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room-surprise · 8 months ago

Note

what part of SA does kabru seem like he's from? i thought maybe nepal or India but idk

(To clarify for readers I think by SA they mean "South Asia." Also this post is an excerpt/remix of the information in my essay about the real world linguistic and cultural references that exist in Dungeon Meshi. You can read Kabru's section of that essay here. You can also read a tumblr version of Kabru's section here.) Kabru is the name of a mountain on the border between Nepal and India, so I agree with you, and I think he's from somewhere similar to both of those places! I don't believe any location in Dungeon Meshi is an exact copy of a place in the real world (Except Wa being Japan) so there's probably some other cultural elements mixed in there too.

I talk about this in detail in the Kabru section of my essay, in the chapter on Miscellaneous tall-men. I'll give an abridged version here, with some pictures, since this is tumblr, and I love nothing more than talking about Kabru lmao

Utaya (ウタヤ) is the name of the village that Kabru lived in until his mother’s death. It’s located in the southeastern part of the Western Continent, in an area that seems to be made up of arid mountains and cliffs, based on images in the manga, anime, and world guide.

(Utaya circled in red. As you can see it's around a mountain chain.)

Obviously the terrain information is anime-only, as Kui's map doesn't include this information... HOWEVER, Kui does give us POPULATION maps.

This is the combined population map my spouse made in 2023 to help us understand where the different races live. How does this help us?

In the real world, geographic barriers like rivers and mountains are usually what create the boundaries between different cultural groups. The person who made the anime map obviously knows this (or Kui told them) and they placed mountains and rivers based on where there are divisions between the races on Kui's map.

There's an ethnic enclave of gnomes and dwarves in the bottom east corner of the Western continent. There is most likely a serious mountain range between that population and the rest of the continent, since the World Guide says the Western Continent is dominated by elves, not dwarves or gnomes.

So, there probably ARE mountains around Utaya, in the manga, even though Kui hasn't explicitly told us so. So it's probably a region like the Himalayas, like Nepal, since those are some of the tallest mountains on earth.

These red cliffs Kabru is standing around in the first anime opening are likely meant to represent Utaya, since there is no place on the island or in the dungeon that looks like this. It's where Kabru comes from and what happened there is both vitally important to his character, and the Dungeon Meshi story as a whole, so it makes sense to foreshadow its existance in the OP.

Utaya (pronounced “uthaaya”) could be Hindi (उठाया) or Urdu (اٹھایا), but it’s also the name of a Yakut/Sakha village in Siberia (Утайа). So the village's name is either Hindi or Urdu (both Indian languages which are mutually intelligible) or Turkic. I think it's most likely the former.

The appearance of Utaya, especially the red cliffs that the anime has shown us, looks a lot like a remote part of Nepal called the Mustang District.

Mustang (मुस्ताङ) District straddles the Himalayas and extends northward onto the Tibetan Plateau. The district is one of the remotest areas in Nepal and is second in terms of the sparsity of population.

Geographically, Mustang is a cold, high-altitude steppe that is a part of the Tibetan highlands.

Upper Mustang (the northern part of the district) was once part of the Kingdom of Lo-Manthang, isolated from the rest of the world by some of the tallest peaks on earth. From the 15th to the 17th century, its strategic location granted the Kingdom of Lo-Manthang control over trade between the Himalayas and India.

We know that dungeons only grow large and dangerous if a lot of humans visit them, and dungeons that don’t have a lot of traffic tend to wither away. If Utaya was a trade hub that saw a lot of people and goods moving through it (lots of desire) like Lo-Manthang, it would make sense for a man-made dungeon to grow out of control there.

Being major trade hubs might even be something that Utaya and Merini have in common, since Merini was once the major port of entry to the Eastern Continent from the West. That may be part of why both of them grew such catastrophically dangerous dungeons.

Now obviously these houses are drawn REALLY roughly and without a lot of detail... But Kui generally doesn't seem to enjoy drawing houses so I'm not surprised. Nepal has both steepled and flat-roofed houses though, and villages that are built on the side of a steep incline aren't uncommon.

Additional reasoning:

In the Daydream Hour book, there is a comic about various characters presenting sweets from their home regions. Kabru attempts to share a dessert from Utaya that looks like white oblong balls on a plate.

These are probably an Indian sweet called rasgulla (literally "syrup filled ball"). Rasgulla are a dessert popular in the eastern part of South Asia (an area that includes the Himalayas), made from ball-shaped dumplings of chhena dough, cooked in light sugar syrup. Rasgulla are also popular in Nepal, where they are called rasbari.

The Nepal sky caves have a passing resemblance to parts of the Ancient cities that Kui shows us towards the end of the manga, where there are homes that look like they are built directly into cliff walls. Since Utaya had a man-made dungeon beneath it, there was probably an Ancient city located there... Just like these ancient ruins in Nepal.

The Ancient cities even more closely resemble Phuktal Monastery, a Buddhist monastery located in the Lungnak Valley in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, in Northern India. Phuktal is in a region very similar to Upper Mustang, on the border between North India and Tibet.

And finally, I think there's story significance to Kabru coming from a place like Nepal.

The way Kui describes dungeons and the villages that grow up around them are similar to real world gold-rush or boom towns. The ability for people to make a lot of money in a hurry, with very little initial investment, attracts poor and desperate people who use the dungeon as a way to lift themselves out of poverty. This transforms the local areas from whatever their normal lifestyle was into a service economy that is completely dependent on the unstable dungeon.

In the real world, a huge amount of Nepal’s economy depends on tourism in the Himalayan mountain range. Nepal is a very poor country, and working as a porter at Mt. Everest, a Nepali can make nearly double the nation's average wage.

The Himalayas are an extremely popular tourist destination, and the amount of people who want to visit and attempt to climb the mountains far outpaces the local ability to support it. This makes me think of the dungeon of Utaya, and the dungeon of Merini, and how people have overcrowded it in their desire to conquer and exploit it for economic gain and glory.

Dungeons as an unsustainable way for locals to make a living, that leads to the destruction of their homes when the dungeon inevitably collapses, is a major plot point in Dungeon Meshi, so I think the parallel is likely intentional. Characters often talk about someone “conquering” the dungeon, and “conquer” is also the terminology commonly used for climbing a mountain.

This phrasing obviously has a hostile, imperialist subtext in the real world, since it’s most commonly used by outsiders talking about proving their strength by climbing a mountain in some exotic, foreign place. I think it has the same subtext in Dungeon Meshi. People want to assert themselves by proving they are stronger than the dungeon.

#dungeon meshi #delicious in dungeon #kabru #kabru of utaya #talking mushroom #analysis #The Essay

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thebxghag · 7 months ago

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sum Cam Hoa and young Iroh stuff -- I think their relationship is fairly a lot like Mustang and Hawkeye from FMA. At least that's how I view them in my mind xD

Anyway, Iroh getting 'yelled at' by Azulon and Cam Hoa listening to it too while considering her life choices, and Cam Hoa combing out Iroh's hair on the war front in the Earth Kingdom.

ko-fi | comms | inprnt | bsky | cara

#my art #fanart #oc #ocs #atla oc #avatar the last airbender oc #thebxghag #atla #avatar the last airbender #uncle iroh #the dragon of the west

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winstonsns · 9 months ago

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could i request something about reader who is a curtis sister, about 12 years old, and she’s like suzy bishop from moonrise kingdom? c: (sorry it’s kinda specific)

the gang and child suzy bishop!reader (request)

authors note: i researched about suzy bishop, and my resources said she’s fierce, angsty and has a temper. so basically, that’s what the reader is like, a curtis sister too. i’m sorry i haven’t been posting at good times, i’ve been very occupied with volunteering at my schools graduation and getting ready for the end of the year. this is my longest post so far!! 💗

includes ponyboy, johnny, soda, darry, dally, two-bit and steve

word count: 3.3k

warnings: cussing, blood, fighting, drinking, depression

PONYBOY CURTIS

you and your brother, ponyboy were walking home from school, you two saw a blue mustang, knowing it was a couple of socs

the two of you knew what to do in this situation, so you sped up, trying to get to your house quicker

four of the socs jumped out of the car, the driver still driving

two of them grabbed your arms and two grabbed your brother’s, pinning ponyboy to the ground

he started screaming for his brothers, while you stayed quiet, a knife held to ponyboy’s throat

“motherfucker—“ you mumbled, kicking one of the socs in the shin, forcing both of them to let go of you, kneeing one in the dick and punching his face, he fell to his knees in pain

you kicked the one on your left in the stomach, getting a rock nearby and hitting his face with it, blood dripping down the socs face

the socs that were holding down ponyboy looked at you in fear, looking at each other for a brief second, then you glared at them and ran towards them

the ones who were holding you down ran away to the car, and the socs who were with ponyboy ran when you came towards them

all the socs were gone, and the two of you were safe, you looked at your brother with worry, not blinking, however he thought you were mad at him

you grabbed him by the shirt, lifting him up and continued walking

he eventually caught up to you and said, “thanks, sis..” so you nodded and didn’t say anything else

you were hard to read, and he hated that, he never knew if you cared, and sometimes thought of you like how he thought of darry

pony always wondered if darry loved him, and thought of his ‘cold, pale eyes,’ a way he would describe you at times, cold

since you were ponyboys little brother and were close in age, just a two year difference, the two of you naturally became close

you told each other everything, however it could be a problem sometimes since he was more emotional than you, and at times you hardly showed any feelings

even acting cold towards people if they pissed you off for some reason

you had a temper but tried not to yell at anyone you were close to, not wanting to say something you didn’t mean

but you felt a very wide range of emotions, even very extreme ones like getting angry to the point of hurting others

you were insulted easily, so ponyboy always back you up and stand up for you if someone said something rude, or something you interpreted as disrespectful

you showed your care for your brother in little ways, like helping him with his homework or bringing him a glass of water, slipping money into his pocket when going out, etc

ponyboy loved you even though you were hard to reason with, you had strong opinions and wouldn’t back down from them, if he had to say one negative word that described you, he would say ‘stubborn’

but he loves being around you because of how loyal you are, you would always stand up for others if you truly loved them

JOHNNY CADE

you were with johnny in the lot, talking with each other about some funny things that happened with the gang, him giggling while you kept a straight face

even though he was supposed to be ponyboy’s best friend since they were closer in age, he decided to befriend you so you two could become closer, to understand each other more

he always had a sad look in his eyes, while you had a look that made people think you had no purpose in life, but in a ‘nothing’ type of way

so when johnny told you “oh, uh, your classmate came up to me today. i know you probably don’t wanna hear this, but she made up a rumor about you. said you beat up a first grader or something and that you’re a horrible person..” you bet your ass you were furious

johnny looked at you, both of you still walking around the lot, and your eyes were suddenly filled with hate

“hmm..” you mumbled, not saying anything after, your fists clenched in anger

you didn’t say anything, you didn’t want to burst out at him, so you said, “i think i need some quiet.”

he knew you would say this when you were angry, not wanting to be rude and say something you didn’t mean, so he stayed quiet

a few minutes later, you said “thank you for telling me.” and started up another conversation

he always appreciated how you would thank people, you were polite but were willing to be rude if your friends were being bullied

johnny would always try to invite you to hangouts, and you would always accept, he considered you one of the more mature ones of the group even though you were the youngest

whenever he looked at you, your eyes would be filled with nothing, as if your eyes were dead, and if they weren’t, your eyes would be filled with hate

but he knew you were going through much more, you felt more than how other people felt, emotions were heightened but you didn’t show it

johnny realized you cared about him when you beat up a soc, who was nearly suffocating him, putting the soc in a chokehold and taking him off of your friend

pushing the soc onto the ground, you grabbed johnny by the back of his denim jacket and ran

you were smart, smarter than others and you used your head

he loved that about you, you were loyal, the fact that you were so loyal had scared him too, knowing that if he ever did something to piss you off, you could fuck him up

but you wouldn’t, you cared too much

SODAPOP CURTIS

you and soda were at the DX, you decided to hang out there after school because you wanted to do homework there and read

when you saw soda’s ex girlfriend, you glared at her, hatred in your eyes, a cold gaze on her

“soda, you bitch! you’re so fucking terrible, ugly ass whore, you’re a dumbass too!! you, telling people about how i cheated on you?! this is supposed to be between us, dipshit—“ she got cut off because you punched her in the face

no one else was in the shop, so you felt free to do whatever

“y/n, stop! oh wait no one’s here, never mind.” your brother said

you grabbed her by her hair and dragged her out of the DX, telling her, “don’t fucking diss my brother again, i can do more than just punch you.”

she ran away, tears in her eyes, and you walked back into the DX, a blank expression on your face again

soda asked you why you punched her, you replied with, “she was talking shit about you, did you not hear?” an annoyed tone to your voice

he looked at you and said, “oh, yeah… thanks, sis.”

you nodded and didn’t reply, went back to doing your homework

he admired how you were good at school, better than he ever was, and you were younger than ponyboy

he tried to get closer to you emotionally even though you wouldn’t let many people get close, always pushing them away before you could

you felt empty inside, not in a sad way, but in a ‘whatever’ way, still hoping for something more

that’s how he felt too, and he knew, so he tried to bring you food or hang out with you more so you could feel better

you were so loyal, to the point of hurting someone else if they were rude to the people you were close to

he didn’t know how to describe you, he would see you as cold sometimes, but in the dally type of way

not in the hating everyone type of way, but the protective ‘don’t let anyone in’ way

he would defend you when others would say you’re weird, not just because you were his sister but because he truly cared about you

DARRY CURTIS

you were out, and it was 2am, walking back home

you were previously ‘busy’ at a restaurant, you had snuck in to do homework because you didn’t want to do it at home

you totally lost track of time, and before you knew it, everyone was gone and the outside was dark

you walked home with your backpack, not being nervous even though hardly any light was out, the only source being the street lights

when you were within a block of your house, you saw the lights were on, and you sighed

you walked into the living room and closed the door, seeing darry on the recliner, putting the phone down

he got up and you backed up, speaking loudly, “where the hell have you been!? it’s nearly three, you better have a good reason why you were out. plus, it’s a school night.”

you stared at him, replying with, “i don’t have a good reason why i was out. i was doing homework and lost track of time.”

you didn’t blink, and he started speaking louder, walking towards you slowly with a mad look on his face

you didn’t back up, wanting him to think you didn’t care, but he said, “it’s not safe for you to be outside after dark. you have to be inside, in the damn house by 12. you know what the hell happened to that girl a few blocks down, don’t you? you don’t even have a switchblade in your pocket, how are you gonna protect yourself, huh? huh!?”

your throat closed up and tears slowly formed in your eyes, so you quietly said, “it won’t happen again.” and walked away, your head down, soda looking at you

you went to your room and sat on the bed, staring at the floor, sighing

you felt like darry didn’t care about you sometimes, but you know he did deep down, he was just hard on you because you cared so much

you heard a knock on your door, and the door opened slowly, darry coming into the room

he looked at you for a few seconds, trying to observe you, but knowing it was impossible because you had the same expression all the time, emptiness

“i just get worried about you sometimes, im sorry i… almost yelled at you. i don’t want that to happen again, though.” he said, and you nodded, looking down at the floor again

he walked in your direction, sitting next to you on your bed, wrapping an arm around your shoulder and kissing your forehead, saying, “you’re a good kid, y/n.”

he got up off the bed, walking out the door and going into his own

he would worry about you constantly, never knowing whether you were okay or not

the two of you acted the same at times, both with cold eyes and showed love in difficult ways

he would try to bond with you over homework, he would always check it and congratulate you when you would get it right, baking with you, etc, just so you would maybe show emotion

DALLAS WINSTON

you were at the police station for getting into a fight with one of your classmates, breaking a boy’s nose because he was talking shit about your brother, ponyboy

a policeman told you to call someone, so you called the curtis number, but no one picked up

so you called dally’s number, knowing he had experience in this situation

he answered, and you told him, “dally, can you pick me up at the station?” with a flat voice

he replied with, “i’ll be there in ten.” and hung up

ten minutes later, the doors swung open and he stormed in, asking loudly, “where the hell is y/n curtis?”

a policeman sighed and asked you, “you asked dallas winston to pick you up?” and you nodded, he scoffed and motioned you to go to dally

the two of you walked out of the station, him driving you to your house

“the fuck were you in there for?” he asked with concern

“beat up a kid in my class for talking shit about pony.” you replied, looking out of the window

he nodded, knowing you would get overwhelmed sometimes, causing you to act aggressive

the two of you had that in common, you were fine with beating people up if they were talking shit about someone you knew

he felt bad for you at times, you never looked like you had emotions, and he assumed you had none for a while, you were tough, too tough for your age

he’d try to calm you down at times, even though you were stubborn, so you wouldn’t do anything you’d regret

he cared for you as he cared for johnny, you needed to be loved, like how even dally needed to be loved

TWO-BIT MATTHEWS

he was at the curtis house with the gang when you came in, backpack on and flowers in your hand

“hey sis, how was school?” soda asked, and two-bit teased, “yeah, and why do you have flowers? someone like you, huhhhh???”

“school was fine. i have flowers because a boy gave them to me.” you said, and two-bit ‘oooo’d, “as a joke.” you continued

“shit, you serious? did you beat him up?” he asked, and you nodded, saying you got sent home early

you sat next to him, he was on the couch so you sat on his left, he had chocolate cake on his lap

“want some?” he asked, and you shook your head, knowing you could get more if you wanted some

the two of you stared at the screen of the tv, mickey mouse playing, he laughed and looked at you, seeing your blank expression, not blinking

“you okay?” he asked, taking a pause from watching mickey mouse and eating cake, putting down the fork, looking at you with worry

you nodded, and he asked once again, “you sure? you don’t ever seem to show that much emotion..”

you stared at the tv, saying, “i just don’t feel much sometimes. but you should know i do care. about a lot. i don’t look like i show emotion, im guessing.”

he stared at you, feeling remorse for asking you the question in the first place, apologizing

he always tries to make jokes in order to try to get you to smile or show an expression other than nothing

two-bit realized you cared about him more than he thought when you called him keith, and telling him he should stop drinking, that he might die early and he shouldn’t want being drunk to be his normal

you would talk to him about emotions, even though it was rare, he would always be happy that you were opening up

he understood emotions better than the rest of the gang, which is something you didn’t expect, but you didn’t tell him that

he would give you advice, he had already been through a lot but was a loving person

STEVE RANDLE

steve and soda were at the DX, working while you were secretly in the back, doing your homework

steve was about to go on his break when he went into the back, seeing your back facing him, hearing you writing something

“y/n? the hell are you doing here, shouldn’t you be at home?” he asked

“no one’s home.” you replied, not even looking at him

the conversation ended there, and he walked back to soda, who was at the cashier, telling him about what just happened

“hey, uh, your sisters in the back doing homework. do you know why she’s here?” he asked your brother

he looked at steve, saying, “i’m guessing no one was home. i don’t know why she’s here though.” he looked into the back, seeing you finishing up your packet of homework

steve asked your brother if you were okay, and soda went on a rant, saying, “i have no idea, man.. i feel bad, we don’t talk much. i mean, i know she’s my sister and all but we don’t seem close, like, at all. she doesn’t seem close to anyone.. just does her own thing, but she has a lot of great qualities. she’s a good person, but i really worry about her, man.. she won’t talk to me about things.” he paused, “i know this might seem like a lot, and you don’t have to… but do you think you could talk to her? ask how she’s doing?”

steve thought for a second and nodded, walking into the back and sitting on the counter where you were doing your work

“hey, uh, you okay? i’m getting off work in a bit, i can walk you home.” he hesitantly said

you looked up from your paper, staring at him for a couple seconds and saying, “sure.”

a few minutes later, he came into the back and told you, “hey get packed up, i’ll get you home.”

you grabbed your backpack and walked to the front, soda mumbling a “hey” and bringing you into an embrace, but you didn’t know how to respond

you awkwardly patted his back, and when he let go, you and steve walked home

two girls walked past you, both socs and not where they were supposed to be

they giggled and said, “god, why are they dressed like that? stupid hoods..” and you looked back at them, stopping in your tracks

you made eye contact with one of the girls and walked towards her, punching her in the face, her head going back and her friends eyes going wide, jaw dropping and gasping, hands going over her mouth

she grabbed her friend and the two of them ran back to their car, not looking back at you

you walked back to steve and continued walking to your house, he asked you, “why the fuck did you do that?”

“they were talking shit about us.” you replied, and didn’t say anything else, eyes concentrated on what was around you, observing

he thanked you for standing up for him and yourself, saying you could’ve handled it better though

you looked up and glared at him, looking down and thinking, ‘the fuck else was i supposed to do? i just helped him, god..’ but not saying it out loud

you got frustrated at times, and he understood that well

but that one interaction with you helped him make up his mind, that you were a true friend and were loving

you didn’t consider him a friend, and he didn’t consider you a friend either, but the two of you would protect each other and stand up for each other

authors note: i’m so sorry i’ve been posting late!! i’ve been really occupied but im trying my best to post

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pinklivesmatter · 3 months ago

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American Wedding

The borrowed Mustang was parked in front of an old chapel, its pearl-white paint glowing faintly under the moonlight. Rafe leaned against the hood, his tie undone and his hair a mess of humidity and nervous sweat. His hands fumbled with a cigarette he hadn’t even lit yet, the lighter trembling in his fingers.

Inside the chapel, her voice echoed faintly, soft laughter mixing with murmurs of a wedding that wasn’t supposed to be. They’d driven hours from the Outer Banks, crossing state lines to this no-name town with nothing but a gas station and this roadside chapel that reeked of desperation and faded dreams.

She’d told him, “This is it, Rafe. We can make our own rules. We don’t have to be them.”

Them. The Kooks, the suffocating expectations that hung over his every move like the shadow of his father. He didn’t want to be like Ward, didn’t want to build a kingdom he’d inevitably burn down, didn’t want to ruin everything good just because he could.

So he’d said yes. To her, to this, to a wedding that wasn’t real but felt more genuine than anything he’d ever had.

But now, standing there with the crisp air biting at his neck, the weight of it all crashed down on him.

Inside, she twirled in her thrift-store wedding dress, its lace fraying at the edges but glowing like gold in the dim light. She was radiant, her laugh contagious, her eyes full of wild hope that had drawn him in from the start.

“Rafe,” she called, her voice breaking through his spiral. “Come on, we’re married now. You’re supposed to dance with me.”

He forced a smile and slipped back inside, the smell of cheap champagne and dollar-store candles hitting him like a wave.

“This is insane,” he muttered into her ear, though his grip on her tightened.

“I know,” she whispered back, her breath warm against his cheek. “But it’s ours.”

They swayed to the scratchy sound of an old record player, the song something soft and tragic, a perfect match for their reckless fantasy.

Hours later, the chapel was quiet, leaving the two of them in the dim glow of the exit sign. She was asleep on one of the pews, the white dress draped over her like a ghost.

Rafe sat in silence, staring at the ring on his finger. It wasn’t real. None of it was.

But for one night, he’d let himself believe it was.

Because tomorrow, they’d drive back to the Outer Banks, back to the tangled mess of lies, debts, and his father’s cold shadow. And she would look at him differently, like she always did when he cracked under the weight of it all.

But for now, he let himself linger in the quiet.

In the feeling that maybe, just maybe, he could be someone else.

#rafe cameron #rafe cameron x reader #rafe obx #rafe x reader #rafe cameron fanfiction #outer banks #outer banks fanfiction #rafe fanfiction #obx kooks #SoundCloud

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life-in-the-garden · 11 months ago

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Jar Spell: Spirit's Freedom

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is a 2002 animated movie about a young mustang stallion in 19th century western America. After growing up as a wild horse, he is captured by white soldiers of the United States Cavalry and “broken” to bear a saddle and rider before making his escape with a Lakota youth named Little Creek. He bears witness to the abuse that horses suffer as a great railroad is being built, and finally runs free again with his herd after falling in love with a mare named Rain. This jar spell channels Spirit’s yearning for freedom from oppression, abuse, and confinement, and is ideal for anyone seeking emotional help with breaking free from an abusive home, job, or relationship. (Please see the “Notes” section at the end for mundane resources related to escaping abusive situations).

You will absolutely need:

a small vessel with a lid (a pill bottle or spice shaker works just fine)

sealing wax (ideally blue or white) or liquid glue

Once you have your vessel, add some ingredients related to wild horses running free and/or your conception of what freedom means. Some suggested ingredients that you may or may not include depending on your preferences are:

a clipping of hair from a horse’s mane or tail

a feather from a wild bird (for flight and freedom)

1-3 horse-themed bracelet charms but NOT horseshoe charms (horseshoes symbolize being tamed)

sea salt (for the wildness of the ocean)

dried flower heads from flowering weeds (for defiance)

peppercorns and/or ground black/red pepper (for defiance)

Directions:

Cleanse your vessel if it is repurposed or you feel a need to cleanse it, then add your ingredients but do not seal it just yet. In a quiet, private place and with your filled vessel nearby, ponder the nature of your confinement and the liberation you hope to achieve. Ruminate on the steps you will need to take in order to gain your freedom—this could be searching for a new job, locating a place of sanctuary in which to take refuge, reaching out to a friend or loved one for assistance, and much more. Use this time to emotionally fortify yourself.

When you are ready, use the wax or liquid glue to seal the vessel. This seals your intention of escape and liberation from whatever circumstances confine you. If you keep faith to a spirit or deity you wish to call upon for assistance in your endeavor, you may do so at this point. Keep your sealed vessel in a safe place until you have made your escape.

When you have taken flight and made your escape, break the seal and scatter the organic ingredients in a wild, free place. If using inorganic ingredients such as metal or plastic bracelet charms, it is ideal to thank, cleanse, and save the charms for another use.

Notes:

Magic can be a useful tool, but it doesn’t work all on its own. If you make no effort to get yourself out of a quagmire, then of course this spell (and any other) is going to fail. That said, you are not alone in your struggles. Please feel free to use any of the resources below that are applicable to your circumstances.

The United States’ national domestic violence hotline is 800-799-7233. You can also connect to help via SMS by messaging the word START to 88788. Their website is here.

In all 50 states of the USA, as well as in Washington DC and Puerto Rico, you can dial 211 to be connected to a social worker. Please note that calling 211 doesn’t need to be used solely for discussing the escape of an abusive situation; you can also dial this number for general healthcare and mental health resources that are local to your area. You can learn more here.

The United Kingdom’s national domestic violence hotline is 0808-2000-247. There is also an online chat that can be accessed here.

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saphstories · 5 days ago

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Chapter Nine: Sovereignty Is Come

(Index/Masterpost) (Previous) (Next: TBA)

Though the sun itself was but a blurred shape in the clear blue skies, the citizens of Elysia rejoiced in the warm golden rays, singing their joy to the heavens and dancing in the cobblestone streets. Multicolored banners depicting the Elysian crest—the flying phoenix adorned with a tripoint crown—hung on the buildings, and flags of similar design were waved in the air. Children laughed and played, musicians performed, bakers and merchants sold delicious treats and beautiful wares in celebration of the day. The day Elysia had waited a long four hundred and thirty years for.

“Here they come!” The cry drew the attention of all gathered in the square, and the musicians harmonized a beautiful melody that echoed across the kingdom. While the crowds tried to push forward for a closer look, for the touch of the hem of a garment, gentle prompting from the marching Knights kept the masses respectively back, proudly led by General Antoine D’Coolette. The coyote’s blonde fur shone pale gold in the autumn sun, his silk robes gleaming with the Elysian crest on his right shoulder under his epaulet. Striding directly behind him within the enclosed formation of the Knights were the Elysian Court, each elegantly adorned in glistening silks and glittering jewels, exuding poise and grace as they followed Antoine through the square to the magnificent stone and stained glass building that was the Elysian Cathedral.

Antoine halted the Knights just before the ivory fountain in front of the Cathedral steps, marching to the end of the line and swiping with his arm. The Knights split into two lines that faced one another, one line before the steps, the other in front of the fountain. The Elysian Court climbed the white marble steps and faced the square, standing in a triangular arrangement on the stairs with Princess Regents Sally and Blaze at the top.

The clicking of horse hooves against stone quieted the kingdom for only a moment, anticipated breaths held frozen in time, every eye focused on the bend of the street that led to the palace.

A beautiful palomino mare adorned in gold and ruby silks led the way, carrying a black hedgehog on her back. His quills gleamed in the sun, the scarlet stripes a perfect match for the shining ruby of his silken gold-trimmed robes and cape. A step behind on either side trotted a snowy white Arabian mare and a buckskin mustang stallion, respectfully ornamented in sapphire and cyan with trims of gold that corresponded the glittering robes and capes of their riders: hedgehogs, the rider of the Arabian a striking shade of cobalt blue with an easy-going grin on his peach muzzle, and the mustang’s rider a shining ivory white with a crown of quills glistening on his head.

Antoine whistled and clicked his heels together, and the two lines of Knights clicked their heels, gripped their swords, and faced the Sovereigns as they arrived at the Cathedral steps. Antoine nodded once and strode forward towards Shadow atop Peaches, taking her reins and offering his hand to the black hedgehog, Jewel and Vector doing the same for Silver and Sonic. Each Court member grinned and bowed to their Sovereign, then gestured for them to ascend to the Cathedral entrance.

Princesses Blaze and Sally waited at the top of the steps, smiles on their faces and twinkles in their eyes. “Lord Shadow,” Princess Sally dipped her head. “Lord Sonic, Lord Silver…are you ready?”

The three hedgehogs shared a glance, then Shadow nodded. “We are.”

“Come.” Princess Blaze spun on her heel, the deep fuchsia stones on her gown sparkling, and led the way inside. Shadow, Sonic, Silver, Sally, and the Court fell into step behind her.

“Woah.” Sonic breathed. Silver struggled to close his mouth, and Shadow blinked several times to clear the stunned expression from his face.

Golden sunlight filtered through the tall crystal and stained-glass windows, bathing the sanctuary in warmth and casting rainbows across the gleaming marble floors. Long mahogany bench pews lined the aisle—filled to the brim with the witnesses specially invited inside for the event—leading to a magnificent golden altar before a wondrous stained-glass window depicting the Holy Trinity. A crackling golden flame danced in its pyre on the altar between a crystal phial of golden oil and a golden bowl of silvery ash. Each of the hedgehogs’ breaths caught in their chest, the power and energy both of this holy place and the Elysian Flame skittering across their fur and through their quills.

Standing beneath the altar was an elderly scarlet echidna. Thick white robes accented with a violet sash over his chest, secured with a golden phoenix pin, hung off his wiry body, his gloved hands gripping tight onto a curved wooden cane and a square set of spectacles dangling on the edge of his weathered nose. The elder said not a word, patiently awaiting the Princesses and Sovereigns approach and allowing the Court members to find their seats in the front rows. The arched doors creaked shut with audible but subdued booms.

A hush fell over the Cathedral. For a moment, everyone was silent and still, breathing in unison, basking in the anticipation of the moment. Then, the echidna spread his arms. “My friends!” The echidna’s voice cracked with age, its timber soft and wise, but in the silence, no one had issue hearing him. “The day we have long awaited has finally come. After four hundred and thirty years, as Prophet Isaiah spoke, the Three Sovereigns have come at last!” Cheers erupted through the Sanctuary, and the echidna allowed it for a moment before raising his hands again, calling silence once more. “Today, we name these young ones our Kings. Today, Hope takes their seat on the Thrones. Today, for the first time in two thousand years, we will have true victory in this war! For today, Sovereignty is finally come, and as our Kings, they shall deliver us all!” The echidna let his hands fall as the roaring applause shook the Cathedral.

The elder bowed to the five before him. “Milords, Princesses?” He invited, offering his hands. Sally nodded and led the way onto the altar dais with Sally at her side, Shadow, Sonic, and Silver following closely behind her. Sally and Blaze joined the echidna at his left and right, while Shadow stood to face him, with Sonic on his right and Silver on his left. “Gather close and kneel, milords.” The echidna instructed, and the three hedgehogs sank to their knees in a half-circle surrounding the echidna, cat, and chipmunk. In his hands, the elder gathered the phial and bowl, passing the bowl to Blaze and the phial to Sally. “Tis the Oil of the Holy and the Ash of the Flame.” He announced. “With them, the Princesses Regent, Sally Acorn and Blaze Sol, shall Anoint you as Kings of Elysia with your vows of fealty and service, passing unto you their Regency, and all the authorities and duties appertaining thereof, with the seals upon your brows.” The echidna bowed his head and stepped back, clasping his cane, as Blaze and Sally strode forward.

Sally cleared her throat, her blue eyes glistening as she handled the phial of Oil with trembling fingers. “Do you, Shadow Terios Robotnik, Sonic Maurice Wachowski, and Silver the Hedgehog, vow to remain loyal to Elysia and her people?”

“We do.” They spoke quietly, firmly, in perfect harmony with one another. Within the crowd, in the second seat from the altar, Tom kissed a weeping Maddie’s temple, his own eyes shining with pride.

“Do you vow to fight for Elysia and her people, even to your last breaths?” Blaze intoned.

“We do.”

“Do you vow to serve Elysia and her people, putting the needs of citizen and kingdom above your own?”

“We do.”

“Will you be a sword and shield for the helpless and weak?”

“We will.”

“Will you be a light unto our path when the road becomes dark?”

“We will.”

“Will you be a firm foundation under our feet when the rock beneath threatens to crumble?”

“We will.”

Oil dripping from her fingers, Sally reached forward and painted a horizontal stripe on Shadow’s brow; Blaze followed with Ash coating her hand and smeared a firm line above the Oil. The process repeated for Sonic and Silver, and the former regents replaced the bowl and phial on the altar, wiping their hands on the provided towels.

The elderly echidna hobbled forward, balancing a velvet pillow on his palm, three beautiful golden circlets accented with shining diamonds sitting atop the velvet. Blaze lifted the circlet decorated with the glittering cyan gemstone and gingerly placed it atop Silver’s head, careful of his long head quills. Sally selected one ornamented with a shining sapphire and gently laid it on Sonic’s brow, smiling as the blue hedgehog’s shoulders tensed and relaxed. Sally took the pillow from the echidna, Blaze kissed his cheek, and the echidna delicately took the final circlet in his hands, the gold much thicker, the diamonds more abundant, and the ruby much greater than the previous two. A shiver rippled down the black hedgehog’s back when it was reverently placed on Shadow’s head.

Shadow exhaled slowly and rose to his feet, sensing rather than seeing Sonic and Silver doing the same on his right and left. Sally, Blaze, and the echidna beamed at them, and the echidna inclined his head towards the gathered assembly behind them. Sonic spotted his family in the second row as he turned, wonder and pride on their faces and tears in his parents’ eyes. Blood roared in Silver’s ears, but it was nothing compared to the roar the crowd gave when the Cathedral elder, Sally, and Blaze harmoniously proclaimed. “Presenting to you, King Silver, King Sonic, and High King Shadow, the Three Sovereigns of Elysia!”

Shadow broke away from the festivities, in desperate need of peace and air. Since the coronation ball’s commencement, the High King had been bombarded with praises, questions, and requests, for a drink, for a proposal, for a dance. Now the sun sunk beneath the horizon, the sky painted in gorgeous hues of violet and orange, and Shadow spotted the perfect opportunity for a breather and escaped the palace ballroom onto a balcony that was delightfully empty. He snagged a flute of champagne from a passing waiter as he ducked out the door onto the veranda, downing the alcohol in two gulps and forcing his breaths to calm with the encroaching chill of the night.

“Not much of a partygoer, are ya Sunshine?”

And there went his peace. Shadow rolled his eyes and scoffed. “Definitely not.”

Sarena chuckled and offered him another champagne, her teal eyes glittering. “It’s only been a couple of hours.”

“One would have been more than enough.” Shadow gulped the pale-yellow liquor as quickly as he had the first.

Sarena eyed him. “How many of those have you had?” Shadow shrugged one shoulder. “Should I be concerned about alcohol poisoning?”

Shadow scoffed again. “It would no sooner kill me than a fly would you.”

“Hey, you should watch out for flies, you know. They’re vicious.”

“I’ll keep Arondight handy.” Shadow drawled. He briefly glanced over her attire, noting that her periwinkle quills were free of the typical braid, instead flowing in heavy curls to her hips, her lavender blouse and pencil skirt traded for a sparkling lilac gown with silver rhinestones and sheer sleeves. “…You look nice.” He attempted to compliment. That’s what he was supposed to do, right?

Sarena swished her skirt. “Thanks! It’s Jem’s design. Comes in handy, having a seamstress sister.” Her teal eyes raked over him, and she smiled. “She and Mama did well dressing you. What a handsome High King you make, Sunshine.” Shadow grunted, averting his eyes. Sarena’s smile turned soft. “You rode well today. I’m proud of you.” That had Shadow straightening, pride glinting in his eyes and pulling a tiny smirk on his lips. Sarena grinned. “If you ever need a break from High King business or the war, I’m sure Peaches would love another ride. She likes you.”

“I wouldn’t want to steal Peaches from you.” Shadow protested.

“Then we can take turns riding her.” Sarena suggested, waving a hand dismissively with a bright grin. “Or you could take the new foal coming soon.”

Shadow blinked. “Peaches is pregnant?”

Sarena laughed. “No, the other mare, Dolly. She’s the eldest in the stables, but she’s too far along to ride. Could give birth any day now.”

“Perhaps.” Shadow looked over the veranda, watching the Evervast River in the distance shimmer with pink and orange. Sarena hummed along with the music in the ballroom but didn’t speak, seemingly soaking in the peace and quiet as he was. It was nice.

“Chief Sarena!” A bright orange newt with eager eyes poked his head through the veranda door. Shadow kept his back turned, praying he wouldn’t be noticed. “Could I trouble you for a dance, ma’am?”

“I’d be honored, Master Elton!” Sarena called. “I’ll join you in a moment!” The newt beamed and ducked back inside the ballroom, and Sarena shook her head and shot an apologetic smile at Shadow…which he didn’t understand. “Duty calls.”

“You could say no.” Shadow pointed out.

Sarena chuckled. “If it were that simple. Court politics; Blaze and Sal will catch you up on them later.” She waved a dismissive hand and downed the last of her champagne. “Come find me in a moment for a dance?” She hopefully requested.

“No.” Shadow smirked when she pouted.

“Then I’ll find you.” She decided, turning away.

“It will still be no!” He called after her. She merely winked over her shoulder at him and vanished into the ball. “Crazy hedgehog. I am not dancing.” He grumbled.

“I thought Kings always danced at balls.”

Shadow let out a snarl, and Silver raised his hands in surrender, ears flat and expression apologetic. “Sorry. Didn’t realize I was intruding on anything.”

“What makes you think there was anything to intrude on?” Shadow snapped. “Can’t I have five seconds where someone isn’t making my ears bleed?!”

“Sorry, sorry!” Silver huffed, rolling his eyes. “I won’t bother you anymore, Shadow. I came out here for some peace, too.” The white hedgehog, supported by the cyan glow of his powers, floated over the balcony railing and sat on the edge, several feet from Shadow. He pulled one leg up to his chest and wrapped his arm around it, tucking his chin over his knee and staring out onto the river. Shadow sighed, his ears falling, and he quietly resumed his own stance at the stone rail. For several minutes, the two hedgehogs remained still and silent, until Silver sighed and mumbled something into his trousers.

Shadow’s ears pricked. “Who’s Bethesda?”

Silver startled, and he stared at Shadow with wide golden eyes. “What?”

“Who’s Bethesda?” Shadow repeated.

Silver shifted uneasily, biting his lip, before sighing. “My mentor, and…and my mother.” He sniffled. “She’s gone now.”

Shadow wished he hadn’t asked. He was unversed with tears, out of practice; he wasn’t sure what to do to make Silver stop. “I’m sorry.” He offered.

Silver nodded. “She gave herself up for me.” He swallowed. “The Black Arms took us by surprise. She pushed me through the Window and destroyed it so they couldn’t follow me.” Shadow stared at the white hedgehog, unblinking, horror rolling in his stomach, the champagne he’d drunk threatening to make a reappearance. Silver had…his own mother had-?

“I thought you said you were Last Hope’s candidate to send back.” Shadow objected.

Silver blinked at him, puzzled, before clarity spread through his eyes and he slowly nodded. “We-we weren’t ready yet. Final preparations were being made, and the Black Arms somehow found and ambushed our base.” He explained softly. Shadow, however, frowned, an odd itch in his ruby eyes the longer he held Silver’s golden ones, which looked…dimmer? Shadow shook his head; night had descended, everything appeared darker. He was seeing things, it was nothing.

Silver didn’t notice or didn’t point out Shadow’s behavior. Tears shimmered in his golden eyes, trickled down his cheeks. “I-I tried to get her to come with me, but she-she wouldn’t. Said someone had to stay behind, so I wouldn’t be followed, and she pushed me in-I couldn’t fight it-there was fire everywhere-and-and she-,” Silver buried his face in his hands, whimpers escaping his fingers and his shoulders quaking. Shadow didn’t know what to do with crying people. He was unpracticed, and crying people were loud and messy and Shadow honestly did not want that on his person…but Silver had lost someone precious in a blaze of fire and destruction…and Shadow related to him-to that grief-all too well.

Hesitantly, Shadow inched closer and awkwardly patted Silver’s shoulder, withdrawing his hand when Silver flinched away. “I’m sorry.” Shadow murmured. “Truly. I…know how loss like that feels, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”

Damp golden eyes peeked between shaking fingers. “R-Really?”

Shadow swallowed thickly and averted his eyes but gave the tiniest of nods. “My…my sister, Maria, she-,” The High King cleared his throat and refused to meet Silver’s stricken expression. “She sacrificed herself to save me, and I try every day to be worthy of that sacrifice.” He cleared his throat. “Your mother would be proud of you, Silver.”

“So would your sister of you.” Silver replied softly.

Both hedgehogs were quiet for a long time, each lost in memories of loss and heartache, taking comfort in the steady presence of the other, in the knowledge that they weren’t alone.

The veranda doors swung open with a shuddering bang, and Sonic zipped into the night air, a wild grin on his face with his crown askew and eyes bright. Silver frantically scrubbed at his face and Shadow glowered at the blue hedgehog, who paid him no mind. “You guys are missing one heck of a party in there; the Elysians don’t skimp on a celebration!” Sonic crowed, slapping Shadow on the back.

Shadow scowled. “Are you drunk?”

“Nope!” Sonic shook his head. “Not from Dame Rouge’s lack of trying, though; now that’s a woman that can hold her drink! If Mom didn’t have a stern handle on him, I’m sure Knux’d be in the Sanctuary with alcohol poisoning because of her. He cannot back down from a challenge, and Rouge cannot stop issuing them!” He barked a laugh, then paused when his fellow Kings didn’t even titter. “Whatcha doing out here instead of enjoying the ball?”

“Talking.” Shadow smoothly interjected before Silver could open his mouth, giving the white hedgehog a sharp look.

“What about?”

“How different everything is going to be tomorrow.” Silver piped up, hopping down from the railing and smoothing his robes. Shadow’s pupils briefly flashed ruby red, and the High King blinked several times at the black film that momentarily clung to Silver before it vanished. Interesting. Shadow mused but decided to hold his tongue. “Once the celebration dies down, it’s full force against the Black Arms. Elysia expects us to take control over the War. We need to be ready.”

Sonic sobered instantly, standing straight with a firm clench in his jaw and emerald eyes hardening to flints. Shadow gazed over the veranda, over the lanterns that illuminated the cobblestone streets of their kingdom below. “Enjoy the party tonight, Hedgehog.” Elysia’s High King clenched his fists, ruby eyes glinting in the hazy moonlight. “Tomorrow, we have work to do.”

…

(A/N: Hey guys, VERY QUICKLY: If you want some background ambience for this next scene, I HIGHLY recommend this song! Tootles!)

Beneath a starless inky sky obscured by rumbling thunder clouds, the occasional volts of crimson-black lightning provided little light alongside the broiling pools of molten lava. Steady yet reluctant footsteps reverberated on the gritty stone floor of the mountain passages, their owner praying to whatever god felt merciful that his liege would be so that evening…that the lack of ash rain would provide a shield for his life against the oncoming storm.

The jackal paused outside the large fissure in the black stone wall; the silver of his mask and the ruby of his eyes glinting in the low lava light. “Enter.” Even in the unbearable heat of the Summit, the command caused the jackal to shiver before he steeled his nerves and marched inside. But even he knew better to come with arrogance; even the lowest grunt knew better than to march into their Master’s presence in such foolishness.

The jackal obediently and quickly strode forward with his head down, tail still, shoulders drawn, and knelt with only a quiet. “Master.” He did not lift his eyes nor raise his head or his voice. He kept low, kept still, and kept silent. He would prove to his Master that he was still a faithful and obedient Insurgent, that his Master would be remiss to… remove him from service.

Crimson-black energy swirled around the jackal, and he bit his cheek hard enough to draw blood to keep from yelping as the energy lifted and dangled him upside down before his Master’s throne. His mask shifted but thankfully did not fall from his face, hiding the petrified expression beneath.

Cold scarlet overwhelmed his vision, and the jackal quickly schooled his features as claws gingerly lifted his mask from his face, exposing scarred flesh and narrow heterochromia eyes. A claw traced his face from chin to temple, then temple to forehead. The jackal involuntarily flinched but could not look away from the scarlet gaze that engulfed his entire world. Whether he lived or died was by that gaze… for that gaze. “Such loyalty,” The voice whispered in the dark recesses of his mind, in the very depths of his soul, dark, rumbling. Flecks of ash fell from the rumbling thunder clouds above, blanketing the summit in insidious grey.

Three hedgehogs flashed across the jackal’s eyes, anointed with oil and ash and crowned with gold, and agony ripped through the jackal—his mind, his body, his very soul—like wildfire, burning scorching boiling from the inside out. He thrashed but was paralyzed, screamed but was mute. Nothing existed but the scarlet and the pain and the voice. “For such failure.” The voice hissed, displeased.

“Ma-Ma-Mas-ter-Master-p-p-p-plea-please-,” The jackal moaned, tiny rivulets of crimson trickling from his blood-burst eyes, down his temples, dripping onto the floor.

“But perhaps,” The voice hummed, and a chuckle reverberated through the jackal’s bones as the image of the crimson-striped hedgehog shimmered before his eyes. “Yes, now that he is Anointed…”

The jackal slammed into the dusty stone floor, sobbing incoherently, but his Master paid his groveling no mind. He rose from his throne, his golden tassels glimmering against his blood red robe as he floated over his Insurgent. Lightning flashed through the skylight above, briefly illuminating the chamber, reflecting off charcoal skin, sharp horns, and glinting ruby eyes slitted with onyx. The jackal whimpered and curled in on himself as the Master chuckled to himself. “The promised time is nigh upon us.” He proclaimed.

“Soon, we shall have our reckoning!"

END OF ACT ONE: THE CHOSEN

Sovereignty has come...

See you soon for Act Two: Ascension!

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