#not to mention being able to learn something simply by observing it is also a kind of cheat code itself...

[aroacettorney]

tbh i wish aup had more reps for characters who achieve greatness purely through hard work and effort. the emphasis on genius/being special is mayhaps way too much to the point that it feels kinda damn depressing for those who aint born as one.

[neiptune]

et nunc et semper

cw: NSFT, 3k+ wc, female reader, ancient rome au, slavery, mentions of violence, sexual exploitation, power imbalance, intercourse, fingering, reader has greek origins, sae is head of the most gorgeous domus and you, a slave, eventually become his favorite concubine. one that just so happens to fall in love with the person, other than his brother, sae confides in the most: his most trusted slave, oliver

Sae is a good dominus.

When his brother sold you to him, grown bored and easily irritated after so many years of service, you were expecting complete and utter disinterest at best. However, prepared just in case you wouldn’t be as lucky once more, you also braced yourself for the worse scenarios: corporal punishments, torture, sexual exploitation. Rin’s kindness had always rested in his complete indifference and when he announced you were to be sent away, you spent entire nights awake, praying his brother would be just as merciful.

Against all odds, however, Sae grew fond of you. As soon as he learned you were able to speak Greek, he summoned you to his tablinum. You knew being one of the most trusted advisors to the emperor came with immeasurable privileges and richness, something you were reminded each day you spent in that domus: not even Rin’s residency had as many elaborate marble decorations and paneling, grandiose paintings and a garden one could very well get lost in.

The tablinium is where very few slaves are allowed, only the ones Sae trusts enough to let into the room he receives his clients in. The first time you stepped inside, well aware of teal eyes studying your every movement, you tried not to appear too fascinated by the walls decorated with such rich fresco pictures, nor by the busts of the Itoshi family arranged on pedestals on the other end of the room.

However, you couldn’t help yourself. You were born a slave but your parents were not: your mother was Greek, could read and write, made it a point to teach you both Latin and her native language. Back then you thought you’d never get to see Piraeus firsthand, hence why you were so drawn to the unusual frescoes Sae chose for his study. Aesop’s fables, represented so beautifully you raised your hand with the intention of tracing outlines you wouldn’t even be allowed to observe in a different household.

“Read for me”, Sae said that afternoon, shaking you from your stupor. He pushed a scroll towards you and it was surprising to suddenly discover his interest in science and philosophy. You were there, standing by his chair for hours, reading Anaximander’s theories and studies out loud, until the room grew dark and your voice hoarse.

It became a daily appointment: each evening, you knew your master’s expectations was to find you in the tablinum right after dinner. Never one to sleep much, sometimes he’d keep you there the entire night, your voice the only sound in a household where slaves were barely allowed to speak if their master happened to be around. You read for him without eating, drinking or sleeping, and when the sun would rise you were simply sent back to your duties.

And then, suddenly, he started asking questions too. What did you think of Aristotle, Herodotus, Plutarch? Was his pronunciation beyond saving? When you switched to poetry, Sae allowed you to sit next to him, so that he could follow along, eyes focused on your finger as it grazed each verse, to make it easier for him. He scoffed at Aristophanes’ comedy, which you suspect was a way to hide actual amusement. He enjoyed Sophocles and his tragedies. Then, he enjoyed watching you, the first time you read lyric poetry for him.

“It’s supposed to be accompanied by music, isn’t it?”, he asked, eyes boring into yours. You just lowered your head further and apologized, briefly stated that you didn’t want to sing for him without asking for permission first. Sae granted that permission.

He started touching you, a gentle brush of the fingers at first, to make sure your hair didn’t hide your profile from him. He’d then grasp your chin and tilt your head back to make sure you looked at him while detailing your impressions over a piece you’d just read. You never grew tense under his touch, not even when he’d grab your jaw if your tone got too low or you paused to clear your throat in the middle of a sentence. You did whatever was expected of you. Let him part your legs and sneak a hand underneath your tunic, obeyed when he ordered you didn’t stop reading as he touched you.

Like his brother, Sae grows restless easily and your submissive nature ended up irritating him. You were a little too unfazed, a little too good at carrying on, as if he wasn’t making a wet mess of you with his expert dexterity.

And so he ordered you’d kiss him, crawled onto his lap with your legs spread wide open for him, gasped and moaned and whined into his mouth. Loud, for all to hear. He wasn’t rough, perhaps it was the most gentle you’d ever been touched by a man, by a dominus. He’d take you right there, on his lap, on the table, on the floor. With time, you learned what he liked. On some days, you were allowed boldness: whispers to his ear of how good he felt, how much you desired him, more than any other man as no one could ever compare. Your fingers would card through his hair and pull at the soft strands right as he throbbed inside you, buried so deep you felt him in your throat as tears he’d lick away stained your cheeks. You’d keep your nails clean for he liked it when you scratched his back, you’d gently bite the juncture between his neck and shoulder.

And then, on some other days, you’d let him use you as he pleased, mouth shut, legs parted. He’d be stressed, angry, sometimes too irritated by either his marriage or matters of politics you’d never understand. You were always there for him, far from being the only slave he fucked, but certainly an interesting exception Sae didn’t want to get rid of and instead kept by his side most nights, in his personal bedroom, arms around your body pressed close to his as he softly asked you’d speak to him in your language.

You thought you could fall in love with him, you really did. He’d bring you with him on his travels and you’d find yourself missing him whenever he’d be back to his main residence, where his wife was. Where his children were. Sae would always come back with gifts, still does, and you know his affection has never been less than sincere. Being his favorite concubine means being draped in a cloak of newfound protectiveness, it means being owned social respect. It means being special. He sees you as more than a slave kept as sexual luxury, he cares about you. Wouldn’t that be enough to make a woman fall in love?

And then, one day, Sae came back and brought his most trusted servant with him. One you had never met before.

While you’d occasionally be with him during journeys or whenever he’d retreat to his country house for a couple of weeks during the summer, Oliver was always by Sae’s side. His mother was Sae and Rin’s father’s slave, he was born in their household and is Sae’s domestic worker. Oliver carries out a range of duties: cleans, prepares food in the kitchens, delivers missives. He’s probably the man, other than his own brother, Sae trusts the most in this life. They have a relationship intimate enough for him to keep Oliver as a secretary and an accountant too. He was the one asking his father to pay for a slave’s education, to make sure he could serve him better. You can imagine the affection he has for Oliver runs deep enough to grant him freedom from ownership, one day.

It was your demise and greatest stroke of luck. You never in a million years could’ve imagined how frail the equilibrium you were relying on was, a crimson thread mercilessly severed by a single touch of his fingers. It was desperate, the way you were drawn to him. When he talks, when he looks at you, you feel like a person and not a possession. A dangerous thought to have, and yet.

The days spent helping him in the kitchens, in the garden, the afternoons you’d catch glimpses of him laughing with other servants, all the times you were forced to be on Sae’s lap while he sat across from you, detailing the latest information about his most pressing affairs, eyes only daring searching yours when your master would be deeply focused on a document or a letter. Oliver had such a way of carrying himself, with a dignity you’d never seen in a slave. He wore a perpetual mask of neutral detachment with his master but when Sae would leave, on the fortunate occasions when he wouldn’t be around and all the eyes and ears of the residency could be considered far enough to grant you enough intimacy, Oliver could drop the act his life depended on.

He’s smart, curious by nature. Speaks Greek with a better accent than your master’s and yet still comically distorts some words, which makes you laugh. He’s knowledgeable about horticulture and spends hours curating the gardens surrounded by the peristylium each day, you’d often observe him from the patio as he tended to violets, saffron, thyme, rosemary, carnations. With expert hands that would leave no place for doubt should another slave or the master himself have noticed, he once plucked a rose and bowed as he offered it to you. A slave bowing to another slave. It made your heart flutter.

You hated yourself for desiring him, not because your mere existence revolved around the axiom of any individual desire being forever forbidden, but because your selfishness could cost him much more than his freedom. If Sae so much as imagined Oliver touching you, he could’ve claimed his life and yours with a light snap of the fingers. 

You didn’t care about your life, not really, but his held so much value. He was about to be freed, there was too much at stake for you to ruin everything.

Oliver is infuriating and stubborn, any attempt at avoiding him went up in smoke as he was just as desperately drawn to you and refused to give up on the one thing he ever wished for himself. Whatever he would do of his freedom with no one to share it with. You had insinuated yourself in his heart like dripping water that hollows out stone and for once in his life he, a person who wasn’t allowed to own anything but his feelings, felt alive.

And yet, he waited, persistence confined by respectful boundaries Oliver never once forced you to cross. He waited, exasperating, confident, beautiful in a way that made you wish there were marble statues and saturnalia dedicated to him. In a way that made Sae dull, someone you couldn’t hold anything but gratitude and affection for. A man you could never love the way you loved Oliver, a man you’d never kiss for the first time on your own accord, brief and sweet in the middle of the night, by the kitchen. You remember his eyes and how dangerously beautiful the moonlight reflected in them was, how searing the second touch of his lips felt against yours, the way he’d silently asked for permission he didn’t need, the uncertainty swarming in those eyes almost bringing you to tears.

You didn’t know what being asked for consent meant and you had no idea what choosing to lie with a man would do, how different the pleasure would feel. Despite being uncomfortably taken against the wall, it was the first time you ejoyed sex. Even on exceptional days when Sae would care about your pleasure too, it always felt like making you finish was a stubborn challenge he’d test himself with. Another proof of his ability, void of any sincere care.

Oliver was different. He strokes your skin with genuine tenderness, never chases his own high without making sure you’re feeling good too, without being absolutely certain he isn’t hurting you somehow, or being unintentionally too rough. Some nights he’d drop to his knees, a servant serving you, making you fall apart on his tongue without ever looking away from your face, so beautiful when contorted in pleasure. He’d catch you when you wouldn’t be able to stand any longer, gently lay your trembling body on the hard ground and push your tunic further up, to be able to still look at you before diving in once more. He wouldn’t ask for anything more on those nights, kissing your palm tenderly when you offered to grant him relief too.

“Get some rest”, he’d whisper against your lips before leaving you cold and alone once more. 

Neither of you expected Sae to free you first.

One day, he’d summoned you to the triclinium, the magnificent dining room where he receives his illustrious guests. Oliver was there, standing by the entrance, expression neutral and eyes never daring finding yours. Rin was there too, reclined on his left side on soft cushions while other slaves served him courses of fruits and warm, sweet wine.

“Lie with me”, Sae’s order surprised you: it wasn’t rare for him to keep you close in front of clients, friends or other servants but members of his family were his only drawn line. Obedient, you positioned yourself in front of him, propped on one elbow on the same couch. 

“She’s worth much more than the amount I paid you, brother”, he murmured into your skin, one hand lazily pushing your tunic to your hips.

Oliver’s love had changed you. Made Sae’s touch intolerable, newfound feelings of guilt and shame churning in the pit of your stomach for the very first time. You didn’t wish for his fingers to explore your skin, you didn’t want Rin to watch, or worse, claim his own fair share.

“What, just because you made her your Greek whore?”, the mockery, for the first time, hurts you. These feelings could get you killed.

“Be respectful of my Greek whore”, Sae buried his face into the crook of your neck and you stayed frozen, “she’s also my liberta, now”.

Your breath hitched in your throat and he chuckled, pulling you possessively against him with an arm around your waist. A liberta. A freedwoman.  

Rin’s scoff didn’t faze you.

“Look at me”, Sae’s grasp on your throat burned as he tilted your head backwards and spoke against your mouth, “you are free. I wish to keep you with me as your patronus. Will you stay?”.

For a moment, you feared you might not be able to speak, too overwhelmed by feelings interlaced within you like both ribbons and snakes.

“You honor me”, you were finally able to whisper.

In a way, this was everything you could ever wish for and the worst thing to ever happen to you. It was perfectly clear what being freed meant: you would forever owe him eternal gratutide and reverence. He made sure you’d remain in a legally defined position of obligation for your entire life, a bond that would last forever. You had never felt more trapped.

“Oliver, serve some wine to your mistress”, Sae’s gaze never left yours as he quietly ordered. Your heart squeezed painfully as you kissed him, doing everything in your power to keep your focus on your patron and nothing else.

Now, on nights like this, when you lie tangled in warm sheets with your lover, you’re even more dreadfully aware of what’s at stake. His freedom, your freedom. Both your heads, probably.

This bedroom in Sae’s domus now belongs to you, along with all the valuable possessions within it. He provides financially for you and finally grants your most intimate moments their due privateness. His slaves are your slaves, you are free to wander around the house as you please, accompany him publicly for everyone to see. Rin once said he’d never seen him treat his own wife with such devotion and Sae simply pulled you closer in response.

“This one’s different”.

He loves you, you know he does. When you read for him the world stops, Rome and perhaps the entire empire dissipating into thin smoke. His own dimension ruled by your voice alone, eyes shut when the pads of your gentle fingers explore him, lips he would start wars for.

But all that ceases to exist when you’re in Oliver’s arms, his nose grazing your neck, the deep rumble of his voice vibrating in a chest pressed to yours.

“Does he hurt you?”, you ask and he peels his weight away from your body, propping himself on one elbow by your side instead.

“No”, he replies quietly and smiles when you reach to grab his other arm and place it around your waist. You then hum, fingers tracing scars you’re familiar with. Faded marks on his chest, his back, his shoulder and arm. Oliver’s gaze softens at your unspoken worry.

“His father”, is the explanation he offers, “Sae never touched me”. His thumb starts stroking the skin above your hip and you sigh, relieved, melting into him like you always do.

“Does he ever hurt you?”, the question makes you chuckle but Oliver is serious, scowl getting deeper.

“No”.

“Does it feel good? Does it feel the same?”.

His hand disappears underneath the sheets and you jolt weakly against him when knuckles graze your bare skin before fingers start collecting the slick that still trickles out of your spent hole. You take his face in your hands and pull him closer to make sure he looks at you, not wanting your next words to sound as if you’re only speaking under the effect of the pleasure he’s providing.

“Never. It could never-”, a gasp when he dips one finger inside you, “it will never”.

For the following minutes, the only sounds in the room are your soft whimpers against his mouth and the increasingly wet, lewd noises produced by his fingers, the increasingly restless roll of your hips barely able to meet movements that drive you insane.

“I love you”, he murmurs, a low groan bubbling up from his throat when he curls his fingers and you see stars, muffle a moan into his neck, one hand closing around his wrist and nails digging into his skin. You’re still shaking when he pulls you into his chest, brings one of your legs around his hips. There’s a familiar hardness pressing against you and you tentatively rub yourself against it, face hidden into the juncture between his neck and shoulder.

“I will buy you”, you whisper, “I will buy you from him and set you free”.

Oliver stills your movements with a gentle hold of your hips, his other hand stroking the small of your back. Having you close is, once more, enough.

“He will never sell me”.

“Then you should stop seeing me. He will grant you freedom one day but if he ever finds out…”.

“What an absurd suggestion”, a quiet laugh shakes him, “giving up on the one thing that gives my life meaning at all”.

“He’ll take your life, Oliver. You could die because of me”.

“Then so be it. I would die after having lived”.

You pull back and meet his only half playful gaze.

“Don’t mock me. And don’t you dare leave me alone in this life”.

“Is that a request or an order, mistress?”.

Your groan elicits a chuckle. Oliver kisses the crown of your head, wraps his fingers in your hair.

“He owns my freedom, everything else is yours. I don’t fear punishment, only an existence void of you”, he speaks in Greek, attentively, and your heart throbs painfully once more. You kiss him, soft and gentle, then decide to be just as playful while your thumb delicately grazes the portion of skin underneath his eye.

“Really?”, you also ask in Greek, “I heard rumors of his wife requesting to lie with you. Does that feel the same?”.

He offers a boyish smile, gently bumping his forehead against yours.

“You’re ridiculous”.

“Not a very convincing answer”.

Oliver sighs.

“It feels like nothing, woman”.

You hum, feigning pensiveness.

“They say she’s beautiful”.

“She is”.

“Just so you know, this conversation is not going well for you”.

Oliver chuckles, lowers his head to press a kiss to the corner of your mouth. He stays here, lips brushing against yours, in hopes you’ll swallow his next words and let them take root in every crevice of your body. Maybe then you’ll believe him.

“Aphrodite herself wouldn’t be a match for you”.

“Flatterer”, you whisper, amused. It’s not lost on you, the way he intentionally used her Greek name instead of naming her Roman counterpart, Venus.

Oliver smiles, taking a second to observe features already carved into his very soul. He cups your cheek and thinks he wouldn’t mind dying like this, with you turning your head enough to press your lips to his wrist, eyes softened by sincere adoration.

“In love”, he corrects.

[elysiansparadise]

i luv ur work.💌

can u pls do neptune in the 8th ?

Thanks for loving my work, love! 💗

Neptune in the 8th house

I consider it crucial to start mentioning how skilled these individuals are in sensing, intuiting or detecting when something is off. They have a highly developed intuition as well as a natural ability to decipher any type of thing that seems uncertain or unclear. You can never lie to them, because they possess the mixture of impeccable intuition and sharp observation. They are emotionally deep people, very sensitive to the environments and people they interact with. They are very compassionate and empathetic people, capable of feeling the pain of others very closely. Many times they fear their own emotional intensity, because they know themselves very well in that aspect, which makes them very cautious when it comes to opening up because they fear that people will take advantage of their emotional vulnerability, their devotion and heart. It is very likely that throughout their lives they have experienced betrayals, ones that led them to close down emotionally and not be so patient and soft with the wrong people. It should be added that there is the possibility of going through intense emotional and spiritual transformations, which, although challenging, could also be deeply healing and revealing.

What seems misunderstood, taboo or complex usually catches their attention. They enjoy getting to the bottom of things and it is common for these natives to question themselves existentially and spiritually. They may have an attraction toward esoteric themes, such as tarot or similar. Many of them can find healing through spiritual or unconventional methods for the worldly person. Likewise, when they begin their path through spirituality it is due to difficult or painful experiences, and they can find relief in this field. Many of these natives have the ability to heal and transform not only other’s moods, but also something deeper like their lives. It is very likely that they may have strong spiritual beliefs about life after death and may be interested in exploring, investigating and learning more about these ideas. There is a complex relationship with their dreams, as these natives can obtain clear or meaningful messages with them. In addition to this, they can be people very in touch with their subconscious, even being able to develop [or simply be born] with some spiritual gift.

There is something enigmatic about them, something that simply makes you not stop seeing them, the mixture of mystery, sensuality and that sensitivity that, although they do not show it, can be observed in their mannerisms and once you get to know them better. They look for deep emotional connections, superficial things not only scare them, but bore them. They seek to love someone completely, to give themselves and for the other person to give themselves too. Being one with your partner is crucial, precisely the reason why intimate encounters are a visit to paradise, a bit of heaven to which you can become addicted. They not only make you feel desired or like the most attractive being in the world, they make you feel heard, understood, seen. They seek to know those sides of you that you are ashamed of, not to judge you, rather to be able to love you completely. Internally, they look for that same devotion from their partners, someone who loves them with the same intensity with which they are capable of loving. 

-> Go back to the masterlist

[standanddeliver]

Cell x Reader HCs (The Basics)

SFW!! My interpretation.

Cell is a romantic, but he’s incredibly unhinged with how he expresses it. You say, “I like flowers”, he hems up a botanist to get you the rarest flora in the world. You say “I like cats”, he brings you to the cat shelter after whispering to the staff that if they interrupt your date, he will ruin them. That sort of stuff. He loves to please, he thinks he should be able to do so always. He’s perfect, after all. He is very much a material giver, but he certainly doesn’t stop there. Compliments do come somewhat naturally to him, and he doesn’t often compare you to himself. He instead compares others to you, and explains their shortcomings and where you stand above the rest. He loves dates. Any chance to show off is prime “time to spend with my s/o” time. 

His love languages are easy to see, gift giving and words of affirmation. But quality time is something he often gives, and physical touch is not far behind. He loves to give you things or experiences that he makes sure are unique in one way or another. He believes it’s a great way to leave his mark on your life. This being said, taking the time to tell you about your value to him is something he picked up over time. He knows the value of spoken word, and cannot simply praise himself knowing that you are not given that same praise in some way. Look at that, he has a heart. He enjoys having physical contact with you, but it’s not entirely ‘romantic’, if you will. If you’ve got hair he can touch, he’ll touch it. He also enjoys touching your face, and resting his hands on your shoulders/arms as he walks with you. Directing your gaze himself is not something that’s particularly uncommon with him. He loves having dates, as previously mentioned, and takes time to ensure they’re almost habitual in timing.

Cell’s behavior didn’t change much upon realizing he had romantic feelings for you. He did a brief mental double-take, but quickly grew to accept it. He was actually quite amused by it, all things considered. All this did was confirm that you were special to him. He continued his general routine, and when he saw you once again, he greeted you with more vigor than usual. This was the extent of the change in the moment, but he grew more fond and forward with you. 

The hints that were dropped were less hints and more vague statements indicating how he felt. “You are unusually alluring to me.” “You are unlike the rest of these idiots, you know that?” “Careful now, don’t go making me like you too much more,” and so on. He’s a bit flirty, honestly, and does enjoy making passing comments. He does this before and after being in a proper relationship with you. 

He views you as basically the “perfect partner”. You are his new ideal, and he doesn’t believe that there’s anything to change about you in the slightest. You are held in such high regard, and he needs you to remember this. He tells you often. He brags about you, and wouldn’t hesitate to verbally (and physically) eviscerate someone if they even slightly indicated disagreement with his words. 

Cell’s gifts are always thoughtful, but they vary in substance. He likes to gift experiences, so he will pull whatever strings are needed to get you that thing you wanted. Whether that’s a quick trip to a store, or overthrowing a government with his bare hands. He likes to get you things that are rarities as well, finding them to be more ‘your style’. He really does just want the satisfaction of knowing that whatever he got you was appreciated and valued. Anything you can imagine, you will get. You can imagine how birthdays go, can’t you?

He learned about you in totally normal ways. By staring at you, searching through databases to learn more, observing you doing your hobbies when he spent time with you, and asking questions as they came up. He was always sort of curious about you, upon realizing he liked you enough to have you around. So, he’s just been gathering information since he’s come to that realization. He’s a fast learner. 

Cell doesn’t “deal” with his emotions. He experiences them in a relatively dulled way, and unless it pushes him off of his egotistical pedestal, he couldn’t care less. He’s not hugely sentimental anyway. If he is hit with something that overwhelms him, he tends to reinforce his cocky attitude to try to compensate for what happened. He doesn’t like to be caught off guard, and if he is, he tends to lean more into whatever occurred to try to stabilize his behavior more. Even when it comes to vulnerability. That phrase, ‘fake it till you make it’ applies quite a lot here. 

He does NOT say “I love you” first, but once you’ve said it to him, he will likely return the sentiment. He doesn’t say it very frequently, but if you say it to him, he will say it back. He’s just not really the type to say it, I suppose. 

The things that make him feel valued are words of affirmation. He really does like to be told things, and would rather hear something in passing than receive nothing from you. Acts of service aren’t things he cares for, and he’s not particularly keen on getting gifts, but quality time and physical affection are things he does feel somewhat valued by. Mainly because he understands them as viable and reasonable acts of love. He doesn’t really find much value in material things, nor are there things you can do “for” him. 

Would do literally anything for you. Between his ego and his dedication to being perfect to you, he will not say no to a task if you ask him with a “please”. You just have to ask nicely. He really doesn’t care for demands, but if it’s something said within the heat of the moment, he may actually do it for you without more than a passing teasing comment. You can ask him to do the worst thing you can think of, and he wouldn’t hesitate. He’s morally bankrupt in that way. So long as you’re pleased in the end, he couldn’t care less what is being done. 

Cell cannot be made to properly reconsider a situation or decision without proper prompting. Pleading may do something, but even then, he’s someone who’s set in his ways. He needs to be bargained with. Even tears won’t always win him over. You have to know how to pick your battles with this guy.

Honestly, I don’t know how much having a good partner could improve him. If he cared enough, he may make the choice to change on his own, but you could not force your hand and get him to properly behave. He, on the other hand, could probably make a partner worse through his nonchalance towards most everything. Being around him too long doesn’t seem like a task for the weak-minded. 

When it comes to showing off, Cell has that in the bag. Everything he does seems to be an act of bragging. He always aims to impress. He is perfect after all (smh). He believes that you should see his skills and capabilities at any chance, and doing things for you means he can make sure you’re viewing it front and center. His physical prowess and ability to get things for you/keep you satisfied are things that he believes should impress you most. So he will showcase those sorts of things constantly.

Is a supreme Freak(™).

[seventeenlovesthree]

Koushirou Izumi's clothing style - a meta analysis

When it comes to Digimon and fashion, you can tell that certain characters have - mostly consistent - preferences. Most obviously, every character has colours they are usually (but not exclusively) wearing, certain motives and symbols keep returning... And for some characters, their choice of clothes is - more or less - arc-defining.

While looking for references for some art pieces on Pinterest, I stumbled over one of my favourite Digimon Adventure 02 concept artworks:

We never see Taichi, Sora and Yamato wear their Summer uniform in the series and Koushirou literally only wears it in one episode - but looking at the ensemble here, there was something that caught my eye specifically. And this observation took me down a little rabbit hole in terms of what exactly Koushirou's style is, how it changes through the series - and what it may mean for his character as a whole in my humble opinion.

It simply felt like the perfect opportunity to post all these ideas as a contribution to @izumikoushiroweek 2024 and the prompt "Dressing Koushirou".

Adventure (+ Our War Game), age 10-11:

Analyzing Adventure won't take too long, because we don't have a lot of variety at this point - however, it still gives us the baseline for what we will have to expect for the entirety of the series.

Koushirou wears very "boyish" clothes that can be, more or less, considered to be common for a "computer nerd" in the 90s and early 2000s; wide, if not oversized button-down shirt (big emphasis here!), t-shirt, wide shorts, (colourful) sneakers. It's all "comfort over function" at this point, because, as pointed out, he seems to prefer wide clothes. While his signature (crest) colour is purple, his favourite colour appears to be orange, and there are usually lots of earth/nature tones too.

Honorable mention goes to his trademark Japanese school boy undercut hair with a middle parting, barely able to tame the spikyness.

So let's see what elements he will keep and what will change:

02 (+ Diablomon Strikes Back), age 13-14:

As mentioned, the concept art above was what inspired me to make this post in the first place - because I couldn't help but notice his pants there. If you compare the way he wears the Summer school uniform to the way Taichi and Yamato wear it, three things come to mind:

The older boys wear the shirt very casually, whereas Koushirou has tugged it in - which is definitely a change to how loosely he wore his button-downs before.

Taichi and Yamato also don't wear ties in comparison to Koushirou. So far so good, these are the most obvious aspects...

And then there are the pants - which are particularly less "form fitting" than it is the case for Taichi and Yamato. Considering how he used to wear wide shorts in Adventure before, one may think that this is related to "comfort over form" again, but it collides a little with how "correctly" he wears the rest of the uniform. So my assumption here is: In one of the dramas he mentions "one of the female 5th graders in computer club who is taller than me" and we can definitely assume that he was referring to Miyako there. He says that he is "working very hard" to catch up... Which leads me to believe that he wears wide pants in anticipation of getting a growth spurt. Which is not only practical in general - but would also spare him/his mom the stress of constantly buying new uniforms.

In sum, we learned that he is the only male character in the entire season who wears his uniform correctly - with the spunky shoes being the only glimpse of "individualism" there. This is an interesting contrast - and will actually turn out to be quite a pattern for him: When it comes to important duties and business, he will make sure to wear his clothes appropriately and neatly (which, at this point, is important if you consider him taking so much responsibility for the 02 kids as their team mom dad). Outside of that, we still see the habit of wearing more comfortable clothes:

Koushirou definitely likes to wear layers (similarly to but not in the same way as Taichi btw), the good old button-downs or hoodies over shirts in particular, it's all very cozy and simple - and while he hasn't completely abandoned his associated colour orange, he seems to have adopted a second favourite colour to his wardrobe as an addition to the earth tones: Green. We later learn that his mother used to buy the clothes for him, so based on her excited expression in the first shot, watching him put on his green school uniform blazer for the first time, they may have realized how well the colour complements his red hair. The wide shorts and pants are also still there and he also seems to prefer basic long-sleeves (and stripes) at this point (which may or may not have been inspired by his own Digimon partner's colour schemes, very sneaky).

Last but not least we have the hairstyle - he's been growing out the undercut to even everything out and starts the season off with a VERY short cut and a side-parting. Very neat and, at first glance, very easy to tame, since the spikes are a lot shorter at this point. The side parting did not last for long though, so the middle-parting returns through the course of the season and he also grows it out a little.

Overall, the dichotomy of "business serious-casual" and "comfy-cozy" is already coming through, but we haven't come to the heavy lifting yet:

Tri (+ the Stageplay), age 16:

As I have briefly pointed out in the intro, for some characters, fashion is an arc-defining factor. For teenage!Koushirou, his interest in fashion is basically a B- or C-plot that - in my opinion - could have been handled in better ways, but I will get to that.

First of all, let's start with the "easy stuff": Hair and uniforms.

His way of wearing his uniform hasn't changed much from 02; he is still wearing blazer, shirt and tie "correctly" - but his pants are not as wide as they used to anymore, as can be seen on the promo art I have used above. (Since he has surpassed Mimi in height and is basically as tall as Sora, he may not expect to grow much further, so he probably chose more fitted pants at this point.)

The hair, especially the spikes and middle parting, are still pretty much the same and thus - probably - still very difficult to tame. It's notable that he has grown it out more in comparison to 02 though.

Now onto his private wardrobe: We see him confiding in Takeru, telling him that now that he goes to high school, he intends to pick clothes for himself, but... Shopping has proven to be quite difficult for... Various reasons. So instead, he created a software to generate outfits for him, with... Varying degrees of success. So through the course of the first few movies, it's heavily implied that he's making use of that software and also Takeru's advice - who appears to be a little bit of a mix between a "k-pop-fanboy / hobby-novelist with a Starbucks order in hand" and "an absolute fashion disaster" himself, but he seems to enjoy being Koushirou's wingman and assumes that his sudden interest in fashion stems from him wanting to impress Mimi.

And this is where things get a little more complicated. I will not go into too much detail about why I think that this was the wrong approach for his arc, because I have already talked about it in full length here. To summarize it very shortly: Koushirou's arc had ALWAYS been about him learning to be himself. That him being the way he is is perfectly fine and that he doesn't have to hide his true self - being adopted, smart, into computers, with all his flaws and quirks, whatever it may be. Him trying to bend over backwards to impress somebody else contradicts his arc and the only reason to include it at this point is for him to come to the same conclusion again. Of course there are underlying insecurities all over the place - especially since he actively seeks Mimi's approval. The school festival should have culminated in a scene in which he and Mimi - dressed up in a costume that was heavily criticized before, thus criticizing Mimi's way of being as well - should have had a talk that went along the lines of: "You know what? It doesn't matter what you wear, as long as you are comfortable." (Which... In itself leaves room for a lot of subtext as well, but I will get to that by the end of the post.)

So long story short, what we see through the course of the first three movies is him being quite experimental: Overalls, wild patterns like koi karps, lots of layers and a peculiar interest in bowties... He also adds several new colours to his arsenal, reds, blues, even his signature colour purple makes a prominent appearance. All for the sake of appearing "less plain", and to have more variation in his style.

While he has abandoned shorts from his wardrobe at this point, he - just like Taichi - likes to wear 3/4 length pants. One style of clothing he hasn't abandoned is his button-down shirts and (open) collared shirts in general. This has been a constant so far and I doubt that we will ever see it change, since they basically feel like "comfort clothes" for him. The interesting part here is, like we discovered before, the consistent contrast between "private" and "important occasions/business settings":

Once he's out with his parents for their anniversary, once he shows up at the school festival in a whole suit, once he wears his school uniform: He WILL wear the (bow-)tie correctly, the collar will be tight, the shirt will be tugged in, no funky shoes either.

Once he's in a private, less "official" setting, the collar will be more loose (!), the shirt will (most likely) be pulled out of his pants, the style will be more comfy, the shoes will be more "funky."

We've seen that since 02 already and it's nicely represented in Tri as well - the stageplay even dared to merge two of his outfits from the first Tri movie, a casual and a serious one, to create the perfectly "nerdy" mix for him: (Shortened) Shirt and vest from the anniversary (with an open collar and without the bowtie), 3/4 pants and yellow sneakers from the "let's look for distortions" scene. So we can tell - he DOES have preferences and may not even need a software to tell him what he naturally gravitates towards!

So let's fast forward a few years to see how it'll all develop...

Kizuna (+ The Beginning), age 21-23:

Unfortunately, we don't really get a glimpse of his private wardrobe as a young adult - but we can still be pretty sure that the patterns we spotted before are still going strong:

First of all, it can be assumed that he stopped experimenting for the most part: The hairstyle went back to the roots, for whatever reason he returned to his elementary school undercut, the middle parting and spikes are still there, but less wild. The associated colour orange also returns - and even makes its way into his business wardrobe, as he is back to wearing neckties instead of bowties.

That aside, we mainly see him in his work attire as the boss of his own tech company: White shirt with the orange tie and a closed collar (short-sleeved in Summer, long-sleeved in Autumn), black pants + brown belt, black business shoes.

And once again: Depending on his surroundings, the difference in how he presents himself is still intact to some degree: The outfit is still the same, but once he's just with his friends, shirt and pants appear to be wider again, whereas they seem to be more tailored once he is in "business mode" - this can be seen in particular in The Beginning, where he function as PR Digimon expert and gives interviews to the media.

Long story short: He kept his dichotomy alive for the majority of the series.

The epilogue, age 38:

Even the epilogue shows us that he could never give up the wide, collared shirts (wide collar, no tie, pulled out of the pants!) in nature tones after all. The most notable part here is probably the hair - not only did he grow it out to the point that the spikes vanished almost completely (aside from the long, pointy bangs), but he apparently managed to FINALLY get the side-parting going after all.

Final thoughts (and a few headcanons):

I've once conducted a whole post on how I felt like Koushirou broke a few gender stereotypes in interesting ways for a series that was created in the 1990s and early 2000s (and not only because he was the only male character who basically never had a male voice actor or because 02 basically turned him into "the mom" of the group). I feel like it's no coincidence that his arc and the way it is portrayed actually speaks to a lot of people who consider themselves as neurodivergent, non-binary or trans. It's a story of self-acceptance, about someone who used to question his whereabouts, who didn't know where he came from, who he was. He didn't consider himself to have much "worth" aside from being a human extension of his laptop and also tended to mask his insecurities (at least in front of his parents) with a polite and very correct demeanour.

The way fashion is interwoven into it all may not have been conducted perfectly, but the fact that it is tied to self-discovery still leaves room for interpretations and headcanons. While his personal clothing style has always been rather "boyish" (and not feminine in the slightest), him gravitating towards oversized clothing in private settings while conforming (!) to a very correct and neat dressing style for important occasions still is a curious contrast in this regard. Hiding behind his computer, hiding behind a software to tell him how to dress (and being uncomfortable going shopping physically), hiding his generally slender body behind (mostly) wide clothing because he may - or may not - experience something along the lines of gender-dysphoria is a headcanon that a lot of people can relate to. Especially if you take Tri overall as a metaphor for him figuring out "his preferences" (in both sexuality and gender and thus the scene in which he looks at a kimono - presumably made by Sora - will forever live rent-free in my head, especially because it is a more feminine piece this time).

In the end, it can all be just a matter of perspective - the most likely explanation is that he simply prefers comfort in private settings, but can easily adjust towards a "serious business mode" whenever the situation requires it. Through the course of the series, you may argue that the characters that had the most influence on his casual style were Taichi (layers), Mimi and Takeru (being a little more experimental). On the other hand, you may also take Tri as your average "the nerd cannot talk to women and doesn't know how to dress, so he makes disastrous choices" trope and call it a day. But personally, I feel like, since Koushirou does have obvious preferences that are mostly consistent, it really is more a period of self-exploration. And like I said before: I wish the outspoken conclusion for him had been: "As long as you feel comfortable, you can wear whatever you want."

[inqilabi]

Another thing that I have observed over the years is that, not a lot of people are good at relationships. As in they don't know the fundamentals of a good relationship. And with that it follows, that for some people this comes naturally. And for some people this is learned.

A lot of people don't seem to be good at communicating in relationships. Meaning that they will let a thing that bothered them fester until it grows into resentment. And they bring it up once the resentment is bubbling. And obviously, because it's pent up, when do they do bring it up, it's in an explosive manner.

So everyone at some point learns that relationships are about communication. And they tell you this wisdom. But no one actually gives you the details and the formula

Communication is about

1) frequency. So don't let this fester. Bring it up right away

2) type of communication. So positive and the negative. Ie., things that are working but also not working. The positive communication will be, "oh I loved [action], because [what it made you feel]. You are so [the unique attribute about your partner that led to this behaviour]". This is what is going to build connection regularly. Regularly appreciating your partner. And not just in a generic manner. But in an instance specific manner.

Or in the negative "when the [situation/issue], it makes me [feeling], and if this continues to happen i will [feel/consequences]". It doesn't attack the partner and views them an opportunity to rise to meet your needs. And focuses instead on the situation / issue and the effect on you. This is what will maintain the relationship. Prevent it from going down.

3) manner of communication. You should never say "you always do this" "you never do this". That is not an productive way of conveying concern to your partner. That is just attacking them as mentioned in point #2. The person who is being addressed also should listen and not get defensive or criticism. If one person has legitimately brought up a concern, and the other person says "no i don't do that " or "it's not that big of a deal" or "well you did this [unrelated other thing so long ago]", this is a cause for concern. Men often do the latter and imo it's a red flag. A man should be able to listen to your concerns and not feel attacked if you have brought it up in a gentle let's tag-team this issue manner. If a man does get defensive or start criticizing you instead, he has an ego or insecurity problem. Thats one of the things that will chip away at a relationship. Is defensiveness and criticism.

There's other things that maintain relationships like taking interest in your partners interest, when they ask you to look at something or share something with you - then you should take interest. There's many people who might ignore it or outright dismiss it (chips away) or some might simply acknowledge it (maintains), where are some might take an interest and ask you questions on the thing youve shared. Ask you where you learned about it. What you found interesting about it. How it made you feel etc (builds relationships).

Some years ago I wrote a post, which I can't find now. But I found it so surprising in couples that I had observed that a man would so often dismiss his partners attempt to connect. I remember the instance I noticed this - I was at a desi Eid bazaar. And a woman came to her husband who was sitting with their child, giddily told him that she had haggled the price of a cloth down by 20 dollars. And instead of being proud of her and appreciating her, he said something along the lines of "you could have gotten it for 30 off". And I saw the joy disappear from her face. And he chipped away willingly. So bewildering to me that you have an opportunity to connect and build, so easily handed to you - and in so many couples, they reject it. It's like someone offering you a couple of dollars for free in a long-term investment, and you're like - nah thanks I'm good. Maddening!

[peakyrain]

she visualized—and then she shifted *ੈ✩‧˚

this post is about how visualization is scientifically proven to be an effective method of manifestation

i've always been a big fan of visualizing–whether it's for shifting or just daydreaming before bed. recently, i've been coming across lots of videos mentioning how visualization can affect us vastly, both physically and mentally.

i did my research only to find out that this is completely fact-based.

the practice of visualization is an immensely powerful tool for the human mind. it engages brain regions that involve perception, attention and memory. it also has the ability to effectively reprogram our subconscious minds.

visualization activates the same neural circuits as actual experiences and has shown to improve performances, learning and well being. some big examples are: muhammad ali, oprah winfrey and arnold schwarzenegger - they've all recommended visualization as a tool for success.

a study has documented the positive effects of visualization and its correlation to better performance outcomes for athletes. this is because when we visualize ourselves doing something, our brains believes we've already done it, which helps build confidence that there is nothing to fear.

another study observed the effects of visualization practices on muscle power. the results showed that by simply thinking about training their muscles, participants successfully increased their muscle strength by 35% compared to those who didn't.

muhammad ali once stated: “if my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it” this is literally backed by science.

scientists have looked into the validity and effectiveness of visualization techniques to see whether visualization actually helps improve well-being:

dr. tor wagner has stated "imagination is a neurological reality that can impact our brains and bodies in ways that matter for our well-being"

when we vividly use all five senses in visualizations, we're able to trick our minds into believing that we already have what we want. in other words: our brains can't tell the difference between imagination and reality. this is exactly why visualization is such a powerful tool when it comes to shifting.

whether you're trying to step into the best version of yourself in this reality or shift to another one, visualization empowers you w/ the confidence and clarity to align your thoughts w/ your desires.

⭒ okay but how can i effectively use visualization to shift?

it's important to note that visualization isn't wishful thinking. it's about embodying a new state of being. practicing it regularly can help rewire your mind and help you embody your DR self.

anyway, here are some tips!

-

daily routine:

-make visualization a routine. do it in the morning or before bed and try do practice it for at least 10 minutes a day to establish a consistent habit

senses:

-use all your five senses while visualizing to have the most psychological impact. focus on what you can see, hear, taste, smell and feel in each moment. subliminals or guided shifting meditations can also be helpful here (alunir!!)

also, during this part: let the scenario flow naturally. don’t force anything even if you can’t "smell" the coffee or "taste" it. it’s fine, dw. forcing the scenario can be very draining, speaking from experience—especially during the day.

writing:

-make a script of how the scenarios in your DR will play out, scene by scene. the more details, the better. also, focus on how you're feeling at each point in the scenario—you're not just imagining it, you're experiencing it.

vision board:

-make a vision board. add a collection of photos, quotes and images that reflect you DR. keep this vision board somewhere you spend a lot of time. it’s basically just a physical pinterest collection. keeping it in your line of sight can reinforce the power of your vivid visualizations

-

the more real it feels to your mind, the closer it becomes to being your reality.

shifting isn't just a possibility, it's natural when your mind actually believes that you're already there :)

[starsreminisce]

I will preface this by saying I still do not give two shits whose book is next. But if we are looking at the plot threads that need to be addressed, I still believe Elucien's book is next, based on four key points.

The Trove is the bridge between ACOTAR and CC. In fact, we learned more about the Mask than we did about Truth-Teller.

Nesta and Elain still have not made up since their argument about finding the Trove.

There is nothing Elain could gain from Gwyn and Azriel getting together that she would not have already learned from her sisters' mating bonds, especially when she already has a mating bond of her own. If anything, the climax of ACOSF would have proven to Elain that ignoring the bond, for whatever reason, would not change the fact that she is mated to Lucien.

The final chapters of ACOSF already foreshadow what is next, with HOFAS reinforcing it. ACOSF ends with Cassian circling back to his observations about Beron's treatment of Eris and how it extended to Lucien. Nesta, in turn, places the rose marker from the HoW on their father's headstone in a flower field as she looks up to her mate. Then in HOFAS, Rhys and Nesta are shown to be disconnected about who actually owns the Trove, while Elain and Lucien remain notably absent.

The whole debate about who is suffering more, who is more or less developed, or who needs to do xyz is irrelevant when that is the entire purpose of the book itself. If we follow ToG's structure, Elide was introduced in HoF, played a major role in Manon's storyline, and then got a POV in EoS. Similarly, Yrene was introduced in AB before getting a POV in ToD. Both Elide and Yrene were not at their "lowest point" when they got their POV, but both were at a point where they needed to do something more to break their current status quo.

Elain and Lucien being absent from Bryce's arrival actually suggests an EoS/ToD setup, just like how Chaol was absent while Aelin and Dorian were gathering allies, only for him and Yrene to be the one to uncover the Valg's connection to their world.

Does CC/HOFAS set up the next ACOTAR book? Yes. In CC, we learned the Daglan and Asteri were the same beings and that their tools and influence still linger in Prythian. ACOSF also tells us, through Cassian, that a rejected mating bond is still felt even after death, only for HOFAS to reinforce just how deeply it affects the mates left behind.

I say all of this to explain why I believe Elucien's book is next. This is based on my reading of canon and how SJM structures her stories across her series. That does not mean I am diminishing Gwyn or Azriel's storylines or development.

But it is jarring that both Gwyn and Elain were healing from their own traumatic event, yet Gwyn was able to achieve her goal of stepping out of the library and becoming stronger in honor of her sister, while Elain was not only told to stay home but actively surveilled to ensure she did.

It is also telling that twice now, Azriel has fundamentally misunderstood the mating bond, first when he claimed Lucien was undeserving of his mate and second when he learned mates exist in Bryce's world and the possibility that his mate could be in another world entirely.

If we boil SJM's series down to just her mating bond lore, just like how everyone in TOG ended up cosmically paired, Azriel stands to gain a lot from witnessing through Lucien that a mate can be someone you have only just met and through Elain that accepting the bond is simply a matter of timing.

Meanwhile, what else can Elain do when the IC still did not even bother to bring her in to meet Bryce, just as they left her out of the discussion about finding the things left behind by Bryce's overlords?

That is where SJM always starts her stories.

The next book is going to bridge ACOTAR to CC, and it makes more sense to tell it through the POV of a couple who was not a part of it, especially when she can tease it to get people to buy the previous series. Not to mention, she has already established a vague connection by having Helion, Lucien's father, react to the mask and having Nesta feel vindicated in her decision to not let Elain near it.

[babygurlaura]

CHUNIN EXAMS

======================================

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THE WRITTEN EXAM • Team 7

Real talk did team seven actually pass the exam? Some would argue well sakura got all the questions correct and she knew the information. Or the fact both sasuke and sakura saw the truth behind the exam. But in my opinion Team seven as a whole failed but let me explain my reasoning.

The written exam is essentially testing ninjas on their ability to gather and relay information. A vital skill that a ninja needs, out of everyone only Sasuke was able to successfully execute this skill. Sasuke has always shown to be the most observant of the group and his ability to skillfully cheat aka gather information shows how he’s somewhat the perfect ninja.

Whereas with naruto and sakura they weren’t able to execute this portion of the test. While yes sakura was able to answer these difficulty questions but its not what she was being tested on, and with naruto he didn’t have the proper education nor knowledge to truly understand what was the exams purpose.

Naruto unlike sasuke is the complete opposite of what a ninja should be like, naruto is way to honest for his own good but its due to the isolation he endured leading him to cling to honesty, guts and loud perseverance which counterintuitive to what a ninja is meant to be

Now if the exam was strictly based on gathering information sasuke would pass with flying colors but we also should keep in mind how sharing this information with your teammates is also vital. This is where sasuke fail but also sakura. Both of them realizing the main purpose of the exam is to cheat and not get caught but don’t realize they’re supposed to relay this information onto their teammates.

We see team guy who masterfully is able to not only gather information but also share with each other. While yes team guy has been working together for a year now we can look at team 10, if i’m not mistaken ino was the one gathering and sharing information to her teammates. Now team seven isn’t the only team that fails this part but we’re primarily focusing on them since they’re our main characters.

What I do think the exam showed was that sakura would make a skilled leader, her ability to deduce the solution with the information she already has is commendable. she’s intelligent and would make a skill strategist.

When I mentioned the whole naruto not having proper education I say this because it’s clear alot of what they learn is taught through their clan rather than the schools. The school mainly focuses on the basics but then again we don’t go much in detail about what they truly learn other than history, the girls learning about undercover work and so on.

Sasuke is a great example of this while he had his family for a short while he learnt a lot from them which is what makes him the most skilled out of team seven. Sakura we don’t know much about her there’s a possibility she’s from a civilian clan a less known or simply a civilian family, most of what she’s taught she gathers from school so it makes sense why she’s more book smart.

Naruto had neither, naruto didn’t have much of the support that either of them got. Sakura had ino who helped her develop and understand things she did not which helped build her confidence over time (she’d also have the resources from teachers and so on seeing how she’s not hated unlike naruto). Sasuke had his family who taught him and trained him.

Sasuke was indeed the most prepared for the chunin but he was still in over his head. Team seven as a whole was not prepared nor ready for the exam especially given how little kakashi trained them or took them on missions that actually challenged them. Also their team work just sucked overall. Team seven doesn’t work as a unit they work on individual basis and it’s something I feel like doesn’t improve as the series goes on.

What the series needed is an arc before the chunin exams which truly shows that team seven has grown an actual bond and can work as a team. Showing they’ve grown but still childish cause they’re still kids they don’t need to grow up fast. Which then leads to the chunin exams where they are a bit more prepared and can finally take on more.

======================================

• { this is only my opinion feel free to disagree but just be cool about it } •

I honestly wanna try and expand more on my thoughts but english is such a hard language….

======================================

[princeblue]

I had someone on anon ask me if I thought Genya was incapable of cultivating his own breathing style or not and i accidentally hit fucking delete so I’m gonna retype it here:

Tldr: No, I think Genya is a character that is akin to a dull blade, capable of being sharpened, but the people around him lack the means to shape him properly. I also think he was just a character that was underutilized, plain and simple.

But anyway let’s start with my biggest point: Genya did not have good teachers.

I believe it’s at the end of the first season after Tanjirou has had his trial by the Hashira’s, that the Hashira themselves state the new recruits for the demon slayer corps have grown sloppy and poor, meaning that the trainers themselves have grown either too old or too lazy.

With this, and the fact that we can infer Genya’s original teacher was on the poorer, sloppier side of things, not only failing to install a breathing style in him, but as a teacher who let a child go to final selection without a breathing style, which would most certainly be a death sentence.

We also have Genya himself state that Gyomei is not a good teacher, he states that he learned repetitive motion by observation alone.

Which then reads: Genya is smart, smart enough to pickup on something that dozens of others, including the MC, have failed to do.

So, do I think that Genya was capable of cultivating his own style? Yes & No.

I think if Genya had the proper teachings, that yes, he would have. And I have quite a few friends that believe Genya first tried learning Wind Breathing, which would be a very nice symbolism, but I am more personally inclined to say that he first learned, or attempted, water breathing.

The reason I state this is because Genya knows the fundamental basics of a breathing style, and the most basic breathing style is water, Tanjirou states when he’s conversing with Giyuu during HTA that it’s not uncommon for people to learn WB and then adapt to another, which I feel like we can safely say people also utilize it to craft their individual breathing styles as well.

But this to me would also tie into Genya’s insecurities, if he cannot master the most simple breathing style, nor be taught by two trainers (one of which is a hashira) how can he believe that he could craft his own? He wouldn’t, at all. Which means he find the next possible resort within his grasp: his gun, and then later down the line: his ability.

Because let’s talk about total concentration breathing: it is not something that comes naturally, Tanjirou himself had to be corrected by Makomo to properly wield it, and then later down the line, be told how to use repetitive motion.

This might contradict him not being able to learn TCB by observation alone, like he did RM, but what exactly is weak about Genya? Beyond his emotional regulation, which can play into TCB. But still, he is: tall, strong, observant/smart, and quick.

And while I absolutely adore the theory/headcanon that he is asthmatic, it is not canon nor is it implied to be canon. Genya has no reason whatsoever as to why he shouldn’t be able to use TCB, he just can’t.

Which leads me to believe that his original trainer was a sleazeball, believing that since Genya couldn’t master TCB in that moment, he just stopped properly training him altogether.

And to further reinforce my point: I can understand Senjurou Rengoku not being able to master TCB or Flame Breathing simply because he appeared small for his age and lived his life as a maid instead of a warrior, not to mention encouraged by Kyojurou to pursue a different path in life. But Genya goes down a different, more drastic route, and he quickly makes up for what he lacked in height, leading me to believe that there is a disconnect there.

But let’s play with the idea that Genya is asthmatic.

The whole point of total concentration breathing is to be able to match the strength of a demon, learning a specific fighting style is great, but it will do you no good in the end unless you have the strength to back it, or seek alternatives. (Poison/gun.)

But, if Genya is able to consume a demon and adapt to their strength and more while also knowing the fundamental basics of TCB & Water breathing (or whichever breathing style you prefer) I still don’t see why he wouldn’t be able to use it in this enhanced state of being.

Now, do correct me if I’m wrong here, because I have seen the “only demons who learnt of TCB as humans can use it as full fledged demons” thing floating around, but I’m not sure if it’s canon and Genya is still a special case, he is not a true demon, personally I would say he is kin to half, but still not a full demon. Meaning that with his body still fundamentally being human, he should technically be allowed to use TCB.

So, to me? I have never seen a reason why Genya couldn’t have ever cultivated or learnt of a pre existing breathing style. I find that the most logical reasoning as to why he couldn’t is 1. He is at the end of the day, a background character, and a character used to conclude Sanemi’s character arc and attitude shift (you can find that analysis at @pompomchihuahua ) and 2. Because the author realized they made him too op, nerfed him, and then never gave a proper reasoning as to why he couldn’t do what others could do.

—

This was a lot of fun and I actually changed my answer halfway through writing the original text, feel dumb I deleted it, but glad I did actually because I worded this one much more cleanly put!

[tavshortfortavern]

Companions with a Tav from Modern Earth

Modern!Tav who still has their things from earth

Characters: Astarion, Gale, Karlach

Astarion

Learns that you have never met another race other than your own and he was the first elf you've met outside of stories, he's all smug that he was the first one you've met and horrified of a world without elves.

"Well darling, how is your first meeting with an elf?" He asks, posing proudly. "Must be a momentous day."

You stare at him up and down. "I thought you'd be taller." He gasps and glares indignantly but you kept making fun of his height

When he mentions not being able to see his reflection, you take a picture of him with your phone. He's alarmed with whatever your doing with that strange device until you show him his picture

"Is that me?" he's stunned, reaching out towards where his image is shown. The curse doesn't take into account digital reflection.

You do your best to explain the cellular device but most importantly the camera feature. You've been using it to snap pictures of places, fantastical scenes in this fantasyland and documenting memories

He listens enraptured. You come to almost regret it bc now said phone frequently goes missing. Astarion having pickpocket it to take selfies or simply admire himself in the screen

Soon your memory is almost full thanks to the selfies he's taking. He remarks you should be thankful to have such gorgeous sights immortalized in your device. He's doing you a favor

You will admit he's gotten real good at taking photos of himself. He'd quickly become a popular social media influencer/model back home.

Found out your little hand mirror could also show his reflection. The way your world made mirrors was without silver and could reflect him. You give it to him freely, as long as it means your phone is stolen less

Genuinely thankful for the gift. Keeps it close to him at all times. You know this when you observe him gazing at himself thru the mirror, touching his face with a look that says he can't quite believe what he's seeing. Quickly earns you a lot of approval.

Asks for your handmade soaps and shampoo made from natural resources you scavenged and bought. It eases the experience of roughing it out in the wild

When he feeds on you the first time, its great but immediately notices something wrong. Your blood tastes different somehow.

You explain microplastics and he's horrified. (but if he canonically gets a taste for Gale's blood, he will for yours)

Gale

Can't wrap his head around a world without magic.

Listens to you explain you and the majority of the population believing magic was a fairy tale and never heard of this 'Weave'

Wants to hear about your world, its history and how its progressing having no magic and only containing humans.

He understands this must be a lot for you and is willing to teach you everything you need to know about Faerun

Always interested in whatever device you pull out. Asking plenty of questions. From your phone to a ballpoint pen. Once spent a day studying the taser you had.

Loves the look of childlike wonder on your face whenever a spell is cast. Even a simple cantrip. Gladly shows off and soaks in the rapt attention you give him whenever he talks about spellcraft.

Helps you out with your own casting, if you obtained the ability to use magic, he could provide a little insight in guiding a new power

Soon you'll be sharing your stationary items. Started with the pen, next the multi-colored ones and so on.

Usually protective over kitchen duties but welcomes you to make dishes from your home world. Some even become a staple in camp.

If you have any soda, don't let him drink without warning him. He'll startle when the fizz hits his tongue and maybe choke.

Understands your homesickness. Being torn from everything you've ever known to a dangerous environment must be a lot. Is very patient when answering your questions even if they seem inane.

Show him pictures and videos of your home and he'd be intrigued, the glass towers, structures that pierce the sky, streets lit with colorful lights, and flying machines. Some parts remind him of Waterdeep.

Karlach

Loves soda and whatever fast food you have. Could go months just eating that if Gale hadn't put his foot down.

Introduce her to rock music and heavy metal. Hypes her up for a fight. Even music that's nice to dance to. Will be dancing a lot in camp. And jamming out.

Also learns you're still new to meeting other races. Thinks its great how your willing to help people you might have been alarmed to see at first and being so open minded to befriend anyone

Sympathetic when your homesick. She has her own experience being sent off into a different plane for years with nothing to connect her to home

You talk about modern medicine back home and heart surgery. Both of you wonder if they could just get her engine out and replace it with a normal heart in a hospital. It's a frequent topic of conversation as you work out the logistics

Is also happy to listen to any stories from your world. From classic fairy tales to history. Asks for them whenever it gets too quiet

Wants to see your world some day. If her engines gets fixed wants to visit and see everything you've told her and places shown in the pcitures in your phone

Photobombs your pictures. Its especially funny when she does it to Astarion trying to take another pic of himself, he complains but never deletes the picture

Will go through your photo album and ask about them. Who are the people your with, what are you doing in this, where is this and whats it like there

[obamas-eyebrow]

01/Flat-line.

7th floor x female reader (the 8 show) Masterlist

WC:4.0K, specific chapter warnings: suicide mention.

(:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅[̲̅::]̲̅:̲̅:̲̅:̲̅)

Sitting back and watching others work their magic was really not your strong suit , and it was most definitely your least favorite part of the job. They were in there for at least 20 minutes and still, no contact or even a report back. Nervousness spread quickly through the smoke-thick air, as they themselves had not returned. You leaned back on the ambulance in silence next to your coworkers, collectively observing the fire lapping up the side of the short apartment building. This was the worst call to be on, you always thought. You didn’t know if it would be worse to live through it or die in it. The extent of burns always make your skin itch and the smell of burning flesh seems to stick to your bones for days. The second team of firefighters headed into the building due to no response from the first team after a few attempts at contact. Other, unharmed, residents huddled around the blocked-off area in their pajamas as bystanders filmed the glowing sight. There was just one apartment affected by this whole thing, but the door to the place seemed to have melted shut and there was no other way in.  

“2 kids 2 adults,” your colleague filled you in, eyes unmoving from the residence’s window showcasing bright dancing flames. A shadowy figure finally appeared in the entrance way, 2 men, one standing upright and the other slumped over his shoulder, both firefighters.  You immediately went into action with your partner receiving and supporting the injured man. Your curiosity about the situation faded as you began first aid. Smoke inhalation and a few minor burns, nothing major. Shockingly, however, the man was showing signs of acute hysteria. The world began to fade away as you got to resuscitation, everything else becoming just background noise. Airway, breathing, circulation ok. Pain control done. Your hands went on autopilot. 

He mumbled something about a collapse and being stuck inside the entire time.

. . . 

The reporter on the tv was still talking about the fire, apparently there’s a conspiracy or something. You lie down on your worn-out couch, your face lit up by the glow of your phone, bank account open to show the ever-increasing debt you’ve managed to rack up, which, according to your calculations, you’d be able to pay off in a few hundred years… If you starve and also live in the street. Your eyes shifted from the screen to the degree hung on the wall. So many people had warned you about being a first responder. 

“You’ll burn out quickly,”

“It's worse than you could predict,”

You know what, they were right. To hear of death is one thing. To see it in school is another. To live in it every. Single. Day. is suffocating. Hell, even the pay you’d hear of was simply not true. So here you are, elbows deep in one of the most stressful professions with no money to show for it. It was also very isolating. Not only do you get off of work very late (and super tired), so you couldn’t really socialise, but you also can’t confide in your coworkers because they have their own problems to deal with. You were surviving up until pretty recently just fine. Picking up extra shifts and odd jobs to keep up with never–ending payments but you made it work. 3 weeks ago however, a gas leak in your building took the life of your smiley neighbour, along with your cat. It had hit you then, you had very little to live for before this. But now? All gone. You used to look forward to coming home to a very chatty boy and his aftermath of a messy apartment. In fact, the cleaning portion of your day took your mind off of the horrors you’d witness. Your neighbour and her daughter would stop by a few times a week to share food ever since they’d moved in just over a year ago. Although only now you realised you’d never learned her name. Or maybe you’ve forgotten it in grief. This, albeit a bit pathetic, kept a glimmer of sunshine in your otherwise desolate routine. You caught your reflection in the black phone screen, sunken eyes and a gray face. You wondered if this was grief or malnutrition. It has all crumbled so suddenly, although, looking back at things now, the paint has been chipping away for some time. So here you are, in a top tier career but a debt so crushing you’re living just slightly paycheck to paycheck. Neither a failure nor succeeding. Stuck in the in-between. You couldn’t even find it in you to cry. What for…Who to? Your mind will not quiet down to let you sleep and the place was starting to feel stuffy, so you bundled up over your scrubs and went out for a stroll in the brisk autumn night air. Maybe you could fake your death? Move to Thailand under a new name or something… Where would you even get the money for that? How much does faking your death cost? Oh, it's a whole industry! Hmph.

. . . 

“Oh my god you again?!” the front-desk nurse laughed. “Any more donations and you’ll be running on empty.”

“Maybe you should stop tempting me with free juice and a cookie,”

“It’s not free, you pay for it by passing out.You can’t give anymore blood.”

“Ok plasma then.”

“Same concept.” She deadpanned. 

This little hack had gotten you countless ‘fancy’ dinners, and tonight's no exception. A warm plate of grocery store noodles that would’ve otherwise been out of budget. The rest of the money would be put towards cat food. Would’ve been, anyway. You sat at a bridge slurping your food, eyes observing the bustling city’s skyline in silence. Matter of fact, practically your whole life now is encased in silence. Sigh. It was almost 10pm. Best be heading home. 

. . . 

You hoped the short walk and treat would rid you of this feeling and when it didn't, you gave a cold shower a chance to do the same. Not that you have the luxury of hot water, but anyway. That didn’t work either. So that’s how you ended up here, pills in hand. They were prescribed to you to help with your insomnia. You stopped taking them because the misery you found yourself in had caused you to sleep more than the normal hours. You strolled over to your tiny balcony, hoping that this would allow your body to be found sooner. Pills in one hand, bottle in the other, you bought your hand up to your mouth but then…hesitated. You shouldn’t…

Why not though? You were not alive, not dead either, just something in the middle. What's a life with no living? There’s no point in delaying the inevitable. Death was something you had become used to, it was almost familiar. Plus, maybe this way you’ll get the relief you've been longing for. Putting some tablets into your mouth, you paused to think, heart racing. How many do I need to take, is this enough? What if they’re expired? Would it be enough or would you just end up a vegetable or something. Your 7 years of medical knowledge had left your body. You don’t have the insurance to cover this. Screw it. Big breath in and

Ping!

The device in your pocket vibrated. A text? From whom? At this hour? Never-mind. Probably just marketing or something.

1…2-

Ping!

Another came

Ping! Ping!

Then another, and another.

You held the pills in your mouth for a minute and fished your phone out of your pocket. It was money transferred into your account. But those numbers caught you very off-guard. Definitely not marketing. You spit the medicine out onto the ground and rinsed your mouth with some water. Each amount was coupled with a text. Something about buying the time you had given up. A suspicious white limousine stopped in front of your building, with windows so deeply tinted that you couldn’t make out if there was someone in the driver’s seat or not. On one hand, you’ve got nothing to lose and clearly this person has plenty to share. But something felt off. Your gut was filled with unease, almost making you throw up the mushy food you had earlier. 

It can’t get much worse than this. Actually it can…you clutched your valuable organs. But whatever. 

So, swallowing your fears, you ran downstairs, hopped in and took off. 

. . . 

Two blood red numbered cards in a circle of blank ones stared at you. 2 & 5. You pondered for a minute, but you couldn’t even come up with what they might be for. This was supposed to be a show after all. The paper in the envelope was not any help. Food and water, no one dies, leave now if you want. The second one had caught you off-guard, what a random and odd thing to include, why would anyone die? How odd. You eyed the money, which was, by any means, not a small sum. Added to the money they’d already transferred, you’d be going home with a substantial stack of cash to keep you a little more comfortable for a while. But then again - your eyes went back to the cards- this money doesn’t even put a dent in your debt, and they’re clearly willing to dish more out. An hour-ish ago you were ready to end it all, what more could possibly be there to lose? Your hand reached for 2 but hesitated, your best guess is that this would be a game show. 2 could be a disadvantage of having a turn so early. 5 however, not in the beginning, not at the end, just in the middle. You’ve started to find comfort in the half-way you seem to keep finding yourself in. 5 it is. 

The door locked shut behind you and you flinched, only to continue looking around the kids’ playground you strolled into. Cameras decorated the edge of the ceiling, how orwellian. 5 flights of stairs later, you were face to face with your room. It reminded you heavily of your own apartment, so you can't really complain. Show begins at midnight, got it, don't take items out of the room, okay,  leave all belongings…including clothes? You have to change infront of all these cameras? That would be quite the show. You didn’t want to think of what kind of sicko was watching right now. You panned over to the cameras to check. Yup, blinking red, so, recording, as far as you can tell anyway. An exasperated sigh escaped your dry lips. What the hell, sure. 

A countdown lit up the room as you sat in a corner with your eyes closed. No turning back now. 

About a  minute of silence and then -tchk- the scoreboard went from 0 to 80,000. Is that…money?

No-way…right? Another minute, another 80,000. What. The. Hell. Your gaze shot to the phone next to the board. Inching towards it carefully, you pondered what you could ask for. A quick look around the room gave you an idea. 

“Could I have a pillow please?”

A number flashed on the screen causing your eyes to widen. ‘A special price’ oh okay. Except it was like a thousand times more than usual. Is the show about inflation?  

“Uhm, never-mind” you shoved the phone back into its place. 

You padded back into the corner you’d found comfort in, sat down and hugged yourself. A deep sigh was let out as you weighed your options. The chill of the room made its way down your poorly covered spine causing a short shiver to shoot through your muscles, making it hard to focus on the task at hand. 

500,000 won for a pillow and another 2 million for a blanket. 

Right now you're sitting at only 480,000. It would take about half an hour to collect the amount. That’s do-able. But then you’d be shot back down to zero, and who knows how long they're letting you stay in here. 

Hmmmm

It’s been a long day. Your eyelids-despite the room temperature- were drooping. You’ve been here before. Sleeping upright with only your own embrace for warmth. Tomorrow you’ll be able to feel the pulse of how the show’s system goes. In the meantime, you focused on slowing your breathing, hoping your dreams would be kinder and warmer than here. 

. . .  

 “Everyone, wake up! Come down here so we can meet each other!” a female voice called from the distance

Another dreamless night, at least it's not a nightmare. Always only half-way. The scoreboard read a whopping 38.4 million! You counted the zeros once, twice, maybe this was the dream. Another voice joined the commotion outside and you thought it best to catch up now, lest you miss something. A quick couple of pats to your bedhead and a few face slaps later, hurried towards your room door and grabbed the knob, but something stopped you there. Since this is a game show, it would be best to be likeable. It won’t be difficult, since, once upon a time, you were way more social and charismatic, you’ll just have to slip back into your old ways. Or rather, new beginnings. The thought filled you with giddy, you could feel your old, confident self crawling out of her cave. Also, it would be an advantage to capture the hearts of the audience, no? Maybe build an alliance. A stupid smile stretched across your face. Okay, you can do this. 

After a quick turn of the knob, you made your way down the stairs and to your teammates, or contestants, who knows. A quick headcount told you there were 6 outside, 7 including you, making you second to last to show up. Stupid details, nevermind.

“Good morning!” the cheerful voice from earlier said to you, it belonged to the girl in floor 4. 

“Good morning,” you replied with a soft smile.  “I’m-”

“Why bother?” A rougher female voice cut you off. “We won’t see each other after this anyway”

Floor 2, noted. 

“That's a bit bleak but sure haha,” you replied playfully. 

You looked around to take note of everyone else here. Floor 3 was an awkward, dorky looking dude, nothing really special. His gaze was fixed on his nails anyway. Floor 8 was a very pretty girl, her outfit, however caught your eye but you made sure not to stare. Your eyes then met hers and she winked, to which you let out a quiet giggle. Floor 6 was a tall, intimidating man. He had a few bruises peppered across his face, it filled you with heavy unease. He was layed back on a lounge chair with his eyes closed. Finally, 7th floor, who still had his back to you, but you could tell he was very confident in himself from how he was stood. He was looking up at the giant clock on the opposite wall. Or maybe he was focused on the timer below it. His head turned slightly to glance at you. He shot you a quick up and down before turning his attention back to the clock. 

Okay four eyes, I see how it is. You thought. I don’t get along with sassy men.

That concludes the headcount, leaving only-

“Sorry I’m a bit slow,” an older man limped slowly towards the group. 1st floor, he seemed kind.

That makes 8. 

After some more brief greetings, you turned your attention back to 7, whose eyes were still fixed on the timer. It hit you then. Last night that timer said 24 hours. Now it said a bit over 30. Time was added? But why? We haven’t even played any games or done anything. Then, it hit you like a shockwave. The cameras, the money, the time…they want a show. It must have been entertaining to watch everyone settle in last night with the surprise of money and all. Oh my, you felt bile rise up your stomach. For some reason your mind drifted to the stanford prison experiment and how that turned out. It's clear that there are no rules here, it's a lawless wasteland. 8 people locked in one place where seemingly anything goes…you looked down to 7, who had in turn, turned around and now had his eyes fixed on you, finally giving you a good look at him. Hello gorgeous or however you spell it. 

No. Stop.

You exchanged a glance, it almost felt like he figured it out too. You quickly turned your attention back to the group, he was a very difficult person to read and if you held more eye contact you’d probably fold. Who knows if you’re supposed to be working with or against each-other. Besides, you’re probably reading too much into this. There’s likely another dozen theories as to why they added time. No need to fret over something you can neither control nor figure-out. You didn’t see it then, but 7 smiled a very tiny smile at the sight of your fluster. 

“Was time added?” 3 spoke up. “I could swear last night it only said 24hrs”

“Woah, does that mean we’ll be here forever?” 8 teased with bright eyes, to which 6th chuckled.

“Uhm, does anyone know where the bathroom is?” 4 asked.

“There is none.” replied 2 with a sigh as she walked towards the hot dog shop. Everyone's eyes were fixed on her as she picked up one of the sandwiches.

“Wha-” 3 was cut off by 2 tossing -more throwing at- him the hotdog.

“It’s all fake.” She gave a demonstration of all the other shops which were also filled with plastic food figures.

Huh

“It seems that they went out of their way to remove basic infrastructure, sewage pipes and all.” 7th finally spoke up, his voice eerily monotone. It sent chills up your arm.

Girl stand up.

“What are we supposed to do then!” 4 exclaimed desperately.

“Last night, I thought we’d only be here for one day so I bought one of those things for camping and long distance driving-waste bags- I think.” 1st suggested “But does that mean we have to keep buying them at 100 times the price?”

“Not necessarily, no” 7 added. “We could always use the square for a ‘special price’”

“But what if it's more expensive?” You joined 

“Guess there’s one way to find out,” 6 sighed as he stalked towards the phone. “One Marlboro and a lighter.”

“What the hell are you doing?” 2nd yelled, to which 6 only threw a cocky smirk. 

Your eyes shot up to the time, 2 minutes were deducted. After some calculations, 7 came to the conclusion of it being around 2,500 won/minute, and 4 confirmed excitedly that in fact, no money had been deducted. That prompted a discussion on what should be bought using the shared money/time considering it looks like you will be here a while. And after a handful of insane suggestions -like lotion, pens, etc- they came to the conclusion of buying supplies for a makeshift toilet; a bucket and some bags, tissue, sanitary pads for the women and cigarettes for the smokers. Upon receiving the stuff, they each scurried back to their rooms to do their business. You however, weren’t really in any rush, so you waited till everyone had taken their things, leaving only you and 7. 

He wordlessly handed you your share of the grand prize, while holding your gaze. In other circumstances, you’d swoon. Almost like he’s trying to figure some secret out just by how you’re moving. You took the items and went back up to your room.

. . .  

Hunger had been making itself known, hypoglycemia had begun seeping through with a nasty headache that you couldn’t ignore. You wondered if you could ask for meds from the shared time. No, best not to piss anyone off with a personal problem. It turned out that the food was delivered to 8th floor only and she’d been conveniently keeping that to herself. All the other floors, hangry and all, were almost ready to beat 8 up. When asked about sharing, 8 just let out a suspicious hum. They accused her of eating it all alone, the only logical explanation as to why she was acting like this. She then got up, almost seductively, and took off her jacket leaving her only in a nude bra. She rubbed her stomach tenderly and for a second you thought she was gonna announce a pregnancy from the absurdity of her movements.

“I only eat one meal a day, I was just thinking of how I would share the food if I can’t get it out of the room. Hmm”

Do you want a prize? You want a cookie cause you eat just one meal a day? Want me to invite Bella hadid? My god are you insufferable, and who are you trying to impress here? You all but rolled your eyes. 2nd floor looked like she was one breath away from gouging 8th’s eyes out, so you stepped in.

“It was our first night, she didn't know any better,” You spoke up. “I would've done the same thing, it's not a big deal just a little miscommunication,”

The argument seemed to die down a bit after that. 7 looked at you and nodded as if telling you good job or something. What is this guy’s problem? 

“The chute,” he suggested. “It runs down the building to each floor, that’s how we’re supposed to share.”

“Okay!” 8 said with an earily cheerful smile but as she turned to leave, 7 interrupted her.

You were a little taken aback when he asked to come up to the room with her, was he accusing her of being a liar? Hell, 4 caught that too.

“How could we be sure there were actually 12 meals?” she accused.

With tongue in cheek, 8 agreed to have all come see the food in her room, and the group eagerly made their way to the stairs in silence. You were pretty far behind, and by the time you got to the top everyone had become frozen solid in their places. The sight of 8th floor’s room had you choking on a gasp. You could not believe what you were seeing. A room three times more spacious than yours, decorated with furniture you would not even dream of buying in real life. In the far corner sat a hot pink bathtub of which you would unlikely be able to guess the price of. Dread began creeping down your chest. What the hell is this? Opposite to the door was a fancy dining set -you didn't even buy a pillow- what in the world could she possibly need this for. Who in their right mind would spend so much money making themselves comfortable in a place they don't know how long they are staying for. You panned over to her prize board fully expecting it to be a rudimentary number, since clearly she has trouble saving her money. Instead, you saw…hell you couldn’t even comprehend what you saw. The number must have been in the billions. Just then, it went up, causing your eyes to widen.

“How much did that just go up by?” 4 stuttered.

“It was like 340 thousand,” You mumbled, but the silence in the room allowed it to be heard. 

“I’m-...only making 80 thousand.”

“80?? I’m making 30!” 3rd panted. “And I thought it was a lot!”

“30? I’m only making 10…” 1st floor said in an exasperated tone slightly above a whisper.

Your heart dropped as you -and everyone else- turned to meet his very defeated face.

Ch.02/Up & Down

A/N: I forgot to say that this is a slowwwwwww burn whew.

[madara-fate]

Neji was and is always the better Hyuga. I would probably die on this hill and the epigraph on my tombstone would still say something about Neji being the better Hyuga. I’ve seen so many takes saying that Hinata has surpassed Neji and even with Hamura’s Chakra (even though we’ve seen nothing being improved in her abilities) Neji would still be better. A lot of arguments lean on the fact that Hinata has a wider arsenal when the only thing added to her arsenal is the Twin Lion Fist as if that adds to her advantage. Neji still has higher battle intelligence and I hate that some Naruto shitscaler can’t see that. They don’t know how powerscaling works and it shows, there’s a reason why Neji’s fight with the Sound Ninjas ended with Neji winning despite the Sound Ninja being more powerful because Neji has better battle intelligence, he was creative, resourceful, tactical and agile. Neji is and died a prodigy and he made the Hyuga Taijutsu look unstoppable, not the other way around. When they powerscale they only think about the powers but not even try to think if the character they are scaling would even have the mindset to come up with whatever delusions they have in their head. Like the usual argument that Hinata would win against Sakura because Hinata could just close her chakra pathways like Sakura is just gonna stand there waiting for Hinata to do it. They powerscale but the way they do it makes the character go out of character. Not to mention, most of the shitscalers logic, when you tealky think about it, just goes like this: Neji is a Hyuga, all Hyugas are like Neji, since Hinata is a Hyuga it’s fair to assume that she fights just like Neji when given the opportunity. Yet, it doesn’t work that way. Neji’s fighting style is not rigid and traditional, he was innovative and efficient in utilizing the Hyuga Taijutsu something that I have always awed and loved about him, Kishimoto made sure to add a distinction on the way Neji fights. I liked that he really made sure what made Neji different and prodigious. It’s not just because he was able to learn Hyuha Taijutsu by observing but because he knew how to utilize them to the full extent and wasn’t afraid to experiment. He was the opposite of what the Hyuga Clan is, he represented what the Hyuga Clan might’ve been if they only allowed progress and change into their traditional ways.

Also, the most stupid argument people probably have is that Hinata’s Byakugan is simply better due to being born from the main family since Neji said the main family’s Byakugan is “special” which some fail to grasp the fact that Neji (by blood) is from the main family, his father and Hinata’s father are twins, said to be equal in strength. Neji is from the main family, that would simply mean that by blood, his Byakugan wouldn’t have been any different from Hinata even if one would argue that his mother would be from the lower branch, the fact still remains his father is from the main family.

I know that Hinata and Neji’s story isn’t about strength, it’s about breaking traditions and embracing change but it annoys me how people still think that Hinata would ever defeat Neji. He was different, he was something else, he was a prodigy but not because he was born with some unexplainable power or anything, it’s because of the way he approached problems, the way his mind works, the way he sees probabilities.

I fully agree with you, Neji was always shown to be by far the superior combatant, and the most gifted Hyuga in the clan's history. I spoke about this during this post, and especially during this post where someone linked me to a post "proving" how Hinata had apparently surpassed Neji during even Part 2 prior to his death, and I had no issues systematically tearing that post apart, it was absurd.

[psychiccent]

The Elephant in The Room: Frederica

I almost made this as a post for Shinkane week but wanted to keep the attention primarily on my fav Psycho couple. The Frederica/Kogami situation might be worrisome for some shippers, but I absolutely ADORE watching the interactions play out between these two characters. When analyzing, we can spot key differences in how both relationships are handled/developed by our PP Overlords.

It is safe to say that Frederica harbors an attraction for Ko... THAT aspect of the story, the writers have made no secret of. Poor Tenzing had to witness Frede pull out the big guns in their initial meeting, noting the arch of Frede's back/chest as she bent forward to interact with Ko. There is even a scene in the Sinners novelization wherein Frederica sets the mood for SOMETHING to happen between them using body language and a suggestive tone. During this scene, we learn something vital about the current dynamic that exists between these two: The attraction felt here is running on a one-way street, with no reciprocation in sight from Ko. What DOES Kogami end up doing in this situation? An obviously attractive woman, neutral in standing for now, is exhibiting a keen interest in getting closer to you. It's an easy way for the writers to establish the potential for chemistry and yet... Deciding that he doesn't know WHAT to make of all that Frederica is silently offering, Ko settles for simply ignoring the obvious and the scene ends shortly after. I believe this serves as another callback to Ko not being a casual fling type of guy. These interactions (and many others) help reinforce the idea that Kogami is not a man easily swayed by traditional beauty standards, despite the man's knack for letting his instincts reign supreme in most situations.

That scene was a bit of a missed opportunity, don't you think? There is another moment wherein Ko introduces Frede as someone from his home country, and we have another male gaze in the room posed to appreciate the obvious appeal that Frede brings to the table. In this scene, writers could have taken it a tiny step further (if this was truly their intent to establish SOMETHING here) and have the merc outright assume that Frede was Ko's woman. But no such conclusions were drawn, no implications of Ko enjoying his newfound company or missing home...nada. The same can't be said for Akane and Ko, whom have enemies nicknaming Akane 'JULIET' of all things, Shion sounding the alarm anytime those two are together, or the fact that Gino's reactions to their (Akane and Ko's) ACTIONS speaks volumes.

Kogami strikes me as a man with a desire for both understanding AND intimacy when it comes to potential partners, and the life Ko has led so far has not been ideal for cultivating that kind of love/connection. We see, through Ko and Frede's interactions that they function well as a unit/team but are still learning about one another. Whatever level of intimacy/understanding that Ko needs to share with his potential love interest is (whoever that may be *COUGHAKANECOUGH*), Frede is a far cry from being able to qualify in that particular category. Frede's dynamic with Kogami is, in my opinion, what a proper Inspector/Enforcer relationship SHOULD have been like between Ko and Akane (with less emphasis on the obvious attraction undertones, of course) and when looking at these two relationships from that perspective, the parallels we can observe are very telling.

I also can't help but mention that in supplementary PP content (I believe it was a game?) , it is stated that Ko is not a fan of having people/girls hanging off of, or otherwise pining over him... they even joke and say that it's the other way around and Akane is shocked to discover this "side" of Ko. I will take that with a grain of salt, but it certainly checks out with what we have seen so far, don't ya think? Is it impossible for Kogami and Frederica to wind up together? of course not, anything can happen! But color me surprised if that is the direction the writers decide to take.

[sempermoi]

Rant about generative AI in education and in general under the cut because I'm worried and frustrated and I needed to write it out in a small essay:

So, context: I am a teacher in Belgium, Flanders. I am now teaching English (as a second language), but have also taught history and Dutch (as a native language). All in secondary education, ages 12-16.

More and more I see educational experts endorse ai being used in education and of course the most used tools are the free, generative ones. Today, one of the colleagues responsible for the IT of my school went to an educational lecture where they once again vouched for the use of ai.

Now their keyword is that it should always be used in a responsible manner, but the issue is... can it be?

1. Environmentally speaking, ai has been a nightmare. Not only does it have an alarming impact on emission levels, but also on the toxic waste that's left behind. Not to mention the scarcity of GPUs caused by the surge of ai in the past few years. Even sources that would vouch for ai have raised concerns about the impact it has on our collective health. sources: here, here and here

2. Then there's the issue with what the tools are trained on and this in multiple ways:

Many of the free tools that the public uses is trained on content available across the internet. However, it is at this point common knowledge (I'd hope) that most creators of the original content (writers, artists, other creative content creators, researchers, etc.) were never asked for permission and so it has all been stolen. Many social media platforms will often allow ai training on them without explicitly telling the user-base or will push it as the default setting and make it difficult for their user-base to opt out. Deviantart, for example, lost much of its reputation when it implemented such a policy. It had to backtrack in 2022 afterwards because of the overwhelming backlash. The problem is then that since the content has been ripped from their context and no longer made by a human, many governments therefore can no longer see it as copyrighted. Which, yes, luckily also means that ai users are legally often not allowed to pass off ai as 'their own creation'. Sources: here, here

Then there's the working of generative ai in general. As said before, it simply rips words or image parts from their original, nuanced context and then mesh it together without the user being able to accurately trace back where the info is coming from. A tool like ChatGPT is not a search engine, yet many people use it that way without realising it is not the same thing at all. More on the working of generative ai in detail. Because of how it works, it means there is always a chance for things to be biased and/or inaccurate. If a tool has been trained on social media sources (which ChatGPT for example is) then its responses can easily be skewed to the demographic it's been observing. Bias is an issue is most sources when doing research, but if you have the original source you also have the context of the source. Ai makes it that the original context is no longer clear to the user and so bias can be overlooked and go unnoticed much easier. Source: here

3. Something my colleague mentioned they said in the lecture is that ai tools can be used to help the learning of the students.

Let me start off by saying that I can understand why there is an appeal to ai when you do not know much about the issues I have already mentioned. I am very aware it is probably too late to fully stop the wave of ai tools being published.

There are certain uses to types of ai that can indeed help with accessibility. Such as text-to-voice or the other way around for people with disabilities (let's hope the voice was ethically begotten).

But many of the other uses mentioned in the lecture I have concerns with. They are to do with recognising learning, studying and wellbeing patterns of students. Not only do I not think it is really possible to data-fy the complexity of each and every single student you would have as they are still actively developing as a young person, this also poses privacy risks in case the data is ever compromised. Not to mention that ai is often still faulty and, as it is not a person, will often still make mistakes when faced with how unpredictable a human brain can be. We do not all follow predictable patterns.

The lecture stated that ai tools could help with neurodivergency 'issues'. Obviously I do not speak for others and this next part is purely personal opinion, but I do think it important to nuance this: as someone with auDHD, no ai-tool has been able to help me with my executive dysfunction in the long-term. At first, there is the novelty of the app or tool and I am very motivated. They are often in the form of over-elaborate to-do lists with scheduled alarms. And then the issue arises: the ai tries to train itself on my presented routine... except I don't have one. There is no routine to train itself on, because that is my very problem I am struggling with. Very quickly it always becomes clear that the ai doesn't understand this the way a human mind would. A professionally trained in psychology/therapy human mind. And all I was ever left with was the feeling of even more frustration.

In my opinion, what would help way more than any ai tool would be the funding of mental health care and making it that going to a therapist or psychiatrist or coach is covered by health care the way I only have to pay 5 euros to my doctor while my health care provider pays the rest. (In Belgium) This would make mental health care much more accessible and would have a greater impact than faulty ai tools.

4. It was also said that ai could help students with creative assignments and preparing for spoken interactions both in their native language as well as in the learning of a new one.

I wholeheartedly disagree. Creativity in its essence is about the person creating something from their own mind and putting the effort in to translate those ideas into their medium of choice. Stick figures on lined course paper are more creative than letting a tool like Midjourney generate an image based on stolen content. How are we teaching students to be creative when we allow them to not put a thought in what they want to say and let an ai do it for them?

And since many of these tools are also faulty and biased in their content, how could they accurately replace conversations with real people? Ai cannot fully understand the complexities of language and all the nuances of the contexts around it. Body language, word choice, tone, volume, regional differences, etc.

And as a language teacher, I can truly say there is nothing more frustrating than wanting to assess the writing level of my students, giving them a writing assignment where they need to express their opinion and write it in two tiny paragraphs... and getting an ai response back. Before anyone comes to me saying that my students may simply be very good at English. Indeed, but my current students are not. They are precious, but their English skills are very flawed. It is very easy to see when they wrote it or ChatGPT. It is not only frustrating to not being able to trust part of your students' honesty and knowing they learned nothing from the assignment cause you can't give any feedback; it is almost offensive that they think I wouldn't notice it.

5. Apparently, it was mentioned in the lecture that in schools where ai is banned currently, students are fearful that their jobs would be taken away by ai and that in schools where ai was allowed that students had much more positive interactions with technology.

First off, I was not able to see the source and data that this statement was based on. However, I personally cannot shake the feeling there's a data bias in there. Of course students will feel more positively towards ai if they're not told about all the concerns around it.

Secondly, the fact that in the lecture it was (reportedly) framed that being scared your job would disappear because of ai, was untrue is... infuriating. Because it already is becoming a reality. Let's not forget what partially caused the SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023. Corporations see an easy (read: cheap) way to get marketable content by using ai at the cost of the creative professionals. Unregulated ai use by businesses causing the loss of jobs for real-life humans, is very much a threat. Dismissing this is basically lying to young students.

6. My conclusion:

I am frustrated. It's clamoured that we, as teachers, should educate more about ai and it's responsible use. However, at the same time the many concerns and issues around most of the accessible ai tools are swept under the rug and not actively talked about.

I find the constant surging rise of generative ai everywhere very concerning and I can only hope that more people will start seeing it too.

Thank you for reading.

[thatanimeramenchick]

Five Love Languages: Dark/Yandere Edition

Let’s take a perfectly wholesome good thing like the Five Love Languages and make it dark and toxic because… I don’t know, I’m literally the worst.

TW: Mentions on dub/non con and verbal abuse; Just general dark romance stuff

Words of Affirmation

Words are powerful. The pen is mightier than the sword, as it sways the heart. Your lover here will let you know just how much they care for you and every single detail of what they find lovely about you. This is in the typical compliments, but also can be expressed in sweet love letters or messages. At the same time, they will expect you to reciprocate in like manner. If you two are in a more… turbulent era of your relationship, they may withhold things until you tell them what they want to hear and in the proper sweet tone that they expect.

They may also use verbal intimidation to control you. I see them as knowing how to use their tongue to make you feel weak and helpless without them. Also may be the type to tell you that you're "mine" or "you belong to me" if they're on the more dominant side.

Triggers: A fast way to get yourself smacked in the face is to say that you hate them. There are lots of creative ways to rip their heart out though if you have a fast mouth and wit. Pointing out failures, flaws, relationship issues, past traumas will all really get under their skin, and depending on their personality, it may result in some volatile reactions from your “lover.”

Headcannon Examples: France, Vox

Quality Time

They never want to spend a moment apart from you. If it was up to them, they would have you with them 24/7. This can be impractical though, so, they may simply settle for having you in a closed off space and being able to check in on you whenever they want. I see this also manifesting in nosiness. What are you doing and why? Surely if you aren’t doing anything wrong, you have nothing to hide? Besides this, there is a demand for constant undivided attention. When they want you to watch them do something or interact with them, they expect you to do so.

Triggers: The fastest way to piss them off is to purposefully ignore them. The cold shoulder or the silent treatment will get you disciplined. You want to act like you’re too good for them to respond? They’ll find a way to get your attention, and you’re probably not going to enjoy it.

Headcannon Examples: America, Lelouch Vi Britannia, Russia

Acts of Service

Of all the languages of love, this is the most subtle and faithful. I see these types liking to take the time to “observe” their lover and put in the extra work to make their life pleasant, especially if they’re on the more subservient side. Especially submissive yandere may do all they can to help you achieve your goals. More domineering ones will express this quite differently. Acts of service may also be displayed in wanting you to completely dependent on them. They may upend your life from behind the scenes just so you can be rescued and cared for by them. They can then be your knight in shining armor, saving and caring for you like no one else ever could. More controlling ones may also expect you to assist them in their daily life or with their dirty work.

Triggers: Destroying or interfering with their goals or work. If you’re going to be a spiteful little brat and ruin their life's work, you're going to learn who's in charge around here. While they don’t believe life is tic for tac, you could at least not have the decency to mess with what isn't your business.

Headcannon Examples: Alastor, Germany, Light Yagami

Gifts

It’s said that your money is where your heart is, and these men believe that. These types take a special giddy joy in buying you things that they know you will enjoy and seeing the look on your face when you receive them. Some of these gifts may be a bit inappropriate for the status of your relationship, such as fine jewelry if you are only friends. If they are the stalking type, they may send you presents based on what they have observed you looking at when you are at the store or online.

On a darker note, I see these types as liking to “collect” little gifts from their lover. And I don’t just mean collecting what you leave lying around. Depending on how extreme they are, they will root through your bags, lockers, drawers, and even your trash to find things to remind them of you. There’s really nothing like lying in bed and breathing in your scent through an old sweater they found in your closet.

Triggers: For your sake, let’s hope you never find their little museum of items. Even if you don’t though, you’re going to be in for it if they give you something important, and you purposefully dispose of it or happen to lose it.

Headcannon Examples: Canada, L, Phantom of the Opera

Physical Touch

These are types who may be guilty of forced kissing, hugging, and hand holding, as well as insisting you sleep beside them at night. If you are distressed, their solution may be to sit you in their lap and cuddle you until you calm down. I can see this type as falling into the type who is shy and only likes being touchy feely with you, as well as someone who is just touchy in general and therefore wants to shower you with their “love.”

Despite physical touch being their main way of accepting affection, I don’t see them typically trying to rape you, at least not forcefully. I actually see them as being the least likely to do something like that. Physical touch is an expression of love and tenderness, and forcing themselves on you would be the ultimate betrayal of that love. They aren’t above manipulating you into the act though, which would still obviously be along the dubcon/noncon lines. I just don’t see them being directly violent about it.

Triggers: Being physically violent, especially when they are trying to be physically affectionate. Biting or headbutting them when trying to kiss you comes to mind. Physical touch is supposed to be a gentle expression of love, how could you be so cruel as to not only deny them that, but to retaliate with harshness?

Headcannon Examples: North Italy