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shuttershocky · 6 months

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Based on my (limited) experiences following the Type Moon fandom, it seems like there's such a wall between the fans of the "OG stuff" (mostly Mahoyo, Tsukihime, Kara no Kyoukai, FSN) and people who started with/also enjoy Grand Order, it looks like such a one sided thing where the fans of the older stuff tend to hate on FGO's writing and whatever it might have done to have done to Type Moon and Nasu's priorities, while the FGO fans just seem to enjoy the story while still being happy enough to support the OG stuff (Mahoyo/TsukiRe english release for example)

That incoherent wall of text is basically set up for me to ask what *you* think of FGO as someone who I imagine came from the older works. I'm curious about how you feel about the writing and stories in particular, from the arcs where Nasu started to be more involved (I haven't played them, but I believe it's Camelot?) since that's where I heard they started to get more elaborate. Do they live up to the experiences you've had with TM's other works?

Sorry for the long question, and I hope you have a great day!

Wow. I've been here for an incredibly long time if people no longer know about how much I used to play FGO.

Anyway, I would say what really sets FGO apart, not just from the rest of Type-Moon but even from other Fate works, is its scale, both in terms of the storytelling and its real life commercial value.

The hate you see many non-FGO playing TM fans have toward FGO is resentment towards how much it has simply taken up Type-Moon as a whole. The Tsukihime Remake was announced all the way back in 2008 and released in 2021 for example, partly because FGO taking off the way it did in 2015 meant it took up all their time and effort. They could not focus on anything else.

As their biggest moneymaker, it also began to warp the production of other works around it, as FGO had now become the main way by which people got into Type-Moon. Therefore, all things had to appeal to FGO fans in order to sell whether that was Fate/Extella Link pulling in FGO cast members like Scathach and Arjuna into the game, or Fate/Apocrypha's anime adaptation including as many FGO cameos as possible like Medea Lily (what was she even doing there lmao).

Of course, just adding FGO references doesn't automatically make something bad. Fate/Samurai Remnant for example has made fantastic use of FGO characters while mixing them in with new ones. However, you also get stuff like Melty Blood Type-Lumina having Saber, Ushiwakamaru, Dantes, and Mash all in the game while old fan favorite Melty Blood characters like Sion and Len are nowhere to be seen. You know that "Wi-fi is okay if you're close to the router" Melty Blood meme? That character Nanaya Shiki isn't even playable in the latest Melty Blood. When you see that and see not one, not two, but THREE FGO characters taking their place (Saber's a free pass), you'd see why there's a lot of resentment built up towards FGO by older Type-Moon fans.

As I said before, the difference isn't just in its commercial scale, but also in its creative one. Even in the most outlandish of settings, Type-Moon works are almost always smaller scale, character-centric pieces. Fate/Extra took place inside a supercomputer on the Moon, but it was about a glitch making an AI fight in a death battle between humans, and how that formerly blank AI feeling danger and wanting to live blurred the lines between what is human and what isn't. Tsuki No Sango (Coral of the Moon) was about a world 3000 years in the future, but the entire thing was a little space man in the palm of a girl's hand, listening to a love story about a man and a computer on the Moon.

For all its many similarities to previous TM works, FGO is still ultimately a save the world type of story. It starts with a demon destroying all of time, and then turns into a death game between entire timelines. It's big, it's bombastic, and it's instantly accessible, the kind of story structure you want to be able to fit the gacha format of an endless stream of new characters while keeping the ship steady with an overarching plot that lets you keep meeting an endless stream of new characters.

That's not really what I'm a TM fan for. I played FGO for its first 3 years, and once they brought out the Lostbelts I realized I was already satisfied and did not want to read yet another big world saving adventure plot all over again. I was pretty happy with how the first arc ended already, so my interest in continuing FGO shriveled up soon after.

Quality wise I'd say FGO is a very mixed bag, inevitable when FGO itself is a mix of very different writers (who themselves can be pretty inconsistent, Nasu included). Plenty of FGO chapters have also been cursed with subpar adaptations (looking at you, Camelot and Babylonia), further muddying the perceived quality of the stories.

I will say when FGO is bad, it's really bad (and often pretty racist), but when it's good, it's really good. For what I consider to be a mediocre baseline, FGO has some incredibly high peaks that rival the best in Type-Moon, and even when something is just okay execution wise (like Shimousa), some of the characters, concepts, and story beats are just so damn cool that they become intensely emotional and impactive all the same and inspire superior adaptations and follow up works (like Shimousa).

That being said, my favorite stories in FGO were the ones that would use much smaller scale, isolated adventures with a far stronger focus on characterization and emotional arcs that follow its thematic ones. Aeaean Spring Breeze is one of the best examples, being a tiny event about helping Circe move on from having been rejected by Odysseus in life, with some incredibly solid character work and a great understanding of how to mix the needs of a light-hearted comedy event with making genuine, emotionally compelling moments from a character that almost never speaks from the heart.

#in case I haven't made it obvious yet read the Shimousa Manga

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lexsssu · 4 months

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Divine (Arjuna Alter | Berserker)

TAGS: Arjuna Alter/Dragoness!reader, pining, heats/ruts, pheromones, knotting, smut, oneshot Ao3 ver.

From the moment he is summoned in Chaldea to assist humanity’s last master, Arjuna ( Alter ), the culmination of the Indian pantheon and former opponent of said master knew what his purpose was.

He is a weapon against evil, nothing more and nothing less.

But…

“I know it’s not the same as back in your country, but I like to think my Japanese-style curry tastes pretty good. I made sure to make it extra spicy for you too!”

The god blinked at the tall pile of steaming curry rice placed in front of him, smelling the various aromatic spices and feeling the heat it gave off thanks to sheer amount of spice. Though he had no need to eat thanks to his divinity and also because he was a servant, the tantalizing aroma of the meal didn’t fail to tease his senses especially as you gazed up at him expectantly with those molten gold orbs of yours that shone and glittered like the finest of jewels. It also didn’t help that you unknowingly bat your lashes up at him as you pleaded with him through your gaze alone, the dark lush crescents emphasizing how even just a pair of eyes could hold unimaginable beauty.

You are breathtaking.

And that honestly scared him.

He, who had shed his mortal shell to embody almost every god in his respective pantheon, who had dedicated his existence to purging the world of evil, and now who’d found himself a servant to a master much more powerful than he or any servant was.

Though servants being attracted to their masters and relationships before formed between the two wasn’t anything new, Arjuna ( Alter ) of all servants felt that he himself would never be so imbecilic as to fall for his master…

And yet here he is.

Leaning forward as you’d taken it upon yourself to scoop up a spoonful of curry rice and feed it to him since he’d frozen up like a deer in headlights the moment you’d placed the treat in front of him.

“So...how does it taste? Is it spicy enough for you? Or maybe it needs more flavor? Or…?”

Normally you always wore a look of complete serenity, as if everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen was simply all part of your grand plan that no one is privy to aside from yourself...At least that’s how it looked to Arjuna and everyone else within Chaldea considering the inconceivable feats you so easily make into reality.

But now you’re gazing up at him, seemingly as harmless as a little lamb despite your ability to destroy entire worlds according to one of the other servants, Tathamet, who’d apparently been a blessed witness to all your feats before arriving in Chaldea. The primordial revered you as much as he feared you despite apparently being ‘ The Prime Evil, ’ further proof of your power.

Despite his understanding of mortal behavior having been eradicated when he decided to ascend, there is no denying the heat that seems to engulf his whole body as you sit so close to him, serving him as if he weren’t the servant within this relationship.

“...Good. It’s...perfect…” Though an invisible lump seems to have formed in his throat, the former Lost-Belt King manages to utter the words you’ve been waiting for so patiently.

He swallows when his eyes take notice of how visibly you perk up, the ear to ear grin and the slight wagging of the glittering silver tail behind you making his own deep blue tail move ever so slowly in response to your reactions.

“Great! I was afraid that you wouldn’t like it since it’s not really the same as what you’re used to but I tried my best…”

The bashful grin you grace him with only worsens the Berserker’s condition, his dark chocolate complexion seemingly gaining a reddish hue as he did his best to understand these confusing feelings you elicited from him.

Was this another facet of your limitless power? Or perhaps...was his body simply too weak to handle your sheer might even by just being in close proximity to you?

With the both of you off in your own world, most of the servants seem to have their gazes glued to the pair you made. Not that it was surprising, considering you were their venerated master and pretty much every servant and everyone else within Chaldea was sure you were some sort of eldritch being that came into existence and power long before any of the known gods and primordial entities did.

At this moment however, Arjuna’s thoughts have moved on from your undeniable strength and towards uncharted territory.

Namely...the reactions his physical body seems to be making in response to you.

Perhaps he should consult with someone more...adept with human emotions? Maybe it was about time he paid a visit to his brother, Karna...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“ KNOT ME! KNOT ME! KNOT ME! KNOT ME! KNOT ME! KNOT ME! KNOT ME! KNOT ME! KNOT ME! KNOT ME! KNOT ME! KNOT ME! KNOT ME! KNOT ME! KNOT ME! ”

This...was the last scenario he’d expected after consulting with Karna about the emotions you made him feel.

“ PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! ”

He simply knocked at your door some days later after he’d digested his brother’s words, understanding for himself what his feelings meant before he made a move. So caught up in his own affairs, he didn’t notice how your natural scent seemed to become...spicier and almost cloyingly sweet until he’d fully entered your room only to be hit with your raw pheromones.

It all becomes a blur at that point, because the next thing Arjuna knows is that he’s pinning you down upon your bed in a full mating press, the entire length of his cock forcing your lower lips open as he sought to pour every drop of his potent seed into your fertile womb.

Though in human form, you were both very much in tune with your baser instincts and like any animal, there were certain times where your bodies went against your minds.

The combined scent of your sweat and other bodily fluids made the former god purr from his chest, especially as your body secreted pheromones that told him how happy you were for him to be the one mating you. How you looked forward to the brood you’ll bear for him once his seed takes root within your belly.

“Good mate…” He rasps, ragged breaths hitting the shell of your ear when he shoved every last inch of his cock inside, the heavy knot at the base slipping easily inside your velvety depths as he began painting your hungry cunt with rivulets of white.

#lexsssu writes #fgo #fate grand order #fgo x reader #arjuna x reader #fgo arjuna x reader #arjuna alter #fgo arjuna alter #arjuna alter x reader #arjuna alter x you #arjuna alter x y/n #fgo arjuna alter x reader #crossposted on ao3 #fate grand order x reader

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tgrailwar · 1 year

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Tumblr Holy Grail War: Wave 7 - Day 2 (Team Lancer, Team Archer, and Team Caster)

As always, an exciting fight served as the setting between Archer and Caster. Of course, the battle between Archer and Caster was the least of their Master's worries.

Fifty meters away from the main territory that occupied the space of the Grail War, a Servant was seen in the air. Clad in blue from head to toe, surrounded by burning magical energy.

"...Gae..."

"...Bolg!"

One. Ten. A hundred. A thousand. Uncountable spearheads from the cursed spear began raining down on Archer and Caster. No… not just Archer and Caster. Towards every Servant within the territory that had been created for this Holy Grail War that had so boldly thought to 'take a break' during the Holy Grail War. Though the brunt of it was focused on the Archer and Caster before him.

If the Caster dared to weaken his Territory Creation… then fine. He'd simply make it more of a problem.

In other words… well, if the rules of warfare were out of the question for a Holy Grail War-- then he'd just carpet bomb their 'arena'. After all, his Masters had given up three Command Spells for his sake. Of course, they were expecting the 'Barbed Spear that Pierces with Death'… but well, surprising them with the variant wasn't too bad, right? They had just asked for him to 'use his Noble Phantasm', after all.

Scrambling, Dante set his Shades to work as the sky turned red with Lancer's mana.

Dante: "…Shades! Caesar! Protect our Masters and the territory alongside me! Hector! Penthesilea! Focus on Arjuna!"

Arjuna: "So you put illusions before me once again, Dante! For one who judged me on my pride as a warrior, you seem to be quite the treacherous coward yourself!"

[ EVENT START: The spear of the legendary hero Cu Chulainn can also function as a deadly AoE Noble Phantasm! Archer and Caster are at the epicenter of the attack, but it's spread out far enough to hit Saber and Rider as well! Do your best to defend yourselves! ]

Cu Chulainn has used his Noble Phantasm! If he wins 1st place, Dante and Arjuna will sustain 2 wounds!

Dante is on his final wound! If he doesn't get 1st place, he'll die!

Cu Chulainn has [2] wounds! Arjuna is uninjured!

The 50% boost from Cu Chulainn's Noble Phantasm has been nullified by Territory Creation!

Arjuna has a -30% debuff on him from Dante's Noble Phantasm!

Territory Creation is active! Cu Chulainn and Arjuna's buffs are nullified!

Based on skills, augmentations to the final score are:

Cu Chulainn: +0% (due to Territory Creation)

Arjuna: -35%

Dante: +8%

Active Skills/Noble Phantasms:

Dante (Caster)

Innocent Monster (Commedia) (EX) - If victorious when attacking, if the resulting score gap is larger than 35%, recover a Command Spell.

Territory Creation (Holy) (C) - When 'playing defensively' and attacked, nullify the attacking Servant's bonuses, and Dante gains +8% to his final combat poll results rather than +3%.

Arjuna (Archer)

Hero of the Endowed (A) - If fighting an enemy Servant, and the difference between scores is within 3%, take the win.

Cu Chulainn (Lancer)

Protection from Arrows (B) - When going against an Archer, Caster or Assassin-class Servant, gain a +5% to final combat poll results, and reduce their results by 5% as well.

#combat phase poll #team lancer #team archer #team caster #thgw story

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slifarianhawk · 7 months

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Chapter 25: Two Matriarchs (NORMAL P.O.V.)

Sitting at my desk, I clicked off and deactivated my connection to the B.S.A.A. terminals. Chris was clearly not in a good place and needed some comfort. I hope Barry, Claire, or the copy of my plans against Spencer would soothe him.

As I waited for Albert to arrive with that harpy Excella , I decided it would be best to have Agent Nighthawk in the office as backup. Did I think Albert would allow me to get hurt? No, no, I did not. I just think a little intimidation would be helpful.

I pressed the button on my comm choker, activating it.

"Agent Nighthawk respond." I ordered.

"Yes, commander?" His voice responded quickly.

"Come to my office. I have a feeling the new visitor will be trouble, and I would like your assistance in the matter as my backup." I said, standing up from my chair and walking over the marbled ebony cabinets in the corner of my office.

"YES, MAM!" He said loudly.

"No need to shout hun. See you soon." I ended the comm link.

Opening up the cabinet, I pulled out a tray with a vintage light blue decanter with gold angel fish with six matching glasses. Inside the decanter was Pheonix Corps. special strawberry brandy. I also had an unopened imported bottle of Kunohs orange osmanthus wine as well as an unopened bottle Disaronno and Johnnie Walker blue label, which I knew was Albert's favorite. Pulling them out of their hidey hole, I placed them on the tray as well.

Carefully, I brought the drinking set out and placed it on my desk. Tucking away my keyboard, laptop, as well as the monitors. I placed the cups along the desk. With utmost care, I covered the desk and drinking set with a black silk sheet. The proper meet and greet was more important, and if it went well, drinks would be served.

"I am here, m'lady." Nighthawk said, entering my office holding a five gallon bucket of ice,"White Queen said you would need ice, so I grabbed you a big bucket full from the kitchen before I came to your office."

The kid smiled. His unruly neck lenght blonde hair was slicked back almost how Wesk normally had his. He was wearing a charcoal grey jacket with an aquamarine tee shirt, black jeans, and his standard issued combat boots.

"Wow! kid, you're looking sharp today. This is perfect. I want to see your files from project a.c.r.o.h. you look so much like my husband it's shocking." I said, taking the bucket of ice from him," please take a seat. Archer will be here soon with Albert and that bitch Excella. However, my plan is simple, and you'll see that soon enough. Now, if you'll turn around so I can get changed."

Agent Nighthawk turns and faces the wall. I quickly changed into my battle suit that was crafted from carbon nanotubes and spider silk. Perfectly bulletproof and stylish to boot. I placed my corrective purple shades on as well as my black leather duster coat embroidered with blue silk flames. I pulled my long deep brown hair up into a ponytail. Lastly, I stepped into black snake skin three inch wedge heel boots.

"OK... Hawk, you can turn around now. I'm ready for this meet and greet with Ms. Gionne, " I said, walking over to him.

"That's good, m'lady, and it seems they are almost here." He said, pointing at the window, revealing Albert and Arjuna walking up the stairs being followed by Excella and Steve.

I quickly zipped over to my big office chair and sat down. Turning away from the door, I gazed over set agent Nighthawk and motioned for him to come stand next to me. He followed the order I silently provided in just the nick of time.

White Queen appeared as the door opened. Archer walked in first, followed by Wesker and Steve. Excella walked in last.

"Albert, where is this asset you keep bringing up? I must admit the Pheonix Corps. is an amazing organization, but would they help us with oroboros. They seemed to be aligned with the UN." She stated.

White Queen spoke up, "All of your questions will be answered here in a moment. Arjuna, please introduce our lady to Ms. Gionne."

Archer smiled and bowed, "Yes, White Queen, welcome to the final room of our tour. The heart of Pheonix Corps, this is the office of our mistress. The former vice captain of the Raccoon City special tactics and rescue services Alpha team, Umbrellas former top researcher in vaccines and anti viral procedures, UBSC Agent number seven hundred forty-eight, goddess of the new world and wife to commander Albert Wesker, our matron and leader, the Pheonix herself, Lady Tabitha Ellise Redfield Wesker."

I turned in my chair and stood up. Brushing my bangs away from my eyes. My wicked smirk plastered across my face as I stared deep into Excella's horrified eyes.

"So.... so... you were?"shuddered out Excella.

"NOT so much of a filthy mutt now am I deary. Hahaha.... worry not, dear heart. I hold nothing against you. I could have killed you the moment I laid my eyes on you, but I didn't. After all, that's not what my daughter Alistar would want. I understand you found her corpse. I want to thank you for being her home to me and Albert." I took off my shades, revealing the deep blue sapphire like eyes.

Albert walked forward and stood next to me, "Excella, my dearheart here has a deal for you."

"What is this deal? What what can she give me that I don't already have? I have Albert and our research. I don't need anything more. So tell me what you can offer me?" She huffed, turning around, starting to walk out.

"Well, how about me not exposing Tricells' recent transgressions against the UNs anti bioterrist regulations." She turned around, horrified as the realization just hit her.

"You wouldn't dare! do you know who i am. No one would turn in trecell over

petty reason, like not building a work relationship." She said, walking towards me.

I laughed, amused, "If you think I'm not that petty, just ask Wesk. However, I have damn near infinite resources and connections as well from the B.S.A.A., the connections, even Nato and the UN. I have decades of research from umbrella and access to files that Wesker doesn't. I'm currently have an army of around two thousand soldiers, all with B.O.W. training. To think you would think I studied up on you when I found out about irving was connected to Tricell. Born to the Gionne family, Excella was a child prodigy. Graduating from high school at the ripe age of sixteen and college at twenty. She gained a bachelor of science degree majoring in genetic engineering. Valedictorian at that. Now you are an assistant to my power-hungry sadist of a husband. I love him dearly, but I can tell you, and I share that fact in common. Now I'll cut you a deal, one that will be hard to refuse."

I saw Albert smirk.

"Gentlemen, let's give my dear lotus and Excella some privacy." Wesker said, motioning for the men to leave.

"No need, Albert. I want to make sure you hear what is said. That way, I know she'll stay loyal to this contract. You did tell me she's loyal to you to a fault. Let me hear this deal you've concocted. " Excella smirked, sitting in one of the chairs.

"Simple and straight to the point, I like that. This is a four part deal, and I'll have the legal team draw up the contract for three parts. The last piece will be between me and you, Excella." I said, sitting back down in my office chair.

"But of course, I'm not an idiot. Now, let's hear these terms." She said in a very business manner.

"First of we don't rat each other out to the UN, B.S.A.A or any other authority." I said.

"That's very much agreeable." She said seething, "What else would you like out of this?".

"We share resources between Tricell and Phoenix Corps. This will include but not be limited to research, viral stabilizers, soldiers, the works, whatever you need that we can provide, and the same co yndition is applied to you at tricell." I stated, grabbing a dark blue fountain pen and paper writing out the conditions and signing by each one.

"I promise you the resourses of my branch of Tricell,and I'll contact my family and have the other branches reach out as well." She said, signing next to each of my signatures.

"Lastly of the main terms, we stay out of others' way and try to rule side by side the new world uroboros will usher in for us." I said, standing up and extending my hand out.

She stood up and took my hand in hers, "Then it's settled."

"Not quite. All but Archer leave this room now that's an order. Albert, I'll discuss this with you later, but for now, this is my base. You will listen to me. " I said, pointing to the door, "Do you have any objections, Ms. Gionne?"

"Yes, I'd rather have Albert in here rather than one of your flunkies. It's only fair since you are his wife, after all." She smirked.

"Excella, I will stay, but first let me talk to my dearest lotus in the hall." He said, pulling me out the door.

When we were in the hall, Albert backed me into a wall and pressed his lips against my neck. Pinning my shoulders, he stared into my eyes. He flashed his signature smirk with his eyes glowing. His cologne rolled into my nostrils.

"Since when did you become such a devilish negotiator, my dear lotus flower." Albert murmured into my neck, planting a kiss on my lips mere seconds after speaking.

"Being Sergei's lapdog for all those years did have some advantages. Like learning how to manipulate the situation. However, you my love, are still leagues better than I. Now I'm going to offer her a deal she can't refuse for her to possibly be our third. Then, when we are ready to cut her lose, we test uroboros on her. The final test of her worthiness." I let out a dark chuckle,"but we both know what we will find there."

"My lotus's petals have really darkened. Let's go finish this negotiation, I have a treat for you when this is over." He said, lifting me into a gentle kiss searing with ferocity.

I could tell he was holding back. The sadist I know he was was loving the fact I had to play nice with his chosen subordinate. I had to be his delicate little flower, who obeyed his every command. He had a lot to learn about the new me.

I followed Wesk back into the room. A smirk wide on my face. Excella seemed interested in what I had under the black silk sheet. I swiftly took my seat, ripping off the black cloth revealing the beverages.

I poured Excella and I a drink from the strawberry brandy and Albert a drink from the Johnnie Walker, " Arjuna, Steve, agent Nighthawk, please leave us. I'll call ya'll back over my comm link." I said as the young men left the room.

"Now, what is the last part of this deal that you are proposing?" She asked as Albert slinks up behind her and strokes her face,"Albert!?"

"Isn't it obvious? Excella, my wife is being kind enough to share me with you, but only if you prove your loyalty to us."

"Does that mean? I'll be able to be with you, Albert?" She asked with a shocked expression.

"Only if you truly prove to be a partner to us." I said, handing her a glass of brandy, "Not just him but to me as well."

She gulped fear dripping from her brow as she took the glass i started to offer. "And let me guess, this is the only chance I have of getting with you, isn't it?" She looked up at Wesk.

He simply smirked and stood behind me. Placing a hand on my shoulder, he spoke,"This is all up to my dear lotus, Excella. Prove yourself to her, and your dreams may become a reality." He pulled my hair back, giving me a deep, passion filled kiss, "and from what I've seen, you have a long way to go."

"Unless you'd rather always be alone except those boy toy interns you keep around." I said, sipping my brandy smuggly.

She gulped once again and raised her glass," I accept these conditions."

"To us, the Matriarchs of the Pheonix Corps. and Tricell." I said raising my glass while handing Albert his scotch,"and the hierarchy of the new world."

Hey everyone sliva here quite the twist no? Relax this is not an Excella x reader or Excella x wesker fic. I have plans that run deep for this story. I am giving an advanced warning the next chapter will be dark. There will be two separate cases of torturing. There will be manipulation. There will be gore blood and not good situations. You have been warned for now. I'll also have proper trigger warnings before each part.

My name is Silfarianhawk, and I'm not so far away.

#albert wesker #resident evil #wesker #wesker x reader #wesker x oc #albert wesker x reader #albert wesker x oc #re wesker #Excella Gionne #Excella #tw drinking

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blackknight-100 · 7 months

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Can you write something with Vrishasena and Arjuna? Arjuna would have been such a good uncle and all of them would have been such a cute family.

Hello there anon! You're right on time, I wrote this in the return train ride lol.

About Arjuna being an uncle to Vrishsena, I'm not sure if you're asking for a canon-divergence? Let me know if you have a specific scenario in mind. But, for now, here is a canonical one:

3 times Vrishasena found his Uncle, +1 time it was otherwise.

Indraprashtha's Palace of Illusions is larger than the one in Anga, and infinitely more complicated than the one in Hastinapura. Vrishasena is, simply put, quite lost. His father's is in Uncle Duryodhana's retinue and far too busy smoothening the Prince's ruffled feathers to pay him any mind. The other Kings are not people he has been introduced to, and he's pretty sure approaching them for such a trifle would start a war. That left the Pandavas.

Vrishasena stops at the huge double-doors leading to the garden. Made of mahogany wood, they are twice as broad as he is tall, and eight times as high. He studies the carvings on them while he contemplates his options. Yudhisthir he refuses to ask for help - the Emperor-to-be referenced etiquette and scriptures eleven times in the six minutes he has known the man. Crown Prince Bheem is out of question, for obvious reasons. The twins are a good choice, but he doesn't know where they are. That leaves Prince Arjun, who is strolling in the garden with the King of Dwarka.

Vrishasena gives the guards a dubious look, then makes his way towards his target. Krishna notices him at once, and a beatific smile brightens up his face. He spreads his arms wide and turns towards Arjun. "Look, my friend. The Prince of Anga is here."

Arjun notices him and offers him a polite tilt of his head. "Namaste. How may I help you today?"

Vrishasena bows. "Namaste, I was looking for Prince Abhimanyu."

Arjun's face goes from courteously disinterested to downright suspicious in less than a second. "Why?" he asks, far too curtly in Vrishasena's estimation.

Krishna throws back his head and laughs. "These are two young boys in a bunch of nagging kings engaged in politics. What did you think would happen, Parth?"

Arjun flushes. Vrishasena hurries him along. "We're acquainted, Prince. He was gracious enough to offer to show me around."

"Oh," Arjun mumbles. "Try out the kitchens, he's always trying to charm an extra sweet out of the cook."

Vrishasena bows again. "I thank you. Have a good day."

He is quietly backing away when he hears Arjun's stiff reply. "You too. I hope you like Indraprashtha enough to visit again."

Hastinapura's Palace is a veritable playground for his brothers and the Kaurava children. Vrishasena, as the eldest of them all, has been saddled with the unenviable responsibility of minding them today. This, naturally, involves a great deal of screaming and shouting on his part, and a much greater indifference on the part of the children.

"Do not run in the corridors!" he yells after Lakshmanaa, who gathers up her skirts and runs faster. "They have been wiped. You're going to slip! Lakshmanaa!"

Lakshmanaa lets out a shrill shriek as he comes dangerously close to snatching her hand and turns around the corner. Vrishasena's only warning is a muffled "oof!" before he skids around the corner himself, and barrels straight into someone.

They collapse in a heap - him dazed, Lakshmanaa laughing and the man grunting out in pain.

"Oi, you!" says a feminine voice. Vrishasena looks up. A beautiful woman looms over them, dusky face cut through with a bright, toothy smile, eyes sparkling like diamonds. "Please free my husband," she requests, shoulders shaking with laughter. "Warrior though he may be, I fear he will not live long like this."

"Empress Draupadi," he manages, then scrambles over to see which of Kunti's scions he has had the misfortune of knocking over. Of course, because the universe hates him, it is his father's mortal enemy.

"Prince Arjun," he greets, somewhat stupidly, then drags a still-giggling Lakshmanaa off him. "Are you hurt?"

Arjun rubs his forehead. "Apart from my pride? No, I don't think so."

"We're sorry," Lakshmanaa offers, not sounding apologetic at all. "Brother Vrishasena is having a hard day."

"I wasn't the one who knocked him over," he protests, half tempted to wring his hands in frustration.

"You did fall over, though," Draupadi points out, then starts laughing again.

"Where are you going?" Lakshmanaa asks, not even portending to be subtle about changing the subject.

"Your father invited us to a Dyut Sabha," Prince Arjun says, just eager to move on. Humiliation is not a good look on him.

"I hope you enjoy your game," Vrishasena offers, then bows. "Come, Lakshmanaa, let's go."

"Listen, Vrishasena," Arjun calls after them. Vrishsena waves the little Princess away. "Don't tell Angaraaj this happened."

"Lakshmanaa will tell Unc- er- Prince Duryodhana."

Arjun sighs. "Duryodhana has seen lots of embarrassing situations first hand. One more is no gain for him."

"Okay," Vrishasena shrugs. "I won't lie to him if he asks, but I won't tell him on my own either."

Draupadi gives them both a bemused look, but Arjuna nods. "Thank you. That is all I ask."

It has been many years since Vrishasena saw Arjun. The Pandava Prince looks different now. His gaunt face is shielded by a scraggly beard, his hair is tangled and haggard. The finery he once bore with ease now hangs loose from his lean frame. The war and Abhimanyu's death have worn him down, perhaps more than it has worn down Vrishasena.

It is not easy to keep pace with Arjun - fabled archer that he is. But Vrishasena is Karna's son, blessed thrice by love of his parents, of the Kuru clan, and the love of his people. Ten times he pierces Kunti's youngest child, ten times more he goes after Dwarka's King. He fights even as his father and the Kauravas draw close, and Arjun taunts them with the inevitability of his demise.

The sight of him makes Vrishasena stop heckling Bheem. His charioteer tries to steer them after Bheem, but Krishna cuts through their path and draws up in front of them. In the distance, he sees the white conch of his father's flag flutter ever closer. Arjun lifts up his bow in challenge, and Vrishasena thinks quietly to himself, Death has come for me.

He does not have the breath to speak, but he thinks of his father and pleads fervently, Let me fight, let me go, and Karna, whether he hears it or not, stays away. Arjun's arrows take off his arms one after the other, and then take off his head. Vrishasena does not have the time to feel anything but relief.

+1.

Sometimes, Arjun thinks, it is better to be ignorant and live in bliss.

Yudhisthir sits slumped on the ground, head buried in his hands. Draupadi is quiet, eyes turned heavenwards in a blank stare. His other brothers are gathered around, gaping at their mother. Even Krishna is silent and still.

"I want to go home," Sahadev says suddenly, sounding like the little boy he was all those years ago when they made their laborious way from Shatashringa to Hastinapura. The words make Arjun's heart ache.

"We will be going home right after," Kunti soothes, placing a hand on his arm. He had ever been her favourite child.

Now, Sahadeva throws off her hand and turns away. "No!" he shouts, choking on a sob. "I will not go to that graveyard. I want to go home!"

Yudhisthir lets out a strange sound, somewhere between a hiccup and a cough. Arjun looks towards the burning pyres. Karna he cannot mourn - their history is longer than Vishnu's endless serpent and deeper than the waters of the ocean. But he thinks of Vrishasena, Karna's son and his nephew, sprawled on the ground - without arms or a head, and his stomach turns. He thinks of Karna killing Abhimanyu and can feel nothing but rage. He thinks of Vrishasena coming after Nakul, and feels his heart leaden with sorrow.

Somewhere among the burning pyres Vrishasena's body smoulders. Arjun dares not go search for him.

"I'm sorry," he tells the bitter winter air. He watches the words mist in front of his face, watches the mist float heavenwards, mingling with the smoke from the pyres. He thinks of himself weeping over Abhimanyu's mangled remains, thinks of Karna stoically arranging Vrishasena's severed parts for his last rites. He thinks of devoted friends and silent mothers and cursed thrones, and apologizes no more.

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tgrailwar-zero · 8 months

Text

The message left the room quiet, before you heard DRACO's voice again. Louder, echoing off the walls, as you saw your own Servants tense. It seemed like this time, they could hear her as well.

"…Caster. So that's what you had to say..."

The tether between you grew taut, as an image was forced into your mind. It was… DRACO, sure, but also a bit of LUCIUS. And a bit of that crimson Servant that you saw within LUCIUS' mind. Like that 'CASTER' you saw before, she seemed tired. Weathered by some unknowable stress.

'DRACO': "Ah… this is more familiar. More... comfortable. An illusion- a dream- but a fitting one. Just like this war, just like this Solar Cell, even this Bestial nature of mine is a farce. A crude 'reflection', just like Lucius. No matter what, I could never become the true Sodom's Beast."

RULER said something similar about her being a 'Ruler' during this war. A 'sham for a sham'. Each avenue of this was farcical, created and executed for some purpose, but that purpose remained unknown.

'DRACO': "We were so close. We fought so hard… 128 Masters. 128 Servants. Mages turning the skin of the great goddess Luna into naught but a battlefield for their own whims. A bloody free-for-all, all for nothing. You remember none of it, truly?"

Her voice was hoarse, strained with emotion.

You felt DRACO push. Push into the collective mass that was your minds- but not to search, to share.

To unlock.

You recalled Servants. Your Servants.

MANDRICARDO. VAN GOGH. KINTOKI. MUSASHI. IZOU. ARJUNA. CU CHULAINN. DANTE.

Not simply as part of your collective, but as individual Servants… with individual Masters.

You recalled the faces of the 'Forgotten Servants' that you ran into during your war amongst yourselves.

KRIEMHILD. ENKIDU. NOBUNAGA. MEDEA. SINBAD. MORDRED. CARMILLA.

Even some of the faces that you saw in this current war.

CONSTANTINE. SALIERI. QUETZALCOATL. SIGURD. ASCLEPIUS. PRETENDER. FOREIGNER. RULER. BERSERKER. ASSASSIN. GUNNER. ARCHER. LANCER.

But then there were some Servants that you didn't really recognize… or at least, didn't think you did- yet there was a certain glimmer of familiarity as they flashed through your mind.

These were all Servants that battled within the Lunar Holy Grail War. 128 Servants. 128 Masters. Enemies to be defeated. Allies to be had. All of them... gone.

Gone?

These Servants… battling for their lives, in an all-out brawl. A ritual, a collective of souls sacrificing themselves for… something. A reward? A wish? It seemed unclear. It all seemed so… unclear. Their fates. Their desires.

Strangely enough, you didn't see that 'nothing' Servant, or KUKULKAN.

But one thing seemed to be a direct truth. You weren't always 'Interlopers'. You were simply 'Masters', twisted into this role somehow, for some reason. Not just for this war on the Solar Cell, but for the Origin War too. During the Lunar Holy Grail War, you were just 'Masters'. Mages. Wizards.

As you felt her push on those memories, they began to get tangled. Painfully so.

Conversations with MUSASHI that some of you remembered vividly, and yet seemed foreign to others. Moments with MANDRICARDO that felt both long gone yet incredibly close. Long discussions with DANTE, or was it MEDEA? Perhaps it was ARJUNA, but you definietely remembered hanging out with KINTOKI-- or no, that was IZOU, or that time was NOBUNAGA...

Like a thousand vines were tangled together, each one 'true' and yet overlapping.

'DRACO': "…What a twisted thing you've all become, 'Interlopers'. Chimeric Curse of the Lunar Sea... But I'm in no position to judge. Without a Contractor, my physical form is naught, especially if I must keep my draconic heads manifested. It seems my hubris has caught up to me once again."

There was no wry laughter, no sense of irony. Just venom- directed wholly towards herself.

'DRACO': "I grow weary. No, I've been weary. That sword. Bring it to me. Caster speaks truth- my instinct is to drive that blade through the heart of what she's become, and then to what burnt our happiness asunder. Continue forth through this tomb, and give me the blade. Then I will tell you the truth of this place."

It seemed like the only thing she was requesting was the sword- in exchange for answers. Actual answers. Maybe finding that message awoke something in her. It also seemed like her lack of a proper contract was beginning to take it's toll. Severing the contract had been a snap decision- and apparently a harsh one in regards to her wellbeing.

CONSTANTINE: "…Another trick. It has to be."

PRETENDER: "You think so?"

It seems like you could either go back through the brick wall, or there were two paths forward. One directly to the north, and the other to the northwest.

The scratching sound from the hallway you were originally heading down seems to have gotten louder. The slow screech of metal against stone, grinding and scraping against the brickwork.

KUKULKAN: "Oh- right. Got it!"

She put her hand towards the blade, before recoiling as well- it seemed like she was impacted by the burning sensation too. However, she pushed through, picking up the weapon and (quickly) adding it to your inventory before the heat could do any damage.

Crimson Blade - A old, yet regal looking blade made from crimson-colored meteor metal. It seems like there's been a heavy curse placed on it, making it unusable for most Servants. The coding of the blade has several 'verification locks' placed on it. While you can't tell the extent of the locks, it seems the first thing it tests is whether a Servant is a member of the 'Saber'-class or not. Despite being trapped in this tomb for an unknowable amount of time, it still burns with a flame that can't quite be put out.

The disk was added to your inventory.

Message Disk, 'Forgotten Blade' - A recording from a Servant that heavily resembles Caster. It seems like an apology of sorts.

#thgw story #thgw: chapter 5 #main post

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akkreti · 11 months

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Douman: Pregnancy runs in my family. Over half of my ancestors had it at some point. Absolutely devastating, we don’t talk about this enough.

Arjuna Alter: Break the cycle.

#fgo #incorrect quotes #ashiya douman #caster of limbo #arjuna alter

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demonkidpliz · 11 months

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I’ve read almost all your work and I have to say I understand your disdain towards Radha. Like I do not understand why she is so remembered when she was in Krishna life for only ten years, eleven at most. And he was ten or eleven when he left to kill Kansa, I highly doubt a toddler was romantically involved with someone like people say. That’s like the last thing on their mind.

Although some people believe that she didn’t exist and was made up by later texts since she wasn’t mentioned in Ved Vyas’ original texts. I personally believe this or that it wasn’t a romantic relationship at all, more of a devotion or friendship, she could’ve been been his babysitter or something and he really looked up to her since she was older than him, to the point that her marriage was fixed with someone else.

But it really bothers me that people remember her the more than other wives of Krishna. Especially when she was barley in his life compared other women. And it really bothers me that people don’t even know who Rukmini is. Rukmini deserved to be remembered along with Krishna just as much as Radha. She was the one who fell in love him without even seeing him or meeting him. She only had his stories that were told to her by other people. She was the one who left her family to be with him, risking never seeing them again. She was the one who planned the whole “kidnapping” because she knew that no one but herself would be able to save her from that marriage. She was the one who had endure the separation from her first child. She was the one who shared her husband with 16107 other women, it couldn’t have been easy. And she did it happily too, something no women today would be able to do. She was the one who took care of Dwarka when Krishna was off helping the rest of the world. She was the one who assumed the form of Mahalaksmi and blessed Sudama and his family with prosperity and beauty. She was the one who held the fort and after Krishna died she was the one who made sure everyone was safely on their way with Arjuna before committing sati. Some say that Dwarka only drowned after Rukmini committed sati because it couldn’t handle being separated from its Queen. After everything she only gets one temple in Dwarka dedicated to her and that away from Krishna’s temple too, when she was the queen of Dwarka while Radha is one of the deities in the Dwarkadhish Temple. Whenever I search up Rukmini and Krishna, Radha is always there, whenever I search up murtis of Rukmini and Krishna, Radha and Krishna are the first to show up. How is that fair?

She’s barely mention in those feminist retellings of the great women of Mahabharata/Hinduism or just videos/books that talk about the awesome/underrated/or misunderstood women in Hinduism, even Gandhari gets a mention but not Rukmini. Lakshmi is sometimes excluded too. I didn’t even know about Rukmini until my parents made me watch the B.R. Chopra Mahabharata over quarantine. I absolutely fell in love with with her and it just makes me upset how people don’t recognize her enough.

Rukmini deserves this too, she deserves all the stories, the songs, the bhajans, the shows, the movies and for her name to taken before Krishna. She deserves so much better and so much more.

Vishnu’s avatar’s subjects have a habit of mistreating his wife. I’ll forever be mad at Ayodhya for questioning Sita and than being all sad after she left them. Those fake bitches had it coming. I’ll forever be mad at society for not recognizing Rukmini enough for her her kindness, and generosity.

Kashibai was right, the lover will always be more remembered than the wife. (RadheKrisha, BaijraoMastani)

Sorry for the long rant, I didn’t expect this to turn out so long. I just wanted someone would understand how feel about this and I felt like you would the best. I might just post this in my main page later

Love this! Couldn't have put it better myself. So glad you've read my stories. One day, I hope we get a book or show about Rukmini and ordinary people get to learn about her greatness. Till then, I guess we make do our mytho fiction.

#ask me anything #rukmini #mahabharat #bhagvat puran

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mahapralanya · 1 year

Text

I have been reading the From Lostbelt manga translations and my mind got absolutely fixated on these panels from chapter 11.

This isn't the only time that cannibalism is invoked as part of the process of Arjuna Alter's ascension to godhood. He acknowledges it during his interlude:

"The battle where everything spiraled out of control. A great war in which god, man and beast were liquified into sludge. I then consumed that sludge, slurping it down as if it were soup. Forgive me, that was just a figure of speech. Truthfully, what I actually did was far worse." (Source)

Although he doesn't say it with his own words, the implication is there - that was just a figure of speech; what I actually did was far worse.

This, combined with the manga panels, made me think many thoughts.

The first thing that caught my attention was the lack of gloves; we almost never see Arjuna not wearing them, and the image of seeing his bare hands, knowing how princely and royal he is, comes as striking. This, along with the focus given on his hand gestures, makes me feel like I am witnessing something that shouldn't be seen - something intimate.

And it got more intimate when I realized that it looked like he wasn't wearing any clothes. There is nothing covering him, at least from the angle we get. It might be a stretch, but I do believe that he was naked there.

Nakedness implies intimacy, but it can be translated into other things as well; in this case, I think about vulnerability, transformation/rebirth, and returning/embracing nature.

The first one should be obvious enough - humans are pretty frail without clothes, and it is far easier to hurt yourself if there's nothing protecting you. Clothing keeps us safe from the extremes of both heat and cold, and in the context of a war, paired with armor, they exist to keep one alive.

The other two things are closely tied, although I do see them as being different enough to be listed separately.

We are all born naked - and in this moment, the key point to the lostbelt's existence, Arjuna is going through a transformation, a rebirth process. He has discarded the things that made him human and is going to grow stronger, the result different from the Arjuna that he used to be.

For this to happen, he also had to embrace his own human nature, flawed and fragile, exposing himself, offering his body and soul to the earth and gods that made him what he is, embracing his primal instincts.

Every creature needs to eat.

Cannibalism in art can have many readings, and has been used as a metaphor for many things, ranging from love, depravity, and hate. Eating something because you love it so much you want to become one with it, being overcome with desire that you must eat the other to saciate your hunger, consuming your enemies so you can absorb their strength and laugh as they are reduced to nothing more than fuel to your body.

It is usually something very violent.

While not fully shown, it is easy to imagine the process of eating an entire being with one's bare hands to be a messy ordeal. Killing by itself is already dirty and violent enough, but eating one's own kill like an animal is truly something else.

It makes me wonder about how broken Arjuna's mind was at the time, as he accepted the need to do something so extreme. Baring himself, tearing the gods apart with his own hands, taking them bite after bite, enduring the taste and the sin.

The third panel says more than enough.

He hated it.

This also reminded me of a certain piece of information delivered to us during LB4: he refused to devour and absorb Karna, even after effectively killing him with his noble phantasm.

While the story paints it as a sign of Arjuna's distastes for Karna as his rival, I never really bought into that explanation. Thinking deeper, I do believe that there were other factors that played a role in this decision.

If he truly hated Karna, I believe he would have eaten him - it would have been the ultimate demonstration of power, and to devour him after killing him in his own terms would be incredibly cathartic... In theory.

One could say he was far too removed from his humanity to care about his feelings for Karna, but we know that this isn't exactly true either; it is Karna, after all, that ends up being able to reach Arjuna's core, his humanity, which he hadn't truly lost but actually buried away, hidden deep under his skin.

I believe he spared Karna as a call for help.

Arjuna Alter's origin story is nothing more than a tragic tale, full of trauma and horrible, complicated feelings. He wants to get rid of it all, to discard and erase them away - to remake the world over and over, until there are no traces of suffering, of the things he lost, the sins he commited.

But it's impossible to erase one's own flawns; in Arjuna's mentality, that would mean erasing himself. Karna says so directly to his face, making him confront himself and do some actual self reflection after centuries of denial.

Of course, this doesn't mean that other characters wouldn't have been able to figure this out themselves and have this dialogue with him; however, having it coming from Karna hits him different. It makes him realize how far he has come, to the point that he isn't, as he directly says shortly before dying, the man he used to be.

Arjuna never wanted to become evil. He never wanted to lose his humanity. All those violent things he did, stripping himself from who he was raised to be, it was all an act of desperation.

He never wanted to lose his ties with Karna, as severing them would make his world imperfect, exposing him to the flaws that are his own feelings, the fact that he isn't as emotionally detached as he wanted to become.

Karna needed to exist to save Arjuna from himself. Karna needed to exist to become his downfall.

Arjuna Alter, unconsciously, bared himself to be devoured by Karna, as only destruction could be his salvation now.

And Karna saved Arjuna, both god and human, at the end of the world.

#fate grand order #fgo #arjuna #arjuna alter #karna #this was supposed to be a small post but i got possessed #i feel like i went on 5 different directions i am so sorry #anyway i needed to get these thoughts out #also this is all my interpretation you don't have to agree with me #it's all very subjective i believe #hyperfixation go brrrrrrrrrrrr #long post #mine

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shuttershocky · 1 year

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How do you cope with the disappointment of not getting a limited character you wanted? I really crave Omertosa, but I only have like 12000 orundum stocked up right now, so there's a good chance I never get her

Just like NTRK in Texas' banner, Texas the Omertosa will rerun in a future limited banner, where you can spark her if you really want to guarantee her, so never say never!

But that's not what you want to hear right now. Let me tell you a story of gacha disappointment.

Older followers will remember this happening in real time, but I've been burned really badly twice in FGO. Really, really badly. This is why they implemented a sparking system years later badly. My luck in FGO has always been bad, but this was astounding the statistics level of bad.

FGO JP has a two year difference with FGO Global, a much larger waiting time than the 6 month difference in Arknights, but also plenty of time to plan in advance. By the time FGO released in English, JP already had Hassan-i Sabbah, the Old Man of the Mountain, Grand Assassin. I thought he was cool as shit, and I had about 1.5 years to save, so I thought this was in the bag.

FGO back then didn't (or maybe it still doesn't) have a cheap option like Arknights' monthly card. You paid money for rolling currency with no guarantee whatsoever. Since I'm not a gambling sort of person, I went entirely F2P. I only spent tickets on the banner, and all quartz (the orundrum equivalent) I'd get from dailies, events, quests, etc. And even then, I started saving tickets too half a year before King Hassan was due to arrive.

By the time King Hassan arrived in FGO English, I had enough tickets and quartz saved up to do about 300-350 rolls (I had about 900~ quartz and a lot of tickets, but the exact number i no longer remember. Back then, 30 quartz gave you a 10 roll instead of the current 10 roll + 1 free, and this was already a big upgrade from the original 40 quartz for a 10 roll that FGO JP had).

I was SO ready. I smugly thought I would maybe keep rolling after I'd get King Hassan to try for extra copies.

Not only did I not get him, I did not get a single 5 star in over 300 rolls.

I was incredulous. What the fuck was that? My friend showed me the math and said I had an equal chance of getting King Hassan on my first roll, and in FGO the chance of getting a 5 star is 1%, with the rateup being 0.8% (i think it was even lower back then. 0.6%?)

That was painful. That was almost two years of saving and I didn't even have a spook for a consolation prize. The math was so ridiculous i should have just entered the lottery, but with my luck it would have turned out the grand prize was murder.

BUT, I had the thought that surely after hitting rock bottom this hard and this improbably, it was never going to happen again right?

Fast forward two years or so. FGO JP announces Demon King Nobunaga. Nobu is one of my favorite characters, so I was all over that shit. It wasn't going to happen again. I had two full years warning this time. No more spending quartz on the two years in between; I wasn't just going to guarantee Maou Nobu, I was going to NP5 (max potential) her.

Two years of savings later and I had 900~ or so quartz. As a backup plan, I had two emergency banks: I had saved up all quartz fragments in the last THREE years (i just stopped converting them to quartz after a while out of laziness until I had Maou Nobu as a target), and I did not do a single character's interlude (Paradox Simulation + story quest) or Strengthening Quests (you have to beat a quest to get a buff for your units in FGO) so I had all the quartz from those ready.

All in all that would have been something like... 420~ rolls? I also had a lot of tickets too that i just hadn't spent before.

I didn't get a single copy of Maou. I used the emergency stores. I got one 5 star character in the very last roll and it was someone I already had (Arjuna)

I thought nothing could have been worse than the King Hassan rolls. I was wrong. So very wrong. Massive pain. Two years gone to waste. I was so angry that I blew up at a whale friend commiserating with me by saying that at least it wasnt as bad as him, who also failed with about the same number of rolls but he paid money for all of those. I went into a rant that I had it way worse because I didn't spend money for it, I had patience and mastery over the urge for instant gratification that rich people like him could never understand. I should have been rewarded. I deserved better. I felt it so hard that I did what the King Hassan banner couldn't do to me and dropped money for the 100 dollar quartz pack. I got another 5 star. It was another dupe (Altera). I'd be eating less for the rest of the month (100 USD in Filipino currency is 5000+ pesos. It's a lot.)

Then I admitted defeat. It just wasn't meant to be.

And that's why I don't really fear the Arknights banners at all. I studied the orundrum income carefully for a F2P player and for someone on the monthly card and found reaching the 300 roll spark is quite doable via constantly using the recruitment system to get duplicates to buy tickets on the store and only getting the 5 star guarantee on every new banner. If there's ever someone I really, really want who is limited and I can't guarantee them on this banner, I can absolutely guarantee them twice, maybe even 3x over for the banner they appear in next year. It's a year's wait, and I've had plenty of practice saving for two. Having a free ten roll and a free roll every day on a limited banner also means there's always hope until the very last day. You can even manufacture your own orundrum stores by burning your orirock cubes and devices in your factories (Noooooooo you need those!) if you're truly desperate.

How do I cope with the disappointment of not being able to get what I wanted in Arknights?

I've experienced much worse.

#arknights

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illicthearts · 11 months

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I’m going to rant about Rukmini real quick

Yk it really bothers me that Rukmini isn’t remembered as much as Radha is. Like I do not understand why she is so remembered when she was in Krishna life for only ten years, eleven at most. And he was ten or eleven when he left to kill Kansa, I highly doubt a toddler was romantically involved with someone like people say. That’s like the last thing on their mind.

Rukmini deserves this too, she deserves all the stories, the songs, the bhajans, the shows, the movies and for her name to taken before Krishna. She deserves so much better and so much more.

Kashibai was right, the lover will always be more remembered than the wife. (RadheKrisha, BaijraoMastani)

And this is not to say that I do not like Radha or anything like. This is just me expressing my feelings about the worlds treatment about how she and her love is treated they the society. I know that probably they didn’t care about being remembered or anything material like that, that she was just happy being with Krishna. But doesn’t mean she doesn’t deserve it, in fact that is more a of a reason she should be remembered

#rukmini #rukmini deserves better #krishna rukmini #krishna #i love rukmini #her love for Krishna deserves to be remembered just as much #as radha’s

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mariacallous · 9 months

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Early in the morning of July 16, 1945, before the sun had risen over the northern edge of New Mexico’s Jornada Del Muerto desert, a new light—blindingly bright, hellacious, blasting a seam in the fabric of the known physical universe—appeared. The Trinity nuclear test, overseen by theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, had filled the predawn sky with fire, announcing the viability of the first proper nuclear weapon and the inauguration of the Atomic Era. According to Frank Oppenheimer, brother of the “Father of the Bomb,” Robert’s response to the test’s success was plain, even a bit curt: “I guess it worked.”

With time, a legend befitting the near-mythic occasion grew. Oppenheimer himself would later attest that the explosion brought to mind a verse from the Bhagavad Gita, the ancient Hindu scripture: “If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the mighty one.” Later, toward the end of his life, Oppenheimer plucked another passage from the Gita: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.”

Christopher Nolan’s epic, blockbuster biopic Oppenheimer prints the legend. As Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) gazes out over a black sky set aflame, he hears his own voice in his head: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” The line also appears earlier in the film, as a younger “Oppie” woos the sultry communist moll Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh). She pulls a copy of the Bhagavad Gita from her lover’s bookshelf. He tells her he’s been learning how to read Sanskrit. She challenges him to translate a random passage on the spot. Sure enough: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” (That the line comes in a postcoital revery—a state of bliss the French call la petite mort, “the little death”—and amid a longer conversation about the new science of Freudian psychoanalysis—is about as close to a joke as Oppenheimer gets.)

As framed by Nolan, who also wrote the screenplay, Oppenheimer's cursory knowledge of Sanskrit, and Hindu religious tradition, is little more than another of his many eccentricities. After all, this is a guy who took the “Trinity” name from a John Donne poem; who brags about reading all three volumes of Marx’s Das Kapital (in the original German, natch); and, according to Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin’s biography, American Prometheus, once taught himself Dutch to impress a girl. But Oppenheimer’s interest in Sanskrit, and the Gita, was more than just another idle hobby or party trick.

In American Prometheus, credited as the basis for Oppenheimer, Bird and Sherwin depict Oppenheimer as more seriously committed to this ancient text and the moral universe it conjures. They develop a resonant image, largely ignored in Nolan’s film. Yes, it’s got the quote. But little of the meaning behind it—a meaning that illuminates Oppenheimer’s own conception of the universe, of his place in it, and of his ethics, such as they were.

Composed sometime in the first millennium, the Bhagavad Gita (or “Song of God”) takes the form of a poetic dialog between a warrior-prince named Arjuna and his charioteer, the Hindu deity Krishna, in unassuming human form. On the cusp of a momentous battle, Arjuna refuses to engage in combat, renouncing the thought of “slaughtering my kin in war.” Throughout their lengthy back-and-forth (unfolding over some 700 stanzas), Krishna attempts to ease the prince’s moral dilemma by attuning him to the grander design of the universe, in which all living creatures are compelled to obey dharma, roughly translated as “virtue.” As a warrior, in a war, Krishna maintains that it is Arjuna’s dharma to serve, and fight; just as it is the sun’s dharma to shine and water’s dharma to slake the thirsty.

In the poem’s ostensible climax, Krishna reveals himself as Vishnu, Hinduism’s many-armed (and many-eyed and many-mouthed) supreme divinity; fearsome and magnificent, a “god of gods.” Arjuna, in an instant, comprehends the true nature of Vishnu and of the universe. It is a vast infinity, without beginning and end, in a constant process of destruction and rebirth. In such a mind-boggling, many-faced universe (a “multiverse,” in the contemporary blockbuster parlance), the ethics of an individual hardly matter, as this grand design repeats in accordance with its own cosmic dharma. Humbled and convinced, Arjuna takes up his bow. As recounted in American Prometheus, the story had a significant impact on Oppenheimer. He called it “the most beautiful philosophical song existing in any known tongue.” He praised his Sanskrit teacher for renewing his “feeling for the place of ethics.” He even christened his Chrysler Garuda, after the Hindu bird-deity who carries the Lord Vishnu. (That Oppenheimer seems to identify not with the morally conflicted Arjuna but with the Lord Vishnu himself may say something about his own sense of self-importance.)

“The Gita,” Bird and Sherwin write, “seemed to provide precisely the right philosophy.” Its prizing of dharma, and duty as a form of virtue, gave Oppenheimer’s anguished mind a form of calm. With its notion of both creation and destruction as divine acts, the Gita offered Oppenheimer a frame of making sense of (and, later, justifying) his own actions. It’s a key motivation in the life of a great scientist and theoretician, whose work was marshaled toward death. And it’s precisely the sort of idea Nolan rarely lets seep into his movies.

Nolan’s films—from the thriller Memento and his Batman trilogy to the sci-fi opera Interstellar and the time-reversal blockbuster Tenet—are ordered around puzzles and problem-solving. He establishes a dilemma, provides the “rules,” and then sets about solving that dilemma. For all his sci-fi high-mindedness, he allows very little room for questions of faith or belief. Nolan's cosmos is more like a complicated puzzle box. He has popularized a kind of sapio-cinema, which makes a virtue of intelligence without being itself highly intellectual.

At their best, his movies are genuinely clever in conceit and construct. The one-upping stage magicians of The Prestige, who go mad trying to best one another, are distinctly Nolanish figures. The tripartite structure of Dunkirk��which weaves together plot lines that unfold across distinct periods of time—is likewise inspired. At their worst, Nolan’s films collapse into ponderousness and pretension. The barely scrutable reality-distortion mechanics of Inception, Interstellar, and Tenet smack of hooey.

Oppenheimer seems similarly obsessed with problem-solving. First, Nolan sets up some challenges for himself. Such as: how to depict a subatomic fission reaction at Imax scale or, for that matter, how to make a biopic about a theoretical physicist as a broadly entertaining summer blockbuster. Then he sets to work. To his credit, Oppenheimer unfolds breathlessly and succeeds making dusty-seeming classroom conversations and chatty closed-door depositions play like the stuff of a taut, crowd-pleasing thriller. The cinematography, at both a subatomic and megaton scale, is also genuinely impressive. But Nolan misses the deeper metaphysics undergirding the drama.

The movie depicts Murphy’s Oppenheimer more as a methodical scientist. Oppenheimer, the man, was a deep and radical thinker whose mind was grounded by the mystical, the metaphysical, and the esoteric. A film like Terrence Malick’s Tree of Life shows that it is possible to depict these sort of higher-minded ideas at the grand, blockbuster scale, but it’s almost as if they don’t even occur to Nolan. One might, charitably, claim that his film’s time-jumping structure reflects the Gita’s notion of time itself as nonlinear. But Nolan’s reshuffling of the story’s chronology seems more born of a showman’s instinct to save his big bang for a climax. When the bomb does go off, and its torrents of fire fill the gigantic Imax screen, there’s no sense that the Lord Vishnu, the mighty one, is being revealed in that “radiance of a thousand suns.” It’s just a big explosion. Nolan is ultimately a journeyman technician, and he maps that personality onto Oppenheimer. Reacting to the horrific, militarily unjustifiable bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima (which are never depicted on-screen), Murphy’s Oppenheimer calls them “technically successful.”

Judged against the life of its subject, Oppenheimer can feel like a bit of let down. It fails to comprehend the woolier, yet more substantial, worldview that animated Oppie’s life, work, and own moral torment. Weighed against Nolan’s own, more purely practical, ambitions, perhaps the best that can be said of Oppenheimer is that—to paraphrase the physicist’s actual reported comments, uttered at his moment of ascension to the status of godlike world-destroyer—it works. Successful, if only technically.

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