yoursfirfun

[yume-fanfare]

happy halloween! the cast from fist of idol: togenkyo have reunited again to bring us...... a horror movie?!

[icecoffee90]

The season 4 OMITB finale was SO GOOD! It had everything - it was emotional, it was suspensful, it was funny! Everything I love about the show tied into a perfect season finale.. 10/10!

I think it's only fair to begin with Sazz and her and Charles' friendship.

Just the opening scene, which doubled down on what we were shown in ep 4 already - Sazz keeping up a strong front and hiding her pain for Charles' benefit and it hit just as hard.

And of course, having been told throughout the season/series how much Sazz cared about Charles, her last words hit even harder!

Which brings me to Charles' reaction to the confession:

Man, oh man! How powerful was this scene!? I actually believe that (if Eva's device wasn't switched to the vibrator, lol) Charles would have killed him! I still have chills when rewatching the scene..

And I don't think anyone would blame him since Sazz (and Glen) basically died for nothing. Just so she wouldn't expose Rex for the fraud he is.

All this makes up for the killer being revealed in episode 9 already, too.

I loved that Jan turned out to have been staying in Charles' closet this whole time just waiting for them to solve the case! 😂

Of course, I can't leave out my beloved bromance, lol!

As always, Oliver was hilarious! (Wish I GIFed the dance on the ledge as well, but apparently I forgot, lol.)

Anyway, how great was it that Charles overcame his fear of heights to save Mabel!? 🥹 And he was about to go all the way from his apartment as well before Ollie suggested Vince's! Speaking of which, nice of the Westies to provide a ding-dong! 👍

Finally, the wedding! Like Oliver, I was worried something was about to happen to Loretta, but thankfully, everything went smoothly and it was just beautiful! 🙂

Mabel and Charles walking Oliver down the aisle? Perfection! Lol.

Also, when Howard was wheeling Winnie in, I thought it would have been great if Will was present, but I didn't think it was gonna happen.. And then I squeeled!

It was amazing to see both, Will and Dickie walking Loretta down the aisle! ☺️

Perhaps it's not ideal that Loretta will be in New Zealand, but I still count that as a happily ever after for them.

But what's most important, our trio is staying together!

Last but not least, poor Lester! 😔 Can't wait to find out what his death was about! Hopefully, unlike Sazz and Glen, he didn't didn't die for basically no reason! 🤞

Can't wait for what season 5 has in store! 👀

[zekescherries]

𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍 !

﹐🍒﹔levi ackerman

➥ conspectus﹕you can only save so many, before your identity is eventually revealed. not only have you been temporarily stripped of your rank as captain but the ones who you called your friends have even grown suspicious of you. especially levi, but he was never just only "a friend", was he?

➥ pairing﹕levi ackerman × captain!titanshifter!reader

➥ cw﹕levi & the reader have a complicated relationship, that's basically it

➥ part(s)﹕part 1 ➤ part 2

➥ occurs﹕during the female titan arc

a/n﹕this might have spelling mistakes because i didn't proof read it.

I feel a presence in front of my cell although my eyes are closed, I don't make an effort to open them. "Petra's still alive, her left leg is completely crushed. She probably wont even be able to fight again, at least not like that."

The hopelessness and slight sadness in Levi's voice echoes through the otherwise empty cellroom. I open my eyes, the soft lights flash. Levi's shadow creeps into my cell, he's not too far from the bars but far enough.

"I'm glad she's stable," My sigh is audible, I'm disappointed in myself for haven not been able to save everyone but ultimately. The deaths of Levi's squad was not my fault, I did what I could.

The weight on my shoulders disappears. "How is my squad? And Eren?"

"Your squad is fine, and so is Eren." Levi doesn't explain further, I can't blame him.

It's quiet again, Levi seems to lost in thought. It's easy to read his face despite the fact that it never shifts. It's all in his eyes, as a Captain, it was expected of me to be able to read people.

"I let you in my bed,"

"And you never once told me you were like Eren." Levi's eyebrows knot into his head, his face twisting up into a slightly agitated look. I can tell he's trying to come to term with the fact that I basically "lied" to everyone, especially him for years. How was he supposed to know I was one of those shifting bastards, the same things that killed so many of our comrades.

Eren was different, only just discovering, but I always knew.

I don't say anything, not sure if I even should speak.

We're both still, but as time passes, the space between us slowly shortens.

I can't look at him, not now.

My eyes are glued to the dirty floor. Levi steps closer to my cell, a hand gripping the metal bars. "You didn't trust me?" It's a question I expected to hear. I keep my mouth shut and my head lowered. My sigh is audible, guilt eats away at me, especially while I'm alone in this cold empty cell. Nothing to accompany me but a bed and a sink. Relief does wash over me when I hear of Petra's survival.

The deaths of Levi's squad wasn't my fault, I did everything I could with my late interference. Yet, I struggle to realize that. "It's not that easy,"

I turn my head, from Levi's perspective I probably look like I want to block out his words, pretend that they aren't getting through to me.

I shake my head. "This was supposed to be a secret between myself and I, no intruders."

That word, it sounds a bit passive aggressive: "intruders"

His clasp on the bar tightens, It's a cold gaze, but he's not angry. I know him well enough to tell apart his different types of internal struggle. His tone is quiet, calm unnerving almost, yet it has a hint of irritation.

"Well then I guess I'm the intruder," Levi takes a step back, crossing his arms over his chest. I don't respond to his comment, choosing to ignore it entirely.

"I enjoyed our time together, Levi. As friends, comrades, lovers or now enemies."

I'm getting beside myself, stalling isn't going to soften the blow in the slightest. "Whatever you'd like to call us."

"But even those closets to us have their secrets."

He's quiet for a second, taking in my words. His eyes still glued to me. He pulls his eyes away, trying not to pity me. This isn't exactly an ideal discussion, neither of us wants to bring up our past "relationship". I can't tell if his expression shifts, subtle changes in his expression are difficult to spot in this lighting. The silence drags on, agonizingly so that it's angering. I'm getting tired of waiting for him to say something and my mouth opens before I can stop myself.

"Why are you here?" My words escape my mouth in an uncertain fashion, they're shaky, I'm not sure if it's from anger, sin or whatever feeling is stirring in my lower gut right now. He doesn't answer, choosing to stare at me. Maybe he's also waiting for me to add something, but I keep my mouth shut.

Levi's hands drop to his sides and it feels like an eternity has passed before he says: "I wanted to talk."

"About? Petra? My squad? Eren? Erwin? What?"

"You could at least have the dignity to look me in the eye while you speak," The words come out cold, but there's no anger behind them.

"We're adults, don't you think it's time we have a proper discussion?" I slowly raise my head, my eyes meeting his.

I never got lock eye contact with Levi since our last nightfall encounter, I remember him building up the confidence to at least try and be vulnerable with me. Deep down, I can tell that he's still holding onto that. His facial features remain mostly stoic as usual, but through his irises I see a silent plea for us to talk.

"What else is there to say?" It's a rhetorical question, somewhat.

"A lot," He responds too quickly, but I don't comment on it. Maybe I'm not the only one who was affected by our separation. It's my own fault that I was thrown into this cell anyway. We're silent again. I can't figure out what he's thinking anymore.

"Nobody is mad at you for transforming," Hange's voice echos, they drag a chair along the concrete floor of the cellroom. The sound is beyond irritating, forcing me to cover my ears.

"You saved a lot of people." Hange's acknowledgment lets me breathe a soft sigh of relief, at least they don't see me as some traitorous monster. Though, despite that I consider their words to be false in some way. What if they were just saying that to make me feel better.

"Though, I am wondering why you didn't come forward sooner." Hange examines me with their eyes, gauging at my body, my arms, my legs, my face.

"It wouldn't have changed anything," I counter.

"Is that what you think? It would've changed everything. Did you think we'd harm you?"

"No, not necessarily after Eren's trial."

"But you still hid."

"Yes."

I don't even try to deny the obvious.

"I'm not even going to try and continue to ask you these questions that Erwin prepared." Hange's voice is laced in complete defeat.

"You know, usually friends tell each other everything."

I pause.

"What?"

That was sudden, was Hange trying to get a react out of me or something? Most likely not, that would be unlike them.

I can't look them in the eyes, I refuse to. The walls, the ground, the cell-door, anything except Hange's eyes. It was like they were staring into my soul, making me uncomfortable on purpose.

"Yeah... that's what friends do."

Hange leans back in their chair, it letting out a creak.

"Do you even consider us your friends?" Their question is unexpected yet also expected, but it still hurts to hear. It makes my shoulders tense.

My teeth grind against each other, slowly chipping away at them, my hands balling into tight fists at the sheer audacity. Such things shouldn't even be asked, years together yet everyone questions the likelihood? In the same breath, I can't blame anyone but myself. "Yes, don't ask such questions."

They let out a low hum, their eyes narrowing slightly. Despite that, they didn't seem angry with my response. Instead my answer must have satisfied them in someway.

.

.

.

How long has it been? I feel like it's been forever, though, maybe the day hasn't even passed. I'm not sure at this point. There's no window to confirm my suspicions and Hange just up and left almost an hour ago?

Was it really an hour ago?

Am I dreaming all this? No way this is real, just the other day I was with everyone, chatting and securing the safety of my squad, being the captain i was assigned to be. Now what have I become? A monster stuck in a cell with no way out other than to unleash chaos.

It would be beyond reckless to transform, especially in this kind of space.

Maybe I should've taken on Levi's offer to talk.

Maybe I should've had Hange stay just a bit longer.

© zekescherries 🍒

[serpentface]

may i have the 10 wholly unasked for paragraphs of semen retention belief lore please 🙏

Ok

MEDICAL MODEL:

The philosophical core of Wardi medical model revolves around the universe’s primal dualism- it exists in between the extremes of Sea (cold wet dark female) and Sky (hot dry bright male). These forces are sterile and stagnant when separate, God emerged at their interacting boundaries as their synthesis, capable of creation. Life itself required God’s sacrifice of Its living spirit and the shedding of Its blood, which rendered sterile earth fertile and inhabitable and kicked of the perpetual death-rebirth flow of living spirit that maintains all life. The body is a reflection of this primordial state- it is maintained by the flow of living spirit (contained in the blood), and its core matter is an interactive mixture of primordial Hot Sky and Cold Sea, Warm in balance, with male and female physically differentiated by the presence of primordial extremes- the male has Hot testes, the female has Cold womb, the interaction of these extremes allow for creation.

(I promise this will have to do with semen retention eventually.)

Blood is understood as carrying the body’s living spirit, the animating force whose proper flow maintains life and health by balancing the body’s primordial extremes. Semen is a type of blood, given Hot nature by its isolation in the testes, and also carries the living spirit. It functions as the active seed of the living spirit. It is the Hot element planted in the Cold of the womb, the mingling of these forces allow for creation, and insemination with living spirit creates a living body that can host an immortal soul. (Wardi belief describes two souls- a living spirit that animates and maintains the body and an immortal soul that houses the mind).

Male gender designation revolves almost entirely around the testes, the Hot extreme of the body where semen is (assumed to be) produced and stored. In addition to its procreative functions, the testes are an organ whose function is to masculinize and strengthen the rest of the body. Each organ requires the proper flow of healthy blood/living spirit to function properly, and thus loss of this living spirit must be performed with great care- bloodletting in offering is highly controlled, bloodletting in medicine is carefully selected and done in accordance with balancing procedure. Since testes are regulated specifically by the living spirit in semen, semen should not be discharged with reckless abandon.

SOCIAL SEXUAL NORMS:

Cultural ideals for sexual behavior revolve around moderation and self-restraint. Sexuality itself is not demonized. There is nothing wrong with nonprocreative/nonmaritial sex in of itself (unless it is adultery on the part of a woman (male adultery is ostensibly bad too but is rarely treated as gravely), or a girl losing virginity prior to marriage, or it violates a litany of gender-sexual norms), but sexual RESTRAINT is an expectation.

Having an active but controlled libido is idealized, particularly in men. A man who is an absolute paragon of ideal masculinity has a libido, but is not ruled by it. He does not masturbate and rather seeks a partner for sexual release. He usually has a wife for this, and otherwise is capable of the patience and restraint to attain a quality sexual partner rather than finding the easiest release out of desperation. His partners are suitable to proper male interest, being good looking women or pretty beardless youths (going for 'unseemly' women or older, masculine men (so long as one performs the penetrative role) is not wholly unacceptable but suggests desperation and a weak control of libido).

This is an IDEAL and not strictly enforced- very few people will think you’re a weak failure of a man for jerking off sometimes or bragging about fucking some random tail, and hiring sex workers is entirely normalized (and will only be condemned if deemed notably ‘excessive’ and disruptive to a normal patriarchal role, or truly symptomatic of being unable to get laid without paying for it). Rather, if someone is already identified as a weak or effeminate man, ‘excessive libido’ may be cited as a cause or symptom, or rhetoric to criticize them.

THE SEMEN RETENTION:

Encouragement of semen retention/regulation stems out of both of these forces. Proper masculine social/sexual behavior encourages a limitation to discharge of semen, and medical thought deems it necessary for physical masculinization. A man who does not 'excessively' lose semen via an uncontrolled libido is thought to be physically more masculine- it is assumed to directly make the testes larger since they are Storing More Cum, but also to deepen the voice, assist in the growth and maintenance of the beard, and generally enhance strength, mental acuity, and vitality. Men are regarded as innately physically and mentally stronger than women, with the medical model slapped on as one of the means of explaining patriarchal norms (in addition to spiritual concerns of pollution and metaphysical vulnerability). Regulating semen is one of many behaviors that allows a man to stay this way.

This is also an element in why 'effeminacy' in men is linked to hypersexualization- there is an assumption that men who are physically or behaviorally non-masculine have exaggerated, uncontrolled libidos. Effeminancy or ‘softness’ in men is a failure to perform a wide set of behaviors and not strictly an accusation of receiving penetrative sex, but this is often an element- a man who receives is presumed so desperate and out of control of his libido that he will submit to debasement and shame for fulfillment (an un-masculine man who cannot be a penetrative partner could at least retain his dignity by having enough self-control to abstain entirely).

Some scholars, high ranking warriors, and politicians will (at least claim to) be functionally celibate and refrain from all discharge of semen in order to function at peak performance. This total abstinence is rare and NOT culturally mandated, and is often looked on with a little snide derision as a tryhard performance. More commonly, men will attempt to live a life with a controlled libido, and may temporarily abstain from sexual activity leading up to situations that require physical and mental acuity (combat, debate, sport, etc).

Of most concern to the average day to day person is accidental loss through nocturnal emission. While this is harmless every once in a while, it is cause for concern if it occurs frequently- your body is discharging part of its living spirit completely outside of your control, you are directly weakened by this and you don’t want this happening on a regular basis. Recurrent, frequent episodes may indicate polluted blood, or outright inhabitation by evil spirits.

The only level on which semen retention tends to be actively, directly enforced is with children. Teenage boys are typically discouraged from masturbating (especially during the early stages of puberty)- retention of semen masculinizes the body, therefore will contribute to a healthy and normative puberty and should be preserved at this vulnerable time. It is considered normal to chastise and punish a pubescent boy for masturbation. This is seen as preventing him from harming his health, and to teach him to regulate desire and exercise self control, one of many facets of shaping a boy into a proper man during this critical time. This norm does not contribute to children developing lingering psychological issues AT ALL.

Wardi traditional medicine is a holistic methodology of spiritual/physical treatment, using a base system of items (foods, animal parts, herbs, metals, stones) with Hot or Cold properties and individual Essences to manage imbalances in the body and it's blood/spirit flow and dispel evil spirits. This medical system (and related subdivisions of folk medicine) is commonly used to treat nocturnal emissions, and may also be used to lower libido and/or discourage teenage masturbation. These are largely medicines with Cold properties and noted anaphrodisiac Essence. Eels are a big one- given that eels, obviously, are sexless and emerge from river mud, their bodies are anaphrodisiacs and consumption of eel meat/eel based tinctures can lower libido (this should be done with caution, as it also lowers fertility in humans and animals). Medicines may be directly applied to the penis, this does not interfere with the intended function of the testes but subdues excess lust. Phallic amulets are worn regardless of gender and have holistic nonsexual protective properties, but may also help defend against nocturnal emission. Other medicines are worn in sachets that are tied around the hips during sleep, often weighted with lead. In very severe cases (mostly associated with other dysfunction), the penis or testes may be infected with polluted blood and should be bled.

---

Tangent: If the Wardi community had reddit you would occasionally see threads like "DAE eat their semen after masturbating so you don't actually lose any?" and most responses would be "no wtf" but there would be a decent number of people going "omg yes I thought I was the only one" "I mean that's kind of weird but I guess it makes sense if you really think about it" and then one very angry commenter ranting about how, No, eating your semen DOES NOT suffice as mitigation of the loss, this is why so many boys are SOFT AND EFFEMINATE these days, the men of old NEVER jacked off and NEVER ate their own cum and had MUCH FULLER BEARDS AND LARGER TESTICLES.

[always-too-many-daisies]

I have too many thoughts about Jeremy Brett and most of them are making me too sad...

As far as we know, Jeremy was often scared of Holmes, scared of playing him but also obsessed and fascinated by the character. I kind of feel this way now about Jeremy due to this hyperfocus phase of mine...

This week I've finished listening to all the episodes of The Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast including all the interviews with Granada team members and guest stars who knew Jeremy. The interview with Prim Hardwicke was lovely. The interview with June Wyndham Davies was just heartbreaking. Hearing that she saw him when he was at his lowest mentally, probably suffering from psychosis and hallucinations caused by mania... It just makes me sad and frustrated that CHAD is generally so hard to treat, that you should take medicine all the time and ideally be in therapy and or/getting good psychoeducation and Jeremy didn't really have access to the knowledge on this disorder and level of care and support we have now... (even if now it's also often shitty and depends on your privilege). It's also so... scary - I think- that his mental and physical health was deteriorating at the same time. It would be hard enough to suffer from one thing but both... it's just wrecking. Also, June saying that Jeremy called her days before his death and to say goodbye...

On the brighter note, I think that it's amazing that despite the fact that Jeremy's friends were often hurt by him due to his disroder everyone was like "Oh Jeremy said some horrible stuff but I know it wasn't him because he was a lovely person, it was just his illness". I think it's beautiful to be remembered this way.

When I get too sad from all this I try to remember that he has been a successfull actor for like 25+ years before his ilnesses hit him hard. He is very much defined by the public by this last decade of his life because of Sherlock but maybe he shouldn't be.

Jeremy... I will never know you but you truly inspire me to be brave, to live and create.

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

I've been rewatching s1 lately, and it's really interesting how Izzy conceptualizes Ed's relationship with Stede initially.

On a very basic level, he does understand that Stede matters a lot to Ed. "He adores you," he says. Izzy didn't have to use such a strong word there; he understands that this is more than a passing crush or fancy.

But he also believes, very clearly, that if Stede is out of the picture, that will very abruptly "fix" whatever Stede "broke" in Ed's brain, and Ed will go back to living up to an ideal of Blackbeard that Izzy expects and which never truly existed. I genuinely think that Izzy expects that if he successfully murders Stede in a duel or has him executed, Ed will just blink and move on. He doesn't understand at all that forcing Ed to watch Izzy duel him or making him watch Stede in front of a firing squad and trying to tell Ed that is "quick, clean" and the best option for everyone are both terrifying and horrifyingly painful experiences for Ed.

Izzy genuinely thinks that he knows Ed best, out of everyone in the world, and he thinks that if Stede is gone, then everything will go back to the way it "should" be. He has a strong sense of entitlement over Ed's feelings, assuming that he knows which ones are "correct" - even in s2e1, the inciting incident for Izzy getting shot is blaming everything on "Ed's feelings for Stede Bonnet," as if Ed's feelings are the problem, as if these feelings are a separate entity from Ed himself that need to be weeded out.

I can't help but think that the sheer obvious intensity of Ed's feelings - his adoration - for Stede is part of what made Izzy think this way. He assumes that Stede has somehow tricked Ed into loving him in a way that Izzy is so sure Ed just can't feel. And this is finally broken in s2e3, when Izzy is telling Stede "I know you think you know him" and Stede immediately nails Ed's emotional state with an accuracy and sympathy that Izzy never could've dreamed of.

I don't think Izzy was lying when he said he thought he and Ed knew each other better than anyone. And I'm chewing on the thought of Izzy watching Stede pull Ed back from the brink of death, and realizing that not only was that not true, but he'd never really known Ed at all.

[scotianostra]

Today marks four yeasr since we lost the legendary actor Sean Connery.

Born Thomas Sean Connery, in the Fountainbridge area of Edinburgh, Big Tam, he was known growing or as Tommy.

His first job was as a milkman with the St Cuthbert’s Co-Operative Society in Edinburgh. I would think he would have delivered the milk on a horse drawn carriage, the stables for these horses was in the are he grew up, were in Grove Street, where I used to live the main offices for St Cuthbert’s still stands round the corner on Fountainbridge.

Connery also played football at junior level for Bonnyrigg Rose, my cousin played for them too for several years.

A few more facts about Sean are he has a tattoo on his arm that state “Scotland Forever” he got when he enrolled in the Merchant Navy, he was discharged from that job due to stomach ulcers, between jobs he was a nude model for art students at Edinburgh College of art, again not to far from Fountainbridge. Other jobs he took up were, a lorry driver, a lifeguard at Portobello swimming baths, a labourer and a coffin polisher!

I think it is interesting Connery never strayed far from Fountainbridge in his younger days, indeed when he decided that acting was a career he was going to pursue, it was the nearby Kings Theatre he got a job helping backstage, he was also competing in bodybuilding competitions at this time and while at an event in London he learned that there were auditions being held for South Pacific, he was picked to appear on the chorus line but as the production toured the country he was making his way up the ladder.

By the time it hit Edinburgh he had the part of Marine Cpl Hamilton Steeves and was understudying two of the juvenile leads, and his salary was raised from £12 to £14–10s a week, when the production was reprised the following year he had the lead role on the tour, taking over from the actor Larry Hagman, who played the part in London’s West End.

Connery never looked back from there and of course the role of James Bond catapulted him to international stardom, Ian Fleming though was against him getting the part initially, he said Sean was “unrefined” and not what he had in mind, Sean soon won him over though and Fleming later admitted he was an “ideal” Bond.

A few of the parts Sean either didn’t get or turned down are Gandalf, in the Lord of the Rings series of films, he said he never understood the books and also wasn’t keen on 18 months of filming in New Zealand. He also turned down the chance to play the role of the Architect in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. Sean was asked to portray King Edward I in Braveheart, but was too busy working on Another film at the time, Patrick McGoohan took the role instead.

His 93rd and last film was 2003’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Sir Sean Connery passed away in his sleep on 31st October 2020 at his home in the Bahamas, his son said he had been unwell for some time. The official cause of death was pneumonia, heart failure and old age, his death certificate revealed.

In a career spanning over 50 years, Connery earned an Academy Award, multiple Golden Globes, including the Cecil B. DeMille and Henrietta Awards, as well as two British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) awards.

[talonabraxas]

The Pillars of Polarity

“Everything is dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree; extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes may be reconciled.”—The Kybalion.

The principle of polarity shows us that spirit and matter are opposite poles of the same thing (the intermediate planes), being merely different rates of vibration. In hermetics, it is believed that the All and the Many are the same, the difference being varying degrees of mental manifestation.

In Hinduism, the creator god Brahma sprang from the cosmic golden egg, and from his own person, created both good and evil, light and dark.

The Bible also talks about polarity when it speaks on the war between the flesh and the spirit:

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” - Romans 8:6-8

We see polar opposites in other aspects of life such as hot and cold, tall and short, hard and soft, love and hate, fear and courage. For example, hot and cold are both on the scale of temperature being simply different degrees, hot being on the upper scale of temperature, and cold being on the lower end of the scale. We witness this again with the flow of electricity: for an electrical current to work you need both positive and negative charges; you need both poles.

The principle of polarity gives us a clear vision of how transmutation works. Transmutation is not changing one thing into an entirely different thing, but changing the degree of the same thing. For example, one cannot transmute fear into love, but one can transmute fear into courage, or hate into love.

When the alchemist is able to understand and use the hermetic principle of polarity, he or she will better understand their own mental state. This understanding will allow the alchemist to view his or her own mental state as matter of degree of a specific emotion, thought, or feeling. The alchemist will be able to raise or lower their vibration at will, becoming a master of his or her own vibration. This will free the alchemist from the control of others’ vibrations and ideals. The principle of polarity allows the alchemist to aid others emotionally and intellectually as they move closer to the will of the divine. The mastery of the principle of polarity gives the alchemist the ability to perform spiritual, mental, and physical alchemy in all situations.

[twooftheluckyones]

Cult of the Lamb: Luck of the Lamb Part 3: Paradigm Shift Belief is a force beyond reckoning. What one believes in can shape the entire course of their lives, and if their will is strong enough, the lives of others as well. So great can someone's ideals be, that their divine power might change the very fabric of reality. After all, the Lamb was wrought to bring change. ~Previous/Next~ ~Start~

~~~~ Story Segment Under Cut ~~~~

"Una, you have done well," Narinder boomed from above. Finally, freedom was so close. Pride and triumph filled him, victory barely within his grasp. "You are freed from my service. Return the crown to me, so that I may be free! Finally... I will be FREE!" An electric energy filled his arms, the shackles binding him gone, now only one final chain to be broken. Una looked up at the god, eyes filled with awe but still pleading. "Narinder, I have one final request of you," she asked, nervousness filling her entire core and seeping into her words. She felt ready to implode. "Let me join you, fighting by your side as your most trusted follower!" Narinder's smile faded, looking guarded, but still neutral. "I have spent my entire life in your service, and hold you above all else. Let me stay by your side and continue my duties as your loyal servant, please!" Narinder's smile faded, and for a pause he looked at her, conflicted. "Your growing divinity has given you courage above all else... I will at least give you some closure." His jaw tightened, his demeanor turning dour as shadow covered his face. It had to be this way. "You ask far beyond what can be done. I cannot save you from your ending." He looked down at her, eyes narrow. "I arrived in much the same manner you did; by dying. My vile siblings struck me down, but death is my domain. The power within the crown would have allowed me to escape. It is only with their binding chains that I was trapped here." Una felt the floor vanish from under her, clutching the crown with fear. The implication of his words began to sink in. "No! There must be a way!" She stammered, desperation taking hold. "T-The ritual of resurrection?!" "The mortal soul is but a candle, simple to relight, but the raging power of a god cannot simply be rekindled with mere bones and chanting." He spread his arms wide, gesturing to the vast expanse around them. Suddenly the still air felt thick, oppressive, binding. "Their chains may be gone, but we are still both bound to this place, and have been since we died. Death is as inevitable as the sand in an hourglass running empty. It is only through the crown's power that a god can escape it." He looked at her again, and only for a moment she saw the faint glimmer regret in his eyes. But determination snuffs it instantly. "This includes you... Una," the name is oozing with remorse, far more sympathy than the god has ever granted anyone. "Your musings of emergent divinity are true. Even if you returned the crown, I cannot undo the divinity that now fills your soul." He stretched his arm out again, hand right in front of her. His eyes smoldered with command. There is no other way. "Return it. Now." Una did not obey. Her trembling hands steeled themselves around a jet black sword, glaring up at him with furious refusal in her eyes. Tears of betrayal ran down her face, but did not sway her hand. There had to be another way. The electricity in her body surged, divine energy rising up around her as she prepared to defy destiny. The space around them crackled with the whirlwind of power, a furious storm summoned by one who defies all odds and opposes fate itself. One becomes nothing, and the universe trembled in change.

[ahsoka-in-a-hood]

The problem is that the answers to "what is the difference between Luke and Padme when they approach Vader" are boring. They could easily also be horribly uncomfortably close to blaming Padme for her own domestic abuse, but mostly they are a different kind of boring instead.

Luke and Anakin are main characters, Padme is not. Padme goes to Anakin at a different point in his journey than Luke does. This is unsatisfying, because it would be more interesting for it to be character based. But it would also be uncomfortable, because of the domestic abuse.

Luke and Padme don't just share a faith that there's good in Anakin somewhere, they also share a refusal to follow him into the dark. They both reject him when he wants to dictate who they should be and what they should sacrifice.

Anakin chokes Padme unconscious in response, expecting to be able to extract her submission long enough to achieve his ends. He tries to force Luke's submission, but gives up when he realizes that his vision will only lead to Luke's death.

There's no moral to that story. Luke was luckier than Padme. That's about Anakin and where he's at.

Luke wasn't risking the galaxy by trying to reach his dad. The Rebellion's plan didn't hinge on his choice there. He wasn't prioritizing his desire to save Anakin. But neither was Padme! She also rejected his plans and was there to talk him into quitting.

Maybe it's just an idealization of parental love over romantic love. Parents and children guide each other and then let each other go. Husbands and wives 'belong' to each other. This is not a novel concept.

[my-castles-crumbling]

Hi! I'm new-ish to the jegulus/rosekiller ships and gonna be honest I'm really struggling to romanticize and ship characters that were/are death eaters, so I want to hear you takes on it and how you think it should be approached. Love the mini fics, they make up about 90% of my feed lol and I'd love to learn your approach! Thank!

Hi!

Well first I just want to say that you for like respectfully asking because so many people are so rude about it honestly.

Second, I think it's also important to say that you don't have to ship someone or force yourself to like anything! If you don't like a ship or can't understand it, it's totally okay to not read it!

I guess for me, it's many things:

I think this fandom has morphed into it's own entity outside of canon. I think that's both because that happens with most fandoms and also because of JKR and everything she's done. So now it's kind of at the point where canon Regulus exists somewhere, but not here, not to me. Same with Barty and Evan. I've created my own version of them, and I don't think James would ever be with a Death Eater. But he would be with my version of Regulus (and the version a lot of other people write). I skip over those fanfics where he is, and that's the best part about fandom- if you don't like it, you don't have to read it. But fandom is used to reimagine canon, so it doesn't have to be canon. You can reinvent anything you want.

I think it's important to recognize that we actually know very little canon info about these characters. The only character we spend a lot of time with in canon is Barty. Evan is mentioned once and Regulus is only mentioned a few times. So we simply don't know a lot about them. Yes, they are canonically Death Eaters, but we also know that canonically, Regulus was a defender of house elves and left the Death Eaters to try to destroy Horcruxes. We also know that Barty was very unloved by his father and joined the Death Eaters very young. These are flawed characters, not inherently evil characters.

People often use fanfic to explore characters- their flaws, motivations, backgrounds, and more. I think most depictions of these characters don't show them as perfect. They explore those flaws.

The fics that I read and write feature a Regulus, Barty, and Evan who either are in an alternate universe and are not Death Eaters, or a version of these characters that does not want to be a Death Eater. Other people might read different things and I respect that, but in my headcanons, Regulus, Barty, and Evan are NOT blood supremacists. I know they are in canon, but I don't like reading canon- that's why I read fanfic!

I think there's something to be argued about the fact that a lot of people accept Drarry as a morally acceptable ship, even thought Draco was a Death Eater. And I think the reason why is because we get Draco's redeemable qualities. We haven't gotten them from Regulus, Barty, and Evan but the people who ship them imagine that those qualities exist.

I think it's important to acknowledge though that all of this does not excuse the canon ideals of Death Eaters. It also doesn't mean everyone should ship these ships. Some people can't, because of their canon origins, and that's completely okay and valid! The thing that's not okay is sending hate to people about who they ship, and that's what tends to happen in this fandom, especially with the jegulus v jily debate.

Let me know if you have questions!

Also a reminder that any hate in the comments/reblogs/my inbox will be deleted!

[ennn]

The kiss did kill Agatha but it was because she made it happen. "That's cute, but you know that [absorbing Rio's powers] would kill me" they had that line for a reason and having the line again on the previously on was to remind the audience of that. So a normal agathario kiss wouldn't cause death, but Agatha actually absorbing Rio's powers while kissing definitely would.

That being said, I agree with all the things you highlighted that you liked. May I ask which things you would've done different or didn't love as much, maybe?

Also, from the most neutral point of view, do you think Agatha still loves Rio? Did she ever?

I agree with that read! Note: this also means Rio would have needed to let her magic go into Agatha. Agatha can only take when blasted with magic, not by touching people, so Rio was aware she was killing her but it was Agatha's choice to take it on the mouth

Ooh good questions, time to play editor / script doctor for a bit. This is probably going to be long... and can be negative so I'm keeping it under a cut.

Things I did not love / would have done differently — not comprehensive — just off the top of my head:

For the love of god use a different ghost SFX. I hate the current one with the fire of 10,000 suns. It makes it hard to see the actor's performance, their outfit, and it messes with their body language as well. Outside the fantastical reality of the Road, it's too distracting.

Burn that white-grey wig for ghost!Agatha. Between this and the SFX I was struggling to focus on the scenes and their pathos. I think Episode 5 wasn't so bad because Evanora didn't really do much except float around in a smock and say some mean lines but Agatha's moving around, talking a lot, and trying to land some emotional beats.

The whole showdown in the garden feels weird to me, and I think you can tell that Aubrey Plaza wasn't on-location for much of it except for the kiss? I suspect that's why we have shots focused on Billy hitting the greenhouse, Death on the house, and a very very short magical fight. You also don't get proper reactions from Rio on what could have been a couple of revealing beats like when Agatha initially offers Billy up and walks away.

The big one: I'm not convinced Agatha had a proper arc here. If it was planned I don't think it landed for me. You get a hint of Agatha making some peace with how death just happens at the end of the earth trial: "Sometimes boys die" – beautiful moment -– but it doesn't seem to follow through? Yes, she ultimately makes a choice that allows Rio to continue pursuing her (because Rio would have kept her word if Agatha handed Billy over). But coming to terms with her grief and Nicky's death? Has she forgiven Rio? Has she forgiven herself? It feels unresolved to me imho.

Agatha being protective of Billy is... some development I guess but she was already instinctively protective of him in like Episode 3, and by then she already knew he wasn't Nicky. I needed more growth from Agatha, I think?

I'm not sure about the whole mental messaging power of Billy's. Is it supposed to imply he's also reading Agatha's mind? Did he not say it out loud because then we'd have to get a reaction from Rio and Plaza isn't available?

Cast a younger kid for Nicky lol. I know there are production limitations but to me that kid looks too old for a 6-7 year old. Is it just me? I don't usually hang out with kids.

Streamline the flashbacks with Agatha and Nicky. We get it: she loves him, it's their song, he's not a fan of the murdering, he dies. I'd fit in a scene (it can be a short one) to underline how Rio did care about Nicky (she visits him?) and show Agatha having conflicting feelings about loving but fearing Death.

In an ideal world, not have Billy in his superhero outfit because that should have had some build-up for a reveal. I know it's Marvel and they need to sell merch and stuff but there really was enough stuff going on and how the hell did Billy get that suit anyway? The crown I can overlook but the rest is weird to me. --

For your last question about Agatha loving Rio I'll tackle it in another Anon Ask coming up that's similar!

[lucyblue101]

The exception

Suguru Geto x non sorcerer reader

Warnings: this one is dark and will be disturbing to some readers. This isn’t like the rest of my works. It’s based in a AU right before Suguru would have become a cursed user… But basically a happy ending?

Pinned beneath him, she can feel every erratic beat of his heart, see every tremor in his hand as he clutches the knife, poised just over her chest. Geto’s face is a battlefield of emotions, torn between conviction and desperation, his jaw clenched tightly as if to force down the softness she brings out in him. He’s a man convinced of a higher purpose, but here, with her, the purpose falters.

“You have to understand,” he says, voice low and rough. “I’m doing this myself. Not with one of my curses. My hands.” His gaze hardens as he speaks, but the pain in his eyes betrays him. "I owe you that much."

She doesn’t look away, her expression heartbreakingly serene. She’s so small beneath him, fragile compared to the power he holds. Without cursed energy, without any means of fighting back, she’s defenseless against him, and they both know it. But her eyes hold no fear—only love, and an acceptance that gnaws at him like poison.

“If this is what you think is best,” she whispers, “then do it. I trust you, Suguru. I won’t hate you. I couldn’t.”

“Stop,” he snaps, his voice harsh, almost pleading. “Stop saying that.”

But she doesn’t flinch, only lifts her hand slowly, gently covering his on the knife’s handle. Her fingers are warm, steady, and her thumb brushes softly over his knuckles, grounding him in a way he desperately doesn’t want. “Suguru,” she says quietly, her voice a lifeline he both longs for and dreads. “If you really believe in this path, then go ahead. I’ll love you no matter what.”

Her words twist something raw and wounded inside him. He wants to yell, to shake her, to force her to hate him the way he thinks she should. “Why?” he snarls, his voice breaking. “Why can’t you just resent me? Why do you have to be so fucking understanding?”

“Because I know you,” she answers softly. She reaches out, her hand trembling, but finally rests it over his heart. “And I know the person who used to love me... still does.”

The touch is so tender, so filled with acceptance, that he feels his resolve slipping. Her fingers on his chest send a warmth through him, and he realizes how desperately he’s missed this closeness—the kind of vulnerability she makes him feel, that no one else could ever reach. He tries to focus, tries to remind himself of his ideals, his purpose. But every beat of his heart beneath her hand betrays him, pulling him back into a part of himself he thought he’d buried.

“I’m doing this for something bigger than us,” he says, voice barely above a whisper. But the words feel hollow now, like he’s clinging to them out of desperation rather than conviction.

“I know,” she says, her voice breaking ever so slightly. “I don’t want to die, Suguru. But if this is what you need to do, then... I’ll accept it.”

That unconditional love, that willingness to let him go—even in death—shakes him to his core. He can’t understand why she doesn’t hate him, why she’s offering him nothing but forgiveness when he’s offering her only death. Her love feels like a weight he can’t bear, a softness that exposes every part of him he’s been trying to kill.

“Damn it,” he hisses, his grip on the knife faltering. “You’re supposed to hate me. You’re supposed to be like everyone else. Why can’t you just make this easier?”

“Because I know who you really are,” she says, her fingers pressing lightly against his chest, as if to steady his heartbeat with her own. “And that person is worth loving. Even now.”

He feels himself break, just a little, and a shuddering breath escapes him. “You don’t understand. I can’t have exceptions. I can’t—” His voice chokes, and he stops, shoulders trembling as he wrestles with himself.

“But I am an exception,” she whispers, and it’s not a question, just a quiet truth that lays bare everything he’s been fighting against. “Even if you don’t want to admit it.”

The knife slips from his hand, clattering onto the floor beside them, and he collapses forward, his weight pressing her into the ground as he buries his face against her neck, his shoulders heaving. It’s a moment of raw, unfiltered vulnerability he’s never allowed himself, and he hates her for it—hates her for loving him so completely, for refusing to hate him, even now. But he knows, deep down, that he could never bring himself to kill her.

Her arms come up around him, fingers stroking through his hair as she holds him, unbroken, unyielding in her love. He grips her tightly, as if trying to hold onto some last fragment of himself that he’s terrified of losing.

“Why... why did it have to be you?” he murmurs, voice cracking, tears begin to run down his face. But there’s no answer, only the steady warmth of her embrace, her love for him—a love he knows he’ll never deserve, but one he can’t seem to let go of.

In that moment, he realizes that no matter how far he falls, she’ll be there, and that terrifies him more than anything else. She’s his exception, his one weakness in a world he’s come to hate, and no amount of anger or conviction can change that.

Let me know what you think :)

I normally don’t write things this dark, so sorry if this disturbed anyone 🫶🏻

[sufferu]

i wonder what will you do with Priscilla and Al in no regrets I feel they would be critical of their treatment of Subaru pointingn out how he chose to fight and without them crusch and willhelm would likely have died via white whale

And Subaru could be responsible for the downfall of archbishops

Well the thing is: Aldebaran and Priscilla are the VILLAINS of Re:Zero.

Priscilla is the antithesis of Re:Zero’s core message in basically every way. She’s a clear in-universe representation of the mechanisms of fate. She repeatedly murders Aldebaran whenever he strays from what she wants from him so that he’ll continue to act on behalf of her whims, with basically no regard for the mental toll that death must be taking on the man who’s supposed to be her right hand. The version of Natsuki Subaru that she accepts as the ideal Natsuki Subaru is the single worst version of him that exists in the story (Natchuki Subawu). And her final act in Re:Zero is one of self-sacrifice — something that not just the story as a whole, but also Arc 8 specifically (with regards to both Vincent and Subaru) lauded as a spectacularly stupid and vile thing to do.

And Aldebaran — I can’t say much about him YET, but most of everything so far is pointing to him being, on some level, a stand-in for everything that Subaru risks turning into if he continues to rely on Return By Death.

So.

[borgialucrezia]

controversial take but juan would never have allowed lucrezia to be maritally raped in front of others while watching it himself. given how impulsive and reckless he is especially when any man outside his family is near his mother or sister (let alone when that man demands public humiliation of his sister), juan would absolutely sabotage the entire marriage and might even kill the king of naples the moment he utters lucrezia's name, with zero regard for "the good of the family." despite his concern for public image and his obsession with meeting expectations to gain his father's approval, juan would never tolerate such a violation of his sister's honor because the situation isn’t just a petty jab at lucrezia, but it’s a personal attack on him as well! he prioritizes personal honor and would react violently and immediately to any perceived slight against his family, disregarding political consequences (including his father's wishes)

and then there's cesare who's actually more tender and caring toward lucrezia than juan ever was. that being said, he tends to prefer plans over recklessness and as much as he wanted to gut the jing of naples, he ultimately chose power and public image even at the expense of lucrezia's personal humiliation. this is why he stood by his father and allowed his sister to be publicly humiliated and witnessing it as punishment for himself while feeling guilty. he then even left for france without taking action when he could have avenged her by plotting the death of the king of naples. instead lucrezia handled the matter by giving micheletto the greenlight to do it.

and no, this post is not about who loved and cared for lucrezia more, (since both brothers failed her in different ways) rather it's about how juan has always been an unhinged fuck-up who never meant to meet the family's expectations, while cesare is smart, strategic, and considerate of their surroundings every time. basically cesare is rodrigo's perfect prodigy and has everything their father has ever wanted in a son. in juan's case, it has always been about seeking his family's acknowledgment and love through his flawed ways of protecting them which are rooted in his obsession with their honor rather than fulfilling the family's ideals.

[eparch]

Isgarren is an Idealist (and Mabon is a Cynic)

This was originally going to be part of a longer post I'm working on, but I decided it warranted being its own.

And yes I know the title sounds insane! But in the grand scheme of SotO's narrative, Isgarren is an idealist at heart wearing a cynic's armor, and Mabon is a cynic at heart wearing an idealist's mask.

And Isgarren is an idealist because you kind of have to be one to dedicate yourself to 10,000 years of protecting a world that doesn't even know you exist.

And one of the only things we know about him from before his ascension was that he tried to go help the mursaat fight Zhaitan anyway even after Sidony decided against helping them. Most of what he calls his mistakes were also born from his attempts to help others - taking in Eparch and ascending Waiting Sorrow being the biggest examples. And still he keeps helping others. Still, no matter how many times his attempts to better the world led to another "mistake", led to his own exile from his kin, led to the deaths of people he loved, Isgarren still kept doing it because he believed in doing good no matter what.

He figured out at some point that the Elder Dragons were vital to Tyria's magical ecosystem, so he turned his efforts to fight for the good of Tyria outward, especially once Eparch gave him reason to think all kryptis were threats. He wasn't going to step in with the Elder Dragon wars until it literally threatened the destruction of all Tyria not because he didn't care, but because he had faith in us.

Keep in mind that in the personal story, the Commander and Trahearne successfully united the world to fight Zhaitan. Isgarren had seen this before. He saw Sidony unite all the other elder races to fight Zhaitan, only for them to suddenly betray each other and leave the mursaat and Forgotten to die on their own. The Pact succeeded where the elder races failed. Why wouldn't he believe in the strength of mortals at that point?

Not to overuse and refer back to my favorite conversation in SotO too often, but Isgarren doesn't save farms not because he doesn't care, he doesn't save the farm because he knows the Commander will be there to have his back and do it while he takes care of the dragon minion.

Isgarren, for all his faults and his grumpy and bitter attitude, is an idealist.

Mabon called him naive for a reason. He even calls his own choices naive.

And speaking of Mabon...he's a cynic at heart.

This might seem contradictory to the way he is characterized as an optimistic and positive force among the Wizard's Court and for the Astral Ward (and he is), moreso than Isgarren being a hidden idealist under his sour armor, but consider that Mabon's entire character rides on his idea of atonement.

In his journal from shortly after his ascension, he doesn't remember what he was like before it. He just remembers that his own people are cruel and evil. He assumes Isgarren is avoiding him because he's afraid of him as a violent mursaat and never truly trusted him at all (when this could just as likely be because Isgarren is feeling guilty of the ascension wiping Mabon's memories, but that's just me speculating). He assumes that he must have been just like all other mursaat and he must have been a terrible person himself. So he must atone. And atone he does for 10,000 years.

Isgarren tells you, when you ask him about Mabon, that Mabon was not like other mursaat when they first met.

In SotO, Mabon's arc starts shortly before we meet him. Asthenes is attacking him mentally the whole time, but he puts on his outward mask of idealism and strength to save Dagda and Lyhr and to lead the Astral Ward while Isgarren is missing.

Knowing the Wizards, knowing the Commander, wouldn't we have found some way to save him too? If we knew? If we had realized? Isn't that what the Wizards and the Commander do? Wouldn't we have just made it possible to save Dagda, Lyhr, and Mabon?

Mabon didn't want to die, but he felt at that point "there is no other way this can end" and he outright asks us not to hesitate "when the hour arrives." He doesn't bother to ask for help with his own possession because he thinks he's beyond saving, and he needs to save the others first.

He also notably meddles with Tyrians more than Isgarren does. Many of the Astral Ward's recruits are his specifically. He travels to Tyria frequently to meet people and experience the world "on the ground", so to speak. Compare this to the historical mursaat modus of sitting back and manipulating an entire society unseen.

Even when it's someone Isgarren (and Uenno) recruits like Frode, it's not until Mabon involves himself that they heal and find their place in the Astral Ward.

That's not to say he didn't believe in mortals at all, just that as part of his trying to be a better person than he believed himself to be, he ended up taking it upon himself to help those he felt no one else would.

Finally, it's notable to me that both Isgarren and Mabon attempt to distance themselves from their races in some manner, and they both go about it in very different ways.

Isgarren made himself blue so he might be mistaken for a djinn at first glance but he still takes great pride in being a Seer. He wants to be seen as part of the rest of Tyria despite sitting above it, but will happily answer your questions about Seers.

Mabon hides his wings to be less threatening, but he's still very obviously a mursaat at first glance. He's still other from the rest of Tyria, but he distances himself from the other mursaat so much that he considers his own race extinct with Lazarus's death.

And somehow, it's so very fitting that these two found each other and created the Wizard's Court together.