#― know that the alchemist has power over the stars and not the stars over him. | alchemy

[deathleadsarc]

an ascension to further transmute the Soul to the One.

[deathleads]

ic. tags

― a witch need not fear the darkness | for she is darker | muse ― a history of creations most pleasantly foul | history ― unholy blood mother | death leading to oblivion | khrosteia ― know that the alchemist has power over the stars and not the stars over him. | alchemy ― the loves of the lilith | chimera ― the sanctuary of the witch | home of the belladonna ― sing sweet the danse macabre | music ― passions reigned high on display | aesthetics

[theatricalmage]

The brainrot took over and so here's a vat7k hadestown au!! Don't know if I'll develop it fully but I liked designing it at least!

More info under the cut:

- Varian, the Coronan royal alchemist, tasks himself with deciphering an incantation capable of bringing the world back into tune. Times are tough, and the royal family + Quirin are doing their best to cope with the meagre crop yields and desolate weather (Corona not really being the sunshine kingdom - hasn't been for a while). He wants to help and do good and I think he'd be a good Orpheus.

- Hugo, having moved about from place to place, still has his interest in alchemy and does what he can to get by. He plans on temporarily staying in Corona before looting, but he encounters a certain like-minded scientist at the Snuggly Duckling. I think him being selfish works especially well in Eurydice's role, having a more pessimistic view of the world. It also works with how he gets drawn to Donella's offer of working for her later on, leading him to his death.

- Ulla as Persephone! I was initially stuck on whether to have Rapunzel (and either Eugene/Cass) as her (and Hades) but I was drawn to the connection that Hugo has to Donella and the Donella/Ulla relationship in vat7k just works too well. In this case, Ulla won't be Varian's mother. She's still gonna be somewhat of an inspiration to him though, being the previous Coronan royal alchemist and for her intelligence. For half the year, she'll return to Corona with food, drinks, and alchemical compounds/inventions, bringing Spring and Summer to the world, if only for a bit.

- Donella would be such an interesting Hades, losing sight of her love for Ulla, heart filled with fear and hurt, leading to bitterness and cruelty. Ingvarr being Hadestown and how by being the esteemed Ingvarrian engineer, she'd be in charge of major technological advances across the kingdoms and so would wield a significant amount of power (like how Hades is literally the ruler of the underworld). Ingvarr essentially being a near death sentence for its workers while also displaying its technological prowess, all still shrouded in mystery and corruption - a place so otherworldly compared to the rest of the kingdoms.

I didn't want to modify the outfits too much nor the personalities,, if anything I imagine the general plot beats being the same as the original musical/story but with slight differences that'd you get inherently as a result of these characters. I wouldn't want it to be the case where it's just the show but the names are changed. I'd want this to still make reasonable sense in this AU, with the actions being understandable for this particular cast of characters.

For Hermes, I ended up picking Xavier, as he's most knowledgeable of old legends and stories, which would work in reference to the Hades and Persephone myth (and so Donella and Ulla)! He'd act as a mentor figure for V, someone who can guide him in uncovering the forgotten incantation. Quirin would still be the good supportive dad he is (even if he doesn't fully understand his son's project).

Last but not least, the fates!! often lurking in the background, I'm still a bit stuck on who it could be? I'm tempted to have it be Raps, Cass, and Nuru as they've had celestial connections at some point (and ya know how stars can represent fate), but I also love the freckled siblings dynamic so much. Also Team Radical... Maybe Raps and Cass can be their normal selves but their Sundrop/Moonstone counterparts are the manifested physical forms of the fates? They wouldn't be visible to the characters though, just voices in the wind.

Anyways yeah!! Those are my thoughts. Do let me know if you've got any cool ideas or questions. I'm really combining my interests at full force and there's nothing anyone, not even myself, can do about it quite frankly. 😮‍💨

[starcurtain]

hihi sorry to rant in your inbox but i hate when people use aven's line about jade that says her kindness comes with a price to make their relationship seem worse than it is. while the ipc is. well. the ipc i dont thinl it would benefit her to harm him like theyre both stonehearts AND hes her subordinate. personally i think the price he mentions is like, testing him like she did in her social media post with the ores. it certainly would be less incongruous with her want to guide those that come after her..

I think that people really struggle with Jade. They took one look at her dommy mommy appearance and her status as one of the top three in the Stonehearts and they just want her to be unrepentant evil soooo bad.

Don't get me wrong, she is definitely a master manipulator and she definitely has a specific personal goal she's working toward using the IPC as her vehicle to do so. Her overall idea of creating an endless vortex of desires that can't ever be sufficiently met is very Voracity-coded and not really the kind of idea a very well-adjusted person would be espousing. We have no idea how loyal she really is to the IPC's goal of aiding Preservation against Destruction in the War of the Aeons.

But she's also, over and over again, been painted as having "True Neutral" moral alignment in-game. She's literally xxxHolic's Ichihara Yuuko with a bad case of capitalism: She always demands a price, but never asks more than is fair.

It's literally Fullmetal Alchemist's first law of alchemy: Human kind can not gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost.

All of Jade's exchanges are equivalent and none of her customers enter into a bargain without understanding the price they are paying. In fact, she won't even let Firefly try to make a deal at all without doing her research in advance to truly realize the extent of what she is asking for. Jade is inherently an honest businesswoman.

The issue is that greed is all-encompassing. The ability to have any wish granted is a temptation that virtually no one can escape in the end.

Therefore, I think the best way to understand Jade is as the Honkai Star Rail equivalent of Mephistopheles. In the legend of Faust, the eponymous Dr. Faust longs for more in his life--he is endlessly pursuing knowledge and power, but has hit the limits of his own ability. He meets the devil, Mephistopheles, who agrees to enter into a pact with him: Mephistopheles will fulfill all Faust's wishes while Faust is still alive, but then Faust's soul will belong to the devil when he dies. The deal is fairly presented. The terms are not unclear: If Faust agrees to the bargain, he knows what will happen to his soul in the end.

Mephistopheles doesn't trick him or force his hand when it comes to this bargain. Faust could say no. He could resist. But he doesn't. He agrees, because human greed and pride are simply that overpowering. He thinks he's smarter than the devil; unlike the thousands of others who have come before and suffered damnation for their deals with the devil, Faust thinks he is different, better than others, more deserving... The actual temptation doesn't come from the devil. It comes from human hubris.

Like Mephistopheles, like the serpent in the Garden of Eden, Jade merely presents the choice--it's humanity's endless desire that leads to the downfall.

It's a snake and an apple and a contract for a reasonnnnnn, Jade haters.

So, I don't think that Jade represents any danger to anyone who can resist temptation. Firefly walks away from Jade's exchange entirely unscathed. Trailblazer isn't pressed into surrender.

But Aventurine?

To be honest, I think his relationship with her is a bit more complicated.

Aventurine likes Jade. She did him a solid when he was at his lowest in life. His character stories make it clear that he views her as, essentially, someone "safe" in the IPC, unlike other Stonehearts.

But... I do agree that Aventurine approaches Jade more cautiously than he approaches others. And I think that probably stems from a couple of different factors:

Jade has positioned herself as Aventurine's "pseudo-mother," and Aventurine responds to her as if she, indeed, a mother figure he has to obey. He is more respectful of her than anyone else we see him interact with in the game--Diamond and Opal get called by name, but Jade is always "Ma'am." Which is very close to "Mama;" this is not an accidentttttt. When Jade disrupts his banter with Topaz, Aventurine immediately does as he is told, hands over his room card, and simmers down. Even in joking social media posts, when Jade asks Aventurine to do something (judge the uncut jade stones she sent him), he does it even when she rejects his high demand for profit sharing.

But:

2. Jade actually failed Aventurine's moral litmus test. From the beginning of his adulthood flashbacks, we see Aventurine explicitly troubled by the fact that his human dignity was denied and that a market value was assigned to his existence. And not even a high value. He was sold for pennies. It's the ultimate mortification, and we can tell it is still bothering him to this day because even "future" Aventurine brings up the sting of that bone-deep insult during Aventurine's long walk through Penacony. In response to the indignity, Kakavasha gave his original master a moral test: Kakavasha says that he'll go willingly into the hellscape of the death maze if his master will give him 30 copper Tanba, just half his market value. His master refuses, demonstrating that he does not view Kakavasha as a human being, worthy of any respect. By refusing this tiny, insignificant request, the master exhibits his utter moral depravity, from which there is no return. In response, Kakavasha ultimately kills him and takes the 30 copper coins he asked for (nothing more, nothing less) from his corpse.

When Kakavasha meets Jade, he then makes the exact same demand: He wants 30 copper coins and exactly 30 copper coins. At this point, it is very clear that--to Kakavasha--the coins are emblematic of his value as a human being. (I promise you, somewhere in his apartment right now are the 30 bloody coins he took from his master's cold corpse.) His freedom, his dignity, his worth... All of these things hinge on being able to acquire the original 60 Tanba coins. Thus, those who refuse his requests for the coins also symbolically refuse his request for basic respect, his request to be seen as an equal human being who deserves to not be reduced to mere pennies on a bill of sale.

And Jade refuses this request. She treats the demand for Tanbas like a paltry sum and instead ignores the specificity of the request to give a general "We'll give you riches beyond your imagine, more than you could have ever thought to want." But that isn't what he asked for. She stepped over the request he actually made in order to supplant her ideas, on her terms. Kakavasha made the tiniest, most easily completed request in the world, and in failing to actually just respect what he personally wished for, Jade demonstrated that she ultimately will not really respect him.

Just like his slave master, Aventurine represents a value on a page to Jade. For this reason, even if she extends pseudo-maternal behavior to Aventurine and he laps it up like a starved kitten drinks up milk, we see that he remains more cautious toward her than he does to any other female character in the game. Aventurine comes across as more comfortable talking to Acheron than he sounds when he talks to Jade... Because in failing the most basic and seemingly meaningless test, Jade revealed exactly to what extent Kakavasha can--and cannot--trust her.

Does Jade actually mean Aventurine any harm? No, I really don't think so, and you're right, those who claim that she does are really over-exaggerating Jade's negative traits, mostly because they've almost universally got a strong anti-IPC agenda and hate everything from the IPC except Aventurine on principle. Everything in Jade's character stories points to her honestly wanting to develop the hidden talents of others, to "polish" rough cut stones into true gems, and to see her fledglings thrive. Kakavasha is someone she picked up out of the dirt and dusted off. If he excels, that means her faith was well-placed, her judgment was correct, and her team as a whole excels.

It's exactly like a business owner who takes great pride in producing a fantastic product. Only when the product succeeds can the business itself succeed.

But business owners see their products as objects, not equals.

Jade is a fairly neutral figure and I think she wants to see Aventurine grow and achieve greatness. But at the end of the day, their relationship is very predicated on the notion of investment (Jade puts up the original capital to make Aventurine great, and he repays her faith in him by generating wealth for the IPC). It is clear she just can't be trusted to value Aventurine as a person above a means of profit--and Aventurine knows (and accepts) that too.

[shanastoryteller]

Hayppy Valentines day you ingenious lady! Three faced goddess continuation? Maybe specifically about Tonys star-heart? ✨💖

a continuations of 1 2 3

Rhodey is going to kill him.

His grandfather outlawed necromancy in the kingdom, but Pepper's going to find someone break that law specifically to bring him back just so she can kill him again.

Tony's dirty and bruised and he probably has a concussion from his head wound and he really doesn't even want to think about the stitches in his side from the shrapnel that was pulled out of him.

He grew up in the palace. There were always magical healers around for anything serious. He's never had stitches before. He's known there was a certain amount of risk posing as Edward and working at the edges of the war, but he'd never expected them to go to this much effort to kidnap a damn alchemist!

"They're going to kill you."

He glances at his fellow captive and quirks his lips up. Yinsen doesn't have any talent with magic, but he does have exceptionally steady hands, which is almost as good. "Probably."

Yinsen sits on the opposite side of the cell from him, his hands hanging between his knees and still stained with Tony's blood. "The kingdom will fall."

"Oh, I wouldn't go that far," he says with forced casualness, even though it's absolutely true. He has no heir. "I'm good at my job, but I'm hardly the only alchemist and armorer in the country."

Yinsen tilts his head to look at him over the edge of his glasses. "We've met before, you know. It was at one of those hideously boring balls at the palace - you were deep enough in your cups that I'm not surprised you don't remember."

Well, fuck.

"I know that the king won't come for you," he continues, voice heavy. "Could you do what they're asking?"

"I'm not a god," he says tiredly. "To harness the power of a star - I don't know how they even got it down here, or got it that that size! You'd need," he pauses, then admits, "you'd need to ingest a fuck ton of mercury, and gold, and have a binding spell with some serious power behind it, and if that doesn't kill you, maybe it would work. But you'd need a lot luck to keep it from just consuming you anyway. Which is apparently what's happened to everyone else."

"A lot of luck," Yinsen repeats, "or the Goddess's blessing."

Tony snorts.

The Starks being Goddess blessed is just propaganda, something one of his ancestors thought up to keep their family in power.

If it were true, he wouldn't be the last Stark left.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Just read through the MKEgged tag, and where's Redson? I want to see the roller-coaster he goes on of "A baby!? Wait, who's the father If it can't be me? Oh, okay, no other parent. I'll step in and help, what do you mean the pregnancy has a high mortality rate!?"

Just this guy trying to figure out what he's feeling and how to handle things with this baby, because yay baby, but also No you're not allowed to die!"

Prev.

haha yes! XD

Red Son's bull-brain tells him "Whomst is the father!?" immediately, even if him and MK aren't in a fully romantic relationship yet. His infatuation tells him that only *he* can father Noodle Boy's progeny!

The fact that the pregnancy was magical in nature calms him down only a little bit... until he learns that MK's true species have a high maternal mortality rate due to this unique form of reproduction.

Red Son, busting on into MK's prenatal appointment: "Noodle Boy!! Who said that you're allowed to die!? I strictly forbid it!"

Red Son goes out of his way to investigate what knowledge is available on Stone Monkeys so he can devise a way to help MK survive and recover. He knocks on the door of every soul he can think of who would hold some idea of what to do; Lao Tzu, The Gold Star of Venus, and even Guanyin herself.

The alchemist and planet god both only had second-hand accounts of how Stone Monkeys lived, but provided copies of their literature all the same.

Approaching her old master was a little awkward, but the Bodhisattva Guanyin is a patron god of safe childbirth, and Red Son wanted to have their input on the matter. To her surprise, Guanyin was equally concerned for MK's well-being - and had already offered to attend the birth to ensure that they could monitor MK and the baby. Red Son learns from Guanyin that Sun Wukong himself had such questions many centuries ago, but curiously dropped the matter sometime after the Journey. Former master and disciple share a warm goodbye, finally reunited by their worry over a noodle monkey-boy.

Xiwangmu was still mourning the loss of her husband, so Red Son thought it improper to bother her on such a matter - but clearly Lao Tzu or Gold Star blabbed. The very next time Red Son stepped into the Celestial Realm, he found himself swept into a suffocating hug by the Queen Mother of the West.

Xiwangmu, weeping: "Oh, my little fire opal. You are so proactive! Scouring the Heavens and Earth to find a way to save your mate and child!" Red Son, confused: "EHH!?!?"

Turns out, the Queen Mother had a gut-reaction to hearing that her grandson's beloved ("WHO TOLD!?" shrieks Red) Monkey Prince was pregnant. And that reaction was; "GREAT-GRANDCUBS?!?!"

Red Son barely has a second to object. The Queen Mother weeps how the Jade Emperor is to miss the birth of his first great-grandchild, but that the pregnancy is a light in a very dark time for her and the court. She orders her court secretary to give Red Son unlimited access to the celestial library so that he can continue his research.

After the whirlwind of discovering that apparently even Heaven itself blames him for MK's Egg, Red Son turns to only two known members of the Noodle Boy's species.

Sun Wukong and the Six Eared Macaque.

The Macaque was the most difficult to get information out of since he kept slipping into the shadows whenever Red brought up questions on his species. Luckily one attempt/battle (it got out of hand) lead to the appearance of Sun Wukong on the scene.

Wukong: "What's the issue, firecracker?" Red Son, holding thick notepad: "I need to understand your species so I can devise a way to prevent MK's stone egg from killing him!" Macaque, turns off powers: "Oh! Why didn't you say so? I thought you were trying to dissect me or something!" XD Wukong: "We know almost everything there is on our species, so fire away kiddo." Red Son: "Yes! Finally! Question 1; in the case of self-spawned eggs, is the child a genetic clone of the parent?" Wukong & Macaque: (*both shake their heads*) Wukong: "Oh no. Its not a clone. You see, the Egg absorbs Dao from it's surroundings - not just it's parent. So it steals bits of DNA from whatever troop happens to be around. You know like friends, family-" Macaque, slyly: "Former mates." Wukong: "Former ma- hey!" (*glares*) Red Son, thinking: "So an additional source of life energy could supplement MK's own depleted supply?" Wukong: "Yeah... but the healthiest option is usually a dear friend or life partner. Someone who can cling to them and supply the most juice. Also helpful if the pregnant person wants their kid to look like their fave person." Macaque, knowing smile: "Or... whoever they have a big crush on." Red Son: (*hair-flames briefly flicker pink in blush as he imagines a red-furred baby monkey with calf hooves*) Red Son: "Wait. How come you both know so much about this topic? I know Sun Wukong has access to the celestial library, but Macaque has been barred from the palace grounds since the rebellion! Why do you share the same knowledge?" Wukong & Macaque: (*both start spluttering and choking on air*) Wukong, trying to find words: "You see-! We uh...!" Macaque: (*fades into background at 50% opacity, hiding face in scarf*) Red Son, realising: "Ah. I see. Thank you for your input, gentlemen." Wukong: "Where are you going now?" Red Son: "I'm going over to Noodle Boy's place. I have been invited for company." (*Red Son leaves. Macaque phases back in*) Wukong: "Well. The Egg might not be her doing. But she certainly wishes it was." Macaque: "I'm just glad they didn't try getting more out of us." Wukong, cheeky grin: "Like what? How we both know so much about Stone Eggs because once upon a time we wanted some of our own?" Macaque: (*hides face in scarf again*) "Shut up, peaches."

As for the Demon Bull parents? Well..

PIF, calmly writing letters: "Even if the child was not made the traditional fashion, we will both adore them all the same. I expect any grandchildren of mine to be as beloved as a prince or princess ought to be." DBK, arms full of baby shower gifts: "Make sure to note the exact hour, day, month, and year of the child's birth! It's very important for divining the calf's fortune!" Red Son, flames twitching: "Are you two-!? ARE YOU PLANNING A ROYAL BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT!?" PIF: "Do not shout dear. My mother visited shortly after you left. Seems that a certain child of mine has been asking around about celestial monkeys and safe magical birthing practices, and it's stirred the court's rumour mill. Me and the simians are planning a formal announcement once the child arrives." Red Son, blushing pink: "I would have gone through the same effort if I only considered them a mere ally." PIF: "I know you would. But a mere ally, does not donate so much life energy to the parent in hopes that the child becomes theirs." Red Son: (*blush grows even bigger, flames spit embers onto the surrounding furniture*) PIF, brushes embers off of desk: "Hopefully, Xiaotian doesn't experience the terrible heartburn I did whilst carrying you." Red Son: "Mother!" DBK, wincing with sympathy: "Only exacerbated by your cravings, my love! You had a great desire for charcoal and spiced meat on the bone."

MK texts Red Son a few hours later asking if he'd like to go out for some barbecue; "Just started craving it for some reason. Oh! And we should make sure to get cheese tea too! Acid reflux acting up rn and I need something to quench the flame."

Red is so down bad.

It's not all sunshine and baby monkeys though - there is genuine worry across the families about MK's condition. None more so than the men who raised him.

(*Red is leaving MK's place after a hang out session, when a certain pig-man in the kitchen speaks up*) Pigsy: "Hey... thanks for being there for him." Red Son, surprised: "Huh? Oh! No problem..." Pigsy: "I know you like him. Like, like-like him. I don't exactly approve but.... you've been going out of your way to find ways to help me. Make sure he..." Pigsy: (*trails off, eyes puffy*) Red Son: (*quietly approaches, awkwardly places a hand on Pigsy's shoulder*) Pigsy: "Promise me something." Red Son: "Ok." Pigsy: "If the worst happens... I want you to still be there. For them. Not just because you like him. But because you really care about him and his kid." Red Son, certain: "I do. I truly care for Xiaotian. And I wish to be there for him through it all. And if the unthinkable were to occur, I would still be there for them." Pigsy, wipes tears with sleeve: "Thanks, punk." Red Son: "Again, no problem." Pigsy, changing tone: "Now! What's with this letter I got saying MK and his baby are gonna be presented to the Heavenly and Infernal Court?" Red Son, remembers previous encounters: "oops."

Once he fully explains the misunderstanding in heaven, Pigsy whacks Red with a spatula.

[ajastor]

😮 - any of the astors

Elsie Astor — 1999, London

"Sometimes they call it the River Isis," She tells him, as soft-spoken as the cotton sheets that are pulled tight up against his neck. He's always known it as the Thames, and he thinks he already knows this lesson.

It is cold tonight, but Atlas is fixated on one of his grandmother's stories. He always is; she tells them the best. Always perched on the edge of his bed, recounting the myths and monsters, the origins of their magic with an energy his mum and dad don't match — he's a God. Or he will be, when he earns his heritage. When he's older, his nanna tells him. Always assures him that he will secure his bloodright, because he's named after a God; Atlas, a symbol of mighty endurance. (Elsie had never told him what Atlas did to earn that punishment.)

"Rivers are important, Atlas." She draws his attention back, wide-eyed and eager to be reminded about the science of their family magic. "There would be no power beyond the ones in the stars for this magic if there were no waters. And they need heat, the fire, to get warm enough, the earth for its pressure—" He knows this part, he remembers now.

Doesn't remember the periodic table, but he knows Au is important. He understands that the elements are the backbone of a lot of the magical arts. Elsie once told him about a family in Asia who could have been the most powerful elemental family the witches have ever known. Sometimes, she says, the Gods favour the loyal bloodlines. It's why they were blessed, she says.

"If you are to be a good alchemist one day, you must remember that you are only as good as your knowledge of the alchemical arts —" Elsie reaches underneath the covers and pulls Atlas' arms free, brushing her fingers along his palms, as if to remind him of the passive parts of their power.

Atlas wiggles his fingers free of her grasp, because her story has become a lecture: "I'm going to be a God, Nanna—"

"Yes." She snatches one of his hands back in hers and shoots him a pointed gaze: "An arrogant one, I can tell." Atlas doesn't know what that means, but he's sighing and sinking back into his pillow whilst she keeps his hand pinned palm up in hers. Elsie continues on her exploration of his hand whilst he can feel the weight of her shifting over on the bed. "Do you know another reason rivers have so much power?"

Atlas rolls his eyes. He knows this one, too.

"They drowned witches—Ow, Nann—!"

Elsie hushes him to quiet. And Atlas bolts upright in the bed when his hand feels struck by fire. There is a stream of red pooling upon his palm. A small, curved knife is in Elsie's hand. Eyes alert and panicked, he bites his lower lip to keep the whine of protest from escaping him as she lifts the blade from where she's made her mark.

"No. Not because of that." She answers calmly as she untucks a vial from the pocket of her cotton trousers. It's finger length with clear liquid inside. "But because they each hold magic of their own."

He's trying to understand the idea of river magic, pulling parts of lessons from a tired brain. His shaky hand is held between them, distracting him. It's harder to focus when he's hurting. He knows if his dad were in the room, he would never be able to shed a tear. Gods don't weep, he'd say. Atlas sniffles, lifting his head like the very idea of it is enough to see him through this. He watches carefully as his grandmother performs her own alchemy lesson, though he's seen far more impressive versions in their lab. Gold-flecked eyes briefly meet, like she wants to be certain Atlas is listening when she speaks.

"This is water from the River Pactolus, Atlas."

Frowning, he nods as his fingers threaten to curl and cover where he's bleeding. But Elsie isn't looking at his hand any longer, instead, she's pouring the water on the knife that's slick with Atlas' blood. It takes a moment, but there is a faint wisp of steam; cold, like he's seen his dad's frozen experiments; the liquid stuff that freezes the things it touches. A mirror of the Midas magic, but more science than God-things. Soon though, the blood on the blade is sizzling, like the water is warring with it, staining the blade the same deep red of Atlas' blood.

He retracts his hand, fist clenched against his chest. He fears the water dripping onto his palm as it speckles the bedcovers. Because the blood is burning, and there's a phantom sensation that makes him believe she's doused him in the water.

"You are a God, Atlas." Elsie agrees, lowering the knife to his bedside table. It's calm again, but the metal is burnt a reddened shade; his blood painting the metal an off colour. Atlas doesn't like this story. "But you bleed, you can be struck down; therefore, you are not immortal."

"Why did it do that?" He asks, glancing between the knife, and his nan.

"This river is dangerous for an Astor. It will purge a God if used correctly. It will deem a deity reaped—" But Elsie stops, because Atlas's confusion is mixed with his fear. (He's not old enough to know the gravity of her teaching that night, he knows now.) He thinks she can see that in his gaze, though. His nan always knows when to call it bedtime. Even if he doesn't get to know the end of the tale.

"A story for another day, love."

He doesn't protest when Elsie stands. She weaves fingers through his hair, brushing the sweat away from his hairline and kisses his temple. There's a goodnight muttered between breaths.

Atlas swallows down his unease but nods as he lies back down. He curls up with his bloodied fist to his chest. It stings, but he spends most of the night staring at the river-stained blade on his bedside, too afraid to touch it, until he falls asleep.

[cccakessslicemeee]

Spoilers for a show that has existed for 10+ years.

Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go

Read at your own risk

--------

I got sucked in the srmthfg wormhole again and I keep thinking about a mandarin redemption or like some kind of cathartic closure especially for Nova since I think, and headcanon he had some kind of beef with her being physically stronger than the rest of the team. Sure mandarin had the battle experience and training and mastered the power primate but Nova still had that raw strength others didn't. I think he was jealous and hated her for it. That's why he froze her. Or like "wanted to train her to endure the elements". Low key think Nova would have had fire power if she wasn't afraid of her own strength.

Anyway. I guess she does get to beat his ass and even before that she did blow him up a lil bit. I had this thought that like maybe she'd be able to reach out and save original mandarin. Like yes he's this traitorous bastard but before that they were a team. Apparently a good one and I think she'd remember and miss that.

I don't think Mandarin should be on the team I think he should be in jail or serving time to make up for his laundry list of crimes but they could work towards closure. Why did he want power so bad? Why did he need to rule over Shuggazoom? Was he not already beloved when he was the leader?

Even when he was working with the skeleton king he still wanted his team working under him. I think there was some sort of love there even if he wouldn't dare call it that. He wanted them on the same side.

Also I think it's really neat how both Nova and Mandarin have anger issues but it only ever seems like Nova (ya know like the star? White dwarf) gets a boost in power when actually pissed off. Like turning into a literal star burst. Mandarin gets stupid and that's about it. It's also pretty neat to see how Nova gets mad on the behalf of others and Mandarin just gets mad to his own detriment

Like I know mandarin is supposed to be Chiro's antagonist but I think he's also Nova's foil? She outshines him considerably. Plus Yellow and orange are both bright colors so it makes so much sense they would clash/not get along.

Mandarin is the literally the cause for all the bad shit happening in the first place with the alchemist and Nova (( was specifically shown for this and none of the other monkeys)) was a source of genuine love who didn't want anything from him other than his time and their shared memories together (again I think this is really important because none of the other monkeys do a check in with the alchemist and be like I wanna not forget this) and skeleton king weaponizes Novas love for the alchemist mid combat and she can't bring herself to smash his face in paste.

There's also something to be said about Nova fucking off for an episode and a half to talk to the god (?) of the "Macro-universe" where she sees the birth of all creation, time and space, and like everything and comes back a changed person. And Mandarin dies in a hole in the ground. At least one version of his does and then the new him is this nasty little dirt eating bitch made outta bones. The hole light vs. dark thing. Nova becomes a better and brighter version of herself and Mandarin...kinda shrivels up like a nasty lil rotten fruit. The worst version of him.

Anyway. I think it would be neat if Nova had a conversation with Mandarin, the original, and got some concrete answers. And they both could mourn what the team could have been. What all they could accomplish if only mandarin didn't wanna become supreme overlord of Shuggazoom.

Merely a few thousand thoughts.

[intcritus]

❝ i am eternally yours. until the stars go out. and maybe, even after that. ❞ ( ling to ed )

❝ ━ Ease up, Emperor, that sounds like marriage proposition,   ❞ Ed jokes, staring up into those brown eyes, hands coming up to encircle Ling’s wrists, thumbs stroking over the inside where his pulse was thumping. Wearing such a serious expression while cradling Ed’s face so tenderly was enough to make the blond’s chest warm. Ed was so used to his coy demeanor, his way around words but these words settled like golden ichor inbetween the cracks of his person.

Can he still call himself an alchemist if no longer has the power to wield it, but all the knowledge. Sometimes, he misses it, and other times, he likes knowing he cannot play god. That he’s just as human as everyone else. Because moments like this with Ling lets him appreciate how his humanity has always been his redeeming quality. To find himself experiencing love, care and several other things he’s had to work through to understand how emotions work.

Hands drop from wrists, arms slipping around Ling’s waist, tugging him close, mouth press to the Emperor’s chin. ❝ ━ When you say stuff like that, I want to give you everything I am, y’know ? I don’t know how to love in half measures, but I knew the second I realize how much I love you, that no one else would ever occupy my heart, my life. To be in every waking thought, every midnight contemplation while I’m away from you ? Eternally yours is the standard.  ❞

An equivalent exchange? Nah, Edward wanted to give Ling his entire heart in exchange to be held like this, to feel the warmth of his smile, to wake in the morning and feel the press of lips against his forehead. Taking Ling’s hand in his own, Ed presses it over his heart, chuckling softly, ❝ ━ I am yours, just as much as you are mine, y’know ? No matter where I am, you own every part of me, Ling. ❞

eternally yours. | @resolutepath

[kingxgarm]

Ok

So, after spreading my info out, I have four different "rewrites" of Wish, all with their own (noncreative) names just so I can tell them apart

I'll be going over one of them in this post, they'll all get separate posts

The first one I've dubbed Yearning

It's more of a retake than a rewrite, as I've changed A LOT, almost only keeping the names of certain characters, I wanted to remove almost ALL the references to Disney movies, treating this more as a standalone movie than a 100th year special

So, CHARACTERS

Asha- Asha moves to Rosas, she does not live there, she is an alchemist, that's why she moves there, her hair and color pallete is the same, but she kinda looks more like Venti from Genshin (unfortunately), (I'll make drawing of my designs eventually, I don't have my sketchbook), she has been traveling since she was young, and after a few days of staying in Rosas, she is summoned by the King, she is meant to represent wishes, not necessarily good itself, but just wishes

Magnifico- Magnifico is a mage, he was born with magic, mages were given magic by dragons (that has some lore too), mages are not well liked by humans, his parents tried to hide in a rather large city, but were caught, Magnifico was saved and given to a trusted mage, that mage sent Magnifico to Rosas to be safe there, eventually his magic was discovered and he was made king (at age 9 👍), since Rosas was small and not very well informed of the outside world, they have never seen a mage before and thought Magnifico was a God, after he turned 25 he put a spell on himself that he would be immortal and never age to keep the people from worrying about him dying with no heir, he never marries, he only wants to keep the people happy, but he is not happy being king, magic takes a toll on users causing Magnifico to be very depressed, every month he calls an assembly and for an hour gives the people whatever they want, they walk up to a chair in a gazebo where he sits, announce what they want, and it's granted, Magnifico represents want, he wishes to be free but wnats to keep the people happy so he just does what he wants and not what he wishes

Dragons- there were seven dragons, each representing different forms of magic, they each (minus purple) had a childwith a himan to bring magic into the human race, red gave mages power over the elements (fire, water, air, and earth), orange gave mages the power over the mind (like emotional manipulation), yellow gave the power of deception (reality warping), green gave the power of physicality (power of creation and destruction), Blue gave the power of shape (shapeshifting and changing other stuff), purple gave the power of substance (learnable magic like alchemy and potion stuff), (Magnifico is related to the green dragon, and all alchemists are ruled by the purple dragon)

PLOT

Asha is taken to the castle because she's a well-renowned alchemist, she proves this by giving the king a potion of calming (at his request), and it works (ITS A WEED POTION /j), every day she is asked to become a royal Alchemist but she never knows how to answer, after a few days, instead of a potion of happiness that the king asks for, Asha gives him a potions of honesty and asks why he constantly asks for happiness potions, this is where they would sing a duet, but by the end the potion would where off and Magnifico would be very upset that she did that to him, arresting her, and locking her in a dungeon, they both pray to the stars (cuz religion ig, and cuz I wanted to get them in the story somehow), Magnifico for strength to keep the people happy, and Asha for a way to save the king from himself

This is as far as I got before I started writing the others, but I did figure out what to do for the ending, and even a sequel (where Magnifico has two daughters that grow up to be Maleficent and Mother Gothel, but I kinda don't like the sequel anymore, plus u haven't even finished the first one, also don't care for the daughter lore since I'm trying to seperate from the Disney canon)

Also yes, I did try writing songs for this, but the duet isn't finished, and the "This is the Thanks I Get" rewrite got moved to another rewrite, so.... (and I still need to rewrite it anyway cuz it contains too many elements of this story, UGH)

I'd greatly appreciate feedback, cuz ik damn well this probably sucks lol, the other ones are better (I'm lying to you), I want to improve this story, cuz there's still ideas I like (the magic system, wants vs. wishes, and the fact that the people of Rosas are the villain), but there's definitely stuff I don't like (Magnifico and Asha being pretty much the only characters, the fact that the "villain" isn't the villain, and maybe the name [I'm still not settled in on Yearning rn]), something just feels off about it to me, I can't put my finger on it

Wish rewrites

1 / 2 / 3 / 4

[deathleadsarc]

one could consider the Goddess Khrosteia to be a goddess forbidden by the more morally lawful of scholars. though she takes great care of her patrons, she is not exactly known for her goodness. there is no benevolence. once weakness is sensed, weakness is punished swiftly. she will rip through bone and flesh, tear apart the brain that so dares to forget their piety.

a show of weakness as her patron is a direct sign of contempt. of mockery. disrespect. Most of, if not all, of Qistina's nature is a direct result of Khrosteia's soul. Qistina is not a traditional reincarnation, as alchemy is not a power of humans. rather, it is a power of gods. specifically, Khrosteia, who dared to show her power against the other gods before her. She is rebellious and utterly thirsty to remain free. Khrosteia comes forth against Qistina's soul every time she uses alchemy to overexertion. Her body simply cannot contain the goddess's power within, she would break apart. However.

in moments, there is a certain catalyst that sparks against her abilities as an alchemist. when soul of Qistina and soul of Khrosteia join as one. her body may disappear, but what remains is the very thing found beyond the end of the light. She becomes an EinSof - a god before gods were born. power compressed within a body of blinding light. a eye to give sight to the soul within sits in the middle of what could be a 'face'.

it is not death itself. it is a creature that exceeds humanity and cosmic being alike. both Qistina and Khrosteia fight from within. Qistina remains alive because of Khrosteia, and Khrosteia is still alive because of Qistina. In this, they become One and their souls join with that EinSof, that creature that sits beyond soul and eldritch knowledge. She will be different, yet the same. Such a joining has only happened once, if ever so briefly ― the moment when both the lives of Qistina and Khrosteia were in danger. Tied to the witches pyre for her crucifixion, killing all life in the village. All person and leaf and soil and air. Though it quickly returned to her soul at the behest of Khrosteia's soul, having just awakened from Qistina's constant discovery of alchemy. Qistina does not know to this extent, but there will come a time when she does. The madness of Khrosteia will surely bring about this second coming and further destroy the world for its betrayal of Her.

[clericofkelemvor]

Clip of back to back conversations with Araj Oblodra, the drow alchemist you meet in Moonrise who wants a sample of your blood and a bite from Astarion, when you meet her again in the city in Act 3 with a romanced Astarion in your party. Choices made in her conversation in act 2: gave her the PC's blood, backed up Astarion when he refused to bite her. This happens after there is a massive explosion in her home and she runs out.

Transcript below the cut

Astarion: And I will keep refusing until the end of time. I'm done bowing to the whims of others.

Araj Oblodra: Oh! My silk, what are the chances - it's /you/!

AO: Ah, and the heart-stopping bloodsucker. I hope you've changed your mind. My neck is yours, any time.

Tav: Astarion, we can leave if you don't want to be around her. (Astarion approves, Jaheira approves)

AO: Never say never.

AO: Forgive the mess. Your blood is far more volatile than I'd anticipated.

A: I'll be all right. Let's just get this over with.

T: Forget it. I saw how you made Astarion feel. I'm done with you. (Astarion approves)

AO: Nervous to see me again, is he? How sweet.

AO: But! We have quite a bit to discuss. What a wonder you came to my door just when you did.

AO: You see, it's /your/ blood that caused the conflagration you just witnessed. Imagine!

AO: It's a breakthrough in the sanguine arts the likes of which the world has never seen. The Grand Matriarch will have no choice but to restore House Oblodra after I present her with my research.

AO: But listen to me, rabbitting on about myself when I have you - the prize bleeder - on my very doorstep.

AO: If you'd come inside, we could discuss something far more exciting than drow politics.

AO: How I made him /feel/? What I propose goes well beyond such frivolities. We are talking about alchemical breakthroughss based on the blood that runs through /your/ veins, my friend!

T: And if it does?

A: I appreciate the thought, truly, but if this is something you want to look into…

A: Well, hearing her out won't kill us.

A: Well, death never stopped me before. I don't know why it should now.

AO: Now, now. I do think that's enough. When you see what I've been working on, bygones will all be bygones, I assure you.

The party follows Araj down to the lower level of her house.

A: If that's her 'formula' I can smell, it's even fouler than her blood. Gods below…

AO: Ah - a cosy little spot, isn't it? These four walls have witnessed greater alchemical triumphs than the keep of Urngath Dorrund!

AO: And now that you're here, the crown jewel of my research is soon to be faceted. All you have to do is drink Formula Gruna.

T: Formula Gruna?

AO: Well yes. Formulae Arkku through Fruak were spectacular failures. But Gruna - Gruna is different. Believe me!

T: What will this formula do?

A: Say no - the only thing she's offering is pain, and I- I don't want to see you hurt.

AO: When you first entered this home, you saw the incredible latent power within your blood exposed in all its nuances. Formula Gruna will unleash that power /within/ you.

AO: Risky. But - erm - safe!

T: I won't be drinking any mysterious formulas today, thanks.

AO: Not even for the betterment of the alchemical arts the realm over? Not event for /that/?

T: All right. Hand it over.

AO: Oh, marvellous. I've never been so excited for anything in all my days! Just - stand over there. Far over there. And drink up!

A: What are you doing? That had better go down the drain and not down your gullet.

Tav steps away and drinks the potion Araj gave them. An explosion occurs around them, doing low fire damage.

T (ambient): Am I… /explosive/?

T: You seem surprised. Had you expected me to die?

AO: Oh my- my heavens! You LIVED!

AO: This is incredible. I'm seeing stars!

T: Is this going to kill me?

AO: I'd hypothesised you wouldn't, my friend. And you've proven me absolutely correct.

AO: You are the world's first /detonative exsanguinator/. To put it simply: from this day on, your blood goes boom. big boom! Ahaha! It's incredible!

AO: All it needs is a spark.

AO: Certainly not. But it might do damage to anyone who makes you bleed without your express permission.

A: Naturally, I always ask first. I'm civilised, unlike you.

AO: There are other necks available for biting, of course. If you were so inclined.

T: Can you revert it?

T: You've had enough of my blood.

AO: What an odd question.

AO: Now, let me offer you a little treat. In exchange for the teensiest vial of your marvellous blood, I'll give you something that'll really throw your enemies for a loop.

AO: I'll only ask a /nominal/ fee in exchange.

AO: Now now, darling. Let's not be /rude/…

A: They said 'no'. You should learn the meaning of the word.

T: Why do you need /more/ of my blood so badly?

AO: My research will be quite worthless without proof. And my proof is running through your veins. I only need a tiny bit. Then - then my life will /truly/ begin.

T: I said /no/.

AO: Ah. I'd so hoped it wouldn't come to this. But I can't let my prize experiment walk out that door. I'd hoped to take a sample with your permission. But I can do without it.

Everyone rolls initiative.

[chaosprinceundivided]

Sail to the Shadowlands

The sea roared and roiled, the storms hurling scourges of lightning and hammering plowing fists of thunder. It was as if every god of its several waters were fighting them but the absolution of the ruinous inevitability pushed the defiance aside. The black ark pushed with its thousand oars and cruel ingenuity, its black hide pulsating and flexing with the slow growth of iron teeth. Eyes winking and gawking helplessly to the new world they were born to suffer through, even as bolt smashed and its fluids feeding the rolling waves, another would be doomed to replace it with many pupils. 

The Druchii scream, the survivors of the proud raiders suffering as surely as their former currency of flesh. Hundreds of elvish - and other - souls cruelly lashed by the giggling sirens of Slaanesh’s pain-artisans with their writhing whips. Their swooning voices coercing wretched minds to serve and thank them for each flaying crack and weeping wound that was doomed to fester as a Beast of Nurgle wanted to play with so many new friends. Some of the sadists loving at the misery wrought so bountiful, aroused even as a few were not missed in their salivating desires. 

The soldiery of Chaos warriors and marauders moving to aid in the reining and preparing for their course with their natural seafaring prowess, warbands of countless banners and praising hollering fighting the divine storm. The chromatic clashes of scarlets, violets, blues and greens and every color within the perceived spectrums, in the devotions of the Ruinous Powers and that of their present god-prince. 

Within the Lord’s Tower, a growing tumour of flesh-metal and splaying teeth was crawling on the already icon of terror, the Daemon Prince dwelled. The former seat of the Dark Admiral had become greatened into the great palanquin of alchemist-changed cadavers whilst the gargoylish prince sat. His vengeful golden gaze peering into the audience chamber that easily fit a Kislevite voi, in this case was the kneeling chaos lords and heralds that serve as his legion lieutenants. 

A poultry of his former conquest. Hundred strong, but the avarice burning in his black heart desired more. He has lost his grand kingdom. His daemonic legion. His power. Now, all of it must be reclaimed and the End Times was coming to this blighted world. Ursan had escaped him. 

Rulek Darksteel looked at his hand, as if still feeling the god’s claimed power within his very being. He was cheated. He had it. He ruled Kislev and more as its daemon king. A god in all right under the Greater Chaos Gods. He could still taste it. If it wasn’t, then he would have been destroyed after his physical destruction. No…He will reclaim it. All of it and more. 

Slowly grasping his taloned fingers into a knuckle-popping fist as he sat before his minions. Not all, he was missing his trusted generals. They were scattered in the Realms of Chaos, fighting for their gods but they will know he has returned. For now, Rulek looked to his immediate exalted champion. The hellplated warrior bearing marks of the Dark Prince yet the Undivided Star seared into his chestplate. Face obscured by the horned helm with his long caped arm crossing his chest in salute. 

“We are yours to command, my Unholy Tzar.” The champion, thick of his Kislevite accent, spoke. 

“Yes, you are…” Rulek said, the feel of the Festering Forest’s presence crawled on his hide. The off color green slithering over his shoulder and neck. Blighted wings flexed in their hugging drap along his spined shoulders like a pockmarked cape. Then he looked beyond his mortal sight, to the storm to see the coming islands. His assembled fleet were of longboats and elven ships stolen and remade in dark purpose, following the black ark’s leviathan bulk, the campaign against the Everchosen subdued for a greater purpose. 

For now, the elves of Nagarythe were his target. Be’lakor had a plot with the other fool to hold the title ‘Shadow King’ and the Dark Prince of Kislev will not allow his foe to hold an ounce of satisfaction, even if it means having the High Elves bowing before his might. And, as if sensing his coming intent, he could see them. Those bright souls commandeering a fleet of avian ships with their mages weaving the lores of magics to hold his fleet back. 

His maw salivated. 

“And my first command is to prepare for war. A great battle comes.” Rulek warned with a grin, his own sorceries were stirring and he rose. He called out with a voice that tore into the storms, every servant within his grasp heard his cry, “Prepare for battle!”

[alchemists-eve]

You feel the fissure between you and Kata redivide your selves. You are once again standing among the camp site, holding him by the neck.

Swinging his body around, you throw him to the ground. The earth erupts with dirt and grass. Sexcrus calls out to him, but his words fall on deaf ears.

It’s not hard to believe such an impact would kill someone, but Kata stubbornly survived. Slowly he stands to his feet as you look over him. Dusting himself off he says “I see you’ve finally figured it out. Took you long enough. You see..”

You cut him off with a snappy right hook. He stumbles back from the impact. You split his lip. He wipes the blood from his mouth, looking back at you severely before rubbing the burns on his neck. “You had better stop. If you’re not careful you’ll cross the point of n-”

“Shut up!” you roar, your voice shaking the grass and trees around you. You barrel forward winding up a king-hit. But before you can connect, he jabs you in the rib. You recoil, pain quickly returning to your body. You could feel the intensity, the flame that wreathed you in strength flicker. You pull back to put distance between you two.

“You felt that, didn’t you. Doubt. Weakness.” Your heart skipped a heat. “There it is again. Can’t you feel it growing?” As he speaks, he slowly walks towards you.”I don’t even need to touch you, I need only speak your weakness into being. This power is grand, but it’s a metal hard to temper. This is a power He grants me, and it is through His guidance that I can understand it.

Do you know what faith is? Do you know why I can so easily draw doubt into your mind? Pick a god and pray my dear, because right now it doesn’t matter who you believe in. But if you plan to stand against me with nothing behind you then you’ll be swept away.”

Kata’s creature rises up from its hunched over position. It collects Kata and places him on its back. “Look upon me and see what my God can offer.” 

The creature swings its mighty arm and strikes true. You are struck by the mighty mass of entwined vibes and green detritus that has been wrapped up in its body. 

“Do you believe in the god that changed you?” you ask, “Well I believe in the self who changed.”

The creature’s arm is returned to the earth as ash and dust. Your body remains unharmed and your being unscathed. You lunge towards the creature, striking firm into its centre of mass. Like a spider bite, a ring of flesh around where you hit rapidly decomposed and the hulking behemoth was thrown onto its ass. You climb up its now corpse and confront Kata directly. 

You grab him firmly by the shoulders and push him off the back of the beast. You both collide with the earth, him pinned between you and it. You open your mouth and roar. Flames erupt from deep within you, scorching Kata and the grass you laid on. You screamed like someone screams into a pillow, until your voice went hoarse and you began to see stars. 

You stood up, the charred body of the man who imprisoned you remained. Your fire had burnt out.

You walked aimlessly in the direction you saw people leave and hoped to find something different.

********

Don't forget that Alchemist's Eve is now on Instagram. If you've enjoyed the story, please reblog and tell your friends

***Next Part******Previous Part***

[elliepassmore]

The Scarlet Alchemist review

5/5 stars Recommended if you like: fantasy, alchemy magic, conspiracies, monsters

This was not a book that was on my radar but it came as part of a book box subscription and I'm so glad it did! The idea of jewels being altered alchemically to be something the rich can eat to live forever is so interesting and has such layered connotations to it.

The story opens with Zilan talking with a client about doing a resurrection. We get quite a bit of info on conducting resurrections since Zilan and her cousin's have made this their side business in order to help their family stay afloat. I liked the way the resurrections were described and thought the details of the magic were interesting. I also think seeing a resurrection first-thing helps set the stage for how magic works in this world.

Since magic is based in alchemy, it's drawn from stones and gems, each of which has a different power depending on its properties and elemental alignments. Zilan, being both a resurrectionist and someone who wants to sit for the civil exams, has to know a lot about the different stones. Once Zilan is in the imperial city, we get to see more alchemists and different uses of stones, and I really liked seeing the innovative things people came up with. I thought it was particularly clever the way Zilan would fashion rings out of gems, metals, and stones in order to have a quick source for magic. The imperial alchemists in particular are the cream of the crop and thus are both extremely talented and extremely creative in how they use their magic. I liked the camaraderie amongst the imperial alchemists and thought they brought a touch of light to an otherwise dangerous court.

Zilan is someone who wants to climb the social ladder in order to help her family. She's immensely loyal to her cousins, aunt, and uncle, who took her in after her father left and her mother died. Zilan is a talented alchemist and has figured out the secret to raising the dead after only ever being self-taught. Thanks to her success and renown she's able to enter the world of the court alchemists and have a chance to provide for her family the way they've provided for her. Yet at the same time she feels a sense of unworthiness, of being the child they had to take in due to familial duty, and that leaves her feeling as though she needs to work extra hard to prove she's worth it (of course her family doesn't actually think of her as a burden, but it's hard for her to overcome). Her insecurities about having been taken in, and having a foreign-born father do cause some internal problems for her, which at times translate to spats with her cousins. Regardless, it's clear she loves them deeply and would do anything to help them and ensure their safety.

Yufei is Zilan's cousin/adoptive sister and I absolutely loved her character. She's described as being a classically beautiful girl and their culture's 'perfect wife' material but should anyone say that to her face she'll square up and make them regret the 'compliment.' Yufei is definitely the fighter of their trio and is fiercely protective of Zilan and her brother. I also appreciated her mischievous side and seeing how she could be playful as well as the serious scholar and the fierce fighter.

Wenshu is Zilan's other cousin/adoptive brother and is the cautious one of their trio. He's soft spoken and worries over things like cleanliness and getting into trouble. That being said, I think he and Zilan have similar insecurities, though coming from opposite directions. Zilan worries she isn't loved enough because she's a burden and half-Chinese, Wenshu worries Zilan doesn't love them because she's capable of rising so high and 'leaving them behind.' This does cause some friction between the two of them, but Wenshu loves her and his sister and it's clear his worries simply get the best of him sometimes (that being said, I think he does get upset with Zilan about some things out of her control). At times he acts as a mitigating influence at times to Zilan's desires and Yufei's impulsivity, and he provides some humorous moments as well.

Li Hong is the crown prince who hears of Zilan's renown and asks her to resurrect him after his death. He's a sort of bumbly fellow who does his best but definitely grew up rich and secluded in the imperial palace. While he's faced hardships and loss, he also doesn't totally understand how other people live and the kinds of things that might offend them. But Li Hong is open to Zilan's admonishments and does his best to do better in the future. He's definitely a big softy, and I liked seeing that juxtaposed with Zilan's more hard pragmatism.

The plot was enjoyable, especially since I came into this with no spoilers and so truly got to guess where things were going to go. There were definitely some surprises and twists, and I liked seeing Zilan and her allies/friends work together to overcome the threats looming in the imperial palace. There were also some really interesting things going on plot-wise with immortality, resurrection, and the monsters.

Overall I enjoyed this book and am greatly looking forward to the sequel. All the main characters were likeable and still distinct from one another, and I look forward to reading more about them in book 2!

[quitealotofsodapop]

One thing I don't think is mentioned enough is the fact that during the journey, a lot of Celestials took the opportunity to just... outright FUCK around with Wukong. Like, they'd send all sorts of demons their way intentionally just to intervene and say "Oh hey! You found my favorite pet!" Even Guanyin hadn't been innocent of this considering she had this huge fit over her pet goldfish. And if they weren't using their pets they were finding other methods to delay or otherwise force the Pilgrims off the beaten path and into danger out of some sort of test, spite, or pettiness.

Now, think about how in the both JTTW and Slow Boiled au Wukond actually was pregnant or not during the journey, and in Century au, the Heavenly Court BELIEVE he was pregnant. So imagine how those guys feel after they decided to fuck with Wukong put of spite and found out they unknowingly were stressing a pregnant monkey out!?

Yeah! Characters like Gold Star hide their identities to aid the main characters, while some are just... doing it for fun? Are they LARP-ing? And Monkey has Gold-Vision; why does he always not recognise these people even from his Celestial days?

Guanyin set up a whole honey trap knowing that half the squad ain't into it, and dropped the gang on their way home cus they missed 1 story event. The abbey with the Ginseng tree were pretty rude af. The Buddha's own servants tried to fleece the gang of the scriptures. Multiple kingdoms suffered cus King Who-Care shot somebody's bird-cousin, or knocked over a table of offerings. And the 28 Lunar Mansions took almost 13 years to realise that the Wood Wolf was missing.

Lao Tzu's lab assisants literally run off with his stuff and become demon lords for lulz (or they were the assisants that let the Rhino King/Buffalo out and were scared that they'd get in trouble). And lets not forget RHINO KING. Bruh, you somehow lost track of a gotdang celestial Bull-Rhino!?

Guanyin's not immune from this; TWO of her pets became horrific demons (Goldfish and Sai Taisui) and are arguably the most irredeemable of all the villains faced.

Lady Earth Flow/Albino Rat/Bat spirit is even described as Li Jing's adoptive daughter - how the f that happen?? How did he lose track of a whole kid so bad that she became a vampire-esque demon?

Manjusri let their cat (Azure Lion) out TWICE. And they cursed the Wuji kingdom for tossing them in a sewer for preeching.

After a point, I'd imagine Wukong in the stone egg aus would just throw his hands up and start yelling at the gods directly. He's even bolder in the Jttw Stone Egged au given that he has Macaque as back-up.

You know that chapter where Rhino King steals all of the Heavenly Army's powers and weapons, and the immortals are all infighting so hard that Wukong has to be the voice of reason?

Imagine a tiny hormonal monkey just going nuts at these gods. He's screaming in their faces. He's demanding Nezha lift him up so he can look General Li Jing in the eye. He's telling them what good are they as fighters if they only feel safe with their weapons and powers? Wukong has a *damn* good reason he ain't taking on Rhino King in a 1-v-1 rn, whats all these gods excuse?!

The gods are too surprised and intimidated to argue back. And you better believe a certain alchemist is getting a smack for letting a whole animal loose from his lab.