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gamesmakers · 1 year ago

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Neither Vice Nor Virtue

It's been 10 years since I wrote this, which is absolutely wild to me. I wanted to put my single foray into Pirates of the Caribbean fanfiction all in one place.

Philip knows well the dangers of giving into temptation, but he cannot pull himself away from Syrena. He finds himself willing to do anything to remain by her side. If she is the devil, then he will gladly be damned.

Chapter 1

"I can save you. You need only ask." She bobbed in front of him, dark hair pooling out around her. He wanted to resist her, for surely only a creature of the devil could cause the destruction he'd seen that night on the lifeboat. Perhaps Satan himself had created her, crafted her in the perfect form to lure men with lust. Philip, a priest and missionary, knew of these monsters, and he tried to stop himself from falling into the devil's trap.

But man had never been immune to Satan's charms, and Philip found himself moving closer to her. Pain wracked his body, radiating outward from the wound in his abdomen, but he did not still until his face was inches from hers. "I ask for only one thing," he said.

Her eyes never left his. "What is that?"

"Forgiveness. If it weren't for me, you would never have been captured." He wanted to reach out to stroke her ivory skin, to press a kiss to her lips and die with the memory of her touch still vivid in his mind. For there was no doubt that he would die; with the wound he had sustained, it was inevitable.

Long seconds of silence stretch between them, punctuated only by the splash of the waves against the rocks of the grotto. She rose up so that their lips were a breath away before finally replying. "Ask."

He swallowed, but his eyes did not wander from hers. "Forgive me."

She closed the remaining distance between them, pressing a firm kiss to his lips, and Philip was lost. His entire world, it seemed, consisted of only him, her, and the pressure between them. When she slipped her arms around his neck, he had no argument. He brought his hand to the back of her head, bringing her even closer.

Syrena pulled him with her into the dark waters, and Philip followed willingly. She could drown him at any moment, force him to stay underneath until the life left his body and she could rip the flesh from his bones, but, somehow, Philip felt safe with her, more safe than he had felt since the attack of the Queen Anne's Revenge on his ship. Death was coming quickly for him now, but he would accept it with open arms. He pressed his cheek against Syrena's and felt his chest burn as his lungs screamed for air. Eventually, the pain grew too intense, and he could no longer resist the urge to breathe. Philip expected water to fill his lungs, but, instead, he breathed air. His eyes snapped open in confusion.

Syrena's dark eyes peered back at him. She smiled and brought her lips to his ear. "You're safe now," she whispered. In the water, her voice sounded different, as though it were coming from several directions all at once.

"How?" his voice cracked before he could say anything else. Philip had not expected to live this long, and having accepted death, the tremendous gift of life finally became clear. He was overcome with emotion, but Syrena held strong.

"A mermaid's kiss," she answered.

He nodded in understanding. Yes, he had heard the legends the pirates had told of soldiers saved from drowning with a kiss from a mermaid, but he had never believed them. Of course, until a few days ago, he had not believed in mermaids either. "Thank you." He gazed into her eyes as he spoke.

Syrena glanced down at his wound before covering it with her hand. "We must take you to shore. You are safe for now, but your injury is severe. It must be treated quickly if it is to heal." She began to swim faster, cutting through the water at a greater speed than Philip had believed possible. He could not help but admire the gliding motions of her body as she propelled them forward. The undulation of her hips drew his attention, and he found himself trapped in her sensual movements. His training as a missionary whispered to him that this was wrong, that he had been sworn to chastity, but he could not look away.

Only her voice was enough to drag him from the sight. "Can you walk?" she asked.

Philip realized that they were now in waters no more than four or five feet high. With Syrena's help, he rose to his feet, but he collapsed almost immediately, unable to support his own weight.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

He could only grit his teeth in response. A fresh flow of blood ran between his fingers as he clasped his hand over the cut.

Syrena dragged him to shore as gently as she could, and placed him on the sand. Philip bit back a scream as she lifted his hips to remove his pants, leaving him clothed only in soaked undergarments. She squeezed his hand and murmured something into his ear, but he was too lost in pain to understand her words. He heard a rip as Syrena tore the fabric and forced his hand away from the wound so that she could press the makeshift bandage against it. "Hush, love," she said, kissing his cheek. "Keep pressure on the bandage, Philip, and I will return for you."

"My love," he said as she turned to crawl back into the water. Syrena stopped to look at him. "What is your true name?"

A smile came to her features. "I had none until I met you, but from this moment on I will be Syrena."

Philip's mouth opened in response, but no words were forthcoming. He did as she requested, pressing the remnants of his trousers against the cut. As he waited for her to return, he could think of nothing but her. The smile that came to her lips when she was amused, the soft strength in her voice, the way the sun shone against her perfect skin as she had tended to his injuries. It was her kindness, though, that truly drew him to her. Philip lied back against the sand as he thought of the compassion she had showed towards him time and again. Surely, she must be one of God's own creatures to show such selflessness towards another.

Chapter 2

Blood soaked the cloth beneath his fingers. Philip struggled to maintain consciousness, grasping onto thoughts of Syrena to stop him from slipping away. She had been gone for a long while now; was she even coming back? Perhaps she had left him here to die, marooned him alone and wounded for the gulls and her sisters to devour.

No. That was not the Syrena he loved. She would come back for him. She had promised to heal him, and she would. Now, he just needed to hold on so that he could see her again. Philip pressed his bandage even more tightly against his abdomen, determined to last long enough to see her again.

A glint of silver in the waves caught his attention. At first, he thought it nothing more than a trick of the light, but then he spotted another flash of scales. Syrena had returned. He smiled as he watched her drag herself onto land, her hands filled with unfamiliar plants and the shirt he had given her tucked under one arm. "You came back," he said in wonder.

"Yes," she replied. Syrena kissed his forehead before prying his hand away from his wound. She inspected the angry red cut and grabbed a few leaves of a dark green plant, popping them into her mouth. Philip winced in pain and instinctively tried to push her away when she spread the lips of the cut, but when she spat out the now-ground leaves and started to rub the mixture against his skin, he relaxed. The pain dissipated the instant the cool, creamy substance touched his flesh, and Philip moaned at the sensation.

"Thank you," he said as she pulled away.

Syrena smiled down at him and wrapped the cut again, this time using his shirt as a bandage. "Eat this." She presented a few pieces of what Philip guessed was seaweed and watched as he put them into his mouth. He'd had nothing to drink for hours, so he gagged around the vile-tasting plant when he tried to swallow, but eventually he managed to force it down his throat and smiled in gratitude towards the mermaid. Syrena kissed him, her lips warm and inviting against his own, and when she withdrew, he could not help but eye her nude form. Philip knew he shouldn't look upon Syrena in such a way; they were not married, and it was improper for a man of the cloth to lust after another under any circumstances. He had made his vows to the Church, and he had meant to obey the letter of their law.

But when he had taken those oaths, Philip had not yet met Syrena. She changed everything. He could never go back to the life of a missionary; he now belonged to her. So he felt no guilt as his eyes raked over nakedness, taking in the perfect ivory of her skin, the soft curve of her hips, and the gentle movement of her breasts. Philip looked up into her eyes. "You are truly beautiful," he said.

At those words, Syrena smiled and studied him as well. Clothed only in his underclothes, Philip had rarely been so exposed in front of a woman, but he felt no shame. If he could enjoy Syrena's form, then surely she could take pleasure in his as well. Philip licked his lips in anticipation and worry, nervous that Syrena would find him unattractive. For he knew he could not match her beauty, but he hoped she would not think him undesirable. He did not have to wait long for her response, though, as she pressed their bodies flush against each other and ground her lips against his own. Philip's flesh seemed to ignite, warmth and desire spreading to every inch of his being, and his hands explored her back, legs, and arms as their mouths moved together. He felt her breath quicken, and she clutched his arm with one hand while the other ran over his chest. When they separated, her pupils were dilated with desire.

"I love you," she whispered. Syrena kissed him again, this time gently, before rolling off of him.

Philip stroked her cheek with his thumb. "And I you," he said. His thirst drew him from his haze of love. "I need something to drink. Do you know where I can find fresh water?"

Syrena thought for a moment. "There is a spring in the jungle, but I know not where."

"I suppose I should start walking, then." Philip smiled and stood up. The movement jostled his wound, but he felt no rush of pain or blood this time. Syrena had healed him well. She helped him into his boots. "Do you know which way I should walk?" he asked.

"That way, I think." She pointed to the northwest as she spoke.

He needed water, but he did not wish to leave her. "Will you come with me?"

She shook her head. "No. Your wound." It was all the explanation he needed. Philip couldn't risk reopening his cut by lifting her.

"I'll see you shortly, then." He kissed her cheek and walked into the jungle. Philip marveled at the verdant foliage. Flowers carpeted the jungle floor, and heavy fruits hung off the limbs of trees, ripe and ready to be picked. The enormous trees, living testament to God's power, surrounded him, making Philip feel small and insignificant. Here, with reminders of the Lord all around him, he began again to doubt his vows. Yes, he had sworn his life and his love to the Lord, but he could not deny himself the bond he felt with Syrena. He must stay with her, no matter the Church's views on their union.

Remembering the press of her body against his only reaffirmed his decision. He felt again the pressure that had grown between them, begging to be released. Philip would not, could not, live without her. He could never again be a loyal servant to God, for he now belonged to another.

He plucked a red fruit from a low-hanging branch and bit into it, the juice it released into his mouth sweet and tart at the same time. Philip smiled as he walked deeper into the jungle towards the spring, which he could hear trickling in the distance, pleased with his choice. His infidelity against God, he was sure, would not go unnoted, but he would stay with Syrena.

If she was sin itself, he would gladly be damned.

Chapter 3

She fell back against him, and he held her tight against his chest for a moment before helping her back up to her feet. "You're getting much better," Philip said as her knees wobbled as she struggled to regain her balance.

Syrena took a hesitant step forward, and though he followed close behind to catch her, she did not fall. She gestured for him to stay back and walked six more uneven paces before collapsing to the sand. "Are you all right?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Lift me." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rested her head against his neck as he rubbed small circles onto her thigh with his thumb.

"Where do you wish to go?"

Syrena did not lift her head, but he understood her muffled words. He tucked her even more closely against his chest and started for their little camp. It was not a short walk, for over the weeks, Syrena's legs had grown strong, and now they often walked far from their camp site as she practiced. Philip could hear birdsong from the trees and the gentle movement of the ocean against the rocks, and he marveled at the beauty of God's creation in silence as they neared the camp.

Philip's love for one of His creations in particular had driven him mad, for he could not escape Syrena. She had closely overseen every step of his recovery, tending him with gentle, skilled fingers and keeping him company on the many long days when he could do little more than rest. Everywhere he turned, she was before him, completely exposed as Eve had been in the garden. Philip marveled Adam had not been seduced by Lucifer first, for he could not believe that an apple could be more tempting than a woman.

"Philip, put me down," said Syrena. He lowered her to the ground, only letting go once he was certain she was steady on her feet. "Look at me." She tilted his face with her thumb so that green and brown eyes met. "You wish to go back."

He nodded. "I must, Syrena. I have sworn to God –"

"You have married your Church and will leave me here with nothing!" Tears sparkled in her eyes, and she pushed him away, almost tumbling from the force it required.

But Philip grabbed her wrist with one hand and cupped her face with the other. "No, never. I hoped to take you with me, that we could build a life together, perhaps find a little house not far from shore so that you will still be able to swim with your sisters. I never want us to be apart again, Syrena." He bent down for a kiss, and she leaned up to accept his embrace.

With the warmth of her skin against his, Philip could feel his body beginning to stir. "Then why do you not want me?" she asked, pressing herself even closer.

His throat threatened to close as she ran her fingers down his arms. "I do want you, but I cannot –"

"Then take me." She captured his bottom lip between her teeth, and Philip was lost. He wrapped his arms around her as she kissed down his neck and across his shoulders. Philip groaned and tightened his grip on the warm skin beneath his hands. His eyes closed in ecstasy as Syrena continued her path down his body, but snapped open when she pulled away. "The cloth," she said, and when Philip's tilted his head in question, she continued, "the cloth. We need it."

Her knees buckled as she turned towards their camp, but she put out a hand to stop him when he tried to lift her again. "No. I will walk." She took his hand in hers and led him to the large flag the Spanish had left behind. As she lay down, he saw only the contrast of her raven hair with the white cloth, the pink of her lingering sunburn against the red of the cross of St. James. Philip hesitated for an instant, uncertain he could blaspheme the cross, but he soon lowered himself down as well.

Weeks of fantasies had not prepared him for this moment. Syrena waited for him to make an advance, but when she realized that none was forthcoming, she pulled him flush against her. Again, he felt as if on fire, and when she guided his hand to her breast, Philip felt ready to burst with his need for her. His hands moved of their own accord as he kissed her neck, and he smiled with satisfaction as the tempo of her heartbeat increased under his ministrations.

Her hands continued to wander his body, pinching here, soothing there. She draped one of her legs over his and rolled onto her back, pulling him along. Philip could see the certainty in her brown eyes, but he asked all the same. "Take me," she answered, settling her legs over each of his shoulders. Philip kissed her again, but she was impatient and broke away from him quickly. Though he maneuvered himself into position, still he hesitated. Here lay the precipice, and beyond this point, there could be no possibility of returning to God. But when he saw the anticipation in Syrena's face, Philip's own mind was made. He pressed forward, and all thoughts of God and church disappeared.

They moved together, heat and pressure building inside and between them. Philip groaned her name as he entered a bliss he had never before experienced. He opened his eyes to see Syrena below him, her face still contorted in unfulfilled desire. She brought his hand to her hips, and together, they brought her the same pleasure. Philip pulled out from her and wrapped the flag around them. "I love you," he whispered against her ear.

"I love you," repeated Syrena. Her lips still swollen, she gave him one last kiss before cuddling into the curve of his body and falling asleep. Though Philip's eyelids were heavy, he could not join her in sleep. Visions of hell and flames tore through his mind, twenty-five years of masses echoing together in a horrible cacophony.

The sun sank low on the horizon, orange and violet dancing over the waves. As night overcame day, Philip banished those demons. He prayed before he joined Syrena in sleep. For though he had chosen to walk in the valley of darkness, he was not afraid.

#pirates of the caribbean #potc #philip x syrena

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venussaidso · 6 months ago

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Nodal Dominant Themes — 𝐍𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 (part 1) 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟓

Ardra, Swati, Shatabhisha embody Rahu qualities to the fullest. Breaking boundaries, whether they mean to or not, refining or rebuilding themselves by the way they absorb Maya (illusion), being thrown into foreign lands to create, explore and challenge existing paradigms. The ultimate mastery of Rahu nakshatras lies in recognizing that Maya is not the goal, but the process of refinement. This is shown in the natives' urge to learn, apply and cultivate something for themselves. This means that their initial stages have a lot of lack, and that's where that hunger to achieve and receive comes from. They'll take on challenges if it means there's an opportunity to fulfill themselves. In these following examples, the Rahuvian character is often given an opportunity to enter higher societies, usually through a job, a scholarship or from meeting the right person in the right time.

Swati Sun Julia Roberts, in Pretty Woman, plays a poor, sex worker who enters the high society through a billionaire and becomes 'refined'. Despite her glow up, her authenticity still contrasts with the pretentiousness of the high class social circle she finds herself in, challenging their perceptions of worth and class.

Much like Pretty Woman, in the film My Fair Lady, the Rahuvian meets a snobbish phonetics professor who wages that he can make her presentable in high society.

In the film Khoobsurat, Shatabhisha Moon Sonam Kapoor Ahuja plays a quirky physiotherapist who is ill-mannered and boundless. She is given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work for a royal family. There, she meets a handsome young Rajput prince who is her complete opposite (given that he is portrayed by a Mula Moon native, Fawad Khan, who adheres to the customs of his background, bound by his roots).

Despite their different social classes, the royal family learns a lot from her authenticity.

This theme of outer duality in which the native crosses over to a whole new world different from where they originally came from centers a lot around the 'poor vs rich' dynamic in these modern examples — exploring classism, elitism and other societal divisions which make outsiders.

As I briefly gave examples in this post, Shatabhisha can be linked to Cinderella. Which means that trine nakshatras can also inherit this theme of person from poor background falls in love with person from wealthy background. As shown in that post, the union is often with a Mula native. It was expected to find these Rahu-Ketu connections, as the nodes are always one with each other. Their themes can overlap, which I'll be going more into further down this post.

The Mula CEO also comes from old money.

Rahu thrives on venturing the unknown and embracing the unconventional, often shown in the trope of one falling in love with someone alien.

This otherworldly love is seen in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, where a Rahuvian sailor falls in love with the mermaid, Syrena. Mermaids are captured and exploited by humans — immediately we see this theme of division. And unlike the other humans, he treats Syrena with respect and equality.

Syrena is portrayed by Mula Moon Astrid Berges-Frisbey, while the sailor is portrayed by Ardra Sun Sam Claflin. In the end, Philip becomes a merman and lives with Syrena underwater. This transformation that the Rahuvian goes through in order to unite with a lover of another species is also seen in the film Lisa Frankenstein, starring Shatabhisha Moon Kathryn Newton — although it's more in a Romeo-&-Juliet style.

The Rahuvian character, Lisa, falls in love with Creature, who is a living corpse portrayed by Magha ASC Cole Sprouse. Lisa kills herself in a tanning bed to join the Creature in death. Their union shows her alive, but mummified.

This theme of one overcoming the obstacle between them and the person they desire is seen yet again in the film Casper (1995). A girl, played by Magha ASC Christina Ricci, meets a ghost named Casper, who falls in love with her. Casper is voiced by Malachi Pearson who has potential Swati Moon. Casper's one wish is to be human again so that he can win her heart.

His wish is fulfilled but he can only be human up until midnight. His human form is portrayed by Swati Moon Devon Sawa.

In the Korean drama, Are You Human?, Shatabhisha Sun Gong Seung-yeon plays a bodyguard who is given an opportunity to protect an advanced humanoid whom she falls in love with. Another abnormal, interspecies relationship.

The humanoid is the clone of an heir of a rich conglomerate. The heir is portrayed by Magha Moon native Seo Kang-joon – him being born into wealth contrasts with her being brought up from a poorer background; we see this theme again of a cross over between two opposite worlds as she gets romantically entangled with him.

A lot of these pairings show Rahu's need to break taboos and seek authenticity over conformity, as these unions tend to be abnormal in a discriminatory society. As illusory as Rahu is by nature, it highlights the illusions within society and the challenges that come with it.

Rahu seeks to challenge conventions, forcing individuals to confront their biases, embrace diversity, and explore love in its most expansive ways; while Ketu can be detached from society in general, already transcending or dissociating from it altogether.

Now extending the old money archetype into this, we can see Rahuvians embodying this shabby, nonconforming, rough-around-the-edges, transformative archetype who'll be on the opposite end. As Ketu symbolizes the past, ancestral roots, tradition, the old way of doing things; Rahu symbolizes the future, foreignness, pursuit, a new way of doing things.

Old money often means adhering to strict family rituals, customs, and expectations. There's an expectation for the wealthy to marry their own, maintaining a cultural practice that has existed for centuries, a theme of Ketu as it means to preserve the past. But Rahu comes in as a disruptor, changing rules that seemed absolute, causing more confusion and tension. Rahu often seeks unity, even with our all differences.

Rahu and Ketu are always 180 degrees apart in a chart. This gives an understanding to how they're always on opposite sides of the same coin. So their union in these media examples often come with resistance and chaos.

The story of Romeo and Juliet is about a star-crossed love stuck in this push-&-pull between tradition and breaking free from tradition.

Rahu is symbolized as the head of a dragon, while Ketu is the tail. Together they remain in this endless chase, their nature defined by longing and separation. Maria and Tony from A West Side Story mirrors this nodal dynamic, as it's based on the classic Romeo and Juliet. Just as the nodes themselves are forever trapped in opposition and in an eternal chase, these lovers remain trapped by their differences. Their love and lives are destined to be cut short, signifying the impossible union between the opposing nodes in these forbidden love stories.

The tragic ending of Maria and Tony’s story reflects the inevitable nature of the nodes. In both Romeo and Juliet and A West Side Story, we see the power of love transcending societal barriers, yet this love is doomed by the very forces it seeks to overcome.

Ashwini nakshatra literally has the strongest ties in Romeo & Juliet (list).

Another pair of this nodal influence (Ketu-Ketu), with this exact theme, is Mavis and Johnny from the animation Hotel Transylvania. Mavis is voiced by Ashwini Moon Selena Gomez, and Johnny is voiced by Magha Sun Andy Samberg. Mavis is a vampire and Johnny is a human. Their worlds should never have had a crossover to begin with. But Johnny, being Magha, feels a sense of belonging with these monsters and Mavis instead of fearing them (a nod to the Mula archetype and Beauty-&-the-Beast trope, which, as I've stated before, can also manifest itself as Ketu-Ketu instead of Ketu-Jupiter... much like Belle and Rumpelstiltskin from Once Upon A Time, Belle being played by Mula Sun Emilie de Ravin and Rumpelstiltskin portrayed by Ashwini Sun Robert Carlyle — the show's own Beauty & the Beast).

Though light-hearted and comedic, their union was forbidden as monsters and humans should be kept apart to their own worlds due to past conflicts. Mavis' father, Dracula, goes to great lengths to separate the two, but then he realizes that their love is genuine and overcomes his prejudices.

The theme of letting go touches on Ketu's tendency to sever ties, signifying the lesson of how temporary things are, including love. The film Untamed Heart is a great example, perfectly encapsulating this theme between two Ketu natives.

And as Mars also rules Ashwini nakshatra, this can be a major focus.

Connecting Orpheus to Ashwini, so much of this nakshatra's themes are highlighted in this Greek myth. Ketu is associated with nature, animal caretaking, and taming wild beasts. This is seen in Orpheus's ability to charm animals, move trees and rocks, and even change the course of rivers, through his music. Music has been known as a form of comfort and healing, and Orpheus' music is so powerful that it hypnotizes wild beasts, even influencing Hades, the ruler of the underworld.

The mythological character loses the love of this life, Eurydice, and he is unable to accept her death. He becomes so desperate, filled with grief and fear, that he descends into the underworld to get Eurydice back. As Ashwini can be driven by selfishness, severance becomes a major lesson in their journey.

The musical film Black Orpheus (1959) is directed by Ashwini Sun, Magha ASC Marcel Camus, a black Brazilian retelling of the tale.

In Jason & the Argonauts (2000), Ashwini Moon Adrian Lester portrays Orpheus. In the animation Hell and Back, *Ashwini Moon Danny McBride voices Orpheus. In 1960s The Giants of Thessaly, Massimo Girotti portrays Orpheus and he has Moon in Magha (trine nakshatra to Ashwini). This obvious connection of Ashwini to Orpheus takes me back to the ruling deities, the Ashwini Kumaras. Ashwini can be related to partnership, soulmates, connected minds. Here, there's a theme of inseparability yet the nature of the nakshatra forces severance. Back to the tale — With just the charm of his music, Orpheus is able to convince Hades to bring Eurydice back to life, only under the condition that Orpheus never looks back at her when they leave the underworld. Overwhelmed with so much love, he's unable to help himself, as he fails and looks back at her as they neared the exit. This is how Orpheus loses Eurydice forever.

Similar to Orpheus, the Twelfth Doctor from Doctor Who spirals into madness and desperation after the death of his close companion, Clara Oswald. The Twelfth Doctor is played by Ashwini Sun native Peter Capaldi. His Aries relentlessness and selfishness has him breaking the laws of time to bring her back, just like Orpheus breaks the natural order of life to get Eurydice back.

Clara Oswald is interestingly nodal herself, being played by Ashwini native Jenna Coleman.

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His journey through grief and his refusal to let her go mirrors Orpheus's determination to challenge the natural order of life for love. In the end, Twelve's memories of Clara get wiped out when he is forced to sever ties with her. Clara remains dead and so does Eurydice. This makes these pairs star-crossed, as Ketu reminds us of the inevitability of loss and separation. With Mars there, it makes it an obvious theme with Ashwini nakshatra.

Orpheus tried to get Eurydice back after her death by seeking the realm of the dead as a mortal being. He finds the cave that led to Hades and slowly descended into the Underworld. He sang to Cerberus, a terrifying, three-headed monstrous watchdog, able to tame and charm the beast so that he enters. This theme of entering portals to other worlds and dimensions tends to be associated with Ketu, and I find it interesting that I am particularly seeing the magic within Ashwini nakshatra.

In the 2008 film Jumper, Ashwini Sun Hayden Christensen plays a young man who can teleport himself anywhere and everywhere due to a genetic anomaly. Regarding Doctor Who, the first female Doctor has indeed been played by an Ashwini native as well. And Ashwini Sun native Russell T Davies is the original showrunner & head writer of the 2005 revival of Doctor Who, starring Ashwini Sun David Tennant.

It is interesting that Ketu nakshatras also have this otherworldliness quality to them which is seen in having access to portals or dissociating into other realms. Although I have already explored this theme within the context of Anuradha nakshatra, there is still an undeniable nodal influence to it as I see these nakshatras frequently pop up in this genre of film.

Magha Sun Amy Adams' character in Enchanted falls into a well which is a portal to another world. In Alice in Wonderland (2010), Magha Moon and Swati Sun native Mia Wasikowska's character also falls into a portal to another world.

In the animation Caroline, Ashwini ASC and Shatabhisha Sun native Dakota Fanning voices a girl who finds a portal to another world. In 1953's Peter Pan, Ardra Sun Kathryn Beaumont voices Wendy who is taken to another magical world called Neverland by a boy named Peter Pan who's voiced by Shatabhisha Sun Bobby Driscoll. In 2003's Peter Pan live-action movie, Wendy is played by Ardra Moon Rachel Hurd-Wood, taken into this whole other reality of magic and wonder. In Hook (1991), adult Peter Pan is portrayed by Shatabhisha Moon and Swati ASC Robert Williams, the character a middle-aged lawyer from the modern world who returns to his magical origins. In the Korean drama Spice Up Our Love, Ashwini Moon Han Ji-hyun's character wakes up as the protagonist of the web novel she wrote. In the Korean drama W: Two Worlds Apart, Shatabhisha Sun Han Hyo-Joo gets sucked into a webtoon written by her father. There she falls in love with the protagonist who is played by Shatabhisha Moon Lee Jong-Suk, who gets gets sucked into her reality as well. In the Chinese drama Love Game in Eastern Fantasy, Mula Sun Esther Yu gets sucked into a video game novel as a supporting character. In The Wizard of Oz, Mula Moon and Ardra ASC Judy Garland plays a Kansas farm girl who is taken away in a tornado and ends up in the magical Land of Oz. In the series Emerald City, Ashwini Sun Adria Arjona is a Kansas nurse who is transported by a tornado to the Land of Oz. In the film Oz: The Great & Powerful, Ashwini Sun James Franco is a magician who is hurled away from Kansas into the wonderful land of Oz. In the 2013 animation Epic, Magha Moon Amanda Seyfried voices a young girl who finds herself transported into an alternate world and even falls in love with Ashwini Moon Josh Hutcherson's character (I highly recommend this film).

As Rahu is associated with illusions and exploring the foreign, we see this theme of escaping into simulations and dreamy worlds which one becomes absorbed in. This has been explored deeper within Swati nakshatra, which combines the arts and illusory tendencies of Rahu together.

The influence of the nodes often transcends the physical realm, embodying forces of spirituality, illusion and transformation together. But they both manifest differently in this theme. Rahu becomes absorbed in illusions (in form of the arts, simulations, imagination (ex. Peter Pan being the boy who is attached to Neverland because he never grows up — Neverland is an illusory place only found in the minds of children, this highlighting his attachment to illusions)); while Ketu tends to escape the material plane altogether, yearning transcendence and passing by realms to seek meaning and lessons.

In the film Meet Joe Black, Mula Sun Brad Pitt plays an otherworldly being who takes over the body of a man to experience Earth and be guided in the teachings & meaning of life. His very existence quite literally transcends time and space, which I relate to Ketu, as he is a mystery himself.

He is innately detached from human concerns like time, societal expectations, and permanence. But he falls in love with a human named Susan, who is also nodal-ruled, and his nature makes their connection doomed from the start. Susan is played by Mula Sun, Mula Moon native Claire Forlani. This making for another star-crossed pair because he can never fully participate in human life.

Going into the body-swapping trope, this calls to Rahu's desire to navigate a foreign perspective while Ketu seeks to transcend its rigid reality.

In the film Hot Chick (2002), Swati ASC Rachel McAdams plays a teenage girl who wakes up in the body of a 30-year-old male criminal played by Swati Sun and Ashwini Moon native Rob Schneider. In 1989's film Dream a Little Dream, an accident puts the consciousness of an elderly dream researcher played by Magha Moon Jason Robards into the body of a bratty teenager who is played by Mula Sun and Shatabhisha Moon native Corey Haim. Many more examples often include a Saturn nakshatra native as well, which I found very interesting. Hopefully I'll be circling back to that one day!

Rahu is thriving on the chaos of this trope since an entirely new identity is being explored (and lessons are learned as the social difference in one's gender, class, and even age tends to be highlighted for the ignorant one (Rahu essentially refining the native through this experience)).

The interaction of the nodes drive each other to a deeper understanding of life's illusions as it signifies letting go and refining oneself. In this little exploration, I got to understand that Ashwini is a romantic nakshatra which deals with loss and forced detachment due to Ketu. While Rahu nakshatras tend to be more romantic and igniting conflict in their pursuit of a love that's not right according to societal standards. This solidifies the image of the eternal chase of the dragon representing desire and detachment.

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