#since the only thing maul openly is is angry

[maulfucker]

vaguely kinda want to write Latros fucking Maul.... it would not be good. they would not be good for each other. but the thought of it is entertaining itself in my head........

[hurtfairchild]

Clary/Jonathan, 3k, Rated E

Tags: Canon Compliant, Explicit Sexual Content, Vaginal Sex, Doggy Style, Masturbation in Shower, Sibling Incest, Dubious Consent Due to Magic Bond, Post-Episode: s03e19 Aku Cinta Kamu, Morgencest, Good Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern | Sebastian Verlac, Soft Siblings

@bannedtogetherbingo2020 prompt: Explicit Orgasm

Read on AO3

Part 3 of the Blood & Bone Series

Clary wakes up to the aftermath of their night of passion. Getting ready for interrogating the Seelie Queen takes a bit longer than expected as the real effects of the bond truly come to life.A follow-up to Blood & Bone and Blood & Body.

The sun coming through the window and landing right on her face was what woke Clary up the next morning. She probably could have slept through all the alarms in the world with how bone-deep exhausted she was.

She shifted her hips and had to bite down on her lip not to whine. She was so sore it hurt to think of moving. The sheets were pulled up to her chest, and she had no idea yet what her lower body actually looked like. But she could feel it would be a mess.

They hadn’t cleaned up before falling asleep, both completely worn out. Clary sighed. At least, hopefully, she would be sated for a while. For some reason, she could feel that she was threatening to become a little insatiable.

Clary turned around, muffling whines of discomfort. She’d iratze it as soon as possible, because this was so incredibly uncomfortable. She’d never felt this sort of ache before. She’d never had sex the way she’d had that night either.

Jonathan was laying on his side, his back turned to Clary. Clary’s eyes landed on the tracks of nails, red scrapes down his entire back, with dried blood stuck to specific deeper crescent-shaped marks. She’d absolutely mauled him.

From what she remembered of the night, her neck probably looked like she’d been mauled too. He liked hickeys very much. So did she.

Jonathan had relatively few runes on his back compared to Jace.

Clary reached out for him. Her fingers trailed down the runes and the scratches marking the pale skin. They had the same skin tone, she realized as she held her hand to his back. As she traced down his spine, she noticed the bruises.

They were pale and relatively healed and their existence wasn't exactly a surprise. But they were familiar. They were in the exact same spot as the ones she’d gotten from the skulls of the pillar.

The Twinning Rune. Everything that happened to her happened to him, and vice versa. Her eyes stopped on the nail scratches again.

Clary sat up suddenly, throwing the sheets back and rushing to the bathroom. She locked the door behind her, turned on the lights. They flickered for a second, too yellow for her taste. She stood in front of the full-sized mirror, inhaled deeply and looked.

She gasped.

Her hair was messy, her face a little splotchy with sleep, her throat and collarbone covered in blue-ish marks that Jonathan had sucked there throughout the night. Her hips were bruised as well, bruises shaped exactly like his fingers. Her inner legs were covered in dry white-ish semen, especially her left thigh, on which she’d rested during her sleep.

She turned around. The bruises of the skulls were still there but so were the rest. The tracks and marks angry red down her skin, with the little hints of dried blood from where she’d dug in her nails too hard. Clary swallowed.

Somehow, this was worse than seeing herself coming back from a hunt. The marks were everywhere, and she wondered if she would be able to hide them. Would she have to wear the physical proof of what she’d done with Jonathan so openly?

A knock resounded against the door of the bathroom.

“Clary?” It was Jonathan. He sounded worried.

“I’m okay.”

“You’re sure?” Jonathan continued. “Because I feel…very sore. And considering you didn’t fuck me, I’m thinking this is from your side of the bond.”

Right. The soreness. If he had her bruises and she had his scratches, then he had her soreness too. Clary grabbed a towel to wrap herself in, suddenly self-conscious. He’d never seen her completely naked. She’d refused to turn on the lights last night.

She wrapped the towel around herself, made sure it was not going to fall when she started to move and opened the door.

Jonathan hadn’t had the same urge for modesty. He was completely naked.

Clary’s eyes travelled down his chest and to the hickeys on his throat. The bruises on his hips matched hers. She forced herself not to go lower, not to see his cock. She looked back up to his face. His smile was a little cocky.

“Did I hurt you, last night?”

Clary shook her head. “No. It was just a lot for my body.”

Jonathan nodded. “I can feel that.” He shifted uncomfortably. “You should activate your iratze. It’ll make the rest of our pretty marks disappear but I’ll do my best to put some back.”

Clary shuddered. A part of her had hoped he wouldn’t want her again after the hours and many orgasms. But why wouldn’t he? She could feel the need for closeness buzzing through her again, pushing her to get close to him, to touch him, to feel him. There was no way he didn’t feel the same.

She forced herself not to listen to her brain. Instead, she walked past him, towards her stele on the bedside table. Jonathan’s eyes were on her, she could feel it. He was staring at her, maybe at the traces of come down her legs, maybe at the scratches visible above the towel. Maybe just at her, because he seemed to like to stare at her.

Clary took her stele in hand and slid it over her iratze. She closed her eyes as her back tingled, the nail tracks disappearing. When she opened them again, she didn’t have to look to know every mark was gone. The only thing left was the semen.

She turned around again, facing Jonathan. He was standing there quietly, watching her still.

“I’m gonna shower,” she said. She thought for a moment before adding, “Alone.”

Jonathan nodded, stepping out of the way. She shut the door again behind her.

She unwrapped the towel, letting it fall to her feet. This time, the mirror didn’t show her as much evidence of the night she’d spent with Jonathan inside of her as before, and she couldn’t help but sigh in relief. There were no hickeys to explain away to an hypothetical someone.

She stepped under the shower. She’d wondered before why Lilith’s apartment was equipped so perfectly for people without magic. She’d come to the conclusion that Lilith probably had guests over. Or maybe it was Jonathan who had added those. She didn’t really know.

The hot water ran down her back, the spray massaging her shoulders and head. With the water, Jonathan’s come was running off, washing away. She was clean, at least physically.

They would have to change the sheets. They were probably ruined by the fluids from their fucking, and Clary had no desire to fall back asleep into that mess later today.

Would he come to her again tonight, asking for a place in her bed and to fuck her? Would she say yes?

Clary felt a warmth settle in her groin at the very thought of it. She shifted, rubbing her thighs together and turned her attention back to the showerhead and the hot water.

But it was too late. Her body was incredibly fast at getting aroused, as if her libido was amplified. Just the thought of Jonathan’s body against hers again was enough for her to get wet. She tried to think of something else, but every time, her thoughts came back to sex.

Not only with Jonathan, actually. Sex with Jace, sex with Simon, sex with Jonathan, her own hands on herself. What it could have been like to experience vampire speed in bed if Simon had been just a tiny bit less careful and careful. How she should have asked Jace to use his heightened speed rune, just to see. She hadn’t realized how into those things she was.

Jonathan would say yes if she asked him to use his demon speed on her. He would say yes and wouldn’t ask why, wouldn’t judge, wouldn’t do anything but please her the way he had for hours the night before. Her last orgasms had blended one into the other, and she couldn’t remember anything but mind-blowing pleasure and the desire for more: closer, deeper, harder. It was like a beast in her stomach, insatiable and growing bigger every time she came. And she’d been coming a lot lately.

Clary’s hands travelled down her body, teasing her breasts and the sensitive skin right below her hip bones. She teased herself briefly before her fingers found her clit and pressed down; one first hard press that made a shudder of pleasure run down her body.

She slid her fingers lower, in between her folds, parting them. Searching for her entrance and sliding one finger in. She bucked against her own hand. Her left hand rested on the wall for support.

She wasn’t that gentle with herself. Her pussy screamed for hard and fast and she gave herself what she needed. There was no worry to have in between her and herself, nothing to think about except chasing her own pleasure. So she wouldn’t jump her brother’s bones the second she came out of the bathroom.

Clary knew her body. She knew her body enough to know exactly how to bring herself to orgasm as fast as possible. She came, groaning loudly. It was pleasing, yes, but it left her… unsatisfied.

She sighed heavily, letting herself rest her back against the wall of the shower. Usually, her masturbation gave her orgasms almost better than the ones she had with partners. But not this one. Not anymore. Not since she’d come on Jonathan’s cock.

She was barely coming down from her high that her pussy was wet again. It was all because of him.

Clary groaned in frustration, finishing her shower and getting out of the bathroom quickly after, barely dry.

Her frustration made her incredibly mad at Jonathan. He’d probably been masturbating too, that’s why she’d felt so aroused so fast. It was probably him, it had to be.

She shoved the door open and returned to the bedroom, waiting to see him lying there with his dick in his hand.

The bedroom was empty. The bed had been made with brand new sheets, square and perfect, the pillows fluffed up and the room itself tidied. Her sleepwear had been folded neatly and put on a chair next to her side of the bed. No, not her side of the bed, the side she’d ended up on when he’d been there. There were no sides of the bed.

Clary took off her towel and went to the closet. She slid on some underwear before choosing dark jeans, a long-sleeved black top and some high-heeled boots that would have suited Izzy if they’d been a couple of inches taller.

She took some time on her hair and her makeup, and she didn’t really know why. Maybe she was afraid of being bare-faced in front of the inhumanly beautiful Seelie Queen. She needed to look intimidating, not like a teenager.

Her eyes rested on the rune on her chest, the one that always looked red and angry, the one that was her tether to Jonathan. She softly traced it with her finger. She was happy to be by his side, despite everything. Despite how annoyed she was at him for masturbating earlier.

She walked out of the closet and the bedroom and walked towards the kitchen. A delicious odor wafted through the corridors, making Clary raise an eyebrow. Was Jonathan…cooking?

He had his back turned to her when she came into the kitchen. It was old fashioned, not open like the ones in most apartments these days, and with wooden cabinets. He was shirtless. She could see the now unmarked plane of his back, the runes peeking out from his hips and lower back and around his neck. The red of his hair, darker than hers, the same shade as their mother’s. And the heathered grey yoga pants that rested low on his hips.

She swallowed. “Was it really necessary for you to jerk off when I was in the shower?”

Jonathan chuckled, his shoulders moving slightly. “I didn’t. You certainly did.”

Clary found her face getting warm. In the reflection of the microwave, she saw herself blushing furiously.

“I felt… I thought it was from you.”

“I could definitely feel it. You were very aroused and it did turn me on, but I had better things to do. Cleaning up, and making breakfast. We do have to get a move on. The whole interrogating the Queen, you know.”

How could he be so calm? Clary felt a wave of shame at her own inability to control her arousal.

Jonathan turned around, looking at her with a little smile. “You always were a very fiery person, little sister. I’m not surprised that it would apply to all areas.”

How much of the last night had been due to her own arousal? She’d somewhat figured that the onslaught of desire was mostly coming from him but…she was starting to doubt herself. There was no way to tell who started it every time. They were getting so in touch with each other’s feelings…

Clary couldn’t help herself, her eyes travelling down Jonathan’s body. He was leaner than most Shadowhunters she’d seen, though she hadn’t seen that many of them shirtless. They just seemed to be broader, made themselves look broader and bigger through working out. Jonathan probably had the same strength as many Shadowhunters but he wasn’t…large. At least not shoulder wise.

Speaking of large, Clary kept looking down and stopped. She blushed furiously, looking back up at his face. His pants were tight. He seemed to like tight-fitted styles but she hadn’t been expecting to see the outline of his cock like this. She remembered the soreness she’d felt in the morning and though it was mostly due to the sheer time they’d spent fucking, what she’d just seen had definitely helped…

“See something you like?” Jonathan smiled. He looked young and happy and like this was a normal interaction. It still completely baffled Clary that Jonathan wasn’t ashamed in any way.

“What are you making?” Clary asked, diverting the conversation away from his anatomy and how it made her feel to see it like this. They hadn’t really done anything with enough light for her to see details.

“Crêpes,” Jonathan replied. “French pancakes. I wanted to take you to a crêperie when we were in France but our visit was cut short, as you know.”

Clary walked up to him. Paris with Jonathan had been…confusing. She’d hated him so much back then. She didn’t anymore. How could she? Jonathan had always loved her in a way she didn’t think anyone ever had. It was an unconditional sort of love that she was almost too overwhelmed to comprehend.

“I’m sorry I didn’t…understand you back then.”

Jonathan scoffed a little. She was about to ask why when the kettle started whistling and he turned back to the stove, the spatula in hand. Clary watched him. He was handsome like this, in the morning light, making her breakfast.

Why did she keep having these thoughts? Why did she keep thinking of him as handsome, being turned on when she saw his cock or want him in any way?

Jonathan poured the hot water into a small teapot. “Earl grey,” he commented. “Your favorite.”

Clary sighed a little. “Thank you.” He was so sweet .

She came up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He was shorter than Jace, so her mouth was about level with the top of his spine, where it met his neck in a bit of a notch. She kissed it without thinking. She felt a shiver run down his spine.

“My favorite’s gunpowder green,” he whispered. “If you wanted to know.”

Clary tightened her arms around him. “I’m sorry I don’t ask you those things. God, Jonathan…”

Jonathan. Saying his name had a different meaning than it used to have. It brought back the way he’d demanded she say it in bed, his eyes dark and beautiful and needy. It brought back the memory of his body against hers, his breath mingling with hers, his lips on hers. His cock in her.

Clary felt her desire rise again inside of her.

“How easily turned on are you?” Jonathan chuckled.

“I didn’t think this easily, and yet…” Clary chuckled as well.

Jonathan turned off the stove. The knob made a clicking noise as it hit the lowest setting. Slowly, Jonathan turned around. His eyes were bright and blue now. He was smirking.

“I can feel it,” he whispered. The softness in his voice, the little strain in it from desire made her shiver, tingles running down her spine. “I can feel that you’re turned on. And it turns me on too.” He let his hands travel down her arms. Clary’s hands were on his back now that he’d turned around.

“Could you feel me having sex with Jace?” she blurted out.

Jonathan laughed, a bright and short laugh.

"Yes,” he replied. Clary huffed. Of course he could. Why couldn’t he? "But not like I can feel it now. It was distant, blurry…more like a general feeling of satisfaction. Like a shiver down my spine. And the longer we were tied together…the more I felt, the more detailed. When you had sex with him in the apartment before we went to the club, I couldn’t ignore it. "

Clary breathed out. That was a lot to take in.

“I never felt you,” Clary pointed out.

Jonathan laughed again. “I’m not necessarily as sexually-driven as you are, sister. I’m attracted to a lot of people but acting on that attraction is not as uncontrollable to me as it seems to be to you.”

Clary watched him for a moment, his sharp cheekbones and how ethereal he looked right there, with the light pouring through the window directly on his pale skin.

“I’m special then,” Clary hummed. “You seem to want to fuck me a lot.”

Jonathan shrugged. “You’re a very attractive person, Clary. And I love you.”

Clary decided to just ignore that last part entirely. Maybe just having sex was much easier than anything else right now.

“Do you want to fuck me right now?” Clary asked, smirking at him.

Jonathan smirked back. “Yes,” he nodded. “Do you?”

Clary nodded and leaned up, pressing her lips against his, hard. He kissed her back, his hands roaming over her body. She closed her eyes and melted against him, forcing herself to forget it all, forget the shame, and focus only on him; on his body, on the pleasure they shared.

Jonathan’s hands travelled to her ass, pulling her up to carry her to the counter. “Counter okay? I can get you to bed.”

Clary attacked his lips in all response and he put her down on the counter. He started unbuckling her belt and unzipping her pants. He stopped for a moment, leaning back. Clary groaned in annoyance as he stopped kissing her.

He sighed, looking at her. “Your pants are annoying.”

Clary looked down, frowning a little, before she got what he was saying. She would have to completely undress for it to be manageable without ripping clothing and since he probably felt as heated and turned on as she did, he didn’t want to bother.

“You can fuck me from behind,” she shrugged.

Jonathan looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She could feel that he was gonna make a sarcastic comment before he even opened his mouth.

“Wouldn’t want you to think I’m Jace again.”

Clary hit his chest slightly. “I said I was sorry!”

Jonathan grinned and leaned in to kiss her, hard and deep. Clary shifted her hips. She was dripping wet and didn’t want to wait longer to have sex.

He helped her back down the counter and she turned around, leaning against the stone. His deft fingers pulled down her pants and underwear quickly. There was a bit of shuffling behind her before she felt the head of his cock against her folds. She inhaled before he thrusted in.

They both moaned with pleasure. Clary grabbed onto the counter to steady herself.

“Move, Jon,” she groaned. Jonathan chuckled, surprised, but obeyed.

Jon? Really? Clary pushed the thought back to the pile of ‘would need to be thought of later’ and focused on the feeling of him fucking her.

Clary fucked herself back on his cock, keeping perfect pace with him. He felt so good inside of her, their pleasures mingling together perfectly. It was heaven to be close to him in that way, their bodies and their feelings fitting into each other. It was always the best thing she’d ever felt.

His lips were on her neck again, sucking hard on her skin, right against her iratze. The iratze they both had at the exact same spot. Jonathan’s right hand caressed down her arm to her hand and nudged it slightly, before taking hers in his.

Clary gasped. “Jonathan,” she moaned. “God, it’s so good.”

Jonathan moaned against her ear. “I know. We feel so good…we feel so right…sister…” he groaned. “Raziel…” His thrusts got faster and harder. “Clary, I’m so close.”

She was getting closer and closer too. Jonathan’s hand left hers. He went directly to her pussy, starting to rub against her clit in time with his thrusts. Clary cried out.

It took a few thrusts for her to come screaming his name. When she opened her eyes again, slowly coming down from her high, she’d realized he’d come to, right at the same time as she had.

Clary was breathing hard, and so was he. She could feel his chest moving against her back, his hands still keeping her tight against him. She let herself lean against him, rest against him. She was safe with him.

“Fuck,” she whispered. “That was perfect.”

Jonathan kissed the back of her neck tenderly. “It was.” He sighed softly. “You should wear more skirts if we’re going to keep doing this. I much prefer being able to see you come, little sister.”

[psyga315]

Fixing RWBY Volume 5

Well, here we are. Volume 5. The hot mess that helped spark a new generation of critics. Sure, Volume 6 also had its share, but it was more focused on Adam and the Bees. Volume 5 destroyed a lot of things and caused people to voice their complaints. It was so bad, RT had to literally appease the public by giving them exactly what they want. You ever wondered why Ruby suddenly gained prominence as a character in Volume 6 or the sudden focus on Blake and Yang’s relationship or even Penny’s return?

But why is Volume 5 so bad? Well, I made a lengthy post about it, but the long story short of it is that a combination of RT’s over ambitiousness of RWBY, its lack of resource management, and the writers clearly having no idea how to pace scenes out led to a Volume that felt more like the writers just wanted to get it over with and failed to live up to its core theme. I brought this up time and time again with my tweaks that each of the volumes carried with it a certain theme.

Volume 1 was about beginnings and friendship, Volume 2 was about stepping into danger, Volume 3 was the theme of falling, Volume 4 was the theme of picking yourself back up, Volume 6 was outgrowing your mentor’s advice, and Volume 7 was about trust and fear. What’s Volume 5’s theme? Well, from the interviews mentioned in the Reddit post and the opening song, the theme revolves around solving problems on your own and, most importantly for this rewrite, shouting “We’re not done here!”, which, if you’ve seen Volume 5, went more like this:

“Let’s wait until the bad guys call us to fight them. Then we’ll cry about how things aren’t going our way until this guy goes about feeling up- I mean, healing up this girl.”

Obviously, this needs to be changed. Unlike the other tweaks where I change one or two major elements of a Volume and mostly shuffle things around for better coherency, this is just gonna outright be a full rewrite, since while I mostly let things go as they are, the problem with Volume 5 is that nothing should go as they are.

In fact, all the tweaking I did is basically building up for Volume 5. All the bits where Ozpin is untrustworthy? To better sell Yang getting all pissy about BIRDS. Hazel’s appearance? To make him a much more prominent character. Everything in regards to Adam and the White Fang? To set up a better closure for the White Fang subplot. It’s all been to try and fix Volume 5. If Volume 3 is the lynchpin for which all other Volumes try to imitate, then Volume 5 is the lynchpin for which all other Volumes try to avoid being. Like I said, RT had to basically give viewers a shit ton of cookies just to make up for how bad Volume 5 was.

So, instead of going by this arc by arc, I’m gonna go the more traditional route and rewrite the Volume episode by episode. My obligatory recommendation is a mishmash of Volume 5 rewrites that Unicorn of War made. I mean, he made about 3? 4? I lost count.

Episode 0 (Trailers)

Okay, these need to be changed. The point of a character short is to highlight the character’s strong points. Not make them weak or focus on someone else. Ruby’s character short did this, Adam’s character short did this, the original trailers did this, so why the hell did they drop the ball with Weiss losing to common undead mooks and Blake listening to a backstory that isn’t even in the show proper?

So, we’re going to change all this. Weiss’s character short has her fighting against the Beowovles and she manages to win. Winter comes by, but points out how sloppy she was and reveals that she held back. She then gives a foreshadowing line of “if this were a real battle, you’d most likely be bleeding out from that last blow.”

Blake’s character short goes more into detail of what happened to Ghira. Namely him getting gunned down by random humans and in a later scene, Blake fighting them to get revenge, only to stop herself. Adam steps in and personally finishes off the humans, which causes Blake to realize just how much of an asshole Adam is.

Yang’s character short is somewhat the same, but drop the stupid plotline of Ruby learning hand to hand, since RT wants to pretend it never existed to begin with. Also, let’s not have Yang’s aura flicker and tell the Audience she has no aura when you literally just explained a day or so ago that no aura means no semblance.

Alright, now let’s finally get into it:

Episode 1

We open right where the stinger of Volume 4 leaves off with Jaune and co visiting Pyrrha’s mom and dad and dropping off a spare shield that RT joked about in an interview that forever scarred the Floof Artist and blurred the lines of if RWBY should be an anime or a cartooooooooooon. It’s meant to set the tone for this Volume as we get a brief bit where Ruby and Qrow explore the rest of Mistral and not just look at mat paintings. Also, show that it’s in a state of chaos instead of two people with some bamboo heart plant thing.

We also have bits that catch up with our cast. Weiss hears a distress signal and much to Pilot Boi’s demands, she commandeers the ship and flies to them. Blake and Ilia meet for the first time since the fight and Blake argues with her on why she’s vouching so much for Adam. Ilia only warns her to leave Menagerie before she gets hurt and leaves before Blake asks for details. Yang and Heather gang up and get Not!Bakugou to drag them to the bandits.

RNJR and Qrow meet up with Lionheart, who fills them in on the crisis as Qrow tells him that he had to explain the Relics since Ozpin is no longer with them. Namely, Mistral has tons of Grimm going around, not helped by bandits who are making bad matters worse. When Qrow mentions that the Spring Maiden is among the bandits, he nearly has a heart attack. “Bandits are one thing but magical bandits!?”

He also answers Jaune’s question with the same response: “Nothing but lies and forgeries.”, which makes Jaune angry and openly complains about it before Ruby tries to help him. “Hey! We may not have gotten what we wanted, but people here need our help.” When Ruby says this, Qrow decides to inform the group about the possible home base of Raven’s tribe. Note that he does not mention that she’s Yang’s mom nor do they know. Lionheart is a little startled and warns that they only have one shot at this and if they fail, Raven’s tribe will scatter into parts unknown, if they haven’t already. He tries to get them to stay, but Ruby is insistent to stop Raven at the very least, with securing the Spring Maiden being a secondary mission, not asking why she’s important, since she kinda got the idea from Jaune when he recounted how Ozpin forced the Maiden powers onto Pyrrha.

As they leave, Lionheart sighs and warns Watts about it, only for him to say that this game of chess was out of his hand to begin with. The most Lionheart can do is provide the team with the one Huntsman who is at his Academy…

Later that evening, Qrow goes for a drink while RNJR prepare for their mission. He is approached by Oscar and Lionheart. Lionheart says that Oscar had arrived at Haven days ago and refused to leave when he’s told that school’s out for the summer. He leaves Oscar to Qrow while saying how “a day out in the field is worth a week in school.”

As Oscar is alone with Qrow, he asks for his cane in a voice that is not his. Ending the episode there.

Episode 2

Lionheart informs Salem about RNJR arriving at Haven with Qrow and that they’re on their way to retrieve the Spring Maiden. He advises Salem to act quickly, but Salem hushes him (no, she does not strangle him) and says that she’s got the situation under control. She then advises Watts that he is no longer needed at Mistral and is to return to Evernight before the others find him. Watts uses the Seer to teleport and he and Cinder have a bit of a snarkfest now that Cinder can talk before Watts leaves to make Tyrian’s tail.

Cinder then asks Salem to personally be the one that kills Ruby, only to be warned that Ruby’s Silver Eyes are a hazard to her. “She is merely a novice with the Silver Eyes and yet put you on death’s door… I don’t want you to get hurt again.” Cinder just flares up and goes “I. Won’t.” And storms off.

Weiss battles with Lancer Wasps like in the original, but she’s acting on initiative so people are being saved. Battle proceeds like normal, but when Weiss crashes the plan, she and Pilot Boi survive before being kidnapped by Raven.

We cut to Adam and Sienna doing their usual talk, but instead of Sienna going out like a bitch, she actually has a battle with Adam because I assume in this universe, RT knows better than to fuck up like this. I’d compare it to Maul vs. Vizsla from the Clone Wars.

Meanwhile, Ruby and co. are ready to depart before Qrow approaches them, drunk, with Oscar, who quickly informs the group that they may know him better as Ozpin… Cue Jaune becoming shocked at first… then turning into outright rage. End episode.

Episode 3

We open with Kali making a speech on Adam’s plans to destroy Haven Academy and the rest of the Menagerians hesitant to step forward. One of the guards approaches Kali, then stabs her. In the chaos, the guard runs off, then appears through the crowd, shedding her disguise and revealing herself to the audience as Ilia, who gives her whole “Now is the time to side with Adam” speech and also reveals how her parents died in the dust mines. This goes into a brief scuffle between Sun and Ilia that Ilia gets out of by disguising herself as Blake when Blake joins the fight. This is where you can do that Blake slaps Sun bit, but instead, it’s Ilia who slaps Sun.

We then cut to Jaune slamming Oscar against the wall and shouting: “YOU BASTARD! HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE!?” Ruby tries to pull Jaune away, but he won’t budge. Oscar, still in Ozpin’s voice, gives the explanation that he is able to reincarnate but hides why or how he can do this. In fact, he hides that his “reincarnation” actually means his soul becomes linked to another’s, much to Oscar’s chagrin. He explains that Lionheart has been very sketchy and warns not to listen to what he says. He then advises that they should move quickly. Note that he doesn’t say that they need to train, since the training arc goes nowhere and we need to not only streamline this but make it a lot more entertaining. Ozpin then de-possesses Oscar, who cries about his hurt back, immediately bringing Ozpin’s methods into question for Ruby for the first time.

Weiss awakes to find herself in a cage next to Pilot Boi, who just gives her a comedic calling out just before Vernal and her troops come in and drag out Pilot Boi. Vernal looks to Weiss and tells the bandits “she’s important. Leave her be.” Weiss asks what’s going on as Vernal tells Weiss about how she’s going to be used as a bartering chip. For what, we don’t know yet, but it’s clarified that she’s not being ransomed back to her father. Vernal then explains that Pilot Boi is merely a spare and that they can do what they want. As she says that, she goes to Pilot Boi as he is held down in front of Raven. Vernal approaches Pilot Boi as Weiss looks on in worry. We then end the episode with a crash of lightning.

Episode 4

Heather and Yang get ambushed, but beat up the gang with ease, then enter the tribe, though not without seeing Pilot Boi’s charred corpse crucified outside the gates as a warning for intruders. Heather and Yang get their weapons ready.

We cut to RNJR, Oscar, and Qrow, who are walking to Raven’s camp. Along the way, Oscar is given a lecture from Qrow on Aura, namely on how to activate it. He then asks Ruby, as she’s the youngest of the group, if fighting is as easy as huntsmen make it out to be. Ruby gives the naïve answer of “of course!” though Jaune brings up how inexperience is discouraged. As Oscar grows afraid of Jaune, Jaune sighs and apologizes. “Sorry, I’m not entirely sure what’s going on with you and Oz right now… I don’t hate you… Just the voice inside you.”

“I know… I hate it too…”

Qrow stops them and tells them they’ve arrived.

Cut to the tribe letting Yang and Heather in where they confront Raven… Heather questions if she’s the one responsible for not just the destruction of several villages, but also the disappearance of huntsmen too. Already, this should send warning flags, but Yang decides to ignore them.

Yang: Take off that mask, Raven.

Raven: Is that anyway to treat your mother? {Heather gives a WTF look}

Yang: My mother is dead and you know it.

Raven: {sneers} Regardless. You’ve proven yourself by coming out to find me. I guess you grew tired of Ozpin’s teachings and wanted to join the winning side.

Yang: That’s not why I’m here.

Raven: Then why are you here?

Yang: For my sister.

Raven: Well, hate to disappoint you, but she’s not here.

Yang: That’s why you’re going to bring me there with your Semblance. It can create portals with you and a close bond, right?

Raven: So… you know about that. Well, unfortunately for you, I don’t respect that brat enough to make a portal.

Yang: {eyes go red} Don’t talk about my sister that way!

Raven: What’s so important about her anyways? From her eyes, she’s already a lost cause for that Ozpin.

Yang: What do you know about Ozpin? You got kicked out the moment he saw that you’re using his teachings to kill innocent people!

Raven: Is that what Taiyang told you? Foolish. Simply foolish. I didn’t get kicked out of STRQ. I left STRQ. I’d rather use those teachings for better things than what Ozpin had in store. He turned my brother and your ‘mother’ into his personal attack dogs and put one of them down when they got too gabby.

Yang: {about to go into a frenzy} You shut your mouth!

Vernal: Are we going to have a problem?

Yang: {sees she has Myrtenaster} W-where did you find that?

Raven: {nods to Vernal, who goes over to reveal a caged Weiss} We had anticipated your arrival since you stepped foot on Anima. The fact that one of your friends just so happened to be close by gave us the perfect bargaining chip.

Yang: What are you going to do to her?

Raven: Nothing, if you join us. {Weiss looks at Raven, having suddenly figured out that’s what Vernal meant}

Yang: And if I refuse?

Raven then signals Vernal to execute Weiss. Just then, Ruby intervenes and speed blitzes her. Weiss then breaks out of the prison with her summon as JNROQ come in. The group is surrounded by bandits as everyone quickly finds out that Raven is Yang’s mom. Ren is the first to attack, seeing Vernal and believing her to be the child he made friends with back in Kuroyuri. This begins a massive clash that is sure to sate the appetites of those who want to say “RWBY’s about four girls who kick ass” and give a taste of what’s to come.

The group have little time to figure out what’s going on. Just that Ren, Weiss and Nora are fighting Vernal (this is where you have Weiss trying to summon only to get shot by Vernal), Jaune is battling some bandits with Oscar and Heather, and Ruby and Yang try to fight Raven, only for Qrow to interfere and say that Raven’s on a whole different level. Raven retreats and after battling some bandits for quite a bit, Hazel comes out of the tent. Turns out that Fort Castle (the place where Adam fought Sienna) was not too far from Raven’s base. Ruby and Hazel reunite briefly before Hazel apologizes and enters the fray. He makes everyone his bitch and that’s without the Dust Crystals. Heather and Qrow are the only ones to give him an even fight, but he quickly overwhelms them too thanks to his Semblance.

While the group manages to fend off the bandits, it’s clear that with Hazel, Raven, and Vernal, they need to make a retreat, especially since Raven asks Hazel to bring in “that Adam boy”, making Yang go full PTSD mode. However, before they could leave, Hazel defeats Heather. Ruby protests that he shouldn’t kill her, but her pleas fall on deaf ears as he finishes Heather off. Ruby begins to cry and asks why he killed her. Hazel just replies “She made her choice.” The group retreat back to Mistral as we end the episode with Raven going back into the camp as we see that a Seer Grimm is inside her tent.

This reveals a rather big twist: Raven is also in league with Salem’s crew, acting as Huntsmen removal instead of Tyrian and Hazel (since they were too busy with their stuff in Volume 4) and it also explains why Salem and the others aren’t as hard-pressed about the Spring Maiden as they should be. They already have her in their grasps and, were it not for Cinder getting Silver-Eye’d, Cinder would have immediately gained the Spring Maiden powers.

Episode 5

After that rollercoaster of an episode, the story relaxes with Sun trying (comedically) to get people to join in the battle for Haven, only for Blake to stop him and tell him that it’s futile. She just visited her mom, who is currently recovering in the house, and tells Sun that they should just give up and leave. Sun refuses, since he wants to give Adam a thing or two about giving Faunus like him a bad name. Were I to completely redo Sun’s character, I’d definitely see him as Claude from Fire Emblem: Three Houses.

Blake then explains to Sun who Ilia is, complete with a Burning the Candle-like flashback. This is where her backstory comes in. She then explains who Adam is. We don’t get a flashback and even so, she knows little about him. Just that he came to the White Fang one day, asserted himself, then when Ghira was assassinated, took the reins of the White Fang, leaving Sienna Khan to be a puppet leader. As such, Blake believes that she’s the one who made Adam the monster he is, when audience members can obviously tell that’s not the case. It’s just Blake putting herself down and Sun points out how this is probably something Adam said to her to make her feel small. If you’re not getting it by now, Sun is basically where Blake learns a lot of Adam’s tactics from and eventually, she becomes a much better person at handling Adam’s BS. The reason why he knows all this is from his own personal experience. To ensure there’s no “mystery box” element, I’m gonna nip it in the bud and say his father’s the RWBY version of King Louie… Which given how he sings about wanting “man’s red flower” and how people compare Adam to Mowgli because he killed Sienna Khan…

Oooooooh, this could be really cool but this is a tweak, not a fanfic. FOCUS! … I want to say that Adam was an experiment by Vacuan scientists (read: shamans who prefer using Dust as science) before being dumped to the Schnees as part of a deal and that’s how we got his Semblance being as weird as it is.

Back at Haven’s dorm, RWYJNR are shaken up from the battle, not to mention Ruby having personally seen her friend’s father murder someone before her eyes. Oscar himself is rather shaken up. Qrow is the only person unfazed, but that’s because he’s always drunk instead. While everyone takes their time in recovering, Ruby and Oscar talk about the future, as Heather was an experienced Huntress. This is where the infamous speech comes in, but Ruby doesn’t blame Salem for killing Penny and Pyrrha, rather she blames Cinder, then mentions how she’s a pawn of Salem and expresses doubt if they could beat her.

Cut to the Albains. They have no communications with Adam and so they have to move on their own. One of them decides “let’s kill Kali!” and the other’s like “uh, isn’t that going to cause people to turn against us?” “No, no, it’s okay dude, they can trust us!” all while Ilia is like “… wtf?” and Yuma’s like “only here for a few minutes, use me effectively.”

Episode 6

Qrow investigates and finds that all the other Huntsmen have met unfortunate ends and all assigned to the same quest: stop the bandits. He mutters about how Raven could do such a thing, only to find a young girl crying and asking for her mother. It’s made clear that this is Heather’s kid and Qrow, for the first time in a longass while, begins to feel remorse, if only because he mistook her for Ruby.

We cut to Raven as she has a meeting with Vernal, Hazel, and Adam. It’s clear that RWYJNR are gonna try and return and rather than prepare for a rematch, Raven proposes to nip it in the bud. She also dotes on Adam a bit, saying how he is better than Yang in every way possible. We don’t know the full extent of what she means just yet, but we’ll find out later.

Ren and Yang have a chat about Raven. Ren’s absolutely pissed that Yang’s mother is the person who torched his town and stole his friend (he assumes she’s kidnapped and is being forced to fight against her will) while Yang is just as irritated that Raven tried to use her friend as leverage. Weiss copes with having seen someone die in front of her and Nora comforts her, casually joking that, if Vernal tried that on her, she’d be sorry. Ruby, Oscar and Jaune discuss on what to do going forward, having Ozpin come out so that they can get some sort of advice, much to Jaune’s chagrin.

Ozpin, however, refuses to speak. Before Jaune could get upset with Oz, he cites that even walls have ears. Cut to Yang as she sees a red-eyed raven outside her house. She quickly remembers the red-eyed raven from Patch, both the one that screamed at Ruby and the one that was there when she lost her arm. She instantly goes on the defensive as the bird flies through the window and changes to Raven. Yang asks how she can do that and she merely says “Oz did this to me.” End of episode.

Episode 7

Everyone rushes in as Raven brings in her proposition: Surrender Yang and she’ll spare the rest of the group. Refuse and they will have the fight come to them. Ozpin interjects and offers Yang in trade for the Spring Maiden, to which everyone, Qrow included, goes “WHAT THE ACTUAL F, DUDE!?” The two have a little back and forth as Ozpin makes clear that she chose to have these powers and points out that if she was salty about being able to turn into a bird at free will without any drawbacks, he could gladly take them back by force. This casual threat is enough to make Raven back off, only to warn the others that a storm is coming.

With that, Ozpin is forced to explain quite a bit. This, unfortunately, is where we can’t mince the scene, since Ozpin has to explain what’s going on. I guess the only way to make it more effective is a little back and forth where the characters share what they do know about Ozpin’s magic and Ozpin fills them in on what they don’t. First and foremost, Yang is not upset about Ozpin and BIRDS. The person being upset is Jaune, especially since Ozpin reveals that not only did he create the Maidens in the first place, but also that by “reincarnate” he meant inhabit the body of a young boy. This is made worse when he reveals accidentally that he is able to reincarnate earlier than intended if he chooses to die instead of being killed.

This sets Jaune off since, as far as he can tell, Ozpin is responsible for Pyrrha’s death more than Cinder. Cinder may have killed her, but it’s Ozpin who not only put Pyrrha in that position, but also paved the way for Cinder to overpower her. Before they could get into a tussle, Yang shouts and has Ozpin promise “no more lies, no more half truths”. He obviously lies about promising that and Qrow can see the crossed fingers behind his back.

We then end with Cinder and co arriving to make negotiations with Raven.

Episode 8

The beginning actually stays the same, all things considered. The only massive change is that Yang is not easily convinced to want Blake back because Weiss told her “lol, my mummy was drunk so shut it”. In fact, we see the others talk about Blake and Jaune is the most bitter, even more than Yang, because Blake was a White Fang member and refused to share any information regarding them, which could have led to an easier time dealing with the Fall.

Ruby puts her foot down and tells Jaune to stop being so salty over Pyrrha’s death, but is quickly outvoted since Ren and Nora are also upset that Pyrrha died. She’s frustrated and goes to interrupt Qrow and Ozpin discussing what to do regarding Raven. She asks Ozpin what he knows about the Silver Eyes, saying how it’s the only thing that might incapacitate Vernal. Ozpin tells her he doesn’t know too much about Silver Eyes, as he did not have any himself, but reassures her that the Silver Eyes would have no impact on a Maiden.

Raven and Cinder chat and Cinder makes it clear that it’s time for the Spring Maiden to relinquish her powers to her, reassuring Vernal that she can make it quick and painless. Raven stops Cinder and says that Ruby and the others have set their sights on the Spring Maiden and that if she were to take them now, she’d have a target on her back, reminding Cinder of the Silver Eyes. She then makes a proposal. Salem has given them a blank check on how Haven falls since they have all the cards on the table, so why not kill two birds with one stone… Or rather, kill one crow and seven kids with one army?

Blake’s bit with Ilia stays the same as well, but the difference is that Ilia wants to keep Blake for herself instead of sending her to Adam, saying how she can keep her safe. Yes, this edges her more into the Psycho Lesbian route, but unintentionally. She genuinely cares for Blake’s well-being and not in some sort of yandere bit. Sun intervenes and the group runs back to the house while the guards have a war with the White Fang.

Episode 9

We instantly kick off the Battle of Menagerie instead of a long, drawn out sequence of Raven talking with Cinder. It mostly stays the same, but how the house catches fire is different. Blake sees Ilia in the dark, shoots her and goes “rly?”, though, in the middle of this, the Albains begin to fight amongst each other.

Corsac is willing to kill the Belladonnas for the cause (“THEY’VE GIVEN US NOTHING BUT GRIEF!”) while Fennec is trying to convince him that Adam is a lost cause and they need to replace him. During this scuffle, it’s revealed that Corsac was the one who set up that roadside ambush that killed Ghira, believing that Ghira was weak and that they needed a stronger leader ready to give the Faunus much needed progress. Fennec tells him that all it’s given them is chaos.

The two clash and set the house ablaze. Ilia realizes that Blake would be in immediate danger and struggles to save her instead of seeing the assassination to the end, thus redeeming her as she nearly dies saving Blake. Sun sacrifices himself to get Kali out of the burning building, but its revealed to have been his Semblance at work. When Sun shows up, Blake finally slaps him for realises, and this time, for good reason.

Blake gives her “humans didn’t do this” speech, Ilia playing a recording of Corsac’s hand in Ghira’s death, and this motivates the crowd to fight for Haven. Fennec emerges, heavily burned and carrying his brother’s tattered cloak. He has much to atone for and offers to remain on Menagerie with Kali to establish a new White Fang, giving Blake the task to destroy the old one. Ilia, Sun, and Blake go with the Menagerian army to Haven, with their captain, having comedically been neglected all Volume, finally getting the spotlight… He’s going to steal Robyn’s line of “still here, everyone” because honestly, that has a better spot here than in the show proper.

Episode 10

Lionheart messages the crew that Raven had left Vernal at his office and they go. They know full well it’s a trap and so Qrow elects to stay behind in bird form. Lionheart instantly stammers and freaks as he sees kids and not Qrow.

Lionheart: W-where is Qrow?

Ruby: I don’t know if you’ve heard of us, but we’re Teams RWBY and JNPR. We’ve accomplished many things without an adult to save us or tell us what to do-

Weiss: Uh, technically-

Ruby: {whispers to Weiss} Ssssh! You’re ruining my groove! {speaks to Lionheart} Even though we’re incomplete, our friends are by our side. And that’s why… {she points her sniper rifle at Lionheart} We’re not going to fall for your tricks!

As she fires, a fireball comes out and there’s a large explosion as Cinder flies through the smoke. The Battle of Haven begins as, one by one, the villains enter the fray. First Cinder, then Emerald and Mercury, then Raven and Vernal, and lastly Hazel. Lionheart is reluctant to fight, but Oscar forces his hand.

Meanwhile, outside, Qrow is attacked by Adam and the two duel it out for the episode. Maybe have Qrow quip a line like “so, you’re the one who severed my niece’s arm? Well, why don’t you give me a leg?” and some joke about equivalent exchange that would be funnier if Vic had voiced Qrow in this universe.

I’m not gonna sugar coat it, the Battle of Haven, at least in the opening act, is a battle royale and one that V5 should have been. We have six people going up against six people, each of them taking turns at their opponents and switching out every now and then, the only consistent battle pairings are Qrow vs. Adam and Lionheart vs. Ozpin. By the midway point, though, the fight has been finalized to…

· Jaune vs. Cinder

· Ren vs. Raven

· Weiss vs. Vernal

· Nora vs. Emerald

· Yang vs. Mercury

· Ruby vs. Hazel

Each of them gives their own reason why they’re fighting. Jaune and Ren want to make their opponent pay, Weiss wants Vernal to give her back her weapon (yeah, she never gave it back), Yang is angry that Mercury framed her, Nora tries to help Ren but is interrupted by Emerald, and Ruby fights Hazel to reason with him.

Eventually, the battle comes to a head when Emerald uses her illusion powers and Ruby witnesses it. She quickly realizes she caused Pyrrha to dismantle Penny and goes ballistic. Before Emerald knows it, she gets speed blitzed and beaten up by Ruby’s fists. Ruby then chops off Mercury’s prosthetics as soon as she notices them, knocking both out of the fight. It then becomes a little one-sided as Nora helps Ren fight Raven and Yang helps Ruby fight Hazel, where Ruby gives her “I’m angry” line.

Jaune nearly getting killed by Cinder, along with Weiss’s aura running out and screaming in pain, causes Ruby’s Silver Eyes to go off as it begins to burn Cinder. Cinder gives her a fireball to the chest in desperation, destroying Ruby’s aura and leaving her venerable for a hit. Jaune swings his sword and, while he misses like in the original, gives Cinder a deep cut on her cheek, right below where the burn is. Qrow’s fight with Adam knocks him into the room and Adam waltzes in, giving Yang the PTSD trip of a lifetime, not helped by Adam gloating…

“I didn’t realize that when we fought at Beacon, I was facing Raven’s own daughter… Now I know what she means when she said I was the superior child!”

Boom! Plot twist! Adam’s Raven’s son! Well, adopted son. But still!

Also, Cinder decides to make Jaune’s life a living hell by trying to stab Weiss… But Ruby runs and takes the blow for her, ending the episode.

Episode 11

The episode starts off rather similarly, with the exception of Ruby being the one that’s mortally wounded. Jaune cries and says “we need you!”, which given what he said in Volume 4, fits better.

The major remainder of the fight is focused on fighting Hazel, Lionheart and Adam, as Emerald and Mercury are still out of commission and Cinder, Raven, and Vernal f off to the vault. The two prove to be a powerhouse, especially since Hazel powers up Adam’s Moonslices and Lionheart handing Hazel more Dust Crystals. Ruby heals up and tells Jaune “whatever you’re doing, don’t stop”, only for Jaune to go “then don’t take my hands off the wound!”

Pretty standard battle and we have a reveal that Raven was the true Maiden.

Episode 12

The battle comes to a second head when Blake’s army arrives, forcing Adam to leave the battle and confront Blake. His fight happens like before, but Blake appears behind him instead of in the path of the blade.

Hazel, meanwhile, is not tiring out for a second. Not even a stab from a Lancer is enough to take him out. Ruby comes to and evens out the battle by speed blitzing him. Yang and Blake meet each other for the first time, but as Yang tries to reconcile with Blake, not only is she reminded of the bitter words she gave her in V3, but Adam’s presence makes it a hard-emotional hurdle to break. As soon as Oscar warns Yang that the Relic of Knowledge should not fall in to the wrong hands (during this, he explains what’s so important about the Vault), Yang goes after Raven, Cinder, and Vernal, much to Ruby’s dismay. She ends up losing her arm from Mercury grabbing it.

The Battle of the Bitches remains unchanged because it is GOAT.

Episode 13

The final episode of the Volume (because Volumes 6 & 7 are also 13 episodes long) has Blake defeating Adam, with Sun breaking off one of his horns because Monkey King. Sun gives chase, only for Adam to almost kill him were it not for Ilia saving Sun. You can have it so that Ilia is killed by Adam here.

Blake joins in and we have a fight scene with Hazel & Lionheart vs RWBJNROQ. It’s short, but everyone gets a hit in. Ruby realizes that there’s only one way to stop Hazel. She flies over and aims her sniper rifle at the Dust Crystals on Hazel’s arms. Weiss and Blake hold Hazel down with Glyphs and Shadows as Hazel looks at Ruby. He quickly realizes what she’s doing and asks:

Hazel: What do you think you’re doing!? What would Gretchen think of this?!

Ruby: … You made your choice.

BANG! As the sniper rifle hits the crystal, it triggers a chain reaction that causes Hazel to explode, killing him in the process.

Cut to Yang and Raven. The two have a stand off as Yang begins to piece everything together. We have a flashback of the fall of Kuroyuri, this time from the little girl’s perspective. She’s upset since she brought the Bandits to the place and caused enough havoc to have it be destroyed by Grimm. She protests this to Raven who, having run out of patience for her, stabs her and says how she’ll use her powers in ways she can never imagine, mirroring how Cinder killed Pyrrha.

Yang bitterly calls out Raven for murdering a child and Raven claims it was mercy. They get into a heated argument, but no one wishes to move. It becomes apparent that, with Raven out of aura and Yang without an arm and also having very low aura, this battle will not only be quick, but deadly. And yet, the battle lasts for a good chunk of time as the two try to avoid getting hit, Yang out maneuvering Raven while Raven uses her magic. It ends with Yang delivering a fatal punch to Raven’s gut as Raven lays dying in her arms. Raven warns her that, should she take the Relic, Salem will hunt her down. As such, she refuses to give her the Maiden Powers and dies without Yang in her thoughts. Yang goes to get the Relic, then begins to cry.

Emerald awakens from the sound of the explosion and finds that she is out numbered. She goes all “CINDER WILL TAKE ALL OF YOU OUT!” before Yang comes up and devastates Emerald so much, she makes the Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Salem. However, this isn’t a jump scare. Rather, it’s a full-on boss battle as RWBY try to face it like in the opening. While they realize it’s a hallucination, their mind makes it so real that one hit from it is enough to knock Yang out.

Lionheart sees this and, deciding to be brave for the first (and last) time in a long while, stockpiles the remaining Dust Crystals he has and tells the others to get out as he deals with the illusion. Before they do, he tells Oscar to tell the others about his betrayal. Although he was brave in this final moment, he wants everyone to know he was always a coward. He then sets the crystals into overdrive and explodes, taking both him and the illusion out, but also collapsing Haven’s main hall down and with it, the entrance to the Vault.

The group are confronted with police and concerned Faunus… Cut to a few days later as Menagerian Faunus are welcomed with open arms and news of Lionheart’s heroic sacrifice makes headlines. A manhunt is put out for Adam, Emerald, and Mercury, with Cinder being presumed dead.

After having rested for a bit, Ruby confronts Jaune about wanting to kill Cinder and tells him that she doesn’t feel anything good when she hurt Emerald and Mercury and even feels horrible for having killed Hazel. Nora and Ren join in and tell Jaune not to doubt himself for a second. Basically, that bit in V7 is here. RNJR disbands, but not without a tearjerking remark from Jaune where he says that “at least one team is back together”… Not bitterly, surprisingly enough. Oscar joins in and asks Jaune if he’s willing to take him in. Jaune asks for his name so they can figure out how to name themselves and when he hears that it’s Oscar Pine, he just chuckles and says “Well, there’s always JNPR…”

Blake and Yang are clearly shown to not be back together, but Yang is willing to let Blake stay for now because that’s all that matters. Weiss and Ruby talk about Ruby sacrificing herself for Weiss and she chews her out in a rather sweet way. Qrow, meanwhile, pours one out for Raven. She may have been a bitch, but she was still his sister. Oscar comes and calls for a meeting. With the vault no longer accessible for the time being and the Spring Maiden having gone to someone random, they have no choice but to leave for Atlas. There’s a pause before Weiss goes “WHAT THE FU-”

Roll credits.

DVD Exclusive Episode

This is where we have the STRQ flashback episode now that one of the core members is dead. It is a simple how they formed and how they eventually left, with Raven leaving STRQ on her own terms soon after she’s inducted into the shadow war, Summer leaving on her final mission assigned by Ozpin, and Taiyang retiring as a Huntsman. Qrow, the last one, laments on how everyone he loves is gone and is driven to drink more, foreshadowing to his alcoholism spike in V6. Ozpin comes to him and gives him a rather heartwarming speech about how time heals all wounds, using RWBY and JNPR as examples of this.

As he ends the speech, we end on a small girl in the middle of Shion village, now going through a rebuilding, before her eyes flare up and she begins to use gusts of wind to help clean up the debris.

And that’s how you tweak Volume 5. Granted, a lot of stuff has been changed and makes at least one hole in the V6 Tweak, namely the DVD exclusive episode for that. To which I say… Make it an extended look at the beginnings of Remnant 2.0. Apparently, there was a lot more information RT couldn’t squeeze into The Lost Fable, so do that.

With that, the Tweaking Series is finally done. I don’t think I’ll do V8 unless it proves to be just as problematic as V7, V6, or V5. This has been a rather entertaining ride and I hope you guys loved these entries. Adios, amigos.

[marshmallow-phd]

Fighting Instinct

Part of The Untamed - EXO Wolf Universe

Genre: Supernatural, Wolf Au

Pairing: Jongdae x Reader

Summary: He went out of his way to ignore you. You saw his kindness towards everyone else, but he showed you only irritation. And you couldn’t blame him, considering your first meeting. However, little do you know that he’s hiding a dark world, one that you’re pulled into against your will....

Warning: none

Part: 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5 I 6 I 7 I 8 I 9 I 10 I 11 I 12 I 13 I 14 I 15 I Final

**

“From the Navajo to the Ancient Greeks, shapeshifters have been a staple in folklore from all over the world for several thousand years.”

Professor Kim pressed a button on his handy little stick, switching the picture shining out of the projector onto the whiteboard behind him from a regular wolf in high definition to a strange hybrid drawing on animal skin. The man in the drawing was hunched over, his back covered in fur and his fingers coming to sharp, clawed points. A few seats down from you, a girl sighed, leaning in deeper with her chin in her palm, as the teacher pushed up on his rolled up sleeve for the millionth time this period. You could have sworn you even saw her eyelashes flutter.

Professor Kim was not bad on the eyes. He had a pointed chin coupled with a strong jawline, deep brown eyes, and was in very good shape that was shown off by the tight-fitting button down he was wearing tucked into tailored slacks. But it was also hard for you to call him “professor” as he was only a few years older than you. Considering his credentials were over-the-top impressive, you still respected him. The word “professor” to you was just ingrained with middle-aged guys with thick glasses and receding hairlines in tweed jackets. However, you weren’t sure if the female-majority classmates around you felt the same way.

The World Folklore class wasn’t actually considered a credit-worthy elective for most of the majors at the college, but the class was always full anyway. Girls (and boys who swung that way) clamored to get a spot in the hundred-seat lecture hall to be able to stare at Professor Kim for an uninterrupted hour and a half. You were lucky that, as a world history student who needed this class to get full credit, you were able to get priority over someone else who was just going to throw away the money. You couldn’t entirely blame the student population for being enthusiastic for the class. The subject matter was fascinating. Starting off with mermaids and sirens, the lessons only grew in excitement, especially the three weeks spent on dragons.

Legends like that always fascinated you; the things frightened minds can come up with to explain the random bump in the night. But what captivated you more was how universal the legends could be. Different cultures that never met or crossed paths could have similar stories about creatures that could shift into humans or vise versa.

“The one thing that the legends can never agree on however,” Professor Kim rounded his desk so he was now standing in front of it, leaning back on the edge, “is if these types of creatures are just a strange natural occurrence or if there’s magic involved.”

A few students snickered at the mention of magic, the current generation used to Harry Potter and flying brooms.

“(y/n).”

Your pencil froze in the middle of your notes. Without even looking up, you could already feel all heads turning to stare at you, wondering what you did to gain the professor’s attention all of a sudden.

“Yes, sir?” you asked, clearing your throat and sitting up straighter.

Professor Kim gave you a kind smile. “Your papers are always fascinating. Please, tell us what your take is on why so many cultures have made up stories about people turning into animals.”

Great. You were not the kind of person who participated in class discussions. The fear and anxiety of being completely wrong or made fun of for your opinion was overwhelming and it kept you quiet. That’s why you sat in the middle level, just off to the right side. It was an inconspicuous spot; not too far up front where eye contact could be made, but not in the back either, where avoidance was obvious. You liked writing papers, however. It gave you time to think, to go over your words carefully as you constructed your argument. In that medium, you could be intelligent and fearless. This was horrifying.

“Um, well–” you cringed internally. Way to be articulate. You took a moment to collect your thoughts, stealing from the research paper you had already started that wasn’t due until the end of the semester. “Most people would argue that something man is most afraid of is the monster within themselves. Something that is uncontrollable. And these legends are a manifestation of that fear. That while there are scary things out in the world, the most frightening is the one hidden inside.

“However, another argument could be made if you focus on the animal itself. While humans consider ourselves the top of the food chain, that’s based mostly on our level of intelligence rather than our physical traits. How we hold ourselves doesn't stop a starved tiger from mauling you. So, you could say that the fear that created these stories might have actually come from a worry that maybe someday our only true weapon we have against the animals – our brains – could be lurking within them. So, instead of it being about the beast inside the man, it could be about the man inside the beast.”

During your little speech, Professor Kim had crossed his arms, still leaning against his desk, and stared at you with furrowed eyebrows.

“That,” he smiled, “is the kind of thinking I’ve been waiting for in this classroom.” He pushed off the wooden edge, walking around the open area near the front row. “The thing about worldwide folklore is you have to think outside the box. You can’t just create one argument for all these different civilizations who have their own stories to tell.”

To your relief, all the attention was back to the front. Sinking down in your seat, you tried to focus on your breathing, getting your system back down to calm mode. As you did that, your eyes wandered around, perhaps searching for anyone who might still be staring at you. And there was one.

A student several rows down and to your right was staring at you openly, his face blank of any emotion. When your eyes met, he slowly turned back to the front, not ashamed that he was caught, as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.

You shook off the strange encounter, trying to not dwell on it.

Professor Kim dismissed the class ten minutes later, ending it early. Some girls pouted while others shrugged it off. Ending class early was nothing new. Slowly and neatly, you placed your notebook and other papers into your messenger bag, careful to not jam them into your laptop.

“(y/n)! Can I talk to you for a second?”

You groaned quietly enough so no one could hear you. You’d had side conversations with the professor before. Outside of the classroom, occasionally bumping into him on your way to another class or just roaming around, killing time. He was always nice to you, interested in whatever conversation he decided to start up with you. This, however, was different.

Instead of up the steps and out the doors to the nice cool autumn day with the rest of the students, you fought the tide to get to the bottom where Professor Kim was waiting for you. He’d put on a pair of round, wire-rimmed glasses, adding to his charm.

“Yes, Professor?”

He looked down at you sympathetically. “I know I put you on the spot today, but I wanted to let you know that it’s because I know how smart you are and you need to not be afraid to contribute to the discussion.”

Pulling on your bag strap, you shifted uncomfortably. “I appreciate that, Professor, but I live my life in the shadows. It’s where I prefer to be.”

That made him frown. It was almost angry. “The shadows is not a wonderful place to preside.” He turned off the projector, sighing. “(y/n), what exactly is it you plan on doing with your degree once you graduate?”

Chewing on the inside of your cheek, you hesitated, looking away. You hated that question. You hated it because you didn’t really know. You didn’t want to be a teacher like everyone assumed. Too much attention. A thought that had been brewing in your mind since you started taking this class was researching different legends around the world and compiling them into an academic book. It was a bit of a fantasy you played in your head, locked away in a cabin far from the city, in the middle of the woods near the mountains, where you could breathe fresh air and feel the open space. But that wasn’t exactly a career that could pay the bills.

In the end, you simply shrugged, keeping that information to yourself. “I don’t really know, to be honest. History was just the only thing I was really interested in during high school so it seemed logical to further my studies there.”

Great. You sounded like a cover page for a resume.

“Well, why don’t I recommend you for a teaching assistant that’ll be open with me next semester?” Professor Kim suggested. Your jaw nearly dropped. “It’ll be a paid position – minimum wage, of course – you’ll earn credit towards your degree, and you might even gain some insight to what it is you want to do.”

“Oh, um, well….” It wasn’t exactly an offer you could say no to. Teaching assistant positions were rare and fought over like the Hunger Games. You scratched behind your ear near your hairline, a nervous tick of yours.

“You won’t be teaching any classes,” he promised. “Research assistant might be a more appropriate title for the position. And the occasional test grading.”

Now that sounded much more intriguing. But you still needed to mull it over. “Can I think about it?”

“Of course. Just let me know of your decision when you turn in your term paper.”

You nodded, nearly incoherent now. He was giving you nearly two months to make a decision. What the heck?

“Have a good day, (y/n).” He dismissed you and you took the opportunity to get out, perplexed about what just happened.

Eun Na was waiting for you in the student center at your usual table. She already had her laptop out and was bobbing her head along to whatever weird psychedelic music was pouring out from her headphones.

While you had a few other friends at the university, Eun Na was stuck to you like glue. Your freshman year had been a total nightmare. Evenings and weekends were spent alone as your dorm mates were never in and you couldn’t bring yourself to ask if you could tag along. Making friends was hard to do with mild social anxiety and your friends from high school had gone off to different colleges leaving you on your own.

It was harder to make friends here. In high school, you saw the same people day in and day out so you naturally gravitated towards certain people. But in college, you had to put more effort into it. You had to actually approach people and start conversations. Group projects were your worst nightmares.

But the first semester of your sophomore year was considerably brighter. In your European History 201 class, Eun Na had sat down next to you and introduced herself. And it didn’t stop there. She constantly asked you questions about the homework and the material. Soon, the questions turned personal and you didn’t even realize you were giving her answers that you’d normally withhold. Before you knew it, the two of you were hanging out outside of class and have since became inseparable. She helped introduce you to other people who made college life seem not so lonely anymore.

When you sat down across from her, sliding into the booth while trying to not let your exposed skin from your shorts stick to the vinyl, she pulled out her earbuds and frowned.

“About time you showed up,” she pouted.

You just chuckled. “Sorry. Professor Kim held me back to offer me a teaching assistant position for next semester.”

Eun Na pursed her lips, obviously bothered by your news. “Well, that’s…. random.”

You shrugged. “Not entirely. I mean, sure I don’t really talk during class, but he likes my papers.”

Professor Kim really liked your papers.

You nearly had a panic attack when you got the first one back. There were red marks and little notes all over every single page. You were to the point of tears until you actually read what they said. There was nothing but praise in them. And it happened with each of your papers. With today’s events, you began to suspect that you were possibly his favorite.

“I’m not sure if you should do it,” Eun Na said suddenly.

You knit your eyebrows together, confused. “Really? Teaching Assistant positions aren’t exactly just handed out like that.”

“Exactly,” she countered. “You don’t think it’s a little odd that he just randomly offered it to you? No strings attached?”

You nearly gagged at her implication. “Seriously, Eun Na? He’s not a perve. Besides, if he really wanted to, there’s plenty of female students who would gladly be in that position.”

Eun Na rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” She closed her laptop with an ear-stinging slam and threw it in her bag, making you flinch. “I’m just looking out for you.”

“He’s giving me plenty of time to think about it.”

She gave you one more pointed look. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. I’ll see you in psych.”

You shook your head, unable to believe what had just transpired. Eun Na was usually the most supportive person you knew. She’d never shut you down like this before.

Tapping a pencil against the table, you gave up. You decided that you would think over the offer another time, by yourself, weighing the pros and cons. Until then, it would be on the back burner. After checking the time, you decided it was time to pack up as well. Just before you could zip up your bag, you felt a tap on your shoulder.

Turning to look, you found a very handsome guy leaning towards you from one table over. His tan skin glowed under the harsh lighting and his sharp jaw rivaled Professor Kim’s. Odd, as you usually went ignored by his type.

“You really should pick new friends,” he said in a tone that was completely serious. You didn’t know this guy at all and he had not a flicker of amusement or teasing in his eyes. Who was he to be telling you how to live your life?

“Excuse me?” you said with a scoff.

His face didn’t falter for a second. “You should hang out with other people. You’re going to get hurt.”

Rolling your eyes your stood up and started to walk away. Eun Na came running back up, clearly out of breath. After swiping up her headphones that you never noticed had fallen to the floor, she tilted her head at you.

“What’s up?” she asked, studying your irritated expression. “Are you mad at me?”

“No,” you replied, looking over your shoulder to the nosy stranger. He’d gotten up and was walking past the two of you, not even glancing in your direction as your eyes followed him. “Some people just need to learn to mind their own business.”

Eun Na followed your gaze and a fire lit in her eyes. Her jaw clenched with a sharp noise as her teeth clashed together and she grabbed your arm, pulling you towards the exit. “Come on. We should get you to class.”

[lyka-fr]

40 Character Building Questions --- Abaddon.

Warning for lots of text.   

Gijinka art designed by Gainstrive - I colored it myself.

What are the first impressions others have of them typically, and do they notice how others treat them as a result?

Abaddon is often intimidating at first glance. Rightly so, he has five great black pairs of wings and a piercing stare. Abaddon does notice others hesitance towards him, most of the time he cares not about their reactions. Though he will go to lengths to calm them should they truly grow to be fearful of him (unless they mean him harm of course). 

How do they speak? In regards to tone, vocabulary, topics of choice.

Abaddon speaks very properly. Often in monotone with “old-speak” wording and mannerisms. It can be a bit off-putting but you get used to it and adjust to interpret his words. He is blunt and often likes to speak of anything and everything that peaks his interest - which is usually anything new that he’s never encountered before.

How do they react to conflict? Are they often the perpetrator, the pacifist, or neither?

Abaddon reacts to conflict with a calm deterrence. While his blunt manner may sometimes cause him to be the accidental perpetrator he is more the one to be intrigued but not overly interested in participating in the conflict. he will end it swiftly if need be.

What are their sleeping habits? Do they fall asleep easily, hardly sleep at all, etc

Hardly sleeps at all. Abaddon doesn’t really need to sleep, though he can be found simply resting in place with his eyes half-closed. 

What is their relation to the gods & the associated religion?

Was an angel created by the deities to oversee the proceedings of death. Has since been corrupted and thus fallen out of their graces. He still remains devoted to them, though they no longer call upon him after his fall.

Do they have any strong opinions on any one thing? If so, how do they express said opinions?

Abaddon has a strong passion for the workings of death. He believes it is something one cannot defeat, only accept and understand. He is often disgusted by all notions of attempting to defy death, of eluding what must be. Abaddon will rant on and on about it. Worse comes to worse he has a long history of viewing the way death is and will always be there to greet you - Abaddon is not afraid to show you his memories to teach you the truth that he has known for centuries. 

What is a motivator for your character?

The love they feel for their lover Erebus is a strong motivation for much of what Abaddon does though curiosity is a strong second with his not knowing much of the mortal realm. 

Does their personality ever clash with someone in their group? If so, do they do anything to resolve this?

Yes. Abaddon is entirely new to emotions so he is usually still very stoic most of the time and as such that can grate on others who are of a far more emotional nature. Abaddon doesn’t really do anything to resolve it as much as just inquire on why they seem agitated which can then often lead to making it worse. His lover, Erebus, is often the one to resolve those particular misunderstandings. 

Pick one aspect, be it physical, emotional, psychological or otherwise of one character and go into depth about it.

Abaddon has five pairs of wings. All of them are feathered. In his original newborn form they were all pure white and often glowed too brightly for the mortal eye to handle. In his early days as an angel of death he often caused accidental burns to those around him due to being unable to reign in the light of his wings. Over the years he learned to conceal the majority of his wings - to this day he often has four of the five pairs hidden from view - when in that state they can be phantom felt but do not have a truly physical form. After being corrupted by Erebus, Abaddon’s wings eventually turned inky black. They still have a light effect to them but it’s now a dark and melancholy glow. 

How do they feel about their parents, if they have any relation with them?

No parents / Abaddon was created. He feels an instinctual devotion to them for his creation and original purpose beyond that however, he has no lasting affection nor negative feelings towards them.

How would your character react if given a gift they hated from a well-meaning associate?

Abaddon would be completely blunt in saying he doesn’t like it but would likely accept it anyway as it was a gift. “I’m sure some use could be found from it.”

Who/what does your character look up to? Why?

Abaddon looks up to no one in particular. He has an appreciation for his deities but as they are indeed deities it’d be a bit difficult to take them on as beings to look up to. His lover would also be a possible answer except that Erebus is a dark creature and thus is not necessarily a good role-model. 

If your character found another character’s secret logs (diary, journal, etc), would they read them?

He would read it enough to figure out who it was for but beyond that unless there was no one to return it to he would not read it and would rather give it back to it’s owner.

What, if anything at all, fills this character’s time?

Curiosity fills the majority of Abaddon’s time. He knows almost nothing of the mortal realm so he spends a lot of time wondering, thinking, and asking questions about the world around him. A larger chunk of his time is dedicated to his lover for obvious reasons - they are never far from one another so truly they spend all their time together doing all manner of things.

On any given day, what could your character be found doing?

Resting beneath a tree cuddled up to Erebus. Staring up into the skies in the midst of a storm pondering why the clouds are dark and the sun bright. Holding Erebus back from mauling Morpheus on a whim. So many possibilities. 

What is their schedule?

No set schedule. Wake with Erebus, hunt, explore, chat among-st the clan members, etc. etc.

If forced to lie, what lie do you think they’d be most likely to tell?

Unknown // Abaddon is unable to lie. It causes him physical pain to even think of speaking of a lie. 

What would it take for your character to completely reconsider their core beliefs and morals?

The loss of Erebus. 

What is their attitude to parenthood? Do they desire it, fear it, etc?

He admires when he sees it done well in others but has no desire to sire/adopt hatchlings of his own.

How does your character act when tired, hungry or upset? Do they take it out on others? Do they bottle it up?

Abaddon may end up lashing out when angry enough otherwise he simply holds in and finds a way to relieve his anger. When tired Abaddon is simply drowsy - he doesn’t get grumpy as much as just slower and perhaps a bit “spacey”. 

What interests, hobbies & viewpoints has your character discarded as they have aged? How do they feel about these aspects of their earlier self?

Abaddon has discard his total devotion to his original purpose in life. To be the angel of death and only that. While he still holds the title he no longer spends every waking hour devoted to his duty - he barely spends any of his time being the angel of death now a days. Abaddon feel remorse for the time he lost in his devotion and the loss of discovering the world that had flown by all around him. 

Does your character have any opinion on those hatched out of found eggs? If yes, what is it?

No difference in opinion to those born of natural nesting. Perhaps more interest in how they express their origin though.

What is their emotional capacity? Do they struggle to be empathetic or do they often take on other’s problems as their own?

Abaddon spent the majority of his existence with muted to non-existent emotions. When he met Erebus, his now lover, his emotions were unlocked. He struggles on occasion with outbursts of too much emotion but is otherwise mainly unsympathetic and not very emotional. 

What is their stance on authority, such as laws, rules, etc.

Abaddon understands and usually abides by laws or rules shown to him so long as they do not oppose to his personal views. In other words - he will break them if need be.

What is something the character would find devastating if someone were to find out?

Unknown // Abaddon cannot think of anything that he would consider devastating about himself or his past. 

What is your character’s opinions on breedchanges or those who have partaken in a breedchange?

Abaddon finds them to be a natural way of the world. Whether it be through scrolls, magic, or science, there must always be change in some form or another.

What are scatterscrolls/gene changes to your dragon? How do they feel about them?

He considers them to be mutations that some dragons naturally have over time or through their own choice to be different. He has no negative regard towards them - only a fascination when the end result is odd to him. 

Does your character fit within the stereotype for their breed? If they don’t, how do more traditional members react or impose on them?

Abaddon contradicts much of the wildclaw stereotype. While he is a strong opponent he is not one to challenge for a battle on a whim if at all. He favors logic over conflict.

Does your character have varying opinions on the basis of a breed’s commonality? If so, expand on those views?

He does not have varying opinions of the breeds based on their rarity. He finds them all to be of equal standing. 

What do they think of others with unique eyes, such as rare or primal, if they are a dragon with different eyes, how has this impacted their life?

Abaddon is only intrigued. He is curious on the meaning behind how and why their eyes are different. He himself has glowing eyes due to his angelic grace shining through. 

What are some views that your character has which may be labeled as controversial? Do they openly express these views or instead keep it to themselves?

The finality of death is a view that Abaddon has and expresses openly. He is often lead to debate the topic however as not everyone is quite as alright with the truths of their mortality.

Is there anything about your character that they would prefer to not be openly known?

Abaddon’s wings can be extremely sensitive to touch.He enjoys having them caressed but only by his lover and no one else. He’d prefer if everyone else did not come near his wings.

How do familiars work in regards to your character?

Familiars are seen as soul-bonded companions to their keepers in most cases. Abaddon himself has a Tunnel Hydra as his bonded familiar and is almost never far from his side.

Do they have any strong opinions about the coliseum, and those who take residency there?

No strong opinions in regards to the coliseum. It amuses him when bored and in need of a battle.

What do they think about history? Is it interesting, is it wrong, should it be forgotten?

He knows very little about it and thus doesn’t really care to correct or agree with it. Though he has lived for many years he did not really pay attention to the world around him so he simply chooses to focus on what is taking place now.

What does your character consider the most important aspect in a companion?

Abaddon values being truthful with him to be the most important aspect.

How does your character feel about the celebrations, such as Brightshine Jubilee? Do they partake in them?

Abaddon finds them to be quite fascinating. He enjoys observing them from a distance but doesn’t really have the urge to join in.

If they are a guardian, how do they feel about the fact they need a charge? If they are not a guardian, what are their thoughts on charges?

He thinks of it as quite a dedicated venture. He thinks of it in a positive light most of the time unless the charge of the Guardian is an oddity then he just kind of ponders about how it occurred. 

How would your character feel if chosen as a Guardian’s charge?

He wouldn’t mind for the most part I’d imagine. Though he may grow annoyed if they hovered too closely or prevented his lover from approaching him.

Are their any seasonal changes, be it attitude, appearance, in your character? Such as Tundras’ varying fur.

Abaddon does have a period of time where he can appear almost drowsy in a way - more quiet and less alert. It usually doesn’t last very long and you also won’t see him much during that time. That is when he is molting his many feathers for fresh new ones. His lover will often be extra protective and hovering over him in their space during that time. 

Can your character write or read? If no, do they get help or simply deal with the consequences?

Yes - Abaddon can read and write. Quite enjoys a good read every now and then.

Note - Erebus. Abaddon’s vampire lover.

[dfroza]

To spread a message as a seed of rebirth.

this is what we are to conserve from our Creator. something that Paul writes about in the closing of his Letter of 2nd Thessalonians with Today’s reading of the Scriptures:

Finally, dear brothers and sisters, pray for us that the Lord’s message will continue to spread rapidly and its glory be recognized everywhere, just as it was with you. And pray that God will rescue us from wicked and evil people, for not everyone believes the message. But the Lord Yahweh is always faithful to place you on a firm foundation and guard you from the Evil One. We have complete confidence in the Lord concerning you and we are sure that you are doing and will continue to do what we have told you.

Now may the Lord move your hearts into a greater understanding of God’s pure love for you and into Christ’s steadfast endurance.

Beloved brothers and sisters, we instruct you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to stay away from believers who are unruly and who stray from all that we have taught you. For you know very well that you should order your lives after our example, because we were not undisciplined when we were with you. We didn’t sponge off of you, but we worked hard night and day to provide our own food and lodging and not be a burden to any of you. It wasn’t because we don’t have the right to be supported, but we wanted to provide you an example to follow. For when we were with you we instructed you with these words: “Anyone who does not want to work for a living should go hungry.”

Now, we hear rumors that some of you are being lazy and neglecting to work—that these people are not busy but busybodies! So with the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, we order them to go back to work in an orderly fashion and exhort them to earn their own living. Brothers and sisters, don’t ever grow weary in doing what is right.

Take special note of anyone who won’t obey what we have written and stay away from them, so that they would be ashamed and get turned around. Yet don’t regard them as enemies, but caution them as fellow believers.

Now, may the Lord himself, the Lord of peace, pour into you his peace in every circumstance and in every possible way. The Lord’s tangible presence be with you all.

So now, in my own handwriting, I add these words:

Loving greetings to each of you. And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Paul

The above is my signature and the token of authenticity in every letter I write.

The Letter of 2nd Thessalonians, Chapter 3 (The Passion Translation)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 17th chapter of 2nd Kings that describes the idolatry of the people and the result:

[Hoshea of Israel]

In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel. He ruled in Samaria for nine years. As far as God was concerned, he lived a bad life, but not nearly as bad as the kings who had preceded him.

Then Shalmaneser king of Assyria attacked. Hoshea was already a puppet of the Assyrian king and regularly sent him tribute, but Shalmaneser discovered that Hoshea had been operating traitorously behind his back—having worked out a deal with King So of Egypt. And, adding insult to injury, Hoshea was way behind on his annual payments of tribute to Assyria. So the king of Assyria arrested him and threw him in prison, then proceeded to invade the entire country. He attacked Samaria and threw up a siege against it. The siege lasted three years.

In the ninth year of Hoshea’s reign the king of Assyria captured Samaria and took the people into exile in Assyria. He relocated them in Halah, in Gozan along the Habor River, and in the towns of the Medes.

The exile came about because of sin: The children of Israel sinned against God, their God, who had delivered them from Egypt and the brutal oppression of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They took up with other gods, fell in with the ways of life of the pagan nations God had chased off, and went along with whatever their kings did. They did all kinds of things on the sly, things offensive to their God, then openly and shamelessly built local sex-and-religion shrines at every available site. They set up their sex-and-religion symbols at practically every crossroads. Everywhere you looked there was smoke from their pagan offerings to the deities—the identical offerings that had gotten the pagan nations off into exile. They had accumulated a long list of evil actions and God was fed up, fed up with their persistent worship of gods carved out of deadwood or shaped out of clay, even though God had plainly said, “Don’t do this—ever!”

God had taken a stand against Israel and Judah, speaking clearly through countless holy prophets and seers time and time again, “Turn away from your evil way of life. Do what I tell you and have been telling you in The Revelation I gave your ancestors and of which I’ve kept reminding you ever since through my servants the prophets.”

But they wouldn’t listen. If anything, they were even more bullheaded than their stubborn ancestors, if that’s possible. They were contemptuous of his instructions, the solemn and holy covenant he had made with their ancestors, and of his repeated reminders and warnings. They lived a “nothing” life and became “nothings”—just like the pagan peoples all around them. They were well-warned: God said, “Don’t!” but they did it anyway.

They threw out everything God, their God, had told them, and replaced him with two statue-gods shaped like bull-calves and then a phallic pole for the whore goddess Asherah. They worshiped cosmic forces—sky gods and goddesses—and frequented the sex-and-religion shrines of Baal. They even sank so low as to offer their own sons and daughters as sacrificial burnt offerings! They indulged in all the black arts of magic and sorcery. In short, they prostituted themselves to every kind of evil available to them. And God had had enough.

God was so thoroughly angry that he got rid of them, got them out of the country for good until only one tribe was left—Judah. (Judah, actually, wasn’t much better, for Judah also failed to keep God’s commands, falling into the same way of life that Israel had adopted.) God rejected everyone connected with Israel, made life hard for them, and permitted anyone with a mind to exploit them to do so. And then this final No as he threw them out of his sight.

Back at the time that God ripped Israel out of their place in the family of David, they had made Jeroboam son of Nebat king. Jeroboam debauched Israel—turned them away from serving God and led them into a life of total sin. The children of Israel went along with all the sins that Jeroboam did, never murmured so much as a word of protest. In the end, God spoke a final No to Israel and turned his back on them. He had given them fair warning, and plenty of time, through the preaching of all his servants the prophets. Then he exiled Israel from her land to Assyria. And that’s where they are now.

The king of Assyria brought in people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and relocated them in the towns of Samaria, replacing the exiled Israelites. They moved in as if they owned the place and made themselves at home. When the Assyrians first moved in, God was just another god to them; they neither honored nor worshiped him. Then God sent lions among them and people were mauled and killed.

This message was then sent back to the king of Assyria: “The people you brought in to occupy the towns of Samaria don’t know what’s expected of them from the god of the land, and now he’s sent lions and they’re killing people right and left because nobody knows what the god of the land expects of them.”

The king of Assyria ordered, “Send back some priests who were taken into exile from there. They can go back and live there and instruct the people in what the god of the land expects of them.”

One of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came back and moved into Bethel. He taught them how to honor and worship God.

But each people that Assyria had settled went ahead anyway making its own gods and setting them up in the neighborhood sex-and-religion shrines that the citizens of Samaria had left behind—a local custom-made god for each people:

for Babylon, Succoth Benoth;

for Cuthah, Nergal;

for Hamath, Ashima;

for Avva, Nibhaz and Tartak;

for Sepharvaim, Adrammelech and Anammelech (people burned their children in sacrificial offerings to these gods!).

They honored and worshiped God, but not exclusively—they also appointed all sorts of priests, regardless of qualification, to conduct a variety of rites at the local fertility shrines. They honored and worshiped God, but they also kept up their devotions to the old gods of the places they had come from.

And they’re still doing it, still worshiping any old god that has nostalgic appeal to them. They don’t really worship God—they don’t take seriously what he says regarding how to behave and what to believe, what he revealed to the children of Jacob whom he named Israel. God made a covenant with his people and ordered them, “Don’t honor other gods: Don’t worship them, don’t serve them, don’t offer sacrifices to them. Worship God, the God who delivered you from Egypt in great and personal power. Reverence and fear him. Worship him. Sacrifice to him. And only him! All the things he had written down for you, directing you in what to believe and how to behave—well, do them for as long as you live. And whatever you do, don’t worship other gods! And the covenant he made with you, don’t forget your part in that. And don’t worship other gods! Worship God, and God only—he’s the one who will save you from enemy oppression.”

But they didn’t pay any attention. They kept doing what they’d always done. As it turned out, all the time these people were putting on a front of worshiping God, they were at the same time involved with their local idols. And they’re still doing it. Like father, like son.

The Book of 2nd Kings, Chapter 17 (The Message)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for Tuesday, december 22 of 2020 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible, along with Today’s Psalms and Proverbs

A post by John Parsons about the nature of faith and the sufferings we endure in this life:

Reflecting on the role of suffering in the heart of faith, Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote: "Here is the decisive difference between Christianity and all religions. Man's religiosity makes him look in his distress to the power of God in the world: God is the 'deus ex machina.' The Bible directs man to God's powerlessness and suffering: Only a suffering God can help" (Letters and Papers from Prison). Bonhoeffer's comment alludes to the difference between an "Elohim" (אֱלהִים) conception of God as the omnipotent power and Judge of reality, and the "YHVH" (יהוה) conception of God as the compassion Source and Breath of life - the Suffering God who empties himself to partake of our condition - to know our pain, to bear our sorrows, to heal us from the sickness of spiritual death, and to touch us in the loneliness of our exile... The Spirit enables us to "groan" in compassion, directing us away from the impulse to "kill the pain" to accept it as part of our lament and need for connection with God.

Unlike cognitive faith (i.e., emunah: אֱמוּנָה) that assents to theological conformities, trust (i.e., bittachon: בִּטָחוֹן) emotionally commits to God's presence in the sorrows of our lives and retains hope that we are not finally alone, abandoned, helpless... Trust goes beyond the "idolatries of theology," that is, various theological conceptions of God as impassive, inexpressive, and distant in his decrees of transcendence, to engage God personally, existentially, and from within the whirlwind of harrowing pain and pain's great loneliness. Authentic theology is dialectical or “dialogical” -- a conversation of the heart with God - seeking, yearning, protesting, lamenting, and struggling with life’s inscrutabilities and unfathomable questions as it appeals to God for the assurance of genuine hope. Trust finds courage to give voice to our sorrow and fears, inviting God into the midst of our brokenness, often yielding to tearful silence in unknowing expectation. As Dorothy Soelle wrote: "Prayer is an all-encompassing act by which people transcend the mute God of an apathetically endured reality and go over to the speaking God of a reality experience with feeling in pain and happiness" (Soelle: Suffering). This is perhaps the deepest meaning of the Shema - to listen for God's heart in the midst of your struggle; it is learning to encounter God's compassion in the place of your brokenness and need.

"Unto thee O Lord, do I lift up my soul" (Psalm 25:1). Before we can lift up our soul as an offering before the LORD in sacrifice, that is, yielding to his will, surrendering our desires, our hopes, yea, our very lives to him, we must first be broken and confess our heart’s unwillingness to let go of its pain, its mistrust, and its cowardly evasion of suffering....

When I feel hopeless, I seek hope; when in pain, I seek comfort; when in despair over besetting sins, I yearn again for a place I can call home... In the midst of these things, my heart wonders whether my suffering has come because I deserve it or somehow “need” it. I reason that it may make sense that God extends special care for his godly ones, for those who are righteous and who seem free from the vexation of despair, but does it make sense for me, one who is undone, broken, alone, and unworthy? My heart protests that this is not the whole story of my life, and that more to be said. I need God and I know that he cares for me. I recall his promises to heal us, to bind up the broken of heart, and extend his comfort for our afflictions. Might pain herald the advent of something new to come? Might there be a deeper beauty and surpassing good as we go “through the wound” instead of objecting to it?

Andrew Murray once counseled: “In time of trouble say: "First, He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this straight place; in that I will rest. Next, He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace to behave as His child. Then, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow. Last, In His good time He can bring me out again -- how and when He knows. [Therefore] let me say I am here, (1) by God’s appointment; (2) in his keeping; (3) under His training; and (4) for His time."

Deep within I discover that I can bless the Lord, losing sight of myself as I affirm my deepest purpose and heritage: “My (boundary) lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, my inheritance is beautiful to me” (Psalm 16:6). Though I might have felt bereft and even tempted to curse my estate, by God’s grace I am made able to give thanks and to bless, even in the midst of my troubles and pain: “I will bless the LORD who has counseled me; my conscience disciplines me in the night” (Psalm 16:7). Therefore שִׁוִּיתִי יְהוָה לְנֶגְדִּי תָמִיד - “I have set the Lord always before me” – especially in desperate moments when I can barely endure – since I have learned that “because he is at my right hand, I shall not come undone” (Psalm 16:8). God gives me strength to renew my hope: therefore “my heart is made glad, my whole being rejoices, and my body rests in trust” (Psalm 16:9).

Suffering and hope, the two go together... Separate one from the other and you become unbalanced and double-minded (i.e., δίψυχος, “two-souled”). Those who turn away from hope in their suffering fall into despair; those who hope to turn away from suffering enter into delusion. The message of suffering presents both the call to hope and offers us comfort. Only the One who suffers "with us" (עִמָּנוּ אֵל), who clothes himself with our sorrows, our infirmities, and who understands the cry of our hearts can help truly help us. "If I must boast, I will boast about the things that show my weakness; for God has said: "My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Messiah may reside in me" (2 Cor. 11:30, 12:9). [Hebrew for Christians]

https://hebrew4christians.com/

12.21.20 • Facebook

Today’s message from the Institute for Creation Research

December 22, 2020

Mind Control

“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.” (Ephesians 4:17-18)

A question that troubles many Christians is why most highly educated leaders in science and other fields—even theologians—seem to find it so difficult to believe the Bible and the gospel of Christ. The answer is in the words of our text: They are “alienated from the life of God” because of self-induced ignorance. It is not that they can’t understand, but that they won’t understand! They “walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened...because of the blindness of their heart.” They don’t want to believe in their hearts, therefore they seek an excuse not to believe in their minds. They are “men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (2 Timothy 3:8).

The sad truth is that Satan himself controls their minds. They may be ever so intelligent in secular matters, but the gospel, with all its comprehensive and beautiful simplicity, remains hidden to them. “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

Is there a remedy? Yes. “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). In this verse, the word “thought” is the same as “mind.” The weapons of truth, of prayer, of love, and of the Spirit can capture even such minds as these! HMM