#–––– ✧ the chains are broken but are you truly free? ˙ ˖ ✶ main

[ofcentvries]

[caelitus-a]

Jellal, do you secretly want to be on Sorcerer’s Weekly’s Boyfriend List?

Eyes looked at the stranger with a fixed gaze, a rather watered down milk tea held grasped in one hand. It felt awkward to be asked out of the blue questions by people he didn't know but at the same time it didn't come as a surprise to Jellal. Humans could be nosy, enjoyed gossip especially when it came to other somewhat well known people. It's better to be asked a somewhat innocent prying question then have to listen to the usual gossip or words said around him. Not that he cared to pay deep attention to either.

" Uhm. Not really. I don't take much stock in those kinds of things. "

Someone should of told the poor soul that once upon a time he technically was on that very same list. His past self had even once smirked all smug about it once so very long ago. Now though, he'd rather have some semblance of peace then be on a spotlight.

[feilien]

Long Zhi's head was spinning. He hadn't been sure what exactly to expect when he'd walked in here, but he at least thought he'd had an idea. Clearly, he couldn't have been more wrong. Sure, there was an offer to join, just as he had assumed, but the reasons couldn't have been more different.

And if there has been any doubt about Isen referring to anything but his powers, those doubts had been violently smashed when there were very specific demands in regards to them.

Long Zhi wanted to ask how he knew, how he'd found out when there was no one else in the world who'd ever so much as suspected it. But, in the end, did it really matter? If Isen knew, so would others. So would Xiao Dan. And if Xiao Dan knew, he wouldn't allow Long Zhi the mercy of death once he got his hands on him. And he sure as hell wasn't going to make as gracious of an offer as Isen just had.

If he got his hands on his grandson–the grandson he had raised and trained to be a killing machine that needed nothing more but his own hands to be deadly–he would no doubt seek to exploit those abilities by any means necessary. And Long Zhi had a feeling he would no longer get to enjoy any of the limited freedom and privileges he had before, as the very heir to the clan. He assumed he'd be lucky to spend some time without chains.

Staring down at his hands, Long Zhi considered his options: accept the generous offer that seemed to allow far more freedom than he ever had in his previous life, or risk getting captured by his former clan. All it cost was his own morals and conscience.

Perhaps a small price to pay when considering the alternative.

"We have a deal." He took a deep, shaky breath. "I don't know how you know about my... Ability, but I know little about it myself. I can give you my word that I am capable of completing every job you may throw my way, but I can't guarantee you anything when it comes to that. I am a good study, but I don't know how far I can progress."

Lifting his head again, he looked up at Isen with as much resolve as he could muster. Not an easy thing to do when it felt as though the person sitting opposite of you was staring directly into your soul. Long Zhi had to suppress a shiver when meeting Isen's eyes. "I will hold up my end to the best of my ability, but that's a risk you'd have to be willing to take."

Isen said nothing, allowed Long Zhi to prattle on defending his former clan, his grandfather. And as the reality of his situation seemed to hit him, Long Zhi seemed less and less confident. Until a simple implication gave Isen the upper hand he'd been seeking. Satisfaction flashed across Isen's face, buried under his stoic expression much too quickly for Long Zhi to catch it.

His eyes were sharp as he watched the stubborn set the other's shoulders disappear. Gone was that false bravado with just a few words. Gone was the kind of arrogance that grated on Isen's nerves and in its place was something he could work with. A scared boy.

Finally, he sat back, keeping his hands on the desk. And then he spoke. "As obvious as this sounds, if you work for me, you work for me alone. Any work for another organization will be approved by me, or this deal is forfeit." His tone was matter-of-fact, leaving no room for discussion. "You may work for me provided you are physically and mentally capable of completing every job I assign you. For each job you complete, 25 percent of your earnings go to me. The rest is yours. I trust you'll have no issue keeping that to yourself."

Now Isen tilted his head, as though considering Long Zhi, as though he hadn't made up his mind long ago. "As for your ability, you'll agree to train with me often. You will make time for at least four days a week, every week. As you master your ability, we'll re-negotiate. Those are my terms."

His gaze remained vigilant, not foolish enough to think it would be so easy.

"So. Do we have a deal?"

[shorthaltsjester]

downfall has me thinking about the prime deities far more than is best for my mental health and so i’ve been rewatching c1 just because so many of the pcs have relationships with the gods — even percy and keyleth who hold lower opinions of the gods still have relationships with them — and good grief . you ever think about whitestone as this bastion of love that the gods still have for one another and the love that a party of idiots have for one another. that the centrepiece of the town is a tree from the dawnfather, one used for the builders of castle whitestone to take shelter from the tumultuous lands of the alabaster sierras. a mountain range that came about out of the conflict between the dawn father and the chained oblivion.

the fact that the family that whitestone’s lost son found and brought back with him amounted to two temples being erected, and how fitting that after defeating the briarwoods, the two gods that are given new houses of worship in whitestone are the gods of death and redemption, fate and compassion. do you ever think about how many of vox machina are champions but how much the ones who are not are still held in good faith by the gods, whether or not that is returned? do you ever think about the raven queen telling percy he is broken and reminding him that does not mean he is alone, that means he is mortal, as are all those whom he loves. do you ever think about percy’s death letter, read by vox machina in a tavern as he tells them that the raven queen calling him broken finally opened his eyes to the fact that he has chosen his life (and thus, he might choose better), writing “one the lie [that vengeance would bring my family back] was shattered, I scrambled to find a solution, to make a deal, to undo my mistakes and balance the scales. I now understand that there are no scales. There is no redemption, and no ledger that judges me good or evil. I am free to simply be myself and live with the terrible mistakes I’ve made. Tomorrow, I start upon a path beyond the gods and demons who have tormented me, and it’s your friendship that makes this possible. […] I will try and do my best for you all.” and signing it Percival, of Vox Machina - the family he found and chose, not the one he lost and buried himself in vengeance to avoid. and fucking, vex having just heard percy forgive ripley also hearing those words and having carved the word forgive on the weapon she carries who has a conversation with him to remind him (and herself) that committing to forgiveness over grudges and vengeance means also forgiving the person he’s been that prioritized vengeance. the fact that one of the main things they bond over is that they have similar dispositions to justice and a similar unwillingness to forgive but they both see that in themselves as something they wish to improve at, and that when they eventually marry, each time is by someone devoted to a god neither of them necessarily worship but each of which oversees a domain particularly relevant to that connection - keeper yennen is a worshipper of erathis, and thus the justice that both percy and vex care to honour; pike is a worshipper of raei, and thus the redemption that both vex and percy seek (and see in one another). do you get it.

and god the entirety of the final arc of vox machina is truly some of the most interesting cr content for me just because you get the silliness and depth of vox machina in the face of these Beings On High and they all gaze at these idiots trying to save the world with fondness and the realization with downfall that in many ways those gods were just as much idiots trying to save the world makes that so, so interesting. and i wonder what might’ve happened if one of the gods they’d gone to see had been the lawbearer or the wildmother, what might have been made of percy and keyleth. i wonder if the lawbearer might have taken an interest in a calculating and curious man who loves to strike a deal and stick to it, even if manipulating the contents of the deal made to better suit his ends - especially given that percy was rejected by ioun for his propensity not to share his knowledge, and especially given that whitestone has a historical precedent for worship of the lawbearer. and i wonder what the wildmother would make of an angry girl who is fated to watch the people and places she loves be irrevocably changed and die, who wields her vestige, and who favours the world and it’s people over the gods and their rules — something i’m willing to bet melora would find some common ground with.

there’s also some beautiful symmetry between the relationships of the gods to which vox machina become champions and their own relationships with one another. and i’ve made my post about vax and vex vs. the matron of ravens and the dawn father, but i also think quite a lot about vex and scanlan vs. pelor and ioun. vex and scanlan who can be quite antagonistic to one another but also understand each other as few others do; scanlan who tells the dawn father that vex is not perfect but she is the most perfect among them, vex who hears the knowing mistress tell scanlan that his stories give vox machina strength and genuinely tells him it’s true and that he is very powerful, even when he tries to joke about it. ioun and pelor were the ones to take on tharizdun, ioun nearly perishing and having to hide away to recover. when vox machina asks pelor for her location he doesn’t know it. and fuckin. dalen’s closet. should be a silly little wedding oneshot ends with fuckin. vex glowing with the light of the dawnfather as her and percy, the living son of whitestone, are married by pike who is a cleric and is also the champion of the god of redemption, where the champion of ioun turns into a. dinosaur to walk his friend down the aisle and then grants a wish so that she can see her brother again and the champion of the matron of ravens comes to visit - something that is explicitly stated to be allowed by the matron of ravens. where a twin glowing like the dawn and a twin darkened by raven feather embrace. do you get it . do you see it. the fact that the first story we all heard in exandria was one of a family threatened by fate who could not beat it but did their best with it and that now downfall, the newest story but with parts of the oldest story in exandria’s timeline, is the same. a family who is doing the best with what they have, and what they have isn’t always great.

[wordslikesilver]

Really mentally ill thinking about this scenario. Main character, die hard domme type of woman who’s madly in love with her wife and enjoys her sweetly and lovingly the way anyone ought to. The plot stresses and exacerbates her worst insecurities and fears until she’s vulnerable and collapse under pressure. The villain makes their checkmate move, actual mind control or brainwashing or some form of corruption to take the main heroine into their evil cohort, the final stroke that would seal them victory. MC looks broken and shadow eyed. Empty. Frozen in their moment of true despair, now taken advantage of to be used as a blunt instrument. The most powerful person you know, now shattered and twisted into something that doesn’t feel anymore. It doesn’t hear you anymore. All strength falters, when pushed to the absolute for long enough.

Leading up to this, again and again, we see our main character vow to her wife “I will always come back to you” and we see it as simply a promise to stay safe, to come back alive, etc… and the wife learns of what’s happened to the main character. She listens calmly as the ill news is delivered. She knows what to do.

The climactic moment, the villain is going to win, puppeting the main character, using her power to clear any obstacle before them, all her allies captured, restrained, incapacitated or killed and then—

“Stop,” her wife says, no louder than you’d speak to someone across the table. She’s finally arrived at the battlefield. It’s been so long since she saw her wife. A stirring like no other, begins within the caged mind of the main character. All this time, every time her allies tried to reach her, she barely breathed harder, lying face up in the dark liquid prison of her mind. Face down beneath a mountain of magic, torture and restructured neural pathways carved in by nanobots in her blood and the collar around her neck. Nothing was ever supposed to break her free. She was supposed to be gone. Not even the memory of her wife was allowed to her.

And her wife, her darling, gentle, mild mannered and sweet hearted wife, she walks up and places naught but hand on her darling’s cheek as she whispers, “Please come back to me.”

And while the main character is silent and still, despite all the cursing and orders given by the villain to cut this insolent woman down, within her mind, within the prison she is left to rot in, her eyes have snapped open. There’s been this. Aching. In her chest. It’s been so numb and so hard to truly feel it, but the feeling never truly left. Oh how she’s missed her wife. She moves to the source of this warmth, through all the chains and mires and mountains and magic and machines and nails and pain in her mind, all the bindings and control and corruption falling away as if they quite literally weren’t there. Like, useless to the point of could they have ever stopped her? Because her heart is full once again. The memory restored. The hole mended. The aching ceased and serenity returned. The control is broken with a touch and a whisper.

I’m slamming my head on the desk, I’m too hopeless of a romantic to ever look at a character being mind controlled against their will and think they can’t be brought back by the one they love. More than that, I’m too much of a romantic to ever think it would need more than a touch and the scent of the person they love to break the spell. A whisper. A soft request. I am brought back by love. Tenderness will make my knees buckle every single time. I am an aromantic’s most insufferable individual to ever experience, like girl, you couldn’t bring her back with your tears and crying out to her, holding her in your arms, begging her to stop this? Skill issue. She smelled cinnamon on the wind and remembered all our previous lifetimes together, running just to find me.

[maagicmushies]

Nen Talks #3 Kurapika

Hey. You got a free hour or two to spare? If not, fuck off because we're talking about Kurapika's abilities, their symbolism and their connection to his story line and this will be a yap session because he is one of the most storied characters in the series with the highest number of abilities.

So, I think for Kurapika it mostly makes sense to talk about how Nen abilities in chronological order, starting with the Dousing Chain. It's a silver chain with a ball at the end attached to his ring and while it is Kurapika's main chain for combat, the real interesting thing is that the name isn't just for show. Dousing Chain can be used to read maps and tell lies. We're already starting strong because Kurapika is someone who HATES being lied to or even having information withheld for him. All hunters are greedy to an extent, because to be a hunter means to constantly want something that you don't have. Kurapika is this with information, he (unintentionally) compromised the safety of his entire clan just because he wanted to experience more, learn more. The Dousing Chain is this hunger for knowledge taken to it's full form. You cannot lie to Kurapika, nor can you hide anything from him.

His next chain is the Chain Jail on his middle finger and no, I don't think that is a coincidence. It's a gesture brimming with spite and anger and how Kurapika binds the Phantom Troupe. There is more to say about Chain Jail, but it's better saved for a little later on. Next up is the Holy Chain, allowing Kurapika to heal himself or others. This one is almost purely subtext, but Kurapika has a lot of holy themes tied to him. He wears a monk's garb as his primary design for the Yorkshin arc and his primary adversary, Chrollo, has a lot of "anti-christ" theming going on with that evil bible, a cloak adorned with St. Peter's Cross and his twelve disciples. Kurapika is the holy soldier on a mission of righteousness while Chrollo is the embodiment of everything that Kurapika strives to avoid.

The turning point in Kurapika's abilities is the reveal of Emperor Time. It's not a chain, but instead a state he enters when his emotions reach a fever pitch and his eyes go scarlet. Instead of Kurapika being a Conjurer with 100% potential in conjuration with diminishing returns everywhere, it turns him into a specialist with 100% potential everywhere. This is the ability of someone who wants to do everything on their own. Hunter x Hunter's cast is initially set up like one of Togashi's previous works, Yu Yu Hakusho where everyone has their own strengths and no one can truly do anything on their own. However, Kurapika defies this, breaking away from everyone and trying to find any way to be his own team. It's not that he's selfish, it's just that this is HIS holy war and doesn't see the need to drag his friends into it. This aspect of Kurapika isn't just spiritually destructive, but physically destructive because late in the manga it is revealed that there is another restriction tied to Emperor Time. One second for the Emperor shaves off one second of Kurapika's life. As his search for his clan's eyes gets harder, he needs to use Emperor Time more and more. No one really knows how much time Kurapika has left. We just know that he has lost at least 6 years of what he would have had originally, and likely much more than that. After he completes his quest, that might be it. He might just fully burn out. Kurapika has acknowledged this possibility... and is mostly ok with it. Just like Gon and Killua (and his arch nemesis, Chrollo), he doesn't have a ton of self worth, that's what allows him to grab ahold to this great power in such a short time and leads well into the Judgement Chain on his pinkie. Judgement Chain forces someone into an oath with Kurapika and if the oath is broken, the chain which is wrapped around the heart will crush the heart, killing them instantly. I think the allusion to "pinkie promise" might be intentional? As said earlier, oaths and truths are a big thing to Kurapika, so this makes sense but the real tragic thing here is that Kurapika has used Judgement Chain on himself. In order to stop himself from going out of control on his revenge quest, he has made a Judgement Chain vow with himself to only use Chain Jail on Phantom Troupe members. Failure to acquiesce will kill him. Kurapika... still doesn't really know what will happen if he accidentally uses it on someone who isn't a troupe member. It's this lack of foresight and lack of self worth that keeps showing up for him, Kurapika just keeps digging down with no plan on how to get back up and seems to be resigned to the idea that he may never get back up.

The final chain and the one I likely have the least to say about is the Steal Chain. It's his index finger. It basically sucks someone's aura out of their body and then gives that aura (and the ability carried within it) to an ally using Stealth Dolphin. Steal Chain holds a similar role to Chain Jail in Kurapika's characterization, this idea that some nen users are terrible people who need to be chained to hell, having all of their godly nen powers removed. Kurapika really likes this idea because he even uses Judgement Chain to impose this on Chrollo. It fits into that religious theming that keeps coming up with Kurapika, his mission is one of righteousness or at least that's how he sees it.

There are largely two forms of story telling done through nen in Hunter x Hunter. One form hints at a characters backstory and struggles and how they've evolved past it while the other hints at the core of who the character really is. Kurapika's skillset is a fantastic case of the latter, because you get such a vivid picture painted just by knowing what these does. His obsession with truths and oaths, his religious subtext with the troupe and his lack of self worth. It's all communicated through his chains and eyes and this is honestly a fantastic showcase of what a "main character" ability looks like for this series.

[caelitus-a]

It was during the rise of Avatar that Jellal had met Ur, previously thought to have been deceased, & shared some words with her. She was a mage whose skills he'd highly respected always, especially back when he was with the council. At one point in time he'd even remarked about how she'd could of been one of the ten wizard saints. A sentiment that still held true.

" Ur, it has been some time since I last saw you. " His stance remained relaxed in her presence, the slightest bit of a nod being given to Ur. " Life has been the same as always but we don't need to get into that. What of you as late? "

a hum resides within her throat , the spriggian watches . she knows him well from her studies , watching , waiting . a powerful mage , one who made themselves acquainted with dear sons . how brilliant . they had met once before , shared a few words before parting ways .

❛ you've changed for the better . ❜ a smile takes shape , tugging her lips delicately to avoid shattering . a hand is waved idly , a simple notion without a single threat . there was no need for defensive tactics anymore . ❛ good to see you again , jellal . life has been treating you well ? ❜ @caelitus sc. / ur.

[sylver-drawer]

The Writing of Pandora Hearts and its Depiction of Human Ego or an essay I wrote for class because I love PH so much (mainly spoiler free except for a small tangent on Lottie’s character)

When you think about aspects of the Shonen Demographic, what tends to come to mind? Usually it’s something along the lines of fluid yet repetitive action, a lovable cast of characters who get down but quickly move on, and a protagonist who can handle anything. But when you ask a fan of renowned and well-liked shonen such as Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan or Hiromu Arakawa’s Full-Metal Alchemist, what’s most reminiscent is how the characters are written and their depth. That’s why when anyone asks me what shonen I’d recommend, I always immediately recommend Jun Mochizuki’s Pandora Hearts. Jun Mochizuki is a master at her craft, be it with her beautiful watercolor illustrations, the fantastical and fairytale-like world building, or what I associate with her most—how bitterly human she writes her characters and how it hits the reader. The way Pandora Hearts’ ornate writing twists from this alice-in-wonderland inspired gothic adventure, to a story about the beautiful yet ugly depths of human will and ego, genuinely makes me believe that it deserves one of the top places in the Shonen Demographic.

It’s a relatively standard set up. Pandora Hearts follows a young boy by the name of Oz Vesalius on the brink of his fifteenth birthday. During his coming of age ceremony a sinister group called the Baskervilles condemns him for his sin of living, and casts him into the Abyss—a hellish nightmare dimension resembling a broken toy box filled with grotesque monsters called ‘Chains’. With the help via contract of an amnesiac girl who calls herself Alice, her identity being the chain “Bloody-Rabbit” that strangely takes an alternative human form, he escapes the Abyss only to find himself ten years in the future. The first few chapters set up our boyish protagonist’s temperament and desire, as well as the dangers he will encounter with sprinkles of what the world of Pandora Hearts is like. I relate this to the beginning of Attack on Titan, introducing Eren and his friends’ personalities and values before getting thrust into the harsh reality of their apocalyptic world.

The story begins in a cliche, yet familiar way. It starts off relatively light and almost whimsical as it makes you think it’ll follow the monster(chains)-of-the-week format; Oz seeking out the Baskervilles for the reason of his ‘sin’, and Alice seeking out her fragmented memories. Preceding the Shonen Demographic, kids grow up with something like Pokémon or Digimon where there’s a new ‘monster’ to ‘defeat’ quickly each week. It’s a way to progress the story for the very young child viewer in a fun and easy way, even if they miss an episode or two. The main purpose of presenting the idea of this familiarity, is to rope the reader into a false sense of security.

This format is abandoned just as quickly as it was proposed as the story gets more convoluted, pulling the reader in. All the characters seem to be hiding something, the enemies are closer than you think, and at some point you genuinely question yourself if they’re truly the enemies here. You begin to realize that despite all the secrets everyone has—no one actually knows anything. The protagonists, their comrades, and even their enemies; everyone is in the dark in regards to the truth of the catalyst event a hundred years prior, The Tragedy of Sablier, except for the main villain of the story. The fact that the reader is on the same level of knowledge the vast majority of characters are on allows the reader to empathize with them almost as actual comrades, instead of seeing them as simply characters in a story.

Usually in shonen, the reader is given scenes of the antagonist’s side so that the reader has information the protagonists do not, such as displayed in Full-Metal Alchemist where the reader is exposed to multiple scenes of the Homunculi and their plans before Ed and Al are. Shonen villains tend to be bastards after all, pure and irredeemable evil in support of an evil system. This is meant to build a sense of foreboding for the reader, as well as anticipation for how the main characters deal with this danger. It’s because of this storytelling method that separates the readers from the characters, driving almost a wedge between them. Readers' thoughts go from, “I wonder why this happened” (solving a ‘mystery’ in the moment alongside the characters), to “I wonder how the characters will deal with this” (an event the reader already knows will happen soon).

Particularly what sets Pandora Hearts apart from this, is that Jun Mochizuki allows us to empathize with the villains due to their similar level of ignorance as the heroes. We are shown scenes of the villains, but not so much that we gain any major insider plot knowledge. Rather, the most important insider information the reader receives are the bonds between the villains almost paralleling the bonds between the hero cast we’ve already fallen for. Charlotte, who is somewhat one of the Baskervilles’ ringleaders, presents herself uniquely. She is very devote to the Baskervilles’ cause of obeying their leader, and kills and torments without a second thought. Yet, Lottie is as desperate for answers as Oz’s crew. You can see it on her face, where she contemplates as she stands beside her fellow Baskervilles whom she loves like family, “Is what we’re doing truly right?”. It is a very subtle writing strategy, one that acclimates the reader to feel for and humanize the ‘inhuman’ enemy, gradually building up to Pandora Hearts’ crescendo.

This intricately planned writing Jun Mochizuki has drip fed the reader pays off during the story’s climax. By the time the truth is revealed to all, the reader is left in an array of chaos alongside the cast, questioning everything. One of these, being the protagonist himself. Everything we associate with our dear hero, Oz; his classic young yet burdened hero demeanor with a high moral compass, his complicated emotionally charged relationship with his estranged family, his immortalized friendships with Alice and his childhood friend Gilbert that feel as if they could stick through everything—at some point, all of those threads that make up ‘Oz Vessalius’ fall apart. His connection to the antagonist and how it affects the story and narrative still shakes me to the core to this very day, and you’re left wondering what exactly is left and where we can go from here. Everything Oz knows, everything we the reader knows about him and the cast we’ve come to love, suddenly becomes false. You can’t help but feel played, yet when you read back desperately to validate your feelings, there’s the cruel realization that you were never lied to. All the signs were there in your face and it was you, the reader’s, choice to misinterpret them. It’s difficult to manipulate the reader using the reader’s own assumptions and prejudice, and yet Jun Mochizuki has done it in Pandora Hearts.

How Pandora Hearts takes everything the reader knows and destroys it is such a transformative experience that transcends the expectation of a normal shonen. The layers in which Jun Mochizuki had written are so deep, that the characters' roles we tend to reduce to tropes and generalizations have so much meaning to them. Oz, our heroic protagonist, maybe isn’t the strong willed boy he’s supposed to be; and maybe the Baskervilles, despite the atrocities they’ve committed, maybe aren’t wishing for world destruction. Our lovable cast of characters are hypocrites, sometimes betraying themselves or people they’ve sworn to, and reasons we expect to be grandiose turn out to be simple selfish, raw human desires. Those that selflessly fight for ‘love’ are simply fighting for self preservation, and those that do everything for their ‘ego’ crumble so easily in face of their love. Pandora Hearts is just like other shonen, but also not. There’s action, characters who get down but sometimes need time to move on, and a protagonist who tries his best to handle anything. Most of all, they’re all so painfully human, and I think that’s what is at the heart of shonen. Jun Mochizuki’s Pandora Hearts’ intricately written story, with its raw portrayals of the human will as well as the world crashing twists and cast you can’t help but love, is exactly what the shonen demographic deserves.

[the-east-art]

Easts Supernatural Fic Recs

Since's I've been combing ao3 for good SPN fics, and exactly one person (@ennael) said they'd like to see what I've found. A trend you may notice that I'm not a big shipper - shipping is sometimes a little seasoning, but never the star of the show. ]

Passing Ships - BrownieFox

Summary: John gets injured during a salt and burn and a stranger brings him back to the hotel

Notes: This is the first fic in a series that got me looking for SPN fics again. It explores the idea of late series Sam going back in time and trying to prevent the various tragedies that lie in the future. The REALLY interesting part is that this is all done from an Outsider POV - from the young Winchesters as they meet this strange man that seems somewhat familiar. Because of that POV you never really know what Sam is up to, which builds some suspense and curiosity.

(The rest under the cut!)

you gave up half your life - loosingletters

Summary: When Dean and Cas disappeared, Sam was lost. But in a world that had nearly broken apart so many times, he wasn’t the only one who needed support and guidance.

Alternatively: (Salty) Post Season 7 Fix-it in which Sam Winchester accidentally starts organizing a bunch of Hunters all while trying to find his brother.

Notes: I knew this would be good but for some reason it took me a while to get to it. It turned out to be REALLY good. This story really focuses on how people need people, and honestly the stars of this show are the Hunter ocs that flavor the fic - all of them are so unique and different, and make the world feel truly alive.

mad and dead as nails - EclipseWing

Summary: “Your brother is missing.” That’s how it starts. But now Dean’s dead, gone, or maybe he never really existed in the first place. Maybe Dean was never real, and it was always Michael. Because if Sam knows one thing, it’s that Michael is all that is left.

Notes: Honestly this fic is a better analysis and thesis on Free Will than the actual story. This fic does a GREAT job at utilizing Jess as a character and works with the similarities between Dean and Michael as well as the concept of self. HIGHLY recommend.

Ain't No Grave - art_savage

Summary: When John Winchester wakes up to a post-apocalypse future, he only wants to know two things: where are his sons, and just what brought him back? AU in which the apocalypse caused a lot more trouble and ended a little differently.

Post apocalypse story that kind of searches for plausible 'happy' endings for the characters that doesn't keep them chained to the roles they inhabited during the main story. It's kind of low key but I super love it.

The Other Side - EclipseWing

Summary: In which Castiel has no idea what pulled him out of Hell, but he knows that he doesn't expect Dean, or his puppy-dog eyed brother Sam (what sort of angel names were those anyway?) who happens to be on the run from the other angels.

Notes: easily the best swap au I've managed to find. I'm a sucker for stories where Sam and Dean are actually Lucifer and Michael, and this story takes it in a fun direction!

When Worlds Collide - elfinblue

Summary: When a kidnapped Tony DiNozzo is rescued by legendary - and supposedly dead - serial killers Dean and Sam Winchester, the NCIS team takes over the Winchester investigation. What they find is a file filled with contradictions and impossibilities. This is an attempt to cross these shows but keep both in canon.

Notes: an NCIS crossover and the only fic here that is on ffnet cuz they never crossposted, but its worth it I promise! This fic is particularly good because it takes place mostly from the NCIS characters perspectives as they find ways to apply logic to the strange happenings around the winchesters and their works. Reads like a tv episode pacing wise which is awesome. Does have canontypical fat shaming and transphobia which sucks tho.

Anyway those are my absolute faves but I also bookmark my stuff on ao3 as easternCriminal so there's more there!

[notnormalme]

SOOOOO

Since I made a first step

Its time to show you some of my characters moodboards

Which is funny because I haven't even drawn some of the characters yet eheh

LETS START WITH THE MAIN TRIO

PETER aka the main main character

As the story will be called "Pied Piper", or at least that's what I call it for now, he is the one who has the title of Pied Piper

I really wanted to focus on his main color, green, to show this kind of still childish carefreeness, his Carpe Diem. He is the one who doesn't really focus on the consequences of his actions, he does what he feels like and tries to get the best out of life

His quote, "Do you remember who you were?", refers to the fact that Peter doesn't remember his past after all. He doesn't remember where he comes from, who he is or anything that caused him to be in where he is now

I also really wanted to include the fox in it, as it's an animal I assocaite him with

Next up is Avery!

Avery is an elf by origin, abandoned and hated by his species

I really wanted to capture the peace and delicacy of his person, I associate him with a doe, delicate, always a little frightened, but very friendly and sweet

If he were a season, he would be autumn, the warm autumn, what comes after the chaos of summer (Peter) but just before the harshness of winter (Ogier!!!)

He is a very reasonable person, he acts as a balancer for Peter, evening out his chaotic nature but in a very nice and gentle way

His quote, "the chains are broken but are you truly free?", refers to his past where he was just a slave of his own kind and even though he escaped, that part of him is still inside

The last of the main three is Ogier!

As you can already see, he is a priest, an exorcist to be precise. But among the Church, which I identify with crows, he is an owl. Cautious and suspicious, you can't hear his footsteps and you never know what he's planning, like a night hunter

He is winter. He will stop at nothing and will pursue his goal even if he has to die or kill in the process

I really wanted to emphasize the fact that he keeps strict notes on everything and then analyzes it and tries to come to conclusions

GAKSNSKSNSHD TO BE HONEST IM SAD because I didn't really show his love for horses BUT HE LOVES THEM OKAY???

He travels a lot all over the country

His "I didn't want to be controlled" refers to his great independence and the fact that he doesn't like the actions of the Church and how it controls people, even though he is part of it himself

NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR MAIN TRIO

Two characters that I haven't drawn yet, but I know they will be there and I know they will be important

The first one, Roland! I know this may be familiar to vnc fans, BUT I SWEAR IT'S NOT THAT ROLAND

You can see the crows right away, as well as the cross. He is a priest, a high-ranking paladin

Since I am inspired by The Song of Roland, I wanted his main feature to be pride. That's why his color is not yellow but gold

He is a good man, a great knight, but he was consumed by pride, and that ruined him

"Who are you to judge me" OUCH AHSJSHSJSHHS

This is a reference to one of his fights with Oliver, where Oliver tried to convince him and talk to him and he said something like this AND AHSISBSISJS MY POOR LITTLE HEART

OLIVER and uh

I wont explain it a lot

But first, of course, crows, second, lavender AND YES, IT'S BECAUSE HE'S GAY

I really wanted to capture his suffering through Roland's behavior because he is his best friend. He loves him. But he can't do anything about what Roland is doing, his words aren't getting through and he isn't able to change anything

The dagger symbolizes the daggers he exchanged with Roland, very symbolic and beautiful, I love it

Oranges are a very difficult topic, FIRST, NOTICE HOW THEY COMPLETE WITH ROLAND'S MOODBOARD, secondly, this actually reflects part of my story when I couldn't swallow anything but an orange

Yeah, sad little shit BUT ANYWAY

Two last ones

The first will be Otilio, whose name is now Marco. As you can guess, he is also a priest. He grew up in the countryside and I really wanted to capture that and I honestly see him as such a little bird, sparrow, and I tried to show that

I also really wanted to show that his family is a family of blacksmiths

He has this warm vibe, he is a very loving and caring person. The late summer JUST BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS

"Is this what I get for loving God?". Otilio lost a friend because of religion. This is also symbolized by the crow devouring the heart

Last is Ottfried

He is my favorite, even though he has been long dead in the story

He is a quiet person, he hardly speaks at all and he wanders around the country only playing the flute and begging

I really wanted to give off his soft calm vibe here. Such chamomile

As for his quote, he was literally seen as cursed

The Church tried very hard to fight him, so I also put there a mouse that had been attacked by a crow. Otto is just such a little defenseless mouse hiding in corners

Yeah

Thats pretty much it

Of course, I also have other characters, Maria, Clara, Claus and a few others, but since everything is at such an early stage, I haven't done anything with them yet

:(

[caelitus-a]

Sabertooth was such a big place & a busy one at that, it almost felt overwhelming standing in the center of the hall. It'd been a while honestly since Jellal had been surrounded by this many people or a guild of this size. The years had been just their small group so this, was an adjustment.

It wasn't just that which left him feeling out of place but more so on navigating around a legal officiated guild. His stomach felt uneasy, anxiety actually, about the steps ahead that'd be happening. He'd been paired with Yukino Aguria, someone he didn't personally know but she had been observed briefly by him some years back. Jellal was curious on how things would unfold with her, the kind of person she was.

" Ah, Miss Aguria. A large question to ask so I raise this. Where should I start. "

✩ jellal ╱ @novaliie

she prefers to work alone, which seems surprising to most. yukino did most things in life alone. she built her entire career from shear force of will. aside from one key in hand since arriving in this country, she had only herself. there were many reasons why she chose to participate in the reintegration programs. only one reason was all she needed: her sister.

she wasn't surprised that she wasn't paired with sorano. familial biases might've been suspicious to the council. yet, yukino couldn't complain about her decided partner. jellal fernandes was an enigma. a closed novel yet to be read. she had no intention of stripping away at his pages — but it wasn't unnatural to want to know more about her temporary companion.

❛ so — mr. fernandes. tell me about yourself. ❜

[followerexwrittenstuff]

The Beast of Fanaticism Rises

His eyes opened. He was awake.

Then that means…

His fists clenched.

The Beasts were being freed. Those traitors…finally, I may punish them myself.

He slowly raised himself from his kneeling position, the golden sphere around him fading to dust. He heard a gasp, and looked towards the source. Standing there was a Cookie in silver robes, their upper face covered by a mask. The uniform was different, but he could tell that it was a devotee of the Army.

“You…you have awoken…by the Witches, this means…”

“Exactly what you think it means, my friend.” He nodded, crossing his arms. “The seal on those fiends has broken. The Witches’ world is at risk once again. And we must prepare.”

“Of course, great one. The others will be informed.” The devotee bowed, rushing out and beginning a conversation that he could almost hear.

“The great one has awoken. You are aware of what this means, correct?”

“I…yes, but I did not think it would happen in our lifetime…”

“I felt the same. Go ring the Bell of Warning. I shall show the great one around the citadel.”

“Very well. In the name of the Witches.”

“In the name of the Witches.”

…he was pleased indeed. These devotees were truly loyal to the Witches’ light. 

He would not need to punish any here, he believed.

But Blinding Syrup Cookie would be ready to bring agony to those traitors.

-

He was impressed as well.

Back when this place was first constructed, it was merely a fortress - a place to gather and train for the inevitable freedom of the Beasts. Now, it was more akin to a fortress city - a citadel of silver and stone that towered over all around it. Built along the mountains of the Strong Flour Ridge, it was an edifice that would fall to nothing but the Witches’ will. Or rather, the Witches’ will could command it to fall.

“All this, dedicated to the Witches?” He asked his guide.

“Indeed, great one.”

Slowly, he smiled. “...Your devotion is clear. You have done well.”

“Thank you, great one. The others have likely gathered in the main chambers of the Central Church.”

“Then let us not keep them waiting.” And with that, they marched to the largest building within the City of the Blessed. A cathedral, built similarly to the rest of the city - ostentatious, yet also clearly designed to withstand an attack. It had few windows, but the largest one was familiar to him. A depiction of the Witches…with five crumbling forms beneath them, wrapped in chains. They kept his symbol.

The doors opened wide to welcome them in. Rows of Cookies sitting upon benches faced towards a circular pedestal at the end of the chapel, surrounded by strange mirrors. Regardless of what they were, he marched on.

He could destroy this place easily if they dared turn on him.

As soon as he reached the pedestal and ascended up onto it, he gazed upon the mirrors. He could feel magic within them…but what?

“These mirrors may contact other factions of our order that have spread across Earthbread. It was deemed necessary if we ever required to reach them.”

“I see. Activate them.” He turned towards the gathered Cookies. “For we will need all our forces to turn back the fiends.”

-

“Reverend Mother Cookie! The…the Mirror! It has activated!”

-

One by one, the mirrors flickered to life, showing images of distant Cookies…all clad in attire to show their worship of the Witches’ law.

“My fellow Cookies. My allies in the name of the Witches.” He turned, looking over each mirror before returning to those before him. “You are aware of what my awakening means. The monsters that the Witches sealed away long ago have broken free - and with it, the law of this world is in danger.”

He could see it. How they listened. “Years ago, I founded the Army of the Oven as a way to protect this world against the Beasts.” (to one day make them SUFFER ETERNALLY for their betrayal). “I slumbered, so that when the Beasts were freed, there would be a leader - a warrior that could face the Beasts and BREAK them.”

“And in that time, you have spread across the world. You have sought to unite this realm under the righteous aegis of our ideals. You have even attempted to seize the purified fragments of the Beast’s corruption, so it may be used for what is right.” He turned to Reverend Mother Cookie, who flinched and lowered her head.

“Your attempt to seize the Soul Jam, though it was a failure, was noble. Raise your head.” He said, softly, and she soon did.

“...your mercy is truly great.” The cookie said. “There is…something I must inform you of, great one.”

“Speak.”

“One of our adherents - former adherents - has sided with those who prevented our claiming of the Soul Jam. She and her ‘allies’ may be an issue later on.”

“Then we shall make her wish to crumble, as well as all who stand against the divine.” He said, his calm face falling away for a moment to reveal absolute wrath. “In the end, she will wish for our mercy…mercy that will not be granted. Traitors do not deserve it.”

“Of course, great one. The St. Pastry Order is at your service.” She said, to a chorus of similar statements from the other mirrors.

“Good. Thus, I have a command. Gather your finest warriors, however they may fight, and bring them to Beast-Yeast. Arrive at the southern edge, near the Strong Flour Ridge. We shall find you. And when it is time…”

A snarl of pure rage and hatred spread across his face, almost pushing at the edges of it. “We shall make those Beasts BEG to be resealed. We shall burn them with flames only surpassed by the heat of the Oven itself!”

“WE SHALL MAKE THEM SCREAM, IN THE NAME OF THE WITCHES!!!”

“IN THE NAME OF THE WITCHES!” The gathering, those across the mirror and those within the chapel itself, responded with fervour and belief.

Perfect. They were everything he expected and more.

As the mirrors flickered out, Blinding Syrup let his magic run into the chains wrapping around his arms. They began to glow and writhe, waiting to be lashed out at any targets.

Any being that needed to suffer. To scream. To burn. To crumble and crumble and CRUMBLE AGAIN FOR DARING TO DOUBT OR OPPOSE THE WITCHES! FOR DARING TO NOT LET THEMSELVES BE PUNISHED BY HIM, THEIR MOST LOYAL CREATION!

He grinned at the Cookies before him.

“Gather yourselves. For when our allies arrive…we march for the Fairy Kingdom!”

“WE MARCH!”

“TO SLAUGHTER!!!” They screamed as one.

Unaware that a Beast had awoken. A Beast, loyal to the Witches to the point of madness.

[caelitus-a]

starter for @lucentaire

" If you had to eat one meal everyday for the rest of your life what would it be? "

Jellal mused to the other sitting near to him. An odd question perhaps out of the blue but to him it was more so of a conversation starter. Evergreen, one of the Fairy Tail mages & a close friend of Laxus's, wasn't someone he'd really ever had the chance to converse with before. It wasn't long that Jellal had been here at the Fairy Tail guild for his custodial period.

This time Gajeel had him but at Fairy Tail, unable to bring him to Era for this time around. It all honesty, Jellal preferred here then there when given a choice between the two. Not that he was given a choice for that matter.

" I do hope that wasn't too nonsensical. "

[d-al-wayne]

Introduction

Universe II

--------------------🌟---------------------------

What's my name? You wish you knew. Kidding, call me Deme.

My pronouns? She/her, i don't mind using him/he if you end up confusing me with Damian Wayne.

Sexuality? Pan

Age? Rather not say but i'm a teen.

What i do? You could say i'm a witch in training. My supervisor is Zatanna.

affiliations: Batfamily (formerly) and depends on who are the people who tries to contact me.

________________________________________

>Ooc from here<

RP ACC! [obvious]

Appearance:

Short black hair, cyan-ish eyes, black skin and resting bitch face.

Height: 5'8

Tattoos? 2, one in her neck as you can see in the photo and one in the arm like this photo:

Just look at the arm.

What do they do represent? The first one nothing special really, just magic and space that she finds interesting, the second is in honor of Ivy and the nature.

Her natural hair color is the same as Talia, she painted her hair black to try to forget the past, mostly. She knows she can't that easily, but helps just a bit.

Picrews used: here and here

Race: Human/clone

Clone of who? Damian Al Ghul-Wayne

Relationship (mostly are what she thinks of them) with her family in her universe with phrases:

Bruce Wayne:

Dick Grayson:

Jason Todd:

Cassandra Cain:

Tim Drake:

Duke Thomas:

Damian Wayne:

Talia Al Ghul:

"My mother didn't raise a fool. A psychotic cold-hearted bitch. But a fool no."

Ra's Al Ghul :

"Can't you see? The pressure of being perfect destroyed me."

Thoughts on her own self:

"Just like her father No please."

"I hope know you're not proud of me dad."

"I'm sorry i'm a shitty daughter."

"I don't want to heal my inner child, i want her to have revenge."

"The chains are broken, but are you/i'm truly free?"

"i never changed, you just didn't know me."

That's all because if not, i gonna quote forever. All of the phrases are took out of Pinterest.

Muse and Mun are both MINORS!! so don't send nsfw ask, i will not answer you. I don't mind gore, any triggers? Tell me, still don't have a crystal ball.

Before starting a roleplay depending on it, please call me in dms! Or else i'll not answer sorry.

My first language it's not english, i may make some mistakes, but when i see them, i'll try to fix quickly as possible.

Main blog: @somethingimprressive

That's all, for now.

-------------------🌟--------------------------

[followerex]

The Beast of Fanaticism Rises

His eyes opened. He was awake.

Then that means…

His fists clenched.

The Beasts were being freed. Those traitors…finally, I may punish them myself.

He slowly raised himself from his kneeling position, the golden sphere around him fading to dust. He heard a gasp, and looked towards the source. Standing there was a Cookie in silver robes, their upper face covered by a mask. The uniform was different, but he could tell that it was a devotee of the Army.

“You…you have awoken…by the Witches, this means…”

“Exactly what you think it means, my friend.” He nodded, crossing his arms. “The seal on those fiends has broken. The Witches’ world is at risk once again. And we must prepare.”

“Of course, great one. The others will be informed.” The devotee bowed, rushing out and beginning a conversation that he could almost hear.

“The great one has awoken. You are aware of what this means, correct?”

“I…yes, but I did not think it would happen in our lifetime…”

“I felt the same. Go ring the Bell of Warning. I shall show the great one around the citadel.”

“Very well. In the name of the Witches.”

“In the name of the Witches.”

…he was pleased indeed. These devotees were truly loyal to the Witches’ light. 

He would not need to punish any here, he believed.

But Blinding Syrup Cookie would be ready to bring agony to those traitors.

-

He was impressed as well.

Back when this place was first constructed, it was merely a fortress - a place to gather and train for the inevitable freedom of the Beasts. Now, it was more akin to a fortress city - a citadel of silver and stone that towered over all around it. Built along the mountains of the Strong Flour Ridge, it was an edifice that would fall to nothing but the Witches’ will. Or rather, the Witches’ will could command it to fall.

“All this, dedicated to the Witches?” He asked his guide.

“Indeed, great one.”

Slowly, he smiled. “...Your devotion is clear. You have done well.”

“Thank you, great one. The others have likely gathered in the main chambers of the Central Church.”

“Then let us not keep them waiting.” And with that, they marched to the largest building within the City of the Blessed. A cathedral, built similarly to the rest of the city - ostentatious, yet also clearly designed to withstand an attack. It had few windows, but the largest one was familiar to him. A depiction of the Witches…with five crumbling forms beneath them, wrapped in chains. They kept his symbol.

The doors opened wide to welcome them in. Rows of Cookies sitting upon benches faced towards a circular pedestal at the end of the chapel, surrounded by strange mirrors. Regardless of what they were, he marched on.

He could destroy this place easily if they dared turn on him.

As soon as he reached the pedestal and ascended up onto it, he gazed upon the mirrors. He could feel magic within them…but what?

“These mirrors may contact other factions of our order that have spread across Earthbread. It was deemed necessary if we ever required to reach them.”

“I see. Activate them.” He turned towards the gathered Cookies. “For we will need all our forces to turn back the fiends.”

-

“Reverend Mother Cookie! The…the Mirror! It has activated!”

-

One by one, the mirrors flickered to life, showing images of distant Cookies…all clad in attire to show their worship of the Witches’ law.

“My fellow Cookies. My allies in the name of the Witches.” He turned, looking over each mirror before returning to those before him. “You are aware of what my awakening means. The monsters that the Witches sealed away long ago have broken free - and with it, the law of this world is in danger.”

He could see it. How they listened. “Years ago, I founded the Army of the Oven as a way to protect this world against the Beasts.” (to one day make them SUFFER ETERNALLY for their betrayal). “I slumbered, so that when the Beasts were freed, there would be a leader - a warrior that could face the Beasts and BREAK them.”

“And in that time, you have spread across the world. You have sought to unite this realm under the righteous aegis of our ideals. You have even attempted to seize the purified fragments of the Beast’s corruption, so it may be used for what is right.” He turned to Reverend Mother Cookie, who flinched and lowered her head.

“Your attempt to seize the Soul Jam, though it was a failure, was noble. Raise your head.” He said, softly, and she soon did.

“...your mercy is truly great.” The cookie said. “There is…something I must inform you of, great one.”

“Speak.”

“One of our adherents - former adherents - has sided with those who prevented our claiming of the Soul Jam. She and her ‘allies’ may be an issue later on.”

“Then we shall make her wish to crumble, as well as all who stand against the divine.” He said, his calm face falling away for a moment to reveal absolute wrath. “In the end, she will wish for our mercy…mercy that will not be granted. Traitors do not deserve it.”

“Of course, great one. The St. Pastry Order is at your service.” She said, to a chorus of similar statements from the other mirrors.

“Good. Thus, I have a command. Gather your finest warriors, however they may fight, and bring them to Beast-Yeast. Arrive at the southern edge, near the Strong Flour Ridge. We shall find you. And when it is time…”

A snarl of pure rage and hatred spread across his face, almost pushing at the edges of it. “We shall make those Beasts BEG to be resealed. We shall burn them with flames only surpassed by the heat of the Oven itself!”

“WE SHALL MAKE THEM SCREAM, IN THE NAME OF THE WITCHES!!!”

“IN THE NAME OF THE WITCHES!” The gathering, those across the mirror and those within the chapel itself, responded with fervour and belief.

Perfect. They were everything he expected and more.

As the mirrors flickered out, Blinding Syrup let his magic run into the chains wrapping around his arms. They began to glow and writhe, waiting to be lashed out at any targets.

Any being that needed to suffer. To scream. To burn. To crumble and crumble and CRUMBLE AGAIN FOR DARING TO DOUBT OR OPPOSE THE WITCHES! FOR DARING TO NOT LET THEMSELVES BE PUNISHED BY HIM, THEIR MOST LOYAL CREATION!

He grinned at the Cookies before him.

“Gather yourselves. For when our allies arrive…we march for the Fairy Kingdom!”

“WE MARCH!”

“TO SLAUGHTER!!!” They screamed as one.

Unaware that a Beast had awoken. A Beast, loyal to the Witches to the point of madness.

[ofgospel]

;; post-game Sammy, except this one comes in pink edition