#the sufferings of my past were lessons on what to do to others as revenge: GYUTARO

[kakiastro]

2024: The Year of the Dragon

Well, we made yall! This was a 7 ruled year, ruled by the Moon, Neptune, and South Node. This year had us all deep in our feelings. So many people had their first spiritual awakening, others psychic gifts has strengthened. This year was teaching us on how to listen to our intuition. If you’re a creative, then this year was really the year ideas and projects came to you. With the moon here, so many people started their own families, so many woman in my personal life had babies this year lol. Our family dynamics changed, our homes may have changed. Lots of early life/past lives issues smacked us in the face this year, a lot of people started their healing journey.

This year is an 8 ruled year.

8 rules over the spiritual and materialistic world. 8 is balance, it means you need to balance being in our world and the spiritual.

8 is also an infinity symbol, hence why is it’s a loop. What loops(patterns)have you been stuck in? This year will show you that and what loops you need to get out of

8 also have a deep love for humanity, so I personally expect more protest against wars, those who are really suffering in our world. There’s going to be a strong empathy pull. Make no mistake though, the number 8 also rules over authority, social status, ego, inner strength and wisdom. While there’s a lot of love, there’s going to lots of people having unchecked egos so be careful of that. Listening to others opinions(whether you agree or not) will be a collective lesson.

The number 8 is ruled by Saturn and Capricorn. This is a Saturnian year. So to my fellow Saturnians/Capricorn placements/10h, we are the first in line the classroom (earth) this year lol.

Saturn is in Pisces, so fellow Caps, and everyone really, I feel we are going to continue being in our feelings and will begin to open our hearts to others. Capricorn is a reserved sign, doesn’t really show outward emotions, they would rather cry in private or in the shower😅. Not this year LoL, this year is teaching us that it’s okay to not be okay, it’s okay to be open about it as well. We will meet people who will show us the magical side of life. Saturn is a realism and pessimistic sign, but Pisces is the sign of hope, magic and fantasy. Remember, Pisces is also co ruled by Jupiter which is currently in Taurus. What is success to you? Is this success to you because this is what you were taught or is this what you really want? These are the type of questions you will be asking yourself.

8 is the number for Karma as well. Karma isn’t what many people think it is lol. Karma isn’t just some revenge type of thing lol. Also, Karma isn’t always bad either so get that out your mindset as well. Bad things happen to good people all the time, you being a good person doesn’t exempt you of messed up situations. If anything, it’s to make you become more empathetic and self aware of the bad things. Karma can be good as well

The etymology of karma is from the Sanskrit meaning “Action, Effect, Fate”

Karma is what you do that will cause a ripple/effect that can change your fate.

Example:

1. You get into a relationship and everything is going great for a year. Then you discovered your partner cheated. Your hurt and say “karma will get him and I can’t wait to watch.”

2. Months go by and you see your cheater ex is in a new relationship, treating this new partner better than you. You start thinking “karmas not real because if it was, why are they living the good life?” Meanwhile, you’re still picking up the pieces to heal but you’re healing is the key word.

3. Little do you know, your ex had cheated on you with someone who’s only using them and they end up getting cheated on. It wasn’t because of you, know they created that ripple for themselves. They let there ego and lust dictate there actions. If they would’ve had any control, they would’ve known not to do this so the Universe/God let the domino fall. They may end struggling with their career, health, spiritually to teach them to grow and learn. Now will they? That’s up to them. Just because someone appears to be doing well from the outside doesn’t mean that they really are or going to be.

4. You’ve done your healing and now know what you want and the red flags to look out for. You end up in an actual healthy relationship. A friend of yours suspects her partner of cheating and asked for your advice. Because you went through this, you know the signs. Because of this, you helped her. See that domino effect lol

That was long but I hope that makes sense you all! I have a mercury Rx in my chart so my thoughts go everywhere lol.

One of the first biggest events of 2024 is that Pluto enters Aquarius

Dates: January 20th - September 1st

Then: it will go back in Capricorn for the last time in our lifetime in September 1- November 20th.

Finally: it will go into Aquarius November 20th, where it will stay unto 2043. Y’all this is a 20 year transit!! So many changes are about to happen

I’ve already made a post about this transit, you can read it here!

2024 is the year of the dragon, in the element Wood.

Dragons are seen as honorable, strength, success

Wood represents vitality and creativity

-this is good year to pursue your goals and if you’re consistent, you will achieve success.

Eclipses

First Lunar eclipse will be on March 25th.

It will be in the sign of Libra! Which is where South Node currently is as well. Relationships with our family and within our home will be highlighted. The house that Libra rules in your chart will tell you how this will

First Solar eclipse will be on April 8th

It will be in the sign of Aries with NN being in it. Setting new goals for yourself, starting something new in your life, be bold and brave.

2nd Lunar eclipse is in Pisces on September 17th. Hello feelings lol! Pisces will have us sit alone and think about our most hidden thoughts and they will be highlighted. This is a good time for spiritual growth.

2nd Solar eclipse is in Libra on October 2nd. Relationships will be the hot topic for 2024. I predict so many people are going to be breaking up, finding love, having new friendships, family relationships are going to be changing, collaborating with people, justice, fairness will all be themes

Mercury Retrogrades will be in fire signs this year

First Mercury Rx is in Aries on April 1st-25th. Thinking and planning your goals, making sure everything is in order.

2nd Rx is August 4th-28th in the sign of Virgo and Leo. It’s giving say it with your chest energy but not too much lol. Be brave with your thoughts but try to think rationally as well.

3rd Rx is November 25th in Sagittarius. Time for us to reflect on our ideals that we’ve learned. Look at different philosophies point of view

Another big Astrological event is the Jupiter-Uranus in Taurus conjunction on April 20th.

Jupiter is the planet if expansion, higher learning, traveling and religion

Uranus is the planet of change, science of medicine, innovation and rebellion.

Taurus is the 2nd sign of the zodiac and it rules over our finances, self worth, our possessions, food, beauty, nature such as forest and trees.

What do I predict with this transit:

-huge breakthroughs with regarding medicines and innovative discoveries

-something dealing with travel or immigration

-I suspect some type if change regarding the church or how people view the church (pastors, priest etc)

-something dealing with our food and us being more aware about our own dietary choices. What’s not good for us and what goes in our food basically

On May 25th, Jupiter leaves Taurus and enters airy sign Gemini. It will be in Gemini until 2025

The best way to describe this transit is communication!!! Remember Jupiter expands everything so we will be more open about our thoughts and standing on business on what we say! I feel there’s going to be a huge influx on the dire need to want to go back to school and learn new things. Big cars are going to the thing everyone will want to have! If you’re a writer, this can be a good year to write that book and get it published, all the way up until 2025 at least.

Mars Go Rx December 6th- February 23rd 2025, in the sign of Cancer and Leo!

This is poignant because Mars only go retrograde every 2 years! The last Rx was 2021-2022 ish and it was in Gemini

With it switching from water and fire, emotions will be be high. Really check your emotions during this time, this can be a good time to sort your home out, being motivated to start something like a creative outlet.

As you all can see, this is going to be an eventful year but I’m wishing you all happy and memorable one! To those who’ve been following me this year, I just want to say thank you! thank you! thank you!

With love and gratitude

-kaki

[imogenkol]

With each new leak and crumb of information we get about season 2 of Andor, the more I become equal parts excited and terrified for Bix.

It looks like they might be going in a darker direction for her, which makes sense given the horrifying torture she endured and the losses she suffered. Bix must feel so lost in the year before the season opens, plus she has a lot of anger and needs to put it somewhere.

“If I’m giving up everything… I wanna win.”

Oof. That line has been echoing in my head for the past day or so. Bix is all in. While I do think she’s a rebel at heart, I believe that “the cause” is secondary to her. She’s fighting for her now — for her home and her community, a place she longs to return to, but deep down knows it will never be the same, not for her at least… Bix is fighting for revenge. I believe that will be her purpose and driving force this season.

My deepest fear for her is becoming an accessory to Cassian. Becoming a prop for his losses and pain. I’ve said it before, but I really don’t think a rekindled romance between the two of them would serve either of their stories in any way.

Bix needs to find her sense of self again, who she is apart from Cassian. Apart from Ferrix, even. I want her to journey inwards to the darkest depths of her soul — to give in to the urges that scare her. I want her to frighten those around her, not because they’re afraid for her, but because they’re afraid of her. No one is sure what she’s willing to do anymore. She’s not even sure. And then I want her to come out of the other side of that and be a steadfast force of nature.

It would not serve her to move backwards. To accept Cassian as a partner again after the numerous times he has disappointed her, broken her trust, broken her heart. I feel like she’s learned her lesson too many times, especially so after the corpo incident. I do want to see them rebuild that trust and affection they have for each other, but with an unspoken understanding that they will never be romantic again.

The worst thing I feel like they could do to Bix is have her die for Cassian. That would just take so much away from her story. She has already suffered so much for him that to have her die as a means to further his own journey would really just be so disrespectful to such an interesting character.

Cassian as well I feel would not benefit from a rekindled romance. He is still finding his way in the galaxy. Diego Luna even said that Cassian starts the season still conflicted. Once his commitment to the cause is cemented, there won’t be much left of himself to give and Bix deserves so much more than that. It would be disappointing and unnecessary to see a weak excuse for a relationship between them where neither is able or willing to give it their all until it eventually fizzles out one final time — or until god forbid Bix dies.

Vel and Cinta already exist to explore that type of dynamic, it would feel a little redundant and possibly even take away from the complexities of their relationship (that we’ve barely scratched the surface of) if there were two similar dynamics happening parallel to each other on screen.

I would love to see Bix and Cassian be close again. There’s a lot of potential to create a unique and fascinating dynamic between them considering all their history, but it would be so refreshing to see a more familial type of bond form as opposed to a romantic one, and to see how these characters navigate that new dynamic.

Also while Bix’s likely death would and should affect Cassian, I truly hope that if she does go out… she goes out fighting for her own cause.

[that-gay-jedi]

Soo I moved away from 12 step adjacent self help stuff a long time ago bc tbh the ideology behind them is total bunk, but I did take one very very good lesson from the ones I experimented with and that is that doing the thing(s) NEVER feels as good as you remember it.

I'm sure for many people that's a substance they know hurts their body and/or their lives in some way, but for me sometimes it's indulging in schadenfreude when people fuck themselves over through the same thought and behavioural patterns that led them to hurt me in the past.

I know a lot about living well (or even simply surviving) as being a greater victory than revenge, but occasionally I still give in to that impulse to look for some kind of justice where there is none. Then I might let a mutual friend tell me about it instead of declining the chance to gossip, or read a post from someone I should've just blocked and forgotten about, or whatever, and whenever I do it's just... not as good as that spiteful part of me said it would be.

When the little brain-devil is sitting on my shoulder, I remember vindication as repairing some of the damage that seeing such people step on others with no recourse has done to my relationship to the world and to life itself. Maybe there was a time when it actually did help me reconcile with the apologies I never got, but if it ever did, it doesn't anymore.

It always goes one of two ways. Either the person starts to get a clue and become a better person, in which case I don't even want them to suffer anymore, or they don't realize the connection at all, and then in a way no matter what befalls them it still feels like they did all the shitty things with total impunity bc they still get to think they were in the right.

Turns out that no matter which side the coin lands on, more suffering in the world is just more suffering in the world.

I do still feel good when some CEO, politician or celeb growing rich and powerful on the suffering of others dies, and I likely will when my first abuser dies as well as some individuals whose harm to me was tied in to bigoted ideologies that are still a threat- but only because it makes the world a safer place. And if instead of dropping dead they just acquire more and more self-curses and/or fall off a ladder and break their everybone or something, they're still around to continue doing more harm.

While I unequivocally believe there are people so cruel that it would be a net good if they randomly dropped dead, the thing is that it doesn't undo any of the damage they did before they dropped dead. I don't know why I ever expected it to.

[xiv-wolfram]

Around the Fire - Comic Script

Heavensward - lvl 52

Wolfram and Alphinaud have an awkward conversation.

Catch up on my WoLComics (Chronological List)

This is the script for a future comic. Posting for those who don’t want to wait to get the story. Numbers indicate frame number. A or B followed by ) is for a split frame.

Shot of Dravania. Alphi and Wolf sitting round that campfire with hunter tents. Narrator - Wolfram (the Warrior of Light) has been traveling with Alphinaud, Estinien, and Ysayle. Alphinaud's self pity is really starting to annoy him. 

A) Alphi sad. - "--but if I had been more vigilant with the Braves finances then -" B) Wolf annoyed, face in hand - "Oh just stop it already!"

A) Alphi hurt - "I beg your pardon?" B) Wolf smiles apologeticly - "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just - how long are you going to blame yourself?"

A) Alphi thinks - "Well, I had not thought to put a timeline on it. How would I know when my guilt will wear off?" B) Wolf serious - "In my experience - it doesn't ever go away, but you need not obsess over it so. Especially for something so small."

Alphi shocked - "Small?! The bloody banquet was no small matter! The Sultana poisoned. General Raubahn maimed. The Scions scattered. The Crystal Braves were *my* doing.”

Wolf smiles gently - "Aye, all of those events were horrible, but you barely played a part. You learned humility from this and that's good, but that was the only lesson you need to take from it. A man like Ilberd he... He'd have found another way. A man like that will stop at nothing to attain power. To get his revenge." Dark Thought - 'You should know. You weren't so different once.'

A) Alphi confused - "How can you speak as if those events didn't affect you when you've been -" B) Alphi quickly covers his mouth with hand.

A) Wolf confused - "When I what? Spit it out kid." B) Alphi nervous - "I have... Heard you talk in your sleep. My apologies. It was not my intention to eavesdrop."

Wolf surprised - "Oh? And what do I say?" Thought - 'Gods I hope it's not the voidsent. It's been so quiet lately.'

Alphi nervous - "You... well usually it is something akin to 'Don't touch him. You'll not have him too! I'll die before that happens!' Then, just last night I thought I heard you say 'Rau'. So I assumed you were having a nightmare about the banquet. I can not help but feel responsible for your troubled sleep. If only I had -"

Wolf scoffs, looking down into the fire. Thought - 'Ah, that one.' Say - "No Alphinaud. That wasn't about the banquet. Pray feel no guilt for my bad dreams. They've plagued me for many years now. In fact I'm quite fortunate to be sleeping through them. In the past that one had me waking to the sound of my own screams." Alphi stunned. Thought - 'I had no idea our hero suffered so…'

Wolf serious, stares Alphi in the eyes. - "I had hoped it wouldn't be an issue on this journey, but I need you to promise me something just in case. If you awaken to find me out of my bedroll doing anything odd like walking around or bathing my arms in a stream, please wake me up."

Wolf worried - "However, if I seem to be in a state of distress and tell you to run - please do not argue. Take the others and flee."

A) Alphi shocked - "May I ask why you –" B) Wolf pleading - "Please don't. A man my age needs a few secrets."

Wolf grins coyly - "Besides, without a mysterious past I'd be terribly dull." 

A) Alphie smiles - "Alright then, Wolfram. Keep your secrets. I will do as you ask. I suspect I need not take action if you are experiencing the other dreams?" B) Wolf confused - "Other? There are others?"

Alphi thinks - "Well, I believe them to be pure nonsense. You seem to be talking to a calf? I can't quite make out the words. Sometimes you make odd sounds as well."

Wolf's face turns completely red, shocked. - "You know... I may just move my bedroll further away from the fire. Aye, maybe the cool air is what I need."

Catch up on my WoLComics (Chronological List)

[putsben]

I learned my lessons, sometimes the one that you cared the most, the one that gave birth to you would betrayed your heart and soul.

She broke my heart for many times, with decisions she made on her own. Keep torturing herself with things that she does not really know of, how naive and an innocent person could turned into someone else over a tragedy to another tragedy.

I learned to let go and forgive my mother of her behavior over the years I’ve kept to myself. How she hurt me with words that God would never ever do such to me. But I’m willing to get through this to understand the suffering of oneself shall dim sooner or later. I detached myself of being caught in the strange emotion.

I came to my senses where I exploded into pieces. Said of all the truth things I’ve kept it as family secret to myself. I never speak word of hating others, but I’ve decided I should draw the line where I know my limit at.

They said blood thicker than water, but now that my skinned growing thicker than ever. I do not want to consume myself with revenge, hatred but instead I let it go. I just stay in my lane and keep going with whatever I’ve been doing ever since.

I’ve done this alone before, I’m used to it to the fact that I am okay. I just want to keep my peace of mind. The rest, I don’t want anymore.

Quarrel, intense argument, shouting to each other. I’m just over it.

I’m done being the one who has to initiated, willingly to admit what’s my mistakes but again, people would remind you as an asshole.

Once you’re an asshole, you’ll always do.

My mum used to say, I have been acting the same for the past 10 years while she doesn’t even recognize me as human. She does know what I had to go through to become the person I am now. But for the fact, I don’t have to prove to her to get her validation. I just missed her warmth hug and kisses like she used to give me when I was a kid. Now that she seems so deceiving about us, treating us cold for over 10 years now.

I honoured and recognized with all the traumas she has to go through, but we were there too. We were there when things hitting us hard like typhoon Katrina and it was really bad for us all, but we stick to each other all along. Now, my mum tend to keep us separated and the amount of hatred that she kept showing to me does break my heart from time to time. No matter how, I still love her as a person, as my mother.

I just wish that she could even realized sometimes traumas should not be passing down to the next generation, we’re should be the one that has to break it. I would not condone the idea of being in such situation of having to deal with family issues.

I guess enough is enough. Adulting is hard but everyone has to go on their ways sometimes.

[purpurapoena]

tag dump

[dandelionwhisp]

Credit

An Automaton AU ft. Azul

Automaton Au by @jackplushie !!

I hope I’ve done some justice to all the amazing writers I’ve seen writing this au. Enjoy and thank you for reading! <3

—————————————————

“Oh wow- Your files are so well organized!” A fellow scavenger friend of yours came over to hang out and talk about your recent finds.

“Everything is in a specific place and labeled too! Blueprints, notes, maps and diagrams, even costs of machinery!”

You had shut down your automatons for the day so they wouldn’t cause a ruckus, after all yours were known to be a bit... unpredictable around other people.

“Hm? Oh- nah none of that was me. Azul, organized those stuff. Like all of it. He’s incredibly skilled.” You shrugged honestly, smiling to yourself as you remembered jolting awake at night, only to see Azul copying all your papers and placing them in neat folders despite you never asking for it. “He works pretty hard.”

“Azul?... Oh- oh your bot? You give credit to your bots..?”

“I mean- yeah? I didn’t do any of it after all.”

Your friend hummed. “I guess that makes sense. Sorry I’m just so used to people taking full credit of what their bot did.”

You shook your head irritably. “Credit should be given where credit is due.” You both made soft conversation as an onlooker gazed at you in shock. Not that it showed on his face. After all. He was supposed to be completely shut down.

Azul often scoffed at his masters, those who believed they had any power over him and took the credit for his hard work. Once information was handed over, Azul was the one in control now. Despite this, he is still just a bot. Humans had created many failsafes in case of malfunctions and to think with a mind of your own as an automaton made to serve, was definitely considered a malfunction.

Everything would be wiped and taken away from him and like trash, he was thrown aside. He would never feel that stability of power again.

Until you came along. Eyes shining, you were perfect for him. Easy to manipulate, naive and excited over every little thing you found rotting in abandonment within the dump outside your home. You were his savior, his client. His victim.

But he had learned his lesson. This time, he would be more cautious. He would do things for you without being asked to under the pretense of “repaying a debt” as he called it, he would let you become dependent and cocky like every human does. He would suck it up when you took the credit for his efforts in order to benefit him in the long run.

But you didn’t. No none of his past experiences could prepare him for the way you checked in on him as he worked, asking if he wasn’t burning himself out (literally) or the way you thanked him sincerely for his hard work. Azul was never worried over, never thanked.

He suffered to take revenge on those who wronged him. But how was he supposed to take revenge on someone who only did him right? For now, at least.

So as he waited, hidden behind a curtain, Azul trained his eyes on you and your friend conversing happily.

‘Credit should be given where credit is due.’ you had said.

It wasn’t the first time you exercised that belief. Even as you received strange looks from others who would’ve done differently, you always gave credit where it was due.

“Ruggie found those parts for me actually. He’s got a sharp eye!”

“No, no, I didn’t make that- Trey did. Pretty good right? Let me tell you about the time he made some brownies...”

“I didn’t put this together on my own. Jamil and Jade gave a lot of guidance too. They’re really helpful with repairs and stuff.”

“Kalim and Epel had a hand in cleaning the house with me the other day! There were some stumbles but it was probably the most fun I had cleaning my garage ever.”

“Isn’t my makeup amazing?? Vil is so good with it and I can’t believe how talented he is— yes I know he’s a bot it’s still cool though!”

To be praised. To be referred to as an equal. It is unheard of for automatons to receive that kind of treatment. Ever. Until they met you. And they would do anything to keep you.

“Thanks for having me over! Haha if you ever don’t need your Azul bot, then send him over to my house- I could use that hardworking efficiency.”

“Pfft alright I’ll ask him about it.” Your friend rolled their eyes with a laugh and waved goodbye.

You picked up the food remnants of your friend’s visit and put everything away in the rare silence of your home. There was usually always some machinery whirring or clicking coming from your bots- if not the endless chatter from the more talkative ones.

Making your way over to the translucent curtain draped over the bots you thought so fondly of, you dusted Azul off and fixed his glasses with a gentle smile. The same one you wore when he was nothing but broken scraps with nothing to offer.

“Azul, you could probably be assigned to someone really rich and powerful with better living conditions than a scavenger like me.” You touched his face gently. “I’m sorry you’re stuck with me for now.”

Just as you powered him on, his hand shot out to grab your wrist. Yelping in surprise, your eyes met with his periwinkle ones glimmering with something unknown.

“A-Azul?”

You wince as his grip becomes tighter and more unforgiving, sure to leave a mark. Just as he wants.

He brings your hand up, pressing your palm to his lips in a manner too intimate for an automaton to be capable of. Tears welled up in your eyes at the sensation of pain and tenderness from him as he whispers against your skin.

“I will never serve any one else but you. No one. Not even you can tear me away from being yours. Or you mine.”

You gave this poor little octobot a chance to experience something he had never even dreamed was possible before, and you can’t possibly think about letting him go anytime soon because you were different. So he would treat you differently.

The day you took him in, you made a deal. A deal that enabled equal and opposite care between the two of you.

Credit should be given where credit is due, and Azul feels as though he hasn’t given enough credit for all the kindness you’ve shown him.

The automaton intertwines his fingers with your own, sending shivers down your spine, and flashes a smile similar to that of a businessman who scored a good deal.

Hitched breathing and heart thumping, he brings you to his chest. Somehow cold yet burning against your skin.

“You’re mine.” he repeated, commandingly. desperately.

You signed the contract marked upon his manmade heart, so won’t you let him stick around? Don’t worry, it’s just until the contract ends.

And as for how long it stays active?

Indefinitely.

[naruzumake]

"The sufferings of my past were lessons on what to do to others as revenge! If I don't cause misery equal to my own unhappiness, I'll never balance the scales! That's how it is when you're a demon! And we kill anyone who tries to tell us otherwise."

[dailyadventureprompts]

I want to set up a "what do you fight for" moment for my players, but I'm not sure how. Any advice?

Drafting the Adventure: The Ethos Moment

One of the beat pieces of writing advice I ever got is that every main character has a fundamental misapprehension about how the world works, and that most good character development is about challenging this misapprehension until they come to understand a truth about the world, at which point they now possess the right mindset to push past the thing that was initially holding them back and reach their ending.

It has a lot of different names depending on the type of story you're telling, and can very wildly in whether it's positive or negative for a character ( someone in a heroic story might find a deepest reserve of strength, where as someone in a horror story might fall off the deep end and become a nihilistic witness to the nightmares that unfold) but I like to call this "The Ethos Moment" because it aligns the character with the overall message of the work and comes to be a defining part of their character moving forward, signaling that they've "graduated" into their final state and are ready to face the challenges ahead.

Naturally this is way more difficult when you have 3-5 OTHER main characters who might have worldviews that not only contrast but contradict one another, in that something that might be actively harmful to one character (the reluctant berserker giving in to rage) may be tremendously cathartic to another (the putupon victim finally getting revenge against their wrongdoer).

Bringing about an ethos moment is a delicate process of characterization alchemy, one that I can't provide an exact formula for as it largely depends on the character, their player, their dm, the campaign they're playing, and the point in the story that the party has currently reached. That said, like all great works of TTRPG storytelling an ethos moment is best improvised half way through an ongoing story, making use of the character building the party has already done.

Regardless if a character started out as a blank slate or a fully realized individual, through the process of adventuring they've acquired experiences and expressed opinions, things they've liked, disliked, grown proud of, or been hesitant to do. These help you define the boundary of your ethos moment, which you can start writing into your story once you feel you have a sense of what really makes the character tick.

The key is figuring out what line the character in question doesn't WANT to cross, even if failing to do so hurts them in the long run. Will the apathetic character finally let themselves connect with someone else and in turn recognize the pain that made them put others at a distance? Will the nhilistic character realize there's good worth holding onto in the world? Will the control freak realize sometimes you just need to be in the moment? There's no point giving an already physically powerful character a hidden wellspring of strength at the 11th hour, we already know they're strong, just like it's not worthwhile to have a well liked and sociable character realize they were fighting for their friends all along. What the ethos moment gives them is a means to temper their character, mitigating one of their largest flaws and growing as a person in the process.

One of the secrets of engineering such a scene is that it can be equally character building if they FAIL to learn the lesson, suffering some setback because they chose to stick to their misapprehended worldview. Facing failure because they stuck to flawed convictions seeds cracks of doubt and regret through their mind, leading to questions and divergant actions next time the oppertunity presents itself.

As for what motivates these scenarios: mentor characters can be great for this, seeking to instill an ethos moment early as they set the character on the right path. Gods are also great motivations, with different entities laying claim to who the character IS and COULD BE with a narrative to decide who will ultimately rule. As for when in the game this all should be set in motion , I'd say about 7th level? long enough into the story that your party's had some development, but not so long that they're going to reach that lauded 10th lvl milestone as the same people they were at the start of the campaign.

Art

[death-of-the-self]

Shigaraki as the demon Gyutaro from demon slayer

“ The sufferings of my past were lessons on what to do to others as revenge! If I don't cause misery equal to my own unhappiness, I'll never balance the scales! That's how it is when you're a Demon! And we kill anyone who tries to tell us otherwise.” — Gyutaro

[kamadevva]

the issue with the ending of ōoku (analysis)

Recently, I received this reply on my previous analysis regarding Ōoku:

And I thought this was, in particular, important to brief over + criticism on how poorly written Ōoku was in certain aspects. I replied to the original commenter already, but I’ll be posting my thoughts as a post as well, since I think it’s VERY important to be aware about the issues with the story and it’s impact on Kama as a whole.

In direct response to the reply: “There’s a HUGE difference between people caring about Kama’s trauma versus condoning the fact Pārvatī LITERALLY retraumatized them by a second incineration, let alone the fact the whole reason Ōoku happened in the first place is because Kama was used by the gods and Pārvatī and suffered a whole universe of pain leaving them traumatized beyond belief.

The other participants in Ōoku of course aren’t obligated to help Kama though this still doesn’t excuse the fact they were perfectly okay with letting Pārvatī retraumatize them again— the WHOLE reason they became evil-aligned. It’s legitimately a huge slap in the face because it needlessly retraumatizes an already scarred victim right and is then masked with a shitty “good wins and real love is applicable to everyone but kama!11!!”.

It doesn’t acknowledge their past issues and current internal issues at all that caused all their evil doings in the first place, and this ending BARELY gives leeway for them to heal as is. Of all people, Pārvatī is the one who IS actually obligated to care about the damage she did to Kama, unintentional or not. And in the end, all she gave was a shitty “sorry”, tried to pass her blame onto Indra, and then proceeded to incinerate Kama because there’s apparently no better way of taking them down.

So no, the issue isn’t the fact Kama was defeated, because yes what they did was bad— the issue is the fact HOW they were defeated was horribly disgusting and a huge message of “screw trauma victims for retaliating against the people who caused said trauma”.”

Not touched on in the reply itself, but I also think it is important to point out that even if Ōoku wasn’t just an act of revenge against Pārvatī (as it was against all of humanity for constantly blaming Kamadeva for the failures of love), Kama STILL had the right to retaliate after all they endured— and yeah, how they retaliated was bad, but how does is that any different from what Pārvatī did to them AGAIN, let alone how all the bystanders reacted? And at the very least, Kama trying to drown the universe with their love had the motive as a solution for them constantly getting blamed for failures of love— what excuse does Pārvatī have for SPECIFICALLY choosing to incinerate them again, an experience she KNEW was so painful and what made them so resentful in the first place?? How does incinerating them a second time fix any of the ongoing issues Kama had that led them up to this point??

It doesn’t. If not, it absolutely made their issues worse— Kama was straight up intending to commit suicide before Kiara plucked them, and as said by themself— they “always end up the victim”. NOTHING in Ōoku was fixed, and the only thing that was gained was the ending, where Kiara sends Kama to heal.

To me, Ōoku reads exactly as “we will reveal all the trauma a victim went through and proceed to worsen said trauma without fixing anything”, as well as a “let’s teach the lesson of love to kama by worsening their trauma”. It’s insensitive and poorly written, and even if you don’t like Kama, Ōoku overall still has a pretty poor message no matter how intricate it was.

[cynicallynaivegirl]

The sufferings of my past were lessons on what to do to others as revenge! If I don't cause misery equal to my own unhappiness, I'll never balance the scales! That's how it is when you're a demon! And we kill anyone who tries to tell us otherwise.

[criminalmutantsins]

My Version of the Hamato Family

Hi everyone! Thank you for reading and liking part one. It made my day!

So, this is where I shine in writing. I love creating characters and their backstory; it’s so fun. I think it is more important to focus on characters than the plot since a character can create the storyline- well at least for me.

I’m excited to share! Hope you enjoy!

Comment your thoughts! It would be cool to read them! 😁

……………………..

 Leonardo:

We’re starting with the usual leader-in-blue!

Although I adore Leo, his “perfect” personality can get a little boring. His versions usually have flaws, though they are the kind that makes you sympathize with him rather than feeling indifferent like with Raph’s anger issues.

Season 1 Leo would be a toned-down Rise Leo. He can be cocky when he succeeds over his brothers and would jokingly comment how he is Splinter’s favorite. However, it doesn’t come without hard work. Leo trains the most out of his brothers and spends most of his time studying fighting techniques. He is not naturally talented in ninjitsu like the past incarnations. Also, Leo’s motivations for training very hard and wanting to be leader is more for himself than anything.

Compared to his brothers, Leo was relatively average. Donnie was extremely smart, Mikey had his kind and joyful soul, and Raph was naturally a great fighter. Leo felt left out and decided that training to be a hero would be his way of standing out. He also believed that being special like his brothers was the only way to get Splinter’s attention; and it kind of worked. With all the progress Leo made, Splinter praised him, and they had a way to connect.

Around the beginning of S1(maybe ep. 5), Leo became the leader though how was different. Instead of Splinter deciding, the brothers did; the explanation was the turtles were a team and should make a consensus as one. This news made Leo ecstatic; he was finally living his dreams. Even so, he didn’t realize the baggage and responsibility a leader had to shoulder. Over the course of the story Leo grows as a great leader and fighter.

The Karai/Leo subplot will follow the 2003 version. He is convinced that Karai is a good person and tries to have her switch sides. There will be romantic feelings but its not the main motivation for both of their actions. I can’t say too much since this plot revolves around Karai more.

   Donatello:

Donnie is a blend of 2003/12 versions. He is intelligent with an extremely high IQ and was a gifted child. However, his intelligence came with a cost; making connections with his brothers and father was really tough for him because of their different interests. This left him withdrawing from everyone and focusing on his inventions. His social skills evolve once the turtles visit the city and meet April. The increasing danger of the Kraang further builds his relationships since communication is important in teamwork, and Donnie’s talent in inventing grew more in the spotlight.

Because of her fascination with Donnie’s smarts and inventions, April and Donnie become good friends as the story continues. Donnie also gets close with April’s best friend, Irma since they are science lovers. At first, Casey irritates him as they have clearly different personality; Casey’s impulsive and extroverted attitude conflicting with Donnie’s plan-based mindset.

Donnie’s love for his family is showcased after witnessing a terrifying, apocalyptic future where his family suffers. Paranoia sets in. His work to calculate the cause of this terrible, and its solution leads Donnie to rarely take care of his needs. He has to learn to trust in others instead of doing things alone.

 Raphael:

Unlike Leo, Raph is instantly gifted in fighting. He has more physical strength than his brothers and would constantly beat them in practice. Since childhood, Raph was Splinter’s “favorite” in the dojo and that definitely got into the red-banded turtle’s head. He would brag to his brothers and jokingly poke fun at their techniques. It wouldn’t affect anyone. Except for Leo.

Raphael’s ego started taking hits once Leo caught up to him and beating him in practice once in a while. It turned into anger after noticing Master Splinter praising Leo more. The tension soured their brotherhood. Unlike most versions, Raph’s anger is fueled by insecurity. He believes that fighting is the only thing he is good at and will get territorial if his spotlight is threatened.

Throughout the story, he learns to move on from his demons and realize his worth.

Family is important to Raph. He can be hard on his brothers yet will do anything to keep them safe, especially Mikey- his positivity must be protected. Casey and Raph become best friends for their similarities and love for fighting- they are impulsive bros.

 Michelangelo:

Mikey’s role is to be the positive and glue of the team. He loves to make people happy and would always do something goofy or kind to do that. His family have nothing bad to say about their youngest member and are very protective of him. The youngest brother doesn’t take ninjitsu as seriously as skateboarding, dancing, or just general fun. Though, he will be serious when the situation calls for it, such as the fate of his family and the world.

Although being an open ear to anyone, Mikey is not open to expressing his negative emotions due to his fear of damaging the family dynamic. It is noticeable when he is upset because he jokes more often and not focus. A lesson he must learn is to accept the good and the bad. Mikey can be reckless, mostly when his brothers rarely let him participate in missions. He wants to prove to his family that he is strong enough to protect himself and others. Reading people is his best skill and takes great pride in it, usually taking on the role of a therapist.

 Splinter/Hamato Yoshi:

I really wanted to take Splinter’s role in the Shredder’s descent to evil in the grayer area. He is usually the victim/innocent party of the story, which can get boring after a while.

Hamato Yoshi was born as the heir to Hamato Clan and childhood best friend of Oroku Saki. The Hamato and Foot clan were allies for centuries and would usually fight by each other’s side. Matters changed when the Foot’s beliefs grew more sinister. This left the Hamato Clan to eradicate their former ally. Splinter saved Saki before he could be killed, though, it came with consequences. Oroku Saki vowed to exact revenge for his fallen home. Growing up, Splinter became one of the strongest martial artists in Japan and married a woman named Tang Shen, later becoming a father to a girl. His world ended once he saw his clan destroyed and his family killed by the renewed Foot Clan.

Yoshi decided to move to New York and forget his old life. Years later, the martial artist noticed strange people caging defenseless animals. He would fight them long enough to protect four humanoid turtles, deciding to keep them after a moment of compassion. Splinter would continuously fight the strange men until a strange liquid turned him into a rat. This turning point banished Splinter and the turtles to the sewers for protection.

Splinter equally loves his sons. He would always make sure to give them equal amounts of love to avoid lasting issues. Though, he has made some mistakes. Emotions were rarely discussed because of Splinter’s unintentionally withdrawn attitude. The rat master wouldn’t instantly notice problems between his sons, and usually didn’t know how to resolve them. No matter what, Splinter is proud of his children and would do anything to keep them safe; sometimes not realizing that it could hurt them.

Hamato Yoshi’s guilt and trauma over the terrible moments in his life would be the main focus of his development.

[unforth]

Could you elaborate on the parallels between the Scorpion and his dad and WKX and Purple Danger? I find that thought really interesting! <3

Oh my god you're asking me for meta? No one asks me for meta!!! Getting this made me so happy, thank you! And yes, I'd be delighted to!

Lemme preface this by saying: I have not read the book, and I've only seen episodes 1 through 27, and while I do know some spoilers for past what I've seen, I don't know everything, and I obviously can't speak to changes in dynamics that may happen past what I've watched.

So, I noted in this post that I felt like I'd just gotten slapped in the face by the parallels between Zhao Jing, and his relationship with Xie-er, and Wen Kexing, and his relationship and Gu Xiang. Specifically, the lines in episode 26 that caught me were these:

And the contrasts and similarities that they drew to these scene from Episode 24, which I watched yesterday:

(all screen caps are by me - I won’t have more screen caps just cause I really don’t have time to hunt them all down, I’m sorry, but the first two were easy to grab, and the second two I’d already taken cause that scene really got to me yesterday).

These lines, coming only two episodes apart, seemed like a really stark and deliberate effort to show a connection in the attitudes of Zhao Jing and Wen Kexing. They've also got some similarities in the childhood/history that got them to this point: Zhao Jing's family was fallen from grace, as was Wen Kexing's. Both are noted as seeming different from the "regular" people around them - Wen Kexing, it's explicit; with Zhao Jing, it's more how others seem to behave around him. It's harder to get a sense of Zhao Jing, since his own self-report is so dubious and the flashbacks we get to the Rong Xuan era are all given from the perspective of different unreliable narrators, whereas Wen Kexing's memories seem fairly intact (well, water of forgetfulness aside) and match the other remembrances we get of the same scenes.

With those similar, dubious foundations, they both resolve from a young age to take revenge for the perceived slights committed against them - and both have decided that regardless of who the specific instigators are for their suffering, they have no compunction about involving innocents as a whole. Zhao Jing wants the power he feels has been denied to him, and sets about conspiring to get that power. To achieve that, he sets about on a course that involves lying and using literally everyone who can help him. Likewise, while I'm still definitely missing some damn important of Wen Kexing's backstory (starting with, who protected the dog for him, and how he went from "kid getting regularly beaten by the previous ghost king" to "adult who is said to have literally eaten the previous ghost king"), he also clearly sets out to gain power through whatever means he can, and to survive, though from the get-go, his goal is essentially the inverse of Zhao Jing's: Zhao Jing wants to lift himself up, and sees nothing but virtue in doing so; Wen Kexing wants to bring everyone else down, and knows he's damned through-and-through for it.

(They're parallels, not matches, just to be clear! It's not that I'm saying everything is the same - on the contrary, it's the differences that makes it so intriguing).

Now, then, at some point relatively early in this entire process, each of these young men found a child. Given that Xie’er and Wen Kexing and Zhou Zishou are of the same generation, presumably they’re all around the same age - 27 or so - and also presumably, the previous generation were all in their late teens to early twenties when they had their own disastrous round of adventuring. So, if Xie’er is, say, 25, and Zhao Jing was probably around 20 (since he was one of the younger folks in the flashbacks), and 20 years have passed, and Xie’er was probably around the same age as child Wen Kexing when he was found? (I don’t know, and I don’t know if that’s ever established, sorry) So around 7? Then we’ve Xie’er being adopted by Zhao Jing and Wen Kexing being adopted by the Ghost King, each almost exactly 20 years ago. Presumably, also, Zhao Jing marries...drat, I can’t remember her name...was it Li Yao or something???...right around the same time - hence why Xie’er would think of her as a mother. Anyway, sorry, I’m really tired and I just lost the thread slightly, but the point is: a 20-or-so-year-old Zhao Jing finds a young Xie’er; and a few years later, a likely-early-teens-aged Wen Kexing finds a toddler Gu Xiang (because Wen Kexing is 27 now, and Gu Xiang is I’m guessing around 18, and she’s likely 3ish when Wen Kexing finds her, so that’d make her 3 or 4, and him 12 or 13). 

And here’s where the parallels really show the essential differences between these men, despite the areas of commonality in the hate they hold toward the world and their desire to see the world brought low.

Because, given a small child, Wen Kexing’s immediate, clear thought is: I will never let this child experience what I have been through. Now, he’s busted, and he’s crazy, so from that point of view, he still does her harm: she thinks of murder as nothing (as does Xie’er) for example. But even in that, the motivations are different. Gu Xiang says it herself after she kills the beggar and Cao Weining confronts her about it: if a person is out to harm her, if a person even might harm her, isn’t she justified in killing him? If that isn’t the quintessential Wen Kexing lesson right there, I don’t know what is: “Gu Xiang, you don’t kill because I tell you to, and you don’t kill for fun, and you don’t kill for no reason - but the moment, the very instant, you have a reason? Don’t hesitate, because if you do, you’ll be the corpse, not them.” Everything Wen Kexing teachers Gu Xiang is with the aim of helping her survive in the cruelest environment in the world, one that has flayed him and raked him over the coals over and over and over again. Further, despite the hints I’ve seen so far that he has early allies at Mount Qingya (Tragicomic Ghost has been shown to at minimum pity him, and find him an odd curiosity), Wen Kexing entrusts no one else with the most vulnerable creature who has ever come into his life (well, aside from that adorable puppy, which I have the bad feeling is going to be shown to be horribly murdered before his eyes, possibly by his own hand to prove a point...that would be thematically appropriate...). He gives Gu Xiang the tools to survive and fight for herself, even against him, and when she even begins to suggest she might prefer to be somewhere else - when he sees evidence of her finding happiness - he does everything he can to encourage her joy, support her happy ending, and free her. Wen Kexing is Gu Xiang’s father, in every useful interpretation of the term - she may call him master, and others might call her his maid, but their relationship is tender, encouraging, mutually supportive, and loving. Wen Kexing wants what is best for Gu Xiang, even at the expense of his own comfort and happiness, because he cares for her that essentially and deeply - and she likewise goes out of her way to protect him more than once.

MEANWHILE.

Given a small child, though I haven’t yet seen any flashbacks to when Xie’er was little and I don’t even know if there are any, it’s really obvious that Zhao Jing instantly goes, “how can I best use this to my advantage?” Instead of setting about to build this child up to be a functional adult who can stand up to the challenges that threatened to crush Zhao Jing’s life, Zhao Jing deliberately sabotages Xie’er’s ability to function as an independent unit. He teachers Xie’er to kill, not to protect himself, but on command - to kill because Zhao Jing says so, who Zhao Jing says, on even the merest whim, and is so successful at doing so that Xie’er has even less respect for life than Zhao Jing does (which was never much to begin with). Further, while we know that Wen Kexing will kill to protect Gu Xiang, Zhao Jing never so much as lifts a finger to do his own dirty work, and has zero compunction about throwing Xie’er under the bus when he suits his ends. In 27, he flat out says - “if you keep acting like this, and kill the Gentle Wind Sect, you’ll ruin me - which means I can never let you stand next to me in public.” He says this when he knows that Xie’er craves his approval and that one of Xie’er’s most cherished objects in all he’s done is to reach a point where he can stand at Zhao Jing’s shoulder as an acknowledged heir and successor and proudly say, “yes, I did all those things to help my father, because I’m a good son.” Further, Zhao Jing is constantly abusive and manipulative. When Xie’er does what Zhao Jing has trained him to do, on command (like a dog? more parallels??), Zhao Jing praises him, touches him kindly (and when else do you think Xie’er is ever getting touched kindly? Nothing like the casual and appropriate physical intimacy with which Wen Kexing and Gu Xiang shoulder bump and interact) and tells him how precious he is. The instant Xie’er steps a toe out of line, Zhao Jing denigrates him, threatens to take away that which Xie’er most wants (acknowledgement), scolds him, calls him a fool, says he doesn’t understand. Zhao Jing calls Xie’er his son, and insists that Xie’er call him yifu, and the world may even see that way - though they hardly can, since Zhao Jing refuses to be publicly associated with Xie’er - but they couldn’t be less related when compared to Wen Kexing, who allows all to see him call Gu Xiang his servant even as he flagrantly, publicly, repeatedly treats her as his child - culminating in the speech he gives Cao Weining when he gives permission for them to wed.

Everything Wen Kexing does, as fucked up as some of it is, is done with the aim of building Gu Xiang up into a strong, independent, functional adult who is less stained than himself and capable of pursuing happiness in the world.

And everything Zhao Jing does, all of which is equally if not more fucked up than what Wen Kexing does, is done with the aim of tearing Xie’er down, making him a powerful tool - a trained dog, if you will - and a dependent person who can be deployed on an enemy and must be kept permanently off-balance so that he never ever is an independent, functional adult - and, to help ensure that, he deliberately orders Xie’er to commit depraved acts that guarantee that Xie’er is more stained than himself, and therefore incapable of finding happiness in the world.

Anyway, I could probably go on, but I gotta leave to drive my kid to school and run a couple errands, but, in conclusion: when Zhao Jing said, “the world has failed me, and I shall do the same to the world,” and it became clear to me that he and Wen Kexing essentially share (or at least shared) the same core goal, I was struck by a lightning bolt about the parallels and contrasts between them as people, and them as father’s, and here you go.

Hope this is coherent, I’m really sleepy and in a rush. :D And I hope it answers your question!

(Also dear everyone: if you reply to this or add to it in reblogs I ask that you please respect that I’ve only seen to episode 27, and not rip me apart for things I haven’t seen yet, and try to avoid giving me spoilers? I know a few - or at least I think I do - like I know all the Major Character Death stuff - but I’m sure if you’ve seen the whole series you can spot places where you, dear reader, know things I don’t, and I’d ask that you not ruin those places for me, because I’m watching as fast as I can - about one episode a day - and I’d rather find out for myself. Thank you!)

[lunar-wandering]

Flower Fruit Family

@ninja-knox-ur-sox-off i know you’ll probably be asleep when i post this, but Happy Birthday!!! here’s your birthday fanfic!

Word Count: 1.6k

Read on Ao3

MK and Wukong had been training for about 2 hours, the monkey trying to teach the kid some more fighting moves. It was taking a while, but Wukong found the kid to be an incredibly fast learner. It was quite impressive actually, and for some reason made him feel rather proud.

He watched as MK landed a move near perfectly.

"That was great kid!" Wukong said, "You've improved a lot!"

"Really?" MK asked.

"Really really." Wukong replied, "You're great at this!"

MK smiled.

"Thanks, dad." He said, and Wukong's train of thought came shuddering to a halt.

"What did you just call me?" He asked. MK looked confused for a moment, before the reality of what he just said seemed to hit him, and a panicked look took over his face.

"Um, I mean, uh, well, bye!" He stuttered out, before turning and using the staff to vault off the mountain.

"Kid, wait!" Wukong yelled after him, but it was too late, MK was already gone.

And the Monkey King had a lot to think about.

---

The next day, after a lot of contemplating (in which he realized that, oh, he did kinda think of MK as a son-), and after making sure that MK had left to run a delivery and that the restaurant was empty, Wukong practically kicked down the door to Pigsy's Noodles.

"Pigsy!" He yelled as he walked in, immediately catching the attention of both Pigsy and Tang. "The kid called me dad! What do I do????"

Pigsy sighed, subtly pulling some money out of his pocket and placing it in Tang's awaiting hand, before saying;

"Welcome to the club."

"Wait, what do you mean 'welcome to the club'? Has the kid called you guys dad too?" Wukong asked, choosing to ignore the exchanging of money. He had no idea what bet Tang had just won, and quite honestly he didn't really want to find out. Not being a normal kind of person, he ignored the seats at the counter he could've sat in, instead leaping over it to stand beside Pigsy.

"Yep." Pigsy said, purposefully ignoring the monkey's decision to vault over the counter.  "MK...didn't exactly have the best set of folks. Kinda saw me and Tang and just latched on to the first positive parental figure he could find."

"So...did you two.... adopt him?" Wukong asked, suddenly feeling a bit saddened by the idea that MK couldn't officially be his kid.

"Of course we did, we weren't going to let those two fools hold any legal sway over him any longer." Pigsy said. Wukong's tail drooped just a little bit.

"What about legal guardians though? Didn't he have any?"

"No actually, but Sandy became one of his legal guardians a while back-" Tang said, but was interrupted by the fairly over excited monkey.

"Can I be one of his legal guardians too?" He asked, leaping on any chance to be somewhat considered the kid's parent,  tail swishing in excitement.

"Wukong, I'm pretty sure you have to be a legal citizen in order to do that." Pigsy said.

"I do have a lawyer y'know." Wukong said.

"Since when did you-, nevermind, doesn't matter." Pigsy said, seeming like he really wanted to ask the story behind how Wukong got a lawyer of all things, but knowing that he was probably better off not knowing. "I guess you could be added as another guardian, but it's really up to MK in the end. It's his decision to make."

"Okay, but how will we find out what his decision is?" Wukong asked. Pigsy went to answer-

The bell above the door rang. Pigsy wasted no time, quickly shoving Wukong down so that he was under the counter and couldn't be seen, just in time for MK to walk through the door.

"Pigsy, I'm back!" He said, "Any more orders to go out?"

"Just one, then you'll be done for the day, MK." Pigsy said, and MK nodded, grabbing the take out bag and turning to head back out to the delivery bike. But right before he was about to leave through the door, he paused, turning back and looking at Pigsy and Tang critically.

"Is...something wrong?" He asked. Unseen by MK, beneath the counter, Wukong's tail started swishing nervously. He quickly grabbed it to keep it still and prevent it from knocking things over.

"No, I don't think anything's wrong. Why?" Pigsy asked, busying his hands by chopping a tomato. Tang flipped a page of his book.

"I don't know.... Something just. Doesn't feel right." MK said, sounding uncertain. Crap. They needed something to distract him, quick.

"Everything seems normal to me." Tang said, "Tell you what MK, when you get back from your delivery, I'll tell you another story about the Monkey King that nobody else has ever heard."

Almost immediately all the worry melted off of MK's face.

"Really! Awesome!" He said, excited now. "Okay, I'll be right back then!"

He turned and left the noodle shop, Pigsy and Tang waiting until they saw the delivery bike leave to sigh in relief. Wukong popped out from under the counter, doing a flip to crouch on top of it instead of under, giving Tang a mild glare.

"Oh, so you're the reason the kid knows about the Incident." He said. Tang avoided his gaze.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I have done nothing but tell him about your 'Grand Adventures'. I cannot imagine what 'Incident' you're referring to." He said, casually adjusting his glasses. Wukong's fur bristled.

"Oh yeah? Then tell me why a few days ago, while I was trying to teach him a focus lesson, the kid casually happened to bring up that time I.....misplaced my staff?" He asked.

"You mean you lost your staff." Tang corrected, purposefully ignoring how Wukong's glare grew sharper. "And then spent 2 hours turning over practically everything in the general area looking for it, until it eventually dawned on you that you'd left it in the tree you'd slept in?"

Wukong's tail swished angrily, and a surprisingly kinda evil smile made it's way onto his face.

"Y'know, I never did get my revenge on you three for not telling me you knew where it was...." He threatened, and Pigsy, recognizing the look on his face for what it was, stepped in, not willing to have to suffer through the monkey's pranks right now.

"Okay, you two have gotten far off topic." He said, drawing their attention back to him. "Wukong, if you want to be one of MK's legal guardians, you really just have to ask him about it."

"But how do I do that?!" Wukong groaned, flopping down so that he was laying on the counter. "You two both know that I'm not exactly all that good at this kinda thing."

"We're not the best at it either." Tang said, "But, I suppose the best advice I can give you would be to approach the subject delicately?"

"I don't think that 'delicate' is a word in my vocabulary." Wukong said, "But.... I guess I can try."

"Okay, now that that's settled." Pigsy said, "Wukong, get your monkey butt off of my counter."

Wukong let out a light laugh as he obeyed, hopping down off the counter and walking out the door, waving goodbye to the two of them as he did. Once outside, he summoned his cloud and flew back to Flower Fruit Mountain.

....Approach the subject delicately huh?

Sure. He could do that.

---

And so, Wukong decided to bring it up in the middle of a spar.

"I'm totally okay with you seeing me as a parental figure y'know." He said. MK, who had been mid-swing, stumbled, missing Wukong entirely as he barely kept himself from tripping. Standing up straight, he stared at Wukong in nothing less than shock.

"You, I-, what?" He asked, "No. Hold on. Full stop. What?"

"You called me dad the other day." Wukong said, and MK gave an anxious laugh, rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous gesture he'd picked up from Wukong.

"Yeah I, I was kinda hoping you forgot about that." He said, twirling the staff and shrinking it a bit so that he could stim with it easier.

"Ha! I'm not exactly the type of person who forgets things." Wukong said, causing MK to give him a deadpan stare.

"What about that time when-"

"Nope, no, we're not talking about that." Wukong interrupted, "Whatever embarrassing story of my past Tang told you about, we are not talking about it."

MK closed his mouth, but there was an amused look in his eyes, and oh, Wukong somehow just knew that this would come back to bite him later. But he had more important things to talk about.

"Listen," He said, "I had a chat with Tang and Pigsy-"

"So that's why they were acting so weird."

"-and they said that I could be one of you legal guardians, but I'd have to ask you first." Wukong said, ignoring MK's little interruption. "So. Are you-, are you okay with it?"

"Yes! Uh, I mean, of course I'm okay with it, having the legendary Monkey King as a guardian would be awesome!" MK said, before suddenly looking a little nervous. "But. Are you okay with it though? I mean, I'm, well, me, and-"

"Kid, I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't okay with it." Wukong said, mentally noting to himself that he really would have to give MK a self confidence lesson at some point. "Pigsy, Tang, and my lawyer have already got things ready to be arranged. All that we needed was your approval. So-"

"Yes!" MK practically yelled, excited, quickly pulling Wukong into a quick hug before pulling away to jump a bit to get rid of some of the excited energy flowing through him. "Oh this is so cool, the Monkey King is going to be one of my legal guardians, oh I've gotta tell Mei-"

Watching as the kid, no, his kid, rambled on and on, excitedly, Wukong could do nothing but laugh in happiness.

[thatoneticklewriter]

Don’t Be Cruel

(Ler! Venti/ Lee! Xiao) Platonic

Summary: Venti has had enough of Xiao’s aloof attitude and decides to seek manners into his own hands.

“Ugh! I just hate that guy!” Venti squeals in frustration throwing away tonight’s dinner.

“Well, the almond tofu you made was disgusting.” Aether couldn’t help but make a face.

The bi color haired boy threw a small dinner party for Chongyun and his boyfriend Xiao. He spent days studying the different types recipes and ingredients of Almond tofu hoping to cook it right to Xiao’s taste. Though the raven thought otherwise spitting the food back onto the plate and dumping it in the trash can.

“But he didn’t have to be rude about it!” Venti snaps crossing his arms against his chest. “There were other times he was mean to me too! Like how he doesn’t wait for me whenever we get assigned to do missions together and how he sometimes shoves me whenever I’m in his way. I don’t get what Chongyun sees in that asshole.”

“I think you’re just overreacting, sweetie.” Aether smiles at his friend placing his hands on his shoulders.

“I want to get back at him so bad.” Venti clenches his fists pulling away from Aether’s grasps.

“That’s it!” The bi color haired boy shrieks as a light bulb flashes in his head. “I’m going to torture him! Yeah!”

“Um, you’re not going to actually hurt him right?” Aether gives the other a hopeful look.

“No, I’m just going to make him suffer in a way he hasn’t before.” Venti smirks holding his hands behind his back walking into his room to commence his plan.

Hey, can you get Xiao to wear that one outfit where it’s like he’s wearing overalls and a crop top? Venti texts Chongyun the following morning.

Why?????? The blunette responds a couple seconds later confused by the bi color haired boy’s intentions.

I just think he looks snazzy in it. Please! Venti makes up the quickest excuse without sounding like a complete idiot.

Fine, I will try. Is all the blunette texts back and Venti hopes Chongyun goes through with the plan.

The bi color haired boy runs across a certain unlucky friend in Mondstat.

“Hey Benny!” Venti smiles at the white haired boy.

“Oh hey!”

“So like you’re strong, aren’t you?” He questions raising an eyebrow at the other.

“Um sure, I think so? What do you need?” Bennett taps his chin glancing up at the sky.

“I need you to help me with something. All you have to do is hold my target down while I torture him.” An evil smirk crawls onto Venti’s face and Bennett backs away with horror.

“I can’t help commit a murder sorry.”

“No, no! It’s not the kind of job you think it is!” Venti grips Bennett’s wrists not wanting to lose sight of him.

“Can I at least have some more information?”

“I just want to tickle Xiao but you can’t tell anyone.” Venti holds a finger up to Bennett’s lips.

“Xiao? Why him? To be honest, I think he’s the hardest to break. He doesn’t smile at all and I doubt he knows how to laugh.” Bennett tilts his head like a dog not understanding Venti.

“Cause he’s an asshole that needs to be taught a lesson! Now are you going to help me or what?” The bi color haired boy impatiently taps his foot.

Bennett agrees to be of Venti’s service as they meet up with Xiao for their mission.

“Why are you here?” The raven stares up at Bennett with a sharp glare.

“Oh uh erm Venti asked me to tag along. In case any of you guys need healing.” Bennett chuckles rubbing his arm, hoping not to reveal too much of Venti’s plan.

“We don’t need your healing.” Xiao scoffs at the white haired boy before turning on his heel.

“I see what you mean now.” Bennett whispers to the other giving Xiao the side eye.

Venti couldn’t help but notice the bare skin on Xiao’s lower back as they walk behind him. He wondered how much the blunette begged for Xiao to wear the said outfit.

“When I say the time is right, I want you to tackle him.” Venti whispers to the white haired boy watching Xiao stroll far past ahead of them.

“I don’t want him to hurt me.” Bennett pouts at the bard.

“He won’t. I promise, just trust me.” Venti shakes his head catching up to the raven.

They find their designated group of Hilichurls they needed to defeat by a shipping port.

“You go first.” Xiao nudges Venti on the shoulder.

“Why me?” Venti cowers holding his arms above his head.

“So you can suck up all the enemies together while your weird friend and me will finish them.” The raven explains to the other and Venti lets out a sigh knowing he was right.

“Weird?” Benett raises an eyebrow at Xiao wondering what he did to deserve that title.

The bi color haired boy launches a wind current towards the oblivious hilichurls gathering them in a tornado. Both Bennett and Xiao Storm towards the enemies not even giving them a chance to stand or process what was happening.

“I think that’s the fastest we ever took down a mob.” Venti comments skipping towards the two boys.

“I’m out of here since the job is done.” Xiao holds up a hand strolling the other way.

“What!? No, you can’t go! Let’s hangout! The three of us.” Venti links arms with the raven and Xiao groans trying to get out of his grasp.

“I can think of a hundred reasons why we shouldn’t.” He sends Venti a cold look.

Now. Venti mouthed to the white haired boy and Bennett lunges at Xiao wrapping his arms around his waist as they tumble to the grass.

“Get off me! What is wrong with you?!” Xiao shouts underneath Bennett’s weight trying to shove him off.

“You’re gonna get a taste of your own medicine.” Venti giggles at the struggling raven before handcuffing his wrists and that was Bennett’s cue to let go of the other.

“You better tell me what’s going on or I’m going to rip your head off.” Xiao growls at the bard. If looks can kill, Venti would be dead by now.

“Just some cold revenge.” Venti cracks his knuckles slowly trailing his fingers along Xiao’s bare sides.

“Hey! Stop that!” The raven couldn’t help but crack a small smile flinching from Venti’s touch.

“Aww, does someone have sensitive sides?” The bi color haired boy teases playfully squeezing at Xiao’s waist.

An abrupt squeal escapes Xiao’s lips trying to face away from Venti though the bi color haired boy continues to tickle his bare sides.

“You should hold his legs so he doesn’t kick me.” Venti orders to Bennett as Xiao kept flailing his legs all over the place hoping to escape.

“Ow!” The white haired boy yelps falling onto his back after Xiao had struck him across the face with his boot. For such a small body, the raven had a powerful hit.

“Never mind! Hold his arms above his head.” Venti ordered glancing at the Bennett’s bloody nose and the white haired boy huffs under his breath.

“Let go of me!” The fiesty raven struggles under Bennett’s hold, even with handcuffs, the white haired boy can barely keep up with Xiao. They honestly needed another person for help.

Xiao’s aggressive twisting and turning comes to halt when the bi color haired boy digs his fingers into his bare armpits. With Bennett holding his arms, the poor raven was defenseless at this point. Xiao’s giggling and squealing fills the atmosphere and Venti didn’t know the stoic raven could make these kinds of sounds.

“Ahaha! Please stop!”

Venti scratches at a delicate patch of skin near Xiao’s hip bones making the raven cry.

“You’re gonna have to beg harder than that.” The bi color haired boy gives him a smug look shaking his head continuing to tease the flesh below his waist.

The raven was a laughing mess, too weak from laughter to pull away from Bennett.

“Don’t you think he’s had enough?” Bennett questions in between Xiao’s squeals watching Venti squeeze at Xiao’s lower ribs.

“We haven’t even gotten to the good part.” Venti rolls his eyes at the white haired boy and Bennet couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Xiao.

“No, no, please not there.” Xiao lets out a whine that makes Venti almost emit a wave of guiltiness. No, this is what he wants you to do.

“Wow, please two times in a row? Maybe you can be nice!” Venti jokes at the crying raven as his fingers reach dangerously close to the raven’s abdomen.

A shriek escapes from Xiao’s lips feeling Venti’s fingers flutter across his tummy and Bennett grows startle at Xiao’s vigorous writhing.

“Hold him.” Venti bosses at Bennett who almost lost grip of Xiao.

“Argh, he’s strong.” Bennett hisses doing his best to contain Xiao’s flails.

“I’ll be nice ahaha I promise.” Xiao wheezes in between laughter though Venti seems skeptical of the raven’s intentions.

“I’m not totally convinced yet. How do I know you’ll change once I let you go?” Venti raises an eyebrow before squeezing the sides of the raven’s tummy with his thumbs and Xiao squeals arching his back.

“I’ll change!” He fights back once again though Bennett was prepared to keep him still not wanting to make Venti furious.

“Hmmm, you’re not going to be mean to me anymore?” Venti playfully hums loving the reaction of Xiao begging and hollering when he dips a finger in his navel.

“I won’t! I swear!” Xiao whimpers as a tear rolls down his cheek.

Venti finally gets off of the raven letting Xiao catch his breath.

“Can you take this off me?” The raven quietly asks feeling embarrassed. “Please?”

“Why, certainly!” Venti giggles getting on his knees uncuffing Xiao.

“Sorry about your nose.” Xiao apologizes to Bennett refusing to look him in the eye.

“Oh it’s fine, it stopped bleeding.” Bennett smiles shaking the other off.

“Hey Xiao, you’re pretty cute when your smiling. I see why Chongyun likes you now.” Venti taunts the raven pondering how long this kind facade will last.

“Erm, thanks.” Is all the raven says as a small blush appears on his pale cheeks.

The boys part ways, Xiao going back to Wangshu inn and Venti and Bennett to Mondstat.

“Do you think he’ll stay that way?” Bennett curiously asks the bi color haired boy on the walk towards the city.

“Something tells me he will.” Venti throws his head back as a evil chuckle escapes his lips.