#they practically invented that kind of manipulation

[lillybearrie]

I haven't seen anyone else talk about this so I will

THIS MOMENT RIGHT HERE I LOOK AT IT AND GO ABABABA

Icarus knows what's going on here I mean they've said several time that they know they're being manipulated but it's one thing saying you know something is happening and another to watch it happen in real time right after your brother made connections to how you used to treat someone else

Fable looks around at the changes prompting an apology from Icarus leading to Fable quickly and loudly blaming Quixis for changing thing bit in the kinda way you would blame someone for ruining your life and then the other shoe drops Fable knows damn well what day it is so he pretends to apologize for not being able to remove Quixis but then is quick to blame Centross for his failure to do so

you can see a sliver of the want to protest that Centross was protecting them that he saved their life that their best friend died valiantly protecting his family but they just don't have that kinda fight left it's not worth it and admitting that they were ever in need of saving implys a danger to be saved from and it doesn't take a genius to know how that would go over

Icarus is so tired they're fucking exhausted and sometimes when you're that tired the good fight can wait sometimes it's quicker safer and easier to just nod along and wait for them to finish whatever rant they deem it necessary for you to hear let whatever point they needed to make drive home and then go to bed because after everything even doing nothing but listen to them can be absolutely draining

[princesssarisa]

Disney's unconventional "Cinderella" (1950) (long)

Having watched most of the many adaptations of Cinderella, I've come to realize what a unique adaptation Disney's 1950 animated classic really is. Unlike Snow White, which only had a few stage and screen adaptations before Disney produced its groundbreaking film, Cinderella had already been adapted many times before Disney's turn came, and Disney's version makes a surprising number of departures from the standard Cinderella "formula." It was definitely a fresh, creative Cinderella when it made its debut, and it arguably still is. Yet because it's become so familiar in pop culture, and today so often serves as our childhood introduction to the tale, it's easy to overlook its inventive storytelling choices. The 2015 live action remake uses several classic Cinderella adaptation tropes that the original 1950 film actually subverts!

Here's a list of the often-overlooked ways in which Disney's Cinderella stands out from earlier adaptations, and from many later ones too.

Cinderella herself. Disney's Cinderella isn't a traditional Cinderella in personality. The "traditional" portrayal of Cinderella, seen in virtually every adaptation before Disney's and several afterwards too, is the portrayal I call "The Waif": a very young, fragile, melancholy girl, dressed in pathetic rags and smudged with ashes, who makes the audience want to rescue her and who wins the Prince's heart with her wide-eyed innocence and artless charm. But whether chiefly to set her apart from earlier screen Cinderellas or from Disney's earlier delicate ingenue Snow White, Disney's Cinderella is none of those things. She comes across as older, or at least more sophisticated. Nor is she waif-like, but instead combines down-to-earth warmth with ladylike dignity, even at her lowliest. She doesn't sit in the ashes ("Cinderella" is her real name in this version), and her servants' dress is humble yet clean and only slightly tattered. She's gentle and kind, yes, but also intelligent, practical, playful, sometimes sarcastic, philosophical, optimistic, genuinely cheerful when she's with her animal friends, and yet angrier and stronger-willed than virtually all earlier Cinderellas. She doesn't beg to go to the ball, but asserts her right to go, and then sets to work fixing up an old dress of her mother's for herself. Only her stepfamily's sabotage, first by keeping her too busy to finish the dress, and then by destroying it after the mice and birds finish it for her, prevents her from taking herself to the ball without a Fairy Godmother. To this day, she stands out as a complex, unique Cinderella, which pop culture too often forgets.

Lady Tremaine. Some critics today complain that Disney makes Cinderella's stepmother a total monster instead of giving her "nuance" and call her portrayal "sexist." But can't we agree that her sheer cruelty enhances the film's dramatic power? And compared to earlier portrayals of Cinderella's Stepmother, it definitely makes her stand out. In most pre-Disney Cinderellas and many after, the Stepmother is a pompous, vain comic antagonist. Once again, Disney was innovative by portraying Lady Tremaine as a dignified, manipulative, and truly sinister villain, who takes quietly sadistic pleasure in abusing Cinderella and will stop at nothing to prevent her from going to the ball or marrying the Prince. As far as I know, she's also the first Stepmother to realize before the slipper-fitting that Cinderella was the lady at the ball and to take action to prevent her from being found. That's a commonplace plot device in more recent adaptations, but in 1950 it was a creative twist!

The mice and other animals. Viewers debate whether Cinderella's mouse friends, Jaq, Gus, et al, and their misadventures evading Lucifer the Cat are a welcome addition or take away too much screen time from Cinderella herself. But there's no denying that the presence of the mice and birds is an inventive storytelling choice, which makes Disney's Cinderella stand out! And I can provide a long list of reasons why they're more than just "filler." (1) They add liveliness, humor, and appeal for younger children. (2) They gave the animators an outlet for the type of character animation they did best, rather than binding them to the harder work of animating realistic humans. (3) They give Cinderella someone to talk to besides her stepfamily. (4) They give her a way to demonstrate her kindness. (5) The struggles of the mice with Lucifer parallel Cinderella's abuse by her stepfamily, and Cinderella's undying optimism not only keeps her from despair, but inspires them too. (6) They arguably provide a further reason why Cinderella stays with her stepfamily – not only does she have nowhere to go, but an entire community of small sentient creatures relies on her for food and protection. (7) They reward Cinderella for her kindness. From the start, her friendship with the mice and birds makes her life easier to bear, both by easing her loneliness and because they do helpful deeds for her, like mending and cleaning her clothes. They fix up her mother's dress for her to wear to the ball – only the stepfamily's last-minute cruelty requires the Fairy Godmother to step in. And in the end, they're directly responsible for Cinderella's happy ending by freeing her from her locked room. They do all these things because Cinderella has protected them, fed them, made them clothes, and been their friend. Therefore, Cinderella's good fortune never feels "just handed" to her: her kindness directly earns it.

The Fairy Godmother. It's always varied between illustrators whether Cinderella's Fairy Godmother is portrayed as a grandmotherly old woman or as youthful, regal, and beautiful, but screen and stage adaptations before the Disney version virtually always took the "youthful, regal, beautiful" approach. That is, when they didn't change her into a wise, fatherly male magician-advisor, as in several opera adaptations! At any rate, seriousness and dignity were the norm for this character in most adaptations from the 19th century through the 1940s. Making her a sweet, comforting, grandmotherly figure, with a comically and adorably absent mind, was another of Disney's fresh choices.

Cinderella's entrance at the ball. We all know the classic image of Cinderella's entrance from other adaptations. Cinderella appears at the top of the grand staircase that leads down to the ballroom, and a hush falls over the assembly, as not only the Prince, but all the guests and members of the court are amazed by the unknown lady's beauty and magnificent dress. Even in versions without a staircase, Cinderella captivates the room the moment she enters. Adaptations both before and after Disney's, including Disney's own 2015 live action remake, play her entrance this way. But the 1950 animated classic subverts it! The grand staircase leads up to the ballroom, not down to it, and Cinderella's entrance isn't a triumph at first, but a vulnerable moment as she makes her way up the stairs alone, dwarfed by the splendor around her. Then, when she reaches the ballroom, no one notices her at first, because the other ladies are being presented to the Prince and all eyes are on him. But then the Prince notices her in the shadowy background as she quietly marvels at her surroundings, and leaves his post to approach her and invite her to dance. Only then does the rest of the assembly notice her, because she's the one the Prince has singled out. It's more understated and it feels more realistic than the traditional entrance, as well as more clearly symbolic of Cinderella's venturing above her station, then both literally and figuratively being led out of the shadows by the Prince's unexpected attention.

The slipper-fitting plan. Over the years, it's been fairly popular to mock the idea of using the glass slipper to find the Prince's love, as if there were no chance it would fit anyone else. Disney's version is creative by having the slipper-fitting search be the comical, hot-blooded King's idea, not the Prince's, and making it clear that it's not, nor is it meant to be, a foolproof plan to find Cinderella. The Duke points out that the slipper could fit any number of girls, but the King doesn't care if they find the right girl or not: he just wants to hold his son to his pledge to marry "the girl who fits this slipper" and force him to marry the first one who fits it. This also means that Disney doesn't do what most adaptations do and have the Prince conduct the search himself, but follows the original Perrault tale by having a gentleman, in this case the Grand Duke, do it instead. This prevents audiences from mocking the Prince for relying on the slipper instead of knowing his beloved's face.

Cinderella breaking free and asking to try on the slipper. Even though in Perrault's original tale, Cinderella asks to try on the slipper, she almost never does in adaptations. In most versions other than Disney's, including Disney's own 2015 remake, Cinderella's presence in the house (and/or the fact that she has the other slipper) is either discovered by accident or revealed by Cinderella's allies, not by Cinderella's own initiative. In some versions, she even tries to hide from the Prince and/or the search party, either out of fear of her stepfamily or because she feels unworthy of the Prince in her rags. But not Disney's animated Cinderella! First of all, she has an assertive emotional breakthrough when she calls on her dog Bruno to chase Lucifer away and free Gus to slip her the key to her locked room. Earlier on, she urges Bruno to try to get along with Lucifer, lest the stepfamily not allow him to sleep in the house – it's clear that Bruno represents her own rebellious side, and in that scene she's really talking about herself, revealing that she tolerates her stepfamily's abuse so she won't lose her own "nice warm bed" and be homeless. But in the climactic scene, when she finally sees a way out, she gives up playing nice and seizes her chance. First she unleashes Bruno on Lucifer, and then she runs downstairs and directly asks to try on the slipper, not caring how her stepfamily will react, or what the Grand Duke will think of her shabby dress, or whether the audience will accuse her of gold-digging or not. This isn't a common breakthrough in other Cinderella adaptations, but it fits perfectly (like a glass slipper, you might say) with the Disney Cinderella's stronger-willed and more self-assured characterization.

"I have the other slipper." We can probably all safely assume that when audiences first saw Disney's Cinderella in 1950, they all expected Cinderella to try on the glass slipper she lost, with her identity revealed by its perfect fit. They never would have expected Lady Tremaine to trip the footman and break the glass slipper... only for Cinderella to calmly reveal that she has the other one. It's yet another clever and unexpected twist, not seen in any other version. Not even Disney's own 2015 remake.

Disney's Cinderella deserves far more credit than it gets for being unique among the myriad versions of the tale, especially compared to the versions that came before it.

[deikshen]

Well, he (user: HeavenlyPillar666) is just a guy who only reads a webnovel out of boredom after his martial arts classes and finds himself unfortunately trapped- the plot is uninteresting in the first instance, the descriptions are long and absurd (SERIOUSLY, FIVE PARAGRAPHS TO DESCRIBE A DAMN PLANT? TEN PARAGRAPHS TO DESCRIBE A MONSTER? More action scenes than dialogue!? Who the hell is that IcedBlueBeast and why the hell does he insist on making everything SO DENSE AND SLOW?), but... one of his characters? DEFINITELY HIS FAVORITE CHARACTER IN THAT HORRIBLE WORLD. HIS MISUNDERSTOOD BLORBO. HIS BELOVED.

In a summary not summarized, a story about two twin brothers who were separated at birth, and both found their way to cultivation world in different ways. Reunited first like disciples and then Peak Lords of different peaks of the same sect, suddenly, the brother who remained with his wealthy family - Shen Yuan - was seen as something of a villain for having had kind and lovely parents, a home and an education, always portrayed as the spoiled rich kid who bought his way into the Sect, while the REAL SCUM VILLAIN ACCORDING TO HEAVENLYPILLAR666, that bitch Shen Jiu who was stolen from his family and raised as a slave and then on the streets, ended with basically a harem of peak lords, fanning himself with his fourth-rate victim role.

And the rest of that pathetic novel it's just... shit full of dramas, betrayal and eternal descriptions being an ode to finding the hundreds of ways in which Shen Yuan's inherent kindness was misinterpreted as manipulation, judged and accused of wanting to do something bad just because he comes from a rich and well-off background.

And how it should be fair after all that gaslighting and psychological torture, Shen Yuan finally agree with them!

Crack under the pressure and the mistreatment of everyone, he just decide that if everyone thought he was a villain, then he was one!!

Allying with the demons first as an informant spy and then rising to power among the court, he ended up being something like a emperor-demonic cultivator eager for revenge and proving that no matter where he came from, he would show them what he was capable of! If the Cang Qiong Mountain Sect believed that a powerful cultivator was only forged through hard work and suffering, look at him now!

So all that good revenge plot would go to shit with Shen Yuan start to fucking monsters in scenes that were almost fade to black despite the deep descriptions and CHEMISTRY between the passionate Shen Yuan and the mythical creatures to have more power for the revenge that never seemed to come... To end with a completely unsatisfying shitty ending in which Shen Yuan gave up his revenge for filial love and the power of forgiveness, giving his own life to save his fucking damnit brother's life!

Where was the cruel revenge?! The taking over of the world?! HeavenlyPillar666 is RAGING, more than anyone else in all those damn comments!! Dumbfuck author, dumbfuck novel!!!!!

...

Yea, the user HeavenlyPillar666 shouldn't have said that while choking on his damn glass of water. It's not that he thinks he could die by drowning in a glass of water, LITERALLY. That's ridiculous. It's the height of ridiculousness.

But now he is dead, and he has transmigrated into one of Shen Yuan's less filial disciples who would ultimately be the person who would hurt him the most when he turned his back on him, after having been practically raised and adored by Shen Yuan, this damn disciple who always treating his Shizun with contempt and disdain knowing his invented reputation, but despite that, he was so dear to Shen Yuan who more than once was capable of putting himself at risk for him...

No, nothing like that!! No more of that trash!!! Shen Yuan deserves MORE, and the one who now is Luo Binghe is going to make sure Shen Yuan has all of it. A happy ending, a filial disciple, someone to count on, someone to stand up for him when no one else will. Someone by his side when he decides to destroy the cultivation world, someone to HELP HIM DO IT AND GET REVENGE ON ALL THOSE ASSHOLES SONS OF A B-

If only that fucking System would stop yelling at him for being OOC. Luo Binghe already knows!!! Fuck you System!! He's not going to respond that rudely to his Shizun, he is a beautiful little sun, what's wrong with you!?

[arabella0001]

Hiii

Do you remember the Kakashi request I made a while ago ?

cn: fluff. slow burn. avoidant attachment style. explicit sexual content [nsfw / 18+].dirty talk, 6.5 k+ words.

⟡ fandom: naruto | pairing: kakashi x reader

part 1 part 2

a/n: your requests always bring out the monster in me and make me write too much!

Ocular jutsu is a powerful tool. So powerful that the balance is inclined toward darker intents.

Fortunately enough, you and the people in your village were spared. At least for now. Injured ninja and powerless civilians like you are advised to stay in the medical tents around the city. Still, resources are low, so as a community, housing other ninja is a needed help.

Since Kakashi is the Hokage of the Konoha village, he is the most sought after. You didn’t interact with him directly that much, no. Only heard about him from others.

Most of you are powerless against ocular jutsu, but as a villager of healing techniques, you were one of the best at it.Your specialization is in creating advanced medical equipment and tools, of course with knowledge in medical ninjutsu. What sets you apart from others is your rare affinity and expertise toward some techniques in nature manipulation, lightning transmission, and any basic technique that helps you create Saishin Gijutsu-gata.

The special invention that made your name somewhat known in the village was the one you proposed to Konoha’s monarchy government, along with the council.

The first time you saw Kakashi was in a flash.

You walked with little confidence toward the meeting room because you didn’t do well with public speaking, even though Tsunade practically pushed you through the door after fighting off the anxious, irrational doubts you told yourself.

The door was opened by your slightly trembling hand, and you took a deep breath before entering.Your steps were the only sound in the room, announcing your presence before you bowed toward the present members.

“H-hello!” You adjusted your too-weak voice. “Hello! My name is Y/N L/N, born in the village of Sunagakure but now a member of the foundation of the Children’s Mental Healthcare Clinic and Medical Research Division in Konoha.”

You dared to glance at their expressions, which looked bored after the previous presentations before you.

“Right, so…” You turned toward the blackboard with the image projected onto it. “My research is about a possible mono-thunder train.”

“Mono-thunder train?” Shikamaru Nara asked curiously.

The sudden voice froze you a little before you looked at him over your shoulder.

“We know the Thunder Train installed in Konohagakure, right? The research is focused on a singular wagon designed for only four people, one of them to operate the train.”

Shikamaru added immediately. His voice wasn’t judgmental, but skeptical.

“Why should we invest our resources in this if we have a Thunder Train good enough for our needs?”

“Because the difference between them is that it doesn’t need rails. It only needs the ground.”

“What do you mean, the ground?”

You were at least happy someone was asking questions; it helped you present your idea better.

“Yes, that’s the major difference. And your next question is probably how an invention like that could run on the ground without an electrical line. Well, a usual train uses a locomotive as an engine, while this vehicle would get power from a drivetrain, engine, transmission, etc.”

Shikamaru blinked slightly before asking,

“Before you continu…since I, myself, want to hear all of it, and I won’t vote to dismiss your research. What’s the major purpose of it?”

“The monarch of the village would benefit most from it, as it increases privacy and security, especially with a trained person designated as his personal driver.”

Finally, you looked at the Hokage. Kakashi was standing beside Shikamaru, his crucial advisor.

Speaking of Kakashi, he was usually forced to participate in all these kinds of meetings. Not that he didn’t want to. He appreciated creativity of any kind; but the long list of responsibilities drained him day by day. He didn’t want this role, and everybody knew it. Is he a bad or uninvolved Hokage? No. A happy person who gives the most powerful speeches? Also no.

But when he saw you walking in with noticeable shyness yet speaking confidently about your project (which was impressive), he paid more attention. He didn’t want to play the innocent card either, but your beauty was another reason. So it wasn’t a surprise that he was already looking at you when you made a reference toward him. A surprise that the eye contact lasted two seconds too long.

Maybe she’s intimidated?

You weren’t. Well…a little, but that wasn’t the major reason. The major reason was his presence. Why didn’t anyone prepare you beforehand for how young the Hokage is and especially how he looks?

You withdrew your gaze so it wouldn’t be considered disrespectful, as if you were glaring at the Hokage himself, and you didn’t dare to look at him again. Only once more before finishing your presentation, and once again, he looked at you too. Of course, you told yourself he was paying attention like a good Hokage would, but the truth was further from that.

You were too tired when you arrived home later that day. The fifth brutally injured patient had arrived at your tent. The unknown opposition organization threatening Konoha was still causing damage. It’s true the number has decreased, but until they find the purpose behind these evil, destructive individuals, you can’t name a solution.

Your own theory is that the reason they’re not killing people but instead injuring and putting them under various jutsu for control is that they want to send a message. Probably a message for the only person threatened with death. Kakashi. He’s not the only one with ocular jutsu, Sasuke and Sarada are also targets. Ocular jutsu has always been superior, once representing some of the most powerful people on earth: the Uchiha Clan. Maybe their intention is to steal the remnants of that power?

Your thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door, and you nearly dropped your teacup when the knocks became more aggressive and insistent. You couldn’t think of anyone who might be at your place right now, other than your friends who would never make your heart race like that from the intensity of the knocks. That’s the disadvantage when your techniques don’t help you in a proper fight. Basic knowledge of defense doesn’t calm your heart either.

You gulped, grabbed your favorite knife handcrafted by you, and walked toward the door, which had stopped rattling. You turned the handle with precise slowness before opening it.

When you opened the door slowly and cautiously, you froze with wide eyes at the scene in front of you: the Hokage himself, speaking with one of the three guards about the exaggerated knocking. They stopped mid-conversation, giving you side glances.

Kakashi’s eyes traveled briefly over your body, pausing at your choice of clothing, a black satin two-piece pajama. His eyes landed on the knife, then on your slightly scared expression. He shifted his position to stand directly in front of you, with the guards behind him.

“Good evening. I offer my apologies for the earlier sudden and harsh knocking. I imagine it frightened you.”

You still hadn’t processed what was happening.

“First of all, I know this isn’t news to you, but the allocation of refugee citizens in the medical tents and housing within the safety zone plays a role in citizen security.”

You started to come back to yourself, and just before responding, you realized what you were wearing in front of the most powerful person in the village. You abruptly closed the door to cover yourself, red paint practically blooming across your cheeks.

“It’s fine! No problem! I was just… never mind. Ahm, yes. Good evening, Hokage-sama. I know about the situation. Obviously—I mean of course I know that—excuse me,” you said, bowing. Kakashi smiled subtly under his mask, though his gaze seemed serious.

His guards didn’t look too pleased, judging by the way they glanced at you suspiciously, scanning the area.

“There’s no need to apologize,” he reassured you before continuing. “The Hokage’s assignment was designated to your home because your home’s infrastructure is closest to the strategic security plan proposed by my advisor, Shikamaru Nara.”

You didn’t really hear much of the last part. Kakashi staying in your house?

His unmistakable voice pulled you out of your dissociative gaze to focus on him again.

“If it’s alright with you, there’s no pressure. I can speak with Shikamaru to rewrite the plan for a different house, if there’s another available.”

One of the guards looked like he was about to object to the number of options being given to you, but Kakashi’s gaze pinned him in place.

You looked at each of them before returning your gaze to Kakashi, wondering if you were dreaming. Nope, this is real.

“Ah, yes. Of course, no problem. Excuse my manners.”

You prayed the room wasn’t too messy and that not everyone would enter at once. Only one of those things came true. The guards followed him in and began checking the place for any signs of danger, and you stood frozen, just watching them. Kakashi wasn’t focused on the house at all. Only on you.

“It’s necessary, unfortunately. Your privacy was invaded, and I’m sorry for that. I know how it must feel.”

You looked up at him because he was tall, not that you were very short. You didn’t understand why he hadn’t fully entered the house so you could close the door.

“It’s no problem. I understand it’s for your safety.”

You indirectly signaled him to step in by trying to close the door, and he took the hint, stepping inside.

Your formality bothered him, it made it feel like you weren’t equals. But he’d bring that up later.

Your house was completely different from his because his had as few personal items as possible, maybe just a few books. Yours was full of plants, which fit you, along with books and all kinds of paintings of insects on one side, and weapons and machinery on the other. A woman of both worlds. There was some mess here and there, which bothered him even more because he had caught you off guard.

“I-I’ll go prepare the room. Actually, choose whichever you like, you can even take mine—just let me go in first, please—”

He raised his hands, signaling disagreement and stopping both your words and your steps.

“You don’t need to do anything. Wouldn’t you rather we have tea until the guards finish checking?”

You turned quickly toward the simple open kitchen, contrasting the living room.

“Sure, just a moment.” You paused. “Can I go change? I’ll be right back, promise.”

He’s probably going to lose his mind at how sweet you are, but way too stressed.

“Yes, of course. You don’t need my permission.”

You nodded and rushed up the stairs to your room. When you came back down, Kakashi was already preparing the tea, his cloak and hat resting on a chair.

“What? No, you didn’t have to! You’re the guest and not to mention—”

His eyes gave the hint of a smile, but you weren’t sure. He looked over his shoulder and let you continue by taking his hands off the teapot.

“I can’t remain a guest in a house that isn’t mine and offers me safety on top of it.”

You shook your head in disagreement. You didn’t understand his completely unentitled behavior. But you had no words left when he moved toward the couch, his figure front and center.

I don’t know how I’m going to survive this.

He visibly smiled with his eyes when you gave him the tea, eyes closing. And you smiled back.It was the first time he saw that. Officially, you’re even prettier when you smile.

The guards returned at the same time from upstairs, their strong footsteps echoing down to the last stair. They looked strangely at the scene before them, as if you two had known each other forever, before bowing to a Hokage who looked completely relaxed.

“All clean, Hokage-sama.”

“Alright. You may leave for the night and return in the morning with Shikamaru’s plans.”

“Hokage-sama, it’s not safe to remain unsupervised. Tsunade warned us beforehand about…this. We’re forced to go against your word this time.” Another added after bowing, “We’ll surround the house and take turns.”

Kakashi sighed before accepting, mentally cursing Tsunade’s interference in his selfless plans.

“Fine. Do as you wish then.”

You waited for them to finish before continuing.

“If you want, you can rest here between shifts.”

The third member, who hadn’t spoken until now, said reproachfully before they all exited the house.

“A guardian doesn’t close his eyes when the supreme leader’s life is at risk. You should know that, foreign girl from the Land of Sand.”

You felt too ashamed to say anything back.

“Ignore what they say. They take their job too seriously. Their words don’t define what I believe.”

You looked at Kakashi, disheartened.He had calmed you more times tonight than you could count.

Is he irresponsible or do I just not think twice before speaking?

You nodded in superficial agreement, more out of respect.

“Now, do you want to choose your room, Hokage-sama? Or would you like to eat? Shower?”

Kakashi stood, sighing again, and you were convinced you’d upset him, maybe stressed him out too much, or maybe you weren’t behaving correctly. You didn’t know how to speak to high-ranking people, especially when that person looked this attractive. It was an extreme-level game not to let your eyes admire his face or body. Not a game for beginners.

“We can go and you can show me the rooms, but only for your pleasure.” His steps got too close to you, and your heart beat wildly as you tried your best not to back away and appear afraid. “But otherwise, my only wish is for you to treat me normally. Like a friend, Y/N.”

Your brain short-circuited. What? He knows my name? Then you corrected yourself—duh, of course he knows the name of the person he’s staying with.

You came back down to earth, finally acting a little more like yourself.

“Okay, I’ll try. Sor—” No apologies. “Right. Ahm, let’s go.”

Kakashi slept that night in the guest room next to yours, the one where your friends sometimes stayed. It was fairly simple, just the way he liked it, even if it didn’t have your touch.

You, on the other hand, had a hard time falling asleep that night, tossing and turning and praying you’d wake up early enough to make breakfast. You figured he probably had food delivered by his guards, but you couldn’t risk it.

You managed to wake up, not feeling his presence, so you assumed he was still asleep. You rushed through your usual routine, still preparing your medical uniform to head to the tents, hoping that maybe today there would be even fewer victims. Although this area was the most monitored and safest, it was hard to ever feel completely secure.

After finishing breakfast and placing it as nicely as possible, you stepped outside the house to see what his guards were doing. They were likely starting the house security protocol Shikamaru had proposed.

But when you came out, Kakashi was still in yesterday’s clothes, since he hadn’t had a change yet, and his Hokage wardrobe was missing. His gaze was fixed above the house, where a guard was measuring its dimensions, his hands resting on his hips.

Fuck, I woke up too late.

Kakashi sensed you immediately, he was already used to your presence. In fact, involuntarily, he was far more aware of it. He looked at you from the side before greeting you.

“Good morning, Y/N. Quite an early hour to be awake.”

You blushed a little, not bothering to argue.

“Breakfast is ready. Anytime you’re hungry, you can go to the kitchen.”

Kakashi looked at you a moment, noticing the dark circles under your eyes and assuming this definitely wasn’t your usual wake-up time but he said nothing. You couldn’t take your eyes off him, and not just because you didn’t want to be disobedient, however that made for a good excuse.

“I already ate, thank you. You didn’t have to cook for me.” But he didn’t let you continue, already knowing what you were going to say. “Are you leaving soon?”

You clasped your sweaty hands before answering as normally as you could, still without confusing his position with friendship.

“In… a few hours. I’m on the afternoon shift.”

You’d already confirmed that 5 a.m. was definitely not your normal hour. He nodded in acknowledgment.

“Okay, I’ll come with you then. I’ve got a few things to discuss with Tsunade. I understand you know each other?”

Probably that’s how he knows my name.

“Ahm… yeah. She was the one who introduced me to the hospital’s internal protocol.”

“Aha. So you’re just acquaintances.”

Your mind flashed through all the evenings you’d spent drinking with Tsunade, her complaining about the Hokage (now you had way too many questions about what you knew regarding Kakashi), and all the times she’d been your biggest supporter.

“Friends. Good friends, I’d dare say.”

Interesting. Tsunade wouldn’t make friends with someone who didn’t meet her standards. The thought that you might share a bit of her fierce attitude made him want to know you even more.

“I see.” You didn’t understand why he was asking. Was he making conversation? You could say he seemed grounded. Under normal circumstances, you’d be glad to want to know him more. But you couldn’t allow yourself that.

Kakashi exchanged a few words with the guards when they asked him about a particular section on the adviser’s or architect’s paper. Even though he didn’t appear focused on you (or so you thought), you bowed slightly before turning back toward the house.

Kakashi watched you go as he half-listened to the man speaking. It took a while before he came in—you assumed it was because he now had his bag, most likely with clothes, closing the door softly behind him.

“D-do you drink coffee?” You found it hard to speak with formality, and Kakashi noticed your hesitation. He liked that you were trying.

“I’d love to.” He wondered what coffee made by you might taste like. Hopefully, it would soon be his favorite.

Even though thoughts like that didn’t scare him the way they used to, Kakashi wasn’t usually like this, and he didn’t believe it was wise. It was just the illusion of a door opening to some parallel universe where he might have access to a word foreign to him: love.

Still, he found it amusing to have these kinds of conversations with you because you attracted him from multiple angles. First, it was your appearance and he knew that was shallow, but your life, your path, your personal space had been enough to mentally draw him in too. Who you were underneath the humble persona, he couldn’t quite figure out. You were definitely a good person, considering your profession and the friends you had. But that wasn’t enough to satisfy him yet.

Still, the circumstances he was in made him act this way. His thoughts now sounded an alarm, and he went to change into clean clothes, avoiding his unbearable uniform and settling onto the couch, reading his favorite volume from the series. Old habits die hard.

The shift in energy was also a reminder for you that he was just being polite in response to your hospitality. At the end of the day, he was the village leader, not a potential friend. The word “friend” felt false anyway; your thoughts weren’t platonic, and that only made you feel worse.

You placed his coffee on the small table and stopped yourself from finishing a curse under your breath when you almost spilled it because of a book’s spine. Kakashi was faster than you—though he seemed immersed in the book (he was, needing a distraction, and Icha Icha books were the best choice)—his hand already reached the cup while yours was just inches above his.

There’s a reason he holds that title. It’s inhuman to be that fast. Your eyes met, your mouth slightly open in shock at embarrassing yourself in front of the Hokage. But feeling his firm hand under yours made you pull back your hand and your gaze at the same time.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve been more careful.” You stepped back from the table as if you feared you might make another blunder.

And Kakashi just let out a sound that resembled a chuckle, which instantly made you look up at him. What a beautiful smile.

“It happens. Sometimes you’re too deep in your own thoughts.”

My thoughts about you. Right.

Kakashi added, “Are you feeling alright? I know these past days have been demanding for you all.”

You couldn’t lie to him. It’s one thing to act differently from how you feel—another to lie outright.

“It’s been rough, but not as bad as at the beginning.”

You felt awkward standing there like you were putting on a show, and his gaze felt too exposing, so you sat down on a chair as far from him as possible. Kakashi understood you weren’t comfortable sitting near him. It bothered him, just a little.

He sipped the coffee and he felt on his tongue the beans you’d chosen were exactly the kind he had at home. Strong enough, but not overly roasted like some people preferred. Your gaze wasn’t free of his as you wondered if you were even allowed or privileged to look at him without the mask. You were stunned at how handsome he was.

“Can I help you with anything? Or help you personally with something?”

When you began to shake your head in disapproval, he spoke again.

“Tell me. Forget the formalities.”

You swallowed hard.

“Thank you very much, but it’s not necessary. We’ve managed so far.”

The first time you allowed yourself a question, murmured while Kakashi crossed one leg over the other and closed the book. He couldn’t stay distracted anymore.

“Has anything been found about the identity of the culprits? If it’s okay for you to tell me—”

He cut off the end of your sentence.

“Not yet, but there are suspicions. It shouldn’t take long, considering the Sand Village recently declared, without us even asking, that they’re willing to help.”

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, considering a very slim probability.

“Are you part of a well-known family from the Sand Village?”

That question was bound to come.

“Yes. The mother figure was the well-known counselor Chiyo. The mother figure for me and… Sasori.”

Figures, Kakashi thought.

“I’m sorry for your loss. Both losses.”

You replied with a half-smile.

“I’ve moved on, but thank you. Sasori, though… he was lost from a young age. The pain he left behind has faded over time.”

Kakashi figured your childhood wasn’t pleasant either. He didn’t dare ask about your parents.

“I suppose you felt some apathy toward the new Kazekage.”

You laughed a bit ironically. It was a small, satisfying portion for Kakashi.

“A little, yes. But now we have strong ties.”

That brought him right where he wanted. Even so, it didn’t mean the conversation wasn’t sincere.

He leaned forward slightly, his voice curious and hard to read.

“The Sand Village has always been helpful, especially during the war. They’re trustworthy people. It was pleasant and surprising how quickly they found out about the invasion, even on day one.”

After he finished the sentence, he paused before slowly turning his gaze toward you to observe your reaction.

The silence was crushing. You could hear only your heartbeat in your chest. If you hadn’t upset him before, now you felt like you’d be kicked out of your own house for treason.

And you didn’t recognize Kakashi’s gaze. It wasn’t stern or serious. His eyes were hypnotic, and you’d already dug your grave by not answering immediately. There was nothing left to do.

“I… told them.”

He turned his gaze to his coffee, took a sip, then continued to let you stew a bit. From a certain angle, what he was doing could be seen as a little toxic.

“I thought so.”

You couldn’t even apologize. It wouldn’t make sense. How did he figure it out? Since when?

He stood up and adjusted his pants, and you felt your breath catch again; worse now than when he asked.

“I’ll go put on those damn clothes. Want to come after?”

Where? To jail?

“Where?”

He barely stopped himself from laughing.

“To the tents? Where else, Y/N?”

His smirk grew wider at the end of the sentence.

“Right… of course.”

As he climbed the final step, he ended the conversation with another tease.

“Maybe we’ll have time for a walk before you get lost in your thoughts again.”

You watched him go with that same stunned expression.

Is he fucking with me now?

—

The walk to the tents was fairly short. The glances from the locals were uncomfortable and understandably so. Of course people were wondering why, next to Kakashi with his guards in tow, there was a girl of seemingly average social status in Konoha.

Kakashi didn’t feel like caring. He was too busy forcing himself to smile at everyone who greeted him. A socially exhausting walk and the day hadn’t even begun properly. The sideways glances he gave you went unnoticed. You were too tense and uncomfortable, still his focus was on how the morning light highlighted your beauty.

How had your paths not crossed earlier, considering your link to Tsunade? Or had he been so caught up in his indifference that he hadn’t noticed you? Even that felt hard to believe. Where had you been hiding all this time?

“Good luck. I’m sure you’ll do great.”

He bowed slightly out of respect, and you wanted to leave as quickly as possible after glancing nervously at half your coworkers who were wondering what business the Hokage had with you. The rest had already heard. Gossip was inescapable, especially in such a small corner of the village.

“Aa-ah, thank you. And thank you for the trust. Have a good day and good luck to the Hokage with whatever he planned today?! Yeah.” You bowed back, lower than him. It was hard to speak in a way that didn’t feel like you.

Kakashi’s eyes glinted. His voice dropped lower so only you could hear.

“I like that you still try to pretend.”

You blinked twice, but Kakashi had already turned toward Tsunade’s makeshift office.

Was that a threat? Will I be punished later for what happened this morning? You don’t know, still your body definitely interpreted his words differently, and you felt warmer than usual.

You quickly pulled yourself together. People needed you. Just before dropping off your tools, you were rearranging your supplies on the shared table, making sure you hadn’t forgotten any of the herbs you needed. Shizune’s sister, your friend, nudged you sharply with her elbow to get your attention.

“Can I know why I wasn’t the first to find out? Traitor.”

You scowled at her, half confused, half indignantly playful.

“Are you insane?”

People were already looking at you, especially when your voice rose.Seering their reactions, you hissed aggressively in a quiet voice. You didn’t want more attention than you already had.

“What the hell are you talking about, Shinya?”

She gave you an offended look.

“That the Hokage is staying at your house, maybe? I don’t know, just saying. It might be IMPORTANT INFORMATION??”

“I found out last night! I’m just as shocked as you.”

She leaned over the table, a grin on her face.

“What’s it like sharing a bed with the most attractive man in Konoha?” she corrected herself, “Or no, what’s it like sharing a bed with the most attractive leader in Konoha?” She wiggled her eyebrows teasingly.

You nudged her back with your elbow, shocked and embarrassed.

“I don’t fucking share a bed with him! He’s actually sleeping in the bed you and Sakura used.”

She opened her mouth wide, gasping dramatically as she followed you all the way to the tent. You pulled the curtain shut on her face before muttering, “I didn’t know he looked like that. I’m gonna kill Tsunade.”

It would’ve been the peak of irony to walk back home with Kakashi. It’s weird to say home like it’s your shared house. A small, selfish part of you had a foolish expectation that maybe he’d be waiting for you. Pure irrational daydreaming. No, Kakashi was, at the end of the day, buried under mountains of paperwork, full of new information, citizen fears, investigation proposals from the Land of Sand, Shikamaru’s plans, the council’s suspicions. He couldn’t even stand the thought that his guards barely got any rest, like he was some kind of untouchable jewel. He’s not. He never has been, no matter how much people keep trying to tell him that. That’s why he never wanted this position in the first place, mostly.

He preferred helping silently with everything he had, trading in his life without blinking rather than being applauded for simply breathing.

He can’t even go on missions himself anymore. It stresses him out terribly. And Naruto’s constant attention is even more exhausting and overprotective. Sasuke’s probably even more stressed by him, though. Not that Kakashi would ever complain about Naruto. If he could, he would’ve given him this position. As for Sasuke, it’s partly true that he wouldn’t complain. He’s one of the few people Kakashi resonates with on this topic. Besides Itachi, who’s been sacrificing himself ever since his own mistakes, born of trauma far too deep.

One’s dead, and the other managed to build a family. Kakashi would’ve punched him himself if he didn’t finally accept Sakura in his life and kept ignoring his feelings. The thought came now; if Tsunade ever found out about his… affinity for you, he’d probably get beat up (worse) and stressed out. Clearly, he’ll need to avoid ever slipping up about that.

But then…there’s you.

On your way home, you ran into none other than Tsunade at the restaurant that resembled Ramen Ichiraku. Probably one of the first things the war hero did when she arrived here. He’d been away on missions for days now, and Sakura was getting more and more worried, who was also having to basically force Sasuke to stay out of nearly everything just to be with Sarada, which honestly did him good, while she worked more than anyone else.

Tsunade was leaning on both elbows, waiting for her food, until she saw you and snorted.

“Rough day, huh? Didn’t see you today.”

You hugged her from the side. One of the rare people Tsunade smiles at when receiving affection. Not much, but still.

You sat down with a sigh, before speaking with a mocking tone and a dramatic tilt of your head.

“Yeah, maybe ‘cause you were too busy with Ho-ka-ge sa-ma.”

She rolled her eyes and immediately took a shot, tossing her head back.

“Yeah, yeah. Bullshit. I didn’t get the chance to tell you and even if I did, I wouldn’t have.”

“Why my house, specifically?”

“Shikamaru said Kakashi’s suggestion was solid when they checked the houses. The chakra points align well for protection.”

Suggestion… whose?

“Kakashi suggested it?”

Tsunade raised an eyebrow before making room on the table for the food.

“Who did you think?”

You ordered a simple ramen too, then leaned toward her, whispering accusingly.

“Knowing you, I figured you’d only suggest it just to mess with me.”

Tsunade lifted a hand and dropped it with a ‘miss me with that bullshit’ gesture before changing her expression.

“You’re pretty affected, huh?”

Now it was your turn to roll your eyes.

“Don’t start. You’re smug because you find this amusing.”

You widened your eyes, elbowing someone a second time.

“Shut up. I don’t want anyone hearing that kind of thing.”

She made a scandalized face, clearly entertained.

“So I’m right.”

“Partially. It’s irrelevant, he’s the Hokage.”

Tsunade scrunched her nose.

“So what? It’s Kakashi. The problem’s not that he’s the Hokage, it’s that he’s Kakashi.”

Now you frowned.

“What do you mean? How is that not a problem? What would people say—”

“To hell with people. High-ranking folks get to live too, you know.” You agreed with her, but still weren’t convinced. “Kakashi is like a wall, made out of materials even stronger than the ones you make.”

“What do you mean?”

She got a little irritated.

“As if I haven’t complained to you about him before. He’s got a really good heart, even if I hate to admit I can’t stand him, but his past was hell. He’s not open to things that might actually do him good.”

You didn’t know why your stomach twisted in disappointment. You hadn’t even gone that far.

She noticed the way your gaze dropped.

“I’m not saying it’s impossible. People change, depending on who they meet.”

Just like Shinya, she raised her eyebrows at you teasingly.

“Oh shut up. It’s too late. I’m going to bed.”

“With who?”

You made an exaggerated face before you both said goodnight.

——

When you got back, Kakashi wasn’t around. At least not in the living room. You went to wash up quickly, allowing yourself to put on pajamas that were somewhat decent, because that conversation with Tsunade reminded you he is a normal person at the end of the day, and a little bare let shouldn’t bother the Hokage.

Going down the stairs, lost in thought, you moved to make two cups of tea in case he showed up and nearly dropped the kettle when Kakashi suddenly entered the house. Even though only he knew the seal for the door, he still startled you. Your eyes met.

He took off his cloak as he walked, speaking first.

“Seems like all I do is scare you.”

You laughed politely.

“It’s okay, I’m just clumsy.”

“I’ve noticed that too.”

Given this joking side of him, you were starting to think maybe you weren’t going to jail. You couldn’t help but smile back and he did too, involuntarily, which even surprised him, though that was just the effect your smile had.

“Want me to put your cloak in the closet here, so it’s easier to grab in the morning?”

He stood holding it, a little confused in the middle of the living room.

“Ah? Yeah, sure. Actually no, you don’t have to. Where is the closet?”

You tried pointing, but missed, so you laughed and came over, taking it from his hand without asking and placing it in the closet right in front of him. A common trait men share.

You were too close to him, and you only realized it late, just as his voice caught you off guard when your back was turned.

“Apparently you’re not the only clumsy one.”

You instinctively looked over your shoulder up at his face, and the look in his eyes froze time. He was just as affected. Why lie about it? He didn’t even try to move or give you personal space, leaving it up to you to decide what to do. And, of course, you left once you broke out of the trance, smiling faintly and distracting yourself with the tea mugs.

You didn’t even realize that Kakashi was staring at your exposed legs all the way up to your parted lips when you turned your head. Because you were already too caught up in how good he looked in that black tank top clinging to his body, showing off his build. And the fact that he still wore the mask was killing you even more. Maybe a dress code would help, considering you both acted like teenagers hitting puberty.

But your visual distraction was temporarily paused. His shirt and pants were changed, still black. But his hair was wet now, which made up for it. Another angle from which he was just… attractive.

Ugh, you couldn’t take it anymore.

You gave him the reheated tea after preparing his food and sat down beside him without even realizing it, automatically grabbing your book from the table.

“That’s a step worth considering.” His smirk wasn’t visible, but it was there. He leaned his head on his hand.

Noticing where you sat, you shifted more into the couch, as if that would somehow put more distance between you.

“A step toward what?”

He grabbed his book too, opening it to the marked page.

“Toward not being so tense around me.”

You turned your gaze away, embarrassed, but didn’t respond.

“What are you reading?” he asked, and you showed him the book, chosen more by chance, to support the used bookstore opened by a neighbor.

“Tell me what you think of it once you’re done,” he said, noticing it was on the first page.

“You?” You hadn’t looked at what he was reading till now so you didn’t want to come off as a stalker, but maybe you should’ve, because you gave yourself away by knowing exactly which book it was. You weren’t born yesterday, you knew. “Ah.” You looked away. “Didn’t think the Hokage had that kind of taste.” You couldn’t lie. The story was interesting, but still…

Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

“Oh? And what kind of books do I seem like I’d read?”

You leaned on your fist, ignoring the sarcastic tone. You knew it came off a little disrespectful, but you were too affected to care.

“I don’t know. I don’t know you well enough.”

“I haven’t been Hokage that long, though.”

His gaze was unreadable as usual, but his tone was warm.

“I know. I didn’t mean it to sound rude or anything.”

“Seems like you have this kind of taste too.”

You looked away again, distracting yourself with a sip of chamomile tea.

“Maybe.”

Finally, you’d let go of the formalities or at least for one evening. You were impossible to ignore; with your hair gently falling from your shoulders, your legs slightly revealed by the cross-legged position. Your flushed cheeks half-hidden from his eyes, your soft gaze hiding other parts of you. You were so at ease in your senses, so unlike the serious you he saw today when you were focused on a wounded patient, wiping the sweat off your forehead from the effort. He would’ve waited if he could, nevertheless responsibilities remain responsibilities, powered by the stress of the village’s situation and the people still getting hurt and he doesn’t want to let them down.

You looked back at him from the stillness and only then did Kakashi snap out of his trance, clearly having been staring at you.

That’s when Kakashi pulled back. It was his moment to retreat inward. He closed his book as you watched him.

“All right. Have a good evening and sleep well. Don’t wake up at 5 a.m. again unless it’s necessary.” He offered you a smile except it didn’t reach his eyes. His voice was flat, emotionless.

“Sleep well, Kakashi.” You spoke without thinking and Kakashi stopped mid-step. “I apologize for the way I addressed you—I wasn’t thinking—”

“It’s okay. I told you, we’re equals.” He didn’t turn back to look at you, his thoughts were entirely focused on protecting you both. Still, hearing his name fall from your lips affected him more than he expected.

And that’s how you ended up in the kitchen until midnight. Sprawled across the couch, head tilted toward the ceiling, arm dangling midair holding a book you’d barely reached page 7 of.

@strangergraphics for the dividers

[gregoriaofnyssa]

The "Mantilla" is not Reverent, not Traditional, and not Catholic. It isn't Even a Veil.

The mantilla, a lacy, sometimes sparkly, transparent, half-circle or triangle-shaped garment, is often lauded as a traditional, reverent, catholic piece of church clothing, but it is none of the above. The mantilla is the long-lived fashion of the secular Spanish aristocracy, and until recently, was exclusive to those regions under Spanish influence and colonialism (absoloutly not universal or catholic). They were worn by women who didn't want to cover their pretty Catalan locks-- as good a reason as any to manipulate the traditions of the Church.

For a time, mantillas were even banned in the New World, and women wearing them would be denied communion. Why? Because the mantilla is not a veil. It's transparent-- in no way does it cover a woman's hair in the way Saint Paul described in Corinthians. He writes, "every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered." Women's heads and hair should be covered-- not adorned with glittering table coasters.

Fully ridiculous. Look me straight in the eyeballs and tell me this is what St. Paul had in mind when he told women to cover their heads. Be serious.

Though in Christianity, women do not veil out of any kind of modesty (or 'modesty'), the mantilla is immodest as it makes the practice of veiling into a fashion statement, which is what the mantilla always was since its very invention. It is not merely fashion (picking out a veil in a color that matches your outfit), but fashion meant to skirt the actual requirements of the church-- that is, a real, opaque veil that resembles something the historical church would've worn from the days of Pentecost to any time before the so-called Enlightenment. It would be better to wear no head covering of any kind or to simply braid your hair, than to engage in a practice of obstinate adornment. This is not my opinion as an Orthodox Christian (where proper veiling is more common but still not universal)-- it is the opinion of the historical Christian Church until about five seconds ago.

There is debate among Christians who study this teaching about whether Paul's words imply that the entirety of the hair (with the possible exception of bangs) should be covered, or if he means more specifically the head itself (allowing the length of the hair to hang out of the back of a veil). I do not feel strongly either way (in a theological sense) so long as the material is opaque and actually covers at least the area of the skull. That is the bare minimum of what Saint Paul writes.

Here are some examples of proper veils in a church environment:

I find this very pretty, but all I can think about is the satin slipping for all of the Divine Liturgy. I always have to clip and pin and have it tightly fastened before the curve of my skull.

Probably do not bring the sheep into the Church building.

The infatuation with mantillas in the non-Spanish/Latin world began, as far as I can surmise, piecemeal in the late 1800s, picking up to an almost universal practice after Vatican II. This is to say, now, when Roman Catholic women veil, they almost always wear a mantilla. Before the 60s, European and white American RC women mostly wore hats as their form of head covering, which are their own issue, mostly related to fashion and insufficient coverage. Is a "pillbox hat" really a head covering Saint Paul would find acceptable? But at least they're opaque, right? Well, I should pick my battles.

I believe the reason the mantilla is particularly popular among young Roman Catholic women is due to the way RC influencers and 'gurus' talk about the purpose of veiling.

The actual purpose of veiling is to submit to the commands of God as recorded by Saint Paul. This following of a commandment allows you to be properly reverent and to be in communion with the historical practices of the church, past, present, and future. It's a simple reason, not very wild, controversial, or entertaining. That's the problem for RC lady influencers-- there are only so many ways you can quote the letters to the Corinthians.

So, these women feel the need to make up other reasons to veil, all of which range from tangential, to irrelevant, to heretical. Here are some doozies:

To Imitate Mary

Now, we do many things to imitate Mary-- notably, repeating her Magnificat. But Mary did not invent veiling. Veiling is a near-universal cultural practice, performed for many reasons. Of course, Mary rightfully and righteously participated in the veiling of Christianity, but she is not the reason why we veil (or ought to).

Notice how she covers herself?

2. To 'Express your Femininity'

Kill me now. Ok, it is fine and good if veiling makes you feel feminine or gets you more in touch with your femininity. That is a blessing. I know I never feel more beautiful than when I'm veiling, but this is not a reason we veil! Veiling is not about our internal feelings; it's about following a commandment.

Ohh yeah this is definitely Apostolic.

3. For Modesty

We've been over this one. Stop confusing Christianity with Muhammad's movement. Seriously, can we find a middle ground between imitating degenerate secular aristocracy and the false prophet's wives? At this point, I'm begging you.

4. To Show the Beauty of the Church

I am so sorry for you if you do not see the genuine beauty in the proper, traditional veiling of the Church. I don't know what else to tell you than that there is no tradition of the church that exists merely for your aesthetic entertainment. No statue carved nor icon writ, no paint spilled nor incense burned, no note sung, no vestment sewn has ever, ever been done merely because it is pretty. I understand the inclination to aesthetically prefer glittering lace that may dance in chapel light over a flat Pashmina or Pavlovsky Posad. However, I find it mind-boggling that this would seem a sufficient reason to abandon what the Scriptures actually demand. This is just as ridiculous as it would be to apostatize to Hinduism because you find their temples more visually appealing. You know what else is very sparkly and pretty? The Imam Ali Shrine in Iraq. Dazzling. But that does not make it part of the Christian Church. You must have the willpower and discernment to place what the Church demands above your personal fancies.

Women are so confused about veiling and the reasons why we must do it, is because veiling is no longer "simply what we do," as it has been both culturally and religiously until very recently. It is now, among RCs, an issue of controversy, somehow requiring justifications and auxiliary reasonings. It is not enough that Scripture demands it, the Church teaches it, and Her saints keep it-- there must be all these other reasons. This degradation of the veil began with things like the mantilla in Spain, the mesh bonnet and literal doyllie in Northern France and England, and other global innovations upon and rejections of the veil. We, as a Church, do not go from the wimple, to the mantilla, to a naked head over a few extremely progressive evenings. It was incremental, and participation in the mantilla only pushes us farther down the path of innovation.

If beauty is a real concern of yours, and no judgment if it is --the woman's heart years for beauty in a special and important way-- I think you'll find that the traditional veil allows just as much beauty and personal touch as the mantilla, if not much much more. Experimenting with veil styles is a small hobby of mine, and I feel accomplished when I can get the fabric to lay just right. My personal favorite is what I call the "cat ear" style, where there are two little peaks of fabric on the top of the head. Adorable.

Free yourself from mantilla mind slavery.

[alexanderwales]

One of the dominant models of magic and superheroes is that everyone has their "thing", what I would call a bespoke magic system, but is mostly just a power that sits orthogonal to all other powers. This crops up all the time, because it's really really good for having dynamic fights, for characterizing people through their powers, for having new surprises and twists, and just generally keeping things going.

It's adaptable to all kinds of genres. Superheroes are the obvious one, whether it's canonized as Quirks or just an aspect of the setting. But I'm pretty sure that the basic concept was first invented in anime, with marital arts settings, where every character had their own jutsu or whatever, or the system in theory is all about ki manipulation or equivalent exchange but in practice everyone has their own particular niche. You can slot this into urban fantasy, giving every vampire their own special Power, or you can have some magical fantasy thing where everyone has their own unique Semblance.

So this is all well and good, but it leaves us with a narrative hole, which is progression. Having a unique power is cool, because you can think of new uses for it, have unique matchups, etc., but it doesn't give you that juicy sense of becoming more, and if you're facing down terrifying villains with their own powers, then a god-tier power is just kind of ... random. Luck of the draw, rather than the consequence of a powerful will or keen mind.

You can strip out limitations and amplify effects, and this is cool and good, or you can lean back away from uniqueness and toward uniformity, which I think is sometimes the right call, depending on your narrative needs.

So you say that actually the guy who can swap places with someone and the guy who can cut people from a distance are both unwitting hyperspecialists in the same field of magic or whatever, and that in theory, with unlimited time to train and experiment and explore, each could do what the other does.

This allows for a lot of snazzy narrative stuff. Two intense rivals "learn" each other's techniques, or at least adapt them into their own technique. Maybe the guy who does teleport swaps never learns to cut from a distance, but his teleport swap incorporates a cut into it, slashing at the person he's trading places with. A widower incorporates aspects of his dead wife's power, a mentor passes down elements of his technique to all his students, a young protagonist has some angst about using the aspect he got from his abusive father, etc.

If powers are a reflection of character, then you get to physically manifest a character's relationship with other people.

[lottieinrealife]

armand

×

lottie matthews

— In the meeting of the existential gothic of Anne Rice’s “The Vampire Chronicles” and the contemporary psychological horror of “Yellowjackets,” two figures emerge as centers of ambiguity, spirituality, manipulation and fascination: Armand, the angel-eyed vampire with a twisted soul, and “Lottie Matthews,” the mystical girl of the forest, half saint, half menace. Though they emerge in different contexts—one in the dark halls of classic literary horror and the other in the unstable clearings of modern television—there is a cracked mirror between them that reveals profound parallels. Both carry within them the tension between faith and control, between fragility and power, between what is believed to be divine and what is, in practice, merely a game of spiritual survival.

spirituality as a shield and as a weapon ♰

— Both Armand and Lottie have an intense, almost performative relationship with spirituality. Armand has been shaped by centuries of seeking redemption—raised in a monastery, trained as an angel, and deformed as a monster—and has built an ideal of purity that he projects onto others, even as his soul is poisoned by nihilism. In “The Vampire Chronicles,” Armand is the one who observes, tests, and judges. He seeks meaning where there is only darkness, trying to maintain the theater of faith so as not to sink completely into the void. But his mysticism is also manipulation: Armand seduces with the promise of something higher—and when there is nothing divine, he becomes the torturer god himself.

Lottie Matthews, meanwhile, is elevated by the other survivors to a near-messianic figure. Her calm in the face of chaos, her improvised rituals, her soft, esoteric language—all of it surrounds her with a halo she never denies. Lottie doesn’t need to proclaim herself a saint; she just acts as if she hears something the others don’t. But, like Armand, her spirituality also hides pain. And fear. And a need for control. When the voices don’t bring peace, she invents meaning—because accepting that the world is random would be more unbearable than the worst delusions.

Both thus build systems of faith—not just for themselves, but for others. And they hold them together with a gleam in their eyes that can be comforting or threatening.

– @agathah – gail potocki

moral ambiguity as a hallmark 𐂂

— Neither character can be reduced to a hero or a villain. Armand is a creature of contradictions: he offers comfort only to destroy, he loves intensely and abandons coldly, he is part of stories of salvation and destruction. His morality is plastic, shaped by his needs. He wants to be loved — but he doesn't know how to deserve it.

Lottie follows the same line. She is a safe haven for the girls lost in the woods, but she also becomes the epicenter of a cult that flirts with fanaticism. It's hard to tell whether Lottie believes the voices she hears or whether she has convinced herself that she needs to believe in order to keep the structure standing. She doesn't force anyone—but everyone follows. She doesn't say "kneel," but everyone does.

Armand and Lottie thus share an aura that mixes compassion and dominance. They are capable of acts of sincere kindness, but also of silent manipulations that put lives at risk. The question that surrounds them is never “are they good or bad?” but “do they believe what they say?” — and that is much more frightening.

– @kuviraissues – @jamnsketch

eternal youth and the weight of other people's devotion ❀

— Another inevitable parallel between the two is the way their bodies and postures place them in a position of eternal spiritualized youth. Armand is the vampire trapped in the body of a 17-year-old boy—beautiful, androgynous, angelic. His fragile appearance causes others to underestimate or protect him. But he is often the most dangerous of the immortals. This youth is a trap: it makes him a symbol of purity, but hides the monster.

Lottie is also seen as something between a young queen and a teenage prophetess. Her restrained posture, calm expression, and gentle gestures make others—both past and present—see her as someone connected to something higher. But this devotion suffocates her. The expectation of leadership and sainthood pushes her ever deeper into rituals, voices, and the theatricality of faith. Both characters carry the burden of being seen as more than human—and so they often lose themselves.

isolation and desire to belong 𐙚

— Armand and Lottie share the same cruel fate: even surrounded by followers, they are deeply lonely. Armand is always searching for a companion who understands him, who will not abandon him, who will remain even after knowing his darkness. He calls for love with ambiguous gestures—he offers eternity, but demands total devotion.

Lottie, on the other hand, seems to have been chosen by circumstances to occupy a role she never fully desired. She never feels like she belongs. She is never at the center of friendships, but she is never outside either. The cult of her is more a reflection of loneliness than of belonging. The more people follow her, the more distant she feels.

Both are, ultimately, tragic figures of the same archetype: the leader who did not ask to lead. The saint who only wanted to love and be loved. The spiritual child who was placed on the altar before knowing how to live.

They don't want to be saved—they want to be understood.

They are not gods — but they are not just human either.

They are, above all, reflections of what happens when too much is asked of someone who was born broken.

And in that reflection, his eyes stare at us.

The way Armand relates to Louis in "Interview with the Vampire" (especially in the TV version) parallels the way Lottie connects with the other girls in "Yellowjackets," especially Natalie. Armand loves Louis with an obsessive intensity, molds himself around him, tries to make himself necessary to him—even if it involves lies, symbolic imprisonments, and the erasure of identity. It is love, yes, but a needy, dependent, and deeply lonely love.

[patmax17]

I like the wired "tech support" series. It's usually entertaining and informative. This recent episode, is also incredibly important:

She's super informative and explains very well what all dictators of the last 100 years (spoiler: Trump included) have in common.

Trying to summarise the points (and my own knowledge) a bit:

Basically, dictatorship follows a pretty standard formula: invent a scapegoat, discredit all opponents and paint themselves as the only savior. More specifically:

the dictator builds and curates a cult of his person. They pose themselves as powerful, aspirational, and strong.

the dictator defines a group of people as a dangerous enemy and a threat to their own people's identity, culture, safety, wealth, health or wehatever. And they pose themselves as the savior and protector from that enemy.

if the there is some kind of crisis at hand, they dictator promises to solve it

When people are scared they become more easy to manipulate, more prone to extreme solutions, and more willing to follow someone that can take decisions for them.

the dictator proposes simple, immediate actions to contrast that (invented) threat. These solutions are often infeasible due to various practical and/or economical (or legal, see below) reasons; and they often involve violence (as in, violent repression of the "enemy")

the dictator depicts the "enemy" as different, as an outsider, and by extension as inhuman, criminal, with no morality and - crucially - no rights. The "enemy" has to be silenced, arrested, violently repressed, and killed.

the dictator depicts every opponent (or opposing group) as part of the "enemy", and thus criminal, and justifies silencing, censorship and repression (imprisonment or killing)

the dictator delegitimizes critical voices, labels opposing media and news as lies, as fake news, in order to undermine people's trust in those media. They also create fake news on their own, either to strengthen their own image and cult, or to further muddy the water and confuse popular opinion as to who to believe.

Now, in a democracy, power is divided over various public institutions, that control each other and ensure that none does anything outside or above their specific area of competence. And thus...

the dictator complains that the democratic structure hinders them in doing their job (which, again, is painted as "saving the nation"), and starts reducing their power, either by defunding the institutions, and/or by reducing what they can and should do by law, and/or by putting people loyal to them (or corrupted by them) into head positions of those institutions

All dictators follow most of these points. And it's what is happening in Russia, China, North Korea, Hungary, Turkey, and - guess what - with Trump.

Trump is building a cult of his person (on lies), he's undermining opposing media, he's slowly rapidly, actyally, taking away power from the institutions that are tasked with controlling him.

What genuinely baffles me is how blatantly he's doing all of this, in plain sight and under the eyes of the whole world. And we're all allowing that.

[the-mortuary-witch]

LOKI

WHO IS HE?

Loki is the Norse god of mischief and trickery. He is known for his unpredictable and manipulative nature, which frequently involves playing practical jokes or pranks on other gods, mortals, and giants. He is also the god of fire, and he has a strong connection to the underworld and the realm of the dead. Loki is often portrayed as a shapeshifter who can take on the form of various animals, including snakes, foxes, bats, and even horses. He is also often associated with fire, creativity, innovation, and destruction.

BASIC INFO:

Appearance: his appearance in Norse mythology can vary greatly, depending on the source. In some depictions, he is described as being a tall and handsome male figure with red hair and a beard. In other depictions, he is described as being a more feminine or androgynous character, with long and straight red hair, along with smooth and pale skin.

Personality: Loki is a clever and devious character, known for his ability to manipulate and deceive others with his cunning and wit. He is also known for his unpredictable nature, his tendency to get himself into trouble, and his proclivity for causing chaos and disorder. He is often seen as a trickster and a troublemaker, who enjoys creating disruption and chaos.

Symbols: serpents, wolves, ax, raven, masks, fire, Bjarken and Logr Runes, fishing nets, earthquakes, infinity snake and ouroboros, number 8, chaos star, runes that spell out his name: Laguz, Othala, Kenaz, Isa as well as the rune Hagalaz, and Helmet of Dread or the Helmet of Horror

God of: mischief, trickery, and fire

Culture: Norse and Germanic

Plants: mistletoe, birch, common Haircap moss (Loki’s Oats), bentgrass (Loki’s Grass), cinnamon, dandelion, beech, blackthorn, elder, elm, ivy, juniper, mullein, thistle, mint, holly, cedar, juniper, elder, clove, patchouli, tobacco, willow, and yew

Crystals: jade, obsidian, sapphire, amethyst, garnet, citrine, black tourmaline, serpentine, carnelian, fire opal, black onyx, cat’s eye, xenotime, chrysoberyl, and labradorite

Animals: salmon, birds (crows, ravens, falcon, and vultures), flies, goats, flea, horses, wolves, serpents, foxes, spiders, and wasps

Incense: dragon's blood, frankincense, myrrh, patchouli, basil, cinnamon, pine, wild berry, rum incense, and anything sweet and musky

Practices: shadow work, transformation, astral projection, insight, and chaos magick

Colours: green, gold, black, and yellow

Numbers: 4, 8, and 13

Zodiac: Gemini

Tarot: The Fool, The Tower, The Devil, The Wheel of Fortune, Page of Cups, and Seven of Swords

Planet: Mercury

Days: Saturday, Lokablót, April Fool’s Day, Yule, Mabon, Samhain, Friday the 13th, the 13th of each month, and Lokabrenna Day

Parents: Fárbauti and Laufey

Siblings: Odin (blood brother), Helblindi, and Býleistr

Partners: Angrboda, Sigyn, and Glut

Children: Fenrir, Jörmungandr, Hel, Váli, Narfi, and Sleipnir (Odin’s horse)

MISC:

Fire: Wagner combined Loki with Logi, the fire god, in his Ring Cycle. And ever since, Loki has been associated with fire and magic  in pop culture. There are some very iffy pieces of evidence that Loki might have had some historical connection with fire (e.g., the Snaptun stone and medieval folklore about the Ash Lad) but the scholarly consensus is “Nope, blame Wagner.” That said, fire, with its dual roles of creation and destruction, enlightenment and passion, is a pretty potent symbol for Loki even if it doesn’t have a historical basis.

Red hair: Loki’s hair colour is never mentioned in the lore, and there are some illuminated Icelandic manuscripts in which he is shown as a blond or brunette. The fire god mistake mentioned above probably popularized the redhead image. (Interestingly, Thor is canonically a redhead.)

Fishing nets: in Gylfaginning, Loki weaves a fishing net while on the lam and hiding from the Aesir. (The story kind of implies it’s the first fishing net, although Ran is also credited with inventing them elsewhere.) Loki turns into a salmon to escape but ends up being caught with his own creation,

Earthquakes: the prose epilogue to Lokasenna claims that earthquakes are caused by Loki writhing in pain when Sigyn leaves to empty her venom-catching bowl.

Masks: while Odin, not Loki, takes the name of Grímnir (the masked one) in the lore, masks are a fairly logical thing to associate with a shapeshifter.

FACTS ABOUT LOKI:

In Norse mythology, Loki is known as a chaotic and mischievous figure who frequently causes problems for the god’s.

Loki is connected to the realms of chaos and trickery and is often seen as a troublemaker and instigator of conflict.

He went as Thor’s bridesmaid (when he dressed up as Freyja) to go with Thor to get Mjölnir back from Thrym.

Loki is a powerful deity with a wide range of abilities, including shapeshifting, sorcery, illusions, and knowledge.

He is closely associated with the concept of trickery, often utilizing his skills as a master manipulator to cause trouble for the god’s.

HOW TO INVOKE LOKI:

The best way to work with Loki is to respectfully is to approach him with sincere devotion and reverence. He is a God of mischief and chaos, so a certain level of humor is appropriate when working with him, but that doesn't mean you should take him lightly or treat his power with disrespect. To worship him respectfully, make an offering, either something tangible or a gesture like writing a poem or performing an act of mischief and chaos in his name. Be genuine and open in your intention, and don't be afraid to get a little mischievous yourself.

Some ways to works with Loki include:

Doing things that embody his energy and traits, such as pranks or mischief

Making offerings to him, whether physical or spiritual

Creating a dedicated altar space

Studying and researching Norse mythology, particularly his role in it

Performing rituals and spell casting to seek his guidance and insight

Meditating on his energy and listening for a response

Performing acts of chaos and destruction

Seeking to gain his protection through protection magic or rituals

PRAYER FOR LOKI:

Great God Loki, bringer of chaos and master of deceit, I come to you seeking guidance and destruction. I offer my heart and spirit and ask for your blessing in this pray.

Thank you, Great God Loki, for listening to my words and walking by my side on this journey. I leave this altar/ritual space in your hands, and I ask for your protection and mischief wherever I may go. Hail Loki.

SIGNS THAT LOKI IS CALLING YOU:

Feeling a strong attraction or draw to his energy or presence

Having repeating thoughts or dreams about him

Feeling drawn to chaos or chaos magic

You’ll start seeing his name everywhere – in books, on TV, online, etc.

There might be a sudden change in your life, an unexpected sometimes painful change

It will seem someone is playing tricks on you, particularly when it comes to your spiritual spaces like your altar

Be wary of fires that are started in random places

You might see his symbols or signs everywhere you go including the snake, spider, runes like Hagalaz and Isa, the Chaos star, number 8 or Ouroboros

The TV show Loki or Marvel character might start popping up everywhere (yes I believe Loki communicates through this guise because it’s a form we know and understand)

You might already have a connection with Odin, Loki’s brother

Spiderwebs will appear in your space – in the home, workplace, or vehicle

Loki’s sacred animals will appear as signs to you including the horse, fly, spider, snake, salmon, vulture, wolf, fox, etc.

Experiencing signs of change or transformation in your life

Feeling a sense of rebelliousness or mischief within you

A sense of giddiness, playfulness, and light-heartedness after praying to him or meditating on his energy.

Feeling of warmth or presence in the air around you.

An increased sense of creativity, spontaneity, and a general desire to explore and experiment.

Feeling a connection with nature or animals in a new or stronger way than before.

Experiencing unusual or unexpected occurrences that seem a bit too strange to be coincidental.

OFFERINGS:

Green, gold, black, or yellow candles. 

Incense: cinnamon, dragons blood, pine, wild berry, rum incense, and anything sweet smelling, musky, or a mysterious scent would be appropriate.

Crystals: jade, obsidian, sapphire, amethyst, garnet, citrine, black tourmaline, serpentine, carnelian, fire opal, black onyx, cat’s eye, xenotime, chrysoberyl, and labradorite. 

Art or poetry. 

Toys, such as the ones you used to play with as a kid.

Acts of chaos, subversion, or mischief. 

Hanging mistletoe at Yuletide. 

Foods and drinks: sweet foods (mochi, pixie sticks, cake, chocolate with nuts or funny names, pastries, candy, etc), alcohol, spicy rum, hot peppers, mulled wine, coffee or other caffeinated/energy drinks, honey, cinnamon, and red fruits. 

Knives and daggers.

Doing something you are scared of (safely).

Cool leaves you find. 

Images or drawings of: salmon, birds (crows, ravens, falcon, and vultures), flies, goats, fleas, horses, wolves, serpents, foxes, spiders, and wasps.

DEVOTIONAL ACTS:

Challenge authority figures and shake things up.

Break rules and defy expectations.

Live a life of surprises and twists.

Burn things (safely) in dedication to Him.

Explore your trickster side and have some fun with your mischief.

Embrace the shadow-self.

Let your inner child out (if not heal them first).

Don’t take yourself too seriously.

Be the devil’s advocate.

Speak the truth and uphold it. This also involves speaking your mind about politics and issues.

Express yourself.

Indulge in art or create art. (Loki loves it when people dive deeply into their creative fire. He also rewards them for it).

Live life to the fullest.

Light a candle for him the moment you wake up and during bedtime. (I personally found out that he likes green candles, but if those are not available, white can suffice).

Burn some incense (cinnamon, sandalwood and dragon’s blood are some of Loki’s favourites but if he tells you otherwise, it’s okay).

Stop planning and just be in the moment.

Embrace chaos (and make it your bitch, as Loki would say).

Cultivate a sense of mystery and playfulness.

Be unpredictable and keep your friends on their toes.

Push your boundaries and experiment with your boundaries.

Break the norm and be yourself.

Adopt a prickly succulent baby or an abandoned animal. If you can’t adopt, volunteer in shelters or be a foster paw-rent.

Collect toys that you will both enjoy.

Play board or video games.

Cook meals and eat with him (cook whatever meal catches your fancy and then eat at his altar).

Hoard jokes, puns and memes (VERY IMPORTANT! Loki loves his humour but in good taste. He seems to dislike and would often refute humor made in bad taste like triggering and racist jokes).

Give without expecting anything in return.

Share laughter with loved ones.

Light a candle in his honour.

Be kind to those who are outcasted.

Wear a piece of jewelry that reminds you of him.

Doodle.

Watch a fiery sunset.

Draw him and/or write to him.

Smiling.

[reaper2187]

Asami sato x firebender reader

I still remember the first time I saw her.

It was during one of my training sessions, when I was still a young firebender trying to master my abilities. As I practiced, I couldn't help but notice her, standing at the back of the room, her long dark hair tied up in a ponytail and a confident aura surrounding her. I was instantly captivated by her beauty and strength.

Asami Sato, the heiress of Future Industries, was well known among the benders community. Her business empire was built on groundbreaking technology and innovation, and she was also an accomplished non-bender martial artist. Her reputation preceded her, and many firebenders admired her from afar.

But I was not content with merely admiring her from a distance. I wanted to get to know her, to be a part of her world. And so, I mustered up all my courage and approached her after the training session.

To my surprise, not only did she reciprocate my interest, but she also offered to help me improve my firebending skills. Asami could see the potential in me, and she was more than willing to mentor me.

With her guidance, my skills as a firebender improved tremendously. I was able to control and manipulate flames with ease, creating intricate shapes and patterns with my fire. Asami was patient and understanding, never once losing her cool even when I struggled with a particular technique.

As we spent more time together, we grew closer. We shared stories and experiences, and I learned that Asami was more than just a powerful businesswoman. She had a kind heart and a fierce determination to make the world a better place.

I found myself falling deeper in love with her with each passing day. Her strength and grace were irresistible, and I felt grateful to have her by my side.

But we both knew that our love was forbidden. As a firebender, I was expected to marry within my own kind. And Asami, being the heiress of Future Industries, was constantly watched and scrutinized by her father and the public.

However, our love was stronger than any societal expectations. We decided to keep our relationship a secret, knowing that the consequences could be dire if anyone found out.

Despite the risks, we were happy. We sneaked away to spend time together whenever we could, whether it was on a rooftop under the stars or in a secluded area of the city. Asami even started to join me during my training sessions, bringing along her latest invention to assist me in my training.

Our love blossomed, and I felt like I was living in a dream. But as they say, all good things must come to an end.

One day, while we were enjoying a peaceful moment in a garden, we were ambushed by a group of firebenders who were against any kind of relationship between a firebender and a non-bender. Asami and I fought against them, our bending skills meshing together perfectly as we defended ourselves.

But it was no use. They outnumbered us, and just when I thought the end was near, Asami stepped in front of me, using her martial arts skills to fend off our attackers. However, in the chaos of the battle, she sustained a severe injury, and I was too preoccupied with protecting her to notice.

When the attackers were finally defeated, I rushed to Asami's side, my heart sinking as I saw the blood seeping through her clothes. With tears in my eyes, I tried to heal her injuries with my firebending, but it was no use. Her injuries were too severe, and she needed medical attention immediately.

Without hesitation, I scooped her up in my arms and rushed her to the nearest hospital. As her life hung in the balance, I prayed to the spirits, begging them to spare her life. I couldn't imagine a world without Asami by my side.

After what seemed like an eternity, she finally regained consciousness. She looked at me with a weak smile, and I knew at that moment that she was going to be okay.

Asami's father, Hiroshi Sato, arrived at the hospital soon after. He was shocked and angry to find out about our forbidden love, but as he saw the love and care I had for his daughter, his heart softened. He gave us his blessing and even offered to help us keep our relationship a secret.

From that day on, Asami and I were no longer just two people in love. We were a team, facing any challenges that came our way, together.

Asami and I eventually got married, and we continued to train and support each other in our respective abilities. Together, we used our skills and resources to make a difference in the world, just like we always dreamed of.

Looking back now, I realize that our love was the catalyst for great change. Our love had the power to overcome any boundaries and obstacles, setting an example for others to follow.

And as I stand here, beside my wife Asami, I couldn't be more grateful for our love that started in a training room. It was a love that transformed not only our lives, but the world around us.

[ach-sss-no]

SH liveblog Ch8

First chapter & explanation | Previous chapter

I had then made up my mind that men were my natural enemies and that I must defend myself. Of course it is very different here, but who knows how long it will last? I wish I could think about things as you do; but I can't, after all I have gone through. - Anna Sewell, Black Beauty You people with hearts have something to guide you, and need never do wrong; but I have no heart, and so I must be very careful. - L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

After the I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream quote I was basically out of ideas, but epigraphs are fun and I didn't want to just drop it.

I scoured for these ones. I don't remember how I got to finding these two (what made me think of Black Beauty????), but I remember I decided I wanted them to be thematically similar by being in first-person.

I also considered quoting Stephen King's Misery (the bit where she eats the rat!) and rejected it partly for that reason.

I'm trying to engage with Gollum's real trauma and mistreatment, because it does happen in LOTR and it is psychologically interesting, but you can never make him into a suffering innocent because he's just not. That wouldn't be justice to the work or the character. So I have this 'I can't trust because I hurt bad :(' quote (from Ginger- a genuine tragic innocent, by the way, she's a horse, LOL) - and it's followed up by 'I have no heart, by the way.'

But there's extra connotations here to anyone familiar with the works:

Ginger bites (it's how she got her name. Ginger snaps.)

Ginger dies of starvation and overwork :( (spoilers for Black Beauty by Anna Sewell)

Ginger is a horse. Gollum just said he hates horses in the last chapter. Cinema sin counter go up

I quoted the Tin Man, and his 'thing' is that he DOES successfully develop empathy and kindness without a heart through intentional practice.

Ahhh and we're back in Sméagol's Pastville.

So, Shrodingerbinger's is divided into three parts; they're kind of divided into body-mind-spirit? Gollum heals physically, he heals emotionally and socially and then he reaches a place where he authentically seeks moral redemption. At the beginning of Part 2 he's feeling good physically and is now escaping into Minas Tirith to relationally and emotionally discover this new life he's found.

At the beginning of each part there's also a phase of his past and I was just going through them chronologically, but through serendipity they do kinda correlate with where he is in present day. Part 1 started with Baby Sméagol, who is a pathetic traumatized orphan who just needs physical care and patience. Not much can be expected from him because he's a baby. Part 2 is child and adolesecent Smeagol and his relationship with his village and family network. In part 2 present day, Smeagol's exploring the city and his new social network.

I stay away from the Found Family tag for reasons (I HAVE AN IRRATIONAL DISLIKE OF FADS EVEN WHEN THEY ARE GOOD THINGS IN AND OF THEMESELVES) but it probably would have fit here. Oh well.

When he did start to talk, his first word was 'Why'.

Jirt describes Sméagol as overridingly inquisitive.

"I don't know," Nettle would say, "and I don't know why I'm standing here explaining myself to you. Praps I'll ask you some riddles, Sméagol, my polliwog

Aha and we have another pet name which in future Eardwulf will also independently re-invent

For quite a long time, 'Why' was the only word he seemed to feel he needed. He would also use it to forestall criticism. Nettle would catch him about to do something he shouldn't, and he would stop and feign a ridiculous look of surprise. "Why?" he would ask.

Wow, he learned to be a manipulative liar early on.

The ''Why' and 'How' only stopped when he slept. He curled up like a kitten and dropped off for a few hours at a time and then he sat up and stared at her and started asking 'Why'.

This is how Gollum sleeps in canon. Curl up -> instant off -> he's staring at you suddenly

I did meticulous research for this fic. Not on Middle Earth's history or languages or anything like that, though, just on Gollum.

Nettle taught him to read and taught him the genealogies and all of the old stories she knew. After he learned to write he went through a phase where he walked around the village with his little slate, writing down things people did. He would come back in the evening and read it all off to her. "Aunt Petunia. Cheated Aunt Iris out of one penny. Saw her drop it and she didn't say nothing. Just picked it up. That was not nice. She picked it up before I could. Not nice at all." Nettle politely asked him to stop after the fifth day of this.

Sméagol wtf

He would also eat unripe berries, eggs from trees, and things off of the top of rubbish piles if he thought they were fresh enough- which was not unusual behavior for a growing boy that thought he was invincible to food poisoning, but a bit unseemly for one under the direct tutelage of the matriarch. (Although when he brought home eggs to share, she always accepted one.)

Smeagol's grandmother eating the eggs he steals IS ALSO CANON and NONE of this vital content was in the movies

"He wants to go away on an adventure," Sméagol barked. "I never heard anything so stupid! Goblins and robbers and monsters and who knows what else out there."

Ha! I forgot about the 'Sméagol is a confirmed homebody afraid of the wide world' shtick. It is here purely for purposes of irony.

"My parents thought they could leave. And where are they now, where are they? Not here."

I could have worded that better, I know 'not here' means 'dead' but it just sounds like they successfully left after intending to leave.

And he was meaner than anyone who might be teasing him, at that. But it seemed that this time he was correct about why he wasn't a favorite.

I think I'm trying to insinuate emotional abuse/neglect that Nettle doesn't realize she's inflicting. Of course you shouldn't write off your emotionally unstable orphaned grandchild as mean and useless. It. It won't help.

Meaner than he looked, too. And in a rough old world like this one, was that always such a bad thing?

Also it seems like she taught him to be a jerk to get ahead.

We're back to present day. Gollum assumes he can just find his way out of the city he was brought into unconscous.

He drew a deep, sharp breath, despite his desire not to make noise. A city ringed by walls! He turned, trembling, to look over his shoulder, and saw what he had not seen before, soaring over another wall far behind- the high tower. It must be Minas Anor, he thought. The Tower of the Sun. Anárion's city...

Shouldn't he already know that- *checks* no because the name is different now and Frodo used the new one. ok cool.

Gollum canonically knows about Minas Ithil/Morgul and would know about the twin city (by the original name)

In fact, this city and Minas Morgul had about the same faint, sick resemblance as the faint, sick resemblance between Pippin Took and Gollum.

I picked Pippin for the comparison because they share their insatiable curiosity and quasi-hobbit-nobility. Also because Pippin does a spot-on Gollum impression without even seeing or hearing the real thing. That wasn't in the movies either we were robbed.

(It was in the Bakshi version)

Gollum obligingly reflects on his dead family now that we know who they are! (It's supposedly triggered by realizing he's in a place he's heard stories about but c'mon. It's because I told you who his family is.)

Psychologically, what's meant to be happening here is that Gollum's been burying a lot of (very real and morally neutral) pain, with the Ring, and with other coping mechanisms such as Shelob (he walked with her 'away from light and regret') and his monster boogeyman persona. Ring = gone. Shelob = renounced. Monster boogeyman persona = slowly letting go of as more trouble than it's worth. So all of the pain those things were masking is beginning to come back, starting with the grief of outliving

ALL

of his relatives.

Next, Gollum discovers that Mordor is visible from the walls of Minas Tirith and we neatly transition from his past trauma to his recent trauma!

If the wall had been soft enough to yield to his nails he would have scored deep lines into it.

Well. OK. Anything is theoretically soft enough to have lines scored into it at any pressure. This is a clunker.

"What was that yelling?" Guards. Gollum hopped over the wall and scaled it as quietly as he could. He had been quick enough- he was not discovered, despite his outburst.

Aragorn's asked the guards to pretend not to see Gollum unless he's doing something they need to intervene in. But some of them probably genuinely don't see him slip past in this chapter.

Gollum does canonically go into screaming fits when he's supposed to be in stealth mode I'm not 100% sure how he's alive.

So- I think the Minas Tirith walls are PRETTY HIGH and Gollum's climbing them a little too easy but maybe for him it's the equivalent of a walk up a hill? I don't know. He's enjoying being out and about.

There is some genuine culture shock starting to happen! Gollum compares neat and orderly Minas Tirith to other places he's been where people did wherever they want and made a mess everywhere, and is flummoxed.

Teenagers walk past chattering about hobbits. They- oh come on, that's really coincidental. They're talking about Gollum. I could have probably made this better by including somethin that cues them (like Gollum himself!) (he is right here) (looking sketch). They might even have seen him and thought he was a normal hobbit and mobbed him like a celebrity and carried the conversation to 'did you see the Ringbearer's monster?' So this could have been an easy fix but I didn't think of it and I didn't fix it, oh well.

Gollum doesn't like his reputation so he steps out and says something awkward and leaves. Again, this would have worked better if they'd approached him, because he's shy and really shouldn't have initiated a conversation, just left in a panic. No rewrites to published fic! Not ever! This one bugs me particularly because I used it as an excerpt in the summary, though. Like a showcase. And it's logistically unsound. Uwaaa

What if one of the young Men told about having seen him? He considered this, and decided there was not much risk from it- first, they had not known what he was or that anyone should be told at all, so at the worst they would only say they met someone odd in the street. Perhaps the description they gave would be recognized, but by the time such a thing happened Gollum would be too far away for it to matter. He was already too far away to be easy to find. And they would not know whom to tell about him, and might not even be allowed to speak to that person if they did. Their kind had so many rules about who was allowed to speak to whom!

I'm enjoying the shift in prose to tactical, strategic Gollum. He's not always uhhh doing the best job but he's now analytically thinking about what he's doing and making more conscious choices than he was when he was in 'I was Reincarnated As An Invalid In A City Full Of Strange Giants???' mode.

Here's a cat. Gollum toys with eating it, but he's gone soft and decides to follow it instead.

Gollum made a quick tour of the outside of the structure, and found that all the windows were boarded, and so were the doors. An abandoned house- cities at war had many of them, yes. Such prize habitats were often already occupied when he found them. If a cat was making its home in this one, though, there was likely nothing any bigger than that inside, unless perhaps there was a human owner.

I should have been more specific, I meant owner of the cat, not the house. A squatter. Also 'human' isn't a canon-appropriate term. This whole chapter feels like it's not quite as well-edited as some others. I remember I had to abruptly move to a new house halfway through the posting schedule of this fic, and maybe this was when that happened?

*checks* Yeah actually this was posted the week I found out we were going to have to find a new house, I think. I was preoccupied. Oh well.

I did not use a beta reader.

Anyway. Violence! Gollum kills and eats a bunch of mice. The house is infested.

Feeling empathy with the cat, he feeds it part of his kill and then goes into a food coma in the wardrobe.

Gollum squinted into the darkness. He was lying tightly curled on his side. A ball of fur was tucked up against his back and it was purring. "Ach!" he said, startling the cat awake. "No. No, no, no!" He took the cat by the scruff of the neck, picked her up, set her outside of the cabinet and closed the door on her before she could either come back in or get angry and scratch him.

You're "supposed" to give progress checks on your character's arc every so often. Gollum is now at 'cuddly enough to feed a cat' but not 'cuddly enough to cuddle a cat'.

[garmgeyr]

deep dive character sheet

stolen from: old dash game from TOA tagging: anyone left who hasn't done this yet

Note: most of this information is about Gallagher the persona and doesn't take into consideration who or what the history fictionologist is, but Gallagher himself admits that the line between the two of them is very much blurred NAME: GALLAGHER

BODY

height: 190cm / 6′ 3

strength ★★★☆☆ (mechanically has low bases and relies on getting one big break hit to deal damage, which narratively could mean he's more opportunistic than consistent; canonically he admits he's not as strong as he used to be)

dexterity ★★★☆☆ (average, he's using his dex to spin drink tumblers around though)

health ★★★☆☆ (robust in the sense that he's not prone to illness, but docked two stars for a couple of reasons: 1) his character stories describe him as a man past his prime, and 2) whatever's in his flask is some kind of medicine (the details of which is meta for another day); whatever the case, he's lucky a diet of soda and alcohol doesn't mean much in the dreamscape)

energy ★☆☆☆☆ (would be napping or lounging with a drink if given the choice; anything else is done because he has to do it, although he was much feistier in his younger years)

beauty ★★★☆☆ (he probably gets tipped well at the bar is all I'll say; his scruffiness definitely appeals to a certain demographic)

style ★★★☆☆ (his clothes themselves are nice; however, he dresses like a guy who woke up from a 4 hour couch nap 2 minutes ago and does not give a shit about how they look on him. those buttons on his shirt are fighting for their lives)

hygiene ★★★☆☆ (similar to above, he's not dirty, but it's probably been a couple of days since he washed his hair/shaved)

SKILLS

perception ★★★★★ (observation is his whole thing)

communication ★★★☆☆ (communicates clearly and well, but also lies constantly and may not always mean what he says)

persuasion ★★★★☆ (although he doesn't necessarily lie to manipulate others, it does come in handy for making convincing arguments)

mediation ★★☆☆☆ (if he valued mediation, he might have tried to strike a deal with the family earlier, but he's been harboring resentment toward them for years and only cooperated with sunday because circumstances made him; on a larger scale, mediation takes more effort than just punching a guy's lights out and gallagher is in favor of less effort)

literacy ★★★★★ (well-read on a variety of topics)

creativity ★★★★☆ (loves inventing new drinks and usually does it in a sort of spur of the moment way; let's not forget that he wrote the watchmaker's story too)

cooking ★★★☆☆ (probably decent, but also experimental and careless, meaning he doesn't measure anything and rarely follows recipes)

tech savvy ★★★☆☆ (he'll play up the old man card if he has to)

combat ★★★☆☆ (an experienced fighter, but one who has certainly lost his edge over the years)

survival ★★★☆☆ (knows his way around the dangers of the dreamscape, but has a city lifestyle so he would be out of his element out in the wild)

stealth ★★☆☆☆ (as gallagher, no, but as a hound statue, stealth is probably his best skill)

street smarts ★★★★★ (he knows just about everything there is to know about the dreamscape and how to navigate it, especially its dark side)

seduction ★★☆☆☆ (he plays the old man card pretty frequently so in general he's not going to be in situations where this would even be possible or warranted, but he could work some charm if he needed to)

luck ★★★☆☆ (everything with the astral express and mikhail's legacy fell into place mostly due to luck and good timing)

handling animals ★★★★★ (full stars for managing to tame sleepie)

pacifying children ★★★★★ (full stars for managing to tame misha)

MIND

intelligence ★★★★☆ (carries an abundance of experience in a variety of areas, has learned all kinds of things from both books and talking to others, has practical knowledge for many skills)

happiness ★★★★☆ (his life has had its peaks and its deepest, darkest valleys, but at the end of it all, he managed to get the ending that he mostly wanted and regained his former glory; docked a star because he does regret that the end came so soon and that disagreements between paths had ultimately led to it)

spirituality ☆☆☆☆☆ (ironic question because the philosophy of enigmata forbids its followers from believing in anything and yet doing so asserts belief in the path's aeon; anyway, 0 stars because the fact that gallagher is an enigmata pathstrider is kept a secret so he just comes of kind of nihilistic otherwise)

confidence ★★★☆☆ (he will hand the reins over to other people when it comes to things he's not good at and does shy away from situations that might embarrass him)

humor ★★★★☆ (his sense of humor is saying ironic shit to get a reaction from others and he does it a lot; in some cases, those people just barely restrain themselves from strangling him (sunday))

anxiety ★★☆☆☆ (generally laidback, but does get anxious when he has to be relied on for important things (writing the charmony festival invitations, leading the trailblazer to the legacy))

patience ★★★★★ (he waited many long years to fulfill mikhail's wishes)

passion ★★★★☆ (it's passion for mikhail's vision for penacony's legacy that carried him this far)

nice         ☆★☆☆☆ mean (friendly to most, but won't hesitate to call someone a fucking donkey)

brave       ☆★☆☆☆ cowardly (having something or someone to protect is usually what allows him to put on a brave front, but that doesn't mean he isn't nervous about it)

pacifist     ☆☆★☆☆ violent (used to go around fighting people for the hell of it)

thoughtful ☆☆★☆☆ impulsive (doesn't usually act unless he's thought something through, but also improvs his way through most of his lies)

agreeable ☆☆★☆☆ contrary (pretty easy to get along with and usually won't write something off immediately for no reason - unless you're mikhail and then gallagher is biting your ass constantly)

idealistic   ☆☆☆☆★ pragmatic (the pragmatist protecting the dreamer's ideals)

frugal        ☆☆☆★☆ big spender (he is buying that top shelf liquor whenever he has the chance)

extrovert   ☆☆★☆☆ introvert (somewhere right in the middle)

collected   ☆☆★☆☆ wild

ambitious / possessive / stubborn / jealous / decisive / perfectionist

SOCIAL

charisma ★★★★★ (charisma comes with the territory of a good drinksmith, and gallagher is a talented storyteller)

empathy ★★★★★ (similar to above, empathy comes with the territory of a good drinksmith especially in a place like dreamjolt hostelry, where the drinksmith usually has to play therapist for the guests)

generosity ★★★★☆ (he'll make sure his friends are taken care of)

wealth ★★★☆☆ (as a member of the family, he's taken care of, and as a drinksmith, he has enough to pay the bills, but that's about it)

honest  ☆☆☆☆★ deceptive (lmao)

leader   ☆☆★☆☆ follower (he's a security captain but deputy to the watchmaker; capable of leading but just as easily falls into line under someone else's leadership)

polite    ☆☆☆★☆  rude (crass as hell but will be polite to guests in all but word choice)

political ★☆☆☆☆ indifferent (the watchmaker and his followers are colored as rebels against the system and gallagher has strong (negative) thoughts about the way the family runs the dreamscape so yeah, political)

BELIEFS

higher power ★★★★★ (yeah aeons exist)

fate/destiny ★★★★★ (enigmata is most similar to the philosophy of absurdism, which has a whole thing about how humans face turmoil when confronted with the meaninglessness of their actions in the face of destiny)

magic ★★★☆☆ (dreams are full of it)

soulmates ★★★☆☆ (some people are tethered to one another through lifetimes)

good and evil ☆☆☆☆☆ (it's all relative)

luck ★★★★☆ (good luck and bad luck are both important facets of the chaos and ultimate meaninglessness in one's life)

PRIORITIES

family ★★★★★ (values family through the lens of mikhail as a father figure and micah as a brother)

friends ★★★★★ (otherwise, extremely committed to the people he cares about)

love ★★★★★ (love does not have to be romantic, and gallagher's love for penacony and mikhail's vision fuels most of his actions)

home ★★★★★ (his whole reason for getting involved in the story is to save penacony)

health ★★☆☆☆ (values is health enough to have given up soulglad at some point, but not enough to stop drinking altogether)

praise ★★★☆☆ (he'll take it)

justice ★★☆☆☆ (similar to his view on good and evil, justice is also relative, but he does fight back against the family under his own concept of justice and believes that what the family is doing ultimately deserves retribution)

truth ★★★★☆ (never stop questioning and never stop seeking is his whole philosophy)

power ☆☆☆☆☆ (does not care)

fame ★☆☆☆☆ (cares a little bit, since he admits that writing real history for once does feel good)

wealth ★☆☆☆☆ (just needs enough to get by)

others' opinions ★★★☆☆ (other people's opinions are what inform his presentation and concept of self)

[redhuntressnewtrail04]

Does the Rover seem hollow to anyone else?

The trailblazer mc is a trash goblin.

The traveler has a rabbit hole full of lore.

But the rover seems odd?

Not without personality, I mean canonically they're considered a very intelligent person with a lot of feats of their strategic abilities but it kind of comes off as manipulative to me.

Changli, Jinshi's teacher; met the rover as a child and Jinzhou's sentinel refers to the rover as master, the same sentinel that brought a dead baby back to life.

Which can be the reason why Jinhsi was practically expecting us.

The rover is indirectly responsible for the existence leader of the nation they just happened to land in.

The Somnium Labyrinth event lets us understand that the power to go through people's dreams was somehow invented by the rover.

Dreams of people that we haven't even met yet seeing as we can play as Calcharo, Dajin and Yuanwu.

The entire existence of the black shores is because of the rover.

They have influenced two people into working for them the shore keeper and Camellya both non human characters that have devoted themselves to the rover.

I just want the rover's thoughts on people that they have influenced and honestly I just hope that the rover isn't evil because that is so boring.

You can be manipulative and still be a good person at heart, I mean look at Sunday or a good portion of the DC heroes.

[aylen-san]

How do you like the functionality of the palantíri? Sauron shares his know-how...

My dear lovers of dark secrets and forbidden knowledge! Today, we will talk about how to use palantíri — these amazing ancient artifacts, created so you can spy, watch, and manipulate without leaving your fortress. And who better than me, Sauron, to tell you about them?

Once, the palantíri were simply communication devices for elves and Númenóreans. But as always, I saw more in them. After all, why just talk when you can control?

The Beginning: Comfortable Surveillance

So, when I began actively using the palantíri, I immediately understood their main advantage — you can see everything without leaving the gates of your fortress. Perfect for introverts and dark lords, right? It's like social media, but without cute cats and memes. Instead, on your screen, you have the entire world: kings in their throne rooms, generals plotting conspiracies, even your enemies discussing how to overthrow you. Isn’t that the best reality show?

For example, here's a little life hack: when I'm bored, I tune the palantír to Gondor to watch Denethor nervously pacing his hall, wondering when his end will come. Or I open a feed to Rohan, where Théoden sits on his old throne, thinking no one has noticed him. Watching their fear is pure pleasure. And let's not forget the inspiring evening news from Orthanc: Saruman, as always, inventing something utterly useless.

Creative Solutions Functionality

But what truly makes the palantíri useful is not just observation. No, my friends, their true power lies in manipulation. I quickly realized that I could not only see events but also influence the minds of those daring to peer into them. Humans, as it turns out, are quite suggestible. Their minds, terrified by visions, are filled with the images I choose. For instance, once I showed Gondor a bit more darkness than was needed. And what did they do? They went mad and burned their ruler! I can't say I planned it, but the outcome was quite satisfactory.

Here’s a small trick to scare or confuse your opponent: start by showing some kind of horror, like a ruined fortress, corpses of soldiers, anything that will make their heart race. Then, slowly ramp up the pressure, showing them their own fears — imagine them trembling in terror as they see their loved ones destroyed or consumed by shadows. Trust me, after a few such sessions, they become entirely different people.

My Personal Development: Palantíri as a Tool of Deception

Everyone knows that palantíri show the truth, but it doesn’t always have to be the whole truth, does it? I found several tricks that allow you to play with reality, showing only fragments of it. One of my favorite strategies is to display only what benefits me. People love to believe what they see, and if you show only part of the story, their minds will fill in the rest with the worst scenarios. Manipulating the truth is so easy, it's almost boring.

That’s how it was with Denethor. I showed him only one side of the war, only defeat and despair. Of course, he didn’t know what was happening on other fronts, didn’t know his son was still alive. He saw only what I wanted him to see. Call it fake news if you will, but hey, I didn’t coin the term.

Practicality and Innovation: Durability and Style

Now to more practical matters. As it turns out, the palantíri are extremely durable. Just think: over millennia, they haven’t gathered dust or lost their functionality. Fëanor did a fine job, and for that, he deserves my thanks. A true quality product. And although the fashion for stone spheres has long passed, they still look stylish and menacing in any interior — whether in the Tower of Barad-dûr or a cozy study in the fortress of Orthanc.

A small tip: place the palantír in the most visible spot. Let anyone who dares to enter your hall immediately feel under its gaze. No one should forget who sees and controls everything here. Remember, enemies love to spy on you through palantíri, but nothing prevents you from using that against them. Innocent glances into the magical sphere can easily turn into nightmares that will haunt them for the rest of their days.

And Finally: My Exclusive Mode of Working with Palantíri

As a parting gift, I’ll tell you about my favorite “exclusive mode.” If I need not just to frighten but to completely break someone’s will, I use the palantír for direct contact. I stand before it, rise to my full height, and begin speaking directly to the victim. Seeing my face on the other side of the sphere is a special experience. A few words, a couple of hints, a slight smile... and soon the person on the other side is trembling in fear and obeys without further questions. As they say, face-to-face communication is always a powerful tool.

So, my friends, don’t underestimate the palantíri. They’re more than just magical orbs. They are windows to the world that grant you power and control. The key is knowing how to use them. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll meet through one of these ancient spheres. But be careful: if you look too deeply, you may never be able to turn away. And as you understand, I am always watching.

Yours truly, Sauron, master of control and great manipulator of the palantíri.

[thegodcyclecomic]

Hello again! Thank you for your post that covered my question on what sources of inspiration you used for Athena. It was super enlightening!

I know this is a tall order because the myths are broad, but could you discuss what aspects of characterization and dimensions you feel are often ignored about Athena? This is me practically begging for a meta post, but I genuinely love hearing your thoughts on her because I agree with your assessment that roughly most media tend to lean to simplistic aspects of Athena. I like hearing from your inspiration notes that you thought of Athena’s childhood with Pallas and how she is more of a pragmatic character that has agency.

I have a lot of thoughts on this so this post won't be as comprehensive as I originally intended, I will be briefly covering the points I want to list out. I try my best to base my writing of Athena on the canon source material, but there will be aspects that veer into my own interpretation/headcanon territory. All Iliad passages here are from the Robert Fitzgerald translation.

Anyway, here are the aspects of characterization I think are normally ignored when authors write Athena.

Her calculating nature / intelligence

This one sounds weird because it's paradoxically the first thing that comes to mind when writing Athena. The issue with this is the same issue when amateur authors try to write characters who are smarter than them: They resort to cheap shortcuts and stereotypes to show a character is "smart".

Examples of this would be the overusage of chess imagery. It's a game that wouldn't exist in Ancient Greece anyway, and it's a measure of spatial memorization rather than strategy. In real warfare, everything is variable to change. Chess pieces don't have motivations or biases that could influence their actions. Opening moves in chess have their counters, but real-life tactics allow you more freedom on how to engage with it.

The next writing shortcut people resort to re: Athena's intelligence is how they use her reading books to show she is "smart" but don't really elaborate on what kind of books she reads of what topics she specializes in which is already in the mythos that can give you lots of ideas.

I mentioned this before but when I started TGC I had a hard time characterizing Athena at first because I didn't understand her domains too well. So you know what I did? I picked up books about military history, Ancient Greek laws, political theory, philosophy, and similar. Learning about these things gave me a perspective of "how would the personification of the state act if they were a person?". Ancient Greece was big on the Social Contract, as exemplified in Socrates's speech in Plato's Apology.

There's a lot more to it, I'm not doing it justice at all in this post. But that's the idea. In the Oresteia, Athena created the practice of cross-examination for murder trials, and then immediately proceeded to undermine the entire justice process by attempting to bribe the prosecution (the Furies). In the Iliad Book 4, she disguises herself as a Trojan soldier to trick Laodokos to shoot Menelaus to break the ceasefire-- essentially enacting what we in modern day would call a False Flag Operation. It's so quintessentially Politician(tm) of her to do.

Athena's intelligence comes from how she seeks to improve and make efficient current systems, like her strategy to Ares's warfare. Or her various inventions in mythos. Another one would be her ability to manipulate people and situations to push for the outcomes she wants. You can see this in her various dialogues in the Epic Cycle:

Athena grifting in the Odyssey in a speech she makes to Zeus about why she should be allowed to assist Odysseus.

520: Athena kept the pace behind them, bearing her shield of storm, immortal and august, whose hundred golden-plaited tassles, worth a hekatomb each one, floated in air. So down the ranks that dazzling goddess went to stir the attack, and each man in his heart grew strong to fight and never quit the melee, for at her passage war itself became lovelier than return, lovelier than sailing in the decked ships to their own native land -Iliad Book 4

and this

100: “Son of Lykaon, I have in mind an exploit that may tempt you, tempt a fighting heart. Have you the gall to send an arrow like a fork of lightning home against Menelaus? Every Trojan heart would rise, and every man would praise you, especially Paris, the prince— you would be sure to come by glittering gifts if he could see the warrior, Menelaus, the son of Atreus, brought down by your bow, then bedded on a dolorous pyre! Come now, brace yourself for a shot at Menelaus. engage to pay Apollo, the bright archer, a perfect hekatomb of firstling lambs when you go home to your old town, Zeleia.” That was Athena’s way, leading him on, the foolish man, to folly. -Iliad Book 4

from what I can understand, Athena's domain of wisdom is not just limited to giving insight to people-- but also in obscuring the truth and leading others to their ruin. Which is in line with one of Athena's epithets which is Απατουρια (Apaturia) "Deciever".

Often times in other adaptations, they relegate Athena's intelligence to spouting random facts or a "nerdy" personality. Or they nerf it so that she doesn't solve these braindead plots in 2 seconds. Take Athena from Lore Olympus for example, the Athena of canon would've never allowed any of this shit with Persephone and Apollo undermining Zeus to happen TT_TT if you have to make your characters stupid for the story to work, then it is a bad story hands down.

2. Interpretations regarding Athena's relationship with heroes

This is something I see a lot where Athena is written to have a personal investment in her heroes like they are "her blorbos" (actual words I've seen people on this hellsite use for this). I'd like to direct your attention to this passage from of Athena speaking in Iliad book 8.

My father, now, is full of a black madness, evil and perverse. All that I strive for he brings to nothing: He will not remember how many times I intervened to save his son, worn out in trials set by Eurystheus. How Heracles would cry to heaven! And Zeus Would send me out of heaven to be his shield. Had I forseen this day that time he went down, bidden by Eurystheus, between Death’s narrow gates to bring from Erebos the watchdog of the Lord of Undergloom, he never would have left the gorge of Styx!

The way I understand this passage is that Athena does a lot of "NPC questgiver" tasks for Zeus in an attempt to curry favor from him. It's a calculated choice on her part and not something she does out of the kindness of her heart. A similar situation occurs when Orestes asks Athena for aid, she helps him on the insistence of Apollo.

Regarding Odysseus, I'm sure there is some fondness she has for him-- but that doesn't stop her from allowing him to be struck by storm (as collateral damage for the crimes of Ajax the lesser for raping Cassandra in Athena's temple). Or from her setting up the suitor problem so she could convince him to murder them all.

If you've noticed, all of Athena's champions are some kind of high-ranking warriors. A king or general or prince. You would think that the goddess of wisdom would favor the philosophers more, or would choose more often to avoid violence. But Athena is very quick to choose violence, it's who she is. And she needs a tool that she can use as a blade.

(these are my interpretations, if you disagree thats fine) 3. Athena as a "peaceful" goddess

This one makes me laugh and also drives me insane.

There are two Homeric hymns that directly and clearly contradict this idea.

(HOMERIC HYMNS 5 - 33, TRANSLATED BY H. G. EVELYN-WHITE) a. The Homeric Hymn to Athena

Of Pallas Athene, guardian of the city, I begin to sing. Dread is she, and with Ares she loves deeds of war, the sack of cities and the shouting and the battle. It is she who saves the people as they go out to war and come back. Hail, goddess, and give us good fortune with happiness!

b. The Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite

...Yet there are three hearts that she cannot bend nor yet ensnare. First is the daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis, bright-eyed Athene; for she has no pleasure in the deeds of golden Aphrodite, but delights in wars and in the work of Ares, in strifes and battles and in preparing famous crafts. 

What I find insightful about the second one is that it gives a specific reason for why Athena cannot be moved by romantic love. It's because war occupies the space in her heart that love would normally be. Both hymns specifically name drop Ares, so the idea that Athena finds Ares's violence to be repulsive is just blatantly untrue. If anything, she adores it. The time it would become an issue for her is when his rampages act against her greater interests, which is the source of all their duels in canon.

Other proof for Athena being generally violent can be inferred from her characterization in the Iliad, the instances of which are too numerous to list here.

4. Athena's personality defined by her lack of childhood.

I mentioned this in another post, but Athena was born from Zeus as an adult (though in TGC I changed this to being born as a pre-teen. This is intentional and serves a purpose). What we know about psychology today is that for normal social and emotional development, young children need to form an attachment with at least one primary caregiver. Athena being born as an adult means that she would've missed out on important development milestones that other gods would've gone through.

I will preemptively say that before you bring up the "theyre Gods they're not like humans" that as far as mythos is concerned, the way that gods behave and think is almost exactly identical to that of humans. They experience the same range of emotions humans do, as well as grief and trauma. So I will consider that their psychology is also the same with the difference being that they might experience mental degradation not typically seen in humans because of cumulative negative experiences over a long period.

Back to Athena, the only framework she would have to start from literally being born yesterday would be the fragments of memories she gleaned from being inside of Zeus's head. I think this would be confusing for her, as these are from the first-person perspective of Zeus, so using his memories but lacking context for those experiences might lead to an early identity crisis. Athena would then have to play catchup in learning extremely fast everything to fill those blanks.

This is why I think Athena has a hard time forming personal connections. She doesn't have a true equal. Athena's relationships are defined by power imbalances and transactions, and that is how she understands relationships in general to work.

5. Athena's humanity.

I think what bothers me the most about Athena in adaptations is the lack of humanity given to her character. I know I just went over why she's a manipulative machiavellian character, but what I see is that Athena often gets relegated to the Unfun Stick in the Mud character. She exists to ruin the fun of the Fun Chaotic Dudes Dionysus, Hermes, and Apollo. She doesn't have anything going to her except being a snitch and a daddy's girl, or worse, she exists to be "put in her place" by other male gods. This is why I really dislike Fedini's and "incorrect greek gods" take on Athena. I think there's this underlying biases that an ace-coded goddess can't have anything interesting about her, because all media on tumblr and fandom these days are broken down to fucking shipping instead of seriously engaging with the source material. I've seen people call her a Mary Sue or act like she is an annoying bitch for exhibiting personality traits that would be praised in a male character (the traits of a Byronic Hero).

Portrayals of Athena go one extreme or another, either she is a wholly Good goddess or she is a Villain/mere annoyance. It's a real shame to see, because I hope I can show you now that she is a wonderfully complex and morally grey character. I want to see Athena's curiosity and how she tries to understand the world from her own perspective. I want to explore her relationships with Zeus and her siblings like Ares and Apollo outside of the Meme'fication of Greek mythology.

Anyway, that's all I can think of for now, I hope this answers your question. If you have any point you'd like me to explain more, I'd be glad to make another post in greater detail.

[kenobster]

Mostly to save myself some space on a post later, I'm gonna be anecdotal for a second and talk about my complicated feelings about Fox whump.

For context, I've actually enjoyed Fox whump on occasion. Recently, I even wrote a tiny bit of it. While I have not delved much into Fox fan creations (other than the fic This, too, was a gift, and my enjoyment this incredible fanart), I have, for a long time, been observing Fox fans & Fox spaces and noticing certain trends in the Fox & Corrie Guard fandom. Although Fox has about two minutes of screentime for the entirety of TCW (and never removes his helmet IIRC), fandom has expanded upon his character with an enormous amount of headcanon. To keep us all on the same page, I'd like to establish a baseline of my understanding of his character. For starters, people seem to characterize Fox as a good person but also (endearingly) a total trainwreck. He's someone who has made mistakes and done some not-so-great things, who huffs and haws and gripes and groans, but who eventually decides to do the right thing. Generally, Fox fans seem to agree that Palpatine is manipulative and abusive of him and the Corrie Guard, but they do tend to fall shy of acknowledging that Anakin was one of Palpatine's primary victims. In fact, despite the amount of attention Fox fans seem to devote to Obi-Wan (and Codywan as a ship), their headcanons leave Anakin mysteriously absent. At worst, the Fox fandom seems notoriously biased against Anakin and has characterized him in ways much worse than pre-O66 material actually shows him to be.

Normally, this kind of headcanoning wouldn't be an issue to me. As a writer of trashy noncon, I support the stance that every fan should be allowed to create, headcanon, and play as they wish in their fictional sandbox. In the case of Fox fanon, however, I have misgivings. These headcanons, characterizations, and portrayals of whump tend to usurp everything about Anakin's storyline and fill it with Fox instead. For a classic example, see this post's idea to put Fox in a situation practically identical to popular Darth Vader/Anakin fanlore. For another example, see this poll where Fox outscores everyone by a landslide on the matter of who deserves to kill Palpatine the most, a poll upon which Anakin doesn't even make the list. Additionally, see this popular post listing the top three characters who deserve to kill Palpatine, upon which Fox ranks No. 2 and Anakin isn't featured at all. That's Fox, a character with two minutes of screentime (much of which was spent killing Fives), versus Anakin, the protagonist of the PT and the character who actually killed Palpatine. Though only tangentially related, I've also seen fanart that paired a member of the Corrie Guard with Padme, Anakin's own wife! From where I'm standing, Fox and/or the Corrie Guard seems very much like a convenient substitute for the gaps made by tearing Anakin out of his own narrative.

In this sense, the existence of Fox fanon & whump is completely baffling to me. The PT and the OT (the most canonical of canon!) have already provided the exact character that Fox fans seem to crave. Anakin was the victim who was groomed, manipulated, and abused by Palpatine before and after Order 66. Anakin is the good person who made a terrible mistake, the one who huffs and haws and gripes and groans but does the right thing in the end. Anakin is a gift to those exact interests, and what did the Fox fandom do? They denied this gift so fiercely that they had to invent their own fanonical blorbo to take Anakin's place.

Time and time again, I've wondered what could possibly explain this. So far, my developing hypothesis does not bode well. Outside of fandom, society as a whole is currently cycling through another unmerciful and intolerant phase (i.e. cancel culture, purity culture, censorship, etc). It's true that people must face the consequences of their actions and that justice is incredibly important—but there's a fine line between justice and revenge, and an even finer line between preventative and punitive justice. Even the scummiest scum of the earth deserve to be treated humanely. For those who live in the United States, there's a reason the Bill of Rights contains the Eighth Amendment—the government's duty to protect its citizen from cruel and unusual punishment. The idea that it's morally acceptable to treat "evil people" (i.e. murderers, rapists, etc.) like dogshit while they are locked up and/or prevented from doing further harm is one core flavor of the the newest brand of purity culture, but this time it's being weaponized by extremists on the radical left.

Coupled with societal distate toward any villain perceived to be appealing to a young female audience (you know which villains I mean), this new brand of purity culture has invaded fandom spaces as well. In countless narratives, authors are denied or criticized for giving fictional villains redemption arcs. In countless posts, fans are denied or criticized for feeling sympathy toward the ways in which villains can be victims. In Star Wars specifically, a large portion of fandom refuses to acknowledge Anakin's suffering. They label him as evil from birth and/or puberty, and they feel little-to-no compassion for the ways in which he was abused and traumatized (see this post for further description of this subject). Some of fandom even demonizes people like me for not sharing their viewpoints.

It makes sense that people who have been swayed by this new wave of puritanical propaganda will attempt to nullify any morbid fascination they feel toward Palpatine's abuse of Anakin/Vader. Showing sympathy toward a child-killer could easily result in an uncomfortable level of cognitive dissonance, after all. Thus, my hypothesis is that fandom created a new blorbo to cope with their guilt-ridden interest in Anakin. They created a palatable blorbo. A blorbo who shares the same general vibes but has committed less atrocities and is, therefore, still "redeemable." A blorbo who, by virtue of being a fanon creation, is inaccessible to the misogynist disgust society holds toward well-known villains. In other words, I believe that Fox fanon sprung from people's inability to face their sympathy for Anakin—or rather their inability to face the fact that there is no simple answer to the overlap between villainy and victimhood. And now, because of that, we have Fox whump. We have Fox fans who are convinced that a character who shares many similar attributes was evil from birth and/or puberty.

Whether my hypothesis is true or false, I am well aware that there is nothing I can do about the existence of Fox fanon now. I have little interest in ridding the world of Fox fanon anyway... In actuality, I hope with all of my soul that my hypothesis is false. Why? Because if my hypothesis is true, then that's a problem. And it hasn't gone away. And it isn't going away. Regardless of whether we individually like Fox or not, I think it's incredibly important that we collectively reflect on this.