#consider whether this power animal the wolf

[starzpsychics]

The wolf power totem animal

You may have heard people refer to power animals as tutelary spirits, which means deity or guardian spirit, patron or protector of a specific culture, place, person, lineage, or nation.

Over your lifetime you will probably have more than one power totem animal with you, in Shamanism it is the belief that we all have tutelary spirits or power animals that empower, protect, and teach us.

Out of all the power totem animals the Wolf has one of the strongest symbolisms. Native Americans have long regarded the wolf as a teacher and pathfinder, the wolf is also thought of to find and connect to the deepest levels of self and inner knowing. Having a wolf power totem animal implies a strong connection with instincts and is thought to be an aid in understanding and perceiving the world around you.

Probably one of the best known stories surrounding the history of the wolf comes from Rome, legend has it that Romulus and Remus the two founding brothers of Rome, were raised and suckled by a she-wolf.

In astrology, the Wolf is characterized by the Dog, Sirius, believed by many Aboriginal tribes to be the home of the Ancients. They also believed that animals and humans shared the same spiritual essence between each other and that animals are attracted to us or present themselves to us during specific moments in our lives to reveal messages.

In Asia, the wolf is the guardian of the entrance to heavenly, celestial realms. It is also said that the Wolf is among the ancestry of Genghis Khan.

Wolves are very much misunderstood despite their friendly, intelligent, and social traits people still believe the wolf to be a cold bloodied killer. The Wolf has emerged noticeably right through history, with negative qualities for example as the darkness that mythical Werewolves represent.

The wolf is a symbol of the night, a time which for many can be quite scary, it is a time where we dream, during our dream time we revitalize, and re-energize, it is also a time to discover through your dream’s things about yourself.

The wolf power totem animal typically symbolizes:

Intelligence, deep connection, and expression of instincts

Appetite for freedom

Leadership and loyalty

Feelings of being threatened

Having a lack of trust in yourself and someone else

Social and Family Values

Symbol of Wildness

Communication

If you have the wolf as your totem power animal the likelihood is that he is with you to teach you about your inner strength and self-discovery. To do this you must face your deepest fears. The wolf provides extraordinary powers and endurance to help with our quest of discovery he helps you to listen to the inner voice within you. The wolf totem power animal guide whether appearing id dream or meditation may imply you are using your instincts and intuition to grasp a situation well. The fact that the wolf totem power animal guide appeared could be a call to use this capacity to deal with a recent challenge you have experienced in your life.

The wolf as your power totem animal is probably a signal that you are a great teacher or thinker. But if this is not so this wolf appears to ask you to consider if there is something perhaps you need to expand your views about. The wolf totem power animal guide therefore is asking that you be open to new concepts or ideas.

When you are open and receptive to innovative ideas you gain wisdom! Wisdom is also gained through experience as well as knowledge.

Let us look at the social order of the wolf pack; typically, this pack will have a highly ordered and structured base. The wolf will mate for life and be loyal to their mate the other adults in the pack will all help with raising the young. Even though ordered wolves remain free spirited and will go out of their way to avoid a fight a shift in posture, a growl, or a glance gets the point across without violence.

The message therefore that the wolf power totem brings you is to attempt to avoid trouble or confrontation and instead try and reason things out, be diplomatic! It also denotes the ability to make quick yet firm attachments. The wolf also wants you to trust your own instincts and reminds you that he will be there to guide you. You must regain control of your own life and restore harmony and discipline.

Although free spirited wolves are typically very social animals and are good at communicating with each other and having this power totem animal can imply the need for freedom within you, as well as the need to lead life by following your instincts. It may also imply the need to have more freedom, ask yourself if you are being to restricted or limited.

Wolf is a social animal, enjoying the company of others. Therefore, the message of the wolf power totem is that there does not need to be a hard separation between the solitary and social paths.

Therefore, when you spot a lone wolf in the wilderness it symbolizes freedom. When seen in a pack it symbolizes community. If the wolf has come into your life and appears on its own or in a pack this is a symbol to you to do the same - either take alone time or gather people around you!

This can also be implying that you may need to go it alone right now to achieve your desires and goals.

When you have the wolf power totem animal beside you it can also be a sign that there is loyalty and trust issues in your life. Quite often a wolf totem is a message that you have become too apprehensive of bonding with another or that you have trust issues.

Power totem animals the wolf may also appear as a warning to you and be speaking about your preconceived idea that someone or something is acting in a threatening manner and wants you to take time to consider why you feel this way.

If the wolf is your power totem animal, it may be implying that you feel threatened by something or someone.

For example, the wolf could represent something which feels predatory and has made you feel vulnerable – therefore the message of the wolf power totem is to look at what it is that makes you feel this way!

Wolves are not domesticated and having this power totem animal can imply a need to consider this area of your life, and what needs to be altered, it also tells you to trust your natural responses. It teaches the need to stay loyal to the pack, whilst not losing your own identity. Look also at where you are being too reliant and where you may be too self-contained.

A wolf has a high intelligence in addition to powerful instincts which is observed in their hunting tactics, habitation habits and their migration behaviours.

The Wolf is believed to be an independent explorer returning to his pack to impart what he has learned. Your message here of the power animal guide wolf is to explore the hidden paths, you may uncover new truths to share with the rest of your pack.

The message to be taken also by the power animal guide wolf is that of faithfulness, inner strength, and intuition. This power animal the wolf might be asking you to consider the role of instincts, and how you trust or mistrust your instincts and intuitive guidance.

This power animal the wolf is a path finder and is with you to give you the message to trust your instincts to lead you back onto the right path.

Consider whether this power animal the wolf is asking to look at personal boundaries, is it that you are too exposed within a situation and need to withdraw for protection? Perhaps your message is to not be so trusting of a person around you at this point.

Or consider whether this power animal the wolfis telling you that you are too closed and need to be more open, have you shut yourself off too much? It can be asking that you look at your own trust issues and wants you to look at whether you are being loyal to your own beliefs and principles. It can also be asking you to trust your own gut feelings.

Or are the people around you acting like a pack of wolves, maybe the competition is stiff?

When it comes to hunting though wolves hunt in packs, depending on perseverance and determination to to run down weak and older animals, it has been noted that wolves can run sometimes up to thirty-five miles a day in pursuit. The message of the wolf power totem therefore is of endurance and strength, teaching you to know who you are, and to develop strength and belief in what you do.

The wolf will use its howl to find pack members or to let other wolves that are not in their specific pack know their territory boundaries. If you hear a wolf howl, this may be telling you to stand your ground and defend your boundaries.

If you have the wolf as your totem power animal the likelihood is that you are intelligent and have strong instincts, if your wolf appears through meditation or the dream state your message could be either you are using your intelligence wisely at this time or you are not using it at all!

To learn more about power animal spirits’ visit: https://starzpsychics.com

[barrenclan]

PATFW: Animal Name Systems

As more non-Clan characters get introduced to the story, I’ve been having fun coming up with the naming systems for various animals. In real life there would probably be more natural variety within a whole species, but also making up little systems is fun so I don’t care. Also, as a technical note, obviously none of these names are in “English”. They’re in whatever language animals speak. So, like, Hacksaw is not literally “hacksaw”, it’s the animal word for that object. 

Cats - with the exception of warriors (who obviously have an incredibly specific naming system), cat names tend to be more loose, and can be named after many things. In general, they are shorter. House cats are also an exception, as they are named by people and so their names can be very different. Ex. Cashew, Summer, Rowan, Egret, Thrasher, Jackalope

Wolves and coyotes - like cats, wolves also have a more loose naming system. Often wolves are named after someone else, to honor them. Coyote communities are heavily linked to wolf communities, so their rules are similar. In general, they are longer. Ex. Coldbreath, Nightshade, Lucky-Foot, Antlerhorn, Ranger

Deer - deer are always named after plants. No exceptions to this. Often the plants are ones that the parents admire or enjoy. Ex. Wild Rose, Juniper, Hyssop, Maple, Lingonberry

Mountain lions - they are named after some kind of aspirational trait at birth that their parent is hoping they fulfill. Sometimes this leads to funny, ironic circumstances, but usually the kitten is shaped by their name and strives to embody it. Ex. Ferocity, Swiftness, Cunning, Power, Caution

Porcupines - for the first year of their life, porcupine kits are named after the order in which their mother gave birth to them. Ex. First, Second, Third, etc. When the porcupine has come of age, they are given their adult name. These names are short and functional, usually no more than four letters. Ex. Mud, Snap, Snow, Blue

Falcons - chicks are never given names by their parents, and are generally treated as indistinguishable when young. Once they leave the nest, falcons name themselves whatever they like. Frequently these names are inspired by human artifacts, as falcons (and many other bird cultures, as well as raccoons) value their liminal relationship to humans. Ex. Hacksaw, Highway, Black-Wing, Perils, Artemis

Bears - at birth, bears are given short, silly names, meant to be inconsequential. Ex. Fuzz, Seed, Bug, Baby. When they come of age, they are given an adult name by the eldest bear, whether it’s a large group or just a family. These names are structured as some kind of brag about the individual’s qualities, to impress others and display dominance. They are composed of two words in the trait separated by a hyphen. Ex. Longest-Claws, Fiercest-Roar, Strongest-Jaw, Thickest-Pelt. However, if the bear is disliked or considered weak, they can be also be called a version of this structure that is an insult. Ex. Dullest-Mind, Weakest-Strike, Softest-Heart. The greatest shame of all, though, is an adult bear forced to keep their childhood name. 

[linkemon]

Genos (selfship)

Selfship was made for Sus-Chan on Wattpad.

You can check my Masterlists both in English and Polish here. Consider supporting me on Ko-fi. You can also check out my commissions if you’re interested. Other selfships can be found here.

× Being a category A hero was an everyday occurrence for you. It was hard not to hear about the exploits of Saitama and Genos at work. However, you didn't feel brave enough to initiate any attempts at contact with either of them.

× That all changed when you were reading a flyer about a great sale at the supermarket one day. The bald hero approached you and spoke to you with great interest. At first you didn't recognize him at all. It wasn't until his apprentice joined you a moment later that you realized who you were dealing with.

× Mentor arranged to meet you in a long line at the store. You were supposed to take turns but in the end he ran off somewhere because he saw a sale on rice and you stayed with Genos.

× To say he was stiff would be an understatement. Your silence didn't help. You stood there silently for a long time until a monster appeared on the horizon. There was no time to waste. You decided to help the civilians.

× Your wolf power awakens partly animal instincts in you. It also made you much bolder than in everyday life. During the fight, you complemented the cyborg perfectly. Together, you helped the city before Saitama dealt with the opponent with his fist.

× Since then, you started training together. Mainly because the bald hero was tired of his student and so he recommended that he get rid of him for a while. You considered it a valuable opportunity and that's how you spent your days together.

× The people at the agency were amazed that you were spending time together. You once overheard a conversation between Genos and another hero, who said that you always seemed cold and emotionless to him. The robot denied it in a calm voice, starting to list your advantages. You felt incredibly happy that he stood up for you.

× Since then, you've started to see him a little differently. Shortly after, you asked him out on a date. He wasn't entirely sure whether to agree. As a not so human being, he wouldn't want to give you unnecessary hope because he's not entirely sure what he feels. He likes you a lot but a future with him will certainly mean a lot of sacrifices and unusual things. However, you told him that you wanted to try it and took him out for ramen.

× Genos is new to all things when it comes to dating. You didn't have much experience either. You're starting from scratch, watching other couples, asking friends and looking for information. But that makes your relationship all the more special.

× You do a lot of everyday things together. A lot of your time is taken up by the two of you dealing with ordinary life problems. You've been paying bills together lately and Saitama suggested that you move in with them since you're there all the time anyway (he wants to squeeze rent money out of you, of course). You're actually considering it.

× You go to all the promotions and sales whether you want to or not. Collecting coupons, loyalty cards and stickers is your daily bread.

× You learn to cook. It often turns out that the food products you buy don't go together at all and then you have to improvise. You recently spat overly salted soup on a cyborg and were afraid he would short circuit.

× The loss of your parents was something that connected you and Genos very strongly. He had no problem talking about it with others but he usually just didn't consider it as useful information for others. So sharing some of your experiences from your youth related to it was refreshing for him. He believes that you understand him perfectly.

× Cyborg took you with him to one of Dr. Kuseno's check-ups. He's like a father to him and he really wanted you to meet him. You spent a nice afternoon in the old man's lab.

× Genos thinks you underestimate yourself. He encourages you to try to get into the S ranking instead of the A. He believes you deserve it more than many other people of that rank. He is very fixated on justice. He believes you embody it.

× You often put your boyfriend back together after various battles. You have instructions prepared so that you don't mess anything up. In return, he bandages your wounds.

× You're both very shy. For now, you've settled for holding hands and kissing each other on the cheek. You often do this before work right before each of you goes on patrol.

× You like quiet, shared breakfasts at sensei's house the most. The sun is just rising and Genos is preparing a meal. You join him to make sure it's edible. You secretly dream about what it would be like if he didn't stay at Saitama's house but at yours. For now, though, you're content with the fact that he wears your apron and the bowl of rice from the sale is tasty...

[eahtheramblings]

Your rewrite post appeared on my dash today and I'm loving everything that you've written! Do you think you could do a rewrite of Cerise? I saw her mentioned in Kitty's post and I'm interested to hear more of your ideas!

Cerise holds the title of one of my favorite characters alongside Raven, Apple, and Duchess, which means I put her through. So. So much. 

Also to talk about Cerise I have to talk about Ramona for a bit too, so y'all can consider this a 2 in 1!

For starters, Cerise’s wolf heritage can appear as much more than just wolf ears. The badwolfs, like most fairytale animals, are shifters. They can shift between a wolf form and a magic “human” form. For a full wolf, they can easily choose whether they want to be fully in their wolf form or fully in their human form, but for half shifters like Ramona and Cerise, this can become a lot harder. You see for shifters, the human form is never a “true” form. Wolf Shifters are a sentient magical species native to the dark forest that evolved to mimic human looks as a way to get closer to their prey. They are inherently magical beings similar to the fey, except instead of long lifespans and magic casting powers they’ve gotten sentient minds and the equivalent of a powerful illusion/transmutation spell. Because magic is influenced by one’s intentions and emotions (like Ravens magic needing evil intention to work properly), how a shifter feels about their identity affects their ability to shift greatly. Full shifters almost never have a problem with shifting into and out of their wolf form because internally they will always associate their internal identity with that of a wolf. They are raised as wolves, most of their early years are spent in the wolf form as they don’t gain the ability to shift until later, if you knock one out that's in their human form then will revert back to wolf form and generally most see their human form as a temporary mask. This is such a common shifter mentality that most shifters don’t even have spotless human forms, instead taking these not quite a wolf but not quite human forms that get a close enough approximation to a human but with something off about them. Too much hair, too sharp claws, wolf ears or eyes. The full shifter always knows their identity is wolf  and the mask is human, so they have no issue controlling the magic that lets them shift. Cerise and Ramona can’t shift as easily however because they identify with both their wolf and human sides. Ramona stays in her wolf form for the most part, but just like how most shifters human forms are imperfect, Ramona’s wolf form is imperfect. Her face is just a bit too human shape wise, her canines and claws not as sharp. It is public knowledge that she is a half shifter, Badwolf couldn’t pass her off as a full one so he told everyone he had a “short lived relationship with a human woman from a nearby village” (the best lies are somewhat true after all). She was held to a higher level of scrutiny by other wolves because of this, so she almost never leaves her wolf form and is constantly trying to push her human identity down. Meanwhile Cerise stays in her human form almost all the time, but is constantly plagued by abnormalities within it that appear depending on how she feels. The wolf ears are a near constant, but she also has a tail that appears sometimes, thicker hair than the average person, wolf eyes and canines that show up when she’s upset, and is taller than the majority of the girls in her class. Cerise hides all of this underneath several layers of clothing, long skirts and cloaks and bonnets. but unlike Ramona who can hold up 1 form consistently Cerise has always found it hard to not exist in this inbetween space, so much so that she was homeschooled her entire childhood and kept away from the many events the destined are invited to under the pretense that she was a “sickly” child. 

The second year of highschool, Legacy year, is the first year that Cerise attends school with others, as students can choose to spend their first year at another school or homeschooled for personal reasons (although this is very, very rare). Cerise finds the whole thing rather daunting, as her interaction with others her age have been greatly stifled. Because she is from a “kids legacy” (i dont have the time here to explain the full context of that phrase; just know that for certain characters like the crumb twins, blondie, and Cerise their often treated as slightly younger than they actually are since their destinies are intertwined with themes of childhood and growing up) everyone writes it off as shyness, but it is generally just stunted social abilities. She can be moody and standoff-ish and generally awkward, which is part of why she ends up mostly alone until after legacy day and the destiny conflict kicks off. 

And oh boy, does she have strong feelings about destiny. Now there's the obvious problem she has with destiny, her being half wolf. She is constantly vigilant for signs of fur and claws on her hands, and the idea that someday there can be a world where she can wear whatever she wants and not have to worry about her hiding wolf attributes is incredibly enticing to her. The idea that there can be a world where her family can be public even more so. These two are her main motivators for being a rebel, but she also joins the rebel cause because the Red Riding Hood destiny is one that never ends. if she could just play out the red riding hood destiny and then fake her death and disappear as a wolf into the dark forest then maybe she would be ok with sucking it up and playing her part, but little red riding hood eventually becomes little red’s mother who sends her to granny’s house, and then becomes her grandmother later on. She will have to live through the red riding hood tale three times at three vastly different parts of her life, meaning she can never “disappear”. For the rest of her life, she will be juggling hiding her wolf half while also acting out her many roles. It is inescapable to her, and locks her into a motherly role that she honestly does not think she would enjoy. Even Ramona doesn’t have to do all that and she has two stories. 

And Cerise’s deep desire to stop hiding her wolf half terrifies Ramona, as she is keenly aware as someone who is publicly half shifter how draining and dangerous it can be to go against the norm. People don’t even know that Red Riding Hoods her mother, they just think it's a random human, and yet she still gets treated terribly by others. Ramona hates the destiny system but is frankly, too scared to speak out against it despite her otherwise rebellious nature as she’s seen how going against it leads to children who are discriminated against and families who are forced to live separately and in fear. And while Cerise has seen that too, she continues to take the glass half full approach of hoping for a more free future while Ramona looks at the world from a glass half empty point of view. Eventually, Cerise and Ramona do work out their differences in views, and Cerise does reveal that she’s part wolf, although this happens towards the very end of the story. 

Also! I didn’t know where to fit this in the above ramblings, but Cerise and Hunter also have a pseudo sibling relationship due to the rumors that the huntsman is her father. I pulled this idea heavily from this fanfic called Off the Path by dragons_SRSunn on ao3, and folks if you have not read that fic please do yourself a favor and read it, it’s genuinely one of my favorite fanfics for eah. 

Uhhhhhh I think that's all for Cerise for now, sorry for the wall of text and thanks for reading!

[applesjuice]

Oh! I'm curious to know how the Legendaries are acting in your Akari/Kiki project!

Are they more "Thoust art but a mortal, yet braveth enough for I to seek your company" or more "Hey, I know u a mortal and don't live long but u kinda cool, mind if I chill with you for the rest of your life bro?"

These tought just kinda poped in my mind hehehe xD

I actually had to think about this for a while and I made some notes to help me going forward LOL. So the Legendaries in Hisui are worshiped, like Palkia and Dialga and are treated like gods but the clans. But ultimately they are Pokemon. So I think what makes them differ besides from the GRAND COSMIC POWER from say, the average Pikachu, would be their intelligence, or their cognitive ability to interact and communicate with people. Like, most if not all pokemon can, but Legendaries in particular would operate more like kami. They understand human language and can respond in some way or even speak it.

Sort of like say, Princess Mononoke, where the older gods like Moro the wolf can speak but the newer generations are like more intelligent animals who have lost their ability to do so. That's how Legendaries operate in my AU. They're gods in the sense that they are ancient, powerful beings but can form human connections if they want to. Most don't, but Palkia and Dialga in particular are very fond of the clans since they literally worship them.

I think the Lake Trio would make more appearances because they don't generally live on a whole different plane of existence. They would be very skittish but also curious about people. But their powers can hurt humans if they're not careful and they aren't very careful. They just cannot really comprehend humans are squishy.

Post PLA Palkia and Dialga I think would pop in on the fringes to check on their worshipers, kind of like seeing bigfoot in the distance every time you have a bbq. They would only actually go out of their way to interact with those who have earned their respect, so essentially the Clan Leaders every so often, or Akari. There's lots of reverence from the clans so it's more of a "how art mine believers faring these days" sort of interaction a few times a generation since they have zero concept of time. While with Akari, who treats them like strong pokemon rather than gods because Akari is technically a modern trainer, they would visit more often because they are more curious about them.

They're kind of like stray cats that just wander in whenever to check on their human and possibly bug them for treats. I'd also like to think that come the future since worship of Palkia and Dialga isn't as in your face as Arceus, Palkia would actually take an interest in Ingo since he is technically a member of the old Pearl Clan. So as a Warden he's something like a priest to Palkia. Ingo would need to discuss with his brother whether or not Palkia is allowed on the subway.

But long story short Legendaries play favorites, especially with their "champions" (protagonists of that particular game) and Akari is no exception. Only thing is there's a bit of a pissing match going on between Arceus, Palkia, Dialga and Giritina for their attention post PLA. Arceus will sometimes call or FaceTime them on the arc phone because why can't god face time their favorite little guy? Palkia and Dialga will actually visit sometimes. And i think I mentioned this before but I like to believe post PLA Akari would erect a tiny shrine for Giritina since the clans have little in home shrines for their particular deity and they felt bad that Giritina was being left out. Because of this Kieran is essentially blessed by satan.

Also the legendaries are not used in battle here. As funny as it is to see Arceus use like, perish song or something in a battle, unless they are fighting eachother (other legendaries) it's considered disrespectful in the AU to even consider doing that. Pokemon world religions or whatever. It would be like sending Jesus into a cage match people would lose their minds.

Also in case anyone is wondering yes Palkia and Dialga would absolutely pop into the BB Academy Terrarium for funsies were Akari to go back to school. They would have cryptid status.

[ecargmura]

Wonderful Precure Episode 7 Review - Friend Liberale

This was a nice way to conclude Komugi’s struggles over her argument with Iroha and what being a Precure truly means for her. In a way, she takes a step forward into becoming a human. I really like how this episode was written!

Komugi’s troubles are consulted by Satoru, who continues to be the best character in the show. Satoru asks her important questions like what why she became a Precure and why she got upset in the first place. In the previous episode, I did say that the reason Komugi was unable to use the Friendly Wand was because she mainly became a Precure for selfish reason—to be with Iroha. Komugi actually realizes this in this episode as she knows that Iroha’s reasons to become Friendy is because she’s someone who chooses selflessness above her own wants. She learns that if she wants to be with Iroha, she needs to put others before herself and that’s how she manages to activate the Friendly Wand!

The part where Komugi and Daifuku talk is super adorable. Daifuku doesn’t make much noise, but Komugi is able to understand him. I do like how Satoru isn’t shocked that Komugi’s eating grass, but he’s more shocked that she’s able to understand his rabbit and even wants to know what he’s saying and what his feelings for him are. Daifuku’s a bit grumpy-looking expression wise, but his tone seems very hard-boiled, which is how Komugi worded it. Also, she tells Satoru that Daifuku considers him a ‘mabudachi’ which is like a ‘true friend’ or a ‘real one’. This causes Satoru to blush when looking at Daifuku because this is his own confirmation that his rabbit loves him dearly. I’m delusional as heck, but this is definitely foreshadowing Daifuku becoming a Precure. He has to become one! It’s a must!

In Iroha’s side, she gets comforted by Mayu who bravely comes to the Inukai house to deliver a thank-you present to Iroha; she made her a harness shirt that Komugi can wear on walks. Iroha notices the numerous amounts of scratches on her arms. Mayu says that Yuki has a tendency to scratch her and even if she does so, she will always find her adorable. I think this is the sort of comfort Iroha needed. Iroha doesn’t hate Komugi, but needs to know that even if Komugi has bad qualities, she needs to learn to accept them.

The fight with the GaruGaru has more depth this time around! It’s revealed that there’s a source behind the GaruGarus as there’s a mastermind. It seems to be a wolf voiced by Takeo Otsuka. Whether he is a minion or a boss is yet to be determined, but it’s cool how they managed to cast another rising star for a big franchise. There’s also a bit more self-defense involved as Friendy is using her hands more for this fight than she did before. I thought that Kirarin animals was one per user, but that’s not the case as both Friendy and Wonderful used the Penguin’s power. The Friend Liberale looks nice too!

It feels like a closure of one arc and now onto a new arc with the gang going to school now. Mayu might become a Precure soon alongside Yuki, but who would become one first? I do wonder how Komugi is going to cope with Iroha going to school. Will the separation anxiety kick in or will she go to school with her as she can change into a human. Can she even comprehend the curriculum? What are your thoughts on this episode?

[besiegedhunter]

Projekt Red's arts/why she walks on walls

So, I went down another rabbit hole for Red. I'll be making more posts soon but yeah this one is what it says on the title.

It's based off of how Red's arts are depicted within Arknight's animated trailer and similarities with her Skill 2.

So there should be no spoilers but nevertheless it'll be under the cut.

So this is the trailer wherein we see Red in her full animated glory, alongside an interesting depiction of her arts which I'll post an gif of just for easier access going forwards:

I'll also post a bad gif of Red's Skill 2:

Now, on the surface there's not much too similar between these two animations besides the elements of red within.

It's mostly because of two things:

The Wolf image in her Skill 2 animation

Her skill animation is her coming down while in the animated pv she's going up

But I don't think that they're too different when you look at individual frames. What do I mean? Well, I'll show a sequence of frames, in order, from the animated pv:

As she runs a red cross appears in front of her that when close enough creates an upwards force, launching her up and creating red energy.

So then look at how her Skill 2 works:

She comes from the sky, her ability activates and there's an eruption of red energy which degrades quickly. Something which does happen in the animated pv as well:

After the initial explosion, it lingers for a bit before disappearing, like like her Skill 2 does. It's like Skill is the reverse of the Animated PV, activating an explosion on her landing instead of using it to launch herself up.

Think of it maybe like how Blaze can heat up the air in the area she's going to land after jumping out of the dropship, allowing her to cushion her fall. Red is creating this upwards force to cushion her landing. Or just to scare her enemies, which I mean she is an ambush expert.

But that's not the only connection I want to make, because this is cool and all (maybe you can imagine just how cool) but I said this answers her wall walking, right? And yes. Because of a moment that the pv hides quite well.

See when she launches herself up, she turns her body midair. Specifically so that her legs face the right wall:

And then:

There's a staticky effect and it appears like she's been pulled onto the wall.

And then she jumps from that wall to the other wall, the lightning disappears.

And it's her own strength that she uses to propel herself and is able to latch onto the side of the wall without being affected by gravity.

This is a clear showcase of her using her arts to magnetize herself to the wall.

And since both the pv and her skill 2 animation depicts her using a burst of red energy I feel confident that the pv is more accurate than initially thought.

Maybe compounded by this frame of her skill 2:

Which I would paste if I could but I exceeded the image count. Anyway, it is up above as the first frame of her Skill 2 which you can see, before the red explosion that there's a red blur following her and dark red triangles.

Now I know it's a stretch to claim this blur is the static that she uses in the pv but it is a thought as at this point she hasn't used the red explosion below her and it's not on her Skill 1.

As for the red triangles, they're appear frequently in her Skill 2 animation. Particularly at the beginning and end. And appearing before the red explosion I personally consider interesting. Like whether they're similar to the red cross in the pv.

Now, that's all I have regarding the wall walking Red exhibits and I can't post any more images. However, I want to point out the implications of this pv being canon accurate.

Specifically: Red being able to great such a powerful upwards force.

Because it's not mentioned once that this is how her arts work. Nor even that she can use arts. She literally has a "Normal" in Arts Adaptability which I believe is the worst besides the Sui Siblings' "Flawed" aka non-existent.

And personally I feel that her having the ability to create such an upwards force would be quite powerful.

Imagine how useful it would be for her to get around. She can use it to quickly ascend buildings. If she can use it horizontally and not just vertically, she can use it to dodge attacks, cover great distances quickly.

She can likely use it to do such things on her fellow operators or better yet, on her enemies. Like a Pusher Specialist without a fire hose or water canon. Able to just create a upwards force on an enemy.

I could say 'imagine the Alter possibilities' but I shan't. Just that I would love for this to be a canon ability of hers and I hope we do see it sometime in game.

And that I hope this came close to answering the question of why Red can walk on walls.

[petty-crush]

“Wolf” (1994)

-an unusual execution of a werewolf film that fitters its dna into several new territories

-chief among them being the bite victim is a weathered book editor at a company facing a hostile takeover

-This film reminds me how much I love Jack Nicholson as an actor, and how joyful and fun he makes the profession/process seem. There is music in him

-he seems to want to feel enormous guilt for being a wolf (after his initial disbelief phase) but the world around him seems to feel differently

-in particular the Indian man (a professor “merely open to the suggestion of these tales”) notes his culture does not consider damnation a thing, and he himself considers almost anything better than death

-equally amusing is a new takeover ceo trying to fire Nicholson for “having too much taste and individuality” in picking his writers, but after being show backbone the ceo agrees to his demands and says “what do I know about publishing?”

+whether or not this was surface conscious or sub, it points to the way confidence, a feral presence, transcends all animals in the jungle

-nice moment where a drinker checks his phone after being (wolf) overheard without his knowing

-actor James Spader really got to play these unscrupulous yuppies (he is Jack’s former protege and eventual failed usurper) quite a bit, and he lands a fierce punch here

-a scene that shows director Mike Nichols’ skill is how after Jack coldly refuses his wife’s plea to take her back, we see his new mutual interest in the same frame via background, and the camera merely watches one leave the room and zooms to her in a unbroken take

+shots with this kind of length and thoughtful convenience are usually called “deft” or “subtle” but that doesn’t get across how visually satisfying it is while powering the story. Maybe “aesthetically impactful” would be better

-Michelle Pfeiffer has an interesting part to play here: a rich, authority hating woman who aligns herself with anyone who opposes her father (the aforementioned takeover ceo)

-she plays it wonderfully

-the scene where she and Jack confess their souls in shadows while the water glistens in the background is fantastic

-at about the 90 minute mark, or right after the two detectives leave the apartment to the elevator, the film shifts, but doesn’t give its new phase enough time to breathe

-it just feels like it needs another 15 to 20 minutes to expand to great; a superb 2.5 hour film cut down to a pretty good 2 hour flick

-the action moments seem unsure of their point, and Spader’s literal transformation feels more “ok then”

-that minor fumble is not a dealbreaker, little moments like the wolf opening and closing his eye while waiting to bite Jack overcome this

-once again, a rocking Italian sights & sounds team (Fellini camera chum Giuseppe Rotunno & Leone composer comrade Ennio Morricone) help this all go down smoothly

-nobody does sniffing his wife’s jacket and all fours bounding up the stairs to catch her like our guy Jack Nicholson. He makes this such a hoot

[paragonrobits]

i'm considering an idea to reconcile how vampires work in my stories, and i basically have two goals: the first is to have vampires be cool without actually making them seem overly aspirational or taking away the monstrous aspect, and two, they might function as a kind of baseline supernatural creature

point one: vampires are usually seen as just cool nowadays. Depictions of them as inherently evil or personifications of abuse can come off as reactionary, and they CAN make interesting characters, though i personally disapprove of the idea that they are INHERENTLY sexual or cool; those aren't inherent qualities. and making them a species with a weird feeding requirement or a somewhat gimmicky superhuman without any real negative aspects isn't fun to me

vampires are monsters. its a big quality of what makes them compelling, and most often for me this manifests as how they deal with the monster they're becoming; whether they embrace it to hope there's a kind of freedom on the other side, because their lives have been so miserable that becoming a horrible beast is preferable. Or they try to restrain it, slipping and falling and trying to maintain the goodness in them, played for tragedy as they succumb to the monster inside, or for heroism as they manage to let the compassion stay alive even as they're technically dead, or at least something Else now

so, vampires need to have that element of monstrosity. A vampire CAN be elegant, and charming, but its not a default aspect. otherwise, its more or less a power fantasy and while that's perfectly fine, im not sure there's much point in MAKING that a vampire in classification senses

secondly, vampires can work as a sort of catch-all 'cool monster character' archetype, with many different sub-types that lean closer to other supernatural entities such as werebeasts, ghosts, fae and so on, without having to run the risk of them infringing on those territories or making actual fae/werebeasts redundant. In short, a vampire character who stays on top of it can evolve into a very wide variety of monstrous qualities; if you take the idea of a vampire as a grab-bag of aspects to make something intimidating, this is the logical extreme of that. Vampires are generally strong and can influence people mentally or emotionally, with some degree of transformation powers, but apart from that, they're all somewhat unique and can be just about anything

as they grow in power, they might feed on blood, or spiritual energy, or negative feelings, or just about anything that has some kind of power to it (though they ARE fundamentally predatory). Combine this with the above versatility, and they can be very flexible to have a specific kind of creature that also fits a compelling 'struggling with the monster inside' or a fearsome antagonist. Want a ghost? Vampire with emotion-leeching properties who can turn invisible, intangible and assume new shapes. Want a werewolf or something? Vampire with a strong focus on shapeshifting and becoming a wolf and monstrous variations on a werewolf. want some kind of frankenstein thing? A vampiric curse patched together a number of animal and human corpses, mingling them into an abomination that is ravenously hungry AND growing in awareness of the harm its existence does to others and grapples with the desire to be kind vs the hatred for the people who have attacked it (even in self defense, or because of misunderstandings)

[shadowwolfmemes]

Goretober Day 2: Starvation (TW: Blood)

Survival of the fittest

Scenario:

Liana was taken in by a group of scientists, they told her they were going to conduct experiments on her. At first, she denied because she had a bad feeling they would do one of those cruel lab experiments like they would do to animals. However, they convinced Liana that it wasn't like that. They just wanted to see how she behaves/interacts with her environment, or so she was told.

They also said she was going to be in a room with another person so that she wouldn't be alone. It seemed innocent enough to Liana, but she was not told about the circumstances she'll be in until much later. The next day passed by and Liana and the stranger were getting noticeably hungry. They both asked if they were gonna get fed.

To their disappointments, the same scientists that were conducting the experiment told them they will NOT be fed, but will be given water. However, water can only do so much until both subjects pass out due to the lack of nutrients in their bodies. Liana was much more upset than the other subject because she gets very cranky when she's really hungry.

As days and nights pass on, both subjects were gradually getting thinner and thinner until their bones were protruding through their skin. The other subject noticed that Liana was staring at them oddly, almost like she's contemplating whether she should eat the subject or not. If you ask why Liana hasn't teleported out, it's because the scientists activated a force field that doesn't allow you to use supernatural powers. Liana didn't realize until she tried.

As time went on, Liana continued contemplating whether she should eat the subject in the room. The subject was getting notably anxious as they stayed far away from Liana. Liana was considered gentle and compassionate, she would NEVER hurt a person with malicious intent. However, due to these circumstances, she believes that there is no other choice.

There's only one option left.

But Liana isn't close to this person. It won't be much of a problem, right?

As much as Liana hates to admit it, it's only logical to eat the subject even though they don't have much meat on their bones either. Eating humans doesn't sound appetizing, but when you're desperate for food, appetites don't really matter much. So, Liana did the only logical solution and ate the person, but not without warning and apologizing to them.

She finally mauled the weakened human. She did this while the scientists were on their break. When the scientist that came up with this idea of this horrible experiment came back to check up on the two subjects, he was mildly shocked to see a bloody mess of a mutilated corpse of what was once a living human being.

What was left standing was a skeletal looking wolf lycanthrope chowing down flesh because she hasn't eaten in 2 weeks. Although lycanthropes can survive without food a week longer than humans can, it's still very cruel for these scientists to be testing that out.

The now mellowed scientist calmed himself down and alerted his fellow colleagues that the experiment is over. They turned the field off, but doing that was a big mistake on their part. Liana blasted the glass wall that separated the subjects and conductors with her firework plasma blast.

The startled scientists fell backwards as sounds of shattered glass hit the floor and smoke swirled around the darkened room, meanwhile Liana crawled into the small room. Her slit pupils never left the scientists as she lets out deep growls. She made her way towards them with a major grudge because not only did they lie to her, but they put an innocent person at risk.

The disoriented conductors tried to leave, but Liana was surprisingly quick despite being a skeletal structure. She leapt onto the lead scientist and tore into his flesh. The other scientists fled the scene as the man who started this experiment cried out for help as the starving lycanthrope devoured his flesh like the fast eater she is.

It wasn't enough that she ate two people, Liana will not allow this sort of cruel situation happening to anymore people. She used her astral wings to boost her agility to catch up to the three fleeing scientists. She caught up to the two, it all dwindled down to the very last one remaining.

He got inside of his car, started it and drove off. He thought he was completely safe, but Liana always knows where to strike at the weak spot. Liana flew up 7 feet in the air, aimed at the engine of the car and shot at it. Knowing how flammable gasoline is, the car blew up with the scientist in it.

Liana landed on the ground as the flames swirled and danced on the car. The smell of burning flesh and metal filled the air as Liana took a whiff of it. Then, she uttered these very words:

"That is the smell of freedom. I guess karma really is a bitch, huh?"

Then, she teleported home where she can finally be safe and unharmed.

The end.

Author's note: If you came across this post, I hope you liked this one because I put all my effort and time into it.

It is the spooky month, boys!

[loquaciousstrigidae]

This Is How I Would Fix Sword Art Online 

I will be quite frank—I do not like this anime. Long ago, I had watched it and disliked it and to this day my opinions have not faltered. Perhaps they have festered, even. 

I want to be forgiving of this anime to say that the concept of Sword Art Online has potential. I think that is why disappointment stirs within me when I think of these character developments, plot points, and world-building details.  

The virtual world of SAO and its entrapment of people’s consciousness is supposed to be a social experiment, yes? That is the show's strongest and most central aspect, yet we are robbed of any thoughtful analysis of it. When plots seem to hint at something deeper, we as the audience are only left in that shallow pool of wish fulfillment and fan service. Ah, so there are newer players that hold resentment toward the beta testers? Let’s antagonize them in favor of our edgy lone-wolf protagonist! It’s not as if that could be an interesting piece of commentary if focused on for longer than five minutes of screen time. Yui, the emotional support AI, has watched countless minds in torment longing for their loved ones? Yes, a quick montage should do the trick! I am bewildered that these topics simply get pushed to our periphery while our main characters simply vacation at some lake house. 

This series would be worlds better if it were an anthology.  

Consider—each episode takes the perspective of a new character trapped in the SAO virtual reality. Of course, it could still progress chronologically, and there can still be the undercurrent of a panoptic plot. However, a vast range of characters would much better fit the scope of the social experiment setup. We, dare I say, could actually see the experiment in action. There could be a number of different plots—from a more fleshed-out murder mystery to politically charged discourse between the most powerful guilds. We could see how the children trapped in this world struggled without their families and eventually formed ‘the orphanage’ that we see in later episodes. There could be more emphasis on players left in the wake of the more skilled fighters. There could be an episode dedicated to Yui in which we see her grapple with what it means to be an artificial being—to have empathy encoded within you with the inability to distinguish whether it is real or not. To be a walking contradiction. 

What is reality? Such a question is not sufficiently considered within what I’ve watched. It is touched upon—Asuna says she is beginning to feel that all her life has been within the simulation. She and Kirito share in the reality of their connection to each other and the beauty of the world and we begin to see a glimpse of that rabbit hole. Why simply attribute meaning to the realm in which we call ‘real’ when just as well, lives can be fulfilling—or even more fulfilling—in an imitated world.  

I think I will rate this anime 3.5/10.

[prozac]

Mm pity

That... That line....

"Hello, Anik."

"What's your-- d-- what's your plan, Otis? You infected Harvey, and, and Barnes -- you-- you gave a treatment Grudge, and yet you continue -- You continue... You continue... ...Why? Why are you doing this? What is the point?" (Anik is begging for an answer. His eyes sparkle with desperation.)

"Mm. Pity our Dr. Carol was never able to grasp the true scale of everything I've worked so hard for. I gave her a proposal and she turned it away in fear. She couldn't see beyond humanity, couldn't comprehend what it may be outside of what it is now. She's a bright young lady, but I'm afraid she lacks the creativity I require in my endeavors."

"I said -- why?"

"...What's more, considering your situation, it's a pity you couldn't grasp it either. With the power you have over people, I could have used someone like you. So charismatic and yet so naive... Do you really not see the beauty in the staircase upward to evolution?"

"If you continue with this- we'll all die."

"I will not die, not like you. Even if I could..." (Otis pauses, then gestures behind him to the sunset.) "Look at the world, Anik. Each of us is expendable, merely a pawn in the grand scheme.

"Allow me to explain this in a way your modest mind can comprehend:

"Every few years the Monarch migrates from the North to South to reproduce. Something it knows in its tiny little brain it needs to do -- and so it does it, no questions asked.

"The Wolf, hungry, ravishes a rabbit for his own breakfast. He does not think of the rabbit, if it had a family, and if the Wolf has a family he could be inclined to share if he feels there is enough left for the pack.

"And nearby, the rose flower swings to the ground when it's time for a new bloom to take its place. Crushed under the heel of a boot.

"Every mote of dust that carried the first energy of life was a pawn from the beginning. We, as humans, are emotional beings-- selfish and unsatisfied even when we are about to pop from our own indulgence. But my creations, whether we call them monsters, zombies, Infected, Goliaths... (Thoughtful pause) -- Are devoid of all the sins that plagued those who came before. They do not care for anyone who does not care for them, and their only purpose is to bring us to their masses. Once they finish bringing us to them they will simply... exist. As the champions of the game."

"You ... you, you you-- you..." (Genuine fear in Anik's voice. He's never been like this.)

"Spit it out, Anik, I have a job to do."

"You're an animal. A monster."

"...You've said it yourself, Anik. I helped make your monster."

"You have to stop--"

"Stop--?!" (Otis just laughs for a very long while. Anik's face falls, and his arm now hangs limp at his side. When Otis calms down, he is still smiling, smugly.)

"..."

"You have to..." (Otis pauses, then grins and giggles.) "You have to stop to consider what would have happened if none of this had occurred, Anik. Imagine if you were still in your comfortable bed in your cozy little neighborhood at Shallowsea Island, your happy family still united — or, even better, if you never stumbled into this ragtag bunch you've found yourself a part of. Where would you be now, Anik Pillai? Would you still be on your isolated little island? Would you be in Greenriver, buried under rubble? Would you still have your "son"? Take a long look at what everything you've been though has gotten you: This. Now you are just a moment from death, your pawn finally seized from the board."

"..."

"I will miss you. However..."

"..."

(Otis sighs, disappointed, and shakes his head.) "Goodbye, Anik."

[wixelt]

Ideas spinning in my head and they're all about Pearl

So it's implied by Pix and seemingly confirmed when she receives the memories that Pearl is the mortal incarnation of the apotheosizied Farming Queen Pearl, Santa Perla

Saint Pearl is worshipped in farming aspects as well as as the moon goddess (I headcannon that tying into her sunflower symbology in depicting the moon and its phases as a sunflower tracking the sun across the sky) and possibly as a combat goddess considering how much she enjoys it.

Pearl was unaffected by the continuous nights without sleep as the moon encroached in S8 (it would be strange for the simulation to account for that but it did happen) and in last life, as her mental state slipped, she seemed to bring death wherever she went, possibly reflecting a synchronicity in domains meaning that Santa Perla is viewed as a reaper of life, with a particular fondness for the slain as they make excellent sparring partners.

She also referred to her dogs as 'dogs of war' and with the combination of moon and wolf imagery and battle madness paints the picture of Pearl being very few steps from becoming a werewolf

Technically, as often the further back you go the transformation had mostly to do with an animal sacrificed or bonded to (at the earliest, both) she would be a hybeena shifter durring her time feral in the Amphibian wilderness

Always fun to have a bit of Pearl thought. :P

As Hermit!Pearl being the reincarnation of E1!Pearl - or at least of her mortal self - & all that entails is canon now, that's absolutely a thing in the AU. This - barring dimensional time shenanigans, puts Grian & Pearl's current ages in the sub-1,000 years category.

Them being younger than Andrias won't change things, though.

So if our Pearl is the reborn form of Santa Perla/Saint Pearl - the farming/moon/combat goddess (I like your headcanons, here), does that mean she gets bad vibes whenever she looks at Amphibia's moon? Nothing she can quite place due to limited access to divine power, but as she has her past life memories she might recognize it as divine intuition.

Also, though the idea of Pearl as a reaper goddess - or the mortal incarnation of one - has its whole own set of implications, it draws to mind the Amphibia AU where Anne's literally the Grim Reaper. More than one character mistaken for an "angel of death", at least.

But the point that got my attention the most was Werewolf!Pearl.

Maybe it wasn't a thing before - Grian would've known - but cut off from any divine spark & left to go feral for literal months... Were-hybeena!Pearl isn't too outside the realm of possibility, given player tendency to adapt to new surroudings ("skin changes").

It'd make for an interesting episode, i'd think. Whether it remains after Pearl's brought to her senses is another question entirely.

[rainbowxocs]

TW: Aven has some themes of Child Abuse and Scientific Experimentation on Children. Proceed with caution.

Name: Aven Starclimber.

Alt Name: Aven Salendine.

Special Titles: Major General.

Username: generalwolf

Nicknames: Avy, “Wolf”.

Age: 21.

Pronouns: He/Him.

Sexuality: Gay.

Gender: Cis Guy.

Species: Human.

Disorders: Autism, CPTSD, Insomnia, HPD, Dissociative Amnesia.

Religion: Paganism.

Job: None, Currently.

Major: Archeology.

Lives in: West Virginia, New America, 3025.

Languages: English.

Height: 5’6”

Race: Black.

Accent: British American, Southern.

Powers: Prophetic Visions, Supposedly.

Weapons: Swords, Guns.

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral.

Text Color: Red.

Main Animal: Wolves, Dinosaurs, Sheep.

Main Hobbies: Painting Figurines, Poetry, Collecting, Making Strange Plushies, Origami.

Favorite Drink: Strawberry Soda.

Favorite Meals: Uni, Cheese Pizza, Steak.

Favorite Desserts: Frozen Yogurt, Cotton Candy.

Favorite Flower: Daisies.

Scent: Apple Shampoo.

Handedness: Ambidextrous.

Blood Color: Red.

Awareness: Not Aware. (Effect: None.)

Birthday: February 29th 3004. (Pisces.)

Theme:

Playlist:

Fun Facts: Is a little bit of a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.

Special Interests: Dinosaurs.

Stims: Dinsoaur Fossil Kits, Dinosaur Toys.

Stimboard: LINK

Moodboard: LINK

Fashion Board: LINK

Comfort Objects: T-Rex Plush, Dinosaur Figures, Gemstones, Tamagotchi.

Family:

Arthur Salendine, Anne Salendine. (Parents.)

Romance: Alexander Leverett (Crush)

Patrons: Dionysus, Set, Loki.

Familiar: “The Sword” (Magical, Sentient Sword.)

Brief Personality: Aven seems to be very naïve but kindhearted, he is nothing like the rumors spread about him and the horrors he committed during the war. In fact if you didn’t know his title you wouldn’t have known he was a general at all. It seems Aven overcompensates for his innocence being taken away by playing up a faux naïveté. However he does genuinely mean well all things considered.

Brief Backstory:

Aven was born to the founders of the top A.I manufacturing company in the world, basically born with a silver spoon in his mouth. When the incident happened, the inciting war completely ruined Salendine Industries and his parents reputation, most people blamed Salendine for the war due to them making “defective” A.I systems. However Salendine decided to make it up to the world by partnering with the then President. The President ordered them to make a solution for the problem they caused and for the next few years or so they tried everything.

Salendine did a multitude of different experiments in order to try and stop the A.I, they started out with only experimenting on A.I systems to see if there was a way to rewire them into being submissive, however this failed immensely, which made them move into human experimentation.

Salendine most notable experiment of course was on the Presidents child, Alexander Leverett, who ended up becoming the savior of the world, not because of Salendine of course, but still he did. However Alexander was not the only victim of Salendine. Among many of the victims, Aven was also experimented on.

Aven wasn’t particularly special like Alexander was, however he was used to see if there was a way for humans to defeat A.I on their own. They focused on whether or not they could make a human super soldier. They did experiments to see if Aven could learn how to predict the future and they succeeded... somewhat… they didn’t really care about the horrible side effects Aven would have due to his newly found abilities.

Aven was made a General in the army at a very young age and he was great at it, he was able to command armies of humans using his power and was able to siege a lot of A.I bases. Aven does not enjoy or really remember much of his time during the war, a side effect of his power and his trauma is his incredibly poor memory.

Aven knows however due to how people look at him that he did horrible things under the control of Salendine. After the war he hid away from the public, ending up in a mental health facility with Alexander, where he is currently.

[dogkillmoon]

𝐌𝐀𝐉𝐎𝐑 𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐆 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝙈𝙊𝙊𝙉 𝙈𝙐𝙎𝙏 𝘿𝙄𝙀

It's been thirteen years since the moon fell, and the numbers are beginning to align. Exactly four-thousand Amnorans are currently roaming earth, all having survived the MOONFALL as a result of their deific nature. Whether realizing or not, all of these Amnorans are capable of incredible feats of power. All that must happen is for them to earn their right to hold it.

SASHLATA IS NOW 35 YEARS OLD.

The sands of time do not stop, and neither does he. Weathered, quiet, and honed to perfection. Sashlata is in his prime, having grown a hearty agency of over 400 LUNAR INVESTIGATORS in the efforts of slaying the moon. This no longer is a young father, or a shakily polite gentleman. But a sharpened blade that knows his manners, and sates his mind with the indulgences of drink and copious no-strings sex. These faculties aside, his role as a father has not dwindled in the slightest-- And he has grown unbelievably proud of his son. Yet, he remains one stepping stone away from a frothed mouth. The power in his blood and the influence upon his eyes and ears by the moon is beginning to bring him to the brink. He still believes he's the only one that can do this. He will die if he continues on.

ODA IS NOW 15 YEARS OLD.

Having recently celebrated his fifteenth birthday having learned how to conjure his lunar deity and the abilities it grants him, to say that the younger wolf has a chip on his shoulder is an understatement. In the way he dresses, acts, speaks, enunciates-- It's all meant to emulate the father he adores. A sophomore at Creaky Oak Highschool, Oda maintains a popular role being the son of the legendary Gilded Wolf, Sashlata. Despite this, he sets aside his fame for the fortune of strength. He's grown a keen hobby for tabletop RPG, aquarium building, videogames and anime.

THE FANG & CLAW, A LUNAR INVESTIGATIVE AGENCY FOUNDED IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Two years after the moon fell and the Amnorans came to Earth, a small private detective group was created: The Scales, formed between Sashlata Lyuda Volya, Luka Tahn, Brynhilde and Anjie Niewi. Now, eleven years later, The Scales have formed into THE FANG & CLAW, a multi-district building in northern Seattle that hosts all of the information, documentation and investigative research towards defeating the moon. Currently, 483 Possessed Amnorans work for this agency, traveling worldwide to provide information and research. Sashlata is considered the acting CEO, and it's most voluntary investigator. Wading from country to country, it's rare that he can any longer be found at home now that Oda has gained the slightest independence.

LASTLY, THIS WORLD AND IT'S LORE HAS FINALLY FOUND A NAME: MOON MUST DIE.

After almost seven years of brainstorming these things and this world from bits and scraps of ideas and music-animatics in my head, I have a confident identity and name for what I've created. And I can't wait to share it with you all.

Thanks if you read this! A new pinned will be coming shortly.

[miqojak]

One set of questions for each color

* Is your OC usually magnanimous in victory - whether against a defeated foe, or against a friend in a game or competition? Or perhaps they enjoy exulting in their success at the expense of others? Perhaps with ribald mockery or spiteful vengeance?

* Does your OC have a guiding principle by which they live their life - such as duty, self-restraint or vengeance? Has this ever been tested by circumstance or challenged by another person?

* Does your OC believe that they will be mourned when they die? Or do they suspect they will be quickly forgotten - or even hope that this will be the case?

* How hopeful is your OC about the future? Do they see things as becoming better in general - either for them personally or the world at large? Or do they feel as if decline and disaster are inevitable and all that can be done is to delay the final end for as long as possible?

* Is your OC comfortable in the higher echelons of society, such as aristocratic functions or assemblies of the rich and powerful? Or do they prefer to avoid these events if possible?

* What does your OC consider to be the noblest or most admirable ambition for a person to hold? Perhaps spreading a particular religious faith? Or improving the lives of the poor? Or even perfecting their own martial skill?

* Do others find your OC easy to believe? Or is there something about them that makes others distrustful or cynical about their motives or trustworthiness?

(( So many!! Thank you! :D ))

* Is your OC usually magnanimous in victory - whether against a defeated foe, or against a friend in a game or competition? Or perhaps they enjoy exulting in their success at the expense of others? Perhaps with ribald mockery or spiteful vengeance?

Well...Jak doesn't really play games/do competitions of any kind? (She prefers a good verbal spar! And is not magnanimous at all in those! XD) And she only gets into fights when she has to - much like a real cat, it's all about posturing beforehand and avoiding a fight that could seriously injure you! When she does engage in violence, she's pretty quiet and focused - like a real predator! You're wasting your battle-focus and your breath, in her mind, if you're busy making quips and so on mid-fight. If she had friends, and played games, she'd no doubt be unbearable when she won, however! (And if she's fighting, it's probably to the death, because there's not a lot of point in fighting, in her mind, otherwise...so no time for post-fight gloating!)

* Does your OC have a guiding principle by which they live their life - such as duty, self-restraint or vengeance? Has this ever been tested by circumstance or challenged by another person?

It's hard to describe, but yes! She's from the J tribe, and I came up with some head canon about the Jackal as a totem animal/semi-diety, and the tribe's beliefs/way of life according to those things! Deals are important - the sanctity of a deal, really, is important...but survival is what the Jackal is all about - at any cost. That, and the concept of the Tribe, or 'pack'. The Tribe comes first, the self comes second, and everyone else comes last. I often use Aesop fables about the Fox and re-cast it as a Jackal, when I write about the kinds of life lessons she learned as a kit among her people - to be cunning, sharp of wit, and to always put yourself first when your life is on the line. They were taught to fear the 'Wolf' in their stories - which could be anyone trying to take advantage of them, in the real world, so to speak... it would probably just translate to 'predator' to us. She's been questioning the nature of the Jackals lessons, as an adult - now that Garlemald has fallen, she feels as though her family can rest in peace, now... there's no more need for vengeance, and there's no tribe/'pack'... would the Jackal's ideals mean that she should consider others like unto her to be 'pack', now? Does she have the duty to tend to them, because she has the power to do so(she doesn't really want to)? The Jackal also emphasizes that it's a dog-eat-dog world/that it's every man for himself - so where is that line, now, in a post-Garlemald world? Now that her own twin brother has turned his back on their tradition and ideals, now that everyone else is gone - how does the Jackal's legacy go on, when she is the last one? Is it on her to find others through whom it can live on, now that her tribe is gone? 'Legacy', and what that means, is on her mind a lot, lately.

(I do want to emphasize the importance of deal-making, however! They were mostly a mercantile, nomadic tribe - holding up a deal was of the utmost import to them. If the other party didn't uphold their end of the deal, then there would be hell to pay - "A Jackal always gets their due," after all... or so the locals knew, in the time before Garlemald wiped out the J tribe.)

* Does your OC believe that they will be mourned when they die? Or do they suspect they will be quickly forgotten - or even hope that this will be the case?

This spins off of the last one, and makes it pretty succint - no! She doesn't think she would be long mourned. The only person to miss her would probably be Ketsuchi - but that's one more person than she'd like to have to mourn her (he's lost enough already!), so she's backed off of her death-wish-chasing. But she rather thinks she's a bad person, and that no one will care at all when she's gone - this was cemented in her mind when her only living family, her own twin brother, walked out of her life and chose to chase boys rather than support her when she needed it most. If he can't care for her... then who can? Who will? Who should? Maybe she'll at least become infamous, so her name is remembered with fear and reverence.

* How hopeful is your OC about the future? Do they see things as becoming better in general - either for them personally or the world at large? Or do they feel as if decline and disaster are inevitable and all that can be done is to delay the final end for as long as possible?

She's the sort of nihilist that people tend not to like - but given what's happened to her in her short life, she has her reasons for seeing no point in all of it. She certainly isn't an optimist, but...believes in chaos, really. Good things happen, and bad things happen - there is no rhyme or reason to where it happens, nor to whom it happens... it just is. So who knows what lies ahead! She figured Garlemald would eventually come a-conquering at Ul'dah's gates and nowhere was safe - and then the next thing you know, the whole country is devouring itself from the inside-out! So anything is possible, really. She was supposed to be dead years ago, after all, and here she is - so who's to say where this unexpected life will go, and how it will be?

* Is your OC comfortable in the higher echelons of society, such as aristocratic functions or assemblies of the rich and powerful? Or do they prefer to avoid these events if possible?

She's basically just Cat Woman, when it comes to this sort of thing - she loves attending, and looking hot as hell... and robbing the place blind. There's a certain sense of being a jackal among the sheep - no one suspects you of ill intent when you dress/look/act a certain way, after all! Plus there's the illicit, exciting knowledge of knowing she's the predator amongst these, the people who would have spit on her when she was in the gutters of Ul'dah... and no one knows but her. There's a vicious delight in this sort of outing - plus, following the rich folks home afterwards lets her know where to rob, next time they're out!

* What does your OC consider to be the noblest or most admirable ambition for a person to hold? Perhaps spreading a particular religious faith? Or improving the lives of the poor? Or even perfecting their own martial skill?

I don't think she knows, or cares what people would consider a 'noble' profession. Her way of life valued family first, then self - so she just doesn't see these sorts of positions as necessarily 'noble' most of the time. She firmly believes that altruism isn't real, and that no matter how 'noble' something seems, the other person is always getting something they want out of it, even if it's just a sense of satisfaction...

"People have sex for satisfaction, too, and no one says that's a noble duty." - Jak, probably.

* Do others find your OC easy to believe? Or is there something about them that makes others distrustful or cynical about their motives or trustworthiness?

I don't really know! That's up to other people, and I haven't RPd Jak in...over a year? Something like that. Last I played her, it was a mixed bag - she's 100% honest, however, and makes a point of establishing that she doesn't like lies, or liars... though she can be manipulative when she chooses to be! So how people see her is up to them! She speaks with a quiet authority, and carries herself as if she were the Supreme Authority™ on whatever it is she's speaking about, though her opinions and insights are often visceral and incisive...and insightful. She's often right about what she sees in a person, and that tends to make her uncomfortable to be around, because...well, she's a cat! Cats note the vulnerabilities of their prey. She just happens to point them out to you so you'll squirm! (She will, however, often try to 'help' people to try and overcome whatever it is, if it's something she can help with, strangely enough. She believes in constant self-betterment!) But she's a deeply cynical, and deeply flawed little person, so she's not always right! She often has a massively skewed view of the world, and thus others like her may find her easier to trust/be around, in general.