#has duryodhana done anything wrong

[hasduryodhanadoneanythingwrong]

WOULD YOU JOIN HIS ALPHA COURSE?!??!!

[rambheem-is-real]

Karna vs the (Modern) World

-

prequel to Bujji's Analysis

Karna wakes up in Bhairava's body, and now has a disembodied female voice calling him partner. The holy mother is tied up in the backseat of the strangely autonomous vehicle they're riding in, and Karna has no idea what's going on.

-

They were on a journey from Shambala. Karna lingered in Bhairava’s mind, watching the guy in charge of their body move a horse-less vehicle with his hands and feet, talking to a disembodied voice. He had no idea what was going on, but he recognized the woman tied up in the car, or rather, her offspring. There was no mistaking that illustrious aura, even if he was currently just a fetus in the woman’s stomach. 

For a second Karna was tempted to take over their body, release the woman, and just go with her. He had no idea when or where he was (he assumed it had been a few thousand years, give or take), so he would hope she at least knew how to survive here and follow the woman. Karna had no untoward intentions, he just wanted to be with the woman when the baby was born. Would a fully formed adult Krishna spring out, with golden black skin and that damned peacock feather in his hair? He hoped so, because if anyone would have answers it would be God himself. Why he was here now of all times, why he was in someone else’s body, what happened to the world, he wanted to know. 

Karna stopped himself, because what if it was just a baby? Lord Rama wasn’t born like that, right? Then Karna would just be left with a random woman and a random baby, albeit a very powerful baby. He tuned back into the conversation. Bhairava had been saying something to soothe the voice right before Karna got lost in thought. 

“I don’t know what’s wrong with you, Bhairava,” the voice said. “What do you mean you don’t remember why you killed Commander Manas? I thought you said we were partners. You can tell me anything.” 

Karna mentally shuddered when the voice said they were partners. He had a suspicion the voice was the vehicle itself, and that was terrifying. Unless the fetus had somehow become great friends with Bhairava in the last few days, and also learned to talk with a female voice, but that was unlikely. Karna could tell there was no magic involved here, which made the voice all the more scarier, as otherwise he would assume a god had bewitched the vehicle or something. This was just wrong.

“Sorry, Bujji,” the sound came out of his mouth. The dialect was wrong, and so was the timbre of his usually deep voice, but Karna pushed down the automatic nausea. Then felt sick for a different reason. Bujji? This Bhairava… was flirting with a vehicle?

"Partners", the vehicle’s, or Bujji’s voice, echoed in Karna’s mind. 

“Mpfffh!” Karna’s eyes glanced in the rearview mirror to see the woman had managed to get the thin substance off her mouth, some kind of gag, although the rest of her was still tied up. “Please, Bhairava. I haven’t done anything to you. Just please leave me and my child alone,” the woman begged. 

“Sorry, labs papa,” Bhairava said. “Would’ve reconsidered if it wasn’t a 5 star bounty. I’m finally gonna be able to pay off my debts with this.”

Money?? Bhairava had kidnapped the mother of the universe for money? 

Well, that settled it. Karna had no intention of giving baby Krishna over to whoever was willing to pay what seemed like a large sum of gold to get the woman. Sure, he had faced Keshava many times on the battlefield (technically he had faced Arjuna, but he had suspicions that the charming God had a few tricks up his sleeve), but it was nothing personal. He would be a great ally to have in this time period, and maybe he could finally have a friendly spar with the man. His troubles in his past life were because he had allied himself with the wrong people anyway. 

Not his beloved Suyodhana, though, never. Karna had been happy to bleed on the battlefield, and would have given his life ten times over just to see the loving smile on Duryodhana’s face once more. He had been good friends with Ashwa, his brother-in-arms as well. Karna pushed down a pang of loneliness as he thought of both of them. Ashwa was here, anyway. He vaguely remembered seeing him chained down, but it wasn’t like those chains could stop Karna's friend of all people. 

Just as the thought hit, so was the vehicle. The impact of something bouncing off of Bhairava’s side made the vehicle flip over several times. Karna gladly gave up full control for a few seconds, retreating deep into Bhairava’s mind until the experience was over. He peeked out when the vehicle stopped moving.

Oh. It was Ashwa.

Karna watched through eyes half-closed with Bhairava’s pain as Ashwa quickly made his way over to the woman (who unsurprisingly had come out unscathed), and made sure she wasn’t hurt. He knew what would happen, but it didn’t make it less disappointing to have Ashwa turn to give Bhairava’s body a glance, sigh, and carry the woman back into the woods where he came from. It was for the best. Ashwa probably assumed Karna was gone again. Besides, this would solve the problem of the woman being hunted down. 

With a rumbling noise, the weird white lamps in the vehicle came back on, along with the floating blue ones. Karna bit back a yelp as the voice came back, proving Bujji really was the vehicle. “Bhairava! Are you okay?” 

“Okay? I’m okay?” he heard Bhairava breathe, and realized it was coming from within. He quickly ceded control once again. If he had his way, Bhairava would never find out Karna was also there inside him. Bhairava continued talking, oblivious to the fact that Bujji hadn't heard what he said right before. “Just peachy, Bujji. I think our little lab-experiment-gone-wrong has disappeared.” 

“It was that angry old man, he’s the last thing my sensors registered before the impact! He must have taken her away.”

Karna didn’t recognize what Bhairava called the woman, the words Bujji used for Ashwa, or exactly what part of her registered the impact, either. He had also missed some of the earlier sentences. Fuck, he would have to learn a new language, because clearly everyone here was multilingual. Besides that, though, he’d have to make sure Ashwa and the woman weren’t followed. 

Slowly, making sure Bhairava wasn’t alarmed by his presence (until he was Karna again and clearly Bhairava wasn’t strong enough to stay aware when not in full control), Karna emerged. 

“We shall go home,” he told Bujji, which was nerve wracking in a way that felt embarrassing for a war veteran. What if this artificial being could somehow detect lies? What even was this thing capable of? Karna loved to fight, loved knowing he was a well seasoned machine when it came to beating people in battle, but of course that was only when he knew his opponents. Or at least knew they were somewhat human. He didn’t know what the hell this Bujji was. 

A pause. “I thought you just said you wanted the reward?”

Karna guessed she was talking about the money. “I will figure something out. Wealth can be obtained through other means. It will be dangerous to keep pursuing such a formidable foe as him.” He hoped it was at least somewhat believable as Bhairava’s voice, although he hadn’t quite figured out the modern speech patterns yet. 

Another pause. “Right… maybe we should head back.” She sounded more worried now. “And get you checked out. Plotting coordinates for Kasi, then. You sleep in the meantime, I’ll get you there.”

Karna was grateful he didn’t have to speak more with Bujji. Bhairava would be confused again when he woke up, but would probably write it off as a decision he made with a head injury. An embarrassing part of him wished he’d wake up and be back on the battlefield, holding up that chariot wheel. Maybe this was some hallucination he was having before death, and any second now he'd start smelling the smoke and feeling the old battle wounds again. At least he knew what he faced there.

Or maybe this was Yama’s abode, and this was his personal narakam [hell], designed to punish him for all of the atrocities he committed. Draupadi's beautiful, vengeful face came to mind. Maybe Bujji was a new modern version of Yama's attendants. He shuddered before falling asleep, hoping that the scary thing wouldn’t kill him (he trusted she wouldn't kill Bhairava, at least). 

-

tagging ppl who interacted with the last part

@ahamasmiyodhah @mahi-wayy @vijayasena @celestesinsight @n0tm3g @prettykittytanjiro @lakshana-ke-lakshan @sometimesbrave

[herawell]

My Duryodhana/Yudhishthir dynamic is very dark and twisted tbh. Duryodhana hates Yudhishthir with a burning passion and he's incredibly jealous of him, because Yudhishthir is always praised for being perfect, he's polite and sweet to everyone, he obeys all the rules, he's kind and helpful, the masses adore him, in general he can never do wrong in anyone's eyes, and no matter whatever Duryodhan himself does, he doesn't recieve the same level of praise, love and recognition Yudhishthir does. So Duryodhan goes out of his way to annoy Yudhishthir and pick a quarrel with him, but no matter how mean Duryodhan gets, Yudhishthir never loses his temper and remains maddeningly unruffled. Which frustates Duryodhan. And Duryodhan just can't accept the fact that someone can be so perfect, someone can always manage to do the right thing, and he becomes obsessed with trying to find out a flaw in Yudhishthir that he can use to besmirch his spotless reputation. But there's a secret part of Duryodhan that lusts for Yudhishthir, that wants to be loved by him, but he doesn't believe it is possible, because why would someone as perfect and popular as Yudhishthir fall for someone pretty much universally disliked like him? Meanwhile, Yudhishthir is bewildered at the amount of rage Duryodhan has for him, because he can't think of anything he has done to piss him off, and also because he himself is beloved by everyone in Hastinapur and it is a different experience to be hated by someone. He hates Duryodhana for the way Duryodhana always manages to make him almost lose his temper in a fight, because anger is something he considers a vice. He hates Duryodhana because how different he is from him, how he has no qualms in breaking all the rules, how he argues with even the elders when he disagree with them, etc. Although he disapproves of these qualities, there's a part of Yudhishthir that feels envious, feels a sort of resentful, grudging admiration because he wishes he himself was brave enough for doing everything Duryodhan does. Also, Yudhishthir secretly finds Duryodhana attractive, and lusts for him too, but he knows the attraction is deeply wrong, they're cousins, he shouldn't feel such stuff for Duryodhana. And the envy, grudging admiration and lust makes Yudhishthir hate Duryodhana even more, because Duryodhana shouldn't be able to plant such thoughts in his brain, make him wish for swerving from the path of righteousness and rules he's tread all his life. Then they end up sleeping together once, because both of them are drunk. Duryodhana takes out all his hate and jealousy, and practically mauls Yudhishthir in bed, and Yudhishthir welcomes all of it. Duryodhana is delighted because now he knows Yudhishthir reciprocates his attraction, and the fact that Yudhishthir willingly chooses to participate in the sex, chooses to indulge in his desires and give in to the temptation to do something so forbidden proves what Duryodhana has been obsessed with proving all along-- that Yudhishthir isn't as inhumanely perfect as everyone thinks is. And Duryodhana treasures that discovery. Yudhishthir, meanwhile knows he shouldn't be doing this, knows its utterly wrong, and is absolutely humiliated because now Duryodhana has succeeded in finding out the scandalous desires he's always concealed. But part of Yudhishthir relishes the mortification, because he wants to give in, he loves his sinful intentions being laid bare, he loves Duryodhana seeing beyond the squeaky-clean goody-two-shoes face he puts on for the public, he loves Duryodhana almost kinda exposing him for not as perfect as everyone thinks he is. And Yudhishthir loves submitting, he's tired of living by the rules, he's tired of being perfect, he just wants to surrender to the intoxicating passion he feels for Duryodhana, no matter how wrong it is, no matter what others think. And sleeping together slowly becomes a routine for them. So its kind of twisted hatesex.

💯💯💯

[eclecticwordblender]

Since @the-rambling-maiden gave me the kind of validation that makes one cry with joy. I couldn’t wait to publish part 2 of Mahabharata High School AU. Ik it’s too long I’m sorry 🥺.

Senior students in the limelight:

Yudhishthir:

The headboy.

Tries really hard to excell, still is barely above average.

Is driven by the idea that everyone likes him while most of his classmates find him plain annoying. Some of the teachers too.

Is the headboy because for some unknown reason Bheeshma likes him and no one likes to disagree with the principal. Dhritrashtra tried opposing but no one really listens to him.

this kid, Krishna ran a campaign that convinced everyone that Yudhishthir is the best headboy they could have. Without that he had no chance.

Everyone else just accepted and now listens to him because that’s what Krishna wants.

“Okay I’ll give a very interesting lecture in Moral science class.”

- everyone, even the teacher struggles to stay awake.

Draupadi:

Head girl.

Has witty comebacks to everything.

An all rounder.

Looking at her, everyone wonders why someone as under achieving as Yudhishthir gets to be the other school captain.

Changed her name to Panchaali. But everyone still calls her Draupadi. Doesn’t like it, but has made her peace with it.

Is already done with the world’s patriarchal ways which are the basis of the school’s sexist rule book.

Is EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY beautiful.

Once, some juniors went to the principal’s office and saw a picture of the first headmistress. They were all admiring her beauty while Draupadi walked in. And suddenly all the admiration shifted to her.

An iconic friendship quadrent of Arjuna, Satyabhama, Krishna and Draupadi exists right since they joined school.

Had a beef with the Geography teacher, Kunti because had a thing going with Arjuna for a while.

“🧚🏻‍♀️🥰 How are we ignoring our beloved head boy today?🥰🧚🏻‍♀️”

Arjuna:

Heart eyes uwu.

Soccer team captain.

Is some sort of a ladies man. However, always prioritises his ECAs and Krishna.

All rounder. Had the achievements to be head boy, definitely not the time.

Girls are always crushing on him.

Dated Draupadi in the freshman year, it didn’t work out. Is still best friends with her though.

Currently in a relationship with Subhadra, she’s two years younger, but our boi doesn’t really care because he’s so smitten by her. Bestfs still above her though.

Is Kunti’s favourite kid. Kunti is an actual sweetheart exclusively to him.

Everyone loves him.

Sometimes sick of all the attention he gets.

Major enimity with the soccer team’s vice captain, Karna.

“I WILL PROVE THE VICE CAPTAIN IS NO MATCH TO ME!”

Bheema:

Really tall, really husky, Fitness freak.

Still loves food more than right about anything.

There’s only one person he’d choose over food. The head girl. Some say he has had a crush on her since junior school. Draupadi values him a lot but doesn’t seem to reciprocate the attention he gives her.

Is stupid, but it’s okay because he’s also the good-est boy in town.

Not very bright academically.

Doesn’t get the recognition he deserves.

Literally the BEST basketball player, but all everyone in school seems to care about is soccer and track events :/.

Has anger management issues which land him into trouble very often.

“Panchaali! You should be proud of me, I prevented a murder today, BY CONTROLLING MY ANGER.”

Nakul:

Is a year younger to everyone in his class.

Really cute, really handsome. Is also well aware about this.

Is not much of a ladies man but SO MANY PEOPLE have crushes on him.

Is practically never seen without his guitar and bestf, Sahadev, who is the only one who shares his birth year.

Can be found giving out personalised skin care routines for fun. And Sahadev, being the brains of the duo, charges in cash, that is how both of them get their pocket money.

Goes to the restroom after every period to make sure his hair are still on point.

Has a successful band. Obviously he’s the lead.

“Wow! Who is this beauty!? Oh my God! This is why I use mirrors as mood boosters.”

Sahadev:

Smartest kid in the school. School topper.

Can talk about random trivia for hours, and people like listening to him.

Is either in the library or hanging out with Nakul.

Hates school A LOT.

Sahadev doesn’t attend a lot of classes because he knows teachers aren’t of any help to him.

Always attends maths class, even though he doesn’t like Sir Shakuni. Prolly because he wanted to be Shakuni’s fav but Shakuni only likes the bad boys. Sigh.

Is a walking human encyclopaedia.

“Why is everyone so stupid!? I WANNA GO HOME! I HATE YOU ALL! (Except my boi Nakul).”

Krishna:

(Ik everyone in the fandom loves him v much. Please don’t hate me for this.)

Manipulative to a point its very toxic.

Doesn’t like taking responsibilities and being held accountable

so just tricks people who take up responsibility into listening to him.

The OG heart eyes in the campus.

Still ships Draupadi and Arjuna for some reason. Even though he treats Arjuna’s girlfriend as his younger sister.

So stubborn.

Is good at everything but doesn’t like the lime light.

A Krishna-Shakuni Feud is the best source of entertainment.

Krishna seems to think that every body who disagrees with him is absolutely wrong and would go any length to make a point. Is also sort of disrespectful to the teachers he doesn’t like.

However, has a very captivating charm that makes him most people’s favourite. Shakuni sees through his well planned schemes because he has fully functional brain cells.

Loves his friendship quadrant and a girl from some other school who visits often, a lot.

A feminist. Hates the school’s rule book in a positive manner.

“🧚🏻‍♀️🥰 What mischief should I do today? And how do I trick someone into thinking it was their idea, not mine?🥰🧚🏻‍♀️”

Karna:

Soccer team vice captain.

Here on a scholarship.

Every girl with daddy issues is head over heels for him.

Uses Hating Arjuna as a personality trait.

Also uses his love for Duryodhana as another personality trait.

Has lots of rumours about him. He doesn’t care because all he cares about is defeating Arjuna.

A lot of students ship Draupadi with him. It’s just stupid. Both of them dislike each other, but are too evolved to care about stupid rumours.

Is extremely generous.

Since the owner’s kid, who is RICH is his bestf, he never misses a chance to slide a meal from the overpriced canteen to any one who forgot lunch.

Suffers from classism and tries very hard to fight the inferiority complex he gets because most kids around are super rich.

Dronacharya dislikes him, he dislikes him back, however, still tries to win him.

Has abandonment issues.

Some say he looks upto Ma’am Kunti for validation.

The cricket coach, Pashuram, likes this kid though.

“Are you challenging me Arjuna!?”

Duryodhan:

Thinks too highly of himself.

Being the owner’s kid makes up for half his personality. The other half is his devotion towards his beloved Karna.

Is probably bi and Has a not so subtle crush on his bestf.

Has another personality that is devoted to trying to convince everyone he should be head boy.

He once started an intervention demanding “Duryodhana should be headbody” and he was also the leader on the intervention. Karna was unwillingly in his support.

Is Sir Shakuni’s favourite bratty kid.

Only listens to Shakuni or Karna.

Comes up with evil and downright mean mischiefs but always fails.

He once tried to full on flirt with Draupadi but got his a*s whooped.

Tried to sabotage Yudhishthir’s reputation but Krishna’s interference led him to fail.

“Where’s Mitr Karna!?!? I get anxiety when I don’t have him or Sir Shakuni around for long!”

“I should be headboy! No head girl. Karna should be headboy 2.”

Dushasan:

Befriended Duryodhana first year of school.

Looks up to Duryodhana. Only imitates his bad qualities. That’s it, that’s his entire personality.

Even Shakuni who loves bratty kids, dislikes this one.

Has more haters than the headboy. Except people hate on him openly.

Total failure.

A bully.

Dushasana can be found in the last room on the third floor of the oldest block very often. That’s the detention room.

Tries to flirt with every girl around, and girls just ew this creep AS THEY SHOULD.

Doesn’t have a personality of his own.

“Dury Bro! HOW DID YOU DO THAT? CAN I TOO PLEASE?”

Sikhandi/Sikhandini:

FEMINIST.

Gender fluid and ready to teach a lesson to anyone who invalidates her.

Strong and independent.

Important member of the soccer as well as the cricket team.

Also, a star athelete.

Has a very strong bonding with Ma’am Amba because VERY similar.

Sikhandi/Sikhandni can be seen gossiping with Amba on the stair case a lot, some claim to have heard them trash talk Bheeshma.

Bold and not afraid to stand for what they believes in without caring about the consequences.

Once they gave herself a third ear piercing, using a compass when Kunti told her a double piercing was a distraction after Yudhishthir complained about it.

Emerges as a parent figure to juniors who are bullied for being different.

“As long as you have the right intentions you’re valid okay?”

Drishtdyum:

Introvert.

Minds his own business.

Manages good grades and a spot in the sports squad.

He found out he shared his birthday with the Draupadi in second grade. Loves her like a sister since then.

The basketball coach sees some spark in him that no one else does.

Is liked by all but doesn’t get the attention he deserves.

Is pretty content with life in General.

Ashwatthama:

Soccer coach’s kid.

Is self aware.

Realistic and practical.

Suffers from major attention deprivation.

Duryodhan lent him a pencil case in second standard. Asshwatthama tries so hard to become his favourite ever since.

The Iconic Karna Dury duo however, ignore almost always.

Expanded the “Duryodhana should be headboy” intervention but his efforts weren’t recognised.

Closeted gay.

Respects superiors while disliking them.

Quite bitter.

“Will this win me Duryodhan’s love?”

Subhadra:

Eyes like forest pools.

Looks up to Draupadi as a role model.

Arjuna is her weakness even though she’s dating him.

Kunti likes her. Doesn’t mind if she’s dating Arjuna.

There’s this brilliant student in the junior section, Abhimanyu. Subhadra and Arjuna spend a lot of time with him together. They sort of look like a very happy family.

Always tops English and History class.

Gossip queen xoxo.

“Draupadi Didi and Krishna bhaiya said so, Arjuna you know I cannot say no to them.”

Dushala:

Is the sweetest person around.

Believes there is some good in every person.

Even hangs out with Duryodhana and squad thinking they’ll change some day.

Karna and Dushala often discuss how to mend this group’s ways, assisted by Dury’s girlfriend, Bhanumati.

Is stuck in a relationship with a jerk but doesn’t have the heart to break up with him.

Is literally kindness personified.

Dushala’s favourite teacher is Gandhaari. Probably because no one else gives the teacher validation and Dushala doesn’t like when someone is sad.

Jayadaratha:

Terrible person.

Only the size of a grain of sand better than Dushasana.

Started Dating Dushala Sophomore year.

Dushala really wants to break up with this jerk but she’s too sweet to hurt someone even as terrible as him so she just avoids him.

Once Draupadi slapped him in public. Dushala cheered the loudest.

Is only relevant because of his girlfriend.

Bhanumati:

Says Duryodhana is an excellent boyfriend.

Corrects her man when he’s wrong.

Is also close friends with Karna.

Led the intervention against the “Duryodhana should be headboy intervention.”

It hurt Dury but it’s okay because Bhanumati has her own thoughts and he respects that. Guess he is actually a good boyfriend.

“OMG DURY!!!! STOP IT! KARNA HOW DO WE STOP DURY FROM DOING ANOTHER F*CK UP?”

Yuyutsu:

Is very lovable.

Boy has no hater.

Somehow was befriended by Duryodhan in junior school.

Feels stuck in the Dury gang ever since.

Secretly, very strongly admires Yudhishthir, Arjuna, Draupadi and of course, KRISHNA.

Is everything you’d wanna fix in Yudhishthir.

Yuyutsu, Dushala and Vikarna trio is bff goals.

“Is there any way I can change my friend group? Face palms”

Vikarna:

Counsels Duryodhana on Yuyutsu’s advise.

There isn’t much to say about him. Dude’s a good guy with humanly flaws.

Feels stuck in Dury gang but has made his peace with their ways.

Dushala, Yuyutsu and Vikarna are often found gossiping with Ma’am Gandhaari, she often warns them about how their other friends are bad kids and they should not get influenced.

“Why!? Because yuyutsu says so that’s why!”

Eklavya:

Here on scholarship.

This poor kid was bullied so much initially when he joined school because of his economic status.

Coach Drona wouldn’t let him into the soccer team because he’s afraid someone might out shine his favourite.

Stays away from the dirty politics in school.

Became a star athelete despite all the odds he faced.

Eklavya was once locked in the washroom before a 100m race on the sports day. No one knows who did that for sure. Although some people claim to know it was Coach Drona.

Rukmini:

President of the theatre club.

Crushes on Krishna for an unknown duration.

Krishna does give her attention because EXCUSE ME, she is impossible to ignore.

Rukmini befriended Nakul in the corridors as they bumped into each other after every period, while going to/coming from the washroom to check their respective hairdos.

Satyabhama:

Is Draupadi’s psychological twin.

President of the debating society.

Another one of Krishna’s closest friends.

The school is full of Satyabhama-Krishna shippers. But their friendship quadrant knows Krishna is smitten by this girl from some other school.

Radha:

The girl from some other school.

Probably goes to an all girls convent school.

Is shy but can be seen having a a gala time with Krishna after school. Friends w Subhadra too.

Nobody in school knows much about her but it’s evident Krishna and her are 11/10 soulmates uwu.

Rukmi:

Rukmini’s twin brother.

Is overly protective of his sister.

Thinks he’s well sorted but almost always creates a mess.

Has some sort of minor feud with Krishna.

Is neck deep in a very toxic friendship with Shishupal.

Shishupal:

Rebel without a cause.

A headache.

Wants to fight Krishna but is scared of him.

Wants to join the Dury gang but no on lets him in.

Shishupal is known to spread the most problematic rumours in school.

Hidimbi:

Stays occupied in her small social circle of not so popular kids.

She’s famous, though doesn’t talk to many people.

Proposed to Bheem in middle school.

Bheem gently turned her down because he was already mad about Draupadi. Hidimba moved on with life without sulking about it. Probably still likes him though.

Also, really close to this Ghatotkutch person who is in fifth grade.

Ulupi and Chitrangada:

Dated Arjuna for a few weeks each.

Then bonded over how he’s not a good boyfriend and not as perfect as everyone thinks he is. they do have a point though.

Are now bestfs and don’t like anyone else in school.

Since, I’m an attention wh*re tagging: @bigheadedgirlwithbigdreams @soniaoutloud @supermeh-krishnafan @incorrectmahabharatquotes @chaanv @hoeticulture @lemponkoira @1nsaankahanhai-bkr

Also, link to part 1: https://eclecticwordblender.tumblr.com/post/625462681921568768/foundation

[demonkidpliz]

Things I learned while re-watching Star Plus Mahabharata (Part 16/many):

1) As ever with Duryodhan, I cannot disagree with anything he says.

2) Oh god. This scene. Panchali’s curse. Her walking away as Arjun looks on. Gold.

3) Not sure I like this new version of Krishna seekh.

4) Also we have not seen Krishna fight once in this battle of Dwarka vs the King of Shalva.

5) I also don’t like crying Krishna. Not saying he can’t. But I can’t take him seriously when he cries. I need him to be infinitely more chill than SRJ is being right now.

6) Ah, Arjun swearing at the Kurus. A+ 10/10.

7) Oh my fucking god, Subhadra’s opening line to Arjun: how could you let this happen? I expect nothing less from her.

8) Madhav is back now, after chilling in his war. He’s still in a self-driven chariot.

9) Wow, he’s so pissed at the Pandavas and rightfully so.

10) Draupadi telling Krishna that she’s become impure. And anyone who comes near her would also become impure. No. NO. Every woman in the world knows this feeling.

11) Okay, first of all, Krishna, you moonlighting feminist, the first thing you should tell Draupadi is that she has not become malin because of what Duryodhana and Dushasan did. This is on them, not on her. I cannot but compare StarBharat with BR Chopra Mahabharat, the comparisons come very easily to me. And the truth is, they just did some things better.

12) Draupadi’s now fallen at his feet. Krishna is just like, Lord give me strength.

13) This scene is important because I feel like for once Krishna is putting his grand plans on hold for one second to give Draupadi back her peace of mind. Because first and foremost, the Lord is kind to those who follow him.

14) It’s so nice that StarBharat has shown this sort of sisterly solidarity between Draupadi and Subhadra, which is so important.

15) Draupadi is not even remotely impressed by Yudhishthira’s theatrics.

16) Draupadi’s pratigya makes her sound like Bhishma. Intentional or unintentional.

17) I cannot imagine Subhadra watching idly by as the Pandavas and Draupadi walk to the forest. I’m sure she put up a fight against her brothers to be allowed to go.

18) Speaking of, where is Balaram in all of this? His cousins are heading for vanvas and he is still chilling in Dwarka? Unrealistic.

19) Oh nice, Abhimanyu hasn’t even been born yet but somehow Krishna has managed to name him.

20) That scene where Arjun stops Subhadra from touching his feet. Some of StarBharat’s dialogueless scenes are just as touching.

21) Krishna’s glare as Shakuni enters the Indraprastha palace lmaoo.

22) A well executed scene but the watering hole scene happens only towards the end of the 12-year vanvas period.

23) This is hilarious. Yudhishthira is basically like Krishna is going to whoop my ass if I let something else happen to Panchali.

24) Oh god. Everyone loves Arjun the most. But I think Yudhishthira loves Bhim the most.

25) It’s time for Yudhishthira to meet his bio daddy!

26) Arjun doing tapasya for Shiv is my jam.

27) Bhim is such a cutie.

28) This Hanuman story is different though, right? Something to do with some lotus for Draupadi.

29) Is Hanuman a Yadav? He wears the same tilak. Or is this some Ram/Krishna connection we don’t quite know about.

30) I love Hanuman’s character! He’s so playful. And also the Hanuman Chalisa in the background score.

31) Oh so Hanuman knows that Krishna is Ram/Vishnu avatar and says he will chill on the chariot that’s being manned by God.

32) Oh no they never told us about the magic bowl Draupadi had that was gifted to her by Surya Dev which gave them unlimited food.

33) Also, do the Pandavas and Karna ever realise that they are all ‘gifts’ of Durvasa.

34) Krishna creeping in the background like some mega creep 😂

35) This is a conversation for another time but some day we need to talk about the incessant whitewashing of our gods such as Ram and Krishna in modern mythological serials. Also of Draupadi/Dhrishtadyumna/Arjun—basically anyone who’s described in canon as dark. There is some modern fetish for fair-skinned gods that just doesn’t sit right. I miss the dark-skinned Aruns and Nitishs.

36) Durvasa is still not impressed by Krishna. This man is literally god.

37) Arjun is fishing.

38) Oh nice, Indra is also here. Old gods and new.

39) Not sure whether I like this Shiv. Shiv in general I love.

40) Aaaand Jayadrath is here. Can’t wait for this guy to die in tomorrow’s BR Chopra Mahabharat episode.

41) Duryodhan low key throwing shade at Jayadrath is my jam.

42) Really, what does Dushala see in this man?

43) Kaun ho tum? Really? Draupadi doesn’t know her own brother-in-law? That seems highly unlikely.

44) Why is Arjun wasting time with all this trash talk?

45) Arjun is having a lot of second thoughts about keeping Jayadrath alive for Dushala’s sake but this is going to change very quickly during the war. Also Nakul rightfully points out that this man will give grief to Arjun later on.

46) This is by far the worst and most inaccurate map of Aryavarta to ever exist.

47) Oh no Jayadrath’s hair makeup is so not on point at this moment.

48) Mamashri Shakuni is literally fortune telling at this point and this is my jam.

49) So it’s canon that both Shakuni and Krishna are Slytherins, right? Yet they are the two most diametrically opposite Slytherins we have ever seen.

50) Also I want to see Dushala but these shows never give me what I want. When I make the Mahabharata I will make sure the women get equal and opposite screen time and character development as the men.

51) Yudhishthira is getting on my nerves.

52) This Draupadi is infinitely nicer than BR Chopra Mahabharat’s Roopa Ganguli who used to give it to her husbands every opportunity she got.

53) I also have lots of complaints. They didn’t show Dhrishtadyumna taking Draupadi’s sons home to Panchal to raise them.

54) They didn’t show Arjun chilling with his bio dad in heaven! They didn’t show Urvashi hitting on him and him rejecting her advances! Then she curses him, causing him to lose his manhood. And then she reverses the curse after Indra begs her and she limits it to lost manhood for one year of his choosing. That’s how Arjun uses the Brihannala guise for a year during agyaatvaas!

55) Shakuni training himself to think like Krishna. Looool.

56) Nakul bullying children is my jam.

57) Clearly this sattoo ke laddoo business is some sort of secret code amongst the Pandavas.

58) At least Uttar and Uttara are aptly shown as young teenagers.

59) My fav is back! Brihannala! 😍

60) Also what is this face covering nonsense by Sairindhri?! Women in the Later Vedic Age did not cover their faces or their heads behind purdah!!!

61) The Pandavas meeting together after a long time is giving me hope! This is what it’s going to be like when lockdown is over and I meet my friends 😭😭😭

62) This Keechak guy looks evil but I can’t take him seriously because his voice makes him sound like a prepubescent boy.

63) What is this casual classism from Keechak? Like Jesus, what a dirtbag.

64) Again there was no ghunghat back in those days?!?!

65) But iss Keechak ne toh consent ki maa behen kar di.

66) How happy the Pandavas are to see Panchali! Arjun the most, perhaps 😍

67) Virat making a dig at Dushasan. I’m here for this tea.

68) I can’t take Keechak seriously because of his voice.

69) This logic whereby if Draupadi has five husbands so she can have one more—like I will never understand this! She consented to five and no more???

70) Brihannala, my one true fav, is back!

71) Keechak vadh is my favourite episode, behind Shishupal vadh and Jayadrath vadh. Do you see the pattern?

72) Why is Draupadi here? I wanted to see Bhim’s giant form hidden as a lump under a blanket, enticing Keechak.

73) Bhim is here! 😍 Seriously, no one loves Panchali as much as Bhim does. Arjun toh is smitten by our Yadav homegirl.

74) Now Arjun is going to do his tandav dance. This should distract the others from the noise nicely.

75) Oh nice. Nakul and Sahadev are also participating.

76) Predictably, Jyesth Bhrata, Yudhishthira, is not invited to this Keechak vadh party.

77) King Virat is like oh no what a loss.

78) Yudhishthira looks pissed, as always, when his brothers have done something good.

79) Haha. Duryodhan has caught on to the fact that Bhishma is trying desperately to stall so that the Pandavas are not found out.

81) Now Duryodhan is now accusing Vidur of partiality. Again, he is not wrong. I’m so impressed by how well his character has been written. Not one word he says is incorrect.

82) Nice. Duryodhan has his father wrapped around his little finger. He knows exactly how to manipulate him so that Dhritarashtra rises to the bait.

83) After all these centuries Bhishma realises that Shakuni is after the destruction of Hastinapur.

84) Shakuni is admitting now that all of this is revenge for Gandhari. Oh man. Do you think Bhishma knew that the Mahabharat was the result of his poorly executed actions (intentional or otherwise)?

85) King Virat is so smart. I like him. I’m going to be so sad when he dies.

86) Brihannala is going to stay behind. Great. It’s so interesting to see this story in retrospect (which is how it’s told to Janamajeya and Vajra) in the first place.

87) I like Virat with open hair.

88) What the hell is this? I cannot be attracted to Pitamaha Bhishma and Mama Shakuni with their open hair and battle armour?! Adharm!

89) Oh what a cool sundial!

90) I’m glad they showed Uttar as nothing more than a teenager.

91) Mama Shakuni is so fit.

92) Do you think Bhishma recognises Arjun as Uttar’s chariot?

93) Poor Uttar is probably shitting his pants.

94) Arjun praying to Agni Dev to return his Gandiv. Old gods to the rescue.

95) This background score! It’s my absolute favourite! Parthasya Dhananjaya! My fav song on my fav, Arjun 😍

96) Bhishma looks thoroughly pleased. He recognises the sound of the Gandiv’s twang.

97) Now they will fight about the authenticity of the calendar. They should go to a calendar expert.

98) Bhishma looks proper chuffed at Arjun. How on earth will they fight against each other in the Great War?

99) Oh man, Karna is here. Ugh.

100) Karna is here to trash talk as per usual. Oh god both these men are useless. Fight no instead of talking so much.

101) Oh man, the charioteer’s son has been thrown from his chariot but not before taking a shot at Arjun.

102) Ah Karna’s divine armour makes an appearance!

103) Oh shit, this just got real! They’re calling on divine weapons!

104) Bhishma steps in. Of course.

105) Duryodhan’s hah! 😂😂

106) Arjun crying that if he is responsible for Bhishma’s death, it will be hell on earth for him. Oh, Arjun. You must still suffer, a lot.

107) Arjun’s threat, that all the Pandavas will come to avenge Draupadi’s insult. Yes. 100%. I hope in this yug even if men are not punished for their crimes against women on earth, they will suffer forever in hell for their misdeeds.

108) The Pandavas and Draupadi are ready. It’s time for the Great War. It’s time for Mahabharat.

[daanshoor]

It was an interesting life, certainly. Karna didn’t mind it, though some things could’ve been done better in hindsight.

“You shouldn’t cause so much trouble.” Radha chides as she attempted to arrange her child’s hair and clothes into something presentable, sighing over spatters of dirt and the odd blade of grass. “Your father is coming home today! What would he think if he saw you running about with the boys when you’ve only just finished your chores?”

Adhiratha would be disappointed, of course. Vasusena knew that but kept silent, bowing their head. It was not the first lecture they’d endured after being found out. Doubtful it would be the last.

“I wasn’t misbehaving.” Vasusena remarked sullenly. “I can clean up quickly. The chores are done, and father is not home just yet.”

“But you’ve made a mess of yourself.” Radha countered, exasperated; taking Vasusena by the shoulders and giving him a shake. “What if your father had needed to take you to the palace? You’re to work with him, Vasusena. If you arrived so dirty it would embarrass him.”

I would not embarrass him, he nearly says. But that would be the wrong answer and it would only upset his mother further.

“I am sorry.” They mumble instead. Not for playing with others. But for the worry on Radha’s brow and the tiredness Vasusena knows will be in Adhiratha’s eyes when he hears? They could be sorry for that. “I will conduct myself properly, from now on.”

“Thank you.” Radha deflates, most of her irritation gone. Vasusena says nothing more on the matter.

-

“I haven’t seen you before.” Duryodhana is tenacious with what catches his interest, disregarding propriety and even common sense at times to pursue it. Worryingly so. They distrust it immediately, all of the crown prince’s frowning concentration as they try to put more distance between themselves and the border of Drona’s hermitage.

“Princes are not supposed to notice servants.” Vasusena shoots back, ducking around the limbs of a fallen tree, wishing they could run and not face trouble for it later. “Go back. Your brothers will miss you.”

He doesn’t, continuing this pursuit like a hound on the scent of blood.

“You aren’t one of Drona’s disciples.” Duryodhana guessed. “Did he refuse you? Could you not pay?”

It’s not your business, the retort burns on the tip of Vasusena’s tongue and they swallow it back with bitterness. But the crown prince seems to think of them as harmless: just a boy, with their hair tied up and tucked under a plain turban, which is fortunate.

“He does not train sutas, your highness.” Vasusena reminds him instead, eager to leave this conversation behind. “Unless one is born a kshatriya or comes to him as a brahmin, they are denied. You should go back, highness. Your teacher will not be pleased that you've left without permission.”

“Dronacharya is rarely pleased with me.” Duryodhana doesn’t seem incredibly bothered by it, Vasusena notes. “Slow down at least. Why were you creeping around then? Trying to learn what he teaches us?”

Vasusena’s ears burn. It would be a lie to say no and they do not like to speak lies, even to someone as annoying as the crown prince. In a way he reminds them of the boys who like to run through the streets of town; the ones who tug on married women’s skirts and yell for sweets, eager to cause trouble.

“I was not creeping.” Vasusena counters, slowing down despite themselves. Duryodhana has followed them this far. It will be more trouble if he kept pace all the way back into town. Adhiratha would raise a fuss if he saw them with one of Drona’s disciples; especially if he recognized Duryodhana on sight. And if Drona himself found out it would more than likely mean a beating for both of them.

“Sneaking then.” Duryodhana dismisses their response immediately, peering at them with renewed interest. It makes the hairs on the back of Vasusena’s neck lift, but they stand their ground. “Have you been watching us for that long, then? How did you avoid Ashwatthama?”

It’s not as difficult as you might think, they don’t say.

“He has all of you to look after.” Vasusena reminds him coolly.

“Will you be back?” Duryodhana asks, taking their statement in stride amazingly well. Or perhaps he never cared for what they’d say to begin with; which is likely. “You must want to learn, if you are willing to come out so far. And you are a suta, you said?”

They shouldn’t come back, that much is obvious.

It had been curiosity, the first time. The legendary Dronacharya in the flesh, not a figure out of myth as he was made out to be. Vasusena hadn’t been the only one who had snuck from their chores to try and catch a glimpse of Hastinapur’s newest warrior-sage. It was easier than trying to glimpse Bhishma, who was perhaps even more famous; but shut himself away in the palace to attend the throne.

After that, they could only blame themselves and the hunger for knowledge; insistent and stubborn.

“What does it matter to you?” It came out as a challenge, too sharp for the politeness a prince is due.

“I could show you what he teaches us, if you do.” Duryodhana lifts his chin, dangerously imperious for a boy his age. “Or must I ask who your father is, suta; so that I might find you again once Drona sends us into town?”

Cold dread forms a tight knot in their stomach at the threat. Not that, Vasusena thinks; pulse skipping a beat. Of all the things to ask, don’t choose that you arrogant little chit.

“I might.” They hazard doubtfully, glancing past him towards the trees beyond. In case there might anyone else watching, just to further their poor luck. “Why go through the trouble? I’m a suta, as you so kindly point out.”

Duryodhana shrugs, smiling carelessly. “It pleases me to consider it. And you are not one of my cousins, so you must be loyal to my family. I can trust that you won’t turn on me with the knowledge I give you.”

I never promised that, Vasusena bites back the thought before it can get him in trouble; exasperated and faintly amused. They supposed it must be nice to have the privilege of tossing out a teacher’s lessons like scraps of food; blindly trusting that someone would feel some bit of obedient loyalty for his kindness.

“Perhaps.” They say, measuring the time and frowning. “You should go back. I have my own business to attend. It has nothing to do with entertaining you further.”

Their father has always warned that their tongue will bring nothing but trouble if Vasusena speaks as they normally would to everyone, but Duryodhana only laughs.

“Go, then.” He manages between snickers. “And if we see each other again we’ll revisit the deal.”

Spoilt princeling, Vasusena rolls their eyes as they leave; keeping the thought to themselves where it belongs. He does not follow them home, thankfully.

-

“So this is where you’ve been sneaking off to.” A new voice breaks in, distracting Vasusena from their shot and interrupting Duryodhana’s petulant complaints about his teacher’s favoritism. Vasusena startles, almost loosing their arrow at the speaker instead. They manage not to, though Vasusena does wish they could disappear immediately as Ashwatthama jumps down from a tree.

He does not look pleased to say the least; but he only glances at them before his attention centers on Duryodhana. For that Vasusena is thankful.

“You weren’t given permission to leave today.” Ashwatthama groused.

“I finished my chores.” Duryodhana bristled, straightening up to stand at full height as though it would bring him level with Ashwatthama. “It’s no business of yours what I do afterwards, brahmin’s son.”

“Careful.” Ashwatthama’s scowl morphed into a shark’s smile. “You’re still not out of trouble from the last time you snuck off. In Hastinapur you might be a prince, but as long as you’re being taught by my father you’re just his student. Who’s this?” He jerked his chin crudely, focused on Vasusena.

They traded glares for a moment before Duryodhana responded.

“A friend. Vasusena.” Duryodhana’s tone dripped with pride. “His father served mine as charioteer. I’m teaching him, since Drona does not train those who aren’t kshatriya.”

Vasusena glanced at him, put off by the familiar use of the word friend. When exactly Duryodhana had decided that was the basis of their relationship was something he’d failed to mention; at least to them. Ashwatthama’s expression didn’t change. If anything, he did not appear to believe it either.

“That right?” Drona’s son drawled, looking Vasusena over with renewed suspicion. “And who said you could go around and play at being a teacher yourself?”

Duryodhana’s features hardened, lips pulling back for a second. “I need no permission from you to share what I know. It cannot be called stealing, if I charge my own price.”

“Shall I leave?” Vasusena lowered the bow, glancing between them. Getting caught in a spat was the last thing they needed. If Drona’s son wanted to start a fight, he could do it on his own time.

“No.” Ashwatthama barked. “You’ll stay where you are. I’ve seen you skulking by the river, watching my father’s students.”

“There is no crime in going to the river.” Vasusena snapped back, gripping their borrowed bow tight. “If it happened to be when the lot of you were about, pardon me for staring. You shout and throw yourselves around like elephants. One can’t help but marvel at the sight.”

Duryodhana let out a choked noise, turning to them with wide eyes just as Ashwatthama advanced; teeth bared.

-

“Your stance is terrible.” Ashwatthama grinds out later, his bottom lip split and stinging. His right eye was certain to bruise and match the blotch forming on his jaw. “Should’ve gone to someone else to be your teacher instead of a brainless twit like Duryodhana.”

The crown prince jerked his head up to glare, nursing his own minor wounds. “Bite your tongue. I’m better than you, at any rate.”

You aren’t, Vasusena checked themselves before they could say it. “Teach me better then,” they countered instead, “or learn to throw a decent punch.”

“Horse-fucker.” Ashwatthama spits, sounding more entertained than actually angry. “Show your face around the hermitage again and I’ll send you back to your mother in a jar.”

“The same jar your father was conceived from?” Vasusena goads, already sitting up. His ribs ached, but nothing was broken yet so there was no reason to lay down and take his remark at face value. “What, has it become a family heirloom?”

Duryodhana cackles, delighted, and Ashwatthama growled a curse before he kicked at them again.

-

“Wipe your face.” Vasusena says, lightly kicking Ashwatthama’s calf to get his attention. He glowers, face and ears dark red; but swipes at his eyes before they can discern whether he’s been crying or not.

“What?” His voice comes out as a croak, overly harsh before he clears his throat. “If you’ve come to laugh go ahead. Get it out of your system.”

Vasusena offers him a cup without comment, watching his brow furrow and his mouth twist resignedly before he accepts it. Once he’s looked inside Ashwatthama’s expression clouds with uncertainty and he stares up at them in confusion.

“I didn’t steal it.” Vasusena tells him. “But it’s yours if you want it.”

Ashwatthama hesitates, disbelieving; then slowly takes a careful sip. Vasusena had watched the merchant pour it themselves, certain it held nothing but milk. It wasn’t much, but it was more than what the other boys living with Drona could claim at the moment.

“Why?” He passed them the cup once its empty and they took it.

“Because the opportunity was there to buy it and you have not told your father about teaching me.” Vasusena tells him. And, they don’t add, the princes’ cruelty is not really about having milk or not and you know it; even if you do not say anything.

Ashwatthama snorted, but didn’t reply. Vasusena let him be.

-

“You’re leaving?” Duryodhana seemed more upset by the prospect than Vasusena thought he would be, which they suppose is notable. “Why?” He pressed, sitting up to catch them by the wrist. “When?”

“To find a teacher who doesn’t shy from training a suta.” Vasusena shakes him off with more gentleness than originally intended. “You can’t afford to keep sneaking around and neither can Ashwatthama. He’ll be his father’s chief disciple soon enough and you’ll be returning to the palace.”

After a pause they softly add, “I leave tomorrow, before the sun rises.”

“So soon?” His expression darkens, bottom lip disappearing between his teeth. Vasusena nods. “Who will you go to? Will they be far away? You’ll come back, right?”

“Parashurama.” Vasusena admits. “He does not care about gender. Only if one who approaches him is a kshatriya. If I can learn from him, then there will be no need to seek out anyone else.”

“But will you come back?” Duryodhana repeats, impatient.

Vasusena shrugs. “Perhaps. Perhaps not. My family is here, after all. If my return would not dishonor them then it’s likely that I will.” If my father can forgive my selfishness, yes.

Duryodhana continues to glare like they’ve betrayed him. Perhaps they have, by choosing to go abroad rather than stay in Hastinapur and wait to see what fate doles out to a charioteer’s child. Nothing especially good, Vasusena imagines. Nothing that would satisfy their want to learn and be something. Someone.

“I’ll wait for you, I suppose.” He says at last, petulant. “But I’ll be angry if you do not come back at all. At least write, if you can.”

Given Parashurama’s reputation for severe self-isolation, Vasusena honestly doubts they’ll have the chance. But it’s a small request. If it makes Duryodhana happy and less likely to turn into a nuisance then Vasusena can agree.

“I will try.”

-

It takes longer than they want to admit to come across Parashurama’s sanctuary. Like the god he worshiped, the sage made his home perilously high in the mountains; far away from civilization. Some part of them distantly wondered how Amba of Kashi might have found it in her own notorious attempt; if it had been her own determination, luck, or some nudge of a divine hand at play.

Parashurama is much older than Bhishma was said to be, hair stripped to grey and every inch of him worn hard and tough by years of harsh training. It was difficult to imagine him as ever having been young, or that he might have smiled even once in his long life.

“I’ve given up taking students.” He remarks, after hearing them speak. “I gave my weapons away, but for my axe. It was Shiva’s gift to me, and it would destroy you if you tried to use it. Go home, boy.”

“I am capable, Lord.” Vasusena replies. “And will give my full attention to the task you set. Be it washing your feet, gathering firewood, making your meals, obtaining offerings for your Lord Shiva.”

“And if I task you to return home,” Parashurama hardly misses a beat, “would you obey so faithfully?”

Vasusena frowns over his folded hands.

“No, my Lord.” They tell him honestly, because he would accept nothing less than the truth. And because they would not listen to an order like that even if he bodily threw them down the mountain himself. “That is something I cannot do.”

“We have no business with one another then.” Parashurama rumbles, turning away.

It is a little disheartening to watch him go. But he never specifically told them to leave, in hindsight. Vasusena stays, biding their time and gets to work. Parashurama never batted an eye at the things they did – not the pile of kindling set aside for his fire-ceremonies or offerings for his altar to Shiva.

By the end of the year Vasusena still lingers in his sanctuary and Parashurama has not tossed them out yet. It’s the oddest standoff Vasusena has ever been a part of. Now that they’ve grown used to it, Vasusena finds that they almost don’t mind.

“You are still here.” Parashurama remarks one night after sunset. It’s nearly impossible to spot him among the stones of his sanctuary when he keeps still, but his voice is unmistakable.

“I am, my Lord.” Vasusena agreed, washing their hands.

“I almost pity your parents.” He says, watching them move from task to menial task. “Who would you learn for, if I humored your request?”

Vasusena glanced at him as they finally settled down to sit, hands folded in their lap. “For myself, Lord. My parents didn’t want me to venture so far, but I wanted to master archery all the same. I have no other loves, none to pass on your knowledge to if you accepted me as a student.”

“Not even the ones your family serves? Kingdoms make demands at every point, child.” Parashurama’s tone darkened. “Any of them might ask for what you know in exchange for your life. What would you do then?”

“I will serve if I find their cause just and agreeable to me.” Vasusena picked their words carefully. “But I would not betray you, Lord, if that is what you think.”

He made a thoughtful sound. “So you say. But all the proof I have is in your words, and you’ve already betrayed those you claim to love by coming here against their wishes.”

Their neck and ears burned as he said that. Vasusena was glad ti was dark, if it meant Parashurama wouldn’t be able to see it. Several words came to mind for a reply, all of them bordering on an argument that they weren’t likely to win.

“Willfulness is not a sin on its own.” Their tongue got the better of them once more, though Vasusena tried to keep their tone level and respectful.

“No.” Parashurama agreed. “But it can open the way for worse, if not managed.” He paused, then stood up. “Go to bed. We’ll see in the morning how determined you truly are.”

“Good night, my Lord.” They replied, folding their hands.

-

“I’m destined to face betrayal from all my students, it would seem.” Parashurama’s disappointed gaze lingered on the wound and its trail of blood on Vasusena’s thigh. That hurt more than his curse, than the damage his anger might cause in their life. Than losing everything he’s taught them and the progress they’d made as a warrior.

“My Lord – “ Vasusena trailed off when Parashurama cut them off with a wave of his hand. They’d tried explaining and it hadn’t done any good. A lie was a lie. Parashurama wouldn’t see past that, even if they had come to him with no ill intentions.

“Be off with you.” He turned away; ignoring them. “I have no use for a liar. Do not show your face to me again.”

He wouldn’t listen if they tried to speak again. That much was more than obvious.

"I am sorry.” Vasusena told him anyway. Because it was true, and they would miss him.

The journey home was lonelier than it had any right to be.

-

Hastinapur had changed quickly, though maybe they shouldn’t have expected otherwise. Vasusena had been gone for fifteen years and initially couldn’t recognize the sprawl of buildings at all. The city had expanded out into the plains, grown further out from the river; and they slowly come to realize that there was a chance Adhiratha and his family may have needed to move as well.

Was their little brother grown now, Vasusena wondered; or was he still the over-eager boy he’d been when they left? Had he learned to drive a chariot yet or patch a wound? Was he tall, like their father, or stocky like their mother? Did he have a beard yet and had he learned to shave? Had he been married off?

Was Adhiratha older, his hair and beard gray; was he still so tired? And Radha, did she still smile or had she lost the ability?

They’d find the answers soon enough, picking their way along with the crowd moving through the city. Some event being held at the palace had everyone’s attention it seemed, and they had arrived just in time for it. Keeping their bow close Vasusena glanced over heads to see what was going on, stepping lightly around carts and guards; put off by so many voices after so long in the wilds.

Little wonder Parashurama stayed where he was, rather than endure it. They could see the merit of such a decision, now.

Still, misgivings aside, it was good to be home. And their dismay was replaced with wonder when the reason for the gathering came into view: a contest of arms between kshatriya; the colors of their families on display. The royal family had deigned to show themselves for the occasion: King Dhritarashtra and his wife Gandhari flanked by guards and maids; silver-armored Bhishma to their left. Other nobles sat lower, leaning forward eagerly as the lone figure in the center of the stadium’s ring raised a bow towards the sky and took aim.

Vasusena was too far away to see the string be released, but their eyes followed the bolt’s arc as it rose; watching it disappear behind a cloud and change into a searing flash of light. Petals tumbled back to the earth, teasing the crowd with sweet fragrance and softness. Even Bhishma seemed pleased, catching a few in a wide palm and confirming their realness to his king and queen.

A charming trick, fitting for an assembly like this.

“And who,” crowed a man in Hastinapur’s colors, riling the crowd. “Might try their hand against the greatest archer of the Bharat lineage?! Against Arjuna, the third son of Pandu?”

Many had been claimed as the greatest archer in the world. But it was a good goad: earning shouts and challenges from the crowd. Some who were closer to the ring pushed one another forward and were pulled back by their fellows.

Vasusena heard none of it, after the announcer had spoken; barely aware of their own feet moving.

“I will!” Their voice rose to answer the challenge. The announcer turned more slowly than Arjuna, both of them wide-eyed. “I will challenge him!”

-

“You are a fool.” Vasusena remarked, rejection from the royal family stinging in their ears. “I didn’t ask for your help, Duryodhana. You don’t have to do this and get mocked for it.” Blood pounded in his ears as he processed what had happened. Bhima’s fame might have been due to his talent with a mace, but his pointed sarcasm made for a decent secondary weapon nonetheless.

Sutaputra, he’d spat; Son of a charioteer. Hardly better than a dog.

Vasusena still wanted to put an arrow through Bhima’s throat for it, hands trembling faintly with rage. Then Duryodhana had spoken up in their defense, shocking everyone.

“I am doing this for us both.” Duryodhana muttered, low enough for them to hear before he turned back to his family. Beaming, just like the fool he was. Like the boy they remembered him being despite him being taller than them now, quick to impulse and anger.

-

“What am I to do with a kingdom?” Vasusena asks later; tending bruises and sore muscles from the stadium’s challenges. “I’m no politician. You know that, but you went through with your foolishness anyway.”

It turned their stomach to think about trying to manage a kingdom, when all they’d wanted was to test their skill against another’s. To see whether Arjuna was the better archer or if they could match – perhaps even surpass him. But there was no point in wishing to go back in time. A portion of Anga was now theirs and its welfare would be on their shoulders.

You should have kept silent, Adhiratha’s voice chided in their mind. Bowed your head and remembered your place. No one will celebrate the skills of a suta, not in Hastinapur.

“You were his equal, if not his better.” Duryodhana snapped. In a way it was amusing to watch him fume at his cousins and the ministers who refused him. “I only did what I could to make them see it. If it meant giving you a kingdom then it would be the least I could do, for a friend.”

“We have not seen each other in fifteen years and you still call me friend.” Vasusena shook his head. “What have I ever done for you to warranty such generosity?”

Duryodhana paused, fixing him with a baffled look as though they had just asked him to explain why water flowed down instead of up.

“We are friends.” He repeats like it were the simplest thing. “Was I supposed to stand there and watch as you were mocked? For a trick of birth you had no control over?”

“Just admit that you wished to spite your cousins,” Vasusena sighed, propping one arm on a folded knee. “And perhaps I will believe you more. I’ve done you no kindnesses that could justify what you have done for me. Now I face a debt that I can never repay in this life because of it. Be honest, if you are truly my friend; and I will listen.”

Duryodhana’s jaw worked for a moment before he abruptly sat beside them, close enough that anyone passing might believe them to be friends in truth. Shutting his eyes he sighed heavily through his nose before looking at Vasusena again.

“Spiting the Pandavas did have a hand in it.” He admitted, somewhat managing to not sound like a sulking child. “And I might have put my support behind nearly anyone who might be able to show them up. But, Vasusena, I consider you my friend. If a kingdom is the price to prove it, and make you equal to challenge those who otherwise look down on you; then it is hardly a choice.”

“And you are a fool to make that choice.” Vasusena offhandedly replied. “I stand by that, even now.”

Duryodhana smiled, sudden and bright. “But you are sitting. Should I take your word at half-truth then?”

And just like that Vasusena wanted to haul him down into the Ganga, to watch as Duryodhana flailed within its waves like no time had passed between them at all.

“Then at least let me attempt to even the scales, if I’m to be a king and your friend.” Vasusena hummed. “To repay your charity. If anyone comes to ask me for alms while I am at my prayers; they won’t leave empty handed. If it’s mine to give or something I can acquire by my own power, let them have it.”

“If that is what it takes to please you, my friend.” Duryodhana chuckled, tension bleeding from his frame. “I was beginning to think we would argue over it even longer before you accepted.”

[foolgobi65]

Wait just write Krishna and Bhishma

1. The Pandavas come back to life, and finally, Bhishma feels that the fortune of the Gods smiles on Hastinapura. Even the fact that they return married as one to a Princess flame-beckoned to end the Kurus cannot dampen Bhishma’s gratitude. He walks out to receive them himself, brushing his hands over their hair and muttering blessings for long life, for happiness, for prosperity, for sons. 

Just as Bhishma is about to beckon them inside, Arjuna turns and calls for someone to join them. Bhishma counts, but here already are all five brothers, with Draupadi at Yudhishtira’s side. 

“Grandfather,” Arjuna says, and Bhishma swings his gaze back to this, his most beloved child. Arjuna, who has always eschewed social interaction, who spent his childhood atop Bhishma’s knee rather than with any of the 104 other children in the palace, has his right arm slung around the shoulder of a man Bhishma has never met. A miracle. “This is our cousin, son of our mother’s brother, Krishna Vaasudev.” 

2. Of course Bhishma has heard of Krishna Vaasudev – the stories of Mathura are heard even in the streets of Hastinapura, sung even in the court of the Elephant Throne. The bards sing of prophecy, of hands that lift mountains, of rogue beasts that fall with a touch. Bhishma’s spies whisper of regime change, but also a boy who refused a crown. A General capable of keeping an Empire at bay 18 times, but still a man willing to abandon caste-honor and ancestral land in favor of leading his people to safety. 

Bhishma is a man led most by what he knows, what he was taught. He is a man of tradition. There are people who think Krishna Vaasudev a God, descended from the heavens to herald the change of the Age, the destruction of all that Bhishma has stood for. Worse, he might be a man bent on the same. 

“You think he is dangerous,” Vidura says with a grin. Bhishma frowns. 

“Do you not?” 

Vidura first shakes his head but then bites his lip and shrugs. “He might be,” he says carefully, “but then I find myself wondering if I care.” Bhishma’s eyes widen, and Vidura sighs. “You should meet him.” “Yes,” Bhishma says, shaken to the core. “I think I should.” 

3. “Grandsire,” Krishna says walking into Bhishma’s apartments. He bows to touch Bhishma’s feet and Bhishma mutters a blessing of long life without thinking. Krishna is, as his name suggests, dark-skinned – it must be a trait amongst Kunti’s family, Bhishma thinks, seeing the way Kunti and Arjuna and Krishna share features. They are all slender, lithe of limb and fine-featured, each carrying an inherent weight into any room they enter. Kunti wields her personality like a mace, bending friend and foe alike to the blunt strength of her will, even as the widow of a former King. Arjuna carries the mantle awkwardly, ignoring the effect he has on others unless he is using it deliberately to make them leave: Bhishma has seen crowds turn towards Arjuna, even before his eldest brother, but just as quickly look away at the sight of his scowl. 

Krishna strides into Bhishma’s apartments, and Bhishma feels his own shoulders straighten – a presence suddenly fills what was once air, and Bhishma finds himself catching his breath. This is a man who wields the power of his personality like the sharpest of swords; Bhishma, who has outlived generations and salted the earth of Empires, has never seen this. 

Inhuman, Bhishma thinks for one wild moment, convinced that he can see something emanating. He blinks.

They have the same cheekbones,  Krishna and Arjuna, and there is a gleam to Krishna’s eyes that reminds Bhishma of the few times his Arjuna was joyful as a young child. He blinks again, and all he can see is the unlined brow, the hair still thick and black. They are all so young. 

“I have heard stories,” Bhishma finally says, somehow finding himself seated and Krishna seated across from him, “and I wanted to see for myself how much of what our bards sing was true.” 

Krishna smiles, and it is a sight so lovely that Bhishma forgets to inhale. 

“You wanted to know if I was a threat. I must say, it is quite the compliment for the Coward Cowherd of Mathura to be considered so by the Kuru Grandsire.” 

Bhishma supposes that with another, he might have been upset at being so easily read. Instead, he feels his lips twist into a smile. “Is that what they call you?” 

Krishna laughs, perfect posture shifting into something only appropriate for conversation amongst intimate friends, or blood family. “Amongst other things, which I’m sure your spies keep better record of than I.” His face slips into something only slightly more serious, but still, there is a humor that remains in his eyes. 

“You too are a man not of this circle,” Krishna says, eyes flashing, demanding, full of a brimming authority he should not possess. Bhishma, who has not been so accused since he was a boy in Shantanu’s court does not nod, not trusting where this might lead. He is a child no more. 

Krishna shifts, and suddenly his tone is one of supplication, eyes pleading. “Do you remember what it was like when you first broke the surface when you left the domain of your Lady Mother and entered the world of men?” 

Bhishma remembers.  

“Wasn’t there anything that you saw wrong, or believed could be better? Something that you could change?” 

If Bhishma were not Bhishma, if he was still called Devavrata, it would have been so easy to lean forward, to say that he remembers, that he knows what it means to stand in court and feel the wrongness of it surging in his veins. If he were Devavrata, who once planned a great deal of sweeping change when it came his turn to ascend the royal throne, this would have rolled off his tongue with ease.

It is Bhishma who frowns. “That was a very long time ago.” It isn’t a no. 

Krishna stares, and in that moment Bhishma feels something like an infinite – Krishna is at once divine and mundane, begging and demanding for Bhishma to be something more than himself, than the vows that bind. 

But Bhishma is an old man, and he lives only because the chain of succession is not secure and so his vow unfulfilled. To question the Elephant Throne is to question himself, to question the purpose of everything he has done to get here.

Krishna sighs and Bhishma feels the other man’s disappointment as if it is the entire Universe’s, the pain cutting a part of himself he assumed had died in the flame of Bhishma’s vow. “Grandsire,” Krishna says eventually, lips curving into a small, wry smile, “take heart. I am at least no threat to your interests, even if I cannot claim to always share your goals.”

I am sorry, Bhishma wants to say, but Bhishma is not in the habit of apologizing. Krishna stands, touches Bhishma’s feet and leaves. 

4. The next day, Krishna visits Bhishma. And then the next. An entire week passes in which Bhishma has spent nearly an hour every day in the company of the Yadava General. 

“It is easy, isn’t it?” Arjuna, apple of Bhishma’s eye, is sitting on the floor arranging the wooden pieces that represent the Kuru army into formation. Bhishma looks up. “To love him, I mean.” Neither of them needs clarification regarding who. 

“Yes,” Bhishma says, moving a piece of the motley group representing the Maghadan army. Their greatest strength will always be their weakness – the sheer size of their army means that it can never be fully controlled, or trained as strictly as Bhishma prefers. 

“He makes me feel like I can do anything,” Arjuna says to the board, “that I can be anything. Even if it isn’t what people expect.” 

Bhishma thinks of everything he almost said, that first day, and nods. A servant announces the entry of Krishna, second son of Vasudeva, and Bhishma is just old enough that he can be amused and a little touched at how quickly Arjuna rises, and the strength of the two’s embrace. Krishna was away nearly four days, taken on tour of Kuru vassals by Duryodhana who Bhishma knows is trying to gain enough favor to be recommended as a disciple for Krishna’s elder brother. 

“Hello,” Krishna laughs, separating so that he can walk to Bhishma and touch his feet. Bhishma smiles, blessing Krishna with a long, happy life. When Krishna sits he pulls Arjuna who has followed him step for step down into the same chair, the two joined along the seam of their thigh. Arjuna blushes so deep that it shows even against his skin, but Krishna leans over the board. 

“Magadha!” Krishna exclaims, then looks up. His brow furrows just slightly. “Do they mean to invade?” 

Bhishma shakes his head but knows that the possibility has risen, even if only slightly since Hastinapura found itself fawning in the face of Jarasandha’s greatest foe. He knows that Krishna knows it too. “I find it best to be prepared for any eventuality.” 

Krishna looks back to the board, but Bhishma thinks that the small smile playing at his lips might be what genuine delight looks like on his face. Arjuna hand reaches to move a piece of the Hastinapura army, but Krishna’s own hand shoots out to cover Arjuna’s. Bhishma looks, and after a moment he sees what Krishna does – an opening, but not one which traditional military tactics would exploit. 

Krishna moves a few pieces here, a few there; Arjuna is bright and moves pieces of his own, transforming the Kuru army into a series of war cells, each led by one of Hastinapura’s princes. Bhishma can almost see how this would work, the sheer level of destruction such a plan would wreak, isolating and dividing sections of the Magadhan army until all that is left would be the central cohort led by Jarasandha himself. Bhishma sees Duryodhana, Dushasana, even Vikarna in charge of a squadron but the Pandavas seem to be missing

There is a portion of the Kurus that Krishna has kept aside, and it is here that Bhishma finally notices the pieces that denote Arjuna and his brothers, at the head of a formation targetting the heart of the Magadhans. With the vassals occupied,  it would be almost child’s play for the brothers, who have already brought down Panchal, to slit Jarasandha’s neck. 

Arjuna is still, and Bhishma frowns before he understands. Slowly, Krishna moves the Pandava pieces, moving them so that one by one they each sit at the head of what would be a conquering army. He tries Yudhishtira, then Nakula, Bhima, and with a laugh, Sahadeva. Krishna exhales and moves Arjuna to the center, to the front, flanked by his two elder brothers and moves the army forward. Arjuna moves the other Kuru cadres, and Bhishma watches almost in a trance as the pieces on the board are decimated, as Arjuna’s army moves towards Jarasandha until finally, Arjuna’s piece stands in front of the Emperor. 

In a battle between maces, Arjuna would have lost against such a master, but the weapon of battlefield like this one is almost always the bow. Arjuna will not lose.

Krishna tips the Emperor, Master of almost 100 kingdoms, to the floor. Arjuna hums, casually moving Yudhishtira to take his place. 

5. “Did you really lift the mountain?” Bhishma asks the day before Krishna leaves. The Pandavas have been given (exiled to) Khandavaprastha, and Krishna, the nephew of Kunti, will accompany them. Already he has bargained for the brothers half the wealth of the Kuru empire where they began with nothing, has promised one-fifth of the Yadava income, itself a towering promise of what is possible by his will.

Are you truly the God they claim?

“What do you think,” Krishna asks in return, raising an eyebrow. Bhishma wonders what it means for Krishna to be so clearly aligned with the Pandavas, for Bhishma himself to be tied to what will one day be Duryodhana’s seat in Hastinapura. 

“I don’t know,” Bhishma says. 

Yes. 

[linkspooky]

Souta, Son of the Chariot

This was tipped off to me by @inn-8-woolgatherer​ and further consulted by @karnasofsun on twitter. 

In the hindu epic Mahabhrata, there is a character known as Karna. Karna is a demi-god, that is the half blooded son of a divine entity and a human. Kunti the princes of the Kunti kingdom had been granted a boon by the sage Durvasa to invoke any deity to give her a child. Eager to test the power while still unmarried she called upon the sun god Surya, and was handed a son Karna. Afraid of being unwed, the illegitiate son was placed in a basket and set afloat among the river abandoned. 

The infant was given many names, along with many curses in his life. One of those names was “Souta”, which means son of Souta or belonging to the charioteer caste. In other words despite being half divine, Karna is abandoned or kept seperated from both parents and instead lives a life defined by the station of his perceived birth. 

Though he possessed his father's brilliant authority, his form was stained black. His countenance was cruel, and his every action was violent. Because of his lack of human mother, he didn't learn the subtleties of human emotion and spent his days being considered a nuisance by the people around him.

Source [x]

Who are they talking about here, Souta or Karna? 

Of course this is from Fate which probably isn’t the best source of mythology of another culture, but if there’s anything to take from it, this is another Japanese interpretation of what Karna would be like represented as a character and it comes off sounding similiar to both the manner in Furuta acts and even his iconography and the way he was raised. 

There are clear parallels between the two stories, and the strongest comes from both their origins, and the role they eventually end up taking in the stories, where they both end up being portrayed as villains regardless of what their true intentions are. Mythology, especially Hindu mythology is built around heroes with human flaws, and Karna despite being half god demonstrates a lot of these human flaws and complexity throughout life. Despite being a well intentioned and diligent person, due to a great misfortune he ends up being cast as a villain in his untimely ending. 

Perhaps in unraveling his story we’ll find a bit more of what Souta’s current motives might be, and the role in the story he’s meant to take.

There is a lot of Karna’s story to unpack, but to begin with the name Souta originates from his founding by Adhiratha, a charioteer of King Dhirashtra of Hastinapur. Due to being the son of a charioteer, he was therefor himself in the caste of the charioteers for his life.

Here’s a quick article on the Suta, [x] it seems in stories they were for the most part either bards or charioteers. Mahabharata may itself be an exploration of the caste system as a whole as it’s one long epic poem that meditates on a lot of topics [x]. Go read it for yourself, the caste system isn’t going to be explored here other than the fact that it exists.

Furuta as well could be considered a son of a charioteer. The Washuu family has long been associated with tarot card number 7, which is the chariot. There’s a quick overview of the card here [x].

Not only is he the son of a chariot, but despite having royal blood Furuta is placed in a caste that is much lower than the one he ought to belong to. He even tells Kaneki of this in his basic description of the Washuu family tree, that both he and Arima were born as unfit goods which make up the vast majority of V’s servitude.

Furuta carries the blood of the absolute leader of the CCG, but he himself was thrown away as a child among the rest of the unfit goods. His mother for the most part isn’t even shown to be alive and we have no idea what happened to her, whereas Furuta knows of his connection to his father but Tsuneyoshi seems to hold no regard for him as a son at all. Furuta says that Tsuneyoshi probably did not remember his name, and the idea of not being able to call his father father, sets him off.

There are some differences the sun god did not forget about Karna, he simply could not interfere in the mortal realm because he was divine. Karna also experiences a similar shaping from his abandoment and a want to prove himself as a warrior despite where he was placed because of Caste. This is of course an idea which contradicts the caste system. Which again, explaining in its simplest form because of time constraints, if you were born a charioteer it is better by the caste to be the world’s worst charioteer than to try being a warrior. 

Karna tries to learn from a sage, but is cursed when the sage found out he was a commoner. Later when he waent to a fighting contest and tried to challenge Arjuna, he was laughed at for being a commoner. These were the reasons that the main villain, Duryodhana took him in and asked him to join his team. 

Souta, before becoming Kichimura, also had many traits that made him unmistakable for a commoner. His main function was serving paperwork, he was a lackey, first to Kijima and then to Kaneki. 

Furuta is even referred to as a dull ranked one investigator that nobody knows anything about. Unlike Arima or Hairu his fellow garden children, Furuta never seemed to rise to any sort of prominence within the CCG, and instead he was accepted in by a different crowd. 

The clowns are also marked as a “Villain Group” the same way Karna himself becomes perceived as a villain in his own story simply by being taken under the wing of Duryodhana. 

There is of course differences as Furuta willingly places himself in the seat of villain whereas Karna is merely associated with one as a part of the group he’s in, and Furuta also is much more malicious while Karna was good hearted and tried to curb the more villainous actions of the people he was working with. 

However, there is a similarity between the two stories of a hero, stepping into the role of a villain and being slain as a villain. 

Ajruna who once again is the man who Karna tried to fight earlier in the legend only to be laughed away. The irony is despite their antagonism and Arjuna’s eventual killing of Karna, the two of them are actually brothers. 

But to challenge Arjuna, a member of the royal family, one must be higher than a Kshatriya. However Karna appears to be a lower caste Vaishya (merchant class) or Shudra (a slave). Karna, whose challenge was refused due to the difference in status, was a laughingstock. The one who saved Karna in this situation was Duryodhana, the eldest of the one hundred princes of the Kaurava clan, who opposed the Pandavas.[4] At that time, he already had a premonition that a confrontation with Karna was unavoidable. After all, Karna revered Duryodhana, who regarded the five Pandava brothers as archenemies, like a father.

[x]

The five Pandava siblings are the children of Kunti, who is Karna’s mother who abandoned them which made Karna Arjuna’s unknowing older brother. Of course the accidental killing of family members is common in myth, what sets this apart is Arjuna’s reasoning.

Karna must be killed because he associated with Durydohana, the antagonist to Arjuna’s own story. Karna must become the villain that falls in order to support Arjuna’s rising up as a hero. 

When was it that he resolved himself to kill Karna no matter what. Probably, it was when they had first met each other. That was no fate decided by the gods. The karma Arjuna chose together with sheer enmity. Even if it was not righteous. Arjuna had to accomplish that no matter what.

That their eventual conflict was not one that rose about necessarily out of personal differences, as the two of them both were similiar both brothers and both well intentioned, but rather their conflict came about because of their roles in society. What is fate but a metaphor for a role you are meant to live up to, dictated upon you by others?

This inevitably leads to the theory that rather than truly attempting to seize control of the CCG for personal gain and power, Furuta is instead acting as if the villain were a role for him to play so that a great hero can strike him down. There are a few hints of this in canon, Eto says that Furuta cares not for the CCG or the Washuu. 

Kaneki asks if he’s really causing all of this destruction just to fulfill his childhood dream of being the head of the Washuu family. Then suggests afterwards that Furuta might not be a permanent fixture atop the CCG.

Furuta even suggests a version of the proposed plan to Kaneki, that one of them play a villain so terrible that humans and ghouls have no choice but to unite against him. 

Uta questions much later on whether Furuta’s actions are meant to be an end for ghouls or the CCG. Ui says his rise to power is what signals the death of the CCG.

When talking about his plans in general, he uses story terms like “Last Boss”. Which suggests that like the clowns in general he too can think of things in the terms of story structure and layout even when they tend to be happening in reality. 

Furuta’s actions in seeding humans among the clown members are said specifically to “make their opponent feel as though they’ve sinned” which could hint that his actions are ironically done to highlight what exactly is wrong with the CCG by turning it up to 11. 

His mannerisms as a leader are stolen from others, he speaks with Yoshitoki’s voice and uses Marude’s words, while pushing the situation up to 11 once again almost as if it were a parody of those same well respected leaders.

It’s possible that Furuta’s increased antagonism for Kaneki is simply to provoke a fight out of him, to do same as Arima did and make himself into a great villain that now both humans and ghouls have to unite in order to defeat a much greater enemy that threatens them both. 

This of course does not excuse Furuta’s lack of regard for life as the stepping stones to his plan, as those ghouls who died along the way can never be returned. Another thing is you are what you pretend to be, so even if Furuta adopts these mannerisms ironically, the tyrannical, manipulative, unscrupulous attitude which he constructs himself with are still actions he chooses to take and those have consequences mostly to the people around him who become victims to his schemes.

However, there’s still a great similarity to be drawn between Furuta and Karna. The both of them half breeds who were destined to be below the ruling class since birth. That despite their position, they were welcomed in by another crowd even though the crown that adopted them turned out to be villainous. That the two of them in thier roles, stretch and question the role of villain and heroes in their respective stories. 

[hasduryodhanadoneanythingwrong]

"hmmm? Jar? i was in a jar once too!" (unaware)

[hasduryodhanadoneanythingwrong]

Day 49

[hasduryodhanadoneanythingwrong]

V DAY WAHOOO

sorry for the late post.....

for anyone interested in duryodhana's valentines scene being translated, someone has already done that on reddit (link here): https://www.reddit.com/r/grandorder/comments/1aqyoca/duryodhanas_valentines_scene/

meanwhile; here are some iconic scenes from it:

what's with that face.......ojisan....

pouty princess pouty princess pouty princess pouty princess pouty princess pouty princess-

[hasduryodhanadoneanythingwrong]

Day 35

at least ashwatthama cried like a powerful horse when he was born. duryodhana was an actual ass since he was born

[hasduryodhanadoneanythingwrong]

blog dedicated to the no.1 big brother of the Kauravas: Duryodhana! (loser)(affectionate)

please take care of the little crying baby in the pot...and his baby sister...

(will try to update daily but that's....not a promise lol...but i do try)

[hasduryodhanadoneanythingwrong]

Day 15

why would you ever accuse this cute uncle of doing anything wrong??? huh???? 🙄🙄

[hasduryodhanadoneanythingwrong]

Day 6

the only thing duryodhana fears is a razor

[hasduryodhanadoneanythingwrong]

Day 17