#seel your soul

[lotusyiyen]

[araneitela]

While I have these noted in my OneNote, putting them on here may... make it that I write these down more thoroughly faster. But, meta-topics that I'm planning on elaborating on:

— Kafka's semblance of 'boredom' and its manifestation. This is seen across the board through either suggesting or engaging in both more trivial and more significant 'games'. But a great example is the "trial" during the on-going Jepella Rebellion. Throughout the entire sequence, we see the judges with flaring red eyes that glow brighter at numerous intervals, and when she's "let to plead her case" a bit more thoroughly towards the end of it, we're shown a red string breaking (timestamp: 2:08); you see the judges' eyes return to normal and they are in a state of severe mental disorientation and panic. The string breaking marked the intended end of Kafka's Spirit Whisper on them. The entire trial was nothing more than a mockery of the court: her game. As Sam notes at the end (timestamp: 2:32), "You should really stop playing with your food; Kafka." He meant it. Kafka plays games when many likely wouldn't due to a sense of risk. Aside from being immune to this due to the lack of fear that she claims the populace of Pteruges-V (or at least, New Babylon) to have, this playfulness is likely an added manifestation of this. We know that she doesn't fall victim to the same follies as others from this same planet, "I used to be a Devil Hunter (...) When people don’t feel fear, they are dominated by desire and pleasure – they become “devils”, so this may be a different form of 'pleasure' in the simple form of entertainment. The Jepella 'trial' is simply the most evident example.

— The two different manners of speech. We're overtly familiar with the incredibly seductive delivery of most of her dialogue, but there are instances where Kafka's delivery is quite different and it is incredibly intentional. The very first instance of this, is when she first speaks to the Trailblazer. It is not as consistent, and there is still usually a lingering element of playfulness to the end of most words' pronunciations (there are specific lines that are a lot more evident, such as "When you have a chance to make a choice, make one that you know you won't regret" at the end of the sequence). This could be blamed on the fact that this was an early recording and they were undecided; however, the decision of having two different 'vocal deliveries' has been set in stone with Kafka's story/companion quest. Thankfully, I found this to help make it very obvious.

— Not feeling fear does not equate lack of emotions and/or the concept of humanity. For me, 'fear' is merely one of many emotions that humanity possesses, it is tied in with many (all) others but it is not representative, on its own, of all emotions in their entirety. The reason I make note of this is Kafka's inherent tie to musicality, one of numerous great 'arts' that requires great emotion to properly understand and appreciate. Now, part of me wondered if she perhaps lacked this as well, and whether, because of that, this was one of her 'goals' within the Stellaron Hunters as well. But when looking at the individually noted goals for each of them, "they who chase after fear" (Kafka) is separate from "they who inquire meaning" (strongly hinted at being Sam), which renders the question null and void. Aside from that, she actively seems to harbor an element of care towards the Trailblazer, but most undeniably, she actively harbors a semblance of care and concern for Blade's state of being in her story quest. This also means, to me, that Kafka harbors the ability of affection.

— Her character banner was called 'Nessun Dorma', named after arguably the most famous tenor arias in all of opera (yes, you've likely heard it even if you're not into opera). As much as she is very much tied to classical music throughout the game, and showing an active investment in it, this is entirely different as it is a vocal performance, rather than instrumental as all other musical passages used for her have been. Nessun Dorma is an aria in the final act of a musical called Turandot. This is a fantasy tale that unfolds in China, where a beautiful but very cold princess (Turandot) poses three riddles to any suitor who dares court her, and commands the death of all who fail. When an unknown prince (he who sings 'Nessun Dorma) ultimately triumphs, the opera ends in a love story with a happy ending. Hoyoverse doesn't do things without reason, and so this intrigues me relentlessly. But moreover, the riddles and their answers really get the cogs in my head to spin wildly; as this reeks of Kafka in more ways than one:

"What is born each night and dies at dawn?" Hope.

"What flickers red and warm like a flame, yet is not fire?" Blood.

"What is like ice yet burns?" Turandot (the princess in question).

[iniziare]

I will catch up on the dash and notifications soon, forgive me, for I hopped straight into my drafts after a call and dinner— but I wanted to say: god, do I ever love to listen to my big three's respectful playlists. Guizhong has Elliott Tordo's erhu covers and Sleeping at Last, Kafka has her classical music and Abel Korzeniowski, and Yelan has the best film noir jazz that's either too intriguing or much too illegally smooth. The vibes are immaculate no matter what playlist. /chef's kiss.

[yandere-wishes]

𝕆𝕦𝕣 ℙ𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕪 𝕃𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝔾𝕚𝕣𝕝

Summary: You try to escape from two fearsome Sith Lords. Surprisingly they take it rather well.

Author's note: This is totally getting a part 2. Or maybe a series we'll see. 

Warnings: dark, absolutely no regard for the rule of two, sorta a vent fic (venting that these two are so fine and I can't get them out of my mind), slightly fluffy.

The empire's warships have a tendency to blur reality. The interiors of their large hulking exoskeletons house endless corridors and makeshift chambers. Vast, endless arrays of space. They've been optimized for housing droids, clones, and artillery. Not for escape, not for an endless search of a freedom that has long since eroded. 

Calling yourself anything but desperate would be a lie. Your feet run to the chorus of your broken heartbeat. The need for freedom, the need to escape spreads through your body like a poison. You know it'll end up killing you, either from exhaustion or by their sabars. But you have to try, you have to run. Even if you've left fragments of yourself in the warm bed the three of you sleep on. Even if you forgot your heart under Anakin's pillow and your soul still lingers in Maul's warm embrace. Maybe freedom is worth cutting off pieces of yourself, if only in the hope that someday they might grow back. 

There's something wrong with the corridors you're sure of it. You've never been one for directions, instead relying on the holo screens and navigation systems to lead the way. Mirror images as far as the eye can see. Identical, plain. Nothing substantial to store in your memory. There's something ironic about this situation, a punchline that doesn't quite land. You half haphazardly tug on the skirt of your nightgown, desperate for anything familiar. You're not sure why.

You remember how Anakin called you pretty this morning, still hazy, still clinging to the sensation of slumber. Perfect blue eyes too dazed to look at you. Really look at you. The chosen one gazes at your ghost, your ethos. the perfect doll he and Maul had morphed you into. Behind you

 Maul pulls you to his chest. Hand running up and down her side, trying to resurrect you into his dreams. It's only when Anakin's eyes close, seeling the shimmering blue orbs, that you crawl out of bed and into the unknown. 

You're lost, abandoned in absolute desolation. The marble tiles bleed frost into the soles of your feet. Somewhere in the distance, you feel a disturbance in the force. Too far away to matter, yet leaking with a potent rage that burns. It's hope you think, albeit pathetically, maybe it's better to capitulate this pointless crusade and wait for the Sith lords to find you. The crash comes just as you're about to stop. You bump into him, falling in the process. All armor and steel. The Stormtrooper's mask is off giving you a clear view of his scarred face. His eyes flash, some dreary emotion too obscure to read, he offers you a gloved hand, something human something casual. 

You stare frozen. 

When exactly did you stop comprehending human idiosyncrasies? 

When exactly did you start reading every interaction as a threat? 

He's a monster, you think, just like the ones you've been warned about. Lectured time and time again by both Anakine and Maul. Monsters pry on little girls, especially ones who wander off on their own. Monsters lurk behind unsuspecting walls, ready to pounce when their prey approaches. You wonder if, the definitive definition of "monster" could be passed on to the two Siths who call themselves your lovers. 

There's blood, too crimson to be real. Metallic aromas wafted through the air. You've only now noticed how close the disturbance in the force really is. Close enough to distinguish itself. To reveal that, in actuality, it's not a disturbance at all.

 It's two...

Something cold yanks at your forearm. Pulling you to your feet. for a split second, your nerves calm. The familiarity of the cybernetic arm grants you a heavy ease. Anakin pushes you over to where Maul is standing. Golden eyes burning holes through the stormtrooper's armor. 'He didn't do anything' you long to say. But the words wisely die on your tongue as Maul grips your shoulders. Anakine's saber is lit, stabbing through the soldier's armor as if it were flesh. As if killing him where as easy as killing a rogue thought. "You're quite a foolish soldier for daring to touch that which belongs to your commanders. Even more imbecilic for so much as looking at emperor Palpatine's disciple." 

Maul's grip on your shoulders tightens, eyes never once leaving the bloodshed. One of his hands instinctively roams to your belly, then slides down to your thigh. Rubbing it ever so gently as his claws pierce your soft skin. You close your eyes trying to make yourself smaller. You hate how his touch grounds you. How the familiarity plucks at your heartstrings. When he touches you like this you wish you would forever rot in his arms.

"'I'm sorry" You don't know why the words come so easily. As if they've been itching to spill from your tongue. Maybe it's easier to say 'I'm sorry' rather than 'You've broken my perception of love, of reality and now I can only find comfort in your darkness.' "Hush" Maul's anger spills with every syllable. His claws dig deeper, earning him a pained hiss from his doll. 

"You're not sorry, in fact, you rather enjoyed this didn't you? Running away making us chase you down, I never thought your species would enjoy being the prey so much, little one." Anakin walks over, saber seethed at his side. His every step promised pain, retribution. He's angry, furious. They both are, you wonder if maybe, just maybe, they'll end it all today. 

Maul's chambers have always been a testament to Dathomir, bathed in deep scarlets and endless ebony. You wonder if he's homesick for a place he's only visited in his worst ephialtes. After the incident in the corridors, they drag you back to the Zabrak's room. Neither bothering to say a word. Merely permitting their rage to engulf you, subduing you into submission. It's an unwelcome surprise when they begin to prep for the day. Throwing on their black cloaks, prior to choosing your outfit. An abnormal affinity settles across the room. Too unnerving to go unchecked. 

They dress you each morning, a ritual you think, some attestation of love that's never been quite right. Maul drapes you in velvet dresses. Each one harbors a sui generis softness that sits erroneously across your skin. Their opulent sensation only brings forth feelings of aversion and despair. Their softness an ode to your imprisonment. 

the dresses come in shades of crimson, detailed sometimes in black, sometimes in gold, and sometimes in a frigid blue that sends shivers running up your spine. 

Anakin fusses over your accessories, why they feel the need to dress you so extravagantly daily is beyond you -as you've come to realize many things are- On days when Anakin's hubris reaches its apex, he bathes you in gold. Astonishing glittering collars across your neck and Kuat bangles hanging from your wrists. When he's sober from his pride he chooses black diamonds. Simple and exotic. scintillate and opaque.

Allusions to the dark side.

A hidden reference that crawls inside you. 

Once, back when you'd been sure defiance was still an option. Back when callow hope still dared to flow through your veins. Back when you'd been a jejune, stubborn thing. You had refused to wear one of the dresses they'd bought. Adimant in your refusal until Maul had stuck out his hand. Summoning the Force to remind you just who held the supreme authority here. 

The Force had strangled you, clawing hungrily at your neck. You felt your bones caving in on themselves, watched with exacerbating hysteria as your feet abandoned the floor. He'd only released you when he was sure you were near death's adorned door. Permitting you to molder on the floor akin to a ragdoll. 

Anakin had chastised you after you'd conjured enough strength to sit up, gasping greedily for air. He'd broken two fingers that day. One still harbors a small scar.

A Promise ring. 

An augury.

There are days, few and far between. When they've deemed you've been behaving adequately for long enough. That they permit you the choice of which dress you'd fancy wearing for the day. It's a rare event, reserved as a special treat. You think it's their way of proposing variety, giving you the illusion of choice. Making you feel a little less smothered. 

Today is not one of those days. Today, you feel them pick you apart, only to reassemble you in their image. Drowning you in extravagance. A reminder, one whose deprecating nature weaves itself within your muscles. You, little girl, are nothing more than a doll. And dolls should know their place.

No sooner do you feel the final lace fasten across your back, that Anakin is tugging you outside the door. Metal arm clasped around your forearm. 

Maul follows behind molten gaze locked on your face. The hallways bend to their will as if the walls themselves quiver with their presence. You recognize this corridor, recognize the frigid forlorn. 

There's something wrong with Emperor Palpatine's throne room. It's surreal, makeshift. His real throne lays somewhere cold, somewhere even his apprentices don't dare wander off to. The ironclad throne has never felt right. Never felt like it held any real power. Just terror, just dread, just hatred. But here it is in all its glory. Left to two apprentices who'd rather treat it as a toy than a sacred place.

 Anakin dramatically throws himself onto the throne. One leg thrown over the armrest as he leans against the other. His other leg planted firmly on the ground. He keeps you steady on his thigh. Torturing you with his distant, disappointed look. Maul stands in front of you. His eyes liquid gold melting into you. You see the galaxy in them. Hear it whispearing secrets meant to be forgotten. It's Anakin's voice that rattles you from your disjointed thoughts. 

"You caused us so much worry angel" he's being nice. You don't trust that. There's something sinister plaguing his words.  

"You know Ani, she may cease escaping if you'd cease to spoil her." Maul leans down, gripping your chin and squeezing. " The brat forgets her place, merely cause you'd rather coddle her than discipline her." 

Anakin glares, a shift in his eyes, blue bleeding into gold. "Hmm, Maul, you're starting to sound an awful lot like Kenobi right now."

"Why's that? Did the old fool tend to also point out your shortcomings?" 

You wonder who this Kenobi is, as you watch the Siths' exchange crude childish vitriols. Maybe he'd make a better lover than the two men you have the misfortune of being adhered to. 

They never could truly see just how similar they were.

Two sides of the same coin. 

One born of copper, the other, black rose petals.

Subconsciously you reach out. Grasping Anakin's robotic hand, fiddling with the panel, peeling it away to gain access to the wires and circuits. You have a bad habit of ripping things open. Anakin learned this the first time he kissed you and you tried to gnaw at his chest with your nails. Not in malice, but rather to satisfy a ravenous curiosity. A raging need to open him and see just how he ticked. You'd wished to perform an autopsy on his soul. Rip him open and devour all his secrets. Back then you'd wondered if you could kiss sunrises into Anakin's eternal night. Strip him of bleak blackened skies and introduce him to stars and a moon that shines. He'd only vaguely permitted it. Opting to pluck the stars lying within you. Swiping them for steel and lava and other mundane things that fueled his incessant rage. 

Anakin's head dips, lips pressing on your jugular vein. "You're ethereal" Anakin mubbles against your skin, like the dying prayer of a collapsing star. He's so pretty when he kisses your neck. Biting away pieces of you. Stealing your light for himself. 

"Princess" Maul seethes venom pelting from his words. You realize you'd been ignoring him. Something he's not too fond of. "What in the stars was going through your pretty little head?" 

 he looks like he'd love nothing more than to wring your pretty little neck right now. "I just..." your words feel heavy. Tiny bullets polluting your tongue. It feels so cruel to say when you know just how much they love you. "I just wanted some freedom. Just a bit of space." 

"Dumb little angel" Anakin chastes. You lower your head in embarrassment watching Maul kneel in front of you. He cups your cheeks, placing a soft kiss on your head. "You can never escape us beloved".

 "I love you," says Anakin. All you hear is, I'll haunt you, I'll break your ribs one by one so that I may possess your heart. Maybe they mean the same thing. 

"And I'm pretty sure if Maul could feel normal emotions like everyone else, then he'd love you too." You can't help but let out a giggle as Anakin throws his head back laughing. A rare melodious sound, that causes your heart to skip a beat. Maul merely rolls his eyes before pecking you on the lips.

You trace your fingers across Maul's chest, feeling the pummelling of two hearts. A double heartbeat. Two melodies entwined, You wonder who he harbors in those hearts. One for love and one for family. You nip at his bottom lip. Ushering the blood into your mouth. He tastes of Ichor and smoke. Of sadness and rage. From behind you feel Akanin bite into the hollow of your flesh. Leaving traces of himself upon your skin. 

"Our pretty little problem" Anakin mumbles. 

You're a problem, a vexation draped in velvet, an unsolvable equation. Trapped between a love that seethes through your body like a toxin. Engulfing you until your mind relents. Maybe it's easier this way. Easier to say 'I love you' without the double entendre. 

You do love them.

A rather arduous conclusion to reach.

Maul and Anakin.

Palpatine's apprentices. 

Your lovers

Yeah, that sounds about right...

💜💜: @athanasia-day @hotpinkboots @jenn-patterson-69 @nickiiiixoxo-blog @the-chains-are-the-easy-part

[fuxuannie]

HIII I FOLLOWED U RECENTLY AND IM LITERALLY JUST BLOWN AWAY BY UR WORKS I LOVE THEMMN

okay listen listen listen. what are ur thoughts on enemies to lovers w dan heng.

OR OR OR WITH GEPARD (idk how thatll work but the idea is very appealing to me AHUEHDUE)

(also i saw it was ur birthday yesterday!! happy belated birthday 🥳🥳 stay healthy n safe, dont forget to hydrate and eat :D)

- idk can i be 😟 anon (my face 24/7 LMAO)

↳ pairing : (seperate) gepard landau & dan heng x gender neutral reader

↳ synopsis : request ♡

↳ authors note : dan hengs is more or less a joke bc i genuinely couldnt think of much for him im SORRYANSBDNS thank you smmm for the sweet messages they rlly warm my heart

☆☆ ONE BED TROPE ⁉️

When the peace between the Overworld and Underworld was established, you and Gepard both agreed that it didn't mean that suddenly you and him were buddy-buddy now. However, with Seele and Bronya becoming allies, it meant that you and Gepard were more often than not being assigned to work side by side.

And with that arrangment coming along, that's what brought you here. In an abandoned building, sitting on a bed with Gepard kneeling between your legs as he bandaged your bruises. "You know, if anyone sees this the angle looks really-"

"Shut up."

You smirk at his fluster, seeing the slight shade of pink that he tries to hide. In return, he not so nicely pulls on the bandages around you, tightening them in a way that was nearly suffocating. "Ow!-"

You won't deny that Gepard was an insanely pretty man, his soft skin and gentle features complimented his.. annoyingly kind soul for those who needed his assistance. He was loved by many, and you couldn't really blame people. Just cause you both were on opposite sides didn't mean you couldn't acknowledge his determination to protect others.

"Your injuries are fatal. We can move by morning, just rest for now."

You look around the room, mostly to ignore how he takes off his heavy armor to to rest properly. "You know it's.. there's only one relatively comfortable place to sleep in, right? Or in other words.. there's only one bed?"

Gepard nods with a sigh, your eyes finally turning back to him as he tries to lay on the floor and use his arm as a pillow. "Yeah. And you're hurt, so you can have it."

He ignores your pitiful stare, closing his eyes until he hears you clear your throat and opening one of them slightly. "It's.. cold. And there's.. enough room."

"Oh? And won't this look like a suggestive-"

"Shut up!"

You ignore his laughter as he stands up, feeling him ruffle your hair as you look up at him. "Asshole. Just.. sleep, will you?"

"Gladly. If it means I won't have to look at your face anymore."

"You know I'm pretty." "Maybe, but you're infuriating."

"Wait, what?"

☆☆ BITTER EXES WHO HUNTS THE OTHER DOWN

Maybe that description was a little detailed, but wouldn't it be funny if you were DAN HENG's ex and you were so pissed at him you joined the Stellaron Hunters. Blade himself started hating him a little more after hearing you rant about him for the 10th time in a day. (He's more pissed that he made you that way and now has to deal with it.)

So when you caught up to him in Luofu, even if you swore to Blade you wouldn't do anything until his business with Dan Heng was over, you just couldn't resist just having a little bite. Just for your own enjoyment.

"How have you been?" "I've been better, especially since you're holding a knife to my throat and pinning me against a wall."

You scoff at his remark while pushing the blade closer towards his neck, not quite enough to cut but grazing his skin to a point he can feel the cold metal. "Shut up."

"Good to know you're still angry at me."

"Why wouldn't I be? You left me with nothing but a poorly written note that had nothing but 'Goodbye.' on it."

That got a little reaction out of him which was him clearing his throat. "Seems like you haven't forgotten either."

"No it's more.. did you not see the other one I left you?" "There was another??"

You and him exchange awkward glances, you eventually pull the knife away from his neck and take a few steps back.

"If it matters at all, you're still really pretty."

"Seriously, now of all times I-"

You laugh a little, causing the familiar feeling of Dan Heng's heart skipping a beat as he looks off to the side. "..Whatever. Just because we had this.. whatever this was, it doesn't mean you're off the hook. You're still gonna be a dead man, I promise you that much."

Dan Heng watched you leave the shadows, until you were out of sight was when he laughed a little. "It's a little odd I found that stupidly attractive but.." He shrugs to himself, not like anyone will know.

[finisnihil]

Analysis with Penacony spoilers ahead, read at your own behest

I love Acheron so so much and one of the main reasons is how human she tries to be. She‘s trying so hard to stay human, to be human.

She’s killed people the blood debt is a burden she carries. She only sees the world in black, white, and red, but she gets lost easily and guides strangers home and she thanks you for trusting her even though you don’t have to and she protects a little boy from the mafia and she mourns your friend with you even though she didn’t know her because she knows you’re hurting and she helps you calm down after you watched your friend die horribly and she stays with you and looks after you and tells you to stay level headed and she apologies for being held back from protecting those you love because she isn’t human anymore and then she does one of the most human thing of all and blesses the soul and mourns her with you, guides her home like she did with you. Acheron is gentle like a psychopomp, like Death. She cries blood but it’s still crying.

Onto the allusion, the name Acheron comes from the river Acheron, one of the five rivers of the Underworld in Greek mythology. The Acheron is the River of Woe/Pain/Lost Souls. The River Cocytus (River of Wailing/Lamentation) and River Phlegethon (River of Magma) both flow into the River Acheron and the River Styx (River of Oaths/Border to the Underworld/Makes one invulnerable if they bathe in it) stems from the Acheron. The final river is the River Lethe which causes forgetfulness when bathed in or drunk from and usually used by the souls of the dead to be reborn. These allusions fit Acheron well, as she cries blood which is fitting for one named after the River of Woe. Her difficulty to hold onto memories is also reminiscent of the Lethe, especially now that we know she’s an Emanator. She was technically “reborn” as when she became one.

Building off this, she fulfills the role of a psychopomp. In folklore and mythology psychopomp are entities that guide souls of the dead, such a Thanatos in Greek mythology who is the personification of peaceful death (Who Seele has allusions to but that’s another analysis). Aventurine associates Acheron with the Finality a few times and we see her act like a psychopomp when she does things like “take us home” when we first meet her and she mentions guiding again when she sends Firefly off. She gets lost in the waking world but never seems to in the Dreamscape.

Building even more off this allusion, in Greek mythology the twin brother of Thanatos is Hypnos, the personification of sleep. Sleep and death are often tied together even outside of Greek mythology, like the Epic of Gilgamesh where Gilgamesh is literally told he can’t think about conquering death when he can’t even conquer sleep.

This all leads me to a theory about why Acheron said she had no choice in whether to draw her blade. She wanted to but she had no choice in the matter. We’ve seen her draw her blade twice so far in the story and it was to wake the Trailblazer and to fight Sam. If Acheron is an agent of the Finality maybe her blade can’t be drawn because it can only be used against those dying or dead or not living? We know Firefly was dying and we know she has a weird connection with Sam. The weird “Death” monster also seemed to target Firefly. I think Acheron couldn’t draw her sword against the “Death” because she is also an agent of Death and cannot attack one of her own, but she can use it against Firefly because Firefly is dying and it would be seen as a final severing of the soul from life or as “harvesting” the soul. Of course I could be completely and utterly wrong I’m literally just making an analysis based on allusions and motifs but still I think it’s interesting. Plus Aventurine calls Acheron and Sam enemies and Sam uses fire, an element typically seen as representing life.

Pulling a little bit away, Acheron sees the world in black, white, and red. The red is fleeting according to her and it reappears when a choice is made. If Acheron is a psychopomp this makes sense, she would mostly see the world as the living and the dead and the red could be a tie to the idea of the red string of fate, as we know destiny is a major theme of HSR’s story. When we make choices that change the direction of fate, we interact with the red strings of fate. This could be another reason she’s at odds with the Stellaron Hunters, they adhere strongly to the idea of destiny but to death destiny would have a different meaning. Her sword has an eye and is adorned with red which is where the majority of the color in her design is centered, going back to my theory around her sword it could represent how it cuts strings of fate and the eye matches the one on the “Death” nightmare.

We also know she apparently hijacked the Ever-Flame Mansion party to come here, maybe because she sensed there would be a lot of death here and came to collect the souls?

Finally, I would like to reiterate I do not play HI3 this is just something I’ve noticed, so correct me if I’m wrong:

She seems to be a Raiden Mei Expy and I know nothing of that character but I did notice when she says “Do you remember me?” there’s the answer of no and yes, and she akins us to a dear friend she had. We, the protagonist, fulfill the same role in this game Kiana (I think that’s the HI3 protag) does in HI3 and I’m vaguely aware Raiden Mei and Kiana have some sort of relationship in HI3. This asking if we remember her could be two things to me: Either she’s asking if we remember her as we have faced death before or she’s asking if we the player remember her from HI3, which she may have an awareness of if she is a personification of death and that may link her to knowledge of the Imaginary Tree as trees seem to be associated with death in HSR when you remember Yaoshi is associated with trees as well and the fruit of their tree on the Xianzhou gives immortality, where if Luocha is an Emanator he would have that tree motif too and we know he has tree motifs because he’s an Expy of Otto who did interact with what I think was the Imaginary Tree and that carried over when Luocha was given the element of Imaginary (Of course I had to talk about Luocha who do you think I am)

Anyways there’s so so much more but this post is already really really long and probably incomprehensible so if I think of any more I’ll make like a part II post anyways thanks for reading this far if you did and feel free to add discussion, mwah!

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Sorge für deinen Leib, doch nicht so, als wenn er deine Seele wäre.

Take care of your body, but not as if it were your soul.

Matthias Claudius (1740 – 1815), German poet and journalist

[a-gilded-imprisonment]

*Sighs loudly when I open the express door and it’s Welt instead of Aventurine.*

“Alright. Fine. Aventurine, you better be ready in 80.”

*Fishes 80 more tickets out of my pocket and stares at the [still a lot but not enough] tickets left.*

“…I guess I’ll have to throw my body and sell my soul to Herta again.”

(BYEEE I CANT COPE WHY HAS EVERYONE WHO HAS LOST THE 50/50 PULLED WELT BYEEEE THATS THE WRONG IMAGINARY FIVE STAR WITH A TRAUMATIC BACKSTORY)

Mmm, I can't promise~ But I will do my best, friend...

There's no need to seel your soul to Miss Herta, but a few runs through her Simulated Universe wouldn't hurt~

(Ooc: That's so real why. I lost my 50/50 to Yanqing actually! But I don't have an ice 5-star so yay I suppose? Wasted my pulls though... Ended up pulling Aven, and pulling the lightcone after I lost a 50/50 to Gepard's lightcone... I purposely had enough pulls saved to get an eidolon skgdkagkag but they're gone now.

I'll be grinding until the end of his banner to pull at least one, hopefully. Aven is my kin of all time, I need him to be at as high strength as I can ~ Mod Minie)

[shalomniscient]

my home, for all seasons || serval x reader

Love, she had found, was a lot like warmth, after all. And she’s got enough to fill a universe with it, right here with you.

content warnings: none !

wc: 939

It’s snowing again.

It was hardly a surprising sight in Belobog, even as the Eternal Freeze had begun to recede. The lands outside the city’s walls still remained cloaked in a pristine layer of white, decorated with frozen statues of monsters and men alike. And it would be many, many years before the heaters in the streets and homes of Belobog could retire from their duty.

Serval was used to the cold. To the nipping chill that settled in the tips of her fingers, rendering them far too clumsy to strum her guitar properly. It was, if anything, a persistent annoyance. Hence why she had only blearily stared at you when you shook her awake, a sun-bright grin on your face at an hour far too early for her to truly appreciate.

“Serval,” you whispered excitedly, your voice light like first snow. “Serval, it’s snowing.”

Groggily, Serval turned her head to the side, squinted, and sure enough—snowflakes drifted lazily outside the window, turning the morning light a diluted greyish-yellow. Distantly, she could hear the clamour of the waking city bleed through the walls of your shared apartment. “G’morning to you too,” she drawled, moving to roll onto you and bury her face in the warm junction between your shoulder and your neck. Her breath tickled the sensitive skin there and you squirmed, giggling, your hands finding her face to draw her back.

“Let’s go out,” you say, and Serval’s expression morphed into a pout.

“But ‘s cold,” she whined in response.

“We can cuddle after,” you offered, trying to sweeten the deal. Serval’s eyes glittered, brows rising suggestively as her hands found your waist to absently rub small circles into the soft flesh. “Plus, it’s been a while since I’ve even seen snow.”

Serval blinked. Oh.

The last time you would have been able to let yourself enjoy such a mundane activity would have been years ago, before… well. Before the Supreme Guardian had decided the Underworld was a necessary sacrifice in her battle against the Fragmentum, damning you and so many innocent others to a subterranean existence. Your time in the Underworld had not been kind, but everyone Serval had met from the underground city had only lovely things to say about you.

Sometimes, the only thing that kept some of us sane was her music, Seele had admitted once as they sat in Bronya’s office after a long day of meetings and discussions with bone-headed Overworld nobles. Her playing was an excuse for people to sing and dance and forget everything for a while.

There is comfort in music, Serval had agreed, and in her mind’s eye she could almost picture you: the line of your back and the bend of your arm as you held your violin, your eyes shut as you felt the music in your bones, drawing each note straight from your soul and giving it tender voice. Your heart, Serval had come to learn, reflected in your playing, and it made her wonder what your song would have sounded like down in the Underworld. Eventually, she thought that it would have sounded a lot like hope.

“In that case,” she murmured, as her lips flicked upwards in a grin to match yours, “I know the perfect place.”

The ‘perfect place’ in question was actually outside the city, which Serval knew might be a bit of a controversial choice—actually, no, it very much was—but then again, Serval lived and died by rock n’ roll, and there’s nothing more rock n’ roll in spirit than being a little controversial. Plus, it wasn’t too far from the city’s gates, and if anything, Serval could fight. All those years in the hell that was military school weren’t for nothing.

Especially now, as she looked at you under the pale sunlight, your breaths warm puffs of air in the morning chill. Your face was tilted towards the sky, snowflakes catching in your hair like constellations. And oh, that smile on your face—so dazzlingly bright that Serval swore she could go fucking snowblind. It’s the moments like these, just you, her and the crescendo of emotion between the both of you that makes her feel that maybe, just maybe, all that shitty heartbreak and pain was worth it. That all the grief and sadness had finally slid into place in the symphony of her life, discordant notes smoothing into a lovely harmony that led right to you.

Qlipoth above, she wanted to kiss you.

“It’s beautiful,” you say, your eyes still affixed to the pale heavens.

“Yeah,” Serval answered, but she’s not looking at the sky. “Sure is.”

As if sensing her stare on you, you turn to face her, your expression curious. “Is there something on my face?”

“Yeah, actually,” Serval replied after a moment, and stepped closer to you, her blue eyes glinting with mischief. A gloved hand rose up to cup your cheek, her thumb brushing across the seam of your lips. She leaned in close, close enough that you could feel her breath spill across your cheeks, and right before she pulled you in for a gentle kiss, she whispered, “it’s me.”

Serval greedily swallowed the groan you let out at her admittedly terrible pick-up line, but you didn’t push her away, so she was taking this as an absolute win. In fact, you pulled her closer, your arms winding around her neck until your bodies were pressed flush together, and the cold nipping at her skin was all but forgotten.

Love, she had found, was a lot like warmth, after all. And she’s got enough to fill a universe with it, right here with you.

[miragefizzle]

# 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐞 — black holes aren ' t spectacular , nor are they fierce . they ' re soundless . like a lone , forlorn gaze watching over you & me . . . & then gently , they consume EVERYTHING— bestowing a frigid , silent embrace . ─────────────────── dusk's rain ; it , too , shall 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋 .

independent & HIGHLY selective roleplay account for ACHERON from hoyoverse's h . onkai s . tar rail . this blog IS NOT SPOILER FREE . pathstrode by seele ( she / her , 24 + , est timezone ) , warped 4 / 24 .

 your 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 , 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 need to BLEED ; through the 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 of your soul !

[biblicallyaccurateangeloncrack]

Genshin and hsr characters as pinned messages (out of context) from discord servers with my friends: a shitpost

(uhhh cw some nsfw jokes and cuss words)

wriothesley: "i do not want an alpha transformation happening rn "

march to danheng: "my coquette lungs are better than your emo lungs"

hu tao: *ghostly voice* "oooooogly boogly why'd you skadoodly me?"

xiao, learning how to spell: "i lvove elmo music"

childe: "he is in my feet"

klee: "yeah my grandma's actually kim kardashian"

bronya to cocolia when she got sick as a kid: "Mother please carry me outside before to see the sky one last time before the consumption takes hold of my body and soul"

hu tao: " "weenis", said eerily"

bennett: "THE SANDWHICH TOOK ME OUT"

blade: "that link is longer than my plans for the future"

serval: "i pledge allegiance to the american bra"

itto: "i am in heat growls the summer has come and i am in heat growls"

zhongli: "*old man voice* when i was your age i fought kids"

stelle/caelus: "when i was my age i eated drywall"

fu xuan: "JING YUAN ILL SNIPPERS YOU UP IF YOU DONT STOP WITH THIS GOOBEROUS SHIT"

diluc, about venti: "i like to prentend he was a fever dream i came with at 4am"

fréminet, trying to speak french: "they said Lyney tu dumbass"

sampo: "I think Luka would beat up Luka while Luka watches. and then Luka would join in and beat the living daylight out of Luka"

silver wolf, about blade: "ppl with lactose intolerance boutta have their 2nd period ongomg"

kayea and rosaria: "we're a match made in the deep dark depths of the abyssal caves in fuck knows where"

jingliu: "am i.........one of those queers........."

yanquing: "shout-out to my home dawg Charles aka history teacher for dropping this wisdom on me"

shinobu: "itto if you say anything penis related you are banned"

ayaka as a kid: ""please take me to the garden so that way i can see the shining sun for the last time before my frail body decomposes with the disease known as ligma""

lyney: "imagine Neuvillette seeing a bunch of orphans blow up infront of him"

yoimiya: "are you really friends if you dont have matching vagina bracelets ??"

wriothesley: "My name is actually marlinus maximilianus Merlin guys"

caelus/stelle: " *bites your toes playfully* "

Pompom: "i eat gender for dinner"

xiao: "is life without endless pain and suffering only for it all to end leaving nothing but emptiness and all your suffering being just for the entertainment of the entity that we call god. an entity who is the real reason as to why we humans end up hurting others, for pain and suffereing is nothing but an endless spiral no matter how hard you try."

kafka, messing with blade: "do you like the gay foot"

yanfei: "YOU CANT LET IT GO LET IT GO YOUR WAY OUT OF A RESTRAINING ORDER"

kokomi: "DEMENTED DOLPHIN"

Furina: "they oui oui'd me"

shenhe: "the cld never bothered me anywa......."

kiara: "agressive meow"

ganyu: "are you a tree cause i wanna eat you"

dainsleif: "while youre kissing you bf or whatever ill be watching in the walls"

venti: "I FART ON PLANES"

scaramouche: "childe I will shave you bald"

itto: "perry plaptypussy"

seele, in response to hook's drawing: "10/10 Einstein could never"

razor, to bennett: "I WILL LICK YOU TO SLEEP"

sucrose, about to collect more bones: "*deranged loud breathing*"

kequing, to half of liyue: "SHUT UP COLOR WHEEL"

cyno: "genderfluid people's favorite song is liquid smooth"

kequing: "the feminine urge to beat up your coworkers with a stick"

dehya: "i piss on biphobes" kaveh: "but what if they have a piss kink..."

albedo: "he looks like a failed science project"

baizhu: "blowjob? nah, blownose"

silver wolf: "story time, honkai star rail made me leave my brother at a gas station and i do not regret SHIT"

blade: "if i end this year without killing myself its a miracle"

columbina: "btw dead bodies take less space if you bury them like theyre standing up"

zhongli: " *cracks back and walks away leaving a trail of dust behind"

@muachiro @geetkk @veimwah @etherific @zohakutenstan

[seeds-of-life-daily]

how far does your seele rei au diverge from canon :0 if I may ask

Thank you so much for asking this !! Well, I gave it some thought, and I wouldn't say it would stray too far from canon, but some big changes would be made. One of which being, well, the main thing. That Rei gets raised by seele. I covered some of the changes it would make to Rei and Kaworu in this post I made a bit ago, but after giving it a bit more thought, I wanted to note down a few more changes I would make to canon in this AU. One of which, probably the biggest divergence in this au, is that Rei doesn't get forced/conditioned to take such a maternal and feminine role. Other than the usual maternity stuff that comes with having the soul of a progenitor, she wouldn't have to experience it with the intensity they do in canon. They also won't get sexualized, since that was another thing that I really disliked in Evangelion. Not to go off on a little tangent here, but when talking about canon, I really think Rei never really wanted to take on that kind of role. The femininity was something they were made to feel like she had to do. She was taught it meant to serve, to be complacent, to fill a role, and to mother. Whenever I think of Rei and femininity my mind always goes to that one Aradia gender meta, since the parallels between the two are insane, and it just voices basically most of my thoughts. In the seele!Rei AU I like to think that Rei's more self-expressive. Being reserved, but a helping hand because she wants to. I think they would also take part in their interest to learn more. We don't know too much about seele, but since we know they probably let Kaworu have access to music and human culture, I think Rei would also have the opportunity to indulge in more books, the internet, and so on. Also, since Rei isn't a clone of Yui here, she won't be subjected to Shinji's Freudy antics as much. She would still somewhat look simmilar to Yui, but this time not made from salvaged remains. Now, another thing I would change is letting Kaworu develop more as a character. In most adaptations of Evangelion, we only see him mainly interacting with Shinji. In this AU, he will not only have Rei as a sibling, but I plan to make him interact with Asuka and Misato too. I think a talk between Kaworu and Misato would be really interesting. Especially when she finds out he's an angel. Imagine meeting the kid that got created, and half of the population, including your dad, died because of that. An interaction with Asuka would be similar. Imagine meeting the guy who's here to replace you if you get worse at piloting. They would eventually get along, but at the start, I can definitely see some conflicts going on there. Since Rei's with seele here, they have both seeds of life in their custody, so it would be even easier for their instrumentality plans. While it's true that Lilith's still in the NERV basement, and Adam's still getting kidnapped (angel-napped?), seele can at least be sure that if one of them dies, at least there's another vessel to work with. (Speaking of which, what would happen if two instrumentalities happened at once? Maybe seele didn't think that Adam, in her embryonic state, could be enough to initiate one? Maybe they were too focused on the Dead Sea Scrolls that they never bothered to think of it?) While we're on the topic of instrumentality, they would totally try and rebel against it this time. After spending a good amount of time at NERV with the rest of the Pilots, I think they would attempt to go against the whole "everyone becomes one in the big primordial soup ocean" plan. Those are just the major changes I would make, but overall? Yeah, it would be canon-divergent, but it would still follow most of the happenings of canon.

[hanakihan]

On side note

Salieri still as a Avenger class servant, but his mechanics and overall vibe is similar to Seele and Veliona

Watch poor musician being for some reason summoned in Avenger class and having no idea the fuck is happening only to have a really angry and protective being floating around you who wears your face but has insane bloodlust.

Antonio Salieri and Gray Man being semi separate beings who are bound to be one in soul, and they’re weird unstable hybrid of ruler and avenger in one class

[nocturnaltokyoiii]

The Official NGE Character Ranking

It’s finally time for the official ranking of Neon Genesis Evangelion characters, as proclaimed by me. While there are a lot of characters to examine, I’d like to focus on the main characters of the original TV series, End of Evangelion, and Death & Rebirth.

WORST OF THE WORST

Gendo Ikari

The story's villain, it's only appropriate to set him dead last. A grieving man turns to putting 14-year-old kids into mecha robots powered by souls. From parental neglect to his agenda to end the world and start the Third Impact, Gendo Ikari can only receive small sympathy points.

Kozo Fuyutsuki

As Gendo's sidekick, I can't let Fuyutsuki off the hook for aiding and abetting. While he does show more compassion towards Shinji Ikari for the identity crisis every other episode than Gendo ever cared to, helping your former college students end the world doesn't look good on a resume.

No Harm No Foul

Kensuke Aida

Kensuke is a little military nerd who just dreams of piloting an EVA. He likes learning about all the actions of NERV or the UN - but also has the horned-up aspect of being a 14-year-old boy who carries around a camera. While it's nice to allow Shinji to have some friends and a form of escapism through his brief stay with Kensuke after running away (again). there isn't much that we know about Kensuke.

Toji Suzuhara

The other half of Kensuke, Toji is the more outwardly expressive and even passive-aggressive. We're introduced to him through his anger at Shinji for Toji's sister after she is severely injured from an EVA/Angel attack. He's the stereotypical "delinquent" who attacks Shinji as payback for his sister's injury, but he turns a more empathetic leaf after witnessing the mental suffering Shinji faces while piloting the EVA. When Toji is selected as the Fourth Child, everything takes a turn for the worse and we never see him again after that fiasco.

Complicit?

Ritsuko Akagi

Ritsuko lives in the shadow of her mother who created the MAGI System, the living, breathing programming holding NERV together. She's the only other person aside from Gendo and Fuyutsuki who knows the true intentions of NERV and SEELE, and for that, points off as being a piece of the end of the world. Ritsuko is still an interesting character as she internalizes and intellectualizes everything until her breaking point in destroying all the Rei copies. I feel bad for her in the cycle of abuse her mother and then her goes through under Gendo's romantic relationships with both of them.

Yui Ikari

This poor woman died and her husband decided it was time to end the world. Had she not passed during the Project E experiment, Shinji would have been a functioning and less traumatized boy. She is such a kind-hearted person who had a positive impact on those around her, and it's sad to see what her legacy turned into through Gendo's distortion.

Misato Katsuragi

Misato always has me going back and forth on my opinions, but I do admittedly love her as a character. Her hotheadedness and drinking habits make her a piece of emotional release from all the environmental stress. Her traumatic past explains the present, and her motherly care for the pilots stands in direct opposition to Ritsuko's risk of the pilots for the sake of destroying the angels. She is largely unaware of NERV's true intentions until the untimely end.

Ryoji Kaji

Kaji is somehow a triple agent working for the Japanese Ministry against both Gendo and SEELE, really just looking to find the truth of it all. He's an admirable character whose only real flaw is being so goddamn horny for all his female characters - except Asuka so I guess there are some moral boundaries. He knew that his life was constantly at risk by working behind everyone's backs, but he's still a positive role model to Shinji, almost showcasing what the positive outcome could be.

The Children

Kaworu Nagisa

We're introduced to Kaworu as the Fifth Child following Asuka's synchronization levels dipping to unprecedented levels. He's a poetic character who quickly befriends Shinji and shows his affection toward him in unexpected manners. As it turns out, Kaworu is actually the seventeenth angel, Tabris. His interest in humankind and otherwise odd behaviors goes seemingly unnoticed by NERV. Kaworu's goal is to reconnect with Adam, but instead, he finds Lilith, rendering his mission a failure thus allowing Shinji to kill him.

Kaworu is one of the only people that shows real love towards Shinji, and that cannot go unappreciated.

Shinji Ikari

Love him or hate him, Shinji is still one of the most interesting case studies of the human mind. A traumatized 14-year-old boy who has never felt real familiar affection since his mother's passing. Abandoned by everyone but commanded to not run away too. He's just looking for some kind of approval. I believe Ritsuko summed up Shinji's character the best by equating him to the "Hedgehog's Dilemma", in which hedgehogs need warmth in the winter so they huddle together, but just end up pricking each other and causing more harm. Shinji cannot be intimate with another character without some outcome of mutual harm.

BEST GIRLS

The lifelong battle, who is the best girl of Evangelion?

The truth is, there is no real answer. They're both amazing.

Rei Ayanami

Rei I - The child we're introduced to is snarky towards Ritsuko's mother as seen in a flashback - calling her an old hag. This Rei is a product of what Gendo really says in private, and thus is killed by Naoko Akagi for repeating the words said behind her back.

Rei II - This iteration of Rei is who we're most familiar with throughout most of the series, socially withdrawn and living in admiration of Gendo for the majority of her lifespan. In her interactions with the other children, she learns to be happy and to cry. She knows she is easily replaceable to NERV's mission. In being the recreation of Yui, she exists as how Gendo saw Yui. This version of Rei passes in sacrifice to destroy an angel.

Rei III - This is the final iteration of Rei seen in the series and End of Evangelion - and is the most expressive one yet. She knows what happened to the previous incarnations, but didn't live it herself. She's angry at the world, angry at Gendo, angry at Shinji, at everyone. She knows she's replaceable, but can't do anything about it but become indifferent to the changing environment.

Asuka Langley Sohryu

I take Asuka as my favorite for her relatability. She says what we're all thinking; and just like Shinji, she's just looking for affection. The main difference is that she refuses to admit that she needs help, for people to look at her, for people to appreciate everything she's sacrificed to get into her position. She holds herself to a standard of pride, never taking out the Interface Headset clips in her hair. She thinks she's grown up, but it's all the trauma that's forced her to become so mature against all odds.

Asuka holds a special place in my heart for some unexplainable reason, so I have to place her in the top position.

Anyways, that's my ranking of the main characters of Neon Genesis Evangelion. lol.

[haveyouusedthispokemon]

Seel can be used on your team in:

Gen 1: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow Gen 2: Gold, Silver, Crystal Gen 3: Fire Red, Leaf Green, or Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald (transfer only) Gen 4: Diamond, Platinum, Heart Gold, Soul Silver, or Pearl (transfer only) Gen 5: Black, White, Black 2, White 2 Gen 6: X, Y, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire Gen 7: Ultra Sun, Ultra Moon, Let's Go Pikachu, Let's Go Eevee, or Sun, Moon (transfer only) Gen 8: Brilliant Diamond, or Shining Pearl (transfer only) Gen 9: Scarlet, Violet (DLC)

[omgpurplefattie]

WIP Wednesday

I have two WIPs at the moment, the Wedding Dress chapter of my MLC Star Trek AU, and the German language de-ageing liansanjiao fic for Speak Your Language Day.

The point to the de-ageing fic is actually that 'Xiaobao' translates terribly smoothly into German; while 'Little Treasure' is a bit awkward, 'Schätzchen' is only THE most common endearment in German. That's the point I started off from.

--------------------------------

“Schätzchen, ich habe die neue Mechanik für…” kam eine Stimmer vom Eingang des Zimmers, gefolgt von einem fast hysterischen Ausruf. “Schätzchen!! Was hast du jetzt schon wieder angestellt? Wieso bist du…”

“Äh,” sagte Fang Duobing, der versuchte, sich trotz seiner gewaltigen Gewänder auf die Füße zu stellen. “Mutti. Wir haben eine Fertigkeit ausprobiert, oder vielmehr, A-Fei hat sie ausprobiert und dann ist sie auf uns übergesprungen. Er hatte ein altes Handbuch gekauft und…”

“Und jetzt seid ihr alle etwa acht Jahre alt,” sagte Meisterin He und bedachte sie alle mit einem strengen Blick. Li Lianhua fühlte sich, als müsste er sich verbeugen und dann eine vernünftige Erklärung für sein Fehlverhalten abgeben.

Und ja, er fühlte sich noch als Li Lianhua. Das Achjahres-Achteck schrumpfte deinen Körper und gab dir eine kindliche Seele, aber brachte zum Glück nicht dein achtjähriges Selbst zurück.

“Nur für dreizehn shichen, Meisterin He!” sagte Di Feisheng, ungewöhnlich zahm. “Ich -- es ist meine Schuld. Ich habe das Buch nicht richtig zu Ende gelesen. Schätzchen und Blümchen sind unschuldig. Sie wollten mir nur bei meinem Experiment helfen.”

“Das ist sowas wie die Drachen-Phönix-Umwandlung, die die unselige erste Ehefrau meiner kleinen Schwester beherrschte?” fragte Meisterin He. Sie hob ihr geschrumpftes Schätzchen wie einen umgefallenen Sack vom Boden auf und stellte ihn auf die Füße; dann trat sie an den Tisch und beugte sich über das alte Handbuch.

“Ich verstehe nichts von solchen Techniken,” sagte sie, “ich arbeite nur mit Dingen, die ich anfassen kann. Aber da steht ganz klar, ‘keine Kultivationspartner’.”

Sie seufzte, und setzte sich auf die Bank, auf der Blümchen und der kleine Rabauke ehrfürchtig Platz gemacht hatten.

“Ach Schätzchen,” grummelte sie, “ich wollte mich damit eigentlich gar nicht befassen müssen. Mit wem Du dein qi kreisen lässt, und wie du das anstellst, ist deine Sache. Das ist eine Jianghu-Angelegenheit, und damit nicht mein Problem.”

“Wir sind jetzt acht,” sagte Li Lianhua. “Wir lassen überhaupt nichts kreisen. Zumindest nicht so.”

“In dreizehn Stunden seid ihr wieder groß, aber immer noch nicht mein Problem,” sagte Meisterin He. “Manchmal muss ich allerdings abends mehre Blätter mit Kalligraphie füllen: NICHT MEIN PROBLEM. Ihr macht es mir nicht leicht, Jungs.”

--------------------------------

For SYLD itself, I'm not going to provide a translation; Google Translate exists so nobody has to miss out. But for this nice WIP Wednesday, here is a barely edited MTL of the sample above:

“Little Treasure, I have the new mechanics for…” came a voice from the entrance of the room, followed by an almost hysterical exclamation. “Little Treasure!! What have you done now? Why are you…”

“Uh,” said Fang Duobing, trying to stand on his feet despite his enormous robes. “Mother. We were trying out a skill, or rather, A-Fei was trying it out and then it jumped over to us. He had bought an old manual and…”

“And now you are all about eight years old,” said Master He, giving them all a stern look. Li Lianhua felt like he had to bow to her, and then give a reasonable explanation for his misbehaviour.

And yes, he still felt like Li Lianhua. The Eight-Year Octagon shrunk your body and gave you a childlike soul, but thankfully did not bring back your eight-year-old self.

“Only for thirteen shichen, Master He!” said Di Feisheng, unusually tame. “I -- it's my fault. I didn't finish reading the book properly. Little Treasure and Little Flower are innocent. They just wanted to help me with my experiment.”

“This is something like the Dragon-Phoenix Transformation that my little sister's unfortunate first wife used?” asked Master He. She picked up her shrunken Little Treasure from the floor like a sack that had fallen over and placed him on his feet; then she walked to the table and bent over the old manual.

“I don't know anything about such techniques,” she said, “I only work with things I can touch. But it says very clearly, 'no cultivation partners.'”

She sighed and sat down on the bench where Little Flower and the Little Rascal had reverently made room.

“Oh, Little Treasure,” she grumbled, “I didn’t want to have to deal with that. Who you circulate your qi with and how you do it is your business. That is a jianghu matter, and not my problem.”

“We are now eight years old,” said Li Lianhua. “We don’t circulate anything. At least not like that.”

“In thirteen hours you’ll be big again, but you’re still not my problem,” said Master He. “However, sometimes I have to fill several sheets of paper with calligraphy in the evenings: NOT MY PROBLEM. You boys aren’t making it easy for me.”