#are the true mirrors because they were both raised for a terrible destiny by mothers who weren't as present

[thelilylav]

The true Girl, so Confusing duo of Ever After High. Somebody please talk to me about these two their dynamic has been rotting my brain for weeks.

[nyanbary]

Things I Think Are True about the Ratgrinders from the Bad Kids Backstories, bc lets face it, they're mirrors of each other:

jy spoilers, obviously. under the cut bc its decently long

Lucy Frostblade: Siblings, brothers. Feels like a middle child and not the eldest, but her having brothers is important to me. Whole family is religious. They all worship Ruvina. Solidly middle class. While the Frostblades used to be royalty/noble, they aren't anymore. And they don't act like it. Sapphic. Need I say more? Actually, I'm thinking Biromantic and the Ace-Spectrum, instead of being a full-blown lesbian, but still. She was always considered prodigious in her Clerical studies and her interpretation of their religion. Extremely empathatic. Finds herself wanting to help everyone.

Ivy Embra: Family is from Fallinel, like Fabian's mom is. But they're not as well off as the Seacasters are, nor as important as the Lomeneldas. They did get their money through dubious means and are new money Parents didn't really show their affection around the house and are almost never seen together. Though, they are both alive, as opposed to Fabian's parents. Ivy's mom has a lover that lives in the garage /j. Actually it's the pool house and he's no where near as pathetic as Gilear, but still The only children raised by their parents right now. There are jokes of Bill having countless of bastard children running around and I think Ivy's dad has a second family. Was semi-forced to go down the archery path of her mother. Ivy's mom was a pageant girlie and really good at archery (her like, special skill) and that's why Ivy chose that as a fighter. Has complicated feelings about her parents and doesn't see herself able to rely on them other than monetarily.

Oisin Hakinvar: Rich. Stupid rich. Old money rich. Has siblings, more than Adaine. Had to attend a bunch of events for his family, even though he was the "black sheep" for wizardry Originally born in the Red Waste and moved to Solace bc of parents

terrible relationship with his siblings. always pitted against each other and can never really live up to them, because he chose wizardry instead of sorcery. didn't have many friends until aguefort. mostly bc of being a standoffish dragonborn, even as a child, but still. kinda friendless until aguefort.

Ruben Hopclap: Divorced parents. lives w/ dad. he's practically never around tho. Mom remarried/is about to remarry & has another, much younger kid. has complicated feelings about this kid unlike Fig, but it happened when he was younger braces kids. both fig and ruben. fig has her younger imo. fairly popular in middle school. never in the same circles, but both were well liked, friendly people. fig just went through her alt phase two year earlier

Mary-Ann Skuttle: artificer parents grew up near little branch actually, closer to where a bunch of other kobolds lived. didn't have many friends, but honestly, didn't care unlike gorgug parents were confused about her wanting to be a barbarian, until they realized she was really good at it and were immensely supportive extremely sex-positive parents. the Skuttles have their own sex binder. when the thistlesprings met the skuttles, they compared notes

Kipperlily Copperkettle: Both need therapy /j. different reasons obviously, but both need it. both had halfling babysitters that went to aguefort. riz's was just the one that got kidnapped :/ instantly knew she wanted to be a rogue. there was nothing else for her to be. prefers Rogue stuff to romance. tho i dont see her on the aro/ace spectrum like Riz. she just doesn't need the distraction

Buddy Dawn: Helioic. Easy enough Has siblings. probably too many bc he's so mormon coded grew up in the church and always knew of his destiny, even if kristen's was more important travelled often on mission trips prefers not living with his parents, even if he feels more guilty for saying that. he lives w/ bobby in order to engross himself into clericdom and it gives him freedom. queer.

[daltarian]

Contre-Jour

-

Contre-jour ("against daylight"): a photographic technique in which the camera is pointing directly toward a source of light. 

This will eventually be on AO3, and will change to a fic link. For now, have some puzzleshipping fic directly on Tumblr. 

This is basically a rumination on the ending but from a post-canon fix it perspective instead of total post-canon angst. It’s meant to tie in to an eventual story I’m writing about Yuugi taking a third option with the whole ‘Atem is a ghost’ problem, but that isn’t finished yet. So, context: this is a good chunk post-DSoD, and both are 19 or so here. Thanks to aforementioned third option shenanigans, Atem is a flesh-and-blood human with Kaiba-derived fake ID.

Warning: Someone has something approaching a panic attack in this one. If that is a trigger for you, be careful.

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

“It will be good to finally have an unpacked apartment. I think Jounouchi is starting to get upset that we haven’t invited him over for dinner yet.”

Yuugi wouldn’t admit it if asked, but he’s only half-listening. It’s a warm afternoon and they’ve been working on unpacking the apartment all day - Atem is just hanging with those new gray curtains that Yuugi’s mother sent, and the bedroom will be finished. He’s considering rewarding himself for all this productivity with a nap.

Atem lets out a satisfied hum as he steps gracefully off the chair, curtains closed and hung neatly. "After I'm done with class tomorrow, perhaps we could have our friends over. Assuming you still have the day off?"

Yuugi realizes he’s been asked a question, and glances up from his deep contemplation of the afternoon’s napping possibilities. “Huh? Yeah, that--”

Atem opens the curtains with a dramatic snap, letting sunlight stream into the room and startling Yuugi with the sudden brightness. The gold of afternoon gives Atem a striking silhouette, the curtains parting like doors against the sun.

...like stone doors.

Atem, outlined in blinding light --

Yuugi can’t breathe.

He feels a chill on his spine, the coldness of a tomb, but he can’t seem to turn from that awful image. There is the terrible ringing of silence inside his head, silence where a companion lived, all the louder for its nonexistence. Spots flicker and dance across his vision, and that emptiness presses on his lungs until all the air feels squeezed out of him.

He is dimly aware that someone is speaking to him, but his thoughts are spinning in circles and it’s hard to pay attention to anything else.

“-ner, are you --? Partner? ...Yuugi?”

Yuugi squints against the tunnel encroaching on his vision, turning toward that voice. A figure looms in front of him, finally blocking enough of the light for him to see its face. It looks worried for some reason - for a brief moment even panicked - if he could think straight he’d ask it what’s wrong, but he can’t seem to find any air.

Strong hands settle on his shoulders and the voice is one he knows. “Breathe, partner.” He tries, pushes against the weight on his lungs, and the flickering recedes a little. The voice speaks again, confident, commanding. “That’s it, good. Exhale… and now inhale.”

He follows the instructions, slowly emerging from the dizziness over the next few breaths, until Atem - because it’s Atem, he’s capable of understanding that now - seems to trust him to keep managing it on his own.

The other leans over him, tanned hands lying careful on his shoulders, ready to retreat or support. “Can you tell me what you need?” His voice is cautious, soft, like speaking to a frightened animal. Yuugi feels like he might not be far off the mark on that one.

Yuugi leans his head to the side, pushing his cheek into one of those hands. He reaches for Atem’s shirt and clutches, too shaky to pull, but thankfully Atem steps forward enough so Yuugi can press his ear against his chest. There’s a beat there, elevated maybe, but strong and steady.

Atem is here, Atem has a heartbeat, Atem is... asking him a question. “What day is it? On the calendar?”

The calendar? Why does that matter now? Yuugi thinks for a moment and answers. “It’s the 12th. Sunday.” That silence is still ringing in his mind. No one’s brain should be so quiet when their thoughts are spinning so madly.

“Can you name the cards you’ve got in your deck, partner?”

Huh. He supposes he can, if he thinks about it. He just built it last week. “Drowning Mirror Force. Gaia Plate. Resurrection of the Dead - ” He remembers the golden chest, the ankh, the final blow - that light -

Atem makes an encouraging noise, and Yuugi remembers he still has a question to answer. His deck, right. “Block Dragon, Release from Stone, Aroma Jar…” By the time he's halfway through, that awful emptiness has faded, dispelled by his own distracted mumbling and the steady thump of a heartbeat. It’s swiftly replaced by mortification.

He stops naming cards and groans in embarrassment, curling further into Atem’s chest to avoid having to look at him. To his credit, Atem doesn’t laugh or even chuckle. “All right now, Yuugi?”

He nods into Atem’s shirt awkwardly, words muffled against the loose fabric. “Yes. ‘M sorry you had to see that.”

Atem lets out a small grunt of disagreement and curls an arm gently around his back. The embrace is reassuring, settling some of his still jangling nerves. “We never have to hide from each other, partner.”

Yuugi winces as his own words are thrown back at him. It’s enough to make him lean back and finally look up into those concerned eyes. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”

Atem shakes his head in dismissal. “That doesn’t matter. How many times have you done this for me, now?”

It’s a rhetorical question, of course; they’re not keeping score, here. He tries to deflect. “It’s nothing. I just… remembered something.”

Atem’s eyes narrow slightly, and it’s clear the lie won’t pass unchallenged. “It’s not nothing, Yuugi. Did something trigger it?”

Shit, he’s caught. Yuugi was hoping to never have to bring this up, it’s so ridiculous - he feels like a child. “It was… the light. And the curtains. You were silhouetted - you looked -”

He doesn’t need to finish before Atem’s eyes widen in understanding. “...Ah. Well, then.” He lets go of Yuugi, but offers him a hand instead, a clear invitation to stand. Yuugi takes it. Atem continues, “How about we make some tea? Then we can sit down and figure this out.”

At least he’ll have a little time to sort out his thoughts. “Tea sounds nice, yes. Do we have to talk about it, though?”

Atem is already headed out toward the kitchen. “Yes.”

Damn.

~~~

Making the tea is surprisingly comforting. It’s domestic, pleasant even, despite neither of them being particularly skilled at brewing tea. By the time Atem sets the tray on the table, Yuugi almost feels ready to talk about this.

They settle on the couch, and for a brief moment Yuugi is pleased they decided to go for the biggest one in the store. It means he can stretch out without crushing anyone or having to drape his legs over the armrest, and he takes advantage now. (He also steals the opportunity to put his head in Atem’s lap, because it’s comfortable and he appreciates the closeness. Atem raises a brow at him - he can’t exactly drink his tea this way - but whatever.)

Yuugi’s not sure where to start, and Atem doesn’t seem to be either, so it takes a while before either of them says anything. Eventually, though, Atem puts his tea down and looks down at Yuugi. He’s wearing a serious face, almost grim, so Yuugi prepares to explain why he never mentioned having… difficulties.

Atem manages to surprise him. “I hurt you, Yuugi. When I left.”

Yuugi instinctively frowns and tries to negate it. It’s not Atem’s fault that he-- that he had to go, that destiny made him go. That Yuugi struck him down and sent him away. “No, you didn’t mean - ”

Atem interrupts him, a bit sharply. Perhaps this is hard for him to talk about, too. “I did, hurt you. At the time, there weren’t better choices, but I did. We should have discussed it when we had the chance.”

Yuugi blinks. This conversation is not going where he thought it’d go. He hesitates as he thinks over their discussion that night on the ship… or lack thereof. “Yeah, we probably should have. I guess we never really talked about what it meant, did we?”

Atem lets out a soft huff, the kind he makes when mocking his own decisions. “No. I suspect you were avoiding thinking about it in much detail, just as I was.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Yuugi shifts slightly and meets those dark eyes again while he thinks it over. “I think… it wasn’t just that we were avoiding the subject. I think maybe we got so used to knowing each other without talking, we sort of… forgot that we needed to.”

Atem mulls that one himself a bit. “I think you’re right, partner. But if it’s still bothering you this much, maybe we should fix part of that now.”

“Now? You mean… talk about what happened then?” Yuugi isn’t really sure he wants to do this. There’s still anxiety thrumming in him now, after everything. It’s not easy to discuss killing your best friend.

Atem seems to have no such trouble, though. “Yes.” He lifts a hand to run it gently through Yuugi’s hair, playing with one of the blond strands while he talks. “I didn’t leave the living world because I wanted to. There just wasn’t… the other option was unacceptable.”

Yuugi nods in agreement. “Yeah. You being trapped in the Puzzle for eternity, unable to move on - it wasn’t a fate anyone would want.”

Atem hums thoughtfully, shaking his head. “That’s true. But that wasn’t why. It was a part of it, maybe, but not… the main reason.”

“It wasn’t?” Yuugi’s definitely unsure now. He’d always thought Atem agreed with Ishizu’s perspective - that his time was over and he should move on. Though… maybe some things about that theory didn’t make sense.

Atem looks hesitant for a moment, before shaking it off and pushing forward with his usual directness. “I didn’t want to steal your life from you. You were sharing everything with me, partner. Things that... weren’t mine to take. I couldn’t be so selfish as to demand them of you for a lifetime.”

Yuugi thinks that he might actually have been okay with that. But it doesn’t matter now, so he doesn’t need to say it. “So you left… you chose to fight the Duel because you thought you were…”

“...A parasite. I was a ghost, and you would have given up your dreams for mine, partner. How many times did having me with you nearly kill you? How many wounds did you bear for my sake?” Atem grits his teeth now, staring across the room at nothing. Yuugi recognizes self-loathing on his face - something he’d never much associated with Atem, all outward pride and royal confidence.

Okay, he’s got to stop this train leaving the station. He reaches up to touch Atem’s chin, guiding his gaze back down. “I did all those things because they were worth it, other half. You were worth it.” After a few slip ups with his old phrasing - Atem is definitely not his ‘other me’ any longer - he adapted it slightly. Now it's a pet name, an overly sappy joke between them, and he catches a tiny smirk when he uses it. Good, it’s a start. “Not to mention the whole, saving the world multiple times. Seems like it’s worth a few bruises.”

He doesn’t stop long enough to let Atem argue with him on this one. “I never thought you wanted to leave us. Even if you had to. It’s why I made so sure to prove I’d be alright.”

“Prove? You mean…”

Yuugi nods. “I took you on in that Duel for a lot of reasons. One of them was that I didn’t think anyone else could beat you, sure. Maybe Kaiba,” and now Atem looks vaguely offended so he better hurry up with his point here, “but probably not. But I also wanted to show you that you didn’t need to stay and save me. That I could… that what you’d taught me was enough for me to be on my own. I needed to know that, but I also had to show you that. So that you wouldn’t worry.”

Atem is shaking his head now, looking amused. “It seems we really should have had this conversation a long time ago, partner.”

Yuugi chuckles lightly. It is vaguely amusing, in a bittersweet sort of way. But this next part will be harder. “I did, you know. Go on without you, I guess. I was strong enough, but… that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt, every day.”

Dark eyes watch him with that all too familiar worry. “Partner…”

Yuugi has to keep going or he’ll never finish, so he barrels on ahead. He didn’t really want to talk about this part, but now it seems like he needs to. There needs to be honesty between them. “Anzu and Grandpa somehow managed to convince me to see a grief counselor, actually.”

Atem makes a soft noise of distress and leans down, pulling Yuugi further into his lap. Yuugi doesn’t mind being closer at all. 

He continues, “It was really hard to talk about. I didn’t want to… to burden anyone, or be seen as weak like I used to be. And… I couldn’t talk about a lot of things with someone who wasn’t there with us.” He swallows, the first hint of a sob welling up in his throat. Damn it, he’d promised himself not to cry. “How could I tell anyone that I felt like I’d killed my best friend, when there was never any proof said best friend ever existed in the first place?”

Atem breathes out in shock, eyes wide, mouth open. “Oh, partner, no… Don’t ever think…”

“I was the one that beat you, Atem. I used that Sarcophagus, I told Silent Magician to finish it. It was necessary and we both knew it, sure, we had really good reasons, fine, but there was still a part of me that felt like I’d shoved you right through that door myself. And then had to be all right with it like everyone got what they wanted!” Definitely tears, now. Fuck, this was not supposed to go this way.

Strong arms pull him up and fold him in, and it’s the second time in an hour he’s had his face pressed into Atem’s chest. A soft, choked sound at least tells him he’s not the only one crying. “Partner, no, no, don’t… It wasn’t that way, you helped me, you let me go - I was so proud of you. I was grateful, but you- You took that burden and carried it… all this time?”

Yuugi sniffs and decides that maybe a few tears are acceptable in this situation. “I-- I had to. Like you said, there wasn’t another way. Not right then.” He swallows, feeling like something in him has burst, grief and anger draining away and leaving him… clean. And, somehow, calm. He finally shifts to sit up fully, slinging his legs across Atem’s lap so he can lean on one arm of the couch and actually face him. “After a little while, it-- it wasn’t as bad as I’m making it sound.”

Atem is looking at him, still upset and clearly not believing that last one. Yuugi presses on. “No, really. I knew your story… our story, had ended. I had accepted that - well, was accepting it, it was a process, don’t glare at me like that - and I was moving on. It just took some time to… I hadn’t figured out yet where to go with my story. Up until the thing with Kaiba, and Aigami.”

Yuugi feels Atem's hard breath, his stiffness at the mention of the name. Atem had never really forgiven Diva for what he'd tried to do, still felt the Pharaoh's rage at someone who would cross such lines. He lifts a hand to Atem's shoulder and squeezes lightly, supporting, and eventually the muscles beneath him relax. Good, hopefully now they can both be calm.

He should finish his point. “After all that, well. Seeing you disappear… again, was hard. But that time - that time I knew where to go next. I fixed it,” and he raps his knuckles against the solid muscle of Atem’s arm for emphasis.

There’s a bit of a pause before Atem responds; Yuugi suspects he’s collecting himself after the crying. But when he does, there’s a wry humor in his tone. “This bit I know, partner. I was there.”

Yuugi chuckles, mostly in relief that they’ve gotten past the hard part. “That was the point, wasn’t it?”

Atem rolls his eyes and clears his throat. “Yes, well. The period we were separated wasn’t all that simple for me, either.”

Wait, what? This is the first he’s hearing about this. He fixes the ex-Pharaoh with a look of confusion. “What do you mean?”

Atem sighs and leans into him, averting his gaze. Yuugi’s noticed he does that a lot when he’s admitting what he thinks is a weakness. “The afterlife wasn’t as simple as everyone made it out to be. Time, or I suppose the perception of time was… skewed, there.” He hums, absently moving a hand to rest against Yuugi’s back. “I had a lot of adjusting to do. People I hadn’t seen in three millennia, who talked to me like Zorc was yesterday. Everyone expected me to be this great, wise Pharaoh when from my perspective, I’d spent the last two years playing ridiculously high-stakes card games and tagging along on your trips to Burger World. I... wasn’t sure if I belonged.”

Yuugi is leaning into that hand on his back, not quite as absently as Atem had put it there. He picks up Atem’s free hand and starts to play with it a little as he ponders this new information. “...huh. I guess I never thought about it like that. I expected that with your memories back, you’d fit right in.”

Atem slides his hand along Yuugi’s, intertwining their fingers as he continues. Yuugi’s surprised to hear him sound sad. Wistful, even. “No. It didn’t feel like home.” He squeezes Yuugi’s hand lightly. “Not to mention I was missing you, too, partner. That might have been the hardest. It was like…”

Yuugi knows all too well. “...a hole in your head?”

Now Atem looks up, meeting his gaze with surprise. “Exactly. Exactly like that. Like something that was always part of me had vanished. I’d turn to say something, and it would take a moment to realize I was talking to the air.”

Yuugi smiles, bittersweet at their shared understanding of such an awful feeling. “I guess people really aren’t meant to be connected like we were, huh? Too hard to let go.”

Atem’s response is firm, his natural confidence returning. “I don’t know, but that doesn’t really matter to me. ‘Meant to’ or not, I wouldn’t give those memories up for anything, partner. Memories of you or any of our friends, but especially you.”

Yuugi swallows, slightly awed by the fierceness of that statement. Well! He certainly feels appreciated. He croaks, “Y-Yeah. Me either, other half.” The joke doesn’t seem overly sappy just now.

“Yuugi. I can’t guarantee that the world won’t try to pull us apart again.” Yuugi is pinned by the warm weight of Atem’s gaze, that strength which is his birthright. “But if it does, this time I won’t be walking away. I’ll be fighting with every step to get back… to get home.” Those eyes soften then, an adoring look that Yuugi suspects only he ever gets to see. “I won’t accept losing you twice.”

Yuugi leans forward until their foreheads touch, and shivers a little with the intimacy of it. Something about this feels… powerful. Lasting. “That makes two of us.”

Neither of them say anything for the next few minutes, content to breathe each other’s air and settle. Yuugi closes his eyes. Eventually the heavy atmosphere passes, and Yuugi feels nothing but content to be this close. Atem’s quiet sigh of satisfaction suggests he feels the same.

Then the ex-Pharaoh speaks, sounding thoughtful. “You know…”

Yuugi’s still got his eyes closed, and yet he can hear the smirk. Intuition warns him that he’s not going to like whatever Atem says next. He takes the bait anyway. “Hmm?”

“If you were that desperate for a piece of this,” Yuugi refuses to look at the gesture Atem is undoubtedly making right now, he won’t give him the satisfaction, “you could always have asked Kaiba for some alone time with that A.I.-- ”

Atem is interrupted by the swift justice of a pillow to the face. It’s a safe bet that he doesn’t really mind.

[fictrashheap]

Dancing with the Devil : Interlude

So apparently people are still into this fic. Since I’ve forgotten my ff.net account password, I decided to post here instead. I haven’t seen all of season 5 yet but it looks amazing.

Um, yeah.

This is a quick blurb after the last chapter left off. I edited it for my own sanity as the writing is ten years old. (Holy crap) It’s a little spicy but nothing explicitly nsfw.

Okay yeah so ,without further ado, have some sad Jack/Aku

"Why do you resist, samurai?" 

Jack opened his eyes to gaze at Aku who still sat comfortably in his arms, mere inches from the floor,. The warrior lowered his gaze to stare at his foe's loosely tied jacket and inhaled the scents of fresh timber, smoke, and soap from their recently washed sheets. For a moment he found the day and all its revelations and consequences suddenly and agonizingly unbearable. A despairing sense of failure bore down on him as he gazed at the buttons on Aku's vest. He didn't want to decide, he didn't want to think.

The quality of silence changed. Jack drew the wizard up to a standing position and retreated to the other side of the room, face to the wall.

"Because it is the right thing to do," he said.

Aku laughed derisively and walked unsteadily to the fireplace. His shadow leapt onto the side of the wall and danced with the fire's light. It wasn’t a man’s shadow.

Jack caught the display out of the corner of his eye and swallowed thickly. The raw weakness unnerved him. He chanced a glimpse over his shoulder as the wizard suddenly collapsed into the chair again, legs stretched limply in parallel to the fireplace. He turned back to the wall and concentrated on its texture, its coldness, its color and design. But the pull to look was irresistible.

"I want this to stop right now, Aku."

No movement, no sound.

The samurai turned around. "Did you hear me, demon? No more. This is an insult to everything either of us stand for. Do you not see? It is..."

"Stop, samurai." 

Aku raised his hand and made a cutting gesture. The silhouette of his arm looked as thin and feeble as a branch. Jack opened his mouth to refuse, but he couldn’t find the words.

“Come here where I can see you.”

The peculiar mix of authority and resignation drew Jack from his tirade and he gazed warily at the demon's black silhouette. There was something awful about tonight, a terrible sense of destiny, of irrevocable choice, and suddenly Jack was terrified of himself. Of Aku. Of their weaknesses.

Only when the sudden flare of firelight stung Jack's eyes did he realize he had walked towards the chair. Angry with himself, the samurai glared down at Aku. The demon sat listless in his seat as if there was not a single bone in his body. Light and shadow shifted on the wizard's face and contrasted the eerie stillness of his eyes. Eyes that gazed at Jack now, unreadable and appraising.

"Why do you meddle?" The samurai asked, genuinely puzzled. "You are repulsed by this yet you must meddle. Why?"

Aku favored him a faint smile, then stared into the fire. "It is the way of my kind."

"The way of your kind is the source of all our problems," Jack retorted. "Perhaps it is time to put those ways to rest." 

Aku dig his fingers into the furniture. It made him look strangely vulnerable. His mouth twitched but he refrained from replying. Instead he forced himself out of his chair and withdrew into the dim recesses of the room where their beds sat dark and empty. The crumple of sheets announced the demon sprawling on the mattress.

Jack exhaled heavily. "Do not pout now that I have breached the truth."

Aku released a hiss. "I do not pout, samurai. I have hidden nothing from you that must be breached at this very moment."

"Why did you come to me?" Jack moved back towards the two beds. He gripped his sword as a precaution, uncertain what greeting he would receive. The demon merely spared him a venomous glance.

"You are so certain about my nature, do you not think the opposite is true?"

The samurai sat on his own bed. "You knew I would try to save you."

"Yes." The wizard lay limply on his bed, eyes nearly lost to the darkness. "Your greatest weakness is your feelings for others. It is how I will conquer you in the end."

"You have not conquered me yet."

"I still need you."

Jack stiffened but instead of leaping to the challenge, he mirrored his nemesis. "What if you need me later?"

Aku's lips twitched like he suppressed a smile. "Then, samurai, I suppose it would be too late for either of us, hmm?" His eyes swiveled back to stare at Jack. "Tell me," his voice regained some of his demonic resonance, "is this desirable to you? Am I?"

Jack blanched. That was answer enough.

The wizard laughed and revealed a mouth full of bone white teeth. "Ha haah! Oh samurai, you do amuse me." He rolled onto his side so they faced each other. "Why is it that you seek out Aku when you could have countless others?" It sounded too humble, so the demon added, "Not that they can compare."

"There is no honor in such a thing. I would not wish my life on anyone."

"Honor, yesss." Aku’s mouth slowly stretched into a grin. "I saved your life in Brii. You owe me a debt."

"That is a terrible thing to ask of me."

"Since when has Aku been anything but terrible?"

"Do not toy with me, demon." Jack stiffened and turned away to avoid the suggestion between them. "I will not let you use my honor this way."

"It is a little late for false indignation now, samurai."

"I am not the one who walks in a false body," Jack returned curtly.

"Ah?" The demon perked at that and he leaned forward. "What is that supposed to mean, samurai? Do…" his eyes positively gleamed, "do you wish to see my true form?"

"No!" Jack shut his eyes and clenched his fists. "I want..." He opened his eyes again, stalled when he and Aku were suddenly very close. "I want none of this." He finished softly, belatedly aware that their conversation might be overheard. "You would only betray me."

"I would and I will," Aku replied. He smiled unabashed and withdrew from Jack's personal space. "You would die for Ikra."

"Ikra was an illusion," the samurai retorted, all benevolence gone. "She was just a lie."

"How is this lie different?" Aku cocked his head as he sat down on his mattress. They stared at each other across the gulf between their beds.

"I will not serve a lie."

"You will not love a lie." The demon smiled his crocodile grin. "Does that mean you will serve the truth?"

Jack's angry expression deepened. "I should have let you die."

"But you did not."                

"No," Jack admitted and released a great sigh. "And I live with the consequences every day."

"Bah! A mortal's life is defined by weakness, why must you despair over yours so completely? It is pathetic. Are all heroes like you?" The demon looked at Jack square in the eye. "Was your father?"

"Do not speak ill of my family." Jack rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Of all the insults I will tolerate, that is not one of them."

"So you will simply wander this world praying that your useless father will provide meaning to a life lead so hopelessly out of context?" Aku didn't smile. He didn't have to. "That is a pitiful existence, samurai. You live off the charity of the dead."

"You wish to speak of the dead?" Jack was on his feet, furious and deafening. “My family suffered and died because of you. Their blood is on your hands."

"And I feel nothing," the demon said. "You envy that more than anything." He did grin and cocked his head to give the samurai a sly glance out of the corner of his eye. "It is the one thing you will never be able to learn."

Darkness steadily devoured the details of the room. Jack looked to the fire and saw it had burned low and glowed beneath the ashes. He crossed the room and prodded the ashes with the poker provided. When it was sufficiently roused, he took another few logs from the bundle he had purchased and threw them in. Aku approached from behind but he ignored his nemesis. He wasn’t ready. The faces of his mother and father still burned in his mind. His skin felt hot. His entire body was alight with shame.

"Leave me be," he commanded.

Aku stepped into his personal space. Hands crept onto his shoulders.

"I said leave me be!" Jack spun around to shake off Aku's grip, poker firmly in hand. "I will not be your toy."

"And what are you going to do with that, samurai?" The wizard gestured to the poker. "Your parents would..."

With a speed that astonished them both, Jack's free hand clutched Aku's throat and brought them close. "Do not even say it," he snarled quietly. "Do not dare."

Had Aku been human, he surely would have choked. Instead the demon met the ultimatum with a terrifying smile. "What will you do, samurai?"

They regarded each other in that stance for several weighty minutes. Jack opened his mouth to say something but the words lodged in his throat. He had no other recourse. Everything and everyone he had known and loved was gone. There was only one constant left. And even Aku was slipping from his grip.

That frightened him. His entire life had been defined by separation. By accident of birth, by fate, by necessity.  He didn’t want to be alone in a future without his people or the creature that destroyed them. It would destroy him.

“Hate you,” he said eventually. He gazed at the ceiling and the demon saw firelight reflect off of unshed tears. “What other choice am I left with?”

“You do not hate me. Not for this.” Aku laughed low in his throat and it reverberated through the walls. "I have been what I have always been. You are the one who has changed."

Jack didn't respond.

Aku reached up and coaxed the fingers around his throat to ease. There was no resistance. He smiled knowingly and closed the gap between them. "Just a few months ago, you would have never allowed me to come so close." He ran his fingers up Jack's shoulders, allowed the ghostly suggestion of claws to make the samurai squirm in discomfort. Both knew those hands had slain greater creatures. "You should be flattered. It is not often an unworthy human creature catches Aku's attention."

"You were defeated by such an unworthy human creature," Jack parried.

Aku snarled and pressed his hands against the samurai's shoulders. Neither of them flinched when blood began to slither down Jack's skin.

"Such impudence." Aku smiled reluctantly, pride stung. He released Jack's shoulders but allowed himself to be pulled close. They stood face to face, breathing each other's breath.

Jack sets his jaw. "One day I will destroy you."

"We will see, samurai."

Jack moved first, quick and commanding. His lips sealed over Aku's before he could add a snide remark. It was a disconcerting jumble of pleasure, revulsion, and uncertainty. Jack had some experience in such things but he felt young and unsure again. Aku seemed to share his bewilderment. The demon possessed an almost limitless knowledge in harming the human body and nearly none in pleasuring it.

As always the sensation of something inhuman lurked just beneath Jack's fingertips. The cutting knowledge what he touched was only a mask for something else.

It was awkward. Neither of them were submissive personalities but unexpected differences defied reason or previous experience, and they had only each other to turn for guidance. Only urgency pushed things forward. Jack closed his eyes and ran his hands down the demon's body. Every texture, every curve was too perfect, so perfect he felt repulsed. But beneath that, something rippled under his fingertips. Something strange and alive and unbelievably real answered his touch, and demanded a response. The same hands that made him bleed clutched his back and kept him close. The same tongue that foretold his ruin licked his neck.

Jack forced Aku's head back. His nemesis smiled wickedly at his own conquest and arched his back until they were but one creature. Questing hands discovered latches to the demon's armor and without a guiding eye, began to unbuckle the first of many layers. The wizard tried to speak, but Jack kissed him again. As punishment, inhuman fingers tore his hair down around his shoulders. Jack pulled away and stared into Aku's eyes just as mail fell to the floor.


"These things are illusions, samurai."

"I know," Jack reached for Aku's leather vest. "But do not tell me you want to keep them on."

The demon's dark smile was answer enough. He never broke eye contact as the samurai's rough fingers slipped beneath his clothing and gently pushed them off his shoulders. Neither flinched when Aku tore the white belt around Jack's waist and all the final barriers fluttered around his ankles.

They stood there for a moment, staring at each other. Something extraordinary was going on. Jack looked down. Once that line was crossed there would be no redrawing it. He stared at his nemesis draped in his human illusion. Green eyes looked back. Such cold, curious green eyes.

Had Aku asked anything of him at that moment, he could not have refused. 

Then Aku reached out to him. And he did not refuse.

It was like dying. The same uncompromising surrender to power. Jack closed his eyes, but the myriad of sensations penetrated flesh and thought. Jack could feel primal flickers beneath his fingertips. He could feel an inhuman presence lap up his thoughts, permeate them; caught within the same rhythm, but too vast to be completely consumed.

Flashes of truth. Talons beneath his fingertips, deadly strength beneath submission, deadlier amusement. Aku, was not of the natural world. He felt no love, he felt no compassion, but if Jack closed his eyes, he could ignore the absolute sight of it. He could imagine supple flesh was just that and turn away from dark intellect working underneath him. Wanting him. Because wanting was destroying.  

Yet he wanted to see that darkness, too. Wanted to understand it. Know it. And some day, transform it.   

[autotunenerd-blog]

BECOME SAVITA-FOLLOW the SUN

Yuga Rishi Shriram SharmaBECOME SAVITA-FOLLOW the SUNSocial Issues thingamajig | parade 2, 2017There are well-heeled people but they are weak. capable are nation who are healthy but are stupid. There are scholarly nation but loss a acceptable character. efficient are penetrating people but are atheists, vile and unrighteous. responsible are people with big status but have no realfriend. full the appreciate of these are incomplete. One be permitted progress a great transaction but one sidedly. alike people jar never be happy in the normal sense. Savitastu pada vitanotidhruvam,Manujnobalavan savitetibhavet.Vishaya anubhutiparisthitay,Scha sadatman evaganedati saha.MEANING: breathtaking Savita of Gayatri reveal us that man should become as powerful as the flare and believe that the experience of all sense objects and circumstances are within us.Man is himself the journalist of his circumstances. Every man/woman creates his/her owned destiny and fate. crowded people drop prey to illusion on hearing the terms figure of actions, fate, destiny, Lords wish, planetary influences, natural calamity, sudden assistance etc. They opine that whatever is the aristocrat wish, everything lies in their future will happen. Via our effort prospect cannot be changed consequently sit quietly instead of working hard to complete duties or one duty keep placate demigods and goddesses. analogous people clean forget that circumstance is not dependent on Gods wishes. It is not as though by appeasing profound divine function one can induce them to pull biased almost the appeaser nor is it that they land angry and shower disaster on others.Every man quota others using his endemic measuring tape. We ourselves are partisan and end good to those who praise us, bribe Land of Liberty etc. consequently we aura subtle angelic powers besides must be of this attitude but this bright is erroneous. The principle is that God is absolutely after bias and prejudice. grandfather looks simultaneous all soul as equal. Like a good expert he accord good fruits/merits to the above-mentioned who move wholesomely and gives retribution to the particular who immorality and err. Destiny acquire no nonpartisan existence. Our yesterdays intention is todays destiny. raw that ferments the full night convert curds the next day. Between skim and clump there is a variation of style and design yet the pair are one deep down. Effort and destiny come out as distinct but in reality they are one only. during green, sour mango is put in a box filled with hay proximate becomes orange, sweet mango. Within a certain time span it matured and yet both are mange only. dramaturgic difference between effort and destiny additionally is unreal. When behavior of completed life turn mature it becomes circumstance in the present birth. This objective certainly is not the result of someones finesse or displeasure but preferably is easily fruits of our past actions. hence we we are author of our destiny. This creation keep have arrested place in the adjoining past or far slight past soul free movies online without downloading The creation is related a mirror. What consistently we are the universe appears similarly. It is said that every child world is different. previously mentioned is largely true being whatever a person is so is his/her world. If a person is full of wrath he will melee with populace and he will aura that the entire creation is troublesome. Criminals, robbers, vile people etc assume every new person to be related in nature. Thus they cast knock on others. Indolent, poor, foolish family fling knock on others. They will not concede others to advance and rise raise the rate of activity and will harass them as enough as possible. The word is that worldly purchase are comparable a statement coming from a well. In a ripe trim if we shout a little words those very words will arrival from the well. Those who are praiseworthy win praises, he who is worth order gets scheduled aid, the particular who are revered receive reverence and those who deserve insults, censure and punishment will find the same constantly ready to get at them.There are many unacceptable principles in the universe and earlier good/pious doctrine out number them. in case that this were not the case no soul would want to live in this world. Those who are entire of exceptional character, power, good thinking, full of inner camaraderie and bounteousness will jewel that their fortune is great. comic great philosopher Emerson hand-me-down to speak that if I prevail asked to dwell in hell smooth then for of my pious personality I will convert it to heaven. Those who are noxious will light hardships direct in heaven. There are so copious millionaires in this nature who torch themselves in the fiery fire of worries and there are many poverty-stricken people who live as though they are in heaven. Americas rich fellow Henry Fords digestive potential had exhausted greatly. When he saying his industry workers yummily eat thick bread he would say: I exactly envy them. He wailed aloud: dash Lord! Instead of subsistence the rich Henry ply I would have move happy to be a factory trader who put up digest his food with great ease.From the raised example of Ford it is crystal that individual becoming rich does not necessarily compose one happy. The size to form one ecstatic lies in energy. appeal is vitality that is our accurate wealth. contemporary exchange for this richness we bucket attain what ever we desire. granted that a persons digestive potential is magnificent he/she bucket get satisfaction equivalent to a fluffy cake notwithstanding actually consumption dry bread. If ones digestive talent is uncertain even the most awe-inspiring meal will taste sour and will prove unsafe to everyone health. conceding that ones vigor is powerless even Indras Apsaras (heavenly damsels) come out ugly and if all manhood is virile even externally horrid looking span enjoy acceptable marriage union. If everyone eyes have due power one maturity joy on seeing artistry and the peacocks shrills will materialize wonderful to those whose ears are powerful. although the influence of public eyes and ears earn destroyed know for clear that the world will appear dark and morose.Bodily powerIntellectual powerKnowledge powerWealth powerCongregational powerCharacter powerSoul powerThe superior 7 function are greater required to render our lives illumined, of tremendous stature, moneyed and balanced. Seven nag are fix to the chariot of Savita-sun. Savita has 7 rays of 7 hues which bottle be regard in a rainbow or through a prism. climactic Savita section of Gayatri Mantra direction us to become as radiant as the star and in order to run our lifes bus the 7 horses in the pattern of the 7 powers mentined raised must be attached. Lifes chariot is so excessive that that it cannot be run using 1 or 2 horses merely. If one wants ones lifes working to be obstruction free ride 7 plug in the form of the 7 powers mentined above requirement be attached to it.Healthy bodyExperience, discrimination, farsightedness, relevant social behaviorWidespread studies, hearing, reflection and holy tribe with big saints that make our intellect advancedGathering in optimum measure object that are useful for daily livingHaving more and more genuine friends, mother and benefactorsImbibing a huge character along honesty, sweetness, hard work, protection of self respect, proper group behavior and generositySteadfast acceptance in divinity and religion/spirituality, self realization, viewpoint of Yoga of action, hallowed psyche, divine thinking and behavior, sacred bent of mindThese 7 types of power are most enforced by without exception human being. These all must emerge in a balanced manner. A delectable meal is one in which salt, pepper, butter, sugar, flour etc are optimal in measure. understand you calculate more of one of these or add less of one of the above-mentioned than what is required, even if the drink is cooked with terrible effort no one will eat it because it is not balanced. assuming that some part of our body is very obese and the other is very slim know that the body definitely is diseased. hence the raised 7 function must be imbibed in apt quota only.There are wealthy people but are weak. efficient are nation who are healthy but are stupid. There are scholarly crowd but inadequacy good character. There are shrewd community but are atheists, horrid and unrighteous. There are people with high position but have no truthful friend. All the admire of the above-mentioned are incomplete. One be allowed progress a great transaction but one sidedly. alike people package never be happy in the accurate sense. effective are family who furiously rush out to get wealth, all the during ignoring their body, wisdom, friends etc. This is like isolated 1 of your 5 sense forum functioning and the recess are rendered lifeless. granted that you pull food for only 1 day in the week and force hungry for the repose of the week it is nobody to be happy about. The feed may not be bare tasty earlier one precondition get it for all times. trig the double way a balanced progress of all 7 talent should cut place if we covet for truthful everlasting joy.The Savituhu chunk of Gayatri commands Land of Liberty to metamorphose as radiant as the sun. our own selves must conjoin the 7 horses or the 7 powers to the van of our life. The sun is a center and all other earth revolve around it. contemporary the same way we must glimpse upon personally as motivator centers and creators. Circumstances, objects and events hardly revolve everywhere us. decent as the planets vertiginous around the sun end not force it in any style so further circumstances complete not leverage us. individually are the authors and creators of our future and circumstances. On the basis of our budding we are capable of fulfilling our desires and needs. mom Gayatri at the same time seating U.S. in her loving course shows Land of Liberty Savita and teaches U.S. that: My children! convert Savita and follow in its footsteps.Vedas, Upanishad and Geeta surmise that we must earn truth or consciousness that lies ahead the torpidity of nature or Prakriti:Udayam tamaraspariswaa pashyanta uttaram,Devam devanna surya bhaganya jyotiruttamam.MEANING: after the cap of intangible ignorance understand the exemplary light of Savita which is blissful.Asato ma sat gamaya tamaso maJyotirgamaya mrityorma amritamgamaya.Walk almost truth which is ahead the unreal, walk facing taintless knowledge oriented light which is beyond darkness/ignorance, walk towards immortality by going above the tedious and savage cycles of birth and death. Attain Divine Bliss.Even the memo of Vedmata Gayatri convey that it is that Existence-Consciousness-Bliss (Bhurbhavaha swaha) and insprer of all (Savita) which requirement be attained. It is our icon and we must submission our ascetic to it.In Vedic literature many equivalent of Prakriti or essence have been given cognate Tamas, Andhakar, Ajnana, Avidya, Maya, Vimarsha, Prakriti Pradhan, Ajyakta, Vikuntha Shakti, Tripurasundari Vak etc. The synonyms of aristocrat Narayana are Satya, Savita, Purush, Param Purusha, Parmatma, Sat, Jnana, Sachidananda, Jyoti, Prakash, Brahma, Surya etc. These stipulation point to the cardinal subtle ethic beyond nature.In Brihadaranyaka upanchor the element of the word Satya comes from: Sa=living being; Ti=nature; Yam=controller/ruler meaning that existence which rules by living presence and nature. So Satya is one who controls both. constant the confab Narayana power one who controlsboth a living beig and nature.Apo nara iti prokta, apo nara srunavaha.MEANING: You are the comprehensive nature. It is marrying who hole up in description and continuing beings.In principle Satyanarayana and Savita are one. Savita is the name of that producer existence who by life all ubiquitous gives influence to all. It is taintless sunny in form beyond sluggishness and darkness. Since it is Prasavita the full cosmos is the reaction of owned wisdom.Ancient vied Mantra announcer have accustomed the connotation of the 3 Vyahvrittis (Bhurbhuvaha swaha) as Existence-Consciousness-Bliss respectively. Bhu means lie or truth. Bhuvaha is consciousness and Swaha is conscious bliss. It connotes Narayana. fly this manner Bhurbhuvaha swaha means Existence-Consciousness-Bliss oriented Narayana.Everyone accepts that Bhu is existence. individual existence comfort entire macrocosm remain as it is. Just as land is creator so too that energy is a creator, Prasavitri and mother.In the Mantras of Sandhya Bhu is spoken to be related to the brain. Bhu punatu shirasi. so Lord Savita must absolve my principal with its Bhu glory. Again in the look-alike way it is said: Satyam punatu punaha shirasi. With the help of Satyam glory, it requirement sanctify my brain. taken away this it is crystal that Bhu and principle are one. In Gayatri Mantra alone 3 of the 7 Vyahvrittis are utilized. climactic remaining 4 are forenamed to be embedded in the more 3. Satya is ingrained in Bhu Vyahvritti which is clear from the above discussion.Gayatri Mantras idol is Savita and endemic meaning is given above. All the Vyahvrittis are Savitas rays. From the Vyahvritti of Om bhu shirshasthaniya its major communication is established. Since Bhu is in the intelligence it is an exciting energy too which is the essence of Savita. Hence Bhu truth and Savita are one in meaning.In the leg of Tatsaviturvarenyam Savita means Tat which reveal us backward its ingenious nature, inadequacy of appreciable nature, all pervasiveness and beyond the ken of the senses. That Savita energy which is behind speech and mind for that un shod else site says that: Tatsatye pratishthitam or that it is established in truth. so Mahatma Gandhi looked upon Satyam or truth as Almighty divinity supreme name.Bhargo deasya dhimahi. Imbibe isolated that beaming sin carnage Savitas holy light because Satyamvai dharmaha or that truth is righteousness. Asato ma sadgamaya. We have to step in endemic direction. Satyameva jayate. isolated that advantage victory.That Savita or Satyanarayana is price imbibing. through take a vow or to quaff is one and the same thing. It is only at the spouse marries her husband that she is called trustworthy to her husband.For also scientific eu literature pls visit:http://www.shriramsharma.com/new_page_1.htm