#geeky goddess

[getgeeky]

With or without?

#get geeky #sexy costumes #sexy outfit #dressed and undressed #hot asian babe #asian goddess #asian baddie #asian baby girl

[naomithenerdd]

POV: You're a traveler who wandered into my elven glen while I was tending to my vines

Come find more of your elven goddess

#fantasy core #fantasy #elvencore #elf #elven aesthetic #tattooed babe #inked goddess #inked and curvy #tattoos #cosplayer #geeky girls #nerdy chicks #dungeons and dragons #dnd character #d&d character #roleplay #nerdy babe #nerdy girls #naturecore #cottagecore #geeky #curvy

[aspoonofsugar]

Weiss and Jaune = Knight + Queen

Mirror Help me Who am I?

Weiss and Jaune are strong foils (mirrors), who can be analyzed through a specific motif.

They are both Knights (masculine):

And Queens (feminine):

This is made clear also through their respective allusions:

1 -Weiss alludes to Snowhite and plays all the different characters of the story with a specific focus on the Princess and the Prince, which is highlighted since the White Trailer:

Weiss and her inner Prince (Animus), who is corrupted and possessed by her Father

Here, Weiss fights a giant armor, which symbolizes the power her father (the patriarchy) has above her. She is fighting both for her freedom and to get back a possessed part of herself (the Arma Gigas is literally a haunted armor). If she wants to escape Jacques, she has to be her own Prince. In other words, to be crowned queen, she needs to become a knight first.

2 -Jaune alludes to Jeanne d'Arc who was both a maid and a knight. Jaune's story is about him growing into both. He needs to accept his inner maiden to become a proper knight. This is made clear in the Jaunedice's arc (this mini arc really works as Jaune's trailer). There he grows not when he gives in to toxic masculinity, but when he stands up to it:

Jaune performing his first miracle and later on being guided by his Goddess (Anima), who is none other than Pyrrha

Jaune makes progress when he nurtures his most feminine side and shows vulnerability by apologizing and asking for Pyrrha's help. A real man has no fear to show he is also feminine.

In short, both Weiss and Jaune's stories deal with the integration of their feminine and masculine parts, so that they can be full-fledged individuals.

ANIMUS AND ANIMA

Integrating the feminine with the masculine is a psychological process, which is described by Carl Jung with the archetypes of animus and anima:

The animus is the masculine part of a woman

The anima is the feminine part of a man

Each person has naturally both, but society promotes specific gender values and drives people to repress traits culturally associated with the opposite gender. So, to fully be complete a person should integrate the negated parts.

This is the case for both Weiss and Jaune, who are initially trapped in fixed gender roles:

Weiss is the rich spoilt princess. She is forced to adhere to the social role Jacques has chosen for her. She is the Schnee Heiress, which means she should always be classy, perfect and elegant:

Weiss: I'm. Not. Perfect! Not yet...

Jaune is instead the loser boy, who wants to be a knight. He doesn't really fit his gender nor social role. He is a male, but is weak, geeky and odd. He has a legacy of warriors to honor, but can't fight. So, he feels he isn't enough:

Jaune: I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero!

Basically they are both trapped in opposite ways. Weiss fits her legacy and stereotype so well people forget there is more to her. Jaune instead doesn't measure up to his ancestors nor to the classical male type, so everybody assumes he is bound to fail. This happens because Weiss and Jaune are victims in different ways of toxic masculinity:

As a girl, Weiss has to obey her father, to suppress her emotions and to be nothing, but beautiful. Think about how Jacques even weaponizes typical feminine traits Weiss has, like her talent at singing.

As a boy, Jaune has to conform to physical prowess and bravado. He has to be big, ripped and cool or else he is no-one. The idea he is not like the other boys is at the root of Jaune's insecurities.

At the same time, Weiss and Jaune are also incredibly immature and project outside the same gender roles they are trying to escape inside. Moreover, they do so specifically with each other:

Weiss: (mockingly) My hero.

This scene summarizes their whole early dynamic. On the one hand Weiss sees Jaune as the loser he is scared to be. She only sees his superficial bravado and misses who he is behind the mask. On the other hand Jaune is attracted to Weiss because he sees her as the perfect princess to his knight. So, he is drawn to the mask.

Even the reason Jaune initially falls for Weiss ties into this:

Weiss: Yeah! And we can paint our nails and try on clothes and talk about cute boys, like tall, blond, and scraggly over there!

Weiss here is mocking both Jaune and Ruby, two people she has misjudged and shows no respect for. She is being cold, superficial and rude. Still, Jaune falls for it and believes Weiss's words. He does because they describe Jaune as he wants to be perceived. So, he runs after Weiss and ignores Pyrrha.

In short, initially Weiss and Jaune can't see neither themselves nor others clearly. Luckily, this starts to change at Beacon.

ICE QUEEN AND VOMIT BOY

Sun: Ruby, Yang, Blake… Ice Queen.

Ruby: Look, I'm sorry! Vomit Boy was the first thing that came to mind.

Weiss and Jaune are given nicknames the moment they arrive at Beacon. This happens because they are both childish and self-centered, so they are called out by others. Specifically, their nicknames are light-hearted ways to criticize their perceived self-importance and the archetypes they are trying to emulate. Weiss is called an ice queen because she is acting as daddy's little princess. Jaune is instead jockingly named vomit boy because he tries too hard to look cool. They are still far away from who they want to become and their friends pick up on this. Luckily, giving them funny names is not all RWBY and JNPR do for Weiss and Jaune. Rather they help the two kids grow. In particular, Ice Queen and Vomit Boy develop in two different and complementary ways:

In volume 1 they learn to see who they are slightly better

In volume 2 they become able to see others with more clarity

Seeing One-Self

At the beginning of their stories Weiss and Jaune are running away from who they are:

I'm the loneliest of all.

Even when I told my parents I was going to Beacon, they told me not to worry if I ended up having to move back home. How depressing is that?

Both have big families, but feel lonely and misunderstood. So, they hope they can have a fresh start at Beacon, but immediately meet unforeseen circumstances:

By this point Weiss and Jaune are pursuing a superficial dream of heroes and monsters. They figure their most perfected selves beside the "right" patner.

On the one hand Weiss wants Pyrrha to be the "knight" to her "princess":

Weiss: This will be perfect! The smartest girl in class combined with the strongest girl in class! Together we will be unstoppable!

She wants someone strong (body) that complements her intelligence (mind). She thinks that in this way she can't fail.

On the other hand Jaune wants Weiss to be the "princess" to his "knight":

Jaune: Don't worry! No need to be embarrassed! So, been hearing rumors about teams! I was thinking you and me would make a good one! What do you say?

He wants someone who is beautiful and looks frail, so he can protect her. He thinks in this way he can appear strong.

Both are wrong obviously. This is why they end up with respectively Ruby and Pyrrha as partners.

Weiss needs to realize what complements mind is not body, but heart. This is why she is paired with Ruby, who lacks physical strength, but has more than enough heart to guide Weiss. Throughout the initiation, Weiss herself has to act as a Knight by saving Ruby from the Nevermore. And later on, she needs to follow Ruby's plan (so Ruby's mind) to take down the Grimm and pass the trial.

Jaune needs to realize a real knight is not physically strong, but is wise (mind) and brave (heart). This is why he ends up with Pyrrha, who is both and challenges him in two different ways. She doesn't fit feminine stereotypes and sees Jaune's value not in his superficial traits, but rather in his willingness to help. Throughout the initiation, Jaune shows this by staying behind to lead others into kiling the Grimm.

So, Ruby and Pyrrha are the ones, who can help Weiss and Jaune grow the most. However, the 2 kids struggle to accept it and enter into a conflict with their respective partners in The Bagde and The Burden and Jaunedice. These 2 mini-arcs are interesting because they do not really add anything to the main plot. Rather, they are episodes which focus on Weiss and Jaune respectively. Once again our wannabe queen and wannabe knight act as perfect foils to each other.

On the one hand Weiss is powerful enough to kill Grimms on her own, but wants to be the Queen giving orders. On the other hand Jaune has gained the title of leader, but wants to be the competent Knight slaining monsters.

In short, they want what the other has and miss what they already are. Why is that so? Because deep down they dislike themselves and can't see they have the seeds for greatness within. They don't need to look outside, but should nurture the inside.

Luckily, they are helped by 2 mentor figures:

Port: So instead of fretting about what you don't have, savor what you do. Hone your skills, perfect every technique, and be not the best leader, but the best person you can be.

Ruby: Because it's not just about you anymore. You've got a team now, Jaune. We both do! And if we fail, then we'll just be bringing them down with us. We have to put our teammates first, and ourselves second. Your team deserves a great leader, Jaune. And I think that can be you.

Port invites Weiss to grow as a person and Ruby reminds Jaune of his duties as a leader. So, Weiss and Jaune step up for the sake of their partners:

Weiss: Ruby, I think you have what it takes to be a good leader. Just know that I am going to be the best teammate you'll ever have!

Jaune: Don't ever mess with my team - my friends - ever again. Got it?

Weiss encourages Ruby to be a good leader and promises her she will be the best teammate ever. She even aknowledges she has always loved bunked beds and makes a small step in integrating with her inner child. Something necessary if she wants to blossom into an adult.

Jaune fights Cardin for Pyrrha's sake and decides to dedicate himself to his role of leader. At the same time, he accepts Pyrrha's help, so he shows vulnerability. In other words, he starts integrating with his feminine side. Something needed to become more mature.

So, by the end of their first semester at Beacon both Weiss and Jaune have come to understand themselves and their roles a little bit better. Still, they have yet a long way to go when it comes to the way they aknowledge others.

What better chance than a dance to work on it?

Seeing Others

When it comes to the dance, Weiss and Jaune find themselves in the same situation of the initiation ceremony. They are locked into "triangles":

Jaune wants to go to the dance with Weiss, who wants to go with Neptune

Pyrrha wants to go to the dance with Jaune, who wants to go with Weiss

They pursue the wrong partner and ignore another person's feelings. In this way they do to another what they lament it is done to them:

Weiss: All my life, boys have only cared about the perks of my last name.

Jaune: It's Weiss… I'm completely head over heels for her, and she won't even give me a chance. She's cold, but she's also incredible. She's smart, and graceful, and talented-- I mean have you heard her sing? I just wish she take me seriously, y'know?

On the one hand Weiss wants to be seen for who she is, not her name. And yet, she refuses to look earnestly at Jaune and doesn't even recognize his feelings as genuine (recognizing someone's feelings doesn't mean to reciprocate them by the way). On the other hand Jaune wants to be taken seriously, but the moment Pyrrha tries to open up to him, he reduces her feelings to a joke:

Jaune: Oh please, if you don't get a date to the dance, I'll wear a dress.

At the same time, both approach love superficially. Jaune has started to really like Weiss as a person, but he is still far from truly seeing the girl in all her complexity. Weiss is instead failing to recognize Jaune's good qualities and is attracted to Neptune's try hard persona:

Neptune: Haven. And I don't believe I've caught your name, snow angel.

The narrative makes it very clear Neptune is just a shallower, but better looking version of Jaune. He is a geek (like Jaune), but calls himself an intellectual. He flirts with every girl that breathes, waaaay more than Jaune does initially. And yet, he looks cooler, so Weiss is attracted by him.

This "double triangle" is solved positively in 2 different ways:

Weiss and Jaune start to display respectively more masculine and feminine traits

Weiss and Jaune learn to see others a little bit better

Weiss plays the part of the knight and invites Neptune to the dance:

Weiss: I know this is a little unorthodox, but… I wanted to ask you something. Would you… like to accompany me to the dance tomorrow?

Jaune plays the part of the maiden and wears a dress to accept Pyrrha's late invite:

Pyrrha: I had no idea you were a dancer. Jaune: Yeah, well, these things tend to happen when you grow up with seven sisters.

On a deeper level, Jaune confronts both Pyrrha (the ideal self he must aim to be) and Neptune (the past self he has outgrown).

Pyrrha: I've been blessed with incredible talents and opportunities. I'm constantly surrounded by love and praise, but when you're placed on a pedestal like that for so long, you become separated from the people that put you there in the first place. Everyone assumes I'm too good for them. That I'm on a level they simply can't attain. It's become impossible to form any sort of meaningful relationship with people. That's what I like about you. When we met, you didn't even know my name. You treated me just like anyone else. And thanks to you, I've made friendships that will last a lifetime. I guess, you're the kind of guy I wish I was here with. Someone who just saw me for me.

He realizes he has hurt Pyrrha's feelings and has failed to see her the whole time. At the same time, he calls Neptune out on how he has treated Weiss's feelings:

Jaune: Do you even care about the girls you're hitting on? How they feel about you?

And finally, thanks to his ideal self (Pyrrha), he is able to give his past self (Neptune) a good advice:

Jaune: Then just go talk to her. No pickup lines, no suave moves, just be yourself. I've heard that's the way to go.

In this way, Jaune shows he has grown more mature and crowns his evening by wearing a beautiful dress and proving he is a great dancer (differently from Neptune).

Weiss grows too. She accepts Neptune's apology and thanks to him, she is able to finally see Jaune for who he is:

Weiss: You said you were embarrassed at first. What made you come talk to me? Neptune: You're looking at him. You got some good friends looking out for ya.

She might not reciprocate Jaune's feelings, but Jaune is still her friend and cares about her as a person, not as a trophy. This moment marks an improvement of Weiss's overall dynamic with Jaune and she starts to see him as a close one, even praising him occasionally:

Weiss: Well, he's certainly improved.

This is a top off for Weiss's growth as a less judgemental person. This process starts with Blake and her prejudice against Faunus and goes on with Jaune and her misjudgement of him.

All in all, Weiss and Jaune's months at Beacon are key for the kids' early development:

Weiss grows through Ruby and Blake

Jaune grows through Pyrrha and his team

They keep walking parallel paths and slowly start to aknowledge each other more. Weiss starts to see Jaune not as a loser, but as a person who is trying hard. Jaune start to see Weiss not as a damsel, but as a talented individual with wishes of her own. Similarly, their relationship with their inner selves improves, as well.

By the time of the Vytal Festival, both Weiss and Jaune are making small steps toward who they want to become.

The Vytal Festival: Unsure Knight and Clueless Maiden

Weiss and Jaune's tournament fights display their better qualities. On the one hand Weiss sacrifices herself for Yang. On the other hand Jaune is able to lead his team well. They are both more selfless with a better understanding of their roles in their teams.

This growth is marked by important moments outside the arena.

Weiss meets Winter, who inspires her to branch out a little. This is the catalyst for Weiss's transformation into a knight:

Jaune notices Pyrrha is off and tries to step into an adviser position. Basically, he tries to do what Pyrrha has done for him. He tries to guide her by symbolically playing a more supportive role. Moreover, he tries to help Pyrrha making sense of maidenhood:

Jaune: I guess… I'm just trying to say that… you've always been there for me… even when I didn't deserve it. And I can tell there's something on your mind, so… I don't know. How can I help?

Obviously, they are both still immature. Weiss is dependent on her father and can barely summon a tiny sword. Jaune is ignorant and isn't able to give Pyrrha the right advice. Still, they both try, even if they meet an unforeseen crisis. The Fall of Beacon.

Weiss manages to step in to protect Velvet. She acts as a real Knight in Shining Armor:

Jaune does his best to stand beside Pyrrha, even in her darkest moment:

Jaune: She's right. Whoever was on that microphone… they're the ones that did this. And we have to make sure they don't take anyone else.

Despite this, they both fail in the end. Weiss can't save Beacon and loses her new found home and family. Jaune can't save Pyrrha and loses the girl he loves. So, after so much development and growth Weiss and Jaune wake up to discover it still isn't enough. So, the finale pushes them back in the roles they have tried to escape so desperately.

Weiss is brought back under her father's thumb. Jaune is shoved into a locker, forced to fly away like a loser. Weiss is once again daddy's little princess, while Jaune is once again a wannabe knight, who couldn't save the girl.

SNOWHITE AND JEANNE

Ren: Well that embarrassment - that desire to go back and tell yourself not to be so stupid - that just proves you're not the same person you used to be. You're smarter, you're kinder, you're stronger, and you're not done growing yet. None of us are.

The Mistral arc marks a metaphorical growth spurt for both Weiss and Jaune. This development manifests in the volume 5 climax, where their stories intersect:

This scene is a culmination of their respective developments and ties with both their allusions:

Snowhite dies, but is resurrected by the Prince

Jeanne D'Arc performs a mircacle and brings back a person from the death

So, it is clearly very important symbolically, but what does it mean for Weiss and Jaune's characters, specifically?

1- Weiss and Jaune overcome two fake Maidens

Vernal and Cinder are the two fake Maidens of the Mistral arc, as the opening of volume 5 suggests:

Vernal is set up as the Spring Maiden and Cinder is set up as Raven's biggest foe. And yet, neither of them lives up to expectations. On the one hand Vernal is just a red herring, while Cinder isn't Raven's true opponent, but Yang is.

At the same time, Vernal and Cinder are Weiss and Jaune's opponents during the Battle of Haven. Interestingly, they both challenge the kids about their true identities. Who are they really?

Vernal: Let's see what the Schnee name really means.

Cinder: Who are you again?

Vernal mocks Weiss by stating she is nothing outside her name and Cinder sneers at Jaune by telling him he is a nobody. These are Weiss and Jaune's biggest fears. Weiss is scared her only value is her Schnee name, whereas Jaune is terrified of being a loser. In short, both Vernal and Cinder attack Weiss and Jaune's egos and leave them shattered:

Vernal physically breaks Weiss's aura, while Cinder psychologically destroys Jaune by targeting Weiss, just like she did with Pyrrha. Vernal and Cinder's objective is really to reduce Weiss and Jaune to nobodies. And yet, they fail. That is because the self is not found in physical strength or power, but rather comes from inside:

Yang: You might be powerful, but that doesn't make you strong.

In this battle Vernal and Cinder really symbolize Weiss and Jaune's illusory sense of selves. Their ugly personas. This is why they are both fake. Fake maidens masked with strength and confidence. And yet, they are deep down made of lies.

Vernal derides Weiss because of her dependency on the Schnee Family. And yet, Vernal herself has dedicated her whole existence to the Branwen Tribe and even changed her name for Raven's sake. In other words, she has reduced herself to her Spring Maiden persona. She is the one, who is nothing more than a name. And a false one, to boot.

Cinder laughts at Jaune's wannabe hero performance, but a lucky strike by her opponent is enough to derail her. An inexperienced fighter like Jaune grazing her breaks Cinder's whole facade and shows the ugly psychological wounds she hides behind a mask.

This is why Vernal and Cinder defeat Weiss and Jaune, but ultimately fail and actually destroy each other. Vernal dies by Cinder's hand, despite how strong and smart she is. Cinder is unmasked by Raven and falls because of Vernal's final desperate attack, which ensures Cinder's defeat.

Weiss and Jaune instead are reborn thanks to each other. Weiss is physically saved by Jaune, whereas Jaune starts to psychologically heal through helping Weiss. Weiss unlocks a new summon, while Jaune discovers his semblance. In the end, Weiss and Jaune don't need to play by Vernal and Cinder's rules.

Weiss's strength doesn't lie in her individual skill, but in the relationships she has built with others. She doesn't have to survive on her own because she is full of loved ones ready to help her shine. And she can help them too.

Jaune is heroic not because he is a lonely warrior slaying villains, but because he is a good friend always ready to help. His value lies in his wish to protect others. Moreover, he can rely on them when he needs.

Weiss and Jaune's real selves are in their hearts, which are growing stronger. That is why they lose the physical fight, but win the spiritual one. They ultimately succeed, as Weiss's Queen Lancer is key to saving Haven and Jaune's Aura Amp is fundamental in saving Weiss. Weiss protects a Kingdom, while Jaune protects a girl.

2- Weiss and Jaune integrate with their animus/anima

Weiss and Jaune embrace their true selves by reconciling their masculine and feminine parts. Once again this process is conveyed through their allusions.

Our Snowhite dies and is reborn twice. The first time, Jacques (the Evil Queen) kills her psychologically by taking away her Heiress title and imprisoning her in her room (the glass coffin). Weiss is able to escape by developing her masculine side (the Knight).

She successfully draws energy from her animus (her inner Prince) and uses this new found resourcefulness to escape. She leaves behind her passiveness (feminine) and grows more active (masculine). This is why her summon symbolically breaks the window and immediately after Weiss makes the choice to leave.

The second time, Cinder (another Evil Queen) kills her physically, but Jaune (the Prince) saves her. As a result, Weiss wakes up and is crowned Queen.

Becoming Queen in fairy tales means you have reached self-actualization. So, Weiss has become her true self, which is a combination of feminine (queen) and masculine (lancer). The Queen Lancer then symbolizes Weiss reconciling with her anima (feminine part) by making it freer, more genuine and stronger through her animus (masculine part).

Our Jeanne performs a miracle and has a vision. He brings Weiss back from the death in Haven. By doing so he physically plays the part of the Knight in Shining Armor. Still, he succeeds by integrating his animus with his anima. As a matter of fact he lets go of fighting and killing (masculine) and takes up healing (feminine):

Later on, he needs spiritual guidance and finds it in his anima (Pyrrha). So, he has a symbolic "vision" of her in front of her statue:

Obviously, the woman is probably Pyrrha's mother, but it doesn't matter. The whole scene is framed up as aetherial and ambiguous because thematically Pyrrha's soul points Jaune toward the right path. So, Jaune is guided by his feminine side.

Weiss and Jaune's journey in Mistral leads them to face their fears and let go of their personas. By doing so, they succeed at integrating their animus and anima. The end result is that they grow up.

Weiss blooms into a Queen:

Weiss's royal dress is blue (melted ice) and has snowhite-like puff sleeves.

Jaune becomes a Knight:

Jaune's outfit keeps his red details and adds more gold to it.

Upon their arrival in Atlas, they are not Ice Queen and Vomit Boy anymore, but genuine articles.

QUEEN AND KNIGHT

Right now I’m just a bit surprised Cuz I feel just fine And I might just touch the sky

The sun is shining in the sky The birds are smiling so am i I’m kicking ass in every way Think this change is here to stay It’s feeling like a brand new day

In Atlas, our Queen and Knight live their best lives.

Weiss arrests her father and reconnects with her estranged family. She becomes the Queen of the Schnee family. Jaune instead supports everyone, meets the admiration of civilians and is in generally successful. He becomes a perfect Knight in Shining Armor.

Even when the situation gets dire they both maintain a mature attitude. They are not touched by the Divide and their major conflict lies rather with a family member (sibling):

Winter: You're not leaving me. I'm giving you a head start.

Ren: You cheated your way into Beacon!

Winter and Ren oppose Weiss and Jaune out of repression and frustration. And yet, Weiss and Jaune's reaction is of empathy and understandment:

Weiss: Don’t worry, they’re sisters. Sometimes sisters just have very different ideas about what’s right.

Jaune: We’re all under a lot of stress right now. I used to push people away too.

They never doubt their loved ones and when Winter and Ren come around there is no need for apologies. Weiss and Jaune simply welcome them back with warmth.

In short, our Queen and Knight are among the characters who have grown the most, so they often come up with solutions. For example, Jaune offers a way to overcome the Divide from a practical point of view:

Jaune: Okay. Okay… Then let’s go for both. Get Amity up and running and evacuate Mantle.

Weiss is instead the one to state the theme outloud before the climax:

Weiss: Trust is a risk

This development is precisely why they both get to shine in the final battle.

On the one hand Weiss holds it together while her team is in disarray after Yang's fall. Ruby is traumatized and caught up in a fight with Neo, while Blake temporally loses it. Weiss keeps on facing Cinder alone and does her best to protect Penny and the relic.

On the other hand Jaune keeps a level-head and manages to evacuate the civilians only to join the fray at the very end. He reads the situation correctly and kills Penny when there is no other choice.

Weiss and Jaune have grown into who they want to be in the beginning. This is why they are the last fighters standing. And yet, despite all their training and maturation, they still fail. They face an Evil Queen (Cinder) and are defeated when they are at their strongest. Weiss is a true Queen fighting for her home and Jaune is a true Knight fighting for the people. And yet, they are crushed and fall. Just like at Beacon.

Once again, Weiss fails to protect a Kingdom:

Once again, Jaune fails to protect a Maiden:

At the same time, they believe the other can somehow succeed, even if they don't:

Weiss: Maybe… Jaune and Winter were able to get them out, despite… everything… despite us…

Jaune: I don’t know where the others are, but… Weiss will give us time!

Weiss hopes Jaune and Winter (aka her ideal) save the relics. Jaune hopes Weiss can buy him and Penny time, like Pyrrha (aka his ideal).

In short, Weiss and Jaune grow into their ideal selves, but still lose. Not only that, but they keep on projecting their ideals on others. And yet, these others also fail. So, what to do? The only choice is to let go of unreachable perfect paragons.

FALLEN QUEEN AND RUSTED KNIGHT

Weiss: I am a citizen of a fallen Kingdom and an heir to nothing. I will not be defined by my name because I will be the one to define it. I am Weiss Schnee, and I am a Huntress!

NeoCat: You were never the brave knight either! Just more fairytale nonsense!

Weiss and Jaune's journey in the Ever After is about letting go of their Queen and Knight idealized self-images. In this way they can truly accept who they are. This is difficult at first because they are full of self-hate and regret:

Weiss: But it wasn't enough! We hatched a crazy plan that put a whole kingdom at risk, and we don't even know if we saved the Relics...

Jaune: I’m trying so hard to save them… I stopped them from becoming what they needed to be. I was being selfish because I… I wanted the rush of rescuing someone and I got that here.

Still, they both work through it in 2 ways.

They face their traumas again:

Weiss: I am so tired of leaving places in ashes…

Jaune: On that bridge… I was the only one that could do it! I was the ONLY ONE! And I… And now I have to live with that forever… In here or back home…

They change their dynamic with Ruby, who they put on a pedestal.

Specifically, Ruby becomes a paragon for both Weiss and Jaune during the Mistral arc. There, Weiss learns to be emotionally vulnerable with her partner. Jaune instead grows to admire Ruby's optimism and hopeful self.

So, after the fall of Atlas, both Weiss and Jaune go back to Ruby. Weiss lets out all her troubles, while Jaune dives after Crescent Rose and proudly gives it back.

However, Ruby is in no condition to play Weiss and Jaune's hero. This shows and it unnerves them, who grow progressively more irritated with Little Red:

Weiss: Hurry! People are counting on us!

Jaune: I know you may not care about protecting this village, but you could at least help your friends when they’re in danger.

Until Ruby herself snaps at the both of them. Interestingly, it is Weiss's demand that Ruby consoles Jaune, which sets her off. Moreover, throughout her monologue, Ruby calls Weiss out on her dependency on her:

Ruby: What about me? “No time”, right? “Gotta get home!” “Gotta help Jaune!” Gotta find someone who isn’t just going to screw everything up!

And she lashes out against Jaune's hero complex:

Ruby: I’m sorry, is this a bad time? Are we supposed to be mourning Jaune’s make-believe friends?!

She pintpoints both their flaws and then runs away. It is Ruby's outburst, though, which wakes up Weiss and Jaune.

Weiss finally realizes Ruby's pain and empathizes with her. Her words clearly have an impact on Jaune too:

Weiss: Ruby has always been the one to get us through the hard times. We say things like “We believe in you”, “We can count on you”. I know we mean well, but…

They both let go of their idealization of Ruby, which in turns helps them with their own struggles:

Weiss: I think you’re asking too much of yourself. We’ve been telling ourselves that failing means we’re no good. But I can guarantee even the best Huntsmen in history… they’ve all lost. But they were still incredibly brave… and good.

In front of a genial ruby, Weiss and Jaune manage to move forward through each other.

Jaune is spiritually guided and shown empathy by Weiss. Weiss instead starts healing psychologically by helping Jaune. In a sense, this is a parallel and an inversion of their shared moment in volume 5. There Jaune finds himself strong enough to cure Weiss. Here Weiss finds herself wise enough to teach Jaune. Both are in a self-hate spiral, but then realize they are better than they think by saving the other. At the same time, this moment also calls back Jaune's "vision" in Lost. There Jaune is shown the way by a Pyrrha stand-in. Here Weiss steps into the role of spiritual adviser.

After spending the whole volume looking for someone to guide her, Weiss discovers she can be the guide. After spending the whole volume wanting to be the hero, Jaune realizes he is the one that needed help the whole time.

They both learn the main theme of the volume:

Jaune: Maybe that Cat was right… Maybe I just needed to accept it. It’s not a place you go.

They reach acceptance of who they are. Both their good traits and their negative traits. They accept they did their best, but also that they lost. And once they do, they become able to better accept others, as well:

Jaune: I think I get it. This is how we got here, or… why the Tree brought us here. Acceptance.

Weiss: We've done everything we can. Now it's up to Ruby. Whatever happens next… we have to welcome that.

Not only do they let go of their idealized self-images, but of Ruby's too. This is why they are ready to welcome her, no matter what. Strengths and limits, alike.

Thanks to their inner development, they both get to make another step into self-actualization. This growth is shown symbolically in the finale . Weiss is finally able to summon a full Nevermore, which combines all her previous glyphs (so it is symbolic of the self). Jaune accepts Alyx's hand and goes back to his real self through her (he goes from iron to mercury). These are glimpses of who Weiss and Jaune are going to finally become.

SOPHIA AND HERMES

Curious Cat: Looking at you, wise huntress.

Alyx: Maybe it’s time for a change, to be the kind of man you always wanted to be.

So, who are Weiss and Jaune going to be at the end of their journey? It is still too soon to say, but I would not be surprised if they were to become Sophia and Hermes to each other.

Who are Hermes and Sophia? They are the embodyments of a perfected animus and a perfected anima. In short, by the end of their psychological development, a woman should integrate with Hermes and a man should integrate with Sophia. Personally I think (wish) Weiss is stepping in the role of Sophia for Jaune, while Jaune is stepping in the role of Hermes for Weiss. Volume 9 might have given symbolic hints of this.

Weiss is directly associated with wisdom, which is what Sophia means.

Jaune goes from iron to mercury through Alyx and Mercury is just another way to call Hermes. Moreover, one of the symbols of Hermes in alchemy is a stag and well... Juniper resembles one.

Now, this final integration can be romantic (my preference) or platonic/individualistic (if they chicken out). What is sure is that it's going to happen, one way or another. It is just the cherry on top on a animus/anima story.

Snowhite and the Animus

Snowhite is the story of a child growing up. The first step in self-actualization is to stop identifying with the Mother, so the mirror image changes. This transformation generates an inner conflict. On the one hand there is the side who wants to grow up (Snowhite), on the other hand there is the side who doesn't wanna change (the Evil Queen). It is only by conquering the Evil Queen (the shadow), that Snowhite can truly become herself.

And how does she do it? She succeeds through an integration with her animus (masculine side):

The King is absent and doesn't help Snowhite

The Hunter appears and helps Snowhite

The Dwarves give Snowhite a home

The Prince saves Snowhite

As you can see, Snowhite's story is full of male characters and each new one is more helpful than the one before. This is because all these characters are representations of Snowhite's interiority and of her strenghtening animus. It is initially possessed, but then it progressively blooms until it saves the protagonist.

Now, this is just Weiss's story in a nutshell:

Willow is absent and Weiss's animus is possessed (The Arma Gigas she fights in the White Trailer)

Winter helps her and inspires Weiss to pursue her career as a Huntress (After her visit Weiss summons a part of her Knight)

Team RWBY welcomes Weiss and become her adoptive home and family (Weiss becomes herself through them)

Only the Prince is missing and it will probably be Jaune (he already is in volume 5). Wait, aren't all these characters women? Yes, they are because Weiss's fairy tale is all genderbent except her. So, why should Weiss's Prince be Jaune? Because in his case, he is the genderbent one :P

Jaune can be Weiss's Prince (again platonically or romantically) only if he fully blooms into Jeanne first. He can't be a real Knight, if he doesn't become a Maiden.

The Four Stages of Anima

Jaune's journey through the anima is well conveyed through 4 stages, which stand for archetypical female figures. Each one represents a different level of maturity:

Eve is the mother - The boy has no romantic attachment and sees the woman as a source of protection and nourishment

Helen is the seductress - The boy feels romantic attraction and sees the woman as a talented individual, but pays no attention to her spiritual or inner life

Mary is the virgin - The boy fells mature love and sees the woman as a paragon of virtue, but pays no attention to her negative traits

Sophia is wisdom - The boy is ready for a relationship with a woman as an equal partner and sees the feminine as a source of wisdom with no need to objectify the woman anymore

This scale describes Jaune's relationship with the feminine perfectly:

Eve is Pyrrha - she nurtures and protects him as a mentor and Jaune feels initially no attraction to her

Weiss is Helen - she is Jaune's first crush and he grows enough to see her as a talented person, but can't understand her inner world

Mary is Pyrrha - she becomes Jaune's guide and the embodyment of heroism and virtue

Only Sophia is missing and I think she will be Weiss. In general, though, these phases describe Jaune's general approach to women and how it changes. He arrives at Beacon looking for a girlfriend because that is what a man should do, which in itself is a very childish behavior. Then he grows to see the girls around him as powerful individuals, but he can't go behind the surface. This is true for Weiss, but also for Pyrrha, whose struggles he ignores. After her death, Pyrrha becomes an ideal, but she isn't the only one. For example, Jaune believes Weiss and Ruby can save Pyrrha from Cinder and later on he keeps idealizing them. In volume 9, he learns to let go of his idealization and to see others as their own people. He is stepping into Sophia (wisdom).

MIRROR MIRROR

I looked in the mirror And I gotta say It’s been a long long time Since I felt this way

Weiss and Jaune go through perfect mirror journeys, which are about recognizing others to see their own selves and vice versa. This is why Weiss's mirror mirror motif works so well for them.

They don't know who they are (mirror tell me who am I?)

They realize they dislike their current selves (mirror tell me who is the loneliest of all? I am the loneliest of all)

They work to change (mirror I'll tell you something, I might change it all)

They overcome their narcisism rooted in self-loathing (I'm shattering the mirror that keps me split in pieces)

Now that they can see who they are better, the next step is to probably see others more clearly. This is the secondary theme of the volume, after all: empathy.

Ruby breaks Summer's pedestal and as a result she can see herself better. In turn, this makes her able to look at others in a new light:

Weiss and Jaune do the same. They break Ruby's pedestal and show empathy and forgiveness for themselves and her. Still, this is framed as just the beginning. The theme of empathy is probably gonna be explored in later volumes. This is true for both Ruby's arc and Weiss and Jaune's stories.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the next mirror mirror song is a conversation not with the mirror, but with another person? A person that is a mirror, but not because stuck inside it like Weiss in the beginning. A person, who is a mirror because every person can be a mirror of another if looked at with empathy. And this is what beating the mirror really means. Not to look at ourselves through it, but to look at ourselves through others. And to accept them. And to accept us.

#rwby #white knight #weiss schnee #jaune arc #rwby meta #my meta #rwby theory #sorry for this post's lenght but i love their foiling very very much and wanted to explore it fully

[loveephia]

inarizaki with a geeky girlfriend who loves magical girl animangas. (everyone in headcanons, but in the scenario, it's only atsumu.)

content: (🦷) tooth-rotting fluff, self-indulgent (i could geek out about tokyo mew mew for hours on end, bro), references to popular magical girl animangas.

⚠ warning/s: none.

note: i thought of the concept a while back, and i wanted to amplify my headcanons because i, myself, am a big fan of magical girl animangas. also m'pushing my spoiling-bf!atsumu agenda, hehe. ;p

HEADCANONS

inarizaki with a girlfriend who has shelves full of magical girl mangas.

inarizaki with a girlfriend that has glasses due to how late she stays up reading the said mangas.

inarizaki with a girlfriend who would explain the story in EXCRUCIATING detail, and they'd still love you for it. (kita and suna are probably listening intently, kita because he's just a good listener in general, and suna because he's only a tiny bit interested in the plot).

inarizaki with a girlfriend who owns a ton of merch from the franchise. (from sailor moon luna plushies to cardcaptor sakura's staff, you have it all).

inarizaki with a girlfriend who likes to sing along to the openings/endings of her favorite magical girl animes.

inarizaki spoiling their girlfriend with limited/hard-to-get items on her birthday. (very atsumu.)

SCENARIO

"atsumu miya, you did not." you gaped in mere disbelief, holding up the signed tokyo mew mew poster in front of you. atsumu shrugged, a small smirk forming on his face at the satisfied reaction he got out of you. "tugged a few strings and got that for ya since i remembered how much you liked the show." he said, "ain't i the best boyfriend ever?"

you smiled at him, "the best."

"oh, and," atsumu pulls out a holographic SSR madoka magica goddess card from his pocket, "this is for you too."

your eyes widened, setting the poster aside on your desk before examining the shiny card to confirm its autheticity. no creases, no rips, it was in mint condition. "t- this is expensive, 'tsumu! how'd you even get one of these?!" you exclaimed.

"like i said, tugged a few strings." atsumu reminded.

© lowercase intended | loveephia

#haikyuu fluff #haikyuu!! #hq x reader #hq x y/n #haikyuu headcanons #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu x y/n #hq hcs #tooth rotting fluff #hq #haikyu x reader #haikyū!! #haikyuu atsumu #hq atsumu #atsumu miya #atsumu x reader #atsumu x you #atsumu x y/n #inarizaki #atsumu miya x y/n #atsumu miya x reader #atsumu miya x you #atsumu miya x female reader #atsumu scenarios #kita shinsuke #shinsuke kita #suna rintarō #suna rintarou #osamu miya

[fangirleaconmigo]

maybe weird and mybe vague, but if you ever have the time and inclination, would you talk bout your opinion on Geralt and *religion*? I haven't read the books in a very long time, and i only am halfway though the series, but sometimes geralt says something (' for it is the **holy** and irrefutable right of every woman.') and i'm left thinking, because he doesn't seem to believe in much but at the same time he does?

Religion and Spirituality in The Witcher Books: What DOES Geralt of Rivia Believe In?

Hello my dear! Sometime you guys will send me an ask that just makes me go...HOW DID YOU KNOW I LOVE THINKING ABOUT THIS AND WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO RAMBLE ON ABOUT IT.

VERY MILD BOOK SPOILERS AHEAD

VERY LONG, EXTRA, GEEKY POST AHEAD

So. For those who missed it, this is in reference to my "abortion in the witcher books" post, where Geralt calls abortion a "holy and irrefutable" right, both words that imply either spirituality or at least moral beliefs that surpass reasoning and rationality.

Yet, we know that Geralt does not believe in the existence of 'the gods', (I'll pull the quotes for that and show evidence as we go) so why would he use such language? What DOES he believe in? Does he have a guiding spiritual system of beliefs?

A lot of people interpret Geralt's attempts at political neutrality as wishy washy or cynical or apathetic, and believe, as a result, that he does not have a particular driving moral system of beliefs. In fact!! On my abortion post there was a guy on twitter actually trying to fight with me, saying that it doesn't matter what Geralt thinks about abortion, because Geralt doesn't value human life. (lmaoooooooooooooooo)

I am here to say that this is incorrect all around. (to the conservative dudebro I told him that he was conflating 'has killed' with 'does not value life', two very different things.) Anywho. Geralt actually has an incredibly strong system of morals and ethics that are VERY clearly laid out in the books. We can even name that system of beliefs. It just gets complicated!

So, let's talk about that. First, let's lay out his beliefs.

Disclaimer: I'm working with English translations of the books, and as I get very precise about words, just please be aware of that limitation. Many times I wish I had a Polish friend who had copies of the book and wouldn't mind me (the dreaded Geraskier shipper and twn fan) pestering them every time I had a question about wording. If anyone doesn't mind being that friend for me, please let me know.

Now. Onward.

For those who did not read my abortion post, Panur is referring to the fact that In Sword of Destiny (p 345), when Geralt is discussing his mother with Calanthe, this is what he calls abortion:

“A choice. A choice which should be respected, for it is the holy and irrefutable right of every woman.”

There are two words that Geralt uses here, "holy" and 'irrefutable" and both imply something 'higher' than reason. Holy is religious in nature, while irrefutable is along the lines of "inalienable" which is the word Dandelion uses, when speaking about the right to abortion. In Baptism of Fire (p317), Dandelion refers to abortion like this:

It’s obvious that only the woman can make a decision like that. It’s her inalienable right.

Inalienable and irrefutable are words that describe inherent rights, which are not subject to rational debate.

Many would describe that as sacred or untouchable. So even though it is not as directly religious as the word 'holy', it implies a value that is higher than logic or rationality.

AND YET, we do know that Geralt does not believe in the gods. It is a point of discussion between him and Nenneke on multiple occasions. In The Last Wish (p37) Nenneke is worried about Geralt and is trying to convince him to let Iola, one of her priestesses, put him in a trance. He resists her idea. Here is what Nenneke says.

"Iola isn't a medium or a mentally ill soothsayer. That child enjoys the goddess's favor."

Geralt's face does something in reaction to this that indicates his disbelief, and Nenneke responds.

"Don't pull silly faces, if you please."

So whatever his face did, it wasn't good. She continues.

"As I said, your view on religion is known to me, it's never particularly bothered me, and no doubt, it won't bother me in the future. I'm not a fanatic. You've a right to believe that we're governed by Nature and the Force hidden within her. You can think that the gods, including my Melitele, are merely a personification of this power invented for simpletons so they understand it better, accept its existence. According to you, that power is blind."

So, Nenneke describes his belief system in regard to the gods as...they don't exist, at least not in the way people view them. There is magic and chaos and monstrous beings, sure. But there are no 'all powerful' gods enacting their will on the world, there is nothing so predictable or organized.

Those beliefs are repeated elsewhere in the books, but I won't pull every single quote. This one does the trick. Geralt believes that people invented the gods to explain the world around them.

We also know that he believes humans invent monsters in order to seem less monstrous themselves. He says this to Dandelion in The Last Wish (p167).

"People," Geralt turned his head, "like to invent monsters and monstrosities. Then they seem less monstrous themselves. When they get blind-drunk, cheat, steal, beat their wives, staar an old woman, when they kill a trapped fox with an axe or riddle the last existing unicorn with arrows, they like to think that the Bane entering cottages at daybreak is more monstrous than they are. They feel better then. They find it easier to live.

So. In Geralt's world view, human beings are the creators. They create gods. They create monsters. And when they blame the gods or monsters, it is a false powerlessness engineered to escape accountability. But Geralt holds people accountable anyway.

So, if Geralt does not believe in the gods, does that mean he believes in nothing? Does that mean he does not have a moral code?

Actually, it is the opposite.

If people are held accountable for their actions, when they have no gods or demons or monsters to blame, the standard for morality is much higher.

Geralt if often called self righteous for this stance. In The Last Wish, (p160) when Geralt is complaining about how hard it is to make a living as a witcher, Dandelion even tells him he should be a priest, saying the fact that he doesn't believe in gods shouldn't be any barrier.

"Whatever. Become a priest. You wouldn't be bad at it with all your scruples, your morality, your knowledge of people and everything. The fact that you don't believe in any gods shouldn't be a problem. I don't know many priests who do. Becomes a priest and stop feeling sorry for yourself."

But without spirituality, where does Geralt get his system of morals? How does Geralt decide what is right and what is wrong?

Well, once again, Geralt puts human beings (instead of gods) at the center, in the position of power and importance.

Let's start with the moral quandary Geralt faces most often. Which monsters are ethical to kill, and which are not ethical to kill?

Geralt has arguments many times throughout the books with people who want him to kill a monster that he does not want to kill,

AND conversely

he has arguments with people who judge him for killing monsters that they believe should be protected.

Those people are on the extremes. Some people see all monsters as inherently without worth. At best, they think they are subhuman and can be murdered for money making schemes or potions, or at worst, they think they should all be exterminated.

The other kind of person (mostly druids and academics) see them as part of mother nature, sacrosanct and untouchable, and accuse Geralt of being immoral for killing even one.

But for Geralt? It isn't so simple. There is no 'one size fits all'. He doesn't 'other' monsters like that. So he has to decided each and every time. And as a nonbeliever, Geralt does not have a holy book or god to consult with to tell him what is right. And yet? He always has an answer.

In reference to the monsters he does not want to kill, here are a few passages of Geralt explaining his reasoning. In The Last Wish, he tells Dandelion he won't kill mecopterans because:

I'm not going to kill mecopterans. Nor any other harmless creatures."

Then, in Sword of Destiny (p42) when when Yennefer and Dorregaray are arguing about dragons, Geralt speaks up. What he says explains why he doesn't kill them:

"Dragons aren't man's enemies," Geralt broke in.

Then later, Yennefer challenges him.

"...And what do you know, witcher?"

“Only," Geralt said, ignoring the sudden warning vibration of the medallion around his neck, "that if dragons didn’t have treasure hoards, not a soul would be interested in them; and certainly not sorcerers...

Later on in the book, Dandelion says that Geralt doesn't kill night spirits because they are "sweet". There are a lot of other examples, but basically, that is always the test. Did the monster harm a human?

Now, on the other extreme, there are people who think Geralt shouldn't harm any monsters. These are people who are big on theory and environmentalism, druids and academics. Here are two examples.

First, we have Dorregaray in Sword of Destiny (p40) he says that Witchers calling killing a vocation is "loathsome, low, and nonsensical". He says:

"The world...is in equilibrium. Natural equilibrium....The extermination of the natural enemies of humans, which you dedicate yourself to...threatens the degeneration of the race."

Geralt responds with his reasoning.

"Do you know what, sorcerer?" Geralt said, annoyed. "one day, take yourself to a mother whose child has been devoured by a basilisk, and tell her she ought to be glad, because thanks to that the human race has escaped degeneration. See what she says to you."

Basically, he's like...tell that to the people who are killed.

Then, in Blood of Elves, Geralt is talking to an academic called Linus Pitt. (it's actually a really funny story, I summarized it here) Geralt has been hired to defend the boat from a monster, and this academic has struck up a conversation with him. They are discussing sea creatures (aeschna) who have been pulling people from decks and eating them. This man offers a similar argument to Dorregaray.

"...It was wiped out a good half-century ago, due -- incidentally --to the activity of individuals such as yourself who are prepared to kill anything that does not instantly look right, without forethought, tests, observations or considering its ecological niche..."

Now, we as the reader know, witchers do consider ecological niches, because Vesemir teaches Ciri about them in the previous chapters in this same book. But for witchers, ecological niches ultimately do not outweigh human life. So after briefly considering just telling the man "where he could put the aeschna and its niche," Geralt responds, trying to appeal to the man's love of theory and scholarship and his college (Oxenfurt, natch)...

"Master Tutor," he said calmly, "one of those pulled form the deck was a young pregnant girl...Theoretically, her child could, one day, have become chancellor of your college. What do you have to say to such an approach to ecology?"

That doesn't work. Master Tutor Pitt is still snooty.

"Nature is governed by its own rules and although those rules are cruel and ruthless, they should not be amended...And nothing can justify the extermination of a species, even a predatory one. What do you say to that?"

So, Geralt reverts to his truth.

"I'd say it's dangerous to lean out like that. There might be an aeschna in the vicinity. Do you want to try out the aeschna's struggle for survival on your own skin?"

Linus Pitt let go of the railing and abruptly jumped away.

The point is always always always...idk man do you want to die? Do you want your family to die?

The test is always:

Harm to humans, vs no harm to humans.

At this point, we can comfortably say that Geralt's system of beliefs has a name.

Geralt does not exist, he is a literary device. But in as far as we can gather evidence and apply it to canon, his state beliefs fit the definition.

A system of belief that attributes the good and evil in the world to choices of humans, rather than gods, and that assesses good and bad based primarily on whether they harm or help humans, has a name.

Geralt is a humanist.

Here is the definition for humanism from Oxford dictionary:

an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems.

There are, of course, many ways to define any philosophy you could possibly discuss, but at it's most basic, humanism does not source morality from a holy book or a god. There is no higher power or authority.

It asks one simple question:

Does this do harm to humans, or does it help humans?

That may seem obvious, but a whole lot of morality based on religion falls away when you use this. Premarital sex? Is it bad? Welp? Are you harming the person you're having sex with? No? Ok, you're good! Homosexuality? Again, are you harming the person you're dating? No? Then you're good! Most sex based ideas about immorality just sort of goes away.

So is this just a decision making tool though? Or a system of morality? A way of life?

Well, for Geralt it is a way of life. This man is extra as fuck about his code of ethics.

I mean, there is no witcher code of ethics. But you'd better believe his extra ass made one, for himself! He calls it the witchers code, instead of Geralt's code, because that sounds fancier, and people respect it that way. If he just said, "I don't want to do it," no one would listen to him.

I did a post on his code.

So this guy is so in love with ethics that when no one gave him a code, he WROTE HIS OWN, and THEN! THEN he went out on the path as a young witcher, hoping to rescue innocents. He came out of the gate being driven by the value of human life.

When he is in the temple, talking to Iola, the priestess, (p115)about himself as a young witcher and what motivated him out on the path, he says this:

"...when I left Kaer Morhen and took to the road. I'd earned my medallion, the Sign of the Wolf's School. I had two swords: silver and iron, and my conviction, enthusiasm, incentive, and....faith. Faith that I was needed in a world full of monsters and beasts, to protect the innocent."

Geralt's entire personality is based on his initial desire to just...help people. Do good. It has nothing to do with gods. It has everything to do with the way he values human life.

Does this take a massive beating every day he wakes up? yes. Does he always live up to it? No. But it doesn't change the fact that it's there, that it is the underpinning of his character.

Also, I have to add, it informs his entire approach of political neutrality.

Geralt gets a bad rap for his ideas about neutrality. I'm not saying his idea about neutrality is the ideal or always correct. But people tend to see it as based in apathy or self interest and it very much is not.

He explains it to Ciri in Blood of Elves.

Geralt, Triss, and Ciri are traveling with Yarpen Zigrin and his men in Blood of Elves (p122) . Yarpen is transporting (smuggling) something crucial for the war effort on behalf of King Henselt of Kaedwen.

Triss is ill, so Geralt has begged Yarpen to allow them to join the caravan. Geralt says he will help out to pay them back for their kindness, only, Geralt has one thing he will not do. Since they are an official caravan, fighting would essentially make him an official soldier. So, if they are attacked by Scoia'tael, he will not fight. He says:

"Please don't count on my sword. I have no intention of killing those, as you call them, evil creatures, on the order of other creatures whom I do not consider to be any better."

Later, Ciri rides ahead and comes across some elven ruins. Geralt catches up to her and tells her what happened there. They are the ruins of an elven castle called Shaerrawedd, where humans mercilessly massacred a huge number of elven youth.

Geralt says that he has seen some elves about, but he isn't going to warn the caravan because he knows the elves are only there to visit their sacred place. He explains his neutrality to Ciri further.

"Do you know now why the Scoia'tael were here, do you see what they wanted to look at? And do you understand why the elven and dwarven young must never be allowed to be massacred once again? Do you understand why neither you nor I are permitted to have a hand in this massacre?....Do you understand?

She nodded.

"Do you understand what this neutrality is, which stirs you so? To be neutral does not mean to be indifferent or insensitive. You dont' have to kill your feelings. It is enough to kill the hatred within yourself. Do you understand?"

It isn't that Geralt doesn't care.

Geralt cares so so very much, and is so distrustful of power and political and religious institutions that he believes getting involved with them will end in him being used as a tool to do something to harm others.

Geralt does not want to be used as a tool to kill someone else. He has a lot of experience with that. He believes that the only response to a rigged game is to not play it.

Of course it is so much more complicated than that. Geralt has a lot to learn over the course of the series and he is tested sorely, and brutally. He is challenged over and over again. Is it even possible not to play? Are you playing by not playing?

But this post isn't about the relative ethics of political neutrality. It's about Geralt's spiritual and/ or moral beliefs.

The point of this post is, that Geralt is very passionately driven by his well defined system of beliefs, and that belief system is humanism.

Ok, let's go back to the words holy and irrefutable. Even though Geralt does not believe in the gods, he sometimes uses words that sound religious to describe his beliefs. Let's also go back to the word Faith. He uses it twice with Iola to describe his belief that he can help the innocent and do good in the world.

That is because, you don't need anything supernatural to value human life, AND YET sometimes that act of valuing human life feels sacred.

It is not logic. It is not reason. It is love.

I'm editorializing here. This is just me talking, my opinion. Humanism involves believing in the worth of human beings, and that requires a massive amount of faith, especially when people are out there doing evil to each other every day. Some days, love feels like a miracle.

Sure, you CAN make 'rational' arguments about why being kind to one another or valuing one another is the best way to live. It results in a high quality of life, it builds a healthier, more peaceful, world. It's all true.

But ultimately, most humanists are probably not humanists because of rationality. They value human life because they value it intrinsically. They believe that it matters, against all fucking odds. They just love for love's sake.

A know I do!

And having a protagonist like Geralt, who, no matter what horrors and evils he sees, not matter what abuse and trauma he endures, who never ever stops just fucking HELPING, who never stops CARING never stops TRYING, who exemplifies everything to love and cherish about the human spirit, just because he thinks HUMAN BEINGS are worth defending, it is so important to have, and for me, so fulfilling to read.

So, call him a humanist, don't call him a humanist, it doesn't matter. But watching him him go through hell, yet refuse to stop trying to help other people, it makes me feel better about being a human.

#the witcher #asks #geralt of rivia #the witcher books #thinking about geralt of rivia yet again #thinking about the witcher books yet again

[alpaca-clouds]

Some more mythology geekery

Or: Let me talk Pan. (Or the other god I know a lot about.)

Folks found the stuff about old mythology and Persephone interesting... so let me do Pan. So, as I said: Persephone is a very old goddess who might well be one of the first in the Greek pantheon. But... She is not as old as Pan. Because within Europe Pan might in fact be the oldest god that we know about. In fact he very probably predates the ancient Greek religion and was just so popular, that the Greeks just decided to keep him in the pantheon.

How do we know that?

This is the moment, where this geeky twink squeals with excitement, because he gets to talk about proto-indo-european stuff. So, allow me for a moment: SQUEEEEEEEEE! 🥳

Okay. That needed out.

So, what you need to understand is that most mythologies from Europe, Asia and Northern Africa you know about are actually decendents of the same mythology. Talked about this in regards of the Roman Gods not being the Greek Gods. But... yeah. So, there was once this culture, who we call the Proto-Indo-Europeans and they had the great idea of putting wheels on things and the things behind horses and then got around a lot. And wherever they went, they brought their language and mythology with them, which is why the Indo-European language family is so fucking giant.

We can see some of their stuff shimmer through in common themes in mythology. Like, almost all the mythologies in Europe and Asia have a "sky daddy", aka a godly father figure who is associated with the sky. He is not always the big guy of the pantheon, but he is important in all the cases.

And while when we talk Greek, Egyptian, Roman or even Chinese and Hindu mythology we have a surprising amount of writing going on that dates back at times more than 3000 years... the earlier we go, the less writing there is.

Now, with Pan we have some stuff in Mycenean art and what not, that hints that he was around at least as early as 1700 BC, though - obviously - we do not really have written sources going back to this time.

But there is also the fact that... One of the earliest mythologies to split from the Proto-Indo-European one is the Hindu mythology. An the Hindu mythology has Pushan, who is not only associated with the same stuff (pasture, roads, travel, the wild and so on), but also has some goat imagery in older versions. Just like Pan. And if you look at the names P(ush)an you can see there is a parallel. Which makes those geeks who study stuff like that for a living fairly certain that those two once were the same god. A god they call *Péh₂usōn. And no, I will not go into Proto-Indo-European language right now.

The word "pasture" in English comes from the same Proto-Indo-European word, by the way.

Current theory goes, that Pan was actually worshiped by the pastoral people living in Greece before the advanced Greek civilization spread. And given that Pan was associated with so many aspects the folks were not giving him up. So, as it goes with pantheons... He just got integrated into the pantheon as was........ though he got split into two pieces. But... Gotta talk about his other piece tomorrow.

Maybe due to the age of Pan, but maybe due to him turning into mostly a god of wilderness, he tends to be a much more openly manecing deity compared to other gods. While most polytheistic cultures absolutely feature an aspect of: "Our thing is that we bribe gods into being nice with us, because those gods are so freaking dangerous," most of the pantheon gods are actually mostly cultured. Even if they are horndogs like Zeus.

Pan meanwhile is a god of the wild. He has this animal imagery (that probably all early gods had) still very present, he gets associated with all sort of wild behavior in humans, and of course the word "panic" comes from Pan. Because it is said that his scream could create panic in the humans.

Enough geekery, lets get back to Stray Gods. Because other than with Persephone's situation I am fairly certain that at least some of this was known to the creators, given the role Pan plays as someone who is not quite inside of the Chorus and acts more as an outsider to it.

#stray gods #greek mythology #proto indo european #indo european #history #ancient history #pan #god pan

[0shewrites0]

Chat to your fav LI’s | LITG edition

Will update as new LI’s come in!

If you have a request for a LI you’d like to chat to (female or male!) please send me (@0shewrites0) or @libelle949 an ask 🤍

If you have a request for another fandom (like RC for example) send them in too! @libelle949 and I will do our best to set all of them up step by step 🥰

LI’s available to chat with so far (30+):

Just tap on the character you want to chat with!

Angie Chandrasekhar

29. paramedic. scorpio. tattoos. proud lesbian.

Arjun Khatri (by anon)

24. dog groomer. influencer. loves cheeky winks.

Bobby McKenzie

24. baker. happy kiddo. loves to laugh. weirdo.

Bruno Kaminski by @libelle949

25. standup comedian. jokester. sweet. positive.

Carl Sullivan

29. tech entrepreneur. geeky. loyal. quiet.

Chelsea Edwards by @notaviirgo

24. interior decorator. charismatic. fun. diva.

Dylan (whatever) (by anon)

28. swansea. ambitious. pro volleyball player.

Eddie Harris (villain!)

24. model. feminist. no time for boring. flirty.

Gary’s Nan

73. charity work. temper of thunder. heart of gold.

Gary Rennell

23. crane operator. down to earth. blokey bloke.

Harry Zhong

21. student. nerdy and proud. gamer. ambitious.

Hazeem Salmani by @notaviirgo

25. landscaper. plant daddy. early exitee himself.

Henrik Bergstrom

23. climbing instructor. relaxed. goofy. weirdo.

Hope Biala by @notaviirgo

26. retail ambassador. hotter than a spark.

Iain Stirling by @mrsbsmooth

hilarious narrator locked in shed. has got tea to spill.

Jake Wilson by @mrsbsmooth

29. chef. strong silent type. deeply romantic.

Jakub Zabinski by @ariendiel

*grunt*

Johnny by @libelle949

21. theater student. drama king. momma’s boy.

Kassam Maleek

26. DJ. cynical. cold. passionate about music.

Lottie Campbell by @notaviirgo

24. makeup artist. obsessed with the color black. dramatic.

Lucas Koh

27. physiotherapist. passionate. loves danger.

Marisol Lopez Trujillo by @notaviirgo

24. law student. latina goddess who likes both genders

Noah Alexander by @ariendiel

25. librarian from romford. loves books. quiet.

Oliver Tan

26. tattoo artist. drama-free. “friendly giant”.

Priya Kumar by @notaviirgo

29. real estate agent. bisexual bad gyal.

Suresh (Frazer) (by anon)

27. an Edinburgh based corporate lawyer. wanderlust.

Tai Kahu

28. rugby coach. proud kiwi. 193cm of love.

Tim Burton (Big T)

23. DJ. wannabe rapper. loyal. funny. short king.

Tom Beresford-King by @notaviirgo

22. finance worker. people’s prince. little bit nervous.

Willem (Will) Kimura by @libelle949

26. artist. free spirit. creative. aloof. cute.

Youcef Nassiri by @libelle949

27. french. model. charming man. philosopher.

Characters by @thisiskhayeanne - tap here to get to them!

Rocco, Hannah, Blake, Elisa, Shannon, Ibrahim, Jo, Meera

#litg #love island the game #litg all seasons #chat to your fav LI’s #character ai #reblog so everyone sees this! ❤️

[minihotdog]

The Lass Next Door

Pairing: John "Soap" Mactavish x OC Isla

OC Appearance: Isla (aye-lah) is a Latina with curly brown hair.

a/n: Proofread like shit. I always imagined Soap having a wonderful mom <3

Word Count: 800

***

“Oh ma dear Johnny, ye’ll loe her!” John’s mom gleams into the phone. She stands next to the phone with a hand on her hip over her red flowery apron. A massive cheetah print clip pulls back her black curly hair.

“Aye, maw?” He smiles, happy to hear his mother’s warm and loving voice for the first time in months.

“She jist moved intae the toon and she’s a pure gem. I invited her fur yer dinner.”

“I cannae wait tae meet her, maw.” 

She pulls away to yet at the two fighting kids running through the kitchen.

“Youse bairns are ower auld tae be carryin’ oan like the mad beasts! Tak’ a seat!” She huffs before putting the phone back to her ear.

“Yer wee nephews are drivin’ me aff ma heid.”

He chuckles, his oldest sister’s kids were the sweetest kids he’s ever met but when their mom isn’t around they could terrorize a village.

“So, whin will ye hae some weans o’ yer ain?” She probes.

“A’ll be there braw soon tae gie them a guid skelpin.” He says, ignoring the question she’s been asking for years. 

***

“Oh, love, ah’m that excited fur ye tae meet ma ain, Johnny. It’s not often that he’s home.” She motions for you to sit at the table while she finishes up the cooking.

“Why’s that?” You question. With the way Ms. Mactavish speaks of her son, you’d imagine they’d hate being apart.

“He’s SAS, ye ken? He’s a pure success, Ah’m sae proud o’ ma boy.” She smiles really big. You can’t help but smile with her. The way she talks about him is so heartwarming.

Suddenly a loud thud erupts from the backyard. Ms. Mactavish goes running outside.

“Aye! Didnae I tell ye wee yins tae calm doon wi’ yer games?!”

Just then the front door swings open.

“Maw, I’m home!”

“Oh, Johnny!” She cries out, rushing inside. They embrace each other, he bends down to rest his head on her shoulder.

“Oh, how I missed ye!” She grabs his stubble-covered cheeks, giving them a pinch as he protests.

“Come oan, come an meet oor new neighbour, Isla.”

You stand to shake his hand with a friendly smile. Once he comes into the kitchen you’re a wave of shock washes over you.

This is the darling baby boy she’s been talking about?!

He’s massive. He towering over you, his ice-cold eyes match every member of his family present along with his black hair that was shaved at the sides into a mohawk. His shoulders are wide, his arms are muscular and covered in dark hair. Your eyes drop to his boyish grin and just below his lips a scar running along his chin. He’s all man, rugged as can be. His black shirt is a little too tight around his biceps and his jeans stretch over his thick thighs.

Oh dear god.

His massive hand takes your small one in a gentle shake. The callouses on his palm leave your skin buzzing and wanting more.

***Johnny’s POV***

I walk past the old door spotting the dents I’d made in it with a BB gun when I was about 12 years old. A smile glues itself to my face once the familiar scent hits my nose. It smells like home.

“Maw, I’m home!”

She comes running around the corner.

“Oh, Johnny!” She wraps me in her arms.

“Maw,” I mutter.

“Oh, how I missed ye!” Tears brim in her eyes. I try to shake her hands off when she pinches my cheeks like I’m still her wee boy.

“Come oan, come an’ meet our new neighbour, Isla.” She grabs me by the arm, dragging me to the kitchen. Upon turning the corner I see a lass-

Steamin’ Jesus-

Her long brown curly hair falls down her shoulders and back. A perfect background to contrast her figure, slim hourglass falling into her wide hips and a behind I couldn’t wait to peek at when she wouldn’t notice.

She’s wearing these big geeky glasses and behind them, I almost melt at the sight, two warm brown eyes. Her plump lips, little round chin, bone structure of a goddess with just enough roundness to her cheeks to keep her as cute as a doll, and her sunkissed skin unlike anyone I’ve seen in this town. Her t-shirt sticks to her figure and her jeans look like they’d only come off if they were cut.

I try to keep my eyes from wondering too much.

Oh fuck. This lassie is gonna pure make me keel ower.

“Eh! Isla?” I take her hand in mine, dwelling on how soft it feels and fits so perfectly in mine.

“Nice to meet you.”

Her voice, tha’ perfect smile… I may as well ask fur forgiveness now, maw, ‘cause I’m gonna start wheezin’ like a dog.

“Can I call you Johnny?” She asks me so politely.

Fuck’s sake, call me a bastard if ye like.

“Aye, bonnie, that’ll dae fur me.”

“Bonnie…?” She gets cut off by my rambunctious nephews running inside.

“Uncle Johnny!” They yell in unison and jump on me.

“Hey! I was talkin’ tae ma new pal ye scunners!” I laugh at the two, lifting both of them in separate arms.

“Hand on noo. Gie yersels intae yer seats, it’s time tae eat!”

#soap mactavish #soap cod #soap mw2 #john soap mactavish #john mactavish fic #john mactavish x reader #john mactavish imagine #john mactavish x oc #john soap mactavish x oc #soap x oc #soap x reader #myfic #cod fic

[thesargasmicgoddess]

Temples are just amazing here. I've always loved visiting them. I'm not overtly religious, but the energy felt in these spaces and the dedication of the devout in these spaces always moves me. The polytheistic nature of Buddhism makes it all the more interesting--there is a demigod, God, Goddess, and Saint for almost everything. Fascinating stories for all of them....

I know this usually isn't a space for me to share cultural and worldly musings, but I may not be able help myself the next few weeks....😬 the geeky adventure hoe side of me is excited to be out. 🤭

#adventures #taiwan #travels #mine #my travel photos

[getgeeky]

Geeky blonde

#get geeky #blonde hottie #blonde goth #blonde goddess #geek girl

[naomithenerdd]

Pet my head and call me a good kitty

Flirt with meee

#catgirl #neko #neko girl #tattooed girls #alt girl #alt girls #anime #nerdy babe #nerdy girls #egirl #cute egirl #sexy egirl #geeky girls #blue eyes #tattoos #tattooed babe #inked and curvy #cutie pie #inked goddess

[ilrefantasma]

Nico di Angelo is Autistic. 

Here are the things about him that point towards it: 

☠ Nico has an attachment to an item of clothing. He wears his aviator bomber all of the time even though it’s described as worn and old. He keeps it until the very last appearance in the books, too. It’s not uncommon among us autistics to have an article of clothing we wear all the time, even when weather conditions aren’t very fitting for it: sometimes it functions as a comfort item, sometimes as an uncontrolled attachment. He doesn’t change this specific item of clothing despite switching to different outfits throughout the series.  Examples: "...battered aviator’s jacket that was several sizes too big...", "an aviator's jacket, black jeans, and a T-shirt with dancing skeletons", "black trousers, a Ramones T-shirt ... and a black leather bomber jacket".

☠ Nico has a hyperfixation on Mythomagic. He does what a lot of us do whenever we have one: he talks about it constantly, he knows most if not all facts about it, he focuses on owning every item connected to his hyperfixation, and it’s clearly a prominent part of his life. Leaving it behind is difficult for him, and he never really fully stops being interested in it, even if his other interests change.  Examples: "Dionysus, right? Oh, wow! I've got your figurine! ... And holofoil card, too!", "...five thousand, but only if the opponent attacks first.", "it was for Nico. It was the only statue he didn't have...", "A manticore?" ... "He's got three thousand attack power and plus five to saving throws!", "Does Zeus really have lightning bolts that do six hundred damage? Does he get extra movement points for—", "...talking about hit points and armor ratings and a bunch of other geeky stuff...", "I've got almost all of them, plus their holographic cards!", "Nico laid out a bunch of figurines in the snow..."

☠ Nico doesn’t get social cues. He doesn’t understand when he can ask for help, which leads to him going extensive lengths to deal with his grief over Bianca alone and very drastically. He also doesn’t understand how others feel about him, which leads him to believe no one wants him around and/or hates him, even fears him. He doesn’t seem to understand friendship and love easily either, which can be common of those of us who aren’t very trained to understand social hints and cues. He doesn't seem to know what is a good question to ask and what isn't. At times it seems like he sees everything as more of a game than real world, which is how some of us perceive reality. Examples: "If Annabeth's mother was Athena, the goddess of wisdom, then why didn't Annabeth know better than to fall off a cliff?", “Nico, we need to have another talk about your people skills.”, "Do we get to kill the other team?". Nico is also shown to repeatedly shut people up and be blunt over polite, aside from when he talks to the Gods. He generally doesn't seem to have a grasp on social cues.

☠ Nico has a “stare”. He seems to stare people down or stare at them a lot, sometimes scaring people away with that. We can see that with how terrified Percy seemed of him, and how some other campers reacted to Nico before they got to know him. If you are like me, then you know some of us often have an issue controlling the intensity of the stare, as it is hard for many of us to comprehend when to stop to make it polite.  Examples: "Nico as glaring at me...", "Nico’s expression turned as dark as Tartarus", "He stared at me." Nico is described at glaring or staring at people, if he ever does. "Looking at" isn't a common way to describe him in the books. His expression is repeatedly described as dark and scary.

☠ Nico is selectively touch-aversed. He allows Jason, Reyna, Will, and Hazel to get close enough to him to initiate physical contact, even gives Hazel specific affection as his sister, but keeps other people at bay. It’s not uncommon for many of us to have only very special and specific people touch us as otherwise many autistic individuals might feel very uncomfortable or even overwhelmed.  Examples: "Right. No touching. Sorry." - "I suppose we can make an exception." Jason is the one to try to hug Nico, and Nico reluctantly agrees on "making an exception" for him. Nico is never shown to touch people aside from Jason, Hazel, Will, and Reyna. He shakes off hands of people he doesn't like when they try to touch him, and stays away from others otherwise.

☠ Nico doesn’t let go of grudges easily. It’s not uncommon for many of us to be unable to let go of grudges. Nico having one with Percy over a broken promise is something common for many austistic people, because someone breaking a promise to us might feel much, much more intense than the same feels to an allistic person. A lot of us feel very overwhelmed when that occurs if we happen to be overly trusting and have significant issues accepting change. A broken promise means a changed expectation, which implies a broken routine, which, in turn, can lead many of us to overloads, screaming fits, and intense self-harming behaviors as well as loss of trust. Nico, for instance, doesn't let go of his grudge for a very long time despite the tragedy being an unfortunate accident. He also grows incredibly more paranoid and alert out of his grudge. Examples: "You promised you would protect her ... You promised! ... You lied to me.", "They let my sister die!", "Nico sat in the very back, probably so he could keep an eye on us."

☠ Nico generally has an issue accepting change. While grieving over a relative is normal, Nico doesn’t seem to be able to go through this healthily at all. Him being unable to accept Bianca’s death leads him to dangerous, intense places - and he makes impulsive decisions to “revert” the situation. I do see it as very common of a lot of us behavior to react in such intense ways when faced with a sudden change of routine, events, plans, or life situation.  Examples: This is connected to Bianca's situation as well as Nico's distress when Minos suddenly turns against him. He seems to react very intensely whenever a change happens.

☠ Nico stims through fiddling with his ring and his toys. Each autistic person stims in their own way. Nico’s shown to fiddle with his ring when he gets nervous, scared, or worried, which points out that it might be a self-calming mechanism, or stimming.  Examples: "I'm scared," Nico mumbled. He was fiddling with something a little metal toy soldier of some kind. ", "Nico tapped at his silver ring" (he was nervous), "He twisted the silver skull ring on his finger..." (he felt guarded and worried).

☠ Nico doesn’t control his anger well. While everyone can have anger issues, a lot of us tend to have anger as one of the “primary” emotions, since many of us don’t differentiate between nuanced emotions well. Nico gets mad when he’s upset or down, and reacts in impulsive, dangerous ways. Examples: "Nico was still looking grumpy...", "Nico grumbled", "I look at it whenever I want to get angry.", "Nico’s voice trembled with rage", "No doubt he’d get crazy angry..." Nico is consistenly described through the use of words "angry", "grumble", "grunt", "glare" and other synonyms pointing out his generally gloomy attitude. His anger is said to be uncontrolled, to summon forces, and his rage terrifies Percy into genuinely thinking Nico wants to kill him.

☠ Nico seems to be pretty trusting. While he is closed off and alienated, Nico shows a great degree of trust and seems to be easy to manipulate via lying and deception. He trusts Percy with his sister’s life, he trusts Minos out of authority. And while this might be amplified by his age and experience, a lot of us deal with extensive naivety and inability to catch onto lies unless we know the pattern behind them.  Examples: "You do not control me, young fool ... All this time, I have been controlling you..." Nico is trusting enough to have allowed Minos to manipulate him into following the wrong path in his attempts to resurrect his sister. Before that, he also trusts Percy with his sister's life even though by that time he doesn't know Percy that well.

☠ Nico is very logical. While anger affects how open he is to others about his plans, he plans his actions out logically. He seems to always have an explanation to his actions, even when they seem sudden and bizarre - they always follow strict, clear logic. He’s a strategist and is generally very good at planning, which is common for a lot of us as many autistic people tend to not apply emotion and intuition to our decision-making.  Examples: "We had business to discuss, and this wasn’t it!", "I came here for business, Geryon...", "...went with Nico's plan". Nico is shown to be the strategist of the group on multiple occassions. He's the one to plan out Percy's bathing in the Styx, he's the one to plan out how to find the Doors of Death, he plans out Hazel's escape from the underworld, he plans out how to deal with Luke, and such. He's shown to have logical, strategic mindset throughout the books. Even with Bianca, his most emotional experience, he acts logically despite being manipulated.

☠ Nico doesn’t tend to lie casually, instead doing it for strategic purposes. Strategic lying is an autistic thing. A lot of us can’t lie casually, because brutal honesty, also typical of Nico, is an autistic trait: a lot of us just don’t consider lying. However, when we know that lying will get us somewhere, and we know the other person well enough to predict their reaction, we will readily lie to people. A good example of that in Nico is him lying to Percy or making up excuses for Chiron - both people he knows well.  Examples: " My father promised me information about my family, but he wants to see you before we try the river. I'm sorry." - "You tricked me?" Nico is shown to be brutally honest, sometimes even rude, until it's him acting out a plan. He knows Percy and how he thinks, which is why it's easy for him to both trick him and gaslight him later. However, he doesn't do it for any emotional satisfaction, but rather for practical gain only. Same goes for the times he lied about his "symptoms" to sit with Will and when he lied about some of the dead coming back to life, so he can gain from it.

☠ Nico doesn’t look at people unless he is staring. He looks away and avoids eye contact a lot, the only exceptions being him angrily staring at others or looking at his comfort people: his boyfriend, sisters, and occasionally friends. He seems to be very uncomfortable and awkward around strangers and doesn’t meet their eye, which is common for a lot of us as eye contact can be overwhelming to many autistic people.  Examples: "I waited for him to look at me...", "Nico looked away..." Nico, in comparison to other characters and their descriptive actions, doesn't meet people's eyes that often. He usually glares or stares at people, but it's only his comfort people that he seems to look at comfortably, examples being Hazel or Will.

#+†+ Χάρυβδις +†+ #pjo #percy jackon and the olympians #hoo #heroes of olympus #toa #trials of apollo #nico di angelo #tsats #the sun and the star #rrverse

[syrma-sensei]

→ Earnings and Rewards.

pairing: Steven Grant x fem!reader.

rating: smut; explicit.

warning: sub/dom dynamics, established relationship, light bondage, facials, praising,...

word count: 1.09k

summary: Steven is being a good boy and you want to reward him <3

→ masterlist | ao3

His dark curls feel feather-like against the skin of your fingers as you card his hair gently. Your hand gets cruel from time to time though; fisting his locks up and pulling at them when he pleasures you ever so dedicatedly. Flat tongue lapping up your gushing silcks, grumbling and groaning hungrily against your cunt.

Even though you were the one who ordered him to not stop, and he was doing it because you demanded it, but deep down, you know that your pathetic, sweet Steven is as depraved as you are. You know he likes it, to be the only source of pleasure you have, to have you moaning and mewling his name over and over, praising him while he eats you up like the deprived puppy he is; you do like to indulge your pretty and obedient babyboy, nevertheless. You love to spoil him with affectations and lavish him with ardency. He deserves it, doesn't he? But just for a reminder, you tug the leash rolled around your hand connected to the cute coller around his neck; you always make sure he never forgets his place. Steven groans again.

It isn't a special day really, neither for you nor for Steven. Your boyfriend is just home after a long day at the museum. His shoulders are hunched, his hair disheveled and messy, letting an elongated sigh when he shuts the door behind him. Donna must've given him another hard day. You did tell him to quit that job, it's frustrating and straining, and it's hard for you watching him having troubles with it; he deserves much more than some bitch crushing his hopes. But, surprisingly enough, Steven is a stubborn one. He says he loves his job, and some tiny obstacles won't hind him from reaching his dream; to be a tour guide one day. It's his passion, and as hard as it is, you respect that, or at least you try to. You admire his determination nonetheless. Even though you do hope he leaves that toxic job and gets a better one, you encourage him and be on his side, always.

Steven works hard with diligence, and you just hope for him to get more recognition, the one he truly deserves. And since you two have gotten together, his work process has progressed noticeably. He's got more stability, he's just happy for having you.

“I'm home, love,” he said, but unlike the usual, Steven didn't hear you gushing to him from inside your apartment.

Strange, if you were out, you'd normally notify him so. Steven shrugged and headed to your shared bedroom. Yes, Steven moved in to yours, it took you a lot of persuasion, but he caved in to your demand eventually. And honestly, he couldn't complain.

As soon as Steven reached the bedroom, the bag on his shoulder dropped on the floor, his jaw was nothing different as it hit the floor.

He saw you, in your utter elegance, dressed in a very godly-like lingerie resembling a costume of an Egyptian goddess. It left so little for imagination when you strode towards him with your killer heels, practically swallowing his lips.

Sweet Steven moaned almost immediately as you pulled him inside your bedroom, shutting the door with your foot impatiently. His eyes flew wide when he was shoved into the bed eyeing you hungrily.

“N-Ntrt,” Steven whispered in awe.

Goddess, you grinned.

The man is everything you dreamt of in a partner; soft-spoken and polite, well-mannered and considerate, smart and geeky. You never complain about his geeky behaviour or socially awkward approach, it's much the opposite, you find it quite adorable. You enjoy Steven's company; him become overwhelmed by a historical topic, giving you a ride through history and mythologies like the tour guide he always dreams to become. It's always dreamy with Steven, the giddy grin he gives you when he gets zealous about something, the wide eyes he displays when he finds you listening, keening on what he talks about. And you are interested in it, interested in him; sincerely and genuinely. He makes your heart flutter, and always triggers the urge to destroy his cute face with infinite kisses. You practically swallow his cheeks and smooch every inch of his face, much like the way adults do to babies. And oh, indeed, Steven Grant is your baby.

You cum on his face again, gasping and grunting, leaning backwards on your elbows on his bed; eyes driving to the back of your head. Steven doesn't stop.

“You taste so fucking good, love,” He slurs, the words like an intoxicated man, perhaps he is intoxicated indeed. He still has his large hands on your thighs.

“Hmhh, you like eating mommy's pussy, babyboy?” You say in whisper, mouth cracked open lewdly.

“More than anything else,” He whimpered, mouth still slurping and licking on your splayed slit.

When you and Steven got together, you knew for sure he is an others pleaser. But fuck. You never expected him to be that good. Fuck, he's better at pleasuring you than anyone else you hooked up with before, Steven is the best, and what makes it more delicious to you, that nobody would ever know how good Steven is but you; unappreciated, unnoticed, unwanted even, it breaks your heart really, your Steven deserves the world — no, more than the world even, and you try your best to give him everything you've got. Your pretty little Steven. The world doesn't deserve him, but you certainly do.

Steven doesn't stop till you tell him to. He gazes up at you, dilated pupils looking in eager awe, thick and long lashes blinking innocently at you. Lips and chin glistening with slicks and spit. You lean down with a sigh, satisfied and smiling, thumb brushing the skin around his mouth, smearing the results of Steven's skillful mouth across his lips.

Steven continues to regard you with his doe eyes, hesitant yet thrilled. You grin.

“What is it, baby?” You twirl some his curls around your fingers, “Tell me what you want?”

Steven gets a little bit nervous, tongue darting out to lick his lips, his eyes never leaving yours; something you've taught him to always do; eye contact whenever he wants something from you, you always want him to open up to you and never be timid with about his needs.

“Can I... Can I feel it on all over my face?”

Your grin grows ear to ear wide. Your pretty, dirty boy. Your little, starved puppy. How could you deny him this... deny him anything he wants?

You spread your legs a little wider, “Of course, baby, whatever you want,” and you tug the leash a little forwards, “Show me how you're gonna worship your goddess...”

#steven grant smut #steven grant x fem!reader #steven grant fanfiction #steven grant x reader #steven grant x you #steven grant #steven grant x y/n #steven grant x f!reader #moon knight x you #marvel moon knight #moon knight x reader

[growsagain]

Hey lovely tumblr family, there’s something I’ve been thinking about doing for a while and will talk about more soon but for now if you’d be interested in me making more content as just myself would you mind giving this a like so I can gauge interest?

No wigs, no make up, just me, doing what (I hope) I do best along with new stuff I wanna test out. It would be in addition to the gurgle goddess stuff, not in place of it.

🏳️‍⚧️ Will be openly, absolutely and unabashedly trans as hell and gay as fucking fuck 🏳️‍🌈

I don’t just want to retread the same ground so while there would still be a heavy (ha ha) focus on belly & weight gain stuff (with definitely more of a leaning into burping content because I can’t get enough of belching these days) I want to explore a bunch of my other kinks and interests too; Intox, mind control, CDC, muscle building, body transformation and all the ways my own sexuality and interests have evolved and grown in recent years x

(Probably a little bit of fandom geekiness too :P)

[pandaofsecrets]

What's in a Name? — Miraculous Ladybug

2. CÉSAIRE, LAHIFFE & BOURGEOIS

2.1. Césaire

Césaire: from a Roman cognomen probably meaning "hairy", which was most famously the name of Julius Caesar. Was most likely chosen in reference to Aimé Césaire, a Martinican author, poet, and politician.

Alya: "sky, heaven, loftiness", in Arabic. It's also the name of a star in the constellation Serpens, but that's neither here nor there. Is a reference to singer Aaliyah.

Marlena: a blend of "Maria" and "Magdalena", it was chosen in reference to Marlena Shaw.

Otis: a reference to Otis Redding. Is derived from the Germanic name "Otto", meaning "wealth, fortune".

Ella: reference to Ella Fitzgerald. It comes from either a Germanic word meaning "other", or from the shortening of various names beginning with "El-".

Etta: short form of Henrietta and other names that end with "-etta". Is a reference to Etta James, whose stage name was derived from her real given name Jamesetta.

Nora: probably a reference to jazz musician Norah Jones. Is either from a short form of Honora or Eleanor, or from an Arabic name meaning "light", the latter of which would etymologically connect her name with Nooroo's.

2.2. Lahiffe

Lahiffe: from an Irish surname that means "descendant of the hero". Together with the last syllable of Nino's name, it forms a pun: in French, "-no Lahiffe" sounds a lot like "Nolife", which was the name of a French TV network that focused on geeky topics.

Nino: diminutive of various Italian names that end with "-nino", like Antonino and Saturnino. Its spelling resembles that of the Spanish word "niño", meaning "child". It has gone way up in popularity in France, going from #431 in 1995 to #28 in 2022.

Chris: a shortening of various names that start with "Chris-", like "Christopher" and "Christian". Is the English translation of the character's French name, "Noël", which is literally just the French word for Christmas.

2.3. Bourgeois

Bourgeois: from an Old French word meaning "city dweller", which originally referred to the wealthier members of the Third Estate during the French Revolution. Might also be in reference to "parloir aux bourgeois", a very archaic French term meaning "city hall".

Chloé: from the Ancient Greek word meaning "sprout", which was an epithet of the goddess Demeter. In modern Greek, it has the much less glamorous meaning of "grass, lawn".

André: from an Ancient Greek word that simply means "man".

Audrey: "noble strength", in Old English, this name is where we get the word "tawdry". Audrey is the only member of the Bourgeois family whose first name is not Greek in origin.

Zoe: "life", in Greek. Not as in being a name that means "life", mind you, it's literally the Greek word for life.

Lee: from the Old English word for "meadow".

#everyone has these complex names and then there's andré #poor guy #up next: couffaine & tsurugi #series: what's in a name? #what's in a name: miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug #alya cesaire #nino lahiffe #chloe bourgeois #zoe lee

[plaindangan]

What happens when Junko uses typical junko thing and test food that can transform randomly into anything from goddess to flattie to 4 girls : aoi, mukuro, kyoko and Chisa

Disclaimer: R18 material! If not to your liking then please do not view!

So one day Junko woke up and chose to heartily agree with her intrusive thoughts. Stealing some drugs from the local geeky pharmacist and getting a certain maid on board for cooking, Junko's plan was straightforward: get her four 'volunteers' to sample her food and watch the chaos unfold~

The first was the gluttonous donut lover, Hina! How was she when devouring a glazed Despair-nut? What would the first victim to this now look like?! Junko eagerly watched as Hina happily chomped down on the donut...and then it happened~ Gradually, Hina became shorter and shorter. Her well endowed chest that drew in so many 'fans? It was also shrinking as well until Hina was practically flat as a board at her new height of 4"2. But, there seemed to be one upside. While her height and big boobs were gone, it seems as though they all went down to somewhere else~ Specifically, it went straight to her now bloated thighs and extremely wobbly, mega swollen booty - one that was clapping about hungrily as Hina was begging for another donut from Junko (who was ecstatic at one of her experiments working~)

But what on the rest? Next up was her 'totally uncool and bland' sister Mukuro. Handing her a 'shake' of sorts, Mukuro tentatively drank it under Junko's orders. Though, about midway through the effects had already started with her. Mukuro was known for being flat and pretty average compared to Junko, but the more she sipped, the more that notion went in the reverse. To start, she now had a bust that practically dwarfed Junko's and her hair had grown incredibly long and quite silky. Her lips were big and full, and Junko could practically see just air being in Mukuro's eyes rather than the sharp soldier she was a moment ago. With another height boost to put her in the 6ft range, Junko was proud to say Mukuro had gone from 'dumb, solider lackey' to 'dumb, bimbo lackey' (a slight improvement in her eyes).

Now for Kyoko, who totally didn't had to be tied to a chair and was glaring even as she was force fed a Despair Burger. Her transformation took a bit longer, but it was easily understandable given her new appearance. At a whopping 8ft, and being so toned she was rocking a ten-pack set of abs, Kyoko easily broke free of her restraints and her clothes were now in mere tatters. But instead of rampaging, she started to moo instead? With a frustrated, lustful, look in her eyes, Kyoko began to play with her new F-cup sized tits, cooing pleasurably as milk drained from them. On closer inspection, she had new, sharp horns from atop of her head, floppy bovine ears and a tail that was flopping about from the ripped patches of her skirt. She was clearly a cow hybrid now and, from the looks of things, looked less like she was craving to crack open a case, but rather craving a good dick to fuck her and her new tits senseless.

Finally, there was everyone's favorite teacher Mommy - Chisa. She had was requested to test out Junko's new jello dessert and given how tasty it looked, she happily agreed!! She had been partway through when the effects started. At first she just turned bright orange, but as she reached the halfway point. her body began being somewhat translucent? Chisa didn't seem to notice, but by the time she finished her plate, her body heavily resembled and seemed to have the consistency of the jello she devoured. To put it simply - Chisa was now a slime girl, absorbing her clothes the moment her transformation was complete. Thus, leaving her and her voluptuous body in the buff to hug at Junko, smothering the mastermind in a delightfully warm and sticky hold - begging for more of the jello to devour~

A shortstack, a bimbo, a cow girl and a slime girl, hm? Junko stared absolute glee at the four women whose lives she's changed forever and began rubbing her hands deviously.

If the testing stages garnered this much good results, perhaps she should now work on delivering this food to the masses~

#DRenoshima-R18 #DRkirgiri-R18 #DRasahina-R18 #DRikusaba-R18 #DRyukizome-R18