#Konche act

[scarceghost]

so like I’ll put it all in a spoiler but I think inkertons lore is pretty interesting

Konche says that inkertons family often visited his museum and that they loved history. Since he says “children” that means inkerton probably had siblings too. Apparently they died in a tragic way somehow and since we don’t see any other squids around I’m just gonna assume inkerton was a sole survivor…

anyways, Roland finds him somewhere on a seabed and after that he never returned to konches museum. Sometime after, he appears at Roland’s side doing whatever was asked of him, even if it meant harming what was his neighbors. (Bottom siders).

eventually he just shoots Roland while being completely unfazed.

so here’s what I think happened:

Inkertons family either had a bad run in with pagurus (eaten) and inkerton was just near a marker, or they died due to a scrap related incident (trash day gone wrong with a heavy object falling on them or shellfish corp. got involved and inkerton wasn’t old enough to understand who was responsible yet.)

after that, Roland takes him in and obviously a history nerd isn’t going to know how to fight, so inkerton has to learn to be useful to his new boss. Roland occasionally teaches the kid bad morals and desensitizes him to the idea of people he once knew dying by his (hand? Tentacle?).

once he’s ready he follows roland around as his right hand man. Seeing the consequences of their actions and silently hating himself and Roland for it. Eventually his hatred was too much to harbor and Roland’s teachings bit him in the ass as inkerton calmly murders him.

now what’s his relationship with konche?

I like to think that he doesn’t visit the museum anymore out of shame and regret. He knows what he’s doing is wrong in a sense, but he is willing to do whatever it takes to live. (I got this impression from his dialogue where he said he kept “fighting” and that he’s “a worthless sinner”). Konche knows him and his family and seems to pity him, that was not the sweet kid that frequented his museum.

in childhood inkerton probably looked up to konche as if he were a teacher. Besides being a bottom sider meant he probably didn’t have many luxuries, so being able to visit a museum and learn was very special to him. If it were konche instead of Roland who found him, inkerton could have lived a happy life.

Inkerton is ashamed of his job, even if he enjoys some of it.

I mean just look at this scene here,

Konche looks over at him out of fear, and inkerton looks away and even MOVES.

look at where he’s going, there’s nothing over there! He can’t even look into konches eyes, that’s how ashamed he is!

And yes ok maybe it’s a stretch because it’s such a small detail BUT HEAR ME OUT..

in conclusion: they could never make me hate you inkerton

[merloksdigitaltoes]

crab

[baambastic]

Another Crab’s Treasure Spoilers:

Konche is actually a reference to Lord of the Flies, in that his destruction/death is an indicator that everything is going to hell.

[arcadia-of-pluto]

Twist of Fate; Nineteen

Pairings; LADS OT4 x reader

Word count; 4,646

Themes; isekai, slow burn (eventual smut), Canon divergence

Rating; 18+ for some swearing and mature themes

Notes; Hey guys! Finally done with Sea God Rafayel and now we're on Foreseer Zayne! Currently, his chapter spans until twenty-three, so hopefully I'll be able to wrap up his story soon and get on to the next one. I'm unsure if I want to do Abysswalker Rafayel since that's in the future or if I should skip past that and go straight to the next one 🤔 either let me know or I'll figure it out myself!

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Masterlist

"I will cut out your heart with a dagger honed, my darling. And in Love’s name, your heart will become my faith. Your body will be washed clean like a pearl. I will care for your heart. Till we meet again and you can reclaim it for yourself."

- Siren’s Ballad, Act 3: Muia 

You felt your feet sinking in sand, endless is the yellow sky. Plants grow along a dried riverbed. You walk beside it for a long, long, long time. The skin on your fingers is dry, cracked. Your feet begin to bleed.

 At the edge of the riverbed is a young man and a giant sea creature. You cannot make out his features, but you think he’s taking in the animal’s warmth. He appears to be singing a melody. ‘Tis strange, alluring. But you can barely make out any notes as his voice is barely above a whisper.

 You take a few steps, wishing to hear him better and when he looks up, you immediately recognize those eyes. He stands up and reaches out to you like you were an old friend returning from a long trip.

“There’s Whalefall City.” He points to the bones of sea creatures long dead. In the distance, they rest in the sand dunes. 

“That’s where I can look at the sea?” 

“...yes.”

You take his hand and you arrive at your destination when the sun rises. The teen turns toward you and– a dagger plunges into your chest. 

Warm blood drips and seeps into the sand below. You watch helplessly as he rips open your chest and holds your heart in his hands, red with your blood. A tiny flame feeds on your fresh blood and a shiny crystal, emitting a strange light, rests at the center of the flames. 

There’s a voice in the air whispering, “The reason for us to leave the desert is not to find an oasis…We’re here for a heart, to take it back and make it our worship.”

You jolt up in your bed. A dream within a dream? That was...insane.

Your hand clutches at your chest, almost worried that your heart isn’t there even though you’re alive and breathing– breathing?

Yeah, no.

You felt like you were suffocating. It genuinely felt like your heart was ripped from your chest. You take a few breaths to calm yourself.

To calm yourself, you talk with Algie about the ceremony tomorrow. She says girls wear light, flowy clothes and braid their hair with beautiful pearls and shells. She also says they prepared a lovely garment for you. You also worry about what all you need to do, but she says all you need to do is stand in a conspicuous spot and give Rafayel your hand. She quickly dissuades your worries, telling you that the Sea God’s follower will help him see Lemuria’s future and that the prophecy will reveal the fate of Lemuria.

It’s just a bit nerve wracking, you hope your dream wasn’t a premonition of what’s to come.

 

Today was the day. After thousands of years, Whalefall City holds the Sea God’s ceremony again.

Before the sunrises, the whole city is in festival mode with everyone looking forward to the ceremony celebrating the Sea God’s coming of age and gaining the power to protect the ocean.

As Konche and Algie argue amongst each other, she turns around to spot you in a corner.

“Y/n, what’re you hiding over there for? The sea god won’t be able to see you!” She gently scolds you and you sigh, “Does it matter? There’s so many people, he might not…”

 “Quiet, here he is,” Konche whispers and the crowd erupts in cheers. You look up and spot a huge shadow sweeping over Whalefall City.

‘Tis a beautiful and sacred creature of the ocean. It appears to be a whale and yet has bird wings. The Sea God sits on its back, passing by his loyal subjects before stopping at the gates to Whalefall City.

He walks through the crowd until he stands in front of you, your breath hitches in your chest as he lifts the veil on your head and takes your hand. 

Beautiful, intricate patterns are painted on his body. His eyes are shaped like crescent moons with how much he was smiling. It's as if he’s been waiting for this moment his whole life. 

Everyone moves aside, creating a path for you both as you make your way down. Every child says their blessings in Lemurian. Gorgeous coral branches are thrown behind you as you approach the temple’s doors. 

The door slowly closes behind you both, songs from the outside melding with prayers for inside the temple.

In the dimly lit hall, the fire twists in the darkness, about to go out. The young Sea God intertwines your fingers and holds your hands against his chest. You close your eyes before calling out his name silently. 

Yes…You were willing to give him your heart. You are willing to give him your sincerest form of worship, that’s how much you care for him. You are willing to have his very being etched, engraved onto your soul as you praise and pray to him for the rest of your life. 

Soft like a silken thread, the Sea God’s fire touches your hand. The fiery thread embeds itself into your palm, becoming a line, a part of your very soul. Your eyes flutter back open to meet Rafayel’s gaze. 

The young Sea God’s voice like the wind, blowing out the only light in the darkness, “This is my promise to you. For ‘tis Lemuria’s vow, a bond everlasting.”  

"No one knows what happened that day. Lemuria is plunged into endless darkness and panic seeps into every part of the ocean. The deep sea is angry and in its wrath, waves slam against the cliffs and rocks fall into the waters. Even temples are turned to rubble."

"Tis a long time before the sea god walks out of the temple alone, bringing light back to Lemuria. As he leaves the temple, the alcove that once held the flame collapses."

"The Sea God’s follower is gone."

"Bathed in sparks and cinders, he holds a small, pulsing flame. It writhes like a newborn. Some said that the flame was born from the purest faith. Some said that the sea god sacrificed his follower to save Lemuria…"

"Different stories, some true, some not, circulated until the people gradually forgot about the ceremony. No Lemurians have ever seen the Sea God’s follower and the little fish that swims around him– they are gone, whereabouts unknown." 

"Only many, many years later than the god of the sea has perished, when the kingdom has sunk to the depths of the ocean, a rumor begins to circulate Lemuria. The God of the Sea had lied to the deep sea. For his beloved."

- Lemuria: The Days to Come

The sunlight burns behind your eyelids and you feel more tired than when you first fell asleep. You rest your hand over your eyes and groan as you sit up, your other hand feeling oddly heavy. 

You open your eyes and turn to look before realizing Sylus was still holding your hand with his head limply off to the side as he slept in the chair.

 “That must be pretty uncomfortable..” You sigh, running a hand through your hair as you feel a headache pulsing through your temples.

What exactly happened at the end? Did Rafayel…Take your heart or? 

“The God of the Sea had lied to the deep sea for his beloved,” You murmur, holding your chin in your hand. You wonder what that meant.

Did he give his heart away instead? You clearly didn’t leave the temple with him at the end…

Wait– Not you, her. The main character–

You rest your head in your hands with a low groan.

 What was going on?

You were slowly forgetting who you were, being overwhelmed with all of these unfamiliar memories and unable to remember what your past life– what your real life was even like. You felt like you were actually becoming the protagonist of ‘Love and Deepspace’. 

“This is insane,” You sigh, leaning your head back against the headboard.

“What's insane? Did you get a good rest?” Sylus asks, cracking one eye open as he looks at you, before he chuckles and shakes his head, “Nevermind, don’t answer that, sweetie. The dark circles under your eyes tell me all I need to know.”

 “I mean, I did sleep. I just...” You trail off and Sylus pats your hand. “Felt like you didn’t sleep?” He stands up and holds out a hand for you, “First, let’s get you changed out of that dress and then, we can get you some coffee to wake you up.” 

You take his hand, your body suddenly feeling heavy as if it recalled how light it felt under the water in Lemuria.

Then, you hear something clink around your neck and bring your hand up to touch the necklace that rested flat against your chest. 

“Now where did that come from? I’m pretty sure I took all of your jewelry off before you fell asleep,” Sylus raises a brow, crossing his arms over his chest before he grabs some folded clothes. “It doesn’t matter. Here, this is what you wore to the Nest. I thought you’d want to wear it back home.” 

But you shake your head, hand clasped around the blue scale on your necklace. “I’ll take one of your shirts again,” You clear your throat, but grab the white skirt, “I’ll wear the skirt though.”

After minutes later, you’ve groggily changed into the oversized black t-shirt and tucked it into your skirt. A pair of sneakers on your feet as you leave the room, fiddling with your necklace.

“I boxed up everything I’ve gotten you and had it sent to Linkon,” Sylus says as he walks toward you, holding a mug toward you and you gratefully take it.

You take a few sips of the scorching hot liquid before you raise an eyebrow, “Do you know my address?”

“No, I just had it sent to your workplace,” He chuckles and motions for you to follow him as Mephisto flies over to rest on his shoulder.

“Now, come on. Drink that and we’ll take you back home.”

You try to drink as fast as you can without burning yourself and then rush out the door behind Sylus, your phone resting in your backpocket as messages upon messages pile up.

Your phone finally pinging with notifications as you and Sylus entered the city limits of Linkon City. You assume you didn’t have the best of service in the N109 Zone, or perhaps Sylus was somehow blocking all outside interference from contacting you during your stay. You’d never know. 

What you do know is, you’re so tired... You can barely keep your eyes open as you grasp at Sylus’ leather jacket before your hands limply fall to your side as your eyes start feeling heavy. 

“Y/n?” You can hear Sylus question before he sighs, and uses his evol to hold you up on the bike, the reddish black mist wraps around both your waists.

Then, you fall back asleep once more– just hoping for a normal dream this time.

"Under Astra’s command may the Foresser deliver His will, for that is his fate.”

- Philos: Tome of the Foreseer

In the coldest regions of Philos, the Foreseer has resided in the Tower of Thorns since time immemorial. The Almighty Astra bestowed His power unto him, ordering the Foreseer to act as an emissary for the divine. 

The royal family sends an envoy to the Tower of Thorns every 100 years to listen to the Foreseer’s prophecies. Yet, the Foreseer has not bestowed a prophecy to the royal family in hundreds of years. Envoys sent by his majesty never returned and their whereabouts remain unknown to this day. There is a rumor that the Foreseer has been perpetually frozen in an icy tomb.

To him, 100 years is but the blink of an eye. 

And so, a new envoy travels through snow and ice, entering his tower. It happens again and again- as it always has for the past thousands of years. But you?

You’re not a real envoy– you’ve come here to treat your illness. 

To do this, you must take the Creatio protocore from the Foreseer’s scepter. You have no other choice. This is your only way of survival.

Suppressing your anxiety, you walk into a massive room. The room was cold, almost as cold as the snowy outside, but bright as the moonlight glimmered against the many spears of ice decorating the room. A throne stands in the back of the room, a frozen throne.

You take a deep breath, before you bow respectfully. “I am his majesty’s envoy sent here to listen to the Foreseer’s prophecy.” Your voice echoes through the empty room, not a person in sight until you look up and notice a man wearing a blue robe sitting atop the icy throne. He holds a scepter in his gloved hand.

How strange though…His body is ensnared in brambles, thorns wrapping around his arms, legs, and chest. It almost appears like he’s shackled to the throne.

Maybe he wants to leave but something is stopping him? 

You slowly approach him, seeing that his head is lowered and his eyes are shut. He’s encased in ice. 

“Is he…unconscious?” You murmur to yourself. You look him up and down, wondering if you should just take the protocore now and run, but you stop yourself. His gloved hands were frosty, almost fusing the scepter to his palm. He was pale, not a hint of redness on his body at all, save for his lips.

He looked alive but…not at the same time. The thorns just a breath away from touching his black hair.

After wrestling with your thoughts, you decide it’s best to take the protocore. He’s not using it, afterall.

Might as well put it to good use.

You reach up toward the staff to grab the protocore with your gloved hand, but then a shard of ice shoots toward your hand and you jerk it away to avoid spilling any blood.

 “How impudent..” 

You suddenly hear a voice and you don’t immediately assume it was the man in front of you because why would it be?

He’s been asleep for thousands of years, not to mention his eyes are still closed. You look around with your brows furrowed. 

Was your imagination playing tricks on you? Or…is he simply pretending to be frozen?

Your eyes widen as the thorns that were steadily wrapping around the man suddenly crumble before they disappear into thin air. You take a few steps closer to the Foreseer, confident that he’s not actually awake right now, and you take a good look at his face.

“He’s a lot more spritely than I thought...Every book I’ve read describes him as an old man,” You talk to yourself, holding your hand up to your chin before you jump in surprise as his mouth starts moving, “It seems that those Tomes you’ve gleaned through have taught you nothing about etiquette.” 

Then, his eyes finally open and you’re caught off guard by how pretty they are.

They’re green, no brown…Hazel perhaps?

He glances over at you and you take a few steps backward, suddenly feeling more anxious than you did before.

“Y-You’re not actually frozen!?” You sputter out but realize he’s still not moving.

But is he still immobilized? Now, you’re curious.

You tap the side of his neck with your finger, it’s cold to the touch. Almost as if you had touched one of the ice spikes in the room. 

He grunts, annoyed, “Do you know what happens when fools disrespect the Foreseer?” His voice was fittingly cold and monotone. Though you were worried, at least, he couldn’t move so you brought your hand up to touch his shoulder. It was just as freezing as his neck and stiff, akin to a corpse. 

“Your actions are testing my patience.” He keeps his eyes trained forward, refusing to look at you as if you were a bug underneath his feet. As anger sparks within your chest, you place your palm against his chest and push, trying to get any kind of reaction out of him other than a monotonous reply that you would compare to an angry cat. 

“It seems you do not know what true horror is.” He brings his gaze back to you. His face unchanging, keeping the same expression of slightly turned down eyebrows and an otherwise neutral look on his face.

“And you are frozen. My expectations were a bit higher than this,” You sigh with a small shrug as you step back from him.

“Winter punishes every wrongdoing in due time.” 

Gods, he really sounds like an npc. 

“Haven’t you heard of doing what is necessary in a bad situation?” You raise a brow, placing your hand on your hip.

“But who exactly is in a bad situation?” The Foreseer hums, tilting his head up at you. 

You shake your head with a small laugh as you move forward once more and pat your hand across his lower abdomen. The man sucks in a deep breath before he sighs, otherwise staying silent.

You look up at him as you tap his stomach, “The ice is more like a crystal…What is it?” 

“You have a wild curiosity and a brazen tongue.” He looks away from you and you let out a scoff, “And your tongue is like a winter’s loveless embrace.”

You bet this guy was real fun at parties.

As you roll your eyes, you pat along his stomach again, trying to figure out just what is keeping him in place.

 You hear another noise from the Foreseer but decide to ignore it and instead, you have a teasing look on your face. “That’s your punishment for being impolite.”

“A punishment?” You finally hear some emotion in his voice, though it’s annoyance mixed with a hint of disbelief.

“Aren’t you furious? You are being treated like a plaything.” You tilt your head to the side, a bit shocked that he isn’t even trying to move. 

“Fury? Those sorts of emotions I no longer have any use for.”

Well, that’s just sad.

You take a few steps back once more to reassess the situation. If he can’t move, that means you have the best opportunity to grab the protocore and promptly leave. 

Though it is a bit unfortunate to just leave him here, he’s a Foreseer. You’re sure Astra, at least, values His emissaries enough to pardon a small mistake like this. 

You reach up to grab the protocore once more, confident you’ll be able to take it but, once again, a ball of ice comes toward your hand and knocks you off your feet.

You land on the freezing cold stone floor, your face close to smashing against the bottom step that led up to the throne. You quickly look up as ice erupts from behind the Foreseer’s throne, and your eyes widen as you watch the frost disappear from his limbs. His gloved fingers twitch around his scepter.

He…can move?

Ah shit, you need to get out of there fast.

As you scramble to your feet, the Foreseer is already standing up and taps his staff against the ground.

 “I’ve played enough of your little games. You forget yourself, testing the limits of my benevolence.” He starts walking toward you and you fall back down to your knees, seemingly unable to move as your legs felt like jelly underneath you. As he swings his staff, bright blue light swims around his body and you tense up. 

You’ve got to calm down and get ready for a fight. You lift your arm up in front of you and spit out a quick response, “I-I am his majesty’s envoy! You can’t kill me!” Though, the man scoffs, “An honest death is not a suitable punishment for every pretender.” 

Wait, does he know you’re not from the castle?

Before you can react, a cold sensation coils around your feet. You look down and see frost climbing up your legs.

“Tell me, do you know the fate of thieves who sought the Creatio protocore?” He asks. The ice soon reaches your neck and it’s like a cold hand that’s tightly gripping your throat. 

That’s kind of hot— 

Without sparing a glance, the Foreseer walks past you and he disappears into the shadows…

“Wait– Where are you going, Foreseer? Mm..!” The crystals cover your mouth, sealing it shut and you feel panic beginning to sink in. You couldn’t breathe, your body felt so cold and heavy…You could feel your eyes sluggishly, slowly closing and you really hoped everything would be okay the next time you opened your eyes…

You woke up to a bright light shining behind your closed eyelids. Sunlight drifts through the windows adorned with brambles and roses. 

He…left you here for the whole night! At least you weren’t dead, but still.

The Foreseer sits on his throne, reading a book. The sun’s glow casts an illusion of softness on his otherwise cold demeanor. You clear your throat, deciding to strike a conversation with your would-be killer, “...Foreseer? Uh, a fine morning we have today. Isn’t the weather great–”

But the moment the latter leaves your lips, a frigid snowstorm begins to brew outside before promptly subsiding.

Okay…so he has control over the weather. Isn’t that just lovely?

Other than that, he doesn’t look at you. It seems he won’t even give you a chance to explain yourself. “So…You’ve been encased in ice for ages, but you still read on that throne…Shouldn’t you be tired of the world’s greatest chair after staying there for hundreds of years?”

“You may try it yourself and then inform me of your findings,” He says without looking up from his book, turning the page with his index finger.

 “No, no. I…uh, can’t feel my body at the moment,” You sheepishly laugh off your panic of not being able to feel your limbs.

It’s honestly a bit terrifying.

“I have yet to eat anything after entering the Tower of Thorns so could I…” You try to choose your words carefully, yet he still doesn’t look up. “A human can survive for seven days without food.” He plainly states, “Given your stubborn character, you should live for an extra two days.” 

“You’re…not going to leave me frozen for nine days, are you?” You ask, your aching and stiff neck straining to look up at him from his throne. Your throat choking up as your eyes begin to water at the thought of dying in this way.

“Are those tears of your remorse?”

No, they’re tears of someone who was supposed to die years down the line, now only given nine days. Idiot.

“I… Look, I’m not his majesty’s envoy,” You sigh. “I’m here to ask for a prophecy of my future. Every prophet I consulted said I had three years left to live and I refuse to believe them.” 

This finally makes him look up from his book.

“I’m telling you the truth this time...” You trail off, a bit embarrassed that you’re talking about your fear of death with a seemingly immortal man.

“Indeed, they are delusional.” 

“Huh? Have you scryed my fate, Foreseer?” You seemed a bit hopeful with an excited look on your face.

“To disguise yourself as the king’s envoy and sneak into the Tower of Thorns…You certainly have less than three years.” The Foreseer leans back on his throne and crosses his legs.

“Foreseer, you can’t– mmph!” Ice covers your mouth again and he continues his reading.

A seemingly endless silence returns to the throne room...

Nightfall greets the Tower. Taking the place of sunlight, moonlight shines into the room. Today is the first day of your punishment for entering the Tower of Thorns. You’ve come to that realization after being frozen here. Maybe you shouldn’t have teased him so much, but it’s not like you knew he could do this to you.

It is nigh impossible to warm the heart of a demigod who lives in these rime-kissed lands.

In the middle of the night, you’re suddenly awoken by a radiant flash. Golden words float before you. They are magics cast by the Foreseer’s book.

What…is he looking for?

The Foreseer stares at the words, brow furrowed. It seems he’s not happy with what he’s seeing.

You squint from the light and try to clear your blurry vision by blinking a few times. Then, you clear your throat as if to let him know that you are awake, though he remains unmoving. 

“Do you wish for your mouth to be sealed once more?” He questions and you pause before quickly speaking, “That’s a book about gardening, is it not? I also adore flowers.”

His wintery gaze falls on your face, he clearly doesn’t trust you. “Your mouth is only capable of spouting nonsense.”

“I’m not lying! I used to be a gardener. Every flower I care for turns out splendid.” You tried to speak excitedly with your hands, but they were still as frozen as ever. The Foreseer stops what he’s doing.

The sharpness of his gaze pierces you, trying to gouge the truth from your head. 

“Did I…offend you?” You ask after a moment of silence. Though, he looks away. You think for a second that the conversation is over, but, with a lift of his finger, the ice on your body begins to melt. “Is...my punishment over?” You ask, rubbing your reddened hands together to try and warm them back up. 

Though, as your body has been frozen for almost two days now, you end up falling to the side. Your elbows cracking against the floor.

Ouch.

“If you desire it, then I shall indulge you.” He closes his book. The words of gold dissipate and the room is plunged back into darkness. 

Once your eyes readjust to your surroundings, the Foreseer has already descended from his throne. “Come then.” He motions for you to follow and then begins walking toward a spiral staircase. You shakily stand up and quickly follow behind him. 

You’re out of breath by the time you reach the top while he is unfazed. In the distance, snow-capped mountains are like white seashells. You realize you weren’t brought up here to admire the scenery, however you can’t help but take a few minutes to gaze upon it in awe. 

Then, you notice a tiny white flower bud between the bricks. “Why is a jasmine growing in a place like this?” You question, confused at how this flower could be trying to grow here of all places.

The Foreseer’s frigid gaze observes your every action as you carefully examine the bud. “There’s something wrong with it. I doubt it’ll bloom any time soon.” You sigh, fingers brushing against the fragile little thing. 

“Will you be able to care for it?” He asks as you consider the possibilities, but he seems to predict your next action. He moves toward you, looking into your eyes, “Answer me.” 

“Y-yes..! Of course. It’s a miracle for anything to grow here. Without a competent gardener tending to it, the bud will inevitably die.”

You emphasized the phrase “tending to it” and glanced at the man’s expression. He gazes at the bud and touches its small leaves, “If this jasmine blooms, you may leave the tower with your livelihood intact.”

You’re not sure if you’re imagining things, but it seems like the Foreseer holds the jasmine in higher regard than you.

For now, in order to buy yourself some time and an opportunity, you have to say yes.

“Alright, I agree to your terms.”

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!! I don't really have much to say this week tbh but thank you for over 500 notes on my newest drabble!! I didn't expect for it to pop off this much, but I'm glad you all enjoyed it 🩷

I'll be working on a personal project this weekend, but I'm going to try to write a few more chapters for ToF and maybe one chapter of Divisa— I'm not sure just yet on the latter, but I'll give it a shot!

Taglist; @orphicmeliora , @yoongi-tunes , @mitzkooni , @hiqhkey, @tanspostsblog

[cerberus253]

I JUST FOUND SOMETHING

Apparently Konche talks about how Roland got a hold of Inkerton. Here’s what TV Tropes says:

“He's described as having been a friendly kid who got along well with his neighbors before his parents died in a scrapping accident and Roland took him in, with both events molding him into the cruel, amoral hunter he is today.”

In addition, Inkerton is known to bottle up his emotions, especially anger, which explains his sudden betrayal with Roland. They both hated each other, and Inkerton got the last laugh, I suppose.

Damn, I love him even more now. He did house kindness and agreeability at some point, so who’s to say it’s not still there, buried deep within? Under a bunch of trauma, fear of being intimate, being unable to process his emotions right, and constant abuse from Roland??

Maybe a certain cuttlefish (my ACT OC) that was determined and adamant to get close to him and show him love and compassion could possibly unearth it?

Noticed Something About Inkerton...

So, I know it’s most likely a design choice so he doesn’t look so cluttered with all them keys and arms, but Inkerton only has two tentacles and four arms. Don’t squids usually have eight arms?

And Roland the Isopod said he rescued Inkerton from the seabed?

This makes me think Inkerton was in a bit of a pickle, like being killed/eaten, or seeking shelter from escaping said situation? Or maybe he lost his will to live?

For how much of a badass Inkerton is, and how much he bottled up his resentment for Roland, his lack of purpose and his boss making him into what he is today really stuck with him. Then, after Inkerton’s betrayal to Roland, and defeat from a small hermit crab, he just accepts he doesn’t have any point to living anymore.

Lost to a warrior lobster, killed his abusive boss (therefore losing his job), then lost to a small crab at the “Bottom of the Drain” (illustrating he was at his lowest) really must have done a lot of damage to his pride and will.

Inkerton must have already been miserable and thought he wasn’t worth much more than someone to just use if two defeats to two crustaceans, and him shooting his boss point blank after one too many insults thrown his way (Roland literally called him ‘good-for-nothing’), made him lose his will to live that fast. Not to mention he recognizes he has sinned and will be going to Hell.

Funny how just a bunch of small details can somewhat flesh out a minor character.

Anyway, I have a crush on a shucking squid, that’s a new thing I didn’t know I had.

[ambicayur]

Musli with Shilajit Juice

Shilajit and Ashwagandha are considered some of the best Ayurvedic remedies for improving overall physical health. When combined, their properties multiply manyfold, making them an important supplement for the body that can be taken in powder or juice form. 

Musli and Shilajit are herbs that are commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine. It's a safe and effective supplement that can improve your overall health and well-being. High in minerals and fulvic acid, which is necessary for nutrient transfer in the body. It is Anti-inflammatory, as well as beneficial to energy and libido. It is simple to take and incorporate into one's daily diet. It acts as a restorative tonic, slowing the wear and tear of body tissues and thus delaying the onset of ageing.

This combination boosts vigour and vitality. It is known to promote health that is balanced and harmonious. It is an Ayurvedic rejuvenating agent that acts as a restorative tonic.

Ten Beneficial Properties of the Combination

Boosts Immunity

This combination provides a burst of energy as well as an increase in stamina and strength. A perfect combination of these Ayurvedic herbs is known as a revitalizer and energizer. AMBIC's Musli with Shilajit juice is easy to consume and you can take it right before your meal.

Male Fertility Care

Ashwagandha, Musli juice combined with shilajit juice provides antibacterial internal strength, promoting vitality and strength in the body. It improves male fertility and keeps you healthy by lowering your stress level. This combination boosts men's vitality and physical strength.

Improves Blood Sugar Level

Health Benefits of musli and Shilajit increase insulin secretion and sensitivity in the body. Its consumption also aids in the reduction of blood sugar levels. AMBIC provides Ashwagandha Musli juice, which is enriched with Shilajit and contains all of the essential nutrients your body requires to function properly.

 Improves Brain Function

According to Ayurvedic doctors, Ashwagandha contains anti-aging properties that keep your brain healthy, allowing you to work without fatigue. Both Ashwagandha and Shilajit help you by increasing muscle strength, which leads to better physical activity. Ambic Ashwagandha with Shiljit juice will provide your body with all of the nutrients it requires, improving both your physical and mental health.

Improves stress level

The potent combination of natural herbs such as Ashwagandha leaf juice, shilajit, safed musli, Konch beej, and Gudmar aids the body in stress management. These natural ingredients aid in the reduction of mental fatigue by calming the brain, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing cholesterol. Ashwagandha reduced cholesterol by an average of 17% and triglycerides by 11% in chronically stressed adults. It aids in the treatment of nerve disorders & also aids in the reduction of physiological stress.

Beneficial for women health

Safed Musli is an effective adaptogen, it reduces stress and improves sexual vigour in females. It has also been found to regulate hormonal imbalance and regularised menstrual cycle. It also increases the breast milk production in nursing mothers. It nourishes their body and health deficiencies.

 Aids in Muscle Growth

This combination can be used by bodybuilders, athletes, and people with low body mass to develop their body and muscle. When on weight management, cutting fat levels becomes one of the most important tasks, and this combination helps in building your muscles by cutting away unwanted fat from your body. Musli will help you with that.

Mood Enhancer

Ashwagandha or Musli juice is known to calm the nervous system and regulate the release of various hormones.  This magical blend helps fight your modern day problems such as mood because dopamine is required for brain function, emotions, and stress management. However, by including Ashwagandha juice in your daily life you can increase the level of dopamine in your brain. As the level of dopamine increases in your brain, you feel more relaxed and your overall mood will improve as well.

Good for your skin

According to research studies, Safed Musli promotes skin health. The herb itself has been found to have a hydrating and nourishing effect on skin, making you look younger and fresh. Also, Ashwagandha increases the collagen level in the skin which prevents it from losing its natural touch. Hence the combination of both is a boost for our skin. 

It is Safe to Use

Ambic, being a certified ISO company, has been offering rejuvenating and ayurvedic products for 25 years, with its plant-based ayurvedic herbs, gluten-free, vegan and with no side effects.  Because Ambic Musli with Shilajit juice is an Ayurvedic remedy, it is safe to use and has no side effects. You can consume it before your daily meals by adding the Musli juice to a glass of water.

[newstfionline]

Russia-West Balancing Act Grows Ever More Wobbly in Belarus

By Ivan Nechepurenko, NY Times, Aug. 13, 2017

MINSK, Belarus--Western officials and the news media have for years routinely described President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko of Belarus as “the last dictator of Europe.”

So it may have been jarring for some to hear him expressing deep support for human rights, democracy and the rule of law in an address last month to a large group of United States and European lawmakers who came for a conference to Minsk, the country’s tidy, but utterly uniform, capital.

For Mr. Lukashenko, however, the performance was old hat.

Over two decades, he has perfected the art of playing Russia and the West against each other. Belarus has been both an indispensable ally and ward of the Kremlin, depending on Russian subsidies to keep its economy afloat, and an important buffer for the West against the Kremlin’s growing military aggressiveness.

But with major Russian military exercises scheduled for next month in Belarus, opposition leaders, analysts and even the American military fear that Mr. Lukashenko’s tightrope act may be coming to a close.

There are widespread fears in Minsk that when Russian servicemen come to Belarus for the war games, known as Zapad, Russian for “West,” they will never leave. Intensifying those concerns are official reports that Russia has rented 4,162 railway cars to transport only 3,000 soldiers and no more than 680 articles of military equipment to Belarus.

The troops started to move into the country in late July, with the exercises scheduled for mid-September. Both the Russian and Belarussian authorities have vowed publicly that the troops will return home after the exercise.

Over the years, as Mr. Lukashenko has sought to demonstrate his independence, he has periodically picked fights with Russia’s president, Vladimir V. Putin--stage-managed affairs that have been quickly patched up in highly public displays of Slavic brotherhood.

As Moscow’s relations with the West have plunged to levels last seen during Soviet times, however, Mr. Lukashenko’s balancing act has grown increasingly untenable. The time may be approaching when he will have to choose between the two camps, a decision that carries decided risks.

An overt move to embrace the West could provoke a reaction from the Kremlin, as happened in Ukraine after the ouster of President Viktor F. Yanukovych. The West almost certainly would not oppose such a move militarily.

But a complete embrace of Russia would collapse Belarus’s sovereignty and could renew the street demonstrations that erupted this year among a population already seething over declining living standards.

Most analysts assume that Mr. Lukashenko, if forced to choose, will throw his lot in with his patrons in Moscow.

“Belarus can build many bridges to the West, but it cannot cross any of them,” said Artyom Shraibman, sitting in the modern newsroom of Tut.by, the country’s leading independent news website, where he is a political editor. “The European vector is just a way to balance the relationship with Russia.”

A landlocked country squeezed by Russia, Ukraine and three NATO states--Poland, Latvia and Lithuania--Belarus has historically served as an invasion corridor for the major powers. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union maintained several major military bases there, which included nuclear-tipped missiles.

In 2015, Belarus rebuffed a Kremlin request for permission to establish a military base. But analysts wonder how long Mr. Lukashenko can continue to resist in the face of strong Russian pressure.

Since it gained independence in 1991, Belarus has survived in large part on heavy subsidies from Moscow in what a local economist, Sergei Chaly, called an “oil for kisses” scheme.

“Mr. Lukashenko has fulfilled an important historic mission,” Mr. Chaly said. “He came up with the best system for how a post-Soviet state can deal with Russia.”

Minsk was permitted to purchase Siberian oil at a low price, process it at its two refineries, then sell it in the West at market prices, pocketing the difference.

Various estimates put the overall Russian subsidy at more than $50 billion over the past two decades. Mr. Lukashenko used the money to prop up his so-called zombie factories, hopelessly outdated and decrepit industrial enterprises that allowed him to boast that he was the only post-Soviet leader who kept industry afloat.

In return for the subsidies, Mr. Lukashenko pledged brotherly unity, allowing Mr. Putin to show that he has allies beyond Russia’s borders. The relationship grew testy in 2014, however, when Minsk stopped short of officially recognizing Crimea as a part of Russia. Then, a year later, there was the standoff over Russia’s request for a military base.

Fed up, the Kremlin retaliated by raising natural gas prices. When Mr. Lukashenko refused to pay them, Moscow dismissed any concern about driving Belarus into the Western camp and cut the supply of oil, leaving the Belarussian economy high and dry.

“The Kremlin understands well that with all his flirtations with the West, Mr. Lukashenko is still a dictator and cannot move Belarus into another geopolitical space,” said Pavel Usov, director of the Center for Political Analysis and Prognosis. “The dependency is so strong that Russia can manipulate any political process and event in Belarus.”

Sometimes, this dependency manifests itself in odd ways.

After Russia banned imports of Western food in retaliation for sanctions imposed over Crimea and the Ukraine crisis, for example, Belarus turned into a hub for Italian Parmesan and Polish apples. The products were relabeled as Belarussian and appeared on store shelves throughout Russia.

Exports of “Belarussian” apples to Russia jumped 50 percent last year, whereas local production remained steady. Belarus, a country with severe winters, became the origin of such tropical species as pineapples, mandarin oranges and kiwi fruit, and also the butt of much sarcasm.

This scheme still could not generate enough income, though, and with help from Russia shrinking, the economy of Belarus contracted for the second year in a row in 2016. In June, Belarus had to borrow $1.4 billion on the European market, and it is negotiating $3 billion more from the International Monetary Fund.

Salaries have dropped by more than 13 percent over the past two years and the country’s finances have soured, forcing the government to introduce one of the more remarkable tax laws in the world: a requirement that people who are not employed full time pay $240 a year as “compensation” for lost taxes.

With living standards declining, ordinary people took to the streets at the end of March to take part in the biggest wave of antigovernment protests in years.

“He will lead this situation to what had happened in Ukraine,” said Aleksandr Konches, a pensioner and one of the protesters. “Look at who came out--pensioners, workers, simple people.”

However, many local people said that even if Mr. Lukashenko were ousted amid antigovernment protests, they doubted the country would turn against Russia.

Viktor V. Bocharenko has spent his whole life in Redzki, a picturesque village of 150 people on the border with Russia. After heading a local collective farm for 13 years, he now leads the life of a simple retiree, growing potatoes and sometimes selling a sack at a healthy markup in the Russian region of Smolensk.

Mr. Bocharenko, 65, said he sees little evidence of the stricter border controls Moscow said it was imposing in an attempt to reduce the transshipment of Western food. “They just look into my car and let me go,” he said.

He added, “What happened between Russia and Ukraine will never happen between us.”