#and his collection of fierce corpses

[tbgkaru-woh]

Don't fuck with the new leader of Qinghe Nie

[good-advice-ganondorf]

Majora's Mask and what it means to be grown up

(aka my collected analysis of the Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask)

I will say that generally I don't think Termina is purgatory, or a dream, or anything like that. To me, Termina is kind of like a Silent Hill type parallel world, where you face your deepest traumas.

First, the parallels between Majora's Mask, and the child section of Ocarina of Time.

The first dungeon for both games is in a vast wooded area, there are woodland races inhabiting both areas, the Kokiri for Ocarina of Time, and the Deku for Majora's mask. The second dungeon is in a great mountain, inhabited by the Gorons. The third dungeon is in a vast body of water, inhabited by the Zora.

Then, things split. After Jabu Jabu, Link becomes an adult. After Great Bay, there's Ikana Canyon. A land of nothing but Death.

Who caused the death of Ikana? Who else but the king, Igo Du Ikana. Ikana was plunged into disrepair, after Igos started a war with a clan of Ninjas, to receive a powerful artifact, in a great and mysterious temple. Sound familiar? It should, this is exactly what Ganondorf did, after Link was sealed away for seven years. But Ganondorf was successful.

But Ikana isn't completely occupied by the dead, no. Pamela remains, with her father, turned into an undead monster. Much like Sheik, the last Sheikah, who is revealed to be Zelda. And her father? He's never seen, but I'd imagine it would be easy enough for Ganondorf to become king, if the other one was no longer around. From a man, to a corpse.

So, if Ganondorf is a parallel to Igos, and Zelda is a parallel to Pamela, what about Link? He's a little different. I believe that, along with Kafei and Tingle, all three of the transformation masks are a representation of Link, and his feelings towards being forced to grow up.

Tingle is, as we know, a 35 year old man who thinks he's a fairy boy. Similar to how link was a 10 year old boy, who thought he was a fairy boy. I believe Tingle is a reflection of what Link could have been if he never left Kokiri Forest. An adult hylian man, thinking he's a Kokiri.

On the contrary, Kafei is distraught at the idea of becoming a child again. He's weaker, he can't marry his fiancee, and everyone treats him like well, a child, despite his maturity. I believe this is how Link feels after becoming a child again. He used to be a strong adult, and even if he's not as mature as Kafei, he still went through a lot, and knows a lot more about life now. Kafei even reuses Link's model and animations.

There's a reoccurring theme in Ocarina of Time where Link just doesn't belong anywhere he goes. He's an outsider to the other races, because he's a hylian, but he's also an outsider to the hylians, because he was raised as a Kokiri. I think the transformation masks reflect that.

The Deku Butler's Son is what he could have been as a Kokiri. He could have been a happy little boy, living with his father, and his community. But Link and the Deku butler's son both left home to explore, and as far as both the Kokiri and the Deku are concerned, neither came back.

Darmani is what he could have been as a Goron. A powerful hero to the Gorons, celebrated by them for clearing Dodongo's Cavern. A close link between the goron elder, Darunia, and their sons. Both him and Link remain after death, lamenting on their histories as heros.

Mikau is what he could have been as a Zora. Maybe not a cool as hell guitarist, but a husband to Ruto, and Prince of the Zora Who would stop at nothing to keep her happy and safe, like infiltrating a fortress, or climbing inside of a whale.

Even the Fierce Deity is just Link, but back as an adult. As if so much changed so rapidly, he felt like he transformed into something less like himself, and more like a powerful god. He could have continued being strong, and powerful, the defeater of Ganon, but he had to become a child again. He has to stay as a small, and unknown child.

The ages of the masks even match the human life cycle. According to the debug menu (and if you subscribe to the theory that Link and DBS's ages were swapped), DBS is 5, Link is 12, Darmani is 30, Mikau is 78, and, Fierce Deity is 17, likely due to his model being recycled from adult Link's. Link starts the game in the body of a 5 year old, then a 12 year old, then a 30 year old, then a 72 year old, and finally, a God.

We don't exactly know how Link feels. But I can't imagine it would be easy to go from a child, with no concept of death, to be thrust into a position where he's forced to fight and kill an adult man so much stronger than he is. And then everything was just reversed. Like that. As if it never happened. And only Link remembers the impending doom he faced. All he can do is remember Ganondorf's reign. Almost like he's reliving the same few days, again, and again, and again.

[mxtxfanatic]

The Most Un-Lan-Like Lan (Junior) vs. The Most Un-Lan-Like Lan (Married-In Senior)

Lan Jingyi is such an interesting character. He is very opinionated and often speaks his mind without considering how his words will come across. He is cowardly about the supernatural despite being a cultivator but brave against those in positions of power despite being a child, always willing to stand up for what he thinks is right. Lan Jingyi starts off the story with a low opinion of "Mo Xuanyu," usually acting rude, hostile, or dismissive:

When he turned his head, he saw the Lan juniors tailing him. “Children!” he shouted. Lan Jingyi said, “Who are you calling children? Don’t you know which clan we’re from? Just because you’ve washed your face, you get to act like our senior?”

—Chapt. 9: Pride IV, fanyiyi

Wei Wuxian went to the youngsters. “Am I seeing things right? Each of you is a disciple of a prominent clan. Haven’t your moms, dads, and uncles taught you that the dead can’t receive the paper money you’re burning? They’re dead, what do they need money for? They won’t be able to collect it. Plus, you’re burning the money right at someone’s door—“ Lan Jingyi waved his hand dismissively. “Move aside, move aside, you’re blocking the wind. The fire will burn out at this rate. Anyway, it’s not like you’ve ever died—how do you know whether the dead can collect the money?" ... Lan Jingyi knifed him in the heart again. “Even if you’ve been dead before and didn’t get any, it has to be because no one burned any for you.”

—Chapt. 42: Flora X, fanyiyi

It doesn't help that Wei Wuxian, playing into his "gay lunatic" persona, is intentionally trying to put everyone off:

Lan Jingyi said, “Why are you crying? You’re the one who said you like Hanguang Jun! Now he even brought you home. So what are you howling for?” Wei Wuxian’s eyebrows were wrinkled, his lips frowned, and his face was the perfect picture of misery.

—Chapt. 11: Elegance I, fanyiyi

Wei Wuxian took out the apple from the breakfast they had given him and offered it to the donkey. As expected, as soon as the animal bit in, it stopped braying, and began smacking its lips and crunching the fruit with its teeth instead. Wei Wuxian touched the back of its neck and thought about the jade passage tokens the juniors carried while pointing at the round, white rabbits covering the ground. “I’m really not allowed to cook them? So if I cooked them, I’d be chased off the mountain?” As though facing a major enemy, Lan Jingyi opened his arms and stepped in front of him immediately. “These are Hanguang Jun’s rabbits. We just help watch them once in a while. Don’t you dare cook them!”

...

“I can’t get up,” he said sincerely. “Uh, what’s happened to you now?” Lan Sizhui said. “What’s happened to me? Your clan’s Hanguang Jun ravished me!” Lan Jingyi piped up louder and fiercer. “If you keep spouting nonsense, we’re not going to let it go. Come out!”

—Chapt. 19: Sunshine I, fanyiyi

Yet despite all this, once Wei Wuxian sheds his "Mo Xuanyu" cover and begins to seriously lean into his mentorship role, Lan Jingyi becomes one of his most vocal followers amongst the juniors, seeing the man as both a steady pillar to rely on—on par with his idol, Hanguang-jun—and someone whose safety he is concerned with, so much so that he can even cast aside his fear of the supernatural to volunteer himself as bait in Wei Wuxian's stead:

Wei WuXian said to them, “When the second group of fierce corpses rushes in, I will lure them towards the Pool of Blood, and HanGuang-Jun will be in charge of slaying them. With this target here,” He patted himself, “They won’t bother you. Don’t be tempted by battle, just run.” For once, Lan SiZhui’s raised his voice, “No! We can’t do that. There’s no way!” Sect Leader OuYang had given up trying to hold his son still. OuYang ZiZhen, “Senior-Wei, we will slay the corpses too! I can slay a hundred more!” Meanwhile, Lan JingYi had already started to undress, “I’ll draw a flag on myself too!”

—Chapt. 81: Core Part 3, boat-full-of-lotus-pods

OuYang ZiZhen, “HanGuang-Jun, why did Senior-Wei collapse?” Lan WangJi, “Tired.” Lan JingYi was astonished, “I thought that Senior-Wei would never tire!”

—Chapt. 84: Core Part 6, boat-full-of-lotus-pods

Soon, he began again, “Speaking of it, why didn’t I see SiZhui and the squad this time back?” In the past, these juniors would’ve crowded around them and begun chirping all the way from the entrance of the mountain. Hearing him mention SiZhui and the juniors, Lan WangJi’s brows relaxed somewhat, “I can take you to see them.” After he led Wei WuXian to find Lan SiZhui, Lan JingYi, and the others, the juniors didn’t do anything apart from calling out in delight.

—Chapt. 114: Banquet Extra, exr

With such a fierce and impressionable personality, it's no wonder he's one of the few juniors whose name Wei Wuxian can remember 😂

[quiteliterallyilliterate]

Could you write a yandere FD where reader finds his mask and accidentally frees him? I find the idea of him stalking reader after his freedom and reader being helpless to get help due to what he is.

Order up!

There really isn’t enough FD stuff (that isn’t smut) ((but also in general)) So here you go!

Edit: Part 2

tw: yandere, murder, slaughter of animals, blood/gore

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝

The deity despised what he had come to. A being of such pure power, capable of ripping Termina away from Hyrule thread by thread, was now bound to not much more than a piece of wood. The feeble fears of incapable gods now made a mockery of who and what he was. His prison was bleached and painted with the same war patterns that defined his godliness with the eyes empty for its wearer. Two blank spots —weak spots— in the mask. For when they bound his form to such fragility, there was something of a loophole left behind. The hallowed eyes allowed the wearer to see, and believe they had some control over their actions as his consciousness began to muddle with their own. You see, within the mask there were no holes allowing them —the wearer— to breathe. Because while they wore the mask, likeness of his own face, they didn’t realise the rotting wood begin to mingle with their skin. None of them did. Too hungry for more of the power he could provide and blood he could spill they hardly realized what they were becoming. The paint was always the first to merge with the new wearer, the pigments staining the skin as a faint, ever fading —but never truly gone— reminder of what he was. The hair came next. Silvery white strands mixing with their own around their fringe, framing their face, much similar to his own now. Last was the eyes. Not many kept the mask long enough to ever really hand themselves fully over to him, but his conscience would continue to invade nonetheless. No one held the power to hold him captive in their minds, so a corpse they were rendered. Their eyes would lose their iris, and as the wearer weakened, their eyes would become vast pools of stark white. He heard in the travelers’ wisdom that eyes were the doorway to the soul. Perhaps that was why the eyes were the last part of a person he was bled into. His final act to them was conquering their souls. Where once, double helix sword in hand, he would have slain any thing —living or otherwise— where once he could’ve conquered anything, now he was left to the slow trickle of energy from collected souls.

He’s first made aware of you by your gentle touch. You fingers cup the edge of his face —what was of it now anyway— and attempt to make sense of who it was you were looking at. Perhaps is was they no longer worshipped him in Termina. Centuries could slip by him in this form and he’d not know better. Hand in hand with that, the paint on his mask could very well be greyed and chipped beyond recognition. Immortality was always more faulty than the mortals made it seem. While boredom could be sated with bloodshed and war, it was aging that couldn’t be so simply ignored. Despite the fact his consciousness was as it was from the second he was bound into what he was, it didn’t stop the wood from rotting nor the paint from chipping and fading. Much he was like the warrior constellations in the sky. While consistent across the birth and death of many civilizations, slowly he died with them. Not in the final splatter of blood like the matter of mortality, but it was death in all the way that matters. Perhaps Hylia proved that you can kill a god. Sure, she may have ‘killed’ demise, but cyclically, he was still her tormentor. With Fierce, his form was weak. Too weak to hold him further. Much like the mortals who believed they could shoulder the weight, this form would too crack and rot beneath the earth. His point still stood that in spite of every possible factor that your serenity shouldn’t have met with his ruthlessness, you’d defied fate nonetheless.

By your grace he loved to watch you. Mounted on the fireplace, he could see everything in your tiny cabin. He could watch you cook food for yourself, sing as you cleaned the dishes afterward, and especially the fact you often would fall asleep on the couch meant he could spend even longer admiring the curves of your face. You were incomparably precious to the world. He remembers the days of his youth in divinity, freshly given his purpose. He’d killed many in those days, like an executioner who’s axe discriminated against none. The worship he once had, the temples he’d once been graced with, the concubines left for him… Perhaps he wanted more than to watch you. Being so close to what he wanted, truly wanted, made him antsy. And you’d live through life like you’d not known better. You’d talk to people where he couldn’t monitor to keep you safe, you’d leave the protection he offered. He’d long for you while you sat just out of reach, tempting him to try something. And so he did. It seems years of rot made the wood fragile.

You were honestly quite disappointed the mask had broke. The wood was splintered across the floor, and with how old it was, it really wasn’t worth saving. Still, you collected the bits from across the floor and kept moving. The forest was still and quiet as you traveled, the wind would whistle in the trees and a murder of crows crowded around you. Unfortunately, you had no bread or shinies to spare aside from a small green rupee, which they normally would’ve cawed and kicked around. Instead, their beady eyes watched you, huddled high in the trees as you waded through the forest. You could feel their eyes on you the whole way past.

The dead animals on your doorstep are not only mildly concerning, given their split open ribs, but incredibly creepy the longer it goes on. Clearly whoever was doing this was stubbornly persistent given their notes in a not very decipherable language. At first they left you a crow, the day they watched you. It had a small ring in its leg you didn’t bother to touch. The next was a badger, followed by fox, then an elk. Now, it was entirely beyond you who’d collect that many animals carcasses —you’d doubted they were hunted, given the large lacerations across their torsos— but it wasn’t much flattering. It wasn’t until you’d caved and cooked one of the elks and they’d kept giving you more that you’d considered they were trying to feed you. Sweet as that was, no one person had a use for that much elk. No one person could hunt that much elk. No person would see it right to draw a sigil in blood on the back wall of someone’s house in elk blood. No one person would help you.

You were still beautiful as you slept. He was glad now you were his spouse, though it did take you a while to get used to his courting. It was for the best though, you were well fed and protected now, more than any mortal man could hope to provide you with. He did enjoy killing all your other suitors. That tradition was always entertaining.

[purgatoryandme]

Underdiscussed MDZS topic: I think it has been broadly concluded that Wen Ning is 1) Best Boy and 2) unduly influenced by Wei Wuxian since his fierce corpse transformation, causing him to murder Jin Zixuan in a situation where he otherwise would not have. It would appear that most of the cultivation world has concluded the same thing, though they’re probably pretty on the fence about #1. 

Wen Ning’s intro in the novel is as a corpse puppet. Countless accusations fly around regarding his free will and Wei Wuxian’s own cruel denial of it during his darkest times. Our perception as readers is often split between that of the cultivation world at large and that of the people who know and have FEELINGS about the main characters, and the schism between those perceptions is made most obvious regarding the Burial Mounds period. Especially because of how little exposition the novel provides about it - and how unwilling Wei Wuxian is to speak of it later.

Public perspective: Wen Ning is Wei Wuxian’s puppet, unable to form his own thoughts and feelings, and is the vessel of Wei Wuxian’s hatred for the world. He was brought back to life to be a weapon, and the Wens, as evil people fleeing their reckoning, approve of these evil arts.

Private perspective: Wei Wuxian was trying to collect the shards of many broken lives, desperately trying to bring a sense of good into a deeply twisted situation, and created a very complicated outcome. He brought a brother back to his sister and gave Wen Ning an opportunity to live again, albeit in an upsetting way, and respected his autonomy as best he could while their lives crumbled around them. Wen Ning himself took joy in protecting his family for what little time they had left, and was grateful for the comfort provided to his sister despite having...complex repressed feelings about being a corpse. He was happy to see Wei Wuxian again. Wen Ning has free will and Wei Wuxian appears to really value not even attempting to overtake that.

Audience perspective: Wen Ning was brought back to life because of his sister’s request and Wei Wuxian’s desire to repay a debt/unwillingness to accept failure without consideration for his own desires. His existence is a perversion of the natural order, but his subservient nature and ties to Wei Wuxian cause him to make the best of a bad situation. He’s a good person, and has maintained an outwardly positive perspective, but cannot cry any longer, cannot have meaningful connections outside of the Wens, and is, in a way, cursed. Worse: he is vulnerable to Wei Wuxian’s control superseding his own desires, especially regarding Wei Wuxian losing control of the resentful energy that powers them both. In this, Wen Ning is a victim of Wei Wuxian’s greatest lapse. 

Wei Wuxian’s perspective is quite similar to the audience’s, as is often the case in the novel. Perhaps it is due to his bad memory, perhaps it is a response to trauma, but Wei Wuxian often internalizes his public persona in times of great stress or conflict that is truly irresolvable. He simply forgets many of the little things that form a dissonant image...or never speaks of them again, preferring to move on with his life.  (Or his death. His death is such a mysterious thing in the novel it drives me nuts)

The thing about the audience perspective, though, is that it is as flawed as the other perspectives. In particular: Wen Ning clearly disagrees with it. Arguments can be made for him protecting Wei Wuxian from his own actions, piggybacking on Wen Ning’s meek and mild attitude...but the novel proves, time and again, that this is a deeply flawed approach to Wen Ning’s character. Out of the entire cast, Wen Ning is second only to Lan Wangji in his directness regarding the truth or moral core of a situation. He confronted Jiang Cheng about his golden core, despite being sworn to secrecy. He rescued Wei Wuxian despite having minimal contact with him. He stood up to his sister about this reckless rescue. He turned his back on the Wen sect!!!! He came back as a FIERCE CORPSE!!!! He willingly turned himself in when it was clear that Wei Wuxian was going to die for them all!!!!! When contrasted with the actions of the rest of the main cast, it’s obvious he’s got a spine of steel. He’s polite, he was raised to stay out of the way and to not be a liability to his sister, but he’s got even more decisiveness than her underneath it all when it comes to relationships he values. Wen Ning is clever, emotionally literate, and unafraid of facing the truth. Even Wei Wuxian forgets this at times, and is often embarrassed about underestimating Wen Ning’s character. 

This is important. 

Wen Ning doesn’t blame Wei Wuxian for Qiongqi Path. He does blame himself, though, and his regrets are largely focused on how the situation deteriorated. He isn’t as horrified by the murder he’s committed. 

Key to this: Wei Wuxian admits, in that oblique way of his, that Wen Ning killed Jin Zixuan because Wei Wuxian saw him as an enemy and Wen Ning is attuned to his emotions. Not his orders, not his control, not his resentful energy, but his emotions. 

Losing control was losing the ability to hold back the resentment that Wen Ning died with. And what does Wei Wuxian and most of the cultivation world skim over regarding this resentment? Wen Ning died on Qiongqi Path. He was killed by Jins.

The same people, wearing the same colours, who attacked the man Wen Ning is now tasked with guarding. 

Wen Ning had his own reasons for losing control that are broadly independent of Wei Wuxian, but acknowledging those reasons requires 1) acknowledging Wen Ning as his own person and 2) acknowledging that, as a person, he may have homicidal inclinations towards that people that murdered his sect, his clan, his direct family, and himself. The Wens, both victims and victimizers is the narrative, might hold some desire for retribution in their heart that echoes that of the Sunshot Campaign members. And that’s hard, because that’s complicated - no clear villains or victors here.

MXTX plays with narrative like this a lot in MDZS. It’s subtle at times, obvious at others, but it’s a consistent theme of the novel. It’s also one that a lot of discourse seems to miss. 

If the character perspectives isn’t enough support for you, though, there’s also the world-building context to look at. According to legend, Qiongqi Path is where the founder of the Qishan Wen Clan, Wen Mao, rose to fame in just one battle. Hundreds of years before the novel's beginning, he fought a divine beast for eighty-one days and ultimately claimed its life. The divine beast was the Qiongqi, a beast of chaos known to punish the good and encourage the evil, devouring the loyal and the righteous while awarding the malicious. Of course, many of the Wen clan’s legends can be looked at with suspicion. But Qiongqi Path was already a graveyard. It’s a tainted place, with tainted memories for the people involved, firmly seated in a legend that reeks of the inevitability of somebody dying there that day, regardless of one man’s ability to maintain control of another. 

[pikahlua]

MHA Chapter 401 spoilers translations

This week’s initial tentative super rough/literal translations under the cut.

1 体が動かない…‼︎ からだがうごかない…‼︎ karada ga ugokanai...!! My body won't move...!!

tagline 1 「凝血」でAFO拘束‼︎ 「ぎょうけつ」でオール・フォー・ワンこうそ���‼︎ 「gyouketsu」 de OORU FOO WAN kousoku!! AFO restrained with Bloodcurdle!!

tagline 2 No.401　THE LUNATIC　　堀越耕平 ナンバー401　ザルナティック　　ほりこしこうへい NANBAA 401 ZA RUNATIKKU   Horikoshi Kouhei No. 401 THE LUNATIC  Kouhei Horikoshi

2 火傷の男とインゲニウムの会話から状況を推察 やけどのおとことインゲニウムのかいわからじょうきょうをすいさつ yakedo no otoko to INGENIUMU no kaiwa kara joukyou wo suisatsu I inferred the situation from the conversation of the burnt guy and Ingenium.

3 戦場跡を辿り せんじょうあとをたどり senjou ato wo tadori I followed the traces of the battlefield.

4 雨風を免れた血痕を採取 あめかぜをまぬがれたけっこんをさいしゅ ame kaze wo manugareta kekkon wo saishu I collected the blood stains that escape the rain and wind.

5 その血がAFOのものかオールマイトのものであるかは そのちがオール・フォー・ワンのものかオールマイトのものであるかは sono chi ga OORU FOO WAN no mono ga OORU MAITO no mono de aru ka wa Whether that blood belongs to All For One or All Might...

1 削いで尚 そいでなお soide nao Then slice it off.

2 血風嗅ぎ穿つこの鼻が けっぷうかぎうがつこのはなが keppuu kagi ugatsu kono hana ga This nose that sniffs the scent of blood

3 うーん違う うーんちがう uun chigau "Hmm, wrong one."

4 報せてくれる‼︎ しらせてくれる‼︎ shirasete kureru!! will let me know!!

5 オールマイトああ OORU MAITO aa All Might, ah.

6 オールマイトおまえなら判るだろう⁉︎ オールマイトおまえならわかるだろう⁉︎ OORU MAITO omae nara wakaru darou!? All Might, you [of all people] understand, right!?

7-8 俺が敢えてこの躯を曝け出した意味！ おれがあえてこのからだをさらけだしたいみ！ ore ga aete kono karada (kanji: mukuro) wo sarakedashita imi! The meaning behind why I dared to expose this body*! (*Note: This kanji for "body" can also mean "corpse.")

9 英雄の心は他が為にのみ存在を許される… えいゆうのこころはたがためにのみそんざいをゆるされる… eiyuu no kokoro wa ta ga tame ni nomi sonzai wo yurusareru... (Literal translation) A hero's heart is only allowed to exist for the sake of others... (Official translation) A hero can only claim that title as long as his soul burns fiercely in service of others...

10 …だが神が地に伏せ人のか弱き心をも得たのなら …だがかみがちにふせひとのかよわきこころをもえたのなら ...da ga kami ga chi ni fuse hito no ka yowaki kokoro wo mo eta no nara (Literal translation ) ...but if a god is a person fallen face down on the ground and has his even his heart turn weak... (Official translation) ...however, say a god has fallen prostrate upon the earth and his divine soul has turned feeble and mortal...

11 自らの生を踠くことすら許されよう！ みずからのせいをもがくことすらゆるされよう！ mizukara no sei wo mogaku koto sura yurusareyou! They should also be allowed to struggle for their own lives!

1 判ってるさ わかってるさ wakatteru sa "I understand,"

2 ステイン‼︎ SUTEIN!! "Stain!!"

3-4 この"ヒーロー40名殺傷犯"を終わらせに来い この"ステイン"をおわらせにこい kono "SUTEIN (kanji: HIIROO 40-mei sasshou-han)" wo owarase ni koi (Literal translation) Then come and end Stain, this criminal who murdered 40 heroes. (Official translation) Then come for the life of Stain--the man who murdered 40 heroes.

5 「俺が 「おまえは 「omae wa (kanji: ore ga) You (read as: I)

6 来た」‼︎ 生きねば」‼︎ ikineba (kanji: kita)」‼︎ have to live (read as: am here)!!

1 「強制発動」「瀉血」 「きょうせいはつどう」「しゃけつ」 「kyousei hatsudou」 「shaketsu」 Forcible Activation: Bloodletting

2 血を ちを chi wo His blood...

3 捨てた⁉︎ すてた⁉︎ suteta!? He threw it away!?

4 赤黒！ あかぐろ！ Akaguro! "Akaguro!"

5 君が何かして来る事は予想できてた！ きみがなにかしてくることはよそうできてた！ kimi ga nani ka shite kuru koto wa yosou dekiteta! "I was able to predict that you would come and do something!"

6 だから事前に仕込んでいたさ だからじぜんにしこんでいたさ dakara jizen ni shikonde ita sa "So I prepared in advance."

1 タルタロスから唯一人 タルタロスからただひとり TARUTAROSU kara tada hitori "Because you were the only one from Tartarus"

2 僕を拒絶し逃げ果せたあの日から！ ぼくをきょぜつしにげおおせたあのひから！ boku wo kyozetsu shi nige ooseta ano hi kara! "who rejected me and managed to escape that day!"

3 捨てたところで血は同 すてたところでちはおな suteta tokoro de chi wa ona-- "Even if you threw it away, your blood is the same--"

4 馬鹿か？ ばかか？ baka ka? "Are you an idiot?"

5 「抗原変態」 「こうげんへんたい」 「kougen hentai」 "Antigen Metamorphosis."

6 血を書き換えたんだよ！ ちをかきかえたんだよ！ chi wo kakikaetanda yo! "I rewrote my blood!"

7 痕跡を残さないのが長く君臨する秘訣だ こんせきをのこさないのがながくくんりんするひけつだ konseki wo nokosanai no ga nagaku kunrin suru hiketsu da "The secret to a long reign is to leave no trace."

1 血を抜いたおかげで目が覚めてきた ちをぬいたおかげでめがさめてきた chi wo nuita okage de me ga samete kita "Thanks to the blood I drew out, I've woken up."

2 ステイン‼︎ SUTEIN!! "Stain!!"

1 ゼェッ ZE "[wheeze]"

2 ゼェ ZE "[wheeze]"

3-4 ステイン‼︎ SUTEIN!! "Stain!!"

1 「凝血」をいただこう 「ぎょうけつ」をいただこう 「gyouketsu」 wo ita da kou "Let me have Bloodcurdle."

1 思えば君は連合…延いては弔の成長に大きく貢献してくれた おもえばきみはれんごう…ひいてはとむらのせいちょうにおおきくこうけんしてくれた omoeba kimi wa rengou...hiite wa Tomura no seichou ni ookiku kouken shite kureta "If I think about it, the League...you contributed greatly to it and, by extension, to Tomura's growth."

2 あれで役目は終わってるんだよ殺人犯 あれでやくめはおわってるんだよさつじんはん are de yakume wa owatterunda yo satsujin-han "With that, your role is finished, murderer."

3 AFO‼︎ オール・フォー・ワン‼︎ OORU FOO WAN!! "All For One!!"

4 終わらんさ おわらんさ owaran sa "It won't end."

5 ハァ HAA "Haah"

6 全ては…過程だ魔王… すべては…かていだまおう… subete wa...katei da maou... "All of this...is a process, Demon King..."

7 高等教育など受けずとも こうとうきょういくなどうけずとも koutou kyouiku nado ukezu tomo Even though I never received anything like a high school education,

8 英雄が何たるかは全部おまえが教えてくれた えいゆうがなんたるかはぜんぶおまえがおしえてくれた eiyuu ga nantaru ka wa zenbu omae ga oshiete kureta you taught me everything about what a hero is.

9 生きて勝て いきてかて ikite kate Live and win.

1 俺の全てーーーーー…… マイ・オールーーーーー…… MAI OORU (kanji: ore no subete)-----...... My all-----......

1 エルクレス⁉︎もう壊れた筈じゃ エルクレス⁉︎もうこわれたはずじゃ ERUKURESU!? mou kowareta hazu ja "Hercules!? You should have been broken already."

2 最後ノシールドデス さいごノシールドデス saigo NO SHIIRUDO DESU "This is my last shield."

1 生キテ イキテ IKITE "Live-"

2 俊典 としのり Toshinori Toshinori,

3 がんばれ ganbare keep at it.

1 俊典‼︎ としのり‼︎ Toshinori!! Toshinori!!

2 まだ紡がれてるぞ！ まだつむがれてるぞ！ mada tsumugareteru zo! [This tale] is still being spun!

3 がんばれ ganbare Do your best,

4 俊典 としの Toshinori Toshinori.

5 お師匠… おししょう… oshishou... Master...

6 …これは幻覚だ …これはげんかくだ ...kore wa genkaku da ...this is a hallucination.

7 私が私を励ましているんだ… わたしがわたしをはげましているんだ… watashi ga watashi wo hagemashite irunda... It's because I'm encouraging myself.

8 与えられてきた全ても脚も サポートアイテムもあしも SAPOOTO AITEMU (kanji: ataerarete kita subete) mo ashi mo My support items (read as: everything that was given to me) and my legs,

9 もう使えない もうつかえない mou tsukaenai I can no longer use them.

10 もう戦えないよ もうたたかえないよ mou tatakaenai yo I can't fight anymore.

1 でも demo But...

2 まだ死んでない まだしんでない mada shindenai I'm not dead yet.

3 来いや こいや koi ya So come!

1 AFO‼︎死柄木弔に接近‼︎ オール・フォー・ワン‼︎しがらきとむらにせっきん‼︎ OORU FOO WAN!! Shigaraki Tomura ni sekkin!! "All For One!! He's approaching Tomura Shigaraki!!"

2 泥ワープ圏内に入ってます‼︎ どろワープけんないにはいってます‼︎ doro WAAPU kennai ni haittemasu!! "He's within range for a mud warp!!"

tagline 絶望がもう [cut off] ぜつぼうがもう [cut off] zetsubou ga mou [cut off] Despair is already [cut off]

[thebindingofpillo]

hi, for that ask game. 8, 11, 12, 14, and 18 for bethany (sorry)

This came out SO MUCH LONGER than I expected I’M SO SORRY anyway

8 - Favorite food: these are the kind of questions I can never answer because I literally never think of my characters’ fav foods and whatnot. BUT. I’d say that living with Lazarus (who cannot cook to save his life) and mostly subsisting on ready-made meals, instant ramen and coffee made her incredibly appreciative of anything homemade. Currently she doesn’t know how to cook that well (just enough to not die) but she’d love to learn once she’s done with her studies and won’t be as stressed.

If I had to pick a favorite food above all else… probably something comforting and warm like stew or potato soup, earthy and spiced with lots of meat. Or some other comfort foods like fries or chicken nuggets, but those are for when she’s really down and in need of a pick me up. Dino nuggies, even. I also thought she might like ice cream in some gross artificial flavors like blue raspberry or bubblegum because I think it’s funny.

11 - Biggest fear: Probably being left alone and being singled out as an outcast like it happened in her childhood. She’s spent basically all her elementary/middle school years with only her brother’s company, and while Lazarus did his best to entertain her, he was still 11 years her senior and couldn’t always be there for her. This is also where her faith helped her the most, since she felt that God never truly left her alone. It wasn’t much but it helped push through. Another big one is coming across as fake, more on that later huehue.

12 - Biggest fantasy: OKAY so. This is going to sound hella stupid but Bethany is a hopeless romantic, and being so young she lived right through the YA supernatural paranormal romance craze. She still has a huuuuge collection of books about sexy angels and demons turning into angels and falling in love with pretty human girls. While she’s an adult now and recognizes that many of the tropes used in such fiction were often problematic at best, Bethany still thinks about them and rereads her favorite schlocky books from time to time. Oh to be swept off her feet by a handsome angel man who will love her unconditionally and be united with him in lawful marriage…

Being fiercely catholic, this was also a way for her to explore her desires in a safe space without feeling guilty all the time. She might also have written fanfiction about the Bible but that’s a period of her life she’d rather be buried forever. She’s never let anyone read them (something something catholic guilt about rewriting a sacred text) not even her brother knows about it.

14 - Biggest regret: probably enrolling in university in a major she doesn’t like. She actually really loves learning but she chose in Medicine because she felt the “need” to help people like her brother, not because she was particularly inclined or interested in it. In fact, she’s quite squeamish, and while I don’t actually know if dissecting corpses is part of any medicine curriculum, she’d die if she had to do that. But now she’s in, and she can’t possibly drop out now, not after her parents told her how proud they were and already told all her relatives she’s going to be a doctor, right? That would be such a disappointment, and she’s always been the golden child! Man, I sure hope she doesn’t suffer a major breakdown that will make her rethink her life choices!

18 - Biggest insecurity: oof, she has many. First, the fact that she’s actually quite introverted, but doesn’t want to be “a bummer” so she usually hides it behind a bubbly facade. She’s not really that good with people but dammit, she tries her best. And this usually turns her into a bit of a people-pleaser. The only people who really know her are Lazarus (her brother, 11 years her senior, looked after her since she was born) and the twins (Lazarus’ best friends, basically extra brothers to her) with them she can truly let go and be silly stupid.

Also: her body. She’s had a massive growth spurt during puberty which turned her into a beanpole. She’s around 5’8’’ and flat as a board, which garnered more ridicule in her formative years, so she’s quite self-conscious about how she looks. She tries to play it casual and wear comfy clothes to not drive attention to herself, but deep down she doesn’t really like her body.

ALSO ALSO: she only has male friends. Gee, I hope she doesn’t latch onto Maggy the first girl who shows her a modicum of kindness! She needs some girlfriends.

Last thing, and this is a bit more serious: Bethany is extremely judgy. She’s thoroughly convinced she’s the Most Righteous Person Of Them All, but usually keeps it very well hidden. She’s the type of person to laugh with you while at the same time despising you and she HATES IT. She knows, objectively, that she’s not more right than anyone else, so she tries to act accordingly and not be a bitch, but she still feels those feelings bubble underneath the surface, and she’s deathly afraid her friends and family will see her for the horrible person she secretly is (spoiler alert: she’s not a horrible person. She just has a lot of catholic guilt to work through and will have to learn that just thinking bad things doesn’t make her a bad person. Maggy will probably help her through it, once Bethany takes the stick out her ass and accepts her best friend is poly or something. I promise I have thoughts, it’s just late and I want to get this done sdlkjfhslfkgh)

[ninjakk]

I'm the anon who's been reading ur SWaK fic! Thank you for answering the qi deviation question. it's making me see mdzs in a whole new light. I recently saw a post (askSythe on here) about the significance of the blood pool and how throwing bodies in there removes them from the reincarnation cycle and that's what the clans did to the Wen Remnants and JC is rumored to have led this siege and my heart HURTS. continuing this in next ask - 

Hey there anon 👋🏻

I'm glad you're enjoying my fic ☺️

As for the post you are referencing, I had not come across this until you mentioned it in your ask and have since went in search of it in order to reply. From what I can gather from the notes, it seems to have garnered a lot of controversy and subsequent backlash against the person who posted it originally.

I don't want to criticise other people's posts (especially when they have already received so much negativity from it), but with all due respect, I don't feel this was MXTXs intention with the blood pool. There's no mention of it in any version I have and I've also had my friend check the entire original novel for the phrase '永不超生', which is quoted in the original post, and we can't locate that in the Chinese text either. Regardless of that, I don't feel such a claim fits with the rest of the novel.

I could be completely wrong, as it's not something I've really thought about, nor do I have the cultural knowledge of the specific concept the original post is referring to. But, if the Wen remnants were forever barred from reincarnating due to their corpses being thrown into and essentially trapped in an apparent 'unbreakable prison' (which they managed to escape), why would WWX set an array around the blood pool to stop corpses escaping when he lived there back in his first life? 🤔 How were all the corpses able to crawl out and run amok the minute a rampaging WN broke the seal around the pool? It just doesn't make much sense to do that if the fierce corpses residing within are already trapped there.

There's also the fact WWX uses the blood pool as well. Which makes me question this theory even more so. It goes against WWX's character and ethics to stop souls from reincarnating, when his very cultivation method involves empathy and 'spending' resentment so the entities can move on. Granted, WWX used the blood pool to nurture corpses resentment so he was able to harness it and direct it where required - in this case, I think it's most likely to replenish those guarding the base of the burial mounds and keeping the Wen remnants safe. In theory, the corpses residing there would eventually use up their resentment and their souls would move on. Hence the need for a supply of new fierce corpses he can utilise - which he helps move on in turn. I really don't think WWX would do such a thing if the blood pool was anything other than a collection of water that held strong resentment due to being contaminated by the many corpses already present in its depths. If anything, it's a similar situation to when he found the sword in the Xuanwu of Slaughter's stomach, which had been practically marinating in all the resentment of the beast's past victims.

Obviously the Wen remnants were unable to move on after being mercilessly slaughtered, but that is simply because they were denied a proper burial and unjustly murdered in what was a most violent, unprovoked attack. Once the blood corpses had spent their lingering resentment, saving the very people who had killed them and the man who tried so hard to protect them, they finally moved on and turned to ash - which WN promptly collected to ensure they could finally be put to rest respectfully, as they should have been long ago. I see no indication that they would not move on because they were left in the blood pool specifically.

Of course, the way the cultivators involved in the siege not only murdered innocent people, but then treated their victims corpses with such disgusting disrespect is utterly appalling. Even though there is no evidence that the blood pool acted as a type of supernatural prison of sorts, it does not subtract from what the cultivators did. They still made sure the Wen remnants could not rest in peace by their heartless actions regardless.

As for JCs involvement in the siege, it's not actually a rumour that he led the siege, he most certainly, unequivocally did. It's actually outright stated a few times in the novel. Even when WN mentioned as such, WWX did not correct him on that specific accusation. Later still JGY also mentions JCs involvement, right in front of the man in question no less, with no argument to the contrary. Finally, MXTX has also spoken about JCs involvement in leading the siege and confirmed he had indeed formulated a plan based on WWX's weaknesses, as the text suggests. He was very much the driving force of the whole thing, despite knowing the Wen remnants consisted of innocent people who were either weak, old, or a toddler. He is responsible for many people being brutally murdered and shows no remorse for it either - which speaks volumes about his character.

[sinner-sunflower]

P.2 HH Lucifer-centric AU 25/?

STORY 1, PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6, PART 7, PART 8, PART 9, PART 10, PART 11, PART 12, PART 13, PART 14, PART 14.5, PART 15, PART 16, PART 17, PART 18, PART 19, PART 20, PART 21, PART 22, PART 23, PART 24, PART 26

An instrument of Heaven.

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

While Michael was busy fending off Lute, Lucifer seized the opportunity to rush to his daughter, hoping to heal her injury. However, Lute was hellbent on preventing that.

As the exorcist's relentless attacks kept his brother occupied, Lute suddenly unleashed an unholy screech that reverberated across the battlefield. The infected soldiers in her army stiffened and then lunged at one sole target: Lucifer.

He cursed under his breath as more and more angels tried to overwhelm him, their previous opponent forgotten. At that moment, he was the only one they were gunning for. Had this been Lute’s goal all along? Or was it driven by her memory of Adam’s death? Speaking of Adam, where the hell was he?

In the midst of the chaos, Lucifer caught sight of Charlie making her way over to him, his daughter's desperate voice cutting through.

Charlie: Dad!

Lucifer: Stay back, Charlie!

From the corner of his eye, he saw Vaggie fighting her way through the fray.

Vaggie: Sir!

Lucifer: Find Adam!

He didn't hear Vaggie’s response but hoped she understood enough to act without hesitation. Meanwhile, he faced the onslaught of infected soldiers, his mind racing. He couldn't afford to lose focus now.

Lucifer drew Lightbringer, its blade glinting ominously under the blood-red sky. He moved with lethal grace, cutting down the attackers with precision. But for every soldier he killed, two more seemed to take their place.

Michael, still engaged in a fierce duel with Lute, noticed Lucifer's predicament. He wanted to help but couldn't break away without stopping Lute first. She is more of a threat than any corpses.

Lute's eyes glinted with deranged satisfaction as she saw Lucifer struggling.

In the midst of the chaos, an angel managed to slip past Lucifer's defenses, lunging straight for his face.

The bite never came. Instead, the creature was impaled by a familiar trident—the one he had forged from his own angelic blood, the one for which the Sins had collected gemstones from the darkest corners of each Ring, the one he had gifted to—

Lucifer: Charlie!

Charlie spun the creature around and hurled it into the oncoming horde of angels, knocking several of them over. She turned to her father, giving him a sweet smile despite the blood dripping down her face.

Charlie: Can’t let you have all the fun, Dad.

Her voice is light but fierce. Lucifer felt a surge of pride and relief seeing Charlie by his side.

Lucifer: Alright. Stay close.

He instructed, voice a mix of concern and admiration.

As father and daughter fought together, their movements synchronized. Lucifer's sword and Charlie's trident cut through the waves of enemies. The battlefield was a blur of motion, but within the chaos, they found a rhythm.

So, against all odds. He prayed.

'Our Father, who art in Heaven,'

Explosions and the deafening roar of gunfire filled the air, sending more angels crashing to the ground around them.

'Hallowed be Thy name.'

Soon enough, the father and daughter duo were no longer surrounded by enemies, but by their friends. No, their family.

'Thy kingdom come'

Angel: Princess is right, shorty. Leave some for da rest of us!

Angel Dust called out, a mischievous grin on his face. Cherri Bomb cheered by his side, launching another explosive at the angels.

Cherri: Fuck yeah!

Nifty: STAB!

Husk: I ain’t tired yet.

'Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven'

These sinners were making Lucifer eat his words. All his life, he had resented them, but now they fought beside him with unwavering loyalty and courage.

'Give us this day our daily bread'

Alastor, the Radio Demon, Lucifer's someone, appeared before him, grin as unsettling as ever.

Alastor: Do not count us out yet, my dear.

Explosions and the clash of weapons filled the air again as Lucifer and his family fought with all they got. Vaggie took to the skies and kills angels before they even reach the ground. Angel Dust's guns blazed, mowing down waves of enemies. Cherri Bomb's explosives sent shockwaves through Pride, allowing them to not be overwhelmed. Nifty darted from angel to angel, stabbing every single one while Husk took out his dice bombs and angelic coated cards. Alastor's eerie laughter echoed as his dark magic wreaked havoc on their foes.

Then there's Charlie, who Lucifer can tell is nearly tapping into her full potential. As the sole Nephalem in existence, even he doesn't know the extent of her abilities.

It's just like Lilith said.

A small part of Lucifer dreamt of Lilith coming back, of her being the one with him during his final moments. After all, he had been there for her beginning, so he couldn’t be blamed for wishing she would be there for his end.

He wonders if she’ll come if he calls.

'And forgive us our trespasses'

Charlie might.

She’s here now! That’s got to count for something, right?

But you lie to her. She doesn’t know you’re dying today. If she knew, do you think she won’t hate you?

Lucifer couldn't tell if the voice he was hearing was his own or Roo's. They kept blending into one another, and he couldn’t keep track of where she started and he ended anymore.

It seemed like the closer he came to death, the more of himself he lost along the way.

'As we forgive those who trespass against us'

Forgiveness after forgiveness. Do you think she could handle one more lie from you?

'And lead us not into temptation'

Lucifer was distracted, so he didn't see Michael take a nasty blow from the corrupted Lute. He didn't see his brother's sword fly out of his hand and land on Hell's soil. He didn't see Lute fly and make a grab for it. He didn't see Michael and Uriel scramble to get to it first. He didn't hear them call out for him. He didn't see Lute hold Michael's sword in his direction. He didn't see her head straight for him one more time. He didn't see Alastor lose his smile. He didn't see the others get thrown back by Lute's power.

He only hears Charlie call for him before-

'But deliver us from evil'

A single laugh.

Roo: My turn~?

'Amen.'

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

Now now everyone, calm down. There's atleast 2 more updates after this.

Just some more inner monologue from Luci with a glimpse of what just happened, then a chapter that will tease the 3rd and (maybe) final part of the AU series

Also the only time I "prayed" and it's in a Lucifer au hmmm

[datasbride]

"Lan Qiren had conducted innumerable soul-summoning rituals involving no shortage of malicious ghosts and fierce spirits, but even he'd been injured by the backlash of resentful energy. Resentment in a league practically never seen before."

How in a world did nhs manage to keep this thing at bay until the right time came to release it at the Mo Manor?

And arranged for the corpse infestation at the right time.

I'm getting more and more convinced that he did study, at least to some degree, demonic cultivation.

Probably from the random tomes that wwx left behind and nmj collected at burial grounds. I would assume nmj locked them away. But after his death, nhs had access to everything.

[sleepyfan-blog]

Author’s Note: this is the second part of mer-Joth’s fic!

Previous.

Next

Tagged: @egrets-not-regrets @kit-williams @bleedingichorhearts @the-pure-angel

Warnings: magical ritual, imprisonment, ask me to tag something if it bothers you

Summary: Joth wakes up post deamon-stabbing. Things go… Strangely from there.

Joth woke up to the sound of smug sorcerer chanting, and the worst headache he's had in over three hundred years. The Thousand Son who made off with Joth's own rightful sacrifice has tied him upside down to some sort of stone. Fucker left his mouth unbound, so the irritated World Eater planned on making it the damned blue badtard's problem. “HEY FUCKER! LET ME OUT OF THIS AND GIVE ME BACK MY SACRIFICE!” He also starTed to struggle against the chains binding him in place, hoping that either the links in the chain or the stone to which he'd been pinned to would give way, thrashing as much as his bindings would allow him to.

“Hmm… No. I had been stalking after that rare specimen for months in preparation for this Ritual. Then you showed up at the last moment and messily ripped it apart. Luckily for me, you kept intact the organs and bones I required for this. I and dozens of my brothers are collaborating together on this Great Work, and should we succeed, it will allow those of us who are blessed by Chaos to work with the Warp much more similarly like it is back home, rather than the ash-fired clay effort it takes to do anything more than minor tricks here and now.” The Thousand son sniffed, glaring naughtily down at Joth for a couple of moments before returning to his chanting.

The World Eater thought about that for several seconds - the greater blessings of Khorne he had earned couldn't be used in this time, on Ancient Terra for reasons Joth could only begin to guess at. The ability to go on sustained Rampages… To ensure the Blood Flowing and the collected Skulls given to the Throne…

It was almost enough to get him to purr and settle into his bonds. “... and if I promise not to interfere with your… Ritual? Will you let me free then?” He could respect another's irritation at a kill being stolen from him. Stuffy blue fuck could have led with that hours ago and saved them both the trouble. But no, stubborn bastard sorcerers refused to communicate in more than smug smirks and annoying as fuck riddles a good ninety percent of the time, trying to prove that they were so much smarter than everyone else.

At least his Primarch survived the Heresy, and had led them to greater powers, as well as the endless glory of fighting for Khorne. Away from the false light and moneyed lies of the corpse-Emperor and his throne of lies and two-faced duplicity.

The thousand son continued to chant for several minutes, the brilliant blue glow of Warpcraft steadily shining through the other's eyes, mouth and hands as he continued the task he had set himself. Fucker didn't even look in his direction in order to acknowledge that Joth had spoken.

One of his oldest and most familiar companions - Wrath - charged to the forefront of his mind, made his dual hearts sing for the preparation of battle, in spite of the deamon-poison stings that caused his body to ache fiercely all over. Joth struggled against his bindings again, feeling some of the metal begin to stretch and give way beneath his bulk and strength.

The thousand son continued to ignore him completely, his chanting in the partially air-filled cave bouncing off of the walls, creating an echo that made it seem as if dozens or even hundreds of fellow Sorcerers were chanting with him, just a beat or two off of his own chanting. The blue of warp use continued to intensity- and started to color and light the water where the other Mer sat tall, hands weaving complicated symbols over the sacrificial bones and meat laid out on the altar the fucker was sitting in front of.

The bones and meat had begun to glow as well. Moments after that, they began to move, slowly at first before gaining speed. They started to spin around and around the room, with each revolution getting faster and faster. Along with the chanting, Joth could swear that he could hear the last pained and frightened calls that the large aquatic mammal had made - had they been a warning call, to chase others away, or a desperate plea for help?

As the glowing and chanting continued to intensify, one of the larger organs suddenly splattered against a sharp rock, causing the color of the warp-crafted light to change from blue to magenta.

Oh fuck no.

Whichever of the dark powers the thousand son had been seeking to strengthen, the plea had just shifted to another, and Joth was not going to participate in a Slaaneshi ritual while tied to a big, fuck-off boulder. He could be interpreted as part of the sacrifice and that was not happening.

Joth continued to thrash and struggle against his binings, feeling the Metal continue to give way…

But the warp-light was intensifying, and the distinctive crunch of bone on stone intensified the magenta hue, prompting the Khornate Chaos Marine to triple his efforts in an attempt to escape.

The light, chanting and spinning of flesh and bone continued to intensify, weĺl-past blinking and deafening to Joth at this point, even as he'd shut his eyes, to try and preserve them.

The sound of his chains breaking was the sweetest down Joth could ever remember hearing, and he shot out of the water - feeling the electrifying buzz of active warp-energy coating his scales… Which may or may not have consequences he'll need to deal with and/or adjust to. But that was Later Joth's problem. Right now he needed to get the fuck out of here before the ritual either ended successfully.

Or… Considering this was a project led and done by The Thousand Sons… Blow up spectacularly horribly in their faces, leading to a widespread and devastating curse affliction them. But Joth had no interest in Being Cursed by an overconfident sorcerer coven.

He swum as swiftly as the twisting tunnels and partially filled watery caverns would allow him, following the scent of fresh air.

About half-way through he battled into something small, soft and warm. His deepest instincts howled Mine! Protect! Defend! As different kinds of chains began to wind around his soul, leading into your small and delicate psychic fingertips.

Having no desire nor time to explain what he was fleeing, Joth scoops you, his newly bonded human up and continues to swim at his top speed, keeping you tucked into his chest, both so that you’re as safe as he can make you be at the moment, and so that you don’t slow him down.

He does not stop when he carries you up and out of the underwater cave system that you’d been exploring. Nor does he slow down as you flail and scream - nor heed much to the confused yelling of your friends.

But since those yelling humans are important to you, they are also picked up as he continues swimming through the air as fast as he can. He air-swims for hours before gently setting you and your friends down on the soft candy beach. He curls around you protectively as a wave of magenta-tinted exhaustion hits him “Danger… in the caves.. Do not return… Little Bonded…” He croon, making sure to use the same language that you and your friends have been yelling at him the most in, his eyes closing, even as he keeps curled protectively around you.

[sunshine-for-serotonin]

One of my favorite Erik hcs is that he would love to have a mini book club with you. Just sitting together comfortably for hours, reading to each other AND discussing the books.

Also his favorite book would be Frankenstein, argue with the wall.

Note: I put some nsfw notes at the end of each passage. Also, art belongs to nipuni!

I hope you weren’t expecting to have any personal space while you’re reading with Erik- you could have started of with you sitting on a chair in his lounge, book in hand and a candle burning on the table next to you, but Erik will get you to come to the settee and cuddle with him by any means necessary.

Novel!Erik: If you are the one reading to Erik, he’s completely stretched out on top of you with his face tucked into the crook of your neck and his arms around you in one way or another. The sound of your voice soothes Erik in ways he didn’t even think were possible until he kidnapped met you. Oh sweet (y/n), you were so good to your Erik, so kind, he doesn’t ever want to leave your grasp! Cuddling himself closer to you if it’s possible, Erik listens to the gentle beat of your pulse through your neck and feels himself melt as one of your hands moves away from the book to thread through his hair and trace his spine, a small, happy, moan leaving his throat. He can hardly focus on what you’re saying, to blissed out by your presence and how your actually are allowing him, a living corpse, to touch you! You don’t even seem bothered by his face pressing against your soft skin! Truly, this is one of Erik’s favorite ways to spend time with you. Once you are done reading to him, Erik is more than happy to discuss the novel with you! You’re still not getting out of his grasp though. He’ll pull out some tea leafs to soothe your throat and some fruit he purchased beforehand and you can both cuddle together while you and he discuss the authors reasons for writing the story in the first place, how the events of the time period may have influenced the story, the way the characters interact with one another, anything you want!! Just hold Erik as close as possible and he’ll be as gentle as a lamb and as loving as a puppy to it’s master. Like he wouldn’t be that loving with you anyway.

On a more nsfw note, NEVER read erotica of any kind to Erik if you want a calm night. You’ll just be going along in your book, Erik acting as a human blanket(even though he doesn’t give off much body heat), you’re pretty sure that he’s smelling you too, if the deep inhales through his nasal cavity followed by soft and contented sounds is anything to go by, when all of a sudden a sex scene pops up in your book. Deciding to woman up and forgo your embarrassment, you continue to read the passage out loud. Immediately you can feel Erik’s body stiffen and his breathing stutter. Initially you just brush it off as the embarrassment that you had found this book in his collection as you continue to read out loud, feeling Erik press himself into you further with every word that leaves your mouth. After a few seconds more, you can feel his breathing pattern change again, no longer stuttering, but now quick and deep; taking in your scent by the lungful with fierce need(unbeknownst to you). And then the shifting starts. Subtly, to the point that you can barely tell, Erik begins to move his thighs together from his position in between your legs. You can feel Erik’s erection rubbing against you, as well as how he’s absolutely burning with heat, from his ears all the way down to his arms that he has wrapped around your waist. Small pants and whimpers left Erik’s mouth as he full on started to grind against you, turning his head so that he was facing your neck and trailing hot open mouth kisses all over your throat in an effort to stimulate you.

“Please, Erik needs, oh please, Erik needs his (Y/N)! Please! Erik needs his (Y/N)’s touch, her taste! He needs her!”

Erik absolutely wails in desperation as you pause from reading to trail one of your hands down his sides and then up towards his back, resting briefly on his tailbone as you smirked down at him before returning it back to the book and reading once more, noting how Erik tried to take your fingers into his mouth with longing. Tears and drool soak into your top and shoulder as Erik works himself faster against you, crying for you to pay attention to him and touch him, to let him pleasure you with his mouth. It’s up to you how long you tease him for.

Musical!Erik: Erik has you trapped on his settee, pinned in between the armrest and himself as his full body weight is pushed onto you in a side lean and his arms wrap around your waist like a vice. In fact, if he were any closer to you, he would be sitting in your lap. The good side of his face is pushed up into you, and Erik practically purrs as one of your hands runs over top of his head. As you continue along in your book, Erik raises himself to kiss your lips at the end of every paragraph, licking the swollen flesh as he parts from you to try and make your taste linger. He’s trying to pay attention, he truly is! But, he’s already read this novel many times, and more importantly, you just look so irresistible! All in all, Erik doesn’t care much for actually paying attention to the novel, especially having already read it, he cares more for marveling at you and trying to get as close to you as physically possible. He’ll still discuss anything about the novel you want with you, his memory still holding onto all the details of the story, but reading with you is most commonly used as a de-stresser for him and an excuse for physical contact with you, with the addition that he just wants to be mindless for a spell and forget everything that isn’t you. Once you’re done reading, Erik plucks the book out of your grasp and all but throws it to the other end of the settee before sitting himself in your lap. From an outside perspective, the height difference between you two is laughable, a 6’5-6’9 man sitting in your lap and curling into you until he’s as close to you as he can be, wishing for you to hold him like a beloved stuffed toy, for you to shower him with all your love and affection.

Should you happen to read erotica to Erik, he is much quicker than his novel counterpart to act on conveying his need for you. The minute you get halfway through the second sentence, your fingers are dragged to his mouth for him to suckle on while he gives you the biggest puppy eyes imaginable. Shifting himself into your lap, Erik moves your book to the side in a haste, not caring to mark the page and only thinking of being held and touched by you. Erik only takes your fingers from his mouth when he kisses you hungrily, moaning and wrapping his arms around you tightly. You only get a few seconds to breathe in between kisses before his mouth is back on yours as his lips part to try and coax your tongue into tangling with his. The minute you begin to reciprocate, his arm unwraps from you and he takes your hand in his to guide it over his trousers, a prominent bulge twitching under your fingertips. Erik gasps as soon as you lightly touch it, rutting himself against your palm with wild abandon as moans spew from his misshapen lips and he curls in on himself to rest his head on your shoulder.

“Please, please, oh please (Y/N)! I-I need- I need you-!”

Erik is quick to move his fingers to stimulate you, his lips returning to yours and working feverishly to feel as much of you against him as possible. When you pull away from him, the words ‘good boy’ echo from your vocal cords, and that’s all the motivation Erik needs to get down on his knees and press his head between your clothed thighs, whining and pawing at the fabric to try to remove it from your figure so he can have a taste of you. Honestly, you could go back to reading to tease him further, maybe let him grind against the sole of your foot until he’s sobbing and begging for you to let him shove his tongue inside of you, or you could take mercy on him then and there. It’s really your choice.

———————————————————————————

@sloppyzengarden

[kallistcs]

@harvestshope a starter for some spooky brotherly shenanigans~

Seven days since Hektor died, and the palace is full of whispers.

It began a day or two after that disastrously awful day; Paris had overheard when Andromache talked with Hecuba in the morning. She'd been pale-faced and trembling, yet looking haunted in the way of one starved put before a feast as the food is then taken away.

She'd dreamed of Hektor.

Understandable, of course. But by now she isn't the only one, and the corridors echo with edged insistence that this or that person has seen him too. The stablehands have trouble soothing the horses, aside from the two immortal steeds.

Polyxena is running herself ragged, collecting each sighting - or sighting insisted upon, anyway - each dream from siblings, from their parents, from Andromache, with a fiery-eyed obsession. Paris is worried, but - he still asks her to tell him of anything he might have missed. Mostly it's whatever their siblings have seen, or their father. So many of them refuse to talk to him.

Paris has noticed nothing.

At least as far as he is aware, and he's not... surprised. He's not happy Polyxena has latched onto this so fiercely, but at least she's too distracted to ask him. The corridors and rooms remain empty for him, and if he'd like to imagine he's felt something while singing... well, that's probably wishful thinking.

The poor slaves scuttling around avoiding going anywhere alone would probably think him mad to want to see something, but he---

Paris snaps around, staring at the late shadows swathing the room.

"Hektor..?"

"Alexander?" Helen's call is edged, somewhere between annoyance and inquiry. Maybe, almost, worry.

"It's nothing," he assures her as he comes inside, smiling.

Resists the urge to look behind him. He could have sworn... But there is only him and Helen in the bedchamber, and two of her slaves in the next room over, the rest on the floor below.

Paris dreams of nothing. Dreams of the thunder of horses' hooves, Achilles' chariot disappearing in the distance without getting any further away. He can see far too much, still, tanned limbs streaked with blood bubbling out of all those livid little stab holes the Achaeans gave his brother, but he can't look away. Flinches without blinking (unable to) as Hektor's corpse lurches over a hump in the ground - he knows he'd looked away when this actually happened but he can't, he just can't move - and twists around.

Pulls itself to its hands and Paris shudders back as Hektor looks up at him---

Paris smacks himself in the mouth in the violent twitch of his limbs as he wakes up. Somehow, he didn't disturb Helen, who is usually a light sleeper.

Heart hammering in his throat, he carefully shuffles back against her, curling up a little. Stares into the darkness, then closes his eyes. But his heart won't silence and he can't fall back asleep.

Finally, he gets up, slinking out of the bedchamber to slump into Helen's chair next to her loom. It's colder than he thought it would be, but Paris ignores that, letting his head fall back to stare up at the ceiling instead.

[sun-and-moon-mushroom]

Day 16: Came Back Wrong

AO3 link

(Continuation of Day 4 and Day 6)

Shen Qingqiu wasn’t sure how long it took for him to escape the Endless Abyss. Even with his knowledge of the monsters that roamed within, even with his knowledge of the route the original Luo Binghe had taken in the novel, he still struggled and suffered as he tried to reach his way out — the resting place of the demon sword Xin Mo. He couldn’t imagine what it might have been like for Luo Binghe — at least his sense of pain was dulled by his undead body.

Shen Qingqiu didn’t really like to think about it — the fact that his body was now technically a corpse. It had benefits — he no longer had to eat or drink, even without the use of inedia, and the System let him trade the points he collected from fighting various monsters and completing missions based on what Luo Binghe originally did in exchange for repairing and maintaining his body. He could remember a few healing plants within the Abyss, but it seemed like they only worked on living beings, so he was reliant on the System until he could find a method of his own to regrow a limb that got eaten by an opportunistic scavenger. He couldn’t believe he’d once been worried about Luo Binghe tearing his limbs off — it seemed almost mild compared to what he’d experienced in the Abyss, which he supposed had been part of the original reasoning for it…

When he finally found Xin Mo, he hesitated for a moment before taking it. Wasn’t this the sword destined for the protagonist? Would taking it for himself throw the story even more off the rails? No — Luo Binghe had already escaped the Abyss arc, so if he was ever going to get Xin Mo himself and complete his destiny of becoming an all-powerful demon lord, Shen Qingqiu would have to take it out of the Abyss himself. The moment he took hold of it, he could feel the demonic energy rushing through him — he had read the description of it, but it didn’t match up to the pain he was feeling now, the first true sensation he’d had in a long time, almost refreshing with it’s sharpness. Raising the blade up, he cut down, a dark portal opening up before him, leading to the human realm.

—

A few hours later, he was cursing that decision as he dodged the attacks of a group of Huan Hua cultivators. Apparently, his impulsive return to the human realm had brought him into their territory, and sensing the sudden burst of demonic energy from a portal to the Abyss opening, they had decided to check it out — only to find a powerful fierce corpse nearby. Shen Qingqiu would have just fled, but his time in the Abyss had taught him to always strike back, to make sure his enemy wouldn’t follow him and attack when his back was turned. Those battle-honed instincts kicked in the moment he was confronted by the cultivators, and before he knew it, three of the five were already dead on the ground, so much weaker than the beasts he was used to taking on that he forgot to try and hold back.

Now the remaining two were trying to corner him, and the idea of being pinned between two enemies set his nerves on edge. Then he remembered that he now had a sword, and drew it — the demonic energy of Xin Mo immediately throwing them off-guard and giving him the opening he needed to cut through them, ending the threat. In the aftermath, he looked down at the bodies, part of him still expecting to feel some sort of guilt for killing them. It never came.

[ Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations! Important thing must be said three times! User has unlocked the achievement ‘Came Back Wrong’! User can now absorb the golden cores of powerful cultivators in order to heal and maintain his body! ]

The familiar sound of the System sung out, the familiar blue screen hovering above the corpse. Shen Qingqiu considered it for a moment but — well. They might not have a need for them any more, but part of him still shuddered at the idea of treating a fellow human like that. Even if he wasn’t fully human any more…

Turning away, he decided to head to the demon realm instead, at least until he could get his instincts more under control. It was a pity — he’d really wanted to see what Luo Binghe was like, all grown up, and without a traitorous master betraying him. Maybe another time…

[eleanorfenyxwrites]

3zun-Centric One-Shots - MASTERPOST

These fics are either 3zun properly or else focus on one of the pairings within the ship. They're spread across multiple collections, including: Xiyao One-Shots, Prompt Fills, MXTX Reverse Trope Fest, Polyship Week 2022, and Polyship Week 2023.

XiYao:

Take Care Of Me - A quiet but important morning spent together on the run from the Wens (read it on tumblr: X)

Close Your Burning Eyes - Lan Xichen comforts Jin Guangyao the day after his birthday (read it on tumblr: X)

Bite The Hands That Feed - NSFW Dark, possessive Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen who wants to give him anything he wants (mild body horror) (read it on tumblr: X)

Restraint - XiYao must part ways at the beginning of the Sunshot Campaign (inspired by art by littlesmartart) (read it on tumblr: X)

NieYao:

Sworn Protections - Canon divergence in which Jin Guangyao runs from Jinlintai and finds a reluctant home in Qinghe again (based on art by asparklethatisblue) (read it on tumblr: X)

War Manners - Meng Yao loses control of himself for one second and kisses Nie Mingjue on the battlefield during the Sunshot Campaign (read it on tumblr: X)

3zun:

Ring My Bell - NieLan watch Jin Guangyao do some rock climbing at a work retreat (read it on tumblr: X)

Professionally Unprofessional - NieLan compete to see who can headhunt Jin Guangyao away from his father first (read it on tumblr: X)

Performance Art - NSFW, based on the Hysterical Literature performance art project (read it on tumblr: X)

You'll Have To Trust Me - NieLan are injured on a nighthunt and need to rely on Jin Guangyao to get them to safety (inspired by a post by guqin-and-flute) (read it on tumblr: X)

The Shadow's Call - Hurt no comfort, Lan Xichen is in mourning long after canon is over, and fierce corpses NieYao come to claim what's theirs (inspired by a post by universesvisiting) (read it on tumblr: X)

Jaegers Are Not Meant For That - Pacific Rim AU where 3zun learn they're Drift Compatible and sort out their issues real quick in the Drift, written for the trope 'Communication' (read it on tumblr: X)

The Last Piece of a Really Shitty Puzzle - Reincarnation AU in which this isn't the first time they've all reincarnated together and Meng Yao's memories of other lifetimes come back when he sees Nie Mingjue, written for the trope 'Soulhates' (read it on tumblr: X)

Pull No Punches - married XiYao pick up Nie Mingjue as their third, written for the prompt 'Compersion/vee' (read it on tumblr: X)

Awkward and Uptight - broken-up NieYao hook up 'for Lan Xichen's sake' while they're snowed in at a hotel, written for the prompt 'Only one (big) bed' (read it on tumblr: X)

Starlight Within Will Guide - Android!Lan Xichen keeps watch over his beloved human crew as they sleep through deep space flight, written for the prompts 'Sci-fi AU' and 'Growing old' (read it on tumblr: X)

Looking For My Family - Meeting each other's families, with mixed success, written for the prompts 'Meet the family' and 'Domestic fluff' (read it on tumblr: X)

Cut From The Same - Reincarnation AU in which NieYao find themselves returning to a hard-to-reach shrine over and over again, unsure of what they're waiting for until they finally meet him, written for the prompt 'Soulmates' (inspired by a post and art by guqin-and-flute and littlesmartart) (read it on tumblr: X)

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Nick Anderson

* * * *

SOTU DEBRIEF - DARK BRANDON BRINGS IT!

TCINLA

MAR 8, 2024

The Party of Class and Integrity celebrates another ass whipping - look at all those around the Dumbest Congressional Bimbo Ever as they realize how bad they got their asses kicked

Last night’s State of the Union was a punch in the face not only of the heckling MAGAT Morons, but the Otherwise-Unemployables of the DC Press Corpse. As well, the Democrat’s Professional Pearl Clutcher’s Caucus can join the others in officially retiring “He’s too old” once and for damn all. The Press Corpse stands today beside their MAGAt buddies, trying not to admit to the exact nature of the material covering their faces.

Over.

Done.

Finished.

The official Democratic response to this collection of clucks from now to November is, “You saw that State of the Union speech. Joe Biden is sharper than Donald Trump will ever be and is ready for the fight.”

You can tell November’s Losers saw their coming loss clearly when their majority criticism of President Biden was “He was too mean and talked too fast!” You know he left a mark. That was the most perfectly tuned-in SOTU speech I have ever seen, delivered with fire and energy by a man as far from the Press Corpse’s concept of a doddering old man, diminished in drive and energy as possible. The New York Times Opinion Section got hit in the face by a freight train of ideas and energy.

Joe was Old Man Strong. Dark Brandon. Killer Joe.

Biden delivered.

It was the best center-left populist presidential speech ever. Less technocratic than Obama; less curated than Clinton - a solid knock-it-over-the-outfield-fence.

As many Republicans feared, Biden was more than able to “spar with the disruptors,” as one observer reported, using their jeers to make his own policy points. (“Sparring with MAGAts” is also known as “shooting fish in a barrel”). It’s hard to believe the GOP could be so stupid with their heckling that they walked straight in to a second SOTU trap, that went off when Biden maneuvered them perfectly into taking their proposed $2 trillion dollar tax cut off the table. But then again, they are Republicans, and it’s well-known you have to score an IQ lower than ambient room temperature to get your party card there nowadays.

Biden’s speech was combative and sharp, the solid punch in MAGA’s face they’ve been asking for every day for so long. The “senile” narrative went flying into the dumpster fire. Once again, Republicans set the bar too low, and got knocked on their collective fat ass.

Joe argued forcefully from the strong side about America’s destiny, security, and purpose, laying down a fierce bright line against Putin and the forces of autocracy.

He more than made it through the SOTU address. That moment his supporters always fear never came. Politico, demonstrating that most real political knowledge is 20/20 hindsight, called the speech the “turn-the-tables SOTU.” They go on to report that the Biden campaign had their best two hours of fundraising so far in this cycle from 9 to 11 p.m. last night. A CNN flash poll finds that 62 percent of viewers thought the policies Biden laid out would move the country in the right direction.

The New Republic’s Osita Nwanevu wrote: “That overall impression—of a vigorous president, strong enough to take the fight to his detractors —will linger more deeply in the minds of most who watched than the substance of anything he said.”

But what was really interesting to me was watching the political midget behind Biden’s left shoulder. Mike Johnson’s histrionic facial expressions demonstrated everything wrong, idiotic, dangerous and treasonous about MAGA Republicans.

Johnson was both ridiculous and politically smaller than he actually is. He did applaud Biden’s call for aid to Ukraine early in the speech, which he does seem to support personally, even though doing so demonstrated how he’s too afraid of his crazy caucus to allow a straight-up vote. He is likely to go down in history as the one person who more than any other handed Ukraine to Vladimir Putin.

His mugging for the camera was more obviously overdone than what passed for “emoting” in silent movies. He nodded that solemn “more in anger than in sorrow” nod. He rolled his eyes more than a teenage girl listening to her elders.

What was really sad was noting what he rolled his eyes at! The most important was January 6 (of which he is a noted participant in the attempted coup). When Biden said: “We must be honest. The threat to democracy must be defended. My predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth about Jan. 6. I will not do that.” MAGAMike gave his most sustained eye roll. Close runner-ups were his responses to abortion rights and freedom, and the border bill that he killed when told to by Dear Leader. And he did that last one while Senator James Lankford - the chief GOP negotiator on the bill - listened to Biden lay out its provisions and nodded on camera, clearly mouthing “That’s true.” Mikey even shook his head at “buy American”!

His eye roll over “The very idea of America is that we are all created equal, deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. We’ve never fully lived up to that idea, but we’ve never walked away from it either,” was the real demonstration of just how dangerous he really is.

The MAGA Republican Party doesn’t believe we’re all equal. MAGA, and MAGA Mike, knows that if you’re not a right-wing Christian, you are not a good American.

Of course, there was also Marjorie Traitor Goon, whose ridiculous getup and MAGA hat elicited a “WTF?” look from Biden when he first saw her - and which was in apparent violation of House rules (but then, she IS a violation of House rules). Lindsey Graham’s pasted-on embarrassed smile at least demonstrates he has more self-awareness than his fellow MAGA cockroaches, as he considers how far he has fallen. Watching the MAGA screamer in the gallery get arrested was nice. It came down to just how dumbstruck the Republicans were as this man who - according to the Volkischer Beobachter, er, I mean Faux Snooze - can’t remember his own middle name or string two sentences together, zingered them repeatedly as he publicly exposed their un-American extremism.

Overall, Biden’s speech showed how he can win, and how MAGA, being on the wrong side of history, will lose.

And then, savoing the speech, just when I had forgotten there was going to be an Official Response, there was “America’s Mom,” sitting on a stool in her kitchen, there in East Buttfuck, Alabam-bam. Katie Britt had the most scenery-chewing response to a SOTU speech I’ve ever seen, and given that her competition was the ever-thirsty Marco Rubio and the ever-hapless Bobby Jindal, that was quite a win. Just another example of The Rising Young GOP Star, Cursed Forever by the SOTU Response.

The kitchen setting was the perfect metaphor for what MAGA intends for women: put them back in their place - “Kinder Kirche Kuche,” as their wonderboy Adolf put it.

I’ve spent enough time in Hollywood to be completely conversant with serious failure in public, and Britt’s performance didn’t even rise to the local-dinner-theater overacting you see from those who never had talent to begin with. With a Republican candidate for governor in her state of Alabambam campaigning on revoking women’s right to vote, and all the other MAGA moves to make the Handmaid’s Tale a documentary, delivering her speech in a kitchen was…

A choice. One of those tiny moments that completely illuminate the larger reality.

And then…

Appropos of nothing other than I love it when a Real Asshole gets punched really hard in the face, the news this morning that Doctor Feelgood Ronny Jackson has “Gotten His” brings a smile to my face that might last the weekend:

After the Defense Department Inspector General report on the White House Medical Unit found “Doctor Feelgood” had engaged in “inappropriate conduct” when he was the top White House physician for Presidents Obama and Trump, the Navy removed him from the Rear Admiral list last June. Yes, Jackson, who was a rear admiral when he retired in 2019, is now listed as a captain.

A spokesperson for the Navy stated that the “substantiated allegations in the DoDIG investigation of Rear Adm Ronny Jackson are not in keeping with the standards the Navy requires of its leaders and, as such, the Secretary of the Navy took administrative action in July 2022.”

Hurrah!

The losers just keep on losing. It’s what losers do.