#and their life experiences become drastically different as a result

[thevelaryons]

Addam of Hull was simply a child. But the identity of ‘Addam Velaryon’ is that of a child soldier.

As Addam of Hull, he has never known war in his life. His birth was long after the War in the Stepstones ended and before the Dance of the Dragons began. Addam earns his new name because he managed to claim a dragon. After that, he is positioned in situations where he is expected to commit acts of violence towards others, through his dragon (or at least threaten them with the intent to commit the act):

It is one thing to face a dragon, another to face five. As Silverwing, Sheepstealer, Seasmoke, and Vermithor descended upon them, the men of the Triarchy felt their courage desert them. The line of warships shattered, as one galley after another turned away. The dragons fell like thunderbolts, spitting balls of fire, blue and orange, red and gold, each brighter than the next. Ship after ship burst asunder or was consumed by flames. Screaming men leapt into the sea, shrouded in fire. Tall columns of black smoke rose up from the water.

.

Addam Velaryon remained aloft, flying Seasmoke around the city walls, the beat of his dragon’s wide leathern wings a caution to those below that any defiance would be met with fire.

.

It had long been the custom for at least one dragonrider to reside at the pit, so as to be able to rise to the defense of the city should the need arise. As Rhaenyra preferred to keep her sons by her side, that duty fell to Addam Velaryon.

.

Most notably of all, House Tully had joined the war. Seasmoke’s descent upon Riverrun had at last persuaded that reluctant warrior, Ser Elmo Tully, to call his banners for the queen, in defiance of the wishes of his bedridden grandsire, Lord Grover. “A dragon in one’s courtyard does wonders to resolve one’s doubts,” Ser Elmo is reported to have said.

Addam's behaviour at Tumbleton is actually a dramatic contrast to everything that came before. At the Gullet, he and the other Dragonseeds were expected to participate in the fighting and they did their part as ordered, nothing beyond that. In every other instance after that, Addam doesn't commit the actual acts of violence. The threat always hangs in the air, but Addam displays surprising restraint. It is only at Tumbleton that Addam starts showing heightened aggression and suicidal tendencies. Such traits are quite common amongst child soldiers. Obviously, Addam would be affected by all that he's gone through and now that he's in such a high stress situation at Tumbleton (where he feels that he needs to prove himself), he's starting to show it. His actions become over the top violent:

Most devastating of all was the dragon. Seasmoke came swooping down again and yet again, breathing flame. A hundred tents were soon afire, even the splendid silken pavilions of Ser Hobert Hightower, Lord Unwin Peake, and Prince Daeron himself. Nor was the town of Tumbleton reprieved. Those shops and homes and septs that had been spared the first time were engulfed in dragonflame.

When Addam chose to engage in battle at Tumbleton, it was a clear act of desperation and at the same time, childish hope of victory too. But sometime in the midst of the battle, he does seem to realize the futility of the situation. In a final act of desperation (and Addam knew this would be final), he put himself directly in harm's way to protect the soldiers in his army.

Alone of the four dragons on the field that day, Seasmoke had a rider. Ser Addam Velaryon had come to prove his loyalty by destroying the Two Betrayers and their dragons, and here was one beneath him, attacking the men who had joined him for this fight. He must have felt duty bound to protect them, though surely he knew in his heart that his Seasmoke could not match the older dragon. This was no dance, but a fight to the death.

He goes from someone who's character arc has him positioned to commit acts of violence onto others to allowing the violence be done to him.

It was Addam who was with Corlys for much of the war after earning his new name (while his younger brother stayed with their mother). Unlike Alyn, who was kept mostly sheltered (until he had to take his brother's place), Addam gets several instances of being exposed to warfare and politics. Even the very act of Addam being legitimized as Corlys' heir highlights his position as a pawn, as child soldiers often are. Post Battle of the Gullet, when the Blacks take King's Landing, Addam still remains in a military role once he's stationed at the Dragonpit, tasked with watching over the city. The position he holds would make it difficult for him to let down his guard and act like the child he is.

In the end, when his remains are finally returned to Driftmark, he is not buried at sea as befitting his identity as Addam Velaryon (though that identity is of course still relevant to him despite the violence associated with it). Instead his bones are laid to rest at Hull, where he was born and grew up and spent so much of his childhood. Dead at 16, the same age his mother was when she gave birth to him.

[escelia]

Thank you so much to everyone who enjoyed the first part! I hope I didn't miss anyone in the tags.

You can click here to read the prologue and here to read part one.

Enjoy~

Not So Normal pt2

Bruce had gathered his whole brood in the Batcave for their debrief. This time, Danny included. He'd hoped that one day he would bring Danny down here and tell him all about their nightly activities, just not so soon. His newest son didn't even seem fazed at all by all the vigilantes flooding into the cave. Not that that really meant anything with him floating down through the ceiling with Dick and Damian in hand. To think one of the kids living under his own roof was a meta and he hadn't noticed… he had to step up his game as Gotham's greatest detective.

"Is the Joker alive?" Was Bruce's first question once everyone was situated and settled. He had a personal rule about not killing his rogues, but honestly, after what the Joker pulled, he thought he might be able to overlook it. After all, when an eldritch being takes a life, who is he to argue?

"Of course he's alive! Nobody dies when I get involved." Danny puffed his chest proudly. He hadn't broken his no casualty streak since he started hero work over a year ago. Not many heroes could say that, and Danny worked damn hard to keep it that way.

Bruce let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Out of relief or disappointment, he didn't know.

"Next question. Where and what is 'clown jail?'"

"It's a subspace of the Infinite Realms." The detective tucked that term away for questioning later. "It's a trick I picked up from my Head Guard back in the Realms. It's basically a space where you experience whatever punishment I think fits your crime. But it's all psychological, so no one ever gets hurt there."

"And what's his punishment?"

"Are you a meta or an alien? I can't tell at this point."

"How long have you known about us?"

"Why did you look so different back at the warehouse?"

"You have a Head Guard?"

The questions came in like a flood. Danny flushed at all the attention, unsure where to start first. He looked to Damian for help, but he only folded his arms and smiled smugly. That little traitor! But he supposed that's what he deserved for waiting so long to tell his family. In his defense, the last time he told a family about his abilities he'd ended up strapped to a table with a scalpel poking at his spleen.

"One question at a time, please!” Danny screeched, covering his face in embarrassment. He stared at Damian pleadingly one more time.

"I told you to tell them before something drastic happened, so don't look at me. "

"You knew?" Jason pouted. Damian just smirked and puffed his chest in pride. He knew exactly why Daniel hadn't told them, but had been confident that his new family wouldn't react the way his old one had. Perhaps this would teach Daniel to trust him a bit more. And wasn't it something that Damian wanted Daniel to trust him.

"They aren't like the Fentons, Daniel. You should tell them."

The words were like a balm on Danny's nerves. The others were smiling patiently at him, judgment absent in favor of eager curiosity but not in the cruel way it had been on Jack and Maddie's faces. He took a deep breath before starting in on the details. No place like the beginning, he guessed.

He told them about how he half died when he was 14 and all the abilities he gained as a result. He told them about his hunter parents and his colorful array of rogues turned friends. Bruce had paled considerably when he got to the part about Pariah Dark whisking their town away and his subsequent defeat of the Ghost King. And he looked downright nauseous when Danny detailed his victories over several of the more godlike entities of the Realms, like Overgrowth and Vortex. He left out Dan, skipping to the part where he'd effectively become the ward and apprentice to the Master of Time, Clockwork. And finally, he told them about Jack and Maddie.

When he'd stumbled into Gotham after the vivisection and begged Bruce to take him away, to protect him, "please, I just wanna feel safe again," he'd told him that it was abuse and refused to outline the details. This time, he looked him in the eyes, and with one finger wrapped around Damian's for support, he told his family about how the Dr's. Fenton had cut him open and poked around in the name of science.

"So… you're not a meta?" Duke asked in the silence that followed Danny's confessions. He had to admit he was grateful his brother wasn't dwelling on his past. Damian had been right, they were taking it well. Boy, did he let it show on his face in a typical, 12 year old, "I told you so," fashion.

"I don't have a metagene and I'm technically half-dead, half-alive. Damian used the term Pseudo-Meta. I kinda like it."

"So let me get this straight," Jason began. "Since dying, you won the Ghost King's crown by right of conquest, defeated several godlike entities, who are now your friends, and your mentor is the literal God of time?"

"Pretty much."

"Damn," he whistled. "I don't think I died right the first time. I want a do-over."

Danny snorted in laughter and Damian tutted at him while the others elbowed him in ribs.

"Does that make you a god?" Dick teased.

"I don't think so, but every time I ask Clockwork he gets all cryptic, so maybe?"

Bruce was getting a headache.

~~•○•~~

"Alright, it's time to solve some real mysteries now," Tim said with a gleam in his eyes. They'd migrated up to the kitchen for post patrol cookies. Alfred had been pleasantly surprised when Bruce had explained that, thanks to Danny, everyone had made it home relatively unscathed. And considering they'd had a run-in with Joker, that was worthy of cookies in his opinion.

"Danny, how in the world did you get Damian to stop trying to stab you?"

"Actually, yeah! You guys have gotten really close. What's the secret?" Dick asked with a raised eyebrow. Damian rolled his eyes and answered for Danny.

"I challenged him in combat and Daniel accepted. It's not my fault none of you were intelligent enough to realize it was a bonding tactic." Bruce tried to hide his laughter in his mug while the others blatantly gawked at him.

"No way."

"I have a picture of the first time he managed to graze me in a sparring session! You guys wanna see?" Everyone swarmed him to see the photo. Dick cooed and tried to pinch Damian's cheek, but was met with snapping teeth. Steph, with eyes sparkling, just muttered, "cute," so as not to stir the youngest's ire. Danny ended up promising to send the picture into the group chat later.

"By the way, you never did say what Joker's punishment was," Jason mentioned casually. Danny smiled cruelly, his frosty blue eyes glowing.

"His greatest fear, of course! A prolonged stay in a Gotham that has not nor will ever know the Joker. I swear, I've never met a clown that wasn't a total narcissist." Danny popped the last bite of a cookie into his mouth and dusted the crumbs off on his pants. "No one is allowed to hurt my brothers. Ever."

~~•○•~~

Damian was just about to climb into bed when he heard a knock at his door. He looked up just in time to see Danny phase through it into his room.

"Why even bother knocking?"

"Because it's polite!" Damian rolled his eyes. "I just wanted to say thank you for earlier." He took a seat at the end of the bed and Damian sat next to him, as was tradition for their late night chats.

"I'm the one who should be thanking you," Damian countered. "You weren't ready to tell everyone, and yet you came when I called."

"Of course I did. You're my little brother. And I'd do it for any of you." Danny nudged him with his shoulder, and it earned him a tiny, barely there smile.

"Thank you Danny."

"Using a nickname, huh? Don't let Dick hear that, he'll think you're playing favorites."

"Of course not. I have a reputation to uphold after all. Besides, Richard already thinks you're my favorite. It's giving him a complex."

"Well, aren't I?"

"Tt, don't push your luck."

There was a beat of silence before they erupted into laughter. Danny was so proud that he could make Damian laugh, even if it was more reserved than the guffaws he and their brothers had when they found something particularly funny. He couldn't wait to brag to Jazz about it once it was safe to contact her. If it was safe to contact her.

"I'll see you in the morning," Danny said, leaning lightly against his brother's shoulder in lieu of a hug. He floated over to the door. "Goodnight, Dami."

"Sleep well, Danny."

~~•○•~~

Vlad Masters gnashed his teeth while he stared at the computer screen in his office. First Daniel up and disappeared without so much as a word, and now he was all over the news and tabloids as the newly adopted "Daniel Fenton-Wayne." He was annoyed. He was furious! He was… confused. What had that fool Jack done to get Daniel taken away? Why hadn't Maddie stopped it? How did Daniel end up getting legally adopted by Bruce Wayne of all people? The boy should have come right to him if something was wrong. He deserved it! The boy was his or he was no one's!

The man swatted the mug off his desk. It shattered against the wall.

[str8rat]

Today we're talking about Change God Cults in my ISAT/Fear and Hunger AU!

WARNING!! The following post contains really fucked topics. If you can't handle topics such as sexual harrassment, all sorts of body horror, murder and gore, please keep scrolling. ( If you're any familiar with Fear And Hunger then you can most likely imagine that it gets B A D here. so proceed with caution )

~ ~ ~

NEW Gods;

God of Change - Among the most revered deities in Vaugarde, the God of Change represents the ever-shifting nature of existence. However, some Vaugardians have taken this belief to dangerous extremes, becoming fanatically obsessed with the idea of constant transformation. Over time, this obsession has spread like wildfire across the country, gaining popularity to such an extent that even Isabeau, known to be someone who 'Capital-C Changed', now distances himself from the belief entirely, even going as far as to claim that the Change belief is something completely different to what it used to be a few years ago.

In their fervor, many parents have forced their children to undergo drastic changes against their will, believing it to be a sacred duty. Others, consumed by the need to change constantly, in some cases even daily, each time adopting a new persona. This relentless pursuit of transformation often leads to insanity, as they become overwhelmed by the chaos of countless personalities battling for control.

One particularly disturbing example can be found in Dormont, where a man known to Mirabelle exemplifies the madness that has taken hold. If Siffrin chooses to speak with him before heading to the Clocktower, they will witness the man’s unsettling behavior: with each sentence, he switches tone, language, and attitude, as if he’s a dozen different people trapped in one body. Yet, beneath the turmoil, it's quite clear that the man is still good-hearted and kind, despite everything.

~ ~ ~

Change God Cults;

The Children of Change; the name surrounding all kinds of Change Cults, which take the concept to an extreme, twisted degree. Examples of the most popular cults known to exist;

The Body Crafters; A cult emerges in the dark corners of Vaugarde, where followers of the God of Change take the concept to an extreme. These individuals use Body Craft to reshape their bodies. They believe that constantly altering their physical forms will bring them closer to divine enlightenment. However, the grotesque results leave them disfigured, with limbs twisted into unnatural shapes, faces mutilated beyond recognition, and bodies often barely functional. Their minds, too, begin to warp, as they lose their sense of identity, becoming trapped in a cycle of endless, horrific transformation.

The Skin Walkers; Some Vaugardians become so obsessed with Change that they seek to embody others completely—by wearing their skins. These fanatics hunt down those they admire or envy, skinning them alive to create a "new self," usually in the circle of other Skin Walkers, brought together to witness the ritual. They believe that by donning the flesh of another, they can absorb their traits, memories, and personality. The ritual often leaves the victim alive and screaming until death finally claims them. The Skin Walkers then parade through the streets, proudly displaying their new "selves," only to discard them once the flesh begins to rot, seeking a fresh "change."

The Memory Eaters; In their desire to experience every possible life, some Vaugardians develop a twisted ritual where they consume the memories of others. Using forbidden rituals and Crafts, they extract the essence of a person's mind, leaving the victim an empty husk. The Memory Eaters then live out the stolen memories, believing that by experiencing as many lives as possible, they can achieve ultimate enlightenment. However, the process slowly erodes their sanity, as the cacophony of voices in their head grows louder, each demanding to be the dominant personality. Eventually, they lose control, their minds shattered by the weight of countless lives they can no longer distinguish, becoming crazed, bloodlusting maniacs in search of people they can stole the memories of. One of such individuals can be encountered on the second floor of the House, somehow having avoided being frozen by the Curse. If a party member ends up being hit by the Memory Eater's 'Mind Steal' Skill, they will become mere husks of their former selves. With no tonics or healing Craft being able to help, the rest of the party will be forced to leave them behind. Shields can reflect this Skill.

The Perfectionists; In some of the more remote regions of Vaugarde, there are rumors of parents who take the concept of Change to a horrifying extreme. Obsessed with creating the "perfect" children, they subject their offspring to dangerous experiments and rituals designed to force rapid, unnatural growth and development. These children are subjected to forceful use of Body Craft and invasive procedures that twist their bodies and minds. Some become hideous monstrosities, unable to comprehend their own existence, while others are molded into mindless puppets, their free will stripped away in the name of Change.

The Cult of Marrige; Deep within the shadowy corners of the world, a cult has arisen, known as the Cult of Marrige. This twisted sect is devoted to the Change Belief but has taken its teachings to horrific extremes. They believe that true Change—the ultimate transformation—can only be achieved through a grotesque ritual they call "Marrige." Despite the name, Marrige is not a bond of love between two beings, but rather a nightmarish fusion, where two souls, bodies, and minds are violently merged into a single, monstrous abomination. This cult sees Marrige as the highest form of devotion to the God of Change, a symbol of love twisted into something far darker. They believe that by merging two beings into one, they are embracing the most profound and eternal Change, transcending the boundaries of individuality. To them, Marrige is a sacred act, a final, irreversible transformation that elevates the participants to a higher state of existence—or so they claim. In reality, the result is a horrific amalgamation of flesh, mind, and soul, where both beings lose their identity and sanity, becoming one, monstrous entity driven by pain, rage, and madness. One of such monsters can be encountered on the third floor of the House, and the battle with Marrige is incredibly difficult and horrific, as the disturbed party truly gets to see what lengths the followers of Change can reach to prove to be worthy of the Change God's blessing.

Due to all those terrible twists to the Change Belief, rumors began to spread, of the Change God becoming ashamed and furious with their followers, that have came to such an extent of insanity, just to follow their belief. And so, they left, leaving the human race to fend on it's own, not wanting to associate with the awful Cults that originated from them.

~ ~ ~

The Marrige Cult Encounter;

Shortly after Siffrin joins the party, consisting of himself, Isabeau, Odile, and Mirabelle, they find themselves seeking shelter at a large encampment while en route to Dormont. The camp houses over a hundred members and, despite appearing welcoming and respectful towards the Saviors of Vaugarde, the group quickly realizes they are in a precarious situation. Odile immediately identifies the inhabitants as members of the Marriage Cult, a fact underscored by the horrifying amalgamations wandering openly throughout the camp. Despite their discomfort and heightened vigilance, the party has little choice but to accept the offered refuge for the night, deeming it the safest option available, as this particular area is simply filled with strong Sadnesses, which they would be safe from while they stay at the camp.

Each member is assigned their own tent, but Siffrin finds himself unable to sleep, opting instead to stay awake and keep watch for any suspicious activity. In the early hours of the morning, he hears faint footsteps outside but initially dismisses them when the sounds quickly fade. An hour later, a piercing scream shatters the silence, sending a jolt of dread through him. Recognizing the voice as Mirabelle's, Siffrin springs into action, racing through the maze of tents toward the source of the distress.

What he discovers chills him to the core: Mirabelle is bound and trapped within a sinister summoning circle alongside an unknown man, surrounded by a gathering of cultists eagerly observing the unfolding ritual. Siffrin wastes no time, lunging forward to slash the man across the chest and force him away from Mirabelle, before he can hurt her. Trembling with sobs and pale, Mirabelle struggles against her restraints, managing to pull her dress back down over her legs, as Siffrin brandishes his dagger, demanding an explanation despite already grasping the horrifying intent.

The wounded man staggers to his feet, enraged by the interruption and shouting that Siffrin has no right to interfere. Moments later, Odile and Isabeau arrive, alerted by the commotion. The cult leader steps forward with a twisted grin, explaining that upon seeing Mirabelle, he perceived only weakness and failure. Believing the party needed more strength to defeat the King, he took it upon himself to initiate a Marriage ritual with her, intending to create a more powerful being through their grotesque fusion. Mirabelle's sobs and visible terror only fuel the party's determination to protect her. Isabeau, seething with uncharacteristic anger, carefully moves to free Mirabelle while Odile and Siffrin position themselves defensively between their Housemaiden and the advancing cultists.

As tensions escalate, the cult leader commands his followers to capture the intruders, sparking chaos throughout the camp. Odile and Isabeau fiercely defend Mirabelle against the onslaught, while Siffrin confronts the leader directly, delivering a fatal stab to his neck and leaving him collapsing to the ground, choking on his own blood. Seizing the opportunity amidst the disorder, the party fights their way through the frenzied cultists and makes a desperate escape into the safety of the surrounding wilderness.

In the days that follow, Mirabelle remains quiet and withdrawn, barely speaking or eating as she grapples with the trauma of the attack. Her companions stay close, offering unwavering support—Isabeau provides comforting embraces, Odile offers gentle words of reassurance, and Siffrin becomes notably protective, seldom leaving her side, especially when they enter a new town two days later. This harrowing experience solidifies the bond between them, with Siffrin realizing just how deeply he cares for his newfound family and affirming his resolve to defend them with every ounce of his being.

~ ~ ~

that's all for now! I still have a few ideas when it comes to this AU, but i've got no clue if i'll be able to publish them, as i am starting my final school year so i'll be very busy. as for the Anon that has shared some more ideas about this AU, if you're reading this, feel free to write more, if you have anything else in mind! I got super giddy reading your suggestions :3 I'll be sure to include it, whenever i'll have the time to post ._. we'll see how things will turn out :D

[da-janela-lateral]

Aaaaa I wish I could make some art to accompany this post, but I can't do so in the moment and I really want to express my "post-epilogue Mob and Tsubomi friendship" thoughts. LONG text below.

They start talking some time after Confession Arc, but their bond actually begins after Tsubomi moves from Seasoning City. She enjoys having someone to tell her how things are going on her hometown, as she didn't keep in touch with all of her school friends and misses how life was in Seasoning. This helped her to get more used to this drastic change on routine.

It was... awkward on the start. Mob had to process that Tsubomi was nothing like the perfect concept that lived on his head, besides the fact that she was upset by people idealizing her (its not nice to know you're part of the problem). Tsubomi on the other hand needed to shut down her slight suspicion built with the experience of bad rejection aftermaths and trust in Mob's intentions. After all, he was her good childhood friend

It doesn't take much for them to get over this, though. Mob comes to care a lot for the real Tsubomi and makes an active effort to know her better. This flawed, human Tsubomi was different, but she was a dear person to him and so it wasn't an issue. Tsubomi is relieved to see Mob's desire to become her friend was genuine (and feels a little bad for doubting). She was glad to get back in touch with him after so such a long time and got impressed with how much he had matured without her noticing. In a way, she also used to see him as that little boy from years ago...

They talk to each other by phone almost daily, speaking of how was their day and sending random stuff. If anything happens, they sure would inform the other.

Mob discovers she likes the yellow cat plush and keeps showing her cats he saw. Tsubomi tries to read some of his favorite manga to understand what he is talking about.

Tsubomi got overwhelmed with how much her school life changed in her new city. She was very happy to not being treated as a deity, but also wasn't used to being a common student. Mob helps her to become adjusted to a normal life and stop wearing the mask she was forced to use in Salt Mid. He understands how weird it is like to be your own vulnerable, true self next to others.

In exchange, Tsubomi's experience proves to be very valuable when Mob gets more attention from his peers and has to face social situations he never participated of before. Parties are stressing. She too recognizes he is still learning to express himself and is happy to see how he opens up with her.

Althought Tsubomi learns to be more authentic over time, she still struggles with demanding too much of herself. She panicked after thinking she didn't do good in her exams, and Mob spends an hour explaining that she isn't special and how its bad to expect she'll be flawless all the time. Besides that, her skills shouldn't define her worth as a person, as she is much more than her results. Tsubomi remembers this.

Mob often asks for Tsubomi's opinion. Sure, Reigen is still his go-to for advice, but some topics are more comfortable to talk with someone his age. Mob really values Tsubomi's confident honesty and her practical, direct solutions. He also feels safe talking with her because he knows that despite being blunt, she wouldn't say anything to hurt him.

They visit each other occasionally when they're on high school! The train rides are quite long, though, so most times it's more practical to invite more people and have a sleepover. Mob and Tsubomi's respective friends know the other pretty well.

[literary-illuminati]

2024 Book Review #57 – Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson

Introduction

Kim Stanley Robinson is one of those names I’ve been meaning to around to since approximately forever ago, one of the real Canonical science fiction writers I’ve always felt slightly ashamed I’ve never read (see also: Gene Wolfe). Ministry for the Future in particular is a book I remember getting an immense amount of buzz and downright hagiographic reviews when it came out, even well beyond the usual science fiction circuit. So I went into this with vague impressions and high expectations – which, as it always does, turned out to be a rather dire mistake.

I do not regret having read this book, but that’s on its merits as a cultural artifact rather than a work of literature. Which is to say, I think this is interesting more than it’s good. It’s more or less equal parts a (rather experimental) novel, a work of futurism, and a political manifesto – and despite being incredibly sympathetic to the latter project, I’m not sure it really succeeds at any of them. Which might just be because I’m reading it now instead of when it came out – it is incredibly of its time, in a way that’s genuinely impressively dated even just a few years latter, and which continuously took me out of it.

It was, at least, very formally interesting. The tiny chapters and constant bouncing between different areas of interest kept it from ever becoming too much of a grind, too.

Synopsis

The book is, roughly, a history of the struggle against climate change and to restore the biosphere to equilibrium, beginning with the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2015 and continuing over the next half-century so until the world has been nigh-unrecognizably transformed and victory in that struggle seems more or less assured.

It is, nominally, focused on its only explicit divergence from our own world before the book was written (so, somewhere in 2017-2019) – the titular Ministry, a subsidiary body created by the Paris Accords to pursue and safeguard the interests of future generations – at first this is basically conceived of as a meaningless goodwill gesture by most of the really powerful people agreeing to it. But after a monstrously deadly heat wave across South Asia kills tens of millions of people in a matter of days, more and more people around the world start to wake up to the necessity of drastic action.

Over the next generation the Ministry plays a major (though less so than you might imagine) role in the transition of the world to a sustainable and just future, and the book follows both their efforts and the changing conditions around them that make any of it possible.

The story is told through a dizzying variety of perspectives – there a couple of what you might call protagonists (the minister for the future herself, a Scottish aid worker caught in the heat wave who barely survives and spends the rest of his life failing to cope with PTSD), but they occupy what has to be much less than half of the book. The rest is short persuasive essays, meeting minutes, anonymous vignettes from everyone from an Antarctic research scientist-turned-geoengineer to a de facto enslaved miner in Namibia, and odd little prose poems from the perspective of ‘the market’ or ‘photons’ or similar. It’s all mixed together quite thoroughly – few chapters are more than six or seven pages, many much less, and each new chapter marks a perspective jump. It’s a fascinating reading experience, if nothing else.

Taken As A Novel

...The Ministry for the Future is just not a very good one.

Partial blame goes to I think the very admirable instinct to avoid making some select group of technocrats and activists the Protagonists of History and instead try to maintain something like a global perspective. But the unfortunate reality of it is that the world is very big, and even at 500 pages the book is comparatively quite small. The result is that this is a story where the overwhelming majority of the plot is told in the passive voice, exposition relaying how trends never before mentioned and institutions not yet introduced are conveniently doing this or that to help fix the world, and then rarely if ever mentioned again. One wonders why the titalur Minister was chosen as a protagonist at all, given how the vast majority of her narrative could just as easily been filled by another other ‘life-on-the-ground’ level perspective (her great contribution is convincing the assembled centrall bankers of the world to do something about two thirds of the way into the book).

Also – while the instinct to avoid making ones main characters the perfectly agentic and hypercompetent engine of history is certainly admirable, it’s rather undercut by then still having one of those, but just giving us no real insight or perspective into it.

The mystique of the shadowy, untouchable terrorist syndicate has a powerful hold in the minds of action and science-fiction authors, and Robinson is apparently no exception. The energy transition in the book is greatly sped up by a near-omnipotent ecoterrorist movement that, through everything from sabotage and assassination to drone strikes and missile barrages, (literally) decapitates the entire fossil fuel industry and destroys so many planes and cargo ships so as to cripple the global airline and shipping industries. I’ll leave aside plausibility (for now) – but it just seems so self-evidently obvious that these are the main characters of the story. But with the exception of a single anonymous vignette, the story refuses to ever give the people involved names, faces, or personalities, nor dive into the whys and hows of specific operations. It’s quite frustrating, all the moreso because it feels like the author just saving himself the work of figuring any of that out.

Our two ostensible main characters themselves also just feel like – not a wasted opportunity, but definitely one more could have been made of? The world changes dramatically, almost unrecognizably, through the course of the novel, but their lives really don’t. Here and there sure, there’s not nothing, but the overwhelming majority of their pagecount is spent living what could very easily have been somewhat atypical lives in contemporary Switzerland. Despite all the talk of a ‘super-depression’ and the crippling of global trade, no shortages ever particularly affect them, no natural disasters touch ther homes. A lot of Mary’s chapters really just kind of read like tourism ads for the country Robinson clearly fell in love with at some point.

Taken as Futurism

Which is to say, taken as an exploration of how the world might actually develop, and a plausible prediction of the future based on current trends. Which, given the sheer amount modern frontier technologies, economic and political theories, and just general social trends are all discussed (not to mention a great deal of the breathless marketing and reception it received) the book is clearly trying to be. And which – woof, it does not work out.

The book is full of generational political upheavals occurring mostly because it’s a dramatically convenient time for them to. Most glaringly, the cataclysmic heat wave that sets off the book’s plot also conveniently utterly discredits the BJP and leads the landslide election of an entirely fictitious political movement across all of India, who then spend the next decades dramatically transforming the nation’s politics and economy with unbroken success and to a reception of thunderous applause. There’s no characters with names or faces actually involved in this, no more than a couple paragraphs of encyclopedia-like exposition devoted to it, but it’s the example and engine the whole rest of the book hangs on. The transition of the African Union to a powerful and legitimate supernational entity and the granting of permanent autonomy to Hong Kong (and much of southern mainland China why not) are even less dwelt on.

Now, this all could be excused as just the inevitable causalities of trying to write a book with a global scope – and I am sympathetic to that. But to begin with, I know just barely enough about the politics and the economics of a lot of several of the places touched on or used as dramatic examples to see how surface level and implausible the predicted changes are, and I can’t help but think it’s probably a similar story with all the other lightly touched on placed I don’t know much about (I remain agnostic on the accuracy of the geoengineering and carbon-clearing technologies projected, except that a lot of them suspiciously amenable to a single coherent aesthetic of the future).

More damning, to me at least, is the matter of agency – only the ‘good’ people seem to possess any of it. The conservative opposition exists as this vague, undifferentiated mass – standing athwart history and slowing things down in vague ways, but never really vital or active, never a danger to the political movements that have won or the progress that has been made. There are references to xenophobia and anti-refugee sentiment, but despite a refugee crisis that makes that of the 2010s look like a rounding error, it never leads to any really dangerous political backlash. Given how the world’s actually trending, the book’s vision of politics goes beyond optimism and into outright delusion.

This is especially true for how the book conceives of violence. Political violence is, in the book’s telling, near-universally the province of the ecological Left (with the exception of two events that provide excuses for dramatic set-pieces but fail to actually achieve anything at all). As mentioned above, seemingly omnipotent and untouchable eco-terrorists assassinate dozens of hundreds of the global elite for their crimes against the planet, destroy so many jet liners and cargo ships to force the adoption of new transportation methods, and sabotage so many coal- and oil-powered plants they help force the abandonment of the as fuels. They do this with no real blowback or reverses, no ruthless campaigns of state violence breaking apart the networks or destroying the infrastructure, no loss of public support from the disruptions in food and fuel their attacks would cause – it is not a realistic vision of what ecoterrorism might look like in the coming decades, it’s a plot device in the form of Robert Ludlum villains with no action movie secret agents around to stop them.

As a Political Manifesto

Which is, after all, clearly the real motivation behind the book, and the reason it received as many accolades as it did. It’s also where the book is easily at its most interesting – if, tragically, rather incoherent. Which might be me holding it to a higher standard than is fair but look, there’s only so many essays extolling the failure of the market or the coming obsolescence of war or whatever you can put in your book before I start holding it to the standard of actual rigour.

Mostly it feels like the book is undercut by its commitment to relentless optimism and need to jump around – a great deal of the book is spent giving the most positive possible gloss on particular phenomena or institutions from across the world in a paragraph or two, then say it needs to be scaled up on a national or global scale with no further thought or consideration of costs. Even when it’s not wrong it just feels unserious.

The subject the book spends the plurality of its time on – the main thrust of its program, if anything is – is economics and monetary policy. The great project of the Ministry is convincing the assembled central bankers of the world to create a new currency – a ‘carbon coin’ minted as a reward for sequestering or preventing the removal of a single ton of carbon for at least a century, with a guaranteed minimum value and appreciation over the same period – which would in time replace the us dollar as a global reserve currency and medium of exchange. The arguments around which are frustrating, because they go from plausible and compelling to wildly optimistic to the social science equivalent of star trek technobabble and back again without warning or any detectable pattern. It’s an interesting idea, at least, though one you get the sense is being imperfectly relayed – and the arguments for why the uncrowned monarchs of the global financial system would actually agree to it just aren’t convincing in the least.

Given the amount of times the book uses standard progressive language about how vital empowering minorities, women, the traditionally excluded and so on is to the fight to save the planet, it’s honestly kind of amusing the degree to which the big dramatic set pieces involve appealing to the conscience and principles of the most embedded representatives of The System imaginable. Running through the book are both a disdain and dismissal of economics as a field and a strongly felt technocratic sensibility and desire to have seasoned experts at the helm managing their areas of expertise – it can never quite decide whether bringing the world’s central banks under increased political control is something to be fought for, or a threat to hold over the bankers heads to get them in line and focused on the important task of creating a de facto world state (the quasi-utopia envisioned at the end of the book could just as easily be the globalist dystopia from any conspiracy theorist’s screen with no changes but the valence of the adjectives used to describe it).

It’s more peripheral, but Robinson’s clear affection for the nation of Switzerland and continuous praise of its many virtues in both politics and society does clash a bit with, well, reality. It’s weird to go from a chapter about needing to abolish tax havens to talking about how enlightened self-interest has left the Swiss government entirely behind the mission of fighting climate change.

A Product of it’s Time

Is a weird thing to call a book written barely more than five years ago, I’m aware. But it’s honestly kind of shocking just how aged and dated the book feels, reading it in 2024. Despite just everything I’ve written above, I’m trying not to judge it as harshly as I might, because I feel like I’d have been much more generous if various things didn’t keep taking me out of it.

Some of them are things that can’t really be held against it – the passages about Russia and it’s relationship with Europe reads as almost comical now, to be sure, but so does every sci fi book in the ‘80s talking about the USSR – but that doesn’t mean they don’t hurt the feeling of reading the history of the future. The book was published in October 2020, so the complete non-mention of not even COVID specifically but just any pandemic or major disease outbreaks feel positively unreal.

Other things are less the book already being falsified by history and more just seeing what turned out to be pretty transient intellectual fashions immortalized in print. Seeing a serious, celebrated book talk about the revolutionary potential of the blockchain to create a democratic new economy is enough to turn a hair grey. And on a less extreme level, talking up Modern Monetary Theory as this revolutionary hack of solve economics just feels so very incredibly pre-pandemic.

Too Long; Didn’t Read

Not angry I read it, but more because writing this review was fun and engaging than for its merits as a work of art. Can’t judge it too harshly, given that the task it set for itself is basically impossible – but Robinson’s written enough books that he probably should have known that before he started it.

The set piece at the beginning of someone living through the dead heat wave was incredibly compelling drama, at least.

[m4rs-ex3]

people always make silly little lists of characters' crimes which i love but i'm gonna do smth a lillllll different

tdp character trauma log 🫶✨

callum

lost his father at a Baby age (the perfect age actually; young enough to be very emotional and impressionable but old enough to have to process it)

was thrown into a drastically different + high-key terrifying environment at Baby Age

lost his mother--his comfort person, his only connection to his og life (besides amaya), and also just an amazing individual--leaving him alone in said environment

was constantly belittled for being bad at the thing he never asked to be

lost his stepfather aka his only parent left and experienced an array of regret over what he didn't do while harrow was alive

almost watched his little brother down/freeze to death

was betrayed by his childhood friend

endured a severe dark magic sickness + traumatizing fever dream

almost choked to death

watched his whole world jump off of the highest point in the world

almost died plummeting off of the highest point in the world

was abandoned by Love of His Life for several depressed years

was literally fucking possessed

was taxed with the decision between becoming a vessel for the most dangerous individual in the world to destroy everything and hurt everyone he loves OR essentially ending his life (a conclusion he himself had to come to)

was under the impression that Love of His Life was dead (and he never got to tell her what he wanted to)

almost died pt 3

almost died pt 4-5

bound and brutally beaten + electrocuted (?)

watched the most important person in the world to him mercilessly tortured within an inch of her life

almost lost her AGAIN and had to destroy his entire moral compass in order to save her

tortured

almost died 6: choked pt 2

rayla

where do i begin

well first off grew up in the silvergrove and hey moonshadow elves i love ya but oh dear god -promotes "strength" and stoicism over discussing your feelings and admitting to your weaknesses -so bound (literally) by duty and oaths that faltering results in either being good as dead or dead as dead -ETC

equipped with a debilitating phobia of water--a fear most would see as bizarre and silly and exceptionally irrational--in a culture that as previously mentioned shuns fear to all hell

was left by her parents and (despite them having a perfectly good reason) never really healed

almost drowned which was not helped by the phobia

almost ravaged by an ancient vampire

an ASSASSIN who has to KILL PEOPLE but is a WHOLESOME SWEETHEART

haunted by her "constant" mistakes; her strengths get wholly overshadowed by her weaknesses

told by the father figure she revered that she is a stupid baby useless idiot (roughly)

was flatly told by Father Figure he expected to kill her (to which she's just like "fr prolly" good god girl you are fucked)

had to not only sit and listen to, but conform to horrid stereotypes she's been haunted by since she was a kid

nearly slowly lost a hand (and just straight up accepted like ik this isn't the point but i feel the need to address when she does some insanely broken shit)

saw a person wither to dust before her eyes i feel like we forget about this

almost died like pt 4 ish i literally cannot keep track what counts and whats too minor a near death experience and why do i have to ask these questions

watched the love of her life (shut up harry styles) suffocate in his sleep in her arms

almost died pt 5-8 ?

i once again don't even know where to begin this time with her ghosting. linking this post again but tldr she didn't do anything wrong, she believed she did, her society not only confirmed these suspicions but god they pinned her with so much more, and she was told that actually no and what the fuck is she supposed to do with that u just told her everything she knows is wrong and that she actually has worth and she is not keen on that mindset

almost died 9? i include this one bc soulfangs are terrifying

cooly came to the conclusion that she deserved to die for her parents mistakes (and fully intended on doing so)

almost died jumping off the highest point in the world

suffered from persistent nightmares

almost drowned (the phobia once again did not help)

was nearly killed by the dead former co-workers she feels responsible for killing

forced herself to leave behind Love of Her Life and if you don't think that was the hardest fucking thing in the world for her

spent two, miserable years alone, getting beaten down again and again (mentally and physically,) plagued by her vendetta, haunted by all she lost, never knowing comfort, never knowing love, and probably so much worse that we don't even know woohoo!

thought that, after years of painful wondering, the parents she desperately wanted back were killed right in front of her

almost died pt who even fucking knows

almost died

almost died

almost died

almost died

almost died

was absolutely fucking brutally tortured (within an inch of her life) 😚✌🌸✨✨

almost died horrendously (she rlly couldnt catch a break that day)

had to choose between pushing her trauma to the absolute limit or hating herself for not protecting her friends

almost died

ez

motherless

couldn't make friends (for a reason no one would believe)

that's why yo [daddy] dead. dead as hell. what shoes [he] got on what shoes [he] got on in [his] casket

almost drowned/froze

had the pressure of surviving as an orphan ANDD being a fucking king forced upon him at the same time

felt responsible for thousands of lives

was imprisoned

was almost motherfucking impaled by scary adult

all that? yea he was like 10

therefore

grew up weird like his brother and rayla

probably almost died a lot of times

imprisoned again & was threatened and bared witness to his brother + his closest friend tortured (+ almost murdered)

almost murdered by someone he once trusted

prolly a lot more idk i was gonna include soren n claudia but i am so fucking exhausted THESE KIDS ARE SO FUCKED OML 😭😭

[byemambo]

4Minutes EP. 8 - My Takeaways + Final Thoughts

Man, it still really hasn't hit me that the series is officially over. What a ride we were on for the past two months, and I can't wait to see what's next for everyone involved in this production. In terms of this last post, I think I'm just going to let my train of thought ride out without giving too much focus on the meta within the series, but focusing more on the themes and morals we learned from this series.

Maladaptive Daydreaming: Tyme's Wake Up Call

According to Jes and Bible's thoughts leading up to the final release of the episode, both of then alluded that this episode would wrap up most loose ends in each character and their challenges leading up to each of their own conclusions. What I found very significant in Tyme's NDE (which I highlighted my own interpretation of TymeGreat's respective timelines in my episode 6 takeaways), is this warmth and comfort we were able to visually experience in majority of his interactions and projected scenarios going on in his own head. Although he had moments of awareness in the limbo he's experiencing from the standard visual representation of the 4 minutes of consciousness through the clocks/watches, it seemed like Tyme's deluded life was more straightforward and not prone to time jumps like Great was experiencing, possibly due to Tyme walking down the path by not opening his mother's diary.

In comparison to Great's NDE, there weren't as many violent redirects or jumps by making a poor decision, seemingly showing us that Tyme is making better decisions and achieving their respective results, majority of them sharing the same values of communication, intentionality, optimism, and a natural desire for love and adoration. For someone who grew up with no ties to his parents and only having his grandmother become the primary person to express love and affection for (excluding Nutcha since they ended their relationship on good terms and remain connected through their professionalism and a true desire for them to achieve better outcomes on their own paths), Great becomes evidently another person he carries a a deep and meaningful connection with outside of his family and Den.

In comparison to the person he is in the actual timeline, this Tyme is soft, understanding, high achieving and personal to those around him, naturally translating to a soft and tender love and desire he has for Great. We see this by the natural warm lighting in comparison to the more dim and gritty lighting in the previous episodes when we're observing Great and Tyme's actual timelines. The juxtaposition between the person his subconscious wishes to be versus the person he became from a crossroad as simple and out of the blue as discovering the diary, the characteristics are drastically different. The real Tyme is impersonal, quick to judgment, conniving, which leads him to his demise after endangering the life of Nan by involving her in his scheme, to sacrificing Great's reputation in order to harm his family, which were not the original people who drove his parents to their death and were mistakenly targeted because he misinterpreted the details left behind in his mother's diary. This hate driven act ultimately kills his grandmother as well, the only person he truly wishes to keep out of danger and harm's way.

The moment of realization when he hears Den's voice making attempts to resurrect Tyme was incredibly heart wrenching for me as someone who (although it was not even close to being as violent as what Den went through in that moment of crisis) experienced that pain of a loved one withering away right in front of your eyes at the hands of death. The small detail of Den relaying his research to Tyme after he expressed his guilt for (indirectly/directly) contributing to the Great's critical state seemingly remained in the back of Tyme's mind, but as most people would, his emotions overcome his ability to rationalize the next steps to take while he's basking in his purgatory disgusted as paradise. I know many people were off put by the potential (depending on how deeply you'd want to consider the logistics of the themes in this series) plot hole where Tyme is able to transcend and awaken Great from his 4 minutes as we didn't physically see Great awaken from his comatose state. Personally, it doesn't bother me since I had really analyzed this series from more of its psychological thriller elements rather than fixating on the sci fi alone: I interpreted this moment where the reality of fear in regret kicks in for Tyme and that the inevitable of death is nearing, Den becoming the voice of reason and empowering Tyme to fight for his life.

However along with his own battle, his desire for Great to escape the hands of death is just as strong, especially when you consider all that he knows about the truth behind the death of his parents and the role Great played in the grand scheme of things. For all we know, the only person who knows about Great's involvement in Dome's death at this point in the story is Tonkla, Title and his father who tries to wipe the evidence from the dashcam recording. For all we know: Great became someone who was targeted due to his relations with his family and was harmed due to his involvement with helping Tyme escape after Nan's death at the hands of his father's people, being shot later that same evening without any idea of who was responsible. For all Tyme knows: if Great's family was more than willing to take the lives of his parents, Nan and her friend, as well as countless other families involved in their crimes, would it really be out of the question if Great were to be targeted by his own? Just as Great were willing to show up in attempts to save Tyme from his own demise, Tyme shortly realizes he is more than willing to do the same, even if that means sacrificing the outcome of saving his own life in the process.

The Tale of Two Lovers: Korn's Tragedy

If y'all read my episode 4 and 5 takeaways, I talked in depth which is truly an understatement about Korn as a character within this series and honestly from an overall view: he became one of my favorite interpretations amongst all the morally gray characters within this series. I think inherently, it comes from my understanding in Korn as an individual and how in a matter of nature versus nurture, the nature of his life easily consumed him and forbid his nature to take center stage.

In many of the details about Korn's personality and how his unbringing played a significant role in his downfall, we're revealed many circumstances that contributed to his spiral. Given that the earliest flashback we were able to see on screen was of TymeGreat as children, I found it interesting how we did not see Korn at all, reminding me about the detail that Great and his mother grew up separately from the main household as the mistress with her son (I briefly discuss this in my episode 5 takeaways). There was already a barrier between the two sons, and I'm sure this division only grew further apart once Korn's mother commits suicide and Great's mother is taken in as the new wife and face of the family. Judging from how Korn maintained this level of emotional distance between him and his loved ones, he begins to take on much of the labor his father expected of him as the heir to the family company: which included becoming the head of the "investment" division, appeasing the shareholders and other powerful key players involved in the scheme, and ultimately sacrificing his only outlet of happiness and grounds to a more desirable reality which was Tonkla and his relationship with him.

In my previous takeaways, my impressions of Korn were rather hypercritical and I'm sure for some, coming across as "anti Korn" LOL, however, the way I view Korn as a person is like that one Japanese traditional practice of kintsugi–the repairing of pottery and its cracks and imperfections with precious metals, serving as a reminder of viewing one's past with beauty rather than disgust. Korn is definitely far from perfect, we witnessed this all throughout the entire series leading up to the final episode. However, out of all the characters: Korn's willingness and quick to action when it came to protecting the person who mattered most to him gave me a slight change of heart towards him, especially when I was jumping fences about whether or not Korn was truly in love with Tonkla or was using Tonkla for accessibility to an immediate power dynamic given that as time went on and more damage was done to the company, it felt as though Korn's power was fading and seconds away from escaping his grasp the moment he was given it.

I still feel like many of the fucked up things Korn did in terms of his absence, his anger, his impulsivity, his entitlement to power and strength: I truly believe this is a case of "a person capable of doing bad things" than simply being a "bad" person. This becomes most evident when Korn reunites with Tonkla, the one person who truly is the love of his life and he is willing to do anything to protect him and help make his escape. This sentiment doesn't change the moment Tonkla confesses to harming Korn's own brother, which that exchange between the two while Win holds them at gunpoint was honestly a different level of devastation and distraught that I felt when watching TymeGreat's ending unfold.

Not only are you dealing with ushering your family from being discovered by the authorities, coordinating the disappearance of any physical footprint of the "investment" division, your brother in critical condition in the hospital, your boyfriend's face plastered all over the news after escaping arrest for murder, who confesses himself that he not only cheated on him while dealing with the grieving of his younger brother, but he was also responsible for the same injury your own younger brother is enduring because he was involved with the death of your boyfriend's younger brother. I don't know about y'all per se: but Bas did such an amazing job depicting the level of distraught and complex blends (only naming a few in this instance) of grievance, betrayal, defeat, and overall sadness with a hint of madness that the only thing really able to describe the headspace is he currently occupying is the flames from the man made fire by the homeless in the area. To simply put it in a few words for the conclusion of KornKla's story: mistakes, melancholy, and madness.

Continuity vs Stagnation: The Duty of Accountability

I think we all knew from this finale that we shouldn't anticipate many rainbows and butterflies: there were many feuds and many losses throughout this journey. If we had to sit and name a few of our losses in the span of eight episodes: Manee, Dome, Nan, Title, Tonkla, Korn, Grandma, etc (which doesn't even account for people like Tyme's parents, the investor killed by Warit's people, Manee's son, Nan's friend, etc), I think the most powerful moral of this series is grief and loss. Not simply the experience of grief and loss: but what's expected of us once we accept grief and loss as a part of the human experience.

Honestly, I was shocked to see Great and Tyme reuniting as quickly as they did while paying respects to the loved ones they lose along the way, but it brought me a lot of comfort and relief. In this moment, Great and Tyme become individuals who had a taste of what death has waiting for all of us, an experience one cannot easily shake off, majority probably never do. However, with their own volition and ability to seek out forgiveness for not only each other, but for themselves, I think what's most important is intentionality: the true dividend between individuals like Korn and Tyme versus those like Title and Chanin. Those who have a desire for change and willingness to stretch themselves thin for those they love, versus those who have little to no remorse for their sins, which leads them to having to accept the consequences of their own actions.

I don't think it's out of the question that Great becomes a more morally righteous person, even becoming someone who will choose his morals over the protection of his corrupted family members, something that we witnessed was of hesitation when confronted by Tyme in Great's NDE timeline. After witnessing and enduring the trials and tribulations of his own life, the sacrifices, the lengths of harm and manipulation, the physical experience of bodily pain and suffering, the psychological torture of grappling between what he could have become versus who he became, the physical loss of his older brother and potential brother-in-law, the emotional loss of his own parents: anyone with a strong mind and strong heart has the ability to change the trajectory of their own lives. We are the creators of them after all.

As for Tyme grappling with his own ending: I think it was pretty cool to witness both him and Great having these candid conversations about their very real challenges post NDE. "What would you do?" becomes a question all of us ask ourselves every single day: however, many of us lack the confidence, the motivation, the desire, the goal, whatever it may be that holds us back from taking on whatever it is that life throws at us.

The scene between Tyme and Warit was very powerful to me: not only from the physical condition Warit is enduring from Korn revealing the culprit of the earlier investor's death to the right individual, the literal sounds of the monitor vocalizing the increase of his heart rate at the sight and realization of Tyme in his presence playing angel or devil, life or death, savior or undertaker, the stripping of his power and resource and the sinking in of becoming the powerless individual that was once like Tyme and his own family in his eyes. Witnessing Fasai arriving and mourning for the condition of her father alongside Tyme, it made me wonder if Tyme was facing his own moral dilemma of either avenging his family right then and there, or to let the universe take the reins. It makes me wonder if who he saw in Fasai was himself to his own family and Great, Nan to her friend, all the other individuals who lose their loved ones at the hands of corruption and evil. However, seeing that last cut of the disconnected equipment felt appropriate to Tyme's character in that specific moment: that he has elevated beyond his extremities and cutthroat approaches, but still having the moral obligation to avenge the lives of his family members that were stolen from this singular man.

Concluding Thoughts

If you have been keeping up with my weekly (that's a generous way of putting it but it's ok caus ya girl got ADHD fr but got done, right?) updates on this series, I would like to express my utmost gratitude and appreciation, especially to those who I became mutuals with or have the opportunity to converse alongside you during the release of the airing episodes. I have a genuine passion for things like writing and discussion, along with creating content that gives all of us gentle reminders that the amount of dedication, craft, attention to detail, and pure passion for such productions is loved and respected by so many. I didn't think that so many series this year was going to become such a hyperfixation for me, and honestly, I'm so glad to be a part of it and contribute to the discussion and craze that is all deserving.

To think that since the conclusion of KP and iykyk, it made me so happy to finally see the light of day for Bible to have his moment that we've all been anticipating. Knowing how many iterations, changes, back and forth, waiting games, and other challenges that came our way, I'm very pleased with how the production came out and all who had a hand in its existence. To be introduced to new faces like Jes, to be reacquainted to familiar ones like Job and Bas, to recognizing rising talent such as Fuaiz and Jjay, to becoming invested in the overall message and the goals in mind for those involved with the production of 4MINUTES, I hope this series and the success (and continuing) success of this series will give everyone a chance to bring new ideas to the table, to come together without fear of breaking the formula that is slowly becoming more monotonous due to the intimidation that the fruits of their labor will have little to no return, I think we're starting to return back to our roots as creatives: the power of our own artistic voice and allowing those passions and raw desires to overpower the capital and financial gains that run the industry right now. I can't wait to see more to come, and I hope y'all will continue to support everyone (as least here on tumblr) that will push out more content from 4MINUTES cast, or even other current productions that deserve all the love and praise.

Thank you again and my prediction for myself is the next upcoming hyperfixation will be The Heart Killers or Goddess Bless You from Death...I'm just desperate for FirstKhao and MichaelTopten please don't mind me. I'm also looking forward to GMMTV's 2025 Lineup but we shall see hehehe.

Lots of XOXOXO! :D

[mariiastales]

livia cardew: marriage, motherhood & inevitable doom 

preamble: I will be alluding to some of my thoughts from here 

to begin with, I do think that initially livia believed that snow had some sort of affection for her. of course, she was an ambitious woman and it’s likely that she was tempted by his power and the possibility to become the first lady, yet I don’t think that she would willingly condemn herself to a completely loveless marriage. after all, she was very much well-off herself, so it’s not like marrying snow was her only way to climb to the top. still, since I think that they got married later in life (approximately when they were both in their mid to late 30s), obviously she didn’t look at him through rose-coloured glasses. she probably didn’t expect him to be madly in love with her, but I do think that deep inside she hoped that they could grow to have some sort of devotion to one another. she thought she could make him love her. alas, snow was not the kind of man to be easily attracted. in fact, he did not want to be attracted to her at all. he actively fought against it. at some point she must’ve realised that she would get no love from this marriage.

the only one to ever love her would be her child. and she wanted to be loved. not even to be loved, but to be needed. naturally, being needed would nourish her selfish tendencies. I think that livia would be overly possessive of her child. now, the case I’m writing about is snow and livia having a daughter (more of my thoughts about this are in the link I gave at the beginning). I do think that the situation would’ve been different had they had a son, as snow would’ve been more involved in his upbringing, but a girl, I think, was practically livia’s own. livia had the main parental authority, as snow would be the ultimate emotionally neglectful father to a girl in her early childhood (I do think the case was different for his granddaughter, though, but that’s in a different post). I think that having almost sole influence on her daughter’s life would definitely flatter livia as it would allow her to impose her own views and experience on her child. having become a mother in her late 30s, she would’ve obviously been rather mature and experienced by then. aside from her first lady duties, she would have plenty of time to spend with her daughter, and even if not, she would do her best to compensate the time lost with emotional support and being engaged in her child’s life as much as she could. this, I think, could also be a result of livia herself having grown up in an emotionally neglectful household.  a part of her would want better for her child, a part of her would want to prove to her parents and herself that she could do better as a mother. 

I think that snow and livia’s daughter, as a child who spends drastically more time with one of the parents, would idealise snow in childhood (him being something unattainable and mysterious to her) and then antagonise him in adolescence. she would start disobeying him, feeling that she doesn’t owe him anything since he wasn’t ever really there for her. livia would, of course, discourage her from at least doing it so evidently, yet there’s not much you could do to a wilful teenager. naturally, snow would start blaming livia for raising their child wrong, for turning her against him and not teaching proper respect and obedience. that precisely would be the beginning of livia cardew’s downfall. 

[elinciarune]

Piofiore ramblings- Orlok route spoilers///

.

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About the concept of religious guilt and faith

One of the things that made the bond Lili and Orlok had unique is how they went about their religious beliefs, and how this played into their choices afterwards. They both were brought up into religious environments, and while drastically different in intensity, they both have the same basic foundation, and initially, both believed in these concepts without much questioning if any at all.

For Lili, she lived a sheltered life away from any kind of serious issues, and while she is an orphan, she was taken care of and was loved. Her concept of faith while taught, can also be said is a result of her not being faced with hardships. It is conceptual more than grounded in reality because while she is aware of how the world can be cruel and is in fact messed up in the very town she is living, her idealistic religious upbringing made her have a naive outlook.

Orlok on the other hand was practically groomed into complete obedience and submission to faith since he was very young. And was surely subjected to severe measures in order to become a disciple. This created a situation where he would never question the religious heads controlling him, and won’t ever question his beliefs. That ultimately made him idealistic similar to Lili, but that idealism was born from severe indoctrination, and a harsh life that was deliberately set for him in the context of serving religion. It is basically very deep religious abuse, where the victim ultimately does not see anything wrong happening to them.

So when these two got thrusted together into the political conflict happening in Burlone, they both started to experience different yet a connected awakening from what they have believed all their lives.

For Orlok it was the gradual realization of the flaws and sins of Rosberg who was the foundation of his religious brainwashing as well as the fact the more he cared for Lili, the more this conflicted with his beliefs. For Lili, it is seeing that the church she believed in can be used to manipulate the masses and as she especially got attached to Orlok she saw how this unfairly affected him.

So, they were like two birds who put all their strength together to break free, but because of how they both were tied to the very foundation of Burlone’s political system (Lili the key maiden, and Orlok the disciple), them trying to break free will turn into a form of religious guilt. They feel bad because they want to choose what is best for them. They feel bad because they need to harm others who are actively trying to hunt them down. And especially Orlok, this weighed so heavily on him. The scene after Luca’s death and after he killed Yang showed this perfectly.

It does not help that the players involved in deeming them as the cause of strife (even if both are victims through and through) remind them that they are guilty and should not seek salvation.

And someone as pure and honest as Orlok genuinely believes though that he does not deserve happiness and that he is a horrible person.

It is only through supporting each other and their faith in each other is how Lili and Orlok were able to survive this guilt.

Their realisation at the end that they still believed in God and did not lose faith, but at the same time they would not be blind followers felt like a reasonable and relatable thing to happen. They accepted their sins and believed they are part of what makes them human. So in a way they made peace with the guilt that ate at them.

For them to full on lose faith in God would not make sense with how devoted they both were. But finding a new meaning in religion and faith based on what they experienced felt powerful and hit close home..

[astroamorsworld]

Aquarius New Moon predictions for your rising sign:

Extra info —> This New Moon is happening today at 8:53pm UK time, is conjunct Pluto and also forming harmonious aspects to both Jupiter and Mars. So If you wanna put the effort and the energy into manifesting really big changes and see it pay off, now is the time to do it!

As I’m typing this, the new moon is happening in 29 minutes. Make sure you take advantage of this energy if you wanna see big transformations in your life!

Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t. Enjoy!

Please do not copy my work or repost my work. Thanks!

Aries Rising: This new moon is happening in your 11th house. You may feel the urge to connect with your friends more or you may make some new ones. You may have dreams that you want to achieve or you’re realising that you have new ones. You could also want to start over with your social media account and maybe take it more seriously. Or you may just make an entirely new one.

Taurus Rising: This new moon is happening in your 10th house. You may be starting a new job, or possibly leave one behind, either way there’s a transformation happening in terms of work. You could get a massive promotion at work which forces you to become more mature and disciplined, or you could be getting let go. Either way it ends up being for the greater good as you may easily find one that’s far better than your previous job. You could be reinventing your public image, making people see you in totally different way. You may achieve a big milestone too. You could also be mastering something at work.

Gemini Rising: This new moon is happening in your 9th house. You may want to travel a lot or maybe move overseas. You may develop new philosophies or adopt new ones, this may give you a more positive outlook on life. You may have transferred colleges or universities for a fresh start or you may have changed courses. You may have also made the decision to leave your education behind and may feel an immense amount of freedom afterwards. You also may have gotten a great result on a test which has motivated you to have a better work ethic with your education. You may find your purpose in life.🤍

Cancer Rising: This new moon is happening in your 8th house. You could receive a massive inheritance that could set you up for life. Massive massive amount of money. You could also meet someone and have a very intense connection with them. Very transformational, intimate and deep. Or there may be existing relationships that could get deeper. There could be a surfacing of trauma that you have to deal with that will ultimately be quite healing for you. It’ll feel like you’ve been reborn. You may indulge in more sexual activities.

Leo Rising: This new moon is happening in your 7th house. You could meet someone and potentially get into a long term relationship with them. Or if you’re already in a long term relationship, you could get engaged. You may see your close relationships transform for better or for worse. Could see people leaving your life and/or coming in. There may be legal matters that come to an end and benefit you in some way. You may sign an important contract that will improve your financial situation drastically.🤍

Virgo Rising: This new moon is happening in your 6th house. You may try to change your daily routine in order to improve your health. You may start going to gym, or invest some new skincare or take some new vitamins that will benefit you physically and mentally. You may develop some skills of yours and you may experience an important change in the workplace. You may try and create some good habits and/or get rid of bad ones.

Libra Rising: This new moon is happening in your 5th house. You may get into a relationship or have a new fling. You may begin a new creative endeavour or take an existing one more seriously to try and fulfil your purpose. You may want to express yourself more freely. You may be feeling more bold. You may want to indulge in things that make you happy as a form of self care. You may also get pregnant🤰

Scorpio Rising: This new moon is happening in your 4th house. You may want to move. Your relationship with your mother may transform. You may want to improve your home or start a family. You may also become more of a homebody too. You may also become more in tune with your emotions and become more private. You could also be trying to heal from your past.🤍

Sagittarius Rising: This new moon is happening in your 3rd house. You may see a transformation in the way you perceive things. Your thought pattern could change. Your relationship with your teachers could improve for the better and you may begin to slowly enjoy school again. Your relationship with your siblings and cousins could change too. The way you communicate could change, you could become more outspoken and bold. You’re not tolerating bs and setting boundaries🤍

Capricorn Rising: This new moon is happening in your 2nd house. You may see a drastic increase in your finances, your self esteem could drastically increase and you may become more independent. You may indulge in some shopping as a form of self care regardless of how expensive it may be. You may also let go of some possessions and your morals could also change.

Aquarius Rising: This new moon is happening in your 1st house. You may want to drastically improve the way you look. Whether it’s a new hairstyle or a wardrobe transformation, you wanna make a statement with your appearance. People will see you transform before their very eyes. Your confidence could improve. Your ego could get bigger. You could become more self aware. It’s a new beginning for you guys. And it will change you and the way people see you (if you care) for the better.

Pisces Rising: This new moon is happening in your 12th house. You may want to feel the need to hibernate. Do some shadow work, and come out on top on the other side. You’re getting rid of your inner demons and becoming a homebody whilst you do it. You’re trying to change your subconscious thoughts to manifest the life you’ve always wanted for yourself. You could become more satisfied with being alone and enjoy your own company a lot more than you did before. You could begin to meditate, get in touch with your higher self and connect with them and let them guide you to your soul’s purpose. Your dreams could stand out to you more than they ever did before. You may connect more with your belief system or religion and become closer to it then you ever did before. Achieving peace and personal satisfaction are the biggest themes for you guys for this new moon🤍.

Check my pinned post for more🤍

DM me if you would like a reading

[razzle-zazzle]

Would you be willing to like, info dump about your Troll pupating headcanon that appeared in your Between AU? Just elaborate on how it works and such?

YES. Putting this under a cut because it's moderately long

Okay okay so. I don't know why but trolls are like. Little bugs to me. So I want to give them a few small bug traits, make them little creatures.

And pupation seemed like the most fun way to do that. A pupa is an insect's life stage where they undergo metamorphosis between larval and adult forms. In real life, most pupation involves larval structures breaking down while adult structures like wings develop—in that case of caterpillars, the bug sees itself liquified during the process (while still retaining memories of pre-pupation! neat!).

Of course, in canon, we see baby and child trolls all the time, and they're not that different from the main characters. So troll pupation isn't as drastic as it is for most real-life insects in my headcanon; rather, it might be better described as spedrun puberty.

So. The headcanon itself. At about 12 or 13 years of age, a trolling will start to experience a surge in appetite and drop in metabolism. I'm not entirely decided yet on whether the cocoon is something that they build up over time from spun/shed hairs, or if it's something more instantaneous formed directly from their hair—though I'm leaning more towards the latter.

The troll spends most of their pupation asleep. Body structures don't need to break down to the extent seen in real-life insects, so while some semi-drastic changes do happen (genitals develop and become accessible, though they won't be fully functional for a few years yet; hair lengthens and becomes stronger + able to shift color and length; new adult teeth, fur, and claws grow in), the troll remains pretty much intact the entire way through the process.

When they emerge, the troll isn't actually a full adult yet; though most of the major changes have been ticked off, it still takes a few years of regular growth before they can be considered fully mature.

A big thing about pupations is that trolls are adaptable. And I headcanon Pop Trolls to be one of the most adaptable genres (since pop is literally defined as "whatever's popular," though the genre itself has a few defining features), though all trolls pupate regardless of genre. So trolls that are under a lot of stress or caught in unusual conditions may find themselves emerging from their pupations with new features outside of what's normally expected. These adaptations aren't super drastic—for example, a Pop Troll raised by Techno Trolls wouldn't emerge with the exact same structure as a Techno Troll; rather, they'd get webbed paws and bigger lung capacity (maybe bioluminescence if they're lucky) at the most. Lost limbs can occasionally be regrown during pupation if the injury was recent enough, and most scars will fade during pupation.

So why does Branch pupate at fifteen in my headcanons? Simple: he's gray. The lack of color is more than just a signifier of his disposition; it has direct physiological consequences with regards to Branch's growth rate and metabolism. His troll endocrine system released the necessary hormones to induce pupation late as a result. Hormones being what they are, it's possible for a fully-colored troll to have a delayed or even early pupation, but such deviation tends to be rare.

In the Between AU, Branch loses his tail at roughly thirteen years old. When he pupates about two years later, his body adapts to the whole "living with creatures twenty times his size" situation, and instead of regrowing his tail his hips and legs shifted to accommodate the new balance.

tl;dr my troll growth headcanons are a mix of mammalian (human) style puberty and buglike metamorphosis; trolls speedrun their puberty in a hair cocoon

[3nigm4art]

An informal essay/rant on Samurai Jack S5

I love Samurai Jack, for the most part. But my biggest gripe is how season 5 turned out.

Despite the artistic achievement of season 5, the main issue was how rushed it was. With only 10 episodes and still having to deal with the 50-year time skip, many characters feel underdeveloped.

Take Jack as an example. Jack's change was the most drastic yet resolved the quickest. 50 years of a battle with no end in sight is incomprehensible to a normal person, and winning seems impossible at this point for Jack. Understandably, depression, guilt and anxiety have taken over Jack, especially after he lost his magic sword. The voices in his head and the vision of the phantom samurai are evidence of his mental decay. But as a mental health struggler of many years, it feels like Jack's mental struggle should have been way past that stage. Though it should be said that everyone experiences these mental health struggles differently, it just felt less realistic as Jack's descent was not documented well enough. Depending on when his descent started, it could have very different results. Many things could happen in 50 years that would affect a person's outlook in life. It could be total despair: Jack finds no way of continuing and believes that he has completely failed. It could be dutifully depressed: Jack no longer considers himself righteous but still carries on out of habit. It could be blind optimism: despite losing the magic sword, Jack thinks, "Hey, I have fought for 40+ years. I could still do this!" Are these outcomes sound? No! Because there is no development for Jack to prove that they are sound. It also doesn't help that Jack's characterisation is so consistent in the first 4 seasons that jumping from level 1 to 100 in depression for Jack seems improbable and leaves the audience to imagine what happened. After all, depression and anxiety often do not originate from a singular event and build up gradually. Sure, I can buy that Jack is depressed, but I cannot buy that it can be resolved within 7 episodes, with half of that time occupied by Ashi's arc.

Speaking of Ashi's arc, her arc demanded the most time yet is the most unrefined. Her character has simply bitten off more than it could chew for 10 episodes. Within season 5, she went from being a daughter of Aku to an ally of Jack to Jack's lover. Each of these changes can be at least 10 episodes on its own. Especially when she has to undo 20+ years of conditioning, and completely acknowledging that she is on the wrong side of the war is bound to take a toll on her perception of reality. Yet it was resolved as quickly as 6 episodes, thanks to finding out, "Wow, Jack is actually a good guy and helped so many people!" This part of the arc was resolved because of Jack. So naturally, she becomes Jack's ally and then becomes Jack's lover. There is a terrifying idea that lurks in Ashi as one comes to realise that her entire personality revolves around Jack. In other words, if you remove Jack from Ashi's life, she becomes nothing. It is also deeply worrying that Ashi lacks emotional maturity and development as she "falls in love" with a man she has only met for maybe a week (not to say Jack is not also immature here). Her lack of independent development makes her character flimsy and frankly disturbing. She is literally made to become Jack's love interest. There is some irony in one of her final lines in the show; she says, "Without Aku, I would have never existed" when on a meta-fictional level, she would not have existed without Jack.

Character development is crucial in crafting the themes of a story. The above tackled the lack of character development leading to weak characters, but there is one thing that will determine the legacy of the story, the ending. Though it is often commented how Samurai Jack's ending was unfulfilling, it is not true that unfulfilling endings are bad. (Minor spoilers for True Detective season 1) True Detective season 1 did not end in a fulfilling manner, as it did not resolve all of the mysteries it brought up. That wasn't a huge issue as it complied with the genre of strange fiction and the theme of the world being a strange and inexplicable place that evokes more mysteries than it explains. Samurai Jack's ending and, thus, the conclusion to Jack's arc promotes the idea that overcoming one's weakness, sacrificing for the greater good, and bringing justice will not bring you the happiness you deserve... Which does not make sense relative to Jack's character development and characterisation. Jack is often characterised as a selfless hero and a bringer of hope. And the people benefit greatly from his aid. The only person who often does not benefit from this is Jack himself, who often forsakes his opportunity to return to the past in favour of saving the people in need. The show promises that Jack will find peace and happiness when he fulfils his destiny of defeating Aku. And with the classic hero's journey-type story Samurai Jack has, the show rips it apart at the very last moment, with no warning whatsoever. It wasn't a comment on the genre, as it did not deepen its themes. If one wants to turn Samurai Jack into a "we don't always get what we deserve" (please don't) story, then make fate truly cruel and unkind and provide Jack with no divine help in the story. Again, with the irony of Jack's tea being unbalanced, the show is unbalanced, too, as it rewards a suffering protagonist with more sadness and suffering at the end of his story.

Despite what this blog is about (it's art, by the way), art and aesthetics are not everything. Samurai Jack as a whole is beautiful aesthetically, but the rushed story and an unfulfilling legacy feel like a shame. Characters did not have the time to grow in complexity or realism, which made the audience feel disconnected from the characters. I wished I could see Ashi grow and develop into something more than "Jack's love interest". Or they could even develop into something that is not romantic, such as a mentor and apprentice story, which could be as, if not more, interesting. Having more refined characters creates a more refined theme that, if done right, can stir the right emotions in the audience that impact them for a lifetime.

Samurai Jack season 5 had a lot of potential but just couldn't deliver.

[radicalrainbow]

Fern's story.

This is the backstory about my Cult of the Lamb OC, which you can find here! It's quite a long story...so sit back and enjoy🌈🌿

A god's eye rarely catches on a mortal, but in this instance it has. A stag known as Fern/Moss, a young adult deer who was one of many devoted followers under Bishop Leshy. Yet they were drastically different from those alongside them. The world they lived in evoked no fear in them, nor did the otherworldly presence of the Bishops. They caught the Bishop of Chaos' attention more than any other follower because of this. He took notice of how they never seemed to fear the things around them, from the creatures that lurked in the forests, to the violence that arose from the chaotic lands around them, always heavy with an ominous and dangerous aura. It did little to phase them. Moss was a devoted follower, walking in the shadow of Leshy, dwelling within a vibrant community that revered this deity. From long ago, Moss had developed profound feelings for Leshy, yearning to confess those emotions but never finding the opportune moment. Leshy, maintaining a distant demeanor, observed events unfold from a distance. Yet, as time passed, patience bore fruit, and they gradually drew nearer to one another. Engaging in secretive conversations and exchanging thoughtful gifts, they carefully concealed their growing bond. Eventually, both mustered the courage to confess their love, resulting in a more profound intimacy.

Their union allowed Moss access to places forbidden to other followers, realms where survival was uncertain for anyone else. Together, they relished these experiences, cherishing their clandestine connection. Though their relationship had become official, they kept it veiled from the prying eyes of others throughout their lives, even as they aged gracefully. While the idea of marriage arose in their discussions, they never tied the knot. In the twilight of their lives, they realized the depth of their wishes to formalize their commitment before passing away.

Reincarnation, a concept doubted by many, had been explored in numerous books, though none could definitively prove its existence. Nevertheless, it turned out to be real. When Moss' soul journeyed into Narinder's dimension, a profound recognition stirred within, for there before them stood the stag adorned in all-too-familiar robes. Determined not to let this soul find rest, Moss intervened and guided it to be reborn once more. The soul of the stag found a new beginning, descending into the world, eventually becoming the Fern you know now.

Fern, raised within the tranquil embrace of Anura under the guidance of Bishop Heket, led a peaceful life amid the towering mushrooms, non-sentient frogs, and the pangs of ordinary hunger. Growing up in this serene realm, they absorbed all there was to know about Anura, yet an insatiable curiosity gnawed at them, urging them to yearn for knowledge of biomes beyond their reach. Of all the distant realms, Darkwood held the closest connection to Anura, with the two sibling Bishops sharing a special bond. As Fern observed the deep forests of Darkwood, the moss-covered trees, the rough bark, and the enigmatic figure of Bishop Leshy, they felt an inexplicable affinity with this place. From birth, Fern was bestowed with the name Gusion, a gift from Bishop Heket. However, as time passed, the name failed to resonate within them as it should. Something felt amiss, and Gusion could not shake the sense that their true identity lay concealed beneath the surface, yearning to be discovered. At the tender age of 20, a sudden and harrowing event unfolded for Fern. They were destined to be sacrificed to Bishop Heket, and in a twisted ritual, they were transformed into a monstrous entity. The details of this transformation remain shrouded in mystery, with no one knowing how long this affliction plagued them. However, fate intervened when Lamb, a figure of strength and compassion, intervened. In a brave act, Lamb struck down the monstrous form, restoring Fern to their original self. Gratitude overwhelmed Fern's heart as they felt the weight of this act of salvation. In the wake of this life-altering experience, Fern found themselves at a pivotal moment. As they were indoctrinated into the cult, an opportunity presented itself for them to choose a new name--a chance to a fresh start and a symbol of their rekindled self. In their late 30s, Fern has found a home in the cult of the Lamb. They have undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving from a reserved and timid individual into a talkative and incredibly helpful person. Their newfound life fills them with genuine happiness, and this joy deepens when a familiar fallen bishop enters their life.

[mocsbylexan]

Krama, Toa of Twilight

teachings_draft_1.crn //: LOAD NEXT PASSAGE

Eighth lesson: To hone your inner light, you must accept your inner shadow. To control your inner shadow, you must remember your inner light.

log_231.de //: RESUME PLAYBACK

T: What are you looking over there for? V: I'm… reading what you wrote. The beginning of it anyways. T: By all means. I could use an editor I think. V: … T: … V: … Few regrets, hm? T: Few. Not none. V: … How is Krama doing, turaga? T: I… believe he is improving. Slowly. Did you get any results back from the Ghosts on his protodermis sample? V: Nothing that's useful. All they can say is that he has less light left than the others. They haven't figured out how much yet. T: As if we didn't know that already. V: How exactly is he improving? Is his mental state more stable? T: Like I said, slowly. I think the new thoughts he's been dealing with since the procedure frighten him. But it's hard to tell with the way he expresses his emotions being so muted now. V: And his elemental powers? Has he regained some control of them? T: No. V: … T: … V: Is that thing you were telling me about with his mask still happening? T: Yes… It's strange. We focus on practicing his kanohi use most of the time because I think it's grounding for him. To still have at least one toa-like thing he can do. But the things he can do with that mask… V: You've worked with the first Toa Nuva, aren't you accustomed to strong kanohi powers? T: Even Artahka's kanohi Nuva don't match the level of power that that toa seems to be able to draw forth from a simple great mask. V: … Turaga, that kind of power with a Komau- T: I know. Sometimes I fear it will become dangerous enough that he'll turn away from even this in fear of what he might be capable of. V: Maybe we should get him a different mask to use. Something more positive. T: I've tried that. It doesn't even work with a different Komau. It has to be the one he's worn all his life. V: Really? Why? T: … I don't know. I've examined the mask in and out and it's unchanged. It's just a normal kanohi. V: … T: … V: The others worry about him, Turaga. T: I know. V: They try not to show it, but I can tell. They… they were expecting him to lead them. T: He did. He led them in his bravery, in being the first to undergo our… V: Our experiment. T: … V: Turaga, the future students that you're writing this chronicle for… do you plan to have them all drain some of their light? Once we're sure the process is perfected? T: … No, I think not. For certain we've seen that the procedure grants great power… V: … Control over two elements alone is incredible, let alone two of the most powerful… T: Yes, but to change oneself in such a way… I do not intend to push that upon anyone. The students may come and they may learn our ways, just as you learned them from me. There's no need for them to undergo such a drastic change. Unless they… seek to make such a sacrifice of their own volition, and with an understanding of what it means. V: Like these ones did. T: Yes. These students are… a very special team. I am not sure I can ever be grateful enough to their commitment to this project, even knowing what they risked. V: They did gain great power, turaga. T: And a heavy burden of duty. You know that. V: Yes. T: … V: … I should go to bed. Training will be hard tomorrow. T: As always. V: Yes. T: Goodnight, Viama. V: Goodnight, Turaga Tanma.

log_231.de //: CLOSE teachings_draft_1.crn //: CLOSE LOGOUT

[lesbianrobin]

hey this might be a weird question but how long did it take for you to actually click with 9-1-1? i just started it (ep 4) and im invested in the events of the show but im really struggling to sympathize with the majority of characters - is there significant change over the course of the first season or did you just get used to it lol. im particularly sensitive to athena abusing her power & general copaganda and hoping that lessens going forward?

hii not a weird question!!

so season one is like. notoriously a Very Different vibe than the rest of the show. all of the mains are so insanely messy and kinda the saddest/worst versions of themselves at the start, but for me it really started to click around episode 5-6 and it's very much uphill from there in my opinion. chim, hen, bobby, and buck all change kinda drastically by the end of the season! when chimney comes back from his near-death experience, he has a new perspective on life and isn't trying to pretend to be someone he's not anymore. bobby begins healing from his Traumatic Past and as a result becomes a much kinder and more open person. etc etc they all do a lot of growing over the course of s1!

athena does keep being annoying and abusing her power sometimes but i think s1 was like by far the Worst she's ever done. they also spotlight her way more in s1 than in other seasons i think because in s1 they were like Guys We Have Angela Bassett! and then in later seasons they calmed down.

later on in the show there is a storyline where the rest of her family is like yo it fucking sucks that you're a cop like you are the oppressor... but she just keeps being a cop so like. whatever i guess. athena storylines annoy me sometimes but since they aren't usually a huge part of the show i can just kinda ignore them or skip if i'm feeling particularly uninterested fnvjdjcd. anyway she never does anything quite so bad as her s1 arrest again in my opinion and i don't think the show is Too copaganda-y in comparison with like similar mainstream cop shows.

anyway i've never rly been one to advise like. powering through something you don't enjoy. but i will say that the characters get wayyy more sympathetic by s2 so if you like the other elements of the show i think it's worth sticking around a bit longer to see if you like the characters more before calling it quits!

[shieldherostuffs]

Naofumi being a witch before he was sommoned

YES, finally an excuse to share my Horror-ish Witch Naofumi AU (+ TheRuFumi) that's been hiding away on my discord!

Naofumi is a With without a cove, living on his own in a haunted and cursed forest where most others would quickly be driven mad or die, unless they take drastic measures.

Naofumi did so. He's too curious and hungry for knowledge for his and everyone else's good, that he was cast out for how little care of the consequences of practicing the cursed and forbidden crafts.

So, he went to the only place that could only assist and further his research on the forbidden crafts. If he learned more, maybe people would properly know why they were forbidden crafts, and maybe he could prevent many of the accidents that could happen when doing the crafts without the full knowledge.

Good thing he's not usually afraid of committing various horrors for his experiments and research.

Hell, two of the experiments that probably should've killed him ended with something vastly different.

He now has a demonic girlfriend living in his shadow, and an eldritch horror boyfriend living inside his body, whose real form is that of a cloud of pure smokey fog of darkness dripping with blood, and countless crimson red eyes.

Some of the other experiments didn't have the same positive results, though.

The skin of his hands are now stained a permanent inky black for trying to deal with Fae and Octafolk blood at the same time for a potion. His eyes will forever cry tears of pure ink, already having left prominent black marks on his face from the first time when his eyes stung like a thousand fires, for trying to mix merfolk's pearl tears with the scales of an undead dragon. His whole left leg, and left arm up to the elbow is pure wood and plants, though they function like normal human limbs, for trying to enchant the remains of a dryad with the use of the fur of a celestial fox's tail and a zombie's flesh. The plant parts withers and becomes black at his wrist. And, he has little nubs of premature horns on the sides of his head, hidden by his hair, for trying to perform magic on the horns of a haunted and cursed ram. His skin is littered with shatter-like lines shifting between dark gray and silver, from when he summoned L'Arc and Therese.

However, his dear L'Arc and Therese always try to assist and provide what they can for his experiments, and take away any residual darkness from the experiments, strengthening them, and in exchange lengthen and share their life force with Naofumi, letting him live much longer than the average human.

———

Being summoned to another world was not what Naofumi expected to happen when he'd gone on one of his rare outings outside the forest. He'd been wanting new books to fill how new shelves for a while, and had gone to a faraway bookstore to look.

He's picked up a book with a peculiar sense of magic around it, and had a few moments appeared in a different place, books completely gone from his grasp, standing inside a magic circle with three other people, surrounded by mages in identical robes.

And, there was a Shield stuck to his arm.

Before Therese and L'Arc could come out, Naofumi rubbed his knuckled across the knobs of his lower spine, through his clothes, a signal to both of them to stay hidden, and that he's alright.

As he followed the other three who'd been summoned alongside him, all wearing different and strange clothing, and the head mage, he tried to examine the Shield on his arm. Focusing on it, he could feel immense, different powers coming from it. Interesting.

As they arrived in the throne room, Naofumi noticed the scornful, distasteful, and trustless snarls and glares sent only his way. He was now glad he'd chosen to wear his veiled hat and gloves. If they already disliked him just from being there, he wasn't about to give the more reasons to hate him.

Instead of outright planning with L'Arc and Therese, Naofumi met with them in his dreams, where Therese showed that she'd managed to keep the book that summoned Naofumi, for him to read through and study.

Later, Naofumi would discover that while his affinity for magic is about the same as before, his skills and affinity for potions and enchantments have become drastically higher, and he's ready to take full advantage.

———

After the whole thing at the castle, and turning down any party members, Naofumi wanders into the forest, and the first thing he does is start finding and comparing the herbs and plants in the book he bought with the ones he finds in the forest, and keeping as many as he can. He gets even more excited when he learns of the Plant Shield Series, which lets him grow and level up the plants with magic.

So excited, that he doesn't notice the balloon monster clinging to him until L'Arc's distorted voice whispers it inside his ear.

Inconspicuously, he feeds them to his shadow, and discovers that L'Arc and Therese are both defaulted to his party members, letting him gain the EXP they do as well. Seems like he doesn't even need to hire party members anyway.

——

The next morning, he's dragged to the castle and his hood ripped off, leaving him for everyone to see. They stare is shock and horror at his face and hands, the only parts revealed.

He's called a monster, thrown around, and accused of things he did not commit.

He may delve in the dark and forbidden, the dead and haunted, but he does have morals, alright? Even he wouldn't take anyone against their will, plus, L'Arc and Therese can satisfy his needs in ways no human or demi-human ever could.

——

He ignores the stares and glares as he walks the streets, face hidden by his veiled hat once again.

In the evening, Naofumi goes walking through the dark streets, having changed into a sleeve-less cloak with a large hood and a high collar to conceal his face.

He follows the feeling of darkness and despair, and ends up in a slave tent filled with people with various degrees of different animal features, some more human- or beast-looking.

In the end, he leaves the tent with directions and advice for the best dark magic and curse masters and sellers, and a sick slave in tow.

With a few simple potions, of which Naofumi knows the recipes back to front now, Raphtalia is fully healed. The first few days, they don't converse much, other than Naofumi getting gear, clothes, and food for Raphtalia, and holding her when her night terrors appear. A simple spell to ward off nightmares seem to help a bit.

Then, Naofumi tells her he would like for her to help him as the Shield Hero. If she doesn't want to, she doesn't have to, and he will set her free. But, if she wishes to, he will teach and protect her from whatever may wish to harm them. But, she must become prepared for many horrors ahead.

In the end, she accepts, and that evening by the fire is spent teaching Raphtalia to read and recognize a few regular plants.

As they progress, Naofumi teaches her more and more, and she tries to soak the knowledge like a sponge, though sometimes she doesn't understand.

After the fight with the dog monster in the mines, where Naofumi let Therese take down the monster with one swipe of her jewelled hand, Naofumi decides to introduce Raphtalia to his two otherworldly lovers.

Therese easily slithers out of his shadow, merging from the darkness into her beautiful and horrifying form of flesh and jewels mixed together into her being, strong and indestructible, and yet beautiful and lovely.

Naofumi turns his back to Raphtalia as L'Arc's form crawls its way up his body and through his throat, out his mouth, accompanied by black goo (Naofumi has yet to identify it as anything by to help L'Arc leave his body) as a few ink tears escape his eyes, drawing the lines on his face darker again. Once he's finally out, L'Arc dons his human forms, and Therese as well. Though, there's simply still something distinctly non-human about them.

Raphtalia is terrified at first, hiding beneath his cloak, before he explain them to her, that they're there bonded to him, to keep him and those under him safe at all costs. Slowly, she warms up to them, but she'll never get used to how L'Arc leaves and enters Naofumi's body through his mouth.

She isn't allowed to see their real forms, as it would simply be too much for any mortal not bonded to them to comprehend. She would go mad if she saw them.

Later, when they get Filo (before the first wave, Naofumi always wanted a familiar), she is much less scared, and keep talking about how they have some 'Funny Energy' around them, that she thinks tickles when she gets close.

As they fight the first Wave, Naofumi lets L'Arc and Therese pose as his party members to help fight. They all gain many levels then.

———

At some point, Naofuim also curses Myne and the King with some minor inconvenience curses, that to nobility and royalty have been known to absolutely humiliate them.

———

When meeting and fighting Glass, she's wary of the Shield Hero calling himself a Witch. In her world, witches are known to make any demi-human they deem useful their slave.

But, Naofumi shuts that down, telling her that he doesn't commit any kind of bonding or binding without the other party's consent.

With their powers and warped morals, the two some to respect each other, even when fighting to kill.

———

When Naofumi finally gets his revenge, the trial again Myne and the King, when they're forced to kneel before him in front of countless people, Bitch is forced to do so by her slave crest. But, Trash refuses to kneel before someone who won't even show his face. He will not kneel unless he's sure that he's kneeling for the actual Shield Hero and not some imposter.

Before the Queen can shout again, Naofumi rips off his veiled hat, leaving his face bare for everyone to see the black tear lines running down his cheeks, and the gray and silver crack crawling up from his neck.

"How do you know that I'm the Shield Hero, even after seeing my face? The only people I've shown my real face to before today, is my party." Naofumi says

He was getting tired of wearing that hat everywhere he went with a risk of seeing people.

He does not mind if these people fear him now. If they didn't already, they really should've.

———

When fighting against Kyo, Naofumi becomes interested in the book his holding, and silently asks Therese to see if she get can it. No one notices when a part of Naofumi's shadow slithers away along the edges of the room to merge with Kyo's.

Moments later, Therese comes up behind Kyo, holding him stuck as she tries getting the book, but it appears to be stuck to him.

After some fighting, Kyo manages to escape, and Naofumi and his party manages to hurry and follow after him and Glass.

Though somehow, whatever Kyo does, it makes Naofumi forcefully get separated from L'Arc and Therese, who both end up with Glass, while Naofumi finds Kizuna.