#Considering the time period he might believe in a god

[muralconservator]

Can't show images but actually looking over his page, he rarely explicitly mentions god, but I think he's still religious in some capacity.

(I'm tempted to believe that he may be not mentioning god so he doesn't push people away with his beliefs, as the only time he mentions him is in replies to his ONCE skin, which is clearly religious and this wouldn't turn people away by being so (+ he seems to have more self esteem here) but I might be biased)

Some quotes and stuff from his page that mention his vague faith:

"Hilarious, I only know that my faith is calling me." - background trailer

[A diary entry: I suppose I shouldn't be so hesitant. Only those who are kind will be laid to rest at the temple. Those who are malicious don't belong here...] - deduction quest (aka since the people who are laid to rest there are said to go to heaven, he feels that the malicious people shouldn't be there for obvious reasons) (does that make sense)

[Exposed: That damn light illuminated the secret of sin.] - deduction quests again (he definitely believes in some sort of sin premise I think)

"No tedious work or annoying noise. The holy guide need only deal with the "slabs" that often appear around the house." - manor diary, if he was called the "holy guide" by the people there then they're likely playing into his faith, and if he calls himself that... yk

[His value system and need for social recognition are directed towards the Laz Church Cemetery that took him in. Throughout the entire experiment, 3-0-1 persistently pursued the goal of entering the "Temple" and being recognized as a benevolent individual, even at the cost of everything.] - Experiment file. Doesn't mention god but he's trying to get into heaven right and it's not just me who interprets that?? Idk anymore djajjsa

[[Test Indicators]

1. Devout Belief

2. Avoidant Personality

3. Strong Sense of Duty] - experiment file, do I need to elaborate here

[...3-0-1 felt some empathy towards 3-1-4 due to their shared attitude towards faith and their non-aggressive nature.] - experiment file, a rare explicit mention of faith

[They remained absorbed in their pursuit of friendship and salvation.] - experiment file, Andrew actually has a few mentions of "salvation" that I'm like 90% sure is meant to imply heaven?

[In the end, 3-1-5 determined 3-0-1's fate in the "Temple." All the knowledge and expertise 3-0-1 had shown about the manor became the first layer of soil sprinkled on his final resting place.] Experiment file, actually thinking of it this "temple" could be heaven too, not just Laz

[During 3-0-1's childhood, he was labeled a demon because of his unique appearance...and had extremely low self-esteem. To gain self-worth, 3-0-1 devoted himself to religion.] Experiment file. Gestures vaguely

[...his trauma has profoundly influenced his personality, including passive behavior and choice of belief. Moreover, the healing effects of faith on such traumas differ significantly between 3-0-1 and 3-1-4.] Final experiment file thank god

Is this good jdhwjakks I hope I explained my point well ���🏻👈🏻 there's also his once skin stuff but I'm not gonna get into that rn.

you explained your point fine I just like have a pretty solid idea of what I think about Andrew that I won't lie I'm not very willing to budge on.... I'm fr sorry if I sound rude or stubborn, I don't mean it and your interpretations are cool and valid😭 😭

one thing I will admit, however, is that saying "Andrew isn't religious" doesn't explain what I mean well. What I mean is that I don't think he's devoted himself to religion for the reasons that I think most people would expect someone to be religious. I think the reason is more that he's been labelled as a "devil" or something evil his whole life because of his albinism and that's basically made him believe that he can't achieve salvation naturally and essentially has to treat it as a pay-to-win game, not necessarily due to actual belief.

Andrew feeling like malicious people shouldn't be allowed to be buried in Laz is like.... prime him being a hypocrite to me tbh. I don't necessarily think that Andrew is malicious but he's committing grave robbery and then selling the bodies, which like obviously I don't have to say why that's not good. Something that I do find ironic though is that he hadn't actually done anything wrong up until that point, his devotion to getting into the temple kind of led him into doing bad things.

[too-much-tma-stuff]

Finally Getting Help (prt 6)

Masterpost

The Wayne family gathered in the family room once Alfred was done setting up the projector, somehow there was also a plate of cookies and a couple pots of tea on the coffee table. How he’d found the time they didn’t know, he always seemed to be doing just a little more than should be possible but they didn’t question it. 

Jazz seemed nervous as she plugged in her USB and accessed the power point on Ghosts and Liminality. The tidal page had a picture of Danny in his Phantom form standing with a group of others, a boy with gray skin and blond hair, a girl with green hair and skin, and a goth with purple eyes and a dark skinned boy who looked around Danny’s age, and Jazz with the title “Ghosts and Liminals!” 

The next slide had simple text: “What are they and How are they made?”

With each slide she read the text on the screen allowed and then added any context or anecdotes she thought of, or had prepared. 

(Next slide)

Ghosts:

Made of ectoplasmic energy and obsession

Made either:

when someone dies with strong enough desires

An idea gains enough traction to take on a life of its own

Immutable concepts and gods

Must be allowed to indulge in obsessions or they will cease to exist

All have basic abilities such as flight, intangibility, invisibility, and minor shape shifting

On top of basic abilities most will have additional powers based on their obsessions

Immortal unless killed 

Love to fight

Liminals

Made when a human is exposed to high levels of ectoplasm for prolonged periods of time

Have some ghostly traits 

Ghostly traits vary person to person

Less susceptible to human illness and injury

“The ghosts on the picture are Kitty and Johnny, we’ve had problems with them but would consider them friends now. They’re the ghosts of two humans who died, but there are others, Vortext for instance is the ghost of Storms. Those ghosts who come from ideas are called ‘neverborns’. There seem to be almost an infinite number of ghosts, however not all of them are interested in having anything to do with us so we tend to get the same faces showing up a lot in Amity.

“I don’t know how many liminals there are. I thought they might be new with my parents' research but as I look into it more I think there are more natural sources of ectoplasm then my parents thought.” Jazz explained before going to transition to the next slide.

“I have a question-” Bruce started before Jazz hushed him. 

“Wait till the end please! I might answer it without you having to ask,” She scolded, and he felt very much like a schoolboy again as his children snickered.

(Next slide including a image of the glowing green viles in the Fenton’s lab and a glowing green crystal)

Ghost biology 

Ghosts do not have any recognizable organs or bones

The only solid part of their being is their Core which is the source of their ectoplasm 

Any injury to a ghosts form not done directly to their core is considered minor and will heal

A healthy ghost is fully capable of mending any damage including removed limbs in a matter of hours or days depending on extent of the injury

All injuries not including the Core are considered minor 

Ghosts are considered young for at least the first hundred years of their existence and are often not considered adults until nearly 500

A caveat to this is ghosts are heavily driven by emotion and will often be the age they feel they are allowing ghosts to mature much more quickly, or more slowly

When this is the case ghosts are treated as the age they present and behave

Ghosts reproduce by shaping ectoplasm and Wanting a child badly enough

“Believe me it was incredibly scary the first time I saw Danny in his ghost form have something go right through his stomach. It took him a long time to convince me it wasn’t a big deal and it barely hurt. He does have to make sure he repairs the damage Before turning human again though or the damage can transfer over and I don’t need to tell you a hole in the gut is a lot more serious for humans!

“If I’m honest I only know ghosts that have stayed younger then they really are, for instance Youngblood who’s a few hundred years old and could be well on his way to adulthood if he wanted but has remained a child. I assume it can go the other way though, if a ghost is very mature for their age.”

Ectoplasm 

Ectoplasm is the energy that makes up all ghosts and the Ghost Zone itself. All ghosts can feed on the ectoplasm around them as well as produce their own by indulging in obsessions. The ghosts Cores produce the ectoplasm like a brain produces neurochemicals when exposed to the right stimulation.

Ectoplasm is a powerful source of energy but unstable. When it is stabilized into an ecto-crystal it is more stable and can be used as a power source safely by ghosts and liminals.

“Most ectoplasm is green like you see in the pictures. But it isn’t the only colour, some other ghosts produce different colours and it is highly tied to what emotion drives them. When it’s pure it usually smells like petracore but it can get pretty foul.”

(next slide)

What are Obsessions

Every ghost has one or more obsessions

They can be very literal things such as boxes, or ideas and emotions such as Love

In rarer cases they may have dual obsessions

Unlike for humans obsessions are very healthy for ghosts

Ghosts need to indulge their obsessions

Sometimes the way ghosts indulge their obsessions might seem evil, however it is almost always just amoral 

Obsessions shape every part of a ghost from their powers to thier physical appearance, to befriend a ghost you Must understand and aid their obsession

In very extreme circumstances a ghosts obsession may shift, sometimes this is healthy, more often it is a result of extreme trauma

“With my interest in psychology this was sort of hard for me to accept. From the outside the way ghosts obsess seems really unhealthy but it’s what gives them life. When not allowed to indulge in their obsessions ghosts will dysregulate and go to extreme lengths to try and get their obsession, if that doesn’t work they either go dormant if their core is still healthy enough or they will melt. 

“Ghosts change their obsessions very rarely, I’ve heard of it happening as they heal. For instance once a ghost has gotten revenge for themselves, if that was their obsession, their obsession might shift to avenging other people, or even protecting them so they don’t need to be avenged.”

(Next Slide)

Ghost Culture

The Ghosts have a monarchy

The title of the Ghost King is not hereditary but passed through trial by combat

Under the monarch is a council of being known as Observants, and powerful and old ghosts called Ancients 

Ghosts respect strength and value power and cunning in combat a lot

Ghosts bond with each other through combat and play fight with family and friends often

“I have down that the ghosts are a monarchy, and technically that is true but the current Ghost King was a tyrant who was locked away thousands of years ago. I’m sure as soon as someone shows up who’s powerful enough to beat him his court will be happy to pick up where they left off with a better King, or queen, though I don’t think the title has to change based on gender.

“I really can’t stress enough how violent ghosts are! Because nothing short of having their cores shattered can kill them, play fighting for them can look Very Much like a murder attempt to a human. A lot of the issues we’ve had with ghosts have come from them just not understanding quite how fragile humans, and for most of them they feel really bad once they know they actually Hurt someone by shooting them. It’s really best for everyone when they’re kept separate and Ghosts can happily tear each other apart in peace.”

Liminals

The result of long term low level exposure to ectoplasm, sudden high doses are almost always deadly

Liminals Can have almost every trait a ghost can, usually having a combination of a few

Commonalities between liminals include

Minor cosmetic changes such as: glowing eyes, pointed ears, and/or sharp teeth 

Increased stamina, strength, and aggression

Increased obsessive behaviour

Liminals sometimes develop powers shaped by the strength and type of obsession 

“Most of the people Danny and I know are liminals. I don’t want to talk about them in case they don’t want to be outed so I’ll talk about myself and my parents. We all had prolonged exposure after all. My ears are pointed,” She said brushing her hair back so they could see them, “And Danny is a little more then liminal but even in human form he has fangs. 

“My parents didn’t realize it but they could to the point they could subsist on their obsession without needing to eat or sleep as often as a regular human would. About a year ago I started developing the ability to tap into and feel other peoples emotions, I can feed on them a little too but I try not to because the Worst ghost we met did that and I don’t want to be anything like her.”

(Next Slide)

In conclusion

Ghosts are not evil even though sometimes their actions are hard to understand

Never get between ghosts when they’re fighting each other but it’s usually safe to yell at them to remind them not to break anything

Never get between a ghost and their obsession

Don’t drink ectoplasm unless you know you’re already liminal

“I have a feeling the section about liminals will be familiar to a bunch of you. I know Damian is liminal though I don’t know how he was exposed to ectoplasm and some of you,” Her eyes skirted across Tim and Bruce. “Are toeing the line. You’ll probably notice Damian and Danny getting really close, and they might get in some really vicious looking fights. I promise Danny is playing at least.”

The family was left silent for a moment, Bruce knew he was thinking about Jason. Who had died, been exposed to.. What certainly seemed to be something like Lazarus water and come back, obsessive, aggressive, and emotional. He wished he’d had this powerpoint a long time ago. It helped understand Damian too but mostly he was thinking about Jason. He needed to reach out again, maybe meeting Danny would be good for Jason?

“So uhhh, ya, that’s the end of the powerpoint?” Jazz said, shifting from foot to foot in the awkward silence. “Any questions?”

Next

[sarafangirlart]

Debunking some misinformation about Hephaestus and Aphrodite’s Marriage

I’m so sick and tired so I’m making a thread, enjoy. I’ll break it down into several points.

1. Hephaestus demanded Aphrodite’s hand in marriage in exchange for Hera’s freedom and Aphrodite was forced into the marriage

You’d be surprised by how this isn’t even attested in ancient sources, rather it’s just a theory made by modern scholars bc of how spotty and limited our knowledge about this marriage is, let’s look at the actual sources:

Notice how Aphrodite isn’t even mentioned mentioned as the “prize”? Hephaestus does ask for a goddess in exchange for freeing Hera, but it’s not Aphrodite, it’s Athena. The usual course of events is this:

Hephaestus is angry at Hera for her mistreatment and sends a golden throne that traps her

The other gods try to persuade him to free her but he refuses

Dionysus convinces him by getting him drunk

Again the theory that Aphrodite was the prize for whoever gets Hephaestus to Olympus is just that, a theory. Not a really good one either bc wouldn’t Aphrodite be married to Dionysus instead? It’s a really shallow portrayal of all figures involved tbh, why would Ares only be interested in freeing his mother if it meant he gets to marry Aphrodite? Why would anyone on Olympus not be worried about their queen being chained up? Believe it or not but Hera isn’t as disliked as one would think lol

Now even if Aphrodite wasn’t a prize how did she end up marrying Hephaestus? And was she forced into doing it? No actually (Lucian’s Dialogue of the gods):

That’s not to say this wasn’t an arranged marriage (it most likely was) but arranged marriage and forced marriage are not the same thing. If you think this is a forced marriage then what about Cadmus and Harmonia? Heracles and Hebe? Both these marriages were arranged by Zeus but no one would claim they’re forced marriages.

2. Aphrodite hated Hephaestus

Now this is more open to interpretation, after all love is subjective, but to say they outright hated each other would be incorrect, there is this myth that Aphrodite cursed Lemnos to have the men abandon their wives and female family members, usually bc they neglected on worshipping her (tho a late Latin source says it’s revenge for exposing her affair).

Apollonius of Rhodes' Argonautica:

However this bit seems to be rather… genuine? Almost as if she might have truly felt bad for what she did and wanted to reconcile, sounds like someone with a deeply messy and complicated relationship with their partner, but not outright hate.

Also there is this moment in Lucian’s Dialogue of the Gods which is pretty funny:

3. Hephaestus only saw Aphrodite as property

Ok I don’t like using the “it was a different time” card but like… it really does apply here lol

Now we’ve already established that Aphrodite was never a prize for Hephaestus to begin with so what about the betrothal gifts he gave to Zeus? Obviously that means he was buying Aphrodite right?

Well, no actually this is a normal part of Ancient Greek marriage (obviously it varied between cities and time periods but it usually goes something like this), the father of the bride and the groom exchange gifts with each other to establish a bond between the two, the bride herself wasn’t the “gift” Zeus’s gift to Hephaestus was most likely his place on Olympus.

To say that Hephaestus bought Aphrodite would mean that Odysseus bought Penelope, or Hector bought Andromache, both are ludicrous claims.

4. Hephaestus is an incel and Ares is this big feminist icon

No, just… no.

Ares was never considered “the protector of women” in Ancient Greece that’s tumblr fanfiction and plenty of other ppl have made posts debunking this (including me) so I won’t repeat that here. Now about Hephaestus being an “incel” all the male Olympians have at least one story where they harm an innocent/defenseless woman, all of them, yes including Ares who persecuted Leto while she was heavily pregnant by Hera’s orders.

5. Aphrodite cheated to “regain her sexuality”

No Patrick, cheating on your disabled spouse with his brother in the bed and palace he made for you is not a girlboss move it’s being an asshole (all the gods are flawed, how thought provoking). Hell, even Zeus wouldn’t pull shit like this with Hera.

Aphrodite and Ares most likely did this hoping it would be the last place anyone would suspect an affair, since Aphrodite could’ve had sex with Ares in his own place or some meadow somewhere but that might cause ppl to be too suspicious.

6. Ares is a big dumb brute who can’t take a hint and only saw Aphrodite for her beauty

Believe it or not, just bc I criticize Aphrodite and Ares doesn’t mean I hate them lol. Now look, all the gods care deeply about looks but that’s not the only thing that Ares and Aphrodite love about each other. Here is Ares being a total simp and actually listening to her:

Iliad book 5

Thebaid book 3

7. Aphrodite felt neglected by Hephaestus bc he’s too busy at the forge

No lol, she straight up works with him at the forge, why wouldn’t she? If anything this claim makes Aphrodite even more shallow than she actually is.

8. Aphrodite and Ares didn’t care about being humiliated in the golden net and Ares straight up brags about cucking his brother

Yes I’ve heard such claims and no Ares and Aphrodite are actually capable of feeling shame lol, almost as if they were in the wrong. Also why would Ares actively antagonize the guy who makes all his stuff? Maybe that’s why Athena keeps beating his ass, bc Hephaestus purposely gives Ares shitty weapons and armor lol

Anyways umm… I think that’s it? Maybe I missed a few things bc I’m frustrated af rn

Just so y’all know, I’m not a scholar I’m just autistic and read a lot lol. I hope I didn’t miss something or get anything wrong.

Have a good day (or night).

[cod-dump]

You’re written about eldritch Ghost before so may I submit this idea: Everyone else is a normal human, except for Graves. Graves might be a god or some being of immense power, it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that his shadows are dead people he’s brought back (could be becouse he liked them or just needed bodies) and Shepherd held the one way to get rid of him. This would be at least Gravesprice, if not more.

But what ends up happening is one of the 141 is fatally shot, and Graves goes, “hey, if I bring him back, that’s a great courting gift.” So Graves brings back whoever also most perfectly. Almost. Their personality is the same and the look almost the same. It’s just that they still have the corpse parlor (that’s why the shadows always covered themselves up. So no one could see that), and Graves is preening as he presents whoever back to Price.

The Perfect Gift

PriceGraves

___

Death is forever... well, that’s something mortals believe. To Graves it’s business and easily bypassed.

It could be temporary if he chose to treat it as such. Humans were easy to work with, easy to manipulate in that manner. But still, they are unpredictable, it’s what he loves about them, why he chose to stay. 

To him, the ultimate show of his love is giving life again to the dead. His Shadows were given life again and he would never let them die as long as they remain loyal. This is their gift, their immortality. 

Shepherd was entertaining for the most part. He didn’t truly understand what Graves was or that Graves was some necromancer in a modern, southern twist. He just understood that Graves got things done and had fun doing it. He didn't know the how or why, he knew enough about Graves not to ask.

Shepherd just pointed and Graves followed. A dog with a bone, and each mission had a bone for him. 

Shepherd pointed and Hassan was on the other side and Graves was ready to hunt. But Shepherd felt it was necessary to get others involved. His Shadows failing once was his reason, never minding the fact those ‘dead’ Shadows were alive once. They were ashamed of their failure and Graves respected their desire to prove themselves. 

Shepherd involving others would get in the way of that. 

Graves found it insulting. He was more than capable of correcting this. His Shadows messed up? They can learn, they can do this. But Shepherd didn't listen and Graves debated on whether this relationship would work anymore. He did what Shepherd said for fun, entertainment, and to grow his Shadows. His army. His fucked up family.

But then he met 141 and decided it wasn’t an offense on Shepherd’s part. He found them entertaining, like he did Shepherd. And he liked their captain. Really liked him. Graves wasn’t going to step away now, so he agreed to play nice with them. He wanted to get to know Captain John Price. 

In a way, they were the same. He cared about his people. Viciously. Graves heavily respected that, admired it even. Price thought like him, moved like him. He was mortal, human, but he walked like he owned the streets, owned the battlefield. Graves was hypnotized and wanted to show Price that they were, indeed, the same.

But after Las Almas? Price refused to see any resemblance or humor any of Graves insanity.

Graves had regretted his actions, following Shepherd so blindly because he trusted the man to show the way to a fun time. It led to 141, to Price, but Graves found his bone in Los Vaqueros’ base. Now he had to build up 141’s trust again, piece by piece.

Graves had felt the power surge in the ground and couldn't resist. He gladly threw the colonel and his people out of the way in order to get to it. He hadn't considered 141's fierce loyalty, hadn't thought Alejandro had gained it in the relatively short period he had worked with them. That was Graves' mistake, the relationships he cherished suffered as a result.

So he ended his affiliation with Shepherd, his first start towards rebuilding what he had destroyed. 

It was a small start.  

He wanted things to go back to what it was, the warmness and familiarity. Price didn’t look at him the same. Firmly business. It was business before, of course, but Price was more relaxed, more trusting. He barely could contain his anger, his hate. It made Graves uneasy. He will fix this, make Price like him again. 

A gift, a perfect gift. The fix to it all. But where to get such a gift?

He couldn't purposely orchestrate this, it would result only false trust. If Price learned the truth, it would mean nothing. No Graves knew this was a game of patience. He had to wait, play nice, and try to win back Price. Graves was nothing if not patient.

"Go crawl back in the shadows, creepy bastard," Soap's glare was cold, colder than the arctic.

Fixing what he had broke wasn't simple, but he knew where to start. Ghost and Soap. Ghost wouldn't talk to him. Every time Graves approached the man would turn and ignore him. It was childish, somewhat adorable. Graves decided to leave small, material gifts for him.

Collector's knives, nice clothes, soft material for his mask repairs.

There wasn't any visible results, but Ghost never rejected the gifts. Graves could see a relationship form in the future. Maybe Ghost could be a Shadow? He would be perfect for it. Graves couldn't help himself, really, he loved growing his strange family.

Soap was... not as approachable.

He was snappy, already tried to throw punches at him despite knowing very well that Graves wasn't human. He blew up that tank he was in and witnessed him crawl out in a shadowy mass. Yet he still showed no fear. Of course, there was a possibility Soap didn't actually see him, or didn't see enough to believe it.

Graves can't help but like him and feel shame for throwing away his trust the way he did. This wasn't something easily repaired, Soap held onto the betrayal differently than the rest. It was personal, he took Graves' actions personally. He couldn't understand why Graves did what he did, would never understand the power Graves felt.

Soap believed Graves was lucky, disbelieved anything he saw that day.

Graves could set the record straight, but he didn't believe it would do any good on what he was trying to fix. Proving to Soap that he was a otherworldly being? One that played with death and things that the mere mortal human mind wasn't capable of seeing? It wouldn't help, so he left it be.

Gaz was the least of his concern. He acted aggressive because of what Graves did to his team, his friends. Ghost showing less aggression had a similar affect on the man, making Graves wonder if he would be willing to drop things if Soap did.

He already accepted Graves' gifts, the offers to pay for food and other expenses. Or he was just willing to drain Graves of money for the sake of using him as a way to get back at him for Soap's sake. If so Graves respected that.

Price saw his efforts, not saying anything on it. He was focused on business, on Makarov. Graves believed they had a connection before and wondered if he ached over it. Graves certainly did.

"I can find him. Bring you his head."

"Phillip."

A warning. He was allowed to assist, not turn this into Graves' chance to prove himself. Graves would bring Price Makarov's head on a silver platter with bouquet of the most expensive, gorgeous flowers this world could provide. But he wouldn't let him, or perhaps he, too, didn't think Graves was capable of it. That he also saw him as just an eccentric human.

Graves let Price have it his way. He'll be compliant, roll over when he told him to. He didn't like listening to Shepherd's every command if he didn't foresee a clear reward as a result. For Price he'll do whatever he wants for however long.

But... he wished he wasn't so quick to just submit. He would've been quick enough that way.

"This is my fault... fuck."

Makarov killed Soap. Shot him in the head. Graves felt strange staring at the man's corpse. He would comfort Price if he would allow him but he didn't want to cross any boundaries to see if he would.

Ghost was wrecked. Upset wasn't even close to describe what he was feeling. He reminded Graves of a bomb, unstable. A slight jostle and it would blow up. He would rip apart the stars to fix this, Graves could tell. A hole was in his heart and he was near feral because of it.

Gaz was in shock, denying it up until he saw Soap on the table. He's seen the dead before, been the reason why someone was dead. He's lost colleagues, this wasn't his first time losing someone close to him. But he acted like it was, like he just lost his best friend, someone he never expected to lose.

And Price? He blamed himself. He was dead on his feet, not really hearing anything anyone was saying to him. He was just staring at Soap, at his failure to protect him.

Graves knew then what he had to do.

They had left after seeing him. He was to be cremated and they wanted to be shitfaced that night. Graves knew it was the opportune moment. He'll fix things. He's already tried to kill Soap, so bringing him back as a Shadow would have to be the perfect apology. Right?

"May I have a moment alone, gentlemen?"

The morticians nodded and left. Just like that. Graves waited until the door shut before he approached Soap. He was grey, cold, and the hole in his head wasn't looking too good.

"We're good after this, yea?"

Graves breathed life back into his Shadows. He called their soul back to their body while also giving a piece of himself. They are reborn with past memories but new strengths. He was sure Soap would appreciate it.

Soap's eyes snapped open, the color of life returning to them as he sat up with a gasp. He was breathing heavily, surely reliving those final moments with Makarov. He scrambled off the metal table and fell to the floor, standing while being ready to fight.

Shadows always came back this way: Ready to kill.

"What- What the fuck!?"

"Easy, Soap. You're safe. You're alive."

Soap stared at Graves, trying to understand what he had said. He felt a connection to him, as he did all his Shadows. That piece he gave them, a sense of knowing who he was and what he did for them. And what had happened to them.

Soap stared at Graves in horror, arms dropping as he leaned on the table with a heavy breath.

"No... no fucking way..."

"It is, actually. I came prepared, have some nice clothes for ya."

Soap kept quiet, hand going up to his head. When his fingers found the hole he jerked his hand away and gagged. Graves would have to do something about that. He's stitched limbs together before, but what do you do about a hole in someone's head? He's normally torn skin and stitched over bullet wounds on other Shadows.

But the head? He's always avoided major head injuries for a reason.

He had to coax Soap to put the sweats on after convincing him to put on underwear. He felt like he was dressing a toddler considering he wasn't very cooperative. Soap managed to get the shirt on, at least, hugging his torso as he finished.

"Why?"

"Hm? You can't walk around naked, Soap. It's indecent."

He wasn't in the mood for jokes, didn't even have the energy to be angry at him for making one.

"Why did you bring me back?"

His voice was soft, cracked some as he spoke. He was so confused, like all Shadows are after their rebirth.

"Well, wouldn't be the same without you."

It was genuine and Soap broke some. Graves caught him as his knees gave out, holding the man in his arms as he cried. It would've been peaceful, Graves would've taken all the time needed to help Soap understand, to properly apologize. But the morticians returned and fucking screamed.

And now he had to explain everything to everyone, not in his own pace.

"Johnny!?"

Ghost had ran in first and froze when he saw Soap was alive but didn't completely look it. He stared at Soap in stunned silence, eyes so wide Graves thought they would pop. Gaz was no better, he ran in, skidded to a stop when he saw Soap, and had to grab onto Ghost for support.

Price came in and Graves was surprised that the man fainted at the sight of Soap standing, corpse-like but alive. Graves blamed the morticians for complicating things. They just had to run in and scream. Now Graves felt like things were messier than what they needed to be.

But he was confident. This was the right move to making things right.

[reorientation]

i might suck off a straight boy from my class for zyns (nicotine pouches lol). i can't buy them yet but he can (i just turned 19 and hes 23). when i hit him up to buy off him, he sells for double the retail value, and triple for anything higher than 10mg. i asked if i get a classmate discount, or if i can buy one at a time. and he said no :(. i ""jokingly"" said id blow him for some, and he said the only people he'd accept that offer from are girls.

so, like a good crackwhore, I told him im actually ftm and it wouldn't be really gay. he didn't believe me until I showed him my pussy on a video call. he said he'd consider it, and responded like an hour later. lmao. he said it sounds kind of gay but if i came to his apartment looking pretty, and wearing something feminine he'd see if he felt gay about it. he went on to say he just thought i was gay since im too feminine to be a guy, but being trans makes more sense. he also asked why i transitioned when id make a really cute girl. im swooning.

the joke is that i can afford to buy the zyns at the price he listed. its inconvenient and annoying but doable. i could also keep trying my luck at local convenience stores and eventually be able to find something, probably. im not even trying to quit that hard. but likeee. not going to lie, he's hot and i was slightly horny already when i hit him up. id suck his dick for free tbh. its embarrassing that im willing to let him use my mouth for fucking nicotine pouches, and because im a perv who likes being misgendered. but ive already came twice, and post nut clarity is not kicking in, so its probably a good idea. will keep you posted.

God, this is fucking funny. You went to such lengths to sell your virginity to a straight man - and you didn't even save any money off of it! Plan B is like 50 bucks!

Let's see, the series of events here is:

Offered to suck a straight guy off for convenience-store drugs

Had to show him your cunt just to get him to consider it

Went over "looking pretty" like a good call-girl

Intended to just blow him and instead wound up getting fucked for the first time and creampied without protection

Went home with a few nicotine pouches, a pussy full of cum, and negative net savings

A savvy consumer you are not! God, FtM girls will take any excuse to slut themselves out.

but ive already came twice, and post nut clarity is not kicking in, so its probably a good idea.

That's the thing: actual men have refractory periods. You can only make sperm so fast, and there's not much biological point in putting another load in a girl when there's a few hundred million fresh sperm already on target. Girls who've pumped themselves full of testosterone don't get that! You can just keep rubbing yourself dumb, convincing yourself that being a stupid whore is a brilliant idea. Just another one of the dangers of trying on hormones that you weren't built for.

Still, this was very funny. Hope you enjoyed the walk of shame home from your extremely-lame-drug dealer's place, and congratulations on the start of a long career of taking cum.

[bitchimasnake-sss]

"i thought you got possessed-" ft. luffy!

ft. luffy x fem!reader

set-up: you're pms-ing and he is such a dumbass. but that doesn't mean he isn't out here being the bestest boy ever. (please excuse his dumbassery, he was dropped on his head as a child)

warnings: none! very wholesome lol

- please dont get confused, this man has no idea how periods work - like how is it humanly possible for you to bleed and then stay alive and kicking? seems made up tbh - one eventful evening (before you both started dating), you and nami had to sit him down and give him a long-ass biology lesson, explaining what the whole phenomenon is, what pms-ing is and yada-yada - before this, he firmly believed that every once a while a demon possessed you all (and he saw absolutely no issue with that, what a fucking icon) "ohhh" he's laughing, "so that's what it is? i thought you guys like got possessed" "excuse me?" nami's on the verge to hit him in the head again and you're wondering if the constant hits are the reason luffy's braincells are (half) dead "i see, i see. i get it now" - he lied, he still doesn't quite get it - but its fine - so, it is just another random tuesday and (post-dating) you know syou love luffy. but holy shit, if he yelled "YN DOLPHIN!! LOOK LOOK A DOLPHIN! SUGEEEEEE" and giggled again, you might yell at him. you really do love him but if he stole your food one more time, you're convinced you might smack him too. "luffy" your voice was unusually low, devoid of any warmth, "stop that." "whatt" he whined, grinning afterwards as he scooped up more food from your plate "luffy. i said STOP IT." your voice rose higher and silence hung uncomfortably over the dinner table - luffy just looks at you dumbfounded - the way you're fisting your hand on the table and looking at him has the crew afraid that youre gonna murder the captain in cold blood - well, i mean ur considering the possibility too, so, you mumble a half-ass apology and return back to your room to be alone - lying against the soft sheets, you can smell the citrus detergent and oh boy, now you feel guilty - i mean god, that's luffy, that was nothing out of the ordinary for him. why did you yell at him? fuck, are you a horrible girlfriend?? - oh boy, now the tears are welling up too - "yn?" luffy whispers as he slips into the room, closing the door behind him and now you're really crying - i mean look at him, why did you yell at him? - "im so sorry, i don't know why i yelled at you, that was so shitty of me-" "hey, it's okay" he's hugging you tight, "you did nothing wrong, i can be a little bit dumb sometimes. i should have not taken your food" "what? no, i am not mad about that. i, i dunno-" you sniff, "maybe i'm just pms-ing?" "huh??" - took a while for him to remember but now that you've jogged up his memory, he looks so guilty, so, he spends the entire evening apologizing and offering you food, he even promises that he wouldn't point out dolphins every time he sees them (you had to reassure him that he can continue doing that)

- but now onwards, this lovely himbo tries to keep in check what he's saying, often giving you a lingering look as if asking "this is fine right?"

- but now you've got your personal defender!! - ussop made a joke and you're not laughing (because it wasn't that funny tbh) and luffy is ready to smack ussop and tell him to "not annoy" you. zoro is being dumb and luffy can see it on your face that he's pissing you off lowkey, so, he will actually tell zoro to not be a dick - mf just starts picking up fights left and right for your sake and now you have to give him another long ass lesson to make it stop - ps: he does not stop. - this man turns into a chihuahua, anything bothering you must be struck down. - very, very observant from now on too. he needs to make sure you're feeling good - also asked sanji to make your favourite desert - he just loves you so much and wants you to be as comfortable as possible (still doesn't know how female anatomy works though-)

a/n: omg i luv him such a dumbass

zoro's link <3 sanji's link <3

[miss-oranje-disco-dancer]

and for dessert?

pairing: javi x reader

cw's/tags: smut, oral sex, spanish? (i don't speak spanish), unrealistic scenarios, steve voiceover dialogue at the beginning to explain the strange plot

summary: reader is a shy hotel housekeeper of sorts (probably a CIA spy), and brings javi his room service with a special treat

a/n: 'there's a reason magical fake-ism was born in liz's mind..."

this is for @undercoverpena's birthday bash! my color for the color palette was ganache brown, and somehow, ganache is what got us here.

wc: 2k

[Steve Voiceover]: And if I told you that the CIA gave us an all expenses paid vacation at a 5 star hotel with women dressed like French maids providing around the clock service, including "special favors", would you believe me? No? Good. Because that didn't happen. Even if it did, they'd be expecting something in return -- to talk about one thing or to shut up about another. Peña and I aren't liars, but if we were on trial, and the CIA had any stake, this is how they could've won us over. At least, this is Javi's version of the story. 

Sitting in a California king size bed, wearing nothing but a robe embroidered with hotel's logo, Javi sifts through his own guilt to find some self-pity that'll allow him to enjoy this period of respite amidst the general chaos that comes with his career. He and Murphy are given separate rooms -- must be a real special case, considering how much the DEA does to cut corners, thereby cutting costs, and god only knows how much this room would cost him for a week. Escobar levels of cash. 

He gets room service, fresh towels, and a cute girl who delivers them daily. When the CIA wants to influence your testimony, they've got to butter you up first. Actually, they don't. They could torture Javi, threaten his family, even disappear him. Maybe there's poison in his breakfast -- which he eats in bed while watching pay-per-view movies.

The steak you bring him for dinner is good, but the uniform you wear is great. He knows he's being sedated, and he takes it willingly. His dick takes it eagerly -- that specific part of him is the opposite of sedated. 

For the first time in his life, Javi gets tired of jerking off.

"Goddamnit. Really?"

He must be going stir-crazy, talking to his dick like that.

It'd be more convenient for him to stay naked, but he keeps his himself covered out of respect for you. He figures you probably don't get paid enough to wait on nude men, though he doubts it'd be the first time you'd walked into a hotel room to find a man in his birthday suit. Men are gross. Javi can be nasty, but he understands that timing is key. Keep it classy until she asks for it not to be.

Javi's not stupid enough to think the CIA can't hear his phone calls. He doesn't know why they even leave the phone in the room. Maybe for the typical American illusion of freedom or maybe they're just too lazy to come and unplug it.

He could call the concierge, he might even be able to call you. But for some fucking reason, he's on the phone with Steve, who's right down the hall. 

Just to fuck with him, Javi asks, "What are you wearing right now?"

"Uh, A T-shirt and boxers… why?"

"I was joking. Never had phone sex?" He figures the CIA doesn't pay whoever's listening to these calls enough, so he'll give them a little tease as a treat.

"'Course I have." Steve's not the stud that Javi is but his wife's on a different continent, so he'd believe it. "Are you trying to have phone sex with me?"

"I'm not that desperate yet."

"Haven't gone through all the porn on TV yet?"

"Not yet. Still making my way through the stepmom shit. Not really my thing."

There's a lull before Steve suggests something so out of character that Javi would think he was joking in any other circumstance.

"Is your, uh, housekeeper… nice?"

"By nice you mean hot?"

"Yeah."

"Very."

"Wonder if we have the same one."

Javi describes your appearance in detail to Steve - he'd do great as an eye witness if he only had to remember gorgeous women. Steve's description of his housekeeper is more brief but enough to confirm that they are attended to by separate women.

"Guess attractiveness is part of the qualifications," Steve remarks.

"Well, better hope you still have a job after all this 'cause you're sure not getting one here."

"Fuck off. Just 'cause you fuck around doesn't mean you're the hot one in this partnership. In case you've forgotten, I'm the one with the beautiful wife."

"Yeah, and she's way outta your league. Still don't know how you pulled her."

Steve ignores Javi's comment, and continues to brag, "plus, Little Miss Housekeeper said I'm very attractive."

"Oh yeah? How much did you pay her?"

"Nada. Did yours call you 'hermoso'? Did she offer you any extra favors?"

"Extra favors?"

Javi can hear Steve's smug grin on the other end. "She told me 'we do anything to ensure our guests have a pleasurable experience'."

"You think that's real or she was just coming onto you?"

"Dunno. You should try asking your girl- speak of the motherfuckin' devil." And Steve hangs up the phone.

In less than a minute, there's a knock on Javi's door.

"Agent Peña?" He hears your sweet voice say from outside the door, and while the fantasies fly through his head, he forgets a crucial mistake he's made which is not bothering to put on clothes after he'd taken a shower, leaving him in only in a towel when you open the door.

And he's rock-fucking-hard.

You walk in with room service. Fuck. He forgot he'd ordered dessert. Typical display, silver platter atop white tablecloth plus utensils and other expected accoutrements. You're focused on pushing the cart so at first you don't notice but when you do, you apologize profusely.

"Oh my god, Agent Peña. I am so sorry, sir." You turn away from him, fidgeting awkwardly as you stand facing the wall.

"No, it's my fault. I'm sorry. I forgot that I ordered dessert. I'll get my pants on so you don't have to see anything."

"Oh. I don't mind--I mean, that's not my concern. I just want to respect your privacy."

"My privacy? If I could walk around naked all the time I would."

"You would?" You take a glance over your shoulder and he's managed to put on his boxers, and is now reaching for a pair of jeans. "You don't mind people seeing you?"

"No," he says, stopping with one leg halfway in his pants, unsure of what you want.

"Well, you are an attractive man, so--I hope you don't mind me saying that."

"I don't. I just hope they pay you well to dish out compliments."

"The compliments are not required by my contract. I was just thinking out loud…" You trail off, shyly looking to the side.

"In that case, I hope you don't mind me saying that you're a very attractive woman."

"Thank you, sir."

God, it goes straight to his dick. There's not much he can do to hide it since he's given up on the jeans idea. (And, let's face it, those jeans leave nothing to the imagination). 

"So, I brought dessert," you transition. 

Usually, you're incredibly professional and prepared, like you've practiced every word in the mirror, but now, you look flustered. It's adorable when you struggle to find the words to describe the dessert. It's almost like you've forgotten what it is until you pull the lid off the tray to reveal it.

"Wow," he says, genuinely in awe of the decadence presented before him.

"It's a chocolate cake with chocolate ganache and strawberries on top… as you can see."

"It's probably poisoned, but I'll risk it anyway. This looks really fuckin' good."

You smile hesitantly and nod, periodically glancing towards the door like you're trying to figure out how to exit the conversation.

"Well, I'll leave you to it," you say, turning to leave the room.

But before your hand reaches the doorknob, Javi says, "Stay."

"Huh?"

"If you can -- If you want to."

"I can, yeah." You walk back towards him, slowly, stopping at the edge of the bed like you're unsure where to go from here.

"Need help getting up here?" he teases.

"No, I can do it," you say, though it does look taxing to climb up onto the tall mattress in those heels.

You sit so prim and proper like a little doll, perfectly posed, which makes Javi feel particularly ill-mannered as he's already devoured almost an entire slice of cake.

"Want some?" he asks, sucking icing off his finger just to see your reaction. And it's even more delicious than the cake itself.

"O-okay." You nod.

He grabs a bite of cake on his fork and brings it towards your mouth like you're newlyweds at your reception. You let him feed you, maintaining eye contact while eat and lick your lips clean. You're playing his game. You must be.

"So, your job here- is it mostly delivering food and towels or is there other stuff you do?"

"We do whatever the guests want… within reason."

"Give me an example."

You not-so-subtly glance at his boxer-clad cock, and then back at his face. "As long as it's legal, we can do whatever we want for the most part."

"And what do you want?"

When you look down, away from his eyes, getting all nervous again, he lifts your chin. "Dime lo que quieres," he says, much softer.

"I want you. I want to make you feel good."

You get closer to him, he thinks you're going for his lips but you're not, your hand brushes his bare stomach and slides down, but you stop at his waistband.

"May I?"

"Fuck yes."

For a shy girl, you sure know what you're doing. You get him riled up with playful licks around the tip, a flick of the tongue up the slit that makes him gasp, and you press sloppy kisses down his length, leaving lipstick marks all along his shaft.

It's not long before he feels his orgasm start to build, so he swiftly pulls you up, so that you're on your knees. You look almost dazed, especially so with your makeup all messy. He coaxes your hips up further until your core hovers over his face.

Javi has a one track mind when it comes to these kinds of things. Pussy makes him stupid. Earlier that day he fantasized about what color panties you might be wearing under your skirt. He had to force himself to look away when you bent down to grab something you'd dropped, he'd feel like a creep knowing he'd get off to a mishap like that. But he imagined you in pink, red, white, lace, satin, and everything in between.

He's surprised to find that you're not wearing any of those, you're not wearing anything at all.

He quirks an eyebrow up at you. "Brought me dessert, huh, hermosa?"

You nod. Yes, of course you did. Warm and glazed with your arousal.

"Quiero saborearte," he whispers, dragging you towards his eager mouth. 

You're perfectly pliant for him. His grip on your hips, your ass, your thighs is steady but gentle. He tries to take his time. A woman is a delicacy. He should savor you. He gets lost in the sweetness, buries his face between your thighs and allows his restrained dedication to become messy and reverent.

You call him by his first name for the first time. Javier. It's all he recognizes in your jumbled sentences.

He hums an affirmation. Mm-hmm. You're okay. Mm-hmm. I know. Mm-hmm. Please, give it to me. Let go.

Your climax hits so hard you lurch forward and grab the headboard while Javi guides you through it. With how loud you're being, he's certain Murphy will be calling him to congratulate him on his good work.

But before that, he realizes the mistake he's made -- a cardinal sin if making love is a religion (and the way Javi views it, it should be) -- he hasn't kissed you.

"Dame un beso," he says.

When you kiss him, he finds that your lips are just as sweet as the other pair between your thighs.

[lemon-natalia]

The Locked Tomb Reaction - The Unwanted Guest

it’s taken a while, but finally I’ve been able to get around to liveblogging this! my understanding is that The Unwanted Guest takes place in that period of time where Palamedes is ousting Ianthe from Naberius’s body? so i’m intrigued to see what actually happens, as well as how Muir writes in a new theatre-play format

‘kissing or feeding; we can’t be sure’ haha what the fuck. we’re really going in right off the bat with the surrealist horror here. i had a feeling that Ianthe’s mindscape might be a disturbing place, and apparently i was right

ok so i’m willing to suspend my disbelief that this is just a description for the reader to understand the concept but … does either Palamedes or Ianthe’s subconscious know what a 20th century English butler is?

ohhh my god Ianthe’s in a French maid costume, is this because Palamedes considers it sexy. this is so cursed. once again suspension of disbelief, but do either of these characters know what France is?

i am very much enjoying the dynamic between the two of them here, especially how unimpressed Palamedes is with, well, everything Ianthe 

oooh okay thats intriguing, there’s another person’s voice here. my first instinct is that it’s Camilla, given Palamedes is currently in her body

wow Palamedes’ immediate response to a game of essentially 20 questions is to immediately get philosophical and start a debate about whether the soul can be changed. he sounds like the kind of person who would be absolute hell to play Scrabble or Trivial Pursuit against 

what they’re talking about here is very interesting though. i like the little glimpses we get, primarily through the Sixth and the Fifth, about what academia and science looks like in a world with necromancy. whether the soul can be changed is kind of a big hypothetical in the real world, but in TLT where you can literally summon or ‘consume’ a person’s soul it would be much more directly relevant 

also a very interesting point (at least what I think he’s saying?) from Palamedes here that just because the Lyctors lived for 10,000 years doesn’t necessarily mean that the thanergy powering them is perpetual, it could just be declining very very slowly

okay so the Voice just started talking about ‘Camilla’s idea’, so presumably not her unless she’s talking about herself in third person? it could theoretically just be Palamedes debating with himself? 

Palamedes briefly trying to play bad cop/Ace Attorney and intimidate Ianthe is hilarious 

Ianthe’s insistence that she didn’t murder Naberius because it was his job to die for her anyway is an … interesting perspective

‘she and I both understand that the goal is always worth the cost’ ngl i think Harrow herself would have something to say about that, given she literally gave herself a Claire’s lobotomy in the hope of saving Gideon. it wasn’t so much Harrow who decided that Lyctorhood was worth defeating Cytherea, but Gideon deciding for her 

once again i feel horribly bad for Naberius Tern, whose worst crime was pretty much just being an asshole

hah has Palamedes picked up a cigarette habit from Pyrrha. i’m enjoying the insight into his thought process here given that he generally comes off as knowing more than other people all the time, so it’s nice to see him actually in the process of figuring stuff out 

‘She wandered around like she was the protagonist’ HAH Ianthe i have bad news for you 

aww it’s sweet to get Pal’s view on Gideon here, namely that he thinks she’s smarter than even she gives herself credit for and that he was initially jealous of her dynamic with ‘Dulcinea’ but came to like her anyways

‘My problem was reminding myself you were a child’ ohhh my god the mysterious voice is Dulcinea! i can’t believe this is literally the only time we’ve seen Pal and Dulcinea actually interact. and isn't this possibly the first time that they've had an 'in person' (so to speak) interaction since most of their relationship was sending letters to each other?? oh i am not okay

okayy i’m interested in what Dulcinea’s saying here about how she seems to have died again and ‘something awful’ happened to her soul … it doesn’t seem to totally line up with what happened at the end of HtN, especially with her mention that there are two shores on the River. again everything seems to point to the nature of the River playing a big part in AtN 

woooh Magnus Quinn reference, my beloved 

oooh i love the contrast between Ianthe’s descriptions of her relationships with Corona and Babs - despite Babs being the one who was actually the cavalier, the kind of co-dependent relationship she has with Corona is much closer to the relationship between the other cavaliers and their necromancers. which is why the fact that she’s apparently the only Lyctor to outright murder their cavalier vs her admission that she wouldn’t have used Corona is very interesting to me

‘Coronabeth herself is part of your goal’ i’m very interested in the long-term goal of Ianthe in general. obviously one part was becoming a Lyctor, but i do wonder if she has something else planned, i doubt she’s content to just sort of do what John wants her to do forever

‘Jeannemary Chatur regaled me with the story at breakfast’ woooh Jeannemary reference. also this is such a cute detail

ooooh Palamedes's newfound cigarette habit is from Ianthe not Pyrrha, that's very fun

and Palamedes’ final point here that the soul is permeable is not just very satisfying against Ianthe’s general smugness, but has very interesting implications for all of the Lyctor characters, especially the fact that their titles are named after their cavaliers. for example, how much of Mercy’s devotion originally came from her versus the fact that Christabel pre-Res was a literal nun. and what does it mean for John and Alecto exactly - how much of the same person, or even human, is he after literally eating the soul of a planet

ok this isn’t to do with the Unwanted Guest exactly but i am very concerned by the notice at the very end that ‘Hell Will Break Loose’ in AtN. it already sounds ominous enough without considering that the previous notice, ‘Gideon will return’ at the end of HtN was done in the most painful way possible 

overall i really enjoyed this! what i really like about the additional short stories Muir writes for TLT is that you get to see little character moments and explore bits of the lore that would have dragged the main story down a bit, so it was very fun to see Palamedes and Ianthe interact one-on-one and debate a bit

and now i really have run out of stuff to liveblog about these books rip my sanity

[maverick-werewolf]

Daily Werewolf Thoughts - Days 17-23

Day 17- So how about this idea that werewolves are unholy? It's a load of bunk, if you ask the old legends. That's right, even in the Early Modern Period as werewolves became associated with satanic magic, the werewolf itself still wasn't unholy - because the werewolf was a victim. And older than that, they simply weren't at all.

Traditionally, werewolves were never considered unholy and, in fact, were often considered associated with God. We see this in the Werewolves of Ossory, among others, and if you believe Thiess or Thies of Kaltenbrun, the Werewolf of Livonia, there were also the Hounds of God who became werewolves and went into Hell to retrieve grain stolen by demons and battle Satan and his witches*. True, he was basically considered a crazy man, but it's a fun concept to discuss. Likewise, werewolves in antiquity were never turned by Satan, as he does not possess such power. God, however, could turn people into werewolves for various reasons (I will discuss this further when I talk about the Werewolves of Ossory, one of my favorite tales). Those who became wolves by a satanic power were also still considered victims, such as Jean Grenier. As printed in records of his trial, preserved by Sabine Baring-Gould (shameless plug: https://www.amazon.com/Book-Werewolves-Superstition-Annotated-Translated-ebook/dp/B0CK4YY16Z )… "The president went on to say that Lycanthropy and Kuanthropy were mere hallucinations, and that the change of shape existed only in the disorganized brain of the insane, consequently it was not a crime which could be punished. The tender age of the boy must be taken into consideration, and the utter neglect of his education and moral development. The court sentenced Grenier to perpetual imprisonment within the walls of a monastery at Bordeaux, where he might be instructed in his Christian and moral obligations; but any attempt to escape would be punished with death."

Werewolves in legend were never driven off or harmed by holy artifacts, holy words, or holy ground - unlike vampires, demons, and other forms of undead, etc. Obviously, popular culture has had them now frequently associated with demonic imagery and acts, but I personally have never liked it, because I love werewolves and I think it's pretty awesome that they actually -weren't- associated with that kind of thing.

There's a (an old, actually) Werewolf Fact on this and more, of course: https://maverickwerewolf.com/werewolf-facts/how-to-kill-a-werewolf/

*: It is extremely noteworthy that werewolves were NOT considered witches at any point in antiquity or the Early Modern period. They were different, and the difference remained important including and up to the famous werewolf and witch trials of the 1600s-1800s. I will discuss this some more in future thought posts, as it's extremely important to my research and arguments and how modern scholars have spread so many outright inaccurate concepts as "fact" just to scrounge out more "arguments" for the "academic conversation."

Image: the werewolf from Red Riding Hood (2011), shockingly one of my favorite werewolf movies, despite the werewolf doing the whole "werewolves are unholy" thing. Don't let the teen romance fool you, it's actually really good, and the werewolf is awesome!

Day 18- I am really sick of this concept of "millions of werewolves" like a zombie plague, no puns intended. You see it everywhere these days and have for over a decade, and it's gotten very old. There's a brand spanking new B-movie coming out later this year based on this concept, too.

Back in my day, werewolves came in 1's. One werewolf, one story, very character-driven - made things dramatic and interesting and kept the werewolf horrific, not to mention unique. It also kept the werewolf as a relatable character, which is hugely important for such a story. Today, more often than not, werewolves come not only in "packs" (I will rant about this another time) but also in massive zombie hordes. In such a state, they aren't even dangerous individually. One werewolf isn't even a threat. They're just a plague, like rats. In WoW, you have an objective in the worgen starting zone to "kill 80 worgen" in one go because there's a blue million of them and they all absolutely suck (you have several objectives like this). It's a terrible way to approach werewolves as a concept. At this point, especially with modern zombies being some infectious disease, why isn't the story just about zombies? Why not just make it about some infectious rat-people plague, since that's what it is?

If you see the scary monster in question slaughtered in droves, it lowers your perceived danger level of one as a threat. No matter what occasional thing has managed to arguably pull this off well regardless of seeing dozens on the screen at the same time (I have heard all the Aliens arguments*), it still ultimately works to make the single thing less intimidating. Especially when, in the case of werewolves, they're largely only talked about as dangerous because they might infect someone… you know, like how modern zombies are handled.

Again, I have to say: if the werewolf is just a plague-carrier that comes in hordes, why not go with rats instead? Call them wererats if you must. It'd still be better than using werewolves.

I want to overall be positive in these posts, but often I cannot help myself. I hate the "werewolves as zombies"/"werewolves as rat monsters" trope, and after zombies already stole the "infection by bite" straight from werewolves. Today, it often takes an army of werewolves to do even one small thing. It's just stupid and terrible. Use zombies for your zombie plague and leave werewolves alone.

image: worgen in Gilneas, the worgen starting zone (pre furry redesign)

*: I love Aliens, before you ask

Day 19- One of my all-time favorite werewolf stories is a Breton lai by the wonderful Marie de France. You guessed it: it's Bisclavret, the Lai of the Werewolf. I adore this story.

I relayed the entire story and discussed it in depth in this post here: https://maverickwerewolf.com/werewolf-fact-67-the-lai-of-the-werewolf-bisclavret/

But for the sake of brevity (although this will not be incredibly brief), I just want to say again that I adore this story because it's such a classical tale of chivalry, knightly code, and a noble werewolf. I've always enjoyed that although the tale opens with a description of werewolves and what they are/how they are perceived, the werewolf in the story defies this description - and why? Because he's a noble knight (and baron). Even when turned into a beast, he holds true to his chivalry and fealty. But frankly, such a concise description of werewolves is something I really enjoy too-- “a werewolf is a man who suffers a change and runs wild in the darkest wood, horrible to behold, and devours men.” Solid gold. That's a werewolf, right there.

Bisclavret is one of several similar tales of treacherous wives, a theme of more than a few medieval stories, who betray their good husbands. In this case, when she is told the truth of his being a werewolf, she is horrified and hides his clothing so he cannot return to human form. Guess there was a good reason he didn't tell her the truth - but at least he found out she's a terrible person, right? Treat your werewolf knight husband right. I mean, come on.

Similar to the tale of the Werewolves of Ossory, a moral of Bisclavret is not to judge a book by its cover, essentially. Bisclavret behaved noble and true even as a beast, and his king saw this and recognized it, sparing his life. The wife, however, was told the truth of her husband and was disgusted by the idea of him becoming a beast. In the Werewolves of Ossory, we see people who have been turned into wolves by God, and it becomes a test of others as well as the werewolves themselves - for others to recognize that even those beastly in appearance who behave in good nature should be treated in kind. More on this later when I discuss the werewolves of Ossory and the priest who met them.

If you've never read Bisclavret, it's a wonderful story, whether you're reading it for the werewolf or not. I highly recommend it. Someday in the future I'll publish my own collection of old werewolf tales, with my own thoughts and translations etc. throughout… it's on the backburner.

I've almost kept this up for the entire month! I'm so happy people actually read my ramblings. Thanks to you if you've stuck with them.

Day 20- One of the biggest tropes of modern werewolf media when they aren't a rat plague, though sometimes these go hand in hand, is a "werewolf pack" and/or "werewolf family." This insanely popular trope has taken many werewolf stories by storm, although especially the "shifter romance" genre. I confess I have never read a single book in this genre. I wouldn't be ashamed if I did and would admit it, but instead I am confessing I actually have no experience with it, so anything I say can be taken with the biases of someone who's never read one but has heard a gracious plenty through osmosis. They won't be a focus of this discussion, though.

The focus of today's thoughts are the concept of the werewolf pack and/or family. It seems like a fun idea in theory, although I still prefer focus on an individual character and back in my childhood they were called "werewolf clans" and I think that is VASTLY preferable, because a group of werewolves should be insanely frightening. Trouble is, it's almost never done well. I have seen far too many instances of a werewolf requiring a "pack" to even survive (because werewolves suck, apparently?), even to the point of the lore stating a werewolf will outright die if they don't have some werewolf buddies hanging around because that's just how their biology works ("biology" and "werewolf" in the same sentence loses me pretty fast anyway though)…

The concept of werewolves having packs and families that they do or must live in is an extremely modern one, for the record. Back in folklore, werewolves weren't so directly equated with wolves on a biological and behavioral level that they are driven to seek out or live in or create a pack.

I think it could be interesting - and in fact I do plan to tackle the concept myself, in a horror way - it just… usually isn't. Nine times out of ten, for instance, a "werewolf family" is just a bunch of dog jokes bouncing around on trampolines, chasing frisbees, calling each other "pup" and other such terminology, biting at water sprinklers, and barking at the mailman.

There is, as always, a Werewolf Fact for this: https://maverickwerewolf.com/werewolf-facts/packs-communities-and-families/

Image - Sketch artwork for Wulfgard of a group of werewolves, by Saber-Scorpion (our setting in which we create a lot of fiction)

Day 21- Remember how werewolves didn't used to be considered "diseased" or insane? All that came about in the Early Modern Period, and actually, it's where we also started using "lycanthropy."

The word "lycanthrope" in itself is derived from Greek "lykos," meaning wolf, and "anthropos," meaning man - which I mentioned before as well. It's why "lycan" doesn't make any actual sense and is just word butchery, etc. But referring to the curse of the werewolf (or disease of the werewolf, in most Early Modern cases) as "lycanthropy" became almost the standard, and it was recognized as an illness of the mind rather than a physical affliction that caused transformation. This is one of the many cases of scientific thought attempting to rationalize older stories and beliefs - which, by the way, also led to a great deal of organized and purposeful wolf slaughter (as in, real wolves, the animals) in this time period, far moreso than existed in the past.

When popular culture took the word "lycanthropy" and ran with it, medical institutions started using a different word to refer to those with "wolf madness," and that's how we have "clinical lycanthropy" today.

There is, as always, a Werewolf Fact for this: https://maverickwerewolf.com/werewolf-fact-70-werewolves-in-medical-history-clinical-lycanthropy/

Day 22- I've mentioned the tale of the Werewolves of Ossory a few times now, so it's about time I discuss it. I enjoy this one a lot.

This tale comes from Topographia Hibernica, written by Giraldus Cambrensis (c. 1146-1223), also called Gerald of Wales, a Welsh cleric and chaplain. In the story, a priest is traveling when an enormous wolf stops him along the way. The wolf, speaking, humbly and kindly beseeches the priest to help his companion, displaying all good Christian manners. Though reluctant and frightened, the priest follows the wolf back to his companion, a wolf who is sick. The wolf - "using his claw as a hand" - pulls back the wolf skin of his companion to reveal she is an old lady. The priest assists the old woman werewolf, who then returns to her wolf form.

The werewolves explain they are from the land of Ossory, whose people become werewolves as a form of trial; a man and woman take the form of a wolf once every seven years. Mention is made that they were descendants of an Irish warrior, Laignech Fáelad, ancestor of the kings of Ossory. He was the first of his kind to assume the shape of a wolf and go “wolfing,” and his people followed after him.

The first werewolf says he will watch over the priest and his companions for the night and protect them from danger. In the morning, the werewolves bid them on their way, and the priest leaves. He later relays this tale with a moral: do not judge others by their appearance/form, if they be good and kind.

As always, there is a Werewolf Fact for this, in which you can read passages from the story in detail: https://maverickwerewolf.com/werewolf-facts/werewolves-of-ossory/

Day 23- One of the most fun things to a werewolf story is that the werewolf must hide the curse, even from the closest of family and friends. Once everyone else finds out the truth, if they do, it just isn't as interesting anymore.

This goes back to folklore, too, of course - being a werewolf wasn't exactly desirable, so even in the stories where the werewolf reveals it to someone else, the other people generally react with horror and fear. Niceros's Tale, Bisclavret, and many others are examples of this. Sure, there are other examples (like how the king wasn't bothered in Bisclavret because he saw the goodness in the knight's heart and behavior), but generally, it wasn't exactly a good thing. It isn't super uncommon for the werewolf in the old stories to end up badly, same as in the classic werewolf movies where the werewolf was actually scary*.

Storytelling-wise, it's just very fun and interesting. It leads to a lot of character questions, moral questions, and generally dramatic situations. If you were turning into a monster, you wouldn't want anyone to know, either - if you even knew, yourself. More on that part later, though. I just really love stories where the werewolf has to hide the truth from everyone. It's always so good.

*: The werewolf dying is far from a necessity for a scary werewolf, but the werewolf has traditionally died in the things that are conveying them as truly terrifying, even in some things where the werewolf wasn't really all that bad or was even a force for good. I'm talking about all those mountains of films that were ultimately offshoots of The Wolf Man (or, it could be argued, offshoots of The Wolf Man because The Wolf Man was an offshoot of Werewolf of London [1935])… anyway. The werewolf dying has become so predictable I just assume it will happen in most of the type of werewolf media I even theoretically enjoy. Not saying I like it, though.

image: concept art for the werewolf from Morrowind: Bloodmoon, just because I love it

[ovaryacted]

Okay I’m home and chilled out, so I’m just gonna ramble about my thoughts/analysis that I keep having about perceiving Leon Kennedy as a sexual being. This might be long. I also want to reiterate that my word is not law, and everyone has their own hcs and stuff and that’s okay!

I know hard dom content is very popular across the erotica/smut medium as a whole. Rough sex has always been popular and trust me, I’m a fan too. But if I can be controversial for like two seconds, I don’t see Leon as a hard dom personally. Closest thing would be a rough daddy dom, but to me Leon always gave me someone who caters to their partner. He’s loving and affectionate, a little rugged and awkward sure, but nonetheless he cares and wants to give a good experience.

He studies his partner, learns about what makes them tick, what makes them moan, how their body responds to different stimuli. Leon is a perceptive human being, he observes things before fully handling them so he can take the best approach that gives him the best results. I think he’d approach sex the same way if he’s with someone that he cares for.

In a weird way, I also don’t think Leon is a sex god of sorts. He’d have to find the time and ability to actually experiment with different dynamics and kinks to figure out what he likes too. It’ll all be a learning process for him, but to me Leon is someone that prioritizes his partner’s pleasure above his own because that’s what gets him off. If you feel good, he feels good. He gets off on getting you off type of deal, that’s who he is.

I also think Leon’s sexual dynamics depend on where he is in his life. When he’s younger, he’s naive, grasping on to whatever makes sense so he’d be more inclined to letting someone else lead and show him things he wouldn’t know at first (hence why a lot of ppl write RE2 Leon as a sub). As he gets older, gets more experience here and there, he’d try building more of his own confidence and autonomy and realize he has the ability to take control. Consider RE4/ID/RE6, he’s smarter, more aged, more mature (it’s the trauma), so he’d be more able to take charge like others paint him out to be but I don’t think he’d be inherently “aggressive”, far from it really. He’s serious about communication and being vocal, because he has to hear whether or not he’s doing the right thing or he needs to tweak something for a better experience. He’s not selfish he’s a sweetheart, that I can stand ten toes on.

The period of time in Vendetta to me is where I would see the rough sex come out because he’ll be using it as a means of self harm. He wouldn’t want to hurt another person, but more so he doesn’t care about himself, so his actions will be considered “reckless” and he won’t realize the consequences of what he does until after it happens. He’s suicidal, depressed, an alcoholic, and exhausted with life…so whatever he does in the bedroom would reflect that. Leon would probably want someone to fuck him instead of the other way around, but what he says he wants vs what he really wants deep down would be considered two things. He says he wants the rough stuff and he’s detached when in reality he wants to be comforted and wants someone to treat him like a human being, not something to be discarded. He just wouldn’t vocalize that because he doesn’t think his wants or needs matter. You’d have to read him and dictate for yourself because he’s too ashamed of saying it out loud. (I will say Vendetta Leon is one of my favorite variations of him and he deserves all the love and safety his other versions get! He’s just an angst magnet lmao).

Now in DI and beyond, he has healthier relationship with things, probably more aware of his alcohol consumption and age, and possibly going to therapy. In a way, I think Leon at this age would be far more inclined to revert back to the way he was at 21, little childish, letting someone else lead because he finds safety in that. Many people believe submission assumes someone loses their power entirely, but the way I perceive it, it’s you being able to trust someone else to make decisions for you in your best interest.

So he would be very switchy as he gets he’s older, liking being submissive because that allows him to turn his brain off and let someone else take charge for him. He won’t have to make the choices for once, and either way so long as his partner feels good, he feels good.

As a dynamic character, this is just how I perceive Leon, and to me he’s more of a pleasure dom, and probably likes being dominated but it’ll take him a while to be comfortable in doing that after everything. Hence, why I want to write for sub Leon more, because I think he deserves to just feel safe in giving up control he never really had in his life.

[another-fanfic-haven]

Uno-Reverse

Thanks for the idea @scratchingcatfics658 :) <3 song that played when i was writing it: Viperbeat

word count: 1184

"Get in here! It's all 'bout to blow up!" You screamed, with your squeaky, panicking voice, extending your arm from the helicopter. It was about to fly off, with the passengers, or without. The group managed to make it just in time, Chris launching both Jill and Sheva up in the air and into the copter. He managed to use some old boxes as leverage to leap into the air, catching your hand by the wrist, and holding you tightly, as your bail ascended off the warzone.

You clenched your teeth, trying your hardest to hold the tall brunet in your grasp. Your eyes closed shut, as you fought to pull his body into the helicopter. You were so focused on not falling out yourself, that you didn't notice when the other two survivors helped you, pulling him up. You collapsed onto the ground, while Sheva and Jill helped Chris onto the empty seat. God, all of them smelled of smoke, ash, and gunpowder.

Whatever the reason was they made you come from Norway to Africa must be critically important...

You collapsed from exertion, and the heat as you got away from the smoking Tricell laboratory. You didn't care what the three of them were doing, you just wanted, no, needed, a nap.

"So, what's the reason behind the 'we need you in Africa in 24 hours' message I got?" You asked, raising your eyebrow and leaning on the doorframe of the makeshift field hospital. Chris and Sheva sat around the bed, wearing medical dressings all over their arms and legs, if exposed to the inferno you all escaped. Jill was lying on the bed, hooked up to medical equipment, beeping periodically. She was awake and conscious, at least, maybe shellshocked... or just incredibly pale. Or both, it's hard to describe her looks. She's so pale, almost see-through, like a ghost.

Chris almost jumped in his chair, your voice yanking him from his thoughts. He beckoned at you to come closer, and so you did, standing a couple of steps from the feet of the bed, with your arms crossed on your chest.

"Meet the legend herself, Jill Valentine. Jill?" The man gestured to the woman lying in bed. You swear, her pale skin reddened at the man's words. She looked at you, trying to pull herself up, before Chris laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, and continued. "This is our tech magician, they'll help us figure out what the hell was that thing strapped to your chest."

Your expression faltered, from disbelief to happiness. Jill Valentine, believed to be long dead, alive and, well, could've been better, but certainly alive. You rolled your eyes, Chris, such a sweet-talker. You shifted on your feet, propping your hands on your hips.

"What device?" You asked quickly, and before you even registered, a weird device was in your hands. A red, scarab-like box, filled to the half with a liquid, with a few, blood-covered cords sticking out of it. You scrunched your nose in disgust, as you inspected the item. You looked up at the three of them, your gaze confused and questioning.

"Can you figure what it is? We know that once we pulled it from Jill's chest she became... non-violent towards us." Sheva spoke calmly, stretching in the chair. You hummed in understanding, laying your eyes one last time on the alien item.

"I'll see what I can do." You replied, at the same moment as you turned on your heel and headed out. God, what a monster that man is. Faking his death wasn't enough, apparently, as he had to use Jill as his puppet. He's gonna pay for that.

And so you began work, testing and probing the device, taking it apart and studying closely. Of course, you also bombarded poor, recovering Jill with questions regarding the item, if she knows what it might be, considering her time spent with Wesker. Turns out she was the help you needed. You swore on your life that you'd take revenge on her for the years of abuse and unethical testing.

And so, after weeks of non-stop, caffeine-fueled work, you came up with a plan that might potentially work.

"Quick rundown, what are we supposed to do?" Chris asked, leaning over the cover you were hidden behind.

"Simple, subdue the target, Sheva will ram the modified P30 into his soft tissue, and then we all pray." You replied, chuckling nervously. You had one chance of your plan working, and if it didn't... Better not to think of that, the plan will work. It has to.

You handed Sheva the modified P30, this time, the tubes were removed and replaced with a series of needles from an insulin pump. Easier to implant, than the original design. Your hands tightened around the controller, which you modified from an old Toyota keyfob. Your bodies coiled like springs, ready to launch an attack. You just needed his stupid, traitorous face to show up, and then...

Like clockwork, the blonde strolled to the hangar, his body bearing no signs of a fight you won. Chris and Sheva sprung to action, running at him at full speed, ready to attack. You stayed in the back lines, hiding behind the pillars, overseeing their choreography of punches and parries. You hoped he was not going to notice you. You have no chance against a deadly machine like Wesker!

"Regards from Jill, bastard!" Chris screamed into his face, landing a punch square in the face, knocking him to the ground. It was brief, maybe a couple of seconds. But it was just enough for Sheva to stab him with your modified contraption, a call for you to jump into action. You moved from the pillar, pressing the red button on the keyfob, activating the device. The adrenaline rushed through your body, seeing the intimidating bioweapon of a man stumble backward, holding his head as he groaned and sneered in pain. You froze in place, keeping the key in front of you, your knuckles turning white from the sheer force you used to press the key.

In any other situation standing still would be a death sentence, but now...

The man, the terrifying tyrant, Albert Wesker... he knelt, his hands dropping along his body. His eyes felt cold, and empty, despite the red of his irises. Your breathing was ragged, your body stiff, as you stared into his eyes.

A crooked smile appeared on your face, turning into a chuckle, then to a laugh.

"We did it! It worked!" You cried out, your body shaking with the adrenaline. Chris and Sheva seemed to be influenced by you, laughing victoriously.

"Another win for the BSAA. Now, we need to neutralize all of this mess..." Chris crossed his arms on his chest, his expression quickly changing from joy to concern. The hangar was still filled with armed Uroboros bombs.

But that's future Chris's problem. Now, you have to get out of the Tricell territory.

You have to hope that whatever was left in the original P30 container will contain Wesker until you get to the base...

[cartoonsbyandie]

@akai-anna You have made a mistake

SPOILERS FOR MOVIE 9 below the cut (TW: Depression like oh my god severe depression, suicidal tendencies)

So it's no secret I'm a Kogoro Enjoyer tm, to the point that it's probably more shocking that Movie 9 isn't my #1 pick, and my favorite movie involves Kogoro asleep for 60% of the runtime. BUT it gets the #2 spot on the strength of one scene, which is my favorite moment in any DetCo movie and possibly even the series as a whole.

The moment (which is probably like 20 minutes I'm corralling all into one 'scene') is all of Kogoro's deduction scene and the ensuing fight, basically right up until the point where they have to save Rachel. (The Rachel stuff being where most of my frustrations with Movie 9 are.)

Here's the thing about DetCo: If you're watching Movie 9, you're probably into the series pretty deep, right? You're trained to disregard Kogoro unless you get extremely clear signs otherwise. He's comic relief, he's always wrong, his theories are always wrong. Period. Unless Conan is literally spoonfeeding him clues, or the show goes out of its way to show he's being serious this time, anything he thinks up on his own is completely wrong. The movierunners know this and play into it-- In an earlier scene, Kogoro goes up on stage like always and completely botches a deduction in front of a crowd. He has no evidence and gets called out on it instantly, at which point Conan (via Agasa) steps in and calls out the real culprit, who confesses and the Action Part of the movie begins. Business as usual.

And then the movie proceeds to completely and entirely subvert that.

It's my favorite scene because of just how well the show hid its cards, which your mileage may vary on. Kogoro isn't front and center on the movie poster, but he isn't shoved in the background either, and I did get some inklings beforehand that this movie might have Kogoro playing a more prominent role when he seemed to be acting strange. (I say this is my favorite single scene, but the whole movie does build up to it well with subtle clues.) But during that botched deduction scene, I disregarded all of it-- I've been burned before by this show, thinking they were building to Kogoro doing something cool, only for it to be played for laughs. They fake the audience out by playing exactly to expectations, so Kogoro coming out of NOWHERE to reveal that he was right all along and literally left the botched deduction to go search the culprit's room for evidence and sabotage her murder weapon HAD ME SCREAMING.

Literally all of Kogoro's skills come to fruition here in this scene. He knows enough about guns to sabotage a harpoon gun, knows (almost) exactly what happened for all the crimes at this point, knows how to fight and subdue a criminal (we'll get to that) and is devoted enough to justice and Being A Detective to see this case through to the very end. This should be a crowning moment of triumph, and what's the soundtrack doing?

It's solemn and sad, because where is Kogoro is giving this deduction? On a sinking ship, after he forfeited his spot on the lifeboat, believing that Conan and Ran have already made it out. He gives this deduction alone, with no one but himself and the culprit. He acted like he would arrest the culprit, but... where would he take her? What was his escape plan?

He didn't have one, did he?

The culprit mentions that it's pointless for him to explain her crime to her considering the circumstances, and Kogoro outright says he can't help himself. He knows it's pointless. He was prepared to give his life here, just to stop her plan.

And you know what? That's tragic. The fact that he's willing to die here, for this, leaving behind Ran and Conan, is heartbreaking to watch. The tone of this 'real' deduction scene is a complete 180 from the botched one, because Kogoro isn't playing anything up. He's just calmly explaining the crime because that's what detectives do. That's what detectives live for.

I'm not done, though. There's still the part where the culprit decides her final act is going to be to kick his ass for this stunt. I think it's pretty clear from everything Kogoro says that he's throwing this fight, if not on-purpose then on a subconscious level. Like, Kogoro doesn't really fight for himself, does he? He fights when someone who murdered his friend is attacking his other friends, he fights when Ran and Conan's safety is at risk. He fights for other people, so when it's only himself at stake (and he was already prepared to die, that's why he's here at all), what's the point?

Conan calling out to him snapped him into gear because suddenly it wasn't about him. Suddenly there was someone else to protect.

I haven't mentioned Conan but the fact that Conan is 'present' for this entire scene is great to me too. He got to hear this entire thing, help Kogoro out when he fumbled one detail in his deduction, and even seemed proud by the end. It's so sweet to see Conan proud of Kogoro for once. It's sweet to see just how good Kogoro can be when he really cares, and how good of a team these two could be.

I'm glad we got at least one movie dedicated to that idea.

[got-ticket-to-ride]

Wanted to know your thoughts on this, but for what I've reading on John it really looks to me he really got worse post Paul and post Beatles, like his saddest songs match the moment he started to have issues with Paul, he wasn't really having much contact with anyone outside Yoko, he wasn't doing much music, he wasn't being that funny either, he even died without being able to fully overcome his heroine addiction (addiction that started in the Beatles fall out right?), and idk i believe his involvement in the whole peace/art movement looked more like an escape (like some people do with religion) than actual interest.

So what you think, was John at his worst after he got out the band and cut his relationship with Paul or was it was always like that?

Hello @lord-pain

thank you for this ask! I hope I'll make sense. I think the White Album was definitely the start of John's "sad songs". Happiness is a Warm Gun, Yer Blues. Subsequently, Dig a Pony sounded so desperate to me and Because which is yeah, post India, post breakup?

There's so many different accounts during that period. Some narrators might be unreliable because you never know who these "historians/journalist/"acquaintances" have their allegiance to.

During the 70s it was said that John was miserable, became a violent drunk (who believed in astrology). He was quite unhappy with how things turned out in his life due to his choices but he was too proud to admit it.

About drugs, Fred Seaman said John stopped with heroin in the last half of the 70s in this video.

Due to differing accounts that are out there, I just concentrate on John, what he wrote lyrically and how clearheaded he was during his last interview. He was trying to be better. I think that is the most important detail despite everything that went down. Also the part where he was going to work with Ringo and had booked a studio with Paul for January 1981.

His activism was partly a distraction for him. Beatle John dabbled in it, but he became very aggressive about politics after the break up. He was anti-religion when he released Imagine (1971). But went back to believing in god when he wrote "Grow Old With Me" (1979?), which I have so much thoughts about but I haven't even had the courage to voice out.

While there are glimpses of John's mental anxiety visible in his song "Help!" (1965)

"Help me if you can, I'm feeling down, and I do appreciate you being 'round",

he was trying to be positive about it as seen in "Strawberry Fields Forever" (1966):

"It's getting hard to be someone but it all works out, It doesn't matter much to me".

And was still holding on during the conception of "Across the Universe" (in February 1968) with his mantra:

"Nothing's gonna change my world",

which I think might've been a result of Paul's engagement in December 1967 to Jane.

Across the Universe (February 1968) > believer God (1970) > anti-religion Imagine (1971) > anti-religion (he made a satire song which I did not include here) Grow Old With Me (1979) > believer

During his alleged break from music from 1975, he was still making home demos and was writing Skywriting by Word of Mouth.

I think John and Paul being apart was just not good for them. The general opinion was that Paul left John and had moved on. (I don't believe that's true). It was John who made the decision to leave, it was this push and pull thing, and Paul continued to reach out to him (and we don't know what happened during all those times they've met up). Some accounts say that John was practically begging for a reunion but then again Paul never stopped reaching out to John (see 1976) so I personally think, regardless of all these details that are out in the open, there is still a missing piece we have not considered yet and that can only be told by Paul himself.

To summarize it, John probably had depression (since his teenage years) but Paul was a constant positive thing in his life that he needed and that had helped him through it, "the girl who came to stay" until something happened...

John Lennon was definitely at his worst without his buddies by his side in the 70s.

[demonictumble]

fic rec list (1/??? )

this is a fic recommendation list for whomever wants a good read. All of these are on AO3. I have not provided links, so just search them up!

If you do end up reading any of these, or really any fic in general, remember to leave the author comments!! They deserve them, esp because they do this for free and they deserve to know how beautiful their writing is and how appreciated they are.

My PSA: COMMENT ON FICS AND DONT TAKE AUTHORS FOR GRANTED

DC..

IMPORTANT NOTE I am not a religious fan where I only like a fic when it adheres to canon characterization or texts. I can enjoy fics even when they completely throw off what's actually canon and that's okay for me, but it might not be for you. So just keep this in mind and the back button exists for a reason if you don't like something.

Buy Back the Secrets by Sundiscus (incomplete)

Tim Drake and Kon El centered!! OH MY GODS. I could rave on and on about this fic all day but I'll have to keep it brief. I've reread at LEAST 5 times. It's brilliant. The writing, the plot, the characterizations!! They are incredible. If I had to use a phrase to describe it, it would be "identity shenanigans and timkon" but that simplifies the absolute masterpiece that it is SO MUCH

Executive Assistant to the Batman by heartslogos (complete)

Tim is basically Bruce Wayne's assistant and is desperately trying to avoid letting them know that he knows. This is complete crack, but it is hilarious. The writing is so funny and It's what I need after a bad day or anything tbh. It may not be completely true to characters or whatever, but it makes up for it a thousand times over in spirit and the laughs it's produced from me.

anything (not the title because literally ANYTHING) by IzzyMRDB

I can rave about them all day because the dc/batfam fics I have seen them right are all so delicious and I devoured them far too fast and momggg its just so good. and I love their writing style <3

Reverse Robin AU by yellow_cabellero (complete)

I CANNOT DO THIS SERIES JUSTICE WITH MY WORDS. IT is a must read for me. The writer writes spectacularly and the characterization, even though its a reverse robin, feels on point, especially considering the circumstances (Im a huge believer in circumstances shape a person's personality, which is what I think occurs beautifully in all of these fics). They're just so GOOD.

Also this author has a STEPH FIC that is stunning. 10/10. Steph is a character that doesn't get the appreciation she deserves, so this fic was especially more touching for me. It was terrific seeing her girl bossing in the 90s (IT ALSO FELT SO PERIOD ACCURATE CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT). Not to mention, the author shows off character flaws in a believable manner and nobody is a Mary Sue and it's just EVERYUTHING IS JUST *chefs kiss* by them.

The Fishbowl by LordLuxury (complete)

This is Dick Grayson centered. THEY HAVE MADE A MASTERPIECE. I genuinely mean it. Dick is constantly trying to pull the family together, he is trying to be the glue as everything tries to go the opposite. LET THIS MAN HAVE HIS FAMILY. This had me in shambles. Bad Dad Bruce hurt me, but it was just so realistic. That's what gets me. The whole dynamics portrayed in The Fishbowl are so goddamn realistic and it feels so real. Everyone is flawed in their own way and its just... PLEASE READ IT I BEG OF YOU.

Love and Bruises by Acin_Grayson and Hoebiwan (complete)

Despite what the title may suggest, this is actually funny! Jason thinks Batman is abusing Bruce. And I just remember dying of laughter as I read this. Terrific! Would read and Will read again

Marvel (I am a movies fan so most if not all fics I recommend from here on out will be probably based on movies!)

Tennessee Outreach for Spider-Man and Friends by ciaconna

GREAT FIC. Harley (potato gun kid in one of the iron man movies for those who don't remember) gets an internship with Tony stark for college application reasons and its to help Spiderman. Peter Parker and Harley whateverhislastname is such a funny duo and they made the fic spectacular. Terrific writing omg.

Peter and the Jailbirds by beautifullights

I THINK THIS FIC HURT ME. I don't really remember much bc its been a year and a half, but I think my emotions remember because I feel mildly sad when I think about it. Peter is on the raft and bonds with the ex-avengers also on the raft. The premise of a teenager possibly spending the rest of his life in prison is terrible, but I swear this fic has funny moments and the conversations that occur are to die for because the WRITING. WHEW.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? by theskeptileptic

Tony survives and it's set after No Way Home. Where I'm pretty sure the only people dead are May and Pepper. Morgan saves the day by remembering her big brother (Im a sucker for big brother Peter arc). Peter is kind of a mini Tony in this one I think, which is such an interesting take. And it's such a coming home story and its just so beautiful.

Cross Overs:

Even Heroes Have the Right To Dream by Bounemr (complete)

mlb/dc crossover!! where marinate and Jon are retired superhero and go to college together! Great writing and plot with a good ending. Fluffy for the most part as far I as I can remember (it's been a year since I've read it so you know it's good if I can still remember)

Hired Hands by neighborhood_yogurt (incomplete)

Percy Jackson/ DC crossover!! It's been a while since I've read this one too but It's stuck with me. It's hilarious and I need to reread it but Percy is accidentally on Penguin's payroll because he's just a dumb blonde at heart, but it's okay we all love him. And Shenanigans occur. I don't remember exactly what happens so reminder to read this again for myself as well!

(IDK if any of these authors have tumblrs, if they do, someone please tag them and I will forever be in your debt)

[honeybubbledivination]

Hello, All!

I’m Bunny and I have some pick a card readings for you if you’re open to them! Well, more so pick an image! If you’d like to stop by and see if there’s any messages for you, please do! Now, I do have cards in relation to the Bible in my reading as I believe in Christ. My readings are for everyone and anyone! I encourage you to take what resonates and leave what doesn’t and open your mind to a different perspective! All of this is in good fun and is not meant to replace any kind of medical or professional advice! If you need help, please contact your local resources! With all that out of the way, if you feel called to, please say a prayer or take a moment to meditate on what image calls to you! I hope you enjoy! ✨

(Artwork is by Will Quinn.)

Pile One:

Hello, Pile One! Welcome to your reading!

Today, I have two blessing cards for you, one oracle card, and five tarot cards. As mentioned above, take what resonates and leave what doesn’t!

Blessing Cards, 101 Blessings - 101 Messages to Encourage & Inspire: “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound.” “When you go through deep waters, I will go with you.” -Isaiah 43:2. “He will cover you with His feathers & under His wings you will refuge.” -Psalm 91:4

Oracle Card, ‘Woodland Wardens’ by Jessica Roux: The Bobcat and Blackthorn, Patience. “A difficult journey ahead requires preparation and patience. Channel the bobcat’s stealth and pack plenty of provisions. Ration your sustenance carefully, remembering that berries are often sweeter after a hard frost.” “How might I mentally prepare such that I can survive when supplies are low?”

Tarot Cards, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Tarot Deck and Guidebook: Ace of Hedgehogs, Suspension, Eight of Hedgehogs, Temperance. (This is the only pile with five cards! It seems you guys need some extra reassurance!)

Pile one, it seems like you’re being tested and asked to move out of a period of stagnation to work towards your goals, continue to build your skills, and put your nose to the grind to get want you want and need from this life! If you are struggling financially right now and are having doubts, know that the Universe/God/The Divine/Spirit has your back and is making sure you don’t fall. But, you have to put in the work and time to make your dreams a reality. Once an object is in motion, it will stay in motion until it’s break time! You are going to be okay, pile one! Stop stressing and give it to God/The Universe/The Divine/Spirit! Or, if you do ancestral work, give the outcome of the situation to an ancestor you trust to get stuff done! Someone strong enough to help you through your journey when you feel weak to a situation! I hope this gave you some guidance and resonated with you! Love and light, little bees!

Pile Two:

Hello, Pile Two! Welcome to your reading! Today, I have two blessing cards for you, one oracle card, and four tarot cards. As mentioned above, take what resonates and leave what doesn’t!

Blessing Cards, 101 Blessings - 101 Messages to Encourage & Inspire: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” “[Choose joy.] Consider it pure joy …whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” - James 1:2-3

Oracle Card, ‘Woodland Wardens’ by Jessica Roux: The Hound and Pear, Loyalty. “A friendship is flourishing. Your kindness and loyalty have been noted, and your friend appreciates you.”“Am I loyal to my friends? How can I improve my friendships so that my companions feel loved and appreciated?”

Tarot Cards, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Tarot Deck and Guidebook: Justice, The Star, Seven of Flowers Reversed, Two of Cups.

Pile two, you’ve been social lately! If not, you’re about to be! You’re building some lasting bonds after potentially cutting people out that weren’t for your highest good! As you’re choosing situations and people that align with your highest path and what brings you joy, you shine even brighter! You could be meeting these people through social media, but that may not be the case for everyone. Keep an open mind as you shine, you’ve learned how to set boundaries and protect yourself! Now, you can form new relationships and friendships with people you wouldn’t expect to! Keep shining and being brave, little bees! I’m proud of you! Love and light!

Pile Three:

Hello, Pile Three! Welcome to your reading! Today, I have two blessing cards for you, one oracle card, and four tarot cards. As mentioned above, take what resonates and leave what doesn’t!

Blessing Cards, 101 Blessings - 101 Messages to Encourage & Inspire: “With God all things are possible.” - Matthew 19:26. “I praise you because I am fearfully & wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” - Psalm 139:14.

Oracle Card, ‘Woodland Wardens’ by Jessica Roux: The Quail and Gooseberry, Anticipation.“The event or outcome you’ve anticipated is about to occur. Take advantage of your foreknowledge, preparing for what’s to come.” “Am I often surprised or caught off-guard by how things turn out? How can I balance vigilance with a healthy openness to risk?”

Tarot Cards, Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Tarot Deck and Guidebook: The Hermit, The Wheel of Fortune, Queen of Hedgehogs, Four of Hedgehogs.

Pile Three! You are closing out a cycle that has tested your faith in your belief system and yourself! You may be a mother or a parent who provides both emotional and financially to someone. You’ve been taking more time to yourself and being practical even through your fears! Your ability to buckle down and hold your ideals and morals close are about to pay off for you in a major way that, I believe, you’ve been hoping for. Whatever you prayed for or manifested is already yours and it is on its way! Keep your money mind and remain steadfast in your practicality and faith! Congratulations, little bees! You’ve worked so hard for this! Love and light!

• Closing Note: I hope you got what you needed from my reading! All of the piles really spoke of success in different areas of life and I’m so happy to see such bright gifts for the collective moving forward. We are all deserving of love and peace within and around us. That’s all for now! Thanks for buzzing by, little bees! I hope you have the loveliest day/afternoon/night!

- Bunny 🍯💛

[cdr2002]

Mortal Kombat Odyssey Bio: Onaga

In the ancient past of Outworld, the realm was divided into a various kingdoms, territories, townships, tribes, and communities.

The oldest of these, and for many centuries the most powerful, was the dragons. They were possibly the first sentient race to come about in the universe created from the defeat of the One Being, before even the humans who would go on to populate nearly every realm in some form or another. They were revered for their wisdom, their strength, and their majesty. And with their considerable army, they were virtually unchallenged.

With this power, respect, and seniority, the dragons of Outworld grew arrogant, believing that their position at the top of the food chain was secured, and their superiority self-evident. Even with the rise of the mighty kingdoms of the Shokan and Centaurs, it seemed that this would remain.

At this point, the latest of the Dragon Kings began to develop desires to expand his empire, and take all of Outworld under their banner. Cooler heads in his council were able to deter this ambition for a few thousand years, and Outworld remained in its status quo.

And then a child was born.

Two mere commoners in the Dragon Kingdom laid an egg which would hatch into the strangest dragon which had been seen in eons. He was… humanoid. Two arms, two legs, and while still towering like an elder Shokan, as he entered adulthood, he was smaller than many of the leviathans among the dragon race. A mutant.

His parents named him Onaga.

Onaga had a very difficult life as he entered the world. The other dragons found his mutation and appearance abhorrent, believing him to be hideous and even unworthy to be considered one of their kind. He was constantly berated and mocked, written off as an outcast and excluded at nearly every venue of life. Even his parents seemed ashamed of him, although they tried to keep up his self esteem in his youth.

This embittered Onaga over a period of centuries, causing him to hate those around him just as they hated him.

But there was something more than the pain of suffering this discrimination. Ever since he could remember, Onaga felt some kind of calling… a higher purpose. As if he was destined for some greatness. While the other dragons saw him as lesser, something told him that he was in fact a being most supreme.

He saw the universe before him and it was if he could bend it to his will…

Onaga’s arrogance allowed him to deflect many of the insults as he got older, and in the same span of time, he began to feel his own inner power grow. Something inside him that granted a might which the realms had never seen.

And one fateful day, it was time to let that power out.

Onaga suddenly snapped under the heckling of a group of his fellow dragons, killing them savagely. And he did not stop there.

As if all his rage had finally been unleashed, Onaga rampaged across the kingdom of the dragons, slaying all who stood in his path. Even his own parents fell victim to his staggering strength.

Entire armies were sent against him, and none of them were enough to stop his advance. Whatever innate power Onaga possessed was beyond them all.

Eventually, Onaga had single-handedly genocided almost the entirety of the dragon face of Outworld, reducing their once-great kingdom to ruin. His final foe was the king of their kind, who had his behind warriors for years and finally had nowhere else to run. Their battle was fierce, but Onaga ultimately succeeded, and laid claim to the title of Dragon King.

Onaga would not stop there, going across Outworld and exerting his might to encourage that all those in his path swore fealty to his burgeoning rule. Even the Protector God of Outworld, Shao Kahn, bent the knee to the Dragon King.

Within another century, Outworld had been reorganized into a unified militaristic empire under Onaga’s singular rule. Kingdoms which maintained their stature had become vassals and he had legions of loyal soldiers at his command which recognized his superior might or saw the opportunity to bring order to Outworld.

For several more millennia Onaga would reign unchallenged, using the intervening time to gain a mastery of several arts of sorcery, including a particular knack for resurrection magic, adding a force undead to his army that was fabled to be undefeatable, and which only grew with time.

He also gained a fascination with ancient legends, relics of potential use. The Amulet of Shinnok. The dark blade, the Ebbonrule. Remaining artifacts of the very dragon kingdom he had destroyed. All potential assets as Onaga began to grow in ambition beyond the bounds of Outworld…

Onaga envisioned a vast empire spanning the entire universe. All of existence beholden to his will. All he needed to do… was conquer.

The Dragon King sent forth his armies, commanded by undead generals and worshippers completely loyal to him, into other realms to seize them and allow him to merge these realms with Outworld. Among those conquests were the Kytinn home realm of Arnyek and the oceanic realm of Ebisu.

This merging of realms was an imminent threat to the relative peace the Elder Gods sought throughout the realms. If Onaga was not stopped, his expansionism risked reconstituting the One Being, and thus destroying the universe that the Elder Gods sought to protect, as well as resurrecting their greatest enemy.

Though still reluctant to interfere, they wished to put a stop to this expansion. Thus, the Elder Gods created the Mortal Kombat tournament. Onaga could no longer freely invade realms without incurring their wrath, and realms under threat had a means to defend themselves with minimal bloodshed.

Onaga was infuriated by this, quickly realizing that the Elder Gods were perhaps the greatest threat to the growth of his empire. He has always hated them, something inside him had always despised their arrogance and presumption to dictate the direction of the cosmos. They sat on thrones which Onaga felt rightfully belonged to him, and he would depose them through whatever means he could.

As the Dragon King regrouped his armies and reconsidered his options, he began to remember back to a story he had known since he was a boy, an unimaginable amount of time ago to most. No one had ever told him this story… at least not that he could remember, he just… knew it.

It was the story of the One Being, the Elder Gods’ battle with them, the creation of the universe

…and the advent of the Kamidogu.

Those artifacts had stayed in his mind for most of his life. He swore to himself that one day he would gather them all and unleash their power. That was his path to omnipotence and total dominion over all reality.

It was a goal his dreams of empire had blinded him to. Onaga realized that expansion through brute force was no longer necessary. If he could venture throughout the relams, or perhaps send agents to do so in his stead, he could gather the Kamidogu in time, without having to wage wars with other realms. Then he could lay siege to the Temple of Elements, claim the final piece, and unlock the secret required to unite these artifacts of the Elder Gods into one.

This however was one factor which his strange innate knowledge denied him… why? What force in the universe would grant him this knowledge of the ancients and forgo the final piece of it all. Perhaps something that had goals which did not align with his own?

Before Onaga could consider the matter of his mysterious benefactor further, he was assassinated at the hands of his advisor, Shao Kahn. The protector god poisoned a drink Onaga had been given, and laughed at him as he fell dead. Onaga damned him a coward as his body failed him.

His remaining loyalists were able to recover his corpse during the ensuing civil war for control of Outworld, taking it to a pyramid which would become known as the Lost Tomb, where powerful mystics among their number engaged a spell which caused the deaths of all present: a ritual suicide to join the ranks of Onaga’s undead army and serve him for eternity. Silent sentinels awaiting his inevitable return.

Shao Kahn succeeded in taking the throne of Outworld and began his own campaign to conquer and merge the realms, abiding the Elder Gods’ Mortal Kombat tournament for the time being.

But in his arrogance, Shao Kahn failed to truly understand the power wielded by Onaga. In his all his time of studying the mystic arts of life and death, Onaga had become virtually immortal. Death would not stop him.

His soul persisted, protected from the pull of any afterlife realm, and Onaga began to put a new plan in motion.

He commanded his mystic followers, the Lava Priests, to gather a stillborn dragon egg from the ruins of the dragon kingdom and construct a shrine around it. If necessary, the body within this egg would serve as Onaga’s new vessel in the living world when he decided to return. The Lava Priests were to stand guard of this shrine until their master’s resurrecifon, and for increased security, they conscripted a firespawn named Blaze using powerful mind control sorcery.

The second part of Onaga’s plan was to find a soul to serve as his agent in traveling across the realms and gathering the six Kamidogu so that he could seize them upon his return and begin his path to being utterly invincible. Onaga knew that this plan could take thousands of years, but despite his rage towards Shao Kahn, he was willing to be patient.

After thousands of years of searching, he honed his focus on Earthrealm, and in particular, a young boy seeking adventure…

Alternate poses