#that he was a man striving for change because he found better in life

[multeasers]

[ b52 ]  how would they describe themselves in as few words as possible? @/Toji 🤭

🐝  *  ―  𝑪𝑶𝑪𝑲𝑻𝑨𝑰𝑳 𝑸𝑼𝑰𝒁. ( send one or multiple of these to learn a little more about my muse(s). )

He's the type of guy you'd have to press to do it, and if you manage to not annoy the ever living hell out of him in the process, he'd likely describe himself as a man too tired for anything, but still does shit anyway . If you do annoy him, though, he'll likely just give one-word answers : Diligent . Stubborn . Prideful . That sorta thing .

If you managed to get the real answer out of him, though, he'd describe himself as too fucked up . He's a man too fucked up who fucked up too much . He's desperate . He's remorseful . But he's also wholly selfish, and knows that what he wants he'll probably never get because of that, and of course much more . Again, he's a man who fucked up a lot .

If you really enforce limiting his words, though, and were still getting a legitimate answer, he'd just describe himself as sorry .

[haoboutyou]

when jihoon is in love | lee jihoon

fluff | 600-ish | no warnings

an: a lil jihoon brainrot for my wifey @bluehoodiewoozi 🫶

when jihoon is in love, you’re on his mind 24/7. it’s written on his face whenever you’re the topic of conversation with his members. it’s to the point soonyoung has to cover jihoon’s mouth whenever he talks about you. he does the utmost research when it comes to taking you out for dates, always wanting to make sure you have a comfortable and enjoyable time with him.

he stares at you like you’ve put up all the stars in the sky. to him, you are -the most precious thing to ever exist. he takes all of your compliments and criticisms seriously, and strives to be a better man for you.

when jihoon loves, he does it quietly.

he’s not very vocal about it. he loves in head pats, in bumping shoulders, in holding your hand. he loves in linking pinkies when you walk, in giving you free access to his studio, in the small glances he sends your way when he thinks you’re not looking. he loves in remembering the little things; cheering you on a project you had only mentioned briefly once, remembering your favourite cafe order, carrying an extra hair tie around because he knows you prefer your hair out of your face, despite insisting on having your hair down because you know he finds it pretty.

the best way he’s found to show his love, however, is through his music.

when jihoon loves like that, he’s louder than the roar of a formula one car, louder than the call of a blue whale. his love songs are all dedicated to you; they end up being his most streamed songs. the love and passion he has for you is so clear in them that it’s like looking through glass.

you always have the honour of first listen whenever he writes his songs. he sits you on his lap, arms around you as he navigates his laptop to start the song. the listening party always ends up with you endlessly praising his work, and him a blushing mess as he hides behind your shoulders. however, the very first time he shows you a rough draft of his music, you cry. you cry because you’re so overwhelmed by your love for him, and by his love for you. jihoon panics because that was the first time you’ve ever cried in front of him, awkwardly wrapping an arm around you and pulling you into his chest as you sob declarations of love into his shoulder.

(he ranks that day second out of his top 10 proudest moments; just lower than the day he successfully proposed to you and slightly higher than winning daesangs with his team.)

when jihoon is in love, his entire viewpoint changes. all of a sudden, the sun reminds him of your warm touch, and the wind is as gentle as your fingers when you card them through his hair. he learns to take on the optimistic outlook you have in life, and grows to appreciate the mundane. especially when it’s with you.

[v-arbellanaris]

following on from my first post which was trying to rework the concept of asit tal-eb and starting to explore societal roles in the qun... more under the cut tho this might be incoherent... unrb again bc im still workshopping...

to reiterate that i think andrastianism is concerned with the question of how the world came to be, whereas the qun is more concerned with the question of how we should exist in the world. gaider said that the qun is not atheistic, but other than the teachings of koslun, there doesnt seem to be any explicit mention of any kind of deity or pantheon, so i think we can actually safely scrap the idea of the qun as a monotheistic religion - instead, the qun might be better conceptualised as a social and moral philosophy.

this allows us to maintain the qun as an "alternative" belief system to andrastianism without falling back on islamophobia and islamophobic beliefs. there's no other system that relies on atheism in thedas (dwarven religions still believe in the stone as a concept, and venerate paragons), which would make it a singular, direct ideological threat to andrastianism in a way that can justify the existing narratives around the qunari.

it better aligns with the concept of asit tal-eb that i outlined last time. as an addition to this, i found more evidence of the idea that the qun focuses on trying to find your place and role in the world, and the idea that only through accepting your role can you actually attain a life without struggle. this places the emphasis of the qun on finding your social role in the existing society, rather than establishing your level of faithfulness to the abstract concept of a god. (bold emphasis mine)

"A great ashkaari during his travels came upon a village in the desert. There, he found the houses crumbling. The earth so dry and dead that the people tied themselves to each other for fear a strong wind would carry the ground out from under their feet. Nothing grew there except the bitter memory of gardens. The ashkaari stopped the first man he saw, and asked, "What happened here?" "Drought came. And the world changed from prosperity to ruin," the man told him. "Change it back." The ashkaari replied. The villager became angry then, believing the ashkaari mocked him, for no one could simply change the world on a whim. To which the ashkaari answered, "Then change yourself. You make your own world."

"you make your own world" is such a lovely little quote that actually aligns so well with the concept of asit tal-eb that i was talking about before - the idea that you suffer because you struggle against the reality of your situation, because of the gap between what you want (in this example, the memory of the prosperity of before) and what you currently have or are capable of (the ruins of the garden you have now). if you are unhappy, then change yourself, because it is you that interprets the world.

ontologically speaking, it's interesting to consider andrastianism as an argument for realism - the idea that there is only one single real, objective truth. the chant of light itself is an 'accounting' of history - an insistence that these events happened because of x reason, and therefore, y happened.

These truths the Maker has revealed to me: As there is but one world, One life, one death, there is But one god, and He is our Maker. - Transfigurations 1:1

comparatively, then, the qun is ontologically relativist in nature - existence, knowledge, truth are all bound by the self, by the interpretation of the being, and so there is no 'objective' truth of the world to strive towards or for, there is only what is, and what is is an interpretation - therein lies the choice not to suffer? hmm...

They are bound by their being. Asit tal-eb. It is to be. For the world and the self are one. - Canto 4

[rash0mon]

reason of living: akutagawa ryūnosuke

debatably, bungou stray dogs is easily the most existentialist anime out there, as the main premise of existentialism (in a rough sense) - that reason of living is something individual to man, is an underlying compartment of the series, making it as awe-inspiring as it is. each character is seen to either have, or be striving towards finding their distinct reason for living. now, i wanted to retrospect a bit into akutagawa's character and how his reason affected him, his actions, morals - as well as how it possibly shifted (especially in recent chapters of the manga and anime episodes). keep in mind that at i am just laying down my opinion and observations of akutagawa`s character - some things may be fairly obvious, some uncertain or not matching your opinion, which is why i leave space for conclusion, theory, discussion.

pre-mafia

generally, we know little about akutagawa`s life before the mafia, other than small snippets shown throughout the main manga as well as in beast (although beast is an AU, it can still effectively aid in understanding his character in the canon universe). as akutagawa's companions were annihilated, it seemed that he had no reason to live. where, as we all probably know, this soon happened afterwards. from then on, everything changed.

mafia

after that night in the forest, akutagawa's life completely shifted - or moreso, he got a new life. his whole new reason of living being - pleasing dazai, getting validation from the person who gave his life a new meaning. exploring the relationship and dynamic between these two is a whole another post, which is why i shall keep it short. now, i would like to note that even if akutagawa has an unhealthy attachment to dazai, and is being emotionally manipulated by him - he is very much sensible of it. in fact, akutagawa is remarkably self-aware and perceptive, especially of the people around him, just more subtly, through his cold layer of stoicism. he is not the cold-blooded murderer with no sense of morality that many like to paint him as. yes, he is intently focused on achieving dazai's approval, pursuing that ideal in a way familiar to himself. he knows that it is not what is considered "right" by general moral rules, but he does not do much about it, as his reason of living would then diminish. dazai leaves him with a looming sense of inferiority, as he feels he is worthless no matter what he does, unless he is to achieve dazai's attention and approval. this sense of inferiority haunts him, and guides his recklesness and death-or-glory actions.

he sees the ethical issues in his own actions, and he knows there is a better life for him. he just doesn't pursue it. this is also portrayed well in his relationship with kyouka, which could have been yet another repetition of the abuse cycle started by mori and continued by dazai - but it was not, as kyouka found the world of light. he is even happy for her, as we can see. this is one of the few snippets where we can see his sensibility when it comes to others. when he stated "i knew a man with the same eyes as yours", referring to himself, in a way, he sees that he also could`ve found the world of light. but at that point, it seemed to be too late... or at least that is what he thought.

akutagawa doesn't hate atsushi. he sees him as a reflection of himself, himself if he had a different reason of living, if he met dazai a bit later, if he pursued the world of light. he is jealous of him in a sense, yes, but he does not blame him for the fact that he didn't get dazai's approval as many like to speculate. atsushi is the first person who challenges akutagawa's "way", philosophy of living. as he sees himself in him, he fulfills their promise of not killing anyone for 6 months... perhaps because of a faint hope for the world of light? he holds onto this even as a vampire, which shows his pure determination. and it makes me think, that he did not go and protect atsushi only because of dazai, as often speculated, due to the points stated beforehand. as dazai stated: “Akutagawa—he’s like a sword without a sheath.” Dazai grinned from ear to ear. “He’ll surely become the Mafia’s strongest skill user in the not-so-distant future, but for now he needs someone who can teach him how to put that sword away.”

perhaps, atsushi is that person for him rather than dazai.

chapter 88 and vampirism

as stated beforehand, akutagawa obviously does not go to save atsushi only due to his wish to be approved by dazai. there is something deeper underlying, and we have seen numerous times before that akutagawa genuinely cares about, and admires atsushi in the same way he admires and is happy for kyouka - although he would not admit it explicitly, of course. akutagawa fights fukuchi alongside atsushi, leaving himself in a completely vulnerable state, in a simple wish as to redeem, or prove himself in a way. to fulfill his meaning. he is in a special rush to do so even so because of his lung disease, which has a severe impact on the intensity and ruthlesness of his actions throughout entirety of the series. he lays his life down, but he does not go down without a fight. he stays true to his purpose...until his last moments.

at his last moment, in the given panel, however, something changes. we see a different vision of akutagawa. as he lets go of his coat, and is able to manifest his ability without it, i would say that his reason shifted. he states "i don't need words, but only actions", which is the most important sentence in understanding his character and development if you ask me. words being dazai`s words of approval, which he lets go of, like the coat he gave him. a new reason emerges, "actions". he does not need dazai anymore. he only needs himself, raw. this is further emphasized as his coat is lost in the sea by atsushi, who he gave it to. there is no reason to hold on to the past anymore... as a new era emerges.

a new era where akutagawa is not alive, apparently. he is a vampire. however, we can still see that he holds on to some of principles that caused him to change in the first place, such as not killing aya, and keeping the promise he and atsushi made. even when not concious of his actions and controlled by fukuchi, he still holds on to it. which leads me to believe, that there is truly hope for him. atsushi shares the same line of thought... as his perception of akutagawa gradually shifts to a positive one, which is why he wants him to snap out of his vampirism. atsushi understands akutagawa to the core, as they are two sides of the same coin. which is why he hopes for him. if possible, i wish for him to let go of the vampire curse and continue on developing his new reason of living... his new life. we can only long for that at this moment.

we have seen the gradual evolution of akutagawa's character throughout the series in terms of seeking his reason of living - something that is central to each character in bungou stray dogs. which leads me to end this post with what dazai stated to kyouka, which quite well describes his, and all of the other characters ordeals in striving to find a reason to live:

Your anguish isn’t yours alone. What should one do, when what they want to be isn’t what they’re best at? Everyone fights, searching for the correct way to live their lives. What do they seek by fighting? How ought they live? No one can say. All we have is the right to waver. Like stray dogs that have hit rock bottom.

[justlarkin]

Mentioning some events that I liked in the midst of beefing with LWs' writers. It's mostly due to very specific things that occur in the events rather than the events themselves to be completely honest with you.

-Casual and fun beach event. Can't go wrong there. Good moments envolving most of the characters. Nomad, Azazel, Kengo, and Oniwaka in particular for me. They deprived me of Azazel content, so this is my only morsel to latch onto. Plus we got SQ Galore, including ones for Mononobe and Lil Salomon.

-The softcore discussion of gender dysphoria was a pleasant surprise and I liked the parallels drawn between MC and Astarte as "trophies". In particular, I liked how this event revealed how much the other guys actually love MC. They were completely indifferent towards Astarte while she was the beloved, which was super weird to her, and when MC switched places with her, they immediately clocked that something was off, but not because they could visually tell MC was obviously not Astarte. They just thought Astarte was more radiant than usual. They were all over MC and giving away their shells because they're MC, not because they were the beloved.

-That scene where Heracles falls into Narcissus' Pond and he comes to the realization that his narcissism and cowardness was what led to Hylas' fate. He thought that a hero of his caliber was too precious to even risk being lost to the naiads, especially not for a guy who was practically beneath him. Heracles put himself before the life of his friend who was willing follow him to hell and back, abandoning him, and he regrets it. The parallels to Hylas' abduction with Heracles' fall as well as dialouge and narration as MC dives after him are an absolute banger. "I knew. I knew you'd come. Not by another's comand but your own free will. Your radiance makes me want to weep. Before you, the thought of the man who failed to follow Hylas makes me want to cry." MC took the leap Heracles never did for Hylas, making them a better person than himself. Such a great moment. Absolutely adored it.

-First of all, exile reveal. Second of all, the reveal that Shiro's crush is more of an all-consuming OBSESSION. Always thinking of them. Always following them whatever path they decide to take. Knowing that they relied on him was his greatest source of happiness. He wanted to help them, to shoulder any and all of their burdens in the hopes that they would eventually feel the same way as him. Shiro was desperately striving for an insane, unhealthy co-dependent relationship where MC validates him by constantly needing him to help them and it's just ?!?!? This came way out of left field.

-Algernon. Algernon. Algernon. I absolutely loved it when he randomly got jealous and tried to change the topic when MC called Yamasachihiko hot. I love that he found someone who could keep up with him, an equal, in MC. I loved that they did a little tapdance routine together while killing the slimes. Oh. And Hombre Tigre. I'm not really a big fan of him. I just really like how interesting his dynamic with Quetzalcoatl is compared to everyone else. Hombre adoring Tezcatlipoca so much that he couldn't even begin to grasp why Quetzalcoatl would leave him behind and envying him for being the one who could consume Tezcatlipoca's thoughts and breaking him in such a manner.

-Sherlock Nomad and Assistant MC, the event we had all been waiting on. Anyways, y'all should know why I liked this event. It's that one scene where they beat Hermes' and he's just sitting on the floor like a pouty little kid when MC grabs his hand and he continues his little tantrum by telling them to let go while doing nothing to stop them. Hermes finally found a friend who could look past all of his lies and accept him with MC and I'm very happy for the bastard.

-That whole chase scene where Balor reveals that he's actually been a twat this entire time and he goes after MC, trying to capture them, is mwah. Love it. Also when Boogeyman triggered that ratfuck, Balor's, PTSD with his sacred artifact just the reveal that Lugh never had a choice in the matter and that Balor caused this fate to be forced upon him, something that he feared for himself in the first place. And the reveal that Balor didn't exactly regret killing his grandson. It was just the fact that Lugh didn't choose to fight him himself.

-The way Vapula was completely indifferent to his golemns until the very end where they're all silently gazing out into the sea after Sand Dragon self-deleted while following orders and are clearly fucked up about what they just witnessed, truly understanding how morbid Sand Dragon's existence was and the inevitability of his death, when MC turns to Vapula and says "Vapula.... We never got to name him" and Vapula just starts BAWLING.

-Oh look. A well executed plot twist. Loved the way that they conveyed Horus and Seth's true bond through how compatible and fluidly their memories were able to work together to fight against the group. Then there's the use of Seth's old memories to reveal that Horus had been on his side the entire time and that he was even the one who let him flee Duat. Also, an expansion on what seemed to be such a simple rule. Being able to control the sand being way more powerful than expected through a technicality.

-This one might actually be my favorite event. No. Not because it's a Fuxi or bird event. Shut your slut mouth. Banger music, great story, great picks for the characters and the dynamics, an exile reveal. Fuxi being so unhinged that he tries to fight literal children and Simurgh playing the straight man to his funny man will always be funny. Also, there was just that one moment where MC went "pull the trigger pussy" while Simurgh held a gun to their head and that's so based of them. Mostly dissapointed we didn't get more Nüwa lore.

[affo-gatto-gateau]

Okay, so I know there are plenty of 'tf2 mercs as [insert animal]' but I would also like to do this, so I, because I'm a sort-of nerd, I would like to do it as a crossover. I present:

What Star Wars creature would each Merc be?

Scout - Twi'lek/Clawdite Hybrid

He will tell you that he is a full Twi'lek, like his older brothers. His lekku are definitely as long as his full-blooded Twi'lek family, and his skin doesn't completely change its colour depending on his emotions. His dad was Twi'lek and couldn't have been anything else. (everyone believed that.)

Soldier - Besalisk

(Four-armed sentient, think Dexter Jettster or Pong Krell. Actually, don't think Pong Krell. Fuck Pong Krell.)He's thrill-seeking and has very little fear of death. Will leak secret intelligence if just lightly asked. Will engage in violent mating rituals, but then will stick with them for life. Also, think of how much more bread he could teleport with 4 arms. He could hold a shovel and a rocket launcher at the same time!

Pyro - Tusken Raider

How did a Sand Person get off Tatooine? Where is their tribe? What are they doing as a mercenary? What is under their mask? All good question, with zero answers. Pyro just is. Why does the Tusken Raider have a large flamethrower? Unclear! Can we take said flamethrower off them? Not while keeping all your limbs intact!

Demo - Togruta

I... I don't know why. He just seems like a Togruta kind of fellow. He needs lekku of some kind, and Togrutas also get to be carnivorous. I can see Demo being carnivorous. Maybe he's even missing one of his lek/montrals. Or, he makes up for his missing eye with the echolocation that his montrals bring

Heavy - Wookiee

Big, strong, loyal but known to rip off arms when provoked. Follow a warrior's code of honour. When angered (say, if you murder their Medic in cold blood) will fly into a berserker rage. Great for cuddling. Is there much else to say? Heavy is a Wookiee to a T.

Engineer - Lannik

(think a dwarf with ears bigger than an elf. Or, if you know him, Even Piell) Strong-willed, smart and great at battle strategy. Also, Lanniks are good with technology! Plus, Engineer is SHORT

Medic - Zabrak

(same species as Darth Maul and Savage Opress, though I don't believe he'd be Dathomiri. More likely from a Core World) Self-assured to the point of arrogance, striving to be the best, even to the point of playing god. A terrifying man, but you'd be glad to have him on your side.

Sniper - Kiffar

(Same thing that Quinlan Vos is) Idk but I really vibe with this. I mean, Sniper's a hunter, so it would make sense that he's good at tracking. And also, Sniper with traditional Clan tattoos??? Yes???

Spy - Clawdite

(a shapeshifting sentient species. Like that one bounty hunter from Attack of the Clones. I apologise for ) I mean. A species that can change their appearance at will? Come on. Who else could it be?

Idk I really just went with the vibes. I'm sure if I dug deeper into the pits of Wookieepedia I could have found some more obscure or better-fitting species, but I also don't want to make them just random things for the sake of being a nerd and forcing people to look just as deep as I did to make any sense of what I'm saying. I just thought this was neat. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[hetaliaimaginesin2022]

So Hear Me Out, superhero au with America where he's a 19 year old superhuman living life normally in college and saves people on the side, he's dating (reader) headcanons for that please

Hey, so starting an ask with "So Hear Me Out" is one of the funniest things ever, also, lucky for you, I just recently rewatched Invincible so I'm feeling ✨inspired✨

America Superhero Au Headcanons

General

He grew up looking up to and admiring the heroes of the world, so when he got his powers he was ecstatic

He discovered he had super strength, super speed, and flight, and felt like a proper Superman type hero

Out of all three powers, flight is his favorite

He told himself he'd be some kind of pilot if his powers never dropped, so now he gets to be a hero and take to the skies

He's also flown to every state before, taking pictures next to every state welcome sign in the country, only within a couple hours

Because he only got them recently, he doesn't really have a good understanding of his abilities quite yet and can't completely control them

But even with his limited control over his powers, he will still fling himself head first into the fray to protect the people who don't have the same abilities to protect themselves

Anyway, he starts calling himself "Freedom Man", a name he chose when he was a child, though with comments he gets from villains and even other heroes after announcing his name, he's really considering changing it

He has a strict "no-kill" policy, and genuinely strives to better the world

When he's not fighting crime, he's in college/university, studying aerospace engineering and playing baseball in the outfield, where he genuinely tries not to abuse his powers

His roommate/dorm mate, Kiku Honda and him were childhood friends and, while Alfred has done his best to hide his powers, he's pretty bad at it, so Kiku definitely knows what's up, some of his other close friends also have more than a few clues as well

If one of his friends were to ever confront him about his double life, he would immediately let the floodgates spill, telling them absolutely everything

Honestly wouldn't mind if at least one of his friends found out, he wants one of those "man-in-the-chair" situations

He's trying to balance classes, baseball, and saving lives all on one plate

Romantic

Now he has to balance classes, baseball, saving lives, and having a partner

While he tries to hide his hero status from you, the chances are that you knew he was a superhero before he told you

He's sworn himself to never speak about his powers (which is difficult enough), but because he's still getting the hang of them, he's just really awful about hiding them honestly

So when you found out, was it the time, when on a date, you two decided to walk across the street and he stopped an oncoming car with his hand?

Or when, during a baseball practice, he launched his baseball into the ozone layer with his bat?

Or how he mysteriously disappears when there's a disastrous situation, but always returns right after it's been resolved?

Or how he's always covered in mysterious injuries and is really dodgy about where he got them?

Or the fact that you've definitely seen him hover off the floor?

You get the point, he isn't subtle

When you know he is who he is, he finds it a lot easier to balance you on his ever growing list of things to keep track of

You cover for him when he needs to pop out of social situations to do his hero thing and you never make him feel bad about stepping out momentarily on dates to stop whatever the latest supervillain is up to

It's honestly like a fun little secret, and you help hide it better than he does

Since he can fly, he loves holding onto you and taking to the air, it makes him feel so free and knowing that you trust him enough to do so makes his heart race

He has made you do the Spiderman upside-down kiss on at least one occasion

[beautiful-02-08-18]

Decided to post on my analysis on these characters, so here it is:

I noticed that the 3 main antagonists in Running Man Animation fit into a specific villain category. If we remove Ulcus to focus on these three, we can see how they fulfill their roles. Pardon any misinformation, since I rely on the wiki and any bits of information I can get. I also had not watched the official English dubs.

Akong, the main villain of Season 2 Part 1, would be the “Pure evil” villain. He was a royal priest in Old City but after practicing forbidden magic he became power-hungry and strived to conquer worlds. He became so powerful that he needed to be defeated by the likes of people like Charming Gold, Manus, and The Guardians. (There was an unnamed Pullulu ancestor but that’s not important.) The moment he was released from his (around) 1,000-year-old prison, he immediately took control of Old City and placed it under tyranny.

He has little to no sympathetic qualities or backstories, so the audience can not humanize him to a great degree.

Manus, the main villain of Season 2 Part 2, would be the only “Redeemed” villain. He is the King of the lavish Leo Tribe, who ruled over all the other tribes but was overthrown for his tyranny. He strived for revenge and power and was shown to be a formidable foe to the Running Men, to the point they almost sacrificed themselves to save the world. At the end of the season, he decided to change for the better, having a new outlook on life when he realizes he was unworthy of yielding the Ultimate power. He now strives to rebuild his tribe, as they were sealed away for around 1,000 years erased from history.

He’s slightly better than Akong, because while Manus almost destroyed the world, he had a change of heart. Unlike Akong, who stayed power-hungry until his death.

Charming Gold, the memorable villain of Season 1, would be the “Sympathetic/Tragic” villain. I had trouble categorizing him, as he has traits of both a sympathetic and tragic villain, but ultimately decided to categorize him as both. Unlike Manus and Akong, we were shown a detailed and personal backstory that was very pitiable. Born as the only son of the queen and king of the Pikok tribe; a tribe known for their beauty, which he rather lacks. When Charming Gold was young he was constantly ostracized for his looks, something he had no control over.

When he had enough of it, for some unknown reason, he had an energy absorption ability that was never elaborated and ended up turning a bully of his into a mummified husk while Charming Gold now had newfound beauty. All eyes were on him, but the bullying stopped. He continued to do this, turning his victims into dust. He is the only living member of the Pikok tribe because it is heavily implied he killed the majority of them. (Side note: That’s a plot hole I’ve been bothered by since Season 1. How come nobody notices that a whole tribe is gone except for this one suspicious guy is something the writers probably didn’t think through.) Charming Gold still appears in the majority of Season 2 because Akong resurrected him. (He probably resurrected him by using forbidden magic, but how did Akong found the body?)

Even then, he was a still formidable foe in Part 1 while hiding under the identity of the Iron Beast, and even when he was exposed, Charming Gold was still strong. He had a brief truce with the Running Men to defeat Akong, but it was actually a ruse to gain something from Akong which was power, beauty, and immortality…then it heavily backfired on him.

In Part 2, he was a Pullulu and would be categorized as a “Joke” villain. I speculate that it is because he was absorbed by Akong, and possibly by the purification method that was cast on Akong. While Running Man Animation has some comedic moments with its characters, Pullulu Charming Gold was treated as almost a joke. He serves no real threat, other than being annoying. The majority of Running Men didn’t even recognized him, other than Pala and some others. It is likely that he would appear in the Revengers movie as he consistently made appearances throughout the show, but that is speculation. (Update: As far as I know, he did not.)

I don’t really have much to say about Akong and Manus since I don’t know much about them, but I have a lot to say about Charming Gold since he was the original villain and my favorite out of the three. I wanted Charming Gold to have a redemption arc so I got pretty bummed out that Manus was the redeemed villain, but it's good. Charming Gold refused to change, even if he was given multiple chances to take, unlike Manus. I just find it interesting that the same sad backstory that he has that could work for a redemption arc is the same reason why he is stubborn in his ways and continues to try to achieve his selfish goals. I think that in the last episodes, before he turned back into a Pullulu again he was supposed to say that he would achieve power, immortality, and beauty again but got cut off. I just find that funny.

That’s all I have to say for now. For the art itself, I practiced drawing in fluid motions. I also tried to train myself to accurately see and use the colors as I don’t like using the eyedropper tool on references; so the colors are a little bit off. Except for Manus, I dropped the ball on his mane. He looks like an old man. But the digital painting was where I definitely messed up. It was harder than I expected it to be.

Also, while Charming Gold was fun he was so pathetically hard to draw I don’t think this character design is made for digital 2D animation. Don’t quote me on that.

Thank you for reading again! If you want to see more of my art, you could check my Instagram account: beautiful_02.08.18

Reference:

Running Man Animation was created by LINE Friends Corporation and SBS

[ijustliketoreadstuff]

The mistake that exposed Luka

Ever since Luka found out about Ladybug and Cat Noir’s identities, Luka had done the best he could to ensure that no matter what he knew about the two heroes, he wouldn't let it affect him in any negative way as he was fully aware that Monarch was constantly on the prowl for negative emotions. Instead, Luka had decided to look at his new knowledge in a different light. 

In “Migration”, when Marinette looks to Luka for advise about her troubles, she does at first feel guilty for asking him for help on account of that she broke his heart back in “Truth”. However, knowing now that it was because of the weight of Marinette’s responsibilities as Ladybug that ultimately left her no other choice but to break up with him, Luka had learned to make peace with their past relationship, after all, he got his answer as to why their relationship struggled, and in the end, Luka understood it was neither his nor Marinette’s fault they broke up. They both agreed to start a relationship, but inevitably realized that things between them just couldn't work out as a result of their personal matters.

(Luka quickly realizing back in “Truth” that Marinette is unable to commit to their relationship, but had no idea why)

Rather than succumb to the pain of his broken heart, Luka had decided to learn from his experience, allowing him to not only look past the troubles of his relationship with Marinette to repair their friendship, but to also learn a little more about himself throughout the whole process, inspiring him to even make new songs that were sometimes sad, and other times cheerful.

Realizing now that Marinette and Adrien were just doing the best they could with the life they were living, as both civilians and heroes,  Luka had decided that if either of them felt troubled about their lives, they would at least know that he would always be there for them. If they needed him, they knew where to find him, and as we saw in “Migration”, the two would do just that, never knowing Luka knew the struggles they were hiding behind their secret lives. However, from what we now understand, they were not the only ones Luka was helping.

Due to Luka’s caring and insightful nature, many people looked to him as  someone who could help them sort out their troubles and complicated feelings. And more often than not, the people he talked to were able to gain some much needed insight about their lives and obtain good advise from him about how to deal with their problems. For Luka, it was normal to see people make an effort to better themselves, and if he was able to look past peoples differences to help them and himself be a better person, then he was willing to trust that others were also able to make the effort to take what they had learned about themselves, with or without his help, and strive to change themselves for the better, rather than let their past actions and choices take the better of them. Unfortunately, what ultimately sealed Luka’s downfall, was his willingness to look past peoples differences and mistakes, and trust that if they were willing to acknowledge themselves, then they deserved just as much a chance as anyone.

(Bob attempts to convince everyone he has turned a new leaf and is willing to change things for the better)

When Bob Roth realized it would be no easy feat to recruit Luka, he decided to take advantage of Luka’s kind nature by making it seem like he wanted to take Luka’s word on the matters of changing and was now capable of admitting that he was not always honest to people like Anarka in the past, let alone to Kitty section when he promised them a record deal back in “Silencer”. By making it seem like he was willing to set aside his past to focus on being a better man, and a better record producer who would do everything he could to provide Luka and his  friends the attention and recognition they deserved for their hard work, Luka had decided to stick by his word that anyone can change, and even the worst of people deserved a second chance, so if Bob was willing to acknowledge his past actions and actually tell them how he planned to commit himself to making things up to them, then it was worth a shot to give him a chance as well. 

However, much to Luka's dismay, Bob had no intention to change his ways and was instead willing to do whatever he could to get what he wanted, and what he wanted was to recruit Luka so he could provide him a series of new songs that would bring him a higher profit than Jagged, especially since Jagged had now attempted to focus more of his attention on his family rather than producing new songs.

(Luka’s attempts to give Bob a chance nearly get him akumatized the moment he realizes Bob had every intention to take advantage of him and destroy the band his friends worked hard to build)

Luka’s attempts to trust Bob not only narrowly got him akumatized, but it had also unfortunately put a target on his back now that Monarch was aware Luka knew of both Ladybug and Cat Noir’s secret identities. Although Ladybug and Cat Noir were able to save the day near the end, Luka had decided to take responsibility for unintentionally tipping off Monarch that he knew of the heroes identities, by deciding it be best for him to leave Paris so Monarch would be unable to track him, after all, even if Ladybug and Cat Noir managed to defeat Gold Record, Monarch still knew who he was, where he lived and who his family was. 

Rather than hide things, Luka gave everyone solace in confiding with them that he needed to leave because he knew Ladybug and Cat Noir’s identities, and even though Adrien and Marinette wanted to persuade him to stay, as they were both determined to protect him at all costs, Luka knew it was not worth putting him as the top priority when the heroes top priority should be to defeat Monarch and retrieve the miraculous to free Paris. By trusting the people closest to him with his secret, without actually telling them who Ladybug and Cat Noir really were, Luka had ensured they would understand that his decision was simply something he needed to do, not just for his sake, but for the sake of everyone he cares about, something Marinette and Adrien understood well, given their hero lives revolved around making tough decisions.

Although Luka was kind enough to give anyone a chance, his experience with Bob had taught him the hard way that although anyone can change, not everyone wants to, and even though he now realizes people like Bob didn’t want to acknowledge their mistakes and sacrifice their privileges to commit to changing themselves, he understood there will always be others who will find the determination to want to be better upon realizing the error of their ways, something Luka was happy to learn his mother and father took a little more to heart. 

(Jagged renounces his life of fame and fortune to focus on being a better father)

(Anarka agrees to give Jagged a chance)

Realizing that Luka was able to stand up to Bob and refuse the temptation of fame and fortune, Jagged had decided to follow his sons lead and also give up the life of fame and fortune so he could commit to being a better father for his family, after all, its just as Luka said, money and contracts are just paper, it can never replace friends and family. Anarka in turn, understood she needed to try and think of others like she would with her children and give them a chance to not only talk, but show her they are more than the people she assumed would only get on her nerves and should be thrown off her boat on sight. 

With Luka away, only time will tell how his family and his friends will handle life without his presence, and with Monarch determined to obtain the information of Ladybug and Cat Noir's identities from him, no one knows what he will be willing to do the moment he realizes Luka is far out of his reach.

[shrimpleasthat77]

(Trying this again because I have no idea what words set off tumblr anymore)

Ok yaaay more than one person voted that they wanted to see some writings!!! I guess we can start off with the basics then ^^ I want to make this a weekly thing but I’m very inconsistent so idk

Aoi and Daia are both chuunin level ninjas associated with Otogakure. Being a little older than their peers, the two are often utilized for diplomatic/interrogation-style missions. While that makes them sound important, these are often lower rank missions. The two don’t really get along, but are seemingly attached at the hip on and off missions. Truly a conundrum.

BACKGROUND

Aoi was born in Sunagakure to a shopkeeper and a distant relative of the Fūma clan. He was not pressured to become a ninja and was instead encouraged to pursue his interests. The only jutsu he learned was the coveted Chakra Thread technique. At the age of 11, Aoi chose to join a traveling circus, where he combined his technique with acrobatics. He performed well for two years, but the showrunners had different plans and intended to eliminate him. During his final performance, Aoi's threads were severed mid-air, causing him to fall in a staged accident. The rest of the troupe left him in a clearing for two days, believing he was gone for good. However, an important man in the audience that night had noticed Aoi. When Aoi regained consciousness, having survived his injuries, the man was there waiting for him. He revealed that he saw potential in Aoi and believed he could be a valuable ally. Aoi, thinking he had died and that the man was a deity, followed him without hesitation.

Daia, formerly known as Daisuke, faced a more challenging life. She was born to a șêx wöřķêř in Curtain Village, one of the poorest and most crime-infested areas in the Land of Silence. From an early age, she witnessed the desperate and harmful actions of those around her, driven by the need for money. With her mother often distracted, Daia had to take care of herself. As she grew up, she felt that something was deeply wrong with her village, her mother, her various "uncles," and even herself. Determined to change her circumstances, she began stealing books and scrolls to educate herself. Although she couldn't leave her village, she aspired to rise above her peers. Her contempt for her environment fueled her ambition for self-betterment, prompting her to shed her old identity as Daisuke and embrace her true self. During her pursuit of knowledge, she heard rumors about a notorious criminal from a faraway land who had been spotted in Curtain Village. Initially skeptical, she became intrigued when she learned he was in search of forbidden knowledge. Believing she might have found someone who understood her, she sought him out, as people with pale skin and golden eyes were uncommon. After presenting her situation to him, regardless of his true motives, he offered her an escape. At just 15 years old, Daia moved from one grim village to another.

PERSONALITY

Aoi is, despite all that he goes through, strives to be a nice person. Whether it be his nature or a brain injury, he’s not at the same maturity level of the average 16 year old. He views everything as a performance or as an act. He constantly tries to entertain people or make people like him, as that is what he’s used to doing. Under the act however, Aoi is destitute. He’s aware that his troupe abandoned him, he’s aware that not many people like him, and that Orochimaru views him as no more than a toy. He’s scared and uses his belief that he’s actually dead to comfort himself. Only Daia knows this side of him, as he elects to keep it hidden under his facade of silliness.

Daia, for lack of better words, is an awful person. She carries herself as if she was born to nobility, seeing herself as better than every other sound ninja. She’s extremely cold to others as well, keeping them as far away from her personally and emotionally. She sees everyone around her, from experiment to even the sound 5 and Kabuto, as inferior to her. She doesn’t really respect orochimaru either, but values the knowledge he has over all else. Deep down, Daia is just trying to protect herself. She does care for people, especially Aoi, but doesn’t want that to be used against her. Any affection she shows is always done in private.

RELATIONSHIPS

W/ each other- Aoi is enamored with Daia, as she’s the only person he interacts with normally. He hopes that he can prove himself to her. Daia on the other hand views Aoi as annoying and…”dirty”, or that’s what she wants people to believe. Deep down, she has some complicated feelings towards him and can’t really bring herself to sort them out.

W/ Orochimaru- Aoi is terrified of Orochimaru to the point where he finds it hard to even be in the same room as him. Yk how evangelical Christians fear god? Yeah that’s how he feels. Daia does not have such an otherworldly view of Orochimaru, as stated above. He is no better to her than the people she grew up around.

W/ Kabuto- Aoi looks up to Kabuto like he’s his big brother, something the latter doesn’t really reciprocate. He isn’t as scared of him, but is still weary. Daia thinks Kabuto is pathetic and annoying, along with being one of the “dirtiest”. She begrudgingly puts up with him as her mentor, but doesn’t keep her opinions hidden.

W/ Sound 5- Aoi respects all of them, not really having too strong of an opinion. He does like Sak/Ukon and Kidomaru, they remind him of his circus troupe. Daia hates almost all of them for the same reason she hates Kabuto. She doesn’t have much of a problem with Tayuya however, real recognizes real.

[that-one-producer]

Journal Entry: 8/10/24

I don’t really know where to start. But let’s start with the fact that I, Jay Lee-Kim have messed up entirely. I killed someone to protect my husband, to protect my integrity, to protect my pride, my ego. She attacked him and all I saw was red. My wolf consumed my body faster than my human side could comprehend and i snapped, went rogue and ended her life. Before I knew it, I was in Jail, blood on my hands, on my clothes, on my face. I couldn’t wash it off, I couldn’t get rid of it. Eric went home that day trying to figure out how to get me out but I was still berserk, my eyes never changed back but I didn’t resist I didn’t retaliate, I listened to all commands of law enforcement. My wolf was in control for a while, suppressing my human side because of the guilt. I don’t regret killing her but I regret the circumstances it became to get to that point.

Upon coming home I witnessed my two lovers fighting, my heart sunk even more. Watching them point blame’s at each other making it about themselves when I was the one who was really hurting inside so I turned to the one person I knew who would always have my back… my Son Jamie. Jamie and Aera took care of me. I cried and cried til I couldn’t cry anymore, I was numb and depressed. I lost myself upon coming home, I’m a different man than what I was before going to New York. Isaac and Arlo came to console me, Eric wasn’t anywhere to be found, having ran off with Danny like he normally does. I hadn’t spoken to him since the incident, he was still angry and upset, so I sat with my tail between my legs and my pride shut down, disconnecting my emotions for a while so no one could feel the hurt and sadness I was experiencing.

Killing her was not the problem for me, the problem is the amount of pride I bestowed upon myself that I wouldn’t ever kill any living being regardless of good or evil. She was evil, vile and wicked. Her soul belonging to the underworld as she roamed the halls of Fame aimlessly. None of this would have even happened if she didn’t take credit for tracks she didn’t write, she stole discrediting the people who spent hours trying to help her get a smash hit album. And now where am I? In a psych ward, mute and still numb, trying to come to terms with the fact that she’s gone and my life had drastically changed since then. For a while I thought I was getting better. Picking up old hobbies, going to see Joon for therapy, going running and swimming but it didn’t help the guilt I still felt on my human side.

I wouldn’t necessarily say that I’m a failure or that I’m a bad person, but the trauma has been eating me alive, reliving the same moments over and over, shaking and screaming in terror every night when I’m asleep is a deeper feeling. The imagery spreads like wildfire, unable to really piece together the series of events that lead to that point. It was just self defense, I’m not a murderer. I was provoked and it was fight or flight mode. I couldn’t let her hurt Eric even more so I did what I did, I’m not proud of it but there’s nothing I can do about it now. My mental state is crippling and scattered. I’m not heavily drugged up but I’m drugged up enough to forget the pain, to forget the sorrow. I mourn the man I once was but I know I can be better, I can be stronger for the sake of myself and my family.

I must continue to strive and get better. Things are better between Eric and I as well as Isaac and Arlo. I miss them, I miss their warmth beside me, their hugs and kisses. I want to continue to grow and move past this. I’m tired of feeling sorry for myself, for feeling weak, I often question my ranking as an Alpha because why did I feel remorse? A lot of unanswered questions zoom and buzz in my brain a million miles per minute. My values and integrity have changed, the perspective on life is much more different than the Jay I was before.

The stars will align soon again, I must get rid of the grief and open up more but my heart is resisting. Possibly because I’m not ready to face the outcome of everything just yet but I don’t constantly want to live my life in fear. I’m an alpha for fucks sake. This was probably a mess and all over the place but that’s the start of my journey. I hope in the future I can write more and be better.

Until next time - Jay

[yr-obedt-cicero]

Why do you think Hamilton was ambition crazy? Like what was his motive to rising to the top? Was he just unhappy with the way things were that he wanted a position in power? Because he still could have amended for his poor childhood and become a merchant or something, yet it seems like he strived for more

The desire for power and changing the country came later on in war. I feel like the true origin of Hamilton's ambitious spirit spurred from the treatment he got as a child for being born out of wedlock. As Darren Staloff puts it better;

“Fame and glory for Hamilton were the necessary salve for the wounds of his childhood. An exalted “station” would atone for his abandonment by his parents and finally answer the taunts of “whore child” that he had endured as a boy on the streets of Christiansted. Only extraordinary achievement could vindicate Hamilton. [...] Hamilton’s burning ambition spurred him to great accomplishments, much to the benefit of his adopted country. Hamilton’s remarkable efforts in the revolutionary and early national epochs were critical to the founding of American freedom, prosperity, and national greatness. Indeed, by the time he retired from public life, Hamilton had achieved everything a man of his age could dream of, much less hope for. He had married into one of the wealthiest and most illustrious families in North America, with a handsome wife who adored him and a brood of devoted children. He was the leader member of the New York bar whose services were eagerly sought by all who needed legal representation. His political career was an unqualified success. Short of the presidency, he had been honored with every high office and title, both military and civilian, that his country could bestow. Revered by his followers, admired by his colleagues, and respected by his foes, Hamilton in his lifetime climbed the summits of acclaim that are usually reserved for those long deceased. Yet he remained unsatisfied. Success never brought the relief he pined for. “Mine is an odd destiny,” he wrote to his friend and fellow Federalist Gouverneur Morris in 1802. “Perhaps no man in the United States has sacrificed or done more for the present Constitution than myself…Yet I have the murmurs of its friends no less than the curses of its foes for my reward.” This was the tragedy of Alexander Hamilton: no worldly success could remove the scars of his childhood wounds.”

(source — Hamilton, Adams, Jefferson: The Politics of Enlightenment and the American Founding, by Darren Staloff)

[sheepdawgiearts]

Get ready for some cringe OC lore....

I'm literally so embarrassed because I hate writing but what teh hell... (yes this is for oc x canon purposes sorry not sorry :P )

NAME: Nyx Tamaron GENDER: Female HEIGHT: 4'11 ft WEIGHT: 120 lbs AGE: 29 in human years BIRTHDAY: February 21st ZODIAC: Aquarius Pieces Cusp HOME PLANET: Vondem CLASS: Upper class background DIVISION: Science SPECIALITY: Planetary Geosciences RANK: Lieutenant Junior Grade

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

PERSONALITY: Ambitious, Opinionated, Whimsical, Blunt, Friendly, Cheerful, Polite, Perceptive, Relaxed, Neurotic, Short sighted, Gullible, Progressive

Nyx is a bubbly Orion who doesn't really fit in with others of her kind. Orions are known to be flirtatious and deceitful, a race that is always looking out for their best interest. Despite that she still possesses pragmatic views but is straightforward and honest with others even if people don't believe her. Nyx is quiet, closed off from her peers however she is eager when someone converses with her.  WHY SHE JOINED STARFLEET: Nyx was found during a raid on a Syndicate ship as cargo about to be sold into slavery. Feeling disillusioned by her people's culture and her interest in exploration she decided to enroll into the Starfleet Academy to broaden her horizon. ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

FAMILY AND BACKGROUND: Nyx was born into a wealthy Orion family in which her father had 6 concubines and 9 other offspring, all half siblings. Nyx being the youngest she got very little attention from her father up until he decided to exchange her to a rival family in which she would become the eldest son’s concubine. She was closer to her mother and picked up her mothers emotional needs. She could tell her mother wanted so much more despite having needs be met. In her pre pubescent stage Nyx discovers her mother wanted to be an archaeologist, which made sense to Nyx considering her mothers obsession with old Orion culture and emphasis on their daily lives. As Nyx came of age and  dealing with the expectations that follow the typical Orion woman she knew she didn't want her mothers life, she didn't want the lives of any Orion woman. Going through the process of having her hormonal potency checked felt so objectifying to her she grew disdain for her culture's view on sexuality. The concubines would train her in the sexual arts, a thing she saw as the worst period of her life. She swore from that day forward she would strive to make her mothers dream real and become an archaeologist. However that changed when her father traded her for his financial gain, this would lead to her most traumatic experience she had ever gone through. Months being scrutinized by her captors mother and having to commit sexual acts on a man she found repulsive as well as partaking in their opulent parties where she would do traditional dances and accepting others advances despite her disdain for it all.  Once she couldn't take it she ran away aboard a ship, it didn't matter, she unknowingly became a stowaway on a Syndicate ship. When she was caught and found to have extremely potent pheromones they took her as a potential slave they could sell for a high price on another planet, Orion females were considered valuable due to their unique anatomy. Fearing for her life she was prepared to take it not wanting to go back to being used as a commodity however when the ship was reprimanded by Starfleet this gave her a reason to live. This was where her life changed for the better, after being saved by Starfleet and talking to officers who freed her she took an interest in the mention of a science division. This was her chance to live out her mothers dream, her dream, to have a life outside the hedonist lifestyle on Vondem. She insisted they not return her to Vondem and instead let her go through the process of becoming a Starfleet officer.  Adjusting to the outside world was difficult and she dealt with micro aggressions due to her background. Orions had gained a poor reputation across the galaxies. It was hard for her to make friends as her pheromones caused men to fawn over her and women to be irritable by her presence. She has developed a bit of a complex against her own species due to this factor as she wants to fit in with other human colleagues. She had a lot of trouble learning English and speaks formal yet her sentences are broken.  After graduating from Starfleet Academy Nyx joined the USS Sutherland and later the USS Enterprise. By the time she transferred she held the position as Lieutenant Junior Grade specializing in Planetary Geosciences. Nyx has a hard time controlling her pheromones especially when being the Soong type android, Data. Her feelings developed for the android during a mission in which they visited a deserted M class in which they were gathering information on the surrounding plant life. Not looking where she was going she almost fell off a cliff when Lieutenant Commander Data caught her, and when she locked eyes with him she knew there was something remarkably special about him. As time goes on and discovering her pheromones don't affect him like other organics this makes her feel safe around him, it was also a challenge, if he ended up liking her it was because of her and not her biological advances. In her free time she partakes in gardening.

[gyubby99]

@disneyanddisneyships a fic 😛

Summary: After the takeover of Aponi Wings on Valentino's club, Mal was honored to be the opening act.

U

~~~~~

It's been weeks since Valentino had been dismembered by the one and only overlord Aponi Wings. The butterfly demon figured that she would have to take over the club he once used to own.

It all came by like a blur. Aponi couldn't think straight through all of her fury. She had been holding a holy knife, staring down cold at the moth demon before blood came the next second.. after she had killed his right hand man, Linda.

It was all so bittersweet.

So she decided to do a little grand re-opening. When she somehow took over the club she took good care of her employees, paying them fairly so they don't have to beg for scraps outside of all the hard work and flashing lights. Aponi had insisted she gave all of them a well-deserved week rest while she takes care of the club, changing some of the old ways.

After weeks of changes she had looked at her own work with pride. Some were disappointed of the new rules, using the sins safely and positively rather than mixing it with pride, most demons had found something new, something akin to the happy hotel. A place where they could have fun in a much safer, positive way. Something they can only dream to see in other rings. Rings that no sinners were allowed to step foot in.

The overlord of love, Aponi Wings.. had made some changes. She strives on positivity of things.. she makes deals to better lives, ultimately leading them to the happy hotel or finding the word itself; love. She was a unique one. All of the overlords share one thing; Apathy. A desire of gaining power from other people's. Aponi wanted none of that. Eventually love found her a way in the hierarchy.

It was also, one of the many things that intrigued her lover, the radio demon himself.

To the grand re-opening of the club, she aksed for assistance from her soul sister, Mal, the overlord of Luck.. which was ironic considering her full name's purpose.

And ofcourse, Vox. Aponi asked for his assistance on better tech. Now he had an extremely small circle of friends, and luckily enough she got into that circle. Mainly because he was Mal's lover.

They had called in the demons who worked at the club, rehearsing something for when the day arrives, after they had gotten their week break. They were more than happy to cooperate with Mal's choice of song. She had to get approval from Aponi, though.

Some overlords involved were all booked and busy on this venture, all for Aponi's wishes to make a little difference in a place where that would be impossible.

Until the day of the re-opening came, and everyone were welcome to watch the shows.

"You ready?" Aponi asks Mal, who was fixing up her headset mic.

"Oh, yeah. Definitely." Mal responds. "I'm ready to blow this popsicle stand."

Aponi snorts. "Did you, Mal, just quote.. Mal? "

"Caught red-handed. Like always." Mal chuckled, half-surprised her friend had caught her reference.

Mal's phone beeped, lighting up with a message when she took it. "Vox is at the VIP section."

"No backstage kiss?" Aponi giggled.

"Atleast not until I finish!" Mal laughs, before joining in the others. "We should be ready."

Aponi nods, before getting on stage. "I'd say good luck, but you already have a lotta them."

Mal rolls her eyes as her best friend got onto the stage.

The music rolled on.

"Ladies and gentledemons! It's a pleasure seeing your faces again!" Aponi shouts out loud, watching the crowd go wild.

"I know, I know! We're in the brand new shit now, so better hold your horses and lock 'em up cause we have treats!" Aponi leaned down at the crowd, her smile evident and she was having the time of her life.

"Now, I would like to introduce the star of the night. The one, the only overlord of luck herself, Mal!" Aponi held her arms wide open as the curtains showed Mal and the dacers following behind her.

The beat dropped.

Lalalai, lalalai When our heartbeats collide I won't mind, in a place we've never been before I'm reaching out for the moon and stars beyond it

Mal sang as she had practically strutted on the stage, and the lights went wild along with the crowd's cheering.

Lalalai, lalalai Is it you I will find? Though I feel left behind sometimes When you close the door I wanna know who you are I wanna know it all

Mal grinned widely at the crowd as the music went on, like some band and the people all coming together in a party, which was kind of the thing the firefly had been going for when she thought of a song for the re-opening night.

Her yellow eyes glowed as she watched the audience, especially seeing a certain someone at the VIP section, enjoying the sight.

She began to sing again.

The moment that life hits you You can’t avoid the issue You’re disconnected from the world You thought you were a part of But if you close your eyes and let go Of the mirage you haven’t met Nobody else decides the words you see in your heart

The demons started clapping, completely forgetting the reason why the club had to be re-opened in the first place.

Mal sang the pre-chorus, the other demons on the stage joining in with her just like they practiced.

Line up, The party’s over here Come one, come all, jump into the fire Step up, We are whatever we wanna be We are free, that’s all we desire When you pass through the veil of fantasy There’s a world with a rhythm for you and me

Mal jumped, excitement for this new chapter her friend will be taking filling every inch of her.

Lalalai, lalalai How can I find a love Lost in time, there’s an answer in the stars for me All the way across the galaxy, go on forever Lalalai, lalalai I will follow the signs ’cause I know When I reach the end it’s you I’ll see Though we can’t waste our time here It’s now or never

Mal danced carelessly to the music, wondering where this freedom hid for a long time. She always had to watch her step, not missing a single one as a sadistic boss watches you from afar. Now she'd been genuinely having fun.

The relentless force of nature The visage of our future Sometimes I know it feels like fate is never on our side But as I stand inside the vortex

Mal pointed at the VIP section.

I wanna have you here beside me You’re all I need to leap into a perfect sky!

..before she pointed at the crowd once again.

Stand up, The party’s over here Come one, come all, jump into the fire Keep up, Let go of your fears Stand proud and tall, we will never grow tired Line up, The party’s right here Come one, come all, let’s follow the north star Step in, You are whatever you wanna be You are free just like all of us are

Her lyrics sent a message; no one will ever have to fear Valentino again.

Mal smirked, leaning to the audience as if conversing with them.

Dance away a world you never loved from the start It’s our ride to the future, are you ready to depart?

Mal stood back at the stage once again, pouring her heart out the way she never got to.

Lalalai, lalalai When our heartbeats collide I won’t mind, In a place we’ve never been before I’m reaching out for the moon and stars beyond it Lalalai, lalalai Is it you I will find? Though I feel left behind sometimes when you close the door I wanna know who you are I wanna know it all

The drums blared as they all danced along to the song, the butterfly demon looking at her friend with such pride; she'd never seen Mal having this kind of genuine fun on stage. It was one of the many reasons she called her up for this.

Maybe it’s a dream, I don’t wanna wake Even if a light goes up, I don’t wanna know reality

Mal spun around the stage, spotlight on her as she smirks, her eyes glowing as she had her wings on. She never even needed the spotlight. She stood among the performers because she had been literally glowing bright.

Mal finished up the song, the rush in her veins still there.

We didn’t waste our time here It’s now or never!

The music stopped and the crowd applauded.

This was a new beginning. For Aponi, for Mal, and for hell.

For the old times were now gone.

[the-tzarina-alexandra-paracosm]

Vote based on the design AND the backstory

Ernest

(The Choice to Love - 2017-2018)

Role: Protagonist

A very perfectionistic, anxious and scrupulous man (would 100% be diagnosed with OCD if he lived in the 21st century). He enters an arranged marriage with Jeannine, and feels guilty that he can't make her happy the way she'd need (cannot force himself to fall in love etc). Very generous and charitable, and loves his found family with all his heart. He, however, has quite the tension in his birth family, and fully expects not to receive his inheritance anymore.

Vs

Sveta

(The Land of Eternal Winter - 2019-2020)

Role: supporting character

She recently became the monarch after her father died. Even though she had been preparing for this moment all her life, she still feels extremely anxious and worried, especially now that the situation has escalated quite violently. She is a very caring mother, wife, older sister etc, and she is mature and erudite. She sometimes let's her fears get the better of her, but her loved ones are there to encourage her back.

Additional info

The Choice to Love - 2017-2018

Status: incomplete (Romanian, English, a few chapters typed, many scenes handwritten, many comic scenes drawn etc, full outline done)

Form: novel

Genre: Victorian romance

Ernest and Jeannine are made to enter an arranged marriage. She is glad because she already had a crush on him, but he feels guilty that he can't force himself to fall in love. Many many many side characters all play a role in, directly or indirectly, imparting life lessons on the protagonists. The side characters also have their own complex dramas and lives. Ernest has a found family dynamic with his household servants, but has some sort of conflict with his family of origin, which gets somewhat solved by the end of the book, but under very dramatic circumstances. Jeannine is always by his side, so he realises hey she means a lot to me.

Vs

The Land of Eternal Winter - 2019-2020

Status: complete (draft 1: English, typed, draft 2 in the works)

Form: novel

Genre: mild steampunk, kinda post apoc but mostly drama (and court drama)

Anatoliy is a prince whose beloved father just died, so he assumes it was an assassination. He suspects the neighbouring king and has him killed, only to later realise he was innocent. He is almost completely overcome by guilt and despair, but ultimately fights to do whatever in his power to not only fix the consequences of his crime, but to also mitigate the effects of the much larger conspiracy at work that he found himself an unwitting pawn in. There are very many side characters, each with their own complex stories, which all tie into the idea that ones desire to change the world may be futile, or even become evil, but we must still strive to do good here on earth despite no rewards in sight. I'd say this is my 2nd "masterpiece" work in terms of writing

[deceptivemorals]

💭 + Honour

𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓬𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓷𝓼 — send 💭 + a topic to receive a headcanon about said topic. || accepting

this headcanon is going to be a long one and i fear also a confusing one.

'honor' in combination with elijah is a double-edged sword. it's also strongly connected to elijah's desire to be better / a better version of himself.

the heart of the matter is that 'honorable' is a trait elijah likes to see in others and also wishes to be himself. it’s an ideal he strives for. he knows he isn't a 'honorable' person anymore (he was as human) but he often likes to pretend he is.

human!elijah was indeed and truly an honorable person with morals. he put others before himself, he even rather took beatings himself than watch mikael abuse niklaus.

but turning into a vampire changed things. vampirism forced elijah to do things he disdained and which disturbed him. things that made him feel ashamed of himself. it made him kill people and enjoy drinking their blood (it also made him kill the woman he loved). it also enhanced traits he had better under control as a human (temper). later, while they were running from mikael, elijah did what he had to do to ensure their survival.

becoming a vampire traumatized elijah more than he is aware of and more than he ever wants to admit. it's not even entirely about himself, it's also about seeing what vampirism did to his siblings: to his sweet sister rebekah who enjoys hurting people; to his brother niklaus who used to have a sensitive side and now indulges in wars and torture; to his little brother kol who doesn't have himself under control and rips apart whole villages.

there's a diary entry of elijah in 1359 in which he writes down that he noticed that his siblings are losing their humanity and he vowed that it was his duty as their eldest brother to ensure that they stay on the right path which made him even more devoted to try and be 'better'.

he purposefully seeks to uphold the image of the being he most aspires to be; a well kept, honorable, moral man who is devoted to his family but also tries to be better than what vampirism usually stands for.

he founded the strix as an institution that was supposed to help making the world (and vampires) better: "i wanted to assemble minds curious about the world and eager to improve it, along with the time and circumstance to do so. my desire was to create an elite brotherhood devoted to a new, better civilization." - to 3x04

his idea of the initial purpose of the strix failed for several reasons and i think it also is parallel to why elijah himself too fails. because he chooses to run away and hide. because he doesn't face his problems. because he hides behind the pretense of being 'honorable' and therefore okay. this 'title' of the 'noble and honorable elijah' has become little more than a facade for him to hide behind. something that makes his deeds seem and feel less bad.

on the other hand, however, elijah still does strongly believe in trust, honesty, and loyalty. he appreciates those people who have those traits and virtues because they reflect what he actually wants to be & what he often is prevented from being.

interestingly enough, the only trait elijah could uphold is keeping his word when he gives it. being 'a man of his word' is the only thing that is still under his control, something no one else can take from him. a trait he could 'safe' from his previous life. it's the only 'honorable' thing that he has (almost) unconditional access to. it's why he is so pedantic when it comes to promises or giving his word.

his ability to keep his word is also the reason why others may consider him 'honorable' (along with the fact that he's the most reasonable of his siblings). being 'honorable' is a title, a description others put on him even without having met him before. it's a description, an expectation of others that help elijah and come in handy for elijah to hide behind his facade:

"davina: you're the one they call honorable. elijah: yes, that's what they call me. and yet, i followed my brother here to new orleans to engage in a war. so, i ask you-- does that sound honorable to you?" - to 1x05

this title of being 'honorable' is associated with elijah because he (usually) only shows others the well-kept facade. as mentioned above, he wants to be 'better'. he isn't like the rest of his siblings who kill for fun and enjoy it. he (tries to) keep his word.

but in the end, the only thing that stops him from finally achieving the ideal of 'honor' is elijah himself. because he constantly lies to himself and justifies the reasons why he does certain vile things. it's a realization elijah already had before (although 'the originals' sometimes like to act like certain things hadn't happened already in 'the vampire diaries'):

"my talk of virtue. when it suits my needs, i kill, maim, and torment. even today, i terrorized an innocent. i used your hatred of her to get what i wanted. wielded you like i would a sword. mother made us vampires. she didn't make us monsters, we did that to ourselves." - tvd 3x15

so there's again the blame and shame elijah carries. that esther only created the conditions for monsters but in the end, it was their own actions that led to things that are everything else than honorable. something which again leads to more shame and more guilt which again causes elijah to hide even more behind his facade.

"this façade, this illusion that i have created over the course of my life-- the noble stag. it is nothing more than a deception. to myself. to everyone." - to 2x11

i believe elijah can only reach his own redemption (aka becoming the honorable man he wishes to be // becoming the man he once was) if he finally finds a way to forgive himself and stops pretending that he is okay. because he isn't.