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tmnt-veelicious · 5 years ago

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Across the Stars - Ch.16

Writing this chapter somehow felt good. It took time, but I do like the interactions in it ! ANYWAY, have fun reading <3

Nowadays writing this fic helps me calm my nerves a lot~

Maybe there’s some errors here and there, but I’ll probably fix them over time. For now I feel okay with this -shrugs-

!! WARNING, NSFW (18+) STUFF HAPPENING HERE !!

First Chapter –> HERE Previous Chapter –> HERE Next Chapter –> HERE

Vee understood the reasoning, but she still couldn't help feeling left out. Didn't their friendship mean anything to the reporter? No, of course it did, but Vee knew that being apart could provide them a better cover. Moving away would erase their trail, give them a chance to start fresh. It was heartbreaking, but it was needed, in a sense... Her feet brought her to the lair, first finding the place empty, except for Splinter's presence. As she guessed, the guys were on patrol, giving a chance for the artist to spend some time with the sensei. Cup of tea in hand, both seated in the dining area, Vee could finally breathe in and out peacefully, trying to calm her thoughts. Splinter didn't need to talk, he knew there was nothing that had to be forced out. Frankly, he wanted the woman to talk on her own will, reveal her worries if needed. He first noticed her trembling hands, the cup she was holding shaking ever so lightly and the liquid threatening to spill out on a very few occasions. Then her gaze seemed absent, unfocused, lost in thoughts she kept repeating over and over in her mind. ''I hate that I have such a hard time with my emotions,'' she finally started with a small voice. The rat was all ears now, keeping silent in order to not break her chain of thoughts. ''I can either be scared and sad, or terribly angered, it's like there's no inbetween.... I hate that I'm so weak and never know how to react properly. My anxiety pushes me to extremes I do not want to deal with.'' She set her cup down, her eyes meeting Splinter's. ''… I'm sorry, I'm just blabbering.'' ''No, child, you are not,'' replied the rat calmly. ''In this house I want everyone to speak their mind freely.'' A small smile colored his traits. ''You somehow remind me of Raphael.'' The artist showed surprise. ''Well then, time to get dressing in red,'' she lightly joked. ''… How is it so, if you don't mind me asking?'' The other took a sip of tea, gathering his words: ''He, too, deals in extremes. Raphael's emotions are raw and true, which can be both a strength and a weakness. … His thoughts often go haywire, which will provoke many arguments with his brothers, but it's also in those moments of distress that he learns and grows.'' Splinter placed his cup on the table, his hands joining and his posture serene. ''Time is but a wave that brushes us, shapes us like rocks against a never-ending tide. The process is long, tedious, even painful at times, but from the most rugged surfaces emerges smooth and polished results. … Life is a continuous learning process, its trials here for a reason.'' Vee mindlessly rubbed her left forearm, half of a smile appearing on her lips. ''Sometimes it's hard to remember that,'' she said. ''… It's like I'm never allowed to catch my breath.'' ''Do you tell Donatello of your concerns?'' The woman sighed briefly: ''Sometimes. He knows of my situation with my family, he knows about some of my issues, but there are things I prefer to keep at bay. … He shouldn't have to deal with most of my problems. Those weights are mine alone to bear.'' ''Perhaps,'' replied Splinter. ''But a different point of view might bring some light into most of your struggles. … My son is a gentle and rational soul; he is able to view things from a different angle and bring forth a hidden wisdom. He takes great pride in helping others and widening their horizons.'' The rat stood up, coming to the other's side so he could leave a reassuring hand on her shoulder. ''He is very well aware of his limits and I know he cares deeply about you. Do not be afraid to speak your mind with him. He prefers when others are straight-forward and true about their feelings.'' ''I'll try to keep this in mind,'' answered Vee in a gentle tone. ''Thank you, master Splinter.'' Her smile was still on, but as soon as the mutant was out of view as he walked out the kitchen, Vee's mood shifted back to a neutral expression. She tried to push her thoughts and emotions away, knowing now was not the time to sulk and get drowned in such feelings. With a small sigh, she got up in turn, making her way to Donatello's workspace. Sitting down in his chair, she began to tap on his computer, already on the lookout for a new apartment. Anything to keep her occupied... *** ''Man, robbers are so predictable these days. There's not much fun into catching them anymore,'' echoed Raph's voice as the group was making their way back to the lair. ''Dude, what now? You want them to do some parkour shit while we're chasing them?'' laughed Mikey. ''Nah, I mean, they could rob somethin' more interesting than a convenience store! … How 'bout a strip club?'' ''Now we're talkin'!'' Donnie tsked and rolled his eyes, although with a smile. He would've probably entertained the idea in the past, but for now it sounded so futile, he could only be amused by his brothers' shenanigan comments. As they arrived to their home, the turtles parted ways to each their own. At two 'o clock in the morning, there was still time to do things before heading to bed. The purple clad mutant wasn't much for staying late since he'd been up way earlier than his brothers today, but he knew he had one last thing to check at his computer. He approached his station and frowned when he noticed the screens on, a browser opened and the window scrolling. ''What the-...'' he mumbled. He finally got to his chair, turning it around and then noticing Vee, the woman's eyes big by the sudden move. ''Vee?'' ''Uh, yeah, hi. Sorry, I needed your computer....'' she trailed, timid. Donnie shook his head a little, clearing his thoughts. ''N-no, no, it's okay! I simply didn't know you were here. … Since when? Why didn't you call or text me? … And it's late!'' The woman smiled sheepishly. ''It's been hours. … I got in when you guys just left for patrol – at least that's what Splinter told me.'' Her hands fiddled together. ''And, uh, I just needed to see you...'' He instantly knew something was wrong. He glanced at the screen, noticing advertisments for places to rent. ''… What are you doing?'' he asked, his gaze unmoving. ''I'm doing some research.'' ''About what?'' ''I'm trying to find a new apartment for myself.'' Silence. He finally looked back at Vee. The woman seemed smaller than usual, her eyes avoiding him, everything in fact. The mutant finally crouched down to her level. ''… What? Why?'' ''April is moving in with Casey by the end of this month – in three weeks. They say it'll be better this way; it's for protection.'' ''For protection?'' commented Donnie, visibly irritated. ''What, she and Casey simply decided about that without consulting you? Without consulting anybody?'' ''I dunno, Donnie. I'm as confused as you... I'm scared, in fact.'' He slightly froze at that confession. His hands did move, petting her skin tenderly and cupping her cheek. ''… Don't be, love, I'll help you. We'll do this together, okay?'' Vee's head nodded a little, bringing a smile on Donnie's lips – and to her own by the same occasion. Both moved, soon the mutant rightfully sitting in his chair and the human seated in his lap. He could feel the tension in her body, her shoulders stiff and clenched. She was obviously stressed, Donnie trying his best to ease her mind by continuing his petting, his touch soft and light. ''I've found three places that don't look too dirty or horrible so far,'' she began, taking control of the computer mouse. ''… Why are those closet-like apartments so expensive anyway? It's ridiculous! I could get a bigger one in Montréal for maybe even less.'' ''New York's a mess, but it still has its charms!'' ''Gotta agree on that. … It has you!'' The mutant snickered, hugging the human from behind, nuzzling her hair. They spent the next half-hour looking through several advertisments, keeping some aside for Vee to call on the first occasion. After a while, the artist simply gave up, prefering to lean completely against the turtle, feeling his arms snake around her form. She was pensive, lightly frowning as a sigh escaped her lips. ''This whole situation feels so surreal,'' she confessed. ''What's your plan if you can't find anything in time?'' asked Donatello, his fingers absentmindedly pursuing his petting activity. Vee shrugged: ''I dunno. I'd probably stay at a hotel until I find a place...'' The other seemed to hesitate a moment. ''… What about living here, at the lair?'' Vee's body straightened, slightly turning around to look at the other. She seemed unsure, shy... ''I dunno...,'' she started. ''It wouldn't feel right.'' ''What do you mean?'' ''I wouldn't want to intrude. I wouldn't want to be an added burden to your family.'' Donnie frowned: ''What do you mean by an added burden? That wouldn't be true!'' ''Don-'' ''You don't need to do this all by yourself. You're not back in Montréal, Vee. People here care about you, myself obviously included. I wouldn't let you get in trouble anyway.'' ''Donnie, no, I mean-'' she trailed off, knowing she would regret what she was about to say: ''I'm human, I can't- I just... my life is up there.'' That look. The way she could see sadness invade his eyes as he looked down, suddenly realizing her words. She wanted to punch herself. ''Shit, this came out so wrong,'' she mumbled. ''No, no, please, you're thinking rationally. That's not a bad thing,'' added Donnie, his tone calm. ''I was just thinking for myself here.'' ''I still feel like a jerk for saying that.'' He stopped her by lovingly nuzzling her cheek, leaving soft kisses. ''… Can you at least consider the option?'' he asked. ''If things ever go wrong, I just want you to know that you're always welcomed here.'' ''I will,'' answered Vee, her eyes closed as she lost herself to his touch. ''And I appreciate it, that's for sure.'' A soft sigh left her as she still felt the other kiss her skin. The warmest feeling would always invade her whenever near the mutant and she knew she could never get enough of it. ''… Is it okay if I stay for some days?'' she asked in a small voice. ''I don't want to face April right now... I don't know what to do.'' ''Don't worry, it's absolutely fine,'' reassured Donnie. ''I'm glad you're here, anyway.'' ''Wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now...'' added Vee tenderly, turning her head so she could rightfully meet his lips. She still entertained the idea of living here in the back of her mind, but truthfully she knew she was right. At least … she hoped she was. *** The best sign of warmer days was incessant pours of rain, streams coursing down buildings and streets in a most franctic pace. Donnie hated those days, knowing it wasn't the best for his gear, but he managed anyway as he made his way to Vee and April's apartment the very next night the artist got to the lair. She needed more clothes and things, sending the mutant to fetch those as she didn't want to face the reporter yet. The turtle had hoped that the place would be empty, but a dry sigh left him as he spotted lights inside, towards the kitchen. Getting in, he knew his presence would be quickly noticed, soon hearing footsteps coming his way. ''Oh my god, wait, I'll go fetch towels,'' first said April, already on the lookout for something to dry the other. … Gosh he didn't want to talk to her. As the brunette was back, he muttered a 'thanks', already on the task to remove the water on his scales and clothes. A small silence settled in, feeling the woman's gaze on him, but he didn't look back. ''… Where's Vee?'' ''At the lair,'' simply answered Donnie. ''She'll be staying for some days.'' ''And why is she not with you here? What are you doing alone?'' The mutant stopped, neatly folding the towel and next leaving it on a coffee table nearby. When he finally looked back at April, his expression was neutral, yet frowning a little. ''You must certainly have a clue why, April,'' he started. ''… I'm here right now because Vee needs more stuff. 'Cause, you know, I'm helping her to find a new place to live in ridiculous delays. It would have been nicer to have an earlier heads up, but, hey, life's a bitch ain't it?'' April frowned. ''… Look, this is all unexpected-'' ''I don't give a shit,'' cut Donnie, losing the little thread of patience he had held. ''Don't you realize you're putting Vee in trouble? For you it's fine 'cause you already have another place, but for her it's hell. Finding a reasonnable apartment in New York in such brief delays takes luck!'' ''She'll find something!'' ''And what if she doesn't?'' The woman was silent now, her eyes avoiding him. The turtle simply huffed: ''That's right, you don't have any answer 'cause you don't give a damn.'' ''That's not true!'' ''If that was the case, you'd be searching with her. You wouldn't be here all alone.'' ''Donnie, I-'' He stopped her, lifting a hand. ''Look,'' he started. ''I'm not here to pick a fight. Do what you want, I don't care.'' He got on the move, going to Vee's room. But April was not finished. She followed, stopping at the doorframe. ''Can't you understand that I'm also torn about this?'' she started, upset and yet angered a little. ''Vee is my friend and now this is happening. … I don't want to lose her, but I'm doing this with best intentions.'' ''For 'protection', as I was told,'' replied the mutant, still packing things. ''Yes. I-'' She stopped, visibly upholding something. That did pique Donnie's curiosity, finally turning to her and gesturing her to continue. ''Go on, say what's on your mind.'' The brunette folded her arms, her expression faltering as she tried to retain some tears. ''… Casey and I are trying to start a family,'' she muttered. ''He wants me out of danger. He wants me safe...'' Donatello felt his tension fade away, suddenly feeling dumb for not having listened in the first place. ''I know this is all sudden,'' she continued. ''And I told Casey to wait and make things easier. … But that last incident Vee got into, it's like it snapped something in him. … He likes her, but right now he sees her as a trouble magnet and he just wants to get me away from here as fast as he can.'' The turtle's mind was running wild, processing all that information. He sat on Vee's bed, thoughtful. April decided to finally come in, sitting down beside him. ''I don't want all this drama. I don't want Vee to drift away from our friendship,'' she added. ''She's an incredible person and probably the best roommate I ever got,'' she faintly laughed, but it was soon back to contemplation. ''I-, uhm, I'm sorry. I probably sounded so harsh and mean earlier,'' blabbered Donnie. ''Have I known the details better...'' He stopped when he felt the woman's hand on his, stopping his train of thoughts. ''Don't you worry about it. … You're angry, I get it. Vee is sad and hurt and I totally understand that you're feeling this way. … I know how much you love her.'' Removing his glasses, Donnie next pinched lightly inbetween his eyes, trying to smile, but small tears escaping him. ''Dammit,'' he murmured. ''Second time this week....'' He never liked crying. He felt so stupid when doing so... ''What's wrong?'' gently asked April. ''… We're family, Don, you can tell me anything.'' Another attempt of a smile flashed on the mutant's lips, his eyes meeting April's. ''I love her so much, I really do...,'' he started. ''I can't even begin to explain how much good she has brought into my life.'' He tried to dry his tears. ''I love her so much, sometimes it hurts. I just can't see myself without her nowadays. It's like she was that missing part of myself I've been searching for so long... And now that she's here, I can't let her go.'' Gosh, he felt ridiculous.... ''She accepts me for who I am and never questionned if our relationship would work or not because of our... differences. She knows, just as I, that we were meant to meet and experience all of this, together.... I don't believe in fate, but I may as well start as of right now!'' He held the woman's hand in his, seeking small comfort. ''Casey tried to question Vee and I's relationship. I know he wishes for me to stay away from her, but I just can't. I'd never be able to!'' ''Don't you ever let him, or anyone, make a decision for you,'' cut April. ''You deserve all of this, as much as anyone else.'' ''Sometimes it's hard to believe it, but I try my best,'' he smiled lightly. He placed his glasses to their rightful place, trying to shake his weakness away. ''I'd do anything for Vee and all I wish is for her to be safe. … I blame myself so much for what happened recently and I'll dare say I'm a bit surprised that she's still by my side, even with all this bullshit going on,'' he scoffed. ''She is very well aware of the risks,'' started April. ''And that doesn't dissuade her from loving you. … I think, in fact, it reinforces the feelings she has for you. … She admires you, Donnie. You're an inspiration for her and she truly wants to be a part of your life – as long as you let her be so.'' ''And I feel so lucky for that,'' he added. ''I do want her to be in my life...'' He sighed, looking around the room. Everything Vee had to offer; her smile, her laugh, her curiosity, her intellect, her love... She was fascinating in every aspects. His gaze back on April, he tried to redeem himself with half of a smile, yet sincere. ''I'll talk to her and explain your situation, if that can help and ease the tension.'' ''You can try, but I want to be able to explain myself to her – face to face. Casey and I probably broke her heart.... And I can't stop thinking about it, in all honesty.'' ''Maybe you could also think about ways to help her?'' offered the mutant. ''Right now, I'm sure Vee will gladly accept any help she can get. … And if some of it comes from you, I'm sure it would mean a lot.'' ''For sure,'' answered the woman with a soft smile. ''I'll think of something. I won't let her down.'' Following that consensus, she next helped Donnie pack things for the artist. The mood was definitely lighter, April showing a smirk as she pondered back to everything that previously unfolded. ''You know... you're kinda scary and intimidating when angry,'' she said, amused. ''Didn't expect that from you.'' The terrapin huffed a small chuckle, taking the clothes April was handing to him and putting them in the bag. ''I am 'the calm before the storm', as Mikey likes to say. … My brothers know that I'm chill most of the time, but if my buttons are pressed right I can easily explode. And, I dunno, … since I'm with Vee I have this feeling of 'I must protect' that simply started to amplify. It's somehow difficult to explain.'' ''It's difficult to explain since it's your first relationship, but believe me; this is not an uncommon feeling. Men, as well as women, share this mutual sentiment when they're with someone. You'd do anything for them and they would do the same in return.'' ''Which is somehow fascinating. … I never thought I would feel this way or that anyone would in return.'' ''Then you found the right person,'' winked April. On that he had no doubt! *** As Donatello was away, Vee took that opportunity to get some work done on a music piece she had recently started to compose. Seated at the piano near the terrapin's workstation, she carefully pushed some keys, humming in harmony, and stopping by moments to write notes on a blank partition. It was a soothing tune, reminiscent of calm periods, memories of days spent in silence and contemplation. The smell of her coffee nearby helped for inspiration, the distant echo of rain outside bringing the woman back to such a peaceful scene. Replaying what she had wrote so far, she only noticed a presence nearby as she took a pause and reached for her mug. Raph was watching, his stance relaxed, arms crossed and his body slightly leaning against a metal beam. Vee felt like shrinking, not used to be looked upon when working. ''… Am I playing too loud?'' she asked, shy. ''Oh, no!'' reassured the mutant. ''Sorry, I was just listenin'. … What you're playin' sounds nice.'' A soft smile crossed the woman's lips: ''Thanks! It's still in the works, though.'' Raph lightly frowned, getting in motion towards the artist. ''Wait, what? You composed that?'' ''Sure thing! I studied in that field at some point back in College. Better make some use of that knowledge.'' ''Alright, smarty-pants, next time I'll just assume you learned how to do everything, just like Donnie,'' joked the other. That did get a hushed laugh out of Vee, knowing too well she could never truly compare to her boyfriend. Her expression shifted after a quick thought, soon changing the subject as Raph was still near. ''Hey … are you busy?'' she asked. ''Depends for what,'' smirked the turtle. Vee's position shifted on her bench, now her back facing the piano. ''Is it okay if we chat for a bit? Please, have a seat,'' she offered, gesturing a chair so he could bring it near. The red clad mutant seemed unsure at first, but soon shrugged it off as he brought the furniture next to the woman, sitting down and crossing his arms once more. ''Sure. What's on your mind, nerd?'' Vee's mind was suddenly blank, somehow feeling ridiculous for what she was about to bring up: ''… Last night I was kinda in a bad place. I was angry, I couldn't think straight. And once I got here, I was on the verge of a panic attack. … I know you probably don't give a damn-'' ''Why wouldn't I give a damn?'' he cut, calm. The artist was silent, her eyes meeting his. He didn't look annoyed nor angry; he was curious and ready to listen. ''I dunno, I guess that's my anxiety talking here,'' she answered. ''I don't usually talk about that bullshit to others – Donnie being the exception so far.'' ''Yeah he told us about your anxiety.'' He noticed Vee's small frown. ''Don't worry, it was all in good faith,'' quickly corrected Raph. ''He just wanted to inform us about it. … But yeah, what about last night?'' Vee took a sip of coffee, collecting her thoughts. A soft smile was back on her lips, remembering Splinter's words. ''… It seems like we share something, you and I,'' she started. ''Master Splinter told me I reminded him of you, as I also deal with my emotions in absolutes. And … I guess what I wanted to ask is; do you have any tricks or tips about how to deal with such feelings?'' A stifled laugh left the mutant, but never was it in a mocking tone. He shifted his position, his arms no longer crossed as he was now more open to the conversation. ''I'm not sure I'm the best to share any wisdom,'' he started. ''Why not go ask Leo or wait for Donnie to come back?'' ''Because I'm asking you, Raphael. I want your opinion.'' That simple answer shut him up, both now seizing each their emotions and intentions. The turtle sighed after a moment, somehow surprised to be asked about his input. ''… Well, first of all, you gotta learn to accept that those feelings are a part of you. I know they suck and we'd be better off without them, but you've got to honor them.'' He joined hands, somehow feeling uneasy, but still talking: ''You feel them for a reason, and the sooner you accept those, the better it becomes. … Uhm, if you need to punch something, do it! I know it helps me. … There's a punching bag in the dojo.'' That brought a smile on Vee's features, still listening patiently. ''You have the right to be mad at people, but that feeling should never stay with you. … At some point it'll just start to rot and, well, that ain't good. … You can scream, you can cry, you can do anything, as long as you get it out your system. That's why I blow out sometimes. But I've been learning to manage those moments, setting boundaries for others to respect and for me to retreat and let the steam away.'' His eyes were soft, his smile friendly. ''… What I'm tryin' to say, though, is that you shouldn't be scared to show your true colors. At least, not with Donnie, and even with me. … This family can handle anythin'!'' ''I have no doubts about that,'' sweetly commented Vee. ''…. Thanks, Raph.'' ''Heh, t'wasn't much, though.'' ''Still, what you said made sense and it was nice to hear.'' It was somehow surprising to witness this side of the terrapin. On the first meeting, he had seemed as unaproachable, stern, and a man of very few words; while in fact he could be truly articulate and wise, thanks to experiences. Maybe it took him time to truly open up to Vee, and the woman was glad he was finally starting to. ''Never thought you'd be the kind of person to blow up,'' added Raph, playful. ''I thought you were just some kind of shy bean like my tree of a brother.'' That brought up a laughter from the artist, her smile never fading away. ''I tend to bottle my emotions a lot and at some point it just snaps. It's mostly tears most of the time. It ain't pretty.'' ''It never has to be pretty,'' commented the terrapin. ''But if that's what it takes to cool you down, so be it. And if one day Donnie cannot accept that, you tell me and I'mma beat his ass up. I'm dead serious.'' ''Deal,'' chuckled Vee. ''Although I'm sure it'll never get to that.'' *** The day had seemed to last forever. From work being hectic to calling landlords in order to plan visits to certain apartments, Vee thought her mind would explode at some point. No matter how many coffees she drank, it seemed like her energy was being sapped away, her headache everlasting. She only started to breathe once she made her way back to the Lair, feeling like she could finally put everything behind her and get to relax. … Or so she thought! How was she dragged into bo staff training with Donnie? At this point she just shrugged it off, simply glad to spend time with him. Both were dressed for a workout; Vee in black leggings and a sport bra, Donnie wearing dark grey sweatpants. He looked at ease, effortlessly warming up by doing simple rowing and figures with his staff as Vee was stretching. That show off, thought the woman, both showing a smirk as their gazes crossed. Up on her feet, the first thing she felt was the tip of Donatello's staff lightly tapping and poking her thighs and sides, his grin forever present as he started to talk. ''Today you're gonna learn how to not hit yourself.'' He brought Vee closer to him with the help of his bo, keeping her a prisonner. ''The staff is an extension of your arms and a tool that gains much power, all thanks to velocity. You have to be aware of where both its extremities are at all times.'' ''Hmm, so far I like this lesson,'' commented Vee, gently tapping his plastron. ''Focus and you shall be rewarded greatly!'' ''Ho, ho! Yes, sir!'' They were both playful and smiling, the lesson finally starting. The main trick was to repeat movements and be at ease with them. Vee's main weakness was her coordination, which she always thought was funny considering how most of her activities – such as playing music – required such skill. Having Donnie to comment on her technique and help her understand each strikes was definitely a great way for her to learn. He would often stand behind her, holding her hands in his and guiding her. As much as he wanted to stay serious and be a proper teacher, he couldn't help leaving some kisses here and there, mostly as rewards. ''Do you think one day I'd be able to kick your butt?'' asked Vee at some point, amused and comically tapping her staff's ends against his biceps as she was standing before him. Donnie pondered for a moment, only to soon frown with a smile, grabbing her stick in turn and easily lifting the woman up to him with a playful growl. Vee let out a surprised sound, feeling his hold swiftly shift to hold her around her hips and butt, keeping her against him. ''I highly doubt so,'' he answered with a laugh. ''You're free to try, though.'' Vee dropped her staff, frowning in turn. She did not hesitate to start poking his sides, getting a yelp from the terrapin. That made him backtrack until his shell stopped him against a wall, laughing and pleading for the human to stop her poking and tickling. He slid down to sit on the floor, things finally starting to slow down. ''See? I won,'' pointed Vee, feeling victorious. Their eyes met and things suddenly shifted. Maybe it was the heat of the moment, the general good feeling of it all? Donnie's hands were petting Vee's back and skin, keeping her so close and their lips brushing. ''I admit... you leave me weak everytime I see you,'' murmured the turtle. The artist's touch trailed on his pebbled skin, from the sides of his neck to his shoulders. She couldn't describe it, yet she felt that magnetism. That feeling that pulled her to him, like a spell. Their lips finally met, eager to feel one another. A flame was lit, their breathings harsh and their touch persistent on one another. Her hips moved on their own, starting a slow grind as she kept kissing. Donnie did not stop her; in fact he kept her movement going by keeping his hands on her waist. The world was spinning, making them feel dizzy with love. Vee was only able to take back her breath for a moment, keeping close as she mumbled: ''What if someone walks in?'' Oh she could already feel his erection, the mutant's churr so deep and low. ''I don't give a fuck,'' he answered, going back into another kiss. Pleasure and desire were already there, Vee's skin getting over-sensitive and letting some moans escape her. Her arms were now hooked around his neck, her body a wave as she kept brushing it against her lover. She felt one of Donnie's hands eagerly tugging at her leggings, soon getting one of her legs out of it. Vee, in turn, only needed to pull down his sweatpants enough to let his sex out, grinding against it with a growing lust. Passion was way high and only the present moment mattered. Everything else was insignificant, the craving of sex increasing with each seconds. I need you right now. Time seemed like a blur, both joining soon enough. Their tempo was already at a langourous pace, breaths harsh and translating their need. ''Ffffffuuuck,'' mewled Vee. She could feel him entirely, rubbing every right parts of her in such a delicious way. His lips trailed her skin, his hands holding onto her as if afraid that she would disappear. They both couldn't lie: the possibility to get caught in the act brought such an immense thrill. It blasted their lust through the roof, eager to meet their end. ''Don't stop, baby, keep going,'' encouraged the mutant breathlessly, his tone only for her to hear. He was answered with a kiss, Vee's pace keeping up and her body trembling from sheer excitement. Her moans were lost against him, her thoughts spinning as she knew her pursuit to ecstasy was coming sooner than expected. Maybe it was because of the spontaneity of it all... A first orgasm rushed through her in a powerful wave, somehow surprised by how short it took her to obtain it. She could feel Donnie's smile against her cheek, his churr rumbling so strongly in his chest and bringing renewed shivers to Vee. Please. Again. ''Cum with me,'' pleaded the artist, nuzzling the other's face, her lips grazing his'. She felt the terrapin's hands get a hold of her hips, guiding her movements. All he could think about was her; her scent, her voice, the feel of her skin and her sex. He never felt that much complete before, like an intricate puzzle that had finally found its missing piece... The way she whispered his name in need, some sweet ''I love you'' escaping her like a melody, oh he did not mean to moan that much in turn, but he couldn't help it! He needed to kiss her just as much as he needed to breathe It was vital, primordial, his eternal need. Vee's whimpers and mewls told him she was close once more, the mutant abandoning himself into this feeling. The next thing he knew was that he was feeling the same bliss as her, nuzzling her and trailing kisses as he cummed. Both were on a cloud, panting as their hands kept caressing one another. Their pace slowed down little by little, the friction ever still so good. The turtle's churr could only express his love, kissing again and again at Vee's neck; enough to leave a mark. Things finally came back down to earth, their eyes meeting. And that's when they softly laughed, still joined, ever feeling so good. ''Did that just happen for real?'' asked Vee, smiling and blushing. ''Judging by how we're still sitting here, linked to one another, I'd say it was indeed very real!'' answered Donatello, snickering. The woman hid her face against the other's neck, grumbling from both amusement and shyness. ''Is the lesson over?'' she added. ''My legs are kinda dead right now...'' She felt the mutant kiss the top of her head, his arms surrounding her into a warm embrace. ''Sure thing, love. In fact, this calls for a bath time. It'll help relax your muscles.'' ''Only if you come take it with me.'' ''Always,'' he cooed. *** As the water stopped running, a long and confortable sigh left the woman as she laid her front side against Donatello's chest, both instantly getting into an embrace, Vee nuzzling her lover's neck and jaw. They could hear faint music coming from the main room of the lair, probably Mikey blasting it somewhere. Deep basses that rumbled in the air, suave hip-hop beats that settled a mood; a New York state of mind. God, she felt so good. She wanted to stay like this forever. Feel this love and have no worries in mind. Her smile was soft, slowly trailing kisses here and there, appreciating the sensation of his scales against her lips. ''I'll be visiting two apartments this weekend,'' she started in a sweet tone. ''They don't seem too bad. I can't wait to see them.'' Their eyes met, the artist still speaking: ''And you know what? I kept thinking about it and now I know why it'll be good that I get my own place.'' ''Do tell,'' added Donnie. ''It will be our place. … Something for the both of us. Something for when you need to get away from the others and just relax. I could even have a corner just for you! Have a desk with things you can work on, I dunno!'' The mutant chuckled, finding the idea adorable and yet very alluring. ''That does sound nice,'' he answered, his fingers tenderly tracing the woman's back. ''Will you be visiting them alone?'' ''I guess so...'' ''Maybe April could check them out with you.'' Vee frowned lightly, remaining silent as she laid her head down against one side of his neck. She mumbled a faint ''I dunno'', a sharp sigh leaving her. She could still feel Donnie's hands against her skin, keeping up his petting and remaining calm. ''… I spoke with her when I went to grab your things. She really feels bad for everything that's happening.'' ''Yeah, sure,'' interjected the artist dryly. ''And she wants to make it up to you,'' continued the other, not skipping a beat after her comment. ''… She wants to explain herself and patch things up. She cares for you, Vee.'' ''Did she tell you why she's moving with Casey?'' ''Yes.'' The artist's head was back up, staring straight at the male. ''So? Why?'' The turtle looked somewhat uneasy, meditating his answer. ''… I don't think it's up to me to explain why. She wants to discuss it with you-'' ''Fuck that,'' cut Vee, iritated. ''Keeping that reason away from me right now will only make me want to not see her even more.'' She couldn't hide her slight pain. ''I'm tired of drama and people keeping secrets. I just want to know so I can stop worrying and coming up with thousands of scenarios in my head. … Can't you at least understand that?'' Facing the other's contemplative silence, the woman got in motion with a sharp sigh, about to exit the bathtub, but Donnie's hand got a gentle hold of her arm, murmuring a ''come here'' as he brought her back to him. Petting her skin again, he left some kisses against her head, feeling sorry. ''Yes I do understand,'' he started. ''I just wanted to respect April's wishes too.... But you're right, I shouldn't let you worry like that.'' ''And I don't even need the full details,'' commented Vee. ''Just the big lines, I don't care. …. But I deserve the right to know.'' The terrapin's sigh was heavy, but his voice calm. ''April and Casey want to start a family. And in light of the recent events, Casey wants April out of any harm – hence why he's urging her to move in with him.'' ''Why didn't she say anything? … For how long were they planning this 'starting a family' thing?'' ''For that I have no answer. You'll need to seek that out with her.'' ''I guess so...,'' mumbled Vee. ''… She calls me a friend, yet she does not confide things like that to me.'' ''Hey, everyone's trying their best, alright? … Don't get started on scenarios and jump to conclusions. You still have to hear her out.'' The woman still mumbled some words under her breath, face hidden against the other's skin. She knew he was right and, frankly, she was glad that he was trying to bring some sense into her. Getting anxious would bring her no good... ''Alright,'' she finally spoke up, moving her head so she could make eye contact with the mutant. ''I'll call her tomorrow and see if she wants to come with me.'' ''Attagirl,'' added Donnie with a soft smile, his fingers trailing along her spine to the nape of her neck. ''You'll see, things will settle. Arguments may occur, but there's always a way to fix things up.'' ''Depends on the situation, but I guess you're right.'' ''I'm always right,'' joked the male. Vee playfully splashed some water towards him, giggling. ''Don't push it!''

#chapter #writing #tmnt #tmnt 2014 #tmnt 2016 #fanfic #fancharacter #oc #selfinsert #donatello x oc #donatello x selfinsert

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seasonsandcenturies · 5 years ago

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I have Feelings about the new Good Omens

and almost all of them are about What Is Up with all the demons looking Like That so can we please talk about it

In Good Omens, angels look like people. Human people, that is. They have the right number of arms and legs, and they wear clothes that would more or less blend into a crowd.[1] The angels seem to skew androgynous - Michael is a woman, probably, as is Uriel, but there’s a little bit of room for doubt. The higher-ups seem to be trying their best to appear relatable (Sandalphon’s not exactly stereotypically glamorous, despite being very well dressed and blinged out; Gabriel conspicuously engages in the Extremely Normal human activity of jogging in a park) but even so, there’s just something about them that comes across as unnervingly otherworldly.

Demons, on the other hand, aren't even close to anything that could blend in with a crowd of humans, although they seem to share the angels’ predilection for androgyny. They are physical embodiments of decay and sickness and filth, designed to disgust and horrify, who can possess human bodies (says Aziraphale, who goes on to prove that angels are just as capable of it). The most powerful demons (Beelzebub, Lord of Hell; Hastur, Duke of Hell, and Ligur, presumably same) all have an animal/insect theme to their appearance.[2] Ligur's chameleon changes colors with his mood. Beelzebub not only wears a giant fly as a hat but is actually surrounded by flies. Hastur has a frog and vaguely frog-like eyes; on Earth, his hair seems to hide the frog, but when he isn’t trying to pass for human it’s clearly visible. Even Dagon has a suspiciously furry collar and very sharp teeth.

There are a few different interviews with the series’ hair and makeup artist and costume designer about how they came up with the costumes, but this article specifically states (emphasis added) that ‘Hastur, Ligur, and the other Dukes of Hell wear what they died in.’ Frankly, that’s a baffling concept, because why would a human become a demon? Throughout the series, humans are repeatedly referred to as being distinctly separate from either angels or demons. It’s heavily implied that the demons are angels who Fell a long time ago, as Dagon reminds them that while they may have lost the so-called Glorious Revolution, they are now (supposedly) “tougher, smarter, more dangerous!” - meaning they aren’t anything new, they’re just improved.

So why do the demons look the way they do?

I’m pretty sure @neil-gaiman was joking.

But. It could work.

When they Fell, maybe the demons lost their angelic forms, wings and all, and ended up stuck as animals, although they didn’t lose their abilities. Over time, they found out that going around on Earth looking like an animal wasn’t exactly the fastest or easiest way to get anything done. They needed human bodies so they could fit in, even though the ones they got never looked quite right. They leaked, a little, or they smelled. Sometimes they were already dead. But they did the job.

... I mean, just think about it. If a demon’s true form is animal-shaped, it’d explain a few things, including that strange quote about wearing the clothes they died in -- for example, Crowley telling Hastur he’d have liked the 14th century wouldn’t mean Hastur had missed it because he didn’t exist at the time, but simply that he hadn’t been paying much attention to what was going on topside. (Besides, Hastur probably didn’t acquire his current human body until the early 20th century, if his clothes are anything to go by.)

But what about Crowley? Obviously he’s got the whole animal motif thing going for him just like the others, he’s a snake. But he’s different. He’s the only demon who can unquestionably pass for ‘human’, being not only pustule-free but not actually very snake-like at all, excepting the tattoo on his face, his eyes, and a suspiciously sibilant manner of speech. He’s the only demon we see taking any kind of ‘angelic’ form, looking a little bit ragged at the Garden of Eden (an apparently intentional nod to the fact that he Fell fairly recently) and later unfurling his wings when talking to Adam. And he’s also the only demon we see actually shifting to and from an animal form.[3]

As God points out, Crowley has something the other demons don’t: an imagination. Which could mean he never had to resign himself to being worn like a hat and possessing some body to get around because he actually had enough imagination to transform himself.[4]

But even Crowley’s imagination has its limits. After all, he imagined his Bentley was a perfectly functional car that he would definitely not burn to death in, but that didn’t change the reality of the situation, which was that his car was on fire. This wasn’t like doing a miracle. So while he may have been perfectly capable of imagining himself looking the way he was last, ruffled feathers and all, he couldn’t completely change everything. He was a snake, now, so his eyes stayed mostly the same, and there was that little tattoo on his face that he couldn’t exactly hide but could at least play down. Even so, it didn’t turn out too badly, for a first attempt.

[1] The rest of Heaven isn’t exactly fashion forward. Aziraphale, when discorporated, inexplicably ends up in a tuxedo. Meanwhile, the army of angels preparing for battle, even more inexplicably, look like they’ve come off the set of Wee Willie Winkie.

[2] The only other demon who seems to eschew an animal form is Satan, possibly. One could argue the horns are symbolic of something, but I’d rather not.

[3] Hastur’s escape from Crowley’s ansaphone doesn’t count. He wriggles through the call center phone line with flesh-eating maggots and kills everyone in the room. That’s not the same thing as shifting himself into another form, that’s just-- I don’t know, gross and unnecessary.

[4] I should probably mention that this theory only applies to the TV adaptation, as the book already has a perfectly reasonable reptile/insect/other animal-headgear-free explanation about the Effort involved in appearing human. I think. It’s been a while.

#good omens #good omens meta #good omens headcanon #good omens theories #crowley #gotv #i have been thinking about this for the past WEEK #absolutely love how creative everything is in this adaptation but absolutely want more answers and explanations #and also to have a better headcanon than 'it's like ratatouille!'#because that was pretty much the first thing i thought of when i saw the ask and the second was return to oz #i could not find a gif of crowley shifting his head to a snake form to scare the paintball human which is a little bewildering #has that scene really not been gif'd? it seems like the entire rest of the show has #and same for discorporated!aziraphale in heaven and the angel army #i wish there was an easier way to credit gifs because now i can't even find where these came from yikes #anyway uh #the last time i paid attention to good omens as a fandom everything was on livejournal and yuletide was its own actual website #that's what i think

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getoffthesoapbox · 6 years ago

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[GS] Goblin Slayer’s Foundational Sublayers

“Don't worry about the snakes in your garden when you've got spiders in your bed.”

I hope I’m not stepping on a landmine by posting about this particular show, given it’s controversial nature, but I’m quite floored by the layers I’m discovering in Goblin Slayer now that I’ve watched the first two episodes. I guess I’ll preface this with a couple disclaimers, then work out the rest under the cut.

First of all, I know nothing about Goblin Slayer other than that it is a light novel and has a manga variant. I’ve never read either, and have no intention of reading either in the near future. How the story unfolds or whether or not its intriguing and gripping premise devolves into pointless harem hijinks, I know not. If it’s merely a male power fantasy or if it has more substance, I know not. These things I will discover as they come within the anime. My post at this time is concerning what is right in front of me, the two episodes that are out. Whether the story can make good on what its more subtler layers are promising remains to be seen.

Second of all, this post will not delve into the controversial elements of the two episodes other than to refer to them lightly as necessary. While I believe the human mind is stronger than common wisdom implies, I’m not interested in fighting people over what should have been warned or not, so I won’t be messing with it. It just bogs down the flow of a post to have such things, and it goes against my principles, so I’ll be stepping around it entirely.

Preamble over. Let’s get crackin’.

Edgy Exploitation Fantasy or Psychological Horror Fantasy?

There used to be a subgenre of horror filmmaking called exploitation or grindhouse films. Some of the discussion I’m seeing about Goblin Slayer reminds me a bit of the controversies surrounding these shadier elements of filmmaking throughout film history. Artists are always pushing boundaries, touching taboos, and getting bit for going too far. This is the nature of art, and the whole process is fine--boundaries should be set by culture, but they should also be poked and prodded by subculture. It’s an eternal dance that is necessary and desirable for the health of a society. Go too far one way, and you’re too rigid. Go too far the other way, you’re unable to get your bearings. There is a time and a place to explore exploitation, and artists need to be free to go where the normal civilized person cannot. (Or at least, that’s what I believe.)

Where does Goblin Slayer fall, then? On the surface, one might say it easily falls into an exploitation subgenre. The first episode alone features men being viciously murdered and women facing far worse, all to set up the Heroic Entrance of the blank slate (quite literally, as he has no face) Audience-Insert Hero character. This Audience-Insert Hero Character then proceeds to Destroy All The Bad Things and save the day. In episode two, we find out the Audience-Insert Hero Character not only saves the day, but he’s the Only One who saves the day for the Little Guy and no one but his Harem, who he doesn’t notice because he’s Too Manly, appreciates him.

If the above were all that Goblin Slayer had to it (and perhaps future episodes will truly devolve into such a premise), then I would agree with those who criticize its exploitation of its female (and male) characters for the sake of elevating its hero and allowing its audience the opportunity to both be titillated by the violence being done to the victims and enjoy the fantasy of rescuing the damsels in distress who can be rescued. In some ways, Goblin Slayer certainly isn’t shy about indulging in its exploitative opportunities. But I do think there’s more to it than merely the exploitation layer, and that’s why I haven’t dropped it.

I think Goblin Slayer’s world building is some of the strongest I’ve seen in an anime fantasy setting in a long time, and the first episode left me with a genuine sense of horror that I haven’t felt in a long time. Horror is much like humor--it’s easy to spot and hard to do right. Jump scares and spooky sounds are one thing, but narrative horror--the kind you’d find in The King in Yellow or The Turn of the Screw--is much more difficult. The kind of horror that creeps up on you, that gets you thinking, that’s much harder. The same is true of slapstick comedy--it’s easy to do body humor, but difficult to do the more complicated forms. Goblin Slayer does an excellent job building its world into something truly horrific in its first two episodes, and while this does elevate its hero to truly “heroic” proportions, it also emphasizes just how difficult, unrewarding, thankless and necessary a task this man has undertaken is, and the depths of the evil which has snuck in by the back door.

But more than the world building, more than the harem elements, Goblin Slayer gets so. much. right. on two very important narrative levels most people never even think about: the evolutionary level and the mythological/religious level. These two levels are buried beneath our stories, and most of the time in the rush of planning characters and plots and themes and the “things of heaven” so to speak, writers don’t even realize the “hell” at their feet, the foundation upon which they’re building. When a writer gets it right, you know, because people are drawn to it without being able to understand why, even if the plot, characters, and “themes” are badly written or terrible or repugnant morally. When a story gets the foundation layers right, there’s something in it that really calls an audience’s attention, for good or ill, and that’s what I want to explore here today.

The Serpent In The Garden & The Heart

What struck me about the first two episodes of Goblin Slayer was that this world was fucked inside and out. This is the layer of myth and religion--whenever a story starts with a premise like that, we’re going straight back to the origin stories of mankind--the angry gods and goddesses, the banishment from paradises, the murdering of first brothers. Even if we’re secular people, we all carry within us the DNA of generations upon generations of people who held this mythology within their lives and blood. It influences us in ways we don’t even recognize to this day.

Goblin Slayer makes a clear-cut case for the evils of the goblins themselves, and they’re the easiest to address first. The goblins are this story’s initial enemy, the “serpent in the garden” to to speak. They are the thing, according to the Hero, who is keeping the World from Paradise. The source of the fall, so to speak. And the story does an excellent job of establishing the horror of these creatures. In small groups or one-on-one, outside of their nest, they’re no threat at all, much like a lone rat might be or a lone wasp or a lone termite. But enter their nest and their layer, ignore them to let them multiply, and you’ll soon find yourself battling an infestation of the little buggers. These goblins are nasty little creatures--smart as dogs and rapacious as bed bugs. They hide from larger, scarier monsters, and loot poor, ill-defended villages, pillaging for supplies and women, who they drag back to their layers. Much like pillagers throughout humanity, these creatures swam what they want and devour it in whatever way strikes them. They’re truly horrific creatures.

Now this alone would be rather one-sided if the goblins were the only evil the story highlighted. But fortunately, there is a second layer that touches on the snakes that exist in the heart of every creature. Why are the goblin infestations increasing? Because humans don’t feel like dealing with them. They’re a hassle (like pests), they’re easy to kill as long as you don’t get swarmed, and there are bigger fish to fry (likely legitimately, but that hasn’t been justified yet). Worse, they tend to attack poorer villages that can’t afford to put up a town defense much less hire adventurers to assist them. The bounties aren’t worth it for anyone but the greenhorns looking for experience. So much of the destruction caused by these green menaces is due to human greed and sloth--”strong” humans are too important to waste time on “small” fry like goblins. Greenhorns are then sent to the slaughter--the ones who survive become regular adventurers and soon escape the grind of goblin-hunting while the unlucky ones get slaughtered or worse.

Even with these two sides of horror--nature and the heart of man--this story would fall flat if it didn’t have one last piece of the triangle. Generally when stories fail at this level, they fail because their protagonist is “above” the serpent within. Fortunately for Goblin Slayer, the Goblin Slayer himself is not this kind of character. He may have a harem and he may be “heroic,” but the first two episodes of the story do not justify him or his actions. I think it might be easy to take his backstory flashback as a justification, but there are a few key moments that the story emphasizes which, in my opinion, make it clear that the flashback is merely to explain why he’s obsessed with his mission to eradicate the goblins, not to justify his actions. The first moment is in the first episode when he slaughters the helpless goblin children--while his words may be “correct,” they neither convince the Priestess nor do the visuals agree with him--he’s portrayed visually as an overbearing monster bearing down on the hapless creatures. In the second episode, he attempts to justify himself to the Priestess again, but what we see from her is not her nodding in agreement or having a Sudden Realization of his Righteousness--instead she is praying as they’re slaughtering the goblins. She still views him as wrong, even if this is a necessary evil in order to protect their own kind.

On top of the Priestess’s alternative viewpoint and the camerawork, we have his Childhood Friend, whose pain and loneliness is emphasized. His work isn’t justified by her story, it’s criticized. While he’s off chasing down this endless revenge quest, he’s hurting a woman who has cared for him for most of his life. He’s missing out on the beauty of her company and her companionship, on the brighter side of life, on “heaven” so to speak. Her uncle wants her to give up on him, and understandably calls him crazy. But she is faithful in waiting, and in hoping that one day he’ll turn toward her. To be fair, the story does try to play things evenly rather than simply criticizing its main character (it does want you to root for the Goblin Slayer), and it does this through the Guild Clerk, who in my opinion is the least trustworthy of the heroines so far. She may “value” the Goblin Slayer, but she’s certainly willing to hand out goblin missions to unqualified greenhorns and use them as cannon fodder when necessary. The story makes it clear that she has a serpent in her heart as well.

What I see here, with these three key elements in play, is the set up for a huge redemption arc not only for the Goblin Slayer, but also for the world at large. We’re starting off with both a fall from paradise (the goblin infestations rising) and the Problem of Malice/Evil (the indifference of the other adventurers and the obsession of the Goblin Slayer), both of which will have to be addressed and rectified before the end. It’s clear from the opening that, much like Guts from Berserk, the Goblin Slayer cannot complete his mission alone. He is not going to be able to actualize himself as a person and as a human being and free himself from his obsession until he is shown a bigger picture through the perspectives of the people who come into contact with him.

The exploitation in the first two episodes to me seems to be ultimately necessary for establishing the sheer magnitude of the stakes in this story not just for the main hero and heroine, but also for the world itself. It is a world that has turned a blind eye to injustice in favor of greed, a world that is not functioning with proper order and is allowing chaos to flourish because people are trying to avoid facing what they don’t want to face. If this theme carries on throughout the entirety of the story, and if both the Goblin Slayer and the world change by the end, I think it could have the makings of quite a satisfying quest on the most fundamental of levels, even if it indulges in a few harem hijinks.

Evolution On Display

This might be kind of a funny thing to notice, but I think the evolutionary layer is a key layer in storytelling that perhaps isn’t acceptable to modern sensibilities despite resonating deeply due to the nature of evolution.

On average, women tend to flock toward the men at the top of a hierarchy. These men, evolutionarily speaking, are the most likely to be able to offer security and safety for the woman and her offspring. Since only in the modern age have medicine and work opportunities become available to allow women to not rely so heavily on men’s assistance, this is something buried deep within the female psyche that they most likely don’t even realize is operating within them.

Harem stories are annoying to me in general because I tend to find them unrealistic in some senses (generally the male figures in them are not what women themselves would pick as the “top of the crop” which is why women can so quickly pinpoint a male fantasy character vs. a legitimate top male). Male fantasy characters tend to be average schmucks whose only selling point is that they’re “nice” and can help solve the girls’ problems. Characters like that tend to be off-putting for female audiences because let’s face it, in real life you kind of need more to sell than just your niceness. ;) So in most harem stories of the anime variety, the harems the males gather to them are not earned the way real top males earn their harems.

Take, for example, a star actor or a star sports hero--these men work their asses off night and day to rise above the crowd. They may get several girls who like them when they’re first starting their craft, say, in high school. By college they have a respectable harem of ladies who are interested. By the time they make their first break in the industry, maybe they have a new girl every night if they want. By the time they’re famous, they most likely can have whoever they want whenever they want. This is the nature of what it means to be on top. And this makes sense, because think about what comes “with” being a star of this kind--immense wealth, immense notoriety, immense resources. On a biological level, it only makes sense that these men would be incredibly attractive to women, women who might not mind sharing if it means having a piece of such a man.

What I love about Goblin Slayer is that it actually accurately gets this element. Women see the worth of men and the likelihood of them making it to the “top” of the hierarchy earlier than men do. This is why the Childhood Friend’s conversation with her uncle in episode two was so interesting to me--he sees nothing of worth in the Goblin Slayer, but she already is seeing a man who has the ability to secure the life and resources she needs. She’s seeing the future while her uncle can only see the worthless sack of shit in the present. You see this effect also on the Priestess, who the Goblin Slayer rescues. She sees his worth as a protector, thus security. The Guild Girl also sees his worth in the status sector--he’s the Only One Who Will Fight Goblins, which is a status. The reason he gets ridiculed by other adventurers is because they don’t understand that he’s carving a niche status for himself (he himself doesn’t understand this either), but they instinctively fear that niche status. Ridicule comes from an instinctive fear of excellence. Whenever a man (or woman) begins reaching for excellence, it stirs up anxieties among the people around them who know subconsciously that they’re not striving for the same thing.

Thus we end up with this realistic harem that actually works for once because it’s based (most likely subconsciously on the writer’s part) on actual evolutionary development. The Goblin Slayer is in the process of earning his status, his resources, and his harem. He is doing that with single-minded attention toward his goal, which is ultimately the eradication of goblins. Now, his goal is wrong, and he’ll have to temper it, but it’s an important part of the process guiding him toward the top of the hierarchy, where he’ll find the happiness he doesn’t know he’s looking for now.

Why Fantasy Stories Aimed At Men Still Matter

I wasn’t going to go here when I started my post, but apparently I have something about it I want to say.

There is certainly a push now to make stories of all shapes accessible to women, and I absolutely have no problem with this. Expanding the audiences for stories is perfectly fine (and smart from a business-standpoint!). But at the same time, I think something has been lost for male audiences in the process, and for female audiences as well, in removing the opportunity for a truly male-oriented worldview for (some) stories.

Stories are essentially a way to understand each other, to bridge the gap between our heads and other people’s. It is as helpful for a woman to watch a male harem fantasy as it is for a man to watch a female reverse harem fantasy--both offer windows into the dreams and wishes of each gender and give clues as to what kinds of personality traits are worth cultivating and what traits should be snuffed out as quickly as possible.

The problem comes when one gender gets a monopoly over the other, or when one gender becomes naval-gazing and self-indulgent at the expense of the other, which is why (understandably) we’re seeing a movement toward stories with broader perspectives. The only downside to a broader perspective, of course, is that you lose intimacy and you lose the ability to enter a specific type of person’s worldview. (This brings me to mind of something like Lolita, which probably would not be able to be published in the modern day.) When you can’t narrow the perspective of a story to reflect a single mindset, you definitely lose some flavor along the way. Whether that flavor is worth losing or not is probably up to each individual viewer.

The other problem that I’m seeing at least with recent storylines in anime is that even as they’re extending the narrative umbrella to female audiences, in the process they’re losing the aspirational aspect of men’s journeys. These stories aimed at men are no longer guiding them toward becoming the kind of men who can attract the women they want and be respected by their peers; instead they try to placate young men who have made nothing of themselves by offering them women who will accept them “as they are.” I see the same thing happening in stories for girls--girls aren’t aspiring to become the best partners they can for the men at the top of the hierarchy, instead they’re being told they can just “be themselves” and the top males will land in their lap for no reason at all simply because they’re the heroine. I find these kinds of stories to be dangerous in a great many ways because they foster false expectations and senses of entitlement that aren’t helpful when navigating difficult gender dynamics in the real world.

What does this tangent have to do with Goblin Slayer? Well, as far as I can tell, Goblin Slayer is getting this right. The Goblin Slayer is not a layabout useless sack of crap whose childhood friend has to wake him up every day by jiggling her unrealistic assets in his face. He’s a man who is making his way in the world, a man who has a purpose he chose for himself, a man who pays for his rent, a man who gets himself up every day, a man who politely escorts the lady of the house where she wants to go, a man who is respectful and civilized. He is a man “in process,” which is a great place to start with a hero. Of course there is still growth--he needs to become more than merely a goblin murderer. If he wants to earn the harem he’s beginning to attract, he needs to expand as a person. But what I appreciate about this story is that it establishes the basics of what one needs to begin attracting the opposite sex--a job, industriousness, and excellence in one’s field of work. What’s even better is that this story is establishing that this can all be done without looks being a factor--the Goblin Slayer is never seen without his helmet, which means he’s attracting people based on what he does and how he acts. In other words, the Goblin Slayer is an aspirational figure, even with his flaws.

Stories like this are necessary for young men so that they can see themselves as something other than useless layabouts who need a woman to wake them up in the morning. Stories like this are also necessary for the brave women who care to overlook the male perspective in order to gain understanding of how much work a man has to put in to even be able to attract any notice, and to what men are looking for both in relationships and in their lives in general. I guess maybe I as a viewer just like to see this aspect respected and hope that stories won’t be afraid to regain a bit of what has been lost in transition here. Again, I don’t want to lose stories that appeal to everyone, but I think it’s fine for some stories to focus specifically on one gender in order to help work through many of the problems and challenges that gender faces in the world. Goblin Slayer by itself can’t do that alone, and I’m not even saying it’s the best variant of this genre, but at the moment it’s getting things right and I like to praise things when I see them getting things right.

He Who Runs Away Today Lives To Run Another Day

I hope I haven’t offended anyone with this post (it’s hard to talk about controversial subjects without offending at least half the room), but if I have I offer my sincere apologies. This was meant to be an exploration of the thoughts and feelings this story and some of the controversy surrounding it stirred up within me, and I’m not really sure I accomplished much more than merely getting some thoughts out on paper, but it is what it is.

Whether you love Goblin Slayer or hate it or are indifferent to it, thank you for making it all the way to the end of this and I hope we’ll cross paths again.

Until next time!

#goblin slayer #potentially controversial?#proceed with caution #potentially soapboxing a bit #sorry in advance

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danvssomethingorother · 8 years ago

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@the-ill-doctor

Past: the magician

The Magician's number is One, the number of creation and individuality; his power is transformation through the use of his will. In his manipulation of the basic elements into all the substances and materials of life, he shows us that from a foundation of the mundane can emerge all that is to come. He can take the Nothing from which the Fool emerged and shape it into Something, making one out of zero. Clearly this is power of a divine sort, and it is true that the Magician is a conduit for a higher power, which commands all of the material world. Since all that we can see in the physical world is the conduit himself, the acts he performs often seem like magic.

The Magician may seem like a strange title for someone who holds real power, because the word "magician" tends to conjure up pictures of illusionists and escape artists, whose power involves sleight of hand and misdirection. The Magician, however, is similar to the stage illusionist in many ways. He is confident in his skills and his ability to produce the effects that he wants. His real power comes from sources outside of him, and he is powerless without these sources, just as an illusionist depends on people "behind the scenes". Both magician and Magician, however, are as important to their powers are the powers are to them. Without a conduit, power itself is impotent and useless.

With his powers the Magician holds influence over all - theory and practice, logic and emotion, thought and action. Almost every modern depiction of the Magician includes one or more symbols of infinity to denote his limitless power; the snake eating its tail and the lemniscate (horizontal figure-eight) being chief among these. This limitless power comes from sources outside his body yet under his control. And as long as the Magician remembers that this power is his to command, even if he loses all of his worldly power and skill he can never truly be called powerless. For his Will is a power that, while it can be subdued, it can never be destroyed.

Another nearly universal association with the Magician is the red-and-white color scheme. This theme recurs throughout the Tarot and it is very symbolic that it starts with this card and not the Fool. For while the Fool was the potential for positive and negative, the Magician is the union of positive and negative. He creates and he preserves; he destroys and he redeems. His true power is that he not only knows what he must do, but he knows how he must do it, and why he must do it. Then he does it. The Magician reminds us that a wish alone will change nothing, but a decision can change everything. A desire to create is nothing without an ability to create, and vice-versa.

When the Magician appears he shows that you are ready to become a conduit for power, like he is. The forces of creation and destruction have always been at your command but now you have the wisdom and confidence needed to use them constructively. Now is the time to act, if you know what is it you want to accomplish and why. Since the powers of transformation are at your command, change your desires into objectives, your thoughts into actions, your goals into achievements. If you have recently met with failure, now you can change that failure into success as easily as the Magician changes fire into water. The only limits you have are those you impose on yourself.

The outward manifestations of such power are as numerous as they are varied, but the most common outer effect of the Magician's influence is unswaying and total confidence. The realization that the world is under your control is what inspires this kind of confidence, and with good reason. So go out into the world, set your mind to whatever goal you are interested in, and then just stand back and watch as everything falls into place under your command. Ultimately, the message of the Magician is a simple one despite his limitless and infinitely complex power. Your life is under your control. Your life is what you want it to be. Your life is what you make it.

Present: The World

After every obstacle has been faced and surmounted, after every path has been travelled and charted, there remains only the last step to the next level of existence - the World, the final gateway. After the union of the conscious and unconscious, the mind and the body, in Judgement, all that can remain is union with the Divine in whatever form it appears to you. This journey is over and the next is only beginning. The cycle is complete as last, with the vindication of the traveler and the immortality he has gained through development of the self. It would seem that the Fool's Journey may not have been so foolish after all.

This card, as befits its nature, has the same basic symbolism in almost all of its myriad version. There are the four cherubs embodying their domains; The bull for matter, the lion for energy, the eagle for time and the man for space. Together they represent the unifed creation and control of all things in the Universe. Another common motif is the dancer in the centre, with her twin wands. The wand is that of the Magician, but it has now multiplied, and the need to ground its magical power has vanished because it has become one with its source of power. Positive and negative can be seen as two parts of the same whole. One is many. Many are one.

The World could be thought of as a time of rest, the time between death and life where the soul awaits reincarnation in the material world and - for the briefest of periods - becomes one with the universe from which it came. All the lessons learned have been put to use. All the tasks accomplished have born fruit and brought prosperity. Every cause has had its effects and all of the diverse threads of effects have been woven into a tapestry of your life as you have lived it. Now is a time to enjoy your wisdom, savour your prosperity and admire the personal artwork you have created, for soon you will start it all over again.

The journey may have stopped for the moment, and it may have transcended the plane on which you started, but the journey of the soul never ends. A new beginning is found in the end, the pieces are in place for a new journey to start, and after that one is completed, another will surely commence. After a glimpse of the Divine you return to manifestation, sure of your convictions and in your ability to someday see the face of God again. The cycle is as endless as the wreath that surrounds the scene, tied together by the ribbons of Divine force, and spiraling around the universe until the end of time.

The World card marks a time in your life in which one cycle is over and the next is just beginning. It represents the final achievement of all your worldly expectations and desires, and the immenent approach of new desires to follow and new goals to puruse. The World itself remains the ultimate goal, because it is an affirmation of life and an arrival at a perfect state of harmony and bliss. This is the confirmation of success and the reward for all your trials and ordeals. With the coming of the World comes assured success and material well-being, as well as emotional fulfillment, and growth in the spiritual sense.

In the material world, this card's energy often manifests as a promotion to a higher position or an initiation to a new level of knowledge that was only dreamed of before. But this time of rejoicing and happiness, this peak of ecstasy, merely gives us a glimpse of the next mountain on the horizon. So once again you must step up ot the cliff and leap off, ready to start a new Fool's journey and find what secrets lie in this new level of existence. The cycle of the Major Arcana begins where it ends and ends where it begins; start and finish are no longer the ends of straight line, but coincident points on the circumference of a circle that encapsulates your life. The present is now. The future is now. Eternity is now.

Future: Justice

Since the Major Arcana do not apply directly to physical life, it must follow that Justice does not apply to the laws made by mankind. True, sometimes the laws of mankind mimic the laws that Justice does enforce, and in those rare cases Justice can indeed refer to them. But Justice typically refers to the immutable laws of the Universe, the invisible principles that keep everything flowing forward smoothly through infinite causal chains. These are laws that cannot be violated; only enforced. And the sword of Justice, double-edged as always, is ready to mete out punishment for those who have wronged, and to reward those who have done good deeds.

The two most important laws governed by Justice are really two sides of the same coin. First comes the law of cause and effect, stating that all events are connected and each present state is the result of all past states. This is a such strange idea to get your mind around because sometimes seemlingly meaningless actions will have great ramifications. Justice shows that every action you do will eventually have an effect, someday, and you really have no idea of knowing what that event is until it happens. Often the figure on the Justice card is pictured sitting in front of a curtain; this curtain hides the machinations of the universe that bring about these final results.

From the law of cause and order develops the law of Karma, showing that all your actions will return to you eventually. They will be modified slightly, and they are often strengthened over time, but the lesson is still the same. As you sow, so shall you reap. This is really a simple elaboration of the law of cause and effect. Under this new law, not only will everything you do have an effect, everything you do will have an effect on you. This is where it becomes critical to be mindful of your actions, because everything you take will come back to you eventually. Before Justice, you have to answer for all your actions, right and wrong. Life, if nothing else, is fair.

Indeed, Justice teaches the fairest yet cruelest lesson of all because, like in the suit of Swords, her blade has a double edge. You do not get what you expect, or even what you want - you get what you deserve. If you deserve good things then they are awarded, without ceremony or congratulation. If you deserve punishment then it is given with neither compassion nor mockery. You simply get back what you have made for yourself. And since you cannot change your actions once they have been made, if you want good things to happen you must be constantly making choices that will lead to those good things. You can be a saint or a demon - it is your choice.

When Justice appears, it should be taken as a stern reminder that the deeds of the past form the foundation for the events of the present and the future. If, in the past, you did something that you have been feeling guilty about, now may be the day when you have to answer for your deeds. If you did a deed you felt was worthy of reward, perhaps that reward will arrive. Especially when the Justice card is around, mind your actions and make sure you don't do anything you might regret later. Justice often appears to warn you that she will meet you again soon if you stay on your current path. Whether this is good or not remains yours to decide.

Despite the fact that it rarely represents the decisions of judges, this card can sometimes personify the attitude of a good judge. You may wish to take on this attitude to solve a problem in your life. The archetypal judge shown by Justice is not the blind courtroom statuette, but a figurehead of fairness and authority. Be right and reasonable in all your judgements - never take sides, never show mercy but never show excessive severity either. And before you judge others you must be prepared to judge yourself, and ensure that you are not guilty of the same errors as they. Righting any wrongs in your past must be done before you can attempt to right wrongs in your present.

Source

#Dan the sear #Dan's answers

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herkingmentality-shesunbreakable · 7 years ago

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The Next Generation: Alice Iris 2866 days ago

Knights or princes are the spirit of the teenager, all about changes. Knights are never still; as the pages/princesses suggest messages, the knights/princes suggest movement, travel. Elementally, they are Air moving and flowing like that element. As a person, they're likely to stand for a young adult or someone who acts very like a teen. Their beliefs are purer than of an adult, less cynical and more fierce. In this they are most knight like: powerfully, almost unquestioning loyal to a kingdom or cause.

Knight of Swords Too smart for her own good, this young woman is also too talkative. She's engages in flame wars on a dozen internet chat sites, she questions her teachers, she likes to play devil's advocate and argues with her friends and family just for the sake of arguing. This sharp mind and sharp tongue can, in the negative, lead her to spread gossip or nasty rumors just to see what will happen. If there's anything this knight will fight and die for, it is for freedom of information and speech.

Tags:

&Parents AliceIris_GenerationNext

The Magician

The Magician's number is One, the number of creation and individuality; her power is transformation through the use of her will. In her manipulation of the basic elements into all the substances and materials of life, she shows us that from a foundation of the mundane can emerge all that is to come. She can take the Nothing from which the Fool emerged and shape it into Something, making one out of zero. Clearly this is power of a divine sort, and it is true that the Magician is a conduit for a higher power, which commands all of the material world. Since all that we can see in the physical world is the conduit himself, the acts she performs often seem like magic. The Magician may seem like a strange title for someone who holds real power, because the word "magician" tends to conjure up pictures of illusionists and escape artists, whose power involves sleight of hand and misdirection. The Magician, however, is similar to the stage illusionist in many ways. She is confident in her skills and her ability to produce the effects that she wants. Her real power comes from sources outside of her (her mommies), and she is powerless without these sources, just as an illusionist depends on people "behind the scenes". Both magician and Magician, however, are as important to their powers are the powers are to them. Without a conduit, power itself is impotent and useless. With her powers the Magician holds influence over all - theory and practice, logic and emotion, thought and action. Almost every modern depiction of the Magician includes one or more symbols of infinity to denote her limitless power; the snake eating its tail and the lemniscate (horizontal figure-eight) being chief among these. This limitless power comes from sources outside her body yet under her control. And as long as the Magician remembers that this power is her to command, even if she loses all of her worldly power and skill she can never truly be called powerless. For her Will is a power that, while it can be subdued, it can never be destroyed. Another nearly universal association with the Magician is the red-and-white color scheme. This theme recurs throughout the Tarot and it is very symbolic that it starts with this card and not the Fool. For while the Fool was the potential for positive and negative, the Magician is the union of positive and negative. She creates and she preserves; she destroys and she redeems. Her true power is that she not only knows what she must do, but she knows how she must do it, and why she must do it. Then she does it. The Magician reminds us that a wish alone will change nothing, but a decision can change everything. A desire to create is nothing without an ability to create, and vice-versa. When the Magician appears she shows that you are ready to become a conduit for power, like she is. The forces of creation and destruction have always been at your command but now you have the wisdom and confidence needed to use them constructively. Now is the time to act, if you know what is it you want to accomplish and why. Since the powers of transformation are at your command, change your desires into objectives, your thoughts into actions, your goals into achievements. If you have recently met with failure, now you can change that failure into success as easily as the Magician changes fire into water. The only limits you have are those you impose on yourself. The outward manifestations of such power are as numerous as they are varied, but the most common outer effect of the Magician's influence is unswaying and total confidence. The realization that the world is under your control is what inspires this kind of confidence, and with good reason. So go out into the world, set your mind to whatever goal you are interested in, and then just stand back and watch as everything falls into place under your command. Ultimately, the message of the Magician is a simple one despite his limitless and infinitely complex power. Your life is under your control. Your life is what you want it to be. Your life is what you make it.

Tags:

KnightOfSwords_Magican_HangedMan

aliceiris711 says:

2866 days ago

Gain Position: The Emperor Business: The World In one of my reading I got 10 of wands in the gain position when I asked about my daughter. Most children are a burden so is there anything I should be worried about. The devil was in business position so I am assuming the nightmare I had of 2 girls being taken by a demonic man was influenced.

#Inspired

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alivelyfancy · 7 years ago

Text

We started off the day in New Marrakesh, the part of the city that was built by the French in the 1900s. Marrakesh has a unique look; No building is higher than 6 floors this is because they do not want any building towering over the minaret of the Koutoubia mosque, which is the symbol of. Marrakesh. It is clearly visible from anywhere in the city. The exception is a hotel built in the new part of the city during the French occupation. Also all buildings in Marrakesh have to be painted a reddish color on the outside, which is why it is known as the Red City or the Rose City. It is actually quite nice to see the contrast of the red buildings, the greenery of the palm trees and plants, and the blue skies. Marrakesh is located at the base of the Atlas mountains. I’m told on a clear day you can see the white of the snow from the Atlas Mountains, which are only about 20 miles away.

The Koutoubia mosque reflected on the water in the morning. This is the matching tower to the unfinished Hassan tower in Rabat.

Unlike the other cities, cars are allowed inside the Medina of Marrakesh so our bus drove us right to Jemaa el-Fnaa, the square of the Medina of Marrakesh. It’s always bustling with the food stalls selling dried fruit, skewers of meat, tangine, couscous, and other foods as well as street performers. But beware if you take their pictures (even raising your camera counts) because they will hound you for a tip. Apparently snake charmers are the worst.

“Even if you give them $100 they will follow you for $200.” – Hesham, our tour guide commenting on snake charmers.

Locals and tourists flock to the square to eat and shop. Surrounding the square are stores with souvenirs, but the further into Medina you go, the more variety and there is and the cheaper the price gets.

Leaving the square and wandering into the streets of the Medina, you can also find metalworking, leather, and other artisanal works. The streets are much wider, and less twisty, but it still think I would get lost if wandering on my own. Fortunately if you get lots you can simply ask someone to take you back to “la place” and you will end up in the square and be able to navigate back to your hotel.

There is also two places, a restaurant and a Café Glacier, where you can see the sunset and get a great view of the square and also take pictures without fear if being hounded for tips.

Jemaa el-Fnaa is always busy. Here you can see the green tents of the food stalls and if you look closely you might see performers or snake charmers among the crowds.

From inside the Medina we passed through the walls of the Kasbah and then a third set of walls to reach the saadian tombs. Kasbah simply means fortification. The history is that these tombs were built by the Saadians, a dynasty that only lasted about 100 years. And when the Alaouites came into power and moved the capital to Meknes the king was afraid to destroy the tombs due to superstition. So instead he built a wall around the tombs and filled it with sand so that it would be forgotten. It wasn’t until the French were taking aerial photographs of Morocco during the French protectorate period that they saw the structure and wondered what was inside. They had to make a small passage to access the tombs through the wall since the only entrance was through the mosque and non Muslims are not allowed in mosques. This rule was actually instituted by the French because at some point in time when the French and Moroccans were fighting, Moroccans would escape into the alleyways of the Medinas. Frustrated soldiers kept losing them in the maze so they started waiting for people to go to the mosques for prayer and then arrested them there. So to make it safe for people, the rule prohibiting non-Muslims from entering mosques was instituted. (Sorry all photos are on the digital camera…)

After the tombs we ended up going to a holistic shop where we learned about different types of traditional Moroccan medicine, herbs and spices. My mom and I really enjoyed it… But I don’t think my dad really cared for it. It kind of reminded me of Chinese traditional medicine, and I suppose it is the same philosophy.

Inside of the Moroccan natural medicine store where we learned about spices like Saffron, and natural beauty remedies like Argon oil and the new up and coming prickly pear oil 🍐 which is supposed to be really good for you skin.

Next we saw the Royal Palace, which despite its name was never the home of a king. A vizier during the Saadian period built this palace because the king at the time was under 18 years old and the vizier was making a lot of decisions for the king. It’s very beautiful and the garden in the middle of the courtyard is just gorgeous. All houses that have a courtyard with a garden in the middle are called “Riyadh.”

The courtyard of the vizier’s palace

Couscous is usually only eaten on Fridays after the afternoon prayer when all the family will go to either the parents’ house or a relative’s house for a big meal. Couscous is not an everyday dish because it takes about 2 hours to make! Couscous is made from semolina (basically crushed wheat), a little bit of flour, water, olive oil and sunflower oil. After this demonstration I have to say it’s so much work and I probably will only ever buy couscous already made from the store.

The traditional way to make couscous. Now fewer and fewer young Moroccans are making couscous this way.

Fresh fruit after couscous. The fruit is delicious in Morocco!

After the demo we went to the Museum of Marrakesh which was a Riyadh built at the end of the 19th century and fell into ruin, but was restored by Moroccan businessman / journalist Omar Benjelloun. Now the courtyard has been covered and there are no more plants, so it’s not a Riyadh a anymore, but it is a museum. It’s very pretty and our guide provided and explanation for us in English of the building history, architecture, and displays. However, be warned, everything is in French and Arabic so don’t expect to see English placards.

The courtyard of the Marrakesh Museum

The next stop was the Majorelle Gardens, also known as the Yves St. Laurent Gardens. These Gardens were first established by French artist Majorelle who lived there with his wife at the time. After their divorce he was forced to sell the garden and it fell in to disrepair until the designer Yves St. Laurent purchased and restored it. Inside there’s also a museum about the Berber people which explains their culture including handy work and tools, jewelry, clothing, and woodwork. It’s very interesting, but I found wandering around the garden more enjoyable. The villa and the pagodas in the garden are painted Majorelle blue, a vibrant, deep color that contrasts with the red walkways and green plants which range from cacti to bamboo to palm trees from all over the world.

The villa at Majorelle gardens which houses the Berber museum

I took so many photos of plants at the Majorelle gardens. I couldn’t help myself!

You can see the contrast between the Majorelle blue, green and red walkways here.

Part of the cacti collection at Majorelle gardens

After we ended up doing most touristy thing ever : riding a camel. Yesterday my mom and one other lady on the tour pleaded with our tour guide for a camel ride. It didn’t look like we would have enough time, but he was able to arrange it! I had no idea that she wanted to ride a camel so badly, but she was SO EXCITED when he said there was a place where we could take a short camel ride and take pictures. Literally it was a parking lot across from the Medina where the camel man leads your camel around for maybe 2 minutes for 50 dirham (about $5-6) It was pretty ridiculous, but I did have fun riding the camel. Best if all we now have video of my dad riding the camel. The tour guide kept saying, “Remember, this is not sponsored by the tour company. This is just something that you asked to do.”

This camel ride might be the most touristy /cheesiest thing I’ve done, but it was fun. 🐫

After our little adventure, we return to Jemaa el-Fnaa and climbed to the stairs to Café Glace to watch the sunset and the activity in the square from the balcony. Per our tour guide’s recommendation we arrived before 5 pm to make sure we could get a good seat and see the entire sunset. There were plenty of others up there, but I wouldn’t say it was over crowed. It’s open to the sky so everybody can see the sunset, but it’s better to be closer to the railing so you can look down at the square below. When the sun set it did get pretty cold so I was thankful to have my down jacket at the top of the windy roof.

The view from Café Glacier of Jemaa el-Fnaa at sunset with the minaret of Koutoubia mosque in the background.

One thing I would recommend for those who plan to travel to Morocco is get lots of small coins in Moroccan dirham so you can tip the bathroom attendants. There is usually a woman (sometimes it’s a man) monitoring and cleaning the bathrooms asking for money. It’s customary to tip. This whole trip I’ve struggled to find small change!

After sunset we made our way into the square and did end up eating on one of the food stands. But you have to be careful. They try to trick you and make you pay more. First you have to be very firm about exactly what you want to order and the price or they will just bring you stuff and charge you.

Stalls selling fruit in Jemaa el-Fnaa

Despite taking precautions and repeatedly confirming exactly what we wanted to order, at the end of the meal the lady tried to say it was double the price of what we were quoted by the man working the stall when we ordered. My dad started yelling and I loudly called them liars. Well, she messed with the wrong lady because my mom just calmly stood in front of her and somehow got us our money back (the correct change).

“It’s just like Hong Kong. You think you are going to take our money?” – Mom

With that to warm us up we were ready for bargain shopping! At the first store we didn’t bargain too much because it’s exhausting to do so, but at the second store we did get them to cut the price in half. We didn’t have too many things to buy, but I remember bargain shopping with my mom and sister in Korea, China, and Thailand. We were intense! On some level all street markets are kind of the same and I could see the old skills coming out. Never underestimate Mom. She was the most hard-core bargainer back in the day.

Chicken skewers from the place that tried to trick us! It’s not about the money, but the principle of the matter!

We are headed back to Casablanca tomorrow. I can’t believe it will be the last day of the tour and our second to last day in Morocco!

If You Take My Picture, It’s 10 Dirhams. Marrakesh, the Red City We started off the day in New Marrakesh, the part of the city that was built by the French in the 1900s.

#bargain shopping #bargaining #cooking #couscous #Food #Majorelle gardens #Marrakesh #Medina #Morocco #museums #street market #Travel #vacation #wanderlust #Yves Saint Laurent

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justlooking1995 · 8 years ago

Note

Hell! May I have a tarot reading? :) If you don't mind of of course, what does my near future hold for me? thank you so much!

I’ll do what i did for another person and pull a card for each of the next 3 months to tell you what you might expect :)

January

THE MAGICIAN

February

THE SUN“Nothing Left To Say - Imagine Dragons”

The Sun symbolizes many things depending on how you look at it. The ancients saw the sun as the giver of life and light, and almost every polytheistic faith has a Sun God. It brings light and clarity after a period of darkness and confusion, and in this sense the Sun God is often a redeemer as well; a bringer of peace and good times after ordeals. Finally, the Sun is a symbol of steadfastness and reliability, for no matter how bleak your situation may seem, no matter how many problems you have, the Sun will still rise in the morning. All of these attributions, and more, are reflected in the Tarot card that bears the same name as our solitary star.

The light of the Sun is about halfway between that embodied on the Tower and that shown on the Star. It is not a blinding flash of power but neither is it a subtle glow. It is hot enough to warm but generally not enough to burn. This moderation between extremes is the goal of the spiritual traveler, first shown on Temperance, now entered into full manifestation for us all to see. In this higher state, nothing is beyond your control. In the Rider-Waite deck a powerful symbol illustrates this. The sunfowers in the garden are not turned towards the Sun, as they normally are, but to the child on the horse. He is the one who now holds power over the material world.

The great ordeal of the Moon has passed, and you have emerged into the light, stronger and wiser. War has ended and made way for peace; hatred is replaced by love; fear is overcome by courage. This is truly a time to celebrate! Good triumphing so powerfully over evil is not an everyday occurence in this world, and when it does happen you should be glad that a little more light has entered your life. The rising of the Sun is akin to the completion of the tasks and trials of the night, and the warmth it provides is the reward for not cowering in fear at the darkness, not running away given the chance, and not trying to hide from the wisdom that is rightfully yours.

As a sign of reliability, there is nothing more powerful than the Sun, since no force on Earth (or anywhere else for that matter) can stop the Sun from rising in the morning. In a world of chaos, it is a still point of silence and calm, an assurance that there is some underlying order, some higher power that chooses to bless us and smile upon us each day. Even when clouds fill the sky the Sun is still there, waiting for an opportunity to break through the dark barrier and shine its light for us. Know that in every challenge there is an opportunity, and behind every cloud sits a sun waiting for its chance to be revealed to all.

In a reading the Sun can take on many meanings, though the most predominant one is that of success and completion. It can be a herald of joy, happiness, the birth of a child, a stable family, material prosperity or almost any other end that is positive - but above all it shows completion. One cycle is over and, before the next begins, there is a period of light and relaxation that you can and should properly enjoy. Success comes if you are confident and bold in the use of your creative energy. Glow with the vitality of the Sun whose light is umatched and whose power is absolute.

Such power and clarity are within everyone's grasp, including yours, if you let the light of the Sun illuminate you. If there are areas of darkness lurking inside you, the Sun's rays will expose them so you can integrate them into yourself. Fogs of confusion are burned away with the Sun's fiery sword, and its flames drive away fear and all the terrors of the night. A seemingly hopeless situation will be hopeless no more once the Sun shines down upon the true path, the correct solution. When the Sun appears, let its power amaze and overwhelm you. But do not simply watch - reach up to grasp it, draw its power into yourself. The power of the Sun is true power indeed.

March

KNIGHT OF SWORDS

When the diplomacy of the Page of Swords fails to achieve results, the Knight will try it his way, the violent way. Violence in this sense does not refer to physical brutality but to a suddenness and apparent hostility that will threaten most people. And if they do not feel threatened they will almost certainly feel a little wary around the Knight of Swords. He is the essence of the element of Air, almost completely removed from the realm of emotion, and all that is associated with him must be perceived accordingly. He can manifest in the typical three ways: as an event, as a person in your life, or as a part of yourself.

It is rare that the Knight of Swords symbolizes an event, and when he does the event is one of two general possibilities. The first is the sudden going or coming of a matter, a quick departure or an unexpected arrival. Given the association of the Swords to politics, this could manifest as the resignation of a political leader or the start of a new campaign, for example. This is, as described, also a very violent card and the Knight of Swords can thus represent the start or the end of hostility and conflict, usually the former. This may not be a physical conflict, but a debate or an argument. Only in rare cases will it mean the start of war, but that possibility exists.

A person represented by this card will act with almost total emotionlessness. It's not that they have no emotions, just that they suppress them and don't really see the value in having them. The heart is the center of compassion, but it is also the center of fear, and with his heart firmly under his heel, the Knight of Swords is almost totally fearless and never anticipates defeat. He thinks of himself as invincible, and though this is a fault it can also give him bursts of confidence that let him succeed where others fail. Since he never doubts himself or his ability, he is the perfect person to implement new ideas that others shy away from.

Dangerous as it may seem to assume the personality of the Knight of Swords, sometimes it is necessary and even preferable to do so. Whenever you feel afraid or indecisive, call on the Knight of Swords to give you a shot of confidence and clarity. His impartiality is very desirable when making hard choices, though you have to be careful not to act too hastily, or else the effort is wasted. His refusal to back down from fear makes him a pillar of strength. All of his negative qualities - and there are quite a few - must be carefully monitored; otherwise they will start to rage out of control, and that's definitely not what you want.

Overall

EIGHT OF SWORDS

The Eight of Swords shows what happens when you abuse the power of the Swords suit to a large enough degree - it turns against you. In most cases, the Eight of Swords and its precarious position of entrapment is the end result. Your mental clarity is replaced by blindness, your arms are tied and you feel unable to move out of the situation. And if you tried to move, you would likely impale yourself on the ring of Swords. The twisted web of logic and mental power is a tough one to escape, but it can be done by someone who realizes that the Swords can be used to his or her advantage.

This card usually indicates a time of powerlessness and restriction, and more often than not this restriction is self-imposed. You may be holding yourself back because you fear moving into the future, or because you are wary of getting hurt by a new situation, or maybe for no reason at all. In rare instances you will find that another person's action - or inaction - is what keeps you from moving forward, but most of the time the blame falls on you alone. You cannot be held back unless part of you wants to be held back. The trick is finding a way to overcome that, and free yourself from the bonds of fear and doubt.

When the Eight of Swords appears, its purpose is not to taunt you or to tell you something you already know. The reason for its manifestation is to show you that you can escape your situation just as quickly as you put yourself into it. Look at the picture on the Rider-Waite card again. The woman's feet are not bound, and if she chose to, she could carefully walk to the closest sword and use it to cut the ropes holding her arms to her sides. At the moment she does not do this, because the same fear that got her into this situation is keeping her from escaping it.

No matter how difficult your situation, the Eight of Swords shows that there are always options and ways to escape. You may not think they are plausible, and you may not even know they exist, but they are there waiting for you to put them to use. The key is to stop using the Swords for negative purposes. Anger, agression, haste and excessive force will only make your situation worse, so let them go and accept the mental clarity and peace that the Swords suit idealizes. With that new and perfect vision you should be able to see the way out of every problem that you encounter.

(( Basically what i’m getting from your overall card, is your good, you’re all set and have everything figured out and ahead of you. There may be obsticals, and you should still be careful not to get too cocky so that you rush into things without paying attention to the lessons. But you can and will overcome all things that are coming for you in the near future. By your own drive and will alone. ))

Forthose who don’t know, I’m doing Shufflemancy, Tarot, Pendulum, and ArchangelOracle card readings. I have the Michael and Gabriel Archangel cards, so if youhave any questions for them feel free to ask. Other rules and guidelines are HERE

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