#ephraim don’t look

[departedmars]

fire emblem sacred stones, but modern

[katfreaks-hidyhole]

[marvelfanfn2187a113]

Look Alike

Sam and Dean Winchester & little sister!reader

Requested by Anonymous (x3)

Warnings: eating disorder, mentions of depression, attempted murder, I didn’t copy the episode exactly so probably some mistakes

Synopsis: an angel is going around killing anyone who is suffering—but what happens when it goes after you?

A/N: this one is kinda heavy guys, so if this is a topic that will trigger you PLEASE do not read it. And please remember—I think you’re beautiful, and always remember to eat something, even if it’s just a snack, even if it’s not “good for you”; eating something just because you like how it tastes is better than not eating anything at all. Love you guys!

Your fingers fumbled as they retrieved your picture of Mary Winchester, tattered and faded at the edges. You looked from the picture to your own reflection, your heart plummeting.

Your mother had this…this look about her; she was slender and beautiful, but also strong. Strong enough to be a hunter.

You looked at your own reflection again before ducking your head, tucking Mary’s photo back into your wallet.

“Hey kid.” Dean’s voice in your doorway startled you, and you whipped your head around. “Lunch is ready, let’s go…what are you doing in here?”

“Oh, no-nothing,” you muttered, your hands fidgeting. “I’m not that hungry right now, maybe I’ll get something later.”

“Did you eat breakfast?” Dean asked, his eyes narrowing.

“Um—actually, maybe I will eat now.” you sidestepped his question and his body as you headed for the kitchen. Dean dropped the subject, and you breathed a sigh of relief. You were going to have to be more careful about your eating habits—or lack thereof.

Of course Dean had made burgers again. You looked to Sam, hoping he’d made something else, but he was happily chowing down on a huge hamburger—apparently he didn’t mind them if they didn’t come from greasy diners.

You forced yourself not to huff; it was impossible to pretend to eat a burger, so you’d really have to eat this time.

“Here.” Dean pushed a plate at you, and you took it without protest.

You managed to choke down about two bites before Dean got a phone call. He spoke for a few minutes before hanging up and addressing his younger siblings.

“Cas has a case. I’m gonna go check it out.”

“A case?” You put down your burger. “I’ll go pack.”

“I can take this one alone,” Dean assured you.

“Don’t be stupid, I’m coming.” You started for the door, hoping he wouldn’t argue.

“You’re not gonna finish your food?” Sam asked.

“I had enough,” you assured him, and ran off before he could argue.

…

“So…he exploded.” Dean was staring around at the pink living room, a grimace on his face.

“Yeah. So completely that there’s not a bit of him left that’s bigger than a grain of sand,” a nearby officer said. Once the officer stepped away, Dean spoke to you. “I’m gonna go talk to Cas, see what he can tell me. You should stay at the motel, read up on some things.”

“Ok.” You shrugged. “Call me if you find anything out.”

“Deal.”

…

“Ephraim.”

“Gazuntite.”

“No, Dean. Ephraim was—is—an angel, his job on the battlefield was to end the suffering of dying angels.”

“End the suffering…let me guess, by blowing them up?” Dean said.

“Unfortunately, yes. It seems that he’s continuing his mission on earth.”

“Yeah, but these people aren’t dying, they just had a bad day.”

“Apparently Ephraim can’t tell the difference between emotional suffering and…”

“And dying?” Dean scoffed. “Cas, this is crazy. Everybody has bad days, this guy is gonna end up wiping out the world.”

“It’s more than just bad days,” Castiel argued. “These people were in serious emotional turmoil. But you’re right—you need to find him.”

“You’re not gonna help?” Dean challenged.

“Dean, I’m just human. There’s nothing I can do.”

…

You stared at the takeout container that Dean had got you before dropping you off. You couldn’t refuse, you knew he would start to notice if you refused too many meals, but you still didn’t want it.

Your stomach growled, and you cringed. Maybe part of you wanted it.

You pushed the container away, opting instead to don workout clothes—the motel had a gym. You’d never be able to be a hunter like Mary, you’d never be able to keep up with your brothers, if you didn’t workout more.

After an hour on the treadmill, you decided it was time to get back to work. You didn’t want to leave Dean in the lurch when it came to research, even if he hadn’t told you any more information. He got this way when he took you on hunts—determined to do it all alone, not clueing you in on anything.

It’s because you don’t look like a hunter yet.

You swallowed hard. You may not look like a hunter yet, but you would soon enough. You just had to skip a few more meals, go a few more days, and then—just maybe—you could be a good hunter. You would look like Mary did, strong and in shape, and your brothers would trust you more.

You slipped back into your room, going straight for your bag to get your picture of Mary. You held it up for the millionth time, looking from it to the mirror. Your heart sank—you weren’t Mary; maybe you never would be.

Your stomach growled again, and you huffed.

“No,” you told yourself. Your eyes flickered over to the takeout container. You snatched it off the table and threw it into the trash. “No!”

You couldn’t give up now—who cared if you were hungry? Sam and Dean gave up a lifetime of sleep to keep hunting, you could skip some meals to do the same. You had to.

You hadn’t even noticed that you were crying until a few tears dropped onto Mary’s smiling face in your hands.

“Mom,” you whimpered. “Why can’t I just be like you?”

“I can help you.” The voice behind you startled you, and you dropped Mary’s photo, whirling around and reaching for the gun at your waist and.

“Who are you?” You demanded, raising the weapon.

“That won’t do anything to me,” the man insisted. “And you don’t need it. I’m here to help you. You’re suffering, and I’m here to end it.”

“End it?” You took a step back. “You’re the guy we’re after. You’re the one who killed that man, and that teenager.”

“I ended their suffering,” the man continued, stepping towards you. “And I can end yours.”

“It’s not like that!” The gun was shaking in your hands. You didn’t bother to shoot, knowing it wouldn’t help. “I’m not dying!”

“You are,” he argued. “I can heal your hunger, but I cannot make you eat. But the end I will give you will be painless.”

“What are you?” You demanded, taking another step back. Your back hit the sharp edge of a splintered desk, halting your movements.

“I am an angel. My mission is to end suffering. Let me end yours.”

“An angel, huh.” You put your gun down on the desk as if in defeat. While Ephraim kept his attention on your face, you moved your hand down to the splintered edge of the table and slid it across, drawing blood. Dropping your hand out of sight behind the desk, you began to draw an angel banishing sigil.

Ephraim moved before you could blink, grabbing your wrist and twisting it away from the desk.

“Don’t fight it,” he said. “I can help you.” His free hand was suddenly above you, lowering towards your forehead like death’s scythe.

“Hey!” The grip on you was released at the sound of Dean’s voice in the doorway. “Leave her alone!” Dean had his angel blade out and pointed at Ephraim. “You don’t get to just kill people because they’re hurting.”

“That’s exactly what I was made for,” Ephraim argued. “You didn’t even know she was suffering, but I do! And I can fix it!”

“That’s now how you fix it!” Dean thundered. He lunged forward, stabbing at Ephraim with the blade, but the angel side stepped him and flung him into the wall with a single flick of his wrist. The angel blade clattered to the ground, and you once again found yourself face-to-face with the murderous angel.

“Please,” you pleaded. “Look, I know you think you’re doing good. But humans—they hurt sometimes. But we can do better—I can do better—we’re all just doing the best we can.”

“If this is the best that you can do.” Ephraim shook his head. “Then this is what you need.” He stretched out his hand, and your breath caught in your throat.

You jumped back in surprise when Ephraim’s eyes glowed brightly, his jaw hanging open before he slumped to the ground. Dean stood behind him, a bloody angel blade gripped in his hand.

“That’s not what she needs,” he growled almost to himself. Then his eyes were on you. “Are you ok?”

You nodded shakily, taking a deep breath.

“Ok.” Dean dropped the angel blade. “Now what was that about? Why did he think—“

“I-I don’t know.” You couldn’t meet Dean’s eyes.

“Well what—“ Dean’s voice caught, and you looked up to see him staring at the corner of the room. You followed his gaze, and your stomach dropped. He was staring at the tiny garbage can in the corner, the open and full takeout container fully visible.

“Kid.” Dean swallowed. “When was the last time you ate? And no, that one bite of your burger didn’t count.” Dean’s eyes were on you now, and he petrified you to the spot with his gaze. “I mean when was the last time you really ate?”

“I—um…” your lip quivered and your hands began to fidget. “I’m sorry, Dean.”

“Ok, hey.” Dean pulled you into his arms when you started to cry. “I’ve got you kid.” He pulled away, brushing your tears. “Why are you doing this kid?”

“I’m sorry,” you whimpered, wiping at your face. “Dean—“ your voice caught and you choked on a sob.

“Ok, ok,” Dean soothed. “It’s ok, let’s…let’s go back home, ok? We can talk about it later. Go and wait in the car, I’ll bring the stuff.”

You went to the car without argument, and after you left Dean called Sam.

“Hey,” Dean huffed while he gathered the guns and clothes and tossed them in his bag. “Do you remember the last time you saw Y/N eat? Like, like a full meal.”

“Um…” Sam’s voice came out surprised and hesitant. “No.” Realization hit him. “No, I don’t. Dean, what’s going on?”

“I don’t think she’s eating. Ephraim…Ephraim tried to kill her.”

“I thought you said he only killed people who were…” Sam swallowed. “Who were really broken up, right?”

“Yeah.” Dean stopped packing long enough to clench and unclench his fist. “Yeah. She’s suffering, Sam, and we didn’t even know it. She stopped eating and we didn’t see.”

“Dean…” Dean heard Sam’s deep breath through the phone. “I’m…I’m gonna do some research while you get here. Try and talk to her on the ride home, ok? Maybe…we’ve gotta help her, Dean.”

“I know. We’ll be back in a couple hours.” Dean hung up, taking a deep breath. “Ok,” he said to himself, zipping up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. He stopped in his tracks when he saw a picture in the middle of the floor. He stooped to pick it up—it was Mary, when she wasn’t much older than you. Dean tucked it into his back pocket. “Ok.”

…

“Hey kid,” Dean greeted as he tossed his bag in the back. Your knees were pulled up to your chest, and you didn’t acknowledge him.

Dean let silence reign as he started up the Impala and headed down the road—he couldn’t force you to talk.

“I just wanted to look like her,” you said suddenly, your head resting against your knees.

Dean turned his head to look at you. “What?”

“Mom. I don’t look like her. She was such a good hunter, and I just wanted to be like that.”

“Kiddo—“ Dean’s voice caught. “Kid, you don’t have to look like her to be a good hunter.”

“But I can’t keep up with you.” You sniffled. “I thought if I looked like her…I could keep up with you.”

“When we were your age, we couldn’t have kept up with us,” Dean argued. “Besides, this isn’t…you don’t become a better hunter by starving yourself, kid.”

Dean watched out of the corner of his eye as your fingers clenched on your jeans, bunching up the fabric before you let it go. When you spoke, your voice was barely above a whisper.

“I don’t know how to stop.”

Dean forced himself to breathe through the pain, taking a moment before offering you a strong smile.

“That’s what we’re here for, kid. Me and Sammy are gonna help you.”

…

“Hey.” Sam’s hug when you stepped into the bunker was surprising and long. You heard Dean’s huff from behind you, but Sam ignored him.

“Hi.” Your greeting was muffled against Sam’s jacket, and he finally pulled away.

“Ok, so um, I’ve been doing some research, so I’ll show you what I got.” Sam reached behind him, picking up printouts from the internet. “I have a list of foods that are supposed to help, and um, I also made up a schedule—that’s supposed to make it easier—and if there’s any specific food you want me to pick up when I go out you can tell me. Or hey, you can just come with me and pick stuff out and—“

“Hey, dude,” Dean cut in with another huff. “I told you not to freak her out about this.”

“I’m not freaking her out!” Sam’s eyes went back to you. “Wait, am I freaking you out?”

“Um…” you picked at your hands. “It…it’s a lot…”

“We’ll start out small,” Dean insisted. “You want some toast?”

“Bread is good,” Sam piped up, holding up one of the research pages.

“Toast sounds good.” Your lips twitched up even as your eyes filled with tears.

“Hey, ok.” Dean’s arms were around you suddenly. “You got this, ok? We’re right here to help you.”

“Ok,” you sniffled.

Dean pulled away. “Ok. Now let’s get you something to eat, and then Sam can freak you out about everything he read.”

Sam opened his mouth, then closed it.

“I think I can do that,” you sniffled.

“I know you can.” Dean grinned. “Oh, hey—“ Dean reached into his back pocket and pulled out your picture of Mary. “This is yours.” You took it with a shaky hand, and when you looked back up Dean was bending down to stare into your eyes. “Hey. You’re just as pretty as mom. And she…she would want you to take care of yourself, ok? And so would dad. And so do we. Kapeesh?”

You threw your arms around Dean.

“Kapeesh,” you told him.

“Ok.” Dean pulled away, reaching up and brushing a stray tear off your face. “Now let’s go get that toast.”

Taglist:

@nyotamalfoy @mrvlxgrl @chocorade @aestheticdaisies @inlovewhithafairytale @that-wannabe-vangoghgurl @casmustdiee @987coley @deadlymistletoe @wayward-impala83 @whump-loverz @johannelis2302nely @studiogrimm810

[fefuckability]

The "Wow Sacred Stones has fewer characters than I thought" bracket! Qualifier set to begin Thursday, August 29th at 3pm EDT!

Here’s how it’s going to work:

There are going to be Five qualifying polls (three for the men, two for the women)

Pick your most bangable favorite from each poll

Polls will run for one week (I’d prefer 3 days but alas Tumblr doesn’t offer the option yet)

The top 16 male characters and the top 8 female characters will qualify for the men’s and women’s bracket (I can't believe we don't even have enough women to do a full 16...)

Polls:

Qualifier 1 (Seth, Gilliam, Moulder, Garcia, Colm, Artur, Joshua, Ephraim, Forde, Kyle)

Qualifier 2 (Orson, Innes, Gerik, Dozla, Saleh, Cormag, Rennac, Duessel, Knoll, Caellach)

Qualifier 3 (Riev, Glen, Valter, Hayden, Fado, Lyon, Klimt, Mansel, Morva, Vigarde, Carlyle)

Qualifier 4 (Eirika, Vanessa, Neimi, Lute, Natasha, Tana)

Qualifier 5 (Tethys, Marisa, L'Arachel, Syrene, Ismaire, Selena, Dara)

I am also adding a Google Form to submit characters for an enby bracket so Limstella, Kyza, Mark, and Bramimond don’t get left out. These can be characters from any game as long as there is canon basis for them being nonbinary.

I think we're also going to do a flash poll to determine if Ephidel should go on the nonbinary character bracket (Blazing Blade refers to Ephidel with he/him, but there's a good chance he'll follow in Limstella's footsteps if he ever gets into FEH due to being a morph. Same with Kishuna, maybe?)

Extra notes under the cut

Characters who are excluded from voting:

Anyone who obviously both looks and acts like a literal child. The standard is literally "if a reasonable adult could look at this character and immediately clock them as a child, then they're out". Some characters are borderline so discretion may be used

Palette swaps or characters who are mostly the same portrait with only slight variation to hair, outfit, etc.

Most of the minor antagonists/one-off bosses

Anyone who lacks either a unique portrait or a unique name

Characters who do not have a unique human form (Sorry Fomortiis, we all know you're the sexiest Sacred Stones character)

[ananke-xiii]

Can’t Heaven Wait?!

After “Beat the Devil” and “Form and Void” it’s time for a new movie in SPN, eheheh.

I’ve only watched one of the two movies titled “Heaven Can Wait” so I shouldn’t say what I’m about to say but, if it’s correct, I think it was very cool to use “Heaven Can Wait (1943) for the Crowley’s storyline in “Heaven Can’t Wait” (s9e9, I think) AND the other “Heaven Can Wait” (1978) for Cas’.

From what Wikipedia tells me the first movie is about a man who needs to prove to be “worthy” of entering Hell after his death and I think it could be a match with Crowley being placed on “hold” (literally) by Hell when he tries to connect with “his” dimension as its King. By the end of the episode we also see that his addiction to “humanity” is still going on strong so the question seems legit: does Crowley still belong with Hell or… does he belong with humanity?

The same question is valid for Cas but, of course, it’s about Heaven and humanity. Ephraim, the Rit Zien angel, even explicitly says so during his confrontation with “Castiel, the legend”. After watching the 1978 movie (they’re not two different versions of the same movie, they’re two different movies with the same title) I must admit that this specific take on angels, i.e. angels making mistakes because they’re unaccustomed to how humans deal with pain, was quite inventive.

To be honest, I watched this movie first and not the other (but I plan to!) because I’ve been thinking quite a lot about how the entrenched and ancient idea that body and soul are separated is portrayed in media. Even movies that I’ve profoundly, profoundly enjoyed like “Soul”(2020) resort to the same concept: a different soul can “inhabit” a dead body and give it “life” or it can even inhabit a living cat (thus implying that cats don’t have souls)! I’m not going to bore you now with my private speculations about the subject, but you can’t deny that this theme is veeeery prominent in Supernatural. So of course I thought about it in relation to the show as well.

After watching the movie I had some thoughts and I want to share them with you. They’re going to be about three main topics so here’s a little bullet point for you. If you’re interested more is under the cut!

(a)Angels/Heaven making mistakes vs fairness, probability and responsibility;

(b)How to choose a body: some problems;

(c)Good stories are ultimately interesting because… it’s always about Love, folks. And this time? Yeah, it’s romantic love, baby, buckle up.

(a) In “Heaven Can Wait” (1978) Joe is a football athlete who’s just recovered from a knee injury. He’s a quarterback for the LA RAMS and he’s “looking awful good”: his coach thinks he’s ready to play for the Super Bowl match. It’s his birthday when he finally receives the good news: he’s back in the game! Unfortunately, right after that he dies while riding his bicycle. Life sucks.

Joe finds himself in a “way station”, a sort of limbo before his “final destination”. Funnily enough, this ultra-dimensional space is the same as his “inward” dimension: he’s a man who feels stuck, like he’ll never get his chance in life “to do something”. So he does what everyone would do: he doesn’t accept to go to his “final destination” and wants OUT. The angel who’s accompanying him, a character named “The Escort”, tells him that those are the rules and any violation is impossible. And yet, Joe is still rebelling.  So here comes The Escort’s superior, Mr Jordan, who tries to solve the little problem they find themselves in.

The Escort tells Joe that he’s not being “a good sport” and that it’s not fair for the other souls to get stuck there because he doesn't want to go. Joe doesn’t fall for the extortion and says the following:

“I’m not supposed to be fair. If this is really Heaven, Heaven is supposed to be fair. I didn’t make a mistake”.

As it turns out, Joe IS right. The Escort has made a huge tiny mistake: since it was his first time on this assignment he thought to “spare” Joe a painful death and so he took him to the “way station” a few instants before his death. Mr Jordan then reminds the angel that he cannot do that because everything is based on “probability and outcome”: life cannot be taken before the moment of death because things can change at the very last millisecond.

So if you’ve watched the SPN episode you have already guessed who’s who: Joe is clearly Castiel and the Escort is Ephraim the Rit Zien. Now, of course this isn’t a 1:1 thing but we can still see some very, very close similarities and the different interpretations of the same theme. On the one hand we have Cas who’s working in a gas station which, like Joe’s way station, is a temporary place for him because he doesn’t belong there (or does he?); Cas is the legend, the quarterback who keeps standing up after each… Fall; but, like Joe, Cas is also someone who feels stuck, who feels like he still has to “do something” with his life, outwardly people see Cas as a RAM ready for battle, ready to prove himself but inwardly he’s also hurt, afraid and lost.

On the other hand we have The Escort and Ephraim: like the first, the Rit Zien wanted to spare Joe/humans the pain that he knew would come; both, however, make a mistake in assessing what constitutes pain for humans, how humans deal with pain and even whether humans have the right to feel (emotional) pain or not. Unlike The Escort, Ephraim doesn’t (want to) realize that he’s been making mistake after mistake: what he’s doing is unfair. As a matter of fact, Heaven is being unfair killing and scamming people to get into their bodies.

If Joe didn’t make a mistake but Heaven did, then it means that Cas, too, didn’t make a mistake but Heaven sure did. Or not? The episode is titled “Heaven Can’t Wait” so I have to assume that Berens wanted to say something similar in themes but different in its… outcome.

You see, Cas is called “responsible” by Nora, his employer, in this episode but in the positive sense of the word. He calls himself “responsible” for the his job-related tasks. But he’s also responsible for the angels falling on Earth. He IS responsible for those angels who are unable to reach their “final destination”. Unlike Joe, he did make a mistake. Unlike Joe, it’s fair for him to stay in his “way/gas station”. Or… perhaps… not?

Right before seeing Dean Cas is giving a lotto ticket to a customer. Lottery is based on probability and outcome… just like the Heaven in “Heaven Can Wait”. The theme of responsibility gets rather difficult to navigate now: yes, Cas is responsible or, perhaps, accountable for the Fall fiasco but where does it end? Is he responsible for Ephraim? For Gadreel/Ezekiel? For Metatron? I think these questions are very pertinent to Dean as well: yes, he called the angels in the first place but is he responsible for Kevin’s death? What I’m trying to say here is that Cas and Dean share a similar story about mistakes&responsibility that seems… unending. They set off a chain of events and now everything is their responsibility and… is it fair? Or is it probability and outcome? When does one’s responsibility end, especially if one has been scammed and preyed upon?

I think the episode ends on a bitter note: perhaps Cas is not responsible for Ephraim’s killing spree but he feels responsible and this changes everything because, under this light, responsibility confuses itself with sense of guilt. In the movie Joe doesn’t feel guilty that he doesn’t act like “a good sport” because he doesn’t feel responsible for the other souls’ fate. The mistake is not on him, he wants OUT.

(b) So Joe, Mr Jordan and The Escort go back to Earth but.. Joe’s body has been cremated. Adieu. What to do? Well, Joe wants to “get back” into his body, he wants his body back but this is not possible anymore. Mind you, Joe is an athlete who’s worked hard to get back in shape so the body dilemma has another layer to it. The problem is that the ONLY way to get back to Life is via the body of… another man.

So we see Joe and the angels looking for the “appropriate” body and Joe is never happy with that he’s presented with to the point that Mr Jordan tells him to “broaden” his standards. Eventually they land on the body of an old, extra-wealthy man who’s been just murdered by his wife and her lover. Why did Joe choose this body? The reason has to do with his sense of justice and with… Love so I’ll talk about it in my third point.

The “choice of body” problem is relevant to SPN as well because S9 is very much about angels coercing their way into finding vessels that are “strong” enough to hold them in. Ephraim’s vessel was a “Bobby Boylist”, one of those people who were lured by that fraud who, in turn, was used by Bartholomew and his crew. However, as we know, even if these people consent to possession not all bodies are good for angels. Castiel himself was hunted down by some angels who wanted to get their hands on his powerful vessel. So, you see, this “recherche du corps perdu”, this search for a body that’s able, for lack of a better word, to contain an angel raises quite a few ethical questions.

Related to those questions are the other ethical questions that actions like those of Ephraim raise. In angel’s morality it is deemed compassionate to be smitten to particles when an angel is in great distress. The Escort from the movie would agree: he did “kill” Joe before his time to spare him a painful death. But angels don’t actually have bodies anyway so what these Rit Zien do is also reducing to ultra-ashes the angels’ vessels. Or does grace feel pain as well? I don’t know and the episode doesn’t really go there. It also doesn’t really go into exploring euthanasia because human morality is not so black and white, clear-cut when it comes to this theme. But the episode doesn’t go to this extreme because we clearly see that the people that Ephraim target don’t actually want to die or they changed their mind at the very last… millisecond. The stress here is not so much on physical pain but on emotional, internal suffering. A distinction that angels fail to comprehend because, perhaps, they don’t have a body and a soul? Like Cas says, it takes time for angels to understand humans because the two do not live according to the same “rules”.

While the movie treats the “let’s choose a body to inhabit” theme lightly in accordance with its comedic genre, it also makes a very specific choice: we the viewers don’t see Joe into his “new” body because we still see the same actor, Warren Beatty, playing the same role. The thing is that, while inwardly Joe hasn’t changed, outwardly he looks like another person. However, the other characters see this other person but the viewers don’t, we see the same actor. In other words, what the viewers see is not the in-universe reality because we see Joe in his “inward” side rather than the outward one.

While the responsibility/probability dilemma draws Cas close to Dean, the inward/outward dilemma draws Cas close to Sam because they are both coveted vessels (Dean has a different storyline re: being the recipient of a bigger power that shares similarities with Cas and Sam’s but it’s nevertheless different because it’s not about angels). While Cas manages to escape the angels that want to use him as vessel, he eventually becomes the new vessel for one of his brothers' grace which he cannibalizes. On the other hand, Sam gets possessed by Gadreel via quite an elaborate ploy. When Dean prays the angels to help him,  Gadreel/Ezekiel comes to help him for sure but he has his own agenda as well: the Winchesters are renowned powerful vessels, perhaps the most powerful ones. Specifically Sam Winchester is the one, true, perfect, “consenting” vessel whose body is, sadly, being predestined to be used as such. Sam’s body is therefore able to contain any angel. The show also plays with this dichotomy using different techniques: the same actor plays two different roles, two actors play two different roles, we see Sam’s “inward” life when Crowley possesses him to tell him about Gadreel/Ezekiel or when Dean/Ezekiel/Gadreel “convinces” him to hold onto Life.

Sam, however, is also connected to the second set of ethical questions that I’ve talked about and that are very related to the Rit Zien too. Did Sam really want Dean to “pull the plug”? If yes, was Dean “right” to go against his wishes? If not, was it still fair for Ezekiel/Gadreel to scam both brothers even if it meant that Sam got to live? I could go on because these are VERY big questions and everybody has their own answers to them. But let me point out to you that we’re back to the probability vs outcome theme: if Ephraim had felt Dean’s pain and had showed up at Sam’s hospital the show would’ve been over, lol. One thing is sure, though, not all angels seem to be as obtuse as Ephraim when it comes to pain because there are quite a few of them that understand the centrality of Love in humans’ life. Some of these angels abuse their knowledge for their own personal gain.

(c) Love, let’s talk about love. One thing that I’ve purposefully omitted is that “Heaven Can Wait” is a romantic comedy which is a remake of a movie titled “Here Comes Mr Jordan” which is ALSO a romantic comedy. There is no escape folks, whether you like it or not the romance is not in the eye of the beholders but it’s in the script. It’s ingrained in the writer’s original idea, it’s in the movie the episode is inspired to. To paraphrase Chappell Roan: it’s in the source material’s source material. So I gotta talk about Love.

Earlier I said that Joe chooses Mr Farnsworth’s body for two reasons: his sense of justice and romantic interest. I’ve also said that Joe didn’t think he should be fair because Heaven should, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have an internal sense of justice. When Joe and Mr Jordan arrive at Mr Farnsworth’s house and Joe learns that the man is about to die, he does all he can to save him but unfortunately nobody can see him. At the same time, he virtually (because she can’t see him yet) meets Betty Logan, an environmental activist who happened to be in the mansion to seek a visit with Mr Farnsworth and ask him to stop building a refinery in England. Joe decides to inhabit the old man’s body because he wants to put an end to the man’s environmentally disastrous choices and because… well, he falls a little bit in love with Betty.

As the movie goes on the two grow fonder and fonder of each other until they even go on a little date and fall in love there. It’s a car scene and I’m gonna leave these screenshots for you and then I ask you to tell me if they’re familiar:

Eventually Joe asks Betty to marry him but it’s important to remember that Betty doesn’t fall for the young, handsome man that we see, not even for the old, rich man but for the “inward” man that we also see behind the body: she sees right through him, she encourages him to pursue his passion, she tells him that he can do anything he wants to because he’s not afraid of anything. To which Joe tells her that he’s only afraid of losing her, afraid of being unable to be with her.

The movie ends a bit weirdly in my opinion but it does have a happy ending, love-wise: Betty and Joe get together for a cup of coffee. Now you can already guess that, as I’ve said, since the episode is titled “Heaven Can’t Wait” our story won’t end well. But that doesn’t mean that there’s no love, heheh.

Who could Betty possibly be in “Heaven Can’t Wait” I ask myself. Who, who, who? Well, of course it’s Dean. Since Berens played with opposites, it’s Cas/Joe who calls Dean/Betty rather than Dean/Betty going to Cas/Joe. While in the movie it’s Cas/Joe who takes Dean/Betty to places, in this episode it’s the opposite since Cas depends on Dean to move around. If, in the movie, Joe is a humble man (athletes are not portrayed as superstars in this movie) who’s “playing the part” of a super wealthy man, Cas is a former powerful entity who’s “playing the part” of a human worker. Both Dean and Betty, however, can see “inward” Cas and Joe and while the first sadly leaves him the second goes get her coffee with him.

Again, it’s not a perfect 1:1 scenario (and, I mean, of course it’s not and couldn’t actually be so) but the romance aspect is still there. Like Betty is proud of Joe and thinks he can do whatever he puts his mind to, Dean shows a similar attitude towards Cas as he believes he can be a hunter, that he can and should lead a human life, go on dates, go to work etc. Like Betty Dean also sees the “inward” Cas, the Cas who’s not the ram ready for battle but someone who’s scared. Unlike Betty, he cannot do anything to help him BUT take his burden and try to solve the angels debacle alone with Sam.

In conclusion, say what you want about this episode (some things are a bit weird frankly, like Nora, lol) but I personally can’t deny that, once you watch the movie it’s based from, it’s a pretty cool episode!

[real-fire-emblem-takes]

I think there are Fire Emblem characters that would listen to Taylor Swift but have the self respect to not be a swiftie.

I will now give my opinions on what artists I like or know of that each lord would enjoy. Not necessarily their biggest fan, but someone they would enjoy listening to. I also don’t know that many artists.

Marth would be a Madonna and Whitney fan, I think he would respect their respective expansive and unique careers. Also Steely Dan. I’m counting Caeda and she would enjoy Cyndi Lauper, Bonnie Tyler.

Alm, Avril Lavigne. Celica, Marina.

Sigurd, Creed and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Dad shit. When I look at him I see the boomer wojak holding the white monster. Seliph, NSync but because his dad showed it to him. I’m counting Julia, and she would like Kero Kero Bonito.

Leif, Adele. I think he would really like the emotion of the song but not really relate to the actual lyrics. Other than that, I feel like he would try older music to try and connect with what his parents liked, so Frank Sinatra. Also Steely Dan.

Roy, Miley Cyrus but because he was a Disney channel kid in the era where he was just old enough to still really be into Hannah Montana but when she left that behind and became an artist in her own right outside of Disney he was like yassssss

Eliwood, Linkin Park. Hector, also Steely Dan. Lyn, ABBA.

Eirika, early P!nk, also Pat Benatar. Ephraim I really have a hard time imagining liking music for some reason. Steely Dan.

Ike, same problem, but I think he would also like dad rock, so like, AC/DC, Guns ‘n Roses. Steely Dan.

Michaiah, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, and for some reason, I see her enjoying Dua Lipa

Chrom, that same problem where I really don’t see him liking a lot of music other than dad rock. I’m hitting the Steely Dan button. Robin, early in life they’d be on some Evanescence shit and also be genuine Avril fans. Lucina, I can see her having questionable taste in music like her taste in fashion, but instead of being mean I’m gonna say early Gaga because she would gag for the weird shit she used to do. Lucina would loveeeeee meat dress

Corrin I can see liking Charli xcx. The older brothers from both royal families are dad rock guys. Steely Dan. Sakura, Elise, and Hinoka would all probably like Ariana to some degree. Takumi pretends he doesn’t like music but listens to Britney. Leo’s on some Evanescence shit too.

Byleth listens to nature sounds or LoFi HipHop Beats To Study/Relax To. Dimitri, dad rock. Steely Dan. Edelgard, P!nk, Ariana, Nicki. Claude would enjoy Mariah to a crazy degree.

Alear I’m also feeling strongly for Kero Kero Bonito or maybe Charli. Alfred, Rihanna, Adele. Diamant, dad rock, Steely Dan. Ivy, Chappell Roan, Avril. Timerra, Mariah, Whitney Houston, also Chappell while she makes out with her retainers.

.

[jedimandalorian]

This is an excerpt from my songfic WIP “I’ll Be Home for Life Day.” I’m writing this for the @sabezra-life-day-celebration which you shippers should follow for updates. 😉

*****

I'll be home for Life Day

You can count on me

Please have snow and mistletoe

And presents by the tree.

Ezra Bridger stood there just staring with his eyes wide and lips parted, momentarily distracted from his work and fascinated by the sight of Hera Syndulla and Kanan Jarrus slow dancing to the familiar tune of “I’ll Be Home for Life Day” in the main hold of the Ghost. Ezra couldn’t stop himself from grinning at this very rare display of public affection between the two of them. Kanan was softly crooning the song’s lyrics right next to Hera’s ear-cones and was looking quite pleased that he brought such a rosy flush to her ordinarily cool green complexion.

Ezra was supposed to be helping Sabine decorate the holiday tree with glow spheres and colorful hand painted ornaments, but the sight of such a tender moment between his captain and his master reminded him of how his parents had danced to that very same song when he was a little boy. The end result was always the same: Ephraim Bridger always steered his wife Mira over to the doorway where the mistletoe was hung so he could steal a kiss from her. From the time little Ezra was old enough to toddle over to them, his father would lift him into his arms and hold him under the mistletoe so that his mother could kiss his cheek and they could both tell him how much he was loved. His mother and father did that every year until he was six.

Ezra closed his eyes and shook his head as if to ward off the painful memories of what happened on his seventh birthday. After that terrible day he had spent every Life Day on his own. There were no more Life Day trees, no more mistletoe kisses, no more presents…

…that is, until last year. Hera’s gift was the first present he had opened. She had bought him a new pair of red pajamas printed with drawings of silly, playful brown Loth-cats. Some fifteen year-old boys would have been embarrassed to wear such childish-looking sleepwear, but Ezra, who had recognized the drawings as Sabine’s own doodles, realized that Hera had them custom made for him. Ezra, who for years had only worn second-hand clothing that he had nicked or salvaged from recycling bins, had new pajamas that had been made just for him. He had launched himself into Hera’s arms, hugging her with a muffled “thanks” as he hid his face in her shoulder so that the others would not see that his eyes were watering.

“Ezra?” Sabine’s voice brought him back into the present moment. “You okay?”

Ezra hastily wiped his eyes. “Yeah. I’m fine. Is this one the last of the glow spheres? I thought we had more of them last year.”

“Here comes Chopper with the rest of them now,” Sabine said as the droid rolled over to them with another big tray of glow globes.

“Come on, we have to finish up before lunchtime. You’re getting your Life Day present early this year.”

“Early?” Ezra asked. Zeb had ambled over to them with the life-star, which he had the honor of placing on the top of the tree, since he was the only one tall enough to reach the top. “Why am I getting my present early?”

“We all chipped in to get you a gift card,” Zeb explained.

“Yep,” Sabine added. “And I’m in charge of your makeover.”

“Sabine’s taking you to the Spiral City Mall this afternoon to help you pick out some new clothes,” Zeb added.

“But—“ Ezra began, as if to protest.

“Make the kid pick out some new basics too,” Zeb said with a grimace. “I don’t think he owns any socks or underwear that aren’t torn or full of holes.”

Chopper’s electronic giggle made Sabine bite her lip, as if she was desperately trying not to laugh.

“Zeb!” Ezra exclaimed angrily. “That’s not true!” His face was red with embarrassment. “And I don’t need Sabine’s help to pick out under—“

“O Holey Drawers!” Zeb sang in synch with the next Life Day carol on the music-player. “Your bum is nearly showing!”

Sabine and Chopper collapsed in a fit of giggles, and Ezra found himself wishing for an air vent so he could crawl into it and not come out until New Year’s Day.

As if sensing how much Ezra wanted them to change the subject, Sabine came to his rescue. “Oh, they are so sweet,” she commented. Ezra, Chopper, and Zeb turned to look in the direction that Sabine had indicated. They all saw that Kanan was stealing a kiss from Hera under the mistletoe.

Ezra watched them with interest. Smooth, he thought. In a quiet moment he had with Kanan several weeks before, he had confessed his crush on Sabine and then asked Kanan how he managed to get Hera to return his feelings.

Kanan had looked thoughtful for a moment, then replied, “Kid, I might be with Hera, but that doesn’t mean I know how I did it.” Ezra shared a good laugh with his master over that. Kanan opened his mouth as if to say more, then stopped himself. Visions of a future that Ezra could not see clouded Kanan’s blind eyes.

After a long silence, Kanan finally said, “If it is the will of the Force, it will happen. And if it’s going to happen it will be when you’re both more mature and ready for it. For now, you should enjoy your friendship with Sabine, and value how close the two of you have become. Just take things slowly with her. Always be a gentleman, and trust the Force.”

Ezra snapped out of his reverie when Zeb punched his arm. “Are you studying his snogging technique for future reference, Lover Boy?” Chopper guffawed at this. Ezra was glad that Sabine was busy putting away the ornament boxes at that moment. He hoped she was out of earshot.

Zeb leaned down and stage-whispered to Ezra, “Let Sabine have her fun with you at the mall. You know how females are about shopping.”

Ezra nodded.

“Who knows? If you play your cards right, she might even let you hold her hand.” Zeb winked.

Chopper burbled something Zeb couldn’t understand.

“What did he say?”

Ezra was reluctant to translate what Chopper said. It was something like, “Ezra had better play his cards right with Sabine or the only hand he’ll be holding is an Idiot’s Array.”

Of course, Chopper probably intended to call Ezra an idiot by saying that, but he didn’t mind. An Idiot’s Array was still a winning hand in sabaac.

*****

So who wants Sabine and Ezra to go on a “mall date”? What sort of shenanigans should they get into?

What do you think of this story so far?

[saijspellhart]

for the kissing prompt- 100, ephraim and innes :3

100. Hateful kisses; all teeth, bruising, hair tugging, being pinned against the wall, low groans, heavy breathing, knees separating thighs — but both of them need more. (Ephraim x Innes)

-WARNING: Spicy-

Ephraim finally broke away from the party, slipping out during a toast and a speech proposed by Princess L’Arachel. Her personality was…aggressive enough to draw any and all attention, creating a perfect opening for him to slip behind a heavy curtain and out onto one of the balconies of Castle Frelia.

The crisp night air greeted him, a chilled kiss against his cheeks. An audible sigh, all the tension in his body releasing, he approached the balustrade. He crossed his arms to lean on the railing, gazing off into the valley below.

A little shimmering river, reflecting the light of the moon, cut the fields and forests in the distance. It looked looked like a vein of silver in an otherwise inky black and blue landscape.

In one of the inky fields there was a herd of ghostly white dots. A herd of Frelian pegasi grazing on the pastures. Their snow white coats glowing under the moonlit night sky.

Ephraim pondered the ramifications of commandeering a Pegasus and flying back to Renais.

Not that he could fly one. He still struggled with riding a horse, despite a myriad of lessons with Kyle and Forde. The animals didn’t respond well to his brash recklessness. He doubted a flighty Pegasus would fair any better.

Ephraim, in a fit of irritation, dug at the constricting collar of his tunic. A button popped off in his hand, and he hurled it over the side of the balcony. It disappeared into the night.

“Feel better?”

Ephraim shot a glance over his shoulder. Innes, crown Prince of Frelia, strode out onto the balcony. His silver and storm blue finery, dazzled in the moonlight as he approached the King of Renais. The Prince was always stunning, in a painfully aggravating way. Even when he was caked in blood and worn from the despair of battle.

Innes joined him at the balustrade, a glass of wine in one hand. He took a sip, and eyed the rumpled and undone collar of Ephraim’s tunic. The King could feel the Prince’s sharp eyes as they traced the line of his throat down to the barest tease of a collar bone. Ephraim shivered, hoping Innes assumed it was due to the chill night.

Those sharp steel eyes cut back to Ephraim’s face, pinning him with a stare. “Should I leave you? So you may continue disrobing on our balcony?”

“Shove off,” Ephraim returned to leaning on the railing. “The ball was stuffy, and I hate this frivolous formal attire. I felt like I couldn’t breath.”

“Perhaps it wouldn’t have been so stuffy if you didn’t spend so much of it indulging my sister and her inane friends.”

“I wasn’t indulging her,” Ephraim seethed, reminded of the reason he escaped to this balcony to begin with. “I couldn’t get away from her.”

Innes scoffed, waving his glass in Ephraim’s direction. “It’s not as if you tried very hard. Prancing around the dance floor like a stallion in rut. Always the center of attention, the ladies fawning over you like swooning mares.”

Ephraim angrily swatted the glass of wine from Innes’ hand, and sent it crashing into the balustrade and over the edge.

“How very barbaric of you,” Innes shook his accosted hand and stared down the King of Renais.

“By the Stones, you insensitive prick! Innes, would it kill you to be humane for five minutes?” Ephraim threw his gloved hand in the general direction of the party. “King Hayden approached me to arrange a marriage.”

The haughty contempt finally melted, and Innes’ eyes narrowed. “Whose?”

“Whom do you think? Your sister to me.”

Even in the low light Ephraim could detect the hint of panic that welled behind Innes’ eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous, you don’t even like her.”

“I don’t think it matters what I like. Your father wants to maintain strong relations between our Kingdoms, the Renais council has been hounding me to marry since I took the throne, and it’s not like I have any better proposals on the table.”

“You sniveling coward.”

Ephraim recoiled, “Excuse me!?”

Innes stepped forward, jabbing two fingers into Ephraim’s chest. “Did Fomortiis castrate you in the final battle? Since when did Ephraim de Renais submit and roll over to the whims of lesser nobles?

“Your father…” Ephraim stepped back and his lower back hit the balustrade railing.

“My father has no power over you,” Innes closed the distance between them, getting right up in Ephraim’s face. “Tell him no.”

“And what?” Ephraim placed a hand on the rail for stability. “Risk crumbling relations between our Kingdoms? What of my people, Innes?”

“Father wouldn’t dare go to war with you and I am crown Prince!” Innes hissed. They were so close that the discrepancy in their heights had become apparent. If not for the Prince’s ungodly high heels he would have been on his tip toes trying to crowd Ephraim. He still had to tilt his head just a bit to look up at him.

“You being heir to the Frelian throne instills no comfort in me!”

“Why?” Innes cocked his head, sneering. “Scared? Does the thought of me make you quake in your boots, your majesty?”

Gods, could Innes get under his skin in the worst way. The man was fire and steel, cutting Ephraim with a tongue that set his blood alight. “All you’ve ever done is pick fights with me! I’d swear you hate me, the way you act.”

Innes took a fistful of Ephraim’s rumpled collar, demanding the taller man’s attention. “Sometimes…I do hate you, Ephraim. Every time I see you, I’m overcome with the primitive desire to destroy you, to bring you to your knees and make you quiver beneath my heel.”

Ephraim’s breath caught in his throat, heartbeat thundering in his ears. He seized Prince Innes’ wrist pushing against his hold. “Exactly my point! At least if I married your sister it would muzzle your raging ego enough to prevent the collapse of our alliance.”

“You will not marry, Tana.”

“Why?” Ephraim sneered back. “Why is this so important to you?! Is it so detestable to see your sister wed your rival?” He wanted to get under Innes’ skin the way the man crawled under his.

“You,” Innes snarled, “are my rival.” The “my” made Ephraim’s stomach clench. Innes buried his other fist in Ephraim’s mantle, using the fabric to drag the King closer to his level, nearly nose to nose. His gaze as piercing as the arrows he fired from his bow. Those steel eyes tore through Ephraim with ease, sinking past his defenses to render him useless. “She. cannot. have. you.”

Then he surged up on his toes and pressed his lips to Ephraim’s.

Ephraim made a choking noise, his heart striking his ribcage painfully. His weight shifted back against the balustrade again, and he had to put a hand back to steady himself. His other hand tightened its grip on Innes’ wrist.

To push him away? …Or to keep him close?

The kiss was as forceful and abrasive as Innes was. Ephraim swore his lips would bruise the way the prince assaulted his mouth.

Innes, honest to gods, growled against Ephraim’s mouth. He nudged Ephraim’s already buckling knees apart, forcing himself between his thighs as the King of Renais shuddered against the stone railing. It was a miracle Ephraim didn’t melt and topple over the side.

Innes’ lips dragged over Ephraim’s as he whispered into his wanting mouth. “Concede.”

Concede. A dazed Ephraim assessed the Prince beneath hooded eyes.

It was one word spoken between them many many times, but never in this sort of context. It was a taunt, an expression of superiority and triumph. Both of them spouting the word whenever they dominated the other in competition.

Concede. He could feel Innes’ breath against his bottom lip.

An ember of indignation swelled to an inferno within his chest.

Ephraim drew himself up, so Innes was no longer towering above him. His hand left the railing, seized a fistful of the Prince’s celadon hair and crushed their lips together again. The kiss was no less bruising, but this time it was all teeth.

Innes made a noise somewhere between a keen and a hiss, and Ephraim swallowed it.

Ephraim tilted his head, slotting his mouth against the Prince’s, nipping tender lips until their teeth clacked. His other hand released Innes’ wrist to curl around his neck instead. Gloved fingers cradling the back, while his thumb put pressure on his throat.

This time it was a ragged breath that escaped the man, blowing through his nose.

Innes clawed at Ephraim’s chest, nails popping another button off his tunic, only to rake savagely over the King’s collar bone. The slight pain sent electrified pleasure straight to Ephraim’s groin.

The brief upper hand was short lived, as Innes was fighting him again. The Frelian Prince pressed into the kiss with equal fervor, mouth parting to bite Ephraim’s intrusive tongue.

Ephraim had to swallow a yip when Innes’ oddly sharp canine drew blood.

Innes, already pressed between the King’s thighs, jerked his hips into Ephraim’s hardening arousal. The friction pulled a throaty groan from Ephraim and he panted against Innes’ lips.

The railing dug into his lower back again, a show of support as much as it was a mark of weakness. The King tightened his grip on Innes’ throat, his other hand releasing his hair to trail over his shoulders and down his back.

Ephraim took hold of Innes’ backside hard enough to elicit a moan, which he swallowed along with the Prince’s tongue. He tasted of copper and heat. Heady and sharp in a way that drove Ephraim feral. He clutched Innes against him, hips rocking forward, dragging the shorter man onto his toes.

Innes clawed even harder at the King’s front and neck. No doubt marring his skin with ugly red lines. He tore the front of Ephraim’s shirt apart, exposing his chest.

The cold night air bit Ephraim’s exposed skin in perfect contrast to Innes’ burning touch.

Both men broke their kissing to pant raggedly against the other’s jaw.

Ephraim wasn’t sure what prompted him to look up, past the Prince’s shoulder. Had it been a footfall? The rustle of heavy fabric? A soft gasp?

His cerulean eyes met the dark eyes of the Frelian Princess as she backed against the heavy drapes covering the balcony’s entrance. Tana reached blindly for the heavy drapery, an expression of shock and betrayal drawing her usually sweet features.

Any words—excuses—Ephraim might have mustered died in his throat when Innes—oblivious to the situation—reached up and sucked the King’s ear between his lips and teeth.

“H-aah…” Ephraim whimpered. His hold on the Prince involuntarily tightened, and he screwed his eyes shut against the look of Tana’s face.

When next he opened them, she was gone.

-0000-

Please let me know if you liked! I tried my very hardest to make this hot and spicy. I really wanted to capture the intensity between these two.

Thanks for the kiss prompt!!

[nikki-is-a-nerd]

Raising Kanan and Ephraim

(aka a look on Ezra and your married life ft. The ghost crew!)

Note: this will be in the bullet point format and mainly consists of notable events in reader and ezra's married life and what it was like having kids.

Also mentions of sexual intercourse because babies don’t come from storks! (Im looking at you mom.)

Newly Weds

• The married life was finally yours. After years of pining, waiting and finally dating, you and ezra finally tied the knot.

• its a small and intimate wedding, followed by an even smaller reception since the both of you decided that purchasing a shared house in Lothal was easier than spending too much credits on a nice hotel in Naboo or Coruscant.

• The honeymoon was nice, repainting the house, fixing up the rooms, christening the rooms with sexual activities for fun, cooking and eating together, etc.

•Most of your time was split with working for the resistance and spending much needed time together.

• You and Ezra knew you wanted kids and were actively trying to conceive, so you can let your imaginations wander as to how you two spent your free times.

• All in all your life as newly weds was as fun and full of trying to get used to each other.

Pregnancy and all it involves

• Ezra and you found out about your pregnancy after you got sent to the infirmary after your mission went awry.

• Ezra found out first since you were still asleep as you lost consciousness. To say that he was happy beyond relief was an understatement. He felt so overwhelmed.

• The moment you woke up he hugged you and peppered your face in kisses, both because you woke up and because you two were about to become parents. Ezra told you the news when you got to clm him down.

• Most of your pregnancy was spent having the rest of the crew watch over you, having Jacen literally help you around as you were banned from taking missions (something princess leia and Luke were very adamant about when Senator Xiono was about to send you when you were around 3 months pregnant. Ezra didn’t take that lightly and nearly wanted to let Jacen and Chopper do as they please.)

• You had very normal cravings. You wanted more fruits and bread, which ezra, who was finally learning how to bake, got to put his skills to the test.

• finding put that you were having twin boys was also funny. Ezra fainted and yet woke up immediately and was very emotional. Sabine had to console him because him being emotional made you emotional and the doctor didn’t know how to comfort two crying adults.

• did anyone hear ✨uncle jacen✨, seriously Jacen refused to be called anything less than uncle. Did he know about the responsibilities of being an uncle? Kinda. Did he care? No.

• Hera guided you and ezra in the majority of your pregnancy. Giving you two a lot of pointers, while the ghost crew helped ezra baby proof the house.

• when you gave birth, ezra cried again. He loves his sons, he claims they look so much like you but with his hair and his eye color.

• there were lots of sleep less nights but it was all worth it. You just had to scold both ezra and jacen about showing the babies their lightsabers.

When The Twins became Older

• When they were around the ages of 5, ephraim, the younger of the two boys, showed prominence in his ability to wield the force. He was happy to finally send toy blocks to smack Kanan from afar. You scolded him for that.

• kanan, although not strong in the force was a very protective boy over you. Whenever you or ezra were gone for missions and they were left with Huyang whenever he was also left behind by ahsoka, he would find that both boys are force sensitive, but kanan couldn’t wield it like ephraim.

• kanan wanted to be like you, a pilot. He used to tell his younger twin that one day, he’ll become a pilot so that you can have enough time to rest and enjoy life again. Such a sweet boy.

• ezra loves his children, but he also loves teaching them things, like coming up with aliases, claiming hag the name Jabba the Hutt is now a name they can all use since the legendary slug is dead.

• ezra gets pranked by his children the most. They once claimed that if he was so force sensitive he should’ve been able to dodge that bucket of water by the front door. Ezra was preoccupied that time.

• Uncle jacen teaches the kids some basic first aid and show them around the resistance base whenever you all visit.

• when they became teens, Ephraim went with luke to train for a few years to be able to wield the force properly, while Kanan, studied to become a resistance pilot. You and Ezra were moved to only do jobs when really needed since you two weren’t as young as you were before.

• Xiono, though was still alive, doesn’t get any peace as Kanan finds new ways to prank him whenever he finds out that you and ezra were separated from a mission because Xiono said that having the two of you work together all the time was a waste of resources. Kanan set off a lot of paint explosives in his office and bedroom.

• Ephraim returned to you all and he was happy taking on a desk job for the resistance and also helps his brother, Uncle Jacen, and the rest of the ghost crew in convincing you and ezra to take on less strenuous missions or just do desk jobs or even retire completely.

• By the time they were adults, around 20-26, they had you and ezra back in your home in lothal, spending most of your time relaxing and just gathering information and sending them via secured communication. Ephraim was already a high ranking officer and Kanan was one of the most decorated pilots. He befriended poe dameron and he enjoyed teaching him little tricks and stubts, often getting in trouble together and stressing Ephraim out.

• All in all, your marriage was one of the things in your life that you considered a huge success. You and Ezra didn’t try for another child after the twins since, ezra and you were happy with your two boys.

• ezra proved to be an amazing father, husband and confidant. While ezra got to experience a life with you. Though not always perfect he washapoy that he just finally got his chance to be happy with you and build your beautiful family.

[scribeforchrist-blog]

Learning To Be Satisfied 

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK

=========================

+ Psalm 46:5 God is within her; she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.”

=========================

VERSE OF THE DAY 

========================

+ Proverbs 27:20 Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and people’s eyes are never satisfied.

=========================

** SAY THIS BEFORE YOU READ; HERE’S SOME CHRISTIAN TRUTHS **

I AM SATISFIED 

I AM CONTENT 

I AM LOVING 

I AM BLESSED 

********************************

THOUGHTS:

=======================

    There are so many of us who are never satisfied. We can try all we can to be satisfied and buy everything we need, but there's still something missing. We say if I buy this one thing, this would be it. I don’t need anything else, but here comes something better than what we have. Something is better than what we own.

  I remember when I first bought the iPad; I was so content and thrilled; then the next year came, and they came out with a bigger iPad, and I bought that one, and the following years after that, every year they came out with something more than the other last two like a larger screen or SOMETHING. 

  Each year, I bought a new one, and until one day, I said I was not buying another one because they all do the same, and this is it. I had to put my foot down to gain ground because I was never satisfied, and I saw it. I asked God to help me be content.

    The verse today says that Shoel and Abaddon are never satisfied. People's eyes are never satisfied because what we see we most of the time want; I have met only a few satisfied people, and they don’t have to have all these things other people like because they realize they can't take it to heaven and to have all these things doesn’t matter, it don’t mean anything to have a closet full of clothes and a self-whole of books it doesn’t matter but what matter the most is being filled with the Holy Spirit and dwelling in his presence. 

     1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

  In 1 John, it tells us that the desires of the flesh and eyes are the pride of life because what we desire the most and what we see with our eyes are what we value the most; it becomes our pride and joy, the house we have and the cars we drive builds nothing but pride. 

    We place these things before God and sometimes before our responsibilities because we feel this is the right thing to do. Still, really, and honestly, when we place things and people before God, those become our focus, which we become proud of. Some people are prideful about their looks, some about their children, and some about their marriages. Still, when we place so much of ourselves in this, we lose who we should glorify. We have no time to glorify God because we are too busy in the presence of what we glorify the most.  

    When we do this, we bring ourselves more into the world than we can ever imagine, and pride is hard to break because we don’t see it or feel it; it sneaks up on us when we allow it in. We don’t see ourselves worshiping the gods we have made, these people, and things we have placed above the true God. Some people laugh and pick fun of people who are so obsessive with things, and the reason why this happens is that they allow themselves to bow down to the things that are right in front of them and lose focus on the True God 

   2 King 5:22 “Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two sets of clothing

     Having things and a nice place isn’t wrong. Still, when we want so much of it that none of our wants are from above, we lose sight of who we are. We as believers can let things and people take that from us; look at Elisha’s servant, Gehazi. Gehazi was told to tell Naaman one thing, but Gehazi decided to be disobedient, and he lost everything because he let the pride of life, and riches to cause him to lose focus.

    This picture of what he did shows us that we are servants of God, and we allow one thing to distract us and pull us from him to get what we think is immediate, and that is what Gehazi did; he was looking at I can get ahead if a have more, and he knew if he asked Naaman, he would give it to him because Naaman was so grateful for what Elisha did.

   2 King 5:27 Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence, and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.

     Because of his greed, Gehazi lost his health. He lost being under that kind of anointing, and we can lose our anointing if we allow people, things, and sinful activities to stay in our lives; we must learn to let go to grow in God. If you’re carrying the anointing Of God, be careful what you entertain, be careful what you do, and be careful about anything that can taint the anointing of God in your life; he can’t take gifts away, but he can place his anointing on dormant if he feels you have abused it.

   ***Today, we learned about greed and being content; this kind of action can often pull us from God. A lot of people look at this sin and that sin, and they don’t understand that even this sin can pull us away from God because it is a trap from the enemy for us to view it as small, and it’s not.

  What Satan's plan is for some of us is to make us think our sins can’t send us to hell and our ways can’t send us to hell. When we let worldly possessions step in the way, we will lose closeness with God because we lose sight of who he is to us today; if you are blinded by the enemy schemes and tricks ask God today to help you stay focused on him. And to be content in whatever season he has you. ©Seer~ Prophetess Lee

========================

PRAYER

========================

Heavenly Father, thank you for today; we ask that you help us be content. We ask that you dwell with us and continue to use us for your will, show us what we are doing, and show us what we have allowed to stand in our way. Lord, please fight all our battles; we give you everything; lord, continue to love us, and please don’t give up on us; continue to use us, and we thank you in Jesus' Name, Amen 

========================

REFERENCES 

========================

+ Proverbs 21:4Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin.

 

+ Proverbs 21:24 Scoffer’ is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with pride.

 

+Proverbs 26:12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

========================

FURTHER READINGS 

=========================

Proverbs 25

Esther 7

Judge 10

2 Samuel 5

=========================

[washa]

I listened to The Summit audio (part 2) and here’s my favourite personal comments/thoughts! (I HAVE SO MANY QUESTION WHAT)

YEAH WHAT IS FUCKING GOING ON??

Tf do you mean Porter, THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN PORTER

William order you to WHAT NOW 

Oh my god it’s an alibi for both of them

Alexis please find some care in your heart.

I mean.. We could make it a game of Cluedo. It would add more to the plot. 

Can vampires even get wrinkles??

“I didn’t kill him, now relax, we have work to do.” That was the most human i’ve heard Alexis.

—--------------------

OH HEAVENS SWEETHEART IS ALIVE WHOOP WHOOP

Wait did they see what happened??? 

Oh no Asher sounds so stressed 😭

—--------------------

David needs a fucking break

Pushed magically away? Oh shit is closeknit here. 

It’s so interesting to see the characters discover plot we already know of, Imagine their reaction to Sunshine and Elliot or Blake and Bestie.

Sweetheart maybe take the memo and not do this

Goddammit Porter. Godfuckingdammit.

Confrontation part 2??? Let’s go

—--------------------

“Get in line.” Porter you snarky bitch

WOAH THERE ASHER?? I’m kinda woahie 🤞

My jaw is dropped. MY JAW IS DROPPED ASH. THE TEETH??

Are they on the floor, like Porter being pinned or?

Big word time 😇

I’m so lost right now. I'm so shitty abt politics, all I'm getting is a corrupt government. 

Kinda attracted to both of them rn… 💕

Porter and Asher both have great points tbh

Where’s Sam when you need him 😕

—--------------------

Are we really doing a trial right now??? RIGHT FUCKING NOW???

So the department ruling has only been formed for 50 years. Oh wait nvm that's not Alexis.

OH HI SAMMM

Monarch Baz is so self centered I loathe her, But damn she can be commanding when needed.

“Do we get a vote.?” “Do I look like a vampire, How the hell should I know?” Yes you two make some comedic relief, god knows we're gonna need it.

What are the mates/partners doing?? Is Lovely playing uno with Angel in a corner or??

I’m losing track of the whole houses thing, but that’s ok. 

Monarch Baz sounds so URGAJDDSAK.

“Zane, Ephraim-” , I heard Zac Efron and I was so confused. WAIT IS THAT HOW ERIK GOT THE NAMES??

I’ll be honest, I don’t think “The House of Shaw” and the Solaire Clan are gonna be allies after this 😭

The House of Shaw needs a break what about that 😇

“A piles of bones, obviously.” God it’s sass meeting sass.

ASH?? Are we breathing him in right now???

“Only the bones were left.” Aw yum?? Little chew toy for Darlin’ or something 🤷‍♀️

Beheaded Adam style, Lovely. (Pun intended)

“Considering his skull was halfway across the room, I’m assuming he was beheaded. That, or someone played an impromptu game of soccer with the good king’s skeleton after the fact.” Alexis put a muzzle on yourself please 😭

Yeah tbf Christoper isn’t really a saint here, Vincent can vouch for that. Also where is Vincent.

Calm conversation?? CALM CONVERSATION???

What’s with him and blaming Solaire Clan?

Christoper. Maybe look Lovely in their traumatic eyes and tell them that. STRAIGHT TO THEIR FACE. 

Adam hate club 🙌

Porter standing up for Vincent? Wow he really does keep his word on the whole Solaire’s stick together, also how many people have been killed now.  

“Well, I realized I left the stove on four years ago when I left, I needed to come check on it.” God the Solaire’s breathe sass don’t they. 

Nevermind. All vampires are sassy. 

What is the Shaw pack doing again, are they just in the corner.

Demon blood? Yeah David. POISON??

So hypothetically, If Gavin bled and sprinkler style sprayed his blood everywhere, he could kill a bunch of Vampires if it gets them in the mouth. 

“Shockingly we don't make a habit of broadcasting our weaknesses pup.” Is this an Imperium reference or?? (I've only seen like edits of Asher being called pup so idfk??)

How the fuck did someone get demon blood. A blood bank??

Why are they so sassy? WHY ARE THEY SO FUCKING SASSY??

CLOSEKNIT GETTING BLAMED WOO, I was so scared they were gonna blame Sweetheart or something. 

NO BC FR THAT CLOSEKNIT AD WAS SO FUCKING RUDE, AND IT WASN'T EVEN A GOOD AD. IT WAS LIKE A PERFUME AD.

If the Shaw Pack is gonna keep getting trampled can they just leave? Pup, Dog, A leash??

Christopher, Your fucking alibi is so shitty man, You’re so fucked 😭😭

Oh shit he’s found guilty. HOLY SHIT WAS THAT HIS NECK??

The Shaw Pack is losing their minds and rightfully so, what the fuck.

IS THIS NORMAL TO GET KILLED OR SOEMTHING???

Bye Alexis?

OH LOVELY WAS THERE?? Oh yes ma’am.

Yes we’ll speak with William. IF WE CAN GET IN CONTACT WITH HIM??

Well. At Least that’s good? Thanks Monarch.

No Vincent, baby. 

Porter, You confusing bastard. 

IS THAT THE END?? NO URGSHDH. NOT AT THE LORE DROP URIFEKDFDF

[magic-belodie]

I finished the proposal route of MCLAL Armin, episode 5. It cost me, 706 AP.   I got the illustration. Here is the summary: (This summary is the sequel of the summary positive episode 4: https://www.tumblr.com/magic-belodie/701260727312416768/i-finished-the-positive-route-of-mclal-armin)

You start this episode at Armin's apartment, Armin just comes home from work. Nothing really special happened at work. You came home early, Nina is closing the café today. You are looking into finding a new apartment for the both of you. But you couldn't find anything that fitted. So this weekend you will be looking further into it. A friend of Armin is making a new game and wants some people to test it. It is a co-op game. Armin really likes to test it with you. You smile, spending the weekend playing a game would do you a lot of good. The game is a classic RPG, medfan. It is for two players and the characters are complimentary. Armin's friend just wants to know the general experiences. Armin takes the game out of his backpack. He directly wants to start it. At least to check out the beginning. You put the game into the computer. It starts directly with choosing your character. You like that it is straight to the point. Armin thinks his friend will work out the details later. You get to choose between The knight of fire, or the mage of water. The knight uses a sword and the mage has magic. You choose the knight. You get to choose the outfit. It is the one from the character. You are ready for an adventure. The game starts. The game plays in the countreeside. You two met the mayor Deraim. He summoned you two because the world needs you. The Duke Ephraim Dred has raided the ruins of Ether Castle. He has taken the mirror of the worlds. The mirror hasn't been fully activated yet. The duke is going to awake evil dark armies with it. Those armies will sweep across the land and dominate the world. You two must prevent that from happening. You two have the magic of fire and water and are the only ones who can stop him. This is a big responsibility. But you two will do it. But you need for it the ring of a thousand paths. You two can find it at the tomb of the lost paths. It is a real labyrinth. Do you accept this task? And of course, Armin and you say yes. But before you do this task, you two have to help the mayor. His vegetable garden is invested with rats. If you save the garden, you will get the key to the tomb. It is a perfect way to get warmed up. The level starts: you see all the rats going up and down the screen. You get the ones at the tomatoes. And Armin is going after the ones at the pumpkins. You are ready to get them all. You use your sword to defeat the rats. It is going well, but then suddenly the music changes and the rats get demonic. Those rats are more difficult to defeat. But in the end, you two win. And all the vegetables are still okay. You two are going to see the Mayor again. You are off to a great start. He gives you the key. Armin and you go off into a forest and find the tomb. You two are both ready for the level. You are really into the game. Armin opens up the tomb with the key. You both walk slowly into the tomb, you two are afraid of traps. But maybe the trap is time, and you should go through it fast before it is too late. But you think that it is better to be careful. You go behind Armin. So you don't get hit both. Further down the path you two find a split. A fire door and a water door. Armin asks you what you two should do. You think that should take the water door and he the fire one. So you walk the other element than you have. You go into the water door, and soon you see water monsters. Armin goes into the fire door and gets to see fire monsters. You take the monsters down on your side and Armin on his. You two are outstanding adventures. Further up, the tunnel gets darker. You think it will get more difficult. Then suddenly the bell goes. It scared you, you were totally in the game. Armin thinks that it is just the delivery guy. Armin opens up the door and Nathaniel is standing in front of it. You get up to greet him. Nath really has brought burgers with him. He lost a bet. You want to bet, too, then you will get twice as many burgers. Nath first wants to pay his debt off to Armin, but is curious what you want to bet on. And you are willing to bet on anything as long as you win. You all sit down to eat. You are curious which bet Armin won. He says it just some work stuff, who catches the bad guy first. Technically, Nath always catches them. Armin is not allowed to go close one of them. That said, Nath wanted to talk to Armin about something. Nath looks at you. Armin tells you almost anything. He can talk in front of you. Nath is surprised. Some things are discreet. But Armin already broke that a long time ago. Nath thinks that Armin is lucky, Eric likes him. And that is because Armin can talk with Eric about dinosaurs. Nath and Armin have to help Castiel. They have to dig things up about plagiarism. The file about it was hidden with one of the burgers. Armin is into the case. Nath will cal him about it, from the station. Nath still likes his job a lot. His coworkers and everything are nice to him. The café just keeps going on because Eric drinks a lot of coffee. Nath is sure that Eric will keep on coming. Then Nath looks at the screens and is curious about what you two are doing. Armin directly says that it is nothing. Just a game that a friend of him made in a testing round. Nath wants to try two. But Armin and you are in the middle of a game. Nath turns towards Armin with a sad face. Because before, Armin was always testing games with Nath. Armin asks if he really fakes jealous. But Nath isn't faking he is deeply hurt. Armin starts to laugh. Nath turns towards you. But it won't work. He just has to wait his turn. It is fine, and Nath also would like to play games with you. It didn't take him long to switch sides. Nathaniel still has some work to do. He leaves and you two go back into the game. The Labyrinth is really hard and difficult to find your way. But you like it a lot, Armin has to tell his friend that this labyrinth is a great success. After a while, you finally end in a room with a chest. Armin thinks that it is too big for a ring. You think that it is a subtle comment on over packing. Maybe it is a trap too. There is only one way to find out. You two go closer to the chest, then you hear a laugh. It is the mayor. He was the duke the whole time. He needed you two to clear the way to the labyrinth. And now you are the only thing that stands between him and the ring to the thousand paths. The duke turns into a monster. You start to shoot fireballs at him and Armin uses his magic. The monster is very hard to hit. But after trying a few times, you two start to see the pattern. You two defeat him. You like the game a lot. The only thing left to do is to get the reward. You get to open the chest. Armin guards the door just in case. You run over to the chest. It goes open very easily. But there is not a lot inside, just a ring. You pick it up. You are a bit disappointed. It is just a ring. It doesn't say anything special. Armin asks if you are sure. You look in the chest once again. And you see a scroll. You read the scroll out loud and it says. Will you marry me? Armin says yes. You are a bit surprised and don't know what is going on. Armin says again, yes, he will marry you. You take off your headset and look at Armin. He is next to you. With in his hands a box with a ring in it. You have tears in your eyes. Armin asks if you want to marry him. Yes, Of course you want too. You get the illustration. He puts the ring on your finger, and you cover him with kisses. Armin and you are going to get married and you both can't believe it. You need to sit down. You look at your ring. It is beautiful. This is what you had in mind, the ring of a thousand paths. But the friend who made the game. Armin made the game to surprise you. He thought it would suit the two of you, and it did. It was perfect. But Armin is not good enough to make a game that long. He got help from an old friend from school. Armin owes him big time. The game is really cool. With a few modifications, Armin's friend will be sure to do anything with the game. Armin and his friends have been busy with this for a few months. You are surprised. Armin must have been stressed when Nath wanted to play the game. Yeah, he didn't want to ask Nath the same question. You are laughing and happy that you told Nath to wait his turn. But anyway, you two are getting married. You jump into Armin's arms. End of the episode? Then you see again the monster dying. Nath is playing the game. He finds the monster too talkative. That is what is funny. Anyway, let's see what the chest holds. Armin wants to open it. But Nath feels like he has done everything to defeat the monster and runs over to the chest. Nath only sees the ring. He doesn't also like how it looks. But then he sees the note. Do I want to marry you? Nath wasn't really jealous. Armin knew this wasn't a good idea. Nath asks if Armin has talked with you about it. You burst out laughing. Then Armin says that Nath has to stop talking nonsense and just has to agree to be his best man instead. Nath loves to be that and congratulates both of you. Then the episode really ends.

[shinyhappysims]

Onyeka family update #1

Hey guys, before we go on to gen 2 here’s a third person update on the Onyeka kids. We probably won’t be seeing much of these folks for a while because I want to focus on Isioma’s story for a bit.

Chukwuma and Breyonnah Onyeka are 57 and 54 respectively and have been married for 29 years. Out of their 10 children, 5 still live at home. Those 5 children are Lotanna (14), Ifeanyi (16), Jachike (19), Onyinye (16), and Sochima (13). Jachike has recently joined the military and is awaiting his post. The other 4 children are still being homeschooled by Bre.

Nnadi and Miguel Ventura are both 26, have been married for 8 years, and have 5 children: Gideon (7), Ephraim (5), Shoshanna (3), Bartholomew (2), and Abigail (6 months). They are very committed to the fundamentalist lifestyle and are raising their brood to do the same. They live in Oasis Springs, where Miguel works as a business manager.

Kelechi and Sandrine Onyeka are 24 and 27 years old. They have been married for 5 years and live in Brindleton Bay, where Kelechi pastors Calvary Baptist Church, and Sandrine is a preschool teacher. Despite a rocky start to their arranged marriage, they now have a good partnership. Sandrine still isn’t quite sure that she loves Kelechi but she’s getting there, they’re happy for now. They have 1 daughter, Faith, who is 4 years old. They’re now trying for baby #2.

Chidi is 23 years old and just moved to San Myshuno. He just landed a job as an junior attorney at a private law firm. Chidi’s ready to live his best life free of his parents. He’s also taking the time to figure out his sexuality and his beliefs. It’s not that he doesn’t believe in God, but he’s willing to learn of a God that’s actually loving, because that wasn’t the one he was raised with.

Adaeze is Chidi’s twin sister. Like Chidi, she’s a recent college grad and exploring the world. Unlike Chidi, she’s estranged from a good bit of her family, because it’s really shameful for women to have their own lives or something like that. She lives Britechester with her boyfriend Raj Sanyal (25), her cousin Diana, and Diana’s fiancé Alberto. Adaeze just began working as a scientist, while Raj works at a museum. They are looking for their own place, and don’t tell Adaeze, but Raj might pop the question soon…

Isioma and Anwar Kamal are 21 and 23 years old and live in Del Sol Valley. They currently are on their honeymoon in Mt. Komorebi. They are excited to start a family. Anwar is glad Isioma is leading him back to Christ and Isioma is glad she married someone who can help her have fun and see the good in the world.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

David Anointed King of Judah

1 In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked.

The Lord said, “Go up.”

David asked, “Where shall I go?”

“To Hebron,” the Lord answered.

2 So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns. 4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah.

When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul, 5 he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The Lord bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. 6 May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. 7 Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.”

War Between the Houses of David and Saul

8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9 He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.

10 Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David. 11 The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months.

12 Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. 13 Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.

14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.”

“All right, let them do it,” Joab said.

15 So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. 16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.

17 The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle. 19 He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. 20 Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?”

“It is,” he answered.

21 Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.

22 Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?”

23 But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.

24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon. 25 Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.

26 Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”

27 Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.”

28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.

29 All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours and came to Mahanaim.

30 Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing. 31 But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner. 32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak. — 2 Samuel 2 | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide. Cross References: Genesis 32:2; Genesis 47:29; Joshua 10:12; Joshua 14:13; Joshua 22:9; Judges 21:8; 1 Samuel 16:13; 1 Samuel 19:17; 1 Samuel 25:42-43; 1 Samuel 27:3; 2 Samuel 5:5; 2 Samuel 8:16; 2 Samuel 3:1; 2 Samuel 3:30; 2 Samuel 4:7; 2 Samuel 18:16; 2 Samuel 22:34; 2 Kings 14:8; Nehemiah 2:18; 2 Timothy 1:16

Bible - Commentaries 2 Samuel 2

[thehaemanthus]

Does that background affect how you read Red Rising/Iron Gold series?

Hm, I think it does a little. Not in a “wow, look at all of those people that were killed, that’s a crime against humanity” way but in a “the way Pierce Brown writes a post-conflict society (sort of, we’re still at war) is really good”

I don’t have the laws and agreements about what a crime during- and outside of- war is, in this universe. I have to assume it’s changed from the laws today that we that have built up over the past two centuries or so. So it doesn’t feel like a constructive thing to be like “that violates this law of war”.

Rather, things like the museum Ephraim and Co rob, the camp Lyria starts out in, the political turmoil and discussions of reconciliation and punishment, even Lysander’s attitudes (yeah yeah, I know) show me that Pierce did some thinking of what things are like. Ten years after society is completely overhauled? There are gonna be winners, there are going to be losers, and there are going to be guilty people who are walking free and victims who continue to get the short end of the stick

Transitional justice is what it sounds like: reparations, trials, truth and reconciliation committees, investigations, truth telling, gathering stories. And it can take a very long time. Fun fact: the guy who’s prosecuting Trump for the classified documents thing was previously the chief prosecutor at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, which is still trying cases for crimes that happened over two decades ago. This court was not created until 2017, because the ICTY wasn’t the place to bring cases against the Kosovo Liberation Army I guess.

It takes a long time to do these kinds of trials, at the moment. Someone was recently, like in the past two weeks, ruled as not fit to stand trial for their role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. There was something in the news about a guy on probation who was sentenced after an ICTY ruling saying some nasty stuff and people calling for his probable to be reexamined. Trials take a long time and the things that happen stay with us. Conflicts flare up again. Just look at the absolute horror and atrocities Sudan right now.

When I read Iron Gold and Dark Age, the realistic rockiness is what impressed me. A really good, tragic, but believable condition of society as it would be ten years after the world got turned upside down

[clickerflight]

Clove: Part 33 - Home

Author's note: We're almost to the end. The next chapter will be the epilogue. I have so many feels. It will feel good to finish writing a story.

Masterlist - Part 32

Content: Vampire whumpee, vaguely referenced sexual abuse, emotional angst, lost time

........................................

Hyrum ran ahead of the group through the trees, still in that huge wolfdog form, barking and howling with excitement, tail wagging behind himself as he bounded over streams and logs. Ephraim, who had Benny’s arm over his shoulder, felt his energy coming back just watching the pup enjoy the sun streaming through the leaves. 

Kortops and Halia walked, arms linked, deft flaps of their wings getting them over obstructions. 

Benny had been very quiet since waking up and Ephraim assumed he needed some time to think while he healed from the fight they had. Ephraim didn't mind. He needed time to think as well. 

Besides, it was wonderful to look at the normal plantlife, hearing the soft sounds of birds and water, no mists to obscure their vision. It looked like time had moved strangely while they were in the fae realm. That was to be expected. It was well into summer, now, when it had been autumn when he left. He hoped everyone was okay. He hoped that Margaret was still alive. 

“How long has it been?” Benny asked softly, apparently having a similar thought process. 

“About 53 years if it’s July now,” Ephraim said, and Benny’s head hung a little lower. “It’s not your fault.”

“Feels like it,” he whispered. “If I had been a little stronger. I knew what was happening was wrong. I didn’t even like being her husband, but-”

“You were charmed,” Ephraim said firmly. “And now we can move on. We’re home. You’re home.”

Benny lifted his head, and Ephraim felt sick to his stomach seeing the tears streaming down his cheeks. “Ephraim, I don’t think I belong here anymore. I’m…. I’ve been….”

Ephraim could see the words that wouldn’t come out. Defiled, disgusting, corrupted, sickened, a completely different man lost in a familiar world.

Ephraim sighed. “Benny, do you remember what I told you after you’d recovered from being turned?”

Benny frowned, trying to remember, but his charm-addled mind had caused the memory to completely leave him. His shoulders hitched with a sob as he shook his head. 

“That’s okay. I want to tell you,” Ephraim said warmly, trying to keep any worry out of his voice, rubbing his thumb over Benny’s neck. “We live for a very long time, Benny, if everything goes well for us. That gives us a lot of time to change. We are never going to be the same person as we were a decade ago, okay? And that’s okay. It takes a lot of bravery to face that, to try and keep up with the ever changing world and with the change within ourselves. We will live to see horrors beyond anything most mortals can comprehend, and we have to learn how to handle it, okay? I am so sorry it happened so early. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you from being taken that day, but we have to take this in stride and we have to keep going.”

Benny was silent for a long moment and Ephraim took another breath. “You know that I was a gladiator once. A long time ago.”

Benny nodded. He felt more awake, especially at the mention of the part of Ephraim’s life that the older vampire quite often refused to talk about. It was still hard to imagine Ephraim as a gladiator. Maybe that was just because Benny had seen him plant too many sunflowers. 

“I didn’t want to be a gladiator,” Ephraim sighed. “I had been captured for being a vampire and sold around until I ended up in a gladiator ring. I was trapped there for years, Benny. Fighting and killing just so I could have a meal once every few days. I was sick, but still stronger than the humans they kept sending in to fight me, trying to slay me like some monster…. It took me a long time after I’d won my freedom to figure myself out. I couldn’t make friends for a long time, I acted like the monster they’d trained me to be, and I didn’t even have a safe place to sleep. I know how you feel, and you have to remember that you are the only one in charge of your emotions and actions. You have to take your life into your hands and make it what you will.”

“But I don’t know what-”

“You don’t have to right now. And I’ll let you in on a secret. You never will. You just have to decide what you like from life, what you think it would be fun to be, and go for it.”

Benny thought about that for a moment. That seemed easier said than done, and he didn’t like how lost it still made him feel, but Ephraim was right, Ephraim was almost always right. He’d been around long enough to know things like this. 

“Thank you. For the advice and for….. Getting me out of there.”

“Not sure how much help I actually was for that,” Ephraim said with a chuckle. “There’s the cottage.”

Benny looked up and his knees nearly gave out, seeing the beautiful cottage, the garden fairly well tended. It seemed Ephraim had been away for a while but someone had taken the time to put the garden in order. 

He saw Hyrum run into the garden, sniffing at everything, stopping to roll in the grass before getting up and dashing into the house, turning into a human on the way in through the door. 

Benny could hear voices inside and soon enough Hyrum came back out, wrapped in a blanket. It seemed that his clothing got shredded when he took his large wolf form. 

“Eef! Margaret is here!”

Benny perked up, gathering his energy to let go of Ephraim, walking on his own as a man who smelled like herbs and teas stepped out, surprised. Benny felt a pang of sadness, realizing this man was old enough to have kids, but he couldn’t have been alive when Benny left. He would only know the old members of the village. 

He pushed that thought inside. He needed to see Margaret. 

He stumbled up, past the garden, past the two fae who stopped to look at the flowers, giggling to one another, past the pup and to the cottage stoop, leaning hard on the railing. 

He faintly heard Ephraim commenting on everything new as the man stepped aside, surprised. 

Benny stepped up onto the stoop, which hadn’t been there before, and through the door. 

He looked around so quickly, it made him dizzy. Finally, he spotted a wizened old woman on the couch, only the faintest traces of who she had been marked on her face. 

“Margie?” he whispered, looking at who was once his younger sister. Younger? Really? How could he possibly be older!?

She looked up from the medicine pouches she was assembling with a deep frown, only for her eyes to dull with confusion when she looked at him. 

“Who…. no…. Benny?”

Benny nodded with a sob, stepping across to the couch where he sat down heavily, wrapping his arms around his sister, kissing the thinning grey hairs on the top of her head. 

She grabbed his arm with a gnarled claw, grunting as she weakly pushed him off. 

She looked him over more critically. “In the name of Lady Death, Benjamin Ashmaker. What are you wearing?”

He looked down at the tight leathers, split and torn in places from his fight and smelling of werewolf slobber. “I…. I’m not sure, anymore. I’ll change as soon as I can.”

Ephraim stepped through the front door, a tired little smile on his face and Margie looked angry at him more than anything. “There’s the slacker. Where in the world have you been, then? Something to do with Benny here?”

“Yeah. That Sorcerer, Jack, he kidnapped Hyrum and we ended up in the fae realm. Your brother’s been playing spouse to the Queen all this time. Good thing he did, too, or he would have been killed.”

Ephraim came to kneel on the floor, taking Margie’s spotted hands. Benny swallowed hard against tears that tried to rise up when he saw that. She was so…. Old. Lady Death was standing behind her, practically. Ephraim had warned him about this part of being a vampire, and he had been ready to handle it when he thought he would be able to spend all of these years watching these people, his sister, grow old. But no. He’d been taken, gone for what felt like 16 years and came back to find his sister about to return home to the great beyond. 

There wasn't enough time.

Margie turned her eyes back to Benjamin, hardened with time and grief, but still the same woman who always called him foolish and a ‘man who attracts trouble like seeds attract birds.’ And despite the pain he saw there, he was glad to see her eyes and mind were clear. “Benny…. I have an apology to make to you and to Ephraim. I had thought you dead. I had lost hope. I am sorry. I should have believed…..”

Ephraim put a hand on her knee. “Don’t you worry, Margie. Hope is painful, and I hoped enough for the both of us.”

“If it helps at all,” Benny said, almost in a whisper, “I… I didn’t feel abandoned.”

“PSHAW! Probably because you were charmed out of your mind!” she said in a high croaking voice. “Foolish man! Trouble maker, that you are. Spouse of the Queen, indeed. Foolish. So very foolish!”

Tears were spilling from her eyes, following the creases and wrinkles as she slowly leaned forward, bones popping and creaking as she wrapped her arms around Benny. 

Benny buried his face in her shoulder, the tears and sobs fully escaping. He didn’t want to mourn the lost time. He needed to focus on the time he had now with his sister, with his mentor. But it just wasn’t fair. He’d lost so much time, so much blood and memory, so much innocence, so much of himself, and for what!? For what!?

He felt Ephraim rub his back as he cried. Ephraim understood. He always seemed to understand. It was a small comfort in the abyss of grief and confusion Benny found himself in. 

And maybe it would be enough. He wasn’t alone. Not anymore. And he still had time with Margie. He was so very lucky to have been found before she… before-

The man he’d passed at the door cleared his throat. “So, ah, are those fae out in the garden with Hyrum?”

Ephraim started. “Oh, yes. I’ll need to explain that. You two catch up, alright? I’ll come bug you later, Margie. Looks like there’s no rest for the wicked.”

“I should hope not,” Margie huffed. “Making us all worry all winter and spring. You have a lot to answer for.”

Ephraim left with a laugh and a wave, and the door closed on Benny and Margie, years apart and yet still as close as the day Benny was taken to the fae realms. 

Epilogue

Hey you! Yes you! I want to have a sort of askathon about this story once this is done. Have questions about this story? Meta or clarifications on cannon? Please send them so I can answer some as a celebration of finishing this series. Thank you so so much for reading this series, and I hope you will enjoy the epilogue. If you are reading this way after the series is over, still feel free to send in asks. It is good for a writer to remember the stories they have created, even if they are over. <3

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