#the original yang gang!

[endlesslytired]

so I'm pretty sure we all know about the HSR chat maker now

so I have been remaking many of my older HSR posts with it.

last post I made in this, therefore making a circle ig???

[museeofmoon]

Friday, 9th feb | Happy birthday to my cat, junwon!! Deciding to whip it out at 11 pm wasn't a wise idea, but i had fun sketching him. Nonetheless, i really wanted to color it, but i just can't take the risk of running it

[8&9/ 30]: What note-taking methods work best for you? / share a recent discovery?

My notes are a mix of basically outlining method tables and mind maps, most of it depends on the topic and information i need to absorb / recent discovery is that i can cook decent enough food [im learning to cook lmao]

[🎧]: Blossom_ ENHYPEN

[stray-lily]

[23:40]: Maknae on Top

-businessman/gang leader I.N.!au -bodyguards chan and changbin!au -an au basically inspired by the maknae on top mv

word count: 2k warnings: a sassy maknae, weapons (only mentioned)

"I truly believe we could have a strong alliance, Yang."

The desperate man didn't hear the scoff of the young man opposite to him at the meeting table. How could he, especially over that erratic heartbeat?

Twelve were seated at the dark wood table, the opposite end of the table filled by the thirteenth, the speaker. The room was sealed and monitored with backup systems upon backup systems, along with many other protocols Yang Jeongin didn't care to know the details of. They were, of course, created by his most trusted bodyguards. One of them stood just behind Jeongin's seat, his arms crossed in front of him to conceal the handgun he kept on him. The other was patrolling the floors in case this man decided to try anything like a fool would.

Jeongin pegged this one, out of everyone in the room, to be such a fool. He appeared an outsider, too, glancing around for a sense of comfort that this place would never give him. His lack of respect for the young businessman led him to wonder if he was used to being the top man in his neck of the woods.

It was time someone put him in his place.

Jeongin crooked his head, still scowling intensely at the man. While he was able to hide his shaking body in that navy suit, he was a menace at hiding the waver in his voice. Was he even trying?

The man, as expected, couldn't hold his eyes with Jeongin's, instead flicked them around to the other suited men in the room. He's worse than the receptionist.

Not many could stand his sharp eyes for long. Granted, he had a resting face to compliment the piercing eyes, but he nonetheless found it to become a little game. It was one of the few things he found amusement in anymore.

The ones that held his gaze longer? Those were who he tended to take interest in. Like his guards—CB and Spear, as their codes called them. They both kept their full names a secret from everyone but Jeongin himself. Even those coded names were secret to anyone on the right side of the law, being mere ghostly rumors to officers. Like the woman on the third floor.

No, he scowled deeper, not realizing the man flinched with fear of saying a wrong word he didn't recall. This is not about her, nor will it ever be.

"A-and this alliance, Yang, would ensure a-a rise in our respective shares..."

Oh, he was still rambling? Jeongin had a hard time not rolling his eyes.

This was the fifth time the man had referred to him by that family name. Yes, he was young for such a position as the head of his family's company. Age was no excuse for the biting manner he spoke that name, loathing to have to plead for this alliance. But the way she spoke it...

Knock it off.

"You seem on edge, sir," a new voice rose in the tense room, where thirteen pairs of eyes shift their gazes to. Was this the advisor? Jeongin could've laughed—even the advisor was fed up with the sickly, whining rant of the shaky man.

He stood and, placing a hand on his pectoral and extending the other to his chair, cued Navy Suit to sit. But Jeongin's eyes narrowed.

For a brief moment, the equally rare and infamous hook tattoo was visible just above his wrist. The dark ink didn't stand out as much against his leathery skin, but Jeongin would recognize it anywhere.

It begged the question, did his grey suit truly betray him, or did the man want him to see?

He'd have to speak with CB about it, then fill Spear in later. Jeongin held no doubt that he recognized the marking, too. Very few details like that went past his radar, even mentioning the smallest changes he saw in Jeongin when something was wrong—the man had eyes like a hawk.

Both guards were formidable allies in a world such as this.

"If I may, sir," the advisor continued, stepping from behind the other to the other end of the table, taking the spot far more comfortably than the other had. "I believe Mr. Wilfred wished to appease you amidst his ramblings." Navy Suit's ears flushed beet red, others chuckled. "He spoke so long and so quick because, as we all know, I imagine, your reputation precedes you, sir..."

The gentleman trailed off, spinning his own flourish on the exact words Navy Suit—right, Wilfred—just said. But, Jeongin had to admit, his voice was much smoother to the ears.

His honeyed voice likely was how he worked his way up to the strings around Wilfred, as even Jeongin, who admittedly wasn't paying much attention to either, could pick up on the similarities to each set of words. Not a puppet nor its master were welcome anywhere near his secrets—but they didn't need to learn that.

The advisor's mouth moved, but Jeongin still didn't listen. CB could fill him in on anything important, if there was any.

He forced himself to focus again when the unmistakable, glowering growl of his guard rumbles in his ear. That rumble was always a warning: the next move he'd make would be for his gun or knife, each to kill.

Jeongin realized that he'd been following the gentleman with unfocused eyes. He stood at the border of too close—couldn't he see the annoyance laced in his eyes? Everyone else could, apparent by the way they sucked in and held their breaths.

"So?" The advisor looked down at Jeongin, standing with his hands clasped in front of him, poised with a disgusting confidence that made the younger raise a brow. "Can we shake a deal, sign the date this alliance was formed?"

Jeongin was always good at controlling the puppet masters.

With a fake half-smile, he lied through his teeth. "Allow me a copy of all of your papers, let me speak it over with a few others privately, and we'll talk."

The puppet master smiled, proud of the shape of his lies, unaware that the lies he's been fed have only just begun.

Jeongin dismissed the group, accepting the bow the puppet master and his puppet gave him with a forward tilt of his head. Hopefully, one or both of them would do something that would warrant a strike by a faceless gang leader that was in power long before Jeongin took the business over. I.N., the leader called himself, and that was a name whispered in most every meeting. What if this turns I.N.'s gaze to us next? Would he target us?

How amusing those comments were, as the very leader they feared was in the same room as they were. Hiding in plain sight.

"Be honest," CB said after the door closed behind the last man, using that voice that Jeongin knew all-too-well. "How much of that did you listen to?"

"Minimal, my friend."

He rolled his eyes. "They're gone. You know you can—"

"Ah, ah! Someone might be listening."

"Still paranoid, I see," he replied in that gruff voice people seemed to swoon over. He was endlessly ogled at by men and women alike, sometimes he'd flirt back, but it never interfered with his job. Jeongin respected that more than he thought he would.

"I'm still alive, am I not?" He challenged the other by raising a brow. He's delightfully met by the silence of his guard, who began the sweep of the room for any sort of foreign devices.

Moments after the search was proven empty, a knock rapped against the door. Three, Jeongin imagined CB would note, sharp and quick.

CB opened the door, his dark clothing moving around him and heavy boots being surprisingly quiet. He peered through before opening it wider. Spear walked through, tugging a young woman behind him that looked rather lean next to his built form.

She was tall, maybe a few centimeters shorter than CB if she stood next to him, but that didn't stop her from wearing heeled boots with her neat attire. Jeongin knew who she was the moment she shifted her gaze from the muscular guard to him.

The woman from floor three.

"I think you'll want to hear her out," Spear said, though it sounded more throaty with the faint irritancy that rolled off of him. She seemed to pick up on that, too. Did something happen in their encounter?

Jeongin wondered if she was anything like that receptionist in the rare times that one's been with all three in a room. It didn't seem that way when she had to deliver things to his office, but still. Would this woman fantasize a pleasurable night with the three? Or would she shake like a leaf the minute she was in their limelight?

She saw Spear's phrase as her cue to step out from behind the guard, stealing her wrist from his hard grasp. Seems neither aroused nor fearful. Nice change. She held up her phone with a poorly lit photo that made Jeongin frown.

"Why would I want to see a bad photo of a desk?"

"Not the desk," she said, sighing deeply with it. "What's against the leg and the underside."

Jeongin scowled at her tone, but looked anyway. If Spear said it was worth it, it was. He trusted him.

Just as she said, between the angle where the underside of the writing desk met the straight board acting as a leg was a thin black cube.

"Where is this?"

"The spare desk by the stairs, sir. The one company guests use. I was asked to tidy up after one of the last guests when I noticed it."

Jeongin tilted his head. "And is it with you?"

"I didn't remove it, no. Seems someone thought that was an ideal spot to monitor, and you can't track a destroyed device." She covered her phone with her hands, clasped gracefully in front of her. Her shoulders were rolled back comfortably, and she held Jeongin's sharpening gaze as it was. "As it's your company, I hoped to tell you in person, sir, so it would be dealt with as you saw fit."

"You spoke to no one else of this before you found him?" Jeongin's eyes flicked to Spear, alluding to who he referred to without saying the forbidden name.

"No one, sir."

Perhaps she could become his set of eyes and ears. She wouldn't be nearly as intimidating as his guards. She'd be able to creep around where the three of them would not be able to so as easily.

"Good."

Jeongin paused, flicking his eyes to Spear first. His arms were crossed over, showing off the muscular arms he used to slightly envy. The familiar scowl was prominent on his face, even if it was partially shrouded partially by a mask. It was the slightest shift of his chin down that let him know he was likely thinking similarly.

He looked at CB next. He was much easier to read than Spear but held an equally intimidating scowl that few could read beyond. He grit his jaw, more apprehensive in the young man's idea that he no doubt caught on to. But CB knew the other side of the law better than any of the three—he was, of course, raised far outside it—and he knew the importance of subtle, trusted intel.

He turned back to the young woman. She stood just as strong as she did before, but her gaze darted between the three men more often than before. She caught on to the presence of a silent conversation, but seemed wary of what it could be about.

Mind set, Jeongin tipped his head down to stare at her face. He was surprised how quickly she met it, and how firmly she stayed matched it. He let one side of his lip lift softly before speaking in a low tone.

"How are you with secrets?"

—

a/n: a friend of mine got this bop stuck in my head again so i decided to roll fully with it and do a gang leader/businessman i.n.-with-bodyguards-au of sorts :) and as a tall stay, i had to include a tall gal😅

idk i kinda like how it turned out...part of me wants to make this into a full series (whelp)

and 230208—happy IN day! this has been in my drafts for a number of months (whoops) and i don't think there's a better time to post it :) a happy birthday to our baby bread <3

hope you enjoyed this little distraction from life! take care loves! -nyx <3

[quokkatastic]

[SKZ] Forgotten Promises

Yang Jeongin x Nam Haeri

♥︎ ♤

Gang/Mafia AU - Friends > Lovers

Triggers - Swearing, Violence

MASTERLIST / FRACTIONS

Summary:

Best friends from childhood, growing up together, telling each other everything, even going to the same schools and ditching everything to spend each other’s birthdays together; Jeongin and Haeri are inseparable from each other.

However, recently Jeongin has been incredibly distant almost cutting off full contact with her without any explanation; avoiding her at school, hanging out with older students, sometimes not being in school at all. None of it makes sense, especially Jeongin not explaining anything.

But what if when Jeongin tries to talk with her when he realises she’s not handling the distance well she now has a target on her back?

Chapters:

Current goal is 10 but not the aim overall

This is also being pre-written before I publish anything, so once the first chapter is released then I’ve already finished the story.

(Line through the chapter means it’s not published yet)

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

[angstandhappiness]

INTERESTING nice art! Intricate and fascinating

tell me, how is a god made?

[murderedbyhomework]

Kinda scared to post this but

translation of the last chapter of mlc novel not including the extra here:

If anyone doesn’t want to click into google docs full translation plus an extremely lengthy translator’s note underneath the cut

Main Text:

Di Feisheng had already crossed blades with all the main sects consecutively. Except for the Shaolin1 “Empty of tricks” Abbot who insisted against fighting, and Wudang2 “Purple haze” Daozhang3, who had been in seclusion for a long time, he was nearly undefeated in this world.

25th of August.

From the day they’d plummeted into the sea, till now, 13 years had almost passed.

Di Feisheng arrived at the shore of the East Sea very early, at a little village called “Grave of Clouds”, where everyone in the village was surnamed Yun4. The beach outside the village was very clean, with pearly white sand and an aquamarine sea, its waters reflecting the cloudless blue sky.

As if recalling the weather that year, on this patch of the beach, there was a great reef named “Sun Summoning”.

On some unknown date, an unknown person carved on this rock in unrestrained and majestic handwriting. As of now, miniscule sea conches had buried themselves in the deepest nooks and crannies of the calligraphy, but they could not take away from the magnificence of those winning loops and strong strokes5.

Di Feisheng stood on this very reef, clad in green billowing robes, just as he had all those years ago. In all honesty, he could kill Li Lianhua very easily, but what he wanted to achieve victory over, was not Li Lianhua himself, but Li Xiangyi’s swordsmanship.

13 years ago, he’d won the match, only because Li Xiangyi had been severely poisoned, but even poisoned, he’d still been able to do great damage to Di Feisheng. That move “The bright moon sinks in the west sea”, and the resulting 10 years spent on a sickbed, was engraved not just in his memory but in his bones, his heart6, for the rest of his life. 

Today.

Di Feisheng felt that he could even just use half his true power to fight. He was going to kill Li Xiangyi. But not before he could crack his “The bright moon sinks in the west sea”. Besides, that man was crafty and resourceful, and in 13 years, perhaps he’d perfected maneuvers that surpassed “The bright moon sinks in the west sea”.

Di Feisheng stood on the “Sun Summoning” reef, and his heart faintly looked forward to the fight.

Beneath the reef, around 100 people stood there.  The heads of Sigu Sect of course came, which among them included Qiao Wanmian. Emei7 Sect sent some young disciples, the gang of beggars sent 3 elders, Wudang Sect had Lu Jianchi, and even Shaolin Temple had some bald young monks arriving.

Among this motley crew of unusual people, a big golden and flashy sedan was what caused people to gape in tongue-tied disbelief8. The walls of the sedan were made of golden satin, which were embroidered with colorful phoenixes. The four people carrying it may have worn simple clothes, but with their arrogant attitude and blank expressions, it was clear that they were highly trained martial artists.

Sitting in the sedan was naturally great Young Master Fang and Princess Zhaoling. Outside, there stood a blank faced scholar, whose face was quite darkly tanned. Confronted with such a strange sight, members of the martial world kept their distance from it, exchanging hurried whispers and theories.

Fang Duobjng actually wasn’t willing to ride the sedan here at all. He’d originally planned to throw his wife off his trail, climb over the wall, and leave, spending the better half of the next year free to do whatever. Unbeknownst to him, his wife knew the tune his soul strummed out9 too well, and, knowing that her husband was about to run away, cheerfully prepared a grand sedan and carriages, sorted out their duties, and came here hand to hand with her ‘good husband’.

Along with this loving couple came Yang Yunchun. He’d been curious about the legend of Li Xiangyi and Di Feisheng for long, and had practically been raised on their stories. As a practitioner of martial arts, why wouldn’t he be curious? On the reef, Di Feisheng seemed as imposing as the mountains and the abyss, his impressive aura reaching far and wide10. To Yang Yunchun, this sight greatly expanded his horizons, and he silently praised how people of the Jianghu were indeed different from the ones in court.

And yet even as Di Feisheng stood on that reef for 4hours, until it was past noon, nobody caught a glimpse of Li Xiangyi’s figure.

The crowd began exchanging theories in hushed whispers, Ji Hanfo’s forehead creased, as did Xiao Zijin. Bai Jiangchun had started to quietly order his attendants around, and Qiao Wanmian had unconsciously adopted a troubled expression.

Fang Duobing poked his head out from the sedan, “Why hasn’t he arrived after so long? Li Xiangyi wouldn’t have broken his promise right?”

Princess Zhaoling said quietly, “With an event of this magnitude, if he’s that unique among his contemporaries, a god amongst men11, how could he miss this? What if he’s had something happen to him?”

Di Feisheng stood on the reef, clear in mind and heart. Li Xiangyi was cunning, his late arrival was possibly a way for him to throw him off balance. At this moment, a large horse galloped towards the crowd, and someone called loudly from quite a distance away; “Young Master! Young Master! First Young Master!”

Fang Duobing leaped out from the sedan, brows drawn together, and asked, “What happened? During such an important moment, the Fang family somehow decides to send a messenger to yell and cause trouble, is it not really embarrassing?”

The servant boy had sped here by horse, and his breath was nearly gone, his face pale as he raised up a letter.”Young master, young master, this is a letter.”

Fang Duobing replied, not particularly good-natured in tone, “Of course I can tell that’s a letter. Hand it over!”

The servant boy handed over the crumpled up letter, turning paler by the second in fear, “This is Li Xiangyi’s letter…..”

“What kind of letter has to be delivered right now? Since when was Fang Family matters decided by this respectable one12?”

In a moment of infuriation, the phrase “this respectable one” fell from his lips, and yet Fang Duobing suddenly paused, “Li Xiangyi’s letter? His letter wasn’t sent to Sigu Sect instead? Why was it sent to me?”

He’d already been taking quite loudly, and after he said this sentence, everyone turned to look at him, and surrounded him and the servant boy quickly.

Li Xiangyi’s letter? Why would he send a letter to the Fang Family? And why wasn’t he here in person? Fang Duobing nervously opened the letter, his fingers trembling. The letter was a very commonplace piece of white paper, and on it was very familiar handwriting.

It wrote:

During the battle of the East Sea 13 years ago, this one, surnamed Li, used the advantage of concealed weaponry, and took the chance of a sinking ship to battle with you, yet was unable to emerge victorious. Your bravery and honor is near unmatched in this world, this one’s defeat graciously and gladly accepted. many years have passed, this one has succumbed to illness and cannot recover, blade broken and spirit departed, thereby unable to attend the promise of the east sea, much to this one’s regret.

Fang Duobing stared at that familiar handwriting, and only after a few sentences, he felt cold all over, and he could only see the letter say:

The mountains and rivers ever endure, ever changing. Departure follows departure, and my time has come. Today Xiao Zijin of Sigu Sect has trained with his sword valiantly for many years, and is not inferior to “the bright moon sinks in the west sea”. You pursue not a fleeting moment, not a deer in flight, but strive towards the martial world’s peak. This one has departed, and should you be dissatisfied, please request Sect Leader Xiao to take my place.

Fang Duobing’s face was deadly pale, and he looked at that last sentence:

Li Xiangyi passed on 13th July.

“What did the letter say?”

Ji Hanfo and Xiao Zijin walked over shoulder to shoulder, the crowd scattering out of their way, yet still poking their heads around in curiosity. Fang Duobing swallowed with difficulty, and when he opened his mouth his voice was hoarse. 

“He said…...”

Xiao Zijin’s gaze was filled with a fierce light, and he grabbed Fang Duobing by his robes at his chest. 

“What did he say?”

He was infuriated beyond belief, how dare Li Xiangyi break his promise to avoid a fight! This shameless type of vile character practically took Sigu Sect’s face and threw it out of the nine heavens13! If he did show up later, even if Di Feisheng didn’t kill him, he would!

“He said….. .he said…...” Fang Duobing looked at Xiao Zijin blearily, “He said he was already dead, so he can’t come, and he asked you……he asked you to take his place.”

“What?” Ji Hanfo exclaimed, and snatched the letter.

Xiao Zijin blinked, startled.

“What?”

“He said he’s already dead, so he can’t come, and that he regrets it a lot……” Fang Duobing mumbled. “He said…... he said your sword skill was very good, better than his, so he asked you to take his place.

The flame of fury burning in Xiao Zijin’s chest shot up into the heavens in an instant. 

“What do you mean he’s already dead? Why does he want me to take his place? This is his oath of battle! This is his place! Why do I have to take his place?”

“He said…….” Fang Duobing said dazedly.

“Because you’re Sigu Sect Leader. Di Feisheng…….. is here to duel the Sigu Sect Leader, is he not?”

Xiao Zijin paused, dazed by the words.

“Why didn’t he come? If he came…... If he came I’d have….... returned the position to him….... returned it to him……”

He didn’t know why he said this, but somehow it came out so smoothly and naturally, as if he’d already said it in his heart a hundred million times. Fang Duobing shook his head. 

“He said his blade was broken and his spirit was gone……. He’s already…....” 

His voice was soft.

“He’s already dead.”

After that, he paid Xiao Zijin no more attention, and shakily walked back to his sedan.

“What is it?” Princess Zhaoling looked at him in concern.

Fang Duobing stood dazedly next to the sedan, and after what seemed like an eternity, the corner of his mouth twitched.

“Say……Darned Lianhua isn’t Li Xiangyi right?”

Next to the sedan, Shi Wenjue had watched as he became near dumb after reading the letter, and he hmphed.

“Pah! This respectable one told you ages ago, Li Lianhua is Li Xiangyi, Li Xiangyi is Li Lianhua, it was you who’d die rather than believing it. What is it? He sent you a letter? Now you believe it? Hahahahaha, he tricked us both so many years, it really is entertaining.”

Fang Duobing shook his head.

“Tell me— Darned Lianhua isn’t Li Xiangyi—“ Shi Wenjue was taken back.

“What is it?” Fang Duobing lifted his head.

“He sent a letter to Di Feisheng, he said…... he said he’s already dead, so he asked Xiao Zijin to take his place in the duel today.”

Shi Wenjue stared at Fang Duobing, as if in that instant, he’d become a piece of rock or a monster. Fang Duobing stared back in dazed confusion.

“Why did he have to send a letter to me? How nice would it have been if he hadn’t sent it?” 

If he hadn’t sent it, I would never have known the truth.

Shi Wenjue dumbly looked back at Fang Duobing. All around them were so many people, yet in his eyes, they were but stone. Li Xiangyi was dead? That liar was dead? Why would he die? Wasn’t he Li Xiangyi? Li Xiangyi should’ve been…….undying.

“Was it really because of…… those injuries?” Shi Wenjue mumbled.

“Skies above…... I’d clearly known, yet…… yet I left— Skies above—”

Fang Duobing turned around, grabbing him all of a sudden and lifting him up, and snarled,

“What did you know?”

Shi Wenjue’s smile was more terrible than if he’d started crying.

“The liar has a lot of injuries, really severe old injuries…..probably remnants from when he fell into the sea…….”

Fang Duobing paused for asecond, and he wanted to continue yelling, but instead loosened his grip and put Shi Wenjue down.

“Whatever” He murmured, “Whatever whatever…...” He lifted his head to look at the turquoise sea and cerulean sky. 

“This respectable one has known him for so many years, we ate and drank and even relieved ourselves in front of each other, but didn’t I end up knowing nothing about him anyway?”

“Is he really dead?” Shi Wenjue stood back up. “Who knows, maybe he lied, and to avoid coming to the duel, he’d pull something of this magnitude.”

Fang Duobing dazedly looked at the clear sunny sky, and shoke his head.

“He’s not pulling a trick. He might be a liar and a trickster, but he never really did trick anyone much……. not really, it’s just that you and I didn’t understand…....” His voice faded into a murmur.

“We just……. we just never took him seriously.”

On the reef, Di Feisheng had also heard about Li Xiangyi’s last letter, where he requested Xiao Zijin to take his place. After listening, he calmly tilted his head towards the sunlight and flew away, too disdainful to even cross blades with Xiao Zijin.

Yet Xiao Zijin was also unwilling to fight with him. He still couldn’t think it through, as to why Li Lianhua would rather run away than kill him that day, but suddenly died without a trace?

He’d said blade broken and spirit departed. Was it really that back then, when he’d shattered Wenjing, he’d also destroyed his chance of staying alive? Xiao Zijin felt horrified. What if….. what if it really was himself……. who had forced Li Xiangyi to death? He’d wanted him dead with singleminded passion, yet now when he really seemed to be dead, Xiang Zijin felt it was incomprehensible and unacceptable. Li Xiangyi was undying, he was undefeatable. He was supposed to be a godly presence, and no matter how Xiao Zijin treated him, how he spat hateful words or pointed swords at him, he should’ve never faded away and ceased to exist.

How could he just…... actually die? Was it because of the severe injuries he’d suffered years ago? When he’d been unwilling to kill, unwilling to end his own life that day, was it because—

Xiao Zijin’s face paled in an instant— could it be that Li Xiangyi didn’t want the former to kill him by his own hand! He didn’t want Xiao ZIjin to do someone he’d regret, or let Wanmian know he’d tried to force him to end his own life— so he couldn’t die at that moment! If he’d died then, Wanmian would’ve never forgiven Zijin.

So he’d jumped onto a fishing boat, to go…... to another place…... to die alone.

Xiao Zijin’s eyes reddened. He’d died alone, but when he died, was anyone there for him? Was there anyone who’d buried him, who’d given his corpse proper respects?

On the other end, the shore was silent in desolation, interspersed only by a few sobs, which were let out by some blue robed women in the corner. Ji Hanfo’s face was deathly pale to to extent of appearing gray, Bai Jiangchun collapsed to sit on the ground, and Shi Shui walked away silently. Xiao Zijin lifted his head to shout out sternly.

“Where did you die, Li Xiangyi? If you’re alive I’ll find you in person, if you’re dead I need to see your corpse. Even if I have to travel all over the world and overturn every inch of the ground, I will find you!”

Translator notes:

A sect for martial artists. One of the biggest, most prominent, most diverse martial arts sects with one of the longest histories in irl China. Present in reality and therefore referenced in a lot of works of literature as a martial arts sect

Wudang is a fictional martial arts school that’s often present in wuxia works of fiction

Daozhang, which might be familiar if you’ve read mdzs, is a title for very knowledgeable and spiritual people in Taoist believes. It can be extended to be used as a title of respect for any high up member of religion. In Taiwan it is also an address of respect between lawyers

Yun2 云 is the mandarin pronunciation for the words cloud. In the ancient times, entire tribes in China would often share the same surname and live together, and they’d often name the place they settled in after their own surname.

The chinese idiom used here was 银钩铁画 which refers to majestic calligraphy that deserves to win prizes essentially. The characters literally translated are silver, hooks/ticks, steel/metal, and strokes, so I went with half the idiom meaning and half the literal meaning.

Another chinese idiom (the author uses a lot honestly I’m just explaining the ones that I think deserve it) 刻骨銘心, which refers to a memory or experience being so unforgettable, it’s like it’s engraved into your bones and carved into your heart. ��� and 銘 both mean carve/engrave, while 骨 is bone and 心 is heart.

The sect is called 峨嵋 sect, which sounds perfectly fine in in chinese, and in fact is named after a place in Taiwan, but unfortunately if you translate it literally it’s something like “mountain peak” and “brows” respectively, which sounds weird so I left it as the pinyin instead. Know that I tried. 

Yet another idiom (Tengping I admire your literary ability and degree of culture, but please have mercy on the people translating ty <3) 瞠目结舌 which literally translated means to stare unblinking and unwaveringly, with your tongue tied. Mostly used to express great shock or disbelief.

The exact expression was zhiyin 知音, a term which anyone here who likes watching ‘bromance’ dramas will undoubtedly be familiar with. It actually doesn’t mean soulmate completely. Zhiji means something like “the one who knows me and my soul, my self utterly”, with zhi 知 being “to know/understand/comprehend” and ji 己 meaning “self”. Zhiyin therefore means something similar, but yin 音 means “sound”, or in this case “music”, so the meaning of this term would be “the one who understands the music my soul makes”. It originates from a very interesting story between friends Zhong Ziqi and Boya, and to summarize, Boya was a musician and Ziqi his friend, who despite his lack of formal education compared to Boya, could understand what Boya wanted to convey with every melody he performed, which is where the term zhiyin came from. 

The idioms in question are 岳峙淵渟，氣象磅礡´. The first idiom 岳峙淵渟 means that someone is as silent as an abyss(淵渟) and as tall and imposing as mountains(岳峙), and is a metaphor for one’s upstanding and noble character (岳峙 part), as well as how great their tolerance is (淵渟). For 氣象磅礡´, 氣象mostly refers to weather, but in this case refers to one’s aura, while 磅礴 means expansive and endless. 

Original idiom is 绝代謫仙, 絕代 means for one to be unique among one’s contemporaries, or to be the best within your generation. 謫仙 refers to gods who have been cast down into the mortal world, which extends to being a metaphor for people who are both noble in character and extremely talented, so much so that they seem otherworldly and unattached to the rest of the mortal world. God among men/mortals was the best translation I could condense this into.

The name Fang Duobing calls himself by is 老子 which can mean father, but in this case is a way for men to call themselves if they feel highly about themselves. Essentially it’s a pretty arrogant way to call yourself, because the title in the end can also mean father, so its a bit like someone saying “I’m your father” as in they have authority over/are senior compared to you

There’s a chinese saying 丢脸面which means to lose face. Xiao Zijin essentially wants to say that Li Xiangyi made Sigu Sect lose face so badly they can’t regain said “face” because it's 9 realms/heavens away. 

[reashot]

Ruby's new Hairstyle.

Yang: Oh Ruby your hair is so Long now. It's so beautiful. Tell me you gonna keep it?

Ruby: What. No! I hate long hair. It's hard to take care off, it's hot and they get in the way of a fight. I'm going to cut it right away.

Blake: I have to disagree I fought with long hair and I don't have problems with it.

Weiss: Me too.

Yang: Same. Maybe you should "git gud" Instead and join the long hair gang... I mean Yang. Dang I missed the timing for a perfect pun there.

Ruby: No means no! I don't like having long hair and that's that. I like my short hair. And there's no forces on Remnant that can make me want to have a long hair....

Somewhere within earshot of team RWBY

Nora: So Jaune do you like what I do with my hair?

Jaune: Oh I think it's really pretty. Is just that...

Ren: Is just what, Jaune?

Nora: *gasp* You hate what I did with my hair? That means you hate Women! Are you with the alt-right? I knew I shouldn't let you listen to that self help professor podcast.

Ren: *sigh* Nora I don't think that's what he meant by that.

Jaune: N-no it's nothing like that. I swear I'm a feminist...

Nora: Ewww a male feminist. I bet you are one because you want to get into a girl's pants.

Jaune: Y-you're impossible... What I meant to say is that your hair are incredible and you look beautiful Nora. Is just that I think you will look even better with a long hair.

Nora: My Jaune... I didn't know that you think of me like that. But I have to decline. Because I'm currently taken. *squeeze Ren*

Ren: Nora's joking aside. You Like girl with long hair Jaune?

Jaune: H-huh? Yes. I mean, I like girl with long hair, but I don't mind short hair too.

Nora: Ohhh... Our dear leader is down bad for long haired shawty. I'm sorry Jaune but I won't change my appearance for any boy. I mean just how desperate you have to be to do that....

Few weeks later

Jaune: Hey Ruby I haven't seen you in a while...

Ruby: *starts speaking in post accent* Oh Jaune I didn't see you there. How have you been? *swish her hair*

Jaune: Uh-I-Uh. Y-you look different. You're beautiful... I mean your hair looks beautiful. *blush*

Ruby: *giggle* why thank you for noticing Jaune. Say, Jaune. Do you want to go out with me? (Now I got his attention. You can't make excuse anymore Jaune. I will now make you fall in love with me. 😈)

[marubien]

How would you rewrite Mulan 2?

I'd just begin from scratch really. I tried to come up what would I keep from the existing sequel and I think that's maybe just the yin-yang necklaces. Which were a deleted idea from the first movie anyway.

Easy and lazy answer would be to go with whatever idea they had in Mulan 2's deleted scene, battle sequence, (check it out, it's super cool). It's like spy-ninja-duo of Mulan and Shang working like a badass couple. Mulan 2 concept arts (part 1, part 2) are not too bad either, and although they definitely have some usual Disney sequel cliches(eg. having the girl Mushu dragon), I'd still think I could enjoy it a bit more than what they ended up with.

Then there's Barry Cook's draft, aka the co-director of the original movie wrote synopsis for the potential sequel when he heard that Disney was considering of doing sequel to Mulan. In fact there was going to be Mulan 3 as well, apparently Mulan 2 ruined it as it was too badly received. There's hardly anything known of Barry Cook's draft details, just that soon-to-be-married Mulan and Shang are sent to north since things are happening there, and at the end there would have been an epic battle between Mulan's ancestors and Shan Yu's deceased army.

Actually I lied earlier what would be easiest and laziest. That would be just doing the visual novel The Palace of Secrets. Seriously I wouldn't change a thing.

There's many directions where one could go with the sequel really, some fanfics have done pretty amazing job exploring different options. I have made a post where I put up some fanfic recommendations, but some are like one-shots so they could hardly be sequels.

Personally, rather than a sequel movie I really really would like to see Mulan tv-series. Something like Tangled: the Series. It could have the sillier filler episodes but the main plot could be epic. Series could also make possible to explore side characters' character arc in more detail. I have played with this idea before too, with my friend @mulanxiaojie.

I'm quite satisfield how the first movie ended, but I'll list some pointers that I and I think most would like to see in a continuation story:

Mulan getting a career

Mulan and Shang getting together

Chi Fu x Matchmaker :P

And then some that are not really necessary but would be really interesting to see, just to list some of the potential sequel tv series could have:

Fa Zhou's past

Mulan's and Granma Fa's relationship

seeing the other guardians besides Mushu (and the Great Stone Dragon)

developing Gang of Three as invidual characters

exploring historical China

an actual villain (should be basic but the sequel didn't have that)

[xueyuverse]

Summary chapters 35-41 of Qiang Jin Jiu

Ah yes, Lanzhou killed Ji Lei.

"Or let's not... Being a homosexual cannot be considered a major problem, but it's not a minor problem either. It would be difficult to explain to both sides if we say it wrong. Second Young Master will get a beating."

These two having to watch Ce’an and Lanzhou 24/7 was one of the best things that happened in this novel. I think I can call them voyeurs now lol

Ce’an wants to know what Lanzhou’s internal martial art is for whatever reason. Lanzhou is weaker than him, so I don't know why he's so desperate. He is very suspicious akakak

There is someone Ji Gang asked Lanzhou to meet. Who? I have no idea 😃

Like a ghost, the man hid in the shadows and tried to escape.

And there's this other person too argh

“Although he didn't carry a sword with him, he is probably from the Imperial Bodyguards.”

Someone from the Imperial Bodyguards using foreign product that is exceptional in stealth. I can only think of someone like Ji Gang, but I don't think it's him.

“Ji Lei made a full confession about his intention to rebel in the Nanlin Hunting Ground.”

This bastard only confessed because he was literally on his last breath. Lanzhou terrified him akkakak

"It's truly abominable of the Hua Clan to conspire with the eunuchs and Imperial Bodyguards to plan a rebellion!"

And yet the Empress Dowager continues to emerge from this situation unscathed. I wanted to know why she, who did so much shit, doesn't receive a single unit of punishment.

Ding Tao said: "But wasn't Shen Wei the culprit? What does this have to do with Shen Zechuan?!"

It's simply for convenience. Shen Wei died, so they have no one to take out their anger on, all that's left is Lanzhou who bears the surname of someone he's never seen in his life because he was expelled from his clan. Lanzhou lost two people he loved because of Shen Wei, he knows very well what happened to the soldiers in the Chashi sinkhole because he was there, but everyone sees Lanzhou just as an extension of his father to be kicked and humiliated, as if his surname did not allow him to be a complete and individual human being.

Xiao Chiye needed an opportunity to shake some sense into the Imperial Army. And Tantai Hu today was that.

What I said before about these soldiers being very annoying to deal with.

“Tantai Hu came from Zhongbo. You know it. But you still switched him to yesterday's list so he could vent his anger and resentment.”

This right here made me suspicious of Chen Yang. Since he esteems Ce’an so much, then why do this? Is it just because of Lanzhou?

Xiao Chiye grabbed his hands and pinned them to the headboard. Smelling his perfume in the darkness, he said, "You sleep in my bed. You know very well what I think every night. You said I'm impressive. Shen Lanzhou, the impressive thing is you."

"I want to do this." Xiao Chiye lowered his head to face him. “I want to fuck you.”

And it is from here that we have a long sex scene between two people who hate each other. Enemies that are so enemies that it doesn't fit in your head and you need to have and shove hate up your ass.

Great Mentor Qi said, "The Imperial Bodyguards' deployment order is about to be issued soon, right? Where do you want to go?"

Shen Zechuan replied: "The Imperial Carriage Office. Near the Emperor."

And of course Ce’an is suspicious of his choice arrrgghhh someone make Ce’an stop for the love of God.

Xiao Chiye, originally Viceroy of the Imperial Army, also assumed the position of Commander of the Eight Great Training Divisions, thus legitimizing his authority over Qudu's patrols.

And so Li Jianheng withdraws the position that Emperor Xiande asked for because he is another fearful easily terrorized by the Xiao clan arrrgghhh 😭

The Ji clan dominates the Imperial Bodyguards, who are currently without a master, and Lanzhou has the protection of Ji Gang. I think Ce’an suspects (as always) that Lanzhou wants to be the master of the Imperial Bodyguards, which really makes sense.

[mizldrizl]

The way he addresses/refers to the woman.

Seo Do Young: 오랜만이에요, 형수. 아니, 이젠 제수씨인가. / Long time no see, sis. Wait. You're with another man now.

The literal translation of the lines would be "Long time no see, hyungsoo. Wait, no, should I call you jesoo-ssi?" In Korean, "형수(님) (hyungsoo/hyungsoo-nim)" refers to the wife of your hyung/hyung-nim (older brother), and "제수씨 (jesoo-ssi)" to the wife of your dongsaeng (younger brother), when you are male. (Mind you, it is not just about whether the man is older or younger than you; it can be also about his position in the hierarchy, especially within a crime gang.) Park Je Yi was originally the lover of Kim Yoo Seong (the boss), and later, of Heo Yang Ho (the third-in-command). As Do Young is the second-in-command, he is mockingly musing how Je Yi was once his boss' woman, but recently was sleeping with his subordinate. It is also notable that Do Young does not add "님 (nim)" to "형수 (hyungsoo)," a suffix that is used to be more polite to the addressee. Apparently, Do Young does not want to show respect to Je Yi at all.

Jung Gi Cheol: 인사해, 너희들 형수님 될 사람이다. / Say hello to my future wife.

Again, the original line has "형수님 (hyungsoo-nim)" in it, which would make the literal translation "Say hello to your future hyungsoo-nim." Gi Cheol is the leader of the gang, and therefore every member of it should treat his future wife with the same level of respect and dignity. Also note that Gi Cheol uses "형수님 (hyngsoo-nim)" instead of just "형수 (hyungsoo)," which is a clear message for them to be polite to her.

[pudgy-planets]

Yes, all of the characters here as 18+. Both Canon and OC’s.

This blog is heavily canon-divergent and bases everything off of the ending of Sailor Stars and beyond.

Rules

Side-Blogs:

@poignantandplumppleiades

Temporary Character Post Below:

Blog Canon Weights

Usagi: 65,000,000 kg, Mamoru: 58,000,000 kg, Ami: 24,000,000 kg, Rei: 26,000,000kg, Makoto: 31,000,00kg, Minako: 25,500,00 kg, Haruka: 32,000,000 kg, Michiru: 24,600,000 kg, Setsuna: 20,750,000 kg

CereCere, PallaPalla, JunJun, VesVes: 204kg.

ChibiUsa: 29,000 kg, Hotaru: 10,000kg

Ikuko: 2,000 kg, Naru: 5,560 kg, Haruna: 4,500 kg.

Canons

Senshi(and Allies):

Usagi Tsukino, Ami Mizuno, Rei Hino, Minako Aino, Makoto Kino, Haruka Tenou, Michiru Kaiou, Setsuna Meiou, Mamoru Chiba, Hotaru Tomoe, Usagi ‘Small Lady (Chibiusa)’ Serenity.

CereCere, VesVes, JunJun, PallaPalla, Phobos and Deimos, Luna, Artemis,

Queen Serenity, Sailor Cosmos.

Dark Kingdom: Queen Beryl.

Black Moon Clan:

Koan Ayakashi, Berthier Ayakashi, Calaveras Ayakashi, Petz Ayakashi, Esmeraude.

Death Busters/Witches 5:

Eudial, Mimete, Tellu, Viluy, Cyprine, Ptilol, Kaolinite.

Dead Moon Circus:

Queen Nehelenia.

Shadow Galactica:

Sailor Galaxia, Sailor Iron Mouse/Chuuko Nezu, Sailor Tin Nyanko/Nyanko Suzu, Sailor Aluminum Siren/Reiko Aya, Sailor Lead Crow/Akane Karasuma, Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon/Cho Moriama.

Others:

Haruna Sakurada, Naru Osaka, Mayumi Osaka, Ikuko Tsukino,

Extended SMooniverse Characters (Originals):

Tsukino-Chiba-Meiou Children:

Setsuna ‘Dark Lady (ChibiSetsa)’ Serenity-Endymion-Hades, Uchu Tsukino-Chiba-Meiou, Sheraton.

Hino-Aino Children:

Rei Jr, Maseru, Rukia, Makino, Rinako, Mei, Mido, Ryoko.

Mizuno-Kino-Reas Children:

Asterion Mizuno-Kino-Reas, Aoi Mizuno-Kino-Reas, Akimi Jun (Adoptive), Yoshikage Ryuunosuke (Adoptive)

Tenou-Kaiou Children:

Hotaru Tomoe (Adoptive), Kaito Tenou-Kaiou, Seiichi Tenou-Kaiou.

The Shigecko Family:

Hiromi ‘Hana-Chan’ Shigecko, Hanako ‘Hana-Chan’ Shigecko, Honoka ‘Hono-Chan’ Shigecko, Hozumi ‘Hozu-Chan’ Shigecko, Himiko ‘Himi-Chan’ Shigecko, Hojiko ‘Hoji-Chan’ Shigecko-Plutus.

The Quinn Family:

Sagacious, Nevermore, Samantha, Nash. (And their cats: Sabrina, Hex, Twitch, Alch, Nightshade, Merlin, Raven, the twins: Grim and Reaper, Banshee, Phantom, Shadow, Friday, Thirteen, and Lady Charlie Higgleton Flobbenglagger Ploppingschmire Sinnimodana the First.)

The Apples Gang:

Samantha, Mika, Omareki, Sukia, Pearl, Magnus, Flowerchild (Magnamor), Umibozu(Magnamor), Ihy, Xenon, Helium, Argon, Radon, Genesis.

The Wicked Witches:

Hae-Won, Ji-Soo and Joon-Woo, Yang.

The Student Council:

President: Stheno Magnamor.

The Katsubara Family:

Yuu Katsubara, Kyomi Katsubara, [Redacted]

The Seven Peaks Conglomerate Clan:

Lena Xènia Gimenez Medina-Yamamoto, Ohta Isabel Medina-Yamamoto, Rai Yamanashi, Akira Shizuoka.

Aya-Karasuma Family:

Toriana Karasuma-Aya, Sheraton (Charge)

Ayakashi-Reas Family:

Chikao Ayakashi-Reas, [Redacted]

Others: Mackenzie Lackamaster, Filammentalia, Azaramonthia, Iris PillOwSkee, Sana Sunomiya, Chuatury Panlunch, Cassie Summers, Sarasami Sarasami, Zuimu Matsushita.

Kid Meme Characters:

Rei the III, Mitsuko Hino-Aino, Hyoga Mizuno-Kaiou.

[the-monkey-ruler]

Happily Ever After (2007) 凡间新仙人

Director: He Faming Screenwriter: Xu Liwen / Peng Kaiyi / Lin Jinlan / Sun Yiqun Starring: Huang Junxiong / Bai Weixiu / Chen Liping Genre: Drama / Fantasy Country/Region of Production: Singapore Language: Mandarin Chinese Number of episodes: 20 Single episode length: 45 minutes Also known as: Happily Ever After IMDb: tt12404462 Type: Crossover

Summary:

Every July 7th, Niulang and Zhinu meet on the Qixi Festival... Time flies, and now it is two thousand years later. One day, the magpie offered a plan to instigate Niulang and Zhinu to elope. When Niulang and Zhinu elope, they are caught by the gods and demoted to the human world as mortals. ... Wang Tianqin and Yang Tianying always meet unexpectedly on the seventh day of the seventh month every year, but they can't meet. Mrs. Wang always tries to make them meet, but Yang Jian tries his best to destroy it. It seems that this is the wonderful fate between Wang Tianqin and Yang Tianying, and also the struggle between Mrs. Wang and Yang Jian... Many gods in heaven learn from Niulang and Zhinu to elope.

Wang Tianqin/Zhinu (played by Bai Weixiu) grew up in a well-off family. Her parents died accidentally when she was five years old. A wealthy woman who calls herself Madam Wang (played by Chen Liping) adopted Wang Tianqin. Since then, Wang Tianqin has grown up in a good environment. Yang Tianying/Niulang (played by Huang Junxiong) was not so lucky. He was abandoned in a garbage chute by a cruel unmarried mother when he was born. Later, he was sent to an orphanage and then sponsored by Yang Jian (played by Yao Wenlong), starting his rough childhood.

Chang'e (played by Xie Wanyu) and Zhu Bajie (played by Yang Zhilong) failed to elope and were finally demoted to the mortal world. This "elopement trend" caused dissatisfaction among the gods. At this time, the gods led by Erlang Shen, Yang Jian demanded that the position of the Jade Emperor be selected by the selection system and not be re-elected. The Jade Emperor wanted to abdicate and leave, but the Queen Mother did not allow it. She also made a bet with Yang Jian that if the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl could love each other in the mortal world, the two could return to the Heavenly Palace and restore the original order of the Heavenly Palace; if not, the Jade Emperor had to abdicate. Yang Jian agreed, and from then on the Heavenly Palace was divided into two major factions. Yang Jian went down to the mortal world to help raise the Cowherd/Yang Tianying, and the Queen Mother was responsible for adopting the Weaver Girl/Wang Tianqin. The war between the Queen Mother and Yang Jian began...

On the other hand, Wu Gang (played by Zhang Yaodong), who had secretly loved Chang'e for a thousand years, was very anxious when he saw Chang'e being demoted to the mortal world. At the same time, the magpie confessed that Wu Gang was the god who instigated the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl to elope. Wu Gang violated the heavenly rules, and the Queen Mother wanted Wu Gang to become her "agent" in order to protect the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. Wu Gang agreed to this task in order to meet Chang'e in the mortal world. The Chang'e who was demoted to the mortal world was named Lu Yue, and everyone called her Ah Moon. She was poor since childhood and was determined to become rich or marry a rich man. Ah Moon often did whatever it took to achieve her goals.

Zhu Bajie came to the mortal world and became the son of a wealthy man, "Mr. Zhu" Zhu Wanjin, a veritable dandy. In addition to having a mutually beneficial relationship with Ah Moon, he fell in love with Tianqin, which destroyed the relationship between Tianying and Tianqin, and indirectly became a member of Yang Jian's faction... Later, Wang Tianqin and Yang Tianying finally met, and the two remembered the past and were "reunited" sweetly. Unfortunately, the two had different personalities, backgrounds, and ideas, and could not live together well. The two always had conflicts, and Chang'e, Zhu Bajie, Yang Jian and others continued to sabotage, making the process even more difficult...

Source: https://tv-1.chinesemov.com/tv/2007/Happily-Ever-After

Link: N/A

[divinecomedyproductions]

Unpopular RWBY Opinions

Some of these things are incorporated into my reimagined RWBY AU(not all of them) and my original stories

1. Arkos, BlackSun, Iceberg, and Renora should have survived and get a happy ending, I don’t give a damn about Pyrrha’s name or allusion.

2. RWBY didn’t have to be a super dark epic, it’s become pretentious. Maybe more akin to Star Wars or Justice League Unlimited

3. Adam should have just been an initial antagonist who doesn't commit super horrible things, the psycho abusive ex was melodramatic and dumb. Wether he joins the good guys or ends tragically is up to anybody.

4. Maybe we were better off without the Salem/Ozma conflict and have WTCH as individual arc villains with their own minions

5. I think Roman, Cinder, and their gang should have been just morally grey found family characters like Boba Fett, some kind of gang of thieves akin to those in Baccano or something and just help or hinder the cast like Team Rocket or something but not as silly. 

With Cinder and Roman becoming a couple and kinda like a "Gomez and Mortica" pair and Emerald and Merc hooking up, and Emerald and Neo would be like their daughters and Merc the son-in-law. I might recycle that idea for one of my original stories thats inspired by Skullgirls and Baccano who's protagonist sis something of an Anti-Cinder and an Anti-Torchwick with a ragtag gang fighting against a corrupt government run by a demonic-powered mafia.

6. Maybe RWBY could have been more like a Dragonball/Fairy Tail universe instead in terms of tone and narrative structure, and that wouldn’t have been a bad thing.

7. At the very least, Ozma and Salem could have been an explanation of the origin of the world and just something that would be rediscovered overtime and Ozpin and his circle are some keepers of ancient myth or something. Like The Jedi Order or The Time Lords or something idk.

8. Kinda feel Oscar wasn’t necessary, as much as I like him

9. Maybe the corrupt SDC and Bad Dad Jacques was also needless, maybe just one of the few good underdog companies in Atlas and Jack being initially a bit too hard on Weiss due to upholding the family’s honor and chivalry but means well and initial harsh nature involving his wife, a scientist who worked with Dr.Watts and Dr. Poldenia, being murdered at the hands of an anti-Faunus milita group and Watts having some role in it. Mostly because I'm just exhausted of the "Bad Dad" trope

10. Have Watts have a megacorporation and be the corrupt company in Atlas instead who’s responsible for their tech and uses unethical Faunus labor in his factories(even though in secret Watts just hates everybody) instead and have a bitter rivalry with Jacques and The SDC, especially due to Jack and Arthur’s personal history regarding Mrs.Schnee.

11. Hazel should have just been a Meta-Knight like character, a good guy but on nobody’s side with a grudge against Ozpin for understandable reasons, he has bear claw-like gauntlet weapons, and becomes a rival to Yang seeing his sister in her and is the “Papa Bear” to her “Goldilocks”

12. Bumbleby is a bad ship and it’s fandom are filled with bitter shrews who use it as representation despite how toxic it is.

13. Disagreeing with Monty’s vision isn’t inherently malicious.

14. I agree with @sytokun making Blake basically a Princess and have loving parents who are also influential was also dumb. Make her an Orphan with the WF/Team RWBY her found family instead. Or I would at least give her a “dead dad” with her Mom living in Menagerie but not as a “Chieftess” aka a QUEEN. They called themselves Cheiftan and Chieftess because it sounded cute.

[tumblingxelian]

Some of the asks sent to @citadelofmythoughts had me musing on all those RWBY fanfic animation projects proclaiming to be rewrites.

Firstly, I am eternally vexed that there's so much energy and resources being spent on stuff that spins the wheels of Beacon forever or is basically the original series but with screenshots & also bad.

Like, can you not imagine how cool it would be to be having fan projects around "What of RWBY were dragon riders" or "What if RWBY were super heroes?" or "What if RWBY but older, Weiss never escaped Atlas, Blake's now a general in the White Fang, Ruby is Weiss's bodyguard & Yang's a WF double agent & also dating Blake" AU.

This is also why I don't take any real issue with that Qrow centric project as that at least exploring a less utilized character, new or rare locations and original story beats.

I am also suddenly reminded that ages back I full on considered trying to get a group together for a RWBY fan project. I can't recall the name now, but it was basically an ABRN-AU.

Or more, "Explore these side characters by making up backstories for them and giving them a fun little arc". In this case each got a color trailer and had a local villain in the form of a gang boss to beat cos some team members pissed them off.

But I didn't have the 3D skills then that I do now, or the time sadly & I imagine it might not have taken off anyway, but cest-la-vie.

As it is, I think there's a couple of reasons why this keeps happening.

Though, to be clear, I know some people who work on some of these and are both very nice and some do have people that really like the show making them, or who at least aren't RWDE levels of "CRTQ".

This is more talking about their general explosive number and scale compared to more original or challenging projects.

Firstly, on a pure production level it is easier long term to make a handful of fairly iconic set pieces and then have the characters just hang around there. As opposed to exploring, seeing new places, meeting new characters and doing new things. Almost like producing something at the scale of actual RWBY is really hard and expensive.

Secondly, even when people do like RWBY make these projects they have a vested interest in keeping it to pre V3/Pre-Fall era stuff. Reason being the RWDE crowd has proven time and again willing to throw money hand over fist and even dedicate hours upon hours of free labor to productions like this. As it provides tacit confirmation of their world view and serves as another bullet in their clunky ass gun that they fire off whenever they can cos apparently they've nothing better to do with their lives.

Third and finally its... I guess comforting? Familiar? Simpler perhaps? Even wen telling something more dramatic like Dust Queen, having a stable setting, no ticking clocks and a 'safe' locale for the heroes with supporting characters on hand but not needing to be present. It makes for easy watching...

It is rather like the 'Bat-Fam' Web Toon where everything is simpler and easier cos all the edges & potential complexities in the story, setting or cast got filed down. Maybe new one's were introduced but those are entirely in the authors control as opposed to leaving them grappling with canon.

That's just my take though.

[tokyogruel]

hellos!! is there any frame in triage where shidou Does have the same patterned scarf-thing(?) his sons and wife wear? actually do you know what those mean? (<- i only now noticed them skldjlsd)

hello anon! hola!

to answer your question,, well,, no. not really. but also- well, kind of?

the pattern youre thinking of is called paisley. it has a lot of symbolic meaning that i will get to in this post, but.. shidou doesnt really wear it. kind of

i went through triage again and want to point a few things out:

shidous family wears paisley in 3 different places

his wife, around her waist. shidou mimics this with his apron

his youngest, around his neck. shidou mimics this with his jacket(? why are you wearing it like that idiot)

his eldest, around his waist. shidou mimics this almost exactly- except his cloth belt is light blue, not grey, and plain- no paisley

there is, however- one very brief scene where it could be debated that shidou's belt has a paisley pattern. it moves very quickly- and is heavily obscured by light

the pattern is incredibly faint- but look closely. you can see the paisley. this is the only scene that shidou is shown wearing paisley even remotely explicitly.

(and, before i get into the symbolism of paisley- i find it's important to note that triage has a floral-pattern overlay over the entire video. it is subtle, and you can see it better on a higher-resolution screen. but it is there, and it distorts the video slightly, yet entirely)

but, well. why is paisley so important anyway?

paisley, or Boteh-Jegheh (بته جقه), is a design that has been used for centuries, it originates from Iran (considered "Persian")

"So what is behind paisley’s incredible longevity? Its symbolic power has probably played a part. The original Persian droplet-like motif – the boteh or buta – is thought to have been a representation of a floral spray combined with a cypress tree, a Zoroastrian symbol of life and eternity. The seed-like shape is also thought to represent fertility, has connections with Hinduism, and also bears an intriguing resemblance to the famous yin-yang symbol. It is still a hugely popular motif in Iran and South and Central Asian countries and is woven using silver and gold threads on to silks and fine wools for weddings and other celebrations." (source)

"in paisley people have seen resemblances to a lotus, a mango, a leech, a yin and yang, a dragon, and a cypress pine. Ancient Babylonians likened it to an uncurling date palm shoot. Providing them with food, wine, wood, paper, hatch, and string—all of life’s necessities—date palms symbolized prosperity and plenty. Paisley began its life as the privilege of cosseted, powerful men." (source)

"The circle of paisley’s irony is now complete. A pattern of exclusive royal privilege in the East becomes the pattern of Western capitalist longing. It trickles down on humbler fabrics to working men, gay men, gang members, and Boy Scouts. It signifies free love and forbidden love, belonging and exclusion—a seemingly impossible range of human experience." (source, same as above)

(source)

"In Ancient Egypt, for instance, paisley designs were often used on wall paintings and pottery vessels as symbols of life and rebirth; while in Persian culture they represented heavenly gardens filled with lush vegetation and flowing watercourses – a metaphor for paradise itself. Similarly, this pattern became an integral part of Hindu iconography; being used to depict gods such as Shiva or Ganesh." (source)

"The iconic design consists of intricate swirls and floral motifs which are believed to represent life’s cycle of birth, death and rebirth. It also represents fertility and abundance – qualities that were greatly valued by our ancestors who lived off the land they farmed. In many parts of Asia it was even thought that the paisley patterns had magical properties that could ward off evil spirits." (source, same as above)

"Additionally, the paisley flower is believed to represent the cycle of life, death, and rebirth in many cultures. The intricate design of the paisley pattern is said to symbolize the twists and turns of life’s journey, with each curve representing a different phase of life. The paisley flower is also associated with the concept of inner peace and tranquility, making it a popular choice for meditation and spiritual practices. Overall, the paisley flower holds deep spiritual significance and is a beautiful symbol of life’s journey and the eternal nature of the soul." (source, i recommend reading this page in full- foliagefriend is a site i use often as a resource, and their articles are in-depth and pleasant to read.)

so... thats about it, then!

there have been a few other elements pointed out in these articles though, so ill leave a few resources below to read up on, if youre interested :>

paisley (wikipedia page)

cypress (foliagefriend) // cypress (spiritualunite) // cypress (silentbalance) // cypress (artofmourning) // cypress (meaningsymbolism) // cypress (groovingtrees)

"On the Complexity of Using the Mango as a Symbol in Diasporic Literature"

"In Myth and Literature, the Mango Remains King"

"Leeches in modern medicine"

"Leeches are still used in medicine—yes, really. Here’s why." (this article discusses transplanted tissue)

leeches (wikipedia page, the link directs you towards the medical section of the age)

dragons (worldbirds) // dragons (athsq) // dragons (givemehistory)

yin and yang (wikipedia page) @mukuberry heres your 0510 b/w parallels again

ankh (wikipedia article)

date (allaboutpalmtrees) // date (desertempirepalms) // date (groovingtrees) // date (bateel)

phoenix (wikipedia page)

shiva (wikipedia page)

ganesh (wikipedia page)

gray (colorpsychology) // gray (colorpsychologymeaning)

blue (colorpsychology) // blue (colorpsychologymeaning)

white (colorpsychology) // white (colorpsychologymeaning)

purple (colorpsychology) // purple (colorpsychologymeaning)

(ps. shidou has consistent themes of fertility, ovaries, motherhood, birth/rebirth... the ovarian imagery is very persistent in Throw Down!)

[thecreaturecodex]

Yānguĭ

"MTG - Gloom Sower" © Wizards of the Coast, by Chris Cold. Accessed at the artist's deviantArt gallery here

[Surprisingly, there's not a lot of good art of smoke monsters out there. The name "yānguĭ" is Google-translate-Chinese for "smoke ghost", as I was unable to find a specific name for this creature. This is derived from the memoirs of Ji Yun, a bureaucrat in Qing Dynasty China who recorded his various encounters with and stories he heard about the supernatural. Ji Yun recommended that the yin energy of the undead be countered with yang energy, so he sent brave soldiers with guns and explosives to fire them off while shouting in order to clear away the evil clouds. Hence, the vulnerability to fire I gave my version.]

Yānguĭ CR 8 CE Undead (incorporeal) This rolling cloud of smoke takes on shapes disturbingly reminiscent of hands and skull-like faces.

The yānguĭ are spirits of rebellion, created when an army of rebels is slaughtered on cursed land. No matter the original cause or the righteousness of the mortals that go into its creation, a yānguĭ is a depraved and destructive entity that seeks to overturn all forms of social order. Those who encounter a yānguĭ are forced to behave strangely by its maddening vapors, and its touch leaves psychic scars. Unlike many other incorporeal undead, a yānguĭ cannot create spawn directly. Instead, it delights in causing permanent madnesses in the victims it leaves alive.

Being an undead creature, a yānguĭ has no place in a natural ecosystem. They do occasionally lash out at animals and other nonsapient creatures, leaving their minds addled and draving them towards greater violence. Fortunately, they are vulnerable to fire—its energy can disrupt their necrotic existence. Even torches can be used to injure a yānguĭ (although greater firepower than that is likely to be necessary to kill one of them). Each yānguĭ arises from multiple deaths simultaneously—a unit may produce a single yānguĭ, whereas the destruction of a whole army may produce dozens of these monsters.

Yānguĭ  CR 8 XP 4,800 CE Large undead (incorporeal) Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., lifesense 30 ft., Perception +18 Aura maddening vapors (10 ft., Will DC 20) Defense AC 19, touch 19, flat-footed 14 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +5 deflection) hp 104 (11d8+55) Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +11 Immune cold,incorporeal traits, undead traits Weakness purifying flames Offense Speed fly 40 feet (perfect) Melee 2 incorporeal touches +11 (2d6 cold plus 1d6 Wis damage) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Statistics Str -, Dex 18, Con -, Int 13, Wis 19, Cha 20 Base Atk +8; CMB -; CMD 28 Feats Combat Expertise, Dodge, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse Skills Fly +24, Knowledge (history) +12, Perception +18, Sense Motive +18, Stealth +14 Languages Common, Necril Ecology Environment any Organization solitary, pair, gang (3-6) or army (7-24) Treasure none Special Abilities Ability Drain (Su) A creature struck by a yānguĭ’s touch attack must succeed a DC 20 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of Wisdom damage. A creature reduced to 0 Wisdom must succeed an additional DC 20 Will save, or gain a random madness when its Wisdom score is restored. The save DC is Charisma based. Maddening Vapors (Su) Any creature within 10 feet of a yānguĭ must succeed a DC 20 Will save or be confused for 1d4+1 rounds. The yānguĭ does not count as the nearest creature to a confused victim for the purposes of “attack nearest creature”. This is a mind-influencing compulsion effect, and the save DC is Charisma based. Purifying Flames (Ex) A yānguĭ takes half damage from non-magical sources of fire, and full damage from magical sources of fire. A yānguĭ that takes fire damage stops emitting its maddening vapors for 1 round.