#the story of the hero goddess became the story of the hero AND the goddess

[flamedraco]

I want to rant about them. Buckle in, this is a long rant.

I want to just say that I love TNT Duo. Just as a whole. In whatever form they take. These stupid little men and their stupid little rivalries and tension.

I am not a "DSMP" fan in most senses of the term. I never really got into the story all that much (though the lore was cool and more well thought out than most people give it credit for) and there wasn't much to really keep me interested. But these two characters. These two.

shakes them

I love them. I love how Wilbur is emotionally unstable even on his best days and his entire arc of going from a leader that others looked up to slowly devolved into a man driven mad by his own legacy. Writing Arsonist's Waltz made me really take a long look at his character and how I wanted to write him in that fic and it really made me think about how young the character must've been when he died and how tragic that is. I think about him a lot. He's my favorite blorbo to torture for a reason he's the perfect character for tormenting really. And it's so easy to write him with a strained relationship with his family, seeing how Phil did the bare minimum for him and his mother is either a Fridge or The Goddess of Death depending on how you interpret the lore because personally I don't see either as being wrong. Or him being married to a fish (Sally go brrrrr). Or canonically being the one to give birth to Fundy. And the idea that he was usually such a doting father but the second Fundy needed him most he was just gone and the complications that brings to their relationship. I love him and how it's so easy to either make him just a guy or some eldritch FUCK. I can make him BIRD. I can make him FREAKY and INHUMAN and I love to torment him.

And then Quackity. Fuck let me talk about Quackity. This is the BEST EXAMPLE of a FALLEN HERO character I have EVER SEEN in my LIFE. And if you know me you know I am WEAK for Fallen Hero shit.

C'mere shrike bitch we're talking about you now!

(just picture me grabbing him by the back of his stupid little button up and holding him like that, I've scruffed his dumbass)

This FUCKER went from being one of the most goofy, joking, just fucking around and having a good time person, to one of the most well thought out and interesting character arcs in the ENTIRE SMP if you ask me. This man went VILLAIN no matter how you want to slice it and that idea of someone who GENIUNELY tried to see the BEST in others deciding "fuck it, I've had enough of this" is just. The best kind of Fallen Hero to me. I love his entire casino theme. Gambling is one of my favorite aesthetics, and I love how when I came into this fandom despite the overwhelming amount of Duck Q stuff I found I managed to find ONE PERSON who made SHRIKE QUACKITY and it was SO PERFECT FOR HIM! Like there's nothing wrong with Duck Q and I recognize why that's the most common thing in the fandom because obviously the fucker's name is QUACKity and he has his whole thing with ducks but like. Shrike Q tho. The leader of the Butcher Army being a Butcher Bird. One of the most violent songbird species known for brutal kill methods and eating other birds being reflected in the man who ATE THE FUCKING HEART OF HIS EX. Like C'MON. (Yes other birds will eat other birds all the time but I'd like you to point me at another songbird species that has the absolute BALLS to attack something so much bigger than them) ((seen a video of what I think was a loggerhead shrike attacking a duck once)) (((though if you can find more aggressive songbirds like this I would LOVE to see them and learn about them))) ((((FUCK I LOVE BIRDS)))) It's perfect. I don't care. I love him. I love him and his Loggerhead/Northern Tendencies.

I love him for all the ways he didn't START violent and cruel but BECAME that way because he felt like he HAD TO. His arc is SO GOOD. The way he manipulated others he perceived as being "forgotten" like him to try and join him. I just. This man. This man. I'm going to shake him. I'm going to put him in a jar in the /affectionate way.

And then THEM TOGETHER. There is so much APPEAL to this ship in how you can write their dynamic in any way you want. From the more playful early days of the SMP where they were clearly friends and enjoyed each other's company to those stolen tense moments of Pogtopia to the eventual EVERYTHING that was LAS NEVADAS. You can write them on some of the best kind of healing arcs, with the idea that no matter what you did or who you were that you can still find love and forgiveness with the right person. You can have them heal together and learn to love again after so much tragedy. Or you can go down the route of making them ABSOLUTELY tearing each other APART and making each other WORSE. They can be absolute BASTARDS to each other but keep coming back to each other because they are the only two people on the server that have seen SO MUCH of the other person and the paths they went down.

These two characters just. Scream a level of UNDERSTANDING with each other that they wouldn't GET with other CHARACTERS.

And can I talk about how flexible they both are when it comes to AUs? I'm going to talk about them in AUs. They are FASCINATING TO ME in AUs. HEAR ME OUT OKAY!

So as someone who's been in a lot of fandoms there's a keen difference between being into a fandom for the content itself of the world, and being there for a specific character or groups of characters. I was into BNHA because of the lore of the world, not really an attachment to the characters themselves even if I did love them. Persona 5 was driven, again, by a love for the world and also the aesthetic of the game itself (and also a bit of the characters, I'll admit they changed my brain chemistry a little). Danganronpa, in contrast, was something I got into for the driving force of the characters and the murder mystery aspects. Assassination Classroom, obviously more character driven. Fairytail, also more character driven than anything else.

I got into DSMP specifically because of TNT Duo and my friend introducing me to them. But I've discovered something interesting about TNT Duo and why my hyperfixation over them has been lasting for so much longer.

Because they're easier to pry out of their world than other characters are. Which is why I was so surprised when I found so much more Canon Divergence AUs and less AUs in the sense of other universes. Like when I came to this fandom there was: No flower shop AUs, maybe a single coffee shop AU or two, not a single dragon or naga AU, and maybe one Siren AU. And the rest of it was mostly canon divergence! Which felt weird to me because these two feel so adaptive to other AUs you put them in!

While other characters feel, in some regards, tied to their original universe, these two don't feel as heavily weaved into their world. When I try to take them out it doesn't feel like I'm ripping them out and damaging them as I do. I don't feel tearing seams or fabric ripping, they just kinda...pop out. Which let's me take them and throw them into any roles I want, any AUs I want, and what I've noticed is that people do this a LOT with SBI and that they don't feel tied to the universe they originated from either. And I feel like that's in some part due to how the characters have lore from previous SMPs, previous worlds, previous experiences, and even future ones where the characters flow and adapt to fit whatever situation they're put into.

Some people might argue that I'm misrepresenting the characters in my fics or characterize them differently from the original source material, but that's because these are characters heavily formed around their experiences! Which makes them SO COOL for AUs! Because obviously the experiences are going to be different in an AU versus the source material! Making them a superhero or supervillain isn't the same experience as starting a country from the ground up! Making them a prince or king is different from elections and surviving from the land. Or dying and getting revived. Or overcorrecting into becoming a villain so nobody can ever hurt you again. AUs bring different experiences and that's why the characters are so fascinating to put in different AUs. And obviously some characteristics will carry over, but it's up to an author to decide what they carry over from the source material. Usually I carry over Wilbur being related to Phil, Techno, Tommy, Kristin, and sometimes I'll carry over Phil and Kristin's divinity which sometimes makes Wilbur an angel or demigod. Some authors usually carry over his mental instability, I like carrying over his sense of individuality. I like that he's stubborn, good at leading but not always enjoying it, yet always having the qualities for it. For Q? I like to carry over his general gambling aesthetic because I write mostly Las Nevadas Q since that's kinda who I know best out of all of Quackity's characterizations in the DSMP. Which means I write him as a manipulative little shit most of the time, who sometimes has second thoughts but usually pushes through for what he sees as the best outcome. And for their relationship usually what I carry over is this sense of tension or opposition between them. Hero/Villain, Angel/Demon, Human/Fae, Hunter/Vampire. This sense that they are on opposite sides, but not so different from each other when they look deeper than surface levels and titles.

They are such interesting characters. And I love them so much. They give me so much brainrot. So many ideas because they can just. Go anywhere I throw them!

I think I'll write more about them later. How I like to characterize them based on what I know about them from DSMP. Maybe rant more about why I think Q is definitely a shrike and that Magpie Wilbur is the only correct option. I feel like talking about them. I want to talk about them more.

Talk to me about them. I like hearing other people's thoughts about these fuckers.

[akariamai]

Claws, Blades, and Botanical Love

Pairing: Logan Howlett x Mutant!OC

Word Count: 1642

“Where are we going?” Logan asked in a steely tone as Wade forcefully shoved him into the discolored and slightly wrecked stolen car. It had been a day since the small celebration of the multiverse was saved and now, Wade was forcing him into another adventure.

“Listen up, my little honey badger of doom and gloom, we’re about to inject some much-needed joy into those dead fish eyes of yours. Seriously, would it kill you to crack a smile for all the lovely readers out there? They’re lying in bed, wide awake, thinking about your mopey ass at 2 in the morning. Give ‘em a little something to dream about, will ya?” Wade finished with a boop on Logan’s nose.

“What the fuck are you yapping about?” Logan snapped, slamming his fist onto the headliner of the car.

“Chill your claws, Logan. So there I was, doing my little multiverse hopscotch, trying to find the you that’s not you but is still you—don’t think too hard about it. And guess what? Every single one of you grumpy furballs has the same weak spot. I mean, color me shocked when I find out Wolverine’s out here simping hardcore for a mutant angel, Mother Nature herself with all her leafy green goddess vibes.” Wade paused, turning the engine on, before continuing, “And oh, wouldn’t you know it? She’s your soulmate, bub. Yep, the big bad Wolverine falling head over claws for Mother Earth. Who knew you had it in ya? And for my grand finale after saving the multiverse, I asked the TVA to track down your leafy soulmate right here in this universe. I know, I’m a hero. Now, where’s my applause, Logan? Or, you know, a little thank you pegging wouldn’t hurt either. Your call!”

Logan absorbed the information in silence. He gripped the side of his seat, knuckles turning white and claws threatening to come out, as the weight of the words spoken sank in. His breath hitched — a soulmate. The concept circled around his mind, relentless and overwhelming. He blinked rapidly, trying to focus, but the car seemed to close in on him. A soulmate. His soulmate. The thought pounded in his skull, echoing louder with each beat of his heart.

His eyes darted from one side of the car to the other, unfocused, as his breathing quickened. Every face he’d ever known flashed through his mind— mutants, friends, enemies— all blurring together in a desperate search. He released his grip on his seat to only grip it tighter, digging deep into his memory, trying to pinpoint who it could be. Who from his world could possibly be the one.

“Oh, I can practically hear the gears grinding in your noggin, Wolfie. Relax, it’s not like you’ve missed out on a soulmate meet-and-greet. You never met them in your universe—they kicked the bucket before your paths ever crossed. Just like the Logan of this universe bit the dust before he got his chance to meet them. So, no need to lose any more sleep over it, bub.” Wade reached into the hidden compartment of the car and handed Logan to file. “Alright, feast your eyes on this bad boy—it’s got all the juicy deets about your little sweet pea right here. Buckle up, Logan, it’s time to dive into the love story of the century!”

Logan’s fingers hover over the file, trembling slightly. He shallowed hard, his throat dry as he stared holes at it. His breath came in uneven gasps. The file lay heavy in his hands, a stark contrast to his tight grip as if it might burst into flames of open with a truth he wasn’t ready to face. He became a monster after the death of his friends — his family — a vicious and heartless animal with no regard for human life. He had a fiery temper and alcoholic tendencies. He hesitated, his eyes darting to and from the file, each movement slow and deliberate, as if he were bracing himself for impact.

The file contained a possible future, a future he was not worthy for, but he was a selfish man who wanted nothing more than peace. Once the file was opened, his eyes were drawn to a picture of a gardener, Flora Winters.

Flora was the right mix of grit and grace. She had this magnetic way of commanding the camera’s attention, her presence effortlessly filling the frame with a blend of strength and elegance. There was a subtle, almost intangible quality that made her stand out.

“Hey, Earth to Perve, are you done giving her the ol’ eyeball striptease yet? You haven’t even met her and you’re already panting like a dog left out in the summer sun all day. I can only guess what’ll happen when you’re actually in the same room. Actually, I can totally imagine it— and if you don’t mind, I’d love to join in on the bedroom fun!”

~~~

Flora Winters spends the day slicing into the strawberries she’s grown in her greenhouse, experimenting with different recipes to find the one that’ll make her taste buds dance. She plans to sell them alongside the rest of her crops. Her life is mostly mundane, except for the occasional boost she gives her plants with her powers.

She senses a subtle tremor in the grass—a quiet warning from the trees that someone is near, getting closer. She feels the presence of two individuals stepping onto her porch, brushing against the ivy draped from the roof, ready to knock on her door.

Cracking the door open just enough to peek out, she narrows her eyes at the two men standing there. “What do you want?” she asks, taking in their ridiculous outfits. One is decked out in a red-and-black bodysuit that looks like a walking dildo, complete with a mask that only leaves his bug-eyed lenses visible. The other guy’s in a yellow-and-blue getup that looks straight out of a comic book, his muscles practically bulging out of the suit. They look like they’re about to audition for the weirdest superhero team ever.

Logan’s heightened senses pick up a scent that calms the raging animal inside him. It’s subtle—like the earth after rain, mixed with blooming flowers and a hint of something uniquely her. For the first time in what feels like forever, a deep sense of peace settles over him, like he’s found something he didn’t even know he was searching for. Every instinct tells him he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be.

Wade practically bounces on his heels. “This is it, bub! Your happily-ever-after, complete with a side of rosebuds and thorns.”

Logan shoots Wade a withering glare. “Shut up!”

But Wade, being Wade, ignores him and keeps running his mouth. “So, Flora, you should know—Logan here is a real softy under all that muscle. Sure, he’s got the claws and hair of a kitty and the whole brooding loner vibe down pat, but deep down, he’s a big ol’ teddy bear. Just don’t tell him I said that. Anyway, I’ll just leave him here and pick him up after this little playdate.”

Flora’s eyes flicker between the two, her brow furrowing as she narrows her gaze. The walking dildo keeps yapping nonsense. The vines hanging from the roof pulse with energy, eager for her command to snap into action. The thought of wrapping those vines around these idiots and flinging them far from her home is very tempting. It would be so easy.

Her eyes dart to the door—a simple barrier she could slam shut if they don’t retaliate. She hears the dildo’s yapping and the other guy’s low growling. They’re not really a threat, more like oversized children.

“Enough with your childish bickering. I want names. Who the fuck are you, how do you know my name, and what do you want?”

Wade starts to speak, but Logan cuts him off, his voice low and growling. “The moron here thinks we’re soulmates.”

Wade jumps back in, grinning. “The TVA stamped it, laminated it, and probably put it in a scrapbook labeled ‘Destined Couples of the Multiverse.’ Ain’t love just precious—like a rabid wolverine with a bowtie! So, congrats, lovebirds. Now kiss, fight, or do both. I’m just hyped to see good ol’ Logan drop the whole grumpy routine and maybe—just maybe—stop looking like he’s got a permanent wedgie. Fingers crossed he cracks a smile without breaking a mirror.”

Flora crosses her arms and tunes out the rest of the nonsense. The vines behind the two men sway towards them like serpents, coiling around their bodies and lifting them off the porch. With a flick of her wrist, the vines hurl the intruders as far as possible from her farm. She hears their screams fade as she calmly shuts the door, ignoring whatever mess is happening outside.

Wade and Logan watch the farm grow smaller and smaller until it vanishes behind the trees. Logan lands flat on his back, the wind knocked out of him, silently cursing Wade for dragging him into this. Wade, not as lucky, ends up impaled on a lonely tree stump. “Motherfucker.”

Logan gasps, “That went well.”

Wade pulls himself off the stump, glaring at his ruined suit. “I knew I should’ve handled the chit-chat! This is what happens when you let amateurs do the smooth talkin’—awkward silences and cringe-level dialogue. Next time, leave the witty banter to the pros—me.” He points at himself with both thumbs before inspecting the lacerations in his suit. “Well, there goes my uniform! Ruined! You know how hard it is to play arts and crafts with my own skin-tight, butt-hugging suit? This is what my life has come to—reconstructing fashion disasters caused by homicidal landscaping and that damn Vine Vixen.”

Masterlist

[kikyoupdates]

Goddess Wink ⭑˚💘⭑ 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑢𝑒

bnha x f!reader

reverse harem, my hero academia x fem!reader, slowburn

Ever since your Quirk first manifested, you’ve been the apple of everyone’s eye. With the goal of becoming a hero, you enroll to U.A. and soon find yourself drawing the attention of many. Will you form genuine connections with others, or is this all just your power's will?

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You were four years old when it happened.

As far back as you could remember, you’d lived in an orphanage. You’d never met your real parents, nor did it seem like they had any intention of coming to get you, just based on how your caretakers would act. They tried to convince you that your parents must have had their reasons; that they might not have been in the right place to take care of you, but it served as little reassurance. You felt unwanted, unloved. You wondered what you could have possibly done that your own parents wouldn’t want to be with you—why all of these children were missing their families. You didn’t understand, but it felt unfair. For whatever reason, you were undesirable. At least, that’s the way you felt.

On a rather uneventful day, you were out on the playground with some of the other kids from the orphanage. They were all playing together, but you were off by the sandpit on your own, fiddling with the outfit on your doll. At some point a cluster of them had broken off, and one of the boys came right up to you, grinned, and snatched the doll straight out of your hands.

You frowned at him. “Give it back.”

“Nuh uh,” he jeered. “You’re always so boring, [Name]. You never play with the rest of us.”

“I’m not in the mood to play right now. Can you please give me my doll back?”

“What’s so fun about these dolls anyways?” The boy squinted at the toy in his hands, and without wasting a beat, popped one of the doll’s legs clean off. “Whoa!” he cried out. “They break so easily!”

You felt like you should be bursting into tears, but oddly enough, the tears didn’t come. You were eerily composed, a sense of calm washing over you. Something was telling you there was no reason to get worked up. You felt your chest growing warm, and your eyes began to glow a faint, pink shade. You stepped up to the boy and grabbed him by the wrist.

“You ruined my doll,” you said. “Apologize.”

“Huh—?” He stared back at you, dubious, and something akin to realization overtook his expression. He began to grow red in the cheeks, his breaths became irregular, and he swayed unsteadily on his own two feet. The boy stared down at the doll and its now missing leg in shock, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just done. “I-I’m so sorry!” he spluttered. “I didn’t mean to… [Name]. I’m really, really sorry!”

You’d never seen the boy act like this before. He was always up to some sort of mischief, and it wasn’t uncommon for him to go around teasing the other girls. You glanced down to where your fingers were laced around his wrist. You tightened your grip, watching the way his blush only deepened.

“I want a new doll,” you told him.

“Of course! I’m so sorry… I’ll tell the supervisors what happened and get you a new one right away, I promise!”

Even his accomplices seemed to be confused. “Dude, why are you apologizing to her? She thinks she’s so much better than everyone else!”

“She thinks she’s too good to play with the rest of us!”

You pulled away from the first boy and stared at the other two. Still hesitant, you reached over and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. You felt something rushing or pulsing through your body. The air felt like it tasted richer, sweeter. And this time you were sure of it—the moment your hand made contact with their bodies, each of the boys grew red in the face and started rocking on their feet as if they were drunk.

“Apologize,” you ordered again.

“We’re sorry, [Name]!”

“So sorry…”

You took a step back and marveled at what had just happened. All three of them were staring at you with flushed, puffy cheeks, as if they were awaiting your next command. Your small limbs were practically oozing with power. You were sure that this must have been what everyone was always talking about—the birth of your Quirk.

“You guys can leave me alone now,” you said, crouching back down inside the sandpit. “Please make sure I get a new doll and tell the supervisors that you were the reason it broke in the first place.”

They nodded their heads furiously, already rushing over to confess their wrongdoings. You hugged your knees to your chest and inhaled shakily. You didn’t know exactly what kind of power it was, but the feeling of others being so helpless before you… it was oddly exhilarating.

—

You explained to the caretakers the gist of what had happened, and they began speculating as to what type of power you had. It was worth noting that while some became more interested in you as a result of your newly-developed Quirk, others were a bit more apprehensive after finding out what had happened to the three boys. The teachers and caretakers instructed you not to use your Quirk on others needlessly, since you presumably had a power that could control people.

Of course, you didn’t listen.

The next couple of weeks cleared up some questions you had about your Quirk. To be more exact, you weren't consciously using it. It was a difficult power to control, and you would find that it activated on its own without your awareness. It became evident that your Quirk didn’t simply enable you to control others; there were other aspects to it that you were struggling to grasp. You were too young and naive to make sense of it all, but the one thing that was seemingly apparent was that your powers relied on attracting others to you.

You’d been rather quiet and reserved for the majority of your stay at the orphanage, but now the others flocked to you like birds. The boys especially seemed most susceptible to your powers. They would follow you around for near hours at a time, even going so far as to give you presents that you hadn’t even asked for. On some occasions, the caretakers themselves would tilt their heads and smile, saying what a “cute, charming girl” you were, before letting you get away with things that normally wouldn’t have been allowed.

At first, you thought you liked your Quirk. You were getting more attention than you ever had, and for the first time, you felt loved and desired. You thought that maybe if you’d been born with this power, your parents might not have abandoned you. All of the boys in the orphanage loved you, all of the girls wanted to be your friends, and they would each go to any lengths to make you happy. You could get anything you wanted. Truly, it was the best possible Quirk.

But this too, was a fleeting feeling. Before long, the attention became overbearing. You could never get away from it all, from the looks of desire and adoration. The friendships you’d developed with the children started to feel less genuine and more fabricated. You felt like they weren’t really your friends; that your power was just forcing them to be. These ugly thoughts started to pile on more and more, to the point that you began to resent your Quirk. You couldn’t control the power leaving your body, and it felt as if you were living life trying to navigate through a misty pink haze.

Several months passed, and a visitor came to the orphanage.

“I’ve come to take you in, [Name].”

It was a man with pin-straight black hair and striking red eyes. He introduced himself as Mikael, and declared that he’d already filled out all the required paperwork to adopt you. The orphan children began to cry, lamenting the fact that you would be leaving them. You were both relieved and anxious. Even if you couldn’t control your powers, here, at least, you could rest easy knowing that everyone adored you. You’d spent all of your life in the orphanage, and you were a little afraid to leave.

This guy will probably listen to anything I say anyways…

Mikael held you by the hand and led you outside once you’d bid farewell to everyone. He looked down at you, eyes gleaming, a faint smile ghosting across his lips. “I think you’ll find that your Quirk will have no effect on me, descendant of Aphrodite.”

“Aphrodite?”

You stared up at him, confused. He didn’t answer your question and instead chuckled to himself.

“Not to worry. I will teach you how to control your Quirk in due time. You’ve been blessed with a gift, young one. A beautiful power capable of touching the hearts of many.”

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[tylermileslockett]

Theseus #10 (The Abduction of young Helen) With Theseus’ strength and greatness having spread throughout Greece, Pirithous, demigod king of the Lapiths, tests Theseus by stealing a herd of his cattle. But when Theseus rides him down, Pirithous courageously turns to meet him, and the two, respecting the others beauty and bravery, unite in friendship. Later, Theseus attends Pirithous’ wedding with his wife, Hippodamia, where the centaurs become drunk, and the violent battle of the Centauromachy takes place. Another episode has Theseus and Pirithous both vowing to wed Daughters of Zeus. First, they journey to Sparta, abducting the child Demi-god Helen, as she danced in the Spartan Temple of Artemis Orthia. Narrowly escaping the Spartan warriors in pursuit, Theseus later gives Helen to his mother for safekeeping until she comes of age. According to Homer, Pirithous was born from Zeus (in the form of a stallion), mating with Dia. While others place Pirithous as the son of King Ixion. Pirithous and Hippodamia give birth to a son, Polypoetes, who, having been one of the suitors of Helen, later became a famous hero of the trojan war. He led forty ships, and was even one of the warriors to hide in the trojan horse. Helen and her siblings have a bizarre and fascinating origin story. Helen’s mother was Leda, a beautiful Spartan queen. Zeus, lusting for her, transformed into a swan and flew into her embrace escaping an eagle, and the pair coupled. Leda also slept with her mortal husband, King Tyndareus, and later, born from two eggs were Helen and Clytmnestra and twin boys; Castor and Pollux. The Temple of Artemis Orthia was religious site for Spartan boys and girls. Orthia was originally a local goddess of fertility, nature, and vegetation. Later this goddess was combined with Artemis to create the dual goddess “Artemis Orthia.” Ancient scholars mention a rite-of-passage ceremony where young spartan boys were whipped as they attempted to steal cheese from the altar. Young girls had their initiations as well, with chorus dances and fertility rites.

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[howlingday]

So who would rank as the best fighters in Rwby that don't have magic? So no Maidens,Salem,Brother Gods, the Tree or Opzin. Anyone else including the Curious Cat is a choice. (I'm saying the cat counts for this list because even though it's magic we at least have a clear understanding of how his powers work.)

The best fighters? Hoof... That's a tall order, especially since I'd have to look over all the candidates I can remember. But I'll narrow it down to TEN characters, in order to appease the [tumblr] gif limit.

General James Ironwood: Simply put, you don't become the headmaster of a huntsman academy by being weak or stupid, because this commanding officer is definitely neither... relatively speaking. Granted, one could argue against his battle tactics as a military general, but I think when compared to other huntsmen, there's not a lot of characters you can say that require an ambush by almost a dozen people to take down! So yeah, General Ironwood is definitely an intimidating character to start off with.

Ruby Rose: Yeah, I know, I know. Ruby's the main character, so of course she's gonna be on this list! But to be fair (to be fair), she's EARNED her place as a main character. The series starts off with her easily thrashing goons, followed by her heading off to Beacon Academy two years early for her skill against such an impressive foe. And she's only grown ever since. Given time, I can totally see Ruby being the hero who saves Remnant and looks good while doing it.

Neopolitan: Barring magic is one thing, but some characters never needed magic to be overpowered. One such character started off as a generic sidekick villain who bailed Torchwick out. Then she comes back later that same Volume to style and beat down on RWBY's heaviest hitter. Heck, Neo would've ended Yang if it wasn't for Raven showing up! And while Neo doesn't have magic, she does have an overpowered semblance that makes her a nuisance at first and a crisis by the end! Tell me, dear reader; what happens when you put a girl whose semblance called, "Overactive Imagination" inside of a FAIRY TALE?! I'll tell you what you get- YOU GET A NIGHTMARE.

Pyrrha Nikos: Ooh, boy, now this is where things get sad. Pyrrha was the best fighter in Volume 1-3 solely for the fact that she was the one fighter EVERYONE knew about. Pyrrha was getting wins BEFORE the series started and she started racking up wins afterwards against Grimm and other students, too. Sadly, this poor, young Achilles was not truly invincible, for her tender heart was what got her killed... And also an arrow to said tender heart.

Cinder Fall: And speaking of arrows to tender hearts, I should give credit where credit is due, and it's overdue for Cinder Fall. First up, let's look at Cinder WITHOUT her magic. Her semblance, Caress, increases the temperature of things she touches, burning and even melting them. Heck, she was even throwing fireballs BEFORE the Maiden powers were hers! Not to mention she was throwing down with Professor Ozpin, the headmaster of Beacon and definitely the oldest man on the planet! She managed to outwit and outpace a man with centuries of experience. She then went on to kill the best fighter of the roster at Beacon Academy and steal her powers, only becoming wounded by Ruby's silver eyes. And this was all BEFORE she became the Fall Maiden.

Tyrian Callows: I want to admit something. I have a certain bias both towards and against Tyrian. Towards him, he's one of my favorite villains simply for the sheer lengths he'll go to in order to please his goddess, regardless of who he has to kill and how many. Against him, while I will admit he has some of the best fights in the series, his best fight is also the worst in the entire series. Story-wise, that is, because for some reason the other two combatants got way stupider than they should have.

Qrow Branwen: And speaking of fighters getting dumber than they should, here comes one now! Qrow was our introduction to what a REAL huntsman was like. And he did not disappoint! ...At least, when he first showed up. When Team RWBY were struggling against Tyrian, Qrow came in and fought him to a standstill. If Ruby didn't put herself in danger trying to help, Qrow could have won the battle and even been a big help later. Then again, for as skilled as Qrow may be, he's also got some personal issues that make him more of a hinderance than a boon.

Blake Belladonna: Thinking on it, Blake might be the best fighter of Team RWBY, besides Ruby. She has probably the most versatile weapon of the group, neither limited by range nor function, and watching her fight is always entertaining because, well, she's an agile-build fighter who uses airborne attacks to both maintain distance and to build momentum for closing in with killing blows. While Weiss and Yang also have their uses as support and tank builds, Blake feels like the only other fighter who actually has experience fighting.

Jaune Arc: Big surprise, we have the big man himself, Jaune Arc on my list. To the surprise of no one. No, but seriously, Jaune is someone to be praised for his combat skill, especially since his story is about how he literally showed up with 0 skill. I've seen people meme him as "Dark Souls style" and I can't argue. Where everyone else is over the top with their combat, Jaune manages to stay relatively grounded by comparison. No jumping or magic; just pure human strength, and what strength he has! Though, I will say that his usual style is more akin to tank/wall tactics. He's strong enough to take hits from heavy hitters, protecting his allies from heavy, crippling blows, and his semblance keeps himself and others in the fight.

Now, who else do we talk about... Oh, right! Since you brought them up...

The Curious Cat: For this, let's explain how their power works. Simply put, the Curious Cat's power mostly resides in their ability to possess creatures in a weakened state. Ruby was the intended target of this possession, having been forced by the Cat to avoid ascension while becoming physically and emotionally weaker over time. In the end, however, Ruby did ascend, and the Cat was forced to change their plans to possess Neo, who had also recently become emotionally vulnerable. Tactically speaking, the Cat is dangerous simply for their ability to take over and use the powers of another which, as stated previously, is overpowered to MAXIMUM. Once Neo had outlived her use, the Cat then made themselves more powerful by changing their body into something more combative. Combative enough to push Team WBY and Jaune to their limits. It wasn't until Ruby, who found new purpose and strength within herself that she was able to overcome the "Furious Cat" with the aid of her team.

So... yeah.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Fun fact (at least for some of my stories, not canon), the reason Dragonhead Island has its name is because it's the first place draconification occurred. Legend says a Hero of the Goddesses consumed a secret stone and became one with the sky to rejoin Hylia, and he watches over Hyrule all the way up to the modern day. He's the most elusive of them all, known as the Spirit Dragon.

So now whenever I listen to Dragonhead Island's theme, all I can think of is how that place is just... a mausoleum for Sky T-T

Based on this idea

Art for this idea

[evilios]

Hello~

I have a question. What did you mean by Hera having the power to legitimize Zeus' out of marriage off spring? I didn't think that legitimacy was an issue at all because even the children that Hera hated became well respected and powerful Olympians, given that Zeus accepted them. Can you please tell more about it?

Hi, hon! 🌻

I'm talking about the function of Hera as mentioned by [ this post ], and I think some other one but I cannot currently locate it.

Hera is notorious for her connection to monsters, among other things. She nourishes the Hydra and the Nemean Lion:

Thirdly, again she gave birth to the Lernaean Hydra subtle in destruction, whom Hera, white-armed goddess, reared, implacably hating the mighty Hēraklēs.

&

and the Nemean lion, whom Hera, Zeus’s glorious consort, reared, and settled in the corn-lands of Nemea, a woe to mankind.

— Hesiod, Theogony (trans. by G. Nagy)

Who then are notoriously killed by Heracles in his labors, which are committed in search of glory and legitimacy. Those aren't the only monsters Hera authorizes, it depends on the source:

For Hera sent the Sphinx, whose mother was Echidna and her father Typhon; and she had the face of a woman, the breast and feet and tail of a lion, and the wings of a bird.

— Apollodorus, Bibliotheca (trans. by J. G. Frazer)

Oedipus' victory over the Sphinx is the first in many steps he has to take to achieve legitimacy as a son and a hero.

Hera's consent/participation in "making" of a divine child also matters. According to Homeric Hymns, the birth of Athena without her part in it makes Hera furious enough to birth and send Typhon:

And once from golden-throned Hera she received and reared dreadful and baneful Typhaôn, a scourge to mortals. Hera gave birth to him in anger at father Zeus, when the son of Kronos gave birth to glorious Athena.

— Homeric Hymn to Apollo (trans. by A. Athanassakis)

In this text, it's implied that it's not enough for Zeus to authorize a child, Hera's consent is important. Athena's birth is insulting enough to send a monster for Zeus to fight. Tangentially related, but some accounts offer the father-less birth of Hephaestus to be due to Hera's anger too:

And Hera, without having been united in love, brought forth famous Hephaistos, as she was furious and quarrelling with her husband

— Hesiod, Theogony (trans. by G. Nagy)

This is an entirely different topic but you can also think about versions of the birth of Dionysus. The most common one features him being born to Zeus from his thigh after Semele dies, then being raised in disguise of a girl (or a goat) to escape Hera's wrath. Which raises interesting questions about the androgyny of Athena since Zeus-born girls don't seem to be the focus of Hera's anger. Also, Apollodorus (Bibliotheca) suggests that Dionysus' madness is Hera's doing.

So! There are reasons to think that Hera heavily authorizes/controls who ascends to a fully legitimate status of a son of Zeus, as his wife and the Goddess of childbirth. She can authorize birth alone and those will be legitimate children as we can see in some versions of birth of Hephaestus and her birthing a monster. She's powerful! And interesting. So, comparing her mythical role (in some stories) with Athenian women gaining (though indirectly) some political value matters to me.

Thank you for asking!

[angel-tsugikuni-kamukura]

Manhwa's I have read this year

Pink means it's my favourite ones.

The remarried empress

Men of harem

Lady and the beast.

Royal Shop of Young Lady.

Forget My Husband I'Il Go Make Money.

I Want To Become The Emperor, So I Need A Divorce.

I tamed my ex husband's madog.

The Villainess Debuts Gorgeously.

I Will Fall With The Emperor.

I Failed To Throw The Villain Away.

your regrets mean nothing to me.

Bastian.

my in-laws are obsessed with me.

A Divorce evil lady bakes cake.

The price of braking up.

The tree are living a married life.

Dangerous Fiancée.

My Husband is a antisocial count.

Baked by the barones.

Who kidnapped the empress.

the villainess tames the beast.

if you desire my despair.

the abandoned princess secret Bedroom.

The Mistress Runs away.

It's not your child.

The monstrous dukes adopted daughter.

The Saintes returns as a vilian.

Regina Rena.

You never meet a villainess like me.

Tru education.

As the Villainess I rejected these happy bad endings.

The archduke gorgeous wedding was a fraud.

I will take the dutchy from today.

Isn't being a wicked woman much better.

Flirting with the villain's dad.

Goddess emila wants to escape.

My goal is to achieve success on my own

I refuse to be executed a second time.

Romance is dead.

I'm devorsed but I'm a chaebol.

I'm in trouble because my husband is so cute.

I'm the queen in this life.

Go away romeo.

Janice.

If you want a fake sister.

I'm being raised by villain's.

I'm the fake saintess but the gods are obsessed with me.

The heat of the reincarnated villainess.

Attic princess.

The older sister of a maniac.

I thought it was a common Isekai story.

The abandoned bachelorette enjoys her simple life.

Love doesn't matter.

I've become the villainous emperor.

The way to protect the female leads older brother.

I have become the heroes rival.

Death is The only ending for the villainess.

Who made me a princess.

Marriage of Convenience:95

Royal marriage.

Aidin.

The Obsessive second male lead has gone wild.

I am the real one.

I don't love you anymore.

I'm ingaged to the Obsessive male lead.

Lies become you.

You go marry my husband.

How to get my husband on my side.

Empress simulation.

I'll be the matriarch in this life.

The dukes dark lady.

In to the light once again.

My body has been possessed by someone.

Depths of malice

Becoming the villain's family.

My destiny to be the hero's saviour.

The real daughter is back.

A noble pirate.

The world without my sister.

I'm devorseing my tyrant husband.

Even if I'm the villainess I'll become the heroine.

Beast's Flower.

Once Wicked always wicked.

Ashtarte.

Crownless queen.

I thought I didn't have long to live.

I tamed a Tyrant and Ran Away.

Beloved in-laws.

The villainess revenge.

Your Majesty please don't kill me again.

And Unseemly lady.

Baby tryant.

The tyrant wants to be good.

I will politely decline the male lead.

I'm the villainess but so famous.

Crazy princess renia.

The gangster baby of the dukes.

Surving as an illegitimate child.

It's useless to hang on.

Empress cesia wears shorts.

Of all things i became a crow.

No more turning a blind eye.

I became the Ugly lady.

A Stepmother's Marche.

While you are in love.

Devine inconvenience.

After I cured his insomnia, Tyrant became Obsessive.

Revenge is sweeter than honey.

My Unexpected Marriage.

From Duty to Devotion.

Hated It Even More.

I'm to lazy to be the villainess.

The tyrant princess wants to get married.

Stella the star princess.

Please support my revenge.

Reasons to Protect the Witch's son.

The Reason Why The Twin Lady Crossdresses.

Why Do You Love Me When Refuse Your Request.

Finding Camilla.

I Don't Want to Be Loved.

The Villainess has Fun.

Surviving as an Obsessed Servant.

A Saintess adopted by the grand Duke.

I Adopted a Villainous dad.

No Place for the Fake Princess.

Villainess need a Tyrant.

Tamed a blackened slave.

Princess hundreds ways of martyrdom.

A Perfect Ending of the Villain.

Beast within.

I will seduce the male lead for my older brother.

I've become the true villainess.

I became the obsessive villain's babysitter.

I'll change my fate to be executed.

The tyrants tranquillizer.

Crow dutchess.

The Male Leaď's Nephew Loves Me So Much.

Falling for a Dying Princess.

I Am the Villain.

Why Do You Love Me When Refuse Your Request.

The betrayed queen is devoted to by the beautiful baron.

Baby Pharmacist Princess.

The Runaway Lead Lives Next Door.

The villains life l'Il live it once.

La Dolce Vita de Adelaide.

Why Would a Villainess Have Virtue.

My Childhood Friend Became an Obsessive Husband.

10 ways to get rejected by the tyrant.

I Became the Villainess in an Anticlimactic Novel.

To Those Who Long for My Destruction.

Becoming the obsessive male lead's ex-wife.

How to survive as a maid in a horror game.

the fake saint waits to leave.

Obsidian Bride.

Rosalyn Vogart.

Let's take a bath Duke.

The Precious Girl Does Not Shed Tears.

Father i don't want to get married.

The Priest Dreaming of a Dragon.

She No Longer Wields Her Sword.

I am the Male Lead’s Ex-Girlfriend.

Red Laurel Flowers to My Emperor.

I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend.

Please Don’t Come To The Villainess’ Stationery Store.

In This Life, I Will Raise You Well, Your Majesty.

Vengeance from a Saint Full of Wounds.

The Duke’s Daughter is Going on Strike.

The daughter of evil.

The Villainous grand Duke sister.

Beware the Villainess.

A wicked tale of Cinderella's step mom.

The devil raised a lady.

Reborn As a Character That Never Existed.

The Precious Sister of the Villainous Grand Duke.

I Didn't Save You To Get Proposed To.

I took away the tyrant's virginity.

The dutchess has a death wish.

Heaven official's blessing.

I'm being chased by my husband.

Why she lives as a villainess.

I'll just live on as a villainess.

I created a harm to avoid the male lead.

I became the sultans precious cat.

I'm a villain but I saved the female lead.

I will divorce the female leads brother.

Let's live together.

I became the greatest heiress of the empire.

I raised my younger sister beautyfully .

I Accidentally Saved the Male Lead’s Brother.

I Didn’t Mean to Seduce the Male Lead.

Here reigns the vengeful villainess.

I Am Selling the Main Character’s Shares.

The villainess reverse hourglass.

The price is your everything.

I became the mother of the bloody male lead.

I think it would be better for me to become king.

The Villainess is a Marionette.

As My Husband Said, I Brought in A Lover.

How a Villainess Survives as a Saint.

The Empress Wants To Avoid the Emperor.

The glamours life of the fake mistress.

The villainess reverse hourglass.

I Will Take Responsibility for the Welfare of the Male Lead.

Cinderella Wasn’t Me.

The Crown Prince’s Fiancée.

Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom.

Marriage Alliance for Revenge.

To My Husband’s Mistress.

The reason why raeliana ended up in the Dukes mansion.

Ennead.

[crazylittlejester]

I wanna say, in defense of the First Link:

I love him. He’s my little goober. My goofball. Little tortured soul who has but a whisper of an impact to the timeline. He may be the First Link, but he’s not the first Link. The hero. Sky’s the first Chosen Hero while First is just a hero, barely even relevant to Sky’s story.

And I love that. He’s just a blip in the comic dance between good and evil, he’s a man of the people whose people soon forget him, he’s a hero through and through, yet he is but a footnote to the Legend of Zelda. Zelda didn’t even exist back then, when he was alive. He isn’t even a prologue. He is in-universe oral history that’s been muddy and confounded by Sky’s time, and he is eventually forgotten through the ages, even by the gods themselves.

His name might as well be Link, because that’s what all the heroes are called.

He might as well be a hero, because he was important at some point in time.

He once had a story to be told.

He once had a story.

He once was.

He once was the First Hero.

i love that you’re very passionate about your guy and that was genuinely beautiful to read /gen

he is cool, i do have thoughts about him, but part of me does wish that like, he was entirely disconnected from everything..? Like what if he WASNT a Link at all and he didn’t fit the same aesthetic the others do, but he tried to be a hero because someone had to stand up to a great evil and he failed and he inspired Hylia to find the “next” hero, a MORTAL to stand up to Demise, and she finds Sky because something about Sky just reminds her of that One Guy who had nothing to do with anything, who will never truly be connected to it all, but who’s selflessness and courage inspired a goddess?

I just like the idea that he was literally just some fucking guy alskdkdk. Not even a Link, not really special in any way. Didn’t fit the mold at all. Just some dude who completely CHOSE to join the fight and because of that was honored as a hero in legend after his death who’s actions became the stories Sky grew up hearing, but who was never written in fate to become a hero

those are just my thoughts tho alskdkdk. No hate to anyone at all for lovin First, he’s INCREDIBLY silly and goofy seeming alsmdmdm

[five-miles-over]

Dandelions

Pairing: Loki x Reader

Summary: Having heard stories about the Norse god of mischief, you find yourself falling in love with Loki despite having never met him. Out of devotion, you prepare offerings that you think he would like, and find ways to express the way you feel. Little do you know that your feelings are not unrequited.

(Yes, this is fluff inspired by the song "Dandelions" by Ruth B)

Maybe it was the way that you said his name. Or maybe it was the way that you offered your love for him to claim.

Loki watched from the Bifrost, looking down as you went about your day on Midgard. It was almost time for one of his favorite moments of the day. A moment for which he would set all of his affairs on Asgard aside, instead turning his attention to you and only you, his Midgardian devotee.

Standing in the field three blocks away from your apartment, you adjusted your heavy coat and picked up a small, whitish-yellow flower, bringing it up to your lips. 

You closed your eyes and whispered,  "Loki, the son of Odin and the companion of Thor." 

And then you blew the dandelion, sending its seeds into the wind. When you opened your eyes, you placed the stem down and picked up another flower, invoking Loki again with a whisper. 

"Loki, the son of Odin and the companion of Thor." 

Reader POV: 

According to something you had read on the internet, the dandelion was known as Loki's Bloom. Since then, you began making a small habit of picking up the dandelions and blowing them in his name. You would do anything to bring the Norse God of Mischief into your life, despite some scholars saying that he was actually someone who shouldn't be wanted. 

The truth is that you nurtured a deep affection for Loki, ever since you had first read the stories about him and heard legends of his exploits from many an online scholar. You weren't sure what you loved the most about him: his cleverness, his intelligence, his playful nature, or his handsomeness (almost everyone in the stories- gods and goddesses and humans - described him as very good-looking). He was already one of the greatest heroes you'd ever believed in, even though you had never seen him in your life.

You began to create your own version of Loki, who soon became a source of comfort in your hectic, often anxiety-inducing life. He was a tall man with beautiful features: dark hair because it appealed to you the most, pale skin due to the climate, green eyes, and slender fingers that made every touch feel like magic. And he always knew the right thing to say at every moment, whether it was a witty remark that made you laugh or soothing words that eased your fears. 

You found often yourself dreaming about your Loki at night. Sometimes he was dining with the other gods in Asgard, sometimes he was riding upon a horse, sometimes he was conjuring spells and illusions in the Nine Realms, sometimes he was enticing a new lover into his bed, and sometimes he was in solitude, enjoying a piece of literature.

"Loki, the son of Odin and the companion of Thor," you silently wished when you opened your eyes and held your pillow close. "Grant me a companion with your wit, your mischief, your bewitching nature. If not you, then let me have someone just like you in my life."

And as your love for Loki grew stronger with every new facet you learned about him, you began looking for ways to show your affection for the god. A voice inside you said that Loki - a god living in Asgard or Jotunheim - might never pay attention to you, just another human, but…it felt good to be doing things for someone who had brought you such sweet dreams. And because you simply adored him. 

For months, you experimented with new recipes for cookies, breads, and cakes after reading an article about how the Norse God of Mischief enjoyed sweet offerings. Thanks to his blessings, most of them turned out delicious. After expressing your gratitude to Loki, you would whisper his name and present the dishes up as if offering it to him. Though he might never see or taste it, it still felt wonderful to perform acts of love in his name. 

Other things you did for Loki included reading aloud stories to him, saving digital photos of artwork you thought Loki would like, and most recently, wishing on dandelions. Wishing on dandelions for someone you might never see outside of dreams.

Back to Loki's POV: 

If only you knew the truth, my dear, Loki thought to himself. You were wrong to think that Loki did not know about the way that you felt about him. That he did not notice all the gestures that you performed to show him that you belonged to him. 

Loki tilted his head, and watched you with a smile. He had never known anybody like you, so devoted to pleasing him. He relished the fragrances of the baked delicacies you prepared in his name, the way you wafted the scent towards the heavens so that he could enjoy them. He was amused when you created a form for him to assume, one that made you fall in love with him even more. He was delighted by how fervently you wished for a companion just like him.

And now here you were, standing in a field of dandelions, wishing for the same thing. 

Knowing there was only one thing to do, Loki closed his eyes. 

When he opened them, he stood at the same field of dandelions where he'd seen you earlier. Lost in your own thoughts, you were gazing at the setting sun after wishing on several dandelions. Loki invoked a magic spell that transformed himself into the handsome, green-eyed man with chin-length hair who captured your heart. He transformed his clothing into a long-sleeved green tunic, dark trousers, and a suit of black and gold armor. Then, Loki picked another dandelion and offered it to you.

"Will you not wish upon this one, my lady?" 

You turned around, and Loki smirked. He stepped forward and gently placed his hand upon your cheek, your lip trembling at his touch. 

"You wished for me, did you not? Here I am." Loki gently said, watching the shock upon your face morph into a smile. "If only you knew how powerful you are, sweet one. You have brought a god at your mercy with your acts of love."

[whencyclopedia]

Noah

Noah is considered one of the patriarchs in the Jewish Scriptures or one of the founding fathers of what became the religion of Judaism. His story begins in Genesis 6 and consists of three elements: the evil of the earth; the flood narrative; Noah’s descendants in the list of the nations of the world. Noah was the son of Lamech and lived to be 500 years old.

The Evil of the World

When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years." The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:1-4)

"Nephilim" in Hebrew is difficult to translate. From the root of this word, it has often been translated as "those who do violence", and it came into the King James version as "giants". Many ancient cultures had folklore tales of giants in the distant past. Later Jewish traditions claimed that the sons of God were angels and when these fallen angels mated with women, they also taught humans the art of metallurgy. This led to two evils, the coining of money and weapons of war. In the apocalyptic literature of the visions of Enoch, they are called the Watchers. This text claimed that they were punished by God by being chained in the lowest pits of She’ol, an early Jewish concept of Hell.

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So, the Lord said, "I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:5-8)

We read that Noah was "a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth" (Genesis 6:9-10). God told Noah that he was going to "put an end to all people" (Genesis 6:13). For centuries, this passage has been analyzed in relation to understanding the nature of God. If God is omniscient (all-knowing), did he not know that humans would commit evil? How could God change his mind about his creation? However, this story was not unique. Other cultures had stories of a god or the gods punishing humans for their evil. In Egyptian mythology, the sun god Ra, sent his daughter Sekhmet (the lion goddess) to slaughter humans. He then had to undo her destruction when it appeared that all humans would be destroyed and so he made her drunk by beer that resembled blood to stop the slaughter. In Greek mythology, the god Zeus also wanted to punish humans (see below).

Continue reading...

[dailyadventureprompts]

Ally: Thatch , Teacher of the Heath

A marvellous mage outstanding in their field

Every group of heroes needs a sage to clue them in about their place in the wider campaign world and to set them on the correct path. For those too far from the big cities and their ivory towers, there’s rumours of a strange figure who dwells in a nearby village, a tutor made of sticks and straw who instructs children their letters between farm chores, and has an uncanny ability to predict the seasons. This construct is named Thatch, and they have been blessed with a mind that is seemingly all knowing.

Hooks:

Thatch is first and foremost a teacher, and while they’re happy to dispense fun facts and tidbits of information to anyone who asks, the party may need to ready themselves for some lessons if they want REAL lore. Perhaps the scarecrow will drag them to a disused farmstead and match them with chores they are most unsuited for, questioning them endlessly on their ethos while exhaustion and failure wear them down. Perhaps Thatch will send them on some strange errand, quizzing them when they return about all the choices they made and the perspectives of those involved. 

Players Might encounter Thatch at the local county fair, confusing them atfirst for a decoration or costumed attendant. The patchwork teacher was minding a few children for the night but the youngsters seem to have snuck off on them. Tracking the youngsters down gives the party a great excuse to scout out all the fun distractions later in that evening ( or to get the topography when the festivities are ambushed).

Background: Onceupon a time there was a farmgirl who dreamed of being a wizard. She had heard the stories about those great scholars who worked wonders and knew the secret names of all things. She was born with a curiosity about the world that she felt down to her bones, an ache that grew worse every year she attended the same country school that’d been teaching the same old lessons out of the same old books for what must’ve been generations.  Every year her parents, who loved her but had no money to send her off to some academy would buy her a journal for her birthday, a journal she’d fill up with questions in a few months and be forced to write in the margins to save space. 

Such an earnest desire for knowledge became a prayer, and that prayer was heard by the goddess Ioun, the knowing mistress, who loves all who wish to learn and sent a spark of divine kindness out into the world to give that farmgirl the teacher she deserved.  That spark took residence in a scarecrow and so Thatch was born, head stuffed with straw and cosmic wisdom , heart overflowing with a teacher’s love and desire to see their student thrive.

Further Adventures:

That first student’s name was Oroteia, and under Thatch’s tutelage she became a great mage, venturing out into the world to find the answers her younger self so craved.  Perhaps they’ll encounter her seeking out some forgotten library, ensconced in some great work of magic, or maybe she’s gone so far that they’ll need to break into her sanctum if they have any hopes of obtaining the aid of a powerful mage.

It has been many years since Thatch stirred to being, many children come and gone, their first student having long grown in to her own power as a mage and capable of finding her own way in the world. Thatch can feel themself unravelling, the blessing of Ioun coming loose from their cobbled frame. Perhaps they will fade into nothing, perhaps they will return to be part of the goddess and share with her all they have learned, perhaps the need will be great and they will burn themselves up saving their students, or lighting the way for the party to accomplish their great quest. Thatch is at peace with this, but Oroteia won’t have it and ever since her last visit years ago has spent all her energy devoted to saving her old teacher, delving into sorts of magic that perhaps she should not.

[ophanim-vesper]

My (personal) Problem With TOTK's Zelda

I think nothing infuriates me more about TOTK's writing than the fact that Zelda is literally a recycled, WORSE version of herself in BOTW.

What was Zelda's arc in BOTW? - struggling to unlock an important power that will help save the world. - is dreading an impending doom that will be caused by a formidable evil. - by losing/nearly losing those who love and support her, she finds her strength and sacrifices herself to help Link, spending hundreds to thousands of years in an intangible, unreachable form.

Very, VERY well-written and thematically consistent. Zelda had her struggles, her faults and her flaws and grew to be an incredible savior worthy of the prophecy that preceded her. She literally went from 'zero to hero', believing she was the weakest out of her companions (the Champions) to becoming one of the most important. Without her, the story of BOTW wouldn't have happened, and it's thanks to her that the kingdom is saved.

So what's Zelda's arc here in TOTK? uhhh.... - struggling to unlock an important power that will help save the world. - is dreading an impending doom that will be caused by a formidable evil. - by losing/nearly losing those who love and support her, she finds her strength and sacrifices herself to help Link, spending hundreds to thousands of years in an intangible, unreachable form.

Except, in my opinion it's much WORSE and carries much less weight than in BOTW. Why? Because there's one horrible mistake the writers of TOTK made when writing our beloved princess, and it's that...

They made her too perfect.

Idk if this is just me, but I dislike how Zelda was portrayed as this 'perfect, flawless and talented princess' who can do everything as if it was as simple as breathing for her. I didn't like how she suddenly became good at cooking at this game (referring to that one side quest with the meat and rice bowl). I loved the hc that she was a terrible cook, but even if she somehow learned, I wish it was mentioned how Link taught her or how she works super hard to become good at something she previously wasn't. I wish it was touched upon how she was an isolated princess who only had books for access to the outside world. I didn't like how it seemed she was suddenly a proficient explorer who knew all plant species and animals just because she 'read' about them (reading doesn't count for crap if you have no field experience!). It almost seems like every skill Link was good at is suddenly also Zelda's skill, aside from fighting. I don't like that. It makes them feel less unique from each other, and makes Zelda feel like she's copying Link in a sense. I wish Zelda had more obviously 'book smarts' while Link was more of a 'streets smarts' person.

Also, they completely forgot to give her any flaws. No struggles, no real issues, no intrapersonal problems at all. But what infuriates me the most to the point I see red, is this:

"Oh? You're struggling to unlock a new power you've never used before but desperately need to in order to go home/save the world? Lemme give you a quick pep talk and you're suddenly a master at using it, no struggle to learn needed yippeee!!!!!!"

Yeah. I don't like this.

I get it. In BOTW, Zelda had no proper mentor with experience to teach her to use her Light power. She had to figure it out herself, with everyone putting pressure on her, thus stunting her development further. And here, Zelda had supporting loved ones with experience in magic who can actually teach her. But come on...

It feels like such a lazy cop-out, and stomps on the beautiful arc Zelda had in BOTW when unlocking her power. It also sucks that it happens off-screen too, as in the next memory Zelda is suddenly proficient at time magic.

Zelda doubted herself. She was carrying pounds of self-loathing and frustration because she couldn't do the one thing she was destined to do. She felt useless, a failure and felt as if the Goddess herself was ignoring her. THAT is a character with struggle. THAT is an interesting protagonist. It is almost never fun when a character instantly learns to use a new skill they've never used before, or even knew existed-- and even WORSE when it happens OFF-SCREEN.

Of course, these are just my opinions though, and I'm sure many other people have different views of Zelda in either game. Feel free to rebuff my statements or even just continue the discussion! That's what these rant posts are made for, lol.

[bet-on-me-13]

Dp x Dc x Miraculous: Deified Siblings AU Pt. 1

Based on 2 Prompts.

One is the Deified Batman AU , which you can read here

The other is a Prompt where Danny, Damien, and Marinette are raised together in the League of Assassins. I can't find it at all, so I will go over the gist of it here. (Edit: Found it!, thank you to the person in Replies who linked me)

Danny is the oldest, about 3 or 4 years older than. The other 2. He is the favorite child.

Danny is 10, Damien and Marinette are 6

Damien is seen as the spare, Marinette is seen as the unfortunate addition.

As the Prompt goes, Danny wants to escape the League and takes his little siblings with him. Damien, fully brainwashed by the Leagues ideals, stabs Danny in the back and drops him off a cliff into a River below, thinking he killed him. He tries to take Marinette back, but she backs away and runs.

Damien returns, tells the League that Danny tried to run away and got himself and Marinette killed in the process. Damien only survived because he wasn't stupid enough to try and leave the League.

Damien stays in the League for a while, before he is eventually taken to his father, The Batman when he is 10

Danny survived his murder attempt, but he lost all of his memories and washed up on the shore of the river miles away. He was found by the Fentons, who were in Europe on a research trip, and was adopted. Canon goes the same for him.

Marinette ran away, using her skills to get all the way to Paris before managing to get adopted by a loving couple. She becomes Ladybug at 13, the same as in Canon.

This is where the Deification happens.

...

Lets go Oldest to youngest.

Danny became a God the moment he died. As a Demigod, he was already partially Divine. When he lost his Mortality, he became what was essentially a God with no Domain. So, he built one up.

He became known as a Protector Spirit, as a Winter Spirit, and after defeating Pariah, as a Death God.

By the time he was 16, he was a fully fledged God.

This did help his amnesia a little bit, and he did have a vague sense of what his life was like before he lost his memories, as well as some flashes. But he knew that he preferred his new life, so he never really looked into it.

...

Damien is the only one who would eventually ascend to God-Hood through Natural Growth.

Damien takes the Mantle of the Robin. And as such, he links himself directly to his father's source of Power, and creates his own Legend, his own Myths. He becomes his own God at around 14.

He is a Vengeful God, one who is Violent. But at the same time he is an Animal God, one who takes care of the abandoned Animals around him. Probably a carry over from his Dad's Protector God Domain.

...

Marinette became a God last. She had it easiest though.

Marinette was born as a Demigod, and later became Linked with Tikki, who is basically a Small Part of the Goddess of Creation tied to the Miraculous.

Her own fledging Divinity mixed with Tikki'a Divinity and helped her Acsend to God-Hood after about a Year as Hero when she is 14.

She would have done so anyways as a Hero, but without the Gotham Pantheon to attach herself to, it would have taken many more years for her to grow enough to Ascend.

She became a Minor Creation Goddess. She also became a Goddess of Creativity, and Protection as well.

If you are worried about the Balance between Creation and Destruction don't worry, Adrien also becomes a God soon afterwards. His Ascension is mostly because he is a being made of Magic (as a SentiMonster) who was linked with a God through his Miraculous.

(I don't like the stories where Adrien is mistreated for no reason, so here he at least gets to be Ladybugs Equal)

...

This is the basic premise of the Prompt. I am planning on writing out the potential Story in a Part 2, but until then what do you think?

(Honestly looking at this after finishing writing it, it feels absurd. 3 different Fandoms, plus 2 different Dp x Dc Prompts. You need to be DEEP in the Crossover Fandoms to really understand this. Imagine a casual fan finding this! It would look like Pure insanity!)

[highlordofkrypton]

the justice league's moms' book club's guide to vampire slaying, a martha kent, alfred pennyworth, atlanna & hippolyta fanfic

Chapter 6 - Love, Love, Laugh

“You are telling me,” Hippolyta measures her words carefully. “That this book was selected specifically to appeal to me.” Judging by the cover, there is nothing that stands out to her. It is a woman in a green dress. Good for her. And yet, in her attempt to dismiss the culture of man’s world while remaining included, she has managed to miss the point entirely.

They are here, a part of this ‘club’ to bond with one another that transcends the invisible tether created by their children’s friendships. She may claim not to care about this world, but she has been paying attention. The people have raised good children and excellent allies for her daughter, regardless of gender. It is why she gave this any thought at all. 

“And you all thought that a book with a female protagonist, polyamory and a female love interest are what my tastes consist of?”

“Oh, I didn’t think. I know.” Alfred smiles.

The man spends too much smiling beneath that coiffed moustache of his. Hippolyta glares at him, loathing how he has been one step ahead of her this entire evening. From what they have told her, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo sounds wonderful. Though her disposition is tough, Hippolyta’s heart is as soft as her daughter’s. It was her who pleaded with the gods for a child, so that she could be a mother and impart boundless love on a precious little being. 

She blames her daughter for Alfred’s cleverness; she must have prepared him for this day, somehow.

“One day, I will wipe that smile off your face, but for now… Grin all you like.” She sighs. “This sounds like the exact story that I would enjoy, and perhaps encourage my sisters to reenact as a play.” Hippolyta folds her arms and steals Atlanna’s copy for safekeeping. She turns to Atlanna, resting her chin against her palm. “And will it take you seven husbands before you realize that I am the one for you?”

For all the velvet in Hippolyta’s tone, Atlanna remains unmoved. She laughs and waves her friend off.

“So, wait, did you two… really?” Martha motions between them. It’s unlike her to ask too many personal questions, but she’s genuinely curious about the lives her friends have led before they became parents to the world’s heroes. She has known Alfred for decades and he never said anything about his life before the Waynes.

“Yes and no,” Hippolyta hums. “Themyscira has always had a political alliance with Atlantis, even before its fall. I have seen many Kings, but only one Queen.” She looks at her affectionately. “I have known the pleasure of her lips, and the softness of her gaze, but she will never be mine.” Her fingers reach out and caress her cheek. Atlanna catches her hand and kisses her palm.

“It is a different kind of love. Hippolyta has my mind, but Tom is my one and my only. I will never love another the same way I love him,” Atlanna holds Hippolyta’s gaze, then turns to smile softly at Martha. “You know what I mean.”

“I do. He brings you balance and peace,” Martha nods.

“And I would only elevate you to the height of goddesses,” Hippolyta laments dramatically.

“But what about… multiple partners,” Martha asks softly and awkwardly. She’s not unfamiliar with the concept, but she worries about overstepping and misspeaking. 

The last time she had dallied was before Jonathan, her sweet traditional farm boy, and never with more than one person. Leaving the social circles her mother had practically worshipped for a small town shifted her entire world. It simplified it, and she focused all her love towards her husband, her son and what she can make with her two hands. 

She glances at Alfred. The two of them come from a time when people simply did not talk about these things. They just happened, and they were either accepted or vilified. 

“It’s not that simple,” Atlanna hums.

“It is not that simple here. Your world has many rules and hangups. Multiple partners can be compatible, but the useless baggage and insecurities.” Hippolyta groans, rolling her eyes.

“You speak from experience,” Martha wonders, out loud. 

And that comment has Hippolyta closing herself off. 

“It requires all participants to let go of everything they have learned in this modern society, and to choose love above all,” Alfred says softly, looking at his tea. 

“You speak from experience,” Atlanna says to him instead.

“Mhm,” he hums. “There are certain kinds of love that you do not let go, ever.”

Neither he nor Martha have ever spoken about it, even if he’d never hid it, either. Too long glances when they thought no one was looking, or overly indulgent touches. She had seen right through them, far too observant for her own good, but she never commented on it. She never asked, not until today, and even now, Martha did not direct her question to Alfred.

“Why didn’t you tell me? When they,” she swallows the agonizing thought. To lose not one, but two pieces of your heart at once. Martha cannot imagine the grief; when Jonathan died, his loss suffocated her. Alfred had been there for her, along with Clark and Bruce. “We would have been there for you. We could have helped with…”

“I know, but I didn’t have the words. I still don't.”

Martha reaches out to him and squeezes his hand. She sits there for a long moment, looking at him with empathy. 

The conversation is sobering, and it is wonderful. It reminds each of them that they are more than their roles, their stations and their accomplishments. They are individuals whose stories are not told, quietly tucked behind the legends they have raised. They do not need recognition, but this—what they have here—is freeing .

“My deepest condolences, Alfred,” Atlanna hums.

“If it is of any consolation, I know a place where you retrieve their sou—,” Hippolyta starts.

“I appreciate the offer, but no.” It is not in his nature to toy with life and death. He will let others do that, and he will face the consequences as they come. Alfred chippers up, lifting his chin. “Enough of this serious talk. I am on vacation. Let us leave the glowering to the Knights of Gotham. Tea, anyone?”

“Actually, I was thinking we could have dinner.” 

Outside, the sun has set. Normally, Martha would have had dinner by now, and readied herself for bed. A buzz settles in her bones as she washes the teacups and the saucers. She doesn’t stay up late often, and it’s exciting to have friends over. They’ve all agreed to stay. She also has no qualms putting the others to work. While she cleans up, Alfred has been tasked with putting the food from tea time away, and both Queens work together to set the table. 

Her mind wanders as her hands work. The farm looks different at night; she admires the way her berry bushes have begun to grow on the side. She likes to dream of happy little creatures nibbling on this season’s yield. In the distance, the barn looms over the farmhouse, but she knows it's a place of warmth filled with animals who want nothing more than chin scratches. 

The rest of her land is a forest of stalks—corn and sunflowers—but the verdant colours have turned into nothing more than a dark wall surrounding her home. Had she not spent the better part of her life surrounded by these fields, and had she not found the greatest gift in the middle of that field, then maybe she would have found the farm isolating. Intimidating.

Movement snaps her out of her reverie. The stalks don’t move, not normal. They stay still, watching her with the same intensity that she watches them. Martha stops the water, leaning forward on the counter and looking outside the window. 

There. 

A quiver of leaves, and then it’s gone again. She squints, willing herself to see what’s there. 

An animal?  

Most animals that roam freely through the farmlands are too small to cause that kind of movement. The neighbours must have lost a goat again. Her own cow, Bessie, has been known to wander. 

Your mind is playing tricks on you, she mused, looking down to dry her hands. The moment she looks up, she sees it.

A dark figure standing among the stalks, its head illuminated by the moonlight, but its features darkened by shadow. It stands there, watching her. Chills ripple across her flesh, lighting her up from the inside out with a certain kind of fear. 

“Martha?”

She nearly jumps out of her skin. Atlanna looks at her, as if she has grown three heads. Her gaze follows Martha’s out the window, but she sees nothing. Atlanteans eyesight is not made for the surface. Her body may have adapted after all these years, but seeing at night is still difficult.

“Are you alright?”

“Oh, yes. It’s just this new generation of teenagers. They have no respect for others.” The lie is a comfort, but not for Atlanna. “I’ve slow roasted beef. A spin on Alfred’s recipe,” she grins. “I’ll be with you in a quick sec. Have a seat.”

One last glance out the window, and all she sees is the dark row of stalks—corn and sunflower.

That’s what I get up for staying up late.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

I have two things to share today!

First, I got a new book!

I am loving all the concept art. Also found out there's a manga in the back I've heard about, but had never actually read before.

Second, something Skyward Sword related I've been thinking about today that just so happend to tie into that.

(Yes, I'm still working my way through the game but I've seen pieces of the ending)

In a lot of LU stuff with Sky and Demise's curse, I see it interpreted that Demise was the one to cause the cycle of reincarnation for the three bearers of the triforce. I have a different interpretation on that though.

See, Demise only specifies his own reincarnation. "An incarnation of my hatred shall ever follow your kind. (Blood of the Goddess, Spirit of the Hero)" That suggests that Link and Zelda were already bound to reincarnation, and Demise simply added himself into that cycle.

Then I found the manga in Hyrule Historia, and that pretty much confirmed what I had been thinking. Demise's curse didn't cause the reincarnation cycle, it simply added himself into it.

Would love to hear your thoughts on that, if you have any!

Oooo Hyrule Historia, that’s fun! :D I’m glad you’re enjoying it :)

That’s an interesting take on it! Haha Demise just shoved himself into the cycle too, like “I WANNA PLAY TOO >:( ” 😂 I can see that honestly

I mean, if you really do wanna hear my thoughts, I guess I’ll share 😅 I don’t think my take on it is a very popular one though. 😅

First of all, I disregard all mangas as they’re not canon. Like I can enjoy aspects of them and whatnot, but I’ve never read one and don’t intend to.

Secondly, the entire idea of First’s existence bothers me lol, sorry. Skyward Sword heavily implies that Hylia fought her own war against Demise and didn’t need some man to help her, and I liked that. Like LET HER FIGHT HER OWN DANG BATTLES BLAST IT. STOP WITH THE CONSTANTLY NEEDING A HERO TO SAVE HER AND FALLING IN LOVE AND—anyway that’s just a pet peeve of mine. Also, his existence would imply that Sky’s just another hero in the cycle rather than the start of it, and I liked the idea that Skyward Sword was the start of the legend, not just another chapter - and the game even heavily implies that it’s the start. It has fun callbacks, like Zelda giving Link a sailcloth based on the tradition that Hylia gave her chosen hero that—and wouldn’t you look at that, she’s Hylia and Link travels into the past to fight Demise and is called Hylia’s chosen hero - he made his own legend!! I adore that!! First’s existence and story completely derails all that, so I’ll just stick to canon. ☺️ Many people like him and they’re more than welcome to enjoy him, I just disregard him haha

As for the reincarnation, I guess it varies based on what people think reincarnation is. The way I’ve always viewed it is that if someone reincarnated their soul hops from life to life. So it’s the same person living different lives. But LoZ contradicts this when Hero’s Shade appears in Twilight Princess - that’s two separate souls, but they’re both the Hero. So it isn’t exactly reincarnation, then. And Zelda only reincarnated once - when Hylia became Skyward Sword Zelda. The rest of them, at least according to Demise’s curse, are her descendants. So neither Link nor Zelda are the same person traveling across time and destiny - instead, Zelda is bound to her bloodline, while Link is chosen by the goddesses when a hero is needed because he has the courage to do it. The Spirit of the Hero, as I interpret it, is Skyward Sword Link, who is bound by the curse, who acts as a spiritual companion and aide to the current Hero, though neither of them is really able to communicate, who imparts connections to his destiny (why Link gravitates to Zelda, why he might feel strange connections to items or places, though the games never really show that’s the case), who protects them when they cannot protect themselves (why Twilight turns to a wolf instead of being lost in the twilight realm, why the Triforce randomly splits in Hyrule Warriors and protects Wars from dying against Volga when it’s never shown to be a weapon or shield before).

But that’s just my take on it, Nintendo leaves it very vague so we can all play with our own ideas! :)