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soliloqueeer · 9 months

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13 Questions Every Harry Potter Fan Should Be Able To Answer

Question 1: Which house do you belong to?

Ravenclaw. I'm curious, creative and introverted. But I would also be happy in Hufflepuff since I am, at the end of the day, baby.

Question 2: Which Deathly Hallow would you choose?

If I'm being honest with myself probably the stone, to have one final conversation with my mother who recently, and very suddenly, passed away.

If that hadn't happened then I would've chosen the invisibility cloak because I love the idea of not being perceived.

Question 3: Which Character do you have a (not so) secret crush on?

Interesting question. I had to pick someone compliant with their characterization in the books then I'd probably say I'm most attracted to Tonks or Sirius, or the Weasley twins. But if you saw my AO3 history you'd think Tom Riddle.

Question 4: What are your Indepth and controversial thoughts on Severus Snape?

I think that Severus is a very tragic character. He came from poverty, was abused and neglected by his parents. The only person to ever show him kindness was Lily. He was canonically ugly, weird, and had bad hygiene. He was bullied by two classist Gryffindors and craved power and vengence which led him down a dark path. He died a hero who was courageous and self-sacrificing but I don't think she-who-shall-not-be-named wrote a convincing enough redemption story, especially not one in which the hero would give one of his son's Severus's name. He was still a wholly miserable person who was stuck in the past and verbally abused the child of his former nemesis for six years.

My controversial thoughts surrounding Snape was that he was first and foremost a genius - a potions prodigy who literally crafted his own spells as a teenager.

There was an unequal power dynamic between Severus and the Marauders. He was a dirt poor half-blood and they were rich purebloods. There was never any equal footing between them and as much as he participated in the feud, it was always in retaliation to their cruelty. (I can say this without bashing Sirius and James as all people contain multitudes).

I also don't believe Severus was a bigot. I think there's a good chance he hated muggles, as a result of the abuse from his father, but I he was too smart to buy into the idea of blood supremacy when he, a half-blood, was smarter than most of his pureblood peers. And when Lily, a muggleborn, was at the top of their class.

One of the more controversial headcanons I have is that Severus was recruited into becoming a Deatheater, not because he believed in their agenda but because he was allured by the promise of power, influence and vengeance. I believe he probably moved up high in the ranks after graduating Hogwarts because he was cunning, ambitious, and committed to proving himself and gaining Voldemort's respect. I also believe during his time as a Deatheater he most likely had to commit horrible acts of violence and cruelty, and that while Severus does have a sadistic streak (one that gives him the allusion of power), he does not wish suffering upon innocent people. He probably dealt with these peforming these acts by compartmentalizing his responsibiltiies as a Deatheater and using occlumancy.

One final thing I want to add is that I don't think Severus was obsessed with Lily in a 4Chan, incel sort of way (in fact, he kind of gives off ace vibes). In my opinion, Lily was the only person to ever give him love, kindness and compassion, and while he was in love with her, he was above all else, completely wracked with guilt over being responsible for telling Voldemort about the prophecy. He agrees to protect Harry because he feels indebted to her until the day he dies.

Question 5: Who, In your Opinion, Is more evil: Voldemort or Dolores Umbridge.

What a funny question. The first thing that comes to mind for me is Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump and the discourse in 2015-17 about which politician was worse. Voldemort (like Trump) is honest about who is is and what he stands for (self-interest and accumulating power). Alternatively Umbridge (like Clinton) tries to create the perception that she is good and righteous.

Umbridge represents the banaltiy of evil. She's sadistic and abusive, even towards children -all while wearing a polite smile on her face. She has the same vibe as a Catholic nun who abuses people in the name of god, and for Umbridge it was about the rule of law.

However, Voldemort's evil can't even be measured on the same scale. He's a meglomaniac eugenicst willing to purge the world of things he deems inferior to him. He was inspired by dictators like Hitler and Stalin.

It's far easier to hate Umbridge because she's not honest about who she is, and we've met a figure of authority who's exactly like her. Voldemort by all accounts and purposes, was far more powerful, influential and destructive, but too grandiose to relate to.

Question 6: Which death in the series is the most heartbreaking?

Sirius, Fred, Remus, but especially Fred. It was cruel to take him away from George. I think it would've been more satisfying if Percy, as a way to redeem himself to his family, sacrificed himself to save his brother during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Question 7: What Quidditch position would you play?

I wouldn't. I'd probably be in the stands or take advantage of the school being empty and fuck around in the empty castle all day.

Question 8: What Wizarding Career would you pursue?

Probably a teacher or academic/Unspeakable as I love research. That or someone who paints the magical portraits.

Question 9: Which book in the series is you favourite?

PoA was always my favourite as a kid because I really loved Lupin's character, and hearing about the Marauders. The time-turner plot gives me an eyeroll now but the climax is still one of the most thrilling to me. We also got a taste of Powerful Harry, which actually never came to fruition, but I really loved the idea that Harry was a very exceptional wizard who was coming into his powers and not just an every-man character.

Question 10: Who should have ended up together? Hermione/Ron or Hermione/Harry?

Hermione/Harry if it was developed earlier on. The author explained that Ron/Hermione was something she pigeonholed herself into in the first two books but later regretted it. I think canonically, Harry and Hermione are like siblings, but if their relationship was developed after PoA then it would've been really satisfying to see.

Question 11: Have you read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child?

No. Never will.

Question 12: Was Dumbledore a Hero or a Villain?

A hero. His plan worked in the end, as convoluted it may have been. I don't see Dumbledore as an all-good Santa-Claus-Grandpa character like his die-hard fans do, but I also don't see him as a chess-player villian twirling his moustache from the shadows.

I used to really hate Dumbledore because of how secretive he was. It was absolutely insane for him to have put Harry on that wild goose chase with such little information and it was a miracle they won the war at all.

At the end of the day, I think he was a man that feared having too much power due to the mistakes he made in his youth when he was hungry for it. He influenced things from the sidelines because he knew he was imperfect. He made mistakes all the time, and owned up to them, and if he was all-powerful those mistakes would have much graver consequences.

He loved Harry, in the end, and did not want to see him in that mess, but had the pressure of saving the world on his shoulders.

Question 13: Who is the real Hero of the Story? Harry Potter or Neville Longbottom?

Seems like a redundant question to me, but perhaps there's discourse around it I'm not aware of.

Harry is. But he doesn't carry that tile alone.

#harry potter questions #hp headcanons #severus snape headcanons #dumbledore headcanons #harry potter characters #hp fandom #harry potter canon #character analysis #ravenclaw #snape was a tragic character #not bashing #dumbledore wasn't a villian #but he also wasn't perfect either #that was the point of his character

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cowboymater · 1 year

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this might be incredibly niche but beetlejuice the musical batfam au with jason todd as lydia deetz, batman as the maitlands, and joker as beetlejuice?

joker was never one of batman’s rogues; his supervillain origin story ended up killing him instead, but he’s recently returned from the netherworld intent on becoming batman’s arch-nemesis and wreaking havoc on gotham. how does he plan to do this? enlisting the man himself, the newly-dead batman, to get a living person to restore them both to life

jason todd is jacking someone’s tires when the batman catches him, except batman seems surprised? that jason can see him? because batman is dead. batman is a ghost, who actually kind of sucks at haunting, if he’s being honest. and batman wants jason to bring him back to life. which he’s not doing, mind you, because the first thing batman does when he’s alive again is probably going to be arresting jason for jacking those tires, and picking people’s pockets, and every other crime he’s watched him commit because the dude Will Not Leave Him Alone. jason does not need adult supervision, thank you very much, and batman isn’t an adult. he’s dead.

anyway jason can’t bring batman back to life, because he needs batman’s real name for that, and batman can’t say it. and if he was bringing anyone back from the dead, really, it would be his mom. is that an option now? the weird clown guy with the green hair says yes. although jason isn’t sure if he should trust him. (batman says no, but jason’s getting a little sick of the guy who got murdered in a rodent costume acting like he knows how to make good life decisions)

#i will be writing this #dc #dc comics #batfam #batfam au #batman au #jason todd #robin #batman #joker #beetlejuice: the musical #bruce wayne

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fantasyinvader · 2 years

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I keep thinking about Shahid, and what he means for Claude’s development in Hopes.

In Houses, getting Claude’s supports was important for understanding his character growth. Those supports helped challenge his beliefs, made him see the issues with his own country, help him see that Rhea was not only a good guy but also a lot like Claude himself. It helps illustrate how Claude goes from “the Church keeps Fodlan isolated” to “I don’t think the Church actually preaches that crap” that we see in the gameplay.

During Part 1, while Claude is willing to commit war crimes (false surrender) in order to protect his country, the game does show him unsure of himself. If we dive into his support with Shez, it’s Shez who suggests that he disband the roundtable and take full control of the Alliance. This is referenced in Claude’s B support as one of the reasons why he did it, showing the influence Shez had on him becoming an absolute monarch. Combine this with his Hilda support, where she spends the early parts telling Claude that he can do it.

Their last support is meant to illustrate how different Claude is from his VW counterpart.

So, I can easily read Claude during Part 1 in a position where he was struggling to figure out what to do. Then Shahid attacks once again, resulting in Claude doing somehthing he never wanted to do. Kill his brother, which would paint the whole “the king would seek retribution if we killed the prince” line a lie on Claude’s part not to do so at the time. But here, we have Claude doing it, with Shahid throwing his Fodlani heritage in his face while rejecting the offer to surrender.

A lot of Claude’s issues come from being an outsider, a child of two different countries and now because of it Claude has crossed a line he didn’t want to. In essence, with that moment Shahid destroys Claude as he was instead leaving behind Edelclaude. Someone who will achieve his ambitions no matter what in the belief it will make the world a better place. Edelclaude (or Solo Wing Claude, because he really does remind me of Pixy from Ace Combat Zero) is who we see in Part 2. The Claude who will align with someone who attacked him and attack those who never harmed him in order because it works towards his goal of making it so that no one will be an outsider and suffer like he did.

Judith’s dead does not deter him, no matter how much he blames himself for it. Conversely, in the path where he does not suffer this setback in the Shadow Realm his doppelganger, a reflection of his very soul, calls him out on playing the good guy and wants him to drop the act (tying into how his route is meant to have a sense of nobility, meaning it’s meant to feel noble but not necessarily be noble itself). Claude knows he’s the villain, and going by his conversation with Dimitri does not want to hear about the serious consequences his actions will have. He still wants to believe he’s doing these awful things for the greater good (...did anyone hear an echo?). And of course, this ultimately leads to him killing Rhea in an inverse of him fighting Nemesis at the end of Wind.

Even his route’s colors have changed from green (ally) to the more ambiguous yellow.

I know that this is all done in an attempt to get players to better understand Edelgard through parallels, turning him from a foil into a mirror, but I still kinda dig the story here. It’s not “Claude is just like Edelgard without Byleth,” it’s more “without proper guidance and support, Claude could have become like Edelgard.” Would I have preferred Claude had a route that wasn’t borrowed from the Black Eagles? Hell the fuck yes. But what Hopes delivers, I feel only serves to illustrate his growth in the main game. It doesn’t undermine Wind, if anything Wind serves to undermind Wildfire.

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thecaffeinebookwarrior · 4 years

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Nemesis

As the city's official supervillain, my greatest obsession is obviously its hero. His photo is beside my bed, on my desk, in my wallet. It's not weird.

I claim, frequently and repeatedly, that my ultimate goal is his demise. But every time that goal is within my reach, I make sure to give him the time and opportunity to escape. Rambling, theatrical monologues usually do the trick.

If he suspects I’ve been letting him escape, he’s never pointed it out, and if accused I would deny it adamantly. Without him, I could easily conquer this city. But without him, why would I want to?

There’s little I cherish more than our fights. Matching wits and physical skills. My proximity to him. It’s the only time when I can touch him, taste his breath, if only for an instant. Out of everyone I’ve battled, he’s my only match.

A day comes when he’s not up to his usual standard. He seems distracted, almost, preoccupied. He can’t seem to meet my gaze as we do battle. I’d be offended, but I notice he seems to have lost weight -- an almost imperceptible difference, but I’m very observant.

I let him win -- usually, I go for a truce, but I don’t want to discourage him further if something’s really troubling him. I know his secret identity, of course, and I’ve known it for years. I learned it long ago, when our rivalry was young, and still naive enough to think that his eventual defeat was my actual goal. Even then, part of me knew that I would never dare to use it against him. I never have.

He’s a lawyer. That’s interesting to me. I wonder if his thirst for justice is in any way spurned by the injustice he must witness in the courtroom every day. In that regard, I can relate to him. By day, I work for social services, and I’ve seen injustices that make my stomach curdle just to think of them. As a villain, I can take actions that my mild-mannered altar ego would never dream of.

Tonight, I float by his window, which I’m well aware is a creepy thing to do. Supervillains are above creepiness. But I need to make sure he’s alright.

His apartment isn’t what I expected. Everything about him is larger than life, but it’s humble and cozy, his bed made with plush lavender sheets, a small television in the corner. Photos of family and friends on his bedside table, a stack of books.

He comes in wearing pajamas, a cup of tea in one hand and what must be his latest paperback in the other. He’s wearing glasses. His hair is floofy. He looks small like this, fuzzy, and I’m reminded how much I’m invading his privacy. But I can’t look away.

I watch him read for over an hour, turning pages and sipping his tea, like he’s an ordinary man and not someone who’s moved buildings and stopped planes falling from the sky. Finally, he finishes his tea, and sets his glasses aside on the bedside table, book-marking his paperback like it’s something precious.

He lies back and looks up at the ceiling, and a wistful look overtakes his beautiful features. He’s looking at something, a fixed point on his ceiling. I have to crane my neck to follow his gaze, and --

It’s me. On his ceiling, above his bed, is a photo of me. Clipped from the newspaper, it looks like. I recognize it as my very first bank robbery. My costume choice was hideous back then.

Suddenly, I’m taking stock. I feel like the air’s been sucked from my lungs. For all the times I’ve let him escape my clutches with a poorly timed monologue, for all the times I’ve held back -- I wonder if he’s been holding back, too. He’ll stop me if I’m committing a simple robbery, but if I’m burning papers that bind struggling people to unnecessary debt, I’ve noticed he’ll arrive just a little too late. If I’m dangling a corrupt business mogul out a window, he’ll stop him from falling to his death, but he’ll help expose his crimes and bring him to justice afterwards.

All this time. All this time, could he have admired me the way I admire him? Could he have --

I do a little dip, nearly dropping from the sky. I feel dizzy, like the ground’s been yanked from beneath me, even though it’s already stories below.

I can’t tell him what I’ve seen tonight. I can’t pause our usual battles to discuss our feelings together. But I can’t ignore them, either.

What to do. That’s the question. What. Do I do.

The next day, I take the day off of work, but not for my usual villainous activities. I spend a lot of time stressing over what I should wear, but ultimately settle on the sweater vest and tie I usually wear for workdays. I want him to see this side of me.

I go back to his building, just as a handsome lawyer is leaving in a perfectly pressed suit and reading glasses, a folded newspaper under one arm and a coffee in his hand for his morning commute.

When he sees me, he gives a double-take. I know he recognizes me, and my breath hitches. I’m putting myself in something of an awkward position by doing this, I’m aware, and a vulnerable one. He could arrest me like this. He could expose my secret identity.

And this is the first time he’s seen me without my cape, I’m pretty sure.

But his expression softens. I could swear I see the corner of his mouth quirk up in a smile.

“You look familiar. Haven’t I seen you before?”

My heart feels fluttery, and I’m disgusted with myself. But I can’t believe that fond tone of voice is directed at me. “I think so.” I look around. “I’m, um. Thinking of moving to this area. Nice view of the water, and. And everything.”

Years of eloquent monologues, and I’m reduced to this.

“Well. We should get coffee some time.” He’s smiling properly now, and it’s blinding. It always has been. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

#microfiction #short love story #my writing #valentine's day #to become someone's nemesis is such an act of commitment #imagine devoting that much time to someone #it's basically marriage

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remsmoonlight · 3 years

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— title : i need you

— word count : 2.1k words

— pairing : ryuji goda x reader

— summary : convincing ryuji of doing the opposite of what he’s set out to do is a pointless task, yet you will attempt if it gives him even one more day.

— warnings : blood, mentions of violence, some swearing, mentions of imagining of death, angst

notes : inspired by a prompt from here .. i had to do a self indulgent thingy for tumblr .. because why did they have to kill him off like that .. i tried to be dramatic as i possibly could

" none of this would've happened if you had just listened! "

A muffled silence drowns your hearing, the spinning of the Earth decelerates until it feels little more than a crawl with a weak grip. Rough cement scrapes the smoothness of your knee, leaving an angry blemish as grit fights to find its way into your bleeding wounds. No graze can pull you out of the deep end your heart finds itself fighting to stay above of, as you witness your worst fear painted perfectly on a canvas steeped in blood. The stillness of the air leaves you feeling flustered as your mind tries to make sense of what it observes before it, hoping that it’s no more than a deceptive trick played on itself by the fear you felt as you made your way up the tall structure.

A romantic thread of words have never failed in supply, but words left unsaid threaten to crush you under their weight, lost moments to time. A shudder of a breath shakily is let out, the cold air kick starts your body as you push yourself up and scramble to where the battered and bloodied body of Ryuji lays, almost motionless in pain. A childish cry to wake up from this nightmare is all you can think of, but reality does not bend to the whims of humanity, it continues with the path it has set. Resentfully, you can see the similarity that it shares with the male.

“ none of this would've happened if you had just listened! “ A broken cry full of fiery misery lick at the delicate snowflakes that descend from the heavens with a short lived grace, full of threats to burn as they penetrate your space.

The shock of the vibrancy of the liquid that escapes Ryuji leaves time standing still, you care not however, your fingertips gripping a heavy shoulder as the other lends a gentle touch to his cheek. Pain and grief masks itself as anger. You sorely wish to blame someone or something, but you had warned him.. You’d tried to reason with him that this course he’d set would leave him chasing an unattainable taste of sweetness of satisfaction that would dull with each day that dawns. A strong will that had left you in an addictive awe leaves you with a decaying taste in your mouth now, it creates an impossible amount of scars on your soul.

“ ‘Guess I should’a listened to ‘ya after all. “ He reluctantly answers, the humour unable to battle the drain out of his voice completely.

“ Why couldn’t you have just let this lie? “ A ticking pulls your attention away for a fraction of a passing second, a groan causes you to turn back.

“ Was always gonna end this way. “

A weakened grip that belongs to Ryuji ignores the resistance from his body, enduring the pain from the movement in order to experience skin against skin contact for himself once more. He wishes he could have found it within himself to have turned left, but he’d have lost himself without this self imposed purpose, fading into the background. It was selfish, to bring you into his world.. But to him? You’re an unfinished book, your words inked with glittering star dust that etch themselves into existence. He was unable to tear him away from your pages that you may have worn like wings. Selfish. To know how his story would end, yet knowing he would not be around for yours.

“ No. “ Your lips close, pushing against each other to numb the other, your features twisting into an aching grimace.

“ Can’t stop it now. “ he insists, brows drawing together as he scrunches his eyes up from the agony that throbs through every inch of flesh. “ Shit’s set in stone now. “

“ Stop it! “ You sob, hating how vulnerable you sound.

There is a sorrowful beauty in the scene, notes Ryuji. Pale beams of moonlight triumphant until the point of reaching your body that blocks it. Leaving no more than a radiant glow surrounding your head, providing an inhuman glow that illuminates your body as much as your soul — a wistful image that he’s glad to witness once more. Your being here is something of a majestic collision into a door to his person he’d fought to keep locked, if this is a departing gift he would gladly take it. He’d thought the last time he saw you would be when he unwillingly shared his plan, should this ending occur, he could take comfort in there not being a picture of you waiting at the door waiting for the other half of you to walk through the door, only to be met with a crushing realisation of never seeing him again. Only, he’d not expected you to follow in his tracks, not after he’s ignored your pleas of turning away from this path.

“ Ya better get outta here, ‘place is gonna blow soon. “

“ Not without you. “ you argue, refusing his direction — your grip strengthens ever so slightly, fearing the winter breeze has the power to boldly grow and tear you away from the man.

“ Ya got’a whole life ahead of ya. “ A twist of his heart is the dominant sensation he notices at the thought.

He wishes he could be there for it, to see the petals of your success bloom in the depths of your determination. One thing he could never understand was how, despite the tainted reputation that follows him like a shadow, never had been enough to put you off. Not a criminal tie to your name and you voluntarily merged your time and energy with his, with little care. Perhaps that’s where an addiction to his selfishness began. All his life and his Yakuza connections secluded him from genuine human connections and you’d trampled all over that with your impartial view. Many would prefer to cower in their fear, you’d scratched past the surface to see who he could be capable of being.

All the time spent together, and yet he still craves more. To linger in your orbit, time is his nemesis — for he still feels as if there has not been enough. Not the hours spent with the sun setting and you’re there by his side, when he’d spent more time committing the wonder at such a simple thing to his memory. Not the darkened hours spent together surrounded by silken sheets, and all that graced his ears was a musical symphony of breathy moans as you set about learning each other’s bodies. Never were the hours spent talking in order to hear the passion in your voice when speaking about something that interests you enough for him.

“ You can’t do this. “ You whimper softly, almost looking through the man you hold close. “ You can’t come into someone’s life, you can’t make them care about you and leave just because you want to. What did you think was going to happen? That I was going to sit by and let you do this? “

He says nothing, leaving space for a groan of pain to leave his lips as he tips his head back. He’s met with a darkened blanket where millions of stars are scattered so ungracefully, yet do not collide an uncoordinated dance across the sky. Uncertainty overwhelms him, over that is causing more pain — the wounds or the grief in your every word.

“ Just get the fuck outta here already. “ His voice echoes across the large space as he turns his attention back to you.

“ Were you lying all that time? “ You ask with a trembling lip at the thought of being without.

It feels like an endless amount of early mornings had been spent planning and chattering about the most random things. Your mind lighting up with the power of a thousand suns before the world had awoken around you. You can’t pinpoint the moment it happened, but the two of you awoke a little earlier than necessary to bathe in the image of the other — to forge a most perfect illusion of normalcy before stepping out into the real world. Mornings were not your most happiest bedfellow, yet you’d grown to love them just a little more when waking to the most simplest treat to sweeten your tongue.

“ What ya on about? “

“ All that time when we were talking, about what we were going to do? What we could do? ”

“ Why ya going on about that ? “ He asks curiously, eyeing you as you speak.

“ If you die, how are we meant to do any of it? “ Your words are rushed as you question him plainly.

“ Yer gonna .. just won’t be with me. “ Colour from the world feels as if it’s fading, merging into one bland monochrome depiction of a bright, bubbling city.

“ Can you stop?! “ A frustrated shriek tears from the bottom of your throat in response. “ I’m done talking in circles, I’m not dying here and neither are you. If I have to, I will drag you out with me. “

The world pauses in shock for a quiet fraction of a minute. To be spoken to in such a manner is not something Ryuji has experienced much in his life, even rarer by you — words that fell from your lips are always bathed in the sweetness of sugar, not an ounce of poison to anyone. Even the individuals who drew your temper out of its sleep were met with an incredible amount of restraint, he can hear the desperation — acting as a bucket of ice water to shock his nerve endings from the low temperature.

“ You did what you had to do. It wasn’t meant to be, but you can find another purpose. Build something else with your life, just.. Just come with me. Please. “

To be responsible for dragging you down with him, away from providing the world with your bright rays of sunshine in the bland day to day lives of everyone you came into contact with weighs heavily on his chest. Extra time spent with you, perhaps getting to know who his little sister has become are the treats tied onto a stick in front of him, life’s cruel bribe. He’d imagined how his ending would have been sketched by above, yet to have ties keeping him there had not been what he would have included. If he couldn’t be the one dragon, this would be a consolation prize that would allow for the petals of peace to bloom before he’d tear them down once more.

A strength he’d thought abandoned him glows with a dull hue, for a minute, he contemplates using that for Kiryu. Yet the other half of his soul wins the battle, a hand of his reaches out to push himself off from the concrete. It’s not an easy feat after being battered more than once, yet it’s not half as arduous as it could be with you supporting his weight — he’s fully aware how much of your strength he is using from your audible gasps of air.

“ Ya don’t gotta yell at me. “ he complains softly as he grips his side with as much force as he can dedicate to.

“ I don’t think it’s the time for this. “ You argue back quickly.

“ The red one. “

“ Huh? “ The sound escapes you as your features turn into a frown over how to get away from the ticking time bomb fast enough.

“ The lift, to get down. Press th’red one. “ He instructs you with a finger barely lifted, pointing in the direction of the button behind you.

You say nothing in response, the wheels in your mind working faster than your body as it moves purely on an instinctive reaction when receiving messages from your brain. Your stomach twists and turns from the descent to below, unable to process the way the city shifts into a state of obscurity from the swift movement. It would be a beautiful sight if it hadn’t attached a violent night as a parting gift.

“ You really scared me up there. “ You confess with barely a whisper. “ Can you promise me something? “

“ What’s that? “

“ That you won’t do something like this again. “ You say, with your heart hoping that he’d shy away from an impossible task should it present itself. Your eyes had seen enough hurt for one night, you’re confident you’d not be able to withstand it once more.

“ Wish I could. “

Teeth grind against the bottom of your lip, you should have known that he wouldn’t. Yet you also cannot find the strength to tear yourself away from the fire that burns within him, like a moth to a flame, you find yourself wondering how close you can stand against the heat before you flee from the pain it brings.

#Ryuji Goda x reader #Goda Ryuji x reader #Yakuza imagine #Yakuza fic #if this looks like it has been written in parts between the hours of 9 pm - 12 am #because it has #inspiration comes late

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smollandtoll · 3 years

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HC: Scripted Documentary

STOP! CHECK OUT THESE GIFS FIRST

These gifs give us all the feels, all the super soft Geno is the new guy at the government office job feels. It’s in the way the camera moves in that first gif, very parks & rec or the office, very scripted docuseries.

So here we are imagining some governmental office show shenanigans with Sid and Tanger and Flower and Duper trying to get a suburb approved, or a school or something, LET’S GET REAL probably an ice rink and and Geno is the wildlife and ecological impact consultant brought in to assist the project.

It’s usually just tons of boring paperwork and random occasionally dramatic or frivolous projects and petty office drama and occasional panicky dealing with the public. It’s boring work usually, but Sid is a committed and devoted leader and believes in the system of bureaucracy even when he’s thwarted by various nemesi.

Anyway, Geno shows up on the first day of this new contract looking like that and all the french canadians in their ties and dress shirts immediately turn to watch Sid blush. It is so apparent that he is Sid’s Type™ like...Sid might have based the type ON this guy he is hitting the nail so hard on the head.

“Am in right place?” He’d ask earnestly, eyes sliding over each of them questioningly, voice deep and accented. Duper and Tanger probably take point, ushering him in and ousting Flower from his seat immediately to set G down right next to Sid.

So with their fearless leader somewhat distracted by Geno's arms in that sweater, their round table discussion goes off track like immediately.

Geno is just giving so much side-eye at their weird and borderline intrusive questions. He expected a bit of inquiry as to his credentials, and maybe interests but:

"Why you need know I'm want kids?"

Sid abruptly realizing what's happened to their round table while he was spacing out - imagining peeling Geno out of various thermal fleeces and underarmour layers like a present just for him - and being SO COMPLETELY MORTIFIED. His friends couldn’t be professional if it came up and french kissed them.

"So sorry Mr. Malkin my colleagues have never been outside." He’d recover the meeting and get it back on track, luckily Geno isn’t too irreparably weirded out...maybe.

And he isn’t, he eventually just like settles into the staff and continues to be tall and beautiful and wear very clingy soft sweaters that make Sid walk into door frames.

(They all razz Sid that he definitely heard like music playing in his head and everything went slomo when Geno walked in the first time and Sid DENYING IT SO HARD JUST BEING SO FED UP WITH THEM. //JUMP CUT BACK TO SID'S TALKING HEAD: ....it was Taylor Swift)

But they discover he also has kind of a hilarious mean streak and he’s an absolute card shark at thursday lunch poker. He’s got a giant soft spot for puppies and kittens and baby animals of all shapes and sizes - they discovered this one bleak and stressful week a blustery February where the higher ups thought it would be a good initiative to give them some office stress relief puppies.

Anyway, there’s definitely a few seasons of Sid pining, Geno and him becoming good friends only to find out Geno is dating someone that he brings to the office christmas party or something. And she’s probably super nice and reasonable and beautiful and funny.

Sid is like KIND OF GUTTED ABOUT IT, and doesn’t fess up to getting Geno this insanely wicked secret santa gift - like a pen’s massage chair that blew the office secret santa budget out of the water or something.

So anyway, probably Sid works really hard on getting over Geno, and even starts dating like a wonderful dude who’s idk a high school football coach or something, very boy next door, very sweet and handsome and thinks Sid is just ADORABLE.

And there’s probably a lot of Geno talking heads about how much he hates that guy.

And a lot of Flower and Duper and Tanger talking heads where they just sit there and silently stare at the camera like ...what the fuck did we find ourselves in the middle of. The UST is STIFLING.

Then there’s probably the episode where like they have a business trip to go on and present their findings and Sid and Geno end up in a layover in the middle of the night in like denver or some shit, throwing popcorn at each others mouths from across the isles and Sid is like:

“You know what’s funny?”

“Hm?”

“I used to have the biggest crush on you.”

“Sid?”

“Yeah it was really embarrassing, I’d walk into doors and stuff when you wore tight sweaters.”

“Very clumsy when first meet. Thought you just get better.”

“Nah, just got used to you I think.”

“Not crush any more?”

“Nah, I mean, I had to get over it, we work together, and no way in a million years would someone like you want to date someone like me.” but before Geno can question him what that means there’s probably an announcement that distracts them and then Sid goes to the washroom and Geno gets an annoying text from Ovechkin and it’s forgotten until much later when they’re tiding up after a town hall one night and it’s clear that it’s just STRUCK Geno how beautiful and funny and amazing Sid is.

And then he’s being picked up by his boyfriend and Geno is GUTTED.

Geno is not good at being subtle, he pines as well, but on a level that CONCERNS the French Canadians who take him out and get him drunk and get the whole story about how he’s just realizing now that Sid is perfect and wants kids and would run with their dog.

Sid and the boyfriend meanwhile amicably break up because he’s been asked to coach at a higher level than high school, college I guess which is a big deal, and he needs to move, but it’s an important move for his job. He asks Sid to come with him and Sid seriously considers it for a little while, but he knows his job and his family through the job is too important to him, so they amicably break up, and because Sid isn’t very heart broken about it he doesn’t really act any different or see reason to mention it really.

Cue a lot of flirty shit happening between them that neither of them chalks up to meaning anything because Sid is “in a relationship” and Geno is “very uninterested” and the FCs LOSING THEIR MINDS OVER. At this point they are really rooting for them and don’t want to meddle - which goes against Flower’s very nature however so he definitely locks them into a utility closet together for a whole episode.

They get hangry, tempers flare, Geno kicks the door, Sid spills an entire bottle of lysol cleaner on his pants, they sit shoulder to shoulder and talk it all out and right as they’re about to kiss probably Phil opens the door looking for some toner.

Sid likely ducks out to immediately pee and like try to wash the cleaner out of his now RUINED pants and like mutter to himself in the mirror about what the fuck are you doing Crosby. He’s your best friend.

But Geno is probably definitely watching him from the door and just says “That’s best reason we should.” and then sweeps Sid into the kiss they should have had right from the beginning. And it’s all sparkles and fireworks and it’s in a grody men’s bathroom.

fin.

#Sid/geno #sidgeno #hockey rpf #fanfiction #headcanon #headcanons from the icy void #CLEANING OUT THE DRAFTS #WHY DID WE NEVER POST THIS?#IT'S SO OLD PHIL WAS STILL ON THE TEAM Y'ALL

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cheryblossomdreams · 3 years

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A Discussion About Dramione

This is a very difficult ship in the HP fandom, alongside others like Drarry etc.

However, I think there is something to be said for it regardless, since I’ve seen a lot of anti-Dramione content with some valid points and a lot of non valid ones too, so I suppose I’d like a try my hand at rebuking some of them.

1. Dramione shippers romanticize abuse and bullying.

At first glance, it certainly looks that way. Draco Malfoy was a racist, petty, spoiled bully that jumped on every opportunity to bully Hermione Granger and her friends. He is not a good character. In the Dramione fandom, no one claims he is a good character either. Instead, the Dramione fandom recognized the canon potential for change in Draco and uses that to shape their fanfics. The largest majority of the fandom (There do exist those really young fans that don’t quite yet understand everything that will blindly defend him or create extremely problematic fanart, but they are truly a minority) acknowledges entirely all the wrongs Draco has committed, and they are many. Actually, in most Dramione fics, the writers go to great lengths to process the part of DHr’s past that was filled with hatred and insults. You can find examples of this in the fic Measure of a Man by @inadaze22. Also to the point, most of Dramione fanfiction is written and set in a time many years after the War, after their school years, where they’ve both grown, matured and become adults, changed by time and what they went through, so it is a null point to say Dramione shippers romanticize bullying when their content is almost always set in a time where Draco is no longer a bully and Hermione is no longer a victim.

What the Dramione shippers like to emphasize is the fact that even though Draco used to be a horrible person, he had changed and grown past that, owned up to his mistakes and is now a different man. That’s what the stories they write are about. He had the potential to change already established in canon that he used later through his life to become someone better Hermione could eventually forgive and love.

You’ll be hard pressed to find a Dramione shipper that would say that while they were still in school they should’ve gotten together. Absolutely not. The content most of the Dramione fandom creates is always set post-canon, at a time where Draco’s changed and grown up from who he used to be, and Hermione recognizes his change and forgives him.

She certainly doesn’t have to forgive him, she doesn’t owe him anything, but part of Hermione’s bravery and overall character is that she would have been able to forgive him when she realized he’d changed. Plus, he saved her best friend’s life at a critical point in the war and, even though he did nothing to help her because he literally couldn’t have, which is something I’m pretty sure Hermione would have been grateful for, even a little bit.

The Malfoy family saved Harry’s life TWICE in HP, in both extremely critical moments in the war (Draco lying at the manor, Narcissa lying to Voldemort), which is something Hermione wouldn’t have been able to just ignore and pretend like it never happened, because that’s not who she is.

There probably is a very small percent of the Dramione fandom who create problematic content, but every fandom and every ship has toxic shippers, besides they are simply not the majority.

2. Dramione shippers use Hermione to redeem Draco.

The redemption arc Draco got in HP is extremely flimsy at best, especially considering the amount of damage he’d done prior. He saved Harry’s life, yes, but he did nothing to protect either Ron or Hermione, so personally I wouldn’t harp on about that being much of a redemption arc at all. However, I don’t think any Dramione shippers use Hermione to redeem him. In the Dramione content the things he did wrong and the hurt he inflicted is something Hermione recognizes and then, through the story, eventually chooses to leave behind. Besides, she doesn’t have to redeem him, since we know from canon he’d grown out of his beliefs eventually, privately at least if not publicly (more on this later).

3. Draco had a choice in how to act, if he really didn’t believe in blood supremacy.

No, he didn’t. Let me break it down why.

When he was 11 years old and first coming to Hogwarts, he was too young to understand the beliefs his parents ingrained into him were wrong and harmful, he simply didn’t have the mental capacity to comprehend that. He was a child that hung to every word their mom and dad said and he acted accordingly.

As he grew up though, started going through puberty and maturing, he would’ve realized that blood supremacy is wrong. Let’s say this realization came when he was 14. Lucius and Narcissa weren’t with him at Hogwarts, so if he changed his behavior to reflect his new realizations, they wouldn’t have known, right?

WRONG.

Do you really mean to tell me that if Draco Malfoy, only son and sole heir to the Malfoy family, an extremely wealthy, influential family in the Wizarding World and its politics, part of the sacred 28, well respected and with a high status in society, suddenly started being kinder and friendlier to Muggleborns and Halfbloods, people wouldn’t talk? People wouldn’t wonder, get suspicious? That such news wouldn’t reach his father, who’s got eyes and ears everywhere (evident by the fact he was able to bribe someone in Hogwarts to buy his son a position on the Quidditch team). And how do you think Lucius Malfoy, a devout Death Eater, would have reacted to receiving such news? What do you think would have happened to Draco when he came home that summer?

Draco was never abused and I doubt Lucius would start then, but I am positive he would’ve been disowned, for betraying the values his family had upheld for centuries. Lucius is a staunch blood purist and he absolutely would cut all contact with his son (disown him) when news reached him Draco was making nice with Muggleborns and Halfbloods.

And Draco knew this, he knew how strict his father was, he knew how deeply he believed in blood supremacy and he knew the consequences for stepping out of line and being anything less than the perfect son.

What would a 14-year old kid do being disowned? Homeless essentially?

So, even if he had realized the wrongs of his beliefs and renounced them, he couldn’t have done that publicly, and certainly not with Hermione Granger or Harry Potter much less, seeing as Harry Potter is the nemesis of the man his father believes in.

By the time he reaches 15 and 16, Voldemort is already at full power again and living in Draco’s house. Now things get even worse. After Lucius fails to get the Prophecy in the Department of Mysteries, Voldemort decides he has to punish him for his failure by having Draco take the Dark Mark. By this point, Draco had abandoned ideas of blood supremacy, but at this point, what the fuck is he going to do? Refuse The Dark Lord? The Darkest Wizard in all of Wizarding History? The guy who is living in his house AND holds the lives of him AND his entire family hostage? Who could and would murder Draco’s mother and father and Draco himself if Draco disobeyed? The man who murdered a person right on Draco’s kitchen table and had Nagini swallow them whole?

Even if all of that wasn’t true, and it is, how’s a 16 year old kid going to fight off a house full of seasoned Death Eaters, proficient at the Dark Arts who will use Unforgivables on him, plus Voldemort himself, plus a giant terrifying snake?

At that point, Draco is left with literally zero choice but to take the Mark and obey his mission to murder Dumbledore.

He hatches several plots to kill Dumbledore, all of which fail. When they stand at the Astronomy tower, even Dumbledore himself calls all of his plots halfhearted and weak. Dumbledore offers him help, but Draco is very clear in his regret of the things he’d done and the fact there’s no going back now.

‘I have to do this, I have to kill you, or he’s gonna kill me.’

AND

‘What do you know about me? I’ve done things that would shock you.’

(I’m paraphrasing here, these aren’t the exact quotes).

At which point Snape shows up and kills Dumbledore in Draco’s place because of the Vow he made to Narcissa.

Any way you look at it, he really didn’t have any choice, even if he did at some point during school renounce his beliefs and grow past them.

4. He tried to kill Ron.

I’ve seen antis blame Draco for this one, which is a bit ridiculous. He did not. He had madam Rosmerta poison a bottle of wine, which he sent to Horace Slughorn, hoping Slughorn would pass it onto Dumbledore. Filch hadn’t noticed any traces of poison in it, because he is a Squib, he also didn’t doubt a shipment from Rosmerta, and so he just gave it to Slughorn. Slughorn kept it around and then later he was the one to offer Ron a glass of that wine. In Draco’s plan, Ron wasn’t ever even mentioned nor included in any way. It had been an unlucky coincidence for Ron, and Draco couldn’t have possibly known that Slughorn would hold onto the wine, that Ron would ever be around Slughorn OR that Slughorn would offer Ron that same wine. Sufficed to say, Draco never attempted to murder Ronald Weasley.

5. He did nothing while Bellatrix tortured Hermione.

We’ve been over this, what could he have done? He had saved Harry’s life earlier, but that one lie couldn’t of spared Ron or Hermione, their faces were too recognizable, even if Harry’s wasn’t.

A room full of Death Eaters, some of the cruelest, most dangerous ones mind you (Bellatrix Lestrange) and he’d be 17, if I remember correctly, still not even an adult, plus at this point in the war even more powerless (considering the fact the Malfoys had fallen out of favor with Voldemort, evident by the fact Lucius tells Draco that if they deliver Harry Potter to Voldemort, all would be forgiven).

What did you expect him to do? Leap into battle and try to fend off dozens of Death Eaters, effectively betraying the Dark Lord in the process and single-handedly getting his entire family killed, if not even himself?

Would you have done that? No, of course not.

6. Draco Malfoy is not redeemable.

Now Draco’s “redemption arc”, if it can be called that, is a powerful moment but it’s flimsy. JK didn’t really ever intend for him to be redeemed or liked either, but let’s take a look at it anyways.

It is canon that Draco stopped believing in blood supremacy at some point during their school years, though we can’t know exactly when.

How can I say this, when his behavior never indicated that?

Well, I’ve already been over why he couldn’t have suddenly changed his behavior, now let’s go through how I can claim it is canon.

The scene where Draco lies to everyone about Harry’s identity.

That moment could only exist IF Draco didn’t believe in blood supremacy anymore.

Think about it, if Draco was devout to Voldemort and his beliefs like his father, he would have had no problem or conscience to tell everyone ‘Yes, this is Harry Potter, hand him over.’ It would have been favorable to him if Harry died.

And let’s be clear, if Draco had said the truth in that moment, Harry would have died. He was captured, wandless (his is broken, when they escape the Manor he steals Draco’s), Ron and Hermione captured as well, he was entirely helpless and surrounded by powerful Dark Arts wizards and witches who would lead him directly to Voldemort the moment they got confirmation it was indeed him and that would have been it. Voldemort would have killed him. Voldemort would have won.

But that isn’t what happened.

Draco looked at Harry, recognized it was him (evident by a later scene where Harry straight up says that. “Why didn’t you tell her? Bellatrix? You knew it was me, you didn’t say anything.”) and at first, still unsure what to do, asked why Harry’s face was like that, and he’s told Harry just came in like that.

Draco says “I’m not sure.”

At that point Lucius grips him and tells him that if they gave up Harry Potter to Voldemort all would be forgiven, Bellatrix brings him closer to get a second look.

Draco knows all the consequences of what he’s doing at this point, he knows what he’s risking, the literal lives of everyone he loves, and what does he do?

He still lies.

‘I can’t be sure.’

It’s a powerful moment for his character, BUT it’s not enough for redemption. The amount of pain and hatred he’d spewed for 6 years (I say 6 years because The Golden Trio wasn’t attending Hogwarts for year 7) is not redeemed by this one instance. His actions, letting Death Eaters into Hogwarts, likely torturing people on command of the Carrows in 7th year, are not redeemed by this moment, even if he did save Harry’s life.

However, though this instance doesn’t constitute redemption, it is telling of the fact Draco has changed, and changed significantly from the hateful, angry, spoiled, racist brat he used to be, which gives him potential to grow up into a different, better man.

Whether JK intended it or not, the way that was written makes Draco Malfoy more than redeemable, if not for the duration of the books, then later through his life.

Being a horrible person at one point in your life does not make you forever evil, does not mean you can not ever change. To prove this, I’d like to humbly request you to watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSH5EY-W5oM

Voldemort’s regime is very similar to Hitler’s Nazi movement, so this video is very fitting to my point and HP in general.

Here’s another three:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORp3q1Oaezw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw0vS0qvYo0&list=TLPQMTcxMjIwMjBZfqJdkbbQJw&index=2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4gly9n9RBo&list=TLPQMTcxMjIwMjBZfqJdkbbQJw&index=3

If you don’t have time to watch, let me sum it up for you.

The first video chronicles the story of a man who’d been part of the Neo-Nazi movement, managed to leave it behind and become an activist and overall an amazing guy now.

The other three links chronicle the story of Daryl Davis, a black man who’d attended KKK rallies and even met with the Imperial Wizard of the KKK Roger Kelly, somehow despite all odds became friends with him and eventually managed to get through to Roger Kelly to the point where this man (The leader of the KKK on a national scale) stepped down from his position and left the Ku Klux Klan.

That’s real life, something like that happened, truly happened, but Draco Malfoy is irredeemable?

PLUS, Draco is hardly the first case like this.

Take James Potter as an example. James was also a rich, racist, privileged white boy, and a bully. He’d bullied Snape severely, even set up a “prank” with his friends that would lead to Snape getting attacked by a WEREWOLF, putting him in mortal peril, with great potential of killing him, that required then a rescue operation.

James attempted murder, or if you don’t want to go that far, he set up a situation that quite possibly could have gotten someone killed, and he got to mature and grow past his behaviors and redeem himself, fall in love with Lily and have a wonderful son.

Why couldn’t Draco change when James had?

In conclusion, I think there’s a big diifference between what the Dramione fandom actually is and what antis think it is.

The heart of the Dramione fandom is about growing and changing and maturing and forgiving and falling in love despite the differences of the past.

It’s not about romanticizing bullying or toxic relationships, life is not black and white people, people can change and grow from their past actions and people can also forgive and move on.

There’s plenty of examples in the books of Harry and Ron mistreating Hermione and they all move past those instances (obviously that can’t be compared to what Draco did, I’m just making a point here).

I do acknowledge that the Dramione shippers have some bad apples among them, some problematic people that take it all too far, but honestly, every fandom and every ship has bad, toxic people so you can’t really use that against them.

All in all, things aren’t the way antis always present them, there’s a lot more gray there, and I hope this entirely too long post helped some of y’all see that.

#dramione #dramione discourse #pro dramione #a defence of dramione #anti dramione discussions

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whoree321 · 3 years

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the bad batch + unhinged episodes of law and order svu

Hunter: Granting Immunity (season 16 ep 19)

episode begins with rich prep school teens having a blowjob party while Good Girls Go Bad plays, leads to the squad uncovering an anti-vaxxer conspiracy among the mothers at the prep school. benson and barba prosecute the ring leader mom (trudy) for reckless endangerment after benson’s son noah gets the measles bc of trudy’s dirty child

this one gives hunter bc it’s very “perhaps i only care about this crime bc of my child, perhaps not” which really is one of his main personality traits

he def has the same aggressive maternal energy as miss olivia benson and that’s really showcased here

also i think hunter would enjoy the song Good Girls Go Bad like he would respect the flavor of tasteful misogyny

Crosshair: The Undiscovered Country (season 19 ep 13)

in this one barba succumbs to his deep rooted daddy issues and unplugs a baby on life support (i don’t remember the baby’s exact diagnosis but it was basically like dead as a doornail and only in excruciating pain and one parent wanted it alive and the other wanted to pull the plug). he gets tried for murder and is acquitted but still resigns as an ADA to take some time to unpack his trauma

crosshair would definitely kill a baby and somehow convince us it was the morally correct thing to do

barba and crosshair are also very sexy in a very similar way (arrogant bastard who masks his early life trauma and deep insecurities with cockiness and snark)

seriously tho i really think crosshair would kill a baby and not a brain dead one

like i’m sure the baby would deserve it but crosshair would take its life without hesitation

Tech: Zebras (season 10 ep 22)

basically this really irritating loud mouth lab tech named stucky makes a super boneheaded clerical error that gets an entire case against a murderer thrown out. he absolutely loses his fucking mind and stages several other murders to frame on the dude bc he can’t cope with his failure and then he kills the other lab tech and tries to kill stabler when they discover evidence linking him to the murders

i feel tech in this episode bc i think one day he will go off the rails like this

like chatty geek who everyone is annoyed by gets pushed over the edge by his mean coworkers and commits several heinous murders that are almost perfectly framed on someone else?

mary that’s what filoni is actually gearing up to for season 2. the devolution of tech after years of psychological warfare.

the only difference is that when tech finally becomes a serial killer he will never be caught

Wrecker: Wildlife (season 10 ep 7)

a woman is mauled by a tiger, the detectives discover an animal smuggling ring run by the Russian mob. stabler goes undercover and the mob guns him down in the street when they figure out he’s a big fat faker. at one point a rapper is eaten by hyenas and they eventually catch the mob in the act when they smuggle a monkey inside of a basketball

i think that wrecker really likes animals and he would enjoy both seeing exotic animals and also brutalizing people that hurt them

just like elliot stabler, wrecker would be a dreadful undercover agent and would likely get whacked instantly by any sort of organized crime syndicate

the absurdity of a whole entire gibbon monkey inside of a basketball is something he would be greatly amused by

i also think that wrecker could beat 1 (one) wild cat in hand to hand combat and i would love to bear witness (edit: i forgot about that one time when wrecker WWE smackdowned muchi the rancor so i will amend this statement and say he could beat 2 (two) wild cats in hand to hand combat)

Echo: Bang (season 12 ep 22)

baby is found in a dumpster, they figure out it’s the adopted baby of a girlboss named dede. she is dating john stamos, who we know is not playing a good character bc he has untrustworthy sideburns. she gets pregnant and he’s super gross about it like way too happy, they come to find out that he’s a sicko who loves to impregnate women and he’s fathered like literally 47 kids. at the end the domestic violence counselor the squad worked with murders john with a scuba diving knife that has a ton of pressurized CO2 in it and makes him explode

i feel that echo has a long-standing feud with john stamos and this episode would validate him

he would appreciate the theatricality of a pressurized exploding knife as well as the scene when like 20 of the mothers confront him at the precinct and are like “you’re a fucking terrible deadbeat father please choke”

there’s a lot of strong female energy in this episode and i can tell echo respects women who murder

overall he would really enjoy the unionization of single mothers to defeat his one true nemesis (johnathan stamos)

Omega: Gone Baby Gone (season 19 ep 9)

basically brooke shields kidnaps benson’s adopted son noah bc he’s her biological grandson and there’s like a whole manhunt for them. liv goes through some of the most crippling anxiety and despair of her life and then they find noah and he’s literally just like “that was a great trip we saw a deer and ate mcdonald’s i can’t wait to do it again sometime!”

omega gets kidnapped literally all the time bc just like noah porter-benson, she’s a little cutie

she also sometimes exhibits a very similar “teehee oops” energy in the face of extreme peril

i think if brooke shields could get her grubby paws on her she would snatch omega right up and sell her to the highest bidder

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taleslations · 3 years

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ToX 2 Unused Ideas

(For unused main plot ideas, see here.)

There are a few more unused ideas that can be found in the World Guidance book, namely fractured dimensions, some ideas about the Kresnik bros, and Fractured Milla’s personalities. Here is a direct translation of what the writers had to say about it:

Unused Fractured Dimension Ideas

A world without Leia

The party enters the fractured dimension in Leronde, and by talking to NPC they realize they don’t know Leia. They discover that Leia’s mother Sonia married a different man than Leia’s father. By talking to him, they learn that a long time ago, he wanted to ask her out but never got the courage to. That small difference was enough to prevent Leia from existing. As in the prime dimension, Jude went to med school and the world goes on mostly unchanged. This feeds into Leia’s self-doubts but she also treasures the luck of being born in her world.

A world where Ludger rejected his fate

In this world, fractured Ludger has abandoned his mission, because he didn’t want to hurt anyone anymore - and besides, since he comes from a fractured dimension, he knew that he was doomed to disappear one day, so he might as well spend what’s left of his life as a normal person. Prime Ludger destroys this world with conflicted feelings.

Lady Nadia’s vacation

A dimension where Agria (Nadia) lives as a noble lady of House Travis. She is attending a festival in Hamil with Leia and Elize. She is teaching Leia a dance to pray for good harvest, but she suddenly freezes, because Gaius, the king of Rieze Maxia, appeared in her line of sight. Pushed by Leia and Elize, Nadia nervously speaks to him. When she comes back, she hits Leia to hide her embarrassment and whispers “…He’s even cooler than I thought.” The three of them laugh and fade away among the masses of festivalgoers. Prime Leia, who’d been observing them, feels her heart break when she remembers the fate of the Agria she knew. But she swears strongly to never forget her.

An ironic fate

A world where Milla eventually destroyed Exodus, but later than in F4216’s fractured Milla’s world. Fractured Jude works with Professor Haus and they’re making big progress in… spyrix research! This fractured Milla tries to hinder their research and fractured Jude manages to escape her and entrust his data to prime Leia. When the party goes back to the prime dimension, the data turns to dust…

Gaius and Wingul

The initial idea was one of a world where Wingul was ruling Auj Oule as the Long Dau chief. In that world, he had captured Gaius, his nemesis, and was about to have him publicly executed. He even used Karla to torment him. However, that Gaius could not let go of his royal pride and abandoned his sister. Watching that, prime Gaius would slay both fractured Wingul and fractured Gaius! Gaius is a good character, but if you leave him be, he has a tendency to solve everything by himself, which means trouble for us (laugh). So we gave him a role where he could properly judge Ludger’s choices instead.

Unused Ludger & Julius episode ideas

Wrongly accused Julius

Because of plotting by someone who hates Julius, Julius is arrested for a murder he did not commit. To get it over with, the authorities try to force Julius to confess. But he doesn't want his brother to be known as the brother of a murderer. One day, the authorities warn Julius that Ludger is in danger and say that they need him to save him. So Julius confesses to the crime. He is then forced to write an apology to the victim's family and serves as an example of a model prisoner. He gets out three years later, but can't show himself to Ludger when he believes him to be a murderer, so he helps him behind the scenes.

Murderer Julius

Ludger has a sickly twin sister. The three of them lived happily together as the sole family they had left in the world, but one day Julius kills the sister when Ludger is away, then disappears without a word. The truth was, the sister asked him to kill her because she was sick of fighting against her illness. Julius at first refused but then she tried to commit suicide. He managed to stop her, but seeing her in agony, he made the decision to grant her her wish, especially because he didn't want Ludger to have to do it. He becomes a wanted man because of that, and their happy life comes to an end.

Unused Fractured Milla Personality Ideas

Cheerful Type: Likes talking and overreacts to everything so she's a bit annoying. But she's an honest girl and thus hard to dislike.

Normal Person Type: The type to get involved against their will. She was just living her life, but got caught into troubles. She's just a normal person, so people like her.

Little Devil Type: Greedy. Likes playing pranks, hates boredom. Changes attitude depending on the person.

Evil Type: Cunning. Always thinks about her own profit and risks before acting, doesn't care about others. Is lonely deep down, but rarely shows such weakness.

Modest/Pure Type: The kind of cute girl men like.

Down-to-earth Type: The kind of girl women can empathize with. Sometimes shows a cheeky side.

(Source: ToX2 Official World Guidance Book)

#tales of xillia 2 #unused ideas #xillia worldbuilding #credit: yumexhanabi

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astrognossienne · 3 years

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scandalous star: gary cooper -an analysis

“I don’t like to see exaggerated airs and exploding egos in people who are already established. No player ever rises to prominence solely on talent. They’re molded by forces other than themselves. They should remember this – and at least twice a week drop to their knees and thank Providence for elevating them from cow ranches, dime store ribbon counters and bookkeeping desks. ” - Gary Cooper

He didn’t say much, but when he did, it carried a lot of weight. He was the archetypal hero of the Old West; the quintessential masculine ideal of the stoic and “strong silent type” that most Taurus men are. But for famously laconic Gary Cooper, his good looks and earnest, haunted eyes for decades made him the quintessential lonely American of motion pictures.He was a more equanimous, human protagonist versus boisterous, bigger-than-life Hollywood supermen. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his individualistic, emotionally restrained, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made. He was a man’s man...as well as a ladies’ man. Cooper became a hero to many, even as he developed a reputation as one of the most notorious philanderers in Hollywood. Privately a debonair ladykiller with a taste for high society, he crafted an image as just the opposite from his prototype cowboy image he materfully portrayed on the silver screen. He was insatiable, before and during his marriage. How did he reconcile his moral righteousness onscreen (Taurus sun) with his philandering offscreen (Sagittarius moon)? That was the work of the fixers, gossip magazines, and the studio system at large, which ensured that Cooper was never caught, never denounced, and held up as a paragon of American values.

Gary Cooper, according to astrotheme, was a Taurus sun and Sagittarius moon. He was born Frank James Cooper in Helena, Montana, the second son of an English farmer from Bedfordshire, who later became an American lawyer and judge, Charles Henry Cooper (1865-1946), and Kent-born Alice (née Brazier) Cooper (1873-1967). As a child, he met a freed slave woman named Mary Fields, otherwise known as Stagecoach Mary, and so awed by her was she that he later wrote an account of his memories of her in Ebony magazine. His mother hoped for their two sons to receive a better education than that available in Montana and arranged for the boys to attend Dunstable Grammar School in Bedfordshire, England between 1910 and 1913. Upon the outbreak of World War I, Cooper’s mother brought her sons home and enrolled them in a Bozeman, Montana, high school. Upon graduation, he eventually matriculated at Grinnell College in Grinnell, IA, where he attempted to nurture a passion for drawing - until a serious car accident ended his college days in the summer of 1920. He would recover from his severely injured hip through an odd but painful therapy, horseback riding.

When his father retired from the bench and moved his mother to Los Angeles, Cooper gave up agriculture classes to try his hand as a Hollywood extra. Cooper played an extra in a handful of silent films before arriving on the set of The Winning of Barbara Worth in 1926. The actor cast as the second male lead didn’t show, and someone shoved Cooper into the part. He appeared with Clara Bow (who soon became one of his conquests) in her star-making film It, but it was his appearance in another Bow vehicle Wings, released later that same year, truly launched his career. He plays a World War I flying cadet, and although his screentime was still relatively short, there was one scene — an extended close-up shot, the light streaming in from outside — in which he looked gorgeous. In 1929, he filmed The Wolf Song with Lupe Vélez. He soon had an affair with Velez, who purportedly claimed that Cooper “has the biggest organ in Hollywood but not the ass to push it in well.” For more on their relationship, read my star analysis on Lupe.

Cooper filmed The Virginian — his first real “talkie,” and the film was a major hit and cemented the foundation of Cooper’s image. His ability to project elements of his own personality onto the characters he portrayed, to appear natural and authentic in his roles, and to underplay and deliver restrained performances calibrated for the camera and the screen helped make him a cinematic success, often lauded by those he worked with. However, his good looks and charisma made him a success with women, whether he worked with them or not. Over the next few years, Cooper was paired with the most gorgeous and promising female stars in Hollywood —with Carole Lombard in I Take This Woman (whom he slept with), Claudette Colbert in His Woman (whom he allegedly slept with), Marlene Dietrich in Morocco and Desire (who he famously slept with more than once), and Joan Blondell in Make Me a Star (who he allegedly slept with). In 1932, Cooper and his Paramount “rival,” Cary Grant, were cast against Tallulah Bankhead in Devil and the Deep (1932). Like Lupe Velez, Bankhead was a loose cannon, with most famous quote being:

“The only reason I went to Hollywood was to fuck that divine Gary Cooper.”

Amidst all his public and private action, Cooper began courting Veronica “Rocky” Balfe, a starlet who went by the stage name of Sandra Shaw. She was also best known as the blonde dropped by King Kong. The two were wed in late 1933. Balfe retired from the screen to become a wife and mother, with her giving birth to their only child, Maria, in 1937. Cooper portrayed a new type of hero—a champion of the common man—in films like Mr. Deeds Goes To Washington and 1941′s Sergeant York (which won him his first of two Best Actor Oscars). Cooper met Ernest Hemingway at Sun Valley in October 1940 and they were friends for the rest of his life. He co-starred with Ingrid Bergman (with whom he had a year-long affair with) in a the film adaptation of Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls. He kept starring in more films and bedding his female co-stars until he got more than he bargained for when he made The Fountainhead. Naturally, the 47-year-old Cooper had an affair with his co-star, the 21-year-old Patricia Neal. However, this time things got crazy: Neal wound up pregnant with Cooper’s child. He insisted she have an abortion. When Cooper’s long-suffering wife found out about the relationship, she sent a telegram demanding he end it. This didn’t work; he also confessed that he was in love with Neal, and continued to see her. Cooper and his wife legally separated in May of 1951. Cooper’s daughter Maria, by then in her early teens, famously spat on Neal in public. Neal later claimed that Cooper hit her after she went on a date with Kirk Douglas. Neal ended their relationship in late December 1951. Amid all this drama, Cooper starred in what is now regarded as his defining role: the beleaguered sheriff in High Noon, which won him his second Best Actor Oscar. In later life, he became involved in a relationship with the costume designer Irene, and was, according to Irene, "the only man she ever loved".

Maybe all his previous actions had an affect on him because Cooper converted to Catholicism in 1958, and reconciled with his wife and daughter. Also, he began starring in films that centered around searching for redemption, such as Friendly Persuasion (1956) and Man of the West (1958). In 1960, Cooper fell ill with prostate cancer, which quickly spread to his colon, lungs, and bones; he died of it shortly after his 60th birthday in 1961. A year after his death, Irene committed suicide by jumping from the 11th floor of the Knickerbocker Hotel, after telling Doris Day of her grief over Cooper's death. Regardless of his philandering, regardless of the arduous work of his studio’s publicity departments, there was something plaintive, almost childlike, maybe even innocent about Cooper, so he can easily be forgiven his sins. He acted out what mattered to millions of people, and that act made him a star beyond measure.

Next, I’ll focus on his former paramour Lupe Velez’s arch nemesis. A woman who happened to be wife of MGM art director Cedric Gibbons (Gary Cooper’s wife Rocky’s uncle). She was another pioneer of Mexican cinema who was arguably the first Latina to successfully crossover to Anglo audiences: Leo Dolores del Río.

Stats

birthdate: May 7, 1901

major planets:

Sun: Taurus

Moon: Sagittarius

Rising: Taurus

Mercury: Taurus

Venus: Taurus

Mars: Leo

Midheaven: Aquarius

Jupiter: Capricorn

Saturn: Capricorn

Uranus: Sagittarius

Neptune: Gemini

Pluto: Gemini

Overall personality snapshot: He was torn between an instinct to roam free and a determination to find security and make a solid, lasting contribution to the world. As he repeatedly changed horses in search of both ultimate certainties and high-spirited adventure at the same time, he could find himself deeply divided and uncertain. He sought to earth the fire from heaven and put it to work, but he found all too often that it would not let him rest. In his search for stability and security, he became a farmer and was immediately confronted with the changing seasons. He embraced the solid certainties of geology and are hit by an earthquake. He liked to feel the solid earth move. He sought certitude and permanence, yet his endless inquiries constantly confounded yesterday’s certainties. When he got his own uncertainties together (by accepting he wanted the best of both the changing and the unchanging worlds), he could have been a brilliant teacher, conversationalist, counselor, entertainer, wit, creative artist or entrepreneur – in fact he could have been anything he wanted. Once focused, he could be a human dynamo, and wonderfully humorous, witty and entertaining with it. As he discovered, his quest for solid material certainties did not make a happy bedfellow for his yearning for excitement and larger religious and spiritual understanding. In one way or another, be it through philosophy and the spiritual quest or through writing, music or art, he needed to put together and formulate a total vision of the universe which is based on unassailable facts yet satisfying to his idealism.

Constantly seeking, he was a natural agnostic, applying the criteria of science to counter woolly speculations, yet at the same time highly skeptical of the limited and statistical pronouncements of unthinking science. The danger, if he did not marry these elements within him, is that he would swing from one to the other and undermine the virtues of both. A restless changing of jobs, careers, partners, visions or aspirations left him drunk with his own spinning. When he deliberately tried to remain sober and commonsensical, it seemed to make matters worse for there was something of the gambler in him. This all-or-nothing streak can temporarily overcome your natural caution and enable you to burn your bridges (though you will usually ensure there is something tucked away for a rainy day). He felt an impulsive need to do things on a grand scale, to live with commitment, to feast on the world, and to understand what it was to be alive in all possible ways. He seemed to be called both to explore the reaches of the imagination and to build secure foundations. He brought far-reaching visions into manifestation, and these visions injected his conservative desire for stability and security with flair and colour. His vision of tomorrow and the larger world gave spice to any project he undertook. He saw endless possibilities and wanted to make them real. In this he could be the natural entrepreneur who saw economic opportunities at every turn, an inspiring counselor and teacher, and a stimulating companion whatever he did.

His well-shaped body displayed a warm attractiveness and ripeness. In his later years, he may have needed to watch the tendency to gain weight too easily. His strong broad shoulders supported a very large neck size. His most outstanding feature was his eyes and his gentle smile and voice. He was big-boned. He enjoyed dressing well, preferring soft colours. He was practical, steady and patient, but he could be inflexible in his views. One thing he did have was plenty of common sense and good powers of concentration, although he tended to think that purely abstract thought was a waste of time. His thought processes weren’t as quick as others, but his decisions were made with a lot of thought behind them. He also had the welcome ability to bring people together. He needed to be able to show his originality and independence in any job for complete satisfaction. His work should also satisfy his scientific bent and humanitarian leanings. He needed scope for his inventiveness, because he was able to bring a fresh view to any job. Ideally, his work should permit him to express the idealistic side to him character and allow him to help as many people as possible. He could be extremely efficient in the way that he tried to get maximum result out of minimum effort. He didn’t like extravagance and waste. He was a thoughtful and resourceful person, who was well-informed on many subjects. Success came gradually and as a result of hard work. Success and growth, for him, were expressed by material and financial achievements, bringing status and prestige.Worldly success was well within his reach, because he possessed all the necessary talents to gain power, influence and status. He was practical, determined and patient. When there were hitches in his plans, he simply worked around them. He knew where he was heading to, and had already figured out the best way to use his talents to reach his goals.

Although he could be fairly pessimistic about life in general, it didn’t put him off aiming for the top. He could be very single-minded about reaching his goals, and was prepared to put his career interests above his personal happiness. He was extremely aware of his own worth. He was prepared to work beyond the call of duty. His strong sense of ambition gave him a certain rigidity, arrogance and selfishness in the eyes of others. He belonged to a generation with fiery enthusiasm for new and innovative ideas and concepts. Rejecting the past and its mistakes, he sought new ideals and people to believe in. As a member of this generation, he felt restless and adventurous, and was attracted towards foreign people, places and cultures. As a member of the Gemini Neptune generation, his restless mind pushed him to explore new intellectual fields. He loved communication and the occult and was likely also fascinated by metaphysical phenomena and astrology. As a Gemini Plutonian, he was mentally restless and willing to examine and change old doctrines, ideas and ways of thinking. As a member of this generation, he showed an enormous amount of mental vitality, originality and perception. Traditional customs and taboos were examined and rejected for newer and more original ways of doing things. As opportunities with education expanded, he questioned more and learned more. As a member of this generation, having more than one occupation at a time would not have been unusual to him.

Love/sex life: His sexuality was a wonderful combination of sensuality and basic laziness. He let himself be carried along by his pleasure-seeking instincts, greeting every new experience with fresh eagerness and then slowly draining from that encounter all the joy it has to offer. This passive, easy-going approach to sex not only made for good technique, it also conceals the egocentric strength and stubbornness that was at the core of his erotic nature. People don’t realize that beneath all that luxurious hedonism he was always the person in control. He was a conservative lover for whom appearances were always important. There may have been occasions when his sensuality lured him into indiscretions but he was quick to cover his tracks and hide the evidence. The quiet practicality of his sexual nature served as a handy antidote for his Martian braggadocio. He knew that he was the best there is but he was willing to sit back and let the world find out the good news on its own. In his youth Cooper was endorsed by several female “experts” of the time (such as Clara Bow, Marlene Dietrich and Tallulah Bankhead) as Hollywood’s sexiest man. His soft spoken and manly sex appeal projected just as well on the screen. After marrying at age 32, Cooper’s sex life became somewhat more sedate though he never lost his ability to attract women.

minor asteroids and points:

North Node: Scorpio

Lilith: Scorpio

Vertex: Libra

Fortune: Capricorn

East Point: Taurus

His North Node in Scorpio dictated that he needed to be careful not to let the more emotional side of his personality overwhelm him. Instead, he should have set out to consciously develop his more practical abilities. His Lilith in Scorpio ensured that he was dangerously attracted to those women who seduced and conquered on a daily basis; who liked life intense and was judged for her sexuality and general vibe and learned early on how to deflect moral judgments. His type of women may have been tried in the court of public opinion but no way were they going to show up for the sentencing. His Vertex in Libra, 6th house dictated that he llonged for a union of souls that was based on a model of pure peace and justice. Images come to mind of a mythical life on Venus, the planet of love, where there is never a discordant beat between lovers, but rather, continual harmony even if played in the minor chords. Physical lust was certainly a necessary aspect of two beings eternally intertwined, but the platonic component far outweighed it in importance for him. He had an attitude of duty, obligation and sacrifice when it came to heartfelt interactions. The negative side was the tendency to become hypochondriacal or martyristic to get the love he so desperately wanted. There was a need for others to appreciate the sincerity of his intentions, to the daily tasks he executed in a conscientious and caring way and for others to know that his actions, no matter how routine they may seem, were based on devoted love. His Part of Fortune in Capricorn and Part of Spirit in Cancer dictated that his destiny lay in creating practical and long-lasting achievements. Success came through hard work, determination, responsibility and perseverance. Fulfillment came from observing his progress through life and seeing it take a form and structure that will outlive him. His soul’s purpose guided him towards building security in his life, both emotional and material. He felt spiritual connections and the spark of the divine within his home and family. East Point in Taurus dictated that he was more likely to identify with the need for pleasure (including the potential of liking himself) and comfort.

elemental dominance:

earth

fire

He was a practical, reliable man and could provide structure and protection. He was oriented toward practical experience and thought in terms of doing rather than thinking, feeling, or imagining. Could be materialistic, unimaginative, and resistant to change. But at his best, he provided the practical resources, analysis, and leadership to make dreams come true. He was dynamic and passionate, with strong leadership ability. He generated enormous warmth and vibrancy. He was exciting to be around, because he was genuinely enthusiastic and usually friendly. However, he could either be harnessed into helpful energy or flame up and cause destruction. Ultimately, he chose the latter. Confident and opinionated, he was fond of declarative statements such as “I will do this” or “It’s this way.” When out of control—usually because he was bored, or hadn’t been acknowledged—he was bossy, demanding, and even tyrannical. But at his best, his confidence and vision inspired others to conquer new territory in the world, in society, and in themselves.

modality dominance:

fixed

He liked the challenge of managing existing routines with ever more efficiency, rather than starting new enterprises or finding new ways of doing things. He likely had trouble delegating duties and had a very hard time seeing other points of view; he tried to implement the human need to create stability and order in the wake of change.

house dominants:

12th

9th

8th

He had great interest in the unconscious, and indulged in a lot of hidden and secret affairs. His life was defined by seclusion and escapism. He had a certain mysticism and hidden sensitivity, as well as an intense need for privacy. Traveling, whether physically across the globe, on a mental plane or expanding through study was a major theme in his life. He was not only concerned with learning facts, but also wanted to understand the connections formed between them and the philosophies and concepts they stood for. His conscience, as well as foreign travel, people and places was also of paramount importance in his life. He loved the totality of the human experience and embraced the whole cycle of human life, including birth, sex and death. His darker side, and the complexes and emotions that he preferred to keep hidden, even from himself was a theme throughout his life. His ability to undergo deep personal transformations and spiritual regeneration was also highlighted.

planet dominants:

Venus

Saturn

Sun

He was romantic, attractive and valued beauty, had an artistic instinct, and was sociable. He had an easy ability to create close personal relationships, for better or worse, and to form business partnerships. He believed in the fact that lessons in life were sometimes harsh, that structure and foundation was a great issue in his life, and he had to be taught through through experience what he needed in order to grow. He paid attention to limitations he had and had to learn the rules of the game in this physical reality. He tended to have a practical, prudent outlook. He also likely held rigid beliefs. He had vitality and creativity, as well as a strong ego and was authoritarian and powerful. He likely had strong leadership qualities, he definitely knew who he was, and he had tremendous will. He met challenges and believed in expanding his life.

sign dominants:

Taurus

Sagittarius

Capricorn

His stubbornness and determination kept his around for the long haul on any project or endeavour. He was incredibly patient, singular in his pursuit of goals, and determined to attain what he wanted. Although he lacked versatility, he compensated for it by enduring whatever he had to in order to get what he wanted. He enjoyed being surrounded by nice things. He liked fine art and music, and may have had considerable musical ability. He also had a talent for working with his hands—gardening, woodworking, and sculpting. He sought the truth, expressed it as he saw it—and didn’t care if anyone else agreed with him. He saw the large picture of any issue and couldn’t be bothered with the mundane details. He was always outspoken and likely couldn’t understand why other people weren’t as candid. After all, what was there to hide? He loved his freedom and chafed at any restrictions. He was a serious-minded person who often seemed aloof and tightly in control of his emotions and her personal domain. Even as a youngster, there was a mature air about him, as if he was born with a profound core that few outsiders ever see. He was easily impressed by outward signs of success, but was interested less in money than in the power that money represents. He was a true worker—industrious, efficient, and disciplined. His innate common sense gave her the ability to plan ahead and to work out practical ways of approaching goals. More often than not, he succeeded at whatever he set out to do. He possessed a quiet dignity that was unmistakable.

Read more about him under the cut.

Actor Gary Cooper was born on May 7, 1901, in Helena, Montana. Spanning from the silent film era to the early 1960s, Academy Award-winning actor Gary Cooper built much of his career by playing strong, manly, distinctly American roles. The son of English parents who had settled in Montana, he was educated in England for a time. He also studied at Grinnell College in Iowa before heading to Los Angeles to work as an illustrator. When he had a hard time finding a job, Cooper worked as a film extra and landed some small parts. After his appearance in

The Winning of Barbara Worth

(1926), a western, Cooper's career began to take off. He starred opposite silent movie star Clara Bow in Children of Divorce (1927). Cooper also earned praise as the ranch foreman in

The Virginian

(1929), one of his early films with sound. Throughout the 1930s, he turned in a number of strong performances in such films as A Farewell to Arms (1934) with Helen Hayes and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) directed by Frank Capra. Cooper received an Academy Award nomination for his work on the film. Cooper continued to excel on the big screen, tackling several real-life dramas. In Sergeant York (1941), the played a World War I hero and sharpshooter, which was based on the life story of Alvin York. Cooper earned a Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of York.

The next year, Cooper played one of baseball's greats, Lou Gehrig, in The Pride of the Yankees (1942). Again, he scored another Best Actor Academy Award nomination. Appearing in a film adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls, Cooper starred opposite Ingrid Bergman in a drama set during the Spanish Civil War. This role garnered him a third Academy Award nomination. In 1952, Cooper took on what is known considered his signature role as Will Kane in High Noon. He appeared as a lawman who must face a deadly foe without any help from his own townspeople. The film won four Academy Awards, including a Best Actor win for Cooper. In addition to his excellent on-screen performances, Cooper became known for his alleged romances with several of his leading ladies, including Clara Bow and Patricia Neal. The affair with Neal, his co-star in 1949's The Fountainhead, reportedly occurred during his marriage to socialite Veronica Balfe with whom he had a daughter. Their marriage seemed to survive the scandal. By the late 1950s, Cooper's health was in decline. He made a few more films, such as Man of the West (1958), before dying of cancer on May 13, 1961. (x)

#taurus #astrology #star analyses #gary cooper #scandalous stars #long ass post #mine

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scarletarosa · 4 years

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Nemesis

Greek goddess of retribution

Nemesis has been known as the goddess of punishment against evil deeds, undeserved good fortune, and those who commit the act of hubris (arrogance towards the gods). Therefore, Nemesis directs human affairs in such a way as to maintain equilibrium. She is often regarded as the opposite of Tykhe (Fortuna) who is known for distributing good fortune to the worthy (though will take it away from the undeserving as well). Whenever punishment is needed to be brought down upon a mortal, Nemesis comes in like a furious storm and delivers immense loss and suffering to the guilty individual. She is cold yet just in her actions, acting in a fearsome way that brings terror to all. She is the lash of the whip, the jaws of the void, and the glaring eyes that watch over all. In Ancient Greek, Nemesis is a word that means “righteous and unavoidable punishment”; which the Romans translated incorrectly and instead called her Invidia (“envy”), which is something she does not feel.

In many of her statues, Nemesis was portrayed as a woman in a pensive standing attitude, holding in her left hand a bridle or a branch of an ash tree, and in her right hand was a wheel, with a sword or a scourge. Nemesis was often sometimes depicted as a winged goddess. Her attributes were an apple-branch, rein, whip, sword, or balancing scales.

Appearance: Nemesis appears as a very tall woman in her late 40’s with long black hair that is weaved around the back of her head (in Ancient Greek style). Her skin is a dark grey colour and her eyes are grey as well. She wears an Ancient Greek gown that is dark grey and looks as if it is made of liquid stone (similar to dark granite). Overall, Nemesis looks as if she is a living statue of great intensity.

Her history: Nemesis is one of the most ancient deities and had been formed within the Void along with Erebus, Ouranos, Nyx, and others. The deities of the Void are all extremely powerful and are larger than all the planets of the Universe combined. When Nemesis decided to work within this Universe in order to manifest on Earth and other planets to bring retribution; she had to create a smaller and less powerful copy of herself to be born. Thus, her Universal self was created as the daughter of Nyx and Erebus (goddess of night and the god of darkness). Even though the Universal Nemesis is not as powerful as her elder self, she is still immense in her power and terrifies other deities. Nemesis has never had any children and was depicted as a virgin deity in Greece; despite there being a version of the Trojan War claiming her to be the mother of Helena (a mortal woman). Though Nemesis has only ever been interested in her role of punishment, not taking any interest in children or feeling love.

Personality: Nemesis does not show very much emotion, and typically doesn’t feel much either. She does not feel love, generosity, or pity; she has no need for such emotions since she is the very manifestation of divine wrath. For those who have not angered her, she treats them apathetically or sometimes sternly. She does not like being spoken to about mundane things as these are a waste of her time, and she especially will refuse to speak with those who she views as corrupt (which includes people who are too merciful). She will also punish everyone just the same, no matter if they love her or not. Nemesis has stated that people who show unnecessary mercy are the main reason why this world is full of evil; all their mercy does is allow monsters to continue their ways. Thus, she has no patience for those who claim that “all life is sacred” or that forgiveness is always important, and she may seek to harshly set these people straight.

What Nemesis believes people should do is punish all those who commit harm towards others or the environment; for those who are serial killers or rapists, they must all die horribly. Mercy and forgiveness are not things that she believes in; those who forgive the unworthy are considered weak to her. So while it is true that some criminals can be given a chance if they truly wish to change their ways, Nemesis is mainly right in what she says since people are being far too sympathetic and underestimate how evil humans can be. It also should not be mistaken that Nemesis stands to uphold human laws, since she hates many of these; instead, she upholds the divine law and does not take any excuses from those who break it.

Roles: Nemesis is not a goddess who can be worked with; Nemesis does not protect or guide anyone and will not listen to most people when they pray. For this reason, she does not accept offerings and does not wish to be bothered unless the person wishes to request justice. If there is a person you want to be judged, you must take a photo of them and place it at an altar or shrine of Nemesis. Then you need to pray to her and respectfully tell her that you need justice against this person for what they’ve done. If you do not place the picture at her altar or shrine, she most likely will not listen since she has taken less interest in Earth’s problems due to the arrogance of humans. Now, most of the deities of justice let humans work out justice on their own since they had scorned the gods in the distant past, back when gods manifested on Earth. Since humans had wanted absolute freedom to do as they pleased and rule themselves, even going so far as to slaughter the other races of Earth, the gods left them and allowed the humans to learn from this arrogant mistake. Due to this, one needs to take extra steps in order to appeal to Nemesis.

In the spirit world, however, gods are able to call upon Nemesis in order to have other spirits destroyed from existence. It is Nemesis who has the jurisdiction to decide on this annihilation; she holds no biases and dispenses punishment as needed. When she deems an entity as being too evil, she will call upon the goddess of doom, Ammit, whose jaws are as large as a galaxy. The entity will be lifted into the air by Nemesis and thrown into the abyssal mouth of Ammit; causing them to be torn into nothingness in the most painful way. Usually, this does not need to happen, and Nemesis will only act to do this under two circumstances: the crimes committed must be worthy of such a punishment and she must be requested to do this. Nemesis does not always act on her own since she teaches others that it is everyone’s responsibility to uphold justice, she will not do it all on her own since this makes people weak. When punishing, Nemesis targets every wrong-doing, seeing straight through every person. She comes and targets everyone, but makes certain that the punishment fits the crime since she is fair. Nemesis hates both those who are too oppressive and those who are too loving and passive towards others, both are just as evil in her eyes. She teaches that one must open their eyes and realize that everyone is guilty, all are ignorant and every country has been an oppressor; none will receive her attention if they fail to realize this truth.

The only ones who will have a better chance at speaking to Nemesis are those who have something worthwhile for her to hear (which is usually requesting her to punish someone), those who do not have any extremist views, those who are humble, those who are not passive, and those who take accountability for their wrong-doings and work to become better. If she seems very stern with you and glares down on you, she is neutral towards you (which is her “good” side, she’s never friendly). If she is angry at you, you will know. Nemesis has an immense feeling of pure dread which radiates from her when she is enraged; at this point, she is about to bring judgement upon someone, which will cause that person to experience great suffering in life in order to pay the price for their crime.

#nemesis #elder gods #greek gods #hellenic polytheism #hellenism #deity work

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bigskydreaming · 3 years

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hood-ex

i was like well he could just date some random dude who's an artist or something and then i was like oh wait. kyle. lmao. did dick and kyle ever have interactions when donna wasn't around? i mean i know dick found kyle's.. spirit? or whatever in jla. but any other major moments between them aren't coming to my brain

LOL, nope, Dick and Kyle have barely ever interacted ever. Just at Hal’s memorial and then the Obsidian Age, which was well after Kyle and Donna split......they never hung out with Dick when they were together, as he was....busy in Bludhaven. Like Donna and Kyle were together during that period when Roy was running the Titans and they had that weird lineup with Terra the Second and Impulse and Fake Supergirl and just....yeah. But point being like, that was basically right after Dick left the team and Kory left to return to Tamaran, so Dick was kinda deliberately avoiding most of the Titans at that time, as far as I’ve always viewed it.

But yeah honestly all my Dick/Kyle thoughts pretty much stem just from their very brief Obsidian Age interactions and then me going like, huh. I could see it. Its more based on just their characters in general, and the fact that I think they have such similar priorities and mindsets as to be more alike than different, but without being so similar that they’re in any way derivative of each other or like....immediate analogues. Like you think of either Dick or Kyle, you don’t immediately jump to the other because they don’t particular stand out as being interchangeable or anything, but when you dig a little into their characters you’re like, oh wow, they have a lot in common actually.

In particular I’ve always keyed into the slightly lonely nature of Kyle’s position as Torchbearer in the GL Corps. A nod to his time as the only GL left, and the fact that he resurrected the Guardians and restarted the Corps, essentially.....so he’s always stood a little apart from the rest of the GLs, even Hal and John and Guy who were still around in some way or another back when he was the solo GL. Its not that he’s not close with them, its just that he has a very unique experience among the GLs where for most of the Corps, they always had the support of the Corps behind them as they became more experienced as Green Lanterns. And the weight of what they all did as Green Lanterns and what people looked to them for, it was always spread among like....the whole Corps, whereas when Kyle was Green Lantern during his solo tenure, like, it all rested on him, there was no one else to look at or look to....all eyes were just on him.

That pressure, that absence of anyone who can fully relate, its always made him stand slightly apart from the rest of the Lanterns, even now that the Corps is back, and its only been heightened by the fact that he continues to have very unique experiences. Like how he was the only one to ever master the full emotional spectrum on his own, without external additives, the unique way in which he became the White Lantern, the fact that he has such a different relationship with the Ion entity than even those others who’ve hosted it, etc. Also the fact that like, despite his reputation among the Lanterns and others, despite how highly he’s regarded by them, that doesn’t always translate into the camaraderie and support you’d think it would, and most of his most intense adventures or most emotional storylines still happen when he’s off completely by himself with no lifelines. Because as much as he matters to the Corps and is valued by them, there’s always this kinda disconnect that frequently translates into a lot of distance between them and him, both physical and emotional.

And I’ve always thought there are a lot of parallels to the way Dick often feels like he’s alone even when in a crowd. That unique kind of pressure that comes from being the FIRST Robin, the original leader of the Titans, the guy who so often has acted as a trailblazer that others followed but without fully being able to relate to that experience of being first, of not having anyone TO follow, to have to make it up entirely as he went and hope that he wasn’t screwing up too much because it wasn’t like he had any precedent to look to or others to compare himself, his triumphs and his failures to. The way so often the buck stops with him and there’s no one really to pass it off to even when its not actually his fault, its more just.....people feel a need, a want to blame someone, and there’s not really anyone else to look at in his stead there. The similarities in how he also has such a positive reputation overall, and is seemingly so valued and respected by his various communities, and yet despite this it doesn’t always translate into direct and tangible support, leaving him often actually being cut-off and isolated during some of his most emotionally intensive storylines.

I think they have a lot of insight they could lend each other stemming from their respective experiences with the weight of legacy, which parallels without being the same....because the angle, the perspective is different with them. Kyle struggled with the weight of having to carry the entire legacy of the Green Lantern Corps by himself and feeling the responsibility of not wanting to let his predecessors down. Dick struggles with the weight of having his legacy carried by so many others and feeling responsible for what they go through as a result of that. And then at the same time Dick also struggled with the weight of carrying Bruce’s legacy as Batman at different times, such as Knightfall/Prodigal and then when he was lost in time, and now Kyle struggles with the weight of his legacy as Ion being carried on by others and the legacy his existence as the Torchbearer is creating for after he’s gone.

Additionally, they both have abundant experience with feeling under a microscope, like their every action is being scrutinized and they’re constantly being compared to the larger than life figure they’re most directly linked to. For Dick its Batman, for Kyle its Hal. That thing where they’re simultaneously expected to BE the equal to Bruce or Hal, or even better than them, but also at the same time being not exactly blamed for Bruce’s and Hal’s mistakes, but treated as even though they had nothing to do with their actions, they might as well have, kinda? Constantly compared to Bruce and Hal and with people saying they would have done this or that instead, but also with people quick to act like Bruce and Hal are their personal cautionary tales and tell them how dangerously close they are to becoming them whenever they do something that even slightly parallels the older two.

Also, they have this distance between themselves and Bruce and Hal....Dick because of the chasm between them during the early years of Nightwing and Kyle because Hal was basically a villain and then dead during his early years as Green Lantern.....but without anyone ever really factoring in that they’re not as joined at the hip to Bruce and Hal as people act like and they not only have nothing to do with the worst of their mistakes, but the older two weren’t always as involved in the younger two’s successes as people credit them as being. And that very niche feeling that only they can really relate to, where Dick and Kyle so often end up being Bruce and Hal’s biggest defenders, and how often this overwrites or gets in the way of Dick and Kyle ever getting to fully express valid resentments they have of how Bruce and Hal’s own actions and choices and reputations impact Dick and Kyle’s lives and actions and choices.

Plus I think they’d just be good for each other - Kyle actually does have the ability to relax and unwind with his art and other hobbies in ways Dick could definitely learn from and benefit from applying to his own life, and Dick has the gravitas and weight of history and experience that means he can really address in actionable ways that Kyle can truly internalize, like the longing Kyle has always had, despite his many accomplishments, to really feel like he isn’t just a hero by happenstance or mistake, that he really belongs among their number. Kyle was a diehard superhero fanboy before he ever got the ring, and you can’t tell me he didn’t have a crush on the first Robin when he debuted back when Kyle was probably in middle school (they’re actually pretty close in age, with everything lending itself to the idea that Kyle’s of a similar age with Dick and the original Titans). Likewise, you can’t tell me Dick has anything but respect for someone who manages to establish himself and his own reputation despite how easy it’d be to be overshadowed by his predecessors and their actions.

They both have extremely parallel storylines even in their particulars......both have been briefly killed then presumed dead and then isolated from their loved ones for a period for a ‘solo mission’ and then blamed for that upon their return, even though Dick wanted nothing to do with that mission and was forced into it by Bruce just like the same is true of Kyle who was backed into his by the Guardians. Both have struggled with suicidal ideation in the past, most notably in the aftermath of Blockbuster and then with Kyle, his subconscious literally created a nemesis for him named Oblivion, who wanted nothing other than his death, because Oblivion was literally Kyle’s own death wish made flesh and blood by Kyle’s willpower and leftover Ion energy.

Both have nightmares of being hijacked by someone else’s will and used as their puppets, with Dick and his many times being brainwashed and Kyle and his time possessed by Parallax. Both have extremely complicated feelings about children that were never truly theirs, both have been the scapegoat for crimes they didn’t commit, both are wracked with guilt for things they choose to take responsibility for but only because nobody ever told them it wasn’t actually their fault. Both are rape survivors whose rapes were never taken seriously or treated like they matter, and both are desperate for the approval of loved ones and mentors who actually do approve of them very much, but just often struggle to show them that in the ways they really need in order to BELIEVE it.

I could go on, lol, but like, you get it. Don’t worry, you’re not forgetting about some super significant story between Dick and Kyle, it really was just me latching on to that one story from twenty years ago where Kyle’s like if we get out of this alive, I want a hug, and Dick’s like deal, and I was like SOLD. And then my brain manufactured all these other reasons why clearly they are soulmates, and thus you have the Good Ship Dick/Kyle, which I shall sail forever more, no matter if I am only ever a crew of one.

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pricechecktranslations · 3 years

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Hey there Price, I've got a theory or maybe it's just an opinion. I don't really know. So, you know the songs that act as counterpart or continuation (Glassred portrait drew, DOG, SOE, Etc), a lot say that as they are the counterparts they represent virtues. To me they are the virtues but to extremes like: Gumina's chastity to the point of denying or not understanding, Carlos is temperance but as cowardice (fleeing excesse), Allen is humility but to the point of doing everything he's told, etc.

Virtue opinion anon. Lemy is dilligence as his utmost loyalty to Julia, Gakusha (the only one that doesn't fall to the extremes) is kindness both due to his work as a monk and for doing the funeral for a criminal , "Michelle"/Doll I don't know how to put her on charity and Nyoze is definitely patience both for his work as a party leadear and his trust in Nemesis, he waited for her to do the right thing for her wrath to take over and end up killing him. I don't know, another of my mess theroys.

It’s an interesting and understandable area of analysis, but I don’t agree with your assessments. I feel that in order to make your points you’ve ignored the motivations and attributes behind the characters in question.

I think that to say that the songs are about virtues at all is to push a square peg into a round hole, to put it in brief. I certainly wouldn’t view an “excess” of these virtues as being embodied by these songs either.

To wit:

-Gumina does not deny her feelings for Cherubim out of chastity. Chastity has nothing to do with it at all--she pushes him away ostensibly because she was repulsed by his face, and in truth because she feared that their relationship would bring him harm. The song is about her mourning the man she loved, not abstaining from love out of a desire to remain pure, or anything like that.

-I’m tempted to agree with Carlos’ example, because he kills Banica out of horror of what she’s become, which is related to her gluttonous excesses. But cowardice has nothing whatsoever to do with temperance, and ultimately the song is him mostly bemoaning his inability to accept her out of personal weakness, not a fear of excess specifically.

-Allen might have humility (which I sort of doubt personally given his countenance in the novels), but I wouldn’t call it excessive even so. He makes it very clear in his narration and the chorus lines that he is not serving Riliane because he’s a doormat unable to disobey her orders, but because he is devoted to her and he wants her to be happy. There is in fact a kind of arrogance about it, even--The whole country would be better off if she were deposed, but he fights on her behalf because he values her more than the needs of the many. Not an especially humble stance.

-I mean, I guess he does exhibit diligence in the song, but that sort of implies that the only reason Lemy commits murders is a good work ethic, when it’s really a mix of his own nature as an HER and a desire to gain praise from Julia. Again--you could argue the virtue is there, but it’s not really in excess. Lemy’s evil and demise is unrelated to his diligence.

-Gakusha is performing his duty as a monk, not not doing an act of kindness. I mean, you could argue that it was kind, but he was also just doing what was expected of him in his role. And a kindness that specifically opposes Envy would be taking joy in another’s good fortune, which is definitely something he doesn’t do.

-The fact that you cannot come up with an explanation for the doll being charity is precisely my point up top. You are not analyzing the songs from an evidentiary perspective, you are creating a framework to look at them by and then trying to squeeze them into it whether they fit or not.

-You could argue that because Nyoze specifically dissuades Gammon from trying to get revenge on Nemesis, and he doesn’t retaliate when she kills him, that he does indeed represent patience, the opposite to Wrath (working in a political organization is not something I would consider as related to patience at all however). But that’s not the focus of the song. The answer song is from Nemesis’ perspective, and it is about their romance and her grief at losing him. It does not embody this virtue, it has it as a side note (and I also wouldn’t call this an excess--what is the correct solution here? For Nyoze to kill the girl he loves for something he knows she isn’t doing of her own volition? To escape only to have her get killed? He made the choice he thought would spare her life, which was to allow her to take his).

--Also, Nemesis...didn’t kill him because her “wrath” took over? She killed him because PN forced her to.

I hope none of this sounds rude. Ultimately, I feel that the answer songs are just meant to elaborate on another side to the story they are an answer song to, whether it’s someone who cares about the featured contractor or, in Margarita’s case, the organization operating in the background (which is immensely important to the arc but not necessarily Margarita on a relationship level...). I don’t think there was any intention of making them embody virtues or be linked together by some common thread outside of that.

#()anonymous

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multiverseforger · 3 years

Text

Leonard Snart was raised by an abusive father and took refuge with his grandfather, who worked in an ice truck. When his grandfather died, Snart grew tired of his father's abuse and set out to start a criminal career. Snart joined up with a group of small-time thieves and in planning out a robbery, each was issued a gun and a visor to protect their eyes against the flashes of gunfire. This visor design would later be adapted by Snart into his trademark costume. In recent years he has added a radio receiver to them which picks up the police band to monitor local law enforcement. Snart and the other thugs were captured by the Flash and imprisoned. Snart decided to go solo, but knew he had to do something about the local hero, the Flash.[4]

Snart read an article that theorized that the energy emissions of a cyclotron could interfere with the Flash's speed. He designed a weapon to harness that power and broke into a cyclotron lab, intending to use the device to charge up his experimental gun. As he was finishing his experiment, a security guard surprised Snart. Intending to use his gun only to scare the guard, he inadvertently pulled the trigger and discovered that his weapon had been altered in a way he had never imagined. The moisture in the air around the guard froze. Intrigued by this twist of fate, Snart donned a parka and the aforementioned visor and declared himself to be Captain Cold - the man who mastered absolute zero.[7]

Snart then committed a series of non-lethal crimes, on one occasion placing the city in suspended animation in an attempt to force Iris West to marry him as he had fallen in love with her when he saw her in the prison, but the Flash got through a wall of ice and was able to reverse the process. He later fell in love with a newscaster, and competed with Heat Wave (in his first appearance) over her in a crime spree, but they were both beaten by the Flash. But after Barry Allen's death, during the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Captain Cold became a bounty hunter with his sister Lisa, the Golden Glider.[4]

During the events of Underworld Unleashed, Captain Cold lost his soul to Neron but Wally West brought it back to the land of the living. He soon returned to crime, this time a member of Wally's Rogues Gallery. The Rogues had first been assembled when another Flash foe, the super-intelligent Gorilla Grodd had broken them out of jail to distract the Flash. The Golden Glider had abandoned her bounty hunter career and had started partnering with a series of thugs who she dressed in a costume, armed with a copy of Captain Cold's signature Cold Gun, and called Chillblaine. Already distraught over the death of her lover, the Top, it seemed that the supposed death of her brother pushed her over the edge. But the last Chillblaine was a little smarter and more vicious. He murdered the Golden Glider, prompting Captain Cold to hunt him down, torture him and kill him by freezing his outer layer of skin and then pushing him off a high rise building. Not long after that, Snart was framed by a new incarnation of Mister Element. He used his Element Gun to simulate Cold's gun, using ice and cold to murder several police officers before Captain Cold and the Flash discovered who was actually responsible. With the death of his sister, and having killed Chillblaine and Mr. Element in vengeance, Cold has again become an unrepentant criminal. However, during a confrontation with Brother Grimm, Cold actually worked with Wally West to defeat the powerful magic user, although this was mainly because he and Mirror Master had been betrayed by Grimm and wanted revenge.[4]

Captain Cold was declared the leader of the Flash's Rogues Gallery. His skill and experience have made him a strong leader to the likes of the Weather Wizard, the new Trickster, the new Mirror Master, and the new Captain Boomerang. Len seems to have taken the young Captain Boomerang under his wing, after the elder Boomerang was recently killed. Tabloids rumoured that Captain Cold's sister, the Golden Glider, was Boomerang's mother, making him Captain Cold's nephew. This turned out to be false, however, as the new Boomerang's mother has been revealed to be Meloni Thawne, who is also the mother of Bart Allen. Despite his more ruthless nature as of late, Captain Cold's heart is not completely frozen, evidenced by having sent flowers to honor Sue Dibny, murdered wife of the Elongated Man.[volume & issue needed]

Traditionally, Captain Cold is driven by three things: money, women, and the desire to beat Barry Allen. Although not the lecher that Captain Boomerang was, Len Snart has an eye for the ladies, particularly models. When Barry Allen died, Captain Cold drifted for a while, jumping back and forth over the lines of crime and justice. He was captured by the Manhunter and served time in the Suicide Squad, worked with his sister as a bounty hunter (Golden Snowball Recoveries), and, with his longtime friend and sometimes nemesis Heat Wave, encountered Fire and Ice of the Justice League. He has teamed up with various villains over the years other than the many Rogues. These include Catwoman and the Secret Society of Super Villains. His favorite baseball team is the Houston Astros.[volume & issue needed]

"One Year Later"Edit

In the 2006 "One Year Later" storyline, he and several other Rogues are approached by Inertia with a plan to kill the Flash (then Barry Allen). Though Inertia was defeated, Captain Cold, Weather Wizard, Heat Wave, Mirror Master and Abra Kadabra killed Bart with a combined barrage of their elemental weapons. He, Heat Wave, and Weather Wizard seemed to express guilt, however, after learning the identity of the Flash and how young he was.

Salvation RunEdit

Captain Cold is one of the exiled villains featured in the 2007-08 miniseries Salvation Run along with his fellow Rogues: Heat Wave, Weather Wizard, Mirror Master, and Abra Kadabra.

New RoguesEdit

The New Rogues version of Captain Cold is Chill, a unknown man who possesses a Cold Gun.

Final Crisis: Rogues' RevengeEdit

In the 2008 miniseries Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge, Captain Cold and the Rogues briefly joined Libra's Secret Society of Super Villains. In Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge story, however, Cold and the rest of the Rogues reject Libra's offer, wanting to stay out of the game. Before they can retire, they hear of Inertia escaping and decide to stick around long enough to get revenge for being used.[8] Cold and his group are challenged by a new set of Rogues, formed by Libra to be their replacements. The new group, having kidnapped Cold's father, challenge the Rogues, and are defeated and killed. Cold goes to his father, talking to him about the abuse he suffered, and the fate of his sister. After the elder Snart insults him and his mother, calling them weak, Cold punches him, but finds himself unable to kill him, instead getting Heat Wave to do it.[9] The Rogues have their confrontation with Inertia, despite interference by Zoom and Libra, and kill Inertia. Libra then reveals that he needs the Rogues because Barry Allen has returned from the dead, and the Flashes are potential threats to him and Darkseid. Though shocked by the news that Allen is alive, Cold still rejects his offer of membership. After regrouping, Cold and the other Rogues agree not to retire, claiming that the game is back on.[10] In "Final Crisis" #7, someone that looks like Captain Cold appears as a Justifier and is seen fighting the Female Furies alongside the other Justifiers under Lex Luthor's control.

The Flash: RebirthEdit

In the 2009 The Flash: Rebirth miniseries, Captain Cold is seen with the other Rogues, reading about Barry Allen's return and claiming that they would need more of the Rogues.[11] The Rogues are still debating Allen's return, with Cold saying it's time to pull out their contingency plan that Scudder came up with, stating "In case The Flash returns, break glass."[12]

"Blackest Night"Edit

In the 2009–2010 "Blackest Night" storyline, the Rogues realize that the bodies of various dead Rogues are missing and prepare to fight them. Captain Cold knows that his sister, the Golden Glider, is among the reanimated Black Lanterns but is still ready to lead the Rogues against the zombies.[13] He is confronted by the Black Lantern Glider, who attempts to use his feelings of love for her against him. However, Captain Cold manages to suppress these feelings long enough for him to fight back, freezing her within a block of ice.[14] He subsequently kills Owen Mercer by throwing him into a pit with his Black Lantern father when he learns that Owen has been feeding people to his father in the belief that consuming flesh will restore him to life, informing Owen that Rogues do not kill women and children.[15]

The Flash (Vol. 3)Edit

In The Flash (Vol. 3), Captain Cold and the Rogues visit Sam Scudder's old hideout and unveil a giant mirror with the words In Case of Flash: Break Glass written on it and release beings from a Mirror World upon breaking it.[16] However, Captain Cold is told by Mirror Master he had discovered that the giant mirror is actually a slow acting poison.[17]

The New 52Edit

In the timeline of the 2011 company-wide reboot of all its superhero titles, The New 52, Captain Cold is reintroduced as a younger man than in the previous timeline and now with his Rogues lives with a code to never kill. His origin remains the same, however, his sister Lisa has not been the Golden Glider, and is instead dying of cancer. Upon learning that the hospital does not have enough energy to power a laser that could save her life, because of an EMP seemingly caused by the Flash, Cold blames him for everything that has happened to him, including a falling out with the Rogues, and decides to break the rules of their "game" and kill the Flash. Captain Cold has undergone experiments that have given him ice-based metahuman powers, including the ability to slow down the molecules around him, creating a field of inertia that reduces the Flash's speed to human level, allowing Captain Cold to touch him and effortlessly beat him.[18] He and the Rogues are set to return,[19] but later defeated them with help from Flash, and the Pied Piper.[20]

After freeing the Trickster and attending the meeting at the Justice League Watchtower, the Rogues return to Central and Keystone City, only to see that both have been destroyed by Gorilla Grodd. Grodd returns to Central City during the eclipse, while a ceremony commemorating Flash between the humans and gorillas is occurring. Grodd proceeds to take control of Central City as its king and renames it Gorilla City. Captain Cold sees the city's cops tied up from Grodd, and proceeds to free them. He then asks Mirror Master to help him get to the hospital where his sister is being held in order to check on her. While there, the Crime Syndicate send Black Bison, Hyena, Multiplex, Plastique and Typhoon to finish Grodd's work and destroy the hospital. The Rogues are able to hold them off, only to be interrupted by Deathstorm and Power Ring, who were sent by Ultraman to deal with the Rogues for resisting the Crime Syndicate's offer to join them. After battling Deathstorm and Power Ring, Deathstorm attacks Captain Cold and is able to extract his freezing powers from his DNA. Mirror Master attempts to get the Rogues out through the Mirror World, but Power Ring destroys the mirror causing the Rogues to be separated. Captain Cold ends up at Luthor and his Kryptonian clone's location where they are also joined by Black Manta, who has retrieved Black Adam from the ocean.[21] Luthor realizes that, with the help of his clone, Black Adam, Black Manta, and Captain Cold, he may be able to stop the Crime Syndicate. Captain Cold and the rest of the squad, now joined by Batman, Catwoman, Sinestro and Deathstroke, infiltrate the fallen Watchtower, where Black Manta kills the Outsider and Cold proceeds to shatter Johnny Quick's right leg after having frozen the molecules in it with his cold gun. He then unmasks the hooded prisoner brought over from Earth-3, revealing it to be Alexander Luthor, who is their version of Shazam, Mazahs, who states he will kill them all.[22][volume & issue needed] After defeating the crime syndicate, Captain Cold is pardoned by the U.S government, and becomes a member of the Justice League, along with Luthor.

DC RebirthEdit

Snart and the Rogues first made a cameo appearance in the DC Rebirth's storylines; they are fleetingly watching a news report about the many newly created speedsters appearing throughout the city in The Flash #3. Snart quips that it is time for the Rogues to leave Central City for a while. Visually the Rogues still seem to be based upon their New 52 appearances in this cameo, though when Snart later appears in one of Flash's memory flashbacks he has resorted to an even older look. He and the other Rogues retain these costumes in their later appearances.

Snart and the Rogues make their first full-length appearance in The Flash #15, where they are attempting to steal a valuable golden statue of the god Mercury from the small island nation of Corto Maltese. The Flash arrives to stop them, but they turn out to be constructs of Mirror Master laid so that the Rogues can commit a crime spree in Central City. Captain Cold reveals what he had been working on in his absence from the city—a "black ice gun" that uses the anti-Speed Force weaponry of the terrorist group Black Hole combined with his regular freeze gun. After a fight, the Golden Glider had a chance to kill the Flash, but was talked out of it by her fellow Rogues. Despite this setback, Flash manages to finally beat Snart and the rest of the Rogues without killing them. By the end of The Flash #17, Snart appears to be ready to take over Iron Heights from the more neophyte villains, including Papercut.

In the Watchmen sequel Doomsday Clock, Captain Cold and his fellow Rogues are among the villains that attend the underground meeting held by Riddler that talks about the Superman Theory.[23]

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houseisekai · 3 years

Text

House Isekai: Shadowbringers Act 2, Part 1 - Withering Flower

House Isekai Shadowbringers AU Masterlist Here

—

“I don’t know if anyone will be seeing this message, whether that be myself or anyone else who comes into this godforsaken tower but...My name is Byleth Eisner. Son of Jeralt Eisner.”

“And my name is Sothis. Goddess of Fodlan...evidently.”

“We’re leaving this here in some hopes that this cycle can be broken, and to fix this mistake before it could ever happen...Our memories will be wiped after this, so we want to say everything we can before...before we forget.”

“And if anyone else besides our future selves sees this message, please give them to Byleth at Garreg Mach Monastery.”

“Now that the pleasantries are out of the way...We need to start at the beginning.”

----

[’Neath Dark Waters - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST]

Byleth looked at the reflection of himself in the tower. It was a floating crystal and after taking a deep breath, began speaking into it.

======

“Our journey-

No.

Your journey.

It is your journey that we are banking our hopes in.

It is your journey that will give you a different experience, and prevent you from committing the worst atrocity this world has ever seen.

And so, it falls to me to tell you how you got here...

Your journey began when you and Sothis woke up from a dream that had been reoccurring. A dream of a battle at Zanado.

You two did not have any memory of partaking in the fight, yet it was clear as day, despite the fact it had happened centuries ago.

Right as Jeralt was ordering you and the other mercs to prepare for another grueling march, is when your fate would change forever.

You, Sothis, and Jeralt saved three students named Edelgard, Claude, and Dimitri.

They were part of Garreg Mach Monastery, and when the Knights of said monastery came to retrieve them, they convinced Jeralt to take up his former role of Captain.

Something he had never told you until then.

On the way, you exchanged some colorful conversations with them and tried to convince you to join their side.

All of them were next in line to their respective lands, the Adrestian Empire, Leicester Alliance, and Kingdom of Faerghus.

After being informed that you would become a professor, you were to choose your class to teach for that year.

Either out of instinct, or a wild guess, you went with the Blue Lions, led by Dimitri.

Throughout the course of the year, you fought and bled with your students as you accompanied them to various locations across Fodlan, doing the tasks of the Church.

According to Sothis and many others, you did not display any emotions whatsoever. Yet, as the year went on, your wall broke little by little.

And by the end of the year with them, your bond with your students was unbreakable.

...But tragedy would soon strike.

No matter how much time has passed, it is a memory that will never leave you. Everything else will be a blur, but this?

It will be the catalyst to your journey.

Your father was killed saving the students from a Demonic Beast attack in Garreg Mach.

Killed by an Agarthan named Kronya.

In the following month, you march for their known location, eager for revenge. With your class right behind you, refusing to let you fight this alone.

Getting caught in a trap set by Solon, you and Sothis had no choice but to fuse together in order to escape.

Although you would not hear her for a very long time, she would never leave your side.

After successfully getting revenge and fusing with your friend, it is then everyone begins to show their true colors.

You journey to the Tomb of the Goddess and sit upon the very throne Sothis once did by orders of Rhea.

When you sat down, nothing happened, confusing everyone in the room.

But it is here when the Flame Emperor ambushes you and your class, and begin to fight Imperial forces.

And it is here where the Flame Emperor’s identity is revealed, alongside Dimitri’s true self.

Upon seeing that Edelgard was the Flame Emperor, he snapped and became unhinged.

Something that was consistent as the month passed on to your next confrontation, when the Adrestian Empire invaded and the battle’s outcome was a stalemate, both sides losing far too many men to occupy the Monastery.

However, during that battle, you fell into the canyon, where you went missing for five years.

It was only thanks to the intervention of Sothis that you were alive when you awoke, though she sent you five years into the future.

And with another year, you singlehandedly turned the war around against the Empire.

And became the saving grace to Dimitri’s grief-fueled madness.

After months of slowly pushing back the relentless tide of Imperial forces, you brought the war to a final showdown at Enbarr.

And it was then that Edelgard had finally met her match, and was killed by Dimitri.

A few days later, you and Dimitri swore to help repair Fodlan and its wartorn lands together.

Although, there was some part of you that wished to fix this outcome. To see if you could do anything different in order to prevent the war from happening.

Sothis had granted you a power known as Divine Pulse, which allowed you to turn back time.

Although it could only be used as a way to restart at most a day back, you called upon her power, and sent yourself back to where it all began.

The day you met Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude.

Instead of choosing the Blue Lions, you taught the Black Eagles.

Although you had knowledge of prior events, such as Jeralt’s death, nothing you said could stop it from happening.

When the fated day arrived at the Tomb, you sided with Edelgard.

To find out why she did what she did in the previous timeline.

To your surprise, you found a much softer side to the brutal dictator.

She held compassion and love for her fellow man.

And unending loyalty to you.

The same could not be said for Rhea, who had shown her colors as a ruthless and hellbent on getting her lost mother back, Sothis.

After defeating Claude and Dimitri, you and Edelgard killed Rhea in a burning city.

When that battle was over, you began to question who was right or wrong.

Who held the moral high ground in this conflict?

Calling upon Sothis again, you went back in time once more and sided with the Church to defeat Edelgard.

What had driven Rhea to similar madness like Dimitri?

You were confident about the answer until you finally found the real side to Rhea. A side she dared not show anyone but family.

Rhea harbored similar feelings, though it came after a near fatal conflict between you and Church forces.

She was nothing more than a daughter wishing to see her mother again.

Feelings you could sympathize with.

Rhea was alive but broken, Dimitri and Edelgard were dead, and Claude was missing.

This was not the ideal outcome you had wished for either.

That meant going back to the beginning.

Although this next attempt would only be your fourth time going back, you and Sothis had lost track of how many years had come and gone since you first met the students.

Going back this time and choosing the Golden Deer class, something new happened.

You met the Ashen Wolves, the secret Fourth House of Garreg Mach.

You discovered what happened to your mother, Sitri, and what Rhea was doing to get her mother back at any cost.

After saving the class, they went their separate ways and the year went on as normal, powerless to stop the events that had already been set in motion.

The journey with Claude did not have the outcome you desired either, although at the very least you now knew what he was doing the entire time in all the previous timelines.

You had put an end to the Agarthan agenda together and worked together to unite Fodlan under the banner of the Leicester Alliance, with Edelgard and Dimitri dead, with Rhea broken.

This had happened again.

And again.

Nothing you were doing could stop their deaths.

It was beginning to drive you mad.

So mad, you went back one final time.

[The Decision - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 OST]

Choosing the Black Eagles once more, you did everything you could to change anything. Even the smallest thing.

But by the time Jeralt’s death had occurred for the fifth time, you had chosen the final option.

You would unite all four against you, by becoming something far worse than the Empire and Church.

You would destroy this cruel world by forming the Knights of Nemesis.

Recruiting the help of Alois, Leonie, and Shamir, and your original mercenary group, you escaped the Battle of Garreg Mach Monastery and pursued your own agenda.

Little by little, you destroyed the bases of Those Who Slither and stole their technology.

Finally avenging Jeralt by killing Thales, you had become the most dangerous group in Fodlan.

And it was there, where you made your biggest mistake.

Creating the Javelin of Liberation.

Many years would pass in your war against Edelgard and Rhea as your Knights built the Javelin, and you had forced the entire war to a standstill.

But due to your brutal tactics and unforgiving nature, forged by four timelines worth of loss and death, you would alienate your very own allies.

Leonie was the first one to act by revealing your plans to the Leicester Alliance, calling a summit to Derdriu.

And when you and your escort reached Gronder Field on the way to the Monastery...

---

(Edelgard) “Years ago we fought here as classmates…”

(Dimitri) “And now, we stand together against someone who was once a friend.”

(Claude) “As far as big class reunions go, this one’s got to be the worst one in history…”

(Rhea) “There is to be no mercy for these heretics. Do I make myself clear?”

(Catherine) “Crystal.”

(Seteth) “Loud and clear.”

---

After a bloody battle with heavy casualties on both sides, you retreated back to the Monastery, with all three nations hot on your heels.

Rhea was killed by having the Javelin fired prematurely, and as a result, you had lost your connection to Sothis...For a time.

The final battle approached and you stood near the top, awaiting your fate.

If you won, then everything would be blasted into oblivion. Your struggle would finally end.

And if you didn’t, well then your goal was mostly accomplished. To have everyone alive and united.

But things didn’t go as planned either way...

---

(Claude) “Think about this! Do you think blowing us all to hell is going to solve every problem that we have?!”

(Byleth) “Do you not think I haven’t thought of this? I don’t know the answer, nor will I ever. But, we’ll just have to have faith in the next generation once it fires.”

(Dimitri) “Are you hearing yourself right now?! What about the hundreds of innocents you’ve put down to get here?! And the millions you’re about to kill today!”

(Byleth) “It’s for the greater good.”

(Claude) “The greater good?! What do you think Jeralt would have to say about this greater good?! The people and students you swore to protect?!”

(Byleth) “You will not lecture to me of what he would have wanted! Us as a species are a blight! We will never have the will to move forward and change things for the better!-”

(Edelgard) “PROFESSOR!”

Everyone turned to Edelgard, who was stepping closer to Byleth.

(Edelgard) “Professor I’m…I’m so sorry for what I have done.”

(Byleth) “…!”

(Edelgard) “I…I understand where you’re coming from. I do. All my family is dead, and I wanted to destroy everything the Church stood for because of the crests, Rhea, everything…But…

I never wanted this war to happen. I never wanted any of us to fight each other! I never wanted to fight you, my dear professor! 5 years ago, you showed me just how beautiful and how tragic this world is!

I’m sorry for all the pain I must have caused you back then. Please, stop this madness and…and we can find a way together to make the world a better place!”

(Byleth) “Edelgard…”

(Edelgard) “Yes?”

(Byleth) “…Nothing would make me happier than to accept your hand, and leave this all behind but…I can never be forgiven for what I’ve done to everyone…To you.”

(Edelgard) “…I understand.”

She unsheathed her axe, Dimitri and Claude moving to her side.

The battle was one sided since you no longer could properly wield the Sword of the Creator.

However, you did not care.

The battle was decided when the Javelin of Liberation finally deployed.

(Edelgard) “Professor…It’s over.”

Byleth looked up to the spell that was displaying the status of the Javelin of Liberation, and smiled.

(Byleth) “You’re right…it is.”

The three looked up to the spell, and saw the meter was full.

(Dimitri) “SHIT!-”

...

(Leonie) “D-Don’t worry about us, the core…!”

They all looked to the core which was pulsating faster and faster.

(Shamir) “Shit, it’s about to activate!”

(Alois) “Y-you-agh! N-Need to overload it with magic! HURRY!”

Dorothea, Linhardt, Lysithea, and Annette all started to cast their strongest spells and aimed it at the core.

(Shamir) “NOW!”

Right as they aimed their hands at the core, it was too late. It was flashing a bright white that enveloped the entire room.

And in the distance, the Javelin fired into the air, and made contact with the ground.

Dimitri, Edelgard, Claude, and you were sent flying backwards.

You had expected nothing would be alive after that hit, but you were wrong.

You looked back to the world, and it was still very much alive.

Although, the skies had darkened to a sickening white and grey hue, the temperature dropping fast.

It would not be long before the world turned into a frozen hellscape.

And much to your horror, the Javelin had not killed everyone in one fell swoop.

You just ensured everyone would die a slow and painful death.

You had overestimated what the technology of the Agarthans were capable of. Not even they could create a world ending device, and your carelessness and overconfidence costed you the world, and those you called friends...

When you turned around, Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude were killed from the fall, while the forces under your command were engaged in a civil war.

Several hours later, you did not see any of your former students or faculty member which meant one thing: they were killed too.

It was just you and the men under your command.

Not having the option to turn back time, you and the Knights of Nemesis did everything they could to find any device to turn back time with the technology you had.

The Knights carried the technology back to the area with the most magical readings: Zanado.

And there, you all had created the tower, half out of the materials you had brought, and the materials there. It was crude, but it would get the job done.

And...It was here you could finally reunite with an old friend. And gave a final message to yourself.

I don’t know when or how you’ll see this message but...Find us. Before it’s too late. Don’t do what I did. And forge yourself a path that can save everyone, truly.”

======

[’Neath Dark Waters - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST]

Byleth put the crystal down and took a deep breath.

This would be the last thing he would record before the timeline was reset yet again.

But this time, he had no idea what was going to happen. Sothis was here, yes, but her power had greatly diminished by now.

She was only visible thanks to the Zanado Tower.

He looked outside an opening out the tower, and stared at the graves he had made for the Knights of Nemesis.

They stayed with him until the end, whether out of pure loyalty, or wanting to reset what they had done.

Byleth would never know the answer.

(Byleth) “...WIth the tower restoring your power, you should be able to reset time once more with your Divine Pulse.”

(Sothis) “Hm...”

Sothis raised her hand and began drawing energy as Byleth sat down.

(Byleth) “...Thank you. I don’t expect forgiveness for my actions-”

(Sothis) “Don’t apologize to me. I said I’d be with you no matter what. And this is no exception. Apologize to those we have lost.”

(Byleth) “...”

(Sothis) “Do you think it was a good idea leaving that message? Perhaps this is something your...next self needs to know.”

(Byleth) “It isn’t but he will have to. Otherwise we’re doomed to repeat these exact mistakes. And maybe they won’t be so lucky to get the technology we have right now.”

(Sothis) “I suppose that’s true.”

They both remained in silence before Sothis finally lowered her hand and turned to Byleth.

(Sothis) “Child. My powers in combination with Agarthan, Goddess, and manmade magic...This could be a catastrophic reset.”

(Byleth) “I know-”

(Sothis) “There is no telling the amount of damage we can cause.”

(Byleth) “I know!”-

(Sothis) “And we could possibly tear apart reality itsel-”

(Byleth) “I KNOW!...I know, Sothis...”

Byleth’s back slid down the wall and his head looked up at the ceiling.

(Byleth) “I know. But I have to try something...Hah, even though I had the hindsight of how Dimitri and Rhea acted, I ended up becoming exactly like them...”

Sothis floated over to Byleth and attempted to hold his hand.

To both of their surprise, they actually managed to feel something, and it was then Sothis held his hand tightly and took a deep breath.

(Sothis) “...Goodbye, Byleth. And thank you, for everything.”

(Byleth) “...See you around, Sothis.”

Byleth closed his eyes as Sothis invoked the Zanado Tower.

...

Byleth slowly opened his eyes and saw Jeralt standing over him.

Sothis yawned obnoxiously, and Byleth tried to do his best to ignore her and not weird his father out.

(Jeralt) “Were you having that dream again?”

(Byleth) “Yeah...something about a war.”

(Jeralt) “Massive armies clashing on a vast field, right? There hasn’t been a battle like that in over three centuries. In any case, just put that out of your mind for right now-”

As Jeralt began to explain how dangerous it was to let your mind wander, Sothis as if on cue yawned even louder as she floated over to Byleth.

(Sothis) “Ugh, we’re up already?”

(Byleth) Not now, Sothis.

(Sothis) “Why? What’s he explaining to you that you don’t already know?”

Even though Byleth couldn’t express much, he was certainly feeling annoyed.

SLAM!

(Mercenary) “Jeralt! Sir! Sorry to barge in but your presence is needed!”

(Jeralt) “What’s happened?”

Outside...

(Dimitri) “Please, forgive our intrusion! We would not bother you were our situation not dire!”

(Jeralt) “What do a bunch of kids like you want at this hour?-”

FWOOM!

A black and purple portal appeared behind them, spitting out four screaming people as they landed with a violent thud.

(Sothis) “Woah.”

(Jeralt) “Oh, what now?!”

(Byleth) “Hm?”

(Boy in green cloak) “Ack, get the hell off me!”

(Girl with blue hair) “S-SHUT UP! YOU LANDED ON ME!”

(Girl in red) “I...hurk! Might be sick from that!”

(Girl in yellow) “P-People!”

(Edelgard) “What in the?”

(Claude) “Today just keeps getting interesting, doesn’t it?”

The four of them quickly got up in a panicked manner.

(Boy in green) “WHO THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS?!”

(Girl with blue hair) “Hey, don’t piss them off, you idiot!”

(Girl in yellow) “H-Hello there! We are adventurers and...We appear to be lost!”

(Jeralt) “Clearly.”

(Byleth) “Who are you?”

(Boy in green) “...Well uh...That’s Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness. And I’m Kazuma, I guess.”

...

[More than Truth - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST]

(Byleth) “And that was our first contact with someone from another universe...”

Sothis nodded.

(Sothis) “So then...Six years later, they help us end the war in Fodlan, then we send the four of them home.”

Byleth looked at the nearby crystal walls.

They were replaying memories when Kazuma and his group first arrived in Fodlan.

Kazuma and Darkness went with the Blue Lions, while Megumin and Aqua had gone to the Black Eagles and Golden Deer respectively.

They caused some chaos in Fodlan with their stupidity, but they saved lives. And when they finally went home, Byleth went to sleep that night, and when he woke up...

...

(Byleth) “D-Dad...?”

When Byleth turned to his left, his eyes became wider.

(Sothis) “...W-wha...?!”

(Jeralt) “Where’d that come from, kid?”

(Byleth) “You’re both alive?!”

Jeralt was taken aback by how suddenly expressive his son was.

(Jeralt) “Clearly you’re still out of it. Come on, get up.”

(Sothis) “B-But we’re fused together aren’t we? How am I-”

SLAM!

(Mercenary) “Jeralt! Sir! Sorry to barge in but your presence is needed!”

(Jeralt) “What’s happened?”

Outside...

(Dimitri) “Please, forgive our intrusion! We would not bother you were our situation not dire!”

(Jeralt) “What do a bunch of kids like you want at this hour?-”

FWOOM!

A black and purple portal appeared behind them, spitting out at least a dozen people with a violent thud.

As it finished, a massive iron golem was teleported behind them.

(Boy in red) “What in the world...?!”

(Woman in yellow and blue) “Crap, is everyone okay?!”

(Small girl in green) “Y-Yes, Instructor Sara!”

Byleth and Sothis looked at each other.

(Byleth) “Doesn’t this seem like-”

(Sothis) “Kazuma and his group!”

After a wave of confusion among the group, they got around to introducing themselves.

(Boy in red) “My name is Rean Schwarzer of Class VII.”

...

(Sothis) “Then came Class VII.”

Byleth nodded as their memories were displayed on the crystal wall.

They could both hear their words almost clear as day as they walked down the hallway, but did their best to ignore it.

(Byleth) “After Class VII was sent home, we were reset back to the beginning yet again...”

(Sothis) “Then it was...The Phantom Thieves.”

(Byleth) “Right. Then, Megumi, S.E.E.S, the Investigation Team, Denizens of Nazarick, Slayer, and lastly the School-Living Club.”

They reached the end of the hallway.

Each time they had finished their journey with the newcomers, they were reset back when they first woken up by Jeralt, and the following group would take their place until last time.

Before the reset could happen, they chose to reset time themselves with Divine Pulse.

They had no idea if it would work, but they had to try something to break out of this loop.

It resulted in the creation of House Isekai.

Instead of the groups appearing one at a time, they all showed up at once.

And it was now that they all went back to their respective homes together, but Sothis and Byleth could already feel the timeline about to reset once more.

And it was only now they discovered a tower had formed in Zanado.

They had no idea what was inside, but after walking through it, they were starting to get an idea.

Byleth saw at the end of the hallway, a small crystal laying on the ground.

(Byleth) “What is...?”

The crystal displayed a small window, showing the two the contents.

(Byleth) “Is...this a mirror or something?-”

(Crystal) “I don’t know if anyone will be seeing this message, whether that be myself or anyone else who comes into this godforsaken tower but...My name is Byleth Eisner. Son of Jeralt Eisner.”

Byleth and Sothis looked at the Crystal that was playing the recording, and let it play all the way.

Once it was done, they were speechless.

(Byleth) “I...I caused all this?”

Byleth was absolutely horrified by this revelation. He looked at the tower and the crystal mirrors around him, struggling to get his mind wrapped around it.

And it was then the crystal mirrors began to display the routes he had taken prior.

Before the memories of his past were wiped.

(Sothis) “So, this tower is why we keep getting sent back and brought the others in?”

(Byleth) “There’s...There’s no way I would do this! I wouldn’t do any of this!”

(Sothis) “I do not think we can deny what is in front of us. How do we prevent this? No, no. How do we prevent being sent back in time again?!”

(Byleth) “They reset time with Divine Pulse while also using the tower. Perhaps we could try-”

(Sothis) “What?! Child, you heard what that caused, it caused us to lose our memories and rip apart dimensions!”

(Byleth) “Well we have to try something! We did EVERYTHING we were given, fought and bled with our students! WE EVEN HAD OUR DAMN PERFECT ENDING! AND STILL! STILL WE’RE GOING TO LOSE EVERYTHING!”

The memories began to overwhelm the two, hearing echoes of their past finally catch up to them after so many years and timelines.

(Byleth) “...Sothis. We have to. We have to do things right and save everyone.”

(Sothis) “This is a terrible idea.”

Sothis sighed as she began to draw energy into herself from the tower.

(Sothis) “It could barely handle one time, I’m not sure if a second time will-”

KABOOOOOOM!

The entire tower shook violently, forcing Sothis to stop.

(Byleth) “What the hell?!”

The tower began emitting an almost ear piercing screech as everyone’s voices became too much to bear.

(Byleth) “SOTHIS, DO IT NOW!”

(Sothis) “R-RIGHT, HANG ON!”

Sothis raised her hand once more and everything began to turn back in time.

All they had done was reset once again.

Byleth opened his eyes and reached for his head, it pounding in pain.

(Byleth) “Ugh...”

When he looked around, he noticed that everything around them was still the same.

(Sothis) “Did...Did we do anything?”

(Byleth) “I’m not sure. We’re not back at Jeralt’s so maybe we need to-”

Before he could finish his sentence, they heard someone break into the tower.

The reflections in the crystal walls showed multiple men in black robes walking into the tower, seemingly examining it.

(Sothis) “Agarthans?”

(Byleth) “Wait a second isn’t that...?”

The Flame Emperor teleported in and looked around the area with the Agarthans.

(Byleth) “Edelgard?”

(Sothis) “She isn’t supposed to be here! We resolved everything with House Isekai so does that mean?-”

(Byleth) “We’re back in time again. But if we’re here then...who’s in our place?”

One of the Agarthans made their way up to the tower and was completely alone, getting closer to Byleth’s location.

Byleth and Sothis hid near the stairs as they heard the Agarthan walk up.

When the Agarthan made their way down the hall, Byleth stabbed him in the back with the Sword of the Creator and took his robes.

(Sothis) “What are you doing?”

(Byleth) “Improvising. We don’t know what’s going on, and I’ll be damned if I’m getting us caught.”

After Byleth finished getting dressed, he took the mask off the Agarthan and put it on himself.

(Byleth) “We’re gonna need a name as we figure this out.”

(Sothis) “Hm...I think I know one.”

...

Lahabrea made his way to Remire village and saw Dimitri, Edelgard, and Claude run to the entrance.

(Lahabrea) “So that seems to be correct, so all that’s left is-”

The gate opened, revealing Jeralt, Byleth, and Sothis.

(Lahabrea) “What in the hell...?”

And as if on cue, Kazuma and his group emerged from a portal behind the students.

(Sothis) “Why are there two of us?”

(Lahabrea) “We must have done something to the tower and we used it for the second time...”

Kazuma’s voice echoed through both of their heads, slowly joined in by the rest of his group.

(Lahabrea) “...We need to go back to the tower and figure out what’s going on.”

(Sothis) “Right.”

Sothis disappeared and before Lahabrea started moving, he took one last look at the Byleth in his place.

...

INTERMISSION

#House Isekai Shadowbringers #House Isekai #fire emblem three houses imagines #fe3h imagines #byleth eisner #jeralt eisner #sothis #dimitri alexandre blaiddyd #Edelgard von Hresvelg #Claude von Riegan #satou kazuma #Rean Schwarzer #evil!byleth #crossover #fanfic #writing

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