#who still power through it and contribute. they still help. they push through their struggles and do activism anyway.

[rabbithaver]

like at a certain point, i just don't do enough to justify the resources i steal from other people.

every time i eat something, all i can think about is the fact that it's wasted on me. that food would be so much better off going to literally anyone else on the face of the earth. i don't do enough to deserve to eat. i am not a good enough person.

[opal-owl-flight]

Making up for lost time.

3 always believed in 4. They even hoped shed exceed them, and not make the same mistakes they did.

Maybe if they trained her enough, she wouldnt be broken like they are.

More deets below the cut, regarding 3 and their current status with inknemia...

Ive given them angst abt their contribution to 4's state. And abt their anxieties on being a perfect enough ageng so they never fail, so the (fragile) world, their way of life, is always safe

However.

After OE, 3 was able to continue going on patrols and missions, but something is definitely off.

Their body was still young and fresh enough to keep going despite acquiring inknemia (it basically gives them more limited mobility/power due to reduced ink capacity/density). And with 4 there, she can cover for their weaknesses brought by disability.

Even then, they felt it. That creeping feeling that this wont last.

Their ink tank was running low way more frequently. Restoring ink is slower. Splatting enemies takes longer.

4 was starting to run on ahead. A rising star, if she kept her pace, and they slowed down more.

Everything they knew. Turfing, ranked, agent duties.

Their fragile world was breaking. But only theirs. And they cant do anything to stop it from tipping into that point.

As if thats not enough, 4 left for college. And all those duties they shared fell back to them alone.

8 was also around, but she was with Off the Hook more. Shes technically not an agent...

until she became one officially, its all 3. All that work on a breaking body that cant do what it used to anymore.

They felt despair at each action they cant do as long, or anymore. Their actions became much more precise and decided to adjust. Their shots, their specials, their bombs -- only used when needed, ending fights as quickly as they start.

Still able, for a while. Still a legend, for a while. But they know. They know.

And when the news came that Cuttlefish was retiring --

They knew it was time. 1 and 2 are taking them off the field.

Its become too risky for them now. Hell, they even had to retire from turfing. (what a coincidence that the wiiu servers just died.)

Its a hidden turmoil they bury under work. Under the training sessions theyre allowed to do. Its the omly action theyre allowed these days, save for the occasional/rare mission/task that only they can do (that defuzzifier in splat3)

They miss being able to do what they were able to before.

Oh, 4 thinks shes a useless agent?

what about 3, who cant be that anymore?

At least, not as much as they used to be.

Both of them, theyve grown old, exhausted from the turmoils of life. Of events beyond their control.

The reason they pushed 4 so hard was...well, besides to keep her safe, its...I guess, subconciously, so that shed be their protege. To do what they cant anymore. To protect the fragile world.

Forgetting that 4 is not them, that 4 has different skills and limitations. They didnt want her to push herself so hard bc they did that and fell to Tartar. Inadvertedly...

They pushed her hard enough that she wanted to give herself up to Order, a similar entity to Tartar.

Just. God. Ow.

3 actually being the one who can help 4 the most this whole time

3 who wanted her to be safe. And now wanting her to exceed them.

Want to see her become better.

Meanwhile theyre sobbing inside abt how their body is imprisoning them, almost. An unspoken, subconcious struggle, which expresses itself in their strict discipline. Whats usually on the surface is their perfectionism and their worry for everyone else. This entire struggle with their body is bc it means they cant protect everyone else like they used to. It tears em up.

They are still FAST and can deliver killing blows still. But its in bursts, never as consistent as 4

One of these days... maybe she finds out during her break...

What 3s going through, inside.

3 had to replace themself for Splat3. 8 wasnt around, 4 was in college...Thank god Cuttlefish found someone....

Neo3. He NAMED this agent. Three.

That was their name...its gone now (I mean they def have a name outside the number, just havent thought of one)

I. Think thats it. These notes are kind of unedited so WOWPKSKS. its all over the place

[rottenpumpkin13]

I have an odd request, but something motivational from ASGZC? I am trying to cut down on roleplaying with AI and it's a major struggle since I'm addicted.

Your headcanons basically help heal my soul lol

No such thing as an odd request on this blog my friend. Not sure if you want motivational motivation or silly motivation, so I'll give you both.

Angeal: Remember, this doesn't define who you are. You will get through this and grow stronger. You have the power to overcome anything you want, and you will—

*Zack pushes him out of the way*

Zack, sobbing: DON'T LET THE ROBOTS TAKE OVER! THIS IS HOW IT STARTS! NEXT THEY'LL BE TAKING OVER THE GOVERNMENT!

Angeal, ignoring him: Every step you take towards your goal is a step towards victory. Know that each moment of struggle brings you closer to—

*Sephiroth pushes him out of the way*

Sephiroth: Training and operating AI systems demands significant computing power and electricity, leading to substantial carbon dioxide emissions, which is one of the ways AI impacts the climate and drives us towards an early end.

Angeal, frustrated: Don't feel discouraged. There's absolutely nothing wrong with you, and you will get through this and come out stronger—

*Genesis pushes him out of the way*

Genesis: Back in my day, we used to roleplay with strangers on the internet and form long lasting friendships. I encourage you to do the same. I had one roleplaying partner I used to roleplay Loveless with, and he still occasionally sends me roses and birthday cards.

Angeal: Genesis that man is in jail.

*Zack pushes him out of the way*

Zack: THIS IS HOW IT BEGINS. ONE BY ONE THEY'LL PUSH US OUT UNTIL THE ROBOTS REPLACE HUMANITY!

Sephiroth: The increase in carbon emissions from AI operations can contribute to the spread of disease and eventually death.

Angeal, having officially given up: Cloud, aren't you going to say something?

Cloud: One time I asked an AI for advice on how to heal a cut on my arm.

Angeal: And?

Cloud: It told me to cut my arm off.

Angeal:

[k-s-morgan]

Hi. It's probably a silly question but I can't help thinking about it. It's not exactly about ATLWETD just Tomarry in concept.

Tom is a really smart boy/man and he is the sort of person to love mind games, riddles, and playing people (maybe like Ciel), so how do you picture his relationship with Harry? Tom needs intellectual stimulation. Not to say that Harry is stupid and doesn't have common themes to talk about with Tom, but he is not that interested in books, toying people, politics, etc. So what does Tom see in Harry? What fascinates him? I know that Harry can offer Tom deep understanding and acceptance, but these two things alone do not make a long-lasting relationship

Sorry for rambling. I'm just a bit new to Tomarry fandom and I really try to understand all nuances

Hello! Welcome to Tomarry part of the fandom! Here's my take on this.

Tom and Harry are the kind of characters who can be described as different sides of the same coin. Both orphans, both unloved, both abused in one way or another, both having to survive on scraps and seeing magic as their salvation. They are both strong and stubborn, and very determined, but while Tom represents darkness, Harry represents light. Tom’s circumstances contributed to him being cold and full of hatred and bitterness. Harry kept his purity and his love. Because of it, Harry can understand where Tom is coming from, and in canon, he empathizes with him as a child despite everything Tom/Voldemort has done to him. This is something Tom can’t understand, which just makes the dynamic all the more interesting. They are so similar yet so different; they can relate to each other in some aspects and are prepared to fight to death over the remaining ones. There is passion, there is reluctant empathy and admiration.

Harry has the power to shake Tom exactly because of their similarities. A small personal example: if someone who never lived through the war tells me how I should perceive it, I'm just going to scoff. But if I hear it from someone who experienced what I did, I'm going to pay attention. Tom will never be able to relate to people who grew up in the wizarding world, who knew who they were from the start, who didn't have to fight to survive. But he can relate to Harry, and Harry is brave, stubborn, and strong enough to keep fighting him to get his point across. This kind of passion can lead to shouting matches where an unexpected middle truth emerges; it can result in attraction, which will lead to reluctant understanding and compromises. The struggle and the opposing moral values make their relationship challenging; the similarities make it profound and unique. Everyone likes being understood and seen, and there is no one better who could do this for each other than Tom and Harry.

Interestingly, you mentioned Tom and Ciel, and when I thought about pairing them, I felt like they'd be a terrible fit :D I think they are similar and different in incompatible ways. They are both cold and rigid - they'd freeze each other to death. Ciel needs some playfullness in his life to remember that existing is actually fun; Tom needs fire to burn him and to push him out of his self-created superior comfort zone. Ciel has some morality and Tom doesn't, so I think Ciel would see him as just another intelligent psychopath. Tom, in turn, would see Ciel as another spoiled heir of a rich family who never had to fight for anything and who's nothing without his butler.

Tom and Harry are the people who can stimulate each other to be better, to try harder; they have the power to influence each other and make each other view things from a perspective they wouldn't have considered otherwise. Harry might not be Tom's equal in intelligence or magic, but they are still both big league players. Harry can think on his feet; he's a leader and a sport-star, which equips him with skills that can come in handy and which Tom might lack. Harry doesn't seem to be interested in politics in canon, but I think he would be if he felt like he has a chance to change anything. He can give Tom unconditional love without losing his sense of self-worth. Tom, in turn, can give the kind of biting, fanatical, absolute devotion that Harry needs, which would keep him feeling loved but grounded.

These are the foundations of a potential life-long relationship. Depending on the circumstances, Harry and Tom can get attached to each other and start bickering over the small, less relevant things; they can study and admire magic together; they can work on changing the society in a way that they both would consider good; they can duel for fun and just enjoy the quiet. They have a huge promise - the rest depends on a world they are thrust in.

[oyemija]

I woke up tonight—startled—thinking about the voices that have slipped through the cracks of history. So often, those voices belong to women—women forced to whisper when men were free to sing. Throughout history, the story of womanhood has been one of resistance in the face of relentless marginalization—a narrative marked by systematic denial, exclusion, and erasure. Across civilizations and epochs, women’s voices have been sidelined by patriarchal structures that sought not only to control their destiny but to wipe their very existence from the pages of history.

It’s impossible to overlook the ways in which this silencing has haunted the art world in particular. From the anonymous women who stitched tapestry in medieval Europe to the under-credited muses behind masterpieces that men claimed for themselves, each stitch, brushstroke, or poem was an act of both self-expression and defiance. Today, when I stand in the middle of a museum gallery—surrounded by works that celebrate the male genius—I can’t help but wonder about the women artists, overlooked or forgotten, who shaped these halls with their creativity and courage.

I find a certain kind of solace in the works of bold female artists who broke through these barriers. Frida Kahlo’s raw introspections, Georgia O’Keeffe’s lush florals, Faith Ringgold’s quilts pulsating with stories of Black womanhood—each invites a conversation about identity, intersectionality, and survival. Their art is an affirmation of existence, a refusal to be erased. It’s the kind of conversation that reminds me of what bell hooks taught us: that our identities are layered, that our realities sit at the intersections of race, gender, and class—and that these nuances shape the stories we tell and how the world perceives us.

But for every story we find in a textbook or a museum, countless others remain veiled. I think about contemporary Indigenous artists like Rebecca Belmore, whose work confronts the violence of silencing. In one of her performances, she calls out to those whose histories have been systematically denied, acknowledging that silence is more than the absence of sound—it is the crushing weight of erasure. Her art is both an unmasking of injustice and a quiet promise that, somehow, we will be heard.

Lately, I’ve been wrestling with that same promise in my own writing. I want to find a voice that is mine—one that not only narrates art but also speaks to the tangles of social issues and intersectionalities that shape our lives. Sometimes, this feels like the biggest challenge: to declare my own stance while acknowledging the complexity of the world around me. I find myself unsure if my words carry enough weight to matter, or if I’m missing some deeper note. It’s an unsettling feeling, like standing in the middle of a busy street while everyone is shouting, and you’re the one trying to craft a meaningful sentence in the midst of the noise.

I remind myself that to struggle is a part of growth. My voice may shake at first, but trembling words can still spark conversation. Perhaps the act of writing, of painting, of creating anything at all, is itself an act of pushing back—a refusal to be kept silent. Like so many women who came before, I hold onto the certainty that my perspective is worth hearing, that my cultural heritage and my intersectional reality can fuel a new narrative.

I’m not claiming that my story will shift the balance overnight, but I do believe that every voice, once found, contributes to a broader chorus of change. Maybe that’s how we honor our foremothers in art: by weaving our own threads into the tapestry, acknowledging the fractures and silences, but also remembering there is power in persistence. With each stroke of the pen, brush, or keyboard, I’m making a promise—not just to write about art and social issues, but to pour in the personal, the vulnerable, and the unfiltered.

And maybe that’s all we can do right now: embrace the struggle, accept the shaky beginnings, and trust that if we speak—even with a trembling voice—someone, somewhere, will listen.

[the-unyielding-spirit]

Title: Fractured Bonds part 2

Arthor: Bobby Elzie

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real people, places, or events are purely coincidental. This story is not real and is meant for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter 1: Seeds of Doubt

The journey through the Underground had been long and arduous, but we always had each other. Or so I thought. Somewhere along the way, things began to change—subtly at first. I started to notice the cracks in our unity, though I never voiced them. Why did it feel like I was giving everything to protect my friends, yet my efforts went unnoticed?

It began with small slights. When Pate’s shy voice wavered with hesitation, no one looked to me for guidance. When Kaden’s boundless energy lifted spirits, no one thanked me for keeping the group on track. Justin’s justice overshadowed my contributions, and Amy’s calm authority seemed to dismiss my input.

The worst was Lucas—always overanalyzing, always correcting. “Maybe we should try a different strategy,” he’d say, as though my plans were never enough. Matthew’s sarcasm only added to the sting.

They didn’t need me. That realization festered.

Chapter 2: The First Rift

It happened in Hotland. We faced a group of monsters guarding a key we needed to progress. They were strong, but we were stronger. Or so I thought.

“Stick to the plan,” I said, my voice firm.

But Justin, ever the lone wolf, charged ahead, firing golden bullets. The battle devolved into chaos, each of us fighting on instinct rather than strategy.

Afterward, as we licked our wounds, Justin turned to me, his golden SOUL pulsing with anger. “We almost got hurt because of your plan!”

“My plan?” I snapped. “You’re the one who went rogue!”

The others stepped in, but their words only added to my frustration. It wasn’t just Justin—they all blamed me.

For the first time, I felt truly alone among my friends.

Chapter 3: A Darkness Within

The deeper we ventured into the Underground, the darker my thoughts became. I began to wonder why I was still trying to protect them.

One night, as the group rested, I wandered alone, my SOUL flickering with an unplaceable energy. That’s when it found me.

A shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, its form shifting like smoke.

“You’re different,” it said, its voice like a whisper in my mind. “Stronger than they know. They hold you back.”

I tried to push the voice away, but it lingered. It offered power—a way to show them I wasn’t just a follower.

Chapter 4: The Betrayal

The turning point came in Waterfall. We were ambushed by a group of monsters, and for the first time, I hesitated.

“Help us!” Amy shouted, her blue SOUL glowing as she struggled to deflect an attack.

I stood still, the shadow’s voice echoing in my mind. Why save them? They don’t deserve your loyalty.

When the dust settled, the group turned to me, their expressions a mix of confusion and hurt.

“What happened?” Pate asked, her voice trembling.

“I… I can’t do this anymore,” I said, my voice cold. “I’ve carried you all long enough. You don’t need me? Fine. Let’s see how you fare without me.”

Kaden’s eyes filled with tears. “You don’t mean that…”

But I did. I walked away, their protests fading into the distance.

Chapter 5: Alone in the Shadows

I wandered the Underground, the shadow always at my side. It whispered promises of power, feeding my growing resentment.

“They never saw your potential,” it hissed. “But now you’ll show them.”

I then went on a murderous rampage throughout the underground and I found asgore and we both engaged in battle our fight was long but with my newfound dark side I won and I killed asgore.

I honed my abilities, tapping into a darker side of my SOUL. My once bright energy turned black, crackling with an intensity that matched my anger.

The Underground became my domain. Monsters who crossed me were forced to bow or flee. I built a fortress deep within new home, a place where no one could challenge me.

Chapter 6: Confrontation

It was only a matter of time before they came for me. I knew they would.

The six of them stood before my throne, their SOULs shining brightly in defiance.

“Why are you doing this?” Amy asked, her voice filled with pain.

“Because I’m done being ignored,” I said, rising to my feet. “You took me for granted, all of you. Now you’ll see what I’m capable of.”

“We never took you for granted,” Lucas said, stepping forward. “We… we miss you.”

“Don’t lie to me!” I roared, my dark SOUL flaring. “You only cared when I was useful. Well, I don’t need you anymore!”

They tried to reason with me, but I was beyond listening.

The battle that followed was devastating. Their combined strength was formidable, but my newfound power was overwhelming. One by one, they fell, their SOULs flickering weakly.

As I stood over them, victorious, Kaden looked up at me, tears streaming down his face. “You were our friend… we still believe in you.”

For a moment, my resolve faltered. But the shadow’s voice returned, louder than ever. Don’t let them weaken you. They’re your enemies now.

I turned away, leaving them broken and defeated.

Epilogue: The Void Within

Days turned into weeks, and the shadow’s whispers grew quieter. Alone in my fortress, I began to feel the weight of my choices.

Power was empty without purpose, and revenge had brought me no satisfaction.

I thought of my friends—their smiles, their laughter, the way they stood by me even when I doubted myself.

But it was too late. I had severed those bonds, and the emptiness in my heart was my only companion.

As I gazed into the darkness, I whispered to myself, “What have I done?”

Chapter 7: Shadows of Regret

The silence of my fortress became unbearable. Days passed in solitude, each one heavier than the last. The shadow that once whispered promises of power now mocked me with its absence.

Every moment alone gave me time to think—too much time. Their faces haunted me, especially Kaden’s tearful plea. “You were our friend… we still believe in you.”

I tried to convince myself I’d made the right choice, that I was stronger on my own. But no matter how much power I had, it felt meaningless.

The darkness around me seemed to grow, reflecting the emptiness inside. The shadow, my only companion, remained silent, as if even it had abandoned me.

Chapter 8: The Unexpected Visit

One day, as I sat staring into the void of my thoughts, a faint knock echoed through my fortress. I ignored it at first, assuming it was a trick of my mind.

But the knock came again, louder this time.

“Go away,” I muttered, my voice hoarse from disuse.

“I’m not leaving,” a familiar voice replied.

I froze. It was Lucas.

I opened the door to find him standing there, his purple SOUL faintly glowing. He looked worn, but his eyes held the same determination I’d always admired.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my tone colder than I intended.

“I came to talk,” he said simply.

“I don’t want to talk,” I snapped, turning away.

“Well, too bad,” he said, stepping inside despite my protests. “I’m not leaving until you hear me out.”

Chapter 9: Confrontation and Reflection

Lucas sat across from me, unphased by my glare.

“You’ve hurt us,” he said bluntly. “You’ve hurt yourself, too.”

“I don’t need a lecture,” I said, crossing my arms. “I’m fine.”

“Are you?” he countered, his voice softening. “Because you don’t look fine. You look… lost.”

His words struck a nerve, but I refused to let it show. “You don’t know what I’ve been through.”

“Maybe not,” he admitted. “But I know what we’ve been through together. And I know you’re not the monster you’re pretending to be.”

I wanted to argue, to push him away, but his words lingered.

Chapter 10: A Shattered Resolve

Over the next few days, Lucas kept coming back, each time chipping away at the walls I’d built around myself.

He told me about the others—how Kaden still believed in me, how Amy missed my guidance, how even Justin regretted the harsh words we’d exchanged.

“Why are you doing this?” I finally asked one day. “Why not just give up on me like I did on you?”

“Because you’re our friend,” he said simply. “And friends don’t give up on each other.”

For the first time in weeks, I felt something shift inside me—a crack in the armor of anger and resentment I’d built around my heart.

Chapter 11: Redemption’s Road

Eventually, I agreed to return with Lucas, though I warned him not to expect much.

When we arrived, the others were waiting. Their faces were a mix of relief and hesitation.

Kaden ran up to me immediately, wrapping me in a tight hug despite my protests. “I knew you’d come back!” he said, his green SOUL shining brightly.

The others were more reserved, but their relief was clear.

“It’s going to take time,” Amy said gently. “But we want to move forward… together.”

Chapter 12: Healing the Bonds

The path to redemption wasn’t easy. I had to earn their trust again, prove that I was willing to change.

But with every step, every moment we shared, I began to feel the warmth of our bond return.

The shadow no longer haunted me, and the light of my friends’ SOULs reminded me of who I was—not the person I’d become in the darkness, but the friend they’d always believed in.

Together, we continued our journey, not as individuals, but as a family. And this time, I vowed never to let the darkness take me again.

The End.

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Southern California wildfire burns so intensely that it creates its own weather (CNN) Thousands of Southern California residents were forced from their homes Saturday after an explosive wildfire grew thousands of acres in size in mere hours—and is burning so intensely that it is creating its own weather in the form of pyrocumulus clouds. These clouds can create erratic winds that push the fire outward, which is contributing to the fire’s spread. If fires burn hot enough, the clouds can produce lighting and rain, called pyrocumulonimbus. They can reach heights of 50,000 feet and generate their own systems of thunderstorms. The Line Fire, which began about 53 hours ago in San Bernardino County, has burned more than 17,237 acres—up from nearly 7,000 acres just a few hours earlier.

On the streets of a Colorado city, pregnant migrants struggle to survive (AP) She was eight months pregnant when she was forced to leave her Denver homeless shelter. It was November. Ivanni Herrera took her 4-year-old son Dylan by the hand and led him into the chilly night, dragging a suitcase containing donated clothes and blankets she’d taken from the Microtel Inn & Suites. It was one of 10 hotels where Denver has housed more than 30,000 migrants, many of them Venezuelan, over the last two years. First they walked to Walmart. There, with money she and her husband had collected from begging on the street, they bought a tent. They waited until dark to construct their new home along a busy thoroughfare in Aurora, the next town over, a suburb known for its immigrant population. That night, temperatures dipped to 32 degrees. And as she wrapped her body around her son’s to keep him warm enough that he could sleep, Ivanni Herrera cried. Over the past two years, a record number of families from Venezuela have come to the United States seeking a better life for themselves and their children. Instead, they’ve found themselves in communities roiling with conflict about how much to help the newcomers—or whether to help at all. Unable to legally work without filing expensive and complicated paperwork, some are homeless and gambling on the kindness of strangers to survive. Some have found themselves sleeping on the streets—even those who are pregnant.

Venezuela’s Presidential Contender Flees, and Hopes for Democracy Dim (NYT) The news that Edmundo González, Venezuela’s opposition candidate, had fled the country on a Spanish Air Force plane this weekend took the country, and the world, by surprise. The past year has been marked by months of repression leading up to a disputed presidential election. The vote was followed by a brutal crackdown by the authoritarian government of President Nicolás Maduro. Still, many Venezuelans held out hope that through a negotiated exit the socialist-inspired administration might step aside and let Mr. González, a soft-spoken former diplomat, assume power. His departure on Saturday narrowed that slim possibility even further. And it came as Venezuelan security forces surrounded the Argentine diplomatic residence in Caracas where six top opposition leaders have been taking shelter since March.

France waves farewell to its sporting summer at the Paralympics closing ceremony (AP) This time, it really is au revoir. A summer sporting bonanza which started under pouring rain on July 26 with a remarkable opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics on the Seine River ended Sunday with the Paralympics closing ceremony at a rain-soaked Stade de France. It lowers the curtain on successful back-to-back Games that captivated fans and raised the bar high for others to follow. Good luck Los Angeles in 2028.

A mini Russia emerges in Serbia as thousands flee war (Reuters) On a sweltering summer morning in Serbia’s capital Belgrade, Vadim Morus, a professional ice skater from Russia, glides across an outdoor rink. Morus is 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from his native Moscow, but is beginning to feel at home. He fled Russia with his fiancee in 2022, part of a wave of tens of thousands who came to Serbia after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It’s a long way to come, but many chose Belgrade for its ancient cultural and religious ties to Moscow. Since war began in Ukraine in February 2022, Russians fleeing conflict, conscription or the politics of President Vladimir Putin, have established a vibrant community in Serbia, according to interviews with two dozen immigrants and local officials. While the actual number of Russians in Serbia is smaller than those who have fled to countries such as Germany, their presence is acutely felt in Belgrade, a city of less than two million people. Russian-owned clubs, kindergartens, and medical practices have sprung up. Russians buy food in Russian shops. Russian bands, singers and comedians are performing in Russian clubs, and Russian artists showcase their work in Russian-owned galleries.

Outgunned and outnumbered, Ukraine’s military is struggling with low morale and desertion (CNN) Dima never puts out a cigarette until he smokes it right down to the filter, risking burning his fingers to squeeze out one more drag. He spent years on the Ukrainian front lines. He knows the price of a good smoke. As a battalion commander, Dima was in charge of around 800 men who fought in some of the fiercest, bloodiest battles of the war—most recently near Pokrovsk, the strategic eastern town that is now on the brink of falling to Russia. But with most of his troops now dead or severely injured, Dima decided he’d had enough. He quit. He told CNN he just couldn’t handle watching his men die anymore. Two and half years of Russia’s grinding offensive have decimated many Ukrainian units. Reinforcements are few and far between, leaving some soldiers exhausted and demoralized. The situation is particularly dire among infantry units near Pokrovsk and elsewhere on the eastern front line, where Ukraine is struggling to stop Russia’s creeping advances. CNN spoke to six commanders and officers who are or were until recently fighting or supervising units in the area. “When new guys come here, they see how difficult it is. They see a lot of enemy drones, artillery and mortars,” one unit commander currently fighting in Pokrovsk told CNN. “They go to the positions once and if they survive, they never return. They either leave their positions, refuse to go into battle, or try to find a way to leave the army,” he added.

The hospital struggling to save its starving babies (BBC) Afghanistan's children have suffered from acute malnutrition for decades, starving in a country plagued by 40 years of war and extreme poverty. But after three years of Taliban rule, with international funds curtailed by economic sanctions, "the situation has now reached an unprecedented precipice", writes Yogita Limaye from Jalalabad. She reports from a hospital ward in the eastern city, where more than three children have died every day for the past six months, according to the Taliban’s public health department. What she witnesses is harrowing—mothers weeping, tending to their babies, when many of them have already lost multiple children to hunger. "All I can feed them is dry bread, and water that I warm up by keeping it out under the sun," Amina says, looking over seven-months-old Bibi Hajira, who is seven months old, but the size of a newborn. On the bed next to her, one-year-old Asma has gone into septic shock—she died shortly afterwards. They These are only just two of the 3.2 million children in a state of acute malnutrition in the country.

Typhoon Yagi strikes Vietnam (Foreign Policy) Asia’s most powerful storm this year hit Vietnam over the weekend, killing at least 64 people and injuring more than 700 others. Typhoon Yagi reached winds of 127 miles per hour and triggered deadly landslides and flash flooding. Around 46,500 homes and hundreds of thousands of acres of crops have been damaged, and the storm destroyed a busy bridge in northern Vietnam on Monday, leaving at least 13 people missing. Yagi has since been downgraded to a tropical depression, but authorities have warned that more destruction is likely still to come. Yagi was the strongest typhoon to hit Vietnam in decades. Before hitting Vietnam, the storm caused at least 24 deaths in southern China and the Philippines last week.

Pope Francis arrives in East Timor (Reuters) Pope Francis arrived on Monday in East Timor, a predominantly Catholic nation in Southeast Asia, for a three-day visit that will include an open-air celebration of Mass the Vatican says may include more than half the population of 1.3 million. The 87-year-old pontiff is on an ambitious 12-day visit to four countries across Southeast Asia and Oceania, his longest overseas journey yet. He came to East Timor from Papua New Guinea, where on Sunday he delivered medical supplies to a small town located at the edge of a vast jungle, in one of the most remote areas of the world. East Timor, a half-island nation north of Australia, gained independence from Indonesia in 2002, after a brutal, decades-long occupation. Francis is the second pope to visit, following John Paul II, who came in 1989, in a trip that gave the country’s independence movement an historic boost. The country is likely the most Catholic in the world, with the Vatican saying some 96% of Timorese are adherents to the faith.

Israeli strikes in Syria leave 14 dead and more than 40 wounded, Syrian state media says (AP) The number of people killed in overnight Israeli strikes in Syria has risen to 14 with more than 40 wounded, Syrian state media (SANA) said Monday morning. One of the strikes targeted a scientific research center in Maysaf and others struck sites where “Iranian militias and experts are stationed to develop weapons in Syria,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of war-torn Syria in recent years, but it rarely acknowledges or discusses the operations. The strikes often target Syrian forces or Iranian-backed groups.

Israeli snipers again face scrutiny after death of civilian (Washington Post) Aysenur Eygi had come to Israel on an impassioned mission. The 26-year-old American activist and recent University of Washington graduate volunteered for the International Solidarity Movement, a pro-Palestinian activist group, and went to the occupied West Bank to participate in the organization’s routine attendance and monitoring of Palestinian protests against illegal Israeli settlements. Eygi was shot and killed Friday on the sidelines of a Palestinian protest of Israeli settlement expansion near the town of Beita. Witnesses said she was slain by Israeli soldiers. Nablus Gov. Ghassan Daghlas later told reporters that an autopsy “confirmed that Eygi was killed by an Israeli occupation sniper’s bullet to her head.” Jonathan Pollak, a volunteer with the ISM, told my colleagues that the shooting took place about half an hour after protesters had dispersed, when there were no active clashes or incidents of stone throwing, and as foreign volunteers, including Eygi, stood observing about 200 yards from the Israeli military. “There was no justification for taking that shot,” he said. The White House has thus far called on Israel to investigate the incident. Eygi had dual U.S.-Turkish citizenship and her killing elicited a far sterner response from Ankara. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said over the weekend that Israel had “heinously murdered our young child.” Witnesses in Gaza have throughout the past 11 months pointed to incidents where they say they were targeted by Israeli snipers or saw innocent bystanders and civilians gunned down by them.

Dozens of people and cattle killed as fuel tanker collides with another truck in Nigeria (CBS News) A fuel tanker collided head-on with another truck in Nigeria on Sunday causing an explosion that killed at least 52 people, the country's emergency response agency said. The fuel tanker was also carrying cattle in the Agaie area in north-central Niger state and at least 50 of them were burned alive, Abdullahi Baba-Arab, director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency, said. With the absence of an efficient railway system to transport cargo, fatal truck accidents are common along most of the major roads in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country. In 2020 alone, there were 1,531 gasoline tanker crashes resulting in 535 fatalities and 1,142 injuries, according to Nigeria's Federal Road Safety Corps.

[lets-talk-spirituality]

HI, Hope you're doing good. I just came across your blog yesterday and I loved it, a lot 💖 I am here for the spirits messages for me. My initials are SN, my sun sign is Gemini ♊️ and my question is... I want to take a big leap in my career to become a singer/dancer. I am a little bit nervous as should I pursue this passion of mine or not... Should I start honining my skills now or should I not pursue this career 🤔

Thank you once again for doing this 🙏

Have a good day 😊

Thank you once again

Hello sweet Gemini baby :) Hope you had a nice birthday recently. I’m a Gem too.

♊️👯‍♀️♊️👯‍♀️♊️👯‍♀️♊️👯‍♀️♊️👯‍♀️♊️👯‍♀️♊️👯‍♀️♊️👯‍♀️♊️

I’m struggling to express what I’m trying to say and I’m wondering if you struggle with self expression as well, not through arts but through general communication. Saying your needs and your thoughts or if you struggle to speak up because you’re concerned about how other people may react. Normally I can type out stuff easily but it’s like finding the words was hard for this. Basically I’ve been trying to write out that I think you can love singing and dance and work on those skills, put energy into it, but it doesn’t also have to be your career. In fact, I wonder if making it the thing you rely on for money would actually make you like it less.

Spirit, anything else you want to communicate through me?

You sing and dance to maintain and elevate your vibration, that’s why you enjoy them, it puts you into a flow state with the universe. You should always pursue that which makes you feel happier, lighter and more at peace. Is this how you feel from these things? Is the way you’re pursuing them now a way that makes you happy or does it feel stressful? Most importantly, the things you love should contribute to your overall joy and allow you to play more. If turning this into a career will dampen the joy you feel, maybe it’s better to protect your love for it and keep it away from the rigors of what it means for it to be a career. That doesn’t mean don’t share your art, it means be intentional with how and who you share it with and how you go about expressing yourself. It’s a beautiful and powerful gift to be creative and to bring into material form various frequencies we experience. When you pursue from a place of love and joy, you beget more joy. If you pursue these things from a place of needing something like money or success or acclaim it will poison your love for the activity. That’s what we mean by protect what you love.

Card Pull

Work Your Light Oracle

As I’m shuffling the cards I’m getting this message of take the leap, take the risk in pursuing what you love. Pursuing love can only lead to more wisdom. Whether or not it can sustain your financial requirements shouldn’t stop you from pursuing it, but it’s important not to let the financial part of it dampen your love.

Star Mother— how can you mother yourself?

This card just flew right out, smoothly. You must be a graceful dancer. Oooo immediately I’m wondering if maybe your mother isn’t encouraging of your dreams or she is pushing you to be more practical? Is there pain with your mother around these passions. I’m also feeling that maybe some element of your mother daughter relationship could be good inspiration for your creative pursuits and may be a cool way to heal and work through any issues around your relationship to your mother. I’m also feeling this card is saying that you need to take on certain things for yourself now, like you can’t expect your mother to still be doing certain things. I’m getting this mostly around like emotions, like you’re in charge of regulating your emotions and in charge of your own schedule. So I’m feeling this is also saying mother yourself in that way.

I hope this helps clear some stuff up! It’s really important that you don’t conflate passion and love for an activity with doing that thing for a living. They are two different things and sometimes you can do what you love for a living but it comes with sacrifices, which may be your love of the activity. Would love to know how this connects.

[luvpogl-music]

[And so know you devils of delight, let's take a long breath and tie this story up. Certainly not finish it by any means, but quite frankly I tire at the moment in keeping up with the notes of our history. But, no friend of nimble gnomes would I be if I left our boy and girl just dangling in mystery. So, we shall take some great leaps and jumps turning seconds to hours and hours to months to get a clean break from this exercise.]

As has been stated, I think the child Job has been stricken with a new adventure in life. It seems his later teen years he let his spirit more than his mind guide him, was it his choosing or destiny? I'm not sure one will ever really know, but let's see how God pulled the strings in those decisions he made to control the puppets of fate.

Job had entered the armed services after all of his friends had left for their schooling and bigger things, to be honest in part graduation snuck upon him still uncertain what everyone's rush to go away had been. He thought, we've only got to the part where we can all finally hang out like we used to brag about, but they reassured him life waits not for anyone. And so he embarked on mighty adventures listening, watching and learning from many empires. Fortunate was he even in this time that by the works of God he found unique offers of opportunity in the jobs the military sent him one; you see one can not become a true knight indeed, if one is not pushed into areas others are not.

But, unlike the constant thrill of action and delight, he found at times these details of his job left him with much time on his hands; silent and solitude his only friends for hours on hand. And in the quietude of these times he'd found himself stuck in the middle of life. You see all the pieces of books he would read and stories of the wise he's studied as a kid started to break through to his mind, giving him glimpses of another side. He would stand on holy ground, older then America or even Britain had seen, and under his feet the spirits of those tribes sometimes would speak. So loud sometimes they would shake his mind; he knew nothing but to swallow the power they would provide. As they talked he would listen and sometimes it seemed to be, that those mouths from the Bible they did speak.

That book that as kid seemed so funny in it's ways, well that night with his mom a special hold on him was placed. At times throughout life when no one could see, he'd thumb those ancient scripts just to see what they did mean? God would often prod him when walking by, "just a quick look see the secret My words have to hide". So compelling at times he had no choice, but to abide. And wise men he was fortunate to meet a few along the way with which he could discuss and show him the errors of his ways. It is through this repetition it was learned that there is nothing wrong with being wrong as long as you learn. Some of the greats along the way started to make him understand that with humble inquiry teachers were happy to help, a welcome delight from the days he's always known, for those times you were ridiculed and humiliated just for not knowing somethin'.

And so with the wise he learned to ask big questions of life, maybe one day his pieces would fit and help to contribute back to the things that were too important for most people to glean. After a few short years this adventure to though did pass; the pain of realizing that nothing, not even friends you'd give your life for were meant to last. He struggled with this time and time again, but the nail in that coffin would come closing down as he returned to that from which he came as all knights do when the tournaments are through. When he arrived he began to speak, only to once again be quieted; as much as the time was spent it was reinforced over and over again that a child who knew little of how the world works he still was. And so he would sit and listen and watch some more and coupled with that task was the realization that everything he'd known had past.

Friends and family too had all moved on to their journey's and destiny's leaving him to adjust a new mentality. Stuck in a spot, and not old enough for God to call yet, he wandered and floundered confused by the lack of camaraderie. Oh, he had friends and cherished family, but most of them were interested in them not him, and as he'd learn to become humble and kind he was more then happy to oblige. The days continued to pass and time went along, taking only moments alone to appreciate the journey he was coming through. Eventually he found as things went down himself back at school, for the moments God spoke to him were nothing but child's food, or so the wise around him kept ensuring him they knew more about life than anyone.

And through those years he learned much more sometimes encountering people and voices that sparked a light from the past. He'd catch a thought or two, by know he learned that's all those voices really are to be, just thoughts we think are to often too bold to be us; and he'd give them away again, he always knew that when they were his God would tell him. Figuring the ideas and information relayed was meant to be given on for someone else to make their way. He watched and he joyed as success came for those around him, and watched others wrap themselves in blankets of pity at hurt they were feeling.

The time went along and he became more in awe of looking back all the things he'd learned, seen and saw. With more experience he grew and as life makes that time when boys become young men he decided to no longer stay silent. Many around him began to wonder and question what was wrong with him he used to be so much more pleasant. They mistook pleasantries for him allowing them their ideas and ways, regardless of what he thought. So, he sat quiet, letting them speak their wrongs all the while they thought somehow he must agree with what they thought. He'd try to offer his thoughts from his understanding of lessons and life, but he was shown early on that people only want to fight or someone to agree with them. And a time or two he'd offer a suggestion or two that would bring a flaw in their thinking or plan, flaws he'd learned years before as wise men and women showed him them with his thoughts.

And so he soon stopped and life kept smooth again, until one fateful night the devil stepped in as God had instructed him. The child Job had obtained to some degree a level of success and status in his own adopted community, enjoying the comfort and company behind those white picket fences Noir had grown' up within. Only there he did see that snakes hide in the grass just like the trailers they'd call trash. And he watched as things changed all around him, as possessions and obsession became coveted trophies of triumph and victory. This was not all, but more than expected, and he'd call himself fortunate to meet several that cared not for what other's had gained, they had enough of their own to not worry about such petty things.

And so when the devil came into his household, not by drink or drug, for he is more cunning than that knowing most never learn that it is not what you put in your mouth that is wrong, but what you think to come out that turns into sin. Try has he might with all his patience and life, in the end the devil one that round and took everything away from him. Still baffled at the brilliance with which he had danced, discombobulated at how the people around him let that demon use them another blow was struck from the hand leaving him alone again, walking the land. Now in this moment most people would see an excuse to cry fowl at how unfair life is, but Job took a different approach as during that first battle he'd grown stronger and stronger knowing only God could protect him - [and besides, he had no one else as the devil claimed everyone he knew in round one.].

So, he dug deeper and deeper investigating every move, like true professional athletes do scouring the pages of the wisest he could find to understand just where he had gone wrong. More and more he learned and that much of what was spun had been done by people claiming homage to the crafty and cunning one. By no means did ever think he was perfect and laughed at the thought as attacks came from all sides to show him how proud he was. He often reflected on those night strolls with nothing but the heavens covering him, concrete for a bed "If they only understood?", but he kept quiet knowing that they did not want to hear truth, but rather confirm what their thoughts have been.

All along the way practicing and only listening to God. You see Job understood, that he had done everything people had been telling him to and gathered nice things, but that couldn't keep failure away. So he continued what he started in that very first fight, believing in his heart that the world had failed him, what worse could it be if God turned out not to be real at all. Continuing with that belief and practice those days in paradise were not nearly as bad as everyone would come to tell him.

It was one night early on, when no one was around, still one foot in and one foot out that he sat on a strangers couch after they'd gone on Christmas Eve, that God finally spoke in that tone again, a voice he'd only heard ever once before. "What are you looking for, or what do you want" it commanded in a thunderous voice. Now at this he let out a sigh of disbelief, after all how could you answer it? Fortunate was he all those days of the scrolls he'd read that just when he started to speak, he stopped himself. And so he paused in his thought and as he let out a breath of relief he through up the words Wisdom, when love is what he started to say.

With a BOOM in his voice The Lord did instantly reply "Smart choice, remember you asked for it". And with one final command Job was instructed at first, should he ever find the truth, to define for himself what God wisdom did serve. And he spent days in discern hemming and hawing, arguing mentality the fight from eight sides with nothing left and unsure of the answer, he threw out the best he could come up with for only the ears of Heaven. Job made a final statement firm in stance "Truth is God, so wisdom must serve truth and only from wisdom could love emerge". And in that tidy understanding he came to understand that had he stopped with love as his first thought, he would have stopped himself short of finding God, Himself.

[Let us pause for a moment to break this into two posts, so then we can have a finished Job. But while you wait, how 'bout a musical accompaniment]

[vldkeith]

Ren, why is the blade so bad?

ok. ok. im in the headspace now. here we go

why the blade was bad as a mechanism for character growth and plot momentum: an analysis by ren vldkeith

allow me to remind you of keith's character in voltron: legendary defenders. we are first introduced to him through the words of other characters, lance and commander iverson. iverson heralds him as a larger-than-life, ridiculously talented pilot with an antisocial streak and authority issues. this tracks with keith's official introduction, wherein he is attempting to break into garrison property, alone, to save shiro, his only personal connection. then we have lance, who characterizes keith as his rival; given what iverson said, however, we know this to be false, and thus lance's opinion on keith says more about himself than about who he is describing. both of these keith-related pieces of dialogue, together, serve one purpose: to establish keith as a talented loner. he's an ace pilot, a hermit, a military maverick, and a never be hurt again archetype. okay? okay.

the character arc keith began by joining voltron as part of a team was overcoming his chronic lone-wolfism and learning to trust, love, and have fun with others again. he's already "the best pilot of his generation"; any skills he has to learn on that front are in the vein of learning to harness his talent in a way that can be helpful to others and not just service his own impulse, strict standards of value, morality, and relationships. he needs to learn to rely on and trust others--this is clearly what the first seasons of voltron were working toward, and even if they hadn't been, i would argue that they should have been, because any other character arc keith takes would not make sense (hint, hint).

so! with that established, enter the blade of marmora, a rebel military organization that comes into the story in season 3, just as keith is getting "used" to piloting the black lion instead of the red lion as the Leader of Voltron. based on various character beats & dialogue from keith, we know he wanted to join the bom to further understand his galra side and, specifically, the knife his mother gave to him. the knife's power only accepts him after he says the line, "it doesn't matter where i come from. i know who i am." the knife accepting keith means that the bom does as well. the fact that keith is able to join the blade of marmora specifically after realizing that he doesn't need them to have a sense of self is, in itself, pretty boring and shoddy writing; it makes sense in a kind of platonian "only those who do not seek power are qualified to hold it" way, but it's a fairly surface-level take on the concept anyway. but for our purposes right now, we can accept it as valid.

so, keith fucks off and joins the blade after just a single season dedicated to developing his teamwork and leadership skills, half of which he spends failing in his new role by leading the team into battles they aren't ready for, not caring about communication between members, and overall just showing he's still struggling with being a team player just as much as he ever was. only near the end of the season does he begin to turn this around, but that development is cut short by him joining the blade.

now, following the line of thinking that keith's character are was meant to/could/should be "learning to connect and work with other people using his talents," what could him leaving the team, his friends, and his family to join an organization that explicitly values results over lives and the greater good over the individual contribute to this arc? it seems to be the exact opposite of the lessons the narrative was pushing keith to learn--he's not part of a team anymore, but goes on solo missions. he's not valued as a living person, but just on the basis of the skills he can offer to the org. if the seminal revelation keith has in season 3 is that it doesn't matter where he comes from, why did they put him with a group that is his connection point to his mother--aka, literally where he came from? i don't want to get too freudian about this, but it's off.

my assumption, then, would be that putting a character like keith into a situation like this would serve to sharpen the pitfalls in his former way of going about life, to further drive home that opening himself up to friendship and teamwork is good by giving him a taste of his old ways, by saying, "look, this is where rejecting people and recklessly using your talents will leave you--a place where you are not valued as a person, where nobody cares whether you live or die except for how it will affect their far-reaching goals. is this what you wanted? is this what you still want? are you sure?" it's the ghost of christmas future, showing him where he'll end up if he keeps shirking responsibility (learning to lead the team or even just work with them) and closing himself off to interpersonal relationships. the only way keith joining the bom at the time he did would make sense to me narratively would be is if it functioned as a warning.

that's not what happens, though. keith joins the blade, has a few scuffles with authority that he gets over without much mess, returns to team voltron a few times as a guest star to prove what lessons the blade is teaching him about leadership and teamwork (presumably off-screen, since we only ever see keith alone, disobeying authority, or directly subscribing to the blade's ideals a la that one moment where we are meant to think he went back to save someone because he cares about life but it was instead because they had practical importance to the blade's mission lol), goes back to the blade, and finally sets himself back up with voltron full-time to end out the show. at this point, he's a full-fledged leader character, not unlike shiro before him. his character arc has been completed; he gets screentime, sure, but it's mostly to show how much of a rogue action hero he is, a transformation that feels at best unearned based on the text of the show, and at worst out of character to his former maverick personality. keith becoming leader of the blade at the end of the show is the culmination of these disparate elements.

as media critics, we now must ask ourselves: what was it that keith wanted, and how does that compare with what he needed? wants vs needs is something you learn in media studies 101 (trust me, ive literally taken the class), and it describes the difference between superficial character growth and actual, meaningful character growth. my answer to this question is thus:

keith wanted to know who he was and understand his own story. keith wanted to do what he thought was right for the future of the universe and lead on his terms. keith wanted to live a solitary life so he wouldn't get hurt by losing people again.

keith needed to understand that his genetics and past trauma do not inherently determine who he is--he can make that decision. keith needed to learn that other peoples' opinions matter and have value, and may even be better than his. keith needed to let others in for the sake of his happiness.

it is my argument, therefore, that the blade of marmora and bom leader keith gave keith everything he wanted, but nothing he needed. it was a shallow decision made to ensure keith would retain his protagonist power once the showrunners decided, at different intervals, that shiro was 1) boring; 2) traumatized/dead; or 3) gay. keith got the shiro role because the showrunners were sick of shiro's character, and this came at the expense of keith's entire character arc, shiro's complexity, and the found-family plotline of voltron as a whole. it's bad writing, it's a nonsensical end to the character, and finally it's just fucking weird that the organization fighting against the galra still upheld its freakish racial purity standards and aesthetics. also keith leading a group of women is antifeminist too idk.

happy fuck the blade day.

[flickeringart]

The 7th house Neptune setup

The role that connection plays in society and the world at large is evident. Everyone wants social approval, relevance, involvement. We want to be respected, highly regarded, seen as attractive, worthy of attention and interest. This is the sphere of the 7th house in the natal chart and the signs and planets involved are going to describe what kind of experience we expect and will inevitably attract. The 7th house is an angular house, powerful and potent, one of the major corner stones of the chart. The sign, the planet ruling the sign and planets on the Descendant all contribute to what our social standing is going to be like, how we are perceived by the public, how we move and orient ourselves socially and attempt to present ourselves in relationships. The 10th house and the Midheaven is usually paid more attention to than the Descendant because it points to aspirations, "public image" and personal career goals that may or may not have anything to do with what we want from personal interaction with others. The 10th house is squaring the 7th, which tells us something about the inherent friction between these two spheres. The more we seek worldly accomplishments and career goals, the less time we have to accommodate for other individuals. Work demands often put a lot of strain on the quality of partnerships and at some point one is going to have to prioritize which one is more important. The struggle is especially evident in charts where planets in the 10th/7th square each other. Since the planet in the 7th is holding the superior position through being earlier in the succession of signs, it’s often one’s own relationship with other people that motivate and push the native to ”go and do something”, but in this effort, the connection still suffers. 

Professor Jordan Peterson is a great example of someone who embodies this conflict. He has Mars in the 1st, opposite Neptune in the 7th, square Saturn in the 10th (WS). A very powerful but irritating T-square is illustrated here. He’s perceived as someone who’s a straight shooter, forthright, easily irritated and annoyed in his responses, keen on promoting strength and masculinity (Mars). He likes to present himself as tough and strategic (asteroid Pallas is conjunct Mars = strategy). He likes to go to battle and can be quite provocative. He detests people who uses weakness and sensitivity to control and undermine his efforts to stand up for something that matters. These ”people” out there, are depicted as sly, manipulative, slippery, unenlightened, deceptive, trying to discredit men and their behavior (Neptune). Other people are lazy, victims of life, unmotivated, passive and pathetic, delusional and content with coercing other people into adjusting their behavior to protect their bubble reality. He’s a psychologist, which gives him right to acclaim superior knowledge of people’s motivations and internal states in a way that puts him in a position of refusing to be questioned, because ”research proves reality”… it’s true that he has Saturn to back him up on this, but once again we have to remember that the planet earlier in the succession of signs is the one in charge. In this case, Neptune in the 7th, possessing the infantile urge for omnipotence and glory through helping and rescuing people in need is motivating the effort to structure and pin down facts of how success is achieved through Saturn in the 10th. He’s big on helping other people better their lives through concrete steps and understanding of their own psychology and the structure of society at large. He has helped a lot of people who perceive him as some sort of redeemer and messiah, a person with great healing powers capable of bringing people out of misery and onto a path of success. He also displays the stern conviction of Saturn, embodying the myth of the patriarch, the father-authority that's familiar with the underpinnings of reality.

The problem with he 7th house is that it’s often projected and perceived as being ”out there”… the fascination and desire for other people, usually unspoken but felt like a powerful enchantment that belongs partly to oneself but mostly to the other, is attractive but scary at the same time. It’s something that one cannot access except through the physical in-person interaction with other people. Other people has to be a means to redemption for the person. Helpless and sorrowful victims are going to be magnetically drawn in. It can feel like one is being forced to overextend oneself in order to save people left and right, to give something up, to offer a complete sacrifice in order to devote oneself to others. Neptune in the 7th can’t be selfish with others, but this comes at the price of an accumulation of resentment that builds up over time and might spill over in demand of others coming to one’s own rescue in turn. Guilt in the 7th is a byproduct of not being able to save everyone. It also stems from feelings of being weak and ineffectual as a real partner/participator on the social arena and will therefore motivate alliances and cooperation with people who are needy and dependent. With the Mars-Neptune opposition, there’s often a lot of self loathing and beating oneself up over not being strong or tough enough to keep the suffering of other people at bay. Chaos is feared more than anything, usually in the form of other people’s messy emotions. One can’t deal with other people’s drama, weaknesses and attempts to merge and blur the lines between fantasy and reality because it’s just too much. Yet, there's an expectation that this is what should take place, more or less. It’s impossible for one person to listen to everyone, to confirm and validate all experiences, but somehow we all seek vehicles that can provide us with a glimpse of the transcendent. We all want proof of our collective soul union.

[unohanadaydreams]

How would the captains react to catching their partner cheating on them? I’m feeling angst tonight

Finally some good fucking food. Angst; it’s what’s for dinner and I’m chowing down with you, anon.

Features: angst. Some violence and torture with Gin and Mayuri.

How The Original Captains React To Being Cheated On:

Genryusai Yamamoto:

There’s little to no reaction. You wouldn’t be the first and won’t be the last to use him for status or money or petty bragging rights. Just another day.

Quietly, behind closed doors, he does mourn. Not for the loss of you, but for the prospect of starting again. He caresses the pretty things he’s bought you, each touch a vote for or against bothering.

If you come to him, apologetic and willing to repent, he’ll look past the transgression. Less work for him to undertake, in the end, and the power of demanding this is that in the name of forgiveness suits him.

Shunsui Kyoraku:

He can’t help but laugh. All those years chasing girls and washing his hands of the consequences come to catch him now that he’s standing still with just one hand holding his.

Business goes on as usual, but he’s sloppier around the edges—spilling sake on paper work, falling asleep against Jushiro’s grave, and forsaking the frequent partying he’s known for in lieu of furiously scribbling down the perfect love story he didn’t get.

Honestly, he’s willing to forgive if it wasn’t done out of love for the other person and there’s a willingness to work on the relationship. Shunsui has played the unfaithful lover more times than he can remember; being black out drunk more often than sober will do that to you.

Soi Fon:

She can’t speak and doesn’t bother. Throat closed with anger, she lets her body tell you where your relationship lies—thrown off the bed and kicked outside.

There’s nothing but hatred for you and humiliation for herself. Not just personally, but professionally; a leader of the 2nd division being caught unawares is irony at the cost of her reputation.

People are always leaving her behind once she trusts them. After weeks, she’ll ask you why. Because that’s always the question burning in her chest. Why can’t she be a person someone stays for.

Gin Ichimaru:

Cute, how you think you can shuffle off and away from him after getting caught. He doesn’t flinch, talking with conversational tones. Hey, sweetie, who’s your little friend? Aww, they don’t talk or some thin’?

There’s two options; submit to grueling public humiliation or die. Gin loves to have fun, after all. And, isn’t it fun having to watch the person you cheated with get toyed with like a mouse under kitty claws? Aren’t you having fun kissing the corpse? Wasn’t your silly mistake worth it?

Gin has never forgiven, forgotten, or turned down an opportunity to make someone who cares about him regret feeling so. Your life is hell and the jailor can’t decide whether to keep your head under boiling water or kill you. Fun!

Retsu Unohana:

The impulse to leave as the only one alive is temptation incarnate. She is firm, restrained, and digs into her cheeks until her teeth pop through.

She keeps waiting to calm, for the situation to become objective instead of the turmoil in her gut. Retsu is especially brusque with everyone while working, making every stitch job a painful one. Why is there always something. Why can’t all the change finally stick; why is she still glad to feel the pain so she can inflict it back?

The betrayal was the end and there’s years of coping methods that keep you from spilling your guts on a sword, but it feels like a very near thing to her. Professionally, she’s less kind, and your next set of wounds healed by the 4th get infected. Poor thing.

Sosuke Aizen:

As far as you know, he’s stricken with heartbreak and disappointment. His voice is a touch too loud when telling you off—others hear. And disapprove greatly. He asks any bystanders for their discretion towards his privacy, adding a tear or two for effect.

Your relationship being over matters little; dime a dozen are the people who’ll fall over themselves to be his. The audacity of treating him, your better, with such unfairness? Affects him like an itch under skin.

Of course, he forgives you. He makes a show of it and the number of people out for your unhappiness grows. How could you cheat on such a gracious, loving man? You are punished with little action from himself, the many shinigami who view him with starry-eyes doing their work without needing explicit instruction.

Byakuya Kuchiki:

There’s little to say or do outside of making it clear he wants you gone in a permanent way. Reaction is the thief of dignity, so he saves any emotion for when he’s alone.

Self flagellation is his favorite dessert and he is convinced the bitter taste reflects his character somehow. In a way, it speaks to his lack of care and dignity as a clan leader; what fully aware man could let this happen?

For you, there aren’t any chances let alone forgiveness. You’ve stung his pride in multiple ways and only social norms keep you from dying in a duel over it. But as a shinigami—as a captain—he has avenues to vent his vindication until he feels the crime has been payed for. Too bad for you that pride is worth it’s weight in gold for a Kuchiki.

Sajin Komamura:

He runs away from the situation as soon as possible. Of course you cheated on him; how foolish to think anyone would not. At least he knows now and can get back to his normal.

Being alone isn’t all bad. There’s more time for his pets, his company, and his training. Comforting, familiar, he can pretend this is how it always was. Just him, alone.

His lack of self-esteem outweighs his want for justice. It was unfair to subject anyone to…himself, anyway. He can’t blame you for wanting someone untouched by the curse of the beast.

Kaname Tosen:

There’s more anger than even you expect. Injustice in anything, especially something so personal, enrages him. But he has the self control and sense to only send you packing.

Still, it’s all he can think about. Better to be consumed by this than the glacial pace his better world is taking. You’re one of the people holding that goal back, he’s sure. He insists on a talk that’s really just a long, painful lecture.

People like you, who disregard what’s right, don’t deserve forgiveness and the upset within him darkens. Maybe there is a way you can make things right. They’re so close to perfecting the Arrancar and he’d like to see how you’ve contributed once his eyes open, finally able to see.

Toshiro Hitsugaya:

There aren’t any dramatics or punishments or even words to give you other than ‘goodbye’. He sees the break and he cuts it cleanly. There’s no need for anything else.

Largely he copes by doing what he always does—working, training, meditating. There are a few sips of alcohol and punches to his pillow, but you’re no longer someone he cares about. The ice has holed over the spot you took just fine.

You don’t exist to him anymore. If you try to apologize, his eyes will pass over you and he’ll remind you once before ignoring you again: He’s a captain and he’s closed the conversation and now he’s getting back to work. Goodbye.

Kenpachi Zaraki:

So you’re fucking somebody. Is that a big deal or something? Should he be hurt? Because all he can muster is annoyance.

And then he thinks about it. He lets it sink in that somebody was touching you while you’re his. Kenpachi understands the want to play, but isn’t love when someone is the best in your heart and only them? Like, strength but more fucking confusing.

He’s still undecided if there’s anything to forgive. He tells you to give it another go with him in the mix and likes the feeling better than walking in uninvited. So maybe it was just play…and maybe he’s more rough with you two than intended. But he leaves more content than he came, so he figures everything’s fine. He can always kill somebody later, once he’s figured it out for good.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi:

You’re knocked unconscious and so is the person you were in bed with. That’s the last you see of them or the world beyond one lab room.

Congratulations, you are now confined to a pill that is swallowed by gigai after gigai designed in your likeness. Isn’t he generous, letting you take part in his research still? Don’t you feel honored to still feel any part of his touch as he takes you apart somehow more painfully than the time before?

Because it is just research. He didn’t care about you enough to still feel enraged about it. This is purely out of principle, a logical response to your base actions. Don’t worry, it’s just forever.

Jushiro Ukitake:

The discovery is emotional and he struggles keep his dignity, especially when a coughing fit starts soon after. He can’t even tell you off without sickness leaking into the moment.

The spiral begins. You’re awful one moment and justified the next. He’s the victim, then the one who should’ve known. There was no good reason and then he coughs again and there’s one.

He could forgive you if you’re genuine and forthright with a reason that isn’t the weight which holds him under blankets or pushes blood past his lips. As long as the illness isn’t what poisoned the relationship, he could forgive you.

[retsuunohana]

upon re-reading since we’ve now begun the hm arc, i find it extremely fascinating the way the beginning of it has ichigo set up in regards to the relationships with his friends.

ichigo starts out fumbling as he tries to keep a lid on his hollow abilities that are growing more powerful and a threat with each passing day. with this lack of control and no means to understand, he resorts to some old habits that tend to push away his friends, and also allow him to still feel like he isnt losing his grip as The Protector of the group. he doesnt engage with ishida and his lack of abilities, he pushes chad away from fighting in grimmjow & co’s first wave of attacks in karakura (and says some clearly hurtful things in the process), and even attempts to push rukia away before the fight with di roy.

its not until rukia, chad, & uryu are able to physically demonstrate their abilities and capability in front of ichigo for him to see (rukia with her shikai, chad & uryu against aisslinger wernarr & demoura zodd) that he is able to relax a bit and rely on their contributions. it should be noted that renji is an exception to this setup, given that he has already “proven” himself to ichigo in this regard as a former opponent and later ally in the previous arc.

it should also be noted, that orihime’s case is quite a bit different because of the role she plays as a healer, and her moving to the forefront of this arc. despite her efforts she has the chance to prove herself (in this specific way) robbed from her, and the nature of her ability makes it more difficult to really prove her strength in any traditional meaning of the word. i think also given how desperately ichigo wishes to rescue and protect her specifically (and yes, he repeatedly singles her out in a special way related to his namesake), she maybe has more to prove to him in this way. think unstoppable force meets immovable object. they both care very deeply for one another, and dearly wish to keep the other one safe, but struggle to communicate these feelings despite themselves. it causes conflict but theyre also able to extend empathy and understanding to each other, even if they struggle to address these feelings themselves. it makes it all the more satisfying when theyre finally able to fight as equals in tandem during tybw.

but to keep from going off on too many tangents, i think that the setup for the hm arc in terms of ichigo’s relationships to others can be summarized as the following: ichigo needs to have his friends physically prove their strength in front of him before he can allow himself to rely on them, allowing him to break down the barriers he put up, resulting in a greater sense of trust in one another. stronger bonds, stronger faith, stronger hearts, etc.

i think this is interesting because ichigo actively works against ulquiorra who’s main antagonist during this arc. ulquiorra’s narrative relies heavily on the concept of nihilism, in that “that which [his] eyes cannot perceive, does not exist”. he needs visual confirmation to believe in the existence of concepts, etc. this is why he cannot understand the concept of “the heart” (the bonds/relationships shared between people) and why they fight so desperately to help one another. i wrote more about this specific topic here ages ago so i wont get into it too much.

so idk, it could just be nothing. but idk! im hung up on how the arc starts with ichigo needing to confirm his friends strengths before they can resume how they were and become closer and stronger, and that strength he gained through putting his heart in the right place and learning to just rely on the people around him and having faith in them is what helps to undo the villain that is built around a similar concept taken to an wildly callous and literal degree

[enamouredfae]

♡ Pick a Card ♡

What you need to know in order to be ready for the love you so longingly seek!

This reading is looking at anything you might need to heal or grow into in order to enter future relationships as your higher self. I am not looking at your future, but simply trying to guide you towards your highest good in the field of love. Many of us have internalized certain perceptions of love that we must unlearn, or have lived through difficult moments which have closed us off or made experiencing love more difficult. If you are in a toxic relationship/situation, please do not take any messages that might seem to tell you to stay in it. With this reading, I will hopefully open you up to some introspection and hopefully growth. You may very well be attracted to multiple piles and that is ok! Read all that attract you and take what resonates. Each pile has three pieces of advice, so mixing and matching is invited!

This reading is for entertainment purposes only.

This is a timeless reading for the collective, therefore it is likely that some messages will not resonate with you. Please only take the messages that do! The messages that do not, are meant for somebody else. Remember that the future is never set in stone and that you possess free will! Love you! ♡

Pile 1

Charm: Knot

1. Yang

Yang tells me that you need to learn to become more proactive in love. You cannot wait around. You must act! You need to manifest your desires into the material world by doing. It's perfectly fine to do the first move, no matter what society deems "acceptable", it is even invited with this card.

23. Peace

Radical acceptance is necessary for inner peace and in this case for a higher love. You must first love yourself fully, light and shadow self, before loving someone else in the way that you both deserve! And you deserve radical acceptance, we are all flawed and intricate people! As long as we are willing to change and grow and put in the work, past mistakes can be atoned for.

38. To be fair

This card tells me that you need to learn to be more balanced in relationships. Are you giving more than the other parties? Are you giving less? We must be fair to both others and ourselves. When someone in the relationship gives more, they may feel underappreciated which can become unmotivating, but they can also overwhelm the other person. You must learn balance.

Pile 2

Charm: Cactus

7. To the sea (reversed)

"When fishermen cannot go to sea, they stay at home and repair their nets." This is a quote from the guidebook that I had to rewrite here because it encapsulates the advice perfectly. You probably long for love like fishermen long for the sea. This card is telling me that the problem isn't coming from you, but the external world. An idea that just popped up in my head is a queer teen living in a homophobic area or with homophobic parents, so it is likely that this could be your situation. If it is, I love you, please take care of yourself, love and better days will come, don't worry! But you must wait a while longer until the external world matches your vibration, perhaps you'll have to move, wait until you're safe to go out to the sea. Until then, go with the flow.

50. No place like home (reversed)

This card seems to work perfectly with the previous one, it reminds us that what is familiar isn't always the best, because it keeps us from growing. If you want change, you can't keep going to the same things/people that haven't worked before, it's counterintuitive. It is natural to go back to what's familiar, but try something new. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Choose unfamiliar.

34. A leg up (reversed)

You are carrying the burden of your world all alone. You probably don't feel safe sharing what you feel, or are very uncomfortable with vulnerability. To be honest with you, right before writing this part of the reading, I started tearing up, you are holding in so much hurt... You need to voice your struggles, being vulnerable is proof of immense strength, believe me! I know it's hard! Start little by little with someone you really trust!

Pile 3

Charm: Star

35. Loyal Heart

Ok if one pile is ready for the beginning of a relationship it's this one. It is the perfect time for you to create loyal commitments. It is possible that you are already in a committed relationship, but at the very least you are surrounded by loyal, devoted people. Don't forget to be devoted and loyal in return!

4. Higher Power (reversed)

This card is inviting you to trust in whatever divine power you believe in, trust that the universe is divinely guiding you and protecting you. I feel like if a certain religion or spiritual path attracts or fascinates you, you should start looking into it, careful with being disrespectful or appropriating it, especially with closed practices, please do your research! But connecting to Source would be beneficial to you in the long run!

25. Round and Round

You are stuck in a cycle that you must break. Do not worry, you shouldn't feel bad, it's all part of the learning process. Remember: you've been through this before, think back on how that made you feel the previous times, are you sure you want to go through that again? Breaking this cycle is a form of self-care, and you need to care for yourself! You are subconsciously punishing yourself by staying in this cycle, try thinking about the root of why you're doing so! It could help you in breaking it!

Pile 4

Charm: "Love"

8. The tribe

You may want to find your tribe, or you have recently found it. You might feel like you finally belong, or are longing for that feeling. Whenever I get this card, I think of the astrology/witchcraft/tarot community here! It may be the same for you! You are welcome here, and hopefully, you feel like you belong! Contributing to any community that you are passionate about, whether online or in real life, will bring you great joy and satisfaction. Your tribe awaits and needs you! It's possible that that's where you'll find love as well!

6. Not for you (reversed)

Let them go. Whoever you first thought of, it's time to stop obsessing over them. "Don't chase after what flees you." I'm sure you realize this is not serving you, but how do you stop? This card is suggesting radical acceptance and surrender, that this is a sign that someone or something much better is waiting for you. I suggest reminding yourself that they aren't perfect and that you have just come to idealize them.

52. Mending (reversed)

You are very likely going through a grieving period right now. There is so much hurt and disappointment. "Heartbreak is a strange healer of souls." It may feel awful now, but trust that when you look back one day, you will see that the hurt you're feeling now, transformed you in a powerful way. This card is inviting you to accept the heartbreak and push through it, situations like this open us up to seeing the world in a new way, to growing. Better days are coming!

Pile 5

Charm: Angel

28. Building blocks (reversed)

Are you acting according to your belief system? Are you following the advice you give others? You must look carefully at your core foundation. It seems to me that you have done a lot of inner growth, but are still stuck in your old ways. Your outer self isn't matching your inner self. Start doing what you preach!

47. Go the distance

I feel like you're someone that wants love right now! For it to come fast and smoothly, like a sprint. You must learn to see love more realistically, as a long-distance race of endurance. You may be the type to immediately run at the sight of a problem. You must learn to be dedicated and work in love, it won't always be the idealized version you keep reading about or watching. Love demands work!

32. Here and Now (reversed)

You live in the past, don't you? So much regret and nostalgia... Or perhaps you live in the future? Daydreams and ambition. There is a need to learn to live in the here and now, you cannot change the past, and the future is infinite. They're both elusive, and unreliable; now is tangible, real, and full of immediate possibilities.

Pile 6

Charm: Mars Symbol

22. Blessed

This beautiful card talks about an unexpected and "unearned" wonderful event, that seems like divine intervention, a gift from the universe. The advice I take from this card is to practice gratitude because you seem to be blessed in the love department. Perhaps you already know who "the one" is for you. If you don't, trust that the universe has someone wonderful for you!

31. Why?

Ask yourself why you feel as you do about/in love? It is time for some introspection. You need to think and identify unhealthy patterns in your love life. Why do you act as you do in a relationship? Identify what in your past has caused this behavior. It won't solve the problem right away, but it's a good first step. Understanding the problem will be validating.

27. Exchanging gifts (reversed)

"Be careful what you pray for because you might just get it." You need to be ready for the energy exchange that will happen if this happens. This card talks about an imbalance between giving and receiving. You must learn that if you receive a lot, you must return a lot, love needs to be balanced. If you give more, you aren't actually in control, the other party could be consciously or unconsciously taking advantage of your generosity!

Pile 7

Charm: Eternally Open Heart Locket

17. The Fates

You must learn to accept that there are things and people you simply cannot control and change. You cannot blame yourself for things beyond your control, nor can you blame others for things they cannot control. Just be wise enough to tell the difference between things one can control and things one cannot!! If you have a tendency to mold people into your ideal, making them lose their essence, you must learn to accept people for who they are. It is not your job to change them: the desire to change must come from them, for them.

15. Message in a bottle

Try asking for specific signs from the universe, or start becoming more aware of them. Synchronicities are all around you, they're the way that the universe confirms that you're on the right path! Listen carefully to those you communicate with, they could be delivering a cledon to you. This card itself is a good sign, a favorable answer to the question occupying your mind.

9. Treasure Island

You might've already, but if you haven't, MANIFEST YOUR LOVE!! You will be greatly rewarded when you embrace the law of attraction and your intuition. Depending on your belief in how manifestation works, try being mindful of free will! If you believe that love spells on specific people are influencing their free will, then it is immoral to manifest a specific person. If you don't believe that that is how manifestation works, do as you will, just be in line with your beliefs! This card is also a great sign, you're on the right path, and have good fortune on your side. Very lucky pile!!

Pile 8

Charm: Boot

2. Yin (reversed)

You must learn to receive, only being the giver isn't good for you. You deserve to receive! Be open to embodying yin and yang equally. "You stop the flow of abundance when you constantly insist upon being the giver." Be the listener, the one that learns, the one that is being led.

33. Chaos and Conflict

You may be afraid of chaos and conflict, but you must remember that they can rid you of what's no longer serving you. Conflict also implies two sides, remember that yours isn't the only one, and conflict can lead to mutual understanding. Learn to put up boundaries, but also to respect those of others. When you finally see the potential of healing that conflict can cause, you'll be ready for mature communication in relationships.

20. Imagine

Remember that you can create what you imagine! Your imagination is powerful in manifesting your desires, but it can't do everything for you! Manifestation is work, when an opportunity arises, act! This card can also be a sign that the person you're manifesting will be entering your life soon. When they appear, don't just wait, and daydream! The imagination part of manifesting is done, now it's time to act.

Pile 9

Charm: Knife

21. Clean it up

It's time to let go and declutter your mind. Think about what is no longer serving you, about the things that only overwhelm you, and make you overthink, they aren't good for you. It might also help you to declutter in general, your house, your closet, your phone, your feed, etc. Make room for the new and the better.

48. Poised (reversed)

Think carefully, are you really ready for love right now? Because this card is telling me that you aren't. It's ok to be a "late bloomer", and it's important to be ready for love, as to not hurt the one you love, and yourself. Being single isn't a sign of "failure", it gives you the time and space to focus on yourself, on your growth, on your healing, on exploring and understanding yourself. Being single can seem like a curse, but it's a blessing, it's what you need right now.

16. All that glitters

Are you being yourself in love? Are they? Don't succumb to the power of superficiality. Either let go of the mask or look beyond theirs! "Imagine that all the glitter is gone. Would you still desire the object or person?" If one falls for the glitter, what will happen on the day they forgets to glue it on?

Thank you for reading! Love you all.♡

You can buy me a coffee if you feel called to do so! This is never necessary, but always appreciated! ♡

[agentgumsh0e]

lore, dossier, trivia // ORACLE

protocol’s very own greek prophetess, oracle is all about the unpredictability of the future, making choices, and, of course, having foresight and awareness of what comes next. she can control the map and help or hurt the players, and through that manipulate her current circumstance into the fate she wants: victory.

(feel free to comment any criticism, if i wrote anything wrong, etc.)

warnings: mentions of housefires, injury, burn scars, death, survivor's guilt, and trauma

callsign // oracle

codename // seer

real name // moira lambros

classification // radiant

age // 25

role // controller

lore //

she was born in athens to a small but close-knit family, consisting of her brother, mother, father, and herself. she had ancestors that were historians and had ancient greek texts passed down to her and her family, though they did not have much interest in it at the time.

at around 5 years old, her family vacationed to the town of delphi to look at the ruins and temple. while at a temple, she vaguely recalled picking up a strange rock (later known to be radianite).

she accidentally inhaled the vapor that rose out of a crack in the rock, but before she passed out from nausea, she saw only a flash of color: blazing red. her family then took her to the hospital where she came to, confused and dazed, but perfectly fine.

10 years passed, and the first light happened. she was 15 years old then. her family traveled to the ruins again during the summer break to renew their children’s knowledge of the history. straying away from her family to a secluded part of the site, she discovered the same kind of cracked rock from all those years ago. she started feeling frenzied upon inhaling the vapors coming from its crevice and was soon enveloped by it.

incomprehensibly muttering to herself, she saw blurs of the future, which included her family getting caught in a house fire.

out of curiosity of her newfound power, she kept the rock and continued to have increasingly clearer and fuller visions of this particular moment.

she started to heavily study mythology, pore over her visions and their meanings, and hone her abilities.

she converted her bedroom into something of a library of her ancestors’ literature, as well as her own diaries about her visions. she seldom left her room, the only times she stepped out were when she sought out historians who could help her decipher the texts and further teach her. she perused anything useful she could read throughout the day and late into the night. long after the sun sets, she could be found at her desk, researching under candle light.

during this time, she struggled to make time for her family, who along with her weren't hellenists but still supported her sudden thirst for knowledge. she refused to let them help or even know of the vision because she didn't want to concern them with the thought of danger. she carried the burden of knowing the incoming disaster alone.

one day, she pushed herself too far into her investigation, convinced that she had almost found the solution to saving her family and herself from their painful fate. surrounded by ancient scrolls, journals, and books, she passed out from exhaustion.

in her sleep, she accidentally knocked over a still-lit candle onto the papers. the fire quickly traveled through the room full of flammable objects and onto the wood floor. she was eventually woken up, choking on the smell of smoke after having a nightmare of billowing smoke filling her room. she ran out of the room to try and find her family. they were trapped under and behind fallen burnt bookshelves. she attempted to pull it off, but ultimately she couldn’t do anything about it but watch as her vision came true right in front of her eyes.

she dealt with survivor’s guilt and trauma, having recurring nightmares about what she failed to stop and even contributed to. she tried to build herself back up after that, offering free but short vision readings to others as she was still a novice at prophecies. nevertheless, helping others with her visions helped her cope and gave her a purpose. she got better over time, seeing farther into the future and seeing clearer.

eventually, protocol caught wind of an oracle-like person in greece and recruited her. the engineer agents fashioned the cracked radianite into something she could open and close to carry/wear.

protocol started training her abilities and proposed the idea of trying to change fate. they pushed this thought with practice fights where she could try using her powers in ways she never thought of. after several days of practice, she looked into the near future and saw phoenix rushing into the site. she imagined vapors coming out of the ground and phoenix coming out dazed instead, and thus altered the future. that is how she learned she could manipulate fate.

dossier //

moira, you were and still are an avid reader of mythology, so you must know about the tale of oedipus. the one who tried and failed to escape fate, eventually succumbing to it and bringing others to suffer in the process? even without knowing the legend, the theme must sound very familiar to you. just look at what happened to your family all those years ago. all this thinking about the future, and you can't even hide your past from me.

now you're here with protocol. do you really see any good coming from them? in this tireless battle, don't you think that more people, innocent people, will get hurt? maybe you choose to selfishly ignore that and continue to change fate to your benefit. and you still think there will be no repercussions? how is this any different to what happened to oedipus or your family? punished because they, or someone they loved and trusted in your family's case, tried to escape what was inevitable: valorant’s downfall. the past repeats itself, and yet protocol’s shining oracle has blinded herself to that.

perhaps it is time to abandon the rock. before all hell breaks loose.

trivia // (more might be added on later)

she enjoys reading ancient greek literature, just to indulge herself in the past a little. she also likes reading/writing poetry.

manipulating fate is pretty new to her and she never thought to do it before protocol, so it's a time-consuming and tiresome process to learn new ways other than just her abilities. she tries to use said abilities to fill in the weak points of her team.

she can control how far she can see into the future. sometimes seeing farther helps, but in risky, fast-paced situations such as battle it helps to know the near future.

she has burn scars around her body from the accident.

she wears the cracked radianite either as a necklace or around her waist on a belt. alternatively she could just carry it. the radianite opens and closes.

i like to think that radianite has different properties depending on the person and where it's been. this could obviously be disproven by official valorant lore later on, but that's my reasoning behind the radianite giving oracle those powers and not doing the same for others.

according to google (thanks google), ‘moira’ means destiny, share, or fate and is in reference to the three fates in greek mythology. ‘lambros’ means shining, bright, radiant, and so on. i wanted her name to be interpreted as “fate shone upon”, like how she casts light over the future, or “shining fate”, which could mean that she has a bright future or is the bright future.

her ancestors are from the classical period, which included the height/peak of the oracle of delphi.

[candyflosstoxicity]

Wanna Be Your Setting Lotion

Endeavor x Black!Reader

Warnings: 18+, minors DNI. Power imbalance. Unsafe sex. Creampie. Breeding kink. Breath play. Pain play.

Despite the sizable uptick in his popularity after triumphing over the High-End Nomu, Enji still felt that his ability to relate to the everyday civilians was sorely lacking. There was still some doubt amongst the masses that he could be a suitable replacement for All Might. As much as that stung his ego, Enji knew that their misgivings weren’t unfounded.

He had promised his son that he would become a hero that he could be proud to call his father, and that meant more than just saving lives. Enji had to work to build a relationship with the public, and be a hero that was not only powerful, but approachable and relatable.

So, with his secretary’s assistance, Enji reached out to the most highly recommended media relations agency in Musutafu and requested that they pair him with a very particular type of publicist. He made sure to specify that they had to be thick-skinned and prepared to undertake all the work that would come with being the publicist to the number one hero. Though he had certainly made some important changes within himself, he still didn’t know how to talk to people and didn’t want to send the publicist running for the hills.

That was how you ended up standing outside the Endeavor Hero Agency. The glass skyscraper gleamed brightly under the sun, and really impressed upon you that this was happening. You had been assigned your first hero, but not just any run of the mill hero and it honestly had you feeling nervous in a way that you never had before. It’s not as if you doubted your ability to manage and improve the Flame Hero’s public image, but this was a major assignment that could either launch your career into the stratosphere or sink it like a stone.

After taking a few deep breaths to steady yourself, you walked briskly through the front entrance and into the main lobby, where you were greeted by the receptionist. You explained who you were and what you were there for, and she immediately hopped up from her desk in a panic and hastily led you to the elevator. It did nothing to quell your anxiety, because if his receptionist was losing her cool, what chance did you have against the man?

Upon reaching the top floor, the receptionist all but shoved you out of the elevator, giving you a hasty “good luck” while frantically pushing the button to close the door. You stumbled forward and were faced with a large, hardwood door. Having decided that you simply could not delay your assignment any further, you squared your shoulders, took decisive steps forward, and knocked on the door.

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

That was several months ago, and you could say with hindsight that you were right to be anxious. While working for Endeavor was the best way to cut your teeth as a publicist, the man himself was...something fucking else.

It wasn’t just that he was physically intimidating, with his towering height and mountains of muscle. Honestly, you were able to quickly get past that and start working towards building a friendly, yet professional relationship with your boss. Except, he was the most tight-lipped, awkward person you had ever dealt with when he wasn’t in the process of saving lives. And when he was actually somewhat talkative, he was so intense that it left you flustered.

However, Enji always treated you with respect and courtesy, and when you did well, he told you as much. Heat would crawl its way from the top of your head to the tips of your toes whenever he would tell you, “You’ve done excellent work this week, (L/N)-san. Your efforts are appreciated.”

To anyone else and coming from anyone else, it might not mean much, but Todoroki Enji wasn’t just anyone. He had high standards for all of his employees, and you were no exception. Praise from him was hard to come by, and when it was directed at you, it made you feel some type of way.

It was obvious to everyone with a pulse that Enji was an incredibly attractive man. Indeed, every interview you scheduled for him with a female journalist found him being inundated with coy smiles, flirting, and pointed questions about his relationship status.

To be fair, you had asked him the same question, but only because it was important for you to know as the person who handled all of his public relations. It definitely wasn’t because you were lusting after your client and hoping that he was free to maybe, someday, knock your walls down.

Still, you had always prided yourself on being the consummate professional, so you refrained from asking any questions that were too personal. Even though you were so often alone with Enji in his penthouse office, with little to no interruption, and a lot of plush furniture he could fuck you on…

You shook your head sharply, your dark, curly hair moving with the motion. ‘Focus, bitch. Don’t be a goofy and try to fuck your boss. He would probably fire your ass before you could ask for a crumb of dick.’

It didn’t matter if you hadn’t gotten laid since you started working as his publicist; you were NOT going to fuck Todoroki Enji.

Little did you know, Enji was enduring his own share of suffering and sexual frustration. And he had no intentions of denying himself. For him, it was simply a matter of opportunity.

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It was finally Friday evening, and Enji was more than ready for the weekend. After a solid week of double patrols, while squeezing in PR appearances that you had set up for him, he just wanted to sit down in his recliner at home and have a stiff drink. He was sitting at his desk with his laptop open, finishing up some last minute paperwork on a report he needed to submit to the Hero Public Safety Commission by Monday.

Just as he put the final signature on the last page, you came bursting through his office door, without knocking, of course. Not that he minded; it was always a treat to see you, even if you were a bit...distracting. Your shapely legs carried you briskly towards his desk and he couldn’t help but admire how enticing they looked sheathed in your sheer stockings. He almost missed what you were trying to tell him, too busy imagining them wrapped around his waist.

“Endeavor-san, I’m sorry to disturb you right before quittin’ time, but I just finalized the details of your appearance on Present Mic’s late night radio show for next weekend,” you chirped with no small amount of satisfaction. Ah, right; Enji had agreed to make time for that, considering Mic was very popular with the young crowd and an appearance on his show would do wonders for his popularity with that demographic.

“He promised to keep it light and casual, and most of the time block will be spent playing some music that you both enjoy. I cross-referenced his playlist with the list you compiled, and y’all have some bangers in common. We’ll need to go over your note cards again, but I’m sure you’ve got that part covered by now.”

Your eyes were focused on the folder in your hands, flipping through the papers there as you went over the last minute details. Enji’s eyes were watching you, though, and he found himself struggling to give a damn about Present Mic or his radio show. Not when you were standing before him, a radiant vision of smooth brown skin and a halo of curls. How badly he wanted to sink his fingers into them and tug your head back, make you submit to him…

“Endeavor-san, are you listening?”

The question coming from your pretty lips, in that sweet, but sharp voice, was enough to finally get his attention. He tore his gaze from your petite frame and looked up to see your dark brown eyes staring at him sternly. Enji coughed and shifted in his chair, trying to subtly adjust his now rock hard dick.

“My apologies, (Y/N), I’m a bit worn out from this week,” he hastily assured you. “If you wouldn’t mind emailing those notes to me, I will look over them again this weekend.”

Your expression softened and you tossed the folder onto his desk before walking around to the side and perching yourself on the edge. Enji could practically feel the blood rush to his dick with you sitting so close to him, the scent of your perfume immediately clouding his mind. Your already short skirt rode up even higher and he had to force himself to look you in the eye, which he regretted shortly after.

“Have I been riding you too hard, sir?”

Enji’s eyes narrowed slightly at you, thinking that you must be toying with him. But, your face was devoid of cunning, and you seemed genuinely concerned for his well-being. He wasn’t used to that kind of consideration from really anyone, especially not one of his employees.

“No, far from it. You probably take it a bit too easy on me, but you still produce amazing results. I would be completely clueless about this public relations crap if I didn’t have someone as bright and clever in my corner,” Enji rumbled, almost bashfully, the tips of his ears still pink from your accidental innuendo.

He had no way of knowing, but the feeling that Enji’s praise gave you was like a shot of adrenaline to you. Warmth bloomed in your cheeks, and you quickly began stuttering and trying to downplay your contribution. However, Enji was having none of it and reached out to grab your anxiously fluttering hands, which had the desired effect of shutting you up.

But, Enji didn’t stop there. He was tired of you not giving yourself enough credit. More than that, he was tired of only being able to show his gratitude in words. So, he took advantage of your size difference and tugged you into his arms and then settled you on his right thigh, forcing you to straddle the muscular appendage.

“E-Endeavor-san?!” you squeaked out. Your tiny hands were encased in his much larger ones and even that small bit of skin to skin contact was enough to set a fire low in your belly.

“Please, call me Enji. It seems a bit formal considering the things I want to do to you.”

“And what exactly do you want to do to me, Enji?” Your voice was low and breathless, but he could see the excitement clearly in your deep brown eyes.

He released your hands and let his own wander down the curve of your sides to settle on your hips. Still maintaining eye contact with you, he engulfed the soft flesh there with a gentle, but firm squeeze. You gasped softly and instinctually ground down against the flexing muscles of his thigh.

Enji growled lowly in his throat and took one hand off your hip, and reached up to bury it in the soft curls that framed your gorgeous face. At first, he gently massaged the scalp with his fingertips, but when he felt you relax, Enji used the curls at your nape to tug your head back.

He loved how small you were in his arms, how easily he towered over you and controlled your movements. And there you were, gasping and squirming in his lap, letting him touch you in such a dominating way. It stoked a fire within him that he hadn’t felt in a long while, urging him to make you fall apart under his touch.

“There are so many things that I want to do to this tight, little body,” Enji whispered against your throat. He placed a heated kiss there, followed by a gentle nip before continuing, “But, for now, I want you to ride my thigh.”

To his delight, you didn’t hesitate to start meekly rolling your hips forward, your skirt bunching up around your waist with the motions. Still, you seemed to be holding yourself back, and he was having none of that. Using the hand that was still gripping your hip, Enji forced you to press down harder and move faster. Getting the message, you braced your palms against his broad, solid chest and began grinding against him in earnest.

The filthy moans you let spill from your plump lips were music to Enji’s ears, and he struggled to refrain from just ripping your stockings off and sliding your down onto his aching dick. There would be plenty of time for that later, but in that moment, he wanted to make you felt just how appreciated you were.

“Come on, little sparrow, I know you’re close. I can feel you soaking my pants leg.”

The desperation and desire in his voice drove your lust even higher. That, combined with the friction of your nylon stockings against your bare pussy, had you teetering on the edge of release.

“Please, sir!” You didn’t know what you were asking for, but he seemed to. And he was going to make you beg for it.

“Please what?”

“I...I want you to fuck me, sir! Please let me cum on your dick,” you pleaded with a breathless whine, never ceasing your wanton grinding.

“Oh, you will be cumming on my dick. But, first, you’re going to make yourself nice and sloppy for me.”

Enji gripped your hair tighter and pulled your head back until your spine arched. Now, your nails were digging into the skin of his pectorals, but he didn’t care because the end result was you humping against him with reckless abandon. No longer needing to guide your movements, he reached up and wrapped his other hand around your delicate throat, squeezing just enough to make the blood rush to your head. That was just enough to tip you right over the edge.

“Oh, oh!” Your hips began to stutter slightly in their movements as your orgasm crept up on you. A scream that surprised you, but made Enji growl in triumph, was ripped from your throat as you bucked wildly through the peak of your release. Letting go of your tresses and throat, Enji pulled you gently into his chest and ran his hands soothingly down your back. As your body trembled and quaked through the vestiges of your orgasm, he murmured soft praises into the crown of your hair.

“You did such a good job for me, baby girl. I’m so proud of you and all your hard work. Are you ready for your reward now?”

Despite the fact that you had just cum your brains out, his words of praise had you moaning wantonly, your head bobbing lazily in consent. Enji wasted no time in standing you up between his legs, supporting your weight effortlessly as he slid his hands up your inner thighs towards the crotch of your stockings. A brief, but loud ripping sound echoed in the spacious office, and then you felt a cool breeze against your soaked lips. Enji took a moment to run a thick finger through your dainty folds, making you shudder and moan.

Enji considered having you ride him again, but a glance at the large sectional he had in the corner of the room gave him other ideas. Picking you up as if you weighed nothing, he carried you to the luxurious piece of furniture and laid you down on your back. He immediately covered your body with his own and locked his lips with yours, the kiss quickly turning heated. While your lips moved together with unrestrained passion, he busied himself with undoing his belt and slacks. Once he got them undone, he freed his aching length from the confines of his underwear, hissing at the sensation of the cool air hitting the too hot skin.

Pulling away from your soft warmth, Enji made you look him in the eye before he asked, “It seems a bit late to ask, but are you sure this is what you want?”

Thinking he was just being considerate, you smiled softly up at him and nodded in affirmation. He kissed you hard, one more time, before looking down to guide his more than impressive dick to your dripping entrance. As soon as he pressed the head in, you knew what he was really asking you before, which was whether you could handle being stretched to your absolute limit.

You threw your head back, pressing into the soft cushion underneath you, and struggled to breathe around the sensation of his girth splitting you open. It was a good thing he made sure you were wet enough beforehand, otherwise, you were sure that you wouldn’t have been able to take all of him.

Enji made sure to take his time pressing in and withdrawing, inch by inch, enraptured by the sight of your pretty pussy stretching around him. It was a couple minutes more before he was fully seated inside you, the head of his dick pressed snugly against your cervix. He paused his movements to press sweet, but rough kisses along your jaw and collarbones. You reached up and buried your fingers in his hair, applying the barest pressure to bring his face closer to yours so you could press your foreheads together.

“I’d really like for you to move now,” you panted softly. Sure, it was quite the stretch having him inside you, but it didn’t hurt and you were still filled with a burning desire to be wrecked by the giant hovering over you.

Withdrawing slowly, so slowly, Enji paused again to watch your face as he gave a quick, experimental thrust. The cry of pleasure you let out snapped his resolve to continue taking it slow, and he began to fuck into you with a vigor. All you could do is tighten your grip on his red locks and hold on for the ride.

“God, you feel so good wrapped around me. Do you have any idea how long I have wanted this? How many times I’ve fantasized about fucking into you like this, making you my little cumdump?”

Enji was actually caught off guard with how visceral your reaction was to his dirty talk. He didn’t think it possible, but you became even tighter around his dick, nails biting into his scalp, as well. You began trying to thrust back up against him, but he was having none of that. Enji pulled back just enough to take your legs and throw them over his shoulders so he could put you in a mating press.

“Oh gods, yes, just like this, Daddy!” you wailed loudly, tears gathering in the corners of your eyes. You were overwhelmed with the pleasure from his rigid member rubbing against your velvet walls with the new angle.

A groan that sounded like a snarl rumbled in Enji’s chest at the sound of your fucked out voice calling him ‘Daddy’. It made him want to grind his dick deeper into you, until all you could see, feel, or taste was him and the pleasure he was giving to you.

“Fuck, if you call me that again, I’m going to fucking cum and I’m not going to pull out.” He expected you to object, or something but instead, you attempted to pull him in closer with the strength of your legs alone.

“Please, please, please fill me up, Daddy! I want it all, please, give it to me!”

Pace quickening at your filthy words, Enji leaned forward until you were practically pressed in half and his thrusts had the tip of his dick bumping your womb with every plunge deeper. You were unable to even scream, the air knocked from your lungs and your brain foggy with thought-warping ecstasy.

“Goddammit, you’re gonna make me cum, baby. I’m gonna fill you up to the brim. Gonna make you round with my child. Is that what you want?”

All you could do was nod frantically, incoherent pleas and his name spilling from your drooling mouth in an endless stream. You would do anything, say anything, just to feel his hot cum paint your walls.

From the way you were clenching and pulsing around him, Enji knew that you were close to the precipice again already, and he was ready to tumble over right along with you. Letting go of the last bit of restraint holding him back, Enji captured your lips in a searing kiss and swallowed your cries of passion as he began to piston into your tight heat, chasing his orgasm and hurtling you towards yours.

A shrill scream muffled by his lips and the sharp tightening of your walls around him signaled to Enji that you were cumming, and he quickly followed after you. His powerful hips stuttered once, twice before he drove his entire length fully inside you and stilled, his head pressed to the opening of your womb. Much hotter than you were expecting it to be, spurts of cum that seemed endless gushed deep inside you, prolonging both of your orgasms to the point of over-sensitivity.

When you both finally came down and got your breathing under control, Enji slowly pulled out from you and gently eased your legs off his shoulders. He gathered you up in an embrace and flipped the two of you over so that you were laid on top of him, head resting against his chest. Again, he stroked your back and sides soothingly, murmuring words of praise and comfort.

For your part, you were fucking wiped, your heart still racing and brown skin dewed with sweat. You could feel cum leaking out of your abused hole, but could hardly be bothered to care with exhaustion and satiation weighing so heavily on your eyes.

With strong arms wrapped around you and every bone in your body feeling like marshmallow, you snuggled closer to Enji and fell asleep to the steady pulse of his heart in your ear.