#Personality wise yes but strategically

[fragmentedblade]

I've been reading about xiangqi a bit and now I'm even more obsessed with that one video of Jing Yuan

[zoekrystall]

Did that fav pkmn thing on a whim and I'm sorry for all my babies I didn't choose bc I really like too many by some.

Love how it's mostly pretty ones and then there's clodsire. Even tho I got it in my team since the beginning of violet do I continuously forget its name bc I just call it by the nickname blobby (one of the rare times I didn't spend hours googling the perfect nickname but it nonetheless is a perfect one)

And for fun without any legendaries as fav

Reg nicknames I even write all down so I only spend decades once for each pkmn (unless I don't like the prev one anymore). Need to update that someday since it's mostly old revolution ones but hey. Blaze do I use for arcanine nowadays more and ninetails got others. Gardevoir got soteria nowadays which I prefer more. Etc.

[krisluxxeeempress]

Astrology Observations

Aries 10th House (Midheaven): Having this placement does not guarantee an Entrepeneur, CEO, boss or whatever else everyone loves regurgitating. To have Aries in your 10th house suggest that you are only worried about yourself when it comes to accomplishing your goals etc. For example, while everyone is stuck on social media, scrolling and watching OTHERS, videos- these individuals wouldn't be caught wasting time watching someone else. They will not support other businesses. Watch anyone else videos, or prop someone else up. It's all about them. They will never watch you, instead you'll watch them. These individuals have tunnel vision. Despite popular belief, Aries energy is capable of being patient in the 10th house. The reason being, the 10th house is where the top dogs are, the successful ones, wise, strategic and highly respected people reside. Aries energy wants to be on a higher level and in the 10th house, these individuals will be on their best behavior in terms of doing, showing and giving their best. Mentally, these individuals believe wholeheartedly, no one is better than them - so watching others is pointless and a waste of time. Yes, they are competitive however, they believe (though it's true) that others watch, mimic and try to impersonate them to reach success. These individuals lead the way. This energy is like your man cheating on you with a b*** that looks up & wants to be you. HA!!

Again, this placement has the capability and potential to be a CEO, Boss, Entrepreneur, Manager etc.

However, this placement really reveals how a person is energetically when it comes to their approach to their career / work and that of others.

Remember, they will not acknowledge you.

[a-d-nox]

pac: what happens when you take actions on your dreams?

take what resonates leave what doesn't - nothing is 100% for you because these aren't personalized so please no angry comments or dms about what i am saying not being a good fit for you or that you "don't claim" just keep scrolling if that is the case. be kind, self reflect, and have fun.

last pac/pap: your greatest asset and your greatest hindrance - advice on how you can master what's holding you back

masterlist of pap/pac posts

want a personal reading? click here to check out my reading options and prices!

pile 1

when you take actions on your dreams, you will find yourself being careful and calculated - some may say hesitant. you could be stagnant because you are trying to decide how to take on your dreams - step into your flow; intuitively guide yourself to what you feel should be done next. you will find that your family is extremely supportive of your dreams. they want you to spend time doing what you love with those who have a shared interest. they may even give you money towards helping you get closer to doing what you wish to. great funds will come out of your endeavors should you take action on them. if you feel like you can't move forward to make your dreams reality - re-strategize. don't give up.

pile 2

so many dreams exist within you. so many possibility for you exist - try not to be impatient (you can't afford to miss steps or cut corners). listen to your intuition, while taking actions to reach your dreams. accept all the possibilities that come towards you - "say yes" should be your motto. remember always "that which excites you is worth the risk". i sense a great partnership can be made between you and someone you will meet (or have already met). beware of greed - try to not be materialistic as you take action on your dreams. nor should you be too hard on yourself - "rome wasn't built in a day"; look beyond the small details and see the big picture. i feel as though your dreams are already in motion - everything is moving quickly, you are closer to being on the path to making your dreams come true than you know.

pile 3

when you take action to make your dreams reality, you will feel victorious. good new will be endless, accomplishments will be constant, your praises will be sang. you work hard and you will receive recognition for doing so. projects will move with ease - every ending presents a new beginning. every dream you reach, you will find yourself dreaming another - you are a dream machine. you will love what you do when you begin chasing your dreams - you are likely invest your time and money wisely too. your charity and generosity will be rewarded. enjoy the dreamscape you've built. you've earned it.

[windvexer]

O ye wise Chicken

I call to thee

For advice on a matter

Harken to me!

So anyways, I have always had incredible luck, my partner on the other hand… let’s say that it’s not the worst in the universe. If you were trying to turn someone’s luck around, who was almost radioactively unlucky, how would you go about it? Thank you for your time and for answering all of our questions, oh wise Chicken! 🙌🏻

Good evening.

For any magical operation where some concept is out-of-order (luck, prosperity, relationships, etc) it's not always helpful to just add in more of the concept (conjure luck, conjure relationships, and so on).

Absence-of-concept is only ever one reason for things to be out of order, and it may be a symptom rather than a cause itself. There are many reasons why any particular concept could be malfunctioning.

Therefore, you've got two options: figure out what is causing the malfunction and then address it, or go in blind with a broad spectrum plan of action.

Divination, probably especially energy reading, can pinpoint why luck is out-of-order. However this may be a tricky read to tackle, and also requires the skill to make a custom plan of action. Also, exploring and thinking is tiring, and it can be easier to just take action.

Any time something is out-of-order - luck, job, relationships, timing, what have you - try a plan of action similar to this one, and see if it helps. You should take careful notes of all the actions you take, because if it doesn't help, you will need those notes to help troubleshoot.

First, an offering to the spirit world. The function is to please helpful spirits and stir them to action; but also to appease unhelpful spirits who may be causing trouble. This offering may be done once, but the ritual should be undertaken seriously, with as pleasing of gifts as can be reasonably offered. Jason Miller has a nice general offering in his book Protection and Reversal Magick, which is a good format to follow.

No matter what ritual you follow, it is vital to include a portion that explains this offering is being done out of respect to the spirit world, to soothe any tensions, and to supplicate aid from any helpful parties.

Second, a personal cleansing and hex-breaking. A person does not need to have actually been hexed or cursed to benefit from hex-breaking. Find or develop a spell which breaks up, destroys, banishes, or evacuates jealous and deleterious energies from around the unlucky person. In fact, any spell to break the evil eye will likely serve. Perform a personal cleansing before or after (or both) to wash off any last trace of jealousy cast on by another.

Third, a personal amulet generally designed to protect against the evil eye (for some reason I suppose I think this is an evil eye situation), but also against bad luck in general: have it rebuff or turn away these things, sort of like a bumper that will bounce your unlucky person off of misfortune and steer them in a new direction.

(For those not dealing with luck, protect against whatever it is you want to stop - protect against loneliness, for example. Envision that you do not have absence of friendship energy but rather intrusion of aloneness energy. This is not necessarily literal, but it is a thought exercise to help develop strategic plans of action and deploy magic in a greater variety of ways)

Fourth, any spell to conjure what is desired. So for your unlucky partner, any spell to conjure or manifest luck. This can be done either as a one-off spell, or something continuous; if you want to do more magic, then do both. A one-shot spell to get things started and a continuous spell to carry the torch. Explore Allspice for luck spells, as well as any cultural luck charms.

Fifth, engage in cultural rituals to bring about what you desire. For luck, a lucky rabbit's foot, found dimes, numerical clovers, or hung horseshoes are all cultural symbols in these parts; choose one, and invest in it. This is a different kind of magic - folk magic, if you like - that's more about linking and aligning to the whole.

Someone radioactively unlucky is, perhaps, unplugged from the whole. The natural exchange passes around them without touching them. A cultural ritual is an action of reconnection, to indicate they are stepping back into the game. At least, this is what I think.

Anyway if this is all too much, I highly recommend that you, Anon, do not skip #2. Throw in a protection amulet and I expect things might level out.

[iztea]

dy have any tips to make your art look less lifeless? I stare at my rendered digital art and everytime without fail i start to rot from the lack of soul in it

ok first of all, I think you might be judging your art too harshly. The only quite literal soulless art is AI art so as long as you create something, there's soul in it. But I understand what you mean. Honestly, I'm not sure if I'm best suited to answer this since it's something I struggle with myself, but since you asked me, here are my two cents on the matter

A lifeless look in your art may come from two places: a lack of skills or a lack of message/delivery

Skill-wise, there's a looot you can do and improve on : gesture, dynamic poses, more expressive faces, better color language, strategic line expression, shape language, using color theory to better express a certain mood of a piece etc.

i could go into detail for each point but it would take too long so I'll leave it up to you to google and research things on your own ( or you can shoot me another ask if you want me to yap about a certain technical approach and I'll gladly do so)

but honestly, these are just skills and tools that you master in time. A first step is to at least acknowledge their existence. I want to talk more about the second aspect of this issue: intention. The intention behind your art is more valuable than you think. Art can feel soulless if it doesn't send any message, if it's generic, if there's no emotion behind it or if there's nothing to be interpreted. I'm not saying all art should be super deep or profound to hold value of course, but i often feel like this is a rather neglected part when discussing art. We sometimes get so tied up in the technical aspects like rendering or anatomy but the truth is, a general audience (aka the people who will see your art) doesn't give a crap about the technicalities. They judge something at face value and the first thing they look for is the /message/. What is this painting about? Who or what did you draw? The second thing they will look for is connection. When they can relate to the emotion conveyed or the subject matter, the experience becomes more rewarding and engaging. The same applies to the artist. Creating something meaningful and personal often leads to a greater sense of accomplishment. Honestly, skill comes second.

Case in point: why does hyperrealistic art get shit on? It's very impressive technique-wise, yes, you can't deny the artist isn't skilled, but does it express something? Nope, they do the job of a printer which again,. it is impressive but not from an ~artistic pov, just from a skill pov. On the flip side, why do poorly drawn sob stories get so much attention and praise? Because the art triggered a certain emotion (that has overwritten an already untrained eye) and emotions are extremely powerful for humans as we all very well know and it basically makes them ignore or neglect the execution

So, my piece of advice is to draw something that has personal meaning /to you/, that ignites a certain feeling you can't shake ( it doesn't have to be something #deep or sad, laughter and joy are equally valuable so keep that in mind), a certain situation or scenario and I can guarantee your art won't feel as lifeless to you as before. To better express this idea of yours that you now possess, you can now think about the technical side of how you'd express it. For example:

~deliberately messy brushstrokes and textures -> create chaos.

~maybe you're feeling something lovely dovey and soft -> warm colors to express that + brushes with lost edges

~maybe you want to tell a story in a comic format -> focus on calligraphy; shaky lineart gives off the impression of vulnerability; leave whitespaces etc

~something funny? -> goofy facial expressions or lowkey downgrading the quality usually makes something funnier

~Colors ! colors ! colors !!! pretty self-explanatory blues and grays for depression pinks and rainbows for the happy ( or NOT if you're feeling adventurous winkwink)

BONUS TIP: hiding/blocking out/blurring the face of your subject makes the painting feel more immersive. The viewer can relate to the person you're drawing ( "oh he's just like me fr")

There are artists who are insanely skilled but make kinda "boring" art and then there are artists with cool ideas but with maybe an underwhelming execution.

Ultimately, it's a combination of BOTH awesome skills and intentions. Those are my favourite artists. When i find someone who draws something that makes me stare and wonder how tf they drew that while also appreciating how cool the concept is I knoww I hit jackpot. And if they draw fanart of my fave?? bonus points

okkkkkkkkk i yapped for too long sorttyyyyy hope it helped maybe idk

!!!!DISCLAIMER!!!! this is all my personal interpretation and how i view things I'm self taught I've never been to art school or taken any art classes so i might be completely wrong !! take everything with a grain of salt !!

[thenerdofthegroup]

This is so interesting so here are my thoughts:

Wanda didn’t respond how she wanted. There was no fight back, there was no equaling because Wanda is an uptight hero (nothing wrong with that it’s just how she is with morality) that takes everything too seriously (ie an avenger). Agatha most likely did the memory walk, not planning to try and kill her but Wanda wasn’t playing along. She wasn’t getting better. So she doubled down, Wanda took it as a life or death fight, which is what she’s used to, and it turned into such a vicious battle. We talk about Rio playing games (in the same article where it says she plays games with Agatha and I have a whole thing on what she means by that) but Agatha is the exact same, just more strategic I think. She plays a game to get her way and solve the problems but witches know to play along with one another (most are probably more cheeky than battle-y), and only when Agatha is not in the mood does it become bad. Wanda didn’t play, so it became deadly

I still believe Agatha really did like Wanda to an extent. But she realised very quickly she wasn’t a witch. Not in a cultural and personality wise way. She wasn’t fun to spar against so she gave up on that idea. She knew what was best, tried to deliver it in a nice-ish way (epsiode 8) but when she realised the Avenger would only try and defeat her, not realise she was right, she gave up. She got bored, that’s it. Wanda is boring to her. The Scarlet Witch is a being she has most likely worshipped and loved all her life but Wanda as an actual person, in that moment, was boring to her. A goody two shoes. Again, nothing wrong with that it’s just Agatha is so much darker it’s such a stark difference.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Wagatha but I do believe, since this being confirmed, Agatha just didn’t get that spark with Wanda. Not YET. I want them both to reconnect and have a beautiful friendship later in the show that parallels the comics (one of the best relationships between two characters I’ve seen and I love them) but Agatha did not like Wanda by the end of WV. I think she did to an extent, in a ‘If she played along like in the sitcom’, but in reality she knew in that moment Wanda was not at her speed. She could have been, and I really want to learn what she truly would have done with Wanda because I think it’s a lot more than her just killing her or leaving her. I think her original plan was to let her see her memories and then help her. But by the end, Agatha was bored and then she lost and Wanda has now tortured her for, let’s see… 3 years within her mind and taken away the only thing that she loved truly (@trickofthelight compared it to disability and as someone who has some, I could not agree any more and desperately hope the show show’s the full extent of it, pain and everything) she most likely holds an admiration and a love of what could have been, she wants to find her, but she does not hold a lot of love FOR her. Not right now

That’s why Rio makes sense. From everything we’ve seen, she’s the only one that matches her: jokes with her, same personality, plays with her. Yes it’s very unstable but any relationship with Agatha will be. We know at least she is her wife in the past. The most I personally hope for is they get back together, but those are just theorises for more private groups.

But that’s beside the point. I went on a ramble because we finally saw Rio with Agatha in the same frame and I almost cried tears of joy. Either way, this proves agatha LIKES being around people. She has been ostracised by everyone and she does want friends and true lovers etc. She does want to be around others so finding THE Scarlet Witch, she thought she would find another equal to her to play with (which I think is her form of love) but she couldn’t. If Wanda stayed around Agatha and witches for a while maybe she would like her more, but Wanda grew up with heroes and Avengers. She is very black and white and could not see anything past ‘if she’s against me, she needs to be defeated’.

Agatha likes playing cat and mouse. She likes teasing most but with those she likes she plays a more serious game. I think of it like this: Agatha and Rio are playing a (very sensual) game of chess (which they would probably add stripping to) but Agatha and Wanda were playing Battleships. Agatha was taking the piss and joking as she was winning and when Wanda was about to lose, she smacked the game off the table. Wanda broke the rules. It’s no fun when they break the rules.

Which is why this show is so exciting to me. Without magic others will play with her more. They will still be terrified of her in her more darker moments but ultimately they are on more equal ground so she can make a coven and actually get close to people. She is a very strong character so I’m desperate to see others play along with her, and Rio playing with her too. (God I’m so excited to see Agatha and Rio you guys don’t even know it’s going to be so fun).

This might have been worded absolutely terribly and some part might be interpreted differently then what I mean but… oh well

Anyway, ideas before I do a 10 hour shift. Thank you for listening to my TED talk.

[moonyasnow]

All the characters I'd considered shipping my OCs with before I decided

Quick thing bc I'm bored

Not gonna include Lisle bc AroAce and also not Tomoe, since she existed before I decided to put all the others into TWST so shipping for her was just...kinda vibes-based, and not in the good way. Like I'd barely even figured out her character yet

And for Irina, Junia and Artemisia, the reason none of the others were chosen were literally just because their current partner was SO perfect for them I couldn't have gone with anyone else

Irina

Kalim (I think this is one of the more unhealthy relationships she could end up on. Not because he'd treat her badly, of course not; Kalim's just the sort who represses all his trauma (he straight up doesn't remember all the times he's been kidnapped) and I just feel like, paired with Irina, she'd just keep holding all the bad stuff in forever and pretending like everything's ok)

Ruggie (I think this would've been pretty cute. They're still good friends now though...and I honestly think they work better as just friends)

Floyd (Irina still literally had a crush on him before she fell for Malleus, so this one didn't even 100% go away. But yeah the reasons I considered it was because I think they match each other's freak in an interesting way. And Irina also knows exactly what it's like to always go through moodswings, so they can understand each other in that way. ...Irina would've loved the biting and squeezing so much tho-)

Leona (THE BAD TIMELINE. I'm not kidding. These two would in the best case scenario keep each other from improving and in the worst case actively make each other and their issues worse.)

Spike

Silver (literally the only NRC guy I could think of who'd be nice enough to be Spike's type)

Junia

Jade (Giving 'the straight-laced science girl' vibes but genderbent. Clueless autistic and clueful autistic)

Azul (I think it would've been cute bc Junia is the type who is just, so smitten with whoever she likes, and it's VERY obvious. And she'd think he was really really pretty and would love like, sitting in his lap when he scams people)

Veronica

@babyghoul138 :)

Ace (For a while I was actually even gonna go with this one long-term! Even made a meme including the ship and everything. Even started planning out a fankid! But then I realized I'd miscalculated and they just wouldn't work as well together as I thought. And I think Ace is just a bit too rough around the edges personality-wise for Veronica)

Sebek (This could actually have been a reaaaaaally interesting one. The thing that kept me from going with it was just that- Veronica wants to leave Briar Valley after she graduates. And Sebek would never leave Briar Valley. And as much as angst CAN be nice, I prefer it when couples are driven apart by stuff like war or disapproving families rather than just mundane stuff like that. Makes it too real, and just kinda depressing)

Victor

Jamil (Jamitor would be toxic yaoi central. Victor would be SUCH an enabler like 'yes, let's kick that smiling idiot (Kalim) to the curb and put you on the throne! Oh villainy looks so good on you~'. Then with their powers combined they would go on to rule the world.)

Azul (They've got suuuuuuuch similar trauma. And I imagine it'd start out with them 'dating' as like a business arrangement-- being married to each other would be good strategically for both of them and their goals; Azul gets access to a whole noble house's worth of funds and private lands, and Victor gets easy access to some of the best people in business. And then it'd turn into a thing of them both catching feelings realizing just how similar they are and can both relate to each other's trauma. They would also go on to rule the world.)

His ships with someone similar to him just made him too powerful

Artemisia

Idia (I decided not to go with this one 1) because as soon as Artemisia met Jamil I just know he'd be IT for her and 2) Artemidia would just kinda feel like them giving up and deciding to become hermits who don't leave their rooms TOGETHER and that to me was just way too sad)

Leona (They were already kinda friends in the background, and I couldn't stop thinking of the reference potential to Kimba the white lion. And just like with Idia, the biggest reason why not is Jamil.)

[anime-grimmy]

Sooo, as has been evident from me rambling so often about it, I’ve been reading a lot of Genshin fics lately (specifically Sumeru centered ones), and it is so funny to see how headcanons and AUs change between the releases of the characters. 

Ofc, this sticks out to me especially with Haikaveh cos Kaveh got released so late for showing up so early and ppl ran far with their ideas. One of the biggest theories was (and I think still kinda is) is that Alhaitham is or at least is linked to the Scarlet King bcs his eyes have the same shape as the eye portrayed in the Forbidden Knowledge cutscene.

After the quests came out where you find out about King Deshret’s and the Goddess of Flowers’ relationship, ofc ppl started to push Alhaitham and Kaveh in the respective roles, which, ngl, I totally vibe with. Even more so cos I can only image the Goddess of Flowers with Nilou’s kinda personality (since her outfit is supposed to look like the Goddess) and the thought of her reincarnation still being good hearted beyond believe, yet also a fucking idiot with anger issues is so fucking funny.

However, the theory I personally even more subscribe to, is that both Alhaitham and Kaveh, at least in an design aspect, represent the Scarlet King. I cannot by God find the one vid that talked about it, but they laid out a lot of design specifics that rly did make sense. This ofc, made me think a lot about it too.

Alhaitham could represent King Deshret’s mind and rational side, the part of him that made him a genius and good leader. As much as Alhaitham acts as if he sucks as a leader, which from a personality standpoint might be true, his abilities and critical mind say otherwise. Alhaitham is strategic and very wise for his age, but also curious and ambitious about the knowledge he seeks. He is not without fault either, as, despite him saying he acts only out of self interest, he still does act very arrogantly and above others.

Kaveh on the other hand shows King Deshret’s soul. Clever and curious in his own right, Kaveh seeks out knowledge not only to learn and understand but because his emotions drive him to reach for it. Kaveh has a bleeding heart and follows its voice more often than his mind’s, yet that makes him empathetic to people and care about them, which we know the Scarlet King was known for as well (caring for his people, that is). His emotions and self-sacrificial nature are his crux as well, though, and lead him close to his own downfall time and time again, much as it happened with King Deshret.

Both Alhaitham and Kaveh make up the body. As is evident how haywire the theories went when the Forbidden Knowledge quest came out, Alhaitham’s eyes bear a strong physical resemblance to Deshret’s supposed eyes. Not to mention, we know Deshret is often described as powerful, so I wouldn't be surprised if Alhaitham’s body build is part of that too. For Kaveh, in that one video I mentioned they said that Kaveh’s attire seems to represent some sort of royalty. Also, in a world quest, though I don’t remember which one (i think either aranara or djini) the NPC you travel with says the traveler reminds them of King Deshret, especially the golden hair, which ofc also works for Kaveh.

(Mind you, I havent dived that deeply into Deshret lore and I did zone out during the world quests often, so pls do correct me if I say sth stupid.)

So yeah, the two sides of the same coin. We already know these two have been designed as perfect mirrors to each other, in their ideologies, personalities all the way to their colour schemes, but with regarding the headcanon they’re both aspects of the Scarlet King, it’s also an interesting analogy to think it’s Deshret’s different sides clashing with each other. 

Yes, yes they’re basically the Left Brain Right Brain meme for King Deshret.

Also, as I’ve said, I’ve read my fair share of fics with the Scarlet King reincarnation, which is usually Alhaitham. I am honestly too lazy to write a whole ass fic about it, but you can bet your ass my mind has conjured up enough stuff to fill a few pages. To finally get it outta my head tho, I will just ramble here instead.

I personally don’t think that Alhaitham and Kaveh are reincarnations of Deshret, even though it’d make sense why his body and mind would be two separate entities, as he split himself to avoid spreading more Forbidden Knowledge. I see it more as the two being “blessed” with parts of his soul or something.

Ngl, the whole thing came to me during the one World Quest where you clear up the sandstorm above King Deshret’s Mausoleum and you get to this big platform on top. I dunno, it just looked so cool and it made me think of how this could have been a ritual site or something. So, perfect place for some foreign memories to invade your brain, no?

Also, you cannot tell me the Akademiya wasn’t frothing at the mouth when the Mausoleum finally became accessible. I’d assume they’d send research teams up there after the Traveler cleared the place, and it would seem logical for both Alhaitham and Kaveh to be interested in the place, their respective curiosities spurred by the fragment of Deshret inside them.

They and a small group of scholars take it upon themselves to scope the place out, and eventually end up at the top of the pyramid. Kaveh would marvel at such a grand stage so high up in the air, being able to see into the far reaches of the desert. But he also feels trepidation in his soul, though he brushes it off.

Alhaitham and him conduct their respective researches, Alhaitham jutting down any interesting runes and scripts he finds on the podium, while Kaveh sketches the many columns and the scenery behind, his mind running wild trying to understand how such impossible structures hold. But as he stands at the edge, looking out upon the empty desert with its many ruins, a thought pops into his head.

The desert should not be dead like this.

It’s then that Kaveh feels something shift inside him. Sensations rush over him, the sun beating down on him so differently than just moments ago, the air smelling not of sand and dust but of spices and flowers, the stillness of the desert filled with the distant rush of a city well lived in and people calling him yet not shouting his name.

Kaveh stumbles back to the middle of the podium, only for Alhaitham to meet him halfway. They stare at each other with wide eyes, stare at the other but seeing reflections of themselves. Kaveh bores into Alhaitham’s intense gaze, seeing the many questions and the fierce determination to solve each and everyone of them reflect in those piercing pupils of his, and thinks:

Only a gaze as steeled as mine is fit for a king.

Alhaitham roams his eyes over Kaveh, over his golden hair reflecting the sun, making it almost blinding to look at, over proud shoulders, pushed back to straighten his stance, over calloused hands, twitching in the need to create, and thinks:

Only a presence as loud and vibrant as mine can win over my people.

The spell is broken as fast as it had come when one of the scholars of their group asks for their assistance. Kaveh and Alhaitham busy themselves with helping out the rest of the research group for the remainder of the stay to not let those intrusive thoughts resurface and really just hope that it was some weird hallucination caused by the heat or dehydration or something.

Lucky them, it wasn’t.

And really, all this fancy dressing in the form of a story just to come to the one headcanon stuck in my head:  If both Alhaitham and Kaveh are the Scarlet King, and they were to inherit his memories, I believe they’d experience them differently.

Alhaitham would have tangible memories, thoughts that’d pop into his head unbridled. He’d see the tension between Desert folk and the people of the forest and think “This is not what we fought for.”. He’d run across Cyno, discuss matters of the Akademiya with him and think “As competent and loyal as ever, just as is to be expected of my General.”. He’d meet with Nahida and think “No matter the shape she takes, her wisdom remains the same.”.

Kaveh on the other hand would experience the memories with sensations. He’d witness a fight between the matra and Emerites and be transported to a battlefield, as countless shouts and clanking metal were heard while the unmistakable taste of blood sat heavy on his tongue. He’d look at scholars disassembling a Primal Construct and his hands would itch for his tools while his heart sped up in excitement, even if Kaveh knew his knowledge of such machines was limited. He’d watch Nilou dance in the Grand Bazar and almost buckle under the mix of elation, yearning and unfathomable grief that overtook him.

(it would also be funny the other way around, as in, experience the memories with the parts “missing” from them. Though Kaveh, being the overthinker he is, would have an easier time cos his head is filled all the time with thoughts anyways. Alhaitham would have a real crisis though lmao)

At the end of the day they’d come home to each other, stand face to face and stare into a mirror of themselves, all the while the edges would start to blur and it’d become increasingly difficult to know where one of them started and the other ended.

I dunno where I’d even go with this story, in all honesty. I personally don’t like the kinda fics where King Deshret actually “awakens” and either takes over or integrates into the person he wakes up as. I think I’d push a story like this more into the territory of this experience making the two learn more about themselves and each other. As in, since they both “derive from�� the same person, even if they’re steadfast in their own beliefs, they’re kinda forced to actually see from the other perspective as well. While this would probably lead to even more arguments, I believe it’d also manage to blunt their edges and while they still can’t agree with each other, they understand and therefore don’t always go on the defensive with counter points at the ready. 

Tho, if both are considered King Deshret, would that count as self-cest.

[wisteriasymphony]

The LuckyBug Miracle Team Sucks - TWEOS AU Analysis

(4 individuals who don't work for their miraculous, and 1 person that does)

Just to start off, yes, I am analyzing my own work. Nobody really has the same depth of information on this other than me, after all. I want to get more into these sorts of things, because I like to organize my thinking behind the choices I make in this fic, and maybe even draw people into my work as well!

Lucky Lucky Ladybug - Viperius - CARA.PACE - Renared - Chat Noir

These are the five main holders of the LuckyBug Team before CN quits at the start of TWEOS. We're going to be talking about why most of them suck at their job (but mostly why Lucky chose terrible miraculouses for her peers), starting from worst to best synergy.

Viperius - Snake of Intuition

The ideal holder of the Snake Miraculous is someone who is level-headed, wise, and capable.

Luka Marcel Couffaine is the exact opposite of all of these things.

In TWEOS, Luka Couffaine is as far removed from empathy as humanly possible, making him a terrible superhero in general, much less one with a power as important as interrupting the flow of time. Luka never goes out of his way to explore his abilities, rarely involves himself in battle unless forced to, and put more thought into giving his superhero form a sexy haircut than into being a good teammate. He is explicitly only a superhero for the money it brings in even though he is already the son of a world-famous rockstar. Luka is not intuitive or wise, he is shallow and self-serving.

More Suitable Miraculous: None of them. Maybe the Mouse so he can multiply and go fuck himself.

CARA.PACE - Turtle of Protection

The ideal holder of the Turtle Miraculous is someone who is stable, sacrificial, and steadfast.

Nicolas Ibrahim Lahiffe, unfortunately, falls short of the mark.

While not as outwardly shitty as Luka, Nino also lacks the right qualities in an effective superhero. Nino is the type of person who, as Quinton Reviews once perfectly put it, "would rather be chill than be right". Nino is laid-back and likes to show off with his Miraculous, enjoying how cool it makes him look while still helping out at the end of the day. ...But he's not exactly protective. If anyone even stood up to Lucky being physically abusive, it should've been him. But Nino does not protect the weak, because he is the kind of person to stand on the sidelines. Nino is not a source of stability, he's too much of a laid-back (and often cowardly) jokester to protect anyone.

More Suitable Miraculous: Monkey, Pig.

Renared - Fox of Illusion

The ideal holder of the Fox Miraculous is someone who is cunning, sly, and witty.

Aaliyah Thérèse Césaire is trying so hard to make it work, but is underserved by what she's been given.

If anyone in the team has the braincells, it's Alya. Alya can draft up plans with her Holo-Illusions like second nature, strategize on the fly, and takes to her ability to make diagrams out of thin air like a fish to water. ...But that's not what the Illusions are for, is it? As natural for her determined nature, she strives to bend her miraculous to her will anyways, rarely ever using her Illusions to actually distract and more to help her with her thankless job of the actual team leader. It makes sense that she would function this way, though! Alya is a proponent of the truth through and through, and is rather blunt often to the point of being brutally honest. Alya is not cunning, she is forthright and stubborn. If only she got a miraculous to reflect that.

More Suitable Miraculous: Ox, Rooster, Bee

Lucky Lucky Ladybug - Ladybug of Creation

The ideal holder of the Ladybug Miraculous is someone who is creative, compassionate, and clever.

Marinette Anne Louise Dupain-Cheng is this in all the wrong fucking ways.

It does take a creative person to formulate a plan to woo your celebrity crush with a perfect version of you. It takes someone who knows how to be compassionate to so effectively deny a shred of it to Chat Noir. It takes a clever person to make up a fake eulogy. And yet, at the same time, Lucky Lucky Ladybug is hindered by her hot-headed entitlement and her need to be the center of attention. She lets her team do the creative work, weaponizes her compassion as something to market herself with, and is somehow so caught up in her own world that she ignores evidence of Adrien being a relationship when it is staring her in the face. Marinette is best described as an embodiment of "creation" only in the sense that she will one day orchestrate her own undoing.

More Suitable Miraculous: Anything would be better than the Ladybug. That way she isn't brainwashing people anymore.

Chat Noir/Errant - Black Cat of Destruction

The ideal— Actually, let's break from convention for this one.

If anyone is fit to embody Destruction, it is Adrien fucking Agresté.

Once you get deep enough into TWEOS, Adrien is by far the most emotionally turbulent character out of any of them. It helps that the narration is so often colored by his input, but his range is exceptional and takes up a significant focus of the story. He is the mostly openly self-destructive and suicidal, romanticizing the idea of dying with his girlfriend, but is equally willing to destroy others in pursuit of his goals.

It's also worth taking into account that TWEOS is essentially a corruption arc. The whole point of the story is to witness his circumstances tear him apart, unearth his traumas, show a version of Adrien that becomes bitter and violent and vengeful. What power would suit a vengeful, violent person better than the power to destroy things?

Conclusion

In short, it's meant to be incredibly ironic that the only holder that truly embodies their miraculous is the one that quits. The entire ordeal is a stageplay put on by higher powers, of course it's more important to them that their puppets are obedient more than anything.

Of course, this isn't to say that synergy between a person and their miraculous is a good thing, either; That's what makes the eventual magic-induced insanity even worse, after all. This is what killed Emilie, what's ruining Marinette's relationships, and what is starting to happen to Adrien as well.

[zzencat]

Tarot Mini Reading Request

My initials: SR, Sabrina Rocha

17.06.2004

Sun-Moon-Mercury-Venus-Lilith Gemini ♊️

His Initials: RP, Rico P.

29.11.1991

Coworker at gastro, leader/shift supervisor 2nd in-command. Charismatic, hard to get to know personally. Problem-solver, strategic and professional. Great at teamwork. Gym rat. No hobbies. No faith in love or trust, but seems to be devoted to God (wears cross), always has his doppio espresso. Speaks Spanish and likes Shisha bars.

Green eyes, tall and very fit, beautiful smile. Blueish-greenish grey aura/vibes.

Sort of became a little more softie towards me. Caring when I don’t make him book food for my dinner (one of his tasks for the team), sometimes double-asking. Defending me from a disrespectful coworker on some occasions. Seemingly being closer to me at times. Or like that time he stared almost intensely at my eyes….and I tried to hold the stare until I looked down and away…shy as hell.

Last time we worked together, I gifted him a letter. Sort of love letter confessing that I like him more than just a coworker and inviting him to a coffee date. Also reassuring him I respect him a lot as a person and hope nothing will change after this if he feels uncomfortable or can’t reciprocate the feelings back. At the end telling a little more about me via a self-made quote and songs. A few drawings and scents (coffee, vanilla and lemongrass) on the letter and envelope.

What will the answer be or rely to be most likely? Positive, negative. Any other cards telling more, as it’s a short reading?

I’d be willing to expand on that through paying a little extra amount for more card pulls and energy-reading.

Thank you so much already!

sabrina sorry but does his surname happen to be…puerto?? nah nah im kidding 😂😂😂 my own lil jokes haha im playin

rico’s energy?

ok so…he kinda has a weird energy to him? it’s kinda strange. it’s like he’s putting on some sort of act or something or maybe he has to but yeah you’re right about him being hard to open up. he’s getting there yes, also correct.. but there’s something that’s going to be revealed and it will change everything. it was probably your little confession, but he’s taking everything into account. it’s also strange that i got deception like 3 times in the reading already. not in a bad way but like…hiding his true feelings? ik this is a little late so idk if he’s answered you yet, but in his mind he’ll try to keep things as peaceful and harmonious, at least at work. i will say that whatever the outcome is, you’ll try to keep yourself balanced and logical. it’s gonna be hard at work but you’ll try really, realllllly hard. you might hold back feelings or suppress some emotions. also i pulled some advice for you. again, whatever the outcome, make sure you don’t change yourself. love will come to you naturally. ALSO!!!! be very careful materially. don’t be sharing finances out so easily, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE!!!!!!! very important. be careful of theft as well. be careful who you let in easily. if you’re already guarded and are an alert person, that’s going to do you some good for now. i think you’re a fair person or at least you want to act fairly. you might have some moments where you feel like you have to overcompensate or prove yourself and your worth, especially at this job. be careful that you don’t become greedy materially. AND if people know you’re a hardworker and they happen to know how much you make, even if it’s more than them maybe, be careful with that as well. i want you to be super cautious money wise. you’ll feel down at times and to deal with it, you could put that energy into work or other things, so make sure you rest yourself and give yourself time to sit down and process emotions sometimes ok? i don’t think you give up easily either so good on you! you’re just getting started hahah. and you are worthy alright? don’t ever doubt it.

i think there’s possibility for there to be a love connection (in the future)! it just probably won’t happen super soon bc of financial reasons. he could feel pretty stuck and unsure how to really move on from now. whatever the outcome, he doesn’t want there to be drama between you two or work. he’d like to keep everything civil. if he’s a little avoidant, it’s probably bc you’re taking steps to pursue him. not that he thinks it’s bad! he’s just kind of in that…uncertain period, esp emotionally. it’s not you tho! not your fault or anything. the good thing is that he’ll try to be nice about everything. maybe it won’t happen so soon, but there is definitely a chance for you in the future with this guy. it could also be an age thing, so maybe he’s waiting for you to be more financially stable or just ready in general. he could also be in that energy where if he pursues this relationship, he’s thinking about *everything* that could change in his life.

that’s all i have for you sabrina!! thank you for joining the game :)

[gent-illmatic]

A matter of time⏱

(A long af ramble)

I don’t care how long you’ve known some people, what the bond was, if they’re relatives, part of a community, childhood friends, best work buddies etc.

Everybody isn’t meant to stay in your life!

During my spiritual journey I realized you can’t “helicopter” over the people you care about. It’s a dysfunctional love language many of us have. I wanted to support and guide my loved ones to the best of my ability. I’m known as the therapist/fixer of any friend group I’m apart of.

I’m the Olivia Pope of this shit. However, I would end up being the emotional trash bag ,while they reject every plausible solution presented. Im the person strategizing how to get them on track and distracting from my own goals to save theirs (ppl pleasing). Silently seething because not only do they seem to care very little about themselves … but also about my time and effort in supporting them! They’re turning up while I’m stressing for them.

I also realized a lot of these actions stemmed from events in my childhood, but I digress!

Then the “Ah ha” moment hit!

They don’t owe me shit.

Why? … because it’s not my job to do that! They’re not calling for advice. They’re calling to vent. Yes, being a good listening ear is part of being a good support as well. We don’t always have to swoop in with “what you should do is…”. I also learned my actions of support make me seem like a “know it all” with good intentions. It sends signals that I don’t believe they are capable of figuring out their own issues. As if they were mentally challenged. This dynamic breaths life into resentment.

However, for people like me , that becomes exhausting after while. Loved ones complaining about the same bullshit misfortunes over & over without looking for solutions, better discernment, or to establish positive patterns/habits. Constantly returning back into the arms of what has them forever frustrated. Wanting you to hold all of their emotional and dysfunctional baggage. You are being spiritually drained!

🫠

Especially, if you’ve done the work for your own life’s outcome! With or without therapy! You’ve put in the effort aside from your prayers. Now, you’re reaping the peaceful benefits of the investment in your life. You feel your spirit and life being led to better pastures ….It’s time to realize…

You’ve outgrown them.

it’s time to love them from afar!

The dynamic you once shared has expired/changed. The people you were in the beginning, No longer exists now. It’s no longer serving or fulfilling.

People will always prioritize themselves (as they should). You need to make sure you do the same. Nobody will care about you more than yourself as an adult. You can care for your loved ones, and wish them well. Give them guidance if specifically asked. However, we can’t live for them or force them to take our advice! It doesn’t matter how great the quality of our advice is…. We don’t even have to experience the consequences of the advice we give them! They have the choice of what to take and what to leave! We don’t even know if we have all the facts of the scenario anyway. They have their journey and you have yours…

But….

If their dysfunctional life starts to effect yours just being in their company…you begin reaping their consequences for their choices…you notice yourself regressing … you recognize you’ve lost sight or esteem of your own life mission…

Fall back.

You are the average of the 5 closest people to you. Choose wisely!

The mental ease you receive for allowing people to “do them” and letting go is priceless. Now you have time to dedicate towards your own conquests , continue your own development, and learn from your own choices.

I’m rambling now… but one last thing

Beware: When people notice you walking away to a better life, they may morph into your enemy. They may spill your secrets, smear you, they may not even care about your absence. If that’s the case It’s all good… some people can live in your heart but not in your life!

Keep the grass cut🌾🐍🌾

-KANAAN🌱

[mermmarie]

The Red String of Fate

Authors Notes: So, I had been thinking about this idea for a while, and admittingly I started this ahead of OC x Canon week, but the idea fits perfectly for the Day 3 prompt: Soulmate. So please enjoy chapter 1 of my Red String of Fate fanfic featuring Donnie!

Pair: Donatello x Reader

Word Count: 2k

Rating: T?? (Although, characters depicted are adults)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Mention of blood.

||Chapter 1|| ||Chapter 2|| ||Chapter 3|| ||Chapter 4||

-----------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1: Cosmically Bound

The Red String of Fate was a fairy tale you didn’t believe in anymore. A long time ago, yes, but after so many rejections, heartbreaks and betrayals how could you now? It was silly to even consider it a possibility in the first place. Just the idea that two people could be romantically bound by some magical, crimson colored thread was ridiculous. Especially when there was a zero point zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero three percent chance of it happening to anyone, let alone you.

While it was a fantasy you daydreamt about from time to time, you understood that it was just that; A fantasy. So, when you noticed a string of red laced around your ring finger, your first initial thought was that your head was in the clouds once more, dreaming of the impossible. However, the usual trick of closing your eyes and shaking your head of the thoughts only made the fantasies disappear, but the little red string remained. 

You straightened in your recliner, head cocking curiously as you focused your gaze on the thread. You flexed and curled your fingers, thinking that the illusion might disappear if you were to physically affect reality, but just as before, it stayed. A small gasp escaped your mouth when you lifted your hand into the air and the string extended. Following the red thread, your eyes grew wide with disbelief when it pointed out the window that was lined up next to your chair and suddenly all the dull sounds of New York were drowned out by the pounding of your heart in your ears. 

Somewhere out there in the bustling city was your soulmate. 

-----------------------------------------------------

SCANNING.

UNKNOWN PERSON NO.1

SEX: MALE

HEIGHT: 6 FT 0”

WEIGHT: 190 LBS

OBJECTS ON PERSON: SWITCH BLADE 

SCANNING.

UNKNOWN PERSON NO.2

SEX: MALE

HEIGHT: 6 FT 2”

WEIGHT: 211 LBS

OBJECTS ON PERSON: CROWBAR

SCANNING.

UNKNOWN PERSON NO.3

SEX: MALE

HEIGHT: 5 FT 9”

WEIGHT: 173 LBS

OBJECTS ON PERSON: BOX CUTTER 

Fittingly, Unknown Person No.1 had struck first, then Unknown Person No.2, but Unknown Person No.3 had decided to stay behind. Possibly a strategic tactic to fall back and assess the situation first, but it was more likely that he was just a coward. Although, his Sensei had taught him that a wise man was able to recognize when he was beaten. Unfortunately, none of them were wise. Just foolish thugs thinking they had the upper hand in the situation because it was three versus one. 

The realization came quickly to Unknown Person No.3 however when Donatello easily disarmed and knocked out his fellow associates. The whites of his eyes became more evident as the lean turtle approached him. His shoulders inching upwards and nearly touching his ears while he attempted to put on a menacing scowl, but by the way his teeth clattered against each other the front was obvious. Still, like a cornered rat, fear driven adrenaline compelled him to make a move, despite having already witnessed how that turned out for his comrades. 

Donatello effortlessly maneuvered out of the way of his first attack, and prepared himself to counter in the midst of his recuperation but faltered after having noticed something peculiar… 

As his metal staff spun between his large green digits, he saw a contrast of red on the smallest finger of his left hand. For a split second he assumed it was blood, thinking he somehow had been wounded in his scrap with the other two crooks, but there was no open gash or cut present on his hand. His eyes narrowed behind his goggles to focus his vision on the stark color and he brought his appendage closer to his view, nearly forgetting that he was in the middle of a fight until a familiar voice called out to him.

“Donnie!!” They warned and he flinched. Fear striking him when his gaze snapped to the short blade of the box cutter that was being thrust towards his face. Luckily, years of reflex training had him move just in time to avoid a critical injury, but he didn’t go unharmed. Unknown Person No.3 managed to nick him on the top of his cheek just below his left eye. Ignoring the sudden appearance of red momentarily, he turned his attention back to the thug and spun his bo into his diaphragm.

Another one of his Sensei’s lessons about ‘ never underestimating his enemies ’ and ‘ to remain focused during battle ’ echoed in the purple-coded mutants’ head and spite burned between his brows. Just as the man recovered from the air being knocked out of his lungs and he lifted his head, Donatello smacked him across the face with the tip of his staff. The man finally falling to the ground and unconscious. 

Bastard.  

Before he had time to inspect his injury, his cold-colored brother was at his side with his hands on his shoulders.

“Donnie, are you okay?” He asked, but didn’t wait for his answer. Instead, he moved his hands to his face, maneuvering it into a position where he could get a better look on the cut of his cheek. His normally, cool-blue eyes we’re blown up with a look of fear that Donatello didn’t witness often, and it had him reconsidering the severity of the attack. However, the anticipation that built in his chest subsided when Leonardo’s gaze softened. 

“Bad news; it’s gonna scar. Good news; you’ll finally match the rest of us.” He smirked. 

Donatello huffed and pulled his face out of his brothers’ hands. Pushing his goggles to the top of his head and sheathing his bo staff to his shell. 

“What happened back there, Donnie? I kind of expect Mikey to lose his head in the clouds but not you.” He pressed. 

Donatello grumbled and dropped his gaze. He could feel that his eyes wanted to wander back to his left hand, but he was almost too afraid to look. As he swung his final blow on the assailant, he caught the crimson color in his view again and recognized it for what it really was. He had heard of the ‘Red String of Fate’ as a myth. A legend, a rumor, an old wives tale. There had been some speculation of it happening to people throughout history, but no scientific proof. And Donatello wasn’t the kind of guy to believe in something without seeing it first hand for himself. 

So, if he didn’t look at it, that would mean it didn’t actually exist… Right?  

Uncertainty pulled at the corners of his lips as he extended his hand in front of his brother and splayed out his fingers. A bright red string wrapped snuggly around his smallest digit. Leonardo’s eyes widened again as he stared at the thread, but this time he looked with confusion. He brought his gaze back to him expectantly and naturally, he opened his mouth to explain.

“It’s–” He started but paused when he realized how silly it would be to speak of it out loud, let alone embarrassing… “Um–”

“The Red String of Fate.” Leonardo finished for him. 

Donatello’s brows arched with surprise. “Y–You know about the myth?” 

“Well, I wouldn’t necessarily call it a myth now.”

“Oh. Right…” Donatello lowered his hand and his gaze fell with it. His eyes locked on the red string in deep thought. He curled and flexed his fingers, speculating that the construct might simply vanish if he were to tamper with its existence. But as he turned over his hand, the tail end of the string extended and pointed into a specific direction away from the both of them. The two cool-colored mutants straightened in attention, but stayed silent as they looked off in the distance. 

Eventually, Leonardo broke the silence with a question that had Donatello snapping his head back to him in disbelief. 

“So… We gonna go find them?” 

“ W-What?!” The lean mutant exclaimed and cringed at how his voice cracked. His cheeks immediately turning a darker shade of green. 

Leonardo couldn’t help but to smile, albeit a bit sheepishly. “Okay, the way I worded it was a little– weird. ”

“ Ya think? ”

“What I meant was, don’t you wanna– investigate a little? See who your cosmic soulmate is?” The blue clad turtle shrugged. 

“No!” He covered the red string on his hand with his other, as if that would snuff out his brother’s questionable curiosity. 

“What do you mean?--”

Donatello groaned tiredly. “I don’t even know if I believe in this!” 

“How could you not? The proof is right there!” Leonardo pointed at his hand.

Cautiously, Donatello lifted his right hand just enough for him to peak underneath it. Checking to see if the little red thread was still intertwined around his finger. It was of course and he groaned again.

“Okay… I suppose I can’t deny its legitimacy but–” He chewed on the inside of his bottom lip. 

Out of the twenty-million residents who lived in New York, fate had decided that he, a mutant ninja turtle, was to be romantically bound to another. Who they were or what they looked like, he had no clue, but statistically thinking… His ‘other’ was most likely a human being. And from his experience, most human beings didn’t react positively to the fact that he was a nearly seven-foot tall, bioengineered reptile when they first saw him. He doubted that it would be any different in this case.

Even with the literal string attached.

“I’m not ready.” He paused again before adding on quickly, “To see them yet that is.” He shifted his weight from one leg to the other and averted his gaze from his brothers’. 

Leonardo stared at him in silence, and it felt as if he was trying to burn a hole into his head. As if to get inside his mind and find out what he was really thinking. Just as it was beginning to feel like too much, he finally spoke.

“Alright.” His arms flopped against his side and he turned away from him, looking in another direction. “Let’s tie them up and head home then.” He gestured to the thugs with a cock of his head and started to walk off, but Donatello reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him from going any further. 

“Leo,” he started, but licked his bottom lip in hesitation. “Thanks… And please don’t tell Raph or Mikey. Especially Mikey.” 

An amused puff of air escaped Leonardo’s nostrils. “I won’t say anything to them, but you know Mikey’s gonna be upset when he eventually finds out. Probably cry about how it didn’t happen to him instead.” 

Donatello hummed in agreement and for a split second, he kind of wished it had happened to his orange-clad brother instead. At least then he’d be able to observe the phenomenon from the outside and record his findings on the matter if he were to experience it for himself. Normally, he didn’t mind going into things ‘ blind ’, metaphorically speaking. It was part of being a scientist, figuring things out through trial and error. But with this kind of subject? He’d prefer to have some knowledge on how to go about it. Unfortunately, he was on his own. 

Turning to follow his brother, Donatello took one last look in the direction the red string pointed off to and wondered if you were having the same troubling thoughts? Then, the idea of you looking for him crossed his mind and it pushed his focus back to the round up. The last thing he wanted was for you to find him in the middle of the night, amongst bodies of thugs, and with a bloodied face. 

[abybweisse]

I had a question about something I had always thought of as odd is in Kuroshitsuji. Ciel and Elizabeth had been betrothed since childhood, and that on its own isn’t that weird. But then I remember that Vincent married Rachel (who is not related to him like Ciel and Lizzie are) for love and they didn’t even meet until they were older, and the same is presumed for Frances and Alexis. Do you think that there might be any plot related reasons for why the Phantomhive family (particularly Vincent and Frances who likely arranged for this) would have chosen to have those two marry? Perhaps anything related to their lineage?

Reasons for marriages

Well, let's back up... slightly... about why Vincent and Rachel get married. I'm not saying they don't love each other, because they definitely do. It's just that I'm not exactly sold on the idea that's the only reason he proposes and she accepts. At the time, and particularly among the nobility and royalty, marriages are pretty much never just for love; they are nearly always strategic... and it's just wonderful if there's also a love connection.

Someone like Vincent Phantomhive, the queen's watchdog, has to choose a wife wisely. She doesn't necessarily have to be in the best physical health, but she must have certain qualities, especially regarding personality and intelligence. They meet in the first place through her father, who probably counts among the "evil nobles" already. I've said this... somewhere, quite some time ago... that Vincent probably makes it known he's looking for a wife, and everyone in his network makes suggestions. He agrees to meet the ones that sound the most promising. Of course, his associates with young maiden relatives are going to try to get them married into the Phantomhive family, unless it would be too much of a peerage downgrade.

That said, Rachel's father probably would have been okay with Vincent choosing either of his daughters. It's just that it was definitely customary to marry off the oldest daughter first. Besides, I think Angelina is about 15 when Rachel is 17/18. Vincent canonically (because Yana-san says so) is already self conscious about the age gap between himself and Rachel -- about 6 years. So, it really puts things into perspective how unrealistic Angelina is to ever think she might have a chance with Vincent. He is nice to her but probably sees her as a kid, and he speaks to her in third person just like Rachel does. Like "Angelina's hair is lovely...", etc. to her, not to someone else about her.

Anyway, Vincent meets with Rachel a few times, where they get to know each other better, and they decide they are a good match. More importantly, Vincent must decide that she fits all his criteria... whatever that might entail. Then, given the formalities of the time, Vincent asks Rachel's father for his permission to propose.

For Francis/Frances and Alexis, it seems they meet during a fencing challenge... where she clearly prevails. And he falls madly in love with her, not just for her skill but also presumably because she's beautiful. After that, I have to assume he woos her until she accepts his proposal. Her mother is dead by then, and her father is... well... I think Alexis is led to believe that her father is also dead. They likely don't ask for anyone's approval... besides perhaps Vincent, with him being official head of the family by then, and he has no particular reason to say no. She gets bumped up in the peerage, too, so it's a bonus.

With Ciel and Lizzie, yes. I think there is a strategic reason for betrothing them... which probably happens as soon as the twins are born, if not before. It strengthens family ties, financially, etc... but it could also be a matter of special lineage -- say, a known reaper in the direct line of both kids. And Lizzie, from a very young age, is being trained to be the perfect wife of the queen's watchdog; that's something else her mom and Vincent might have planned as early as possible.

Notice that we've never heard about a betrothal for Edward. It could be that he's also betrothed and we've simply never heard, since it's not important to the story. Or it could be they didn't bother to arrange a marriage for him, since the Phantomhives don't have any daughters -- this would strengthen the idea that Ciel and Lizzie's betrothal is strategic. Personally, I hope he gets to marry for love... and I hope he ends up with Paula, despite the fact she's not in the peerage. He could raise her status, and that would be nice. Honestly, I hope that... after all this is over... Lizzie gets to find someone for herself and marry for love.

[lorei-writes]

HC: If he were to be a parent - Chevalier, pt.2

Continuation of HC: If he were to be a parent - Chevalier. Because I've developed some sort of Family AU by now, and I want to share it :)

Sponsored by the idea I had that would work best as a comic strip, but alas, I do not have the ability to make that. Extra fluffy bit below the cut, I just needed to lay ground for it first.

There may be more in the future.

Content Warnings: all things parenthood and pregnancy related

Chevalier

>>Children

Chevalier has two children, a son (eldest) and a daughter (youngest).

It isn't that they didn't want more children. However, the second pregnancy was harsher on his wife than the first one, and the delivery itself was complicated. In the end, Chevalier doesn't want to risk losing both his wife and a child, so they decided to stop at two.

The boy is named Arthur. Yes, after King Arthur. It is hard having book nerd parents. Appearance-wise, he took after his father, but he has his mother's warm eyes. However, unlike Chevalier, he isn't a prodigy child -- he is bright, and he tries his hardest, but even so, he feels that he can't measure up to his sister.

Arthur tends to be unaware of his own strengths, though. He's social, considerate of others, has some innate charisma, and most importantly: knows how to work well with others. He's fairly similar to Leon in many ways.

The girl is year and a half younger than her brother. Her name is Rosalie, and... It should suffice to say she's almost as if little Chevalier was born a girl. She excels in academics, and asked to be trained with a sword too. However, unlike little Chevalier, she has parents who care about her, so although not fluent in emotions, she isn't completely lost either. However, even so, she doesn't understand why her brother feels this way about her. Even if she was born a boy, she wouldn't want to become a king. It'd be too boring.

Clavis is her favourite uncle.

>>Morning Routine

For one thing, Chevalier gets continuously harder to wake up in the morning as they grow. First, because baby Arthur needed for somebody to take care of him. Then, because his wife was pregnant again, and Arthur was still very little. Then, because they had one toddler, and one newborn. And then, because they didn't have another child for long enough for foreign forces to realise that Arthur is the only heir to the crown that will probably be there. And Chevalier does not want for his child to be hurt, so he stays vigilant.

At this point, the Queen just lets him sleep in. She's been with him for years, she knows why he's sleeping poorly.

That being said, she also has some plans. Arthur is five at this point, Rosalie is three (and a half). First, the Queen sends Rosalie to wake Chevalier up. When that doesn't work, she asks Arthur to go and try as well.

Roughly what happens is:

Rosalie: Papa? Papa, wake up! *pulls at Chevalier's arm*

Chevalier: *opens one eye to identify who dares to wake him up*

Chevalier: *sees that it's just his daughter*

Chevalier: Five more minutes. <- an attempt at being responsible about setting an example

Rosalie: You always say that, papa. Wake up!

Chevalier: *inaudible mumbling*

Rosalie: Papa?

Chevalier: *pulls her onto the bed to cuddle with her*

Rosalie is not a morning person either, although for no particular reason. She's content to have achieved her goal, and falls asleep.

~ 20 minutes later ~

Arthur: Papa, wakee uuup!

Chevalier: *no reply*

Arthur: Come on, papa! Mom's making breakfast!

Chevalier: *the same manoeuvre as previously, this time with Arthur*

In the end, Chevalier gets between hour and an hour and a half of extra sleep each morning. His wife is the last one to come to wake him up (or well, them all up).

Her approach is very strategic. Not only is her husband (generally) unable to move freely at this point, and thus cannot pull her onto the bed. She also gets to watch Chevalier asleep, with their children cuddled into his sides. Even though he's not aware of this, he always pulls them closer as soon as he hears steps anywhere nearby.

(All that being said, the protocol of open-one-eye -> identify-the-intruder -> if:family;then:pull-in-for-cuddles is still attempted each time. Sometimes just to the laughter of his wife, though).

--

TagList: @cilokgoang @violettduchess @fang-and-feather @pathogenic

[inuhalfdemon]

Dirty Dealings (11/21)

Word Count = 1,293 Words

Chapter 11: The Reason

If he could rely on anyone in Hell…it was Rosie - Alastor

Alastor immediately left for Hell and found Rosie busy working within her Emporium. Seeing him enter; Rosie hurriedly – but politely - excused herself from the client she was with. She quickly saw that Alastor was…well…a mess. He looked exhausted; his red and black hair was in disarray, his bowtie askew, his monocle dirty with small, faded splotches across the glass, his jacket wrinkled and un-straightened… He had made a wise decision; coming to see her now.

Rosie took him upstairs to the studio she kept above the Emporium. This wasn’t something new to him; he’d taken brunches and tea with Rosie there before when they wished to discuss more delicate matters in private or; simply to enjoy each other’s company alone: playing in cards and dice, dancing, sharing music they had found and liked, etc.

Alastor didn’t just respect Rosie for her power as an Overlord of Hell; she was his closest, and dearest friend. Still; he was struggling with having to resort to this…having to come to her for help in his personal matters. He always felt that he would be better than that; having to rely on others. But, last night…it was way, way WAY too much. He didn’t know that something like that could be possible; that any form of a desire would have its claws so deep in him that he couldn’t pull himself away. And, if he could rely on anyone in Hell…it was Rosie.

Rosie opened the door to the studio and Alastor stopped there; just at the threshold.

She had cleared the entirety of the wide room that was her studio; all regular furnishings and such were gone. Instead; now there was only one small tea table and a set of chairs at the center; surrounding it entirely beneath was a carefully and intricately made pentagram; drawn onto the floor from the off-white chalk of the bones of demons.  Lit candles were placed at strategic points all along the pentagram; an incredible amount of power was emanating from within its boundary. Upside-down crosses were hung throughout the walls of the room; black sage burning from a smudge bowl made of brimstone that was placed at the table.

“Well, this is…” Alastor was trying to find the right words, his voice crackling radio. “….excessive.”

Rosie laughed lightly. “You’re not running away.” She noted. “I thought you might actually bolt out of here.”

“Is this all really necessary?” He asked, unmoving from the doorway.

“It is.” She said, walking away from him and stepping into the pentagram. With a little flourish; she had tea set out for the both of them. “Now, would you please join me?” She asked him, taking a seat.

Alastor sighed; going to Rosie, he stepped through the borders of the pentagram.

The change in him was instant. He felt all of his exhaustion, his internal conflict, his doubt, his simmering need…everything that had had him chained – it fell away, as if the links had snapped.

He gasped; just standing there – feeling more like himself since…he didn’t know when.

“Oh, good.” Rosie said with relief; watching his process. “I had hoped this would do it!”

“What-?“ Alastor felt incredibly free from something; like poison being sucked from a wound.

“We need to discuss this…deal…you’ve made, Alastor.” Rosie told him, serious. “Really and truly.”

“Yes.” He said. “Yes, you are right…of course.”

Almost feeling light-headed, he went and sat himself at the table across from Rosie; reaching for a cup of the tea.

“You said that this…girl. She came to you wanting a longer life?” Rosie asked him; going back to the beginning.

“She found me…in the swamps. I was hunting.” He had decided that he would tell Rosie everything. “She felt desperate, and I made a deal with her. She would live as long as she wished; I would take her soul when she no longer wanted it. She can’t age, she can’t die – but I added my own little clause: she can’t be remembered. Other humans, they forget they ever knew or saw her as soon as she leaves their sight. Anything she tries to make an impact with; writings, drawings, etc. they fade away. She can’t form connections or make any kind of a difference to anything that she tries to…I thought she would have given up a long time ago.”

“It wasn’t a bad thought…” Rosie admitted. “Really, it might have worked well with any other soul. Hell, it still might work.” Rosie said. “I guess that depends on…where we are at with things now..?”

“Ugh…” Alastor groaned. “It’s a mess. Something’s happened…”

Rosie just looked at him; pointedly, waiting.

“I just spent an entire night of…fornicating with her. It’s disgusting how regular it is becoming…”

“So, you haven’t killed her.” Rosie remarked, casually. “That’s impressive.”

“How do you know so much about this?” He asked her now.

“Sweetheart; I’ve made the same deal. During the reapings…. more than once, actually..” Rosie admitted. “It always quite a tempting prospect…the reward is so enticing.”

“So,” Alastor was realizing. “You knew. That…this would happen?”

“Well, I had hoped it would turn out better for you, my dear.” Rosie sipped at her tea. “Especially with your lack of interest in…well, intimacy.”

“What causes it?” He asked her, wanting to know.

“I can only theorize.” She told him. “But, my guess? Well, it’s that: once the soul reaches their time; that time they should have passed by – the power it takes to keep them there, it increases. With that increased power there is a stronger…connection. I’m sure you already found that you knew her more, felt her more the longer your deal was in place. You felt the things that were important and vital to her; felt her emotions, what she was feeling…This connection tends to be there much more stronger with human souls than with demons. Now, for whatever reason, your connection to her – this connection that was formed when you made your deal – it’s becoming stronger. And, it will continue to become stronger, Alastor. The power you will need to keep her alive, it will increase – draining more and more from you.”

“That’s not something that really concerns me.” Alastor told her, truthfully. “It’s the influence.”

“Yes, well you did create that problem for yourself rather well, didn’t you.” Rosie was saying. “You thought yourself rather clever; preventing her from forming vital relationships and attachments to others when you yourself were the only one she could ever find that with. Having this connection; all of her wants, her desires, her needs…they become yours. When you make yourself a noose; you make a fine one, my friend.”

“So, what do I do about it now?” Alastor asked her. “The deal is made. How do I make sure that I get what I want from this?”

“There are…options.” Rosie mused. “You could always void the contract. Walk away; kill her…whichever you’d prefer.”

“And, all that power I spent getting us here…gone – just thrown away? With nothing to gain.” Alastor snorted. “No.”

“Then, finish it.” Rosie told him. “Do whatever it takes to wrap this all up. I know you, Alastor, and I’m sure you are being too much of a gentleman about this whole thing. You could get an incubus - or even a succubus - involved; a deal like this is a wet dream for those ilk.”

“Rosie. Really?”  He asked her, without humor.

“I’m just casting out ideas, Alastor.” She said. “The truth of the matter is this: this girl is contracted to you. It’s you that has to work out how to close this deal of yours that you’ve made. My advice: do it quickly. You’re only going to lose more power and -if this goes south, as some deals do - you could lose yourself. ”

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Chapter 12