#insult me ? there are one of three outcomes where i actually react negatively and the chances are nawt split evenly between them

[angeltism]

I find it soo funny that my main way to actually . y'know . give a shit if others are being assholes is if they start being an ass to beings I care about lmao

[unchartedtrivia]

War criminal. A psychopath. A man whose crimes are unimaginable.Or perhaps a cunning, clever manipulator who knows exactly what to do to make people stop digging into the subje:readmorect aand stop “biting at his heels”? 

CHARACTER TRAITS: 

- Boldness: low fear, high stress tolerance, tolerance of unfamiliarity and danger, high self-confidence, social assertiveness. Typical character traits for a soldier. Importantly, these are considered psychopathic traits. They do not directly qualify someone as a psychopath, but they are traits that are in the spectrum. 

- He is curious of the world and his enemies. He is an intelligent man who does not believe in paranormal and supernatural phenomena that “can’t be explained” and has no evidence for it unless he is confronted with hard facts and reality. It’s visible while Nate and Flynn were terrified by Yeti - Shambhala guardians. Lazarević was the one who was calm and didn’t hesitate to kill it with cold blood, even if he didn’t meet this sort of enemy earlier. He was still aware of the threat, but he didn’t hesitate to move forward. He was the only one who didn’t believe in supernatural surroundings and paranormal creatures like the yeti. And only Zoran realized that yetis were actually human. 

- He isn’t completely lacking of empathy (it is visible in the scene of Jeff’s death). 

- Lazarević thinks long-term, looking ahead and anticipating various scenarios, more and less favorable. The advantages and potential benefits must always outweigh the disadvantages and losses. Everything must be carefully thought out. If something does not go according to plan, he can adjust quickly. 

- He knows all the psychological tricks. (more in PHILOSOPHY) 

- Patient - he looked for Cintamani stone for more than a few years. 

- Able to work with others, but only as commander-subordinate. 

- Is very sensitive to disloyalty, disobedience and betrayal. 

PHILOSOPHY: 

- Everything can be used against you. If the enemy knows anything about you, he will try to use it. If you show you care about something, others will take advantage of it. The less is known, the better. 

- Don’t show emotions, feelings, don’t care about anything. This is the safest way. 

- Violence and terror are only tools. He uses violence to show his power, terrify his enemies, influence them and pressure his subordinates. He uses it deliberately, on purpose. Violence is supposed to create his image in the eyes of others, like PR. It suggest that Lazarević is an experienced manipulator who knows all the psychological tricks. 

- He does not do anything without a reason - everything must have its purpose, effect and outcome, even threats and insults (vide the scene where he terrified Flynn with the Phurba dagger) 

- Emotions are also a weapon. He doesn’t show regret, remorse or positive emotions. Most of the time he is calm. Anger is meant to terrify or pressure others. It’s visibly in the scene with Flynn (as above). 

ORIGINS: 

According to wiki, Zoran Lazarević is Serbian; judging by his appearance, he is about 50 years old or not much older. At the time, Yugoslavia was part of the Soviet Union; there were common rules and principles, such as compulsory military conscription at age 18 and a “bachelor tax” (tax on not having children). 

Why am I mentioning this? Because it sheds some light on his character. It is likely that after the age of 18 he was conscripted into the military, with which he later associated his life. Given his character traits, he was excellent material for a soldier and later a commander. And judging by his knowledge and skills, he was gradually promoted to special services like the KGB, where he was taught to manipulate others, not to succumb to pressure and mental and emotional blackmail. He can also use other means of mental coercion - blackmail and psychological pressure, intimidation, etc. 

If we consider the English - that is, the original language version of the series - we can assume that Lazarević had a good understanding of English, not necessarily just because the language of the game requires it. His vocabulary, grammar and very strong accent prove that he knew bookish language, rather not used in everyday situations. This confirms Lazarević’s special status - he was most likely taught the language in a more “traditional” way, rather than by learning the language in an English-speaking environment. The creators even took care of such a small detail. 

DID HE HAD FAMILY - WIFE OR/AND KIDS? 

Lazarević is a man who openly shows “I have no weaknesses (PHILOSOPHY). The past, feelings, emotions - he hides everything. 

So would he start a family and have children if it could be used against him one day, especially if he was an intelligence officer? 

No. It seems highly questionable to me, given his life philosophy and lifestyle. He is a man with clear priorities and life goals, and a family would be an obstacle to achieving that plan. 

(Interestingly, the "original” Lazarević, not his skin, available in the game, has a black patch with a black hand sign instead of an emblem on his shoulder. I dare to think that this is a reference to the Serbian secret organization “Black Hand” which assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914. And going by a source from wikipedia, Lazarevic’s uniform from Uncharted 4 multi suggests he may have been a KGB volunteer). 

BECOMING A LEGEND 

The war in Yugoslavia and the division of the Republic of Yugoslavia into individual states were the first serious “test” of Lazarević’s abilities; already then he began to build his legend of a merciless man who does not hesitate to commit even the gravest crimes. Lazarević probably already foresaw that after the fall of Yugoslavia, he would become a nobody and the secret services would start hunting him down. 

NATO BOMBING 

Lazarević thinks long term, looking ahead and anticipating various scenarios, more or less favorable. The advantages and potential benefits must always outweigh the disadvantages and losses. 

Strange that he didn’t foresee the NATO raid, isn’t it? 

Why would a man of his kind, with his character traits, high intelligence and experience not guess that such an action would be carried out against him? To count on it not happening would be naive, to say the least, and not in Lazarević’s style. He is the kind of person who always has to have everything precisely planned. 

Let’s think about this: NATO obtains the location of Lazarević’s hideout and he knew it. He had time to organize equipment and people, etc. At the same time, it is a chance to give up identity and be declared dead - especially if the body cannot be identified or found. The benefits outweigh the potential risks.  

 Interestingly, it seems to me that not everything went quite according to Lazarević’s plan. Why? Because, as we see in the first scenes in the game featuring him, he is very sensitive to disloyalty and betrayal; he says “I’m surrounded by traitors and fools!”. 

It isn’t a fact, but my own assumption: “someone” has betrayed his hideout and passed information to NATO? Or - if Lazarević decided himself to reveal the hiding place - perhaps the potential “traitor” gave NATO the real, factual information? This would throw up an interesting thread explaining why he is so sensitive to lack of loyalty. It is possible that he foresaw what would happen, but NATO or the traitor took him by surprise. It would also show that despite his preparation for various situations, he never considered diversion within his own ranks. But, as I said at the beginning of this paragraph, it’s my own assumption. 

THE ARGUMENTS FOR LAZAREVIC KNEW ABOUT NATO’S INTENTIONS:

- He always has to have everything planned.

- He anticipates situations long term, thinks ahead.

- Considering him dead or missing is a benefit that outweighs the risk.

 ARGUMENTS FOR WHY LAZAREVIC DIDN’T KNOW:  

 - He never considered treachery in his own ranks (which is why he reacts so negatively to his subordinate’s attitude). 

BECOMING A LIVING LEGEND, FEAR AND MADMAN 

It wasn’t long before he was branded a madman, feared by everyone from local warlords to the common people and his own army.  It is fair to say that the tools he used - violence, cruelty, war crimes - were used solely to exert fear and pressure. Interestingly, however, Lazarević is not someone who bullies others for pure pleasure and his own comfort. 

All three murders he carried out in front of Nate’s perspective eyes were swift and intended to put the victim to death immediately rather than prolong their agony. Significantly, they were all intended to underscore the atmosphere of fear, danger, and terror surrounding Lazarević. All this was well thought out.  Let’s talk about these scenes. 

FIRST MURDER: UNNAMED SOLDIER WHO STOLE AN ANCIENT COIN 

Nate sees Lazarević in his own camp; one of the soldiers brings to him another subordinate who was caught stealing an ancient coin. 

Lazarević asks “you would betray me for this?” “Zoran, I can explain!”. “No, no need […] I am surrounded by traitors and fools!” Why did he do this?  NO PUNISHMENT: if he did not punish the subordinate, he would show his weakness and undermine his authority.

PUNISHMENT WITHOUT VIOLENCE: If he punished him without violence, he would prove to others that he has no authority, there is no serious punishment, and stealing is profitable (if you don’t get caught). 

DEATH PENALTY: Punishing a subordinate with death is an example to other soldiers, a warning. It is a message to others - similar situations will not be tolerated. Significantly, this scene is very important in several ways. People like Lazarević are only lied to once; they know very well when betrayal begins. Since this man was able to steal from him even then, it is likely that he had already committed other things that made him untrustworthy but went undetected. 

If Lazarević had kicked him out of the army ranks or left him alive, he would have had to constantly watch his back; this man could have turned him in to NATO or other organizations, especially if he was offered a large sum of money. If he was so greedy as to steal a plain old coin, what if he was offered more? His betrayal would be highly likely. 

Throwing the coin into the pond also had its symbolic aspect. It was to show that even objects of value to others are in fact worthless to Lazarević and this is not really what the whole expedition is about. The pursuit of such trinkets is extremely foolish, as is cheating such a man. 

The coin was not more important than the loss of life. The man lost his life - and therefore something priceless - in exchange for something worthless.  

 Significantly: Zoran did not prolong his victim’s suffering, he did not play with his victim’s suffering, he did not abuse him mentally or physically. The punishment was swift, without agony. 

Action: quick murder 

Result: murder in front of other subordinates, throwing away a precious coin 

Effect: a message that theft will not be tolerated; to secure one’s “back” and remove a potential traitor from the ranks; to intimidate other potential traitors; to show that Lazarević rules with an iron hand, demands discipline and unconditional obedience and honesty. Violence is a tool.  

SECOND MURDER: CAMERAMAN JEFF 

The middle of a war, the city is in shambles, mostly divided between rebels and aggressors. There are no people, no medical aid, everything is ruined - from streets to buildings. Jeff is shot in the stomach by a random soldier. 

Recall: the middle of warfare in Nepal - there is no way to get medical help. The abdominal wounds are very serious, in part fatal. If you do not get help, carry the wounded, etc. the probability of the wound becoming infected, worsening the injury and death increases dramatically. 

Chloe rightly points out that Jeff was already dead from the moment he was shot; Nate and Elena, led by compassion, gave him false hope of survival and prolonged his agony. 

Then Lazarević appears; as an experienced soldier, he knows that Jeff doesn’t stand a chance. Zoran asks a simple question - “did you carry him all the way from the temple? Shame.”, then takes out his gun and kills Jeff on the spot, sparing him further suffering. He does what Nate would not be able to do, as Elena or even Chloe. He doesn’t prolong his situation or walk away, leaving him alive and suffering. He ends things quickly. He doesn’t abuse him. 

Was it cruel? No. It was sensible and just simply human (sic!).He did what Nate, Elena and Chloe were incapable of doing. He knew there was no other way out of the situation and he followed reason and mercy.

“Shame”. 

Lazarević makes a personal assessment of the situation; he considers prolonging Jeff’s agony and giving him hope of survival to be shameful. This aspect is interesting to note - it shows that he is not without empathy and conscience, even if he does not show it more openly. It is an act of pity, which at the same time emphasizes his legend of a merciless man. At the same time, the victim’s death is a good tool - it can intimidate Nate, Elena, Chloe and Flynn. Isn’t that the perfect way out of the situation?  

 Action: Quickly kill the badly wounded Jeff Result: ending the victim’s suffering, an act of mercy, Nathan’s moral evaluation 

Effect: intimidation of Nate, Elena, Chloe and Flynn, proving he is not reluctant to kill in cold blood, even for a good cause, highlighting black PR.  

THIRD MURDER: BLACKMAILED SUBORDINATE Compassion is the enemy. Mercy defeats us.

Let’s take a look at this scene: a soldier enters a room, doing standard reconnaissance. He is caught by Nate, who decides to use him for blackmail. Lazarević enters. 

What is the biggest problem in this situation here? We have three options:

SHOWING MERCY: shows the soldiers that their commander is weak and succumbs to emotion. Nate has the opportunity to dictate terms, not necessarily possible to meet. The authority of a fearsome leader with no weaknesses is overthrown. Showing submission, feelings, emotions and conscience and taking control. Losing control of the situation. Destruction of character traits. 

Losses outweigh benefits. 

Benefits: none. 

NEGOTIATIONS: weakening authority among subordinates, overthrowing black PR built up over years. Nate’s unpredictable conditions, not necessarily possible to meet. Showing submission and taking control. Losing control of the situation. 

Losses outweigh benefits. 

Benefits: none.  

KILLING SUBORDINATE: Black PR maintained. Intimidation (terror) maintained. Giving the message that there are no weaknesses. Giving the message that Lazarević is not acting with feelings and emotions like Nate, but with his own conscience and cool logic. Maintaining control of the situation. Exerting mental pressure. Information to Nate that negotiations are not an option and he is in a weak position (intimidating Nate). 

The benefits outweigh the losses (loss of a soldier, lowering troop morale).

BLACKMAILING AND USING CHLOE AS EXAMPLE: Emphasizing Lazarević’s control over the situation and authority. Pointing out that Nate thinks with feelings and emotions and is easily blackmailed. Exposing Nate’s weaknesses. 

That shows that Lazarević knew about their relationship and Chloe’s involvement in helping Nate. Forcing Nate to give in, forcing submission, forcing further cooperation. Black PR maintained. Intimidation (terror) maintained.

Benefits outweigh losses (Nate’s refusal to cooperate, Chloe’s murder - getting rid of the traitor, Flynn’s intimidation, giving a warning). 

The murder of the unlucky subordinate was intended to emphasize Lazarević’s philosophy, to show that Lazarević has no weaknesses and is not guided by feelings and emotions, typical of an ordinary person. There is no place for emotional attachment in the boss-subordinate barrier - it is supposed to be a protection for both the one and the other. It is safer not to have emotional relationships, as they are a weak point and can be exploited. As you can see, Nate tried. 

The killing of the subordinate itself was done after a long moment of reflection, quickly and effectively; it is likely that Lazarević looked for a way out of the situation before finally making a decision (he did not act without hesitation, driven by an unconditional reflex). He did not prolong the victim’s suffering. Most likely, at the same time, he was prepared for a similar turn of events, given the fact that he ordered Chloe to be brought in and used influence and pressure techniques on Nate himself. It is worth noting how perfectly trained he was. 

At the same time, the murder of the subordinate highlights his status: the victim was a mercenary. He must have been prepared for a similar turn of events. In this profession, there is no place for mercy or loyalty. 

Does this define Lazarević as a bad person who “doesn’t care about people”? No. He doesn’t get paid to “take care of his people” when the stakes outweigh everything else. 

Action: murder of a subordinate, used as a blackmail tool, use of Chloe 

Result: killing a subordinate, taking away Nate’s argument for negotiation, taking control of the situation and being able to impose his own terms. 

Effect: to intimidate the blackmailers, to put psychological pressure on them, to prove that there is no reluctance to kill in cold blood in order to eliminate the “problem” - obstacle, to emphasize black PR, to emphasize his control over the situation. Getting Nate to cooperate. 

As you can see, all three killings were done for a specific purpose, in one case it was an act of pity (which is quite unusual for Lazarević, given the black PR he was trying to take care of). 

FOURTH MURDER: SHAMBALA’S GUARDIAN IN THE TEMPLE  

Remember the temple scenes where Nate and Flynn try to find their way to Shambala? After turning giant cylinders with Tibetan signs, the guardians appear - yeti. Humanoid, huge, not very intelligent apes. And when it seems that both men will not survive the clash, Lazarević enters the scene.  Interestingly, he is the only person in the entire scene who realizes that the yetis are not what they appear to be. 

This means that Lazarević is not only hard to fool with various tricks, but he is also a man who does not believe in paranormal beings. 

So why did such a man take an interest in the Cintamani Stone? Why did he believe in the legends but did not believe in the existence of the yeti? After all, both so far revolved in the realm of unbelievable things and were not verifiable in any way. 

There is only one explanation - Lazarević saw with his own eyes the effect of the Stone (for example, during the civil war in Yugoslavia) or reached military materials that studied similar topics. This would not be surprising - already during the war period this was dealt with by the Ahnenerbe (and Carl Schafer’s unit got very far - to the very temple with the elevator, judging by the fact that there we find German mp40s, not to mention the mp40s found in the temple with the mirrors!). 

On the other hand, it is doubtful that Yugoslav intelligence services would be involved in similar things. One would sooner expect it from the KGB, which emphasizes Lazarević’s connections with that organization all the more. 

MUSEUM HEIST: 

Compared to Flynn, who does everything the wrong way around, Chloe, who counts on others to do the work for her, and Nate, who acts rashly and without thinking through the consequences, Lazarević is the one with the clarity of mind and is the main force behind the game. 

He is most likely the one who devised the plan to break into the museum. Why do I think so? Well, an important point was made to me: Flynn was not intelligent. He is easily fooled. He doesn’t predict events. He can’t plan for the long term, as the scenes with him prove - including the scene with Nate and Elena escaping execution. At the museum, he didn’t even pay attention to the new, installed alarms - until Nate told him about them. 

And would someone like Flynn be able to prepare to carefully break into the world’s most guarded? I doubt it. I think Lazarević was behind the whole plan. At the same time, he also didn’t know about some of the security arrangements - not surprising, since he was a bystander and wasn’t there to check and inspect everything. And since he didn’t know about alarms, Flynn did not know about them either. 

Significantly, Jeff’s murder scene proves that Lazarević has heard of Nathan Drake before. He walks up to him, observes him, and says “so… this little man is Drake…?”.  He might have known Nathan from stories told by other people “in the industry”. 

So he had to know what he was like, he knew his legend. So why did he decide to choose Flynn and Chloe to work with? 

I think it stems from the fact that they both didn’t have reputations as thieves, unlike Nate. Nate had already proven on more than one occasion that he may have been able to provide someone with things that clients paid for, but he was trying to find their treasures for himself.

Example: a comic book. In the plot of the comic book, Nathan is commissioned to find a journal that belongs to the clients’ ancestors. At the same time he deciphers it before giving it to his client. He keeps the information to himself and tries to get the treasure before his principals. And here we go, here we have closer example: Uncharted 4 - Nathan and Sam take money from Rafe in exchange for finding Avery’s treasure. Nate offers Samuel a prison break with just the two of them, without including Rafe in the plan - he wants to leave his principal in a prison in Panama. 

Choosing Nathan to work with him would simply be dangerous. It would involve the risk of abandoning the assignment, of trying to get information “to his advantage,” of trying to get the treasure without sharing with Lazarević.  At the same time, Lazarević sees Nate as a freak, a person who will do anything to get the treasure. The dialogue in the coop proves this. 

(posessing Janus statue) “Well now that we have this… he will come to us.” “Why Drake would be there?” “Because like you, he is a little fool who will do anything for treasure”. Risk was too high. 

DID LAZAREVIC KNOW ABOUT CHLOE?

Of course. As we can see from his story and the facts we can deduce, he is a person who can quickly assess both the situation and people. At the same time, it should be noted that Chloe’s behavior itself was not very subtle - every time she was found, she held Nate at gunpoint. 

“Accidentally.”.

At the same time, she disappeared for long periods of time, no one knew where she could be found, and there were no witnesses confirming her presence anywhere. Too many of these miraculous coincidences, right? 

Leaving Chloe free would have a lot of benefits - among other things, she might have unknowingly led Lazarević after her.  So - since when did he know about Chloe and Nate’s collaboration?  

Although this is quite a debatable theory, I personally suspect that he knew about her participation during the search for the temple in Nepal or earlier, after Nathan and Sully escaped from Borneo. 

Why? 

Because it’s clear that the shots weren’t fired by Nate and Sully, unless Chloe dragged the bodies somewhere else and made it look like an accident. Flynn was most likely silent to save Chloe from punishment.  

All right, Nate and Sully escaped. We’re headed to Nepal. 

Chloe has a free hand again, she can move unattended, non-controlled by anyone. But are we sure? Would a man like Lazarević leave her without “care”? 

While Lazarević was destroying all the temples one by one, Nate and Chloe left quite a few bodies on their way to the right place. One would think that the rebels were the culprits, but the rebels were not particularly effective compared to Lazarević’s well-trained mercenaries, as seen in the scene with the bus or the attempted assassination of the mercenaries at one of the temples in the square. 

And the rebels were not well trained, not used to the new reality, and were not likely to have the latest equipment or numerical superiority. Meanwhile, what might Lazarević have found when checking one of the temples? A whole dead squad. 

Significantly, reinforcements arrived during the game - meaning that most likely some of the soldiers had received a call and responded to it. Two dead units and no rebel bodies nearby, even no one? Unlikely. The scene of the escape from the temple may have reinforced his belief. 

Let’s look at it from another angle: Chloe’s explanations are equally unbelievable. 

The first meeting with Nathan: Chloe catches them “at gunpoint”. Both men somehow escape. There are no witnesses, just two dead men and one armed person. Flynn stayed silent, or didn’t guess what happened. 

The second meeting with Nathan: Chloe disappears for a long time, cannot be contacted, eventually holds Nathan “at gunpoint”. And she found him “incidentally”. Highly possibly Flynn didn’t tell Lazarević anything. Perhaps that’s why he ordered Chloe to be taken from the place before Lazarević came. 

Third meeting with Nathan: Chloe kills Draza; although there are no direct eyewitnesses to this, it is clear that the fatal wound could not have been inflicted by Nate, as the shot came from a completely different direction. The only person who would know the truth here was Flynn, but he kept quiet, most likely out of fear for Chloe. 

The fourth meeting with Nathan: the dagger under Chloe’s care magically disappears literally minutes after talking to Lazarević. It’s unclear when it was realized that this had happened, but it’s not hard to guess who might have been responsible. Unbelievable. 

While Flynn would have been able to believe it, I doubt that the situation in the second meeting with Nate would have appealed to Lazarević, who had far more intelligence, both mental and emotional. This is further proven by the scene during which he took Chloe hostage during Nate’s negotiations. 

He was already aware of the fact that Chloe was very important to him, especially after situation in the train.  Importantly, I personally think Lazarević treated Chloe as bait early on in the game. Upon reaching the temple, he already knew what her proper motives were. In the end, he gave her the dagger, knowing that Nathan was on their heels. Wouldn’t it be convenient to give the dagger back to Nate indirectly and just follow his trail? 

Lazarević was aware that Flynn and Chloe would not be able to solve the mystery alone, which he clearly expresses in the scene by saying “Clearly hired the wrong man for this job."  

Interestingly, Chloe, after the scene when Lazarević terrorised Flynn by using Phurba Dagger, says of her employer, "he’s a monster!”. At the same time, she doesn’t judge herself that way by her actions towards Lazarević’s mercenaries - as if she didn’t commit the crime herself. However, this suggests something else - namely, that she suffered the punishment, or witnessed the punishment, that Flynn had to suffer for the failures of both of them. This would not be surprising, given the way Lazarević acts.

Interestingly, Lazarević respects the agreements or contracts - including during the scene where he wants to kill Chloe for being a traitor. This proves that he knew about it and her motives all along, but after a discussion with Flynn, he changed his mind. “That was not the deal”. 

COULD LAZAREVIC HAVE SURVIVED? 

Arguments for: 

- He doesn’t give up. 

- Experienced military officer. He survived the NATO bombing, the war in Yugoslavia, and was most likely a high ranking service officer. Given his knowledge and training, he also had extensive experience in combat, especially hand-to-hand combat.

- Rather, he had a weapon at hand, at short range much more effective than bare fists or mace (gun in his holster).

 Arguments against: 

- Surrounded by eight difficult to kill opponents. 

- Seriously wounded, weakened, reduced to the first floor (and thus to a position where it is difficult to get up on his feet and escape). 

- No time to react In the final scenes, he voluntarily consents to die as if he had surrendered - because he felt he had fought as an equal and been defeated. 

This is another trait of Lazarević’s that is very relevant to the scene as a whole - it tells us that he is able to acknowledge his loss in battle through the superiority and skill of others. In Uncharted 3 DLC coop Lazarevic, if he dies, tells us “Well fought, Drake (laugh) You are the better man. Still little… but better”. 

HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIO: LAZAREVIĆ ESCAPED 

Okay, maybe he would have survived, but what about the collapsed bridges and ruined city? Keep in mind that it’s likely that not all parts of Shambala were equally destroyed, as we see in the final scenes. What is even more significant is that there could not necessarily have been only this one and only one way in and out of Shambala. Most likely there was another escape route.  What is even more significant is that resin trees grew not only in this place. So Lazarević, while trying to escape - assuming he survived, of course - could have encountered another source of power, which could have given him more strength and healed his wounds. 

Does that appeal to me? Yes, it most certainly does. Personally never liked last scene. A fearless man like Lazarević killed by eight violet, mountain trolls? Nope. This character deserved better ending. 

Would I like to see Lazarevic return in some DLC or Uncharted 3 style co-op? Hell yes! 

[schraubd]

Unthinkable Thoughts, Part II: What if the Democratic Party Corbynifies?

Today, seven British MPs -- including Luciana Berger and Chuka Umunna -- announced they were leaving the UK Labour Party and would sit in Parliament as independents. It is, as I understand it, the biggest breakaway of sitting MPs from Labour in recent history (the last comparable action was in 1981, when four senior Labour officials -- two of whom were MPs -- left to form their own party). There were quite a few issues that prompted these MPs to decamp, including perhaps most prominently the almost complete failure of Labour to commit to fighting against Theresa May's Brexit catastrophe. But of course, looming large on the horizon was the ongoing problem of antisemitism -- a disease ripping through Labour at both the grassroots and at the most senior levels. The Democratic Party in the United States is not like UK Labour. People who try to argue otherwise are acting in transparent bad faith -- and not just because three-quarters of Jews voted Democratic in the last election, while Corbyn's Labour party polls below 20% in the Jewish community. It is insulting to the American Jewish community to suggest that we can't see antisemitism before our eyes; if the Democratic Party was a toxic place to be a Jew, we -- by which I mean Jewish Democrats, the Jewish majority, not whatever ZOA hack is tweeting their 304th comment of the week at Ilhan Omar -- would be saying so. In reality, Jews remain well entrenched in the Democratic community. Antisemitic incidents remain quite rare, and when they do occur they're handled with considerably more grace and decisiveness than comparable acts across the aisle. However, as I stressed in my last post, this is not a series about what is, or even what is likely. Unthinkable Thoughts is about what could be, what is now within the realm of possibility. The question, then, is what happens if the Democratic Party becomes "Corbynified"? Last week, referring to the great Ilhan Omar "AIPAC!" controversy, Anshel Pfeffer declared that Jewish Democrats had just experienced their first "Corbyn moment". The main feature of that moment was not what Omar said, exactly, or in how it was responded to by the Democratic Party as an institution. Indeed, along those metrics, this scandal was a rather minor affair: she did trade upon antisemitic tropes, but she quickly apologized and the party as a whole disavowed them. Can't ask for a better result. Rather, the scary portion of the incident was in the metadebate -- the discourse about the incident that coursed through sectors of the internet in the hours and days following. It was here where things went well beyond (fair) critiques that Omar's words are the subject of a multi-day media frenzy whilst GOP antisemitism of comparable gravity are given a pass. Instead, we saw the development of a narrative where Omar did nothing wrong, and the contention otherwise is yet another case of Jews smearing good patriots with illegitimate "antisemitism" charges, acting as Israeli stooges, being the face of American racism, and just in general sabotaging the left. Along side this condemnatory narrative was a celebratory one -- that Omar was speaking forbidden truths, that she was telling it like it is, and -- most importantly -- the fact that it made Jews uncomfortable is a point in her favor. In this corner of the internet, Omar scored points because of, not in spite of, how she upset the Jewish community. This, for me, is the heart of what I mean by "Corbynifying" (at least along the axis of antisemitism). It denotes a state of affairs where Jewish terror and misery is part of the point -- it's an active desideratum, it signals that one's orientation towards the Jewish community is on track. With a few exceptions (exceptions who are both quick to be trotted out but whose loyalty to the cause is always kept under close watch), in a Corbynified party Jews are viewed as part of the enemy camp, and so complaints from Jews about antisemitism are viewed much the same way as complaints of racism are heard by the GOP -- presumptively in bad faith, and if anything a signal that the party is getting things right. This is, as I've written before, the antisemitism that keeps me up at night. And we're at the point where this future is, if not yet "likely", than certainly "thinkable". It's worth noting that a "Corbynified" Democratic Party does not necessarily mean a friendly Republican Party. More likely, it'd mean a Democratic Party and Republican Party that are deeply hostile to Jewish values. I've remarked before that trying to imagine what I'd do as a Jewish voter in the UK is the one thought-experiment that generated sympathy for the predicament of "Never Trump" Republicans, and that sentiment carries over. And it must be stressed: right now the Democratic Party as an institution is not "Corbynified", or anything close to it. It's just not, and the people insisting otherwise are almost exclusively those for whom Corbynification is clearly their desired political future. Yes, there is a loud cadre of self-described leftists on the internet that is ecstatic about any seeming break-up between Jews and Democrats. Then again, there's also a loud cadre on the internet that is screaming "Barbara Lee is a sellout!" because she endorsed Kamala Harris instead of Bernie Sanders. I feel pretty confident the latter will be very disappointed by the outcome of the 2020 primary. Loudness on the internet is not a reliable proxy for actual popular support. But still. It's easy to forget that when Corbyn first entered the race to head up Labour, he was considered a fringe joke (a mistake that was also made about our current President). It turned out there was a very large swell of latent progressive energy waiting to be activated, and -- worse yet -- one of the things that activated and mobilized them was the antisemitism. Again -- this is central to Corbyn's appeal in the same way that Trump's racism was central to his appeal. Part of what Corbyn's voters like about him is that they view him as putting the Jews in their place. And so the question is whether there is a similar latent energy in a sector of the American people that burns with a similar desire. It is a feature of Jewish history that these things can seemingly turn on a dime (I just read an account of how Jews reacted to emergent antisemitism in late 19th century Germany that felt alarmingly topical -- one of the main themes was how the community went from "we're basically fine, outside a few cranks anti-Jewish sentiment is a thing of the past" to having a 5-alarm fire raging around them). Yes, right now Jews are well entrenched in the Democratic Party. But can I imagine a world where Jewish Democrats are systematically targeted for primary challenges -- always somehow being viewed as "too conservative", "too accommodationist", "too establishment", "too Clinton-esque"? I can. I don't think it's likely, and I don't think they'd necessarily succeed. But yes, I can imagine it. More importantly, we need to reflect seriously on how antisemitism can generate votes and energize coalitions. Too often it is taken as an article of faith that "antisemitism hurts our movement" -- that an antisemitic party is weaker than the one which is successfully fighting antisemitism. I don't think this can be taken for granted. Antisemitism is one of the most powerful mobilizing forces the world has ever seen. It seems wholly within the realm of possibility that a political movement which successfully harnesses antisemitism will be more successful than one that does not. The effectiveness of the "Soros" line of attack is demonstrative of this -- antisemitism, right now, is aiding conservative political movements in America. The Republican Party at least seems to believe that deploying these antisemitic tropes makes it stronger than it would otherwise be. Indeed, the ties that bind antisemites together often cross normative partisan lines, and that creates significant opportunities for political growth. Antisemitism links together a range of vaguely "anti-establishment" and "anti-elitist" perspectives that, paradoxically enough, mean antisemitism is likely a great entry point for a host of new Democratic voters (consider the left-right convergence around the French "yellow vest" movement). It would not remotely surprise me if there is a decent-sized clutch of independent-to-right-leaning voters who are suspicious of big financial institutions and angry about what they see as corruption in Washington, who tend to associate Democrats with coastal elitism and "New York money", and for whom Jews represent at least a plausible avatar of what connects what they think is wrong with America and what they think is wrong with Democrats. If this is right, then the path to resolving the  "What's the Matter with Kansas" question is making a grand gesture that says "I reject coastal financial domination." We joke about how antisemitism is the "socialism of fools", but the reason it's earned that label is because the easiest way to signal "I'm standing up to the banks", "I'm standing up to the elites", and "I'm standing up to the unaccountably powerful" -- all in one go -- is to signal "I'm standing up to the Jews". Such a message, it's plausible to imagine, be very well received among that set. It offers a pathway to turning reddish-purple voters blue. Finally, it has to be emphasized that this is not solely a home-grown problem of the left. The right -- and particular Bibi Netanyahu -- shares a sizable chunk of the blame. Indeed, it is actively and I think intentionally trying to accelerate these dynamics. Much of contemporary politics is organized around negative partisanship, and the brazen of alignment of Netanyahu with Trump and other forces of far-right reactionary politics has very predictable effects. We can have a thousand conversations about nuance and Israeli society not being a monolith, but the fact is low-information voters aren't going to know much more about Israel than what it's government is doing, and if the government of Israel is blasting "WE, THE JEWISH STATE, ARE JUST LIKE TRUMP, ORBAN AND BOLSONARO" at 160 decibels, it's going to leave a sour impression on those people for whom Trump, Orban, and Bolsonaro are not friendly faces. But the fact that blame would be overdetermined is not much of a consolation for ensuing political homelessness. If the Democratic Party ceases to be a home for the Jews, it would signal more than just a realignment. It would almost certainly mean that the liberal politics that much of the Jewish community has rallied behind for the past half-century will have finally failed. And it's hard to imagine that any of the candidates that might emerge in its place -- from Corbynista socialism to Trumpian authoritarian populism -- will be particularly favorably disposed to the Jews. via The Debate Link http://bit.ly/2TU8SrD

[marshmallowgoop]

I can’t think of anyone else who does this kind of year-in-review compilation for writing, but I put one together for 2017 and would like to continue to do so. It’s just nice to get a sense of what I’ve accomplished in 12 months, especially when I feel that I haven’t accomplished much of anything.

Unlike last year, though, I’m including all kinds of writing I’ve done this time around. My non-fiction work is important to me, too.

Mental health talk and text versions of these snippets under the cut.

To cut right to the chase, 2018 was rough. No matter all my flowery pep talks trying to be positive and uplifting, my feelings of inadequacy skyrocketed. I drenched myself in my own self-depreciating “humor,” and I ridiculed my hopes and dreams. Every time I felt my work was poorly received, I’d tell myself, “Well, what did you think would happen? That people would actually like what you do?”

But I never wanted to stop “keeping on.” I wanted to continue what I loved no matter what, and I threw myself into my writing. There would be days where I wouldn’t eat or do anything else until I’d finished an essay. I spent practically the entire month of November sleeping on my couch because I never wanted to “go to bed” until I had written more, posted more, done more. My head became filled with a constant mantra of, “You’ll never be enough.”

And I wanted to prove myself wrong. I wanted to be something—even if that something was just being happy with myself. But all the proclamations that I’m “getting better!” and “improving so much!” never did much for my confidence. What good is progress, after all, if I still feel like I’m nowhere?

Still, I tried to be productive about my failure. So I wasn’t satisfied with what I was doing. What could I do to be satisfied? I took different approaches to my content. I asked for advice, opinions. But that feeling of being nothing remained.

And yet, I’d always say things like, “I’m okay. I’m just frustrated.” Or, “I felt better after I binged some Netflix, haha.” I wanted to be helpful, inspiring. I wanted to tell people that it’s hard, but it gets better. I wanted to come off as the happy person I so wish to be, and I felt guilty every time I revealed any of my insecurities. Nobody wants to hear that stuff. Everyone suffers. I’m not special.

So maybe that’s why I feel it’s important to say now that I’m not okay. I’m hurting. I’m in pain. There are times I hate myself so much that I can think of nothing but how I’m ugly both inside and out, that I’m selfish, ungrateful, a total bitch.

And I want to be better! Of course I do. And I want to continue to work to be better.

But right now? I’m not okay. And running away from that fact and trying to hide it won’t help me or anyone else.

It was a rough year. I feel I made a total fool of myself more times than I would care to admit. But I also created a lot of art. I shared a lot of art with the world.

And you know what? I am proud of myself. I did impact people with what I did. I answered over 100 asks! I added more than 17 pages to my “replies” tag! I’m not nothing, and I need to stop treating myself like I am!

On to a better, healthier 2019!

Texts

January

Yes, DARLING goes way further than I’m comfortable with, but in doing so, and in doing so seriously, it tells the viewer in no indirect terms that the relationship between Hiro and Zero Two isn’t a joke. This ain’t another Ryuko and Senketsu, where all the blatantly suggestive themes between a human and a non-human are easily neglected and there’s the insistence that the relationship is akin to that of a child and their parental figure (yuck), because unlike Ryuko and Senketsu, there is 1,000% the sense that this series intends for its leads to be like that. There’s practically no other way around it. Just look at the title.

DARLING also doesn’t seem to be following in the footsteps of a run-of-the-mill monster movie, either, where a relationship between a human and a non-human is treated as something terrifying. There have only been two episodes so far, but I would say that there is something genuine in the relationship between Hiro and Zero Two already.

February

So, I don’t have a “bad” section this week. While DARLING might have tonal problems as a whole, as far as “Your Thorn, My Badge” is concerned, there’s little to complain about. The episode is serious, and it stays serious. For the first time ever, there’s a distinct lack of gratuitous fanservice, and other issues that plague the show are also wonderfully absent. No awful cockpit set-up can be seen here, abuse from a woman isn’t depicted as funny, quirky, and cute, and what’s unsettling is portrayed as unsettling.

March

Senketsu’s story—intentionally or not—has easy parallels to stories of marginalization and “otherness.” Like Akira Fudo of Devilman, Senketsu has the body of a “monster” but the heart of a human, and consequently, he can’t fit well in either world. No matter how silly Kill la Kill is, there’s something incredibly worthwhile in a narrative where someone who feels worthless and as though they don’t belong anywhere finds love and comes to understand that they matter. The fact that Senketsu’s story gets so neglected is beyond disappointing for exactly this reason.

But the erasure is also disappointing because Senketsu’s story is plain good. Throwing out everything I just wrote, isn’t it sweet, for a girl to decide that she cares more for a kind, compassionate person than what anyone thinks of her for being with him? Isn’t it heartwarming, that she would push herself to be as strong as she can be to return him to full health when he’s injured? Isn’t it worthy of praise, that there’s the depiction of a relationship built on communication and respect between the two, without either of them unhealthily idolizing the other even though they are both among each other’s first friends, and where they openly discuss their thoughts and feelings and concerns together? Isn’t this all something to be celebrated?

April

To make matters worse, the almost-final version of the script (as included in The Complete Script Book) doesn’t even include that tiny moment of Ryuko’s grief in the end at all! To quote:

街(数ケ月後)

可愛い服を着てマコとデートしている流子。ソフトクリームを買おうとショップによる。そこにもう一人の手が伸びる。買っているのは皐月。彼女も私服だ。驚く流子とマコ。はにかむ皐月。三人、笑いあう。その姿は屈託のない１０代の少女だった。

Incredibly rough translation:

City (a few months later)

Mako wears cute clothes on her date with Ryuko. The two go to buy soft-serve ice cream. Another person’s hand extends, and it’s revealed that Satsuki is buying the ice cream for them. She’s wearing normal clothes, and Ryuko and Mako are amazed. Satsuki is shy. The three laugh together. It is the image of carefree teenage girls.

May

Of course, as I’ve said before, I do think it’s important to talk seriously about media, because media is important. Media constantly impacts and influences us. #TheDiscourse definitely has a place.

But the goal of these kinds of discussions should be to improve. We should strive for better and more inclusive media. We should strive for better and more inclusive fandom. When #TheDiscourse instead becomes more about who’s the most morally superior and who’s the most garbage, it’s failing at this goal. Instead of being about bettering our art, #TheDiscourse seems to, more often than not, be about bullying other people under the guise of righteousness. And it’s utterly repugnant.

June

But what bothers me most about the argument isn’t really the argument itself. What irks me more than anything else is how this widely held belief emphasizes a disheartening trend: whenever something as popular as Kill la Kill comes along, there’s perhaps an eagerness to accept some of the most negative interpretations possible, almost as if there’s a desire for something awful.

And, sure. Maybe I’m just “reacting in shock and horror” to interpretations that are separate from my own. It’s not like there’s anything inherently wrong with a negative view of a work. It’s not like any of my more positive readings are “more correct.” I can’t claim to “get” a piece of art more than anyone else does.

But I can’t help it. I wish things were different. I wish negative interpretations weren’t seen as “more valid” simply because they’re negative. I wish more people weren’t afraid to disagree with popular negative interpretations for fear of sounding like they’re “reacting in shock and horror,” as though there’s really something so wrong about being passionate about art and finding a negative interpretation of art to actually be negative in itself. I wish for more nuance. I wish for more discussion. 

July

I mean, just imagine this. You’re fighting a battle whose outcome will literally decide whether or not your entire planet explodes into a billion pieces in like two hours. It’s not only your life on the line. Everyone you care about have their lives on the line, too. 

To make matters worse, it ain’t going well for your side. You’ve been rendered basically immobile by a cheap attack from these world-destroying baddies… and so have all your allies. Things are looking pretty grim, to say the least.

And then one of your big-name enemies goes and does it. She laughs at your efforts and taunts you and—get this—she says something that totally insults your OTP.

Now, a normal person would probably not be thinking about OTPs during a fight to save the Earth from turning into confetti. 

A normal person is not Mako Mankanshoku.

August

But I find Grosz’s thesis compelling in regards to Kill la Kill because, in a lot of ways, Ryuko and Senketsu do rather embody typical positions of men and women in fictional stories both East and West… except, the roles are reversed. Ryuko is the unruly, aggressive, and hot-blooded protagonist just as a man often is, and Senketsu exhibits many traits that are traditionally associated with women; he’s sensitive, emotional, and a considerable worrywart. Further, while I find the term “love interest” both degrading and unfitting for Senketsu in a series that Word of God denies any romantic intention for, I have to admit that he fits many of the conventions. In an anime with a cast primarily composed of women, the fact that Senketsu is arguably coded as male makes him, just as the standard heteronormative “love interest,” the most narratively significant character of another gender in the show (for just a few other examples, see Ran from Detective Conan, Sam from Danny Phantom, Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon). Whether I’m watching an anime or an American cartoon, I don’t think I’d be too surprised to see a scenario like the one from the end of Kill la Kill’s thirteenth episode, where a man tells a woman that he’s afraid of losing control and needs her to be there for him so that he doesn’t.

September

The official website for Kill la Kill the Game: IF is now up.

As of this writing, the site details gameplay mechanics and other general information regarding the game. There are also short bios and new game-specific artwork provided for the four confirmed playable characters: Ryuko Matoi, Satsuki Kiryuin, Ira Gamagoori, and Uzu Sanageyama. The “Video” section features the trailer from Anime Expo 2018 and the original 30-second commercial (which now has English subtitles available).

The “Top” page also includes a link to the Arc System Works Event Portal Site, where any potential players can download a detailed Play Guide for the game. Additionally, the site provides a schedule for the upcoming showcase of Kill la Kill the Game: IF at Tokyo Game Show 2018:

October

She catches their reflection in the long mirrors that line the gym walls and asks how in the world it all works.

He does not know what she means.

She holds a hand to her hair. The strands are bright and red, leaping into the air like fire.

His voice is a low rumble. The sound fills her as though it is her own.

We are one now, he says. Your skin is my skin, and mine is yours.

The words remind her to once more return to herself.

But when she looks to the glass, she still sees him.

November

Gridman is also quite stunning from a directorial and visual standpoint. As I wrote up some notes for the premiere while waiting for my multiple-hours-delayed Greyhound bus (hey I can’t not recommend that service enough, but those of you who were in full-out cosplay at the station are so much stronger than me), I made sure to mention how much I enjoyed the focus on scenery and environments. A lot of anime will rely heavily on stale shot-reverse-shot conversations in which the characters hardly move, but Gridman mixes things up. When the characters talk, viewers get these wonderful glimpses of their world. Sometimes, you’ll hardly even see the characters at all! This choice feels so fresh and different, and I was particularly taken by how the opening moments of the show are just about entirely background shots.

Takeuchi mentions in the interviews that Gridman director Akira Amemiya is incredibly skilled at what he does, and everything in a cut—from objects to angles to facial expressions—all have meaning. I think I could definitely see that from episode 1, and it’s a real treat. That’s exactly what visual storytelling should be doing.

December

Jiro’s Mubyoshi is neat, but Ryuko’s? It’s sweet as all heck. No matter Houka’s complicated info dump about what she’s doing, the actual scene simply plays out like one of the purest expressions of love. There’s a reason that there’s nudity here, and it’s not for fanservice or titillation. It’s to signify the closeness of Ryuko and Senketsu in this moment—to say that, right here, the two of them are uniting as one.

And it’s beautiful. Intimate. Absolutely heartwarming. Ryuko openly shares a part of herself that even Senketsu hadn’t known before, and he adores it. He loves being with Ryuko so much. He loves her so much.

And Ryuko? Shy, closed-off, keeps-her-distance-even-from-her-family Ryuko? She’s completely unabashed. Senketsu has always paid attention to her pulse and breathing and so on and so forth, and she doesn’t even hesitate to reveal more. This is her sound, and she wants him to listen. She wants him to hear nothing else. She trusts him, fully and completely—and this trust is so breathtakingly powerful that Houka even unzips his hoodie in awe of it.

[bangtan-spells]

Yoongi Scenario: Tainted Love - Part 12.

Request: Could you make one with Yoongi being some sort of demon/vampire boss that every one is super scared of but then there is Y/N, Yoongi is in love with her and everyone is always super impressed how Yoongi always surrenders and softens when something is about her? He’s super protective and wants to please her in his own way, thank you for doing this i love you 

Summary: Demons are merciless, demons are ruthless, demons can’t hold nothing dear to them. Yoongi is the leader, the king of the demon world. He is feared as he is respected, no one expected him to bring a human girl as his lover, you. You fell in love and now you are in the midst of adjusting to the demon world, its custums, and its dangers. But everything is worth it if is for him, the demon king that lives between shadows and that would turn hell apart to protect you.

 Demon AU. Featuring all BTS.

Genre: Romance / Drama.

Part 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 13 

You weren’t surprised when after appearing you found yourself in the middle of a forest, you didn’t know where you were, the only thing you could assume was that it shouldn’t be too far away since the sensation of dizziness wasn’t as strong and somehow being in a forest seemed logical for some reason, maybe in your head you had formed the idea of witches and warlocks not living in the city. You started walking, following Taehyung and Jungkook who were at the front as they shared few words, Yoongi, Jin and you were a bit behind, walking quietly, so much the only sound you heard were your boots with each step you took as all of them moved with absolute sigil. You were the only girl but suddenly you didn’t feel that graceful.

-They will hear us from miles with me walking like this, sorry- you murmured.

Yoongi shook his head giving you a look that meant that didn’t matter.

-Don’t pay attention to it Y/N- Jin said with ease but as you turned to look at him you saw a bit of tension in him, was he nervous? why would Jin be nervous?

You gave Yoongi a questioning look but he just kept walking without saying anything, or giving anything away with his expression, as usual. Yoongi had a pretty cold face, not very expressive unless he was angry which you could tell when it was too late to not get in his bad side. You were in between both of them not really knowing if you should talk and ask things as you would usually do or if you should keep your mouth shut, judging by their faces you decided for the latter, now that you observed them well they all were tense, even Taehyung and Jungkook walking in the front were pretty alert, they talked but you saw how they were constantly looking around, or how Taehyung graced the grip of one of his swords a bit too often. You looked at Yoongi too who had eyes on the front but you also saw the shadows starting to slid from him, slithering to the ground and you wouldn’t have noticed if you weren’t aware of them already. You heard a whistle and your heart skipped and your stomach dropped with adrenaline, Taehyung halted in the front whilst Jungkook, Jin and Yoongi closed around you.

There was a moment of all of you looking around and then a figure came into view, jumping from a tree just in front of Taehyung who had his right arm flexed back but without drawing his sword yet. The man looked human, although you doubted he was so as any human would have fainted at the sight of Taehyung and his rabid eyes, this one instead looked at your group like acknowledging who you were, very much calm and tranquil, too much.

-We come for no trouble, just a talk- Taehyung said but his tone didn’t reflect the intention he stated.

The man, who had long white hair although he didn’t look old and half of his face painted in blue frowned notably offended. You wondered if Taehyung was the correct one to make diplomacy at the moment, why wasn’t Jin doing the talking, that would be better.

-I will not talk to you, scum, only to your leader-

Taehyung smirked but didn’t react on the insult. -You see, he doesn’t talk to scum either, take us to your leader-

Yoongi didn’t move of your side which told you this wasn’t the first time they did something like this, you watched attentively the reaction of the man, how he inflated his practically uncovered chest, he wore some sort of white tunic with baggy pants. It made him seem like he belonged to a tribe or a sect, then you remembered Jimin had said they had clans, maybe it was something of this clan

He glared at Taehyung and looked at the rest of you, noticing that Yoongi was said leader, Yoongi remained stony and then the eyes of the white haired warlock focused on you for just a second before turning around, three more jumped off the tree branches to follow him. You were startled but kept your mouth shut to not gasp in surprise, the demons didn’t seem fazed so you guessed they knew they were being followed since far behind. Of course the noise you were making didn’t matter.

You went further in and now you started seeing more things, there was noise coming from afar, the kind of noise people would make, but you stopped before you got to the source of that noise, in front of you there was a stone house, small as it couldn’t have more than two rooms by the initial size. Yoongi had moved to the front now, but even if he had said not to get away from his side you decided to stay behind for the moment, now with Jin and Jungkook who were giving not so friendly stares at the warlocks that were around you.

-She’s human- one of them said in a hushed voice that was a bit too loud. You turned to look at the other three, fairly young although one of them you would say was stepping on the forties, they didn’t have long white hair as each had a shade of brown, but what everyone had on common was the blue paint on the face.

-What are you pretending to do bringing humans here?- the same one asked stepping forward and the long haired warlock lifted his chin to Yoongi like waiting for an answer.

-Now, that’s none of your business, we will advice to not go further with this topic- Jin answered a bit too lightheartedly. -Bring us to your leader that’s all you want to do-

The warlocks had stepped a bit closer, perhaps a bit too much, Yoongi didn’t turn to look but then he didn’t need to as his shadows were dispersed behind.

-I think you want to tell us what are you really up to, demons can’t be here, we are only letting you through as a courtesy- he said sternly. - Even less bring humans in here, if this is some kind of trick or threat of you with another clan we will not take it lightly- You glared, looking at the warlocks defiantly, you were confident you’d be safe although you were also a bit anxious for being questioned, what was the deal with them and humans? Weren’t they neutral? -We would like to examine her-

-What?- you exclaimed not liking the idea of them “examining” you, the word was a bit too clinical but in this context you didn’t know what could mean. 

-You don’t want to do that- Jin continued gesticulating with his hands in a negative motion. -We are here for a talk, that’s it, we are peaceful, we are talking to scum like you and everything, I’m even giving you advice!- he completed with a laugh that the white haired warlock didn’t take nicely.

-Examine her- he stated, you inhaled deeply to not gasp so soundly and moved to be completely covered by Jungkook’s back but as soon as one of the other three had moved there was something flying to his neck. It was only a shadow so the warlocks were confused and the one being attacked started to gasp for air, in the first couple of seconds he was choking and then Yoongi moved his head slightly and the shadow turned sharp, like it was a blade it went through the skin and tissue making the body fall to the ground. The other two were outraged and were murmuring things that you couldn’t understand but guessed couldn’t be good, they closed on you again but this time Yoongi remained at the front.

The long haired warlock was breathing heavily like he didn’t expect this outcome and then there was someone coming out of the little house. This one had white hair as well, but short, he wore the same clothes and looked fairly similar.

-What is this?- he stared at all of you and then at Yoongi. -You- he said like he was seeing the devil in the flesh. -You have just broken our treaty-

Yoongi cocked his head just slightly. -Bruma- he said, maybe it was the name. -I did no such thing, actually this one did- he said pointing at the long haired warlock with his chin and Bruma, who had to be the leader gave a quick stare to the other. -He put mine in danger, I only reacted logically- he shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. -I figured better that one than this one over here- he said now pointing at the long haired one. -I figured you wouldn’t appreciate me killing your blood brother-

-Our manners are always so on point- Jin whispered to you, and you breathed in trying to calm your beating heart as you saw the body and then Yoongi.

Bruma scowled but fulminated his brother with his eyes before looking at the body on the ground and then back at Yoongi.

-We need to examine her, if she’s a device from another clan, if this is a trap…- Bruma gave a look to his brother that made him go quiet.

The warlock looked at you for moment that made you feel uncomfortable, like you were bare and he could see beyond you, like he could sense you wholly and you wished Jungkook’s body would have been able to shield you from that as well.

The warlock leader looked at Yoongi for a moment and then at his brother and shook his head.

-She’s his lover- he said with a tone that told him he should have known better, you didn’t know what gave it away, Yoongi didn’t say anything but his face denoted the truth. Bruma gave you a curious look, but you tried to remain unmoved figuring this wasn’t being examined or else Yoongi wouldn’t have allowed it. You felt he had read you entirely though and you didn’t like it. You wished you were next to Yoongi as you were feeling a bit unsure but you didn’t know if it was ok to go to the front now. Like he was reading your mind he turned his head your way and did a little move that called for you. You went there with a strong yet relaxed pace trying to not look as nervous as you were, though being by Yoongi’s side made you feel better.

The leader nodded which settled it as then you were allowed into the stone house after Bruma gave a few orders, one of the other two warlocks stayed behind while the other followed you inside.

With all of you there it was crowded, you sat on rugs on the ground and around you there were multiple things hanging, from the ceiling and on the walls, you saw stone and teeth chains, dreamcatchers looking amulets of all kinds, and dried animals, which made you cringe a little.

-I have seen your kin around here lately- Bruma said as soon as you were sitting giving a quick look to Taehyung and Jungkook at the back. -What is this about?-

-I wouldn’t like to make an accusation but I’m afraid you are kind of messing with mine- Yoongi said smoothly.

Bruma glared because he was being accused after all. -Get to the point Yoongi, I don’t have time for demons and your treacherous words, or for you coming in here-

-One of your clan set up a distracting amulet in my territory and I can’t have that, I demand him or her for interrogatory-

-I won’t listen such claim, my clan isn’t working against yours-

-But it is- Yoongi looked at you and you gave him the amulet you had brought in your bag. -There you have it, according to my sources this is your doing, you like wild board teeth don’t you-

The warlock looked at Taehyung who gave him a grim smirk. -That doesn’t mean anything, that would be a violation to our pact, I….- Bruma realized what he was saying and was still for a moment just as Taehyung drew his swords and Jungkook got the other two warlocks unmobilized.

Yoongi was still sitting next to you staring at the warlock in the eye. -I’m glad you understand, so, unless you want a slaughter house I propose you give this amulet a serious look-

Bruma took the amulet in his hands and he examined through fully to then nod, he looked at his brother and his comrades still restricted by Jungkook’s shadows.

-Let them free, they don’t have anything to do with this-

Yoongi gave him a curious look. -That I cannot do, this was made by this clan so I’d suggest you doing the explaining before I lose my patience, I don’t have time for this shit, but I’d stay a few minutes back to see you all dead- Yoongi raised his brows like making his point and Bruma scowled giving another look to the other two warlocks before sighing, he looked much more older now and really he didn’t seem that bad, maybe Yoongi knew this and that was why he hadn’t attacked yet. Or maybe he was just waiting the right moment.

-This looks like it was indeed made from one of ours but I’m afraid it is not quite like that- Yoongi waited for him to go on and Jin frowned as he paid attention to what the warlock was saying. -There was… a group, that was from this clan, they abandoned the clan a few months ago, these knots, this kind of rope...I’m almost sure this was their doing, we have no intention to mess with you, as we have a pact, an alliance- he remarked strongly.

-Where is this group? Where did they go?-

-I’m not sure, deserters are not always hunted you see, that was a problematic group so…-

-So you didn’t think in cleaning your own shit?- Taehyung barked from the back making Bruma give him a harsh look.

Yoongi lifted a hand for Taehyung to stay quiet but insisted Bruma to answer the question with a harsher stare. -They were problematic, and we are trying to stay as neutral as we can-

-But you are not being neutral, you attacked us- you said before even thinking if you could opinate or not.

-She’s got a point, if you were aware of it you are accomplices- Jin intervened giving Yoongi a look, by the back Jungkook tightened his hold on the other two warlocks making one of them gasp for air soundly.

-Bruma you are in a very complicated position as I see it now- Yoongi started in that dangerous calm that usually predicted terrible things -As I see it I have to kill you and all your clan for this, can’t have no one crossing me and go on just like that, now can I?- Bruma didn’t say anything to Yoongi’s rhetoric question so he went on. -So, you got to give one piece of information that justify why shouldn’t I kill every single warlock in these woods-

-You can’t do that-

-Oh I can- Yoongi smirked amused. -I have a thing for blood, I won’t mind- the warlock looked at you but this time it was Yoongi raising his shadows in a threat. -I wouldn’t think about that either, you’d just make the blood bath quicken-

He realized he was cornered, he wouldn’t be able to use you as hostage and he wouldn’t get out of this without being useful. You understood a bit why Yoongi preferred you to stay home as this could get ugly pretty fast, but at the same time being here gave you a better perspective how they thought, how they dealt with issues. Usually blood and violence, at the very least threats, a pact didn’t seem such steady thing anymore.

-We found out, a few days ago, that they are working for certain demon- he sighed. -These are your issues we shouldn’t have to mind it or intervene-

-Go on Bruma, don’t mess this up any further, we have a nice pact after all- Yoongi smiled but the other saw the threat in his words.

-They are working for a demon, doing a kind of magic that we don’t condone, I don’t know much about it, and I tell you the truth, I don’t- he went quiet for a moment giving Yoongi and all of you a severe look. -What I do know is that this demon is doing some kind of experiment with very dark high magic, we don’t want to cross him or have anything to do with him-

They were afraid you realized, whoever that was these warlocks were afraid of them which made you have goosebumps, if he could face Yoongi like this, rather calmly, then how bad would it have to be someone who made him turn his face the other way to not cross them.

-Who?- Yoongi asked.

-I do not know his identity, what I do know is that is a male and he….- Bruma hesitated but a moment and you got even more nervous. -He’s a monster, the same kind of the one you have back there- his eyes went to the back of the room directly to Taehyung.

You expected him to react but you didn’t expect him to do it the way he did, one of his swords flew in his hands, the movement was quick directing it towards one of the warlocks restricted who screamed at seeing death before his eyes, you gasped and Yoongi jumped to his feet, but it was Jungkook who got in between Taehyung, his thick lava like shadows were the only thing that prevented Taehyung’s sword to go through his shoulder.

-Get off my away- Taehyung grunted putting much force to the blow making the other warlocks get lose as Jungkook had to focus on not being pierced by the blade.

-Calm the fuck down- Jungkook snarled.

-Enough- Yoongi’s voice resonated making both Taehyung and Jungkook look his way. -Jin- he said making the other demon move to the back of the room where he disarmed Taehyung.

-Are you going to cut me with that?- he asked when Taehyung tried to attack him.

Taehyung groaned again but stayed somewhat calm as he kept himself still with the help of Jungkook’s shadows.

Yoongi pushed you back and you stumbled but got the idea and stepped back to where the others were standing, even the other two warlocks were unmoving, waiting to see what was going to happen next.

-Don’t fuck with me Bruma, don’t fuck with my people- he started his warning as the leader of the warlock clan also stood up. -That one on the back?- he said signaling Taehyng with his head. -Would gut you and make you eat your shit-

Bruma whispered a few words and then he was surrounded by a blue aura. -Don’t threaten me, get out-

-No, I think you don’t understand- Yoongi hissed when the blue light touched him but soon he was surrounded by shadow and he could grab the warlock by his neck. -I’d make it worse- he closed his hand on it and the other two warlocks tried to attack but were stopped by their own leader as he lifted a hand to stop them. -You don’t see the real monster coming until you are up your neck full of shit- he squeezed more and got so close the light blue aura went smaller drowned by the shadows.

-Next time you come at me or at any of mine with some bullshit I’ll throw you to that monster- he said referring to Taehyung. -If you are lucky enough that is, remember this little pact of ours and what it means for you, what yours did was a high crime and is punishable by death, If you don’t hunt them down I’ll take it as your doing- Yoongi let him go and hissed again when the blue light touched him, like he was burned and you flinched a little not liking the sight of him being even slightly hurt.

-Send word when you have a lead- Yoongi said before turning around where you were, he nodded at Jin and then looked at you and put a hand around your shoulders just before looking at Taehyung and if you were not mistaken you saw hurt and pride in both their eyes, it was the first time of you seeing such connection between them, and the pain you had just witnessed made you want to cry.

He was the monster that even other demons despised. He was taboo.