#like you don't have to let your mental illness or your past actions/trauma define you for life

[did-we-imagine]

💫 It makes perfect sense why Azula is such a good foil for Katara. I don't think she'd be another Katara in a better environment, but some of her personality traits could make her into a great protagonist (anti hero), had she not been indoctrinated, etc. I think the scene with Mai's uncle (Boiling rock's head warden) proves that she isn't as blood thirsty as some assume (during the interrogation scene).

Lovely take, OP🪷💐.

the reason why i love azula so much and consider her my favorite atla character is that not only does hit the beats for a compelling villain (charisma, vocal performance, character, good motivation), but also how tragic her character is. while i don't condone anything she's done, i do understand why she ended up the way she did and can't help but wonder if she could've ended up differently if she grew up in a less hostile environment since her desire for control and perfection eventually is her undoing.

[dropintomanga]

The Accidental Trauma of the Negators (Undead Unluck)

The past few years, the word trauma has been thrown around a lot. Everyone's going through something. While one can argue who is suffering more, there's one thing that's certain - we still don't know how to talk about trauma in a healthy manner that heals everyone involved.

And I see this in the case of the Negators in Yoshifumi Tozuka's Undead Unluck.

Undead Unluck starts off with a young girl named Fuuko Izumo wanting to kill herself after causing a lot of death around her. She curses how unlucky she is until a mysterious person named Andy shows up to save her. Andy is someone who is looking to die as he is living a virtually-immortal existence. He believes Fuuko is the key to dying and decides to drag her on an adventure that would end up joining an organization made up of people with unique powers like themselves called Negators.

The Negators are individuals that have abilities that negate certain rules placed by the God of their world and by beings known as Uma. These abilities usually start with an "Un-" prefix, so Undead and Unluck are on the list. How those abilities are activated can be random, but there's consequences. Once Negators awaken to their power, they end up causing tragedy to those they love and most of the time, they kill them.

I'll talk about 3 Negators in particular.

Fuuko Izumo (Unluck) - Due to her ability to generate extremely bad luck on those she loved the most, her parents were killed in an airplane crash when she was 8 and with them. Three years later, Fuuko kissed her grandfather and he ended up dying some time after

Tatiana (Untouchable) - Her Negator ability activated at the age of 5 and destroyed an entire town as anything near her would be incinerated, including her parents.

Chikara Shigeno (Unmove) - When his Negator ability activated, he accidentally caused his parents to not be able to move by looking directly at them in front a speeding truck. Hence their imminent deaths.

You can guess why I want to talk about those 3 in particular - because they accidentally killed their parents.

In mental health, there have been cases of people living with mental illness who killed their family members. While this may not be shocking to some, it's still harboring to hear and a risque subject to talk about. Years ago, while working the front desk at my local NAMI, I took a phone call from a woman who was looking to inquire about what to do regarding her brother, who killed their parents. She was in tears and I said I understood and transferred her over to the helpline.

I recently listened to two stories about people who accidentally took the lives of others. One story focused on a woman who ran over a homeless person near an expressway. While she was mourning the loss and processing what she did, everyone around her was like "Oh, that person was just an outcast to society. You don't need to mourn them." The woman didn't know how to take that. The second story was about a man who was struggling with alcohol addiction for years. Things came to a head when he killed a small group of family members while drunk driving. While the man is making amends through advocacy work against drunk driving, he can't help but wonder if he will truly be forgiven for what he did.

What's scary is when you accidentally kill someone, it's easy to let the trauma define your entire identity. Fuuko, Tatiana and Chikara were like this before meeting Andy. They were afraid that their powers couldn't help anyone. They felt that they couldn't redeem themselves no matter what. If the 3 of them can't get close to anyone anymore, then so be it.

Thankfully, all three have managed to find ways to cope and grow. Fuuko realizes how much her power can save lives and knows how much her parents loved her. The best thing Fuuko can do was live and protect those she cares about just like her parents once did. Tatiana felt the same after Fuuko befriends her without judgement of her past actions. Chikara admits that his parents want him to live first and foremost while being kind to those who need it.

I will not lie that society will always judge anything violent in a black or white manner. I just wish that those who know they did something devastating are treated with compassion by more than just people similar to them. In Undead Unluck, the Negators only get sympathy from fellow Negators. The God who "blesses" them only sees them as pawns to be played with.

It's okay if you can't forgive yourself as long as you don't fall into total despair. Try to make the world around you a better place. If you can't, then definitely make your inner world a better place. And definitely find a community that you can feel safe and at peace with. This is why I appreciate Undead Unluck and understand why it was made a big deal at Anime NYC in 2023. Community (and some professional help) goes a long way to heal the trauma.

And more importantly, try to honor the victims as best you can. Do good for their sake.

There's absolutely no good card for this at all, but shrinking yourself to the abyss and wanting to die like some Negators have felt is not a good answer to live up to any grave mistakes you made. Do the UN-believable and prove to the awful voice that unfairly blames you that you are so much more than what you did.

If you are or know someone who accidentally hurt or killed someone, the Hyacinth Fellowship is a place to find help and I totally recommend visiting their website at: https://hyacinthfellowship.org/

[casbutt67lue]

[BICU]My discord is lue01489 in which I use mostly for rp. If you don't have discord I can chat with you here or on Skype.

[B] please be as active as much as possible as I'm online a lot.

[BU]TO START THIS OFF. NO OCs AS MAIN CHARACTERS. SHIPS COME FIRST AND OCs CAN BE IN THE BACKROUND. THEY MUST NOT BE TO INVOLVED WITH PLOT UNLESS ITS CHILD OR FRIEND OF CHARACTER OR SHIP. THANK YOU.

This is for my rp availability. I'm in college and temporarily out of work so schedule will eventually change. (American central time)

TBD= To Be Determined

M- TBD

T- TBD

W- TBD

TH- TBD

F- TBD

SA- TBD

SU- TBD

I am an owl. I'm likely to respond even if it's past midnight.

I understand you have a life.

Just let me know ok?

[BIU] I need to know if your 16+, triggers, and your Timezone before we start the rp. Plz and thx

[BIU] SHIPS I WILL RP IS SABRIEL AND DESTIEL see rest of rules fore more details

[B]Some up front rules

In all honesty I perfer Sabriel with destiel as a background ship

I strongly perfer Gabriel

Plz no one under 16 though... I'm awkward around those younger than 16

I have no triggers so please tell me yours

I like to rp with trauma and mental illness and abuse(s) but have it as a back-story thing or mention it happening if were doing a 'save me' rp so if that bothers you please tell me up front.

I perfer AUs if you are not up to date with the show. Less risk of spoiling.

I'm not fond of real scene or play by play season episode rp and will steer clear of it but like I will be happy to do a non related to a season hunter in the Bunker or travel from motel to motel hunt style if you insist to not have an AU.

Feel free to drop a suggestion for an AU or plot.

I have a theory I like to use in rps for Gabe and if your interested ask me and I'll send it.

If OCs are asked about I'd rather be comfortable roleplaying with you before I allow them. If I like your style in character I'll give you the green light and I'll be comfortable to introduce mine. But I'll of course ask you first.

Out of character use () // to talk to me

Don't use ** for action this is not a script

Defining between paragraphs/scenes/characters just double shift or use ~ or ** between paragraphs. Nothing to fancy. I'm pretty basic.

I'll try and mirror your replys but my starters are almost always longer than the rest of my replies.

[B]RULES IN DEPTH

1. What is your Timezone- Country and State or city (mine is central and live in America in the state of Alabama)

2. What is your Age (I'm 21) (just say 16+ if your uncomfortable saying but again I perfer you to at least be 16) but I normally do 18+ rps unless your under 18.

3. Literate or Semi lit, 3rd person only, I write like a book, no less than 3-5 sentences as a reply

4. I allow OCs but not to fond of ocxmain-character... Sorry. I'll allow it on certain occasions as long as we can have one of my main ships.

5. I can play any spn character good or bad

6. I will play John if we do a Johnlock crossover with spn (currently not looking)

7. I will play Crowley if we do a Good Omens ship crossover with spn and can also merge the Sherlock ship

8. Nothing sexual if your a minor

9. I have AU's planned if you don't have rp ideas.

10. I mainly ship Sabriel and Destiel but accept certain ones... see ships wiki and non insest lgbt+ ships (perfer gxg, nbxany, poly, gxb as a backround ship and mainly bxb as the main though)

11. None of my OC's are straight (but straight is ok)

12. I will allow main characters and OC's to have a romantic FLING NOT PERMANENT relationship if only needed for drama or a non main character and OC can be together.

13. No dating yourself. If two characters are both played by you they can't date unless you give me one of the characters to play

14. Straight characters and relationships are allowed but I perfer bxb or gxg or poly of a mix if needed

15. I can play your OC if needed and you can play mine if needed

16. I'm open for suggestions like topic change

17. Loki from Marvel is allowed and usally given to you, the other roleplayer, use him as you please but must have a relationship good or bad with Gabriel (I rather love Loki tbh. Not spn version much but mcu Loki. And I love it if you know Norse Myth version of Loki and combine him/her/them) NGL I usually turn Loki into a tired soccer mom or Gabe's best friend who keeps trying to get into his or his partners pants if we're not using my OCs I have for Loki specifically.

18. What season of spn are you on? cuz I've seen them all

19. I do time skips just tell me before doing a timeskip

20. If a rp gets boring say it is and we can change it, or I will if it gets dull

21. I perfer Gabriel and he will be involved in any way possible (unless you want him telling me ahead of time)

22. I ship Destiel, Sabriel mainly and will allow Crobby, megstiel occasionally, and others, just read the ships wiki, and never wincest. Ever.

23. What season are you on? I'm up to date.

24. I mainly rp with AUs and plots which I also have a wiki to

[vow-upon-a-star]

Yeah I'd love those quotes from Nomura/Nojima if you don't mind. There's so much nonsense out there from the other side (CAs) that always end up being completely out of context so I was just wondering what the people in charge have actually said about Cloud/Tifa in regards to the games, AC, and the compilation

Oh man I have 4 anons asking me to post the quotes! Where do I even start???

Ok, reposting these. 

–Were there two heroines from the outset?

Nomura: No, originally there was only Aerith, and Tifa was added as another heroine later. To make up for Aerith dying, we needed a heroine who would be by the hero’s side until the end. -WEEKLY FAMITSU ISSUE NO. 1224: TETSUYA NOMURA INTERVIEW

– It’s been 10 years since FFVII was released. I think the reason fans have continued to support it for so long is because it left that much of an impression on them, but what scenes stand out most in your memories as the creators?

Nomura: The scene that sticks out for me is the scene when Tifa going into Cloud’s mental realm and he remembers the truth about what happened in the past.

-The line “Words aren’t the only way to talk someone how you feel,” right? That was quite a mature conversation for a FF game.

Kitase: But I remember having to get another version that was too intense toned down.

Nojima: The original idea was more extreme. The plan was to have Cloud walk out of the Chocobo stable on board the Highwind, followed by Tifa leaving while checking around, but Kitase turned it down. But even with the line in question, maybe at that time none of us thought it would be something so important (laughs).

All of the above are from an interview located in the FF7 10th Anniversary Ultimania

“Inside, I felt one thing was for sure: Cloud and Tifa would be together. Everybody would be back home where they belonged.”-Nojima, Renuion files pg 70.

In Advent Children, the ultimania states that Cloud was happy living with Tifa and the children. Nojima and Nomura go into more detail about this, and why he left even before getting Geostigma. 

The more he realizes how happy he is living with Tifa and the children, the more the fear of losing that and regrets toward the past trouble Cloud…-FF7 10th Anniversary Ultimania, pg. 38 (40 in revised edition)

Cloud tried to move on once…but he was hurt by the losses he experienced in the battles he fought in the game story. Even after all of that he still found a peaceful life and that made him scared. He lost it all once already and he could lose it all again. even though he was there he couldn’t do anything to prevent it the last time. So the happier he is, the more lonely he becomes. - Nomura : in Distance, “The making of Advent Children” 

-At the end of FFVII, Cloud saved the world and was on the way to a happy ending but, in the two years towards AC, he returned to the way he was in the past. What happened to him?

Nojima: Cloud never had a candid personality to begin with, and although he started living with Tifa and even started working, he obtained a peaceful living he’s never experienced before, and this conversely made him anxious. And in the midst of this he contracts Geostigma himself, and rather than being able to protect the people dear to him, he instead was forced to face his own death, and so ran away -3N interview (The interview was with Nozue, Nojima, and Nomura…hence the name “3N interview”)

Nojima: “Even though he found peace, Cloud has lost a lot of people dear to him up until this point. Not only that, but looking at Cloud’s history, this is the first time he’s experienced a ‘peaceful’ environment in the true sense of the word. Cloud is a character who will always keep thinking, regardless of what’s going on around him.” -3N Interview

Cloud was happy with Tifa, even before he got Geostigma, what was making him nervous was his happiness. He was scared something bad would happen because of all his past trauma. When he got Geostigma, that took the cake. 

Some quotes about Tifa. 

There are many dimensions to Tifa’s character. She’s like a mother, a sweetheart, and a close ally in battle.- (Nomura) Reunion Files, pg. 19

Tifa is a strong woman. She doesn’t like what Cloud is doing, but instead of lecturing him about every little thing, she’s been waiting for him to realize for himself what his actions are doing. She’s remarkably strong, not only emotionally, but physically as well. I think that using words to help lead Cloud to his own conclusions, instead of constant lecture, is a defining quality of Tifa’s personality.-(Nomura) pg. 20

The director, Nomura, said he wanted me to make sure she wasn’t a clingy woman, but to portray her as though she’s been hurt emotionally in a way that others around her cannot easily detect. (Nojima) pg. 20

The creators saying Tifa is not clingy, she is remarkably strong both emotionally and physically. 

Now, let’s look at one more quote from Nomura. 

–“What is the relationship between Cloud and Tifa?”

Nomura: “I think that this volume is able to deeply grasp the relationship between the two. It would be simple to say in words, but …” - June 2004 issue (published May of 2004) of Famitsu PS2, on pg. 33 (In regards to AC) 

Let’s take a look at what the Ultimania’s have said. 

Cloud and Tifa move in together because of their feelings for each other.

The only woman who knows Cloud’s past. In FF7, Tifa is the only one who knows Cloud’s childhood, and furthermore, she holds the key to people involved in the story of Nibelheim’s burning down, which is also depicted in CC. She and Cloud came to realize their feelings for each other in the end of the story, and live together in AC and DC.- Tifa’s Profile, Crisis Core Ultimania, pg. 33

Cloud was happy living with Tifa, and experienced a peace with her he never had before.

(See above quotes) 

Cloud left because of his feelings of guilt and Geostigma.

(See above quotes. Here’s some additional quotes)

Now running a delivery business while helping out Tifa with the newly opened “Seventh Heaven” bar, Cloud, Tifa, Marlene and Denzel lived together like a family. However, when Cloud contracts Geostigma he disappears. Behind these actions lies feelings of guilt towards his past failure to protect people who were important to him, but through his battle with Kadaj’s gang, the legacy of Jenova, he regains the courage to face reality.- FF7 10th Anniversary Ultimania,Cloud Strife profile

Because he contracted Geostigma, Cloud left Tifa and the children, and began living in the Slum church. FF7 10th Anniversary Ultimania, Timeline

Because he contracted Geostigma, he left Tifa and the children, and began living in the Slum church. FF7 10th Anniversary Ultimania, Cloud Strife Profile.

When Cloud’s Geostigma and guilt are healed, he returns to living with Tifa and the children (See above quote stating his feelings for Tifa are still constant in DC)

When he awakes, there was his friends. There were the children, freed from their fatal illness. Tifa and Marlene, and Denzel asking for Cloud to heal his Geostigma — his family were waiting. Engulfed in celebration, he realizes where he is meant to live. He realizes that he was able to forgive himself. -FF7 10th Anniversary Ultimania, pg. 131 (133 in revised edition)

With the help of his friends, he defeated Bahamut SIN, which Kadaj’s gang had summoned. He defeated Sephiroth after his Advent, and returned to Tifa and the children.- FF7 10th Anniversary Ultimania, Cloud profile, Cloud’s timeline. 

At the end of a long struggle, she gently welcomes back Cloud on his return home after settling things with himself.-Tifa’s Dengeki profile.

I’d say it’s pretty clear what their relationship is. 

Now some quotes from Tifa and Cloud’s Japanese voice actors. 

“Tifa rarely opens up to show her weaknesses to others - although she does have some. In a sense she’s like a young girl, but she’ll do anything to protect those who are close to her.” -Ayumi Ito, Reunion Files pg. 23

Tifa is an amazing woman - emotionally tough and knows how to fight. -Ayumi Ito, Reunion Files, pg. 23

“I’m a “Tifa” man myself.” -Takahiro Sakurai, Reunion Files, pg. 14

“I did most of my recording alone, but a few times I was able to record with Ayumi Ito, who did Tifa’s voice. I’ve always been a Tifa fan, you know. One of my friends is an Aerith fan, and I’ve actually gotten into an argument with him about who the better woman is. Since she grew up with Cloud, there’s a subtle balance between her outer and inner self, I think Tifa is pretty special. I’m quite the simple man, aren’t I?” - Takahiro Sakurai, Reunion Files, pg. 14

Next, are comments in regards to Kingdom Hearts 2 from Nomura.

—”Speaking of Tifa, there’s an event after beating Sephiroth where she interacts with Cloud.”

Nomura: “In Nojima’s scenario, the connection between Cloud and Tifa was discussed more concretely, but I chose to erase that. I thought it would be more interesting for players to think about it instead. For example, with the meaning that ‘if Sephiroth is Cloud’s darkness, then Tifa is his light,’ one may take the understanding that Tifa isn’t human. It may be because Tifa isn’t human that she doesn’t talk with anyone but Sora’s group. Of course, since she was also presented in a way where she could be seen as a resident of Hollow Bastion like Cid, Aerith and the others, I think one can freely ponder that.” -pg. 724 of the Kingdom Hearts II Ultimania 

Tifa As a symbol of light, like Sephiroth, it’s possible that she too was incorporeal. That last scene where she goes off to search for Cloud, you could say, is a metaphor for how Cloud’s light still hasn’t lost him, even though he’s disappeared off with his darkness, and it is trying to shine on him again… I’m pretty sure I didn’t manage to get all that across very well.–Nomura, Kingdom Hearts Character’s report Vol. 2

Phew, that was quite a lot, wasn’t it? And these are just the ones I know about! Imagine the ones I don’t know about!

[missmentelle]

My only relationships have been nothing more than clusters of abuse and toxicity. They've traumatised me, and ruined my reputation because I was too mentally ill to see that I needed to leave them - and no one will let me forget, including myself. When people ask me, how many relationships have you been in, am I obligated to answer with 3? Is this really all I have to count for my romantic life? I don't want this to define me, I want to leave them behind me.

You have no obligation to answer at all. The number of people that you’ve dated is nobody’s business but your own. You get to decide which relationships “count” for you, and which ones don’t. And you get to decide whether you even want to talk about your past relationships at all. Demanding that someone explain their relationship history is rude and invasive - nobody has any right to make you explain your trauma to satisfy their own curiosity. This goes for future dating partners too. If you reach a point where you feel safe talking about your past with a new partner, that’s great, and that’s your decision to make. But a partner is not automatically entitled to know your dating history. This is something that you have to grapple with on your own, and you don’t owe anyone an explanation. If you want to decide that your first three dating experiences were “practice runs” or “mistakes” or “temporary lapses in fortune” instead of relationships, you have every right to do that. Your past does not define you - you are the one who gets to define your past. The next time someone asks how many relationships you’ve been in, you are completely justified in telling them “that’s a touchy subject for me and I don’t want to talk about it”. End of conversation. 

The fact that you were in abusive or unhealthy relationships was not your fault. The problem wasn’t that you were too mentally ill to leave - the problem was that your abusers would not stop abusing you. Period. Having a mentally ill partner is never, ever an excuse to mistreat that partner - your abusers were supposed to know better, and they should be ashamed of their actions. The people who constantly remind you of your dating history are being cruel, and they should also know better. You don’t have to have a degree in psychology to understand that abuse survivors deserve compassion, empathy, and space to decide whether or not they want to talk about their story. That’s a pretty basic thing, and I am so sorry to hear that other people aren’t able to extend you that basic courtesy. You are not your dating history, no matter what anyone tells you. You will be able to grow and move past the negative experiences you’ve had. You are not doomed to a life of bad relationships. You deserve someone who treats you with kindness and respect. Even if you get into another bad relationship after this, it’s not over for you - bad things happen, and there is no “you must be in fewer than X bad relationships” line that you have to stay under to deserve real love and kindness. I know it’s hard, but try not to let other people discourage you or wear you down with their reminders of your past - you can find a healthy relationship, or you can find a way to be happy and fulfilled without a romantic relationship. Your past doesn’t define you. 

In my group of friends, I am always known as the one who gets into bad relationships over and over again. My first boyfriend was abusive, my second boyfriend was an alcoholic, and my most serious relationship was with someone who had severe mental health issues. Those relationships were hugely complicated and are hugely meaningful parts of my life. Some of my friends, however, make jokes about how I “sure know how to pick ‘em!” and ask “ uh oh, what’s wrong with them?” every time I start dating someone new. They don’t necessarily mean to be cruel; I think some of them tease me as a way of making themselves feel better about their own relationship skills - they want to pretend that “picking bad partners” is a trait that some people have, and not a complicated situation that can happen to anyone, including them. And I think a lot of them are just so uncomfortable that they don’t know how to talk to me about it without making light of it. But it hurts sometimes, and it hurts to think that that’s how my friends see me. My breakup with my mentally ill ex made me feel like my soul was coming undone, and eighteen months later, I’m still not over it - but a lot of my friends made jokes about the relationship and the breakup, even in the immediate aftermath. I’ve learned not to let it get to me. No matter what anyone says to me or about me, I know my own story. They don’t. My past relationships are not signs that I’m incapable of being in a healthy relationship, and they are not things I’m ashamed of; they are experiences that I had on my journey to whatever life has in store for me, romantically or otherwise. And the same thing is true for you too. 

Best of luck to you.