so to speak, in the fabric of dimensional space and she got torn into tiny little bits. :3

But apparently before this occurred, Marie was in contact with an alien race called clowns 🤡 (really they are interdimensional traveling amoebas that take the shape of humanoid clowns lol)

One of which pops up in Oliver's life completely unexpectedly for no foreseeable reason and her name is Dindet and she is absolutely precious.

Basically its a saga and each book ranges in about 30k to 50k words. The first book centers around Oliver learning about this weird alien houseguest and also the immediate fallout of the death of his mom because surprise surprise! His biological dad who is a terrible abusive fucktard rolls back into his life with the intent to take custody of Oliver and that is no good!

The entire arch Oliver's goes through is literally the title of the series. Basically learning to be caring and compassionate while ALSO dealing with grief and interdimensional shenanigans.

One of the things I found really fun (it was unintentionally done but now I like it so its intentional now.) Is that each book roughly represents the 5 stages of grief.

As the first one is anger. Oliver is mostly passed the fuck off that this dumb alien clown sauntered into his life and thought it would be neat to CARE about him like he was a PERSON with FEELINGS. Irrationally angry, because he blames her for the loss of his mom (i mean so does his dad who goes through the stages of grief slightly slower than Oliver does) and uses her as a personal emotional punching bag until he realizes that SHE got his bio dad to concede his appeal for custody via literally stalking him and making him so paranoid that he was deemed an unfit parent >:3

All the while too, as the main focus is on the two characters of Oliver and Dindet, there is a background plot leading up to the second, third, and fourth (possibly up to 6 books) of the clown authorities looking for Dindet. And also the checkovs gun that is his neighbor.

The second book is mostly erring in the bargaining side of the coin for Oliver while Jon goes through his stage of anger. Oliver learns more about Dindet but doesn't quite trust her as she is clearly hiding information and KNOWS his mom. But she won't talk. Meanwhile, his neighbor working on a completely different project gets his hands on some clown matter and goes apeshit with it to build his energy machine.

We also learned more about the type of person Dindet is, which is naive and caring but also incredibly self destructive and reckless. By far a major people pleaser with huge self love issues. While Oliver is more of a "i don't give a shit what you think" though its more a facade he puts on to protect himself from rejection :/ he is far more comfortable in his own skin but external factors can make him freak out a little and he is terrible at talking to people.

It culminates when the project Jon solicited Dindet's assistance in is wreck by her own hands and Oliver's growth completely backtracks to the point that he finally manages to get our clown to leave (only for her to be clownknapped by his whole ass fucking neighbor to be used as the conduit to his energy machine)

And yeh, Ols almost immediately regrets his actions (though at first its more denial that she actually left) especially when he catches his neighbor using her as fuel for his machine to the point that all her fucking matter is completely burned away via electrical current! >:3

THEN Oliver gets to the depression arch >:3 (i haven't written this part yet so its up in the air atm)

Basically, with his mom dead and now the only person who could reasonably be considered his friend ALSO Basically dead, Ols falls into this really bad streak of just walking backward in his grief. Anger, denial, bargaining, the whole shebang. But THIS time the lab and the government AND the secret clown police are all in cahoots to cover up what happened at the lab and to do that they need to get rid of Ols and his dad to allow their plot to work. (Will be revealed later)

So throughout the first two books I've been alluding to the leader of the clowns via Dindet's ostensible paranoia and their name is Smile. They have underlings though and one is named Poppy. So the clowns get into the lab and convince Jon to send his son to a treatment facility for therapy under the thin veil that it will protect them from the repercussions of the machine. Oliver is not to upset about this though because he has been to therapy before from his past with his bio dad.

Except obviously the clowns don't want to actually help anyone. Their goal is to wear my boy down until he ready to die because- did I mention this was middle grade??

Anyways. This particular book I want to develop my potential romance between Douglass (Oliver's kid neighbor) and Ols and also deconstruct Oliver's personality via flashbacks that parallel the events in the story so we understand why he reacts the way he does to things and also i think it would be neat that the clowns technically succeed in their plan to draw out Dindet the wanted criminal by using the person she cares most about against her. By making him want to die!!

Then! For the next book, I'm planning on having more clown infiltration, more bonding between my children and romance between my boys because oooohhh boy am I gonna have fun tearing everyone apart when the real fucking deal Smile shows up and fucks shit up. Smile is my main villian and a veru fun and manipulative one at that. She uses Oliver to get to Dindet and eventually catches the both of them, revealing clowns to the entire world right before snatching them back to the home base the Cornucopia.

This is where we learn all the information we have been wanting and building up to about Dindet >:3

She is a criminal because she has Essentially tied a doomed universe to the Cornucopia in a never ending time loop because she is so heckin big that every time that universe is torn apart, she jumps back in time and DIES in order to recreate it. (She's the big bang yo)

That isn't the only reason though. Oliver comes to learn that his mom was FRIENDS with Smile. And Smile was the one who tore her apart in the machine scattering her subconscious in the literally timeless Cornucopia (time doesn't exist there so aging, death, anything like that is completely halted) and MARIE who has been half alive and omnipotent this whole fucking time has been trapped in the Cornucopia unable to see her family or child but fully able to see a know the infinitesimal inevitability of the destruction of his universe. So what does she do? She PULLS DINDET PUT OF THE ABYSS AND TELLS HER TO GO BE FRIENDS WITH HER KID TO KEEP THE TIME LOOP GOING.

And this has happened before. Like this book series is literally ONE (1) version of events that have been stacking up on top of eachother for millenia. The reason Dindet shows up in the first place is because she can partially see these past loops and the remnants of her love for Oliver keeps her coming back YO.

But while all this lovely information is being shared, Dindet is in clown jail and Oliver is treated as a pet to Smile. He tries to stage a break out and fails and what does Smile do? She turns him into a got damn monkey!

And uses him as literal fucking bait to a starving Dindet in order to justify her sentence (which is obviously death)

It almost works too, if it weren't for the fact that these two kids are BEST FRIENDS NOW and would legit die AND kill for eachother, Dindet pushes Oliver out of the Cornucopia (he is still a monkey boy btw) into his universe which inadvertently scatters him.

(A human person can enter the Cornucopia but if they leave, their molecular structure will destabilize in a slow and painful way until they literally are nothing left so that sucks)

This is where I want the next book to start tbh. Now back at home without his friend, as. A. Monkey. Oliver find that his entire home town is under lock down and strict control by the clowns who have now infiltrated the government and are putting plans forth to rebuild the SAME MACHINE his dad and Dindet built to bring about the destruction of the universe. (They want to do this because if they prevent Dindet from jumping back in time, they can end the time loop and get on with their lives)

So ols has to essemble a rag tag crew of Douglass and some other classmates and figure out that all the goop floating around belongs to Dindet (bruh. She is the size of the universe like. There is a lot of her to go around) and they can technically use it as gateways into other dimensions to gather an arsenal of GIANT BABY ANIMALS AND SQUIRREL BIRD CATS AND DRAWN TO LIFE ANYTHINGS so they can try to 1. Bring back our clown gal who is the key to fixing this and 2. Take on the now heavily fortified lab in order to get Olivers and Douglass's dads back.

All the while my boy is slowly dying >:3

Eventually, Oliver finds a way to get Dindet back but its at a cost :/ he tricks Smile into turning our clown organic to prevent her from being able to control any of her matter whatsoever and the cost of it is that Smile is VERY bad at making humans, so she basically traps Dindet in a catatonic meat sack that doesn't have half the organs it needs to function properly :/

To make her not be organic anymore they gotta uh..kill the tumor that is an organic half body (which yes, does have nerve endings) which eventually allows Dindet to be 100% clown again.

They break into the lab, but its basically too late. Reality is fractured and the multiverse is imploding in on itself and in the midst of all of this, Ols and Dindet are careening through the vacuum of an entirely empty space, dying of starvation and scattering and the only option left is to jump back in time to start the loop over again.

It is heartfelt and it is good and pure and the last moments they share together perfectly bring this loop together because in the VERY FIRST BOOK Oliver asks why Dindet came and she says "you asked me to."

And their last moments together he asks her to come back for him. Like I CANNOT yall!!

But that isn't the end. Yet.

The real end is after they die and the universe begins and a single hand pushes through the stars and pulls out a little orange bean. And it's Marie, pulling Dindet put of the Abyss this universe that is so intrinsically tied to the Cornucopia that it literally creates all the fucking clowns.

Its not supposed to be destroyed. And the reason eveeything falls into place so perfectly and things always go the same way is because ita already been seen and already been narrated. By Marie.

The WHOLE ASS SERIES IS IN THIRD PERSON OMNISCIENT BUT ITS ACTUALLY NOT. Its first person. Narrated by Marie.

Dindet knows Marie because she pulled her out of the Cornucopia. Clowns exist because Dindet was told by Oliver that she was and looked like a clown. The entire ass UNIVERSE exists because Oliver and Dindet are the fucking building blocks of life.

All of Olivers character actions and growth and eventual love (platonic) for Dindet shape their futures and all of it started because a mom was so concerned and guilty about leaving her kid in such a time of need that she would rather start the world over than see him suffer.

So..themes.

Throughout the series there are heavy HEAVY parallels between Dindet and Marie (partly because Dindet is a parrot and almost all her actions and reactions mimmick things that she has seen and the first person she met who wasn't out to kill her was Marie) but also because Dindet is the conduit through which Marie vicariously lives out the rest of Oliver's fleeting life with him.

There is even a point where Oliver genuinely questions whether or not Dindet actually IS his mom (she isn't obviously)

One of the themes I really love about this series is that compassion, unconditional love and care is deserving to even the most obstinant. Oliver isn't easy to love. He actively makes it very hard for anyone who could be a peer (even his own dad sometimes) to care about him. He constantly pushes people away to safeguard himself from potential harm and it takes three fucking books ROUGHLY 200,000 words to get this boy to understand what unconditional love can do.

How it can help with the grieving process, and help you become a more compassionate person toward others.

And also how your actions affect others!!

Like i said, Dindet is a parrot, she can read your mind (if she wanted to) but what she sees she incorporates into her own thoughts and as a reflection, Olivers harsh words and actions, even the most simple kind are recorded and even amplified. He is MEAN to Dindet. He makes fun of her often and gets angry with her and calls her stupid and she internalizes that immediately and it has an immediate affect on how she views herself. Oliver doesn't even think of this as something that happens until much later in the story! And gradually he grows past it and becomes more considerate and affirming toward Dindet and Douglass as a result.

And the way things matter. Oh. Every little detail matters in this story up to seemingly inconsequential continuity errors! Foreshadowing is everywhere from the first fucking sentence to the last because the things the characters do and say to eachother are simultaneously current and in the past all at once and no one knows which is which.

Someone got hurt? There are consequences, even unforseen ones. Dindet loses her hat. It is the most precious thing she owns and is a huge comfort item for her. Oliver asked where she got it? A friend gave it to her.

OLIVER MAKES HER A NEW HAT AFTER SHE LOSES IT. He is the FRIEND that gave it to her.

Almost everything in this story has parallels and consequences and twists and turns and outcomes that are wildly unpredictable (up until now because I've just spoiled the entire fucking plot but who cares!!)

Like...this is my baby. I care SO MUCH about this story and the characters in it that when I think about certain scenes I legitimately start crying.

I can't wait to publish the first book yall. I'm planning on publishing it either through a publisher or self publish, and maybe make a comic even? Idk. I just i really think people would like my dumb absurd story about clowns and I wish i could just spout about it 24/7...it breaks my heart that no one will listen.

[fialleril]

replies to the DAV Mara snippet

Instead of reblogging that post endlessly, thought I’d collect my replies here.

@bookwyrmie said: I remember the ask about including Mara in the DAV AU, looks like that turned into yet another thing that was not going to be written and then happened anyway.

Is there anyone that Anakin hasn’t adopted yet? There is the Free Droid Network with Kaydee and friends, the nicer imperial officers and the OBV-Squad, Leia once she becomes a senator, and he is probably keeping an eye on Pooja as well. Now here is a young force-sensitive child, who desperately needs someone to help her learn how to be a person without alerting the Inquisitors. Guess it’s about time he adopted an actual child as well.

Ha ha yeah, I was just waiting for someone to comment about that lol. It’s true I once said I wasn’t going to write Mara in DAV, but three things happened to change that:

1. I promised @astudyinimagination a pick-me-up fic and I knew Sky really wanted a fic about Mara. So I was damn well gonna write one! (The moral here is that you should always make friends with your writers, because then we will happily write you things by request!)

2. I’d been thinking for a while that I needed to somehow address the question of what happened to a Force sensitive kid who was picked up by the Inquisitors before Anakin became a double agent.

3. I’ve said a couple of times that I’ve always liked the concept of Mara, but I’ve always hesitated to write her because I dislike and discard the vast majority of Expanded Universe material and I didn’t particularly want to deal with the inevitable hate I’d get if I wrote my own version of Mara, since she’d essentially be an OC. But eventually I just decided that I get enough hate for not using EU canon anyway, so I might as well just fully embrace my multiverse theory of Star Wars canon and do what I want.

So there you have it! :)

@aeneasoftroy said:# DAV Anakin is a mix of mysterious old wizard and troll dad humor  # and it suits him so well

This is one of my favorite things about writing OT Anakin. Not that he can’t be a troll in PT AUs, too, but just...there’s a kind of settledness to his character in the OT, partly a result of everything he’s lived through but also partly just because of the fact that he’s older now. Though there’s also a bit of tragedy to the fact that he can and absolutely does carry off the Mysterious Old Wizard trope in a fic in which he is (although Mara doesn’t know it) only 32 years old.

@hyratel said: #I am Nobody is CLASSIC   #and delivered perfectly

It is indeed classical. ;)

@elf-kid2 said: This is beautiful and excellent and fantastic, and I love it. Thank You for writing this. 

Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

@katharkness said: I like this very much, and would love to see it added to the Double Agent Vader series. I also wouldn’t worry too much about your Mara not fitting with the Legends Mara, because everything the rebooted EU has added, the Inquisitors and such, doesn’t really fit with the original Legends Mara. I suppose this is more like a rebooted Mara.

Thanks! I’m not so much worried about Legends canon, though, since I never am lol. I’m more worried about people who do like and care about Legends being unhappy with the ways I’m...basically beating up the EU in a back alley and rifling through its pockets for loose change. But you make a good point about this take actually kind of working as a rebooted Mara!

I mean, tbqh I actually don’t think the Inquisitors fit in with film canon at all. But I’m working on the multiverse theory here, and they do work really well with the story I’m telling in DAV, so I’ve basically borrowed them from Filoni ‘verse and created my own canon. So I suppose borrowing Mara isn’t a step much further.

@shadaras said: I always forget how much I love Mara as a character  she's the best EU character and so much of that is because her arc is just   'I was brainwashed and then Luke's refusal to believe I wasn't a person made me able to be a person and I chose good once I could'  this AU version is delightful because it stays true to all the essential aspects of her character   it just places them in some new-EU elements (because yes that's what the shows are tbh)  and also within a great AU context that is already all about what Mara's arc always was  it just changes the Skywalker who saves her from the Emperor's brainwashing   and that isn't a big change at all really  anyway the intro implies there will be more of this eventually and that delights me  because that last line is FANTASTIC and so true to the kind of story this is  excellent job perfect story   

Yeah, that bare bones essential aspect of her character arc is why I’ve always really liked the idea of Mara Jade - she basically hits all of my trope buttons. And the themes of her story when distilled like that are a perfect fit with the themes of DAV.

Also I’m delighted that you recognize Filoni ‘verse as EU because it absolutely is!

@figmentera said: I love this fiercely and cannot wait to see the rest! Mara is such a cool character and I love any permutation of her relationship with Vader. I feel like it's barely ever explored but it's such fertile ground. Plus there's some great glimpses at the rest of this universe, I always love that! 

Thank you! I’m having fun exploring their relationship, though because it’s me and this story seems to keep growing, it may be a while before I have it finished. I’m kind of envisioning it as a side story to the main DAV storyline. It’s going to span pretty much the entire timeline, almost from the beginning of Anakin’s double agent career all the way to the death of the Emperor, but Mara’s story line is really running in parallel with the rest, rather than intertwining.

@frostbit-sky said: I still have to catch up, or really I should start again and binge read DAV, but I love 💗  the inclusion of Mara and encourage you to add this to actual fic. 

At this point I’m pretty sure I’ve talked myself into including it, so you will likely get your wish. :)

@clockworktea said: people who care Very Much except they have no idea how to express this even to themselves! finding allies and immediately adopting them as Family! kadee the ex-torture droid turned fiercely overprotective aunt gives me LIFE and ''yes master' she whispered' just OUCH mates the levels of mindscrew (is he her slaveowner or is she his padawan or apprentice) (haha jokes on anakin the answer is up to you as long as it's painful) anyway yes good fia is back MORE ANGSTY GENFIC FOR ME MORE PLATONIC DEEPLY MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS TO ENJOY MORE CHARACTERS WHO ARE TRYING THEIR BEST TO GET HEARTBROKEN OVER ...... hang on a second this was all a trap wasn't it 

*Megamind goattee stroking face* You’ve fallen right into my trap!

In all seriousness, though, I’m delighted to see people getting excited about genfic! I still remember the days in fandom when writing genfic was like releasing words into the void.

Damaged people trapped in horrible circumstances and being insistently human to one another in spite of that is kind of my brand at this point, so I’m glad that’s holding up I guess.

I think basically everything Palpatine does in relation to Vader is a mindscrew on at least one level, but calling him the “Master of the Inquisitors” is definitely a master stroke on his part (if you’ll pardon the pun).

[sseizonsha]

Leon and Survival

Motivations and Guilt as an Agent of Death    

  The Biohazard universe requires the audience to suspend disbelief, particularly in regards to the protagonists surviving events where others would have died. One could argue that this is merely protagonist armor for the sake of thrills and playing the game, but if you’ll allow me, I’d like to get a little more symbolic and meta about this fact. 

  Leon is defined most prominently by two things: his tenacity, quick-thinking, and improvisation in the field, and the severity of the loss he experiences when he fails to save people in need. This eventually leads Leon to become the jaded and a little more distrusting version of what he used to be. But what’s most important here is despite this, Leon never loses his penchant for gambling on a snowball’s chance in hell. He never loses his idealism. He never stops believing he can help someone.

    If I could let myself be facetious for a moment: Leon S. Kennedy. Leon Sentimental Kennedy. Leon Self-Sacrificing Kennedy. Leon Serve Justice Kennedy. Leon, ever the Survivor. 

    I have touched on this before in my exploration of Leon’s PTSD, but I really need to stress for anyone and everyone willing to listen: Leon does not take the term “survivor” as a compliment or as something to be lauded, and he prefers not to be referred to as such. At best, he uses it ironically in order to make fatalistic, derisive jabs at himself. The term serves as a reminder of all the people he’s failed and all the innocents he’s lost. This is also why, in Degeneration when defending Claire’s expertise, he omitted the fact that she wasn’t the only Raccoon City survivor in the room.

   For Leon, helping others get to safety supersedes everything, including direct orders from top brass on mission; at the root of it, seeing others get out and survive IS his mission. Take, for example:

The important scene in RE2 leading up to and following Robert Kendo’s death, in which Leon shows serious emotional compassion for Kendo’s family and demands that Ada not keep the truth from innocent people. He explains that helping people is the only reason why he’s even here, that he cannot and will not allow her or anyone else keep the truth quiet. 

 When Leon and Helena are walking through Ivy University and come across the man looking for his daughter. Helena insists that they don’t have time for this, to which Leon responds, “We’re making the time.” 

   There is nothing more important or valuable to him than another’s life. Therein lies the  greatest source of scarring and trauma for Leon: most of the people he stops to help end up dying anyway, and he is left standing over his friends’ and charges’ bodies, asking himself what exactly was the point of it all. 

   One could argue that this signifies Leon being protected by a force greater than himself. But you could also argue that Leon is that very protective force acting upon others. It is a secondary role, certainly, as his main career and role is to protect and serve and keep others alive. But no less important is this one: in which Leon S. Kennedy assumes the role of a psychopomp in the Biohazard universe.

    Greek for “conveyer of the soul,” psychopomps serve a crucial role in most mythologies in that they exist to guide the recently deceased to the afterlife without hitch. It is important to note that many psychopomps do not exist to judge the soul; that they simply guide them to the next stage of passing. They are described as liminal beings: able to pass through both the land of the living and the land of the dead. 

Below the read more I will explore these three defining aspects of Leon as a psychopomp. This is already a long post. Take a breather, maybe. Get some water. Get some sleep. 

Judgement

   One major quality that separates Leon’s character from many of the heroes in the Biohazard universe is that Leon's primary motivation is protecting innocents from villains rather than fighting the villains themselves; his personal stake in this fight is one based on compassion and the need for helping the victims and survivors. He doesn’t waste his time hating the bad guys more so than combating the corruption and greed that they stand for. 

  It is this nonjudgmental quality about Leon that allows him to see the world in shades of grey. He can empathize with motivations even if he doesn’t agree with them, and it’s for this reason why he can work so easily beside people like Ada Wong, Manuela Hidalgo, and Alexander Kozachenko. 

  With Leon as a psychopomp, this grey morality works for another reason: that a number of the characters who’ve died and had an impact on Leon all confessed some manner of sin to him before they died. More than that, they all acknowledge Leon in their own way. Below I will list some notable examples:

Marvin Branagh: Arguably the catalyst for Leon accepting his role in this fight, Marvin is first of many people to die in Leon’s line of service to the cause. When the Lieutenant insists that Leon leave without him, Leon refuses and says there’s still time. It is only when Marvin pulls a gun on him to save himself that Leon relents. Marvin names his guilt: “I tried, Leon. But I couldn’t stop it. We can’t let this thing spread. It’s on you now.” 

Ada Wong: (subverted) Ada Wong is an entire meta post on her own in regards to Leon’s feelings, but she deserves mention here. The pain of her betrayal, “Why couldn’t you just hand over the sample,” was later exacerbated with the knowledge that she chose (allegedly) to die on her own terms rather than allowing Leon to save her. Ada tells him that “It isn’t worth it. Take care of yourself,” before falling to her supposed death.

Adam Benford: The United States President and long-time friend of Leon’s, Adam was prepared to sink the USA’s reputation into the ground for the sake of the truth and taking responsibility. When he tells Leon this confession, Leon responds with surprise but ultimately with support: “Whatever you decide, sir, I’m with you.” Adam validates Leon and tells him, “I’ve always valued your friendship.” I imagine this is one of the last things he says to Leon before he dies by Leon’s hand.

Luis Sera: Did not intend to die by anyone’s hands, including his own, but his motivations for helping Leon and Ashley are driven entirely by a need to repent. “I am a researcher, hired by Saddler....The sample. Saddler took it. You have to get it back.” 

Liminal Beings

   Spiritual guides are so powerful in the fact that they have an uncanny ability to travel between both worlds (living and dead) with ease. The most obvious parallel of this is Leon’s sheer luck in getting roped into outbreaks of undead infections and leaving alive and relatively unscathed. Such an existence is a lonely one. While the psychopomp may have companions for a time ( mission partners or innocents in need ),  a rare few share his ability to travel between spaces; most often than not, those who follow from one destination must remain behind or move on. 

   When the psychopomp travels, it is often within a vessel which few can drive or operate, which is undoubtedly symbolic of the soul’s lack of control. In media and story-telling this is actually a trope known as the Afterlife Express. Leon S. Kennedy is often written and played in tandem with vehicular scenes, regardless of whether he is operator, passenger, or witness: 

The beginning of Resident Evil 2: In which Leon drives his own Jeep (in full control) and ultimately switches to drive an abandoned RPD police cruiser deeper into Hell; it is subsequently crashed into and destroyed by an oncoming semi. Leon is temporarily trapped in Hell and must survive and find another way out (via the endgame train).

The beginning of Resident Evil 4: In which Leon is being driven by someone else into the countryside Pueblo. He is shown to be gazing out the window, contemplating on prior events. It is a recollection of his life’s past---his---but the ones doomed to meet their deaths are the Spanish police, who up until seemed so deceptively in control of the situation. 

RE4: Ada driving the boat to the island. Again, subverted, as Ada does not die but chooses to leave the vehicle on her own terms.This forces Leon to take the controls and steer himself the rest of the way to his next area.

RE4: Mike and the helicopter. He meets and interacts with Leon just long enough to help guide Leon along his path; his death is a subsequent righting of roles. Leon witnessing Mike’s death and promising to honor him posthumously fixes this. 

RE6: The start screen and Lanshiang. Leon rides a train with no known conductor steering the rails. The train is empty, save for himself; then with his companion, then with the soul he is sent to fight (Simmons.) 

RE6: The plane. The pilot is subsequently killed and mutates into a Lepotica. Because everyone on board, with the exception of Leon and Helena, are infected, Leon is forced to take the controls and land the plane as best he can. Leon crashing the plane and surviving with Helena attests to his ability to move between literal spaces; the corpses and zombies destroyed in the plane crash all move on to the next world.

RE Damnation and the tank:  While Sasha drives the tank and steers seemingly to his death against the Tyrant-Class mutant, Leon intervenes.

As a Guide

   Beyond everything else that’s been said---and beyond the obvious that Leon’s primary duties are protective detail and getting his charges where they need to go, Leon's presence serves as a reassuring boon to many of the people he comes across.

   Leon internalizes the deaths of everyone he fails to save. The main issue with this beyond the way it affects him is that Leon lacks the ability to see the reality of hindsight. Events in which an outbreak occurred (Harvardsville, Tall Oaks, Lanshiang) happened in a large enough scale that containment was nearly impossible. Sterilization was more or less the only way to eradicate the issue at hand. With or without Leon’s self-sacrificing and offers to help, the fact of the matter remains glaringly obvious to anyone else: 

   Most of the people caught in the chaos of these events likely would’ve died anyway.

   Leon stopping to help gave these survivors the chance to last longer than they might have otherwise. He took that snowball’s chance in hell and made it count for what it was worth. The truth of the matter is? Although he is written as psychopomp symbolically, he is first and foremost incredibly and literally human. 

   From the symbolic, spiritual perspective, Leon is incapable of realizing that it is not his job to stop all of these people from dying---it is simply his job to be there for them so that they are not alone. 

[kristallioness]

"Alright, take a break, Paladins," Allura declared at the end of the meeting. As everybody made their way to their own rooms, the princess sighed and dropped to the floor, her legs crossed and back supported against the higher ground in the middle. Lance had heard her tired groan, he stopped at the doorway and turned back without the others noticing. "Allura, can I talk to you?" "Sure, Lance. What is it?" she asked, her face beaming a smile at him in a moment's notice to mask her weariness. "I just wanted to say.. I'm glad you're okay, and that you survived everything that White Lion guardian put you through in Oriande." "Thank you, Lance." He nodded, placing his hands in his pockets. Hesitation ran through his limbs before he turned around and decided to leave the bridge. Allura picked up on it. "Was there something else you wanted to talk about?" Lance stopped in his tracks, his hunch deepening for a second before he faced her again. "Actually.. yeah. I wanted to say I'm sorry if I was acting a bit overprotective earlier. I was afraid that Lotor might hurt you again," he explained. He took his hands out from his pockets and crossed his arms instead, rubbing them as he took a few steps closer to Allura. She frowned. "You don't have to apologize for looking out for me. I don't think any of us trusted him as much earlier as we do now. But I truly believe that he has both the Coalition and the Galra Empire's best interests at heart," she assured, holding a hand above her own heart. Lance's stance relaxed a little as he lowered his head. "I guess you're right," he agreed, simply standing there in silence for a moment. His dark blue eyes remained fixed on the stars of the universe twinkling outside behind the glass. "Is.. something the matter?" Allura asked, looking up at him worriedly. He took a deep breath. "Not really. I just miss home. Making that message for my family reminded me of Earth. And I guess I never really thought about the possibility of going home for a visit. That it's only a wormhole away. A wormhole you can create whenever we need.." Lance stopped and walked to her other side, his back facing her. She heard him sniff a couple of times and saw how he wiped his tears in his sleeve. She knew what he must be feeling. "Is there something else I can do to make you feel better?" Another sniff before he glanced at her from behind his shoulder. "I think I need a hug," he replied in a very sad tone. The princess smirked and grabbed the lower edge of his jacket. "Woah, Allura! What are you-" Lance screamed as she tugged at it so hard that it made him tumble backwards. His eyes grew wide when he felt one of her hands break his fall from his back and the other one catching his legs so he wouldn't fall on his butt. "..doing?" he managed to finish a moment later when he found himself practically sitting in the princess's lap, her arms wrapped around him in a gentle embrace. She giggled, pulling him closer to her and nuzzling her nose into his hair. "Feel better?" she murmured to him. Lance realized what she'd done, slowly allowing his arms to snake around her to return the hug. His eyes fell shut as he rested his head above her heart. "Mhmm.." he hummed sweetly, a small smile forming on his lips as he rubbed a tiny nod against her chest. Silence prevailed on the bridge, apart from the two hearts of Voltron beating together as one.

----------x----------

SEASON 5 HAS BEEN THE BEST SEASON (AFTER THE 3RD ONE) FOR ME!!! This was the only image I could picture in my head after I'd finished watching it early Saturday morning on the 3rd of March. There are some scenes that stick out more (and what I remember better/make me more emotional) than the rest. For season 5, one of them was Lance getting defensive and then breaking into tears when thinking about home and his family. I JUST WANNA HUG MY CUBAN BIRTHDAY BUDDY BECAUSE I CRIED TOO! (Allura's doing it for me)

Lance being protective of Allura and the way their relationship has developed gives me breath - from trying to flirt with her and considering her a romantic interest (but obviously failing), to having such respect for her (as a princess, highly intelligent Altean, capable warrior and the new Blue Paladin) and becoming such close friends that it feels natural to joke around, comfort, care for and look out for each other.. Gosh, I love these two!

Speaking of Allura, my favourite arc this season was how she and Lotor began working together, shared their history (Altean Princess and Galra Prince family/culture parallels!) and grew to trust each other. Lotor's redemption arc has been pretty amazing and I wanna believe that he isn't going to double-cross the Paladins (for now I don't see any reason why he should). I'm keeping my guard up in case some motive should be revealed, but I hope not.

The bigger question is what's Haggar up to? (Honestly, her actions rarely make sense to me since she keeps switching sides when she remembers something new from her past and I hardly ever foresee what she's going to do.) She can see through clone Shiro's eyes, thus seeing everything the Paladins are doing (and giving her the advantage of being one step ahead of them). Why does she want to gain access to Altean alchemy and what does she plan to do with that knowledge should she be the Chosen one, too?

Also, the real Shiro is still trapped in the astral plane after his battle with Zarkon in the season 2 finale. Lance, go and bring him back home, please!

Zarkon and Lotor's battle was very well executed (pun accidentally intended). When the season started I didn't expect it to focus on Pidge and Matt finding their father, which put the stakes a lot higher and made everything seem more exciting. When Sam was leaving for Earth, the realization that the Paladins have always had the opportunity to leave too really hit me. They're only a wormhole away from a visit (yeah, I used this in the short fic I wrote above)!

It's so heartwarming that Hunk and everybody else made greetings for their families. If Sam Holt said that Earth needs to prepare for war, then this could potentially really be the big finale for the entire series and I'd LOVE IT if that happened.

Another theory that's been floating around (and I'd love it if it turned out to be true) is Keith and Acxa being related. She's saved him twice now and I'm thinking there's more to it than Keith freeing her inside the belly of the Weblum (though it could remain at that, or she simply recognized a fellow half-Galra). Anyways, we should be able to find out since Keith has reunited with his mother Krolia, who is a very beautiful Galra, might I add (I have a mighty need to draw her some day).

I'm glad that this season focused a bit less on Keith and a bit more on the rest of the team, cause he's been in the center of attention for two seasons already (3 and 4, 2 as well). Not that I minded, but the rest deserve some attention, too. For instance, one of the funniest parts was the Garrison trio fooling around Lotor's palace.

But that pretty much sums up my thoughts on season 5. Oh, one final thing: we never saw that Altean who's been considered to be Romelle! So, I guess here's to meeting her in season 6! *raises glass of water*

(Drawing the bridge inside the Castle of Lions for a background was SO MUCH FUN! I'm very pleased with how everything turned out - the details of the interior, the galaxies and stars outside. I tried to mix blue, red and pink colours together for the latter since both Lance and Allura have been Blue Paladins, but she wears pink when riding Blue and Lance is with Red now, so...)

[wheredidhiseyebrowsgo]

Hello! You guys are amazing and wonderful. I'm watching 4.4 and having lots of feels about Derek and the Sheriff. My ideal fic would be something where they work together to find a lost/injured/kidnapped Stiles, and the Sheriff realizes how much Sterek mean to each other because of Derek taking care of Stiles's injuries or vice versa. I know that's ridiculously specific- anything with any of those elements would be amazing!!!! 💖💖💖💖🌈🌈🌈🤙🎈🎉

AND

Anonymous said:Do you have any fics where Sterek and the sheriff spend new year’s together?

I couldn’t find these specific asks, but here’s a bunch of Sheriff and Derek fics. - Anastasia   

Handle with care by Nival_Vixen

(1/1 I 1,307 I Mature I Sterek)

Stiles is hurt by a hag, Derek takes care of him, and the Sheriff misunderstands the bruises he sees on Stiles’ neck the next morning.

omniscient eye of the law by yo_ho_sebastian

(1/1 I 2,257 I General i Sterek)

The Sheriff knows what he’s doing, guys, okay?

(Poor Derek, he never knew what hit him; also, who knew the Sheriff was such an awesome actor?)

Emergency by Little Spoon (JaydenNara)

(1/1 I 2,313 I Teen I Sterek)

Stiles is a hero, and Derek would never expect anything less from him even if they don’t regularly chase down supernatural baddies anymore. But that doesn’t mean Derek can’t be furious. Or terrified.

Derek’s already lost his entire family, he doesn’t want to lose Stiles too.

Bonding over Burgers by Lonaargh

(1/1 I 2,598 I General I Sterek)

Sheriff John Stilinski feels guilty. Stiles falsely accused Derek of being a murderer. Now, granted, the Hale boy did have a certain broodiness over him, but he didn’t deserve being called a murderer. And Stiles is his son. A mere apology won’t do, there must be something else he can do to make things up to Derek.~~

“Hey! Get in.”

Derek looked up, keeping his leisurely pace. “Am I under arrest? If so-”

“What? No. Of course not.”

“Then why…?” Derek didn’t finish the sentence, but let the question hang in the air.

John sighed, audibly annoyed, “Because it’s raining, it’s cold, you’re not wearing anything that’s remotely appropriate for this kind of weather, and I somehow don’t think you had dinner yet.”

The Morning After by mikkimouse

(1/1 I 3,635 I Teen I Sterek)

After the night he’d had, John just wanted a quiet cup of coffee and some toast before his son woke up. This, he felt, was not too much to ask from the universe.

Apparently the universe disagreed, because John came downstairs at 7:30 in the goddamn morning to see a man he’d previously arrested for murder grinding coffee beans in his kitchen.

Protect & Love by Areiton

(1/1 I 5,157 I Not Rated I Sterek)

Stiles isn’t easy to love, you think sometimes. He’s intrusive and obsessive, walks a morally grey line, clings on the best of days, and is shameless in the lies he will tell to protect you, for your own good. He isn’t easy to love, but then neither is Derek. Maybe that’s why Stiles loves him

The Accidental Alpha by maiNuoire

(1/1 I 7,131 ITeen I Sterek)

When Stiles goes away to college, he finds a new group of supernatural friends (because of course he does) much to the chagrin of his dad and Derek. It turns out he’s pretty good at leading a group of werewolves–and a witch!–through the trials and tribulations of freshmen year.

Sheep Meadow (Love is Patient) by midnightcas

(1/1 I 7,355 I Teen I Sterek)

Derek Hale never thought that he’d be an officer for the NYPD. Ever. He also never thought that he would ever be paired together with someone like Stiles Stilinski. He never actually thought that people like Stiles Stilinski even existed in real life.

“I’m trying to apologize.”The transfixed anger and annoyance remained in place for a few moments longer before Stiles’ whole body deflated with a heavy sigh, “Yeah, I know.” It sounded a bit petulant, but Derek let it go.“Okay? I’m sorry for being–”“A dick?”Derek fixed him with a look, “Evasive,” he corrected.

Support Systems by Molly

(1/1 I 8,242 I Teen I Sterek)

It’s the first time they’ve spoken since the end of the Alpha pack and the Darach. Derek leans across the picnic table while Stiles is talking to Cora on his other side, and what he whispers to John on this momentous occasion is, "It’s ground turkey. Stiles made me promise. I’m sorry.”

My Pack by eeyore9990

(7/? I 11,456 I Teen I No Pairing I Rape)

Sheriff Stilinski could not have imagined the scene he’d roll up on when dispatch informed him of a noise complaint at Beacon Motel.

The Words You Never Say by Tamyou

(5/5 I 13,270 I Not Rated I Sterek I MCD)

Not every story has a happy ending. Stiles and Derek’s certainly didn’t. Can a person live without the other half of their soul?

Or

In a universe where your soulmate’s name appears on your left wrist on your 18th birthday, not everyone gets their happily-ever-after.

Interdimensional Invisible Strings by captaintinymite (augopher)

(6/6 I 13,731 I Mature I Sterek)

Everyone had a soulmate, tied to them by an invisible string of fate. When they met the one to whom they’d been tied, the red mark would appear around their left pinkie, and just about everyone had their mark before they turned thirty.

Derek was almost thirty-five when he woke up with a driving need to find someone named Stiles. He just had no idea his soulmate would take searching multiple parallel universes to find.

Poisoned Skies by lovestowrite238

(20/20 I 34,621 I General I No Pairing)

Following the events that happened in Bleeding Skies, Stiles is slowly but surely recovering from his ordeal. Surrounded by his friends and family, he’s recuperating and trying to cope with it. Everyone thinks nothing can go wrong anymore. Until Stiles decides to deal with his fears and proposes to take a flight back home. And then, all hell breaks loose.Soon enough the pack finds themselves trapped on the flight out with Melissa and the sheriff, with one very sick human who cannot heal himself as he’s slowly being poisoned from the inside out. Add to that some very freaky people, broken toes, a ticking timebomb and a race against time.Just as its predecessor, this story focuses on Stiles-Whumping, pack friendship, family friendship and care, bromance, with hints of Stydia, Stalia and Sterek.

Notice Me by Lauraq18

(7/22 I 38,198 I Teen I Sterek)

Stiles has taken a life, he has killed someone. It’s haunting him and choking him, and in his lowest point he calls the one person who could possibly understand. The one person who has always understood even the darkest parts of Stiles’ soul.

Stiles calls Derek back home.

~ ~ ~

Beacon Hills is the same as when Derek left but the people that occupy this supernaturally diverse town aren’t. This patchwork pack isn’t what it used to be. Stiles isn’t what he used to be. He’s been hollowed out and stripped clean.

If it’s the last thing he ever does Derek is going to bring some life back into Stiles’ eyes.

The Vow by scottandstiless

(13/13 I 45,451 I General)

Happy young married couple Stiles and Derek is, well, happy. Then a car accident puts Stiles into a life-threatening coma, and upon awakening, he finds he has lost the previous five years of memories–including of being married to, or ever in love with, his beloved Derek.

Adult Wolf by KouriArashi

(21/21 I 82,371 I Teen I Sheriff/Peter)

As if Sheriff Stilinski doesn’t have enough to deal with, now he’s been attacked by some enormous dog in the forest, and that’s normal compared to what happens next…

[thecharmingknightemma]

EF about page for mobile

basic information

Written since s2 of ouat with thecharmingprincessemma and thewhiteknightprincess urls. Big reminder that if your character is personally involved in her backstory, I will happily change things so they are free to interact and not forced to follow my headcanons.  Verses at the bottom.

In this page you'll find: -short version of her backstory -long version of her backstory -heads up -verses involving the Enchanted Forest

FULL NAME: Emma of the White Kingdom. (Known also as Swan Princess, Swan, Emma, Em) AGE: younger than 28 by default if she's not gone 'dark' GENDER: cis female ROMANTIC AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION: straight LANGUAGES: most of those spoken in the nearby kingdoms and realms, some ancient ones as well. But not fluent.   MENTAL ILLNESSES: depression when younger (until she turns 28 and we go to the next phase of her life, in which she has that and PTSD, panic attacks, and anger issues).

SHORT VERSION OF HER BACKSTORY

For people who won't read a longer one, but there is more to read after the long version, and keep in mind that this is just a summary: super happy princess and knight of the White Kingdom, can be found everywhere doing pretty much anything whether appropriate or not, hopeful, stubborn, chatty, blunt, overprotective, good listener but can be petty, loves dances and ballgowns as much as armors and swords. Peak Chaotic Dumbass always ready to go get in trouble. Very affectionate. She will be very appreciative of everyone until proven wrong. Sometimes she sees the world in many shades of grey, other times it's black and white and she will kill if she believes it necessary. Always working when home and bad at letting people help her, when outside she's a loud and enthusiastic (and not so graceful) knight who may not make the best decisions. Traumatized in her love life (toxic manipulative boyfriend Arian who was with her to prove he could tame her and broke her heart), she lost hope about finding her own love and plans an arranged marriage for herself, believing most of her life will stop once she's married and that she'll spend the rest of her life in the castle, but trying to make the best of it for her people. An adventurer. She convinced she's too weak to handle true pain because of the 'melancholy' that hit her after Arian but the depression actually came from her heart remembering she was meant to be pregnant in her original (canon) timeline.

Will really appreciate good looking men as well and flirt, doesn't mean she expects anything to happen, but she does have one night stands and keeps in touch in a friendly way sometimes, just runs away from love.

The future she was meant to have (the canon tvshow) was changed and never happened because of canon Rumplestiltskin not drinking a potion to forget what he learned about the future so he could change it, but she feels the absence of a son without knowing she was meant to have him and has no idea she has magic; the fairies, trying to help her, gave her teas that are memory potions to suppress all that pain and memories and to avoid the rise of another evil queen.

When she'll turn 28, the time when she was meant to be the Savior, she'll remember and her mind will shatter due to potions and too many fake memories in her alternate realities. She'll be also captured by clerics and tortured to try to get rid of her powers. Her mind will be filled with dark magic in an attempt to keep her memories together, and her own white magic can hurt it, there are different lives constantly fighting in her head and more than that the agony of having lost Henry, her son, and that entire destiny, making her turn against everyone who had a part in it - and pretend to not love anyone else anymore so that the people she cares for won't be used against her.

LONG BACKSTORY

AU Where the curse didn’t happen because canon Rumplestiltskin didn’t drink the potion to forget what Emma Swan told him about Neal dying, and changed his future. He created a parallel universe where Regina was defeated and cast away (with his help, because he found out Belle was alive and trapped by the queen, and he wanted revenge). 

In the Enchanted Forest, Emma grew up with her parents, and with Pinocchio and Alexandra at her side, a happy, adventurous child; around age fifteen, when so often spending time in town, she was courted by the son of the baker, Arian, who had a bet going with his friends: he'd be able to tame the wild princess. After a year of being together, the guilt of having made the princess, who had turned out to be so nice (and that he had manipulated into becoming as ladylike and gentle as he wanted), fall in love with him pushed him to confess the truth.

Emma's heart was broken: she lied to everyone about the reason of the breakup, told everyone he had realized he didn't love her and that was all, and spent days feeling humiliated, betrayed and hurt, until one day she met Grace, the Hatter's daughter, and ran away with her to go on an adventure and forget. She came back days later, knowing her parents and friends must be dying of worry, and tried to make up for it, to act normal, but she wasn't so successful. Months later she started feeling even more miserable right when she should have been pregnant in a world without magic. She couldn't remember a life that she didn't live but her heart was hurting, not forgetting a child that should have been there, a consequence of changing the future.

She began to feel a new odd emptiness that she couldn’t explain, knowing there was something or someone that she missed, until one day when Henry was supposed to be born she felt the very real physical pain from it and thought she might be dying or going insane; that was the last push for her to ask the Blue Fairy for help and start fighting again, wanting to be happy again both for herself and her loved ones, receiving a magical tea that was meant tot help and that suppressed her memories. She stopped believing she'd find love, but found joy in helping others, in adventures, in mixing her passion for duels and her silliness to the love for dances and clothes and food.

Blue knew part of what she had lost, and could feel that in the future they were all at risk of getting a new, terrible villain, so she was trying to save Emma and the kingdom.

Sadly, her attempts were not meant to work.

Emma didn't tell anyone else about her pains and nightmares (except for Grace who found out on her own) and is still traveling, enjoying her freedom and sure that her life the way she likes it will end once she'll have to take the crown and be trapped in her castle; she also wants to prove herself as a hero, a warrior like her parents, which is why it's easy to find her fighting beasts or exploring dangerous places, but also befriending everyone she meets and trying to help them, as 'tactful' and hopeful as her father and as trusting and impulsive as her mother. She loves fun, visits so often Hansel and Gretel's tavern that her townpeople just expect her there at this point, gets in danger whenever she can take a break from her duties, still chased by the rebels who don't want her parents to rule or are on the side of the Evil Queen, and of course the men under old King George's control, who never accepted the loss of his real son.

On her twenty-eight birthday in this world she will remember everything, and between the knowledge of the life she was meant to have, the loss of a true love who was never born, the teas given her to suppress memories, and her own magic, and torture from clerics to get rid of her witch said, Emma will break and temporarily retreat to find a way to control her magic, to make sure her memories won't go away again, and to plan revenge on anyone responsible for it. She'll pretend to be fully evil and not care about anyone anymore after her change so that they won't be targeted by the enemies she's making (Rumplestiltskin, the fairies, even Cora), which is easier to do when looking at her family makes her only remember the things she's lost, and feel the guilt because she was beloved and now she can't be with them anymore.

Cold skin, dark magic trying to keep her mind together and making it painful to use white magic, she'll be hiding in the summer palace and planning revenge, but the role of villain will never suit her too well. (She doesn't know, but Henry's spirit lives in Neverland and can be brought back.)

Note: she does plan to take the dark curse from Rumplestiltskin if possible and finally die and reunite with Henry, taking it with Henry. Suicidal ideation is therefore present, as well as depression and PTSD from torture and more. I can get around it if needed because it's a trigger to you, although when it comes to wanting to die it's not exactly a constant theme (Emma fighting depression and mood swings is, however.) You can find a few more details here.

A HEADS UP ABOUT THE CHARACTER

While she does work hard so that one day she’ll be able to reign and make her people happy (which involves knowing laws and working with them to better people’s lives, take care of the kingdom’s resources, taxes and so on) she’s not the best diplomat yet, and her recklessness and bluntness, even if she tries to ‘fix it’, plus her inappropriate behaviors, have created friction between her and many other royals from other kingdoms. 

There has been one occasion in which she went to fight a dragon without proper armor because she forgot it, too in a rush to get back to a town where some delicious pies were on sale. She almost died, predictably, and to this day Pinocchio and Grace will bring up this story to try to slow down whatever new quest she has in mind. Everything can be made into a quest.

Animals come to her when she sings (especially those from the Enchanted Forest).

She can tell when people are lying, though not always, depending on how emotional she is.

She has a black horse that she called Apple - because at first he was insufferable and nobody could stand his temper. Now he is still insufferable and scary, but at least not to her. He's a giant horse and had potentially some magical ancestor but it's hard to tell.

Enchanted Forest verses

princess v. stealing beans: verse where she either willingly crossed a portal open by a bean or feel through one and ended up in another world - for crossovers in which she's still princess Emma. 

v. royal cinnamon: anything set from her birth until Arian breaks up with her a few months after turning sixteen. Emma is more inexperienced, hasn’t traveled much yet, though she does train to be a knight. At fifteen, after the courting started, she dropped some of her tomboy attitude to be more ladylike, the way Arian was manipulating her to be, and she found out that she liked that too. Balls, ballgowns, tea parties and everything that she had rejected as a child. 

v. melancholy: set after the break up and finding out it was all for a bet Arian made with friends (being able to tame the wild princess). In the following months she had to recover from heartbreak; she met Grace the day after the breakup and joined her on an adventure, running away for a few days but regretting it because of the pain caused to her family. She did like the taste of adventure and promised herself to travel more. However that’s when the ‘no Henry’ sickness started, hitting her body and mind and leaving her hopeless and barely able to interact with friends for a year until she slowly began to heal because of Blue’s teas. She believes the 'melancholy' was due to the break up and that she's too weak to handle love, and that the pains that sometimes she still feels are due to stress. 

v. born to be wild: anything set after she starts travelling and seeing the world, around eighteen, and before her twenty-eight birthday. Emma is balancing duties of a princess who one day wants to rule and pleasures of a knight who enjoys life fully. She also counts down to the day when she knows she’ll have to force herself to marry someone for the good of the kingdom. 

potential verse that doesn’t happen in every timeline - v. white witch: Emma learns she has magic and runs away from the castle, knowing her people will reject another ‘witch’ in charge, hiding and trying to use her magic to save people without getting too exposed.

 v. dark witch: anything set after her 28 birthday when she remembers everything and her brain shatters. Memories come and go constantly, her magic is out of control, she wants revenge and Henry back. She’s captured by clerics once, tortured, and after freeing herself she retires to the Summer Palace, with some loyal servants choosing to join her. She acts heartlessly with her old friends and people in general to avoid weakness (though she’s not great at keeping the act when people are in danger) and plots the fairies’ destruction and Rumplestiltskin’s ruin using memories from lives she hasn’t lived. She will join anyone who can get her what she wants. She also used dark magic to stitch her mind back together, reason why when she uses white magic she hurts herself tremendously.

also potential verse -  v. dark one: set after she takes the dagger and becomes Dark One in one way or another (Rumple might or might not be still alive and suffering if she found a way to transfer the darkness to herself). The fairies might or might not have been defeated. She’s more in control of her powers and memories.

v. hope: set after she finds out Henry can be brought back (through Neverland, or the other Authors) and starts travelling to find what she needs for that to happen. She doesn’t publicize her identity to avoid trouble, but also because any enemy who finds out she still cares about something might use it against her.

v. mother and believer: set after Henry is born/brought back to her and Emma has retired, hiding from enemies and raising her son or, in verses where she got Henry back without going through a dark witch stage, is simply keeping him with her at the castle.

v. the Mad Hag: Emma was taken away and locked into a tower by Rumplestiltskin (or someone else, it can be plotted) before her 28th birthday so that she wouldn't be a danger once remembering her other life, her magic also suppressed. When her memories did come back, free to wreck havoc in her mind, Emma remembered the life she was meant to live as Emma Swan, and the cursed life Regina gave her so she could leave with Henry before Pan's curse hit, and her own Enchanted Forest life, and with no magic to help, the pain took over her mind, leaving her in a constant state of confusion, lives and memories overlapping and every now and then allowing her to remember other people the way they were in other lives. Once freed, of course her mind will slowly clear up again, as well as her magic which would be out of control. She's scared and lost, and will have to put back the pieces of the puzzle to understand what happened.

v. mermaid curse: Emma is accidentally cursed to be a mermaid every day and turn back into a woman every night until receiving a kiss of (romantic) true love. She has resigned herself to live this way, trying not to swim too far when a mermaid or she'll drown at sunset, and not to deep into the forest or she'll end up trapped on the ground by her own tail. If she didn't believe in finding love as a woman, how can she now? Open of course to all sorts of relationships, not just romantic threads.

v. twelve hours curse: same concept as the mermaid curse, but in this case she can turn into different species: dragon, dog, swan.

[freakscircus]

thinking about my top 10 stephen king books... because he is my favorite author and it was his birthday recently. i’m putting them under the cut here:

this list is by no means exhaustive, there’s a lot by king i haven’t read. for example, i haven’t read the dark tower which a lot of people consider one of his best. so this is just a top 10 of books i’ve read by him:

10. Misery Plot: a famous author gets into a car accident, and is found and nursed back to health by his biggest fan. however, she quickly becomes controlling and violent as she makes bigger and bigger demands of her favorite author, who is totally dependent on her in his injured state. - i appreciate this book but it is not something i would ever read again. the sympathy i felt for paul was just too great. the themes and mood of this book are just so bizarre, i absolutely love it. 

9. The Mist Plot: an otherworldly mist engulfs a little vacation town after a violent storm. a group of people are trapped in a supermarket and must decide what they can do, as going into the mist almost ensures certain death - i definitely liked the mist, it’s a novella so it is short, but it’s very interesting and quite stressful to read! but i suppose that makes a good book. i can’t really say why i find this book so interesting without spoiling it though, so pick it up for yourself!

8. The Shining plot: jack torrance becomes the winter caretaker of an old and majestic hotel, bringing his family with him. however, this hotel has a horrific past that continues to haunt it into the present. alone and snowed in, jack begins to lose his sanity and becomes obsessed with the overlook hotel, with his family trapped and forced to stay despite the deterioration of jack’s sanity and the violence and horror that ensues - i really enjoyed this one, but i honestly think it fell flat compared to the movie. i would have enjoyed this had i not watched the adaptation, but i think it loses out for sure. i absolutely adore the themes and setting though... isolation, cabin fever, haunting, and a horrific and large empty hotel. it reminds me of the isolation and horror of the hotel in silent hill as well. i really like the motif that king uses of the main character discovering the rotten interior of their surroundings, despite a pristine veneer. however in this case instead of overcoming, the main character rots along with it. i would really push you to read this book first if you’ve never watched the movie so you have nothing to compare it against.

7. The Talisman plot: a young boy has to save his sick mother, who has isolated herself in a desolate seaside hotel and has accepted her impending death. however, he discovers that there is a parallel universe to his own, where each person has a twin whose fate is directly intertwined with their original selves. jack must weave between worlds and travel a great distance to foil an evil plot in order to save his mother’s life - i like this one... it’s not horror fiction at all. if you like king for horror classics like carrie and misery, i don’t know if you’ll like this one. it’s pure fantasy, including magic powers and an otherworldly realm that is similar to medieval england. but i really enjoyed it, it’s a really satisfying adventure book.

6. Christine plot: an awkward and straightlaced teenager is inexplicably drawn to an extremely old and dilapidated red plymouth fury. after becoming the owner of the fury, his personality changes into a combative and obsessive version of himself that is almost unrecognizable to his childhood best friend. strange things begin to happen to anyone who goes against him, as they are inexplicably killed one by one in violent hit and run accidents.  - i really didn’t think i would like this one. anyone i explain the plot to thinks it’s super hokey and probably really campy and bad. however i really liked it! it’s super nuanced even though the antagonist is literally a car. i could not put this book down, the progression of arnie’s transformation is just so fascinating.  5. Dolores Claiborne plot: a woman’s firsthand account of how she did not murder her employer leads to a horrific telling of her life, and the choices that she has made. dolores chose to marry young and her regret and resentment over her husband is paired with a life full of poverty and difficult choices. - this was the book that introduced me to stephen king and i fell in love immediately. it’s a bit hard to get into this one, the narrative style is a bit odd. but once you do, it is incredible. the themes remind me a lot of v.c. andrews, so you get a very gothic horror feel from this one.

4. The Stand plot: a government created superflu virus wipes out almost the entire population of earth. a small percentage of people born with a rare immunity to the superflu survive, but they must decide what to do now that everyone they know has died right in front of them. large cities are full of dead bodies and horror, and options seem slim. two parallel settlements begin to arise, but tensions run high when one plots to destroy the other. - god i love this book. i fell in love with almost every single character, and it felt like i really bonded with each of the protagonists. i read this book over a very leisurely and enjoyable summer full of reading time and finished right in september, so it was very bittersweet to say goodbye to this one. it’s not purely horror, but it’s very stephen king. because of this book one of my potential girls names for a future daughter is nadine, which is funny when you read the book and realize who nadine is. anyway... absolutely love this one and i believe this is king’s most challenging book to read, but the most satisfying.

3. Dead Zone plot: johnny smith, a young man with a very normal life is suddenly involved in an almost lethal car accident. he is in a coma for years, losing over a decade of his life. however when he awakes, he realizes he has psychic powers. this story runs parallel to the story of the american election at the time, where a dangerous wild card candidate has risen to primacy. johnny’s newfound powers allow him to foresee that if this man gets elected, it is possible he will lead the world to nuclear destruction. - i love this one too! it seems so relevant in this political time. john smith is so loveable, and he is such a perfect protagonist. this is an easy read that you can finish in a week if you have the time.

2. Carrie plot: an awkward and socially stunted highschool girl is mercilessly bullied by her peers and isolated from everybody. her mother is overly religious and controlling to the point of abuse. one day, she discovers that she has psychic powers that act up when she becomes enraged. as she is pushed to the brink from the abuse of her peers and mother, her psychic powers begin to turn violent. - i truly cannot believe this is king’s very first novel. it is so perfect. the themes, the imagery, the plot is just incredible. this is a short read, i read it on a flight from rio de janeiro to sao paulo. if you don’t know where to start with king, or you’re not a huge reader, i would recommend carrie. i would say this is on par with the original movie, which does a very good job at adapting the book.

1. It plot: a demon emerges every 27 years to feed on the misery and rot of a seemingly idyllic small town in maine. the facade of a wholesome and beautiful town masks the racism, homophobia, and abusive tendencies of many of its residents. fate brings together a number of troubled or abused children who are the only ones who are able to take on the demon, which manifests itself as a clown. however as the children bond and come of age together, they struggle personally through the misery and abuse that color their lives. their struggles bring them together, cementing their friendship and strength through overcoming their own personal demons to fight the one that is preying on the horror and sickness of derry. - i love it. this book is sick and disturbing at times where i can still remember scenes that i will probably have to skip on a second read. however, there are many themes in this book i do enjoy. if you really loved either it movie, i’d recommend picking this book up. i found neither adaptation really did it justice, but how can they? this book is over a thousand pages of character development, backstories, growth, and coming of age. the horror is not only pennywise, but what these kids have to endure that steals their innocence and bonds them together. this is just artful writing, and i would recommend reading it over a very hot and slow summer. my highest recommended book out of all of them, but it is a tough read. it’s long and complex with multiple parallel stories running all at once. it’s impossible to grasp every detail on just your first read.

[tipsycad147]

A HOT CUPPA TASSEOGRAPHY

Written by Algoth’s Grove

“It’s in the details my dear, the truth lies deeply ingrained in the finest of the details.”

   – Anonymous

Tasseography, Tasseeomancy or Tassology is the art of divining by reading coffee grinds, tea leaves or even wine sediments left on the bottom of the cup. There are many people who believe in a small ritual before hand, but the real magick lies in the conversation whilst the cup is being held and the beverage consumed by the person in question.

Originating in the East, Turkish coffee, or Arabica coffee beans that are ground, have been used for divination since the 17th century. A dark, strong brew that left its residue all around the cup, proved excellent for divining. Meanwhile, from the distant origins of reading with wax and other liquid to solid formations, came the spice trade from the east. With it came the most exotic tea’s, and with the aroma’s came a new way to read into the past, present and future.

Both coffee and tea readings have evolved around the world in a parallel sense. Tea reading is

Acclaimed to the west, bringing out some of the most elaborate designed tea cups and saucers specifically crafted for the art of divination. Both coffee and tea leaf readings use a similar method of divining:

Pour the coffee, or tea, in both there should be no straining involved.

Ask the querent to have a seat and begin talking. The conversation does not need to be about the question in their heart but they do need to speak and hold the cup at all times.

When they are finished. Take the cup from them and lay it face down on the saucer and speak for another 10 minutes or until you feel the energy is ready to be read.

Turn the cup over and begin looking into their past, future and present.

Here are two common ways reading with Tasseography:

The cup is divided by the handle. Hold the cup with the handle between your forefinger and thumb. On the left is the negative, on the right is the positive. Towards the bottom of the cup is the distant future. Towards the rim is the present day.

Another way, which I find is a lot more sensible, is holding the cup again with the handle between your forefinger and thumb, everything located on the left is the past, everything on the right is the future. The handle itself, on the inside of the cup is the querent’s house or home, and the symbols located here influence them or their immediate family directly. Large symbols are more prevalent and hold greater importance, the smaller symbols are sometimes used together to create a story or an entire event leading up to a bigger symbol.

Again, this is an intuitive practice. Divination uses the intuition and the symbolism is dependent on the reader not on the querent. However, for example, if you are reading and a heron appears and you have no direct meaning for the heron in your mind, heart and soul, then ask the querent what the heron means to them. You will be surprised how many times it is something quite evident in their lives.

After the reading is done, wash the cup, cleanse the cup and clear it of the querent energies. In some cultures it is also custom to allow the querent to take the cup with them. However, if you’re practising with specially made tasseography cups, this could work out to be an expensive form of divination.

Last week we wrote about Pyromancy, the bottom line of all divination is intuition. It is staying calm, trusting the universe, trusting your higher self, and knowing out of confidence and divine connection that we are all connected. A former coven member asked me to teach him to see beyond the veil, and this question is something that baffles many practitioners of the craft. Many of us have seen since childhood, others have woken up one day and things just made sense. Yes, to have the gift of the sight, to be born with it, is indeed something rare, but intuition and the second sight is not something that cannot be learned or that is not available to everyone. We all have the sight. You just have to open your heart to see.

We strongly believe in personal intuitive meanings when divining but some people have requested general meanings and so with this article we are placing some well known Tasseography meanings, again, remember the crow does not mean death and disaster to everyone. Happy Divining!

Generally accepted meanings in Tasseography:

ACORN – AT THE TOP MEANS SUCCESS AND GAIN: AT THE BOTTOM MEANS GOOD HEALTH.AIRCRAFT – JOURNEY; IF BROKEN MEANS DANGER OF ACCIDENT; CAN ALSO MEAN A RISE IN POSITION ANCHOR – REST, STABILITY, CONSTANCY; AT BOTTOM MEANS CLOUDED, INCONSTANCY ANGEL – GOOD NEWS ON THE WAY, SOMEONE IS WATCHING FOR YOUR BEST INTERESTS ANT – YOU ARE IN INDUSTRIOUS PERSON, BUT THERE IS MORE WORK AHEAD APPLE – KNOWLEDGE, ACHIEVEMENT AXE – DIFFICULTIES; IF AT TOP OVERCOMING OF DIFFICULTIES; SOMEONE NEAR YOU MAY BE PLANNING TO STAB YOU IN THE BACK WITH LIES, DECEIT BABY – SOMETHING NEW, PREGNANCY, SMALL WORRIES BAG – A TRAP; IF OPEN, ESCAPE BALL – COMPLETION, VARIABLE FORTUNES BEAR – TROUBLE AHEAD BELL – HARMONICS, CREATION, SPIRITUAL, UNEXPECTED NEWS; GOOD IF NEAR THE TOP, GOOD NEWS, WEDDING TO BE SET BIRD – THERE IS A JOURNEY TO BE PLANNED SOON, WILL BE PLEASANT AND PRODUCTIVE BOAT – LIFE PATH, (NOTE SIZE AND SPEED OF BOAT), AND VISIT FROM A FRIEND, PROTECTION BOOK – YOU WILL FIND YOUR ANSWER BY SOMETHING WRITTEN, IF OPEN IT’S GOOD NEWS; IF CLOSED YOU NEED TO INVESTIGATE SOMETHING BUSH – NEW FRIENDS, OPPORTUNITIES, SOMETHING GROWING IN LIFE BUTTERFLY – TRANSITION, TRANSFORMATION, BUTTERFLY EFFECT, FICKLENESS CABBAGE – JEALOUSY; WITH DOTS, AT WORK CANDLE – SACRED LIGHT, CREATIONAL FLAME, HELP FROM OTHERS CAP – TROUBLE, TAKE CARE CAT – DECEIT, A FALSE FRIEND, CAT HEADED BEINGS, KEEP EYE ON TREACHEROUS FRIEND/RELATIVE CHAIN – DNA, ENGAGEMENT, A WEDDING, CHAIN LINK, KARMA CHAIR – A GUEST CIGAR – NEW FRIENDS CIRCLE – SUCCESS, COMPLETION; WITH A DOT, A BABY CLOCK – ALCHEMY OF TIME AND CONSCIOUSNESS, BETTER HEALTH CLOUDS – TROUBLE; WITH DOTS, MANY PROBLEMS; IF FLECKS SCATTERED, TROUBLES SOON OVER, IF SOLIDLY GROUPED, FINANCIAL WOES WILL SOON MATERIALISATION – CHANGE IN FINANCIAL STATUS, MONEY COMING COMB – AN ENEMY CROSS – PROTECTION, SACRIFICE, SACRIFICE CUP – REWARD, BLOOD LINES DAGGER – WARNING, DANGER FROM SELF OR OTHERS, POWER, BEWARE OF RECKLESSNESS DISH – TROUBLE AT HOME DOG – GOOD FRIEND, SIRIUS, CELESTIAL CONNOTATION, EGYPTIAN GOD, ANUBIS; IF AT BOTTOM, FRIEND NEEDS HELP DOOR – OPENING (TO SOMETHING NEW) OR CLOSING (OLD ISSUES AND RELATIONS), SPIRITUAL (PORTAL), ODD EVENT DUCK – MONEY COMING EGG – GOOD OMEN, CREATION, NEW BEGINNINGS, SACRED GEOMETRY ELEPHANT – WISDOM, STRENGTH, LUCK, GANESHA, TRUNK UP INDICATES OVERCOMING OBSTACLES ENVELOPE – MESSAGE COMING, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE EYE – CREATION – OPEN (AWAKENING) – CLOSED (SOMETHING NOT SEEN)FACE – A CHANGE, MAY BE A SETBACK FAN – HAND HELD (PLEATS) – ROTARY (4, TIME DIVINATION, NUMEROLOGY), FLIRTATION FEATHER – ASCENSION, LACK OF CONCENTRATION FENCE – LIMITATIONS, MINOR SETBACKS, NOT PERMANENT FINGER – WHICH FINGER, POINTING IN WHAT DIRECTION, POINTING TO GOD; EMPHASISES WHATEVER SIGN IT POINTS AT FIRE – SACRED FLAME, AT TOP ACHIEVEMENT; AT BOTTOM DANGER OF HASTE FISH – GOOD FORTUNE FLAG – DENOTES NATIONALITY, DANGER FLOWERS – LOVE OR IMPORTANT HONOUR MAY COME TO YOU FLY – DOMESTIC ANNOYANCE, MINOR ANNOYANCE MAY BECOME MAJOR PROBLEM, IF NOT ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY FORK – SPEAK WITH FALSE TONGUE, FALSE FLATTERY FORKED LINE – DECISION FROG – BE READY FOR DRAMATIC CHANGE IN LIFE FRUIT – FRUITFUL, PROSPERITY (DEPENDS ON THE FRUIT WHICH GOES TO SEEDS AND PLANTING SOMETHING NEW)GATE – OPPORTUNITY, FUTURE SUCCESS, ANCIENT CIVILISATION, PORTAL, DOORWAY GLASS – INTEGRITY GLOW – ENLIGHTENMENT, A CHALLENGE GOAT – BE CAREFUL OF ENEMIES GUN – ANGER, SEX, QUARRELS HAMMER – HARD WORK NEEDED, GETTING A POINT ACROSS HAND – CREATION, IF OPEN MEANS FRIENDSHIP; IF CLOSED MEANS AN ARGUMENT HARP – CREATIONAL HARMONICS, LOVE, HARMONY HAT – HEAD, CONSCIOUSNESS, IMPROVEMENT HAWK –  JEALOUSY HEART – CHAKRA, PLEASURE, LOVE, TRUST, COMPASSION, SOMEONE IS THERE IN WHOM YOU MAY CONFIDE.HORSE – IF GALLOPING MEANS GOOD NEWS; IF JUST THE HEAD MEANS A LOVER OR NEBULA HORSESHOE – GOOD LUCK, ATTRACTION, EARTH’S MAGNETIC S, OMEGA OR LEO, CLOSURE, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PLANS HOUR GLASS – TIME RUNNING OUT, NEED TO DECIDE SOMETHING, SYNCHRONICITY, ILLUSION, CREATION, TAKE MORE TIME FOR DECISION HOUSE – SECURITY, CHANGE, SUCCESS ICEBERG – DANGER, PLANETARY MELTDOWN, ICE AGE, CONSCIOUSNESS FROZEN IN TIME INSECT – DEPENDS WHICH ONE, PROBLEMS ARE MINOR AND EASY TO OVERCOME JEWELS – DNA, PEARLS, DIAMONDS, GIFTS KETTLE – ANY ILLNESS IS MINOR KITE – WISHES COMING TRUE, FLYING FREE KNIFE – BROKEN FRIENDSHIP, HIDDEN ENEMY, AVOID MISUNDERSTANDINGS WITH THOSE CLOSE TO YOU, MIND YOUR HEALTH, BEWARE OF POTENTIAL LAWSUIT LADDER – PROMOTION, A RISE OR FALL IN LIFE, DNA LAMP – TURNED ON MEANS ENLIGHTENMENT, AT THE TOP MEANS A FEAST; AT THE SIDE MEANS SECRETS REVEALED; AT THE BOTTOM MEANS POSTPONEMENT LEAF – NEW LIFE LETTER – NEWS LINES – IF STRAIGHT MEANS PROGRESS; IF WAVY MEANS UNCERTAIN PATH LION – LEO, OMEGA, CLOSURE, INFLUENTIAL FRIENDS, STRENGTH, ZOROASTER LOOP – LOOPS OF TIME AND CREATION, AVOID IMPULSIVE ACTIONS, SLINKY EFFECT MAN – NEAR HANDLE, A VISITOR: CLEAR AND DISTINCT, A DARK PERSON; VAGUE, A LIGHT COLOURED PERSON MASK – SOMETHING HIDDEN, EXCITEMENT, INSECURITY MOUNTAIN – OBSTACLES OR A SPECIFIC AREA, GREAT GOALS, OR DIFFICULTIES MOUSE – THEFT NAIL – INJUSTICE, UNFAIRNESS NECKLACE – COMPLETE, ADMIRERS; IF BROKEN MEANS DANGER OF LOSING A LOVER NEEDLE – RECOGNITION, ADMIRATION OAK – HEALTH, LONG LIFE, TREE OF LIFE OCTOPUS – DANGER, 8, INFINITY OSTRICH – TRAVEL, NOT SEEKING A TRUTH OWL – GOSSIP, SCANDAL, ALIENS OWL SYMBOLOGY PALM TREE – SUCCESS, HONOUR, PLACE WERE THEY GROW PARROT – REPEATING SOMETHING, A TWIN, A JOURNEY, PEOPLE TALKING AND SAYING NOTHING PIG – GREED OR PROSPERITY PISTOL – DANGER PURSE – AT TOP MEANS PROFIT; AT BOTTOM MEANS LOSS QUESTION MARK – NEED FOR CAUTION RABBIT – NEED FOR BRAVERY, TIME AND ILLUSION RAKE – WATCH DETAILS, PLANTING SEEKS, REAP WHAT YOU SOW RAVEN – BAD NEWS, DEATH THAT LEADS TO NEW BEGINNINGS RING – PHONE CALL, COMING FULL CIRCLE, NEAR THE TOP MEANS MARRIAGE OR THE OFFER OF MARRIAGE; AT BOTTOM MEANS LONG ENGAGEMENT; IF BROKEN MEANS ENGAGEMENT BROKEN OFF ROSE – ROSE BLOODLINE, CREATION, FLOWER OF LIFE, LOVE, MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY A FRAGRANCE IN THE ROOM, POPULARITY SAW – INTERFERENCE, TEAR APART, SOMETHING VIEWED SCALE – LEGAL ISSUES; IF BALANCED MEANS JUST RESULT; IF UNBALANCED MEANS UNJUST RESULT SCISSORS – QUARRELS, POSSIBLY SEPARATION SHEEP – GOOD FORTUNE SHELL – GOOD NEWS, NAUTILUS, GOLDEN RATIO, SEA OF CREATION SHELTER – DANGER OF LOSS OR ILL-HEALTH SHIP – WORTHWHILE JOURNEY SHOE – SOLE/SOUL, CONDITION OF SHOE IS IMPORTANT, TRANSFORMATION SNAKE – DNA, WISDOM, OR IF THE SNAKE IS ATTACKING, AN ENEMY, A SMALL MISFORTUNE MAY ONLY SLIGHTLY IMPEDE YOUR PLANS FOR SUCCESS, YOU SHALL OVERCOME THE EFFECTS SPIDER – WEAVING TOGETHER, REWARD AT WORK SPOON – GENEROSITY STAR – HEALTH AND HAPPINESS, HOPE, HEAVENS, ISIS AND OTHER GODDESSES, FEMALE ENERGIES,SUN – HAPPINESS, SUCCESS, POWERS WORD – ARGUMENTS TABLE – SOCIAL GATHERINGS, OUTSIDE THE BOX TENT – TRAVEL, COVER, HIDDEN TRUTH THIMBLE – CHANGES AT HOME TORTOISE – CRITICISM, USUALLY BENEFICIAL, SLOW-MOVING, TURTLE ISLAND (EARTH)TOWER – DISAPPOINTMENTS TREE – IMPROVEMENTS, OF LIFE, CREATION, BOOK OF LIFE, YOUR LIFE PATH TRIANGLE – SOMETHING UNEXPECTED, 3 IN A RELATIONSHIP, PYRAMIDS, 3, THIRD DIMENSION UMBRELLA – ANNOYANCES URN – WEALTH AND HAPPINESS VASE – A FRIEND NEEDS HELP VIOLIN – EGOTISM VOLCANO – HARMFUL EMOTIONS WAGON – A WEDDING, WAGON WHEELS (WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS)WASP – ROMANTIC PROBLEMS WATERFALL – PROSPERITY WHEEL – IF COMPLETE MEANS GOOD FORTUNE; IF BROKEN MEANS DISAPPOINTMENT WINGS – MESSAGES WOMAN – YOUR GREAT DESIRE IS FOR LOVE AND HAPPY FAMILY LIFE WOLF – JEALOUSY YOKE – DOMINATION ZEBRA – ADVENTURE, ESPECIALLY OVERSEAS, BLACK AND WHITE

Algoth’s Grove