#and like. the leaders slowly sacrificing more and more of their personal lives for their magical girl world-saving

[lydiannettelizabeth]

Pjsekai magical girl au where all the leaders are recruited by miku to be magical girls send tweet

[self-loving-vampire]

Tell me about Otsuu? The character, not your sister.

Spoiler-free version:

The main ingredient to making an Otsuu is completely life-consuming devotion and dependence. She is always making her princess and wife her #1 priority and her whole personality was created to make her happy. This is why she became a prince in the first place, and she takes the role extremely seriously, doing her best to live up to the most ideal version of it and ending up as a very cool and heroic sort of character as a result.

We see this during their meeting in the prologue novel.

If Mermaid wants a prince then she must be a prince. No hesitation, no thinking about it, no questions. It is done.

And in the game itself:

But while she is submissive to her wife, she is not a pushover. In the second game she becomes an effective team leader after the last known stronghold of humanity within the gigantic horror dungeon the characters are all trapped in is destroyed at the start of the game.

She is strong (both mentally and as a fighter), mature, and supportive. This combined with Mermaid's kindness and Jack's purifying blood helps them rebuild their home and slowly bring the survivors back together.

But she also has an extremely dependent personality and is clingy. She pretty much needs her wife to live or else her mental state begins to deteriorate fast. She is a very dog-like character like that.

You really need to play the second game to the end in order understand the full extent of just how much she needs her wife (and also her backstory more generally). This is one of the most DPD girls in yuri for real.

Another thing to note about her is that just like the other blood maidens she has an intense personality quirk known as a "blood libido" based on the story she draws from, in this case Tsuru no Ongaeshi.

It is a tale in which a farmer saves a wounded crane, which then changes her shape to become his grateful and concerningly self-sacrificing wife. As a result of her blood libido, Otsuu has a complex about debts and repayment, always trying to pay back the favors of others as soon as possible.

This is not the only reference to the tale of the grateful crane, either...

Anyway, she embodies like, most of the yuri tropes I know and somehow it works.

[chairteeth]

"The Many Masks of Touka Satomi"

So I actually wanted to refine this certified word vomit of mine before I put it anywhere buuuut I figured this would be a good time to let it out of its containment zone. This is essentially me overthinking the crap out of everything ever and coming out of it with this interpretation of Touka in particular. Informal essay under the cut! It will have extra tangents! And I blend a bit of what we were shown in the anime into my interpretation, but this is game canon.

Whenever Touka is discussed, the words "child", "immature", "selfish", and "arrogant" are the ones most often thrown around. There is usually not much more discussion after that. Well, I'm not here to say it's wrong, it's correct for the most part, I'm just here to draw attention to the fact that there's so much more to her than meets the eye. So, hear me out, if you would.

Touka's levels of vulnerability in the Magius era. That's already interesting by virtue of it being the Magius era. That's a really interesting era. Ui was what brought Touka and Nemu together and Ui was the cornerstone of their relationship for a while, so losing that RETROACTIVELY kinda makes you wonder exactly what their memories of the hospital era became. How exactly the two of them met, became friends, came to share a room, etc. Because the quotes are from their Magius selves and so we know they very much remember being roommates for a long time and still consider each other reliable and trustworthy (also the entirety of Nemu's swimsuit costume story which spawns many questions when you stop to think about it but I will touch on that some other time). We know that in reality, the hospital trio began to share a room after Touka, in her infinite princess behavior, asked her dad to put all three of them in the same room because it was annoying to walk between the rooms so often (source: TouNemu Christmas alt quotes). Interesting choice on her part back then considering she seemingly wanted Nemu out of the way, but I will touch on that another time because the hospital era has its own analysis.

Okay then, let's talk about Touka's role as a Magius. A leader. One who shoulders the burdens of the many. She willingly exposed herself to the weight of a whole people's sorrow, pain, grief, anger. And then she chose to lead them. To avenge them. It may not have started that way but it sure as heck got there at some point (thank you anime for helping out with this point). Now, I want to stop here for a moment and remind everyone that during Arc 1, Touka was 11 to 12 years old (as per the JP script, she is 12 by the end of it). Not only that, but if you pay attention, you'll notice the stress of Nemu's declining health is killing her. Nemu is quite literally the only person Magius Touka shows genuine concern for. This one person she cares about more than anyone else, slowly dying for the plan. For the cause. And as the sort of "main leader", Touka can't back down. She just can't. It would be not only a betrayal to "her people", but also to the one closest to her, the one who has arguably sacrificed the most for their salvation. So then, with someone as full of herself as Touka, someone seemingly so arrogant... What about her own health and wellbeing? What about her own sense of self? Because I have a feeling she doesn't really have one.

The way she always emphasizes the genius aspect of herself and even uses it as an excuse and brings it up so often feels like that's all she sees herself as. Nemu gives, yes. Nemu has similar issues. But hers are much, much more obvious. Less concealed. Touka gives without measure, without the slightest care for herself. She's selfish and at the same time one of the most selfless characters. There's also the interpretation that, at their very core, Touka and Nemu both just wanted to live. But I feel like that was only at the beginning. If that was all there was to it, the plan would not have continued with Nemu's life at risk, Touka would not put herself in the line of fire. Essentially, Touka has taken on way, way too much responsibility, as well as crafting several masks. Don't forget, just like every other magical girl, she led a double life the entire time, and she financed a lot of the cult's operations. Though I don't have any doubt many of the richer members contributed to the budget with their ridiculous allowances that they do not use.

Touka had to hide from everyone. She couldn't show her true self to anyone. Not her father who loves her so deeply, not anyone else in her civilian life, not her subordinates, Alina is not the most warm and welcoming to be around... so her only option is Nemu. That's comfortable. That's familiar. But. Then there are the many, many feelings she has about Nemu. It's, complicated you see. Touka feels many ways about Nemu. For starters, if their memory of Ui is gone, it means all of the warmth and kindness Ui had must've taken another form, which explains the difference in their bond, how they seem so much... closer, as Magius. Either way, even back then, Nemu is the only one who would understand. Touka Satomi is an actress. Everywhere else is her stage, and Nemu is backstage. So, Touka can only ever be truly 100% vulnerable with Nemu. Yet she still didn't do it. I don't think Magius Touka ever really fully 100% relied on Nemu. She may have wanted to, and she does call her reliable in her quotes. But well, with Nemu's health getting worse and worse, she may have come to the conclusion that it would be for the best (health-wise) if Nemu didn't have to share her burden.

However, Nemu's declining health also brought something else. Touka took on another role: the protector. Nemu is practically helpless during the mid to late Magius era. Not completely helpless, she's still a strong magical girl, mind you, but could drop or have an attack at any time. We see this multiple times such as in Mifuyu's MGS, her own MGS, and she even has what is basically a stroke during Arc 1 Chapter 8, 4:02:36 - 4:03:43 in the video if you want to take a listen (I have a Magius Nemu essay in the works, don't you fret). Therefore, Touka has to be alert and ready to respond immediately. Which I think is why we see more of Alina outside than Touka. Touka lingers around where Nemu is and only hesitantly hands her over to Alina or Mifuyu when she absolutely must. Other than the sheer pain of watching Nemu bleed herself dry and being unable to do anything about it, not because she physically can't, but because she can't in a different sense... she also can't revert things back to the way they were, for all of her genius and medical knowledge she can't help Nemu, she can't help her best friend feel even a little better. This leads us to the undeniable fact that Touka is very, very unstable and volatile as a Magius. That's not the impression she first gives at all, of course.

Arc 1 Chapter 6 is where we first meet Magius Touka. She's calm, with a cold cheerfulness to her, calculated. Most importantly, I feel like the reason she was the one doing the lecture instead of literally just sending Mifuyu was because she recognized Team Mikazuki as a possible threat and specifically did not like Iroha, which was also why she lied. The one and only thing Touka lied about in her lecture: Iroha asked where Nemu was, Touka said they parted ways after being discharged. Blatant gigantic lie. And seriously, the only reason she'd have to lie about that and in that specific way would be to protect Nemu. At that point, Iroha and her team have wiped out a handful of uwasa, so she must have known. But yes, this is not at all how she really feels or what she really thinks. This is just another mask (I will talk about Touka's plastic smile and Nemu's poker face ANOTHER TIME). Because she needs to nip any aspirations Iroha may have in the bud, hopefully recruit more Feathers, and neutralize the threat that is Team Mikazuki.

What happens just as she's starting to go off the deep end? How convenient, it seems Yachiyo and Iroha have spent a good amount of their time destroying uwasa, thus wasting Nemu's repeated sacrifices, and forcing her to make more in order to meet their energy quota. Honestly, who wouldn't be losing it, at that point? So close to salvation, so close to freedom, so close to being done. And they're ruining not only the plan but also everything it means for her and the person she loves most. When you really think about it, Touka's mental health was, forgive the crude language, IN DEEP SHIT throughout Arc 1. Not that it was great before or that it improved too much after, but yeah, I do believe people do not give this enough thought.

Finally, with all of this in mind, as for the topic of this rant being Touka's levels of vulnerability as a Magius... There were none. She had no choice. At first it was fine. At first, before the gears turned too fast to stop, she could deal with it. She could confide in Nemu, even a little bit in Alina or Mifuyu (though not much), but it got worse and worse. Mifuyu was clearly blind to all of this the entire time (she, much like everyone other than Touka, didn't seem to care that Nemu had to give up her life force for each uwasa, and if you disagree I will point out the scene at the end of Mifuyu's MGS as one of my more than five pieces of evidence). Alina likely didn't care enough, and Nemu was probably too exhausted, although the concern must've been there. In summary, Magius Touka stands alone in her mind, and with her mind. Arc 1 was practically a descent into madness for her. When you start thinking about things from Touka's perspective, you start to see how abysmal her mental health was.

As part of my conclusion I'd like to say that honestly, it makes sense why she gave off the feeling of being lost for a decent chunk of... everything after Arc 1. What is she supposed to do without a purpose? What is she supposed to do without anything or anyone to tell her what she is and who she is? Not to mention the fucking ton of bricks to her face that must've been getting her memories back. I do not know how she didn't break. I legitimately do not know how she survived. During that little "lost" stage she had, I got the feeling she'd relapse back to her suicidal tendencies. It was... less "a feeling" and more "exactly what canon did", it's just slightly (badly) disguised.

ANYWAY. What I mean is that the children are complex and I ask everyone to have more respect and more compassion for them. I will be back with more about the performer and her backstage, hopefully in a more organized format.

[homoeroticbetrayal]

Iconic Homoerotic Betrayal: Round 2

Round 2 Directory

Context:

Akechi/Joker

Summarized by Anonymous Contributor

Ok so Akira(you the player) are the leader of a group of thieves (who are doing good for society) but there are more sinister things happening that also get attributed to your group.

Enter Akechi the famous charismatic detective who’s declared that he will catch you(you can probably already guess where this is going) When you first meet him it is already clear that something is very wrong under that obviously fake smile. Under your civilian identity you befriend him and slowly(or rather fast) he opens up to you showing more of his true self and what pains his heart. Even disclosing sensitive information that could bring him down. Of course this is all just lies he made up to get close to you right? Nope.

You see the betrayal coming from miles ahead. Not only does he betray you, he’s been the real culprit all along.

Despite knowing this loooong ahead you still take him on little gay dates to the aquarium, public bathhouse, pretending to shoot eachother, a café or try to impress him with your amazing darts skills. You may even willingly make wrong choices just for his approval (I did gdi Akechi I trusted you.) And when you come home he's already waiting for you.

After you survive him gleefully shooting you through the head(it makes sense in context) you meet again he admits that he wishes you’d have met earlier, confirming that your bond was genuine, that you could’ve been friends/partners(? It’s complicated) and he really meant it when he said you’re the only one he feels at ease with. But not without having a truly unhinged meltdown about it first, vehemently rejecting your offer to still be friends and turn over a new leaf. (so after he's attempted to kill you at least 2 times and is gearing up for making it 3)

Akechi betraying you is as much a betrayal of himself as it is one of you.

Bonus points:

other characters comment on you being the only one close to him

during one rank he confesses to you…. His hate?

as previously mentioned, your relationship ranks up after he shoots you in the head(you survive, it make sense in context)

he himself compares his betrayal of you to romance(yes after shooting you through the head). On live tv. In the same moment he reminds himself how he’s felt unwanted his entire life, like a reminder he killed the only person who ever made him wanted.

At the end you have the choice to stay in a perfect world where he is alive and never underwent any of the pain in his life turning him into a wholly different person, or let him die(again) as his true self. If you pick the former you can return the betrayal.

*vague description it’s complicated.

Read other summary here.

John Silver/James Flint (Black Sails)

Summarized by Anonymous Contributor

what if we were pirates and I was grieving over my lost love and pulled you into the orbit of my narrative and turned you into the same kind of monster as I am but instead of dedicating all your energy to destruction you found people to love and you sacrificed our shared dream of revolution for a chance at a quiet life and you had to kill me to do it but instead you said I will wait here for a day a month a year until we can walk out of this together. and also we were both boys.

The moment that best exemplifies WHY I believe silverflint should win this tournament isn't the moment of the betrayal itself, but something that happens an entire season before. It's the season 3 finale, and Flint and Silver are preparing for a battle. Silver says to Flint, "Your demons are a part of our reality. Such is the nature of the influence you wield. Some of those demons I've come to know, but the one in whose name this war is to be fought is still a stranger to me." He asks Flint to share the deepest and most painful parts of his backstory - and Flint does. He opens up to Silver about his (queer) lover, who was killed because of their relationship. He's never told anyone about this before, and everyone who knew is is dead. But he tells Silver.

Silver takes this in and comes to a realization. He tells Flint that he sees himself as the latest in a line of people who have become very close to Flint and died because of it. He places himself in the same category as both of Flint's dead lovers. But he says that, when it comes down to it, he's afraid he's going to destroy Flint rather than let himself be destroyed. Flint tells Silver that if he does try to kill him, he'll have his work cut out for him. The whole conversation takes place in flashbacks, intercut with the battle that takes place the next day. The end of the conversation is played in voiceover over the final shots of the season: after winning the battle, Flint stands on the bank of a river, staring across at Silver and Silver's lover; the two of them stand on the opposite bank staring back.

It is POETIC CINEMA on a level I don't even have words for. It's the moment of their greatest triumph together, the moment Flint finally opens up to someone a decade after what happened to him, the moment their partnership goes from utilitarian to inseparable. But the seeds of their dissolution are already present. Silver says as much, in the same breath as he declares himself to be the latest in the lineage of Flint's lovers. It's a truly unbelievable sequence.

[withered-rose-unbreakable-lotus]

Dang it, writing my Black character still kind of worries me when it comes to her motives and her character development because many people don't seem to want Black women to be portrayed as dependent on men, or to be the supportive pillar of sb else and all but I realize I do that with all my characters and I dunno if that saves it.

Cause all my mains were born to be weapons. They were not supposed to have feelings. So it is by interacting with each other that they learnt how to care, love, have boundaries and all and she is no exception to that. I just hope it shows that whenever she goes out of her way to balance things in the clan it's because it's her job first as an elder and THEN her own feelings. Cause she is independent and at first her care was limited and mostly acting cause she is trying to keep some balance around her and then she started feeling for real and caring for her found family but not to the point of sacrificing herself. She's more like "we fight together" instead of "i'll fight for you".

And then I thought well she could be more women-focused like, growing feelings through her sisterhood with the other girls in the clan but then I found her standing among 4 men and it felt right. Also she doesn't learn her lessons through those men teaching her but through her experience with living with them. One is her man, one is her best friend (one of them at least) and the other two are like guys that act like her sons on purpose so you can say they are friends but have her more on a pedestal, they admire her etc. And then there's the leader of the clan who sees her as a queen and gave her a spot among the elders cause he believes in her skills and her ability to lead and she slowly develops a sort of respect and belief in him back through their working together.

It's generally really hard passing my message with some of my characters, especially when their personality is so far from mine. Cause I tend to care more than I should and even if I can't intervene with sth I can lose sleep over worrying about someone and she is not like that, so I want to be able to write this "I care but I am not mushy or lose sleep", the type that yes cares but still puts herself first and doesn't lose herself in self-sacrifice (which ok this one I don't do either but I want her way less emo than me xD)

[goldenhallas]

˚⭒. ☽ Meet my Tav ☾ .⭒˚

Name: Vierae Nicknames: Vi Age: 83 Gender: Female Race: Drow (formerly Lolth Sworn) Background: Urchin Class: Palabard with 1 Cleric for deity Subclass: Swords Bard, Ancients Paladin, Light Cleric Birthplace: Menzoberranzan Occupation: Sword Dancer of Eilistraee, former Lolthite assassin Deity: Eilistraee Alignment: Chaotic Good Romancing: Astarion Song: Get Free by Lana Del Rey

Vierae was a drow orphan who grew up on the streets of Eastmyr, Menzoberranzan. A former assassin and Underdark escapee, she is now a sword dancer of Eilistraee. She was headed to the Dancing Haven in Waterdeep with a group of fellow Eilistraeean's when she was kidnapped by mindflayers and had a tadpole forced into her brain. When she abruptly becomes the leader of a group of six similarly tadpoled misfits who are all seeking a healer as well as grappling with their own secrets and chequered pasts, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to a handsome pale elf who is in a similar place to where she herself was a few years ago – finally free of his master, of a lifetime spent in the dark, and learning how to live for the first time. Vierae and Astarion get off to a rough start, but unexpectedly find themselves growing closer over time, slowly falling in love as they help each other open up and reclaim parts of themselves that were buried under a lifetime of cruelty and fear.

full backstory under read more bc it's looong (if you read all of it i owe you a cookie <3)

Full Backstory

Vierae was a drow orphan who grew up on the streets of Eastmyr, Menzoberranzan. She was a vicious little thing who clawed her way through childhood with bloody hands and a feral gleam in her eye, and at the age of ten, her ferocity caught the attention of the Church of Lolth. The priestesses allowed her to train with The Spider Fangs, an elite group of assassins commanded by the Church.

The Spider Fangs conditioned her not to think of herself as a person with her own will and wants, but as a weapon of Lolth; honed to carry out Lolth's will and show devotion through cruelty and bloodshed. She was to think of nothing beyond how she may best serve Lolth at any given moment, act only in the interest of the Dark Mother and her Church, and never question the wisdom of Lolth's priestesses. Wielding dual blades and poisons, she eliminated many, many enemies of Lolth's Church, and for 78 years, kill or be killed was all she knew of life.

Even so, there was a defiant, dissatisfied part of her that asked, why? She and her peers tore each other apart for any scrap of power, yet it ultimately changed nothing about their lives. She had seen how the nobles of Menzoberranzan lived, knew the gilded gates would never be open to the likes of her - to anyone from Eastmyr - no matter how many drow she sacrificed in Lolth's name. And the nobility, while they had their luxuries and lived comparably better lives, were still caught in Lolth's twisted, bloodsoaked web just the same. What is all this for? resounded in her mind often. She could never come up with a satisfactory answer and it ate at her, but she buried her dissatisfaction down deep and kept going, for what else could she do? What else was there? She was Lolth’s weapon, and if she did not obey her orders, she would be subject to an even worse fate: not just punished by the priestesses, but eternally cursed by Lolth, most likely by being turned into a drider.

Then, during her nightly 4 hour trances in which she usually experienced only a deep nothingness, she began to dream; vivid dreams about male and female drow living in harmony with each other on the surface, dancing under the moonlight, and a beautiful, ethereal drow goddess who promised to guide her way out of the dark. The visions terrified and angered her at first – they were blasphemous, fanciful lies – and yet, she found she couldn't stop thinking of them no matter what she did, or rid herself of the sharp pang of longing they made her feel.

She tried harder to prove her loyalty to Lolth and silence her blasphemous thoughts for a time, until a certain mission she was sent on changed everything. She didn't so much as blink at cutting down political rivals of Lolth or taking out one noble or another, but being forced to personally hand over an infant to be sacrificed in a dark ritual was too much. Watching the priestess kill the babe - a male third child of one of the noble houses - broke her heart and shook her to her core. It cemented the realisation that the drow of Lolthite society, all of them, were just pawns in the goddess’ bloody, never ending game, existing only to serve the Spider Queen's whims and be discarded when they were no longer of use. The drow people endured cruelty, unfairness, pain, and misery on the daily…and it was all for nothing.

Vierae felt an intense, searing anger roiling within, and for the first time in her life, she chose her own path. She began to plot her revenge against the Church – for moulding children to follow an evil goddess who inflicted nothing but pain and suffering on her followers, for creating a society built on predation and fear and suffering, and for turning her into this monster who handed over babes to be slaughtered. She vowed she would get her retribution even if it killed her. The strength of her conviction was such that she became a paladin of vengeance.

She kept up appearances, outwardly appearing to be the devoted Spider Fang she had always been, while in secret she plotted against Lolth and her Church. She slowly began taking out members of the Church's clergy, one at a time with months in between, so as not to draw attention to herself. A knife in a dark alley here, a poisoned goblet there... she was careful to leave nothing to trace the murders back to her. Until she made it personal.

She killed Mother Sabiira, the High Priestess who had found and recruited her as a child, and given her the distinctive, ragged scar across her cheek when she was fourteen. Caught up in the the thrill and fury of vengeance, Vierae couldn't resist carving the priestess a matching scar, which branded the kill as hers. It felt good, for a moment, getting her revenge, until the cold realisation set in that it didn't really change anything. Drow society kept on the way it always had; priestesses continued raising children in Lolth's image and sacrificing others at her altar. Vierae alone was not powerful enough to change it in any meaningful way, and after killing Mother Sabiira, she knew she couldn't keep this up. Before long, the eyes of Lolth and her chosen would be upon her.

The dreams of the ethereal moonlit goddess and her spirited followers had become even more vivid and frequent at this point. She even began to have visions while she was awake, and each one featured a thread of moonlight guiding her out of the Underdark to the World Above. The thought of leaving the Underdark terrified her – it was the only home she had ever known, harsh and cruel as it was – but if she stayed, she would be slaughtered by the priestesses or turned into a drider by Lolth herself. No, staying was no longer an option, she had only one choice: escape the Underdark through the vast, unmapped twists and turns of the cave networks, or die trying.

Dying was pretty much a certainty if she tried to navigate the tunnels alone, though, so she decided to call on some connections she had to Black Balaeryn's Band; a gang of orphaned young drow led by the warrior-mage Balaeryn. Vierae had known them since she was an orphan herself, they were the ones who taught her how to pick locks and pockets, as well as showed her some discrete, little-known exits out of the city. They also had connections to Bregan D'Aerthe, an infamous mercenary and mercantile band who traded goods from the surface; it stood to reason that if anyone knew a sure path out of the Underdark, it would be a member of Bregan D'Aerthe.

Vierae had done enough jobs for Balaeryn over the years to earn his respect, so securing a meeting with him wasn't difficult; getting him to introduce her to a member of Bregan D'Aerthe was the problem. She and Balaeryn had a business relationship, but they did not have trust - whatever that even meant in the Underdark - so she had to convince him why it would benefit him. And she had to do so without overplaying her hand, because she couldn't be sure he wouldn't stab her in the back and turn her over to the High Priestesses. Whoever stood to gain from her downfall would more than likely take the opportunity; that was the way of the Underdark.

Vierae told Balaeryn that if he introduced her to a surface trader from Bregan D'Aerthe, she would run a series of jobs for him - any jobs he wanted. Balaeryn accepted. He gave her the most strenuous, perilous jobs he had, ones that pretty much nobody would be foolish enough to attempt; including stealing a priceless Netherese artifact from the noble house Baenre, which very nearly got Vierae killed. She almost had her throat slit but narrowly managed to escape with a ragged cut across her neck, and returned to Balaeryn wounded but triumphant. Balaeryn kept to his word, setting up a meeting with a Bregan D'Aerthe surface trader due to take place in a tenday.

The surface trader was a drow female named Erellin. Vierae knocked on the door of her temporary room using the special knock she had been taught by Balaeryn, and Erellin opened the door just a crack to see who was there. The surfacer had violet eyes, dark cobalt skin and white hair, but those typical drow features were accompanied by a very atypical smile, warm and genuine, which was such a rare sight in the Underdark that Vierae had had to fight the instinctual urge to attack - usually, if a drow smiled at you, it meant you were about to die - but the moment the other woman drew near, the visions of the moon goddess she’d been having for months now flashed into her mind, staying her hand. Over the years she had become a master of deception, hiding her true feelings and thoughts from everyone – the cutthroat drow she lived among, the priestesses of Lolth, even from the Spider Queen herself – and she was used to putting on whatever face she needed for the moment, so she easily kept her expression neutral, but she thought she saw a flicker in Erellin’s own eyes for a brief moment, gone before she could get a proper read. Erellin smiled again, offering to negotiate trade over wine and cheese, and Vierae found herself accepting, curiosity and desperation getting the better of her. She followed Erellin into her room, wondering why the other drow continued to return to the Underdark to trade; sure, it was possible to make decent coin by selling rare goods from the surface, but it hardly seemed worth venturing into a pit of vipers just to do so. She suspected there was more to the story than that - was she a spy? A secret assassin? - but a calm, steady feeling deep within told her Erellin could help, so she decided to risk it. Hells, what did she have to lose at this point?

Erellin poured two glasses of wine and served a platter of cheeses, and the two drow sat down at a little wooden table, covered by a tablecloth made of shimmery purple fabric that caught Vierae's eye. Vierae subtly sniffed the wine, not detecting any poisons, but that didn't mean it was clean - it could be laced with something from the World Above that Vierae had never even heard of. She pretended to take a sip, ignoring the cheese, then got right to the point; offering to give Erellin everything she owned in exchange for safe passage to the surface. Vierae travelled lightly, with a backpack containing a change of clothes, food, mess kit, lockpicks, trap disarming tools, a ragged blanket, some alchemical ingredients, and a few potions and poisons. What little of value she did have was kept in a secret hideaway in the caverns of Eastmyr; scant savings and a few trinkets and baubles she'd found during various jobs over the years, including some precious and semi-precious gemstones, and the one item that might be valuable enough to get her out of this place: a silver circlet with a moon in the centre that let off a subtle, magical glow. She had found the circlet when she was a child, and though she never wore it or showed it to anyone, she held onto it for a long time, as it had always felt inexplicably significant; perhaps this was what she'd been saving it for. Vierae couldn't think of a better time to use it, though part of her didn't want to let it go. The other things - gems, coins - she could replace, but this was rare; she had never seen its like before. Hopefully, it was worth the price of her freedom.

This caught Erellin’s attention just as she'd hoped; the other woman studied Vierae for a while, considering, then said giving up her possessions would not be necessary. Erellin reached beneath her collar, and Vierae tensed, preparing for a fight, but she just pulled out a delicate silver chain, dangling from which was a faintly glowing silver moon pendant; the exact same as the one on the circlet.

Vierae felt her heart begin to sink - perhaps the moon circlet was just a common trinket on the surface after all? - but then Erellin revealed that the moon pendant was the symbol of her goddess Eilistraee, and that she was one of her specialty priestesses; a Sword Dancer. It turned out that being a rare goods trader was a front for the real reason Erellin came to the Underdark; to help other drow escape from Lolth's twisted web, just as another Eilistraeean had once helped her many years ago. Vierae stared at Erellin with wide, half hopeful, half disbelieving eyes, all pretences dropped. If this was true, she had really done it; she had found her way out of the darkness, for there was no one better to guide her to the surface than a Sword Dancer.

As she explained the beliefs of her goddess, Vierae noted the similarities between her description and the dreams she had been having - had the goddess herself sent those dreams? Song, dance, beauty, freedom, and joy were the heart and soul of Eilistraeean worship, in complete contradiction to Lolth, who revelled in betrayal, bloodshed, torture, destruction and death. Erellin was an Underdark escapee, and she was sitting in front of Vierae, living, breathing, smiling proof that there was a life outside this cursed place for drow.

Vierae knew that going to the surface meant entering a whole new world, both physically and mentally. The sunlight would be blinding and painful; surfacers were terrified of her kind; and in truth, there was a lot more she didn't know about the World Above than what she did. And, while she had never had so much hope for her future as she did in that moment, there was a little, nagging part of her that said it was too good to be true, it had to be a trap. Still, unless she wanted to risk finding her own way out, going with Erellin was her best and only option. Vierae found it impossible to believe that nothing was expected of her in return for Erellin's help, and the idea of owing the other drow was distressing, so she demanded a deal be made. Erellin agreed, and her offer was this: she would guide Vierae to the surface, if Vierae would promise to stick around for a while, meet her fellow Eilistraeean's, and give reasonable thought to joining them. Not being the sociable sort, Vierae reluctantly agreed, though privately she had already decided she would absolutely not be joining them. She was better off alone; it was safer that way for everyone. Besides, a goddess who truly loved and cared for her people seemed too good to be true.

Vierae spent most of the trek out of the city fighting the paranoia that Erellin had set up an ambush, that Lolth’s spiders would crawl out of the dark at any moment and pounce. It didn't take long before they were attacked by a former peer of Vierae's. They were just outside the city limits when G'eldavin and her spider companion struck from the shadows. G'eldavin was a mercenary ranger, and ran in similar circles to Vierae; the two had despised each other at first sight. For a brief moment Vierae thought she had been betrayed, that this was a set up by Erellin, but the moment G'eldavin and the spiders attacked, Erellin cast a Shield of Faith spell on her and fought tooth and nail to protect her, putting those fears to rest. Vierae had always been an excellent fighter, and Erellin was something else, each movement fluid and graceful, as though she were dancing; their combined talents made short work of G'eldavin, though the giant spider was more of a challenge. Vierae was bitten during the battle, the spider's poison coursing through her veins, but she fought through it; once the spider had fallen, Vierae fell as well, exhausted. Erellin cast Protection from Poison followed by Healing Touch on Vierae, and then the two hurried on their way, not wanting to be surprised by any more of Vierae’s old “friends”. Vierae felt a rush of satisfaction at finally being able to kill one of Lolth's beloved spiders - a grievous offence Lolth deemed punishable by death. She'd always hated them, disgusting things that they were.

The Spider Queen's eyes seemed to be occupied elsewhere - perhaps they were blessed by Eilistraee, perhaps it was sheer luck - for they made it to the surface without being attacked again. Vierae followed Erellin's winding path through the labyrinth of caverns, trying, and failing, to remember each turn, until finally, they saw a soft blue glow just up ahead. She had never seen it in person before, but recognised it from her dreams; moonlight.

Leaving the Underdark felt like the weight of the world being abruptly lifted off her shoulders, the newfound freedom and possibility more than Vierae had ever dreamed of. The euphoria and relief she felt upon stepping into the moonlight for the first time was unlike anything she'd ever felt before; she was completely overcome by it, such that at first she couldn't stop laughing, and then she couldn't stop crying. Erellin let her express her feelings, telling her she'd felt exactly the same when she first came to the surface as well. Once Vierae had calmed down and gotten her cool, nonchalant mask back into place, Erellin brought her to a small settlement of Eilistraee worshippers who lived in an enclave in the woods, just a few miles from where they exited the Underdark.

Vierae planned to stay with the Eilistraeean's for just a few days, while she recovered and adjusted to life on the surface. But unexpectedly, she found herself growing fond of the place, the company, and even more surprisingly, Eilistraee herself. She never thought she would put her trust in another deity after what life had been like under Lolth, but Eilistraee was different. Markedly so. Vierae had always avoided drawing Lolth's attention as much as possible, because whenever she had it, all she felt was a deep, cold dread and the sensation of phantom spiders crawling on her skin, even when the Spider Queen was pleased with her; but all she felt when Eilistraee's light touched her was warm, safe, and loved. She had never felt those things before in her whole life, and it was like finding water after almost dying of thirst in the desert; she wanted to guzzle down as much of it as she could before it was gone. So she basked in Eilistraee's light, dreading the moment when it would be taken from her, but weeks passed, and then months, and that moment never came. Thus, Vierae devoted herself to The Dark Dancer, learning her rituals, the art of sword dancing, how to play the flute, and how to sing. She danced under the moonlight for a whole month to honour Eilistraee and become a fully fledged Sword Dancer, vowing to spread light and joy wherever she went henceforth (the strength of her conviction changed her Paladin oath from Vengeance to Ancients). She worked with the other Eilistraeean's to provide protection, healing, shelter and food to those who needed it, especially drow, as well as spreading joy through song and dance. It was after her first Run ritual that she truly felt like she was beginning to understand life on the surface, and it only strengthened her resolve to work hard to prove herself worthy of Eilistraee's light.

Four years passed, easily the best four years of Vierae's life thus far, but that didn't mean it was all sunshine and rainbows. No matter how healing those years were, they could not erase 78 years of being an assassin of Lolth in the predatory depths of the Underdark. Vierae struggled with the darkness of her past, with the guilt at all she had done, and her use of Ziran – a drug from the Underdark – became a nightly ritual. She also kept her heart closed off, kept people at a distance, because she was used to it and didn't know how to let anyone in. After all, if you never let anyone get too close, they can't stab you in the heart while you're sleeping...

At the beginning of her fifth year with the Eilistraeean's, she and a few of her fellow Sword Dancers, including Erellin and her wife Zilvra, embarked on another Run. They were just outside the city limits of Waterdeep, on their way to see the Dancing Haven temple of Eilistraee, when they were set upon by mindflayers; Erellin and Zilvra died during the attack, but Vierae was kidnapped and taken aboard a mindflayer ship. Upon waking up on the beach after the ship crashed with a mindflayer tadpole wriggling around in her brain, she set out to find someone who could extract the parasite, banding together with 6 other survivors who all needed their parasites removed as well. She found herself naturally stepping into the role of leader, doing her best to follow the teachings of the community of Eilistraeean's who saved her and taught her how to live.

Along the way, Vierae finds herself growing closer to a certain pale elf, who she didn't trust as far as she could throw him at first - he did hold a knife to her throat on their first meeting, after all - but then they discover they have a surprising amount in common. Astarion is in a similar place to where Vierae was herself only a few years ago; finally free of a cruel master after a lifetime spent in the dark, and learning who he is and how to live again. So Vierae guides him through it, the way Erellin and the other Eilistraeean's did for her, guiding him toward the light, and they slowly fall in love as they help each other open up and reclaim parts of themselves that were buried under a lifetime of cruelty and fear. 

Notes

Vierae means "dark dancer"

Sabiira means "void herald"

Erellin means "moon armour"

G'eldavin means "spider guardian"

Dividers

[fellominaarcher]

Got Married -

YOO JIMIN; KARINA

6. "Beauty, you are."

chapters

approx. word counts: 4047

The first night in a bed together...

Nothing dirty or unholy happened that night, but the two talked until Karina was soundly asleep.

She shifted on the bed. "You're not sleepy, yet?" asked the Aespa leader.

Half lidded eyes, her hand cupping her left cheek. Jimin was facing the 'wife'.

Y/N removed some strands of hair from Karina's face. "No." She simply answered.

Tonight, Y/N's admiration was more readily apparent and radiant as she was intently observing the girl in front of her.

"Is everyone out?" asked the older one.

Y/N's eyes glanced towards the door and then back to the girl. "I suppose, as it's quiet now."

The Aespa main dancer sighed in relief and comfort given that she was very worn out.

The younger one swiftly rose from her bed and turned out the lights before going back to bed.

She's now resting on her side, facing the older girl. "Are you really that tired?" she inquired.

She blinked her eyes open. "Yes, you and I both know that doing this job means sacrificing our health," she said, cracking a small smile.

Jang Y/N sneered a little, not in a sarcastic manner but just a way to respond.

"I completely agree."

Jimin swallowed and cleared her throat. "What do you think about being in this show?" the damn question.

Y/N thought it for a moment before responding.

"At first, it was frightful."

The woman inhaled. "Up until this point, I still find this terrifying, especially as an idol and I feel like I'll always be walking on eggshells." she explained slowly.

"For everything that I do."

It is true that idols need to exercise extra caution in all they do, even when they are breathing and eating.

One was despised for being a sluggish dancer, but everyone knows that's not the case.

Another person was despised for dating or the way she enjoyed her strawberries.

Such hatred that there were even falsified allegations against them.

There are no room for idols.

Karina giggled a little. "That's so true, I am hated for face and my pre debut issue was a thing too." She is now giving her side of the tale.

"I enjoy being an idol but I need a getaway sometimes, a break would be okay." Karina proceeded.

They revealed a little of their private lives in addition to the difficulties and rewards of being an idol.

About the people in their group, their family circumstances in general, such as the number of siblings, or what had happened at school.

The two of them basically breaking one other's ice and reshaping it into something positive.

The entire night is theirs alone, and maybe it will bloom into something good and comforting.

Almost a week later....

The cameras are rolling right now as they begin filming for a new episode.

The director kept a close eye on everything on the monitor in front of him.

Karina and Y/N were in the kitchen while Y/N cleaning the table as Karina washed the dishes.

Lunch has ended.

"I know right, that was weird" Karina replied, as they talked about unrelated topics.

It's good to see that they are getting closer; It's believed it has been about a month since they first met.

Although sometimes, there were awkwardness here and there.

But they overcame it as it was for the sake of the ones watching.

"What if we have our day out together?" Y/N suggested as she purposefully coughed.

Karina immediately reinserted the plate into the washbasin and shut off the water.

Don't waste water, okay?

She leaned back against the kitchen counter as she turned around and glanced at the DayDream lead vocalist with a hint of puzzlement.

She used the apron to wipe her hands as well while she was at it.

This caused Y/N to pause what she was doing and turn to face the older female.

She put her palm on the table and added, "Yeah, I said what I suggested."

Karina nodded. "Perhaps we should let the crew know about it though." answered Karina.

The DayDream member said, "I know, I'm telling them right now," with a small smile.

That we'll be spending the day together, let me think for a moment where we should go.' While speaking, Y/N stroked her chin.

All Y/N could think of was, "Random but let's fly to Busan after tomorrow," as she made a thinking look and that was the only thing she could think of.

Karina was somewhat taken aback. "Bu...san?" She stumbled over her words.

She chuckled gently in disbelief at the girl's proposal.

"This is so sudden, why?" asked the beauty.

Y/N shrugged it off. "Because this is our show, and we should improvise as well, as we're the stars," she pointed out.

"Right now in my mind I have been contemplating what we can do in Busan, from the minute we come to our last day, day to night." She proceeded her statement.

Her eyes nearly pleading with the Aespa's leader. "Also, it's a quick trip and rushing trip" She said again, pouting a little.

"There are absolutely no plans at all!" a broad grin from Y/N.

Nothing was on Karina's mind either, as she was already picturing what they could do together.

To determine how she overcame her fear and let herself fall in.

She agreed by nodding. "They ought to book the tickets right away since I really like it." Karina grinned in answer.

After tomorrow, in Busan...

Fans and the media were already aware that the "newlyweds" were travelling to Busan because news in this industry travels quickly.

They have arrived in Busan, boarded the aircraft, exited, and are currently walking towards the vehicle that will pick them up.

With their phones and cameras, so many people are waiting for them outside.

The process of waiting just to most likely to tweet about how they met an Aespa and a DayDream member.

Perhaps some of them would make a video and upload it to TikTok, probably with some edits or whatever they could come up with.

"As always, there were many people," Jimin murmured as she surveyed the scene.

It's now time for them to navigate through the crowds of fans and possibly some Dispatch reporters.

Y/N instantly joined their arms and tugged Karina closer to her.

Karina was taken aback by this unanticipated gesture and took a look at Y/N, unable to comprehend what was happening to her.

She didn't think much about it and simply left it as she started to feel a little nervous as well.

"I'll keep you safe," Y/N said in her ear, sending thrills down her spine.

She wasn't expecting to be able to hear the lead vocalist of Daydream's voice that near, and the ticklish whisper made it nervous for her.

Under the influence of Jang Y/N, Jimin once more became timid, heated up, and internally turbulent.

Y/N are now guiding her as they are assisted by their separate staffs and they make their way to the airport's main entrance.

The staff was attempting to push people aside, and the bodyguards were keeping watch.

When Y/N noticed a large crowd approaching, she immediately changed the hold she had on the girl.

She separated their arms, but since she was a little taller, it was simple for her to put her arm around Jimin's shoulder.

Jimin immediately threw her arm around Y/N's back after observing this.

Embracing one another so closely.

They were both donning identical baseball caps, which they had no idea would match today.

They finally made it out of the crowd after a terrible a matter of seconds.

They inhaled deeply and gave themselves some time to gather themselves.

Successfully entered the car, and the sea of people caused them to start sweating.

The car departed from the airport out of fear that they would miss the hourly hotel check-in deadline.

They finally deposited their stuff in the room after an hour had passed since check-in.

Jimin's breath was a little laboured and she was curled up in a spreading star position on the bed.

Y/N emerged from the bathroom, smirking at Jimin.

She walked towards the bed and sat on it, next to Jimin's form, who was lying on the bed.

Jimin became aware of this. "Are you good?" asked the girl.

"Yeah, I'm good!" Y/N replied cheerfully.

Y/N's smirk intensified. "Let's go!" she hushed in an enticing way.

Hearing that prompted Karina to sit up straight on the bed and stare at the girl in complete shock.

The younger one nodded, saying, "Come with me, we still have a little bit of time before the filming!" as she took the girl's hand.

Y/N released her hand. Our wallets, hold on! She instructed the Aespa leader, "Bring it!"

Karina laughed as she observed this antic since she thought it was so adorable.

Wallets and hotel room cards were among the first things the two took.

"Your money, cards and identification card, put it in my wallet."

Suggested by Y/N.

Jimin was astounded by this and asked, "Are you sure?" before pausing.

Let Me Know - Jimmy Brown

She grasped the older girl's hand and nodded without hesitation, assuring her.

"Trust me," Jang Y/N said.

As Y/N handed Jimin her wallet, she instinctively loaded it with everything she needed while grinning cockily.

They put on their shoes, and Y/N peeked her head out first just to make sure there were no fans or paparazzi following them.

"Madame, the area is secure." Y/N acted like a spy as they had fun.

Jimin laughed. "You're so cute!" Her words of admiration tumbled out.

She was aware of this, but she chose not to dwell on it.

Before a voice called them out, the two were leaving in silence.

They both turned back. "Where are you two going?" They were discovered by a member of the film team.

"We're getting some fresh air," Karina replied, attempting to conceal Y/N.

Protective there, huh?

He grinned, and responded with a few nods. "Be careful!" he yelled-whispered.

The crew urged them to flee before others caught up with them.

Unfortunately, some of the filming workers and the director are currently outside. They're talking about something connected to WGM.

The two, in all honesty, couldn't care less if they were discovered or not right now, be it the WGM staff, Dispatch, or the fans.

After waiting for ten minutes, they hurriedly exited the hotel and got into a cab to head to the Shinsegae Department Store.

The two females forget about the masks as they cautiously make their way around the shop wearing their caps.

Jang Y/N, however, retorted, "Fuck that, let's go!"

"Let's go grab some Boba." offered Jimin.

At least two or three teenagers appear to have seen them as they are waiting for their drinks.

In Korea, the 'newly wed' are currently in trend and garnering interest.

Every auntie would turn on the TV, and kpop enthusiasts would go to great lengths to at least watch their show.

One of the teens approached them a little bit closer, raised her phone, and took pictures of them.

When Y/N became aware of this, she bowed her head at the girl and gave her a smile.

Jimin grabbed their drinks. "Let's go!" she tugged at Y/N's shirt.

Jimin did the same thing; she waved at the teen girl who had taken their photos after spotting her.

They went around the store after finishing their beverages and talking about various things.

Even though they didn't buy anything, the two girls visited a store of clothing and tried on some items.

It was Jimin's idea; she thought it would be enjoyable but made sure not to push herself too hard to avoid irritating the staff.

She tried on some outfits, some grandma's clothes, and even performed as them. She also took on the role of the nasty aunty from a Korean drama.

The two were giggling hysterically over her antics.

They continued to laugh, albeit discreetly, even after the personnel warned them for being too loud.

Y/N dressed up in old man attire and pretended to be a grandfather. She also dressed up and pretended to be on a fashion catwalk.

It was nearing one hour plus that they do that and looking around clothes, talked about what they prefer to wear.

The two girls are having a lot of fun together while the WGM director and a cameraman follow them around secretly.

Recording videos of them, going through it later to see what they can use for the show later.

Invasion of privacy? Typical for idols, we're assuming?

Now they're outside, the sun is about to set in an hour and they decided to go to Millak Waterside Park.

It was a few minutes walk to the park, the two was playing tag instead and jogged around the park.

Y/N successfully caught Jimin, she pulled her not too hard by the shirt.

She laughed at Y/N. "Ah you got me!" she shrieked as the two slowed down.

Growing tired of the chasing game, Y/N walked by her side. "We really went around the park." she said to the Aespa leader.

Jimin sighed, "Yes, we did." she answered lovingly while donning a gentle smile.

Meanwhile, the cameraman who almost tripped following the two up.

"Oi, don't let them out of your sight!" Mr Director scolded him, the two were so chaotic the whole time.

He was hitting the cameraman multiple time. "Look, look they're going there!" he shouted in his face.

The Director rolled on the floor like a spy undercover and followed by the cameraman who jumped out of the hiding place.

"THIS IS A GOLD MOMENT!" he yelled to acknowledge the cameraman.

It's somehow a little comedic the efforts they're making into tailing the so called newly wed.

The two were trying their best to not get caught but somehow they're seen by the people around.

"Yah, they're now at the ship-like statue over there!" the cameraman pointed.

Annoyed, he wanted to hit the guy. "Oi, it's Diamond Cruiser!" He said the name of the ship-like thing the couple were standing in.

Mr Director nodded once and firmly made his way behind the trees nearby.

Followed by the henchman.

In the camera, they're only talking, laughing like drunk people and all of sudden Y/N did push-ups.

Jimin was challenged by Y/N to act like a gorilla and it was accepted, she did it but only for a while because she couldn't.

She couldn't because she instantly laughed at the thought of doing it.

Mr Director hummed, "These two have potential, don't you think?" said him, he was facing the cameraman.

Now it's the cameraman turn to hit the Director many times. "YAH MOTHERFUCKER, LOOK!" He yelled into his face.

He pushed the Director's face so he would look at the couple.

Focusing back on the couple, they're calm now and not doing anything chaotic or crazy anymore.

Probably because they're tired.

Sunset landing trip playing...

"Face that side, you're Rose and I am Jack from Titanic" Y/N said, as she asked the girl to turn around.

Jimin spread her arm and Y/N stood behind her, their fingers touched then she ran her fingers through her arm.

Their heights are just perfect, for each other and for them to see the view from the Diamond Cruiser.

It's almost perfect as the sun was already setting and the orange hue illuminated their faces.

The breeze was also blowing just nice and it wasn't too strong.

Y/N's hands are now holding Jimin's waist, "The world is yours" whispered softly by Y/N.

"Even the stars too?" Jimin asked.

She nodded "Yes, it's all yours. You are the addiction and the wind that blows the flower, Karina" she metaphorically said to her.

"That's your beauty." Y/N ended.

Jimin's head turned towards Y/N. "What does it mean?" asked her, looking at Y/N with curiosity building inside her.

Jang Y/N swore she was falling in love with the view before her eyes. Jimin's side profile made her heart skip.

She was trying to take in the beauty that was laid in front of her, their bodies are so close now.

From her hair that the wind is blowing right now to the hint of sunset in her eyes, the curve of her nose and last, her perfectly shaped lips.

Jimin faced Y/N and looked at her in the eyes "Is that your perspective towards me?" Jimin wanted to know.

The soft sound of the water hitting the tides. "Has always been beautiful but it was enhanced today," Y/N explained.

"You look really beautiful today," Y/N praised her again.

There are colors of sunset painted in Y/N's eyes too and that's where Jimin's eyes laid to.

Unexpectedly, Jimin's heart fluttered at all of this as their activities flashed back into her mind.

The holding hands, the running together and the risk of getting caught.

She realized it thrilled her and awoken the passion inside of her.

It was absolutely unreal to feel but she was scared herself too and the atmosphere right now is light.

So carefree, as if the world belonged to them, and her heart began to skip a beat.

Their faces were so near, and Karina had her eyes closed as Y/N gently leaned against her.

However, the girl turned away from the attempted kiss and leaned her face back.

Upon coming to her senses, Y/N turned her body away from the girl while mentally cursing herself.

Jimin turned aside and stopped in place, her breathing quickening and her heartbeat suddenly accelerating.

Y/N felt terrible and sincerely regrets trying to kiss the older female.

"Jimin, I'm really sorry." she apologized, she felt so terrible.

She apologized three times and Jimin was still staring at her dead, there were no emotions in her face.

Jimin sighed, "It's alright, apology accepted." she stated calmly.

Y/N didn't say anything else but to nod to her words.

"Let's go, we have a dinner to catch!" the beauty reminds Y/N.

Jimin walked away first and followed by Y/N from behind, they have a dinner with WGM crew at the hotel.

Sure, some awkwardness is built between the girls right now.

The walk back to the hotel didn't contain any words except for the common ones.

Mr Director and the cameraman was surprised to see the interaction between the girls.

They agreed that, in order to respect the idols' privacy, they shouldn't show the almost-kiss.

Dinner time...

It wasn't a particularly expensive dinner, more like a company dinner, and everyone was laughing while some enjoyed their alcoholic beverages.

Jimin is seated next to her substitute manager, who was chosen to look after her throughout the duration of the WGM filming.

Y/N was seated across from her, and their gazes occasionally met, along with a quick smile.

People around them were loud, and they avoided getting drunk because they were afraid it would interfere with their work.

Added to the idols' discomfort.

"Have you two talked about what has to happen in the upcoming episode, Karina?" She was questioned by the director, who made a hand motion.

He did so in a questioning way.

She was reluctant to answer, "Aaa-"

The girl was cut off by Y/N. "Yes, we did and I'm sure we'll record some that will be used to the show later" Y/N explained to him.

Mr Director nodded slowly, a hand on his chin, "Good, looking forward to it."

Y/N nodded too, she raised a glass to toast with Jimin and Jimin did the same as she looked away to avoid Y/N's eyes.

One hour later...

Everyone is currently present in Gwangalli Beach for completing the first few episodes' segments.

The lights from Gwangan Beach perfectly illuminate the bridge, making it one of the few tourist attractions in Busan.

Jimin was wandering along the beach by herself, taking in the scenery.

She went on to capture a few pictures.

She could not be careless since she was loving it even if the breeze was pressing in and making her hair fly.

Her phone vibrated as she opened it to check it, and the girls had sent a selfie of the three of them eating together.

[ Unni, we miss you~]

At this, she grinned. She uttered "Oh my" in a whisper.

In addition to trying to capture a selfie to share with the other girls, the girl squatted down to center the camera frame to her face.

My Beauty plays...

While chatting with the girls, she was immersed in her own world. She had no idea that Y/N was standing behind her, watching her.

She wasn't stalking Yoo Jimin, but she was looking for her as well since she wanted to talk to her and avoid embarrassment.

She happened to find her. She felt like she was compelled to watch Jimin as Jimin lived in her own world.

She grinned broadly. "You are too precious for this world," she muttered.

After some time, the DayDream lead vocalist approached Jimin, who jumped a little when she saw Y/N.

"Oh, shoot!" Jimin gasped.

She almost dropped her phone, but she managed to grab it just in time. She was a little displeased that Y/N shocked her.

Y/N bowed and said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," while trying to maintain her composure.

"For everything once more," she uttered.

Y/N asked, gazing down, "What are you up to?" coughing a little.

Jimin was crouching and she was standing on the beach.

Jimin breathed in. "Nothing, just taking in the view and talking with my members." she answered.

Y/N nodded while keeping her hands in the pocket and her attention concentrated on the large bridge in front of her.

With the point of her sneakers, she sketched a few random patterns on the sand. "Do you know Busan has a fireworks festival?" She questioned the girl.

The younger idol was deeply embarrassed and berating herself for such a simple query.

Jimin tensed her face. "Yes," she replied icily.

She didn't mean to, but now that Y/N's face is in front of her, their almost-kiss sprung back into her mind.

After that, Y/N said nothing more but backed away and turned to face the other direction.

Jimin observed this and feared it was as a result of her dispassionate response.

She heard Y/N speak a little while later, but she made the choice not to look at her.

"Because there isn't a fireworks festival in Busan right now, I lit up this small firework stick for you," Y/N remarked calmly as she presented Jimin the ignited firework sticks.

Y/N clutched three little firecracker sticks while smiling.

Her gaze is fixated on Y/N. "What do you mean?" she inquired of the younger.

Y/N raised it high. "Imagine it's the sky's fireworks, just like your heart," she stated to Jimin.

Jimin relaxedly sighed. "So the fireworks' gunpowder will ignite and shoot into the air?" She smirked a little and asked Y/N in a bold manner.

The younger girl agreed and responded, "Exactly, but for a good reason."

The Aespa visual, on the other hand, had no response to that comment, and the tension between them got more lightweight.

Y/N took a deep breath. "Jimin, this Busan trip is our honeymoon," Y/N explained simply.

Jimin is still in her squatting position. "Isn't it crazy how we'll be flying back tomorrow?" she remarked.

She only wanted to spend a day in Busan because Y/N wanted to feel the thrill of it so it would be much better.

It was just the two of them on their day out.

"I agree, that is insane." Y/N gently replied, "Because I'm ready to accept the chance of it, whether I am caught or not."

Jimin became aware of the issues she had been contemplating after hearing her response.

[bonnieisaway]

Hi ! I am so happy to meet other people liking scissors seven ! The joy is enormous ! Anyway I was wondering about your thoughts on the Xuanwu assassins mostly the ones like Blackbird, the red woman (forgot her name), Red Tooth, Green Phoenix, etc

HELLO :33 okay this post might get really long

as for Blackbird: honestly I don't have too many thoughts on him... fucking LOVE his design though. and his backstory is super cool and I love how subtle his motivations are but how obvious it feels to any viewer why he's doing the things he does and why it makes sense. Over the course of the end of season 3 and the start of season 4, Blackbird starts the fight saying he doesn't want the money, he wants Seven to die slowly and painfully at his hands. and then by the end of it, he's saying "Your death will be quick, I promise you." And it's kind of subtle as to why his attitude changed but uses his backstory to illustrate his personality and motivations so much. He wants to be the hero. He wants to be selfless and say - "oh, I don't care for the reward, but I need to punish him" when we've seen no indication as to why he would want Seven dead personally, but when Seven starts winning the fight, Blackbird isn't playing games anymore. He needs Seven dead. He needs to be the hero here. He's been conditioned as long as he's be training that someone else can take the prize, the notoriety, the reward, but he has to be the one to do the job. And it fuckin destroys him when he can't because he can't possibly fathom not being the hero. Because he's sacrificed his entire body and life for this, if he doesn't win this fight, if he can't be the hero here, then what was it all for? What was the point of his suffering and his pain? And ultimately he goes so far to justify his suffering that it gets him killed. Which is unfortunate because I kinda wanted to see more of his character, but it's so.. in line and dedicated to his motivations and character building. Like it's so on brand for him and it illustrates his character so well, I just hope we get to see flashbacks of him in the past so we can see more of his personality.

Manjusaka (the red woman): HOOOOOO BOY. So I also adore her design, I actually have a character I made (for a different thing, not related to S7) where I took inspiration from Manjusaka's coat because I just love her design so much. She's very.. confusing to me? I hope we get to see her in flashbacks too - or at least she somehow lives through the end of season four, though it seems unlikely) - because I don't understand her motivations, or why she was obsessed with Seven. Every other Shadow Killer has their own reasons for their relationship or fight with Seven, most of them boil down to greed or their pride, but with Manjusaka you just don't know. Of course she's obligated to at least TRY and kill him because the leader said "kill that man," but what's the reason for her "crush"? Her obsession? What purpose was there in killing the Girl in White - or at least lying to Seven that she did??? What about her mentioned previous obsession with Green Phoenix?? She's notably the only woman of the Shadow Killers, does her demeanor have anything to do with needing to be stronger than the men around her, similar to Eleven? I dunno! I want to know more. So badly. I feel like I'm gonna say "I WANNA KNOW MORE" about like all of these characters

Redtooth: I don't know if this is a hot take but I hated him back before season 3 came out. And even then I kinda still hated him up until season 4. I could not fucking fathom why everybody loved him, because his backstory just looked like "boohoo I signed up to be in a clan where I can't have a girlfriend and I want a girlfriend" , but I'm fucking THRILLED that season 4 went so in-depth with his story and emotions and really made it clear why he is the way he is. I mean, the show uses a lot of show-don't-tell, so it's not OBVIOUS obvious, but they laid it out in a way where he made sense to me and I could put together why he's like that. I think I had like three separate posts about him and his relationship with Huilian (do I call her Huilian, or jiang?? is Jiang the last name??) but I really wanna focus here: I fucking adore how his past and his relationship with Huilian shaped his relationship with Seven. He fought tooth and nail and gave up everything he ever wanted to become powerful and worth something, and when this scrawny, 15 year old kid becomes a Shadow Killer without a single kill to his name, Redtooth feels threatened by him. To dare imply that this kid could somehow be on the same level as him? And then Redtooth couldn't beat him in that fight - mostly because he got stopped by Green Phoenix - and Redtooth is fucking furious he can't win. He needs the be stronger than Seven, he has to be better than this literal child! And he isn't and his hatred just festers and festers and he just wants Seven dead. And it's not said out loud but this is so obviously because of the way he had been treated in the Heaven Lily sect, and it's just so insanely well written the way his past warps the way he interacts with the world around him. I think this goes for everybody, just their past and present always feel so beautifully connected and so well represented in the way they act.

Green Phoenix: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

okay actually. like I feel like there's so much to say about him and I don't know where to START bro. mainly I adore his relationship with Thirteen. During season 2 I was impartial about him, and during season 3 I did not like him - I mean I loved seeing him and he's so cool, but as a character I hated him (not as much as I did redtooth tho) because I only understood that he was just using Thirteen. He's such a glaringly obvious replacement for her father, he is her weakness in every situation because he matters so much to her, being that he's the closest thing she has to a father, even if he's ruthless - I mean, in her eyes, being ruthless and teaching her to be the way she is was all she ever wanted. And then in season 4 he admits that he used her, every step of the way, from the very beginning, and yet through all that he could never predict that he'd care for her so much and love her like a real daughter, I fucking cried. I cried so hard. I have so many daddy issues I do not know how to deconstruct these two's relationship. I mean, the show has such a MASSIVE emphasis on protection, and your loved ones, and Seven's constant motivation is his adoration for the bonds between the people around him, and just .. the most calculated and cold Shadow Killer, the "weakest" yet the smartest, being unable to account for the love he could feel for someone he saw like his daughter and letting that ruin his decade or better of planning. It's so perfect. He's so perfect. I love that he's not explicitly forgiven or he never tries to say that Thirteen shouldn't be upset. She's reasonably disappointed and you can see it in her face - but when he hands over his sword to her to take her as a real disciple, to pass on the art of Green Cloud as if she were his own daughter, he's not forgiven, it doesn't make up for it, but it means so much. Thirtreen changes his perspective forever - as the Prince of Green Cloud, it was always his priority, and his revenge for what the leader of the Shadow Killers did does not mean killing him, it doesn't mean destroying the Shadow Killers, but it means letting Green Cloud live on through Thirteen. He tried to kill all of Green Cloud and erase it and he failed, and Green Phoenix may not be able to kill the leader, or to ruin the Shadow Killers, but the key difference is: every Shadow Killer is doomed to die in the act of killing - as White Fox says - and they are. Green Cloud will never die. It lives on in Thirteen. But Redtooth has died and come back already, Green Phoenix is dead, Blackbird is dead, and Manjusaka is dead - or at least they were wounded fatally enough I don't think they're getting back up.

I think I love most of all how loveable all these characters are (Manjusaka is ....... sometimes, she is! She sure is a character sometimes!!) despite the fact they are point blank the villains in the story. That they're an obstacle that, in most cases, have to die. That doesn't stop them from being loveable, from having such intricate backstories and detailed personalities, and sometimes it feels like nobody is the villain aside from the leader, given how fervently everyone believes in their own motivations and wants. But that doesn't redeem or ignore the things they have done - Manjusaka killed a group of random people just for talking shit, Redtooth is a conniving, evil and broken man shaped by his past, Green Phoenix spent almost his entire life tunnel visioned on a revenge plan that ultimately almost ruined the person he cherished most, Blackbird is known for being somebody who tortures and psychologically ruins people, a brutal, prideful man with a fallen apart sect that he can no longer save. They've all done such objectively awful things and yet they're written so well and motivated so beautifully that it doesn't always justify or dismiss the things they've done, but you're capable of loving them anyways. Being an obstacle in Seven's path doesn't make them two dimensional or black and white 'evil.' The writing is just so insanely good in this fucking show. I feel like I could (andprobablyhave) go on for days about it because just. Everytime I feel like I'm done talking there's more to talk about. GOD this show needs a bigger fanbase there's so much thought and love put into it and just AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Sorry this answer got so long nonnie ;; I know you might've been expecting something a lot shorter and condensed just once I get started talking about this show I can't stop. I'm like a dog in a cage and if you put your fingers through the bars I WILL bite (start babbling about scissor seven) and I feel like this isn't even the full extent of how much I could talk about these motherfuckers. I do better when I'm asked specific questions because god there's just so much in this show and so much to talk about when I'm asked general questions it's so hard to get everything out. Anyways thank you so much for the opportunity to rant I love you with my heart I love meeting and talking to scissor seven fans it's so wonderful okay ily have a good day

[the-bleeding-typewriter]

desperate whumpees and deterioration

One of my favorite tropes of all time is when a whumpee has to fight to reach not just safety, but also the safety of a loved one/innocent person, specifically when the situation gets progressively worse. The whole ordeal is just completely downhill, starting off badly with an injury that only gets worse until they can reach true safety, watching Whumpee decay and give more and more until they simply can't. Bonus points if Whumpee is the leader.

Like, colosseum-like/tournament situations are a great premise.

Accumulating injuries with each round; starting off without a scratch and slowly gaining more broken bones, cuts and bruises, crushed digits, etc.

Eventually even losing mobility in a limb, having an eye swell shut, or some other injury that could potentially prove fatal in combat

With each fight won, Whumpee becomes more exhausted, more ruthless, caked in blood (their own, and of others)

Wilderness survival is fantastic, too.

Rationing materials and slowly running out of food, bandages, etc.

Whumpee sacrificing their own wellbeing for others they feel are under their care; giving their rations to others, so on and so forth...

Desperate & Deteriorating usually goes hand-in-hand with other tropes like Hidden Injury, Downplaying Injury, Self-Sacrifice, Leader Whump, Exposure, Blood Loss, Exhaustion, etc. I love it because the trope is most often found in really long fics that slowly and steadily bring Whumpee and Team to their absolute limit. They're comprehensive and entertaining.

Below the cut is a list of fic recs of various fandoms that fit in the desperate & deteriorating trope!

Most of these are from my ff net list of favorited stories. I haven't truly dipped into my ao3 bookmarks. These are all truly amazing and many are quite long! Enjoy!

Star Trek (2009) | 4 works

The Rules of a Good Man by: Kanae Yuna

Jim's crew has been threatened because of him and he will do anything to protect them. But this time, to save everyone that Jim has ever held dear, Jim will have to give up everything. And it may be more than he can give. Rated: Fiction T | English | Drama/Hurt/Comfort | J. Kirk | Chapters: 19 | Words: 151,813 | Status: Complete

Ingenious Idiot by: Kanae Yuna

"The truth is plain and simple: James T. Kirk is a genius, even under the most unfavorable conditions..." A series of one-shots where Jim shows his ingenuity while he's bleeding, poisoned, or just hurt in some general way. Rated: Fiction T | English | Hurt/Comfort/Adventure | J. Kirk - Chapters: 18 | Words: 286,744 | Status: Complete

What Sulu Sees by: IsmayDeVain

How Kirk Slowly Endears Himself to His Crew by Becoming a Human Punching Bag, Plunging off a 300 Foot Cliff, Getting Crushed by a Giant Ass Pipe, Nearly Getting Blown to Itty Bitty Bits, and Suffocating Because of His Own Medically Inept Body. (Although, not necessarily in that order.) Or five times Kirk puts his crew before himself and one time they return the favor. Rated: Fiction T | English | Hurt/Comfort/Family | H. Sulu, L. McCoy/Bones, J. Kirk, Spock | Chapters: 6 | Words: 53,837 | Status: Complete

Allegiance by: IsmayDeVain

It's no secret that Jim Kirk will lay down his life for his crew. But when an alien race holds five of Jim's crew hostage, he has to bargain for their freedom with only himself as collateral. What is he willing to sacrifice to save their lives: life, liberty, or limbs? Rated: Fiction T | English | Hurt/Comfort/Drama | Words: 13,468 | Status: Complete

Stargate: Atlantis | 15 works

Skipping the Angles by: T'Pring

Sheppard and Team land on a violent planet and find themselves caught up in the local Clan's battle for leadership. John is injured, friends are not what they seem, and the jumper won't be back for twelve more hours. Cue action, knives, and thugs. Rated: Fiction T | English | Hurt/Comfort | John S. | Chapters: 6 | Words: 31,461 | Status: Complete

Zorro's Legacy by: ShepsReyna

Sheppard and team go on a vacation, but it turns out to be a struggle just to survive. Set in early Season Four so spoilers up through at least the first half. Shepcentric with lots of Shep whump. Some violence and language but mostly like regular T.V Rated: Fiction T | English | Hurt/Comfort/Friendship | John S. | Chapters: 12 | Words: 26,057 | Status: Complete

Tunnel Vision by: T'Pring

Sheppard's in a cold dark place, literally. Rodney must guide John through a monster-infested tunnel before either broken ribs, killer cockroaches, or radiation kills him. Written for Sheppard H/C Winter Fic Exchange 2014 over on LiveJournal. Rated: Fiction T | English | Hurt/Comfort | Rodney M., John S., Teyla E., Ronon D. | Chapters: 3 | Words: 12,445 | Status: Complete

Grit by: SGAFan

When a routine mission goes wrong, John and his team find out that sometimes in the wilds of the Pegasus galaxy, you're not always on the top of the food chain. Written for LJ GenFicAThon 2012. Team Gen Story. Rated: Fiction K+ | English | Adventure | John S. | Words: 11,000 | Status: Complete

Hope Is A Waking Dream by scifi_karis

Trapped on a world in which he cannot escape and knowing his team believes he is dead, Sheppard is on the run with no team, no backup, and no chance of rescue. Rated: General Audiences | English | Hurt/Comfort | John Sheppard | Chapters: 18 | Words: 25,410 | Status: Complete

End Game by: Kristen999

John is forced to fight for his life and the lives of his teammates. His opponent may be the most formidable he has ever faced... oh, and there’s also deadly radiation, freezing temps and hypoxia. Rated: Fiction T | English | Hurt/Comfort/Adventure | John S. | Words: 20,711 | Status: Complete

Dogs of War by: Stealth Dragon

After being captured, Sheppard is separated from his team. Big mistake. Shep whump, some team whump. Violence, language. Gen all the way. Rated: Fiction T | English | Hurt/Comfort/Adventure | John S. | Words: 14,843 | Status: Complete

The Gang Goes Gladiator by ObsessiveExplosion

The team struggles to get back to Atlantis with a desperately-injured John after Ronon participates in a Gladiator-style fight that goes wrong. Rated: | English | Hurt/Comfort, Team Fic | John. S | Chapters: 11 | Words: 40,972 | Status: Complete

Where the Buffalo Roam by: Titan5

Sheppard’s team is forced to depend on the locals after he is injured and the gate malfunctions. Rated: Fiction T | English | Hurt/Comfort/Friendship | Words: 13,449 | Status: Complete

Another Step by: Eildon Rhymer

Pursued by men who want to kill him, an injured Sheppard struggles to find his way back to his team. Rated: Fiction K+ | English | Hurt/Comfort | John S., Ronon D. | Words: 5,685 | Status: Complete

Black Water by: Kristen999

Bogs, bullets, bugs, and bonding. Sheppard and the Team are in trouble and things go downhill from there. Rated: Fiction K+ | English | Hurt/Comfort/Adventure | John S. | Words: 5,689 | Status: Complete

Waiting For Atlantis by: Stealth Dragon

Crash landing, iceplanet, wraith, and injuries. Yep, just another day in Pegasus for our team. Rated: Fiction T | English | Hurt/Comfort/Adventure | Words: 11,229 | Status: Complete

Significant Figures by: T'Pring

Wounded, alone, and pursued by ruthless bandits, John must depend on his team to figure out the clues he's left for them. Rated: Fiction T | English | Hurt/Comfort | John S. | Chapters: 4 | Words: 18,068 | Status: Complete

Consanguinity by: Lucilla2

When the team seeks shelter from violent weather during a mission, Sheppard comes out the loser during an encounter with the local wildlife. Shep whump. COMPLETE. But there is now a SEQUEL to this fic, called Grounded. Rated: Fiction T | English | Friendship/Hurt/Comfort | John S., Rodney M. | Chapters: 4 | Words: 15,997 | Status: Complete

Grounded by: Lucilla2

The sequel to and continuation of my earlier fic ‘Consanguinity’. The Team helps Sheppard get back on his feet after he’s been injured, with a dose of Shep whump when his recovery suffers a setback. Gen Team friendship fic, plus Beckett. Now COMPLETE. Rated: Fiction T | English | Friendship/Hurt/Comfort | John S. | Chapters: 8 | Words: 26,679 | Status: Complete

Guardians of the Galaxy | 2 works

The Quirks of Terran Biology by: Eileen

When Peter falls ill, he insists it's no big deal. His team, however, disagree, especially when they find out about a volatile little Terran organ called an appendix. Conclusion up now! Thanks everyone, it's been a wild ride! Rated: Fiction K+ | English | Hurt/Comfort/Friendship | Chapters: 7 | Words: 41,889 | Status: Complete

Morphalite Syndrome by: Fairytale Warrior

It started with a brawl and a half-charged blast of plasma. Sample: "All he could say for sure, was no-one [...] had been aware of the danger until it smacked Peter upside the head. Metaphorically, of course. Literally, it was the heated, still-capsuled mass of energy that slammed into his back, buried through his subcostal nerve, and into the kidney beneath." *Rating may change. Rated: Fiction T | English | Hurt/Comfort/Friendship | Drax, Gamora, Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Rocket R. | Chapters: 10 | Words: 33,708 | Status: Complete

[nagirambles]

Hi I was wondering do you have any HCs or theories on Mira , Laxus or Erza as guild masters ? All 3 of them have potential Mira cause she likes how rowdy the guild is , plus she worked with the master as well , Laxus he had character development as well as wishes to be the master while Erza did come the master for a short time we never seen what type of master she would have been. Hope this ask ok,hope your doing ok and ignore the haters ,their just losers. sending love your way🎂

This sounds like a fun idea! I talked about Laxus being Guild Master before so here, I'll focus on the other two this time then.

I really do think any of the prominent characters in the guild becoming guild master would be a good finality to the character arc for them, and I really love that about Fairy Tail. Other than these three I can think most notably of Cana having an amazing reign as Master. But we're not here to talk about that.

Starting with Erza! She pretty much did become Master but Mashima was a coward I'm joking so. I honestly think she could become the honourable female leader that Knightwalker couldn't be post-Edolas. Revered, respected, and beloved in Magnolia--- noble, humble, and graceful. Honestly, I think she'd most fit the image of a 'guild master' that we expect to see in fantasy stories. The badass woman in the back of the guild, whose sword can destroy continents, who everyone fears and relies on. She lets everyone run wild in her guild, she joins in and encourages brawls, sometimes she even starts them! She beats you up with a smile on your face. But when danger comes, she's the front of the line, roaring to declare the charge. I suppose when the generation comes around, she'll be known as 'greatest female swordsman in the nation, the guild master of Fairy Tail', and she would be such a prominent draw. She's the kind of character you see in fantasy stories set up at the end goal or something, and she undeniably lives up to the name. Fairy Tail will definitely start growing more into its name with her as the Master, and I really do feel it's such a fun way for the guild to advance and live on with Mavis' whimsical spirit.

Erza becoming guild master means a lot to her as a character. She comes to the guild to chase after the remnant of Grandpa Rob, and it's so fitting for the message of 'putting yourself at risk to protect what's important to you/family' that FT represents. She has this dilemma the most in the guild, it's a struggle she constantly reminds herself to overcome from TOH to Tenrou (you don't die for your friends, you live for them). She stops Jupiter, she stops Natsu vs Gray with her bare hands. She sacrifices all her feelings to hand Jellal over to the council in Nirvana, and later helps Wendy out of the same broken heart. Remember when Rob died to protect her, and Makarov (almost) died to protect Fairy Tail at Alvarez-- it seems fitting that this selfless desire to see the next generation persist all lives on in her. She continues a parallel, and the position just seems right. She has genuine character growth that doesn't discredit her selfless nature as dumb and unnecessary-- she slowly grows to learn what's worth sacrificing for, what's worth living for, and when to make tough decisions, and all of that are great building blocks to becoming someone that can lead the next generation of selfless idiots.

Onto Mirajane! I envision Mira being so unsuspecting honestly. Imagine the boss of a big company coming by in a janitor's outfit, cleaning the floors. She leads VIPs to the empty master's office and serves them tea and stares at them from the doorway. She waits until a full ten minutes has passed before cracking up and telling you she's the Master, actually, how do you not recognize the person you have a meeting with? That's Mirajane. That's Mirajane, poster girl and barmaiden of Fairy Tail, who serves everyone beers and cocktails day in and out. She has so much patience she lets the guild absolutely wreak itself to pieces, she'll rebuild it, it's fine~ she wouldn't even react if you accidentally destroy a whole upper floor. Total ara ara character, unbeatable big sister energy. Everyone worships her and hails her like a goddess. Because of this, I also see people underestimating her/thinking her position is something earned from being pretty, especially when her she-devil stories fade to history.

While I think Erza would continue taking plenty of missions everywhere, Mirajane would stay where she is in the guild, like Makarov, staying there and being the one consistent face that always welcomes you home no matter what you do, how long you've been gone, and what hour you've returned. She would wish you a safe journey as you go, and you can always be back with a warm meal and a dear song and party. (Just like how they all welcomed Lisanna home.) She becomes the living symbol of home and love and family to everyone in FT, and I think that's very fitting for the character that's always symbolized motherhood and big-sisterhood to me in Fairy Tail. She has the most love and warmth in the guild that she extends to anyone (Yukino, for example) and she's definitely the kind to pick up stray children and bring them into the guild. Of course, when mom's angry, everyone better pray for their lives!

That's all! Thanks for the ask!

[jessmindspace]

Hailing from a planet of genetically-engineered assassins, Taran was tasked by his master to kill Renata--the assassin of his master's business rival--but instead proposed a shaky alliance with her when he convinced her to join forces and go into mercenary work together instead of continuing to work for their respective owners.  After they got rid of their masters, they pooled their resources for their new life on the run. Things were pretty tense between them at first before they got to (slowly) know each other better.  The real shift in the relationship was when Renata got injured by one of the Assassin Death Squads sent to hunt them down, and instead of leaving her behind, Taran fought off the Death Squad leader and patched up Renata.  Taran pointed out that Renata was the only person he cared about, and that he wouldn't know what to do if she was killed, and that he'd come to care for her--deeply.  Renata felt the same, and their relationship shifted from mere work partners to something more romantic. Personality

Fairly aloof, or at least he doesn’t show too much emotion which unnerves people.  Hides his emotions as a way of having an edge over others, and also as a way of protecting himself.  On the flip end, he’s ballistic when pushed over the edge (see: absolute carnage aftermath).

Strong sense of self-preservation that extends to Renata once he realizes he likes her companionship; morphs into selflessness when it comes to Renata and their family to the point where he’d rather they live if it comes down to him sacrificing himself.

Very straightforward with his hits.  Kill ‘em clean or dirty, depending on how much they fight back.

Knows how to quickly strategize in a tight spot.

Deflects Renata nagging/teasing him with sarcasm.

Socially awkward but doesn’t talk much to try to deal with that.

Routine things used to calm him down.

Leatherworking is both a hobby and a way to make money; uses what he makes for their own supplies/gear, but also sells some on the side.

“Manic panic”; the one who acts more unhinged when at the end of his rope since that long fuse can only go so far before he starts cracking under pressure.

“I’ll worry for the both of us.”

Acts as the bait in situations; the one to get into a tussle with the target(s) bodyguards while Renata sneaks in and takes out the target or picks up whatever it is they were hired to get.

Starts to exhibit guilt over his previous work when contracted as an assassin once he has a family and realizes he destroyed a lot of families without caring about it.

[astral1s]

Step 1: Basic OOC Information

Please start by providing the following details:

Your Alias, Timezone, & Pronouns: alyx, EST, she/her

Muse’s Name(s): cesar vicente

Tagging System Link: interactions: cesar, visage: cesar, inspiration: cesar

First Part of Your App ( Optional! ): [ oscar isaac, cis man,  he/him ] Look who just landed! CESAR VINCENTE, I sure hope you packed all you need. Perhaps you’re not worried as LEADER/POLITICIAN of THE GOLDEN TEARS/CITY OF NEW JAKARTA. The city has plenty of spots for a 45 year old HUMAN like you. You’ll be known in the city soon enough as THE SHADOW KING, being CHARMING and TWO-FACED.

Step 2: Muse’s Statistics

Full Name:  cesar valentin vicente

Nickname: n/a

Date of Birth: August 7th, 2360

Gender:  cis man

Pronouns: he/him

Sexual Orientation: bisexual

Romantic Orientation:  demiromantic

Current Age: 45

Modification: human

Affiliation: the golden tears

Birthplace: new jakarta

Current Neighbourhood: sora

Occupation: politician / leader of the golden tears

Known Languages: English, Spanish

Step 3: Choose Your Creation Style

Now, it’s time to personalise your introduction by choosing from the options below. Select one option (A - G) or a combination of them that best fits your muse’s story or personality. Let’s dive in and get creative!

OPTION A) TRADITIONAL BIOGRAPHY

THE BEGINNING: You were a wide-eyed thing buried deep in the slums of New Jakarta. You came from a home that was too cramped for your family, with too many siblings to count and parents who gave up on their offspring after the fifth child arrived. The harsh conditions of your upbringing taught you how to adapt to situations, but it also left you starving for a bigger purpose in life. As a child, that idea was to save the world--- or at least help children like you live a better life than you were dealt. Your starry-eyed beliefs led you to other like-minded individuals, and slowly, each one of you began to brainstorm ways to help bring equality to the city. You truly thought you were going to change the world for the better, but as you grew up, you learned that perhaps it's the world that changes you.

THE MIDDLE: Your childhood self disappeared and was replaced by a determined young man. You went off to college to help better your standing in life, choosing to focus on political science with the goal of changing this city through government connections. You were still as idealistic as ever, longing to play the role of a hero in New Jakarta's story, but that changed once you left college and began to get more involved with the political scene of the city. You began to learn that idealistic dreams won't get you the results you craved, so you began sacrificing bits and pieces of your soul in order to accomplish your tasks. Eventually, you began to abandon your dream of bringing equality to the people and focused more on your political career, even becoming the head of the Golden Tears in the process. You became a shadow of your former self, a snake who had shed his original skin, but you didn't care as long as you benefited in the end. That's what it was all about, right? Providing a better life for the kid who grew up in the slums?

THE END: As your youth faded away, you saw that idealistic kid as nothing more than a phantom memory. Your bright eyes and wide smile transformed into a faux warmth that carefully hid the coldness underneath and a ghost of a smirk carefully adorning your features. You became a pillar of your community as you took on the role of a senator who fought for equality and care for the most underprivileged citizens, only to turn around and supply the upper class with weapon parts and test subjects in the shadows. You were a two-sided coin, a shapeshifter who became whatever anyone wanted you to be in order to better yourself and your empire, and you had no regrets about how your future unfolded. You held the city in the palm of your hand, and you intended to do whatever it took to keep it that way. If you have to utter fake promises to the citizens, then so be it. They only need to see what's in the light--- not what's lurking in the shadows.

OPTION B) INSPIRATIONS

Show us what inspired your muse! Provide a Pinterest board that represents your muse and answer the following:

Pinterest link

Quote:  "Your hands are wet with the blood of an empire, you lick it off."

Label or Archetype:  The shadow king

Tropes :  the corrupt idealist, the two-faced politician, the charming hypocrite

Media Parallels:  frank underwood (house of cards), petyr baelish (game of thrones), cyrus beene (scandal)

Theme Song:  the devil is a gentleman by marci raines

[wevelocityteampresents-blog]

Pokémon Pocket Monsters DP Volume 1 - Chapter 2

Red and Clefairy get into a scuffle with the Gym Leader of an unofficial Pokémon Gym.

This chapter seems to be a step in the right direction for the saga after the last one. I like that there are unofficial Gyms like in the anime. Even though we never get to see the badge Dai awards to challengers, I still think that he has one saved up for people he can actually tolerate.

The jokes work well with the battles, which do a nice job of implementing moves that were introduced in the Diamond and Pearl versions. Further introducing new fans to the new mechanics of the latest Pokémon games. When it comes to Embargo, instead of shackling the opponent or pinning their held items to the ground, a Pokémon who uses Embargo in this manga shoots a ray at an item so that the opposing Pokémon can't use it. It's not a bad way to portray the move and adds some additional dread to make the situation more dire for the protagonists.

As for the new character, Dai, he was always a mystery to me. I remember reading this story years ago and wondered who this random Gym Leader was. He barely looked like any character from any piece of Diamond and Pearl media I knew of. When it came to translating this chapter, I thought he was based on a famous person of some kind. It turns out he's just an original character created by Anakubo for the manga.

If I'm being honest, I think this volume is an improvement over the Ruby-Sapphire series. With RS, I found it hard to stay engaged at times due to how slowly it took for the saga to truly begin. In Diamond and Pearl, though, the stories are more engaging, and new Pokémon species get a longer period in the spotlight. Besides that, each story has a lot more to comb through in terms of lore and writing.

MINI RANT

This scene isn't a representation of the current state of my health while working on this chapter.

I swear, it's nearly IMPOSSIBLE for me to do anything where I live. Since summer is on the horizon, the pollution problem has gotten noticeably worse. Since my stepmom always makes me keep the windows open, a ton of pollution passes into my room. I'm pretty much forced to work in a safer part of the house or at the library where I can actually get work done. But that's not the worst part of it all...

Would you believe me if I told you that I've only been able to get about 4 hours of sleep every night since Saturday? It's taken such a toll on my health that my sides and stomach ache whenever I sit down, and I get a little delirious when things don't work out right. No matter how many naps I take during the morning, my mind is still in an unstable state. I'm so tired that I skip out on playing Pokémon Violet or Pokkén Tournament DX because I know I lack the brainpower necessary to strategize against others online.

I try to be nice to myself. But it's tough to stay positive when it seems like the whole world is against you or wants you dead for being too different. Sometimes, I wonder why my parents thought it was a good idea to leave me with my neglectful stepfamily. It honestly feels like every good decision I make in my life is jeopardized by the things I have to go through in my house on a daily basis.

If I can't get any sleep tonight, I'll just munch on some apple slices and translate the third chapter. At least I'd be sacrificing my life to get this manga into the eyes of other people from across the globe.

[sunder-the-gold]

Additionally or alternatively, I would play on the dual-theme of Oripathy and Self-Sacrifice.

Not all operators are idealists, but Rhodes Island attracts idealists in the pursuit of its ideals. Blaze frequently pushes herself too hard. Ifrit is less of an idealist (though she becomes more of one as she emulates Saria) but similarly abuses her health by casting her fire from her Oripathy without her flame-thrower.

Amiya has to explicitly command her people to not throw their lives away for the sake of the mission, and I think it doesn’t actually stop anyone.

How horrible and horrifying might that look from the outside? Facing an extremely motivated, very self-sacrificing group of people who have nothing left to lose, who are defending the only home they have left in the world, who will burn their lives away for temporary power, who have the backing of excellent medics whose healing Arts keep them going just a little bit longer?

A little bit like fighting Mephisto and his Abominations again.

replicating the content under the 'Keep Reading' cut, for preservation purposes:

'Sage’s Obsidian Juggernaut’ - “A force of nature as unstoppable as it is unexplainable, not dissimilar to the Sage herself.” - Mon3tr. Effect: [Meltdown]: The Juggernaut’s Ranged attacks deal True Damage in a line, piercing through the targeted ally and hitting those behind them, leaving a damage over time effect for a few seconds. The Juggernaut’s Melee attacks deal high Physical damage. After being hit a number of times (10), the Juggernaut’s next attack will deal increased True damage and afflict the target with a longer damage over time effect that stacks. [Fallout]: Enemies defeated by True damage instances of the Juggernaut have increased redeployment time.

'Scholar’s Mate’* - “Unusually durable and tenacious pieces. They can be reused, over and over. Useful in disrupting enemy tactics.” -> W (Ranged Physical), Ines (Ranged Arts), and Hoederer (Melee Physical). They spawn at the same time. [Kriegspiel]**: All 'Scholar’s Mate’ must be defeated roughly at the same time, otherwise, they revive at 50% HP after a delay. [Queen’s Gambit]*: The red-horned 'Scholar’s Mate’ plants bombs on three units in range, detonating after 3 seconds. Units defeated by this attack or an attack shortly after [Queen’s Gambit] have increased redeployment time. [En Passant]*: The black-horned 'Scholar’s Mate’ presence in the battlefield slows down DP generation by 50%. Cannot be blocked, but moves slowly. [Albin Countergambit]*: The male 'Scholar’s Mate’ presence in the battlefield reduces SP Recovery rate by 30%. Attacks halt target’s SP recovery momentarily, and don’t reward SP to “Defensive” type Skills. *Various chess moves. **'Kriegspiel’ is also known as “blind chess”, in which two players play against each other 'blind’, that is, they can’t see the opponent’s pieces. For this purpose, a third person, an umpire, is necessary to oversee the game.

'The King’ - “The embodiment of tomorrow, incarnation of our hopes, and our dearest friend.” - Theresa. Effect: [Noblesse Oblige]: Raises the ATK and DEF of every enemy in the field. Effect increased for Leaders. [Civilight Eterna]: Swings sword in a circular area around herself, dealing high True damage and reducing Max HP and DEF of allies hit. Leaves a [Regal Pulsation] behind on each use. [Regal Pulsation]: Every time 'The King’ uses [Civilight Eterna], [Regal Pulsations] activate and replicate [Civilight Eterna] wherever they are. Can stack on top of each other. [Dead Position]*: 'The King’ pours powerful Sarkaz Arts into the closest Ranged tile to her position, inundating it with dangerous Arts and rendering the tile unusable for the rest of the map. Immediately retreats the unit standing on the tile, and starts spilling onto other tiles. If there’s Operators standing on these tiles, the spread is halted and they receive Arts damage continuously. If there’s no Operator in the tile, after a few seconds, [Dead Position] spills over and makes that tile unusable. Can spill to Melee tiles. All [Dead Positions] vanish and become reusable if 'The King’ is defeated. *A “dead position” is a position where neither player can mate the opponent’s king with any series of legal moves. Effectively a draw.

'King’s Pupa’ - “With time, she, too, can be a king.” -> Amiya. Effect: [Chimera]: 'King’s Pupa’ slowly charges SP over time. Receives SP each time an enemy is defeated and each time an ally is defeated. Once SP is full, activates [Pawn Ascension]. [Pawn Ascension]*: 'King’s Pupa’ turns into another 'The King’. Avoid this at all costs. *Pawn ascension or pawn promotion is when your pawn reaches the other side of the board in chess and you can promote it into another piece, such as a rook, bishop, etc. Most players, of course, promote their pawns into queens.

’[NULL]’ - “[CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. CLEARANCE IS INSUFFICIENT TO ACCESS THESE FILES. IN CASE OF ANY ERROR OR QUESTIONS, CONTACT THE SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR]” -> Doctor. Effect: [Resign]: ’[NULL]’ only appears after every other enemy has been defeated. No attacks, slowly trudges forward. They must be defeated to put an end to this. It was a good game.

I really would like to see the idea, the concept, of the current Doctor quite literally having a showdown with their past, current tactics vs past tactics, current ideals vs past ideals, to prove that today’s idealism isn’t mere bluster, that one needn’t rely on sacrifice to get to the finish line, that we can all get there, we simply need to find a way, because it’d be not only a showdown of morality and to prove one’s growth, it’d also entail having to defeat the shadows, plural, of the past, regrets, joys, all of it. Uproot the old, and change for the better, even if it means having to say one final farewell to beloved friends. Even if it means testing yourself against yourself, and them. It’s because you would test yourself against yourself that it means something, after all.

What are your thoughts of a possible Arknights event where you get to strategize against your own operators?

Like how W was a boss first but became an Operator, but it's you going against waves of Rhodes Island Reserve Ops (the no names) and occasionally Amiya or Texas or Kal'tsit + Mon3tr show up as the bosses.

I've thought about this, whether that be some sort of endgame "Doctor vs. Doctor" scenario or some what if event (something like PRTS replicating a perfect facsimile of pre-amnesia Doctor, or a battle-inside-the-mind existential showdown kind of deal, etc, plenty of ways one could provide context for this). Vigilo specifically made me think about this a lot, and I keep revisiting the concept in my brain palace now and then.

Regardless of how we get there, I'd love to see it. Personally, I'd lean into the vs. Pre-amnesia Doctor angle. Enemies would never really be referred to by name specifically, but gameplay and sprites would make it obvious, or at least indicative, as to who they are. Every enemy unit would have some sort of fuzzy mosaic effect covering their face.

Mooks would be Reserve Ops and the sort of RI/Babel Operator we see in cutscenes, the good ol' generics. Given how much Pre-Amnesia Doctor has been likened to a machine-like chessmaster, I think chess terminology would be fitting, although it needn't be used exclusively, especially for whenever it would be thematically appropriate not to use it. Generic footsoliders would be "Pawns", for example, and would very clearly be wearing Rhodes Island uniforms and colors (blue and black colors, mix of tactical gear and urban clothing). You'd have other more advanced units like snipers (Bishops), specialists (Knights), and hard-hitting, beefier units (Rooks).

There would be plenty of boss/midboss units, and their "tooltip" (the little pop up that appears mid-stage when a new units is introduced) would be entirely narrative. For example, you'd have:

'Ever-Marching Bulwark' - "The giant that carried the world if ordered to. No matter how grim the situation, he would always find a way to dispel the miasma." -> Ace. Effect: [Bulwark]: Ranged units will prioritize him if he's in range. Requires 2 Block to block. [Castled King]*: High HP, DEF and RES; Physical damage will raise his DEF, but decrease his RES. Arts damage will raise his RES, but decrease his DEF. *"Castling" is a chess technique used to protect the King.

'Unsung Champion' - "The hero killed and loved silently, like the shadow of a dear ghost. He could spot weakness in enemies as easily as virtue in friends." -> Scout. Effect: [Gaze of the Wraith]: Uses Ranged Physical attacks with no limit on range. Every 4 attacks, the next attack will target the unit with less DEF on the map. The amount of attacks needed to trigger this special ability decreases by 1 each time it is activated, also increasing damage dealt. Resets upon changing targets. [J'adoube]*: This enemy's route is determined by the number of allied units (the player's units) in its path. Unsung Champion will warp to the route with less units overall (melee and ranged) between it and the Defense Point (practically speaking, it checks every couple of seconds and warps to a tile equivalent to how much progress he's made). *"J'adoube" ("I knight"), or "adjust", is a special call in chess where you are letting your opponent know you're about to move a piece in the board, usually to center it on its square or if it gets otherwise displaced accidentally.

'Selfless Sage' - "Some could call her nosy, some could call her foolish, but the undeniable truth is that even if it dims her own fire, she'll fill this world with as much light as she can." -> Kal'tsit. Effect: [Selflessness & Spite]: Heals enemies at long range. Prioritizes 'Sage's Obsidian Juggernaut', then 'King's Pupa', then 'The King', then Leaders, and finally regular enemies. [Remorse & Rebirth]: Upon reaching 50% HP or if all active Leaders are defeated, spawns 'Sage's Obsidian Juggernaut'.

Making a cut here due to post length.

'Sage's Obsidian Juggernaut' - "A force of nature as unstoppable as it is unexplainable, not dissimilar to the Sage herself." - Mon3tr. Effect: [Meltdown]: The Juggernaut's Ranged attacks deal True Damage in a line, piercing through the targeted ally and hitting those behind them, leaving a damage over time effect for a few seconds. The Juggernaut's Melee attacks deal high Physical damage. After being hit a number of times (10), the Juggernaut's next attack will deal increased True damage and afflict the target with a longer damage over time effect that stacks. [Fallout]: Enemies defeated by True damage instances of the Juggernaut have increased redeployment time.

'Scholar's Mate'* - "Unusually durable and tenacious pieces. They can be reused, over and over. Useful in disrupting enemy tactics." -> W (Ranged Physical), Ines (Ranged Arts), and Hoederer (Melee Physical). They spawn at the same time. [Kriegspiel]**: All 'Scholar's Mate' must be defeated roughly at the same time, otherwise, they revive at 50% HP after a delay. [Queen's Gambit]*: The red-horned 'Scholar's Mate' plants bombs on three units in range, detonating after 3 seconds. Units defeated by this attack or an attack shortly after [Queen's Gambit] have increased redeployment time. [En Passant]*: The black-horned 'Scholar's Mate' presence in the battlefield slows down DP generation by 50%. Cannot be blocked, but moves slowly. [Albin Countergambit]*: The male 'Scholar's Mate' presence in the battlefield reduces SP Recovery rate by 30%. Attacks halt target's SP recovery momentarily, and don't reward SP to "Defensive" type Skills. *Various chess moves. **'Kriegspiel' is also known as "blind chess", in which two players play against each other 'blind', that is, they can't see the opponent's pieces. For this purpose, a third person, an umpire, is necessary to oversee the game.

'The King' - "The embodiment of tomorrow, incarnation of our hopes, and our dearest friend." - Theresa. Effect: [Noblesse Oblige]: Raises the ATK and DEF of every enemy in the field. Effect increased for Leaders. [Civilight Eterna]: Swings sword in a circular area around herself, dealing high True damage and reducing Max HP and DEF of allies hit. Leaves a [Regal Pulsation] behind on each use. [Regal Pulsation]: Every time 'The King' uses [Civilight Eterna], [Regal Pulsations] activate and replicate [Civilight Eterna] wherever they are. Can stack on top of each other. [Dead Position]*: 'The King' pours powerful Sarkaz Arts into the closest Ranged tile to her position, inundating it with dangerous Arts and rendering the tile unusable for the rest of the map. Immediately retreats the unit standing on the tile, and starts spilling onto other tiles. If there's Operators standing on these tiles, the spread is halted and they receive Arts damage continuously. If there's no Operator in the tile, after a few seconds, [Dead Position] spills over and makes that tile unusable. Can spill to Melee tiles. All [Dead Positions] vanish and become reusable if 'The King' is defeated. *A "dead position" is a position where neither player can mate the opponent’s king with any series of legal moves. Effectively a draw.

'King's Pupa' - "With time, she, too, can be a king." -> Amiya. Effect: [Chimera]: 'King's Pupa' slowly charges SP over time. Receives SP each time an enemy is defeated and each time an ally is defeated. Once SP is full, activates [Pawn Ascension]. [Pawn Ascension]*: 'King's Pupa' turns into another 'The King'. Avoid this at all costs. *Pawn ascension or pawn promotion is when your pawn reaches the other side of the board in chess and you can promote it into another piece, such as a rook, bishop, etc. Most players, of course, promote their pawns into queens.

'[NULL]' - "[CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. CLEARANCE IS INSUFFICIENT TO ACCESS THESE FILES. IN CASE OF ANY ERROR OR QUESTIONS, CONTACT THE SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR]" -> Doctor. Effect: [Resign]: '[NULL]' only appears after every other enemy has been defeated. No attacks, slowly trudges forward. They must be defeated to put an end to this. It was a good game.

I really would like to see the idea, the concept, of the current Doctor quite literally having a showdown with their past, current tactics vs past tactics, current ideals vs past ideals, to prove that today's idealism isn't mere bluster, that one needn't rely on sacrifice to get to the finish line, that we can all get there, we simply need to find a way, because it'd be not only a showdown of morality and to prove one's growth, it'd also entail having to defeat the shadows, plural, of the past, regrets, joys, all of it. Uproot the old, and change for the better, even if it means having to say one final farewell to beloved friends. Even if it means testing yourself against yourself, and them. It's because you would test yourself against yourself that it means something, after all.

[blankrslate07]

• The Generals/Children of the Wretched Lord •

CW: Contains mentions of child abuse, slavery, torture and implications of child death.

• Yuna, The Master of Weaponry and The Butterfly Harbinger (1,509)

The first child to ever be brought into the Lord's household. Yuna had been the first son of a family that had tried to keep underwraps that they had been contacting the Exorcist groups and assisting them with medical supplies and providing shelter for them. Even at a young age, Yuna knew that this was a dangerous act that would be regarded as treason against the Lord with the punishment of a painful death over his head. So he kept quiet about, hardly even went out because of this overwhelming fear for both himself and his family. He had tried to dissuade his parents from their dangerous activities, but they wouldn't listen, they even become furious for him suggesting that the Lord will find out and most likely punish them all for their treason, but apologized in the end and assured him that they would all be fine as long as they kept quiet and stayed within their house helping those in need.

One day, his fears become reality when a spy of the Lord caught sight of his parents' involvement with the Exorcists. As such, that little quiet home that had nursed so many back to health then became filled with screams of horror, the bodies of patients torn apart and eaten, and Yuna's siblings slowly being tortured and killed before him and his parents' eyes, with Yuna himself saved up for last. Yet, for reasons unknown, just as the Lord was about to begin the horrid torture, he suddenly stopped his eager servants with a snap and looked at the sobbing boy closely. The Lord observed Yuna like he was an object for sale in the market before nodding with a pale grin, stating that he'd make a good "gift" for his Pet since he had been rather mopey this year. With that, the Lord took the child away from his horrified parents before they too were tortured and slaughtered like the rest of their patients and their children.

Yuna had expected to be subjected into a nightmare that would never end, as a form of punishment against his own family for the crime of even thinking about going against the Lord, to be handed to the mysterious Pet that no one knew. He feared he would be treated like a slave, yet instead, he was met with unsure yet gentle hands that tried their best in order to comfort him and protect him from the moments of rage the Lord has. Eventually, Yuna began to latch onto the Pet and saw him as a father figure. Despite losing his family in such a brutal way, the two began to form a familial bond due to being in a similar situation of being taken away from everything they have ever known and loved by a man that only craved for more and more. As he grew up, he began to see the Pet as a form of father figure to him, even began training in various forms of weaponry and hand-to-hand combat as he grew older. Yuna would've preferred to live like this until the end of his days until the Lord finally took notice of his progress and took over in training Yuna instead. Unlike the Pet, the Lord's own brand of training was harsh and brutal, to the point that it began to psychologically effect Yuna in order to cope with it as he was forced to kill countless of innocent lives for the sake of one being all the while commanding the same group of beings that joyfully slaughtered his former family into committing the same atrocities against others all for the fun of it. Everytime he tried to stop this horror, he was punished until he began to slowly accept it so that he or the Pet may not get hurt.

By the time he had become 24 years old, Yuna was no longer the shy and quiet child he had been back then. Instead, he had turned into a cold and ruthless person with no concerns of sacrificing others for the sake of a mission, thus was the ideal leader for more sensitive cases that must be handled with a careful and reliable hand. There was still a bit of goodness within his heart, though that was only ever reserved for the Pet and his siblings. Despite having some form of respect for his Lord, Yuna does not in any way love him and is in fact rather resentful of the Lord for taking his former family away and his treatment of his current family.

Upon being turned into a Forsaken by the Lord, Yuna developed the ability to create and summon various types of weapons at high speeds and at large numbers, allowing him to decimate enemies within minutes. Besides that, he is also able to change the shape and size of these weapons into something inconspicuous, such as changing a bomb into the size of a marble that would still result in causing the same damage as a normal bomb. His favoured method is creating a swarm of butterflies that are in reality sharp blades that will cut his opponents into pieces or shield him from attacks.

• Emiriel, The False Seraph (1,435)

The second child who had managed to survive within the household of the Lord since Yuna, who had become a General 50 years ago. He had resided within an orphanage that had each and every child fighting for a single scrap of food and comfort to last the night. Emiriel had been one of the weaker children, so he was naturally targeted more often as he couldn't fight back. Instead, in order to keep going on, he began to lie. He lied to survive, even if it meant the damnation of others. The more he lied, the more he began to get better at it, to the point his tongue began to run silver and even began to convince the adults to play to his tune as they turned against each other. Sometimes it was amusing for him to see all the fools listening to his lies and half truths, but sometimes it was boring to see how easily they all fell for it and began to fight one another as Emiriel collected the spoils all for himself, not caring who may or may not die.

Yet all of it changed when Emiriel returned to the orphanage up in flames after becoming collateral damage after a fight between the Lord, his servants and the Exorcists, leaving only Emiriel as the sole survivor. He had tried to run back into the forest to hide, but it was too late as one of the Wretched had spotted him, grabbing him with the intent to eat him had the Lord not appeared and demanded what spoils the lower being caught. Fearfully, the lowly Wretched present Emiriel who was struggling not to showcase his fear with a calm façade. Of course, this didn't fool the Lord in the slightest, but it had piqued his interest. Upon examining the frightened child more, he came to the conclusion and claimed the child as his own. Another "gift" for his Pet.

Emiriel had expected that this would be the end of him, thinking that the Pet would be nearly as cruel as his master. Instead, he was met with a quiet yet bitter person that held him with the gentlest of hands. Despite the Pet's own bitterness of his captivity, he still tried to raise the young boy as well as he could. As for Emiriel, he did what he had always done, he lied and acted like a happy little boy to adjust into this new lifestyle. His new life within the Lord's fortress was one of luxury for sure, yet one of terror as well due to living under the gaze of a being that could kill him for the smallest mistake. Instead, he found comfort within the Pet who never judged him for his lies and callous mindset, who always tried to protect him when the Lord was having one of his fits. Eventually he began to see the Pet as both father figure and the only person he can truly trust to tell the truth, to the point that Emiriel has only ever cried when the two of them are alone. However, by the time that Emiriel reached his teens, the Lord started to participate more in his life. It was an exhausting experience to say the least, as it had involved numerous brutal training in weaponry and hand-to-hand combat, along with being told how to lie to anybody. He just kept on smiling, smiling, and smiling.

When he had reached to become 22 years old, Emiriel had become such a skilled liar to the point that he could most likely con the devil out of hell if he wished so. His own emotions became even more guarded as ever, constantly shielded by a serene and seemingly happy façade that hid an unfeeling and ruthless person that has only ever truly loved the Pet, and perhaps even his own siblings. While he seems rather respectful and comfortable with the Lord, it is only a front to hide the utter contempt he has for the being due to the rough treatment the Pet gets when the Lord becomes angry.

When Emiriel became a Forsaken by the Lord, he had exhibited the ability to manipulate the minds, nerves and senses of others. This ranges from sending subliminal messages, outright brainwashing, and even causing a person to think and feel as if they were on fire even when they are not. He can even use this ability on himself, such as making his body think it is stronger than it actually is, however this effect will only last as long as he is consciously holding it up.

• Roland, The Consuming Winter (1, 348)

The third child to be taken within the Lord's house after 65 years since Emiriel became a General. He had been a child that had somehow survived within the cold woods on his own after his parents perished within the same woods due to their heavy injuries. In order to survive, he learned how to hunt and gather his own food and shelter all on his own, for both the animals, the humans, and the Wretched only cared for their own survival and willing to kill anything that gets in their way. It was merely the way of life within these woods. As such, Roland often kept to the shadows in order to be kept hidden and unnoticed as he snatched up food for himself in order to keep going or even when he had to kill others through various means such as dropping something heavy to crush their skulls so that he may steal their food and clothes to keep warm when the winters are at their peak. Nobody told him these things were wrong, for he had no one but to trust himself to survive in an environment where others would commit the most heinous of crimes all for the sake of survival.

This led to the child to become wild and feral, fearless and unknowing of the current events of the world. As such, he had even recklessly tried to attack the very Lord himself, not knowing or caring who this individual was. That they were alone and could easily be dispatched, or so he thought before being slammed into the ground by an amused Lord who had already known where Roland was. Still, the feral child still continued to scratch upon the being's pitch black arms in a futile effort to escape. The Lord had originally planned to kill the child for his transgression but held that thought for a second as he was reminded of his Pet once more. His Pet hasn't taken care of another "Gift" in a long time, and considering just how wild Roland is, it would also be amusing to see just how well his Pet can raise such a feral creature.

Of course, it wasn't a great start when Pet and Roland first met. As the child had tried countless times to bite and scratch at the Pet, who was desperately trying to teach Roland how to act like a somewhat normal human being at least. It was a long process, one that was nearly cut midway due to Lord's growing irritation but thankfully didn't come to that. During the long process of reintroducing Roland back into society, he began to grow closer towards the Pet as he had been so far the only positive figure in his life that never tried to hurt him with malice, kill him, and was patient as he was taught how to act normal in the current times along with teaching him how to properly hunt and cook his kills. It was a rather peaceful sort of lifestyle compared to back in the woods, along with being a pleasantly warm one as well. Yet one that ended too quickly in his teens, as the Lord began to take notice of him and took charge in his training. Nearly undoing all the hard work the Pet had done in order to help him and made Roland focus solely on his savagery, ruthlessness, and hunting skills.

Upon reaching the age of 25, Roland was nearly back to his previous self. A wild beast that would kill anything in his path that he perceived as a threat. He became a skilled hunter that could track down his target no matter how little tracks were left, even if there were none. As such, it was rather often to witness Roland hunting down a being targeted by the Lord and dragging them back either kicking and screaming or as a mutilated corpse for the animals to feast upon. While he had a rather prickly exterior, he softened up quickly for the Pet and sometimes even for his siblings. However, he acts rather stiff and doesn't even bother to hide his contempt for the Lord.

Upon being turned into a Forsaken by the Lord, Roland showcased the ability to control the cold in a variety of ways. His most often used technique is creating a blizzard around the area that his target is currently residing within in order to slow down their progress. He can even make his ice infectious by having a small piece of it stick to the flesh that constantly grows and freezes the body in the most painful way possible before becoming completely frozen.

• Amory, The Silent Flash (1, 278)

The fourth child to be accepted within the Lord's house since Roland became a General 45 years ago and 3 failed attempts before them. They were an orphan that was taken in by a group of thieves that sought out to expand their numbers to gain even further riches. They were often given small missions such as pickpocketing due to only being a small child. However, tensions soon began to rise within the group regarding how their gathered riches must be split between them, to the point of breaking into a large fight within the group in order to take the treasure for themselves. Amory didn't understand what was happening and became scared of what shall happen to them, so they left quietly as the other thieves destroyed their life's work and their collected treasures. In order to keep going, Amory still kept on pickpocketing a few coins at the time to be less suspicious. 

This way of life kept going for about a year, with their gathered money slowly rising to the point of them potentially being able to buy some decent food for once. Unfortunately, the young child caught the eye of the Lord who managed to take notice of how quickly and silently they pickpocketed their stolen money even from a few Wretched and Damneds. No one took note of the dirty street rat that looked far too frail to even be a decent snack, completely ignoring their entire existence, causing them to lose a few of their money because of this ignorance. A rather skilled thief, that even the Lord admits to it. Seeing a potential opportunity, the Lord sneaks up on the child carefully to prevent them from noticing his presence before he sweeps them away from their old life, with the crowds not daring to stop the kidnapping unless they have a death wish.

Amory had been completely terrified of being taken by the Lord, thinking that they had been far too careless in their thievery and was now going to be horribly punished until their last breath. Yet, that wasn't the case and was instead placed into the rough yet gentle hands of the Pet. Instead of a life full of punishment, Amory was greeted by a life with luxury they had never even imagined attaining. Yet despite being given such a life, it didn't lessen their own fright as they have heard what became of children that failed in showcasing that they were deserving of the opportunity the Lord gives them. They were always so nervous around the Pet, who became a little distant due to the other previous failures but eventually became more affectionate that led to the both of them becoming more comfortable with each other and Amory turning into a more cheerful child that was fond of playing games such as hide and seek. It was a wonderful childhood, up until the time they became a teen that the Lord started the training that would determine whether they were worth the effort or not. The training in order to become a proper Child of the Lord was excruciatingly brutal and painful, with the added lessons regarding spying and stealing that had heavy consequences whenever they failed even the smallest of tasks.

Upon reaching the age of 24, Amory had become an extremely efficient spy that could gather all the information they needed regarding their target in order to topple them over without getting detected along with being a skilled thief that has broken into various strongholds and leaving everyone unknowing of what they had just lost. Despite their vicious training, Amory still tries to be cheerful and energetic around the Pet and their siblings, but the judging gaze of the Lord keeps them very paranoid and anxious.

When they had become a Forsaken by the Lord, Amory gained the abilities to generate and manipulate forms of electricity such as using it to burn someone, short circuit or power up technology, to the point of being able to generate a thunderstorm that could last up to hours before dispersing. They are also capable of turning themselves into a form of electricity for faster travel, along with preventing the light around them from reaching the eyes of others, thus effectively turning them invisible.

• Alicia, The Watcher of the Undergrowth (1,204)

The fifth child to become a part of the Lord's house after 50 years since Amory became a General. She had been a quiet child that was unfortunately born in a household filled with her siblings and their violent parents. Everytime they tried to make a sound louder than a peep, they were treated with pain. Alicia and her siblings quickly learned to never make a single sound, lest they wish to anger their parents even more. Instead, they solely communicated through a series of hand gestures of their own making in order to communicate with each other when their parents were having another drunken or drugged fuelled rage or when it was time to hide in their single small room whenever those strange groups of people come in their broken down house once more as they demand once again for the debts their parents owed them. It was a miserable existence, one that they had gotten used to and even thought was something of the norm. Alicia in particular, despite being the third youngest, was already knowledgeable in other's emotions and often tried to stop her siblings from committing fatal mistakes.

This silent and violent childhood continued until Alicia became twelve years old, when her parents' debt finally became too much and were killed while she and her siblings were taken and separated by their parents' killers to be sold into slavery. Her life drastically became harder as a slave, especially under the Damned who always punished her for no reasons at all. For an entire year, she had to endure an existence that held nothing but pain and suffering without her siblings there to comfort her. Day by day, she continued to be abused until she finally snapped and went into a daze. By the time she had snapped out of it, Alicia was chained for the crime of completely mutilating and killing her former master and was about to be sentenced to death. She welcomed it, thinking it would finally end this horrid life and hopefully reunite her with her siblings. Unfortunately, the Lord had other plans and instead took her in.

Alicia had heard her former master talk about the Lord taking in children to train and become his Generals. Some succeeded, some failed and were slaughtered, it didn't matter as she had thought she would never gain the attention of the Lord. Instead, she is now placed within the stronghold of the Lord himself and in the care of the Pet. Despite being given the best treatment, clothes, and other goods, Alicia couldn't bring herself to care as she has already presumed that this will be her final resting place as there is no possible way for her to please the Lord. Yet the Pet, he was so kind to her. Kindness was a foreign thing to her as it was nearly never given to her, it made her wary yet somehow the warmth and kindness that the Pet gave her made Alicia start to hope for once. She stuck close to the Pet, helping him with any chore he had in any way she could. It was considerably the happiest time of her life, until it came to an end when she reached her teens and began her training to become a General. Besides the regular harsh hand-to-hand combat training, she was also taught how to stay still for days and watch every little movement in front of her without even moving a muscle.

Upon reaching the age of 22, Alicia became skilled in the art of noticing the smallest of details to the point of identifying the next movement or choice of her opponents by the twitch of their muscles alone, along with noticing details that others would typically miss at first glance. She was still as quiet as ever, hardly ever speaking unless it was with the Pet or her siblings, yet almost never speak unless spoken to when the Lord is around, as Alicia resents him as much as her other siblings.

When she had become a Forsaken by the Lord, Alicia was granted the abilities to control various types of plants within a wide range, grow them from her own body, and even use them to keep track of others all the while listening in and witnessing their current activities. She is also capable of creating semi-sentient golems constructed by numerous plants in order to protect herself from her opponents.

• Rosalind, the Puppeteer of Flesh, and Rosemary, the Torn Dancer (1,108)

The sixth and seventh child to join the Lord's household after 75 years since Alicia became a General and 5 failed attempts before them. When the two were born, they were immediately sent to a place where they shall work until they die and were replaced. From the moment they began walking and learning, they were immediately taught how to serve the patrons of the restaurant and to never complain about what the patrons would do to them. Be it mutilation or even murder, it didn't matter for their own lives weren't their own. Due to their young ages, the two sisters didn't quite understand it but knew how to do their jobs. At the start, it was a fairly simple life, one that ended abruptly when one of the restaurant's patrons had tried to eat the pair which led to both sisters defending themselves by sticking a knife at his throat. When the rest of the staff came to help, it was too late for the patron was already dead and led to both Rosalind and Rosemary getting kicked out by the place they called their home before.

They had tried to get back in, but were forcefully and violently thrown out. Instead of risking it, the two of them tried to find a way to survive within the streets. It was an incredibly difficult time for them, as nearly nobody had wanted to hire a pair of children due to their lack of skills along with having to deal with those that intend to harm them or take them for slavery. They grew to only ever trust each other, fighting anyone that tried to harm them. Despite them being children, both siblings were small and fast enough to get away whenever they stole something. The lifestyle toughened them up, but also made them arrogant enough to try and pickpocket a Damned. Unfortunately, they were spotted and were quickly detained, to them it was most likely the end for them now, but instead, they were given a chance. Train to become fighters in the Damned's Fighting Ring, or die here. Wanting to survive, they chose the former and began their training as fighters. They were 11 at that time, when the Lord caught sight of them sparring against another trainee with perfect synchronicity that was enough to gain the Lord's interest. They had a fire in them that the Lord wanted to see flickering in his hands, so with a snap, both Rosalind and Rosemary were brought in by the Lord's house.

They have already heard about how the Lord takes children he thinks that have potential in them. They have also heard what happened to those that failed. It was an opportunity on a double edged knife, it could be their big break, or lead to their painful death. Either way, Rosalind and Rosemary had no choice but to go into the lion's den and hope for the best. At first, the two of them expected to be immediately placed into training, but were instead placed into the care of the Lord's very own Pet, a figure shrouded in mystery. Instead of training, the Pet cared for them in a way nobody has  since they were babies, while it still made them wary since upsetting the Pet in any way can lead to an instant death, both twins ended up craving that affection and kindness more and more. They eventually bonded with the Pet and began to slowly shed a bit of their rough personalities from the streets. However, the process of healing didn't go any further when they reached their teens to start their official training as Generals. The training regarding combat was even more brutal than that from the Fighting Ring, along with the added difficulty of fighting on their own without their siblings or even fighting each other.

Upon reaching the age of 25, Rosalind and Rosemary became proficient fighters in hand-to-hand combat that specialized in eliminating enemies in various points of their bodies in tandem along with confusing them on which one is which by hiding as the other strikes and switching before repeating the technique once more. Both of them are rather aggressive and often jump to violence, though Rosemary is the more hostile between the two while Rosalind is willing to negotiate, yet are very caring to both the Pet and their siblings. As for the Lord, the two of them still resent him due to his treatment of the Pet.

Upon becoming a pair of Forsakens by the Lord, Rosalind showcased her ability to manipulate the blood of others and her own. These abilities range from turning her own blood into weapons, crystalizing them, to even controlling the blood flow of others through her mind to keep them under her mercy. As for Rosemary, she had the ability to control iron, steel, and other forms of metals to her whims. From creating various weaponry or constructs, turn it into a temporary liquid state or even reduce it into metal shavings in order to merely crush her opponents painfully through either their body or their lungs.

• Erys, The Alluring Mist (1,002)

The eighth child to be brought into the Lord's family after 80 years since Rosalind and Rosemary became Generals and 7 failed attempts before him. Already from birth, Erys was born into unfortunate circumstances. When he was born to his mother, she cursed his existence and always told him to cover his horrid face, blaming him constantly for making her husband leave them for he knew that Erys was a cursed child. He believed all that hatred, resentment, and accusation of his mother. The child became ashamed of his own horrid existence, it only became worse when his mother suddenly disappeared one day, perhaps finally having had enough taking care of such a loathsome creature like him. Still, Erys tried looking for her everywhere, begging silently for her to come back, only for him to run into a Damned that took one look at his disgusting face before grabbing him and proclaiming that he would certainly fetch a good price.

In a row of crying and despairing children that were all tied up, Erys was the only one that wasn't sobbing or even openly showing emotion. His face was just blank, bare for all to see how pretty he truly was. Yet none of the Wretched were interested with his face, no, they were interested in the despair and misery that was oozing out of the child with a doll face to the point they were practically fighting over who gets the child. All became silent, when the horrifying aura of the Lord stepped in as he too had been attracted by the miasma of misery. Staring at the unflinching boy, the Lord proclaimed Erys as his before stepping out away from the terrified crowd with no one daring to stop him as they were left disappointed by not being able to savour such a delectable meal that Erys would have been. As for Erys himself, he just didn't care what would happen to him now, as he had thought it was time for his wretched existence to finally come to an end as it should have been a long time ago.

Instead however, Erys was given a lifestyle much more luxurious than his previous one and taken into the hands of the caring yet sad looking Pet. At the start, it was very quiet as Erys was still convinced of his mother's own lies of him being a horrible human being, yet the Pet kept caring for him, showering him with love and kindness as he told Erys that he was a wonderful child no matter what others may say, that he wasn't born to be miserable or unhappy. It took time before the Pet's word finally reached into Erys, finally letting in a little  bit of light into his eyes. Before long, the child hardly ever left the Pet's side, becoming frantic upon finding himself alone. Despite all of this, Erys still carries a massive self-loathing of himself despite the Pet's care towards him. Unfortunately, he never got to fully heal as when he had reached his teens, his own training had begun. The lessons of combat were harsh towards Erys as he was considerably fragile before, along with the added lesson of being taught how to dance, play music, and most of all, act like the perfect figure of beauty to attract all his prey.

Upon reaching the age of 23, Erys was knowledgeable in many forms of dances and skilled in playing various forms of instruments that he often assists the Pet in playing music during events. He has also become skilled in attracting others with his words and looks, before luring them to a secluded area and killing them without anybody noticing. Despite him seemingly being confident and manipulative, it is merely a mask to cover up the self-loathing he still feels to this day in order to satisfy the Lord. He shows his actual shyer self towards the Pet and his siblings, but puts his masks on full display whenever the Lord is present out of fear.

When he had become a Forsaken by the Lord, Erys gained the ability to manipulate water and other forms of liquid besides blood by his mind alone. From creating a thick mist that is impossible to see through and even cause illusions, heavy tsunamis, and even generating high pressured blasts of water enough to cut through thick steel.

• Sylvester, The Maddening Smile (909)

The ninth child to be accepted into the house of the Lord after 70 years since Erys became a General and 3 failed attempts before her. She was born into a  small, secluded, and well hidden cult that nobody else knew about. It had believed in some form of deity that was said to demand sacrifices of anything that had a beating heart, from simple animals to even human beings. Sylvester was a product in order to have the cult's numbers increase so that the "holy" message may be spread even more. As soon as she could start learning, Slyvester was quickly indoctrinated into the cult's ways and performed her first human sacrifice at the tender age of seven years old. At first, the sacrificed were something that were mandatory for her, yet as time continued she witnessed others having fun with their sacrifices so Sylvester thought that it should be an activity she found fun then, even began to think as the sacrifices as "parties'', since she never truly believed in the cult's message. She was well on her way to become a high ranking member, had Sylvester not stray from the cult's home one day and never looked back.

The outside world was a place of wonders for a child like Sylvester. He saw  things that he didn't even know existed, such as animals that weren't part of the regular sacrifices and sparkling rivers that had so many more fishes than that of the small pond back at the cult. He was so amazed by all that he was seeing, that he never wanted to go back to the cult ever again for they would just imprison him once more in their small and dull little world for a god that didn't even exist. So Sylvester kept traveling, sometimes grabbing what seemed to be edible and drinking from the lake, even having his own "parties" by killing any small animal he finds and can handle. Yet the real fun only began when young Sylvester came across a destroyed village that had a massive "party" of its own, how unfortunate he missed the fun of the slaughter but managed to get to the people that barely survived and stabbed them to death instead. It was such fun to be in a "party" with so many sacrifices to the point that his laughter attracts the one who started the "party", the Lord of the Wretched who watches the child slaughter with glee and becoming amused that he decided to take the child in.

When the Pet and Sylvester first met within the Lord's stronghold, the Pet was rather put off by the child's casual attitude and even comfort regarding slaughter and other morbid topics. Still, he tried to be a good parental figure towards the young child and attempted to try and teach her what was right and wrong. While it didn't completely work as Sylvester was set in her ways, yet had also begun to change as she and the Pet bonded. The cult did raise her but they didn't treat her with affection, not like how the Pet treats her with genuine kindness and love that a child needs. Their bond eventually convinces Sylvester to try to be "good" for the Pet at least, and it works for sometime with her acting like a normal child without homicidal tendencies. Of course, it all ends when she reaches her teen years and is now required to train in order to become a General. The brutal as ever combat training was harsh even by her standards, yet the times that involved slaughter was pure joy for her. Besides that, Sylvester was also taught how to read the emotions of others.

Upon reaching the age of 21, Sylvester was known for his cheerful and energetic personality that would have charmed everyone if it were not for the fact that he was also known for having a love for slaughter, especially against enemies that aim to harm the Lord thus indirectly aim to harm the Pet as well. He genuinely loves the Pet and his siblings, they are slightly wary of his positive relationship with the Lord, though this relationship has become a little bitter each day due to the Lord's treatment of the Pet.

Upon becoming a Forsaken by the Lord, Sylvester developed the ability to manipulate and control the emotions of others. Such as being capable of sensing what exactly a person feels or their feelings for another, increasing emotions to the extreme or or even decreasing one's emotions to the point they become an empty husk of themselves. She is also able to “rip” out one of her own emotions as a sort of clone to help her fight, the clones that Sylvester produces have bodies that move like they were in a cartoon along with being able to manipulate the emotion they represent. She likes to call them "Emotion Fragments".

• Mitsuki, The Speaker of Beasts (843)

The tenth child to be accepted in the Lord's family after 45 years since Sylvester became a General. As a baby, she was left abandoned on the doorsteps of a small farm that was already struggling to meet ends. Still, they took in the abandoned baby in order to take care of her as best as they could, yet still ended up becoming unintentionally neglectful to her as they tried to pay up their bills. Often leaving the young girl with her chores and taking care of the barn animals, who have become her source companionship in her lonesome. Her favorite were the horses, always riding on their backs as a form of relaxation and even sleeping on them. It was a fairly simple life, one that ended so harshly as the old farm and her parents were set on fire as Mitsuki and the animal ran into the wilderness. Upon escaping the tragedy, she became even more attached to the animals that were following her, a horse and a dog, and even became non-verbal for a long period of time.

As Mitsuki and her animals lived in the wilderness, she had tried to find a form of civilization but eventually gave up as she had searched for hours and still only saw the same woods. Instead, she survived with her animals within the woods such as keeping them and herself fed and possibly continuing the search for even a town. It was a quiet time for her, peaceful even, until she had come across a group of travelers that were camping within the woods. At first, they seemed rather friendly and even offered her food and water. It seemed suspicious at first but due to hunger, Mitsuki and her animals didn't care and accepted the food without hesitation. Unfortunately, that mistake led her to getting drugged with her animals being killed as the last thing she saw before being taken away. Once woken up, she was introduced into a zoo that has been recently built and with Mitsuki now a recently bought slave for the establishment. It was like the farm in a way, only far more harsher and  brutal with punishment each time she made a mistake. The more she stayed, the more she resented the world and the more she became attached with the animals. After a year of this torment, Mitsuki finally snapped and planned an escape for her and the animals within the zoo, it took nearly half a year but she soon managed to manipulate her masters into giving her the zoo's keys and released all of the animals from their cages who were all trained by her to get out at the same time so that the ensuring chaos would provide her enough time to get out. It would have worked, had the Lord not been in the zoo with his family that day and caught the girl just as she took a single step out, impressed by her skills in doing such a task.

She was absolutely infuriated that her plan had failed and ended up in her capture, knowing that the Lord took her to make her another General, a title she wants no part of. She constantly tries to escape out of the stronghold, but each time she is taken back by either the Pet or one of the staff. Mitsuki's own relations with the Pet didn't start off great either, with her even trying to bite at the Pet one time. Even despite all that, the Pet remained patient through her all out, even allowing her to see the animals that inhabited the stronghold to calm her down. Soon, she started slightly opening up to the Pet as he reminds of her parents back then. Despite always being busy, they made sure that Mitsuki was always taken care of to the best of their abilities. She even starts verbally communicating again, albeit very rarely. When she reaches her teens however, Mitsuki nearly stops talking again due to the harsh combat training she faces with the added lessons of taming wild and dangerous animals that led to many injuries but only made her want to survive even more.

Upon reaching the age of 25, Mitsuki had become a skilled tamer of animals and has used them on several occasions in battle with proficiency. She is also known as a skilled hunter that would even rival Roland's own skills, with the forest being her primary territory. She still barely says a word, but when she does they often have cruelty laced with them. Despite this, she is very close to the Pet and has a playful snarky relationship with her siblings. As for the Lord, she truly despises him for his treatment of the Pet and her siblings.

Upon becoming a Forsaken by the Lord, Mitsuki exhibited the ability to control and manipulate animals in a variety of ways. Ranging from controlling hoards to her whim, mixing two species to create a mutant hybrid, communicate through them, and even change parts of her body to that of an animal.

• Oliver, The Destructive Winds (733)

The eleventh child to be brought into the  Lord's family after 85 years since Mitsuki became a General and 9 failed attempts before him. He was a child born into a family full of Exorcists hidden away as they trained themselves to their limits, unfortunately, Oliver himself was the only Non-Exorcist of his family, leading to become the black sheep of his family and being constantly pressured into succeeding more due to his "limitations". Nearly all of his siblings, parents, uncles and aunts despised him for his lack of abilities, all except for his older brother who was always encouraging and caring towards him. Oliver strived to become stronger to at least make his older brother proud of him even though he couldn't use any sort of abilities. Just having his brother's love was enough for Oliver.

Yet that day may never come, not when his home was stormed by an ambush of Wretched that had discovered the family of Exorcists to capture for execution. Their family had tried to fight back as best as they could, but soon enough they were overpowered with the choice of retreating the only way for the remaining Exorcists to survive. Oliver was about to follow his family, yet when the patriarch used his ability to teleport, he didn't include his own youngest. Leaving the little child heartbroken and alone with the monsters that ruined his life, he tried to get away the best he could yet it wasn't enough. When the jeers and mocks of the Wretched grew more and more, Oliver's own anger began to bubble before exploding in a corrosive hate that led to the child grabbing whichever weapon he can get his hands on to fight. When he was finally put down, Oliver managed to kill about six of the Wretched before he too will be surely killed. But that didn't happen, not when the Lord of the Wretched himself became impressed of what the child was capable of in his anger that he had decided to bring the child back within his stronghold to see if Oliver would have the potential to become another General.

Oliver silently seethed as he was taken into the Lord's house, but instead of being trained to the bone like he had expected, he was introduced to a serene yet sad man that was known as the Lord's Pet, the man who would take care of him for now. He initially refused to even talk to the Pet, who understood and kept his distance but still tried to care, encourage, and help the child the best he could. Oliver even snapped at the Pet a few times even though such an action could cause his death, yet the Pet never got angry and said that he understood and still helped him in Oliver's exercises. As time moved on, his own interactions began to change for the better as Oliver began to be reminded of his brother by the Pet, who has been nothing but kind and an excellent teacher to him. Teaching him to never let go of the anger he feels, but to instead sharpen it into a deadly weapon that no one will notice until it is unsheathed from its scabbard. By the time he had reached his teens and was about to go through the brutal combat training the other Generals faced, Oliver was ready. In addition, Oliver was also taught in the arts of gymnastics and to slowly turn his body into something more flexible.

Upon reaching the age of 23, Oliver had become an excellent fighter of the spear, fighting like a dancer would and even made a show from his fights. Along with having a highly flexible body that allows him to move in ways that would look unsettling and painful yet makes it look easy. He's known to be a perfect image of calmness and grace, always so polite in his words and actions yet has a glint of fury that bubbles in his eyes. Oliver utterly adores the Pet and his siblings, often spoiling them with treats, yet is rather cold towards the Lord yet still ever so polite.

When he had become a Forsaken by the Lord, Oliver had received the ability to generate and control the air and the winds. Ranging from creating tornados, sending others flying into the winds or himself, and even using it to rip apart bodies through pressurized blasts of air. He is also capable of turning into the wind itself and increasing his size through it, though the more he grows, the more furious he gets.

• Kayden, The Infernal Retribution (615)

The twelfth child to be brought into the Lord's family after 95 years since Oliver became a General and 11 failed attempts before her. As a child, Kayden was easily recognized by her adventurous, kind and helpful nature as she was always willing to lend a hand towards the working adults of her small village the best that she could, making sure that all of the kids that were younger than her and even sought to become the apprentice of both the local combat instructor and medic of the village to be more of help in more ways than one when she grows up. Though her nature to help has led to her taking on risks that shouldn't be held by a child, causing her parents to worry that Kayden might get herself hurt someday. Each time they voice their concerns, she reassures them that she'll be fine. It was a fairly happy life considering the times, one that would all be too easy to shatter by one mistake.

As Kayden took another stroll around the woods that surround the village, she heard the distant sound of pained moaning within the trees. Despite the possible danger, Kayden's instinct to help drove her to investigate the situation and found what seemed to be an injured man in a cloak that was clutching to his stomach, must have eaten something bad to cause such a visceral reaction. Slowly, she walked up towards the man in a cautious manner as she asked if he needed help, who in turn asked in an urgent manner if there was a village nearby with a clinic. Thankfully, there was, which was Kayden's village. As quickly as she could, Kayden guided the injured man towards the clinic and left it all to the professionals, since she was still a new apprentice. Gossip of the injured outsider spread into the entire village by the day, with some untrustworthy of the man as his symptoms were seemingly unusual. Kayden tried to not think about it too much before resuming her daily life, with her helping what she could. It was a week after, when she had just returned from picking herbs in the forest, that she came across her entire village burned to the ground. By the very same man who she helped, now revealed to have actually been a Damned in disguise, who saw the shocked and horrified child and greeted her with a mocking grin and thanked for giving him such a wonderful feast. Any other child would have run out of fear, yet Kayden, Kayden felt the something raging inside of her like the flames that consumed everything she loved. Without an ounce of regret, she charged over to the Damned with a small knife she had. While he had merely toyed with her, Kayden tried her best in order to win the fight and only won by pure luck when she threw the knife at a crumbling support beam, causing the flaming building to drop onto the unsuspecting Damned. Exhausted of both energy and emotions, she had no more strength to walk any further and would've been consumed by the flames, had a shadow not covered her and took her away as the flames consumed the once small village.

As she finally awakened, Kayden realized that she wasn't home anymore nor was the fire a dream. Instead, the fight was witnessed by the Lord himself who had decided to take her in out of curiosity due to her defeating the Damned. It was a terrifying development, especially for a child like her, yet there wasn't anything she could truly do about it. Despite the situation, being in the care of the Pet helped her through it. Initially, Kayden had been skittish around the serene man yet grew to bond with him due to his constant kindness and comforting her whenever she is reminded of her village's demise, the Pet was her source of stability within this household, especially when she finally began her training upon reaching her teens. The combat training was far harsher than that of her former instructor, even resulting in numerous broken bones. Her other training focused solely on healing others through various means, with every failure resulting in the death of her patient.

Upon reaching the age of 25, Kayden became a skilled fighter that was known to use her own surroundings against her opponents in order to catch them off guard. She is also considered to be one of the top medics within the Lord's Empire as she has healed numerous patients remarkably quickly with efficiency, yet her methods were noted to be painful at times. Kayden still seeks to do what is right the best she could all the while upholding her status as a General, as such she usually assists her siblings with their tasks or even hunting down the traitors the Lord wishes her to extinguish. She has an excellent relationship with the Pet and her siblings, but is rather nervous around the Lord.

Upon becoming a Forsaken by the Lord, Kayden had showcased the ability to control and generate heat. These range from generating fire from her limbs, creating a blast that would seek its own target, and even heating up the ground surrounding her to create lava to control. She is capable of creating creatures out of her flames and lava, ranging from small fire orbs to straight up lava golems.

• Maelyn, The Infectious Drop (510)

The thirteenth child to join the Lord's household after 80 years since Kayden became a General and 7 failed attempts before her. During her childhood, Maelyn had always been known as the streetrat that caused too much trouble. It wasn't like it was her fault anyways, since the bastards that she bit and kicked always picked on her and her family all because they were poor. She made sure that her younger siblings were protected from those that mean harm while caring for her elder siblings or father whenever they got sick, even if she got hurt in the process of caring for them. Yet, the need for medicine for her ailing father started to get more severe as time went on, to the point that Maelyn decided that she would work to get the money for it, no matter how shady and illegal the job may seem. Such as carrying and hiding away packages between gangs within the area, packages with contents that she would rather not look into.

Eventually, she gets enough money from her jobs that she's finally able to purchase the medicine. For a time, life seems to go back to normal. Until Maelyn came home late one night, having been busy with another group wanting to harm her due to her being poor, to only see the cooling corpses of her family who have all been poisoned by the gangs she had worked for, who didn't take too kindly for their delivery girl to stop working for them. For the entire night, she spent it staring at her loved one's dead bodies until the morning came, with the entirety of the corpses and Maelyn gone. Nobody thought much of it, thinking another bunch of street rats perished once more before continuing their lives. In the next week, everyone within that village died, by the poison that Maelyn made with the toxic herbs she found within the forest and the very corpses of her family that she used to infect the water supply of the village. As she walked out of the dead village, the young and bitter girl was suddenly faced with a terrifying figure she thought she would never face. The Lord of the Wretched had originally come to the village to collect some debt, instead he found the village dead and the child responsible for it. Intrigued, the Lord offered the child to come with him, or die. With nothing left, Maelyn accepted.

At first, Maelyn was prepared to devote her entire life into getting stronger and forsake any sort of relations with others in order to never be hurt in that way again. Unfortunately, the actual training didn't come and she was instead cared for the Pet, who tried to comfort her yet she rebuked it in order to focus more on combat. Despite this, Maelyn began to get slightly closer towards the Pet as he had been kind to her when so few had been, she was reminded of her dead father whenever she saw the Pet. She started to open up to the Pet more, revealing a softer side of her. By the time she reached her teens however, she had to keep that side of her closed for the Lord to be satisfied. The combat training was brutal, yet was something familiar at least, but the lessons regarding chemicals, toxins, and poisons had been difficult for her, considering that she had to make an antidote whenever she was forced to infect herself with her concoctions.

Upon reaching the age of 23, Maelyn became a highly proficient fighter that was skilled in the use of her poisoned weapons and body that she has been known to even cause the death of numerous Damned by destroying their cells with her poison. Still quite aggressive and would usually jump to violence, perhaps even more so than her past self. Still, she is very gentle with the Pet and even her siblings, yet is rather stiff and cold with the Lord.

When she had become a Forsaken by the Lord, Maelyn was granted the abilities to control and generate poison and toxins. These range from excreting poison from her body, releasing toxic fumes from her mouth, or even raising the toxicity levels of a certain object. Maelyn can also create a small sentient clone of herself that is completely composed of her deadliest of poisons, upon releasing this clone, it will explode upon her command and usually killing everyone within range and is even capable of disintegrating thick sheets of iron as well.

• Zachariah, The Apathetic Change (382)

The fourteenth child to be accepted into the Lord's family after 105 years since Maelyn became a General and 12 failed attempts before them. During the time their mother was still alive, she always told Zachariah to be kind and give to others without asking for something back, for it would be eventually repaid back to Zachariah someday. For a time, they believed those words and tried to be helpful towards others for the sake of being good, yet each time they did, their deeds were never repaid back and were even taken advantage of and used for the benefit of others, those they tried to help. It was hard to continue to be kind when they were met with those who just wished to use them for their own gain, it wasn't until the death of their mother that Zachariah's father finally took charge of his children's upbringing that they began to change for their own benefit. Their father was sure to drill into all of his children's heads to be as cutthroat, ruthless, and vicious as possible in order to survive in a world like theirs. They were harsh lessons to learn, but to Zachariah, they were glad to be taught early rather than later.

When Zachariah was eleven years old, the young child who used to be so sweet and shy became as cold as the winter winds that surrounded their home, perhaps even colder. The lessons of their father changed them for the best after all, teaching them that their own self-preservation is what truly matters. Even if it is at the cost of the lives of their own siblings and father. They would ensure that they would always survive at the end no matter the cost or means to do so, as such, they had no trouble outing their father's schemes of assassination towards an important figure of a Guardian house. Even if it had succeeded, there would be the chance of somebody finding out which would lead to a painful death for Zachariah, better to just tell it to one of the Guardians of their father's plans to escape such a fate. They didn't care for the loss of their home and family, for as long as they were alive, they would see another day. During their stay within the orphanage filled with children that wanted to survive like them, Zachariah made sure to stay hidden yet would always fight back hard against those who tried to take what was theirs. They expected to stay within the orphanage until they were eighteen, but they didn't expect to catch the interest of the Lord of the Wretched who has heard what Zachariah had done to their family and just saw them hitting and biting a bunch of the other orphans, entertained, the Lord decided to bring the vicious child in.

To Zachariah, they had expected to have struck the opportunity of a lifetime to be brought into the Lord's household, yet also a deadly trial that could spell their death if they displeased the Lord. While they were absolutely ready to focus their mind and body in training, they didn't expect to be handed to the quiet Pet of the Lord to be taken care of like an actual child. It was slightly frustrating to Zachariah, but nonetheless, they treated the Pet like a superior, someone to be treated with respect yet at a distance. However, the Pet never treated them like a servant, instead he treated them like they were his child, to be cared for and loved. It, was similar to the time when their mother was still alive, Zachariah would have pitied him, but when the Pet showed he only ever gave his love to his children while those who tried to hurt him were punished, they instead grew to respect the man for both his kindness and strength compared to their mother with a bleeding heart. When they had finally reached their teens, they weren't surprised to see the brutality and harshness of the combat training, and were even glad to see it. In addition, Zachariah was taught how to manipulate others, deceive them with half-truths, and evade detection or suspicion.

Upon reaching the age of 24, Zachariah had become known to be one of the coldest and most ruthless among the Lord's children, having no issue with sending others to their deaths all the while keeping a neutral expression on their face that showcased no emotions to the point of being unsettling. Despite their frigidness, Zachariah holds a deep well of respect and adoration towards the Pet and even towards their own siblings. However, their bond with the Lord is more similar to that of business partners, though they do hold the Lord in contempt due to the Pet's treatment.

Upon becoming a Forsaken by the Lord, Zachariah had received the ability to control the weather to their whims. Such as turning a normal sunny day into a blazing inferno, a frigid winter, into a storm to tear the flesh, even if the location shouldn't logically allow such a weather, it didn't matter and would still happen regardless of circumstances. They can also cause miniature versions of these extreme weathers to occur within a limited space.

• Octavius, The Singer of Conquest (228)

The fifteenth child to be brought into the Lord's family after 130 years since Zachariah became a General and 15 failed attempts before him. Despite being born with considerable talent with music and getting high praises from his teachers, young Octavius could never hold the attention of his parents for they would only ever dote on his elder siblings. Even after creating several music compositions for his parents, studying even harder to meet their standards, they would only give him a nod before asking his two siblings how their days had been and what achievements they have made. Despite this, Octavius could never bring himself to resent his siblings since they often tried to make him feel wanted within the family, yet they weren't around all the time. As for his teachers, only one seemingly cared for the child and even treated him like they were his own.

On the brink of frustration, Octavius decides that since his parents obviously didn't want him, better to just get away from them instead, right? He was in the middle of secretly packing away his belongings, when his teacher caught sight of what he had been doing. Feeling guilty, Octavius confessed what he was about to do, but instead of being talked out of it like he had expected, instead his teacher had even supported his choice. Telling Octavius that he knew a place that would truly cherish his talents. Filled with excitement and hope, the child began packing his things quickly and quietly ran away with his teacher towards the place that would finally recognize him. When he was introduced to the inhabitants, Octavius was shocked to see how well received and adored he was for his looks and musical skills, it was an abrupt but welcome change. It was a wonderful place for a neglected child like Octavius, yet one that oddly sheltered him from the outside world. Eventually, the illusion of paradise was shattered when he overheard the group's plans of selling him in order to gain more money. Consumed by fear, he grabbed a small harp and snuck away from the group in order to seek possible safety in the outside world. Of course, life on the streets was exceedingly difficult for a boy who has only known shelter, even as he played amazingly with his harp, it only got him a few coins to spend. Octavius would have perhaps perished had the Lord of the Wretched heard his soft yet sorrowful voice as he plucked the strings of the harp. Even the Lord had to admit that the child had skills greater than most musicians, it was enough for him to decide to take the child away from the streets when he slept.

When he woke up, Octavius thought that the group had found him once more. Yet as he took in the luxurious room, he started to realize that it was far more than what they could ever afford. As the servants escorted him out and introduced him to the Lord and the Pet themselves, Octavius realized that he may be facing his own doom, as he has heard whispers of the Lord taking in children to be judged and trained as his future Generals, with those that fail getting a painful death. To his surprise, instead of being subjected to bone-aching training immediately, Octavius had instead been handed to the Pet to be taken care of. Despite the fear he felt, he also found comfort with the Pet who also shared a talent with instruments and often offered to play and practice with him. It was a surprisingly peaceful time for the boy who has been through much, one that he desired to last a little longer but was cut short upon reaching his teens. The combat training was excruciatingly painful for him, nearly too much but he managed to persevere at the end. The lessons regarding music were much more relaxing and entertaining.

Upon reaching the age of 25, Octavius had composed numerous music scores that are well loved and cherished by many. While he remains rather polite and has a gentleman sort of personality, he is known to have caused his opponent's eardrums or even their brain to explode from the loudness of his music. He is highly affectionate towards the Pet and his siblings, often giving them songs dedicated to them, yet is easily frightened by the Lord.

When he had become a Forsaken by the Lord, Octavius showcased the ability to generate and control sound in a variety of ways. Ranging from changing the sound of his voice, empowering others through his songs, and is even capable of hypnotizing others through his voice.

• Lewis (12) & Yvette (10)

The first pair of children the Lord of the Wretched had taken ever since Octavius became a General 200 years along with 30 failed attempts before these two. They were part of a large family that was already struggling to earn money and often had to hunt their food within the forests. Despite their poverty, Lewis, the eldest of his siblings, and Yvette, the youngest between her siblings, were content with their lives. They were content in taking care of their ailing mother and helping their father hunt, content without ever being noticed by the rest of society. It was fine for them, so as long as they had their family and each other, they were satisfied.

Until one day, that happiness was torn to shreds when the Lord suddenly came to their home and captured each and every family member within that household. There were about ten people within that house, and eight of them were tortured and thrown back into the flaming house as Lewis and Yvette remained terrified within the crushing grip of the Lord, who was uncharacteristically serious during this mission. They didn't know why the Lord chose them, for they never have done anything to attract his attention, to their knowledge.

They had been taken when Lewis was 9 years old, while Yvette was taken when she was 7 years old. Currently, they are now 12 and 10 years old respectively, with many curious whether or not they will survive to become the latest members of the Lord's family or become another reject. Though the Pet and their new "siblings" have been nothing but kind to them, they are still scarred by the death of their family and terrified of the day they become teens and start their official training. It doesn't help that for some reason, the Lord breathes down upon their neck and visits them regularly despite being barely present in the childhoods of his other children. Just what caused this unwanted attention?

Unknown to the Lord of the Wretched, there was someone else that had also managed to survive the massacre of their family, their father, who is now allied with the Exorcist Groups in order to find a way to get his remaining children out of the Lord’s Stronghold.

However, Lewis, Yvette and their father are not the only ones that remain in their family. For there is still one individual left that has been slumbering for a very, very long time and is the key to perhaps finally ending the Lord’s reign. Now, if only someone can find them…

[ghooostbaby]

deeeep dive into why and how wei wuxian and lan wangji love each other, complete each other, are the inverse reflection of each other’s deeply hidden internal selves mirrored through the other’s external self, lan wangji’s inner wildness that he has to conceal and protect recognizing and loving wei wuxian’s outer wildness, wei wuxian’s deep, fuddy-duddy morality and values that he conceals with an elaborate subterfuge of jokes, mischief, and bravado, seeing and loving in lan wangji the ability to say no that it was never safe for him to express directly, “between you and me there is no need for thank you and sorry”

oh and a slight diversion midway through into a manifesto on WEI WUXIAN IS NOT INSECURE the whole story is about a society where being liked is ESSENTIAL for survival and it is actually completely perilous not to be liked, and his “people pleasing” is a skill and tool for his survival especially as an orphan and proven to be a necessary one when he stops doing it and STOPS SURVIVING

after the cut discussing the very interesting dynamics of consent in general in the novel, but not going into the consensual non-consent kink stuff till the last paragraph if you need to avoid for any reason.

I've been thinking about how Lan WangJi sees in Wei WuXian the exterior, unfettered expression of the wildness Lan WangJi holds in him and protects with rigid codes of conduct, propriety and outward dignity.

I have had this sense that these two are mirrors, either one reflecting the hidden, interior (and unallowed) self of the other. but it seemed more clear from Lan WangJi's side, especially knowing about his history with his mother and the spicy side that emerges when he drinks and in the extras.

I also - just... the way this whole story shows how romantic love is truly this longing for your self, to become yourself, to become the thing you're not allowed to be, seeing in that person the expression of whatever it is you can't become and longing for it, protecting it, joining with it as closely as you can without ever being able to let it live inside your own body.

On the surface it seems a lot more difficult for Wei WuXian to find a piece of his soul in Lan Wangji. I think its a bit too simplistic to see whatever draws Wei WuXian to Lan Wangji as a reverse-psychology sort of craving of acceptance from the only one who won't give it, pushing and pushing against this impenetrable boundary that he needs to break to feel assurance that no matter what he can make anyone accept him.

And he is SO drawn - in a mind boggling way, in the teenage flashbacks Lan WangJi rudely and aggressively throws him off over and over and Wei WuXian cannot keep away! Even when he talks about how boring Lan WangJi is, he never stops trying to be around him and talk to him.

I've seen discussions of the way Wei WuXian has always relied on the goodwill of others to survive, and that his placating of others to survive is a character flaw. Although that seems only halfway true. 

As a young child he didn't have anyone's goodwill for a while and he survived, and it seems like he can always find a way to survive from whatever means and sometimes very limited resources he has at his disposal. Doing what he has to do to become powerful enough to survive losing his core and being thrown into the burial mounds slowly costs him the goodwill of everyone around him - and what happens to him as a result shows how much placation was a truly necessary for someone without the protection of biological/hereditary family bonds.

(Don’t get me started on how his loss of his golden core and his development of demonic cultivation to give himself power by ‘unnatural methods’ through the use of a musical instrument is a metaphor for disability and the way ableist society sees the use of accessibility devices and tools. Actually please DO get my started haha.)

Wei WuXian is so charismatic and seems very used to getting what he wants and needs on the strength of that. He pushes a lot of boundaries and seems pretty confident and flexibly prepared to handle the consequences, whether beatings or harsh words. But he does work so hard to make others feel good, good with him, good with themselves.

When he is in the cave with Lan WangJi, Wei WuXian is described as "like one who forgets all past pain as soon as the wound heals". He can't resist coming up beside Lan WangJi and talking to him again and again after every time Lan WangJi pushes him off, only finally staying away when Lan WangJi bites him (and he still keeps trying to talk to him after a little bit!) and then calls him an awful person (!!! Bad Wangji! :(((( ). In the end, when Lan WangJi (very minimally) discloses what happened to his sect and his father, and even cries, because of all the defences/assaults Lan WangJi has put up Wei WuXian can't do anything or say anything to help and feels miserable.

Lan WangJi just absolutely refuses to allow Wei WuXian to take care of him - and I began to wonder maybe that’s what Wei WuXian actually really likes about him? Why he is unable to resist coming up to Lan WangJi again and again? Maybe because Lan WangJi refuses to let Wei WuXian appease him. He’s not trying to crack Lan WangJi to get to this impenetrable place of approval and acceptance. In a way he can’t quite understand, Lan WangJi is a respite for Wei WuXian from the constant work to be the one who pleases.

And  how different this is to how Wei WuXian is (or has to be) with Jiang Cheng when he wakes up in Lotus Pier after the cave. Jiang Cheng gets so down and really really needs Wei WuXian to do what he does so well (and wasn’t allowed to do with Lan WangJi) - chasing Jiang Cheng down while being injured and reassuring him about all his insecurities about his father's acceptance and becoming a sect leader and Wei WuXian's own abilities excelling his - and at first Jiang Cheng is pushing him away, but he really does need Wei WuXian to do all this to feel better.

Wei WuXian is described as not wanting to be lonely, and not wanting to see other people unhappy, and he keeps trying to push and pull with whatever he has to not be lonely and lift the mood for those around him. I don't think it's a kind of codependency or insecurity. It’s not that Wei WuXian is afraid to say no, in fact I would say he doesn't do anything he doesn't want to do, but he must always do it creatively, with humour. Similarly to Nie Huaisang, he uses a persona of foolishness to give himself a covert agency.

I also think I'm writing this because I don't like seeing this discussed as a sad bean character flaw for him to always need to be liked - its a strategy, its a tool, its how he survives and excels. Doesn’t the whole story prove how essential being liked is to a human’s survival? And he is so so good at being liked, in making others happy, even when he is refusing to do what others want from him that he doesn't want to do, he does it in a way that deflects criticism, with a smiling bravado that never says what it truly means and has people writing him off as shameless or foolish or just endearing himself toward them despite themselves.

He is always at work really, with jokes and flattery or mischief and teasing, to get the resources he wants and needs. Case and point, when he makes a big coquettish show for mianmian, definitely not being "people pleasing" for her, but the group of girls around them all find it funny and cute and in the end she gives him a perfume sachet which ends up being a valuable resource for later. Or the time he outright tells Jiang Cheng that if you give the girls some lotus seeds they'll remember you and return the favour in the future. (Also notice how his interactions with girls seen as flirtatious are actually strategic resource-gathering acts.) These are the skills he has developed to meet his own needs. (THIS IS NOT A CHARACTER FLAW. I REPEAT.) He takes what he needs and steals from the Lotus Pier markets knowing it'll be paid for, he lives like he never know when his next windfall will come from so he'll take what he can when he can find it. Like Jiang Fengmian said, if there is no guarantee of a meal in the future then today's meal should still be enjoyed. It’s how Wei WuXian said to Nie Huaisang at Cloud Recesses, you have to find ways to make your own fun out of whatever you have. So he gets kicked out of class, goes fishing, gets alcohol, he pursues his own pleasure. He actually is quite insistent of his own agency and right to choose, he just can never directly say no.

And that little detail that Wei WuXian always tucks coins into his clothes just in case, that makes him able to buy food when he and Jiang Cheng are on the run... breaks my heart and reveals so much about the way Wei WuXian is constantly at work on ensuring his own survival and never takes for granted whether he is safe (he knows he never is). 

I've seen some people talking about Wei WuXian sacrificing so much for his brother and sister out of a need to be accepted out of a chronic sense of insecurity. But isn’t this just true? Doesn't he live in a world where being accepted is absolutely essential for survival? Doesn’t this whole story show the cruelty of a social system based on networks of hereditary/biological family that closes out and scapegoats any outsiders, and that without biological family connections that can enclose around you, you can never truly be safe if not constantly working to earn acceptance? (And then beautifully ends with the way a gay romantic relationship that queers marriage/family/etc disrupts all this and creates safety and inclusion for Wei WuXian without needing a normative family.) (AKA romantic love does not resolve some internal personal problem in Wei WuXian but disrupts and refuses and rebels against the problem of SOCIETY.) (*breathes heavily*)

And that’s why Lan WangJi is magnetizing to Wei WuXian. Lan WangJi is always saying no. Although what Lan WangJi sees in Wei WuXian is an exterior wildness, Wei WuXian is not really out of control so much as he is playing and caring and supplicating and showing off and pleasing people to get the resources and the acceptance he needs to live his life. He has firm values and desires that he can never outwardly state, only creatively spinning plates to distract and deflect while he refuses what goes against his values, protects who he cares for, or takes what he needs to in order to survive/thrive. Lan WangJi embodies an exterior of resoluteness and direct agency that Wei WuXian doesn't have the luxury of. And he's so drawn to him for his ability to repeatedly say no, to refuse to get along, or make others laugh, make other people happy, but just simply follow what he thinks is right.

Wei WuXian’s outward wild movement protects an inward stillness. He is an exterior of people-pleasing around an interior of refusal. He is an exterior of youthful rebellion around an interior of unflinching morality. He sees in Lan WangJi the outward expression of his stillness, his morality, his resistance that he can't express, that he's had to protect.

FYI after the cut gets more into the dynamics of consent in the story, and the last paragraph directly talks about consensual non-consent kink play in wangxian’s relationship.

When Wei WuXian is with Lan WangJi, there is no work to be done. Lan WangJi cannot be swayed by him, and so there's no point vying for resources or favors. Lan WangJi will either give him everything or refuse him everything based on who he is, it does not matter what Wei WuXian does and he can't do anything that will change Lan WangJi’s mind. Someone he literally can't win over. After the resurrection, they are often in an adorable tug of war, where Wei WuXian tries to take care of Lan WangJi, while Lan WangJi won't allow him to but demands to care of Wei WuXian right back. Actually, Lan WangJi insists that Wei WuXian take everything he wants or needs from him and is even angry when he doesn't take or when Wei WuXian tries to offer a gesture in return, even something as simple as a thank you Lan WangJi won't accept. It’s kind of adorable how frustrated Wei WuXian is in doing this thing he's learned that he needs to do, and just... so confused by Lan WangJi, and has to find a way to please this person who aggressively refuses to be pleased and is ONLY pleased by Wei WuXian being pleased.

(Not to mention the way Wei WuXian delights in finding that Lan WangJi can’t say what he wants, and they have sort of these chaotic cohesive both-being-so-pleased-by-working-hard-to-please each-other moments where Wei WuXian is letting Lan WangJi please him by finding out what pleases Lan WangJi and giving it to him.)

The wildness Lan WangJi had always hidden within himself is something he sees as just as dangerous as Wei WuXian thinks of his desire to refuse. He saw his mother be socially alienated, shunned, and eventually die because of her wildness. His ability to survive in the world, aka to be accepted by his family, is contingent on him being able to control this inner wildness. From a young age (re: Phoenix Mountain kiss) he could only understand his sexual desires for Wei WuXian as something repulsive or dangerous that had to be repressed and controlled, and that the only way he could imagine his desires as possible was as non-consensual. His secret gay desires were never available to him as anything but something monstrous.

Importantly, it’s not like everyone else other than Lan WangJi are all vampires cruelly demanding Wei WuXian’s constant sacrifice. Wei WuXian is always vibrantly, charismatically offering so much, before anyone has asked. It’s Wei WuXian who creates this kind of relationship for himself again and again. It’s Lan WangJi who simply refuses - he refuses to charmed, to be cared for. And so in the end Lan WangJi becomes the one person who Wei WuXian feels doesn't need anything from him. When he says he's eating the corpse's fruit to save Lan WangJi money and Lan WangJi says that will never be necessary. Or when Wei WuXian asks what toy he should win for Lan WangJi at the market game, and Lan WangJi says anything Wei WuXian gets will be the one he wants. (XD stahhhhp it’s too sweet !!!) He really just wants Wei WuXian to be, to exist, to spend his life discovering his own desires and allow Lan WangJi to help satisfy them, he doesn't want anything from Wei WuXian other than him living - happy and safe.

It takes someone like Lan WangJi to refuse Wei WuXian’s aggressive generosity, it’s definitely not an easy thing to say no to Wei WuXian, dazzling or annoying people so chaotically before they even realize there’s something to say no to. The sacrifice he gives to Jiang Cheng, he never even offers a choice - and perhaps it would have been too much for Jiang Cheng to accept if he had the chance.

Lan WangJi’s statement "Between us there is no need for thank you and sorry" seems like one of the most important sentences in the novel, and you can’t help but noticed the way “sorry” and “thank you” is littered meaningfully through the book. What is owed, what the characters owe to each other, the give and take, touches every part of the story (down to wangxian's erotic explorations!).

When Jiang Cheng talks to Wei WuXian at the Guanyin temple he makes a lot of contradictory statements about what Wei WuXian owes, what he was given, what he took, what he (Wei WuXian still) is owed in return. Wei WuXian, according to Jiang Cheng, took everything from the Jiang clan, and paid them back with their deaths. The Jiang clan give him his life when they took him in, and he owed Jiang Cheng service for the rest of his life as the right hand to the sect leader, that’s what Wei WuXian had promised anyway. At the same time, Wei WuXian sacrificed everything (his golden core) to Jiang Cheng, by giving everything he was taking one more thing - Jiang Cheng’s right to even be angry at him. Jiang Cheng had taken everything from Wei WuXian. Everything that happened around Wei WuXian after could be said to be because of the loss of his golden core, which Jiang Cheng might be said to be responsible for. But he never asked for it, maybe he never would have wanted it. He wishes Wei WuXian told him, but Jiang Cheng never told Wei WuXian his golden core was melted while he was sacrificing himself to save Wei WuXian. He wants Wei wuxian to say sorry, but that makes him feel pathetic. And Jiang Cheng says sorry too. It’s a mess of paradoxes, and in the end somehow it seems like the scales are balanced in the most hollow, dismal way.

What is owed, what is given, what is taken ... Wei WuXian has never been part of a family. He has always had to say thank you and sorry for everything he's taken. Wei WuXian himself admits that he used "thank you" as a way to enforce distance between himself and Lan WangJi. Lan WangJi's point i think is that they belong to each other, Wei WuXian is his, and he is Wei WuXian's, unconditionally. The way that Jiang Cheng speaks of him in the Guanyin temple (admittedly I read a fan translation and this is very nuanced, related to slight variations of grammar), even when Jiang Cheng clearly is so broken by the loss of Wei WuXian from his life, he talks about Wei WuXian as an outsider. It is what MY family gave to YOU, never what you took from our family. But at one point Wei WuXian was part of their family - but he takes too much, and becomes an ex-disciple, not a brother. Wei WuXian’s inclusion as a Jiang was always conditional. 

Even when Wen Qing and Wen Ning leave him to go take the blame for qiongqing path they tell him "thank you and sorry", drawing a line between them and him, so he doesn’t even belong to these people who he sacrificed everything for. The way Wei WuXian acted when he was younger, he was always keenly aware of this - he always knew that he didn’t belong to anyone, no one is going to protect him unconditionally. And after first escaping the Burial Mounds, he is done pretending. When Lan WangJi warns him about what a demonic cultivation path will do to his heart, Wei WuXian replies: “After all, on the topic of how my heart is, what could other people know about it? Why should other people care about it?” He is done pleasing. Nothing has changed really, he still belongs to no one and is alone, but now he is angry about it, and instead of saying thank you and sorry he is going to become too powerful to be at anyone's mercy. And then we see in the story afterward what happens to people who don't say thank you and sorry.

The whole point I think is the impossibility of choice, the impossibility of consent in this society. If he didn't forgo the behaviour his social acceptance was conditional on, he wouldn't have survived the burial mounds. But once he becomes powerful enough to survive and get revenge on the Wens, he is socially outcast. Except he was already outcast from the beginning.

And so how do Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi find a way through all that to a life together where all their desires are possible, where Wei WuXian can say no while also being pleasing (safe) to others, and Lan WangJi can indulge in his wild desires while still being good? The answer is kinky sex!

It is kind of miraculous and beautiful how Wei WuXian finds a way to say no, while simultaneously pleasing Lan WangJi, giving pleasure, while taking it, saying no, and knowing his refusal is not just tolerated, but gives Lan WangJi pleasure, knowing Lan wangji and knowing the painful belief Lan WangJi holds within that his desires are unacceptable and unspeakable, and that Wei WuXian can take care of Lan Wangji in a secret little way and please him and give everything to him by craving this wildness in Lan WangJi while at the same time he gets to say no again and again , and it won't push Lan WangJi away, he can refuse everything while at the same time be totally pleasing and thus safe, and also for Lan WangJi, Wei WuXian's pleasure at saying "no" while still being held onto, that he genuinely wants to be fucked even while begging Lan WangJi to stop (and the many ways he does give his consent for this throughout, especially their first time), allows Lan WangJi the ecstatic feeling that this idea that his sexual desires are only possible through force are not just something his lover forgives him for but something his lover is SO turned on by, and that he has consent for his fantasies of non-consent, Wei WuXian has the same fantasies from the other side, he is doing what he is supposed to while doing what he shouldn't, and actually these monstrous feelings in him allow him to take care of Wei WuXian in a way that he needs - that they both need - and all these impulses that are so wrong with Wei WuXian become very right and a way to do good. And they are just both so perfect and perfect for each other and I love them and I am so happy for them to have a long kinky life together.