#may or may not be a reference to sisyphus

[mysticaf]

The epic legacy I left behind on my calculus teacher’s whiteboards

I LOVE YOU MR. WERNAU I’LL MISS YOU SM </3333333

[olympushit]

I just read an article that said Ares was the most pathetic greek god.

Let me get that straight.

Ares was the only male greek god that never raped or sexually assaulted any woman in his immortal life.

Ares was the patron god of the Amazons. A feminist community of female warriors was protected by him. Amazons were his loyal daughters.

Ares slew his daughter's rapist and was tried before all of the other gods for homicide.

Ares was the only male greek god that never viewed Aphrodite as a temporary lover, he respected her and loved her for who she was.

Zeus called Ares a double-faced liar just because he didn't agree with his nature and allowed Athena to hurt him.

Ares forgave Cadmos for slewing his child and married him off to hid daughter Harmonia.

Ares freed Thanatos from the chains Sisyphus put him.

Ares was the first god to protect Olympus from Otus and Ephialtes, but when he was trapped by them no other god went to free him.

According to Nonus in Dionysiaca, Ares allows Deimos and Phobos to help Zeus defeat Typhon.

Ares was the god of masculinity, civil order and a fighter for righteousness, referred as the Ally of Themis.

He always stepped in to help his children. He even went as far to disobey Zeus so that he could save his children from danger.

And Ares is pathetic! Like really?

The only argument of his "pathetic" nature was because he lost to Athena. A war isn't meant to always be won. There are the winners and the defeated. He may have been defeated in war but in his life he was a winner, because he faught for what he loved the most with insane ferocity!

Be for fucking real guys!

[blumyng]

The narrative is losing cohesion. At this point, Epic should be called very loosely inspired by Odyssey and we should ignore all reference to the greek myths altogether.

And for people arguing that it's not weird that a mere mortal defeated a god... gods, specifically Olympians always win in the end. Non-Olympian gods like Scamander or Thanatos may lose temporarily but what happened to the winners? Achilles dies (although his death is complicated and not really about Scamander and he was a particularly divine demigod). Sisyphus is condemned to an eternal torture. Diomedes wounds Ares and Aphrodite but with the backing of Athena. Neither were "defeated" and since they were technically not allowed to interfere in the war he got off lightly but that's an exception. Certainly no one escaped divine retribution from their attempts to one-up and humiliate the (Olympian) gods. So many Greek myths warn people from that hubris. No one just suddenly, with no divine help, gets powerful enough to completely defeat, humiliate, and torture an Olympian god and actually get away with it. Even if they did at the moment, the gods WILL take their revenge. Just like Poseidon claims, what's to stop him from creating a tsunami to drown Ithaca after that defeat? He can even do it far away from Ithaca. What's to stop other gods from taking umbrage to Odysseus' actions? And how will Odysseus stop them? This "power-up" certainly cant make him stop a literal tsunami or concentrated thunder or any myriad of ways gods can fuck up mortals. If he could, well then, why did we bother so much about the power of the gods in the previous sagas? Why did Odysseus and his crew suffer what felt like inescapable pain? Why did Astyanax have to die?

Because why now? If Odysseus can suddenly become powerful through powers of anger, madness, love, friendship(?) or whatever why not before? Why not when his crew died to the Cyclops, when first attacked by Poseidon, when faced with Zeus? Why does Odysseus gets to suddenly break the rules? If there are reasons to it, it's not told in the songs. The logic of the world suddenly collapses.

And dont even talk about that ridiculous power-up. I dont care if it's animation and game influenced. The title says "the musical". It's published first and foremost as songs, advertised as a musical. If people are confused about the sudden turn of events after listening to the songs, the story is not properly explaining itself.

The narrative simply does not match the genre nor respect its original sources. I felt it concerning that Athena's character seemingly collapsed in the Wisdom saga. She was a cool, calculating and exacting strategist in the earlier sagas, Odysseus and she parted on explicitly bad terms and then in the Wisdom Saga she suddenly turns into this worried, friendship-cherishing quasi family friend who stakes her life trying to rescue her "friend". Some crucial character development is missing from the end of the Cyclops saga and the Wisdom saga. Yes, she turns back time to see what Odysseus suffered. But again, why his suffering post-My Goodbye softens Athena when his previous hardships didnt move her?

Zeus too becomes a caricature of himself. In his previous appearances, he was a self-assured judge of both men and gods and he delivers fate and divine judgements to Odysseus (though he does comes off as cruel). Yet in the God Games, he is like an angry toddler, mad that his daughter dare win the game he proposed. He promised to grant her wish if she win his game but then he gets so mad?? I'm not saying that Zeus can't be both majestic and petty but the jump from one character to another with no explanation is jarring.

The songs still sound great, the singers did a super job and Act 1 raised some genuinely deep questions about the nature of humanity, monsters, and fate. But the recent sagas are quickly losing that strongly compelling narrative that I believe was the backbone of this musical.

[vraisetzen]

Hi lovely V! I just wanted to ask — what are your 5-10 top favourite things about Michikatsu/Kokushibo?

Hi lovely Anon! This is a really good question

I actually went through various oshis/favourites in KnY, with Rengoku being my first, and then Uzui; over time, however, Kokushibo won over me, and he has been my very favourite since.

His appearance: Let's get this out of the way first — I was instantly intrigued by Kokushibo the very moment I saw him. Gotouge has a splendid eye for memorable character design, and there was something about Kokushibo's six eyes, his turtleshell patterned kimono, and his sword, that made him very compelling unforgettable. And then, when I saw his human face (and how it was such a sharp contrast to Yoriichi), I thought he was so, so handsome.

His strength: I have always been drawn to very strong characters, and Kokushibo was no exception. The way he so easily sliced off Muichiro's arm, how he had hone his Breathing techniques and created so many variations, his certainty and confidence ("You only tore my kimono..."); the fact that he survived having his head sliced off, and was so close to resurrecting had it not been a moment of sentiment as he recalled his brother. He did not achieve all this easily, of course — he had honed his skills through centuries, and even as a swordsman he had worked so hard to match up to his twin brother; which brings me to my next point...

His weakness: This might be a strange thing to say, but another part I love about Kokushbo is something that perhaps many other fans might find despicable: his insecurities and desire for power. In many ways, I relate to his envy for his younger twin's abilities, such that he became blind to the many other things he was given (a title, an estate, a family). Being insecure was one thing, but allowing that jealousy to take root in one's psyche, such that it drove him into becoming a demon — I saw someone who simply wanted to emerge from the shadow cast by the sun, as he pushed the stone of Sisyphus towards an unattainable peak.

His complexity: That is not to say, however, that I absolve or excuse him of all his misdeeds. When I talk about Kokushibo, it is always in the context of him as a demon, as Upper Moon One; very rarely do I refer to him as Tsugikuni Michikatsu, because I think Kokushibo himself willingly let go of that identity the very moment he accepted Muzan's Faustian promise. But still, if the moments before his death were an indication, I think he was always so, so close to being redeemed had he only met the right person who could steer him onto the right path. Kokushibo realised that, and that is why in a moment of weakness he succumbed to death instead of holding on to his desire for power and immortality. It is this near-miss, this possibility of redemption, that makes him such a complex character in my eyes, and one that I love so much.

His personality: The fandom loves making jokes about Kokushibo's speech patterns, and I totally get it — he's just an old guy who needs to get his thoughts in order before voicing them. At the same time, I think it's such a great fit for his serious, dignified persona. We may never know what sort of person Michikatsu was when he was happily married with two children, or when he took a break from being envious of Yoriichi's talents, but I would like to think that he was as equally uptight and formal. As a samurai in the warring states period, he was most definitely raised with the class' code of conduct and behaved appropriately; I especially find his seiza to be very cute:

And if I'm allowed to dive into Kimetsu Academy here, I think Kokushibo is so, so adorable as Muzan's secretary. He's most likely underpaid and overworked, but his devotion to his employer's cause is admirable (and personally, I've always headcanon-ed Muzan's evil politics in KimeGaku as him being a progressive politican in a National Diet filled with LDP politicians, but I digress). I love that moment where Tanjiro's innocence evidently moves him, and we get a tiny glimpse of his eyes beyond the sunglasses:

Because at the end of the day, Kokushibo is just a very Old Guy™ who is just trying his best to serve his master and fulfil his own goals of being the strongest.

Thanks for the wonderful question, Anon! I hope this answers it well — frankly, there are just so many things about Kokushibo that I love, and I find so difficult to quantify them in a list. And to be honest, there are times where I do get mired in fandom's portrayal of him and his canon depiction — that when I read his chapters in the manga all over again!

xoxo, V ♥️

[houseoflibra]

Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas – Bangai-hen The Land of Wind (Part 1)

(This arc corresponds to chapters 7-9 of the first collected volume.)

Page 1

Sanctuary, 18th century

Trainees: - Hah! - Yah!

???: - You've done a good job teaching the trainees… - …Aldebaran.

Page 2

Sisyphus: - They've become strong.

Page 3

Aldebaran: - You're back, Sisyphus! - I heard you had a rough time with this latest mission.

Sisyphus: - Yeah. - Two bronze saints who were with me were injured.

Aldebaran: - Specters? - Not again?…

Sisyphus: - No doubt about it. - We were attacked by Specters we had already defeated. - Some of them had even inflicted damage on our forces before.

Page 4

Aldebaran: - Hmm… if they keep reviving no matter how many times we defeat them… - …the casualties on our side will only keep multiplying…

Sisyphus: - Yeah… - Including these hard-working trainees.

Aldebaran: - Sisyphus, how do we fight that? - I cannot accept my comrades having such pointless deaths!!

Sisyphus: - … - Pope Sage says that Virgo Asmita holds the key.

Page 5

Aldebaran: - Him?… - He failed to attend another meeting the other day because he claimed he was meditating!…

Sisyphus: - I get what you're saying. - But that's what Pope Sage said. - For the moment, he is the one closest to reaching the eighth consciousness. - It is a sense that goes beyond the ultimate cosmo of the seventh sense. - It's… - …the sense that my older brother Ilias, the former Leo Saint, once attained.

Page 6

House of Virgo

Sisyphus: - (Even though it's on Pope Sage's orders, this may be the first time I'm coming face to face with Virgo.) - (Regulus seems to have become somewhat attached to him, perhaps because they're neighbors…) - (But there are also many like Aldebaran who say they don't understand him.) - (Maybe they are alike after all...)

Page 7

Sisyphus: - (They probably perceive things on a different dimension than ordinary people.) - (I wonder…) - (…just how far into the world can they see?)

Page 8

-

Page 9

Asmita: - You've finally come... - ...Sisyphus.

Sisyphus: - I'm here on Pope Sage's orders. - There's only a limited number of people who know of this, but…

Asmita: - That's not what I'm referring to. - I've been wanting to meet you. - Back then, a connection was made. - And thus this meeting has come to be.

Sisyphus: - I see… - Then you know why I'm here?

Asmita: - Of course I do.

Page 10

Asmita: - You're looking for a way to seal the immortality of the Specters, right? - It is certainly a difficult problem for anyone who has not awakened the eighth consciousness.

Sisyphus: - Then…

Asmita: - But I am still one step away from reaching the realm of the eighth consciousness. - I am unable to meet the Pope's expectations as I am now. - So this is what I thought instead. - It's time for me to follow the bond to the previous Leo now.

Page 11

Asmita: - Ohm!

Sisyphus: - Ugh! - …!! - What are you doing, Asmita?!

Asmita: - Sisyphus… - You received the teachings of the previous Leo. - And as the younger brother of a hero, you struggled. - I heard that you discussed many things with him.

Pages 12 + 13

Asmita: - That is why I think… - …that a part of his principles must live on in you.

Sisyphus: - ?!

Asmita: - Allow me to show you. - Demon Pacifier!!!

Pages 14 + 15

Sisyphus: - No way… - Are you looking for a thousand-day war?!…

Asmita: - I wouldn't mind it. - If it leads to the path of the eighth consciousness… - …it would be no different from a long discussion. - All you need to do is think of your brother within you. - Because… - …he awakened to the eighth consciousness, so surely he lives on, despite having lost his physical body.

Sisyphus: - !! - (My brother is alive.)

Page 16

Sisyphus: - (You don't have to tell me that. I can feel it.) - (When we talk like this…) - (In Regulus, whom he left behind…) - (In the sense of loss around Sanctuary as the Holy War draws near…) - (But…) - (…he's talking about more than these sentimental things of mine…)

Page 17

Sisyphus: - (Is he... still here?) - (Even after losing his physical body?…) - (Brother!!…)

Asmita: - ! - (A gust of wind appeared!…) - (It's different from the wind that Sisyphus creates.) - (It belongs to a third party.)

Pages 18 + 19

Asmita: - Huff… - Huff…

Sisyphus: - Huff… - Just now… - Was that a burst from our clashing powers?… - Or…

Asmita: - It was the former Leo. - Just as I thought. His cosmo is outside reincarnation, and continues to live on blending into the world.

Pages 20

Asmita: - Sisyphus. - I heard that the former Leo suffered from tuberculosis and left Sanctuary to embark on a journey…

Sisyphus: - He did… - But, Asmita… That was…

Asmita: - The lion is calling from within the wind. - On a journey to the land he visited in his final moments.

To be continued...

[cherubchoirs]

thinking of minos referring to v1 as "creature of steel", acknowledging its creation by mankind but how he may possibly view it as almost animalistic in nature now (he cannot judge its actions necessarily and does not blame it really for its imparted instincts, but it must be destroyed as it threatens what little is left of human souls) vs sisyphus calling it "child of man", a phrase used to either emphasize humanity's lesser status toward god/angels or as the title for the one who would usher in the end of days...and simply, purely, "weapon". it is an unthinking harbinger of destruction on any level - it will come, it will destroy, whether as an animal, as a tool, or as an entity. both a force of nature and the result of human hubris...ouughhaaa

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Lee Myers

Published: Mar 16, 2013

1) Atheists Believe Everything Came From Nothing

Many theists believe there was once nothing, and then there was something—the universe—created by their god. And so they ask, “But if there is no god then how can something come from nothing?”

This question has been asked for thousands of years, but now Quantum physics has provided a basis for some atheists, such as Lawrence Krauss, to indeed believe the universe comes from “nothing.” But Krauss doesn’t speak for all atheists and he speaks of a very different kind of “nothing,” the kind where virtual particles are created from borrowed energy inside a vacuum. This is not even remotely close to what theists mean by the term “nothing.”

When asked about the universe, most atheists simply stop somewhere along the lines of “the evidence suggests the universe began expanding approximately 13.77 billion years ago.” Beyond that I’m fine with “I don’t know.” I don’t need to know. I do not believe the universe came from “nothing” in the way theists use the word or in the way Krauss uses the word. I don‘t think there’s enough evidence to reach a conclusion yet and I‘m fine with that. I’ve never met an atheist who believed everything comes from “nothing“ in the way theists use the word and in my experience, only a minority subscribe to the theory Krauss puts forward. Theists may believe the universe sprang from nothing, but they then have the burden of proving there was ever “nothing” and that “something” requires any gods at all.

2) Atheists Have No Morals

Humans are social beings, and as such we have morals. Some theists say atheists have no reason to be moral since we don’t believe in a god to instruct or punish us. This claim seems rather disingenuous when one considers that most theists who say this wouldn’t become immoral deviants overnight if they suddenly stopped believing in a god.

Studies have shown our morals are a product of multiple factors. The Milgram experiment shows authority plays a major role. The Stanford prison experiment showed the same, but also displayed the role of social hierarchy. The “good or evil” puppet test for babies suggests we are all born with a basic sense of fairness, justice, and unfortunately, bigotry. Human morality is too complex to be explained by religion or lack of it.

Millions of atheists across the globe live moral lives every day. Some don’t. Neither do some believers. There are atheist charities and atheist criminals. There are religious charities and religious hate groups. Religious people and atheists can both behave morally or immorally because of—or wholly independent of—their religious beliefs. One doesn’t necessarily lead to the other. Studies have shown the basis of human morality is present even before we’re exposed to religion.

3) Atheists Have No Meaning of Life

Even if humanity survives the next 5 billion years on this planet, the sun will balloon into a red giant, boil and possibly devour the earth before exploding and blasting out through the cosmos. The universe will continue to expand at an increasing rate, and eventually the force of gravity will be too weak for any new stars or planets to form. The universe will whither and die.

Some theists consider this and think without belief in an afterlife, nothing really matters in this life. Believing in an afterlife can influence one’s meaning of life, but a meaning of life doesn’t require belief in an afterlife. Some theists refer to Nietzsche’s nihilism as if Nietzsche were the be-all and end-all of existentialist philosophy. But humans generally define our meaning in the moments we enjoy and the goals we set. This was probably best articulated by Albert Camus in The Myth of Sisyphus.

I enjoy every moment I spend with my daughter, and one of my goals is to be a good father. I enjoy art, and one of my goals is to read, hear and see more of it. I like a large, hot cup of coffee while watching the dim glow of morning just before dawn. I love the serenity of canoeing on a sunny day and the soft crunch of fresh snow beneath my feet. I enjoy my friends and my family. Atheism does give life meaning because as an atheist, I understand this is the only life I’ve got.

4) There Are No Atheists in Foxholes

Yes there are. They even have a website. Nonetheless there persists among some this belief that atheism is generally disingenuous and that everyone cries out to “God” in times of need. This claim highlights a conflicting epistemology between the theist who is basing beliefs in part on fear and need, and the those of us who determine beliefs based on facts and evidence.

Their assumption also implies that when a theist cries out “Oh God,” they are literally trying to talk to “God.” I have several religious family and friends who say “Oh God” in all sorts of scenarios but are rarely actually trying to carry on a conversation with The Almighty. Even a theist saying “Oh God” in a foxhole is most likely not actually expecting divine intervention. The phrase is generally used in the same way as “Oh Shit,” which generally doesn’t involve any reference to actual shit. Even so, there are millions of people who’ve encountered life threatening situations and didn’t cry out about god, shit or anything else.

5) Atheists Just Hate God

About as much as we hate unicorns. Theists tend to make this claim when atheists assert moral opinions about supposed deeds of their deity. “How can you have opinions about something you don’t believe in?” The same way we form opinions about Darth Vader, Willy Wonka or the Wicked Witch of the West—according to their role within the story. It doesn’t matter if the story involves a Sith killing all the Jedi kids or a god killing a nation’s first born.

Just repeating the claim back usually gets the point across. Do Christians “hate” Allah? Do Muslims “hate” Jesus? Do Jews “hate” the FSM? Not believing in a particular religion is not dependent on a negative opinion of that religion’s deity or messiah figure. It’s simply the result of not being convinced because the burden of proof has not been met. I personally think Buddha and Lao Tzu both had great things to say, but I’m not a Buddhist or a Taoist.

6) Atheists Just Don’t Want to Submit to God

Well, one would first need to provide reason for believing there is anything to submit to. Lacking belief in deities doesn’t mean one doesn’t want to submit to what they don’t believe in. Like number 5, the point can be made rather easily by simply repeating this back to the theist. Does the Christian lack belief in Allah just because she doesn’t want to wear a hijab? Do non Catholics lack belief in Catholicism simply because they don’t want to submit to the Pope? Do Muslims lack belief Jesus was the embodiment of “God” simply because they want to continue justifying child marriages with the actions of their so-called prophet?

7) Atheists Are Angry

There once was a time when challenging religion was considered taboo. Some would like to hold on to that standard to save their religion from scrutiny. Those days are over, but that doesn‘t mean being skeptical of religion means skeptics are angry.

Being confrontational does not equate to anger. If someone told you Elvis was spotted buying T-shirts at K-Mart, their claims would be analyzed, scrutinized, debunked and in most cases, outright laughed at. I see no reason why it should be any different for religious claims.

8) Atheists Are Responsible for the Worst Atrocities in History

Stalin, Pol Pot and Mao were all atheists, so atheism must be responsible for the mass executions during said reigns—or so the accusation goes. This statement is usually a retort to blaming Christianity for the Crusades or Islam for terrorism. The fact of the matter is there have been Christians, atheists, Muslims and many others of different beliefs and non beliefs who have committed multiple atrocities throughout history. But there have also been some of the kindest deeds in history performed by people of all kinds of belief and non belief.

Stalin, Pol Pot and Mao did not execute people in the name of atheism, but rather for simply not submitting to them as if they were gods themselves. There is a long list of atheist politicians who never committed atrocities. Claiming atheism would lead to disastrous atrocities like those witnessed in the early Soviet Union is a hasty generalization fallacy which ignores all the good deeds of decent atheist politicians throughout time.

9) Atheists Are Guilty of “Scientism”

It must be difficult holding beliefs which cannot be justified with evidence. This leads some theists to conclude atheists all subscribe to “scientism.” This term is meant as an insult against skeptics for daring to ask for evidence when confronted with extraordinary claims.

Scientism is a philosophy which holds that science is the ultimate truth, and that science is the only way to truth. But preferring science to superstition doesn’t mean science is always correct. Scientists are humans and can make mistakes like anyone else. However, the methodology of science does work. That doesn’t mean science is the only way to truth. It just means it’s an effective method of attaining natural truths.

Many atheists are equally skeptical of science and religion. My first assignment in my college statistics class was to find three examples of misused data in the media. This same task had been given to each class for over a decade and no two people ever turned in the same three examples. I have also studied philosophy, including philosophy of science, and so I understand science can be wrong. I have yet to meet an atheist who believes scientists are infallible.

10) Atheists Are All Rational and Logical

This is one I hear mostly from other atheists. Some atheists like to consider themselves more rational than theists and ask why we should call ourselves atheists at all, as opposed to calling ourselves rationalists or some other such term.

But all atheists are not rational. Atheism is simply the lack of belief in deities. There are atheists who believe in homeopathy, ancient aliens, 911 conspiracy theories and a host of other completely irrational ideas unsupported by any stretch of logic. Just because someone arrived at the rational non belief in deities does not mean they are rational about everything else.

[strawberryblondebutch]

This is my grand introduction

ABOUT ME

I go by Kiera, although I'll also respond to Ghost or River, as those have been my internet or IRL nicknames for well over a decade at this point. I use she/her pronouns and I'm a 24-year-old white cisgender lesbian based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (aka the greatest city in the world, and I will hear no arguments to the contrary). My chronically offline fiancée is referred to here as "Mrs. Kiera" to protect her privacy.

I currently work in the tabletop role-playing game content and design space, but this is a stopgap before I go to law school to become a professional sports agent. Other industries in which I've worked or interned include music journalism, technical theatre, public school teaching, behavioral ecology, and literary criticism. My favorite thing is to hop from one dying field to another.

I'm pretty openly bipolar. Despite being on a good treatment plan, I still suffer from routine changes to my mood that impact my daily life. I'm happy to answer questions about my experience with BP2 or other health concerns if asked politely.

MY CONTENT

At this point, I'm not really in a fandom space. This is just the site where I scream into the void (and occasionally the void answers back). If you do associate me with a fandom, it's probably either Stranger Things or Scream. Like most people, I suffer from a few minor curses: I'm always in the worst line at the grocery store, technology likes to break around me, and I ship only the rarest of femslash pairs. This is my burden, and like Sisyphus, you must imagine me happy.

Other content that catches my fancy include comic books, emo music, sports, and Philly culture. My favorite bands are The Wonder Years, Say Anything, and Fireworks. My favorite athletes are Emily Clark, Taylor Heise, Brandon Marsh, Travis Konecny, and Tyrese Maxey.

Because of my job, I am also relegated to forever DM, but I have a few characters I routinely play. Rhaelara Rynwalsdottir is my pathetic wet cat paladin werewolf. Katya Volkova is like Evelyn Carnahan mixed with Daphne Kluger. I'm also working on some fiction works and love to talk about my lesbian werewolf OCs.

CAN I TALK TO YOU ABOUT...?

Yes, always. Ask me anything. If I'm having a bad brain day, I may not respond immediately, but that doesn't mean I don't want to hear about things like:

The Ronance hockey AU

Zatanna Zatara, pathetic bisexual meow meow

Why are all ginger lesbians such girlflops?

Emo, punk, and hardcore culture

The eternal pain of being a Philly sports fan

The latest stupid way I've gotten myself hurt

WHERE ELSE CAN I FIND YOU?

Legend has it that if you go to a basement hardcore show in South Philadelphia on the night of the full moon, you'll see a red-blonde werewolf absolutely tearing that shit up in the pit. Other than that, I'm also on AO3 as ClawedLoupGiroux.

BYF/DNI

TERFs and Nazi punks fuck off.

If you don't believe that addicts should be treated with compassion and care, I wish you a very die.

Trans men are men, and lesbians are not attracted to men. Do not ship trans men with lesbians or I will give you rabies.

I have the scary disorders your parents warned you about and sometimes they make me scary.

Despite it all, I remain a practicing Catholic. You keep your beliefs and I keep mine, eh?

Minors can follow, just don't be weird about it.

[fic-pickyourpoison]

hi! first of all I really love your fic. Second of all, this migh be a bit of a dumb question but, when in the tags you call it a Tragedy, in which sense of the word are you using it? Is it in a looser modern term, that is, indicating that bad/sad things are going to happen to the protagonist (kinda like whump I guess)? Or is it a more classical term, be it man against fate/man against itself/a fatal flaw which dooms them even as they keep going forwards? Because if so, if you had to choose a classical tragedy that’d suit Lami as protagonist, which would it be? Third of all, again, really love your fic! Also do you have any references on how kid/adult Rin may look like? Wishing you the best!

Good afternoon! Thank you for the ask, I’m super happy to hear that you’ve enjoyed the story so far ^^

Sorry for the delay, I’ve been travelling and haven’t had much spare time.

Not a dumb question at all! This is actually very interesting. Both are definitely relative to the story, but the “angst” tag is there specifically for the sad/whump. Dead Dove is there to really hammer in that it’s gonna be sad and fucked haha. The tragedy tag is definitely based more on the classical term of it, especially when taken in context of classic plays, but its also with a lot of inspiration from modern literature. The themes I associate this story & tragedy with are: doomed by the narrative; you can never go back; died and brought back wrong; the everyday tragedy of circumstance, etc, but the ones you mention here are also very applicable!

I am completely blanking on what classic tragedy would suit her—if I think of one I’ll let you know. I’ve been on a Greek mythology binge lately (does one ever give up on such a thing?) and while it’s less a tragedy and more a story of warning of man’s hubris, I’d associate her with the story of Sisyphus. It just fits haha

Rin! I love that girl, thank you for your love for her <3 There's been a few Rin drawings floating about, but they are all a couple years old. Here's an example of how I envision an adult Rin:

Rin's favourite colour is red 🚩🚩🚩 hahahah

[onlineviolence]

extended talking about gamaliels relationship to the council from explaining it on twt

it starts near with God's disappearance . Before that happens He makes the decision to make them his "heir" (as they were formerly his apprentice/advisor) and grants them a weakened version of the power he used to create Hell - how exactly he did so they don't remember, but it left permanent physical scars

And then he disappears and they try to appeal to the newly-formed Council, who doesn't believe their claim to power at all and blackmails them into silence with their knowledge of exactly what happened to God

before they know it they're under the councils command and control. their power is extremely frightening to the council, so they're cuffed and chained and constantly under surveillance - but it also could be of use.

theyre hidden away from the rest of heaven and basically never see a face that isn't from the council, but sometimes gabriel as the council favors him but they never have enough time together to have any real chance at conversation

so they are almost completely unknown to non-council angels and angels close to the council. majority of heaven knows the council probably don't make those prisons themselves, but don't know that there's an individual with a name who's forced to make them either

so. sufficient to say gamaliel despises the council but for millenia they were the only company they had.

they first learned of the Council's true feelings towards them firsthand when they're told to craft a "crown" of ram horns that would drive into the eyes of the wearer, blinding them. They're told it's for a heretic who's far too powerful for their own good who and needs to be restrained before they destroy everything around them.

they don't know the Council's referring to them, not until theyre finished and then told to put the horns on themself.

the council rarely ever refers to them by name, among themselves or on the rare occasion gabriel is there. theyre referred to by the mock title of "apollyon" because (images)

also gab

theyre an enigma to those outside the council and who arent gabriel (theyve had contact through when the Council spoke to gabriel and during the imprisonments of the prime souls except for maybe sisyphus' where he may or may not have been present still deciding

like their first Exchange Of Speech was likely next to Minos's giant corpse and the newly made flesh prison while being closely watched by a councilor )

[andromedaexists]

GENRE

Fiction - somewhere between suspense & fantasy in a dystopian future

Sublime Grimdark

sublime (n.) - art that refers to a greatness beyond all possibility of calculation, measurement or imitation

grimdark (n.) - a genre of fiction, especially fantasy fiction, characterized by disturbing, violent, or bleak subject matter and a dystopian setting.

STATUS

Drafting

AESTHETIC / TROPES

Greek mythology, corrupt government, social outcasts, QUEER!!, heavy themes of abuse (both power and familial), mental health, (stealing some from book 1) trans men's wrongs, anti-establishment, friends to lovers to strangers to enemies to ????, tattoos and piercings as a form of therapy, bullying as an act of love, etc etc

(it got kinda long so I put the rest of the info under the cut :) )

SUMMARY

An anti-establishment retelling of the fall of Icarus.

Ten years. Ten years of solitude, of surviving, of hiding. It has been ten long years of navigating the world alone, of planning how he would exact his revenge on those who have wronged him once he gets the chance.

A chance he has yet to receive. He's just one man, one cast out kid. How can he expect to go against a corporation as large as ATLAS alone?

Only he isn't alone, and it is time to make his move.

Διαφθορά is a tragic continuation of Δάιος, following Icarus as he and his dysfunctional found family lay the groundwork for a revolution. It seems like everything is going in his favor so far, even as the appearance of his sunshine throws him off-kilter. Will that continue as protests rise up throughout the country in his name?

MAIN CHARACTERS (BY THEIR CODE NAME)

Icarus (he/they) - We all know Icky baby, he is the man we see the story through the eyes of! Icarus is a chronically exhausted autistic trans man with a caffeine addiction and anger issues. (i suppose he's babygirl too idk)

Apollon (he/him) - I guess he's the love interest for Icarus but he's best known as my beloathed. Apollon is the #2 Elysian just two years after his debut! He is a childhood friend/lover? of Icarus' and perpetual pain in his ass.

Andromeda (they/them) - Our mama bear. Andromeda may share the same name as me, but they are not based on me. Rather, they are heavily based on a good friend of mine. Meda is the oldest, they take care of the group and make sure that everyone comes back alive and well. They don't specialize in fighting, but in healing. Particularly herbal and natural remedies (remember, lavender for anxiety and antibiotics for a fucking infection)

Achilles (he/him) - Another childhood friend of Icarus. He is Icarus' adopted little brother and right hand man.

Thanatos (he/him) - The information broker of the group. He specializes in getting what he needs to get and doing so discreetly, a huge benefit for Icarus' group. He is gender non-conforming and is a lovely person to be around, so long as your name isn't Icarus.

The Elysians - The figureheads of the government. They basically have free reign to enforce the laws of the land. The most notable of the Elysians are Daedalus (#1 rank), Nyx (not ranked, she operates out of sight), Casseopeia (former #2 rank), Prometheus (#5), and Thetis (#9). Each of them specializes in different fighting styles based on their mythological code name. 

MASTERLIST

Website, CMI tag, and Spotify Playlist 

Updates: 

Picrews for Icarus, Andromeda, Apollon, Thanatos, Achilles, and Patroclus!

Character Introductions (Main Group): (will likely update these)

Icarus

Andromeda

Achilles

Thanatos

Apollon

Character Introductions (Elysians): (yeah i gave up on this)

Daedalus

Nyx

Cassiopeia

Prometheus

Sisyphus

Shit Posts!

Incorrect Quotes: Banana Earth Edition

Find The Word Tag

Last Line Tag

Heads Up 7 Up

Worldbuilding Wednesday

Storyteller Saturday

Blorbo Blursday

Other Misc Tag Games

TAGLIST

@flowerprose @isherwoodj @cream-and-tea @touchingmadness @lockejhaven @marinesocks @wildswrites @the-finch-address @leighvalentin @inkspellangel @outpost51 (this is borrowed from book 1's tag list, if you would like to be removed please lemme know) @love-whatit-loves @xoberryblush

Please fill out this form to be added or ask to be removed!

[strolling-amongst-ghosts]

Jumps out of a rabbit hole(lore or reference?)hello! My names coffee! I’ve come here to ask if you’ve seen someone named Sisyphus? And some crows?

Ghostwalker looks up from his book and looks over at Coffee.

"Oh? The butler? Yes, he is in one of the guest rooms with those crows....he seemed pretty tired, so I wouldn't be surprised he is resting. You may try if you like"

[jamiesfootball]

23, 30 and 42!

23. What’s a trope, AU, or concept you’ve never written, but would like to?

So I was drawing a blank on anything that I'd like to write that I'm not already playing with in some capacity, but then I remembered-

I have a huge mental block when it comes to inconsequential AUs. Stories that are like, oh I'm writing about something else, but I decided that this one little thing here didn't happen because I didn't like it / didn't want to deal with it.

The thing is that I love those stories! You mean I get to enjoy the story, but without That Bit I Didn't Like? Excellent! But whenever I go to write something my mind is like 'but it happened.' 'But I don't like it.' 'But it happened.'

So I would like to write a fic where for once I just... ignore something intentionally.

30. Have you ever written something that was out of your comfort zone? If so, what was it, and how did it affect your approach to writing fic thereafter?

Most of the time that I jump into a new genre or fandom, I find it intimidating. There's a sense that since I've never written this before, I can't tell if it sounds right, which means that other people might think it doesn't sound right. What I've learned is to just dive into it. The familiarity will come, and with it the comfort zone. You bring it with you when you approach a new project.

42. Have you ever received a comment that particularly stood out to you for whatever reason?

The people shouting at me about the Sisyphus thing has been extremely gratifying. I put a lot of effort into trying to make that part not sound heavy-handed or fall flat, so hearing people comment on it has been a joy.

Special shout-out to the person who commented on the wtnv au that they made it all the way to the weather before realizing it was a wtnv au. That was amazing. Even though it was laid out as a mystery, I was sure that more people would get it since I used so many early-episode callbacks. I may have overestimated other people's ability to remember night vale references, but I regret nothing

[cherubchoirs]

"ultrakill is a story about love" EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING!!!!! ive had an idea stewing that fits so well with this. its more of an AU than a headcanon but boy howdy do i wanna make a comic of it

(reference to this!)

yes omg!!! i would honestly love to hear your takes and thoughts on this bc while i'm gonna try, it's an idea that's sort of hard for me to fully articulate. but love really is set against the cruelty and entropy of this world in its melancholy way. we see the love that was there and now gone in the layer of lust, we see the desolate, abandoned love of the ferryman, we see gabriel's misplaced love in a dead god and his crumbling kingdom. there is a pathos viewed through the prism of the machine, the very real human (and superhuman) emotion that permeates the world that we, as v1, were not a part of. so much has happened here and it has arrived at its end, yet echoes of love remain in frozen grief all around the path of destruction it carves and those it meets - the prime souls are ghosts, they may remain too but there is nothing they can affect in the world now, and they express their very human love in massively different ways. minos is bereaved, he is a king that desperately loved his people and feels he has failed them utterly to their deaths. sisyphus is the human will to defy abuse even if they know they will fail, but at least they took heart and fought (using the camus quote in his terminal entry showcases this, i think - "the struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. one must imagine sisyphus happy.") and i think ultimately the last real, live love that will come will be what gabriel feels for v1, a love that burns in the embers of all the love that has gone out. what i don't know is if v1 will reciprocate in any way, as i could see either option and be narratively satisfied personally: if v1 doesn't return the gesture, it suits the forlorn nature of love in this world, how it is real but this is truly its death throes because nothing is left to complete that connection and gabriel joins the ghosts. if v1 does show some response (a single line of "dialogue" i would guess), then it is the most unlikely of true loves, love between two beings that were never meant to meet and cannot last, but it's here, in this moment, and that is now an immutable fact.

[theskystealerthebookthief]

Just watched John Wick 4 and I have Thoughts

Spoilers ahead

My thoughts in order of the movie:

First all, this scene? Only lasted as long as it did because John Wick is an animal lover. There is no doubt it that if he was willing to shoot the horses, this would’ve ended very quickly.

The next thing is that I kept count of how many guns/gun parts Wick just throws at people. The number is 5 and, though reasonable, is Hilarious

Donnie Yen remains a Delight to watch in a fight and holy shit the way the fight showed how Caine works with his disability to still kick ass was awesome.

My thought at this scene: That must be one sturdy bow.

But also, Akira was interesting - if they decide to follow her story next, it could be both a mirror and reflection of John’s own crusade for vengeance, but hers may have a different ending. I’m curious how they’d do it.

The! Parisian! Building! Scene!

The bird’s eye view? The way you could see the space and the action as it moved? That was so cool.

Also the Dragon’s Breath was a good way to give John a bit of a boost without being an utter deux ex machina.

I have no idea if this was intentional but both Nobody and the falling down the steps to the church struck me as references to Greek Mythology - Nobody referencing Odysseus and the latter obviously referencing Sisyphus. I was just delighted by the choice of it.

I’m also glad they let John die at the end of the film because honestly? The dude deserves to rest. I was tired just watching. Like, how many fights does he have to go through? Also, his bones are made of titanium for how many times he should’ve died by fall damage.

In conclusion, a fun movie with amazing fight scenes and gave me many thoughts!

[cxttlefishcxller]

𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕤

So I was lovingly tagged by @residentdormouse who is great and awesome and indulgent of my bullshit. So away the shit does bull, I suppose jfkdl;safd The rules are simple - find a sentence, or excerpt, that includes the words you're given and paste it in, and include a link to the finished story of you want. But honestly, guidelines at best - do what you want.

My words to find: White, Cold, Snow, Frost, Ice, Gloves, Hat, Cocoa (or Tea), Blanket, Snuggle/cuddle (or any variation of this) No pressure tags: @caktusjuice-draws, @jaiesondurantkross, @beyondthetemples-ooc, and a massive Open Tag to anyone who wants to! I love seeing things y'all write <3 Your words are (really I'm just going off of moodboard vibes with a couple wild cards thrown in): Paper, Sunset, Natural, Leather, Bookmark, Steel, Chill, Ember, Storm, Makeshift.

Bullshit below the cut!

Okay, so some of these will be from published works, but several will likely be from the as-of-yet chaotically-unwritten remake of Second Lead Serenade. So it's a lot of Stand Shenanigans (tm) but I'll try to drop some other shit in, too. Just to keep things interesting. XD

White: (godfuckingdammit I was making fun of you for having so many Flagg references and the first one I got is a fucking Flagg reference. This one's from a bonus chapter from Serenade that hasn't made its way into the narrative just yet.)

“I went down to Saint James Infirm’ry…saw my baby there,” The voice croons under its breath. The predators may be gone, but the fear remains, and Piper finds that she doesn’t dare raise her head to see who belongs to the boots that draw slowly near. Didn’t Mother Abigail say something about wolves? Dark eyes in the night that were too eager to snap up good souls lost on their way? She had thought about how wolves were sacred to Odin, that not all were hungry and savage beasts, but that truth seems farther away now. “She was stretched out on a long white table…” The voice goes on. “So cold, so sweet, so sweet, so fair.” The footsteps stop. The boots are only a foot or so away now, and the figure pauses before dropping to a squat. A warm glow lights the area around them as a hand comes into her field of vision, extended in invitation. “Hey there, Dani. Need a hand?” Dani. No one’s been alive to call her that in weeks…maybe even months. All of the family and friends that had known her by that name are long dead. Her hair spills into her face as she dares to look up at last. Attached to that hand is a lean man with coiffed, sandy hair and a smile as sharp as glass. His eyes are pale, creased by the kindness of his expression, but she can’t shake the feeling that maybe the wolf had been in front of her all along. Dazedly, she puts her hand in his, allowing him to help her slowly to her feet. His skin burns against hers, and she stumbles when he claps a free hand on her shoulder. 

Cold: (I wasn't gonna have Serenade be two for two, but honestly I couldn't resist the urge to shoehorn TedPipes into something. Teddy continues to be the Best Boi Ever, and poor Piper's just trying to drag herself out of her survivor's guilt jfkldsafd)

His worry comes off of him in waves. The last bits of her loathing have returned to their home in the hollow of her ribs, turning her stomach as it settles back into shame instead of rage. “I’m okay.” Her voice is barely above a whisper, energy all but spent. “I’m fine. It’s just…” She can’t find an explanation worth using. Trying to put this emotion to words feels like Sisyphus and his stone. Too much and not enough all at once. “...It’s just me.”  He studies her for a long moment, brow furrowing before he shifts to take his legs out from underneath him, sitting beside her on the ground instead. “...Wanna talk about it?” He asks. His radio hisses, someone’s voice reporting that a section is clear. He shifts, turning the device off with a telltale click.  “I…I don’t know.” She shakes her head, brushing a loose lock of hair out of her eyes. Her palm is scraped raw from her outburst, skin broken in a few places and stinging as dots of blood meet the cold air. “I don’t know where I’d even start.” “Take your time.” He moves again, settling in at her side and leaning back against the tree. “Whatever you need. I’m not goin’ anywhere.” 

Frost: (Ohhhh I had to DIG to find this one. I don't use this word enough, I guess. This is an ooooold WIP of an original D&D-adjacent fantasy piece I was writing about a witch and a rogue finding some royal baby in a rosebush and having to figure out who and where to take it home to. Shenanigans Ensue.)

With such a blue cast to their coal-colored skin, Dark-Elves flush a shade of purple. This purple tinges his cheeks as he coughs, sitting up again as he splutters, “That...that isn’t any of your concern. The important thing is that I was at her estate and she had a need for my services. And we’ll get a tidy sum of gold out of her, so what’s the harm?” “None at all...if you’re successful. If you’re not, you don’t live here. I’ll deny everything if her guard comes by to make you pay for ruining her land.” She decides with a hum, draining the last of her tea.  “How heartless, Ketta. After all I’ve done for you.” Despite his words, he laughs, reaching to fill her cup again. “After all I’ve done for you, you mean. I got along just fine before you got here. And when you leave again, I’ll be all the more peaceful for it.” The banter is easy, playful, though her words ring true. Irren is a wanderer, and Ketsiyah a loner. Their arrangement is comfortable, she knows, because it’s temporary. He came into Thornfall just as the last frost was thawing, with half a year spent in the attic space above her home. The arrangement was that he would be gone by the time the first freeze came through.  

Ice: (BirdBrains gets some representation! This is from Shine On You Crazy Diamond, the IT/The Stand crossover I've slowly been writing. Which.......I really ought to get back to. <.<;;;;)

“We all tried to find out what really happened--his friends and I, I mean. A bunch of kids looking for a fucking serial killer.” He chuckles wryly, only able to look at his and Crow’s joined hands. Their touch is the only thing anchoring him, he thinks. If he lets go, he might sink down into the pit again. Down in the dark, where It lived. “And I think we did find It eventually. But I can’t remember. I just remember how scared I was. And how badly we were hurt after. And I remember that we all made a promise that if we didn’t kill It like we thought…we’d have to come back. To finish the job.” Silence falls between them as he finishes, and now, with all of the confusing, tangled pieces he has out in the open, Harold feels that ice-cold surety that he has finally, finally managed to find the one thing to say that would be Too Much. The final straw on the back of a camel that’s been struggling for the four years of their relationship. The one thing that even Crow’s infinite adaptability and determination couldn’t overcome. He can’t look at them, picking at his lower lip with his teeth.  “...It.” They say at last, putting the same weight on the word that he had. Not just a pronoun--it’s almost a title. A name for something so evil and so terrible that his mind goes utterly blank every time he tries to remember. “So this…murderer. This serial killer. You talk about It like It’s not a person at all.”

Gloves: (I was wondering when Between Iron and Silver would come into this one, but apparently I don't use this word enough either jfdkls;afd To summarize, this is an Undertale fic that's the answer to "what if a human fell into the Ruins and stayed?" and then it just...ran away from me. It's also my first foray into second-person writing, which is way more fun than I thought it'd be.)

At the edge of consciousness, you feel more than hear something snap, that ozone scent filling your senses before the weight vanishes, leaving you coughing and rolling to your side to curl around your stomach. As oxygen helps your mind to clear, you turn a little to see your assailant hovering a few feet above you, flailing and growling as they are held in place by some glowing blue force. They turn to roar at your companions, demanding to be released. As you struggle to catch your breath, you turn a little more to see that Sans has an arm raised in their direction, hand and left eye swirling with that same blue glow. Papyrus has one glove pressed against his mouth, eyes wide, looking between the guard and his brother. “Undyne.” Sans speaks through gritted teeth, and you note that his non-glowing eye has gone pitch black. “Calm down. We’re not here about that--this is more important than Asgore’s manhunt. We’re here for help.” “What the hell could be more important than this?!” Undyne--as you know her to be--growls, struggling anew against the force that holds her still. “This is our freedom, the only ticket we have to survive; don’t you want to get out of here?!” “It’s about what happened to Alva.” His tone sharpens despite never raising his voice. “This human has seen it. We came here to get your help.” At the mention of “Alva”, Undyne freezes, fixing him with a hard stare that he unabashedly returns. After a moment that feels like a lifetime, she goes limp. “...Fine.” The conclusion sounds like a struggle. “Whatever. Just...put me down, Sans.”

Hat: (Ahhh the Fuckening. Serenade yet again, but a WIP chapter this time! I still haven't gotten around to the Fuckening itself, but I sure wanted to write down what happened after. If I ever write a fic chronologically, it'll be a cold day in hell.)

Teddy hasn’t moved since his first few hours in the clinic, laid in a bed in the main room under the rough hospital blankets and the unfinished crochet throw Piper had brought in for the chill of the night. The Free Zone’s newly-acquired electricity has been put to good use -- the steady rhythm of his heart monitor embedding itself into her thoughts as she tries to keep busy. Crow had been kind enough to bring some of their collective yarn stash and Piper’s bag of hooks, giving her a chance to try to work on the hats and scarves they were putting together for the town. Doing as much as she can to occupy her mind. Two days, she thinks. The longest two days of her fucking life. Those old habits she’d built when Tripps was at its height have come back in full-force now -- numbly doing the bare minimum requirements of survival, following a set track and routine with no deviation. Filing her mind with tasks and media to avoid any thoughts toward the future or the dark what-ifs outside of her blinders. Much like it had with Tripps, this method works…for the most part. When it doesn’t, it’s only in flashes -- the image of Teddy holding a bloodied hand to his stomach, the way he had clung to her as he collapsed, the shocked look on Nadine’s face as Piper had torn that gun out of her hands from twenty feet away-- No. No, no, no. Not that. Not now. Not ever. She shakes her head, pulling out a few stitches that her tension has made too tight. That didn’t happen. It can’t have happened. So she sweeps it aside, turns up the radio in her mind. Her next few stitches are much more even.

Cocoa/Tea: (Okay so it's more Serenade, but at least it's a Teddy chapter? Nostalgia and introspection abound during a chat with Mother A, while the plot continues to thicken.)

"It's a shitshow." Crow finishes matter-of-factly. "The whole world ended faster than any of us could blink, and no one's around to tell us how to pick up the pieces. And there are too many pieces around to pick up, anyway." Then, clearing their throat, they add a little more sheepishly, "...Sorry for swearing." The older woman only laughs, shaking her head. "Don't you worry about that--I'm old enough and wise enough to know when polite words simply don't suffice. You're absolutely correct. Now that we're done running around like chickens with our heads cut off, it's hard to tell what way is up." Teddy can’t remember the last time he’d had tea, he thinks, listening to the exchange. At least, not the kind that didn’t come in a big teal can that he could pick up for a dollar at 7-11. For an absurd moment as he picks up his cup for a sip, he’s reminded of afternoons spent with his sisters and their dollar-store tea set made from pink plastic and poorly-painted flowers. It’s an effort to keep from sticking his pinkie finger out, mind replaying their indignant cries of it being “the right way”. The nostalgia makes his chest ache. The drink itself is nothing to write home about, as far as his coffee-saturated palate is concerned. A little weak, a little earthy. Probably needing sugar. He reaches for the carafe.  “But you must have some thoughts about how things ended up the way they did. Mr. Bateman thinks it’s human folly. Ray says it’s divine providence. You know how I feel about the divine, but the Lord’s messages to me are more concerned about ‘how’ than ‘why’. What do you all think about it? Why here? Why us?”

Blanket: (ughhhh this one was tough! It isn't that I haven't used this word a lot, but it's never in places that are like. Interesting to share. Except for that post-fuckening excerpt I've already referenced. So back to Iron and Silver I go! Our nameless protag has a mission and they're gonna see it through, no matter how worried their adopted mother gets.)

Not wanting to wake your hosts, you pull the blanket from the next hook on the door, slipping out into the chill night. The lights still bathe the town in warm, inviting light, the snow muffling signs of life to near-silence as you draw the blanket around your shoulders. Steeling yourself for the scolding of the century, you flip the phone open, letting out a deep breath and watching it fog the air before you. “...Hello?” “Where are you?” Toriel’s voice is a comfort despite the frightened sharpness to her voice. “Are you all right? Has anyone found you? Describe where you are--I’ll find you as soon as I’m able.” The questions are fast, going past your attempts to interrupt until you find a breath’s space to break in. “Mom. Momma, I’m fine. I promise. I’m safe, don’t worry.” A beat of silence follows. “My dearest child, what do you think you are doing?” Her voice sounds so small, so vulnerable that you feel a lump forming in your throat. “This world is so cold. So unforgiving. If Asgore finds you, if one of his soldiers catches wind of a human, not even I can protect you. It’s still very early; you should be able to return before anything should happen.” “And what, wait for someone else to figure out what’s going on?” The sharpness you hear from your tone shocks you, shaking your head as you try to force your voice into something more gentle. “I mean...that last cave-in was right in front of our door. And that poor Migosp...Momma, it’s getting closer. It’s getting worse. I can’t let it keep going. And it’s happening out here, too--someone I met has seen it--” “You met someone?” She breaks in, that fear never leaving her voice. “Who? How far did you get?”

Cuddle/Snuggle: (I have only just now realized I have never used either of these words. Like. Ever. I guess I've been focusing WAY too much on the pining and not enough on the actual smoochies, so here, have a cute TedPipes-flavored thing from the unfinished next-chapter of Shine On. The Derry kids come home, and realize that they'd forgotten a little too much in their time away.)

She turns, fixed by the familiarity of the stranger standing behind her. He’s almost a head taller than her, with dark curly hair and a warm smile that crinkles the edges of pale blue eyes. “You make for a terrible door.” he goes on, gesturing to her with one hand as the other slips into the pocket of his jacket.  “Teddy?” The name brings a younger face to her mind, bright and freckled and just a little bucktoothed. In a flash she remembers laying in the floor of her bedroom listening to her sister’s old record player, sitting in a dark movie theater waiting for the previews of some new movie to end, and swinging off of a rope into the water at the quarry…never more than an arm’s length away from the one kid who insisted that no one should spend summer break alone. He’s older now, but still has that mischievous light in his eyes. “Hey, Piper. Been a while.” “Holy shit,” Her tension is forgotten completely as she meets him in a hug that smells of cigarette smoke and cologne. The pure warmth she feels is unmistakable, beaming as she pulls back just enough to look up at him. “God, look at you.” She breathes, realizing that time has done him incredibly well. Those freckles are still there, but time has given them some softness, as well as a softness around his eyes and mouth. He’s really grown into himself, features and posture much stronger than she remembers. Oh no, she thinks. Puberty hit Weizak like a Mack truck. “Look at you.” He returns with a self-conscious laugh, arms still looped around her back. Her heart is still racing, she finds, trying and failing to find words to say that encompass the strength of emotions running through her.