#there's a lot that needs more developing too like Malik's backstory or the fate of Lhant. also fix some plotholes and inconsistencies

[windor-truffle]

Ok enough boring things like "work" or "sleep," time for a BerZesty AU 😤 I don't think I'll ever actually write it because it'd take a while but I'd love to hear others' thoughts on how you'd do one! Here's my VERY long take (outline) on it:

In this World of Graces But With BerZesty Mechanics, resonance is something highly sought after among nobility as it puts them "closer to the gods." Thus many marriages are arranged in order to produce heirs with high resonance, supposedly, but since resonance is becoming rarer and rarer (probably due to inbreeding affecting life span 😅) many nobles actually lie about their abilities.

Lord Aston of Lhant, who has little to no resonance but comes from a family that did, similarly sought out an heir with high resonance so he married Lady Kerri who possesses it. She is a widow of a previous marriage, with her own son Hubert having high resonance. But when Asbel, Aston's biological heir, is born with high resonance, Aston goes full villain mode (sorry I'm sabotaging his character 😅) and has Hubert killed in what appears to be an accident so there will be no dispute over who will inherit his title. Thus Asbel grows up with the seraph of his dead half-brother Hubert, who does know their relation but not the truth behind his death. Hubert is a water seraph (of course) and despite being older than Asbel, appears younger due to aging more slowly as a seraph.

Kid Asbel is also friends with Cheria, a friendly fire seraph kid who reincarnated after her tragic demise from illness, but otherwise Asbel's social life is quite limited and sheltered, protected fiercely by his father who sees Asbel as a chance to develop ties with the royal family. Eventually Aston gets his wish and Prince Richard is sent to Lhant for a visit. Asbel and Richard immediately hit it off as they both aspire to be Shepherds, figures of legend who brought peace and purity to the world by forming pacts with the Empyreans themselves. Asbel swears to be Richard's squire someday, and together they'll travel the world and purify it.

During Richard's visit the kids also meet and befriend Sophie, an orphan of Lhant with surprisingly high resonance. They protect her from hellions, since hellions tend to target those that can perceive them, and bring her with them to Barona when Richard's stay is over. Once there, Richard invites them all to help him investigate a shrine he has uncovered beneath the castle to an unknown Empyrean (very Innominat-like 😅).

Unfortunately they discover too late that the summoning ritual they're attempting requires a human sacrifice, and as they are attempting to abort, a "monster" shows up and kills Sophie. The gruesome event causes a falling out between the royal family and Lhant, and Asbel and Richard are no longer permitted to see each other.

7 years later, armies of hellions begin to invade Lhant and Aston dies in battle. Asbel is sent to Barona to petition the king for help, as there are far more people there with the resonance needed to combat the hellions, but then Asbel learns that Archduke Cedric has killed the king and is leading a coup with said armies of hellions. He himself is a hellion of Lord of Calamity status that had secretly lived among the royal family, though Richard always knew and thus was targeted frequently.

The capital seems to be overrun with malevolence so Asbel and his two seraph friends take cover in the sanctuary where they find Richard currently fleeing for his life. When they venture further down the same path they followed as kids that led them to the abandoned shrine, they're surprised to hear the voice of an Empyrean asking if they will aid him in purifying this world as a Shepherd. Richard agrees, Asbel swearing to be his squire, and Richard becomes the vessel to the forgotten Empyrean Lambda. As they complete the ritual, the spirit of their old friend reincarnates before their eyes as the void seraph Sophie, though she has no recollection of her former life.

With their powers greatly improved by the blessing of an Empyrean and an additional seraph on their side, Richard and Asbel vow to take down the Lord of Calamity reigning over Windor, Asbel hoping to purify him, while Richard is more prepared to do what's necessary. They encounter Malik, an earth seraph who challenges them to test both his own strength and the strength of their wills as a new Shepherd and squire. He is fine with killing hellions, mainly because he knows someday he'll have to return to his homeland and kill his friend Kurt who became a dragon (very Zaveid coded), but the pair (mainly Asbel) promise they will try to purify him, and Malik tags along to see if they're up for it or not (very Edna coded).

They succeed in taking down the Lord of Calamity Cedric thanks to Lambda's power. With peace in Windor restored, Richard the Shepherd-King and his squire Asbel set off to awaken and receive the blessings of the four Empyreans throughout the land, starting with Gloandi here in Windor. However, the ritual seems to be less of awakening and embracing their powers as it is Richard and Lambda subjugating and devouring them, much to Asbel and the other's disturbance. His seraph friends are beginning to feel some malevolence from the pair, but Asbel's pure belief in Richard keeps them from feeling its effects.

They travel next to Strahta, who initially refuse to recognize Richard as a Shepherd, believing this to be a political takeover. They prove Richard's validity by taking down an enormous hellion that had been terrorizing Yu Liberte, though Asbel and the citizens are dismayed that they couldn't purify it as it used to be a beloved gentle mascot (RIP Rockgagong). As a reward for their success, Richard is granted access to the shrine of the water Empyrean, Duplemar.

But the same process happens again of Lambda devouring its power, and this time the boosted force of his will enables him to suppress that of seraphim across the entire world, including all of Asbel's friends except Sophie. Richard reveals that his and Lambda's plan for peace actually involves exterminating humanity, the source of the malevolence, and will do so by using seraphim as tools. Asbel can no longer deny what they've become: a fallen Shepherd led by a fallen Empyrean, able to command both seraphim and hellions alike. Heartbroken, Asbel is forced to break his pact as Richard's squire before Richard's overflowing malevolence can corrupt both him and his enslaved friends. Richard is furious at his betrayal but despite having Asbel at his mercy does not kill him, and Asbel runs away, bitterly hoping he can save both his suppressed friends and his fallen one somehow.

Asbel is at a loss on how to help his friends until he encounters the wind seraph Pascal, who besides Sophie is the only unaffected seraph (because no one can hope to control her lol). Her tribe has knowledge of a sacred land in the heavens far beyond, where the Empyrean of Void, Fodra, ascended to long ago. She and Fourier are able to take Asbel and his friends there, and since Fodra's domain is far apart from Lambda's, his friends have free will for as long as they remain there.

In order to make a pact with Fodra that could free the seraphim, Asbel has to clear 4 elemental trials, and each one forces the corresponding seraph to come to terms with their past (Hubert's cruel murder, Cheria's unfair demise, Malik's bitter regrets, and even Pascal's jealous sister, who envies Pascal's higher standing among their tribe so much she almost becomes a dragon). Completing each one not only ensures their free will but also allows Asbel to armatize with them. But before Asbel can take the final step of becoming a Shepherd under Fodra, he hears from her that Richard has located the fire shrine of Forbranir, and so he returns to Ephinea with his freed friends in order to try and stop him.

Unfortunately, Asbel's armatuses are no match for Richard's armatus with the Empyrean Lambda, taking on a form far more demonic than angelic (aka Richard's final boss form from canon, roughly). Richard succeeds in stealing Forbranir's power and this time seems to be suppressing the will of humanity, though Asbel is protected from its effects by the blessings of his friends. Asbel returns to Fodra in the hopes finishing his pact with her will free the humans, too.

The last step of Fodra's trial tests Asbel and the others' belief in humanity. They learn that Lambda was an artificially created Empyrean who lost faith in humans after those of supposedly divine blood murdered his Shepherd vessel Cornell and sealed Lambda away. Humans created their own god then turned on it when it failed to please them, they always tear down goodness for their own selfish ends. That is why he decided they were truly evil.

They also learn that Sophie, as the soul that was sacrificed to release Lambda, is now a part of him (like Laphicet), hence why she was unaffected by and can even decently match his powers. But even after learning of these origins, Asbel and the others still believe that humanity has a future that they wish to protect. With this Fodra gives him her blessing, and Asbel becomes a true Shepherd like he'd always dreamed. Now he just needs to reach his other friend and get him to believe in that dream again, too.

The humans and seraphim on Ephinea have regained their free will thanks to Asbel's Empyrean pact countering Lambda's domain, and they offer Asbel and his seraphic friends their prayers as Asbel chases after Richard into the planet's core, where the final Empyrean of Earth, Lastalia, dwells. They confront him at the core and battle again. Richard has the power of his Lambda armatus AND 3 devoured Empyreans, while Asbel has the power of 5 seraphim 1 Empyrean and the prayers of basically every human so it's one HELL of a fight 😅 But Asbel is able to win by pulling a fucking 5 way armatus (like the noncanonical ending of the Zesty anime I know it's silly but c'mon Asbel would TOTALLY do that if he could 😂 it's the power of friendship, literally.)

With Richard and Lambda defeated, Asbel is able to appeal to Richard and get him to believe again in the humans that he once wanted to save. But Lambda refuses to trust humanity again, and thus cannot be purified. Sophie offers to sacrifice herself to seal Lambda away again, since she can match his powers with her own, but Asbel opts to become Lambda's vessel instead despite his malevolence--- as long as Asbel believes in both himself and Lambda, it won't corrupt him, and he can attempt to purify it as he shows Lambda the world. Lambda accepts his terms, and Richard and Asbel renew their pact, this time with Richard as his squire since he no longer trusts himself and besides Asbel has proven himself a worthy Shepherd twice over.

...The end? 😅

[erickmalpicaflores]

Erik Malpica Flores Erik Malpica Flores recommends: Stay Out Of The Kitchen

Photo by: Ian Watson/USA Network

Following a mid-season premiere that ended with a girls’ night that (as predicted) viewers didn’t actually get to view, SUITS’ most recent episode continued exploring what happens when Louis Litt is managing partner and everyone else is the same. The episode title, “Whale Hunt,” referred to Harvey Specter’s messy attempt at landing a big client. Meanwhile, three-fourths of the series’ female characters all dabbled, in some way or another, at mixing business with pleasure. For Katrina, it was the ever-obvious dilemma of the spark between herself and Craig-From-Degrassi Brian; Samantha, on the other hand, accepted a case that involved working with rival Alex Williams’ wife. And then there was Donna’s “empowering” new romance.

A whale of an ass. It all started out so well; it kind of ended well, too. The behavior in the middle, though…not so much. Following the previous episode’s spat over how to handle Harvey’s latest attempt at taking down Malik, “Whale Hunt” kicked off to a nice, mature start. Mature!Louis made a much-needed return to make amends with Harvey and remind him that he’s “the best closer in the city.”

Because SUITS viewers have never, ever heard that description of Harvey before.

Once that lack of confusion was nice and extra-cleared up, the lawyers decided that Harvey should put his talents to use by trying to sign Stephen Palmer. But Mr. Palmer had already learned of Harvey’s reputation for being the guy who basically never does what he’s told. (Fact check: Green light.) Palmer sent Harvey away with his tail between his legs and no deal on the table, whatsoever.

Back at the firm, the new boss man wanted to know Harvey’s whale status. Obviously, the best way to handle this was to lie to Louis and say he was [insert sportsball reference for being close to scoring here]. So, when Louis called Palmer to give the whole, “we really value your business” spiel, he had a rather rude awakening: “I’ll tell you what I told him. He has a reputation for not doing what he’s told.” (Fact check: Oprah says hi.)

Not only did Louis have one less client than he’d hoped for; but he was also making a complete idiot of himself and establishing his own reputation as “managing partner who can’t even tell when his lawyers are lying to him.” But Palmer gave him the chance to prove that he at least wasn’t another “guy who doesn’t do what he’s told” (fact check: false) by inviting him to play some poker. Harvey invited himself along and made an appearance, even after Louis specifically told him to stay away.

See also: Harvey doesn’t know how to listen.

And that, SUITS gang, is how we were subjected to “Harvey and Louis behave like children at a poker table, make themselves both look like idiots — but mostly Louis.” I mean, we haven’t seen this level of immature bickering in front of clients since the good ol’ days. And we shouldn’t have had to see it at this point in the characters’ so-called development. Harvey’s entire speech about what a loser Louis was compared to him, capped off with Louis losing as predicted, was just a whole new level of unprofessional.

If I’m Stephen Palmer, I’m staying far, far away from Insert Firm Name Here, “best closer in the city” or no.

After the Mike Ross fiasco went public, it might have seemed impossible to make this firm’s reputation even worse than it already was; but Harvey and Louis are nothing if not guys who love a challenge. On top of making themselves look like the hot messes they are, Dumb and Dumber also managed to make life difficult for Donna by having Dumber demand that she fix everything  — just as she was getting ready to leave. Luckily for Donna (and us all), Gretchen more than had her covered.

SUITS’ highlight of the week? Pretty much everything Gretchen had to say to Harvey and everything about how Aloma Wright delivered it. Period.

When Gretchen told Donna she’d take care of “those fools” so the other woman could make bad choices go out with Thomas, my immediate reaction was something along the lines of, “God help them.” Even then, I was unprepared. And because he’s not a complete idiot, nearly drowning in Gretchen’s special blend of hot tea convinced Harvey to make amends with Louis.

As “Whale Hunt” closed out, Specter and Litt were back to being best friends. They even sealed the deal over some decaf prunies. (Harvey has gotten so old while hiding from his feelings that he no longer makes jokes about how gross Louis’ prune drink looks, so there’s that. Gotta get that fiber!)

Three personal cookies. While the boys were “being boys,” the ladies (all except Gretchen!) were having difficulty with the concept of keeping the personal separate from the professional.

For Katrina, it was all about pheromones. Her case of the week involved perfume, so that meant she should tempt fate by spending lots of extra alone time with Craig-From-Degrassi Brian. In one electrically-charged, yet unintentionally hilarious scene, Katrina sprayed some perfume on her wrist and instructed her associate to close his eyes and sniff it. Later, after things had nearly gotten completely out of hand (out of wrist?), Katrina accepted an invitation to work at Craig-From-Degrassi Brian’s home while his wife was out. Awkwardness ensued. Again.

But it got worse!

In a meeting with the perfume rip-off people, where they were supposed to be negotiating on behalf of their client, Katrina and Craig-From-Degrassi Brian had some sort of Larvey-inspired personal meltdown instead. We’re talking lots of hinting at Katrina wanting to be the chosen one, all while Craig-From-Degrassi Brian let it drop that he couldn’t choose her, “no matter how much [he wanted] to” because he had already chosen someone else.

Interesting.

Seeing as how they clearly had some unresolved — and unresolvable — tension, Katrina did the “right” thing by telling her associate that they could no longer work together.

SUITS has never exactly had the most puritanical characters, but on a series where — thanks to Harvey’s childhood trauma — the established “big bad” is infidelity, it’s a little bit unfortunate to be wasting time on rooting for this. But hey. Catrina is a really clever shipper name, assuming you understand that Brian = Craig.

If Katrina’s ultimate choice was to put her professional life first by not pursuing things with her married coworker, the other side of the coin came from Donna’s decision to accept a client’s invitation to dinner. Now, Thomas Kessler had already promised not to take no for an answer; and as we learned in “Whale Hunt,” he also went ahead and made reservations before ever bothering to make sure he heard the answer he wanted. Because nothing says “empowered” woman, finally getting herself a personal life, like pairing her up with a manipulative man.

Rather than accept orders from her firm’s managing partner, Donna did a full 180 from her usual career-first mode to arguing with her boss and, essentially, refusing to do what she was told. That’s…not how finding a work-life balance and proving that a woman can “have it all” works, but sure.

On the date itself, the SUITS writers were kind enough to soften the blow by actually confirming that they remembered the tiny little bit of personal backstory they’d actually given the former secretary. After she listened to his smugly told dad-jokes, Donna told Thomas all about life in her 20s, when she was an aspiring actress. But then he said something about his own career as a designer only taking off because he was such a terrible actor, so — har, har — we’re all supposed to laugh with Donna about how that implied she was a terrible actress.

Ok.

In yet another attempt at actual continuity, Donna brought up the fact that she was initially concerned about mixing business with pleasure (as she should have been, given her own established rules and her advice to Katrina). But — and she was interrupted by the man, who had to explain her own feelings to her here — “it’s all been pleasure.”

Fact check: Nope.

Actual pleasure: Samantha Wheeler worked with Alex Williams’ wife, Rosalie. Bonus pleasure: They were sticking it to for-profit colleges.

There’s not much to say here, other than that this was a pairing that simply worked. And while Alex was smart to stay out of the case in the beginning, he was also completely justified in stepping in when and how he did. But if Jessica Pearson ever needs someone from her old firm to come to Chicago when PEARSON finally airs, I’d say Harvey/Louis/Whoeverisbossbythen should send Sam and Rosalie. Because that was a dream team if I ever saw one.

Thoughts (and prayers for Harvey now that he knows Donna had plans):

“A good leader inspires people to do what they do best.” This is true.

“My reputation is being the best closer in the city.” This is…false now? Cool.

“The only thing Harvey fights hardest for is himself.” (50% true because we know he’s incapable of doing this in his personal life. Work, on the other hand…)

“I don’t follow orders. I don’t bend the knee. I win.” Sure, Harvey.

“It makes me sick, the two of you acting like children.” Me at most of these characters at this point.

“I would’ve been gentle, but sometimes, someone just needs to knock the shit out of you. And Donna just happens to have plans tonight.” Insert Harvey looking like a kicked puppy for “drama” purposes here. Tired.

To paraphrase a good friend of mine, please don’t sniff your coworkers.

No, really. Just don’t.

Also: Don’t go for the decaf chai. Decaf is the devil (unless you have legitimate health concerns, obviously). Katrina might be a demon.

“We all know what women respond to.” We, whomst? Because I don’t really see a lot of people around SUITS that have a clue these days.

Donna told Gretchen she had “absolutely freaking nothing” keeping her from getting her freak on, so I’m guessing Absolutely Freaking Nothing is Harvey’s new name.

Knew we weren’t going to get to actually see girls’ night. Still salty.

Still.

Alex’s first answer for why he wanted to stay out of Sam and Rosalie’s way during their case? “You are two strong women, with strong opinions about anything you have ever thought.” Fact check: That was probably the most valid line that ever came out of Alex Williams’ mouth.

“If you don’t want to eat a cookie, stay out of the kitchen.” Donna has starved herself for 84 exhausting years…and should maybe stay out of the client kitchen while she’s busy giving advice.

Dude’s “romantic” attempt at taking care of Donna’s needs because nobody had done it before him (how much stalking did he do to learn that?) screamed “creeper.” He’s one breath away from becoming Joe Goldberg from YOU.

“Why does anybody go to college? To make their lives better.” And to rack up tons of debt, only to be over-qualified for pretty much everything because of their degree, all while being too inexperienced for anything because of the time spent earning it…

“I get it: He’s an equal opportunity asshole.” “Serving the community 24 hours a day.” Zero lies detected.

Imagine thinking you need to order Donna Paulsen to “wear something stunning,” as if she wouldn’t already do that. Can’t relate.

“Because Louis is an asshole, and so is Harvey.” The answer to most of SUITS’ most burning questions.

Can Katrina and Brian stay away from each other? Will Larvey rise, now that Harvey has tasted Louis’ prunies? Is Donna ever going to be as smart about her life as she is about literally everything else?

Tune in to an all-new episode of SUITS on Wednesday, February 6, at 10/9c on USA.

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