#lots of people seem to think that unification is the best answer

[thefloatingstone]

How do I give my anime designs more character? I don’t want them to look bland, especially not the girls!

I had a whole different argument here and suddenly realised I was answering a question you didn't ask. I'm sick at the moment so my brain isn't working the best so forgive me if my answers seems a bit all over the place.

Most importantly, and something i think a LOT of modern anime does badly these days, is to not be afraid to PUSH the expressions of your anime girls.

if you'll forgive the mini-rant; modern anime has a really bad habit of not allowing female characters to have "ugly" expressions. Or when they do, they make them simplified emojis or make the one second of extreme emotion SO extreme it becomes completely off putting. Especially as there will be a tendency to only push an extreme expression in one single episode during a "dramatic scene".

This results in most girls in modern anime looking more like the limited expression range of a Vtuber than actual characters. There ARE exceptions, but this is a MASSIVE issue which was not the case in the 80s or 90s and only really started becoming more common around the mid 2000s.

Comparison examples! (you know I love those). I am using still images instead of gifs so the animation doesn't mask the drawing. But I'll show some animated gifs later in this ask

This extends beyond just facial expressions tho. Or rather... it doesn't.

Most modern anime shows will have the characters pull expressions in their face, but have their bodies relatively static, even in extreme emotions. If you compare the two screenshots above, the more modern example has a more extreme push to her eyes, but in the Dirty pair screenshot, not only is Kei's mouth open very wide, but her head is tilted backwards and to the side, her shoulders are drawn up, and she gives the impression even in a still image that she is in the middle of a physical reaction to something which annoyed her. Similarly, Yuri down there is also annoyed, and even though we only really see her eyes, you can tell she's hunched over and seething. In the modern anime screenshot she's just.... got the default "these are my angry eyes!" face with nothing really happening elsewhere.

Her shoulders I guess are kind of drawn up but so barely you wouldn't be blamed to think they always look like that.

And this comes to the second point.

DRAW FROM LIFE AND/OR PHOTOS.

There is NOTHING wrong using a pose doll to figure out a challenging pose. I have used pose dolls when I am unsure how a certain pose looks from a specific angle. But looking at real life, whether photos or if you can, life drawing, will be your biggest tool in figuring out how to breathe more life into your poses and art.

Now, to answer the ACTUAL question you asked about design;

I have to admit that character design is not a strength of mine. I have little to no practice with it myself and when I design OCs I end up not liking them or not enjoying their designs. I feel someone far more skilled at the design part of design might have better input, but I can tell you what I know just from observation;

The first BIG advice is; do not confuse interesting design with clutter.

This doesn't mean strip down your character design to look like a Y/N drawing, but more have every element you introduce into your design be there with some kind of thought in mind as to how it applies to the character and who they are as a person. This is a mistake I often see made with characters both OCs as well as professionally. Where character designers seem to think adding MORE to a design will make a character more interesting to look at. (PreCure has this problem a LOT)

Giving your character too many details without some kind of larger unification or idea, makes them harder to envision for people, because there's too much visual noise.

If I tell you to think of Link from Legend of Zelda, it doesn't matter WHICH Link you picture 9although at the moment it's most likely TotK or BotW Link), Link has unified design elements which means regardless of how detailed or cluttered his outfit becomes, we all know what Link looks like;

1: Blonde hair on the longer side usually, with fringe and side bangs 2: blue diamond shaped eyes, pointed ears, light skin 3: wears some variation of green. Can dress in other colours but Green is an identifying colour. Even in ToTK and BotW where he is most often shown in blue, Green is still the vast majority of the outfits and gear he will wear 4: boots and light coloured tights/pants 5: Twink

You don't need to look at a picture of Link to know this is what Link looks like. Other details like his earring, belts, gloves, bracers, undershirt etc are all there and enhance these elements and distinguish one Link from another exist, but they are not the unifying elements to Link's character design.

On top of this, all of Link's character design make SENSE for his character, what he does, where he comes from etc.

He is a Hylian so he has pointed ears and is generally elf-like in appearance. He spends most of his time in European forests so he dresses in green. When he wears other colours it usually corresponds to where he is currently traveling. He carries a sword and shield so he has a belt with scabbard. He carries an entire pantry worth of food with him, so he has various satchels and bags on his person (but not too many or the design becomes cluttered). He wears light protective gear to show he gets into fights but they are usually not heavy in nature because Link is nimble and relies heavily on movement.

This doesn't tell us anything about his personality because Link doesn't really have one, but it's a very strong character design all the same and informs us what kind of character he is and what sort of life he leads as well as what sort of background he might have (He is a skilled adventurer. Not a rich sheltered boy who has never been outside of a city before or something of the like).

Now I'm gonna compare him to the character design of a Mass Effect character which I don't THINK you'd have played since your profile says you're a teen and the game is rated M 👀 (or you might have, idk I'm not your mom) but ANYWAY! Looking at a character design which tells us about their PERSONALITY as well as way of living.

I'm not going to use any of the aliens as examples because then you have to bring in the subject of alien species into the equation and how they stand apart from the various other members of their species and etc etc. So we'll talk about a human character.

So... this is Jack

Although you may think her tattoos make her design cluttered, they don't because you don't really need to know what every individual tattoo looks like. You just know "Jack is covered in Tattoos".

So just looking at her, you can pretty much instantly pin down her personality. That being; she will most likely fucking stab you if you say one thing to annoy her.

She's like a punk on steroids. Shaved head, heavy make up, COVERED in tattoos, both ears capped in some futuristic piercings, some or other heavy duty uniform except she decided she'd rather walk around fucking topless and boots that could crush a man's skull.

Everything about her design screams "don't fuck with me I am VERY unhinged and will kill a man for less than the $4 in his pocket".

Jacks' entire personality is on display in her design. And the design as a whole present a single concept of who she is as a person, while ALSO tying into her backstory and lifestyle. (escaped prisoner from high security facility, still wearing the prison uniform, has been in an unknown number of gangs, has an extremely casual approach to sex and sexuality, uses her intimidation as a first line of defense to prevent people from getting close to her indicating a painful past)

And then you compare her to her design in the following game

This is a great design because it not only informs you on Jack's personality, but also her GROWTH AS A CHARACTER.

Her design is, at least compared to her first appearance, softer. She's grown her hair long enough to tie it into a ponytail, making her appear more feminine. But she still shaves the sides so you know she can still shank you if she wants.

Her outfit is still VERY revealing but she's also dressed borderline decently. She is not as defensive any more and could probably even walk around in normal society without getting a ticket (and then shooting the cop in response).

However even covered up, she's wearing a leather studded jacket, and she is still displaying her tattoos on her chest and hands proudly. She's still the same person... just less likely to murder you (although the option is still there if needed).

Now compare these character designs to some others which I would count as being "too busy" and tell me if these designs tell you ANYTHING about what kind of personalities these characters might have, what kind of lifestyle to they live, what do their environments and world looks like, or what it says about them

Fun fact; that last one is NOT a magical girl, but is in fact an alchemist who is living in a slowly dying world whose resources are being depleted and the future looks grim and hopeless as humanity tries to navigate this slow apocalypse.

I have no idea if any of that made sense or is useful in any way, but hopefully you get what I mean?

Look at real life. Don't rely on just referencing other anime and pose dolls. Don't clutter a character design with details that don't mean anything. make the parts of your character design you use have meaning or purpose. Even if that purpose is just "to give them a silhouette different to the other characters so she's easy to identify by sight"

[writingwhimsey]

All's Fair In Love and War Prologue Pt 2

Prologue Pt 2

Three years Later…

Nobunaga sat in council with his inner circle. “What about those rumors we have been hearing about for the past few years?” Hideyoshi asked.

“Yes, even I’ve heard about the rumors surrounding the Yamada Clan.” Masamune said, a serious look on his face. “They used to just stick to themselves not really allying with anyone or going after anyone, but protecting themselves.”

“Lord Riku Yamada died three years ago.” Mitsuhide spoke. “My sources tell me he had an adopted child who had already been leading his forces in their battles even before his death.”

“What were the circumstances of his death?” Hideyoshi asked.

“An enemy attack from the Ishihara Clan.” Mitsuhide answered. “Killed him and his wife in their beds.”

“The new Lord Yamada marched their forces to the Ishihara just days later and waged a war… from my understanding of how the battle played out…their strategy….the Ishihara didn’t stand a chance and were defeated in three days.” Mitsunari said. “The new Lord Yamada is a brilliant strategist.”

“After defeating the Ishihara, Lord Yamada went after the Ishihara allies next.” Mitsuhide explained. “They had been surrounded by enemies for so long at this point…and now those enemies are gone and the Yamada rule over a rather large amount of land.”

“This could be a problem should the new Lord Yamada decide to try anything.” Hideyoshi said. “It could jeopardize our unification efforts…we would easily defeat them, though.”

“Not likely so easily.” Ieyasu spoke up.

“Seems like it would be one hell of a fight.” Masamune said, a glint in his one blue eye. “Though it would use a lot of our resources, given how much land the Yamada now hold…and how large their army is. From what I’ve heard the new Lord Yamada has gained favor of the people of the lands and they are prospering.” 

Nobunaga had been silently listening and taking in every word his vassals and allies exchanged.

“We still have the larger force.” Hideyoshi said. “With all of our combined forces…”

“That would be a waste of resources.” Nobunaga finally declared.

“Then what do you propose we do, my lord?” Hideyoshi asked.

Nobunaga wore a smirk as he looked around the room. “I think it’s quite obvious…we seek to add the Yamada to our alliance.”

“That would be the best bet.” Mitsuhide said. “One can never have too many allies.”

“Especially too many strong allies.” Masamune agreed with a grin. 

“I had good relations with the previous Lord Yamada.” Nobunaga said. “Though he never officially allied with me, he never stood against me either and even gave some supplies and good council on occasion.”

“How will you do it, my lord?” Hideyoshi asked. “I’d be happy to go as an envoy.”

Nobunaga shook his head. “No…we will invite Lord Yamada here. Ranmaru, you will set out for their territory at first light.”

Ranmaru blinked in surprise. “You really wish me to go, Lord Nobunaga?”

“Yes, you are the perfect man for the job.” Nobunaga answered. “Extend an invitation to Lord Yamada to come to Azchi with his closest men. We will discuss terms of an alliance when they arrive.”

Ranmaru nodded resolutely, “Yes, Lord Nobunaga I will do my best.”

The warlords discussed their plans further before council was coming to an end. Nobunaga called Ranmaru to a private meeting in the tenshu. “You wished to see me, my lord?” He asked.

“Yes, when you go to the Yamada clan, I want you to take these as gifts.” Nobunaga instructed, handing his young page a couple of items. “A sign that we truly are seeking an alliance.”

Ranmaru nodded. “Right, I won’t let you down, Lord Nobunaga.”

A few days later…

I sat in my council room having met with the leaders I had put in place of the territories that were now part of my domain. It had been a rocky last few years, but I was managing things relatively well. I now controlled all of the lands that had immediately surrounded my family’s domain. I was driven to go after the Ishihara for revenge, but also for practical and tactical reasons…and once going for them…I had to go after the others. I had no choice.

As council convened, Kei, one of my aides, was coming in. “Lord Yamada, there is someone here to see you.” She informed me.

“There weren’t any other meetings scheduled for the day.” Jiro said, as he was still my right hand man.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“His name is Ranmaru Mori, my lord.” She answered. “He is an envoy sent by Lord Nobunaga Oda.”

I lifted a brow. I knew the name, recalling it from my history lessons in school in the modern day. “That’s interesting.”

“I knew it wouldn’t be long before the Oda took notice.” Jiro said.

“How could they not take notice of the powerhouse that our lady is.” Sato said, smiling at my left.

“Send him in.” I said.

Kei nodded and bowed before exiting the room. A few moments later, a young man was coming in. He was honestly the prettiest man I had ever seen and there really was non other way to describe him.

He looked at the three of us, sitting at the head of the room. I sat in what was clearly the position of power. I smiled at him. “You look a bit confused, Master Ranmaru.” I said.

He blinked, seeming to come out of his confusion. He gave me a smile as he bowed. “Forgive me, I wasn’t expecting the new Lord Yamada to be such a beautiful lady.” He answered. 

“Lord Riku adopted Lord Ava as a young woman and trained her. Always intending for her to carry on the clan leadership.” Jiro explained.

“I see.” Ranmaru replied.

“What brings you here?” I asked.

“My lord has taken notice of your recent rise.” Ranmaru answered. “And…well he has sent me as an envoy to invite you and your closest council to Azuchi to discuss an alliance.”

Sato was smiling widely. “That is indeed an honor.” She said.

“And as a gesture of good faith, Lord Nobunaga asked me to bring these gifts to you.” Ranmaru said, holding out a box.

I rose from my seat and walked over to look at the items. The box contained a Goban and a dagger that was intricately carved…and one I recognized. “These are excellent gifts…” I said. “I think we shall accept the invitation. We will make preparations and leave in two days.”

I was then instructing Kei to set our guest up in our best room. I had more duties to tend to before the day was done as well as arrangements to make for my absence. 

Later that night, I sat out on the veranda, sipping my nightly sake as I looked up at the stars. “You can come out of your hiding spot.” I said.

Jiro was then coming out from his place behind a pillar. “I wasn’t hiding. I was just staying out of your way.” He countered.

“I know you have something to say.”

“Are you sure about this meeting with the Oda?” Jiro asked as he came to sit beside me, pouring himself a cup of my sake.

I nodded. “Yes. I know Father had a great deal of respect for Lord Nobunaga.” I answered. Though, of course, being from the future I knew that this was the right move as Nobunaga was regarded as one of the great unifiers of our nation. 

“I do recall that, though he never declared official support for Lord Nobunaga.” Jiro countered.

“Maybe not officially…but you know Father wasn’t an open book and kept many secrets.”

“What are you getting at, Ava?”

I gestured to the Goban and dagger that I had beside me. “Those gifts from the Oda…they were gifts Father originally sent to Lord Nobunaga.” I explained.

Jiro blinked. “Really?”

I nodded. “Yes…Father actually regularly met with Nobunaga. They would play Go and share counsel with each other.”

Jiro blinked. “How…how do you know that?”

“I went with Father a couple of times.” I answered. “Though I never met with Nobunaga, I stayed out in the hall…or hid in the ceiling.”

Jiro sighed and shook his head. “Only you…” He replied, trailing off. “You know I will support you in whatever you decide to do. My sword is yours, always Ava.”

“I know.” I replied. “That is why you are my right hand. You and Sato will come with me to Azuchi. We’ll leave Ichiro and the council in charge of things here while we are gone.”

“Whatever you say…my lord.” Jiro replied.

After taking the two days to set everything up, we departed with Ranmaru, heading for Azuchi. I had decided to pack the dagger and the Goban, taking those with me. They might come in handy later.

“We should reach Azuchi in about three days.” Ranmaru declared as we mounted up.

I nodded. “Sounds good.”

Sato rode up beside Ranmaru as we began to head off. “Did you enjoy your stay in our land, Master Ranmaru?” She asked, grinning at him.

Sato was a beautiful woman. She had long dark black hair with striking golden eyes and very pale skin. She always wore black and dark makeup. She was what I referred to as a Sengoku Goth.

Ranmaru smiled brightly at her, though I could tell that he was slightly unsettled by her. “It was nice and comfortable.” He answered. He was then turning to me.“And the bakers and cooks you employ Lady Ava, they are quite good…and the peach trees in your garden…they remind me of some from a garden I loved as a child.”

I smiled back at him. “I am glad that you enjoyed your stay and the food.” I told him. “And I prefer Lord Ava or Lord Yamada.”

Ranmaru nodded and bowed. “Forgive me…I’m not used to it.”

“It does take some getting used to.” I told him. Though it was all part of my strategy.

“Those sweet buns you gobbled down at breakfast this morning weren’t made by the cooks or bakers.” Jiro told Ranmaru. “Those were actually made by Lord Ava herself.”

Ranmaru looked at me in surprise. “Really?”

I nodded. “Sometimes you have to get in the kitchen yourself.” I replied with a shrug.

Ranmaru smiled brightly. “You’ll get along great with Lord Masamune then.”

“Masamune Date, correct?” I asked.

Ranmaru nodded. “Yes. He’s a great cook.”

I nodded, recalling that tidbit from history class. Since I had taken over the Yamada clan, I tried to recall as much as I could of history classes from the modern day. I didn’t want to change history too much…though I feared it might already be too late for that. But hopefully I could keep things from getting too far out of control. Masamune was known for creating some dishes that were still enjoyed in my original time and for founding the City of Sendai if I recall correctly.

For three days we traveled and talked, making our way to Azuchi. Ranmaru was chatty and cheerful…and utterly adorable. He truly seemed like a sweet guy…though it seemed like there was something hiding behind his smile. There was a sadness and conflict that lingered in his eyes. Though that would normally have me on my toes…I had this feeling it had nothing to do with me and wasn’t reason for ME to worry.

After three days of riding, we were finally reaching the gates of Azuchi Castle. “Welcome to Azuchi, Lord Yamada.” Ranmaru said, cheerfully. “We’ll get inside and I’ll take you to meet with Lord Nobunaga.”

[thecandywrites]

Zorroku and Peaches Part 18- Finalle

This was originally supposed to be just a little rework to "fix up" this little old story of mine. I didn't think it would get a complete overhaul, but here we are.

Thank you so much for reading. I'll try to link what used to be the old parts to the old version of the story in the masterlist.

Zorroku and Peaches 

Chapter 18

It took a few weeks to finally get to the clearing to see how it had been transformed into a proper outdoor feasting site. And it had been up for the unification festival beautifully.

Mama Arob had portaled all the magic practicing persons as well as get practically a whole herd of cows gathered and butchered as every cook in all three clans set up stalls to prepare all the food as soon, all kinds of clans all came and gathered for it. 

And it seemed, word of your victory in the arena had traveled just as far as the invitations had. As well as the list of what was yours in every sense. More and more people were eager to meet you. Because while Grace had all the looks, you apparently, had the talent and the better gifts, both spiritually, and physically. You had thought that word of you adopting two sons and three daughters would have deterred many. But- quite the opposite happened. As many who had children used them to meet you and your children to see if they could at least be friendly with each other. And, because all the kids had accidentally drank your breastmilk, their own hair started to turn just slightly auburn red, as if they had been born to you anyway. You feared that Zorroku too- that his black hair would turn red, for he got to consume more of it than anyone besides Ori, who’s own hair too had started to turn more and more red too. As even the wolves and mountain lions had seemed to slowly turn red as well. 

But Mama Arob said that your milk would simply affirm your children as yours as well as your pets. And really conjoin you as a couple. 

The treasure pile for your hand, just among Thunder Herd and Mountain Blizzard- grew so tall and massive, that Jaseeneh gifted her largest tent to pitch over it to cover it all as there were guards from both clans and White Rock all guarding it, both inside and outside as the three saplings were put into a special glass case to show them off- as you gave the key to Bully for safekeeping. The larger it grew, the more numerous the gifts to it became and the more creative they had to get to stack it all together. The case holding th perfume tree, the dragon heart tree and the honey jasmine tree were not only center stage as proof that you had such things to offer when you first entered it. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to get emancipated?” Zorroku asked Bullard that morning as they went through the space and got breakfast from one of the food vendors.

“I’m absolutely sure. I still have a lot to learn and a lot of growing to do.” Bully insisted before Cleo came over. 

“Hi Bebe!” Cleo greeted first with a hug. 

“Hey! You made it.” Bebe smiled happily as she hugged Cleo tight. 

“So? Did you make your decision about getting emancipated early?” She asked Bully. 

“Of course I did. Wouldn’t miss this for anything.” She grinned before she let go of Bebe so she could give Cece a hug.

“Hi Cece! How are you guys?” Cleo asked as she hugged Cece second before giving a hug to Bully too. 

“Yes, I decided not to. Granted it’s gonna put that much more pressure on my dad but he’s strong enough to bear it. I think I’ll stay under my parent’s protective wings as long as I can. My fledgling feathers are coming in. Just not ready to fly the nest yet.” He answered. 

“That’s the best decision I think you could have possibly taken.” Cleo answered with a nod and smile of approval. 

“What about you?” He asked. 

“My father said he’d agree to accept potential offers, and I still have the freedom to accept or decline any as they make themselves apparent, and that I can accept offers but should not agree to any at all tonight, which all of my parents agree, however, there are still a few of my half sisters who are- obviously, putting themselves on official marriage market today.” She noted as she nodded over to her rather scantily clad older sisters. Who, despite being scantily clad were not scantily armed. 

“So, I am actually hoping I could spend the day with you guys and just…stay out of the fray?” She asked hopefully. 

“Of course, you’re always more than welcome to hang out with us.” Bully said before he looked hopefully to Zorroku who was just coming back to them with breakfast from one of the vendors. 

“What’s going on?” Zorroku asked as he put the various dishes down on the table. 

“My older sisters are putting themselves on the marriage market today and I don’t want to hang out with them and for anyone to think I am too. But I don’t want to “cramp” my other brother’s styles either. So I was hoping to just hang out with you guys?” Cleo repeated. 

“Of course, you’re always welcome to do that.” He grinned before she readily sat down between Bebe and Cece as they invited her to sit between them to eat what Zorroku had gotten for them all to share. 

“Otherwise, I too, should not try to test my fledgling feathers out just yet either. At least for another few years.” She continued to Bully once she had sat down. 

“Good idea.” He smiled happily. 

“I heard that your dragon heart tree bloomed.” She noted to them. 

“Yeah, ever since we moved them to that shower, all three of them have grown like crazy.” Bebe noted. 

“I heard that when plants like that bloom that they mean something, is that true?” Bully asked from his spot across from her before her cheeks flushed prettily. 

“Uhm, to the mouras- who have an unusually strong relationship to trees, and view them as sacred- yes.” She answered delicately. 

“Well what about you? Do they mean anything to you?” He asked. 

“Uhm, well, you see my mom is only half moura and so I’m really only a quarter moura, so um, to me, they’re just um, they’re just trees.” She tried to deflect. 

“That’s a ‘yes but I’m sensitive about it,’.” Bebe grinned. 

“Yeah…but it…really shouldn’t matter, there are really much bigger things going on today to worry about some flowers on some trees in your care.” She tried to deflect. 

“Did you see them yourself?” He asked. 

“No, not yet.” She shook her head no. 

“When we’re done eating, do you want to see?” Bully asked. 

“You should go now, before there’s a line.” Zorroku urged them. 

“Yeah, let’s go see.” Cleo caved before Bully and Bebe and Cece went to see it while Fabu stayed with Zorroku to keep eating what he had gotten for him. 

“Wow.” Cleo breathed in awe when she was let in to see it before she came up to the case where all three saplings were displayed. 

“Would it be ok if I add something to the case for display purposes only?” She asked Bully. 

“Sure.” He nodded. 

“Dragon heart trees should not bloom by themselves. They need buddies.” She insisted as she went to grab her own before Bully picked it up himself. 

“Oh, thank you.” She thanked him before he walked with her back and sniffed all the blooms that were blooming around his face as he walked before they returned and used his key to the case to open it up and put it in with the other. 

“Thank you for being so thoughtful and letting us borrow it.” He thanked her once he put it with the other, behind the first one. 

“You’re welcome.” She smiled fondly as she kept her gaze between them and the plants, ignoring everything else before others came in and gawked at the plants and walked around the treasure pile as the guards escorted them around it. 

“We should go before they think that we’re part of this.” Cleo encouraged them quietly after she traced the blooms through the glass of the case of the honey jasmine lime tree before Bebe and Cece turned to walk out of there, as Cleo reluctantly tried to turn away from the case before she found her hand being held by Bully before he moved it to the crook of his own elbow as he walked her out.

“You’re dragon heart flowers smelled really good.” He managed to compliment. 

“Thanks. They surprised me by coming early this year. But it’s like they knew that yours were about to bloom too and would need a friend. You can keep my tree with yours while they bloom. It will help all the blooms to fruit.” She offered as she gestured to them. 

“Oh, awesome.” He nodded in understanding. 

“Would you look at that?! There’s two dragon heart trees! And they’re both blooming! That means that the union will be very fruitful! And with two trees, each with so many blooms, that’s at least a dozen kids! Oh she will be very blessed!” One of the others noted which caused Bully and Cleo to pause as he looked from the person who said it to Cleo questioningly. 

“Yeah, that’s um…that’s what that can mean- for those who look for a meaning.” Cleo divulged as she dropped her gaze down but blushed harder. 

“Is that what it means to you?” He asked. 

“Well, they’re just…they’re so young and it’s still, just, so early for both of them. And of course, yours is planted in remarkable soil and wonderful growing conditions, every sapling would benefit from those circumstances and would be encouraged to bloom and blossom, even for being as young as they are.” She tried to explain away. 

“So, what other “encouragement” can I give?” Bully asked. 

“Hmm?” Cleo asked as she finally looked up at him from being partially turned to still see the saplings in the case. 

“Oh, um, encouragement, um, just, keep doing what you’ve been doing. I’m sure that will be fine for the saplings.” Cleo added as she seemed to have caught up with what he said. 

“What encouragement can I give you?” He decided to restate. 

“Oh! You, I, uh, we, you, I mean I…” Cleo stuttered and stammered as she flushed nearly midnight as her whole brain short circuited from the implications of his words before he dipped his head to kiss her sweetly and she melted and seemed to pull him closer to her before he pulled away to find his arm had wrapped around her waist as her hand had fisted into his shirt before she let her hand simply smooth out what she had grabbed. 

“That…that works.” She answered before she used her free hand to get into her pocket and get the piece of paper and hand it to him. 

“Just in case you had chosen to get emancipated. So, when um, when you’re ready for um, more of that, um, yeah.” She stuttered before he smiled and traded a folded piece of paper over to her. 

“Likewise.” He grinned as she eagerly grabbed it and opened it as he did the same. 

“Yeah, um, let me get my pen.” She said as she dug into her purse and got her pen to sign her name as he then took her pen to do the same. 

“Ok, yeah, so um, can we just for today, try to…?” She began to ask. 

“Keep it discreet?” He guessed. 

“Yes.” She nodded before he leaned forward to kiss her forehead as she blew out a breath of relief and melted again. 

“Yes.” He nodded before she stood on tip toe to kiss him again. 

“Thank you.” She thanked him before more people came into the tent and she and him got out of there and rejoined the others at the table as you had come over to the table to try to eat breakfast.

“Hey, thank you so much for putting your dragonheart tree with mine for today.” You thanked her once you saw her coming over with Bully. 

“Of course, all Dragon Heart Trees do best when they’re with others.” She smiled happily as she sat down next to Bully to continue to dig into the foods Zorroku had gathered. 

However, as the afternoon progressed, and you were called away from your family to meet others as they came to the site before the unification celebration- Mama Arob as well as all the other magical practicing persons came to you with some grave news and Mama Arob showed you- on her cauldron’s surface, that The Infamous Hand Clan, The Berserker Clan, and The Nightmare Mammoth Clan were coming as well and that they would surround everyone and kill everyone if you didn’t choose to go with them that night. And they were coming in numbers to succeed in that quest. But you got an idea and it played out on the surface of all the cauldrons before you even had to say a word.  

“You are brilliant, Child.” Mama Arob grinned in amazement as she and the others then began to work extra hard on special spells to make your idea reality. Usually one magical practicing person wouldn’t have enough magic to pull it off on their own but because there was 15 of them, combined, it was more than enough and they were all amazed at how your body was able to bear it all, but they also knew that your noble heart and good intentions were more than enough to convince your body that it was strong enough to bear it. 

You wore the dress you hated, that you felt made you look like a whore, but had put on a pretty dress over it, to make it look richer and nicer. 

But now, you were wearing it with a purpose, you had to draw the three triplet Clan Chief’s in along with everyone else. You had to look like the prize they all envisioned you to be. Mama Arob dusted you in special gold dust, while it would be harmless as long as you thought happy and harmless thoughts, the moment they turned sinister, the dust would then glow before it killed, you had to make sure each warchief touched you. Another one painted your lips blood red, again, while you thought happy and harmless thoughts, it was perfectly safe, you could kiss Ori all over if you wanted to and it would never hurt her. But kiss the triplet warchiefs, it was another layer of deadly poison. Still another put ribbons of gold in your hair, it made your hair particularly gorgeous and soft, so much so that everyone would want to touch it and keep touching it because it was softer than silk. And so on and so forth. Each one blessed your body and your beauty and your voice and your hands and gave you ability, after ability, after ability- with a wicked fun twist even if it was only temporary as even the dragon spirit was harnessed and ready to devour at the slightest provocation. 

Soon after you nursed Ori so she wouldn’t be hungry again until after the celebration as she fell asleep in your arms and you passed her to Zorroku to continue to hold her for the rest of the night along with the rest of your children who stayed with Zorroku so that you could be “courted” by the others tonight. 

Bullard Junior too, was approached with offers for his hand- when the time would be right for him to accept them by others. But it seemed, Cleo was always with Bebe and Cece close by. As he accepted them with grace, he kept repeating that he was too young, and that he wanted to wait until he was 12, as per the custom of all three clans. As he simply put them into a satchel for safekeeping until then, as he didn’t even bother to open or read the others, but would simply give a reassuring grin to Cleo after each one left as she did her best not to hang all over him but stay closer to Bebe and Cece as they invited for her to stay the night, which she readily agreed to have them spend the night with her, just in case you needed “privacy” tonight. 

And as much as you personally hated the distance, it was for a purpose and that purpose was proving very fruitful and beneficial. As soon a second tent had to be erected and joined to house all of the treasure. 

Zorroku seemed to juggle all the kids remarkably well, which was easier when they seemed to stay around him like chicks to a mother hen as soon your younger sisters stayed close to also stay close to Bully, Bebe and Cece and Fabu too.

Soon your sister Lilly and yourself became inseparable, taking in each clan who came in as her tent of treasures was opposite yours. Not nearly as big, but still, big enough to impress any and all who came. 

Slowly, then all at once, all the clans started to arrive and the band on the stage began to play their music as others danced in the area in front of the band before the sea of tables and lanterns that were built just for tonight, a task the Black Wolf White Rock Clan and the Thunder Herd Clan as well as Mountain Blizzard Clan had undertaken for the month leading up to tonight. 

Lilly and yourself greeted each clan happily and very respectfully and explained everything that was going on, shaking all the Clan Chief’s hands and their sons hands and hugging and kissing all the Clan Chieftesses and Warchieftesses and their daughters cheeks affectionately since you knew them best and had befriended them from the previous alliance feasts. 

You both talked with each clan’s own Shaman as they got a good sense of you and and her and smiled brighter when they realized you had more magic imbued into you than they did. Then they would no doubt move on to talk with Crowthu and Khagra about alliances before they went over to the magical practicing persons and they showed what you wanted them to show with teases of how their clan would become great if they could manage to bring you home that night. 

The number 1 question you both got asked was ‘What will it take for you to come home with us tonight?’ and your answer was always the same- ‘Make me an offer I can’t refuse.’ 

But by that token, you both took the opportunity to list off what Crowthu had offered you in the beginning and what you had experienced in the Thunder Herd Clan’s care and at Mountain Blizzard in Avlar. But specifically about how everything that was gifted you stayed yours and how you were going to be Clan Cheiftess no matter which son you would choose and how no one had ever touched you without your consent or beat you or raped you or your adopted children and that no one ever would and that you were servant to no one. 

You left the Clan Chiefs and their Warchiefs to think it over and to decide if they wanted to put in a bid for you or if they wanted to put in a bid for Lilly or any of the other daughters of the Clan Chiefs and Warchiefs. And with so many other clans there that night and with each whole Clan Chief family and extended family from all three clans as well as all the others- being there- there was a lot to choose from as you all seemed to take up “Bride Alley”. Each of you in front of the tents around your belongings and treasure for your hand. 

However, every Clan Chief put in bids for you and bids in for the other daughters of the Clan Chiefs and Warchief’s. Which the others were thrilled and so happy they now had sole control over such a thing rather than any one else deciding for them. Soon, the food and wine and beer was flowing and everyone was relaxed and enjoying the feast. And then soon your treasure pile was enormous and even bigger than what Mama Arob had showed thanks to the extra clans that had come. 

And just as you felt like you needed yet a third tent, you felt the air shift and a shivering, ice cold tingle went down your spine and a stone seemed to settle in your gut and make it knot and twist uncomfortably. You knew The Infamous Hand Clan, The Berserker Clan, and The Nightmare Mammoth Clan were closing in and surrounding everyone and you sent the message down the alley as others immediately closed the tents and left, so that it would not look like they were available to who was coming. Except for Lilly and yourself, if anything, you had them open some of the walls of the tents so that more could see what was there in between a legion who was now surrounding such treasures. 

You steeled your nerve and alerted Zorroku and the others as your mother took Ori and your kids and kept them with her so that Zorroku could stand with you. Lilly was soon surrounded by her most prominent pursuers since she knew the three enemy clans had not come for her, but for you. But she did not wish to leave you on your own either. 

You walked over to the magic practicing people to get reapplied with the traps before you walked over to the opening of the main treasure tent and stood and braced yourself and smiled bravely as the other clans soon noticed who was strutting into the party, carrying chains to dozens of slaves behind them as Zorroku and his brothers and cousins soon came and stood behind you in solidarity and support. 

“Greetings!” You called out welcoming-ly, with the poise of a proper queen as you stood tall and proud and the closer they came, the more you realized they were, unfortunately, fucking gorgeous. Holy shit. But you had to remind yourself that while they were handsome, their hearts were ugly and their attitudes were hideous and then one by one they introduced themselves. 

“I am Umog, Clan Chief of The Infamous Hand Clan.” The first introduced himself. 

“It is an honor to meet you Clan Chief Umog.” You greeted respectfully back with a low bow. 

“And I am Yukha, Clan Chief of The Berserker Clan, brother to Warchief Umog.” The second introduced himself. 

“It is an honor to meet you as well Clan Chief Yukha.” You greeted back as you turned to face him fully and bowed low again.

“And I am Gunag, Clan Chief of The Nightmare Mammoth Clan, also brothers to them too.” The last introduced himself. 

“And it is an honor to meet you too Clan Chief Gunag, you honor me greatly by coming tonight to this feast of unity.” You began as you bowed low to him too, all of them grinning smugly at the sign of deep respect. 

“We took offense that you did not invite us personally, it is when we intercepted this invitation during a raid that we came to know of this.” Warchief Yukha growled as he held up the invitation, still covered in blood. 

“Then please forgive me My Lords, that was a grave mistake on my part for that oversight- the blame solely rests on me. Please allow me to make things right. You are here now and please know that you are just as welcome here as any and all the other clans. {lease, eat and drink and be merry. Tonight is when I will choose a husband, you are welcome to go over to the magical practicing persons and see your future if I choose you and behind me is the purse that all the other clans have put in- in bids for my hand. You are more than welcome to make offers and bids for me and any other free young woman you see tonight but know that only the young women themselves hold the power to accept or refuse you without retaliation on your part. And since this is a unity feast, you may enter into alliance with any clan you wish tonight to bolster the strength of your own clan as well. This large purse is what I can offer you tonight, you may write down what you can offer me in return.” You offered as you held out the pieces of paper to them but they simply took the pieces of paper and crumpled it up and threw it onto the ground.

“Our offer is you choose one of us or we have the entire party surrounded and we will kill every male here, their blood- giving you more than enough blood for your blood ivory tree-  and take every female as our new slaves but you will be ruler of them all if you prove yourself capable to us. Here are a few of the tens of thousands we possess.” They said as they yanked their slaves forward and you went over and inspected them. 

“I see.” You began as you touched their bruises and cuts, your touch healing them as you did so. Before the three Clan Chiefs saw your healing touch and grabbed your wrists and brought you over to them. 

“Do not waste such gifts on slaves, you stupid woman! Heal us instead.” They demanded and you obeyed, touching their scars and their hands and immediately new fingers grew and they began to feel healed as they held you close to them, their hands roaming your body as the other clans watched in horrified jealousy because you had not permitted anyone else to touch you besides hugs and handshakes before then. 

“Would you permit me to kiss you to taste you to help me determine who I should pick?” You flirted coyly with them and got to kiss all three of them and fought not to vomit into their mouths as Zorroku was holding onto his own battle axes so tightly his knuckles were white before you stood back and appraised them, all of them grinning smugly as their bodies were covered in so much gold dust, it rivaled yourself. 

“I choose...death.” You announced with a wicked grin as the dragon spirit practically came pouring out of every feature and her bright, fire eyes lit up brighter than any bonfire ever could be because it was her time to shine. Everywhere that their bodies touched you as well as your own body began to glow bright gold then white as the gold dust then started to burn them alive, leaving their armor untouched as it fell off of them as if they had become ghosts themselves before it burned through their clothes as the kisses you gave them began to eat their faces and necks to keep them from screaming. 

The dragon spirit magically lifted them high into the air, hundreds of feet above everyone and she stomped your foot and white lights raced all throughout the ground, everyone jumping up in alarm as the white lights on the ground spread out, except for your kids, who giggled and happily let their bare feet touch the grass as the dragon spirit’s light seemed to magically flow up their legs and form suits of armor around each of them too, including Cleo, and other members of your family. Even Zorroku and little Ori got such treatment. 

The streams split off and multiplied and then lifted all those in all three enemy clans up above the trees, all of them flailing, dropping their weapons on the ground as the white lights seemed to hold them in magical chains as their armor and all that was on them fell from them too, thankfully landing on the ground underneath them so as not to hurt anyone else as you lifted them so high everyone could see them before you turned each one into a firework, starting with the three Clan Chiefs. 

Everyone oohed and awed at the beauty of them and when the last one burst of them exploded everyone cheered as the dragon spirit, took their essences and refortified the saplings. Including Cleo’s in the case, making he soil- extra rich in their blood before she retreated into you, her nearly drunken state of having killed off so many, made her nearly stagger and giggle in a blood drunk stupor before she all but collapsed into the recess you had created for her inside yourself once you and your family and everyone else was safe. 

You went up to all their slaves and touched their bonds so that they fell off from them and greeted them kindly and assured and reassured them that no harm would come to them and healed them and brought them over to the servant’s food tent and made sure they all started eating and would be taken care of. All of them pleading to be your personal slaves which you kindly corrected that if they wanted to, they could be your servants but that you would not keep slaves, only servants. And that you would pay them and treat them all very well. Which they then swore their unending loyalty to you personally, which you accepted. Once they were squared away, you retreated to your treasure tent, and asked for the tent flaps to be closed and everything else to be secured. 

Zorroku slipped in- seemingly unseen- with you as you were finally reunited with him and just let him hold you for a few moments in the tent that had lanterns alight to keep the treasures seen.  

“You ok?” He asked worriedly as he held you as close as he could and kept an eye out and an ear out for anyone else.  

“No, that was terrifying. I was ready to vomit and start shaking in terror the whole time, I never want to do anything like that ever again.” You confessed as you buried your face into his chest and inhaled his now familiar and comforting scent deep into your lungs and clung to him and tried not to cry. 

“Don’t worry, I would never ask or expect you to, that was far too close to danger than I ever want you to be ever again.” Zorroku murmured which made you both smile softly.

“Thank you. I love you.” You whispered before you kissed him soundly, letting his taste replace the vile taste in your mouth the three enemy Clan Chiefs had left. but with promise and was a kiss you actually thoroughly enjoyed. 

“I love you too. Come on, the sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get our family back together.” Zorroku whispered back before you had to pull yourselves away from each other and attend to the rest of your guests.  

“And that’s what happens when you touch me or kiss me if I don’t want you to.” You explained to the other Clan Chiefs and Warchief’s and their families when they asked you how you managed to defeat all three clans like that, before you let them in on the secret that all the magical practicing people told you that they were coming and so you had prepared yourself accordingly. And that the spirits inside you- too kept yourself and your family safe from harm. And that you took offense to the way all three of those clans treated their women. To which they realized how powerful you really were and then added more things to their lists of what to offer you as well as realized that they would have to change their own attitudes towards women as well, moving forward. 

Then, finally, came the announcements of who was accepted by the brides, starting with the “least” of them, leading up to Lilly and then yourself. 

Lilly announced that Kakazi had won her hand when she read his offer. 

When it came time for you to choose someone you had all those who were competing for you- you had them all get up on the stage with their lists, having to take groups at a time as you publicly read each offer, your voice magically amplified so that everyone could hear you easily without you having to yell or scream. 

The whole crowd cheered as each clan and their rival clans offers were read and you picked out a few from each group who’s offers were the best out of everyone else’s, saving Crowthu’s sons, Nar and Zorroku for the last group along with the other few you had already chosen, Nar and Zorroku being the last two in the line as you re-read all the other offers first. Their offers beginning to sound all the same. ‘Warchieftess now, Clan Chieftess in the near future, the clan’s head shaman, revered as a goddess, sole control over everything that was yours, the Clan Chief’s second in command and lead counselor. Number one wife among all other wives with your children always being favored and even daughters that you would bear would all be recognized and never sold or traded.’ great honors and offers indeed. 

Then you got to read Nar’s offer for the first time. “So here is what Nar, youngest son of Clan Chief Crowthu of The Great Thunder Herd Clan offers me.” You began as you unrolled it and placed it on the stack of other offers and smiled when you looked it over before you read it aloud. 

“To be his best friend first and foremost before ever being his lover, to be his one and only wife, to never raise his hands at me in anger, to never raise his voice to me in anger either. To never hurt me or harm me in any way. To always let me win, no matter the argument, to lead him in life, to always listen to my council and obey my words of wisdom. And all 12 of his horses. Awww.” You awed when you read it and put the paper over your heart and held it to your chest before you raised it high in the air. 

“Ok, this is now the number one offer, because he knows I’m a romantic at heart and this is very, very close to everything I’ve ever wanted and this is becoming an offer I find really, really hard to refuse.” You announced as all the other men of all the other clans suddenly groaned and started cursing as they realized they had offered the wrong kind of terms. 

You looked back over the line of potentials and all of them were in various stages of regret as they realized you hadn’t answered their question, you had simply told them what was offered to you, you never said that you wanted what was offered and they never thought to ask if what was offered was what you wanted and realized their mistake but one of the rules were once you had their offer, it couldn’t be retracted and changed once you took it. 

All the women and girls gasped and started laughing gleefully because you were living the dream. All of them secretly wanted those kinds of terms too but were often discouraged by their male counterparts from wanting them because they were “silly” and “non-consequential”. But now that you pushed that those terms were now important, that gave the freedom and the right to demand those too and that they were only allowed to agree to terms after you agreed to yours.  

“Now, this is Zorroushku, first born of Warchief Crowthu of The Great Thunder Herd Clan, and first born son of Sharnarrah the Magnificent, daughter of Dowager Clan Chieftess Jaseeneh of the Mountain Blizzard Clan, Lets see what you offer me.” You announced as he simply smiled at you adoringly and handed over his offer as you looked it over and realized it was written on the front and back and started to cry a few happy tears when you realized he had written it in Ragesh. 

And Mama Arob used her magic to show the paper up on the screen next to you. And so you read it before you translated it into the common tongue so everyone could understand what you read, your family however were already very moved as Mama Arob then used magic to translate the words into the common tongue so everyone could read it. 

“He offers me... his whole heart, mind and soul. To share his future with me. To be one with me for as long as we both shall live. To walk beside me through life- hand in hand, arm in arm, to be his one and only love, one and only wife for as long as he lives and his fidelity that he will never lie with another other than me. That he will be loyal to me in all things. To be the mother of his daughter from his first beloved wife who was lost in bearing it to him. And be a father to any child who I would call mine. And be the father to every other child I would ever claim as my own. And even if I can not bear any, to never ask me to risk my life in trying anyway, that no gift I could ever give him is worth my life, which is precious above all else. That he will adopt any and all other children I would want until I was satisfied as a mother.” You smiled as you read it off through your happy tears. 

“And in turn he would never risk his own life getting me any gifts because he shares my views that life is sacred and shouldn’t be sacrificed for such things. That everything he has and everything he is- he will share without reserve. That he will always love me wholly and completely, knowing I am not perfect and will make mistakes. But he will always be forgiving me and the mistakes without judgment or resentment and with loving forgiveness - if I will return the favor.” You continued. 

“To treat me as his equal in regards to respect in all things. But to try his best to be gentle, kind and loving with me always. To never underestimate me, and to always believe me. To do his best to please me in all things, to be patient with me in all things, and to consider all things with me first. To discuss all problems and to be patient in finding solutions rather than blaming. To take care of me, not just physically but mentally, emotionally and especially spiritually. To be my best friend first and my husband and father to our children second. And that all he asks in return is my whole heart, mind and soul. My own fidelity, my own loyalty, respect and obedience as a wife first, a mother second, and anything and everything else to follow. To tell him what is on my mind and heart, and he will do the same. He vows he will be unreservedly honest if I will be the same. To never let us go to bed angry with us each other, and to share all that I am and all that I have with him in return and that all things will simply be ‘ours’.” You read as tears continued to run down your cheeks and your voice got choked with emotion but your happiness was practically beaming out of you. 

“And this is the offer that I can not refuse, I choose you.” You announced as you reached out and got his hand and raised your joined hands as high as you could before he picked you up bridal style as everyone cheered, all the Clan Chieftesses, Warchieftesses and daughters of every clan cheering the loudest as he finally kissed you soundly. 

“And to stop dropping you and startling you so bad you slip and fall or hurt yourself.” Zorroku offered with a laugh once you broke for air which made you throw your head back and laugh with him. 

“Oh my gods, yes please! That should have been first on the list.” You cackled as he finally put you back down and got off the stage so the band could get back on it and continue to play their music before you finally got to get Ori back, kissing her all over her now chubby cheeks and hugged her tightly, having missed her all evening as she hugged you tight and laid on your chest, happy to have her mommy back as you did the same with your kids as you even hugged Cleo and thanked her for staying with your kids to keep them company, along with your little sisters. 

The treasure tents were then locked down and surrounded with a high barrier. Zorroku’s brothers and cousins standing guard over it for the night. Cleo took your kids with her to her yurt. 

Zorroku led you your own dual yurt, as the two had been rebuilt to incorporate both into one larger structure. He let you put Ori to sleep first, making sure she was put into her bassinet by the bed and fully and completely asleep before Zorroku tried to get you out of your dress, both of you drunk with laughter as you both tried to peel it off of you. 

“Fuck, were you sewn into this?” Zorroku asked as he tried tugging it off but it was like it was glued to your body. 

“It feels that way huh?” You giggled as you tried wriggling out of it but the curves you had gained since you wore it last meant that it was even tighter than before but it had made your body look like an hourglass and had everyone looking at you lusting after you. Zorroku however could only grow playfully jealous but knew you were all his and that from this night on you would dress modestly for his sake, which he greatly appreciated.  

“Fuck it, I’m gonna have to cut it off, you’re never going to wear this dress again.” Zorroku realized with a playful growl, pretending to bite at the dress to rip it apart with his teeth while giving you a licentious look which caused you to squeal and laugh but not so loud as to wake up Ori. He got a very small but very sharp knife and very, very carefully cut the dress off, both of you breathing in relief when it was finally off of you and both of you gleefully picked it up and put it into the raised metal fire pit next to you that was warming the bedroom chamber.  

“There you are.” Zorroku cooed to you as he finally gathered you into his arms and gently picked you up and set you into the bed and you got to watch him peel his own clothes off which normally would have been exciting all on it’s own but thanks to the aphrodisiac incense burning, it only amplified your own feelings for him, your whole body humming and buzzing in delightful arousal and giddy anticipation.  

“Gods are you magnificent. You’re like a god carved out of blue marble and I need to pray at your alter daily, perhaps multiple times a day.” You flirted when he was finally bared to you, his cock hard enough to pound through iron as you knew you would never get tired of the sight of him. You also knew that tonight was your half way point in your cycle and that hopefully he would get you pregnant either tonight or tomorrow night.

“Really?” Zorroku asked as he flexed for your benefit and you felt your whole body flush and your womanhood drench the bed as you made the weakest sounding keen and nearly drooled on yourself as you literally had to fan yourself which got Zorroku to beam a proud smile at you, loving the fact that you were so pleased with him and were so affected by him. He didn’t need the aphrodisiac incense, you had had this affect on him since the beginning. Just a look his way from you or his lingering gaze on you or even an innocent and not so innocent touch and caress from you and from him to you in turn was enough to get him this hard and he had been hard for you most of the day, thankfully he was able to conceal it. 

“And you’re my goddess carved out of Ivory and I’ll pray as often as you want me to.” Zorroku returned in a deep rumble of a purr as he finally stalked forward and finally covered your body with his, your legs parting eagerly as they wrapped around his waist and just kissed him earnestly as he covered you both in blankets. Then he aligned himself with your entrance and slowly then all at once entered you. You had to cry out because while it hurt, it was still all you wanted. You clung to him as he stilled and allowed you to get used to him. But once you did and he finally started to move, then the pleasure came and in abundance and all you could do was moan as loud as you wanted.

 Zorroku finally let himself do the same, his eyes nearly rolling back into his head because you felt better than he had imagined and to feel all of himself sheathe into you was a pleasure he was not expecting but loved and adored. And when he was completely inside, the head of his cock pushed up against the top of your cervix. 

He made love to you the way he had wanted to since he first met you because while his dreams and visions of you were good, this was so much better. You were so much better. Especially when your lower belly bulged like you were already pregnant which stirred such deep feelings into Zorroku. He was nearly overwhelmed as he made love to you over and over again, both of you finally collapsing well into the early predawn hours, spent but supremely sated before you got Ori back out of her bassinet and you both cuddled each other and her in bed, Zorroku’s arm providing the best pillow for you while your arm was a pillow for Ori before you and Zorroku finally fell asleep. 

That night in your dreams however you found yourself sitting down to tea in a mountain cave turned home across from Sharn The Magnificent herself on the Cipher plane, where dreams met the afterlife. 

“Hello.” Sharn greeted you in Ragash as she handed you a tea cup. 

“Hello.” You returned as you took it from her and began to sip it, it tasted amazing as she drank from her own tea cup as she sized you up.  

“So you’re the Queen of Peaches who won my son’s heart.” Sharn gently teased you, her smile charming and her tone light and not malicious at all. You snorted a laugh and she laughed with you. You can not help but note how gorgeous she was and how modest and humble yet supremely dignified she was too. Only her braids gave away that she had ever been Clan Chieftess.   

“Yeah...I guess I am.” You conceded. 

“And you are Sharnarrah The...” you began before she cut you off. 

“Just Sharn- Bella.” She corrected you gently and you nodded in understanding. 

“My whole life I spent building up a title and a reputation. And in the end, I had a hard time living up to it.” Sharn revealed and you nodded sagely again in understanding. 

“It caused me division, hatred and jealousy just as much as it brought me honor and fame. I hope your title only brings you the later.” She bid you. 

“Thank you.” You thanked her graciously. 

“I must also thank you for taking to my granddaughter like you have, your kind heart has saved her life.” Sharn thanked you. 

“It has been an honor becoming her mother. I would do it a thousand times over. I love her, as much as I love your son, if not more so.” You professed and she simply smiled more proudly at you. 

“There are times I wish your mother would have stayed with me, I could have used a friend in the Thunder Herd Clan, or even stayed in Avlar, because I could have had her with me then too. But it seems fate had other ideas. And now that things have played out, I’m happy your mother chose as well as she did and has given my son- you. I know you love him and I know you will be good to him and take care of him and bear him many children and that is all I could ever ask for and I know that my son loves you in turn and will do the same for you. But I have a favor to ask of you.” She began. 

“Anything.” You returned, eager to hear her words of wisdom. 

“You will be Warchieftess when you awake, and you will soon be Clan Chieftess, with every honor. Remain humble yet dignified. It was how I behaved when I was Clan Chieftess and it endeared me to my husband and it will endure you not just to Zorroushku, but to the whole clan in turn and in the seven cities. There will be many women who may try to topple you and try to steal Zorroushku away. Remain vigilant and as close to him as a hand is to a glove, and he will wear your affections like armor for his heart.” She sagely advised.  

“You will be looked up to- as the example- to all. And this will weigh heavy upon you but do not bear this burden alone. Zorroushku will help you carry it and in turn you will help him carry his own burdens. Never lose your closeness to him. For such things are a precious treasure without equal. I have worried about him since I’ve been parted from him but now I can rest easy and be at peace knowing he is taken care of thanks to you. And I know your brother Dastan will be good to Glasha as well. She is a bit of a silly girl but I know he will help her and I know Ryzen has fallen in love with Marn and I know he will be good to her too. I know Crowthu misses me greatly and you have helped him a great deal but continue to help him.” Sharn advised you and you took every word to heart. 

“I will. I promise.” You vowed and she smiled proudly at you, knowing you would keep your word.

“Then peace be with you, for surely, strength is your being, success- your footsteps, guiding each one. Love be your greatest prize.” She bid you before you both toasted and then drank the rest of the tea in the cup before Zorroku and Crowthu soon joined you, as they were bringing in a feast to be cooked on the fire, it was as if, you got to have a single, last, family meal, just the four of you  before you got to see your parents come to join in too, as Sharnarrah and your mother sat side by side and laughed and carried on, like they used to when they were younger. 

The next day was the wedding and you loved and adored your wedding dress, mostly because pieces of it had been used from Sharn’s own wedding dress. It was gorgeous and most importantly, comfortable and all the clans stayed behind to witness the wedding but in a surprise twist, all the other marriage agreements from the night before took place too. So you shared your wedding day with dozens of other brides. 

One of them was a dwarf orc by the name of Lil who was barely 3 feet tall. She was tiny and a perfect minature orc woman and when you met her you instantly had to introduce her to Yar because you thought they would be a perfect fit and to your relief, as well as Khagra’s and his family’s relief, she literally was and Yar was beyond smitten and head over heels in love with her. 

Glasha and Marn were also two of the new brides too, their own wedding dresses having the remainder of their mother’s dress part of their own wedding dresses, having grown extremely close with your brothers Dastan and Ryzen respectively since meeting them and moving them to the Thunder Herd Clan and had letting them borrow their horses for the journey. Dastan’s and Ryzen’s own offers to them almost an exact copy of Zorroku’s offer to you since the three had helped each other in that and were the best offers the girls had ever gotten as well and it seemed Zorroku hadn’t been the only boy to sneak into a girl’s tent during that month. 

Your wedding night passed the same way the previous night had but in the morning your new servants helped divide your “unwanted” treasure pile between Khagra’s clan, Mountain Blizzard Clan, and Thunder Herd Clan, each of them getting an equal share to makeup for the expense of throwing the unity celebration in the first place and then some. 

They favored your share with Zorroku- keeping the best things out of all of it- for you while splitting the actual coin evenly, not that you told them to do that but they did it that way anyway and you were busy with packing up your things and Ori’s things as well as your kid’s things to tell them otherwise and no one took notice otherwise either. 

Once you were all packed up, you rode your favorite horse, Jaspar, who even though he was a stallion- was sweeter than the peaches themselves too, the one that was black with the white mane and tail ride back home, with all of your kids riding behind you, with Cleo choosing to stay with you to help make sure your kids settled into life in Thunder Herd well.

Zorroku rode, right beside you, so close you could reach out and hold his hand if you wished to as Ori was in her special mother’s sling for riding on your chest.

 Shuzug and Nar were riding behind your kids, Shuzug had managed to talk his parents into letting him stay in the Thunder Herd Clan for a little while. the cover was to make sure the clan upheld the oath but he had other reasons for wanting to stay with you. Himself and Nar had met two young women, the younger daughters of The Fire Phoenix Clan and it was one of the few clans that always in alliance with The Thunder Herd Clan even though the two clans had not come together in over a decade and lived 9 hours ride on horseback one way- away. The Fire Phoenix Clan was matriarchal and the two girls they happened to really like were the younger daughters of Clan Chieftess Fasturiza. 

You were going to be helping Shuzug and Nar learn their native tongue Nofu so they could woo the Cheftess’ daughters. You personally instantly adored The Fire Phoenix Clan because they were matriarchal, and if you had been attracted to women, you probably would have chosen them. You kept everything they had gifted you, more gold hair beads than you could ever wear in your hair and delicate yet robustly strong silks and a set of armor that was made to fit you including weapons and gorgeous combs carved out of abalone shells and mother of pearl and hairbrushes and just everything profoundly feminine in nature. They even gifted you a pair of freaking true phoenixes and a pair of griffins. Who were all walking behind your horse because they all had immediately bonded with you upon being gifted to you and they wouldn’t let anyone but you ride them but they could take on a load so you felt a little bad for using them as pack animals but then again, they were the ones that had been carrying your gifts from the Fire Phoenix Clan so their load was unchanged. 

Once back at The Great Thunder Herd Clan’s grounds, you were surprised when there was a new tent set up. It was huge, to the point it rivaled Crowthu’s and Yotul’s tent in size and luxuriousness. It was a palace made out of tent cloths. And bright blue. 

“Wow, who’s tent is that?” You asked Zorroku. 

“Ours.” Zorroku beamed at you. 

“Do you like it?” Zorroku asked. 

“I love it! It’s so beautiful.” You praised in awe. 

“Good, it was the tent my dad had made for my mother and what they lived in when she was Clan Chieftess, so as long as you don’t mind a hand-me-down, it’s ours now.” Zorroku informed you as you rode over to it. 

When you went inside you saw that all the things that had been in your tent that you had left back at home along with all kinds of things that had all once been Sharn’s things were now inside and Zorroku’s things were now being brought inside.

Once your treasure and wedding gifts were put inside, it was dripping with luxury that you nearly pinched yourself because it was almost too good to be true. Your new bed was even bigger than before, it was bigger than if you took your old bed and Zorroku’s bed and put them together. And it had two super soft mattresses and piled so high with furs and blankets you would never get cold and the sheets were pure silk and heavenly soft. It was a bed fit for a king and the walls were three layers thick. The outer shell which was actually quite simple and acted as a waterproof layer for the outer walls and the roof and just plain bright blue, a super thick middle layer that was thick wool sewn to leather for when winter would set in and the third, a thin inner layer that was a cotton and silk blend and breathed like nobody’s business. And that layer was painstakingly hand painted and embroidered, each panel a different design. 

You could spend years appreciating each and every single one and giant and rather thick tapestries, also decorated like the inner layer, but with gold and silver thread, which were on a special inner frame on the inside of the tent provided ‘walls’ and a ceiling for the inside so that you could have private rooms and public rooms and hallways as big or as small as you wanted and could be changed easily to suit your mood and the weather, to keep air flowing and moving and comfortable. With thinner partitions that had metal plates in them so that you could knock on them like doors. 

On the inner frame it was also strong enough to support a second story and even a third story within the tent. It was like this tent was it’s own mansion, practically it’s own palace, but greater than anything you had ever known or encountered before, even in Avlar. The more you explored it and were in it the more you loved and adored it and the more you could see yourself living here in this tent with Zorroku and your family, for the rest of your life.   

But it felt like the moment you got settled, Zorroku, his brothers, his father and his clansman as well as others from Avlar and the other seven cities and White Rock- were going to leave again, they were going to go to The Berserker Clan, The Infamous Hand Clan and The Nightmare Mammoth Clan to rescue their slaves and finish off the clans for good and annex their lands as The Great Thunder Herd Clan’s lands - which had been agreed upon at your wedding feast after you had defeated them. 

Thankfully some outstanding armor was gifted you in your treasure pile that fit Zorroku remarkably well while his clansman and brothers had cousins had quickly and easily plundered from the armor and weapons the triplets and their clansmen that your magic had left untouched but you still worried for him. 

The night before he had to leave- you clung to him desperately as the two of you laid in bed, even though you knew he would return, you still feared for him and you prayed and wished that your blessings could transfer to him, you wished and prayed with all your might. 

And by a miracle, it worked. You felt the magic transfer from you- to him as did he. As if he got all the ones you had locked up, while the others who were always out and with you- stayed with you. 

“What was that?” Zorroku asked as he peered down at you curiously as you suddenly could see the dragon blessing settle into Zorroku through his eyes as it winked at you with a smile as you were never so happy to see it- in his eyes. 

“A prayer getting answered.” You cried happily as you kissed him deeply as you pulled him to lay over you to make love to you one last time before finally falling asleep. 

At daylight, he and his clansmen and all the others left. You were nearly beside yourself the whole time he was gone. You and your kids cooked up a storm and Yotul and your sisters and sisters in law were only too happy to help you eat it. All of you using food to comfort your stress and worry. And did your best to stay busy, if only to keep you distracted. And now your big bed felt so empty without Zorroku in it. 

You had packed him some special snacks, including dried and preserved peaches and the jerky that had been made from your bucks that you had killed that first day, since you had helped flavor and preserve that too, using techniques and flavors you had invented yourself. 

One of your new favorite past times was to rearrange your palace until it was perfect. Your new servants from the triplet clans were amused yet understanding and did their best to help you in everything, no matter how many inches you needed the furniture moved over, often sneaking calming and soothing incense into all the burners without you telling them to do so. 

They gave you soothing and calming teas too and even massaged you to sleep to help ease your own anxiety and worry because you were the best mistress they had ever had so far. You made sure they ate very well, were dressed really well, were treated unbelievably well and were never at the mercy of anyone but you as your children too- treated them the same. And even then you were very kind to them and even allowed to have families of their own and that they had a whole section of nice tents connected to yours so that they were always close by to serve your every need. As Bully was never so relieved to have Cleo close by to protect him from any other advances either. They even helped you ride the griffins to pass the time, often letting you ride as high as you could but it was never high enough to see Zorroku and his army. 

A week later, Zorroku and his brothers and father and clansmen returned with over thirty thousand slaves and workman and all that had belonged to the three clans. Which then had to be divided by all the clans and the seven cities. 

All the slaves wanted to meet you personally and thank you for ending their suffering at the hands of their former masters and revered you - almost as a goddess. which was a little unsettling for you, but you did your best to help them get settled and taken care and dispersed between all the clans and the seven cities, using your own “spoils” from your battle in the arena to help fund them so that they would not stay in slavery making a fresh new start in Avlar and the seven cities, or with you in Thunder Herd or any of the other clans so that you didn’t quite have so much overwhelming wealth, and would help them all become a new peoples. 

But that was only after you welcomed home your husband properly.  Nearly spending a whole day just in the bedroom chamber of your tent and had each other so many times your sex was getting a little raw and over stimulated in between nursing Ori and feeding each other from the food that was brought to your room. Zorroku stuffed you so full of his cum that you really did look a little pregnant because Zorroku had been saving it just for you. 

The blessings you had shared with him had saved his life a few times and he in turn got to save his brother’s lives and his father’s life even. The triplet warchief’s sons however, most of them under the age of 5, came to live at your clan and you worked with them and welcomed them just as warmly as their mothers and soon you were known as Auntie to a couple hundred kids and you started a school so that all of them would get educated and would get trained to be great warriors for the clan some day. 

Zorroku’s brothers, mainly Silag and Winug, Yalak and Grushnug and Murnag- taking all the concubines they wanted from the former concubines of the triplet Clan Chiefs, and now had dozens of sons each. 

And while thousands of women seemed to approach Zorroku so that he could take them in turn - but he very politely refused them all, insisting he would only ever have you. Which pleased you greatly and filled you with so much relief. 

You protected each other by gently refusing their personal service to you and Zorroku. Thankfully the servants you had gained at your wedding understood that you were guarding your own heart and Zorroku’s heart and fidelity and they helped tremendously in weeding out servants who would want to elevate themselves by bedding either yourself or Zorroku or Bully or even little Fabu. You were so proud of your brothers Dastan and Ryzen for not taking any concubines because Glasha and Marn deserved all of their love and devotion too. 

The kitchen tent then doubled in size simply because you had groups of 25 at a time, new groups every day for a few weeks, trying to learn how you cooked and what you liked and what the whole family liked and you made sure they respected and obeyed Yotul and her daughters and daughters in law- just as much as they did you. Because she was the current Clan Chieftess. 

And with so many servants and slaves, all who were doing their best to anticipate your every need, want and desire, you grew a little frustrated because they were waiting on you hand and foot which your sisters and sisters in law and mother and mother in law and everyone else quickly got used to. But you had worked all your life and so you didn’t take to it as easily as they did. Which to Zorroku was amusing but also a good sign. 

But now that all the work you usually did was now being done by others it did let you embark on a quest of your own. You wanted to create a book similar to Khagra’s. You wanted a book on every clan and a complete history of orc-dom since the convergence. 

You started with The Great Thunder Herd Clan and made sure you noted both the paternal and the maternal lines because you wanted to guard against cousins unwittingly marrying each other like you discovered when you met all the clans at your feast. 

And to no one’s surprise, by the end of the month, you didn’t have your moon blood and when Mama Arob tested you for pregnancy and it came back positive- everyone was overjoyed, especially when Marn and Glasha also tested and proved positive. 

However Zorroku’s joy was tempered with caution and worry and you found yourself beyond pampered and waited on hand and foot even more- and your diet restricted yet expanded by full of new foods to nourish yourself and your unborn babe. Your parents visiting often, and pushing you to eat just as many vegetables as you were eating fruits, breads and meats. And you found you were eating almost constantly, your new servants making all kinds of treats for you and your body got even more curves. 

You felt like your ass doubled, even though it literally didn’t, it felt that way anyway and your hips got even wider and your boobs even bigger and you felt you looked further along than you really were. 

But Zorroku was practically insatiable and touching you constantly with either a hand on your lower back or around your shoulders or around your waist or on your belly when you were sitting down to all your meals as he and his father learned to trade with the other clans the way Khagra already had been which is something you and Shuzug helped them learn well and because of this the clan prospered better than it ever had been before. 

You knew Zorroku was nervous about your pregnancy, it being your first and he was terrified of his last experience repeating itself. He was treating you like glass and made sure everyone else treated you like glass too- to the point he didn’t want to have sex with you for fear it would hurt the baby and you had to drag him to Mama Arob who showed how your pregnancy was already beyond stable and that as long as he was gentle, you could have all the sex you wanted and from there, he wouldn’t leave your side. 

You even bathed together, Zorroku washing your body with extreme care and reverence before you actually got to have sex in the tub once you dismissed the bathing attendants which was a wonderful new experience for you and one you delighted in so much, your servants asked the blacksmiths to create a new bathing tub just for you and Zorroku to enjoy- which they did, also out of copper because of the purifying qualities copper had on water.

Four months later you found yourself in the Clan Chief family tub again though, this time with the women of the family, you and Glasha sitting side by side with Marn on the other side of her. Your pregnant bellies looking like you’ve swallowed little kettles already as your mother was on the other side of you fussing over Ori’s hair which had not only gotten thicker, like ridiculously thick, but so much longer and now naturally curly just like yours was and turning more red by the day until it was the same color your hair was. And absolutely darling. 

Your daughters and even little Cleo came nearly once a month for at least a week at a time. And your little sisters were dipping under the water in the middle and your sisters in law, Grat and Rek were in similar states, only their bellies were much bigger since they were a month ahead of you. You all relaxed in the hot water, welcoming the relief the water gave your bodies from the weight and strain of being pregnant as your servants braided your hair extravagantly as you and Glasha and Marn all had your hands on each other’s bellies to feel for movement and kicks as you wondered what you were pregnant with as you talked about dreams you had had, feeling that dreams often revealed what the baby was. You felt you were carrying a boy since your dreams revealed that to you while Glasha felt she was having a girl and Marn felt she was having a boy too. But Dastan and Ryzen both didn’t care if they were having either or, but they were nervous whether or not their girls would be having twins or not. 

In your eighth and ninth month of pregnancy you finally weaned Ori, since most orc babies got weaned at just after turning one- even though human babies usually got weaned at 2 and so you still felt guilty weaning her so “early” by your standards. But Mama Arob assured you that she had gotten enough milk to be perfectly fine and healthy for the rest of her life since she had already started to wean herself. 

Your last time nursing her, your milk changing again per your request of Mama Arob and it was back to the super rich first milk only it would set up her gut so that she could eat any food she wished and be fine, even onions and garlic. And to your relief, Ori took a great interest in solid food at about this time too, thanks to you and your mother especially making babied versions of it, cooking meat especially until it was practically melting in the mouth and barely needed chewing at all. 

However in the last month, it both looked and felt like your belly and Marn’s belly and Glasha’s belly all exploded in size, to the point you couldn’t get up out of bed and everything had to be brought to you as you were put into a birthing bed that had a hole cut in the middle of it so you could still use the bathroom when you needed to and it took both Zorroku and Shuzug to lift and carry you to the birthing bed set up in your tent. 

And then the births started to come. Rek and Grat giving birth only a day apart, both of them having boys, but a month later Marn was first and gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, both with bright red hair since your brother’s hair was closer to bright red rather than the dark auburn you and Lilly had, as she too was close to giving birth too back in Avlar. 

Glasha gave birth only four days later, also to set of boy/girl twins. But it took another few days after that until you went into labor, before you were moved to the birthing tub to help your body with this birth of your twins. 

Zorroku refused to leave your side and held your hand through all of it when he wasn’t massaging your back, especially your lower back. He was more nervous and anxious than you were and you were the one assuring him and reassuring him that everything was going to be ok. Which the midwives thought was adorable if not amusing. You had Mama Borba and Mama Gak both helping you too, Mama Gak especially reassuring Zorroku how great you were doing and had Zorroku come and get between your legs when the baby crowned and he got to see for himself that while all women usually bled during the birthing process, it was a tiny fraction of the blood his first wife bled which helped his own worries. And Zorroku then got to help birth his first and then his second son since you, by surprise, had been carrying twins too! You had thought you had been carrying a giant baby, but instead you were carrying two normal sized orc baby boys who were still a very hefty ten pounds each. You knew without Mama Arob’s blessings, it would have been very hard for you. 

“Oh my gods! Bella! You were carrying two!” Zorroku exclaimed happily as he started crying tears of joy and gratefulness and relief as the midwives started to clean the babies up. 

Once the umbilicals stopped pulsing, he cut the umbilical cords before you passed both sets of afterbirth, showing each baby had their own placenta inside you so that they could not get tangled around each other.

Once you had finished, He helped you out of the birthing tub and return to the birthing bed, to recover. 

You gladly took both boys as pillows were brought in so that both boys were at your sides and under your arms and propped up so that they could drink their first milk, their big bright blue eyes looking at you in wonder as you cooed to them, them recognizing your voice from all the cooing and singing you had done during your pregnancy as their orange red hair was a beautiful contrast. 

“So which one do we name Zunli?” Zorrku asked as he came and reclined in the bed- next to you, looking down and marveling at his sons, after he had gotten Ori from your mom and brought her and your other children in to see their new brothers, noting how they had red hair like you but the same dark blue skin he did and they were so cute. The most handsome half orc baby boys anyone had ever seen before. 

“Li?” Ori repeated as she pointed the one closest to her and Zorroku and yourself gave each other a questioning glance and shrugged and nodded. 

“That’s right, that’s your brother Zunli.” You cooed to Ori. 

“What do we name him?” Zorroku asked you as he nodded over to the other one. 

“Well Urzu was the runner up name, I would think since he was the second born...” You recalled. 

“Urzu it is.” Zorroku nodded in agreement and you grinned because you preferred that name anyway so you and Zorroku were both getting your way. 

“So that’s Zunli and that’s Urzu.” Zorroku repeated to Ori as he pointed to each one.  

“Zu?” Ori repeated. 

“Yup, Li and Zu.” Zorroku nodded in agreement and she smiled really big, showing off her little teeth that had come in just as you were weaning her the month before as all the kids came over to see the kids. As even Cleo helped heal you herself before she settled into the bed, under Bully’s arm as you had watched as their own mini romance had seemed to bloom bigger and brighter throughout all of this. 

“Here, let Mom sleep.” Zorroku urged the kids as he watched as your own eyes fought to stay open. 

“Ok, come on, Ori, you’re coming with me. Let Mommy sleep with the boys ok?” Cleo urged before Ori crawled over into Cleo’s arms as Ori was once again a little “chaperone” for her and Bully. 

“I’m so happy and I’m so tired.” You confessed as you pet your son’s heads and cried tears of happiness to finally have them in your arms, safe and sound while your body recovered. 

“You did a lot of work today. I’m just so happy you and them are safe and sound and alive and well.” Zorroku admitted as he laid on the other side of Zunli and wrapped his arm around you while his hand reached out to stroke the skin of his other son as they feasted on your breast milk. 

“Thank you- for giving me everything I’ve ever wanted. Respect, dignity, tender loving care and nurturing and all the unconditional love in your heart. And thank you for giving me the family I’ve always wanted too, and loving all of us, as unreservedly as you do.” You thanked him. 

“And thank you for giving me the same. I finally feel like- the holes in my heart, have finally been filled. And I finally get the happiness and family I’ve always wanted too. Only you and your extra large heart of love could have given this to me. A gift with no equal.” He cooed back before he kissed you sweetly before the boys popped off and began to fall asleep before you moved them both to Zorroku’s chest so that they could sleep on your chest and Zorroku’s as the four of you cuddled into bed to sleep.

[unreliabledragon]

I've been thinking about this some more, and I've got a half-formed thought that I want to do my best to articulate, though it might have more to do with me pondering "Why is India tricky in this context?" than it does with the original question.

Basically, I think that a lot of times unification happens when cultures stop seeing one another as different, and start seeing one another as similar. And I also think that a lot of the ways that a nation defines themselves is by what they're not, as much as what they are. There's a great example of this in Montreal, where there are a pair of statues across the square from one another, a French woman in front of the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal, and the British man in front of the Bank of England, each with their backs deliberately turned to the other. The statues were designed to illustrate almost this exact point, that even in a place like Quebec that has both British and French heritage, those heritages define themselves at least partially by the things they reject.

And, crucially, I think that a culture's sense of what they're not depends on the foreign cultures they are aware of. In cases like India and Europe, both of them were full of nations who really only had solid cultural consciousness about their neighbors, and who thus defined themselves by their differences from their neighbors. The French weren't anything like those Germans — they don't have a Republic and aren't Catholic! And, while my knowledge of Indian states is less solid (partially due to a frankly disheartening lack of good Indian history most places, but I digress) I believe that differences such as Tamil vs Hindi speakers led to similar cultural lines being drawn there.

But once we get to the 19th and 20th centuries, suddenly people have cultural consciousness about more and more of the globe. When the French look out at the world now, they don't just see the Germans, they also see the Indonesians, Iranians, Ethiopians, etc. And so to answer they question "What makes France French?", they no longer need to define themselves by their differences with the their immediate neighbors, but can do so in terms of the wider globe. Ditto for India, the Hindi vs Tamil divide appears to have felt a lot smaller for Indians once the British showed up and forcibly taught them what a truly foreign culture looked like.

Other proposed or potential unifications also seem to mostly bear this out: Moldova is purportedly considering (re-)unification with Romania, as the more they look at the potential of dealing with an aggressive Russia, the more they realize how similar they and the Romanians are. Gran Colombia, though short-lived, also was an example of this in that while the constituent peoples were defining themselves by their opposition to the European colonial powers, they were at least open to unification, but once it became clear that those powers were gone and not coming back, they began to look more locally and define themselves in opposition to one another.

All of that to say, I think the act of unification is, in a sense, drawing a line around the rest of the world, and declaring that there is a you and a them, and this can either be accomplished by an enhanced sense of you, or an enhanced sense of them. Most unifications that I know of focus more on the them side of things, and in so doing often redefine their ethnic and cultural differences into similarities.

have there been any national unifications not based on ethnic or cultural lines? just states joining bc it would be beneficial

[iturbide]

Sorry I wasn't trying to come off as sarcastic and more just curious as to how you felt towards the other FE games like SoV and Mystery of the Emblem where their endings have the unification of the continents.

As for why Houses is written like that, I think it comes down to the writers having to write under the assumption the player never recruits anybody from different houses since recruiting characters is, at the end of the day, optional. Kind of like how Awakening has the children unit but outside of Lucina none of them play a major role in the story because they are all optional despite the fact they shouldn't be.

So let's say you go through Azure Moon and recruit nobody during the Academy Phase. Lorenz dies during the battle at Myrddin Bridge, Lysithea dies during the battle at Gronder, Marianne is MIA, and, depending on how you play the Derdriu chapter, both Judith and Hilda can end up dead and with Claude leaving that leaves no one on the Round Table. Even in the best case scenario, Hilda and House Goneril would be the only Round Table members left.

Same thing for the Empire side. Sure if Ferdinand and the other Eagles are alive then them going back to the Empire and Ferdinand becoming the new Prime Minster and work to restore the Empire after the war but if we assume the game is written under the assumption that you recruit nobody, all the Eagles die, leaving the Empire without any sort of leadership.

Basically, the unification of Fodlan during all the route endings is less of a "The continent is unified because *insert side here* won the war" and more "The continent is unified because the 5 year war has all but destroyed the leadership of the Alliance/Empire/Kingdom." Is it dumb? Yes. The writers should have written a different ending depending on the recruitments you make. But it's also understandable why they're forced to write the story for the routes the way they did because of how the recruitments are not mandatory.

But that's not true. You're assuming that all the people heading up these nations died -- but it's the parents who are actually in the seats of power during the war. Marianne's not at the Round Table (since her endcards specifically state that she was tutored for the position after the war), nor is Lysithea (who was planning on bowing out anyway), nor is Lorenz (who hadn't yet inherited the title). Count Gloucester is frankly primed to take up leadership of the Round Table when Claude bows out, because we know for a fact that he's alive based on Lorenz insisting he can get through to his father if you recruit him. Sure, the loss of their heirs is undeniably tragic, but we also know that inheritance doesn't have to be based solely on blood: both Marianne and Mercedes on the Kingdom side were adopted into their respective families despite loose or absent blood connections in order to elevate their status. Noble families could very easily look into adoption to continue holding their position of leadership, if they decided to keep to the Crest requirement at all (and since Judith was part of the Round Table for quite awhile despite not having a Crest before ceding her place to Margrave Edmund, it's clearly not a requirement at least in Leicester).

For the Empire in particular, there's just a power vacuum -- and more than enough noble families to fill it. For one thing, Caspar isn't even set to inherit because his brother has a Crest, so the Bergliez family isn't even out of power regardless of what happens to him -- and we know his dad is still active because he's the one Edelgard charges in CF with overseeing matters in the newly conquered Alliance. Plus, you also have at least one powerful noble family who doesn't personally have kids at Garreg Mach -- House Gerth, which was named as one of the key players in the Insurrection of the Seven. That's not even getting into the named territories on the Fodlan map where you very likely have more noble families who just didn't get attention and screentime. The Empire isn't just going to fall apart without Edelgard and the Black Eagles heirs -- it has more than enough nobles to fill in for any families taken out of the running. They just need a new overall leader, or to change the rules so that they're operating openly on the post-Insurrection structure rather than needing the figurehead of the Emperor.

So no, I don't think it's the writers assuming no recruitment. I think it's the writers incorrectly believing that the best ending is one where everything is unified, when that's just blatantly untrue.

[silvials]

Treat It Tenderly

In which Laurent asks Nikandros for Damen's hand in marriage.

During the first year anniversary of the alliance between Akielos and Vere, Laurent was suddenly struck with the heart-stopping realization that he wanted to ask Damen to marry him.

They had never formally spoken about marriage before because it wasn’t at the forefront of their priorities. The first few months of their reign were dedicated to appeasing the warring factions in their respective kingdoms, and the following months were spent rewriting laws, proposing new treaties, arguing with the Council and the Kyroi, and doing whatever they could to make the alliance easier to digest for the public. Marriage had always been implied by the alliance, but now they were close to reaching the final steps of unification, some were starting to argue that marriage was unnecessary.

An empire needed heirs after all, and Laurent couldn’t count the number of times when he and Damen were subtly urged to remain as allies and take wives. Rumors speculating about the nature of their relationship also increased in frequency and unpleasantness, and on top of all that, they also started receiving more unwanted advances from people who believed their relationship was loveless.

Laurent had never been the type to care how others perceived him, but lately he had grown tired of having to constantly defend his relationship with Damen. He wanted the world to know that he and Damen belonged to each other, and if the golden cuffs on their wrists didn’t make it clear enough, then he was more than willing to take the next step. All he had to do was ask Damen.

It suddenly seemed like a daunting task, especially since he wanted to do it properly. Akielos and Vere did not differ much in terms of marriage customs, which meant that he had to ask for the permission of Damen’s family members. Since Damen no longer had parents or a brother, the closet person he had to a family was Nikandros.

This was going to be an interesting day.

/

Nikandros couldn’t remember the last time he had been this stressed.

Since he was one of the earliest supporters of the alliance and also the former Kyros of Delpha, the task of organizing the anniversary banquet fell to him. It would have been an honor, if there weren’t things going wrong every damn minute, so he was more than a little annoyed when Laurent summoned him halfway through the preparations.

“You asked for me, Your Majesty?” Nikandros said as he entered the royal solar and was met with a peculiar sight. Laurent was the only person in the room, but he wasn’t seated at his desk like usual. Instead, he was curled up on one of the reclining couches in front of the fire, with a small table next to him that housed two glasses of wine. This was the most comfortable that Nikandros had ever seen him. It made him wonder if he was hallucinating.

“Yes, I wanted to ask you something,” Laurent answered and gestured towards the empty seat in front of him. Nikandros couldn’t understand what kind of question would require him to take a seat, but he grudgingly sat down opposite of Laurent anyway.

Laurent handed him a glass of wine, and he downed it without a second thought. If he was going to have some kind of heart-to-heart talk with Laurent, he might as well be drunk.

“I have been thinking about the alliance lately,” Laurent began. He looked uncharacteristically nervous, which made Nikandros lean forward in his seat. “It’s going a lot better than I had expected, and it looks like we might be able to achieve unification soon. Perhaps it might also be time for us to take the next step in cementing the alliance.”

Laurent trailed off all of a sudden, and Nikandros nodded absently as he waited for him to continue.

“I intend to marry Damen,” Laurent said, watching carefully for his reaction.

Nikandros nodded again. It didn’t exactly come as a shock since he knew it was going to happen sooner or later. He was just surprised that it took them this long. “That would be the best move right now,” he said. “It will eliminate most of doubts about the alliance and stop other royal families from offering you any more marriage proposals.”

“I know, but do you…approve?”

Nikandros raised a brow at him. “Do you need my approval?”

Laurent stared blankly at him for a moment, as if it physically pained him to say the next words. “In Akielos, isn’t it also a custom to ask your intended spouse’s family for their hand in marriage? You are the only family Damen has left, so I’m asking you now if you approve.”

Oh. Oh. Now this was a surprise. If he had been asked this question exactly a year ago, he would have definitely said no. He had hated Laurent the moment he saw the scars on Damen’s back, but then he had seen Laurent lay down his own life for Damen, had seen him stubbornly stay by Damen’s bedside as he recovered from his wound, had seen the way he looked at Damen when he thought no one was watching. He had also seen Laurent mourn for his brother. He would never tell this to anyone, but there had been a time when he was unable to sleep during his visit to Arles, so he wandered the halls in the early hours of dawn and found Laurent crying in front of Auguste’s statue. He understood then how painful and genuine Laurent’s love for Damen must be.

Nikandros could never imagine denying Laurent of his approval. As much as he hated to admit it, he had grown rather fond of him despite how prickly he was, but a part of him was tempted to say no just to get a rise out of him.

Except Laurent was starting to look more nervous at every passing minute, so Nikandros relented and gave him a straight answer. “Of course I approve.”

“Do you approve because of my excellent character or because I am your king?”

“Both,” Nikandros told him. “Although the first one is highly debatable.” He wouldn’t normally speak so freely with Laurent, but the combination of stress and inebriation tended to loosen a person’s tongue.

Laurent didn’t show any outward reaction, but Nikandros could tell he was slightly more relaxed than before. “Is it so difficult to admit that I’m a delight?” Laurent asked, and then after a moment of silence, he added. “Do you think he’ll say yes?”

Nikandros felt his own eyebrows nearly climb up to his hairline. This day was indeed full of surprises. “Definitely,” he said. “Do you have particular reasons for your doubts?”

“No, it’s just…” Laurent absently traced the golden cuff on his wrist. “It’s been quite a while since the alliance was finalized, and Damen hasn’t mentioned anything about marriage yet.”

“Damen has never been one to plan things ahead,” Nikandros assured him. “He probably expects to marry you eventually but forgot that he never asked in the first place. Besides, he’s so utterly smitten with you, it’s actually disgusting.”

Not even the low light could hide the blush that crept across Laurent’s face. “Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the matter, Kyros” he said and stubbornly refused to meet Nikandros’ eyes. “You may go now.”

Nikandros resisted the urge to snicker on his way out the door.

/

Nikandros wasn’t expecting some kind of grand announcement at the banquet since both Damen and Laurent were intensely private about the matters of their relationship. He still kept an eye on them throughout the night, and as the banquet reached its peak and all the dignitaries were properly drunk, he saw Laurent lead Damen out to the gardens.

It took a while for them to return, but when they entered the room again, Damen was grinning like the besotted fool, and even Laurent was smiling openly in public for the first time. Their hands were linked in a rare display of affection, although it wasn’t so rare in Nikandros’ case because being the king’s advisor also meant that he was the unfortunate witness of one too many intimate moments. Damen didn’t seem to notice anyone around him, too caught up in his own happiness, but Laurent met Nikandros’ eyes across the room and offered him a smile in thanks.

Nikandros tipped his goblet in their direction and waited for them to disappear around the corner before taking a long draught. He always knew Damen would marry a blond.

[mmmleckerlecker]

I was reading the questions you've answered, and I'm curious now: you said that the co-existence between preds and prey is very recently. So I was thinking the HP world from years ago, when pred could snatch up whoever prey they wanted... How was the society in that time? How did they live? (Headcanon: prey lived underground?) Did the preds have no qualms in consuming whoever they could find? (prey children/teens or the elderly, for example?)... The harmony was founded by a prey or pred? (1/2)

What was the reason for the preds to make the jump from consuming indiscriminately to the public/private contracted prey? (another headcanon: preykind severely disminishing in numbers?) I find your worldbuilding so enchanting, I'm sorry for the avalanche of questions. You're awesome! (2/2)

AHHHH YES!!! THE QUESTION I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!!! No need to apologize!!! I have considered making a post about stuff like this for awhile now but I’m always like “do people REALLY wanna hear all that?” But now i have the perfect excuse. Thank you, anon! You’re awesome too!! (WARNING this kinda turned into a chapter length read. So I hope y’all like to read history about fictional worlds.)

Okay so. This is all stuff I’ve sorta kept in my head and have built upon when I’ve had ideas, so sorry if there are some gaps currently haha.

So I imagine preds and prey started trying to “make peace” about five centuries ago but didn’t start living in true “harmony” until about two hundred years ago. And I use the term “harmony” loosely because clearly there’s still a lot of infighting happening. Before that, the preds and prey lived in two entirely separate cultures. The prey lived in larger, more stationary groups while the preds lived in much smaller, more nomadic groups. They also DEFINITELY didn’t speak the same language.

So for preds, the groups they would live in were more like traveling pods that consisted of maybe 1-3 families living/working together. Having groups of preds getting too large was… not sustainable. It would create too much competition for food. So each group would usually give other groups of preds a wide berth. Granted there were definitely still spats for territory, especially if said territory had a good supply of prey available.

Prey, much like in modern times, were never really the preds’ main food source, however. Preds would still hunt and gather like normal. It would usually take some organizing to get a raid together on a prey village (or a pred could just get lucky and stumble across one that wandered off alone). Consuming prey all the time was just too much effort. They weren’t a practical food source nor a completely sustainable one if they were over-predated. Also! Keep in mind, the more a pred consumes, the more their body acclimates to handling such a large meal. It would be better for the preds to consume every once in awhile and have their prey take longer to digest (hence, keeping them fueled longer) than to consume ALL THE TIME and risk addiction. I think consuming would probably become more regular in the cold months too, when it was harder for preds to find other food sources.

As for WHO the preds would consume? Definitely adults would make for the best meals. Children? Well, I imagine prey would be very protective of their children, first of all, making them difficult to obtain. But also they would just make… not as filling meals? Also prey children are mostly the same size as pred children so there might be that little hesitation there on the pred’s end as they’re reminded of their own kind. I guess if the pred is desperate? There’s always gonna be a time and place for special circumstances. As for the elderly… I imagine they also live in places that are harder for preds to get to. I also think if a prey managed to live that long, they would have a trick or two up their sleeve. But like I said, there’s always a possibility for things to happen.

Now for how prey live…. Like I said, they live in larger groups. There is safety in numbers, after all. These groups were basically villages, sometimes even cities where prey could really know their territory and set up defenses against any invading preds. (An underground dwelling is really cool idea tho! I also believe that prey evolved to be able to fold themselves up and be comfortable/feel safe in tight spaces that preds could never reach them in, so prey living in like a cave system might actually work really well!) Like it’s been stated in the story, prey tend to have a lot more children than preds for “just in case.” This could cause their towns to become rather large and populous sometimes.

Prey, also unlike preds, usually tried to keep in contact with neighboring towns/villages/cities. This was one of the key factors for what made it possible for the shift to both sides living in harmony to happen. Since the prey lived in settlements and kept in contact with other prey settlements, it allowed for a certain development of culture as well as the sharing and recording of knowledge that preds… just didn’t have. Prey were able to develop things like farming and running water. They could study math and science and share their knowledge in libraries and schools. They were really on their way to becoming an advanced society, they just had one big (both figurative and literal) problem holding them back. They constantly had preds attacking and killing off their people.

Despite their efforts to fight them off, the prey just weren’t winning. So they decided, if a war against preds wasn’t going to get them anywhere, then why not make peace? The first step for this was the prey learning the preds’ language. This was… dangerous, of course. But it was done enough that the prey were able to open conversation with preds. Just this move alone caused a huge shift between both sides. What are you supposed to do when your food, which for centuries has only babbled nonsense at you before you swallowed it down, suddenly starts speaking to you like an equal? It certainly gave preds pause, but not enough to stop consuming. Not that the prey didn’t expect this. They approached the preds with more than just a common language. Their first big move was offering them food. And not just any food, but GOOD FOOD. Cooked food, decadent food, spiced foods, foods that preds didn’t have the resources (nor the patience) to prepare.

Sharing food took… probably a little more effort than one might expect. Prey and preds view food fundamentally different. To prey, it’s sustenance but also something to enjoy and connect with. To preds, it’s simply something to stop hunger. There was a sort of learning curve for preds to actually learn to ENJOY food for its flavor, but once they got it… OH BOY!!! A door was opened! Because despite LIKING prey food, the preds weren’t always so good at preparing it, so it gave the prey something they could exchange for safety. (This is also something that persists into modern times. Preds are still often stereotyped as not having very refined palates and not being very good at preparing food. This is referenced a little in Heart Pangs itself as well as the one-shot I posted last week!) Once the food trade became established, it opened up relations enough to exchange other things!

The prey shared would they could with the preds in exchange for their own survival. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. Sometimes it SEEMED to work but then the preds turned on them and things went downhill very quickly. But the prey had the advantage of sheer numbers and determination on their side (that and if they didn’t keep pushing they would literally be eaten alive). It took generations of negotiations, but the preds and prey eventually came to a sort of truce, though consuming never stopped entirely.

The preds weren’t stupid, they saw the prey had a lot of good stuff to offer them. At first they took what they needed and went their separate ways, but as they gained more trust from the prey, the preds encroached more and more into their territories until both sides were more or less neighbors. There were some advantages to this. If both sides cooperated enough, they were able to make further advances as civilized societies. But there were also disadvantages… like the fact that the preds were always bigger and the prey were always making sure not to anger them so it became very easy for the preds to take whatever they wanted and leave the prey with less than they deserved.

The prey even began to lose their own language as most of the preds couldn’t be bothered to learn the prey’s language (although a lot of prey terms for food and science stuck around). The preds stopped being the enemy who lived outside the prey’s walls and suddenly became the bully who lived next door. Yes, technically the prey were a little safer than before, but the advantages they once held over the preds were slipping away as the preds claimed more and more of what the prey had until the preds were able to start developing their OWN advantages.

For a long time, the preds and prey operated as two different societies that lived in one space, meaning each group had their own leaders and their own laws. But as things began getting more and more strained between each side (as they tend to do when two natural enemies live side-by-side), the prey (once more) tried to make peace. They made the bold move of reaching out to the pred leaders in an attempt to work together and function as a singular society (although both sides more or less continued to live as two societies, just under the rule of one government). The preds were surprisingly open to this change, which was a relief to the prey… at first. But then it became clear that this was mostly just a power grab for the preds to acquire more status and wealth and power amongst the prey.

Besides the fact that a lot of prey were falling into poverty because of this, the most glaring issue was that the “unification” had made it even easier for a lot of preds to break the peace and consume prey with barely any consequences. This caused a lot of prey to flee and seek out safer, more remote places to live. Eventually it got to the point where the prey leaders threatened to break away from pred society completely. The preds didn’t like this, though, as they’d gotten very used to having prey within easy reach. They also knew that losing half the people in their society would cause a lot of problems in terms of keeping everything running smoothly. However, the preds very much did not want to give up consuming entirely. It was in their nature after all, they argued.

So after A LOT of negotiations, both sides came to a compromise. The preds would actually start enforcing consuming as something illegal UNLESS the prey being consumed had agreed to it beforehand. Obviously the prey leaders couldn’t see any prey ever AGREEING to being consumed, so they settled on the compromise thinking that was the end of it. This was the true beginning of the “harmony” between preds and prey, but of course, the preds always have something up their sleeves.

Rich preds began offering up money and food and shelter to all those desperate prey in poverty. Those prey could get everything they could ever want for, the only payment was their lives ending in said pred’s gut (after a specified amount of time). These ventures started slow, but once they started to catch on, BOY DID THEY CATCH ON. The desperate prey began hearing about certain preds who were practically giving away wealth, all it took was a signature written in (figurative) blood. Meanwhile preds began hearing about other preds who had found a loophole in the consuming law and wanted in on the action. Like any good entrepreneur, the preds turned their contracts into a business and started selling them to other preds.

The prey leaders, of course, despised this, but what could they do? It all aligned with the compromise they had made. The only thing they could do was stand by and help come up with regulations for this new practice. So they did. Over the decades, the contracting businesses grew to what they are today (large corporate monsters… although the smaller, more private contracts still exist) as well as became the core to keeping the peace. Even the government itself offers contracting services now.

Society has shifted considerably in the years since harmony was reached. The two sides have mostly learned to live with each other. Prey have fought viciously to be treated as equals while a lot of preds go their whole lives without consuming (particularly fatally) even once. And, as you know, the development of neutralizers allowed preds to experience consuming without having to hurt anyone. A lot of progress has been made, but a lot of progress still needs to happen.

And I think that pretty much catches us up to the setting of Heart Pangs (whew)! I keep thinking it would be really cool to write a story that takes places in an earlier time period to further explore how different the relations between preds and prey would be, but I have yet to come up with a plot haha. Maybe someday. I’m sure an idea will come to me at a proper time. Anydays, thank you for your interest! It was really nice to be able to (finally) type all this up somewhere!!

[jjk-biased]

yoongi x reader

requested by @ughtear​ ( Hi! I was just able to see your post and I was wondering if I could request prompt 3+1 (three times he proposes and the one time you say yes) with Yoongi? The idea of it makes me so soft! Also, I’m new at requesting so I don’t know what format is 🥺)

genre: fluff

words: 1.8k of cute stuff!!

synopsis: 3+1 (Three times Yoongi proposes and the one time you say yes)

masterlist | events masterlist

Kindergarten was such a hassle for young Yoongi. Coloring within the lines and connecting the dots were too exhausting and all he wanted was for nap time to come. He should be at home sleeping with his blanket in hand. Hatred for school aside, Yoongi wasn’t very social. He was a shy boy who would rather listen to some tunes even if he didn’t understand the lyrics that well. 

Well, he couldn’t exactly hate school.

There was this girl who always approached him, someone he could say was his friend. During recess, when the noisy kids stumble their way towards the outside, he could be seen sluggishly lagging behind as he talks (well, listens) to this girl in messy pigtails and pink overalls share her entire life story. 

Y/N Y/L/N.

You were a very cheerful kid who, despite the very young age, could easily detect and adapt to people’s attitudes. Unlike the ever-bratty Sohee who cried because Yoongi wasn’t giving her the compliments she wanted about her new Sailor Moon bag from mommy or the annoying Taka who demanded he play heroes with Yoongi, you knew your limits.

Whatever that meant to two toddlers. 

Yoongi liked you the most. You were a fun person to be with. You would let him nap when he wanted to and you always gave him the dog stickers from the prizes you get for being a good kid. You would give him some of your snacks (except for the juice boxes, he knew you loved those so much) and would wait for him when recess starts.

So one day, little Yoongi asked his parents what it meant to like a friend so much and what he should do about it (well of course, he messily relayed his story because he would get off track and tell them about the dog he saw). His dad wanted to poke fun and tell him something he didn’t understand anyway.

“What’s marriage?”

“Well, Yoongi, it’s when you like your friend so much that you want to be friends with them for life!” His dad replied, earning a smack on the head from his mother because that was wrong on many levels. 

“I’m gonna marriage n/n!!” Little Yoongi cheered, or rather grinned but that was already the most he could express before going back to watching his favorite show. 

The next day, without his mother knowing, Yoongi’s father told him to give you flowers if he wanted to “marriage” you. Yoongi giggled as he pocketed the little rose that his dad handed over before skipping to school. 

He liked being friends with you so much that he wanted to “marriage” you. But he wasn’t expecting the news he’d received that day. 

You had to move to Seoul with your father after your parents separated, leaving little Yoongi in Daegu with a crumpled little rose. 

The next time he saw you was in high school. Obviously, you weren’t the messy pigtails and pink overalls n/n anymore but that was the latest memory of you that Yoongi could remember. To see you, nimbly looking at your fingers as the teacher introduced you to the class as the transferee -- it overwhelmed him. A good kind of overwhelming he supposed. 

But with Yoongi being Yoongi, he didn’t want to approach you first. For all he knew, you could’ve forgotten the little Yoongi who usually wore blue shirts and loved dogs. He wanted to approach you, he really does, but with his reputation as one of the quiet basketball players of Daegu High and the possibility of you being questioned by his so-called fans, he couldn’t.

To his surprise, you approached him the same way you did when you were little. With a “Is that you Yoon?” from you and a rare gummy smile from him, the two best friends were once again joined by the hip. 

“I can’t believe Min ‘I hate moving’ Yoongi is a basketball player,” You snorted, staying close to your only friend in your high school as he goes to the gym. 

“Well I can’t believe Y/L/N ‘I’m never taking my pigtails off’ Y/N isn’t wearing pigtails anymore,” Yoongi replied, chuckling a bit at your embarrassment. 

“Sh-Shut up!” 

Your friendship was easily built again, it was stronger even. You didn’t mind the occasional “You’re my love rival but Yoongi will be mine” declarations that you got once a week (surprisingly, more than half of the female population loved the quiet, basket-ball loving types. )

They should see Yoongi in a pet store, you snickered. 

“Hey! Why are you laughing at me?! You think you’re better than me!?” 

Ah right… You forgot… Sohee, you remembered her as the girl who seemed to like Yoongi in kindergarten, was also issuing a “love war” with you for your best friend’s heart. 

“Not really, darling. I just think you’re stupid… But you didn’t hear that from me,” You cackled just as Yoongi arrived to get your ass out of there. 

That morning aside, the school had finally opened their festival. Your class prepared a cafe-like service where everyone cosplayed (you had no say in it) and you were sadly and unwillingly put in a maid costume. Perhaps it was karma for calling Sohee stupid. Yoongi got lucky and was just put in a simple prince costume.

“I don’t think this is fair,” You sighed, tugging at your skirt so it could cover more skin. Yoongi grunted, somehow also unhappy that he had to dress up as some lame ass prince. 

“Stop whining, short-stack. At least your legs are covered. Now let’s go around to check the other booths,” You huffed, dragging a reluctant Yoongi around. 

Maybe you shouldn’t have done that. 

Class 3-A and 3-B somehow agreed to combine their booths. It would’ve been a harmonious unification had their booths been something other than the ones they had: A marriage and a jail booth. 

The little shits changed their rules and made it into something you thought was so funny. Some idiots from 3-B would “jail” and handcuff you to some poor victim that would also get caught and from there, you had two choices: pay 5,000 won to be set free or get married for only 500won. It was genius and you would’ve made a lot of moola because you’re also a little shit. But you were one of the victims. Fuck.

So here you were now, being dragged by Taka, another someone from your childhood, to 3-A’s marriage booth for your very unfortunate fate. 

“Why is she alone, you idiot? You gotta handcuff two people for it to work,” 3-A’s president chided upon noticing you were the only one handcuffed. Luckily, Yoongi trailed along (to laugh at you or use this as blackmail, you weren’t sure). He seemed so ticked off when Taka dragged you though. 

“Well,” Taka smirked as he raised his free arm, “it can always be me.”

Horrified at his very forward advances, you cringed and silently cried for Yoongi’s help. Before you could voice out your dislike, however, Yoongi had already pulled you from Taka’s hold. 

“Marry me, Y/N.”

Your face immediately turned into different shades of red. You were too speechless to even respond to him shoving Taka away and handcuffing himself to you. Some of the people who were in 3-A’s room gasped because even they couldn’t believe that this was happening. Yoongi was nervous, it was embarrassing after all, but it wasn’t obvious in any way. You were about to give him his answer but then...

“NO!!” 

Sohee crashed the wedding before it could even start and 3-A’s president let you guys go as an apology for the commotion. 

You couldn’t forget that day… especially when you almost answered yes. 

Perhaps it was inevitable. Your friends and their mothers seem to have already known what was ahead before you two got there. But eventually, you and Yoongi got together. You already knew he wanted to pursue a music career and were more than supportive when he decided to sign under a small company named BigHit.

While together, you two worked your best to pay your rent and debts. You two ran away from Daegu after none of your parents approved of your career choices, with him and his dream to be a producer and you and your dream of arts. It was hard having to leave your comfortable life in your little hometown but having Yoongi with you helped a lot.

A few years later, your boyfriend (now changed into the rapper and producer of the idol group BTS) found out that his company loosened its strict ban on dating and he was finally able to introduce you to his friends. (though they knew Yoongi had someone in his heart, they were never able to put a face to it)

Your favorite member (shh don’t tell anyone) had to be Hoseok. He can easily lift everyone’s spirits up and he displayed so much warmth when Yoongi introduced you to the guys.

There was a reason why Hoseok was so easy to hang out with. He was the first to know that Yoongi had someone in his life and would often come to him when he wanted to talk about you (there were times he was so excited about you that he wanted to tell everyone,,, thankfully he had hobi to talk to). So it was like Hoseok already knew you before he could meet you. Because of that, Hoseok was the middleman. The person who would be the voice of reason if you two fought. You also went to Hoseok about Yoongi, especially because you still weren’t allowed to tell the world that you were with Min “BTS’ Rapper and Producer” Yoongi. 

Hoseok was also the first one to know when Yoongi had plans of proposing. He was aware of your history and would always laugh whenever you’d describe a jealous high schooler Yoongi yanking you away from some random named Taka. 

It had to be one of the most painful things for Hoseok when he was told to keep quiet of the surprise. He was bubbling with excitement that day and was mirroring Yoongi’s eagerness to finally ask you the question you’ve been denied of answering since. 

After a simple dinner out, you both decided to walk in a quiet park (it was quite late so no one was around). Yoongi inhaled, unconsciously gripping your hand quite tightly, and looked for the velvet box with his other. 

You stopped at some point to gaze at the comforting contrast of the night with the city lights but you felt Yoongi halt in his tracks so you turned around. 

There he was, one knee on the ground as he grinned that gummy smile of his that you’ll never get tired seeing, with the question you’ve been wanting to answer for your whole life. 

“Will you marry me, Y/N?”

“Yes.”

It took Yoongi three times to propose to you, and he wouldn’t want it any other way. 

permanent taglist: @luvinseokjinnie @97faerie @amoreguk @bbyjoonies @borednia @tanumiki @taescake

[nahalism]

My Mercury is in Gemini and I know this results in a desire for a wide range of loosely related information, but I feel as though developing a stronger sense of cohesion between the things I take in will benefit me greatly. As a Gemini with a healthy relationship with knowledge/information, how do you incorporate all that you learn into your brand (read: being), and have you found that anything you've learned has been useless?

heyyyy sorry just getting to answering my asks, this is a really interesting question though. everything ive learned is just as much useless as it is important. ive found you can have all the knowledge in the world and still not be able to FEEL. this is perhaps the biggest misfortune & something i try hard to remind myself of when in the pursuit of knowledge. i also found that subconsciously i was using being intelligence as a shield to compensate for my feelings of self doubt, not belonging and unworthiness. it worked for me to an extent. but eventually i realised information is only useful when put to use. it is powerful and not to be hoarded for self aggrandisement or bolstering peoples perception of you etc etc.

in regard to the whole gemini deal, i think its best to follow the natural inclinations that rise from within you. gemini is a mutable sign, so unlike virgo (whose ruling planet is also mercury) which is more pragmatic and meticulous, it can present itself as a scattered, jack of all trades master of none, energy. however, this is what gives gemini its power. whilst it seems like what you are interested in lacks cohesion, its possible that the different pockets of information you are interested in unpacking are underpinned by a common theme. for example, i take interest in learning a lot of different things that are seemingly unrelated however they are all held together by my desire to understand the spiritual essence of life or at least the 'human condition'. whilst the information may seem scattered, there are links and i am the linking factor. i think this is why geminis are the communicators of the zodiac. not because they 'run their mouths' but because they are mutable enough to bring unification to things previously thought to be separate. 'solve e coagula'. hope this was helpful or at least answered your question? ur always welcome to dm me if you wanna talk <3

[stardatewiththedevil]

Fine, humans, fly your “starship”

I knew that having to start my stardate-order journey with Enterprise*, which I had never made it more than 20 minutes into before, would be a challenge. But my first foray into 22nd-century Starfleet is leaving me with more questions than answers.

To recap

Earth has a ship capable of Warp 5, but the Vulcans have told them they can’t use it yet. Our hero Jonathan Archer’s dad invented it, but died before he could see it put into use. The Enterprise NX-01 has been collecting dust for 50 years. But when a farmer shoots a stray Klingon, humans finally have the right excuse to ask their Space Daddies for a hall pass!!!!!

The humans of 22nd-century Earth, at least the high-ranking space boys we observe, are cavalier and impulsive, really into some cowboy shit. While it makes sense the Vulcans wouldn’t want Earthlings drunkenly stomping through the galaxy fresh off world unification, it’s pretty surprising that none of these fuckers went rogue and zoomed off into space. But instead they seem to mostly throw tantrums and then ultimately fall in line.

But this time, they throw the correct tantrum! The Vulcans want to kill the unconscious Klingon so he dies with honor, even though he has some kind of message to deliver to his people. They also want to delay a planned launch of the Enterprise over the incident. Archer has had enough and demands that not only are they NOT allowed to kill the Klingon, they have to let him, specifically him, return him to Kronos in the ship nobody has flown yet.

Daddy Vulcan says “ok, but come STRAIGHT home after dropping off the Klingon.” (Spoiler: They don’t!!!!!!)

Charming!

It is literally the first time launching this advanced Warp 5 ship and they’re doing it early, but nothing really goes wrong, hardware-wise, despite what appears to be a reckless lack of testing. Most of the adjustments they’re making are like, adjusting the TV and calibrating weapons arrays.

Everyone seems way too chill with this idea of going extremely fast out in the middle of space where no humans have gone yet. Except Hoshi Sato, Bless you, Hoshi, our queen of having normal feelings.

Up until this point, humans have only been hitting Warp 2, or eight times the speed of light. They’ve also been in contact with the Vulcans for almost a century. Some space travel is in service of colonization (e.g., settling on Mars). But the biggest, longest trips are on freighters, spending sometimes literally years on trade routes within 90 light years of Earth (more than 11 human years away!). As a Warp 5 ship sits docked in Earth’s orbit, children are born and raised on trade routes. (These kids are called “boomers”! I thought they just meant extremely old people or time travelers the first time they said it!)

Still, people are pretty used to being in space and visiting other planets, and have been for 50 years or so. But the Vulcans are maybe the only society present in this sector that have any mobility beyond that—so they’re holding everyone’s hand, handing out learner’s permits, basically doing a very gentle imperialism. This is a foreign policy I will from here on out call the Daddy Doctrine.

Also, the Big Bad this season appears to be... Zordon?

Meet the Spacepeople

Our captain this time around is Jonathan Archer, and everyone definitely knows who his daddy is. He invented the ship! When Starfleet finally launches said ship, some admiral praises the Starfleet nepotism that led to this grown child being in charge of an infinite number of first contacts, despite him losing his cool in front of the Space Daddies.

They’re going to have to talk to Klingons, so Archer taps Hoshi Sato, a genius human linguist and the only human to speak Klingon. She teaches other people to speak Klingon! But she has trouble translating some Klingon word salad almost immediately. Oh well! That said, Sato is one of two characters I can confidently say I like at this point. She has very normal human emotions about stuff like “being very deep in space on an untested ship.”

T’Pol is a hot lady Vulcan who was part of the deal for the humans to take the car keys, but she says she’s not there to babysit. She never really babysits, but people seem surprised when she doesn’t babysit, anyway. She first appears onscreen as the youngest member of the Vulcan Daddy Cabal by a long shot.

Charles “Trip” Tucker III is Archer’s best friend and seems kinda fratty, the kind of guy that really seems like someone you’d call Trip.

Our zany character on this starship is Phlox, a Denobulan doctor who loves animal testing. Denobulans are from the planet Surplus Cardassian Prosthetics.

Travis Mayweather is a Boomer and I think I like him. His confidence is earned. As an experienced spaceman, he knows that setting the ship to .8 g makes for a pretty pleasant environment, and that does sound nice.

I know Star Trek doesn’t like to acknowledge any cultural accomplishments between the year 1930 and 2100, but I feel like Malcolm Reed is a They Might Be Giants fan. Also, he’s British.

Porthos is a beagle. He smells. I like him.

This is on my desktop as “space beagle.jpg” and someday I will delight in finding this again

This Fucking Ship

When crewmembers are reboarding, they have to pass through a decontamination chamber, which is fully a hostile work environment. The decontamination chamber forces crewmembers in a room together, where they are forced to spread goo on each other under ultraviolet light like a sexually aggressive sunscreen.

We see the decontamination chamber in the first episode, and it’s basically an excuse to show some HBO After Dark shit under some expository dialogue. Tucker—that’s the guy named TRIP—takes the liberty of applying gel underneath the waist of T’Pol’s underpants for her. It is gross. (And how does the gel even work if you leave your underwear parts un-gelled???)

To be fair, Trip’s chest gets a lot of focus, too. The whole scene is shot like a Bodman Fragrance Spray commercial.

I don’t intend for these to always be this long, or episode by episode, but I just started and I have A LOT OF FEELINGS. And I didn’t even GET INTO the hot shapeshifting lady that lived for about five minutes, long enough to kiss Archer because that’s how she “senses trust.” Some real TOS shit.

*I was thinking of doing a watch order that included two watches of First Contact, but I have made my bed and now I need to lie in it for 200 years.

**Special thanks to my Star Trek chos for helping me work through some fundamental lore stuff.

[silverdriftdragon]

Kings of Unification

Not only did his friends manage to plan an entire party behind his back... his beloved Almyran King gave him the best gift he could have ever asked for.

1500 words of DimiClaude fluff for Dimitri’s birthday. Also for day 5 of @dimitriweek. enjoy!

you can also read this on Ao3!

“You’re Majesty?”

Dimitri turned from his spot on the balcony to face the doors, a soft smile on his face when eyes fell upon Deude and Ashe. “Dedue, Ashe. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Ashe gave him a bright smile, bundled up in a coat as well as his large husband’s scarf. “Well, you have been so busy recently and I don’t think I’ve seen you slow down at all! So, now that you have a moment to breathe, Dedue and I wanted to do something for you. We made some sweets and tea… would you care to join us?”

“How very kind. Thank you. Both of you. I will be in soon so that I may enjoy them.” Dimitri responded, though he seemed to be sort of out of it. He turned back out to face the cityscape of Fhirdiad, a longing sigh escaping his mouth. His attention was focused somewhere else. Somewhere far away and likely a lot warmer. 

“Your thoughts are with him again, I presume?” Dedue asked, concern coming to his face to see the king so distant. 

“Yes, Dedue.” Dimitri glanced back over his shoulder with a sort of sad smile. “It is selfish of me really. I know he is a busy man and that this one day matters very little in the grand scheme of things… but I do miss him terribly.”

“Matters little?” Ashe squeaked, quickly shaking his head rather quickly. He gave a quick glance to Dedue, trying not to let anything else show on his face, though a small smirk did sneak into his expression. “I wouldn’t say your birthday matters so little. You know he would not be happy to hear you talk like that!”

“Yes. Very true.” Dimitri agreed, amusement in his tone. “Something along the lines of my birthday being one of his favorite days merely because I exist, or some such charming drivel.”

Dedue cleared his throat, forcing himself to maintain his normal stoic expression. “I am sure he would also rather the King of Fodlan not catch a cold staring off into the night sky so forlornly.”

The king’s head dropped slightly and he gave a soft chuckle. “Oh, he would certainly have a fit if I did. Very well.” He moved away from the balcony and over toward his friends. “Lead the way. I am sure these treats you made are fantastic as always..” He never noticed the excited look the two shared as they lead him away, nor did he notice where they were taking him, still half lost in thoughts of his beloved. He only really snapped back into reality when he ran into Dedue, who had stopped at the ballroom doors. “So sorry, I…” Now he realized where they were. A look of confusion crossed his face as he looked between Dedue and Ashe, who now where both wearing bright smiles upon their faces. “I’m sorry. Have I missed something? Why are we here?” The two didn’t answer him outright, instead deciding to show him. They pushed the doors open, revealing many of the friendly faces he had grown to love over the years. 

“Happy Birthday!” They all cheered when he walked into the middle of the room , some referring to him by name, others by title… and one calling him, rather affectionately, Boar King. 

“How... “ He started, having no idea how they had managed to pull all this off without him having noticed. This was quite the party to have slipped by him. However, he soon decided that it didn’t matter. He was just happy beyond belief that they would do something like this for him. “Thank you, my friends! I…” The thought trailed off as a tear fell down his cheek. 

“If you are going to get soft on us, Boar, I’m leaving.” Felix huffed, though the smile on his face made it clear it was a joke.

“Felix!” Ingrid scowled at the swordsman. “Show some respect on his birthday by referring to him properly! Just for one day!”

“It’s alright Ingrid.” Dimitri assured, wiping his face. “If he did not call me such, I would wonder if I had upset him.” Felix seemed pleased with himself, while Ingrid just gave a hesitant bow and went back to her conversation with Mercedes. Dimitri just smiled and started to go socialize with his friends… but he was stopped by Ashe, who hurried over to stand in front of him.

“Ah one more thing, Your Majesty. There is a present for you.”

“A present?” Dimitri echoed, sounding a bit bewildered. “A gift wasn’t necessary, Ashe I-”

“Not necessary, my love?” A new voice teased dramatically from behind him. “I see how it is.”

Dimitri turned around quickly, wide-eyed and shocked, to see the very man that had been on his mind all night. “C-Claude!”

“Happy birthday, Dimitri.” The brunette said, a softness coming to his tone to match the loving smile upon his face. A squeak of surprise followed by laughter filled the room as the king suddenly lifted and spun him around like in one of those cheesy romance movies. Not that he minded, he actually enjoyed the cliche of it all. Once Dimitri had sat him down and he regained his bearings, he smirked. “Pretty great gift, right?”

“The best.” Dimitri agreed, voice cracking as he teared up again and hugged him tightly. “Goddess how I’ve missed you..”

“I know… I was gone for too long. Even Almyra is a cold place without you by my side.” 

“If you two are done being sickening… there are other people here…” The couple turned to look at Felix, who now was dealing was the nonverbal wrath of Ingrid. Claude just  laughed and shook his head. 

“Sorry Felix, Not quite done. One more thing.” He turned back toward Dimitri, clearing his throat all dramatically. “King Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd. I, King Claude von Riegan of Almyra, come to you with a proposition. One that will be of benefit to both of our countries.”

“Oh?” Dimitri chimed inquisitively, trying not to laugh at Claude’s theatrics.

“Oh yes. Well. Ok, maybe not a proposition…” He trailed off slightly, reaching into his pocket as he spoke. Gently he took hold of Dimitri’s hand and took a knee, smiling up at him when the look of shock hit the blonde’s face. “It’s more of a proposal.”

“C-Claude??”

“Oh brother…” Felix grumbled and started to leave, only to be grabbed by the back of the collar and yanked back by, to no one’s surprise, Ingrid.

Claude just let out a soft laugh, trying not to get too distracted as he put his focus back on the king before him. "Dimitri… I didn't fall in love with you. I walked into love with you, with my eyes wide open, choosing to take every step along the way. I do believe in fate and destiny...but I also believe we are only fated to do the things that we'd choose anyway...and I'd choose you...in a hundred lifetimes...in a hundred worlds...in any version of reality...I'd find you and I'd choose you." He stopped to take a breath. He wasn’t sure if it was warm in here or if it was just the nerves getting to him, but he pressed on, never losing the smile on his face. “I know I’ve spent a lot of time away from you… and unfortunately when morning comes, I’ll have to leave for just a little bit longer. But when I return, I want to finally be with you for the rest of my life, if you’ll have me. So… what do you say, Dimitri? Will you marry me?” 

Dimitri was speechless at first, completely floored by the rather beautiful proposal, so much so that he nearly forgot he was actually supposed to give an answer. “I-I… yes! Yes, of course!”

Claude heaved a rather exaggerated sigh and slipped the ring on Dimitri’s hand. “You had me worried for a moment.”

“As if I would turn you down.”

“True, True. I am, as you said, your favorite gift~”

“I said you were the best gift.”

“Whatever.” Claude hopped to his feet  and faced the crowd. “Now we have twice the cause for celebration!” Dedue came over with a glass for them both, which the Almyran king took and promptly raised in the air. “A toast! To the king on the day of his birth! And to his new engagement~”

“To the king!” Everyone cheered. Well. Almost everyone.

“Congrats, Boar. Thought it would never end…”

Everyone just rolled their eyes and slow went back to chatting and having a good time. Just before they went to join the merriment, Dimitri gave Claude’s hand a squeeze. “I love you…”

“I love you too, your royalness~. Now come on,” Claude brought their hands up so he could kiss his fiance’s before dragging him towards the group, “don’t want them to start the real fun without us~”

[darkmindsthinktwistedthoughts]

Devil’s Trust pt6

Warnings: Strong language, Moblord styling warlords.

Masterlist

—

Chapter 6

“Someone want to tell me why we’re all here again?” Ieyasu grumbled as he joined the rest of the men in the meeting room. There were no papers or anything on the large glass table to hint as to why they were all to gather again and yet they were all here because they all received the same summons.

Since the unification of the companies the chairs around this table hardly ever seemed empty. The brightness of the room felt dull even with the contrast of the fresh flowers against the white walls that usually felt strangely warming in the otherwise blank space.

“We’re here to discuss what we are going to do next.” Nobunaga replied. He was already sitting in his seat when they arrived which only served to make this all feel more unusual.

“Do we have to do anything right now? I mean aren’t we in kind of a stalemate over this whole thing?” Yukimura asked as he took his place between Shingen and Sasuke. Mitsuhide noted that Kenshin drifted to his own chair like a frosty breeze, the look on his face seemed to be a mask of disinterest. Well, it does seem that Peace isn’t favourable to all in the realm.

“It will be better to at least put countermeasures in place even if we cannot find a direct target that lynchpins this whole fiasco.” Nobunaga countered the enquiry bluntly. Shutting down further questions on the subject easily. “Mitsuhide did you find anything further?”

“So, you decided to send your dog out after all? This shouldn’t take long to see what he dug up.” Shingen scoffed and sat up in his chair to his full height. He was one of the tallest at the table and there was no doubt his postulating was imposing but it failed to hit its mark. Well now isn’t that cute? The Tiger is wanting to play games.

“I find I’m inclined to agree. After all it would appear that a certain cat did manage to drag home most of the information on the topic at hand.” Mitsuhide held Shingen’s gaze across the table. The infuriating taunting smirk never leaving him as he watched the facial muscles twitch on the other man.

“What did you call him!?” Ever the one to jump to the defence of Shingen, Yuki moved to get up from the chair he had only just begun to occupy and found his arm locked in a firm grip by Shingen himself.

“It’s no worse than his reference to me. I was simply returning the curtesy.” Mitsuhide goaded the smile on his face never leaving his eyes remaining locked on the black eyes that flashed in controlled anger back at him across the table. Well, would you look at that. To think I’d be graced with witnessing the legendary Trading Tiger’s quiet rage.

“Why you—” Yukimura moved against the grip on him.

“Hush Yuki. You said “most of the information”. What could you have possibly found that my network couldn’t?” Whatever anger he felt over the banter-like name-calling was being painted over with his own curiosity to find out what he might have missed. He had crossed Azuchi before and come up wanting. If this was to be a case of his own network being the issue he wanted to know where the broken links were.

“It seems your old as the hills stock and trade isn’t without its flaws after all.” Nobunaga chuckled. He had not missed the hungry looks from Shingen as he feasted on what was happening. The fact that the tables were turned now gave him back the feeling of superiority he had been missing. “What did you find?”

“There is a higher power moving under the table in the boardroom of Esshu. I looked into the situation myself after seeing the information Shingen provided had certain, discrepancies.” Mitsuhide made sure to emphasise the last word as he produced a flash drive and placed it with a click on the table as if it were a chess piece.

“Discrepancies? You think I would provide information that was tampered with?” Shingen’s quiet rage was seeping into his words despite his best efforts to keep them masked. Of all the men sitting at the table, it seemed that it wasn’t just Mitsuhide and Nobu to be gaining some entertainment from this. Kenshin’s ice-cold disposition of boredom in peacetime was showing palpable flashes of interest like dry ice hitting moisture. Your fingers are twitching, God of war.

“Not at all, I have every confidence that you did, in fact, provide all the information you were given but that did not mean that it was complete. You can after all only provide what you know.” Mitsuhide smiled and changed the angle of the digital device. He continued in the style of lecturer giving a lesson after taking a second to pause and be sure that what he had just said hit its mark. “Well now. It would seem that the reason there seemed to be minor failures in the deception Esshu were providing was because what we are seeing is only what they are willing to show.”

“Sounds familiar.” The words slipped out of Sasuke’s mouth before he realised, he had inadvertently voiced what should have been an inner thought. Shingen tensed and Nobu turned a heated look towards the young tech expert after the unusual display of tactlessness. Sasuke coughed and adjusted his glasses in a way that practically screamed how apologetic he felt and that he wouldn’t do it again.

“Mitsuhide what are we looking at?” Nobu turned again to his left hand seemingly happy enough that the outburst would not occur again.

“Currently I’m still asking around but it does look like there is still someone governing the company, even if the orders are being split up around the table. The links between the two are severed after they have made contact so there seems to be no trail back. I’m hopeful that a pattern should eventually present itself so a move can be made.” Mitsuhide lay the USB flat on the tabletop as if to say he is presentation was no done.

“Very well. I trust you won’t return empty-handed.” Nobu allowed his words to linger as a silent threat that he knew the man next to him wouldn’t miss. “Now we need to think about how we are going to—.”

“Excuse me but aren’t we missing one? Where is Masa?” Mitsunari interrupted after receiving a rather firm nudge from Hideyoshi to remind him of the meeting they were all in. Violet eyes blinked as he put his reading glasses safely in his breast pocket on his blazer. 

The girls in the office had some choice names for a lot of the men at the table, but the way they swoon and call Nari the model professor was one that tended to stick. He was always happy to help, giving with explanations and he smiled no matter who approached him. To top that off with the stylish yet comfortable academic look to his wardrobe just increased that appeal. A gift that seemed wasted on one so oblivious.

“He sent a text saying he was going to be late.” Hideyoshi replied rather tiredly. It was nothing new to have the errant head of the Date family turn up late to meetings and usually he had the good grace to message beforehand but it was rather frustrating when the man tended to appear almost on time despite the communication.

– Crash –

As if waiting for the perfectly timed wrong moment to appear, the doors to the room were thrown open and a rather flushed out of breath Masa appeared. He made it over to his chair and clung on to it as he tried to regain some oxygen.

“Guys you need to hear—”

“I was in the middle of talking Masa.” Nobu interjected before Masa could continue with little of his usual success in shutting down the interruption.

“Yeah? Well, sorry ‘bout that but Esshu is on the news.” Masa reached over to the sideboard and plucked the remote control for the projector screen which lowered from the ceiling over the end of the table. An image becoming revealed inch by inch of a what looked like a press conference outside a building made of mostly glass.

“They what?” Nobunaga got up out of his chair, snatched the controller form Masa’s hand and hit the volume. All attention in the room had shifted to the screen waiting for whatever was about to happen.

“… So, it is with the future in mind that we would like to announce our company’s official interest in moving towards the International Trade market. We feel it to be the only choice in providing our shareholders and investors with a more stable turnabout. It will also provide more jobs and secure futures for the many people employed as part of our company.”

“You say this will provide a more secure future for the company and employees but what of the benefits to the people of the city?”

“Thank you for your interest. We would like to make a quote from our sadly departed former CEO - Lack of diversity breeds stagnation. Basically, we are hoping that by moving into this area we will also open up the field for competitive prices and trading. Naturally, this will provide the people of this city with more choice and better opportunities to find what they desire which we hope to give an overall positive effect for both the commercial sectors but also private ones respectively.”

– Click –

“What the hell was that?” Yukimura’s voice broke the spell that had been cast in the room. All eyes that had been firmly locked on the screen unable to look away. Every detail of what was being said seeping into them all leaving a feeling that chilled and burnt like glacial ice.

“A direct declaration of war.” Shingen and Nobunaga answered in perfect synchronisation. The mixture of shock and dread that rolled around the room had changed into something a lot more interesting.  

“Good I was thinking things were getting boring around here.” Kenshin smiled and brought his hand to his side. The feel of the cold moulded metal sending a shiver of anticipation through him. Oh yes, Peace is not favourable to all.

---

Final requests…  Confessions on a death bed…  The last hopes and dreams of hundreds of people…  His head was filled with them. How many had he been witness to? How many more would he see before the end? After all, everything comes to an end, even if it doesn’t seem to.

The café was a quaint little family-run establishment. Somehow in the wave of franchises and brand label takeovers it had managed to survive and he was thankful for that. Not only was it a prime position to view the trade building but it had a large selection of teas that they managed to brew perfectly. He raised his cup to his mouth and took a sip. The subtle flavour of jasmine-infused with the matcha caused him to smile. Green tea was hardly his usual preference but when in Rome.  He took out a fob watch from his waistcoat and glanced at the enamel face as fine golden pieces moved silently under the glass. Almost time.

---

“Well thank you very much for making time for us today Mr Date, not to mention the food you’ve supplied for the staff is phenomenal.” A well turned out professional woman smiled politely at the man they called the one-eyed dragon. They were standing in the flagship location for his restaurants waiting on the other members of her reporting staff to finish setting up for their interview.

“Not at all always happy to make time for my favourite reporter. And what did I tell you about calling me that?” Masa slipped a little closer to her side. It was just enough to feel slightly scandalous given the public place they were standing in and the number of people present. After everything that was happening and the way that dry meeting from earlier had concluded, he was itching as much as the God of war for some action. What kind of action didn’t matter to him, a quick fumble or a gunfight was neither here nor there. What he really wanted was to let off some steam.

“I’m working right now Mr Da—Masa.” She moved creating a little space between them and tried to suppress a laugh at the boyish actions of the terrible flirt she had come to know over the years of covering his career and food.

“Fair enough kitten, have it your way.” Masa shrugged and moved to pick up one of the caramelised onion-and-roast beef vol au vents.

– Crash, Bang, Clatter –

The relaxed atmosphere was shattered like the window and door to the restaurant as what looked like an army descended. They were all dressed in the typical black standard-issue gear that the police gave to their special ops teams. Printed in foot-high lettering on the back of the bulletproof vests was the word S.W.A.T.

“Freeze. Everyone hands where we can see them and don’t move.” One of the first to burst into the building was slightly crouched holding his weapon and scanning the room. The rest of his team were fanning out and making sure to secure the area blocking off exits.

“What the hell?” A camera guy had to drag his gear quickly out of the way to avoid it being crushed under heavy boots.

“Is this a raid?” The make-up girl squealed.

“Why is there a Swat team here?” A crewman who was standing next to her helped shield her from a couple of the armed police as they pushed past.

“Omg, they brought dogs too!” The make-up girl squealed again as one of the dogs put a cold wet nose on her leg making her jump.

The news staff were thrown into confusion and panic as they made moves to group together in clusters avoiding the intruders. They were too scared to even imagine what would happen if they looked too long at any of the officials holding guns.

“Where is Masamune Date?” The leader spoke again and the news staff automatically looked at the Chef that was still holding his food.

“Right here, Guys. I realise it’s a rather long waitlist for a table but this is taking it a little far don’t ya think?” Masa popped the vol au vent in his mouth in one motion and smiled. The female reporter next to him gave an audible gasp as she watched the complete lack of worry or concern, he was displaying. He was the head of a respectable dining empire and he was also surrounded by members of his own staff and hers. Yet here he was displaying an almost sociopathic response to an otherwise shocking situation.

“Shut up and cuff him.” One of the team wrapped a pair of metal cuffs around his wrists and tightened them. The brush of unforgiving cold steel on his bare skin just made his smile grow. Someone was playing a dangerous game here and he was interested to find out where it was going.

“Masa?” Finding her voice, the reporter called out as the staff were being sent through to another location in the restaurant for questioning so the dogs could do their thing.

“Sorry kitten looks like we’ll have to do a rain check on the interview.”

---

Sitting in his office Ieyasu was looking over the latest figures from the last round of testing for their newest drugs. The figures were improving and that was promising. Clearly, it had been the right move to change the quantities they had used in the last test. It did look like it might still be days before they could make an announcement about the new medicine. He sighed as he looked out of the window and frowned.

A cluster of vans had pulled up to the security gates for the building. They were unmarked but he knew they were a favourite for the police. His office phone started to ring the id displaying that the front gate was trying to contact him. This isn’t going to be good.

---

It was the end of the day finally and [Name] slipped her arms back inside her jacket as she picked up her bag and made for the doors. It had been a boring uneventful day if you didn’t include the lunch date with her friend. She smiled as he left the building as part of the small crowd of straggling staff that had stayed a little later in the building than the rest.

The fresh air was turning a little crisp which had the benefit of clearing her head from the stuffy feeling of being in a grey cube most of the day. As she crossed the street to head to the underground for a train, a well-dressed man stepped out from a small café she sometimes frequented and gave her the most disarming smile as he removed his hat.

“Miss [Name]? I was wondering if you could spare a moment?” Something about the man felt familiar and instantly had her guard up. Still interacting in such a public place shouldn’t have been nearly as much of an issue as it might have been had they been in a deserted side street.

She nodded and his smile grew wider until the edges of his eyes crinkled with delight. He motioned to the café doors and held them open for her as she stepped in. There was a chair by the window that already seemed to have a man’s coat draped over it. The gentleman moved like smoke past it and pulled out the chair on the opposite side for her. Waiting until she was comfortably arranged before gently pushing it under her.

“Thank you.”

“Not at all. I should be thanking you in fact. I had wondered if I had missed you but you saved me some time by appearing just as I was about to give up hope.” He motioned to the young girl behind the counter who nodded and went to pick up a notepad and pen.

“You said you wanted to speak to me. Can I ask about what?” [Name] didn’t remove eyes from the man before her. Something was telling her that if she did it might be the last thing she would do. He was pleasant and well-mannered but she also knew all too well how those sorts of things could easily be faked.

“Your father.”

---

A fresh arrangement of Snapdragons had been placed in a vase. The long-stemmed perennials held a variety of hues that seemed rather shocking in this otherwise dead space. The phone next to them on the table vibrated as a new text arrived.

“Awaiting the opponent’s counterplay.”

---   

[lovehaswonangelnumbers]

New Post has been published on https://lovehaswonangelnumbers.org/monthly-astro-forecasts-january-2020/

Monthly Astro-Forecasts January 2020

Monthly Astro-Forecasts January 2020

By Sarah-Jane Grace

Message for January 2020

Well, after the trials and tribulations of 2019, most of us are hoping for an opportunity for some good things to look forward to in 2020 as many of us have been put through the ringer physically, emotionally and spiritually. As the energetic volume has been turned up by the chaos we see around us (and within us), we have each experienced dark nights of the soul and been pushed towards facing the depths of ourselves. As a result, we have had to face those aspects deep within that we have long tried to avoid, be it pain, trauma, guilt or a plethora of other emotions as well. At the same time, memories have surfaced, and over-arching dynamics have become clear, each one pressing buttons and pushing us towards facing them with an open heart and an open mind.

Of course, with the benefit of hindsight we can look back and see the wisdom we have accrued from these experiences, but at the time, the intensity is profound and overwhelming, leaving us unsure if we are coming or going, even doubting whether we want to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Yet, here we still are, still moving forward, wiser, brighter and stronger than ever before.

There is a distinct aura of anticipation as we step into 2020, lots of ideas as to the significance of the date and how it’s a year for balance and insight (20:20 vision). Both might well be true, but there is also a strong pull towards the concept of unity and togetherness, of shared responsibility, accountability and gratitude. Quite a mixture, but they all flow together so well as they reflect a willingness to be accountable for our own choices and actions which then feeds into a collective accountability as well.

There is a lot of hate, judgement, suffering and pain in the world, and it’s all too easy to feed into this and feeling it to the point when it takes over and eats us up from within. There’s a need to let go of the need to feel better about ourselves by belittling or judging others. So many try to clamber out of the mêlée of chaos and pain by stepping onto others to lift them up, and whilst those at the ‘bottom of the heap’ are usually strong and resolute, no one should be stepping onto (or over) anyone as this is surely now an age of unification, love and togetherness? It’s not a case of ‘them and us’ as we are one tribe, one race, one species…

Even when we find ourselves with very little, there are still ways we can reach out and make a difference offering our time to others and becoming a part of something bigger. It’s time to buck the trend of narrowing perspectives and instead turn towards opening up our hearts and souls, reaching out expanding with love and compassion. With so many people struggling and just about managing, it’s easy to see why their focus becomes so narrow as the capacity to reach outwards seems to reduce in correlation to the level of hardship they face, but the more each of us can open up, the more we can bring about change.

January is traditionally the month to set our New Year’s Resolutions, but it seems more important to set an intention towards the state of being we want to achieve over the coming months and years. Rather than focus on the details, it’s bigger picture time! So, whether it’s joy, contentment or love, focus on the state of being and let the details take care of themselves. It’s time to stop beating ourselves up when we ‘fail’ or feel we’re not good enough, it’s instead time to love and honour ourselves and carry this forward in our hearts and souls…

For now, I wish you all kinds of wonderful. 

With love,

Sarah-Jane

Aries

♈

As you step from one year into the next, from one decade into the next, there is a sense of both relief and excitement in your heart and soul. The relief is a reflection of the many challenges you faced in the past year, and the excitement comes from an inner sense of knowing that the future looks brighter and extremely inviting. Whilst you are very much a present moment kind of person, you are very aware of both the past and the present as they shape and define every move you make. As a result, you are able to gaze ahead towards new horizons without getting lost in them or becoming distracted by what may, or may not happen, rather than on what’s happening now. Of course, the curious side of your nature would like answers to the many questions you have as well as wanting to make sense as to why things are the way they are, but your wiser, more life-scarred self, knows the importance of when to ask questions and when not to!

January looks set to be a month of continuing to expand your consciousness and seek out new goals as you re-shape your ‘to do’ list and re-define your true priorities. Your courage, passion and inspiration are burning brightly, so it’s time to channel this inner fire towards new ventures as you start to see the bigger picture of your life with more vision than ever before. Start the process with a vision quest or taking some time to put pen to paper as to what you truly want from life. You are ready to step beyond the comfort of your everyday world as you embrace your true essence and let it lead the way…

Taurus

♉

Letting go has been a powerful theme for you over recent months as you’ve sensed a strong need to create more space in your life. Although the reasons for needing this space were never particularly obvious, you intuitively sensed the need to trust the process and went with it wholeheartedly. Whilst you could certainly do with some breathing space as your life has been on fast forward for quite some time, the need for space goes much deeper than this to a need to immerse yourself more deeply into the moment without being cluttered up with the ‘stuff’ of everyday life. ‘Stuff’ in this instance covers a wide range of areas but mainly all of those things, people and ‘doings’ in life that are inessential clutter and distraction. It’s time to clear away this stuff in order to breathe more deeply so you can begin to focus on your true priorities. At the same time though it’s important not to try to fill up the space you create with more stuff but to honour and cherish it for what it is.

Space is a creative force, if tended and nurtured it allows your spirit to soar as you feel more interconnected and awakened. Space allows you to see the bigger picture and it also brings you the gift of perspective which seems to be much needed in your life at the moment. However, space can create discomfort as it feels like a void or emptiness, but it’s not something to avoid, it’s a force to love as it’s space that looks set to shape and define your path ahead. The old adage ‘less is more’ is very apt for you throughout January as you find new ways of living the life you were born to live…

Gemini

♊

January looks set to be a month of inner knowing and increasing awareness as you finally locate a rather significant piece of the puzzle of your life. You’ve been treading water for quite some time, trying to make sense as to why things are the way they are, and, more importantly, why you are the way you are, but you have never been able to get a clear sense of the bigger picture as to what makes you tick. You have spent a long time digging, probing and contemplating the bigger picture, but it seems time now for you to decide exactly what bigger picture you need to look at as there are an infinite number of them! In short, it would be wise to take a step back in order to sharpen your focus and think about exactly what you’re trying to achieve as clarity of vision is the centrepiece of your journey throughout 2020.

In other words, opening up your heart and soul to work alongside your phenomenally busy brain in order to find a new way of living your life. You have spent a long time trying to get your life ‘right’, not an uncommon trait, but when you have no clear definition of ‘right’ it’s hard to ever reach the horizon. At the same time, intuitively you know that ‘right’ is also different for each soul as no two people see truth in quite the same way. So, instead of seeking out a non-defined sense of ‘rightness’ it’s time for you to start loving and accepting yourself exactly as you are. You may not be perfect, but no one is. You’re ready now to find new ways to define happiness and to seek out a simpler, but more joyful existence…

Cancer

♋

You have spent a great deal of time in your life thinking about the best ways in which to live your life. You have weighed up the pros and cons of different life choices and often erred on the side of caution ‘just in case’ things don’t quite go to plan. As a result, as you look back over your life you see a smattering of ‘just in case’ around many of your major life choices. Whilst you have explored your dreams and thought about your true priorities, there is a strong sense that you have held back ‘just in case’ it’s not the right moment or ‘just in case’ you make the wrong choice. For an intuitive, creative and passionate soul like you, this seems quite out of character and it feels as though you lack the belief in yourself to embrace your heart and soul. As the new year begins it seems important for you to begin to think about what stops you from believing in yourself and taking a chance?

Nothing in life is guaranteed and whilst there will always be things to do, people to see and places to go, you sense the need to live more wholeheartedly in the moment and to stop deferring things to a better time as there may never be a better time than now for you to stride forth with passion in your heart and your intuition guiding the way. It’s true, you can’t know what the result of such a strategy would be, but you also know that you can’t know what the result of notdoing it would be either other than a continued sense of ‘if only’. Life isn’t about building up a catalogue of regrets, it’s about grabbing your dreams with both hands and living the best life possible…

Leo

♌

January looks set to be a month of self-revelation as you begin to peel back the layers to your soul and connect more deeply to your true essence. You’ve been on fast forward for quite some time and you’re understandably weary from the massive expenditure of energy (of all kinds). In many ways you’re ready for a well-earned rest but intuitively you know that it’s not quite the right time for rest as this is more a period for seeking out inner truth and stripping back yet more layers of clutter in your life. Clutter in this instance can mean physical stuff and it would certainly be wise to let go of the inessential trappings of modern life. At the same time though, stuff goes deeper than this to those people around you who sap your lifeforce to those long-held personal beliefs that you see repeating patterns and cycles.

It’s time to start a fresh chapter and to make a clear declaration of intent as to what you would like to happen next. Whilst we don’t always get exactly what we want, it’s important to set an intent in order to give power, shape and form to your dreams and goals. Although you’re always determined to get from where you are to where you feel you need to be, this is a time for lightening the load in order to clarify exactly where ‘over there’ is. You have learned a great deal about yourself over recent years and you seem ready now to put all of this wisdom into action as you open up to shifting your direction as you find ways to simplify your life more. The concept of ‘less is more’ certainly holds true for you and the more you let go, the more your creative and spiritual wisdom will flow freely… 

Virgo

♍

As you continue to observe the undercurrents of shift in your life, there is a sense that you are beginning to gain a clearer sense as to what’s occurring deep within your heart and soul. You’ve been through a powerful process of awakening and you have changed in so many ways. Although you may see the same reflection looking back at you in the mirror, when you look closer you can see a myriad of subtle changes including how you feel about yourself and what thoughts surface when you look in the mirror. You have always been quite a harsh self-judge, often feeling that you could, and should, do better, but this inner critic is softening as you’ve realised that love and compassion are much better ways to motivate yourself to make changes.

You are also beginning to find a sense of peace with the ever-changing landscape in your life, the comings and goings, the beginnings and endings. You have always struggled with change as it takes you quite a while to re-adjust energetically. However, you now seem more balanced and centred, enabling you to ride the waves of change with a deeper sense of knowing, trusting that everything is as it should be. This doesn’t mean you’ve upped anchor and are being carried by the tides as you are still at the helm of the ship of your life, it simply means you are more able to manage the inevitable changes, up and downs you comes across. January looks set to be a month to allow yourself the time to fully absorb the shifts you’ve experienced in order to find a new equilibrium. At the same time, try thinking about what makes your heart and soul sing as this is a wonderful moment to re-shape and re-define your life from the inside, out…

Libra

♎

As you continue to contemplate the fabric of existence and watch in awe at the myriad of threads that weave and twist together to make the great big tapestry of life, there is a sense that you are  beginning to reconnect to the magic and mystery of your heart and soul. It’s as though, that despite looking inwards, you are now more aware of the bigger picture and whilst this has inevitably brought up many questions, most of which don’t have answers, you have found a sense of peace with not knowing. This doesn’t mean you’ve given up soul-searching, far from it, but it suggests a willingness for you to be happy with getting on with the business of living your life even if you can’t quite make sense of it. So, instead of waiting for a better moment to act until you have a clearer sense of things, you are diving in and trying to live more consciously in each and every moment.

Of course, this is a work in progress, but there is an overwhelmingly strong sense of shift which is opening up the doors to your hopes and dreams. You have so much you want to do, so many things you want to achieve, and you finally feel a sense of urgency to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in. You’ve spent a long time thinking about your life and your dreams, and the time has come for you to focus on your true priorities as you enter a period of increased awareness and heightened motivation to discover and create a new way of living and being you. January may feel a little slow, but it’s a transition period enabling you to seek out clarity as to what truly warms your heart and soul…

Scorpio

♏

January looks set to be a month to clarify and re-shape your goals and dreams, whilst many would see this as setting your ‘New Year Resolutions’ it’s not quite the same, as these goals and dreams reach far deeper into your consciousness. At the same time, many New Year Resolutions are very specific and clearly defined, such as losing weight, saving up money, finding a dream job etc. It’s as though you are beginning to see beyond all of this towards a bigger goal which is far more nebulous and hard to define. You may wonder if this is even progress if your goal is so hazy and wishy washy, but it’s not. In short, you have reached a stage of your evolution where you are seeking out a state of being, a sense of purpose and a feeling of deeper connection. These may sound lofty goals, but intuitively you know that you are more than ready to open up to these in your life as you have been working towards this for years.

Yet, how do you go about achieving a state of being and what should you seek? Well, it’s less about what to do or how to do it, it’s all about feeling it and connecting to the essence of joy and balance and allowing these to weave their way into all aspects of your life. You are a wise, intuitive and creative soul, and these all need the room to dance freely now as you continue to seek out an untethered life. Being untethered isn’t particularly about being footloose and fancy-free, nor is it about ignoring the needs or wishes of others, it’s about being true to yourself, honouring yourself and listening to your own needs. It’s time to walk your own path now and to love yourself for doing it…

Sagittarius

♐

As you continue to ride gracefully on the leading edge of the wave of life, there is a sense that you are nearing a shift in current and instead of feeling as though you’re pushing against the currents, January looks set to carry you towards pastures new. Your determination and mettle need to be rewarded as you have kept going, even when life has felt against you, but intuitively you knew you needed to keep moving forward as standing still was creating a stagnancy within you. Of course, pushing hard against the currents has inevitably created layers of self-doubt within you as you doubted you were doing the right thing, it also created an aura of energetic fatigue as it was jolly hard work at times trusting your intuition even though all the signs were suggesting you should stop and go back.

So, here you find yourself being carried along by a wave of passion and enthusiasm, taking you in the direction you had worked so hard to reach, but there is a sense of doubt rising up from within you as you seem unsure if you are actually ready to keep going! It’s as though now what you have been aiming for is nearly here, you’re not quite sure if it’s truly what you want. For anyone else, this would be a questionable state of affairs, however for you this is perfectly natural as you are fast moving and ever-changing, so what seemed right only yesterday may not feel right today. It’s important to know that it’s never too late to shift your focus, nor is it better to keep going just because you feel you should. Listen to your intuition as it’s your best friend and guide; this is a golden opportunity to review your path and to choose your next steps with wisdom and self-belief…

Capricorn

♑

As you watch the door opening right in front of you, there is a sense of curiosity and inquisitiveness as you try to peek through the gap to see what’s on the other side. There’s no doubt you’ve worked hard to reach this point as you have strived towards your goals for years. Although life has often got in the way, you’ve never let them go and they have always held a place in your heart. You have kept your head down and focused on keeping on keeping on, trying to get from where you were to where you felt you needed to be. The path may have felt bleak at times and there have been countless challenges to face along the way, but your steely determination and realism have kept you grounded and able to navigate these challenges as and when they arrived. For a while you came to expect challenge, and this did seem to narrow the path somewhat as it closed the door to your dreams and kept you focused on keeping on keeping on rather than on expanding your horizons. Fortunately this started to shift, and you are now in a position of choice and expansion.

The door opening in front of you holds behind it everything and nothing at the same time, this may sound strange as what use would nothing be? Well, your dreams aren’t just about things to do and goals to achieve, they also involve your desire to attain a state of being that brings you a deeper sense of peace and balance in life. The door holds everything and nothing because there is great wisdom in nothing as it allows you to breathe freely into life. Nothing is more than the absence of something, it’s freedom, space and a place to be. Balance is the key now…

Aquarius

♒

You have always been one to see life from a slightly different perspective to most people, it’s as though you see the things that others miss and hear things that others don’t hear. It’s not that they lack the ability to do these things, but they do lack the ability you have to wholeheartedly open up your senses to the world in which you live. At the same time you do pay attention, and this is a skill that is sadly lacking for a lot of people today. You are also empathic, and your intuition is finely tuned, so you pick up so much more than most. Of course, whilst this enables you to sense so much, it can also be extremely challenging as it can be hard to switch it off and there are times when you go into sensory overload and need to find a quiet room away from others in order to re-establish a sense of balance once again.

Your open-ness enables you to read people extremely well and you can usually tell a great deal about others even when they don’t speak. As a result, you are usually ahead of the game when it comes to conversations and learning as you can gauge the flow before it even starts. However, there are times when your awareness lets you down and you can’t quite get in sync with others, and this can leave you feeling discombobulated and confused as it feels as though something has gone wrong, but this is simply your consciousness switching off for a while allowing you the space to focus more intently on your own path without the chatter of everything echoing through your head.  January looks set to bring you such a moment to enable you to re-shape and re-define your way of living and being…

Pisces

♓

Deep within the recesses of your heart and soul reside a great many hopes and dreams. These are the hopes and dreams that, as yet, remain unlived as you haven’t found the time or space to explore them. You have spent a great deal of your life thinking about your hopes and dreams, but you have also spent a great deal of your life distracted with the busy-ness of keeping on keeping on, as you’ve tried to be everything to everyone and avoided listening to your phenomenal intuition to guide you forwards. Whilst you know you have what it takes to achieve your dreams and live a more fulfilling life, you are too busy with the distractions to give it much thought. It’s as though there are two sides of your being pulling in different directions and you simply don’t have the capacity to entertain the dreamer within you. Yet, why? Surely your dreamer is your true nature?

You are a visionary and your energetic spark lights up even the darkest of days. Do you feel that the dreamer is an indulgent and inessential part of your life that’s a bit inconvenient because it wants to dance free and upend the apple cart? Have you ever thought that the dreamer only wants to do this because youwant to do this? It’s not a separate part of you; it is you, and it’s time to own this now as your unlived dreams and hopes are finding new energy. It’s time to decide if you truly are happy being distracted or if you’re finally ready to honour yourself by being yourself. There is no pressure here, there is no right or wrong; it’s just what’s right for you. Make a decision and set yourself free from the oscillation. January looks set to be your moment to re-affirm your true nature…

*******

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[tentoriwrites]

Learning Curve: Episode Six

Allies and Enemies @that-otome-potato

A group of affluent young men form a high school gang. Their goal is to bring peace to all the rival school gangs in their area. When an out of place girl at school threatens the peace and gains their attention, everything changes.

Episode Five

The weather was getting warmer, so she decided to take the afternoon watching everyone prepare for the school festival and the city-wide sports competition. Even though the sports competition was a few weeks out, everyone who planned on participating were practicing fiercely. It was a point of pride evidently. So there she sat on the bleachers watching Nobu and Toshi sumo wrestle. Every time she would cheer for Nobu, Toshi would scowl at her. But every time she cheered for Toshi, Nobu scowled at her.

“It’s an impossible place to be in when two friends are competing and you have to choose a side.”

“You can say that again.” She glanced over and found Nobu, young ward, Ranmaru was sitting next to her. She had been so taken in watching the match she hadn’t noticed him. “Mochi?”

“Did you make them?”

“Of course!”

“I would love some then!” She giggled at how enthusiastic he became after finding out she had made them.

“Are you competing in anything?”

“Maybe karate.” She giggled again at his surprised look. “Toshi taught me when we were younger and I’ve been taking classes again lately.”

“Ah… because of…”

“Not exactly.” She looked out at the field. “I have no intention of fighting, but… I also don’t want to be deadweight, you know? I don’t want to be protected all the time.”

“An admirable sentiment. However, I don’t think they will be many circumstances where you’ll have to defend yourself.” He seemed to be believe this statement whole-heartedly. “You have quite a few people who are keeping an eye on you.”

“They have more or less made that room in the restaurant their meeting room… And there seem to be more and more people coming and going lately.” She thought back on it and realized at least one of the Oda gang showed up there every day for the last few months.

“Have you decided if you’re going to the school festival?”

“I don’t have much choice now.” She sighed in resignation.

“Nobu ordered it so?”

“I couldn’t care less about him ordering me to go.”

“I WOULDN’T LET HIM HEAR YOU SAY THAT!” He looked around frantically. Only breathing a sigh of relief when he noticed Nobu was still wrestling Toshiie.

She rolled her eyes at his perceived dramatics and went on. “Kiyomasa told my Mom about it so now she’s insisting I go. Especially since she found the kimono Nobu gave me.”

“But you have reservations? You wouldn’t have to go alone. You have your pick of suitors!”

“It’s not that… My Father used to go to all the school festivals with me… So it’s a bit painful.”

“He’s no longer around then?”

“No.”

“I see.” He didn’t press the issue and she was glad for that. If she started talking about it at school, she wouldn’t not have kept it together. “I think, if I may be so bold to suggest, you should go with Nobu. Not because you would be conceding to his whims, but because his bodyguard is considerably older and very fatherly to all of us.”

“Do you mean Mr. Shibata?”

“Yes! Have you met him?”

“I think so. Is he a mountain of a man? Wears his hair in a ponytail?”

“Yes!” Ranmaru tried not to laugh too hard at her description. “I’m sure he would take right to you.”

“Hmmm… No, I think I’ll just go on my own. My Mom is going to make me one way or another. At least that way I can leave on my own guilt free.”

“I do believe I specified I don’t care who you go with.”

“As long as I go.” She finished Nobu’s harsh declaration for him. “And I am going!”

“You need to go with someone.” He gave her a piercing look. “Crowds are very dangerous and someone needs to keep an eye on you.”

“I don’t need a babysitter.”

Ranmaru and Toshiie looked visbly disturbed by her rebuke. Each moving away slowly. Nobu’s eyes narrowed as he moved in on her.

“Do you propose you’ll use your martial arts to repel an attacker in a yukata?”

“The thought had crossed my mind.” She withered a little but held his gaze. “But the idea is impractical at best.”

“At least you are smart enough to know your limits.” His expression eased slightly as he backed away. “Find an escort by the festival or I’ll stick you with old man Shibata.”

“Nobu, if I may have a word with you.” An unfamiliar voice finally took the attention off her.

“Ieyasu. I wasn’t expecting you.” Nobu addressed a curly headed blond in a school uniform she didn’t recognize.

“That’s Ieyasu. He’s the leader at a school closer to the bay. He’s one of Nobu’s allies in unifying the whole city.” Ranmaru very graciously alleviated her confusion. He went into detail describing the entourage with Ieyasu as well. Just as Ranmaru finished, the young man named Toramatsu walked up.

“Hello, Ranmaru.” He gave Ranmaru a friendly smile and a wave. “You must be the new member we’ve heard about.”

“I have a reputation among gangs now. Marvelous.” She blurted it out without meaning to.

“It’s nothing as bad as the rumors the students were saying about you before, from what I understand.” Toramatsu chuckled as he said so. “Welcome. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you as well.” She looked down at the serious expression on Nobu’s face and decide the conversation wasn’t going well.

“One of our biggest rivals showed up at our school yesterday. They would not give any specifics, but it seems they are going to issue a challenge revolving around sports competition.” Toramatsu explained quietly.

“What kind of challenge?”

“Knowing them, whoever wins the most events gets to continue pursuing unification.” Ranmaru answered her this time. He let out an exasperated sigh. I don’t understand why they cannot just work together.”

 The events of the afternoon weighed heavily on her mind as she walked home. So much so she didn’t notice anyone around her until she ran into them. A very sturdy them.

“Owe…” She rubbed her butt as she sat on the sidewalk. “OH! I’m so sorry!” before she could even think of getting up, she was already on her feet.

“It’s my fault for just standing around on the sidewalk like thaaaaatttt…” The young man’s voice turned distinctly frantic. He practically threw her hand away and bowed deeply. “Please forgive me! I hope you aren’t injured!”

His overzealous apology left her momentarily stunned until a deep laugh caught her attention. From behind the blue-eyed young man was a dignified looking guy with fiery red hair.

“You’ll have to forgive Yukimura. He has a very… profound respect for women.” The red-head explained as he stepped up and offered her his hand.

“Takeda Shingen.”

She offered her name as she shook his hand. “Were you looking for something to eat? I can personally recommend this restaurant seeing as my family runs it.”

Before she could get an answer, Yukimura grabbed her and threw her right into Shingen. Shingen proceeded to wrap his arms protectively around her. She was about to ask why when a rumble like the god of death itself made everything clear.

“You have something that belongs to me.” Nobu growled. It was calm veneer masking a seething anger just beneath the surface.

“I don’t see your name on her.” Shingen answered back challengingly.

“I shouldn’t have to mark my territory for dogs to know to stay off it.”

“What do you have to say about this?” Shingen released his grip a little. “Are you his?”

“That depends on what you mean exactly… We aren’t dating or anything but I guess I’m a member of his... umm… group?”

Shingen laughed at her ambivalent reply. “How can you expect to keep anyone around if you don’t make their status clear?”

“I’m in no mood for a lecture from the old guard clinging with pathetic desperation to the last vestiges of his youth.”

It was clear a fight was about to break out until her little brother through the door open. “Hey, sis! You gonna stand out here chit chatting with your 800 boyfriends or ya gonna get in here and help?”

“IT’S NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL, YAHIKO!” the fury of an embarrassed teenage girl overrode all other thoughts as she ran full speed through the door after him.

A moment later her Mother appeared. She looked back and forth at the tense situation. “I have no idea what’s going on out here but you can’t fight on an empty stomach. Your usual room is open so get on in here you lot!”

Begrudgingly, they all sat down in the private room to eat.

“Why are you here?” Mitsuhide broke the silence first with the question everyone wanted to know.

“To issue a challenge.” Shingen answered confidently. “Whoever wins the most contests at the sports days claims the right to unification. The loser stays out of the way.”

“That is what we suspected.” Mitsuhide answered gravely. “We are not inclined to accept your challenge.”

“Knowing you two, you don’t see a point. Pretty confident you can take over everything even if get in your way.” Shingen leaned back in his chair with his arms folded over his chest. “Or, you’re cowards.”

“Like hell we are!” Toshiie was on his feet in an instant.

“Sit down, Maeda.” Mitsuhide ordered him in a stern voice.

“Let’s make this interesting, shall we?” Shingen’s lips quirked up in a smile. “Whoever wins gets the girl and dominion.”

“Hey wait just a second here! It doesn’t matter if he agrees to that or not! You can’t make me do anything I don’t want to do!” she got to her feet as she made her protest.

“She has an excellent point there.” Mitushide conceded as if it were the only point that needed made to end the whole proceedings.

“If we lose, I’ll see to it my family stops paying her tuition. It will be up to you to get her into your school.” Nobu’s quiet, calm voice shattered her whole world. Without saying anything else, he got up and left the room. Everyone heard him pay for his food and leave the building. Still, they all sat there in silence. After a long few moments, she too got to her feet and left the room as fast as she could so no one could see her crying.

Episode Seven: Dark Horses

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

I accidentally joined one cult after leaving the Unification Church cult

I decided I needed to get out of this church immediately, before I became some stranger’s child bride.

by HANNAH               November 21, 2014

When we opened our eyes, I could still feel the fleeting warmth from his hands placed on my head. We sat in a circle as he led us into a quiet chant known as the “moola mantra.”

“Moola? Like money?” I wondered. The incense smoke snaked throughout the room. I noticed a donation bowl being passed around. Yes. Like money.

“Sat chi ananda. Parabrahma. Purushathama. Paramatma. Sri Bhaghavathi Sametha. Sri Bhagavathe Namaha.”

I readily joined the others in chanting, not really knowing what they were saying. When I couldn’t remember the next phrase, I just Milli-Vanilli’d my way through it, letting the other voices fill in the gaps for me. I’ve had a lifetime of chanting in a language I didn’t understand to prepare myself for this.

In 1982, my parents, among many others, had an arranged mass marriage at Madison Square Garden (photo above), performed by the infamous Sun Myung Moon. With a simple hand gesture, Sun Myung Moon matched my parents together among a sea of brides and grooms, and five years later, I was born, the second of four children. It’s always troubling to think about how my very existence was decided by some Washington-Times-owning, money-laundering, homophobic, sushi tycoon/sexist cult leader, but I guess it makes things interesting.

Our childhood was…weird, in a word. Even as a kid I found myself thinking, “Why are we selling flowers at the side of highways?” “Why are we going door-to-door making strangers drink juice?” “Why are we sprinkling salt over our groceries?” “Why are we waking up at 5 a.m. to bow to a picture of a Korean man and a bowl of fruit?” “Why are we chanting right now, I mean, really? What language is this? I’m tired.”

Friends would come over and ask who the Korean people were in the photos around our house, referring to the Mr. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon.

“I…uh…they’re my grandparents.” I often found myself saying.

“But…you’re…not Asian,” they’d reply, stating the obvious.

I’ll never forget my birthday during the blizzard of ’96. My parents took us to one of Moon’s mansions in D.C. to meet some witch doctor of a woman. She claimed to embody the spirit of Sun Myung Moon’s dead mother. We stood in line behind a closed door in the foyer.

Before the door slammed shut, I caught a glimpse of a large group of people gathered around a woman and a boy. The woman had her eyes closed with the boy sprawled over her lap. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and seemed to be crying. Red marks were all over him. He tried to escape her grip, arms extended to what I assumed to be his mother, who sat silently in the circle. Then, the door shut. I’m haunted.

Finally, my turn came. I nervously sat myself next to the woman. She lifted my shirt, prepubescent chest exposed, as the captive audience watched as I was hit several times on my back. She prayed in Korean over me. And then, applause. It was over. Somewhere, there is a photo of my brother and I standing in front of the mansion after the woman hit us that day. We were smiling.

Beyond the ritual abuse, there was a certain strain of poverty that only a child of a cult could understand. You get used to communal living and sleeping on floors very quickly.

Before we eventually settled in the D.C. metropolitan area, we had traveled around the country, staying in attics, basements, and church-owned hotels and mansions. There’s a very real cognitive dissonance that occurs when you’re living in a mansion, sleeping in a tiny bedroom with all six members of your family. In that mansion, I befriended a young, Japanese opera singer who lived on the top floor. She’d French braid my hair and show me pictures of her fiancé, a man she had yet to meet.

I thought this was so strange, but I would later learn that being “matched,” or engaged to a stranger in another country was common. At 17, it happened to one of my best friends. I’ll never forget the look of misery on her face as she stood in her wedding dress, among the sea of brides and grooms, holding the picture of her future husband.

It was then that I decided I needed to get out of this church, immediately, before I became some stranger’s child bride.

Within days of that decision, I got a phone call from an old friend.

“Do you want to get your third-eye opened?” She asked.

“Do I…what?”

“You heard me. Get your third-eye…opened.”

When we arrived at the house, a blue-eyed man answered the door.

“David!” Joanna squealed. “It’s so good to see you!” He wrapped his arms around her, practically swallowing her tiny frame. “Hannah, this is David. We met at a commune conference. We couldn’t stop staring at each other from across the room. It was kismet.”

David laughed and put out his hand to shake mine. “Nice to meet you, Hannah.” He led us inside, where a bald-headed man was sitting cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed deep in meditation.

He opened his eyes and spoke with a soft cadence. He introduced himself as Daniel. He told us that he had recently returned from a trip to India, where he received a special blessing known as “deeksha,” from a group called “The Oneness Movement.” By taking part in this expensive ceremony in India, he became empowered to pass this gift of enlightenment to us.

He instructed us to close our eyes as he guided us into meditation. He came around the room and gently placed his hands on our heads. I was struck by the similarities of this ritual with another my parents performed for my birthday. There is something spiritual about having someone caress the crown of your head while they speak in soft tones over you. I felt enlightened, or at least relaxed. Like Fox Mulder [The X-Files], I wanted to believe. But there was a Dana Scully in the back of my head that wouldn’t completely let me.

I began attending meetings regularly. Daniel and I developed a close friendship where we spoke on the phone daily. At one point, I was $300 short for my rent, and without blinking, he loaned me the money. Three months later, I found myself riding in a car with him to attend a Oneness Movement get-together in Pittsburg.

We pulled up to a row house in Pittsburg, where we were greeted warmly by a jolly man. He placed prayer beads over our heads, luau-style. “Namaste,” he bowed, and we did the same. He led us upstairs to his railroad apartment and gave us a tour.

“And this…is my Christmas room.” It was August.

There were two entirely decorated trees with trains circling around them. Presents galore. Reindeer, flashing lights, snowmen. It was Christmas hell. I took a seat, completely entranced and horrified by the mechanical Santa’s never-ending “ho-ho-ho” mantra. I kept thinking, “Where am I?”

Daniel called me into the next room where others had already gathered and were chanting in harmony.

“Sat chi ananda. Parabrahma. Purushathama. Paramatma. Sri Bhaghavathi Sametha. Sri Bhagavathe Namaha.”

I sat on my knees, and just as I was about to lower my head in a child’s pose bow, I noticed a familiar face from across the room. She looked a lot like Diane, a Moonie truck driver who would stop and make us oxtail soup when she passed through town. She loved talking about God with my parents. No. It couldn’t be. It was. Our eyes met. In a panic, I lowered my forehead to the ground to hide my face.

Finally, the chants subsided, and a faint voice spoke up. “Hi, I’m Anthony and I prepared a song for you all.” I slowly raised my body, trying to hide my face behind my hair. A mousy-looking teenager stood before us, boom box ready. The familiar sound of chimes and wind instruments filled the room. I knew this song.

“Olha eu vii lue mostar…” He sang. “Como é belo este mundo…”

He was singing “A Whole New World,” the Disney classic, in Portuguese. I noticed Diane was full-on staring at me. I panicked just as Anthony’s falsetto kicked in for Princess Jasmine’s part of the duet.

“Um mundo ideal…Um mundo que eu nunca vi…”

I looked around the room, scanning for any sign of acknowledgement from another human. Nothing. I noticed everyone in the room was in fact, crying. Was I that cynical? Should I feel something right now? Watching Anthony shimmy his way through the intense key change was definitely a spiritual experience, but I still didn’t want to give these people my money. I felt duped. This “whole new world” suddenly felt a lot like the old one.

I retreated to the Christmas room in an attempt to hide from Diane. On a table, I noticed a photograph of Sri Bhaghavan and his wife, the founders of the Oneness movement. They were sitting in chairs, like royalty. The photograph was nearly identical to ones my parents kept of my pseudo Korean “grandparents.” Horrified by the parallels, my inner Dana Scully finally broke through.

I spent the rest of my time at the retreat doing just that — retreating. I slithered along the walls, and managed to avoid a conversation with Diane other than, “funny meeting you here” and “please don’t tell my parents.”

When I left my respective cults, I was excited to be integrated into the real world, a place without cults, or so I thought. Not so. These days, I see cults everywhere: cults of influence, cults of institutions, cults of politics. You learn a lingo, you follow a set of rules, a code of ethics. Sometimes you wear a uniform and a name tag. Sometimes you are sleep-deprived and haven’t seen your family in weeks. In a world where CEO’s are more likely be to sociopaths, it’s harder to define what is a cult and what isn’t.

What’s important is listening to your inner Dana Scully, no matter how badly you want to believe. The truth is out there, sure, but it’s also inside you.

_______________________________________

Hannah

After selling flowers as a child with the Moonies, Hannah is now a part-time florist. Her life has hilariously come full circle. She is also a songwriter and musician. She is a student majoring in human services and hopes for a career in social justice advocacy.

_______________________________________

A few of the comments on Hannah’s story:

mrsdanger So interesting, would love to hear about your life now and your parents’ reaction to leaving.

Keith All religions are cults, some are more destructive than others. Thank you for sharing your story. Write another story for us later to let everyone know how you are doing on your new journey.

sara_ahoy I understood what she was trying to say here. A lot of successful people become that way because they refuse to follow the rules of society, some are more aggressive, and willing to throw other people under the bus in their bid for a promotion. Cult leaders tend to act similarly, acting charming but ultimately bullying their way into leadership positions and ruling through fear and ignorance.

We like to think that the societal rules that we all follow are there to benefit us, but I’ve found time and time again that I’m paying arbitrary fees of all kinds that go straight to a rich businessperson somewhere…

Lalaloki … they sure discourage people from ever taking a day off, even when sick. And then, when people do call out sick, there’s a sort of underlying guilt involved. People are being paid to be there, sure, but in a cult, people are being “paid” salvation.

tracy This is perfect! “What’s important is listening to your inner Dana Scully, no matter how badly you want to believe. The truth is out there, sure, but it’s also inside you.”

Huh Wow, you should write a memoir! I grew up in a fundamentalist Christian church that was very cultish. We left in middle school and it was hard adjusting to the real world but my “inner Dana Scully” has been strong and made me skeptical of all things spiritual ever since. My advice: If a group (religious or otherwise) makes you isolated or relies heavily on secrets get the hell out!

FoxMulder She needs to know the truth is out there

breebree Moonies aren’t rich at all! The majority (my parents included) dropped out of school and donated ALL of their money to the church. And keep doing it. Ugh, so stupid.

berly I want to know why the cult did a ritual of hitting children? [ansu, a Korean shaman ritual to get rid of evil spirits]

_______________________________________

The FFWPU / Unification Church and Shamanism

Soon-ae Hong (the mother of Hak Ja Han) spent two years in Chuncheon Prison after Ansu beating an 18-year old boy to death.

Fear and Loathing at Cheongpyeong Lake

[mittensmorgul]

Hi, the “why didn’t Cas go with them to save Dean” anon here. When I said “Cas went with them after Lucifer” I was also referring to s12 like in 12x07 and 12x08. Thank you for clarifying that Michael is just established as more powerful, but why would Lucifer be weaker than an AU archangel when their only difference is what universe they’re from? Why are AU archangels more powerful? Sorry if I made this too complicated, I just struggle with following the canon for magical powers sometimes.:P

I think you’re expecting a deeper canonical reasoning for some of this stuff that canon itself is basically just laying out in concrete terms here. Sometimes canon just Does That. Canon is not required to explain or justify itself when the explanation or justification is just... irrelevant to the larger narrative. This is a really difficult thing to explain, because this isn’t a value judgement on a character or a plot point or viewers who headcanoned something very different before canon laid down a New Fact. This is just... objectively what canon does sometimes. The trick for viewers is to use these new fact to readjust previously held headcanons and perceptions to fit with what canon is telling us is actually reality.

Why are AU archangels more powerful? Because canon said so. Because 13.07 hammered that point home. But okay, even if you accept that, and you still want an explanation as to why? Well, sorry, canon hasn’t given us one.

We can apply headcanon to this, look at the canon we already have in the past about archangels in our universe, and attempt to deduce the reasons for the difference, but honestly we don’t have enough information about the AU to say for certain. We know that universe is different from ours in fundamental ways. Sam and Dean were not the end-all, be-all apocalypse vessels for that universe, you know? Or else the angels would’ve made sure John was resurrected to father them into existence with Mary one way or another, and the apocalypse as it was prophesied in OUR universe would’ve marched on the same way.

(we know both Zachariah and Lucifer threatened to just keep bringing Sam and Dean back to life when they threatened to kill themselves to stop the apocalypse, so if Sam and Dean were the destined vessels in the AU it seems like the angels would’ve just... done the thing and MADE it happen, you know? Something is fundamentally different there on a cosmic level)

Not to mention the way AU Michael, in direct contrast to OUR Michael, has this disdain for God. Our Michael was trying to be the dutiful son despite God’s abandonment, but AU Michael made his own plans instead, almost as if his experience with God was very different. Which is interesting in its own right, bringing up the notion that maybe God really is absent in their universe, and what that might mean on a cosmic scale. Even if these thoughts don’t lead us to a concrete, absolutely solid explanation for why AU Michael is more powerful, they give support to the notion that if canon unequivocally states that is a fact, we’re given leeway to accept it as fact.

Sometimes canon requires us to apply critical thinking skills and make these sorts of leaps of faith, to fill in the gaps however we see fit in the moment. Just because we’re being asked to build the mental bridge and trust it’s solid enough to cross the divide doesn’t mean the bridge doesn’t exist.

But this does bring me to one of the dangers of the viewer attempting to fill those narrative chasms in with concrete, rather than just trusting the invisible bridge. I’m gonna call it Headcanon Fatigue. Bear with me, because one of my favorite things to do with canon is to attempt to explain it all with one Grand Unified Theory of Everything (which, heck, is why s11 is still my favorite meta-wise, because it DID solidify at least the cosmic-level Grand Unification via Love Theory, which honestly is still playing out in aftereffects). But often canon isn’t ASKING us to fill in all the canyons yet. It WANTS us to slowly construct a latticework of intricate bridges and stairways to navigate the canyons and explore all the nooks and crevices, but to not become so distracted by what we find to assume we’ve actually explored the entire canyon as a whole or understood the tiny fraction of what we’ve explored correctly, you know?

Like the whole Angel Vessel Consent Issue floating around a lot of the speculation I’ve seen about Michael and Dean lately.

A lot of that speculation was based on the single case of possession of Donnie Finneman in 5.03, and I think it leaves PLENTY of questions and like... a grand total of zero answers. So the fact that Dean wasn’t rendered comatose by Michael’s possession? NOT BREAKING THAT OLD CANON, because what we saw back then was unreliable at best, and an outright deception at worst. Deception that’s only been compounded by years of headcanon being built up around a single incident in canon that we never got a real explanation for.

Let’s compare the actual FACTS of Donnie Finneman’s case with easily misconstrued opinions versus various headcanons I’ve seen solidify into concrete, inflexible assumptions over the years:

Donnie, the vessel of Raphael, was the mechanic at a gas station where a skirmish between angels and demons had broken out”

FRAMINGHAM: Would not have believed my eyes if I hadn't seen it myself. We're talking a riot. Full scale.DEAN: How many?FRAMINGHAM: Thirty, forty, in all-out kill-or-be-killed combat?

So there was a generalized riot, then a sudden pure, bright white explosion, and the only one left alive in the middle of that was the mechanic, Donnie, who Cas immediately identifies as Raphael taking his vessel.

But... what led to Donnie saying yes? And WHY were those angels and demons skirmishing at that specific gas station? And WHY did Raphael chose that time and place to take his vessel?

Because we have to assume that Donnie was in the middle of that battle, you know? Can you even imagine just being at work doing an oil change or something, and suddenly there’s this all-out riot between supernatural beings all around you? Like, seriously, that would probably be enough for ME to want to say yes to a cosmic being offering me protection or whatever in exchange for a yes there...

So was that entire scenario arranged by Raphael specifically to secure consent from his vessel? I mean, that’s one logical possibility.

Now let’s look at Raphael for a moment, throughout canon and not just at this one episode. Let’s remember what he thinks of humanity in general, and what his reasons for wanting to restart the apocalypse in s6 were. He HATED humanity. He was TIRED of playing that role of watching over them. He was BORED with humanity, and just wanted it all to be over. He wasn’t passionate about remaking the world in his own image the way Lucifer was, or the way AU Michael seems to be now. He’s just done.

So with that knowledge, why would Raphael even care about taking a vessel at all? What was his purpose? Why did he bother to arrange to have Donnie reduced to the ready and waiting “open phone line” of a practically empty vessel Cas and Dean saw in the hospital? What exactly was that entire situation about?

Because that’s what makes no sense with the rest of canon, you know?

So I suggest that rather than break your brain trying to resolve all of extant canon with that singular anomaly, you look at the entire scenario from the opposite perspective. Canon has been repeatedly inviting us to do this, after all.

It’s like... we aren’t so petty as to insist that the mission Dean and Sam set out on to kill Lilith at the beginning of s4 was actually the true mission they SHOULD have been going on to stop the apocalypse, you know? The entire season was a misdirect focused around the goal of killing Lilith under the assumption that SHE would start the apocalypse and they needed to stop her from doing that, but in reality she WOULD start the apocalypse-- with her carefully planned death at the exact right time and place. Sam and Dean (and Cas) were played for fools in the end, and everything they thought had been true had been overturned and the truth was only uncovered at the last minute, when it was too late to change course.

And I think a lot of the assumptions about archangel possession are based on those early (and deliberately misleading) assumptions based on Donnie Finneman’s case. Like... we take Cas’s word that Michael would leave Dean in a worse state than Raphael had left Donnie... but why do we accept that as a literal, surface-level assessment based on concrete fact? Because Cas said so? Cas also said they needed to kill Lilith at one point in order to stop her from breaking the final seal, but we later learned he’d been lied to about that, as well. I mean, Cas asked DEAN for help in uncovering Raphael in 5.03, because CAS DIDN’T HAVE ANSWERS AND NEEDED DEAN TO HELP “TALK TO PEOPLE” TO GET THEM. So assuming Cas’s guesses there, or Cas’s warnings to Dean about worst case scenarios of what MIGHT happen if he said yes to Michael can be seen on just that level-- since we know Cas is willing to lay down EVERYTHING in order to stop Dean from saying yes in the end. I mean, hello 5.18.

But now that we have that said, let’s go back and try and guess what happened to Donnie in the first place. Was he somehow gravely injured during the skirmish that led to Raphael showing up and coercing a yes out of him? I mean, we just learned the sorts of torture Zachariah was willing to impart on Dean in order to coerce a yes out of him in 5.01, and in 5.03 we also learn the sorts of trickery Lucifer will resort to in order to coerce a yes out of Sam, and in 5.04 we learn the lengths Zachariah is willing to go to get that yes again, and we learn again in 5.16 just how far Heaven will go... so why not apply that to Raphael, as well?

What if Donnie’s semi-comatose state was a direct result of injuries he sustained in that skirmish? What if Raphael had arranged that just so he could make Donnie into his notion of a “perfect vessel?” I.e. one not encumbered with an annoying human consciousness he’d have to deal with? Like Michael securing that yes from John in 5.13 (and in 1978), waiting until he was gravely injured and promising to make everything right? To save his wife and heal his body in exchange for that yes?

Why do we assume Raphael used any different tactic to secure Donnie’s yes?

Like... “I can relieve your suffering, deliver your soul to eternal rest and peace where your pain will end, if you allow me the use of your vessel.” If I’d been Donnie in that state? I’d have been tempted to agree.

So why do we headcanon that Donnie was Fine And Dandy before Raphael possessed him? And that the results in that hospital were only the result of Raphael’s possession? Because of that one offhand comment from Cas?

DEAN: I take it that's not Raphael anymore.CASTIEL: Just an empty vessel.DEAN: So is this what I'm looking at if Michael jumps in my bones?CASTIEL: No, not at all. Michael is much more powerful. It'll be far worse for you.

But we assume Dean was referring to the physical state Raphael left Donnie in here. So... why do we assume that Castiel, an angel, was also referring to the physical state of Donnie’s empty vessel with that comment?

Nothing in canon is suggesting that’s the correct interpretation of that scenario. In fact, current canon is actively refuting it. And it HAS been actively refuting it since Sam first said yes to Lucifer and was not rendered a blubbering vegetative lump of sasquatch in the aftermath, you know? NONE of the canon between 5.03 and 14.03 has supported that assumption that it was only Raphael’s power that rendered Donnie in such a state.

So that’s like... the opposite problem to the one you’re having making that leap onto a solid surface that canon is insisting is real, even if we can’t see the support structure holding it in place. We’re not being asked to pave over everything between point A and point B here. In fact, I’d suggest that attempting to pave that road could be as misguided as assuming that all the archangel possession canon post 5.03 must somehow support the headcanons that formed around Raphael’s possession of Donne Finneman. Because that’s not how canon works.

Sometimes it’s asking you to build bridges, and sometimes it’s just telling you the ground is solid, and going poking under your feet for the support structure is just gonna lead to you toppling headfirst into the ravine. Not fun at all. :P

*scrolls back up to reread your original question and wonders where the heck I took a wrong turn... probably Albuquerque...*