#guardian deities edits

[shiny-poke-edits]

the guardian deities

[various-dark-suggestions]

“I come as a blade,

A sacred Guardian

So you keep me sharp and test my worth in blood.”

~ Chokehold by Sleep Token

[crushedcookiebutter]

however, upon further study, we were surprised to learn of a significant margin of middle aged men, apparently self-titled "gamers," wearing these same hair ornaments. It led us to question the validity of our initial hypothesis:

Did these ornaments only signify sexual availability, or did they create it?

This hair ornament, which resembles a pair of feline ears, was worn for apparent ritualistic purposes. Based on a survey of extant cultural images from the period, it is believed to have signified sexual availability.

[bethanydelleman]

I was looking at poetry that Jane Austen might have read and I came across Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. She sounds like an amazing woman. She thought her governess was dumb, so she hid in the family library and, "She taught herself Latin, a language usually reserved for men at the time. She secretly got a hold of a "Latin dictionary and grammar" and by the age of thirteen, her handling with the language was on par to most men. Furthermore, she was also a voracious reader."

She married an ambassador to the Ottoman empire and brought smallpox inoculation back to England. She was also a poet and important writer. In addition, she laughed at poet Alexander Pope (he is quoted in Austen's works) when he declared his love for her. (pictured below). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Mary_Wortley_Montagu)

The fact that someone heard about this proposal and then painted it is *chef's kiss*

(Edit) Here is the poem I used in a story:

A Hymn to the Moon

Written in July, in an arbour Thou silver deity of secret night, Direct my footsteps through the woodland shade; Thou conscious witness of unknown delight, The Lover's guardian, and the Muse's aid! By thy pale beams I solitary rove, To thee my tender grief confide; Serenely sweet you gild the silent grove, My friend, my goddess, and my guide. E'en thee, fair queen, from thy amazing height, The charms of young Endymion drew; Veil'd with the mantle of concealing night; With all thy greatness and thy coldness too.

[fluidity-stupidity]

Random Witch Tips

Just a few things I've learned from being in a practice for over five, going on six, years now:

Sigils are a lot more powerful than everyone really knows, they're a beginner friendly spell waiting to be had.

Scroll Spells: Putting a sigil on a piece of coloured construction paper tie it up with a (preferably) different colored string, seal the string in wax, is the easiest spell to ever do. (Kind of inspired by Naruto)

Speaking of Naruto: I have little Pop Funko key chains that I've picked up at travel household guardians. I also have one of MCU Loki that the Norse Deity Loki has taken an offense to (ping me or send me an ask for a storytime)

Divination can be used and done everywhere, the little sayings on Stevia packets, having your phones wallpaper change different colors are base it off of the colors, music (shufflemancy), are all just little ways to use divination.

Making altars not just for divine individuals. I have an altar set up for the zodiac sign of Scorpio (my stellium is set in Scorpio and Sagittarius) and an altar set up just for self-care. (Please remember the differences between altars and shrines.

Baking ingredients are an underrated spell jar ingredients, sometimes you just don't really feel like kitchen magic and/or in a tough bind for time, energy and just want something a bit more big and powerful than a scroll spell.

Scrying mirrors were always a bit of a hassle for me, it hurt my eyes and I had to get the angle just right, having to sit in one position for too long was a wreck on my unmedicated ADHD self. I learned how to do open-eye scrying by relying on my snow vision, having 3D glasses was able to help me out as well.

Speaking of the 3D glasses: any common every day object can be used in your practice. Using that limited edition Sprite Cranberry would be a good spell ingredient or even as an offering for a deity/divine individual.

Divine individuals will ask you to put things like jewelry or keys on their altar so that they know whenever you go out on a drive or out with friends. Especially if you don't go out very often. They just like hanging out with us sometimes, they're not just here for fun and games however, you have to put in the work and have the motivation to get better for them to get more comfortable with you.

Divine individuals have a life outside of witchcraft, their own society and workload outside of our physical plane. Please keep this in mind. They are not always here with us. Lucifer has paperwork, Poseidon has a kingdom to rule over, An Morrigan has children to take care of, make certain to respect these.

[paranoid-rhythm]

Fate/Grand Order COMIC à la carte PLUS! SP Showdown!

Ashiya Douman VS Dioscuri

TL & Typeset by yours truly.

Right, so, edited to add AU's commentary below.

Au's commentary

【Douman】

I think that due to his position as an onmyouji and as a bonze, he places an emphasis on formality and rituals. Whatever his motivation may be, he can't help but go through these motions (though there are times that he stops abrubptly), it's like "if he has to do it anyway, it's more interesting to do it this way." In addition, it was a confrontation against the Dioscuri.

The Dioscuri, gods who connect with humans through "rituals" that play an important role in religion and faith, and whose way of being can be influenced and altered by man, in contrast with Ashiya Douman, one who blasphemes even gods themselves, one who guides humans by "looking up to the heavens and divining the stars." The ritual was brought about when Douman thought that he wanted to perform the steps to carry out the purifying ritual (monomi^), but he did not want to be the one to be shut in, so he made someone else disappear instead.

(^物忌み - monomi; an onmyou practice of shutting oneself inside the house on inauspicious days to avoid misfortune.)

In simpler terms, it's an act to purify one's body and soul by cutting off impurities, as such, Castor was furious at not only being suddenly separated from his sister, but also for being judged as "defective." (Although Castor's anger was at the forefront, his bond level is assumed to be high, because he rushed into the scene, out of concern regarding the abnormal situation, and for his Master's safety.)

【Dioscuri】

・Castor's Saint Graph is deficient, due to his separation from Pollux (derived from the Dioscuri interlude). ・In addition, it was difficult to stop Douman with a god's power, as due to Douman's spell, it was a situation where no divinity other than Douman's was functioning.

As for the "stronger truth (for the Master)" that Holmes mentioned, at this part, the Master was reminded of Dioscuri Castor's return gift from Valentine's, St. Elmo's Fire. One aspect of the Dioscuri is being the guardians of navigation, the guiding light, the "star" shining in the heavens.

Castor's return gift, based on the circumstances of the event scenario, is interpreted here as a blessing given by the Dioscuri only to the Master. A "truth" that was clear to the Master, that even if no one else knew about it, without any doubt, they have received this blessing. At that moment, the Master, who is the key figure in this divine ritual, overrode the "Dioscuri" by strongly recognizing them as "stars" rather than the "twin gods". Thus, this is the process that allowed Pollux to be revived.

【The Master of Hell】

Though it has various meanings, it revolves mainly about Seimei's episode with the "Taizanfukugun", and the "Taizanfukugun Festival^".

(^An onmyou festival, revering "Taizanfugun", a god from ancient China that was syncretized with the Buddhist king Enma, and was believed to rule over human lifespan and fortune. It was a popular festival among court nobles during the Heian period, and it was the festival that the onmyou family, the Abe clan, excelled at.)

Taizanfukugun is a major deity in onmyoudo, in Buddhism, considered as one of the ten kings of hell (sometimes equated with King Enma). The main implication of this image is that he is able to interfere with even the forces of hell and use them as if they were his own.

In this sense, Seimei should be the one who's more suited for hell, so what point would there be if the Master falls into hell? Would there be any meaning after that? In the first place, the Master would certainly not fall without a fight. And if they decided to, they would jump in without hestation, which is for Douman, also infuriating.

How does Douman see the greatest onmyouji? Did he collectively likened that person to the emotions swirling around him? Was it through the story of that person's resurrection, their travels through the world of that time, that equated to them easily conquering even Hell? Or is it something else entirely?

Whether he gives it his all or not, I feel that for Douman, there seems to be a fundamental ambiguity in self-affirmation, making him think "If I'm like this, then that person must be even better", regardless of Douman's own level of ability.

【Companion/Attendant】

When the Master pledged that they were determined to take Douman with them, even if it meant dragging him along with them, I wanted to show a "contrast" that showed their difference from Seimei, expressed through the rather exaggerated "Master allowed themselves to be accompanied / Seimei will never allow himself to be accompanied."

It's like "I said I liked apples, but he didn't say he liked apples. So he must hate apples.", something to that extreme. From Douman's point of view, that's how it must have been.

Furthermore, most of the passages in which Douman refers to Seimei are all from his perspective.

-The following is a digression -

・Sanson and Asclepius These two were the ones originally from Showdown Part 1. Originally, there was no scene in which these two talked to each other, but I hope those who read the previous comic will notice it.

This too, is a story about "humans" and "demigods (children of Apollo)".

(By the way, I was able to draw Asclepius in his second ascension for this FGO comicalized series.)

・At the beginning, I wanted to make the Master upset by making (Douman) say, "I killed her,'' but the response got boring so I changed it up.

・Buddha's great vows - this is the Bodhisattva's vast desire to save all sentient beings. In short, this was a hugely sarcastic remark towards the Master, as if to say "Your determination and your theatrical declaration are both truly admirable!" However, it also suggests that even if they would have to get various people to help their cause, the Master might just be able to pull it off.

・I was able to finish Holmes' panels in just one day.

・The last panel I drew was Douman's left side.

[justsomekpopstuff]

seventeen as greek mythology

A/N: this was an idea that I had ages ago and wanted to bring it to life. I didn't want to only do any of the basic Olympians either, so I really went IN on this. Feel free to disagree with how I place them, just don't be a jerk about it! Also, if any artists/edit makers want to use these placements as inspo for art and moodboards and stuff, please do! Just tag me in it so I can see it and give credit

current masterlist | fic recs

Seungcheol: Themis - goddess of divine law and order

Jeonghan: Prometheus - god of forethought and crafty counsel

Joshua: Metis - goddess of good counsel, advice, planning, cunning, craftiness, and wisdom

Jun: Horme - deity of impulse, effort, eagerness, and starting actions

Hoshi: Terpsichore - muse of dance and choral poetry

Wonwoo: Athena - goddess of reason, wisdom, intelligence, skill, peace, warfare, battle strategy, and handicrafts

Woozi: Euterpe - muse of musical poetry

DK: Helios - god of the sun and guardian of oaths

Mingyu: Hestia - goddess of the hearth, home, and domesticity

Minghao: Atraeus - god of dusk, stars, and planets, and the art of astrology

Seungkwan: Mnemosyne - goddess of memory and remembrance

Vernon: Pasithea - goddess of relaxing meditation and hallucinations

Dino: Morpheus - god of dreaming

[unboundprompts]

Fantasy Writing Prompts

↳ a masterpost for fantasy writing prompts

↳ (#) is from my collection of random prompts, (list) contains multiple prompts.

If you like what I do and want to support me, please consider buying me a coffee! I also offer editing services and other writing advice on my Ko-fi! Become a member to receive exclusive content, early access, and prioritized writing prompt requests.

I also have a Patreon! Become a member to gain access to a Member's Only Community where you can chat and message other members and myself. Also gain access to my personal writing, which includes completed short stories, chapters from novels in progress, as well as completed scenes.

Royalty/Medieval Prompts:

The Merchant (#21)

You Had One Order - Prince and Knight (#71)

Princess x Guard (list)

Princess x Knight (list)

The Handmaiden in the Maze (#102)

Royal Painter x Knight (list)

Prince x Prince (list)

Thief x Princess (list)

Whispers of Treachery (#184)

Royal Coup D'etat (list)

Non-Human Character Angst Prompts:

No-Longer Human Character Reuniting with Friends and Family Part 1 (list)

No-Longer Human Character Reuniting with Friends and Family Part 2 (list)

No-Longer Human Character Regretting What They've Become (list)

Non-Human Character Revealing Themselves (list)

Doctor Finding an Injured Non-Human Character (list)

Betrayed Your Kind (#123)

Vampire Prompts:

Plot Ideas (list)

Fangs (#47)

The Vampire and the Girl on Floor 3 (#110)

Werewolf Prompts:

Plot Ideas (list)

Remnants of Humanity (#169)

I Know You're Still in There (#177)

Mermaid / Siren Prompts:

How to Write Mermaids

Get in the Water (#151)

Phantom of the Deep (#160)

Lungs Filled with Salt (#174)

Gods, Angels, Demons, & Deities Prompts:

Nothing to Do with Fate (#9)

Fallen Angel Dialogue (list)

Fallen Angel and Fallen God (list)

Apotheosis (#112)

Asking for Favors (#137)

Favor From an Old God (#157)

The Gods of August (#173)

Shapeshifter Prompts:

Anything You Want Me to Be (#91)

Shapeshifter x Human (list)

Witch Prompts:

Plot Ideas (list)

Witch x Fairy (list)

Angry in the Tavern (#158)

Guardian of the Old Ways (#161)

Fantasy Character Description Prompts:

How to Describe a Character with Wings

How to Describe a Character with Bug Wings

The Dream Walker (#140)

Modern Fantasy Prompts:

The Bartender (#23)

Turning to Stone (#105)

Mind Reader on Campus (#134)

Pockets Filled with Shadows (#141)

The Brain Implant (#148)

The Boy in the Library (#162)

Ghost Revealing Themselves to a Mortal (list)

Magical Object Prompts:

Blank Pages (#85)

The Door to Other Places (#139)

The House's Memory (#183)

Math and Science in Magical Battle Scenarios (list)

Fantasy Setting Prompts:

The Town Engulfed by Flames (#67)

Zombie Apocalypse AU (list)

Music in The Dark Wood (#138)

The Sun Stopped Setting (#164)

The Portal to Realms Unknown (#168)

The Astronomer in the Coastal Village (#179)

Fantasy Worldbuilding:

Currency and Time Measurement Ideas (list)

Ideas for Earning Money in a Fantasy World (list)

Problems that May Occur in a Dystopian/Apocalyptic World (list)

[galesdevoteewife]

Let’s talk about Mystra

Hello everyone, I wanted to talk about Mystra👋🔮

As much of a crazy lover as I am for my fictional wizard, the more lore research I do, the more I feel like Mystra deserves some love too. This goddess lives a cursed life. I know I know she asked Gale to kill himself, but bear with me; here are my arguments:

A bit history of Mystra

There’re 3 Mystra: Mystryl -> Mystra (Elminster’s Mystra) -> Mystra (Midnight)

In short, Mystryl is the fourth deity in the universe, composed of Shar & Selûne’s essence. She is one of the primal existences while the universe is still new and trying to settle down, a significant component of the universe itself. While Mystryl’s spirit was born naturally, Mystra and Midnight were both once mortal and raised by AO to inherit Mystryl’s power.

Is Mystra bad?

Midnight, “Mystra 3rd ” is who we met in BG3. She was a human magic user born in 1332 DR. Midnight was aiding Mystra 2nd at the time of troubles. She’s a kind-hearted and humble woman who ascended in 1358 DR. She didn’t want godhood at all; she only did it to counter Cyric, the bad guy.

From comic book Avatar (1991)

For decades, she even tried to allow only the good use of magic, later learning her duty and place as the guardian of balance and impartial arbiter of the Weave; no matter how Midnight feels or hopes things could have been. She was only 26 when she had to wave goodbye to everyone she knew, shouldering the 24/7 goddess duty. It’s true that she will inherit other Mystra’s memory, but personality-wise she is only 160 years old; even Halsin is older than her. (Not to mention she spent 94 years in dormant)

Note[1]: Later on all the Mystra mentioned I will be talking about Midnight

Note[2]: Dec17/2023 I will come back and edit this section; it's misleading according to Ed Greenwood's tweet. The current Mystra is likely a blend of all three Mystras with an unspecified proportion. I will provide details on the stories and deeds of the other Mystras.

Being Mystra sucks. Truly.

Imagine your body is just a thing lying on the street; anyone can command you to dance for them so long as they know the right spell. While you CAN reject it, you are NOT ALLOWED to.

What’s worse is that too many mortals and too many gods want the Weave, but it’s not something that she can “give”. Like no one can give away their body to someone else. She IS the Weave; I think of it as the Weave being the cells that compose her. Whoever wants to take it away will have to separate her mind and “body” by:

killing her and inherit the Weave, where all the attempters failed step 2, then only resulted in a broken/Weaveless crisis

or completely manipulating her mind, which is the option no one ever considers; they all go straight to killing her

Whenever DnD wants to change the rules, they kill Mystra.

Shar wants the Weave, Bane wants it, countless mortals want it too. According to the conversation between Gale and Lorroakan, it’s almost a common conversation trying to dethrone the goddess and take the power for themselves.

And no one is there to protect Mystra; she fights alone. Although she has a good relationship with gods like Selûne or Azuth, nobody lent a hand when she was murdered. She relies on her chosens and her own power.

On top of defending herself, aka protecting the Weave, another important duty is to maintain the Weave. Whenever a spell is cast, it damages the Weave, and she is the one to patch the holes. The more powerful the spell is, the bigger damage it will cause. That’s why her dogma includes “Use the Art deftly and efficiently, not carelessly and recklessly.” She also needs to keep an eye out for possible upcoming threats. A tough and tedious job, and no holidays for the goddess.

It might sound a bit twisted, but she is taking care of the world by taking care of herself. Anything happening to her means catastrophe for the world. (e.g., Spellplague, where magic caused mutations to the users, see wiki here)

But she asked Gale to explode himself!

Yes, and she also promised Elysium once he’s dead. There is actually a thorough afterlife setting in the Forgotten Realms DnD setting. In short, a spirit doesn’t perish when a mortal dies; it would be drawn to the Fugue Plane and wait for the god they prayed to in life to send a servant to take them to their heaven.

It’s a terrible fate for the faithless or false spirits, those who either defy their gods or never choose one. They are forever punished in this grim plane and even become part of the Wall of the Faithless.

Fugue Plane and Wall of the Faithless: those are spirits piling up into a wall

In Mystra’s case, her heaven is Elysium, judging by the name, you can already tell it’s likely a heavenly place. Significantly better than the Fugue Plane, that’s for sure.

It’s a fixed truth that all will die someday, and Gale’s afterlife options are:

Defy Mystra: When he dies, he will be forever punished as a false in the Fugue Plane. Not to mention Kelemvor, Lord of the Dead, is also Midnight Mystra’s former(?) lover, and he detests cowardice.

Defy Mystra and try to gain favor from another god: I think this will mean changing class and profession for him, as a wizard he is tied to Mystra after all.

Serve Mystra and be taken to Elysium: And who knows, since he is chosen of Mystra, she might even revive him someday. Mystra 2nd did that for her other chosen before. Note: Interesting reading about how her chosen become weaveghost after death, see wiki here.

Obtain godhood: When the god Gale dies, he will go through a completely different process.

An interesting thought here is whether Gale knows about all these. It will largely define what his true colors are. It wouldn’t make sense if he is completely ignorant of afterlife logic, though. His background is an experienced wizard (probably studied some necromancy), goddess ex, and apparently visited heavens before.

Is Mystra power-thirsty?

I wouldn’t say so. She is already OP, and AO asked her to nerf herself by sharing and storing power in her chosens. Even if she were to gain more power, she is not allowed to keep it.

She wants the Shadow Weave

She sees Shar’s secret creation, the Shadow Weave, as a threat and aims to eventually subsume it into her portfolio, even if that means sacrificing her last remaining goodness and humanity.

From the DnD book “Faith & Pantheons”

We see how Shar is using her Shadow Weave in the cursed land, and it's safe to say it's not an ideal living environment for most beings. Shar has been very keen to kill Mystra and take over her power; I don’t think the world would be a better place in her hands than in Mystra’s.

She wants the Karsite Weave

The same logic could apply to the Karsite Weave. While we can argue whether Gale has a good heart and can be trusted with godlike power, he did show some concerning traits, did he not? Maybe in the future, when he is wiser and calmer, that's how I read Mystra’s line when she tells him to be patient.

Why doesn’t she just cure him since she can?

This is 100% headcanon. I think Mystra as a goddess is able to foresee some future. In Elminster’s story series, Mystra 2nd often asked him to do things that seemed irrelevant but were actually needed in the future. In Gale’s case, could it be that’s what Midnight meant to do? To mentor and humble him? Even prepare him to go through this journey? (Hardly imagine the prime archmage Gale joining our little merry band, and Elminster did say, “Mystra was anything but idle- she chose you as her champion.” What could that means?)

Gale has a curve where he goes from being “irked by untalented apprentices” to “enjoying teaching a lot” if not using the crown. He could have been relying on magic too much, and his ego or pursuit of power had led him astray from his good nature. If you look from this perspective, offering to use the orb before the final battle could be him still having doubts about the team's ability and having more faith in magic aka his own power (mixed with his deep love for everyone that he'd rather die than see their lives wasted, of course).

She is a terrible lover, and she doesn't care about Gale at all

According to patch 5, how time feels in the outer plane is very different from the material plane. God Gale came back in 6 months, and he seems not aware that it has been months. With this logic and putting myself in Mystra's shoes, she got mad because Gale recklessly activated a magical nuclear bomb and ignored him for a couple of weeks.(~1 year in the mortal world) When they meet again, this grumpy jumpy bean is thinking of the possibility of killing her for her powers already. Excuse me???

I will say there could be more considerate ways to handle this subject other than asking him to bomb himself. This long-distance cross-race romance was very problematic, but I will reserve my opinion on how much love she holds for Gale. Probably not seeing him as an equal partner, of course, but drawing the conclusion that she doesn't care a tad about his well-being might be too hasty, in my opinion.

A screenshot of Mystra telling Gale that she wasn't the one who took his gifts away from him. That's not an expression of 0 sympathy to me. I've never seen her make this face except for this line.

*UPDATE on Dec 11/2023* Add a tweet from Ed Greenwood, the creator of the Forgotten Realms. Ref: X

*UPDATE on Jan 11/2024* • Add a screenshots during Gale's meeting with her • Add a note on DnD weaveghost setting *UPDATE on Apr 15/2024* • An great analysis of Gale & Mystra's relationship and Mystra's behavior logic

-DISCLAIMER- I am very new to the DnD world, but these are what I dug up and puzzled together. I could be very, very wrong, but please be kind; I did all this out of love for my wizard 💜💜💜

[silvermoon424]

Sailor Moon Name Meanings: 10 Main Sailor Senshi Edition

Most of the names in Sailor Moon are packed full of meaning, so I've decided to do a series of posts examining each name's etymology! Let's start with the main Sailor Senshi themselves.

Usagi Tsukino: “Rabbit of the Moon”

Usagi’s name is packed full of symbolism, as it directly references the East Asian legend of the “rabbit on the moon.” If you look at the full moon and observe its darker areas contrasted against the white ones, you may see the shape of a rabbit standing over a mortar with a pestle. According to folklore, this rabbit is making anything from the elixir of life to simple mochi.

It’s not just Usagi’s name that references this legend. Her odango hairstyle is meant to resemble rabbit’s ears (although this is far more obvious with Chibiusa), and many of her belongings feature cute pictures of bunnies. Unlike real rabbits though, Usagi hates carrots!

Ami Mizuno: “Asian Beauty of Water”

Time to clear up a misconception I myself have spread in the past. Ami’s name does not mean “Friend of Water,” it actually means “Asian Beauty of Water” according to the kanji in her name. Although Rei is commonly seen as the traditional Japanese beauty of the bunch, Ami isn’t far behind!

Of course, “Water” is a reference to Sailor Mercury’s powers over water and its different forms (ice and gas/fog). Apart from having powers over water, Ami is shown to love water in her civilian life, being an avid swimmer. Finally, Mercury in Japanese is “Suisei,” or “Water Star.”

Rei Hino: “Spirit of Fire”

Rei’s name reflects her status as the most spiritual of the Senshi, being a miko who is capable of using special powers (her psychic and purification powers) even when she’s not transformed. “Spirit of Fire” even brings to mind one of her special abilities, which is divining the future by meditating and staring into flames.

Of course, the “Fire” also references how Sailor Mars is the Senshi of Flames and Passion, being the Sailor Senshi who has mastery over fire. Finally, Mars in Japanese is “Kasei,” or “Fire Star.”

Makoto Kino: “Sincerity of Wood”

“Makoto” can have a number of different meanings, and we don’t 100% for sure know which one Mako’s is because her name is in hiragana. However, the fandom has largely chosen to go with the meaning of “sincerity.” This is a very suitable name for Mako, as she is one of the most sincere and honest characters in the entire series.

“Kino” means “of wood.” Although Sailor Jupiter is commonly associated with electricity, her powers really encompass nature as a whole. In the manga/reboot anime, she has a number of attacks that involve plants. Finally, the Japanese name for Jupiter is “Mokusei,” or “Wood Star.”

Minako Aino: “Beautiful Child of Love”

Minako’s name is very straightforward, being a reference to the mythological goddess Venus- the Roman goddess of love and beauty. Out of all the Senshi, Minako/Sailor Venus by far has the most associations with the deity who is the namesake of their guardian planet. In Codename: Sailor V, she is even outright stated to be the incarnation of the goddess Venus.

Out of all the Senshi, Minako is the only one who does not have a reference to the Japanese name of her planet in her name. In Japanese, “Venus” is called “Kinsei,” which means “Metal Star.” Although this is referenced in her powers (in the manga/reboot anime, Venus uses her metallic chain as well as a sword to attack), the reason why it’s not reflected in her name is probably because she was the very first Sailor Senshi created and Naoko Takeuchi hadn’t hammered out the naming scheme yet.

Chibiusa: “Small Rabbit”

“Chibiusa” is actually a nickname given to the girl when she arrived in the 20th century; her birth name is “Princess Usagi Small Lady Serenity.” Introducing herself as “Usagi,” she quickly got the name “Chibiusa” to distinguish her from the first Usagi (who, unbeknownst to her at the time, was her mother). It’s an appropriate nickname, as it basically just means “the smaller Usagi.” The same symbolism behind Usagi’s name applies here as well.

Setsuna Meioh: “Moment Dark King”

“Setsuna” means “moment” or “instant,” which is fitting for a character so heavily associated with time. “Setsuna” also sounds very similar to “setsunai,” which while difficult to get an exact translation of, basically means a strong mix of happiness and sadness. Think nostalgia, bittersweetness, sweet sorrow, etc. Again, this is very fitting for Setsuna, who is noted by other characters to appear slightly sorrowful at all times but still carries out her duties with pride.

“Dark King” is a reference to the Roman god Pluto, the namesake of Sailor Pluto’s guardian planet and the god of the underworld. While Sailor Pluto is most often associated with time, she is also referred to as the “Senshi of the Underworld” and some of her attacks (such as Dead Scream) are related to the underworld. Also, “Dark King” starts a naming convention with the Outer Senshi (sans Hotaru) who all directly reference their planet’s mythological namesakes in their family names.

Haruka Tenoh: Distant Sky King

“Haruka” can have a few different meanings, but our Haruka’s name means “distant” or “far off” (Haruka’s name, like most of the Senshi, is written in hiragana instead of kanji, meaning that its exact meaning is ambiguous). This reflects her initially standoffish, aloof nature and how she first presents herself to the Inner Senshi.

“Sky King” is a reference to the Roman god Uranus, the namesake of Sailor Uranus’s guardian planet and the primordial deity who represents the sky. Sailor Uranus’s powers are related to wind and the sky, making this a fitting tribute.

Michiru Kaioh: Rising Sea King

“Michiru” is a name that has nuance to it. I used “rising” here, but it can also translate to “mature,” “complete,” etc. The impression that “Michiru” gives off is a fulfilment of growth, like hopes that have been nurtured. Of course, this is extremely fitting for our Michiru. Like the rest of the Outer Senshi, she is very mature and is initially further along in her development as a Senshi than the Inners. I also like the term “rising” in particular, as it gives off the imagery of ocean waves as well as hinting that Michiru’s maturation and growth is still ongoing.

“Sea King” is a reference to the Roman god Neptune, the namesake of Sailor Neptune’s guardian planet and the god of the ocean. Sailor Neptune has powers over the sea, making it obvious where Naoko Takeuchi made mythological connections.

Hotaru Tomoe: Firefly Sprouting From Earth

Unlike the other Outer Senshi, whose names have significance from Greek/Roman mythology, Hotaru’s name is rooted in Japanese symbolism. In Japanese folklore, fireflies are thought to be the carriers of the souls of the dead (more specifically, the souls of soldiers who died in war). This is very fitting symbolism for Sailor Saturn, the Senshi of Death and Rebirth; in the manga and Crystal, Hotaru is even shown carrying and guarding the souls of the Inner Senshi. Other symbolism for fireflies is that they are beautiful and burn bright, but are short-lived; this is again fitting for Hotaru in her original life, as her life was doomed to be cut short before she was fortunately reborn.

The ”earth” (as in “dirt,” not the planet Earth) kanji in “Tomoe” is a reference to the planet Saturn, which in Japanese is called the “Earth Star” ("Dosei"). The planet Saturn has been known since ancient times, whereas the planets beyond it were only discovered thanks to modern telescopes. This is reflected in their Japanese names, as Saturn follows the traditional Japanese planet naming scheme of “element + star” whereas Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are named following the same Roman mythological naming convention that Western astronomers used (“Neptune” being “Sea King Star,” etc).

[strangelittlestories]

The new god of tricksters approached the turnstile that led to the mortal realm.

To the side of each turnstile was a booth. And in each booth sat a psychopomp - the guides and guardians that stood between realms. 

The lines were short as it was early afternoon during an Age of Reason, where new gods were not in high demand (as opposed to an Age of Reasons, plural, when the world churned through fresh deities to excuse all kinds of bullshit).

The new god was nearly at the front of the line. Ahead of them, a new genius loci of a small scientific library approached the booth. They were interrogated by a psychopomp who was 90% alligator teeth and 10% your mother’s disappointed eyes.

After a short conversation, the science spirit was eaten for being a contradiction-in-terms.

The trickster god stepped nervously through the gore of poorly edited academic citations.

“Hi.” Said the god, plastering on a smile.

“Name and nature?” The psychopomp’s grinding tone suggested it had neither the interest nor the bodily architecture for engaging on smalltalk (and would only be let down by your efforts anyhow).

“Interesting question. For part A I’m not sure I have one yet and I’m getting the feeling I *may* want to keep it secret anyhow. As for part 2 … I think my answer to part A might give you an inkling as to my nature.”

Imagine a creature made of many tiny bone knives coated with the venom of parental mortification. Imagine it sighing. The kind of sigh to end a universe or ruin a graduation.

“I have to fill out the form.”

“Tell you what … you’ve got most of a form already filled out from the poor sod before me.” The new god tried out a grin for the first time. “I’ll just give it a quick edit, bring it up to your standards, then presto theologio, god’s a good’un.”

“...it’s against the usual policy. But I do kind of want to see how this plays out.”

“Your confidence is appreciated.” The god fine-tuned their grin, turning up the sharpness and turning down the symmetry.

“Oh no.” Too many teeth smiled back at the god. “I just want to see how badly you’ll fuck it.”

The god decided not to press their luck and busied themselves with the form. They even kept their doodling in the margins minimal. Towards the end, they looked up at the psychopomp and asked:

“I think there’s a typo here. It’s asking me if I want to take out enhanced faith-based ‘lie-ability’ protection on behalf of my prospective followers?” The god indicated a part of the form with a finger that was entirely new to pointing and doing a bang-up job. “Surely that should be ‘liability’? As in, do I want *them* to have legal protection in case they get caught doing trickery? Or do I want to protect *myself* from being held accountable for their actions?”

“No typo. Special offer for tricksters. ‘Lie-ability’ - as in, for your followers’ faith to let them prevaricate more proficiently. For the strength of their belief to drip like ink from their tongues and rewrite the world into a more *pleasant* story.”

“Well, at five Revelations and ninety-nine Inspirations per century, it certainly seems like a steal. And I think I might be into stealing… Sign me up.”

“As we say in the business:” The psychopomp winked disconcertingly. “If your followers are *able to lie*, you’ll never be *liable*.”

Later, the god of tricksters might regret not asking why the previous applicant’s form had had a special section for trickster gods.

Or they might not. Some stories were more fun if you didn’t get bogged down in the details, after all.

[esoteric-chaos]

Low Energy Witchcraft - Chronic Fatigue Edition

Making a post such as this is something I find absolutely vital. Many of us deal with fatigue. Many of us deal with chronic fatigue and don't know it. This comes in tiredness, drowsiness, exhaustion, lethargy, brain fog, memory issues, slurring of words and muscle weakness.

I deal with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis aka Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). My Fibromyalgia accompanies that which is a chronic pain condition.

Sometimes you feel stuck in your own body. Bedridden for hours, days, weeks and sometimes life in extreme cases of ME/CFS. Weather can affect this, environment and pushing yourself past your limits. Rest is important.

Now how does this tie into witchcraft? Simple. We use our energy for spellwork, raising energy, energy work, devotion, basically everything. So much of our practice requires personal energy being manipulated and used, leaving us exhausted after in a lot of cases.

I'm going to share some helpful tips with you today.

Now remember, witchcraft is an aid. Nota cure or a replacement for medical aid. Please still take any and all medication and go to the doctors when needed.

Now let's get into it

Sustaining and drawing energy:

Borrowing energy from elements, crystals, tendrils (I'll go into this), space. It's limitless.

Tendrils. Tendrils are a form of vampiric magic I learned. Where you can borrow energy from another person. I will not go into the ethics of consent. I believe you need to do what's right for you at the moment. However, consent is something vital and needs to be practiced. How do you do it? Visualize or focus on feeling these energy tendrils coming out of your fingers. They can suck up the energy from the space or from another person with contact and focus. If not immediately needed, you can store this excess energy in a crystal or an amulet for later use. Always try to ground after so you don't feel overcharged. Being overcharged can cause shakiness, anxiety and sometimes manic-like states.

Sigils

Sigils are a great form of aid. You can make them for lifting brain fog, fatigue, memory, etc. I will link some when I make a few.

Spells

You can do mini spell workings on higher energy days to aid in many ways. I will link some when I make a few.

Deities Worship

If you work with certain deities they may aid you in health. Honouring and working with Apollon (Greek), Apollo (Roman), Sekhmet (Egyptian), Eir (Norse), Airmed (Irish) and many more are associated with healing. A simple prayer can do.

What can I practice when I have little/no energy?

You can practice mindfulness or elemental box breathing. How I do that is breathe in Earth, Fire, Water, Air. Hold Earth, Fire, Water, Air. Breathe out Earth, Fire, Water, Air. and Hold Earth, Fire, Water, Air. Repeat as needed. You will feel more connected to the elements that way.

Take any medication you have with intention. Drawing the sun symbol on your bottles, the planet sun is great for healing.

Prayer to any deities, guardians or ancestors you are currently working with.

Grounding your energy may help you feel better with brain fog. It tends to help me on heavy days.

Doing something as simple as opening a window on a windy day to connect to the air element. Helps cycle air in a stuffy environment as well.

Opening your curtains and basking in the sun's rays can feel very soothing. Alternatively, if you have a sun lamp for SAD, you can bask in its glow and envision the sun's rays on your skin to connect with solar energy.

I will add to this post as time goes on.

Do you want to see more posts I have? Check out the Masterpost.

Updated 2/6/24

[merp0515]

Healing Past Scars Ch.1 Blind Belief

Summary: After the dealing with so many traumatic incidents, our beloved meme guardain boys have to come into terms with both past and present scars. Will they be able to conquer them with an iron fist or will those same wounds destroy them both?

Tags: Suicidal Thoughts,PTSD, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Healing , Developing Relationship

Link to my previous post with other fanfic places I posted this fic at is here!

TW: The following story contains dark themes such as PTSD, and disturbing imagery.

   It was raining hard late into the night at the showgrounds. Everyone was fast asleep in their respective rooms peacefully except for one. Four had just finished editing his latest video, ready to call it a night. He gets up from his chair and stretches his body. He changes into his PJs and hops to his bed and closes his eyes to forget reality for a moment.

Fog clouds Four's vision as he tries to watch where he was stepping. He looks around cautiously, trying to figure out his location. He looks ahead to see a silhouette of something he couldn't put his finger around.

"Hello! Can you help me figure out where I am? I'm a little lost here!" He shouted at the shadow from a distance. The shadow doesn't reply. The guardian walks towards the mysterious figure, his brows scrunched in irritation as the silence between the two thickens. The fog slowly clears up the more SMG4 gets closer to the figure. The figure's shadow clears as Four gets close, stopping dead in his tracks. His eyes widen seeing a person he hasn't seen in a while......Desti.

Desti looks at Four coldly. Her octarian eyes staring deep into his soul. Four could feel himself sweating as the scene changed to where she had died but something was different. Four looked down to see the very sword that killed her, pierced into his heart. He instantly felt everything at once. The pain, no way of breathing, and the shockwave his body felt as he kneeled down before her.

"If only you had been quicker with realizing that anime trash was behind me, I would have been still alive and Meggy wouldn't have gone through such a traumatic event." She spoke with such venom in her mouth. Four began coughing up blood as it started to spread on his overalls. He looks down in shame, looking at his hand, shaking tears threatening to come out.

"I...I was trying to save everyone." He managed to say before the scene and the person changed again. He closes his eyes, feeling himself glitch into the transition. He notices the sword that was previously on his chest disappear and holds on to his chest, anxiety slowly kicking in as he is back in the god box. More specifically, where they first met the real SMG0 and Niles.

He looks up to see the sky, remembering the mixture of colors where they fought Eldritch Zero and almost dying in the void of the box with Mario and SMG3. He hears a dark chuckle, snapping himself back and gasps in horror as he sees both his avatar and his guardian partner's Mario reskin covered in many injuries.

"MARIO! SMG3!" Four screams in terror and he runs towards the two but is cut short due to something landing between him and the lifeless bodies. He looked closer to see the thing that stopped him was none other than Melony in her Fierce Deity form.

"M-melon-" Four began to say before Melony cuts him off from speaking further. Her bubbly tone was replaced with a more serious and angry tone.

"Why?" She began, her face twisting into an angered expression that scared the shit out of the meme guardian.

"Why are all the bad things happening to us while you only get so little pain? Are we just characters that you can just play with their emotions and screw them over whenever you want?" The melon Deity says, her voice shaking from the tears that came out with her grief. 

"It's a shame really." Another voice rang as the two original guardians appeared in between Melony. Zero looks away, not looking at the heartbroken Four. The teary eyed guardian looks to her right and growls in anger as Niles stares at him with a smug ass smile on his face.

"And yet with your best intentions, have you ever stopped to wonder if you ever did more harm than good?" Niles asked in a taunting tone.

Four's eyes widen in rage as he runs to the trio going head on towards Niles screaming angrily. Both Niles and Zero disappeared at the same time and fell to the ground right in front of Melony. He looks up in horror to see the two merged into their Eldritch version behind her staring him down emotionlessly. She picks up the blue hero effortlessly as the male struggles to get away from her grasp.

"M-melony please.....listen to me.", SMG4 tearfully said, feeling his face wet with tears.

Melony opens her mouth to speak to Four before throwing him into the abyss. But instead, the voice of the monster behind her spoke in her body as he was thrown far into the next place.

"P A T H E T I C."

Screams were heard in the void. Four felt like he was flying into the void for an eternity when suddenly felt himself going downwards to something.....and he was going down at the speed of light. Four shields himself, shutting his eyes tight as he was embracing for impact that never came.

Zero

One

Two

Three

Four

He counted to himself as he tried to calm himself down. He waited for anything to tell him he was either alive in his dream or awake back in his new room. Sounds of the keyboard echos in his ears as he opens his eyes immediately wondering where this nightmare had taken him this time. He looks around the room he was in. His heart racing, realizing where he is. Back to the beginning, where it all began. Four's breath quickens as he watches his 2022 self glued to the computer, his room a mess along with his restless appearance he had the day he snapped at his friends for turning off the wifi.

"It's crazy isn't it?" He heard a familiar voice from the shadows. Four jolts up in surprise to his friend Axol sitting on his old bed, looking at him with sadness and pity. The axolotl looks back to the older design, a frown intact on his face.

"I was once the world's best mangaka. I had it all. Fame, fans, people that adored all my hard work and enjoyed all of what I brought to the table. Meeting you all and going through all the insane near death experiences changed my life." Axol said with a heartbroken tone.

"A-axol please..... I-I'm sor-"Four weakly tries to apologize to his friend and carefully walks towards him.

"YOU APOLOGIZE?! AFTER BEING DEAD FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS ONLY NOW YOU CHOOSE TO APOLOGIZE?!" Axol screamed at Four with such rage. Four immediately stopped approaching and jolted in surprise, seeing him in such a state. Axol's body changed from his original form to the second stage of the time "Zero" possessed him.

"I NEVER GOT TO EXPERIENCE TRUE ROMANCE AND GO ON PROPER DATES! INSTEAD OF THAT, THE GIRL I FEEL FOR HAD TO KILL ME!!!" He shouts more aggressively. Four fell to his knees, looking down in shame. Letting his dead friend chew him out with his words.

The ground beneath him changes again to the outside of where the castle once was. Four looks up to the empty space before him. His guilt kicks into high gear as he lets his tears fall out and hugs himself in pain. He drowned out all the audio in the current setting he was in that he didn't hear someone walking towards the weeping male. He stops his tears for a moment to see a familiar shoe that had a skull on the side standing in front of him. Four lifts his upper body to see his ex rival looking at him. His face was unreadable as Four felt his lips shiver as the other male kneeled in front of him.

"Just like when I almost died during the 10th year anniversary party and during the god box incident. I almost died during Mario day.... didn't I?" Three spoke with pure fear in his eyes. The final glitch changes from the old castle to Three's Coffee N' Bombs where it was infested with snails. Four's eyes widened in fear and looked behind him to see a scribbled out face of Mario petting one of the snails. The blue guardian could feel himself tearing again as he felt Three's hand gently grab his face to see him. Seeing the way the other meme guardian stared at him shattered his soul, making him cry on the spot. Three's eyes changed from his warm ruby colored eyes to the yellow colored eyes, his skin and hand covered in black veins.

"Can you imagine what that's like?", Three gulped as he felt his own tears coming out seeing his partner cry. "To be completely and utterly failed.....time and again....by someone that meant the world to you..." 

Four shot up from his bed drenched in sweat. His entire body was shaking from what he just experienced. He shakily covered his face with his hands, his sobs echoing in the blue man's room. He cursed the loud pouring rain outside for creating such a horrible nightmare. All he wanted was to create a new home for everyone after everything was said and done. Is having a peaceful life in his new home really hard to have? 

In the meantime he'll have to do what he always did when this recurring nightmare happened. Hold himself close and let his tears out until there's nothing left so he can sleep.

[twisted-tales-of-all]

Until We Meet Again

Summary: Although San is left alone to watch the shrine after his friends move onto the next plane, he faces someone who reminds him of his past love. Pairing: Naga!Choi San x afab!reader Genre: Fluff, one-shot, event, rated PG Tropes: reincarnation, fated lovers Word Count: 3.5K Contains: discussion of death and past lives, sense of not belonging due to bullying/othering (essentially racism) A/N: Apologies for the lack of banner and poor editing. I've been in quite a slump recently, but wanted to ensure I finished up this piece for the spring event. Please check out all the other pieces submitted as well!

Although he's grown accustomed to the lack of visitors, San finds himself exceptionally bored as the cold weather melts away into the beginnings of this spring. Decidedly, he exits his usual post within the forgotten shrine for a walk in the nearby gardens. Despite donning his human form, people can clearly tell that he's different. Feeling everybody's judgemental looks, he tries his best to focus on the well-trimmed stylized bushes and the pruned bunches of flowers that dared to bloom this close to winter's edge.

"Mommy, why are his eyes like that?" A child asks far too loud for their mother's liking, who rushes away with them quickly.

With a sigh, San brings a hand to his temple. Immediately greeted by the cool touch of scales, he only grows more frustrated by the clear differences between him and the humans. Despite his intense respect towards the deity who made him their shrine guardian, he cannot help the feelings of resentment in giving him this specific form. So often, guardians get beautiful animal forms - cats, foxes, dogs - but his deity did not follow these typical choices. Instead, San got the powers and form of a snake. Thanks to various stories about evil snake monsters - Quetzalcoatl, Leviathan, nagas, lamias, gorgons, etc. - most humans steered clear of the shrine for fear of a malevolent deity.

Finding his attempt at a calming walk frustrating, San turns on his heel and heads back towards his home, unaware of the pair of curious eyes watching the whole ordeal. Unlike the judgemental glares of most people in the garden, you look on with an almost naive sense of genuine curiosity. You've heard stories of the guardian spirits of shrines, but this is your first time seeing one. Guided by your urge to learn more about the stranger, you secretly follow his path to the shrine. You witness him drop his human disguise to reveal a far more snake-like appearance before phasing through the closed panels of the shrine, disappearing completely from view.

After a few blinks to reassure yourself that you aren't in a strange dream, you head back to the garden as you think about how to meet him again. As you pass by the flowers he admired earlier, you notice the winter jasmines and smile.

"Elegance and graace; symbolizing good fortune." Repeating the text from a book you read on flower symbolism, you decide exactly how to approach the interesting snake man.

Carefully reviewing your notes over the next few days, you coax a flower away from its friends, thanking it for blooming beautifully to help you. You bring it with you as you make your way to the quiet shrine. Despite not knowing anything about the deity honored there, you respectfully perform a basic prayer to them. After, you feel the presence of someone - or, rather, something - there with you. Trying to hide your smile, you present the carnation upon the stone slab resting between you and the shrine.

"I don't know whether you know the meaning of flowers, but I think it must be fate that you were admiring the winter jasmines. I have a feeling you are similar to them: elegant and graceful. Even if nobody else can see you as anything but a monster because you look different, I refuse to judge you like that. If you'd please, I hope you accept this flower as a testament to my fascination of you. I'd like to get to know you more. Maybe a name, to start."

He doesn't greet you, but you pique his curiosity with your flower knowledge. Peeking through the shutters while hidden by invisibility magic, he commits your image to memory. However, he doesn't have to go searching for you like he expected, as you return to the shrine the following day. For the first time in over a decade, San opens the shutters, allowing you to see the representation of his deity.

Very androgynous, the long-haired figure stands there, dressed in an ornately decorated red and black hanbok. Next to them, a small dragon reaches the height of their knees, threatening whoever it may be. You study the visual, trying to locate anything that might identify what kind of god they are.

With the same intensity, San studies you, wondering whether you have ill intent in coming to the shrine. Today, as well, he remains hidden from you, but he quickly chooses a plant for you. Using his powers, he commands a breeze to drop the mint at your feet.

After a chuckle, you pick it up and question the choice, "This could mean so many different things. I wonder which you thought of when choosing it for me. Are you suspicious of me, or maybe openminded and interested in me? Or maybe you just think I'm a stroke of good luck! Have I healed your loneliness? Give me some more information here!"

Before he realizes it, a smile creeps across his face. Your knowledge and playfulness entice him. Moving out of view and lifting his invisibility, he walks out of the shrubbery and clears his throat to get your attention. As you turn, you're greeted by his human form once again.

"Nice to meet you. You don't have to put up that disguise, y'know. Just be comfortable; I'm not scared. Oh, I'm Y/N, by the way."

"How...? You- How are you so nonchalant about it?"

Tilting your head in confusion, you remind him of a small puppy, naive and trusting in a horribly untrusting world. He can't help but laugh, at your naivety and at himself for suspecting you of ill intent.

"You can call me San. That's the name Bo-in gave me when they took me under their wing."

"Nice to officially meet you, San. Is Bo-in the name of your deity? What did their powers entail?"

"Balance, mostly. Water to fire; earth to sky; shadow to light. Ensuring nothing overpowered its counterpart. They brought me and Soo-ah to their temple, teaching us and granting us our own powers after some time. When it was time for Bo-in to move on from this world, they knew that dragons would soon be hunted, so Soo-ah remained by their side while I stayed to watch over the shrine."

As he talks, his disguise slowly fades away, showing his growing comfort around you. He continues by explaining that Bo-in gave both pupils more unique creature forms than typical spirit guides. Although he doesn't mention why, you assume that it was another attempt to balance things out. From choosing one man and one woman, giving them names that balance, and bringing one while leaving the other, everything was truly done in the name of balance.

While you enjoy learning everything, you have to get home, as the sun has almost made its full path through the sky. As you say your goodbyes, you promise to return another day in the near future.

"Y/N," he calls after you've taken a few steps. "Thank you."

"Hm?"

"Just... thank you."

He'll never say it aloud. Never admit that you remind him of her. If he admits it, he'll have to acknowledge his feelings once again, after all this time. He'd have to recognize that he thanked you for returning to him and repairing his trust in humanity. That he can feel Bo-in looking down on him and smiling as everything goes according to plan.

"Y/N isn't Soo-ah." He says it aloud to convince himself and snap at his god for planning it.

When he rises the next morning, a bright red flower rests beside him. Since nobody has access to his magical abode, he immediately deduces it as a message from Bo-in. Wiping the residual sleepiness from his eyes and sitting up straight, San picks up the crimson petals to identify them. Camellia.

"Is this a joke, Bo-in? I only know two meanings behind the red camellia: love and a graceful death. What could you-?"

As it hits him, the words stop flowing. There's no way that's what they mean, right? But what else could this particular flower mean? Is it really a confirmation of Soo-ah's return? Hers is the only graceful death he can think of. Not to mention his love for her over all these centuries still holding strong.

The next time you go to meet San, you want to bring out another plant, but you can't figure out any that stand out, so you ask the local florist to choose a meaningful flower for you, essentially leaving the choice up to fate. When he comes back with a bright red flower that you don't know the meaning of, you find it quite a good match to your new friend, whose hair radiates a similar tone. Especially so after the florist explains that camellias are often used to symbolize overcoming adversity. After learning his story the day prior, you decide that this flower fits perfectly. Thanking him, you pay for the flower and begin heading towards Bo-in's shrine.

As you arrive, you're shocked by how grim the area feels. Usually bustling with greenery and a freshness in the air, you become overwhelmed by the thick, heavy air. Looking around at the bushes, it appears as if a tornado had focused its chaos upon the small pavilion. Dropping the flower, you rush to the shrine, tearing the shutters open and calling out for San.

"Quit your yapping."

Hearing a voice above you, you search the trees for a sign of him but cannot find one.

"San, come here. What happened?"

Plopping down behind you, he answers vaguely, "Bo-in is testing me."

With the momentum of the spin to face him, you nearly trip over your own two feet. Expecting to find his face at its normal height, you look around confused when that isn't the case.

"Down here."

You feel a light pressure on your foot and look down to find a red and brown snake atop it. Your gut reaction is to jump and kick it away, but you manage to stop yourself knowing that the creature is your friend.

"I can't change. Bo-in left me a flower, and, after a few hours, I felt my control over my powers weakening at a rapid rate. Now I'm here."

Squatting down, you hold a hand to the snake to bring him up to your level again. He wraps his scaly body around your arm, keeping his head near your palm. You try not to smile at his appearance, but it creeps through anyway.

"Laugh all you want." He huffs.

"I'm not laughing! I just think you're cute like this, that's all."

If a snake could blush, you're certain you'd see it right now. Tripping over his words and looking anywhere else but your face, San fails to respond to your comment. Your comment clearly flusters him, so you make a note to compliment him more in all of his various forms.

"So, what do we have to do to get you out of this form? It isn't some 'true love's kiss' type thing, is it?"

Although you were joking entirely, the silence that follows makes your heart drop a bit.

Eventually, he answers, "I sure hope not." Turning away from you and constricting more around your arm, he adds, "Let's try anything else before we assume that's the solution."

"You... don't have a clue?"

"No. Bo-in left the flower and then this happened. Nothing else. No clues."

Suddenly reminded of the flower you brought him, you look around to find it. He catches sight of its vibrant hue and everything immediately clicks in his mind.

"That's a camellia, isn't it?"

You hum in agreement as you bend down to pick it up, adding, "I didn't know much about it, but the florist told me that it's a sign of overcoming adversity. After hearing your life story, I-"

"That's the flower Bo-in left me."

"How strange. Do you think it means something?"

"Y/N." He pauses, and the emphasis in his voice sends a shiver up your spine, "That flower screams Soo-ah. It means perishing with grace, and symbolizes a strong, long-lasting love."

A strong gust blows at you, harshly ripping a few petals from their pistil. San carefully watches where they land, hoping for a coincidence rather than another part of Bo-in's scheme. Despite his wishes, however, each petal lands precisely in the center of the place it softly floats to the small pond, the shrine's entrance, and the zen garden.

"Water, earth, and air. With a flower as vibrant as flames."

Slowly, you approach the petal at the entrance. Looking in, there's now a cloudy but reflective surface in place of Bo-in's engraved likeness. Focusing on your reflection, you find a completely different image. Rather than you holding a snake, you see two people holding hands. You quickly identify San despite the longer dark hair and wedding-style suit, but you don't recognize the other figure who matches in an elegant white dress with red and gold jewelry. As you move, she moves with you, but this definitely isn't your own reflection.

"That's Soo-ah, isn't it?"

"You're Soo-ah, Y/N." Another booming voice responds before the snake in your hand gets the chance.

Quickly, you spin on your heel. There, just as androgynous as the carving, stands Bo-in. Despite the initial shock, standing there together feels normal. Comfortable. Familiar.

"It's like San says. Although your memories have been wiped upon reincarnation, you were once Soo-ah. Somehow, you were drawn back to this place despite my best attempts to keep you away. Therefore, as I promised you before approving the reincarnation, I will offer my explicit approval for your love. As a gift, I can also return your memories to you, should you want them back."

"Bo-in, revert this magic." Annoyed, San blurts out, interrupting the conversation. "I'd like to change this form again. It is awkward to stay like this while you both have physical human forms."

Despite the interruption, Bo-in appears unfazed, holding out a hand for San to slither onto. A dim light radiates from their palm and surrounds the small snake. Shortly after, San returns to a humanoid form. This interaction buys you some additional time to comprehend the situation and figure out how to answer such a difficult question.

Bo-in returns focus to you, "Have you decided, Soo-ah?"

A shiver runs up your spine, making you twitch from the discomfort. Although you understand that you're Soo-ah's reincarnation, being addressed by her name irks you. You haven't been Soo-ah in decades. You've been yourself all these years, not her. Meeting San was coincidental, even if there might've been outside forces influencing you to do certain things.

With this revelation, you decide, "I appreciate your offer, Bo-in, but suddenly acquiring memories from a past life feels like something that the human mind cannot handle. It'd likely send me down a spiral about my identity. I have to reject your offer."

A smile creeps onto Bo-in's face as you talk, but it's San who speaks first, "Man, you really ARE the same person."

Confused, your wide-eyed gaze hops back and forth between the two people in front of you. Neither cares to give any further context, and Bo-in confuses you even more by breaking out into bellowing laughter without comment. San quickly joins, and soon their laughs are too contagious to avoid. Although you can't pinpoint the reason for the laughter, it lightens the load in your heart.

Shortly after the laughter settles, Bo-in says goodbye and wishes you both luck. Leaving you and San alone, the air tenses again. You quickly go to apologize for not reviving Soo-ah's memories, thinking that may be why things feel awkward. However, before you can say three words, you feel lips on yours and hands cupping your cheeks. Your face heats up from the sudden affection, but you also melt into the sensation. You've been on your own for so long that you didn't realize how much you longed for someone to kiss you.

The interaction feels quick, but San pulls away with a heavy breath. The air is thick and warm between you, and you can't find the words to say after such a sudden interaction, but the silence that follows feels fresh, as if the kiss extended into the depths of your souls. When his breathing returns to normal, the silence finally breaks.

"I'd apologize, but I actually don't regret it."

You can't help but laugh. His confident aura lends to the cockiness of his comment, but he fully jokes. Despite his words, you know he's sorry for the sudden invasion of your personal space.

"Don't worry, San. I enjoyed it. You don't need to apologize."

"Okay, good. I mean, surely it must've felt like all those plays describe, right? Where you're swept off your feet by the man of your dreams."

Rolling your eyes, you refuse to give him the satisfaction of any answer whatsoever. Instead, you change the subject, asking him to adapt a little to the current culture. Although he finds current technology difficult to manage, you convince him to trade in the flower-passing messaging for a simple flip phone.

After suggesting that you'll be back next time with a phone, you give him a hug and take your leave. He kisses your forehead, and you think about it the whole trip home. You can feel the smile etched across your face. It's not just your lips either; you just know there's a twinkle in your eyes and more light on your full face. Although unusual, you rationalize it with the thought that it's simply because it's been too long.

It takes a while for him to adjust to the phone, but once he does, you'd be easily convinced that he never puts it down. Multiple calls daily make you glad you didn't teach him how to message people. Meetings become more frequent and in new places as you show him some of your favorite places. Slowly but surely, he begins adjusting to the lifestyle you've known.

Although he's had a few slip-ups, calling you Soo-ah a few times, he immediately corrects himself and apologizes each time. You understand that you likely resemble her in numerous ways, so you don't get upset. And, just as you intended by refusing your past life memories, San begins falling for Y/N rather than simply seeing Soo-ah in you. The name swaps happen less and eventually completely fade away. You feel it in his demeanor, too. Rather than being restrictive and apologetic about his feelings, his confidence soars, and his actions towards you feel fuller, more genuine and complete.

A few months pass; the next season comes. You barely even notice before San points it out.

"The colors of spring are wonderful, but there's a serenity that comes with the beginning of summer. Don't you think?"

Caught off-guard by the sudden question, you look around so you can respond. Expecting the cleanness that comes when all the flowers of spring fall to the ground and get whisked away by the wind, you actually find yourself stuck staring at a rarity. Once something unrecognizable to you, your eyes catch onto a camellia. However, this one isn't as striking as the red one from before. Rather, as if someone stripped the color clean out, this lone flower stands a bright white, still managing to stand out against the browns and yellows of the season's transition.

Shocked at your silence, San follows your unwavering gaze to the bush. When he catches sight of it, his eyes widen, and he curses under his breath. Even without knowing the specifics behind the various color meanings of this flower, something about the striking white feels haunting to you. You remind yourself that the flower means long-lasting, mutual love, but San's words ring in your head: it means perishing with grace. Is it a bad omen? Bo-In hasn't interfered since that day, so there's no way they'd speak to you now, right? Is it a warning? Are you overreacting?

"San..."

"They don't bloom this late. It shouldn't exist." Flatly, your boyfriend declares, a poorly-hidden concern painted upon his face.

Standing up from the bench, you approach the flower with San trailing a step behind you. Reaching out and touching it, the whole thing falls apart. Characteristic of camellias, the petals and sepals all collapse together at the slightest touch of your finger. With your arm frozen in position, you turn your head to the boy on your left, shooting him a concerned look.

Placing an arm around your shoulders, he files through a dozen statements to try and reassure you both that it's pure coincidence with no meaning. Even though you're certain both of you have worries in the back of your mind, you drop your arm and the topic all at once. Bouncing back into a happy state, you begin walking away and finally answer the question from earlier to segue into a new conversation.

"Summer really gives off that sense of a new beginning. Everything is changing, just like us. I think it's really appreciated in the cycle of seasons."

"Just like us... You're right. Here's to our new start with the season change."

[waroferas]

Cia HyWars is pure evil?

There is so much I could say about Cia . and i will ! you’re stuck with me now idiot !!!!! (speaking into an empty room)

i was going to skip this section bc if anybody reading this somehow didn’t know who Cia is then like . google is right there . but zeldadungeon actually has fuck all to say about cia’s backstory and i would never knowingly subject someone to the fandom wikis.

Cia was originally known as the Guardian of Time, a minor deity tasked with overlooking the checks and balances of the triforce across the past and future. She did this work alone, and her psyche was left vulnerable to a fragment of ganondorf’s soul. Her admiration and jealousy of the holder’s of the triforce was manipulated until she became physically fragmented, her “light half” being cast from her as she was fully corrupted.

That half goes on to become Lana, and what remains of Cia wants two things: Collect Link like barbie doll, and help Ganondorf restore his soul and gather the triforce so she can Collect Link like barbie doll. She’s the main antagonist of the game now.

why would she do this? is she stupid?

being lonely makes you crazy and i mean this very genuinely.

Hyrule Warriors is constantly hammering in that you need to rely on other people through gameplay And story beats. i would even say that friendship and teamwork is one of the strongest and most recognizable themes. In the very first stage there is an honestly comical back and forth that goes as follows: link runs in to fight volga. impa runs in to save link. link hops up last second and saves impa instead . and then they round out the stage with impa saving link and delivering the hero’s tunic to him. this has to be a joke? but it isn’t . they LOVE TEAMWORK !! not to mention the gameplay that forces you to run around and help your allies, or the massive story beat that revolves around Link running ahead to fight on his own, which i could dissect in its own post.

unrelated but related, in the first edition of this game Cia dies. she asks lana to make her pain make sense, reveals that she knew on some level she was doomed to fail, and admits that lana really is better than her. it’s a bitter ending with very little fanfare, as ganondorf swoops in quickly to kickstart the beginning of the end.

But in later versions, there’s additional content. Cia is found to be alive, struggling against Phantom Ganon’s forces with the last of her power. She becomes an ally and she gets to live at the end, finding a happy ending in resuming her duties now as one of two Guardians of Time with Lana.

Would it be such a stretch to assume that the root of her pain was her solitude? Her admiration of Link as the revered hero, her jealousy of Zelda as the damsel who is destined to always fight by his side, and her happy ending. she easily walks away from Link, Zelda, and the allure of the triforce because now she finally has company, and knows she is leaving them all as friends. Wouldn’t it make sense thematically that in the game about friendship, the main antagonist would be driven in part by a lack of it?

this doesn’t justify starting a war

yeag . the devs for the Dynasty Warriors hack and slash series should have made it Not a war (JOKE. PARODY. but see the first sentence or the previous section)

but what about the part where she is an irredeemable creep?

look me in the eyes . i cannot describe how much this train of thought kills me. i am trying not to point at anybody specific here but it actually scares me a little bit how common and Assumed To Be True this is considering the preexisting racism and misogyny surrounding Cia’s design and role within the game

Cia is creepy towards Link. it’s not normal to disregard a person’s autonomy because you want to “make him yours”, and it’s not normal to have just So Many pictures and statues of a guy. but i have to draw the line there because Genuinely that is where it ends.

Pet names? if you play her side campaign you find that she calls Literally everyone things like “lovelies” and “darling.” Her speech mannerisms are classically cartoonish villain and i am absolutely biased because i love this

Age difference? an important thing to note is that cia’s design is one of the things the most afflicted by the aforementioned racism and misogyny. considering she has no canonical age afaik it freaks me out that people treat her like a Textual Predator with the Everything in mind.

if she’s redeemable then they did a shit job at it.

no argument there . i think everyone forever should make something new up to make up for the fact that they did a Poor Redemption . at least have her say sorry or something idunno .

in my opinion they had a lot going on when cia joined the allies, so i like to imagine she ended up getting a proper redemption arc After phantom ganon is put to bed. it lives in my head and it’s just as convoluted and weird as the rest of the game 👍

Hyrule Warriors is just an extremely elaborate excuse to play dolls

and i LOVE my tuoys. come play with meeeee come have fun with me and ciaaaaaa

[musclemanveryregular]

[ID: the 4 giant babies floating babies from regular show on the left, and death also from regular show on the right. Death is kind of just a skinny guy with a bad haircut and sunglasses, and his right arm is huge from training for arm wresting matches. /end ID]

More information below:

The giant babies:

-aka the Guardians of Eternal Youth.

-granted skips eternal youth when they were in high school together.

-loves to party.

-adores chocolate cake enough to ignore century old promises.

-used to be 5 of them, until one died.

-has a sixth brother that was shot into space by Skips.

-which is why they granted him eternal youth.

-regularly goes on road trips around the galaxy.

My thoughts on getting high with the babies: if i had the chance to go on a road trip through space with a bunch of giant babies and some other gods... I would absolutely take it. Please, sign me up for that trip esp while stoned.

Tolerance level? I think they all fall in around 2.5/5, they're probably around semi regular usage but not as much as mordecai and rigby.

Death:

-can be defeated in a hot dog contest.

-lives in the underworld.

-likes to gamble, a lot.

-loves arm wrestling.

-has a wife and child.

-his child can talk and is basically a full grown man still pretending to be a baby.

-his wife is hot.

My thoughts on smoking with death? Oh God oh fuck no personally no. I dont want to be in the underworld while high holy fuck no thank you not at all nuhuh.

Tolerance level? Really im not sure. I'd say probably around a 2/5. Doesn't seem like it happens that often, but im sure he gets high occasionally.