#that person to sacrifice themself or do something for the greater good’

[acourtoffeyandfables]

Gonna miss that rat man

[cyphyree]

Admittedly I'm not an anime aficionado or anywhere close, and I haven't finished as many shows as other people, but something that strikes me about Madoka is how it calls "objectively good" (or rather, highly valued "pure") qualities into question.

Throughout the show, characters constantly are sacrificing themselves for the greater good, and face the destructive nature of it. Should self-sacrifice be expected, and to what extent? Is it truly worth it? Is it such a "pure" quality that society revers it as?

And the strong, binding and "pure" quality of love, and how it can come hand-in-hand with self‐sacrifice and be a destructive force in of itself.

Madoka isn't just a dark, moody twist on what we usually expect of the magical girl canon, but an exploration of what we regard as the pinnacle of good, and how it can strip people away of their happiness and autonomy.

Putting self-sacrifice on a pedestal can lead to shame for wanting self-care and personal happiness, and amplify the guilt of natural intrusive and negative thoughts. Love for someone *above all else* can do the same, and hold the significant other(s) hostage, as well as the lover themself.

Madoka Magica doesn't denounce love and self-sacrifice per se, but rather it shows the consequences of pursuing absolute "purity" to the extreme.

This is made more complicated by the fact that these "pure qualities" are prevalent expectations forced onto magical girls, and the moment these impossible burdens become too much, they fall into despair and self-hate, and are punished by becoming "monsters" for ever falling short of "being pure".

Tldr, Madoka Magica is a brilliant show not because of its edginess, but because it questions our expectations of "goodness" and asks us, at what cost? Is it worth it? And as Rebellion shows us, there are no easy answers.

[cure-typhoon]

i find god tiers especially angsty bc they CAN die, but it has to be heroic or just, they have to either do something awful, or fail at something good. the only way they can die peacefully is if they sacrifice themself for the greater good, but that means they'll never die during the resolution, they'll never get to die seeing everything work out, they'll never get to die in the happy ending.

I also did find the homestuck epilogues of "god tier powers becoming stronger than people were built to handle" interesting, it implies that sburb doesn't really have much consideration for the kids after the game, whatever long term effects sburb has on them doesn't really matter to the game.

A friend of mine also had a lot to say about the epilogues being a sort of suicide note for dirk. paradoxically, dirk is afraid of not existing, but he also hates himself so much that he wants to destroy himself. he forces everything back into the narrative, then spends the epilogues being awful trying to get everybody against him, trying to justify why they should just kill him.

I haven't finished candy nor have i started hs^2 but, I found the epilogues fascinating so far despite some of the humor

idk, god tiers semi-immortality is cool there's a lot to explore there and different perspectives to take

Yeah, i dont think the concept of immortality is bad, i just never found immortality appealing because of the consequences of it, maybe is more of my experience but i see people focusing on the angst of losing someone, which yeah it would be like a big bad consequence of being immortal, but theres so much more

Having to move out if your identity is secret, not aging, maybe even a lost of how times flows because youre immortal, the ones you mentioned are also big ones. I just think immortality sucks, not the concept itself tho

About the epilogues i cant really mention a lot because, i havent finished reading them, but i really like the concept of ultimate self, i think the execution could be much more interesting but thats my personal opinion and tbh we havent seen all there is of it

[rainbowchewynuggets]

Story Nugget - Easy Magic

So, magic's really cool right? It gives you the power to change reality to accomplish the impossible. And it makes sense that such a power would have a cost.

I like the horror side of that. There's something cosmically unsettling about being able to manipulate the fabric of the world you live in. It's like introducing a cheat in a videogame that messes up the code of everything else because it doesn't know how to react.

Imagine a magic system that does this. Maybe it's used with good intensions. There's some kind of problem going on that would be a lot of work to make better and/or would cost something the wielder deems too important to lose. But the motive is also a little cowardly. It's a quick fix to get around a consequence or sacrifice.

Then, when the surreal consequences start to come out, it creates other problems. A mind changed by magic begins to lose its free associations. It only keeps what its new logic will allow until there is only that one thought left inside it. An object disguised to serve a different purpose can't do either job properly again, mangling the stability of whatever or whoever it is used with. The area where the action was performed looks... wrong--and becomes more wrong. An alien tangle daring that it be remedied in order to spread its shape.

Ideally, this all would scare a person away from ever using this power again. Less ideally, the guilt and shame might motivate them to "fix" their "fix", thinking they just did it wrong. Or they simply move on, having sworn to never use the power again.

There is no end to problems, of course, so there's plenty of temptation to cheat. It forms a hole in the wielder that they come to reason must be the power itself manipulating them (rather than, say, a loneliness and entitlement that drove them toward the power in the first place). As much as they try to resist, they use this power again and again with greater and greater impact.

Word of this bizarre phenomenon travels far and wide. People fill in their own explanations for what's happening because there must be a logic to it. A way to control it. A line that connects the conflicts they'd rather not face to the chaos eroding their world. Because the anatomy of the threat defies logic entirely and unravels those patient and curious enough to investigate.

What everyone ends up looking for is a perpetrator.

The wielder, themself, hasn't been able to show their face for years. They usually move quietly between small isolated towns, looming in the back of public spaces, careful not to touch too many things. They can't speak. They can barely see. They watch the vague shapes of passersby and pull the fabric of their cloak tighter over their garbled abstract body that grows harder to hide with each act of heroism.

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

INDEX

[youcantdateosmosisjones]

Sparrow is such a tragic figure to me.

Despite spending most of their childhood in the slums, they still had moral building blocks and dreams for the future- only for Theresa's plan with Lucien to fuck up so exponentially that Sparrow is traumatized for life... but whose pain is steered back to be utilized to support Theresa's agenda. One way or the other. Wether or not she cared about Sparrow doesn't really matter, because she still got what she wanted in the end.

Right? So Sparrow spent years of their life dedicating themself to their quest for revenge (oblivious to Theresa's plan); sacrificing their own life in the process; only to not only loose everyone along the way, but also get stranded by (potentially) the only semblance of family they had left.

How you play the game morally, and the wish you make at the end is super important to your own interpretation of Sparrow- but in MY game Sparrow literally cannot break from what their motivation drilled into them. Duty; sacrifice; destiny; all that crap... But, like, it goes beyond the mission. The one time they committed to something purely because they wanted to and they could (having a family), they were 1) separated from them for the majority of the time because of the mission, and then 2) Lucien straight up had them killed. Same with her dog. So yeah no their entire life experience fucked them up pretty good in terms of how they view pursuing personal desires.

So, naturally, when it comes time for them to make the wish they're still committed to the 'greater good' because that's what a hero is supposed to do. It's how they were raised, and the only thing that makes sense to them. So many people suffered like Rose did at the hands of Lucien, and the only way Sparrow believes they can make up for the lose of their lives is by sacrificing their own. They truly do believe that if they are whatever the people need forever that one day the guilt from loosing whatever life they, Rose, and everyone else could've had will one day disappear- as if it's a debt to be repaid.

But, like, that's not Sparrow. That's the hero figure they turned into. Sparrow is the fucking shit. Living it up in taverns, "fuck it, we ball", and going on silly little adventures was Sparrow's whole thing. And then the Spire happened and they got all weird- but that's a whole other discussion for a whole other post.

Sparrow gets left behind with no compass or proper resolve, but is also a grown ass adult... now what? They go about the next few years just doing quests and favors for the people, right. It's a simple life that fills the time, and hey; maybe one day they'll finally reach inner peace. Get a small farm in the countryside, learn to live off the land, and enjoy the small joys of nature as the world no longer needs you. You did a good thing, and now you can rest- NOPE, NEVERMIND. THERESA'S GOT SUN TO SAY.

So yeah those barely processed feelings from before and the mindset that caused them so much difficulty resurfaces and they spend literally they rest of their life dedicating themself to a half-thought out political campaign for... some reason they don't even really understand. They still help out the people and try to help the kingdom wherever they can, but like... they don't understand why? They don't even know how to run a kingdom. I feel like they would've found it amusing if they allowed themselves to feel the sense of joy and pleasure they've been deprived of for so long (especially since Rose's dream of living in the castle rubbed off on Sparrow all those years ago), but they just... can't, anymore.

I think having a family again helped. At least a little bit. It was... different. Sparrow was constantly terrified of the future awaiting one of the two, but tried not to let it affect them too much. I mean, they didn't grow up in the same place that they had, and that's enough to being them a little bit of relief. They'd do all the could to leave behind a promising start to them- knowing that they wouldn't be there to guide them. God, they hope they have an easier time than they did.

Sparrow dies relatively young, and without internal peace or resolve. They never got to truly feel proud of the good they did, even about their greatest personal triumph. They will only exist as how they impacted the world.

[xaracosmia]

ꕥ — WELCOME TO EXO COSMIA, AZEM (ATLAS). 🌑

ꕥ  — OOC INFORMATION;

name / alias: aether age: 23 pronouns: he/they ooc contact: @divinemodes on twitter/tumblr other characters in xc: Quasar Devereux (oc), Blake Hayden (oc), Gabriel (ULTRAKILL)

ꕥ — IC INFORMATION;

Name: Azem (Atlas) Age: Thousands. Looks to be in their mid-twenties. Pronouns: Any Series: Final Fantasy XIV canon point: Directly before the Sundering app triggers: Apocalyptic scenarios, death/mass death, sacrifice/mass sacrifice, FFXIV Shadowbringers/Endwalker/Myths of the Realm spoilers

personality:

The best word to describe Azem is “eccentric”. They care very little for expectation and tend to go about things in their own way; favoring an unconventional approach to problems. The second best word would be “excitable” or perhaps “peppy”, wielding a joyful, simple zest for life and seemingly boundless optimism. Azem has a lot of raw charisma, making them a perfect choice for resolving issues between The Convocation and the layman. They are deeply empathetic and kind.

But that’s where some of their flaws lay - they can be intense, and care too much; they don’t take rejection particularly well. They’re also terrible at saying no, and giving up when the deck is not in their favor. When Azem’s heart is set on something, they want to see it through - if they don’t get distracted by something else, that is. They can be, admittedly, scatterbrained and are prone to pigeonholing themself.

Additionally, they’re surprisingly comfortable with using underhanded tactics to get what they want. Azem takes no love in trickery, but their personal morals can fall short in lieu of accomplishing a ‘greater good’, as much as they dislike others doing the same.

Also, they’re terrified of death. They want to be remembered, they want to be loved, not forgotten or ignored.

something your muse struggles with:

Taking on too many of others’ burdens; selflessness to a fault.

Being unable to accept loss or defeat.

your muse’s greatest strength:

Emotional intelligence. Kind of a necessity given their lines of work, but hey.

Creativity and open-mindedness.

history / background:

Azem - no, Atlas was born to parents Iapetus and Clymene in the ancient city of Amaurot as the eldest sibling of four. Due to their parents being busy Amaurotine city workers dedicated to keeping the place running smoothly, it often rested on Atlas to take care of their siblings. All of whom went their separate ways - with their brother Prometheus becoming notorious for his important strides in the field of fire-based concepts but having several academic scandals - Atlas wanted to pursue other fields of research. Specifically what would now be described as ‘liberal arts’ - social sciences and philosophy, eventually leading to Atlas landing counseling work. Specifically, managing laboring personnel under the Bureau of the Administrator.

At the job, they became quick friends with a judicial officer (a woman later venerated to the post-sundering goddess Azeyma), who they became close to. When the Bureau got involved with matters brought to them by the Convocation of the Fourteen - the ancients’ governmental body - this was how Atlas met the previous seat of Azem, Venat. When it was time for her to begin deciding a successor, she took Atlas under her wing due to their excellent people skills.

Training went smoothly, and eventually Atlas rose to the seat of Azem, the Traveler, who spent their days wandering the star and spending a great deal of time with people. Of course this also included the fellow members of the Convocation, most notably the seat of Emet-Selch and their mutual non-convocation friend, Hythlodaeus.

Not all was perfect, however. In the ancient world, personal grievances were often swept under the rug (including by Azem themself,) leading to the seat of Fandaniel creating the concept Meteion who brought forth the Final Days through the unbridled despair at finding out the hundreds of dead stars that surrounded their own. This sheer power of misery shook the foundation of the world, leading to rapid destabilization. While the bulk of the Convocation decided that they must create the primal Zodiark to bring stabilization to the world - at the cost of large amounts of sacrifice of their own people - Azem disagreed and deflected. They instead, alongside Venat and her followers, seeked a better option.

Unfortunately, this option wound up being Venat sundering the world into several reflections to stop the Final Days; fracturing every single being within it into shards scattered across them all.

This included Azem, who felt true despair for the first time as their soul was broken. Eventually one of their shards would become the fabled Warrior of Light in Eorzea…but this is not about him RN.

powers / abilities:

Creation magic: An ability shared by most, if not all ancients; they have the capability to create items and even creatures from their large reserves of aether and other materials. 

Teleportation: Similarly, Azem can teleport long distances by casting a spell via aetherial rifts. This only works for locations they’ve been to before, and does not work for short-distance travel.

Transformation: While it is uncouth in ancient society, most can transform into a larger, more powerful form. Azem’s takes the form of a multi-armed, statue-like humanoid figure wielding an orb as a weapon. This magically-charged sphere can change in size, from palm-sized to large enough to have to be carried on their back. They ARE balling.

Ally Summons: A unique ability to them, Azem’s magic can pluck individuals from wherever they may be and bring them directly to their side. This selection may be random.

Pioneered by Azem, their “job” is something between a ‘tank’ and a ‘caster’ known as a Magister. This bizarre offshoot of a typical magus feels notoriously clunky to many others, and thus never caught much traction among other ancients. Magisters use quarterstaves as a weapon of choice, to channel magics as well as a bludgeon/to defend.

Offensive magic: Azem can cast concentrated blasts of aether, typically in the form of fireballs and earthquakes. These destructive spells can also be imbued in their quarterstaff, increasing potency dealt by its attacks.

Defensive magic: Appropriating techniques typically found in healing arts, Azem can concentrate aether to provide spells that increase the defensive properties of themself and allies, as well as briefly weakening enemies. This includes a prototype spell that can make themself invulnerable to most forms of damage, at the cost of vitality.

Limit Breaks: Massive shows of great power, channeled during the heat of battle through large amounts of aether and dynamis. Per encounter, Azem can only use one of the two:

True Telamon: Tracing defensive patterns from distant stars, circular glyphs manifest to surround Azem and their allies to drastically decrease damage taken temporarily. This can cause them to be able to survive harm that would normally be lethal.

Heliocentrism: A simulacrum of the unmatched power of the sun is breathed into existence through sheer force of will, culminating with a massive fireball to scorch the earth and enemies within a large blast radius.

inherent abilities:

Ancient Physiology: The ancients are very tall, aether-dense beings who cannot die to old age, living for eons if they do not choose to return to their star. Of course, they can still die by other means, even if they are more durable…

Combat with a quarterstaff and general spellcasting.

Knows a lot of shit about psychology and whatever…even if it's a little outdated by current standards.

Great at hiking and outdoors survival!

pure and earnest whimsy

items/weapons:

Pleiades: Azem’s quarterstaff, conjured and carved by themself. It has been outfitted to be a shepherd’s crook, and can be used to channel their magics.

Convocation mask: Unlike the other members of the Convocation who wear red masks, the seat of Azem wears a black one. Its eyes are perpetually turned upwards in a joyful expression.

starting ability: Creation magic starting item: Convocation mask extra:

They’re [chucky voice] gendahflooid

Um…yeah they’re B’hajah’s Azem but they don’t have to be your Azem okay!?

discord id: atlagenes

[afaimscorner]

The Magicians 4x13

So, I finally saw that one and ... the only positive thing I can say about it is that the rendition of "Take on Me" was really beautiful, if misplaced, but ....

... I put watching Season 4 of for years after German television just stopped airing "The Magicians" after Season 3 (and stopped with the Home Release after Season 2) and after getting spoiled for the end of Season 4, which I was really in no hurry to see if I had to put actual work in. So after being able to watch the first three episodes without work it took me until 2023 to watch the rest of the season, and while catching up I got the general gist from the fandom and was not motivated to watch that season finale, but ...

... I was not prepared. Even if you put aside anything else, this episode was a mess and not in a good way! The whole season seemed to be building toward something but not toward this! And knowing what went down around the show the last few weeks before the finale aired does make everything even worse!

And if the "quality" of this episode is any indication for Season 5, I can understand why more or less the whole fandom fled the show during it's last season.

And, yes, I am sorry, but saying "it was not suicide because your friends loved you and you love them and would never willingly leave them" does not change the fact that it was suicide and that this episode and the whole show with it does now endorse suicide, even though the intention behind the books and the first three and a half season of this show was the opposite!

There is nothing wrong with writing a character out of show (even though people still haven't learned that it's never a good idea to do this with the main character), there is nothing wrong with killing a character of in a show and there is even nothing wrong with writing a scene in which a character sacrifices themself for others and/or the greater good, but there is definitly a wrong way to do all of those things and this show did on the top of all of this also manage to send the wrong message with all of it by - again!- endorsing suicide to an audience who is struggeling with Mental Healt Issues none the less!!

I am not sure those people should ever be hired to write a new show by anyone ever again after this crap (I have no idea, if they did since "The Magicians" ended, but given how crazy life has been since then it is totally possible).

The real bitter thing is that this was one of the few shows that was very much made for me personally (have you any idea how few there are?) and I really loved it. But now I am not sure I have it even in me to watch Season 5 anymore, because I am so digusted with the people behind the scenes. Which is probably a shame, because I was told the show did not really change at least in the first half of the final season, so it could be a blast (and finally Elliot would be on screen again), but maybe it's just crap in the end and I am better off never subjecting myself to it, who knows?

It's not like someone will tell me if watching Season 5 is worth the time I would put in it, because no one is talking about the show anymore, so yeah, it's one of those decicions, I never wanted to have to make.

[obislittleone]

House Of Memories (42/?)

Obi-Wan Kenobi x Padawan!reader

Warnings: ansgt (the usual) bad decisions (also the usual)

Summary: There's a new mission, and you discuss your uneasiness of it with your dear friend, Anakin Skywalker.

A/n: tbh this is just Anakin fluff... there will be a second update tonight, and you can thank @elmontsmile for that bc she made me

also y'all if you like the story, maybe consider buying me a coffee :)

Words: 2.1k

The new mission, the one that had been discussed for hours in the council room, in a meeting that overtook your training time by an hour, it was possibly the biggest mission in the temple since the clone wars began.

A team of about thirty Jedi, including several council members were assigned to the task. Those council members by name, were Mace Windu, Plo Koon, Yoda, and of course, the reliable Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. There were several other knights, with their clone battalions at the ready, one being Anakin. Since this mission required as many available hands as they could acquire, you would be standing on the front lines with your Master, ready to face whatever challenges arose.

The droid army, led by Count Dooku and his Sith master Darth Sidious were hiding out on a planet called D-Qar, unawares that the Jedi order obtained their location.

The mission, though overly crowded with experienced Jedi, should be simple enough. The clone battalions would do most of the grunt work, planting explosives, and making sure the perimeter was secure for you all to make a distraction. No lives were to be lost on this endeavor, that was the primary goal, which is why so many reinforcements were required. This battle was one the jedi had hoped would be in and out having had no casualties. It was a bitter hope, as in the back of their minds they knew something had to be in store. Nothing ever went as planned in the order. There were successes, sure, all the time, but often because sacrifices were made for the greater good.

There was an entire Star Cruiser filled with the lot of you, preparing for possibly the most nerve-wracking mission you'd been on since this whole thing began. Everyone was on edge, though they didn't let on, and you, as well as Anakin, were sitting in one of the many hallways, where it was quiet and serene, the only sound being the distant murmur of thrusting engines.

"Do you think we're walking into a trap?" It had been on your mind since you left, and you could only wonder if your former fellow Padawan would agree.

"I think it seems too easy. No one will admit it, but the simplicity of the plan makes them feel anxious, I can sense it in the force, it's surrounding me."

"I can, too. I wonder if the 'no casualties' rule will stand once we reach ground," you began to fidget with your hands, something you'd picked up and hadn't been able to quit, not since you were a child.

"What do you mean?" he turned his head to you, sensing more distress in your outwardly calm being than anywhere else on the ship.

"If it should turn out to be a trap, and if they are prepared for us to come... they've always been one step ahead of us, somehow. Like there's one big puppet master playing both sides, but we got his undominant hand. I can't help but feel like something is wrong about this, and life will be lost."

"I won't let anything happen to you, you know that" he promised, wrapping an arm around your shoulders, your shakiness worrying him more than perhaps you were about this.

"I'm not scared to die," you told him, smirking. You'd brushed with death more times than you could count, and most of those times, Anakin was usually there to prevent things from going too far. On the other hand, there was on person who would much rather sacrifice themself for you than put you in harm's way of any kind. "I'm worried about Obi-Wan. You know him, he's stubborn. He'd run into the face of danger if it meant keeping either of us safe."

"This might sound awful, but I've never really been concerned about him in that way. Maybe I overestimate him, but since I was a kid, he always seemed invincible to me."

You laughed, that was one way to see him. You'd seen more, though, much more, and from each little scar he ever bore, you knew his humanity was evident. He was not a god, nor was he some substantial being in the force. He was a Jedi Master, and a good one, but he was still just a man, and he could bleed. Flesh and blood, that's all he was.... but not to you. To you, he was everything, and if he'd put himself on the line to defend you, you'd be unhappy for the rest of your life. The darkness always found a way to get ahold of you when you were at your lowest.

"He is one of the greatest Jedi I've ever known, as wise as Master Yoda, and Powerful as Master Windu. I suppose I don't wish to think of him as less, because it makes him seem so... mortal."

You understood, and for the most part you could relate. You wanted to see Obi-Wan as such, and believe it, so that your mind would not worry so much, but you couldn't help yourself. He was the love of your life, and anything bad happening to him was something for you to be stressed over.

"I'm often just reminded of what life would be like without him, and though I know his capabilities, I can't help but feel like he wouldn't think twice if it were for the cause of a greater good. He's selfless, he always thinks of others," you turned to him, and he nodded in understanding. The look in your eyes was enough for him to see how much adoration you held for Obi-Wan. Your worries over him, and wishes that he might stay safe, it was what he often thought about Padme, though he was wise enough not to voice those thoughts, in fears that she would become upset. Padme was strong, and courageous, and she made it known.

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't believe he would do anything that would prevent you from being happy. He cares about you more than you could ever comprehend."

"I think I might have an idea," you smirked at him, and he rolled his eyes. The mood became lighter after that, the conversation spiraling into the type of jokes you once would share. It felt like old times.

Anakin was your brother, and you loved him dearly. You never wished for a sibling, or a family member to be connected to, because in your eyes, you'd had one since you were seven years old.

"You can spare me the details."

"You started it."

-

It was a trap, a premeditated, organized, and prepared trap. The battle-droids were in droves of hundreds at the time. You figured they outnumbered the jedi by at least fifty to one. You may have been well trained, and your experience with these stupid clankers went without saying but having thirty of them on your six while trying to scale grounds was horribly challenging.

The Clone Troopers were trying to fend off as many as they could but given that most of them were infiltrating the base, that left few squadrons to be of service in the distraction portion of this mission. Two Jedi had lost their lives today, and you knew that the clone casualties had probably outnumbered that by ten times. No more lives, no more. You followed after Anakin, who was leading the retreating Jedi into a tunnel that would wind into the mountain, coming out the other side where your transports were. Anakin was a born leader, you could tell by his composure in rough circumstances, his calmness in the middle of a massive storm.

"Everybody in," he yelled out, guarding the entrance so that there was no chance a droid slipped in without him knowing about it.

You scanned the area, staying on the offense for as long as you could. If you switched to a more defensive form of combat, it meant you felt too overwhelmed to make any attacks, only blocking that which you could. There were very few Jedi left outside the tunnel, being you, Yoda, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and of course, the powerhouse himself, Master Windu.

He was at the very front lines, before all of you, and Obi-Wan was bringing up his rear.

"Master Kenobi, get your Padawan out of here," Mace Windu shouted over the chaos, but Obi-Wan would not leave the man to fend for himself. Yoda had made the wise choice to accept temporary defeat, heading over by Anakin to near the tunnel. He knew that fighting for a lost cause, however stoic and valiant, would only end in more loss. This was something he stood by and hoped the others would come to their senses and acknowledge as well.

"What about you?" he refused to leave a man behind. No matter their differences, they were Jedi, bound as allies by the order, and would not forsake the other to die like this. Obi-Wan was honorable, almost to a fault.

"I will be right behind you, now go!"

Kenobi used a bout of the force to push away an oncoming group of droids, which gave him a few seconds of a head start to run in your direction. You hadn't been too far from the tunnel, but he knew you weren't leaving without him. He had to snap out of his head when he first saw you. Five days out of the infirmary after being shot twice and look at you now. You were so elegant to behold. Your form of combat was so elegant, Makashi, form two... there were hints and a few subtle moves that reflected that of his own form, from what he'd taught you, you learned to combine the forms into one of your own, and it was beautiful. He had to rid himself of the thoughts, and save them for later, because this wasn't the time to be admiring you, although you deserved to be.

He rushed beside you, helping to fend off the remaining droids in your area before placing a hand at the small of your back and rushing you towards the tunnel. You looked back at Mace Windu, the way he backed up slowly, but gave you all time to escape.

Once you were in the tunnel, Anakin followed, leaving just one Jedi on the battlefield. When you were fully inside the cavernous stretches, the pathway narrow, you heard an explosion in the distance. They did it, the clones had accomplished their mission. Now it was time for you to complete yours. No more lives lost, no more.

As Mace hurried himself into the tunnel, the rocky ceiling above you began to shake. Everyone was running now, knowing that this whole location was probably becoming unstable for the blasts of the base.

The exit could be seen, and Anakin was the first one out, waiting at the opening for the rest of you to follow. Both you and Obi-Wan made it out of the cave at the same time, but upon hearing a rocky stalagmite falling from the tunnel's ceiling, you turned back. Mace Windu was trapped, with his leg rendered useless beneath the stone. He tried to lift it using the force, but was unsuccessful, probably due to the pain.

The opening of the cavern was closing in, and the rocks would enclose on him at any second, so you ran back, hearing the protesting cries of Obi-Wan behind you.

"Don't go," he tried to grab your arm, but you pushed him back, using a rush of invisible force, and kept running. You dropped to your back leg and slid under the falling debris, hearing the yells of your master become muffled as you let the darkness of the cold wet cave surround you.

-

@spencerrxids @sawendel @fandomstanner24 @i-shall-abide @officialjellydoughnut @whatshxrname @darkened-writer @superavengerpotter @cutiepoo16 @hypnoash @softlymellow @howlerwolfmax @mephistominion @honestlywtfisgoingon @anakinskywalkerog @mandiiellen @je--a-n @guyinachair27 @avenger5-a55emble @amelia-song-pond @kaminanii @the-abyss-of-fandoms @queenofnightdreamland @world-dominating-kitty @mandowhatnow @ella-error505 @annahalo @infinity-witch @beetlejuice-stuff @liueski @solarbxby @sirianisrock @lxdyred @endless-warrior-always-fighter @iloveinej @msjb2002 @shoochi @itsilvermorny @gingerrosecosplay @sebschicken @loversjoy @argentinemango @1-800-vader @house-of-kolchek @marierg @graciexmarvel @ttzamara @truly-madly-nerdy @molieux @majahu @dyzlks @pancakefancake

[sociallyanxiouscryptid-writings]

Sacrifice Part 2

And the winner of which can I get done first while dealing with the bullshit of my life is Sacrifice Part 2! Congratulations, I hope you are proud of yourself. 

Part 1 

Summary of part 1: Villain has proposed a deal, they will leave the city alone, for good, in exchange for Hero. Hero isn’t as on board with the idea as everyone else is. 

CW: Imprisonment, mentions of different types of whump, the decision paralysis of a sadistic maniac, betrayal, constraints, collar, muzzle, leash. 

~

Villain had thought about, dreamt about what they would do once they had Hero. For weeks, months. They had come up with so many ideas they couldn’t even remember all of them, and yet, the list felt endless.

But now they were here, everything they wanted in their hands, and they had no idea what to do. There were simply too many options and the excitement of it all coiled inside of them sharp but alight, a burning joy so intense it hurt. They had to walk away from Hero, leaving them sat in their shiny new cell, a picture of utter defeat and betrayal.

Villain had a cage too, a pretty bird cage equipped with everything a pet could ever need. They also had a nice bedroom, designed after Hero’s own, but all slightly off, tainted with Villains image and presence. There was the basement too, dark and damp and devoid of dignity, nothing but echoing chambers of pain and misery.

But again, Villain hadn’t been able to decide, so they ended up choosing a neutral option. Something familiar, but an everlasting reminder of Hero’s new situation. It would do, for now. Until Villain could get over whatever decision paralysis that was clouding their mind.

They should just get started, they’d find their path along the way. But what if it was the wrong path? What if they choose something and found it dissatisfying? It’s not like they have a time limit, not like anyone would come and save Hero.

Villain delighted as that memory returned, so vivid and strong.

Hero’s own people, betraying them. Handing them over to the absolute worst person knowing full well what the meant for Hero.

And here Villain was, pathetically unable to decided.

The scene kept replaying in their mind, zooming closer and closer on Hero’s face until all that was played was the war of emotion in Hero’s eyes.

How it must have felt, the thoughts they must have been feeling. Villain’s heart fluttered. Would they come to terms with being a sacrifice? Would they logic it out to themself, hold on to the idea of the greater good. Realise his own people, his own friends were doing the right thing?

Or would they hate their friends? Come to despise them?

Villain felt a spark inside of them. It spread, slowly, then quickly as they followed the train of thought. The spark ran along the coils tightened inside of them, going round and round, burning everything in its path until Villain was clear of mind. Until one idea remained.

Would Hero want revenge? Could Hero want revenge?

They know how strong Hero’s morals are, how much they love their city and their people. But could that be broken? Could that be twisted? The seed was already there.

Villain sat on it overnight. Let the ideas swirl and grow consuming everything else in their mind.

They awoke the next day with a fresh mind and a grinning face.

~

Hero barely slept. Between the blaring lights, the horrid dread and the looping display of the day’s events in their head, it was near impossible. But if they closed their eyes long enough, they could ignore the bite of the cuffs on their rest, and if they focussed hard enough, they could see only the darkness behind their eyes. Eventually, they did drift off, but it didn’t feel like very long.  

They weren’t sure what woke them at first, the room was still irritatingly bright, and they were still on the thin uncomfortable mattress. It wasn’t until they moved their arm that they saw Villain perched on the edge of the bed, so close that when Hero jerked back Villain leant on the leash holding Hero in place.

“Morning sleepy head,” Villain smiled.

Hero’s hand moved to the collar.

“Ah, ah, don’t play with that. You might hurt yourself.”

Villain took Hero’s hand, the Villain’s skin like a heater compared to Hero’s.

“My dear you are freezing,” Villain said, “I must remember to give you better blankets tonight. I forget how cold these parts can get.” Villain turned the Hero’s hand over, rubbing a thumb against the back.

Hero didn’t even try to pull it back. They just stared, the stupid muzzle holding back the mountain of words that had built on their tongue.

“Here,” Villain said, “let me take that off for you.”

Like Hero had a choice.

Villain reached behind Hero’s head, leaning too close to Hero as they undid the latch at the back. But when they did, the relief made it bearable. Hero opened their mouth, jaw both protesting and relishing the motion.

“Better?”

Hero said nothing.

“Really? I give you the chance to talk and you have nothing to say to me? Not even a thank you?”

Hero forced themself to look at Villain. They licked their lips, remembered how to work their tongue.

“What are you really getting out of this?” They hadn’t expected their voice to be so quiet. So defeated.  “All of your plans and grand schemes can’t have been for nothing.”

Villain’s eyes creased as they smiled.

“Oh, you underestimate your own value my hero,” Villain said.

“No, I don’t,” hero said dropping their, “I really don’t, not to you.”

The smile widened to a grin, and they reached a hand forward.

“I’m glad, you-”

“But that still doesn’t explain why you would agree to stop everything.” Hero said looking back up. Villain’s hand faltered. “Your pursuit for me is and has always been nothing but a hobby to you. I know your real plans, your real goals.” Villain let go of Hero’s hand, leant back a little but didn’t free them.

“You are one of the few privy, yes.”

“So why give it up?”

Villain cocked their head, gaze drifting across Hero’s face, taking in every ounce of emotion, of fear no matter how hard Hero tried to hide it. And in return Hero could see the curiosity, the interest in such a question. Hero was always full of surprises.  

“Why do you assume I have given it up?”

Hero’s face twisted in confused and shock.

“Because that’s what you promised.”

Villain laughed, “yes, that is what I promised, and I am a person of my word. But just imagine what the fallout of this will be.”

“The… fallout?”

“A group of people have just sacrificed their most beloved protector. A friend, a colleague, they willingly put them to a sentence worse than death. In our modern times there are few whose hearts can handle that. They will try and cover it up at first, but it will get out, one way or another. And then the public will know, they will be horrified, they will question what it all means, how their protectors really value them. And when the bad things don’t stop happening, because my dear I am not the only rotten apple in this world, they will revolt and declare that their protectors do not actually know how to protect them. Just imagine that world, the fear, the chaos. I may not be the direct hand guiding it anymore, but I have planted a seed that will blossom and bloom beautifully.”

Hero could see it unfolding, the faces of friends who had no idea, the people who looked up to them, the kids who idolised them. Hero shook their head.

“They… they will understand. You had to be stopped.”

“I did, didn’t I?” Villain’s hand moved to Hero’s cheek and though they tried, there was no room to move away. “But even you don’t believe I will, do you?”

Villain grabbed Hero’s chin as they tried looking away and forced their gaze.

“No,” Hero whispered.

Villain studied them, smiled. Let them go.

“That is where you are wrong,” Villain stood, “why would I want to do anything else while I am so eloquently entertained?”

Hero said nothing.

“I told them what I would do, you know,” Villain said moving to Hero’s other side. “I told them everything I wanted to do to you, the life they were condemning you to. I told them, and still they gave you over.” They placed a hand on Hero’s shoulder, squeezed, leant down to Hero’s ear. “Everything that comes next, is all because of them, I want you to remember that. They gave you to me, knowing what was coming.”

Hero stared at the ground, jaw tight, a slight tremble finding its way into their hands. They clenched their fists. Grief, pain squeezed their heart, pushing against any attempts at reason or logic. It was because they cared they did this. Because they wanted the best for the city. This was justified.

The collar lurched as Villain pulled on the leash and without free movement of their arms Hero tumbled out onto their knees, held up by the pull of the leash.

Villain kept pulling. Hero stumbling until they could get their footing and struggled to stand, then to keep up with Villain’s much taller pace.

“Where are we going?” Hero choked.

“Wherever I want to,” Villain said.

~

This was a challenge for me because I struggle to write this kind of evil character, as I find it hard to understand their motives and desires. But it was asked for so  I gave it a shot. I don’t know if there will be more in the future but who knows! I never thought I would do a part 2 in the first place.

Tag list:

@halloiambored

[silver-ink-iron-words]

Thank you all so much for these kind requests!

-----

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Dinner Guest, Part 5

“Alright, and how about him?”

Julian wanted to lie down. “This is the last one?”

“Last one,” LaChasse promised.

Julian peered at the scared-looking twenty-something seated before him. “He can solidify liquids. He can make them whatever shape or density he likes, but can’t create new matter.”

“So he can turn a glass of water into a dagger?”

Julian nodded.

“I must say, I like that.” LaChasse waved a hand, and a henchman led the prisoner away. Julian noticed the hateful glance the guy shot him on his way out.

“So, what’s your idea?” LaChasse said, turning to Julian.

“I don’t have an idea.”

“Come now, little liar. Share with the class.”

Julian rubbed a hand over his eye. “How are you always able to tell?”

“I’m waiting.”

Julian sighed. “You remember that person you had me assess last week, who could create mini weather events?”

LaChasse’s eyes glinted. “Yes?”

“Well, imagine raindrops turning to needles as they fall on your enemies.” It horrified Julian, a little bit, that he was able to think of something so dark.

“Oh,” LaChasse said, grin widening. “Now that is a delectable idea.” They ran a hand down Julian’s back. ”I think it’s the second best thing I’ve imagined today.”

Julian closed his eyes. “Can you please just bring me to them already? You said we were done.”

“Of course.”

LaChasse took Julian’s hand, and led him away.

-----

“What the hell is this?!” Julian shouted.

His attention had snagged on the bruises splattered along Alex’s arm.

He whirled on LaChasse. “Motherfucker! We had a deal!”

“They did that to themself, trying to escape.” LaChasse leaned against the wall, arms casually crossed. “As you said before, I don’t trash my possessions.”

Julian glanced back to Alex, where they sat in their cell. “Is that true?”

Alex shrugged, not meeting Julian’s eyes. “Someone had to do something.”

“Hey,” Julian said, wrapping his fingers around a cell bar, “you can’t underestimate these people.”

He remembered Angie’s face, before she escaped. The little click of the gun, like the breaking of a bone. He pictured Alex in that situation. He . . .

He tightened his grip on the metal.

“So what, then?” Alex’s voice was tight. “Am I supposed to just sit here and be LaChasse’s leverage for the rest of my life?”

“I . . . ”

Julian didn’t know what to say.

When Alex had first been captured, they were teary and apologetic. They knew they’d made Julian’s situation worse, and it absolutely tore at them.

Then, they’d become hopeful. They’d found ways to communicate with Julian during these little visits. And in the rare moments when LaChasse wasn’t listening, Alex had whispered plans of escape.

And then when they saw how much Julian was not willing to go along with those plans, they’d turned sullen, like this. Even now, their eyes looked at him with resentment.

“I told you that you would get no gratitude for your sacrifice,” LaChasse said behind Julian.

“Shut up, LaChasse.”

Alex glanced to their captor. “What’re they talking about?”

“Nothing,” Julian said. “Just, are you badly hurt? Did they – ”

“Julian, what did you give LaChasse?”

“You haven’t figured it out yet?” LaChasse’s grin was cutting.

Julian turned. “I said shut it!”

LaChasse’s words were spoken to Alex, but their eyes stayed on Julian. “My little bird gave himself up for you, prisoner. So that you would no longer be in danger. Now isn’t that romantic?”

 A cold horror settled over Alex’s face.

Julian stalked towards LaChasse. “What is your problem?!”

“I dislike false pretenses.” LaChasse grabbed Julian’s arm. “Almost as much as I dislike disobedience. I suggest you try being more cooperative in the future.”

“I am cooperating. What more could you want?”

LaChasse’s eyes fixed on him. “Julian, my greed is greater than even your imagination can fathom.”

----

“Good morning,” Clara, the body-controlling henchman, said.

Julian strode into the questioning room without sparing her a glance. Of all of LaChasse’s subordinates, he hated her the most.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts about her that it took him a few seconds to register the prisoner in front of him.

When he did, he froze.

“LaChasse,” he said, eyes wide. “That’s a kid.”

The teenager sitting before him stared back as though he was sure Julian was going to hit him. Julian noticed the purple bruise on his jaw.

“How old is he? Fourteen?”

“Fifteen,” LaChasse said, stepping up beside Julian. “I was barely any older when I started.”

“I’m not doing this,” Julian said, backing away.

The kid had the ability to disintegrate objects with his touch. Julian could only imagine the sorts of things LaChasse would make him do.

“Julian,” LaChasse warned.

He tried to make his glare as steely as possible. “You can’t make me do this.”

“Do I need to have a certain prisoner whipped to speed things along?”

Julian sucked in a breath.

He looked to the kid, whose eyes now held hope in addition to terror.

He swallowed, and then made the decision he would second guess for the rest of his life.   

Part 6

[eddielala]

Clowning hard that Misha will appear in the Winchesters as a narrator because

- the Winchesters / if Dean’s trip takes place between 19 and 20

- nothing in episode 20 tells us Cas is still in the empty. We just get a short talk about his “sacrifice” (you can praise a sacrifice even when the person is alive) and that he’s in heaven helping.

- Jensen said stuff.

So what if Dean met Cas after 19, before he got nailed.

What if his poor reaction on “Cas helped” in heaven was because he knew he was there. He knew he’s alive. He knew he’s with Jack, that’s why he said in 20 he’s missing them. Their sacrifice was actually being responsible for fucking heaven, sacrificing themself for a greater good.

So my theory:

- Dean and Cas met after episode 19

- Cas told him that he wants to help Jack in heaven, that he has to do this for getting a second chance alive

So what if Misha voiced Cas in the Winchesters as a second narrator. Maybe just a sentence.

Pretty sure that theory isn’t new, pretty sure I oversaw something but yeah. Let me clown.

[ahdriking]

10 Fandoms, 10 Characters, 10 tags

Tagged by @kissporsche my favourite person 💕

LISTEN THIS WAS HARD (I also didn't make it easier on myself by any means) I don't tend to watch/consume a lot of stuff. I tend to find something I like and then sit in a pit with that IP for the next 10 years crying about it. So basically these are 10 of my most favourite creative IP's of all time, and the characters who have touched me deeply. Yeah, I went too deep, whatcha gon do bout it.

Kinnporsche - Porsche (Porsche's explosive stubbornness, his chaotic bisexual energy, his self-sacrificial tendencies and his traumatic childhood all make him the most interesting character in KP to me)

Captive Prince - Laurent (Laurent was with me for some of the most difficult years of my life. He was the first character I've ever read who was a 'bad survivor', someone who had experienced trauma that left them meaner and uglier to the world. I relate so much to his cruelty and detachment in the earlier books, and his eventual journey of self-forgiveness and acceptance was deeply meaningful to me as I went thru one of my own)

The Foxhole Court - Andrew (Another traumatised blond with anger issues! Andrew is a fucking asshole and he knows it, and he doesn't give a single shit about it. "I would still blow you." Is permanently seared onto my brain.)

Black Sails - Captain Flint (Just pass me the fucking tissues, cos this messy, violent, piece of shit has me sobbing on my knees whenever I think about him for too long. A tragic, fallen hero, willing to sacrifice whatever it takes for the sake of a greater good only they can see. A bitter, lonely man who had his happiness stolen cruelly from him. Flint is, to me, unquestionably, the most brilliant and compelling queer character I've ever seen on TV. I still can't get over this show)

The Witcher - Geralt (big sexy warrior man with long hair and muscles and a tragic backstory who goes around grumbling under his breath while saving the world, having to ponder moral quandries about the nature of evil. Need I say more.)

LOTR - Frodo (My first ever fandom! Lil baby Ahdri was having feelings over Frodo before she knew what those feelings were. Frodo represents something so deeply profound to me: a hero losing themself to the evil they so desperately fight. Frodo is corrupted by the ring slowly and agonisingly, he watches the world around him dim and lessen for it, but he never complains about the burden, and he never recovers from it either. The scene of him leaving for the undying lands has me sobbing every time. Frodo saved the world, and he lost himself.)

Mass Effect - Female Commander Shepard (Greatest game series of all time needs a suitably badass, memorably awesome protag. Fem!shep's voice actor Awoke something in me as a teen. I'll never not love my muscly N7 Marine bae going around the universe killing bad dudes and quipping jokes. Shepards emotional journey and eventual sacrifice in mass effect 3 left me genuinely Changed on my first playthru. Even tho this is a very blank slate character, I have such a strong vision of who MY shepard is, that it's never fucking left me.)

Spartacus - Spartacus (Fuck me this dude had a rough life. And that's why he's such a delicious character. So much pain, so much rage, so much violent hatred, all of it born from love and grief, enough to shake the foundations of an empire. Spartacus' tragedy is as inevitable as it is compelling.)

Dragon Age II - Fenris (PRETTY ELF BOY WITH A BIG SWORD. And trauma. Why is it always characters with trauma? The whole covered head to toe in tattoos that were so painful to receive his entire memory was wiped thing really does it for me)

Game of Thrones - Daenerys (I MEAN THE BOOKS. She's just an interesting, well written character with a lot going on. It's rare to find such a compelling female protagonist in popular fantasy. Teenage Ahdri had a thing for the dragon lady)

Just gonna tag a bunch of people who are really awesome, if you've done it already/don't want to then don't mind me, and have an amazing day! @i-got-the-feels, @punchlove-blog, @boysbeloving, @elmindredaniq, @kurtstiel, @rainbowcolored7, @mortimerlatrice, @dragonhotcoffee, @skinsharpenedteeth, @luckydragon10

[sindri42]

What do you think the Reapers were supposed to be all about before the writer got replaced and the ending of ME3 threw out the lore?

There's not a lot that we have that's solid, just a lot of hints and suppositions. So there's no way to really conclusively determine what was supposed to be going on, but we can definitely come up with theories that match the evidence, which the "canon" absolutely does not. So here's what we know:

Harbinger refers to themself as our "salvation through destruction" and the "Harbinger of your perfection". "We will bring your species into harmony with our own" they say, and "Your species will be raised to a new existence. We are the beginning, you will be the end," but also "You will surrender your potential against the growing void."

Sovereign claims they are each a nation unto themselves, that they are the pinnacle of evolution, and when asked who created them or for what purpose insists that they have no beginning nor end

Mass Effect technology plays upon dark energy in a way that is poorly understood by the young races despite their reliance on it for almost every aspect of life

A small but significant number of stars are destabilizing for unknown reasons, aging at a massively accelerated rate.

The mass relays were built for the young races, partly so civilized planets would be laid out upon predictable paths and easily accessible via the "back door" in the Citadel, but also so that the new civilizations would develop along the lines the Reapers had planned for them

it's very rare to have more than a single major race in each cycle; most often the other spacefaring civilizations are either wiped out or made subservient to the rulers of the galaxy

The greatest race of each cycle is used in the creation of a single new Reaper, while lesser races or those with major flaws are discarded or turned into servitors like the Keepers (per the end of ME2; obviously this got retconned in 3).

Between "harvests" the Reapers retreat beyond the galactic rim, sitting quietly in the dark using as little energy as possible for tens of thousands of years at a time.

So, first and simplest assumption, the Cycle is effectively the Reapers' reproductive system. Like all life forms, they have a drive to produce more of themselves, but for some reason they can't or won't simply make a new chassis out of raw metal, and they're unwilling to use "flawed" people as components, which means the people put into it are extremely important. If the larval reaper that Shepherd killed had been allowed to grow up, it would not simply have been a machine with some random DNA inside, it would have been humanity, an entire nation and species flying through space for eternity.

Second assumption, slightly stretchy but with several weak points of support? Mass Effect technology is slowly killing the galaxy. As more people use it in more ways every year, more stars start to die. This isn't an issue that would affect any normal person alive today, the changes are observed over the course of millennia rather than even centuries, but unless something big changes everyone is eventually doomed. And sure, any given individual or small group could simply refuse to use the mass effect, but it's so easy to figure out that you could never suppress the knowledge of how to use it in any meaningful way, and it's so useful and people are so greedy and short-sighted that you could never persuade everybody to stop. And if you tried to do it by force, well, a nation making free use of eezo in their engines and their guns and their shields would wipe the floor with a nation determined to stick to mundane technology.

So, my theory of how things went down? The first race to figure out the mass effect knew they had a problem. Maybe they had already made themselves immortal, so they were more concerned with the long term than most people. Maybe they just had more foresight than most. Either way, they put themselves into a form where they could still think and communicate, likely on a deeper and more intimate level than ever before, but they would use as little energy as possible to preserve their billions of lives. The "pinnacle of evolution" if you will, a machine which had no creator besides itself, a life form which could last forever with minimal resource consumption. And they sat quietly Thinking about how to fix this, for tens of thousands of years.

But while they researched and experimented and contemplated, other life forms kept evolving. And eventually they also figured out the secret to using the mass effect, but either didn't know about the dangers or chose to ignore them. So the ancient... okay let's just call them Harbinger for convenience, had to do something to stop this. Maybe they were too soft-hearted to wipe out an entire species for an honest mistake. Or maybe their research had hit a dead end, and they needed an outside perspective to apply new ideas to the problem. Or maybe they were simply lonely, or the instinctual drive to be fruitful and multiply reared up after being suppressed for so long. Either way, they converted the young fools into another nation-ship hive-mind like themself, convinced them of the seriousness of the situation (to "surrender your potential against the growing void" as it were), and resumed Thinking out in the black.

And when it happened again, and again, they refined their approach over time. The eezo drives on the individual ships of the young races are not only slower, but also massively less efficient than the technology the Reapers have developed, so they gave the Relays away as a gift to minimize the damage each new race would do. They couldn't allow young races to become too powerful to stop, but they wanted to allow them as much opportunity to develop scientific research and understanding as possible in order to be more useful to the ongoing project to save the galaxy, so they learned how to insert observers and infiltrators throughout alien societies to observe things and ensure the Harvest was delayed for as long as it was safe to do so but no longer (and I think you can agree that they were cutting their deadlines really close given how an extra three years brought the council races from 'utterly unprepared, basically a walkover' to 'giving you a serious fight').

So, how would the game end, after you learned all of this? Maybe Shepherd simply accepts the inevitable fate of the young races, like Saren once did, and helps the Reapers to end the Cycle with a minimum of suffering so that they can join the endless search for a real solution. The ultimate 'sacrifice for the greater good', killing thousands of entire species of people in order to preserve life in the galaxy as a whole. Maybe Shepherd rejects the idea that it's worth killing billions of innocents now in order to head off some distant nebulous threat later, and fights back with everything they have... and if you managed to unify everybody you possibly could, this would certainly be more power than the Reapers ever had to deal with before in any past cycle. Or maybe you use a display of that power to force the Reapers to the negotiating table, and then use all the "impossible" things you've achieved and all the scientific progress made over the past few short years, plus a heavy dose of raw charisma and Paragon ideology, to persuade them that if everybody works together they can finally solve the impossible problem, the one that has been stumping every Reaper for millions of years, within the time span of this one final Cycle if they just share the data they have so far and allow the young races to work freely.

[akinari-kashihara]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Thanks....

I feel I should be requesting legal counsel for this

Please see under cut

My Wife, My Husband, The Love of My Life

Zelik Lindemann from Mother Keeper

People of the jury, I am a simple man. Eight years ago, I met Zelik. And I have loved him since that day. What more could be asked of a man - a blorbo, if you will - than to be 165cm tall, and able to punch a wall down in a single blow? What more could be asked, than loyalty across decades? To be beaten, scarred, to lose an arm, and to go back because people need him. To be beloved by all who've worked with him. And when he makes a promise, even if he wasn't the one that broke it, he will fulfil the punishment he agreed to.

And to put me in the awful situation of being unable to write fics because I share a name with the man I ship him with. And because Mother Keeper gave me everything I could ever want.

2. 祝え！

The Greatest and Kindest Maou; Tokiwa Sougo from Kamen Rider Zi-O

Sougo is just a little serotonin machine. I see him and I am filled with joy. I love him. He's everything. He wants to be king, one that is good and kind, despite being destined for evil. In his heart, he's a bastard. A master of getting people to do what he wants. He shows no hesitation in having Woz serve him, perfectly willing to call him on a whim. He'll command armies of destruction without wincing. But he's so sweet and loves his friends so much. But he'll never give up his dream for them. They simply need to learn why his dream is so great.

Until it's Heure. No dream is worth losing Heure.

3. The Light In The Darkness, The Midnight Sun

Shun Kageyama from Kamen Rider Kabuto

I wrote a whole essay on my feelings about Kageyama's plot and how he is in fact a fantastic leader. I will stan endlessly.

But also he's so small and Uchiyama Masato is just so cute (he's still cute he makes me 🥺)

4. 虎ーちゃん！！ こっちこっち！！！

Satoru Tojo from Kamen Rider Ryuki

Like, Ryuki is already a masterpiece but I think about Tojo specifically so much. He's just a fucked up little guy! Sensei look at me! Sensei are you proud of me? Sensei, I can be the hero you want. Sensei, if a hero is one who sacrifices what they love and grows stronger for the greater good, I can do that. You were the most important person in my life, Sensei, so that's why I have to lose you.

He wants to be a hero so bad. But he wants to be a hero because he wants Sensei to be proud of him. Really, he wants sensei to give up his wife and family so he can have sensei's attention.

And he's such a poignant part of Ryuki's idea of people achieving their dreams, not through magic or miracles, but because they did something.

5. My Best Girl

Sweet-P from Caligula

I adore Sweet-P so much. She puts up with so much as being not only one of the oldest among the musicians but having to babysit Shadow Knife, Stork and Shonen Doll. Like what did she do to deserve that? She put up with so much in reality and now she's expected to play babysitter when she just wants to have tea parties with her friends!

I know people don't like Overdose, specifically related to her, but I actually really enjoyed her story. There's a lot she doesn't like about herself and her appearance. You get the feeling of someone who truly does feel they've left living their life for themself too late. And she has to work to overcome disliking herself, instead of trying to change herself. While Caligula is messy in things like its depiction of weight, Sweet-P ultimately puts focus on it not mattering. Her friends know they're fat but they're happy. They're more upset that the real world won't accommodate them or share in their happiness. Sweet-P can start to accept she doesn't have to give up one happiness to achieve another. She can transition and still eat what she loves. She just needs to do what makes her happy, not what she feels she has to do. It puts a real interest in what a character wants versus what a character needs. Sweet-P wants to be a cute (petite) girl. She needs to do what makes her happiest, even if it doesn't achieve what she wants.

6. My absolute disaster

Ike-P (Koike Tomoya) from Caligula

I can't go off as strong about the writing of Ike-P but I love him so much. He's a disaster. He's having his quarter-life crisis. He's been put in a group of weirdos because he doesn't want to go back to working his dead-end retail job when he wanted to be an idol. Unlike Sweet-P, he gets thrown in the deep end with people who are like yea let's blow stuff up and he's desperately going "wow is that a shark wow" to move on.

He's in so deep over his head.

But also his entire relationship with Izuru-

7. Devour Your Enemies

Heat from Digital Devil Saga

He's hot, next question.

Also eats people so like-

8. Twinkle Twinkle

Zett from ToQger

ToQger, like Ryuki, is a masterpiece on purpose, and Zett is such a key part of that. He wants to be good. He loves the world, he loves everything he sees. He wants to be happy and a part of everything.

But he's trapped in a situation where he can't be happy, and he can't get free. He has to be the emperor of darkness. Everyone around him benefits from his misery so they will keep him miserable.

And he loved Right from the second he saw him. When he can't go to Right...

He'll bring Right to him.

And yet he doesn't want either of them to be miserable. He just wants out.

8. Another Big Cat and Sensei

Tatsuya Sudou and Akinari Kashihara from Persona 2 (Do NOT separate them)

I don't know what it is with big cats and their teachers but...

Obviously, my URL namesake and I feel bad that they're this low down the list. They're the root of my problem, after all. They're where it all began.

So much of their backstory is just hidden away in P2 (and let me tell you I adore P2 for how much missable content there is) but oh how I think about them. Akinari didn't do the right thing. But he wasn't evil. He did what he thought was right, and did his best. Tatsuya latched onto him and saw someone to lean on. Someone who cared for him when no one else would. Who didn't see him as a bother, but as someone amazing and special and he wasn't a monster - for just a little while. And Tatsuya would carry that on, seeing Akinari in Jun.

And Akinari's own life falls apart because he's trapped in a marriage he was never fully on board for but society pushed him into. Despite it, he loves his son and will do anything for him. AND I STAND BY AKINARI JUST WASN'T THE KIND OF MAN TO DIE HOW HE DID. I WILL NEVER ACCEPT THAT.

Also, I'm always thinking about how Sudou is so separated from Akinari-Nyarlathotep in the masked circle. Like he doesn't cling to that Akinari how he did the real one. I always feel like he knew and accepted no one would believe him on it.

9. You thought I cheated on the last one? Watch this

The Whole Main 6 of UuultraC

I saw Isshiki and went wild but then was like oh is he my favourite tho but then I couldn't decide who so it's all of them I love them all so much.

I have a primer for UuultraC luckily

10. Blorbo of the Week

Luo Binghe from Scum Villain Self-Saving System

My partner is very loving as I tell them for the 15th time today about LBH and SVSSS and my blorbo thought pollution. I have been talking about him non-stop since SVSSS Vol 3 was originally meant to release but then it didn't so I just didn't shut up cause the brain worms were so strong. What am I meant to do???

I think LBH should be an honorary kitty cat for how much he loves his Shizun. He deserves to join the kitty cat club. He's just a big boy that cries a lot and is so desperate for love and attention. He needs headpats and to be housewifed. It's his preferred state of being but people aren't willing to accommodate that!! The world is too cruel to him!! And I want him to be so big and imposing to then hit people with his being a needy housewife

[kittaykattz]

i hate die a hero redemptions!!! i hate when a villain finally decides to start doing something good with their life and then they die and never come back!!! i hate when a villain sacrifices themself for the greater good and is never given a proper redemption!!!

i want the villain to LIVE and i want them to CONTINUE doing good and FIXING their mistakes and CLEANING UP the mess they made i want to see a villain ACTIVELY WORKING towards being a better person!!!

[tzawa-1y]

new hoshi ref finally dropped

(please click for quality ohmygod lmao)

Hoshizawa's new ref is finally here, dear lord that took a while! (and. totally not 6 entire attempts...)

I just wanna post this one faster so that I can actually get to actual content again! Which... I'm super busy so press X to doubt but hey.

Also for the new hero name, I'm only lumping in post rework content in it! so certain posts past march whatever and here on out, they're different enough one of them he's just sad and the other ones hes sad but more violently.

(ALSO his quirk is pretty well and reworked as well! Details below xoxo)

So Nebuleus is here, Astro is dead, and your shit is wrecked.

Stepping in the gates of UA for the first time, he's obviously a bent screw. They're very aggressive and tend to get in pointless arguments with just about everyone that will have them. And while they can be mostly quiet or chill, he's pretty easily riled up.

Hoshizawa, If you're fortunate to find them in a good, well adjusted mood, they can be a good person to talk to. They can have some odd ways of expressing some things, and can often come off quite blunt and especially rude though. he's usually quite easy to read, they don't usually hide their feelings in any normal circumstance, but if he decides to keep something secret, it will stay like that. Or at least, they ain't admitting shit.

If you manage to gain his favor, while the chances one will actually get there are incredibly, incredibly unlikely, Hoshi can retain deep loyalty (to his own displeasure) and it's hard to actually get them to turn against someone they like. They can drop people, but it will be absolutely devastating. Especially if his own trust is being broken.

However, Hoshizawa rarely admits to their own kindness. More often, they'll outright deny it, and prove this by being the worst they can be. Puts a massive front of assholery, and tries to be as rude as possible. They start shit, get hit, and start shit again.

Hoshizawa is typically found where they're not supposed to be, whether in that moment or in general. They'll climb shit, get in trouble, sit on roofs, etc. Sometimes it's just a matter of not wanting to be around others, and other times sheerly because it's either cool or funny.

They're quite easily upset, someone or something getting on his nerves is a completely regular occurrence. He often chooses to loudly proclaim their issues, and make it clear what's upsetting them (even in absence of why)

They often take to people watching, almost on main just in absence of anything else to do which he sees as productive. They'll hide out in someplace, and just write what they see. They do this far less in UA for time, but still enjoy sitting around to watch people around.

Hoshizawa is most well known, however, for getting into fights.

He can be devastating. Both incredibly powerful, and incredibly unyielding. Their style of fighting is just confusing. A lot of fake outs, self sacrifice, sheer tanking, being Incredibly slippery, using the environment and improvisational weapons, etc. They're incredibly, incredibly strong, and quite regularly training and honing his abilities, though often fakes out with "mistakes" and making themself seem weaker. And while he's never had someone to specifically learn from, he's learned a lot just from experience.

However, their weaknesses are, difficult. At first, she avoids her quirk almost completely. Unless it's absolutely necessary and might possibly actually help, he's likely only going pure hand to hand. Their other things is, their right arm is sensitive from a past injury, which, while they're able to overcome this with confidence in most altercations, if an opponent catches on, it can be easily taken advantage of.

Hoshizawa has a much greater keenness for revenge over any sort of security. In tandem with an unrelenting form of punishment and rage, Hoshizawa can be a powerful force. At a great expense to everyone involved. Almost especially himself.

Their blatand disregard for the safety of himself and others often leads to several dangerous situations, which they can often then turn a blind eye to the dangers they'd caused, or simply revel in it. In less serious situations, often saying it's just that, not serious, but in more cataclysmic situations, he'll often justify it with preventing, or punishing a greater one.

Quirk:

Stardust States.

His quirk is really... A lot of things. His body can create and manipulate a glass-like substance from their blood, being able to expel it as a gas and further manipulate its state from there. Each state inflicts different effects, and can vary by its temperature as well.

Gas is the most useable one. It's what they learned first and the easiest to control (though they're all very difficult to control) It creates clouds of light, which can act either as a stunningly bright cloud of pure light, bright enough to blind in even minimal density, and then a dimmer one which is more like a bright smokescreen.

Can cause:

- Blindness

- Disorientation

- Irritation

- Hyperthermia*

- Stunning*

Liquid is... the weirdest, probably. In terms of temperature, it's the closest to their body temperature, so it often presents while expelling stardust, especially in their throat which can cause worse and worse choking if they can't stop using the quirk. It's incredibly good at burning though, and sticky enough to be hard to get off. It's about the viscosity of honey, more or less depending on temperature, and in colder temps it can be gritty or grainy, hotter ones flowing almost more syrupy.

Can cause:

- Severe burns

- Irritation

and to himself:

- Throat dryness

- Choking/suffocation

Solid is the least directly dangerous. Look up prince Rupert drops, It is like that, but can be in any form. So thus despite it being glass-like, is incredibly strong in blunt use. That said, it is hard to keep up, and specific weak points can make it shatter into stardust. It will typically last a few seconds.

No particular effects, but can be formed into very strong short living constructs.

Plasma is especially strange in that it is. plasma. But it's basically what explosions are. The stardust itself splits and causes a chain reaction of splitting creating an absolute nuke of power which is just plain cataclysmic, as well as just being very hard to control! So they have to be extremely careful with it. This does mean other electric quirks can explode stardust also, and if it goes inside him, boom boom.

can cause

severe electrical burns

blinding

disorientation

stunning

explosions (not a side effect it just does that)

Apart from just what it does, it comes with a variety of side effects that can affect their regular life. Because of how dangerous his quirk is to everyone, they choose not to most of the time.

Will be edited more later!!! i just want to post this already omg.