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gandalfsalt · 3 months ago

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Solavellan Angst and Dido & Aeneas

Here's an "essay" (more like notes) I wrote about a year ago after finishing Trespasser, and surprisingly it holds up ok! You can watch a video essay version on my TikTok @gandalfs_alt. I think the video version is a bit more polished because I wrote it yesterday, this old one is pretty rough.

Unfortunately no citations... feels weird to post w/o citations. Future posts I think I will start citing my sources.

A great love story that I see relating to Solavellan is the story of Dido and Aeneas. This story is even older than Tristan and Isolde, dating back to ancient Rome (specifically Virgil’s The Aeneid, completed in 19 BCE, about 2000 years ago). It is widely considered the archetypal love story that symbolizes the tension between love and duty in Western literature.

Dido was the Queen of Carthage, a city located in North Africa. In some versions she is a sorceress, and she is beloved by her people. Aeneas was a Trojan hero who escaped the fall of Troy. Aeneas and his fellow Trojans fled across the Mediterranean Sea after the fall of Troy. They landed in Carthage, and were welcomed by Dido, who offered them hospitality.

Dido and Aeneas spend a significant amount of time together, and fall deeply in love. Over time their love became increasingly intense. In some versions they marry. However, Jupiter (Zeus), the king of the gods, sends the messenger god Mercury (Hermes) to remind Aeneas of his duty to establish a new homeland in Italy (what becomes modern day Rome). After contemplating staying by Dido’s side, Aeneas feels that he must fulfill his divine mission to re-establish his homeland and he abandons Dido, departing for Italy.

Dido is devastated by Aeneas’ departure. In her anguish, Dido constructs a funeral pyre, on which she places Aeneas's belongings, including a sword he had left behind. She then took her own life by falling on the sword. Aeneas, unaware of Dido's fate, continues his journey to Italy, where he eventually fulfills his destiny and founds the city that would become Rome.

I think some of the parallels are pretty clear. A mysterious wandering hero fleeing the aftermath of a fallen civilization joins up with a group of people and falls in love with their leader. He then abandons said leader to fulfill what he believes is his divine mission, which is to re-establish what has fallen in a new place.

There’s two ways I think this story is helpful for understanding Solas, Lavellan, or Solavellan:

It has inspired so much art, we can look at how other artists have handled this theme to get insights into the characters, learn more about them, and learn about different ways this conflict (love vs duty) can be interpreted or represented.

If this story did in fact inspire the DA:I writers, learning more about it can possibly help uncover where they may take Solavellan in DA:D (dear god, I hope they don’t go the Dido route with Lavellan, pls no 😭)

Even though Solas is a pretty clear Aeneas type, I actually see him share a lot of attributes with Dido as well. One of the most famous versions of Dido and Aeneas is an opera (yes, opera again, lol) composed by Henry Purcell in 1689. It is one of the first operas composed in English, and is pretty much considered the premiere retelling of the Dido/Aeneas story in the English language. One of the most famous pieces from the opera is Dido’s Lament, and it’s the song Dido sings after she decides she can’t live without Aeneas, and is about to, literally, fall on a sword.

The lyrics of Dido’s lament are:

More I would, but Death invades me:

Death is now a welcome guest.

When I am laid, am laid in earth,

May my wrongs create no trouble, no

trouble in thy breast;

Remember me! Remember me! But ah!

forget my fate.

To me, this is 100% Solas’s psychological state when he leaves Lavellan. The lament is obviously very tragic and sad, but there’s something extremely stubborn and self-centered about it. It feels like a lot of self-imposed misery. In Dido’s case, she was certainly wronged by Aeneas, she was treated very unfairly and it’s not her fault at all, but her reaction to it is very self-pitying and self-sabotaging, literally and figuratively. I got the same feelings from Solas during his final confrontation with Lavellan.

“Death invades me, Death is now a welcome guest,” - Wait a minute, who says anyone has to die? Why is dying the only option here, Dido and Solas?

“May my wrongs create no trouble in thy breast,” - It seems like Dido and Aeneas have the option not to commit these wrongs or additional wrongs, so why act all stubborn and resigned about it?

The “wrong” I think Dido is referencing is her impending suicide. Solas may be referencing the same thing if he knows he is going to die, but in his case destroying the world and loving then leaving Lavellan are some other wrongs. But again, based on what we know, it seems like he has the option to stay and not destroy the world a second time. So why so stubborn?

“Remember me! But forget my fate.” My dudes. It seems to us like you’re choosing this fate. And you think we can remember you and not remember how you left us? You want Aeneas/Lavellan to hold the torch, but just forget a very monumental decision you made? That’s a little delusional. This line is so simple, but it does an excellent job of underscoring the conflict between love and sense of duty. In both cases, the heroine/hero want to be remembered by the ones they love, but at the same time they don’t want their choices to impact their lovers, or their lover’s recollection of them. Which really is impossible.

#dragon age #solas #solavellan #solas dragon age #solasmance #dragon age inquisition

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nabbit-unmasked · 10 months ago

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An important message about validity and gatekeeping in the therian, otherkin, nonhuman, and alterhuman (etc.) communities.

Read if you're feeling invalid, because I promise you that you are valid.

As a placekin, I have a very complicated relationship with some places.

When I first discovered I was placekin, I thought I was 4-5 different places, those being: Kongo (DRC), C.A.R., Tristan da Cunha, Riyadh, and Mauritania.

I ruled out Mauritania as a kin pretty quickly, but the others (besides the CAR) were slow to go. They didn't feel the same as my connection to/identity as the C.A.R. did.

I couldn't confidently say "I am [place name]" and call it a kin. All these strict definitions of what kin means and gatekeepers discouraged me from doing so, anyways.

So, I dropped the label of "placekin" for all these places except for the C.A.R. and tossed them into the "otherhearted" category, as I've been taught to do. Taught that if there's one aspect of your identity that doesn't fit someone else's definition, you're supposed to put it into being otherhearted, otherlink, a furry, cosplayer, or just throw it out entirely.

I felt that my experiences were invalid in the realm of kin because of how others tried to define me. Because their own views must be the same as mine, they have to. My identity is their identity, right?

There were so many restrictions on what counted as kin or not across the majority of the nonhuman community. Your theriotype has a name or pastlife? You're a fake! You don't have a past life? You're also a fake! You drew your own kintype? You must be a cosplayer then. You're young? Silly kids, it's just a phase! You're fictionkin? No, you're just delusional. You only started to identify as kin after a hyperfixation? You're probably just otherhearted or otherlink, you're not kin and you never will be.

I was distancing from online therian and nonhuman communities because I was tired of hearing the same old story. The same old "sounds like otherhearted or otherlink to me" spiel.

During my time away, I opened up my perspective on what it means to be something other than human. I didn't have anyone over my shoulder talking about how myself and others couldn't possibly be kin.

The truth is, only you get to decide your identity and your label(s). If you say you're kin, then you are. If you say you're otherlink or otherhearted, then only you can truly say if you are. It doesn't matter what kind of mental gymnastics other people are forcing on you, because they do not know what's going on inside your head. If you have genuine intentions for identifying in a certian way, then that is enough. Even if you feel like you gaslight yourself into believing that you're kin, I can assure you that you are still kin.

(If it seems like this ended abruptly, it's because I wrote this like a month ago and drafted it. Sorry about that -w-)

#you are valid #alterhuman #otherkin #nonhuman #therian #therianthropy #alterhumanity #therian community #kin #placekin #fictionkin

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twisted-art-wounders · 10 months ago

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YGO AU: Breaking the Seal 07

Chapter 7 Sprouts After Yugi gets an invitation form Pegasus he and gang head to America hoping for answers, but Pegasus finds danger in form of someone he wasn't expecting to.

Once Yugi announced his plans to take the plane to America to see Pegasus it didn't take long for his other friends to agree to join him on his journey, something Yugi was quite pleased to hear. He wasn't too happy about making this trip alone so having his friends at his side once more gave him confidence. They all agreed to meet at the air port tomorrow at 7 am for their flight, Yugi would get details on the flight later on with a phone call form a representative from Industrial Illusions.

Meanwhile just outside of Yugi's house Rex and Weevil sat in the bushes listening in on the entire conversation as well thanks to a well placed bug on Yugi's living room window. They were both upset at the news of Yugi being invited by Pegasus and would be able to see where all the rare cards were.

Rex imagining that Yugi and his friends would be treated to tons of rare cards all for themselves curdosey of Pegasus himself. It made Rex furious thinking about how lucky Yugi and his friends were to have so much good fortune, Weevil on the other hand had a plan that would allow them to follow them to America unnoticed, he chuckled to himself.

That night everyone was busying trying to pack their bags for the trip ahead; Tea wondered how long the trip would be putting a few shirts into her suitcase she looked over at a poster of “Dark Magician Girl in the Moonlight” A Broadway play she saw a few years ago that helped inspire her into wanting to play that role herself. She couldn't believe she was going back to America so soon, meanwhile Tristan was struggling to pack his own suit case not sure exactly what he should pack for the trip.

Joey was more or less packed for the trip and was on the phone giving Serenity an update about him being away for a while and for her not to worry about him. Just as he hung up the phone it rang again so he answered thinking it was Serenity asking him something but was surprised at the voice on the other end.

“Hello?”

“Hey~ long time to speak Wheeler.”

Joey froze “M-Mai? Is that you?”

“Of course it's me dummy! Have you forgotten my lovely voice already?” Mai huffed half jokingly.

After Battle City just before she left; Mai had snuck a card with her phone number on the back into Joey's duel disk, when he got home he noticed the number with a note saying “If you need someone to talk to, I'm just a call away- Mai”. It took Joey a few tries to work up the courage to call her but when he did it made him happy to hear her voice. He decided to made it a habit of calling her once in a while to get updates and to chat generally. He totally forgot he needed to call her tonight and explain things.

“W-what of course not! W-whatsup?” Joey fumbled a bit trying to regain his composer.

“Not much, just landed in California after being stuck in the air for last 15 hours! Ugh those monster sightings have been nothing but a pain!” Mai growled.

Joey paused for a moment “Wait you're in California right now?”

“Yeah, I just told you that a second ago! Keep up Wheeler.”

“No! I know it's just I'm heading out there tomorrow morning!”

“Get out really! Why did you win a trip or something?” Mai was excited now.

“No no! It's a long story! But we're flying out to meet with Pegasus!”

“Pegasus? Why'd he do something like that?” Mai started to sound a bit concerned since she knew Pegasus was still a dangerous man to be around and after Duelist Kingdom and him falling ill suddenly -or so she heard- it had her worried.

“Again long story but I think he needs Yugi's help and me and others are going for back up, I think he knows something about whats been going on with all those monsters appearing and the crazy weather! Did Pegasus call for you too?”

Mai paused then replied “No. I'm here on vacation. But I'd be more then happy to give you guys a lift to Industrial Illusions after you land.”

“Naw Mai you don't gotta disrupt your trip for us! I beat they'll send a cab over or something.”

“Too late! I'm already gonna rent a car! I'll be at the air port waiting~” Mai hummed.

“Well if you insist! I'll call you with the details once we're at the airport in Domino! See ya then Mai!” Joey smiled.

“See ya!” Mai then hung up the phone placing it down, she was seated at the airport bar with a colourful cocktail she was working on. She was decked out in full vacation gear; a sundress, tall heeled sandals, a hat and large sunglasses. She took a sip off her drink then stirred it with the straw.

//Calling Yugi out of no where…what game you playing now, Pegasus?//

-- Finally Yugi had packed the last of his items into his duffle bag and suit case, he zipped the bag up then he saw the key card setting on his desk so he got up to go and pick it up.

“Oh yeah can't forget this! “Key of Illusion” I wonder what it's for?” Yugi looked at the card then faced the other Yugi who had just appeared beside him. “Hey other me-” Yugi then noticed he looked very distracted like something was on his mind.

Yugi walk over in front of him and asked “Hello? Is something on your mind?”

Yami then looked up then at his partner “Oh! What is it partner?”

“Whats on your mind?” He asked directly only for Yami to try and sake his question off saying

“Nothing”

“You're lying, Your keeping something to yourself!”

Yami signed with a smile “Partner…I can't hide anything form you. I was thinking about our new enemies. Who are they what do they want with us?”

Yami looked down again //If only I hadn't lost my memories, I may have known who they are…//

“You're doing it again!” Yugi pointed to him making Yami look up at Yugi.

“Don't hide how you feeling. There are too many things I don't know either…” Yugi hugged himself a bit.

“I have a bad feeling about all of this…Something is coming and I'm worried! What's going to happen?” Yugi's eyes wavered in fear looking deeply into them you could see they were beginning become de-saturated more muted…Yugi then fell to his knees unable to stand up.

“Partner!” Yami yelled and got on his own knees placing his hands on Yugi's shoulders, Yugi looked up at him as his skin was looking more pale making Yami's eyes widen.

“Partner! we still didn't tell our friends…about your soul.” Yami looked down at Yugi who was trembling a bit but still looked up at him with a weak smile.

“We have enough things to worry about! My friends don't need to know yet…” Yugi grabbed onto the side of his bed and used it to lift himself up and stand again.

“okay enough talk tonight! We have new journey ahead tomorrow after all!”

Yugi walked towards the light switch in his room and shut it off “Let's get some rest!, Good night Other me!”

Yami looked up at the newly fixed window, the moon was high that night but his worries still plagued him. He just couldn't forget that Yugi's life was still in danger and Yugi ironically was trying to avoid talking about it as much as possible but what could he do? He couldn't force his partner to talk if he didn't want to, Yugi was always quite avoidant of a subjects like this. Yami just signed and returned to the puzzle.

Dartz watched the wall with the statues that held the three Eyptcain god cards in their mouths, with their god now reborn into this world it was time to start feeding it with the strong souls of duelists. Dartz thought about how Yugi had managed to summon Timeaus the legendary dragon and used it power to escape his capture by the hands of their god.

“Even if he's manage to release that dragon, it wont matter I already got my claws into the vessel.”

Dartz grinned as he could feel the pulse of negative energy now emitting form the deck that sat in Yugi's soul room, Yugi himself completely unaware of their sinister purpose.

“Raphael!” Dartz yelled as his tallest swordsmen walked up and knelt before him.

“Yes Master Dartz, I'll find and capture the Nameless Pharaoh's soul to feed our god.” Raphael stated

Dartz huffed and turned around to face him now a look of annoyance on his face “We need MORE then just the Nameless Pharaoh's soul, We need the souls of STRONG duelists!”

Alister then walked out form behind the pillar standing beside Raphael “Then I'll go after Seto Kaiba.”

Valon soon joined them from the other side of the room “And I'll take care of Joey Wheeler! I beat he's got to be worth something he did make it to top 4 of Battle City after all.”

Alister glared over at Valon “Pfft figures you go for the easiest target.”

Valon growled and glared back towards Alister with the same venom in his voice and pointed “You're one to talk! Why're you going after Mr. Bronze Metal? Too scared to hunt down Ishtar for a real battle?”

Alister simply turned away and closed his eyes “I have my reasons, Valon.” he replied.

“Oh really?” Valon hissed again before Raphael broke them both up.

“Knock it off! We're in the presence of Master Dartz.” He scolded both of his fellow swordsmen.

Dartz had enough of hearing his swordsmen bicker and decided it was time to move forward with his plans.

“The Nameless Pharaoh is on his way to speak with Pegasus, another duelist with a strong soul. I've already made arrangements for him.” Dartz went into his pocket and pulled out a small object, he scanned his three swordsmen and picked Alister

“Alister!” he yelled then tossed object towards him, Alister was alert and caught the object in his hands quickly.

Sitting in his palm was a tear drop shaped shard of the Orichalcos stone, Alister looked over to Dartz puzzled. He already had his own stone in form of necklace around his neck why did he need another one?

“Head over to Pegasus but do not duel him just await my instructions, Do you understand?” Dartz barked at all three of his minions.

Both Alister and Valon now knelt down in same way Raphael currently was, all three held their heads down acknowledging him in unison.

“Yes, sir.”

-- Yugi had found himself back in his subconscious again, at least that's what he thought… he was expecting some kind of horrible climate to await him like past two times but this time he was greeted to a patch of wild greenery. He followed the green patch amazed to see all this life had spring up in what was once a dessert now it more resemble a jungle! Yugi moved a few plants aside trying to look over the canopy to find the greenhouse, which he did spot at the entrance of the jungle far in the distance. He'd hoped to just follow it and end up at the building but the flora soon become far too overwhelming for him to see almost anything.

Yugi was feeling frustrated as he made his way past tons of green plants so he yelled out

“Dartz! Are you here? I can't find the greenhous-” Yugi tripped and went for a bit of tumble before landing right at the foot of his new friend in the purple suit.

“D-Dartz!” Yugi smiled sheepishly trying to pick himself up only for the tall man to reach down and pulled Yugi up onto his feet.

“My that was quiet the tumble you took Yugi!” Dartz chuckled watching Yugi dust himself off pulling out a few loose leaves that attached themselves to him.

He then looked around at all the greenery and commented “Man this place gets greener and greener every time I come here…”

“That is a result of your healing, my child.” Dartz walked towards a clearing in the green space were an open patio with a white table and set of chairs, on top of the table was a pot of tea and set of cups waiting for them.

“My healing? My mind made all this just because I'm healing?” Yugi watched Dartz walk over to the table and gesture for him to take a seat which he did.

“Indeed and the more you heal the greater this place becomes, able to thrive and grow freely.” Dartz took a seat now and poured out a cup of tea for Yugi.

Yugi was still amazed with just how much his mind could do without him even knowing it. If it could do all this with just one session of healing with Dartz just imagine what it will be like when he's fully healed, that thought alone gave Yugi hope for the future. Dartz added the typical milk and sugar to Yugi's cup before handing it over to him.

“So tell me what is new for you?” Dartz stirred his cup crossing one leg over the other as he looked at Yugi.

Yugi smiled and began to tell Dartz all about what happened the night after he returned to his waking mind. He told him about going into the other Yugi's room and finding a door that lead them to the Duel Monsters world, the Dark Magician Girl telling him and Pharaoh they where chosen to release an ancient dragon named Timeaus. Who then saved him form being taken away by the evil eye of a monster that appeared in the sky over the city.

Finally he told him about Pegasus's message to him and how he was going to America in the morning, and how Dartz's reading was correct and how happy he was they where finally making some headway in this whole experience.

Dartz was smiling the entire time as Yugi excitedly told him about these events.

“My oh my such big developments for you! But something…is different about you Yugi…” Dartz took a sip of his own tea “Is something…missing?”

The echo of that word 'missing' rang in Yugi's ears making his fingers shake a bit, trying to keep a hold his tea cup. Yugi nodded and sipped his tea as best he could.

“Yes…Dartz the new enemy has stolen half of my soul! Dark Magician Girl said that if I don't get it back…I- I could…” Yugi swallowed hard as she had to place the cup back down to keep it form spilling. He tried to steady himself by putting his hands on the table to keep them stable but they just kept shacking.

Dartz placed a hand over Yugi's own only then were they able to be at rest, Yugi looked up at Dartz a few tears in his eyes. Dartz looked back at him his mismatched eyes staring into Yugi seemed to make him pay attention and listen to him carefully.

“You will not die my child. You're going to see Pegasus after all…he should hold some answers for you.”

Yugi rubbed his eyes the nodded “Y-yeah he should…” Yugi looked down a bit frightened.

Dartz watched him and tilted his head. “Do you not believe he has answers for you?”

“No-no! I know he must have some answers it's just…” Yugi trailed off a bit and looked at his tea, he picked it up and took a big sip. Placing the cup down again he breathed in then out and continued.

“Pegasus isn't exactly what you'd call a friend…he was my enemy before…” Yugi sighed.

“Oh? Tell me more…” Dartz leaned in his hand resting on his chin.

“Well…it all started with a video tape he sent me…” Yugi continued telling Dartz about how he had a duel with Pegasus using that same VHS tape and how he used his own shadow powers to imprint a piece of his soul into the tape, being and Millennium item user he could do so. After the duel was lost by the other Yugi Pegasus used a punishment game that took Yugi's grandfather's soul and forced him into having to go to Duelist Kingdom in order to save him.

He talked about Weevil tricking him and tossing his Exodia cards into the ocean; he talked about how his other friend Bakura was also an Millennium item holder and used his powers to trap him and his friends souls into cards and they had to play a life or death game for their lives. Yugi was shaking again by the time he started to talk about how Pegasus stole Kaiba's younger brother Mokuba's soul and forced him and Kaiba into a duel that resulted in Kaiba nearly throwing himself off the top of the castle if he didn't win…and that the other Yugi was going to do it…He was going to attack Kaiba and let him die just to win!

At that point Yugi was in tears having to remember that moment broke his heart, he knew it was a long time ago but the pain and fear and shame of it all came flooding back to him. He put his head on the table and sobbed into his arms. Dartz watched with a grin on his face but hid it again once he came closer and reached out rubbing Yugi's back.

“My poor child…I had no idea he'd done such horrid things to you! How dare he harm you and you're friends! Shame on him!” Dartz continued to rub Yugi's back as he lifted his head a bit and sniffled.

“Yes…he was awful…but-but now he doesn't have his Millennium Eye anymore…”

“Indeed…so you have nothing to fear of him…” Dartz rubbed Yugi's shoulders a bit before he stood up “and yet still…you're afraid to face him…”

Yugi sat up more and rubbed his eyes “Y-yes.. I know it's so stupid! Why am I so scared to face him?”

“As I've told you before Yugi trauma has away of digging into us…it holds onto us and makes us cautious of everything, even when there's nothing to be afraid of…but we can over come our trauma's in different ways correct?” Dartz turned to Yugi who nodded this made Dartz smile.

“Now why don't I help you over come your fear of Pegasus so you can face him head on when you meet with him…” Dartz held out his arm and duel disk appeared on it.

Yugi got up intrigued with how he was going to help him with a duel disk of all things. “Uhh how is this going to-”

Dartz chuckled “Yugi I know you love to duel! And I know your an excellent strategist, you've gone over every duel you've ever played and found weak points in an opponents dueling style haven't you?”

Yugi blushed and nodded embarrassed to be called out like this; he did tend to go over past duels with the other Yugi, and just for fun they always analyzed their duel and came up with different ways to exploit loop holes in the opponents strategy and use it against them.

“And I'm sure you've found away to defeat Pegasus in your mind haven't you?” Dartz had a deck appear in his hands and started to shuffle the cards.

“Y-yeah…I mean to be honest in the final duel with him I already had the right card ready to go until…” Yugi looked away trying not to remember when the final duel became a shadow game…

Dartz finished shuffling and put the deck into the deck slot on his duel disk before activating it. “Well then now you may try it out.”

Yugi looked up confused “What do you mean?”

“Remember how you learned to face the future when you faced the tarot cards? Well it can help you over come your fears in a controlled environment.” Dartz lifted a hand up over his head and brought it down as he did his image changed to match that of Pegasus!

Yugi jumped a bit seeing that happen so quickly gave him a fright!

Dartz chuckled as his voice also changed to sound exactly how Pegasus would “I think this helps complete the the illusion? So now you may face Pegasus in an controlled environment, once you've beaten him in a duel, you'll see he's nothing to be worried about! And you'll have no reason to fear him Yugi-boy~”

Dartz lifted his hair to show the hidden eye under his hair had been replaced with a normal eye again, something the real Pegasus probably would have done by now for the sake of vanity.

“You see? Just a normal eye under all this hair!” Dartz chuckled.

Yugi swallowed the lump in his throat; he knew this wasn't really Pegasus so he didn't really have to fear him right? Plus the Millennium Eye wasn't in his eye so he was safe form a shadow game…

Yugi smiled and nodded holding out his arm he used his mind to create a duel disk.

Dartz smiled again.

“Ah I'm glad you're mastering your subconscious mind so well…Now just imagine a 40 card deck and it will appear in your duel disk but they will already be shuffled so you wont know what you get until your draw a card.”

Yugi did as he was instructed and a deck of 40 cards appeared in his deck holder on the duel disk, normally Yugi would be using the deck he used in Battle City but this time since he knew this was Pegasus he was facing he decided to try a whole new strategy,which called for a different deck entirely…

“I know Pegasus's cards already and I'll duel as closely to him as possible…are you ready Yugi-boy?” Dartz said in Pegasus' mocking tone.

Yugi glared a bit “I've been working on this one for a while…let's see if you can handle this!” Yugi activated his duel disk and drew 5 cards, Dartz also drew 5 cards.

Facing each other they both yelled out

“Duel!”

-- Back at Industrial Illusions the moon was full and high in the night sky a chilly wind blew through causing a few clouds to move across the sky coming closer to the face of the moon. Pegasus sat in his office fingers lanced together his head resting upon them, worry and fear caused his heart to race. He was alone tonight, even the cleaning staff had finished and left leaving him the soul person inside the building.

On the roof the three swordsmen of DOMA had landed and awaited just as Dartz directed them to do earlier. Alister held onto the shard while Raphael watched the sky waiting for Dartz to contact them. Valon was bored as per usual when their missions had them just be observant and not act, like a impatient child he sat on the league of the buildings roof danging his legs off on the side.

“Urgh, how much longer is he gonna make us wait? Why can't we just attack Pegasus and get it over with already?” Valon huffed.

“You heard Master Dartz we wait for his instruction. We cannot act without his permission.” Raphael stated keeping his eyes on the clouds as they began to cover the moon bathing the roof in darkness.

“If I knew you'd be so whinny I would have brought you a pocket game to keep your occupied.” Alister chuckled making Valon growl and ready to snap back with his own retort only for them to hear a voice come through the communication channel in their ear buds.

Alister answered “Yes Dartz?”

'You have arrived at Industrial Illusions? And the shard is with you?' Dartz asked.

“Yes sir we're in position and shard is with me”

'Good, now put it down on the ground in front of you and wait.'

Alister did as he was told and placed the shard down in front of him then waited. Once he did a powerful glow of green light flashed and started to crackle around the shard, it floated up and stopped about 3ft off the ground. Another flash of light followed as the stone was enveloped in the green glow, it started to grow and take on a humanoid shape.

The three swordsmen watching with intrigue as the human shape started to flesh out features; hair, eyes, a mouth, a nose, clothing and footwear. With one final flash of green light a figure stood before them but what was really shocking was who the figure resembled.

“No way…is that?” Alister started

“Yugi?” Valon finished.

The figure was a perfect copy of Yugi, especially once his eyes opened and his signature purple and orchid eyes could be seen now. The only thing he lacked was the Millennium Puzzle around his neck and fact he now had the green shard of the Orichalcos hanging form his earlobe like an earring. The copy Yugi held out his left arm and a chaos duel disk just like the one each swordsmen carried appeared on his arm.

“Dartz wants you to duel him?” Raphael said confused looking at the tiny duelists that stood before them.

“Is this some kind of a joke?” Valon asked.

“Well we have to trust Dartz's orders don't we?” Alister crossed his arms and watched as the Yugi copy turned around and headed towards the ledge of the roof.

“Hey! If you beat him do me a favour and grab his deck will you kid?” Alister barked to the Yugi copy who nodded then turned around so he was facing them fully.

He hopped down from the ledge holding on to the edge with both hands then lowered himself to the window sill below. He landed softly like a cat and saw the window was open but only by a crack, he slowly pushed it in and let himself in to the office.

Pegasus sat at his desk his back facing the window, head still down as worry carried in his voice.

“Please, Yugi-boy come quickly! I don't know how much time I have left…”

Pegasus then felt the wind enter the office space causing the curtains to bellow and float in the air. He soon realized just how cold it felt in the room now which was odd he didn't open the window that much.

“I'd say your time is up.” a voice echoed in the room.

Pegasus was surprised by the voice and turned in his chair to face the window; his one eye was widened in horror as he witnessed sitting on the window ledge was Yugi. One leg resting on the ledge while the other hung down, he rested one hand on his knee while the other one rested beside him. He looked very casual his head tilted to the side as he watched Pegasus just like a Cheshire cat with a grin to match.

“Whats the matter Pegasus? You look like you've seen a ghost.” Yugi answered with a wide grin and a slight chuckle.

“It-it can't be…I just called for you today! How can you be-” Pegasus got up form his chair still dumbfounded by what he was witnessing. How did Yugi get here so fast? Why was he sitting on the window?

Yugi corrected his head back into an upright position and chuckled. “Relax I'm not a ghost, not like you can tell without your Millennium Eye anymore…”

The Yugi copy lowered his knee and hopped off of the window ledge again landing softly on the ground “Then again maybe I am a ghost…a spirit of vengeance you could say…”

Yugi started walking towards Pegasus, the older man started to back away form him, feeling the seething malice in his voice and aura.

“V-Vengeance?” Pegasus swallowed a lump in his throat as he kept backing away trying to keep his distance form the boy. “What…are you talking about?”

He never thought he'd feel this intimated by Yugi of all people, normally he had a cheerful aura about him he only ever showed this level of anger during their duel at the finals of Duelist Kingdom. Even then that hatred was more form Yami Yugi then Yugi himself or maybe that was Yugi's anger? And Yami Yugi only embodied it for him acted on Yugi's behalf? He wasn't sure now all he knew was this boy was emitting a quiet fury towards him.

“Oh come off it Pegasus! You know exactly what I'm talking about!”

As Yugi came closer, the click of the heels of his boots echoed in the dark room carrying it all around and letting Pegasus know he was alone in here and no one was coming to save him.

“You see the other me may have let you go without a penalty game but I don't intend on doing the same…You're number is up and it's time for you to pay for what you did to me Pegasus!” Yugi hissed as he glared up at the man with a single eye.

Pegasus was still backing away his heart was racing as he finally hit the opposite wall of his office, bumping into a short bookshelf that held his duel disk on it. Even with the door was only 3 feet away he was still parallelized with fear watching in horror as Yugi now activated his chaos duel disk.

“That duel disk…Yugi w-wait! Are you-” Pegasus struggled to form words he was in shock about seeing the duel disk that belonged to DOMA now being used by Yugi, was he a apart of them?

Yugi pulled out five cards form his deck, he was ready for a fight.

“Come on Pegasus! What do you have to be afraid of? This isn't a shadow game, I don't have my Millennium Puzzle and you don't have your Millennium Eye, we're on even ground… for once. If you're truly a duelist you wont back down!” Yugi shouted in a mocking tone.

Pegasus grimaced at being called out like this, he looked down and saw his own duel disk grabbing it and placing it on his arm. He activated it and shoved the deck he kept in the breast pocket of his suit into the deck slot.

“Alright! I'll accept your challenge Yugi!” Pegasus yelled pulling out 5 cards.

“Duel!” They both shouted.

#yugi #yugi mutou #maximillion pegasus #dartz #breaking the seal #au #yugioh #yugioh dm #fan art #waking the dragons

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optimistredsox · 3 months ago

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22 Sep, MIN @ BOS, 1-8, win, Game 1 of doubleheader

Gosh. Tristan Casas erupted, didn't he? Not sure there was a better way to start a doubleheader against a playoff rival at the end of the season. I use the term playoff rival with my tongue slightly in cheek. I know we're pretty much a the very end of possibilities at the moment. But the title of this blog includes "optimist" and doesn't in any way, shape or for mention "realist" or "pessimist". So let's embrace those bright sides and revel in a postponed Saturday turning into a whole Sunday of baseball fun.

Nick Pivetta, who's not been very lucky of late, finally got some of the run support he deserved. The one run charged to him was unearned, he struck out 4 over 5 innings, walked 3 and gave up 4 hits. It wasn't the best pitched game ever, but he got the W and that's good.

The bullpen threw zeroes for four innings.

Tristan Casas kind of exploded. He was 3-for-4 with three dingers, 7 RBIs (meaning there was only one Sox run he wasn't responsible for).

Romy Gonzalez knocked in the other run and still has an awesome moustache. He was 2-for-5.

Masa Yoshida was 2-for-4 and scored twice.

Alex Cora got into a massive argument with the 3rd base umpire in the first and got thrown out of the game. At this point in the season for him to still be so fired up is encouraging. I've very glad he's with us for a few more years.

We won!

Maybe we'll win again!

#boston red sox #red sox #boston #mlb #mlb 2024 #baseball

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footytea · 7 months ago

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Lamar odom Tyga travis S Kanye W Scott disick Tristan Thompson ( ruined himself) Devin Book ( runned so fast whe he realised ) Odell Beckam Jr Lets not forget the OG GOAT downfall Bruce jenner ex medal olympic . AKA caitlyn Jenner nobody remember her now . Jude if you ever think that life with the Kardashians or you lust over them PLEASE reconsider it you owned a lot by yourself don't let nobody end all that work Just because that fame and that crish you have on Kendall that life is not like before fame is a really wicked game when it comes to that family.

okay but let's calm down a bit i'm sure he won't start dating kendall now that he did a skims shoot 😭

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vigilskeep · 2 years ago

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tristan cousland hopeless romantic…

also him being like 😐 most of the time is cracking me up. im just imagining minerva and Zevran keeping a list of every time he smiles/blushes/laughs etc

i’m not sure i’ve talked much abt who tristan actually is except in the context of minerva and zev but he is very... hmm... very reserved, very straight-faced, very committed to honour and duty. some serious and mournful quality to him. i would say “soft-spoken” is the word i most associate w him. he speaks rarely and when he does it’s quiet, calm, and with a lot of intent. if he raises his voice you are fucked. this is an extreme version of his natural personality very exaggerated by what he’s just been through, but it’s all his dao companions would be familiar with. he can be a little grim a little cold but always respectful and collected

and to people like minerva and zevran i think all that looks like a challenge! lmao. already with just zev/minerva it’s canon to me that it’s zevran’s personal goal to as often as possible make minerva laugh, really laugh, so openly you can see her sharp elven canine teeth. minerva the trained diplomat has a lot of control over her expressions so that’s a fun challenge, and she picks up on what he’s doing, so then it’s a two-player game where she’s trying not to let him win. that’s what they do when they flirt, as well, it’s almost competition and it’s fun, it’s like swordsmen sparring. so then you add an unsmiling warrior into the mix and maybe zevran gets a half-smile one day, minerva gets a blush the next, and they glance at each other with a raised eyebrow and a glint in the eye because there’s a game worth playing. besides what better way to improve party morale than make their stalwart warrior actually smile now and then? a little light-hearted competition to pass the time, what could possibly go wrong, it’s not like anyone’s going to get attached or anything haha right. right

anyway tristan is NOT a helpless victim of this incorrigible pair bc once drawn out of his shell he’s much more powerful than they think. Secret Weapon: sincerity. it’s all fun and games for minerva to drop in in the occasional sly line and glance or for zevran to brashly showily flirt, until tristan starts with the taking their hands and swearing to protect them and giving thoughtful gifts and offering his cloak and carrying them over rivers and kneeling to unlace their boots and defending their honour. three can play at this game, bitches (he would never say bitches he’s a gentleman i’m saying that)

#tristan cousland #zevran and minerva: [flirt dialogue options]#YOU HAVE UNLOCKED: COURTLY ROMANCE EXPERIENCE AND SINCERE AFFECTION #zevran and minerva sweating: wait. wait a second—

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teddypickerry · 10 months ago

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hi <3 was curious what you thought about ayitl as a whole? do you count it as canon or not?

i think it’s hard to ignore ayitl if you’ve watched it (at least for me). anytime i’m rewatching gg, my whole thought is yup this harvard loving baby is gonna need money for underwear soon enough. it feels veryyyy au/shitty fanfic like though, which is why i get why most people hate it. the whole boyfriend thing with rory DROVE ME UP THS FUCKING WALL. that’s just not her imo. as well as just her in general. and paris a divorcée who thinks she’s in love w tristan???? are you kidding me??? don’t even get me started on lane (or their horrendous outfits).

the only storyline i remotely enjoyed was lorelai’s hike that resulted in the phone call about richard. i honestly can say i enjoyed that. jess becoming the most successful and lorelai (seemingly) getting over her disgust for him was probably my favorite part (the kiss she blew him saved lives). but besides that? i skip just about all of it anytime i rewatch. the fucking musical makes me want to join richard.

(yes, i’m finally getting to these)

#asks #gilmore girls asks #teddypickerry #love answering these #jess mariano #gilmore girls

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the-new-hip-priest · 1 year ago

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I was just thinking about one of my childhood friends and his lovely family. He lived down the block from me but our friendly neighbours were more than happy to let us cut through their respective gardens so as to not walk by the main road. I’m still friends with him on Facebook and was curious to see how his family were doing.

His mother passed away this January. Our sublime and kind-hearted Christina. I remember how welcoming you were, how you were so excited for your sons to have friend that was ‘a girl who liked boy things’. I remember your warm embrace and hospitality. I remember the time you came sprinting like Usain Bolt when you heard me crack my elbow against a metal fence. I remember you comforting me after a nightmare during a sleepover and driving me home. I remember you taking us to Video Ezy so we could hire Tremors, then down to Coles for sweets and lollies. I remember your beautiful laugh as I beat the boys at Yu-Gi-Oh. I remember when I started to dress differently and you thought my goth clothes were so cool, and you’d stare down anyone who tried to insult me while we were out shopping, and brag loudly about my exam results so they could hear. I remember how happy you were when you found out I liked Rammstein because you worked for Universal and could get me lots of free CDs from European bands. I remember our chats about my education and my future as I began high school. I remember helping your boys with their homework when they transitioned to high school. I remember talking to your partner Mikey for ages, chatting Jackass and post-punk music. He found it charming that I didn’t like typical children’s entertainment. He got me to download a bunch of Bauhaus for him after we had a long talk about ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’. I remember you telling me that I was like the daughter you never had. In fact, you told me while we were walking through the Big W level parking at the mall, that’s how well I remember that moment. I made a joke about a chain-gang because so many areas were cordoned off during the ongoing renovations. You gave such a hearty belly laugh and gave me a big cuddle. It was late 2004. I remember how you understood that your eldest son would probably try smoking cigarettes at some point in his early teens, and you trusted me to make sure it was only ever tobacco if I was with him. You didn’t judge Tristan’s family for their substance abuse problems and allowed us to visit our friend, with the knowledge that I was looking out for the younger ones, aware of needles and sharps safety, and that if anyone made a poor decision - including the adults - I would keep them safe. I remember the last time I saw you, stopping you in the Woolworths carpark in Manly Vale. I was about 19 or 20, but you hadn’t seen me since I was 16. Still, you remembered me. As soon as your heard my silly accent, you knew exactly who I was. You dropped your shopping to run over and give me a big hug and tell me how nice it was to see me doing well after I moved away. Every time I drove down that road, I would check for your green station wagon - it was always there. I always planned on pulling over just to say hello, knowing you would greet me with a cuppa and a durry. Just like you remembered me that day in Woolies, I will never forget you Christina. No matter the time and distance, you were a light in each and every one of our lives and you always will be. Christina Frost 4/6/1966 - 16/01/2023 Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure You are loved beyond words And missed beyond measure.

#rip #personal #i love you christina #you will never know how much

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percontaion-points · 12 days ago

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Lost Boys chapters 21 & 22

Click here for the rest of the series!

Click to see the rest of the snark & image descriptions

Chapter 21

Okay, I was having that same weird dream again, I thought to myself. It was the same moonless night in that infinite desert and the same gothlooking girl was sitting next to me. I sat up and turned towards her.

No.

You get to pick ONE plot.

And I feel like the author lost that right when she glossed over Joe talking with Ms. Violet about this.

THAT WAS TWO GODDAMNED WEEKS AGO!

“Yes. That night at the cemetery, you called me.”

Apprehension gripped my stomach. “What night?”

Considering that Joe hasn’t been back to the cemetery since… Take a goddamned wild guess.

Sky. Her name is Sky.

“That’s a good one!” I heard her whisper in my ear, and then I woke up completely, and the dream faded from my mind like twirling leaves scattered by the wind.

The sound of his alarm woke Seth up too. He wanted to rehearse the new songs today, even though it was Saturday. He’d decided that two days a week to practice wasn’t good enough for “the band”, so we were rehearsing three afternoons in the week, and now apparently we were going to practice all weekend too. Seth was riding us pretty hard with all the band practice, but I didn’t mind; rehearsal time was like the most amazing time ever for me!

Why does the book even fucking bother at this point?

This isn’t a supernatural romance novel. Take out the first couple of chapters, and nobody would ever fucking know.

Our little unnoticed band was finally starting to get noticed inside Sagan’s grounds.

Chapter 21 summary: The book finally remembered that it has a plot other than a high school band. Joe finds herself in a dream with the weird goth girl, whom we haven’t seen since Tristan first turned human. The girl warns Joe that she’s playing a dangerous game, and chides her for not even knowing who she is when Joe “called her” that night. Then she laughs over Joe recounting that she gave the mysterious man a name of Vigil and punched him.

However, the second Joe wakes up, she forgets about the dream, so IDK what the point of any of that was. We’re back to business as usual, which is frustrating, because as I keep saying… Pick one plot here!

Before the group gets together to rehearse, Tristan checks in with Joe to make sure that she was okay with their kiss last night. She assures him that she is 100% okay with it… and would like to repeat it again soon.

Then one of The Boys™ comes in and starts talking about how everybody but one hooked up last night. However, he can’t sense if a girl had hooked up, so Joe is somehow scott-free.

Chapter 22

I was baffled. “I-I-I … There was NO hookup!” I shouted, stamping my foot. “And even if there had been, it’s none of your goddamn business! And these bets are awful! You are all awful people! You want some gossip to spread around? Spread this one: if I ever hear that someone has made a bet on me again, I’ll kick their ass! Got it?” I snapped, and stomped off to my next class.

That is the correct response.

That and telling the staff that the students are making bets on who can fuck other students. I’m sure that the staff would LOOOOOVE to hear about that!

“I always get this feeling you’re hiding something from me, Joe. I thought that, with time, you’d trust me and tell me what it is … It’s the reason you won’t give Harry a chance, isn’t it?”

I don’t know how to explain to you that it’s possible not to have a mysterious, hidden boyfriend but also somehow not be interested in a second guy.

“I’m telling you the truth, Tiff. Really,” I said nervously.

She stared at me for a few seconds in silence. “Fine. If you want to be like that, be like that, then.” She looked hurt. “I thought you were my friend.”

I’m sorry, but I’m not on Tiff’s side here. She’s kind of being an asshole about the entire thing.

“Come on, Gray. Don’t play coy now. We all saw you two that night, holding hands, dancing. You were all over each other. The whole school is talking about it. Let him have his prize!”

[...]

“Have you heard what people are saying about us all over school? Did you have anything to do with it?” I interrogated him.

Why the hell would Harry have to say anything? Joe even fucking remembered walking back to the party with Harry and they were holding hands! She said that “I know how it looks, but other people don’t understand Harry’s need for physical touch like his friends do” when it happened.

YOU DON’T GET TO BE FUCKING ANGRY THAT THERE’S A RUMOUR GOING AROUND WHEN YOU KNEW EXACTLY HOW IT WOULD LOOK!

“What’s this nonsense now? First I’m hooking up with Harry, now I have to go out with Seth. This day is getting really weird!”

Suddenly, a love triangle doesn’t seem so bad!

“Then he told me he’s going to ask you out today. On a date. So you see, we need to tell him.”

I don’t know how to explain to you that there’s this magic word that will get Joe out from a possible date with Seth. And that word is “no”.

Joe rooming with a boy was a huge mistake. Her mum should have raised a bigger fuss.

“Well, we’ve been talking a lot these days, and we both have been suspicious about you two. You are always acting really weird around each other, and all the silent glances and whispered conversations made us wonder something was up. So we come up with a plan,” she said, putting her arm around Seth’s shoulder. “Seth here was going to push on the ‘dating Joey’ thing. That would put a pressure on Tristan to tell him what’s going on between you two. If that failed, I was going to bring out the ‘best friend card’ with you, Joey. We expected you or Tristan would crack soon. And it worked!”

From their perspective, they still think that Tristan and Joe are half-siblings! I can’t even begin to imagine what must be going through their heads right now.

That made all the difference in the world and my heart felt a whole lot lighter.

Chapter 22 summary: Joe is approached by one of Tiffany’s “cheerleader friends”, who loudly proclaims that Joe has to “cough up the name of the boy you hooked up with at the party”. That the prize is a week of physics homework done by so-and-so, who runs a homework scam business. However, Joe gets into the other girl’s face and tells her that if she hears anybody else making bets about hook-ups, she’s going to kick their ass.

In first period, Joe then gets into a fight with Tiff when she refuses to tell Tiff what her huge secret actually is. Later, Joe is approached by an unknown girl, who is upset that Joe is taking the credit for having hooked up with Harry. I guess after he left Joe, he actually did hook up with her. Joe is frustrated that there’s now so many nasty rumours going around school about her… But half of them are her own making. She tells the girl the truth about all of them, but the girl’s take-away is that Harry likes her. Which Joe also didn’t say.

Joe then spends the rest of the morning in the nurse’s office with a splitting headache. When lunch rolls around, she feels better, so she goes to meet Tristan, which they’d agreed to do previously. He tells her that Seth has been talking non-stop about asking her out, and that they have to tell him the truth. Joe agrees, but only on the condition that they also tell Tiff.

So they gather Seth and Tiff in the bedroom, and explain that Tristan isn’t actually related to Joe. That it’s a lie they cooked up in order to get him enrolled in the school. So Seth and Tiff can’t tell anybody. Tiff and Seth then explain that they knew something was up, so they cooked up this plan to get the two of them to confess. Joe feels a lot better after having gotten that off her chest.

#Lost Boys series #Lost Boys (LB 1)#bookblr #book review #supernatural romance #YA novel #ghosts #romance novel

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theuniverseawakens347 · 17 days ago

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I’m a fucking piece of shit and use my illness or limitation as a back up crutch when seen … Daniel downsie but ice spice fucktional… Howard filangies.. and Tristan hair … but ya got a soul good turned evil thruntaken advantage of then learned … down play self on “weakness” when caught when they’re trying to get over .. Tristan we go half on 1/8 it’s $60 total… you try n leave my house with a blunt worth NUGENT for me and the rest for you after smoking a blunt together… I said hold on sir.. you trying to play me like a bitch to go smoke w a bitch.. you shy n tryna get up my ass I tested you I said leave me $15 worth if you want the 1/8 ( it wasn’t that good + also testing your character cuh I askedYOU HOW MANY TIMES WAS YOU DOING OTHER FUCKING BITCHES - no … then why you being weird to me - you think I’m stupid huh nigga) .. we really cud have talked about it. Ima always wrap it back to that for 2020 - now Tristan … Lee n Howard included when I started this spiritual journey … it’s a place for everything but you know wtf you did and how you make it worse when I wake to wtf going on.. different angel from you Tristan

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intothetlkverse · 1 month ago

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Decided to challenge myself by drawing every single TLK character out there, up until this point in time, and post it here. You can see the finished project on my main account, though I figured to post it on my tumblr just show I could proudly show off my work and a few of my head canons.

Here is all the zebras across TLK:

From the Lion Guard we're starting off with the golden zebra of the Backlands herself, queen Dhahabu(gold) with her two bodyguards, siblings Raha(contentment) and Starehe(comfort). Though still prideful and dramatic, Dhahabu has matured as a leader since Kion and his guard reached out to her for help during the dry season, in return helping her gain the confidence and kick in the butt to act as a true leader to her herd. She still maintains a friendly relationship with the Pridelands, even attending summits between neighboring territories/kingdoms to represent her home and herd, though never without her two closest zebra bodyguards by her side. This is the third time I've drawn Dhahabu, first in pencil, second time relying heavily on bases, and now more free-handed, and I'm very pleased with how far I've come.

Returning to the Pridelands, we come across the first leader, one of several zebra herds in the Pridelands' territory, Thurston(The Stone of Thor)/Thusi(brass-Zulu). Conceited, easily-spooked, and dim-witted, it's astonishing to many how Thurston is still alive, much less the leader of his own herd for several seasons now. However, whatever he does is working, and heck, he's manage to keep his herd alive for this long as well, though that might just be relying on the Lion Guard for protection and their nigh-infinite patience. Let's hope the current one lead by Vitani maintains the self-control and strength to not cause an unfortuanutely accident for his hilariously buffoonish stallion. Also I'm torn between using his real name and the 'Africanized' one, though I'm kinda partial to the original, despite how out of place it is. A bit surprising, though considering there's animals like Zazu with British accents in TLK, hyenas dropping Spanish words, and the entire Shakespeare literature used as the basis for the plot , I think I should be less surprised.

Though speaking of surprising is the fact that Thurston has a son, Kwato(hoof). Since zebra herds tend to have a lead stallion with several females and their foals, Thurston does actually have a few foals, though Kwato seems the most promising of his offspring. Though mischievous and energetic, he does listen well to authority and understands the value of respect gained through noble action and experience. Kwato got a bit of a redesign along with Hamu, given that zebra foals have more dark brown stripes that darken over time, as well as big roundish ears.

Edit: I did have in mind to do some next-gen characters soon, and for Thurston I decided to name two of his other foals Tristan and Howell. Given that Thurston's name comes from Thurston Howell of Gilligan's Island, I wanted to sort of keep the theme of bizarre, notably non-African names going.

Next one of the leaders of the zebra herds is a curious case with the female leader, Muhimu(important), present here with her son Hamu(desire). Giving birth to her son during a migration has made Muhimu quite cautious, as well as making her weaker, more tired, and stress after the return, though she still maintains a reliable, compassionate leading example for her herd, if not having to make her take more frequent rests and breaks. Her son is well-liked in the Pridelands among the other animals his age for his playfulness and amiable nature. He particularly gets along with Kwato from Thurston's herd, seeing him as a bit of a big brother.

Coming to our most recent zebra character addition, from the Disney Villiains: Scar vol 2 comic we have Elder/Agadi(old man). A wise and observant zebra, he leads his herd during Mufasa's time, and is one of the herds, like the wildebeest, to be worried about Scar's presence and what it meant for the future, a prediction that ultimately turned out to be right. His wife and mother of his son ends up killed shortly before Scar's coup, prompting him to step up as parent, much like the Great Prince and Bambi. Though his son is deeply hurt by the loss of his mother to the pride's hunting party, of which he was previously close friends of one of the cubs, having to deal with the notion of predator/prey and the Circle of Life's final step, while also feeling that he has been betrayed. Agadi is able to instill in his son the responsibility of being perceptive, open-minded, strong, and thoughtful, things he'll take on when he'll succeed his father, something he does rather suddenly when Scar and his hyenas target Agadi, as Agadi had been a strong critic of Scar's rule and behavior. His herd and son remember him fondly as they decide to flee the Pridelands to survive, eventually to return back after Simba's return.

Speaking of Agadi's son and the current leader of his herd, here's Lemuta(let it go), the zebra originally from the "King of the Beasts" draft, though I've decided to combine him with the colt from "A Great Team" and "Monkey Magic" and he later is the zebra in TLK2 that sings "disgrace" towards Kovu during his exile. Lemuta and Simba used to be childhood friends, however, being predator and prey, as they grew older, the bond became frayed, especially after Lemuta's mother was hunted by Sarabi. Though both knew about the separation between them, after that event both avoided each other, feeling too awkward and severed. When Simba years later as king returned, Lemuta was more of a neutral party, having his own herd and several foals by then. They have met up, but their relationship, if any, is more civil and courteous. I'll be honest, when searching for reference for how to do him, since he is only mentioned and no concept art exists of him(that and he is described as having a pink blotch on his nose), I came across seven different designs across all of TLK fandom, however, I'll tell you one thing that my version of Lemuta has that no other depiction has.... the first strand of hair on his crest is white instead of black... I'm so creative. I decided to give him a moody and upset, yet agreeable expression, demonstrating his lingering resentment, yet willingness for acceptance to do the right thing.

Next of is Lemuta's mate, which I have made Zarah/Zahra(radiant/fair) from "The Disguised Zebra". Unlike Lemuta, she has a much more positive view of lions, understanding that they are predators and necessary for a helpful ecosystem, but respects the current rulers, as in their youths they helped her cross dangerous predator-filled territory and back safely to her herd. Growing up, she would share her experience with Lemuta, trying to help expand his idea of how there can be good, bad, and neutral predators, although while he does understand and has come to accept what happened was nature's way, he still remains salty about it. Zahra often acts as mediator in herd disputes with him, though is lately feeling worried for him as he and the leader of the oryxes, Odera, have been quite vocal about their displeasure about Simba's redaction of Kovu's exile and the Outsiders' integration into the Ndona pride, as well as how his attitude has been affecting their foal.

Next up we have Zebby/Zebaki(mercury) from "Spots and Stripes". Zebaki is Agadi's son and Lemuta's half-brother. He too had a relationship with Simba and Nala, and helped save them from a pair of cheetahs which attacked them, thinking that in their painted forms they were zebras. He did understand his half-brother's resentment towards the lions after his mother was hunted and did try to be supportive of him throughout the years, though his personal dislike of predators is not as strong as Lemuta's, and actually has a slightly more pleasant relationship with Simba. He is allowed to remain in Lemuta's herd, to help with the population, though has been slowly getting to know Muhimu and her herd more, even helping sire Hamu with her, though she maintains the fact that she is lead zebra of the herd, even if he should join.

And with that, we say goodbye to all the plains zebras for now. There are technically three different species of zebra; plains, mountain, and Grevy's, the first two having their own subspecies, including the extinct quagga in the plains zebra's case, though I digress. Point is that plains zebras are the most common, widespread, and viewed across TLK media, and in real life. The other two zebras species have their own behavior, habitat/range, and appearances, and I will go into that while describing them.

Finishing up with the Pridelands zebras we have two mother/foal pairs, both which are Grevy's/imperial zebras. While plains zebras live mostly in grasslands and savanna woodland, aka 50+% of the Pridelands, Grevy's/imperial zebras live in more semi-arid savanna, typically form smaller herds and are more antisocial, and are more 'mule-like' then 'equine-like' in appearance compared to the other two, are the largest species, and have the tightest stripe patterns of the three. Starting up from "Zebra Crossing" and we have Grevy's zebras Milia(stripes) and her son Punda(donkey). A bit of an odd pair, their herd migrated alongside the wildebeests. Punda had befriended Simba and Nala, though has not been seen since the migration. He's very cheery and playful, naive about what dangers the world possesses just yet. Milia is a graceful and gorgeous zebra, something she knows and is proud of. However, like most herbivores, she does have a disdain for predators, especially the two lion cubs that her son Punda has befriended. "Those are your future hunters, son. They won't always be fun and kind to be with when they're old enough to take you down for lunch." She does her best to try and protect him, even getting together with fellow herbivore and blue wildebeest Nyumbu, to provide a male role model and structure into his life. It does seem to work, as the three go on migration together and the two boys tale a liking to each other.

The next duo comes from 6NA's "How True, Zazu?", mother Muwa(sugarcane) and her son Sukari(sugar). Sukari is the last of the young animals to spread the rumors to discredit Zazu's name, only to regret his actions when they put both Zazu's credibility and the Pridelands in danger, in which he comes clean and takes on a temporary role as one of Zazu's info-gatherers. However since Scar's reign, he fled with his mother to lands elsewhere and has not been seen since.

Next up, starting with the Hakuna Matata magazine "Home, Sweet Home" we get some oasis, aka mountain zebras with Stripey/Sphiwe(gift-Afrikkans) and his mother/Zeyana(ornament-Afrikkans), in a herd with his half-brother Zak/Zakwani(thriving) from "Falling in Love". Mountain zebras differ in that they have bold stripes, pure white underbellies, and a noticeable dewlap, aka a noticeable flap of skin under the chin and on the neck. They are fond of more hill-y habitats, like mountain slopes and escarpments with a diversity of grass species. They also form smaller family herds, usually comprised of a single stallion and 1-5 mares with their offspring. This is the case with their herd, albeit larger then most herds, in which Sphiwe and Zakwani are two of his multiple foals sired by the head stallion. Sphiwe befriended Simba growing up in the Oasis, making him the fifth zebra colt to do so, though like Zuber, Zahra, and Punda his thoughts on Simba are positive, as Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa helped protect him and his herd from the trio of cheetahs from Lightfoot's coalition. Sphiwe, Zakwani, Zeyana, and their herd have remained friends with them, even after Simba grew up and left to go back.

Last on our list we have go back to plains zebras and into the Pridelands' past to meet Zebra/Nata(sticky) from "The Brightest Star". He was leader of his herd during the time of Mohatu, and much like his descendent Thurston, was very arrogant and conceited, though with a bit more aggression like his descendent Lemuta, as he was willing to endanger other animals in order to gain the advantage during a drought. When Mohatu found a new source of water and suggested they all behave in order to make the most of it to survive the drought, Nata reminded everyone of how the Selfish lion, one of Mohatu's species, broke the rule, hence forth why should any of they follow suit? This resulted in a riot with everyone rushing towards the water source, trampling and injuring each other to get there, only for Nata's actions to cause him get him trapped in quicksand around the surrounding area. Having to rely on others to get him out, he became more humbled and selfless in nature, agreeing to work with his fellow animals to help survive the drought, though this event does mark one of the notable riots/rebellions in the Pridelands history with the other Pridelands species rebelling against the lion ruler at the time.

#zebra #lionkingchallenge #lionking #art challenge #charcater design

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prisonwalkerfics · 7 months ago

Text

Liminal Ambiguity

Summary

Expectations are a thing where people reveal their worth to others and themselves. How would someone like myself could afford to bridge the gap between my halo and horns? Am I truly worth the task at hand to appease those expectations, or simply able to burn the alleged faith in me from other people? Emerson is starting his life as a new upstart adult in a world where crimes and infidelity are growing exponentially. With family on his end pressuring to make better decisions for himself, he barely has the effort to attempt the decision he finds for himself and for himself. Until he meets someone worth the effort to hide his stress for a few nights…Or maybe forever?

Cast

Tristan Stovall as Emerson Briar Brumfield (ML)

Clayton Hunter as Mr. Nolan Brumfield

Andres Marcelo as Michael/Evan Ryder Rose (Bodyguard/ Friend/False Love Interest (LI) for Emerson)

Kjay Woodland as Andrew “Drew” Miller (LI)

Max Cohen as Kasper Isaak-Miller (Bro)

Tyla Laura Seethal as Shiomi Sato-Miller (Sis)

Regina Hall as Imani Miller (Aunt)

Teyonah Parris as Kayla Miller (Aunt)

1: Remembrance

-Emerson-

I wonder if my father truly loves me. Is he loathing the idea of my failing aspirations, or is the opportunity to reconstruct my identity too much to bear for him? I questioned his motives sometimes when I was involved. He says he has my best interest at heart, but I have yet to see any form of his love towards me to be present. Sometimes, I wished my mother was still here to keep the peace between my father and myself.

I walked into my on-suite bathroom, staring at myself in the mirror, absorbing the self-loathing I had placed in myself countless times. I have a few blemishes here and there. I lift up my shirt to smell the stench of the alcohol from last drenching my body. Great, I was going to freshen up quickly and climb back into my bed to sleep the day away, but I think a divine intervention has something else in store for me.

"Emerson, your father wanted to know if you were awake. He wishes that you quickly wrap up your morning routine and meet him in his office immediately. Also, good morning, Emerson. Hopefully, today will be the day that good news will bless you." Our butler, Ulysses, mentioned this to me before exiting my bedroom.

It's nice hearing his voice. I hope he doesn't leave, too. I turned on the shower and climbed into the burning barrage of water droplets, stabbing me into the leftover scars left by my past temperaments and discretions. This may ease my mind off what my father would be plotting to sabotage my free will yet again. It has not been even a whole year since the last time I had to beg for his forgiveness. Am I really that much of a shameful excuse of a son that he is going to punish me again. Will his chamber members of the executive be there again? Will they also need me to cleanse myself for them to relieve them of my sorrow? I can only find out by meeting him in his office. What do I have to lose that I already lost?

I walked towards his office when I noticed Ulysses fanning me over towards him. He removed his right glove from his hand and placed it on my shoulder. I looked into his face to see a smile on his face. I haven't seen a smile on his face since my dad called me back from boarding school three years after my mother's death. This may be good news for once.

"Be careful, and don't do anything you will regret doing. I hate seeing you hurt." Ulysses stated to me before laying a small kiss on my forehead.

"Thanks; let me get this over with before he reconsiders whatever he has in store for me," I told Ulysses before knocking on my father's office door, waiting for him to say something.

I stare at the door that started it all for me. My announcement of my birth by my mother to the removal of my name from my father and reside at Lady Lily Boarding School of Troubled Youths. I went through so much there. I was trapped there with no outside communication because my father wanted nothing to do with me at the time. My mother yelled at him for sending me away because I was too weak to form coherent thoughts and like-minded ideals like himself. He said the school would help shape me into a man like himself. He said I was troubled by the thoughts that went through my mind.

I was troubled, alright. The mental and emotional assaults by the priests and nuns to the physical assaults from the other boys who were there seeking the same thing as myself, but in the difference between the both of us, they were truly troubled. They took something from me I would never want any man or woman to experience. They took my innocence, pride, and the least amount of sanity I had at the time. I was only going to go to the school for one year, my father said to prove to me that I was not troubled, but after the person I trusted there to support me throughout my year there, he beat me up and sexually assaulted me to prove that I was just as troubled as everyone else here.

All I could hear was him laughing at me as he silenced me each time, emphasizing his position and views on me stroke by stroke. After he finished, I snapped. I picked up the nearest object and beat the living shit out of him to prevent him from hurting anyone else ever again. It was all a ploy from my father to prove to my mother that I could not be saved from simple parenting but hard love. He didn't expect the kid to go this far with me, but nonetheless, my father won in my mother's eyes. I was left behind for another two years to be falsely rehabilitated for something that was never a part of me. Yet, I was still victimized in my own mind to live with the failure I had given my mother, the only person who saw the best in me, to walk away from her greatest blessing. I was able to bless her with my life. Now, I was a curse that killed my mother and pushed my father to believe in his perspective of me.

"Come in." I hear my father's voice behind the door. I walked through the door to see him in one of his countless luxurious suits. "You're late. Have a seat." I nodded and sat across from him.

I looked up at my father, hoping he would finally look me in the eyes for a change, but all he was doing was looking at documents and his calendar. Once again, after all these short years after my 'shameful' display at the school and when I returned home after my mother's death, he would never look at me nor acknowledge me as his son.

"Good morning, d- Mr. Brimfield. I am sorry for my lateness. It won't happen again." I told my father. He looked up from his folders of documents and calendar and saw my sorrowful face. He had a soft smile before it quickly fell off his face.

"I see you refrained from calling me by paternal nouns here. I guess letting you stay at that school for another two years did you some good. Then again, your mother's death also did a number on your mental health and self-awareness of authority around you. I think I could give you something that would shed more light on the Brimfield name. Ulysses, call in Mr. Rose. He needs to see who his new assignment will be." My father mentioned that he had commanded Ulysses to bring some strangers to his office.

"An assignment? Am I going on a trial or something, Sir?" I asked my father, confused. I looked behind myself to only go pale in the face. "What the fuck is he doing here?" I wondered, mumbling and shaking at a loss for words, that my father would continue to hurt me even after the will my mother left behind.

My father walked over towards the guy who violently assaulted me six years ago and got me in this mess, being hugged and cherished more than I have ever received from my father. I was born to be tormented and tortured by the man who was supposed to nourish and love me unconditionally.

"Watch your mouth, boy. This successful young man's family is a potential business partner. I asked them if their son had any time to partner with my son on a chance to redeem himself in my eyes and achieve his mother's wishes. They said he doesn't have any other obligation on their end, so I asked them to help you help me." My father said coldly as he twisted the words of my dead mother into my face.

Michael Rose is the guy who has broken me even more than I have ever been. He destroyed my image of my mother of ever being saved from my torment of a place that started to 'repair' broken young men and women. Michael was another broken boy, but he was indeed troubled but as a troublemaker. He always pulled pranks and bullied me here and there. However, everyone on the campus loved him, from the Holy Father to all the students who attended the school. After my little explosive moment with him in one of the sports teams' supplies shed, they loved him even more, giving him a chance to leave school early. However, I heard he rejected the opportunity and stayed until graduation like I did.

Now, at the age of 21, I look at him. He is taller than before and relatively in shape. His eyes are still the same shade of icy blue from all those years ago, and he has the same dark brownish-black hair to follow suit. I trusted this person with my mind, body, and soul. He desecrated all three of them in a matter of a short year. He smiled at me as he turned to my father with concern.

"I am not sure this will work out, Mr. Brimfield. Your son is uncomfortable with me being here." Michael mentioned it to my father. My father looked at me and back to him with a cocked brow.

"Wait in his room until I am done with him. My butler will walk you to his room. I will get to the bottom of this foolishness." My father growled as he dismissed Michael from his office, closing the door behind him. My father locked the door and walked over towards me. "You have the nerve to make a fool out of me again. Did you learn anything after all these years besides shitting yourself? I honestly swear you can be hopeless and disgraceful." My father slapped me in the face as he stabbed me with more words of affirmation that all of this was nothing more than a lie.

I stumbled, falling in front of his desk. I stare at my father, shaking at the countless beatings and punishments that occurred in this room. This place was never a happy place. The very fact that this room used to be my mother's library turned into yet another one of his offices to build another wall between my own escape from his tyrannical rule over my mind and displace my mother further away from me.

"He was the one that broke my trust all those years again! You expect me to just forget about everything he did to me! That will never happen!" I shouted at my father, pulling myself up from the ground.

My father walked over swiftly, picking me up and slamming me onto his desk. He slapped me twice across the face as he stared into my eyes with the same rage he did when I was defending myself all those years ago from my rapist. He slammed me over and over again onto his desk, feeling my heart break each time he dropped me. Why couldn't it have been you?

"If he did all those things, you should have begged forgiveness when they tried to press charges against you. It took all your hard work to get a good lawyer to acquit all the charges against you, Emerson. When I finally thought you would become a man like your father. Respectable. Honorable. Disciplined. I thought I could even start calling you my son rather than Adanna's boy. You turned around and pulled this shit. The boy was in intensive care for over a year. He even forgives you for the assault, but you, of all people, believed you were better than God himself and refused it. Take this opportunity as a form of redemption for your past discrepancies and reflect." My father drilled into my mind once again.

I felt tears fall down my face. I always wanted to hear those words come from his mouth. He pulled me up from the desk and pulled me in for a vile embrace. I stood there in fear of what he may do next. He pulled me in tighter, leaning close to my right ear. "You better not fuck this up, son. If you do, you can relive that same event for the next thirty to fifty years. If that event happened, of course." My dad mentioned pushing me out of his office to get back to work before.

Why did my mother have to leave me instead of him? I try my hardest every day to one day get his approval again, like when I was younger. I missed the man who saw me as one of his successful projects. The happiness that left him was euphoric. He was happy for months. He would play with me, read books, and have countless sleepovers. Now, I look back at it to see if it was indeed the happy memories he provided, or were they simply requests from my mother to bond with me since he wanted an heir to the company someday.

I walked up the stairs in shame to just crawl into my bed and cry my eyes out for yet another failed attempt to appease my father's hunger for higher glory and happiness. I walked into my room to see my abuser extinguishing my escape from the world engulfed by my father. I want to push him out of my window and kill myself in the process to make my father suffer both in his career and honestly as a father.

I left the door open just in case something happened. Michael walked towards me, keeping his distance. He stared at my face and my unkempt clothes. "I heard a lot of shouting down there. I never knew Mr. Brimfield to be so vocal. He was always a man of a few words. I know you properly didn't forget about me, but I was finally able to talk to you after all this mess." I glared at Michael as he said those words with such a chirping tone. Even now, he is mocking my domestic abuse and the abuse I experienced from him secondhand.

"Why the fuck are you here? Didn't you do enough to hurt me? You were my only friend for a long time and stole six long years from me. You suppose a little conversation between us would fix my lost teenage years, and the invasive therapy sessions would alleviate what happened all those years!" I yelled at Michael, crying my eyes out as all those words and the ability to stand against him finally gave me something he stole from me to reappear. My ability to think and be selfish.

"It might not be, but I am willing to start over. I never got the chance to tell you that I was sorry. I took advantage of you and your loneliness and did things that no one should ever do to someone. I understand that you may not trust me again, but I know that your father believes I didn't do anything to you. He even tried to see if I would storm out of this room after my plea for forgiveness. He even threatens you with the same assault I caused you six years ago. I was an idiot trying to feed off anything that would make me feel good. If you want to continue where you left off, I have accepted that year after my release from the hospital." Michael stated firmly as he walked closer, dropping a heavy object in my hands.

I opened my eyes to see it was a pistol with a silencer on it. I looked at him in horror yet glee. I have the chance, with no restraints, to end the life of the person that harmed me. I checked the magazine and saw nothing there. I disarmed the gun to see if the chamber had a round in it, but to my shock, the gun was empty. Michael pulled out a necklace with a bullet stained with dried blood on it, sealed in a fairy bottle.

"Is this some sick joke, Michael? Is giving me this gun to kill you as a returned favor for what you did to me?" I asked him as my blood began to boil. He walked over towards me with a hug. I can feel my heart and breathing quickly start to accelerate.

"It is what I can do, at least. After I lead them all to this point, including you." Michael told me softly as if his voice had gotten remorseful. I looked up at him, trying to connect the decaying nerves in my brain to make one last critical thinking point before I potentially fail my father and especially my mother again.

"What did he hire you for?"

"To be your friend again."

You can't be serious. Is my father trying to help me for a chance, or is he trying to redeem himself for lost time? I have to figure that out.

A/N

I hoped I did not run you all away from this shameless and shotty comeback sort of. Awkward thinking this is how I wanted to return, but here I am back at last somewhat. See you in the next chapter.

#lgbtq #love #lost #pain #trust

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