#but I prefer to think I'm enlightened and have no problems. this is fine and will not blow up in my face

[spocks-kaathyra]

"ur repressed" okay well have u even considered that emotions r purposeless and only serve to cause harm to those around u and I have achieved a unique transcendent state beyond them. have u considered that

[rw-ascension-au]

next | previous | first

Saint.

*crash*

Ah, yes. Artificer. You had startled me. Why have you returned?

Why're you back at the questions again?

Apologies, it is the force of habit. Though I would like to know the reason for your return, regardless. You do not have to tell me if that is not what you want.

...How about I ask you something?

If that is your wish.

What's with... all of this? Why're you all so desperate to ascend me?

It is our mission, given to us by Invenot- keeper of the post-ascension.

...you've already ascended?

It is not as 'enlightening' as you would think. The post-ascension is merely a place to rest and recover from the endless cycles you would have to endure.

Makes sense, I've seen Rivulet. So are you the leader of the group?

Far from it. I am actually the newest member. This is my first mission.

Oh. So why do you ask so many questions then? It's frustrating.

I want to understand you and the group further.

That has nothing to do with the potential rot problem.

I was concerned for Hunter's health.

Saint-

I would prefer if we did not have an argument at this current point in time. Although I am curious, and, forgive me for being an irritation, but why did you return?

...

I uh- well- It's just boring alone or something.

You appear distressed. [Did I say something wrong?]

I'm not.

Very well then.

*out of breath Survivor noises* The rain's coming. A-and I- I'm really sorry, but I couldn't- I didn't- I didn't hunt enough.

That is fine. Some of us might have to enter a starvation cycle. We can gather food for those who require it and we will just have to temporarily halt our journey.

And you're not the leader?

They don't have to starve because of me! I can go back out, I-I think the rain isn't too bad yet-

NO. You are NOT endangering yourself for the rest of us. This wasn't your fault.

I could've caught that batfly!

Riv. We were going to die.

Yeah but I wanted to eat that batfly.

Now that we are all here, are all of your food pips full?

*nod* Yep [monk] Uh-huh! Thankfully so. Yeah!

Very well then. That was very close to being a disaster. We will continue our journey to The Wall next cycle.

[savage-rhi]

Wesker: Chris, really. Ask yourself a question. Even if you do manage to kill me, and destroy umbrella, what do you think you’ll really accomplish in the long run? Do you think BOW’s will end with us? That my ambitions will end with me?

Chris had seen his share of many hells. Being backstabbed by Wesker at the Mansion was one, and almost losing Jill to him was another. He spent a great deal of time healing, years of work repairing the emotional damages that had been done to him, and now he was tied up back to back with the son of a bitch himself.

The whole affair was stupid. Chris admitted to himself that he and Wesker had been too cocky for their own good, enough to where the deuteragonist on his mission was able to slip them a fast one. He couldn't believe he had fallen prey to his vengeance, not realizing who the more dangerous enemy had been this whole time.

Wesker cleared his throat, ignoring the blood that ran down his head. "Redfield, how are you faring? You've been too quiet."

"I was doing just fine until you spoke." Chris sighed, grunting as the rope around his waist tightened. He ignored the chuckle that escaped from his nemesis.

"Our mutual friend sure saw you coming."

"No, no," Chris corrected, growling under his breath. "He saw you coming. We wouldn't be in this mess if you weren't involved in the first place."

"And we wouldn't be tied up right now if you kept your nose out of people's business," Wesker said as a matter of fact. "We've both made our mistakes, Chris. Now the question is, what will we do about it?"

"I'd prefer nothing because it beats working alongside you." Chris spat.

"You'd choose death so easily?"

"Not unless I could kill you after I'm untied."

"Chris, really?" Wesker sighed and winced when he felt Chris struggle against the rope, keeping them locked together. "Ask yourself this question. Even if you manage to kill me and destroy Umbrella, what will you accomplish in the long run? Do you think BOWs will end with us, that my ambitions will end with me?"

"I'm hopeful, but I'm not naive. I know killing you won't solve the problem at large," Chris countered, furrowing his brows as sweat and blood trickled down his lips. "But it would make me feel much better knowing there's one less bastard like you running around."

"Finally, something we have in common," Wesker smirked. "I know killing you won't stop your fellow Boy Scouts from trying to meddle with my affairs, but I could sleep easier."

"Touching," Chris muttered. "So what's your grand plan to make it happen? Neither of us will get what we want if tied up."

Wesker raised a brow, turning his head to the left to catch a small glimpse of Chris's face. "I thought you'd rather die than work together?"

Chris's shoulders tensed, knowing Wesker had him there, and he couldn't admit it. "Just enlighten me."

"Huh," Wesker hummed in thought before he grinned. "I never thought you'd ask. Well, in that case, I think we need to play to our weaknesses."

"Come again?"

"The stab wound you gave me," Wesker bitterly mentioned, biting in the side of his lip before continuing. "I'm not dying, but our friend doesn't know that. If you can handle the weight, I can play dead. His lackeys are bound to see that on the cameras and come rushing. Remember, we're both no good to him if killed. You and I will strike once the enemy is lured into a false sense of security. Then we can continue our personal grievances elsewhere unless, of course, you'd prefer working with me for a bit longer to take down our friend who tied us up in the first place."

Chris mulled over Wesker's words for a moment. In the grand scheme of things, the idea was stupid, but he did have a point. Their lives were both worth something to their adversary. They could only enter negotiations with the BSAA if Chris were alive, and they couldn't access the classified BOW documents in the facility without Wesker's brains at the helm.

"Y'know," Chris swallowed, letting out a laugh. "Playing dead is probably one of the most sane things you've suggested."

Wesker scoffed, shaking his head before he grinned. "I see we agree with the plan then."

"Let's get this over with," Chris whispered. He braced himself as Wesker went through the motions, feigning he had lost consciousness. Chris fell to his knees as Wesker became limp, letting out a pained grunt. Sure enough, as Wesker foretold, the sound of quick feet came marching in their direction, soldiers barking orders, worried that one of their captives was deceased.

Son of a bitch was right...Chris shook his head. Wesker had put him through many hells, but this one time in silence, he'd admit this was ingenious.

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[mysteryofvampires]

Recently I saw a lot people complain about fanfictions that are written in first person and I do not agree.

Yeah of course you can have your own preferences and it's totally fine to not read what you don't enjoy. You do you!

But like I personally don't get why that's a problem? Can't a fic be well written and life changing in first person? Why is third person better?

Also as a fic writer myself this really makes me kind of insecure about my writing. Most of my fics are in third person, but there are two in first, because I think it's necessary to tell their story.

So could someone enlighten me and tell me what you guys think is so bad?

Also why is it accepted in many (classic) novels, but not in fanfic?

Why do you guys don't like your blorbo telling a story frrom their perspective?

I'm looking forward to your answers!

[crow-caller]

Sorry if this is weirdly specific, but I was wondering why you don't like Ursula K Le Guin, since I saw you expressing that in the tags of a post. I've started reading some of her books and they seem so enlightening -- they touch upon issues like societal unrest, class, gender, etc in ways that are still relevant decades after the books were published. I hope I haven't ignored anything problematic she did, if at all. For all I know this could just be your preference and that's fine. I'm just worried that my seeing her as inspiring is actually a bad thing.

I get a lot of Qs on this (or at least, like three) and it makes me mildly regret my hardline status on Guin. Mostly because I don't have one. I hear many great things about Le Guin! I see great quotes from her and I understand her as someone who is extremely iconic and influential in inventive sci fi and fiction. Good for her!

My problem with her is a little one, I guess- it seems like it doesn't reflect her other books at all. I think she just wrote one bad one, the only one I read, and that's Word for World is Forest. I Hate this book, and it coloured my thoughts on Le Guin until I learned she was very respectable and loved. She especially indeed seemed on the forefront of writing class, race, gender, etc!

Word for World is Forest though I think is still... bad. I stand by that. We can't all always write good books ma'am.

Forest is about human colonizers on a forest world oppressing the ape-like alien natives, who are coded as native Americans, and how are peaceful and have no concept of war. The evil colonists colonize, the poor ape natives are sad :(( until they learn about violence :)) they were such Noble Savages they had no such thing but now they do!! Which is good but also bad :((

Basically, I hate the noble savage trope and it just is that.

[qqueenofhades]

Hi. You made a post a couple of days ago about how queer historical fiction doesnt need to be defined only by homophobia. Can you expand on that a bit maybe? Because it seems interesting and important, but I'm a little confused as to whether that is responsible to the past and showing how things have changed over time. Anyway this probably isn't very clear, but I hope its not insulting. Have a good day :)

Hiya. I assume you're referring to this post, yes? I think the main parameters of my argument were set out pretty clearly there, but sure, I'm happy to expand on it. Because I'm a little curious as to why you think that writing a queer narrative (especially a queer fictional narrative) that doesn't make much reference to or even incorporate explicit homophobia is (implicitly) not being "responsible to the past." I've certainly made several posts on this topic before, but as ever, my thoughts and research materials change over time. So, okay.

(Note: I am a professional historian with a PhD, a book contract for an academic monograph on medieval/early modern queer history, and soon-to-be-several peer-reviewed publications on medieval queer history. In other words, I'm not just talking out of my ass here.)

As I noted in that post, first of all, the growing emphasis on "accuracy" in historical fiction and historically based media is... a mixed bag. Not least because it only seems to be applied in the Game of Thrones fashion, where the only "accurate" history is that which is misogynistic, bloody, filthy, rampantly intolerant of competing beliefs, and has no room for women, people of color, sexual minorities, or anyone else who has become subject to hot-button social discourse today. (I wrote a critical post awhile ago about the Netflix show Cursed, ripping into it for even trying to pretend that a show based on the Arthurian legends was "historically accurate" and for doing so in the most simplistic and reductive way possible.) This says far more about our own ideas of the past, rather than what it was actually like, but oh boy will you get pushback if you try to question that basic premise. As other people have noted, you can mix up the archaeological/social/linguistic/cultural/material stuff all you like, but the instant you challenge the ingrained social ideas about The Bad Medieval Era, cue the screaming.

I've been a longtime ASOIAF fan, but I do genuinely deplore the effect that it (and the show, which was by far the worst offender) has had on popular culture and widespread perceptions of medieval history. When it comes to queer history specifically, we actually do not know that much, either positive or negative, about how ordinary medieval people regarded these individuals, proto-communities, and practices. Where we do have evidence that isn't just clerical moralists fulminating against sodomy (and trying to extrapolate a society-wide attitude toward homosexuality from those sources is exactly like reading extreme right-wing anti-gay preachers today and basing your conclusions about queer life in 2021 only on those), it is genuinely mixed and contradictory. See this discussion post I likewise wrote a while ago. Queerness, queer behavior, queer-behaving individuals have always existed in history, and labeling them "queer" is only an analytical conceit that represents their strangeness to us here in the 21st century, when these categories of exclusion and difference have been stringently constructed and applied, in a way that is very far from what supposedly "always" existed in the past.

Basically, we need to get rid of the idea that there was only one empirical and factual past, and that historians are "rewriting" or "changing" or "misrepresenting" it when they produce narratives that challenge hegemonic perspectives. This is why producing good historical analysis is a skill that takes genuine training (and why it's so undervalued in a late-capitalist society that would prefer you did anything but reflect on the past). As I also said in the post to which you refer, "homophobia" as a structural conceit can't exist prior to its invention as an analytical term, if we're treating queerness as some kind of modern aberration that can't be reliably talked about until "homosexual" gained currency in the late 19th century. If there's no pre-19th century "homosexuality," then ipso facto, there can be no pre-19th-century "homophobia" either. Which one is it? Spoiler alert: there are still both things, because people are people, but just as the behavior itself is complicated in the premodern past, so too is the reaction to it, and it is certainly not automatic rejection at all times.

Hence when it comes to fiction, queer authors have no responsibility (and in my case, certainly no desire) to uncritically replicate (demonstrably false!) narratives insisting that we were always miserable, oppressed, ostracised, murdered, or simply forgotten about in the premodern world. Queer characters, especially historical queer characters, do not have to constantly function as a political mouthpiece for us to claim that things are so much better today (true in some cases, not at all in the others) and that modernity "automatically" evolved to a more "enlightened" stance (definitely not true). As we have seen with the recent resurgence of fascism, authoritarianism, nationalism, and xenophobia around the world, along with the desperate battle by the right wing to re-litigate abortion, gay rights, etc., social attitudes do not form in a vacuum and do not just automatically become more progressive. They move backward, forward, and side to side, depending on the needs of the societies that produce them, and periods of instability, violence, sickness, and poverty lead to more regressive and hardline attitudes, as people act out of fear and insularity. It is a bad human habit that we have not been able to break over thousands of years, but "[social] things in the past were Bad but now have become Good" just... isn't true.

After all, nobody feels the need to constantly add subtextual disclaimers or "don't worry, I personally don't support this attitude/action" implied authorial notes in modern romances, despite the cornucopia of social problems we have today, and despite the complicated attitude of the modern world toward LGBTQ people. If an author's only reason for including "period typical homophobia" (and as we've discussed, there's no such thing before the 19th century) is that they think it should be there, that is an attitude that needs to be challenged and examined more closely. We are not obliged to only produce works that represent a downtrodden past, even if the end message is triumphal. It's the same way we got so tired of rape scenes being used to make a female character "stronger." Just because those things existed (and do exist!), doesn't mean you have to submit every single character to those humiliations in some twisted name of accuracy.

Yes, as I have always said, prejudices have existed throughout history, sometimes violently so. But that is not the whole story, and writing things that center only on the imagined or perceived oppression is not, at this point, accurate OR helpful. Once again, I note that this is specifically talking about fiction. If real-life queer people are writing about their own experiences, which are oftentimes complex, that's not a question of "representation," it's a question of factual memoir and personal history. You can't attack someone for being "problematic" when they are writing about their own lived experience, which is something a younger generation of queer people doesn't really seem to get. They also often don't realise how drastically things have changed even in my own lifetime, per the tags on my reblog about Brokeback Mountain, and especially in media/TV.

However, if you are writing fiction about queer people, especially pre-20th century queer people, and you feel like you have to make them miserable just to be "responsible to the past," I would kindly suggest that is not actually true at all, and feeds into a dangerous narrative that suggests everything "back then" was bad and now it's fine. There are more stories to tell than just suffering, queer characters do not have to exist solely as a corollary for (inaccurate) political/social commentary on the premodern past, and they can and should be depicted as living their lives relatively how they wanted to, despite the expected difficulties and roadblocks. That is just as accurate, if sometimes not more so, than "they suffered, the end," and it's something that we all need to be more willing to embrace.

[bitchesgetriches]

Hi bitches, I'm a bit nervous to ask this but I'm being genuine I promise. I don't want you to think I'm some biggoted old fool.

Could you please help me understand how sex work isn't exploitative? I hear a lot of people saying "it's just the same as normal work, it's better than my job at Amazon/target/wherever and no one is calling that work exploitative" or "well you wouldn't do YOUR job if you didn't have to either" but like, checkout work IS hella exploitative??? Most work IS hella bullshit that only exists to feed the capitalist machine. I DO fight for a world where work is a choice. I understand why The Right would love onlyfans, but why is The Left lining up to defend it?

Sex work - especially things like onlyfans - is overwhelmingly done by the poor or as a way to escape poverty ("I was being paid shit in my previous job, now I can afford an apartment" is something I hear a lot). But in doing so it transfers all the risks to them, it's essentially turning sex work into the gig/hustle economy, isn't it? You end up on a zero hour contract with no union, health, benefit, maternity protection, in a job that can be hella dangerous and have serious emotional repercussions and requires huge emotional labour and/or disconnect and I don't really understand why we're just cheering this along?

I don't object on moral grounds. Sex is sex. Consenting adults do what you want. People are well within their moral and legal rights to choose to sell sex, (or the emotional labour that comes with it), or photos, or whatever they want - just like they are free to go work for target. I absolutely understand the need to - and support - decriminalisation of sex work, the need to make it safe and secure for sex workers, but I just can't see why ~the world at large~ sees huge numbers of young 18 year old women being herded and encouraged into joining Onlyfans - in several cases with people saying "can't wait for you to turn 18 so you can have an OF" so the patriarchy can pay £3-4 a month to see their tits and people cheer this along? One or two get rich, I'm sure, but who is getting REALLY rich? It's the old white men that own onlyfans and take a 20% cut, as always. It's the patriarchy working as it always has. Allowing one or two women to succeed while holding the rest down for exploitation. Except now it's mixing with the worst bits of 21st C capitalism, too. Surely all OnlyFans is is Uber for Sex work, using the gig economy to de-unionise and isolate workers, strip them of benefits, make them into independent contractors and profit off them?

Sure, it's a step up from kidnapping girls from Romania to have them do porn, but is that really the bar? Can we maybe just stop for a second and imagine a world where rich white men don't get richer off the emotional and physical labour of women? Where the other available work options aren't so shit that a zero-hour career with no employment protections, a limited lifespan, in a dangerous industry doesnt look like heaven in comparison? Sure, you can work for three years, sell your emotional labour, and pay for college. But why are we cheering that instead of asking why this has to happen in the first place? We're fiddling around the edges of the system, giving it a makeover, and rebadging it "female empowerment" instead of actually changing anything fundamental. Poor women sell sex. A few are allowed to break out. Men get to leer at naked women for pennies a year. Rich men get richer. Plus ça change. Not even to mention that because of the ~emotional~ connection that onlyfans gives beyond porn, we're embedding the idea that women are "money in, girlfriend out" machines. I know several girls that won't even *talk* to men in any situation without a minimum $50 fee. And apparently the fact we also have a crisis of men so lonely they're willing to pay this isn't a problem either? Where's our luxury communism dreams bitches?

Bitches, I trust you. What am I missing?

I don’t think you’re a bigoted old fool. Nor a prude! I think you’re incredibly enlightened about the dangers of unfettered capitalism and labor exploitation.

Almost all of the issues you highlight about exploitative sex work can be said about exploitative labor in any industry. Poor people taking shitty jobs that don’t pay enough and enrich capitalist, patriarchal corporate overlords? That happens all over the world in industries from meat packing to clothing sweat shops to, yes, sex work. The exploitation of a person’s body for labor is an ethical stain on our culture at large. It’s why we’re so in favor of labor rights advances including a higher minimum wage, unions, and humane work environments. 

Raising the Minimum Wage Would Make Our Lives Better 

Are Unions Good or Bad? 

Coronavirus Reveals America’s Pre-existing Conditions, Part 1: Healthcare, Housing, and Labor Rights 

Sex work is not unique in that it opens desperate and poor people up to labor exploitation. It’s not even uniquely dangerous to the bodies of workers--John Oliver did a bit on the US meat packing industry recently that made me faint with body horror. 

So we agree that labor exploitation is bad. And it’s something that we should work towards ending in every industry. But I can see why some people would view exploitative sex work to be a different kind of bad. Because sex is sensitive! It can be used to punish and hurt. See revenge porn and the way synonyms for “sex worker” are stigmatized and used as insults throughout society. 

Now, a few clarifications. When I refer to sex work, I’m not just talking about cam work on OnlyFans. There are lots of other outlets for many different kinds of sex work. And I’m also not just talking about women sex workers. People of all gender identities and sexualities do sex work, and we should advocate for fair labor practices and safety for all of them. I am firmly pro- decriminalizing sex work so that the industry can be made safe, regulated, and destigmatized in an effort to reduce exploitation. I want sex workers to have the power of collective bargaining! I want them to be protected by law enforcement and our justice system, instead of targeted by it! I want them to pay taxes and have the privileges associated with all tax paying workers! I want them to have the power and protection of a regulatory industry that will purge abusive and violent clients from their field!

I also disagree with the characterization that choosing sex work freely, even out of desperation, is a “step up from kidnapping a girl from Romania to have them do porn.” Human trafficking is not sex work. It’s slavery and torture. Even when the choice is between making $7.25 an hour working at WalMart and making $7.25 as a cam girl, there’s still a choice involved, even if it’s a shitty one. There’s consent. Trafficking victims have no choice, no consent, only violence. 

I honestly don’t want to start a debate here. We’re all on the same page that labor exploitation is bad. So I’ll just end with this: not all sex work is inherently exploitative. Which I guess is your real question!

I’ve mentioned before that I have friends who are former sex workers. Specifically strippers and a specialty dominatrix. As with any job, they had their ups and downs, their good nights and bad nights. But they all agree that they freely chose the work not out of desperation or a lack of other options. And they even enjoyed the work in some cases. If someone prefers sex work, thrives in giving that emotional labor to others, I’m not going to judge and I’m certainly not going to tell them they’re being exploited. It would frankly be insulting, condescending, to tell someone that their choice of work (when it truly is a choice) is bad for them. 

It’s a fine line, but the line does exist. Sex work CAN BE exploitative. But it is not inherently exploitative, as far as I’m concerned. 

[fangirlings-things]

Ocean Eyes II

OCEAN EYES MASTERLIST

Word count: 5.4K

SET ON 5x12/5x13

A/N: hiiii guys!!! new chapter is finally here!! thank you guys for all the positive feedback, this story means a lot to me and I'm glad you're all enjoying it as well!! hope you guys like this one, let me know your thoughts, lots of love 💖

tag list: @castielsangelsx ; @ritual-unions-gotme ; @freckled-lass ; @irrelevantyettopicalusername ; @charming-merlin ; @pieces-by-me ; @desperue || Vikings tag list: @maggiescarborough ; @charmingvalkyrie

TAG LIST IS OPEN || ALL GIFS USED IN HERE BELONG TO ME

The morning was cold. The sky was heavy with clouds and the breeze seemed to chill everyone's bones. 

You were walking around the royal villa, talking to some of the common people and buying a few things from traders as you usually did. Those moments outside the palace, where the ones you felt like you could really breathe and think. Away from all the power and responsibility that came with the position your family held in society. 

"Do you think the King would like this, Eldara?" you asked your handmaid, helding a black stone in your hand.  It was so dark and beautiful, it reminded you of your brother's eyes. Sunlight seemed to shine upon it and the effect was amazing. 

"I think he would, my Lady. It is a beautiful gift" Eldara smiled dearly at you and you could not help but smile right back at her. You considered her to be the closest to a real friend you ever had. Being a Princess since you were born, stopped you from having many things. Things you would have preferred instead of jewelry and power. 

"Very well then, I will take it" you looked at the very old men who was trading the stone and placed two coins in his hand. The smile he gave you in gratitude enlightened your day and made you run your eyes through the other stones he had to offer, searching for another with the thought that perhaps your mother would like one of those, in mind. 

You eyes ended up falling upon a large stone, that had a deep blue coloration. Such a clean, light blue that it remided you of the eyes of the Northman you had seen from up close in the night before. The one who had held you in place and asked for your honesty. 

A little disturbed for your own thoughts, you thanked the old man for the stone and started to walk away with Eldara following closely behind you, while helding some of the other things you had bought, like paint, as your mother had asked you to. 

You kept on walking around the villa, until you saw something that caught your attention. The Lady Elsewith, walking without her usual servants to one of the stables, inspected the royal villa with her eyes as if she was hiding something. 

It made you frown, as she disappeared inside it in a clear rush. Only a few instants later, Bjorn Ironside entered the same stable without bothering to even look around. Oh no, he would not. He was too proud for that. 

"Eldara, take all this back to my chambers. I will take another look around before returning to the palace" you gave her the stone you had just bought to Alfred, and she placed it inside the basket she carried with your buyings. Bowing in respect, she turned around and walked back to the palace just as you had ordered her to. 

Sighting heavily, now completely alone, you recognized your fears for what you had seen and allowed them to show up in your expression. You were afraid of being right about the matter as you made your way towards the stables. With every step, you wished to turn around and pretend you did not see anything. But you knew you could not. It was too important to just let go. 

You had to know. 

You realized your fears to have been right placed as you watched in horror, Elsewith and Bjorn Ironside kissing each other hungrily inside the stables, away from other's stares. In secret, where no one else would know. The sound of their breaths hissing made you warm with anger, that you felt for both of them. Both of them were betraying Alfred, your twin in that moment and he did not deserve that. Not at all. 

When they finally pulled back from one another Elsewith left the stables without saying a word, but with a smile on her swollen lips. You let her go without seeing you, as you had got into the stables through another entrance. 

You thought about following her, confronting her and accuse her of such an horrible thing to do with your brother. The King! But you declined that idea the moment you saw the convinced smile that curved Bjorn Ironside's lips up. To see him so proud of himself about that made you realize that he was the one who needed confronting, not Elsewith. 

"Is it your wish to break the alliance my brother has made with you?" you stepped out of the hidden corner where you had been standing and walked over to the Northman with determinion, one that always took a hold of you when angered. One that made you not hesitate before doing things and jump into decisions. 

"Do you often spy on people, Lady (Y/N)?" he stared down at you, the irony in his voice as clear as a bright sky. 

"You may be a living��legend Bjorn Ironside, but here you are at my brother's service and mercy. Under the command of the King of Wessex. And that woman" you raised your right arm in the air with exasperation and pointed to the space through which Elsewith had gone out. "is his betrothed. So you stay away from her" 

He analyzed you deeply, carefully. There was a spark of interest in his eyes as he did so, as if that argue between you two was the most exciting thing that had happened to him in the past days. "Are you threatening me?" 

"No, I am warning you" you clenched your jaw and dig your finger nails so deep into your palms that they ached in pain. "I will forget that this has happened. But you stay away from the Lady, Bjorn Ironside, or this alliance will have no future" 

"It already does not. My brother and my mother might believe you, but I do not. I am not a fool" he took a step closer and you took a step back in reflex, which you instantly regretted because his smile got bigger. "Alfred will kill my people, just like King Ecbert did. And if that comes to happen, I will do to him what I did to Ecbert. You want to know how your grandfather died?" 

"Don't" you took another step back, suddenly more than afraid of him. Horrified. No, you did not want to know. Had no interest in it. You had already suffered enough without knowing the circumstances of it. 

Your visible fear gave Bjorn more encouragement than he already had. "He died in his roman bathing house" he started, enjoying the moment and you desperately wanted to leave but for some reason, found yourself unable to move. "He cut his own wrists and bleed out like a goat in a sacrifice" tears were already streaming down your face by then and your vision was so blurry that you did not notice the Northman was so close until he whispered his next words in your ear. "There was no honor in his death. Such a great King, had a miserable, little end" 

And then he was gone. 

You just stayed there, crying as you thought about your grandfather. How he had felt. What would have been his last thoughts or wishes. All those feelings overwhelmed you and made you feel like a child again, wanting nothing more than your grandfather's care. One you could not have. 

Your steps out of the stables were taken slowly, one after the other. You could not see a feet away because of the tears in your eyes. Honestly, you did not care. All you wanted was to keep crying. 

You almost fell to ground when your body collided with a much larger one and you would have, if the man's arms had not been closed around your arms and held you up. Blinking to make the tears fall and your vision to be clearer, you saw Ubbe staring down at you with a deep frown of confusion. He semeed almost... worried. 

"What has happened?" he asked, still without letting go of your arms. In that moment, your mind was too far away to even enjoy the warmth of his touch like you had in the previous night. 

Forcing your way out of his grip you ran away from him and the royal villa. Your red dress, waved behind you like a cloth lost in the wind. 

─━─━─━─「⊱✠⊰」──━─━─「⊱✠⊰」━─━─

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" 

Alfred was sitting at one of the tables of the room, signing a few documents that were to be delivered to the Lords of the Witan, matters of the crown you absolutely did not want to know about. At every five seconds, his eyes would go to you before going back to the documents. He had been concerned ever since he saw your face was a little red, which indicated you had clearly been crying. 

"It is not something you should worry about, brother" you smiled at him, turning another page of the book you were reading. It was the middle of the afternoon and even though Bjorn Ironside's words were still in your mind you had been trying to push them away, to be fine in front of others. Your brother needed you beside him with the current mess that was Wessex and you refused to break down and disappoint him. That would not happen. "You have more important matters to attend to" 

"You will always come first, sister" you smiled at each other at that and then, the doors were suddenly opened and Aethelred rushed in with a dangerous expression on his face. You had seen that expression before and did not like it at all. 

"Bishop Cuhtred is dead!" he instantly announced, going towards Alfred's table and stopping in front of it. His eyes sparkled with anger. 

"What?" was all Alfred could mumble out through the shock that hit him and you in that moment. 

"Cuhtred is dead, murdered!" Aethelred's voice got higher and more urgent as he spoke. 

"Murdered?" Alfred frowned. "By who?"

"By Lord Heahmund" your older brother's voice was lower now, as Alfred got up at hearing that answer. "In the cathedral" 

You placed your book down at your lap, closing it. Alfred's reign was so new and yet had more problems than your grandfather's had in years. You could see the pressure on his shoulders by how they hanged low, and the way his eyes seemed to deepen in his skull by each day. 

"Where is Heahmund now?" your twin asked, and his voice was now stern as well as dangerous. You could see the fury building up inside him. You knew why. On the other day, he had refused to give Heahmund his old title as Prince of the Holy Church, since it had been already been given to Lord Cuhtred. Clearly, Heahmund had taken matters into his own hands. 

"Here. In the chapel" as soon as those words left Aethelred's mouth, Alfred stormed out of the room. You knew he was going to the chapel. Aethelred turned around to follow him, but you quickly got up. 

"Aethelred?" you called and he stopped, looking at you for the first time since he had entered the room. "I want to apologize for the things I said before. They were cruel and I regret them. I truly am sorry" 

He did not smile, just nodded his head and then rushed after Alfred because he clearly also wanted to confront Heahmund. 

You sat back at your chair, sighting without knowing if you had been forgiven. 

 ─━─━─━─「⊱✠⊰」─━──━─「⊱✠⊰」━─━─

"My Lady" the guard at the door bowed slightly as you approached the door he had been ordered to guard. 

"Let me pass" you said, holding firmly the metal plate you had in your hands. The guard seemed hesitant only for a moment before stepping to the side and opening up the door to you. As soon as you entered the room that was illuminated only by a few candle lights, he closed it again. 

Your eyes instantly fell upon the man you had gone there to see. He was sitting on the ground, a book in his hands as a calm expression filled his face. When he saw you standing there, he instantly frowned. You clearly were not someone he had expected to see. 

"Lady (Y/N)" he said in surprise, closing the book slowly as he probably tried to understand the point of your visit. 

"I brought you some food, my Lord Heahmund" you sat down on your legs on the ground close to him, then placed the plate in the space between you. You saw how his eyes went to the food with urgency but still, he did not move to take it. "Please, eat"

"I hope you do not find me rude for asking why is the motivation of this kind visit, Lady. I am sure the King has told you what I did to be here now, imprisoned" he smiled minimally. For himself or for you, you did not find out.

"He did tell me and that is exactly why I am here" as you spoke those words, you remembered the earlier discussion between your brothers. You and your mother had watched it without much interference as their argued about what should be the fate of Heahmund, after the declaration that the murder had been committed because of a conspiracy, in which Cuthbert was the heart. That had filled you with fear for your brother. "I need you to look me in the eye and tell me if you were being honest, Lord Heahmund. That if the King were to restore you to your title as Prince of the Holy Church, you would get to the bottom of this conspiracy and name the other members" 

The hint of the previous smile disappeared from Heahmund's face and something very serious took it's place. Leaning slightly forward to get closer to you, he fixed his dark eyes in yours. "I swear in the name of God, Lady, that I will stop this conspiracy. I will give to the King the names of the traitors so that Wessex's Witan can be freed from this evil people"

Perhaps it was the so seemed honesty in his voice and expression, or maybe the urgency and fear you felt, that made you so quickly believe him. That made you decide to side with Alfred to the idea of actually restoring Heahmund to his previous position in the Church. Keep your brother safe from danger was the most important thing in the world for you and if that depended on that man of God, who had killed a fellow holy man inside the house of God, so be it. 

"In that case, if you are really being honest, I will vouch for you, Lord Heahmund. I will advice my brother to restore you to your title and position" you were the one who leaned forward in that moment, wishing to be able to see his soul and his thoughts. What he was really made of. "But remember this, you have sworn in the name of God. If you are lying, your Lord will punish you severely" 

"Your Lord?" he said, in an echo of your own words and you then realized to have said too much. Luckily, he did not insist on the matter and proceeded. "I am aware of the oath I made, my Lady. I can say for sure that I will face no punishments as I was speaking the truth. I want your brother to stay in the throne and rule Wessex. I believe he will be a great King, like your grandfather, King Ecbert, was"

You smiled a little at him, then got up to your feet, fixing the cloth of your dress minimally for a second. "Eat the food. I will send someone later to bring you more and some wine" 

"Thank you, my Lady (Y/N)" he also smiled, bowing with the same amount of respect he always showed the members of royalty. He was an intriguing man, Heahmund. You did think that. 

Once again in the corridors after leaving the room where Heahmund had been imprisoned behind, a million thoughts ran through your mind in a rush. 

Bjorn Ironside's cruelty when speaking of your grandfather. Ubbe's worried look when you bumped into him in the royal villa. Aethelred's distant look when you apologized. The conspiracy to overthrow and assassinate Alfred. 

"Lagertha" you said her name slowly, when she came face to face with you, going to the way you had just left. 

"Lady (Y/N)" she said with a little smile and a deep northern accent. She had a beautiful voice, with such power and impact. It resembled herself a lot. "Are you well?" 

"Yes" you answered and only after you did, the sudden question made you frown. "If you don't mind me asking, why do you ask?" 

"Ubbe told me about what happened at the royal villa this morning" Lagertha took a few more steps in your direction, her white hair amazed you under the candlelights. Being so close to such a strong, incredible woman and she knowing that you had cried in public, made your cheeks red with embarrassment. "He is worried about you" 

That made your shame slip away and focus only in what she had just said. "Is he?" it came out as barely a whisper, but she heard and nodded in confirmation. You could see her inspecting you with utter attention, as if trying to understand who you were and your intentions completely. "I ask you to thank him for the kind concern, but I am well. Nothing has happened" 

"It is a lie" she said and your eyes widened for the sudden affirmation, made with such confidence. "Something has happened and I think it is related to my son" 

"Why would you..." you began, but she interrupted you almost at the very same moment. 

"I know my son. When Ubbe spoke about you and what happened in the royal villa, how you bumped into each other, I saw Bjorn's face. I saw the smile he carried and I knew he was involved" you looked down at your feet, feeling embarrassed again and even more than that, you felt how he had deeply hurt you with his words earlier. How he had told you something you absolutely did not wish to know. "Listen to me, dear child" Lagertha placed her hands on the sides of your face and made you stare at her in the eyes again. Hers were blue, but not as blue as Ubbe's. No eyes were like his. "My son is a difficult, stubborn man and I suppose me and Ragnar are the one's to blame for that. Bjorn can be reckless and rough, but believe me when I say that he wants this alliance to work. He knows it's value and he is thankful for the King having stood by us but his pride, makes it almost impossible to be seen" 

"Thank you, Lagertha" you said, trying hardly to believe her words. You wanted to belive that Bjorn Ironside was not a horrible person. But after that morning, you found it to be very difficult. The North woman smiled and then walked by you, continuing on her way, the one you had just come from. 

You knew, in your heart, that she was going to see Heahmund. 

─━─━─━─「⊱✠⊰」──━─━─「⊱✠⊰」━─━─

"Hello, grandfather" 

You were sitting in the stairs that led to the altar where King Ecbert had been buried. You had your back to the altar and your eyes in the doors you had closed after entering that place, alone. Your arms rested in your knees and your hair fell upon your shoulders and chest, because you held your head down. In that place, away from everyone, you felt like you could show some real fragility. 

"I am sorry for disturbing your sleep, again as I have done before, but I had to talk to you" you swallowed hard and sighted. "There is so much going on. Alfred is sitting in the throne and trying his best to keep it, but the Witan seems to hate him. I fear for his future and the future of Wessex" a cold breeze entered through one of the open windows and a shiver run down your spine. "Also, the Northmen are here. Not a raiding party, just a small group. Two of the sons of Ragnar are here. Bjorn Ironside and Ubbe, I believe you met them before..." your voice died in your throat and you had to take a moment to find it again inside yourself. "Bjorn spoke about your death, grandfather. Even though I did not wish to hear it. He said you killed yourself in your bathing house" the tears came, as you expected them to. It was no surprise when they started to fall down your face. "I know you loved that place. You would spend hours in there" you laughed a little, thinking about it and sighted. "I hope you found peace, grandfather. I know the faith you had in God and I hope you are with him right now, showing him your wisdom"

You fell silent. There was so much to say and yet, so little. You wanted to talk and talk with your grandfather like you used to, but it felt wrong to disturb him. So you turned most of what you wanted to say away, but there was one thing you could not ignore. 

"If you are really in heaven, grandfather, are you also with my father, Athelstan? I believe so, because you always told me that you two were close. So if he is there, please, ask him why does he not love me. Why he keeps not showing himself to me like he does to Alfred" you thought about the other night, how you had called for him but still, there was no answer at all. "What have I ever done wrong to deserve such thing?" 

Suddenly the doors to the room where opened and as you cleaned your tears and tried to look serious and presentable, a guard came in. "My Lady, I am sorry to disturb you" 

"It is not a problem" you sighted and got to your feet, fixing the cloth of your dress so that it would look as it should, and not so kneaded. "What is it?" 

"Ubbe, the son of Ragnar Lothbrok, has asked to speak with you" the guard said, his voice without any emotion as it was typical of the royal guards. They did not show feelings or talked with nothing more than respect towards the royal family. 

"With me and the King?" you said, surprised with that statement. 

"No, my Lady, just you"

"Oh" you could not stop that sound from leaving your mouth. The fact that the Northman wanted to see you and you only, made you feel nervous, but not in a bad way. You truly realized in that moment that you did not fear him. Not Ubbe, who had been nothing but respectful since you met. "Where is he now?"

"Waiting for you in one of the private rooms in the south side of the palace, my Lady. The one next to the Chapel" he explained, as you walked down the few stairs and in his direction.

"Thank you" you smiled at him in gratitude and he flushed in surprise and embarrassment. Some of the guards would always do that when you were actually kind to them and payed them some attention, something the other members of the royal family were not used to do, not even your twin.

─━─━─━─「⊱✠⊰」─━━─━─「⊱✠⊰」━─━─

Only when you stopped at the doors of the room the guard had said the Northman was in, you realized how hard your heart was beating inside your chest. It felt like at some point it would just break it's way through your ribs.

After taking a deep breath you opened just one of the doors and looked inside almost shyly, as if that palace was not your house but his.

Ubbe had leaned his back against one of the stone walls and had his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze was glued to his feet as he seemed to be lost in thoughts. When he saw you standing there, he stood straight and joined his hands in front of his body, respectful as usual. "Lady (Y/N)"

"Ubbe" you got in, closed the door behind you and then slowly made your way towards him. You stopped a few steps away from him, in an acceptable distance, not even close to the proximity you two had shared in the other day, in the dark corridors. "I have been told you wanted to speak to me?"

"Yes" he took a deep breath, as if gaining courage for what he had to say. He averted his eyes from yours and began to feel worried about what he had to say. But then, his ocean eyes found yours again and the expression in his face was agitated, but not necessarily meant something bad. "Me and Torvi, my wife, we accept the King's proposal" he took a few seconds to say the word wife out loud. "We will become christians"

Instantly, your face lit up in a big smile. The sadness you felt before almost forgotten now, after hearing, such unexpected and yet incredibly good for the future, news. "Ubbe, that it's incredible!" you could not contain your excitement and took a few more steps in his direction. "By doing that you are lifting a heavy burden from my brother's shoulders. With the doing of this, the lands of East Anglia can be given to your people in a short time"

"I hope so" he said, squeezing his lips in a thin line. You could see how difficult that was being for him, to accept the deal and become a Christian, renounce his Gods in public. That only made his sacrifice even greater.

"I will inform the King of this great news immediately" you smiled and motioned to walk away, but before you could one of Ubbe's hands closed around your arm. His touch was the same from the other day. Not too hard, just enough to keep you in place. Gracious, gentle even. You frowned at him, surprised and confused.

"Why were you crying this morning?" the Northman asked, searching for the answer in your expression and eyes. There they were again, those deep blue ocean eyes so close. "You bumped into me and I saw that you were crying. Now, you seem like you have been crying as well. What is it?"

"I am fine, Ubbe" you averted your eyes from his, wanting to escape but not really though. You wanted him to stop seeking those answers, to forget what he had seen. And yet, you did not want him to let your arm go and walk out of that room without saying more.

"Does it have anything to do with my brother, Bjorn?" you sighted and kept your gaze away from his, the warmth of his touch once more giving you chills. Suddenly, he raised his other hand and gently placed it under your chin, making you raise your head and look him in the eye. The proximity, the moment, his breath that almost touched your face, it was all too much.

"What...?" you began, but he interrupted you soon enough.

"I saw him leaving the stables before you" Ubbe said and as the expression in your face became incredibly sad, something seemed to grown inside his chest. "Did he hurt you?"

You saw something there, a little spark that you did not know what meant. "No. I mean, yes" you motioned to get out his grip and away from him and he did not stop you, just watched as you stopped again a few meters away, your back facing him. "He said some hard things"

You heard Ubbe move behind you, but did not turn around to look. You did not want him to see you like that, so vulnerable. Almost no one ever saw you in such a way.

"What did he say?" he spoke again and in the same moment, you realized how close he stood. If you took just one single, short step back, your back would probably hit his chest. You could feel him there, ghosting, looking you from above like he always did.

"He told me how my grandfather died, even though I did not wish to know" you chuckled sadly, not a single drop of genuine humor in it. "He made it a great speech. About lack of honor and shame" your whole being burned in anger and rage tears fell down your face. "It was horrible. Perverse and cruel. Just... cruel"

Ubbe sighted heavily behind you, the tension in the room so heavy that the air seemed not to be enough. Slowly, he raised his hands and touched your arms upon the sleeves of your dress, for what purpose exactly, even he did not know.

Unlike before though, when he touched you, a rush of thoughts ran through your mind. He was a Northman. You barely knew him. He had taken part in the death of your grandfather. Why did he touch you like that? Like he cared? Why was he so kind to you even though he had no reason to? Just why?

You jumped away from Ubbe's touch, only then turning to look at him. You took in the confusion in his eyes only for a moment before looking away. "I will inform the King and have the ceremony prepared for you and... your wife" like him, you took a few seconds to say wife out loud.

And then, you stormed out. ─━─━─━─「⊱✠⊰」─━━─━─「⊱✠⊰」━─━─

"Before being received into God's Holy Church, you most renoune your former errors"

You saw Ubbe's jaw clenched when Bishop Heahmund said those words. Hear his Gods called erros felt extremely wrong, even for you. Alfred, who stood beside you, looked at you with a little nervousness. The Lords of the Witan were around, their hatred for the Northmen clear in their features. Also, their hate for Bishop Heahmund who by your brother's determination, had been restored to his position as Prince of the Holy Church.

"I renounce my belief" Ubbe said, his voice clear and confident for everyone to hear. You wondered how much those words would have weighted to be said. "In Odin and all the other pagan gods"

You heard a grunt to your left and from the corner of your eye, you saw how Bjorn Ironside's face was twisted into anger. The Lord's rage was nothing compared to the one that Bjorn showed. Beside him, Lagertha's face was stern and incapable to read.

"I renounce my belief in Odin and all the other pagan gods" Torvi, Ubbe's wife, said as well.

They were both inside the lake to where the court had gone for the ceremony, with water to their knees. Heahmund was there as well, performing the ceremony.

Slowly, Heahmund approached Ubbe, moving water as he did so. He raised his hands and placed them on each side of Ubbe's neck, his thumb stopping close to his ears. He made Ubbe bow his head a little and then, Heahmund breathed to his forehead, his eyes closed in concentration.

"With my breath, I do exercise this evil spirits which inhabit you" Heahmund said his blessing in latin, first to Ubbe and then towards Torvi. You watched how uncomfortable they seemed and felt some regret, for having them renounce their beliefs like that. "Amen" Heahmund finalized his prayer.

You heard someone spit and turning to the left, you saw Bjorn leaving the place with heavy steps and rage escaping him in every move. You knew he was incredibly mad about the consilium, about his brother becoming a christian. Well, now, it was too late. You could now see that written in Lagertha's stern features.

As the ceremony was almost finished, Ubbe and Torvi turned to look at Alfred. They stared deep into the King's eyes, the unspoken words there more than clear. We did our part. Now do yours. Your brother moved his head in affirmation, and then Ubbe's eyes fell on you. The conversation you had shared in the previous day ran through both of your minds. While you remembered his touch, he remembered how sad you looked.

And the consilium seemed to be over in that very moment, as you forgot about everyone else and stared into his ocean eyes.

[twistedsinews]

11, 29, 30 for the OC meme (any OC is fine, but I'm naturally curious about your Avatar)

I MEAN. I will talk about her all day, she's fun, I just figured not a whole lot of people are into listening to me talk about her all day. XD

11. How do they cope with confusion (seek clarification, pretend they understand, etc)?

Situational, I think.

If she can figure it out through thinking it through or meditation, she prefers that. If it's pressing, she'll ask for additional info or clarification, or a "Could you please break that down a little so someone like me could understand it?" If it seems to be a misunderstanding, she'll usually try to get to the root of it and to clear it up.

...if it doesn't seem important or like any harm will come of it, there are times where she'll accept that she doesn't understand everything and let it slide.

There have been times where she just doesn't comprehend, and she stands there blankly trying to figure it out, but those are pretty rare.

29. Do they usually live up to their own ideals?

By her way of reasoning, she tries and that has to be good enough.

It has... been complicated.

And since picking up the mantle, she's always been something of an Atoner.

But there have been moments where she really, really has not lived up to her ideals.

Her biggest fall was during the whole Lord Blackthorn thing, where she happened upon the Sword of Chaos, which amplified all her grief and rage over what happened in the dungeons and she went on a murderkill spree until Iolo and Gwenno caught up with her and managed to drag her back to their ship.

And then she went on an almost murderkill spree on the ship, for being denied her revenge.

And afterward, she was forced to confront the fact that no, just because she attained Enlightenment doesn't make her infallible or capable of being the seat of judgment. And it definitely wasn't merely the sword, the sword tipped her over the edge and gave her the power and the force.

At one point, she completely stopped carrying a sword at all. Doesn't totally help when she's overflowing with magic, but hey, if you take away the tools...

An example of her going against her ideals out of ignorance would be Pagan. She wasn't exactly trying to escape Pagan at first, up until Devon took the throne and started talking Big Changes sounded good on paper except sounded also as though the Guardian were whispering in his ear. She wasn't sure she'd made things worse so much as inched it laterally to one side, but road to hell, good intentions, etc.

She's not completely above ends-justify-means results, and if those decisions have to fall on someone's shoulders it may as well be hers, but they have to be some damn good fucking ends to tempt her in that direction.

30. Who do they most regret meeting?

Easy-perhaps-too-easy answer would be the Guardian, but maybe not for obvious reasons: Much as I don't like how the idea mutated into "your evil half," when that doesn't make very much sense, I still like the idea of the Guardian being (more or less) the spirit of the Gem of Immortality, and Alexis inherited all of Mondain's magic via a fucked up kind of parthenogenesis and has spent the majority of her life trying to undo what damage she can.

She can't really say 'Blackthorn', or anyone like him, because as much as she hates it he still forced her to grow as a person and... you know... the lessons of Enlightenment find their own way, and you can't really choose not to listen just because you hate the way the message happened to be deployed into your life.

She regrets thing like, say... meeting Spark, because he had to suffer tragedy for her to be there. But she likes him as a person.

...I think the real answer would be someone who through meeting her catalyzed catastrophic results, but it's hard to pinpoint a single person especially like on say... Serpent Isle, where things were just spiraling out of control and seem like they would have eventually been a problem even if Batlin hadn't intervened to make everything worse.

...uh... maybe Minax? XD

meanwhile, i'm trying to think of some petty side npc that even annoyed her and coming up blank. alexis is a pretty patient person, turns out.

It's amusing to me, but Chuckles doesn't even make the list. He was the one guy in the castle who took a look at this scared, traumatized, completely out of her element little girl that Shamino had tripped over, sat down on her level for five minutes and pointed out that hey - you don't have to, and if you find you don't like it, you can always walk away from it... but since you're stuck here anyway with portents and good prophecy hanging over your head why not try something no one else has succeeded at before?

...WAIT! Okay, if you want someone on an interpersonal level, Deadeye. Long story short: she met him looking for passage, and he ended up one of her almost-flings, and then since he was working for Batlin he tried to kill Dupre, and... yeah, that... that didn't... exactly go the way she wanted it to go and wasn't so much a learning experience as it was a regret. (In a love life consisting almost entirely of one-sided crushes, it stands out as 'Well, that was what it was alright!'.)

[lifeisdabubbles-undersalmondean]

La Pomme ~ Chapter Eight

Pairing: Sam x OC (eventual Dean x OC and Dean x Castiel. And I mean eventual.)

Series summary: George is a casual French-Mistake-universe Supernatural fan living in no-COVID 2020, who's life is upended when she's suddenly launched between realities, two years into the boys' past (S13E22). What begins as an insane, immersive fan experience turns into more when Jack goes missing and George offers up her AU information to help track him down. Soon it's discovered that she and Sam may actually have history. But that's impossible, right?

Word Count: 3,900

Warnings: {smut, fluff, angst, show level violence, swearing, mentions of suicide} ***Detailed warnings will be tagged for specific chapters.

A/N: Following the events of my prequel Paradise and second story From My Eyes Off. Reading those first gives context but isn’t necessary to start this one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Collapsing into one of the comfier library chairs set between some stacks, George took a sip of the small glass of whiskey she figured she'd earned. She'd just scolded a fucking demon from hell. What was she thinking?! It had been pretty cool, but pissing off an evil, powerful being was maybe not the smartest. She could have gotten herself killed!

It had been unavoidable though; upon realizing that Demon Tim must have been the reason they suspected her of being involved in Jack's disappearance, she had been furious. Not only was it not true, it was insulting, humiliating, and just plain rude. It was also simply a bad plan. So, she took it upon herself to enlighten him and to correct his offensive insinuations. Hopefully, it wouldn't come back to bite her in the ass.

Her focus shifted then to Jack. Reflecting over her time there, there were things she remembered having happened on the show. The refugees in the bunker, AU Michael attacking, Jack losing his powers, Lucifer dude being just a regular human dude now; all of it was familiar, even when it terrified her (see: AU Michael attack). But, when they told her Jack was missing, she was thrown off at first. It wasn't something she remembered seeing on the show. Then again, she'd only just finished binging from season 10 to the end of 13 a couple weeks ago and hadn't started 14 yet. So, maybe she was past the point of being able to tell when things were part of their prescribed timeline or not? Therefore, even if Jack had been kidnapped on the show, she wouldn't have any info for them, right?

The problem was, the more she thought about it the more she began to believe she had seen something about this storyline. Jack being missing, the three of them going to save him-

Was it Ryan telling you about some episode where they rescued Jack in the redwoods? They had filmed it on location at some tourist spot you went to as a kid all the time and she thought you'd think it was cool… where was that?

She couldn't remember, and it frustrated her. She was also worried that she was making this all up just to be helpful.

Taking another sip, she allowed her thoughts to wander between episode scenes like an internal microfiche as she tried to nail down her recollection, No, I can definitely picture all four of them in the woods and fighting. Someone had kidnapped Jack, wanting his powers for something… was it the angels?

"Well, that was interesting," Dean stated, startling her out of her thoughts. The three of them were walking into the library a surprisingly short while after she left them with Tim.

Looking up at them, she set the glass down on a nearby shelf and stood up. Dean didn't elaborate further while he poured his own glass. The expressions each one wore were indiscernible and she grew nervous.

"Oh?" George raised a brow and looked between them, "Did he talk? Because you know, I've actually been sitting here thinking about this whole situation and something about Jack going missing is very familiar. Now, unfortunately, I am a few seasons behind, and-""

Dean took a sip, looking at her with curious amusement, and interrupted, "I was talking about you."

George looked surprised and then grimaced, "No, no. I'm not interesting, not at all. I'm the exact opposite of interesting. I'm-I'm… I'm…"

"Uninteresting?" Castiel offered helpfully as she struggled to find the words. Sam and Dean rolled their eyes in unison.

"Right! Thank you, Castiel. I'm highly uninteresting." She gulped a bit and wrung her hands as the three of them kept watching her. In the silence, she nervously looked in Castiels direction and blurted quickly, "I'm also George! Hi! Really nice to meet you! Big fan!"

"Nice to meet you," Castiel smiled awkwardly and nodded a greeting, looking at the other two with a confused expression, "...fan of what?"

"Right, positively boring," Sam interjected sarcastically before he could stop himself. He definitely thought she was interesting. First she's just a beautiful woman, then she's a beautiful woman he may or may not have had a life altering dream about ten years ago, and now she was a beautiful woman from an alternate reality where his life was a prime time television show… who he may or may not have had a life altering dream about ten years ago. 'Uninteresting' was definitely not an adjective he'd use for her.

Dean snorted, "Yea, boring is the last word I would use to describe that scene earlier. You caused Tim to sing like a canary, by the way."

Her jaw dropped in disbelief, "Say what?"

"I almost say we hire her to be our monster torture hypeman," He joked, looking at Sam with a raised eyebrow.

Sam ignored him and addressed Geroge's question, "After you left, Tim-"

"Cleetus," Dean interjected sarcastically.

"Cleetus… well, he sort of... started crying? He said he'd tell us everything we wanted to know if we promised to keep you away from him." Sam looked strangely apologetic and she let a few nervous chuckles escape, unsure whether to believe what they were saying.

"We think you hurt his feelings," Castiel explained further. "Which fortunately seemed to motivate him to talk, so thank you."

"I guess his demon mommy didn't teach him about sticks and stones," Dean cracked, taking another swig.

"Huh. OK. Neat!" George didn't know what to say; she was confused and strangely proud of herself. But she didn't want them to think she wasn't chill, so she shrugged nonchalantly, "You're welcome, I guess. Anyway, as I was saying, I'm not caught up to the current season of my timeline but I think I remember this whole Jack-gone-missing thing a little bit. I want to say you all track him down somewhere in… Oregon? Washington? I'm getting a Northwest-ish feeling." She began unconsciously pacing around the room, gesturing energetically with her hands. "I can picture a battle taking place in the woods...Jack being in danger, you all being in danger, too...some fighting...maybe someone losing the fight? Or getting really hurt," She glanced worriedly at Castiel. He'd be the only actor they'd axe of the three of them, so it stood to reason he'd be the most likely to die if she was right.

Dean and Sam shared a look before Dean asked, "Fine, I'll bite. Do you know a city? A time-frame? Who we're fighting? Anything specific?"

George paused and then slumped a bit in defeat, "No. I've only really watched up through, like, literally now. Other than random things I've heard or seen in passing, I don't know anything that's happened since ya'll got back from the apocalypse world. Been purposefully trying to avoid spoilers, too, which is a decision I now regret, obviously."

"OK, well look, sweetheart, it's OK," Dean began, in an embarrassingly condescending, douchey tone, "We don't expect you to help us. I mean, we're grateful about the assist with Cleetus, obviously but this-" Dean vaguely motioned in her direction and she raised an offended eyebrow, "-was obviously just a weird magical mess that Rowena left for us to clean up yet again. So, you just sit back and relax, and once we find Jack we'll figure out how to get you back home in a jiff, OK?" He winked and finger gunned at her, adding, "Don't you worry your pretty little head about it." In his way, Dean was trying to convey to her a sense of ease and comfort that they would take care of things. But, unsurprisingly, he came off incredibly dismissive and patronizing. Her cheeks flushed an angry red; she'd had it up to here with him by now.

Sam and Castiel exchanged nervous glances at the look on her face and Sam tried to stop it before the inevitable happened, "Uh, Dean, mayb-"

Cutting him off, George slowly walked toward Dean, eyes blazing, "Listen sweet cheeks." She had a polite smile on her face as she tried her hardest to muster up the same condescending, silky, sweet Dean-tone, "I'm sympathetic to the fact that you can't help but be an insufferably arrogant ass most of the time-that's just how you were written," for a split second she saw Dean's cool-guy-smug-face falter and she relished it. She could tell she landed a blow, even if it was a small one, "but maybe you could do us all a favor and try to ignore your cro-magnon dated natural urges and attempt to be open minded for once in your life? Just try to consider the fact that, like it or not, I might not be a total useless red-shirt? That maybe I-once again the lone female in the entire world according to Supernatural-might actually be useful? Hmm? Might actually have useful-albeit vague-information for you? Or would taking your lead from a woman be too threatening to you overbearing, uber-macho, 'we-get-it-you're-totally-straight' masculinity?"

Dean's head jerked back in offense, "Now, wait a minute! What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it," She mocked him in a deep, goofy tone, high-fiving herself internally. Nailed it! She'd always hated how damn smug his character was. Yes, fine, he was hot and charming and smart as fuck and right at least like 75% of the time, but he didn't have to be so fucking arrogant about it all the time. She preferred a man with some humility.

Sam was smirking at the look on Dean's face and muttered teasingly, "How does it feel, Cleetus?"

"Except, you actually don't." Cas interjected begrudgingly, as he thoroughly enjoyed watching Dean get verbally bitch-slapped. In fact, he could watch it all day, but they needed to focus on Jack.

"Scuse me?" She said, maintaining her sweet tone while staring daggers at Dean. "Don't what?"

"Have useful information for us," the angel said begrudgingly matter-of-fact.

"Er," Sam interjected seeing the look on her face, "Uh, well, it's just according to Tim-Cleetus-whatever, Jack is being held captive inside an old church in a small ghost town outside Butte."

Dean slapped his hands over his mouth in mock surprise and then, taking a few steps toward George, he mimed a balloon being popped by an impractically large needle. He had an impossibly large grin spread across his face.

"She still has a point, Dean," Sam sighed in an annoyed, if not slightly embarrassed, tone at his brother's display.

Cas nodded in agreement, "Yes, you were incredibly condescending and unfriendly in your attempt at being friendly earlier. Even though she's wrong about Jack, she's right about your inability to relinquish control-to anyone, though, not specifically women."

"You all suck." Dean said flatly.

George ignored him and shook her head. She was more and more sure about her information by the second; despite her doubts she could feel she was right. "Listen, I'm telling you, Jack is not in some bullshit church in Montana. He's…" She struggled to remember. "Erg, somewhere rainy and wooded!"

"Rainy and wooded, you say?" She cringed angrily at the sound of Dean's voice. "That's really great, very helpful. Say, maybe we should look up your little murder buddy-OwnsHisOwnAxe69, was it?-and ask if he's got Jack stashed in the Marin Headlands?" Dean's voice dripped with sarcasm.

George shook her head at him and closed her eyes tight in an effort to block out his negativity. Walking slowly away from him and into the map room, she started talking to herself, in a pointedly loud voice. Her focus bounced between episodes from the show and conversations with her friend, Ryan, a Supernatural Encyclopedia. She was hoping she could piece together something useful.

"OK, hang on, Jack is born, gets sucked into Apocalypse World, comes back, has his grace stolen but he's safely with you guys, he's happy, he's great-albeit, moody and not the best at video games. Then he disappears and you can't find him, yadda yadda."

While she rambled, her mind's eye began conjuring images of what she assumed were scenes from the episode she was trying to think of. While helpful, it was also disconcerting since she'd never actually seen it. She thought perhaps she'd seen clips on youtube while watching bloopers? She never could stay away from them, even if she hadn't seen the episode yet; they were just too funny. Maybe her overactive imagination was just creating scenes around what little knowledge she did have, "...and there's an epic-potentially deadly-fight scene at the end of one of the last episodes of the season. An episode that was, oh so noteworthily filmed on location iiiiinnn…" She tried to demand that her memories behave for her but it was challenging, considering she shouldn't have any memories of having watched the damn thing at all. "...where? Fuck me!" She snarled, chasing desperately after her murky visions as they swirled too abstractly for her to discern.

In a sudden moment of unusual clarity she could see the words displayed behind her eyelids. '...False Klamath? Where the fuck… why does that sound familiar? She flashed to the location in her memories and saw big wooden statues towering outside the scenic little tourist trap

Her eyes popped open with a gasp, "Johnny Appleseed!"

"Johnny Appleseed?" Dean teased, mock exasperatedly, "We're trying to find JACK."

"The Johnny Appleseed statue at The Trees of Enigma! Just outside False Klamath, Oregon!" She slammed both her hands down on the table in front of her in uncontrollably jubilant victory. "HA! Take THAT!" She jumped up excitedly and punched her fist in the air. "I did it! I remembered!"

"Sam, can you translate any of this?" Dean asked, annoyed.

"On the show," She started smugly, before Sam could say anything, "the battle that you two get into when you find Jack, takes place at a tourist spot called The Trees of Enigma. The episode was filmed on location at said tourist spot, in-say it with me now-False Klamath, Oregon. Oregon, Dean. A place that is known for being both rainy and wooded." Her finger was placed on the map table in the general area of Oregon, "that's where you'll find Jack. I'm sure of it." Her adrenaline was pumping and she was so stoked. It felt really good to be useful; like she was part of the show!

"Yea, that's great, sounds fun," Dean started dismissively, though toned down a bit, "but we're not risking Jack's life to follow your hunch."

"Excuse me. Why is my so-called hunch less believable than a demon's word? Especially a demon named Cleetus. Rude," George looked particularly offended now.

"Tim gave us real, solid intel and we've never had a problem when we've relied on our trusted resources in the past," He answered confidently. George's head jerked toward him like she hadn't heard correctly and she gave Sam and Castiel some crazy eyebrows.

"Sorry, you understand that I do watch the show, right?" She asked rhetorically, with a doubtful expression. When he rolled his eyes, she let out a frustrated huff. "Dean, think about this! He's a demon! He lies! Look, I know you have no reason in the world to trust me but you've got to; just think about it. Even IF it is demons that have Jack, don't you think it's possible that the prisoner demon you're threatening to torture might give you a false lead? Especially if he's naive enough to think he'll be able to escape and doesn't want to get in trouble with his bosses? C'mon, this is not-the-sharpest-tack-Tim we're talking about!"

Sam and Castiel had agreeably expressions but Dean's was stubbornly disagreeable, though she could tell he knew she was right. The thought of them going to Montana gave her a dreadful, suffocating feeling, like death.

So, she tried one more tactic and held her hands up in prayer, "Dean please, I don't know what and I don't know how I know, but I know in my gut that if you go to Montana, something terrible will happen. And Jack's not there, I promise you." She dropped all the bullshit and gave him her best seriously-just-listen-to-me face but Dean still wasn't budging.

"Christ, I knew you were stubborn but this is ridiculous, ugh. OK, fine!" She threw her hands up and turned on her heel, heading toward the dungeon.

"Wait, where are you going?" Sam asked quickly.

"Obviously I didn't hurt his feelings badly enough the first time, so I'm going to go have another chat with Cleetus and get him to admit that he's a liar, liar, pant-"

"Er-you... can't do that," Sam cut her off apologetically.

"Sam, he's handcuffed to a chair. I appreciate the concern but-"

"He means you really can't," Dean added. George looked toward him annoyed and Dean continued, "After he gave us everything we needed we pretty much, chk," he finished, slicing a finger across his throat in demonstration. When she looked like she wanted to strangle him, he shrugged and offered, "RIP Cleetus."

George rolled her eyes in exasperation, "But he was lying! Don't you confirm the information before you cut off the source?! Oh my god, why am I even asking? You're the Winchesters, of course you don't." The three of men looked between each other guiltily and she placed her hand on her hip, "What if that was just an act and Tim saw an opportunity. Feeding you some bullshit so that you couldn't actually find Jack? Or, maybe Tim has nothing to do with Jack at all, and sending you to Montana is just a good old fashioned ambush?!" She paused for a moment and gave a surprised, appreciative nod, "Hmm, maybe I underestimated ole' Cleetus a bit. Could have been smarter than I thought."

"She does have a point, Dean. The chances that he was lying are incredibly high," Cas conceded slightly, giving Dean a questioning look. "We have no proof that his lead is any better than hers. Demon's lie."

"Damnit, alright, fine," Dean said, sighing angrily. "Sam and I will go to Oregon to look for Jack; Cas, check out Butte-carefully, strictly recon, do not engage-and call us if you find any trace of him." He shot a quick warning look at George. "We'll turn around and come right to you. Sound like a plan? Great, let's go."

"Wait, no! Don't send him to Butte! Didn't you hear me? If it's an ambush, he'll get his ass kicked!"

"Hey." Cas looked hurt and George softened her face at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry Castiel. You're a total badass when the plot calls for it, otherwise, getting beat up is just kind of your MO." Ignoring the confused look on the angel's face, She turned back to Dean, "and besides you need Castiel in Oregon, Dean. I've seen it!"

"Oh? I thought you hadn't 'seen this episode yet'?" Dean said sarcastically.

"I-I… Well, OK, I haven't, but I've seen the three of you and Jack all together for this fight. Just trust me, you need him there. What if Jack is hurt when you find him? Cas can heal him, right?" She made a questioning face to Castiel; at the moment she couldn't remember the extent of his powers on the show and he was always losing one or another for whatever reason, anyway. But if she was right, she figured that even if Dean wouldn't trust her gut, he might trust that having a healing angel on their journey would be a benefit. "Is that a power you have? I feel like I've seen you do that."

"She's right, Dean. I can heal him if we find him injured," Cas offered her helpfully and she shot him a grateful expression, actually looking him in the eyes for the first time, albeit fleetingly.

"Have you seen Jack get hurt?" Sam asked her, trying to help, too. He remained a neutral party at this point, but if he was honest with himself, he believed her. Maybe a little too much, which is why he was trying to stay impartial. If he was being blinded by his confusing memories and the undeniable-yet-currently-being-denied feelings he was developing for her and ended up wrong, Jack could be killed.

"Uh… I mean, no… not definitively, but it's pretty standard for the show. You're all constantly getting hurt during fights and when it's close to a season finale the danger factor is skyhigh for anyone who isn't you two…" After motioning to the brothers, she trailed off, afraid that this reasoning was going to hurt her more than help her.

Sam gave her a long, contemplative look before finally offering, "I can have a small team go check out Butte. Maybe Garth can join? Last time I talked to him he was near there."

Dean's teeth and fists were clenched as he took a deep, exaggerated breath, "Fine. We'll send a group to Butte and call Garth from the road-No arguments!" He held up his hand to her as she opened her mouth to speak. "The three of us are going to Oregon, just as you demand, but I'm not leaving anything to chance on some alien's hunch. Garth can handle himself."

She made an indignant face at him-she wasn't an alien, she was from an alternate reality! Get it right. But, while she was afraid of someone getting hurt in the obvious trap that had been set for them in Montana, the thought of Garth going instead didn't give her the same full-body fear shudder. So, she figured she'd take what she could get and not push the issue further. Besides, she knew Dean wasn't going to be happy about her next move and she had to pick her battles.

[nadziejastar]

I'm thoroughly enjoying the LeaIsa discourse, especially Isa possibly having been subject X in perhaps another canon. Isa's symbolism's also seem intentionally feminine in nature. I've head-cannoned that the current subject X in game could have somehow had her heart spirited away into Isa's (mirroring Sora and Kairi's situation, except the heart being far more buried in the depth's of Isa's). An unlikely scenario is that Isa was AFAB as a child and even Lea doesn't know about it or remember.

Lea: The Wounded Healer

Thank you! Yeah, everything about Isa’s symbolism is feminine in nature. And very intentionally so, LOL. He’s the Yin to Lea’s Yang; the Moon to his Sun. I love the whole concept, and I wish it wasn’t so taboo to step outside of gender boxes. The mythology is that Twin Flames separate and go through many lifetimes apart, never meeting in person. Over the reincarnation cycle, the two lovers balance their masculine and feminine sides so that they are both perfectly balanced. And I do think Lea is a very balanced character in that regard. I’m sure Isa was, too. During their final lifetime in the reincarnation cycle, Twin Flames finally reunite and change the world with their divine spiritual love. 

I cannot imagine there’s any other explanation than Isa originally being Subject X. It simply makes way too much sense, and all the pieces fit perfectly. Your head canon is interesting. I prefer that over canon where Isa and Lea are apprentices and had NO connection to the experiments on the darkness of the heart. That just makes no sense at all. They could have had another girl involved without taking away from Lea and Isa’s tragic backstory. Another reason I like Isa being Subject X is that he would need healing, and Lea would need to give him a “birth by sleep”. KH3 kinda forgot about that whole concept. But there’s a lot of evidence that it was supposed to be a HUGE aspect of Lea’s character arc. Would have been a lot more rewarding to see than what he did in canon.

Stuff like this is exactly why Lea and Isa are my favorite characters. I can tell the writers had a hard on for them, too. Nomura really loved Axel, after all. Axel has a weapon called Prometheus which incorporates the Sagittarius symbol, and so do the vast majority of Saïx’s weapons. Moreover, the arrow is mainly prominent in Saïx’s Berserk form, which is where I think his captured heart resides. Now, why is this symbol so important? Because Sagittarius is Chiron, the Wounded Healer! He gave up his immortality for Prometheus, and was rewarded with immortality in the stars!

More About Sagittarius

Yen Sid: “I must warn you again–the road will not be easy.”

Lea: “Fine. Let’s jump right in.”

Ruled by Jupiter, the planet of growth and opportunity, the sign of the Archer is an eternal student, looking for enlightenment through new ideas, people, and places. Sagittarius is on the hunt for the biggest, best experiences life has to offer. They have a positive and outgoing personality that makes them the life of any party. With a love of adventure and all things exotic, the worldly Archer just wants to soak it all in. Sagittarius is driven by a constant need to explore and expand its mind, heart, and awareness to the fullest extent. Fiery and free, Sagittarius knows that the only limits are the ones we create ourselves.

Chiron: The Wounded Healer

Naminé: “And if the hurt is too great for you to bear it alone–well, then you turn to a friend close to your heart.”

Wounded healer is a term created by psychologist Carl Jung. The idea states that an analyst is compelled to treat patients because the analyst himself is “wounded”. For Jung, “it is his own hurt that gives a measure of his power to heal. This, and nothing else, is the meaning of the Greek myth of the wounded physician.”

Chiron was in outstanding pain and anguish; there was no medication that would ease the infliction. The fact was, even the gifted physician Chiron couldn’t heal himself. The next problem was that Chiron was in torment but, immortal. Chiron was not able to obtain freedom from the pain with the onset of death. In such a scenario, Chiron volunteered himself as a replacement for Prometheus, who had been penalized by the gods for giving fire to humankind; His punishment was to be enchained to a giant stone. Day-after-day an aquila descended and polished off his liver, which grew once more as it got dark …only to be consumed by the eagle once again.

So in essence, Chiron forfeited his eternal life so man could have use of fire. Hercules had been appealing to Zeus (Jupiter) for help, and Hercules agreed to supply an appropriate replacement for Prometheus, thereby setting him free. Thus, Chiron replaced Prometheus, gave up eternity, and went to Tartarus (the Underworld) in Prometheus’ stead. Zeus witnessed everything that happened and he knew how deplorable his son Hercules felt. Zeus afforded the dear Centaur a resting place in the heavens, as the constellation Sagittarius the Archer, in recognition of his benevolence and perpetuity.

Chiron and Artemis

Axel: “Why do I always get stuck with the icky jobs?”

Saïx has a weapon called Artemis, after the moon goddess. Artemis has a relationship to Chiron. Centaurs were notorious for being wild, lusty, overly indulgent drinkers and carousers, violent when intoxicated, and generally uncultured delinquents. Chiron, by contrast, was intelligent, civilized and kind, because he was not related directly to the other centaurs due to his parentage. Soon after giving birth to Chiron, his mother abandoned him out of shame and disgust. Chiron, effectively orphaned, was later found by the god Apollo, who decided to take him in as his son.

Apollo taught to him the art of music, lyre, archery, medicine and prophecy. Apollo’s twin sister, Artemis taught him more about archery and hunting. Chiron’s uniquely peaceful character, kindness and intelligence is attributed to Apollo and Artemis. Artemis only loved one man, Orion. She killed him by accident after being tricked into thinking the he was a villain who had attacked one of her priestesses. Orion, whilst swimming to escape a giant scorpion, is killed by Artemis’ arrows after the goddess could only see his distant bobbing head and failed to recognize the hunter. Artemis tried to bring Orion back to life, but was unable. It was Artemis’ regret at the loss of her hunting companion which allowed him to become a constellation and gain immortality amongst the stars.

Sagittarius Mythology also figures in the tale of Orion. One Greek mythology tale tells of how Sagittarius the Archer was directed to shoot down Scorpio the Scorpion, which had been sent off to murder Orion. This story gives the reason why the Archer’s arrow is aimed toward the ‘heart of the scorpion’.

Friendship

Ven: “Already?”

Lea: “I’ll see ya when I see ya. After all, we’re friends now. Get it memorized.”

Ven: “Okay, Lea.”

Sagittarius make excellent friends because of their encouraging, positive nature and their kind heart that will do anything to make sure the friend is happy. They do not expect favors in return; their kindness is selfless. They do not interfere with other people’s plans and they are never possessive or jealous. They treat others the way they want to be treated and live life based on a ‘live and let live’ policy, making them very agreeable. They are excellent conversationalists with a good sense of humor. Sometimes their humor is the raw truth, but these people speak their mind and don’t hold anything back. What they say is what they mean. They do not like mind games; they like straightforwardness and expect it in return.

Axel: “C'mon, let’s get some ice cream.”

Roxas: “Why?”

Axel: “Whaddaya mean, why? Because we’re friends.”

Roxas: “So…friends are people who have ice cream together?”

Axel: “Sort of… That, or laugh at stupid stuff that doesn’t make any sense. Like those kids we just saw–they were friends. C'mon, I’ll show you how it works.”

Sagittarius are known for saying the ‘painful truth’. On the other hand, people know that they can trust what they say because they always say what is real. They never hide anything and are very likable people. The only people that might not get along with them are people that live by a daily agenda with a highly structured, organized life. They are likely to always be running late and miss a date, but this is only because they are so forward thinking that they forget about the present. Tolerance is required. They do not do these things on purpose; this is just who they are. If you understand this and accept this, having a Sagittarius in your life will make the sun shine a lot brighter.

Axel: “Best friends are willing to deal with complications.”

Wise and understanding Sagittarius is connected to the Temperance Tarot card. The gentle process of tempering is about finding a perfect middle state, and combining the best of all things to forge something that is stronger than the sum of its parts. By bringing the power of the philosophical world into their physical world, Sagittarius makes itself a source of ultimate truth and awareness.

Both Sagittarius and the Temperance card are constantly striving for a more enlightened state of being. The angel in the Tarot card here demonstrates this by slowly pouring the liquid from one golden cup into another – a process called “tempering” (a slow process of integration that leads to the perfect middle state). Similarly, Sagittarius accomplishes this by exploring the far reaches of both the physical and philosophical world to expand on or “temper” what is already known. The symbols of Temperance mean the following:

Angel: Interacting with the material world while maintaining a sense of spirituality and higher purpose.

Triangle: Interplay of masculine and feminine or spirituality and materiality.

Cups: The fountain of energy between your opposite tendencies, which is flowing and spontaneous yet also balanced and coherent.

Path: Taking your time through life’s twists and turns; being content in the moment or throughout unexpected obstacles.

Water: Groundedness and refreshment through spiritual thinking.

Mountains: The distant journeys awaiting you that will bring you to spiritual fulfillment.

Sun: The sun, also appearing as the angel’s third eye, represents the merging of personal aims with the universe’s plans for you.

Fire Wings: Muscles and strength necessary to maintain composure and reach a higher being state.

The Angel

Axel: “As long as we remember each other, we’ll never be apart. Got it memorized?”

The Angel’s beautiful, red wings represent blood or life, while the triangle on her dress means spirit – also the elemental symbol for fire. And, similar to adventurous Sagittarius, the angel’s feet are also symbolic of the eternal pilgrimage or spiritual journey. By showing one foot in the water and the other on the shore we are reminded that our greatest wisdom lies in the art of balancing. And lastly, the iris flowers are indicative of the Goddess Iris who provides the link between God and humanity. Like Sagittarius, she travels from one end of the world to another – building upon something that is bigger and brighter than herself.

In a general context, the Temperance Tarot card represents coolness in the face of shifting emotional tides. Temperance is the ability to control one’s temper or temperament. In Thailand there is a concept called “cool heart.” In this phrase, cool does not mean cruel and unemotional. Rather, to act with a “cool heart” means that one is not easily stirred or provoked to go off the handle; one does not quickly come to a raging boil but maintains a steady temperature despite shifting external circumstances. Similarly, Temperance stands with one foot in a cool stream and pours water from one cup into another. Temperance knows how to direct the water in a way that maintains homeostasis.

The 7 of Swords

Lea: “And if the darkness gets ya, I promise I’ll bail you out. “Dark Rescue” is my middle name.”

Axel’s weapon “Prometheus” is Lift Gear. This is the same gear that the Temperance Arcana in Luxord’s deck is listed under. Coincidence? I think not. Luxord’s card has the shape of the Minor Arcana, The 7 of Swords. In general, this card is said to be about betrayal and deception. It is sometimes called the ‘Thief’ card. In a general context, it represents deception, lies, trickery, cheating and lack of conscience. This card also signifies mental manipulation, tactics, scheming, cunning, enemies who masquerade as friends and spies in your camp. It represents escaping detection and getting away with something.

On a more positive note, the 7 of Swords points out that you need to be strategic in what you do. It can also represent flexibility, adaptability, sharp wit, and resourcefulness. You know you cannot do everything at once – nor should you. Instead, you must prioritize what’s important to you and direct your focus and attention on the few tasks that will move you closer to your goals. When this card is seen in a reading, the deception is usually short lived. Nobody is able to carry away 7 swords and get away with it. So although the party may feel smug about it at the time, it’s about to blow up in their face.

Sagittarius’ Ruling Planet: Jupiter

Lea: “I want everybody I meet to remember me. Inside people’s memories, I can live forever.”

Isa: “I know I won’t forget you. Believe me, I try all the time.”

Lea: “See, I’m immortal!”

Larger-than-life Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, the planet of luck and expansion. In Roman mythology, Jupiter was the king of the gods, the biggest and the best. In Astrology Jupiter is known as the “benefic” planet, meaning it is the luckiest, most opportunistic planet of all. This positive energy influences Sagittarius’ optimistic, enlightening, and outgoing nature that shines and spreads through anyone they come into contact with. As the largest planet in our cosmos, Jupiter’s vastness encourages Sagittarius to stretch its mind and heart as far as it can.

Sagittarius’ Symbol: The Archer

Xigbar: “You’re not supposed to be here!”

Lea: “Promises to keep. I’ll always be there to get my friends back. What, bad timing? You had your perfect little script, but you kinda forgot to write the sequel. Now, let’s find out what happens!”

The zodiac sign Sagittarius is associated with the Archer, and its glyph represents an arrow. Always eager to explore new horizons, the Archer sets its sights on a faraway target, then shoots toward it with precision. This focus on learning more, doing more, and seeing more is what Sagittarius is all about.

Ruled by expansive Jupiter, Sagittarius is big-hearted, open, and always looking beyond a checklist. A Sagittarius rarely has a “type.” They are always intrigued by the individual, and don’t make any assumptions about people until they’ve truly met and spoken with them. Sagittarius loves witty back and forth banter. A Sagittarius in love is a sight to behold. Aggressively fun, this sign usually moves full speed ahead once they have their love target ‘locked’.

Selene

Ventus: “I remember dreaming a lot. Of you and Terra. Of Sora and his friends too, I think. And there were some more people I didn’t recognize. Oh, and I saw these weird animal creatures! It’s like…I’ve been part of some big adventure.”

Saïx has a weapon named Selene, after the chaste Greek Moon goddess. It’s shaped like a torch. Selene’s torch has an interesting role in art and history. Selene was taken with Endymion, a beautiful youth who tended his flocks on Mount Latmos. She accompanied Cupid and used the light of the torch to gaze upon the mortal she fell in love with while he slept.  

Girodet’s “The Sleep of Endymion” shows the moment that Cupid parts the trees so the Moon may shine her light down upon her sleeping lover’s face. Only at night when he is asleep does she quietly creep down to him, accompanied by Cupid, whose torch symbolizes burning love.

In a Roman floor mosaic from the third century CE, the scene focuses on the moment when Selene falls in love with the young mortal shepherd. Cupid, in the upper right corner, points down at Endymion as if guiding Selene’s gaze towards him. Selene steps out of her bull-drawn biga that she uses to pull the moon across the sky each night, and raises a lit torch that illuminates Endymion’s face in the darkness. She peers down at him longingly. Endymion is fast asleep and unaware of her presence. She was so in love that she asked Zeus to give Endymion immortal life.

Sagittarius’ Ruling House: 9th House of Expansion

Roxas: “I found out about love on today’s mission–that it’s something powerful.”

Axel: “That’s true. It is. But I’ll never get to experience it.”

As the 9th sign in the zodiac, Sagittarius rules over the 9th House of Expansion. This house reveals how open our minds are, and how much we expand ourselves through education, exploration, and life lessons. From philosophical conversations to book research to world travel, the 9th house encourages you to go further than you’ve ever gone before. Sagittarius’ drive for adventure, growth, and awareness is strongly represented here.

When Venus is in Sagittarius

Axel: “Love is what happens if there’s something really special between two people.”

Saïx’s weapon Horoscope incorporates the Venus and Sagittarius symbols while in its Berserk form. So, the astrological correspondence is Venus in Sagittarius. Venus is the planet of love, self-worth, and all things beautiful. Her style is sweet, cooperative, and peaceful. But when this graceful planet’s energy mixes with the free-spirited sign of Sagittarius, her joyful side comes out to play. Hearts come out of hiding while Venus moves through Sagittarius. The happy and free energy of Sagittarius turns Venus up a few notches, encouraging us to live life to the fullest. This is a time to socialize, to try new things, and to look for love in different places.

Sagittarius is the sign of the adventurer, so when Venus is traveling through this sign, we find ourselves drawn to exotic people, places, and experiences. Old routines and worn-out relationships are at risk of being traded in for something bigger, brighter, and better while Venus is in Sagittarius. We want to expand beyond our usual boundaries, and may give up some of our comfortable patterns of the past to try out new experiences. Love needs to grow during this transit – it will not stand still.

Sagittarius’ Element: Fire

No. VIII AXEL—An assassin who puts his own agenda first, and everything else on the back burner. Wields fire.

The zodiac sign Sagittarius is a Fire sign that lights up our lives with profound questions and exciting ideas. Just like an uncontrollable wildfire, this sign will happily go where the wind takes them to seek new experiences. Sagittarius uses its Fire energy on its lifelong journey of exploration, always ready to jump at the next adventure. The element of Fire continues to fuel Sagittarius’ never ending supply of optimism and inspiration.

The Goddess Hestia: The Keeper of the Flame

Axel: “Well, I think you can be inseparable, even if you’re apart. It’s like, if you feel really close to each other. Like best friends.”

Saïx’s weapons Moonrise and Moonset are shaped like ⚶ the astrological symbol for the asteroid Vesta, also known as Hestia in Greek mythology. Her name means “the essence”, the true nature of things. Hestia was the Greek Goddess of the sacred fire. She was the most influential and widely revered of the goddesses. She was was one of the three ‘virgin’ goddesses, next to Athena and Artemis. Hestia was depicted as a beautiful and bashful woman, usually seated. The living flame of Hestia was tended constantly and never allowed to die out, for it represented the energy of all life.

Hestia was a kind goddess and had a discrete character. She never left her residence, the sacred mountain of Olympus. She never involved herself in the fights and machinations of the other gods and goddesses, somehow managing to stay above the fray. Non-judgmental and forgiving, her unconditional love and calm acceptance inspired the love and trust of others in return. Dependable and caring, she was always there for them and helped them to manage their lives, which were certainly more exciting than her own. These virtues define the goddess Hestia: mild, gentle, forgiving, peaceful, serene, dignified, calm, secure, stable, welcoming, and, above all else, well-centered.

Sagittarius’ Color: Purple

Axel: “You know, I’ve been thinking about something Naminé said. Roxas…are you really sure that you don’t have a heart? Is it possible that we all have one? You, me, her… Or is that just wishful thinking?”

Rich and luscious purple is the color of Sagittarius. Purple is a color of abundance, which encourages Sagittarius’ natural luck and its drive to expand its mind and world. The color purple is also associated with spirituality and enlightenment, empowering Sagittarius’ philosophical explorations and lifelong quest for knowledge.

The Sun

Axel: “Hey, Roxas. Bet you don’t know why the sun sets red. You see, light is made up of lots of colors. And out of all those colors, red is the one that travels the farthest.”

Roxas: “Like I asked! Know-it-all.”

Saïx’s weapons Orbit and Lunar Phase incorporate the Sagittarius symbol with the combined stars of Ishtar and Shamash. There’s also a Recusant’s sigil visible over the Sun symbol. The Sun, the giver of life, represents our conscious mind in astrology. It represents our will to live and our creative life force. Just as the planets revolve around the Sun in our solar system, we derive our life purpose from the Sun in our natal charts. The Sun is our ego. It is the part of us that reasons things out, and makes final decisions. The Sun is our basic identity, and represents self-realization. The Sun also represents our overall vitality. The happiest people on this earth are those who identify with the Sun’s expression.

Sagittarius’ Quality: Mutable

Axel: “Let’s meet again in the next life.”

Roxas: “Yeah. I’ll be waiting.”

As the last sign of autumn, Sagittarius helps us celebrate one last hoorah as fall comes to a close and the season of hibernation begins. Sagittarius, with a love for variety and change, uses its Mutable energy to shake the fiery radiance off the leaves and allow them to fall. As winter approaches, this Fire sign keeps us going by fueling our desire for adventure and fun, and helps us remain optimistic that light and warmth will return again.