#a fit treatment for evil fruits!

[varpusvaras]

Hey Ven >:3🧡

NO. Nuh-uh.

This is what happens to the Evil Fruits.

[nottskyler]

Dear President Russell M Nelson,

Congratulations on making it to 100. I know it was a significant goal for you and you worked hard both physically and spiritually to make it this far. I know there are a lot of things outside our control to having a long life, but it also takes work.

Thank you for the challenge to read the Book of Mormon before the year was out back in 2018. My life has been irrevocably changed for the better for following that counsel. I learned much about myself and the world and Gd’s plan for me and began a path of repentance that has brought me closer to Christ and brought joy into a life that was characterized by despair before.

And that is simply a personal way that I know you are called of Gd to be our prophet. It is very clear how you were prepared to lead the Church at this time, especially with how your responses to revelation prepared the Church for the pandemic. A pandemic following a change in policy that barred me from sharing the joy that I found by following your counsel. It is sometimes hard to reconcile the exclusionary policy that you have permitted to be put in place under your leadership with my testimony that you are a prophet of Gd because following your counsel led me to Christ and the good things that come from repentance.

It is the same juxtaposition of you having a medical degree and then claiming that life (when the spirit enters the body) begins at conception because a unique genetic code was created. Conception comes before the medical definition of pregnancy which is before the latest point identical twins can be formed. Identical twins are clearly two different spirits with the same genetic code. The truth we learn from science is giving a different truth than the one that you claimed in your press conference on the reversal of roe v wade.

Not to harp on something you said one time not even during General Conference, but I was finally pregnant after years of infertility and it seemed to mock my pain of late periods and failed fertility treatments. I came to the conclusion that you were wrong and speaking your personal opinion and not the thoughts and feelings of Heavenly Father or our Savior Jesus Christ. A conclusion that many would think contradicts my previous statement about believing that you are a prophet of Gd.

But to believe that the prophets can do no wrong is idolatry. To claim that the truth is only what prophets have confirmed first is priestcraft. This is not the Lord’s way who said: “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:17); “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:20). Or even Moroni closing his addition to the Book of Mormon “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moroni 10:5) and “For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.” (Moroni 7:15).

Besides, how can we be fit for the Celestial Kingdom if we, as individuals of the Church, are to surrender our agency to you and never learn how to discern truth for ourselves. You set yourself up as the king of the Church when you say you are the only source of truth. Then all the sins of those who follow you without question become stains on your garments.

It is a difficult task to reconcile these types of mistakes with someone upholding a high calling that presumably has direct access to Gd, but then I realized that the traditions of our fathers was what made me ignore Gd telling me to repent much earlier than the 2018 Book of Mormon reading challenge. False traditions drain true intent and curiosity when you ask Gd because you feel confident that you know the answer and so you study with bias to confirm your worldview and you don’t have intent to do anything different if the answer isn’t what you expect. False traditions frame revelation so that you ignore key pieces because your mind fills in the default expectation instead of what actually exists in the revelation. In the end, I’m glad that I’m a nobody who only has to deal with the consequences of my own actions instead of being in your shoes where my same mistakes would’ve cause much more damage and would’ve been much harder to change direction when I learned I was wrong.

So I pray that your mind will be open to look past the false traditions of our fathers, to be open to the testimony of those othered by the Church organization. I pray that you realize that what you are doing is priestcraft so that you will swiftly repent and put effort into making sure you aren’t standing between us and Christ. I pray that you will repent in this life so you can share our joy.

Sincerely,

nottskyler

[snapped-twigs]

Antagonists version of Sam.

Upon consuming the planar fruit of lunar energy Sam became a ticking time bomb. Each time she drew power from the plane of lunar energy she had a harder time stopping its immense flow. Eventually in a fit of fear and panic she drew too much energy unleashing a torrent of magical energy she had no chance of stopping. This immense force began to slowly breakdown and reshape Sam, her body unable to bear the power now coursing through her. Fearing the potential danger she posed to those close to her she ran away, secluding and leaving herself to be consumed by the lunar energy or whatever it turn her into, fighting off anyone that stumbles across her to spare them the same fate.

Villain stats

Evil level 4/10 Self loathing/Angst level 8/10 Chance of exploding 5/10 Chance of Redemption 5/10

Recommend treatment, Couple counseling, Therapy, an Excessive Magic Sink/Wish spell

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Daily Devotionals for May 20, 2024

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 16:32(KJV): 32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Thought for the Day

In Proverbs, we find many profound truths, which when applied to our lives, will bring great victories. To experience anger is not a sin, since the Bible says that God Himself is angry about certain things. Anger is an emotion that we all experience. We should be angry when we see an injustice or the ill-treatment of others. The sin is not in experiencing anger, but in how we deal with it. We can turn our anger into prayer, which will change things. If we allow our anger to turn into vindictiveness, we become just as guilty as the one with whom we are angry. We are told in Scripture to overcome evil with good. "If it is possible, as much as

lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink: for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:18-21).

So, what should we do when we become angry? "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil" (Ephesians 4:26-27). First, we should be willing to prayerfully examine our hearts: Why we are reacting with such anger? Is our anger justified, or are we merely suffering wounded pride? Are we partially to blame? If God brings conviction, we must repent. We must also forgive the other person, even if they will not change. We must be just as willing for the Lord to change us, as the one we are angry at. Unforgiveness is a deadly sin that hardens the heart, cuts us off from God, and brings torment (Matthew 18:34-35). Anger must be dealt with quickly so that it does not turn into a bitter root of unforgiveness. "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled" (Hebrews 12:14-15). God commands us to love our enemies and forgive those who hurt us. This is impossible without God's grace. I cannot love my enemies and neither can you. We must call on God to do this impossible thing; He

will enable us to do it. If we refuse, and harbor unforgiveness, we block God from forgiving us (Matthew 6:14-15).

Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit that we must cultivate if we are to do any mighty works for God. Handling anger properly is part of "ruling our spirits;" and it is better to have this ability than to conquer a city. When a man can rule his own life through the power of the Holy Spirit, he is fit to rule a city.

Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for being patient with me in times past when I know my sins caused You grief and anger. Help me have the same kind of patience and love toward those who cause me anger. Lord, I choose to love them, and thank you for Your power to demonstrate that love. Father, I forgive all who would sin against me and ask You to bless them with the knowledge of Your love and truth. Lord, I pray especially for all my brothers and sisters in the Lord. May we all walk in Your love and forgiveness toward each other so that the world may see Your love in us and as they witness this love, may they desire to know You, the God of love. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

[loetise]

character interview.  ˎˊ˗

basics.

name: valentine "allie" hope fleur. 

nicname/s: allie, al, als, allie cat, allie pie, allie belly, tiny, teeny, little flower, little fairy, little cupid, little dove, dove, little fae, little wing, angel, angel dust, angelfish, doe eyes, starfish, sunshine barbie, mouse, birdie, sweetheart, darling flower, princess, sunflower, fairy baby, ladybug, chickadee, lotus, cupcake, lamb, tinkerbell, pocket fairy, pretty girl.  (yes these are all rp ones and real i made a list of them like 2 years ago)

age: 18 - 22.

species: half-fae / half-human.

personal.

morality: lawful / chaotic / good / neutral / evil / true

religion: whatever the fae got goin on.

sins: greed / gluttony / sloth / lust / pride / envy / wrath

virtues: chastity / charity / diligence / humility / kindness / patience / justice

known languages: english, minimal fae.

secrets:  she really isn't a person with any secrets, and is a very open book besides keeping her full name close to her. she's kind of scared to talk about her trauma in fear of bothering people. at least, she doesn't talk about the trauma that she knows is trauma. she's very frequently dropping concerning information about her childhood without thinking of it.

physical.

build: scrawny / bony / slender / fit / athletic / curvy / herculean / pudgy / average

height: 4′11″

scars / birthmarks: two scars down her back, in line and along her shoulder blades, where wings should be, though she's very insecure about them and she covers them with magic treatment that puts a glamour over them to hide them. she also gets little scabs and bruises a lot because of her clumsiness and frequent time spent in the woods among sharp branches and thick roots. / she has one on her left hip that she swears looks like a heart. (it does not actually look like a heart but you will break her heart if you tell her that, she’s very proud of it.)   

abilities / powers: magic affinity, being able to detect magic without meaning to, affinity for nature, communicating with plants and animals, somewhat unconscious allure, especially to humans (ex: she's harder to refuse, normally very easy to be drawn to in a crowd, unnaturally charming), she has somewhat of a temperature resistance, or at least she has one on feeling alone. (meaning, her body may suffer from the effects of the temperature and her not realize it) she also has a high alcohol tolerance and strong immune system (both due to fae blood as well as her experiences) for human alcohol and human diseases.

restrictions: iron and silver, though she really tries to stray from metal of any kind. iron and silver, specifically, poison her and her skin, making her feel ill and burning her. her senses are heightened and more sensitive than the average human, and while that alone isn't a weakness, allie finds that harsh smells and sounds bother her to a point of almost pain. meat also makes her ill.

favorites.            i'll let you know right now this was a flop. there are hardly any favorites just vibes, she so rarely has favorites.

food: she kinda just loves food and trying new things, there aren't really any flavors that she doesn't like, besides she just doesn't eat meat and actually doesn't enjoy any substitutes that claim to taste like meat. no favorites here i think but she loves fruits and sweets always and forever.

drink: sweet and fruity things <3 again <3.

pizza topping: i don't think she really has favorites for this but she doesn't eat meat, otherwise she likes everything.

color: she loves pastels, and pinks and greens and yellows and oranges and greens and purples and blues. she does not care for red, black or dark colors. 

music genre: she enjoys pop n dream-pop but she'll listen to anything. very much a top 40 girlie by default just because it's what is always on.

book genre: she's not a book girlie 😔

movie genre: rom-com's/chick flicks primarily i imagine, she just loves fun movies. not a big fan of horror movies but she's never Opposed to anything. you will just need to hold her hand. 

curse word: she really doesn't swear. she doesn't even like,, fake swear. 

scents: flowers......

fun stuff.

songs: matilda + harry styles, you're on your own, kid + taylor swift,  wildest dreams + taylor swift, cry baby + melanie martinez, all you wanna do + SIX, aimee atkinson, 13 beaches + lana del rey, sober + p!nk, nonsense + sabrina carpenter, because i liked a boy + sabrina carpenter, hey blondie + dominic fike, what was i made for? + billie eilish, earthangel + the penguins, moonlight + kali uchis

aesthetic: dainty jewelry, friendship bracelets, dancing in the rain, parties, loose curls, hair ribbons, cuddling with your friends, sundresses, kicked off shoes, meadows filled with flowers, fun patterned rolling papers, playful love, barefoot in the grass, colorfully painted fingernails, glitter everywhere, baked goods, forest floors covered in blossoms, intense feelings said casually, holding hands, petting wild animals and cradling them like babies, talking and singing to your plants, lots and lots of kisses, sparkly lipgloss.

sings in the shower: absolutely!

likes puns: yes! she thinks they are so fun and clever and will always laugh. 

tagged by;   stolen <3 from nearly an actual year ago &lt;3 tagging;   you, steal this and say i tagged you!

[supa-suckers]

Dooma

General Headcanons:

Right off the bat let's get one thing straight as we can, this man is a right bastard, a maniac, a ruthless chump, he's an asshole.

Seriously please let me have a dude who's just plain evil for the fun of it

He grew up in a big family with lots of siblings, actually had good parents who spent quality time with them whenever they could and apolgized in the form of cut fruit.

He inherited that. İn the rare chance that he feels he's gone too far he'll just place a plate/lunchbox of fruit next to them and go 'eat, vitamins are good for you loser'

Once an interviewer said his haircut looked silly, he just smiled, leaned in, and headbutted her so bad her own nose bridge gave her a lobotomy.

Used to be a self harmer, still has the scars.

Had little sisters so he knows how to braid hair, wore his braided for a short while too.

Occasionally babysits Dee, she's learned all the cusswords she knows from him. (Not my hc, it was Emrelda's i think)

The new teeth they gave him has never quite sat right so he can't grind his teeth as much as he used to plus it tastes weird as all hell sometimes.

On that note Refab gave İ.U two years of free spa treatment as a 'refund' for Dooma, he tries not to think about it much.

Vince scouted him personallt playing for lower teams it was actually his idea that he go to refab, it seemed like a better idea than The Oasis.

Okay fun fact Dooma (talkative, mean but nice) is actually a girl's name and so is Duma (silence, resemblance) and Doma (one who belongs to the lord) so uhhh trans Dooma anyone?

He wears Bull's Blood by İmaginary Authors it's smells like a barnyard massacre or a car crash so it fits the brand.

[creonininkwell]

Christmas Drabble

It’s late I know, but I wanted to share this still, in compensation for the lack of Cuphead content lately. Long story drabble warning

Creon was actually on an expedition to suss out a possible lead to a magical artifact. She didn’t expect to make it home in time for Christmas. Heck, even Lucy/Devil didn’t think that they’d finish in time. Sadly the location and said artifact was a bust, since Mortimer Freeze didn’t have any particular artifact that fit that description. Thankfully, Creon and Lucy/Devil didn’t have to continue fighting Mortimer. Mortimer thought they were after the Icy Sugar Cubes he was guarding. Mortimer was a bit confused when the “intruders” were willing to stop fighting. Mortimer is so used to having to scare away thieves and intruders. In truth, it’s been too long since he’s had legit visitors who don’t mean him any ill-will. At least Creon has no ill will, Lucy/Devil was all for turning Mortimer into a puddle. Sometimes, chasing away said intruders is the only interaction Mortimer gets. 

Instead they attended his early (impromptu) Christmas party. Lucy/Devil begrudgingly went along with the festivities since Creon preferred to not prolong fighting, and she also felt sorry for Mortimer. Mortimer was clearly a lonely guy, with a heavy task of guarding the Icy Sugar Cubes. To cope with his prolonged isolation and the lack of visitors (and being wary of thieves coming after the Icy Sugar Cubes), he made his own cult and his own cult members. Creon managed to get Lucy/Devil to let loose and have fun when they had a skate-off on the very durable ice conjured by Mortimer. Creon is always paranoid about breaking the ice if she lets loose when ice-skating. They also let Mortimer show off his fortune-telling skills.

Creon immediately heads home, with hopes of getting home to enjoy Christmas with the Cup family. She definitely shocked them. At first they freaked out thinking she was an unhinged ax murderer that broke into the house. Creon managed to help salvage their burnt christmas tree by giving it a Charlie-Brown treatment. They cut off stray pine tree branches and tied them to twine or string, Then they lined those strings to form a 3D silhouette of a cone, and proceed to decorate with more handmade decorations of paper and origami. They can add another method of tree decorating to their tree-dition.

Maybe there are more days before Christmas eve so that gives Creon more time to prepare Lucy/Devil’s present. She was really lucky to have prepared the cup family’s presents before leaving for her expedition. Also they have time to prepare for food. The cup family get to have fun traditions of cooking more of Creon’s favorite dishes or winter treats. Creon also gets to test out using the Icy Sugar Cubes she was gifted to make Bingsu (Shaved Ice) or other desserts such as fresh fruit tarts. 

As for the Devil, when He does go to the North Pole to ask Santa about the “Nice” list, the results are quite different. In this AU, the Devil is still THE #1 on the “Naughty” list. But He did actually do a few good things. His overwhelming deeds of evil and malice overshadow those few good deeds. There were a few years where the Devil was actually decent in the Medieval period, and present day where He’s questionably okay as “Lucius Mayweather.”

The Devil is very confused and doesn’t remember that bit during the Medieval times. But then the Devil gets the brilliant idea of staying close with Creon all throughout as “Lucy.” Santa reluctantly agrees, but he keeps bringing up that the Devil is STILL technically lying to Creon by being in disguise. The Devil swears with confidence that He’ll be a “perfect” angel, and then immediately recoils in disgust at what He just said.

Lucy/Devil knocks on the Cup residence door, and Creon happens to answer the door. She did not expect a visit from Lucy, and He mostly doesn’t come by at all (except for the few times He initially hounded Creon for a date, so He could curse her with a demonic artifact). Lucy/Devil lies about how He wanted to spend Christmas with His good friend and maybe experience what it’s like to spend Christmas the “Plebeian way.” Creon is kinda annoyed, but also creeped out by how desperate Lucy is trying to get into the house. She tries to explain why He can’t just invite himself, how she still doesn’t trust Lucy around Cuphead and Mugman, and mostly everyone doesn’t like Him. Creon wants a stress-free (close to it) Christmas, and she knows Lucy will make things really stressful and uncomfortable for everyone. 

As Lucy/Devil tries to brute force His way through the door, He causes Creon to step back a bit. At the same time, Cuphead and Mugman were walking close by with something fragile or crucial for Christmas prep. One of them tripped over Creon’s legs, and chaos ensued. Two crying children, a mess, and a pissed off Creon. I’m not sure what they dropped. Maybe it was more personalized decorations for their “fixed” tree. Or some ingredient for a meal they were looking forward to tasting. Or it was their surprise present for Creon. Lucy/Devil realizes that He’s utterly f***ed. Creon is furious that Lucy/Devil made her boys cry. Creon rips into Him, telling Him to never darken their doorstep, and that He could forget about His present. Creon had originally prepared a gift for Him, but now she’s lost any goodwill for Him at that moment.

Lucy/Devil is in shock at being so rudely booted from the cottage. But most of all, He feels hurt and rejected. Not only were His plans to be “nice” ruined, but He was rejected and denied from even partaking in something. The feeling of rejection festers and now He’s in a horrible mood. In fact He’s in no mood to even hear out Santa’s other option to get on the “Nice” list. And why should He lower Himself to any other being? He’s the Devil, He bows to no one. He decides to just hold Santa hostage. And now with how hurt He feels, He wants everyone to hurt.

What better way to get what He wants AND hurt people than stealing everyone’s Christmas? If He can’t get His choo choo, no one gets their presents. Devil brings a small chunk of imps and demons to storm the North Pole. To be extra spiteful, He broadcasts all over the world that He has captured Santa and that Christmas is finished. Creon and the family were actually in the city getting some last minute supplies when the global broadcast was made. 

Creon decides to go and save Santa, for her boys. The Devil has not only ruined everyone’s Christmas, but He ruined the boys Christmas. She reluctantly takes the boys with her when they beg to go with her. After briefly making sure they’re equipped for the frigid cold and packed a few supplies, Creon manages to secure the fastest flight with Hildaberg. The boys secretly want to go to Santa in hopes that they can convince Santa to put Creon on the “Nice” list. They’re still horrified at the concept of Santa not existing, since Santa has been around for so long in this world. In a way, they want to give Creon a piece of a childhood she was deprived of.

The journey to Santa’s Workshop was a bit rough, due to the elements and cold. Creon was actually guided by a large white reindeer. All three were able to hitch a ride with their ethereal guide. Along the way, they also ran into some angry winter denizens that heard the white reindeer’s call. They happen to be Santa’s oldest friends and also provide certain supplies for Santa’s toy production. They came to assist Creon in saving Santa.

Mortimer Freeze had heard rumors about a crazy b!t(h going to save Santa from the Devil. Realizing it’s his new friend, he sends his whale to ferry some snow golems to help Creon. Due to the Devil’s hostile takeover, the magic that kept the workshop hidden and secure was weakened. That and the yuletide beings know the way. Let’s just say that the imps guarding outside were not expecting someone to actually storm the workshop.

The rescue party easily subdues all the imps and the demons. The white reindeer freed all of Santa’s reindeer and proceeded to riot. Cuphead and Mugman have fun pelting imps with their slingshots and just causing a lot of chaos and property damage. While a siege was taking place, the Devil was threatening Santa into putting the Devil on the “Nice” list. Apparently, Santa won’t give anyone a present if they’re not on the “Nice” list.

Finally the Devil got the brilliant idea to threaten to destroy the presents instead. It’s at that moment that Creon rushes into Santa’s office, and yeets a giant, mahogany nutcracker at the Devil. A brawl ensues. With Santa freed, he’s able to call for the E.L.F.S (Effective Liberating Flight Squad) to help (guess which film I referenced). With Creon wielding the giant spoon , she’s made it easier to subdue the Devil with her new allies.

Sadly, a small chunk of presents were destroyed during the chaos, and some parts of the workshop are in need of repair. Santa uses his magic to slowly get things operational again. Santa’s friends pitch in and bring supplies needed. Creon also persuaded (threatens)  the remaining imps and demons that they need to pitch in as reparation for assaulting the North Pole. Stickler and Elf Stickler do end up pointing out that they do need to “pay up.” The hostile takeover was an unprovoked offense, so the Devil has to deal. 

Now the problem is that there’s not enough time for Santa to deliver the presents. Then Santa asks Creon to help deliver. Creon is unsure how she’d be of any help since she doesn’t have magic; only for the white reindeer to nudge Creon into accepting the role. Santa and all the other winter denizens are familiar with this mysterious reindeer. It rarely comes to strangers or even anyone else. Only Santa and other winter demi-beings know of it. Legends say that Santa’s reindeer are descendants of this very reindeer.

The reindeer is quite comfortable with helping Creon in this rather daunting task. Daunting because it’s freaking Santa Claus, for realsies. Someone Creon never thought she’d ever meet in her lifetime, no thanks to her gene-donor’s malicious child-rearing skills (or lack of). At this point, Creon got fed up with just calling the reindeer “buddy” and asked if it wanted a name. To everyone’s surprise, the Reindeer cleverly reveals its name with kiddy alphabet blocks, spelling Lior.

With Santa going light-speed, and Creon covering other regions of the world, they actually make it in time. Creon actually brought Cuphead and Mugman to be her eyes and ears when delivering presents without having to enter houses or squeeze through chimneys. Creon’s been getting more creative with using the spoon to deliver presents. Some of Mortimer’s tinier snow minions help out as well.

They managed to finish everything on the stroke of midnight. The workshop is fully repaired and operational. The elves had prepared some refreshments and treats so everyone is chilling and having a mini Christmas party. The Devil is still bound in magical wrapping paper and ribbons, sulking in a corner, guarded by the E.L.F.S members. Henchman occasionally tries to feed the Devil some hot cocoa or cookies.

Santa reveals that he decided to give Cuphead and Mugman their presents personally as a job well done. Both boys are ecstatic, especially Cuphead. Cuphead didn’t think he’d be on the “Nice” list since he was aware that he was a bit naughty this year. When Santa reveals Cuphead’s present, the same train set the Devil wanted, everyone nearby witnesses the Devil’s brief joy at the train set.

Creon is the first one to connect the dots, and she is pissed and completely drained at the absurdity of it all. When Santa confirms that all of this fuss was because the Devil wanted to get on the “Nice” list to get a toy train and failed to be “nice,” everyone nearby is quite flabbergasted about the situation. The Devil is embarrassed that He’s been outed, but He gets more pissed when He notices that Creon is actually looking at Him with pity. 

The Cup brothers then remember their REAL mission for tagging along for the North Pole. They plead their case to Santa to put Creon on the “Nice” list. Creon is really touched by this, but she assures them that her meeting the OG real Santa is already good enough for her. But lo and behold, Santa reveals that due to Creon’s presence, Santa finally decided on making a third list for people in-between the “nice” and “naughty” scale. They won’t get the present they want, but they’ll get some form of gift to acknowledge that their good efforts have been noticed.

Creon is honestly confused, because she can’t be that one exception and there must’ve been others like her before. Surprisingly, not a lot. And if there were, they’ve fallen out of the Christmas spirit, become too jaded, or slid too far into the “Naughty” scale. Creon is overwhelmed as Santa explains how moved he was with Creon’s many moments of altruism, protectiveness, and love during her time here in Inkwell. Now, since Creon personally came to free Santa and help him, that’s automatically bumped her up to the “Nice” list. 

Then Creon asks Santa if she can forfeit her spot on the “Nice” list for someone else instead. She asks that the Devil take her spot so He can get the train set He desperately wants. Everyone is shocked. The Devil is shocked, then enraged at the thought of His enemy giving Him any ounce of pity. Creon legitimately feels sorry for the Devil, and how He actually tried to be “nice” for once in His immortal life, only to fail miserably and resort to blackmailing Santa.

Creon can empathize with how difficult it is to be “nice” or civil to people, especially people that annoy her or just downright deplorable. In a way, with how $h!tty this year probably was for Him (losing souls, getting humiliated and sucker-punched), she can see how He probably wanted something nice for a change.  

Cuphead and Mugman are really outraged, but they begrudgingly respect her decision. Then Cuphead has an epiphany and tells Creon to keep her earned “nice” spot. Cuphead can kind of understand where the Devil is coming from. Cuphead also has a difficult time being nice, and he admitted this initially. But after the memorable memories of tonight, he truly understands what Elder Kettle meant about how Christmas was about cherishing people close and dear.

And Creon has been a great example of compassion and goodwill (most of the time), that he wants to extend that goodwill to the one being who clearly needs it the most. After all, it’s not like anyone else is going to give the Devil a present, right? Cuphead also explains to Mugman that he’s going to remember this night and cherish it. It’s not everyday that a kid goes to Santa’s workshop, helps save Santa and Christmas, and effectively torment the Devil with good ol’ kindness.

Cuphead decides to give his train set to the Devil, despite how vehemently the Devil froths and rages about not wanting any pity presents. Seeing how the Devil is refusing the coveted train, Creon and the Cup brothers start being more aggressive in wishing the Devil a merry Christmas. Then they start piling on why they want to thank the Devil for putting them in scenarios that test and strengthen their bonds. Each scenario brought them closer than ever and reminded them how much they cherish each other. The Devil is begging at this point to be freed from being tortured with kindness.

The Devil is still gift-wrapped so He has to resort to grabbing His pitchfork with His teeth to teleport Him and the army back to Hell. Cuphead gave the train set to Henchman to carry since the Devil kept trying to bite them. Lior actually gifts Creon a peridot gem, by stamping its hoof on the ground. Creon is touched but sad that she has nothing to repay it. Lior seems to not need anything. But it does seem melancholy as it gazes at Creon. Lior gives Creon a departing nudge before going back into the northern wilds.

Santa then gives the tired Cups and Creon a ride back to the cottage. Before leaving, Santa gives Creon a small token; he uses Christmas magic to make Lior’s peridot gem glow with warmth and it is fashioned into a necklace. Creon is honestly tearing up at her first gift from the real Santa. Seeing how Creon is tearing up, he also asks Creon if she’d like a hug. She doesn’t refuse the offer for a hug.

They see Elder Kettle and the goat sleeping near the fireplace, as if he were waiting for them to return. They all decide to just bundle up some blankets and pillows and sleep next to the fire.

When morning comes, everyone is somewhat sleepy but ready to enjoy Christmas. They start off with exchanging gifts. The Cup family has a big surprise for Creon. Elder Kettle reveals that they’ve officially and legally adopted Creon into the family registry. Despite knowing that Creon won’t be here for long, they wanted her to know that she is family to them. Creon is overwhelmed by this. They enjoy preparing for dinner and treats to enjoy, while Creon and Elder Kettle swap stories. Also Creon gives the Cup bros a beginner crossbow lesson. They really wanted to test out their new crossbows that Creon gifted them.

As for the Devil, He immediately crawled to bed after a full hour of burning off the magic gift wrapping. He moped and sulked in embarrassment until He fell asleep. When Christmas morning came, He almost didn’t want to get up. He only got up reluctantly due to Henchman’s insistence. He is surprised to see a giant train set waiting for him. Henchman explains that he built it himself all night, since he figured the Devil wasn’t going to enjoy the train that Cuphead had gifted Him. Henchman had actually chatted up with some of Santa’s elves during that mini Christmas party, so Henchman was able to build it much faster.

The Devil is immensely touched by Henchman’s gift and forethought. Henchman asks the Devil what He plans to do with Cuphead’s train. The Devil’s mood sours and almost burns that train on sight. Instead He orders Henchman to put it away and out of sight. Henchman doesn’t comment about how the boss hasn’t burnt it ash or ordered for permanent disposal. 

Later on, the Devil decides to go out and see if He can squeeze in some Christmas chaos before the day ends. Right before He’s about to start some $h!t, He notices Creon from afar. It seems like she’s been looking for someone, and even asking some people if they’ve seen “Lucy.” Devil is curious so He dons the“Lucius” disguise.

When Lucy/Devil approaches Creon, He’s surprised that Creon wanted to give Him a present. Creon actually apologizes for her harsh words yesterday about not giving Lucy His gift. The other stuff about Him being an invasive and rude creep, she’s not sorry. Creon confesses that despite her distrust of Lucy, she is still grateful for His help. She would’ve died sooner if it weren’t for Lucy. Lucy/Devil doesn’t know what to do with the gratitude, and is shocked that Creon still intended to give Him a present.

Creon had been using some rare spider silk to create a silken ascot tie. Lucy/Devil knows how rare that particular spider silk is. He was there when they barely got out of that one expedition alive. He’s really touched by the care that was put into the handmade gift. Creon has had to practice a lot with using EK’s sewing machine.

Instead of casually snarking about how plain it is, Lucy/Devil genuinely thanks Creon for the gift. Creon is actually surprised by how genuine He is at that moment. They both depart to their respective residences. Creon actually smiles giddily at the thought of calling the cottage “home.” Even though it’s temporary, for now it’s home. The Devil completely forgot about causing chaos after getting a hand-made gift. Suffice it to say, almost everyone had a good Christmas.

[clay-cuttlefish]

Finally I've reached the thing I've been avoiding: deciding how much of No Man's Land counts as directly relevant context. It's almost a hundred issues, and most of the arcs in it are fairly standalone. I think I'm just going to include her appearances and only add context issues for arcs where she's important.

DC Universe Legacies #5

Okay actually first I had to move some post-2000 flashback issues. This one's a flashback to Crisis on Infinite Earths, except Vic and the other Charltons show up beforehand, which. Not what happened.

Two Down

IT'S TIME (for real now)

Actually I think I have to move this out of NML to before Random Encounters since I don't care about the other stories in this issue. So on the spreadsheet proper there's a pretty big gap after this.

Her putting herself between Harvey and Batman makes me want to fucking explode.

This was the first story Greg Rucka wrote for DC. In interviews he says he knew Renee was a lesbian before he even came on board and her previous writers just hadn't noticed. Iconic.

Claim Jumping

Harvey's evil again. That didn't take long.

Helena's abs are ridiculous here. She's usually buff but she's getting the dehydrated bodybuilder Batman treatment.

Fruit of the Earth

It feels like Gordon should have anticipated that breaking the alliance would go badly, or at least that Harvey would betray him at some point. Harvey's not known for being reliable, dude.

The first sign that Harvey's far too attached, with "I really like Renee. She and I share an understanding."

It's months before Renee is followed up on, both in and out of universe, which is wild.

Jurisprudence

AAAAAAAA

Okay normal again.

I wish Renee had more agency here, but given that this was an attempt to fit her into a Gordon plot beat, it's a hell of a way to do that.

Harvey's a creep, but he seems to still be trying not to go full Phantom of the Opera about it? He doesn't use her parents as leverage until it's time for his revenge plot, he doesn't kidnap her until Jim pisses him off, it's a mix of collateral damage and manipulation instead of the complete targeted life-ruining it becomes in Half a Life.

I wish the multiple months jump hit harder, because as it is it kind of undercuts the tension by not really feeling like time has passed.

Holy shit the trial is such a good scene.

The panelling in Part II is SO good. I'm not a huge fan of the art style in a lot of it, but just the way it's set up is fantastic.

[berezina]

One evening during the last carnival of my three years' service, the Provveditore Generale bespoke an improvised comedy at the Court-theatre. The officers arranged a supper-party and a ball in private rooms, intending to pass the night gaily when the farce was over. I had to play the part of Luce, married to Pantalone, a vicious old man, broken in health and fortune. I was reduced to extreme poverty, with a daughter in the cradle, the fruit of my unhappy marriage.

There was a night-scene, in which I had to soliloquise, while rocking my child and singing it to sleep with some old ditty. This lullaby I interrupted from time to time with the narrative of my misfortunes and with sallies which made the audience die of laughter. Bursts of applause brought the house down as I told my story, enlarged upon my reasons for marrying an old man, related the incidents of my life, alluded in modest monosyllables to what I had to bear, described what a fine figure of a woman I had been, and what a scarecrow matrimony had made me. I complained of cold, hunger, evil treatment. I did not make milk enough to suckle my baby; and what I made was sour, nay, venomous from fits of rage and all the sufferings I had to go through. This bad milk gave my darling, the fruit of my womb, the stomach-ache. It kept bleating all night like a lamb, and would not let me close an eye. The night was far advanced. I was waiting for my old fool of a husband. What could be keeping him abroad? He must surely be in the Calle del Pozzetto, notorious at Zara for its evil fame. I had a presentiment of coming troubles, moralised upon the woes of life, and burst into a flood of tears, which made everybody laugh. The truth was that one of our officers, Signor Antonio Zeno, who played the part of Pantalone excellently, had not turned up at the proper time to enter into dialogue with me. Until he arrived, I was forced to continue my soliloquy, which had already occupied the attention of the audience full fifteen minutes. A good extempore actor ought never to lose presence of mind, or to be at a loss for material. In order to prolong the scene, I pretended that my baby was crying, and that it would not go to sleep for all my lullabies and cradle-rocking. In a fit of impatience I took it up, unlaced my dress, and laid it with endearing caresses to my breasts to quiet it. This fresh absurdity, together with my lamentations over the non-existent teats I said the greedy little thing was biting, kept my audience in good-humour. From time to time I turned my eyes to the sides, being really disturbed at Signor Zeno-Pantalone's non-appearance, and racking my brains in vain for some new matter to sustain the soliloquy.

Just then I happened to catch sight of Tonina seated in one of the front boxes of the theatre, resplendent with beauty, and attired in a gala dress which cast a glaring light upon her dubious career. She was laughing with more assurance and sense of fun than anybody at my jokes. The catastrophe which she had nearly caused flashed suddenly across my mind. I felt that I had discovered a treasure; and plunged like lightning into a new subject. What I proceeded to do was bold, I admit, yet quite within the limits of good taste upon our amateur stage, where personal allusions were allowed perhaps a little too liberally. I called my doll-baby by the name of Tonina, and addressed my speech to it. I caressed it, admired its features, flattered my maternal heart with the hope that Tonina would grow up a lovely girl. So far as I was concerned. I vowed to give her a good education, by example, precepts, chastisement, and watchful care. Then, taking a tone of gravity, I warned her that if, in spite of all my trouble, she fell into such and such faults, such and such acts of imprudence, such and such immoral ways, and caused such and such disturbances, she would be the worst Tonina in the world, and I prayed God to cut her days short rather in the cradle. All the evil things I mentioned were faithfully copied from anecdotes about Tonina in the front box, with which my audience were only too well acquainted.

Never in my whole life have I known an improvised soliloquy to be so tumultuously applauded as this of mine was. The spectators at one point of the speech turned their faces with a simultaneous movement towards Tonina in her gala dress, clapping their hands and laughing till the theatre rang again. His Excellency, who had some inkling of the siren's ways, honoured my unexpected satire with explosions of unconcealed merriment. Tonina backed out of her box in a fit of fury, and escaped from the theatre, cursing my soliloquy and the man who made it. Pantalone finally arrived, and the comedy ended without any episode more mirthful than the scene between me and my baby.

Do not imagine that I have related this incident to brag about it. Although the young woman in question was a girl of the people, whose dissolute behaviour and ill-nature had been the cause of many misadventures, and though the Provveditore Generale applauded my performance, I blamed myself, when it was over, for yielding to a mere impulse of vanity, and exhibiting my power as a comedian at the cost of committing an act of imprudence and indiscretion. Much has to be condoned to youth which is never conceded to maturity.

I have mentioned that a ball and supper-party had been arranged by us officers after the play, and that I was a member of the company. I went in my costume of Luce, partly to save time, and partly to carry on the joke. Tonina was among the guests. She did not expect me, and was sitting in a corner, angry and out of spirits. When she saw me, one would have thought she had set eyes on the fiend; she looked as though she meant to leave the room. I took her hand, and protested I would rather go than that the company should lose its loveliest ornament. I vowed that she was adorably beautiful, and that it was a pity she was not equally good. I begged her in gentle terms to take the accident of the evening into account, to reflect upon the universal verdict given by the audience on her ways of life, and to guard against the private flatterers who blinded her to the truth. I told her that God had meant to send in her an angel, and not a devil into this world. I interwove so many praises with so many insolences, and with such complete frankness, that she could not but laugh. Everybody laughed, down to her very lovers. She expressed a wish to dance with me. I accepted the invitation. This looked like a token of peace; but it was only treachery. While dancing, she exerted all the charms, enticements, captivating humours, pressures of the hand, and so forth, which her bad vindictive and seductive nature could suggest to enslave me.

~Count Carlo Gozzi [read]

[zindagi-jhandwa-firbhi-ghamandwa]

Capitalist policy is changing from exploiting the working class to exterminating the working class.

Capitalists earlier wanted to exploit workers, to get the most work out of them for the least amount of money spent. Hence all capitalist policy-making was built around worker exploitation. It was about spending the least amount of money to keep your workers in just a fit enough state that they can slave away in capitalist-owned mines, mills, factories, and offices.

But now, automation is enabling the wealthy elites to fulfill all their needs without the intervention of humans. Not only does this make them more money, it also keeps them away from the filthy proles, who could any day realize they're being subjugated by an unjust system and revolt.

Machines won't revolt. Machines will work 24x7 for your exclusive pleasure. And with every passing day, machines are capable of accomplishing more tasks than human beings.

Workers, who were once seen by capitalists as a necessary evil, for who else will do all the labour whose fruits they alone shall enjoy, are now expendable. In the next few decades they shall become actual impediments to capitalists greed for more wealth.

Hence modern-day capitalist politics is about extermination. The rise of neo-fascism is a reflection of this need for the wealthy elite to basically kill off the working class because they don't need them anymore.

Capitalist policy these days is trying to keep only the workers for the most menial tasks, which either they haven't automated yet or where it would be cheaper to have a human do it than spend money on R&D, manufacturing and maintenance for a purpose-built machine. The rest of us are just impediments in their paths to greed and hence their entire political ideology and agenda is to have us killed by the state, either from neglect — gutting healthcare, spreading misinformation, feeding us unhealthy crap that will kill us, banning lifesaving medical treatments — or from active state-sponsored murder and pogroms.

TL;DR: They want to kill us all. When you realise that, all their policy decisions make sense.

[ironwoodatl01]

Adam was abusive. This is blatant in the show, in the subtext, in the intent of the creators…I am seriously scratching my head as to how you are disputing that. There is literally no argument you can make against that without lying or being deliberately ignorant.

Adam was a villain in the show. But did his villainy include abusive treatment of Blake?

This is the RWBY comic:

You have examples of abuse in stories; Cinderella, Harry Potter, and Hunchback of Notre Dame, for example. Did Adam lock Blake in a cupboard, treat Blake like a servant, or had Blake tied up to a block and pelted with fruits and vegetables?

Which was kinda messed up really since the people were eviler than the villain of the story at that moment.

In any case, there are clear examples of abuse in our stories, and Adam's treatment of Blake does not seem to fit these examples.

[babyjakes]

forever and a day | 36. under the bed.

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summary | a story in which america’s favorite captain gives a new life and family to a five-year-old girl who has suffered well beyond her years at the hands of hydra.

characters | dad!steve rogers, girl/willa rogers (original character)

warnings | AU similar enough to OU to include spoilers to many Marvel movies (Age of Ultron and beyond). action and fight scenes with violence and killing. injuries/mild gore. mature themes related to and semi-graphic depictions of child abuse/neglect, past CSA and CSM, and their aftermath (emaciation, wounds, scarring, etc). medical abuse and experimentation. ptsd/trauma symptoms in a child (developmental discrepancies, de-humanized behavior, detachment, extreme fears). medical treatment of CSM and other aftermath of abuse.trauma-informed therapeutic treatment of ECT. minor mentions of disordered eating. evil!Tony Stark.

[Bucky]

Only a few moments after I’ve texted Steve to inform him that I’ve returned from the market, the old wooden door at the front of the apartment swings open before me. My friend smiles weakly at me as I enter, shutting and locking the door behind me. “What’d you find?” he asks, sounding almost out of breath. Slicking back his hair with a nervous hand, he glances at the bags I’m carrying.

I walk over and set them down on the circular dining table, telling him as I begin to unbag the items, “The shops were better stocked than I remembered them to be. I got plenty of food, lots of fruit, fresh and local, even. Found a blender, too, though it’s nowhere near as fancy as the one Stark had at the tower.”

“That’s just fine. I’m not too worried about it,” Steve responds, looking relieved about the haul. Stepping over to join me at the table, he helps me begin to put away everything into the kitchen. “You didn’t wear a disguise out; do you think anyone recognized you?”

“Nope,” I say bluntly. “People here don’t bother getting into other people’s business, but I’ll be sure to wear a scarf out in the future.” Steve nods at me, swinging the fridge shut after he’s loaded in the last of the fruit. “Where’s the little one?”

“Yeah… about that…” he trails off, scratching the back of his neck anxiously. “We- we’ve got a little bit of a problem,” he concludes.

“What do you mean?” I ask, his words causing me to grow concerned.

“Well, Willa got frightened and she… she ran off,” the man admits. My eyes grow wide at this, but he quickly assures me, “She didn’t run out of the apartment. She ran back into the bedroom.” I furrow my brow at him, now confused as to what the problem is. “When I got back there, she had disappeared. Was there a hole in the wall beside the bed last time you were here?”

“Oh shit,” I mutter, now remembering. Steve’s right. The bed’s right side is pressed up against the far wall. On that wall, there’s a hole that sinks back several feet, as well as down a few inches into the floor.

“She crammed herself in there. The bed’s poles are welded to the floor; I can’t move it without tearing up the boards,” Steve sighs. “Even with the bed moved, neither of us can fit in far enough to get her out.”

“So… she’s stuck in there?” I ask.

“She can get herself out,” he corrects. “But I doubt that’ll be happening any time soon. She was really shaken up.” Sighing myself, I pull out a chair at the dining table and taking a seat. Steve walks over beside me and takes a chair as well, folding over slightly forward and resting his elbows on his knees with his hands clasped in front of him.

“What happened?” I ask, softening my voice. My friend’s gaze falls down to the floor as he sucks in a breath.

“Willa dropped a glass and I got cut up picking up the pieces. When she realized what had happened, she shifted and used her powers to heal me,” he begins. “She tried to comfort me too, the way I’ve always comforted her, talking softly, trying to help me feel better. It was so sweet; god, I could’ve cried. And then… then she called me ‘Daddy.’”

This takes me by surprise. “'Daddy?’ I didn’t know you guys were at that point yet,” I question gently.

“Me neither,” Steve admits, shaking his head as if he’s still in disbelief. “I definitely wasn’t expecting it. I-I loved it; of course I did. As soon as she said it, it felt like the entire world had stopped. I’ve never felt happiness like that, Buck, never. But she… she reacted differently; I think it kind of just slipped out. Once she realized what she had said, she panicked big time.”

“Poor thing,” I mumble sadly. “She was so scared she ran?” Steve nods, sniffling quietly. In the dim light, I almost think I see tears brimming his eyes.

“I don’t blame her. Hydra put the fear of god in her about anything related to parents or family. I sat on the floor in front of the bed for a while trying to coax her out. She wouldn’t budge; she was crying so hard she was choking and heaving. God, it broke my heart. I’ve never seen her so scared.”

“I’m sorry, Steve,” I murmur sincerely, placing a hand on my friend’s knee. Steve only sighs. “Do you want me to go in and try? I don’t know how much differently it would go with me instead of you.”

“You can try if you want,” he says, not sounding too hopeful at all. “Maybe she’d feel a little better if it wasn’t me.”

Nodding, I give his knee another gentle pat before rising to my feet. “I’ll see what I can do,” I tell him before making my way over to the bedroom door.

I knock a few times softly against the wood, informing Willa of my presence. As carefully as I can, I twist the knob open, slowly entering the small room. Glancing around for a moment, just to be sure she hasn’t already crawled out, I sigh. Couldn’t be that lucky, I guess.

Making my way over to the bed, I lower myself to the floor, sitting with my legs crossed. Quiet, fearful whimpers fill the air during my approach, the pitiful sounds tearing at my heart. Leaning my face down, I peer under the bed, a pair of green eyes greeting me from several feet away. Seeing this, I can tell the poor child’s pressed herself back up as far as possible into the hole. Steve’s verdict was correct: even if we moved the bed, we wouldn’t be able to reach her.

“Hi there, dove,” I murmur quietly, causing her to flinch harshly at even the gentlest coo. “What’re you doing under there, hmm? It can’t be too comfortable crumpled up like that.” Willa doesn’t respond, not making any noise other than her rapid breaths. “I heard you got frightened and ran off. That’s okay, bunny. Everyone gets scared. You’re not in trouble, not at all.” The girl blinks quickly, allowing me to just barely see big tears bursting from her eyes between the shadows under the bed. “But it’s okay, little one. There’s no need to hide. Nobody���s going to hurt you here. I’ll make absolute sure of it.”

With no response once more, I frown, sensing that I’m doing little to nothing to actually help. I wish I knew of something that would make her feel better, something that would show her she’s safe. She’s just so traumatized, so swallowed up by fear that nothing can ease her worries.

“Steve’s not mad at you for what you said,” I try to convince her. “You know what he told me? He said he loved it when you called him your daddy. He said it made him so happy, the happiest he’s ever been.” But the girl’s wary eyes don’t shift, and I can tell she doesn’t believe it. “That’s what he wants more than anything, doll. He loves you so much; all he wants is to be your daddy.” When Willa’s expression doesn’t change, I sigh, feeling lost and defeated.

Finally, I offer the last thing I can think of. “Sweetheart, do you want me to go get him, and you two can talk it out? He just wants to hold you, Willa. He just wants to snuggle you up nice and safe and-” But before I can finish, the little girl’s uneven breaths have turned into full-on gasps for air. Completely terrified at the suggestion, the child chokes through sobs, shaking so hard that a faint rattling can be heard through the wall.

“Oh bunny, hey- wait a minute-” I try, but it’s too late. Willa’s eyes squeeze shut as her body collapses in on itself, her desperate gulps for air filling the room. “Okay, okay, Willa. I’ll give you some space. I’ll- okay. It’s okay, dove. You’re okay,” I breathe, scooting back across the floor and rising to my feet. Quickly exiting the room, I close the door behind me, leaning up against the wood to listen. Slowly but surely, the heavy sobs start to calm down, and I take in a deep breath, huffing it out through my nose.

I don’t know what we’re going to do, but if my presence sends Willa into an anxiety attack like that, I at least know that for now that I should keep my distance. All I can do is hope that she’ll calm down soon. It worries me greatly that she’s trapped under there like that, with only herself to decide when it’s safe to come out.

[Steve]

My heart pounds heavily in my chest as I stand outside the bedroom door, my hand trembling against the metal doorknob. Bucky stands right behind me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. It’s been almost three days since Willa disappeared under the bed. Bucky and I have both tried countless times to get her out, but nothing’s worked. We quickly learned that she could recognize who was coming as soon as they walked into the room, probably by the look of our shoes. When Buck’s gone in, she’s panicked. But with me, it’s a whole new level of breakdown.

Earlier today, Bucky and I talked about the growing necessity of retrieving the child from under the bed. “She’s gone almost three days without food or water, Steve,” he had said to me, and I knew he was right. We’ve tried offering her both; we’ve set them out right at the edge of the bed. We even left them there and exited the room, in case she wanted them in private. Even after coming back hours later, they’ve always been left barely touched. If she doesn’t get proper water soon, I fear she could die of dehydration. If she won’t come out willingly this time around, Bucky and I have agreed that I’ll have to pull up the bed and the floorboards along with it. As for the wall, if we need to make the hole bigger, then so be it.

I knock lightly, twisting the knob in my hand and pushing the door open. As soon as I step in, loud whimpers erupt from across the room, and my heart breaks all over again, just as it does every time we go through this. When Buck enters behind me, the frightened noises escalate even further. This is the first time we’ve come in together.

“Sweetheart, shhh, it’s okay,” I begin to soothe as I step over to the bed, kneeling down and looking under. Willa is crumpled in her usual spot, the dark bags under her eyes looking worse than ever. “It’s time to come out, Willa. We need you to come out now, honey.”

The little girl curls up tighter around herself, her whole body appearing achy; I can’t imagine how weak and sore she must be from spending so much time balled up like that. Bucky joins me in crouching down and moves the glass of water out of the way that he put down earlier in the afternoon. “C'mon, bunny. You can’t stay under there any longer. You need food and water,” he encourages.

As Willa simply continues to cry, I sigh, turning to my friend with a solemn look on my face. He glances back at me sadly and gives me a nod, signaling the next move. “Okay, Willa-bug. We’re gonna help you out of there, okay?” I murmur, causing the child to cry out in fear. “We’re not here to hurt you, sweetheart. Nobody’s going to hurt you. We just wanna help you, baby. No scary, no scaries here.”

As I finish my soothing words, I take the bed’s sturdy frame in both of my hands, slowly beginning to pull up and away as steadily as I can. The floor begins to crack and expose the concrete below, the bond between the beams at the boards not giving up in the slightest. Willa continues to sob loudly, and with a little more strength I’m able to rip up the piece of furniture completely, the floorboards coming along with it that’ve been welded to the posts.

Carrying the bed across the room, I set it down by the door, turning back to assess the damage. Aside from the few exposed patches of concrete, the floor looks mostly fine. The hole in the wall is now completely exposed, and Willa’s cries have become even more frantic, though as usual, none of the words she’s choking out are comprehensible. “I know, I know, babydoll; it’s okay,” Bucky’s crooning, trying to calm the inconsolable little girl. “No one’s gonna hurt you, bug. You’re okay.”

Walking back over, I crouch down in front of the hole, now just a little more than an arm’s length away from Willa. With the bed gone, the light hits her much better, and I can now really see just how sick she’s become in the two or three days she’s spent hiding. She’s noticeably skinnier, her skin a pale shade of grey. Her eyes are wide and wild, still spilling tears, though I’m not sure how, considering the fact that she’s probably cried this whole time and only had a swallow or two of water to compensate. Lying on her side with her knees curled up to her chest, the wailing child raises her bony arms up in front of her face as a shield, probably knowing there’s nothing she can do at this point to avoid being removed from her 'safe’ place.

“Alright, sweetheart. I’m just going to widen the hole a little bit and help you out, okay?” I inform her.

Willa stays frozen in her position, sniffling and hiccuping heavily through her scattered breaths. I grip the edges of the hole and pull out, tearing the plaster away cleanly. With a few more chunks, the hole is finally wide enough, and I lower myself to the ground, my arms reaching out.

“Come here, Willa. It’s okay,” I coax, and to my surprise, instead of cringing back at my approaching hands, the child instead musters up what little strength must be left in her body and darts out from the hole, ducking under my arms to avoid me. I whip around, startled, only to find that Bucky’s caught her at the last moment, now holding her firmly in his arms to prevent her from running off once again. The girl writhes in his embrace, and for the first time in almost three days, she begins to truly speak.

“Please, n-no! Let me go- ddon’t hurt m-me, I-I’m sorry! W-won’t ever do it ag-gain, please!” the poor child begs, her words coming out a jumbled mess as she fights through her tears. Bucky rubs her back tenderly, a look of pure heartbreak written all over his face.

“Shhhh bunny, easy,” he hums. Cautiously, I inch towards the two, unsure of how to proceed. More than anything, I just want to wrap Willa up in my arms, rock her back and forth, and comfort her until all her tears are gone. But right now, I don’t think she’d let me do that. She’s much too afraid. In her mind, she’s really committed some unforgivable sin.

“N-not 'llowed, I know- I-I’m sorry,” she sobs against Bucky’s shoulder, her knees wobbling beneath her. “Can’t have a d-daddy, I know. P-please, won’t do it again- don’t hurt me, p-please don’t hurt me, please.” And as she finishes her sentence, her legs give out entirely beneath her, though fortunately Bucky’s got a good enough hold on her to keep her from hitting the floor.

Taking this as my opportunity, I lean in and scoop the little girl up into my arms. Willa shakes fearfully, too weak to lift herself up or escape, allowing me to cradle her in my arms, beginning to rock her back and forth, back and forth, as softly as I possibly can.

“Don’t hu-urt me, don’t hurt m-m-me, please,” she hiccups, her eyes squeezing shut in fear.

“Shh-shh shh,” I murmur, “you’re okay, Willa. You’re safe. I’m not gonna hurt you. Never, sweet girl,” I promise her. “You’re my Willa-bug, my baby. I won’t ever hurt you. You’re always safe with me.”

Bucky backs up a little bit from us, a look of calmness settling onto his face as he rests back on his knees. Willa continues to cry quietly in my arms, but I just keep rocking her, gazing down at her gently. Her green eyes flutter open, full of tears, and she peers up at me, appearing as if she’s shocked that she hasn’t been harmed yet. I take my thumb and begin to brush it gently against her rosy cheek and she winces, pleading, “Please,” as if I might strike her.

“No hitting, sweetheart. Just soft, just gentle,” I coo, continuing to brush away her tears as they slide down her face. And though it’s slow at first, painfully slow, eventually I can feel her body beginning to ever so slightly relax in my arms.

Her little thumb finds its way up into her mouth, and I smile lovingly down at her. “You’re okay, baby. I’ve got you. Daddy’s got you, Willa. Daddy’s right here.”

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[lamelinam]

The maid and the Cat, Ren and Akira: some musings

What gloomy love brightened the half-lives of the Sohmas’ most Cursed ones?

I often wonder what the relationship between the former Cat and his attendant would have looked like, twisted and sad as it must have been. Precious little is shown about those two, and only through Kazuma’s pov. We know she took care of and pitied the Cat, to the point that she even slept with him and bore his child. This is not unlike Kureno’s relationship with Akito. She might have treated him with the same kindness and devotion, distant, perhaps harmful, yet selfless.

Selfless? I think another way to extrapolate on the story of Kazuma’s grandparents is with Ren and Akira’s relationship.

Many great meta writers have already pointed out that those who fill in the positions at the extremes of the Sohma hierarchy, the Cat and God, or in this case the Cat and the idolized, deified family head, are foils to each other and are the ones that are dehumanized and isolated the most.

But now I think that you can also compare the way the previous Cat and Akira both chose ("chose" being a relative term in the case of the Cat) a romantic partner.

(Akira wasn’t God, but as the family head, he was worshipped just like Akito. His sickness also contributed to making him stand apart. Not only was he kept inside the compound because of his frailty, the hold that death had on him blessed him with this ephemeral, divine aura. “Was it the sorrow that befell him at such a young age that gave him that otherworldly beauty?»)

Both Kazuma’s grandfather and Akito’s father were doomed, Akira to die an early death, Kazuma’s grandfather to live the life of a living dead. Both were buried alive in the Sohma estate, either at the outskirts or at the center of it.

Both reached out to their progeny. (But Kazuma rejected the offered cake, and will endeavour to atone and honour his grandfather’s memory. Akito clung to every memento she had of her father and will need to learn to let go of him.)

And both the previous Cat and Akira found some measure of comfort in the affections and arms of their female caretakers, Sohma servants who saw their loneliness and expressed their compassion, though not in a particularly healthy way: Kazuma’s grandmother acting out of pity, Ren out of obsessive love.

It’s interesting to me how their respective position was reflected in their partners’ feelings : the imprisoned, despised Cat, Kazuma’s grandmother looked down on. The respected, otherworldly beautiful Akira was adored by Ren.

Kazuma sums up his grandparents’ relationship thusly:

Those correspond to the main "duties" that a wife is traditionally supposed to provide her husband.

The day-to-day caring.

Childbearing.

Attending their husband’s deathbed.

Obviously Ren wished she could have skipped the second one and be there for the last one. (I headcanon that she had prepared her last words years in advance, finding small pleasures and comfort, on the back of the wave of despair anticipating Akira’s death, in rehearsing the declarations of passionate love she would address to the dying man.)

The Cat’s companion attended her partner’s deathbed, seemingly very composed, even cold, as seen in Kazuma’s memories, while Ren, deprived of her husband’s last moments, that she felt were “stolen” from her by Akito (in reality by the maids :@), was mad with grief.

"The only one who can save him"

Those parallels make me wonder whether or not the Cat’s companion might not have developed a saviour complex, like Ren, both believing that they were the only one able to save this lonely, condemned person they were taking care of, and relishing it.

“I love you” vs "I pity you"

On Ren’s side though, it seems that she believes she truly saw Akira, as the person hiding behind that otherworldly aura, filled with sadness and fearful of death. Seeing that Akira agrees with her ("Ren noticed I was lonely"), fought against the Sohma leaders and regretted on his deathbed that he and Ren couldn’t reconcile, I believe this is not a delusion of hers. Her love was genuine and passionate, and she and Akira were happy. Unfortunately, that happiness didn’t survive her pregnancy, for she was also jealous and obsessed.

Kazuma supposes that his grandmother believed that she was doing something good. I wonder at her expression. It is shadowed, enigmatic. Is it a smirk or not, is she sad or not? i wonder whether she was selfless in her pity, like Kureno, or selfish like Kagura, perhaps feeling better by «sacrificing» herself in associating with the Cat for the sake of a miserable soul.

(Whatever you can say or imagine about her, Kazuma doesn’t seem to suffer from the stigma of being the Cat’s grandson, nor does he bear any trace of an abusive upbringing - in fact, he was among those doing the abusing - or even the echoes of the previous generation’s, so my guess is that she was an okay mother and grandmother... which would have made Kazuma’s disappointment and hurt at her words all the sharper... Like Tohru thinking of the zodiacs members she finds so kind and adorable secretly looking down on someone else she realizes she cares about more than she thought.)

There is no way to know how the Cat reacted to a pity-love. But considering Kureno and Akito’s relationship, this might also have been but a superficial balm, and potentially just as hurtful. Then it depends on the interpretation. Kureno’s pity cocooned Akito and kept her from moving forward, but the Cat was condemned anyway to an eternity of imprisonment. Moving forward was forbidden to him. And if his self-worth was already completely destroyed as his role and his treatment are meant to do, he might have just felt grateful towards the attendant. There’s no way to say for sure whether he would have been hurt or not by the truth, and I don’t know which option is the saddest!

... but I know what could be sadder. Because is the maid entirely to blame? We know that in Fruits Basket, love requires a measure of selfishness. The one cursed with the Cat has no self, no existence, no wants and no future, and they accept this fate. They believe they deserve it. (Which is why the Cat's Room doesn't need bars in the manga, nor locks. Rin was under lock and keys because either Akito didn't completely trust her to keep her word or she didn't want someone to discover her.)

It would be very difficult for someone to fall in love with a person who has renounced to everything, perhaps including love. Because who's to say that the Cat loved the maid too?

Recognition vs indifference

How depressingly fitting that we don't even learn the Cat's name, while Akira’s is remembered by all and echoes back and forth in the later part of the story.

Ren marrying the Sohma family head was such a big political deal it provoked a family schism. The Cat’s story with the maid gets completely ignored. It is probably known, just not "officially recognized", says Kazuma. Like everything related to the Cat, it was relegated to the back of the minds, in the dusty closet of the things that are uncomfortable to think about but that you tolerate if it doesn’t upend your little world-view. Ugh, some maid is being inappropriate with that monster! Well, as long as she doesn’t free the loathsome creature, who cares. (And she wouldn’t, because she’s no Tohru.)

In contrast, the maids of the main family thought that Ren was stealing Akira from their grasp. Ren didn’t seem to care for the family, and in a way, her love allowed Akira to also escape from them, "snatched away" by "that woman”, for the old attendant. Unlike the Cat’s attendant, Ren felt like a threat to the Sohma strict hierarchical system. (Fortunately, God will be born to bring back the right order of things, phew! Certainly she he will accomplish what Akira-san was momentarily too misguided to do and rid us of that woman!)

Inheritance.

Both women's profession of their true feelings deeply marked their progeny and the way they view relationship, whether personal or not, romantic or filial.

While her mother affirmed that "a woman only needs one man", Akito leaned on the love of the zodiacs ; Kazuma viewed and loved Kyo as a human and dreaded that his son would find himself in the same situation as his grandfather but also with the same kind of companionship. (His reaction to Kagura speaks of a long-held anxiety). But Ren's hatred for Akito coloured the way Akito interpreted her words, while Kazuma’s grandmother’s declaration shook Kazuma, his personal relationship with his grandmother notwithstanding.

This comparison isn't about good or evil, neither to judge those characters. Furuba isn’t about that. Obviously, they are not blameless. But it is very difficult to say whether or not Kazuma’s grandmother was wrong to act out of pity if it provided a bit of comfort to a prisoner. And is it surprising that Ren developed this saviour’s complex when it seems she was the only one willing to breach Akira’s isolation bubble?

Anyway, Takaya-sensei is really good at making foils. Either because she does it on purpose or because her characters are so deeply intertwined with the themes of the series the parallels appear on their own. But in this case, I don’t think it’s for nothing that the chapters recounting Ren and the Cat’s attendant stories follow each other (chapters 114 and 115).

Of course, this meta is less an analysis and more suppositions and conjectures (frankly, I wonder if I might not as well have written a fanfic). From the little we see, the Cat’s companion and Ren work as distorted yin-yang mirrors, their differences highlighting the similarities of their situations, from the ugly effects of the inner workings of the Sohma cult to the messed up inner workings of the heart. Genuine but obsessed, jealous love... Pity, perhaps self-serving, in the guise of martyred love.... One thing I can say for sure is that these two both gave me chills in their own way.

[gatekeeper-watchman]

Daily Devotionals for May 20, 2024

Proverbs: God's Wisdom for Daily Living

Devotional Scripture:

Proverbs 16:32(KJV):

32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Thought for the Day

In Proverbs, we find many profound truths, which when applied to our lives, will bring great victories. To experience anger is not a sin, since the Bible says that God Himself is angry about certain things. Anger is an emotion that we all experience. We should be angry when we see an injustice or the ill-treatment of others.The sin is not in experiencing anger, but in how we deal with it. We can turn our anger into prayer, which will change things. If we allow our anger to turn into vindictiveness, we become just as guilty as the one with whom we are angry. We are told in Scripture to overcome evil with good. "If it is possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink: for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:18-21).

So, what should we do when we become angry? "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil" (Ephesians 4:26-27). First, we should be willing to prayerfully examine our hearts: Why we are reacting with such anger? Is our anger justified, or are we merely suffering wounded pride? Are we partially to blame? If God brings conviction, we must repent. We must also forgive the other person, even if they will not change. We must be just as willing for the Lord to change us, as the one we are angry at. Unforgiveness is a deadly sin that hardens the heart, cuts us off from God, and brings torment (Matthew 18:34-35). Anger must be dealt with quickly so that it does not turn into a bitter root of unforgiveness. "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled" (Hebrews 12:14-15).

1. God commands us to love our enemies and forgive those who hurt us. This is impossible without God's grace. I cannot love my enemies and neither can you. We must call on God to do this impossible thing; He will enable us to do it. If we refuse, and harbor unforgiveness, we block God from forgiving us (Matthew 6:14-15).

Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit that we must cultivate if we are to do any mighty works for God. Handling anger properly is part of "ruling our spirits;" and it is better to have this ability than to conquer a city. When a man can rule his own life through the power of the Holy Spirit, he is fit to rule a city.

Prayer Devotional for the Day

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for being patient with me in times past when I know my sins caused You grief and anger. Help me have the same kind of patience and love toward those who cause me anger. Lord, I choose to love them, and thank you for Your power to demonstrate that love. Father, I forgive all who would sin against me and ask You to bless them with the knowledge of Your love and truth. Lord, I pray especially for all my brothers and sisters in the Lord. May we all walk in Your love and forgiveness toward each other so that the world may see Your love in us and as they witness this love, may they desire to know You, the God of love. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

[galacticnova3]

[jigsaw voice] hello, iru umbramaker of the planet halcandra. your chauvinistic treatment of women and minorities is deplorable in itself. while living as a construct, you spent quite a significant portion of your life thieving parts from other ships to sustain yourself, leaving their rusting corpses for dead. now you are a mimic, who devours the flesh of sentient beings with increasingly little remorse. as the days pass by, you grow more and more numb to the blood on your claws. in front of you is a WHAT ARE YOU DOING STOP EATING THE BEAR TRAP

Seeing an anon give me a good summary of my own character just to be bitch slapped by WHAT ARE YOU DOING STOP EATING THE BEAR TRAP at the end was not what I expected when seeing an Iru ask but I love it nonetheless.

Anyways, yeah that’s actually a pretty accurate breakdown of his character development(or regression, depending on how you look at it) and morality. He’s a case where instead of knowing what he’s doing is wrong and acting differently, he knows it’s wrong but increasingly distances himself from it or make justifications to make it bother him less and eventually not at all. Y’know, Sans speech about hurting people becoming easier the more you do it, that whole deal.

As a ship, first it was taking parts for survival because he had no other options, then it was survival and being both better prepared and not just choosing stuff that fit at random, then he considered it survival of the fittest, eventually it turned into depersonalizing other ships to a similar degree as the government does, and finally treating his actions as a form of revenge against the ones who wronged him. His current path of self-unimprovement is on a similar track and being influenced by Lon; hesitantly hunt for survival, hunt people for survival with less guilt(with Lon’s encouragement because hey everyone eats, why make a big deal out of what), hunt people for survival and enrichment, “hunting people isn’t that bad because what are people if not animals with conscience so it’s really not that different from anyone who eats meat anyways”/survival of the fittest, and then “I spent my entire life being treated with disrespect and told I’m a monster, nobody gets to act surprised now that I don’t respect them and am being the beast they always thought I was”. Lon wouldn’t really get or support that last bit, but that’s because they don’t see any need for motivation or justification besides “I’m hungry and bored and people can fix both of those things simultaneously”.

Maybe it’s just because he’s my character but I’d like to think that adds a layer of depth while simultaneously making him scarier. But like, the kind of scary that isn’t based in intimidation or taking joy in doing harm; the kind where the person is so far detached that they are beginning to(or already) stop recognizing the evil they’re performing, consciously in this case. ‘Bragging about murder and violence’ villainy vs ‘talks about having murdered people in the same genuine and casual manner as one would talk about doing the dishes with unsettlingly little indication that they consider the two morally different’ villainy. While I don’t actually plan for him to go quite that far– in that he’ll always know deep down that what he did/does was/is fucked up regardless of what justifications he comes up with– it’s definitely a stark contrast from the content I usually make of him. But that’s intentional; he’s supposed to be the sort of character who’s hard to take seriously until it comes to him actually doing something terrible. Separation of knowing this fucker who would probably fail a test asking for the names of basic fruits and vegetables does awful things and actually considering the thought process behind those things and how he can do them while maintaining his casual and annoying personality.

Yes this got long, but I have been dying to talk about this sort of thing and this gave me the perfect opportunity. Also, I can’t decide if the bear trap would hurt more or less than the times he consistently bit his tongue not long after being mimic-ified.

[papers4me]

Fruits Basket, SE02, Ep20

This is a buildup ep for yuki’s confession, like most buildup eps in furuba they kinda seem awkward & a bit stretched, but overall this one is not bad. 

-The theme of “ letting go” & tohru:

Tohru needs to Not only let go of her excessive attachment to her mom, but also, of treating yuki as needing of much help all the time. tohru’s is the mother friend for all, she tends to care for everybody, however, since she lives with yuki, this instinct fire up & she provides care, nurture, support & worry lots abt him since she knows the sohma’s abuse. Their dynamics need to change as yuki is starting to depend on himself as equal leaving tohu’s nest, tohru needs to accept his change & support him differently from before. The analogy of yuki leaving the nest is also fitting of tohru’s need to focus on herself since her nest is now empty. Tohru has also been using her motherly care for others to avoid working/focusing on herself. I find it ironic that Arisa’s “ tohru come convince kyo, he doesn’t wanna be a prince” comes as tohru & yuki acknowledge the need of a modified dynamics between them & she sends him off with her “ do your best” instead of her usual “don’t overwork yourself”. She leaves him to go to kyo/her own personal life that she needs to focus on.

-The Endless Parallels:

As yuki is starting to open his lid to his pal, the focus is shifted to machi! I’m happy she’s back. Similar to kyo’s apology into tohru’s ears in Se01, machi was given the questionable behavior without explanation treatment to hook viewers & I’m hooked! I know I’ll love this girl. It was pretty clear that her & kakeru are yuki exclusive characters & if he’s the best buddy, she’s the love interest. To connect her with yuki, certain good parallels were hinted at from the beginning:

She always leaves a mess behind, yuki lives in a messy room.

She has to have traumatizing background in order to make her need yuki in her life cuz part of yuki’s wishes is to provide for someone who needs him the way kyo provides for tohru. Yuki is ready to give back, now that he’s healing. Machi is yuki’s person.

Her coping mechanism is a bit similar to yuki in SE01, she shuts herself from others, doesn’t talk much & is withdrawn. I love that they both have somewhat similar coping  mechanism regardless of the nature of heir trauma, it makes them both less ashamed of what they adopted to cope regardless if it’s wrong/harmful. 

 She has low self esteem & is shocked when someone notices her, very lonely which is why she noticed yuki’s loneliness since Day 1.

She saw through yuki’s resistance of his “prince” title. She’s perceptive in nature just like him.

She looks physically more similar to yuki than she’s to kakeru, her brother, (yuki’s family grayish hair/his mom’s /ayame’s long eyes). Not really fond of that, but no harm, I think it was done so she & yuki will have similar aesthetic & have similar color shades.

All these are amazing parallels above help connect characters together & build relationships. However, I’m kinda annoyed that the writer went over board with the parallels, to the point of semi-exact situation:

Machi & Kakeru are siblings who were not close at all due to abusive family attitude. Exactly Similar to: Ayame & Yuki.

Kakeru is the older brother & was able to stop his abuse cuz of his character or extreme behavior that saved him from being caged into the family’s grasp while machi, the younger, was unable to escape & isn’t free yet. Exactly Similar to: Ayame & Yuki. 

Kakeru, the eldest, is trying hard to reach out to his sibling & aid her as much as he can but fails due to his insensitive character or his failure to see where she stands. Exactly Similar to: Ayame & Yuki. 

In their relationship, kakeru is the extreme, bubbly & bigger than life character while machi is the vulnerable, silent, withdrawn one. Exactly Similar to: Ayame & Yuki. 

This is a ton load of parallels that is not much needed to make machi suitable for yuki. I know that the writer is aware that machi is introduced late into the story, & is eager to flesh her out to be loved, but I don’t think that adding all these similarities to yuki’s life is the way to go. In the contrary, it makes her seem like a female version of him without the curse. Machi should be fascinating without yuki or kakeru. I guess making her kakeru’s sister helps create situations of yuki knowing more abt her without her talking & can be used to redeem kakeru’s character if he was ever harsh to her the way ayame was cuz you bet kakeru will play matchmaker. but overall, it takes uniqueness from machi’s situation herself & draws more attention towards yuki & kakeru. More focus on what will yuki & kakeru do. I really love her form the few things I saw abt her & her reactions, but yeah, don’t mind me~ it was a fleeting feeling of disappointment. Oh well, it is what it is. I hope her own perspective of her situation is rewarding.

-Machi is NO weak woman:

She really isn’t! She took control of the situation when she noticed it needed quick intervention. That’s why, the first set of 6 parallels mentioned above is important for machi! She saw through yuki without needing to know abt the exact similarities of their abusive homes. You don’t need all that to see through someone who was in the darkness for years, cuz she too, must’ve been in the darkness as well! So, in unique fashion, she comes & destroys yuki’s walls. Don’t worry, I’ll save you. I see you.

-Cinderella ( what??):

I didn’t expect elementary school fairly tale to be chosen & I sure didn’t see the cast choices coming! XD I’m sure sth will happen & they’ll change cast. but It’s 100% awesomely spot on in a reversed manner!! So Ironic!

Yuki godmother means yuki in female dress???? similar to SE01, Momiji ep! poor yuki! plus godmother is a nonhuman character that is superior & grants wishes & yuki is considered stronger than normal human without training & despite weak health, all his skills are always extraordinary. But maybe becuz he’s nearly done healing/opening the lid, he’ll help the others now, godmother style. XD

Tohru is evil stepsister?? Tohru is kindness reincarnated! but perhaps tohru needs a hint of evilness to wake up for herself & be more assertive! plus tohru is considered evil by yuki’s fan club (there’s an entire ep dedicated for that lol).

Hana Cinderella?? The queen of darkness & eerie wave reports who can see right through humans will play the weak, powerless Cinderella. XD. But it suits her cuz she was once called witch when in reality she’s kind.

Arisa a prince! the woman who wants to be a model & is desperate to turn kureno’s head with her womanly charms & is dying for a kiss from him in their first meeting! XD. but it suits her as she used to be a gangster? XD.

Kyo the prince?! the most un-princely prince! kyo’s kindness & warmth is exclusive to kazuma & tohru, the rest of the world sees him as the always annoyed, easily teased, harmless dude! Princes are diplomatic with their words! kyo’s life would be over in a second if it depended on his words! XD. He depends on his physical body & actions to show affection & love. You want him to be shower girls with compliments the way princes do?XD. but it suits him in a way, cuz he stole the main female protagonist’s heart like in all fairy tales & he’s genuine with his affection. XD.

I want Cinderella play NOW! plz don’t change the cast!!

Side Note:

The ep started with yuki’s statement abt what he wants from tohru, however, failed to deliver an answer by the end. It is obvious that (a) the answer will be given once yuki explains himself (b) a tease to hook the viewers into waiting for yuki’s answer. However, it was badly done. Rather than giving anticipation, it gave a disappointing feel. It dragged a genuine & vulnerable moment for the entire ep for cheap hook by the end. It can be completely avoided by not opening the ep with yuki’s lines. The thrill/anticipation would’ve come 10 times stronger with his closing lines leaving viewers with “OMG, he’ll say it next ep!! rather than “ what? i was waiting for that all ep? man~, next ep perhaps?”. I duno what is the nature of the manga chapters. but there are times when it’s so clear to me (an anime-only) when the show adapts things via direct cut & paste rather than working them to suit the ep format. Generally, the show doesn’t know how to implement cliffhangers, so I really wish they avoid them altogether.

From the way he handled machi’s apology to his firmness with the chibi member, to his elaborated speech with kakeru, to his calmness inside the locked room & how the flashback didn’t affect him as much as I thought it would! yuki’s growth is 90% complete! =D! You go boy!

I gotta confess..I’m slightly disappointed that kakeru turned out to be another abuse survival child. I was loving the idea that yuki is connecting with someone via their own character/personality not shared past of similar experiences cuz there are TONS of those in furuba. Kakeru’s character with (mix kyo-ayame) & virtues/vices is a good balance for yuki, adding the abusive past is hinting that broken kids only befriends broken kids which isn’t true. Plus this means that all young characters “with importance to the plot” must be abused one way or another... I know furuba has a theme..but you don’t have to make it part of every important character. I still love kakeru tho. but if kimi turned out to be ANOTHER abused child, I’m quitting furuba! XD..jokes..