#why am i a sucker for religious symbolism

[temporaerthaervaerk]

Death note spoilers ep 25

I know it’s supposed to foreshadow L's immenent death, Light's betrayal, and L's knowledge of both, since it’s a recreation of Jesus and Judas' last night, but I don't care. I would not have kneeled down to wash/dry that man's feet. Not even as a twisted way of saying goodbye and "i know what will happen, but also won’t do anything to stop it."

I simply wouldn’t.

Also, that scene was way too soft, with Light drying L's hair, and I am not okay

[eggz505]

Okay. Lads. Jamie just put on their thinking cap and has an idea she wants to share. Hear me out here. I was re-watching Double Life, as one does, and I made a few connections.

1) This one is a stretch. But .Grian mentioned this "being his game. He can change the rules." And said something along the lines of a ritual of goathorns and amethyst. He could be referencing making a watcher like portal symbol whatever that thingy is called. The two L shapes with the dots making a portal shape. The L shapes would be the goat horns and the Amythest could be made into block that LOOK like they're portal blocks.

2) this is the better one. Grian spends, for the most part, The whole series OBSESSING over BigB and wanting to go against his own gimmick with the soulbonds to go after BigB (this is something I fawn over religiously. It has STUCK in my mind for AGES and I never knew why. Finally paying off oml) In the latest season, Secret Life BigB is doing the WEIRDEST things to the point people are theorizing that the watchers have recruited/shown great interest in BigB. This seems coincidental at face value but grian didnt just obsess over him as a bit, he spent the WHOLE SEASON being weirdly in love with BigB and BigB is spending this WHOLE SEASON doing weird things. Watcher level weird things. Ergo? I think Grian took a liking to BigB because of himself bring a Watcher which caused him to gravitate toward BigB, because BigB was either dormant as an already aligned Watcher, was newly recruited as a Watcher, or the Watchers first started to show interest in BigB in Double Life.

3) I just came up with this but in support of BigB being a Watcher I think the timeline really lines up. Double Life is the first time Grian obsesses over another player which struck me as uncanny. In Limited Life, the series that followed, what did BigB do? Watch. Other. Players. He was a nosey neighbour. PEARLESCENTMOON teamed with him that season. Pearl was there when Grian got recruited, what is BigB got recruited during Limited Life? He watched other players the whole season, he had a lookout tower, Grian gravitated towards him as an ally during the season. Now in Secret Life? Grian goes to see BigB EVERY. EPISODE. It is ritualistic. Like his "episodes wont be complete without seeing what weird things BigB is up to".

Okay. I am Jamie and I am taking off my tinfoil cone of a theory/thinking cap. I am fixated on the idea of BigB being with the watchers. I dont know if his intention is to REPLACE Grian or to have Grian be more involved in his Watcher duties/shenanigans, or if hes supposed to be like a trade offer from the watchers?? It could be that Grian liked BigB in double life and the watchers were like. :o "We could use that." But I am a sucker for the Life Series and the lore that other fans come up with. I am so shit at drawing but I can write like Alexander Hamilton, so let me know who wants more theories :D

TLDR: I think Grian made Watcher-esque references in Double Life. I think BigB has been a subject of Interest for the Watchers since Double Life. I think BigB was doing Watcher like things in Limited Life, either because he was recruited BY the Watchers in Limited Life, or in Double Life, or at the least he was being heavily influenced. I am a sucker for the Watcher!BigB headcanons fans are making. Thank you and good day. Jamie out.

[dreamii-krybaby]

what made u like Yeva so much?? honestly i like Yeva too but idk why lmao

I actually had a draft explaining why I love Yeva so much NENEJWBSJEBEH

Buckle the fuck up, its long

Honestly I can’t remember exactly what it was that specifically made me appreciate her more, I think it was in EP4 where I started paying more attention to her. I think it was mostly her hidden lore that drew me. Tho upon EP3 I thought she was a very interesting character

Honestly every appearance she makes made me think more of how she is connected to the lore and made me start to slowly connecting some dots, like her being behind the Site-48 “incident”

And honestly every appearance also makes me wanna give her a hug, poor woman looked traumatized

Idk they are lot of interesting details regarding her, like how she still kept the exact same CFL outfit, the site-48 incident, her eye possibly getting blown off by the AS in EP6, giving an explanation to Doll’s eyepatch. Her eye and Doll’s eyes going from red to orange bc of the AS. And hatever the hell she saw with her now-husband in EP4.

My Roman empire is religious symbolism, so when I figured out that Yeva = Eve in russian I was in love

Also am sucker for character who have “illegal traumatized subject experiment” and “I may or may have gotten possessed by evil forces” plot

We gotta love possibly questionable, unstable, cannibalistic women with god powers

And also, am just naturally drawn to mysterious characters, they are fun. Even if people can consider bland characters or characters with very little info boring, to me it can be fun. Like tbh you rlly need a few small details regarding their personality and the rest can be up to you.

Also even if we have very info regarding her personality, the fandom and me where still able to get an idea on how she was and the different directions her personality can take

Bonus points for her being heavily implied to be Russian (am half-Russian, tho ironically I know very little Russian 💀)

Maybe you’re drawn to her visual designs or mysterious character or her lore or maybe some characteristic of her

Like one of the things that I think Yeva is known is apart from being close to Nori, is her “(0-0)” expressions she makes just like Doll does

So I live that despite the lack of screen time and no voice lines, she has a lot of lore hidden and connected. You are still able to pick up some details about her, like her personality and let’s not forget her death was a massive butterfly/Domino effect on the series.

[namazunomegami]

ahhh sorry, the heatwave fic i meant was the fic you reblogged, that three-part one, "affection's edge". i only saw it because i was following you, and when i realized you were the one who reblogged it i was like "this is the SAME BRAND",, same brain cell

i think i read your "into the void" fic on ao3 before i found you on tumblr... that's happened to me a lot in this fandom. but i am suuuch a sucker for the religious allegories. "your serpent will always think it was right to bite" just hits absolutely diff.

geto is basically moral imperatives: the character. he goes full genocide and he sounds so calm and rational and legitimately?? healed??? by the decision?? he can believably be so many things because he's figured out the magnet hack with the moral compass baby.

it's really fun hearing about the backstory for the reader in that fic, too! the sheer utility value of having cursed energy gps, especially for geto who eats curses... and god. teen geto was a very sensitive and perceptive person who read others super well. he really was!

every idea i have lately has turned into this multichapter saga shdflkshdg it KILLS me but it's so fun thinking of backstories and abilities and how they could tie into their relationships with the characters!

i hope both of us can finish some wip someday,,, jhfgksdhg the struggle is SO REAL. but one day!

OH YOU MEANT CIELO'S FIC??

Now, I get it, I'm sorry for rambling about my Yuta fic lmao.

I love Cielo's works and the way she writes Geto. If I want a bit of inspiration or when I'm struggling with my own fics, I always visit her blog and read her stuff. I think we both like to characterize him as a kind of twisted caretaker but her Geto is a bit more playful than mine, and more upfront about his awful antics against the reader. And I absolutely love it! 💕

Yeah, I like religious symbolism a lot too, I can get my own religious trauma out of my system so I guess it's both beneficial to me and my audience too lol. But that part you're quoting from my fic is actually a little symbolistic tale about victims of abuse and their relationship to their abuser. The story is about that sometimes it's futile to make your abuser admit to the damage they caused and instead, you should focus on yourself and your healing. But it sounded kinda cool so I took it and reworked it a bit to fit into the narrative.

I like writing backstories for the readers even if I don't include it in the fic. But it actually helps a lot to have an idea about them, what kind of environment they come from, what they bring into the dynamic and why etc. It's easier to handle the dynamic if I have a general idea about how they got together with the character, what makes them attached to each other and stuff. Maybe I do this because I've been writing a lot of OC x canon stuff where you must establish the background of your character, make them fit into the canon and well... make it make sense why the character is into your OC.

I'm trying my best to restrain myself and not to start yapping about the dynamic of jjk OC and Geto because... oh boy... I do love to talk about my imaginary babies.

I really like that idea! It makes so much sense for Geto bringing reader to track down curses so he can add them to his collection. Cute date idea! But honestly, I came up with reader's technique when I was half-way done with the first part, completely out of the blue. But I do remember there was a headcannon post about how different cursed techniques reveal something crucial/sensitive about the character or how they can be interpreted as a coping/defense mechanism and that post probably influenced me a little bit.

And like... I don't want to spoil my own fics, but in the dilf!Geto fic, reader's curse technique kinda similar to his technique but it's not like curse manipulation 2.0. Similarities are important in this dynamic I can tell this much.

I was also a member of the multichapter madness gang but I got frustrated that I can't complete any one of them. I still have a Jerome Valeska fic, I love it with all my heart, it's packed with so much dark content but it still needs 8 chapters to be wrapped up (the whole fic is 26 chapters long with the unwritten ones). Aaaand I published the first chapter in 2021 so it deserves a rewrite too. I would rather write a really long one shot with lot of exposition and buildup to have higher chance of finishing it in the future. I mostly just keep the details, the fun facts and the backstories to myself, hoping for somebody like you to share them 💕

[beevean]

top 5 fav NFCV moments and top 5 most hated NFCV moments and top 5 fav NFCV characters and top 5 most hated NFCV characters (I WARNED YOU.)

Isaac forcing Hector to watch Rosaly die was less evil.

Okay. I'll try :)

Top 5 NFCV moments:

5) Carmilla and Hector avoiding the blessed waters moved around by Dracula's castle. Not only it was a dynamic sequence, I admit that Carmilla saying "what the fuck was that" was the only time I legit laughed out loud. The timing was just perfect lmao.

4) Lenore's death. Not only because FUCK YEAH THE BITCH DIED LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOO, but it's beautiful, with a gorgeous track, and I like to imagine Lenore killed herself out of fear of becoming like Carmilla, she who wanted to be as human as possible, and not because "wah i don't wanna live like hector". Lenore could have been a good character too if she wasn't used for fetish fuel and rape apologism :)

3) Blue Fangs. By far the rawest, most interesting "CHURCH BAD" scene in the series.

2) Trevor vs. Death. A visual spectacle, and finally, finally the protagonist of the story does something cool and plot-relevant! I also agree that Trevor saying "I love you" to Sypha was just adorable <3

"I'm killing my boy". Lore breaking? Yes. Made Dracula into too much of a woobie? Maybe. Heartwrenching in the context of the show? Absolutely. I am a sucker for McTavish's voice acting, and it is the culmination of Dracula's biggest inner conflict: his virulent hatred for the mankind who took his love from her against the love for his son, and indirectly for Lisa. If only this scene took place in the proper SoTN adaptation...

Top 5 worst moments (how do I choose):

5) The explanation as to why vampires fear crosses. It's Twilight pseudo-science and I can't believe people can take it seriously. It's also emblematic, for me, of how much the series disrespects the religious symbols of the game (that, and ofc the infamous water blessing zombie lol)

4) Everytime Isaac is a dick to Hector. I just hate that guy. He's unpleasantly mean and condescending and we're meant to agree with him when he calls Hector "a simple creature". Go fuck yourself, you Walmart Hector.

3) Dracula and Lisa being brought back and deciding to travel together without telling Alucard anything. bruh. why are we rewarding the dude who slaughtered humans way before lisa even entered the scene. why is lisa okay with what her husband did. why are you breaking the lore like this. why.

2) The Alucard threesome + him pissing on the Japanese not-twins' corpses, for the reasons you said. Pointless, out of nowhere trauma whose resolution was a cheating joke from Greta. bruh

... can I cheat and mention every Lenector scene? Lenore beating Hector up was again torture porn, gratuituously humiliating (dat dick), and only serves to show how cool and stronk Lenore is. Her leashing him up is simply uncomfortable, because it's portrayed as horny and hot instead of being yet another form of torture - Hector seems visibly aroused at points. The sex scene is of course the sex scene. Her humiliating him in front of her sisters is simply gross. The dick jokes are immature and fail at being funny banter. "Oh shush you were having fun" makes me want to stab someone with a plastic spoon, ditto the "parallel" between Hector being lied to by Dracula and Lenore being lied to by Carmilla because oh gosh look how kyoot they are together 🥺 Him protecting her from Isaac is just the last slap in the face towards this character who really deserved better than being torture fetish fuel.

(honorable mention to the "Is this the definition of insanity?" scene, because people keep praising N!Isaac as the character of all time but I only see a brat throwing a tantrum)

Top 5 NFCV characters:

5) Godbrand. The closest thing to a canon Isaac we got, and the only one with a braincell in the joint.

4) Striga. Buff woman who references Berserk <3

3) Trevor. A far cry from his game self, and yes the cliché of the drunkard cynical anti-hero is old, but he never once irritated me. He had a nice arc in S1, a believable tragic backstory, and overall I just felt bad for him when Alucard was a jerk to him.

2) Hector. I love the idea of the character, and he isn't rude or annoying. I was genuinely fascinated by his alien view of the world, and he had potential as an anti-villain without empathy for his fellow humans but still principled, mellow but ruthless when necessary (he did kill his parents after all). The narrative just pisses on him for no good reason.

Sypha. I have nearly nothing bad to say about her lmao. I'm annoyed by her "peeing in a bucket" quote, her moving the Castle on top of the hold was stupid, and she's too OP for my tastes, but she's a genuinely nice girl and her design is so cute and her relationship with Trevor is so adorable <3 best girl. Unironically.

Top 5 most hated NFCV characters:

5) Alucard. ughhhhhhh he's such an arrogant crass jerk! Why does he even have fans! He's ugly to boot!

4) The Japanese not-twins. A complete waste of time, their only narrative purpose was a random threesome, and in their haste to not make the scene incestuous now they're accidentally racist because they look identical despite not being related lol.

3) Isaac. He's flat, rude, contemptuous, full of himself, with a rushed character "arc", never actually regrets his crimes, hypocritical, Islamophobic, with a shoehorned cliché "past slave" backstory, and the narrative won't stop sucking his dick. Hyped to high heavens at the expense of the real Isaac for reasons I do not and never will understand.

2) Carmilla. She's the most shallow, cliché #girlboss you could have written, nothing more than a cartoon villain who wants to conquer the world, and also a stereotypical radfem for no reason. She was irritating in S2, then she peaced out of the story until her death, but not before humiliating canon villain Dracula because I love when OCs get to shittalk about canon characters. I can't believe she unironically said "I'm a queen", fuck off.

Lenore. Do I even need to explain why I despise this manipulative, slimy, smug rapist who gives BDSM a bad name and is shipped with his victim in what is meant to be seen as a cute yet tragic enemies-to-lovers, kindred souls relationship? No words in the English language can convey the sheer resentment I feel for her.

[astralartefact]

I'm raising my Voice (of Cards) Divine Yurie Analysis Post

Part 1: Akeha // Part 2: 063y

Voice of Cards: Forsaken Maiden Spoilers below!

If this ends up being true Voice of Cards will eventually be the second most referenced Drakenier game despite never having an actual crossover event... and don't worry, I also don't really know if I believe any of this, but I will get into that shortly.

If we follow along what is potentially Yuki Wada's crazy reference to that other game he wrote, Yurie's costume is likely inspired by the [Black] Spirit (I don't know the correct english VoC localization terms, I only know that White is Ivory) (for a better picture of the spirit see 063y's post)

Notable Details include:

She has claws, like the Black Spirit Serpent

The colors of the outfit are predominantly black and a golden brown and it features a lot of draping fabrics, like the fabrics hanging off the Black Spirit Serpent

The design on her cowl is 100% supposed to look like a crown (which all of the Spirits in FM have)

But is that enough? Am I ready to say "Three times is a pattern, this is a thing"? Well... My current position is that I do think it makes more sense if this is what's going on, but I'm still not 100% sold on it. It does seem to me like the draft was "Make these costumes inspired by the gods in VoC:FM but feel free to make it as vague as you want we don't really want people to notice it too much."

But there are just enough little details that I don't think they would have gone for without these references as a basis to the designs. Like why does Yurie have claws? What about monster claws is "Divine"? I know there are cultures where long nails are religiously significant, but if that was what they were going for I feel like they would look different. And why is Akeha's outfit so grey? I would assume if it wasn't for Lac they would have chosen a different color instead of a 70% grey, that's really not a particularly "Divine" Color, is it?

I will probably make my final verdict with the next design though, since if these costumes are actually based on VoC then it should be obvious with the next one. With only the blue and red spirits still missing the usage of those colors should be noticeable, especially since this outfit line hasn't been particularly colorful yet.

Anyways, even if they aren't based on VoC, I really love these outfits, Yurie's especially. I love the use of white in this one and I'm always a sucker for medieval-ish puff sleeves combined with modern aesthetics. (Also can we talk about how the design sheet says "The circular object [...] was designed with symbolism in mind" and it's just a halo, which is like... duh. A lovely meaningless phrase that will 100% enter my every-day vocabulary.)

Stories Divine Ruler

She gives form to her people's hopes and dreams. She presses on with her duties, that she might fulfill her life's purpose. ────────────────────────────── She cannot understand her people's pain and sadness. How, then, could she give life to their wishes?

Pious Soulgun

If we obey it, we will never be wrong. If we believe in it, we will never have to worry. If it orders us to die, we will obey without question, for we trust in its judgment. The order it gave me is essentially a death sentence. It is never wrong. It can never be wrong. Which means… It is undoubtedly a fake in its current form, for it would never order its pious followers to die. I will strike it down!

The Weapon story reminds me of something one of my favorite video essayists Biz Barclay talked about (I think in her video about Midnight Mass? But I'm not sure and it's too long to "check real quick") in reference to the Binding of Isaac (not the game, the thing from the bible) - but I haven't watched that video in a while and I don't want to put words in her mouth so I will just encourage you to watch her stuff, she's great!

From a Voice of Cards perspective the stories (as with the other ones) don't really interact with VoC at all so we can just ignore them, I just wanted to put them here in case you want to read them.

[call-sign-shark]

OKAY OKAY RYS SORRY FOR THE DELAY BUT IOGSHEFIJISKFKIENSKG. Before I go full crazy let me thank you for starting to read this. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

The analogy between Arthur and dog/wolf is something I fancy a lot because I think it's literally the best way to describe him He made me think of a beaten combat dog you see? The sentence you wrote "I'm not a violent dog, I don't know why I bite." is exactly what I am trying to convey and it's so Arthur-coded it hurts. I'm also a big sucker for small ominous details such as the crow, who is a recurring symbol in this series. Considering this, I'm excited you've picked it up.

Also, I am so delighted you enjoyed the descriptions of Heaven and that you managed to grasp the ethereal feeling I tried to convey. I always thought that the first apparition of a character is hard to write because I love it when they make an impression. I was also afraid to go too hard with the religious imagery but... Fuck it, that's the character's idea. I want her to be eery and unnerving. This is the whole core of her character: the cold and deadly beauty that turns out more creepy than beautiful. Also, the distinction between the church as a building and the church as a religious place is something that directly comes from me. I don't particularly believe in God, but churches are places that make me feel just so... Calm and peaceful. I truly think religious places are magnificent and can be enjoyed even without Faith.

And finally, about Heaven and Arthur's dynamic... Thank you 🥹

Heaven In Your Eyes || Arthur Shelby x Reader!OC

Summary:  Beaten with guilt and shame after losing his temper again, Arthur's aimless wandering leads him to church. There she is and, after diving into her heavenly eyes, he is convinced God has sent him His sweetest angel to save his bastard soul.

Words: 2.6k

TW: Blood, a bit of angst, slight blasphemy and bad use of holy water, reckless x caretaker Inspired by the prompt "Where does it hurt? - Everywhere" by @the-three-whumpeteers

Notes:

✞ Timeline: between seasons 2 and 3

✞ Heaven is OP's original character but written with the use of « you » (Moodboard here). Heaven’s voice and song is linked, all you have to do is click on the lyrics.

The stumbling tall silhouette of Arthur Shelby was crossing through the thick haunting mist of Birmingham. As unwelcoming the town was during the day, it was nothing compared to night time. When sun faded behind the horizon, chased by the pale glowing face of the moon, the whole city turned into a cut-throat area. Arthur brought the neck of the bottle he was holding to his chapped lips and gulped down a mouthful of pure Irish whisky. The fire trail the beverage left behind it as it went down his throat reminded him he was alive — he could still feel something, even though it was the alcohol’s burning. An animal growl escaped from his lips when the bottle left them only for him to lean his back against one of the church’s gigantic concrete walls. A loud raven’s croak torn the silent veil of the night, making him swears. The gravel in his voice answered to the dull bird, which was watching him from a tree with his tiny and beady eyes.

« Fooking bird, laughing at me like the rest of ‘em eh? »

The raven — which was rather large for a bird — tilted its head to the side and kept staring at the drunk man with a cunning interest. Its black eyes, shining under the moonlight, seemed filled with both a wise glare and a mocking sparkle. Soon, Arthur’s curiosity for the raven’s unusual behavior turned into a senseless anger when he understood why the bird was focusing on him, his explosive rage strengthened by the incredible amount of alcohol he had drunk a bit earlier.

« It’s the damn blood is it? Stop lookin’ at me like I’m — I’m some kind of monster, or a beast or I don’t fookin’ know what else! Go to Hell! »

The bottle flew towards the raven but it did not flicker, as if it knew Arthur was not in the shape of being quick nor particularly precise with aiming. As the glass smashed into the ground, Arthur hit the wall behind him with the back of his head and let out a frustrated scream. No more cocaine, no more auto destructive behavior nor suicide attempts for two years straight, and tonight he fucked it all up. He was convinced he could get better, and God knows he tried his best to do so. Got sober from every poison he used to take, got a religious wife that was trying to turn the wolf in him into a sheep… Hell, he even brought her flowers every damn day. But then came troubles, taking the shape of his little brother, Thomas Shelby.

He asked him to do the dirty job — again.

With his calloused hands, he took another man’s life. At first Arthur thought he would not be that disturbed at the idea of killing someone, after all he had done that almost his entire life. Just one last time, he told himself, just one last time and I’ll go back to my little peaceful life with me wife.

Yet, the guilt and the shame that struck him after bashing the lad’s head against the edge of a sink until his face became a pile of squishy flesh soon became too much to handle.

As the last spurt of blood spattered his face, Arthur’s clouded mind became suddenly crystal clear: it would never stop. After that epiphany, the older Shelby brother contemplated how everyone he deeply loved tended to use him. For Thomas and the rest of the family he was a mad dog, the combat brute whose only times he could enjoy life without a muzzle were when he had to rip someone’s throat apart. For his father, he had been nothing else than a poor naive hound that would have done anything to receive his respect. As for Linda, her love was a cruel mirage he wanted to believe with all his heart — but the illusion had vanished in smoke. Whether she considered him as her personal test subject for Christian brainwashing or as a tool to get what she wants, Arthur could not tell. What he could tell though was that he knew she did not really loved him. She wanted to mould him at her will, but he was no lamb. He was a wolf, a beaten and lonely wolf, but still one. And there was no love for rabid wolves, only a bullet through the brain to cure the madness.

As his skull buzzed with macabre thoughts, whose unpleasant noise reminded him of a furious beehive, a bewitching voice pulled him out of his auto-destructive spiraling. Standing at attention and listening carefully, he came to realize that someone was singing inside the church. Arthur’s eyelids fell on his steel blue eyes and the back of his head gently rested against the cold wall behind him, the same wall he had been previously smashing it with. A sighed escaped from his liquored lips as the angelic and hypnotizing voice, slightly muffled by the church’s heavy wooden doors, plunged him into a soft but oh-so-warm haze.

My heart is pierced by Cupid

I disdain all glittering gold…

Lulled by the sad melody carried away with Birmingham’s cold night breeze, the swarm of raging hornets in Arthur’s brain stopped crashing against the bony walls of his skull. Another sigh — one of relief this time, for the unbearable noisy thoughts and violent buzzing had vanished. His trembling fingers, numbed by the blows he had hit his target with one hour ago and still covered with half-dried blood, slid along his temples and slicked his hair back. The utter and feral anger he had felt was reduced to void, for even his old heart had slowed its pace down in his ribcage.

There is nothing can console me

But my jolly sailor bold…

The tune, embedded with melancholy, soothed his troubled mind and to be honest, he could barely believe it. When that switch in his brain flipped, God knew he was not in control anymore - even dear Linda, who still managed to hush down some of his tantrums, could not tame the beast inside when it broke free a bit more fiercely than usual. Yet, this voice did so. This stranger, faceless and nameless ghost of the night, brought him back to sanity with the sole power of her voice. The words she was singing, with her a juvenile and enchanting tone, were wrapping his heart. Arthur sniffed and fought hard against the dawning tears that were forming delicate crystal beads at the corner of his closed eyes.

If he had been the jolly sailor bold, he would have thrown himself out of the boat to join the siren that was singing.

My heart is pierced by Cupid

I disdain all glittering gold.

There is nothing can console me

But my jolly sailor bold…

She repeated, sadder than she previously sang.

Her song sipped through his heart and filled the cracks with molten gold. Arthur’s lips stretched in an almost invisible grin without even realizing it — By her voice, he was convinced she could repair the damaged creatures like him and make them even more beautiful than they were before they had been dragged through the trenches’ mud and shit. He had barely came to his senses, almost miraculously sobered up, when silent fell again in the church. Arthur reopened his eyes, and shook his head - Had he dreamt? Had it been the whiskey singing to him? No, he could not be that crazy right? Not quite sure if he was starting to hear voices and see things, Shelby decided that he had to found out who had been singing to his very own soul. He wanted to see her, the girl who soothed his foul heart and his twisted mind. He wanted to know, no, he HAD to know, even though his whole being was fragile like a flickering candle flame caught in a hurricane and would probably shatter in million of pieces if she turned out to be an illusion.

Gathering all his remaining strength, Arthur grabbed the handle and opened the church’s door.

[…]

A shiver ran down your delicate spine at the loud silence that floated in the gigantic and empty church. The peculiar sweet yet strong scent of myrrh, wood and frankincense filled your lungs with its holy fragrance. The vibrations of the last word you sang was still echoing in the room, swirling to the high and sculpted ceiling from with marble angels were watching over you. If someone would have told you two years ago that the only place you would find comfort would be a church, you would not have believe it. You had never been particularly fervent about religion, but you did believe in higher forces whether they were good or bad. More than a matter of faith, the church itself was an old friend of yours. A gargantuan friend of stone, holy titan always welcoming you even in the darkest moments of your life. What you liked the most were these lonely moments at night, during which you could light up dozen of candles and sing your sorrow to the status and colorful stained-glass windows. No gossip from the parish, no believers swarming like ants within these mighty walls. There were just you, the candle lights and the soothing silence. For a few hours, you could finally find peace.

Brushing the varnished wood of the altar with your thin fingers and painted-red nails, you let your mind drift and, suddenly, the world around you vanished. You sunk so deep in the abyss of your thoughts that you did not hear the creaking sound of the heavy door opening, nor the footsteps that followed. All you could heard were the « Burn witch, burn! » that hundred of villagers screamed at you in the woeful remembrance of your past. And in spite of your immaculate porcelain skin, you bore the scars of their words deep in your soul.

[…]

Arthur made a few steps before freezing, his body refusing to come closer as if the aura around the creature that was standing back to him , right in front of the altar lightened up with dozen and dozen of small dancing flames, was too sanctified to be violated. Bathed in the soft and warm orange hue of candles, the long white hair of the woman fell down the small of her back like an ivory waterfall. Right above her the pale glow of the full moon coming through the stained-glass window formed a luminous halo around her head.

His breathing stopped, choking in his throat at such a divine vision. The gangster opened his mouth to speak but no words managed to come out. He had never been good with words anyway. Instead he moistened his lips and swallowed, his mouth dry. The white-haired girl had started to hum the same song she had been singing a bit earlier, not aware of his presence — and he did not dare to disturbing her as if he feared God’s punishment. He took another step, the wooden floor creaking under his sole.

This time the angel — because he was convinced it was one — jumped and turned around, an expression of utter surprise veiling her sweet face. Her fox eyes, adorned with two iris so fair it reminded him of aquamarine stones, scrutinized his slightest movements. She remained petrified for what felt eternity for her, but regarding him the time had stopped for good. Arthur finally inhaled sharply, coming back to life.

All those endless nights of crying, all those endless nights of praying in vain for something or someone to save him, and here you were… His salvation.

He had asked God to send him, the most desperate sinner of all, His most beautiful Angel and He had done so.

She was not just pretty. She was otherworldly and vaguely threatening. Almost ethereal in her short white dress whose cut let her naked back for the world to see.

« I waited for ya. » He whispered.

She blinked, her full and juicy lips opening with surprise.

He stuttered, looking down and decided it was better for you if he stopped talking. The gravel in his hoarse voice, as strong as it was, sounded indescribably frail. As if this tall and slightly threatening man could shatter at your single touch. Now he felt stupid, clumsy with words contrary to Tommy and his naturally eloquent and charismatic speech. In addition to the unpleasant impression of being a fool, Arthur’s own whisky-scented breath and the strong metallic smell of blood reminded him of his horrific appearance. Overcoming the awe you infused in him, panic started to kick.

You frowned, and all of sudden he did not look that impressive anymore. Swept away by the wind, your face relaxed and wrapped itself with a calm, almost placid expression. You exhaled through your nose and walked towards the gangster, who had brought his bloody hands to each side of his head and was now pulling his own hair in a desperate attempt to not lose track.

« Where does it hurt? » You asked with a quiet and soothing tone, for you were concerned about all the blood he was covered with.

Arthur raised his gaze toward the petite white-haired doll who had just pressed one of her cold little hands on his. Your ice against his fire made his legs weak and his heart missed a beat. How his breathing calmed down at your touch was a mystery, but it did. Not quite comprehending why you did not seem scared of him, he stuttered again, all flustered.

« Shhh, shhhh. Everything’s okay, take a deep breath and answer with all the time you need. » Your hand gently tightened its grip, willing to show him you were there and you were not going anywhere until he feels better. You waited until you felt him more incline to talk before reiterating the question.

« Where does it hurt? »

« Ev-Everywhere love. It hurts everywhere. »

His hands, his face, his body, his brain, his soul, his damn tortured soul… It all ached too much, and too constantly for him to bear anymore. E-ve-ry-where, that was all he could say because pain was all he could feel.

Without answering, you pulled him to the altar and invited him to sit on the marble stairs. The strong and fierce gangster followed you without the single physical resistance and gave in between your hands, as a rag doll. All he did was looking at you with his charming but oh-so-exhausted blue eyes as you tore the fabric of your dress near your thighs and soaked it in holy water.

« Let me wash away the blood. » Your voice echoed in the vastness of the church, enticing and haunting at the same time — enough to send a pleasant shiver down his spine. You had barely finished your sentence when you started rubbing the wet cloth against his hollow cheek to clean his pale skin from the dark red blood. Once again, he could not help watching you during the whole ordeal all the while enjoying the fresh sensation of the holy water cleansing the dirt of his soul. Not minding his stare filled with fascination, you focused on your task, brows slightly furrowed and fingers blessing him with the softest and most caring touch someone had given him.

« Yer an Angel. I swear you are eh. »

You quickly glanced at him, a sparkle of amusement shining in your cunning celeste blue eyes, before looking back at what you were doing. The weight of his gaze brought fire to your cheeks, for he looked at you like he had just realized what love was.

He looked at you, and to his greatest surprise, found Heaven in your eyes.

I'm super new in the Peaky Blinders fandom, so please bear with me... Especially since English is not my native language. To be honest I am kind of scared to post it so any comment, review, reblog or constructive criticism is welcome. Also, I'll be more than happy to meet people in the Peaky Blinders fandom! In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed some Arthur and Heaven. Still don’t know if I’ll write a full series or snipets of these two love birds.

Tags: @areyenotfondofmelobster

[historic-old-guard-lover]

The emperor has to be god-king Andy. Also like since nicky and Joe obv have to have the lovers why not have andy and quyhn kissing as the empress.

Another related ask (potentially by the same person):

Also since the fool is a journey's beginning I'd almost want to pick Nile for it. As well there are four characters who commonly have swords (or an axe but close enough) and cards have four corners. So one sword each corner, nicky, joe, andy, and quyhn.

So. Someone has good ideas. Here’s the post that prompted these asks. This made me pull out my tarot deck and go through the cards. Below the cut is a break down of the entire tarot deck. There will be an explanation of the (standard) interpretation of the cards, good then less good, and then my associated headcannon (or more than one if I couldn’t decide). The source is my experience with tarot. I’m trying to minimize repeats, but historic and modern Old Guard members are counted separately. Enjoy.

The Major Arcana (aka the cards most people have heard about)

0. The Fool - the seeker. Naivety. Courage. Living in the moment. Journey’s beginning. All paths available. Folly. Apathy.

Nile. Anon convinced me. Though Booker has got the folly, apathy, and madness down, Nile is ultimately the beginning. She’s naïve but headstrong, and quite frankly a perfect match.

I. The Magician - the trickster. Power, skill, talent. Mastery, self-control, willpower. Subtlety. Divine connection and inspiration. Self-reliant.

Modern Nicky. Definitely Nicky. Just. He’s a formerly very religious man who just says these things. Also sniper.

II. The High Priestess - the moon goddess. Intuition, wisdom, foresight, divination, prophecy. Enlightenment, understanding, intelligence, education. Pride, emotional instability, unforgiving.

Historic Quynh. Her name means “night-blooming flower”, which is very moon goddess vibes to me. Also, I’d say over 500 years in a box turns understanding and enlightenment into emotional instability and unforgiveness.

III. The Empress - the queen. Feminine power, matriarch, mother. Fertility, pleasure, beauty. Success, evolution, movement. Marriage, wealth. Overattachment, domestic upheaval, delay.

Quynh. The counterpart to Andy’s emperor card.

Nile. Let’s be honest, she’s going to take over from Andy some day.

IV. The Emperor - the king. Masculine power, patriarch, father. Authority, leadership, proficiency. Wealth, stability, effectiveness. Perseverance, logic, endurance, experience. Lack of ability, weak character, immature, rebellious.

Modern Andy. She is the leader who’s short-comings effect her entire team. And who doesn’t love a little gender bending? (and her film look is already soft butch)

V. The Hierophant - the religious leader. Tradition, convention, ritual symbolism. Ceremony, religion, morality, philosophy. Mercy, goodness, forgiveness, humility, vulnerability, Impotence, Religious tyranny.

Historic Nicky. I mean, former priest (enough said).

Historic Andy. “I was once worshipped as a god” (enough said).

VI. The Lovers - the lovers. Love, attraction. Compatibility, harmony, choice.  Triumph over trials, vacillation. Entanglement, enmeshment. Infidelity, moral lapse, vice, separation, quarrels, inadequacy, failing tests.

Andromaquynh. *peeks out from behind barricade* I know that most people would just put Kaysanova as this card, but look at all the negatives it is associated with. Sounds a lot more like our immortal wives can really cover the gamut. They have the range....I am a sucker for Kaysanova, though. Even though the beginning of their relationship is rocky, I’d like to think it’s been fairly constant over the years. But let’s reverse the uhaul lesbians and fickle gay men tropes! Sorry, Book of Nile fans. That ship just isn’t established enough for this, I’d say. Maybe one day?

VII. The Chariot - the journey. Ordeal, obstacles, competition. High stakes, ambition, discipline. Conquest, victory, greatness. Right action prevails, overwhelming odds, sudden defeat.

Merrick and/or Dr. Kozak. I mean, this is literally their characters in a nutshell. Merrick is the journey/ordeal for the old guard. He is driven by his ambition, thinks he’s won over impossible odds, and then has a sudden defeat.

VIII. Justice - the balance. Equilibrium, equality, symmetry, harmony. Integrity, honor, fairness, neutrality, moderation. Vindication, self-righteousness, bigotry, prejudice, favoritism.

Nile. This is the woman with a sword card. She brings a balance to the team, she clearly moderates conflict, and I’d love to see BLM art of her in this style. Just sayin.

IX. The Hermit - the seeker-sage. Wisdom, inspiration, contemplation, discretion, understanding. Safety, protection, spiritual quest. Seeking truth and justice. Self-denial, timidity, fear.

Historic Joe. The idealized warrior poet? Definitely just a form of the hermit. Helps explain why a Magrebhi trader/artist fought at the Siege of Jerusalem: spiritual quest. I also like the idea of Joe having a secret reserved side.

X. The Wheel of Fortune - cycles of life. Destiney, evolution and progress, advancement. Manifestation, unexpected events. Success, sudden luck. Ups and downs.

Modern Quynh. There is nothing that better encapsulates her storyline than the wheel of fortune. One day you’re roaming the world with your immortal wife. The next, you’re drowning for over 500 years. The next you’re in Booker’s shitty Paris apartment.

XI. Strength - fortitude. Resilience, courage, resolve, confidence. Integrity, moral victory, endurance. Energy, action, vitality. Power, force, violence. Abuse of power, disgrace, impotence.

Lykon. Do I love this character beyong measure and reason? Maybe so. We have so little to go on about him, however, that the only things we do know bely his strengths. Also, he becomes ultimately the weakest when he dies and encapsulates both “extremes” of the card.

XII. The Hanged Man - the tested. Delay, sacrifice, abandonment, rejection. Betrayal. Reversals, restrained or bound, limbo, trials. Falseness.

Booker. If the fact that his first death was by hanging didn’t convince you? Read that description again. His character arc is literally working through being the hanged man.

XIII. Death - the loss or parting. Alteration, transformation, transition. Boredom, depression, stagnation, failure or disaster. Bereavement, recovery, immobility.

Lykon. He literally represents the fear of death to the remaining immortals. It is HE that they invoke when they discuss it. Also, I’m still mourning my favorite underdeveloped character.

XIV. Temperance - the moderation. Self-control, economy, patience, coordination. Consolidation, harmony, friendship, recuperation. Unfulfilled desires, discord, stubbornness, hostility, clashing of interests. Time, seasons, and climate.

A Safehouse. I don’t think any of the people really capture the tempered essence of this card, the constancy throughout all seasons of life. An actual physical building that rises and falls with (regular) humanity, though, seems to do the trick.

XV. The Devil - the arcane. Magic, strange occurrences, prophecy, fate. Catastrophe, downfall, negative attitude, Temptations, sins, obsessions. Enslavement, bondage, misplaced loyalty, violence, fatality.

Honestly? I’m so torn. I feel like a major commentary of the movie is that our demons are the way people react more so than the people themselves. Maybe the armored van?

XVI. The Tower - the House of God. Disruption, expulsion from an earthly paradise, divine wrath. Punishment (of pride), loss, destructive rivalry, plans ruined. Need to start again, bankruptcy.

The Iron Coffin. While this doesn’t capture the religious undertones quite right, the coffin is the Tower for Andromaquynh, It is (divine? or very human?) wrath brought on by pride since the two probably thought that they would be fine. It is loss and painful new beginnings.

XVII. The Star - the bright promise. Hope, faith, light of the spirit. Recovery, symbols of immortality. Gifts, good prospects, new dawn, frustrated expectations.

Nile. The new immortal, enough said.

Historic Andy/Lykon. In a way, the first immortal would also be a great choice of representation.

XVIII, The Moon - the hidden forces. Twilight, illusion, deception, trickery. Dishonesty, danger, uncertainty, terror. Developments, particularly somewhat concealed. Errors, powerful feelings.

Copley. I know, I know. “He’s the moon when I’m lost in darkness” and all that jazz. But look at this card’s interpretation and notice it’s pretty negative. Copley’s entire role is to pull the strings behind the scenes. He makes headway on problems in secrets, he lies and deceives everyone in the film at some point.

XIX. The Sun - the work’s rewards. Daylight, co-creation, union “of male and female”. Peace, joy, pleasure, love, contentment. Accomplishment, achievement, success. 

Joe. Not only is he the sun, he also fits this card perfectly. He is creation and happiness. Enough said.

XX Judgement - the rebirth. Judgement, sentence. Rejuvenation, renewal, resurrection, call to the new from the old, rehabilitation. Creation, promotion.

Historic Booker. I feel like his backstory with his family helped highlight the theme of rebirth for the Old Guard. They must be willing to give up what they have left behind to move forward. Also, there’s the more literal play as well since Booker was a conscripted criminal.

XXI The World - the long journey. Perfection, completion, conclusion. Power through intelligence and wisdom. The universe and the material world.

A group photo, of course! Beyond that? Who knows.

Historic Andy? She’s seen so much of it. Like just her eyes portray the history of the world.

The Minor Arcana (aka the rest of the cards)

Since most people are only familiar with the major arcana,  I’ll just briefly explain it. The minor arcana are actually the majority of a tarot deck. There are four suits associated with the four elements. Each suit has ten number cards and four court/face cards (traditionally modelled either based on one person or different interpretations of similar costuming). Each number or face has its own meaning, each suit has its own meaning, and their combination mostly explains what the card should be interpreted as. Quite frankly, the minor arcana are vastly underrated in popular understandings of tarot.

Suit of Wands - fire. Spontaneity, action, passion, adrenaline, life force, stroke of genius.

Guns? It’d be a bit of a niche take, but I associate guns with fires.

Staffs? More traditional in shape.

Suit of Coins - earth. Solid growth, material interests, possessions, profit, business, labor, slow and considerate.

Historic currency. Enough said.

Suit of Cups - water. Heartfelt involvements, imagination, spirituality, love, friendship, family.

Fountains around the world. Enough said.

Suit of Swords - air. Worry, trouble, boundaries, objectivity, the power of truth.

Obviously, their weapons of choice. I would go into more detail about who best represents each number, but I don’t want to bore you.

Court of Kings - mature men. Leaders, authority, status-quo, taking responsibility.

Again, most tarot is very gendered. But members in tuxes?

Court of Queens - mature women. Reflective and active, concerned with security/foundations, supportive, focused.

Members in dresses/gowns/anything that glitters?

Court of Knights/Cavaliers - young men. Dynamic, adventurous, intensive, revolutionary.

Tactical gear. Or historical armor. But it’s easier to do tactical gear right than accidentally draw a 15th century helmet on a 14th century suit of armor.

Court of Knaves/Pages - younger women, teenagers, and children. Students, apprentices, trainees, messengers, new opportunities.

Casual clothes.

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis New Year’s Special: Roy Batty

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

There are villains, and there are anti-villains, villains who do evil but who evoke sympathy because while their actions are heinous, their motivations are sympathetic and understandable. And there are few villains in all of cinema and even fewer anti-villains who evoke quite as much sympathy as Roy Batty.

Roy Batty is a Replicant, designed for combat and made to basically be a slave as all Replicants are. And despite all this, Batty merely wants to be free and live his life, and in fact prolong his life as he does not have a lot of time left – Replicants like him only get a few years at most. And so he murders and tortures his way through people who might have the answers he seeks, and yet, despite all this Roy Batty never once stops being sympathetic, he never stops being someone the audience can somewhat empathize with. We condemn his actions, sure, but he always remains a tragic figure.

Despite being ostensibly the villain of the film, Batty manages to have a defined arc that gets just as much attention as Deckard, fully fleshing him out and making him something of a villain protagonist from a certain point of view. In fact, Batty is not just a great villain and a great protagonist – he’s probably one of the greatest characters in all of cinema.

Actor: Phillip K. Dick, author of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the book Blade Runner is based on, is quoted as saying Rutger Hauer was "the perfect Batty — cold, Aryan, flawless." Batty was designed to be the perfect being, a flawless specimen of man, strong, smart, and driven, and if any man in the 80s exemplified that, it was Hauer. In a career of great performances, this was Hauer’s finest, and most of that comes from him inspiring so much of what we love about eh character, doing little things that wre thrown in because he felt it made Batty more interesting. Of course, the most important thing Hauer did was change Batty’s scripted dying words into something far more poignant and beautiful, but we’ll get to that shortly. If it isn’t clear, this is an absolutely perfect performance.

Motivation/Goals: Batty has a simple goal, but a goal that drives him to desperation: he wants to live. And he wants to live because he can’t bear all of his memories being forgotten, washed away by time and forgotten. He wants to be remembered if nothing else, but he goes to murderous lengths to achieve his goal… though frankly it’s seriously hard not to sympathize with him considering that he’s an escaped slave desperate to leave some mark on the world and live free going up against a cop who is legally allowed to hunt him down and terminate him. I suppose it is part of the point that we should sympathize with him; he’s more human than human, after all.

Personality: It’s actually interesting to note that Batty is well-read, intelligent, charming, and philosophical… which is the opposite of our tough, gritty noir detective protagonist Deckard. Much has been made of Harrison Ford’s, let’s say, “understated” performance in Blade Runner, but frankly I find it to be a deliberate choice to contrast against Batty: we have a machine that is all too human going up against a human who is bland and robotic. It ties in very well thematically with the film.

Final Fate: After spending the climax beating up Deckard and basically going bonkers after the deaths of his lover and friends, Batty regains his composure, saves Deckard’s life, and, well...

Best Scene: ...he dies. But not before he laments on how all the amazing experiences he has had in his short, tragic existence will die with him and end up forgotten. This is one of the most beautiful soliloquies ever put to film, and while I’m not the biggest fan of the film as a whole, I am an enormous fan of Batty and this scene in particular. I tear up every single time I watch this; Hauer’s performance here is so powerful.

Best Quote: As if it could be anything else aside from the “Tears in the Rain” soliloquy: “I've...seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those... moments... will be lost in time, like tears... in... rain. Time... to die...” This quote becomes all the more tragic and poignant as Hauer passed away in 2019, a few months before the month his character died in the 2019 this movie envisioned. It’s a sad, eerie coincidence that only serves to empower these lines even more.

Final Thoughts & Score: Roy Batty is one of the most beautiful and poignant characters in all of cinema. Everything about him is just so appealing on a character level, and it amazes me because he’s really the only part of the movie I love. The rest of it has just never vibed with me even a little bit – but Roy Batty? His struggles are always relatable.

While obviously it’s not likely you’ll know what it’s like to be a slave, it’s pretty common to have that sort of existential dread that Batty has. I know I’ve always feared dying alone and unremembered, all of what I am being forgotten as I fade away. Maybe that’s why Batty resonated with me more than the rest of the film and certainly more than Deckard: you can give me all the gritty cyberpunk noir with Harrison Ford you’d like, but it won’t mean anything if you’re giving me a deeply existential and philosophical cyborg superman desperate to either extend his life which is rapidly burning out or at least somehow preserve his memory so that his existence is not utterly forgotten (this last bit actually makes his casting as the replacement for Master Xehanort all the better; The Nobodies had similar themes, what with their Proof of Existence graveyard and desire to have their hearts returned).

Adding into what makes him so engaging to me is the religious symbolism, something I’m a sucker for. Batty ends up as a strange and complex fusion of both Lucifer and Jesus, descending from the sky to free his people in spite of the wishes of his god-like father. He does resemble many stereotypical depictions of Lucifer, as well. But then we get to the more Jesus-y bits, such as his affinity for doves and the fact he dies with nails through his palms and a dove in his hands. He’s such an interesting Messianic archetype.

Batty is clearly a 10/10. That 10 is pretty much solely for the soliloquy too; if only I had more of an excuse to give him an 11, but sadly Batty hasn’t had the massive impact on popular culture that he deserves, which is a shame. Batty is still a perfect villain regardless, and a perfect character to boot, no bones about it. In the end, while he never succeeded to extend his life, he did end up getting what he wanted on a meta level: Roy Batty, to all who have seen the film, is eternally remembered. His memories are not lost to time like tears in the rain; those memories live on in us. If Batty were real, I hope he would be satisfied that his short life was not in vain. 

I think it says a lot that he doesn’t appear in Blade Runner 2049, and yet... as the film ends and K lies dying, Vangelis’ “Tears in the Rain” plays over him, drawing a direct connection between the dignified, tragic end of Roy Batty and the heroic sacrifice K made to save Deckard and ensure he could finally meet his daughter. Roy doesn’t need to appear at all; just invoking him in spirit is enough to make a scene all the more beautiful and poignant. If that is not the sign of a great character, I’m not exactly sure what is.

[puppy-the-mask]

You ever create AUs of your own self-insert fantasies? Hahahaha...

So I made an AU for my Epithet inserts... I call it the ‘Crypt!AU’

Basically one of the twins absorbed the other in the womb- like ya do- anyways the parents named her Lilith, which is a really pretty name!

But not to the parents, it’s got Symbolism!

There’s a myth about a lady named Lilith who apparently was supposed to be Adam’s first wife but refused to ‘lie under him’ and voluntarily walked out of Eden- which what a fucking power move! She was like ‘fuck no I’m not below you nor am I gonna sleep with you- bye bitch’- which apparently later on she’d represent lust and sexual desire??? Doesn’t make sense but I skimmed a bit

ANYWAYS! They’re basically calling her a demon that represents a heap of bad things cause she absorbed her sister and they wanted twins dangit! Also Lillies are the flower of death, sybolizing spirits gaining purity/innocence after death or something like that. So more death but better context! So she doesn’t mind so much when her friends call her that for short

Not that she has any cause ya girl’s INSCRIBED!!! And her epithet it ‘Crypt’

She makes Crypts (like how Percy makes her buildings but she only has 1)

And In her crypts are skeletons, and depending on how big it is, Lots of skeletons (‘skeletons are cool’ is my multiversal constant, if an alternate me doesn’t like them then she ain’t a me plain and simple)

Cause Crypts are used for 3 things, burying dead, storage, and apparently religious ceremonies? Idk what to do with that one honestly BUT I DO FOR THE OTHER TWO!

She can store things in her crypt, or summon skeletons to the material plane. It’s cool cause at first they were mindless but she kept summoning the same ones cause she got attatched and the thought of experiencing something with one only for it to stop existing after hurt her heart, so basically she accidentally gave them autonomy. She has 2 that have been with her since day 1 and she loves them dearly, crypts are where you bury important family members and stuff after all! She also has a hoard of animal skeletons, she feeds the town’s strays and so once they’re family they appear in her crypt after death. Those have the most sentience, since they had previous lives. She also tends to find strays on their last legs- comforting them and welcoming them to her family so they aren’t alone in their final moments. Then she buries them and they can decide if they’ll stay in the crypt, move in and reincarnate, or just move on/ stick around in the afterlife.

When it was discovered that she could conjure skeletons her already shaky reputation plummeted and everyone was afraid, there were even random rumors saying they were all victims of her murders which- she’s like 5 when this starts so wtf people??? She’s in your sight like all the time????? Anyways she only has 1 friend and that’s Chief (cause he’s also here and a living person) cause his epithet also makes him a outcast!

Things stayed like this- her regularly being sent to Eclipses house to learn how to be an upstanding citizen (really cause the parents are assholes who think they need to cleanse the house every week of their daughter’s ‘inherent evil’) she feed lots of strays here and even taught herself how to sew and make clothes for her skele-fam who liked to be discernible from one another to people other than her. Things come to a head when she’s about 11 and the family cat dies unexpectedly, they come home to find the cat dead and the mom is hysteric, she’s cradling the body when Lily feels a gentle but insistent, desperate nudge in the back of her head that tells her someone wants out of the crypt so she relents and lets the cat say it’s goodbyes. But when it rubbed against her and purred (or did the skeleton cat equivalent which is light bone rattling) the mother was disgusted and remarked it was devil magic and all that Jazz- condemning lily and ‘that thing!’

She was shipped off to Eclipse’s at the end of the day, having to pack as much as possible cause she was now banned from the house. The cat had lived a long healthy life and even though things were tense between the human family members they all loved and adored the cat, so it’s form had 2 tails (cause I’m a sucker). Initially it was going to watch over the family as a spirit but after the fiasco decided to stay in the crypt with lily and the others.

But sadly, word spreads and after 3 years of eclipse and her roomies trying their best they can’t give her the help/ life she needs. So she ends up getting adopted and moving a couples cities over. The fun thing is, Chief has been living with Eclipse too- cause he’s a runaway and the local neusance, but he was old enough to emancipate himself when she moved and found a place that was renting a stones throw away!

Some other fun facts;

-Lilith is selectively mute, all her crypt-mates learning asl with her so she doesn’t have to use a dry erase board 24/7

-I have a crossover idea with my CasSwap Bois, where they met online while the brothers were going through old PlayStation games and tried out online mode. And it just so happens that she moves to Ebott, it still takes like 5 years for them to start planning a meet up and realizing that ‘holy shit we’re practically neighbors!’ But wholesome ideas nonetheless

-Apparently Crypt and Catacomb are similies, eventually she can create a whole creepy-ass labrinth that she can set her skeles loose in (like the catacombs under Paris), and since she uses her epithet like all the time she’d be able to use stronger powers relatively fast cause training.

~someone catches her using an abandoned cemetery to summon her crypt and put a stray’s soul to rest? Labyrinth full of fog to confuse them and then suddenly everything’s gone and they’re still where they were (don’t know if she’d make a legit labrynth or an illusion of one, like you could wander for hours but then when she takes it awa you were just walking in circles in the same room)

-someone started a ghost legend about her random crypt appearances at the cemetery (she only makes a big ornate one for the whole respectful ceremonial vibe of a stray’s last moments/moving on, always in a cemetery/graveyard cause it takes a little less stamina there)

-she’s awkward so when someone catches her doing her thing she tells them to just call her ‘Stray’, cause like why would she tell them her actual name in this situation????

-this got longer then I thought

-OH YEAH ALSO! Apparently another Lilith thing was the thought that she murders kids so, that might’ve added to the wonky rep and rumors about the poor kid

[undertheinktree]

I'm watching Death Note (I had watched the first episodes 7 or 8 years ago but I never finished it because of Reasons) and can I just say??? The scene where L washes Light's feet just before dying??? Gold??? Why am I such a sucker for religious symbolism?

[kdazrael]

Oh my god I have finally finished the first draft of chp 2 of Wandering Steps and Slow and it is 11K. Why have I lost control of my life like this??? 

For real tho, I am proofreading this sucker one (1) time and flinging it at the internet because I need to step away from tender robot feels and weird religious symbolism for the good of my own sanity.

[listenbang]

THE CYMBAL CRASHING CLOUDS

Four years ago today, I started this blog. The blog’s name came from the first track of The Cymbal Crashing Clouds, a full-length solo record by Nashville songwriter and producer Ben Shive. I didn’t know it at the time, but the day I created Listen! was Ben Shive’s birthday! And so I think it would be neat and even appropriate to write today about one of my favorite albums.

1. Listen! 2. EGBDF 3. Sorry, But I'm Yours 4. Someone Is Asking 5. The Fall 6. Shooting the Moon 7. She's Invincible 8. The Fire Pit 9. Your Secret Smile 10. A Last Time for Everything

I remember when The Cymbal Crashing Clouds was released. It was late Summer / early Autumn of 2011, around this time of year seven years ago. I remember that time in my life to be a blur. I was learning a lot. A lot about the gospel. A lot about God. His Holiness, His love. A love so profound that it would chase me to the ends of the world. I was realizing, too, that I was a very weak and needy person (I guess I’m still realizing that). 

I had known of Ben Shive as a writer and producer (Andrew Peterson, Sara Groves) for a while, but had only just discovered his solo work on The Ill-Tempered Klavier, his 2008 release. I loved what I heard there and hoped for more. I remember the weeks leading up to the release of The Cymbal Crashing Clouds. I remember the expectation I felt. I remember my jaw dropping as I heard snippets of the record. In fact, I don’t remember a time where I was more keenly anticipating the release of a record. And my expectations were met and exceeded the night I got the album and listened through it for the first time. I felt then — and feel it even stronger now — The Cymbal Crashing Clouds is a quintessential record.

“Listen!” is the first track on the record (the song this blog is named after!). It opens with dueling train whistles. The train whistles actually sound throughout, as the song’s base (and um, it’s genius…). A shimmering opener, “Listen!” sets the tone for the rest of the record. Vibrant and strong. Brilliant in lyric and composition. The song tells of an encounter with the grandeur of God. It is inspired by Scripture, like many of the songs on CCC. I’ve written more about this song in another post. 

THE LYRICS

OK, let me tell you about Ben Shive’s lyric writing. It is stunning. Wonderful. Captivating. The Cymbal Crashing Clouds is a thematic album, where unconscious, inanimate objects speak eternal truths. A train, a bust of Beethoven, a Nintendo console, the Fall leaves, and a fire pit are just a few of the characters. And they all tell of the God who stepped into our sin-broken world, to bring us truth and grace.

There’s a trend in songs coming out of the church; it’s a trend that’s been gaining traction for the last decade or so. Vagueness. And along with that, irrelevance. Because most of the time, the writers of these songs aren’t even sure what they’re writing about. In CCC I’m not hearing vagueness. Instead, it seems the more I listen, that each song has a message that is intentionally hiding behind a story, an image, a character. This is the way of a parable. But to those looking for truth, the meaning will find them. That’s the beauty of a parable.

For instance, “EGBDF” is a song about Ben’s struggle as a boy to please his piano teacher, only to get fired in the end. And how later on, music came alive for him in a surprising way upon discovering his father’s record collection. That’s the basic drift of the song, and it’s already a great song. But when you find out that the frowning Beethoven bust in the piano teacher’s living room is symbolic of Moses, and the frown of God’s holy law on our imperfection, the song opens to a new dimension, and so beautifully describes the gospel and the work of grace in the heart. I really like the metaphor the second verse makes to describe what God’s holiness requires of us, and how we fall far short:

Mrs. H was unimpressed Though I had practiced religiously Never mind that I was practicing To master Super Mario 3 And soon she put my memory behind her And fired me with the biting reminder that Every good boy does fine

Ben has the ability to paint��with his words. Every time I hear “Someone is Asking,” I clearly, vividly see the scene the lyrics are portraying, and I wish the scene could transform into a watercolor painting. But I don’t know if a painting would do justice to the imagery this song creates in my mind. Added to that, the song is a brilliant sweeping celebration of Christ and his love for the church. I’m wowed every time I hear it. Also, I love that it’s pretty much a modern jazz standard. 

The more I listen to these songs, the more I realize the mastery behind their writing. I feel like there’s much more to them than my dull mind can grasp. “A Last Time for Everything” is a heartbreaking and glorious song that Ben wrote for his friend Emmet, who was dying of cancer. Hymn-like, it alludes to the finished work of Christ on our behalf. Ben got to sing it for Emmet before he died. 

You're gonna wake up soon In your lonely room To the sound of a singing bird Throw the curtain back To find your bag's already packed And the cab is at the curb Then like a bad dream Unreal in the morning light So will the world seem When you see it in the mirror for the last time

THE MUSIC

The music of The Cymbal Crashing Clouds is diverse. It draws from pop, rock, jazz, and soul traditions. It’s nostalgic. It reminds me in a way of the sound of Fleet Foxes, who have at times limited their instrumentation and style to a certain musical era or “world,” you might say. And it seems Ben has done a similar thing: set creative rules to go by in his delivery and production of CCC. This almost seems harder to do than trying to sound “modern” and “hip.” But Ben does this in such a natural way. And somehow, the constraining only broadens the creative horizon of the record! There are unapologetic references to the Beatles and the Beach Boys throughout the album — both musically and lyrically. “Your Secret Smile” is about Brian Wilson and the story of an unfinished record called Smile. It wasn’t until listening to the Smile sessions afterward, that I realized how much of an influence those songs were on Ben Shive’s music. 

One thing that Ben gets a lot of requests for is his orchestral arrangement, and there are amazing string arrangements throughout this record. I’m a sucker for seventies-swelling string whimsy, so the string section toward the end of “Listen!” always gets me!! Every track on the album is so well choreographed. The interwoven strings, I would say, are the “cherry on top.”

Looking back, I feel like the reception of this record was not what it should have been; it’s a bit disappointing. And it mystifies me. What happened to The Cymbal Crashing Clouds? Why was it not more eagerly received and appreciated? Especially by the church, where eyes and ears are said to be opened to true beauty. Was it its musical “indieness”? Its lyrical intricacy? Or perhaps it was the owl-man on the front, I don’t know. But I do know there’s good news in these songs, and beauty for those who have ears to hear.

Yesterday I was driving through town and listening to “The Fall” —

The summer sun, once young and wild, Is a little wiser and his eyes are tired; He nods his head mid-afternoon And then he’s off to bed.

So while the days are ripe and sweet We heap them up in baskets at our feet And do our best to use them well, Cause they won’t last.

Leaves are turning everywhere; the days are getting shorter. It’s a beautiful time of year. Yesterday, Ben Shive’s “The Fall” reminded me of something I believe God is telling us through this season: That the year is coming to a close, and so are our lives. The year speeds by, and ends with a sigh, just like a lifetime. O Lord, teach us to number our days. By the way, “The Fall” is one of the most brilliant songs of all time…

Since its release in 2011, The Cymbal Crashing Clouds has probably become my most played album. I always get something new from it. Every time. And it’s plain fun to listen to as well. This album has become the soundtrack for many precious memories in my life. Every time I hear it, I’m filled with gratitude for this collection of songs and for Ben Shive, in opening up and letting us hear them. And I’m still hoping that Ben lets us hear more, because I know there’s more…

As the needle deciphered the song from the vinyl, I went stumbling down halls ever spiraling– Drawn to the center, the strings all ascending, A long chord decaying, a song in a circle unending...

A train passes our house daily. It has the exact same whistle as the one that plays at the beginning of Ben Shive’s album. I hear it most distinctly in the mornings, as it passes through the sleepy countryside and rings its rousing dissonant cry. Now every time I hear it, I hear the cymbal crashing clouds. And I’m reminded that the God of history — the God of the universe — is calling out to me. That in each day, even in the mundane things, there can be an encounter with his majesty. My response, then, is that of the boy awakened in the night by the voice of God — “Here am I.”

The Cymbal Crashing Clouds can be found (at least for now) at the Rabbit Room, and I would strongly (even forcibly) suggest you go there and get it! You won’t regret it! And while you’re at it, you can get the book — did I mention that he wrote a book with the same name‽ Countless times I’ve reread that fascinating little book. And I’ve always gone away inspired (and that’s where I got those awesome drawings from).

[adamantiii]

(*°ｰ°)ﾉ -slides everything else on that Munday meme here- do it~♡

@tcpsytxrvy​

† Do you portray your muse as religious? Why or why not? How does your own religion (or lack thereof) influence this?

I do not portray Delia as religious and there are two reasons for it. The first, and the most prominent reason, is her personality and attitude in general. I just can’t see her being the type of person who’d really follow one, honestly. It has less to do with her beliefs in a god or higher power and more her free-spirited nature; she does not like being told how to live her life, especially by other people. She would not take well to being told she has to act, think, or live a certain way - she gets enough of that from her aunt as it is. 

My own tendency towards non-religion does have some part in it as, because it’s not a huge part of my life, it doesn’t seem like it would be something significant. There is also the fact that I do not trust internet sources on the matter of religion or culture ( I can’t tell you how many time I’ve read something and then had someone who is actually part of that religion or culture explain that it’s inaccurate or incorrect), and would rather not make it an aspect of my character than run the risk of misportraying it. 

☑ What is a plot idea you’re willing to play with virtually any partner? What makes that plot so special to you?

I don’t do plot ideas, per say. I mean, I have them, but any idea I would want to do stems from original works of mine that, as a result of past issues (read: people lifting stuff off my old dA account and trying to sell it on Amazon), I’d rather not put online. Let’s just say I have the worst luck when it comes to theft and I’ve gotten extremely stingy about posting original content or mentioning it to people. But I’m always up for AUs, especially anything Star Wars or Fantasy related.

✰ How did you decide your muse’s skills and talents? Do they relate to their occupation in some way?

In most cases, I look at their personality and occupation and figure out what fits best with it, but with Delia, I wanted to step outside of the norm, at least in my case. Most of Delia’s however, are learned and mostly self-taught. Like, she’s that person who gets bored and spends hours binge-watching internet tutorials on some of the most random things. One or two things may be a natural talent, such as her artistic ability, or taught, like her figure skating ability, but the rest are mostly  She sees something that sparks her interest and she just does it.

Except cooking. No matter how many times she’s tried, she just cannot grasp the concept. She can barely make toast without burning it. 

Ⅶ If you have multiple blogs and/or muses, which one is your favorite? Why?

I’ve had numerous blogs but one of my One Piece OCs will always be my favorite. I put years of work into her and her personality and general set up isn’t like most characters I normally write. She’s not my first, by far, but she’s definitely the one I’m most proud of. (I’m actually in the process of working out her BNHA verse, even if she would be Midnight 2.0…).

✎ When choosing a name for your muse, did you pick something special or meaningful in some way?

I’m a huge sucker for hidden meaning and symbolism, and in most cases, there usually is some underlying meaning in my characters’ names, but with Delia, it was less meaning and more “I like how that sounds”.  That, and finding English names that work with Japanese surnames is harder than you’d think. 

☺ If you have a faceclaim for your muse, why did you choose them? Are you satisfied with your fc, or would you rather find a different one?

The short answer is I already had icons when I used her for a previous OC. As for satisfied? I’m never satisfied, lmao. But honestly, finding an FC for a character that isn’t too expressive, but not completely stoic, that also doesn’t look twelve is a lot harder than it seems. Especially for me, considering how picky I am with art style.

♥ When it comes to shipping, what factors are absolutely necessary for a ship to develop?

This ain’t tinder, y’all. There’s none of that this ain’t working and bail with the breadsticks twenty minutes into it. Chemistry is an absolute must. I know my character and I know what types of people she does and doesn’t like and if I feel that a ship won’t work, it most likely won’t. Of course, the actual development is also important, but if that initial “spark” isn’t there, then there’s already a problem.

Communication and discussion between partners is also super important. I get very invested in my ships and, to be 100% transparent, easily discouraged if I feel my partners aren’t as interested. 

❝ ❞ Is it easy for you to write dialog for your muse? Do their speech patterns come naturally to you while writing?

Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t. My main issue is keeping a couple of things in mind when writing her dialogue. Delia’s a little tricky because she’s bilingual and she’s pretty obvious about it, but her Japanese isn’t perfect. It’s basically textbook Japanese with some phrases or wordings she’s picked up over the years and she has a habit of throwing English words into the middle of her sentences (I italicize them and she does this to try and cover up the fact that she doesn’t actually know the word she’s looking for). The hardest part, as my knowledge of Japanese is limited to maybe three or four words, is knowing which words she’d mispronounce - because it’s supposed to happen a lot, especially with the ones that rely heavily on emphasis. Like, if she ever says “bridge” out of nowhere, she probably actually meant “chopsticks”.

Normally, I wouldn’t bother with that, but it is a big part of her character (she gets really defensive if someone points it out), and it makes replies a bit difficult to do at times. 

❀ What is a muse you want to play but haven’t? Why haven’t you played them yet?

I considered Shinsou at one point, but the whole canon privilege issue I talked about in an earlier ask is pretty much what stopped me from doing so.

✸ Tell us about any NPCs on your blog. Who are they to your muse? What do they contribute to your blog?

I’ll be honest with you, I don’t even know what could be considered an NPC in reference to tumblr roleplaying…

✼ When it comes to worldbuilding, what are some ideas you’d like to explore in rp?

Just about anything, really. Like, literally any scenario brings the potential for development in general and I’m always down for that.

[persephone-damnedqueen]

Final Thoughts on Winter 2017 Anime Season:

Winter is over and the Spring season is starting.  Overall, I’m genuinely happy with this season.  It was a fairly good season.  Anyways, here are my thoughts on the shows I watched, shows I loved, and shows I dropped this past season.  Keep in mind these are my thoughts, and these are the shows that I watched.  There were a ton of shows airing, so for obvious reasons I couldn’t get to all of them.  

Masamune-kun no Revenge:  Silver Link Studio

Dropped.  I’ll be completely honest, it bored me.  I gave it five episodes before I dropped it.  The art style is good, but since that was the only thing that really kept me watching, I had to drop it.  It was really predictable, and overall not really remembered.  Do I recommend it?  Honestly, unless you really like harems, or romance anime, then no. 

Fuuka:  Diomedea Studio 

Dropped.  Fuck.  I hate this show.  What started out as promising turned into utter crap by episode 3.  You’d think from a show with good visuals the story would be better right?  I could not stand watching more than I did and I gave it four episodes.  I mean I can’t for the life of me understand how this is one of the more popular this season.  You have a show with cringe worthy forced drama, and overused tropes with the very predictable forced love triangle.  Would I recommend this?  No, unless I truly hated the person, and even then it might be too harsh.  And for fuck’s sake, put some damn pants on.  The amount of panty shots are insane.   

Little Witch Academia: Studio Trigger

Overall, I’m pretty satisfied with the first half of the series so far.  This series is based off an OVA/Movie, and honestly, while it isn’t as vibrate as the series counterpart is, it’s still really wonderful to have.  I really like how you get more development throughout, and get to see more interactions with other characters that you weren’t able to get with the Movie/OVA.  Studio Trigger is doing a really good job animating it, and it definitely has that signature Trigger style.  The plot is definitely unique, and the characters are all lovable in their own way.  Seriously, if you haven’t picked up this anime yet, do it.  You are missing out.  

Kobayashi-san Chi no Dragon Maid:  Kyoto Animation

(Based on Episode 12, since at the time of posting this, episode 13 hasn’t aired yet).  This show quickly became the Slice of Life show that I never knew I needed until I got it.  I heard about it as the season started, and the praise it was/still is getting from the community, so I picked it up around episode four or so, and literally, it’s the cutest thing in the world.  From the stunning visuals, adorable and unique characters, an almost all female cast, and the genuine warm hearted feeling you get from watching this show, it’s very easy to see how this became so beloved in the community, (also, let’s face it here, Kanna is the main reason everyone watches).  I also find it very entertaining that the Slice of Life show has literally some of the best fight scene animations this season, but that’s nothing less than expected from KyoAni.  Seriously, Kyoto Animation really went above and beyond with this one.  I recommend this to everyone, because these gorgeous dragons with yuri tendencies will make you fall in love with this series.  (Seriously though, Kanna is Best Girl Winter 2017 and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise).  

March Comes in like a Lion:  Studio Shaft

Okay, I have a couple things to say about this anime.  First: WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT THIS?!?!?!?!   This anime is spectacular.  It’s phenomenal.  It’s fucking fantastic.  It’s easily one of the best, if not the best, anime airing this season.  For anime about Shogi, I honestly was not expecting to love this anime as much as I do.  Holy shit, this is an emotional trip.  This is a slow building character heavy show, so it’s not for everyone, but I recommend it to anyone, regardless on if you know the game or not, because they teach you that throughout the anime.  Side note:  This animation is fucking breathtaking.  Studio Shaft is the best animation studio, and everything they do is fucking spectacular, (And I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise).  IT’S GETTING A SEASON TWO AS WELL LATER ON THIS YEAR, SO THANK YOU STUDIO SHAFT!  YOU ARE AMAZING AND I LOVE YOU!  

Gabriel DropOut: Studio Doga Kubo

I needed this show more than I thought I would have this season.  This was a great show where I can just turn off my mind and enjoy the moe blob.  In all honestly, it’s a pretty generic show with the only major difference between this and any other moe show is that this has angels and demons.  Whatever, it’s cute and enjoyable.  Plus, Gabriel is so relatable.  I recommend this to anyone wanting a cute show to turn off their minds and enjoy.  

Koro-Sensei Quest:  Studio Lerche

When I saw a spin off of Assassination Classroom coming out for the season, you better believe that moment, I was all over that.  I absolutely love anything Assassination Classroom related, so obviously, I died at this.  This is one of the few anime where I kept up with the moment it came out, for both the sub AND the dub. By the end of the season, I can honestly look back and say “Yes, I fucking loved this damn show.”  The dub was a little disappointing, especially right around episode 5 and especially in episode 7 and 8, and they changed a lot of lines and context, but it’s watchable nonetheless.  Chibi versions of the assassins, as well as their “bugs”  make this show a riot.  I never thought I needed a Chibi Friendly Terasaka in my life, but oh my god am I glad it’s a thing.  Also, the amount of Karma x Nagisa moments in this anime made my fucking life.  The episodes are 10 minutes long, and there are twelve total.  I recommend this to EVERYONE, especially if you like Assassination Classroom.  

Kuzu no Honkai: Studio Lerche

This anime fucked me up.  The translated title for this is “Scum’s Wish,” and oh my nonexistent gods did it make me feel like scum after watching it.  I loved every moment of it.  I watched it religiously as it was airing because of how intense it was.  It is a very, very, VERY dark side of romance, and it makes it completely unique compared to every other romance anime out there.  It shows the very dark, very twisted side of romance that no one likes to talk about, but it’s very real; often times, it gets too real.  I love how this show was able to show the twisted and desperate things that an unrequited or forbidden love drives us to do.  It manages to portray the struggle of purity and corruption in a way that is nothing short of amazing.  I could go on and on about the symbolizing and just the depth and fantastic development this show does.  The characters themselves are very flawed, and struggle in so many different ways.  Without a doubt, Akane-Sensei is the best villain of the Winter Season.  Period.  She pushes Hanabi into changes so much throughout the series and as much as I hate the character, she is AMAZINGLY WELL WRITTEN.  Every character in this series is very well written, and gets development in some way, which is very nice to see.  The art style is incredible, and is easily one of the best, if not the best, animated series of winter.  I cannot recommend this to everyone though because this is a very, very dark show, and there’s a lot of sex, and sexual tension throughout, but if you want to see a phenomenal show and don’t mind the dark themes, then please, watch it.  It’s easily one of my favorites, if not my favorite, this season.  

Super Lovers 2: Studio Deen

This is a guilty pleasure anime.  Honestly, it’s soo much better than it’s first season, and I’m so fucking sad there was only ten episodes this season.  I want a season three.  I love where this season goes, and I love the addition of Natsuo to the dysfunctional group of brothers already.  I’m a sucker for BL stuff.  Don’t judge me.  

Gintama:  Bandai Namco Pictures

Fuck, I can’t believe the season is over.  In all honestly, this was the best season of Gintama period, and that ending was fucking amazing.  I really hope they don’t stop here, and they animate the final arc of the manga.  I really loved the even more development you got from Zura, and Kagura and hell just every character.  You can really tell that the studio took their time and gave it a lot of effort in animating this season, because it’s beautiful.  The fight scenes are awesome; ugh and this season makes you fucking feel, especially with Kagura.  This was fucking amazing, and I literally can’t say anything bad about this season.  One of my favorites from this season without a doubt.  It deserves all the hype.  

So there you have it; these were my thoughts on the winter 2017, and if Spring is anywhere near as good as this past season was, then I’m going to be an incredibly happy person.  Thoughts?  

[torontocrossingcultural]

Part II: Chinatown, Toronto (day 2)

Waking up on the second day, I was informed I would be going to the Science Center. Being the geek I am, I was very excited. I attended a childrens’ show on energy and I was astounded by the progressiveness of the Canadian people.

I learned that non-renewable energy accounts for only 10% of all electricity in Ontario. My jaw had dropped. I didn’t think that any country had gotten that far in earth-friendly energy. what’s more was that the presenter acknowledged to groups of school students that global warming was fact and that we as humans are making it much worse by burning fossil fuels. Could it have been possible? A country so determined to preserve the environment or, at least recognize the fact that it was in danger? Toronto had recycling bins next to every trash can on the street, hand dryers were encouraged over paper towel-- Canada is trying to save the world. 

Later on that day we headed off for Chinatown, and though it may sound redundant, I wasn’t expecting anything so Chinese. I expected just a heavily populated chinese area but what I got was a slice of the country. All of the signs were in Chinese (with little english subtitles at the bottom), everyone spoke Chinese -- sometimes exclusively -- and everything was packed incredibly close together. Unlike the rest of Toronto, the shops were fit together like little tetris pieces packed a tightly together as possible. Often, stores would be partially underground or up some inconvenient stairs. It was surreal. We stopped in a grocery store and the walls were filled with mushrooms and fish and strange roots and deer tendons; none of which we had ever heard of, nor pronounce the names of. The three shopkeepers bantered in chinese; I imagined that they were joking about this goofy looking group of white folks in their store. 

Getting hungry, and with the recommendation of the locals, we decided to go to Dim Sum King; supposedly the best authentic chinese place in town; which was quite the title, considering the sheer number of chinese restaurants that lined the street.

I work in a restaurant, and I’m used to establishments having their very own buildings; the Dim Sum King was not like that. We walked in and saw a sort of terrace with restaurants on two sides--none of which were ours-- and a dry cleaner. 

The Dim Sum King was actually up three flights of stairs within the building. Up the climb, one of my family remarked something along the lines of “this must be why they’re all so in shape”. Finally arriving, we sat down. The restaurant itself was very beautiful, and one wall was entirely windows, giving us a great view of the street. It was large for what I thought was an obsolete location. I thought that the appearance of the place definitely confirmed what the locals said.

Dim Sum, my grandfather explained, was a chinese style of dining in which the group ordered numerous small dishes to share, rather than everyone ordering their own. He had lived in Asia for many years, and stood by the opinion that everything is higher quality there.

The food was absolutely delicious; I asked for seconds and thirds. I tore through steamed vegetables and pork and dumplings and everything I could get my chopsticks on. I’m definitely a food person when I travel, and this place got me my fill for the entire trip. I asked every meal to go back to Chinatown. Best of all, The meal was around only a hundred bucks Canadian (about 75 USD) which was a steal for feeding six hungry people. I’m going back some day.

We decided to hit the streets after our meal, and sightsee. My grandma was suckered into buying pastries from a bakery after the woman behind the counter said it was “just for you”. We passed a restaurant with ducks hanging in the window. I found it interesting that there were quite a few junk vendors- most of the shops sold cheap souvenirs or conveniences. I wanted to see the mall, so we went in. There was a pharmacy there, and i was very excited to score some off-brand dramamine for the trip home.

On the second floor, I saw a glowing neon sign that said “CD Store” below it. Excited, I ran to it, hoping there would be some cool music CDs. I walked in and looked around, but all I saw were movie cases with naked chinese women on them. This wasn’t a music store; it was a pornography shop.

That was awkward.

After leaving Chinatown, we took a bus tour. I learned that there were no zoning laws in areas of Toronto; If you had the license, you could open whatever store you wanted. We passed one store called the T.H.C. (Toronto Hemp Corporation) which featured a canadian flag that had a marijuana leaf instead of a maple leaf. Clever, I thought.

Our tour guide made it known that everyone in Canada had free healthcare- paid for by taxes. If you got sick, he explained, just walk into the hospital and they’ll fix you up. 

Astounding. We were in a country that provided its citizens with a basic human right, but everyone wasn’t incredibly poor... we weren’t living in a dystopian, socialist dictatorship. Funny how that worked.

Overall, I saw a country that was incredibly diverse; unlike here, the religious community was loving and accepting (every church had a rainbow flag or symbol, to let the LGBT+ community know they were welcome), a country working hard to fight climate change, a country that provided basic needs to all its citizens, a country that didn’t tolerate racism, a country that wasn’t ruled by giant corporations, I could go on for days. Canada is decades ahead of the United States socially, and we could learn a lot from our neighbors to the north if we pulled our head out of our rear end (Getting rid of the idiot in the oval office wouldn’t hurt either).