#former rivals to the power couple

[twistofstory]

The knight and her healer, the Morticians wives - Whale and Stargazer! I'm thinking a lot about them. Stargazer has a tendency to work 'till she drops (even when her weak right arm gives up), and I picture that Whale would calmly talk her into going to sleep, then help her get to their nest and cuddle for warmth and protection... I wont lie, it's so hard to imagine Stargazer being cuddly with anyone, but I feel that she could open up a bit more with close ones, particularly Whale and Parhelion. It's certainly their case that brought them together. Both are very passionate and deeply caring individuals with strong moral code, no wonder they developed such respect for each other and, later on, feelings. I like their dynamic a lot, there's no doubt in that, hehe Whale was a hopeless romantic, and Stargazer's practicism would help to ground her judgments. In turn, Whales dreaminess could remind your no-nonsense healer why she gave herself this name all those years ago ;) I mean, look at them. A giant golden retriever of a dragoness and a workaholic grumpy gal make a good match~

Almost nothing changed about Whale's character (and fate) since her first introduction, and I think a lot how her leadership and subsequent passing affected each character, not only her partner. Whale grieved the loss of her community, so she created a new one amongst the Morticians - that is the legacy that outlived her for years. I had an idea to draw canon couples from the story for a long time, it would be cool to draw the others and talk about them a little.I just want to draw some cute interactions and have a reason to talk about characters, that don't get that much attention from me, but I'm up to talking about chars in general. I'm trying to motivate myself to talk more about my characters/stories/the setting, so I'm interested what character relationships you'd like to know more about! Relationships in general, not only romance (we don't have a lot of these to be honest).

[lisired]

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DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES

⤷ JOHNNY SUH, 23k, 1/3 of the wanted: dead or alive series.

five years ago, you were part of a unit assigned to eliminate the head rival of a crime syndicate. the plan backfired miserably. ever since you have been laying low, but then your former boss calls you with alarming news.

KEEP ON

⤷ JOHNNY SUH, 13.6k

All things love and commitment are feared upon by you. You keep a tight crew and let few people in, cynical of other’s intentions and leaving a trail of broken hearts in your wake. If you break other people’s hearts first, they can’t break yours. And yet, it was all too easy falling for Johnny, digging yourself into a depthless hole of love. But he is no exception to your heartache games.

WAITING GAME

⤷ JOHNNY SUH, 9.1k, 1/4 of the Temptation series.

Your best friend’s dad is a smoking hot dilf seeking vengeance after you’ve spent the past couple of years teasing him, but it seems that you can’t handle a taste of your own medicine.

LITTLE DO YOU KNOW

⤷ LEE TAEYONG, 14.9k

After three years away from Miami, Taeyong is finally ready to return to the city. He left a world behind here, but most importantly, he left you. And being invited on a friendly get-together trip to a beach resort gives him a little too much time to resume unfinished business between you both.

DRESS CODE

⤷ NAKAMOTO YUTA, 7.4k, 3/4 of the Temptation series.

Nakamoto Yuta and his rings have caught your eye. In an effort to seduce your professor, you decide to take your best friend’s advice and change your wardrobe. You’re given an advantage when Yuta’s son asks you to tutor him, and it’s like Satan is handing you opportunities on a silver platter - but at what cost?

I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD

⤷ NAKAMOTO YUTA, 20k, 2/3 of the wanted: dead or alive series.

after investigating the activity of a local gang, your boss abruptly disappears, and it's up to you to find out what happened to him. you almost immediately suspect the reapers, one of the most infamous gangs in seoul. and yuta is willing to lend a hand in your operation, but only at a cost; forget him in the end.

VENOMOUS

⤷ NAKAMOTO YUTA, 18.8k

Born into the underworld, crime was all you’d known your entire life and was practically in your blood - murder, drugs, money, power, and everything in between. In spite of your father leading one of the two major gangs that dominated Asia, you managed to keep safe. But all that changes once the rival gang has bad blood to settle with your father, and suddenly a vendetta’s being pursued against you.

WHISPER

⤷ KIM DOYOUNG, 8.9k, 2/4 of the Temptation series.

When you were nineteen, you could only dream of meeting Kim Doyoung in his sheets. Behind his back you watched all the movies he starred in, wanting nothing more than to be the one he touched whenever a sex scene came on. So when the opportunity surfaced four years later after you’re casted together in the same movie, you didn’t hesitate to snag it - even if it meant hiding from his wife, your father, and the public. And even if feelings developed.

DIE IN YOUR ARMS

⤷ JEONG JAEHYUN, 22.4k

Every single night before bed, you play your royal husband, Jaehyun, a song on his grandfather's piano as a distraction from the ominous sounds you hear. To the public, you're all smiles, but discreetly, you're a slave to your suspicions. Though it seems the more you pry, the more secrets you start to unravel.

HONEYMOON AVENUE

⤷ JEONG JAEHYUN, 12.3k

A year ago, wedding bells were ringing and you were screaming, “Yes!” at the top of your lungs. Last Christmas, you were supposed to be wed under a mistletoe. This Christmas, company finds you in the form of your ex-fiancé that broke off your engagement after you’re both inconveniently trapped in an elevator.

WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD

⤷ JEONG JAEHYUN, 14.5k

Three years ago, you had a summer fling with Jung Jaehyun, and what was simply sex turned into more after you caught feelings for him. Then, you find out he has a girlfriend, and decide to call it quits. Three years later, he's back in town, trying to come back in your life, and most importantly trying to come back into your heart, but you're a little hesitant to let him.

WISH I NEVER

⤷ JEONG JAEHYUN, 27.2k

Your brother, Johnny, hates Jaehyun and has never told you why. Although you intend on leaving it alone, unforeseen events thrust you into a forbidden love affair with Jaehyun. In between hookups and stolen kisses, you have to bury your feelings for Jaehyun around your overprotective older brother.

CAN YOU KEEP IT DOWN?

⤷ MARK LEE, 10.4k, 4/4 of the Temptation series

The apartment next door to yours has been vacant for months. No one had gone in or out, not until your new next door neighbor moved in two weeks ago. Mark, a slightly older guy who prides himself on his patience and willpower with a penchant for control. But when you make it clear you’re resolved to wither away the things he values most, Mark decides he’s down for the challenge, determined to put a leash on your unrestrained behavior - and most importantly, finally shut you the hell up.

EX MARKS THE SPOT

⤷ MARK LEE, 19.9k

Two months ago, you and Mark called it quits and haven’t spoken to each other since. As per tradition, your respective friend groups gather each Christmas eve to keep the peace, but this year somebody has a different plan. And the new chick on Mark’s arm isn’t the worst thing to happen.

PRETTY LITTLE WEAPON

⤷ MARK LEE, 25.7k

A lifetime worth of adversity had brought you to Bloodlust. You joined them to escape your history, but with Mark Lee - an undercover narcotics agent with a secret to keep - comes the threat of being forced to confront your past. Old wounds are opened, but scars heal.

(AT THE END OF THE DAY) EVERYBODY DIES

⤷ LEE HAECHAN, 20k, 3/3 of the wanted: dead or alive series.

denial after denial, your step-brother continues to nag you about an upcoming high school reunion, until you finally agree to tag along. it’s awkward seeing your ex-boyfriend, haechan, again for the first time in years, but you have no time to dwell on the past with the threat of undead students banging on the school gates.

CHANGE YOUR MIND YET?

⤷ LEE HAECHAN, 4.6k

You’re going to kill him. You swear, You’re going to kill him. how did Liu Yangyang accidentally tell Lee Donghyuck—your greatest enemy—that you think he’s hot and that you’ve been in a dry spell recently? Now you have to avoid the inevitable confrontation, and worst of all, deal with the most stubborn person alive (who ironically thinks that you’re the most stubborn person alive).

FOREVER YOURS

⤷ LEE HAECHAN, 23k

Thirst for exhilaration and a stupid dare brings you, your boyfriend Haechan, and your friends to the eerie camping grounds of Chimera - the name of a town rumored to be occupied by a number of vengeful, lurking spirits. But nothing is as it seems in this ghost town.

LOVE JONES

⤷ LEE HAECHAN, 25.5k

After breaking off your engagement to your fiance, you move to Los Angeles to pursue a modeling career. There in the fairytale land where stars go to shine you meet Haechan, an aspiring photographer with a penchant for mischief and flirtation.

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA

⤷ LEE HAECHAN, PARK JISUNG, 19.8k

upon accidentally finding a video of you and your boyfriend haechan doing some very sexual things, jisung knows that he shouldn’t watch it. he knows that it would be an extreme invasion of privacy, but he’s unable to control himself when he sees the thumbnail. so he settles for only watching 30 seconds. except, 30 seconds turns into 30 minutes, and by then he’s buried himself too deep into a life-changing situation—or in which jisung’s terrible at keeping secrets.

SUPERMODEL

⤷ LEE HAECHAN, 23k

Five years ago, you left your hometown and ex to recreate your identity in California. Now, you're a staple of the fashion industry and on the front cover of magazines everywhere. Your hard work has paid off, but when you realize that you might be pregnant, you have to decide whether you want to be a full-time model or a full-time mother.

THE DEVIL’S CUP

⤷ LEE HAECHAN, 6.8k

In a world where humans and demons are separated by earth and the unknown, you’re curious about the creatures that most mortal beings are too frightened to investigate. More specifically if they can please you sexually. As they say, curiosity killed the cat.

WHO NEEDS CUPID’S BOW?

⤷ LEE HAECHAN, 11.1k

Cupid is not on your side, it seems. He’s made you fall in love with the worst possible person ever, AKA your best friend, AKA the man who still eats tootsie-pops—willingly. And frankly, it feels like the damn candy has a better chance of dating him than you ever will.

[tanishark]

𝐴 𝐷𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛:

𝑻𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒂 𝑪𝒉𝒐𝒅𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒊'𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒖𝒛 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏.

Introduction:

Tanisha Chōdhori (長泥 - 谷西砂, Chōdhori Tanisha) is a Human that is a Fullbringer with Shinigami powers, she is the former warden of the central great underground prison, notably the warden of Muken and the former 5th seat of the First Division Of the Gotei 13 under Captain- Commander Shunsui Kyōraku. She is the current Saikyō No Josei and 22nd head of the Chōdhori Clan. Tanisha is also the Chairwoman and former Vice-Chairwoman of the Saisei no Mori Medical Institution which was founded by her father, Raiten Chōdhori. She is also a doctor and a neurosurgeon. Tanisha is married to Sōsuke Aizen and they have three children named Kai Aizen, Aria Aizen and Silvie Aizen.

Apperance:

Slender and abundantly endowed, Tanisha possesses a complexion of light hue coupled with onyx orbs. Approximately fifteen years antecedent to Aizen's emancipation, she habitually dons the conventional shihakushō attire. Adorning her locks with a black headband, Tanisha arranges her jet-black hair that had dark blue layers into a slightly disheveled bun, secured by the sealed state of Kurisutaru no hōy��, manifesting as a resplendent amalgamation of blue and amethyst crystalline water lily ornament. Her attire is further accentuated by diminutive boots and ebony arm bracers.Three years antecedent to Aizen's liberation, during her tenure as an officer, Tanisha adopts a sleeveless variation of the shihakushō attire, augmented by a lengthy iteration of a scarlet haori, bedecked with the emblem of Mizuhanakagami, symbolizing the water lily emblematic of the Chōdhori lineage.

Subsequent to Aizen's liberation from the depths of Muken, Tanisha's luxuriant ebony tresses cascade freely, framed by curtain bangs framing her visage. While retaining the shihakushō garb, she accessorizes with a chain-bound belt, clasping the Muken Jūkyū no Kagi about her slender waist, complemented by thigh-high obsidian boots.One year post-Aizen's emancipation, Tanisha opts for a light azure blazer accompanied by coordinated trousers, occasionally donning her physician's coat during her sojourns within the human realm. Within the confines of her abode, she favors a resplendent silver robe, securing her tresses in a casual ponytail, occasionally embellished with sapphire droplet earrings, likely bestowed by Aizen himself.

Personality:

Tanisha is blunt as she can come off as stoic or robotic-like at times because she has the idea not many like her personality because of what she went through in her childhood, being silenced and scolded at. Criticism from those around her affected Tanisha deeply, having developed a mental detachment and mental exhaustion early on. Due to her early indifference to the emotions of others, she was quick to judge others and to think of ways she can bend situations to her advantages. Tanisha looks down upon anyone who's weak or someone she thinks of a rival, such as Sui-feng, whom she feels is inferior to her.

Tanisha was originally an extraverted, bold and ambitious personality and got along with almost anyone in the ranks of soul society or in the human realm. In her early days, she'd create conflicts and drama about the Gotei 13, which earned her some -what of a bad reputation and exasperation from Nanao Ise and many of the captains. Tanisha felt pressure to change from the Gotei 13, already having been berated for coming from the Chōdhori clan that has an infamous history of sabotaging the Shiba clan. This led to Tanisha shutting everyone off, therefore developing her mental detachment. However, she started reverting to her previous personality when meeting Sōsuke Aizen who lifted her condition through his influence.Like most other shinigami women, she is a member of the shinigami women's association. She's infatuated with Aizen and her loyalty to him is unwavering, she grew up hearing stories from her father of Aizen's manipulations and defection from the soul society, Tanisha grew up believing him to be a legend which drove her to her later ambitions.As Kyoraku's pupil and then his 5th seat, Tanisha treasured their time together. Kyoraku taught Tanisha many of her abilities she's most proficient in now, such as her mastery and knowledge over Kidō and all the spells in existence. However, Tanisha felt what she and Kyoraku had was nothing to what she could have with Aizen, thus freeing him when she was appointed the warden.

History:

Tanisha Chōdhori was born on November 3rd, 1998 as the daughter of Chairman Raiten Chōdhori and Journalist Shuhua Chōdhori in Kagamino City. Her brother Daisuke Chōdhori was born four years after her. Tanisha and Daisuke grew up in their family's Hidden Estate in their early years. Without notice, Tanisha would regularly visit her father's workplace, the Saisei no Mori Medical Institution which was situated on the outskirts of the city, approximately 10 miles away from the Hidden Estate. Since the Saisei no Mori Medical Institution is actually a refuge and clinic for exiled Shinigami to heal, Tanisha was exposed to spiritual power from the age of four, this led to her father coming clean about her background and heritage.

Her father would also teach her stories about the Soul Society. At the age of five, Tanisha and her family had moved to Karakura Town as Raiten believed this was a good move to expose Tanisha further to her heritage and where she can learn more about Spiritual Energy. Through her childhood and training with her father, Tanisha mastered Reiatsu control. Tanisha had fully developed her Fullbring ability, Shitai Asobi and was already developing her Shinku No Chinura Reta Ami and Midori No Kurisutaru Fukusen techniques as well.

After completing her education at the Mashiba J.H School, she also had enrolled in Karakura High School and took an internship in the Karakura Hospital under Ryūken Ishida as she aspired to be a doctor from a young age. Tanisha also had unlocked her Shinigami powers when Daisuke was attacked by a hollow, she manages to defeat the hollow and saved her brother with the assistance of her Zanpakuto spirit, Kurisutaru no hōyō.Around this time, a researcher of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute took interest in Tanisha's crystalline based abilities that were unfamiliar to the shinigami, the member of the Shinigami Research and Development Institute had experimented with Tanisha's DNA and remnants of hollowfication, creating a hollowfied and replicated clone of Tanisha who Tanisha herself had to beat by achieving her bankai, Kesshō Korosu Hakai as the clone shared merely the same shikai abilities as her, but not her bankai.

After this battle, Tanisha was taken under Captain - Commander Shunsui Kyoraku's wings as he saw her potential and she studied under him temporarily for twelve years until the age of twenty-seven. Tanisha had also been a subject of skepticism for her powerful yet innovative inventions in Soul Society.Tanisha eventually became the 5th seated officer for three years and a Kidō instructor at the Shin'ō Academy. Tanisha was bestowed the title, "Saikyō no josei," due to her unparalleled power and strength. She had also completed her medical studies and became a surgeon specializing in Neurology. Tanisha moved back to Kagamino City and started residing in the Hidden Estate once more, though alone as her parents and brother remain traveling the world. Tanisha also became responsible for managing the Saisei no Mori Medical Institution, initially as a Vice-Chairwoman and eventually as the Chairwoman in her father's absence as the Chairman.

TCACLOM Novel Plot:

Three years after Tanisha is discharged from her position of the 5th seat of the 1st division, she is appointed the warden of the Central Great Underground Prison, particularly the lowest level of the prison, Muken. Shunsui Kyoraku gives her authorization to the nineteen keys, the same keys capable of undoing Aizen's seals and straps placed on him. Initially, Tanisha felt excitement and a tinge of guilt for planning to betray Kyoraku, but nevertheless, she goes on with her plans.

The time Aizen and Tanisha first meet, Aizen is curious as to why he suddenly has gained a warden. Tanisha reassures him that the central 46 had passed a judgement to keep Muken secure, and they had chosen her as the warden through Kyoraku's suggestion.

However, Aizen, ever keenly observant, could tell Tanisha had a secret grand plan. Aizen is guarded against by Tanisha for an unexpected extent of 15 days. Those days, Tanisha would closely guard Aizen and question him about his fate, his plans, and his goals all while she is managing and overseeing correctional facilities; administering policies and procedures; directing security, housing, and facility operations; and supervising the central great underground prison to see if he aligns with the idea she had of him since she was a child, learning his manipulations and power over the Gotei 13.

On the fifteenth day, Tanisha snook into Aizen's cell, claiming she will free him and that he will achieve his redemption, as she firmly states no being like him should be pulled down to such a lowly place. Tanisha mused to Aizen how she'd give him a life hidden from the soul society, but on one condition; he must escape and elope with her. Aizen is taken aback before he regained his composure, agreeing to the deal they had sealed. Tanisha undid the nineteen keyholes on the ground with her nineteen keys, which she then bent and destroyed with her immense spiritual pressure.

Whilst leading Aizen out of the central great underground prison, they encounter Kyoraku and Shinji and they have a confrontation and fight. However, Aizen and Tanisha had the upper hand and won. Tanisha and Aizen make their escape and elope to the hidden estate, her later taking Aizen's name.Months later, during the births of Aizen and Tanisha's children, the newfound and inherited ability named, "Saimin Saikuru," (Hypnosis Cycle) was established within the Aizen family. This is due to Aizen being fused with his own zanpakuto, Kyoka Suigetsu. His children, Kai, Aria, and Silvie had all inherited the essence of Kyoka Suigetsu, thus inherited the Complete Hypnosis, "Kanzen Saimin" technique that Aizen's so well known for.

Inventions:

Chūsei Bakuhatsu (中世爆発, Neutrality Blast): This spell engulfs the opponent into a massive column of reiatsu in zero gravity, anyone who gets engulfed will be electrocuted and their energy is stolen.

Mon No Gādian (モンノーガーディアン. The Guardian's Gate): Tanisha had created Mon No Gādian from Bakudo-inspired barriers to design a barrier that is completely under her control to protect The Hidden Estate from infiltration.

Gyaku No Kanzen Saimin (逆催眠, Reversal Of Complete Hypnosis): This technique is basically a contra to aizen's shikai, so aizen's shikai doesn't work on Tanisha at all. Tanisha developed this technique as a way of stating her decision to free Aizen was her own, not through Aizen's hypnosis.

Kesshō No Hahen (結晶の破片, Crystalline Shards): Tanisha wears her Kesshō No Hahen up in her voluminous sleeves as backup. These shards are sharper and cut deeper than knives, they inflict major wounds at opponents with a mere strike.

Gomakashi Reiryoku (ごまかし霊力, Spiritual Power Subterfuge): This technique is capable of manipulating the Reiryoku within other souls, Tanisha is able to completely shut off the Reiryoku of her opponent so her opponent would not be able to power their attacks. Tanisha is also capable of inserting or extracting Reiryoku within a soul's body. However, Tanisha is only capable of manipulating the Reiryoku of a single opponent, meaning she can't use this technique on multiple opponents.

Modified Human Shell Gigai: Tanisha modified Kisuke Urahara's Gigai by adjusting the Gigai to include sensor blockers through an embedded Reiryoku matrix, meaning the Gigai now has a complex network of Reiryoku channels embedded within its synthetic flesh. These channels would be attuned to the Shinigami's specific spiritual signature and continuously reinforce their powers, making it difficult for the Gigai to deactivate the Shinigami's powers. This ensures the Shinigami in question would have no risk of losing their powers.

Equipment:

Muken Jūkyū no Kagi (無間十九の鍵, Nineteen keys of Muken): The Nineteen keys of Muken used to be hung from Tanisha's chained belt, the keys were evenly distributed along the belt, each hanging independently. The belt has a secure clasp mechanism, ensuring that the keys remained in place while allowing Tanisha easy access when needed.

Powers & Abilities:

Master Swordsman: Tanisha is master of swordsmanship, possessing flawless skills while being able to perform lethal attacks.Whip Expert: Tanisha's blade undergoes a shift into the form of a long whip that Tanisha can use for long range attacks. The whip is infused with an unfamiliar energy that is capable of exterminating attacks.

Whip Expert: Tanisha's blade undergoes a shift into the form of a long whip that Tanisha can use for long range attacks. The whip is infused with an unfamiliar energy that is capable of exterminating attacks.

Kidō Master: Tanisha has incredible skill and power in Kidō. She can cast several high-level spells in quick succession and has immense intellect in the art of kidō, having mastered all spells including Hado, Bakudo, and Kaido through her training with kyoraku, however having not yet mastered Hado 90 Kurohitsugi or Hado 99 Goryūtenmetsu. Tanisha became a common practitioner of Hado 78 Zangerin which she had adopted from Kyoraku. Tanisha taught her self-made spells, Chusei and Chusei Bakuhatsu to Sosuke Aizen. Sosuke Aizen had taught Tanisha Kurohitsugi and Goryūtenmetsu, thus establishing her reputation as the master of the kidō arts, having learned every spell in existence.

Hadō (破道, Way of Destruction): Tanisha is highly proficient in Hadō, having mastered spells graded on a scale of 1 to 99.

Gisei Hadō (犠牲破道, Sacrificial Way of Destruction): Having mastered forbidden spells such Ittō Kasō, Tanisha can sacrifice a certain portion of herself order to use it.

Kaidō (回道, Turn Way): Tanisha is proficient in restoring reiatsu in the patient's body, and she is capable of healing efficiently.Bakudō (縛道, Way of Binding): Tanisha excellent in the category of defensive spells which block/repel attacks.

Barriers (結界, Kekkai): Tanisha has shown efficiency in focusing her spiritual Energy formed into a solid form of energy as a barrier. She demonstrated this ability when she had created Mon No Gādian as a barrier for protection against the outside world.Seals (封, Fū): Tanisha is proficient in her sealing as her seals are usually unbreakable.

Hanki (反鬼, Reverse Demon): This technique is used by Tanisha in most her battles. It nullifies an opponent's Kidō by hitting it with a Kidō of perfectly opposite speed and energy. The technique can neutralize an opponent's movements.

Kidō Creation: Being well-versed in the branches of Kidō arts and knowing every single spell ranging from the scale of 1 to 99, Tanisha can create her own Kidō creations. She demonstrates this by creating original spells such as Chūsei Bakuhatsu, Mon Nō Gådian, and Gyaku Nō Kanzen Saimin.

Genius Intellect: One of Tanisha's prominent traits is her tremendous intellect. She is well-versed in the history, strategy, and tactics of Soul Society, and is privy to knowledge unknown to many, she is well-versed in the abilities and powers of her fellow allies and adversaries alike, knowing their hidden moves as she has memorized the information about their records, hidden strengths, and weaknesses through years of investigation since she was a mere child.

Master Strategist & Tactician: Tanisha is a highly perceptive fighter, almost immediately determining an opponent's attack patterns and weaknesses. She is a crafty tactician and an strategize on the spot.

Immense Spiritual Power:: She can exert tremendous levels of Spiritual Pressure that can be felt from a great distance, and it has the tendency to make people perspire in fear Her reiatsu is distinctly silver.

Shunpo Master: Tanisha's shunpo is extremely fast, as she and Sosuke Aizen were able to evade from Captain Shinji Hirako and Captain Commander, Kyoraku Shunsui during their confrontation after tanisha freed aizen from muken right away. Tanisha and Aizen managed to escape faraway estate hideout in the human realm due to Tanisha's shunpo matching the agility of Aizen himself.

Hakuda Master: Tanisha can take on average armed opponents or those that are many times bigger than her size, she can dismantle her opponents weapons and grab them with a mere finger.

Hiraizumi (平泉, Level Fountain): Hiraizumi is the hakuda technique the Chōdhori clan specializes in, the term evokes the calmness and stability within during the intense combat. Hiraizumi enables members of the Chōdhori clan to swiftly incapacitate opponents with pinpoint accuracy, exploiting their vulnerabilities with surgical precision in a calm state of mind and soul. Tanisha, as a Chōdhori, is able to perform this technique.

Immortality: Once Seishin no Eikyū is activated, Tanisha becomes effectively immortal. Her soul and life force are perpetually sustained by the crystalline energy within her, preventing natural aging and rendering her immune to death by conventional means. Even if her physical body is destroyed, her soul can regenerate a new body from the crystalline essence, ensuring her continuous existence.

Fullbring:

Shitai Asobi (死体遊び, Corpse Play): Tanisha's Fullbring grants her the extraordinary ability to manipulate and utilize any form of a body as an object within matter, she does this by utilizing either her or her opponent's bodies as the object on the receiving end. With a profound connection to the essence of life and decay, Tanisha can harness this power for nurturing, healing, or controlled decay—a practice that extends to both regeneration and reverse regeneration through crystallization.

Shinku No Chinura Reta Ami (深紅の血塗られた網, Crimson Bloodied Net): Tanisha injects crimson crystalline energy into her bloodstream, allowing it to intertwine with her blood. Subsequently, when her opponent inflicts injury upon her, causing her to bleed, the mingled crimson energy within her blood reacts upon contact with the opponent, transforming the spilled blood into a blood net that ensnares and induces decay upon the trapped target, effecting a reverse regeneration process.

Midori No Kurisutaru Fukusen (翠のクリスタル輸液, Emerald Crystal Infusion): By harnessing the crimson crystalline energy within her body, Tanisha is capable of transmuting it into vibrant green waves of crystalline energy. These waves flow through her body, serving to heal and regenerate her injuries, ensuring her swift recovery during combat situations.

Seishin no Eikyū (精神の永久, Eternity of the Spirit): After marrying Aizen and having a family, Tanisha was driven by a need to achieve Immortality to forever live with her husband and children, therefore, she developed this technique. Seishin no Eikyū, allows her to achieve true immortality by binding her essence to the crystalline energy within her body. This process involves the fusion of her soul with her crystalline powers, creating a self-sustaining cycle of life and regeneration.

Zanpakuto:

Kurisutaru no hōyō (クリスタルの抱擁, Crystal Hug): Kurisutaru no hōyō is usually depicted as a katana. Kurisutaru no Hōyō, in its sealed state, takes the form of a blue and amethyst crystalline water lily hairpin on Tanisha's hair, the stem is gold with embedded diamonds and carvings of crescent moons. In it's unsealed state, the blade takes the form of a Katana, the blade itself is a pristine crystalline structure, giving off a faint, ethereal glow. The hilt is wrapped in a luxurious deep green leather wrap, providing comfortable grip for tanisha when wielding. The only decoration is the tsuba, which is a hexagon. The two sides parallel to the blade are long, whereas the four sides above and below the blade are shortened, making it into almost a diamond or prism-like shape. It has a green handle. The tsuba, in harmony with the crystalline blade, features hues of silver and translucent greens, mimicking the colors found in natural crystals. The green handle complements the overall design, providing a subtle yet captivating contrast against the radiant crystal blade.

Shikai: It is triggered by the command, "Crystallize!" (結晶化する, Kesshō-ka suru) Tanisha runs her hand through her blade, causing the blade's hilt to turn silver and for the entire blade to become cold to the touch, embodying the essence of crystals that are naturally cold to the touch due to thermal inertia. With the release of the blade, a subtle jangling of crystals announces the use of the blade.

Shikai Special Ability: The special ability of Kurisutaru no hōyō is Kanzen'na Kesshō-Ka (完全な結晶化, Complete Crystallization); It can manipulate crystals and crystalline essence with endless possibilities, however it has seven main functions and techniques. Tanisha is able to perform offensive attacks or defensive barriers and structures, also being able to utilize the sound, temperatures, environments, reflections, glass, transparency, and illusions all at once through the manipulation of crystal elements.

Kyokushō Kesshō (極小 結晶, Miniscule Crystal): Kurisutaru no hōyō traps the air molecules in miniature crystal shards in the atmosphere of the skies and shattered the air molecules, causing all the force to repel to tanisha's blade as she uses this force to use her immense gold reiatsu to land blows fused with the impact of the force and reiatsu.

Tōmei No En (透明の円, Transparent Circle): Tanisha draws a circle on the ground beneath her using her blade, the circle radiates immense reiatsu when the technique is released, but the circle is outlined by transparent Crystals with fewer defects, impurities, or irregularities in their structure that make them transparent to the Naked Eye. The crystals are summoned and grow in the circle whilst being transparent, they repel to tanisha's blade's newfound chains hanging from the Hilt of her blade at her command. Tanisha utilized these transparent crystals into her offensive attacks by weaving the sharp shards of the transparent crystals into her slashes and blows against the Opponent that won't notice her transparent crystals hanging from a chain on the Hilt of her blade that manages to severe the attacks because the opponent can't see the crystal.

Han'ei suru (反映する, Reflect): Kurisutaru no hōyō is adorned with reflective crystals could deflect or redirect magical attacks. Tanisha as it's wielder could use these blades strategically to bounce spells back at her opponents.

Kesshō Sen (結晶鞭, Crystal Whips): Kurisutaru no hōyō is capable to take on the form of a crystalline whip, the whip appears as if it's crafted from fragile glass, when in contrast, the whip leave permanent damages and harsh wounds that are unhealable. The whip also branches out into multiple smaller whips, creating a cascade of strikes that overwhelm opponents as they experience the excruciating sensation of shattering glass coursing through their body, inflicting pain as sharp and piercing as shards of broken crystal.

Suishō no oto (水晶の音, Sound Of The Quartz): This technique utilizes Crystals that resonate with specific frequencies could be incorporated into Tanisha's blade. When swung, Kurisutaru no hōyō can emit powerful sound waves capable of disorienting or incapacitating foes or objects and Kidō. This technique's sound waves are so strong, they can break out of the hardest barriers or even Hado 90 Kurohitsugi's black coffin.

Kesshō no sakkaku (結晶の錯覚, Illusions Of The Crystalline): This technique of Kurisutaru no hōyō uses Crystals with illusionary properties that could create illusions or mirages during combat, confusing enemies about the real location and movement of the blade.

Hōkai Saisei (崩壊再生, Crystalline Disintegration & Resurgence): Tanisha taps into Kurisutaru no Hōyō's power to de-crystallize objects, imbuing them with a new animated existence. This technique allows her to selectively disintegrate crystalline structures, turning them into animated entities under her control. The de-crystallized fragments, now released from their rigid form, take on new life. The crystalline essence is transformed into animated entities, ranging from small constructs to larger, more intricate creations.The effectiveness of Hōkai Saisei is limited by the complexity and size of the original crystalline structure. Extremely intricate or massive structures may require more skill and concentration to animate successfully.

Bankai: Kesshō Korosu Hakai ( 結晶殺すハカイ Crystal Kill Destruction): It is triggered by the command, "Shatter, Kesshō Korosu Hakai!" (砕け, 結晶殺すハカイ) Upon uttering the release command, Tanisha infuses her blade with an overwhelming surge of reiatsu. As she runs her hand along the hilt, the katana undergoes a profound transformation. The blade extends into an elongated, wider version of its original form, emanating a radiant glow that casts a luminous sheen across the battlefield. The once compact katana transforms into a more formidable weapon with an extended and wider blade. The crystalline structure becomes even more intricate, reflecting the mastery of Tanisha's spiritual power. Five chains, each adorned with crystalline lanks, dangle from various points along the elongated blade. These chains serve as conduits for the crystalline energy and play a crucial role in Tanisha's ability to shape and control the metaphysical. In Tanisha's bankai form, she goes through a transformation. Tanisha's outfit is composed of a pristine white corset, an off-the-shoulder ruffled blouse, and a flowing skirt, all crafted from various delicate fabrics. She also wears a necklace. The structured corset, featuring vertical boning and adorned with silver buttons, creates an hourglass silhouette, while its scalloped, lace-trimmed edge adds femininity. The blouse's voluminous ruffled neckline and long, fitted, ribbed sleeves contrast with the sleek lines of the corset, extending into subtly flared wrists, complemented by soft white fur accents that evoke a sense of luxury. The skirt, made of lightweight fabric, features a high slit revealing a portion of the leg, lined with intricate lace that matches the blouse and corset. Expertly draped and ruched, the skirt enhances the body's natural curves with gentle folds and pleats, creating dynamic texture. She also adorns white thigh-high boots which compliments her outfit. The outfit's white color palette, with shades and textures of white, and silver details, emphasizes its pure and angelic theme. In contrast to the overall white theme, three crystalline rose ornaments adorn Tanisha's hair in a rose-shaped bun.

Bankai special ability: Tanisha gains the power to crystallize the impossible and metaphysical. She can create objects, weapons, or constructs of incredible complexity and imagination using her crystalline energy. Tanisha's crystalline energy holds destructive potential. She can shatter and disintegrate both physical and metaphysical barriers, rendering seemingly invincible defenses into fragments. Objects and weapons formed from crystalline energy materialize at Tanisha's will. This ability allows her to summon intricate structures, weapons of unique design, or even beings made entirely of crystalline energy.

Seitoshi no subete ga kesshō-ka shita kesshō hime no tamashī (生と死のすべてが結晶化した結晶姫の魂, The Soul Of The Crystalline Princess, Life And Death Has Been Crystallized): Tanisha gains the power to encase her opponents' souls in crystal, effectively immobilizing them and rendering their abilities useless. Additionally, she can channel the energy of these crystallized souls to enhance her own strength and speed, making her a formidable force on the battlefield. However, the true mastery of her Bankai lies in its ability to purify corrupted souls, restoring balance to the spiritual realm and bringing peace to both the living and the deceased.

Weaknesses:

Hearing Requirement : For the 5th technique, Suishō no oto to work, the technique should be used on opponents who can hear well. This technique will not work if the opponent in question is deaf.

Trivia:

Tanisha told Aizen she'd free him from Muken on one condition; if he'd marry her. This was because Tanisha being initially detached from emotions, hadn't felt emotion in a while until her meetings with Aizen whenever she'd guard against him and because Aizen would manipulate her feelings and desires, she felt clueless to navigate these emotions again, but she knew she'd be able to explore her feelings with Aizen if he were to stay by her side. In return, she offered him freedom and liberation from Isolation in Muken.

Tanisha nicknamed Kai by "Sosuke Jr." Aria the name, "Natori" and Silvie the name, "Cherine".

Tanisha was referred to be the "Warden Of Muken," more than "Warden Of The Central Underground Prison," as she was only guarding Muken, as the other levels of the prison were clear of criminals. This is also why Tanisha only carried the Muken Jūkyū no Kagi (無間十九の鍵, Nineteen keys of Muken.)

As a child, hearing stories of Sōsuke Aizen from her father, a younger tanisha would come to the conclusion of Aizen being a lonely individual that was lost in his pursuit of power, she claimed he sounds like a lost bear cub, therefore playfully nicknaming Aizen, "Mayoguma".

Tanisha's childhood role models were Ryuken Ishida and Uryu Ishida, who inspired Tanisha to pursue her medical studies and eventually, her career as a doctor.

The theme song chosen for Tanisha is 'I' by artist Taeyeon.

[giuliettagaltieri]

Duel of Knowledge

Pairing: Uni Student!Coriolanus Snow x Uni Student!Reader

Chapter Synopsis: The Rival

Warning: academic rivalry, elitism, morally gray reader, greed, Dr. Gaul's laboratory, mentions of mutated animals, Capitol cruelty, nepotism, spoilers

Word Count: 2487

2 of 6

It was a fresh start for Coriolanus Snow.  A life in the university, studying under Dr. Volumnia Gaul. 

After District 12.  He was a different man.  His purpose now was clearer, his actions more calculated, more dangerous.

Society welcomed him with open arms.  The star mentor, the academy protégé, and Crassus Snow’s legacy.

Life was also serving him well.  He no longer had to wear buttons made from the bathroom tiles.  No poisoned rats to dispose of.

Sejanus Plinth’s parents invite him for a luncheon on weekends.  He also met the president a couple of times because of the said couple.  Dr. Gaul has also been most helpful.

Had it not been for her, Coriolanus would still be rotting away in District 12.

The university was almost similar to the academy, only better.

He was with the same set of people he studied with.  Although, Clemensia Dovecot steers away from him now.  Two small scars from sharp fangs reminded her what happens when she crosses Coriolanus Snow.

The lessons are much more difficult than what was taught in the Academy but it was nothing he cannot conquer.  He was blessed with the most brilliant minds.

Connections made in the University are better too.  The people he meets are the ones who are currently the ones ruling the world.

The secrets he learns about them, invaluable.

Coriolanus understands the power that a piece of information can hold.

Information saved his tribute in the games.

Information nearly got him hanged.

Information nearly drove him mad.

There were all sorts of it.  Right, wrong.  It was up to you how you use it.  And use it well, he did.

And then, there was you.

The daughter of Thanatos Swansworth, a former associate of his late father.

He had gotten to know you as the girl who craved his attention and thirsted for his validation.

The last time he saw you, he knew he might have broken your heart.  You were just good at covering it up with your smiles.

And until today, he is seeing that exact same smile from across the room.

The air around you is different.  You are more mature, more sure of yourself.  You carry yourself with confidence like how a real Capitol woman does.

“While ethical implication might raise some concerns about the modified epigenetics, the boldness of the concept and the possibility of pioneering a breakthrough is reason enough to continue this research.  My study can advance the frontiers of science in a way that benefits humanity on a broader scale.”  You spoke calmly to Dr. Volumnia Gaul as she cross examined you for your research.

Coriolanus sat with his back resting against the chair, his calculating eyes watching your firm yet inviting demeanor.

A few more questions from Dr. Gaul did not make you falter, you managed to make every query an opportunity to showcase your work.  It was something that he can commend.

“Miss Swansworth, I would like you to come to my office later on to further discuss these ideas of yours.”  Dr. Gaul grins at you.

A glint of pride is visible in your eyes, making Coriolanus narrow his.

“Of course, Dr. Gaul.”

It seems he has competition for Dr. Gaul’s odd fascinations.

Coriolanus watches you return to your seat, his finger tapping atop his desk.

A focused look was plastered on Coriolanus’ face the entire day, he almost cannot wait to meet you by Dr. Gaul’s lab later.

When classes are over, he makes his way to the secured lab of Dr. Gaul.  The strong smell of formaldehyde greets his nose, he has come to get used to it.

His steps are long and purposeful but he was careful enough to silence his glide.

And he was glad he did.

He finds you crouched in a corner, your skirt touching the floor, you are too engrossed with a mutated animal that was trapped behind the glass.

“You found Thumper.”

The startled squeak you made had a sadistic smile spreading on Coriolanus’ lips. 

You glare up at him before standing up.  “Do not sneak up on me.”  You say coldly.  “Especially here.”

The mutated rabbit in front of you gives a jolt with the sound of your voice, its eyes trained on you.

“What did she do to it?”  You ask silently, looking at the mutated animal with chin slightly tipped higher.

Coriolanus stands next to you to eye the poor rabbit. 

Its once soft fur was replaced with a coarse beard-like iridescent coat.  Its paws were bigger with ears larger than normal, and its eyes, ghostly pale.

“Nothing.  The rabbit was exposed to the toxic aftermath of an outdoor experiment.  We had it captured in case it proved dangerous.”

“Is it?”  You ask, trying to maintain your indifference.

“Do you pity that mutt, Miss Swansworth?”

Both you and Coriolanus straighten your posture as Dr. Gaul saunters inside her lab.

“It simply piqued my curiosity.”  You respond carefully.

Coriolanus leaves your side to sit himself in a desk set off for him and your eyes squint at how he acts so casually in the place.

“That was a good presentation you gave earlier.”  Dr. Gaul says as she cuts open what you think is-...was a salamander.

“Thank you, Dr. Gaul.”  You try to not to sound too giddy, you must have failed as you hear a snicker from Coriolanus.

Her hand stills and she looks at you with those dangerous eyes of hers making you hold your breath.

“You mentioned earlier that your study can advance the frontiers of science and that humanity can benefit on a broader scale.”  She looks at you fully now.  “To whom are you referring to, with this…‘humanity’?”  She waves her blood red glove in the air as she asks.

The scratching of pen stills from Coriolanus’ desk and you match Dr. Gaul’s intense stare with yours.

“Who else but us, Dr. Gaul.  The outcomes of my research will contribute to the collective well-being of the Capitol.  Subsequently, the Districts can derive…some advantages from the positive outcomes we achieve.  We cannot reap the same rewards.”  You tilt your head to the side, looking at her coyly from under your eyelashes.  “Afterall, anyone who is not us is an enemy.”

Coriolanus looks up from his desk to eye you.  Dr. Gaul recognizes the look.  It was the same one Crassus Snow had when he married his wife, and the exact same when he submitted the idea he had stolen from Casca Highbottom.  Dr. Gaul only laughs as she resumes her work.

“Would you be interested in studying under me?”  She asks after calming down from her crazed outburst.  “I see potential in you, just like Mr. Snow.  I would love to watch the two of you rise to power.”

You glance at him from your shoulder and find him already looking at you with so much intensity.  You had your eyes on him as you uttered your next words.  “I would love to, Dr. Gaul.”  With much satisfaction, you watched his jaw tighten, bringing a sly smile to your lips.

Having to work after classes in the laboratory gave Coriolanus a chance to observe you.

You were very much like the person you were before he left, but ironically, also really different.

He recognizes the way your eyes narrow and how your hand finds your chin when you encounter a setback.  You also became really proper.  The smiles you gladly throw at everyone back in the academy are gone.  You attended the social events alone too, no longer following Coriolanus around to get him to ask you to come as his date.

There was also the swarm of boys he loathed.

You did not entertain them of course, kindly declining their invites for coffees and luncheons.

“You seem awfully popular with the male population of the Capitol.”

The comment did not stop your movements, not even for a second.  The decadent caramel tart was far too good to waste a moment.

“Mmh, it appears so.”  You reply to Corioalanus who seated himself in front of you at your table.  You preferred having lunch alone, it gave you time to think.  But apparently, that was too much to ask.

You saw this a mile away.  He was coming to talk to you sooner than later, and here he is.  His caramel tart ignored as the polished man found you more interesting.

Wiping your mouth with a napkin, you reach for your coffee as you locked eyes with him.  Almost taunting him to say something about it.

Now, with his slicked back platinum hair, tight jaw, and eyes so cold and calculating.  He looks every bit like his father.

“Is that all you are here for? To talk about my suitors?”  You lean back in your chair, careful to keep your posture straight.

Certainly, that is not all he is here for.  You have witnessed this all around you, even back in the academy.  Protégés sizing up their enemies and rooting out possible competition.  It was not your fault Dr. Gaul was interested in how your mind works, although you have to be responsible for your mischievous glances after you win an argument against him.

Winning arguments, if only you knew how much he was holding back, to save you the embarrassment, to not scare you away with his twisted arguments.

He is letting you go as you please, letting you think you are winning, it would be far more rewarding when he steals the prize right before your eyes.

Coriolanus wonders if he can get you to cry.

“No.”  He grins charmingly, making your blood freeze.  “The Plinths invited me to golf this Sunday.  They asked me to bring a friend.”

Your eyes dart all around his face, trying to search for something that would give him away.

“What are you playing at?”  You spoke slowly.

Coriolanus only laughs heartily, a hand placed over his chest in feign hurt.  “You wound me.  I simply wanted to catch up.  Afterall…”  His eyes dart to the family crest pinned on your chest, his eyes suddenly darkening, smile sharpening dangerously as he looks up at you with hooded eyes.  “We’re childhood friends, aren’t we?”

He can be very persuasive. 

Especially those eyes of his.

You heave a sigh and gently bring your cup to your lips, taking your time to sip. 

“Alright.”

“Perfect.”  He beams brightly.  There is something awfully unsettling about it.

Coriolanus Snow finds your distrustful nature inviting.  You are right to be wary of him. 

Sunday comes faster than you would have appreciated. 

The Plinths were very kind people.  Partly because they oh so wanted to be accepted in the Capitol. 

You are leaning on the golf cart, arms folded as you watch Coriolanus laugh with Sejanus Plinth’s parents.

Your thinking posture returns as you observe them.  Back in the academy, you do not recall Coriolanus and Sejanus to be very close.  They were acquaintances, yes.  Nothing beyond that.  In retrospect, Sejanus was a really lonely kid.  Everybody loved his money but friendship with him was something the Capitol kids never crossed.  The kindness Coriolanus showed him, he must have mistaken it for bond.

Poor Sejanus.

“Y/N.”  Mrs. Plinth calls you over and you fix your sunglasses back on and you head their way.

“Sorry, needed to cool off a bit.”  You smile at them.

“Oh, of course.  Would you like some refreshments?”  She asked, worried.  You smile at her, watching closely if this is real or not.  It might be.

Coriolanus swings his club and sends the ball flying to the cup.

Mr. Plinth slaps his back showering the young boy with compliments.

You are unaware that it was you who is being watched now.

“It has been difficult for my husband and I.”  Mrs. Plinth says softly as she guides you under the shade and pours you a tall glass of lemonade.

You thank her but are not letting your guard down for whatever she may spring at you.

“Our son is gone but that boy.”  She smiles in the direction of Coriolanus.  “Our son loved him like a brother.  It may be selfish on my part but I see my boy in him.”

You drop your head, watching your reflection in the lemonade.

“And he has the Plinths’ full support for his endeavors.”

This catches your attention and the woman smiles at your expression.

“In every victory Panem has, there is always a Snow behind it.”  She raises her chin to gauge your reaction.  “And a Swansworth to help them see it through.”

You tip your own chin up and watch Coriolanus do a perfect swing.

“And so there is.”  You give her a sly smile and she returns it with her own.

You might have just met an ally.

The day ends and you cannot be upset with how it turned out.

“In a better mood, are we?”  Coriolanus says cooly, lips tugging up to one side.

You shrug as you both enter the building where you both live.  “Mrs. Plinth is not an awful company.”  A playful smile is also thrown his way.  “I also enjoyed the view.”

There it is.

“Oh, you did, didn’t you?”  He stops you dead on your tracks, preventing you from getting in the elevator.

You did not let his height be a great advantage as you met him with a proud smile.  “The golf course, I mean.”

“Indeed, the golf course.”  He nods as he looks down at you, a smirk tugging on his lips.  “The golf course with its blistering heat and dry wind, that golf course.”

“Exactly.”  You smile sardonically.  “Now, if you don’t mind, I must get to my apartment.”

He lets you inside the elevator and he follows closely.

You stand next to him in silence as the elevator ascends.

A couple of times, your gazes meet in your reflection.

“I’m running as president.”

You sigh as your back meets the cold elevator wall.

“I know.”

He looks at you now, arm leaning on the handrail.

“I want you with me.”

You roll your eyes, arms crossing.

“I was afraid you’d ask.”

He chuckles lowly.

For a moment, only the soft whirring of the elevator accompanied by the classical tune playing was the only noise filling the space.

“Forgive me.”  He finally says.

It is long overdue but you appreciate it still.

“There is nothing to forgive.”

The elevator dings and you get off.  He walks you to your apartment. 

“Good night, Y/N Swansworth.”

“Good night, Coriolanus Snow.”

And you gently close the door, your eye contact never breaking until all you see is the hardwood door.

You stand there for a long time, contemplating.  Your apartment is cold and empty but the lights from Capitol reflect inside your apartment, casting a soft glow in your family portrait and you look at your father in the eyes.

“Snow will land on top.”

Hunt for Glory

[dwellordream]

“Young women have always been for sale. In the fifth century bc, Herodotus describes the practice of selling Babylonian daughters at a yearly auction in his Histories. He wrote:

They used to collect all the young women who were old enough to be married and take the whole lot of them all at once to a certain place. A crowd of men would form a circle around them there. An auctioneer would get each of the women to stand up one by one, and he would put her up for sale. He used to start with the most attractive girl there, and then, once she had fetched a good price and been bought, he would go on to auction the next most attractive one. They were being sold to be wives, not slaves. All the well-off Babylonian men who wanted wives would outbid one another to buy the good-looking young women, while the commoners who wanted wives and were not interested in good looks used to end up with some money as well as the less attractive women.

The Babylonian men paid a bride price, but some of their money would come back to them because the young women were given dowries, which their husbands would administer even if they could not raid it. This exchange seems odd but was not so unusual in the classical world, where women served to cement together two male-controlled families. If a married daughter died without children, her money would go back to her family, which removed any incentive to harm her.

At the time, virginity was not always necessary to a girl’s successful marriage—the Lydians prostituted their daughters to raise money for their dowries. Because of the dangers of childbirth and high rate of early mortality in ancient Greece, it was common for wealthy relatives to provide not just their daughters but also their poor relations with dowries. Athenian law even required that the State dower poor women of just passable attractiveness; teeth were all that were required. Because Athens was under constant threat from its rivals, it depended on its young women to provide it with a constant stream of new soldiers.

Classical literature is filled with accounts of creative daughter disposal. In some memorable verses of The Odyssey, the father of Penelope, Odysseus’ wife, then thought to be a widow, urges her to marry the suitor with the most gifts. Greek fathers took care not to raise more daughters than they could dower. Outright infanticide was abhorrent to ancient Greeks, but they did practice “exposure,” wherein parents intentionally left unwanted infants exposed to the elements. They believed that the gods could choose to save the abandoned children, thereby eliminating their agency while achieving their aims. Husbands were not permitted to run through their wives’ dowries but neither could the wife.

A Greek woman’s dowry yielded about 18 percent per year, and if the couple got divorced, either party could request the dowry. It was returned to a woman’s guardian or, in certain cases, kept by the husband, who paid 18 percent interest to his former wife’s guardian for her support. The wealthier the family, the more likely it was that a marriage would take place between two young first cousins. Such marriages keep money in one family and tended to correlate with periods of cultural instability, when power was held by a few important families. Cousin marriage was particularly popular among the higher echelons in Elizabethan England, the Antebellum South, and in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Britain.

Greek girls who died in childhood were mourned specifically because they did not fulfill their destiny as wives and mothers. Their epitaphs make reference to their failure to marry, and the girls were quickly writ into myth. Like Persephone before them, they were considered married to Hades and dwelled, as wraiths, in the underworld.

In the Roman period, women did not fare better. Catullus sums up the Roman attitude toward marriage, writing, “If, when [a young woman] is ripe for marriage, she enters into wedlock, she is ever dearer to her husband and less hateful to her parents.”

The middle class continued to sell their daughters at regional markets throughout most European countries during the Middle Ages. For the upper middle classes, the social stasis of the period made marrying an heiress one of the only means to improve one’s social status, and it was nearly impossible to do without deception. The middle classes began to consult marriage brokers—a growing cottage industry in Europe—who would help them plot their rise, reconstruct their family histories, then help them relocate in order to achieve success in another part of the country. If a woman did marry up, she would find that she had much less control over both her body and her daily life—where she walked and even what she ate—than she had in a middle-class environment. In the upper classes, the legitimacy of heirs continued to be of primary importance, and as such women’s movements were intensely regulated.

Women were progressively more visible during the Renaissance. Increased trade created a new culture of conspicuous consumption, propped up by merchants and explorers who transported new goods through Genoa and Venice, Zanzibar and Constantinople, outward to European capitals and the known world. Newly available luxury goods made life easier and more enjoyable—tobacco, tea, coffee, silks, and spices facilitated a culture of male comfort in which wives and daughters played an important though entirely passive role. In ancient Greece and Rome women were kept mostly in the home, but during the Renaissance men put their velvet-swaddled wives and daughters on display, trotting them out in public, where they would often sit separately, saying little if anything but fulfilling a necessary decorative function. A woman’s beauty, or wealth, was most of all a statement about the social status of her presiding male, be he husband, father, or brother.

For much of the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance, sumptuary laws on food and goods defined and limited social space. By legislating who could obtain specific fabrics, foods, drink, and other luxuries, governments prevented servants and the middle classes from masquerading as aristocrats by denying them access to the materials necessary to appear richer than they were. Pre-Reformation Europeans were just beginning to let go of feudal social organization.

Though more people now lived in cities, family patriarchs had long made decisions for their large clans and were not interested in giving up a privilege that had served them so well. Daughters were married to create important and lasting connections between families. Those who could not be married off in a way that would benefit the clan were often forced into nunneries. For a noble family, sending a daughter to a convent or forcing her into spinsterhood was far preferable to tainting a family line by permitting her to marry beneath her station.

This system of dispensing with daughters worked peaceably for hundreds of years, until Henry VIII came to need a son and heir. When his attempts to have his first marriage, which had produced no sons, annulled by the pope failed, Henry charged ecclesiastical and secular legal scholars in England with finding a way to divorce his consort Catherine and marry his pregnant mistress Anne Boleyn. Their solution was divorce and breaking away from the Catholic Church. Henry began the violent dissolution of Catholic monasteries in 1536. It lasted for four years, during which the crown plundered church lands, sold them off to rich allies, and used the surplus cash to wage dubious wars in France. For wealthy young women, newly Anglican, there was an additional change, perhaps the single most significant social change women would see until suffrage. Their safe haven—the convent—was now gone.

The absence of nunneries sent numerous marriageable aristocratic young women into circulation. When once they would have been in the country, awaiting the marriages arranged for them, or preparing to enter a convent, these young girls were now brought to court, which is where they were most likely to find husbands. By the time Henry’s daughter Elizabeth I began her reign in 1558, the atmosphere surrounding marriage had a new urgency.

Elizabeth’s rule began in religious chaos after her predecessor, her half sister Mary, violently restored Roman Catholicism to England. Elizabeth spent the better part of her first years on the throne fighting for her father’s Protestantism in an effort to fend off those who wished to depose her. Her legitimacy was questioned with every decision she made, and she understood that her courtiers were her key to maintaining the throne. She tightened her control over the aristocracy by reducing its size to a new low. She stripped disloyal aristocrats of their titles or made it known they were not welcome at court.

It was against this tumultuous backdrop that Elizabeth, in an effort to form beneficial social and political alliances, began having young ladies ceremonially presented to her at court. These presentations were small affairs and limited to the daughters of Elizabeth’s most important courtiers. They took place in the queen’s “withdrawing room,” a private room, but located next to larger public rooms, where she could go with a smaller party. The girls were led from a public stateroom into the smaller adjoining room at Hampton Court palace, so that other courtiers would know who was being favored.

At the more private ceremony of presentation, the young girls curtsied to the queen. The young girls had a vivid experience of being watched and assessed, enhanced by the fact that of the roughly 1,500 people in regular attendance at court, only fifty were women. These presentations came to be referred to as “drawing rooms,” and they engendered a curious experience that blended ostentatious display with the familial and private, a mix that would continue to characterize the debutante ritual for its duration

Many of the presented young women served her as attendants and became intermediaries between Elizabeth and the wider circle of her court. They helped Elizabeth to exert control over the nobility by creating an elegant buffer between the monarch and her courtiers. In order to present a petition to the queen, one first gave it to a lady-in-waiting, along with a fee that the lady in question would determine based on her closeness with the queen. Elizabeth encouraged her ladies to charge exorbitantly for this service—not so much because they’d have some independence, but so they would have enough money to be able to gamble with her.

She also regularly rejected petitions based on their lack of generosity toward her ladies. The queen could also be capricious—Elizabeth’s ladies-in-waiting could not marry of their own volition. Elizabeth Vernon spent a week in prison (with her new husband the Earl of Southampton) for marrying without the queen’s permission. Lettice Knollys was banished permanently for marrying Elizabeth’s favorite courtier, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. When Elizabeth discovered that another lady-in-waiting, Mary Shelton, was secretly married, she attacked her and broke her finger.

Elizabeth’s social standards and rituals persisted after her death, with queens taking over control of drawing rooms and social presentations even when there was a king on the throne. Elizabethan presentations-at-court served a very clear political purpose. Though they bore little resemblance to the feverish social theater that characterized the fully developed debutante ritual of the nineteenth century, these court presentations provided the foundation for modern debutante culture and served, too, as its myth of origin.

They show the important link between society and politics, a symbiotic relationship that only deepened as the ritual became institutionalized and spread outward to all corners of the British Empire. Elizabeth’s backroom maneuvers—quick conferences with her ladies or political advisers—provided the precedent for the many political meetings that took place at debutante parties in later centuries, and emphasized the soft power of social settings, which were controlled by women who understood that the way to power was not always hard work or even fortunate birth, but judicious conversation next to a sloshing punch bowl or quivering trifle.

The Stuart monarchs who followed Elizabeth continued the tradition of the drawing room (“with” was dropped from “withdrawing room” in the late seventeenth century), which retained its function as a matchmaking tool. Elizabeth’s successor, James I, arranged the marriage of his favorite courtier, the charming spendthrift James Hay, to Honoria Denny by granting Honoria’s reluctant father a title and royal patent. While these high-level marriages took strategy, marriage law remained chaotic. There was no legislation that defined marriage, and there were no protections for women after they were married. Rather, the absence of law meant that women might be forced into marriage by their fathers, married by capture, or tricked into marriage.

The age of consent to marriage was twelve for women and fourteen for men, and contracts were often made during the “unripe years.” It was a particularly dangerous time to be an heiress. During these years women could inherit property. Inheritance law was not clear on whether her property would become her husband’s upon marriage. Without knowing if they could control their property, many women resisted marriage.

Restrictive regulations for daughters intensified after they were wives, especially if they were considered to have broken proper codes of behavior. If a wife were to be convicted of adultery, she would lose her dowry or marriage portion and her husband could make a good case that she could punitively lose her property as well. There was no comparable financial forfeiture for adulterous men, and courts habitually disbelieved women who tried to defend themselves against claims of adultery. It is not difficult to explain widespread female acquiescence.”

- Kristen Richardson, “Marriage (Market Price).”

[leportraitducadavre]

It's this article even real? I found it hard to believe someone would read the manga or watch the show and decide that Naruto "doesn't need the overdone Sasuke Arc".

First and most importantly, Sasuke singlehandedly moves the entirety of the plot forward, he doesn't have an entire arc dedicated to himself because he's relevant for every single arc the story possesses, and he's the reason key characters behave the way they do; taking away Sasuke's journey to make him a complying tool of the state wipes out the reasoning behind every villain's actions, therefore, it destroys them as well.

It's hilarious how this article exists to take away Sasuke's relevance within the story to give it completely to Naruto, something his fandom has wanted since the very beginning of the manga and that Kishimoto never complied.

In the Naruto series, Sasuke was Naruto's rival in the Hidden Leaf. However, he was training to kill his older brother, Itachi, for wiping out their clan. In time, Sasuke would learn Itachi did what he did to protect Konoha as their Uchiha kin wanted a coup. This enraged Sasuke, who nonetheless vowed to kill Itachi and exact revenge on Konoha.

Okay so, we start awfully, and no surprises there. Sasuke killed Itachi and later on, through Obito, learned about the reasoning behind his brother's actions. It's after this that he vows to bring down those who allowed and encouraged the construction of a system that pushed the Uchiha to rise up against this power dome and forced his brother to murder his entire family.

Regardless of the circumstances, Sasuke hated the fact he had to grow up alone. This is the reason he joined the Akatsuki, formed his own terrorist cell called Taka, and tried to murder Naruto after the wars against Obito and Madara.

No. You cannot use "regardless of the circumstances" when those circumstances are detrimental to his character's actions and the functioning of the system against which he, like other characters throughout the plot, stands. He not only hated having to grow up alone (a consequence of, once again, the genocide carried out BY THE STATE ITSELF through his brother), but also the indiscriminate murder of his relatives, both those who engineered the coup and those who were profiled based on biological conditions over which they had no control.

Also, there was one single war against Obito and Madara that stretched through a couple of days for which he participated in bringing down both of them as his idea of revolution didn't partake in their idea of absolute control of people's minds.

The Naruto movie (and obviously, the sequels) would be better served by doing something unpredictable. The Evil Sasuke arc is overdone, especially since it comes up in the Boruto era. In the latter case, a redeemed Sasuke keeps using it as a lesson to teach Boruto and Kawaki why they should not let rage guide them. Fans don't like being reminded how unnecessary this was in the source material.

Overdone? Did this guy actually watch the anime at least? The entirety of the plot focuses on the system flaws that even the protagonist is "set to change", Sasuke's arc is detrimental to the story as both Naruto and Sasuke observe the same issue from different standpoints, the former wants to keep the system and make gradual changes as not to "bring chaos" and the latter wants its complete destruction as a gradual change only guarantees greater injustices being committed over time until it is "changed".

Take Sasuke off of this equation and there's no reason for Naruto to even go on or have any introspection on the matter of Konoha's political and military system --and I'm being incredibly kind about this as even when Sasuke blatantly exposes it Naruto has a hard time grasping the most basic concepts to rebel against.

Additionally, Sasuke's villain arc would be a lot to condense into live-action, even if it's done over a trilogy. It could be done the way the MCU took 10 years to build the Thanos fight in Avengers: Endgame, but by that time, the story would be stale. Everyone would know what happened. The advantage the MCU had while adapting the source material is that it subverted the lore and crafted an original story. c

Does this author actually know what "adaptation" actually means? Or what it entails? What they seem to want is a reversion of the story as they desire to modify the entirety of the character that is the main plot device within the original product, not an adaptation. Also, what's with the last phrase? How can Sasuke be a loyal rogue? That's a contradiction in itself, is he a rogue of Konoha or is he loyal to Konoha? Pick one -you can't have both.

The advantage of Sasuke being a rebel without defecting from Konoha is that Naruto would have the help needed to fight the big villains of the franchise: the Ōtsutsuki. 

Sasuke fought alongside Naruto against Kaguya, bringing the union of former Team 7, without having to compromise his original ideals... did they just... forget?

Kaguya was the first alien who came to Earth, got sealed away, and then tried to return to enslave it. Naruto and Sasuke were reincarnations of her sons (Ashura and Indra, respectively), but the manga and anime didn't spend much time detailing how they would form their clans down the line and the emotional impact Kaguya had fighting her descendants.

Haha, come on, this is clickbait isn't it? Ashura and Indra are not Kaguya's sons, they're her grandchildren that reminded her of her sons, bet your ass this is a Boruto fan that just heard about the original series and wrote whatever this was without eyeing the og manga.

but the manga and anime didn't spend much time detailing how they would form their clans down the line and the emotional impact Kaguya had fighting her descendants.

That's because one of Kaguya's sons went to live on the moon and the other one, Hagoromo, had two sons on Earth (Indra and Ashura) who -as the manga establishes, founded their own clans (Uchiha and Senju respectively) that were at war until Konoha's foundation.

It focused heavily on Sasuke plotting in the shadows, and Naruto forming an army, realizing much later in the story of their link to Kaguya.

What? They learned about their connection to Kaguya through Hagoromo before fighting her, Sasuke also never plotted in the shadows, he blatantly tells them he wants a Revolution and later on decides to kill Naruto as he's his last connection to his past! That's the whole reason they fight!

By switching this up and making lineage a primary and not secondary arc, the movie can dial more into the emotional core: Sasuke and Naruto exploring their family tree and the overall theme of dynasty. Sasuke could learn more about how Indra developed a dark side, which passed down to the Uchiha, while Ashura's light gave way to the Senju and Uzumaki (Naruto's family) clans.

That's incredibly explored throughout the manga. The Senju are the only clan linked canonically to Ashura himself, the Uzumaki obtained Ashura's attention after the Senju disappeared as they were distant relatives.

Also, love the distinction of "Indra developed a dark side which passed down to the Uchiha" and "Ashura's light gave way to the Senju". Hagoromo favored this distinction by granting the totality of his power to one of his sons and expecting the other to be functional to his brother's decisions. If Hagoromo considered that Ashura's position was better than Indra's, why did he not teach his eldest son to make similar decisions? How is it that Indra decided to form a clan and a collective group of people if his idea was to move and gain power alone? How is it that Ashura, the being full of light, decided to fight his brother for power instead of seeking a peaceful solution to work together if what he wanted was power through union? Why did he not question the idea of a single person having the totality of command?

This would allow the movie to not hinge on Naruto and his fate with his Nine-Tailed Demon Fox (Kurama).

This just proves my initial point.

Instead, Sasuke would become a key player by garnering clues as to who Kaguya is. This would also unearth her plan to place everyone in a dream state (via the Infinite Tsukuyomi genjutsu technique) and drain their chakra. In other words, he would be the egotistical brains of the operation, while Naruto functions as the go-lucky muscle.

What's the point of doing all that if this exact thing ends up happening anyway without having to destroy any character's core? Are they serious?

This would not be different from what's been seen with Iron Man and Captain America, and Batman and Superman.

Brain minimized by the same comic story over and over again, what's the point of seeing a dynamic story repeated hundreds of times in different products? Is the main idea of this theme to make audiences like this guy believe that he possesses some kind of intellect because he can predict a plot he has seen thousands of times before?

Such an approach speaks to the legacy of both warriors, which makes them the yin and yang they were meant to be. 

Don't believe this fool. Sasuke and Naruto as characters explore the Yin and Yang implications very well as they are, he doesn't seem to understand what this metaphor actually entails.

Such a change fits Sasuke's destiny organically because this is the kind of sleuth he would become in the Boruto era, where he atoned and roamed the lands as a Ranger. This same development felt rushed and left-field in the manga, as he never did that kind of work before.

Making Sasuke a heroic anchor in the Naruto movie also works for the evolution of Team 7. To start with, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura were all trained by Kakashi, but their story felt disjointed. Naruto was preoccupied with bringing Sasuke home, Sasuke was off seeking Itachi and an army, while Sakura tried to quell the anger in both of them. This took away time from her personal development and detracted from the bigger threat of the aliens. By making the plot so convoluted, fans found it odd the Boruto era would marry Sakura and Sasuke, despite them never being developed as an official romantic couple.

By not splintering the team, Naruto's director, Daniel Destin Cretton, can focus on what made Team 7 work in the first place. Sakura was known to stop arguments and function as the team's mature, responsible leader. Naruto also liked her while she liked Sasuke. Sakura eventually realized she needed to change the views of Konoha and have the village recognize female shinobi more. This worked in the love triangle that allowed Sasuke to develop feelings for Sakura that would pay off down the line. This would also allow Naruto to understand he was meant to lead the Hidden Leaf.

What is removing Sasuke's entire characterization gonna do for the rest of the characters? The author is not saying Sakura realized this canonically, by the way the paragraph goes, what he implies is that she could realize this in the movie. So he’s telling us that Sakura didn’t notice she needed to change Konoha’s views about females because Sasuke wasn’t there to help her or what? It's Sasuke staying that detrimental to her development?

He wants to change everything about the original Team 7 in order to make them fit their Boruto’s characterizations. Hell, I bet he’s a Boruto fan who barely watched the original series, I’ll go as far as to state he used AI to write this garbage.

That also was Tsunade’s ordeal as well. Shikamaru questioned her involvement and was proven wrong when she “consoled” him after Sasuke’s Retrieval Arc and proved herself to be a good Kage. He’s asking something of Sakura that Tsunade already did.

Does he know what character development is? Why should they change everything about the original series to fit better the spin-off? Is the spin-off that it's badly written as it couldn't follow the original's characterizations, not the other way around.

According to his page, Renaldo Matadeen, "author" of this abysmal take, focuses on: As a filmmaker and scriptwriter, Renaldo loves to dissect the nuances of stories, especially narratives involving people of colour, minorities, and the socially-displaced. He believes art is a medium to reflect and provoke, and loves engaging in content that evokes this energy. 

So you mean to tell me that Sasuke, a metaphor for the socially displaced people, a survivor of a state-sanctioned genocide, and a revolutionary is somehow better by being stripped of any value inside a story that focused on his struggles, to begin with? That somehow the story would be better if he, a minority, was more complacent with the State that represses him?

[an-au-blog]

Sanon back. White Beard Buggy has 10k words(I'm not sorry, yes you'll get links when they are posted I promise)

White Beard Buggy also became the explosives expert at 11. White Beard has photos in his office of his kids achievements so when Shanks pulls up at 32 ready to start alliance negotiations he's already planning to steal Buggy back he sees the photos of how Buggy absolutely flourished under Roger's rival and White Beard explains it's because Buggy has over sensitive observation haki and his former crew didn't recognize it. Buggy is never present for the meetings even though he's the combat commander.

When Ace joins he thinks Marco and Buggy are dating, they're not. They're just each other's favorites so of course they're touchy. Also Marco keeps setting Buggy on fire with his fruit. Ace is genuinely concerned because of his fruit, everyone assures him it's fine as 15 commanders form a pile to sleep. Everyone also assures Ace this is fine and normal since they all grew up together.

Marineford everyone is there, the former Roger Pirates, Redhair Pirates, Luffy, White Beard and his entire fleet, Impel Down escapees. When Akainu throws his lava punch that's supposed to kill Ace and Luffy, Buggy throws himself in the way of the punch and he only just survives because of his fruit but he's got a foot in both worlds.

When they all meet on an island a couple days later Rayleigh is laying into White Beard for not telling them. Shanks is in the medical tent holding Luffy and talking to Ace as Marco is sleeping with his head on Buggy's legs and healing the guy with his fire. Even Shanks thinks their dating and Ace has to go "they're not, this is just how they always are. He sets Buggy on fire every time they see each other, I have joined the sleep piles. The love of your life runs colder than the North Pole."

Shanks without hesitation as Crocus, Rayleigh, and White Beard comes in "South Pole is colder." Buggy hearing this mumbles "North Pole idiot" and White Beard laughs so hard he shakes Marco awake. When Buggy is better, after having everyone under the sun lay into him for taking that hit or not disclosing his fruit and how powerful he is. Ace and Marco do not let him out of their sight as they set off with Shanks and Luffy to make sure his crew is okay.

Shanks excitedly listens to all of Buggy's stories of being the third commander(moving to first when he and Marco go back so that Marco can take over as Captain) and he shows them some of his safer bombs. Luffy is like "wow shanks you're so in love" and Marco just yells that he called it. As Buggy rolls his eyes and holds Shanks' hand because maybe he's a little in love with the Redhaired idiot, maybe.

Ayooo Whitebeard Buggy is growing!

Wow this is soooo sxdcrftvgbyhnjmk

I'd love to imagine teen Ace being so nervous that he can't control the fire always but then the rest of the crew is so accepting and they act like it's no big deal and it just gives him the air of confidence.

Which reminds me of the bizarre fact that Ace and Buggy IN CANON became friends so easily and effortlessly. Oh, I want to see those two being silly together so bad ;-;

UGH YES! BUGGY TO THE RESCUE! I just want Ace to live, you know? And Buggy may be a bit of a coward, but I think once he's gotten into the Whitebeard pirates and felt the welcome feeling of feeling at home and in his place, he'd do anything for them.

What's a bonus to the "Marco and Buggy" allegations, I think that Buggy is a very touch-starved person in general. So when he finds people he feels comfortable with it feels natural to convey their bond with physical touch.

Shanks being jealous of Marco is so peak to me. He's childish and gets jealous easily, enough so, that he has his nephew - Ace, explain it to him. He's still suspicious of it all but learns that, yes, Buggy just grew up to be more comfortable around people. Yet another side of him that Shanks learns to love...

[aquaburst3]

Brought this up a couple times on the Darklina server, but I want to put it out there on here. Mal/Alina ironically comes across as a male centric power fantasy pairing. Alina has to lower herself to be with him. He also treats her as this dainty flower that must be protected while valuing her purity and wanting to vanquish the other man. While Aleks, especially in the show, comes across as an equal and someone who cherishes her for who she is.

To compare these pairings to Disney ones, they are like Jasmine/Aladdin to Belle/Adam. One was awarded the girl while the other had to earn it by fixing himself. Malina is the former, which is more male centric as a pairing. Darklina is the latter, being female centric.

I understand what LB was trying to make Mal Peeta-like, but it falls flat. When Mal seems like the one you would expect to be based on the abusive ex instead of his rival, you know you fucked up somewhere. Let's face it. Many women have an ex like book!Mal.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Yale Climate Connections:

Asheville, North Carolina, seemed like a good place to escape the worst of a warming world. The city’s appealing four-season climate includes summers with a typical daily high around 84°F – unusually low for the Southeast U.S. – and winters that aren’t too frigid. There’s typically plenty of moisture throughout the year, but with a mountain rain shadow that keeps Asheville a bit less wet than most of its neighbors. And the city takes climate seriously: findings from a climate resilience assessment have already been incorporated into Asheville’s comprehensive planning document.

In a 2018 Rolling Stone article, Jeff Goodell profiled one climate refugee who had considered the Tampa area before settling on Asheville. “No place is without risk, but in Asheville, the risks seem manageable,” Jeff Kaplan told Goodell. A 2021 Blue Ridge Public Radio segment portrayed Asheville as a climate “winner.”

Then came Hurricane Helene. After striking the Florida Panhandle at Category 4 strength, the storm took a quirky left hook across the southern Appalachians, pushing mammoth amounts of moisture upslope. Making matters worse, a predecessor rain event ahead of Helene had dumped six to 12 inches of rain across the region a day before the storm itself arrived.

The result was one of the most devastating, prolonged, and deadly hurricane-related U.S. flood disasters since the cataclysm of Katrina in 2005. Across the southern Appalachians – including Asheville – Helene destroyed roads, knocked out power and water lines, crippled communications, and took dozens of lives.

Among the things that make Helene different is that it arrived at a time when hurricane behavior is being measurably amped up in multiple ways by human-caused climate change. And it hammered a place now widely viewed to be at least somewhat insulated from the worst impacts of that changing climate.

Many folks seeking out climate-change-protected places in the U.S. have leaned toward small, progressive cities in relatively cool parts of the Midwest and East. Spikes in heat, drought, and wildfire that have plagued the West seem more likely to be tempered in these apparent havens. And in many of them, climate adaptation efforts are already underway.

As it turns out, most of the country east of the Rockies is getting wetter. Especially over the central and southern Appalachians, some locations saw a 5 to 10% rise in official annual precipitation when their 1980-2011 climate averages were replaced by the 1991-2020 figures. In Asheville, a typical year’s precipitation jumped from 37.32 to 40.61 inches.

Along with Asheville, a couple of other often-cited climate-change oases in the U.S. Midwest and East have experienced landmark rains and floods in recent years.

Duluth, Minnesota, referred to in a 2023 New York Times writeup as “climate-proof Duluth” (and the subject of a study on how climate migration might change the city), experienced the worst flooding in its history on June 19-20, 2012, when the city was swamped by a record 7.24 inches of rain in 24 hours. Colossal rains were even more widespread across northeast Minnesota on June 18, 2024, when a number of stations reported 5-7.5 inches of rain – a daily total with an expected recurrence interval of 500 to 1,000 years, according to the National Weather Service.

Vermont has long stood out as a potential U.S. climate refuge, with its environmentally friendly reputation, ample greenery and mountains, and normally mild summers. But when former Hurricane Irene ripped across the state as a tropical storm in August 2011, it brought massive rainfall that triggered one of Vermont’s worst disasters on record, rivaling or exceeding the notorious floods of 1927 in some areas. Then in 2023, weeks of early-summer wildfire smoke filtering south from Canada were followed by the Great Vermont Flood of July 10-11. Triggered by up to 9.61 inches of rain, the floods caused more than $2.2 billion in damage across northern New England and triggered the region’s first-ever flash flood emergency.

[hungrywriter]

Beyond The Pitch (Pt. 3)

Jobe Bellingham x female!reader

Y/n found herself back in the comfort of her homeland, seeking solace in the familiar surroundings of her living room. With a week to spare before her upcoming match, she had taken the opportunity to visit her family. Yet, her thoughts kept drifting back to one person—Jobe.

She couldn't help but check her phone repeatedly, hoping for a message from him. She had reached out to him the night before and again this morning, pouring her heart into each text. But so far, there has been no response.

It had been seven months since they had first met, and their connection had blossomed into something beautiful. Although they hadn't officially labelled themselves as a couple, the way Jobe acted around her, his shy demeanour, and the thoughtful gifts he bestowed upon her made her feel as though they were more than just friends. She had heard whispers of Jobe's reputation as a person who plays with girls’ hearts, following in the footsteps of his brother, but he had assured her that she was different, that he would never betray her trust. And she had believed every word.

As Y/n reminisced about her childhood, a vivid flashback took her back to the days when she and Marie were inseparable. They had shared a deep love for soccer, spending countless hours playing the sport and watching matches together. The bond they shared was built upon their shared passion, and their dreams of becoming footballers fueled their friendship.

Wherever they went, soccer was the topic of conversation. They would talk endlessly about their favourite players and teams, often indulging in vivid fantasies of playing alongside the legends they idolised. Their dreams were intertwined, and they made a pact to support each other as they pursued their footballing ambitions.

But as time went on, Y/n's skills and talent began to shine brighter than Marie's. Y/n's dedication and natural ability drew attention from the team, and whispers of her becoming the new captain started to circulate. The recognition Y/n received, though well-deserved, began to stir jealousy within Marie.

Rather than celebrating her friend's success, Marie's jealousy consumed her. She couldn't bear the thought of being overshadowed by Y/n's talent and the prospect of Y/n's rising fame. In her desperation, Marie resorted to dark tactics, attempting to bring Y/n down. She engaged in cheating and sabotaged the votes, hoping to tarnish Y/n's reputation and secure her own position.

However, Marie's devious actions were eventually exposed, leading to her expulsion from the team. Y/n watched as their once unbreakable bond shattered, replaced by a bitter rivalry. To Y/n's surprise, Marie ended up joining a rival team, equally powerful and skilled. Their paths had diverged, turning former friends into fierce competitors.

Y/n couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness and disappointment. The dreams they once shared had been tainted by envy and betrayal. As Y/n faced the upcoming challenges, her heart carried the weight of their broken friendship. She longed for the days when they were united by their love for the sport, dreaming together without a hint of rivalry or animosity.

Y/n's thoughts were abruptly shattered by the buzzing of her phone. She hesitantly picked it up, hoping for a message from Jobe to clear up the chaos inside her. But instead, it was a message from an unknown number. With trembling hands, she clicked on it, and her world came crashing down.

The screen displayed a video, and her heart sank as she realised it was from Marie's phone. Y/n watched in disbelief as the scene unfolded before her eyes. It showed Jobe and Marie dancing intimately in a crowded club. Her grip tightened on the phone as Marie pulled Jobe closer, their lips locking in a passionate embrace. Y/n's mind raced, trying to process the shock and confusion.

Before she could gather her thoughts, another message appeared from the same number. It was from Marie, the source of her deepest betrayal.

“Your boyfriend’s an awesome kisser,” the message taunted. The words cut through Y/n like a knife, igniting a surge of anger, sadness, and disgust all at once. She was left grappling with a whirlwind of emotions, unsure of how to navigate the devastation that had consumed her world.

Her coach's text interrupted her torment, urging her to check the news. With trembling hands, she opened the news app, and the headline pierced her heart. There, plastered on the screen, was a picture of Jobe and Marie in the club, with the damning headline: "Jobe Bellingham spotted dancing with Marie Williams. Where is Y/n L/n?"

Y/n couldn't bear the weight of it all. Tears cascaded down her face as she felt the overwhelming weight of betrayal and heartbreak crashing down on her. Why was she constantly tested by fate's cruel hand? The pain of losing her friendship with Marie was unbearable enough, but now Jobe too? It was too much to bear.

As she sat lost in her sadness, her phone rang persistently, signaling Jobe's desperate attempts to reach out. She ignored the first call, and the next four that followed. She wished he would just give up, leave her alone. But his persistence weighed heavily on her already shattered heart.

Finally, she gathered the courage to open his messages, hoping for some explanation, some semblance of remorse. But it was a series of apologies and desperate pleas, each one piercing her wounded soul. Her mind was clouded with embarrassment, sadness, and a need to protect herself.

Unable to find the right words to express her pain, she typed a short but cutting response: 'Never talk to me again. Lose this number.' With a trembling finger, she blocked him on every social media platform, cutting off any remaining connection between them. The weight of her anguish seemed unbearable, engulfing her entirely.

In an attempt to find solace, she sought refuge in a long, calming bath, hoping to wash away the stress and turmoil that had consumed her. Yet, even as the water washed over her, she couldn't escape the lingering ache in her heart, wondering what she had done to deserve such pain and betrayal.

[fandomworld9728]

King of Hell Adam and Queen of Hell Lucifer au

Is Paimon is still devoted to Lucifer only or he is devoted to both Adam and Luci? Maybe not Adam because he is a “human” and Luci is an angelic being.

Charlie is a lot more confident in this au so she probably doesn’t care what Paimon say about her. And she would put Paimon in his place.

Also I headcanon Paimon is attracted to creatures who hold innate unimaginable power . He have a “crush” on Lucifer more like obsession.

Adam notice this fucking owl making those ‘simp eyes’ at HIS angel his Queen.

Ooo~ What a fun ask. Let's see here.

I agree with that head-canon that Paimon is attracted to creatures hold innate unimaginable power. That and a few other of my own personal head-canons are why he is so devoted to Lucifer.

Paimon is devoted to the whole royal family to very different degrees for a variety of reasons. Most of them having to do with Lucifer. While he does respect Adam for all he has done for him and his family and as Hell's King, he also sees the first man as a rival in love.

And sees Adam as inferior to himself since Adam was a human and Paimon a former Angel like Lucifer. He made the mistake of saying that in front of the couple and learned the hard way that some thoughts are better kept to himself.

You're half right about Charlie. While she is still more confident, she is very much like Lucifer where she goes into spirals and wants to make good impressions and have people like/respect her. All while still being able to be herself.

She won't put Paimon in his place unless he's crossed a line. It doesn't happen often, but it keeps him in line for a while and reminds him just why Charlie is the heir to the Throne of Hell as a whole instead of ruling over one of the other Rings of Hell.

Paimon's crush on Lucifer is very much like an obsession. One that he gets to indulge in every once and a while in the royals are feeling generous that day. While Adam isn't a huge fan of Paimon, he knows that he'd never do anything to hurt Lucifer, so he puts up with it until a line has been crossed. That's when he steps in.

Since Adam can't always be there when Lucifer is feeling needy or it's a night Lucifer is insatiable, and Adam doesn't have the stamina to go more than a few rounds, Paimon is one of the few people they allow in their bed to help satisfy the Queen.

Doesn't mean Adam has to like it. Just because he's all for sharing and adding people into their relationship, he makes sure that Paimon doesn't get too attached. He still is possessive of his Angel.

[yujeong]

i spotted some talk of ace vegas 👀 please continue if you want.

there's a lot of demi pete acknowledgement, but i can totally get why vegas would be a service top as an ace person

Hey there, anon! Thank you so much for sending me this! I'd love to expand on my thoughts actually, since I'm pretty sure I haven't stumbled across any posts that delve into this headcanon about Vegas. However, before saying more, I'd like to give 2 important disclaimers: 1. I'm not ace, or at least I don't think I am (sexuality has been a fraught topic to me for the past couple of years, I try not to think about it), so everything I'm about to say should be taken with a grain of salt - as well as be corrected if I say sth stupid or inaccurate, 2. The "ace Vegas" headcanon isn't an original thought of mine. A former fandom friend had mentioned it once in a server I used to be a part of, and it intrigued me. Now, on to the topic at hand. Apologies in advance, because this ended up being super long: Vegas' sexuality and how he expresses it has been a very interesting topic to me due to how much emphasis is put on it throughout the show. From the way he flirts with Porsche (horribly) to the way his room is decorated or the way he dresses and acts, the man oozes sexual appeal, so much so that he rivals Kinn, aka the horniest man on planet Earth. But the more we get exposed to it, the more it makes me wonder: is Vegas really a "sex freak" or is he using it as a weapon to win against Kinn? Because if Vegas copies other things Kinn does in order to win against him - the suits, the boyfriends, the mafia tactics - why wouldn't he copy his (presumed) sex life? Why wouldn't he try spicing up his image as this scary sadist with the cuffs and the whips and the XL vegan condoms, in order to rival his cousin? Adding the ace aspect here, it could also be a way for him to cope with the fact that he hasn't experienced sexual attraction towards anyone in comparison to Kinn (because it is of vital importance to me that everything Vegas thinks about himself is because of Kinn). He can see how Kinn stares at the men he fucks, he can see the hunger; it's sth he lacks. He feels inferior to Kinn due to this, he feels like a freak - as he told Pete, I'll expand upon that line later - so, he overcompensates for it.... ...which brings me to the mirror scene. Yes, that mirror scene. I'd say it's one of two scenes that could discourage someone from having the "ace Vegas" headcanon, due to how Vegas is alone and fantasizes about Porsche while (I assume) touching himself, BUT I have two counter-arguments to that: 1. Vegas is so deep into this facade he's put on that he's trying to persuade himself to feel powerful for managing to incapacitate Porsche, even though he eventually failed to do what he had wanted to, 2. Vegas isn't fantasizing about Porsche himself, but rather the thing he did to him, the act. He managed for a little while to have the upper hand on him, and that power makes him feel good (aka horny). Is it a stretch? Maybe. Since a lot of fans love Vegas being a hardcore sadist who practices BDSM (something I'm in the minority of), perhaps ace Vegas doesn't sound believable - even though a LOT of ace people practice BDSM, as is known. Now, let's examine VegasPete in this context:

Vegas hadn't shown any interest to Pete pre-spying shenanigans, and even then, he mostly taunts the poor man. Condoms and ass grabs and merits, that's the most he does to Pete up until ep10, when he has him tied up in his basement and tortures him. I do love how most of the torturing he does to Pete is sexual or has sexual implications (RIP Pete's balls). It emphasizes how Vegas uses sex as a weapon to achieve his goals, whatever those may be - which, in Pete's case, are just him trying to redirect his intense anger from his failure onto someone else. Vegas knows how powerful sex is - it's why he used it to drive Pete's attention away from his issues after they buried the hedgehog and Pete told him he shouldn't hit himself. And being ace, he's more detached to it (by not being attracted to the person he's using his tactics against), so he's better at it. He excels at it, it gives him a perverted sense of self-confidence. Now, their NC scene is one of my favorites exactly because of what anon mentioned: Vegas reads so much as a service top in it. He is 100% focused on Pete and how good he's making him feel. His own orgasm can very well be considered an afterthought and it's perfect. With all of this, I can't help but see the possibility of him being ace. The last 2 things I want to mention are from the next scene, because they're also arguments that could be used against this headcanon: 1) "Do you know how sexy you are?" and 2) "I thought I was a freak, until now" Ok, so, a question: if we take into consideration the idea of Vegas being ace - a Vegas who compares himself to Kinn, a Vegas who uses sex as a tool, a Vegas who thinks of himself as an unlovable monster, a Vegas who hates himself to the point of being suicidal - then what's the most probable outcome of him having the first actual good sexual experience in his life? Answer: he'll get hella confused lol What I mean by this, is that Vegas didn't suddenly become allosexual from this experience with Pete. Vegas simply... fell in love. (or, more accurately, the feeling that had been building up inside him since the pill kiss cemented itself in his heart after they had sex) And what do some people do when they have a similar experience? They confuse romantic love with sexual attraction, thinking they experienced one thing when they did the other. That's what I believe happened with Vegas. He thought he's not a freak because he figured he's sexually attracted to Pete, when in reality the poor fucker loves Pete romantically. If we can accept the fact that Vegas knows shit all about proper BDSM practices (Pete isn't even looking that up lmao), then he sure af doesn't know about the differences between sexual and romantic attraction. Hence, what he told Pete. I think that's all I wanted to say, which is a lot already haha, but in order to properly expand upon this issue, I needed to write an essay of a post. I'm sorry if it was tiring and thank you again anon for your ask ❤️❤️

[ask-prismaknight]

Hi!

Welcome to the askblog! This is where you can ask questions directly to Prisma and her friends. My main is @startistdoodles (where likes/follows come from). I have posts regarding all my headcanons tagged there under #kirby worldbuilding.

A few notes upfront:

Depending on the amount of asks I receive, I may not be able to respond to every one of them. Please understand.

On a similar note, please refrain from repeatedly asking the same/similar question multiple times.

Please keep asks PG-13 at most.

The characters are not omnipotent, so lore-related questions about the world or things they may not know will be moved over to @startistdoodles .

My AU follows both anime and game lore, so characters from either can be asked about. Generally anyone who is not dead is free to talk.

Side modes such as Knightmare and Dededetour are not canon to my AU. However, Soul Bosses and Magolor Epilogue are canon.

That's about it! I'll update this post with anything else if needed.

Under the cut is information on some of the characters of interest.

Prisma Knight

Prisma Knight (she/her) is a Star Warrior turned queen after she got into an accident involving Dark Matter that resulted in her losing her wings. Ashamed, she fled her troop and went into hiding on Planet Permafrost. There she was crowned queen after saving the inhabitants from a terrifying threat.

Many years later, she reunited with her old friend Meta Knight and was brought to Popstar, where she currently lives with her servants and new friends.

Kirby

Kirby (he/him or they/them) is a young Star Warrior that arrived on Planet Popstar a couple years ago. Ever since then, his incredible power has been put to the test as he stands up against terrifying threats. But he is never fazed and goes right back to naptime after every battle.

Kirby is still a child (about 3-5 in human years) and his speech isn't the best. He resorts to communicating with drawings or gestures alongside his babbling. His friends can often help suggest what he might be trying to say.

Meta Knight

Meta Knight (he/him) is a mostly retired Star Warrior who resides on Planet Popstar and serves as a watchful knight who aims to protect the planet alongside his crew, the Meta-Knights, aboard his Battleship Halberd. He serves as a mentor to Kirby, as well as a sort of parental figure (despite him disagreeing with the latter).

Many years ago, he and Prisma Knight along with Sir Falspar, Sir Nonsurat and Sir Dragato were in the same troop in the GSA (Galaxy Soldier Army). He presumed Prisma dead when she went missing, but was reunited with her many years later.

King Dedede

King Dedede (he/him) is the self-proclaimed king of Dreamland. Once a greedy and stubborn king, he has since chilled out quite a bit and now acts as a proud ruler (now with 10% less stubbornness!) that many respect. While he can still be loud and hotheaded at times, he cares deeply for his friends and especially his Waddle Dee family.

He and Kirby are friendly rivals, and he will defend his little buddy with everything he's got.

Bandana Waddle Dee

Bandana Waddle Dee (he/him - Bandee for short) is the king's right-hand Waddle Dee. A soldier in training, he assists in the defense of Castle Dedede and even hangs out in town looking for ways he can help others.

He is also one of Kirby's best friends, and the two are almost always seen hanging out together.

Dark Matter Blade

Dark Matter Blade (he/him or it/its - usually shortened to 'Dark Matter', 'Dark Blade' or simply 'Dark') is the former right-hand of Lord Zero, the incarnation of pure dark energy. While once highly respected among his kind, after failing his first big mission of killing a Star Warrior and then again failing to defeat Kirby in his invasion of Popstar many years later, he was forced to flee the Dark Matter tribe under threat of being killed by his master. So, he returned to Popstar where he was reunited with Gooey.

Nowadays he spends his time with his new friends, though is still distrusted by some. He wishes to lead a life of peace and comfort and as such shys away from conflict and confrontation. His relationship with Prisma is very tense — they don’t speak much.

Mochi

Mochi (he/him or they/them) is a new baby that recently landed on Popstar. There is something strange and somewhat dark about him...but he seems sweet enough so Prisma is raising him.

Sidia Knight

Sidia Knight (he/him) is Prisma Knight's old mentor and father figure. After going MIA during the great war that demolished the GSA, he was stranded on Galacta Star for nearly a century. Eventually, he reunites with Quiver Knight and they settle down and live happily together as a married couple.

[chaifootsteps]

I think Viv’s disdain for any project that doesn’t involve her is not about wether or not she’s involved in a successful project, but more so wether or not she has power over said project.

Let’s use HuniCast and her failed attempt at buying a producer credit for Lackadaisy as examples, starting with the former: Sure, HuniCast at the time was mostly about her show and it’s characters, but it was something successful that she didn’t have control over, coupled with the fact that people were mistaking Ashley as the creator of her “baby”, so she had to take Ashley out of the equation and shut it down.

And with Lackadaisy, she very publicly showed of how much she wanted to donate to the fundraising campaign, which would’ve gotten her onto the show as a producer credit, and thus a spot of control over something that was considered her rival. Basically the business approach of buying the competition so you always remain on top. But she ended up not getting what she wanted, so what does she do? If you said “deal with it and move on like the grown adult that she is”, you’re wrong! She very publicly posted on Twitter about how her “generous donation” was rejected, and then proceeded to do nothing as her cock-sucker fans shat on Tracy and the rest of the Lackadaisy crew for daring to not accept her gift.

See what I mean? Like the narcissist she is, if she doesn’t have control, then it must be destroyed or ruined.

I think this is a very, very good point.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Charles Q. Choi

Published: Mar 7, 2012

Chimpanzees have police, too. Now, researchers are discovering what makes these simian enforcers of the peace step into conflicts, findings that could help shed light on the roots of policing in humans.

Animals handle conflicts within groups in a variety of ways, such as policing, where impartial bystanders intercede when disputes crop up. Policing, which has been seen in chimps, gorillas, orangutans and other primates, differs from other forms of intervention in that such arbiters are neither biased nor aggressive — they are neither supporting allies nor punishing wrongdoers.

Policing is risky, however, since it involves approaching two or more combative squabblers, which may lead to would-be arbiters becoming the targets of aggression themselves. To find out why primate policing evolved despite such risk, scientists took a closer look at pol.

The researchers analyzed one group of chimpanzees in a zoo in Gossau, Switzerland, for nearly 600 hours over two years. This group experienced a great deal of social tumult — zookeepers there introduced three new adult female chimps, upsetting the former order, and a power struggle also led to a new alpha male. The investigators also looked at records of chimp policing behavior at three other zoos.

The scientists monitored ape social interactions, such as aggressive conflicts, friendly grooming and policing behavior. Policing could involve threatening both quarrelers in a conflict, or running between the antagonists to break up the squabble.

The researchers explored a couple of potential explanations for policing. For instance, policing might help high-ranking members of a group control rivals to keep themselves dominant, or to help keep potential mates from leaving the group. However, both explanations would require high-ranking males to be the arbiters — female chimps usually do not fight over rank, and female chimps are the most likely members to leave groups, not males. In contrast, the researchers found that police chimps were of both sexes. [8 Ways Chimps Act Like Us]

The researchers suggest policing helps improve the stability of groups, thus providing the arbiters with a healthy community to live in. Supporting this notion is the fact that arbiters were more willing to intervene impartially if several quarrelers were involved in a dispute, probably because such conflicts are more likely to jeopardize group peace.

"The interest in community concern that is highly developed in us humans and forms the basis for our moral behavior is deeply rooted — it can also be observed in our closest relatives," said researcher Claudia Rudolf von Rohr at the University of Zurich.

The scientists detailed their findings online today (March 7) in the journal PLoS ONE.

--

Abstract

Because conflicts among social group members are inevitable, their management is crucial for group stability. The rarest and most interesting form of conflict management is policing, i.e., impartial interventions by bystanders, which is of considerable interest due to its potentially moral nature. Here, we provide descriptive and quantitative data on policing in captive chimpanzees. First, we report on a high rate of policing in one captive group characterized by recently introduced females and a rank reversal between two males. We explored the influence of various factors on the occurrence of policing. The results show that only the alpha and beta males acted as arbitrators using manifold tactics to control conflicts, and that their interventions strongly depended on conflict complexity. Secondly, we compared the policing patterns in three other captive chimpanzee groups. We found that although rare, policing was more prevalent at times of increased social instability, both high-ranking males and females performed policing, and conflicts of all sex-dyad combinations were policed. These results suggest that the primary function of policing is to increase group stability. It may thus reflect prosocial behaviour based upon “community concern.” However, policing remains a rare behaviour and more data are needed to test the generality of this hypothesis.

==

"mOrALiTy cOmEs FrOm GoD!!1!"

Even chimps know you don't "defund the police."

[kallie-den]

Renewable Energy: Trend Setting

Malacanthe is a high-powered businesswoman succubus who hopes that her newly-brainwashed perma-virgin will be the perfect accessory to show up her social rival, Juiblexia, at brunch. But when Juiblexia has a perma-virgin of her own, the only thing left to do is to publicly settle the question: who's virgin is the most pathetic?

Another followup to Renewable Energy, set a little further along after Ziratha's invention has just begun to take off

If you enjoy my work and are looking for more, or you want to support me, I strongly encourage you to check out my Patreon! I write erotica full-time, which means I need your patronage to keep creating, and my Patrons also get benefits like early access to my stories, extra stories, and the ability to vote on what I write next! So, if that sounds good to you, head over and join the couple hundred patrons I already have :)

---

Malacanthe checked her expensive watch impatiently; as always, Juiblexia was late. ‘Fashionably late’, in her terminology, although Malacanthe firmly believed there was nothing fashionable about tardiness. Every time they met up, Malacanthe was tempted to arrive even later, just to show her ‘friend’ what it felt like to be kept waiting for a change. The main reason she didn’t was that she sensed Juiblexia would delight in seeing her sink to the other succubus’s level.

It was always like that with her. Juiblexia had an infuriating way of taking everything in stride and turning everything to her advantage - but not this time. This time, Malacanthe held the trump card that was sure to put her friend in her place once and for all.

“Hana,” she called expectantly. “Come here.”

The shorter human accompanying her hurried to obey. It wasn’t like she could stray far, not with Malacanthe holding the leash that was tied to her wrist. Malacanthe immediately started fussing over the trans girl, making sure every last hair on her head was in place and smoothing out her long, tasteful skirt. A smile came to Malacanthe’s face, especially once her refined, demonic senses started to pick up on the surge of arousal coming from her new pet.

Hana was something special. A perma-virgin.

It was the very newest thing. A succubus named Ziratha - a genius, clearly - had created a device called a Transcranial Magical Stimulation Unit, a kind of helmet that could regress a normal human into a perma-virgin - someone permanently arrested in a state of total, inescapable virginity as far as their sexual skills, mores, and energy output were concerned.

The result was nothing short of miraculous. Before, sexual energy had been a declining, non-renewable resource. Virgins, the tastiest and most nourishing meals, had to be taken sparingly. Now, virgin energy could be harvested endlessly and infinitely from just a single partner. Thanks to all that energy, Malacanthe had become a vastly magnified version of her former self; tall, looming, and lithe, with elegant, spiraling horns and a tail that had split in two halfway down its length. She looked and felt better than ever.

But that wasn’t the best part. The best part was that, as of yet, the Transcranial Magical Stimulation Unit hadn’t reached market. It was still navigating a few regulatory obstacles, and as a result, the only devices out there were a few dozen testing units. The technology was still so new that most people hadn’t heard of it, and those few units were fantastically expensive and all but impossible to get a hold of.

But Malacanthe had managed it.

Her Transcranial Magical Stimulation Unit had cost a fortune, but thanks to her position as the CEO of a large and prestigious company, Malacanthe could afford it. She was absolutely sure that this was the next big thing, and that she was so far ahead of the curve that it was sure to make Juiblexia green with envy. Malacanthe was still seething from their last brunch friend-date, when the socialite had one-upped her brand-new tail sheathe from Christian Dior’s latest range with a one-of-a-kind, custom-made set of horn adornments from Louis Vuitton. The embarrassment!

But now, at long last, she was going to get one over on her friend. That was why Malacanthe was so impatient. She simply couldn’t wait to see the look Hana was going to put on Juiblexia’s face.

“Oh, hi darling! I do hope I haven’t kept you waiting.”

Malacanthe turned at the sound of her friend’s voice, plastering an insincere smile on her face. “Juiblexia! So good to see you! Not at all - in fact, I only just arrived.”

Once she caught sight of her friend, Malacanthe’s smile wavered by just a hair. Juiblexia looked good. Too good.

She was taller. Almost as tall as Malacanthe, which made her at least eight feet. Juiblexia had always been decidedly Rubenesque, but her weight and softness seemed to have grown even more than her height, leaving her with a jaw-droppingly voluptuous figure that radiated magnificence and presence. The kinked bull horns on her head had become similarly huge, and her tail was a thick pillar of alluring, demonic flesh. As usual, Juiblexia was wearing a long, flowing, sheer, low-cut dress that accentuated all her best assets and showed off a tasteful but daring amount of pink-tinted skin.

She looked like a queen, and it was making Malacanthe furious.

“Darling, you look wonderful!” Juiblexia exclaimed. A broad smile was on her face, but it was just a little too tight. “But, who’s your cute little friend? You should have warned me!”

Malacanthe’s confidence was starting to return. She could tell Juiblexia was displeased.

“Hardly a friend,” she replied. “More of a pet, you see. She’s lovely, and so well-trained, even if I do need to keep her on a leash. I wouldn’t want her to wander off. Some people might even be tempted to try and poach her kind.”

“Her kind?” Juiblexia tilted her head, affecting a casual curiosity Malacanthe could tell was feigned. “Whatever do you mean, darling?”

A smirk came to Malacanthe’s face. This was her moment. “A perma-virgin. I suppose you must not have heard of them yet. I know the circles you move in can be so old-fashioned. But they’re to die for, I can promise you. You really must get one - well, as soon as you can, anyway.”

Juiblexia was an old-money socialite, and proud of it. Her family was the richest of the rich. The kind of people who had never truly worked a day in their lives, and were proud of it. Malacanthe despised them. She knew they loved looking down their noses at “nouveau riche” succubi like her - almost as much as they loved bragging about which circle of hell their families were originally from. But they had money and they had influence, and so Malacanthe’s role as CEO often required her to rub shoulders with them and suck up to them. It was how she and Juiblexia had met.

“Such kind advice!” Juiblexia exclaimed. “But there’s really no need. Simone, come! Stop hiding, you silly girl.”

It was only then that Malacanthe noticed the leash tucked around Juiblexia’s wrist. As the other succubus tugged on it, her heart sank. And a moment later, Juiblexia’s very own perma-virgin emerged into view.

Simone had an athletic body and a genuine varsity team jacket, but none of the confidence that usually went with them. She had been completely hiding behind Juiblexia’s large, plush body, and now that she was in the spotlight, she had adopted a deer-in-headlights expression that Malacanthe had learned was the perma-virgin trademark. The presence of two such enhanced succubi was making her arousal flare, and she began to cling to Juiblexia’s side for comfort.

Suddenly, Juiblexia’s remarkable glow-up made perfect sense. Malacanthe was seething with rage at having her victory stolen, and the only consolation was knowing that Juiblexia was almost certainly just as mad. There was only one thing she could do to save face: try not to let her disappointment show.

“Wow!” she cooed. “She’s lovely. But…” Her curiosity got the better of her, she couldn’t help it. “How did you get a Transcranial Magical Stimulation Unit?”

“Oh, dearest Mommy knows all the right people,” Juiblexia replied disdainfully. “And… you? I suppose you had to pay for it.”

“That’s usually how people get things,” Malacanthe shot back. “With their own money, in fact. It’s much nicer than having to rely on your family name to get you everything. You should try it!”

“Malacanthe! You’re so funny, as always.” The two of them laughed like it was nothing more than a friendly joke. Then, Juiblexia bent down to peer at Hana. “And yours is… well, she’s so you, darling.”

Malacanthe took that as a compliment, even though she knew it wasn’t meant as one. In fact, she’d selected Hana to be her pet precisely because the two of them were such a good match. Hana was an exceptionally bright, hard-working, ambitious college student who’d won a summer internship at Malacanthe’s company. After Malacanthe had seduced her and persuaded her to try the Transcranial Magical Stimulation Unit, her demeanor had changed a little - but in Malacanthe’s eyes, she was perfect.

Naturally, she’d co-ordinated both of their outfits. Even at a friendly brunch, Malacanthe liked to dress formal. She was wearing a tailored blazer with matching pants and a white shirt, open at the collar. She’d dressed Hana up in a pretty, white blouse and a long, gray, pleated skirt. Along with her glasses and her ponytail, it made her look wonderfully demure. Perfect, for the preppy college student.

“Thank you,” Malacanthe replied gracefully, before gesturing to a nearby restaurant. “Shall we head inside?”

The two of them were standing directly in front of Apolline’s, the city’s finest and most exclusive bakery-cum-restaurant. It was particularly popular amongst succubi and getting a reservation there usually took months, but Malacanthe had been able to secure one for herself and Juiblexia within the week. A server was immediately there to greet them at the door, and mimosas were already waiting for them at their usual table - a cute little diner-style booth, right by the window.

No one asked about Hana or Simone. Their leashes - Hana’s tied around her wrist, Simone’s around her neck - made their status more than clear.

Happily, Apolline’s permitted pets.

Once they were seated, each succubus-human pair opposite the other, an unhappy silence descended on the group, punctuated only by the occasional sound of Juiblexia slurping at her mimosa. Both Hana and Simone looked woefully uncomfortable, and were clearly trying to look anywhere except at the two statuesque succubi next to them. Simply looking at a woman could be difficult for perma-virgins; looking at a sex demon who had been enhanced by an unending flood of unholy vitality was beyond overwhelming. Malacanthe, meanwhile, was still stewing with frustration at Juiblexia for having stolen her thunder, and she could sense that the feeling was mutual.

“Hana?” Simone said suddenly, in a hushed voice, like she was hoping the succubi wouldn’t hear. “I-is that… that’s really you, right?”

Hana didn’t reply. She turned her head aside haughtily, but her cheeks were tinged with color.

“Wow,” Simone breathed, undissuaded. “You too. That’s really something.”

It was hard to tell if she was appalled or amused. Or both.

“Oh my!” Juiblexia purred, turning to her pet. “What’s this? Do you two know each other?”

Simone immediately shrank into herself as she felt the weight of Juiblexia’s attention on her. But it wasn’t fear that made her recoil. It was arousal.

“Hana?” Malacanthe gave Hana’s leash a gentle but insistent tug. She was just as curious as Juiblexia. “Is this true?”

Hana immediately blushed and looked down under the table, and nodded.

“Well, well, well!” Juiblexia seemed delighted by the new development. “What a surprise! Malacanthe, darling, I know they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but you really could have gone a little further afield.”

Malacanthe started grinding her teeth. “Where did you find yours?”

“At the college,” Juiblexia replied smugly. “Simone’s quite something, you know. A real varsity girl. Ace of the women’s soccer team. She was so confident, and so eager to brag about adding a succubus like myself to her already-impressive tally. In bed, she was so very cocky, and up for anything. Until… well, you know.” She winked. “And you?”

“Hana’s also a student. She applied for a summer internship at my company. Her résumé caught my eye at once.” Malacanthe’s competitive urge immediately roused itself. She couldn’t resist bragging. “She’s a top student. Truly exceptional. A shoo-in for valedictorian. She worked very hard, and she was so flattered by my attention. So, of course, I had to make her mine.”

“I’m sure!” Juiblexia let out a rambunctious laugh that made her whole body jiggle, and the table along with it. She turned to Simone. “So, bauble, spill it! What’s the story?”

Simone blushed very deeply, especially when Juiblexia reached over and started patting her on the head no differently from how she might have petted a beloved puppy, messing up Simone’s radiant, blonde hair in the process.

“I… we… um…” she spluttered. Watching her struggle like this, Malacanthe found it impossible to picture her as the cocky college athlete she’d been before Ziratha’s device had worked its magic. “We… know each other from, um, college.”

“Oh? Are you friends?” Juiblexia tittered. “How cute!”

“No!” Hana cried, her voice tense. “With her? Please.”

She seemed to regret her outburst when both Juiblexia and Malacanthe immediately rounded on her.

“Exes, then?” Malacanthe probed, eyes alight with curiosity.

“N-n-no!” Hana protested, cheeks burning.

“Then… rivals?” Juiblexia speculated. The looks on the humans’ faces seemed to confirm that. “Wonderful! Prep versus jock. A tale as old as time.”

“Tell me more,” Malacanthe demanded of her pet. “Now, Hana.”

“S-she…” Hana’s cheeks were burning and she was rubbing her legs together beneath her skirt, uncomfortably aware of Malacanthe’s closeness. “S-she brings the school into disrepute! All that f-flirting and s-s-s-sleeping around with other girls! As the r-representative of the varsity team, she should act more responsibly.”

“That’s so dumb!” Simone exclaimed. She looked utterly mortified at the mention of her promiscuity. “L-little miss perfect student wants college to be nothing more than classes and tests. Some of us actually want to live. Maybe you should try going out and g-getting l… la… um… having fun for a change.”

The two humans glared fiercely at each other, even as they squirmed and blushed with superhuman levels of arousal and embarrassment. A smile played across Malacanthe’s face. It was a little like watching two puppies yap at each other.

“Ladies!” At that moment, a young, diminutive, succubus waitress appeared at their booth. “Can I take your orders?”

At once, her nostrils started to flare and she stared at Hana and Simone with barely-disguised lust in her eyes. Malacanthe wasn’t surprised. Any succubus could smell a normal virgin at ten paces, and these weren’t just normal virgins. Their energy was at peak potency, constantly elevated by shame and arousal. Being around Juiblexia and Malacanthe certainly wasn’t helping matters. Especially now, the two succubi exuded powerful auras of lust and desire, and the perma-virgins were as ill-equipped to handle it as possible.

“I’ll have a selection of the house pastries,” Malacanthe said. She gestured to Hana, who opened her mouth, but Malacanthe spoke for her. “Nothing for her. She’s watching her figure.”

Hana looked faintly disappointed but didn’t argue.

“The same for me,” Juiblexia told the waitress. “Only, make it a deluxe selection. Oh, and Simone here will have a set of macarons and a Danish.”

Simone looked surprised and tugged nervously at Juiblexia’s sleeve. “B-but,” she whispered. “C-couch said I’m supposed to… I mean, with the big game coming up…”

“Nonsense!” Juiblexia scoffed merrily. “My bauble deserves a special treat.”

She started petting Simone again, which was more than enough to silence her.

“Of course. That’ll be ready shortly.” The waitress nodded and headed back to the kitchen, although not without a parting look of longing at the two perma-virgins.

That was one of the reasons Malacanthe kept Hana on a leash, and she presumed it was the same for Juiblexia and Simone. The last thing either of them wanted was for another succubus to try and steal their precious perma-virgins away.

“You know, you should really give her something,” Juiblexia complained, glancing at Hana. “Her figure is just fine. If you ask me, she could use a little extra meat.”

She licked her lips. Hana quivered like she was about to cream herself.

“Then it’s a good thing I didn’t,” Malacanthe retorted tersely. “I’ve no wish to spoil her. Perhaps you should think about that.”

Juiblexia just shrugged. “I’m thinking of you, darling. If nothing else, she’ll need some energy if you want to be able to enjoy her properly.”

She filled the word ‘enjoy’ with enough sultry lust to make both humans at the table shiver and squirm.

“Thank you. But you needn’t be concerned.” A thin smile came to Malacanthe’s face. She reached over and rested a hand on the back of Hana’s neck, massaging her. Hana let out a squeak. “My Hana is perfectly enjoyable. Always. You wouldn’t believe how good she is. Unlike some, I know how to get my girls performing properly.”

She looked pointedly across at Juiblexia. Hana, meanwhile, looked like she was about to explode. She was looking down, an expression of utmost shame on her face, and couldn’t stop tugging frantically at her skirt.

“Oh I’d believe it,” Juiblexia purred, taking another sip from her mimosa. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure she’s… adequate. But, darling, you’ve never had quite the right eye for taste. Forgive me for saying so. It’s what comes from a rough upbringing, I suppose. Take it from me: a girl like Simone is so much better.”

Simone had been looking faintly amused at Hana’s plight. For her, it was clearly satisfying to see the uptight valedictorian squirm and be spoken about in such vulgar terms. When attention shifted back to her, though, she started spluttering and choking. Her face lit up briefly with smug pride at Juiblexia’s praise, but it soon turned, becoming far more embarrassed and uncertain as she blushed.

She might have been a stud before, but she was a virgin now.

“I’m surprised, Juiblexia,” Malacanthe retorted. “Even for you, that’s cliché. The big, popular, athletic girl? It’s been done already. Her type has always been popular amongst succubi. You should try updating your fashion a little. Broaden your horizons. Get a little more experimental. You wouldn’t want to be left behind.”

She was hoping to deflate Juiblexia a little, but the other succubus just puffed herself up even further.

“Darling! I thought you’d know better than to judge a book by its cover,” she scolded. “My Simone is very special.”

“Sure.” Malacanthe rolled her eyes. Juiblexia was nothing but hot air. She was sure of it. “But she’s got nothing on my Hana.”

“Hmm.” Juiblexia’s eyes flashed suddenly. “Would you care to put that to the test?”

“What do you mean?” Malacanthe asked guardedly.

Juiblexia licked her lips again. “A friendly competition.”

“I’m game,” Malacanthe replied at once. A competition was perfect. She’d take any chance she got to put Juiblexia in her place. “What did you have in mind?”

“Let’s keep it simple,” Juiblexia proposed. “Whoever can get the most out of their perma-virgin wins. The most energy. The greatest nourishment. The richest, most delightful flavor. I’m sure you get the picture.”

“You’re on.” Malancathe was grinning. She couldn’t wait. She was going to make Juiblexia realize that fawning over sports players was beyond passé. “Allow me to demonstrate Hana’s most admirable qualities.”

Before her pet could brace herself, Malacanthe leaned over and wrapped a hand around Hana’s head to cradle her and prevent her from pulling away. Then, she put her lips to the poor perma-virgin’s neck and started to kiss her. Her kisses were long, languid, and hungry; she took her time drawing her tongue in slow strokes across Hana’s skin, peeling away the student’s high collar and drooling a little on her pretty blouse. Malacanthe’s tongue seemed impossibly long, and as she unfolded it further and further out of her mouth, she started coiling it, serpentine, around Hana’s neck.

The effect her affections had on the human was dramatic and immediate. Hana was trying as hard as she possibly could to remain dignified and unmoved - and it wasn’t working. She stared determinedly at a single point underneath the table as her cheeks turned a deep, furious red and she started to quiver. The poor girl was gripping the folds of her skirt so hard her knuckles had turned white; she seemed to be trying to smooth out the garment, but with little success. A distinctive bulge was already forming a tent beneath the fabric.

Peering over the table, Juiblexia licked her lips again as she noted that Hana was already rock hard.

“So that’s your preferred flavor?” the curvy succubus asked. “Darling, I approve! Trans girls make for so much fun.”

Malacanthe allowed herself a smug smile. “Indeed. But that wasn’t all I meant when I said Hana was special. You’ll see.” She kissed Hana again, but this time sucked hard enough to leave a bright red mark. “I just need to get her worked up properly first.”

As Malacanthe gave her the hickey, Hana sat up completely straight and rigid, like she was being struck by lightning. She was struggling not to pant.

Neither of the succubi needed to look at her to know how painfully aroused she was, though. They could sense it. The raw, untapped, sexual energy within her was blazing like a beacon. Her alluring virgin-scent poured out of her, so dense and heavy it was like a fog. Neither Malacanthe nor Juiblexia were wanting for nourishment, but Hana’s arousal was making each of them ravenous. And they weren’t the only ones; some of Apolline’s other succubus patrons were already turning to look, expressions of undisguised envy on their faces.

“Well, don’t think I’ll let you get too much of a head start,” Juiblexia commented. “Come here, Simone.”

Simone already looked decidedly uncomfortable with what was going on on the opposite side of the table. She was red in the face and shivered, and when Juiblexia called her name, she flinched, but nonetheless obediently pulled closer to the statuesque succubus.

“A succubus getting a girl all worked up from a kiss doesn’t strike me as very impressive, darling,” Juiblexia commented, throwing one of her big arms across Simone’s shoulder. “Watch and learn.”

With a big, theatrical gesture, she reached down and stroked a few of her fingertips along Simone’s hip.

Malacanthe wasn’t expecting much. Simone was wearing jeans, after all. She was shocked, then, when the jock girl immediately exploded into motion, squirming and thrashing madly like she was already in the throes of orgasm. Staccato moans filled the air as Simone was wracked with pleasure, and after a few moments, she turned to cling tightly to Juiblexia, taking paradoxical comfort in the succubus who was tormenting her.

Juiblexia let out a satisfied purr at the look on Malacanthe’s face.

“Hyper-sensitivity,” she explained proudly. “With the right education, everything is sexual. And our sweet little things are so poorly-equipped to handle that, aren’t they? You add to that a little sensory deprivation here, a little over-stimulation there, and… well. I think the results speak for themselves.”

Despite herself, Malacanthe was impressed. She could feel the rich glow of Simone’s arousal, and even though Juiblexia had already stopped caressing her thigh, the human’s moans were only slowly dying away. Clearly, Juiblexia had been experimenting with her Transcranial Magical Stimulation Unit. Extracting so much with so little was quite the feat.

Not that she would ever tell that to Juiblexia.

“Perhaps,” Malacanthe sniffed. “But we’re only just beginning. Hana, let me-“

“Excuse me,” came a nervous voice. “Um… I have your orders.”

Both Malacanthe and Juiblexia turned to see the waitress from earlier standing next to their table, pushing a cart that was stacked high with rich, fancy pastries. At first she simply looked awkward, but after a few moments in close proximity to two pent-up virgins she started drooling lustfully.

“Thank you?” Juiblexia prompted.

“R-right,” the succubus waitress said nervously. “Here you go.”

She started handing out various plates, all the while throwing wanton glances at Hana and Simone, both of whom looked like they desperately hoped the ground beneath them was about to open up and swallow them. The word ‘mortified’ was wholly inadequate, and they only looked more pained as the waitress started to sweat visibly from sheer need.

“W-will there be anything else?” she asked in a pained voice.

“No, thank you,” Malacanthe said stiffly.

“Then, enjoy your, um, food.”

The waitress left the table, although as she walked away she looked over her shoulder longingly a few times. Juiblexia preened, apparently enjoying the envy, whilst Malacanthe growled. Hana belonged to her, and her alone.

“You see?” Juiblexia taunted. “Everyone admires my Simone.”

That instantly lit a fire under Malacanthe. “Don’t be foolish,” she shot back. “She was obviously looking at my Hana. Who wouldn’t?”

“I’m simply not sure what there is to look at, darling.” Juiblexia’s face was drawn into a crafty, poisonous smirk. “Uptight schoolgirl getting a little too hot and bothered? We’ve all seen it.”

“Not like this.” Now it was Malacanthe’s turn to smirk. “Just wait and see. All it takes is pushing the right buttons. You’re not the only one who’s been doing a little experimenting.”

She turned to Hana. Now, the trans girl was truly sweating. She kept shaking her head and throwing nervous glances across to Simone. Clearly, she didn’t want her rival to see this. But Malacanthe wasn’t inclined to be merciful. Not when she needed to show off.

“Hana,” Malacanthe cooed. “I need you inside me.”

Immediately, Hana shuddered. Her back arched, and a wet moan escaped from her lips. The tent in her skirt twitched.

“Don’t you need to be inside me too?” Malacanthe’s voice, usually so stiff and stern, became breathy and shockingly seductive. “I can tell you do.”

Hana whimpered. The tent in her skirt kept growing, and her hips were starting to move, like she was inadvertently thrusting against the fabric of her own clothes. Her eyes were starting to turn wild and roll back into her own head.

“You’re so big,” Malacanthe whispered, putting her mouth near Hana’s ear and letting her long tongue drool out of her mouth. “So… so virile.”

Another whimper, louder and more strained than the last. Hana opened her mouth but no words came out, only drool.

“It’s been days since we last fucked.” Hana twitched, visibly uncomfortable with the curse word. “I bet your balls are so full. Throbbing. Churning. I can’t stop thinking about it. About how much you could fill me up right now.”

“N-n-n-noooo,” Hana protested, shaking her head from side to side. The proud, morally-upright valedictorian was coming apart at the seams. There was nothing dignified about her now.

“Yes,” Malacanthe teased. She reached down and let a few of her fingertips play in the air over Hana’s bulge. “I need it, Hana. I need you to breed me.”

At the word ‘breed’, Hana gave up holding back. She moaned long and loud, her drool forming into froth at her lips, and the wild, twitching motion of her head turned from shaking into nodding.

“Breed me,” Malacanthe urged. “Knock me up. Pump me full of your cum, Hana. I need to feel you filling me up. Don’t you need it too? Don’t you need to get my belly nice and full?”

“Yes!” Hana panted. Her cheeks were still burning with shame but, stoked by Malacanthe’s words, her desperation was enough to overcome it. She had a virgin’s overeagerness. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!”

Malacanthe turned to glance pointedly at Juiblexia. The other succubus looked, despite herself, hungry and faintly envious. It was easy to see why. To the keen, supernatural senses of a succubus, Hana was lit up like a lighthouse, impossibly aroused and impossibly ripe for feeding on.

Victory.

Usually, people assumed that a virgin with a succubus was like a mouse caught in a trap. And usually, they were right. Most virgins were passive and uncertain, and most succubi were active and predatory. Malacanthe, though, had a taste for something different. She liked her pets to do the work for her. And she had found that, with the right conditioning and the right encouragement, it was entirely possible to turn a blushing virgin into a rutting beast.

That was the other reason she’d chosen Hana: the latent breeding kink she’d been able to pick up on.

And now, thanks to Ziratha’s invention and her own skill, it wasn’t latent at all. By teasing the right fantasies, she could get Hana so worked up that she was about to have a mind-breaking orgasm - all without even touching her.

“So,” Malacanthe said to Juiblexia, smirking, while Hana tugged at her arm and bucked her hips into the air. “Ready to concede defeat?”

“Hardly.” Now it was Juiblexia who sounded terse. “We’re just warming up, after all. Simone, dear.”

“H-huh?”

The aroused jock girl perked up at the sound of her name being called. She had seemed all but hypnotized by the sight of what Malacanthe was doing to Hana, squirming from both discomfort and fascination in equal measure. Simone turned to look up at Juiblexia, and immediately started to let out shrill, wordless protests when Juiblexia put her hands on Simone’s waist, lifted her bodily into the air, and set her back down in the plump succubus’s warm, inviting lap.

“C-c’mon,” she pleaded weakly “N-n-not in front of h-her, can’t- ah!”

She broke off into pitiful moaning when Juiblexia completely blew past her protests and started running her hands all over Simone’s body.

Juiblexia wasn’t groping, exactly. She didn’t need to. Even the lightest possible touches across Simone’s body, through her clothes, were enough to reduce the perma-virginized girl to a trembling, drooling, moaning mess. There was something almost juvenile about it; Juiblexia’s touch was like the heavy petting teens gave each other when they were playing seven minutes in heaven and were too nervous to truly reach for second base.

From the look on Juiblexia’s face, it was clear that seeing someone who had been so strong, so proud, so sexually confident, brought to the point of orgasm by something so innocent was at least half the pleasure.

"You might be able to get your pet virgin drooling with just a few words,” Juiblexia purred. “But look what I can do to mine with just… this.”

With ease, she pried Simone’s legs apart and then, after pointedly holding up a single finger, dragged it along Simone’s sensitive inner thigh.

This touch, so much more intimate than simple petting, made Simone go wild. She thrashed like mad, limbs splaying apart and flailing so violently she might have tipped over the table if not for Juiblexia effortlessly restraining her. The expression on the jock girl’s face transcended pleasure and became pained again, like she was completely, unbearably overwhelmed by what she was feeling. A stain formed of her wetness began to seep through the front of her jeans, attesting to the thunderous orgasms tearing through Simone.

Within moments, the whole of Apolline’s was filled with the heady scent of Simone’s arousal.

“So,” Juiblexia said, looking up at Malacanthe with a grin on her face. “Would you like to concede, darling?”

Malacanthe glared at her furiously. She would never, ever give in to Juiblexia - and besides, her hunger was only growing. She plastered a seductive smile, full of sinister promise, over her frown and turned to Hana.

“Hana?” she cooed, in a simpering voice. “Won’t you come and knock me up?”

The perma-virgin’s eyes flashed with untempered lust, before she glanced nervously around the room. “B-but… um… aren’t we….”

“Hana,” Malacanthe interrupted, injecting as much lust and need into her voice as possible. “Come fuck a baby into me.”

That was all it took to completely break the hopeless perma-virgin.

“P-p-please!” Hana cried, suddenly pawing at Malacanthe. An awed expression came to her face, like she couldn’t believe her luck.

“Here,” Malacanthe instructed, smirking. “Now.”

She reached down and unbuttoned her pants. Immediately, Hana started to clamber on top of her, tearing clumsily at her own skirt. Uncontrolled arousal made her so uncoordinated she couldn’t seem to remove her clothes, and was tearing up in frustration before Malacanthe reached out to help her. Once she was naked, all eyes were on Hana’s hard, proud, dripping cock. She was blushing and trembling furiously with overwhelming shame, but her need was greater, especially when Malacanthe pulled her panties aside to expose her pussy and propped each of her legs up on the table on either side of her pet.

With a pitiful, humiliated squeak, Hana thrust forward and entered her owner.

Watching on the other side of the table, Juiblexia wasn’t about to be outdone. She started unceremoniously stripping Simone without giving the overwhelmed virgin even a moment to recover. Simone whined in protest, but she was far, far too weak to stop the voluptuous succubus from removing her varsity jacket, then her jeans, and then her tank top.

But she stopped there, leaving Simone in her sports bra and matching boxers. Unlike Malacanthe, Juiblexia wasn’t interested in sex. In fact, she had firmly resolved that, after her rebirth as a blushing perma-virgin, Simone should remain as pure and virginal as possible.

She just wanted to show off what bare, skin-to-skin contact would do to her.

Sure enough, as soon as Simone felt Juiblexia’s bare skin against hers, she came explosively. Her boxers were already hopelessly soaked through, but now her wetness started dripping from her thighs, soaking Juiblexia’s lap and forming a wet, sticky puddle on the floor underneath. Simone started screaming her moans in a voice so loud and so needy it filled the entire restaurant and made every head turn. After a few seconds she ran out of breath, but she kept arching her back and throwing back her head, screaming wordless bliss with a ridiculous, pleasure-drunk expression on her face.

And all simply because Juiblexia had been stroking down her side, and running a hand over her bare arm.

“P-p-p-please!” Simone howled, after finding the strength to take a breath. “I’m not… ngghhh… I’m not r-ready yettt…”

“For a little heavy petting?” Juiblexia mocked, resting a hand on Simone’s belly to make her squirm. “Aren’t you just precious?”

Meanwhile, opposite them, Malacanthe and Hana had progressed far beyond heavy petting. Malacanthe was leaning back, legs up and apart, whilst Hana mounted the much larger succubus. Hana was unbelievably red in the face and was rutting into Malacanthe with quick, eager, clumsy, desperate strokes, all of her proud, stiff composure now hopelessly lost. All she was thinking about was how badly she needed to pump her load into Malacanthe.

And Malacanthe, drinking greedily from the perma-virgin’s energy, looked prouder and stronger than ever.

"Harder,” she said to Hana in a lover’s whisper. “More. Fill me up. Knock me up.”

Hana was already cumming, but one orgasm wasn’t nearly enough for the pent-up perma-virgin. She just kept going, pumping more and more of her load into Malacanthe with each thrust, eyes rolled back into her skull from the impossible, overwhelming pleasure of multiple orgasms, each one riding on the next, her brain now hard-wired so that she couldn’t possible acclimate herself to it.

“I love you!” Hana babbled, a broad, goofy, addled grin spreading across her face. “I love you, I love you, I love you!”

Malacanthe didn’t say it back, but she did smile fondly at her pet. She loved seeing Hana reduced to this.

Simone was just as ruined; even Malacanthe couldn’t deny that. The jock girl was rolling her hips now, rubbing herself on nothing but her own boxers, and the motion made it look, more than anything, like she was simply trying to snuggle deeper into Juiblexia’s lap. Juiblexia’s hands were still all over her and they were slowly becoming more possessive and more intrusive, but they still did nothing more than trace the swell of her breasts and tease the hem of her boxers.

Juiblexia was determined to give her once-cocky pet no more than the barest taste of real, mature sex.

It might not have been sex, but Juiblexia was nourished by it all the same. Her face was flush and her eyes were shining, and Malacanthe could sense her drawing energy from her pet. It was difficult for her not to envy the exquisite flavor she was surely getting from Simone, even as she could tell Juiblexia was coveting Hana’s.

Which begged a question:

“How do we decide who wins?” Malacanthe asked, in a voice punctuated by breathy pants every time Hana thrust into her.

“We…” Juiblexia frowned. “Ah. Perhaps I overlooked something, darling.”

The two of them shared an awkward look before they were again interrupted. Not by the waitress, but by someone who was clearly more senior. It was the manager. Another succubus, she was dressed smartly, and wore a displeased look on her face.

“Ladies,” she said stiffly. “We here at Apolline’s aim to curate a permissive and lively atmosphere, and allow our patrons to enjoy pleasures beyond simply our baking.” Her frown deepened when she noticed the pastries that had been brought to the table earlier, still untouched. “Nonetheless, we have received a few comments about the level of noise coming fr-“

Her words died in her throat once she caught Hana and Simone’s scents from up close.

The polite, managerial stiffness in her demeanor vanished in a single moment. She started leaning forward, a ravenous look on her face. A red blush strained her cheeks, and drool fell from her lips to stain her immaculate uniform. Her stomach growled with hunger.

Malacanthe and Juiblexia exchanged another look.

“Our apologies,” Malacanthe said smoothly. Hana was still plowing into her with all her overeager energy. “Actually, we just need you to settle something for us.”

“Yes,” Juiblexia put in. “The two of us were having a friendly little contest, and it seems we’re in need of a judge. So, darling: which one of our little pets here do you think makes for the best, tastiest, most nourishing meal?”

The manager nodded, stupefied by the overwhelming outpour of sexual energy happening around the table. She looked first at Hana, then at Simone, and then back again. Finally, after long moments of contemplation, she shook her head.

“I don’t know,” she said. Her voice sounded wet. “I can’t pick. They’re both perfect.”

Malacanthe blinked. A draw? She hadn’t considered that. Normally, she would never accept anything less than complete victory over Juiblexia, but Hana’s exertions were putting her in a good mood. Perhaps, just this once, she could make her peace with it.

“I just have one question,” the manager added, unable to hold back. She pointed at each of the mind-broken perma-virgins in turn. “How did you get these girls?”

Juiblexia and Malacanthe exchanged one last look, and prepared to spread the good word.

—

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