#positivity for akki

[ravarui]

🌺 send this to blogs you think are wonderful 🌺

Random positivity Always Accepting @wormholxtreme

// MADDIE!

This goes right back at you obviously <3

Love your blog and your muses and you c:

More shenanigans between Tony and Happy when? Nevermind that Happy clearly deserves a raise in payment, for putting up with Tonys bs for so long.

[snarkofstark-archive]

I am literally blinded by the quality on this blog, it shines so bright <3

Random Anons Always Accepting

// Thank you so much for these nice words anon. They honestly made my day. But lets be real: This blog would be nothing without my amazing writing partners <3

[sag-dab-sar]

Enheduana Was A Strategic Priestess

She wasn’t just a priestess who became famous for her beautiful literature. She wasn't a woman of low birth who dedicated herself to Inana solely out of love. Or any other romanticized story. She was, in the beginning, a strategic royal tool of conquest.

I'm writing this because I came across "Inanna: Lady of Largest Heart" by Betty DeSheong Meador. She is a Jungian analyst, she says she studied under an Assyriologist (I have a bone to pick with Jungian analysts but whatever) I noticed this on page 7:

...she was now elevated to the supreme position in the Sumerian pantheon. There is no way to know why Enheduanna made the painstaking effort to elevate Inanna above all the great gods. Perhaps it was simply an act of dedication to her goddess.

There is evidence. It wasn’t just an act of dedication.

🔹Why Inanna Was Elevated🔹

Ištar was the tutelary Goddess of Sargon of Akkad [1] [2]

From a legend of him:

Akki, the irrigator, as his gardener appointed me. When I was a gardener the goddess Ishtar loved me [3]

Sargon conquered many Sumerian cities. He instilled his daughter Enheduana as priestess of Nanna and Inana at Ur— one of the most powerful Sumerian cities [4].

Why? To use religion to legitimize his reign [5]. Sargon respected Sumerian culture [6] so it makes sense to try and legitimize his reign via appeasing the Sumerians themselves— using religion was an extremely common tactic for conquerors [5]. The Gods were the ones who appointed Kings and punished them when they did wrong.

Nanna was the tutelary God of Ur [7]. Making her a priestess of the most important God put her in a position of power to elevate Inana and equate her with Ištar [8] a good political move.

This is where the false idea that "Inana is a moon Goddess" comes from; people seem to cut out the Moon God Nanna when telling her story. Enheduana was priestess of both of them— and held the role of Ningal, Nanna's wife, in some ritual settings.

After being exiled from Ur and receiving no help from Nanna, she turns towards his daughter, Inana, to seek help. And raises her even further above the Gods in the hopes of gaining her favor and assistance; it was a personal cry for help by Enheduana while she is in exile. [11]

I’m not trying to say she did not love Inana and it was just a royal duty or some sort of bribe, I am stating her actual origin and reason for being a priestess.

She is described in the Disc of Enheduanna

Enheduana, priestess of Nanna, spouse of Nanna, daughter of Sargon, the king of the world, built an altar in the temple of Inana-Zaza at Ur and named it Altar, the Table of Heaven” [9.1]

[Right: Original Disc [9.1] | Left: restored version at Penn Museum [10] ]

🔹Inana's Importance🔹

No doubt Sumerian Inana and Akkadian Ištar was one of the most important Goddess throughout Mesopotamia and eventually neighboring regions. Many local Goddess were identified with her at various dates (even if originally separate).

But was Inana actually placed above all other Gods?

Yes, in two literary compositions (as of right now). The Exhaltion of Inana & Inana C. Two literary compositions do not equated to the 3000+ year history of Mesopotamian religion and I wish more people who wrote on this topic acknowledged that.

To be the "Queen of all the me" was to hold the cosmos in one's palm. Crucially, this was not a universally accepted view of Inana. Though she was of course a celebrated goddess in Sumerian culture, she was generally considered inferior to the main male deities of the pantheon: Enlil, An, and Ea. The Exaltation sets out to change this by making Inana supreme among gods, and this aim is emphatically announced in the first three words of the text. [11 page XIX]

It is often stressed that the plethora of myths & hymns from cultures with more literature available (and popularity) such as Greece & Rome do not always reflect the totality of their ancient beliefs—it is the exact same situation when it comes to Inana.

🔹Better Source for Enheduana🔹

If you want to read these same hymns in a way that is presented for a modern audience I suggest the version done by the Assyriologist Sophus Helle, who has a passion for Edheduana, in his book "Enheduana: The Complete Poems of the World's First Author"

Google Books — LINK

Companion website to the book - LINK

Enheduana on his personal website — LINK

Helle actually has Maedor's work listed in the bibliography of the companion website (albeit I read the entire website and can't find where it is used) [9.2], but translations coming from an actual Assyriologist are a better option for those who want to know Inana.

On each of the companion pages—The Exaltation, The Hymn, and The Temple Hymns—he mentions other translations of the literary compositions that are also reliable but he never suggests Meador's translations. Additionally, his book is 2023, hers is 2000, so his will have much more updated information about Enheduana & Inana, and he mentions that more updated info will naturally continue to come forward.

You can also explore them in a very literal translation on the ETCSL.

ETCSL Inana Hymns— LINK

Exaltation of Inana / Inana B — LINK

The Hymn / Inana C — LINK

🔹Sources🔹

[1] The Two Steles of Sargon: Iconology and Visual Propaganda at the Beginning of Royal Akkadian Relief by Lorenzo Nigro in Iraq Vol. 60 https://www.jstor.org/stable/4200454?seq=1

[2] A Tribute to King Sargon of Akkad by Agulyas from Mott Community College Historical Faculty https://history.mcc.edu/wordpress/history/2014/04/04/a-tribute-to-king-sargon-of-akkad/

[3] Ancient History Source Book: The Legend of Sargon of Akkadê, c. 2300 BCE from Fordham University https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/2300sargon1.asp

[4] 095. Tell Maqayyar (ancient: Ur) from Colorado State University https://www.cemml.colostate.edu/cultural/09476/iraq05-095.html

[5] Sargon of Akkad: rebel and usurper in Kish by Marlies Heinz http://faculty.uml.edu/ethan_spanier/Teaching/documents/CP2.0HeinzSargonofAkkad.pdf

[6] Handbook to Life in Ancient Mesopotamia by Stephen Bertman.

[7] Nanna/Suen by Adam Stone at Oracc and UK Higer Education Academy http://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/amgg/listofdeities/nannasuen/

[8] A Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology by Gwendolyn Leick

[9] Enheduana . org "Authorship" https://enheduana.org/authorship/

[9.1] "Disc of Enheduana" https://enheduana.org/disk-of-enheduana/

[9.2] "Bibliography" https://enheduana.org/bibliography/

[10] Penn Museum https://www.penn.museum/collections/object_images.php?irn=293415

[11] Enheduana: The Complete Poems of the World's First Author by Sophus Helle

I have a working draft on the Inana's importance section, that I removed from this post because it was getting too long and off topic. Will I finish it? Literally have no idea.

Originally written February 9th, 2020, complete overhaul in 2024 due to access to Helle's commentary and resources. And wanting to be more concise. So I don't think this counts as a repost 😬.

[kopw]

top watches for september

from this month:

will ospreay vs naomichi marufuji, noah naomichi marufuji debut 25th anniversary show 09/17 — not only my favorite match of the month but my most anticipated one as well! i think it's always interesting to see ospreay be taken out of his usual pace and perform with more breathing room between spots (even if his snappier sequences are what drew me in initially). there are a lot of quiet moments in this match, mixed with that devoted eagerness that ospreay had while he was a junior. it's also a match that is able to tap into something very special thanks to the emotional padding behind it that i think ospreay's other big match from this month (vs yota tsuji) is unable to match

syuri vs mayu iwatani, stardom 5star grand prix day 14 09/03 — syuri is my favorite joshi to watch currently! she wrestles such a loud, hard-hitting style that still feels fresh in the technical scene and she has great in-ring chemistry with mayu here. mayu's reversal of the syu-sekai though... gah! a relatively short match and one of my favorites from the entire gp

bryan danielson vs ricky starks, no disqualification strap match, aew all out 09/03 — the singular non-puro match on this list, which should already give you an idea of how truly great it is. ricky has been a highlight on collision pretty much since it began airing, and the natural charisma that shined through there is ever-present in his recent matches. bloody, brutal, and better than the follow-up texas death rematch in terms of cohesion

zack sabre jr. vs ryohei oiwa, njpw road to destruction 09/08 — i was ecstatic to have boltin oleg in a high-profile match! ...and then it didn't happen. but worry not! oiwa stole the show. it definitely didn't feel as one-sided as it would've if it was oiwa pre-excursion pitted against zack. excited to see more from him

takayuki ueki vs baliyan akki, baka gaijin + friends vol. 8 09/20 — the mad doctor takes on akki, returning superstar of the show, after mecha mummy fails to drill a hole through harashima and is subsequently defeated. it's as silly as it sounds

back catalogue:

shinsuke nakamura vs the great muta, noah the new year 2023 — positively overwhelming presentation in terms of the entrances. misting as a metaphor for relatedness rather than corruption. unstoppable force meets immovable object, up until the object embraces the force. a sentimental finish that stuck with me

katsuyori shibata vs kazuchika okada, njpw sakura genesis 2017 — a holistically tactile bout full of sweaty contact and undying resolve. okada finds himself in the rare predicament of not being the fan favorite! practically impossible to look away during this one

pheromones (danshoku dieno & yuki iino) & shunma katsumata vs akito, kazuki hirata & yuya koroku, ddt sweet dreams! 2023 tour in shinjuku ~ fire! ~ — a typical pheromones match in that it contains loads of their trademark spots (synchronized striptease routines, dramatic jockstrap reveals, "accidental" ass to mouth action) however! this time shunma is there to act as their pup (which he is very much into). a must-watch for fans of public kink in wrestling

atsushi onita vs hayabusa, no ropes barbed wire current mine explosion time bomb deathmatch, fmw 6th anniversary show 1995 — hayabusa comes off as a trapped animal within onita’s environment, only delaying the inevitable with each move. feels and looks like a horror movie, with the counter droning on in the first half and the smoke wafting through the cage of barbed wire in the second. explosions galore!

shotaro ashino vs koji doi, wrestle-1 grand prix 2018 finals — this was my first exposure to ashino and let me tell you... he's so good. his entrance is fuel by metallica, he's cocky, he goes hard in the ring. i'm genuinely shocked he's not a bigger name internationally. nothing too extravagant aside from a few high-impact spots but worth a watch

[farzanatradingcompany]

Ackee is a tropical delicacy with distinct flavours and health benefits.  

The ackee fruit, found in tropical regions, is a unique culinary delicacy that has earned its place as a mainstay in Caribbean cuisine. Ackee's unusual flavour and creamy texture make it a standout component in a variety of cuisines, but this fruit also has a number of health benefits. Farzana HoReCa supplier in UAE In this blog article, we'll go on a journey to uncover the delights of ackee, delving into its rich history, culinary applications, and nutritional benefits. 

Nutrient profile: Akki is not only a delicious dish but also a nutritious ingredient. It is an excellent source of essential nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and fiber. These nutrients contribute to overall health and support immune function, skin health, and proper digestion.  

Potassium for heart health: With its notable potassium content, ackee supports heart health by helping regulate blood pressure. Adequate potassium intake is essential to maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system, and Ackee provides a delicious way to incorporate this mineral into your diet.  

Rich in healthy fats: Ackee contains healthy monounsaturated fats that have a positive impact on heart health. These fats, and the fact that ackee contains no cholesterol, make it a heart-healthy addition to your diet. 

Strengthens immune function: Vitamin C present in ackee contributes to a strong immune system. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects cells from damage and plays an important role in immune function by keeping diseases at bay.  

 Supports vision: Ackee is an excellent source of vitamin A, an essential nutrient for maintaining healthy vision. Vitamin A is essential for retinal health and may help prevent age-related macular degeneration. 

Low in calories: For those who are watching their calorie intake, Ackee is a good choice. It's low in calories, yet nutritious, satiating, and makes for a balanced, healthy meal. 

When you incorporate ackee into your cooking repertoire, you'll discover a world of unique flavors and nutritional benefits. Whether enjoyed in traditional Caribbean cuisine or as part of a creative culinary experiment, ackee is a delicious and healthy dish. As you enjoy the creamy texture and unique flavor of ackee, you will not only embark on a gastronomic adventure, but also enjoy the rich history and nutritional richness of this tropical fruit. 

[destinedfey]

So @bemuseing Rengoku has a varient of Inferno and Akki knows it, this is how it went down.

A bit after the main game, when Fey was in the Pokemon Village essentially all of the time and refused to leave it. Rengoku and Wulfric were the ones that visited Fey the most.

Wulfric was the one that brought the idea up first to Rengoku, seeing how Fey had been slipping again and staying inside more.

The hard part was getting Fey to agree to even try learning the move. But Akki wanted to so it didn't take too long.

Akki himself already knew the basic move, so most of the training was to get it more under control and then the strength of it could be worked on.

It was during this time that Fey's practice of fixing up things around the Pokemon Village came to be, mostly to make up for the fact that Fey didn't know/didn't want to learn kendo but still wanted to do the work with Akki

Rengoku and Fey often had sparring matches, far from all out battles but just little matches to test Fey's and Akki's strength and trying to make Fey have training be a more positive association.

It didn't show at the time, but the sparring did eventually pay off in having training be a more positive thing.

All in all it took Akki about a year to be able to use Inferno: Rengoku style skillfully. Fey hasn't actually used it in an all out battle yet. She wants to, though.

[jam-is-my-food]

never gonna give you up (a scythe astley fic)

when scythe curie was just a junior scythe, the beloved scythe rick astley—the only scythe who was ever allowed to communicate with the thunderhead—self-gleaned. marie will never forget her childhood idol—but he may be closer than she thinks.

takes place mid-thunderhead; spoilers for thunderhead.

word count: 1,295

dedicated to @i-love-side-characters for her incredible 5am drabble. thank you akki. truly a service to humankind.

Takes place in the middle of the scene in Thunderhead where Goddard reveals that he is still kiCkiN' at conclave. This is very crack. And a fix-it fic. I hope you enjoy.

“I wish to nominate Honorable Scythe Robert Goddard for High Blade of MidMerica.”

Silence for a moment … then a few chuckles, but they weren’t derisive. They were nervous.

“Brahms,” said Xenocrates slowly, “in case you’ve forgotten, Scythe Goddard has been dead for over a year now.”

And then the heavy bronze doors of the conclave chamber slowly began to open.

Scythe Curie drew in a sharp breath, willing her heart rate to slow. This was ridiculous, clearly some sort of diversion tactic planned by the new order. To even react in the slightest was preposterous; her body was showing its age, another reminder she needed to turn a corner soon.

But then in strode the incinerated scythe, and Marie knew even the frailest of bodies wasn’t capable of a hallucination so horrible.

Rumors began to trickle through the room. Gasps. Whispers. Cheers. The man who could not be Scythe Goddard moved down the center aisle, gait looser than Marie remembered. The worries of becoming High Blade, of being placed in the position only because of her past actions, slipped suddenly into the furthest thing on Curie’s mind. This was impossible. She was supposed to be watching out for Scythe Nietzsche, and Nietzsche didn’t have the votes. This could not be.

And yet it was. They had entered the worst of all possible worlds.

Entering the chamber in Goddard’s wake was a familiar figure in bright green. Scythe Rand was alive, too? Eyes now looked to the open bronze doors, expecting that Scythes Chomsky and Volta might also return from the dead today, but that was not who next entered the chamber.

No, this was another figure. A figure even more impossible.

In the years before Curie was born, the world was chock-full of turmoil. Although the Thunderhead had revealed itself some time ago, humans were still clinging on to government and power. The scythedom, only in its founding years, was still mistrusted. And black market revivals for those who had been gleaned—a problem all but forgotten to history now—were all the rage.

It had been becoming a bigger and bigger issue, from what Marie knew; the Thunderhead believed it was under the scythedom’s jurisdiction to deal with, while the fledgling scythedom was relying on the Thunderhead to solve it. What was essentially breathing life back into the gleaned single-handedly rendered the entire scythedom useless. And though the Thunderhead was beginning to engineer safe space travel solutions, it needed a backup in case of failure.

So the first (and, to date, only) scythe-Thunderhead ambassador was chosen.

Marie had idolized Scythe Astley throughout her childhood. Apprenticed under Scythe Sappho herself, Astley—whose Patron Historic was a largely-forgotten mortal-age musician—was a man not only of the scythedom and the Thunderhead but of the people. And not in the phony, self-serving way of the current new order, but honestly, genuinely. After helping the Thunderhead and founding scythes engineer a solution to the black-market problem—which, once they’d found a means of communication, was relatively simple; the Thunderhead would shut down all operations and the scythedom glean anyone who dared involve themself—he stayed wildly well-known. The Thunderhead continued to speak to him and only him, and once he self-gleaned refused to choose another ambassador. The scythedom and the Thunderhead would remain separate entities, it declared, this time for good. Nobody could replace Astley, one of the few truly-beloved scythes.

Scythe Curie could remember the day he self-gleaned. It felt tragic, doubly so knowing now that the scythedom had so thoroughly shoved his memory under the rug. Prominent scythes didn’t want anyone new to know conversing with the Thunderhead was anything short of impossible, and somehow he had just been … forgotten.

But Marie remembered him. His love of ice cream. His iconic robe, fashioned to look as though it were a suit. His studded, intricately-designed dark leather dress shoes.

The same shoes that were tapping their way through the conclave chamber now.

It couldn’t be.

“Astley!” Marie breathed, words sticking in her throat. She saw Anastasia shoot her a confused glance, completely unaware as to the identity of this new key player. She’d never told her about Scythe Astley.

Around the room, similar gasps of shock were passing around. Many scythes, however, were like Anastasia; they ignored this new man and focused their attentions back on Goddard—who looked positively furious at being overshadowed. “What is this?” he shouted, a vein in his neck pulsing.

“I might ask you the same thing,” Scythe Astley responded smoothly. He reached his hand into a pocket and pulled out a large pin with his own face on it. Scythe Astley isn’t ghastly! it read in garishly cartoonish print.

And now Goddard’s face had truly paled. “Scythe Astley? But—but you self-gleaned, years ago!”

“Yeah, no I didn’t.” Astley smirked, drawing his fingers through his impeccably styled ginger hair. “Anyway, you’re one to talk.”

The entire scythedom tittered. Xenocrates, having lost all semblance at control in the room, slowly backed away.

“Who’s this?” Anastasia hissed to Curie, and the Granddame of Death saw her moment.

“Everyone!” she shouted, voice commanding. “This man is Honorable Ambassador-Scythe Rick Astley, apprentice to founding scythe Sappho herself. Show him the respect he deserves.”

“Thank you, Scythe Curie,” Astley said, and Marie blushed as though she were a little girl again. He knew her name!

He stood tall, and the entire scythedom—even Goddard—found themselves bending to accommodate him. “It’s true. I, Scythe Rick Astley, did not truly self-glean. I meant it when I said I was never gonna give you up. No, I’ve simply been waiting for the perfect time to rejoin the scythedom—and that time has come today.”

Astley looked around the conclave chamber thoughtfully, before continuing on. “You see, I and I alone have access to the Thunderhead. I am the single exception to the schism between organizations. With me and the Thunderhead by your sides, I can solemnly swear we’re never gonna let you down.”

He smiled kindly, before giving a disapproving stink-eye. “The Thunderhead and I pronounce Robert Goddard illegible for the position of High Blade, so don’t even try it. We have some problems with that man.”

Scythe Goddard sank to his knees, distraught. “Scythe Astley? You don’t like me? What have I done?”

Astley ignored him, instead moving on to Curie herself. “Therefore, by process of elimination plus nobody cares about that other contestant, I hereby pronounce Honorable Scythe Marie Curie High Blade of MidMerica.”

Marie let in a shocked gasp, tears coming to her eyes. Rick Astley believed in her. “Is this true?”

“I don’t know what’s going on so I guess,” Xenocrates called from the back. “Ima go hop on over to Endura now anyway. I will live a happy and fulfilling life as Grandslayer and hopefully learn to become more than competent. Scythe Goddard will never come for a vacation.”

“Sounds good!” everyone called.

Rowan Damisch and Scythe Volta tiptoed in from the back. The mere presence of the near-god Astley had brought Volta back to life and caused Rowan to escape his bonds. Speaking of, he caught Anastasia’s eye and they started making out passionately. Scythe Curie decided to forgive him because if he was truly bad he too would have been smited by the wrath of Scythe Astley.

“Thank you, Rick,” she whispered. “Thank you.”

“Of course!” he cried, and then repeated, “I’m never gonna give you up!” There was cheering from the crowd, all divisions in the scythedom forgotten. Someone started singing his theme song, the popular mortal-age ditty of his Patron Historic. It was very catchy. He tapped his dress shoes some more.

All was good. At long last, Curie felt herself truly relax. The scythedom was in good hands.

“Now who wants to go grab some ice cream?”

[best-ghoul]

Also what do you guys think?

It’s only happened once so far, but I’m thinking, Young Funny Scumbag (Akki), calls Older Big Grump (Tiberius) “Senpai” affectionately. It’s memey, but it also makes excellent narrative sense. I think it’s hilarious.

He does this because Tiberius’s military unit has an similar structure (gender-matched vet/rookie buddy system), and he refuses to admit that they have an equivalent relationship. He hates admitting that Akki is kohai, because it damn near implies fraternization in a military unit. And that’s a position of honor! He is not kohai, he has never been kohai!

It’s also something Akki uses exclusively to bother him.

[i-love-side-characters]

What did you think of the end of The Toll?

!!! TOLL SPOILERS !!! PROCEED WITH CAUTION !!!

Scythe Cult:  @honorablescythecurie @honorablescythefaraday @palli-x @book-limerence @lochscinders @a-lonely-tatertot @shellyseashell

bored? send me serotonin please <3

Okay now lets get a couple things out of the way. I haven’t read Toll in a little bit, and it’s taking forever to come from the library. Also, yes I did have it downloaded before, but I kept rereading Faraday’s journal entry when he find out Curie is dead. I know, I’m trash for them but honestly let me have this #curiedeservedbetter2021 #faradaydeservedbetter2021 #curadayforlife

Now that we’ve established that I’m just lonely and so I cling onto healthy (ish) fictional couples for my source of love, let’s proceed.

Things I remember:

 - Rowan and Citra go zoomy zoom into spacey space, but Citra’s deadish because Goddard pulled some shit and so Rowan’s going to wait a couple hundred years for her to wake up

 - Total hottie Ayn Rand shanked Goddard which is honestly a power move you go girl

 - Faraday and Munira unleashed the failsafe, which basically infected a whole bunch of people and now Scythes just kill the infected people so that there’s no suffering

 - Jeri!!! and Greyson!!! Babeys!!! Smol Beans!!! My genderfluid babey with my weird Jesus man it’s a match made by the Thunderhead (because it literally is)

 - Rowan and Citra (who renounced her Scythehood) are going to start a new colony on some random ass planet

Things I don’t remember:

 - Whatever happen with Cirrus

 - Whatever happen with Joel the Jobe Man

 - Whatever happen with Loriana and Munira who are totally in love Shusterman said Sapphic rights 

Okay Akki stfu lets move on:

Okay. I didn’t really like it. I did like Rowan’s sarcasm, but the ending fell a little flat. Compared to the other books’ endings, I didn’t really think it measured up. It was just a bit bland. Here’s why.

The end goal:

Let’s just work our way through the series to show why The Toll just didn’t really work for me.

Scythe - Book 1:

Goal/Climax:

The goal/climax of the book was clear. Citra and Rowan are fighting for the ring. Only one can get it, and the winner has to glean the other. 

The ending:

Citra wins the ring, and is ordained. Instead of actually killing (gleaning) Rowan, she slyly grants him immunity by punching him so that his blood’s DNA would transfer to the database and no Scythe could kill him.  We also got a confession scene where they tell each other they love the other. It ends with Rowan finding out that Faraday did not self-glean.

Why it works:

It is tense. We are watching the two main characters have to either kill the other or be killed. Neither want to. It is clear from their actions throughout that they harbour feelings for each other. This is a high stakes situation. And it flows nicely. We don’t have any unnecessary dialogue/scenes. We don’t have a dumb solution to the problem where a bunch of unnecessary events happen like a character death/romantic scene. They do tell the other that they love them, but the moment is quick and is not the focus of the moment. The focus is on the actual ordainment ceremony and the challenge. The solution directly addresses the main conflict of the book.

Thunderhead - Book 2:

Goal/Climax:

Goddard and Citra (now Anastasia) are presenting their arguments as to who will win the inquest. The inquest was called because Anastasia and Curie needed time to gain more votes in favour of Curie for the position of High Blade. 

The ending:

Anastasia and Curie win the inquest, and Goddard must complete a full new apprenticeship in order to train his new body. Goddard, however, has tricks up his sleeve. He had made a plan prior to the events on Endura to cripple the Grandslayers tower. The plan changes, but works to his favour and destroys the entire island. Curie, in a desperate attempt to save Rowan and Citra, locks them in an airtight chamber that will preserve them so they can be revived. With this sacrifice, Curie is forced to self glean.

“She thrust her blade inward, directly into her heart. She fell to the ground only seconds before the sea would wash over her, but she knew death would wash over her faster. And the blade hurt far less than she imagined it would, which made her smile. She was good. Very, very good.”

-Thunderhead, page 499

Why it works:

*violently screams in my head* I’m good don’t worry

It is a logical ending. If Curie and Anastasia had won the inquest and survived Endura, there would be no need for a third book, unless Shusterman had decided to write a book about Curie being High Blade and Goddard sulking in the shadows and plotting to kill her. That wouldn’t work because I don’t think there is any possible way Curie wouldn’t catch Goddard in two seconds because she’s a boss.

Many people say that Curie should have gotten Rowan to lock her and Anastasia in the vault instead of him. Rowan would have died for Anastasia, it makes sense, but that takes away from the very essence of Curie’s character. She is a truly Honourable Scythe. She knows that Anastasia loves him, and she cares deeply about Anastasia. Letting herself survive would have been completely out of character. She also knows that Anastasia is the future of the Scythedom. While it would be a great help if Curie didn’t die, as well as sparing us emotional trauma, it doesn’t make sense for her character.

This ending also directly “solved” the issue in the book. While the villain won, it was a satisfying ending. Curie is dead, that was a very smart move, because obviously Goddard wouldn’t survive two seconds if she was there. It gave us a good reason for the Thunderhead to disappear.

 *violently screams again* Curie died, yeah, no, I’m okay

The Toll - Book 3: *note that some details may be wrong

Goal/Climax:

Faraday, Rowan, Jeri, Munira, Loriana, Anastasia, Greyson, and Cirrus need to figure out what to with the frozen Tonists, all unknowing that Scythes Goddard and Rand are heading towards the island. They still need to beat him in order to make sure that the non-Scythe population won’t be subject to bias/malice/aforethought/Goddard’s ego. 

The ending:

Rowan, and Citra, who renounced her Scythehood, travel to another planet that can support life with the frozen Tonists, as well as 42 other ships carrying Tonists. Cirrus is copied into 42 different versions in order to save humanity. After being offered Citra’s old ring, Munira (I believe) returns to the Library of Alexandria. Faraday follows through with the failsafe and gleans only the suffering. Greyson and Jeri stay together on the island, and become romantically involved. Scythe Rand is the one who eventually kills Goddard.

Why it DOESN’T work:

Okay, there’s a lot to unpack here. I’m just going to go character by character and by the plot.

1. Plot - It just doesn’t make sense. The hero’s solution doesn’t in any way stop Goddard, who is the main villain. We’ve led up to this for a very long time, and Rand is the one who gleans him. If I’m correct, The main characters don’t interact with Goddard for nearly the entire book, save Rowan. The solution, to save humanity by colonizing other planets would, without Rand’s interference, let Goddard wreak his havoc on the world. Only Scythe Faraday and Morrison could truly challenge him, and even then Faraday is old and hasn’t kept his abilities refined, and Morrison is young and inexperienced and wears a denim robe.

2. Rand and Goddard’s Arcs - Rand is the one who kills Goddard. I think that this was a very interesting move, and one that made a lot of sense. Goddard has treated her terribly, it would satisfy her arc of turning against him, as well as giving her a redemption arc that would also avenge Tyger’s death. I think that this is actually a really good arc, were it not for the fact that Citra and Goddard never fought/interacted with each other. If there had been a fight, and Rand had killed him then, that would have been better and would have better satisfied the actual conflict in the book.

3. Rowan and Citra’s Arcs - In terms of Citra’s arc, I think it was emotionally impactful to have her renounce her Scythehood. But Rowan didn’t have as much of a part to play in this book as he could have had. Citra and Goddard also never interacted, which would have been very interesting since he was the direct cause of her mentor and canon mother figure’s death. It would have been an interesting scene that could have played out really well. Based on Discord texts from a conversation I had, I know an reminded that the last two pages of The Toll were incredibly impactful and beautiful. I don’t have much to say about Rowan since I don’t remember much of his role.

4. Jeri, Greyson, Loriana, and Munira’s Arcs - I paired these four together since their doings aren’t very solid after the books. Jeri and Greyson are canonically together, which I think was a great move by Shusterman. Having a main character in a healthy relationship with a canon LGBTQ+ character was incredibly impactful for me, and it satisfied Greyson’s thoughts about how he doesn’t care if Jeri is a boy or a girl, he just loves them. Loriana didn’t have as much of an arc, but Munira did have a small one. Her refusal of the Scythe’s ring let her dispense of her hatred for Scythes and their system, and let her let go of her bitter feelings about not being ordained. 

5. Cirrus’ Arc? - I do not remember enough to speak about Cirrus’ role in the books.

6. Faraday’s Arc - This is probably the one I have the most to say about. I am sorry in advance. Faraday is an emotional character. He has cried canonically twice as far as I can remember, once when he gleaned a child, and the other when he found out Scythe Curie and Anastasia had died on Endura. He is also openly disgusted with Scythe Goddard and his practices, which is why I supremely dislike his arc. It would have been so interesting to see how he would have reacted if Scythe Goddard and the heroes had interacted during the end scene of The Toll. We know he is an Honourable Scythe, like Curie, and upholds the Scythe Commandments, especially after his punishment over his breaking of the 9th commandment “Thou shalt have no spouse nor spawn.” It would have been so. interesting. to see whether Faraday would snap and attack Goddard, if he would try and talk to him, how he would react. Like with Anastasia, he would have been interacting with Curie’s murderer. The potential of that moment! Don’t forget that Faraday is definitely still in love with Curie, based on his elevated heart rate in Thunderhead, and his journal entry in The Toll. I think it would have been so interesting to see him confront her killer.

Summary:

Okay that was much longer than I intended, and I have more thoughts, but it’s 2:40 am and I haven’t slept in a while. So my summary. I liked The Toll. It was a solid book, that had funny moments, jaw dropping moments, heartfelt moments, and emotionally impactful scenes. It was a solid book.

I don’t think it compared as much to the other two, especially Thunderhead. The ending fell a little flat and didn’t carry the arcs as well as I would have liked, but honestly, I still reread it. Shusterman really managed to pull at your emotions.

Because I just beat up on the book for the last couple paragraphs, let me tell you some of my favourite parts of the book.

1. Literally any scene with Possuelo and Anastasia that dynamic was so good and him calling her “meu anjo” literally made my heart do a little happy dance the father-daughter dynamic was what we needed. It also offered a nice levity to tough scenes.

2. The Rowan-Anastasia Reunion. They ran towards each other and knocked each other off their feet. Ohhhh my god, they ran towards each other and knocked each other off their feet! That was so cute, and as someone who was a strong supporter of platonic Rowan & Anastasia, I honestly loved it.

3. Faraday-Anastasia Reunion. Him dropping to his knees in front her her, her initial confusion as to who he was, and the “perhaps the greatest of all Scythes was kneeling in front of her” part killed me. Their reunion was so well written and heart-wrenching.

4. Anastasia Cries about Curie’s Death. I feel like WatchMojo right now. Anyways, the way her emotions break after trying to repress her sadness over her mentor’s sacrifice for her.

5. Rowan’s sarcasm. Beauty. What a power move to sass the guy who’s going to set you on fire in front of 3000 people.

6. Scythe Constantine and Rand. What a dynamic I wasn’t ready for. Rand’s cool comebacks with Constantine’s sly personality just made for the most amazing dialogue opportunities. 

Thank you anon!

[ravarui]

// How's my portrayal meme: Fantastic.

This goes without saying, but I love writing with your Shanks so much! You've managed to make him very funny, snarky and witty, and it's such a treat to see him on my dashboard AND my inbox (even if Kid always throws a tantrum lol). I appreciate that he seems to be apprehensive of Kid, because it shows that he acknowledges him as a threat (in spite of what went down in Elbaf). If Kid's grown enough to get a Yonko like Shanks off his ass to handle him directly, I'll take it. (:

Bonus: Tony is just a little guy and I'm holding him in my hand like an action figure. I'm not really in the Marvel fandom or anything, but I know just enough Tony Stark lore to respect that your portrayal is very on point. ❤️ I love him a lot.

How is Akkis portrayal Accepting @ferromagnetiic

// WOOD PLS. YOU CAN'T COME AT ME LIKE THIS AND NEARLY MAKE ME CRY WITH YOUR KIND WORDS AT 2AM.

It honestly means so so much to me, because you're such an amazing and talented writer yourself and I am always in awe whenever I see one of your replies or answered asks on my dash.

I'll make a note to let Shanks bother you some more in your inbox. And throw in Tony now and then too, so Kid has someone who vibes to the same music and with whom he can go on an engineering binge.

And Kid deserves to be taken serious, given what he achieved. Shanks would be an utter fool to treat him as a nobody, cause that would be a mistake that comes back to bite him in the ass one day.

[patroclus-heel]

This is for Hector, you big fat prince bitch nasty ass ugly stinking trojan. Why the FUCK you slay Achilles mother fuckin man?! With your garbage ass big fat oompa loompa looking ass army. BITCH Akkie's coming up there to beat the fuck outta you bitch, and DONT EVEN pray to the gods today cause he gonna come up there unexpexted and wait on ya mother fuckin ass. BITCH He coming to beat the fuck outta you BITCH cause you did that shit on PURPOSE with your wimpy ass rag tagged ass army mother fucking watching bitch. Watch, now he's coming up there to fuck a bitch up, I'm telling you watch. He knows where the fuck you live, and he's gonna wait on you, and beat ya fucking ass BITCH And he gonna show you not to mess with goddamn Achilles mother fucking man, bitch. That's the first thing you did and you got him fucked up cause bitch WE ALL KNEW WHAT THE FUCK WAS GOING ON WITH THEM. You trojan mother fuckers hate to see couples doing good or being happy or doing anything for they mother fuckin selves. Ugly fat trojan bitch. Watch. Im telling you, he's coming up there to beat ya mother fuckin ass dark haired horse shit smelling ass bitch. WATCH. Hes coming, to fuck you up, cause you got him fucked up. Gonna sit up there and try to do that little war shit, bitch you ain't never gonna be better than Akkie and now you gone and signed your own death certificate and dug your own grave, making a man who was gonna spare you hold his dead lover. AND YOU WERE walking around there with some royal ass mothering fucking armor looking all like you own the place, smelling all like you work the stables. And you gonna TRY to not answer this message. HES COMING TO FUCK YOU UP. I'm telling you, you better remember half the gods are against you and when that man gets his sweet justice aint nobody gonna vouch for your bitch ass when your time comes. Wanna sit up and play us with out feeling, wanna sit and play us with our feeling when YALL REALLY GOT HELEN RUNNING ALL OVER THE DAMN PLACE. Try to do that bitch little do you know little do you know, little do you know HES COMING TO BEAT THE FUCK OUTTA YOU i promise you that, I promise you that he's coming to fuck you up you fat stinky trojan bitch dark haired sheep shit mouth, nasty mouth ass bitch. You stink. You smell like fucking cheese and you got that high and mighty ass attitude, he gonna beat that attitude up out you bitch. Watch you treat everybody like thats all these old gay greek people that you do like that you in the wrong position you trojan ass homophobic ass royal bitch. Thats why don't nobody fuck with you cause you high and mighty, and you a home wrecking bitch sit up there and did all this shit AND WE ALL KNEW WHAT THE FUCK WAS GOING ON gonna tell me it was you or him when we all knew why you was sparred why the FUCK would he lie about some shit like that when it came from the mother fucking gods. Watch, he finna come there snd beat your mother fucking ass. Im telling you HE WAS GONNA BE THE FIRST HAPPY ONE you fucking-

[awkward-and-shy-bitch]

I got in an accident last week and it left a bruise on my left eye (the bruise is there showing on the right bc that's what I see in the mirror) But it's getting better don't worry! ♡

[keisuke-akm]

I think there could've been another way to convey Shigure's unnatural attachment to Akito while making them the same age, maybe Natsuki Takaya could have had him accidentally find out she's a girl? and when he's brought over to first meet her he's struck by the same emotions from that dream just on first sight of her kinda like Yuki only positive. I really don't think he had to be older than her it wasn't the dream itself that was important, him falling for Akki could've been done differently.

Mmmm, I’m not really sure. As being older than her, Akito came to seek comfort from him, as she do with Kureno and Hatori. 

I mean, I understand what you mean anon, but it would have been totally different I think. What had felt Shigure during that dream was really important, so important that we can’t understand, as we can’t understand why nobody is rebeling against Akito’s abuse you see. 

And I guess him being older than Akito makes him aware of everything she is going through, more than the ‘akito is a girl’ stuff. Ren’s abuse, Akira’s words, the domestics raising her under Sohma's traditions. He know what kind of person Akito can be without the curse, and that’s what he is seeking during all the manga. If he was born at the same time as Akito, he wouldn’t know this Akito, only the side of her that she let show to the youngers cursed plus Ritsu. Ritsu, which I remind is born a few years before Akito, but not enough for him to know her gender nor remember about the dream. We see easily how differently she treat the people not only knowing her gender, but knowing how abused she is by Ren, or missing her father. You never saw her crying with Yuki and her telling him about Akira. No, only the older had that privilege.  

I don’t think Shigure could have fell in love with Akito without being aware of her and what’s she is living, because he is in love with her.

[magus-of-the-color-pizza]

(Not Quite a) Quick Post: To Kamigawa or not to Kamigawa?

Alright, I’m going to jot down a few of my thoughts here. There is an ongoing discussion, both from the fanbase and, I believe, at WotC, about what to do about the Kamigawa situation. By this, I mean the following: Kamigawa, the Japan-inspired block, was very unpopular. Yet, people sometimes clamor for its return. So the question we need to answer is: do we go back to Kamigawa, or instead try to make a new Japanese-inspired plane so we can be easily rid of the plane’s negative baggage?

Anecdotally speaking, Kamigawa is the plane that Mark Rosewater gets asked if we can/will return to the most. Just a couple days ago, a comment he made in one of his answers spurred a new flurry of asks on the subject, pondering various elements regarding such a return, like whether or not we should reuse the same mechanics, what exactly went wrong, and whether or not the player base would respond positively.

Let’s start with a wider approach. What went wrong? According to Mark Rosewater, the issue was manifold: “The names scored poorly because they were hard to parse and remember. The art scored poorly because too much of it was thought to be not what the audience expected. The world scored poorly because it didn’t resonate with the audience.” In the past, Maro has also said that the block suffered from the over-abundance of Legendaries (every single Rare creature was a legendary (or flipped into one), which is insane) and the fact that we had parasitic mechanics (a mechanic which requires you to have very specific cards at your disposal to be useful) in play (Soulshift, Splice, and Offering). Can we circumnavigate these things and would that be worth it?

Let’s start by addressing the loxodon in the room: the kami.

Kamigawa block has 336 creature cards. Of these, 169 (read: slightly more than half, though the math is not exact due to some flip cards that are counted as both) are Spirits, which in this context means that they are kami. A lot of people may think of Kamigawa as “the Japanese plane”, but the truth is that this block focused on spirits just as much as it focused on Japanese or Japanese-inspired elements. While some Kami are inspired by Japanese folklore (for example, Yuki-Onna and the Kirins), in most cases, people who are not waist-deep in Japanese folklore will have absolutely no idea what they’re looking at (and I believe most people who are folklore junkies will still have a difficult time.)

“A dreamcatcher that looks like a nightmare? Yeah, I preferred the human ones”- My Japanese friend, upon viewing some of the Kamigawan spirits (paraphrased)

I asked people for their opinions regarding the kami, both here on tumblr and in person in a few groupchats (plus, my friends’ opinions). I don’t have enough evidence to present convincing market research, but so far no one has argued for maintaining this high a number of Spirit cards, and a majority of people explicitly said they think the number would have to be reduced drastically, in a return.

Reducing the number of Kami cards (and the number of Legendaries, because dear lord), would help address all of Maro’s concerns. Less weird art, less difficult names (both proper, like Mannichi, Oyobi...Tomorrow???, and non, like Zubera, Akuba, Shinen etc), more space to focus on elements that can resonate with different audiences, and less parasitic mechanics (though to be fair, this last problem can be eliminated even without scaling back the kami, just by not re-using the problematic mechanics).

Alright, seems like the idea of lowering the amount of kami is positive so far, but is it realistic? What would we fill the void with? And, again, should we instead start from scratch?

Luckily for us, from a Lore perspective, we’re right where we want to be for such an operation. O-Kagachi, the supreme kami that controlled the barrier between the spirit world and the human world (and who removed in order to start the war to retrieve its child. That’s why there were so many kami in the physical world!), is dead, replaced by The Sisters of Flesh and Spirit (the union of Michiko and Kyodai, aka the offspring of Lord Konda and O-Kagachi respectively), who have restored the barrier. This means that less Spirits would be able to manifest in the physical world. So, what do we focus on instead?

Kamigawa has already given us plenty of humanoid tribes to work with: Akki (goblins), Ogres/Demons, Soratami (moonfolk), Orochi (snakefolk), Nezumi (ratfolk), and Kitsune (foxfolk), plus humans of course. We have a solid foundation of tribes and culture, not to mention that the events of the first block took place almost a millennia ago! Because of that time span, the Creative Design team should feel like they have the ability to introduce the necessary changes to partially reshape the plane’s culture/society as they see fit. 

Of course, we should also remember that there is plenty of good in the plane, that the players would like to see again. Ninjas were very well received, Samurai (not Bushido) are usually liked, Moonfolk are also well-liked, and we have the species of Nezumi and Orochi which add to the uniqueness of the plane. And we don’t have to abandon Kami all-together! They can still be felt throughout the set, perhaps as patrons/guides of different tribes/communities (for example, the Orochi would follow some nature-minded kami, the Moonfolk would probably opt for spirits more devoted to knowledge and air).

Also, Feudal Japan is a pretty popular source of inspiration for media and is generally well-liked by fans. Scrapping Kamigawa entirely would mean abandoning a feudal-Japanese plane, and since, at least in the mainstream, that is the generally-known Japanese historical era, it might mean fully abandoning our chance at another block set in a Japanese-inspired era. Sure we can always have other Asian-inspired planes, and we should (props to Tarkir for giving us a taste of that!), but for obvious reasons, that’s not the same thing. Remember, we can’t use guns in Mtg, so the Feudal era of Japan is pretty much all we have from that country, due to its historical isolation and slow-changing society (up until it opened up to the rest of the world).

And finally, before I wrap up this post, allow me to advance one final reason why I believe we will eventually go back to Kamigawa. Not only do we sometimes get new cards/characters from the plane in supplemental sets (ex: Kaseto, Yuriko), but we actually have a Planeswalker from this plane. Remember her?

Of course you do! Tamiyo may not be officially part of the “main cast”, but she has seen quite a decent amount of screen time and is a fundamental supporting character, due to her knowledge and her connections to other planeswalkers. 

She is the perfect opportunity to revisit Kamigawa, and I, for one, cannot wait to go back.

Thank you for reading, and remember: hope is the last to die.

“Our bodies are weak compared to those of the kami, our knowledge limited, and our magic poor. Yet we draw breath. That alone is reason to hope.” -Order of the Sacred Bell

[theatricks]

"The Dying King and the Four Knights" - Main Story #8, Part 5

Videos: First Half, Second Half

Continuing from the last installment, here’s a full translation of Part 5! :D

The Chancellor: I...lied. The Chancellor: The vows we shared that day on the Hill of the Celestial Goddess were not false. The Chancellor: But still...I lied to my King. To the King I consider an old friend... The Chancellor: How many years has it been now since we exchanged promises on that hill? All my days after that were of running forward together with him. The Chancellor: And now...while the boat rocks as we cross the ice floe, I can sense from his back the same passion, affection, and potential as I did that day. The Chancellor: It's precisely for that reason...that I lied. The Chancellor: But soon, that lie too will come to light. The Chancellor: Once we find the Sapphire... The proof of my faith in the King...

Frau Saphir -Wisdom- 8 years ago

Michiru: Huff...huff...huff...! Akira: Huff...huff...huff...! Michiru: Nnnng, I won't lose to you, Akki! Akira: Uuug! I'll get there before you, Micchi! Both: Goal! Akira: Huff...huff... There, it's my win! Michiru: Huff...huff... No, it's my win! Akira: Hmm... Then, it's a tie! Michiru: Okay, that works! Both: Hehehe!

Michiru: Akki, your grand pas de chat today was really pretty~ Akira: And your entrelacé wasn't shaky at all, Micchi. Michiru: Is it because of all the running we've been doing together? Akira: Or maybe our core training? Both: Hehehe! Akira: There's so much else I want to practice. Like grand fouetté. Michiru: After that, I want to do more and more singing practice~! Akira: Piano, too! Michiru: Yeah! Ha~h, there's never enough time~ Akira: Our rivals are all practicing like this, too. Michiru: That's true. We'll have to dance and sing a lot... Akira: To have a chance at getting into our Siegfeld Institute of Music. Michiru: Yeah... Michiru: Hey, Akki, do you remember the play? Akira: Of course! There's no way I'd forget Siegfeld's "Elysion"! Michiru: It was such an epic story, mystical and a little sad... Just thinking about it, u-uu...makes me tear up... Akira: Micchi, stop! It's gonna look like I made you cry. Michiru: Uu~u, it's just that wonderful of a play. Akira: All the older students worked to create it, after all. Michiru: The whole school coming together to create a single play... That's what makes Siegfeld great. Akira: Elysion... The one we saw was the Throne Chapter, so next year's is the Rebirth Chapter! Michiru: We definitely have to go see it together! Siegfeld's "King's Stage"! Akira: Yeah! And, then...we'll definitely stand on that stage! Michiru: Ah... Yeah... Akira: ...? Akira: What's wrong, Micchi? Michiru: Umm... Yeah... Michiru: It's just kinda scary, is all. Akira: Eh...? Michiru: I've always wanted to go to Siegfeld and stand on that stage, so I continued going to practice, but... Michiru: It's a prestigious school, so students from throughout Japan come to take the exam, right...? I've been wondering if someone like me can even get in... Akira: ...... Michiru: Ah, I'll work hard, okay? I'll do my best, of course. But, it's the "King's Stage", you know...? Michiru: It's just a bit scary... Akira: ......No. Akira: It's because you're here that I wanted to stand on Elysion's stage. Why I've been working hard. Akira: So, if I can't go with you, then it's no good. Michiru: No good? ...Well, I appreciate your feelings. Akira: I said it's no good and I mean it! Michiru: Ah... Akki, where are you going!? Michiru: Be careful, it's dangerous to stand on top of the jungle gym! Akira: I will enter Siegfeld Institute of Music and stand on the King's Stage of Elysion as Frau Platin! Akira: I don't just want to! I will! Akira: ...! Akira: "Though the flame of life lasts but an instant, the pure white Platinum's brilliance never peters out" Akira: "Though the people's stage lasts but an instant, the King's Stage is passed down eternally" Akira: Frau Platin, Yukishiro Akira! On the Godless Stage, the King shines! Michiru: Akki... What are you saying... Akira: It's a pledge. To enter Siegfeld and stand on the King's Stage. Akira: Micchi... What about you? Michiru: Akki... Michiru: ...Hehe. Michiru: You really are...a Butai Baka... A Siegfeld Baka, even. Akira: S-Siegfeld Baka!? That's a new one! Michiru: You haven't even entered the school yet... And you're already declaring yourself Frau Platin? Definitely a Siegfeld Baka. Michiru: ...... Michiru: But... Yeah. Thanks to that, I feel like I can see it, too. What I have to do. Akira: ...Micchi! Michiru: That's not allowed from now on. Akira: Eh...? Michiru: That was...really cool just now, 'Akira'. So--- Michiru: So, I'll...make you the lead of Elysion. I'll make you the King on the King's Stage. Michiru: We don't need to be together on stage. My goal is just one... Michiru: Yukishiro Akira---I'll make you Position Zero on the King's Stage. Akira: !? Akira: We don't need be together on stage? That's... Why would you do that!? Michiru: Everyone wants to become Siegfeld's King, right? To do so...you need resolve. Michiru: You need to aim for only that, seriously and without faltering. We don't need to be together...the way we were until now. Akira: But! Michiru: I'll...use everything I have to make you King. That's my stage, 'Akira'. Akira: ...! Michiru: ...! Michiru: "To shine is to not know shadow, to remain pure is to not know pain" Michiru: "So the blue flame does not shine, on the throne of Platinum, the King's Stage" Michiru: Frau Saphir, Otori Michiru. My destiny is to be together with the King! Akira: ...Are you serious about this, Micchi...? Michiru: From now on it's 'Michiru'. Michiru: Micchi and Akki are over. Now that you're aiming to be the King, call me Michiru, Akira. Akira: But... Is that okay? You won't be...Elysion's lead... Michiru: ...Yeah, I don't mind. Michiru: As long as you're able to be King--- Michiru: (That was a lie. I can't say...I didn't have regrets.) Michiru: (I can't say...I didn't also have the desire...to one day stand on stage at Position Zero as Frau Platin.) Michiru: (But, at that time... Akira who declared herself Frau Platin...) Michiru: (I saw in her a far, far greater brilliance than even Elysion's lead.) Michiru: (That's why...I lied. Because I believed it was sure to lead to the right stage.) Akira: ...Understood. Akira: Then...I vow to you, 'Michiru'. To become Siegfeld's King without fail! Michiru: Understood... I vow to you, 'Akira'. From the day you're crowned, to your death as King, I will always continue to support you!

The Dying King: Ooh... So this is where it was, the Chancellor's Sapphire! The Dying King: It's as if the vows we made to each other that day on the Hill of the Celestial Goddess are being revived... The Chancellor: ...So you remember the vow? The Dying King: Of course... It was the most precious and most noble of vows. The Dying King: You threw away your ambition despite having the resourcefulness to become king, and instead decided to live for the sake of the King, correct? The Dying King: I remembered when I looked at the Sapphire. How I've always been supported by your wisdom... The Chancellor: Your Majesty... The Dying King: But, with this all the gems have been gathered. The Dying King: The Ruby containing the General's passion, the Jade containing the Marquis' affection--- The Dying King: The Pearl containing the Young Knight's potential, the Sapphire containing the Chancellor's wisdom--- The Dying King: I give you my thanks, Chancellor. It's because of you I'll be able to return to the Capital. The Dying King: However... I'm no longer interested in power. I'm merely grateful to those who entrusted these gems to me. The Dying King: On the dawn we return to the Royal Capital, I will entrust this crown to the Young Knight. That is my last duty left as King. The Dying King: Chancellor, when this is all over...I'd like to ride on horseback to the Hill of the Celestial Goddess again. The Chancellor: ...My apologies, Your Majesty. I cannot grant you that. The Dying King: ---What? The Chancellor: Your Majesty... I...have lied to you. If you were to gather all the gems, you needed to have hope... The Dying King: What is this lie? My friend, what have you been scheming? The Chancellor: My apologies...Your majesty, on the day of the rebellion--- The Chancellor: The Young Knight's blade pierced your heart---and you died.

[saiinternational123-blog]

Eating well and sleeping well should be the mantra while travelling

Travel is a tiresome affair; travel can take a heavy toll on people’s health and temperament. The duration of the stay in the hotel could be quite decisive in the entire process. Often it is witnessed that tourists who visit the place for sightseeing tend to stay for a longer duration in the hotel, also the phenomenon is again the same with many business travellers. The guests would invariably have some compulsive reasons to stay put in the hotel for a long duration. Good sleep and good food go hand in hand for the traveller, be it a business or a leisure one, they both basically need both of these to sustain themselves a healthy body. When it comes to food, most of the restaurants within a hotel offer a hygienic, tasty and healthy food to their guests. Davanagere has some authentic restaurants which offer a variety of cuisine, most Restaurants in Davanagere serve local and multi-cuisine. In fact multi-cuisine is almost a regular cuisine served across many restaurants. The Best Restaurants in Davanagere serve Multi-cuisine, Chinese and Local cuisine to their guests. The hotel which has carved a distinct identity for itself in this space is the Sai International Hotels; they are the cut above the rest, undoubtedly.

 Taste of tasty, authentic, healthy and hygienic food comes naturally at the Sai International

The Lotus restaurant, the restaurant property of the Sai International Hotel has the best to offer to its guests, the combination of International, Multi-cuisine perfectly blended with the local cuisine, this is the combination which many hotels fail to achieve. The International cuisine is a challenging feat for any hotel to accomplish, the cuisine needs to be tailored, prepared, cooked and served to match the International standards. The International standards in the hospitality industry is the Holy Grail, it is a kind of a sanctum standard. The Sai International Hotel has been successfully serving International cuisine to its guests since its inception. Isn’t this a big feat to achieve? As the hotel has scaled newer heights in the food and beverages field, the Lotus restaurant also caters to the Multi-cuisine lovers, the cuisine invariably has the best of Chinese and North Indian served to the challenging food lovers of modern times. The combination of the local cuisine and flavour might look odd, but the blend has been evenly poised to suit the likes of the business and leisure travellers. The local cuisine has its own legend following, the Jolada Rotis, Akki Rotis and other local dishes get along well with some North Indian and Chinese dishes. All the odds have been evened out to give a relishing experience to the guest. The Sai International Hotel could surprisingly be the only hotel which has experimented with this combination with its restaurant and has successfully managed to reach an enviable position and stature.