#rebirth snippet

[charlottedabookworm]

turns out i'm doing this i guess

pjo/epic fic snippet below the cut

"Lady of the palace, sorry to ask this, but-"

"What did you just call me?"

Percy blinks. His brow furrows. "Lady of the palace?" He asks more than says and he was- he's trying to be more polite but he doesn't know where that had come from.

This place is a spa, not a palace, so why-?

C.C. looks at him, her head tilted in a way that looks so very familiar.

(Just like everything else here. Why is everything on this quest so familiar? Why is his heart racing and his palms sweaty and-)

"Who, me?" C.C. says very slowly.

Yes, you? he wants to say.

But she continues. "All I did was reveal their true forms."

What? Percy thinks. "You turned them into pigs," Percy says, his mouth moving before he can think.

What?

He blinks.

His stomach rolls, like he's hung over an edge, ready for freefall. Like he's standing on the deck of a ship, battered by a storm that rages with a fury he's never seen before.

The world is brighter. Like he's just remembered to take off sunglasses he isn't wearing.

"Kírkē?"

The goddess stares at him, paling, and there is pity in her eyes. It should make him angry; he's always hated being pitied.

It doesn't.

"Odysseus," she whispers.

[artful-peculiarities]

Fuck you. Ouroboros Cycle au posting be upon ye.

Been working on this a bit off and on today in my free time, been having fun. More in the tags

[prismaticpichu]

Pichu writes a Nibelheim fix-it take 5,963

~

It was a small price to pay for the truth.

Mako-green eyes narrowed darkly against the inky gloom of the library, a dangerous flare to his unearthly irises as he hooked his nails deep into the page beneath them. Curled his hand until it was a fist--until he heard the echoing rip of the paper tearing from the glue, his teeth gnashing, pupils rattling, his breath whetting into a series of sharp, heavy daggers that tore through his throat and lips.

The truth that they had lied.

A low sound--a snarl--and the paper was torn clean off. It didn't matter; why would it matter? Oh, humorous that he thought it would matter. The next page would tell of the same exact things. They were all the same, each and every one of these tomes. They all told of the same truths; they all pooled into the same realizations.

He had been nothing but a tool. A weapon. From the day he took his first breaths he had belonged to another--fettered to the will of ShinRa, made to do their bidding like a mindless lapdog. He had been nothing but an experiment--oh, yes... a little animal that they controlled as they pleased, altered as they saw fit. The foundation of his world--his birth, his creation... --all unwound by the hands of these records. A lie. All a lie. It was a lie. Lies lies lies lies lies.

The small flames of the candles danced, almost quivering.

So very funny... oh so humorous... how he believed that he was human. That with everything that made him so different, that he shared blood with those... those creatures. Insects. Yes... yes insects. Worthless bugs. Excavated, implanted, created... Traitors. That's all they ever were. Every one of them. Gast... how could you? Traitors. Vile, pathetic creatures. I trusted you... It was funny. Oh, oh it was so funny... He could laugh. He could keel over laughing. Why...? He was so humored. So very humored. Why me...?

He was so...

So...

The candles quivered.

So...

So...

Quivering.

So...

So..

Angry.

Sephiroth paused, momentarily, before digesting the word that seemed to creep into in his mind. That sank into his skull, seeped between the threads of his emotions like sludge.

Anger... The man's eyes narrowed further, breath honing. That's what he had been suppressing all this time. I just... wanted to be normal. All these years... Why fight it any longer? Why me...? Why hold back? What did they deserve--his mercy? What did they ever deserve...?

Unleash it.

The green eyes narrowed to daggers. Yes... he could. He could let it all out. Show them what they have done. What he is capable of. Make them pay...--

Suffer.

Make them suffer for what they did to him... to his Mother. Oh yes... his mother. Beautiful Jenova--the heart of all these documents--the name that had lingered with him since birth. I always thought... Where was she? Gast... why? The Reactor... oh yes. She was there. She was waiting. I just... She could give him everything--the life he deserved.

The candles danced.

The life he deserved... The life they deserved.

Lies lies lies lies

Everything.

She could give him everything...

Lies lies lies

She could give him...

The candles flickered.

His TRUTH--

Knock, knock, knock.

The world halted when strong knuckles rapped on the door.

Sephiroth blinked, stiffening, glancing up from the page-torn book to regard the closed door at the end of room. It was strange, really. how his mind seemed lighter, just for a breath... before reality seeped back into his senses. He narrowed his eyes again, lips pulled back into a snarl.

There was only one person who dared to come down here.

"I told you to leave me be."

There was silence--a long, heavy stretch. His warning had been heard. Had he been expecting a protest...? No--no of course not. He had wanted to be alone. He wanted to be alone.

Glaring, Sephiroth glanced back do--

Knock, knock, knock.

And this time, a voice followed.

"S… eph…?”

[ertrunkenerwassergeist]

Snippet: Salt Line Part II Chapter 4

It was only early afternoon by the time he left the Citadel. The white film of clouds covering the sky seemed to leech the saturation of all colour. At least in the upper level of Insomnia, where most buildings were made of pale stone, metal, concrete and glass. Cor squinted at the bright silver disc that was the sun and hoped this was not some kind of omen.

He left the governmental district, which was relatively empty of passers-by. The main street was much more crowded. Children and teenagers after school meeting up, adults with toddlers or pets on their way to the nearby park, people just relaxing and appreciating their after-work hours. A Galahkari woman, dressed in greens and golds and browns stood next to a bookshop and looked at him with piercing eyes.

Cor froze, all hairs on his neck stood on end. A small child ran into his left knee, but he didn't even budge or react when the crying started and the mother arrived. All his attention zeroed in on the Galahkari woman. She was tall, with long black hair wound in complicated braids and full of beads and bones. Her skirts were long and multi-layered, their colour complimenting her dark skin. There was a shawl that looked like it was made of silk feathers, artfully draped around her shoulders, accentuating her bare arms. Cor might not be able to see the colour of her eyes from such a distance, but he just knew they were gold.

Their eyes met and the air between them grew tense like a live-wire. Power brushed against his. A greeting. A warning. Suddenly the bones in her hair didn't just seem to be decorations. Cor felt something in his facial structure shift in response. An acknowledgement. A challenge. The Galahkari woman tilted her head.

Just who was she? What was she?

Even at this distance, from that brief, controlled brush of her power against his, could he tell that she was too human to be fae, but too old to be human. The taste of slowly rotting greenery bloomed on his tongue.

He took a step forward, his gaze never leaving her. She did not move a muscle, but from one moment to the next, she was gone. Gone, as if she had never been there at all. The people around Cor kept moving as if nothing had happened. As if the woman and her wordless warning had been nothing more than a figment of his imagination.

Cor growled, low and deep enough humans could not hear it. Still the people moved to give him more space, their instincts telling them to keep their distance. He crossed the street in a large loping gate until he reached the spot where the woman had been standing. The taste of rotting greenery grew nearly nauseating, joined by the feeling of bird claws tearing at his muscles from the inside and something scaly slithering across his skin and squeezing.

Knowing it was futile but still needing to move, Cor searched along the nearby alleyways, but could find neither hide nor hair of the woman. In the current weather her striking green skirts would have been like a beacon.

Frustrated, and asking himself what by Pitioss he was doing, he returned to the main street and continued on his way. However he could not shake the feeling that something important had happened. Something of which he could not predict the consequences. Should he ask one of the Galahkari who the woman had been? Would they even give him an answer?

No matter what, he would need to inform Regis and Pax of the new dangerous element within the city. Only Chaos knew what she would do other than delivering a nebulous warning Cor couldn't quite grasp the shape of.

[gaiasightseeingtour]

Sightseeing - Gold Saucer

The lightshow during the funicular ride had already been breathtaking, and Cait cannot deny that he is very excited to be here. He had been practically vibrating in his seat the whole ride through. The moment the doors open the cat jumps out, bouncing on his feet as he waits for his friend to exit after him at a more normal pace. "C'mon, c'mon!" He tries to get Red to match his energy. "The biggest amusement park in th' world! Ye have tae experience it at least once!" And this is supposed to be his workplace one day, gotta look around!

Cait scampers off, actually running on all fours, through the hallway connecting the funicular with the main entrance. "If I lose you in the crowd I'm leaving you behind," he hears Red call after him, amusement clear in his voice.

"Nah," the cat calls back with a grin, "I'd find ye before ye could even make it tae th' entrance! Ye're not gettin' rid of me tha' easy!"

They do soon encounter a slight problem before they even make it to the entrance. Overstimulation.

Cait has no issues with the bright lights and loud music, but Red's ears keep flicking, he starts to shiver and he does a full body shake. A paw comes up to rub at his eye. The two friends decide to backtrack through the hallway and into one of the rooms until it passes. The eventual journey to the park entrance is taken as slow as Red needs.

——————————————

They make it through the entrance without problem because people assume they are either animatronics—which, in Cait Sith's case, isn't even necessarily wrong—or very dedicated employees in suits, and employees don't need to pay for entry, that would just be ridiculous!

After studying the map—"Th' maps are moogles, Red! An' they talk!"—the two decide to first check out the Chocobo Square. (Cait notices Red's tail swish just a bit faster than usual and his grin impossibly widens even more. His friend is just as excited to be here as Cait is, there is no hiding from him!)

——————————————

"Why do they serve corn juice?!" Red exclaims as he scans the menu.

Cait has to hold both his hands in front of his mouth to keep from laughing.

——————————————

He doesn't even work here yet but Cait is already a huge hit with children and he thrives on their delight at his various dances or impromptu comedy routines. It might mean that it takes them longer to see everything, but children (and even some parents!) are laughing thanks to him and hugging him.

Cait can't wait for the day his moogle is done and he can start working here properly. This place is paradise.

——————————————

"And you really want to work here?" the beast man asks quietly. They are currently hiding in a staff only room so Red can recover from another bout of overstimulation. "I admit that it's a lot of fun—the things I can actually get to do anyways—but it's so bright and loud. How will you manage a whole work day without going mad from it all?"

Cait huffs a little laugh. "Entertainin' people is my purpose, I was lit'rally made for this!"

Red gives him a blank stare. "You're a surveillance bot."

"I told ye, I can be both!"

——————————————

Red's ears pick up as he reads a poster. "The Battle Square is holding a double battle tournament today. The winners get a gold pass for the park, from Dio himself apparently, whoever that is."

"Tha's th' owner o' th' park," Cait explains and then pretends to think about it. "...ye got 'nuff energy tae clobber some folks?"

Red's smile is all teeth. "We do have some materia that need leveling."

Cait grins like the cat that got the canary.

——————————————

They win easily, the poor people in the tournament had no chance. Red gets the gold pass and Cait takes the chance to speak with the owner for a bit. Why not make a good first impression and get to know his unknowing future employer?

[kyofsonder]

Find the Word

I was tagged by both @saltysupercomputer and @crossroadcrow to find select sets of words in my WIPs and tag more people with my own words to keep the game going.

My Words: liquid, weather, line, plant, pin, sorrow, breeze, fall, justice, hug

I’ll tag @on-noon, @thatwitchrevan (I tried to find your writblr, but it didn’t come up so I’ll tag your main), @mr-writes, @hannahactuallywrites, @the-inkwell-variable, @writingpotato07, and as always anyone who wants to join in can use the folowing words and say I tagged them!

Your Words: pressure, patient/patience, expectation, seldom, familiar

The excerpts are under the cut as usual, so nobody has to scroll endlessly -- especially since I went overboard on these excerpts.

I found liquid in my novel WIP “To Be Honest”, in a scene that mentions blood and (magic-related) self injury:

Without sparing a second more to think, he brings the knife down on his arm at whatever angle fate decides. If he's lucky, it won't catch any major arteries and he'll be able to bandage himself up later. If he's not... Micah ignores the thought and focuses on the feeling of blood in his own veins. The flow of it through his muscles. The pressure of it against his every atom, heavy with a substance that feels like contradiction itself melted into liquid form. Warmth, cold, weight, lightness, both the smoothness of a river and the sharpness of broken glass, painful and absolutely painless. Focusing on the sensation of magic always makes him nauseous, and he has to grit his teeth against the feeling. A little more. Imagine its extremes as a scale. Push the scale in the desired direction. The foundation of unstructured spellcasting, just like his mother had taught both him and David in childhood. Just like he and David had taught Asher, not long after.

I found weather in my dream journal, full of subconscious stories I plan to eventually rewrite into intentionally original works, specifically in a dream about a pyschic shapeshifter named Sophia and her variously psychic friends:

Only a few people on the baseball team really take notice of the newcomer, each for different reasons. He's a bald, fairly round person who looks like he should be doing judo or sumo professionally. He even has a scowling expression most of the time, whether he means to or not. He's a kind person, but he's not warm or cuddly by any means -- still, I'll call him Teddy. He prefers Ted. What Sophia, Mindy, and (somehow) Sam notice about Ted, however, is the fact that he has psychic powers. After a day or two, he even reaches out to Sophia telepathically. I don't remember what it is they talk about, but it feels disconnected from the sense of tension that's rising for the psychics in this school. The weather itself changes. Now, the afternoons they spend at this school are heavy with rain clouds or even wet with actual rain itself. The sun doesn't make an appearance anymore.

Life goes on like this for awhile. Sophia, Mindy, Sam, and Teddy talk about psychic things between club activities. Sophia and Sam act like an innocent high school couple. Things are fine. Ominous, but fine.

I found line in several of my WIPs, including my novel WIP “Apricots”:

He's known for years that Noah has a hard time explaining things, that words are difficult for him in more or less the opposite way that they're difficult for Kade, but right now he doesn't have the patience to wait for this scattered man to put his thoughts together. Ian will force them into something coherent if he has to, something he can actually understand. "You're dropping names I've never heard like I have any idea who they are, you're getting overexcited like you always do, and you just casually mentioned someone is actively trying to kill you? You can't just... assume I still get what you're talking about when you suddenly veer of like that! I'm not a mind reader! I'm not --" he stops himself, knowing what he'd been about to say but not wanting to say it even in his own head. It feels like a line he can't cross. Comparing himself to someone who isn't here to defend herself. Using Noah's own grief as a weapon against him. This isn't supposed to be an argument. Just a conversation.

I found plant in my short story WIP “Kiyo”:

I name the vines anyway, like the healthy living articles say you should to get the most out of raising a plant. To make that illusion of having a friend around feel more real. I call her Kiyo. It doesn't mean anything as far as I know. It's just a couple of syllables I can say out loud so it feels less like I'm talking to myself. A simple name for a simple plant. I only choose it because I like how it feels to say, so it's not like I'm putting any grand hopes into it either. No extra expectations. It's there to give her some personality. That's all. Though I have to admit, somehow it feels like she has personality even before I start using a name for her. She's alive, and there are times when I look at her and I can feel a sense of warmth that reminds me I'm the same.

I couldn’t find pin, so here’s a fun fact related to the earlier “To Be Honest” excerpt with a lot of blood mentions:

I’ve said it in tags before, but the way Micah uses magic in that excerpt is a last resort for bloodline/circle witches like him. While magic is stored in his blood, using it without some sort of focusing tool is extremely unpredictable and imprecise. It’s the equivalent of trying to perform surgery with a machete. It’s made to cut into things, but it’s not made for fine incisions or careful movements. It’s also extremely dangerous, since a witch that just tears the magic out of their own body is using more blood than they strictly need and risks bleeding out.

Every bloodline avoids this inefficiency and danger in a different way, and makes sure to teach each new generation their methods – even if they’re kept secret from everyone outside their circle of influence. Kilner witches both tend to process their blood into ink and write their spells out as words on paper – which they then burn so nobody can copy their work. Page and Barker witches tend to engrave their spells into wood or metal and then stain or etch the engravings with their blood. Both Jasper and Porter witches tend to make potions, mixing their blood with other ingredients that have significance to their respective bloodlines.Renner witches like Micah tend to turn their blood into paint and craft decks of spellcasting cards. Micah himself is trying to learn the Shepherd way of sewing and embroidering spells into cloth, using needles and yarn doused in witch blood to make enchanted clothes and accessories. There are as many ways to use bloodline magic as there are bloodline witch families/groups/factions that use said methods, but only a handful of them are shared with the general public or used to make enchanted items that even non-magical people can operate. The only thing commonly taught to everyone equally, no matter which circle they belong to, is the danger of doing what Micah does in that scene.

I found sorrow in a rough WIP of a song I’ve been trying to write for the world of Ryedenne where (most of) my novel WIP “A Place to Return” takes place – a folk song warning newly recruited mercenaries and would-be heroes not to fight victims of a certain rage-inducing curse:

Hear the Crows, bound in shackles, cry out

In their rage, Ryedenne's pain, Summer's sorrow.

Some try in cover of darkness to drive them out,

Yet such souls never live 'til the morrow.

If Saints are troubled by the troubles of Crows --

These cursed creatures they barely contain --

Then for mortals who'd call themselves heroes,

What hope of victory could ever remain?

The might of the Crow is the might of the sun

That burns with the rage of the Gods.

A fight with a curse is a fight seldom won

by these challengers facing slim odds.

Hear the Crows, bound in shackles, cry out

In their rage, Ryedenne's pain, Summer's sorrow.

There's Crows who from darkness try to crawl out,

Yet such souls never see light on the morrow.

I found breeze in my shelved novel WIP “Rebirth”, that I apparently last tried to revive in 2018:

I’ve never seen so many stars in my life. It’s dizzying, trying to keep track of where their light ends and the darkness of the night sky actually begins. The trees bend and sway slightly in the soft breeze. Have I seen any of these stars before? Is that even possible? I let myself slip away just a bit, searching for familiar constellations or any markers that might spark my memory somehow. Connect me back to the past.

“Seriously? You’re gonna lecture me over this, too? You’re not our goddamn leader, Mal!” Justin’s voice stabs through the night like a needle through fabric. I sigh. The air is so clear here. The air smells of moss and the campfire below.

“I never said I wanted to lead. I wanted you to listen to common sense. You can talk about right and wrong all you want, but the consequences won’t go away. We’ve still got a target on our heads, because none of you city kids could stop and fucking think before you acted!” the usual calm in Mal’s tone splinters into a hiss at the end, harsh and strained between her teeth. I close my eyes and breathe. The stars spin slowly behind my eyelids, blinking like they’re trying to tell me something. None of them look familiar at all.

I found fall in my Given oneshot fic “Present Tense”:

He taps the body of the guitar again, humming absently as he does. He's not even sure if he's matching the music in his ears. It seems removed from that. From anyone else's songs. From any of his own songs he's already sung. The sound melts into the warm afternoon sunlight, and he gently lets himself fall over onto the cool surface of the stairwell. It's a good spot for a nap. Maybe if he sleeps, he won't think so loud. So much. About things he can't understand or figure out on his own. The last thing he sees as he drifts off to sleep is the set of double doors between the stairwell and the gym. Uenoyama-kun will probably be coming through those doors soon. Sleepily, he wonders if this will count as seeing something from a new angle, or if it cancels out because he's napped here before.

I found justice in my Danny Phantom oneshot fic “Lingering Scars”:

Maybe he's not all that violent in his soul, as a person, if a kid this kind was cloned from him. She's the hero side of him, at least when it comes to personal values. Her priorities are crystal clear. Protect others, stay safe, and don't do harm. The things he likes to think he values, too. The things it takes to be a hero of justice. She doesn't see herself as someone capable of killing, and he's relieved to hear her put that into words. She doesn't see him as someone who could kill, either. It would be natural to assume that he's seen ghosts die this way firsthand, that he's possibly even been the person to make it happen himself. His little sister doesn't even consider that his knowledge or experience comes from destroying the cores of his enemies. Not even for a second. She believes in him, and it hurts in a way that digs ice into the sides of his neck.

I found hug in “Present Tense” again:

"The only way I could stop being hollow is if I stopped being myself. If I was left in silence. I told you. I'm a keeper of memories. I'm the place where temporary things are given a chance at permanence, but I can't keep things that aren't given to me. I can't hold on to things if they're never put into my hands in the first place. I can take as many things as you give me, Mafuyu. Don't think that I won't try. I can hold every moment you ever want to be able to revisit, or hide from, or see from a different angle. I want you to trust me," they pull Mafuyu into a hug this time, gripping him as if reuniting with a long lost friend, and he can't help but to idly wonder if the time in their hands is falling out now -- dripping down his back, maybe, blue and silver and red and white in turns.

This got a little long, even by my usual standards, but I found almost all of the words I was given this time. As much as I enjoy writing fun facts, it’s satisfying when I actually find the words like the game intends. I’m looking forward to the next time I’m tagged again!

[united-under-skyfall]

catching up on the mag tea and i am literally so not okay over this btw i want you to know

[wrencatte]

So that @dragonpyre comic, huh? Hahahaha. This is just a little wip snippet for now. I have more before this but it's on my computer at home.

"Jason. You didn't have an autopsy."

"...what."

Bruce looks sick. Jason feels like he should also be sick, but he just feels not-here. His body out of alignment with the rest of him. His ears are buzzing.

"I knew how you died. Why would I have an autopsy done?"

And there goes the ground. Disappearing from under him. Bruce catches him under the arms, Jason’s face smushed against his chest. He controls the fall the best he can, but Jason's knees still crack the ground. It should hurt. It doesn't. Jason blinks and breathes and, and, what. Does what? He can hear Bruce saying his name, growing frantic as each one goes unacknowledged, and he wants to answer. He wants to get off the floor and take a hot shower and tease Bruce for his mother hen tendencies he pretends he doesn't have - but the words don't come. His lips, his whole face is numb.

Someone cut into him. Someone cracked open his ribcage and rummaged around inside.

He was - he was alive the whole time. There's no other timeframe. No space betwren death and rebirth for someone to do an sctual autopsy.

This would've been a vivisection

And he had no idea. Not a single fucking idea this whole time.

[styllwaters]

KNIGHT DEITIES

It's been a hot minute since I posted Vivere 44 art. Been intensely busy with school for the past few months but now that I've graduated I've got a lot of time to kill! Since the Knights post surpassed 1k notes I figured I may as well elaborate on them more. I'm so blown away by how much love they're getting already! Thank you all <3

I'm gonna talk a bit about Mountain and Plains Knight religions, mythology and a snippet of evolutionary history. I will cover Polar Knight religions in another post. The focus is on two gods in particular, Uwet-Jana and Kiraiarik.

_______

Uwet-Jana is the demigod of good health, vitality, and inner balance. In some regions they are also the god of fertility. The name of their Host is Uwetsil, and their Helmet is Serrjana. Mainly worshiped by Mountain cultures, Uwet-Jana takes the form of a Knight whose Host and Helmet are physically merged into a singular being.

Kiraiarik [pronounced ki-rai-ah-rik] is the personification of the host-helmet symbiotic relationship. They are the god of symbiosis, rebirth, and love. Kiraiarik was the name given to two immortal partners, a Host and a Helmet, who began as a singular being born to the sea in Ettera’s prehistoric era. Ettera decided to make them Two, one half (the Helmet) ruling over the sea and the other (the Host) having domain over the land. The story goes that in every form they take, they try to find each other - for their body remembers being One.

Both gods have lots of lore to their name. Further information below!

UWET-JANA

Uwet-Jana's Host body has long spines and red stripes like a Pike, and long fingerlike paws like a Helmet's manipulators. The Helmet section sports two long horns and elegant facial markings. Uwet-Jana has an iridescent sheen on their golden fur, catching the rays of the sun in a shimmering glow.

The story of Uwet-Jana is as follows: Both Uwetsil and Serrjana were born as runts, in a dark time when sickly Knights were seen as curses and not worth caring for. Their Order, believing them to be bad omens, cast them out to wander the tundra alone. They believed that the natural forces of Ettera (the Knight’s homeplanet) would quickly end them. However, Ettera took pity on the castaway, sending them three blessings. The first gift was a bone with marrow inside that ensured one is never hungry or thirsty again. Then, Ettera sent a warm, sweet wind into Uwet-Jana’s lungs which warded off all sickness and disease. Finally, a sun shower fell, the rains cleansing them and blessing them with a coat made of ivory and gold.

Transformed into a demigod with a hybrid body, Uwet-Jana was offered a place among the deities in the sky - but they refused, preferring to stay on the ground to share their gift with the mortals. Unbeknownst to them, their Order who had exiled them was struck by three curses from the Gods to mirror Uwet-Jana’s blessings: all the rivers in the area dried up and all their hunts were unsuccessful, leaving them with no food or water. Infections and diseases picked them off one by one, and a great storm ravaged the land, destroying their home and all remaining survivors. Uwet-Jana now blesses Knight Orders who take care of their sick and ailing members, and ignores those who don’t, leaving them to the wrath of the Gods.

Although they are nomadic and always on the move, many Mountain Orders will refuse to leave any sick members behind. They may also keep ivory statues of Uwet-Jana in their bags as a token of good fortune. Sometimes these statues are filled with bone marrow, or have holes which make a whistling sound as wind passes through it as a reference to Ettera’s gifts. Occasionally Pike Helmets are born with an extra long ‘horn’ spike, and are considered a child/reincarnation of Uwet-Jana. Additionally, whenever it rains while the sun is still shining, it is seen as a blessing from the demigod.

_______

KIRAIARIK

Kiraiarik's Host is depicted as a small creature with a striped pelt to mirror its ancestral form, and the Helmet as an aquatic beast with long, trailing red fins. It is frequently shown twisting around the Host, sharing its blood. Kiraiarik is also often simplified as two disembodied eyes looking at each other. (And yes, the artstyle is a nod to medieval depictions of heraldic beasts!)

To understand Kiraiarik, one must be aware of how much Plains religions are intrinsically tied to concepts of evolution and paleontology.

Digression on the origins of Etteran symbiosis: 

Large stretches of Plains Knight deserts and scrublands were once submerged beneath the sea. As a result, there are countless fossil hotspots which have been unearthed over the centuries. These high concentrations of fossilised remains have lead to Plains cultures basing their religions around said discoveries. Although many features have been warped, the general timelines are strikingly similar.

For instance, a mass extinction event occurred on Ettera millions of years ago, caused by a series of catastrophic volcanic eruptions on a worldwide scale. This event is known in Plains culture as The Remaking, traditionally interpreted as the planet shedding its skin. Many species were decimated, but some groups survived; these happened to be phyla who possessed an exposed ‘Interfacer’ organ, a precursor to the specialised Integrator organ which connects the Host’s brain to the Helmet’s. Before The Remaking, there was no prior record of the deep symbiotic connection which Knights possess (scientifically deemed ‘Hyperadvanced Mutualism’). The Interfacer organ was used in the phyla for species to communicate simple stretches of data to each other, such as health and reproductive status. After the extinction, populations of these species were dwindling. To ensure their survival, an odd phenomenon occurred in which many individuals began to interface with different species who possessed the same organ - strangely enough, some were able to successfully exchange information. These individuals survived and passed on the practice to their offspring, eventually culminating in what would be discovered as a very primitive form of mutualism. Host and Helmet ancestors (pictured above) were some of the first species to achieve this.

As the planet recovered and populations increased, the relationship continued to solidify and become more complex, with symbiotic species sharing memories, emotions and complex thought. In modern times there is now an entire class of organisms on Ettera which possess an Integrator organ for Advanced Mutualism, including Knights.

Kiraiarik is said to be a manifestation of this relationship. After The Remaking, their two halves finally managed to find each other again, eternally locked in a joyous dance of love. (Side note: the love in question is not platonic nor romantic, but a deeper kind which is indescribable and not easily understood. Due to their intricate nervous systems, Knights have a higher degree of emotional intelligence and can experience sensations we would consider alien). When a Plains Knight is experiencing inner turmoil, they will often pray to Kiraiarik to restore a healthy connection. The god’s blessing is also called upon when an infant Host and Helmet first Assimilate.

Note: Many Plains ‘saints’ and deities have palindromic names which can be read both forwards and backwards, an indicator of holiness. Fun fact, the word Kiraiariku means “Your heart and mine are very old friends.”

Thank you for reading! More Knight content coming soon ;)

[icyg4l]

PAC: What Upgrades are Coming Into Your Life?

Hello beautiful people, so sorry for the delay on readings. I've been really distracted lol. But tonight marked the end of the $5 4/20 weekend sale. I am grateful for those who have purchased a reading. Now, if you would like to purchase a reading, please read my guidelines and let me know! (They will be regularly priced until another sale comes along). Now, this weekend’s PAC will be all about the upgrades that are coming in your life! Whether that’s in your career, home, family, finances, love, etc. We’ll find together! So without further ado, please pick your Megan baby. 🤭

Top Left-to-Bottom Right (1-4):

PIle One, I feel like things have been getting hectic in your life. I think that this is a group of people who can get easily distracted by the small things. A lot of you are going through a breakup/separation from someone that betrayed you or love bombed you. I can feel my throat tightening as I’m typing this. I’m sorry, Pile One but this is a blessing in disguise. I think that this will be a death/rebirth period for you. I am seeing snippets of the Hiss video, specifically when Megan is dressed in all silver. I think you will come out stronger than ever. When I say stronger, I mean you will be less tolerant with other people’s bullshit and having better boundaries. I feel like someone tried to dominate you and as a result, it ruined your self-esteem. I see you taking some time to yourself and realizing who the fuck you are. You need to know that things will get better. Anything that happens over the course of the next seven days is meant to happen, Pile One. 

Cards Used: The Empress (RX), Prince of Cups, 7 of Swords, Strength, The Hermit, 3 of Swords (RX), The Magician, Temperance (RX), The Lovers (RX). 

extras: “bovine”. playing the dozens. hbcu bound. 1H lilith. a full shopping cart. laughter.

Pile Two: If you suffer from insomnia, you will absolutely start to get better sleep. Pile Two, you’re such a smart worker. I know you don’t like to work hard, and you will be getting a reward for that. I see a promotion coming your way. If you have a boss that has an explosive temper, I see that this will happen within the next three weeks. Your life also seems chaotic like Pile Two. You also seem like the obsessive type. I feel like this is a pile full of nightowls as well. Part of your upgrade process will mean embracing your shadow side. I think that you have some trouble with other women (if you’re a woman), or having trouble embracing your soft side. It is okay to be vulnerable. I also see if you’re on the search for a new car, then a woman will co-sign a loan for you. It seems like you will be changing from the inside out. The longer it takes for you to address the issues that you have going on internally, the longer the results will come. I am seeing that when you finally decide to open up and be vulnerable, the physical changes will manifest. For example, if you want longer hair, your hair will grow two inches. If you want to change your life, change your mind Pile Two. And I’d recommend you look up the term ‘limerence’. Start making changes to become more grounded and less clouded by delusions, fantasies and looping thoughts about stuff that does not exist in your reality. It’s time to let them go, Pile Two.

Cards Used: 4 of Cups, Queen of Cups, The Chariot, Ace of Discs, 3 of Discs, The Devil, King of Cups (RX), The Tower, 9 of Swords

extras: listening to nightcore. “egoic”. meat market. fresh beat band. beauty shop (2005). picker-upper.

Pile Three: Your hard work is finally going to pay off. You’ve been obsessing over your work and dedicating so much of your time to it. It is finally going to receive some recognition because you decided to not give up on your dreams. As a result, I see that your dream lifestyle will be well-funded. If you’re an artist or a clothing designer, this will especially resonate with you. The amount of time that you spent on your passion will be appreciated by many eyes, Pile Three. If you’ve been having a hard time accepting someone for who they are, or if you have been struggling with your emotions in general, I see that you will get a handle on it. And also, if you’re looking for a vendor, you will find one! You are being called to continue to focus on your craft. I am channeling this interview of GloRilla where she says that she abstained from relations with men, partying and alcohol for sixty days before she blew up. Then FNF was released, and that marked the start of her mainstream journey. So, keep going baby!!

Cards Used: Wheel of Fortune, Strength (RX), 5 of Cups, Queen of Cups, 7 of Cups, Princess of Discs, The Devil, 3 of Discs, Temperance, The Star

extras: christina aguilera. spiders. a series of unfortunate events. award shows.

Pile Four: The only way that you can learn from your mistakes is if you actually implement the lesson into your life, Pile Four. I can tell that you’re stubborn. Once you really understand that nothing can change if YOU don’t move things around, you will know how powerful you are. Some of you may have a really thick (and attractive) accent. I think that you can use this to your advantage to make things shake for you. Pile Four, do you really know yourself? Like outside of the things that you do and have, who are you? It is time for you to do some soul searching, my love. It feels like I am talking to a shell of you. I think that the upgrades that are coming in will involve other people. You will find someone who helps you embrace your rawest, natural self. I also think that you will be interested in fitness and will find a workout partner. Investing in yourself physically will impact you emotionally. You do not need to go back to your old self because they’re gone. Take pride in this new you. I feel that your spirituality will strengthen as well. Your boundaries will grow stronger, and as this happens, you will lose more friends unfortunately. But I don’t think you’ll be affected by it. Overall, I feel like this pile will gain a lot of clarity and mental strength to start breaking generational curses and shedding old skin. You got this, Pile Four!

Cards Used: 8 of Cups, The Star, Death, 9 of Swords, 7 of Wands, The Fool, Temperance, Page of Wands, The Lovers

extras: “you smell good.” “be you.” jump by tyla. maison margiela. kick-ass. wwe.

[phantomyre]

FF7 Rebirth Ultimania - Mini Vincent Bio

https://x.com/aitaikimochi/status/1778701268686651539

A small snippet of Vincent's biography has been translated from the very recent Rebirth Ultimania. While much of it isn't new per se, there is a small bit that I wanted to focus on as it is a small change from OG. 'Sleeps a lot because he wants to suppress the monsters within him' For anyone familiar with Vincent's who initial characterization in OG, it should make your brow raise. The whole reason why he chose to sleep in his coffin was to atone for his sins which is what Vincent has been memed for for many years. However, in Rebirth, we don't get any such hint of that within the main story. The only bit of regret we learn about is with his past with Sephiroth and not being able to kill him. However, at least according to the Ultimania, Vincent's past sins are not the reason for his slumber... but rather to suppress his monsters. This is new. While it was always eluded to, this isn't Vincent's original reasoning. It seems like Square is leaning very heavily into Vincent's monsters, aka the single glowing eye, how Barret calls him a freak (he says 'monster' in Japanese) upon immediate transformation, Galian Beast as a boss, Vincent becoming uncomfortable when Barret scoffs at the idea of monsters having feelings, etc. My guess is that SE is going to characterize Vincent having a lot of fear of himself and his lack of control over his demons (which again was hinted at in various compilations but casual fans would never have known this). And seeing as there seems to be a mysterious connection between Sephiroth and the whole theme of monsters, it could be that Vincent is also afraid of becoming what Sephiroth has already become-- a merciless killer. This would make sense as to why Vincent is so resistant to joining Cloud and Co, not only due to whatever happened between him and Sephiroth, but also fearing himself and how he believes he is a monster. I could see this also playing into Vincent keeping himself distant from the party in part 3; not only because he doesn't want to get close to anyone (so as to not get emotionally hurt), but he may be terrified of losing control of his monsters and harming those he cares about.

[livingproofoftbd]

player of games

rated g | 2.4k words | no relationships

tags: minecraft manhunt setting, rebirth, creation myth, non-linear narrative, minecraft end poem

This body has won. This body made it further than any in the past, succeeding at last at the task received. Does the player escape this world? Does the player win anything of value? Perhaps. If It deems it so. This body will be disposed of, a new one forged of stars and light, the elements—fire, earth, water, and air—and the moon and darkness. Like the others, it will be placed in a new world; like the others, it will be slashed, destroyed, torn, torn, bruised, battered, and burned. It will kill and be killed, or maybe, like this old body, it will win. 

or, the tale of manhunt and its torture, recreation, and meaning told through a snippet of the minecraft end poem.

-

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DREAM!!!

this fic was written for the PROJECT: END POEM collab hosted by @timetravelkoolaid and @theftshrubbery !! it was so much fun, tysm echo and ellie for hosting :)))

and thank you @merafterdark for betaing my fic and helping me with it since the start YOURE SO AWESOME I LOVE YOU and @dwtdog for betaing as well <333

check out the other fics in the collection as they're posted throughout the rest of the day :) and happy dream day

[snapscube]

have you seen the development quotes from the ff7 rebirth ultimania yet? specifically, it's so disorienting how "Work on FF7 Rebirth was so efficient because we had the same people from Remake working on it" feels like such a no-brainer but seems to be so rare in the industry currently @.@

yeah i’ve been seeing a lot of snippets!!! i absolutely lovvveee the flood of info that came in, just in time for me to have finally finished the game too haha. and knowing that they’re still managing to keep on the same staff for game 3 makes me so so so hopeful it won’t be an insane wait. especially because apparently the only reason Rebirth took 4 years instead of 3 is because they spent a year on the yuffie DLC, which won’t be the case this time. obviously i want them to take as long as they need to stick the landing, part 3 is gonna be extremely important for them to get right, but i truly believe that the time is gonna fly by and that makes me feel sooo nice.

[deesseshesca]

Your next self-pleasure experience ?

Oh …oh …oh is happening again… am I too lonely ? 

Good afternoon, pretty souls, today we are checking on your sweet spot. What does it need ? How is it going to happen ? Where is the pleasure coming from ? 

Choose the image that’s speak to you and allow yourself to soak ONLY what’s reasoning with YOUR SITUATION 

Rules and Disclaimer 

I am the type of tarot reader to say as it is. Nothing is sugar coated but everything is sent with good intention. If you are not ready to face some truth, you should vagabond somewhere else. 

MINOR DON'T INTERACT WITH THIS POST 

MINOR DON’T READ THIS POST 

CHOOSE AN IMAGE 

PILE 1 

BACKGROUND : You guys are in your ain’t shit era … and I love it. As an ex member of the community girl get your lick back on life.You are dealing with someone with no string attached. But not in the way we know it. More like you found another person that ain’t shit and you decide to form an alliance. Like both of you are entering this toxic energy just for the fuck of it. You lie to each other just to have some bomb makeup sex. Not even dealing with the issue, not even caring for the issue to be there. You know you got that good gwack and you are playing mind games with him regarding it. I’m also seeing that you are now the ‘’abuser’’ or the teacher. I feel like you had one to many relationships and the switch went off. The way people used to play with you, you're doing it  the same back. Back to your head game, it is so good that he is texting you praising you about it. Some go even as far as scheduling a next meeting just for some head. Like they will take a plane to have some of that good gwack. I feel like this beautiful mess of a relationship  is less than 2 months old. You don’t feel bad about how you are acting and you know you are playing with his head.  YOU DON’T CARE ! 

EXPERIENCE: The next time you are going to masturbate, you will film yourself. More specifically, you in lingerie filming aesthetic snippets of you. Smoking and drinking. Then sending an audio of your moan, you wet cooch or just both to this person.

Toxic Khelani 

You have your body done and it looks the fuck good. Like nobody can tell that you have your boobs or butt done. I am also hearing about mommy makeovers. You love filming yourself naked. I am getting you have bunch of nudes organize depending on the mood you set for yourself. 

PILE 2 

BACKGROUND : Pile 2, you guys are the more mature women in this pile. You have your master degree, you have 2 cars, you own a house, you have a kid and a ex-husband. You look the fuck good for yourself. I am also getting sophisticated women that are very classy and almost posh. I feel like you never thought you would be reading for this reading rn. Just like your next self-pleasure experience is going to be unexpected. Right now you develop a deep and intense connection with the mom of the friend of your kid. She is your complete opposite. You waited to be set to have kids. She had them unexpectedly with her babydaddy. She is heavily tatted. A bit more outspoken and she might curse like an old sailor but gosh she is a good mom. She is at least 10 years younger than you. You develop an admiration for her, she everything would never dare be. You might feel a bit annoyed by her. Thinking that she only wanted men's attraction because let’s be honest she is smoking hot. I am also getting that she might be a sex worker. If you watch P-Valley,the wife and Mercedes. You guys are giving me this dynamic. In conclusion, you are very intrigued by her. 

EXPERIENCE: You will be wine drunk at the bar. For you it is going to feel like a rebirth. I think you said goodbye to this hot girl summer era a long time ago. So having some heavy makeup, pre-gaming and wearing a skimpy outfit is going to feel like a breath of fresh air. You guys will be dancing and singing your heart out. Pouf the kiss. For her is not going to mean much. Because sometimes, girls get drunk and kiss each other. But for you it will be a never before experience. You will go home that same exact night and get off at the thought of her dominating you. I think during the drive back you might get delusional on having a future with her because you never felt like this before. You won't let it get bigger than just a fantasy. 

KHELANI-Adetunji

PILE 3

BACKGROUND: You guys are confused. You were in a relationship where your partner cheated on you and you cheated back with a good guy. What I mean by that, is that you were sure you were going to cheat on him. And the person you end up doing it with knows about the whole situation. I’m getting he checked on you before you went down and nasty just to make sure you were completely fine with the plan. He was there for you emotionally when you dealt with the cheating. You guys end up making love. Now that everything is over, you kind of maintain a relationship, from your perspective, you are scared. You are a woman of strong standard and principle.You usually know what is right and wrong but now you are utterly confused . You want him, he wants you, yes you cheated with him but it was to get your lick back. And he treats you like a princess naturally. But what if it goes wrong … I mean very WRONG ! Are some dumb bitch to believe that’s actually correct ? Are you stupid, you are really going to trust what a man says, after everything you went through with the last one ? I fear this is your inner monologue. But what is crazy is that he is not speaking, he is acting like the man you deserve. That’s a difference babe. You guys' relationship is very balanced, you got your lick back and he got the chance to experience you in the most intimate and divine way. 

EXPERIENCE: The next time you masturbate, will be a front of some porn. I’m getting any porn, good or bad. Your style or not. It doesn't matter because you're going to get off thinking of him. Lately everytime you try to get intimate with yourself or anyone, you always end up having a flashback of what you guys shared. Until you guys don’t get over this fear regarding this decision that needs to happen in y’all couple nothing will be changing. 

You guys are from NYC. 

He is usually a very chill guy but with you, girl … completely obsessive. He is just waiting for your green light to sweep you off your feet with his lust.

[danothan]

i did a readalong/live-reaction on instagram to a snippet of (sigh. say it w me now:) flash rebirth vol. 4 bc i’m too fixated on this comic and every reread feels as fresh as the first. anyway here’s a compilation of my best and most eloquent commentary

[volume warning]

[noomyguts]

gotta gather all the book snippets from the vampire armand where he's talking about birds, eggs, wings, and that scene where he reimagines his vampire rebirth as him hatching as a giant black bird out of his mothers easter egg