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cursedvibes · 1 month

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"On a certain page, Kenjaku is talking to the Tengen in their belly.

Geto's ability is to put the taken-in curse spirit into his own belly.

Geto and Kenjaku are thought to be based on the Buddha's belief in motherhood. Therefore, I think the theme is pregnancy.

Kenjaku had their head and torso severed by Yuta. The brain of Kenjaku, the main body, was separated from Geto's body, causing Geto's body to completely die or cease to function, which in turn caused the curse spirits inside the body to run amok. The outburst was not Kenjaku's intention.

Kenjaku was able to put Tengen in their belly by using Geto's ability. This is another aspect of the ability that Geto has. Geto can conceive a cursed spirit."

Is the above true (canon) and not a fanon?

I don't think that is what happened. The argument doesn't even make sense internally. The person acknowledges correctly that Kenjaku lost control of Geto's body and cursed technique. So that would necessarily mean that if thing containing the womb with Tengen and holding up Kenjaku's head was a cursed spirit, Kenjaku would have no control over it anymore. For the same reason it also can't be part of Geto's body because that body is dead and outside of Kenjaku's influence besides what is directly connected to their brain. Based on how it looks and the inclusion of a womb, I think it is part of Kenjaku's cursed technique.

Kenjaku's domain and the thing holding their head before their death both have a tree or insect-like aesthetic and faces inside them. Both of them also include pregnant bellies. It would also explain how Kenjaku manages to put their brain from one body into another if their cursed technique conjures up something that is able to move them around, even when not having a complete body. If Kenjaku still had control over Geto's body and his technique, they would've done more to defend themselves and would also mean that they would lose control over Tengen as soon as they are separated from Geto. Carrying Tengen around like that with the help of a cursed spirit wouldn't be possible under those circumstances. Also, my personal speculation is that Kenjaku would also prefer Tengen to be bound to them and not just be part of their vessel's body. If that was enough, Tengen could've just been part of the regular curses like she seems to have been in the beginning when Kenjaku still talked to her face-to-face like in ch 220.

Besides that, I don't think there's any special connection between Geto and the theme of motherhood. He's connected to the Buddha in certain aspects as we see with some very heavy-handed imagery and he was a father as Gege puts it, but I don't see any special relation to motherhood there besides that Kenjaku used his body, but has more to do with them than Geto.

#asks #jjk spoilers #kenjaku #could you please not send me other people's post in the future?#I can answer your questions about certain topics and if I see a post I think is worth replying to I will do that #but reacting to someone else's post like that second hand 'behind their back' feels weird and more like it's baiting for drama #it's different if it's a reddit post/theory because that's a different platform and I can see their entire argument #also they are inviting discussions and are not making private posts on their own blog #but idk I don't like involving other people by quoting them out-of-context like that

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moltensunlight · 2 years

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the first in an old series of unfinished fan art pieces - waterbender!Lance mid-fight in the pro-bending tournament!!

I really liked such a dynamic pose but I think I started nitpicking the finer details of it too much before getting into the color & background which killed my motivation to finish it -u-

#lance #vld #voltron legendary defender #lance mcclain #vld au #lok au #bending au #my art #honestly the pose on this is so complete that I might try and just finish out the piece???#would anyone be interested in seeing that???#if im remembering correctly I think part of my explanation/intent with the pose #was that lance was taking inspiration from other bending styles #to achieve something with almost more fire-bending-like qualities????#because that's kind of the person he wanted to be in the beginning #the hot-headed fiery awesome sharpshooter that everybody adores #and then he wouldn't necessarily lose those techniques #but he'd find the strength in the more classical water bending styles #to fully realize them as he as a character grew to be more confident in himself #and in the qualities and strengths he already has #rather than always chasing after and trying to be someone else #but of course there are the qualities of the fire that he learned along the way #and those are meaningful too #and that's why he wouldn't necessarily lose all of the cool flashiness #that fire bending can offer #it's the whole 'immature version of thing in the beginning #becomes a stronger more well-realized thing as it matures'

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xiyao-feels · 2 years

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Ironically, I feel like sometimes people can overcorrect on JGY's combat skills, and make him weaker than he actually is?

Like, don't get me wrong—he does have weak cultivation! And it's definitely true that he could never take most of the other characters the story focuses on in a straight fight—Sandu Shengshou, Hanguang-jun, Zewu-jun, Chifeng-zun, in a straight fight he'd be toast. We're even told this explicitly in the temple, about JC:

Jin GuangYao’s spiritual energy wasn’t as high as his, so he didn’t dare face him directly. He could only dodge nimbly, again and again, remaining composed as his subordinates attacked Jiang Cheng

(ER, ch 101)

But the thing is, the vast majority of cultivators would also be toast! These are elite cultivators. Like, SMS would also lose in a straight fight with any of these people, and it's not because he doesn't have very solid combat skills; he's just not as good.

And if you look at the evidence on JGY's swordfighting skills, I think he comes across as reasonably decent?

If you look at this paragraph:

Wei WuXian, however, knew that it wouldn’t be solid no matter how hard he practiced. Jin GuangYao wasn’t like the other disciples. His foundation was so poor that he’d never reach new heights. Thus, with cultivation, he could only aim for quantity instead of quality. This was why he rounded all of the sect leaders and learned their techniques. It was also why he was criticized as the “stealer of techniques”.

(Exiled Rebels, ch 48)

On the one hand, it's very clear that he's limited in his ability to master any particular skill. On the other hand, we also learn part of how he makes up for this: by learning a lot of different techniques, and using them broadly! And we see him apply this when he's killing the Jin commander, for example:

His expression was absolutely calm. Attacks both fast and steady, he was also careful, letting not even a droplet of blood stain his clothes.

The sword wasn’t his own sword. The hilt had iron embellishments in the shape of flames—it was the sword of a Wen Sect cultivator.

The sword techniques were also those of the Wen Sect’s.

(ER, ch 48)

That description suggests a certain competence in execution, and again this is in Wen sect techniques; he must have had a more limited opportunity to practice them than he did, say, the Nie, but he's pulling it off flawlessly.

In the present timeline, when WWX is discussing the identity of NMJ's killer with LXC, he presents the gravedigger's strong familiarity with Lan sword style as evidence of JGY's involvement:

The mist-faced man who tried to take the corpse away in the Chang Clan’s cemetery knew the Lan Sect’s sword moves like the back of his hand. There can only be two possibilities. One, he’s from the Lan Sect and has been practicing the Lan Sect’s moves since a young age; two, he’s not from the Lan Sect, but he’s really familiar with your sect’s moves. He either often dueled with the Lan Sect’s people or he’s so intelligent that he can remember the moves as long as he has seen them.

(ER, ch 46)

Now of course as it turned out the gravedigger was SMS, so, uh, option one. But having seen the gravedigger fight, WWX seems to have thought it reasonable to suggest that he might have been JGY. Alternatively, if we infer some things from LWJ saying that JGY wouldn't necessarily have to be the gravedigger to be involved, the suggestion might be that the gravedigger became so familiar with the Lan skills through JGY's teaching. Either way, this again suggests that JGY is at least moderately competent with the sword.

We know he goes night-hunting; JL was apparently very impressed by JGY's skills here, thinking his uncles are the most powerful cultivators in the world from having seen them night-hunt, and while I'm sure there's some bias there I don't think he'd think JGY was the best if he were actually completely terrible, especially since we learn this in the context of him being impressed by LWJ's skills, so it's not just blind loyalty. Meanwhile, LXC vouches for JGY's performance during their recent night-hunt together as evidence that JGY couldn't have used a transportation talisman:

Likewise, one must expend large quantities of spiritual powers to use this technique, but we night-hunted together just a few days ago. His performance was excellent.

(ER, ch 46)

It's not technically impossible he could mean "his performance was no worse than his usual completely terrible standard, at least he didn't trip on his sword," but that's not the most obvious interpretation, and beyond that it seems unlikely they'd go night-hunting together if JGY were completely terrible at it.

And then there's Hensheng, which is described very impressively:

Back then, when Jin GuangYao worked undercover at Wen RuoHan’s side, he had often hidden the sword at his waist, wreathed the sword around his arm to use during critical moments. Although the blade of Hensheng seemed to be soft to the extremity, attacking with lingering motions, it was in reality both sharp and haunting. Once the blade had wrapped around the opposition, Jin GuangYao would apply it with a bizarre spiritual power, and one would quickly be severed into pieces by the sword, despite its tender appearance. Quite a few famous swords had been battered into piles of scrap iron just like this.

(ER, ch 50)

I feel like perhaps because the only time we actually see him under WRH is the confrontation with NMJ, who's already a prisoner at the time, there's the idea that he only did this with prisoners or something? I don't know that that's impossible, but it doesn't seem to be explicit in the text. Indeed given everything we know about that society, it seems very likely he would have had to do at least some fighting.

And of course, we actually see him fight paperman WWX on the page:

At the moment, the blade of the sword attacked as though it was a serpent with silver scales, biting at the paperman without any hesitation. Losing focus for one second, and Wei WuXian would be caught in the fangs!

Paperman WuXian darted here and there, dodging the attacks with agility, but this wasn’t his own body, after all. After a few moves, the tip of Hensheng had almost sliced him. If this continued, he’d be pierced through for sure!

(ER, ch 50)

Yes, WWX thinks he'd be doing better in his actual body, but that description definitely doesn't sound like terrible swordwork! Rather the opposite; it sounds quite skilled.

Tl;dr: while JGY's weak cultivation definitely impacts his combat skills, he does his best to make up for that deficiency, and while he couldn't take most of the other important characters in a straight fight, the vast majority of cultivators in the novel also couldn't take those characters in a straight fight, so that's not evidence of him being extraordinarily weak as opposed to simply not being extraordinarily strong; considering the evidence we have and what we do see of his fighting skills, it seems likely that he's at least a moderately competent swordsman.

#jin guangyao #more than one tag could contain

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kaysayshey · 3 years

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off paper || e. kirishima

This is a work inspired by a struggle that a lot of those suffering with mental illness experience, particularly those with depression and bipolar disorder; however, it can be applied to a lot of mood-altering medications that cause sexual dysfunction. While medication is a life changing and stabilizing aspect of many lives, it doesn't come without its cons. I think Kirishima would be incredibly understanding in this situation. Please keep in mind that bipolar disorder presents in many ways. There is no one-size-fits-all in mental health treatment or in its subsequent treatment. I wanted to write a bit about the side effects of SSRI medications.

Songs that I listened to while writing include:

Serendipity by BTS' Jimin

Bumper Cars by Alex and Sierra

That Kind of Love by MAX

Warnings: Angst, Fluff, NSFW (no smut, however this work contains sexual topics), mention of prescription drugs, bipolar disorder, minors DNI.

On paper, Kirishima Eijirou was perfect. An impressive sidekick working underneath Fatgum, his cheery disposition more than capable of reassuring even the most terrified of civilians. A hard-hitting, defensive quirk paired with determination unlike anything you'd ever seen. Easy-going enough to work with the difficult heroes - and by difficult, everyone meant Dynamight. Intelligent, reliable, and just the right amount of competitive.

Off paper, he was even better. Hell, the moment he'd asked you out, you'd almost done a double-take. Was he sure? Kirishima could date, well, anyone. However, you'd blurted out 'yes' before your brain had time to catch up, even more surprised at the gorgeous pink that graced the tips of his ears.

And the date went wonderfully. Were you expecting anything different? He was a magnet, and you were willing to be the refrigerator he stuck to - at least, for as long as he wanted. How he managed to remember what flavor of milk tea and boba you preferred, following it up with a quick delivery while working twelves at the agency, was beyond you. Good morning texts wishing you an easy day of your own hero work, good night texts hoping that your dreams were "sweeter than you." The moment a bouquet of roses was sent to your office, you had to admit it.

You were embarrassingly attracted to Kirishima Eijirou.

Not that he minded, no. If anything, he returned the feeling tenfold. After the first date came a string of others before finally labeling it as a relationship. Movie nights, walks through the park, chaste kisses interspersed by giggles as you both laughed at whatever came to mind. The quick meetings between your lips turned into full-on sessions that left your knees weak. Being with Kirishima was easy in a way that nothing else had been.

But let's face it. Working as a full-time hero with bipolar disorder made life, well, tough. A pharmaceutical cocktail and therapy helped, turning what was the disaster of your life into a manageable mess. Episodes were few and far between, the prickling anxiety was quelled by coping techniques and medication when necessary. The days spent in a daze of your own "self-medicating" were long gone, thank whatever higher power was out there. No, life was on the upswing for you in pretty much every aspect of the phrase.

Except for your sex life.

And no, that wasn't to say that Kirishima was doing anything wrong. To be quite honest, he was doing every just right. Kissing the places you loved most, calloused hands lingering deliciously over your skin. A voice like honey whispering in your ear, beautiful moans of how gorgeous you were, how he absolutely adored you. Saying that it left you with weak, knocking knees was an understatement. He was an emotional hurricane, sending butterflies through your stomach as he showered you with praise and carefully placed lips.

Other than a complete lack of climaxing, it was amazing.

You knew this was a possibility once you had started taking medications. A loss of libido was one thing, but being unable to finish was starting to wear on you. Before you could stop yourself, you were doing the unthinkable: faking orgasms.

After all, who wants to spend close to an hour between someone's thighs just to be met with frustrated sighs and potentially awkward conversations? No, Kirishima didn't need to spend so much time on your pleasure, not when there was a high probability that you wouldn't finish at all. As long as the moans weren't straight out of a low-budget porno overly exaggerated, you figured you'd get away with it.

Getting away with it turned out to be the least of your issues. The struggle was real. Outside of the sweetest lovemaking with Kirishima, you desperately tried every trick in the book to reach an orgasm on your own. Something. Anything. You were beginning to feel pent-up, needy. The money spent on toys was starting to reach an uncomfortably high number. Time was wasted and followed up by flopping onto the bed in frustration. No amount of lube, porn, or fantasy was helping. Once you hit the hour mark, you basically gave up.

And you were now pacing the hallways of your apartment, irrational tears pricking at the corner of your eyes. Why did it matter? Orgasming was not the end all, be all of life. But the memory of before the medications, the euphoric bliss that would force your back from the mattress, that memory reared its head more often than you cared to admit. God damn it, you just wanted to feel the shudders, the rush of pleasure surging through your body, insatiable heat quenched. And you wanted to stop lying to him. The tears rimming your lash line made their arrival known, long tracks staining your cheeks.

This is, of course, when Kirishima decides to knock on your door. After all, you had planned to have a comfortable night in, a delightful line up of rom-coms at your disposal. Movies that you now wanted to throw out the nearest window. Why, why did you have to try again? He deserved so much more than a broken partner, a partner who would never be able to match him. Someone who could crash at the slightest struggle, who broke when their insecurities were brought to life.

Another set of knocks. Time to face the music.

As you gently opened the door, the drop in Kirishima's face was visible as he took in your state. Where a bright grin had been settled now featured lips drawn into a tight, worried line. After all, you did everything in your power to keep him in the dark in regards to your mental illness. Not necessarily your smartest move, in retrospect. Hindsight, you know?

The moment the door clicked behind him, Kirishima was gathering you in his arms, a large hand gently stroking the back of your head. A kiss to your temple, his forehead pressing against your hairline. Deep breaths weren't helping you at this point. Because regardless of how frustrated you were, Kirishima was safety, the warmth of his embrace a haven for you to let out the sobs that were wracking through your body.

And as the tears fell, darkening his gray tee shirt, Kirishima ran his hands up and down your back, the comforting heat of his body providing temporary relief. After moments of crying, you pressed your head against his chest, eyes glued to the linoleum floor beneath you.

A thick finger and thumb tenderly met your chin, slowly lifting your face to meet his eyes. Those usually warm red irises were dark with worry, the pad of his thumb running circles over and over against your skin. Another reminder of just how good he was. No man had ever made you feel as desired or important as Kirishima.

"Baby, what happened?" he murmured, still caressing your face so gingerly that it brought the threat of more tears.

"It's nothing, nothing important," came your quick response, avoiding any lingering eye contact. It wasn't that important. Sexual gratification came second to emotional connection, and you had that firmly in your grasp with Eijirou. Why would you risk losing someone like that?

His eyebrow narrowed at your words, and he kept your face cradled in his hands. "Please tell me, baby. I want to help."

God, that expression of pure concern. Like you were everything to him, like your hurt was his hurt. It was in that moment you knew: you couldn't keep lying to him. Whether it meant he'd leave for someone else, someone perfectly, indescribably normal; that didn't matter. If anyone deserved a picture-perfect romance, it was Kirishima.

Eijirou, I-" Your voice broke from the nerves, unable to hold his unflinching gaze. How could someone be so earnest? He nodded, those same reassuring circles urging you to speak.

"I think you deserve someone better."

He looked like you'd honest to goodness slapped him. So many emotions flashed over his usually cheerful face that it scared you. Oh, god, this wasn't what you wanted to do, but how could you not? No one wanted someone like you. Once he knew, he'd leave. Better to push him away first and just let it end now before-

"What are you talking about? Baby. I don't want anyone else. I want you." His words came out stammered, tripping over his tongue and falling into the otherwise quiet apartment. Kirishima shook his head slowly, searching your face for some form of reassurance that this wasn't what you wanted. That you didn't want him.

"I don't know why. I just, I'm too much. You'll end up getting frustrated with me and I just, I just can't take that kind of heartbreak."

"Too much? You're never too much, what are you talking about?"

The words fell before you could stop them, faster than should be discernible to the human ear. But if there was anything Eijirou was, it was attentive.

"My medicine is driving me crazy, and I know without it I'll go over the edge again. But I want to feel normal, Eiji. I can't handle feeling like I'm not normal." And it was true. Sex was so innately human, and knowing that there was a chance that you'd never be able to gain that ultimate satisfaction was driving you mad. Was this just an overreaction from a brain exhausted from constantly fighting itself, or was this a logical, albeit emotionally charged, reaction?

"Your medicine?"

There it was. What you wanted to avoid mentioning. Sure, it wasn't fair to keep it from him. But let's be honest, you'd been expecting this to end after the first few months. And now? Now you were shaking in his arms, knowing this confession would be the end of the dreamy love you'd been experiencing.

"My medicine for uh... for my, um. I have bipolar disorder. It's why I can't work on Thursdays, too. I have to go to therapy. I know I should've told you from the beginning but I just, you know, I really, really like you, and I don't-"

One finger met your lips followed by soothing shushes from his own. As if the world's weight had been lifted from his capable shoulders, Kirishima let out a heaving sigh of relief. The arm around your waist pulled you closer, his large hand splaying comfortably against your back.

"I'm not going anywhere. I just want you to be okay. What can I do for you?"

And that left you tearfully admitting it all. Longing for the physicality that would bring you closer together, the bliss of coming undone at your partner's hands. Disgust when you listened to your friends' bragging of delicious, gratifying one-night stands. Aching heat desperate to be relieved by your man only to be left at the edge, the warmth still tingling through your body. How you felt caught halfway between "normal" and "crazy" even with the drugs. And Kirishima nodded, hanging on every word.

"I'm glad you told me," he began, slowly trailing his fingertips up and down your back. "If I had known, I would've worked ten times harder. Will you let me make you feel good, honey? Please?"

How did those few sentences send you into another fit of tears? Clutching the lightweight fabric of his shirt and apologizing for the damp stains, you nuzzled against his chest in embarrassment. But he continued his motions, adept fingers working at your tense muscles.

That night, he gave you everything you wanted and more, eager to please you in a way he never had. Eyes focused, sweet nothings spilling from his lips, tender hands and featherlight kisses. Teasing and romance and dedication over hours, something you'd never experienced before.

On paper, Kirishima was perfect. Off paper, he was even more. And he fulfilled his promise to you, "I love you" slipping from his lips when you finally reached your euphoria.

"I love you too, Eijirou."

"I'll always love you more."

#kirishima eijirou #kirishima x y/n #kirishima x reader #bnha #mha #bnha x reader #bnha x y/n #bnha x gn!reader #bnha kirishima #mha kirishima #tw bipolar #tw medication #kaysays #i'm super nervous posting this one #ngl

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beautifulterriblequeen · 3 years

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Runaan, the Dragonblade

I woke from a dream this morning where I figured out half of this and came up with the rest while I mulled it over, and now I have a new angsty headcanon: Runaan was raised by Avizandum and trained to fight by Skywings at the Storm Spire.

Runaan is a soft elf who's learned to adopt Hard Mode at a moment's notice. Avizandum is a rat bastard who truly thought of humans as lesser beings. Runaan's Hard Mode and his attitude that humans are liars, nothing in them worth sparing, etc etc, is all learned behavior. It makes sense that all his harsh attitudes are part of his assassin training, since Ethari and Lujanne don't share them. And we’ve seen how certain other old dragons feel about humans. Considering that Xadia once wanted to wipe them all out, and that the dragons live by far the longest, it seems to me that the source of prejudice against humans lies with the dragons and is taught to the elves over and over with each new generation.

Then there's that casual line in the Book One novelization where we learn that Xadia wouldn't necessarily choose to avenge Avizandum because he was a morally gray bastard, but it would absolutely cry for justice over Zym being killed. That scene is Rayla's, and all her assassin information comes from Runaan. Bitter about his upbringing at Avizandum's claws, maybe? I don't blame him.

If Avizandum really did raise Runaan and see to his training, then S1E1′s title “Echoes of Thunder” just keeps having more layers to it, doesn’t it? Gosh. Runaan is connected to so many parts of the plot, to so many characters, but behind him lies Thunder. Just like Aaravos lies behind Viren and his own web of connections.

I keep trying to puzzle out Runaan's scars, where and why he got them. This headcanon has yet another guess. See, Ethari is eager to use the Sun's Tears salve to keep Runaan healing quickly--he hates to see his husband hurt, of course he does, he loves him! So I don't think it's very likely that Runaan got those scars after he married Ethari. And then there's his bio clue about "learned to put his mission above all else". If you learn something, that's a lesson, and lessons usually are learned early, especially when assassin training begins before you can even walk.

So if his training supervisor was Avizandum, and Runaan wasn't hard enough during training... I can see it. Typical dragon behavior, a little smack of the tail. It wouldn’t do much damage to another dragon, not with their thick scaled hides. But used on elves who are short and tiny and delicate in comparison? Ouch.

None of Runaan’s scars or even damage from his fight in Harrow’s chamber, none of it is on his back. Runaan never turns his back unless he’s spinning with his blades out. So whatever hit him, he was facing it directly. And if it was Avizandum’s judgment, then he stood there and saw it coming and took it like the stoic Moonshadow he is.

This poor angst-ridden elf, god.

I'm dancing around it here. But Avizandum losing control of Zym was a good thing, and Viren interrupting his hatching storm was beneficial for Zym and therefore all of Xadia - once the Dragaang got to hatch him, anyway. Because however much Avizandum cried at dying and being unable to reach Zym, whether from love or fear or loss of control, he would've raised him to be hard and trained him to be ruthless. Just like Runaan.

Zym was spared all that. But maybe Runaan wasn't. Maybe it's tradition for the Dragon Throne to raise and train each assassin leader, and that's where the blood promise thing comes in. A Moonshadow elf, separate from their people, surrounded by dragons and Skywings, needs to bond with someone. So they make the promise, swear their honor and loyalty in service to the one being who has seen to their education and whatever guidance and comforts they are given in life. And then they go home to the Silvergrove and bind others to the will of the Dragon King.

I had a really old headcanon once that Runaan was raised by Skywings, lol. This version is cooler though. It's just the way he fights. It's so aerial! And all the spinning! Everything about Skywings being strong and fast really just adds more strength to this headcanon. Rayla believes Runaan is the best assassin, and he's described as basically unstoppable. A Moonshadow who fights like a Skywing would have serious advantages over most other combatants. Maybe this will be one more connection between Runaan and Callum someday? How fun would that be? Runaan actually being able to train Callum in Skywing aerial techniques to some degree. Whether he would... ehh. I could see him silently adjusting Callum’s elbow or something and nodding for him to try again, though. Perhaps in a “but I doubt you’ll get it--oh huh, look at that” sort of way. Which would be awesome all around, tbh.

Unfortunately, if Runaan were trained by Skywings, he would have thought himself slow and sloppy during training. It probably influenced his constant training regimen in the Silvergrove. If he trained all the time, he'd at least get closer to Skywing standards. But maybe he still lives with a deep-seated sense of inadequacy for not being as swift and light on his feet as his trainers. And I can see Avizandum allowing that mentality, and even encouraging it, since it would urge a young Runaan to constantly push himself harder.

Now, let me headcanon about Rayla: if she were the child that Runaan chose to follow him as the assassin leader, there is no way in hell he'd let her go back to the Storm Spire for instruction at Avizandum’s claws. So maybe he told Lain and Tiadrin what happened to him, or maybe they already knew. Heck, maybe they were there with him, or maybe Lain was and that’s why he’s Runaan’s best friend. In any case, no one wanted to put Rayla through that, so they all managed a compromise. Lain and Tiadrin went in her place and served on the Dragonguard. And Runaan got to keep Rayla away from Avizandum.

He was so gentle with her when he raised her, it kills me. The irony that he was still training her to be an assassin despite his own history is very deep. But I don't think anyone knows how to get out of that one yet. Still, he raised her softly and with encouraging guidance, not with tail smacking. Somehow, that sense of "I'll never be good enough" did carry over, though... Rayla really is as perceptive as her mother sometimes. She picks up things Runaan never meant to teach her. Luckily that also includes kissing techniques.

Runaan helped Rayla avoid his harsh upbringing at the Storm Spire, but he raised her so softly that she got him captured. He keeps using those Skywing moves like mental chess to try to get around the dangers in his life and protect his friends and family, but the board is set against him. And I'm guessing the only way to win is not to play.

tl;dr: Runaan was raised by dragons and trained by Skywings and it shows, but he didn't want Rayla raised the same way because it was traumatic and scarring, so her parents went to the Storm Spire instead of her. And everything still fell apart because the system is broken.

Extra hc’s:

Runaan got over his fear of heights and death at the same time because Avizandum made him jump off the Spire repeatedly, and he’d have to be chill and calm and accept his fate, and when he was at peace with it, then a Skywing would catch him.

Runaan gave Hendyr his cheek scars for catching him too early one time. Dude was trying to help, and Runaan was trying to be perfect, and it ended with shades of Amaya.

Rayla throwing herself off the pinnacle when she killed Viren was something she may have heard about before, and once again she’s copying Runaan.

There’s a Moonshadow room at the Spire because there’s always a Moonshadow there for training, and that’s where Lain and Tiadrin were living: in Runaan’s childhood room. They’ll know him so much better after having spent time there.

Runaan’s got chronic stress about messy windswept hair now, and that’s why Ethari does his hair for him every morning with those dexterous hands of his, to make sure Runaan feels calm and ordered and as far from the Storm Spire in his mind as possible.

#tdp headcanons #angsty tdp headcanons #tdp angst #runaan #runaan headcanons #storm spire #rayla #lain #tiadrin #moonfam #moonfam angst #Skywing elves #the dream part was about avizandum raising runaan #and i added the skywings training runaan after i woke up #like holy shit this is angsty #i love and hate it aaaaaaa #why everything terrible gotta happen to my boy #no i know why

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imagineelrios · 7 years

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The rival ask (Where reader loses and Elgang wins), but reversed this time! (and sorry if I'm being rude but with Add's, wouldn't the rival also know how to make Nasods? idk ;A; ignore this bracket!)

(Eh, not necessarily. Besides, with Add, the list of other people he wants touching his work is pretty much nonexistent!)

Elsword is interesting to talk to and pretty good at teaching fighting skills. Asking him to do either of those things would be fun for you.

Aisha is good at magic, and…. Yep, pretty much just magic. She’ll teach you magic, if you want!

Rena will do pretty much anything. Hey, you won the bet, you get to tell her what to do. Just don’t be creepy or anything. Being creepy will get you shot/kicked/stabbed.

Raven is kind of awkward. Uh. You’re best served asking him to teach you strategy or sword techniques.

Eve offers to tell you stories about the height of the Nasod Empire, or teach you how to code. Better take her up on that offer. Not many people can say they learned from the Queen.

Chung lets you ride the Hamelings he has back at the Guardian Palace in Hamel. It’s quite fun, actually, but he’ll do what you want.

Ara knows she lost the bet, so again, she’ll let you do whatever you want. This is your chance to pet her fluffy Eun tails.

Elesis will, if asked, drag you along on some wild adventure. That’s pretty much what she offers. That or sword training.

Add scoffs and refuses to do anything with you. He actually just shuts himself in his lab. Add is a sore loser.

Lu sighs and gives you Ciel for the day. What? She’s way too busy and important to bow to your whims herself! That’s what servants are for!

Ciel will bake you anything you want. That’s about all he’ll offer.

Ain shrugs and ends Intervention to avoid all of this.

#elboy #aisha #rena #raven #eve #chung #ara #elesis #add #lu #ciel #ain #mod ash #anon #ask #elsword #elsword imagines

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smartwebhostingblog · 6 years

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Looking Back, Michael Phelps Wouldn't Change a Thing (But He Does Want You To Make 1 Small Change)

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Looking Back, Michael Phelps Wouldn't Change a Thing (But He Does Want You To Make 1 Small Change)

Imagine you just bought a case of bottled water. Would you idly open and pour 10 or 15 bottles down the drain? Of course not. That would be wasteful. That would be stupid.

But for years that is exactly what I did: I left the faucet on when I brushed my teeth. There was no specific reason. Like many things in life, that’s just what I did — even though I had heard the statistics, like how in the U.S. alone we can save hundreds of millions of gallons of water a year if we all turn off the faucet while we brush our teeth.

That’s a huge number — yet like with many statistics that show the impact of an aggregate change, I didn’t feel a personal connection.

But the idea of dumping brand-new bottles of water down the drain? I could definitely connect with that image.

Now, turning off the water while I brush my teeth is just what I do. So yeah: Michael Phelps got in my head.

And for good reason.

The United Nations estimates that close to half of the world’s population will live in countries with limited water supplies by the year 2030. That’s why this is Michael’s second year as global ambassador for Colgate’s #EveryDropCounts campaign.

Studies show that nearly 75 percent of Americans who were aware of Colgate’s campaign say it influenced their personal actions in terms of saving water, and almost 60 percent say they turn off the faucet more often when brushing their teeth.

Each time you turn off the faucet you can save between 2 and 4 gallons of water, which is between 15 and 30 bottled waters… and if we all do, well over 500 million gallons of water a day.

Which, even though math is not my friend, adds up to over 31 million plastic bottles of water.

I talked with Michael about why life after swimming and why he’s so involved in water conservation — and also about motivation, achieving huge goals, and his struggles with anxiety and depression.

There are tons of things you could have gotten involved in, and with your profile, tons of organizations that would welcome your involvement. So why water conservation?

I’ve approached my whole career exactly the way I do now: The things I’m a part of are things I believe in, that we already do in our daily lives.

So when Colgate asked me to be a global ambassador for water conservation, to help spread a message we already care about… it was a no brainer. Water obviously plays a significant role in my life, but this is something my wife and I were already trying to teach our son. Boomer understands that when the Colgate sticker on the stopper turns red it’s time to turn the faucet off. And someday Beckett will, too.

As a parent, to know that your kids can be taught that lesson at such an early age, and that it will make such a significant impact worldwide… that’s incredible to watch.

It’s a powerful campaign, one I’m honored to be a part of.

You come from a where results are measurable… when you drew the analogy of wasting bottles of water, that really struck a nerve with me.

Stats and numbers make a huge difference, especially when they’re relatable. When you can show people not just the total potential change but also how they can make a real difference… that’s when they’ll jump onboard.

But it’s also really powerful to know just how big an impact we can make if we all come together.

Most of us take water for granted. We turn on the faucet and it’s there. But that’s not the case for hundreds of millions of people around the world. There is no “never ending supply” of water. In this country we could potentially not have clean water within our lifetime.

That’s a scary thought. Water is at the center of everything.

Our pipes froze for a day last winter and you would have thought the world was coming to an end.

(Laughs.) Exactly.

The other day someone said, “When I brush my teeth, I think about you.” While that’s a strange thing to hear (laughs), it shows we’re making a difference. People are listening. They understand what we’re trying to do. And they’re buying into it.

Saving water is something we can all easily do — without any effort at all — every single day.

I asked LinkedIn users to send me questions they would love to ask you. Here’s one: Many people worry that dedicating themselves to achieving a huge goal means they will miss out on other things. Do you feel all the sacrifices you made were worth it? Would you go back and change anything?

That’s an awesome question. The short answer is no, I wouldn’t change a thing.

I did miss some high school dances and parties, I did lose the chance to hang out with people… but I didn’t care, because I knew I had the opportunity to do something no one else had ever done. That made me willing to make those sacrifices.

If you really do want to do something significant, you’re going to have to make sacrifices. You have to. That’s just part of it.

So I wouldn’t change anything: Not the good, not the bad, not the ugly. All those experiences helped mold me into who I am… and for the last two years, for the first time in my life I like who I am as a person.

It’s hard to imagine that winning 28 Olympic medals wouldn’t make you happy.

For the longest time I looked at myself strictly as a swimmer and not as a human being.

But still: I wouldn’t change anything because I am so happy with my life today.

Was it hard and grueling and brutal? Yes. But if you look at the most successful people, they do things when they don’t necessarily want to do them.

That’s what makes you great: Doing things when you don’t want to do them… because you know that is what it takes to get you to where you want to go.

What motivated you more: Winning, or losing?

That’s easy. Losing. (Laughs.)

I definitely remember the losses because those were times I wasn’t as prepared as I thought I could have been. Losses were wakeup calls that I needed to get my butt in gear, and focus on what I needed to do to win a gold medal, break a record, etc.

I’m really hard on myself. I tend to beat myself up. But if I’m devoting time and energy to something, I want to do it right.

I’m won’t do something if I’m not willing to put in time and effort to do it as well as I possibly can.

Lots of parents on LinkedIn asked for your advice for helping a teenager who suffers from anxiety or depression.

Even though every kid is different, and every kid will need something different, it all starts with being there to support them.

One thing I always say is make sure the communication line is always open. When someone goes into isolation that’s a huge red flag, and should definitely set off alarms.

Another tool is something we implemented in our Foundation over the last year. There are 8 basic emotions. Whenever you’re feeling one, dig deeper into why you feel that way and what caused that feeling. That can help you address the underlying problem instead of just dwelling with that emotion.

I have used that technique for years, and still use it today.

I sometimes do that without thinking. If I’m feeling stressed, I’ll think, “Okay, why exactly do I feel this way?” That lets me deal with the causal factor instead of just trying to “reduce my anxiety level.”

Me too. I try to take a step back and think, for example, about why I am getting so angry about this situation, this person, etc. It’s a really good tool, one you can use

Really good tool that anyone can use.

It also helps when you remember not to take things so personally. If I’m driving and someone cuts me off, I’ll get mad and think, “What is his problem…” but what just happened really doesn’t matter. It doesn’t need to affect me at all.

I’m learning to pause, to take that deep breath, and realize that it’s okay. It’s not the end of the world.

I use those tools and I’m still trying to sharpen them up.

One thing that’s obvious is you don’t mind talking about your own anxiety, stress, depression…

When I openly talk about these things it’s really helpful: I learn more about myself and about what I’m doing to change.

On a broader level, I think it’s great that athletes and celebrities — and kids — are opening up more about mental health, because it’s something we need to address. There are all these stigmas… people assume that if you’re an athlete you’re incredibly strong mentally as well… but I’m a human being too. I struggle with the same things.

It’s cool when athletes show the world that they’re not superhuman, that they’ not unbeatable. They’re human.

It also helps when kids open up about their struggles, because that helps other kids realize they’re not the only ones.

That’s why we produced the documentary “Angst.” It shows how kids in middle school and high school deal with depression and anxiety. While it has been shown in a number of schools across the country, we’re hoping to make that happen in every single school because it is so important for kids to see other kids open up and talk about their struggles — to show that it’s okay.

To show that it’s okay to not be okay.

I’ve had scary times and depressed times since the Olympics, and for me those are a part of life. Those times are part of who I am. I have to accept that, and be as prepared as I can when those times happen so I can keep learning and keep taking small steps forward.

Speaking of small steps forward. What have you learned about yourself in the process?

If we’re talking about mental health, I joke about it because I know it sounds really basic, but the biggest thing I’ve learned is to communicate. (Laughs.)

I was great at compartmentalizing. To finally learn to let out some things out was like a huge release. To be my open, honest, authentic self… that took me a long time to find.

It’s an incredible feeling to know you’re being yourself and being authentic in everything you do. When you have that… that’s the equation for success. Nothing will stand in your way because your mind is so powerful.

What got you to that point?

The key is to understand that it is okay to not be okay — and you’re not alone. You’re not by yourself. People are willing to help.

It’s hard to ask for help, but it’s really important to ask for help when you need it.

I struggled with that. I was afraid of rejection, was afraid of how it would feel if people couldn’t or wouldn’t help me. I couldn’t handle that answer.

Now I can. Now I realize there are plenty of people that will not only help you — they genuinely want to see you succeed.

But was there a specific moment…?

The tipping point for me was after my second DUI. I felt I didn’t want to be on this earth anymore. I didn’t want to be alive.

That was the time I knew I had to make a change. I had to be ready to make that change.

And that caused me to be vulnerable. “Vulnerable” is a scary word. But going through that change saved my life.

And it changed my life. I know now that I’m I’m still going to get depressed. I’m still going to go through periods of high anxiety. But I understand that is part of who I am. And now, I’m comfortable in my own skin.

Depression isn’t something you have once and then it goes away forever. Depression can come back, and as long as you’re as prepared as you can be you, you can work through it and keep taking steps forward. You can keep making progress.

Trust me. I’ve seen it. I’ve lived it.

I’m eager to move forward, to grow, to learn from the experiences I’ve had and that I’m sure I will have…

That’s why it’s actually exciting to talk about this part of my journey — because I know that if I keep working, keep growing, keep learning… my life can be even better than it already is.

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hostingnewsfeed · 6 years