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burst-of-iridescent · 11 months ago

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South Asian and Hindu Influences in ATLA (Part 1)

disclaimer: i was raised culturally and religiously hindu, and though i've tried to do my research for this post and pair it with my own cultural knowledge, i'm not an expert on hinduism by any means. should i mess up, please let me know.

please also be aware that many of the concepts discussed in this post overlap heavily with religions such as buddhism and jainism, which might have different interpretations and representations. as i'm not from those religions or cultures, i don't want to speak on them, but if anyone with that knowledge wishes to add on, please feel free.

it's well-known that atla draws from indigenous, east and southeast asian influences, but something i rarely see discussed in the fandom is the influences the show takes from hinduism and south asia, and there are actually far more than i think people are aware of.

so here's a (non-exhaustive list) of the main inspirations atla drew from south asian culture and hinduism, starting with...

The Avatar

the title of the show itself is taken from the ancient language of sanskrit, often considered the sacred tongue of the hindu religion. in sanskrit, the word "avatar" means to "descend" or "alight".

the concept of the avatar is a very old one, referring to the physical incarnation of a powerful deity or spirit. the idea of the avatar is most often linked to the god Vishnu, one of three supreme hindu gods collectively called the trimurti, or trinity. the avatar is said to manifest upon earth primarily in times of great need, when balance must be maintained between the forces of good and evil.

atla borrows heavily from this idea in having aang be the incarnation of a divine spirit who returns to the world during a time of immense strife, and is tasked with defeating a great evil to bring balance back to the world. and though i don't know if it was an intentional reference, it's interesting to note that Krishna, the most famous incarnation of Vishnu was also reborn amidst a fierce storm and carried through a raging sea to a new home where he would be protected from the king who sought to kill him. sounds a little familiar, doesn't it?

Agni Kai and the Philosophy of Firebending

the word "agni" derives from the sanskrit name Agni, the god of fire, though it can also generally mean "fire".

the concepts of lightning bending and the sun being the source of firebending are likely also taken from the idea of Agni, since he's said to exist simultaneously in three different forms on three different dimensions: as fire on earth, as lightning in the atmosphere, and as the sun in the sky.

Agni is a significant aspect of many rituals, including marriage rites, death rites, and the festivals of holi and diwali. the concept of Agni is one of duality: life and death, rebirth and destruction. hindu rituals accept and celebrate both aspects, revolving around the idea that destruction is not separate from creation, but rather necessary to facilitate it. the cremation of the dead, for instance, is seen as purification, not destruction: burning away the physical form so the soul is unencumbered, set free to continue the reincarnation cycle.

this influence can be seen in the firebending masters episode, which discusses the idea of fire being vital to life. the sun warriors safeguarding the original fire and demanding that zuko and aang bring fire to the dragons as a sacrifice could also reference the ritual of Agnihotra - the ritual of keeping a fire at the home hearth and making offerings to it. the purpose of this ritual differs depending on which text you refer to, but it is generally believed to purify the person and atmosphere in which it is performed, similar to how zuko and aang must make offerings to ran and shaw and survive their fire before being deemed worthy and pure.

Agnihotra is said to serve as a symbolic reminder of the vitality and importance of fire as the driving force of life, a lesson that zuko and aang also internalize from their encounter with the dragons.

Bumi

bumi's name is taken from the sanskrit word "bhumi", which means "earth". it's also the name of the hindu goddess of the earth, bumi or bhudevi.

one of the things the original animation didn't do and which i really enjoyed about the live action was that they made bumi indian and added desi inspiration to omashu. it makes perfect sense for a king whose name is as hindu-inspired as they come.

NWT Royal Palace

chief arnook's palace in the northern water tribe takes inspiration from the gopurams of hindu temples, massive pyramidal structures that served as entrance towers to the temple.

gopurams were built tall enough to be seen for miles around, beacons to signal tired or weary travellers who wished for a place to rest that a temple was nearby. it's a nice touch that the chief's palace is located in front of the spirit oasis, a similarly symbolic entryway to a sanctuary housing otherworldly deities.

Betrothal Necklaces

to preface: i doubt this was an intentional reference, and this great post talks about other cultures that could have inspired the water tribe betrothal necklaces. given the desi influence in the nwt architecture however, i figured it was worth mentioning.

the idea of betrothal necklaces being given to women by their male partners is similar to the thaali, a necklace given to hindu wives by their husbands. during hindu weddings, grooms tie the thaali around their brides' necks to symbolize their marriage. once given, wives are expected to wear their thaali till the day they die, as doing so is believed to bring good luck, health and prosperity to their husbands.

Chi-Blocking

though chi-blocking takes primary inspiration from the art of Dim Mak, it is also influenced by the south indian martial arts forms of adimurai and kalaripayattu, both of which include techniques of striking vital points in the body to disable or kill an opponent.

kalaripayattu also shares parallels with firebending, being a very physically demanding, aggressive martial art that emphasises the importance of discipline and mental fortitude. control of the mind is essential to control of the body, a philosophy similar to that espoused by iroh across the show.

Wan Shi Tong's Library

the library draws inspiration partly from the taj mahal, the famous mausoleum constructed by shah jahan during the mughal empire as a monument to his beloved wife, mumtaz mahal.

i'll end this post here since it's getting too long as it is, and the following section will be even longer. for while atla treated the concepts in this post with respect, the same unfortunately cannot be said for its depiction of guru pathik and combustion man - both of which we'll be discussing next.

#atla #avatar the last airbender #atla cultural influences #hinduism in atla

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edenesth · 1 year ago

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The Way to His Heart [9]

Pairing: general!Seonghwa x wife!reader

AU: arranged marriage au (Joseon era)

Word Count: 4.2k

Summary: Life has been hell ever since your mother's passing many years ago. Despite being from a prominent family, you've never received the privileges associated with it. It only got worse with the arrival of your stepmother and her daughters. When the intimidating General Park was in search of a wife, your father seized the opportunity to dispose of you, simultaneously securing a connection with the powerful general—killing two birds with one stone.

Part 8 | Fic Masterlist | Part 10

Standing in front of the door to your former prison, all your insecurities came rushing back. Suddenly, your newfound identity seemed to evaporate, leaving you feeling like nothing more than a shell of your past self.

"What's wrong, my dear? Why do you keep staring at this storeroom, hm? You know you can tell me anything." Seonghwa asked in a gentle voice, sensing that you were far from okay. He cupped your cheek tenderly, urging you to meet his gaze.

Jongho and Eunsook stood anxiously behind you, waiting for you to reveal the truth to the general. Only then could they finally bring your family to justice for their misdeeds. The weight of everyone's expectations rested on your shoulders.

Please, mistress, just say it, and we will handle the rest.

No matter how hard your husband tried to capture your attention, all you could see was beyond his shoulder, where your family glowered at you. All the determination you had to confront your family diminished, and you were reminded of your true self.

Just a worthless, insignificant piece.

You felt undeserving of Seonghwa's love, too ashamed to confess that this pitiful excuse for a room was where you had spent your entire caged childhood. Would he still want you as his wife if he discovered the truth?

"Come on, my dear. Talk to me, please." The general leaned in, attempting to dominate your field of vision. He didn't like how you kept glancing nervously back at your family as if still afraid of what they could do to you.

Your husband's heart shattered as he gazed once more into your vacant, hopeless eyes. It felt as if he could never truly connect with you. Once again, he found himself lost, unable to reach you. It became clear that your biggest obstacle wasn't trusting him; it was trusting yourself. Despite all his efforts, your insecurities persisted.

Bringing you back to this place seemed like a colossal mistake, undoing all the progress you had made. The words Hongjoong had spoken to you were now pushed to the recesses of your mind, overshadowed by your demons.

Seonghwa's stomach sank when you averted your gaze, blinking your wet eyes with a shake of your head, "Nothing, it's nothing. I... I'm sorry, I don't know why I kept looking here; it's just an old storeroom, as you can see." Your family collectively sighed in relief, narrowly avoiding exposure. For once, they felt slightly thankful to you for not ratting them out.

Of course, it couldn't have been this easy.

Despite the internal frustration, the general flashed a reassuring smile down at you. His plan had crumbled, and you didn't speak up as he had hoped. The head maid and assistant couldn't conceal their disappointment at the missed opportunity.

Casting a glance at his assistant to silently acknowledge the failure of the plan, he squeezed your trembling hand, "It's alright, nothing to be sorry about. Well, if that is all, perhaps we can begin discussing the wedding arrangements then."

Minister Jang immediately brightened, "Of course, let us get on with it. I'm sure we have much to discuss."

With a subtle shake of his head, Jongho signalled to the private investigator that the plan wasn't unfolding as expected. Noticing the exchanged glances, your father raised an eyebrow, "Wooyoung, do you and the general's assistant know each other?"

Both froze momentarily, cursing inwardly at their lack of caution. The fake servant beamed innocently at the minister, "Oh yes, master! I thought he looked familiar; turns out we were from the same village!"

The assistant nodded along quickly with a wide smile, "Yes, what a small world."

Fortunately, the fabricated story seemed convincing, and your father nodded without suspicion, "Huh, what are the odds? Just don't let me catch you slacking off. If you want to catch up, do it after work."

Wooyoung grinned quickly, "Yes, master!" before bowing deeply. Glancing at the general for approval, he was relieved to see Seonghwa nodding lightly, silently expressing 'good job'. His heart raced, still finding it surreal that he was looking at his role model up close and being acknowledged.

Resettling into the main hall, your husband couldn't hide his concern for you. He maintained a firm grip on your hand, a constant reminder of his presence and an attempt to provide comfort despite your lack of reaction to anything. Eunsook, noting your distress, made a point to stay close behind you, silently assuring you of her support.

"Alright then, where should we begin?" Minister Jang clapped his hands together, eager to get it all over with as soon as possible.

Seated opposite you, your three sisters were still seething, their attention fixed on the general's unwavering touch on you. Refusing to concede defeat, they were determined to fight for Seonghwa, unwilling to witness you marrying their dream man in a grand wedding ceremony. He was too good for you.

She doesn't deserve him.

Before the two men could delve into any details, Jinhee, tired of her sisters always being a step ahead, seized the opportunity to speak up, "General Park, I believe I would make a better wife than unnie ever could. I urge you to change your mind and consider choosing me."

Jinah and Jinjoo scowled, feeling a sense of betrayal as they hadn't anticipated the sudden spiritedness from their middle sister. She had always been the calmest among the three. It appeared that the allure of the general was potent enough to pit them against each other for the first time.

The minister smacked a hand on his face in disbelief, growing tired of his stepdaughter's obnoxious behaviour. Just as he opened his mouth to reprimand her, the other two chimed in loudly, "No, I'd make a better wife!" before glaring at each other.

Pressing a kiss onto your knuckles to rile them up, your husband stared at the girls with an amused grin, "Really? Do you think you'd make a better wife? Why don't you each tell me why you think so? I'll consider it."

It was apparent that the general was merely toying with them, but the three were oblivious and engaged in a heated debate among themselves, striving to convince Seonghwa that each of them would make the ideal wife for him.

Meanwhile, you silently accepted your fate, believing that your husband was present to entertain the idea of replacing you with one of your stepsisters. If that's what he desired, who were you to object? You considered yourself fortunate to have been sent to him, and now that he had seen your sisters, perhaps he sought someone better than your useless self.

The general burst into a fit of vicious laughter, singling out the middle sister who promptly straightened up, "You," he pointed, "it seems like you have the most convincing argument. I suppose that makes you the most suitable for me, doesn't it?"

Jinhee vigorously nodded, "Yes, my lord!"

With a sly smile, he continued, "Very well, I'll consider marrying you, but on one condition that your father must agree to," Her eyes widened in excitement while her sisters clenched their fists in frustration, dissatisfied with her being chosen, "Anything! Just name it, and you shall have it!"

"If Minister Jang agrees to retire from his position and let me take over, then I guess I'll think about it."

Your father heaved a deep sigh, frowning at the foolish girl in irritation, "That's enough, Jinhee. Are you even hearing yourself? None of that will ever happen. I'm sure the general is only joking around."

Her stubbornness prevailed as she continued to press, "Father, this is for my happiness! If you loved me, you would agree to that!"

Even her own mother, finally sober enough, shook her head disapprovingly, "Stop it, Jinhee. Do you know what it would mean for the rest of us if your father were to retire?"

Having enjoyed the comedic display, Seonghwa chuckled darkly, "Your father's right; I was only playing with you. After all, I couldn't possibly marry you, even if he had agreed to that condition."

"Why is that?!" She questioned, still determined to have him for herself. She hated the sight of him cradling your hand; it should be her beside him. She had gotten so close to having him earlier that she refused to let the opportunity slip away so quickly.

For some reason, the minister couldn't shake off the ominous feeling he was getting from your husband's smugness. Something wasn't right; this felt oddly like a trap.

In a mock-innocent voice, the general answered, "Isn't it simple? Because you're not even Minister Jang's legitimate daughter; you do realise you're merely his stepdaughter, right?"

Your father and stepmother's eyes immediately widened, knowing exactly where this was going. Before they could do anything to stop it, Jinhee yelled out, "But I am father's real daughter!"

Gotcha, bitch.

Jongho and Eunsook did their best to suppress the growing grins on their faces, relieved that at least their master's plan B seemed to have worked out. During the assistant's time away from the estate, working with Wooyoung, they had managed to confirm the general's suspicions about the three being Minister Jang's actual daughters.

This revelation itself was enough to bring him down, as the three were born when your mother was still alive. And if they were, in fact, his, that would mean he had been disloyal to his wife and had fathered bastard children outside. This was more than enough to tarnish his reputation for good.

Rising abruptly from his seat, the minister cleared his throat loudly, "General Park, please don't take her words seriously. Clearly, she only said that out of desperation. The girl is still young and doesn't know when to stop; do not mind her. Come, let us take our discussion somewhere else."

"Save it, minister. If she isn't your daughter, where would she have gotten the confidence to voice that out loud? Don't make me laugh." Seonghwa retorted coldly.

Finally, you lifted your head to stare at the old man upon hearing the revelation. Could it be true? You didn't know if it was supposed to make you feel any better, but you used to question why your father had treated you so badly when you were his only real daughter. Now, it would make more sense, at least.

Scoffing, Minister Jang clenched his fists, "I would advise you to be careful with your words, general. After all, it wouldn't be too wise of you to slander your father-in-law and superior so carelessly like that. What would His Majesty think of you being unfilial and disrespectful to me?"

If your father thought that threat could save him, he was wrong; it seemed he was only digging himself a deeper grave.

The general peered amusingly at him through his lashes, "You know, it's really funny you should say that. Would it still be considered slander if I had evidence to back up my claims? Oh, minister, you should not have brought the King into this. He was already so disappointed in you when he learned of the truth about you and your dirty deeds throughout the years."

"Wh-what do you mean by that?" The minister stammered, visibly trembling in his spot, and his family could only sit back with terror in their eyes, not knowing what your husband had uncovered.

"Minister Jang, did you really think the King had allowed me to come here just to make wedding arrangements with you? I'd rather burn in hell than have you host my wedding, especially after what you had done to my wife in all the years she had been under your care. I'm only here for your confession, under His Majesty's orders."

A series of gasps rang across the hall as your stepmother and stepsisters froze in their seats, the realisation finally hitting them that they had been under scrutiny this whole time. It became apparent since the minister's suspicious behaviour at the assembly.

Little did everyone know that Seonghwa's investigative work had been funded by the King himself the entire time. The two had shared a deep conversation after the assembly; what initially started off as idle chatter regarding the general's new wife transitioned into a serious discussion as your husband revealed what he discovered about the minister thanks to your arrival.

Your eyes widened at Seonghwa's words, wondering if he had known all along about what had happened to you. Feeling your gaze on him, he turned to face you with a soft smile, "I told you I'd protect you."

Feeling your heart flutter and eyes tearing up with tears of relief, you finally squeezed his hand back, "Thank you, Seonghwa."

Cutting your moment short, your father shook his head in denial, "You're lying. Nice try, General Park. I'm not falling for your trick. If you were telling the truth, why would His Majesty have bothered to send you here when he could have just arrested me?"

Turning back to face the old man, your husband smirked, "Now, where would all the fun be in that? Of course, I didn't expect you to admit everything to me so easily. It was fun watching all of you panic in front of the so-called storeroom earlier. I hope you enjoyed the temporary relief, courtesy of my lovely wife. Someone, bring the minister a chair before we start recounting all the interesting things he's done so far."

Jongho was more than happy to help, "Yes, sir!" He promptly moved a chair to the centre of the hall where the minister stood before returning to his position behind his master.

Your stepmother and stepsisters remained glued to their seats, hearts filled with dread. Jinhee regretted her every action immediately, not that it made much difference. They were already doomed from the moment they delivered you to him.

"Will you not sit, Minister Jang?" Seonghwa teased, and when the old man glared at him, he shrugged, unbothered, "Suit yourself. Let us begin then."

The general stretched a waiting hand in his assistant's direction and waited as the younger man fished a few documents out from his pockets, "Here you go, sir."

"Alright, let's see, where should we start?"

With a devilish grin, your husband flipped through the pages, addressing the minister, "So, were you denying that these three are your biological daughters? Not to worry, I have just the thing to prove it. See, we have their birth certificates and the fake ones you forged right here. You bribed your physician quite a bit for these, huh? Well, it seems the amount you paid was not nearly enough since he spilt everything to us so easily."

The minister's wife pointed a shaky finger at the papers in Seonghwa's hands, "Th-that's not possible. How did you get your hands on those documents?"

"Ah, so you admit these are yours?" The general raised a brow, "I get it; it's hard not to when the only copies to exist were found in your private quarters, hm? I'll have precious Wooyoung to thank for these. Come here, boy. You should be so proud of yourself."

"Thank you, my lord! I'll work harder!"

In front of the minister and his family, the mole finally unveiled himself. All five of them could only gape at the new employee who had recently joined the estate. They praised him for his work and even thought of him as a hard worker. Suddenly, it all made sense why he always seemed too eager to help around. He had been snooping around for the enemy all along.

Your father pointed accusingly at the fake staff member of his estate, "Y-you traitor—"

"How can he be a traitor when he was never on your side to begin with? Let's not change the subject, alright? Now, let us conclude the number of crimes you've committed here; first, you've cheated on your wife and had not only one but three illegitimate children outside of your home. I must say, minister, you're setting a horrible example for the married men in all of Joseon." Seonghwa shook his head in disapproval.

"Next, you've bribed your physician to silence him and then get him to further commit the crime of forging official documents for you. I guess this could have been understandable if it had been a silly little commoner not knowing any better, but my goodness, you are our nation's Minister of Military Affairs! What would the people think of us if they knew their leaders were this unethical?"

"And the worst of it all, you kept my wife caged in that pathetic excuse of a room all her life. You all had a hand in her suffering and abused her endlessly, all for your own entertainment. And what had she done that was so wrong to deserve any of that? Just because she was born from the wife you did not choose and love?" The general spat, feeling his heart ache and anger rise.

It was your turn to rub a thumb softly over his skin to remind him that you were fine now; you were loved and cared for, all because of him. He tightened his hold on your hand, vowing to get you justice.

"Can any of you even call yourselves human?" He growled, glaring at your family. Your stepsisters trembled, avoiding his death stare, feeling like complete idiots, especially after their stupid little innocent act earlier. Why did they even believe for a second that they could have fooled him?

With a deep breath, Seonghwa put on a sarcastic smile, "And with all of that, it should be enough for you to be stripped of your title and for your entire family to be demoted from a noble house to commoners."

The old man's knees went weak, and he ended up plopping into the chair Jongho had placed behind him. Clenching his fists, he shook his head again, "No, you can't do this to us. You can't do this to me. I've dedicated my life to this job and this country. I have contributed so much—"

Smirking, the general cut him off, "Why? Are you unsatisfied with this conclusion? I expected no less from you, you ungrateful bastard. Fine, I guess we'll have no choice but to dive deeper and talk about your most severe crime then."

There's... more?

Furrowing your brows, you wondered what other horrible things your father could have possibly done. Everything that your husband had already listed seemed like a lot to you.

Your stepmother gasped loudly, clutching onto her chest as she took in the general's wicked grin, "He knows..."

Jinah frowned, grabbing her mother's arm in confusion, "What is it? What does he know? What else has father done?" The other two sisters stared at their parents, who looked scared for their lives.

"Yes, I do know, Lady Jang. Did you really think the two of you could keep your dirty little secret hidden forever? As if adultery and illegal document forgery weren't bad enough, you were both audacious enough to commit murder against an innocent person."

Minister Jang and his wife shared a horrified glance, realising that the veil of secrecy they had meticulously woven was now unravelling before them. The colour drained from their faces, and beads of sweat formed on their foreheads.

The mistress of the Jang estate stammered in fear, "N-no, that's not true! You're making baseless accusations, General Park. We haven't committed any murder!"

The general remained unfazed, a cold stare fixed upon them, "Really? You haven't? Then tell me, why do the two of you seem so afraid? You weren't trembling with fear when you poisoned the first Lady Jang to death, and you certainly weren't afraid when you robbed my wife of her mother."

Staring at your father and stepmother in horror, a wave of disbelief crashed over you. The revelation hit like a tidal wave, leaving you stunned and paralysed. The people you thought were simply cruel for torturing you all your life had now revealed a more sinister truth – they were the reason you never knew your own mother.

The shock and betrayal etched across your face, your eyes locked onto theirs as the weight of their sins settled in. It wasn't just about the abuse and mistreatment; they had orchestrated a tragedy that deprived you of the one person who could have brought warmth and love into your life.

"And what evidence do you have to prove that?" The minister finally mustered the courage to challenge the accusations, still putting up a fight. His three daughters, nearly as shocked as you were by the revelation, couldn't fathom that their parents might have actually taken someone's life.

Seonghwa remained unyielding, maintaining his cold gaze, "Not to worry, I have it all right here." He gestured to the documents Wooyoung held, revealing a series of letters exchanged between the couple all those years ago detailing the best way to end someone's life and make it look like a natural death, as though they had succumbed to an ordinary illness.

"Isn't it an uncanny coincidence that the physician confessed to the first Lady Jang dying from mandrake poisoning, and simultaneously, there is an abundance of mandrake planted in your garden? Alongside these incriminating letters, everything aligns seamlessly. There's nothing you can say to undermine this evidence, minister. Would you care to explain your actions now?"

Minister Jang's face contorted with defiance and anger. He took a deep breath before finally admitting, "Fine, it's true. I did it; I killed that woman. But you have to understand; the first Lady Jang ruined my life. I never wanted to marry her in the first place. It was a political arrangement forced upon me to please her influential family. They held more power than I did at the time."

His eyes darted around, gauging the reactions of those present, especially his daughters, "I clawed my way up, working tirelessly to reach my position as Minister of Military Affairs. I didn't need her family anymore. So, I did her a favour – I ended her unhappy marriage and made room for the person I truly loved."

He looked at his current wife with a twisted sense of affection, completely ignoring the horrified expressions around him, "I had to make a choice for my own happiness. No one understands the sacrifices I've made for this family and for the sake of my love. It was the only way."

"If you hated my mother so much, why did you bother having me then?" You finally croaked, voice breaking as you choked back tears. Seonghwa pulled you close to him, never wanting you to go through any more pain alone.

Your father let out a scoff of displeasure, "I never wanted you. You were just another duty to please your mother's family. When she died, I refused to let any of them near you out of spite. You were a constant reminder of her, a spitting image that angered me every time I looked at you. That's why I hated you so much."

His admission hung heavily in the air, each word cutting through the silence like a knife. Your eyes, filled with sorrow, met his cold, callous gaze. Your husband tightened his hold on you, offering silent comfort as the painful truth unravelled.

"And there we have it, the confession His Majesty wanted. Royal Secretary Choi, did you manage to get all of that?" The general called out with a smirk.

To the minister's horror, the King's closest and most trusted aide emerged from the entrance, flanked by a team of royal guards, "I sure did, General Park. You've done well; we'll take it from here. His Majesty shall decide the Jang family's final sentencing."

« Preview of Part 10 »

As Eunsook followed her master's orders to assist you out of the hall and to the waiting carriage at once, your husband stayed behind to express gratitude to the dedicated private investigator.

"You've worked hard, Wooyoung. I assure you we will compensate you for your excellent performance. You didn't have to help us this far, but you did, and I appreciate it."

The younger man enthusiastically bowed, "It's my pleasure, sir! I'm a huge fan of yours; I think people don't appreciate you enough for defending our country! Those who think you are heartless are clearly mistaken. If only they'd seen you today. You are a wonderful husband, my lord. It's reassuring to know Lady Park has you."

Clearing his throat, the general looked away and fought the faint blush dusting his cheeks, "I'm glad you think so. I can only hope she thinks the same."

Wooyoung grinned, "I'm sure she does, my lord. I've seen how Lady Park looks at you; I can tell you mean a lot to her too," Seeing Jongho approaching to escort his master out, the informant bowed one final time, "It was an honour working for you, sir. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you ever need my services again!"

Seonghwa nodded appreciatively, "I'll keep that in mind."

Just as he turned to leave, the royal secretary came up to him, "Before you go, General Park, His Majesty wishes to meet you and Lady Park soon to discuss your actual wedding arrangements."

Nodding lightly, the general replied, "Got it, I'll see you then."

"Oh, and one last thing; I know you've both been through a lot, but the worst is over. I wish you and your wife happiness."

"Thank you, San."

Y'all I'm not even gonna lie, this part literally gave me a whole ass headache LMFAO I hope this felt satisfying enough! Of course, we still don't know what consequences the evil family are about to suffer muahaha😈

Also, the second mood board depicting the general's estate is out! Go take a look if you haven't already!

As always, thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts! <3

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Tag list (cont.): see comment/reply section

#edenesth #the way to this heart #ateez #ateez fanfic #ateez fanfiction #park seonghwa #ateez seonghwa #arranged marriage au #joseon era #seonghwa x reader #seonghwa x you #ateez fic #historical au

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nonbinarylocalcryptid · 8 months ago

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Me: hm, I should take a break from my thesis

Also me: *opens another incorrect quotes generator*

This time, Telemachus & Astyanax edition feat Odysseus

Telemachus : Fuck.

Astyanax : We've got to work on your cursing.

Telemachus : Why? I'm pretty good at cursing already.

Astyanax: I'm a reverse necromancer.

Telemachus : Isn't that just killing people?

Astyanax : Ah, technicality.

Telemachus , tending to Astyanax 's wounds: How would you rate your pain?

Astyanax : Zero stars. Would NOT recommend.

Astyanax : I learned some very valuable lessons from this.

Telemachus : I’m guessing they are all horrible distortions on the lessons you actually should’ve taken away.

Astyanax : Death isn’t real, and I’m basically God.

Telemachus : I was arrested for being too cool.

Astyanax : The charges were dropped due to a lack of supporting evidence.

Telemachus : Must be hard not being able to laugh

Astyanax : I do have a sense of humor you know

Telemachus : I’ve never heard you laugh before

Astyanax : I’ve never heard you say anything funny

Astyanax : You fuckers don’t know about my knife stick. It’s a knife taped to a stick and it’s the ultimate weapon.

Telemachus, not looking up from their book: Spear.

Astyanax : BLOCKED.

Telemachus : Astyanax , keep an eye on father today. He's going to say something to the wrong person and get punched.

Astyanax : Sure, I’d love to see Odysseus get punched.

Telemachus : Try again.

Astyanax , sighing: I will stop Odysseus from getting punched.

Telemachus : Why are you on the floor?

Astyanax : I'm depressed, my homeland was raided when I was a baby

Telemachus : ...

Astyanax : Also I was stabbed, can you get father, please.

(during the suitors fight etc)

Telemachus , to Astyanax : My life is in the hands of an idiot!

Astyanax , motioning to himself and Odysseus : No no no no no, TWO idiots! And one of them shares DNA with you!

Store Worker: Would the Prince Telemachus please come to the front desk?

Telemachus , arriving at the desk: Hello, is there a problem?

Store Worker: points to Astyanax and Odysseus

Store Worker: I believe they belong to you?

Astyanax and Odysseus , simultaneously: We got lost :(

Telemachus : I didn’t even bring you guys here with me-

Telemachus : What do you think Astyanax will do for a distraction?

Odysseus : He’ll probably, like, make a noise or throw a rock. That’s what I would do.

*Building explodes and several car alarms go off*

Odysseus : ... or he could do that.

Telemachus : We need a distraction.

Astyanax : Is anyone here good at jumping up and down and making weird noises?

Odysseus , whispering: My time has come

Telemachus: what's wrong with you two??

Astyanax: Tele, my bro my guy my dude, have we ever tell you about the time we get lost at the sea FOR TEN YEARS???

Telemachus, holding a python: Guys I impulsively bought a snake, what do I name him

Astyanax : You did WHAT–

Odysseus : Polyphemus Poseidonius the First

Telemachus : *Screams*

Astyanax : *Screams louder to assert dominance*

Odysseus : Should we do something?!

Penelope , observing: No, I want to see who wins this.

Telemachus : *Gently taps table*

Astyanax : *Taps back*

Odysseus : What are they doing?

Penelope : Morse code.

Telemachus : *Aggressively taps table*

Astyanax : *Slams hands down* YOU TAKE THAT BACK-

Telemachus : You are now one day closer to eating your next bowl of olives

Astyanax : That's the most hopeful thing I've ever heard.

Odysseus : But what if I die tomorrow and never eat any olives?

Penelope : Then tomorrow is olive lucky day.

Odysseus : Why are Telemachus and Astyanax sitting with their backs to each other?

Penelope : They had a fight.

Odysseus : Then why are they holding hands?

Penelope : They get sad when they fight.

Telemachus , banging on the door: Astyanax ! Open up!

Astyanax : Well, it all started when I was a kid...

Odysseus : No, they meant-

Penelope : Let them finish.

And that's all for now

#daddy odysseus au #astyanax lives #telemachus #astyanax #odysseus #penelope #the odyssey #epic: the musical #incorrect quotes

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hollowed-theory-hall · 2 months ago

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Hello, I want to say that I really like your blog and your analyses, especially those of Harry because he is my favorite character, I always learn something new about the saga with you and I feel like I am re-reading the books. I have a few questions for you please, if you have the time, could you explain to me if it was necessary for Voldemort to kill Harry for the Horcrux in him to be destroyed or could anyone do it as long as Voldemort had his blood in his body so that he can return? And was it also necessary for him to do it with the elder wand, which at that time was loyal to Harry? Sorry if my English is a bit strange and thanks in advance, have a nice afternoon.

Hello 👋

Thank you so much! 💜 and I'm glad you're enjoying my blog!

So, the answer to your question depends on which headcanon/theory regarding Harry's miraculous resurrection you consider true...

Let's first talk about the Horcrux's death. The Horcrux could've been killed by anyone else. Any method that can kill Horcruxes would've worked. I.e Fiendfyre, AK, or basilisk venom. Any other method of death might've not worked and left Harry's corpse as a Horcrux (assuming Harry didn't come back to life). We also know from the books remorse can remove Horcruxes as well.

So if some other random Death Eaters shoots out an AK, the Horcrux likely dies.

I want to talk about the sacrificial bloodcrux for a moment, because I don't think that even could bring harry back to life.

Like, Lily's blood protection was only anti-Voldemort and doesn't really protect Harry from anyone (or anything) else. Additionally, I believe that while taking the blood protection into himself allows Voldemort to kill Harry, it also ties his life to him. It's why Voldemort passes out in the woods when he kills Harry. So, the bloodcrux is essentially a reverse Horcrux for Voldemort but doesn't really help Harry with anyone other than Voldemort.

The blooscrux pulls Voldemort towards death when Harry is dead since there is no more Harry to protect, but it doesn't stop Harry from dying. I don't think so, at least. I know the not-Dumbledore Harry hallucinates at Kings Cross when he dies says Harry's survival is to do with the bloodcrux:

“Precisely!” said Dumbledore. “He took your blood and rebuilt his living body with it! Your blood in his veins, Harry, Lily’s protection inside both of you! He tethered you to life while he lives!”

But that doesn't make sense!

Becouse, we see Voldemort has passed out when Harry "died". If Voldemort was the anchor that pulled Harry back to the world of the living, Harry couldn't have pulled him towards death. An anchor has to be stably rooted in its side of the veil to work, something Voldemort clearly isn't.

"He tethered you to life while he lives!" is incorrect since Voldemort isn't exactly "living" when Harry dies (as mentioned here) so he can't be a tether. It can't kill Voldemort when Harry dies and bring Harry back to life via Voldemort at the same time. It can't do both simultaneously.

(Very possible that Dumbledore thought the bloodcrux would anchor Harry to life, since it is a magically sound theory. It just doesn't seem to do so. Plus, as I mentioned I don't think that was Dumbledore at all in the Kings Cross scene, as I mentioned here)

That's why I believe Harry's survival had more to do with the Deathly Hallows.

I have mentioned in the past that I believe Harry had always been the Master of Death. That that's why he survived. If you believe this headcanon/theory is true, then Harry would've returned regardless of how he was killed and when (and in some methods, I believe the Horcrux won't die either, as I mentioned above).

So if, say, Bellatrix shot a killing curse at Harry in the DoM in OotP, Harry would've died for a moment, the Horcrux in him, would die too, and Voldemort would "die" somewhere off-screen at the same exact moment. But then Harry would sit back up, shocked, everyone else would also be shocked, Voldemort would return to life as well and the Horcrux in Harry would be dead. Dumbledore would be so incredibly relieved and pretend he has no idea how that might've happened until pressed (by Harry) and then give some cryptic answers but still just might take the information Harry was a Horcrux to his grave, Voldemort would be having a nervous breakdown, and Lucius is probably getting Crucio-ed.

So, if you subscribe to the MoD theory, Harry would come back regardless of how he died or who killed him (the Horcrux may not return, that's more dependant on how Harry is killed). If you belive he survived because of the bloodcrux, than that's more complicated since I don't think the bloodcrux could return him to life at all because it doesn't seem to be how this works.

At least, that's how I see it. Have a good day!

#harry potter #hp #hp meta #asks #anonymous #hollowedtheory #harry potter meta #harry james potter #hp magical theory #hollowedheadcanon #hp headcanon

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raayllum · 4 months ago

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Callum is so right about Rayla never doing anything for herself. You could say freeing Runaan was for herself but she also treats it as her "sacred promise" and chose him for Ethari too (shows how great her heart is). You think sparing Callum will finally count as her doing something for herself? Choosing her future and her love for him over the "greater good". She couldn't get her og parents back‚ this girl keeps losing and suffering she seriously deserves more wins

God, I could write an entire meta about that line - maybe one day when I'm feeling self indulgent. In regards to your actual prompt, re: saving Callum will count as something for herself -- a big yes, absolutely, I think! Though I think freeing her parents is something she deeply wanted for herself, too ("I miss you so much" / "so I wanted to do something for yourself for you") even if it was something she was continually putting off till the Aaravos situation, as far as she knew, was resolved

Prior to S6 I went back and forth on whether the show would frame Rayla's end of the possession plot line / trying to get Callum back as either "It doesn't matter what happens to me (again) I just want to save him" (which is what leaving in TTM and other moments was about) OR whether it'd be framed as "I refuse to sacrifice him / something I want (again)" and therefore be character development. I leaned towards the latter for reasons outlined here since the two have the chance to be even more thematically codependent than they already are in terms of their senses of identity:

As long as Callum is Callum (not possessed, or she has reason to believe he’s still in there), Rayla likely won’t be able to bring herself to kill him. This is from an emotional / characterization standpoint, of course, but from a thematic standpoint, we can see where it stems from Callum and Rayla continually being each other’s main connection to their sense of identity. As long as Callum is Callum (“you’re the destiny is a book you write yourself guy”), he’s worth saving. As long as Callum is Callum, she can be Rayla (“Rayla’s brave. She saves people” / “Rayla. My name is Rayla, and I’m going home”). As long as she’s Rayla, he can be Callum. Because if Callum isn’t Callum, then he’s dead, and if he’s dead, she can kill him. And if Rayla kills him, if Callum is dead, then she won’t be Rayla anymore. Because to literally kill Callum would be to simultaneously symbolically/emotionally kill herself.

This goes both ways of course - Callum can't/won't sacrifice Rayla because to do so would be to sacrifice a fundamental part of himself (namely his deep and Pure devotion to others which means he'll never go entirely down the negative side of Viren's path, and keep to the positive - leaving Aaravos, breaking free, etc). This was subtext prior to S6, but now it's actual text (she's his light/truth/hope of salvation, etc) so it goes double going forward. This is true for Rayla too — Callum is her guiding light and her star, he's one of the people who's taught her the most about how to love and the person she wants to be.

With all that in mind, yeah, I do think that Rayla will choose to not sacrifice Callum for the right reasons. Part of this is scaffolded under witnessing Callum not sacrificing her No Matter What prior to her won choice, and realizing "what [she] most deeply desires" isn't just Callum's survival even, but specifically the life they can have together, which she needs to stick around for and thereby not sacrifice herself. Runaan is also explicitly remorseful over the actions he took towards her where he choose duty over love, so Rayla realizing she should choose love over duty ties into them growing together as well in a positive way. We also see her realize some of this I think in choosing to let Lain and Tiadrin stay together rather than separate them specifically because of the Moonphoenix bracelet Callum gave her as well.

"I risked losing the best thing I ever had" because of her own duty turned revenge vs "I refuse to lose either of us like this" and finally fully accepting an assassin was never who she was and never who she Should be, in sacrificing others' lives or her own included. Them both Choosing each other above everything else was exactly what I was hoping for as soon as the "I need you to kill me" plot line started / wrote in my first CHET fic pre-S4 years ago:

She has two options as she pulls away. She can make a grab for her swords and go out, swords blazing. Kill Viren or Aaravos if she can as the sky splits open, purple and thrumming with magic; die with a sword in her hand in all likelihood. The release spell has already started. Or she can help Callum up, and they can live to fight another day—together. Rayla grips the back of his jacket. Presses her forehead to his neck for a second, tears building her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she says. His arm tightens around her, like he’s braced for her to go. “Rayla—” “I’m so sorry,” she repeats, sobbing. This is all her fault, but she can’t do that to him. “We have to get out of here.” [...]

Callum is staring at her when she pulls back and she swallows hard. She doesn’t know what to say. It’s both a blessing and a curse when he speaks first. “You chose me,” he says, not quite softly; she can tell there’s a lump in his throat. An edge of anger that not doing so was even an option. “Yeah, well. It was about time,” she says quietly. “I—”

So uh, here's hoping!

#thanks for asking #mutual salvation theory #tategaminu #tdp rayla #s7 speculation #predictions #fic: just wait for me to come home #the moon arcanum connection in that fic being #the light & dark + love for rayla as constant truth + south star #we were all prophets lmao

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addamvelaryon · 18 days ago

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Time to talk about the Dragonpit again…

The doors of the Dragonpit were made of bronze and iron. It’s an odd dichotomy that the metals of winter served as protection to the creatures of the long summer. During the Storming of the Dragonpit, when the rioters tried to break into the structure, they could not bypass those doors. Instead, they had to find other means of getting to the dragons inside:

Bronze and iron were the metals of winter, dark and strong to fight against the cold.

The Shepherd’s lambs smashed through the doors (the towering main gates, sheathed in bronze and iron, were too strong to assault, but the building had a score of lesser entrances) and came clambering through windows.

I’ve often mentioned that the Dragonpit exists in juxtaposition with the Wall, so this is a very neat detail to me. The purpose of the Dragonpit was to house and protect the creatures of fire inside from dangers outside. Whereas, the Wall serves to protect those behind it from the dangers of the creatures of ice on the other side.

Protection of the realm is the ultimate objective for the black clad sentinels of the Wall, the Night’s Watch. Their vows, which liken them to fire, state as much:

“Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night’s Watch, for this night and all the nights to come.”

Just like the Night’s Watch, the Dragonkeepers are protectors who armor themselves in black:

The king decreed that all the dragons should be guarded night and day, regardless of where they laired. A new order of guards was created for this purpose: the Dragonkeepers, seventy-seven strong and clad in suits of gleaming black armor, their helms crested by a row of dragon scales that continued, diminishing, down their backs.

Empty suits of armor stood sentinel along the walls. They were relics of the Targaryens, black steel with dragon scales cresting their helms, now dusty and forgotten.

Just as the Night’s Watch is willing to give their life in order to protect the realm, the Dragonkeepers do the same for the dragons. But both groups have their numbers greatly reduced so they are no longer able to keep their watch to their full ability:

The Dragonpit had its own contingent of guards, the Dragonkeepers, but those proud warriors were only seven-and-seventy in number, and fewer than fifty had the watch that night. Though their swords drank deep of the blood of the attackers, the numbers were against them.

Service in the Dragonpit concerns protecting the dragons. It is also simultaneously about protecting the city (aka the realm):

It had long been the custom for at least one dragonrider to reside at the pit, so as to be able to rise to the defense of the city should the need arise. As Rhaenyra preferred to keep her sons by her side, that duty fell to Addam Velaryon.

GRRM is so on the nose describing the Dragonkeepers as “stood sentinel along the walls” and “had the watch that night”. I'm not even going to get into all the parallels between Addam and Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, Jon Snow, because those are obvious enough.

When the Dragonpit fell, the Dragonkeepers were slaughtered by an uncontrollable violent mass of people (wights) who were led by a sinister figure (White Walker) determined to destroy the creatures of fire. When the Wall falls, the members of the Night’s Watch will probably be killed in like manner.

At the end of the war, all the dragons were dead except for Morning (the false dawn). Shortly afterwards, Westeros was subjected to the onset of a cruel winter that swept over the realm:

This period was soon known as the False Dawn.

[…]

And a terrible, hard winter—first declared by the Conclave in Oldtown in 130 AC, on Maiden’s Day—had taken a firm grip on the realm, and would last for six cruel years.

I believe it’s very deliberate that the dragons are connected to the state of the realm.

After all, the Dance of the Dragons is just Song of Ice and Fire writ small. What happened before will perforce happen again.

#truly no one does symbolism like grrm 🥺#valyrianscrolls #asoiaf #asoiaf meta #meta #addam velaryon #jon snow #the dragonpit #the wall #the dragonkeepers #the night’s watch #white walkers #dragons #the storming of the dragonpit #parallels #text #I wonder if the dragonkeepers have an oath they swear as well?#maybe they made addam swear it too since he spent several months with them

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mcyt-trios · 1 year ago

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PROPAGANDA:

Gaslight Gatekeep Girlboss:

Listen to me closely. There is no other alliance on the whole Traffic series as based as them. They did EXACTLY what they set out to do. Did they Gaslight? Oh fuck yeah. Did they Gatekeep? You better believe it. Did they Girlboss??? By the good grace of god they did!!!!!!! They are simultaneously the blueprint for every trio of mean girls in a 2000s high school movie and the most genuinely devoted alliance on the whole server. They trust and respect and love each other in ways beyond mortal comprehension. Vote them please I'm begging you.

They were an absolute powerhouse! Also also, Cleo finding herself a group of people who were properly loyal to her after being betrayed for the healing arc. Scott telling them he was the boogieman and refusing to kill even if it meant going red. They're just so hhhhhh

cleo is gaslight (setting things on fire), scott is gatekeep (protecting the base), and pearl is girlboss (girlbossing).

Quite possibly the most ride or die alliance of Last Life. Consistently sharing lives, helping each other get boogey kills, refusing to hurt each other… they were just such a feel good team up for the entire series :] and then they kicked Pearl out in double life :]

Listen they are the EPITOME of ride or die. They love each other so much during that time. Do you hear me. Dear God they are the most precious

Best faction on Last Life. Set the template for pretty much everything Scott and Cleo do together, and set us up for 5AM Pearl.

Prince Trio:

Me when they're princes and children of gods (said gods all being siblings. Making them all cousins) They all need very big hugs. Sherbert's dad (God of Creation) is trapped in Purgatory, and they tried to get them out at the end of season 2 and it failed (because Sherbert got. A possible god following them around (metaphorically) and changing things they touch sometimes-) because instead of it bring back their dad it brought back a person they killed. (Also happens to share their mortal mother with Rae) Rae's godly mother (Goddess of the Mind) sucks and corrupted multiple of their friends. (One of which was Sherbert.) and he's also the vessel for said mother, and got some silly mind powers because of it. Athena is literally a child created for being the vessel of one of their parents, who is also the God of destruction, which by proxy makes him the vessel of destruction and that is an awesome title-

#mcyt-trios #mcytblr trio bracket #polls #round 2

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sklives · 3 months ago

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About team Hebi/Taka and team seven

Part 01

Well, since I'm watching Naruto again because of the new dubbed episodes, I just caught my eyes in something that bothered me so soo much that I just want to split it out.

This post got too long, so I’ll post this in part 01 and 02 > Simultaneously 🤯

Ok, so, about this scene

Some time ago I thought that the reason why they went after Sasuke (again) was to stop him from killing Itachi because If he did it he couldn't come back to Konoha.

Why? Well, somehow I mixed up some information that appeared in the beginning, that Sasuke was included in that anbu kill list, so in my head if he kills Itachi the numerous crimes he committed were reached in a level that he wouldn't be accepted back.

Don't ask me why hehehe

So then they used an important mission to investigate Akatsuki to go after Sasuke again, it's funny because the whole mission was to track and find Itachi and in result find Sasuke, however all their efforts suddenly turns out to track Sasuke, and ironically, putting Akatsuki on the back burner.

As a Child, every time I saw those “let's get Sasuke back” missions I got excited and root for team seven to finally bring him to konoha, but today seeing those panels my only thought is “if they did find Sasuke and take him back to konoha, what would happen? What would change?”

Well, first of all they had to fight against him and IF they won then they had to take him against his will and then lock him up in a cage, just what happens in the end of the manga, and then? He would be in prison craving more and more hate.

Sasuke had a goal and nothing could stop him, he would surely find a way to escape again and continue on his path. And this leads us to talk about team seven.

At the classic they had a real concern, Sasuke being with Orochimaru was a problem, but now they face another scenario.

Sasuke had killed Orochimaru and now he wants his revenge, naturally when he does what he wants he will come back to konoha, right?

I think Sasuke would if it wasn't Tobi, ok?

So what's the point of going after him? None.

Something would change if they caught him? Nope.

So now there's a lot of things that go through my mind right now

Sakura says to go after Itachi and kill him. Because it's what everyone is doing in the ninja world, tracking down those members in order to stop them and looking for information.

Ok, but this isn't their priority. What they want is Sasuke back and if they did it (kill Itachi) Sasuke would never forgive them.

Well, the funniest thing in all of this is that Sasuke and Konoha had the same goal, to find Akatsuki and information about them…

Sasuke knew that Akatsuki was hunting the bijuus and surely he knew that Konoha was tracking the organization as well, but he never thought of returning and taking advantage of the situation and of all the information that Konoha already had about Akatsuki.

The same goes to Konoha and team seven. Instead of showing interest in Sasuke's goals and joining forces with him to find Akatsuki they go against Sasuke's will and try to stop him and the worst part of all of this is that they simply trivialized the whole importance of going after Akatsuki.

Theoretically Konoha had squads doing these searches, but we never saw officials investigations besides the one made by Jiraya.

A thing that I really wanted to see in Naruto was a hole arc showing Akatsuki hunting the bijuus, that would be really cool, seeing team seven together again doing this quest, it would be a perfect time to develop SS and NH as well and build a decent return for Sasuke to the village.

But no… Team seven just wanted to bring him back to konoha at any cost ignoring all the facts about Sasuke's life. And for Sasuke he felt the need to create his own “perfect team” to achieve his goals because somehow he knew he couldn't count with those who were said to be his family.

A very interesting final point.

This whole need to bring Sasuke back was unique and exclusive to Team 7. For the rest of the village and for the others of the same generation, the importance of bringing him back was a government issue, why? Well, Sasuke is a ninja of the Leaf and with him he carries information about the country, the village and everything else... Every rogue ninja is like that, a ninja who denies his own village and runs away with information that cannot fall into the wrong hands.

Sasuke never belonged to Konoha, he had no ties beyond Team 7, so why bring him back?

The entire manga was saw through the protagonist's point of view, so it seems like a decent thing to do, saving a friend from the darkness, but what about the truth of the world that revolves around the protagonist? This truth is different and is the reality that the antagonist has to face, a reality that doesn't affect the protagonist.

And as much as I loved the last chapter of the Manga, I simply can't swallow the speech that Kishimoto gave to Sasuke to close the history and his arc because it's exactly what I said above, it all comes down to the experiences and the protagonist's point of view.

Even the speech about Naruto being equal to Sasuke. Their pain and loneliness was different, Sasuke didn't know the weight of being a Jinchuuriki and Naruto didn't know the pain and hatred Sasuke carried.

GO TO SEE THE SECOND PART

GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO

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evilkitten3 · 1 year ago

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when you think about it. madara is just. so. niasndladnsndlnls

as soon as he shows up he starts his "can't rely on any of these losers smh" crap and he keeps doing it. he constantly has to do things himself bc his minions are all fuck-ups or have entirely separate agendas or are fuck-ups with entirely separate agendas. and yet

again and again and again and AGAIN he trusts people. not even for good reasons sometimes. he genuinely seems to believe he can't rely on anyone other than himself and yet he repeatedly puts faith in people. some of them are complete strangers

"oh yeah this kid i trapped in my divorce dungeon after replacing half his body with my ex's dna? i'm going to psychologically traumatize him, sell him my identity, and hope he takes care of things while i'm busy being dead for the next couple decades. even tho he has no reason to bring me back, hates my guts, and as far as either of us is aware could probably pull off our masterplan without any more help from me. i am also going to assume that the version of him in his 30s is the same as the teenager version of him i knew even tho not only have i myself been through puberty but also i have firsthand experience of how people can change from when they were teenagers bc my ex broke up with me via literally stabbing me in the back and killing me when i realized our dream wasn't going where we wanted. he knew to go for my back bc i told him it was my weakness as a child. also i don't wear armor there bc i don't usually need it. i'm sure this kid would never do that to oh hey he's stabbing me"

"hey this weird plant zombie thing showed up and said he's an extension of my will or something. i have absolutely no way of verifying this but i am cool as hell so i'm just going to assume it's telling the truth and not using me as a pawn in some greater plan as it is encouraging me to do to others. it would never do that to ah hell in the back again"

"my brother is dead but my only friend who is now my enemy and who is also the older brother of my brother's killer wants to make an alliance even tho our families hate each other and my family also hates me and i also hate me and would rather he just kill me already which is also what everyone else wants. except for him bc we're ninja romeo and juliet but with fascism and if romeo had been able to put aside tybalt killing mercutio and if juliet had instead of drinking poison stabbed romeo to death with a sword. and then tybalt took over the city after she died and made decisions which eventually led to all the montagues except one getting massacred by his shitidiot older brother on a propaganda high. but hashirama would not ever do that to me and if i pushed him to a place where he needed me dead he would surely do it honorably and not in the back and that's a wood clone isn't it"

"hello small uzumaki child that i have not ever spoken to and do not intend to interact with directly i am going to break into your home and steal your eyeballs and replace them with my own significantly cooler eyeballs (they used to be my little brother's so please be careful with them) and you can play around with them while you do my minion/replacement's bidding until you use them to bring me back to life even though this will kill you and you don't even know me and will in fact think that someone else is me anyway and why is this edo tensei wtf do you mean nagato's dead. who the fuck is naruto"

it's like if the "rip to ur grandma but i'm different" meme was a person. and that person was simultaneously the speaker, the person being addressed, and the grandma.

#naruto #naruto shippuden #uchiha madara #uchiha obito #senju hashirama #zetsu #black zetsu #kuro zetsu #uchiha izuna #senju tobirama #uchiha sasuke #uchiha itachi #uzumaki nagato #uzumaki naruto #what the fuck is wrong with him. i love him so much

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isolde-illustrates · 3 months ago

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Melted Gems

The brain rot has returned and I can't get it put of my head. This is Bronte's perspective mostly right after Fintan sets the tower on fire.

The sound of shattered glass forced him to move. Pushing down his terror, Bronte willed himself to see reason, keeping his lips shut except to order his friends to move to the exit. Oralie had disappeared a few seconds ago with the children. Oh, Ancients, the children! He warned the others against it at the meeting, but the vote had been for young Miss Foster and Mr. Vacker to heal the mind of Fintan. Now, the sound of shattered glass suggested a dangerous fall. He stopped the thought, knowing how little it helped. They would have to save themselves now, or else three trees would be added to the Woods.

Not to mention Kenric, whose body made decisions before his mind. Stay alive, friend, Bronte pleaded as he grabbed the arms of the famous Vacker, who was screaming his son's name.

"Get a grip!" the Councillor scolded Alden, who fought with him, eyes darting around for an opening to search for his son. "You go over there, and you'll turn into cinders or a splat on the ground."

The words gave the father strength to break away from Bronte, adrenaline running through his veins. Despite the expectations Alden put on his children, his love for them was clear, especially as he ran towards the fire, putting his son's life before his own.

Running to stop the Vacker, Bronte blurted out "He's with Sophie!" grabbing Alden's wrist right before melted crystal fell in front of the man. "She'll bring them to safety," the Councillor assured him, putting the other hand on his shoulder just long enough to convince the man to leave.

Their only exit was getting more unstable with each rushed footfall that landed on it. The moment they were on the ground floor, a crystal river began to follow, a rain of debris adding to the mess.

Bronte made the mistake of turning back to look at it. The sight was almost beautiful, hues of purples, reds and oranges combining with a bright yellow to creste a waterfall of color. Reaching out, Bronte could almost see the face of the person he once shared more than a desk with, the awe of someone viewing the entire world as his passion. His arm stretched as far as it could, and Bronte stepped towards the face, smiling as he saw the blonde hair flowing in the wind. The locks were long just like he remembered them from eons ago, beautiful and handsome simultaneously.

The face seemed to notice him, and a loose grin replaced the content smile. Bronte flinched, pulling away, then looked down at his seared arm and the melted jewels that went through the sleeve and into the skin. The thick air kept his voice from emitting a scream, but he fell to the ground, rolling to the side in pain.

More crystals and jewels came raining down, and he tried to wipe his arm off with his cape, getting up and running towards the door. A glance over his shoulder told Bronte that his mind must have played tricks on him, and the man left the pretty colors and heat, letting the fire kill all that was beautiful.

Alden waited for him a safe distance away from the tower, clearly debating whether to return to the building. "You're alive!" he exclaimed when Bronte made it through the exit.

"Yeah, sorry. I thought I saw someone," the Councellor mumbled, "but I was mistaken."

"When you we're behind me, I thought you got hit by the crystal." Alden looked for any visible injuries on Bronte, who tucked his arm in the rest of his cape, like a child trying to keep his father from seeing that he got hurt after disobeying him.

"I'm fine," Bronte told Alden firmly, "and not the least bit a concern. We need to find the others."

When they did, the conversation blurred for Bronte. All he knew was that Fintan was not with Kenric, Kenric was not with Oralie, and Oralie's piercing sobs were going to him lose what little composure his countenance could retain.

Under the guise of monitoring the other side of the building while Sophie and Fitzroy helped making frissyn, Bronte freed himself from the group, putting as much distance between the world and himself as possible.

A hand underneath his eyelids kept the teaes from marking the ground as the man looked at the destruction Fintan caused. The blond reveled in the flames, but they had consumed him. As a Councillor, Bronte could set this troubling obstacle to rest. As a man, he could do nothing but wallow in the pain of a sure and unrelenting misery that would plague him even in death.

Raising his hand, Bronte began to yell, then scream profanities as right hand reflected every possible gesture possible to throw at the blond. His voice was hoarse, and the air pollution made it feel like the inside of his throat was bleeding, but the man did not stop. Even when his vocal chords would not create another sound, his wheezes reflected the syllables until he became a sobbing, gasping mess that could not find the strength to stand. His circlet had fallen in the process, and he hoped that melted into the ground like the tower's gems did. He wanted no part of the world, no responsibility other than the one he owed to himself to grieve for everything he never had.

He just wanted those delicate, warm lips and passionate eyes that once held all the warmth of the world. "I was never enough for you," he whispered, half of the words audible.

The realization told Bronte enough, and he wiped his eyes, slowly getting onto a knee. He picked up the circlet with his good arm, putting back the responsibiltiy that slowly killed him. Reaching forward, he picked up a cooled crystal, noticing a light blond strand that melted into it. The hair was too light to be Sophie's and had only a slight wave to it, not a curl. He knew that hair well, and tucked the jewel into his pocket—the gift of remembrance.

Slowly, Bronte got up, walking away from his feelings as he reminded himself that he had a job to do. Everything was clear; Fintan Pyren was dead. No one needed the burnt hair melted into a gemstone as proof. That was all Councillor Bronte would give himself.

As the councillor disappeared from view, a tear fell. The man pushed it away with his hand, along with the blond hair that refused to stay out of his face. He walked over to remaining gemstones near where Bronte found his missing lock. One of them was not as bad as the others, and it appeared to be made of a crystal. The criminal had no clue where it would lead him, but almost anywhere was better than Eternalia.

He held the crystal up to the light, silently begging it to work. As became particles on a ray of sunshine, the blond answered the councillor's comment.

"You never tried to be."

Fintan Pyren disappeared in the light, letting the rest of his love burn in Eternalia.

Also, drawings because I can't help it when it comes to these two.

#oneshot #kotlc fanart #fintante #fintan pyren #councillor bronte #kotlc fintan #kotlc bronte #i did not proofread this

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immoralimmortals · 8 months ago

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Akatsuki Member Songs and Headcanons Part 2

I told you I could do this post over again with new songs! Some of the associations are more based on headcanon than others. The songs are linked in the headers. Hope you enjoy!

Hidan: BlackBoxWarrior - OKULTRA by Will Wood

This song...is definitely about someone who cannot die. Whats more: it is also definitely someone who has a strange relationship with pain and suffering. Hidan in canon so very clearly dislikes being in pain if he is not in his ritual form. Simultaneously, he says he'd love if someone managed to kill him. (I know he may be sarcastic but imagine the possibilities if he's not!) He's a gratuitous man of contradictions and confidence, and I think this song carries it well. Throughout are mentioned symbols of health and longevity in grotesque situations. You KNOW this man's body is fucked up, both by his hand and others. I want to cut him open and study him like an anatomical doll. The whole "interview" in the middle is me eventually grabbing him by the collar and going what the hell is fucking wrong with you! How can a severed head breathe and talk!

I've also heard that WW wrote this as a test to himself to get as many words in a normal length song as possible. It suits how much Hidan fucking talks. I also think it's a nice nod to the fact that he quite obviously introspects and thinks *a lot* despite being portrayed as headstrong and stupid.

Notable lyrics:

And through flight-or-fight revelation shame the Black Box Warrior He skipped this town and headed straight down history

His ego a mosquito, evil incarnate good incognito

For what? For what? For what it's worth If it was going to kill you boy, it would have by now For what? For what? For what it's worth There's no more looking back, it's looking up or looking down

He wondered if Christ Consciousness would charge a cancellation fee Auf wiedersehn, au revoir, he gripped his wits right by their ends

A bloody knife to split your infrastructure, wine to rev your motor function Coital machinations of the dead Well, you mainline your animus, karate chop your abacus And learn to be an animal instead

You've lost your mind and almost lost your life before So you'll be fine

Sasori: Thumbnail by Louie Zong and Brian David Gilbert

Something I've mulled over a long time is how the contradiction of how a man who prefers things to be long-lasting can also be so impatient. My interpretation so far is that this implies some level of anxiety; he wants things to last if they are comfortable for him to exist. That's why he doesn't mind his fight with Kankuro taking longer, despite just bashing Deidara for playing around. I think l, in perhaps the kindest way I can, that he is both shallow and more sensitive than he'll ever admit.

This is a song about wanting interactions condensed. If you tell me something bad, get it over with. But also, I don't know how to give you more than what I have. He's insecure about what he emotionally brings to the table, im sure. I figure that's a big reason he's destroying his humanity down to the core.

Notable lyrics:

Keep it quick, say it brief If it's fast, it will be a relief Short on time, that's a gift Count your seconds, and they'll catch the drift

Don't like what's revealed here When your depth of field's near, it's hard to come close Chip stones from the boulder Suddenly, my vulnerability shows Oh, you can crop and trim, 'till all that's left Is the essence of a presence that is feeling bereft Avant-garde, just the gist of a tale That is less of an image, and more of a thumbnail

How novel is a novel that can fit on one sheet It seems that I'm destined to fail To compress myself to the size of a thumbnail

Itachi: Blood on My Name by The Brothers Bright

Need I say more? Lots of individual lines that match up with his circumstances, especially his imminent death and the bodies he unfortunately racked up. And...of course...the Uchiha name is bloody as hell. His fate is inevitable, it is in stone and he is dragging his corpse to the finish line.

Notable lyrics:

When the fires, when the fires have surrounded you With the hounds of hell comin' after you I've got blood And I've got blood on my name

When the fires, when the fires are consuming you And your sacred stars won't be guiding you

Can't you see I'm sorry? I will make it worth your while Made of dead man's money You can see it in my smile Oh, Lazarus, how did your debts get paid? Oh, Lazarus, were you so afraid?

It won't be long, 'til I'm dead and gone Watch the fires rise, burn through my skin Down to the bone, scorchin' my soul

Konan: Saturn by Sleeping at Last

As tragic as life is, Konan is defined by her hope. This song references how others have come around time after time to help her see the light. This is a song that gets me emotional. It is slow, lingering, and forces you to drink it all in, every star and sorrow alike.

Notable lyrics: its literally the whole song so here's one verse

You taught me the courage of stars before you left How light carries on endlessly, even after death With shortness of breath You explained the infinite And how rare and beautiful it is to even exist

Deidara: Boss by The Correspondents

This man HATES his fucking job! He was just out there, vibing, and was forced to be an Akatsuki and remains more or less to exact revenge on an idea (that the Sharingan is perfect art). Petty bitch! But he kind of has a point, at least with the being forced to be Akatsuki part.

Notable lyrics:

I would love for this to not be an issue I would love to just laugh in your face But I'm finding it hard to dismiss you When you're the one running the place

We didn't ask for you to lead us We didn't want you to be boss You have done nothing but deceive us And it exacerbates our goals

Kakuzu: Six Feet by Patent Pending

This song is nearly perfect for my headcanons about him. The world is harsh, you must do as you must. He takes no joy in it. His ability to understand you or not does not affect your situation or relationship as shibobi. It is going to be what it is regardless. We are going to work until we die.

Notable lyrics:

When you hear that whistle blow, only the weakest go home Like their pain don't put food on their plate

You're keeping up, I see Well, it's a big world and it's only getting bigger And if you wanna be the best then you've gotta beat the best

Ain't nobody coming when you make the call 'Cause every man gunnin' for the first to fall Fill that bucket 'til the well runs dry It's left, right, left, 'til the day you die

Zetsu: Stalker's Tango by Autoheart

GREAT song if you want one for a ship with him. Describes over the course of its verses the increasing invasiveness and intensity of a stalker's relationship with the listener. References to being able to appear anywhere AND shape-shifting? Bonus! Also has a very calm yet arrogant, self assured air about the singer. I think it's great for him. I can imagine myself tied up in a chair while he explains himself to me with this song.

Notable lyrics:

I know, I know, I know this situation's strange It takes a little getting, a little getting used to

I know, I know, I know I'm always in your place But don't you see, my dear? I am your Doppelgänger I have your face

It's not that complicated, no matter what they say You'll never meet another me It's not that difficult to get your head around You'll never meet another me You'll never-never-never-ever-ever meet another me

Pain: Godhunter by Aviators

Hunting tailed beasts while claiming to be a god himself? A song where perhaps the godhunter becomes so powerful shes a God to be hunted???? YES!

...okay that last bit is largely my own very indulgent interpretation of this song. But I LOVE how it would suit him, being both the god and the godhunter in the plot of the story.

Notable lyrics: its literally the whole thing. Here's some cherry picked lines.

When you're holding on to majesty You'd fear the hunt, a travesty That balance may return

If you're something more than flesh, ascended And you've taken on the rest To end it then she'll find you in a dream, tormented Godhunter's gonna hunt you down

Tobi/Obito: The End of the Rope by They Might Be Giants

Who doesn't love a good villain song? You could almost think it's from a musical, how dramatic and explanatory it is. Very good representation of the heel turns this man makes to the protagonists throughout his character arc.

Notable lyrics: its the whole song. Here's the first verse.

How thoughtless of me How dumb can you be? Hopeless, wasn't that What you called me? And in fact It was even more true than you knew

Kisame: Delirium Tremendous by Felix Hagan & the Family

Kisame's a bit of what the kids would call, uh…blackpilled? He enjoys himself, yeah definitely, but he also knows he's a special kind of traitor, the lowest of the low. In my book, that makes him a little less low than some other villains in the series, but he would not agree.

To me, this song is a couple things. Most obviously, delirium tremens after drinking. Next overtly, it's about not being able to fit in. More specifically, it's about not being able to fit in among misfits who are defined by their abnormality, their abhorrent nature to regular society. He is a very alienated man, he wants the good, but he has accepted he is not and that the world as it is will never be that way unless someone else (Tobi/Madara, in his view) takes it by the reigns and changes everything about how it works. He yearns for something he does not feel he has earned or deserves. It captures a lot of vibes and emotions I associate with Kisame all at once: lonliness, sensation, aggressiveness, fighting, longing. AND it's a fucking bop!

Notable lyrics:

What would make you get so battered That your bones betray you, start to shatter And you can’t relate to all the happy little night-time boys and girls

Save breath, crave death Can’t be much worse And I'm sick, sigh, can’t abide This twitching track from wet to dry I’m too old to cry, too young to die Too rabid for the pack So I’ll spit, try to hold it in Search for a sign of life within And I’ll fake a grin, until my skin Is starting to crack

So just stay cool and break through this sick delirium state I got wasted, now I’m tasting the cruel justice of fate

#kisame #itachi #pain naruto #pein naruto #konan #deidara #sasori #obito #zetsu #hidan #kakuzu #akatsuki headcanons #akatsuki #tak talks

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disasterbijupiter · 3 months ago

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G Gundam side story English translation, Ch. 4 part 5 (end of Ch. 4!!)

(start from beginning) | (read previous part)

Click to view Ch. 4 content warnings!

Present Day

The Undefeated of the East and Domon listen intently to Lone Fox Seeking Defeat's monologue.

Undefeated of the East: “I see……… So that's how you ended up having a disciple………”

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “That's right… That time, when I saw him it reminded me that my life had meaning……… No, perhaps I learned the meaning of life for the first time.”

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat reminisces happily.

Undefeated of the East: “And even without the intent to kill, to get you in the back with a branch……… that's a far cry from a some idiot disciple.”

The Undefeated of the East looks cynically at Domon.

Domon: “Uh………”

Domon is unable to respond. As if to gloss over it, he returns to questioning Lone Fox Seeking Defeat.

Domon: “But, where is that disciple now? Someone of such talent would have made their name known in the world of Jianghu martial arts.”

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “He's dead………”

Domon: “What?!”

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “Even thinking back on it now, I feel it's unlikely such a talented person will ever come along again……… He probably would have far surpassed me and your master, Undefeated of the East here……… and yet…… and yet, that fool!!”

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat's sadness grows stronger.

The Past

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat and her disciple can be seen practicing diligently.

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “As promised…… I allowed the boy to become my apprentice, and I raised him as part of the School of ‘Lone Fox Seeking Defeat’………”

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat and the child grow more passionate in their training. Bringing their fists together, the two dance like flowing water as they perform routine after routine. They throw daggers at targets, flick pebbles to fell large trees, and train with a variety of melee weapons including using gun staves, swordsmanship, chuí hammers, whips, and rings.

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “!!!”

Child disciple: “!!!”

The two's staves, clashing together, simultaneously break apart and snap with a loud noise.

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “Hahahahahahaha!!!!!”

Child disciple: “!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Smiling, the two of them laugh together.

Before long, the disciple is no longer a child but growing into a young adult.

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat (Present-Day): “I found out when I took him on as an apprentice, but he was born mute……… I'm sure that's part of the reason for his strength of heart……… In the end, I never once heard my disciple’s voice……….”

The young disciple silently smiles.

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “And yet, I had the most amazing disciple ever, and I was living a truly satisfying life……… It felt unbelievable that I'd once been so hung up about the title of Master Undefeated of the East………”

Wearing white robes, the young disciple kneels before Lone Fox Seeking Defeat.

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat (Present-Day): “However, one day……… when my disciple returned after being out traveling for a while………”

The young disciple presents a letter to Lone Fox Seeking Defeat.

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “This is……… a Gundam Fight summons?!”

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat becomes astonished.

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “You accepted this?! Of your own free will?!”

The young disciple silently nods.

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat (Present-Day): “I simply just couldn't believe my eyes……… Did this apprentice forget the tragedy that happened when he was a toddler? What happened to everyone in the village? To his own parents, probably his whole family? Despite that, he would participate in the Gundam Fight that was the root cause of everything?!”

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat angrily takes up her white fan and strikes the young disciple.

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat (Present-Day): “And yet, no matter how much I questioned him he never divulged the reason! At the very least, just this once, speak to me!! That's what I thought!”

Silently kneeling in kowtow, the young disciple gets beaten.

Young disciple: “..................”

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “..................”

Finally Lone Fox Seeking Defeat stills her hand, and she stares indignantly at her young disciple.

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “Well, fine! Do as you like!! However, as of this day you are excommunicated!! Get out, now!!”

Furious, Lone Fox Seeking Defeat disparages the young disciple.

Young disciple: “..................”

Kowtowing once more, the young disciple leaves.

Present Day

Domon: “The Gundam Fight??”

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “Yes……… Like that, I once again became Lone Fox, and I spent that year in bitterness.”

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat slumps her shoulders.

X X X

~Reminiscence~

Alone once more, Lone Fox Seeking Defeat trains day in and day out.

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “......... You fool……… you utter fool!!!”

With lifeless eyes Lone Fox Seeking Defeat swings her sword against the red sky.

X X X

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “And then, when half a year had passed……… I received some news.”

Domon: “Which was……… You don't mean??”

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “News of my disciple's defeat……… and death………”

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat tries to stay calm. However, she loses control of her rage.

Lone Fox Seeking Defeat: “And…… the name of his opponent in that fight was none other than Neo Hong Kong’s Gundam Fighter, Undefeated of the East!!”

Domon: “!?”

Domon is shocked.

Undefeated of the East: “.........”

The Undefeated of the East gives a faint, ironic smile.

To be continued……

(continue to next chapter)

#finally the end of ch 4!!!#auughghgh 😭😭#g gundam #mobile fighter g gundam #g gundam side story #g gundam 30th anniversary story translation

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edenesth · 1 year ago

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The Way to His Heart [5]

Pairing: general!Seonghwa x wife!reader

AU: arranged marriage au (Joseon era)

Word Count: 3.7k

Part 4 | Fic Masterlist | Part 6

"She's severely malnourished, and the injuries on her body tell us that she's undergone quite the abuse, seemingly for years. But I assume you already deduced that much, yes?" Yunho stated as he turned to your husband.

Seonghwa nodded grimly, "Yes, unfortunately. Is there anything you can do to help with all the marks?"

"Given the lack of proper treatment for so long, most of her wounds have only worsened, resulting in permanent scars from various infections. I'll do my best to treat as much as I can, but please understand that I won't be able to eliminate most of these scars." The physician explained, not wanting to give the general any false hope of restoring your skin back to its original form.

Thankfully, Seonghwa wasn't naturally inclined to optimism, and he didn't care to entertain the idea of a miracle. He sighed, "I understand, Yunho. It doesn't matter to me if the scars remain, just... make all the pain go away for her. That's all that matters."

Though possibly surprised, Yunho didn't reveal it in his expression. That might have been the sweetest sentiment he had ever heard from the general. He nodded, "Very well. I'll need a few tools and herbs to prepare her tonic and ointment. Should I stay in the usual quarters until my work is complete?"

Eager to see her mistress recover quickly, the head maid was ready for action. She stood up as soon as her master addressed her, "Eunsook, you know what to do. Organise a team of servants to assist Physician Jung with everything he requires and prepare his usual accommodation."

Without having to be told twice, she swiftly moved to leave Seonghwa's room, "Yes, master! Please come with me, Physician Jung." The general watched as everyone exited his private quarters, leaving him alone with you.

Bringing a chair beside the bed, he seated himself next to you and mustered the courage to hold your hand. Gently rubbing his thumbs over your skin, he felt a pang in his heart, realising that it was far from how the hand of someone your age should be – smooth and flawless. Instead, it bore the marks of what he could only imagine as endless pain.

Reflecting on the unfounded accusations he had hurled at you after your sincere expression of gratitude during dinner, he wished he could turn back time and retract his words, if only it were possible. As if your life hadn't already been hell, he had only made it worse for you.

Suddenly, the notion of you being genuinely happy with The Cold Palace didn't seem so far-fetched. After all, who could fathom the inhumane living conditions you had endured for all those years? However, this realisation brought him no comfort; the fact that your life back in the Jang estate was so bad that you had to express gratitude for being given such a place was heartbreaking.

Seonghwa was jolted from his thoughts when he sensed your weak hand squeezing his. Looking up, he noticed your anguished expression as you cried in your sleep, your voice brokenly uttering, "I'm sorry..."

He felt his heart clench at the sight, prompting him to move and sit closer to you on the bed. Lifting his free hand, he gently wiped away the tears streaming from the corners of your eyes down your cheeks, "Hey, it's alright... You're safe now." He whispered, returning the soft squeeze to your hand.

As if aware of his presence, your eyes snapped open in alarm, and a whimper of fear escaped you as you saw him. For the first time in a long while, the general found no satisfaction in the fear reflected in someone's eyes. You gasped upon realising that the lifeline you were clinging to was him, noticing your hand in his.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" You cried harder when you realised your marks were still fully on display. Pulling your hand away from his, you grasped the sheets around you and clutched them close.

Despite the disappointment he felt at the absence of your hand, he didn't have time to dwell on it with your little panic attack. To ground you, he cupped your face with his hands, "Look at me," and you complied, your trembling eyes meeting his gaze, "Stop apologising and tell me what it is that you're sorry for."

"I-I'm sorry for all this," You gestured miserably to your own body, "I'm hideous. I'm tainted. I'm n-not good enough to be your wife, a-and I never will be. I-I don't deserve happiness... I was foolish to think I could find it h-here... with you."

Shaking his head, he caressed your hollow cheekbones, staring firmly into your eyes, "No, you listen to me. Never think that again. I forbid you from believing you're hideous or tainted or anything ridiculous like that. Whoever dares say you're not good enough to be my wife can go to hell because you're the only one I want. You deserve all the happiness in the world, and I will give you just that. You're not foolish to think that. I'll prove it to you."

Leaving you speechless, Seonghwa wrapped his arms around you before you could muster a response, pulling you close. The sudden warmth felt foreign but good, and you nestled your face into his broad shoulder, allowing yourself to relish the moment.

Am I dreaming? Feels too good to be true.

Marvelling at the luxurious interior of this beautiful room, you couldn't shake the feeling that this was all a product of your imagination. How could any of this be real?

The last memory you had was the general storming angrily into your room and ripping your hanbok open. After seeing you in your truest form, how could he have ended up acting this way towards you? It didn't make sense; he should have been disgusted and hostile. Instead, here he was, seemingly accepting you.

Exhausted from a lifetime of pain, you lacked the energy to question the reality of your situation. Even if it were just a dream, you decided to embrace it and savour the experience. On the other hand, if this was reality, you knew you had the rest of your life to understand his change of heart.

All that really mattered now was that the pain and the suffering stopped. If Seonghwa truly accepts you as his wife, the reason behind it doesn't seem important. You would simply be grateful for his kindness, or perhaps sympathy—whatever it was, you welcomed it wholeheartedly.

So long as there's no more pain.

With that decision made, you set aside the lingering questions in your mind and focused on how comforting it felt to be held in a warm embrace like this. A contented sigh escaped you as you whispered against him, "Thank you, my lord."

He responded by tightening his hold around your frame, gently cradling the back of your head with a hand, "No, don't thank me yet. I haven't done anything to deserve that from you. I've been horrible, the absolute worst. And for that, I'd like to apologise. I'm sorry, my dear. I promise you, I'll make up for it."

When you attempted to voice your protest, he halted you with a knowing shake of his head, "I know I may seem like an angel in comparison to the people who have... done all those horrendous things to you, but I won't lie and say that I'm proud of myself for the way I acted. You're important too, okay? You're the general's wife now, and I want you to remember that. I won't let anyone disrespect you again."

With a grateful nod, tears of relief welled up in your eyes. This transformed version of Seonghwa before you was a stark departure from the one you initially encountered. You didn't think he was capable of being so soft and caring, but you had no complaints; you could certainly get used to this.

"Oh, mistress! You're finally awake!" Eunsook exclaimed, standing at the room entrance with the physician in tow. This caused you and your husband to break eye contact. The general cleared his throat and averted his gaze, a faint blush tinting his cheeks when he realised the two had witnessed your shared intimate moment.

Yunho suppressed his smile and respectfully bowed at you, "Good day, Lady Park. I'm Physician Jung; it's nice to properly meet you." Blinking, you struggled to come up with a response, gaping at his handsome face.

While the elderly woman giggled at your loss of words, Seonghwa was less than amused at your reaction to the doctor's appearance. He scoffed lightly, finding it ridiculous that you were here gazing at another man after he had just poured his heart out to you.

How dare you be unfaithful this soon?

Upon catching the enticing scent of food, your eyes swiftly moved away from Yunho's face. Your face lit up as you finally noticed the bowl of piping hot congee in Eunsook's hands.

"Oh dear, you must be famished. With Physician Jung's help, we concocted this healthy meal for you. I know it's not very appetising, with all the medicinal herbs in it, but you must get better before indulging in tastier foods, alright?" She smiled encouragingly at you.

You shook your head as she approached with the bowl, "Not appetising? It already smells and looks better than anything I've ever had. Thank you for the food." You murmured, eagerly waiting as she fed you.

Unbeknownst to you, your innocent response had affected Seonghwa more than you realised, and it also surprised the physician. While Yunho had heard a bit about your situation from the head maid, he wasn't fully aware of the extent of it, and hearing it directly from you was truly heart-wrenching. That definitely explained the severe malnourishment.

The congee was gone within moments and Eunsook couldn't help but coo, "Well done, mistress." You bit your lip shyly, feeling embarrassed for devouring it in such an unladylike manner, but nothing mattered the moment the food touched your lips.

As if on cue, a group of servants arrived with a fresh set of clothes and bath supplies originally intended for you earlier in the morning. Turning toward the two men, the head maid bowed and gestured toward the door, "Master, Physician Jung, if you wouldn't mind stepping out. We shall bathe and change the mistress."

Yunho nodded, "Certainly, I'll be getting back to work then," and immediately excused himself, reassured to know you had finished your first sitting of medicine.

The general stood up from his spot, "Alright, Eunsook. I'll leave her to you for now. Take care of her for me." He said, moving to press a soft kiss onto your forehead. The action caused your eyes to widen, and all the servants internally squealed, shocked to see their master being so affectionate for the first time.

Your heart swelled as you watched him leave, his back suddenly seeming so reliable. It was hard to believe that he was your husband, yours. How lucky were you to be wedded to Park Seonghwa?

"Come, mistress. Let's get you cleaned up."

You observed with intrigue as the servants rushed around to prepare a bath for you, an experience you had never had before. However, as they began to assist in stripping off your clothes, you realised you had forgotten all about the marks on your skin earlier. Suddenly feeling self-conscious, you pushed the hands of the servants away and shook your head.

Reassuring you, they withdrew their hands with warm smiles, "It's okay, mistress. Please know we are all on your side; nobody here will disrespect or look down on you. You are now the official wife of General Park, and we will work our hardest to serve you."

The head maid nodded in agreement behind them, their sincerity deeply touching your heart, "Thank you for your kindness." You whispered, finally allowing them to help you out of your hanbok. They handled you with gentleness, and it took you some time to get used to it—finally not being manhandled like you always had been.

After they finished scrubbing you clean, the other maids momentarily left you alone to enjoy the bath, touched by your endearing demeanour—constantly expressing gratitude for every little thing. To them, it felt almost like caring for a child. Exchanging excited glances, none of them could hide their pleasure in having such a sweet mistress.

With your presence, perhaps the general's anger could finally subside, and the estate could experience some peaceful days. If only you knew the hope you had brought with your arrival.

Eunsook lingered in the background, cleaning and tidying up, while you played with the rose petals floating around the bath water. You couldn't recall the last time your life had been so relaxing, so peaceful. Turning to the elderly woman working nearby, you gathered the courage to ask, "This... this isn't a dream, is it?"

Setting down her supplies, she approached you with a motherly smile on her face, "I assure you, mistress, it is not. This is all very real. Perhaps the master's sudden shift in behaviour can be confusing."

She gently held onto your hand, "Trust me, he is actually not such a bad person at all. There's a good reason why all the servants here have been with him for a long time. Though he believes it is simply because of the good pay, it isn't. He just... has a hard time trying to express his feelings. Let's just say master did not exactly grow up living an easy life. He struggles to show his love because he has not been given nearly enough of it while growing up."

That sounds a little like me too.

Giving your hand a soft squeeze, she added, "And now, with you here, it seems we can all hope that things will change for the better, for master and for you, mistress."

"M-me? Better because of... me?" You whispered, returning the squeeze, and she nodded, "Yes, mistress. All because of you. You are our light and our hope. Thank you for coming to us. You're so important to everyone here, you know that? Never let anyone tell you otherwise."

You didn't realise you were crying until you felt a gentle touch as the elderly woman wiped away the tears rolling down your cheeks, assuring you, "No matter what happens, I promise you won't be alone anymore from now on."

Standing in the centre of the room later on, it almost felt like a dream come true as the servants attentively assisted you in getting dressed. For once, you felt genuinely cared for and respected, a stark contrast to your previous experiences at home, where most servants treated you as less than human.

Turning to face the mirror, a gasp escaped you as you gazed at your reflection, "You look beautiful, mistress. Master is going to love it." A servant exclaimed, admiring your natural beauty. Your eyes widened as you took in the pleasant appearance before you, surprised that despite the visibility of your scars, you could look appealing. It appeared that with proper care, hair, and clothing, you could indeed appear somewhat pretty.

I guess all hope is not lost.

"We'll be taking our leave now, mistress." The rest of the maids bowed in a line before you as they finished up. Panic crossed their faces when they saw you about to return their bows, and Eunsook stopped you in time, saying, "Oh dear, mistress! We'll have to work on that. Please remember you do not have to bow to any of the servants here, or anywhere, for the matter."

You nodded, "I'm sorry, I'll remember that next time."

She chuckled and shook her head, "That too, you do not need to apologise to us. We are here to serve you." The maids nodded to signal that the elderly woman was right, smiling encouragingly at you before bowing one last time and leaving to return to their other tasks.

"Now, there's still a bit more time before dinner. What would you like to do until then, mistress?" The head maid asked.

You blinked, realising you didn't know how to answer. You never had the luxury to do as you pleased; all your supposed spare time was spent rotting in your prison cell of a room. What did your stepsisters usually do? Right, make your life hell. That's what.

What do young ladies around your age do?

Suddenly remembering Eunsook's earlier words about having to work on what you should and shouldn't do, you perked up, "I... I wish to learn. I want to be a proper lady, to be a proper wife for the general."

You stared, puzzled, as the elderly woman tried to hide her cheeky grin, "Well, the master's study is full of all sorts of knowledgeable books. Maybe you can find something in there. Would you like to go there now, mistress?"

Finding nothing wrong with the suggestion, you agreed. The next thing you knew, you were left standing alone by the entrance to the study she had been talking about. She had explained that she needed to assist the physician with an important task before hastily disappearing.

Not wanting to be impolite, you knocked on the door and waited for a response, "May I please enter, my lord?" After a moment of silence, you knocked again, only to be met with silence.

Maybe he's not inside.

With a shrug, you cautiously pushed the door open. Your eyes widened when you immediately spotted Seonghwa seated at his desk, deeply engrossed in his reading with a slight furrow of his brows. Despite planning to leave, you found yourself rooted to the spot, admiring how attractive he looked, even when only sitting there.

As if sensing someone watching him, his eyes immediately shot up in alert, only to soften when he realised it was you. Caught off guard, you sputtered and bowed repeatedly, "I-I'm sorry, my lord! I didn't mean to spy on you or anything like that. Eunsook told me I could occupy myself with some books in here until dinner, and I—"

Too busy staring down at your feet, you didn't notice he had been making his way towards you. You gasped when his shoes came into view, looking up to find him right in front of you with a gentle smile on his face, "Relax, I'm not angry. You're welcome to spend time with me; I'd be happy to accompany you."

Looking at you closely now, his heart raced as he realised how stunning you appeared in this natural state, even more so than with a face full of heavy makeup, "You... you look beautiful, by the way." He remarked, watching with admiration as a blush tinted your cheeks when you quietly thanked him.

As you bit your lips shyly, he found it hard to look away, feeling a desire to kiss you that he had never experienced with any woman before, "M-my lord?" You stuttered, feeling flustered by the sudden attention he was paying to your lips.

With a hand outstretched, he cleared his throat and gestured for you to join him, "R-right, let me know what you're looking for. This is no royal library, but I'm sure I'll have whatever you need."

You gulped, shyly placing your hand in his waiting one, "I was hoping to learn more about lady etiquette. I... I want to be a proper lady and wife for you, my lord." His heart melted at that; despite the less-than-warm welcome he had given you, you were still willing to work hard and be better for him.

"Very well, come with me." Tightening his hold on your hand, he gently led you towards the bookshelves lining the side of his study.

As you passed by his desk, you couldn't help but do a double take at the reading material he had been so focused on just earlier. You'd recognise the Jang family crest anywhere.

"Wait, isn't that—"

Before you could inquire about it, Seonghwa was already in the process of tidying up the space and simultaneously putting the book away, "Sorry for the mess. Now, which area of lady etiquette did you want to start with first?" He asked, gesturing to the entire row of books dedicated to the topic.

"O-oh, I haven't really thought about that. I wasn't aware there were so many different areas. Gosh, I have much to learn..." You trailed off, your mind already reeling as you tried to figure out which area would be best to begin with.

He sighed in relief, successfully redirecting the conversation. His heart nearly stopped when he spotted the recognition in your eyes upon seeing your family records. The general didn't want to have to interview you in order to delve into your past; he didn't want you to relive any nightmares. More importantly, he didn't want to worry you by revealing any of the plans he had in store for your family.

« Preview of Part 6 »

Jongho entered his master's study that night, panting and puzzled to find the desk filled with books on... lady etiquette?

"S-sir?"

Seonghwa snapped up immediately, catching the assistant's appalled gaze on your books. He chuckled, "Oh, those are just your mistress' books. She said she wants to learn to be a proper lady and wife... can you believe that?"

Without himself noticing, the general had an almost dreamy look on his face as he smiled, lost in thoughts of you, unaware that he was letting it show on his face, revealing his affection for you.

"I see. I'm sure the mistress will no doubt make you proud with her studies soon." Jongho responded with a knowing grin, pleased to see his master being soft for a change, the intimidating General Park momentarily gone, all because of his wife.

Recalling his aide's purpose for being here this late, Seonghwa quickly turned serious, "Well, have you managed to find anything?"

The assistant immediately straightened up, moving closer to the general and lowering his voice, "I have, sir. With the funds you provided, I hired a private investigator willing to infiltrate the Jang estate. Fortunately, one of the older servants didn't take much to crack; she told him just about everything."

With a clenched fist, your husband asked for confirmation, "Well? Was it her father?"

Nodding, Jongho's expression turned grim, "It was as you assumed, sir. It was him, his wife, his stepdaughters, and even the servants. But there's... more. We've uncovered new information, the minister... he truly is despicable."

Sorry, this part took a little longer! Happy to report that I'm feeling much better! I was out all day with my family and immediately got to work finalising this as soon as I got home!

Thank you so much for 800+ followers! And as always, thank you for reading and I'm so excited to hear all your thoughts (or even predictions for what's to come😈), I promise I won't spoil anything in my replies! <3

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