#that it died upon birth and u nearly did to

[bitchinlyras]

no but there has literally never been a character more traumatised than shauna shipman

[spacecasette]

Bolt the Horse — p r o l o g u e

The morning her Mammy died, the birds stopped singing. When she thinks of that day, years and ever after, she suspects it was the silence that woke her up. No feet in the hall, no gurgle or hiss from a coffee pot, no click or shush of cabinet doors, nothing to indicate the day had even begun. Her internal clock was never to be fully trusted, but it had been nearly synced with her Mammy's for over a decade– she had no reason to suspect its failure now. So when she got out of bed and outfitted herself in slippers and a hand-me-down housecoat, Dani went out in search of her grandmother. There was no answer to her name being called through the house, and the downstairs was empty of putzing old ladies; they had, however, gotten into the brandy last night, so she thought it possible Mammy was still sleeping. Walking quietly back up the stairs and down the hall to Mammy and Papa's room, she opened the door slowly, so as to not spook her if she was awake. Mammy did, in her experience, really hate being given a fright.

Danielle stood at a headstone in late April in her bare feet, listening to the birds. The dirt was uncomfortably warm, and more than a little damp after the last few days' rain; which she thought strange, in the way that most things were strange during that time. Mammy had been dead 12 days, and Papa for 344– she found that the least strange of all. Everyone assumed her grandparents were so inextricably linked that when one stopped breathing, the other would follow suit just after, like an echo. Of course, she had her suspicions about why Mammy had outlasted Papa– chief among them being that Dani were sure to fall all apart without one of them to dote on. They had raised her and loved her, and in turn and time, she loved and cared for them until there was no one left to care for. She felt only the customary, "usual" amount of loneliness in the months following her grandmother's death, mostly because there was no one left to smoke on the porch with her and offer dead wrong answers to the daily crossword. In many ways, her life had prepared her for this eventuality, so when the check came due (as it always does), she could figure out what needed done without losing her mind in the process.

There was a will, of course, which her grandparents had insisted upon as early as their 50s, and which left the house, the truck, and a sum of about $20,000 to one Danielle Reagan Caydel. As such, Dani had not the slightest fucking clue what to do with the money except to squirrel it away in an account and carry out business as usual.

For every day in May, she fills every flat surface not presently occupied by tchotchkes with daffodils. They were a favorite of Mammy's, and she could never bear having them wilt and die without first being displayed and fawned over. "Like God's many little trumpets," she called them, "gold as silk-lined shoes in Heaven." Dani was not too fussy about God; could understand why people loved Him and feared Him, but couldn't be bothered with more than service on Sundays (mostly she liked the singing), and the occasional holiday.

What she loved most about God, and thinking about Him, was that He could be mean and then He could be sweet, and lots of people still called Him good.

She herself hadn't ever really been called "Bad" except by girls at school who knew her mama had run off and her dad was too twacked out to care. She did, however, sometimes feel very Bad. When she was younger, she used to steal away into the closet and push her Mammy's sewing needles under the nail of her left thumb, because it felt like hot irons. She felt then like someone had to be punished for the error of her birth, and since there was no one left to receive it, she figured it should be her. It was never nothing "too bad" to her mind, just that sometimes she'd get carried away and scratch the skin on the back of her hand till it bled. She worried a lot back then, about being right.

But when Papa and Mammy noticed, they weren't mad. No one yelled, or grabbed at her, or held her too tight like the boys on the jungle gym. They just said to her, "Honey, you're not nobody's fault. We love you just like you came to us, and however you'll be until we ain't around anymore. You don't need to do all that." And Papa kissed her head, Mammy kissed her cheek and brushed their noses together which meant "i love you", and eventually she didn't feel like going into the sewing kit except to mend her school shirts.

Sunshine coming through the tree canopy onto the surface of the creek turns stones into greengold disco lights. Bucket in one hand, ziploc of bacon strips in the other, she ambles about looking for a halfway decent rock grouping to find something for her dinner. Already this week, she has caught 3 bluegill and is of the mind they should be off the menu for a while. The thing about crawdads is that they they're pretty dumb & extremely grabby. This far into summer they're still in season– and it was a wickedly wet winter, which means they'll be out and about clear till the end of June if she's lucky.

An hour later, her shop bucket is near full and her knees are aching, so over slippery stones, Dani goes back up to the house for supper. The light and air of the refrigerator is cool on her sweat-damp face when she reaches for a beer. The stove clicks, the gas lights, and the thin aluminum stock pot clatters loud and stark in the empty house when she sets it down.

Her evening unfolds, and the sky spreads its ink everywhere all over it like a soiled rag. After the washing up, then clears the counters and puts the laundry in the machine on the back porch. She then finds herself alone in the dim light of the living room, restless and bored for the first time in weeks. The line of her life lately felt too straight, no story, no interruptions, and she finds it might need a little tangling– if anything, to provide the challenge of undoing something– and her heart is a bit sore, and the Budweiser's gone. Nothing much better to do, she figures, with her idle hands. She walks to the bar.

There's almost no one inside the bar when she arrives, but then again, it's quarter to 8 on a Tuesday, and she imagines not much of anything too exciting can be got up to at this hour. The bartender looks almost insulted when she lifts a finger to order, and his contempt seems to increase when she orders a tall boy of Lonestar. He does, to his credit, redeem himself by letting her smoke inside and mumbling from under his mustache, "you can do that in here, we're not a bunch of assholes".

So Dani finds herself on top of a barstool at Doumain's Domain for the first time that summer. She works diligently at the crossword book perched on the bar with a pen borrowed from the bartender because she felt like being a piss ant. It makes her feel like Mammy isn't so far off after all, because there's people around if she wants to talk, but she doesn't have to if she doesn't have much to say. Plus, she figures, it's nice to just share company without being expected to behave any certain way.

Things do eventually get exciting around 11, though, and the bar man has to throw out a couple of 20-something boys, liquored a little too far up and getting rowdier with every passing minute. When the pool table is no longer enough to keep their attention, they turn it on her, tugging at her braid and asking her if she wants to play a round with them. She finds she doesn't miss the sidelong looks the bartender gives her before he throws them out, or how he stands, interrupting their line of sight on her when he finally does. She sets her cash on the bar and leaves shortly after, unweaving her hair the whole way home.

[venusandsaturnsrings]

Not sure if the letters are full yet BUT I thought I would go ahead and try my luck!! (Love your work btw)

⬥ ⭘ ★ ⬦ ⧗ △ ◍

¡About me!

[AFAB! AND BI]

5’2 • roughly 158 cm I think-. I don’t wanna sound self absorbed but I have a pretty nice figure, nice ass, nice thighs, small waist, kinda small bust though🗿ngl my figure is mostly just bc of volleyball and I work out a lot, lmfao

Studying software engineering, used to do art professionally and won a couple of contests but got bored (plus my professor sucked) I still do art as a hobby tho. I also really like singing and have been doing choir since I was like 3, also did it competitively and won a few all region contests. (POV parents that need you to be the best 😩)

I also sew! My style is mostly alt/academia(??) AND I LOVE THE ACCESSORIZE . Think black tights, black skirt, Mary Jane pumps, white collared shirt, and white vest with black accents

OR

Combat boots, ripped black cargo pants with chains, fishnets under the cargos, black turtle neck crop top, and gray zip hoodie.

I also have REALLY bad social anxiety. Idk what it is about being around people, it just makes it hard to breath. For reference my freshman year of Highschool my attendance was 40% 😃.

I realized this is kind of a long ask but I was really curious 🧍

(For reference 🧎)

ik i said dis already but!! if this was truly up to me, i would've matched u with myself!! but that's not the name of the game so please play nice with your match hehe >u<

→ 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱!

𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺: 𝘆𝗮𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗸𝗼! ←

'100 percent was always the goal. no more, no less; to fail was humiliation and to overachieve was pathetic. to be accurate is the desire. the presence of one so revered and electric in not only vision but in nature seemed to hammer relentingly into the heads of others. yet, you seemed to be the exception. perhaps it was a form of half-hearted apology.'

miko had practically raised you. growing up around the shrine and constantly being urged to success led you straight into the Guujis arms. in a way, she was more of a mother than the one who birthed you. constantly looking after you, making sure you were well fed, dotting on you when others wouldn't... the list of her favouritisms towards you seemed never ending. in return, she garnered your lasting trust; you'd always rely on her over anyone else. and that proved to be the truth when upon returning to the shrine after three years abroad.

you had accepted the offer of tea and found yourself succumbing to a sense of lightheadedness. cooing softly, miko offered for you to lay down and regain your strength. yet, here you were, spread out on an infirmary bed in the back of one of the shrines small buildings with her face in your cunt. she lapped away at your sobbing hole while occasionally nipping at your swollen clit with sharp canines. though fuzzy in the brain your body felt as though it had been placed in front of an open fire. pleasurable heat seared through your lower half as she took her time playing and prying you open for two long fingers to slide in. if you could've lifted your hands you would be pushing her away or pulling her closer; you were conflicted. to receive such an action from the woman who nearly raised you fully felt wrong, yet, you couldn't deny just how skilled she was when sucking greedily at your pussy.

'some apologies are better than others. in part, mikos generous laths across you seemed to be for the time spent without her. an apology worth accepting? if you could get over how filthy it all felt, maybe.'

[ashintheairlikesnow]

Misread Details, Part One

CW: Death talk, BBU, dehumanizing language about Box Boys

A Box Boy Serial Killer On the Loose? Part 1 of 3

r/LetsTalkTrueCrime

•Posted by u/oshaycanyousee 1 month ago

Hello, r/LetsTalkTrueCrime! 

I’ve posted this write-up in a couple other reddits, but someone pointed me to this one as being a good place for discussion, and this is a really weird set of three unsolved murders (well, one death and two murders? Maybe?) and I wanted to see if any of you have some thoughts or maybe more info on these cases.

Three men died within two years in three different cities. 

While each death is unique, all of them have one thing in common - fingerprints and DNA from a single human pet was found in every single location. 

Let’s start with the first death.

Nathaniel Matthew Benson, who went by “Nanda” (a childhood nickname given to him by a younger brother who couldn’t pronounce his full name as a toddler, apparently), was forty-one years old at the time of his death. 

He was born and raised in North Dakota by very strict religious parents, and had three younger brothers and one younger sister. There is some disagreement here about whether his home life was peaceful or not. His younger sister claims that the environment at home was strict but fair, and the family was mostly happy. Two of his three younger brothers tell a different story, about a father who put too much on their shoulders, especially “Nanda” as the eldest, and the pressure they felt to be perfect.

His other brother, the youngest of the family, has never given a public interview beyond a short statement that he and Nanda were not close, and he did not feel able to speak about his character. There were nearly fifteen years between the oldest and youngest childrens’ births, and Nathaniel had moved out of the house by the time the youngest was four years old, so this makes sense.

By all accounts, Nathaniel was an excellent student, getting all A’s throughout his years of education. He was considered quiet and shy, and most of his high school classmates don’t have many standout memories of him. He graduated valedictorian of his high school class, then surprised everyone by stating he wouldn’t be attending college, and instead would be taking a “gap year” to travel the United States using money from his graduation party and also some he’d saved up from working part-time retail and restaurant jobs.

Between ages 18 and 19, he took his small secondhand four-door vehicle around the nation, calling home every week or so to give his family updates, sending postcards, etc. After about six months, though, the phone calls and postcards became fewer and fewer, and eventually he told everyone he had gotten a new job and decided to forgo college entirely.

His family was shocked - and by all accounts his father was furious - but Nathaniel refused to budge. 

There was apparently a very hostile phone conversation about one year after this decision which was the last time Nathaniel Benson spoke to his father directly until his death.

After this, his family received only sporadic communications sent from a P.O. Box located in central California, in a mid-sized city known as Dosaba. He never did give anyone an actual home address.

He occasionally called them, mostly his sister and one of his brothers, but surviving family states that the phone number he called from was different every single time, and usually didn’t have a California area code.

“He used burner phones for everything,” Nathaniel’s sister Samantha told WNDR, a local news station, shortly after his mysterious death. “And he would never tell us what job he did. We asked and asked and Nanda would just say ‘oh, this and that’, or ‘I do contractor work’. Just answers that don’t tell you anything. It was all very mysterious, very secretive. You know, we talked about how maybe he’d gotten into drugs or something, but my brother wasn’t a drug user, ever. It just seems so out of character for the brother I knew.”

“He was always reading his Bible when we knew him,” Younger brother Timothy stated. “But you know, I asked him once if he had found a home church wherever he was living, and he laughed and laughed. Then he just said, ‘they’d have a lot of opinions on how I live my life if I did that’, and changed the subject. So I knew whatever he was doing, it probably wasn’t good.”

There has been a lot of speculation by investigators that “Nanda” had indeed picked up employment within some kind of drug smuggling group at this time. Evidence found after his death has even opened the possibility that he worked as a high-end hitman.

There’s a lot of international travel during this time period, far more than can be accounted for unless travel was part of his workplace responsibilities. Employment records show him working as a sales manager for a company called Sunrise Investments, but this is believed by many to be a shell corporation hiding something much, much darker. 

However, all of this remains speculative, and there’s never been any proof that Nathaniel Benson did anything but the financial sales the company claims. No one ever did much work with him, and other employees at the company stated contact with him occurred entirely by phone and fax (and then e-mail) at this time. 

When investigators pored over the documents after getting a warrant, they weren’t able to find anything suspicious - and that in and of itself seems suspicious to some.

For years, Benson seemed to simply drop off the map entirely when it comes to local information - investigators did find that he owned a vintage Corvette that he fixed up himself (found via vehicle registry and taxes listings, which is public knowledge), and that about two years before his death he bought a large five-bedroom house with a basement in Dosaba, which he renovated in total secrecy. I was able to find records of him paying home taxes through his mortgage company, and that he spoke to local contractors and building companies, paying for consultations about the renovations he undertook. 

None of the companies he spoke to kept any kind of detailed notes about these consultations, but you’ll see why it’s relevant when I discuss what was found after his death.

Nathaniel Benson’s life came to an abrupt end on August 16th, 20XX, but nobody would find his body for more than two days. 

On August 18th, his cleaning lady arrived for her usual weekly visit to discover him crumpled at the foot of the stairs, face-up. She called 911 immediately and first responders arrived within twenty minutes to her white-faced and nearly silent. 

First responders noted that Nathaniel’s eyes were closed, unusual for a violent death. A wet cloth had been laid over them to help them stay that way. The medical examiner stated later that this would have to have been done within the first hour after he died, before rigor mortis could stiffen muscles and lead to them opening again. 

That whoever witnessed his death knew to do this is deeply unusual, and may be a sign of affection or grief. 

The autopsy found that Nathaniel had met his end approximately 36 hours before he was found, and had died due to an undiagnosed heart defect that had resulted in cardiac arrest. 

Sounds like any sudden death that can simply be written off as sad but natural, right? Well, there’s a few details that make things a little murkier than that, and have led to his death being listed as “undetermined” officially, and possibly including foul play.

For one thing, Nathaniel hadn’t simply collapsed next to the stairs - he had fallen, or been pushed, and showed evidence of bone fractures and head trauma consistent with the fall. A bit of blood was found on one step that came from his injuries. This head trauma would likely not have been fatal if he had received medical attention, but cardiac arrest ensured death even if head trauma didn’t. 

Did Nathaniel Benson suffer a heart attack and fall down the stairs, dying only when he reached the bottom? Maybe. 

Or maybe he really was pushed, the shock of it is the reason he went into cardiac arrest. 

There’s one more unusual fact that makes foul play a possibility in this mysterious death. 

Nathaniel Benson owned a legally purchased Box Boy, no known legal name, who went by his original purchase number: 334235. The Box Boy was a Romantic designation, and was purchased from Facility 001 in Berras, a city in Southern California, where the WRU headquarters is located.

WRU, when contacted by investigators, easily agreed to meet and provide detectives with information regarding the Box Boy’s purchase, as well as the DNA and fingerprint samples the company keeps on file. 

According to WRU’s internal records, this Boxie was not only a designated Romantic, but a specialty Romantic, trained for ‘masochism’. This tracks with multiple books on, shall we say, somewhat salacious interests that Benson had for his love life.

As Benson never seemed to date anyone or maintain a relationship, it’s theorized that the Boxie was his way of dealing with the stress of his work. WRU noted that Benson had contacted them after the purchase was complete to give his compliments on the Boxie’s training and note that he was ‘perfect’ and they ‘got along just fine’. 

The Box Boy’s fingerprints were found all over the house, which is totally normal. He was living there full-time, after all. But investigators also located something a bit more unusual: a secret room within the home that the cleaning lady had never seen before, hidden behind a carefully camouflaged door.

This is what Benson had been working on when he ‘renovated’ his newly purchased home: He built a secret dungeon room with stone walls and a concrete floor, outfitted with a dip and a “drain”, plus a garden hose hooked up on one wall. 

The room also had rows upon rows of cabinets full of various tools consistent with a ‘hard BDSM lifestyle’, according to one detective. I wasn’t able to get ahold of the actual list of items found, but was able to determine that whips, knives, ‘unspecified implements purchased from adult stores’, and other things were found.

Tests done on the walls and floor showed that blood had been spilled nearly everywhere in the room at one time or another, and large amounts of it. There was also evidence of blood found in Nathaniel Benson’s bedroom, primarily on the floor and in the bed. A small faded stain was found on the headboard just below a set of cuffs hooked into it.

A few small dried bloodstains were also found around the master bathroom sink, and investigators were able to determine the blood matched the DNA of the Box Boy, and was left there much more recently than the rest of the blood in the house, possibly even on the day of Benson’s death. 

Here’s the thing, though: the Box Boy himself was nowhere to be found. 

Was this Box Boy tired of being used as a human pincushion? Did he take matters into his own hands and commit the ultimate crime a pet can do, killing his owner? If he did, he no doubt knew what happens to pets who kill their owners, usually either being ‘put down’ or wiped clean to be resold.

Is our Boxie a killer right from the start? Or was he only a witness to a natural death who panicked and ran away?

Without locating the Boxie himself, it’s impossible to know.

The cleaning lady remembered him, and gave a description: Somewhere between 5’8” and 5’11”, wiry but with some muscle, usually dressed in just a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt when she was in the house. He has short dark hair, brown eyes, and an angular face. She mentioned visible scars on his arms, but none on his face. She was told to call him only “pet” if she needed to speak to him. She stated his voice was slightly hoarse and rough, as if he had a sore throat all the time. 

They had only one significant interaction, where the cleaning lady inquired about a large bruise on the Boxie’s face and bandages on his arms. He apparently told her, at the time, that he ‘liked the reminer’, but thanked her for asking after his health. They never spoke directly again. 

The detail about his face being unscarred will become incredibly relevant in parts 2 and 3.

Neighbors, when asked, mentioned that they had seen someone matching that description walking away from the house somewhere around 4 and 5 pm on August 16th. The medical examiner believes Benson died around noon, so this leaves about four or five hours between the death and the Boxie leaving.

He appeared to be walking very quickly and one neighbor noticed he was holding what looked like crumpled cash in one hand and a plastic shopping bag in another.

He was spotted waiting at a nearby bus stop, and footage from a camera mounted inside the bus shows someone matching the Box Boy’s description riding the bus all the way into Dosaba’s historic, artsy downtown. There, he was again captured on CCTV purchasing a one-way train ticket with cash. The train station employee who sold him the ticket remembers offering him a round-trip ticket for a discount, which she always did anyone who asked for a ticket to another city, only to have him “nervously” say he wouldn’t need to come back. She mentioned that he scratched at the side of his neck, and that when he walked away, he looked like his shoes were a little too big for his feet.

It is believed, as Nathaniel Benson was found barefoot but wearing clothing that suggested he had been outside doing yard work just before his death, that the Box Boy stole his shoes.

The fleeing Box Boy is captured one more time on camera as he arrived at his destination, Red Hills, approximately a two-hour train ride to the south. He walks past the CCTV quickly, hunched over as if trying to hide his face.

After that, he disappears.

Red Hills is a significantly larger city than Dosaba, with nearly a million residents within city limits and another 600,000 filling its suburbs and outer neighborhoods. Red Hills is a city that has seen better days, and it would be easy for a runaway Box Boy to simply fade away into its seedier districts. While Red Hills has had more than a dozen runaway Boxies picked up over the years, mostly Romantics who engaged in prostitution to make ends meet, it’s not believed that Benson’s Box Boy knew this when he chose the location.

As Romantic Boxies usually can’t read, it’s believed he simply chose a location he’d overheard someone else say, knowing nothing about what he would find when he got there.

Two days after his death, Nathaniel Benson’s debit and credit cards, Driver’s License, and a folded-up note he had written to himself about buying toothpaste were found in a plastic shopping bag tied-off at the top, were found inside the bus the Boxie had ridden, stuffed between the edge of a seat and the wall. The Boxie’s fingerprints were on everything.

But the Boxie himself wouldn’t be seen again until more than a year later.

Nathaniel “Nanda” Benson’s death for a time remained a one-off unsolved mystery. A little on the unusual side, but entirely possible that no foul play occurred, just some details that need filling in.

The shocking murder of a Red Hills man known locally as “Brute” would bring this Box Boy back into law enforcement’s line of sight, and open up questions about whether the Box Boy had simply been running away from Nathaniel Benson’s death… or leaving to find a new victim.

I’ll post Part 2, about “Brute”, shortly! Then Part 3 will be about a third murder, in which our potential Box Boy serial killer takes out… another serial killer. 

I told you this one gets interesting.

-

@astrobly @finder-of-rings @burtlederp @whump-tr0pes @raigash @orchidscript @doveotions @pretty-face-breaker @eatyourdamnpears @boxboysandotherwhump @whumptywhumpdump @whumpfigure @outofangband @thehopelessopus @downriver914 @justabitofwhump @butwhatifyouwrite @newandfiguringitout @yet-another-heathen @nonsensical-whump @endless-whump @gonna-feel-that-tomorrow @oops-its-whump @cubeswhump @whumpiary

[poptod]

Congrats for finishing ur exams! Hope u have time for relaxing in summer :) if u take ficreqs & this is topic ur comfortable writing for I'll have an ask: Kenny having/going thru some body image issues (it came to my mind when in season 2 he was going out w/Dylan he was fussing w/his shirt & being like is it too tight etc.)

Notes: thank u!! honestly its kinda nice to b able to project my own eating disorders on a fictional character lmao. thats twisted as fuck of me. warnings: eating disorders, homophobia, the whole rundown lmao. the reader in this is kind of dumb as fuck but well-informed so do with that what you will WC: 1.4k

+

It happened over the summer.

No one else noticed, but you did. He stopped wearing his big shirts, and the smaller ones now hung over his frame in wrinkles too big for his body. His jaw strengthened, his eyes steely, and his words remained sweet, if not awkward, as ever.

You've talked to him a couple times, but never for long, and his interactions with teenagers as popular as you are are limited and uncomfortable. On his part, he doesn't really know you personally––only as a sort of monarch to a high school. This image of you leaves him stuttering as you trap him against the lockers, surrounded by the silence of a vacant school.

"Wh - what are you –"

"Quiet," you say, glancing up to meet his frantic gaze.

The heat of his stomach moving with rough breaths warms your hands, sliding up his shirt to pull away the fabric and reveal the bare skin. His ribs are showing. From experience you know they didn't use to, but you can't deny the excitement that rushes through you at the sight of his thin waist unobstructed by clothing.

"How'd you lose weight?" You ask, withdrawing your hands from his midsection while keeping him stuck between lockers and you. You had never claimed to be anything but straightforward, almost violently so.

He shifts his weight on his feet, shoulders tensing till they reach his ears.

"Why do you care? You don't even know me," he says with a glare focused on the floor beside you.

"Your name is Khaleel but everyone calls you Kenny because people are dickbags, and you're always hanging out with that Larry kid. And I know for a fact you weren't this skinny," you say, tugging the belt of his loose pants to peer down.

"Don't," he grits out, and he writhes in your grasp, attempting to escape.

Seeing his discomfort, you withdraw your hand once more, and look him in the eye.

"I've seen things like this before," you say, boring into the soul behind his own eyes. "I've been this thing before. Tell me how you did it."

"I..." he pauses, searching your expression for any give in your request, before he gives up with a sigh. "I stopped eating meals for a week."

"Why?" You ask in a much softer tone than your previous, your fingers brushing over his unsteady hands.

"I hate how I look," he admits in a broken voice, eyes tinted red as tears form on the edges. "I'm sick of being unattractive and unwanted. I just wanted to be appealing to someone, for once."

"You're wanted," you say, beginning with a much-needed assurance. "High school is absolute ass and everything that happens in it has nearly no affect on your life. You're going to grow up, and you're going to find cities full of people who want to kiss you. The effects of purposeful starvation on your body and mind are not worth this temporary conformity to the American beauty standard."

Now he just looks confused. You sigh, exasperated by kids who don't seem to get your line of thinking pertaining to society and its expectations of adults and teenagers.

"This is such a small part of your life that can be so deeply enjoyed if you do it right. Don't ruin it with this," you say, and your own voice cracks, strained by the tension stuck in your throat. "You're never going to be skinny enough for this disease. Not even if you're ten pounds."

These words––they're all birthed by what you wish someone had told you. What would've stopped you from doing this to yourself.

The tears long building round his eyes fall at last, creating streams down his cheeks that he covers up by hiding his face in his hands. He falls into you, leaning his weight on your body, and hiding his face (which is still hidden in his hands) in the crook of your neck. Knuckles of his fingers dig into the sensitive skin there, but it is no hard task to ignore it.

You wrap your arms around the boy, holding him tight to you and running your fingers through his hair. Chest to chest, hips to hips, legs nearly stepping over one another. Muffled sobs wrack his weakened shoulders.

"I know," you whisper. It's all the sound you can manage. "It's alright. I know."

"I just wanna be wanted," he chokes out, shifting to hide himself deeper in your touch.

"You already are," you say in a hum, turning to kiss his temple.

"No," he says, shaking his head. "No, no, my parents don't even want me. No one does."

"What do you mean your parents don't want you?" You ask as a deep concern settles itself within you.

He won't pull away, and as much as you want to see his expressions, you know he needs your touch more than anything in this moment.

"I haven't seen them in weeks, they won't let me back into the house. I don't know what I did wrong. I don't..." he trails off as a new burst of tears shivers throughout his body, weakening his already frail limbs.

"They kicked you out?" You ask.

"... yeah," he says, sniffing.

His hands finally leave his tear-covered face, and he wraps them around you as tight and close as he can, shifting his head to the side to truly lie on your shoulder, with his nose nudging your neck. His hands cling to the back of your shirt, nails almost digging into your back as his tears soak your shoulder.

"Adults aren't infallible," you say, your own words now muffled as your chin rests on the crest of his head. "One day they'll realize their mistake, and they'll want you more than anything."

He goes quiet for a while, still sniffling, before he says in a trembling voice, "but I want to be desired now. I don't understand why no one wants me."

"I actually know for a fact that someone in the school very much wants you," you say without hesitation. You can't be the only one who sees how sweet this guy is.

"Really?" He sniffs and pulls away, but his hands linger on your waist. "Who?"

Your mind pulls a blank before it hits you like a trainwreck––it's you. You're the one that wants him. Maybe you are the only one to see him at all, and that realization leaves you stumped. Could you so plainly tell him? Would that be taking advantage of him in his state?

Whatever, you think, still staring blankly ahead as Kenny awaits your answer. This guy needs a pick-me-up.

"It's... me," you say in your most awkward voice since middle school. You cringe inwardly. It's like you're giving him bad news.

His mouth falls open, and he stares at you like you're the only thing to look at in the whole world.

"With..." he jabs himself in the chest with his own finger as he points to himself, ".. me?"

"That is what I just said, yes," you say, nodding.

He tries to stutter out a sentence, something along the lines of why, and you hardly want to hear what he has to say. None of it is going to be true. It's all muck about him not being worth it, and as he grows more frantic, you know you have to calm him down yourself.

Your eyes shut and you lean in blindly, having memorized his face from lunches spent staring at him from a table across the room. Lips mould to his and the words fizzle out, devolving into soft whines as the tail end of his sobbing dies out, suffocated by his first kiss.

He leans into you once more, resting his unsure hands gingerly upon your shoulders. You take his wrists, never parting from his lips as you pull him nearer, till his elbows rest on your shoulders and he holds you closer than before. When his hands tangle into your hair unprompted, you hum, fall, and pin him back against the lockers.

"Hey!"

Someone is shouting at you from down the hallway. You sigh and part from him, turning with a blasé look to meet one of the teachers.

"No making out in the hallway," she scolds but says nothing more, continuing to walk into the next room.

You turn back to Kenny and he's bright red, looking horrified with himself.

"Oh my God," he whispers out as his hands shake ever so slightly.

"It's alright," you murmur, too close to him to stand anything else. You kiss his forehead before you continue, "it's not a big deal. It's alright."

You pull away, looking him in the eye as you say, "come to my house?"

He hesitates.

"I'll make you something to eat. You don't have to eat a lot," you offer.

"... yeah," he says, and nods, looking up to meet your eye. "Yeah, that sounds nice."

[sempitcrnus]

Through war and triumph [ MISCHA BARINOV ] rises, at [ 885 ] years old, serving as [ MUSEUM CURATOR / REPATRIATION SPECIALIST ] residing in [ NORTHLAND ]. They are a [ VAMPIRE ] that resembles [ MARTIN SENSMEIER ]. Upon meeting them, they are [ UNASSUMING ] and [ INTROSPECTIVE ]. Don’t be fooled, they can be [ EVASIVE ] and [ PATRONIZING ].

I.

N A M E

Mischa Barinov (adopted name, birth name unknown)

N I C K N A M E S

Meesh

A G E

885 (physically 30ish)

B I R T H P L A C E

In the land that was once known as Alaska

C U R R E N T   R E S I D E N C E

Northland

F A M I LY

Barin Sokolov (Sire)

UNKNOWN

O C C U P A T I O N

Museum Curator/Repatriation Specialist

S E X U A L   O R I E N T A T I O N

Demiromatic/Demisexual

II.

E Y E   C O L O R

Brown

H A I R   C O L O R

Black

H E I G H T

6'1

S C A R S

TBD

F A C E C L A I M

Martin Sensmeier

III.

B I O G R A P H Y

Almost a millenia ago, he awoke.  All he remembers is waking up in pain, such an unbearable pain that he was convinced he had awoken in the midst of dying.  Before he could truly understand what was happening, warm flesh was shoved between his teeth and he was told to bite, to drink.  He resisted, or at least he tried, but an instinct, one he had never felt previously, told him not only to comply but also made him want to drink.  So he did.  And as he would later find out, it was what completed his transition from living to...Something else.

Confused, hungry, and afraid of his own self, what else was he to do except follow the man who had eased the pain he had upon waking? Once time had passed and he had fed enough to be in his right mind, the man explained their circumstances.  His sire’s name was Barin Sokolov, a Russian expeditioner.  He had stumbled upon him dying from a bear attack, and told him that something about him had reminded him of his son, and he couldn’t let him perish, and decided to change him instead.  He had taken to calling him Mischa in reference to the beast that supposedly killed him.  He couldn’t dispute the story the man told him, having no memory of his life before waking up with that horrible pain.  Much later, though, Mischa would learn that while the story had threads of truth running throughout it, it had been made to look pretty, to be appetizable, so Mischa could stomach it.  Instead, the truth was not nearly as pretty.  Sure, he had reminded Barin of his son, a son that had died, but he himself had not been dying.  Instead, Barin with no mind for the irony of ripping a son away from a family to replace the one that had been ripped away from him, changed him without permission, without reason other than his own selfishness.  He didn’t even stop to learn his name, leaving him with the only name he’s ever known being Mischa.  And wasn’t that the cherry on top, the name wasn’t given to him to notate the way he died, by a bear, but rather it was Barin’s son’s name.  Another sick attempt to fill the role of his son that had been vacated prematurely.

But Mischa wouldn’t know that information for quite awhile, and instead found himself feeling grateful for the man, for saving him, for taking him in, for teaching him the so called ropes of existing as whatever he was now (’upyr’, Barin had told him).  Mischa fell much into the role that Barin had hoped he would, and the two acted much like father and son as they spent the years together, traveling, working together to gain territory and political credibility for the older man.  The beginning of the ending came, though, when the two realized that along with his immortality, Mischa had received another gift: psychometry.  He hadn’t realized that the flashes of visions he’d get when holding certain objects had meant anything.  He hadn’t been sure what they had been, but his life was filled with mysteries, and he just assumed this, along with his past, was one of them.  It wasn’t, and Barin quickly began to make use of the power in whichever ways he could.  

Perhaps, if he had simply acknowledged the gift as another aspect of Mischa’s life instead of trying to use it to move his own life forward, their father-son facade could have survived.  But instead, through a series of events while sorting through Barin’s belongings in an attempt to find an item that could help them out of their current bind, Mischa had stumbled upon a beaded bracelet, one unlike anything he had ever seen before, and differed greatly from Barin’s personal style.  Curious, Mischa picked it up.  Sometimes, he wonders what would have happened if he hadn’t.

He saw flashes of what he assumes was his life before, made blurry by his own lack of context.  But more importantly he saw visions of his own death move past his mind’s eye.  There was no bear.  But instead, a bear of a man, coming at him with an intensity that when thinking of it, still makes Mischa shiver.  It had been Barin.  The man had lied to him all this time.

The two parted shortly after, and fortunately Barin had enough feeling for Mischa that he didn’t force him to stay, even though he could have with his sire bond.  Every once in awhile, Mischa will feel him calling, but he’s learned that if he can make it through a round while resisting the call, he’ll generally stop.  He’s unsure but Mischa thinks it’s just Barin doing it to remind him that he’s still out there, that no matter his hate for the man, they’re still bonded.  

Since they parted, Mischa made it his mission to not only learn about his forgotten human life, but the world that was constantly and rapidly changing around him while stuck amongst the old guard of Barin’s world.  At almost 900 years old, Mischa has lived through revolutions, civil wars, endless historical events, the wars between the species and even the creation of Lume Noua.  He holds crystal clear memories of all of them.  But yet, he still has none from his own life.  

The place he called home for the first three or so decades of his life no longer exists, and only in the dark depths of dreams can he remember flashes of it.  From his research, the somewhat unreliable information from his sire and his own sparse memories he knows the following:  He lived sometime in the early to mid 18th century, in what one day would come to be known as Alaska.  He was turned in the 1740s by Barin Sokolov.  Those are the only hard facts he has.  Everything else is conjecture, possibilities that he most likely will never be able to confirm.  

His working in museums had been borne from an almost desperate need to get his hands on objects to see their past, in hopes of one day finding something that can connect him to his own, but had eventually evolved into a genuine love for trying to find out the past of every object so it could be fully appreciated, or when needed, returned to it’s people.

Throughout all his time alive (well, sort of anyways), Mischa had never been interested in the politics and power struggles of the world around him despite the power his age could give him, and even to this day, it stands true.  He holds no alliances or hopes for the current throes of instability Lume Noa is experiencing, and simply hopes that it can end before it really starts, tired of seeing the same mistakes being made over and over again.

[ezraaas]

[ ALEX FITZALAN, CISMALE, HE/HIM ] did you hear that [ EZRA GREENE ] is back in town? i figured, since i’ve heard [ INNOCENT ] playing on repeat all week. everyone says they’re [ NEUROTIC & PESSIMISTIC ], but i think they’re really [ THOUGHTFUL & KIND ]. whenever i see them i think of [ PAINT STAINS ON ALL YOUR CLOTHES, MESSY MORNING CURLS, THE FIRST SNOWFALL IN WINTER, AND PLAYING A SONG ON REPEAT ]. ooc - b, 22, she/her, est

[ PINTEREST ] [ PLAYLIST ] [ CONNECTIONS ]

TW: Mental Health, Loss

name - Ezra Atticus Greene

birthday - July 14, 1998

zodiac sign - Cancer

hometown - Los Angeles, California

current residence - Lake Wisteria, RI

height - 5′11″

sexuality - Bisexual

birth order - Youngest

occupation - Tattoo Artist / College Dropout

character inspiration - Nino Quincampoix (Amélie: The Musical), Spencer Shay (iCarly), Chris Miles (Skins), Phoebe Buffay (Friends)

positive - loyal, caring, passionate, easygoing, kind, thoughtful

negative - passive, unorganized, irresponsible, idealistic

b a c k g r o u n d

- Grew up with celebrity lawyers for parents, so everything was always very strict and serious around their house  He Spent the first few years of his life being raised by nannies, but as time went on his mom wanted to spend more time with him, so she quit being a lawyer to be a stay at home mom.

- Ezra absolutely adored his mom, whenever it was just the two of them things were much more relaxed. She was the one who introduced him to art. She bought him his first set of paints, and took him to museums. While his father always expected him to go to law school, his mother supported his dreams of going to art school. This led to a lot of arguments between his parents.

- Ezra’s mom got sick when he was thirteen, and insisted she wanted to move back to her hometown of Lake Wisteria while she was being treated. His father agreed, though it meant he was constantly on business trips, having to fly out to wherever his clients were. 

- His mother passed away just before his senior year of high school started, and upon her death he was whisked away from Lake Wisteria and back to LA to finish out school away from the life he’d built for himself in Rhode Island.

- Despite his protests, his father insisted that he needed to go to college for something “respectful”. It was as if all the agreements his parents had made about his future died with his mother, and his father held his trust fund over his head as an incentive to attend school. 

- It was then that he started struggling badly with his mental health, forcing himself to stay up for hours on end studying in attempt to just get by. He’d never excelled with his grades, but his father had bought his way into a top school, and it was evident in the work that he turned in that he didn’t fit in. 

- During Easter break Freshman year, Ezra came home to a new stepmother. His father hadn’t mentioned getting married until they were in the car nearly home, and it all came as a big shock to Ezra. Suddenly there was another woman sitting in his mom’s seat and drinking out of her favorite mug. Ezra chose that first dinner to break the news that he was dropping out of college, packing his bags and couch surfing until he found a steady job.

- He managed to weasel his way into the heart of an older owner of a tattoo shop, who took him in and made him an apprentice. He traded hard work for room and board, and it was only a matter of time before he was licensed and working out of the shop, able to afford to actually pay for things.

- Wanting to feel closer to his mother, Ezra applied for a loan and bought an old tattoo shop in Lake Wisteria, and thus Golden Tattoo was born. He moved back at the beginning of the summer, living in the apartment above the shop, and hoping to reconnect with his old high school friends. 

TLDR; lived in lake wisteria for the first three years of high school, has a “no dad its YOUR dream complex” and is baby

[mbrainspaz]

2018 End of Year Survey

here we go again-- (*******DISCLAIMER: I held off posting this one for nearly 2 years because I was in a very dark place that December. I want to post it now just to get it out of my drafts folder and off my mind. If you struggle with depression you may want to skip this one. Things did get better. They always do.*********) 

1. What did you do in 2018 that you’d never done before?

Kissed a stranger or two.

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don’t think I had a resolution. I think I just had a hangover. 

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? probably. There are so many babies on facebook I loose track. 

4. Did anyone close to you die? I’m not sure I can count Avicii for this one, but his death hit me really hard. His music meant a lot to me and kept me going through some dark times. It was really tragic. One of my grandma’s close friends died suddenly too, and a week later I realized she posted a comment on my facebook that I never replied too. Long story short, I ended up thinking about death a lot this year. 

5. What countries did you visit? Just the old U S of A. Travel budget never materialized. 

6. What would you like to have in 2019 that you lacked in 2018? Hope. Oh, and money.

7. What date from 2018 will remain etched upon your memory? The night a guy I thought of as one of my closest friends and the closest thing I ever had to a ‘soulmate’ cursed at me and blocked me. It’s been months but I started crying about it last night again. 

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Still alive. 

9. What was your biggest failure? Jeeze, so many options. Putting myself in a situation where I could think too much. Failing to launch my webcomic. Not putting enough energy into my business. Drinking too much. Not getting out enough. 

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I got sick so many times I lost count. In mid-August I did some math and figured I’d been sick for roughly 46% of the year. No idea why. Just the universe kicking me while I’m down, I guess.

11. What was the best thing you bought? I got a really old complete edition of the Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy for $2 at a yard sale. It has mysterious stains all over it. I will probably never read it because I have the audiobooks. It just makes me feel nice. 

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My dog Han has gotten pretty great at walking without a leash. 

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? My whole family laid into me all year at different times for various things. I probably deserved some of it but it didn’t help. That’s just what living near my family is like. That’s why I was so excited to get away from them in 2010. I really shouldn’t have ever come back. They’re just too good at expecting me to fail. I’m too good at exceeding expectations--so I failed extra hard.  

14. Where did most of your money go? Medical fees. For me and for my dogs. It was a tough year for all of us.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Free food.

16. What song/album will always remind you of 2018? You Owe Me - Chainsmokers Oh Devil - Electric Guest Don’t Give Up On Me - Kill the Noise & Illenium High Hopes - Panic! At the Disco Broken Arrows - Avicii Last Day Alive - Chainsmokers Old Fashioned - Panic! At the Disco Give Yourself A Try - The 1975 Take Her Place - Don Diablo ft. ARIZONA Freaking Out - ARIZONA Connection - One Republic Narcissist - No Rome ft. The 1975 Lift Me From The Ground - San Holo Insomniac - Trip Lee Sad Sad Summer - Kelsey Karter JT - Jon Bellion Electric Touch - ARIZONA

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder? Sadder. ii. thinner or fatter? Same. iii. richer or poorer? 9$ and a jar of coins to my name, buddy.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Working. I wish I could’ve found the motivation to work more, and then found more work to actually work on. I was sick and depressed so often, I don’t know anymore if I’m lazy or if life is just beating the crap outta me. Neither option really changes things.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Thinking and trying to figure out what I want or how to be happy. Happiness is irrelevant.  

20. How did you spend Christmas? At the lake with some of the family. I tried to buy my brother a camp cookware set for his birthday but the delivery failed and I didn’t really get anyone anything.

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with? My best friend again. Sometimes she just called to remind me to eat lunch, which I really appreciated.

22. Did you fall in love in 2018? Nope, but still managed to get my heart broken.

23. How many one night stands in this last year? *obligatory eye-roll*

24. What was your favorite TV program? Trollhunters ended. Daredevil Season 3 really knocked it out of the park. Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor has been awesome. 

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? me.

26. What was the best book you read? Mostly I re-read stuff this year because I needed familiar stories, but Odd Thomas turned out to be a fun new read.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? I was pretty psyched when I found Janelle Monae but turns out I only like her old stuff from before she went all Pop-sounding. And not to be a hipster but Clean Bandit was better before they turned into bland Pop too. 

28. What did you want and get? A side-job working at a ranch, but only sometimes. 

29. What did you want and not get? More work. 

30. What was your favorite film of this year? Into The Spider-Verse. The year couldn’t be all bad with a movie that great in it.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 26. My family took me riding on the beach in Corpus Christi. Mom tried to make it a surprise but she’s not good at those so I had to spend several days pretending to not be excited. It was great. My horse was named Money. Still can’t believe they actually gave me a smart horse and let me trot circles around everyone. 

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Having enough work.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018? “Your outfit is so cute!” "Cool, it was 2$ at goodwill.”

34. What kept you sane? If this was 1818 they’d’ve locked me away by now.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Anton Yelchin. Yeah I know.

36. What political issue stirred you the most? Just fed up with people being racist morons. Mostly people who’re related to me. But like, bless their hearts I guess. 

37. Who did you miss? I still miss my friends from OKC. Haven’t really made any new ones. 

38. Who was the best new person you met? I guess those artists I met at a bar in Austin last week were pretty cool.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2018. I don’t think there’s any skill a person can develop that is more important than an ability to call oneself out on one’s own BS and I would like to do so right now by admitting that I am terrible at calling myself out about my own BS. - iphone Note, 11/23/18

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

“I bet you thought your life would change But you're sat on a train again Your memories are sceneries For things you said but never really meant You build it too high to say goodbye Because you're not the same as them But your death, it won't happen to you It happens to your family and your friends, I pretend

And I always wanna die sometimes I always wanna die sometimes

You win, you lose, you sing the blues There's no point in buying concrete shoes, I refuse

And I always wanna die sometimes I always wanna die sometimes I always wanna die

Am I me through geography? A face collapsed through entropy I can hardly speak And when I try, it's nothing but a squeak On the video, living room for small If you can't survive, just try

And I always wanna die sometimes”

[scumerage]

Attack on Metal Knight Part 2:

[Part I and the credit for the inspiration of this meeting  to /u/PoetOfSaffronPark for inspiration with The Human Monster vs the First Hero and When the Earth is in Danger.]

#I. The Doctor and the Hero:

Dr. Bofoi looked at Blast for moment, and fear was upon Bofoi. There Blast stood, strong, tall, dark haired. There he stood, the greatest hero in the world. There he stood, the one the goddess of psychics the Tornado of Terror could not rival, the world’s strongest man King could not battle, and the wisest and mightiest of arms Dr. Bofoi could not defeat. The hero lost to legend for years. Even Dr. Bofoi himself, who had searched day and night through the Hero Association’s deepest archives and most secret knowledge, found no news of Blast, his true name, his birth, his strength, or his true history.

“Blast... why are you here? Or rather, how are you here?! How did you reach me here? You defied all my power, all my armies, all my weapons, and all my defenses. You entered with no resistance into my hidden city, my fortress of solitude, my impregnable keep, which no strength of arms can hope to defeat by siege or storm.  I, Dr. Bofoi, have fallen before you without a battle, without a single blow. How the did you claim such a victory?”

Bofoi stared in fear at the hero. Neither man, nor warrior, nor god, but something beyond them. He had appeared before him with no warning. Bofoi had lived alone and unseen for years, he was a commander of armies and creator of weapons but no warrior. He could not challenge the hero above gods known only as Blast. Blast remained where he stood, and a shadow was upon his brow. Blast gave no sign he came prepared for war… but no sign that he wanted peace.

#II. To Save Humanity:

“That I will not answer. I came here not to give answers, but questions. What do you seek?"

“I do not understand. What do you mean?”

“What is all this science and technology for? What do you intend to do with it?”

“To save humanity of course. What else?”

“To save humanity, you say? Are you sure?”

“Of course! That is the only thing that matters.”

Blast cracked a wan smile, seemingly more of pain than of joy. “The only thing that matters. That is correct.”

Bofoi raised his fist. “I will do anything! Anything to save humanity. To fight for justice! To destroy evil! No sacrifice is too great. No amount of lives is too high. Even if I must make the most difficult and horrific decisions. I will accept the responsibility. I will accept the blood on my hands. Because I am the only man willing to pay that bitter cost.”

“I see.”

Bofoi suddenly rose, surprise on his face, as if he now saw Blast for the first time. “But wait! Blast! You are here! None of that needs to happen, you can put an end to this crisis. You, alone, can save humanity once and for all! Please, I need you. No, humanity needs you. Not the Tornado of Terror, the psychic witch who is second only to you in the world. Not King, the man whose fearful strength pales even to yours. Nor I, the greatest military might and scientific mind in the world, Dr. Bofoi. We… are not enough. We… need… you.”

#III. The Inaction of Heroes:

Blast sighed. “No.”

Bofoi stood frozen as if turned to stone. As if the words just spoken had no reached his ears. Bofoi staggered like one struck, for all his wisdom he struggled to recall the words that Blast spoke.

“No? What do you mean? You yourself said, ‘that is the only thing that matters’? Now you say ‘No’? How can you say such a thing?”

Blast remained still, strong, stoic, and unmoving.

Bofoi temper turned from fear to anger. “Ever since the Hero Association was founded, horrific monsters have appeared and torn down entire cities to their foundations. Yet you do nothing. A month ago, aliens from another planet invaded Earth and nearly destroyed the Hero Association itself. Yet you did nothing. A day ago, a horde of monsters, united under one banner as the Monster Association, and declared war on humanity. Yet you do nothing. Yet you bear the title of the greatest hero among men?  The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Blast laughed, but there was no trace of joy in his voice. “You asked me to save humanity because no one else can… but that is lie. All those threats could have averted by the queen of heroes, Tornado, or the king of heroes, King, or you, the bishop. I, the rook, have no need to act.”

Bofoi began to tremble with rage. “Tornado and King have not been able to protect the cities, they continue to crumble under their watch! The alien invasion annihilated City A when both were there defending it, that alone shows their weakness! The Monster Association is already prepared to kill both Tornado and King, else they would not have declared war! There is no one else!”

Blast’s patience began to break like deadwood in the depths of the flame. “Again, you lie. You watched all that death and destruction and did nothing, yet you dare question me?”

#IV. The Fate of Humanity:

Bofoi’s glass shield of anger shattered, and his fear returned tenfold… but not of Blast. Tears of terror lit his eyes. “I cannot act! I cannot stop the collapse of human civilization. I cannot stop invaders from another world whenever they may appear. I cannot fight the Monster Association, nor slay their Monster King. All my weapons, all my science, all my genius, all my power, and there is not a single thing I can do!”

“Not while another evil, worse than all other threats combined, looms over the world and await the promised day when mankind dies… at their hands.”

Bofoi looked at Blast with an equal mixture of despair and hope mingled in eyes. “But Blast… you already know the evil I speak of? You already know how desperate is the plight humanity faces? You already know… that the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. Please, once again, I beg you, save us… save me!”

Blast sighed. “Yes, I already know the source of your fear, the cause of your terror. But your fears are utterly misplaced. That is not the greatest threat to humanity, and the fate of mankind does not hang in the balance.”

Bofoi trembled, like a child recognizing his father for the first time. “Then… there is hope… that humanity will survive?”

Blast did not answer, but straightened up, turned around, and strode away to leave.

Bofoi lept out of his chair, old man that he was, and ran after the hero. “Blast! Please! Tell me! Tell me there’s still hope!”

Blast was already gone.

The sirens began to wail all over Dr. Bofoi’s fortress, almost blocking out the sound of Bofoi’s screams.

[sunmaylight]

Fate x Bleach: What if Ichigo became a SERVANT?

Random idea of having Ichigo from Bleach as different Servants from the Fate-Series.

Don’t know that much of either fandom, just going off of what I researched so far with my own creative twist and indulgences.

WARNING: Long post with loads of information in it. Have fun reading. ;)

((Compute got reset, so somethings might sound strange, PM me and I’ll fix it as soon as I can))

Backstory

When Kurosaki Ichigo dies, he leaves behind a legend of what he has done in his life. That legend was created at first as a joke from his friends and shinigami, but it spiraled out of control after someone decided to publish a bibliography of his life (the Bleach manga). Somehow, a hard-copy has ended up in the world-of-the-living and found it’s way to a magus’ hand. Said magus thought the book was a relic of an ancient hero and decides to use it as a catalyst for the next Holy Grail War.  

Or, the other option is that Ichigo’s deeds to the Soul Society is more well-known than possible that he became a legend in his own rights. Time in the Soul Society is different than the human world. So when Ichigo’s soul goes to Soul Society, it could have gone to the beginning of it, or just a short while after he has died. None the less, he has gained a reputation from the world of the dead, and by extension the world of the living because shinigami loves to gossip or by other means (see bibliography). Thus, a copy of his soul is sent to the Throne of Heroes.

(The third option is either Zelretch or the Soul King did some meddling, or a combo of both fourth is Alya)

Unfortunately (or fortunately), when people learn about what happened to Ichigo, there is nothing that can be done to stop it. Ichigo is a permanent fixture in the Throne of Heroes.

Summoning

There are a few ways to summon Ichigo as a servant/ally to battle. 

1) Using the Substitute-Shinigami Badge as a catalyst. This will work, but the Ichigo that will appear is as random as using a piece of the Round Table as a catalyst. You don’t know at which point of Ichigo’s life will appear as a servant. It can be one who has first gotten the badge to the one who fought during the Winter War. But it will never be a form that is after the Winter War.

2) The bibliography book (Bleach manga). So, this one is more accurate on what form of Ichigo that will be summoned. As the Badge will bring pre-Fullbringer Ichigo, the book will summon post-Fullbringer Ichigo or any form after that.

3) A container of Strawberries with a shield. This is more of a joke because of the double meaning of Ichigo’s name. You can only use both as one catalyst, since using one or the other will either make another random servant appear or nothing will come. The Ichigo that appears will only come as a Saber or a Shielder, both of those will have weaker stats than Ichigo normally would just because out of spite of your summoning.

4) The other one is using a Hollow mask shard, a piece of a Zanpakuto, or a Quincy weapon. As Ichigo is the perfect combination of the three races at birth, using all of them will be perfectly fine as a means of summoning him. Using all three for one catalyst will bring out Ichigo as a Ruler, but using only one of the three above will appear as Berserker, Alter Ego, Saber, or Archer.

5) The last one is having a tuft of fox fur, or anything relating to the God Inari, with the Substitue-Shinigami Badge or the bibliography book. With the rising popularity of the Kitsune!Ichigo (joke) when he was alive, there was a brief period in time where Ichigo was treated as a God with similar or less standing as God Inari. Thus, Caster is born as Ichigo with Kitsune traits mixed in with his own.

Classes

As hinted before in ‘Summoning’, there are multiple forms in which Ichigo can be summoned as. The ones that can be summoned in the Grail War are going to be mentioned first, then the ones that would appear in Grand Order. In every Grail War, only one Ichigo can be summoned if he is dead. IF Ichigo is alive during a Grail War, then he is transformed as a pesudo-servant.

Whatever ‘Ichigo’ is summoned, they will have the trait of ‘Strawberry Protector’. Also, any master that summons him is under his influence, there is no going back from this besides ultimate betrayal. When you are in this influence he considers you as ‘someone to protect’, thus he goes all out in battle just for you to be safe. Otherwise, if he has no one but himself, he only fights at 75%.

Grail War

1) Saber (pre-Fullbringer): Saber is like the ‘Lily’ of the other form of Saber. This Saber is more head-strong and rushes into battle without a plan more ofter than not. As long as he can ‘protect’ his master, he will fight anyone in his path unless if they explicitly say they want to be an ally with his master. Think of how Ichigo is during all of the fights and battles leading up to the final fight against Aizen before Ichigo loses his shinigami powers and that is the personality and strength of him. His stats are a combination of his human ones and his Shinigami’s because of how hard it is to balance out his powers.

Strength: B+                  Magical Energy: C-

Endurance:B-                Luck: C

Agility: B                        Noble Phantasm: B

Skills: 

Riding-C                        Magical Resistance-D+

Madness Enhancement-D-

Intuition-C+                    Shunpo-A+

Bankai-A+

Noble Phantasm (Quick): Getsuga Tenshou - Saber’s signature move that is black and crimson outlined crescent moon arc of reiatsu that is released from his blade.

“Bankai! Zangetsu!

To defend means that to cut down my enemies.

Getsuga Tenshou!”

1.5) Saber (post-Fullbringer): The true form of Saber; the one who has grown through countless of battles into the war-hardened person today. This Saber has gone through countless of battles against Aizen, his army, and then some that makes him into the person he is now. Because of his unique birth, this person has gotten to experience all three parts of his heritage as well as the unique ones that are developed through special circumstances.  However, he has yet to unlock his true powers that is hinted in the Quincy War (True!Bankai).

-If Humans, Shinigami, and Hollows are the primary colors, and Quincies, Vizords, and Fullbringers are the secondary colors. Then Saber is the rainbow, the one who can and has experienced all in one body.

Strength: A                     Magical Energy: C

Endurance: A-                  Luck: C+

Agility: A                           Noble Phantasm: A+++

Skills:

Riding-C+ .                      Magical Resistance: C+

Unity in One-A+

Tactics-B-                         Pioneer of the Spirits-EX                 

The Power To Protect-EX

Noble Phantasm (Buster): Getsuga Juujishou -Getsuga Tenshou that is released through two blades. A Noble Phantasm that lets Saber briefly jumps to his form during the Quincy War to unleash his true Shikai’s ability.

“Let it be known that I will not back down if my friends are in danger. 

Zangetsu! 

To call upon the ‘me’ of the future to lend me strength!

Gestsuga...Juujishou!!!”

2) Berserker: ((Forgot the Description earlier)) If Ichigo has gotten consumed by his Hollow after receiving his Shinigami powers. Another possibility if Ichigo dies in Hueco Mundo while the rescue for Orihime went wrong (terribly so). During his fight with Ulquiorra Cifer, Ichigo was fatally wounded in his full Hollow form which gave the perfect opportunity for his inner Hollow to devour most of him. Orihime was able to heal him, but the damage to the soul was irreversible, leaving him more Hollow than Human. Being stuck in Vasto Lorde permanently allows Berserker great power, but less control of his own sanity at times. Though he stays true to his namesake to prevent him from becoming an insane beast. Berserker is able to comprehend speech, but he is only able to perform a similar speech pattern as to another Berserker of short words and phrases to convey what he means. However, most of the time will find him saying the word ‘protect’. When he does, it is advised to calm him down or find something for him to decimate; or he will go on a mad frenzy that is nearly impossible to stop until it’s over.

Strength: A+                        Magical Energy: C

Endurance: B+                    Luck: C+

Agility: A-                             Noble Phantasm: B+

Skills:

Madness Enhancement-EX

Hollow’s Hunger-B-              Mana Burst (Flame)-A-

Madness of the Spirits-B      

Noble Phantasm (Buster): Cero - Berserker charges at his opponent with devastating speed and power that is reserved to his class in a mad combo before firing a massive Cero that obliterates everything in its path.

“I will...

I will PROTECT you!

RAAAAAGHHH!”

3) Archer: A possible life that Ichigo could have been if he was raised as a Quincy instead of being thrusted into the world of Shinigami. Archer is more ruthless than his Saber counter-parts because of Quincy ideology, but the weaker class (even with class advantage). Not much is known about Archer’s backstory because of the lack of known Quincies are outclassed by Hollows and Shinigami. So instead, Archer is modeled after a well-known Quincy(Ishida Uryuu) in the bibliography book and combined with Ichigo’s personality and open-mind.

Strength: B++                          Magical Energy: B-

Endurance: C++                      Luck: C-

Agility: B+                                Noble Phantasm: A-

Skills:

Independent Action-B+           Magical Resistance-C+                

Quincy’s Legacy-B+                Mana Burst (Splash)-A-

 Mind’s Eye (True)-B                        

Noble Phantasm (Arts): Kirchenlied: Sankt Zwinger - “A powerful Quincy spell that creates an area of Reishi shaped with countless Quincy crosses protruding from the ground (From the Bleach Wiki)”. Archer manipulates this further by fortifying it with his high levels of reiatsu. He then turns the crosses into ‘arrows’ that fire beams of light to his opponents. Almost impossible to dodge unless if you have extremely high speed or endurance on you (rank A or above).

“Come Light of the Lord. Help me against those that mean harm to me and those in my protection.

Kirchenlied:... 

Sankt...

ZWINGER!”

Grand Order

1) Classes mentioned above

2) Alter-Ego (Bleach Brave Soul Ichigo 2nd Anniversary Character): This is only possible when Ichigo is merged with his full Hollowfication to create a being that is similar to Ruler, with the will to protect those close to him, but different because he follows his own rules. Even if his friends fight him, as long as he can protect them in the end, that is all that counts.

Strength: EX                               Magical Energy: C++

Endurance: A                              Luck: C+

Agility: A++                                  Noble Phantasm: A++

Skills:

Magical Resistance-B+                Independent Action-B-

Unity in One-A

Hollow’s Hunger: EX                    Protection from the End of the Worlds-A

The Power To Protect-EX

Noble Phantasm (Arts): The Power to Protect All - Unlike the skill ‘The Power to Protect’, this is Alter-Ego’s special move that became an evolved move of that skill. He unleashes a Getsuga Tenshou from above ground to everyone in the surrounding area.This is the move he used against a certain enemy (Aizen) to severely weaken him and bring victory to the war at the cost.

“Come see, all of my power. 

By it shall be unleashed

Getsuga Tenshou!”

2.5) Alter-Ego (Hollow Ichigo/Shiro): No one knows how Alter-Ego gained his own body since he is originally a part of Ichigo. He represents all of the darkness in Ichigo in the form of an Arrancar looking Hollow, yet different. If Ichigo sacrifices all to protect others, Alter-Ego will do everything in his power to protect only Ichigo (or the master who summoned him) for he is the ‘horse’ to his ‘king’ and won’t let anyone else control him.

Strength: A++                             Magical Energy: B-

Endurance: A+                            Luck: C

Agility: A+ .                                  Noble Phantasm: A++

Skills:

Magical Resistance-B+                Independent Action-EX

Hollow’s Hunger: EX                    Protection from the End of the Worlds-A+

The Power To Protect-EX (Skill is like that because Alter-Ego only protects Ichigo and whoever their current Master is)

Noble Phantasm (Quick): The Power to Protect One - With this power, Alter-Ego unleashes a Grand Cero as well as some well aimed strikes with his sword

“With this power. I shall beat you to a plup. 

Getsuga Tenshou.

How do you think of me now?”

3) Caster (Ichigo summoned with Inari): A ‘what if Ichigo became a special attacker instead of a physical fighter’. No, this is Inari who is able to be summoned in special Grail Wars like this one. Instead it is a combination of the two. This is Ichigo, who has been blessed to become a Kitsune after his fight with Aizen in the Winter War (or even before that) by Inari. Inari became intrigued with this person and decides to follow this hybrid around with useful tips. After the final battle, Inari saw how depressed Ichigo became and turned him into his Kitsune disciple/underling in hope of cheering him up. Instead it backfires with Ichigo becoming a possible vessel of Inari if the god ever wishes, which the god doesn’t. Even death won’t separate Inari from this new kit, luckily with Ichigo becoming a Heroic Spirit, that will not be a problem. ((Kitsugeddon was fun to read))

Strength: B                                   Magical Energy: A-

Endurance: B+                             Luck: A-

Agility: B+                                     Noble Phantasm: A

(Note: The left side of stats are from Ichigo, Magical stats are from Inari, NP and Luck are a combo between the two)

Skills:

Divinity-A                                      Magical Resistance- A

Territory Creation- B                    

Shape shift-C                                 Kitsune’s Fire-B

God’s Protection-A+

Noble Phantasm (Arts): Bountiful Strike for Good Harvest - Ichigo and Inari do a tag team attack with Ichigo leading with his sword, then Inari shots Fox Fire and Ichigo supports.. Then Inari gives a blessing for a successful battle that raises moral and vitality of allies.

“Come Kit, let’s start. You first.

Huh? Don’t I have a say in this?

Nope, you are my disciple. So you should know that everything taught to you has a reason.

Ugh, you are a difficult as Geta-Boshi at times. Fine. Let’s do this then.

Glad you agree with me.

Bountiful Strike for Good Harvest!

You happy now?

Of course, Kit.”

4) Ruler (Ichigo summoned in his Mugetsu Form): Ichigo that had died a strange death that let him keep most of his memories and has been trained as a Royal Guard and a Zero Division member. It is unknown when Ruler died in comparison to the bibliography because even he doesn’t really remember when he died. After his death, Ruler has been taken to the Soul King’s Palace then appointed as a Royal Guard immediately after. Through the accelerated pace in his learning, Ruler learned about his own being and heritage early on. This in turn allowed him to accept everything about him early on and permanently change him to Mugetsu. When the Soul King found out, he then appoints Ruler as a special member in his court that allows Ruler to judge the realms where souls live with unclouded eyes. Ruler’s own death happened as he killed the Quincy King before he could kill the Soul King by using himself as the shield and sword to kill the major threat.

-(Trivia #1): Let it be noted that Ruler’s mannerisms is different to the older Shinigami compared to the rest, if ever encountered that is. It’s almost like he dislikes the older shinigami for not acting in a more dignified matter to protect spirits.

-(Trivia #2) The man is tired of the fighting for the balance, he has seen all of what life could bring and there are a few things that can make him show emotion. Ruler continues to fight for those close to him like all other ‘Ichigo’s. As a Ruler, he doesn’t have a wish for the Grail. But if he was given a chance, he would probably wish for peace in the soul realm so that he won’t fight anymore and his precious people are safe.

Strength: A++                               Magical Energy: C+

Endurance: EX                              Luck: C+

Agility: EX                                      Noble Phantasm: EX

Skills:

Unity in One: EX                            Magical Resistance-B-

Revelation-A .                                The Power To Protect-EX

Soul King’s Blessing-EX

Noble Phantasm (Buster): Final Getsuga Tenshou - The last Getsuga Tenshou that can be learned. A move used to defeat a mad man (Aizen) from a different reality. This move is known as the Trump card and Last Resort. If trained improperly, then the user will experience a serious backlash with possible death. Ruler knows how to properly use this and will only get exhausted for a while after using this.

“My being will be used to protect, to maintain the balance. To safeguard my friends.

FINAL...

GETSUGA...

TEN-SHOU!”

5) Foreigner: Not much is known about Foreigner from the bibliography or the Throne of Heroes at the moment. The reason for this is because Foreigner’s true powers have yet to be discovered as some parts of the bibliography is being recovered after an ‘unfortunate accident’. All that is known at the moment is that this Ichigo is said to match wannabe gods and transcendences with unparalleled power. This is the person that could beat Ywatch if his Quincy powers weren’t taken away in the beginning of that battle.

Unique Skills

Shunpo: After learning the secret Shinigami speed technique from the proclaimed ‘Flash Goddess’ Yourichi, Ichigo can do fast burst of speed that will raise his Agility up a rank. The only fall back to this is that it uses a part of his mana and his master’s mana to do, so he tries to save this for battles or in times of need.

Bankai: The ability to transform into a greater form. All Shinigami posses a Bankai form after learning of their own Zanpakuto. Ichigo’s own Bankai ability lets him have enhanced strength and endurance during the fight as well as letting him release his Noble Phantasm to its a greater potential. This works similar to Independent Action and Imperial Privilege, but the down side is that his Master will be stun for a while after Ichigo activates Bankai because of the strain. Leaving them vulnerable to enemy attacks if they aren’t protected.

    -The strain can be eliminated if the Master has strong magical energy, or if Ichigo is summoned as the Other Saber form, Ruler or Alter-Ego.

Unity in One: An ability that symbolize people who come from mixed races and have a perfect balance of abilities and knowledge from all they are affiliated with. As rare as the birth of a new star in a universe, those that are fortunate enough to have this skill will have momentous advantage when they need and create new abilities that are unique to those that are like their own mix-race species. A drawback to this is that it takes x1.25 as much mana to use one of the unique abilities because of the unknown output of how much an ability like that would be from a native race like that. (Though this drawback can be temporarily disabled if the person has the means to do so.)

     -For Ichigo, this means that his Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy powers are in perfect harmony with each other. Instead of destroying him, they further enhance his own body and spirit to be a super human. Enhancing his stats in battle farther, giving him the chance to make a new move by combining skills from two or all three of the races that are part of him. (i.e: A cero that is weaved together with a high level kido that will not take from Ichigo’s or his master’s magical reserves, but from the surrounding magic in the area.)

The Power to Protect: Ichigo’s unique skill that works like Bankai, but removes the drawbacks Bankai would normally have. Also gives the user the ability to survive a fatal blow.

Pioneer of the Spirits: A skill that is similar to ‘Pioneer of Stars’, but for spirits. These are spirits that have changed Soul Society into progression for better or worse. The main candidates that would apply to this besides Ichigo would be the Soul King, Aizen, Kisuke, among others “that became a turning point in human (spirits) history”.

Hollow’s Hunger: Hollows are beings of instinct who lives in the lands of ‘Survival of the Fittest’. Ichigo’s own Hollow is a reflection of himself, all of his unacknowledged traits that he hates. To not be forgotten, the Hollow continuously challenges Ichigo to strengthen him so that he can triumph over death before defeating his enemies. This gives Berserker the ability to heal some damage taken to him and to survive a fatal-blow by coming back at the enemy with more vigor

    - Because he is still alive and does not know how his instincts works, it is lower than other Hollow’s of his status, but isn’t lower than a Vasto Lorde. 

Quincy’s Legacy: As one of the last members of the race known as Quinces, any and all knowledge of their culture has been passed down from generation to generation. This knowledge gives Quincies a tactical mind that is unparalleled to any human today. The Quincy that has learned of their culture turns it into a weapon to assist them in combat, making them a wise strategist that grows with experience in battle.  

Protection from the End of the Worlds: A skill that represents that this person has the most chance of survival from the World’s End because they are given protection from it. Inoue Orihime blessed Ichigo with this skill upon her death once upon a time. She put her very being into this as a means to ‘reject’ the very idea that Ichigo should die in the time where the war raged on for too long. Because Inoue Orihime put her very self into casting this last move, Ichigo can access his Noble Phantasm faster and is considered invincible for a short amount of time. ((This skill by any way, shape, or form is suppose to represent any ships. It is just a what if world’s skill that Orihime can do for anyone of her friends))

Kitsune’s Fire: Inari’s special skill. This allows one to make illusions around themselves and create a mythical fire that can burn at will. (Side effects may include a skulk/earth of foxes, the ability to understand foxes, a sudden group of followers devoted to worship you, or a never ending flame that can’t go out unless if caster allows it)

God’s Protection: A skill that works like Imperial Privilege and Independent Action. This skill allows Ichigo to wander off on his own and not get damaged as easily, increases his vitality, and prevents him from most ailments against him. This skill is mainly created because of Inari’s jealousy of Archer (Orion and Artemis)’s unique combo. A jealous fox is a cunning fox after all. (-Honestly, why isn’t this just Independent Action instead?-)

Soul King’s Blessing: An enchantment that the Soul King places on a select few in his royal court. Those that are blessed notice that they stronger, more resistant to ailments, and their own weapon(s) and moves have a coating of reiatsu that is a mix of their own and presumably the Soul King’s. This blessing can be activated willingly.

Well that is that, might do more head canons in the future because I love how the Fate Grand/Order community is full of shenanigans when you aren’t saving the world.

[pamphletstoinspire]

BOOK OF JOB - From The Douay-Rheims Bible - Latin Vulgate

Chapter 3

The Book of Job shows how human affairs are ruled by Divine Providence using probable arguments.

"Although you hide these things in your heart, I know that you still remember everything." - (Job speaking to God)  

***

INTRODUCTION.

This Book takes its name from the holy man, of whom it treats; who, according to the more probable opinion, was of the race of Esau, and the same as Jobab, king of Edom, mentioned Gen. xxxvi. 33. It is uncertain who was the writer of it. Some attribute it to Job himself; others to Moses, or some one of the prophets. In the Hebrew it is written in verse, from the beginning of the third chapter to the forty-second chapter. Ch. --- The beginning and conclusion are historical, and in prose. Some have divided this work into a kind of tragedy, the first act extending to C. xv., the second to C. xxii., the third to C. xxxviii., where God appears, and the plot is unfolded. They suppose that the sentiments of the speakers are expressed, though not their own words. This may be very probable: but the opinion of those who look upon the work as a mere allegory, must be rejected with horror. The sacred writers speak of Job as of a personage who had really existed, (C.) and set the most noble pattern of virtue, and particularly of patience. Tob. ii. 12. Ezec. xiv. 14. Jam. v. 11. Philo and Josephus pass over this history, as they do those of Tobias, Judith, &c. H. --- The time when Job lived is not clearly ascertained. Some have supposed (C.) that he was a contemporary with Esther; (D. Thalmud) on which supposition, the work is here placed in its chronological order. But Job more probably live during the period when the Hebrews groaned under the Egyptian bondage, (H.) or sojourned in the wilderness. Num. xiv. 9. The Syrians place the book at the head of the Scriptures. C. --- Its situation has often varied, and is of no great importance. The subject which is here treated, is of far more; as it is intended to shew that the wicked sometimes prosper, while the good are afflicted. H. --- This had seldom been witnessed before the days of Abraham: but as God had now selected his family to be witnesses and guardians of religion, a new order of things was beginning to appear. This greatly perplexed Job himself; who, therefore, confesses that he had not sufficiently understood the ways of God, till he had deigned to explain them in the parable of the two great beasts. C. xlii. 3. We cannot condemn the sentiments expressed by Job, since God has declared that they were right, (ib. v. 8) and reprimands Elihu, (C. xxxviii. 2.) and the other three friends of Job, for maintaining a false opinion, though, from the history of past times, they had judge it to be true. This remark may excupate them from the stain of wilful lying, and vain declamation. Houbigant. --- However, as they assert what was false, their words of themselves are of no authority; and they are even considered as the forerunners of heretics. S. Greg. S. Aug. &c. T. --- Job refutes them by sound logic. S. Jerom. --- We may discover in this book the sum of Christian morality, (W.) for which purpose it has been chiefly explained by S. Gregory. The style is very poetical, (H.) though at the same time simple, like that of Moses. D. --- It is interspersed with many Arabic and Chaldaic idioms; (S. Jer.) whence some have concluded, that it was written originally by Job and his friends (H.) in Arabic, and translated into Heb. by Moses, for the consolation of his brethren. W. --- The Heb. text is in many places incorrect; (Houbig.) and the Sept. seem to have omitted several verses. Orig. --- S. Jerom says almost eight hundred, (C.) each consisting of about six words. H. --- Shultens, in 1747, expressed his dissatisfaction with the labours of all preceding commentators. To explain this book may not therefore be an easy task: but we must be as short as possible. H. --- Those who desire farther information, may consult Pineda, (W.) whose voluminous work, in two folios, will nearly (H.) give all necessary information. C.

The additional Notes in this Edition of the New Testament will be marked with the letter A. Such as are taken from various Interpreters and Commentators, will be marked as in the Old Testament. B. Bristow, C. Calmet, Ch. Challoner, D. Du Hamel, E. Estius, J. Jansenius, M. Menochius, Po. Polus, P. Pastorini, T. Tirinus, V. Bible de Vence, W. Worthington, Wi. Witham. — The names of other authors, who may be occasionally consulted, will be given at full length.

Verses are in English and Latin.

HAYDOCK CATHOLIC BIBLE COMMENTARY

This Catholic commentary on the Old Testament, following the Douay-Rheims Bible text, was originally compiled by Catholic priest and biblical scholar Rev. George Leo Haydock (1774-1849). This transcription is based on Haydock's notes as they appear in the 1859 edition of Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary printed by Edward Dunigan and Brother, New York, New York.

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES

Changes made to the original text for this transcription include the following:

Greek letters. The original text sometimes includes Greek expressions spelled out in Greek letters. In this transcription, those expressions have been transliterated from Greek letters to English letters, put in italics, and underlined. The following substitution scheme has been used: A for Alpha; B for Beta; G for Gamma; D for Delta; E for Epsilon; Z for Zeta; E for Eta; Th for Theta; I for Iota; K for Kappa; L for Lamda; M for Mu; N for Nu; X for Xi; O for Omicron; P for Pi; R for Rho; S for Sigma; T for Tau; U for Upsilon; Ph for Phi; Ch for Chi; Ps for Psi; O for Omega. For example, where the name, Jesus, is spelled out in the original text in Greek letters, Iota-eta-sigma-omicron-upsilon-sigma, it is transliterated in this transcription as, Iesous. Greek diacritical marks have not been represented in this transcription.

Footnotes. The original text indicates footnotes with special characters, including the astrisk (*) and printers' marks, such as the dagger mark, the double dagger mark, the section mark, the parallels mark, and the paragraph mark. In this transcription all these special characters have been replaced by numbers in square brackets, such as [1], [2], [3], etc.

Accent marks. The original text contains some English letters represented with accent marks. In this transcription, those letters have been rendered in this transcription without their accent marks.

Other special characters.

Solid horizontal lines of various lengths that appear in the original text have been represented as a series of consecutive hyphens of approximately the same length, such as ---.

Ligatures, single characters containing two letters united, in the original text in some Latin expressions have been represented in this transcription as separate letters. The ligature formed by uniting A and E is represented as Ae, that of a and e as ae, that of O and E as Oe, and that of o and e as oe.

Monetary sums in the original text represented with a preceding British pound sterling symbol (a stylized L, transected by a short horizontal line) are represented in this transcription with a following pound symbol, l.

The half symbol (1/2) and three-quarters symbol (3/4) in the original text have been represented in this transcription with their decimal equivalent, (.5) and (.75) respectively.

Unreadable text. Places where the transcriber's copy of the original text is unreadable have been indicated in this transcription by an empty set of square brackets, [].

Chapter 3

Job expresses his sense of the miseries of man's life, by cursing the day of his birth.

[1] After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,

Post haec aperuit Job os suum, et maledixit diei suo,

[2] And he said:

et locutus est :

[3] Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said: A man child is conceived.

Pereat dies in qua natus sum, et nox in qua dictum est : Conceptus est homo!

[4] Let that day be turned into darkness, let not God regard it from above, and let not the light shine upon it.

Dies ille vertatur in tenebras; non requirat eum Deus desuper, et non illustretur lumine.

[5] Let darkness, and the shadow of death cover it, let a mist overspread it, and let it be wrapped up in bitterness.

Obscurent eum tenebrae et umbra mortis; occupet eum caligo, et involvatur amaritudine.

[6] Let a darksome whirlwind seize upon that night, let it not be counted in the days of the year, nor numbered in the months.

Noctem illam tenebrosus turbo possideat; non computetur in diebus anni, nec numeretur in mensibus.

[7] Let that night be solitary, and not worthy of praise.

Sit nox illa solitaria, nec laude digna.

[8] Let them curse it who curse the day. who are ready to raise up a leviathan:

Maledicant ei qui maledicunt diei, qui parati sunt suscitare Leviathan.

[9] Let the stars be darkened with the mist thereof: let it expect light and not see it, nor the rising of the dawning of the day:

Obtenebrentur stellae caligine ejus; expectet lucem, et non videat, nec ortum surgentis aurorae.

[10] Because it shut not up the doors of the womb that bore me, nor took away evils from my eyes.

Quia non conclusit ostia ventris qui portavit me, nec abstulit mala ab oculis meis.

[11] Why did I not die in the womb, why did I not perish when I came out of the belly?

Quare non in vulva mortuus sum? egressus ex utero non statim perii?

[12] Why received upon the knees? why suckled at the breasts?

Quare exceptus genibus? cur lactatus uberibus?

[13] For now I should have been asleep and still, and should have rest in my sleep.

Nunc enim dormiens silerem, et somno meo requiescerem

[14] With kings and consuls of the earth, who build themselves solitudes:

cum regibus et consulibus terrae, qui aedificant sibi solitudines;

[15] Or with princes, that possess gold, and All their houses with silver:

aut cum principibus qui possident aurum, et replent domos suas argento;

[16] Or as a hidden untimely birth I should not be, or as they that being conceived have not seen the light.

aut sicut abortivum absconditum non subsisterem, vel qui concepti non viderunt lucem.

[17] There the wicked cease from tumult, and there the wearied in strength are at rest.

Ibi impii cessaverunt a tumultu, et ibi requieverunt fessi robore.

[18] And they sometime bound together without disquiet, have not heard the voice of the oppressor.

Et quondam vincti pariter sine molestia, non audierunt vocem exactoris.

[19] The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master.

Parvus et magnus ibi sunt, et servus liber a domino suo.

[20] Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to them that are in bitterness of soul?

Quare misero data est lux, et vita his qui in amaritudine animae sunt?

[21] That look for death, and it cometh not, as they that dig for a treasure:

Qui expectant mortem, et non venit, quasi effodientes thesaurum;

[22] And they rejoice exceedingly when they have found the grave.

gaudentque vehementer cum invenerint sepulchrum?

[23] To a man whose way is hidden, and God hath surrounded him with darkness?

Viro cujus abscondita est via et circumdedit eum Deus tenebris?

[24] Before I eat I sigh: and as overflowing waters, so is my roaring:

Antequam comedam, suspiro; et tamquam inundantes aquae, sic rugitus meus;

[25] For the fear which I feared hath come upon me: and that which I was afraid of, hath befallen me.

quia timor quem timebam evenit mihi, et quod verebar accidit.

[26] Have I not dissembled? have I not kept silence? have I not been quiet? and indignation is come upon me.

Nonne dissimulavi? nonne silui? nonne quievi? Et venit super me indignatio.

Commentary:

Ver. 1. Cursed his day. Job cursed the day of his birth, not by way of wishing evil to any thing of God's creation; but only to express in a stronger manner his sense of human miseries in general, and of his own calamities in particular. Ch. --- He has these only in view: though, in another light, it is better for a man to be born, and to undergo any misery, that he may obtain eternal rewards. H. --- Some allowances must be made for extreme pain, and for the style of the Eastern (C.) poetry. H. --- Jeremias, (xx. 14.) Habacuc, (i. 2.) the psalmist, and even our Saviour in his agony, made use of such strong expressions. Mat. xxvi. 39. and xxvii. 46. Some heretics accuse Job of impatience and blasphemy. The devil, therefore came off with victory; and the praises given to Job's patience are false. He might offend by some degree of exaggeration. C. --- But even that is by no means clear. Time past could not be recalled, nor receive any injury by the maledictions. H.

Ver. 7. Praise, by the appearance of the stars. C. xxxviii. 7. C.

Ver. 8. Day. The nations of Ethiopia, under the line, curse the sun as their greatest enemy. Strabo xvii. Pliny v. 8. --- They also brave the fury of the leviathan or crocodile. C. xl. 27. and xli. 1. Ps. lxxiii. 14. The natives of Tentyra, upon the Nile, were supposed to be a terror to that monster, or they were very courageous in entangling and pursuing it. Seneca q. 4. 2. Pliny viii. 25. --- Leviathan. Prot. "their mourning." De Dieu rejects this interpretation, substituting "and thou, leviathan, rouse up," &c. The fathers generally understand the devil to be thus designated. Sept. "he who is about to seize the great whale," (H.) or fish, which they also explain of the conflict of Satan with Jesus Christ." Origen, &c.

Ver. 10. Nor took. Sept. "for it would then have freed my eyes from labour."

Ver. 11. In the. Heb. "from the womb," (H.) or as soon as I was born. C. --- He seems to have lost sight of original sin, (v. 1.) or there might be some method of having it remitted to children unborn, which we do not know. H.

Ver. 12. Knees, by my father or grandfather. Gen. xxx 3. Iliad ix. C.

Ver. 13. Sleep. So death is often styled.

             Olli dura quies oculos et ferreus urget

             Somnus: in æternam clauduntur lumina noctem. Æneid x.

Ver. 14. Consuls. Heb. "counsellors," or any in great authority. Sept. "kings, the counsellors of the land, who rejoiced, boasting of their swords." The same word, choraboth, (H.) means both swords and solitudes. D. --- Those great ones had prepared their own tombs, which were usually in solitary places; (C.) or they had filled all with their extensive palaces; and removed the people to a distance. H.

Ver. 15. Houses, while alive; (C.) or their tombs were thus enriched with silver, (M.) as this practice was not uncommon, v. 22. Joseph. xiii. 15. --- Marcian forbade it. S. Chrys. complains it subsisted in his time. Orat. Annæ. C.

Ver. 16. Light; dying in the womb. He expresses a desire that he had been thus prevented from feeling his present miseries and danger of sin. H.

Ver. 17. Tumult. In the grave they can no longer disturb the world. M. --- In strength. Sept. "in body." Both heroes and labourers then find rest, (C.) if they have lived virtuously. H.

Ver. 18. Bound in chains, like incorrigible slaves, (C.) or debtors. Cocceius. --- These were formerly treated with great severity. Luke xii. 59. C.

Ver. 21. Not. The feel the same eagerness for death as those who seek for a treasure; (C.) and when death is at hand, they rejoice no less than those who discover a grave, in which they hope to find some riches, v. 15. 22.

Ver. 22. Grave, full of stores, or the place where they may repose. H.

Ver. 23. To. Why is life given to? &c. The uncertainty whether a man be worthy of love or hatred, (EcclI. ix. 1.) and whether he will persevere to the end, is what fills Job with distress; though we must trust that God will suffer none to be tempted above their strength. 1 Cor. x. 13. --- He finds himself surrounded with precipices, and in the dark. C. --- So God often tries this faithful servants. D.

Ver. 24. Sigh, through difficulty of swallowing, (Pineda) or sense of misery. H.

Ver. 25. Fear. In prosperity he feared the assaults of pride. Now he is in danger of yielding to impatience and despair. C.

Ver. 26. Dissembled my sufferings, making no complaint, not only during the seven days that his friends had been with him, but long before. Heb. and Sept. "I was not in safety, nor at rest; neither was I indolent: (H. in the administration of affairs. C.) yet trouble came." H. --- I have enjoyed no peace, since the wrath of the Lord has found me. C. --- In such a situation, Job might well beg to be delivered, (H.) and to pray that those things which obstructed his repose in God might be removed; considering them not so much as the works of God, as the effects of sin. Pineda. W. - In this light he cursed his birth-day, and will no longer look upon it as a joyful and happy day. D.

[fatestainlens-blog]

[ EVENT #2] : b e l l u m (End)

The large scale offensive had reached it’s conclusion. Despite their enemy’s best efforts, it seemed as though their increase in power could only prolong their inevitable defeat. After all-

This place was meant to fall.

The battlefield was littered with the bodies of the fallen. A sea of knights and villagers, all brought to rest by the overwhelming power of the Servants who fought to preserve their existence. Soon enough, their forms began to vanish into nothingness, much like the world around them seemed to be. The castle still stood tall, but was now virtually defenseless to the Servants that stormed through it’s well fortified doors with ease. Anyone who proceeded through those halls  could feel it. The overwhelming presence that awaited them further down. Leading towards the throne room.

Some expected yet another adversary to be slayed. And wondered if they would even be capable of achieving such a feat. After all, even for a Servant, being involved in such a prolonged battle must have nearly depleted their reserves. Their stamina. But what choice did they have? If they did not stop the source, they would never be able to leave. And those who died in this fight would remain dead forever.

The doors to the throne room opened as they proceeded. Some readying their weapons immediately as the pressure enveloped them all. However, despite the feeling of dread and danger lingering in the air, all that awaited them was something that could not possibly be deemed a threat.

A lone figure sat upon a throne. Their form completely covered in armor, which made it impossible to discern just who they were. However, the mere fact that they sat there was enough for anyone to conclude that he was someone of importance. Most likely a king. Why, then, did they not appear to be a threat? The fact that their armor had been punctured. Their blood dripping from their wounds. This person.. They were clearly dying. Or rather, they should have already died. Something kept them from doing so. Almost as though it were some strong conviction. A conviction that defied the reality of their situation entirely.

But they were not real. Nothing here was real. This was the source of the distortion. Their conviction giving birth to this twisted world where those who should have died merely rise once again, only to repeat and endless cycle of death and revival. It was inhumane. It went against everything that was just. Yet, why was it, then? Why was it that it was almost pitiful? Even as the armored figure sat there, glaring at their adversaries through their helm, why did the very sight of them seem so somber?

We can confirm that this is the cause. The origin of the distortion. So these distortions can take the shape of humans as well.. In any case, there is no need to hesitate. Slay them and this world should be freed from their influence. After which, the Grail will take care of the rest.

It was a simple choice. It was the only choice. What reason was there to hesitate on this task? That was what they had come here for, after all. As such, the only course of action now is to--

[X]

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

This single the end of the Bellum event! You are free to finish any ongoing threads you may have, but do refrain from making new ones. As you may have noticed, we’re leaving our members with the choice of how this event truly ends. After we’ve received enough votes, we will write up an epilogue post and put numerous changes to the group in action. You can continue making non event related threads, but have the outcome of this event remain ambiguous in them (Since we obviously don’t know what it is yet)

Thank you to everyone who took part in the event!

[lynchgirl90]

#TwinPeaks: The 6 Craziest Revival Fan Theories, Ranked

'Twin Peaks' has inspired countless fan theories over the years, but can any of them come close to cracking what David Lynch is actually cooking up?

From the first glimpse of that weird bird that heralds the arrival of “Twin Peaks,” the television series plunged viewers into the palm of David Lynch’s hand. It’s a weird and wondrous place to be, which makes it prime fodder for fan theories. If ever a show’s symbology deserved an IMDb page, this would be it.

Thanks to Showtime, Lynch has free rein to complete the “Twin Peaks” story arc, a process that has him referencing his own “Lost Highway,” “Eraserhead,” and, most of all, “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.” Of course, it’s Lynch so all of this effectively clarifies nothing  — but nature hates a vacuum, and that’s why we have ample fan theories to close the gap.

So, here are six of the best fan theories for the revival series’ first four episodes, ranked by order of plausibility, from 1 (not likely) to 5 (very likely) with — what else — a cup of damn fine coffee.

Will Hawk Become BOB?

(Sources:Reddit /u/ ShoutgunSkullQ and Horror Freak News)

We know BOB is in play for this series because the wanted poster from the original series was used as promotional material for the revival. And it’s also probably worth noting that other male cast members are sporting dyed hair — except for Hawk.

But beyond this, in series co-creator Mark Frost’s  2016 “The Secret History of Twin Peaks: A Novel,” Hawk is described as a descendent of the Nez Perce tribe, who originally lived in what would become Twin Peaks. In the book, the tribe’s chief, Twisted Hair, gifts explorers Lewis and Clark with a ring. Although Twisted Hair keeps it in a leather pouch, Lewis puts the ring on. He is eventually killed and the ring is stolen from him — but could this be the same ring from The Black Lodge that sealed the fate of Laura Palmer and Teresa Banks?

This also could be what the Log Lady meant, when she told Hawk that the key to finding Cooper had something to do with his heritage. Pair this with Coop’s infamous line from Season 2 about hoping that Hawk is the one who gets sent to find him if he ever goes missing, and there could be something here. If Hawk finds the ring and puts it on in an attempt to rescue Cooper from The Black Lodge, could he become a new vessel for BOB (Mr. C is in prison, after all, and that’s no fun) or another sinister spirit?

Laura Dern Can’t Be Diane, Because Diane Isn’t Real (Sources: H. Perry Horton)

Although there’s a lot of speculation that Laura Dern might make an appearance as Diane, this feels too easy, especially for Lynch.

Instead, I have a different theory when it comes to Diane, one proposed by my former colleague H. Perry Horton in his book, “Between Two Worlds: Perspectives on Twin Peaks“: Diane isn’t real. This doesn’t really click until much later in Season 1 when Coop asks Diane to send him ear pillows to block out the singing Icelanders at The Great Northern. The ear plugs arrive the next day, suspiciously quick if Diane was to receive Coop’s micro cassette, transcribe it and fulfill his requests from halfway across the country. Add in Coop’s lingering guilt over the death of Caroline Earle, and it’s possible Diane is a form of talk therapy for Coop, especially considering how he stops talking to Diane when things heat up with Annie towards the end of Season 2.

Still, Episode 4 of the revival left off with a tantalizing cliffhanger before cutting back to The Bang Bang Club (a.k.a. the road house). Gordon Cole knows something is up with Cooper and Albert knows just the woman to help them sort it out — and he knows where she drinks. Sure, it could be Audrey but wouldn’t Diane, who presumably worked with them all in Philadelphia, make more sense?

Agent Cooper Isn’t Real; Mr. C is the Real Cooper (Source:Reddit u/Theryanfrank)

Considering how much Lynch’s filmography has influenced the revival series already, it wouldn’t be a stretch to pull “Mulholland Drive” and “Lost Highway” into the equation where our favorite agent is concerned.

Coop certainly experienced a psychological break after the death of Caroline, and while he only speaks about a physical wound, it’s evident the impact was much larger — especially if Diane isn’t real, but only a coping mechanism for Coop. The fear of intimacy that stems from Caroline’s death blankets most of Cooper’s interactions in Twin Peaks. It’s one reason he refuses to get too close to Audrey early on in the series, and it’s why he’s so drawn to the town upon his arrival. Twin Peaks isn’t just idyllic and charming; as a town with a lot of dark secrets bubbling beneath the surface, it’s a place where you can keep your demons hidden.

Coop’s fear also make him susceptible to The Black Lodge. The fear that he caused Annie’s death literally splits him in two and births Mr. C, his doppelgänger. But… what if all of this is just a crazy story concocted by a tortured mind? What if Coop, unable to rebound after the death of Caroline, turned into someone like Windom Earle and did truly terrible things? Is it possible that Mr. C has been Coop all along, and he’s created an alternate persona for himself, like Betty in “Mulholland Drive”?

Audrey is the Anonymous Billionaire in New York

(Source: The Hollywood Reporter )

We’re not the first to propose this, as The Hollywood Reporter floated the theory a week after the premiere, but this one is tempting, especially considering how much Audrey cared for Agent Cooper. By the end of Season 1, she was already risking her life by infiltrating One Eyed Jack’s to help Coop catch Laura’s killer. Audrey also proved herself to be quite business savvy towards the end of Season 2, nearly taking over her father’s business while he was reenacting The Civil War. It’s also telling that Ben Horne had a new assistant (Ashley Judd!), and Audrey was nowhere to be found.

Is it possible she took over the department store and turned it into a thriving business, one that took up residence in New York City? Since the anonymous billionaire must have had some understanding of The Black Lodge, it’s likely they hail from Twin Peaks. Now sure, Audrey had fallen in love with John Justice Wheeler (who among us could resist a dashing young Billy Zane?) by the end of Season 2, but he also left her behind in Twin Peaks while he flew off to the jungles of Brazil. Besides, we all know that Audrey would do anything for her “special agent,” including finding a way to bring him back home.

Wally Brando is Really Dead (Source:Reddit /u/chblank)

There’s no doubt that Michael Cera’s quirky cameo in Episode 4 was hilarious, but Andy and Lucy’s son is definitely stranger than most of the characters in Twin Peaks. And it’s possible that it’s because he’s not their son at all, but an actor hired to play the role of Wally Brando.

Lynch is careful to show Lucy struggling to adapt to new technology; she can’t figure out the thermostat and she faints at the sight of Sheriff Truman when he appears in the station mere seconds after ending a call with her from his cell phone. Sure, it could be a thinly veiled rib at the fans who can’t let go of the original series, but Lucy’s inability to let go of the past could also be the result of losing her only son as a child.

With Lucy and Andy in denial and shock, Sheriff Truman may have hired an actor to play their son — a role that fake Wally took literally, considering his “The Wild One” getup and bad “Godfather” impersonation. This could also explain why Wally Brando makes a point of telling his parents that they can convert his childhood bedroom into a study, as a way to help them move on and let go of the past. On top of this, it’s also possible that the other Sheriff Truman is also dead, since Wally shows up to “pay his respects” but let’s stick to him being “sick” off-screen as this is enough heartbreak for one post.

The Headless Body in the Librarian’s Apartment Belongs to Major Briggs

(Source:Reddit/u/billy_yllib11)

In Episode 2, we see what lies ominously underneath the bedspread of the missing librarian’s apartment, and it’s a shocker. Although the decapitated head belongs to the dead woman, there is a grotesquely contorted body detached underneath, one that comes from a unknown person. Later, we learn the forensics team has a match on the body, but they need military clearance to unlock its identity. Perhaps the kind of clearance that Major Briggs once had when he was working on top secret projects for the government?

Of course, if the decapitated body does in fact belong to Major Briggs, it would also contextualize the appearance of his disembodied head, which floated in space at the beginning of Episode 3. Finally, while Bobby tells Sheriff Truman and Hawk in Episode 4 that his father died in a fire, just like the Log Lady’s husband. But unlike Bobby, we’re already savvy to what fire really means in the town of Twin Peaks: the smell of scorched engine oil and a deadly intervention by someone from The Black Lodge — specifically Mr. C, who seems to be involved in the set-up of Principal Hastings.

link (TP)

[heartcfgolds]

yoyo vee here and after 397862 years ive finally done it & nameless is no longer nameless, thats right u heard me so lemme introduce you to my smollest most purest sweet summer child cordelia holloway aka cordelia fortescue aka bob. brING ME PLOTS!!1!!!

+ growing up life wasn’t all that bad for cordelia. her mother, juliet holloway was a v well known curse-breaker & she had never met her father ( as according to her mum she didn’t know who her father was ) this would be an immense thorn in young cordy’s side but she was never one to complain, she might have wanted both parents in her life but she’d choose one over none at all. + as a child she caught a really bad case of dragonpox, nearly losing her life to it in the process. due to this cordy spent nearly 8 weeks of her life confined at st. mungo’s as she saw treatment. + cordelia isn’t afraid to show affection, in fact she’s what you could call ‘overly affectionate’ when it comes to the people she likes. having grown up with no siblings ( but always wanting them ) she pretty much just adopts her friends into siblings. nicknames will be dealt out in heaps and no fucks will be given. petal, babe, cutie, sugar, cupcake, you think it she’s probably nicknamed someone it. she loves fully and unconditionally. + shes a polymath in every sense of the word, very open to new things, always asking question, any situation could and probably is a new life lesson for her. not getting answers or denied the truth drives her up the wall & truthfully has a hard time taking no for an answer. + ever since she was a child she’d had issues with following rules, espeically if they didn’t seem right or fair to her. she will speak up when it comes to what she stands for comepletely unabashed & unapologetic. + not prone to anger at all and is a very patient babe. not to be confused with being a pushover though. its all rainbows and smiles until you push her too far and she pushes back, because in the end she will do what she needs to protect herself ( and the people she loves & cares for ) + back at hogwarts cordelia was a griffyndor. studious but did get docked a lot of houspoints for tardiness as she’d tend to get distracted easily. ( theres always something more interesting going on ) + when cordy first started at hogwarts her mother was digosed with a terminal illness and sadly a couple of months before graduation her mum died. leaving school early she went back home to bury her mother and when doing so ( aka sorting through stuff ) she stumbled upon her birth cerificate ( on which florean fortescue is named her father ) ( which was confusing as heckie to her because shes been told her entire life that her mother didnt know who her father was, which turned out to be a big bold faced lie ) + anyways so after this its sad ofc and she is filled with grief at the loss of her mum but cordelia returns to hogwarts finishing school and finally graduating. + after graduation she sets out into the world with a clear goal in mind ( aka find daddy ) but on her way to finding her father she meets the merry band of misfits that is the cahills & co. and joins the lot of them #criminalprotoge making a whole bunch of new fam and picking up a new traid or two #shelivesforthisshit + yeah she gets kinda sidetracked on her mission to finding her pops.. but in the end (aka a couple of days before the longbottom & fortescue wedding) cordy tracks down ( with the help of her ganG ) ian ( and alice since shes staying there for the time being ) and sURPRISE hi new fam betcha didn’t know i existed.

character parallels; elle woods, veronica mars, buffy summers, eliza schuyler, torrance shipman, jane villanueva.

[regalclaw]

idk, just sum pics of mah babies

so um, yeah from top to bottom, along with role and some infos, not full bios tho, but even if its a hell load, its not enough. ITS NEVAR ENUF

1. Faren Hyte - name derived from a temperature for no reason and is my main, SS, DPS, Aurin, Exiles, Real name: Kuro Firesoul : 

Daughter to 2 of the matria’s escorts, in a village well-known for assassinations of evil-minded Aurin, their very purpose was to protect Arboria’s Queen at all costs. She was born with a strong affinity to fire, and with fire elemental trapped within her via tattoo seal, making her feared of by many since birth, but had a rather decent life on Arboria pre-Ravaging nonetheless. Her mother died when she was born, so she only had her father and 4 brothers to grow up with, explaining her mostly tomboyish personality.

Constant self harm, added with the risk of releasing the fire elemental sealed within, resulted in her not being able to carry out or partake in any assassination missions her village had. She is the only survivor of her village community after the events of the Ravaging, despite the fact that they evacuated after initial bombings in their area, and taking shelter in an already destroyed village, they still got fire-bombed overnight, and her immunity to severe fire damage made it so that she was the only one left. 

more random info: For anyone who has already seen some Faren art, u may have noticed her chest scar on occasion. She got that during a dominion patrol encounter in her area after the fire-bombing incident. Yeah, she got into a fight and let the fire elemental possess her temporarily despite how much she loathed at the idea, blah blah blah, and her mostly coming out of the fight unscathed. But at the last part of the fight one of them dommies picked up and used a power rifle at Faren at point blank range, blowing her chest cavity open. It leaked lava and blood, but it didn't kill her bcuz she was still possessed. After she wiped the whole patrol, she regained control of herself but fell unconscious in the process as she bled out. At that point she would’ve died, but luckily for her, an Exile patrol hovered by and rescued her, providing medical care immediately. also her blood composition confuses doctors bcuz it wasn't exactly like aurin blood, mostly because it was very hot to the touch. Its literally lava-hot if Faren’s angry af so its like a last resort defence mechanism? ;O

2. Reyga Dragonclaw - name derived from my most common username (which is RegalClaw), Stalker, DPS mostly (has never tanked with her), Draken, Dominion (?): 

Daughter of a clanlord, she was one of the most skilled warriors of her generation, but sadly for her kind, she is with a flaw; she refuses to kill her duel opponents. It was something her father couldn't tolerate, and after pitting Reyga in a duel to the death with her best friend (both of them being the most skilled amongst their ranks) and despite her winning the fight, she refused to kill him, because aside from being best friends since birth, she couldn’t bring herself to kill her battle comrade. Her father thinks of Reyga as a disgrace to their name, and despite her overwhelming combat abilities, refuses to have her as the next ruler of their clan. And so he sent her away with the other Dominion forces to Nexus, because 1) he couldn't stand such “tainted” behavior, and 2) her style would prove useful for the ICI, despite her protests against it. Her rebellious personality was stemmed from this relationship with her father.

other info: Reyga is responsible for the huge scar across Faren’s shoulder. And as you’d expect, they picked a fight with each other. Reyga couldn’t bring herself to kill Faren, but she didnt want to turn her in to the ICI bcuz she felt that Faren was “a truly worthy opponent” and that there was no point in interrogating her anyway, so she spared her. That didn't help the fact that Faren nearly bleed to death due to the extent of the injury (it wasn't a crippling injury, but it did cut an artery or two, so yeah, lots of bleeding).

3. Luna Tikkels - name derived from the words lunatic and tickles, Esper, DPS mostly but is a capable healer, Chua, Dominion: 

Born to a Chua family living in whats left of the rural areas of Bezgelor. Unlike other Chua, Luna Tikkels, like his family members, has this weird sense of value for life, and claims that new knowledge can only be learned whilst alive, and that dying for science is but a big joke, because you yourself cannot improve your own theories and inventions if you die because of it. His family motto is “Learn to Live, and Live to Learn”. Was sent to Nexus along with other Chua, as a group of skilled healers designated to a warzone and whose roles were to provide medical assistance to the troops there. Is friendly with people, and strangely enough, with Exiles as well, making him seem as a traitor in the eyes of the Dominion. He is also quite artistic for a Chua.

Mini lore (?):  During his first few days on Nexus, Luna was sent on a solo patrol on Ellevar and was to provide his medical services to anyone in need that he comes across, and to report of any suspicious activity. And during said patrol, he encountered a badly injured aurin, and despite how much this Aurin hated Luna and his kind, Luna treated his wounds, watched over him as he rested, and provided him a simple meal of campfire-cooked gribbon meat. Apparently this act of compassion confused the aurin, in which Luna was able to clarify that his purpose was not because he was a healer, but because living was the only way to learn from your mistakes, and told the aurin that his mistake was going to Ellevar and nearly dying for it, so he made him live so that he won’tend up there again like how he was first found. When the aurin questioned as to why not kill him instead, Luna replied that killing wasn’t his way of learning things, and that he was “just following the EXACT orders Luna was told”.

regarding the one drawing of Luna, u may ask “why the psycho face?” Well, he is a chua after all, and despite his way of livin’, his inner self just demands extreme violence, if not science, when in combat. its natural for him ;O

4. ARP Kongou - name derived from, what is literally, ARP Kongou (in other words, Arpeggio Kongou, from a boats anime), Warrior, DPS/Tank (was the first one who i felt that tanking was ez af), Mechari, Dominion:

A Millenial Mechari. Not much is known about her, even by her superiors, fellow soldiers, and to a certain extent, other Millenials. Long ago, after the Cassian Civil War, Kongou and her fleet attempted to make a peace treaty with the Exiles before things got worse between them and the Dominion, but as they were about to do so, massive amounts of reinforcements arrived on the scene, resulting in an unprovoked battle that devastated a majority of Kongou’s fleet and some of the Exiles’. When her whereabouts couldn't be found, the Dominion forces left that area in space, but little did they know that she survived. 

For centuries, Kongou’s broken body was floating adrift the cold, dark emptiness, detecting no other life for years, and was all alone with only the stars to keep her company. She’d just fall into a deep sleep, as she tried her best to reserve whatever energy she had left. But as she slept, she’d have these dreams. Dreams that told her of what the Dominion were doing, of the pasts of people who weren’t even born yet, of history that has yet to come to pass. And after many long years of sleep, she was finally found by a cargo vessel, apparently lead by an ekose and his crew. They weren’t sure if she was technically “alive” at that point, but they believe if anything, the Dominion may want her back. Upon their landing to Cassus, the daring ekose captain personally informed Axis Pheydra of what they found, believing that Kongou must be of great value of the Dominion, and that her overall appearance, despite being worn out dents and the space weathering of her body, apparently shows that she is a Millenial. The ICI took her in immediately and gave the crew their pay (no one died, don’t worry). And as much as the ICI needed information, they also need her services, for she was a very reliable fighter and was a great leader. So they took her to the Foundry and created a new body for her. And then... (lots of bio later)... Nexus. 

infos: She is apparently named after a character in some anime boats, the Arpeggio of Blue Steel one ;O Despite her nature as a mechari, she has learned a lot from her dreams, so she’s quite sociable, and with a wide range of emotion to boot. but also as a mechari, she’s strong, intelligent af and shows great leadership skills. And like how she tried before, she still strives for peace between the 2 factions, but now she does it alone and in her own way. Don’t ask how, but she IS workin’ on it ;O

5. Sel Siyus - Esper, DPS atm but is meant to be a dedicated Healer, Aurin, Exiles, Real Name: Kori Aquasoul : 

Daughter to 2 messengers of a distant tribe, Sel grew up in a small community located by a mountainside lake. When the messengers decided to settle down in that village, they were welcomed with open arms, and with hospitality... but little did they know of the reasons behind it. 

As it turns out, the villagers worshiped the elements of water. Long ago, there was a great drought and many died of thirst. But one day a newborn child amongst them was “blessed” with water affinity and had a water elemental within them, and when it was able to be tamed, they used it for the land and the drought was no more. Because of this, they believe it is the reason why they’re still alive to that day. Over the years, her parents grew suspicious of the locals, especially their dedicated group of worshipers and its leader, and the village matria (her appearance is scarred and somewhat crippled), but they didn't question them for they feared of what may happen to their daughter if they asked. 

Sel’s early years were like any other aurins’. Except she’d recieve lots of praise. And as Sel was about to become 13 years old, the aurin locals sent gifts and praises to her like no other, to the point that it ended up like worship. They told Sel that the entire village, lead by the worshipers’ leader, will throw out a special birthday “ceremony” for her. This greatly confused Sel, and soon enough, her parents finally figured out why their suspicions where right.

On the night before the ceremony, the matria was able to sneak into Sel’s house. When her parents found out, they were about to attack the matria, but she was able to persuade them not to do so, and that she was only there to help. And then they learned from her about why the villagers were doing this; they believe that Sel is the next vessel for the water elemental, which is sealed within the matria, and that the “ceremony” turns out to be a ritual in which they will transfer the elemental from the matria to Sel, ultimately killing the the previous vessel and making Sel the next one in the process. She also told the family that this tradition has been going on for so many years to the point the elemental drives its vessels insane over time; the ritual was an unnatural process as it denied the elemental its freedom and its choice as to whether or not it wants to possess another newborn aurin after its host’s death.

The matria also told them that if they wanted a good life for Sel, they should leave now. But it was too late as it didn’t take long before some of the locals found out, and the worshipers had no choice but to enact the ceremony. When her parents tried to deny them of taking Sel, the worshipers killed the two and went on with the ceremony... (INSERT MOAR FKIN LORE HERE IM SO SORRY), Nexus.

infoez: Sel’s lore seems the easiest to explain imo, but also annoyingly long. I have mentioned some of her lore in previous drawing of her’s, so if u want to read sum, go check it out. and yes, those other lore tidbits will SOMEWHAT explain why Sel’s back is striped af with scars and why she has those ruined patches of skin around her neck, arms, wrists, and legs ;O DID I ALSO MENTION THAT HER LORE WAS L O N G 

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sry not sry for long post plz forgives

[booksinpublic]

Why we’re covering Russia

Please prepare to encounter an earth-shattering paradox that might just rip apart the fabric of space, time and modern American politics. Ready? Deep breath. Here we go.

I’m a journalist and I’m not bitter about the election.

Personally and professionally, I’m not attempting to change the results of the US Presidential election, sneak Hillary Clinton into office or otherwise disrupt Donald Trump’s road to the White House. I respect the decision that emerged after a year of hateful campaigning and fearful voting, and honestly, I’m not even that surprised by the outcome.

Personally, I am affronted and ashamed to have Donald Trump represent my country, and I’m afraid of what strange new havok his idiocy and ego might inflict upon the world. But, to be fair, I am afraid of every president.

As with every new person we proudly march into the Oval Office, I wonder how many people this president will kill. I wonder how, why and when his decisions will result in death, how large the scope will be, and I hope he ruminates seriously on his role in the entire affair. Because sending people to die and orchestrating the untimely murder of citizens across the world is one of the infallible, unavoidable aspects of being President of the United States, especially in an era of drone warfare, connected missiles and rapidly advancing weapons technology. People are going to die because of Donald Trump’s decisions, just as people died under Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and nearly every other president in history. Just as they would have died under Hillary Clinton.

I wonder how killing people will make Donald Trump feel. I wonder if it will change him.

But I digress.

Donald Trump is the President of the United States. This is a fact. As a citizen and especially as a journalist, I honor this fact and I’m not in the business of trying to change it single-handedly.

Which brings us to Russia.

B A C K  I N  T H E  U S S R

I would not be doing my job if I did not write about Russia’s well-documented cyber attacks on the US election process in 2016. Engadget would not be doing its job if we ignored the conclusions and evidence of multiple trusted intelligence agencies that Russia attacked the very foundation of US democracy right under our noses, while the world was watching.

Engadget is dedicated to discussing all of the ways technology influences our lives -- this includes its influence on the US political system. This includes hacking, especially on an international scale; especially from a country as power-hungry and dangerous as Russia.

Let’s be clear here: Russia is dangerous. Russia is the reason the war in Syria is so catastrophic that it has been called the worst humanitarian crisis since the Holocaust. Right now, Russia is helping bomb hospitals, civilians, children and entire cities in a nation already devastated by civil war. Russian president Vladimir Putin has shown willful disregard for international laws, not only by authorizing cyber attacks on the US, but also by invading his country’s neighbor, Crimea, and taking control of it by force. Putin’s actions have earned him a dedicated sub-heading on Wikipedia’s “List of journalists killed in Russia” page. Putin is dangerous. Russia is dangerous.

This isn’t a revelation. Frankly, the response to Russia’s intrusion into the US political system has been completely backward. Conservatives have decried Russia’s policies and actions for generations; Republicans rallied against the USSR so fiercely in the mid-1900s that they birthed McCarthyism and decades of anti-Communism crusades.

But somehow, today, the loudest defenders of Russia’s cyber attacks on the US election process are people who voted for Donald Trump, the Republican candidate. It’s baffling.

J O U R N A L I S M  T O D A Y

I only know the political leanings of these commenters because a pattern has emerged on my published articles about Russia, cyber warfare and fake news: It seems that every time I mention these topics, I’m accused of being a liberal cuck who’s attempting to cast doubt on the legitimacy of Donald Trump’s victory. Even though these are straight news articles; even though they are clearly sourced, concisely written and contain no personal commentary.

Even then, in the comments I am suddenly transformed into the wider “mainstream media,” which I imagine as a beastly, bulbous worm oozing with kale-scented puss and covered in the plasma of a million aborted fetuses, quietly undulating in front of a computer playing Hillary Clinton’s campaign speeches on an endless loop. I am suddenly part of a larger effort to remove Donald Trump from office and implement endless term limits for Barack (or Michelle) Obama; I am a snowflake who can’t get over the election; I am the absolute worst.

And it’s not just me. Anyone who writes about Russia on Engadget -- and across the web -- gets similar treatment. So, let’s take a moment to clear the air: There is no left-leaning, media-wide conspiracy to brainwash the American public.

Journalism is just like any other industry -- it’s composed of individuals, some of whom are liberal, some of whom are conservative and some of whom don’t give a damn. Plenty of reporters voted for Donald Trump (and no, we’re not talking about the bloggers at Breitbart who were contractually obligated to vote for him, donate to his campaign and kiss his gold-flecked slippers once a week), and plenty voted for Hillary Clinton. Across the broad field of journalism (again, this does not include tabloid sites like Breitbart or InfoWars), there is no conspiracy to skew facts in any particular direction.

Of course, I can not and do not speak for every journalist. I take my job seriously; I have a degree in journalism and I delight in thinking critically about its role in society. Freedom of the press is protected by the First Amendment for a reason -- it is a vital aspect of our country’s checks and balances. It ensures people in power can’t act without consequence. It is necessary and I am proud to be a part of this particular machine.

Furthermore, I’m proud to report for an outlet with a laser-focus on technology and all of the ways it impacts our lives. As Moore’s Law plays out before our eyes, technology is becoming increasingly relevant to every person on the planet. I delight in introducing new audiences to the fascinating worlds of AI, gadgetry, cyber security, video games and, yes, state-sponsored hacking.

F A K E  N E W S

I can hear the comments now: “No voting machines were hacked, no other systems involved in the elections were hacked. This is fake news at it's [sic] best.”

The thing is, comments like this (completely real) one have little basis in reality. I have never written an article claiming Russia hacked US voting machines, nor has any other journalist worth his or her salt. The easiest way to fact-check this claim is to read our stories.

I have also never written “fake news” (though I did get to the second round of interviews at The Onion like eight years ago). Fake news is not simply an article that you find upsetting or a report that makes someone you like -- or voted for -- look bad. There is a global fake-news industry churning away right now that is dedicated to writing incorrect and misleading stories about the US political system -- and we should be concerned about it.

When citizens can’t distinguish truth from a lie, we lose our power. It is impossible to make informed decisions in the voting booth, at town halls or on the streets without a consensus on the facts; we can’t change the system if we don’t first understand how it works. When fiction is treated as truth, there is no foundation for productive conversation and we lose the ability to reach a compromise. Democracy’s floor falls away beneath us.

It takes some work to write fake news, but it takes vastly more effort and expertise to spot trends, investigate, interview, verify and craft a true, in-depth report that stands up to public scrutiny. The process can take days, weeks, months or years. The process involves traveling to Baghdad, Manila, Delhi, Nice, Seoul and every other city across the globe; the process involves weeks away from family; the process gets people killed. And no, that’s not just in Russia.

This is what journalists do, every day, in pursuit of the truth. Journalists at CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Mother Jones, NPR and Engadget follow complex processes and a strict code of ethics -- all of which are currently under a microscope as the Trump campaign wages a war of words against the press and its freedoms.

I do contend that 24-hour news networks in particular provided a disservice to the American public this election cycle. While plenty of hard-hitting, verified reporting about the candidates came out in 2016, they couldn’t hold the country’s attention while BREAKING stories about Trump’s sexual proclivities dominated the television screen. Plus, Donald Trump’s election was a shock to plenty of seasoned journalists who put too much stock in pollsters and prediction models in an unprecedented campaign season.

This scrutiny means journalists are working harder today than before Election Day. And just like 2017 promises to be a great year for punk rock, it’s also looking like fertile ground for robust, system-shaking journalism.

Which, again, is not fake news. A recent episode of Planet Money offers brilliant insight into the machinery behind fake news, and I encourage anyone who’s ever lodged that term at a journalist to listen in.

At its heart, fake news is the complete opposite of journalism; it is the antithesis of the work I do every day. It makes my job harder.

It’s a good thing I’ve always loved a challenge.

P R O M I S E S

So, here we are.

I will continue to write about Russian cyber attacks on the US political system. Engadget will continue to cover every instance of hacking, nuclear armament, technological advancement and military upgrades to come out of Russia, the US or any other country with global influence. Covering technology as it infiltrates systems across the world is not only fascinating and important work; it’s our only job.

As a human, I will make mistakes. As a journalist, I will rectify and clarify those mistakes as quickly as possible, with complete transparency and in the interest of cultivating an informed audience. This is what separates my work from the world of fake news -- my goal is to inform; the goal of fake news is to generate quick outrage and clicks.

I will continue to act professionally and write the truth as far as we can know it for the benefit of every single person who reads my articles.

Even the ones calling me a liberal cuck.

Especially those ones.