#They're the four of them very much alike if each in their own way

[witches-dream]

Imagine you have a son, and he's growing very disciplined, which is good, but he's very introverted, not really in a shut-in kinda way, he just seems very unapproachable to people, and he is, because he's just so serious all the time. Like you look at him and, yeah, he's gonna be great warrior, but you also wish that he could. Socialize a little?

So your son grows up and leaves to fulfill some kinda grand goal and you're like "ok, son", still kinda worried about him, but he's not your baby anymore, he can do what he wants. So he leaves and after a few days you hear this earth-shattering lightning strike, no storm before or after or anything, everybody is wondering what happened and if you'll all die soon. Nothing happens past that, actually, it feels strangely peaceful. So after a few days your son comes back and he doesn't look any different, but he has definitely changed in like a week or two that he was gone. So he says "father, I have defeated the black and white dragons". You're kinda shocked, but that explains the lightning strike and how everything went quiet after it, and your son is not one to lie, so you you say "oh, for real? neat". "They are not going to bother anyone anymore." Your son says in a solemn tone. Later, everyone celebrates but he doesn't come. You knock into his room, and, even through a closed door, you can feel some sort of power, warmth radiating from it. He opens the door and his sword looks... Different. First of all, it's much bigger. It has a completely different shape. And there's this... Purple gem on its handle and it's glowing brightly. Nobody in this village could've forged such an otherworldly masterpiece. So you ask "got a new sword, son?" He says "Yeah. It's a Soul Jam, actually." "A Soul Jam? Never heard of it." "I will tell you later."

He reluctantly agrees to join the celebration, but after a few weeks he leaves the village. He starts building a citadel, and walling off the coast of the Licorice Sea. People are already calling him Your Majesty, though he's slow on accepting that title. Many decades pass and you're so old you can't get out of the house on your own anymore. Your son visits and he looks the exact same as when he left. He takes care of you, with the same cold face he's always had, though his hands are warm and him just being there warms your heart. You strain your old and tired vocal cords to utter "I'm proud of you, son." He's silent, but he nods, and his long hair obscures his face, but you can imagine he's happy to hear that.

It's after you die that he accepts the throne, and the title of King that was decided by the people whose respect for him towered the mountains. And, as it turns out, your son is immortal now. And, through the years, through the decades and centuries and even millennia, he takes the utmost care of all his subordinates, he remembers every face of his every warrior and he etches out their names and immortalizes them and prays to them each day.

Your son does many great things, many heroic deeds. He defends the kingdom he founded with a resolution of a true warrior. Your son made friends. There's only four of them, they are heroes of their own lands just like him, so they're busy most of the time, but they go on adventures and they have fun once a couple of centuries. Your son also makes many mistakes, says things he deeply regrets. He has a son, and, even being thousands of years old, he still thinks of you and wishes he could be even half as great a father as you were.

Maybe sometimes your son wishes you were around to lend a word of advice, or to say "I'm proud of you" one more time. Other times, he's ashamed of a thought that you might be out there somewhere, watching him from the heavens and shaking your head in disapproval. You have no way of telling him you love him either way, with all his virtues and all his vices alike. What matters is that, in the end, your son overcomes all adversities and becomes a better person. He was given a unique chance in life: to have infinite time to learn, and he uses all that time to become a better person.

You have no regrets. You can rest peacefully, knowing you have raised a hero.

[longagoitwastuesday]

I finally met Nanami

[bakvrue]

bakugou x reader

halloween costumes, named children, some cute family fluff, selfship coded, ~800 wc, divider @/cafekitsune

"Katsuki, you have to come out."

You hear a sad grunt on the other side of the bathroom door, and you can picture the way his face is contorting in the mirror already.

It was almost cruel of your daughter to ask this of him, but she doesn't know that.

"If you won't come out I'm coming in." You open the door and press your lips together, willing yourself not to laugh.

Your strong and prideful husband stares at himself in the mirror; green curls frame his face, a yellow cape hangs off his shoulders, and he's fitted with Deku's signature jump suit.

"I hate this." He narrows his eyes at himself in the mirror. "Do I have to wear the wig, can't I have some dignity?"

"You have to wear it for photos at least." He grumbles as you lean your head on his shoulder. Even covered in green he still looks like himself. "Wait, you forgot one very important part."

You grab an eyeliner pencil from your makeup drawer and turn his face, drawing Midoriya's four freckles on each cheek.

"There, the finishing touch." He groans, and you take his head into your hands. "Just wait until you see Katsuno, she's so excited to be her hero."

His mouth twists to the side, most likely wondering why he even agreed to match with her. But you remember how his eyes sparkled when she came home from preschool overwhelmed with excitement saying that she wanted to match costumes with him. She only slipped it in afterwards that she would be dressing as him, and that of course he would have to be Deku.

Katsuki makes peace with his reflection and turns to you, "So can I get a Halloween kiss?"

He puckers his lips, grabbing onto you before you can dance out of his reach. "Just a kiss for your hero," he makes kissy sounds like the menace he is and you erupt into laughter, pushing his face away and trying to bend over backwards to get away from his assault.

"Ew! Daddy, that's gross!" Your youngest, Natsumi, stands in the doorway, her hand on her hip and fairy wings on her back. The sparkle makeup you let her do herself makes her serious look very much the opposite.

Katsuki lets go of you, and gets into a crouching position, hands in the air like he's some sort of monster. "It's your turn for kisses then!"

He chases her out of the bathroom and down the hall, rounding the corner into the girls' room, but Katsumi jumps out of the doorway holding up her hand to command a stop. Her hair is up in a ponytail, accented with Bakugou’s own hair spikes, her costume an almost near replica for his own, down to the knee pads and the boots.

"Stop!" Her little voice makes Katsuki freeze in his tracks, he grunts and lunges after her and your daughter squeals and runs into her room, with her father/monster/Deku on her tail.

"It's not every day you see prohero Deku chasing a squealing Dynamite!" You call down the hallway as you grab the last pieces of your costume.

"It's Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight to you!" Katsuki and Kasuno yell out in unison.

Your oldest, Takumi, appears next to you. His ninja costume must be working some type of magic because where did he even come from?

He shakes his head at the racket, "Those two are too much alike."

"Don't I know it…" you laugh at the screams coming from the girls' room once again and you can only imagine what is going on in there. Katsuki probably has them cornered on one of the beds and they're about to turn the tides with the help of some stuffed animals. "Come on bud, let's go see if anyone is here yet."

Bonus:

"You got photos of this right?" Izuku sneaks up on you with two of his children climbing on his arm like a jungle gym.

"Of course I did." You wiggle your phone at him, "And I already made backups, and backups of the backups."

"Smart," Izuku shuffles on his feet and the two kids decide climbing on their dad isn't fun anymore and run off. "Would you—"

"Don't worry, I already sent you a few."

"Thanks," Izuku looks around the crowd to spot his wife when you hear a loud yell.

"AUGH! You can't take me down so easily villains!"

You find the source: your husband, with his mini-me on his shoulders, and every Bakugou and Midoriya child, about eight in total, climbing on him trying to drag him down. The green wig slipping off his head and the child hanging off his neck; you raise your phone yet again.

*Click*

"Don't worry Izuku, I'll send that one too," you laugh before he can even open his mouth.

[southangel]

Hi! How's it going?

Can I get some headcanons about the main four with a twin sibling!reader? How would the dynamic between them and people around them look.

You can choose if they're identical or fraternal twins. 

Main 4 Being their Twin Sibling

Warnings: none

Notes: Platonic, gender-neutral as well! Will be fraternal twins, since identical twins are typically the same gender. A little rushed, wrote most of this late at night.

Stan Marsh

Being Stan’s twin would be fun, I think.

You’ll obviously look similar, but not so similar to the point where people bombard you guys with questions.

You would be the older one, by about a minute, and you would definitely tell all his friends about it.

He hates you for it.

Since you’re related to Stan, you’re also related to Shelley, meaning you both get attacked by her.

Luckily she’s a bit nicer on you, only because you’re friends aren’t as annoying as Stan’s.

You don’t really hangout with Stan and his friends unless they need you as a backround character for a game, otherwise you would be with your own friend group.

Your personalities are very similar, people could probably tell that you’re related by just that.

I feel like Stan would be the type to scam you out of favors, but quickly feel bad then do something in return for you.

You used to both walk into school together, but after moving onto the farm and having to wear those Hemp shirts, it was embarrassing.

You both agreed that two people with Hemp shirts walking together was more embarrassing than one, so you split up.

You would be friends with Wendy, since gossiping about Stan is so fun for you both.

Imagine you and Stan both doing homework together, staring at the worksheet before eventually giving up.

You guys played Terrance and Philip on the TV afterwards, so it was okay.

“Tell me if Wendy says anything bad about me, please?”

Kyle Broflovski

Being Kyle’s twin sibling would be interesting.

Kyle would be the older one by about 3 minutes, but he isn’t obnoxious about it and doesn’t care.

Kyle tends to be the smarter one, so he wouldn’t mind tutoring or explaining every bit of work to you, you steal his answers when he isn’t looking.

You used to hang out with Kyle and his friends, then Cartman started going after you as well even though he hasn’t before.

If you ever get a partner with a stable relationship, Kyle would be happy for you, but I feel like he would be a little jealous since his romantic luck is absolute shit.

You guys are the types of twins where everyone can tell that you’re siblings, and it’s super annoying getting asked the same questions everyday.

Sheila would probably make you guys share a room, and you both hate it.

I know she would be the type of mom to dress you guys up in matching outfits when you guys were younger as well.

You and Kyle would be the type of twins that talk at the same time, doesn’t matter if you say the same things or not.

It’s so bad that some people swear you can mind communicate, you wish.

The only bad apart about being Kyle’s twin is that you’re practically engaged in everything he does, which is really annoying.

“Mom, do we really have to be matching?”

Kenny Mccormick

I think having Kenny as your twin sibling would be really nice.

Although your household and environment at home really isn’t great, you both still make the most of it.

You guys might share clothes, not often though.

Kenny is older than you by 5 minutes, bigger gap than the rest, but he genuinely doesn’t care.

You guys don’t really look alike that much, so it’s only when they realize the last names are the same that they notice you guys are siblings.

It’s a good thing nobody notices though, or else the questions would be a hassle.

You and Kenny would definitely each take turns taking care of Karen, hanging out with her or getting her small things from time to time.

I feel like Kenny sees you as the other half of him in some way, not because you’re his twin, it’s because you’re his twin.

He would take you down to work at City Wok, so that you guys could make some extra money.

You and Kenny both payed half and half for that Sony PSP, using your saved money from City Wok.

You guys fight over the PSP daily, not bothering to make some actual working time distribution on the device.

You would definitely find Kenny cheesing all the time, in the act.

All you do is walk away because you don’t really care, you just hope he doesn’t get into too much trouble.

“Do you like it, Karen? Me and Y/N saved up for it.”

Eric Cartman

Cartman definitely hates you, partially.

You’re his twin, and he sees that as a terrible thing because of how he exaggerates having to be stuck to you all the time.

You DEFINITELY don’t look like Cartman, at all.

Maybe there’s only some similar features, but you should be glad to not look the slightest similar to him:

Cartman would make fun of you for being to nice, than start screaming at you once you become annoying like him.

He can’t make up his mind over anything, and it only makes him angrier when he thinks about how you’re older, only by a minute.

You’re embarrassed about being related to him, but at least you kind of secret information to blackmail him with if he ever gets too annoying.

Liane let’s you guys do whatever you want, as long as you and Cartman are together most of the time.

You guys are forced to become partners all the time in projects and school assignments, and you almost always are the loudest ones in the room because of your arguments.

You genuinely feel that living with Cartman is like hell on earth, and you can only assume he feels the same but with amplified hatred.

Sometimes it seems like he likes you though, it’s weird.

One time you were coming back from a sleepover and he came to hug you, talking about how he missed you sooo much, he made you do his homework in return for being affectionate.

If you ever get a love interest or partner, Cartman is already on his way to asking everything about them.

It’s not like he cares, he does, he just wants to know who you’re really talking with.

He’ll probably be really weird about it for the first week, then get over it and start being annoying once more.

“You took a really long time at that sleepover, now go do my homework.”

[princekirijo]

If you're willing to... tell me a bit about Spiderfiend!

Alright its time. So Spiderfiend in short is my Spidersona! He's very similar to me but not exactly. I changed like little details about him and also how he looks too (he's way buffer than me LMAO and his face is slightly different). For some basic details:

Name: Prince Parker Current Alias: Spiderfiend Pronouns: He/Him Reality: Earth 1408 Identity: Secret known only to Gwen Stacy Height: 5'10 Eye Color: Dark Brown Hair Color: Auburn (reddish brown basically) Family: Unnamed Birth family, Dr Odelia Octavius (adoptive mother), May Parker (adoptive mother - deceased). Friends: Gwen Stacy Love Interest: Rose Jane (RJ) Watson

Bitten by: Spiny Orb Weaver genetically altered by the scientists at OckTech Powers: Wall Crawling, Regeneration, Superhuman Strength/Stamina/Speed/Agility/Durability/Reflexes, Spider Sense, Organic Webs (come from his wrist ONLY), Retractable Claws Demonic Powers: Pyrokinesis, Extra Enhanced Supernatural Eyes (basically four extra eyes that help him see spirits and in the dark), Extra Arms (they're like spirit arms?? Idk how to describe them). Weaknesses: Salt.

Bio: Prince Parker was 15 yrs old when he got bit. It happened on a school field trip to OckTech industries, he had been separated for the group looking for the bathroom and stumbled upon an unused lab. A small orb weaver crawled onto him and bit him on the arm. What Prince didn't realize is that this spider was deceased, but currently possessed by a high ranking Prince of Hell, Mordred. Naturally after being bit, he started to feel a little sick and was taken home. When he got home, he passed out and woke up in a strange fiery throne room, Mordred's domain. Here Mordred explains that (for reasons that are unknown to himself) a number of demons have escaped Hell (Hell is just a demon dimension I haven't thought about it much more than that) and he needs a human to help him bring them back. He argues that because he has made Prince a stronger human (had to spider bite him) he owes him. He then asks Prince to sign a contract: in exchange for even more power Prince would become a pawn an ambassador of sorts for Mordred and help him return the demons back to hell (aka Mordred takes Prince's soul). However Mordred kinda fucks up his own contract (he's not the most diligent of demons) and the actual terms are basically that they own each other's souls. Prince suggests that instead they work together as partners, and that he will happily send the demons back to where they came from, and in return Mordred can help him protect the people of New York. Mordred reluctantly agrees and Prince wakes up. And thus, Spiderfiend, the spider who harnesses the power of a demon to fight demons and humans alike and protects New York!

That's the main kinda info and origin story. I'm gonna put some more notes undercut if you're interested :]

So these are the extra notes:

So I mentioned in the lil bio that May is dead. That is what Miguel would consider Fiend's canon event! When Prince was 12, he and May were coming home from a day out (idk I haven't got all the details yet ahah) and they got mugged by thugs. The thugs might belong to a group that could be important late? I'm kinda starting a lot of stuff from scratch after I scrapped my old lore so a lot of this stuff is subject to change. Anyway May tried to reason with them, thugs didn't listen and one of them ended up accidentally shooting May. The ambulance + police + Odelia arrived to find young Prince crying holding his adoptive mother who was very much dead. This death really changed Prince and its why he demanded that Mordred help him protect others, because he always dreamed of being strong enough to protect others, because he failed to protect May (he blames himself for her death).

Yes Odelia is Doc Ock. She also created the spider that bit Prince. She also knows Spiderfiend is Prince, and is aware Prince knows. Prince knows she's Doc Ock but doesn't she knows he's Spiderfiend. It's complicated 💀

I mentioned before that Mordred gives Prince rings. Basically for every demon power Prince gets, Mordred give him a silver ring. These rings cannot be taken off, as they are proof of the contract between the two. Now for most Spidermen the uncle Ben saying is "with great power comes great responsibility". For Fiend however, its Mordred who delivers the line "great power comes at a great price". That's because with every ring, Prince becomes a little more... corrupted. The corruption which would eventually make him lose his mind and go out of control, (this would happen once there's a ring on all his fingers i.e. 10 rings). It also affects his body in the form of these scar/tattoo like markings. That's why Prince only has a small amount of demon powers, because with every demonic power he gains, he slowly loses his mind (this is not something Mordred can prevent something something nature of humans and demons interacting). Also as for how the powers are picked, usually Prince will pick them based on the dire situation he's in.

The last little note is that some of the villains in my universe will be classic Spiderman villains with a demonic twist. I think the two big ones would be Lizard - Curt Conners got possessed by a high ranking demon and was transformed into a reptile like demon - and Norman Osborn aka Green Goblin - who I will say nothing about for now. There will probably be more but that's all I have for now.

Oh and currently the suit is black and purple! Black and purple being colors associated with demons and corruption and are also intimidating which fits Fiend pretty well (Fiend is only intimidating in appearance though that mf is goofy as hell 💀). If you wanna see my current draft the suit I could share it in dms I'm too shy to post it rn 👉👈

[kiss-my-freckle]

Full Episode Commentary

2x10: The Sacrifice

Because they're witches that don't require an invitation, Jonas breaks into Elena's home to gather for spells. The noise wakes Elena. When she goes to check out the cause of the noise, she runs into Alaric in his boxers. So awkward. While she talks to Alaric and Jenna, Jonas takes her cheerleader photo.... the girl Elena refers to in 3x11. She's not that girl anymore, but she's still holding onto her. If this were my room, I'd notice that photo missing. I'm too OCD not to notice.

Damon and Stefan head down to the tomb to see Katherine together. It's beautiful the way they cut scene. The episode ends opposite the open, so you can already see the end of the episode. Is it a wonder Bonnie seals Elena in her house opposite Katherine in the tomb?

"Is that before or after he kills everyone that I care about, including the two of you." Elena is already planning to sacrifice herself. This is a knife pointed at both ends. It doesn't matter who dies, that knife is gonna hurt. I consider Elena's sacrifice both selfless and selfish. She lost both her parents, dates a vampire because it feels safe to love someone that has an eternal life, but loss is part of life. They spend so much time focused on Elena's desire not to lose her loved ones because she already lost her parents, but they spend no time at all on Elena considering the hole she'll leave behind when she dies.

"New-ish. I still have some growing pains." Bonnie is talking to Luka. I'm so annoyed with him and his father it's not even funny. Anyway, her comment is Elena's title for 4x1. "It's 'cause you're trying to do too much on your own. You need help." The concept of joining forces, of putting their energy together to double their strength. What they refer to as channeling. Stefan prefers to protect, Damon prefers an equal partner. Elena prefers doing everything on her own, so she plans to self-sacrifice. "Is that before or after he kills everyone that I care about, including the two of you." She doesn't want them to de-spell the moonstone.

Damon and Elena are written alongside Luka and Bonnie. Luka and Bonnie channel each other. They're doing this very pretty thing with the Fall leaves. Now Jeremy is starting to act jealous lol. He's not wrong, though. If I were a witch, I'd be suspicious of a witch dropping in my life like Luka did with Bonnie. Luka forgot to get his dog tags back from her, so she's gonna end up using them to channel him. It's a nice thing when you consider Delena and the vervain necklace.

Rose is so beautifully awkward in this scene. She knows Damon's in love with Elena. This is like Lexi and her towel moment. Purple is a great color for supernaturals, especially witches. Does Elena really think Rose isn't gonna inform Damon of her plan to self-sacrifice? Apparently so… she's turning to Rose for help to do just that. Elena offers Rose a daylight ring just as Damon offered Slater. Great minds think alike.

Damon: You want to walk in the sun? I can make that happen if you help us. Elena: How would you like to be able to walk during the daylight?

I feel sorry for Matt. He has no idea why he started a fight with Tyler, and no one is being honest with him about it.

"I'm student council vice president, head of the prom committee, not to mention I single-handedly organized this town's clean up campaign. And you're really gonna turn down my help?"

Caroline never stops. The girl works like the Energizer bunny with every event they have. A team of four... Damon, Stefan, Jeremy, and Bonnie. None of them paying mind to where Elena and Rose went or what they're doing. They should know Elena by now. If she wasn't up to something herself, she'd be all up in it with them. She's not, so they have reason to fear. Rose is trying to get out of this, but Elena won't let her, so she forces the doors open and finds Slater dead on the floor.

"I used to just come here and watch the day." Rose is gorgeous, but her sunless existence is so depressing. She has that edgy look that I like. She finds Alice hiding in another room.

Bonnie does a spell on Katherine's photo, which is written parallel to Jonas doing a spell on Elena's. The ashes will incapacitate Katherine for a minute or two, which is perfect for vampire speed. Not so much for human speed. Tyler takes Caroline into the Lockwood cellar. She lies about how she knows of it. They find a diary Mason kept on his transformations. It includes an SD card that has video footage on it. Jeremy distracts Bonnie and grabs some of the ashes. This kid is a fool. He has no idea the amount of torture he could go through with Katherine. He actually thinks he's gonna get in, find the moonstone, and get out just in time. "Those tears are for her. She didn't care about Slater. She was only dating him long enough to see if he'd turn her." lol… Rose tells Elena everything she needs to know. She's gonna offer to have Rose turn her for the sake of getting into Slater's computer.

"So this whole charade is some suicide mission so that you could sacrifice yourself and save everyone else?" Elena can't honestly believe Rose is gonna stand by and let her get taken just so she can get killed by Damon. And it truly pisses me off that Elena doesn't give a single thought to fighting back, she's just gonna die. Jeremy stakes Katherine, pours the ashes on her, then goes searching through the tomb for the moonstone. He's such a dumbass. Katherine catches up to him and tears into his neck. Woman is starving, so I can't really blame her. He thinks fast enough to at least toss the moonstone out of the tomb so they can de-spell it. Rose calls Damon to tell him about Elena's plan to self-sacrifice, so he's on his way to Richmond. Stefan and Bonnie are in a bind now. Katherine can kill a human, but she can't kill a rock. All she has to do is take that Gilbert ring off and it's over for Jeremy. Problem is, Luka and Bonnie aren't gonna be strong enough to drop that seal because Luka is no Sheila Bennett lol. Stefan will have to get stuck in the tomb to save Jeremy because Damon has to go save Elena.

Elijah is having Luka's father do a locator spell on Elena. I can already see 3x22 from here. Just like the daylight ring, they doubled-up the tempered glass for Damon and Elena, that's why both plans fail.

Luka is starting to feel the physical effects of Bonnie channeling him. Tyler and Caroline start watching Mason's videos. Tyler flips out as he realizes Mason went through over 5 hours of torturous pain as he turned into a werewolf. This scene was a great performance for the actor. I love his storyline for a little while, but I lose interest fast.

Alice: Damon Salvatore! Damon: Get rid of her. Alice: No way!

lol... Damon is not in the mood for fangirls right now. He has Elena to deal with.

Damon: You do not get to make decisions anymore. Elena: When have I ever made a decision? You and Stefan do that for me.

This is a lie. She's been making the decisions all along. When he took her to Atlanta, it was her choice. When he took her to bait Noah, it was her choice. When he told her she couldn't help him save Stefan, he didn't stop her when she went into the house. Damon nearly died giving her the Gilbert device because she wanted it her way. She's lying to excuse her plan to self-sacrifice. She tells Damon she doesn't want to be saved. Elena has the right to choose to sacrifice herself, that is her decision to make. Damon has the right to choose to save Elena. That is his decision to make whether she likes it or not.

"Don't ever do that again." Elena has power over Damon, but she doesn't have full power over Damon. I feel that's how relationships should be, even friendships. Elena shouldn't have full power over Damon, and Damon shouldn't have full power over Elena. Damon isn't a lapdog like Stefan. What I'm saying is... while Damon won't allow Elena to punch her, Stefan will because he's a lapdog.

This is the concept of how Damon and Elena are written alongside Luka and Bonnie. The switching of the bracelet and the dog tags is the switching of the necklace and the daylight ring. The channeling of each other. This doesn't start to happen for Delena until season 3, but you get the idea beforehand.

"Ohhh, something's happening." So you get this scene cut as Bonnie channels Luka. This will help you to understand why Damon ends up with the vervain necklace and Elena ends up with a daylight ring. "Bonnie, no! You have to stop her, she's not strong enough!" They're basioally gonna build Elena to be Damon's equal in season 3. "Maybe she is."

Lukas: You told me to bond with her, so I bonded. Stefan: Because he can be very persuasive, and you two have bonded lately.

Bonnie is still channeling Lukas and his father is upset about it. You get the whole Delena bonding in season 1 which builds in season 3. Lukas and Bonnie collapse. "I'm not strong enough. Even with help, I can't do it." They're not strong enough even together… Delena will be your power couple, but it takes time to switch ships. Because Bonnie isn't strong enough, Stefan has to rush in to save Jeremy, so he ends up stuck in the tomb with Katherine. It's gonna get really hot in there lol. I really love what they do with Tyler and Caroline. He shouldn't have to go through his first transformation alone.

"I was alone when I turned. I had no control over my body or my urges. And I killed somebody. I don't want that to happen to you. I don't want you to be alone." I can understand why fans ship these two. I actually love them together for as long as they last, but I prefer Steroline more. It's so awkward to see Tyler, Matt, and Caroline at the doorway. Oy.

"Time to go. Alice is soundly sleeping and won't remember a moment of this horribly stupid day." Damon is beyond annoyed right now and saying exactly how I feel. Elena is wasting time trying to die when she should be spending that time trying to live.

Three men enter as they're about to leave. "Tell him that we're trying to send a message to Klaus. The doppelgänger is alive and she's ready to surrender." These are the men that Alice contacted for Elena. Damon is ready to take on all three, and he would've had it been necessary. "There's nothing here for you."

Suppose I should mention the obvious. "I killed you. You were dead." It appears wooden stakes don't work on Originals.

Bonnie: I didn't have a choice, Jeremy! Jeremy: Yeah, well neither did I.

They're already starting to parallel Delena with Jeremy and Bonnie. Bonnie was putting herself at risk of death by agreeing to drop the vampire seal despite knowing it can kill her. Jeremy put himself at risk of death with Katherine for the sake of keeping Bonnie safe from doing the spell. This is exactly what happens with Damon and Elena. She's planning to die, to self-sacrifice. Damon will put himself at risk of death to keep Elena alive. Bonnie tells Jeremy he can't feel that way about her, but people can't help what they feel. That's why Damon will nearly die from a werewolf bite for the same reason Jeremy ran into the tomb to get the moonstone - to save the women they love because that's what love does.

Elena: She was just scared. She didn't mean to run. Damon: Yes, she did. She's been running for 500 years.

This Damon-Elena-Rose triangle is great to watch. Elena is better at reading Rose while Rose is better at reading Damon. She didn't mean to run, she was terrified of Elijah. I mean, Elijah just handed Rose her freedom. Being there with Damon and Elena, she was afraid about what that meant for her freedom, afraid Elijah would terminate their deal should he see it as a betrayal. So yeah, she ran.

"What you did today was incredibly stupid." Damon is still extremely upset. He was referring to her choice to self-sacrifice when he referred to it as a horribly stupid day. She not once considered the possibility of surviving, wouldn't even so much as agree to let them de-spell the moonstone. Elena tells him the only thing stupid was that she got caught, but like I said, did she really think Rose would let her get away with it? I mean, really... Damon would've killed Rose.

"I don't question why you and Stefan and everyone else tries so hard to save me. You shouldn't question why I would try to save all of you." Damon thinks the same way Stefan does. They've been around a long time. Elena is only 17 years old. Why she's worried about saving eternal beings is beyond me. She's denying everyone in her life a choice, tossing out the trust she should have in them, and more or less taking the easy way out. She lost both her parents and doesn't want to lose anyone else, so she's gonna make everyone else lose her.

They find out Stefan is sealed in the tomb with Katherine. I'm not sure what Elena thought she would accomplish by going into the tomb, but she's an idiot.

Elena: Stefan's in there, Damon! How could you let this happen?Damon: What are you talking about? I was too busy saving you from your crazy kamikaze mission.

Had Elena not went off on her suicide mission, Damon would've been there to keep Stefan from going into the tomb. He would've been the one to save Jeremy so that Elena had Stefan out there with her. This is on Elena.

Elena: You didn't even have to go after the moonstone in the first place! Damon: It was the right call, Elena.

It was the right call because Elijah has a witch. It wouldn't take much for his witch to pull down the seal and get to the moonstone. Better they de-spell it before anyone gets their hands on it.

Elena: The right call? How was any of this the right call?!

Elena is basically frustrated and ready to die because she sees no way out without losing her loved ones. With respect to their previous scene, she's choosing to punch Damon in the cheset rather than aiming for his face, and he's fine with that.

Once Damon gets Elena to calm down and leave, Stefan comes to the doorway to talk to him.

Stefan: Promise me. No matter what happens. You'll protect her. Damon: Promise. Katherine: That right there was the biggest mistake you've ever made.

This is season 3 in a nutshell. When you have a character like Katherine... a woman that knows both brothers because she dated both brothers, bank on her comments. She's being real here, so this will play out. Leaving town with Klaus will be Stefan's biggest mistake. Let's just say absence doesn't always make the heart grow fonder. I'm not saying that Stefan needed to leave town for Elena to fall in love with Damon, but it certainly didn't help. Had Stefan not left town, it would've taken longer for her to fall for Damon because it's centered around his selflessness, his humanity.

[satocidal]

Well, we do have a few moments between Satoru and Kushi. But they're so alike and yet so different it's funny. Like, they constantly argue, let me tell ya 😂

Those two constantly tease each other and all that stuff.

Many moments are between all 4 of them if they're not separated in duos.

As for roleplay, it doesn't actually need a separate blog, don't worry, omo

It's like

We do it in the private chat

It's basically establishing a general idea or plot

And then starting, ig

It's like co writing

One writes for their own OC and the other's crush

And otherwise

As for black cat bf, that's the dynamic Suguru and Kushi have, actually

But it's also really funny because Isia and Kushi also get along very well.

Kushi is an orange cat, could be said

So it's technically black cat and orange cat :3

Fun fact: Kushi and Isia didn't even get along at first (misunderstandings for a bit, solved fast)

~🦊

Hmmmm I’d like seeing them yk, If you ever do publish or smn let me know please

I was writing smn very similar with four ocs aftually on wattpad (but then also tried on my prev blog with Satoru and suguru- left it tho). Like it was this royal thing and there’s two ocs, they are twins and two male characters (let’s aisay gojo and geto for instance) so one of the twins was yk, very clever and well versed with whatever royal politics and should’ve been the next heir to throne

That’s what she grew up to believe, until she got arranged married to gojo (her childhood best friend long lost due to family issues and married in an attempt to help each other’s families) and she despises him. And vice versa except gojo does fall for her. Then there was the other oc who was more, yk, quiet, like she was smart but not in the way it would suit the royal house.

In my au, suguru was like Gojo’s best friend still but his family used to serve Gojo’s and in a fight or smn everyone died exceot and so the gojos raised him as his own—except he could always feel the shift yk. So he always wanted to take over the gojo house but couldn’t buy seeing his opportunity, he marries oc2.

So now oc2 and gojo just want a happy married life but oc1 and geto just want power and yes. *idk why I rambled so much lol*

As for the rp, it’s like one story continued right? And it’ll be sfw? Just like making sure of the boundaries lmao😭

Idk what I am tbh, but I wouldn’t call myself a cat lol. But then I don’t match dog energy either💀

[decadentparadisekitty]

yk the four things men tend to see women as, mother, wife, bitch, and whore?

i just wanted to record my interpretation of what i think the ideals of each role is in a male fantasy, versus what it means in reality, because i want to understand society and what place I want in it (because honestly...i do want a place in it)

the way I understand, the ideal of a mother by most people is someone who is perfectly nurturing, just the right amount of care and slap on the wrist to guide people into being their best selves. Rather than playing the role of a leader, and impassively ranking and judging where people fit best, the mother uses her judgement strictly to help nurture in the idea we hold.

in actuality, mothers often end up resentful. the idea sold is that as a woman, you can have an easy life by becoming a wife and mother, because nurturing kids is "natural" to you, and so it will be a life without much worry. the reality is, motherhood is difficult and cumbersome and sometimes this makes it not worth it to a woman with dreams of economic success or pursuing hobbies.

Speaking of which, the ideal of a wife is someone who perfectly serves her husband, who's happy to do so in fact. Who wants nothing else but her husband's happiness, from the bottom of her heart. No dreams, no passions, that aren't in service of the husband.

Naturally, women fall short of this ideal by being people, with dreams and hobbies and interest that sometimes can inconvenience a partner. Hell, even feminine social standards can be in the way of a man if he's a more outdoorsy type and a wife in heels and makeup and fine dresses just won't fit anywhere in his lifestyle.

The ideal of a whore is someone who's always ready to service a man for cash. The idea that a prostituted woman is "tricking men" is a lie - they know what they sign up for. They use money to buy her silence, to coerce her into doing what they might not even fathom actually doing to the women in their lives (but i personally bet they dream of it). The ideal is that the woman somehow enjoys this, that this is in fact, "healthy naughty fun" for her. consensual non consent and the like.

Now, no woman wants to have sex 24/7. Most people in the sex industry, who aren't pimps or madams, want out. And woman aren't willing to give away ability to say no without payment in return, and some men have the audacity to complain about that.

The term bitch can mean many things but the main thing, is a woman who doesn't conform. This can be either a failure to conform despite trying, or a direct refusal to do so. A son whose mother let out her rage at him, which is something as a mother, you're often not punished for, would call her a bitch. We've all heard men call their wives bitches because there's something she simply wouldn't do for him. And prostituted women are simply...not respected. at all. Like, people will praise mothers, and wives to an extent, really. We'll talk about how they work so hard, men and women alike. Men may have positive things to say about their wives too. But while some brave women will sympathize with prostituted women and understand their pain, and better yet, actually help them, they're far more likely to meet men who will abuse them without remorse and treat them without an ounce of respect.

Now I'm against the use of bitch in common parlance against any woman. But, there's a sense of pride in the term that's to be celebrated, because its very existence proves something without a shadow of a doubt - women are not the objects that patriarchy paints us as. We're not "naturally" people pleasing, pretty, nurturing, nor are we simply naturally less interested in engaging in what is considered masculine activity. We do not simply not have desires of our own. The presence of these qualities in women is more easily attributed to how we have been raised in human societies across time and region.

The thing about these terms is they can be symbolic too. Cardi B, as far as I'm aware, doesn't in fact engage in sex for a paycheck, but her musical work is all about sex and appeasing the male gaze, for profit. In this sense, she sexualized herself in exchange for societal presence, as female idols often end up doing. The role of "whore" if you will.

Similarly, Mother Teresa, while probably acting out of the kindness of her heart, fulfilled the mother role of caring and was lionized for it. Hence the title Mother Teresa. Mamata Banerjee too (older sisters are often assigned a mother esque role, which she references)

in other words. fulfilling societal roles properly gets you a name. what do i want to do given this information.

playing mother seems the funnest so far

[octarianstrength]

Yulia decided it was time to restock her fridge as well as a couple other things after work today. However, she made the critical mistake of not going home to change before heading to the shop. Once inside, it didn't take long for people to recognise her position thanks to her armour. While a few people did end up shying away because of it, their numbers were easily doubled by the amount of people that wanted to get a closer look.

Within minutes she'd been bombarded with questions from adults and children alike.

"How strong are you!?"

"Can you bench press me????"

"Is it true you rode the Great Zapfish here all the way from Inkadia?"

"When's the invasion starting?!"

It began to get on her nerves very quickly.

"STOP— Please, I'm just trying to get some shopping done. And... do you all really think I can just leak military secrets like that...?"

The droves of people surrounding her looked rather disappointed at that... perhaps maybe even a little hurt. Yulia couldn't bare to be too harsh on them, especially since most of them were likely civilians.

With a heavy sigh, she pointed to the front door of the shop.

"I still can't tell anyone our secrets, but... Wait for me to finish in here and I'll bench press anyone that wants it when I'm done. Sound good?"

The reaction from the mob would've been unclear if it wasn't for the excited murmurs from a few of them. Some people left the store immediately, whilst others tried to finish up their own shopping so they could meet Yulia sooner.

Once Yulia had payed for her goods and apologised to the store-owner for the commotion, she headed outside to deliver on her promise. To no one's surprise the group of people was about the same size as it was before. Perhaps a small number of people had left, the few who had only been interested in military gossip. But the vast majority that made up the rest of them? Yulia would quite literally have her hands full with them in a moment.

Yulia busied herself with the orderly line that had formed, impressing each member with her considerable strength for a short while, before moving onto the next. However, she soon came to realise a flaw in her plan. The line didn't seem to be shrinking. And it wasn't a case of people going back for a second round, shoppers were near constantly queuing up after getting their groceries but Yulia didn't have the hearts to tell anyone to leave after waiting for so long, so she endured.

...She didn't get to go home until the shop had closed and every last person had been served. By the end of the night, it was just her and the shopkeeper left.

"Well! Mighty big thanks for that, Kraken! This was the best business day I've had in years! And it was all because of your little theatrics!"

Yulia sighed, wiping the sweat from her face. Normally something like this wouldn't bother her at all, but she had been working all day and her endurance does have limits.

"Glad it went well for one of us... You've a nice shop, sure. But I didn't really want to be here for... four hours."

The shopkeeper twintacle laughed and gave Yulia a pat on the back.

"Well I ain't complainin'! Say, why don't you come on back next time you're thinkin' about puttin' on a show?"

"Yeah I... Don't think I'm gonna be doing anything like that for a while. I think just getting my groceries and leaving will be enough for me next time."

The shopkeeper laughed some more. So much so that they near broke into a coughing fit. They're having a good time.

"Sure thing! Ooh— I'll have to make a sign for next time! That'll bring the customers rollin' in!"

"Oh cod... please no..."

Yulia took the opportunity presented by their next fit of laughter to start making her escape. At least she got to serve the Octarian people today... albeit in a very, very odd way.

[telli1206]

Telli, hello!! I love youuu 💖 For the ask game: C-A-R-L-O-S our beloved! 😘💕 (impossible to resist with an alphabet for choices jdkagjksdg)

Shut uuuuup why are you so cute?? As if I could love you anymore and then you do cute shit like this and make me anyway 💞

C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will.

Ugh, Harry/Jay. 100% with my whole heart. They just don't sit right with me. It's like a good twin/evil twin hooking up with each other, if that makes sense? They're too much alike that it makes it weird. I can't even handle them as exes. They're just antagonists to each other, and not in a flirty/sexy way. They give me the icks together 🤢

A - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed.

Jaylos/Malvie always, but I answered that for @moorsgrimhilde so I'll add a few new ones here. Platonic: Carvie are the most precious babies ever together, so I obviously love them. Romantic: The Core Four. Their dynamic together is unbeatable.

R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom?

I still say Jal for this one. I love how well they play off of each other with their tough exteriors and soft, gooey insides. They care about and want to protect each other but go to hell and back trying to hide it from the other. And their banter is so fun to write. I love them.

L - Say something genuinely nice about a character who isn’t one of your faves. (Characters you’re neutral about are fair game, as are characters you merely dislike. Characters that you absolutely loathe with the fire of ten thousand suns are exempt, as there is no point in giving yourself an aneurysm over a character that you hate.)

There's no one I really hate, per se, but I'm pretty meh about Chad. I have to say though, he was a great physical comedian in the movie, with his actions and facial expressions, so he's very entertaining to throw into fics just to torment. There's something about messing with Chad that's just too fun to ignore.

O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of?

I was just listening to Matilda by Harry Styles, and I've never actually thought about this before, but it's very accurate in describing the Core Four. You can't blame them for leaving and growing up, and for them creating their own family that always shows them love. They left their family and found love with each other. And now I'll think of that every time I listen to it 😿💖

S - Show us an example of your personal headcanon (prompts optional but encouraged)

I'll forever believe that Mal loves little self-pampering beauty activities like painting her nails and styling her hair, but she hides behind the idea that she does it for Evie. So of course she ALWAYS suggests it when Evie needs cheering up. And Evie eventually catches on and begs Mal regularly to have spa nights in their room, to which Mal *reluctantly* agrees to every. single. time. 😉

SEND ME A LETTER

[castelobyers]

How Stranger Things stablish the best friends relationship and why Mike and Will don't fit into it

I know maybe it could be talked before but I am just trying to elaborate some friendships here and what we learn about then

Since the beginning we got some of relationships stablish as best friendship.

Lucas and Mike

Lucas and Mike are established as best friends by Dustin in season 1, but Mike try to tell him the whole party are his best friends, but I have to say no exactly, Lucas is Mike's closest best friend

They show us Mike and Lucas like this type of friendship that Dustin will have with Steve, they are best friends, they understand each other but they don't really take everything that serious when it comes as jokes and even fights

They both are very selfish with another one and disagree with a lot of things most of times, but when it comes to help each other and try to make the other one see what he didn't see they work very well

Lucas is like Mike's cupid, he is the first person who make Mike see Eleven as more tham friend, he is who helps him to apologize with her and show him when she is giving mike space to back together, so Lucas support Mike with the most of things that Mike want to do and Mike maybe not do this that much.

Their friendship is one of the most developed on the show, we know the way they react to the other, their jokes and how they react when they're fighting

In their first fight in season 1 is when see how Mike and Lucas deal with this, and they're very alike, they don't like to admit when one of them is wrong, in this case both of them is right in some point but they don't admit it and only solve all this things when Dustin help them to do it.

They don't really worry about what the other will think or don't care so much if they're gonna be bickering for awhile

Neither Mike or Lucas got this type of relationship with anyone of the party, they treat Dustin and Will different.

Dustin and Steve

Same as Lucas and Mike, Dustin and Steve have this type of friendship who understand each other and they help each other with a lot of things

Steve at first are the older friend, that one who know more about life and stuffs like this, when they first talk Dustin are telling Steve about this girl's that he likes and why the girls never really look at him, and Steve try to improve his self esteem and give this tips to how to get girls and the big advice "act like you don't care" (lol i love this one).

But when they're spend most time together we see Dustin grow up as the one who try to help Steve with Robin and other girls, but on Dustin side we see him more sassy and always messing around with Steve, they have their own jokes and don't really care about being soft or worry too much about what the other will think, they are just themselves.

Dustin don't have this type of relationship with any other member of the party.

Robin and Steve

Robin and Steve at first are taken more like frenemies than anything, they have already started the friendship by teasing each other and show that they are alike in somethings but this not really work at first

But when they're start their relationship Steve didn't quite understand what robin meant and confused it with romance, but when Robin comes out to Steve he shows support for her and help her to not feel like she don't deserve to have friends who know what she is and accept this because the first thing she say to him is he will not like to be her friend, and he show that he don't care about this bullshit and accept her for what she is.

In season four we got more of that bond they have and it's amazing to see how they understand each other and how they celebrate each other's small victories, is beautiful to see.

This is the most of the real best friends from Stranger things and you see how they are very similar in their only way, there's no much drama or something, they understand each other, make jokes and try to help each other with a lot of stuffs, they don't really have problems to keep their friendship while they're dating someone, it's only platonic with a capital P.

But we got these two "friendship" which work kinda similar in their only way.

Joyce and Hopper

They have some problems at the beginning, they don't really see each other as real friends but they know each other since high school and they have a lot of stories together, they spend a lot of time together in high school but hopper went to the war and they walked away

over the seasons we noticed how good they fit together, how well they work together and how they help each other and support each other.

In season two hen Bob died Hopper just sit with her to try to comfort her, he don't need to say anything to her she know that he cares about her. And same with Hopper when he is having problems with Mike and El relationship, she tries to help him with this whole situation

But in season three we see Hopper really into Joyce, he is in love with her but on her side we see a woman who don't have overcome Bob's death yet, she's not ready to start another relationship or maybe she doesn't have seen Hopper like this yet, the way he already sees her

I think Joyce only start to see Hopper as a man who she can really date with is when Murray do his thing, i think that she just hadn't realized he liked her that way because they spent so much time worrying about other things and fighting that she didn't notice she were falling in love with him, actually Hopper did but Joyce hadn't noticed yet.

So after Hop death Joyce knew that she loves him and when she gets this one clue that he can be alive she goes and don't lose time for it.

They only shows hopper really in love with Joyce in season three and they only get together in season four, before this he is helping her as friend.

And yes they have drama and they have a lot of heart to heart conversation, really deep talking and they a lot of screen time when is just both of them, they care about each other and Hopper gat his jealousy explosion and all these things.

Mike and Will

Well, we have seen a lot of friendships here and the difference between them, and why they are just platonic and we see a friendship wich is not platonic wich starts with one of them falling in love with the other first.

Will and Mike are not seen as best friends for Dustin in the beginning, but they have this special thing since the beginning, the other members from the party know that they like to have their time alone, Mike see that Will is quiet what the other members don't notice the difference, they have a lot of drama and they really care if the other will be hurt and they accept when one of them are wrong (this applies specially with Mike because we know he got problems to see when he is wrong even with his girlfriend).

And they are the only relationship of "best friends" who is really taken seriously, they don't teasing each other like Lucas and Mike does, like Dustin and Steve does, they don't really give tips for something or help the another to see something that the other don't see, they act with too much emotion when it comes from the other.

Yes i know Will help Mike with El in season four but is different because he don't really know what is happening and he are not helping because he want Mike to see the truth like Lucas did but he help on intention to only see Mike and El happy, and Mike help him with that girl in the snow boll because he think this is what Will should want.

I'm the famous rain fight we see another Mike, he don't lose time to think what he could do or we don't see Lucas helping him to apologize with his friend like Dustin did to him in season one, he just go there and take the blame for him. Mike still Mike when he is fighting with Will, he don't like to see when he is wrong and stand defensive, but he regret to it in both times and he ask for forgiveness in the both times, what he don't do with anybody else.

They are literally the friends who had the most of heart to heart conversation, they talk a lot about their feelings and their problems, they share traumas and promised they will be together supporting each other.

Just like Jopper, one of them fall in love first when the another are thinking too much about other things to realize that they maybe feel the same, but Mike has no clues about it yet, and maybe in next season we will see him realize that, but this part it's just theory, the real thing here is Mike and Will friendship it's not like the others.

[wheredemdokis]

[tastebreaker review] Law School (no spoilers)

Sometimes, I wish I could have a shrine for all the cerebral media that I consumed, because it definitely is my favourite archetype. Death Note was a masterpiece that I hungrily binged in one day - similarly with Psycho Pass (though I haven't watched the second season due to most of the reviews I have read). This extend well into non-anime media for me - State of Play (with Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams) remains one of my favourite movies, Inception and, well, honestly anything by Christopher Nolan, and I have recently began watching The Matrix as well.

And so, the thirst for real mystery and brain games was quenched when I started watching Law School, with Kim Myung-min, Kim Beom and Ryu Hye-young, directed by Kim Suk-yoon. Needless to say, throughout the whole trip, I was hooked, counting down days until the next episode came... but towards the end - an unpopular opinion - I was actually quite disappointed.

And so, before you start your cross-examination, allow me to present my findings first.

- How did I start watching this?

My friend and I were looking around for something to binge on Netflix and forget about COVID-19. This series popped up, and the moment I read the title, my sapiosexual senses were tingled.

- And how was it?

Very good!... until the ending came. ;w;

- Genres & overarching themes?

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Psychological

Overarching themes: murder mystery, law vs justice, intelligence (as in, the characters are all really smart hahah)

- Plot: 4/5

It could have been a high four, near five if it wasn't for the ending, frankly. The first episode started out with Professor Seo Byung-ju of Hankuk Law School dead, and the spotlight shines on Professor Yang Jong-hoon (the man in the poster above), the first suspect. But was it really him? From then, the mystery unfolds as our favourite study group (who shall be very well elaborated on later in this review) launches itself into investigation for true justice.

The series started out extremely strong in my opinion, with its first few episodes filled with twists and sub-plots that were waiting to get wrapped up. Every episode just leaves you gripping on the sides of your seat in suspense. It really makes you doubt every single person that appeared on-screen and watch out for anything that happens - the show uses the Chekhov's Gun trope really well. As the knots become unravelled, we gain more depth into the characters. However, as we near the end - about two-three episodes for me - the show started to lose its thrust, falling into a comfortable stereotype that made things rather frustrating.

One of the major advantages of Law School, in my opinion, is its ability to twist and turn everything. It prompts the viewers to realize that when the case is really examined in a whole different angle, with more and more evidence coming to light, everything changes. The use of different suspects' stories being told in each episode is a pleasure to watch - the viewers feel like an omniscient judge, overseeing the motives and evidence to draw out a conclusion for themselves on who might be the murderer. The series prompts the viewers to think, which is a trend I really like. It's also interesting to question why characters do certain things they do. Professor Yang Jong-hoon (my favourite character!), for example, is a very... chaotic (haha) character, who keeps on surprising people with his actions - yet, his actions are all elaborate executions of his strategy, a whole plan that he has concocted which accounted for multiple steps ahead, thanks to his extremely sharp vision of what could happen. Thus, it is extremely satisfying when everything falls into place as Yangcrates (a nickname he earned due to his Socratic teaching) explains everything that led up to a particular tense moment where the truth was unveiled.

Yet... this very trope had its downfall near the end. The murderer was so heavily shadowed on in the beginning that the viewers would have expected the murderer to be someone else completely unexpected, a mastermind that pulled the strings behind all the proceedings. Yet, the murderer and the mastermind behind the murder were someone so... I dare say, unimpressive. I mean, this particular 'mastermind' behind the murder fell into so many traps! The murderer was definitely my major disappointment - the villain was a weak character, an unsatisfying antagonist that the intelligent heroes, once having figured who he/she is, didn't even break a sweat to bring to light. The last, final twist that was supposed to be the most glamorous of them all, completely knocking the viewers off their feet, fell completely flat.

Secondly, whilst having a lot of sub-plots still remains a favourite trope of mine as I'd expect everything to wrap up nicely near the end... well, it didn't. Whilst most sub-plots were hastily answered, there was one particular sub-plot which was just left completely unaddressed (for those who have watched it, it's about J****s), and unless they're hinting at a second season where this would be further elaborated on, this was a dead-end sub-plot, a plot with no elaboration or continuation whatsoever.

Overall, the plot was breathtaking in the beginning. It lost momentum very near the end, and wrapped everything up with an anticlimactic last episode.

- Characters: 4.7/5

Definitely the strongest set of characters I've seen in a Korean drama, frankly. All characters were so well utilised, each having their own quirks and flaws which were delightful to watch. Everyone was so, so intelligent, that they honestly were the main fuel to the series, our main stars.

Allow me to first start off with my favourite character, Professor Yang Jong-hoon. Stoic, yet with an extremely savage side that he does not hesitate to show to anyone of any ranks or social standings, Yangcrates carefully plots everything, always thinks, questions, and then thinks even more. Intelligence-wise, this man is most definitely the smartest on-screen persona I've seen in the Korean drama franchise - able to see miles ahead and figure out all the answers down to their root, he is someone that definitely earns all the respect he has, from both his students and viewers alike. Personality-wise, this man is equally interesting as he is smart. With a cold exterior, Yangcrates does not take any bullshit (cue a particularly funny water spitting scene), and does not hold back harsh words to point it out. Yet, underneath this cold exterior is a burning desire to find the absolute truth, which would in turn bring justice to ones who have been wronged (refer to a particular lecture-like speech he made in episode 10), and a passion for teaching his students. He secretly cares for his students a lot, and expresses it in his own way.

Next, our favourite study group - a group of capable, enticing individuals. Firstly, we have Han Joon-hwi, a complex character that always pursues justice and fairness. His intelligence shines through with the way he, firstly, is able to take advantage of his sharp understanding of law into the case, and his careful processing of the evidence he gathers during investigation. Whilst he always keeps a cold head when needed, he has an equally warm heart, genuinely caring for wronged and innocent people. His expressions were all extremely raw and did not feel fake at all - really, props to his actor. More on this later.

Then, we have the two girls - Kang Sol A and Kang Sol B. Don't be fooled by their names - they are very much polar opposites. Whilst Kang Sol A is excitable and wears her heart on her sleeve (sometimes a bit too much), Kang Sol B always keeps a cool head, sometimes taking it to the extreme. I do admit that if I had to pick out of the two, though I love both of them very, very much, I'd probably lean a bit more towards Kang Sol A - even though she definitely gets on my nerves sometimes because of her overload of emotions that could be disruptive, she has her frequent bouts of creativity and "a-ha!" moments that display her underrated intelligence (I'm always soft for underdogs that are underestimated by everyone, only to turn the table on them later). She is also an extremely loyal friend and a very generous individual that isn't afraid to place herself in danger just to help others - overall, a very warm person. Kang Sol B, on the other hand - perhaps due to her family environment - does not really taking other people's emotions into consideration, though I really, really admire her for her intelligence, her ability to always keep a calm head (making her the blue counterpart to Kang Sol A's red), as well as her straightforwardness which has proven many times to be necessary to push the case forward. She does have a soft spot, though - a very adorable one at that. These two make an extremely adorable pair of friends.

My favourite student of the study group must be Seo Ji-ho. I'd say he's a less intimidating version of Kang Sol B hahah - cool and composed, Ji-ho is a reliable member who always pursues logic and reason first. He is also driven to achieve his goal and, like Joon-hwi, utilizes his deep understanding about law very well to solve his own case, his sub-plot. Though his sub-plot eventually was wrapped up as an open ending, it was a nice sub-plot to watch. Not to mention his dynamic with Joon-hwi is very adorable as well - the two really balance each other out.

Other students also have their own quirks and flaws, but for the sake of this review's length, I won't elaborate them as much - but I will say they are all a delight to watch, adding their own personal elements to the overall study group. I will definitely miss this set of characters so, so much. ;-;

- Acting: 4.4/5

Frankly, perhaps because of some K-drama series I have watched, I had a problem with acting in some K-drama series - the actors and actresses did not feel genuine, and they either overacted, pushing their expressions to the extreme, or underacted, simply being way too... stiff (some of my personal favourite actors and actresses so far are Kim Seon-ho, whose theatrical experiences probably really helped with his very natural acting, Jo Jung-seok, and Kim Hye-yoon, an actress who impressed me with both of her most popular series - hope to see her versatility shine through with more diverse roles though). This series, however, is a definite favourite of mine in terms of acting. Firstly, Kim Myung-min is a veteran actor that deserves so much respect - he basically morphed into Yangcrates. I absolutely loved the way he delivered his dialogues - very long ones! - without even so much as taking a breath in between - it was smooth and the flow was excellent.

Kim Beom also became one of my favourite actors after this series - the way he handled his role was so good, his expressions, actions, everything. I noticed that he's very good with his eyes, if that's the right way to put it - he is very good at displaying emotions with them, all emotions ranging from sadness to adoration (towards a particular someone *wink*). It's a top-notch skill, really, and I'm glad to have seen him on-screen. Similarly, Ryu Hye-young impressed me so, so much that I shall add her to my list of favourite actresses as well - I can't spoil, but she is really able at... altering her vibes, yes. She seems to have studied her character really carefully too, being able to bring all Sol A's quirks to real life. Other actors and actresses were amazing, but for me, these three definitely shone.

- Doki moments?

Ah. Definitely some between Sol A and Joon-hwi, as a lot of other people have commented. From the way they tease each other to the way he cares about her every little thing, the way he stares at her, the way his whole demeanor just changes around her and the way she unknowingly influences him so much - they do balance each other out really well, Joonhwi being the cool to Sol A's warm. I do find myself thinking Sol B and Ji-ho would be rather compatible as well (also, them being study rivals in high school? My rivals-to-lovers side is ready).

- Enjoyment: 4/5

Again, could have been higher if it wasn't for the ending! But yes, overall, a whole trip worth embarking on.

- Overall: 4.2/5

Really, could have been higher... but yes, still an excellent show. I just hope they could have had more episodes to really wrap everything up nicely and maybe throw us one final, absolutely ground-breaking twist.

- Watch it or neh?

Yes, please do watch it! And let me know how it goes, too. ;3

[thewidowsghost]

The Daughter of the Sea - Chapter 6

(Y/n)'s POV

Once I get over the fact that my brother's Latin teacher was half horse, we have a nice tour.

We pass by the volleyball pit. Several of the campers nudge each other. One points to the Minotaur horn Percy is carrying. Another says, "It's them."

Most of the campers are older than me. Their satyr friends are bigger than Grover, all of them trotting around in orange CAMP HALF-BLOOD t-shirts, with nothing else to cover their bare shaggy hindquarters. I'm not normally shy, but the way they are staring at me and Percy makes me uncomfortable. I feel as though they want us to do a flip or something.

I look back at the farmhouse. It's bigger than I'd realized - four stories tall, sky blue with white trim, like an upscale seaside resort. I'm checking out the brass eagle weather vane on top when something catches my eyes, a shadow in the uppermost window of the attic gable. Something had moved the curtain, just for a second, and I get a distinct impression that I'm being watched.

"What's up there?" I ask Chiron.

He looks to where I'm pointing and his smile fades, "Just the attic."

"Somebody lives there?" Percy asks.

"No," he says with finality. "Not a single living thing."

I get the feeling that he's being truthful, but I am also sure something had moved that curtain.

As we get closer, I realize how huge the forest is. It takes up at least a quarter of the valley, with trees so tall and thick, you could imagine nobody had been in there since the Native Americans.

Chiron says, "The woods are stocked if you care to try your luck, but go armed."

"Stocked with what?" Percy asks. "Armed with what?"

"You'll see. Capture the flag is Friday night. Do you have your own swords and shields?"

"My own - ?" Percy is cut off.

"No," Chiron interupts. "I don't suppose you do. I think a size five will do for you, Percy, and a size three for you, (Y/n). I'll visit the armory later."

Finally, Chiron shows us the cabins. There are twelve of them, nestled in the woods by the lake. They are arranged in a U, with two at the base and five in a row on each side. And they are, without a doubt the most bizarre number above the door.

Except for the fact that each has a large brass number above the door (odds on the left side, evens on the right), they lock absolutely nothing alike. Number Nine has smokestacks, like a tiny factory. Number Four has tomato vines on the walls and a roof made out of real grass. Seven seems to be made of solid gold, which gleams so much in the sunlight it was almost impossible to look at. They all face a commons area about the size of a soccer field, dotted with Greek statues, fountains, flower beds, and a couple of basketball hoops (which were more my speed).

In the center of the field is a huge stone-lined firepit. Even though it is a warm afternoon, the hearth smolders. A girl, maybe nine years old is tending the flames, poking the coals with a stick. I wave at the girl and she looks surprised, as though no one acknowledged her often, and waves back with a smile.

The pair of cabins at the head of the field, numbers one and two, look like his-and-hers mausoleums, big white marble boxes with heavy columns in front. Cabin One is the biggest and bulkiest of the twelve. Its polished bronze doors shimmer like a hologram, so that from different angles lightning bolts seem to streak across them. Cabin Two is more graceful somehow, with slimmer columns garlanded with pomegranates and flowers. The walls are covered with images of peacocks.

"Zeus and Hera?" Percy guesses.

"Correct," Chiron says.

"Their cabins look empty."

"Several of the cabins are. That's true. No one ever stays in one or two."

I stop in front of the first cabin on the left, cabin three.

It isn't high and mighty like Cabin One, but low and solid. The outer walls are of rough gray stone studded with pieces of seashells and coral as if the slabs had been hewn straight from the bottom of the ocean floor. I peek inside the open doorway and Chiron says, "Oh, I wouldn't do that!"

Before he can pull me back, I catch the salty scent of the interior, like the wind on the shore at Montauk. The interior walls glow like abalone. There are six empty bunks with silk sheets turned down, but there is no sign anyone had ever slept there. The place feels so sad and lonely, I am glad when Chiron puts his hand on my shoulder and says, "Come along, (Y/n)."

Most of the other cabins were crowded with campers.

Number five was bright red—a real nasty paint job as if the color had been splashed on with buckets and fists. The roof was lined with barbed wire. A stuffed wild boar's head hung over the doorway, and its eyes seemed to follow me. Inside I could see a bunch of mean-looking kids, both girls and boys, arm wrestling and arguing with each other while rock music blared. The loudest was a girl maybe thirteen or fourteen. She wore a size XXXL CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirt under a camouflage jacket. She zeroed in on Percy and gives him an evil sneer.

"Oh, look," Chiron says as we approach Cabin Eleven. "Annabeth is waiting for us."

The blond girl I'd met at the Big House is reading a book in front of the last cabin on the left, number eleven. When we reach her, she looks me over critically, like she was still thinking about how much I drool.

I try to see what she was reading, but I can't make out the title. Then I realize the title isn't even English. The letters look Greek to me. I mean, literally Greek. There are pictures of temples and statues and different kinds of columns, like those in an architecture book.

"Annabeth," Chiron says, "I have Masters' Archery class at noon. Would you take Percy and (Y/n) from here?"

"Yes, sir."

"Cabin Eleven," Chiron tells us, gesturing towards the doorway. "Make yourself at home."

Out of all the cabins, Eleven looks the most like a regular old summer camp cabin, with the emphasis on old. the threshold is worn down, the brown paint peeling. Over the doorway is a caduceus.

Inside, it is packed with people, both boys and girls, way more than the number of bunk beds. Sleeping bags are spread all over the floor. It looks like a gym where the Red Cross had set up an evacuation center.

Chiron doesn't go in. The door is too low for him. But when the campers see him, they all stand and bow respectfully.

"Well, then," Chiron says. "Good luck, Percy, (Y/n). I'll see the two of you at dinner."

He gallops away towards the archery range.

Percy's POV

We stand in the doorway, looking at the kids. They aren't bowing anymore. They are staring at us, sizing us up. I know this routine. I'd gone through it at enough schools.

"Well?" Annabeth prompts. "Go on."

So naturally, I trip coming in the door, and (Y/n) grabs my upper arm, straightening me up. There are some snickers from the campers, but none of them say anything.

Annabeth announces, "Percy and (Y/n) Jackson, meet Cabin Eleven."

"Regular or undetermined?" somebody asks.

I don't know what to say, but Annabeth says, "Undetermined."

Everyone groans.

A guy who is a little older than the rest comes forward. "Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy, (Y/n). You can have those two spots on the floor, right over there."

The guy was about nineteen, and he looks pretty cool. He's tall and muscular, with short-cropped sandy hair and a friendly smile. He wears an orange tank top, cutoffs, sandals, and a leather necklace with five different colored clay beads. The only thing unsettling about his appearance is a thick white scar that runs from just beneath his right eye to his jaw, like an old knife slash.

"This is Luke," Annabeth says, and her voice sounds different somehow. I glance over and swear she's blushing, but after a moment she sees me looking, and her expression hardens again. "He's your counselor for now."

"For now?" (Y/n) asks, looking rather curious.

"You're undetermined," Luke explains. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."

I look around at the campers' faces, some sullen and suspicious, some grinning stupidly, some eyeing me as if they are waiting for a chance to pick my pockets.

"How long will I be here?" I ask.

"Good question," Luke replies. "Until you're determined."

"How long will that take?"

The campers all laugh and (Y/n) facepalms.

"Come on," Annabeth tells us. "I'll show you the volleyball court."

"We've already seen it."

"Come on."

Annabeth grabs my wrist and drags me outside. I can hear the kids of Cabin Eleven laughing behind me and (Y/n) waves good-bye shyly.

When we are a few feet away, Annabeth says, "Jackson, you have to do better than that?"

"What?"

She rolls her eyes and mumbles under her breath, "I can't believe I thought you two were the ones."

"What's your problem?" I'm getting angry now, (Y/n) watching us cautiously. "All I know is, we kill some bull guy -"

"Don't talk like that!" Annabeth tells me. "You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?"

"To get killed?"

"To fight the Minotaur! What do you think we train for?"

I shake my head. "Look, if the thing we fought is really the Minotaur, the same one in the stories . . ."

"Yes."

"Then there's only one."

"Yes."

"And he died, like, a gajillion years ago, right? Theseus killed him in the labyrinth. So..."

"Monsters don't die, Percy. They can be killed. But they don't die."

"Oh, thanks. That clears it up."

"Percy," (Y/n) says calmly. "I think what Annabeth is saying, is that monsters eventually reform."

Annabeth nods and I think about Mrs. Dodds. "You mean if I killed one, accidentally, with a sword—"

"The Fur...I mean, your math teacher. That's right. She's still out there. You just made her very, very mad."

"How did you know about Mrs. Dodds?"

"You talk in your sleep," Annabeth answers and (Y/n) suppresses a laugh.

"You almost called her something. A Fury? They're Hades' torturers, right?"

Annabeth glances nervously at the ground as if she expects it to open up and swallow her. "You shouldn't call them by name, even here. We call them the Kindly Ones if we have to speak of them at all."

"Look, is there anything we can say without it thundering?" I sound whiny, even to myself, but right then I don't care. "Why do we have to stay in Cabin Eleven, anyway? Why is everybody so crowded together? There are plenty of empty bunks right over there."

I point to the first few cabins, and Annabeth turns pale. "You don't just choose a cabin, Percy. It depends on who your parents are. Or...your parent."

She stares at me, waiting for me to get it.

"Our mother is Sally Jackson," (Y/n) says softly. "She works at the candy store in Grand Central Station. At least, she used to."

"I'm sorry about your mom, (Y/n). But that's not what I mean. I'm talking about your other parent. Your dad."

"He's dead," I say simply. "We never knew him."

Annabeth sighs. Clearly, she'd had this conversation before with other kids. "Your father's not dead."

"How can you say that? You know him?"

"No, of course not."

"Then how can you say -"

"Because I know the two of you. You wouldn't be here if you weren't one of us."

"You don't know anything about us.

"No?" She raises an eyebrow. "I bet you moved around from school to school. I bet you were kicked out of a lot of them."

"How -"

"Diagnosed with dyslexia. Probably ADHD, too."

I try to swallow my embarrassment. "What does that have to do with anything?"

(Y/n)'s POV

"Taken together, it's almost a sure sign. The letters float off the page when you read, right? That's because your mind is hardwired for ancient Greek. And the ADHD—you're impulsive, can't sit still in the classroom. That's your battlefield reflexes. In a real fight, they'd keep you alive. As for the attention problems, that's because you see too much, Percy, not too little. Your senses are better than a regular mortal's. Of course, the teachers want you medicated. Most of them are monsters. They don't want you seeing them for what they are."

"You sound like...you went through the same thing?"

"Most of the kids here did. If you weren't like us, you couldn't have survived the Minotaur, much less the ambrosia and nectar."

"Ambrosia and nectar."

"The food and drink we were giving you to make you better. That stuff would've killed a normal kid. It would've turned your blood to fire and your bones to sand and you'd be dead. Face it. You're both half-bloods."

A half-blood.

I am reeling with so many questions I don't know where to start.

Then a husky voice yells, "Well! Two newbies!"

I look over. The big girl from the ugly red cabin is sauntering towards us. She has three other girls behind her, all big and ugly and mean-looking like her, all wearing camo jackets.

"Clarisse," Annabeth sighs. "Why don't you go polish your spear or something?"

"Sure, Miss Princess," the big girl says. "So I can run you through with it Friday night."

"Erre es korakas!" Annabeth says, which I somehow understand is Greek for 'Go to the crows!' though I have a feeling it was a worse curse than it sounds. "You don't stand a chance."

"We'll pulverize you," Clarisse says, but her eye twitches. Perhaps she isn't so sure she can follow through on ht threat. She turns towards me, then she looks at Percy. "Who are these's runts?"

"Percy and (Y/n) Jackson," Annabeth says, "meet Clarisse, Daughter of Aries."

Percy blinks. "Like . . . the war god?"

Clarisse sneers. "You got a problem with that?"

"No," Percy says, seemingly recovering his 'wits'. "It explains the bad smell."

Long story short, Percy made the toilets explode.

Yeah, I said it. He made the toilets explode . . .

Word Count: 2455 words

[phantoms-lair]

Ok, but Zuko's crew figuring it out after just a week or so and having had enough time to propperly convince him before finding Aang (because he might have seen reason but he's still stubborn and what else are they gonna do? Open a tea shop?) Zuko: *didn't think he'd get this far* 'THIS IS SO AWKWARD; WHAT DO I DO?!?!' Lt. Jee, who knows kids need other kids their age around them, seeing the Gaang: 'They're friend shaped!'

“Here we are, the Southern Air Temple.” “It looks amazing Aang,” Katara couldn’t help but be breathless at the sight. Even so she couldn’t help the feeling of trepidation. Aang was from a time of peace long past. No matter how much they told him otherwise, he wouldn’t truly understand what the Fire Nation was capable of till he saw t with his own eyes. And this was the place she feared it would happen.

Aang led them up a long and winding path, chattering excitedly about everything he knew about the place. “And that’s the field where we played Air Ball, and that’s where the air bison slept and-” he broke off, sadness filling his voice. “This place used to be so different. It was full of monks and life. Now there’s nothing here. I can’t believe how much things have changed.” “Maybe not.” Sokka was looking around with sharp eyes. “If this place was really abandoned, there should be all sorts of weeds and overgrowth.  But everything’s neatly kept. Someone’s been here, and a lot more recently than a hundred years ago,”

His voice was filled with dark suspicion, but it went right over Aang’s head. The last airbender perked up. “You’re right! Come on let’s find them!”  “Aang wait!” But it was too late. Aang had taken off on his air scooter, following the path as quickly as he could. He came to an abrupt stop, air dissipating, and stared at the two figures wearing blotchy grey clothes standing in front of him. One of them, a woman, dropped the bundle of sticks and weeds she was holding. The other, a man with sideburns whispered “An airbender...” under his breath. “Get Iroh, he’s meditating in the Avatar Chamber.” He then bowed deeply as the woman ran off. “Honored Monk, would you and your companions please join us for some tea. I know our leader would be honored to speak with you.”

Aang nodded, but he seemed a lot more subdued than before. They were led into a large room. Sokka kept one hand on his boomerang, just waiting to see if trouble would start. On the way they saw several more grey-clothed people staring at them in wonder.

“Iroh should be here shortly.” the man explained. “My name is Jee.” “Iroh’s the one in charge?” Katara asked. “Everyone but he himself would tell you so.” Jee had a half smile. “Iroh sees our little group as a collection of equals, but in times of crisis or question, we tend to turn to him or Zuko.”

“Who’s-” But before Sokka could finish asking who Zuko was (and for that matter who this group was) he was interrupted by heavy footsteps running towards the door and throwing it open. “Jee is it true?” An elderly man was panting, clearly not used to running like he was. “An airbender has returned?”

Jee nodded. “This good Monk and his friends just arrived at the temple.”

“Spirits be praised.” The mans face twisted as tears began to flow from his eyes. “That the balance might not be destroyed, it’s more than I dared hope.” Then he seemed to catch himself and dried his eyes. “Where are my manners. My name is Iroh, let me make you some tea.” “Thank you. I’m Aang, these are my friends Katara and Sokka.” Aang introduced. “But may I ask, please, how did people from the Fire Nation get here. I thought this temple could only be reached by flying bison.” “Fire Nation!” Sokka rose from his seat, grabbing his boomerang. Likewise Katara reached for the water Iroh was pouring into the teapot.

“Peace.” Iroh sad calmly. “No one here wishes any of you harm.”  “How can you say that?” Katara spat. “You’re Fire Nation!”

Iroh looked directly to Aang. “Will you hear our story, honored Monk?”

“I will.” Aang turned to his friends. “We can’t attack before we’ve heard them out.”

“Watch me.” But despite his words, Sokka made no move to attack.

Iroh poured more water in the kettle, to replace what Katara had taken. “I am curious myself, how you identified us so quickly.”

“You’re wearing ash-dyed clothes.” Aang explained. “That’s what Fire Nation people wear in mourning.”

“A custom no longer practiced, sadly. We have taken it for our own as we mourn the loss of so much in the world, and seek to save as much as we can. If we can call ourselves anything, we are Restorationists.” Iroh handed each of them and Jee a cup, before pouring one for himself.

“Our story began three years ago, in the Fire Lord’s war council. My nephew, Zuko, was about your age and had talked his way inside to observe and learn. Like all children of the Fire Nation he’d been raised to believe the Nation was perfect and the war just. And it was in this meeting those beliefs were destroyed.”

“A General suggested a plan that would end in the sacrifice of the youngest Fire Nation recruits in a gambit that would gain very little, for you see the Firelord cares as little for his own people as those of other nations. The War Room was usually divided into two factions. Those like the General who reveled in slaughter, and those like myself who knew there was nothing we could say to stop it. Except that day there was another.” “Zuko spoke out, loudly and passionately, about how wrong the plan was. He was told he’d have to fight an honor duel for his disrespect. Zuko was pleased to fight someone as dishonorable as the General. Only on the day of the duel, his opponent wasn’t the general, but his own father.”

Sokka drew in a hissing breath. “The Firelord made him fight his own father?”

Iroh took a long sip of tea. “He forced Zuko, yes. But it was not involuntary on both sides. My brother longed to be rid of his kind-hearted son, and saw the duel as an opportunity. But my nephew thwarted him.” Iroh smiled to himself. “He surrendered, refusing to harm his own father. As a result my brother couldn’t land a killing blow without being disgraced himself. Instead he scarred Zuko and had him banished in disgrace for his ‘cowardice’.” 

For the first time they heard anger in Iroh’s voice. “No child should have to learn so young that their Nation is disgraceful, that their family has no honor. It was a terrible lesson, and yet one he did learn. The Firelord gave him an impossible task in order to rescind his banishment, but it’s one Zuko has no interest in pursuing. Instead he set out to learn how much more of what he knew was a lie. I’m sure you know what he found.” 

“Zuko wanted to make a pilgrimage to the places most harmed by the Fire Nation, starting with the Air Temples, the Western Air Temple in particular. We told him only an Air Bender could reach it. We underestimated him. Within a day he had managed to get inside. What he reported back to us was...it was nothing less than a tragedy. The corpses of Fire nation Soldiers and Air Nomads alike were strewn over the temple, which, as you can imagine, had fallen into serious disrepair.”

“Over the next few weeks, we had removed the bodies of the soldiers and gave them tradition field rites as per the Fire Nation. But we agreed we did not want to disrespect the Air Nomads further by denying them the proper rites. We searched the temple in hopes of finding the instructions, which we did.” “Please Iroh,” Aang looked like he was a moment away from sobbing. “Can you tell me...I just want to be sure.” Iroh nodded. “We burned them on an outdoor pyre, eight people in attendance at the cardinal directions. Four people facing the pyre, praying for the spirit of the fallen monk, four facing away, praying to the spirits to guide them. When the fire burned out, we spread the ashes to the four winds.”

Aang let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.” His voice shook and Katara pulled him into a hug. Iroh nodded. “But the search for the proper rites drove home to my nephew how much had been lost. We spent much of the first year at the temple, finding what we could on Air Nomad Culture, as well as undoing what damage had been done. We were few to start with, barely thirty people. But as we traveled, more came to us. Most were former soldiers of the Fire Nation who could not stomach what they were asked to do. Some were Earth Kingdom scholars, seeking to uncover what had been lost to the war. We have restored all but the Norther Air Temple, as well as several places in the Earth Kingdom.”

“What about the South Pole.” Sokka crossed his arms. “You said you were going to places the Fire Nation hit hardest.” “The South Pole is still occupied, and I doubt the current residents would appreciate us showing up. We have found some various parchment scrolls, which we have copied into our caches, but not much.”

“Hold up, what caches?” Katara demanded.

“We didn’t want to make it easy for The Firelord’s servants to destroy the histories of the fallen peoples again. All the information we’ve found has been copied and placed in caches. We have one places in each of the locations we’ve restored, as well as several other hidden places throughout the Earth Kingdom. The memories of these people will not be forgotten again.”

“You’re more than welcome to look through the cache here for any knowledge lost to you tribe.” Jee said kindly. “And we would greatly appreciate anything Monk Aang could add. We’ve done our best, but that’s not the same as someone who’s lived in the culture.”

Iroh bowed his head. “For that matter, we recognize that this place and the other Air Temples belong to your people. If your people do not want us in their ancestral home, we will of course leave.”

Aang felt a lump in his throat as he realized that Iroh, and probably the rest of the Restorationists, had made a mistake. They thought he was one of a group of Air Nomads who had escaped. Not that he was the last. And...and if they had been to all the temples, except maybe the Northern One, he very well could be.

“Would you mind if I took a look at the cache.” To be honest he was less interested in it’s contents and more...he just needed some time to sort all this out.

Iroh nodded his head. “Of course. The cache for the Southern Air Temple is in the Atrium of the Southern Wind. I trust you know where that is?”

Aang nodded and rose. “Thank you for the tea.”” He gave a small bow an left, Katara by he side. Sokka hung back a bit and heard a snatch of conversation as he shut the door.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Jee asked.

Sokka froze, listening carefully.

“It depends on what you think I’m thinking.” Iroh said amicably.

“I’m thinking your bastard of a brother never let Zuko interact with other children and he never had the chance to once he took the responsibility to undue sins from before he was born. You’re hoping the Monk and his companions will be friends to him.”

“You know me too well.”

Sokka slid away, not sure if he was disappointed or relieved.

“What are you thinking Aang?” Katara asked as Sokka caught up. “Should we make a break for it.”

“No, if they wanted to hurt us, they would have tried already.” Aang said heavily. He sighed. “I really am the last, aren’t I?”

Katara gripped his hand and Sokka slung an arm around his shoulder. “You’re not alone thought. You know that right?” Katara asked him.

He gave her a sad smile. “Thanks guys.”

The Atrium of the Southern Wind was a tall chamber that was open beneath the ceiling so the wind rushed through. Though open to the air, it let little light in, so when the opened the door the chamber was flooded with light.

There was a single person inside, shielding his eyes as the new light greatly outshone the small candle he had been using. “I told you, Miki. I’ll take a break as soon as I finish transcribing this. Codebreaking is easier than reading Monk Chaiyun’s handwriting.” He was significantly younger than the other Restorationists they had seen. He also seemed to be wearing a strange white fur hat.

Katara and Sokka instinctively stood in front of Aang, who chuckled. “It really was bad.”

The Restorationist’s head shot up, causing his hat to fall off with a startled squeak. “You’re not-How did you get up here?” Then he shook his head. “That’s egotistical, we got up after all, sorry.” he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

Katara and Sokka felt their stomachs twist. Iroh had said his nephew had been scarred, and they though they had understood what that meant. They had seeen plenty of scars on the men of the village, life at the mercy of the ocean wasn’t kind. Almost all members of the tribe has some scars, from light gashes on fingertips struck with fish hooks, to the broad slash across Chinuk’s chest from when he’s been hit with shrapnel from Fire nation cannons on their last raid.

Nothing they imagined prepared them for the burn covering most of the left side of Zuko’s face. It was like someone with a flaming hand grabbed it and held on. Knowing it was his own father who’d done this, who wanted to do this, sickened them.

Aang’s attention, though, was on his ‘hat’. “Is that a lemur?” he asked, delight entering his voice for the first time.

Zuko smiled. “Yeah. I gave him some food and he’s stuck with me ever since. Do you want to give him some food?”

“Do I? Aang excitedly asked.

Zuko reached into a satchel and pulled out some berries and handed them to Aang. Aang offered them to the lemur who sniffed, then grabbed one, scootign away to eat it.

“I don’t suppose you have some meat in there?” Sokka stared at the satchel longingly. 

“No, but I feel you though. We don’t bring meat to the Temples since the Air Nomads were vegetarians and we don’t want to disrespect them. But I miss it too. I do have some Rabbiyak cheese though.” He reached into the bag and handed a soft yellow wedge to Sokka.

“Good enough!” Sokka grabbed it and shoved it in his mouth, practically melting in joy. 

Katara laughed, both at her brother and her friend, who now had the lemur climbing over him. “You made a new friend, Aang?” Zuko perked up “Aang? You were named after Avatar Aang?”

“Avatar Aang?” Katara asked, thanking the Spirits that the Lemur was on Aang’s face, so Zuko didn’t see his reaction. 

“The last Avatar we have any information on,” Zuko explained. “He grew up in this very Temple. The last piece of information we have on him was that he was going to the Eastern Air Temple. We don’t know if he made it or not though.”

He didn’t. But neither of the siblings wanted to tell anyone from the Fire Nation that, not matter how much goodwill that cheese had bought from Sokka.

Sokka swallowed the last of the cheese. “Iroh said the cache in here might have some lost knowledge from our Tribe?”

“Oh he did?” Zuko looked surprised. “You’re from the Southern Water tribe? I mean, you’d have to be, we don’t have anything from the Northern.” He opened a stone chest next to him. It looked normal from the outside, but opening revealed a strange shape to the interior, as if there were teeth withing the lid. Zuko pulled out multiple scrolls, which he handed to the siblings.

Sokka opened one and was surprised to find a message within stating that this scroll was a reproduction, and described what the original scroll had looked like, from the type of parchment and ink used, to the carvings on the handles. The scroll itself contained information on building a rigging system for a ship.

“Are there Fire Nation Scrolls in here?” Aang asked, the lemur curled up on his head as it had been on Zuko’s.

“Yep.” Zuko scowled, which looked even worse with his scar. “Seems each Firelord does their best to wipe out a culture. Sozin launched the strike on the Air Nomads. Azulon pretty much destroyed all Fire Nation culture that couldn’t be used to prop up the war. So like, the Fire Festival is still on, because ‘Rah Rah Fire Good’, but the Festival of Rebirth, which centered around sowing the fields with ashes to benefit crops was struck from records and history books because it was ‘too Earth Nation’. A vast majority of our culture just...gone.” There was no hiding the bitterness is Zuko’s voice. “And despite the Earth Kingdoms being the single greatest force of Resistance, Ozai’s been obsessed with the Water Tribes, so I guess that will leave Azula with Earth.”

“If they don’t get stopped.” Sokka pointed out.

“I hope so.” Zuko sighed. “If the rest of the world would band together, they could have been stopped a hundred years ago, but too many keep saying ‘not my problem’ till Ozai’s armies are at their doorstep. Everyone keeps saying stuff like ‘If only the Avatar would return, but he’s just one man? Or woman. Like, sure he can bend all the elements, but you just need four people for that. Maybe try to work on stuff yourself rather than rely on one person???” 

“You don’t think the Avatar can save the world?” Sokka asked, eyebrow raised. Sure he like how easily Zuko admitted to the Fire Nation needing to be stopped, but still...

Zuko shrugged. “It’s less I don’t think he can and more...I guess I don’t feel he should have to, I mean, the Fire Nation is about the size and a half of Ba Sing Se. It wouldn’t have stood a chance if all the Earth Kingdoms gave a United front against it in the beginning, much less both Water Tribes assisting.  But only a few Kingdoms and the Southern Tribe did more than protect their own borders. It just doesn’t seem fair to put it all on one person.”

Thank you Aang thought. He wasn’t ready to admit who he was to the Restorationists. In fact, he would have been happy if no one had known. But Zuko saying it didn’t all have to be on his shoulders...no one but Gyatsu had told him that.

“This would mean so much to the Tribe.” Katara said softly, looking at a scroll describing building elaborate structures from ice.

“Would if be better to get the original or copies?” Zuko asked.

Katara gave him a look that was just shy of a glare. “What do you think?” “Depends on how quickly you need the information. We always put originals in the closest cache to where we find them. Like this Waterbending scroll-” Zuko opened one. “-we recovered from pirates in the Earth Kingdom. You can tell from this marking that the original is in our cache in the Fuxai ruins.” He pointed to a small green emblem at the top of the note explaining it was a reproduction. “That’s quite a distance from here. So if the goal is to get the information to your tribe as quickly as possible, it would be easier for me to get a few hands and copy all we have. We’d probably be finished by this evening, which means you could leave to return with it as soon as tomorrow morning. However if it’s important is the cultural history, it makes more sense to get the originals, even though traveling to all the caches would be months worth of work.”

“Oh,” That was...well thought out. It occurred to Katara this may not have been the first time the true owners  of what the Restorationists recovered had come claiming what was theirs.

“Do you think you could do both?” Sokka asked seriously. “Make the copies now and, since we’re going on a journey with Aang, we can swap out the new copies for originals if we pass by.”

“Certainly.” Zuko smiled. “And it gives me a convenient excuse to take a break form trying to decipher Monk Chaiyun’s script for a little while.”

“One question though. If you thought you could be done by tonight and it was important, why would we wait till tomorrow to leave?” Aang wondered.

“And the others say I’m reckless.” Zuko rolled his eyes. “You guys just scaled the mountain. You know how dangerous it is to navigate in broad daylight. In the dark? Even I’d call it a death trap.”

“Actually we don’t. We flew in on my flying bison.” Aang explained.

Zuko froze, then looked at Aang as though he was seeing him for the first time. “A...a real...you really are a...” His mouth opened and closed several times. “Can I see it?” he finally said, then buried his face in his hands as thought that wasn’t at all what he’d wanted to say out loud.

“Sure!” Aang rose to his feet, wind swirling around him. Zuko gaped openly, but followed the monk outside to where they’d entered the temple from.

Zuko hadn’t been the only one interested in Appa. A large group of Restorationists were staring, albeit from a good distance away.

“This is Appa. He’s been my best friend since we were little.” Aang introduced.

Zuko stared in wide eyed wonder. “Can I touch him?”

“Sure, Appa’s friendly. Aren’t you?’ Aang asked, as if expecting the bison to answer.

Zuko tentatively reached out  and touched Appa. He stroked it for a few minutes before impulsively hugging Appa, burying himself in the white fur.

“He’s so fluffy,” Zuko proclaimed in a muffled voice.

Katara laughed and even Sokka smiled. “Still not sure on the rest of them, but this Fire Nation guy’s alright.”

Katara smiled back at him, and at Aang, who was eagerly showing Zuko the best way to pet Appa. Yeah. This one was okay.

[onewomancitadel]

what would have happened if ozpin took jaune's body instead of oscar for you? and how do you think it would affect his bonds(Ruby, Ren or even Cinder)?

Well, the person who receives Ozma must have a similarly resonant soul... they have to have the same fundamental sense of virtue.

I would distinguish the Four Protagonists this way: Cinder and Jaune are the 'acquired' type of protagonists, and Ruby and Oscar are the 'innate' protagonists. Cinder/Jaune must acquire skill/ethical goodness/cheat their way into institutions, on the Cinder front she must acquire her own freedom for herself as well; Ruby/Oscar have their respective innate matrilineal characteristics and most of all their fundamentally good, simple souls. I know people might be like 'but team RWBY are the four protagonists!' but that's not what I'm referring to, and yes they are the main four, but I'm talking about how Jaune is the stereotypical shounen protag (subverted), Cinder is a villain protagonist/evil!Ruby, Oscar is the Chosen One against his will, and Ruby is the one who actively chooses it, obviously.

So even if I do read Jaune as Ozma-coded in the story for Reverse Salem/Ozma, I fundamentally cannot see Ozma binding with his soul. Ruby/Oscar are Salem/Ozma with a fresh start, young and hale again, with all of their perfect pure characteristics reserved but they also embody elements of each other - Ruby is alike with Ozma, Oscar alike with Salem (I mean, Salem even re-enacts her own imprisonment with Oscar).

Meanwhile Cinder/Jaune is like... much much more straight up literally Salem/Ozma. They're in the same messy position as things ended, and now they have to work back from that. They don't get to start over or get things given directly to them. But if they do work back from it, then it heals the symbolic wound in the story, and is also structural proof Salem and Ozma could work back from it if they tried.

In some sense then yes, Jaune/Cinder is sort of a refresher, because there's not the thousands of years of enmity and immortality. But they are human, and it's proof divine intervention really did fuck things up.

So I'm not sure that Ozma could have ever reincarnated with Jaune because of all of this. If he did, he would have been very angry at Oz, lol. To the point that if I were the one writing it I think I'd just make him be spiteful and go ask Cinder if she wants to burn anything, you know? (Not really but like, it would probably be disastrous. It would not be like Oscar). I don't think Jaune is fundamentally EVIL, not at all, before anybody misreads my intentions... I think he does struggle a little with darkness, which is why I do read him in respect to Cinder (who probably to some degree struggles with goodness).

But yeah very interesting ask thank you.

[long-cosmos-overhead]

Oswald x Reader request coming in :D In which someone tries to rob him and though she is short and not that strong either she somehow saves him and though shes shaky and a bit panicked herself she grabs his hand and runs away. When they're save she asks if hes hurt and if he is ok and all though they don't know each other

(I do not own Gotham or its characters/ gif not mine)

Head down, work hard, mouth shut. The three rules you had been taught by everyone you ever came to meet. Gotham was brutal to say the least infected by crime, impaling fear, gangs and a composition of the most dangerous and mental people to grace the planet. Ever since you were able to comprehend words those ways of staying alive were drilled into your head to the point you dread not forget them. Thankfully you had witnessed little but the headlines on papers that strung across the street were the terrors of any sane man or woman alike replayed again and again. Truly they had lost their meaning, the fear and uncertainty of a cold murder spun only as a broken record. Old news seen before and most definitely to be seen again.

You had clocked off work early today, a rare but welcomed occasion. Your job was not strictly speaking very sustainable nor enjoyable. You didn’t intend to stay there long, you had no actual plan or blueprint of your life but somehow in the back of your mind you knew you’d throw in the towel and jump to the next job until you get bored and did it again. Not living luxury but spontaneous.

The streets you walked down were engraved into your head yet you didn’t even dare say you knew them. No one knows anything until it happens for even a house lived in a lifetime can still turn into a nightmarish fever dream. It was around four in the evening somewhat dark from the autumn setting into the sky which also caused fewer people to lurk around too long for the dark can be a cursed concept. Still few people braved the cold and gloom however their intent unknown. Head down and keep walking. This motto serving you well swaying danger opposite your direction.

You had walked a while only little under halfway left to go before reaching your apartment. The cobbled streets dark enough for weak street lamps to guide the rest of the way illuminating small circles of pavement. Your feet shuffled turning perhaps the worst corner of your route. A dark dingy alleyway. Dumpsters shoved aside the wall, cigarette butts littering the floor and a distant but strong smell of urine sometimes they’d even be a stray rat picking at the litter on the floor.

Today however the dumpsters and used cigarettes didn’t even cross your mind. A man stood feebly against a wall trapped by two other men clearly much taller and bigger than he was. It was clear by his every move he was scared and the men were not conversing in a friendly altercation. You should’ve walked away, found another way round and forgotten what you saw. Theft was common and the one thing you had been told all your life was to keep your head down and move along yet the man had you in his grasp something about him captivated you alluring you to go against every rule you’d been told.

He looked like a child and a man at the same time. A strange but rather fresh look compared to the city. Rather short and thin with an air of mystery and intellect. His hair was dark and messy something you found oddly attractive. He was almost an advancement, an attractive person who carried a strongly blended sense of submission and dominance. He felt like an opposing force not only to others but to himself. You saw huge amounts of intelligence and ambition beneath his eyes but clearly he knew he couldn’t hold in a fight his body language seeped it. You didn’t even know his name but you knew you had to save him. He was something far far different.

Head down. It was screaming at you, the voices of every person with sense who ever entered your life. The one thing they all wanted you to remember and abide by discarded all for the safety of a man you didn’t even know the name of. Years of teaching washed away over intrigue. If you were to carry anything with you it was the sense of good, the thrill of breaking through and the righteousness that followed by attempting to save a man for even if you failed your heart would be in the same place as if you had succeeded.

What followed was rather a blur. It wasn’t like those old but gold war and crime tv shows. It was messy, uncoordinated, rash and terrifying. You remembered running the wind whipping past your body almost trying to drag you back, to plead you to reconsider. You didn’t have to run for very long in fact it felt as if you had barely gotten started. You saw without seeing your body guiding you like in a dance, adrenaline exhilarating your blood flow. You could distinctly remember a sharp impact smashing right into the side of one man. You weren’t tall nor very strong yet he was thrown off balance hopping to the side as if he tripped.

For a moment no one moved or at least they looked as if they had forgotten how to. Your adrenaline left and you stood as a little girl arm throbbing from charging into another triple the body mass of you. How foolish it was of you to believe you could do something against such beasts. A lifetime of knowledge spoilt. But then your eyes came to rest upon the very person you sought to save. His entire face expressed shock, fear, relief and a tinge of admiration. You didn’t know what it was about him but just like keys in the ignition you were revved up again. Determination clouding your eyes.

You knew you could not fight and by the body language and frame of the black haired man neither could he. Panic began to set a course, you were by far outmanoeuvred. The eyes of the robbers darkened their initial shock worn off and it was clear they had a different goal on the table.

You didn’t think when you laced your hand with the smooth skin that connected to him. You ran hand in hand like an old fashioned movie. His touch sent a spark through your body. Your cheeks flushed pink which you hoped momentarily would be mistaken for anything but his charm that grasped you so easily. Despite high tensions and a painfully fearful atmosphere he was gentle, so gentle. His grip was light yet heavy enough for his presence to be known, he didn’t grip your fingers painfully so they folded in on themselves neither did he run ahead and retreat from your grasp. He was naturally gentle.

You ran until your lungs ached and your legs groaned in protest. You both came to the conclusion that neither of you were willing nor capable to go any further. Your feet stopped pacing and you came to a standstill panting and beyond disbelief. The air having hit your throat enough to leave it stinging. It was rather mad. You and some man you’d never met holding hands in an unfamiliar alleyway desperately trying to catch your breath after almost getting murdered. It was so surreal it sounded like something straight from the pages of a dark romance.

“Thank you.”

His words were split by the sharp intake of air and heavy dosage of shakiness but it was a sound you immediately wished you could hear again and again. The corners of your mouth twitched upwards a little.

“You’re welcome.”

It was evident neither of you knew what to say, too consumed in shock and fear.

“Are you okay?” You asked discreetly running your eyes over his face and upper body scanning for injuries which you were relieved to find none.

He responded by turning the question on you his voice shaky and nervous but genuine. He was as rare as gold in a dumpster anyone else would’ve straightened themselves up and walked off not even taking one look at you let alone ask about your well-being.

“J-just a bit banged up.”

His eyes morphed from confusion to somewhat greatful and sympathetic. He knew you were a keeper just the way you held his hand made butterfly’s flap wildly in his stomach let alone be lucky enough to find someone to defend a stranger from a gang of thugs.

“I got a place not to far.” He cut off seeming afraid. He really wanted to get to know you and thankfully you grasped at the hint.

“Let’s go -,”

“Oswald. Oswald Cobblepot.” His name seemed fitting to his appearance it felt natural as if any other name wouldn’t have been able to serve him the same justice.

“Y/n L/n.” Oh he loved you already. Everything about you had him stunned. Your bravery, your kindness, your voice even your name had him in a pit of deep desire.

You both walked side by side like old friends down the cobbled streets already infatuated with one another setting the scene for something incredibly special.