#( i don't expect someone to turn up exactly on that time but it's infinitely easier than the space of an entire hour or more )

[daybreakrising]

a very small thing i hate is when people say "i will be there between this hour and this hour" because they are always inevitably going to turn up at the later time but i have to be ready for the earlier time just in case

so i end up.... sitting here.... waiting....

[tanoraqui]

Dungeon Meshi Liveblog: Kabru & Mithrun's Life-Changing Road Trip

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safhkjkhf no but also fake!Kabru is entirely flat because Mithrun doesn't have depth perception...

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Between this and the information that the team has a 1:2 ratio of guards to criminals, with the guards often appointed by their families as a melodramatic show of loyalty to the realm - which is...possibly literally true, considering the prestige of badassery; but, considering the criminals and the danger, also very possibly a polite euphemism for what amounts to a public sacrifice... I kind of ferally want to know about the dynamics of the Canaries. Are they loyal to each other, or to the cause? Are they all just under the threat of execution? Kabru expected the captain of the squad to be an aristocratic guard, them being more trustworthy than a semi-pardoned criminal ofc, but instead he's...whatever exactly Mithrun's legal status is; I've avoided some details of his backstory.

...I might have to go back and try to actually mentally distinguish these people from each other.

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Laios Heaven is actually Kabru Hell, and vice versa. It's a very efficient system!

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*giggles* Kabru is having a weird, upside-down day.

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"Don't wish often" is such a threatening thing to say, honestly. Don't want. Don't try. Don't be alive, or this place will try to kill you and eat you, for it, too, wishes to live, and that is how the continuation of life works.

It's so so interesting how elves clearly have ANSWERS, answers that our party have been searching for, which would've made their whole adventure easier, and the elves just aren't telling people. To maintain their own power over other races? Probably. Because knowing about demons who'll offer you unlimited power would be a dangerous temptation to many? In fairness, probably that, too. But it sure as hell serves them first.

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Oh yeah, this definitely reads as aristocratic youths joining the Canaries isn't per se voluntary on their families' parts. It's the elvish Suicide Squad.

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The timeline isn't making sense. When Mithrun banished the giant mushroom, it was clearly implied that it went to where and when Team Touden were when we'd last seen them, just after their first incident with the changeling mushrooms and then the dwarvish cable car. However, now the pop-up side panels are saying that Kabru and Mithrun's week in the dungeon together is happening at the same time as Team Touden goes through their shapeshifter adventure, barometz, Golden Country, griffins... Which makes sense if one assumes the Canaries & co went into the dungeon right after Kabru first spoke to them, which does seem right in terms of those characters' plotline and personal timetables. But there was no indication, when it cut over to them, that we'd suddenly gone backwards a week in the comic's timeline; indeed, the giant walking changeling mushroom incident suggested it was a single continuity...

Is this just a continuity error? Did I miss some clarifying signifier?

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Kabru: [tells Mithrun his own backstory back at him]

Mithrun: You left out the soap operatic relationships rooted in royal intrigue, which in turn was rooted in millennia of other royal intrigue.

Kabru: Yes, but I need it to be understandable to a man who's mostly just going to ask me how the goat-demon tast– I mean, uh... Your story structure was bad, so I simplified it.

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Oh shit, that's the thing Marcille is studying! She doesn't know it summons demons!

...My instinct is, "if only someone told her instead of completely outlawing the knowledge, forcing her to stumble blindly into the consequences on her own!" But, uh... I'm not sure this would actually stop her. She's very determined, and also has her share of wizard hubris. This is, of course, a driving question of the story.

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It wasn't easier to kill them? It wasn't easier to simply stop drawing magic from the infinite-power dimension?

...ok obviously not the latter, because, y'know. Fossil fuels. But seriously it wasn't easier to just kill them?

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It's sooo intersting how everyone else views Laios's love of monsters as a dangerous moral failing, when it's really just...ecologist enthusiasm. The man thinks this class of being is Neat. He is harming literally 0 people about this. He isn't even forcing anyone to eat them, just inviting them really enthusiastically and/or pointing out that this is necessary in order to achieve their shared goal of saving Falin.

Yes, obviously this could be subverted into something terrible by an encouraging demon. Just like, obviously, a desire to protect and preserve people can be! Or a desire to live happily with your loved ones! Laios isn't worse than any other Lord of a Dungeon; y'all just hate monsters!

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Kabru that is SO gay, jfc. I object on principle to the phrase "no heterosexual explanation", but--

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M! V! P! M! V! P!

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Friendship? Teamwork? Mutual respect and shared understanding of goals? Mithrun is a very useful ally because he really does Only want to stop the demon; he doesn't care about the geopolitics of it. Though his perspective is still very elvish and he definitely will kill our beloved protagonists without hesitation if they seem like they're going to be a problem.

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I would read an entire novel about the formation of the halffoot union, honest to god. I bet it was very exciting. I bet someone tried to kill Chilchuck at least once.

[spin-offsmirnoff]

Spoilers for “Thanks to Them” (Season 3 - Episode 1)

I'mma just talk about TOH stuff real quick, don't mind me :)

So, I've been rewatching the latest episode like mad, and I've come to realize something

Caleb wasn't a real witch hunter, not like how everyone expected. It was outright said that he and Phillip were orphans that moved to Gravesfield at the height of the witch trials, so I have no doubt that they were just trying to fit in when they first arrived. Of course, being an orphan and an older brother to someone like Phillip, there's no way that Caleb wasn't stressed out of his goddamn mind, and adding in the violence and paranoia the town was probably putting on everyone with the threat of witches, it just made it worse

Now, when you're hella stressed, have no one to turn to, and need an escape, what's something any reasonable person would do? Look for an outlet! And yes, things were no doubt harder back in the 1600s, but this is also a cartoon, so Caleb probably found a witch at some point. Instead of killing/reporting this witch (who is now known as Evelyn) Caleb was "whisked away by her magic and tales of another world". As the oldest brother (probably well into his teens) Caleb most likely didn't rouse any suspicion when he up and left out of the blue at random times, but it would def be sus to Phillip. 

As the younger brother, Phillip def took the witch-hunter thing more seriously. It was the perfect outlet for him, and gave him a shit load of freedom to do some stuff, so when he found out Caleb was talking to a witch, he probably flipped out on him.

So, when Caleb did leave, Phillip knew exactly where he was going and followed in an attempt to save his brother. It really did start out as saving Caleb, since Phillip most likely believed that Evelyn cast a spell on him, but when Caleb tried to tell Phillip about how wonderful this new world was, Phillip outright flipped and a fight started

This is where those paintings in Belos's mind come into play. We can see the life of the two as time went on, and eventually, Phillip holding a knife while looking at Caleb. The next one is Caleb hugging Phillip, so we have to assume Caleb believed Phillip understood his stance on magic, but with outside knowledge, we know otherwise. It's either during the hug or right after that Phillip stabbed Caleb, officially killing his brother, but time had def passed before that happened since Phillip had a beard in the hug painting but was clean-shaven in the story that the guide was telling on the hayride. So that gave Caleb more than enough time to fall in love with the Boiling Isles and Evelyn, and for him to earn his Palisman (Flapjack). Sometime after that is when Luz and Lillith went back in time and met Phillip, as we see literal bones in the tent he's staying in at the end of that episode. 

Any way, my point is Caleb wasn't a witch hunter like Phillip was, he was just masquerading so he could fit into the new town without being an outcast--

ALSO, CALEB HAD BROWN EYES

NOT BLUE LIKE PHILLIP

SEE

When Hunter first touched the Belos goop with his cut finger, he saw Belos's figure immediately after there was literally no pause between it. That means that Belos could literally take control at any time after that (unless he needed to gain magic, but that doesn't make sense cause Hunter didn't have his own magic since he's a grimwalker. Even with Flapjack, he's got mega limitations) so that'd just leave the fact that he was biding his time with Hunter, waiting to strike at any time he wanted. He most def didn't know about the rebus when it was first mentioned, and the hallucinations only really started kicking up a few notches when the titan's blood was mentioned. That means that Belos probably had a different plan on using Hunter as a puppet, but only changed his mind when he realized there was an infinitely easier option for getting back to the Isles. That also means that he probably expected Hunter to die when he de-possessed his body since I don't see any other way Belos could have left that wouldn't have incapacitated Hunter in some way. But that also means that Hunter can't be a full grimwalker any more now that Flapjack has essentially merged with him in a way, cause Hunter's eye color changed to look more like Calebs than any other shade of brown (it looked like Luz's eye color cause of the lighting from the portal door, and the color of Caleb's eyes in the mirror from above is probably desaturated cause of distant memories being faded in a way or because of the way Caleb had been living at that point in time)

Also, if Palismen are inspired by Familiars, then they can be passed down from witch to witch. That means that if Flapjack wasn't created for Caleb, he was def gifted to Caleb by Evelyn, whose family is known to be adept in carving Palismen (it also explains why Flapjack and all those other Palismen were able to bond with another witch after they were found by the Bat Queen)

OH AND In the first ep of season 3, the group finds a literal secret code from Caleb and Evelyn. That means the two of them were in contact for a long fucking time to develop a code/map system that they could understand and create portal doors that work when activated (even hundreds of years later), so that just sells the point that Caleb really needed a positive outlet if he kept such a hard grasp on understanding and connecting with magic/witches

Edit: This is a chart I made trying to figure out Hunter's new eye color, since it's def different from what we've seen so far--

[lovelycleon]

So I decided to make an analysis about the last scene of Infinite Darkness

But before I start with the fun part, I just want to tell you that my history with “angst ships”

I had a bad experience with another ship, soul mates full of angst tropes and true love, beautiful... and a really bad ending because the showrunner fought with the actors (I wasted years watching and I regret it).

Anyway, after suffering that kind of pain, no other ships and angst scenes can hit me hard enough. I'm numb or just got used to it. You choose.

So maybe the scene of Leon and Claire's argument wasn't that impactful for me because of that. But for all the fans who felt hurt, I understand and it's okay to feel that way, because the scene was meant to hurt. The scene exists because of that. And your feelings are valid.

So let's get to the fun part.

spoiler alert, it's not that fun, it actually hurts 😅

The scene starts with Leon going to meet Claire at the gates of the White House.

I don't think anyone denies the fact that, whatever Leon is doing, he just wants to protect Claire. And he doesn't want her involved because of it.

But this dialogue makes this even more evident if we analyze how it begins.

Nothing in a show or movie is by accident. Everything is handpicked for one reason or another. The meaning is not always that deep, but there is still a meaning behind it all.

So when – of all the ways a conversation can be started – they decide to make Claire joke that she sneaked out of the hospital, Leon takes it seriously and she has to clarify that it's a joke, there's a reason:

Show that Leon is taking what happened to her too serious, and Claire not that much.

When Claire makes a comment about when he's going to stop treating her like a kid and he says probably never. There's a reason:

Show that Leon wants to protect her (or being overprotective) and Claire doesn't like it.

Of course, some might argue that this specific line is capcom trying to show that their feelings aren't romantic and sink the ship completely. And, ok, people are free to think that.

But if they really wanted to sink cleon forever, they shouldn't have done the scene of Leon saving Claire the way they did. They did it because they knew it would tease a certain part of the fans... They knew exactly what they were doing...

And there's simply no reason to tease a ship you want to sink.

So no, I don't think that's it...

For me the scene means the classic and simple: "stop being worried about me🙄" "noooo🗣️"

Another way to intensify Leon being overprotective is Claire's broken arm. A reminder that she was injured following his plan. Just as she was hurt the last time they saw each other in Harvardville.

And yes, I know Degeneration made Claire hurt to take her out of the action. It is undeniable. But somehow I don't think the same situation and reason applies to Infinite darkness.

Because Claire was already out of combat, following Leon's plan and showing no intention of doing anything different. It's not like she's going to attack the monster that is several platforms higher than where she is. She couldn't fly around and there were no guns where she was anyway.

So why hurt her to get her out of combat if the story itself has already done that?

Again, you are free to think differently. Capcom made Claire dirty, she was underestimated and they wasted her potential. I won't argue with that, I'm also on the team Claire deserves better.

I just don't think it fits this specific situation.

The injured arm is there and a awkward conversation about Leon being overprotective starts because of it. I think it makes sense.

So moving on.

Claire mentions the chip and Leon looks disappointed for a moment and says he thought they were going to dinner.

This is to indicate that he didn't come to see her with the intention of breaking their friendship. Leon just wanted to spend a good time with her and nothing more. Some place a little more normal, maybe?👀

But Claire wants the chip and tells Leon her plan. The same plan that Shen May was killed trying to convince her partner to follow. Is there a parallel here?

The only difference is that Jason broke her neck while Leon decided to break Claire's heart.

Okay now I could show more parallels between them, but I won't because this is already too long and I know maybe I'm reading too much into this. Resident Evil isn't that deep most of the time 😂

Anyway, Claire asked for the chip and Leon said no.

And that's the point, right.

The climax of the conversation and the turning point in their relationship.

Note that Leon took a few seconds to say he couldn't. That was the moment when he made his decision...

He went to meet her for dinner, remember? He didn't expect to have this conversation or make a decision like that. But he had to.

Now, I'm not from the US and I don't trust politicians in general, fiction or not. But I admit this sounds realistic.

Just imagine if the president makes a speech about peace and prosperity and whatever and the next day the media reveals that members of the government are involved in BOW and planning an attack on another country.

At the very least, it won't look good.

In the worst case, it will be a catastrophe 😂

So... I don't agree with Leon, but I understand why he chose this.

It's an important decision, however. And how long it takes him to say something and how he's quiet after saying it shows he knows what's on the line. Not just the security of the country and “peace”, but also his relationship with Claire.

And despite everything... He didn't lie to her.

It would be much easier for Leon to simply say "the chip was destroyed in the fight" when she asked. Claire would never know about it and probably never doubt him. And they would still be fine with each other and having dinner.

But he didn't lie. Why?

Because their relationship is not based on lies. And it's not based on betrayals.

And while it may be hard to believe right now and it hurts to think about it, this relationship is still based on truth and trust in each other. And now their relationship is being tested.

It's easy to trust someone you're on good terms. How hard it must be to trust someone who has let you down.

There is a lot of room for development here.

Obviously Claire felt hurt in this moment. Maybe even betrayed. Heartbroken. I think we all feel that same way.

But Leon played fair there. He said he had the chip, showed it to her, and then said he wouldn't give it to her.

He was honest with her. And this act also shows respect.

They are two people with different points of view and that truth hurts.

There is silence as they look at each other. She never asked his reasons and he obviously never told them. The exchange of glances is enough for them to understand what was happening.

When Claire says “you do things your way and I do mine” it's almost like “do you know what that means? ”

Then Leon nods and another moment of silence. The time they need to accept that the relationship is broken.

Now that's angst

Interesting choice of camera angle. Showing her broken arm as a visual reminder of why he was pushing her away like that.

Claire leaves, but looks back and says again that his outfit doesn't suit him.

What's interesting here is that the director has done a few interviews over the past few weeks and he always said that the suit is a representation of Leon's position in government.

Claire commenting that it doesn't suit him is basically the writers/producers/directors admitting that this position doesn't look good.

And while all the characters praising Leon for his success, Claire is the one who sees this reality and who he truly is out of the suit (position)

And that's good angst.

Claire walks away and Leon with a sad look watching her leave and he has to say to himself "I will stop this".

Could it be just one of his one-lines? Yes.

Could it be a way for him to remind himself why he's doing this, even if it means sacrificing his relationship with Claire?

It's already done, now he has to make it worth it.

Whatever happens after that is a mystery.

I don't think Claire believes that Leon is going to cover up the government's involvement in things (their discussion would be much more intense if that were the case), she probably thinks he's going to resolve it internally without taking anything public, which is precisely what she wants to do.

I also don't think Leon believes Claire is going to give up on the investigation, he probably thinks it's going to take some time to her to get real evidence and he has time to carry out his plans.

But this is capcom... They are masters of forgetting plot points. So who knows.

Angst is only good if it has a good closure. I hope they keep that in mind.

In any other tv show that used this kind of angst trope and drama I would be completely fine...

I would expect a sequel to this plot. The characters find each other unexpectedly, having to work together and acting awkwardly because they don't know how to stick around each other after the argument. Then the story would develop and they would gradually mend their relationship.

That's the trope.

So that's all I can hope for.

[notsuchacleverboyq]

00Q Prompt

James' Lover.

I've read tons of Fanfictions / oneshots in which Q is stuck in an abusive relationship. I really like the idea (because ✨drama✨), but what if it was James who's stuck in such a situation?

His head was aching when he got to the MI6, not exactly knowing why he had walked there.

It had been a rough night for James, despite how he didn't want to admit such, and the chills and pain in his body were the ultimate proof.

The agent stared at the entrance, regretting the long walk he had gone through to get there. He just wanted to disappear, to be nowhere, to just get it to end; but James had been fighting against his breath for a whole hour, struggling to keep it steady and calm.

For the first time in years, he had lost control over himself.

The oxygen seemed to completely miss his lungs as the thought about just getting back home convinced him to finally enter the building.

Despite the time, the corridors weren't completely empty as he had hoped, and James straightened the neck of his coat, trying to cover as much skin as possible when a man stared at his bruises with an usual awe.

Among all of those familiar faces, James was searching for Q's, being hopeful of finding him buried in his office, or in the lab.

The walk downstairs felt infinite and the agent eventually lost control over his breath, trying to not show how he was fighting to get air into his lungs.

When he entered the lab, throwing the doors open, Q turned around with a quick movement, holding something that James' mind paid no attention to.

Q looked at him with a confused expression, quickly approaching the agent.

- 007, you haven't been assigned any mission. What have you gotten yourself into? - the quartermaster asked.

There was a small fraction of silence in which James tried to reply with something, his breath hitching suddenly and leaving him to ridiculously sob for air.

- For heaven's sake, 007! - Q blurted out, visibly worried as he grabbed the agent's hand.

James didn't even try to put up resistance and just let himself being lead to the absurd sofa that had been placed in corner of the room, his other hand resting on his own throat as his sobs seemed to suffocate him.

Q got him to sit with no ceremonies and James hid his face in the palms of his hands once he had noticed he was crying out of panic and fear.

- Bond? - Q called, but the agent didn't move, not wanting the quartermaster to notice the fright in his eyes.

Q seemed to move to his side, but not walking away.

- James? - Q called again, with so much softness in his voice that Bond shivered in surprise.

Feeling the quartermaster's gentle touch around his hands, James surrendered to him, turning his head away as his face got uncovered.

There was an exasperated sigh from Q, who had sat down next to James, before the quartermaster's hand cupped the man's cheek, forcing him to turn his head back.

- Please, shelve your pride for a moment and breath - Q murdered and James leaned in the touch with another sob.

The agent nodded absently and hated how he sounded like a beaten dog when he grumbled in response.

The first breath was the hardest, leaving him to try several times before he could manage a long, shaky breathing without sobbing.

- Good job. Keep it like that - Q hummed with a so sweet smile that James' heart hitched at the sight.

The agent nodded obediently, managing a few more breaths before the sobs were gone and left only cold chills in James' body.

- Better? - Q asked, still caressing James' cheek and analysing the straight cuts that ran over the skin.

The agent immediately shook his head, feeling really far from being fine.

Q groaned in response, his eyes still locked on the cuts and James hoped that their shape wasn't making understand what had happened.

- My I ask you what you how you've gotten these? - Q asked, grazing James' cheek with his fingertips.

The agent didn't reply, he just tried to find an excuse as soon as possible.

- Lucy - Q snapped and it wasn't a question.

He had pronounced that woman's name with an amount of hate and rage that James had never heard from him before.

- Those are nails, right? - the quartermaster asked.

- Yes - James answered, his voice still trembling in panic, and looked away in shame.

Without a word, Q got up from the sofa, almost causing James to flinch due to the quickness of his movements; still not looking up, the agent heard the quartermaster tinkering with something a few steps away.

Bond raised his gaze only when Q came back with a glass of water.

- You need it - the quartermaster explain, after seeing the other's questioning expression.

James took the glass, sipping from it absentmindedly.

- What happened? - Q asked softly, sitting back next to the agent.

Noticing the young man's gaze wandering over his bruised neck, James sighed and was overwhelmed by shame.

- I've been bloody stupid: that's what happened - he mumbled, hiding his face in the glass.

Q hummed in response, not talking for a moment.

- I must disagree - the quartermaster responded and James puffed, knowing Q was expecting a real explanation of the events.

- I broke a glass - the agent eventually spilled out, his eyes lost in the water.

Q frowned immediately at James' answer.

- And she did this only because of a broken glass? - he snapped.

The agent nodded, before sighing.

- No...actually it's because...well let's say that I keep coming home late, I'm always abroad and sleep with other people - he stuttered.

- Well, that doesn't sound like a justification to me - Q bursted out.

James shrugged, the quartermaster's tone causing his breath to go uneven.

- That's what she said - Bond explained.

Of course, Q knew that James wasn't allowed (fortunately) to reveal his job to a partner unless said partner was long lasting and worth such a trust. Clearly, Lucy wasn't neither of those.

- I...she attacked me and I did nothing - the agent muttered, more tears forming in his eyes.

He felt how Q shifted, probably noticing the tears, and not being able to act as stoic and untouchable as always was driving him crazy.

- I'm a bloody double-0: how am I supposed to survive in the field if I let a civilian to this to me...without even reacting? - James snapped, his hands shaking in anger.

With an exhale, Q moved closer and took the glass away from James' hands.

- If you put a frog into boiling water, it will jump out immediately; but if you gradually warm up the water, the frog will notice something is wrong only when it's too late - he said and James immediately looked up at him, almost annoyed by the laughable typology of anedoct.

- What is that supposed to mean? - the agent asked, trying to not sound harsh.

- You survive in the field because you're expecting to be hurt, so you notice the bad behaviours first. Lucy has showed to you as a sweet person, because a lover isn't supposed to hurt you, and gradually started hurting you - Q explained.

James grumbled sceptically, finding easier to just blame it on himself than trying to convince his brain to do otherwise.

- Also, I know that you'd rather die than hurt someone you love - Q added, lowering his voice.

The agent found himself nodding in response, since he wasn't able to argue with that.

- Do you need medical assistance? - the quartermaster asked.

James' eyes went wide at the question and, quickly shaking his head, he grabbed Q's wrist as if the young man was going to go and call a doctor in a few seconds.

- Hell no - the agent snapped.

Q flinched when his wrist was grabbed all of a sudden, but didn't try to break free.

- Why not? - he questioned.

- I don't want them to know - James admitted, thinking about what others would think about 007 getting beaten up like that.

With an heavy sigh and a nodded, Q seemed to agree.

- Alright - was the answer, while the quartermaster kept scanning James' skin, visibly searching for other injuries.

As Q moved the collar of his coat in order to expose James' neck, the agent found himself flinching and fearing of moving back at the same moment. The quartermaster quickly stopped what he was doing as a result of Bond's reaction.

- I'm sorry: I was looking for wounds - Q explained and James nodded.

- There are only bruises - the agent assured him, noticing Q's sceptical expression, but was grateful that the young man didn't ask further.

With a sniff, James returned to look absently at the ground, stiffing in reproach about how weak he had been.

- I might need to alert M: this could be an hostility against MI6 and they could pay her a visit - Q eventually said.

James' head quickly raised at those words, but then he noticed Q's smart smile and smirked.

- Are you being protective? - James jested and the quartermaster chuckled.

- I'm just making sure she regrets your relationship as much as you do - Q explained and James' chest warmed up at the thought, causing him to smile sincerely.

The warm grew more as the quartermaster placed his hand on the agent's cheek, looking at him with a soft expression.

- That's the smile I want to see - Q murmured.

Part two here.

[justlurkingintheshadows]

The true evil of RWBY

We all know Salem is meant to be the big bad and Ozpin (who we now know as Ozma but will be referred to as Oz to make like easier) is the one meant to be the good guy, tasked with destroying her, however I find him to be questionable, in fact volume 5 kept lowering my opinion of him ever further. My friend and I like to roleplay and make more of a character out of characters, you'd expect us to have Oz as a good guy and Salem as a bad guy but actually it's quite the opposite, Salem is generally our favourite character, she's a fierce beauty and we know barely anything about her (or at least before V6 we knew nothing but hooray for lore) we've come up with our own headcanons, we usually see her as a fair boss or loving mom, and Ozpin barely has a second thought, maybe sometimes we've thought of him as an ex love, or the opposite side to her but really we don't think about him much, reason being because we don't particularly like him, don't get me wrong he has a great character but like I said, I find him questionable and I'll tell you why in just a moment. Chapter 3 of Volume 6 showed us exactly what happened over a thousand years ago with the Gods of Light and Darkness and Salem and Ozma and answered a lot of our questions, but it got me thinking about who the real villian is, of course it's Salem but when you break down the four characters you begin to realise it's not all black and white...

The Gods

So we finally got to meet the brothers we've heard of only in stories by a campfire. The God of Light (GoL) and the God of Darkness (GoD) are two new interesting characters we had the misfortune of meeting, and yes it is misfortune. Good ol' GoL denied Salem of her love, refusing to bring him back, that's fair, and GoD brought him back but later destroyed him when he found out he was Salem's second choice after his brother, that's also fair, except he brought him back without question in the first place, likely appreciating that someone actually came to see him (but I won't get into the precious GoD headcanon). For her actions Salem was cursed by GoL with immortality, and told she must learn the importance of life, and this turned out to be the biggest mistake he ever made and you'll see why in a bit.

Upon Salem's betrayal GoD destroys THE ENTIRE planet, instead of simply taking away all magic (Salem's too), or condemning Salem to external purgatory, or literally anything else, instead he just decides to effectively Thanos snap the entire planet because one bitch did a thing, thousands of completely innocent lives, gallant warriors, and dutiful worshippers gone in a second, and GoL just let's it happen like yep this is completely acceptable. I understand the idea was to punish Salem with a failure so big that there is no possible way she would ever be able to undo it but they still kept Salem there... With hope that she could change and see the importance of life... But if there is no life how can she learn it's importance...

And then there's the fact they just up and abandoned that entire planet, then destroyed the moon as a f*** you, because there was no need for that really.

If you thought the world was a lost cause why not wipe the slate clean and start anew, why would you ever trust humans to set aside their differences and unite themselves, humans are incapable I mean look at our Earth for example, there will always be something they find to cause conflict, and everyone will never get along, it's impossible, and how can there be any good without the bad to balance it, there was likely conflict even with the Gods there so what hope is there without them... Well actually I believe that hope was Oz and Salem...

Salem

Now sure Salem was an arrogant demanding bitch when Ozma died and she called the Gods monsters for taking him away from her again and again even though they were probably just trying to keep the natural balance of life and death in check, and I know she kinda rallied the humans to try to take down the Gods but really... It's not that bad. I know that sounds insane but hear me out, her punishment could have been a lot worse, and she could have found another way, I mean she could certainly take her time to come up with a plan that's for sure. She got punished with eternal life, now for some that would be a blessing, getting to live forever, never having to fear death, and of course watching everyone you've ever loved fade away around you as their lives come to an end and yours keeps on going... doesn't sound too fun actually... But this was her punishment for betraying the Gods, and she had to learn her lesson, learn the importance of life, you'd think with eternal life that would be a synch... WRONG, the worst thing you could ask of an immortal being is to learn about the importance of life, what does life mean to someone who never dies? It means that no matter what mortals will come and go but you will stay forever as you are, you're guaranteed to outlive anyone and everyone you meet, losing people constantly, it makes you bitter, so you isolate yourself to avoid getting attached and losing them as you know you will again and again, and you become detached, mortal beings have no place in your life because they can never match you, especially when you have magic and they have nothing, why should you care about them when you are in every way superior, you even control their deepest fears (since Salem is basically Queen Grimm thanks to GoD's Grimm pits), and Ozma's own curse makes learning her lesson even worse, he's the only person she loved, and he is cursed to die and be reborn, into a different body, the only death she would care about is his, and if he keeps coming back even as a different person death eventually doesn't bother her, Oz will always come back, and that's a constant so why should mortal death matter when it's not the person she loves. On top of that she is definitely affected by the Grimm desire to destroy things, so she can never be 100% held accountable for her actions after she fell into the pit.

But the biggest point is - Salem was right.

Her suggestion that they forget about the Gods and become their own Gods was sound, sure the gods helped them but it's not like people knew of that now, the Gods abandoned them when their experiment failed and left the saving of the planet to the guy who knew the person to spark all this... Oz and Salem were beings of infinite potential, one can never die, the other will always be ressurected, and both have magic, a thing which no one possesses anymore, following them would be wise, they could have led the humans to a new kind of salvation. Now of course destroying those who don't comply is a little extreme but if Oz talked to her then he could have let her see that there was no need, why force people to follow you when they'll do so of their own accord, and if they don't believe then that's their loss, it's not like they could actually DO anything about it... They couldn't take the two out, they'd always exist, and they have superior power and displayed mastery over using their gifts to destroy Grimm, seriously why wouldn't you want to join their side!

I'm not excusing things she did I'm just saying she was right, and things would be incredibly different in the present had Ozma just talked to her, which brings me smoothly over to him...

Ozma

The glorious Oz, originally Ozma, we know him best as Ozpin, and now as Ozcar, but of course based off the wizard of Oz who was at the end of the story a big fat fraud... Huh... his roots don't seem to really work in his favour...

"Blessed" by the God of Light to experience death in every form and to join with another's soul to be reborn in a cycle that will last for eternity. Really it's more of a curse, dying over and over and over and over and over again doesn't seem too fun, but boy did he come to learn the importance of life because surprise if you have to experience death and live in another's shoes you really start to appreciate what it means to live. No wonder Salem will never learn her lesson, the Gods didn't do her any favours... the same Gods who abandoned their people because their "experiment" failed... and left the saving of the entirety of mankind to one guy just because he knew the person who basically "caused" everything... Whom the Gods created by providing eternal life... because he died and she wanted back but the Gods wouldn't allow it... and their solution was to have her live forever and eventually bring him back to her anyway and have him always be reborn... Seems they contradict themselves too...

Anyway point being Oz didn't seem to have things in his favour from the start, and it only got worse from there...

Turns out Oz has ALWAYS had that issue about not telling people things, it seems his most constant flaw that even thousands of years of dying and taking host of a new body couldn't fix, I mean I understand him to an extent but right at the beginning he didn't tell Salem about GoL's conversation with him straight away, and when he did he kinda just left it at that and didn't talk any more about it... And Salem didn't even seem to really mind (her eyes white showing she was in control and chill), that is she didn't mind until he tried to leave with their kids (eyes turned black with Grimm anger) and the fact he had to have his weapon didn't help him - I'm still not excusing what Salem did though, but they both killed their kids, caught in the crossfire, fatalities of the destruction they both caused.

Before I skip to Ozpin and Ozcar I have a gentle reminder here for you, this revelation came to me when I saw a post about how Ozpin has made more mistakes than everyone combined and one being the fact he had sex with Salem... A Grimm Salem... Multiple times (the exact wording being "Putting my dick in /that/ for starters") however that appendage wasn't his own, you forget at that point he had been shoved into a random guys body and immediately took over and controlled his every action, we know he had barely any care for his vessel or "host" (if we want to start the whole Oz is a virus rant) at the beginning because Jinn tells us that after his fight with Salem he EVENTUALLY learned to live in harmony with the soul who's body he shared... after ruining the lives of a countless many... we also know or rather assume he only suppresses the other soul rather than takes over completely as learned from Ozcar (and potentially Ozpin too), which means there was a suppressed and confused other soul wondering what was going on and being forced to take a back seat watching Ozma do whatever he wanted in a body that didn't belong to him, I can't imagine him actually being ok with this random and extreme series of events, this man watched as Oz made a family with Salem without even a fleeting thought for the man's own family that he no doubt had... And then Oz got this man killed in an unnecessary battle... what a glorious hero...

Anyway grazing over the numerous lives Oz ruined and all the other sh!t he no doubt did that brings us to Ozpin, though we know fairly little we know enough to say that he has a bad habit of doing things like playing the pronoun game, providing half truths, and of course not telling anyone what they actually need to know - "You have silver eyes" yes she does... What about them? (Hype for getting that answer this volume) - he fails to inform people of what matters, preferring to leave that until later when people have already died (including himself, so he is now Ozcar) and people are desperate... Except oh wait sorry he doesn't even tell you then, he holds back mostly everything with the excuse that you don't need to know, and even when he 'tells you everything' you STILL find out he was holding something back... Classic Oz I guess

Now we're on Ozcar and you see that he has a second bad habit of taking over control forcefully, he hasn't learned harmony with the other soul at all, this given how he's lived for the past thousand or so years shows that he hasn't changed, sure he may be 'better' than he was before but he still very much has not changed. Even when he and Oscar apparently talked about that he took over anyway in an attempt to prevent people learning about something he didn't tell them (shocker) except this time the vessel fought back (something I doubt many if any have done before)

All in all he is an extremely questionable character with even more questionable motives.

But as much as it may seem like I'm dragging him through the dirt I won't deny the achievements he HAS managed, the academies for one major thing, it really helped out the world and there'd be a lot more fear and chaos had he not intervened in such a major way, doesn't explain why he likes to throw kids off of cliffs or any of that but still, I'm sure he has his reasons, don't expect him to tell you them though.

He truly has made more mistakes than any man, woman, and child on the planet...

~~~~~~~~

When you really take a look at everything you begin to realise that the Gods kinda set them both up to fail, whether they knew it or not, imagine how different things would have been had a single thing gone differently, and how easily things could have changed

~~~~~~~~

And thus concludes this post, I hope I didn't miss anything (but if I did then oops)

Now I don't know about you but I would totally go up to Salem and tell her she was right, if Tyrian doesn't murder me the immediate second I show up, I've been leaning towards her side more and more since Oz pulled that sketchy move of controlling Oscar without permission (though I do realise death was a possibility it was still sketch) at least she doesn't build your hopes up only for you to discover they're lies, she seems like she'd tell you what's up. But that's just how I've committed think of her I suppose, she is an amazing and beautiful character, who we still don't know all too much about even with this lore... I really hope this means we get more backstories for more villians, I want to see a baby Tyrian.

But I digress.

[ouraidengray4]

The Most Important Rules to Follow in Yoga Class

Yoga is everywhere—from gyms to workplaces to Instagram and beyond. You may have experienced some of its many benefits, like toning, increased flexibility, or a sense of chill that reminds you the world actually isn't imploding all around you.

But just like every public experience, it's important to know what's expected of you when entering a yoga space. Whether you're a total newbie or a seasoned vet who's wondered, am I doing this right? here's a guide to help you with the ins and outs of yoga etiquette so you can get the most out of your practice.

Before You Get to Class

Make sure you know what level class you're signing up for.

If you're new, welcome! As a yoga teacher myself, I suggest trying an intro-level class first—and there's no shame in that at all. Even if you're very fit, yoga has its own vocabulary, alignment cues, and pacing. Trust me, you will have a far easier (and safer) time getting acclimated to a basic vinyasa class than if you throw yourself into an advanced or intermediate class.

Also, an experienced teacher will tone class down to accommodate new students, and that isn't exactly fair to the rest of the class, either. On the other side of the coin, if you're a seasoned student practicing with beginners, respect the group by staying mostly with the pace and postures offered. Nobody likes to watch someone fly into a handstand every five minutes when they're still working on nailing tree pose.

Be mindful about yoga wear.

Wear comfortable clothes you can move in. Form-fitting threads help a teacher see your alignment and offer you the right adjustments, but there's no need for $200 yoga couture. Yoga is about feeling comfortable in your skin, so go with sweats and a tee if that does it for you! Just make sure that your clothes will provide the coverage you want in positions like downward-facing dog.

Be. On. Time.

Budget the necessary time to hunt down a parking space, lock up your bike, or hike the five blocks from the subway so that you can check in at the front desk and be on your mat before class starts. If you enter the yoga room while others are trying to get centered, it can disrupt the vibe and the teacher might have to repeat themselves, which can cut into class time (and time is money, people!).

Skip perfumes and lose the shoes.

Chanel No. 5 is lovely, but many people have sensitivities to scents of all kinds, so respect the shared space by minimizing them. To keep the yoga room clean, every studio has a place for shoes—whether it's in cubbies or shoe racks, or even alongside the doorway. Your fellow yoga students will appreciate not having your shoes touch the same spots where they put their heads and hands.

Read the room.

Take a second to notice how others have placed their mats—this sounds obvious, but you'd be amazed at the weird things people do with their mats when unprompted. Sometimes, painted or taped lines on the floor display the correct mat placement, but you can always ask the instructor to be sure. The same goes for yoga props—blankets, straps, blocks, eye pillows, bolsters, and the like. Your teacher will probably tell you what you'll need during class, but when in doubt, a strap, two yoga blocks, and a blanket are a safe bet.

Let the instructor know if you're pregnant or have an injury or condition that needs attention.

Even if it's clear as day to you, your pregnancy may not be obvious to others! No teacher wants to assume pregnancy and inadvertently embarrass a student. Let the instructor know so you can go over the basic do's and don'ts together to help you stay safe. If you're pregnant and new to yoga, prenatal classes are best. There are a number of modifications for pregnancy that you'll learn with other expectant moms (and yes, it's still yoga!).

The same goes for any injury or condition that may affect your practice—keeping the teacher in the loop can help them help you better with modifications and adjustments.

EDITOR'S PICK

During Yoga Class

If you absolutely must be late...

It's human. Traffic. Bosses. Kids. That latte you spilled on your new yoga pants. You know, life. But be aware that some studios have a zero late-entry policy, and others allow a maximum tardiness of 10 minutes (and after that you may be turned away). Make sure you know what you're in for when you come sprinting into the studio.

When you're late, the way you approach the yoga space matters. "I've had late students enter class so quietly that no one would even notice," says San Diego-based yoga teacher and trainer Alyssa Runyan. "I've also had students come in so loudly that no one could help but be bothered by their late arrival."

If you're frazzled about being late, yoga teacher Lauren Knuth suggests pausing to take a few deep breaths before you open the door to the yoga room—that way you'll be more in tune with the energy of the class as you quietly set up. If possible, choose a spot at the back to minimize your distraction.

Also extremely important: Be kind to front desk staff. It's not their fault if you're late, and it's never fair to ask them to bend rules for you. Be a responsible adult and own your lateness, even if you're not allowed into class.

Phones on silent and put away.

Yes, silent. Not vibrate. Believe it or not, an incessantly vibrating phone can seem almost as distracting as a chiming, dinging, or beeping one. If your job requires you to be on call, keep your phone quiet and close so you can check it discreetly as needed.

But if on a rare (rare!) occasion your phone happens to go off in class, give yourself a break. Again, we're human. A swift "sorry about that" and a trip to the cubbies to silence it is all it takes. Trust me, it's less infinitely disruptive than ignoring the cacophony and hoping it won't ring or ping again.

Stay for savasana!

Savasana, or corpse pose, is usually practiced in the final minutes of a yoga class. It's a time for your body and mind to take conscious rest, for your heart rate and nervous system to settle, and—many practitioners believe—for the benefits of yoga to deeply integrate. "This isn't just a cooldown, it's a really important part of the practice," Knuth says.

When you leave before savasana, you miss the opportunity for the benefits of your practice to sink in, which stinks for you but can be really annoying for others. If you seriously need to scoot, make sure you let the teacher know before class starts and be close to the back of the room for a quiet exit.

Most Importantly: Enjoy Your Practice

Last but definitely not least, remember that patience pays off. Yoga styles and instructors vary greatly, so if you didn't land in your yoga nirvana for the very first class, keep looking before deciding whether or not it's for you. Give yourself time to let yoga transform you both physically and mentally. Don't worry about what the yogi next to you is doing or stress out if you can't reach your toes. If your breath can remain deep and steady during your practice, and if you're feeling sensation—even occasional discomfort but not pain—then congratulations: You're doing yoga. ​​ Danielle Simone Brand writes about parenting, yoga, cannabis, and pop culture. She has been a yoga teacher for more than a decade and currently teaches people of all ages across San Diego. When not writing or teaching yoga, you can find Danielle playing with her two kids and puppy.

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