#filling in a story gap

[teegeewrites]

Aftermath of a Sweet Burn

Aftermath of a Sweet Burn

Synopsis: As the effects of the spell she was under fade, Princess Peach learns from Toadsworth about the events that transpired during her cake and tea outing with Mario. Upon the shocking revelation, her emotions fall into turmoil, and she’s forced to deal with them while hoping to atone for the mess that she inadvertently created.

This is one of the two narratives I previously mentioned that originated from Burning Desire. The story was largely narrated from Mario’s viewpoint, which resulted in a significant, yet overlooked, space in the plot. A small spoiler alert: this gap exists between the moment Mario hands the antidotal candles to Toadsworth and when Peach arrives at his home a few days afterward. Although there were fleeting references to Peach's experiences during that time, several readers wanted to see that part expanded. I took their suggestions to heart and thus developed this story to elaborate on it.

Initially, my plan was to narrate the entire tale from Peach’s perspective. Yet, as I delved into the first draft, I realized that it might resonate more if I portrayed her discovery of the events involving her and Mario through Toadsworth’s eyes. This would allow for a richer transition to Peach’s own experience as she navigated the aftermath. Readers of Burning Desire have seen the heavy toll it took on her, and I wanted to delve into the reasons behind her distress. Thus, I envisioned haunting dreams where Mario’s distrust grew so profound that he wished to sever all ties with her, culminating in a nightmare where he abandoned her and the Mushroom Kingdom forever. Of course, such a fate was never a possibility; I could never bring myself to do that to either Peach or Mario. The story concludes at around the same point that chapter five of Burning Desire ended.

I can honestly say I’m satisfied with how Aftermath of a Sweet Burn turned out. It added significant depth to Burning Desire, and working on it was a fantastic experience. In retrospect, I’m relieved I didn’t combine it with the main story, as it evolved into something much more extensive than I had planned—a recurring theme in my writing. 😅 It seems I don’t have much to say about this fic either, but that’s perfectly okay. 😊

[macdenlover]

i really can not stand the “fandom is so fun we’re all just projecting and making shit up” thing. because no i actually deeply admire the canon of my favorite media and all the intention and care and craft put into it. we are not the same.

[vaguely-concerned]

having seen at least the rough outlines of all the romances now I have to say that I think emmrich's is probably objectively the best in terms of coherence and completeness of story arc (with the understanding that ultimately the 'best' romance is whichever one makes YOUR heart sing anyway so objectivity is a silly thing to claim that way, it just felt like it's the arc with the most well-paced focused content and the least dangling threads)... but lucanis' is my favourite haha. just. the whole kneeling before your beloved full of reverence but without any of the distance that usually implies??? his complete undramatic certainty and calm in every scene with rook after this, having spent the whole game caught between fear and longing???? mr. lives in a pantry but it says nothing about my psyche don't worry about it it's purely for tactical reasons that I keep myself contained in a small dark room not entirely unlike a cell, love among the parsnips -- finally coming to rook in their room and it's so comfortable and comforting???? after all the times rook supports and comforts him through the game he's finally able to return the same to them when they need it while being so calm and steady and it's so fucking sweet and feels so effortless and with no price attached?????? he basically assigns himself the role of your bodyguard and he WILL stab a god over it??????????????? the turn to protector (which was in his heart all along longing to get out and find a place) of it all????? he sounds like he's found himself unexpectedly stumbling into such a soul-lightening state of revelatory existential relief, full on 'you only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves' mary oliver style, and he goes and he shares that with rook and protectively envelops them in it when they're hurting??????????????????????????? hello for the maker's sake hello can anyone hear me?????

[yellow-sword]

thighs

[mollywog]

My wild theory is that Sunrise on the Reaping will be told from the perspective of the District 1 mentor of the tribute killed by the forcefield ‘stunt’. Someone who saw all the unedited footage real time and then the editing and ‘spin’ after the fact.

[seafoamdew]

He skulks in the shadows, relentless and wild

in his search for a tender, delectable child.

With his steely sharp claws and his slavering jaws

oh he's waiting . . . just waiting . . . to get you.

- The Bogeyman, Jack Prelutsky

[druidonity2]

Dagran and his cousin Andy c:

[doriana-gray-games]

Thoughts on mc's that have headcannon use of mobility aids? Canes, wheelchairs and the like?

🤔✨ might be tricky, as the game might feel like it contradicts it, with some things mc does or if W’s condition is brought up with no mention to MC’s, etc.

But other than that, if you can look past what might be immersion breaking, then feel free 😌 Not that y’all need my permission, but HC away.

❤️❤️🥰 I hope it works out for you, anon!

[transearthmover]

mirage being called sunshine and v2 having the icarus motif is driving me So fucking crazy

[raycatz]

I'm not including a situation where someone might be injured because in that case I'm thinking the bed goes to them by default or they are nominated for it. anyone who wants to be chatty goes to join the living room floor gang.

What are your thoughts and headcanons? Do you have thoughts on how the boys tend to approach assigning beds in inns? Who do the chain choose to sleep near when camping and why? What are their dynamics like when settling down for the night and getting ready for the day?

In "Mirror Vs Open Closet Door: Fight!" by Gintrinsic (here) Four refers to the chain's decision on how to split up between inn rooms as the "Link-per-room ratio" which I find very funny. He, Sky, and Time also talk about their thought process behind why they do or don't want to sleep in a room with some of the others which I find fun and interesting.

So! If you have thoughts and want to share them! *gestures to the post!*

[tskumoyuuma]

I think it's completely valid if u dont like how riley was handled in midnight mass. it's a touchy subject, a sensitive one.

there was certainly a way to write it so it didnt have to end up that way. he didnt have to make that choice. he still tells erin and erin believes him. might have to prove it still, but it could have been done. techincally, he didnt have to do that. he could have made it to the end w the rest of them.

but that's not the kind of story midnight mass is. midnight mass is a tragedy for most characters. almost all of them, and riley is def included. in my opinion, in this kind of a story, riley's arc and character and decisions are perfect.

because its obvious from the start of the show how suicidal he is. let's not beat around the bush here, because that's what he is. he maybe wasnt actively planning on doing anything, but he said multiple times to multiple people how he didnt think there was anything left for him in life, that he served no purpose at all.

a show that wasnt a tragedy couldv given that to him in a nicer, more hopeful way. given him a purpose to continue living and finally moving on from the accident.

but midnight mass Is a tragedy, and that's not what happens.

instead, riley essentially commits suicide. he says he does this so erin will believe his story. and yes, she does believe him when it's all over and shes stopped screaming, but that's not the whole point of that scene. it's a scene that the show has been leading towards since the beginning.

when riley and erin talk about what happens after death, riley says he will have a purpose. his body will continue on in the world and universe long after hes truly gone from it. and he said this because, again, he was convinced he had no purpose left in life, and so the only way he could get it was in death.

and the thing is, he was so close to actually getting better. he could never imagine his future, could only see himself alone in that boat for so long. but the night before it happens, he sees erin there. and it's a start. it couldv been a start, had things gone differently. it couldv been the thing that helped him find that purpose, not just in death but in life, too.

but midnight mass is a tragedy, and riley's story is a tragedy, and so that's not what happens.

instead he gets turned, and suddenly hes an actual monster, one with an addictive urge that hes somewhat familiar with. he understands what the urge means, what following it would do to his loved ones.

so, he does the only thing he could think of doing. he takes himself to a place where he has nowhere to go, and he kills himself.

and in the process, he warns erin. if he hadnt, everyone on that island would have died. his death, his suicide, serves a purpose, not just for the narrative but for himself. because what was done to him erased any chance of an actual future he couldv had, any chance at the purpose he was seeking out. it even erased the purpose of his death. the only way he could die was to burn himself completely into dust. his body would have sustained microscopic life at the very least. his dust would not have

so by doing this, by essentially killing himself, it's not that riley's arc is thrown away for a few tears or narrative sense. his last scene is the ultimate conclusion to his story in this show that fits both his arc and the shows genre. and i wouldnt have changed it

[thymejot]

As disappointing as it was that we didn't get to see how Rio and Agatha met

How Agatha won Rios heart

How after Nicky died, they fell into each other time and time again

Until Agatha broke that toxic cycle by hiding behind the power of the Darkhold (it happens in my head, so it must be true)

The one positive is that we can come up with that by ourselves

They can have their first and last kiss in a million different ways

Until something else comes out to contradict us, the only limit is our imagination

[radjerda]

Story-time in Rivendell with Uncle Glorfindel! Elladan and Elrohir absolutely love going out adventuring early and listening to stories of old when offered the opportunity.

(Hopefully Glorfindel chose something more appropriate than the balrog story, this time.)

This piece is intended to be a panel of a comic that as of yet lives in my head, but it stands on its own (and I'm impatient), so I thought I'd share this as it is now

[puhpandas]

Bonnie

[number-1-kuaidul-fanboy]

Just a reminder that Mizael in his previous life as a human was murdered by the humans who smeared the name of the dragon who protected him and his people in order to launch an ambush that lead to the deaths of himself, the dragon, and potentially many in his village.

Of course he says things like this after being reincarnated into a barian:

He doesn't fully remember his past life at this point or potentially doesn't want to believe it because of the disdain he holds for humans, a disdain I believe is a subconscious result of the way he died in his past life.

Also, double reminder that the dub, desperate to censor the darker parts of this story, completely screwed up the story and Mizael's character by having Mizael murder the dragon for glory. And this is quite possibly the single worst thing the Zexal dub did. I'm still not over it honestly.

[kateis-cakeis]

Thinking about the structure of the Old Religion.

From what we know there's the Nine which refers to the High Priestesses of the Triple Goddess - powerful sorcerers who obtained immortality (unless killed by some form of magic), and performed important rituals of the Old Religion.

It is unknown if there was a High Priest equivalent, but Gaius in S1Ep13 does tell Merlin that "the High Priests have the power to mirror life and death". This suggests that perhaps there were High Priests of the Triple Goddess, and that they also had a Nine.

There's the Bendrui, women who failed to become part of the Nine. Just like those who eventually became High Priestesses of the Triple Goddess, they were chosen at birth for the priesthood - taken from their families and raised as initiates of the Old Religion. Despite their failure, Bendrui are practiced in potent magic, and appear to have above average gifts.

There's the Bloodguard, warrior priests who swore to protect the High Priestesses. They, like the High Priestesses, were the only people to ever set eyes upon the staff carved from the Rowan tree that grows at the very heart of the Isle of the Blessed.

It could be suggested that like the Bendrui, the Bloodguard could have been failed High Priests, but there is no evidence (other than the existence of the Bendrui, and the mention of High Priests) to truly suggest this.

It is also unknown if the Bloodguard served the Triple Goddess. It is possible that the priests served various different gods of the Old Religion, but due to their relation to the Nine specifically, it is likely these warrior priests served the Triple Goddess.

There's the Catha, which contains priests. (Alator is referred to being "of the Catha, warrior and priest", he also says "I'm a Catha priest").

It is unknown if they served the Triple Goddess, or a different god of the Old Religion (and we know they are priests of the Old Religion because Morgana says, "He's a Catha...priest of the Old Religion.").

They have their own language, however, suggesting that they are a unique culture, and perhaps even an ethnic group. (This is further supported by Alator saying Catha are trained from birth to master all physical pain, it is also said that they guard their ancient knowledge - which leans towards them being a people rather than just initiates of the Old Religion)

There's the Disir, the highest court of the Old Religion, made up of three women chosen at birth to be trained as seers and soothsayers. They are the mouthpiece of the Triple Goddess, and interpret her word. As Gaius says, "When they sat in judgement, their word was final". They pass on the runemark, which is both judgement and fate - it contains a person's guilt, as well as the path the gods have chosen for them.

There's the Druids, a peaceful people who worship the Old Religion and often possess magic. It's a part of their beliefs to help people in need of care, and therefore, those who weren't born a Druid can find a home amongst them (Morgana is one such example).

Moreover, the Druids look for children with the gift of telepathy to serve as apprentices (perhaps to keep them safe? perhaps to encourage their magic in childhood?). The Druids also have a tattoo of a triskelion somewhere on their body, perhaps as a part of a ritual (to indicate someone has become a Druid?).

While the Druids have an intimate knowledge of prophecy and destiny, especially regarding Emrys and the Once and Future King, they do not appear to be priests or priestesses in any form. Just like the Catha, they have their own language (called the Druid tongue and Druidic Runes by Gaius), therefore, it is possible that they too are a unique culture and/or an ethnic group.

There's the Isle of the Blessed, a sacred location of the Old Religion, said to be the centre of it, and the focus of its power - it is also where the power of the ancients can still be felt after the Great Purge. Artifacts such as the Rowan staff, the Cup of Life, and the Horn of Cathbhadh were kept there under the care of the High Priestesses. Furthermore, Morgana's healing bracelet was forged on Isle - suggesting that its power allowed for the creation of powerful artifacts (this is further supported by the Rowan staff which was carved from the tree that grows there).

In a deleted scene for S4Ep1, Morgause says when she was first brought to the Isle, the hallways were teeming with women - High Priestesses. Although it is said often within the fandom, canon never establishes if the initiates were trained on the Isle. This deleted scene, however, heavily suggests it.

There's the Caerlanrigh, a sacred spring within the Grove of Brineved. There, the Disir reside within a cave, where the spring feeds into an ancient pool - in which the Disir divine from. The old ways are at their strongest there, and it's at the very centre of their powers (whether Gaius meant the old ways or the Disir here is unclear).

There's the Cauldron of Arianrhod, a sacred site of the Old Religion. The lake contains the power of the White Goddess, who can be summoned to heal those affected by the Teine Diaga ritual. However, if such a person is tricked into entering the cauldron, their soul would be lost forever.

There's the Crystal Cave, said to be the birthplace of magic. It is filled to the brim with scrying crystals that show the past, present, and future. Taliesin used the cave as the source of his prophecies for the kings of old. And as much as the crystals can be controlled, they can force visions upon powerful sorcerers too.

The cave can also hold spirits within it, seen with both Balinor and Taliesin.

While this may have been the case for Merlin alone, the cave can restore a person's magic.

There are celebrations important to the Old Religion too, such as:

Samhain, a time of year where the people feel closest to the spirits of their ancestors, in which they celebrate their passing.

During Samhain it was traditional for the High Priestesses to gather on the Isle of the Blessed and perform a blood sacrifice to release the Dorocha. This was done on the stroke of midnight, when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest.

Since the Dorocha do not roam free in the world throughout the series, it is suggested that a second blood sacrifice was done by the High Priestesses - perhaps before the night was through - to close the veil once more.

In Camelot, a feast is held as part of the celebrations. (This suggests that while the Old Religion and its practices were abandoned during and after the Purge, the heart of the religion and its holidays were never replaced).

Beltane, a time of year where the High Priestesses would gather at the Great Stones of Nemeton and summon the spirits of their ancestors with the Horn of Cathbhadh. It opens the door to the Spirit World and allows the person who blew the horn to see and speak with their ancestor of choice.

In Camelot a feast is held as part of the celebrations (which much like Samhain seems indicate that the Old Religion has been around for so long that it cannot be removed from society entirely - that the people clung onto some traditions, including the royal family).

There's the Gods of the Old Religion, the Triple Goddess, the White Goddess, and Nemaine. It could be implied that the White Goddess, and the Earth Mother Nemaine are part of the Triple Goddess, but it is just as likely for them to be separate gods.

If so, the Triple Goddess is heavily associated with the Nine, destiny and fate, and the immortality of certain sorcerers. Perhaps she is also associated with the balance of the world, due to the power over life and death being tied to the High Priestesses and supposed High Priests.

The White Goddess, however, appears to be associated with one's soul and healing. It was only her power that could heal and retain Gwen's soul after Teine Diaga ritual.

The Earth Mother Nemaine is related to Gean Canach, as it is said her tears forged the creature. The book Gaius reads from has more information, and from what can be deciphered, it says that Nemaine first wept at the slaughter of war, resulting in the Gean Canach crawling out of the Earth's belly (there is more written on the page, but it is impossible to tell what it says). This suggests that Nemaine lives within the Earth's core, and that she is indeed associated with nature and living beings as her name implies.

Furthermore, since she wept at the slaughter of war, she is perhaps the god of life itself, but not of the entire cycle. And due to the Gean Canach's abilities, to devour and drain a sorcerer of their magic, it is likely that this war's slaughter was brought about by magic.

It is possible that The Earth Mother Nemaine could be related to the Pool of Nemhain. Despite having different spellings in the show (the subtitles), they have extremely similar pronunciations (even if it is a bit different). Perhaps they are unrelated, but if they are one and the same, it could be suggested that the Earth Mother is connected to death as well as life, due to the pool being the last of the Five Gateways to the Spirit World. (This contradicts what is analysed in the above paragraph, but this post is meant to speculate multiple possibilities.)

Honourable mentions:

It could be suggested that the Quest Ritual was once part of the Old Religion. It includes the heir to the throne of Camelot transcending their body in order to receive a vision of a quest. This quest is meant to prove their worth to the people, and their worthiness of the throne. The heir prepares themself by cleansing their body and dressing in white robes. They spend an entire night kneeling on the floor, barefoot, with their eyes closed.

Due to how Arthur reacts in the morning when Uther pulls him out of it, and how sacred the entire process appears to be, it is as if the heir is actually gifted with a vision of a quest. This is supported by his reaction, as he looks dazed when relays what he has seen. Therefore, it seems as if the ritual includes some form of magic due to the preparation, and if so, then it's likely it was a practice of the Old Religion (specifically for the heirs of Camelot? Due to Camelot's association with the very heart of magic?)

It has been around for hundreds of years, so it is not outside the realm of possibility that the Quest Ritual is so old that the general consensus has forgotten its ties to the Old Religion, or much like Samhain and Beltane, it is perhaps so baked into society that it couldn't be abandoned.

--

In S1Ep13, Merlin says that the "Old Religion died out centuries ago". Even in Series 1 this is far from true, but later seasons make this remark seem entirely ignorant. If anything, this sentiment comes from a post-Purge society, where the structures of the Old Religion no longer exist. Perhaps it is even propaganda that Uther pushed forward as people became more fearful over the years, turning away from the old ways despite once practicing such beliefs (and for the people of Camelot, still practicing some of those beliefs).

It is possible this was a retcon but if so then it's directly retconned in S1Ep13 when it's revealed that Nimueh is a High Priestess.

Anyhow, in response to Merlin's ignorance, Kilgharrah says, "The Old Religion is the magic of the Earth itself. It is the essence which binds all things together. It will last long beyond the time of men".

This shows that the Old Religion doesn't just refer to the religion and the gods, but rather it is the very magic that makes up the fabric of the world, and as Balinor says in S2Ep13 it's either a part of you or it isn't. This suggests that it is indeed not just a religion, but the very world, the Earth, magic.

He also goes on to say that Merlin must "find those who still serve it", which shows that Uther very much didn't succeed in eradicating the structure of the Old Religion entirely, at least at that point in the show. And perhaps that anyone could serve it, even after the very structure collapsed.

All this is to say that the Old Religion is extremely pagan. The structure itself is vague perhaps because Old Religion is personal, it is vague. The differences between the High Priestesses, the Catha, and the Druids make this clear. Following the Old Religion's beliefs, traditions, and holidays is personal and spiritual because it varies, because there is no wrong way. Because there are no set rules or a real structure at all. The High Priestesses had power, yes, but this seems to come directly from the Triple Goddess herself, rather than a societal standing.

Nimueh was at court, and she was Uther's friend, but she was also very quickly thrown from the court after Ygraine died. And yes, the High Priestesses went to war with the Ancient Kings, but that appears to be a difference in factions, rather than let's say the Christian church and its power over the centuries.

Therefore, I propose that the Old Religion as a religion was loose in its structure, that it never died out like Merlin said (which does seem to be a post-Purge sentiment), but instead simply changed and evolved, and continued to exist even after the Purge, with its holidays in Camelot, and with the Druids and their practices/beliefs.

-----

Overall, the information we have on the structure of the Old Religion is vague and patchy. This was perhaps intentional so the writers could work around existing canon to introduce new concepts without being constricted by their past worldbuilding. But that's getting into the Intentional Fallacy, so I'll leave that there.

It appears that the High Priestesses had the most power in society, due to their past wars with the Ancient Kings, and their sheer power and knowledge. Not to mention their artifacts and control over creatures like the Fomorroh.

But there are different beliefs and structures to the Old Religion, like with the Catha and the Druids, suggesting that there are multiple ways to worship and follow the Old Religion.

The many sacred sites show that there are different powers and sources to the Old Religion that have different purposes. Like how the path to the Cauldron of Arianrhod was lined with banners for pilgrims, not to necessarily summon the White Goddess, but to visit the site. Or how the Isle of the Blessed is a powerful religious site, while the Crystal Cave is a fairly legendary and unknown place that few ever get to see.

In conclusion, the Old Religion is vast and has many facets to it. There is some structure, but it doesn't seem entirely necessary in order to follow the Old Religion. And in reality, it is inherent to the Earth, it is magic itself.