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cosmic-navel-gazin · 10 days

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Finished Felvidek and had a grand time!

Thought I'd do a lil list of things/moments/details I loved off the top of my head:

gave cursed coffee bean to a chicken and it mutated. Did it for science

game's got some twin peaks vibes, some monty python, a tad of hylics, along it a bunch of other ingredients, but it feels very much its own thing with its own identity

pear man and his daughters deserve the world, wish we hung out more

there's a fight with an invisible enemy, all your attacks miss because your guys can't see shit and I was laughing just imagining Pavol and Matej swinging their swords at nothing hoping to slay the forest fiend. Very Don Quixote, I love it.

the PS1 style cutscenes are sooooo beautiful I love them to pieces, they drip with style and charm. I knew I needed to give this game a go the moment I watched the trailer and was greeted by the cinematics. God I love them so much. And not just the syle but the directing itself, the way shots are framed, god...

I love the character portraits for everyone. There's so much detail and everyone feels unique/like an actual person with distinct features. From the Priest's very punchable face, to Pavol's grin to Josef's sexy ass... From main characters to NPCs to enemy sprites, I love everyone's design and colour coding (don't know if it was intentional but the purple for the cultists was neat, seemed to subtly imply early on that they were being funded by rich folk, since pruple is associated with nobility, power and wealth)

speaking of character design, shout-out to this lil guy, look at him please

Numnut the drunkard my beloved, I recruited him and less than a minute later he fell on flat ground into a nearby river (and drowns???). I reloaded a previous save to see if I could have him in my party a lil longer. I took a different path, got into a fight. "yay I get to see him in action!"- I thought. I used his one special move, called: 'good idea', and Numnut proceeds to punch his own face, dealing 90 damage (not even in the endgame did I deal such high numbers!). THE Character of all time, he drowned again after that and I'll never forget him.

BALLOON IN THE MIDDLE AGES! (possible Andrei Rublev reference? I can dream...)

just, the way things are worded:

cutting people's ears after killing them as spoils (and giving the ears to a maiden, as you do)

there's a quest where you have to cut a man's tattooed buttock to give to another guy, and it's all for nothing, you ruined a man's ass for nothing. I love it. The dialogue during this whole section had me dying.

I love that there's just this guy who lives in the castle's well. And our boy Pavol thinks it's a great idea to throw a bomb in there to make him come out.

this:

there's these lil inisghtful and mournfoul comments on the dead bodies you leave behind. Like, expressing regret at all the senseless violence and death or how cheap life is here. And I'm not sure if it's Pavol or Matej making them. It makes more sense for it to be Matej but I kinda like the idea of it being Pavol's comments, these small moments of introspection and realization in the midst of a drunken adventure. You've been engaging in all the violence while pissed drunk but then after you kill your opponents and look at their corpses... and it's like this sobering moment, before you're back at it with all the merry-making (I also like that a lot of these bodies don't disappear and just remain on screen, and you can see the carnage your guys leave behind in their quest)

the whole adventure felt to me like, this series of odd little events in a knight's life before it's passed down, told by and retold by different people, and after many generations it's been touched up and made more coherent and noble than the clusterfuck it actually was. Before it became a narrative I guess is what I mean

it can get a bit wordy and hard to follow but I really like the old timey way the dialogue is written and its dry sense of humour

there's these little subversions of gaming tropes that I found really fun too! Like as soon as Pavol's wife and your falling out with her is introduced you may expect a reconciliation between the two, or a moment where you have to save her and prove your worth and love to her to win her heart. As you would expect from a story with a knight and a damsel. But no she hates his guts lmao tries to murder him too! (tho I do think Pavol took her in that balloon ride at the end). There's also the fact that I am not allowed to play minigames! Josef wants to play tabletop games but your character always replies no. No minigames for you son! And like, this feels especially catered to me as someone who, more often than not, will dread whenever a game will introduce some sort of card game or the like. I was so happy that wasn't forced on me for once! Couldn't believe it. Kinda felt bad for Josef tho, I'm sorry Pavol doesn't wanna play Pexeso wth you.

the battle animations! I'm particularly fond of the eating porridge one, or the chugging down a bucket of sour cream, and the petard

the little *slaps face* animation

Pavol and Matej as a duo and the whole tavern scene with the two exchanging clothes

the lil moments of humanity where Pavol talks about his broken life and sense of self

the rare moments when Pavol stops grinning

it goes without saying but the art is absolutely gorgeous. Its nostalgic monochrome melancholy speaks to me on a deep spiritual level. Inject it directly into my bone marrow please. Shout-out also to the ost, it fucks and has tons of bangers. The Hrad track, the one that plays on Josef's castle... god... love at first listen, and have been listening nonstop for the last few days now while going on walks.

#went in almost completely blind and had a great time. really nice surprise #Felvidek #my ramblings #videogames

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profoundbondfanfic · 2 years

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☆ Horror Destiel fic rec group Sometimes you remember just how scary SPN used to be during the early seasons and you just want a feel of that chill running down your spine. Here’s a few Destiel fics that will have that effect on you.

--All fic links go to our tagged reviews--

A Different Kind of Monster by roadtonowhere (lastoryx) & xfancyfranzi [Explicit, 89k words]

Something in Bodie, California is luring truckers to their deaths and Dean’s on his way to take it out. It’s the first time Bobby’s given him a case and, with Sam at Stanford and his dad off chasing demons, he’s finally hunting monsters on his own. When an accidental encounter puts an as-of-yet-unknown monster in the passenger seat of his car, Dean decides to ice him, taking his dad’s old adage to heart: a monster is always a monster. Unfortunately, Dean can’t seem to figure out what kind of monster “Castiel” is and he certainly can’t shake him.

A Million Ways to Go by ChasingRabbits [Explicit, 91k words]

Castiel Novak is a preacher’s son living in a world of black and white. Pragmatic and dutiful, he doesn’t understand why anybody would want to make waves. Then the Winchesters move in down the street. Soon many of the skeletons in the Novak family’s closet are exposed, and as the family faces them, Castiel begins to understand that there are many ways to see the world and so many more ways to live than what he’s been told.

Between Love and Agony by Duckyboos [Explicit, 53k words]

Dean Winchester is in love. Like, bonafide heart eyes and deep sighs, hung-the-moon love. There’s just one problem: the lucky guy is his husband’s identical twin, Castiel. The two of them have been having a kinky affair for years, burrowing under each other’s skin and setting up camp. Which is why, after Castiel goes missing, Dean’s about ready to tear the world apart looking for him. When Castiel eventually returns to him, he’s been through literal hell, managing to drag himself out, bloody and raw, for Dean. Together, they discover a way to make Castiel whole again — though the price will be gruesome… and there will certainly be hell to pay.

et florum magica: (And the Magic of Flowers) by wiccanstiel [Explicit, 52k words]

There’s a large, leafless tree and a road, a hand on a gnarled cane, a stoutly man in a black suit, his face scratched out. When Castiel Novak moves to the small town of Fox Hollow, he’s looking for a fresh start. Only his past seems to be–quite literally–haunting him, and even through his best efforts of settling into his new life, there’s a darkness in the shadows that he can’t seem to shake. And after meeting an otherworldly being named Dean during what was supposed to be a simple walk through the forest, he’s left with more questions than answers. But like it’s residents, Fox Hollow has some well-kept secrets, and things quickly turn to life or death when one of those secrets finally steps from the shadows and into the light.

Half Empty by sinnabonka [Mature, 37k words]

Raging storm, boundless cornfield surging, churning, like an angry ocean crashing its waves over steep shores. Dean comes to in the passenger seat of his car with no memory of what could have possibly brought him to the oddly named bar on the outskirts of the small town in the middle of nowhere. Investigating what first looks like a regular, run-of-the-mill missing people case and trying to bring back memories he’s lost, Dean ends up discovering truth he’d rather remain hidden. Welcome to Half Empty, where nothing is as it seems, and even shadows have secrets of their own.

Number 1 Crush by Duckyboos [Explicit, 103k words]

Dean, Benny, Charlie, Garth, and Cas are old college buddies. In their thirties now, they meet up once a year to shed their adult responsibilities for a week. This year it’s Garth’s turn to choose where they go and he’s still as obsessed with horror and weird shit as he was back in college. He ends up picking a supposedly deserted hotel in the friggin’ mountains. The place is creepy as hell and as night falls, two things become increasingly apparent. One: the place isn’t as deserted as they first thought, and two: Dean’s college stalker is back from the dead.

Revelation 13 by fullvoid [Explicit, 43k words]

It’s Dean’s day off, and he’d like to spend it how he always does—by kicking his feet up with a cold one and watching soap operas—not by discovering an enormous, creepy hole in his bathroom wall that definitely wasn’t there when he went to bed last night. But it’s no big deal. He can just patch it up and still devote plenty of time to Dr. Sexy afterward. There is only one problem. He can’t leave his apartment, and there’s a message on his front door written in…is that blood? And why is it signed by someone named “Cas”? Things can only get better from here, right?

The Angels of Freetown by FriendofCarlotta [Explicit, 50k words]

Freetown is the sort of place where hardly anything ever happens — a picturesque, close-knit town in the foothills of the Appalachians. Professor Castiel Novak loves his job at the local university’s history department, and he loves his husband, Chief of Police Dean Winchester. Then, one night in September, all the leaves around town drop and an eerie fog descends. Before long, people begin to disappear. When Dean becomes the latest resident of Freetown to vanish, Castiel and an unlikely band of allies set out to bring him back and free the town from the things that roam the fog.

The Lover’s Song by FriendofCarlotta [Explicit, 48k words]

Running an independent bookstore in one of the less glamorous California towns doesn’t make you rich, but Dean Winchester’s life is pretty much perfect anyway. He’s got amazing friends, a whip-smart brother and a husband he loves more than anything: novelist Castiel Novak. Then one night, driving home from work, Dean accidentally runs over a cat. The cat’s grieving owner curses Dean: his beloved will lose all memory of him, and Dean has only a year and a day to bring the memories back. Of course, there’s no such thing as a curse. Is there?

#destiel #halloween #group rec #horror

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theconstitutionisgayculture · 1 year

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So, I just gotta say that I don't get this idea that John Money is responsible for all this gender nonsense - They were twin boys, and only one of them was castrated in a botched circumcision, and Money suggested the parents raise the boy as a girl. He was the doctor in charge of the whole charade, including creepy therapy sessions where he made the twins mimic sexual acts with each other, and prescribing female hormones. But! In spite of all this, (1)

Who was raised female strongly suspected something was wrong, acted out in school, rejected most feminine things, was just miserable and moody and uncomfortable and when he learned the horrible truth he immediately began living life as a man again. He eventually killed himself. I believe the remaining twin also committed suicide, years later. Anyway, Money had been pretty sure that he and the family could simply convince this kid he was born female and his brain wouldn't know the difference. (2)

That all that mattered was how you were raised, and gender identity had nothing to do with your biological sex. But he didn't prove that even a little. He was completely wrong. So for me, I find it strange that a lot of people who are critical of the trans movement seem to have misinterpreted the Money gender identity experiment. I think his only real contribution to the trans movement was gifting the term gender identity, which wasnt really a thing before. (3)

Not just the term, but the entire concept. And that concept, that "gender" is somehow completely independent from sex and people's gender can change after birth if they're just gaslit enough, is a large part of why the modern trans movement is so toxic and harmful. I've seen multiple TRAs and pro-trans articles cite his "experiment" as proof of gender identity in the recent past. I'm talking like less than 5 years ago. Even though his abhorrant child abuse experiments were a failure, people who cited him never heard about the suicides or the ultimate failure of his theories. They just heard the first part, that the child with the injured penis was successfully "socially transitioned" and lived as a girl afterwards. And that highlights why it's almost impossible to believe anything TRAs say. Because they don't do proper research. They look until they find things that "prove" what they already believe, and then they stop looking and ignore and dismiss any contradictory evidence. And it's only gotten worse. Outside of modern climate "science", there's no field that's more untrustworthy and ideologically compromised than transgenderism.

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nijicx · 10 months

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Loved spiderverse. When it comes to your characters, is there any alternate universe version of them you think would be interesting to explore or to have the original meet? Like a hero meets a villain version of themselves, etc.

So did I! The passion that has been put into both movies always re-ignites my passion to work on my own heroes~ As for them meeting alternate versions of themselves, I actually made a post a few years back about a little sidestory involving two villains of mine named PinPoint and Wayfarer in which they meet alternate selves. Pinpoints power is finding the exact duplicate of any object, so like, if you've lost a button from the same shirt, she could locate the other button if she was holding one of the remaining ones. Wayfarer on the other hand, can transport himself anywhere he's seen, and when Pinpoint shares a vision of a place that an object is, Wayfarer is able to transport them there instantly. But people don't have exact duplicates, even as twins its rare for someone to have completely identical DNA, so when Pinpoint touches people, she's able to see a version of themselves not of their dimension, and if she shares that vision with Wayfarer, he can take them hopping back and forth through it. The kids get accidentally sucked along with them as Pin and Wayfarer look for versions of themselves where their lives didn't take the route it did, and they end up meeting a few of their counterparts. I think the one I enjoyed daydreaming about is them meeting Jin's twin (who's name I cannot remember because I am a TERRIBLE OC creator! It will hit me 15 minutes from now while i do dishes im sure). Jin's twin didn't get born, his Art cells bonded to Jin's fetus instead allowing him control over his parasitic fetus's power. In that timeline Jin simply goes to culinary school more or less like he wanted, and meeting the brother that never actually existed really freaked everybody out since he isn't a conscious being in their dimension. Shimi's timeline actually doesn't change in the other dimension which also kinda freaks everyone out, even though in the other dimension he's slightly older than he is now. Winston finds out that he doesn't even go the hero route and simply goes to work and basically isn't present for that whole arc. Which allows him some very necessary self insight since he's an idiot and is allergic to any self awareness whatsoever lol Izumi remaining a villain in that timeline and trying to get back into their dimension is very fun to mess around with as well, like Pin and Wayfarer, Alternate Izumi would want to be in the dimension where he is saved by friends he never was allowed to make in this one. One day I'd love to do a little comic about it cause I LOVE alternate timeline shinanigans, but I don't have a single character I don't have fun thinking about if they met their alternate selves how that'd be like~

#sorry for the ramble #i'm feeling the inspiration!

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luasworkshop · 1 year

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More Liliana Facts:

She is the third eldest of eight siblings, all sisters. She and the eldest sibling are both trans. There are also two sets of twins, one fraternal and one identical. The identical twins are the youngest and have a weirdly codependent relationship the family doesn’t really talk about.

They are very old money, and old titled nobility, having ties to the previous count and to other aristocracy throughout the world. They’re a little bit inbred for it, but since dad was relatively new blood in the line, the siblings all came out mostly alright apart from some “eccentricities.”

The family is much less self-enlightened in their interests than Evander, and are still caught up in titles, manners, and appearance, but they don’t tend to be overtly horrid about it, and are relatively more easygoing than some of Vesuvia’s elite. (They think poorly of Lucio, a tacky upstart, and very well of Nadia, a well-raised princess. They have no qualms with her Pakran roots.)

The eldest sibling is currently the head of household and is like all of them tends to baby Liliana a bit. Liliana generally puts up with it and finds her own fun outside the house.

Liliana generally lives on the family estate, although she also has an apartment in the Center City where she frequently can be found.

Said eldest sibling is also a bit butch and is very financially shrewd - she has everything set up such that her sisters should never want and can pursue whatever they want within reason.

The family lost a few siblings and their mother to the plague. Liliana and the elder set of twins avoided it entirely as they were studying abroad together at the time. They received a desperate missive from their eldest sister not to return to Vesuvius until she was able to give them an all clear - it was a very emotionally tense time for everyone.

The eye injury wasn’t her fault and was a random freak accident, but it still does look pretty grim even all healed up. She no longer has an eye on that side and what remains is a little too messed up for a prosthetic. A rotten fence post fell on her when she was about six, and had a protrusion that hit her exactly in the wrong place. She’s lucky to have not gotten brain damage from it penetrating any further into her skull. She has no depth perception but is otherwise fine (apart from the event having made her a very overly cautious and slightly nervous child - which she outgrew. It does mean her family still sees her that way sometimes.)

Her family means well but is rather insensitive about the whole thing in a roundabout way (treating it as if it is some great calamity that makes her unable to wed as a suitable match in Vesuvia’s nobility.) Knowing Evander has helped her to be more confident in ignoring them or brushing it off.

It’s just as well - she really doesn’t have any interest in marrying (being aromantic) so it’s as good an excuse as any to keep things that way. (Also at this point enough of the girls in the family are well married off in ‘good’ matches with various children so that those that aren’t hitched have little pressure left to do so.)

Liliana has always been rather demure and very femme, as early as she could understand things she’s been a girl (and this being Vesuvia, this has not been a problem in the slightest, anything transition related has been smooth for her.)

She and Antony have been friends for many years and enjoy working scenes together and occasionally meeting for coffee and conversation, although their relationship goes no deeper than that. (The class gap overcome with “oh, poor Liliana has to find friends where she can, you know.” Also his family is one of the major ones feeding Vesuvia so there is that.)

Her entry into Vesuvia’s kink scene was deliberate and well thought out, and she pretty well knew what she was looking for early in, heading to some of the most beautiful and exclusive of Vesuvia’s whore houses to test the waters.

She is very well read and educated, speaks about a dozen languages and has about six degrees. Her own interests are continual personal pursuit of education, and since she’ll never have to work - she spends a lot of time studying various things, basically whatever catches her interest at the moment, from science to art to history to math.

As of the events of ‘The Arcana’ she is in her late 30s.

#liliana #I'm not attached you're attached

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writing-sunshine · 1 year

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Cryosleep

Paring: Platonic!Settman sisters x Settman!reader

Warnings: Death

A/n: Biologically I don’t know if this is possible, but this is a dystopian world so who knows.

Summary: Instead of seven children, there were 8 but number 8 wasn’t identical to her sisters, Terrance was too confident in his abilities to keep all eight hidden…

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday could all go outside on the day of the week which was their name. This was to keep all seven of them hidden, however Terrance was too cocky. He thought he could get away with having Y/N under a different name.

It worked for many years, 13 to be exact. Y/N had lived 13 years able to go outside any day, she got the freedom her sisters craved. Only eventually someone noticed that Y/N had a lot of resemblance to Karen Settman and the more they thought about it the more things seemed to click in place.

Never once had any of them seen another parent with Y/N, only Terrance which didn’t make sense because he had Karen to care for so who was this girl. Someone had snitched to someone else and before they knew it CAB was knocking on the door.

Terrance knew why they were there, so instead of sending Y/N with her sisters behind the mirror, he told her to wait in his room. As much as it pained him to give her up, he had no choice. It was her or her sisters in his eyes, one sacrifice for the many. Once she was gone into cryo, people would stop putting their nose where it didn’t belong, keeping all seven of them safe.

“Terrance Settman, open up!”

He opened the door and was quickly restrained, the officers pushing their way into the apartment searching each room.

“Found her!” A voice shouted out and one of the officers dragged out a scared looking Y/N.

Monday who was Karen at that moment looked like she also wanted to cry. She knew and understood what would happen now and looking at Y/N’s face she knew that would be the last time she would see her youngest sister.

“Siblings.” An officer confirmed, they didn’t even do any kind of test, that just assumed.

“You know what happens now Mr Settman. I hope you have said your goodbyes.”

While the adults were talking, Y/N got free of the grip and ran to her bed grabbing her stuffed animal tightly while getting dragged away again. This time she kicked and fought, she didn’t scream but the tears rolling down her cheeks showed how she was feeling.

“No! Let me go, please I need my sister! Sister, help me! Grandpa help me!” She cried.

Later Monday would realise why Y/N had said ‘sister’ instead of Karen. She wasn’t just talking to her, Y/N was talking to all of them without giving them away.

Once the door had closed and they no longer heard CAB, Terrance pressed the red button letting the remaining Settman sisters out of their hiding place. Many of them were in tears. They didn’t get to say goodbye, they would never see their beloved younger sister again.

Y/N stayed in the facility for a few days before she was lead into the room where she would be put into cryo. Never once did she let go of her stuffed teddy, despite what the doctors told her. She held onto it tightly as she was injected. Never to let go of it again as she fell into a deep sleep one last time.

*17 years later

Monday had struck up a deal with Cayman, donating money for the safety of her twins and getting her sister back from Cryosleep. Never once did she betray her sisters. At some point Cayman had trusted Monday enough to show her what was actually happening behind closed doors, what cause Monday was donating to and what really happened to her sister.

Unbeknownst to Cayman, Monday recorded the whole process which would later be shown to the world.

As Monday went home that night, she stumbled through the door unlike herself. Practically weeping once the door was closed, into her sisters arms.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” This wasn’t like Monday, maybe it was the added hormones.

“Cryosleep isn’t real, they aren’t putting children to sleep they are killing them!”

Monday showed them the video and each of them once again grieved the loss of their sister. The first time it was difficult, knowing they would never see her again but they thought that she was still alive and able to live freely one day. But the second time hurt a lot worse, she was only 13, Y/N didn’t get to see the world and grow up.

Eight was now seven forever. They had lost their youngest sister again.

#what happened to monday x reader #what happened to monday imagine #what happened to monday #x reader #Karen settman #Monday Settman #Tuesday settman #Wednesday settman #Thursday Settman #Friday settman #Saturday settman #Sunday settman

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anauro · 2 years

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okay, this is not marauders related, but i am curious, and i love reading your thoughts/opinions so,,, favourite stranger things characters and/or ships? please? :)

Hi possum my love 🌞

Okay, okay, yes I’ve been keeping this one as a post chapter treat!

I’ve been watching the seasons as they were released, meaning I don’t remember the exact details of season 1-3, but I remember how I felt about certain characters and events.

I don’t think there’s any character I genuinely dislike. I think all of them are great, but here’s some of my favourites.

1. Steve

He’s gone from high school bad boy/mediocre boyfriend to an amazing friend and a really great babysitter.

I don’t think many guys would agree to look after your ex girlfriend’s baby brother and his friends and Steve did it no questions asked, taking more than a fair share of beating in the process. And his babysitter outfit? With the little flannel? Loove it 💖

He’s Stranger Things equivalent of James Potter and also he’s hot so he’s just the best ™️

2. Robin

She’s chaos, but she’s smart and funny and queer and I love her.

I love that for most of season 3 it seemed like her and Steve would get together, but they didn’t and yet they still remained friends!

I love that their LGBT character (so far the only confirmed one, but I’m sure they’ll be more) has an actual story, is important and is not just there to tick off the inclusivity box.

Also Robin’s and Steve’s friendship.

It is just beautiful. The way he didn’t push her away after she came out to him, how they help each other out romantically and how they just complement each other perfectly without it being romantic and sexual. I love this sooo much.

3. Max

I love how she’s badass and a bit of a tomboy whilst also being cute and girly with El, dressing up for prom and listening to music that is generally considered “feminine”.

When I was 11, I faked having identical twin sister for an entire summer to a group of kids that lived in my grandma’s town. One was super girly and wearing pink and lipstick, whilst the other was a tomboy and kind of big mouthed.

Max is both at the same time and the teenage girl inside me enjoys her character so much.

And then ships wise…. I don’t really ship anyone the way I ship people in the Marauders fandom. Like, I think certain relationships in the show are super cute, but I wouldn’t obsess over them or go to read fics about them or create more content.

I really like Dustin and Susie. I think their “Never Ending Story” scene is the best one in the whole series and I really love how they have little pet names for each other and how she likes him despite him not being the most handsomest of men.

I also like El and Mike, I think how he was after her since the first season and looking out for her is very adorable. I think they have drifted apart a lot in season 4 and it may be time for both of them to move on, but they were certainly very cute in season 1-3.

Even though I like this potential Steve x Nancy we have going on, I remember really shipping Nancy and Jonathan. I can’t remember exactly what it was that made me like them, but I remember watching the show and rooting for both of them.

In terms of platonic ships, both Steve and Dustin and then Steve and Robin are my favourite friendships.

Thé scene where Steve tells Dustin his hair secret and then drives him to the school dance and tells him he looks handsome? I loved it so much.

And how they were both so excited to see each other the beginning of season 3, I mean, it was amazing.

#roc answers #stranger things #stranger things 4 #steve harrington #robin Buckley #max mayfield #steve and Dustin #Steve and Robin #Nancy x Jonathan #el x mike

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revenantxprince · 1 month

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((Rohir's bio is complete! You can find it here, and his background information can also be read under the cut! Trigger/content warnings include: war, death, amnesia, trauma, murder, and brief mention of suicide (Ashelia).

Rohir, born Eclipsis B'nargin Dalmasca, was the seventh son of King Raminas, and older twin brother to Ignis B'nargin Dalmasca. And, from that moment on, the two were as thick as thieves.

Identical in appearance, it was difficult to tell them apart, and even still with their personalities. Both behaved like proper princes as they grew and learned the ways of royalty, and both were kind and caring to those around them, even those far beneath them in class. But they both still held a streak of arrogance and ego, as they grew to believe they were important beyond measure. Not only were they Princes of Dalmasca, but they were descendants of the first King Raithwall, the first Dynast King, something that made them special. Made them destined for great things and made them close to the Gods. They believed it, even with two of their brothers dead by the time they reached their sixth year. Yet, the twins were not completely alike in personality. Ignis was far more energetic than his brother - eager to jump without looking and to tackle problems head-on. Eclipsis, while adventurous, was not as energetic as his brother. He was a bit softer, a little bit quieter, but still full of life - simply more reserved with how he presented it. But it was there, as a lively glimmer in his eye or a bright grin.

By the time they were seven, Ashelia was born - the first daughter of King Raminas, and the final heir born. By then, of the nine siblings, five remained - the others having died in the war that continued to rage outside of Rabanastre, as Archadia and Rozarria continued with their struggle to expand and seize control of Ivalice as a whole, uncaring for the smaller kingdoms outside their borders. And as Eclipses grew older, he became determined to be the one to end the war - convinced that was his destiny. That was the reason why he was special, out of all his siblings. But, despite that, his motivation was his home. His family. He wanted to protect Dalmasca and save what family still survived, something only heightened as his brothers continued to die from both war and disease as a plague swept the kingdom. Only heightened as his mother died of a broken heart.

Eclipses and Ignis both learned to fight alongside their educational and royal lessons, and by the time they were sixteen, their father reluctantly sent them into battle. They were afraid but determined, with Eclipses’s confidence almost outshining his daring twin’s, and for the first few months, they were able to adapt to the change of pace. They fought valiantly, and it was then Eclipses was able to show his leadership strength - taking charge when needed despite yet having earned such militant rank, all while taking care and being mindful of the soldiers and knights he fought with. They were his people, his brothers in arms, and he was determined to keep them safe.

Everything changed when Eclipses and Ignis were ordered to join an airship unit to aid Nabradia in patrolling its Archadian-shared border. The twins agreed without hesitation and left their beloved kingdom behind - neither realizing it would be the last time they would see Rabanastre. The first few days were quiet with little activity from Archadia, but on the third night, the air patrol was ambushed.

The Archadians swept in with a large fleet armed to the teeth, and the patrol stood little chance. Some recognized defeat and fled as soon as they could, but the Archadians rained hellfire down upon the airships with few fighting back. Eclipses and Ignis took charge of the airship they were in and ordered their men to fight, but the Ifrit took aim, and their ship went down. Few survivors escaped the chaos to report back to House Nabradia and House Dalmasca, and King Raminas was told both Eclipses and Ignis had perished in the fight.

However, unbeknownst to those who escaped, not all had been lost. Somehow, against the odds, Eclipses survived. His airship had crashed upon the edge of a cliff above the sea, and he had been trapped beneath burning debris - something that would permanently scar his chest and upper arms. But the fire broke the ship apart, and he fell to the sea below, where he would soon be swept ashore alongside the body of Ignis.

Somehow still, he survived, and as he came to, he… remembered nothing of what happened. A wound on the side of his head bled heavily, but his adrenaline kept him going, and he managed to struggle to his feet and haul Ignis into his arms. He rambled to his brother - not realizing his twin was dead - and carried him away from the remains of the wreckage that washed ashore with them. Barely even aware of the severity of his own wounds as he staggered and limped along. And, as if the Gods were still looking over him, he managed to find his way to a nearby fishing village still free of Archadian occupation. His ragged, bloodied, and burnt figure was a sight to behold as he pleaded for them to help him and his brother, and as the villagers rushed to his side, he collapsed, and lost consciousness.

For days, he remained unconscious as the healers tended to him as best they could. Ignis was buried, and given a small but proper funeral, despite the twins being unknown to the village. The only thing they could piece together was that they had to be Dalmascan, as they saw the distant fight, and found debris from a Dalmascan airship along the sands. And when he came to… the only thing he could recall that was of any use was the name Eli. Yet… it was unclear if it was his name or his brother’s, as his memory was simply… gone. He could remember nothing of his past or what happened that fateful night. The only thing he could recall was that he had a twin brother, but even then, he… couldn’t remember his name. The villagers took pity on him and allowed him to stay, even after he recovered. He was given his brother’s necklace - something saved by one of the elders in case he wanted it once he woke - and given a new name until he could recall his own: Rohir.

However, even as Rohir recovered and regained his strength, his memory never came back. His past remained elusive even to him, and while he was able to recall little information of what happened that night, really only remembering it had been an ambush by Archadia, he… still couldn’t figure out if Eli was his name or his brother’s. If he was even truly Dalmascan, or if he had been a Nabradian soldier simply onboard a Dalmascan airship. He remembered nothing of his family or even his lineage, and reluctantly gave up on the idea of ever remembering anything about himself. He found a reluctant peace in the village, but found a sense of belonging as they accepted him despite their own reservations. They protected him as Archadian soldiers stopped to see if there had been any survivors of that night, and they claimed Rohir was one of their own - a fisherman who had been caught in a terrible storm the following night. The Archadians accepted this, and left him be.

But, as two years went by, Rohir grew restless, and left the village alongside Avito and Ness - though promised to be forever grateful to the villagers for everything they had done. The three friends set off to become sky pirates to sate their hunger for adventure despite the war that continued to rage, but even then… Rohir could not shake the discontent he felt as he worked alongside them. He was close to the siblings and enjoyed traveling, but he couldn’t shake the guilt that came with stealing. It felt wrong, and Avito was quick to notice his unhappiness. Although reluctant, he finally confessed to her what was bothering him, but despite his worry, she wasn’t upset. Being a sky pirate wasn’t for everyone, and she understood that, as did her brother. Avito and Ness brought him to Bhujerba, and gave some of their gil to add to his own earnings so he could buy his own airship. They wished farewell, and he parted from them on good terms - feeling better than he had in a while, although he would miss Avito’s company in particular.

He remained in Bhujerba for some time, and worked a few odd jobs to earn a bit more money before he was finally able to afford a small airship he named the Odyssey. Although it needed a bit of work, he was happy with it, and left Bhujerba as soon as he was able to get the Odyssey back into shape. From there, Rohir… simply became a vagabond - never staying in one place for too long, and occasionally picking up other odd jobs in different places for supplies or money. He preferred being alone and being able to travel where he wanted whenever he wanted, yet… a new longing grew in his heart. He yearned to see the heart of Dalmasca, yet could not bring himself to actually fly to Rabanastre - as if… afraid to do so. It was something he couldn’t explain, but it was also something he chose to ignore. He pushed down that longing, and left Rabanastre alone.

As the years went on, Rohir remained content, and learned to accept he would never remember his past. He would get flashes, but nothing substantial enough to answer his questions. Never enough to put the memories back into place. He learned to push aside the ache in his heart, and… simply learned not to think too much of it. But he could not easily ignore the grief he felt upon hearing of King Raminas’s assassination, Princess Ashelia’s suicide, and the fall of Dalmasca to Archadian’s rule. It… was a grief he didn’t understand, but brushed off as him being of Dalmascan origin, failing to realize the depths of that idea.

#local cryptid sighting (ooc)

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whitneydaniell · 3 years

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by: Brit Bennett Published: Jun 2, 2020 Genre: Fiction, Contemporary 343 Pages, E-Book

★★★★★

GoodReads Synopsis:

The Vignes twin sisters will always be identical. But after growing up together in a small, southern black community and running away at age sixteen, it's not just the shape of their daily lives that is different as adults, it's everything: their families, their communities, their racial identities. Many years later, one sister lives with her black daughter in the same southern town she once tried to escape. The other passes for white, and her white husband knows nothing of her past. Still, even separated by so many miles and just as many lies, the fates of the twins remain intertwined. What will happen to the next generation, when their own daughters' storylines intersect?

Weaving together multiple strands and generations of this family, from the Deep South to California, from the 1950s to the 1990s, Brit Bennett produces a story that is at once a riveting, emotional family story and a brilliant exploration of the American history of passing. Looking well beyond issues of race, The Vanishing Half considers the lasting influence of the past as it shapes a person's decisions, desires, and expectations, and explores some of the multiple reasons and realms in which people sometimes feel pulled to live as something other than their origins.

My Review:

This book snatched my (hypothetical) wig off.

I enjoyed the historical context of passé blanc because I don't feel like it gets mentioned much. There was a time when it was common for French Creoles and even, Native Americans to pass as white in order to remain safe, get jobs, and overall get better treatment in the world.

I loved the dynamic between Desiree and her mother, and even her hometown. Returning home after a failed relationship all while, holding some resentment toward those who left and dropped the responsibility of being a caretaker on you without a second thought. This is a story I've seen in black households too many times.

Jude's story of her acceptance and love for her trans partner is very sweet. However, Jude and Kennedy as a collective got on my nerves.

I thoroughly enjoyed this whole book from start to finish and would 1000% recommend it.

One-Word Summary: Protect Black Women (three words, who cares)

#brit bennett #the vanishing half #books i read #tbr 2021 #reading #books to read #contemporary books #fiction #books about black women #book shelf

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thehomothings · 3 years

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Analysis of Kite's conflicting moralities, relationship with death, and the toll reincarnation may take on one's psyche

So, today I decided to compile all the thoughts I have had about Kite's interesting worldview since the first time I saw him into one post, mostly for my own sake, really. If you're familiar with the few posts I've made, you know it's gonna be a mess, but hopefully a comprehensible mess.

A heads up, this is going to be spoiler-heavy, and very much deal with subjects of death and dying as a whole. Also, some of these conclusions are drawn from my own experiences and close brushes with death, I'm not going to go into much detail but it might get personal and definitely dark. I'm not even sure if I can call this a meta-analysis, and I'm obviously no expert, so mayhaps take all of this with a grain of salt.

Been getting into drawing lately, and during the more simple and mindless part of the painstaking process of dotting every single star in this, I let my thoughts wander through the latest part of the fic I'm writing, and I got a better grasp on what exactly made Kite such an elusive character to me.

I'm not quite sure why I got so attached to Kite. Perhaps it was the air of tragedy surrounding him, how despite his sordid past he remained still open and gentle even if outlined by a healthy dose of cynicism.

But sometimes, I think it's the fact that he is so paradoxical. He's brave, yet fears death to such a degree that creates a whole Nen ability around it, is a pacifist yet will not hesitate to spill blood for his own sake or someone else's. Despite the many ultimatums and warnings of 'I will not protect you', he gave his arm and then his life to save Gon and Killua. He approaches each hunt and battle with a clear plan of action in mind, but his Hatsu takes the form of a roulette that gives him random weapons which are never what he wants, but what he seems to need for that exact situation, which he cannot dispel without using. When he draws a weapon, the decision is locked in and his or his opponent's fate is sealed. That's why each time he dubbs his weapon a bad roll. Every time he has to gamble, he sees himself as having run out of luck. When it comes to having to choose between himself and somebody else...well, there had never been a choice. In fact his aversion to using it may feed into its sheer power that we, unfortunately, saw too little of.

Let's go over his very first appearance when he saves Gon from the mother Foxbear.

It's not hard to see the strain searching for Ging has put on him; he's rash, prone to anger and punching a child for daring to get into trouble. In his mind, he's failing at his most important task, has not yet earned the right to call himself a hunter despite being in possession of his very own hunter license.

After killing the mother Foxbear and raging about having done so, he says this interesting line:

So yes, he finds killing for any reason rather irksome as most would do, yet I think something deeper caused him to absolutely lose it in this scene:

He had not been aware of Gon's identity, and despite being an animal lover and a naturalist, he made a choice to save the human instead of allowing nature to run its course. In fact, he says: 'No beast that harms a human must be allowed to live.'

How does one weight one life against another? How is the worth of it determined? The value of life... an impossible choice he's faced with and a choice which he seems to regret to some degree.

The Foxbear cub.

Here, he's speaking from experience, a tangible loss he has felt himself, and a hard and bitter life he does not want to impose on the cub.

His backstory is exclusive to the 2011 anime adaptation but there are hints alluding to it in the manga, for example, the fact that he does not seem to know his birthplace, or:

The choice of words is chilling.

Reading between the lines, one could draw the conclusion that he is an orphan. Something supporting this hypothesis is how he visibly deflates after Gon tells him his parents have (presumably) died.

So we see he is willing to go against his own moral code of not killing as to not doom another living being to the life he led, a lonely, hopeless existence that could barely be called one. He saw it best to put down the cub rather than leave it to die a painful, slow death.

The reason Kite himself isn't as cynical and cold-hearted as one would be after witnessing cruelty in its rawest form is those small crumbs of human kindness which he may have found in Ging.

It was not only a chance at an honorable life being Ging's apprentice gave him, but it also 'saved' him from being broken and twisted into what he hated and worst of all, death.

If we take that one minute of backstory as canon to his character-which I find myself inclined to do- these quirks of his make much more sense. He lived on the run. He lived on the knife's edge between giving up or pushing forwards. He lived as so a wrong move could be the difference between survival and the end.

Between rock and a hard place creates a mentality of black and white, absolute good or extreme evil, this or that. Except in reality, it's much harder than that. Deciding who to save and who to strike down is a heavy burden to bear.

It's almost easy to see how struggling to keep surviving could lend itself to a crippling fear of death and subsequently developing a Nen ability which once more goes against his own moral code in order to give himself a second chance...yet something about it strikes me as unlikely when I look at it this way.

Living life knowing it could end at any moment has the opposite effect, at least for me it did. One comes to accept that it is fleeting and while not eager to let it go, when death eventually and inevitably does come, there is no fighting it.

Especially when there is no hope that tomorrow will be a better day than this one.

Frequent near-death experiences numb one's fear in a way, even if it drives them to take precautions that render it unlikely to happen again and results in c-PTSD, but still, it does. It sparks a certain nihilistic view of 'if it all can end so easily, then what's the point of it all?'

Unless there are things to live for, a sure promise of a better future, and Ging gave Kite that. When he faced the threat of losing his second chance at life:

Really, what else could lead someone to develop the ability of 'the hell I'm going to die like this'?

I think a separate event, an even more brutal near-death experience that almost cost him his life as the hunter he so strived to be set him off to develop the secret roll of Crazy Slots, what I call Roll No.0, Ars moriendi. Unlike other weapons, it cannot come up in random and is directly summoned by him, or better said, summon by his overwhelming will to keep going and hopelessness of fighting a losing battle. I don't believe roll No.3 was the weapon that allowed him to reincarnate. I've named that one Wand of Fortune, a sort of armor instead of an offensive weapon since I find it hard to believe Kite, a Conjurer, would not focus on defences as well, and I will go into both mechanisms of these weapons hopefully in his backstory.

Despite knowing this battle to be a pointless one and being acutely aware of his soon to be demise, he did not immediately draw Ars moriendi, no, he stayed back and fought for the sake of the boys, kept Neferpitou occupied until they could reach safety. We can see evidence of this in the aftermath of the battle that seemed to have gone on until dawn, a torn apart landscape only signaling a fraction of the devastation that was Kite's power unleashed. It still wasn't enough.

In the anime sub I watched, when Gon apologizes to Ging about Kite's death, Ging said a sentence that infuriated me, because it belittled the utter suffering of the NGL trio.

"He would not die in your place." (No screenshot, sorry)

And I remember practically shouting at the screen, screaming 'how could you possibly say that? Of course he did. He absolutely did die in their place. How could you not know your own apprentice? Why-'

It was only last night that it hit me why Ging would say that.

Once upon a time, maybe Kite would not have given his life for anybody under any circumstances, even if he had a way out of it all. He would still need to die to come back to life.

His Thanatophobia could be attributed to the (possibly untreated) PTSD of the near-death experience in his later life, being so certain of dying that finding himself alive afterwards drove him to never want to go through that again. He quieted his fear by creating a sort of a loophole, that even if he lost the battle he would remain. Ging remembered that, but as evidence shows, something changed. Maybe he healed a bit, perhaps growing up dulled his fear to a certain degree, but eventually when it came down to his life or another's, he didn't choose himself.

Now, I can hear you saying 'but he didn't die, so what are you going on about??' And so I reply: Yes, he is alive, but he did die. He experienced that painful, horrible moment of staring death in the eyes and thinking 'This is it, this is the end', went through the actual process of having his soul removed from his body. And that moment stretches into infinity, ten lifetimes condensed into the mere seconds before oblivion.

Dying isn't so hard if one stays dead.

It's not so easy to open one's eyes and find oneself alive again after that, no matter how much that is the heart's desire. It's difficult, nigh-impossible to reconcile with life and walk amongst the living when everything had been so final, when death had been accepted to its fullest.

So Kite awakens, the twin of Meruem and back from the dead, his mind and identity both intact and fractured. In that he is Kite is no mistaking, yet he is not the same gentle pacifist whose first reaction upon sensing a monster's aura was to shield two kids from it at the cost of his arm.

I don't think many of you are familiar with Zoroastrian ideology, but Togashi is known for loving his religious imagery, and it's not only Christianism he derives inspiration from (evidence of which can be seen all over Kite's character and resurrection).

In Zurvanism-a branch of Zoroastrianism- there is talk of the twin spirits: Ahura Mazda -epitome of all that is good- and Ahriman -epitome of all that is evil-, the parent god Zurvin decides that the firstborn may rule in order to bring "heaven, hell, and everything in between."

Upon becoming aware of this fact, Ahriman forcibly tears through the womb to emerge first. Sounding familiar yet?

Zurvan relents to this turn of events only on one condition: Ahriman is given kingship for 9000 years, and then Ahura Mazda may rule for eternity.

Meruem ruled for 40 days, his death leaving the throne vacant for ant Kite, wearing a dead girl's face and seeming to be brewing some nefarious plan. No more is there any sign of that unrelenting pacifism and the sanctity of life he held so high, losing his own may have only served to show him how meaningless the pain and suffering he went through had been, dying only to be reborn as a member of the species that killed him. It may be that he has no desire to rule over the remaining Chimera ants or create an army of his own-

Yet I dread to think what a broken mind possessing limitless power might do to the world.

And that's it. If you made it this far, thank you for reading! If you found it interesting, stay tuned, as I think a lot and I will make it your problem.

#Cw: talks of death and PTSD #When I say I unknowingly projected onto him #I can't tell if writing this was cathartic or torturous #and I gave myself heart palpitations so this is enough for today #And yes I refer to ant Kite by he/him pronouns because misgendering him on the account of his body being afab is just ignorant #even if I think skrunkly's genderqueer af and actually wouldn't mind she/her #still i wanna push the trans ant kite agenda #So yes this is how I unknowingly picked up Kite as a coping mechanism even if out attitudes towards death are practically opposites #don't mind your grandpa trauma dumping #What I'm saying is get ant Kite therapy before he sinks the world #I love reimagining Kite as a villain and I don't know why #Kite hxh #hxh kite #kite hunter x hunter #kaito hxh #hxh #hunter x hunter #meta analysis #theories #fic rambles #Icarus waffles #Kitkat #gon freccs #Ging freecss

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elia-de-silentio · 3 years

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The overarching themes of Vanitas no Carte: Identity

The Case Study of Vanitas is a very good, too little known manga (I hope the anime changes something), with some central themes than are exposed in different ways through different characters. In this meta, I want to explore one that was brought to my attention pretty recently: here a little examination on the various ways to face one's own identity in The Case Study of Vanitas.

The Stable Identity( Noè)

Let's start off with the positives, shall we? Noè has probably the most secure personal identity of all the bunch.

And this is pretty amazing, considering everything he went through. He has no memory of his birth family, but gets adopted by some nice people - who die shortly afterwards. Right at their graves, he is kidnapped by slaves, in an accident that left him injured. Then he is bought by someone who actually treats him nicely and is a good mentor for him, he finds many friends his age - and then one of them, the one he was closest to, turns out to be a cursebearer, kills all of the others and then tries to kill him; he is saved by the mentor, who beheads the friend right in front of him. The most immediate emotion is relief for being alive, and he will always feel terrible for that. Then, he has to witness his surviving friend try to cope very badly with her mourning by repressing her identity and try to substitute it with that of her dead twin. That's a lot.

And Noé reacted to all of this by becoming a confident person, kind and attentive to others, but not to the point of being a pushover. I'm not saying he walked away unscathed from the events of his childhood: he regrets the way he handled things with Louis, the way he didn't understand him, and has developed quite the savior complex as a result.

What I'm saying is that he is probably one of the very few well-adjusted people in the psychiatric ward that is Vanitas no Carte. He is still questioning himself, but in a normal way for a nineteen-years-old that has just left a sheltered environment for the big wide world. He is aware of some of his strenghts (his naivete) and is realizing others (putting unfair expectations on other people, underestimating other people due to racial biases); but most importantly, when he realizes these mistakes, he doesn't run away from them or obsess over them believing they make him a horrible person: he recognizes them, apologizes to the wronged person if necessary, and works on improving them.

This isn't to say he's completely happy-go-lucky with no regrets; he feels guilty about being relieved that he lived while Louis died, and he has a lot of uncertainties regarding his identity as an Archiviste and the impact his powers can have on other people. But he managed not to tie his entire identity to that guilt; and as for the second point, Teacher helped him rationalise that and figure out a conduit that didn't undermine him and at the same time showed respect for others. Noè went through several traumas, but received one thing most of the cast didn't: guidance and support from his environment. Whatever Teacher's actual motives are, he shaped a well-balanced person.

The Group Identity (The dhamps, appearently 99% of vampirekind)

"Us dhams are only loyal to each other!" This is what Dante says in one of the first chapters, giving us the first clues to their status as outcasts.

The war between humans and vampires ended up with each deciding to keep to themselves, but dhampires are the living exception to that silent agreement. So, both societies decide to reject them, and they can't find a place in the world unless they stick to others of their own kind. This common history of traumatic experiences of abandonment and subsequent resentment of both human and vampire society for it goes on to create a very strong group identity: the only ones they give a damn about are those like them, everyone else is a potential enemy and is only good to be exploited.

Then, we have the vampire culture. I mean ... it might be because insofar we have met almost exclusively aristocrats obsessed with their respectability ... but they have a lot of prejudices.

You're born under a uncommon moon? You're a pariah. You're mixed race? You're a pariah. Your parents committed a crime? You're a pariah, and are used as a tool. You're born as part of a set of twins? Either you or your sibling are killed at birth, because of something that is SAID, not even a certified element of vampire biology. You're stuck with a curse? You're executed, no attempts to heal you.

Their society seems to run on an ideal model of person which depends on factors outside the individual's control, and whoever doesn't fit this description and deviates from the group in any shape or form gets ridiculously fierce punishment. They make the freaking Church look good by comparison, at least their repressive and racist side is composed of extremists instead of everymen.

The Clan Identity (Chloé, and partially Noé again)

Chloé identifies with a group of people too; but it's not a race, it's a family. The D'Apchier family, the nobles who are responsible for Gevaudan. Her father made sure she had this idea in her right from the start, and she interiorized it.

And this had mixed results: while on the one hand she was chained to self-loathing by the guilt of having accidentally caused the massacre of the family and was only saved by Jeanne and Jean-Jacques reclaiming her as part of theirs, on the other she was able to resist to Naenia because of the love and responsibility she felt towards the people of Gevaudan. Chloé is, at this point, the only curse-bearer who managed to trick and attempted to fight directly against Charlatan.

Then there is Noé in relation to his Archiviste identity. He seems to think of it mainly in negative terms, very conscious of the living invasion of privacy it turns him into ... and nothing else. We have never seen him wonder about who his birth parents were, ask himself why he doesn't remember anything, why was the clan exterminated, or how he feels about being a survivor, one of the only ones if not outright the only. He sees his heritage as a burden,and hasn't thought of it in any different term. I wonder how a change in perspective could impact the above 'stable identity'.

The Someone Else's Identity (Vanitas, Dominique)

I already dedicated a whole post to this trait they share, so I'll be short: both Vanitas and Dominique hate themselves and try to become something worthy by taking elements of people they admire: Louis for Dominique, a combination of his birth father and Luna for Vanitas.

The Object Identity (Jeanne)

The very first thing Jeanne was said in her whole life was that she was an object. A vessel for something (or someone?) else, who mustn't have feelings or desires of her own. Encouraging, isn't it?

Luckily, this wasn't all she got in life. Soon afterwards, she was adopted by Eric and Louise, who loved her a lot, received kindness by Ruthven, met Chloé who became an older sister to her. Unluckily, all of this was taken away from her in the most cruel way possible.

She couldn't make any sense of her parents's betrayal and death, and the way her life suddenly changed; she rationalised it by telling herself that it was her fault, if she had been just the good object everyone told her to be nothing would have happened. So she accepts the Object Identity: she is a tool, so she doesn't feel, she exists only to obey orders, and as long as she is nobody else will ever suffer. It gets even worse after she fails to kill Chloè: she couldn't fulfill her duties, and both her and her big sis suffered for it. This mindset traps her in a world of pain, but also prevents her from facing the fact that she is subject to a senseless injustice, one she has no control over.

Vanitas managed to help her with that. He validated her feelings, and showed her that nobody had to die if she had them, solving the situation with Chloé and Jean-Jacques. This gave her a nice confidence boost, returning her to the cheerful attitude she had as a young girl; the consequences of this change remain to be seen.

The Unknown Identity (Luna)

This one is interesting because Luna themselves is pretty explicit about it. They see themselves as something 'other', who is outside commonly used categorization; starting with 'male or female' (and here I am left wondering if they had specific sexual characteristics but didn't feel like they 'fit', or were intersex and nonbinary, or had an entirely different biology from both vampires and humans).

Luna doesn't like this condition: they said they tried to figure out what they were, to understand themselves, and they regret doing so now. Why? Maybe they didn't find any answer and were left perpetually unsatisfied, or they found an answer, and they found it to be awful?

Still, this indicates Luna has never been particularly happy with themselves, and this found no resolution. And then they died. Nice, uh?

Well, I think this was all. There are other characters I would like to know more about in regard to this, like Ruthven, Marquis Machina, and Mikhail, but there is still time.

All in all, I'd say Vanitas no Carte explores the theme of identity pretty throughly; many character arcs are still in progress, and I'm interested about how things will develope especially for Vanitas, Dominique and Jeanne.

Thanks to anyone who bothered to read my ramblings!

#vnc #vanitas no carte #the case study of vanitas #vnc meta #vnc analysis #vnc noe #vnc chloé #vnc vanitas #vnc dominique #vnc jeanne #vnc luna #elia's recaps

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fire-lady-ilah · 3 years

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More good dad! Ozai AU? Even if you didn’t ask for it, you’re getting it and I’m picking up right where I left off. This is my reminder that, while Ozai is a good and non-abusive dad and husband in this, he is still very much an imperialist and a cruel person in general.

Parts [1] and [2] if you’d like. This is part 3. Here’s part [4]

The siblings venture into the capital, although they make it known that no one should inform their parents that they are nearby. The moment they step off the ship, Captain Jee sends a letter to the Fire Lady. He was loyal to the Prince and Princess above all, but he did not feel like being executed or exiled that day when Lady Ursa inevitably finds out.

In a large house just outside Caldera City, Lord Ukano lives with his wife, Michi, his daughter and heir, Mai, and his newborn son Tom-Tom. The Dragon Emperor and the Blue Spirit sneak into the bedroom of the heiress and steal her away.

In that I mean, Mai leaps at the opportunity to escape her home with her best friends, who she’s seen wearing the same theatre masks dozens of times, and follows willingly. It takes an hour longer than the siblings had expected, if only because Mai has far more knives than they had truly expected and they get caught up in the palace kitchens stealing Azula’s favourite mochi and some bags of fire flakes.

Then they are caught by Fire Lady Ursa, who is gathering a late night cup of cocoa after a nice night with her husband, not that her children need to know that part. Her children, who are wearing her theatre masks that had very recently gone missing from her collection, stare at her innocently. Her daughter carries two entire boxes she knows are full of mochi. Her son carries the fire flake bag they use for festivals. Her one day daughter-in-law is making a cup of cocoa and the Fire Lady calmly requests one for herself from the girl.

That night, the fire Prince and Princess sleep in their own rooms, with Lady Mai in one of the many available. In the morning, they take breakfast with the Fire Lord and Lady, discussing trivial matters of politics and domestic affairs.

Mai leaves on the request of the Fire Lord, bringing everything they took from her home and the palace (along with what Ursa and Ozai insisted they take) to the ship with the help of some soldiers.

Azula and Zuko sit with their parents. Ursa gives them each two potent bottles of poison. Ozai’s voice has a worry that only his family knows how to detect through the facade of boredom as he inquires how their firebending and blades practice has been, as to the state of their weaponry. They try to soothe their parents worries with assurances: their practice has been going well in both bending and blades, Azula has achieved perfection in lightningbending and Zuko has achieved lightning, their blades are sharp and well maintained, they weren’t harmed when the temple blew up—

It slips through Zuko’s lips. He was never the actor like his mother and sister. For their part, his parents do not react overly beyond a flickering of the flame and a long sip of tea.

“Your mission has changed.”

Ozai is smart. Everything he does is to serve his goals the best they can. In canon, the premier of those goals is to gain more power for himself. In this world, that goal is to secure the ideal outcome for his family. (Of course, his second goal is as much power as possible. But it is only considered after his first goal).

Allying themselves with the Avatar, at least in appearances, will secure the best outcome for his children. And he has no doubt that his brother (so weak after the death of his son. And yet, Ozai cannot find it within him to scorn him overly. He knows that were he to be left childless, he would break. It is merely that Ozai would break in an explosion, whereas Iroh’s flame fizzled into embers.) would eagerly help his children betray him. Even if it was just in appearances.

His children are loyal and dutiful. They protest, but only out of a desire to maintain that loyalty. He wishes the Avatar had remained hidden, at least until they were both adults. They are prodigal, yes, but they are just siblings.

“You have our permission to reveal your mother’s ancestry. Use it wisely.”

The children know their lineage for at least five generations on each side. That, of course, is in addition to their knowledge of every Fire Lord that has reigned since the unification of the Fire Nation. They are well aware that their Grandmother Rina (who feeds them chocolate and tells them stories whenever she visits) ‘s father was Avatar Roku. Just as they knew of the friendship between Fire Lord Sozin and Avatar Roku.

It is necessary for the people of their nation to hear pretty lies. It is not their responsibility to worry about the nuance and complexity of life. It is one of their responsibilities as Angi’s heirs in the mortal world. To worry of such things is a burden they should not have to bear. It is necessary for the people to believe the Avatar hated the Fire Lord.

The siblings don’t know everything, of course. They are just children after all. But they understand the nuance, the conflicting beliefs. They were told the truth (and carefully kept from necessary propaganda before then) when they were old enough to look critically at the situation. It was their duty to bring the Fire Nation’s good to the other nations, to liberate their populations, the siblings decided.

The Avatar is just a child, but he seemed able to connect with his past lives. And he had pointedly not hurt them, at least as Avatar Roku.

If nothing else, they have the Dragon Emperor and Blue Spirit on their side.

“Zhao has asked for permission to launch an invasion on the Northern Water Tribe. He is a fool, but he claims he has knowledge that will ensure his victory. Tomorrow, I will send him a letter approving his asinine idea. You will stop him— kill him, if you must— and use that act of perceived treason to ally yourselves with the Avatar.”

Ozai wants power, but he is no fool. The invasion is risky at best. He cannot find it within himself to care for the tens of thousands that would doubtlessly die in it, the Northern Water Tribe had the advantage in multiple ways. It would serve its purpose to get his children at the Avatar’s side.

The tone lightens after his orders and Ozai steps back from his role as Father Lord into just being a father. He teases his son on his interactions with his betrothed. He teases his daughter and asks if she would be visiting the circus soon, taking note of how she had learned to prevent a blush but not the squeak in her voice. They are not infallible, they are children.

As they see their children for the last time in the foreseeable future, the Fire Lord and Lady both think as to how much they will miss them. Ursa blinks back tears as she hugs them both, smiling as they react identically, burying their faces into her chest to hide them and breathing in the scent of fire lily perfume.

Ozai is not usually physically affectionate with his children. He had never received it from his father and was much more competent in other ways. That being said, no one commented on the kiss he pressed to the top of Zuko’s head (still shorter than him by quite a bit. Sometimes he acted so adult, but he was so clearly still a child) before repeating the action with Azula.

“I am so proud of you. Both of you.”

I’m just now realizing Blue Spirit is supposed to be after the whole Roku thing. Oh well.

For appearances’ sake, the siblings and Mai continue to chase the Avatar. Zhao attacks the Avatar while he trains under the Deserter. Princess Azula ensures the forest doesn’t burn while Prince Zuko uses all the bottled up anger at both Zhao himself and Azulon (really, what is with grown men trying to kill 11/12 year olds?) to yell at Zhao for acting so recklessly.

And if, perhaps, he manages to endear himself to others by knocking Zhao’s feet out from under him, all the better.

The Avatar and his friends escape and the siblings celebrate another success as Zhao nurses his bruised ass and ego.

(“Hey, did the Deserter look like that dude in Master Piandao’s painting in his main hall to you?”

“Admiral Jeong Jeong and Master Piandao were married, Zuko. Obviously that was him.”)

Zhao attempts to order their crew away from them, citing his rank as admiral as above prince and princess.

Azula’s sharp tongue reminds Admiral Zhao that Zuko is not only a prince, but the Crown Prince, and thus he is equal in rank to Zhao. As was their uncle a general, retired or not.

Behind the royalty of the ship stands Captain Jee, his eyes locked with Zhao’s. His eyes promise mutiny even if he were to somehow take them. His eyes swear loyalty to the Crown Prince, to his sister, above all else.

Zhao turns to leave.

“Of course, that is not to say we will not join your invasion.” Zuko sounds like his father sometimes, and never more than when his voice holds a hint of smug satisfaction. “Merely, do not presume to think you can order us in any way. We out rank you, and our crew is the best our Nation has to offer.”

Their ship joins, at least in appearance, Zhao’s fleet. That being said, they obey no orders from the Admiral and only allow his “inspections” of the ship and their crew once. For all intents and purposes, they are just there to observe.

And observe they do. The siblings watch the way Zhao treats his subordinates and twin righteous flames burns in their chests. The truth of being raised by a loving father means that Zuko and Azula are both rather sheltered in comparison to their canon selves. They are raised on ideals of honour and the divine responsibility of a monarch, rather than on the truths of war and practicality of rule. It only results in a hotter fire and more questions as to if Sozin’s way was truly the one to follow.

They still have absolute faith in their father. After all, he is the one that raised them, that taught them of honour and the ideals of a monarch. He is the one that sheltered them. He is the one that suggested they befriend the Avatar to keep them safe.

On the ship, only three people know the entire plan. The first two are the siblings, of course. The third is Captain Jee. He is the one that will keep their ship away from the invasion itself so there is no risk of their crew being harmed in the doomed attack. He is the one that will direct the ship to the colonies once the siblings are with the Avatar. Captain Jee has no qualms about technically commuting treason.

Mai knows some of the plan. In that, Mai knows exactly what Zuko and Azula tell her and then what she observes. She sees the way they stick together, now more than ever. Sees the way that Azula trains her non-lethal lightning (because even she, a nonbender, knows it’s far harder to bend lightning that doesn’t kill than that that does). She hears the way they drop the title of Fire Lord when speaking of their royal great grandfather. She catches whispers about Fire Lord Roku. About the Avatar.

Mai, in a way, knows more than the siblings themselves. She knows that they are genuinely sympathetic toward the Avatar in a way that they don’t yet realize. She begins to keep all her knives on her person, along with an easily grab-able bag for travelling in her room. There was no way she’d be letting her best friends turn traitor without her. This is the most exciting thing she’s done in years.

Iroh knows less than he believes. Oh, he gets the dropped title just as well as Mai, but he does not know the intricacies of Zuko and Azula the way Mai does. He sees Azula’s practice and writes it off as her ever-present search for perfection. He catches the tail end of a conversation between siblings and does not stop to consider who exactly “great grandfather” may be referring to. It would be unthinkable for his brother to tell the children of their heritage.

Despite this, Iroh also knows more than most. He knows from conversation exactly what Zhao intends to do in the Northern Water Tribe and it turns his blood to boil.

They reach the Northern Water Tribe. The siblings sneak off the ship in an emergency boat. Mai enters at the last moment and neither send her away.

Iroh has already left the ship, though he is currently in one last meeting with Zhao in an attempt to convince him not to continue with his plan. He will not check back with his niece and nephew, believing them to be safe on the ship.

In the Northern Water Tribe, the three Fire Nation teens remain tucked into the shadows. They, unfortunately, have no idea where the Avatar is and wander through the city. However, they reach the Avatar’s friends before Zhao does.

(“Is he... alive?”

“He’s just meditating.”)

It goes far better than they could have expected. The siblings’ act of releasing Sokka and Katara from Zhao’s bindings results in a part of water tribe siblings being quite willing to hear them out. Princess Yue gives them an odd look but remains quiet.

Zhao shows up. Iroh shows up. Azula and Zuko denounce him (though they cannot bring themselves to denounce their father, even though they know they should). Zhao declares them all traitors, a koi fish in a bag in his hand.

A bolt of lightning hits Zhao straight in the back. Both he and the koi fish fall into the pool of water. He does not emerge.

Azula’s face is carefully blank, even as she watches the water. She cannot stop to consider whether it is her or the water that just killed the admiral, or if he was even dead at all. She could not even see his body in its depths. She used non-lethal strength.

Despite Princess Yue’s backing, the Northern Water Tribe wants to take the siblings prisoner (hostage, everyone knows). After all, everyone knows of the devotion they show to the Fire Lord and vice versa. If nothing else, they would be excellent bargaining pieces in a more formal treaty.

They had not factored this into their plan. Admittedly, they had not factored the Northern Water Tribe into their plan at all.

The three Fire Nation teens are thrown into a prison cell. A rather comfortable prison cell, but still a prison cell. Iroh is taken somewhere else.

Within five hours, they sit on the back of a flying bison, Sokka handing them food he had smuggled out of the meal as Katara was smuggling them out of prison.

(“We tried to get your Uncle too,” the Avatar says in a remorseful tone, “but we couldn’t find him.”

“Uncle will be fine.” Azula declares, her mind set only on the future as she tries not to think about the way Zhao sunk beneath the still surface of the pond.

Zuko nods in agreement and clutches her hand in a comforting way.)

The Gaang now consists of six people:

Aang, a twelve year old Avatar with a mastery in air and a decent proficiency in water. He looks at the Fire Nation teens and sees his friend Kuzon, sees a time from before the war when an Air Nomad could wander freely through the Fire Nation. He attempts to use Fire Nation slang with them but it’s a century old and results in only laughter.

Katara, a master waterbender and healer (a concept that intrigues Azula to no end, although she tries to keep her questions polite). She tends to have a short temper when it comes to matters of the Fire Nation, but even she can be coaxed into trying a few sweets that Zuko has stored in his bag.

Sokka, a hunter and warrior who may or may not be engaged to the NWT princess (Zuko says he is, Azula says he isn’t). Azula laments that her jokes are even worse than Zuko’s, to which Mai agrees. It is that comment that leads Sokka and Zuko to start bonding, having nothing better to do on the bison’s back than exchange bad jokes.

Crown Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, who Sokka would insist is walking Fire Nation propaganda as he goes on at least one rant about Fire Nation culture and technology a day. Who surprisingly helps Katara with the cooking because it was one of the things Fire Lady Ursa carried over from before she was Fire Lady and taught to her children.

Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, who has a sharp tongue and a sharper pair of twin daggers that she seems to enjoy threatening her brother with for any inconvenience, even though they both just laugh at it. (Katara and Sokka have to be assured by them both that they truly love each other and that threatening each other with weapons carried over from the theatre scrolls they used to act out as children).

Lady Mai talks the least, seemingly content just to talk to Zuko and Azula. Aang makes it his mission to get her to warm up to him and spends a good portion of his time trying to talk to her. He succeeds when he brings up air ball, of all things. Mai’s parents had discouraged her from sport, believing it to be unfitting of a young lady just as they had discouraged her interest in knives until Zuko and Azula had ganged up on them. Partially for that reason, Mai enjoyed sports quite a bit, a shock to even Zuko (though Azula knew). After that, she talks mainly to Zuko, Azula, and Aang.

Captain Jee guides his ship to the Fire Nation colonies, unable to confirm that his Prince and Princess were okay. He hadn’t expected the worry he feels now, but he knows he will be awaiting a letter at Yu Dao if they are safe.

Prince Iroh is startled to discover that, while meeting with Master Pakku, the Avatar, his friends, his nephew and niece, and Mai had all disappeared.

As had his ship.

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moefongo · 2 years

Text

I have no idea what to title this, but it is very much angsty. Might give it a title later though and a part 2 is certainly coming

Also tw mentions of murder and verbal abuse

After Ingo's disappearance, everything went from bad to worse. First it was the dramatic decrease in visitors to Gear Station due to the rumors surrounding his disappearance. Emmet could handle Gear Station just fine with little to no visitors, but those rumors where the ones that truly hurt him. Some of them were outlandish, while the most popular one was that Emmet was the one responsible for his disappearance, as if it was something out of a true crime show. The reasons why were many, but those close to him knew those were a lie. Emmet tried to bury himself in paperwork to drown out his sorrow but there was no more paperwork to fill out, he had already done it all. Certainly the battles were scarce now a days barely even battling a trainer once every four weeks or so.

The second thing was that he had completely isolated himself from his loved ones, especially his S/O. He hadn't broken up with them yet, but he was distant and apathetic with them, which was highly unusual of him. His S/O had come to learn not to press him to share his feelings, because this only ended up in him lashing out at them. Their usual weekend dates had come to a halt, as well as them spending the night with Emmet. This whole ordeal had turned Emmet into a completely different man.

Things got so bad, that unfortunately, Gear Station would be closing down for an indefinite period. This caused the rumors to spike up, further cementing the belief that Emmet had murdered Ingo. But it was too late for poor Emmet, something inside of him snapped. He ignored the rumors, cut ties with Elesa and broke up with his S/O. But Emmet made sure to say it in a way that they would never try to go back with him. He let them know how tired he had grown from being with them and how much he despised them and regretted the time he spent with them. Then it devolved into Emmet using their insecurities as a finishing point to devastate them for good.

He reassured himself these things were necessary, he did not want any distractions on his quest to find his brother. After that, he became a recluse on his apartment, studying everything he could get his hands on, he really had no idea on what subjects to begin his research so all of them was the best option. Living off of his savings, he remained there for many months until his research bore fruit and found a hint that would bring him closer to Ingo. To which he didn't think twice and followed the lead to Sinnoh. When he left Unova, he had made sure to burn many bridges between good friends along the way just as a precaution so that nobody would chase after him.

The trip to Sinnoh was smooth, once there nobody knew who he was or what had happened to his twin. Now he would settle down under a new identity and continue his research. Emmet moved to Celestic town under the guise of starting to love his life "the old fashioned way", and claiming he was a novelist from Kanto looking to find a quiet place to work. Surprisingly, everyone bought it and welcomed Emmet into the community without question. In fact, he made sure to be an active member of the community to ward off suspicions and he became well liked in town.

After falling into a routine, he would make trips to Mt. Coronet under the pretext to get inspired to write. But in reality he was aiming on learning about Arceus and if it was possible that god themself were responsible for it all. And as a sick trick of fate, he was correct. Now all he needed to do was find a way to get closer to Arceus. Which for now meant to keep his routine and investigate further.

This went on for a long time until Emmet discovered the existence of Team Galactic. The organization piqued his interest and left Celestic town to join them. Once in, he felt one step closer to reaching his goal. But there was one problem and it was the organization's leader, Cyrus. Though they had a similar goal, their paths deviated in the end result. And for that Emmet had to do something before Cyrus would strip him of his only chance to reunite with Ingo.

At first, he quietly worked as a grunt, slowly working his way until he became an admin, and he became one of the most liked admin amongst the grunts. This proved beneficial to Emmet and his goal. Everything seemed to line up for Emmet and now it was the most crucial point in his quest, he had to strategize his next move and ensure that Cyrus was stripped of his leadership and turned over to him. His course of action was to wait until Cyrus had the red chain in his possession to then incite the grunts to rebel against Cyrus and his admins, with the statement that Cyrus will abandon them all once he creates his new world, they will all be left behind to suffer while their leader enjoys a new life. It began gradually, first by minor mission sabotages, then major sabotage on scientific equipment and until the entirety of the grunts turned against Cyrus. They all battled the admins, Charon, and Cyrus himself with the aid of Emmet. Soon after, they were defeated and exiled from Team Galactic and the grunts appointed Emmet as their new leader.

#submas

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ijustwant2write · 4 years

Text

Estranged-Fred Weasley x Malfoy!Reader

(GIF credit to @genterie)

Tags: @obsessedwithrandomthings

Masterlist

Prompts List

Requested by anonymous: 'Love your writing it’s amazing! I was thinking of a Fred Weasley imagine where he doesn’t die. And after the war, he falls in love with Draco’s twin. And like her parents accept it because all they want is for her to be happy. (They learned from their past mistakes)'

Characters: Fred Weasley x Malfoy!Reader, Molly Weasley x Reader (platonic), Lucius Malfoy x Reader (father), Narcissa Malfoy (mother)

Meanings: (Y/N)=Your name

Warnings: Swearing, mention of death, mention of abuse/bad childhood, estranged family relationships, judgement, reconnecting, lots and lots of fluff

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

(Y/N) Malfoy felt people staring at her as she walked down the street, some in disgust, others just intrigued as to why she would show her face after all these years. Her platinum hair gave away her identity, as well as her fine clothes that were clearly expensive. She didn’t want to flaunt, but she had earned these items now, after working to build up a reputation again since...since the battle.

Why couldn’t it be normal for her now? Yes, she had been on the wrong side, but she and her brother, Draco, didn’t have a choice. Their last few years at Hogwarts had been miserable, all because their families had made ties to the Dark Lord. (Y/N) had always been quiet, almost mute when she was younger; although she wanted to speak up about many things, defend anyone her brother was bullying, explain how she didn’t agree with her parents views on wizards who weren’t pure bloods. But she was always too scared, she didn’t want her father to yell at her like he did Draco, or that one time she tried saving a house elf from a beating (that had caused many nightmares to occur). The only time she did use her voice was when she convinced her brother to spare Potter, to lie, to make sure that their fellow classmates could live; although taught from a young age that they were superior, she realised how wrong her families’ beliefs were.

Shops turned silent when she entered, conversations were only whispers, the shop keepers not serving her with the same warmth as everyone else. As usual, she kept quiet, quickly paying for her things then leaving. Deep down, (Y/N) had always known she wouldn’t be normal like anyone else, but she could try.

As she left, keeping her head down again, someone bumped into her with such a force that it sent her flying to the ground. She yelped out, instantly feeling pain shoot up the arm she landed on, her shopping falling out of the bag and scattering around. No one helped her, they walked past as she struggled to gather everything.

“What a bunch of twats.” someone snapped, and she recognised the voice.

Looking beside her, out of all the people in the world, Fred Weasley had bent down to help her.“Fred?”

He sadly smiled, helping her to her feet as he held her bags.“In the flesh. You alright?”

“Yeah.” she breathed out.“Thank you.”

“No problem. I haven’t seen you for years.”

She ducked her head.“Yes, it’s been a while.”

He sensed her anxiousness.“Are you sure you’re OK?”

She cleared her throat, ignoring the pain in her arm.“Now I am.”

“Hey, why don’t we go grab a drink? You know, catch up?”

She looked up in surprise.“Y-you want to hang out with me?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I?”

Flashbacks to all the times her brother spoke down to their family, the moments where she didn’t stick up for them or tell Draco to back down. And when her family fought against the Weasley’s at the battle. She had heard from witnesses that Molly Weasley was the one to kill her aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange (although it didn’t sadden her, Bellatrix had always made (Y/N) uncomfortable and scared). Yet here Fred was, kindly offering a hand. Sensing her hesitation, he nodded, understanding now.

“I don’t hold grudges (Y/N), especially against those who haven’t done anything wrong.”

(Y/N)’s tense posture relaxed, thanking him once again as she went to take her bags from him. However, he retracted his arms, holding them away from her.

“So, are you coming?” he grinned.

Surprisingly, (Y/N) nodded straight away, laughing as she tried to grab her bags again. He laughed with her, already walking away as she caught up. She recognised the route, they were heading towards Diagon Alley, soon stepping into The Leaky Cauldron. Luckily it wasn’t full of people, they had come at a quiet time, though she still chose a table in the far corner, slightly hidden away. Fred went to get their drinks, leaving her alone with her thoughts. He was being so nice, no one had been like that in a long time.

“I can’t believe how long it’s been.” Fred sighed as he settled back in his seat, handing (Y/N) a drink.

“I don’t really want to think about the last time we saw each other.” she mumbled, looking down at her hands.

“No, me neither.” he quickly changed the subject.“Well, what’s been happening in your neck of the woods?”

“Not much I’m afraid. No one wants to be around a Malfoy.”

“I’m here aren’t I?”

She bravely looked into his eyes.“You’re just being sweet.”

“What about your brother?”

“Draco is fine. He’s actually met someone, it seems serious.”

“Wow, Draco Malfoy is settling down?”

“Yep. I’m happy for him.” she asked the next question before she could think about it.“Have you found anyone?”

He scoffed a laugh.“No, still stuck with my brother at the shop.”

“You know, I only ever went in there once. Draco caught me, he dragged me out of there.”

“What a prick.” Fred closed his eyes, sighing when he realised what he said.“Sorry, just used to saying that.”

She giggled, making him smile.“No, you’re right. He used to be the worst at times. But he’s better now, more understanding. He has a lot more respect for people.”

“And you’re talking more.”

“Yes, I suppose so.”

“You used to be so quiet. I remember the first time you spoke, it’s all anyone ever talked about.”

“I had always been told to keep my mouth shut or face a consequence. It comes and goes, though I’m happier now. Much happier.”

“Me too.”

That first meeting turned into another, then one more after that, before they found themselves seeing each other every week. These ‘catch-ups’ became much more than that. (Y/N) had laughed more than she had in her entire life, and Fred found it easier to open up to her about the past. They no longer met up in public, Fred mostly visiting her small home (not the lavish Malfoy Manor he had heard so much about) as it was more private and further away from anyone else. Drinks phased into dinner, dinner moved onto staying the night; both couldn’t wait to wake up next to each other, loosely snuggled up before tightening their embrace as they stirred.

They got away with keeping it a secret for months, except from one individual. George wondered where his brother disappeared to, teasing Fred when he came to the shop late and dishevelled. He dared to follow Fred one night, shocked when he saw (Y/N) kissing him. George gently brought it up, at first upset that Fred had been bewitched by a Malfoy. After the three sat down, George saw (Y/N) for who she truly was; she was scared about what George thought, though when he saw how they lifted each other up, he knew this was the right thing.

George had been accepting. But what about everyone else? (Y/N) had thrown up the day of meeting the Weasley family. Fred convinced his parents to not invite anyone else, just let it be the four of them. He also forgot to mention that (Y/N) was a Malfoy. She had to refrain from crying the whole way there, breathing deeply and thinking about something else to avoid a panic attack. She recognised the shock look on Mr and Mrs Weasley’s faces as she walked into the Burrow, their lovely smiles vanishing almost instantly.

“Mum, dad, this is (Y/N).” Fred proudly said, not afraid to wrap his arm around (Y/N)’s waist.

“H-hello.” (Y/N) shakily said, desperately trying to stop her nerves from getting the better of her.

The sound of the poor girl’s voice made Molly’s heart break. Everyone knew of their quarrel with the Malfoy’s, but seeing such the young, intimidated and quiet girl made her forget all of that. It had been slightly awkward at first, but Fred helped ease everyone into conversation, and by the end of the night, there were smiles on everyone’s faces. As they said their goodbyes, Molly had a chance to pull (Y/N) aside, seeing her son and husband deep in conversation.

“Thank you for tonight Mrs Weasley, it’s been lovely.” (Y/N) said, finally feeling comfortable.

Molly had seen (Y/N)’s surprised expression when they had been welcoming to her (once the shock of being a Malfoy went away). This girl had never received this type of attention, Molly imagined the only time the family was together was for silent dinners and public outings. But her personality around Fred was calmer, she looked reassured. (Y/N) needed love, she needed that experience of being part of one big happy family.

“You are welcome here anytime dear.” Molly smiled, squeezing (Y/N)’s hands.

When Fred managed to get (Y/N) away from his mother, she had been gushing about everything that had been said that night.

“Did you hear what she said to me?!” (Y/N) exclaimed.

“Yes, you’ve repeated it many times.” he chuckled.

The happiness remained until Fred brought up the question (Y/N) had been dreading.

“So when can I meet your parents?”

Although (Y/N) desperately wanted to skip that milestone in their relationship, it seemed unfair that she had met the Weasley’s, and Fred wouldn’t meet the Malfoy’s. (Y/N) hadn’t kept much contact with her parents, mostly letters to her mother, even though there wasn’t much to talk about. One night when she was writing one of the said letters, Fred had been looking over her shoulder, convincing her to mention the relationship. (Y/N) found it incredibly hard to put pen to paper, not writing Fred’s name, but explaining how far this relationship of hers had gone. Her mother penned back, expressing how much she wanted to meet the mystery man. It was finally time to do so.

“Should I have got a different suit?” Fred stressed as they made their way to her parent’s house.

“No, why?” she asked.

“Because...well, it’s nice, but not as nice as the ones your dad wears.”

“I don’t want you to dress like my father. I want you to be you. And are you sure you’re alright going there?”

“Are you?”

She thought about it.“Not really. I just keep telling myself that it’s just a house, there’s nothing more to it.”

As they stood outside Malfoy Manor, (Y/N)’s heart rate increased, She felt Fred’s hand become sweaty, but that could have been her’s too. Now looking at it, it felt much more gloomier, more haunting. But they only had to be here tonight, no longer than that. Of course her parents didn’t greet her straight away, the door opened by itself, and the couple cautiously walked in. (Y/N) flinched as the door shut, remembering how much she hated this place. It was so different to the Burrow; (Y/N) knew she should have been grateful for a manor as a home, with lavish decor and large amounts of land, but that could never replace the safe feeling you were supposed to feel at home.

“(Y/N).” her mother, Narcissa, gasped as she entered the room.

(Y/N) crumbled at the sight of her mother, knowing that she wanted their relationship back to how it used to be. But she still didn’t rush to hug her, casually walking over. Narcissa took in (Y/N)’s features, smiling as she thought about how beautiful her daughter was. Hugging her like only a mother could, she didn’t let go early, hating how long it had been since they saw each other. When they pulled away, Narcissa noticed the man, hiding her surprise when she saw he was one of the Weasley boys. (Y/N)’s shoulders ached from how tense they were as her mother approached Fred, opening her arms to him. Her mouth almost dropped open, as did Fred’s as he returned the hug. Narcissa no longer cared about being part of a ‘superior’ family; (Y/N) was happy with this man, and he had managed to bring her daughter back to her.

"Come you two, we have drinks waiting for you." Narcissa smiled, gesturing for them to walk ahead of her.

(Y/N) grasped onto Fred's hand again, feeling her breathing become deeper at the thought of seeing her father. Fred didn't want to push any boundaries in front of her parents, but he would be damned if he let (Y/N) become upset. He wanted to come to ensure that her family gave their blessing, it would feel wrong not to come; but if this was the last time she wanted to see them, then so be it.

Walking into the drawing room, (Y/N) unintentionally gripped onto Fred's hand harder, almost digging her nails in. There were no complaints from him as Lucius Malfoy turned around. He looked a lot better than the last time he saw him, though he had definitely aged, and being part of Voldemort's army hadn't helped with that.

"(Y/N), welcome home." Lucius said, his usual cold tone in his voice.

"Thank you father." she whispered, going back to her quiet self.

"So, he's a Weasley then?"

"Yes sir." Fred spoke, not afraid anymore.

(Y/N)'s head whipped up to look at Fred, then to her father. Lucius narrowed his eyes, stepping forward until Narcissa stopped him.

"Lucius." she warned."We've just got them back."

"Them?" (Y/N) questioned.

"Draco visited only last week. We met Astoria." Narcissa explained.

"He finally did it."

"What? You knew about her?"

Fred squeezed (Y/N)'s hand, silently encouraging her to go on."I send letters to Draco too. We've both been petrified to come back."

"Why?" Lucius had the audacity to ask.

"I'm with a Weasley. You belittled them for years. And it pains me to say that I stood back and did nothing. Never did I imagine that I would be forgiven by them, let alone fall in love with one."

She couldn't believe how forward she was being. But they were all listening intently.

"I've grown since I've left here. Fred has helped me to change, change for the better. I have missed you both, but you can't deny that we weren't a normal family."

Lucius and Narcissa exchanged a look, a wave of sadness washing over them. They had been caught up in the Dark Lord's work, wanting to fulfill the purpose they had been taught from a young age. They assumed their children would follow in their footsteps. Oh how wrong they were. And they regretted every second of it.

"(Y/N)," Narcissa calmly started, slowly stepping towards the couple,"we cannot express how much we regret abandoning you as a child. We weren't focused on raising our family. Losing you and Draco was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. Your letters have been the only thing bringing us a small amount of joy each week."

"Your mother is right."

Though his face was stern, anyone could see that Lucius meant what he said. He just didn't know how to express that.

"I can no longer tell you what to do or who to be around." he said."Your mother and I have had many long conversations about this particular topic, about you and Draco. We want you to move on, be with someone who will give you a good life and treat you better than we ever did."

This was too much for (Y/N), this was the longest they had ever thought about their feelings ever. She was frozen, unsure if this was a cruel trick. Were they really going to be happy for her?

"A-are you..." she steadied her shaky breath as tears fell from her face."Are you being serious?"

Narcissa's eyes widened at the thought of this being fake."Of course darling. I can't lose you again."

"(Y/N), we are happy for you both." Lucius added.

That sent her over the edge. She made up that she needed a minute, rushing out of the room. Fred didn't hesitate to run after her, calling her as she ran outside. (Y/N) collapsed onto the steps to the door, head in her hands as she sobbed.

"(Y/N), hey, it's alright. I'm here, I'm here with you." he gently said, sitting beside her.

She felt him pull her hands away."I just...I just can't process...did they really say all of that?"

He smiled, wiping away the tears on her cheeks."Yes. They love you. I know you've been through all those hard years, and this is a huge shock. It's going to take time to get used to."

"I'm so happy you're here with me."

"Be a bit awkward if you said you had a boyfriend and didn't show up with one, wouldn't it?"

She let out a short laugh, and he knew that she was calming down."Let it all out love. If you want to, we'll go back inside. If not-"

"No, I think I need to do this. You're with me, that's all I need to continue."

He held her face in his hands, slowly leaning in and pressing a small kiss on her lips."I love you."

"I love you more."

"We've got this, we're in this together, always."

#fred weasley x reader #fred weasley one shot #fred weasley imagines #fred weasley imagine #Fred weasley #Harry potter #harry potter x reader #harry potter one shot #Harry Potter imagine #Harry Potter imagines #Draco malfoy #Draco Malfoy imagine #Draco Malfoy imagines #Draco malfoy one shot #Draco Malfoy x reader

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dwollsadventures · 3 years

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The second part of a request from TheLOAD from... a while back. The initial one was the Nix/Nokk/Knucker piece. This one took me a little longer for a few reasons. Mostly school reasons. And writer's block reasons, which is why this is taking the place of the monthly preview. And because, for research, I had to re-read the entirety of Drakon by Daniel Ogden for information. For those not used to my pedantry, this is not an "in-canon" family tree of the Greek dragons, such as you might see in those huge Greek mythology family tree pictures that are on the internet (I've got a few in my favorites from waaaaayyyy back as well). Rather, this is a way of showing how the concept of the dragon came about throughout time and how other beings are related through those branching lines. Of course this is presented as a lot more neat than it probably should be. If it were truly accurate it would have interconnected lines all over the place and obscure the little lizards. Before we talk about what's on the tree let's talk about what's not on it. Though Odgen talks about every (and I mean every) slightly Draconic being in Greek and Roman mythology, I've opted to include a trimmed down version. Because some, like Medusa and Lamia, I personally do not consider dragons proper, and others like the goddess Keto are relatively obscure and probably only exist to explain the existence of a related being (like the ketea). Creatures like Chimera and Typhoeus are included because, while not usually serpentine or draconic, they are in effect dragons; horrible, vaguely reptilian monsters slain by a hero. Not every individual dragon is depicted, only the ones I thought pertinent to include. (warning: LONG)

To start with, a drakon is a snake. The Greeks used the word to refer to both huge monsters and mundane snakes. Drakon itself is derived from the word dérkomai and is believed to literally mean, "the one who sees". The hypnotizing power attributed to snakes is present in drakons, traditionally given the job of the sleepless guardian of treasure. Going back even further, we see that the drakon comes from two disparate cultural perceptions of snake, each of which is still present in its classical form.

Snake Goddess - One of the native precursors of the Greeks were the Minoans. They had more in common with their Egyptian and Near Eastern neighbors than the Italians and Balkans. From what little we can gather of their culture, it appears the snake was a symbol of the goddess. Whether or not it was any goddess in particular is unknown. This theme survives into ancient Greece, however. Athena often uses snakes as agents when acting with mortals, Hera uses them as well (the twin serpents who attempted to strangle Heracles and the Hydra), and Medea had a chariot pulled by snakes. Earth goddesses in particular are heavily associated with them. Python was a direct product of Gaia, and the snake was a divine symbol of Demeter, who also had a rad snake chariot. Even in mortal women, their dynamic with snakes and dragons is nurturing. Several heroines sing to snakes as their masculine counterparts steal the treasure they guard, fulfilling a nurturing role in comparison to the destructive masculine one. Here the snake is a guardian, a creature of the earth and everything beneath it, including gold and the dead. These dragons are usually not slain, but pacified by the presence of a woman. In addition, the beard is an originally Greek symbol associated with snakes, particularly those connected to the gods. This was quite possibly a signifier of their supernatural status above mundane serpents. The goddess depicted above isn't any one in particular, though her dress does pull from a statue of Athena holding a curled python.

Drakaina - One way in which the snake goddess has survived is in the drakaina. This word is simply the feminine form of drakon, but also encompasses the numerous beings characterized by having the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a drakon. Numerous beings in Greek mythology fit this theme, but the one I've focused on is the Scythian drakaina, a woman who intercepts Heracles during one of his labors and kidnaps some cows. She offers to return the cattle in exchange for a night of intercourse. And then Herc is off and we're told the three sons of that union go on to become kings of great renown in Scythia. Some authors interpret this as a Greek adaptation of a Scythian myth, with one of the key pieces of evidence being that the drakaina's name is Hora, meaning "Seasons". Regardless of whether or not this is a goddess, it is a story where the snake-woman is neither killed nor stolen from, instead given the prestige of being the founder of a line of kings.

PIE Chaos Serpent - From the Proto-Indo-Europeans up North, we get the dragon we're all more familiar with. Serpents of this breed, such as Apep, Tiamat, and Jormungand, are all enormous, destructive creatures allied with darkness and the unforgiving seas. They represent the primordial chaos from what order sprang out of, and often have a hand in trying to return the world to that way. One of the primary themes associated with them is the dragon slayer: a god or hero who fights a dragon to save something, be it a land or treasure or an Ethiopian princess.

Typhoeus - This guy, though significantly more humanoid and giant-like than any others, is the clearest example of a PIE chaos serpent in Greece. It does not get more typical than a giant snake (like) monster fighting a storm god. Typhoeus probably sprung from traditions where he was more serpentine, but gradually added other aspects. Such as his own storm god qualities. In Greece, gods associated with the winds are always given wings, save for Zeus. The two's battle is reflective of a battle between the terrible whirlwinds and lightning strikes and the calmer, helpful rain showers that enable humanity to survive.

And then we get to the drakon proper. Taking elements from both sides of the tree, the archetypal Greek drakon is an enormous, often monstrous serpent associated with both the underground and the waters in some way. They are agents of gods, most often goddesses, sent to battle heroes or guard priceless treasures. Sometimes they're killed, sometimes they're merely lulled to sleep by a helpful maiden. Rather than breathing fire (which everything from mechanical bulls to horses to giants do), they possess venoms and rows of sharp teeth. Mention of their terrible gazes is often made. This drakon has both a beard and a casque-like crown, common elements in drakon descriptions from Greece. Its face is much less serpentine, being modeled after a clay illustration of the Colchian dragon. This gives is a suitably monstrous look, as if it were being pealed from layers of mud.

Chimera - Despite its odd appearance, the chimera fits the pattern of a dragon terrorizing a countryside and being slain by a plucky hero. The chimera may in fact be the originator of the classical Saint George imagery, where the saint is depicted as towering over a crawling, pitiful dragon. A 3rd century mosaic from Imperial Rome may have started this trend. What makes her (because despite her mane the Chimera is a female) stand apart from all the rest is the sheer strangeness of her form compared to others. Especially the little goat that comes out of her back, like a rider. Which I had to cut for spacing reasons :(

Hydra - Another classical Greek dragon is the multi-headed hydra, who has given its name to a whole genre of creatures with more heads than they ought to have. In addition to having the attributes of a typical Greek drakon, the Hydra has two traits seen in Mesopotamian monsters as well. The first is the amount of heads. Having many heads is not as common in Greece as it is in the Near East, where the idea of an eleven-headed sea serpent pops up numerous times across several different cultures. The second is that the hydra, in its earliest mentioning by Hesiod, is said to have been raised by Hera specifically to combat Heracles. This same tactic is done by a few Mesopotamian gods. In their realm of influence, monsters are pawns of the gods, who send them out to do their bidding on Earth while they lounge in Heaven. Our Hydra may have been a later influence from Greece's neighbors to the East. Also, had to add in the crab that Hera also sends in to help the hydra. If this were a spec bio piece, I would make it a species of crab that evolved to clean the hydra of parasites.

Cetus - Sea monsters such as these are perhaps the furthest from the traditional Greek drakon, while still remaining core parts of the mythology. In form cetoi range from exaggerations of real whales and sharks to dog-headed serpents with frilly fins and ears. Or even animal-headed fish. Because they live underwater, they almost always function as tools of divine vengeance. Kinda hard to steal treasure underwater. Heavy metal tends to sink. While cetus was originally a word for any sea monster, it would eventually become the root of the scientific term cetacean: whales and dolphins.

But the tree doesn't end there. See, even after the culture we recognize as the Ancient Greeks and Romans faded, their dragons still lived on. Medieval Europe, with its glorification of Greco-Roman texts, derived many of their folk beliefs from their predecessors. Or, the people who they liked to imagine were there predecessors.

Draco - The Romans adopted the Greek drakon whole-clothe, like a lot of stuff. The only noteworthy original dragon to come out of the pre-Fall Roman era was the Dacian Draco. The Dacians used the image of a dragon as a standard during war-time, represented as a serpent with the head of a dog. When conquered, the Romans adopted this, possibly beginning the Western tradition of associating dragons with military power and identity. The dog-headed serpent would also survive to the modern period, showing up in descriptions of Balkan lamya.

Indian Drakon - Here begins a tradition in Greek and Roman literature that claimed that foreign parts were full of large, dangerous, and more interesting fauna than the mundane peninsula they were all stuck on. This is a common theme of humanity in general, where everyone you're not familiar with is teeming with exciting and ancient life. Just look at cryptozoology. India in particular was a favorite of Greek tall tales, being far away for journeys to be rare, but also rich and full of exotic animals. Philostratus populated India with three types of drakons: the lowly marsh, the silver hill, and the dazzling golden mountain drakons. They were typical in every respect, having enormous sizes, red crowns, beards, and guarding treasure beneath the earth. An interesting addition was that they were the mortal enemies of elephants. Being the largest land-animal (in real life), they made perfect prey for these humongous serpents. Feeding on them was fraught with peril, however, as the struggle between reptile and mammal could result in the death of either party, or both. To symbolize the foreignness of the drakon, I drew it as a sort of hybrid between the drakon and the Hindu naga.

Pliny's Drakon - This drakon is otherwise the same as the Indian, but is the start of another theme. As time went on, philosophers began taking more grounded looks at fantastical animals. While also perpetuating even more outrageous falsehoods. None was more popular than Pliny the Elder, hence the name. He believed that, while foreign drakons might be real, they were much more similar to the snakes of Greece than the monsters of legend. He scoffed at the crowns and hair they were adorned with. His Natural History was the first of many instances where the fantastical elements of the dragon were toned down to seem more palatable to a scientifically minded audience. It also introduced an interest into the life history of the dragons, treating them as real animals with lives beyond the myths. Our dragon up top evolved to resemble pythons, rather than the other way around to what probably happened in real life, where pythons were exaggerated to become dragons.

Then, we get two foreign influences, which would come to shape the modern definition of the European dragon. Christianity's influence cannot be understated here. As Jonathan Evans states in Medieval Folklore, the dragon came to be confused with several other desert animals. In Jewish and early Christian belief, desert animals were themselves demonic, living in inhospitable regions devoid of human life. Later, texts like Revelations would specifically denote dragons as heralds of evil, and even harbingers of Armageddon itself. This is in contrast to the morally neutral Leviathan. In the medieval era, dragons were beings of evil, without a doubt. Bestiaries were full of on the nose fables about how the natural lives of dragons. Like how they could not stand the breath of a panther (a symbol of Jesus Christ). Or how they could not catch birds that nested in the Peridexion tree (the tree being the church and the birds being Christians, who are safe from the devil so long as they do not stray from the arms of God). This is represented by a typical medieval devil, being brightly colorful and made in mockery of God's creations, aka a weird hybrid with a snake coming out of his butt. Then, the Germanic dragon. This is seen especially in Northern and Western Europe. The Germanic dragon is otherwise similar to the Greek, except that it began as a character of evil. Lindworms and other serpents are almost always antagonists, and there is no heroine who saves them from their fate of death. They also had a stronger connection to treasure. Greek dragons guarded treasure as a job, but the very existence of Germanic dragons is tied with their golden hoards. In addition, in Greek myths, getting transformed into an animal is usually the end of one's story. With the Germanic dragon, it's merely the beginning. Transformed dragons act as antagonists and moral lessons wrapped in one; a lesson to all to not be greedy. Germanic dragons, represented by the lindworm, reinforced their role as antagonists and agents of selfish evil.

Which finally brings us to the medieval dragon. In a way, this creature is a mix of everything above. The dragon is an animal and demon in one, simultaneously a figure of evil who spoils the land around them and a living being with its own life and needs. The medieval era also introduces the origin of dragons, showing them as having nests and young, not simply coming into existence out of the earth or sea like before. They also developed some less reptilian traits, like wings and hair. This was probably because of artistic traditions among the monks who wrote bestiaries rather than popular legend, which continued to conflate them with snakes and lizards and even crocodiles. This particular line of the tree would develop a life of its own, spreading far and wide across Europe and eventually reaching beyond the seas. Our modern conceptions of dragons are a whole 'nother story.

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