#and Zen is sane most of the time

[donutz]

@(*^ｪ^)@ Headcanon Alphabet-☆!!

A/N|| I did make this myself! If you do use it, pretty please credit ^0^!!

Anything(Freebie, headcanons about literally anything that you think about this character.) Body(Headcanons about what type of body this character has, especially if they aren’t very human.) (Apple body, pear body, hourglass, etc.) Childhood(What would life be like for them as a kid?) (Including childhood toys, and how they viewed the world.) Death(Angsty, how would you think they’d go out?) (If they haven’t already..) Edits(If they’re a more popular character, how would you think they’d react to their edits?) (If they’re not popular, how would you think they’d react to an edit of them, but they’re aware they aren’t popular?) Favorites(Favorite games, animals, color, etc.) Games(What games would you think they’d be good or terrible at?) Honesty(Would they lie most of the time? Or tell the truth?) (Are they the type of person to lie?) Income(Would they be rich, or like a rat on the streets?) (How would they make income? What job would they do?) Jokes(Are their jokes good? Or bad?) (Are they a complete jokester, or just crack one once in a blue moon?) Kill(Are they a person that’s capable of murdering?) (If so, how would they choose their murdering tactic?) (Are they stealthy?) Loathe(Which person would they hate the most?) (If they met you, would they despise you or not?) Mugged(How would they react if somebody mugged them?) (Would they freak out or stay calm?) NO(What things would they HATE. Excluding people.) Old(How old do you think they would be?) (If they don't have a confirmed age.) Peers(What type of people or what characters would they get along with that they currently don’t know?) (How good of friends would they be with this person?) Questions(How would they ask questions?) (Would they stutter it out or sternly ask?) Ride(Should or would they own a vehicle?) (What type of vehicle would they own? And specifically, what kind?[Lamborghini, dirt bike, etc]) Sane(How sane are they as a person?) (Should they be somewhere that’s a fully white room?) Tame(Should they be put on a leash? Not that way.) (Should they even be seen as a person, as if they were like a tiger?) Urgent(Do they panic a lot in a panicky situation? Or are they more of a chill person in the situation?) Vile(Are they a person who isn’t aware of what they say?) (Do they think of their words before saying it?) Wary(Are they an anxious person?) (Do they ‘overreact’ with situations?) Xenial(Are they friendly?) (Do they wave to random people on the street?) (Are they welcoming?) Yappy(Do they naturally talk loud? Or are they more quiet?) (If they do talk loud, do they try to lower their volume?) (If they talk quiet, do they try to raise their volume?) Zen(Are they quiet and chill? Or eccentric and zappy?) (Do they listen mostly or do they mainly talk?)

Another A/N|| The reason I picked vile for V is because that sometimes people don't think of what they say, and the outcome is quite surprising.

[themidnightlab]

Raphael for the character ranking meme

Aw man this is unbelievably hard! Raphael is precious to me, he struggles so much and is really just such a good guy. I'll try my best to rank them but please keep in mind, they're all really close!

1. 2007 "TMNT" - I was 100% ready to come in here with 2k3 as it's my favourite series, but actually after considering it I think this one might be my favourite. He is the king of angst and soooooo cool. I love how the nuances of his character were explored in this movie and it gives a deeper understanding why he and Leo don't always get on, even though the love goes deep. I love the way he copes completely differently, and makes his own choices in life. I feel like I need more time to get into why I love this guy so much but I can't find the words right now! But to put it into context, I was a bit of a Raph hater (😰) as a kid, and this movie might be the key point where it clicked and my heart changed

2. 1990 movie - again a healthy dose of angst which is just classic Raph. He's got an answer to everything, never lets fear control him and he also has a bit of a softer side too

3. 1993 movie - for similar reasons! I love that he gets even a bit softer in this one. Raph finds a little zen and it's nice to see. He's also good with kids! 🥺

4. 2003 - the Raph I grew up on. I will say I was deadly intimidated by him when I was a kid and he was so mean to Mikey that I didn't warm up to him for ages, but he's become one of my favourites of all time. He's probably one of the wittiest Raphs, and there are so many good episodes showing off what a great guy he is. I love in this one that the brother camaraderie is always present and so imprtant, and he's got a fun unique dynamic with each of them. He's super caring and freaks out when anything happens to any one of the others. Great guy, 10/10

5. 1987 cartoon - he's so soft, and in a weird twist of events is probably the most sane of the bunch. He's still "cool but crude" but without the mean streak in a lot of other iterations which is fun to see. I think when he grows old he'll be the old uncle who shares a secret cheeky wee joke with you at the family gathering

The other Raphs are a bit harder to rank so I won't go on but rest assured I love them all! Thank you for the ask, it was really fun!

[unniekiwi]

Eddie and Venom x male reader where he is their new neighbor who plays guitar but it’s not loud it’s sweet and soft like a lullaby and once they accidentally find out about Venom he comes over cleans up and makes food and even invites them to his gigs (where the music isn’t loud because he knows about venom’s weakness to it) and basically writing lyrics about their adventures of course in encrypted wording and such, I can see venom really touchy with reader and reader doesn’t really mind (in my mind reader is taller than Eddie)

𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗢𝗠, 𝗘𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝘅 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗲! 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮��𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱.

꒱࿐�� ˚.*ೃ꒱࿐♡ ˚.*ೃ꒱࿐♡ ˚.*ೃ

꒱࿐♡ ˚.*ೃ꒱࿐♡ ˚.*ೃ꒱࿐♡ ˚.*ೃ

Okay, not long ago you moved out, you wanted to be independent from your parents, you don't like to be a bother to them. So even though your parents insisted that you didn't need to move out, you did. Even so, your parents were willing to lend you money if necessary.

It wasn't a very luxurious apartment, you only had to decorate in your own style and little else. The truth is that the neighbors were not... sane to say the least, but well, you do your thing and that's it.

Right now you were practicing for one of the concerts you had not long from now. Didn't I mention it? You are a guitarist in a small band, you play all kinds of music, usually jazz-funk smooth jazz.

After throwing up some of the garbage chicken, ahem because of Venom, sat down on the couch. He tried to do a little zen, but nothing was helping him calm the parasite. So he gave up. Venom began to annoy him (as usual, for good measure) until a brief soft guitar brought him out of his thoughts. "I can't believe it, not another Metalhead please." Thinking you would start playing much louder he closed his eyes, but you didn't, it was just like a brief lullaby, so faint he fell asleep.

The next day you went to the Chinese bazaar near your apartment, you needed several things, breakfast, eggs, sausages etc... So well, to spend. You greeted the maid and she greeted you friendly.

While you were taking several packages and looking at the prices, a mysterious man entered the store. You didn't pay much attention to him, Eddie walked through the door and then, after a few moments, you saw a black titanic being stalking a thief. You were shocked, what the hell? there was blood on the floor and slowly the figure transformed into a human figure, specifically Eddie, your neighbor, you had only exchanged words a couple of times.

- What- Eddie? - Confused and a bit scared you looked at the figure, looking back at you the assistant looked just like you.

- How did you see us? - his eyebrows were slightly raised and showing concern. He looked like he had been caught buying drugs.

- I'm taller than the shelves, how do you expect me not to see you? - you say indifferently.

- What- Well, whatever. - He shakes his head and his gaze falls to the floor. He looked a little worried.

- Don't worry. I won't say anything. - Your hand rested on his shoulder and you paid the assistant.

- Thank you. - he sighed in relief, it seemed like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

You walked home together and talked about various things. But the most important and remarkable part of the conversation was Venom. He told you about how he's sensitive to noise and fire, you've always been curious so you begged him to show you the symbiote. You looked at him with little eyes and he couldn't resist, something about you caught his attention, but not only him; but also Venom.

As for you, you only told the reason why you bought the apartment and how you play in a band. Eddie's eyes showed little stars, did you play in a band? He always wanted to meet someone to teach him how to play guitar.

You arrived at your apartments, Eddie was looking tired. You thought that basically having a person talking to you inside your head must be exhausting, knowing that Venom is a talker, Eddie couldn't stop mentioning how annoying he was and how he was insulting him while confessing to you what a pain in the ass he is. You just laughed, it seemed like such an iconic and fun duo, if you were to become close (which was most likely), you certainly wouldn't be bored.

- Thanks again. - his gaze showed appreciation. You smiled back, you were really liking him.

- You're welcome. Could you show me your house? Then, I'll show you mine AND my guitar. - You got on your nerves for asking such a question, you just met him, does he think you want to steal from him? On the other hand, he nodded a bit nervously.

- I'm just telling you; because of him it's a mess. - He opened his door and a disgusting smell reached your insides, at what point could he smell so many disgusting things at the same time? It smelled like garbage, fried food, sweat and vomit.

- Holy shit! What a horror! - you blurted out, covering your nose with your sweatshirt to keep your urge to vomit at bay. He blushed, he was flustered, he never really thought he smelled THAT bad.

- Okay, close the door. I'll let you stay in my apartment for a day, tomorrow I'll help you and clean your whole house. - Eddie closed the door slightly and looked up, he noticed how tall you were, he nodded gratefully at your proposal.

Upon arriving at your abode, he was impressed, your house was beautiful. It was perfectly tidy and not to mention how good it smelled, you had left roast chicken in the oven. This caused Venom's head to peek out, you slowly turned around to see him.

- Also a househusband? He's better than your ex-girlfriend. - the thing spoke looking at Eddie, its cheeks were red, it was up to its balls.

- So you're Venom? My pleasure. - you smile taking the chicken out of the oven. Eddie could see your muscles flex as you pulled the chicken out, okay, they both knew not to mess with you.

- That’s me baby! Let me eat, this ass face doesn't feed me! - grunts looking at Eddie, you just laughed, what a duo. You left the chicken on the table and ate.

After you had your dinner, you led Eddie to the bathroom. You told him to take a shower, he smelled really bad, you couldn't help it, it was an obnoxious smell, you didn't want your bed to smell like that. After he showered, thanked you, etc. You took him to your room and told him to sleep in your bed, he objected? Yes, too much. But your house, your rules. You went to the living room and fell asleep on the couch.

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

As time went on Eddie, you and Venom began to have a very close relationship, you were together every day.

Being with Venom wasn't as horrible as you thought it would be either. He always complements you whenever he can, but especially when you play guitar the two males would get hyped up, like a kid looking at a jelly bean.

Eddie would come to see your little gigs, you never played anything loud, so he had no problem. Then, after the concert you always spent the nights watching movies or series until you fell asleep.

You were so fond of both of them that you wrote songs for them, of all your adventures, like the time you were cleaning and Venom started arguing why he wasn't going to eat the chickens. Or after you were on the verge of death you went to a park, sat down and started talking about the work of a famous Spanish writer. In short, you were in love, the thing is, you weren't sure, because of trust issues.

You were over thinking and now Venom came out to talk to you. - What's the matter sweet cakes? - his voice echoed through the room and you came back to earth. Confused you looked at him and lifted your shoulders. Your lips formed a line. Venom snuggled you into him. - If you're in love just say so, I don't think he’s going to speak up...- Venom laughs and you got nervous, you forgot that the bastard could read minds, shit. Your face was red, thanks Venom. - Have you seen yourself? You're adorable. - Venom licked your cheek and left it full of drool.

- EW! - the room was filled with laughter and well, the rest... you know what happened... 👀

꒱࿐♡ ˚.*ೃ꒱࿐♡ ˚.*ೃ꒱࿐♡ ˚.*ೃ

I’m so sorry if you had to wait forever anonim. ! 😭

I’m having lots of exams and they haven’t finished yet, I tried to finish it as quick as possible. I hope you like it! And also, thanks for the request! It was fun to write this, I’ve always wanted to write something of these two, but I didn’t have ideas. 😾💜

[starseedfxofficial]

How TWAP Can Revolutionize Your USD/JPY Trades When it comes to Forex trading, there’s nothing more satisfying than uncovering a strategy that feels like a cheat code—except it’s 100% legit. For USD/JPY traders, TWAP (Time-Weighted Average Price) might just be that hidden gem. Forget the noise, ignore the FOMO, and let’s dive into why this technique is the ultimate ninja tactic for anyone serious about mastering this currency pair. Why Most Traders Miss the Mark on USD/JPY Ever heard the saying, “You can’t see the forest for the trees”? That’s what most traders experience when trading USD/JPY. They get so bogged down in real-time price movements that they miss the bigger picture. Enter TWAP: the strategy designed to help you step back, breathe, and approach trading like a Zen master. TWAP works by averaging out price over a set time, helping you avoid the drama of short-term volatility. Think of it like going to an all-you-can-eat buffet—TWAP helps you pace yourself instead of gorging on the first thing you see. The Secret Sauce: What Is TWAP? TWAP, or Time-Weighted Average Price, is a trading algorithm that breaks down your trade into smaller, equally spaced orders over a specified time. Instead of dumping all your capital into the market at once (hello, emotional trading!), TWAP ensures you get a fair average price. Why this matters for USD/JPY: - Volatility Management: This pair is heavily influenced by news from both the U.S. and Japan, making it prone to sharp spikes. - Liquidity Optimization: TWAP minimizes market impact, perfect for trading during Tokyo or New York sessions. - Eliminating Guesswork: No more staring at charts, waiting for the "perfect moment." How to Use TWAP for USD/JPY Like a Pro Here’s the part where we get practical. If you’re ready to stop overtrading and start making calculated moves, this step-by-step guide will make you a TWAP master: - Set a Timeframe Decide how long you want your orders to execute. Shorter timeframes are great for high volatility, while longer ones suit less liquid periods. Pro Tip: Use Tokyo and New York overlap times for optimal liquidity. - Divide Your Order Instead of placing a $10,000 USD/JPY trade all at once, break it into 10 smaller trades of $1,000 each, executed every 15 minutes. - Monitor the Spread Ensure the bid-ask spread is narrow to avoid eating into your profits. - Track Progress Use trading software or a broker that supports TWAP execution and provides analytics. Ninja-Level Insights: Why TWAP Outshines Market Orders Using market orders to trade USD/JPY can feel like trying to hit a moving target. TWAP, on the other hand, plays the long game. It’s like the difference between binge-watching a show in one night versus savoring it over weeks—one keeps you sane, the other leaves you feeling burnt out. Case Study: How TWAP Helped Me Avoid a $500 Loss Let me share a quick story. A few months ago, during the U.S. CPI report release, USD/JPY went wild. Instead of rushing in, I used TWAP to execute small trades over an hour. The result? My average price beat the market by 0.15%, translating to an extra $500 saved. Lesson learned: slow and steady wins the race. Emerging Trends: TWAP for AI-Driven Trading Did you know some hedge funds are now combining TWAP with AI to predict optimal execution times? This tech-savvy twist is making waves, and it’s only a matter of time before retail traders catch on. Stay ahead by exploring brokers offering AI-enhanced TWAP tools. Final Thoughts: Why TWAP Is a Game-Changer for USD/JPY In the Forex jungle, TWAP is your machete—cutting through the chaos to give you clarity and control. Whether you’re trading during peak volatility or calm markets, this strategy ensures you stay level-headed and maximize profits. Ready to take your trading to the next level? Check out our Smart Trading Tool to integrate TWAP into your strategy effortlessly. —————– Image Credits: Cover image at the top is AI-generated Read the full article

[babyblueocean]

I’ve started to replay MM so I’m going to drop my headcannons for the group. No spoilers if anyone still cares? Hope you enjoy, ILY <3

Jaehee Kang General Headcannons

*She is really interested in dying her hair but doesn’t bc of her job. She keeps a folder on Pinterest for it.

*Super into Pinterest, possibly the only social media she uses regularly.

*If she needs to she will indulge in a relaxing warm bubble bath for hours if she has time, very rare occasions.

*Her meals are very quick and easy if she has to cook but usually gets something on the go.

*Her favorites are the charcuterie like already prepped meals form the convenience store. A little bit of every food group to keep her sane.

*Skips breakfast bc it makes her nauseous.

*Take a few different vitamins to make up for her lack of self maintenance. Specifically vitamins c and d.

*Definitely does not hydrate enough. Maybe a bottle a day if she’s lucky but mostly coffee or tea depending on her mood.

*Actually hates bitter coffee and tea but drinks it with no sugar or cream for maximum energy.

*Early riser, late sleeper. Often works late bc of her job and gets the bare minimum amount of sleep.

*Does not like cats at all and generally doesn’t want any pets. No preference to any animal really. She doesn’t have time or energy.

*Her casual clothes are super comfy. The softest materials and slightly baggy. All in similar color schemes of gray, pink, and b blue.

*Her work uniforms are all dark well kept blazers and pencil skirts. She wears dr. Schoil’s inserts with her slightly healed shoes for comfort but her feet still have a never ending ache to them.

*Her nails are kept short with a clear coat and generally no makeup bc of lack of time and care.

*Is really good at applying mascara and eyeliner though. She has a steady hand from brewing her own coffee.

*Her glasses have the best anti blue light whatever bc of how much she has to use technology.

*Jaehee always plays lofi beats at her apartment bc she can’t stand the silence. It’s makes her feel alone and haunts her. She can’t focus.

*She has a very sarcastic blunt sense of humor. Usually only kept to herself but sometimes it slips and it’s jarring to the other members.

*Not a fan of any holiday bc that means promotional events and more work. *However likes to take her vacation days during the summer for beach days.

*Sometimes at 2 am she’d wake up in a cold sweat bc she thinks there’s there’s still cat hair everywhere. She calms down after a bit but then can’t go back to sleep.

*Her love language is quality time! Just sitting together and watching zen’s musicals when she can. She likes to receive words of affirmation!

*She is non-binary, bi, and ace! Pronouns she/they, lady leaning romance wise and generally does not care for sex, but not sex repulsed.

*More than likely the most knowledgeable about lgbtq+ terms and understands the most.

[konmarkimageswords]

CIRCUMSCRIBE I once was a graffiti artist up all night hunting  and circling scenes of random beauty.  I’d tag my name underneath:  CircumScribe. It was a dream.  It came from infinity.  It landed in my marrow.  It made my bones light. It reminded me: the last time I died  I was born Brooke Julia Gessay  October 9th, 1981, and the gap  between is the gap happening now. It reminded me: I was born with a vow so central  it can’t be seen, beating my heart, and my job  is to live it to certain death. It reminded me: we must feed our vows with our very own flesh. It reminded me: circle beauty. Move bones  by moving the gap inside the marrow.  It reminded me: it’s not all going to be ok,  but it already is, but I must make it so. It reminded me of the hours I failed at birthing  in the bardo between night and day, and how  I gave up trying, so bewildered by terror and intensity  until that thin veil appeared between this world and what’s under it - that darkness unfathomably full - and the silent voice sounded  everywhere and nowhere  are you willing to die for this? and I yowled the YES that changes everything  while pushing a planet down and out my pelvis  and a big bang, different but similar, ripped  through my throat with a violent ultraviolet light. It reminded me: there are resources  we cannot conceive of, and we find them  in the asking if the asking  is alive enough to annihilate and reorganize our current selfing  for something better at love. It reminded me: I see you  bravely meeting what is yours alone to meet. Are you willing to die  for this? Feed your vow  and eat it and offer it away. ~ Brooke McNamara

From the Author:

Just under a year ago on zen retreat, during the first morning meditation (candles lit, incense rising), I felt a rush of love move up my body and (silently, viscerally) say: "Get up early. Every day. Write poems again. A book is coming." My son, Lundin, was eight months old at the time.  The idea of writing a book seemed possibly insane. I hadn't written many poems for over a decade since my college thesis. But something about that call from who-knows-where in meditation that morning put me under a spell - of sheer curiosity for what I'd find if I actually followed through. Not in my head, but actually. Not in fantasy, but with my real, tired, working-mothering self every damn, glorious morning.  As an experiment, I began summoning myself out of bed (too) early, trying not to wake my husband and son.  In the dark, I'd rise and sneak-fumble to a hot cup of coffee and the blank page. It often somehow felt like my first and/or last day alive. What is there to say from that perspective?  Sometimes, nothing at all.  I would sit and stare in dumb wonderment. Something about that holy hour before dawn and the confrontation with the page just brought me to my knees. But sometimes, voices came to meet me - either my own at its most human or, in some cases, voices I don't quite recognize as my own that spoke to and through me in the early hours.   These voices have kept my heart soft and my laughter strong through tired and mundane moments.  They've kept me sane and inspired, and that's why I'm compelled to share them with you. These voices are good company, and I regard them as real friends.  So writing this book has not felt like a choice, really. I have participated as fully as possible with something that's felt inevitable and necessary: uncovering my own unique conversation with inspiration.  I still can't say what it is exactly.  But for me it is worth living for and worth dying for, and I vow to hunt, seduce, and share it.   My wish for Feed Your Vow is that the sweet, hard-won inspiration I encountered in writing it becomes contagious for you as you enter and explore it. This is the magic that truly feeds my vow. Thank you from the center of my heart.

About the Author:

Brooke McNamara holds a BA in Creative Writing (Poetry) and an MFA in Dance.  She teaches Yoga on faculty at Naropa University and is a lecturer in Dance at the University of Colorado, Boulder.  She is ordained as a monk and empowered as an Integral Dharma Holder in the Zen Buddhist lineage of Diane Musho Hamilton, Sensei.  Brooke has danced professionally for over a decade and written poems since a young age.  She received the Charles B. Palmer Prize through the Academy of American Poets.  Brooke lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband, Rob, and their son, Lundin.

[casspurrjoybell-25]

The Healer of Shakkara - Book Two

*Warning Adult Content*

Chapter 3 - The Insight - Part 1

Zenír walked slowly down the long, evenly spaced rows of trees in the Haven's sprawling orchards.

A soft breeze stirred the autumn leaves, making them rustle and whisper among themselves, while the scents of dry earth and overripe apples spiced the air.

The sunlight warmed his skin with the last heat of a season passed and the cool shade held the promise of colder times to come.

Using the long, slender staff of carved wood he'd been gifted upon arriving here, he swept the ground for obstacles and listened to the satisfying crunch of dried leaves beneath the soles of his soft boots.

Though he could not see it, he knew from what the others had described that the full fire of fall color surrounded him as the leaves of the fruit and nut trees turned yellow and orange and a deep, vibrant red.

He remembered the beauty of such seasonal displays, though he had not properly appreciated them when he was able and though he no longer mourned the loss of his sight, he felt a pang of regret that he could not see it now.

It was but a small pang and among the many other pleasant sensations of the afternoon, quickly passed and was forgotten.

The quiet peace that had come to rest in his heart since arriving in this place was deep and still and not easily disturbed.

He could not recall a time when he had felt as safe as he did here... able to truly let down his guard.

He was far from helpless and could defend himself well enough but the world favored the sighted.

Cities were built for those who could see and even his closest friends sometimes forgot, in casual conversation or the heat of action, that he could not perceive things as they did.

Here, though, in the sheltered valley of The Haven, he could live at his own pace, go for walks without fear of getting lost and rest easy in the knowledge he would not be preyed upon for his disadvantages.

Finding a pleasant spot to sit in the shade at the base of a tree, Zenír began to hum softly under his breath and then to sing.

He'd had little call to use his voice for several months and it felt good to give it a bit of exercise.

He sang the first short ballad that came to mind... one with a pleasant, if sorrowful melody.

I lost my love in Orneon, at Kyrnis by the sea. His ship was foundered in the waves, he ne'er came back to me.

By Fate's kind hand he did not drown but made his way to shore.

And there he met a maiden fair, Of me to think no more.

To Orneon I traveled far, to Kyrnis by the sea.

And so it was I saw him there, as happy as could be.

With broken heart and broken steps, I left him there to stay.

In Orneon to live and dwell but I shall not away.

I lost my love in Orneon, at Kyrnis by the sea.

My heart shall lie there evermore and waves shall bury me.

As he sang, he became aware he was no longer alone and smiled when Iksthanis's deep tones broke in upon the silence that followed the final note.

"That's a damned depressing tune," said he. "Don't you know any happy ones?"

"The original is worse," Zenír said, tilting his face up in Iksthanis's direction.

"The scorned lover murders the unfaithful man in a fit of jealous rage and then buries herself at sea."

"Or himself," Iksthanis said mildly. "Personally, I can't imagine hurting the one I loved, even in a fit of rage."

"That's why it's called 'insanity.' It makes you do things you would never do while sane."

"Even so," Iksthanis said, settling at his side. "I know in my bones that I would never harm a lover."

"A lover..." Zenír repeated half under his breath and turned away, knowing from the heat in his face that he blushed like a virgin.

Feelings had grown between himself and Iksthanis over the last year or so... so slowly he hadn't noticed at first.

Among all his companions 'Thanis had always been the most thoughtful and aware of his needs.

He always made sure Zen had a proper serving at meals and helped him navigate new and difficult spaces without making him feel like an invalid.

Gradually, though, his care had grown more attentive and more intimate.

A casual touch, a word, an inside joke, a small token here and there... little things added up to become something that neither could ignore... sweet as honey, hot as coals... sharp as steel and dizzying as heights.

When Iksthanis touched him, Zenír imagined sparks of fire on his skin... when he got close, Zenír's stomach fluttered and his heart beat as if he'd run a mile.

He'd never reacted in such a way to anyone and it had taken him a little time to understand what it meant.

Their friendship had outgrown its bounds and from attraction had edged towards love.

"The only lover I want, if he'd only deign to be mine," Iksthanis said and gently turned Zenír's face back towards his own with the palm of his hand.

Zenír felt the warmth of his breath and imagined the brush of his lips.

"If you will have me as I am, then I am yours," he whispered.

Iksthanis released him with a sigh, making Zenír miss the warmth of his nearness and shiver at its loss.

When the silence stretched too long, he lowered his head.

"Have I said something wrong?"

Iksthanis sighed again, though it was a fond sound and took Zenír's hand.

"No. I only wish... you could see yourself... as I see you.. beautiful and strong. I want you to understand... that you are a gift to me... not a burden. Until you do... I will dream and wait for your heart to catch up to mine."

Zenír frowned.

"'Thanis..."

"Never mind," the other man said and patted his hand. "Come. We've been summoned to the council chambers again. Apparently our young P'Yrha has gone missing and our friends here are considering what is to be done. You wouldn't happen to have any idea where he's gone, have you?"

"No more than do you," he said.

"Hmm. He's gone after Sev, plain enough. What will you tell the council?"

"The truth," Zenír said, allowing a hint of humor to color his tone.

"I haven't seen him."

[mega-ringsandthings-world]

Mmmm, that right there. If neither of them have ever considered a world without the other, there's no sane option for them when they are suddenly forced to do so. the lever gets slammed past red and everything is in maximum overdrive, do-or-die. WHAT DID YOU DO ONCE? Well, we simply introduced one of the most powerful men in the world to the concept of morality vis a vis threatening the life of the person one might consider his soulmate. No one had any ideal he'd take this in a less than stellar manner. No biggie. Let's. Not. ever do anything like that again. I think too that Shanks himself leans heavily on his own self-made zen for mental stability. when that zen is challenged, it's fucking ouch time. The arrogance going away completely is. Uh. a thought. because again, Mihawk is so cold and prideful. And. Mihawk would know he isn't much of a negotiator, or at least not at the caliber that a situation like this warrants. So yeah, he makes up for it by turning up the charm. He uses all his poise and refinement in the opposite direction. He smiles. He knows all the correct etiquette. Knows what to say, how to compliment even. Oh so charming. After all, he needs to be wanted (because he is his services) for this to work. Also. it's. Hm. An air of exposure? vulnerability? is in play. Everyone out there witnessing Shanks lose control entirely. Mihawk, demure and pleasant, a living bargaining chip. Two sides of a coin and watching either work is just so raw. and perhaps a bit uncomfortable.

another delicious thought to toy with is that of the marines making a try at shanks, trying to take shanks down, and mihawk heading the attempt off. and making sure something of the kind never happens again. but not by a fight or a show of power or any posturing. but by something something more definite and tangible. he gives the marines an offer they can't refuse in exchange for shanks' life. mihawk is younger at this time. shanks is younger. but older than when they both met. mihawk has known shanks long enough now to know. know that he would do anything for shanks. that the man shanks is now is something he won't ever let go of. shanks is making a name for himself, he's becoming infamous, becoming known. he has roger's legacy behind him and a future ahead of him. he has a straw hat still on his head and by now people talk openly about how he is the only one who can go to-to-toe with Hawkeyes Mihawk. he's red-hair shanks, captain of the red-hair pirates. the marines get nervous. conspire to stop him before he gets any bigger, any more powerful. so, they put their heads together and by some trick they get shanks. have him sitting in a cell ready to go the way of his old man. the next morning, mihawk is there. after the shock and awe has died down mihawk tells them, as calm as you please, to let shanks go. and in exchange, they can have him. oh, not as a prisoner, but something better. at first, they think it's a trick. because mihawk, who listens to no one, answers to no one, had blown them off and laughed in their face when they offered him entrance into the warlord initiative. no trick. mihawk tells them. I'll become part of your little club, I'll run your little errands. but I'll thank you not to interfere with my duels with red-hair shanks. and this counts as interference. unspoken. red-hair is mine. Maybe the marines the get subtleties in his just-this-side-of-dangerous tone, maybe they don't, but mihawk is a offer they can't refuse even if a lot of them are confused as all hell about mihawk's motives. and by nightfall, he's the newest warlord. shanks escapes sometime around midnight. days later, the word is out, hawkeyes has been leashed. when word of this gets to shanks, shanks. who knows that mihawk is and always has been a free agent. so he goes to talk to him. and by the end of that talk, shanks is not. happy. at all.

[red-and-blonde-moved]

I'm trying to get one of Jumins bad endings because I'm bored, and I really love how the way to get a bad ending is to just have the appropriate response to basically being kidnapped

[derangedrhythms]

What's the correct way to be (to simply exist) in a world that seems to be staring down the barrel of many existential crises at the same time? Under these circumstances, is art self-indulgent?

I'm no authority on sane living ⁠— as Margaret Atwood once said ⁠—but I would argue that Audre Lorde was right when she wrote "poetry is not a luxury. It is a vital necessity of our existence." Particularly in difficult times such as these. Art is important not only on a personal basis:

So while our art cannot, as we wish it could, save us from wars, privation, envy, greed, old age, or death, it can revitalize us amidst it all.

Ray Bradbury, from 'Zen in the Art of Writing'

but also on much a wider scale:

I believe that all great art holds the power to dissolve things: time, distance, difference, injustice, alienation, despair. I believe that all great art holds the power to mend things: join, comfort, inspire hope in fellowship, reconcile us to our selves.

Art is good for my soul precisely because it reminds me that we have souls in the first place.

We stand before a work of art and our spirit is lifted by it: amazing that someone is like us! We stand before a work of art and our spirit resists: amazing that someone is different!

Tilda Swinton

These are important concepts when we find ourselves in times of war, pandemics, poverty, fascism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, racism, inequality, corrupt governments etc.

Here are some more quotations about the significance of art and some on how it's helped others to cope on a personal level and even to extend their lives:

"Art teaches nothing, except the significance of life."

⁠— Henry Miller, The Wisdom of the Heart; from 'Reflections on Writing'

"Any powerful work of art invades our being and changes it forever. The British critic George Steiner claims that art, like certain kinds of religious and metaphysical experience, is the most ‘“ingressive”, transformative summons available to human experiencing’. It is an intrusive, invasive indiscretion that ‘queries the last privacies of our existence’; an Annunciation that ‘breaks into the small house of our cautionary being’, so that ‘it is no longer habitable in quite the same way as it was before’. It is a transcendent encounter that tells us, in effect: ‘change your life’."

⁠— Karen Armstrong, from ‘A Short History of Myth’

"One of the great functions of art is to help us imagine what it is like to be not ourselves, what it is like to be someone or something else, what it is like to live in another skin, what it is like to live in another body, and in that sense to surpass ourselves, to go out beyond ourselves." 

⁠— Adrienne Rich

"Sometimes I say to myself: Your fate is unique, think the others fortunate—none has been tormented as you have. Then I read some poet of the ancient times and it is as though I were looking into my own heart."

⁠— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, from ‘The Sorrows of Young Werther’ tr. David Constantine

"That’s why I read poetry. I read poetry to stay alive. That’s why I went to poetry in the first place, that’s why I stay with it, that’s why I’ll never leave it."

⁠— Marie Howe

"Poetry led me by the hand out of madness."

 "Poetry has saved my life and I respect it beyond both or any of us."

"I am going to lose myself — or else, the chance is that poetry will save me."

"After nothing but pain and fear and the problems of guilt, your book burst over me and made me want to live . . ."

⁠— Anne Sexton, from ‘Anne Sexton: A Biography’ by Diane Wood Middlebrook and ‘A Self-Portrait in Letters’ ⁠

[sevendeadlymorons]

Idk if you'll do this but uh-

MysMes meeting OM? I'll go hide in the bathroom now-

I’ve been looking forward to this one 😩🖐🏻

Obey Me Meets Mystic Messenger

————————————

Lucifer

He best gets along with Jumin, obviously

Their personalities are very similar and I feel like he’d be the only one who wouldn’t drive the other mad

They share tea and discuss extremely boring matters but they both enjoy the others company anyway. It’s nice to get away from the noise

I also think Zen and Lucifer would have a mutual friendship with eachother as he’s not too loud and obnoxious but I feel like he may remind him of Asmo and he ain’t up for another narcissist...

Then comes Saeyoung, a more annoying and loud version of Mammon, and Yoosung, a direct image of Levi. Yeah, safe to say they won’t be getting along any time soon

He also thinks Jaehee is alright, she’s quiet and serious, so he’s happy there’s another sane one in the house, same with Vanderwood as he looks like he knows how to keep a household in check

Mammon

Best gets along with Saeyoung

He finds him ridiculously funny and he enjoys a guy with a good sense of humour and who won’t constantly insult him, of course

They spend a lot of time pissing off Lucifer and Jumin for the fun of it, but mainly because both agreed it’d be funny to see their reactions

Yoosung and Mammon also get along but not as much as Saeyoung. He thinks he’s too much like Levi and he ain’t for another shut in around

Honestly doesn’t get along with any of the others as Jumin and Jaehee are too stern and serious, Zen gives him a headache and reminds him way too much of his self centred brother and V is too calm and apologetic for him to handle

He also finds Saeran and Vanderwood intimidating... He’s scared they may rat him out to Lucifer so they keep their distances

Leviathan

He gets along with Yoosung the most, though there is a bit of gamers tension going on

Discusses games and anime’s and spends the entire night competing to see who’s best

They do have constant arguments when the other beats the other and then they ask for a rematch and it just never fucking ends

He’s alright with Saeyoung; he finds him funny but perhaps a bit too loud for his liking and he pulls way too many jokes on him that he falls for every single time

Will not get along with Zen as he finds him too much like Asmo and he can’t be bothered to deal with another guy who thinks they’re a God

Jumin, Jaehee and V are also a no go as he just can’t get into the seriously obnoxious, “what’s a meme?” atmosphere

Vanderwood terrifies him too, just one look at the taser he holds and he’s out-

Satan

He enjoys V’s company the most

V is calm and enjoys photography like him so they have lots to talk about and they even end up exchanging each other’s photos

Vanderwood and him are cool. He kinda wants to ask if he could borrow his taser to mess with Lucifer...

He refuses to even acknowledge Jumin’s existence though. Looks and acts too much like Lucifer. He can’t stand it, he prefer to stay away

Doesn’t mind Jaehee, It’s mutual. Same with Saeran. Not too much in common but at least they’re relatively calm. Likes that Saeran is so much into nature

Zen is fine too. Reminds him of Asmo and he’s honestly gotten used to the narcissism by now. He finds him interesting to talk to

Him and Saeyoung are confused if they’re meant to like eachother or not. On one hand, he finds him irritating and loud. But he also loves cats, so he shows him the stray cats outside and he isn’t as bad as he thought he was. A bit eccentric but nevertheless

Asmodeus

Talks the most to Zen but there’s a painfully toxic battle constantly going on about who’s more attractive

It’s irritating for everybody around them but other than that, they find eachother interesting and fun. They discuss face care routines and hair and makeup advice

He’s honestly not too keen on anybody else apart from perhaps V who he of course begs to be the model for his next set of photos

Jumin and Jaehee are too much like Lucifer for him to get along with so he doesn’t particularly try, and Vanderwood, well, he looks like he could easily kill him if he wanted to

Saeyoung is way too much like Mammon. Too loud and obnoxious, way too many jokes too. He likes to stay away

He actually doesn’t mind Saeran. He likes it when he shows him all the flowers he grows and how pretty they all look. It’s a mutual friendship in the end

Beelzebub

He’s a sweetheart, he gets along with anybody who greets him honestly

He enjoys looking at Saeran’s flowers and pure kindness and he likes how Yoosung is so passionate and reminds him of his brother

He likes how much Saeyoung makes him laugh and that he shares his crisps with him if he asks for long enough and he likes how much Jumin cares for his cat, just like his brother

He shows pictures of Jumin’s cat to Satan since the two of them refuse to communicate and he knew he’d love the fluffy white cat

He does spend a lot of time with Zen after finding out he works out a lot, and regularly goes to the gym with him to work out since it’d been a while since he had a workout buddy

He can’t really find it in himself to dislike any of them, he likes how they all have their own passions and hobbies, even Vanderwood who ratted him out to Lucifer for stealing food from the fridge that one time

Belphegor

He hates the fact there’s more people in the house now so it’s ten times as loud as it usual is

But if he had to befriend one, it’d probably be someone like Saeran or V, the quieter and more timid ones

He likes Saerans edgier and dark vibe. He can relate in a way, but he also likes the cool flowers he shows him every once in a while

V is also alright with him, he doesn’t disrupt him much unless it’s to show him more photos

He also sorta gets along with Vanderwood, but only because he likes his privacy and so does he and he let him hold his taser the once

He physically cannot get along with Saeyoung, Yoosung or Zen. Saeyoung and Yoosung are too overwhelming for him, way too loud and don’t know how to leave him alone. Whilst Zen gives him a headache with how narcissistic he is

Jumin and him, well, don’t even try. Someone so much like Lucifer and so serious too just couldn’t get along with him

[8-0-8]

Welcome to…Comparing Two Pieces of Media I Like And Seeing What They Have In Common Because I Want To

Let’s welcome our special guests…two major obsessions who got me through the pandemic and my senior year and still haunt my mind on a daily basis…Mystic Messenger and The Disastrous Life of Saiki K!

Let’s start shall we?

CW: slight mentions of incest, racism, and light spoilers

Breaks the fourth wall excessively

Its comedic elements are an important part of its identity as a piece of work

Pop culture references galore

While both are popular internationally and do make an effort to reach global audiences thru translations/dubs, their primary audience is still the country the piece is set in. No cultural norms that global audiences wouldn’t understand is explained bc youre just expected the get it. (To the point where so many non Korean mysme stans melt whenever the characters ask if they’ve eaten which is hilarious tbh) Foreigners are welcome, but they’re just not the main target audience

Speaking of which, there seems to be a large gap between local fans vs international ones? Like we barely interact

Both made in the mid 2010s

Cursed memes

International audiences primarily consist of queer Gen Z ppl…this is more of a thing w Saiki than mysme but both have it

Literally every character is queer coded, some are even canon

And then some are canon but not but are but not—

INFP w chunibyo tendencies has a very overbearing mother

INFP w emo tendencies is a fan fav…wonder why

Cults centered around fem long haired ENFJs

Evil Relative Alert…like multiple 😈

Listen to me. Saiki is jaehee. Jaehee is Saiki. I don’t make the rules

Like…super problematic but super progressive at the same time

Color/character themes! (The way I took this trope and ran w it in my own work istg)

Coffee

Both aim to poke fun at and address media tropes and parody/look deeper into them to a certain extent (this also heavily inspired me)

Pet robots as a sign of affection

“Being (Insert generally desired trait or job) seems great but it’s actually really shitty”

Aspec characters that don’t know what asexuality is

Hopeless lesbians

Chaotic bi/pan ppl

Lots of different lgbt headcanons within the fandom

Athletic Himbos

Lonely rich assholes who are kinda socially inept

“Hey guys did you know…I have a brother!”

Thirst traps but tbh that’s super universal

Disappointing racial stereotypes that add nothing to the plot (also sadly universal)

Reformed Ex Con guy hates Rich Guy bc of a hatred towards the elite and Strong Moral Principles (zen has the whole brother thing too but shhh)

No but fr kubokai = zensung and kuboyasu/saiko = zen/jumin idc idc

Evil Genius Brother Out To Get Other Genius Brother

Both reference death note lol

Lovesick Brunette With Bangs built to relate to the EveryGirl (saiki parodies this, mysme plays this straight)

Embraces tropes of their own genre but also puts a spin on them

Light Blue character is delicate and Artsy

Touches on the Bro/Sis con trope and ends up weirding both audiences and other characters out (mysme subdues this a lot more than saiki)

VAs are usually waaaay older than the characters but not always

VAs sing a lot of the OST songs w lyrics

The Hot, Confident Flirt Who Speaks Informally is actually one of the most sane characters

“You have the opportunity to enjoy something in life that I can’t so let me do some weird antics to ultimately help you”

Both have a special place in my heart and helped me both creatively and emotionally <3

Milfs

[lankoshine]

Star Wars. Far away galaxy forever Khaetskaya Elena Vladimirovna

My preface: I've wanted to post this for a long time. This text literally expresses my attitude to what is happening with my favorite character Anakin Skywalker, and confirms my doubts about the "wisdom" of the Jedi Order (they are not fools, but they are not wise men either). Wisdom should include all aspects and all-round thinking, but at times it "stagnates", "ossifies" and turns into a rotting swamp, in which the light that it should carry is drowning. And as a result, enlightenment turns into extinction and darkness.

Further words of the author:

Jedi: "the era of stagnation"

“The main content of the second trilogy, that is, the prequel, was the story of how Anakin crossed over to the dark side of the Force and how the entire Templar was destroyed ... That is, excuse the reservation: not the Templars, of course. Jedi. All Jedi were destroyed. Except for a few - Obi Wan Kenobi and Teacher Yoda. The first film, The Phantom Menace, portrayed Anakin as a boy; the next two - "The Clone Wars" and "Revenge of the Sith" - a handsome young man.

Anakin's childhood was not that unbearably difficult or completely bleak, but it could have been better. His mother Shmi and he himself (father, by the way, is unknown) were in slavery from the dealer of spare parts Watto, on the familiar "hole of the universe" - the planet Tatooine. Since Anakin from an early age was distinguished by diverse talents (for repairing equipment, for programming), the owner encouraged his studies, and the boy was busy with creativity: he would assemble a racing car from the trash, then he would build a robot and program artificial intelligence for it.

So, by the way, the boy Anakin created, again, the well-known droid C-3PO. Talkative, cowardly, endowed with useless good manners, the bore C-3PO, whom we fell in love with as Luke Skywalker's "funny magic assistant", it turns out that it was once designed by his father. (But then this droid's memory was erased, so he started the "original" trilogy from scratch.)

Naturally, such an outstanding embodiment of the Force as the boy Anakin could not remain unnoticed for long, and soon he was discovered by the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn, who immediately recognized the Young Anakin as the Chosen One. According to ancient prophecy, the Chosen One must restore balance to the Force (by exterminating the Dark Ones). In any case, the Jedi were obliged to take possession of this promising child.

By and large, it was the Light Jedi who brought Anakin the first real grief. It was they who separated him from his mother when they took him from Tatooine for the sake of a "great future" which, for Anakin himself, remained an empty phrase. The reason why the powerful (and, undoubtedly, not in need of funds) light and noble knights left the boy's mother in slavery and inflicted severe moral and psychological trauma on him remains unknown. You can find some kind of "rational" explanations, for example: a real Jedi must free himself from all earthly attachments - but this does not change the essence of the matter. Which of the nine-year-old Anakin is a "real Jedi"? And why should he suddenly free himself from attachment to his mother? After all, this is the most natural and, in general, the most positive of all emotions - love for mom!

Jedi ideology, presented in different ways from the screen, is constantly bursting at the seams. You can, for example, remember how Obi Wan Kenobi, in the form of a Force ghost, appears to Luke in Return of the Jedi: "You must stop Darth Vader." Luke, a mentally healthy and sensible young man, answers quite logically: "I cannot kill my own father." Then the luminous ghost of Obi Wan sighs and says, “Then everything is lost. You were our last hope."  What happens? That the Jedi were urging Luke to commit an unnatural act - parricide? And they did it right from the focus of the Power! If the earthly, living Obi Wan spoke so, it would be possible to write off such speeches for the usual human ability to make mistakes, to be delusional. But Obi Wan is already a ghost of the Force, so he cannot be wrong. Why is he pushing Luke to the brink of a psychological and moral abyss? Maybe this is the last test? Provocation? Harsh - and risky, especially when Luke remains "the last hope" ...

The Jedi's behavior towards Anakin Skywalker looks much more brutal and far more risky. No matter what they argued, remaining within the framework of naked theorizing, in practice the picture looked monstrous: in fact, they raised a man with their own hands, for whom it was the most natural choice to kill all the Jedi.

Moreover, the viewer, on common sense, comes to the conclusion that Anakin, in general, if he was not completely right, then, in any case, was not greatly mistaken when he chose the Dark Side.

Let's try to trace the path that led Anakin to the dark side.

... Qui-Gon took the boy with him to the planet Coruscant (where the capital of the Galactic Republic was located) and demanded permission from the Jedi Council to teach the Chosen One in all the intricacies of Jedism. By the way, the Jedi Council is very pompous meeting in the spectacular Jedi Temple on the same Coruscant. This temple plays an important role in the history of Anakin and consists of five giant spiers. The largest spire, in the center, serves as a sacred place for contemplation. The other four are the High Council, the Primordial Knowledge Council, the Reconciliation Council, and the Reassignment Council. (This structure alone can judge how complicated, even bureaucratic, everything was arranged in the Jedi world ... somehow not in Zen, to be honest!)

So, the Council did not give permission to train the boy Anakin. There is nothing to spoil the child! First, Anakin is too old to start training. The boy is already at a conscious age, he has significant life experience. It will be difficult to brainwash such a guy. Secondly, Anakin experiences negative emotions - fear and anger. Which is not surprising given his past. (The fact that the attitude of the Jedi to Anakin's life circumstances was the reason for the increase in fear and anger is not taken into account.) Quite conveniently, there was an occasion to regale Anakin (and the audience) with the maxim: “Fear is the way to the dark side. Fear breeds anger; anger breeds hatred; hatred is the key to suffering. I feel a strong fear in you, ”says the wise Master Yoda to Anakin during the Jedi Council.

Yoda is right in essence: fear is the father of many troubles and vices. But how soulless and out of place it all is!

Eventually, the dying Qui-Gon will instruct Obi Wan to train Anakin. Here the Council, albeit reluctantly, agrees. Why?

The most logical thing would be to assume that the Council, though slowly, came to the conclusion: it is much more dangerous to leave such a gifted boy unattended at all than to start his training, despite the "strong fear" and other "shortcomings."

At first glance, the choice of a mentor looks somewhat artificial. Obi Wan Kenobi was considered a very average Jedi, so Anakin kept saving his life along the way. The behavior of Obi Wan himself regularly looks completely reckless (if not "stupid"), and the young student had to "clean up" after the teacher. Although it is postulated that they were friends, Obi Wan constantly nags Anakin and actually humiliates him. Then Anakin, and for the umpteenth time, has to pull the "mentor" out of the next pit.

So was Qui-Gon Jinn wrong about Obi Wan Kenobi? Why did he choose such a weak teacher for such a dangerous young man?

According to one suggestion, Obi Wan was just pretending. But in fact ... Secretly ... Carefully hiding from everyone, he was a mighty Jedi. He just successfully pretended to be a weakling. But then why? Where is the logic?

Or maybe the Jedi reasoned like this: since we could not get rid of the inconvenient Anakin, we will give him a frankly bad mentor so that he does not reach the Jedi heights?

But here - in general, it does not even lurk, but lies on the surface - there is a great danger: surpassing the teacher, the student begins to wise up on his own and in the end it is not known what he will think of (which, in fact, happened). No, a strong student needs a strong teacher, and the Jedi could not help but understand this (otherwise how did they even manage to exist for so long).

It seems to us that the answer is simple: and there was simply no one better.

The Jedi in the prequel are reminiscent of the Politburo of the mature stagnation era. A formal approach, indifference to a particular living being, a complete lack of flexibility, undercover intrigues ... Yoda - and he looks ossified in his great wisdom. Humanity will come to the old Taoist much later, when the Jedi are exterminated. Presumably, then Obi Wan will cover his famous ability not to condemn anyone (you see, he had enough time, living as a hermit on Tatooine, to think over everything that happened and analyze his own behavior first of all).

The Jedi actually used Anakin. And this is very insulting: to understand that you were taken advantage of by those whom you idolized, considered the focus of the Power of Light.

By the way, Obi Wan Kenobi had a flaw with the Jedi Code: Anakin did not understand many of the provisions. And then Chancellor Palpatine appears, who begins to secretly, but consistently and intelligently cultivate the seeds of Darkness in Anakin's soul ...

* * *

So, one of the most important factors in Anakin's transition to the dark side was the lack of trust in mentors. And in this, Anakin was right: such mentors do not deserve any trust. Virtually every prominent member of the Jedi Council had a purpose of their own, and Anakin did not like being a puppet of someone else's interests at all.

One of the most important reasons for Anakin's fall is his forbidden love for Padma Amidala.

It is obvious to Palpatine (as to any sane creature) that one who has loved ones is extremely vulnerable. Therefore, noticing Anakin's attraction to Padmé, Palpatine arranges so that Obi Wan and his student receive a responsible task - to be the beauty's personal guard. And then Palpatine could just relax and wait, allowing events to develop naturally.

The Jedi Council further aided Palpatine's plan by recalling Obi Wan for another assignment. So in the end, a handsome young Anakin, not fully trained, subject to all sorts of passions and weaknesses (the Council is well aware of all this, but for some reason no one, not even Yoda, attaches much importance to this), is left alone with a young beautiful girl ... Of course, this girl is formerly a queen, and now a senator, and Anakin is previously a slave of some dealer in spare parts on a seedy planet, and now a Jedi-dropout and a bodyguard ... But when and who was it stopping?

However, yes. After all, the Jedi explained to the young Skywalker that passionate feelings are absolutely unacceptable. Was there an explanatory conversation? Was! What's more?

Only the "era of stagnation" in the Jedi world can explain such thoughtlessness. Here, what is called the “formal attitude” to the personality, its individual characteristics, and its fate worked in full measure.

Didn't it occur to any of the Jedi that it was more than enough to tell the young boy about the "harmful passions"? In order to achieve true dispassion - not the ability to control oneself after a sleepless night spent in hot fantasies, but real dispassion, when a young girl evokes nothing but warm, brotherly or paternal feelings - years of spiritual exercise are needed. And even then there are breakdowns, because all people are human and nothing human is alien to them.

And then for some reason everyone decided that it was enough for a guy overwhelmed by passions to say: "Don't look at the beautiful Padmé, she is not for you, and in general your destiny is celibacy, because that's how it is for us, the Jedi," and that's it, the job is ready , he will obey. What arrogance!

... But we remember that arrogance is one of the greatest vices in the interpretation of "late Ben", "officer and gentleman" performed by Guinness. The true wisdom of Alec Guinness gave us the answers to all our questions twenty years ago ...

However, let us follow how the Jedi themselves dug their own grave.

Anakin's feeling is passionate; his love is earthly, he longs to possess a girl. In theory, such feelings are a direct route to the dark side. In theory. In fact, they represent a completely natural stage in the emotional and physical development of a young person. Demanding that the young man behave like an eight-hundred-year old man, the Jedi actually expected the impossible from him: that he should distort, mutilate his nature. He, in their opinion, should not improve himself, not investigate and subordinate himself to reason, but simply break.

Anakin had the will to disobey. And in his attraction to Padmé, he is absolutely right.

And then the detonator of Anakin's first earthly affection is triggered: in a dream he sees that his mother is in danger. The Jedi were of no help to Shmi Skywalker. They simply took away from her the only living being that she held dear. Well, yes, she later got married, but how can you forget your son, being apart from him? Of course, she was sad and not completely happy.

And then - the raid of the sand people (the very same Tatooine natives, whom we saw in the "original" trilogy, in "A New Hope"), who captured Shmi as prey. This is what caused Anakin's disturbing dreams - he did not cut ties with his mother. The young man already knows: it is useless to ask the Jedi for help in such an "empty" case as rescuing some kind of Shmi Skywalker on the distant planet Tatooine. Serious adults have more important things to do. Therefore, Anakin simply takes the matter of saving mom into his own hands and flies to Tatooine. True, the Council sends him some orders after him, but this is about mom! And Anakin sends the Council to hell.

Mom still has time to die in the arms of her beloved son. And then Anakin is overcome with hatred. Undoubtedly, this hatred affected everyone who treated his mother so cruelly. Including the Jedi Council. But only sand people were at hand for revenge. And, not remembering himself from grief and rage, Anakin exterminated the entire tribe, including the elderly and children.

It was here that Master Yoda felt the "great outrage of the Force." Mostly caused not by the death of a minor barbarian tribe, but by the rage of a young Skywalker. It's time to actually draw at least some conclusions ...

And Anakin completely lost faith in the Light side. What intriguers they are, liars and mumblers! They didn’t really teach anything, they jerked them with discontent, tortured them with senseless (unrealizable) demands, they forbade saving my mother, they forbade me to love Padme, they forbade me to be a normal person at all - but what in return? Never mind! The sacred right to be a brainless tool in the hands of politicians who do not even consider it necessary to explain something to him.

Then another episode takes place, which can be considered the most important step of Anakin on the path to Darkness. To some extent, the Light Ones are again responsible for this step. We are talking about the operation to free the captured Chancellor Palpatine (then he had not yet revealed his true face - for some reason, even the wise Yoda did not know about anything and did not feel any "disturbances of the Force").

The intrigue was complex, but overall it looked like Chancellor Palpatine was captured by rebels - separatists. Their leader, Count Dooku, seriously wounded Obi Wan Kenobi, after which Anakin had to join the battle, who defeated the count. And then Palpatine gives the order: to decapitate the unarmed, defeated enemy - "he is too dangerous to be left alive!" (recalls, by the way, the requirement of the ghost of old Ben: to destroy Darth Vader).

Anakin, however, freezes in some doubts: somehow not chivalrously ... The enemy is defeated, he surrendered, he is wounded and unarmed ... But Palpatine is the chancellor, Palpatine insists, and Anakin obeys.

Why did Anakin obey an inhuman order that seemed wrong to him? And why on other occasions did he violate the wrong orders of the Council?

Because Anakin didn't trust the Jedi at all. And he did not have a clear idea which orders were correct and which were not, so the young man was forced to be guided by one single criterion: his own opinion. If it was about mom, then the advice is not a decree to him: in any case, mom needs to be saved. When it comes to Padmé, the Council is also not a decree: he loves Padmé. But if we are talking about Count Dooku, who is not related to Anakin at all ... here a hesitant young man who does not have clear moral criteria may obey the order. After all, in the end, he was trained: the Council is always right, obey the orders of your elders!

But the Council, as it turned out, was almost never right ...

* * *

Anakin was still with the Jedi — perhaps by momentum, but most likely — because of Padmé. Anakin eventually entered into a secret marriage with her (witnessed by two droids, our old friends R2-D2 and C-3PO).

Meanwhile, the Council is giving Anakin another reason to part with the Light Side. For starters, the young man is publicly humiliated by refusing to be promoted to the rank of Jedi Master. Moreover, he is ordered to spy on his patron, Palpatine. And this is simply low.

And then Anakin had another ominous dream: as if Padmé had died. He remembered well how the affair ended when he had a similar vision of his mother. Therefore, Anakin is terrified.

He is still trying to find some way out of the situation, remaining on the Light side. It seems that the Jedi temple contains some information that could save Padmé. But access to this part of the archive for him - as for the uninitiated - is closed. And the Jedi refused to raise the young Skywalker to the rank of Jedi, despite the high patronage of Chancellor Palpatine.

Finally, Anakin turns to the wisest of all - to Master Yoda: prophetic visions persistently tell him about the imminent death of a loved one ... what to do, what to do?

In response, Master Yoda burst out with a priceless sermon:

“Death is a natural part of life,” he said in his inimitable florid style. - Rejoice for your loved ones, who have transformed into Power. Do not mourn for them and do not grieve for them. After all, attachment leads to jealousy, and a shadow of greed leads to jealousy. You must let go of everything that you are so afraid of losing. Fear of loss can lead to the Dark Side. "

Oh, how wonderful - for eight hundred years! But it is definitely not feasible when you are barely twenty and the woman you love is facing death. (Subsequently, Yoda tried to advise something similar to Luke, but he stopped in time: it did not work with father, and will not work with his son.)

... And Chancellor Palpatine is right there: he promises to save Padmé if Anakin goes to the dark side. The dark side, according to Palpatine, has the power to conquer death.

By and large, there is nothing holding Anakin on the Light Side anymore. And he becomes a supporter of Palpatine - all, "with giblets."

And then finally the truth is revealed to him: Chancellor Palpatine is the very Sith Lord Darth Sidious, whom the Jedi hunted for a long time and without success.

Once again, Anakin’s moral precariousness is evident, and nothing has convinced him that the Jedi Council can be trusted. Discipline required the Sith Lord to be “turned in”. And Anakin reports his discovery to one of the masters, Windu. And he once again demonstrates distrust of Anakin: they say, you wait for me in the Jedi temple, and I will grab a couple of faithful knights and go and figure it out myself. Maybe this was the last straw. Either way, Anakin changed his mind.

Palpatine promised to help rescue Padmé; Palpatine was the only one who treated him with respect and support all this time. Therefore, Anakin at the last moment intervened in the duel between Master Windu and Palpatine and with a sudden blow cut off the Master's hand with a sword. After that, Darth Sidious easily destroys Windu. The choice is made, the die is cast, the Rubicon is crossed. From now on, Anakin finally goes to the dark side and receives a Sith name - Darth Vader.

* * *

It is instructive to compare how Palpatine / Darth Sidious / The Emperor lures Anakin Skywalker to his place and how unsuccessfully he tries to repeat this act with Luke Skywalker.

In the case of Anakin, the entire Jedi order is on the side of the dark side: it was the Jedi who, in their arrogance, finally shattered the moral foundations of a very dangerous young man. In the case of Luke, on the contrary, on the side of the Light side - even as if Darth Vader himself. After all, it was Darth Vader who clearly explained to Luke what an unsightly future awaits him: loneliness, universal hatred and selfless service to the nasty evil old man who, as if on purpose, gets into an important conversation between father and son, shouting: “Oh yes! I can feel the hate flowing through your veins, my disciple! " - although in fact, the Emperor in Luke does not cause anything but irritation in this scene. Palpatine is not just not listened to - he is a hindrance, a buzzing fly.

The success could not be repeated. Why?

It is speculated that because Anakin was vulnerable because of Padmé Amidala. Luke didn't have such a passionate affection.

But love, even passionate, cannot in itself be the cause of the fall. Many additional factors are required.

Everything was pushing Anakin to fall.

And everything kept Luke from falling.

The Jedi paid a terrible price for understanding, but those who remained were able to correct the mistake.

Anakin was unlucky in that sense. Nothing - neither the state nor the knightly order - can exist for a long time in a state of stagnation. At some point, there is an explosion, a revolution. In this case, Anakin - Darth Vader served as a weapon of revolution: he begins the systematic extermination of the Jedi.

Obi Wan and Yoda survived, as we know. In the final battle between his former mentor and former apprentice, Obi Wan managed to cripple Anakin and throw him into the boiling lava. Not bad for a mentor who has failed his mentorship.

"Obi Wan killed your father" - remember? Oh yes, Obi Wan, Master Yoda and all the wise Jedi Council - they all somehow killed "the good man Anakin Skywalker." All of them, with lies, manipulation, arrogance, intrigue, mistrust, insults, inattention, a formal approach to a very gifted and very young person - they all pushed him to the Dark Side.

And when this, quite naturally, happened - they tried to destroy it physically.

However, Darth Vader did not die: burned and barely alive, he was saved by Darth Sidious. Now Darth Vader has to live in a special spacesuit, equipped with a special life support system, and breathe through a mask: inhale - exhale.

Well well. It's time to remember the "prophecy": that the young Skywalker is destined to "restore the balance of the Force." In fact, such prophecies are very insidious: those who know them do their best to ensure that something sinister does not come true - and usually achieve the exact opposite result.

The prophecy said that the chosen youth would restore the balance of the Force ... by destroying the Sith. It is somehow illogical: what kind of "balance" can there be when the Dark Ones are destroyed? This is not a "balance" of the Force, but simply the triumph of Light. If you think about what happened, the Council itself brought Anakin to the point that he ... really restored the balance: on each side there were two left (Obi Wan and Yoda - Light Ones, Darth Sidious and Darth Vader - Dark Ones). What they wanted to get - they got it. “Maybe we misinterpreted the prophecy,” the wise Master Yoda dropped meaningfully on this matter ...”

I apologize for the crooked translation, mainly the translator helped, but the essence seems to be conveyed. After reading it, I stopped believing even more in the "Light Jedi", and indeed in everything that is openly declared as "bringing good and light." In Star Wars, only Luke, little Anakin and Padmé were true goodness and light. And when someone starts talking about what the Jedi Council is the wisest and the kindest, and Obi-Wan is the very embodiment of kindness and fluffiness, then think about what they will do to you if you are not pleasing to them. They will not even lift a finger to somehow save or sort out your problem, and will you be immured in disgusting armor, equipped with prostheses, while morally and physically crippled. Them easy to say that you yourself chose to be bad, instead of trying with your wisdom and experience to understand what drives you. Wisdom should cover all aspects, and not be one-sided and divide the world into black and white. "Only the Sith make everything to the absolute" remember? Oh god! How many times have Jedi done the same thing? Or does it not count? In short, pleasant reading and may the force be with you, my fair ones.

https://biography.wikireading.ru/1240

[artekai]

I recently picked Mystic Messenger back up, and combined with my P5R brainrot, it gave me a crack crossover idea that just won’t leave me alone:

AU where Rika and V are Takuto’s parents.

Okay, hear me out for a second.

(Bear in mind that it’s been a year since I last played Mystic Messenger and I haven’t seen all the endings yet -- I haven’t played Rika’s Before Story or V’s After -- so this might not make any sense in canon and the characterization might be all over the place. Then again, it’s a crack AU, so…)

Major spoilers for both Mystic Messenger and Persona 5 Royal under the read more!

The beginning is fairly obvious. Rika and V are an inseparable couple, they get engaged, she gets pregnant. But then The Mint Eye thing happens.

Rika considers getting rid of the baby just because it’s V’s, but deep down she still has feelings for him. Plus, having a baby in the cult is like getting a new believer but without all the purifying process, right? So she keeps the child.

Rika treats Takuto similarly to how she treats MC: she’s strangely kind to him, she mostly keeps him away from the other believers, and she doesn’t force him to take the elixir or anything. She already sees Takuto as being purified, because he’s just a toddler, so no need for all those painful rituals; she just needs to raise him the way she wants. Of course, since he’s the savior’s son, all of the believers think he’s like Baby Jesus, so no one bothers him.

You know what happens then. Canon happens. I’m not sure what route and what ending would fit this, but it needs to be a route where they go to Mint Eye and save Saeran. Maybe V’s Normal Ending? I don’t know, I can’t remember if Saeran survives in that ending. Well, let’s assume he does because I need that for my sanity.

And if he doesn’t, then I don’t care tHIS IS A FIX-IT AU.

please let me have this.

So, anyways, they infiltrate Mint Eye, they save Saeran, and they find Takuto. Given that V has been infiltrating the Mint Eye for a while, he already knows about him, and by now he has figured out that that must be his child. Either way, they get him away from the cult before any “cleansing” can take place, and V and MC commit to taking care of him.

Takuto starts off as a very anxious kid, which is normal considering that a bunch of strangers suddenly took him away from his mother and everything he has ever known. He mainly sticks with Saeran (which isn’t good for either of them), but, over time, MC gets him to open up to her and V and, eventually, to the rest of the RFA. Of course, Rika already drilled her ideas of “true paradise” and “eternal happiness” into him, so V and MC take it upon themselves to decondition him and reeducate him. Their efforts pay off, as Takuto eventually manages to adjust to normal society fairly well, but you know that those cultish ideas will still linger in the back of his mind, even if he doesn’t realize it.

Though his memories of Mint Eye completely fade away with age, Takuto inherits V’s gentleness and self-sacrificial tendencies and Rika’s madness and obsession with eradicating pain. When he’s mature enough, he also learns about what happened around that time (but maybe he doesn’t have all the details), because V and MC are determined to not keep any more harmful secrets like they used to.

Anyways, growing up with the RFA fuels Takuto’s natural passion for helping people. Yoosung introduces him to cooking, Jaehee teaches him her work ethic, Saeyoung transfers him his love of cats and animals in general (which is why, in Takuto’s words, “they don’t seem to share the sentiment”), and Zen constantly reminds him to never give up his dreams, no matter how crazy they might seem. He tells him about how he ran away from home to pursue his dream career and has never regretted it since, which Takuto takes very seriously.

As for Jumin, Takuto thinks that he’s too cold-hearted, but he looks up to him for his managerial talent and admires the bond that he shares with his father. When V and MC are away from home, Jumin offers to babysit Takuto for them, so he gets many exclusive tours of C&R, where he starts dreaming of growing up to work on a project much larger than himself with experts in the field (read: leading a team of researchers and having his very own lab).

Takuto also sees that Saeyoung and Saeran are getting along well and slowly overcoming their trauma together, so he comes to believe that everyone can change for the better, and thus, that everyone deserves a second chance, regardless of the mistakes they’ve made in the past. This will come into play at least two times: First, in his reality, when he lets Akechi and most of the Palace Owners roam free; and, second, when he decides to turn his own life around after the change of heart.

Anyways, Takuto meets Rumi, begins dating her, graduates high school, goes to college, and gets engaged after a few years.

V has always felt uneasy about Takuto dating. He knows that Takuto is too nice for his own good, so a part of him is afraid that he’ll end up in an obsessive relationship like the one he had with Rika. But, when Takuto introduces Rumi to his family, he and MC can tell that she’s supportive, well-adjusted, and considerate of Takuto’s feelings, so they are happy for both of them.

And then the burglary thing happens.

Takuto closes himself off from friends and family, overcome with grief and guilt. He still keeps in contact with the RFA, but it’s only because he knows that they will only get more worried if he stops talking to them altogether. Everyone at RFA is concerned, but V especially so, because he understands the pain of losing your fiancée and blaming yourself for not being able to do something to help her, and he doesn’t want Takuto to deal with it on his own.

After Takuto rewrites Rumi’s memories, he tells the RFA the same thing he tells everyone: he and Rumi broke up and it was his fault. This isn’t the RFA’s first rodeo, so most of them can tell that he’s hiding something, but they’ve known him for a long time, they know he’s a good person, and they basically raised him, so they decide to trust him (for the most part).

Takuto isolates himself more and more, acting like he’s fine to avoid being a burden, convinced that he must solve his problems by himself, like his father does. V and MC can see where this is going, and the former keeps spamming the messenger, practically begging Takuto to give him a call and talk to him, or at least get some therapy. But Takuto insists that he’s okay, that he doesn’t want them to worry about him, and that he just hasn’t contacted them much because he’s busy with work.

V starts blaming himself for being unable to reach out to his son, but, when he realizes that Takuto got his self-blaming habit from him, and only blames himself further.

As for the other RFA members, Jumin thinks that Takuto needs time to grieve and that, if he doesn’t want to accept their help, there’s nothing they can do about it. Jaehee is disheartened but she reluctantly agrees, hoping that Takuto will go back to normal soon. Zen thinks that they should be doing more for him, and that, if they put enough effort into it, he will come around.

Yoosung might revert back to his old ways and question V on why he isn’t doing enough to help his own son. Seeing as Takuto is his cousin and everything he has left of Rika, I’m sure he's very protective of him...

Once they all get worried enough, Saeyoung tracks down Takuto with his hacking skills, but he doesn’t find anything suspicious, so they decide to respect his privacy. After all, V doesn’t want to get too obsessive and repeat the mistakes he made with Rika, so he decides to listen to Jumin’s advice and give Takuto some space, hoping he’s making the right choice.

Meanwhile, Takuto figures out that Shido is behind the conspiracy that took away his research, which only strengthens his resolve to keep everything a secret from the RFA. Shido is too similar to the Choi twins’ father, and Takuto is afraid that, if Saeyoung hears about this, he won’t let it go, which could bring back some awful memories from his childhood and the Mint Eye thing… Especially considering that Akechi is in a similar position to Saeran, except that, you know, at least his mother wasn’t deliberately cruel to him.

A lot of the sympathy that Takuto feels towards Akechi comes from his experience with the Choi twins. He can deduce that he’s being manipulated by Shido like how Saeran was manipulated by Rika, so he wants to save him just like how V saved the twins. That also applies to the Yoshizawa twins, since the two of them promised to always be together in pursuit of their dream, but Sumire was the “weaker” of the two and was secretly envious of Kasumi. All in all, the similarities are everywhere, which might, consciously or subconsciously, affect the way Takuto interacts with the PTs.

In any case, Takuto just wants to protect the PTs from the same kind of trauma that the RFA went through. But -- he isn’t like Rika, or so he tells himself. He’s convinced that his methods are right because they can save everyone without causing any more suffering. He’s pretty sure he’s sane (he’s not). Besides, Rika’s dream was originally pretty noble, so it should be fine as long as he doesn’t start drugging people, right?

(He will retraumatize them, hold them hostage, and brainwash them, though, because he doesn’t see it as such)

The third semester comes along. I’m sure you also know what happens here. Takuto gets a god complex, the PTs fight him, defeat him, steal his treasure, and they destroy his perfect reality.

After the change of heart, Takuto is crushed, so he goes back to V and MC and confesses the whole truth through tears. He profusely apologizes, fully aware of how he retraumatized all of the Phantom Thieves to guide them to ‘salvation’, not unlike what Rika did to the members of Mint Eye, and he takes responsibility, knowing that he should’ve asked for help much sooner.

V and MC are shocked and heartbroken, faced with the fact that their son suffered so much that he fell into insanity and no one even noticed. They feel as if, with all the trauma that the RFA has already gone through, they should’ve seen the warning signs, and they should’ve tried harder to help Takuto heal… but they know from experience there’s no guarantee that that would’ve solved anything, so it’s pointless to dwell in what-ifs.

V and MC listen to Takuto’s explanation. They don’t understand any of the cognitive psience stuff and they are sure that he’s delusional because of the whole reality thing, but they comfort him to the best of their abilities. MC tells Takuto that he’s not like Rika and that he can always make up for his past mistakes, while V assures him that it wasn’t his fault and that, if someone like V could get back on his feet after everything that happened with the Mint Eye, Takuto can do it too.

Takuto takes their advice to heart, choosing to leave counseling, seek therapy, and make amends with his former patients. The RFA supports him while he gets his life together (but Jumin didn’t teach him how to drive, of course… oh god please tell me Jumin didn’t teach him how to drive), and he begins (continues?) to volunteer for the association’s charity events, so that he can keep helping people in need. That’s around the time when the P5R ending happens.

And… yep. That’s pretty much it.

Bonus points if Takuto ends up introducing the RFA to the PTs and they all become a big, happy found family. Jaehee and Akiren can bond over coffee making, Yoosung and Ryuji can bond over games, Zen and Ann can bond over acting and modelling, Jumin and Makoto can bond over being robots, V and Yusuke can bond over art, Saeyoung and Futaba can bond over memes and hacking, Ray and Haru can bond over flowers, and Saeran and Akechi can bond over their hatred of their fathers, haha.

Anyways, this crack AU became way more serious and more wholesome than originally intended... Now I actually want this to be a thing, haha.

[daydreaming-away-reality]

Hearing Your Voice

Zen x Reader | ☁️ | 2.6k | Soulmate AU

You tapped your fingers on the desk, doing your best to stay quiet while in the study room. With the beautiful melody playing within your head, it was hard. Especially when the singer sounded like he had the voice of an angel. 

Doing your best in trying to study, you couldn’t help but breaking into a smile and pause when you recognized a tune of the song.

I heard him sing this yesterday too. 

Trying to study was hard. Not because the content was hard to grasp - no, you could have all the material down with a bit of reading and some flashcards - it was hard because you were always conflicted. Part of your brain would tell you school is important and as a university student, you had to work hard towards your future. The other part of your brain however, would be loudly screaming, hey, that song sounded familiar! We’ve heard that somewhere before, but where?! 

Most of the time, you were fine. You would just study with the music playing in your head. There were moments when your heart would chime in and remind you, we’re still looking for our soulmate, (Y/N). Then studying was a challenge.

The song you could hear in your head? That was your soulmate singing. Even though you grew up hearing the voice of your soulmate singing, you were never able to find them. 

Every few weeks, or months, your soulmate would have a couple of songs that he would be constantly singing. Kind of like the most popular songs of the season caught on loop by the radio stations. However, whatever songs your soulmate was singing was never these pop songs. 

You were a lucky one, you knew that much. 

You had friends who would be complaining about their soulmate’s choice in singing because it would be the overplayed pop songs. There was only so much one could take of the same song all the time after all.

On the other hand, shower singing stories were hilarious to hear about.

Moving back to your story...

Personally, you didn’t sing too much. Not unless you were certain no one but your soulmate was listening. Your soulmate probably heard you humming most of the time though. It was hard not to hum along to his beautiful singing.

Staring at your study notes, you shook your head.

This was going no where.

Just as you closed your notebook, someone tapped on your shoulder. Startling, you turned around and pulled down your - not plugged in - headphones.

“I had a feeling you weren’t studying,” Yoosung said, looking at you with an amused smile. “Listening to your soulmate again?”

You gave him your oops, you caught me smile. “Yeah. He’s always singing.”

Yoosung’s eyes darted around the room, then he leaned forward and asked, “You want to get out of here? Grab some food?”

You flashed him as thumbs up and packed up your stuff. Tailing after the blonde haired boy, you were greeted with actual sunlight for the first time in a few hours.

“It’s so bright out,” you whined, shading your eyes as they adjusted. 

Yoosung laughed. “Vitamin D is good for you! You’re going to be a troll like in LOLOL if you don’t see the light of day, (Y/N).”

You huffed, faking indignation. “I am not a troll! I’ll show you how a troll would beat you up if you call me that again.”

The boy shook his head quickly. Although he was ranked 2nd in game, he didn’t want the risk of losing his loot by being beat up. He worked hard to earn those super rare weapons.

Way back during first year courses, you had met and became friends with Yoosung through LOLOL. You weren’t obsessed with the game as much as he was, but you did well enough to rank within top ten with a bit of effort. Nowadays, getting through your courses was your priority. LOLOL was a fun break though, when you found the odd break.

“That’s what I thought.”

“You still play LOLOL?”

“Not as much as you - but yeah.” 

“We should team up sometime!”

You laughed. “Do you even study at all, Yoosung?”

“Sometimes!”

As the two of you stepped into the cafe near campus, Yoosung paused and turned to look at you.

“You said your soulmate is always singing right?” he asked.

You nodded, wondering where he was going with this. 

“Maybe he works in the music industry,” Yoosung mused. “Like, behind the scenes? As a producer?”

Hearing this, you paused and thought about it. Could that be a possibility?

“Maybe,” you murmured. “I’ll look into it.” 

Yoosung gave you an encouraging smile. “You’ll find him one of these days, (Y/N). Don’t worry about it.”

You hoped Yoosung was right about this. 

As you were walking back to your own apartment, a poster caught your eye.

Daydream: The Musical

Tickets now on sale!

The poster showed a shadowy figure surrounded by colourful nature and city scenes. Your eyes skimmed through the cast absentmindedly, as you didn’t recognize any names.

Starring: Julie Kim, Zen, Soobin Park...

Lingering in front of the poster, you decided that, it looked interesting. Pulling out your phone, you hastily took a picture so you could look further into the details of the musical later. 

“Dinner,” you recalled suddenly. You needed to eat but you also needed to study still. Well, can’t study on an empty stomach. Deciding to grab something light to snack on now and throw together some leftovers later tonight, you went in search of the local bread stand in your neighborhood.

Your eyes lit up when you spotted the vendor.

Excitedly moving towards them, you missed nearly colliding with the tall man in a hat walking the same way. Stumbling, you felt a strong, steady hand on your back, helping you regain your balance.

“Oh, sorry,” you squeaked out. “And thank you!”

How did you miss this guy? He was pretty tall and stood out - his features were really handsome too. Could he be a celebrity or something? He definitely had the looks for it. You were definitely not staring.

“Oh no, I’m sorry,” he replied. “Go ahead, ladies first.”

“T-thank you!”

You stepped up in front of the stall, knowing exactly what you were going to get. Hearing the man’s footsteps behind you, you decided to thank the kind stranger from saving you from an embarrassing fall.

“Two goldfish bread - separately wrapped, please!”

“Coming right up! Done classes for the day?” the owner asked.

You bobbed your head as you handed over the payment. “Yeah. Not done studying though.”

“Ah, must be rough. Good luck on that.”

“Thank you,” you chimed back. as you accepted the bread. Turning around, you held out one bag for the handsome stranger behind you. “And thank you for saving me from tripping earlier.”

“No, no, I couldn’t -”

“I insist!”

He accepted with a grateful smile. You swear, he sparkled in the light of the sunset.

“Thank you then.”

You returned his smile with your own before heading off.

Time to prepare for the upcoming exam.

Your week had flew by rather quickly. With exams and some other assignments being all crammed into such a short amount of time made you feel like you lost a few years on your life. 

Sometimes you wondered why anyone would choose to suffer.

Yet, here you were. And all you had to do was attend post secondary. 

Your soulmate seemed to be busy all week as well. The sound of his voice singing the same melodies over and over were in the back of your head the entire time. He had such a soothing voice that you were certain that he was the one who was keeping you sane.

Finally gifted with free time, you decided to make the most of it.

Browsing around on your phone, the picture of the musical poster caught your eye once more. Noticing the showings aligned with your newfound freedom, you decided - why not?

Searching up the link for the theater, you looked around the website and then bought a ticket. 

A sense of excitement and anticipation filled you. It’s been a while since you did anything fun. This would be a worthwhile experience.

Settling down into your seat at the theater, you couldn’t help but glance around. The place was relatively busy despite it being a weekday evening. Looking over the pamphlet that was given to you at the entrance, all the cast and crew were listed.

Your eyes skimmed over it, not recognizing any of the names except for the few you’ve seen on the promotional poster. Perhaps it would take a more theater experience before you would become familiar with any of them.

The lights began to dim and the chatter died down as music became to play. Ensuring your phone was silent, you made yourself comfortable. The moment the musical started, you were swept away in awe of the performance. 

Experiencing a musical live felt different from watching a movie. It was so much more... uplifting. You were absolutely enchanted by the musical. 

When the male lead became to sing his part however, that was when things felt strange to you. It felt like you were hearing an echo of their singing. None of the other actors and actresses had that effect. It took a moment, but then it dawned on you. You’ve heard this before, nights before.

It was your soulmate.

They must be singing this song too.

But when every note, pitch and pause matched the ones on stage, you had your suspicions. 

After intently watching the male lead sing though, you soon drew to a new conclusion.

That was your soulmate on stage. 

You continued to watch in silent surprise as your soulmate danced and sung their way across the stage. His red eyes had swept over you briefly in passing, but you could see the passion blazing. It was clear he loved his career. 

Once the musical ended with thunderous applause, you immediately pulled out your phone to do some research. Since you had chosen a seat near the middle front, you knew it would take a while before you’d be able to get out.

Doing a search for ‘Zen’, with the words ‘musical actor’ hastily typed afterwards, you soon found a plethora of information about your soulmate. Zen had a dedicated fan base that loved his every production - there was even a section about his unknown soulmate. An interview caught your eye. It was dated for a few months back, but a quote from your soulmate made you pause.

“I’m really focused on my career right now - it took a lot of work to get to where I am today, but I’m happy to be here.”

He was good looking, hard working and dedicated. You knew your soulmate would be perfect, but you never expected this. Zen was basically the ideal guy. 

Seeing the theater emptying out, you stood and walked out.

Sure, you had been super excited to meet your soulmate after spending late nights listening to singing, but after seeing this article, you had a feeling that he might need more time. 

Zen was a busy person with a lot going on in his life. With how popular he was now, you didn’t was to disrupt anything at the moment. You would give him the opportunity to seek you out when he was ready.

Zen had nearly faltered in his singing the first time when he had heard his soulmate humming along the tune he was singing. Listening to the tune and timing of the song, they were definitely doing it alongside with him.

He remembered his eyes searching the audience hopefully. Wondering who might his soulmate be. That first night... he wasn’t able to identify her.

Nor the second, third or fourth.

When he had heard her humming the second time he was performing, he was certain that his soulmate was in the audience and made the effort to come see him perform. She must have known who he was. 

Zen had lingered around after shows, hoping to see his soulmate. Hoping that she would reach out to introduce herself and he could become her knight in shining armor to sweep her off her feet. It never happened though.

Regardless, it made him happy to hear her humming alongside him when he performed. She was supporting him.

He knew he was a busy person. Perhaps his soulmate knew that and kept her distance. What she didn’t know though, was Zen was dying to meet her. 

He always wanted to make the effort to go find her, but never had much to go off on. His soulmate was a rare singer, so he never knew where to start.

Now that he knew though, he was constantly searching.

He noticed someone over the past few times with (H/C) hair that sat near the middle of the theater. The girl’s smile seemed to brighten when he showed up on stage. It was possible that she was another one of his fans, but at the last showing, she had tried very hard to step out of room quietly and his soulmate had stopped her soft humming at that moment too.

Zen felt certain about this. 

She had to be the one.

Having finished another showing for the day, Zen tried to slip out quickly to catch up to his soulmate. Making sure not to be rude, he thanked his co-stars, staff and director before taking off. She tended to linger around a little longer, being almost the last person out. There was a chance Zen could catch up to her and he was going to take it.

Catching a glimpse of (H/C) hair, he instinctively moved towards it. 

The figure seemed to have sensed him coming, because they turned around and (E/C) eyes met his.

Stopping only a few feet away from her, Zen could see the glimmer and recognition in her eyes as she looked up in awe at the musical actor. 

“Great performance again tonight,” you said softly.

Finally hearing your voice in real life washed away any doubts Zen might have had. 

It was you.

“Thank you,” he breathed out. He could feel his heart pounding with excitement. “It’s... really you.”

Seeing how lost for words he was, you decided to speak up.

“Hyun Ryu, right?” you asked. When he nodded, you broke into a smile. “I’m (Y/N) (L/N). Nice to finally meet you, soulmate.”

The biggest smile broke out on his face as he engulfed you into a hug. His tall stature didn’t bother him as he nuzzled into your neck. While you should have been startled, you weren’t. Knowing this was your soulmate, you felt safe being held in his arms. You relaxed and returned his hug. 

“(Y/N)... I’ve been waiting for you,” Zen murmured. He pulled back a bit to look at you. “I want to get to know you better. Would you like to grab something to eat together?”

“Sure!”

“Okay, I know this great goldfish bread place -”

The two of you stopped, a distant memory resurfacing. Zen grinned fondly at you.

“ - I’ll treat you this time, though, princess.” 

With all the lost time between the two of you, finally being together felt natural. Like finding an old friend and being able to catch up without any awkward moments. 

Your soulmate was your perfect match and with Zen you knew that you couldn’t be happier. Just as much as you loved to listen to him inside your head, hearing his voice in real life and getting to be by his side made life all the more wonderful.

The two of you finally found you happily ever after.

[99problemsandotomeisallofthem]

Maybe I should have read up on Mystic Messenger a bit more before downloading. I feel like all this real time chats and calls schedule is too demanding for working adults lol.

I found the "order" of which to play the routes but I'm so irritated by Zen's route and I just got to day 7. This route is for people who are involved in stan culture because that's all the MC is in this route. Zen's private stan that's just sane enough to not be overly obsessive.

Also, most of the game story is coming from other people's chats. Zen is currently so removed from the mystery or Rika and the RFA. It's all about his plot in all of his chats. Maybe that's why his route is suggested first? Because he had the less to do with the storyline?

Idk. I wish I could skip ahead to the end and choose another route.